A “Captain Scarlet and the Mysterons” story

 

By Kelly Haycock and Ono

 

 

Colonel White sat behind his desk waiting. Lieutenant Green kept looking about expectantly. "Where have they got to?" he asked.

"They'll be here soon, don't worry, lieutenant," White answered calmly, while staring out the door.

A noise outside betrayed the arrival of the very men they were expecting and Green smiled, visibly relaxing.

White looked at him, "You see? There they are. Right on time as well," he said, regarding the clock on his panel.

The walkway in front of the communications console Green was manning started to move and Captains Blue and Scarlet appeared in the room.

"Good afternoon, gentlemen," White said, pressing a button on his desk, rising up two stools for the officers to sit on. "Lieutenant Green was getting worried," he continued. "He thought you wouldn't make it on time!"

The pair smiled. "Lieutenant, you should know by now, we're very rarely late. I don't remember the last time actually," Blue said.

Scarlet looked round at Green. "I think the only time either of us will be late to a mission debriefing is if Cloudbase is under attack or one of us isn't here!"

"Well, there's a positive thought!" Green said, getting back to his work.

"Anyway, I trust the mission was successful?" White said, getting back to the point.

"Yes, sir. We were able to stop the Mysterons from carrying out their threat of renewing the English currency," Blue said.

Scarlet sighed. "We were almost too late. It took us so long to figure out they meant the Queen that we almost didn't arrive in time! One of her chauffeurs had been taken and was trying to drive her into the side of Buckingham Palace rather than out of the grounds and to their Gala evening."

"Well, you made it, that's one thing I can say for sure," White said, smiling at the two.

"I'm still not entirely sure what they meant, though," Green said, looking up again.

"If the Queen had been killed, the English currency would have been renewed. They would have had to change all the coins and notes to update them on the arrival of the new Monarch. That would also mean that anyone due for the throne would think twice. They wouldn't want to be a Mysteron target, now would they?" Blue said.

Green looked at him a little blankly then nodded. "Right." He continued on with his work.

"Right." Colonel White leaned in towards his loyal agents, "While you were out thwarting another Mysteron threat, Spectrum intelligence found something very interesting."

"And that is?" Scarlet asked, plainly.

"A Mysteron research lab, or what is identified as one, from our sources it is an active centre and that something out of the ordinary is going on there."

"Begging your pardon sir, but with the Mysterons, everything is out of the ordinary." Blue sniggered at his companion’s rather flat humour.

White raised an eyebrow, "Thank you for pointing that out Scarlet."

"Anyway, what's going on with this research lab?" Blue asked. He wanted to know if it involved them leaping into action once more.

"Well, we don't know, but we want to take the direct approach, other methods of being veiled out of sight have proved useless, the idea is to go in and confront them."

The two officers exchanged glances.  "So, do you want us... to...?" Blue trailed off, his voice full of hope.

"Yes, Captain, I want you to go in. Scarlet, you too."

"Just us two?" Blue asked looking from Scarlet back to their Colonel.

"No, you will be rounding up Ochre, Grey and Magenta to go with you, your mission is to blow up the lab, you must destroy their work, everything they do is a plot against planet Earth...and we must defend against it, you will leave at eight tomorrow morning, dismissed."

Blue and Scarlet stood up and walked out passing Green who had a worried look on his face, he was concerned about what the Captain's might end up encountering while down there.

Scarlet caught the look Green had given them. As soon as he realised he'd been spotted; Green turned away and busied himself with adjusting labels on various buttons.

"D'you think he knows something we don't?" Scarlet asked quietly as they exited the room.

"Don't be so paranoid, Paul," Blue responded lightly. "He's probably just annoyed that he's not coming."

Scarlet looked back at the lieutenant as the doors shut. "If you say so."

 

Ochre and Magenta were sat in the officer's lounge with their feet up while listening to some music. Behind them, Destiny Angel, off duty from both the Interceptor and Amber room shifts, was sat by the window reading.

"I'm so-"

"Ochre, I swear, if you say you're bored once more, I'll throw you off the observation deck!" Magenta said, smiling.

Ochre grinned back. "No I was just gonna say, uh... I was gonna say..."

"Afternoon, boys," Blue said from the door.

"Captain Blue!" Ochre said, getting up and walking over, thankful for the distraction. "I didn't realise you were off duty!"

"We're not," Scarlet said, joining them. "We're looking for you, Magenta," he nodded at the pink-clad agent in the room, "and Grey."

"Dunno where he is, he's about somewhere though."

"I last saw him on the promenade deck," a French-accented voice said.

"When was that, Destiny?" Blue asked, looking over at her.

"About an hour ago."

"What about me? Aren't you looking for me?" Ochre was practically begging in his words, "I need some excitement, I'm..."

"Don't say it!" Magenta warned, gritting his teeth.

Ochre smiled, a very cheeky one at that, "...bored!"

Magenta stood up, "Right..."

Scarlet kept a straight face the whole time, not like everyone else in the room, "Alright, save your little fun and games till later, we need to find Grey."

 

Grey was still on the promenade deck, just as Destiny had reported. They hadn't expected to find him fast asleep with his head against the table.

Ochre and Magenta grinned and walked forward, stopping one on either side of their colleague. They crouched down, both knowing what the other was thinking simply by their mischievous grins.

"WAKEY, WAKEY GREY!" they both yelled.

Grey jumped literally from his chair, knocking it over behind him then stumbled and landed next to it.

"Okay, we meant get up," Ochre said as Grey slumped up onto his knees.

"Thanks you two, I nearly had heart failure."

They sniggered as the man got up dusting down his uniform, looking tired and dismayed they had disturbed his slumber.

"Sorry your royal laziness, but you are required on a mission," Magenta informed.

Grey yawned as he spoke, "Oh...I am."

"Yeah, Sleeping Beauty now lets report our butts down to the hanger before Scarlet stomps a mud hole and walks it dry." Ochre grabbed Grey's arm and dragged him forward; his pace limbered slightly.

 

Scarlet was pacing about outside the promenade deck. "Look, will you stop doing that! All we're doing is going in and laying charges!"

"That's not the point! They're deliberately taking their time!" he snapped.

"Whoa, calm down Paul!" Blue said holding up his hands; "They're mucking about! That's what they do, get used to it."

Scarlet shook his head. "I'll never get used to them." The other three officers walked out, two of them grinning, the third yawning. "Ah, finally."

"Ready to go blow up some Mysteron ass?" Blue said, grinning.

 

The SPJ had been loaded up with the equipment they needed and made lift off clearance at the scheduled time.

Scarlet flew, co-piloted by Blue with the other three Spectrum agents sat behind on corresponding seats.

"I hope this doesn't take long," Ochre moaned, Blue turned his head slightly and gave a smile to him.

"It's in the North of Kansas City, it won't take us long I assure you, we'll be there in no time at all."

"You shouldn't say things like that! Something bad is bound to happen now!" Ochre retorted.

"Always the optimist!" Magenta said, smirking.

"Ok, ok, you two! We'll be there soon," Blue said, looking out the window.

The plane soared swiftly away from Cloudbase and flew progressively lower until finally levelling off and making their way towards Kansas City.

 

The lab was built on a vast area of land, practically dried up by the heat and destroyed by the freak weather that emanated from Tornado Alley, that was no further than a couple a miles to the east.

It was a large square building, two floors of deep dark dusty confinements.

The SPJ circled over ahead, looking over the site, the place would have looked abandoned but only naive people would believe that.

"Take us within a safe distance on the west side, Scarlet," Blue said directing the landing path.

Scarlet nodded and started to make the plane descend, flying it round before finally performing a perfect landing, the plane touching down with little more than a bump.

"Right. Now we all know what to do," Scarlet said, turning in his seat to face the others in the rear of the plane.

"Yes, we know! Go in, lay charges, get out, fry Mysteron butts!" Ochre said, slightly annoyed that they were being reminded yet again.

"Ok then, let's go!" Blue said, smiling.

They leapt out the door of the plane and headed over towards the facility, keeping a watchful eye out for any Mysteron threat.

The main door to the lab was sealed up tight, but a few blows to the lock panel threw it open.

The five men walked in, guns poised, carrying packs of deadly explosive charges.

Scarlet listened to the loud sounds of hums that croaked out through the ventilation shafts.

Blue turned to his companions, holstering his gun for the time being "Okay, Magenta and Ochre are with me, we'll take the north corridor, Scarlet, you and Grey take the south."

Scarlet nodded and he turned on his heel followed by grey down into one of the long dark routes.

Blue nodded at the other two, "Come on, let’s go."

The two teams separated off, their ears picking out any noises and their eyes constantly darting about for movement.

Blue stopped suddenly. "Did you guys hear that?" he asked, looking about.

They, too, stopped and listened. "I can't hear anything," Magenta said. "You must be hearing things, Blue."

Captain Blue frowned. "I was sure I heard something," he said, quietly. "Oh well." He shrugged it off and they continued on further down the corridor.

Scarlet and Grey had arrived at an inter-section, which turned off on about two other different routes.

On the side panel against an opposing wall was a main power box, beeping away nearly silently in its full perfect running order.

Scarlet opened up his case of explosives and motioned Grey to help him fix one up to the terminal, they thought it might be a possible point of power to the whole building and would be a pinnacle point of destruction.

"One laid," Scarlet noted and then took a turn down a left corridor which lead to a small room filled with boxed up equipment, a mixture of medical and basic science. 

Grey joined him, having been left to close up the tightly packed bag of charges, and looked about. "What d'you think they do in here?"

"I don't know," Scarlet replied. "But I don't like it."

They stepped further into the room and looked about. There was a great deal of equipment in there, but mostly it was in storage.

 

Blue, Ochre and Magenta had got much further into the building, having found nothing of any interest to their mission.

"How much further are we gonna go in?" Magenta asked.

"As far as we have to," Ochre replied.

"Just come on, the sooner we lay all our charges, the sooner we're out of here," Blue said, shuddering. "This place gives me the creeps," he added quietly to himself.

"Here we are," Magenta said as they came up to a small room filled with glowing machines, it was the generator room, the whole power source to the lab.

The three began to unpack their charges hooking some up to the panels and heading through another door into a twin room with smaller controls in, doing the same thing.

Blue then heard a creaking noise, he turned his head looking around, past his fellow Spectrum Captain's the door way and each accessible corner of the room; things were getting uneasy.

“Blue, I swear you're getting paranoid," Ochre said, noticing how his hand had edged towards his pistol.

"I'm not paranoid," he said, quietly, his blue eyes scanning the room. "There's something here. We're not alone."

The air was thick; they whipped their guns out and scanned the room for any presence.

Then for a moment Blue could feel the air turn cold, the hairs on his neck standing to attention, instinctively he looked up, then wishing he hadn't as they were pounced on from above.

Three strong Mysterons had jumped from the rafters above them. Magenta and Ochre had had enough time to fire shots at their oncoming assailants but Blue wasn't so lucky. His attacker had kicked his weapon from his hand. Blue saw it skid across the floor but was quick to move out the way of a blow coming in his direction. The Mysteron yelled out as he punched the wall instead of his intended target Magenta and Ochre had both received blows from their attackers but they found that they were just being held back rather than being killed.

The lead Mysteron grabbed Blue and swung him against one of the metal panels, the sound of his body smashing against it rippled in angry waves through the whole room; the blonde man fell down, dazed, unable to get back to his feet.

Magenta and Ochre were down and out; their attackers had put them out for a while, then turned back to their leader.

"Disarm those charges, take those two outside." He turned back to Blue who he kicked in the back of his head, rendering him unconscious, "Take this one to Black, we have plans for him."

 

Scarlet and Grey had made their way to a few rooms, planting their explosives as they went.

Grey was at that moment fixing a charge to a console when Scarlet nearly collapsed, a wave of nausea sweeping him.

Grey looked at him, but before he had a chance to speak, he heard footsteps coming their way.

They ducked down behind some boxes as two people rounded the corner dragging two familiar figures.

"That's Magenta and Ochre!" Grey said, starting to get up. Scarlet put a hand on his sleeve and pulled him back down.

"Wait!"

They remained crouched behind the boxes, Scarlet swaying slightly as the group approached.

The Mysterons passed and Scarlet felt his head return to what passed as normal.

"They had Ochre and Magenta, Scarlet! Where's Blue?" Grey said, getting up and looking about desperately.

"Easy, Grey," Scarlet said, getting up too. "We'll find him."

 

Blue began to wake from his unwanted slumber; the entire back portion of his head throbbed wildly with a discomforting tingle.

The base of his back was stinging, and various other areas on his body was warped over with pain.

When he finally had some sense back again, he realised he couldn't move his arms and legs, they were tied down onto a table, one like in an operating theatre.

He lifted his head to look around and down at the predicament he was in, hoping he could quickly think of a way out.

"There is no way you can escape." A figure came from a shadowy corner.

"I know that voice," he said to himself, then peered over at the person, clenching his fists hard, the knuckles turning a sharp white.

Captain Black moved fully out of the shadows to be stood next to Captain Blue, a former colleague before that fateful expedition to Mars.

"You, Captain Blue, are our prisoner. You will not escape. We have been waiting for you to come."

"Waiting for me?" Blue repeated quietly, frowning.

Black ignored the confusion Blue was showing and turned to some controls.

Blue started fidgeting to try and loosen his restraints, but was unsuccessful.

"If I were you, Captain Blue," Black said without looking up, "I'd make myself comfortable, you're going to be here for quite a while." He flicked a few switches and pulled some levers then turned back round. "We knew if we made it obvious to you that we were here you'd come running."

"What are you talking about?" Blue snapped.

"You, my foolish friend, have walked into a trap.”

"WHAT!" Blue struggled even more than before, "What do you want from me?"

"A little co-operation, if not, this little test of ours is going to be rather messy."

"Test? What are you up to?"

"You have been chosen to test out our little project, which we call X2L9."

"What's that?"

"Something we have created from animal matter, it's an interesting experiment; we want to see the results."

"I don't understand what you’re talking about, but whatever it is, I know I'm not going to do as you say."

"You will do..." He smiled, a very evil gesture over his power as some men and women dressed in lab coats emerged, focused on Blue.

 

When Ochre came to, he found himself lying in a dusty heap on the floor outside the facility. Magenta was beside him, but still unconscious.

He leaned over and shoved him. "Magenta!" His companion stirred, raising a hand to his head. "Magenta, wake up!"

"I'm awake, I'm awake, please don't shout!" Magenta said, slowly sitting up.

"Blue's still in there! They took him!" Ochre said, getting up.

"What?" Magenta looked about then realised it was just the two of them. Just the two that is, until they saw two figures emerging from the entrance and running in their direction.

"Captain Magenta!" a voice called out.

"Captain Ochre?" the other yelled.

The dusty pair exchanged glances. "Captain Scarlet! Captain Grey!" Ochre shouted.

They ran over to meet them. "They've got Captain Blue!" Magenta said angrily. "Those sons of bitches have still got him!"

"All right, easy, Magenta," Scarlet said. "We'll get him back in one piece."

 

Inside the main lab, Blue had been drugged to make him calm down, his reactions to everything had slowed down, and his mind slurred and everything he thought about drifted over and over.

The scientists had removed his clothes dumping them out the way, while they hooked up wires to some monitors stationed in the room, connected up to all the main areas of his body.

Then they heard an alarm go off, a female scientist turned to Black absently, "They have passed perimeter one."

"Lock down the emergency system," he said, she complied, pressing a button on a power console.

By doing this, thick metal barriers fell in place of the normal flimsy doors, blocking off all ways the Spectrum agents could get to their friend.

Black looked back at her, "Good, they are out of the way for now, what specimen has been chosen for our animal endowment?"

"Specimen X5, sir," she replied, nodding to another person near her. He nodded and pulled a small, sedated cat from a cage nearby and showed it to their superior.

"This creature will do fine! And will make for some interesting changes to our friend here," he said, referring to the unconscious Spectrum agent. He ran a hand down the back of the creature. "Yes, this specimen will do fine. You may begin.”

She picked up the cat and placed it on a near by tray, taking a needle and taking some of its blood, measuring it up then taking the bottom tube off and adding it to the X2L9 formula that had been stored in a cooling tank.

She added it to another needle case and injected the serum into Blue's arm, he whined in pain letting out a barely audible cry.

She turned to her fellow scientists who were graphing up the cat’s DNA pattern, its structure of cells and many other important systems.

Once all the aspects were taken, a machine was directed over Blue, emitting the copied patterns of the cat’s over him, being integrated into his body.

 

Scarlet kicked the metal barrier that now stood in the place of the door they'd previously used to gain entry.

"Now how are we gonna get in?" Grey said, looking about.

"There's gotta be some way!" Ochre said.

"I suggest we contact Colonel White. He may have some suggestions," Scarlet said, his mike swinging down.

The others nodded in agreement, "This Captain Scarlet, to Colonel White."

"Go ahead, Scarlet," the deep voice responded.

"Blue has been taken by the Mysterons, we don't know what they are planning but they have blocked off our path, there are no routes, all ways have been sealed with thick steel."

"There maybe some cutting gear in the SPJ, use it the best you can, it may take a while but there are no other alternatives."

"SIG, sir." Scarlet's voice trailed, thinking he could be already too late to save his friend.

 

Inside the laboratory, the Mysterons’ test subject was still unconscious. Scientists were milling around, monitoring his condition and readjusting wires and such.

Black was prowling round the outer edge of the room watching with interest. "What sort of effects do you anticipate our serum will have on him?" he asked the female scientist.

"Many sir, the effects will change many things of the human structure." She was reading some scan dictations on her clipboard, "He will be a much evolved human form, still looking as he does but being able to show of new traits."

"Like?"

"He'll be faster, more agile, flexible, stronger and his senses will be much more powerful, of course his mind will integrate the cat traits into his human ones, his thoughts and feeling will proximate on desires and other animal instinct...also he will be able to transform..."

"Transform? What do you mean?"

She looked nervously at him. "Transform. As in take on the form of a cat."

"I see," he said, looking over at their captive.

Blue groaned and moved his head. "He's coming round," the scientist said, putting down her clipboard and going over to him.

He opened his eyes and looked about, feeling very disorientated and still very much under the influence of the drugs. "Where am I?" he said slowly then saw who his company was. "You! Let me go! What have you done to me?"

Black said nothing, but smiled evilly.

Blue was in a state of frenzy, at first feeling all the fears and hate run through him before a sudden jolt of new emotions and senses ravaged his brain, he screamed out in pain.

Black smiled even more, the plan was going smoothly so far, but this wasn't going to be his day.

Blue began pulling at his restraints that had seemed to have become weaker to him than before, he tore away the ones on his arms, making the whole group back away in shock.

"What the...?" Black watched Blue get free and give the most inhuman roar that anyone had ever heard; he scared even himself.

He held his head, he didn't know what was happening to him, but his first thought was to lay one into Black.

 

Magenta and Ochre were hard at work cutting through the thick steel dividing that separated them from their colleague while Grey and Scarlet were planning how they'd get Blue out.

"Scarlet! We're nearly through!" Magenta yelled. Scarlet turned to them.

"Good work, Magenta," he said. "Wait a minute." He looked up, seeing something. "What's that coming towards us?"

The others looked up. "My God! It's Blue!" Ochre said.

 

The lab Blue had previously been held in was now torn up, like it had been made up of thinnest of paper.

The scientists lay in heaps across the floor, all had faced an encounter with the much-enhanced man/cat, Black smiled through a bloodied face, "What strength...the power was beautiful...all the work lies here!"

His smile faltered when he realised the computers had been smashed up, half the experimental work gone, he growled.

 

Blue was tired and half way down the corridor fell to his knees, he panted heavily, feeling he was going to pass out.

"We're through!" Magenta yelled, scrambling to his feet.

The others followed him through the gap they'd made and ran over to where Blue now lay.

"Adam!" Scarlet yelled, dropping to his knees and skidding to a halt next to him.

Blue looked up at him. "Paul?"

"It's ok, Adam. We're gonna get you out of here, don't worry."

"I feel so strange..." He coughed a few times. Scarlet looked at his arm, it was bruised with a small pinprick in the centre of the mark.

"He's been injected with something," Scarlet said. "That must be why he feels and looks so unwell. When I find out what they did to him, I'll-"

"Whoa, Scarlet! We can't do anything till we get him back to Cloudbase, he needs to see Dr Fawn right away!" Magenta said.

Scarlet let Blue lean against him while he helped him to his feet, there was a sudden rumbling under foot and a computerised voice spoke out, "Warning, power surge in the main frame, pressure level 2 decimals above normal. Explosion imminent."

"We've got to get out of here, quick!" Ochre nearly shouted.

"Way ahead of you!" Magenta said, running off the start up the plane.

Scarlet, with Blue by his side, made his way as swiftly as was possible for them to the SPJ with Ochre and Grey running ahead of them when suddenly a mighty explosion erupted behind them, knocking them over.

"Get a move on!" Scarlet yelled to the others who were ahead of him. "Come on, Adam, we're nearly there!"

Then Blue did something that surprised Scarlet. He suddenly seemed to sense how close the danger was to them and was instantly alert. It was as though someone had flicked a switch in him. His eyes snapped wide open and his ears pricked up. Before Scarlet realised what was going on, Blue had grabbed him and flung him over his shoulder and was tearing towards the Spectrum jet at an unbelievably fast rate.

Once safely inside, Grey slammed the door shut and Magenta affected a take off.

Blue looked about, a tired but embarrassed look on his face.

Scarlet was shocked as Blue put him down, he stared at him with wide and astonished eyes, and Blue’s face went completely red.

"Don't look at me like that Paul and hand me a blanket."

He nodded, retrieving one from the first aid cupboard, handing it to the blonde American who sat down with it around him tight.

Scarlet sat down next to Captain Grey but was unable to remove his gaze from Blue, uneasy as he felt.

"Paul, please! I asked you once! Stop looking at me like I'm some sort of freak!"

"How did you do that?" Scarlet asked.

"Do what?" Blue replied.

"I knew you were fast but that was just ridiculous! And there's no way that you'd be able to pick me up under normal circumstances. I'm not exactly light."

Blue looked back at him. "What?"

"Adam, what did they do to you in there?"

"Look, I don't know, really I don't!" There was fear in the eyes of Captain Blue, much more than Scarlet had ever seen before, "I feel so strange and I can't explain it...oh god!"

He covered his face, like he was trying to hide it from his friends, who were concerned for him deeply.

 

Back on Cloudbase, Blue had been taken straight to the Sickbay with all four of his companions in tow.

"Will you all just get out of the way and let me attend to him?" Dr Fawn yelled as he tripped over Captain Grey for a third time. "I will let you know of any developments, ok?" He looked at each of them in turn until they nodded. "Alright. Now. Get. Out."

 

Colonel White stood looking out the window near his revolving desk. "Sir? Are you alright?" Green asked timidly.

White turned. "I'm sorry?"

"You've been staring out of that window since the team arrived back."

"I've been thinking about the Mysterons. First they take over Black, then create replicas of Brown and Scarlet and now they've done something to Blue."

Green remained silent, not knowing what to say, leaving White to return his gaze to the clouds outside.

Green leaned his elbows onto his desk when a pale brown light began flashing on the Colonel's desk.

White walked over to it, nearly breaking the button as he answered. "Any news Fawn?"

"I think you'd better come take a look at this, sir," came the Australian man's reply

They did so; going to see Blue who was lying under a scanner, the good doctor checking the results.

"Colonel, there is no physical damage, and mostly on the inside I couldn't detect anything until I took my scans onto the molecular level and I found some strange patterns."

"Strange Patterns? How so?"

"They are inhuman."

"Inhuman? What do you mean, 'inhuman'?" White asked, tilting his head as Scarlet walked back in.

"I mean that he has been somehow altered. His DNA pattern now includes that of a feline."

"What does this mean?"

"We don't know yet. It will mean changes in his behaviour and abilities."

"Like being able to run faster, being more alert and being stronger," Scarlet mused quietly to himself.

"What was that Captain?" White asked, looking at him.

"When Blue got out of the facility and it exploded, it was as though some sort of animal instinct took over in him. He was able to pick me up and run faster than I've ever seen anyone run before."

"My god..." the Colonel said under his breath, then he cleared his throat, "Keep me up to date on your tests."

"Yes, sir," Fawn said watching the Colonel leave, only Scarlet and Fawn standing next to the shocked Captain Blue.

"It's impossible, what the heck...? How can I have feline DNA in my body?"

Before Fawn could answer there was a small voice calling through the door, "Adam."

Symphony Angel stood looking worriedly at Blue who leant up, "Karen?"

"I'll leave you alone for a minute. But don't strain yourself or anything," Fawn said.

"Oh, come on, Fawn! It's not like I'm ill!"

Fawn shook his head. "We don't know that yet." He turned to his companion. "Come on, Scarlet."

"Coming." Scarlet looked at his colleague. "See you later, Adam. And don't worry. We'll find something out."

Blue nodded as Scarlet passed Symphony Angel.

She sat down beside his bed as Scarlet and Fawn left.

"Oh, Adam! I was so worried!"

"It's ok, Karen. I'm here and I'm fine."

"But what's all this about feline DNA? I don't understand. How is this possible?"

"I don't know. I wish I did." He closed his eyes and looked down, drawing in a deep breath before turning back to Symphony.

She could see that whatever he was trying to say was hard for him, so leaned forward and put a gentle hand on his bare arm. "Adam? What is it?"

He looked into her eyes. "I'm scared," he said quietly. "I'm scared that whatever those Mysteron bastards did to me might..." His voice trailed off as he lowered his gaze again.

She cupped his cheek and he leaned into it, turning back to her, looking into those eyes she had, the gentle brown that was so soft and understanding.

"Might?" She caressed his cheek.

"I might turn against you...everyone...I can't imagine what this DNA will do to me, there is no telling what will happen to my body, with the things I display, it's all too much."

He had to turn away, her hand falling from him.

"Oh Adam." Her voice was scared.

Fawn looked in on them and, seeing how Blue had turned away, decided it was time for Symphony to leave.

He walked in and cleared his throat, attracting her attention. She looked up and he could see the fear in her eyes. "I think you should leave now, Symphony," he said gently.

She nodded and got up. "You'll be ok, Adam. Dr Fawn will know what to do and he'll help you."

Blue didn't look at her. She sighed and turned away, leaving the room briskly.

"If it's alright with you, Captain, we have some tests to perform."

Blue still remained silent but didn't hinder the doctor's job.

 

Colonel White walked slowly along the corridor, Captain Scarlet along side him.

"What was the Mysterons plan?" White said aloud, Scarlet looked at his superior.

"I know we are all thinking that this is a very...well, strange thing that they were trying to do with Blue."

"Hmm, I wish I knew their intentions."

"Don't we all, Sir." Scarlet folded his arms, keeping his mind focused on Blue's condition.

 

The young Symphony had taken a walk to the promenade deck to admire the darkening sky, it cooled her mind for a moment, which was so wrapped up with personal issues, and it was just so complex.

'I hope Doctor Fawn can do something for you, Adam,' she thought, 'What will that DNA do to you?'

 

Blue sat in Sickbay wondering the very same thing. Fawn had taken several tubes of his blood and now had him hooked up to a heart monitor and was stood next to a treadmill. He had been given his blue training shorts to maintain his dignity. One of his uniforms had been lost in the destruction of the laboratories.

"Ok, Captain. Nice simple, painless test this time," Fawn said. "All I want you to do is to a bit of light jogging on this treadmill for me. I want to see what your stamina's like."

"SIG, Doctor." He climbed onto the treadmill and slowly built up his pace to a steady jog.

 

"Ok," Fawn said, about two hours later. "That'll do for now." He handed Blue a bottle of water but Blue declined.

"No thanks."

"Don't need it?"

"No, I don't feel worn out."

"I see." Fawn added this to his list of notes. "Ok, I'd like you to go back to the treadmill, but this time, try and run as fast as you can."

Blue frowned, but shrugged and did as he was told.

Fawn nearly dropped his notes in shock as he watched Blue build up a speed that was pretty much off the scale; his speed was great and you couldn't even see him strain.

The treadmill began to feel the strain and went haywire, breaking to a stop, making Blue fall off backwards.

Fawn looked at the piece of equipment that smoked on the control column, he sighed, "Okay...a death to running machines and a very interesting experience for me to watch."

Blue got up slowly rubbing his lower back.

"How do you feel?" Fawn asked.

"Like I just dropped all my weight on my butt."

Fawn sniggered, "You know what I mean."

"Yeah I know what you mean," Blue said, sighing. "I feel fine apart from a bit sore where I fell, but nothing major.  I still don't feel out of breath."

Fawn frowned thoughtfully. "Ok, thank you Captain." He paused. "Hungry?"

Blue smiled. "Finally! A question I like the sounds of!"

Fawn had ordered in some food from the kitchens, which was soon brought up for Blue to eat.

After finishing two plate-fulls that were given to him he looked a bit disgruntled, "Is that it?"

Fawn looked up, "What?"

"Is that all I'm having?"

"Are you still hungry?"

"Yes, very hungry."

"God, Adam, that dinner would have filled up one man, especially two plates of it."

Blue shrugged, Fawn quickly noted down about the extended appetite.

Again more food was brought up, Blue troffed down, and seven plates later, he had finally been filled up.

"You could have fed 9 people with those!" Fawn commented at the stacked dirty dishes that were being carted away.

"I don't think those 9 people will mind." Blue grinned leaning back on the bed.

"How are we ever going to make meals big enough to feed you continuously?"

Blue grinned again and patted his stomach. "Dunno. It felt strange though."

"What did?" Fawn asked absently, brushing at a stain he'd acquired on his lab coat.

"I've never felt hunger like that before."

"I'm not surprised," Fawn said, looking up, ignoring the tomato stain. "That was a very large meal."

Blue sighed. "There is one thing that worries me about that though."

"And what's that?"

"The way I'm eating, I'm gonna be needing a new uniform soon!"

Fawn chuckled.

"People will be calling things like, 'Fatso' 'Beefy' and saying things like, 'Look out here comes the chunk monster', it's just weird!"

"Maybe your metabolism is quicker at breaking down food now than before, I don't think you’re going to be putting on much weight."

"Thanks for your confidence, Doctor."

He sniggered, "Well, I don't see why I should deprive you of living, you can return to your quarters, I will call you when I want to runs some more tests."

"S.I.G." He stood up, sighing heavily and walking out.

 

Captain Scarlet was headed down to the Officer's lounge. He was off duty and wanted to spend some time with the others.

On his way, however, he saw Captain Blue padding bare foot along the corridor. "Adam?" he called out turning his heading to meet with his friend.

Blue turned and saw him. "Hi, Paul. You must be off duty."

"How could you tell?" he asked as he joined him.

Blue merely smiled and continued along the corridor.

"Want some company?" Scarlet asked.

"Uh, sure, ok," Blue said.

"You sure? I could leave you alone if you'd prefer."

"No, it's ok, I could do with some company at the minute. I need someone to talk to who's not taking notes."

"Notes?" Scarlet thought for a moment then realised, "Oh! I see, well, don't you think you should get some more clothes on then if you’re going to be joining me?"

Blue looked down, remembering he was only wearing some training shorts and getting eyed by most of the female crewmembers, "Oh, I guess so."

"I'll meet you in there then," Scarlet said as Blue turned in the opposite direction to head to his quarters.

They soon disappeared from each other’s sights and Blue strolled as casually as he could a long the corridors.

As he passed a couple of female nurses, something just seem to tick in his brain, an instinctual feeling that he had never felt.

He stared at them, tantalised and interested, like they had a scent that was over taking his mind, but he had to go on though, ignoring this sensation before he could get himself into trouble. He day dreamed a little, wondering what was stirring in him, like a hunger...not for food but for desire...of course he wandered off into his thoughts so much he bumped into someone.

"I'm sorry Karen..." he said looking down to her, she looked pretty lost in thought too; then he got that distinct feeling again, being around her, smelling more than that perfume he had picked out for her from Paris, but one that was drawing him to her womanly nature.

She looked up at him feeling worried. The look on his face was scaring her. "Are... are you alright?"

Blue said nothing but held out a hand for her. She took it and he pulled her up. There was so much strength behind the pull that she was up too fast and stumbled forward into his arms. "What the...? Adam?  Are you ok? You don't look too good."

"I'm fine," he said, his voice a purr. He still had hold of her wrist and had taken hold of the other.

"I've got to go, I'm on duty." She tried to pull away but he refused to let go.

"Adam!"

He tilted his head curiously at her, watching her with expecting eyes, he brought one hand away from her wrist and traced across the edge of her cheek, she was a little bit scared, standing there with him at that moment.

But she hadn’t predicted in one fluid moment that he would sweep her off her feet and carry her into his quarters, which was only a few doors down from where they were.

He put her on the floor, there was some shock flowing over her, she stood up to give him a piece of her mind, but when she saw him blocking the doorway, pressed there looking at her with enticed eyes, she felt her strength melt.

 

Scarlet was in the Officer's lounge with Captain Ochre and Lieutenant Green, who both had a bit of time off too.

"I wonder where Adam got to," Scarlet said to himself, staring at the door.

"Paul, stop staring, you're making passers-by nervous!" Ochre said.

Scarlet turned back to him. "Hmm? I'm sorry. I was miles away."

"We noticed," Green said.

"Sorry. It's just I'm worried about Adam. He's not right. I just know it."

"Paul, he's been let out of Sickbay, what's the worst he could do?" said Ochre.

 

"Adam, what is wrong with you?" Symphony held her hands up in front of her, Blue was walking gracefully towards her, light on his feet, many men couldn't do it but even this was beyond strange.

"Stop...please." She felt something behind her making her fall back onto the bed, she sat up on her elbows; he liked where her little predicament had placed her.

"Don't...!" she cried before he stopped dead in front of her.

She held her breath, he smiled and climbed on the bed, a knee each side of her legs, placed over her, arms resting against the Angel’s shoulders.

Blue rubbed his cheek to Symphony’s affectionately, and began to make a strange noise that rumbled from his throat.

Symphony was a little surprised by it, it sounded like purring...YES! He was purring for her.

"Adam?" she whispered putting a hand on his face. He nuzzled affectionately against it.

Her eyes went wide. "Adam? What's happening to you?" She thought he was easing back by the way he was simply 'purring' and nuzzling against her. She soon found out she was mistaken when he pushed her backwards so she was lying down. He crawled forwards over her and made himself comfortable on her.

"Adam! Stop! Please!" She pushed at him, but he remained exactly where he was, but lowering his face towards hers.

"Captain Blue!" She resorted to his code name to see if that would snap him out of whatever he was in, but nothing happened, he continued. He ran his hands slowly down her front, gently caressing her figure.

She squirmed underneath him but was unable to get free as he started to undo her bright white uniform top.

He opened up her top, revealing the small vest top underneath; he was enjoying every moment, looking at her body. He moved his hands under her small vest, pushing it up, she let out a deep gasp, he knew he had touched the right spot, and he let himself fondle.

But she wasn't in the mood to be played around with; he was going to hurt her if he carried on because she wasn’t going to be willing. She cried out, tears falling down her face, this was her last option of crying, she hated to do it, but it was the only thing left that would cloak her.

He suddenly stopped, his warm hands pressed to her front and the purring deep in his throat stopped.

"Karen..." he whispered, she looked at him through her tears, soft sobs murmured from her lips.

He pulled back; he had somehow managed to regain his senses to see she wasn't enjoying him going onto her like he was.

"I'm...so sorry...I..." He suddenly grabbed his head as a wave of agony crossed over him, he cried out, hunching over.

"Adam?" She leaned over, reaching to him; he looked up at her and watched her face drain of colour.

What she had seen was that his blue eyes had been replaced by glimmering green ones, with the pupils thinned to slits.

She backed off against the headboard and screamed, covering her face.

Blue fell off the bed, closing his eyes tightly.  Symphony could only watch in horror as the man in front of her began to change.

His perfectly toned body became covered in a thin layer of brown fur, which grew progressively thicker.  His ears changed from being rounded to pointed and moved up the sides of his head. He cried out in pain, but even his voice had changed. The cry sounded more feline than human.

Symphony's eyes went wide with fear as a long tail appeared behind him and whipped at the air. His hands and feet changed from the normal human features to become more like paws; paws with sharp claws bared.

Blue looked up at the scared woman on his bed. His face was nearly unrecognisable. His jaw had become more elongated, and his teeth were pointed and needle sharp. His nose had become small and black with long whiskers protruding from either side. He hissed and cried out again as he began to grow.

This was more than Symphony could take and she ran across the room to the intercom on the wall. "Symphony Angel to Sickbay! Emergency in Captain Blue's quarters!"

She turned back to what had now become of Blue, the creature that he had transformed into stretched out in his new form, the form of a puma, then looked up at Symphony, turning his full attention to her.

She inched towards the door as he moved nearer to her, eyes again like the original Blue had looked at her with...desire.

She wasn't going to let him try to take her now, she had to get away, she flung the door open quickly as he was about to pounce at her, slamming it, feeling the pressure of him slamming into it, knocking her back a bit.

She looked at the closed door and backed away, roars of displeasure came from the other side, and the door shook on each attempt it made to unhinge it.

She gathered her sense and began to run down the corridor, looking back she watched with wide eyes as the door smashed open and the great cat emerge out, seeing the direction she was going and followed her.

Symphony saw him turn to follow her and panic flowed through her. Was she fast enough to outrun this creature? She was certainly going to put her speed to the test.

'Where can I go?' she thought, running. Her mind worked swiftly until she came to the only possible conclusion. She turned suddenly and took a side corridor, making Blue charge past her.

He skidded to a halt, emitted a deafening roar and followed again.

 

"Paul! I asked you already! Stop staring at that door!" Ochre said, picking up a cushion and throwing it at him.

Scarlet felt it hit his head and turned back.  "Don't do that! I'm worried about Adam! He said he'd join us ages ago but-" He was broken off as Symphony ran in and slammed the door shut. The look of fear on her face made all the officers get up and run over to her.

"Mon Dieu!" Destiny said, approaching her. "Karen, what's wrong? I thought you were on duty!"

"I was! It's Adam! There's something very-"

A loud roar followed by a thump on the door made everyone in the room jump. "What the hell was that?" Green said.

"That was Captain Blue!"

"Captain Blue!" they all voiced in unison, Symphony nodding wildly as the door buckled again.

The frightened Angel ran behind Captain Scarlet and held on his back tight, delving her face into his shoulder, breathing hard and fast.

The door couldn't withstand the force being thrown into it, and it flew open smashing against the plastered walls with a hefty bang.

Blue padded in heavily, his green eyes focused straight in on Symphony, he could smell her scent behind Scarlet.

When he looked at her clinging onto him, he let out a deep hiss; his thoughts were animal driven and instinctual.

'She's mine,' a voice murmured in Blue's head, 'My mate...I will get her back.'

He lowered forward ready to pounce at Scarlet who stood ready, as did the others.

Blue stood ready, his tail twitching as he pondered when the best time to attack would be. His lips curled up revealing the sharp white teeth and he unsheathed his claws.

Scarlet knew he was about to pounce when his stance changed. He shoved Symphony out the way so she wouldn't be harmed and took the full force of the attack, throwing him to the floor.

Claws bit into flesh and Scarlet yelled out in pain then he felt the pressure ease after hearing shots being fired. A security team stood in the doorway armed with tranquillisers as Green had advised them.

Scarlet took in a deep, shaky breath and pushed the sedated animal off him. "When did you call them in?"

"When he was watching you, I used the opportunity to get to the intercom unnoticed," Green answered, looking down at Blue. "We've got to get him to Sickbay and find out what's happened to him!"

 

Blue had been put in a quarantine hold, his cat frame stretched out on a long bed, the chest area rising and falling with each calm breath.

Symphony was sitting with Scarlet, his wounds were being cleaned, but they knew that they would be gone in less than an hour, she was there being treated for shock.

Green and Colonel White stood looking through the glass over the animal; a mixture of emotions could be deciphered by the looks on their faces.

Fawn had given Symphony a drink to calm down with, he reassured her that she would be fine and went to the Colonel.

"What's the latest on Blue?" White asked. He stood with folded arms not turning his stare from the giant cat.

"We have done scans on him, the results are fascinating, the feline DNA is equipped with small cells that take over the human ones, reforming him."

"Any ideas how to get rid of this DNA?" The Colonel still did not look at Fawn.

"None, sir," the Doctor said, quietly.

The Colonel briefly glanced at Green and the others, then turned quickly around as they heard Blue stir, lifting up gingerly onto his front paws.

Then he let out a cry that ripped like thunder throughout Sickbay, making Symphony fall off one of the medi-beds; the cat’s form began to change back.

They watched with a strange fascination as he reverted from the deadly and powerful cat back to the Spectrum officer, Captain Blue.

He opened his eyes, which had returned to their normal colour and looked at them through the glass of his enclosure. "What's going on? What the hell is happening to me?" he managed to ask. The transfiguration had made him weak.

The others exchanged uneasy glances and Colonel White stepped forward. "You'll be alright, Captain. Dr Fawn and his team are working all day and all night to find an answer to this."

Blue looked into his superior's eyes. "I want this to stop! I..." He broke off and lowered his gaze to the bed. He slipped his hands out of the restraints, which had been set to cater for the puma’s larger paws.

He looked up again and saw Symphony. The first thing he felt was regret over his actions but the feline instincts were strong in him. 'I'm glad I'm in here,' he thought bitterly. 'At least I can't smell her in here.'

Symphony looked back at him; she remembered every moment of what happened in his quarters leading to his change into that beast.

He had wanted her like a primal need, she felt sick to her stomach wondering what would have happened if he had caught her in his cat form.

She covered her face, she knew the tears were coming, she left the room quickly, Scarlet looked up at her with worried eyes, "Karen?" She ignored him and continued out.

Blue watched her leave and lay back to his side, realising he was bared completely naked to his commanding officer.

Colonel White decided now was a good time to leave and turned to do just that telling Scarlet to do the same as soon as he felt his wounds were healed.

Before he left, he turned to Dr Fawn. "One suggestion, doctor. Captain Blue's been through enough in recent days without being stripped of his dignity too."

Fawn knew what he was getting at and nodded as White left.

He made his way slowly back to the control room, all the while thinking. Whatever it was the Mysterons did to Captain Blue, it was not only causing him a great deal of pain both mentally and physically, but it also put the other members of Cloudbase in jeopardy. If he could change into such a dangerous creature without any warning, his officers could be in serious danger if he wasn't properly contained. White shook his head. That was the last thing he wanted and he knew that Blue would feel the same. Captain Blue was the sort of person who wouldn't take to captivity very well.

 

Within the hour, Scarlet's wounds vanished without a trace, and left as he was instructed to do.

Immediately, he felt he had to go talk to Symphony, she had her shift taken over by Destiny whom she was going to repay the favour tonight.

He headed to her quarters, he assumed she'd be there, after this ordeal, anyone would retreat back to the safest place in their mind, their own abode.

He knocked at her door, "Who is it?" he heard her call out.

"It's Paul." He waited for her to answer, which wasn't more than a few seconds later.

"Come in."

He opened the door and stepped into her lush room, decorated with many beautiful items, most treasured by young ladies of her style.

She was sat on her bed, reading a book, pressed tightly against the far wall.

"How are you feeling, Karen?"

She looked up at him and he could still see the fear in her eyes.

"I'm fine," she lied.

He walked over and sat next to her. "Do you really mean that?"

She looked away from him, back down to her book. "Yes."

"Karen," he said softly, making her look up. "What did he do? I know it was more than just chasing you across Cloudbase."

She shut her eyes. "It was so scary! It was like he was a totally different person."

"It's ok, you can tell me."

"He..." She looked up at him then thought of the Adam she knew before this. "I can't."

"Karen." He took her shoulders, but her face turned from him, clenching back the horror that was resting in her mind, "You have to tell someone, it will damage you more if you conceal it, what happened? Please tell me."

She gritted her teeth, pushing away from him, "It's too hard to say, how can I?"

Her eyes met his, they were glazed over with shock and dismay, and he then caught on to something.

"He...he didn't..." He wandered over the thought as she watched him, still terror driven.

She closed her eyes as tears began to fall from them. "I know it was something inside him making him act that way, but..."

Scarlet looked at her, his eyes full of compassion and worry. "It's ok, take your time."

"How can I ever look at him the same again? He..." She took a deep breath and looked into her companion's eyes. "He tried to rape me! To him it was probably something primal or something, but to me it felt like he was..."

She shut her eyes again and her tears flowed freely.

Scarlet opened his arms and she hugged him, sobbing softly onto him, "It's okay, you know he'd never act like a monster, maybe it was something else...maybe he wasn't going to rape you."

"I really don't know..." she said, looking at him with tear-swollen eyes.

"You need to talk to him." She pulled back from him with wide eyes.

"You’re crazy! Why?"

"Because you need to prove that he is Adam Svenson and not some animal with his face."

She held her breath; thinking hard, "I don't know," she gasped out.

Scarlet stood up, watching her drifting gaze follow across her bed linen and he walked to the door but turned around when she spoke again:

"I will see him after my duty shift tonight, I need time to think."

Scarlet nodded and left her to think over everything, hoping she could block the images of horror from her head.

 

Blue sat in his isolation room staring at the ceiling. They given him some clothes and bedding as well as taking some more of his blood.

He turned his head again to watch the activity outside. There were doctors and nurses milling around, casting wary glances at him every time they past near his confinement. He sighed and turned back to the ceiling.

Dr Fawn walked over and went inside to see him. The security guard at the door watched him carefully.

"How are you feeling, Captain?"

"Like I could change into that puma again at any minute and hurt all my friends," he said, not taking his eyes from the ceiling.

Fawn shook his head and sat down on the end of his bed. "Come on, Adam. You know this isn't your fault! If anyone's to blame, it's those bloody Mysterons!"

"So what if they're to blame!" he yelled, sitting up. "It's still me doing this! Not them!"

The doctor looked at him, worriedly. "Adam, stop this! It's not your fault and you know it!"

Blue ignored him, lying back down with one arm under his head and his gaze returning to the ceiling.

"Let's face the fact that I'm more of a monster now than they are!"

Fawn shook his head, disbelieving his words, "No, you really can't say that!"

"Why not? I tried to kill my best friend and do some god awful things to the woman I love!"

"You have to get use to instincts, control them, control the animal side of you."

"How?" Blue leant up looking at the Doctor who thought for a moment.

"Concentration is the key to it all."

"So when I'm that animal, I have to concentrate on being me, the human self when I'm not."

"See! No wonder you think yourself an animal, you never will believe that you were human in the first place!"

Blue was about to answer but stopped; he couldn't come up with answer to what Fawn was saying.

He sighed and turned away again. Fawn shook his head and turned to leave.

"Wait!" Blue called out. Fawn turned back to him. "Will you help me?"

A smile formed on the doctor's face. "Of course. But I think I may need some help too. Take no offence, but should anything happen, you could hurt someone." Blue lowered his gaze again. "Though there is one person who can't be fatally harmed in the same way."

Blue knew whom he was talking about, “Fine, but I still don’t think I can control this thing.”

 

Symphony had gone on duty in the Interceptor feeling a little downhearted but she had to keep her sanity as long as she was an active member of the Spectrum organisation.

After her shift finished, she left quietly from the Amber room, being replaced by Harmony.

Rhapsody and Destiny sat watching her leave.

"Poor Karen," Rhapsody said, Destiny nodded slowly at her.

 

Symphony quickly changed in her quarters to something more comfortable and out of her uniform.

She freshened up and headed down to the Sickbay.

On arriving she saw Doctor Fawn running some tests on some blood samples, namely Blue's.

She walked over to him, "Edward?"

"Yes?" He turned to her.

"Can I see him?" she said quietly.

"That's out of the question,” he plainly said, turning back to his testing.

"But I really need to talk to him, if I don't, I could go crazy, please don't stop me."

"Look, he could hurt you..."

"Not more than he has done, but I really need to talk to him right now."

He narrowed his eyes and sighed, "Fine, go in, but it’s not my responsibility for any of his actions."

She nodded and walked to the door of the quarantine room, the security guard letting her through.

"Adam?" she said softly upon entering. Captain Blue looked up at her through blurry eyes. "Oh, I'm sorry! Did I wake you? I'll go." She turned to leave.

"Karen?" he asked as if only just realising whom it was. "Please don't go." Symphony turned back to him and he lowered his gaze. "I feel awful for what I did to you. I... I'm really sorry. I wasn't in control of myself."

She walked over to him, noticing how the security guard outside had a firm grip on his weapon.

"I didn't mean to hurt you or scare you, I'd never mean to do that."

She closed her eyes briefly then looked into his.

"I know..." she said in a near whisper, she sat down on the bed next to him, he moved up to her and touched her shoulder, she didn't pull back.

"I love you so much, maybe I let myself go around you...and it wanted you...the animal loves you in its own way, because I do."

"Adam, I care about you...whatever you are."

She kissed his cheek softly, he was so happy she wasn't scared of him, then he felt that feeling again like he did when they were in that corridor together, her scent was stronger now and so addictive.

He pulled back from her, shivering, "I think you should go."

"What's wrong?" she said reaching for him but he kept away from her.

He grabbed his sides, "I think I'm going to change."

She gasped, tears started to prick her eyes, "It's me! I'm doing this to you, your emotions around me make you change!"

She flung her arms around him, not caring about what was happening at that moment, "Please, I don't want you to change, I love you Adam Svenson."

He shook, feeling ripples inside his body, he wrapped his arms around her, "I love you too," he whispered, pain in his voice.

Fawn put his pads down and checked his watch. Symphony had had enough time in with Captain Blue. He looked up and through the glass panels of the isolation room walls then saw his patient huddled in the corner with Symphony trying to comfort him. His eyes widened and he ran over and banged on the glass. "Symphony! Get out of there!" he yelled. "Symphony!"

She turned to look at him and in that space of time, the animal instincts in Blue took over and she was thrown to the floor just in front of where Fawn stood.

"Get in there and sedate him now!" he yelled to the security officer. The young man nodded and ran in.

"Blue! You've got to concentrate! You are Captain Blue! Come on, Adam! Concentrate!"

Blue looked over at the security officer who was aiming the gun at him, but he didn't have time to fire as the speed of the Captain astonished him and the gun was thrown from his hands.

The security guard backed away from him; Blue had already progressed into minor stages of the transformation. His eyes had turned into the piercing green ones, his ears had moved up his head and stood pricked up, his teeth had sharpened and lengthened, and at the ends of his fingers were claws that retracted in and out of the tips.

Symphony stood up behind slowly, she was a little sore from being thrown over but she managed to regain herself.

Blue let out a primal cry and swiped fiercely at the Security guard, who ducked out the way letting Symphony take the hit.

She was knocked back with great strength into the glass screen, shattering it.

Blue froze, breathing hard with feline sounds murmuring from his throat, he looked down at her, a gash emanated from her neck and blood was pouring from a head wound; he fell to his knees.

He had finished transforming and now two separate consciences inside him were battling, like two different voices. The cat's was giving him predatory signals and was overpowering the human side.

Blue let out a roar, making the staff of Sickbay run to the other side of the room in terror. He looked about at them. 'My friends, they are my friends and I won't hurt them.'

'Creatures such as you don't have friends, they are prey or mates, nothing more.'

'No!'

'They are nothing to you! This place is a prison! You must be free!'

Blue couldn't control himself. He let out another roar then ran across the room, leaping with claws beard at the control panel. It sparked and fizzed as he came into contact with it and he ran out.

Fawn and the other medical staff emerged from hiding as Blue disappeared out of Sickbay.

Fawn immediately ran into the quarantine room, knocking the useless Security guard out the way as he knelt down by the badly hurt Angel.

"Karen, can you hear me?" He got no response; he called through to the cowering people in the next room, "Get in here, medical emergency!"

 

Rhapsody and Destiny were reading magazines while their boring shift dragged on.

"Really, it's all too quiet around here, where's the excitement?" Rhapsody commented over her reading material.

"What are you talking about?" Destiny dropped her magazine staring at the British woman, "Haven't you been keeping up to date with things going on around here?"

"Yes, but I mean, when do we ever have a chance to have heart racing experiences?"

At that moment Blue crashed through the doors of the Amber room, making both Angel's scream at the top of their lungs and scramble to climb the bookcase, the highest point in the room.

"Is this exciting enough for you?" Destiny said, practically gripping the ceiling as the big cat stalked towards them.

Rhapsody swallowed hard as below them the large and sleek form of Captain Blue prowled, looking up at them and sniffing the air.

"What's he doing?" Rhapsody whispered.

"I don't know," Destiny admitted. "But I hope someone comes along soon, I won't be able to hold onto this bookshelf forever."

It shook violently as below them Blue had reared up onto his hind legs and was knocking into the shelves with his front legs.

"I don't think you'll have to!" Rhapsody answered the panic in her voice clear as crystal.

They both could feel it go, screaming along with as it fell down to the floor throwing them both off.

Blue looked at them and steadily moved towards Rhapsody.

"Don't move," Destiny whispered, curled up behind one of the sofas.

"This isn't a snake we are talking about!" Rhapsody barely shouted.

Blue's paw dropped down next to her face, the red haired woman held in her scream, eyes widening as he bent in to sniff her face.

Her heart raced, she felt him paw at the back of her uniform, she really wanted to get away.

"What is he doing?" Rhapsody said calmly, Destiny peering round to look at the big cat.

"I have no idea!" she said watching on with fear.

They lay perfectly still as Blue walked round them, sniffing at them with interest. Their scent was tantalising to him, but didn't come near to Symphony's.

The two Angel pilots tried their best to control their breathing and keep their fear in check.

"You know, taking an Interceptor against the Mysterons never as frightening as this is!" Rhapsody said quietly then quickly shut her mouth as Blue bent down to her again. He nudged her face with his nose, making her turn to look at him. He seemed to study her pale and frightened face then turned to Destiny and did the same.

He then got off them and went to the other side of the room. The large frame of the cat shuddered then as though something had clicked; the creature lay down and started to lick its paws.

"What the...?" Rhapsody said as she saw what happened.

"You don't think...?" Destiny wondered.

"Worth a try."

Destiny took a breath and got up. She edged towards him but he ignored her. She got to the sofa he was sat closest to and sat on it.

"Juliette, be careful!"

"It's ok, Dianne." The French woman turned to the massive cat that was now cleaning his ears. "Adam?"

He stopped and looked up at her.

Her eyes went wide. "Adam, is that you? Can you hear me?"

He stared at her and stood up making Destiny back off as he came close to her, she closed her eyes waiting for him to strike her but nothing.

Then she heard a soft purring and opened her eyes, to see him directly in front of her face, whipping his tail happily around and giving an affectionate nudge.

"Adam?" He climbed onto the sofa and brushed past her with his weight of fur tickling up to her then passing with his tail that made her squeak with laughter, he was playing like a regular household cat even though he was giant beast.

"How long before his mind goes wild nature?" Rhapsody said, "We don't know if he'll stay tame for long."

"Let’s pray he doesn't let the wild side go on us, or I think you and I would be expecting kittens."

Rhapsody gingerly walked over and sat down next to him. "Adam?"

His body was in a seated position-facing Destiny but when he heard his name, he turned his head to look at Rhapsody. He was now looking at her upside down. She smiled slightly and slowly reached out a hand to him. She let it touch the soft fur on the underside of his chin and instantly the purring grew louder.

She let out a gentle sigh and stroked him gently, but stopped when he pulled away. She worried for a minute, thinking he might be losing control again but calmed down when he curled up between them, and his tail gently twitching at Destiny and his head in Rhapsody's lap.

The two pilots exchanged glances and sat very still, though continued to stroke him, hoping that it'd keep him calm.

 

It wasn't long before the security team looking for Blue arrived with Fawn. They saw him curled up asleep with the two Angels and Fawn smiled. "He's learning."

 

The puma was taken back to Sickbay and placed in a new isolation ward, where he transformed back into his human self.

He awoke, lying with blankets covering him up, this time he wasn't having his dignity provoked.

He sat up and rubbed his face, he felt tired but his strength soon returned to him.

Doctor Fawn came into the room he was in, "How you feeling, Adam?" He asked.

"For one thing..." He sniffed his arm, "...I smell like Dianne and Juliette."

He smiled, "You managed to take control."

"It wasn't easy, I kind of guess I didn't want to have it off with either of those pretty Angel's, they are just my friends, I had to stop myself."

Fawn nodded and handed him a drink leaving the room.

Blue sipped it, feeling refreshed and much more relaxed; he heard a voice outside say:

"Prep for surgery."

He frowned then watched a trolley being wheeled by to the operating theatre; doctors and nurses surrounding it but he could see who was on it. Symphony.

He dropped the glass from his hand; it smashed against the floor.

He scooted out of the bed bringing the blanket with him around his waist and pressed up to the glass separating him from everyone else.

He gasped when he saw her and wondered what on earth had happened to her then he remembered. He'd done that to her. He remembered seeing the deep cut across her throat and the blood seeping from a head injury.

He closed his eyes tightly shut. "What have I done? What have I done?" he kept repeating to himself.

He went back to the bed and lied down on it. "I hope to God they can help her," he said, watching the doctors wheel her trolley into the operating theatre.

 

Scarlet received the news about Symphony Angel and blamed himself for what had happened to her, sending her in on a dangerous situation.

He had been told by Doctor Fawn to go to Sickbay, he was going to help Blue control the animal inside him.

He walked into the dark medical room, most must have been in surgery with Symphony, and others were busy running around clearing up the shattered glass on the floor.

Doctor Fawn appeared, "Hello Captain, follow me, Blue is this way."

Scarlet nodded silently and followed Fawn across the room, their feet crunching across an area of broken glass.

"It's amazing just how powerful he can be," Scarlet mused silently and wondered what he was letting himself in for.

"Yes," Fawn replied grimly, not turning back.

They reached Blue's new quarantine room and the security guard waved them through.

"Be careful in there, Scarlet."

He nodded and walked in, looking at the barely decorated room, centred by the bed that Blue was occupying.

He had his face in his pillow, ignoring everything around him.

"Adam?" he said calmly.

Blue looked up, his eyes were distraught, Scarlet walked towards him.

"What's wrong?"

Blue snapped up, "What's wrong! Have you heard about Symphony, I could have killed her! She is now being operated on for what I did!"

"Calm down, Adam."

"Don't tell me to calm down! I love that woman, how will she look at me again without being afraid!"

He cupped his head in his hands; Scarlet sat on the bed, "Don't beat yourself up over it."

Blue grabbed Scarlet by the front of his tunic and practically lifted him off the bed with ease, "You don't understand, I am such a monster, I may have taken control over the animal but it was too late, I had already beaten the living crap out of Symphony!"

Scarlet put his hands up, "Whoa! Adam stop getting stressed, you'll change if you do!"

"I...can't..." He kept a grip on Scarlet as his eyes changed, his voice too.

Scarlet looked into the green eyes. "Adam! You've got to control yourself! If you don't there's no telling what you might do!"

Blue was too far-gone now to respond in any way. His hands changed to paws and his claws tore through Scarlet’s uniform, cutting into him. He grimaced but tried to remain as calm as he could.

"Adam! You've got to listen to me! You are Adam Svenson, Captain Blue, take your pick, but you are not an animal! You are my friend! Please! Concentrate on my voice!"

He continued to talk encouragingly despite the pain he felt in his chest from the sharp claws.

Blue had nearly finished transforming and released his hold on Scarlet as he fell forward onto all fours.

Scarlet gasped in a lungful of air as he landed then pushed himself onto his elbows and looked back at Blue. "Adam! Listen to me!"

The cat jumped from the front of the bed and prowled over to him, snarling and teeth bared.

Scarlet pushed himself up onto his knees so he was roughly eye height. "You've got to concentrate, Adam! Listen to me."

Blue continued to growl at him, and lowered his head and front legs so he was in a perfect position to pounce. His tail flicked angrily behind him and he unsheathed his claws.

"Adam, listen to me!" Scarlet yelled.

The Spectrum Captain had to dodge Blue's pounce, shimmying away across the room.

The puma was getting very angry and his aggressiveness excelled.

Then both Blue and Scarlet stopped when they heard a familiar voice:

 

This is the voice of the Mysterons, we know that you can hear us Earthmen. You may have destroyed one of our Earth complexes but there is another. We will be taking another of your officers for the same nature as one on your base now. We have infiltrated you Earthmen, Infiltrated you!

 

The threat was over, the cat stood frozen looking at Scarlet then went to lay down, looking at him with sad eyes.

Scarlet got up from where he'd moved to and crawled over to him.

"Adam?"

Blue didn't move but turned his eyes up to look at him again.

"Are you ok?" Scarlet didn't really expect an answer to this question. He was surprised though when Blue moved forward, not raising his body from the floor much, but inching his paws across the floor to move towards Scarlet. He stopped right next to him and raised his head to look at him, his eyes scanning his companion's torso. He saw the injuries he'd inflicted then put a paw gently on his leg. Scarlet looked down at it, slightly confused then the massive cat moved its head forward and gently licked the wounds.

Scarlet assumed this was more the cat in him, but was thankful that Blue was under control more now, even if the poor creature was overcome with despair.

 

Within the next six hours, Symphony was operated on and the doctors’ work proved a success and she was taken to a ward to recover.

Blue had returned to his normal self and Scarlet had left him to some peace, his wounds healed completely.

Blue watched Symphony lay still under anaesthetic in one of the many beds, looking a sight for sore eyes, he felt bad.

Fawn stood by her bed; she began to ease her way back to consciousness, through the drugs.

Blue looked pleased to see her open her eyes, he called Doctor Fawn over to him.

Fawn approached the window to Blue's room, "Yes?"

"I want to see her."

"Oh no! I'm not going through that again!"

"Look, I'm under control, please let me see her?"

Fawn sighed. "Why do I bother?" he mumbled. "Ok, but if anything happens, we're sedating you straight away."

"S.I.G.," Blue said.

Fawn shook his head. "What am I doing? I should be reviving Scarlet from the dead, not playing with cats!"

Blue looked at him, he felt slightly offended but ignored it; he didn't want Fawn to say he couldn't see her. "Can I have some clothes then?" He was still wearing his blanket like a toga.

"Oh yeah," He retrieved some clothes for Blue, a thin long jumper and some shorts.

 

Symphony was trying to make her vision focus, her head was spinning, she could remember the feeling of her head making an impact on the glass screen, she could still hear it shattering inside her head.

When she finally got herself together, she noticed someone was at her side; she turned her head gradually to see Blue standing over her, she choked up as he touched her cheek softly.

She shied away from his touch and he pulled a confused face.

"What's wrong, Karen? It's me, Adam."

She said nothing but used what strength she had to pull herself away from him.

"Karen?" His voice sounded hurt.

"Stay away from me!" His eyes went wide. "Just get away from me, you freak!"

He turned away slightly. The woman he loved had just rejected him over something that was out of his control. His emotions ran wild through him, he felt hurt, unwanted and unloved. He shut his eyes then turned to the security officer beside him. "I think I'd better go back," he said, his knees buckling slightly.

The officer saw this and moved to grab him and held him up. "Ok, sir." He led him swiftly back to his room and quickly shut the door.

Blue didn't mind that, what he did mind was what Symphony had said. He continued to look at her sadly throughout his transformation.

 

The music was played loudly in the officers’ lounge.

Rhapsody sang along and danced around Captain Ochre and Magenta who enjoyed watching.

"How much money would you take if you did some table dancing?" Magenta winked at Rhapsody.

"You sad little man, Patrick," she said falling back onto Ochre, who laughed at her as she stole his hat and put it on her own head.

"That suits you," he commented.

"Looks better on me, just such a nasty colour," Rhapsody said cheekily.

"Watch it, girl, or we'll be calling you Rasputin Angel!"

Scarlet walked in and raised an eyebrow at the pair, "Never knew you were an item."

Rhapsody jumped of his knee quickly, "In his dreams!"

"Thanks!" Ochre said with a smirk, then reached his hand to her, "Can I have my hat back now?"

She walked across the room and threw it back at him as though it were a Frisbee. Everyone in the room laughed when he fell off his seat trying to catch it.

"No fair, that was a bad throw!" Ochre said, smiling as he got up.

"No, it was a fine throw, you just can't catch," Scarlet said, sitting down wearily.

"What's up, Paul?" Magenta asked.

"I'm worried about Adam."

Rhapsody sighed and sat next to him. "We all are, but he'll be alright, you'll see."

"But you didn't see the look of sadness in his eyes when we received the threat." He closed his eyes as he remembered it. "I dunno, I know he's learning to control himself now, but..."

"What happened to your uniform?" Ochre asked, seeing the blood stained tears in it.

Scarlet looked down. "I forgot about that. I'd better change before the Colonel sees it."

"Why? What happened?" Ochre repeated.

"Captain Blue. His claws are really sharp!"

The others understood and said nothing more on the matter. They sat in silence for a while, aside from the music until Rhapsody decided they needed cheering up. She leaned over and pinched Scarlet's and Magenta's hats. "What d'you think: red or pink?"

"The colour is Magenta, Rasputin!" the Irish man hollered.

"Oh be quiet, Captain Pink!" She sniggered.

 

Symphony lay in the quietness of the wards; she was bored senseless just lying there.

She sat up, her head feeling a little strange; she rubbed her temples to make the spiking headache disappear.

Then she noticed she was being watched, from the other side of the room through the windowpane into the isolation ward; Blue sat on his bed staring at her.

She bit her lip and turned away from him. Just knowing he was watching her scared her. She didn't know when he could change into that puma and break out of confinement.

She shuddered.

 

From his vantage point, Blue saw her actions and looked away sadly. "I am a monster," he said, bitterly to himself. "I'm never gonna be anything else and I'm gonna lose Symphony forever."

He sighed deeply and turned onto his side, pulling his blanket further over him.

 

When the night came, it turned cold in Sickbay.

Both Symphony and Blue had fallen asleep, both not stirring to the sounds of the humming machines.

An on duty doctor, Violet, was taking care of the patients, or so she seemed to be doing.

She watched Blue through the window; he was curled up, being extra flexible now he could do that.

She looked over at Symphony, whom was resting peacefully, she walked over to her and smiled evilly, she was one of the infiltrators.

She opened a cabinet near by and poured out some chloroform onto a hanky she had in her pocket and walked over to the sleeping Angel.

She stood over her and placed a hand on her arm to keep a steady grip on her while bringing down the hanky.

Symphony felt the cold hand and woke up, seeing the action about to be performed she screamed but had them muffled by the chloroform soaked item.

Blue shot up, his ears pricked up on the sounds.

He saw the action through the darkness, Symphony struggling under someone’s grip, he hissed under his breath.

This time, his transformation was faster and less painful. He knew he had to. He had to help Symphony, no matter what she thought of him and he couldn't do that locked in his isolation room.

He dropped onto all fours and let out a low growl then, sniffing the air, assumed his pounce stance.

 

The nurse pulled the hanky away from Symphony's face, satisfied with her work. The Angel pilot was unconscious again. She went over to the other side of the room and picked up a syringe and filled it with a non-lethal drug. Non-lethal unless taken in large quantities.

She went back over to the pilot and was about to stick it into her arm when she heard a loud roar from behind her then a crash as Blue broke free of his quarantine room again.

Her eyes went wide and she turned, dropping the needle to the floor as Blue hit her hard in the chest, all his strength behind the pounce. He was in total control of his actions, but let the cat guide him in what he should do.

He had the Mysteron pinned to the floor with his large paws and unsheathed his claws, digging them deep into her chest. Then bared his teeth at her and growled again.

Then something shot Blue in the back and he growled and backed off the Mysteron, dropping down, tranquilliser dart in his back.

A Mysteronised guard stood, "He will be out the way for a while."

He looked down at her as she got up, the needle near her.

"Were you trying to kill her?" She nodded and received a slap, "That was not the plan!"

"I'm sorry,” Violet said.

"Help me get her to a Jet," the guard said, the doctor nodded picking up Symphony and stepping over the fallen Blue.

 

Scarlet had been woken by a wave of nausea and instantly worried. That meant there was a Mysteron nearby. He got out of bed and left his room, heading towards the control room, but in doing so, the migraine he felt pounding inside his head lessened. He thought for a moment then turned and went back the other way. His head felt worse so he knew he was going the right way.

Seconds later, he heard a loud crash like a window breaking and he knew what was going on. He broke into a run and headed for the Sickbay.

 

The doctor and guard carted the unconscious Symphony out of the room and towards the hangar bay, leaving the feline form of Captain Blue lying motionless on the floor next to her bed.

When Scarlet arrived, he noticed Symphony's empty bed and Blue lying on the floor. While he was out, he'd changed back.

Scarlet ran over to him and tried to bring him round. "Adam! Come on, Adam; wake up! What's happened? Where's Symphony?"

Blue opened his eyes, which were just reverting from green cat's eyes to blue human eyes. "Paul?" He looked round and saw the empty bed. "They got her! Oh no! They got her!"

"Who?"

"The night shift staff! They must have been Mysterons! They sedated her and took her! I tried to stop them, but... I guess they must of hit me with a tranquilliser.”

“Damn it!” Scarlet slammed his fist against the floor, “This is their threat, we’ve got to find them; I know for one thing they won’t be sticking around on Cloudbase!”

Scarlet stood up, Blue managed to get back to his feet grabbing the cover from Symphony’s bed to cover his body, “I’m coming with you,” he said, still a little woozy.

“You’re not right at the moment,” Scarlet said to his blonde friend who just shook his head madly.
“No, I must help you, if they go anywhere, I can smell her there.” Blue touched Scarlet’s shoulder, “I know her scent, you need me!”

“Fine, grab some clothes.” Blue nodded, “I’ll inform the situation to Colonel White.”

 

Colonel White lay sound asleep in his quarters, lightly snoring, when he was suddenly woken by an insistent bleeping. He opened his eyes and looked round to see a light blinking on his intercom. Reaching over, he answered it, his voice betraying his fatigue.

"What is it?"

"Colonel, sir! There are Mysterons on the base! They have Symphony!"

White frowned and sat up. "Can you repeat that, please Scarlet? Slowly?"

"Symphony has been taken, sir."

Colonel White quickly got out of bed, grabbing his uniform, "Find them," he hollered over the radio.

"S.I.G." Scarlet cut off leaving White to struggle into his trousers, trying to get dressed at an unbelievable speed.

 

Symphony was hauled over the Mysteron guard’s shoulder; they had managed to sneak into the hangar bay; Violet keeping a watchful eye for anyone whom would try to stop them.

They commandeered a small jet, putting Symphony into the back cabin and starting up the vehicle's engines.

Violet moments before had cleared them for lift off and opened the hangar doors, jamming the system so that they wouldn't shut until the access code was broken; she made her way back to the stolen jet, it began to move around a platform, aimed now towards the open doors.

She jumped in through the open door, then before joining the guard in the cockpit; she slid the outer door shut.

She glanced back at the unconscious Angel as the plane soared through the doors toward their destination.

 

Blue led Scarlet through the twisting corridors of Cloudbase, his every sense was alert and tuned into Symphony's distinct scent. He didn't know where he was taking Scarlet until his companion stopped him.

"Adam! This is the hangar deck!"

Blue looked up and saw the indication proving this on the door. He tilted his head to one side. "They've taken a plane. I can smell gas."

"You mean petrol?"

"Gas... petrol... same thing."

They both entered the hangar bay, instantly feeling a chill from the cold wind breezing through from the open hangar door.

Blue growled and turned back to Scarlet, "We need to get up to the control room, get a proper fix on where they might be taking her."

 

Green scanned through the computers and logged down the flight path that was plotted on screen behind White's desk.

"From our data, we have them making a bearing of 174 to the west, and we have guessed their destination is rural Texas. We have located another research lab there."

Scarlet's eyes widened, "That's where they’re going...the threat!"

"Oh no!" Blue turned to his friend, "God knows what they'll do to her in their hands, we have to get after her!"

The Colonel stared at the screen then back at the three men, "You may take an SPJ, Green go with them, I'll have Magenta take your position."

"S.I.G., Colonel." Green saluted and he followed Blue and Scarlet in the rush out of the room.

Captains Blue and Scarlet and Lieutenant Green were strapped into their seats onboard the SPJ. "This is Captain Blue, request launch clearance."

"Spectrum is green," came the Irish-accented voice of Magenta.

Blue nodded to Scarlet and they directed the craft off the flight deck.

 

They were well on their way. Scarlet looked over at his friend and saw his anger and concentration. He was worried about him as well as Symphony. There was no telling what the Mysterons would do to her once they got her to their lab, but there was also no telling what Blue might do.

 

About half an hour ahead of them, the jet had landed in front of the new facility, met by a group of Mysteronised scientists.

Symphony was carted out of the jet and inside, straight to the main lab.

Black stood there waiting, "You have our next patient." His voice was cruel on the irony.

She was placed down onto a table, the former spectrum agent staring over her prone body.

He turned to the head scientist, "Start Project X2L9, same as what we did to Captain Blue."

"Yes, sir, I know what I must do." He turned and nodded to some of his group to undress her from the garments she was wearing while he brought in a cat, getting the experiment started.

 

Soon the SPJ landed. Within touching down Blue bolted out, Symphony's scent fresh and thick over him.

He panned his eyes across the area and the building, charging to the door and practically knocked it off its hinges.

"She's in here, I can smell her scent; it's strong." His eyes followed to a long corridor, "This way."

Blue bolted ahead, Scarlet and Green had trouble keeping up, but Scarlet with his power to stand more endurance left Green looking like he was skipping as a little school girl.

Blue skidded to a stop and his eyes glinted green as he came to an iron reinforced door.

He hissed, knowing Symphony was in there, he let out a roar and slammed against it, jolting the whole frame but not budging it.

He was getting angry and felt the feline instinct boil through his veins.

He banged his fists into the door, making dents the size of footballs in the metal, and soon it became too feeble to stand up to his strength and caved in.

All the scientists whipped round as he stalked in, the cat’s eyes had covered up his natural blue ones.

He saw Symphony lying there, unclothed for the experiment and by the looks of things the group had already started to perform, but how far gone had they done was not known to him.

He leapt up onto the table and straddled her looking around at the group who backed away.

He looked down at her, Scarlet and Green entered the room, with them an array of gun shots.

'Karen,' he thought, he could feel his transformation coming, 'I hope you're okay.'

 

Captain Black stood in the corner and watched with fascination as the man in front of them slowly changed. Hands and feet became large paws, nails became sharp claws, his teeth sharpened and lengthened. His face changed to resemble that of a cat and a long tail extended from behind him.

Where once there was a man, now sat a fully-grown puma.

Black's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. The serum was working better than he could have imagined.

 

Blue seemed to know that by staying where he was he could hurt Symphony so jumped down and prowled round the table she'd been strapped to while above him bullets still whizzed at their Mysteron targets.

Being scientists, they didn't have weapons on them so weren't as quick to return fire. By the time they did, most of them had been taken out temporarily.

"Blue!" Scarlet yelled while still firing at the more quick and agile Mysterons.

The cat looked round, still fiercely guarding Symphony.

"Try and free her!"

Blue hunched his front legs; his tail twitching then leapt up, his front paws resting on the bed next to her. He used all his strength to bite and pull the restraints from her arms.

Once each of the binds snapped, he again stood over guarding her, but when a scientist got close he felt it his duty to take him out, so he wouldn't go near Symphony.

Scarlet and Green exchanged rapid gunfire with the Mysterons, while hiding behind instruments.

Scarlet looked up at a main machine with readings on about the experiment and nudged Green, "Try and get some information off that machine, it may help us find a cure for Blue."

"Right, I'm on it." Green crawled over briskly to the console and tapped into the machine while Scarlet kept the group of Mysterons busy.

Blue had torn up the scientist and now had his eyes set on Black, who stood looking not in the least bit worried about the big cat who hissed at him with a deep hatred.

Blue pounced at him but Black made a swift side step then began to tread out quickly from the room, gone from sight.

Blue ignored him, he seemed no threat at all, and he wasn't even going to attempt to try and stop the agents.

Suddenly there was a great hefty bang from a wall monitor and a voice rang out, "Mains pressure valve rupture, core melt down in two minutes."

Scarlet took out the last scientist who had put up a struggle with him, "Damn, we have to get out of here! Hurry up Green!"

"I've done it!" Green had access to a disk from a small box near by the computer; he had downloaded some helpful context. "I'll get Symphony."

Scarlet nodded. "Blue! Time to go!" he yelled as Green darted across the room.

The Spectrum Lieutenant carefully picked her and ran from the room, the swift puma following her closely, still unwilling to leave her.

Scarlet took one last look at the Mysterons in the room. All of them were temporarily out of commission, except Black. The fact that he'd gotten away yet again annoyed Scarlet more than anything, but he knew that he had to get out of there quick before the facility blew up.

They made a swift break for the main entrance that was quite far from them, around them blurred warning beacons and the continuous voice warning them of imminent explosion.

After getting through the winding corridors, they made it to the front entrance, opening it and quickly running back to the SPJ that was close by.

They climbed on board, Scarlet heading directly to the cockpit, and starting up the vehicle, he knew they would be in danger if they stayed rooted there much longer, the impact of the explosion could blow the Jet up where it stood.

Green had placed Symphony down in one of the back emergency first aid areas, on a bed covering her up with the blanket; Blue prowled around him looking at the sleeping woman intently.

Green made is way back through the cabins to the cockpit as the SPJ began to take off, Scarlet was over exerted to make sure they got away before it was too late.

"You got the disk?" Scarlet asked briefly, Green flicked the disc out with a smile.

"I managed to get some important information on this baby."

Scarlet nodded through concentration as the SPJ circled round and sped off, the lab exploding beneath them.

They felt the minor shockwave that rippled for just a moment through the jet, but subsided quickly.

Blue jumped up onto the bed along side Symphony, who still was out cold from being drugged.

He began a slow transformation back to human, his feline features reforming back to his human ones.

He lay there covered half with the blanket, looking at her prone state, watching her breathe lightly.

He began to stroke her hair, letting his fingers intertwine with every soft strand.

He than felt something wave over him, a scent coming from her so powerful it was overwhelming.

He looked at her with wide eyes, it was like her whole smell had increased to become more tantalising than before; he began rubbing his cheek to her face, picking up the scent, purring as he went.

'What is that smell?' He thought, 'It doesn't seem right but it's so... invigorating.'

Green was sat up front with Scarlet so neither noticed how strangely Blue had suddenly started acting.

He took in a deep breath, enjoying the powerful and intoxicating odour and wanting more. His purring became louder and he continued to rub at her cheek with his own.

‘Why am I acting like this?' Blue tried to think through all the desire that was filling his body, 'What is coming from her?'

He looked back to see the cabin door was shut, nobody was coming in for a while.

He looked down at her and pressed his lips to hers, holding her cheek as he took on the sweet taste of her lips, they were so vexing, drawing him in.

He slipped the blanket away to peer at her body, he had wanted to do this back in his quarters when he had her there but she was too frightened and unwilling to let him have her, but now she looked so peaceful and open to him, his feline senses urged him on.

He leant to her body; it was warm and soft, so touchable in its own right.

He traced his finger along her stomach and upwards across each curve looking at her face, only gently stirring but still showing she wasn't going to wake.

His senses wanted him to take her, his mate that lay there right then but he pulled back, his body trying to force him on but he realised he couldn't let the animal win.

He sat still, but his entire body was shaking as the two consciousnesses inside him fought for superiority over the other.

As the puma's mind took charge, he moved closer to Symphony, sliding his hand down her soft skin. He shook violently again and Blue surfaced once more and he moved his hand quickly away and so it continued.

Eventually, the puma forced Blue down making him take the next step by moving onto Symphony. It was while he was sat on her, feeling the animal totally enjoying itself that Blue managed to take control again and cried out, holding his head between his hands.

It was this anguished cry that brought Captain Scarlet running in from the cabin.

Green had taken the controls as Scarlet bolted in to check on Blue.

He opened the door into the cabin and saw the situation, a little embarrassed that he was seeing Blue, pressed up against Symphony in the way he was.

The blonde captain pushed himself away from her and curled up on the edge of the bed breathing hard.

Scarlet kneeled down next to him, "Adam, are you alright?"

Blue finally caught a breath to speak, "Yeah, it was trying to be dominant again, but it’s backed down now."

He took his hands slowly from his head and sat up, looking at Symphony.

"Something about her drove the animal crazy, more than it had ever done."

Scarlet looked at her, she lay peaceful, he pulled the blanket back up to cover her.

"We'll sort things out on Cloudbase," Scarlet told his friend, "We'll have her checked over by Doctor Fawn."

 

The SPJ soared higher and higher, climbing to reach Cloudbase hovering forty thousand feet above the surface.

They touched down and were met in the hangar by Dr Fawn and a team of medics. They were instantly fussing over Symphony who still hadn't revived.

"How long has she been out?" Fawn asked as he wheeled the trolley bearing her through the base to the Sickbay.

"Unknown, she was out when we got there," Scarlet answered, following them at their quick pace.

Green had gone back up to the control room to report to Colonel White while Blue had been asked to go with them to check him over, too. He had a blanket wrapped round him, but hung back from the group, not wanting to go near Symphony in case the puma should react again.

They arrived in Sickbay and instantly the Angel was hooked up to many machines and scanned over.

Blue went to another bed where a doctor checked him over, there was nothing wrong with him so he was left to sit in the background watching the medical staff work on Symphony, who still felt he primally needed to protect.

Fawn was looking over a scanner, tested some of her blood, he looked intrigued at it, then accessed his machine.

Symphony began to awake, Blue sat forward; he watched her face spring back to life slowly her eyes looking blurry.

"What...what's going on?" she said weakly, "What happened to me?"

"You were taken by the Mysterons, Symphony," Fawn answered still doing his work and not looking at her at all, "We want to know if they did anything to you."

She looked around the room, she was disorientated still but when she saw Blue she locked her eyes onto him, she thought she could smell something over herself from him; it frightened her a lot.

He kept his eyes fixed on hers, all the while his urges and instincts sat thick inside him.

Doctor Fawn's eyes widened, "My god...there is feline DNA inside you, Symphony."

She turned back to the source of the voice, pulling her eyes away from Blue at the last possible moment.

"What?" she asked, confused.

Behind her, Blue's eyes widened. No wonder the scent had been so much stronger.

"Just as was the case with Captain Blue, you also have feline DNA in your body, Symphony Angel."

She put a hand to her chest. "This can't be possible! You mean," she looked back over at Blue. "You mean I'm just like him?"

"Not just like, I doubt, but we'll find out. If you don't mind, both of you, I'd like to run some more tests on you, Captain and run some on you, too, Symphony and compare the results."

Symphony wasn't listening and hadn't looked back, and Blue hadn't heard either.

Green walked in looking at the doctor, "I have some information on a disk you may find useful."

Fawn nodded at him as he picked the small disk from his pocket, handing it over.

"Thank you Green, the Colonel knows now of what’s been going on?"

"Yes, Doctor." Fawn nodded and dismissed him and turned back to the two patients who looked at each with unreadable eyes.

"Okay you two." They turned to him finally; "Let’s get you tested."

 

After an hour or so, both had been tested on and Fawn had just processed his results through.

"It looks like your DNA pattern is slightly different to Blue's," Fawn said to the young Angel who stared into thin air, unbelieving.

"I don't want to be an animal!" she said; she was about to cry.

Blue watched her; he was lapsed out across one of the beds, hand behind his head watching her closely.

"We'll do the best to look for a cure, but we are still stumped at the moment." Fawn put down the result sheets, "Well I think we should put you both into quarantine, since Blue smashed up two already, there is one left meaning you two will be sharing."

Symphony's eyes went wide and she spun her head from Blue to Fawn, "No! I want to go to my quarters."

"Sorry, but after incidents we have had, you are in quarantine."

"But..."

"Don't argue with me." Fawn looked sternly at her, she turned to Blue who was still fascinated with her, but the look on her face was masked with fear.

"I'll get you both clothes then in to the hold you go."

She tore her gaze away from Blue, if not without difficulty. She was petrified of what he might do, but in another light, she was strangely drawn to him.

Fawn walked back carrying a pair of blue shorts for the Captain and a white vest top and white shorts for the Angel.

They pulled them on then grudgingly on Symphony's part, allowed themselves to be taken to the quarantine room.

Once inside, Blue lied down on one of the beds and put a hand under his head again, his eyes still locked on her.

She sat on the other bed, her knees hugged as tight as she could to her chest.

Blue simply smiled at her attempts to hide herself from him.

For the next fifteen minutes he stayed in the same position looking at her with wanting eyes.

She felt scared, coiling up on herself hoping that he would get bored soon, but still he wasn't showing signs of letting up on her.

She was getting agitated at him for his continuous gaze; she finally reached her least nerve, "STOP IT!"

He leaned up giving a deep grin, "What is it?"

"Just stop it! Don't stare at me!"

He laughed, "I'm sorry...I can't help it."

"Why? What is so interesting?" She sat properly, his eyes tracing her, she felt violated.

"There is a sense about you, a feline one, it just draws me to you."

She had to admit, something was making her want to go jump on him but she pulled back, she was bluntly terrified of his strength and his strange hungers and need.

She turned her back to him but felt his stare on her, making her want to scream.

Blue smiled when she turned away. He let his gaze drift over her slender shoulders exposed by the straps of her top. He looked at the way the harsh sickbay lights made her hair shine and enhance her figure. His grin broadened as he lay back down again.

When her head dropped and her shoulders started to shudder, accompanied by the sounds of muffled sobs, he continued to smile, even though deep inside he knew exactly how she was feeling. She was scared of this new change and what its consequences might mean and she was scared of him. Even though he knew this and longed to make her feel better, he also longed for something else, something the animal wanted.

 

"How is she doing?" Rhapsody occupied half of the couch in the officer’s lounge; she was extremely worried about her friend.

Scarlet looked at her, his face had been distant most of the time he had been in there; he looked at her, "I heard she is a little distraught."

"I definitely would be if I found out I had cat genes!"

Scarlet felt bad for his best friend and a woman he called a close companion, he didn't know what to do anymore, and everything was just out of hand.

Rhapsody could see he was wrapped with thought and went over to him, wrapping her arms around him.

He hugged her, making him feel better, with warm hands and heart next to him.

 

Symphony had got up to pace, she was restless and having the blonde man she was not communicating with well watching her like she was a toy made her stomach twist.

Inside she felt a deep burning; it made her want nothing more than to kill herself, her senses were going wild.

She turned to Blue who hadn't stopped looking at her since they came in, and still taking her in his sight.

She stormed over to him, "I TOLD YOU TO STOP LOOKING AT ME!"

He leaned forward, pretty much wrapped up in his smirk, she began to tremble, something making its presence in her mind, opening up her wants and needs and in an flash she didn't know what she was doing.

She grabbed Blue and pulled him into a deep kiss, he wrapped his arms around her tightly pulling her back against him.

They embraced strongly for a moment before she pulled back wide eyed, turning away and walking to the other side of the room, shaking wildly, not knowing her own intentions anymore.

She became more disturbed when she felt Blue approaching her; she didn't dare look around.

"Stay away from me, Captain," she said quietly, focussing on the wall in front of her.

"What's the matter, Karen?"

She screwed her eyes shut, forcing herself not to turn round. If she did, she didn't think she'd be able to hold back. "What's the matter? What d'you thinks the matter?" she yelled. "Those bloody Mysterons capture me and turn me into a freak and I'm scared of what might happen!"

Blue tilted his head slightly at the way she referred to herself and in a way, him too, but continued smiling. He liked being so close to her. Just her scent was enough to keep the animal mind calm but it wanted so much more than to just be able to smell her.

"Just go away, Captain. I don't want to talk to you."

"Ok, fine," he responded, his grin still not lifting. "I'll leave you alone, but I can't really go away, we're both locked in here." He walked back across to his bunk as he said this; his eyes still fixed on the Angel pilot.

She finally turned her head to look at him, he was too right it hurt her head, she grimaced and settled in the corner looking at him.

He stared at her with more intending eyes, if he had been the cat, she could imagine him whipping his tail around behind him with desire.

"What is wrong with you?" she said softly, he pressed his head to his arms listening, "What do you want from me?"

She was afraid to know the answer because it was all too obvious.

"I want you, Karen," Blue said, his voice a near purr, "No... I have to have you, I can't play this little game anymore."

She pushed her back further into the corner as he took a graceful leap off his bed onto all fours crawling towards her.

She shook her head, "No you can't...I won't!"

"You know you want to, Karen." He narrowed his eyes; "It burns inside you."

He was directly in front of her now; he lifted his hand under her top, she watched in complete dread.

He pressed his face to hers, and the thing that made her scared the most is that she wanted him too, but she couldn't let herself go.

He touched her on her curved top and she jumped a little; she was rocked with different emotions, all pounding at her, she felt something sweep her body, she let out a cry making Blue look at her with concern along with his desires.

Blue knew instantly what was happening having gone through it so often. He backed off a little, there were so many emotions running through him he didn't know what to do. He was nervous because Fawn had mentioned a difference between his and her DNA patterns, he was curious to see what it looked like to watch having only experienced the transfiguration and he still felt a longing to be right beside her.

She let out another cry, slightly deeper than the last one then looked up at him, her bright yellow green eyes were full of pain as her jaw elongated and her teeth lengthened and sharpened. Long whiskers formed on either side of her pink nose.

Blue tilted his head as he watched fur appear in ripples across her body, but unlike his, hers was golden brown and black spots were rapidly appearing.

She dropped onto all fours as her legs changed, the knees reversing direction to become more like a feline's. Her hands and feet grew and changed into the strong and powerful paws of a skilled hunter and sharp claws replaced her immaculate nails.

Her ears moved up the side of her head and reshaped into the pointed cats' ears while behind her, a long spotted tail appeared.

Her complete transformation made him spin with mixed feelings, triggering his own transformation.

His fur waved over the human skin, engulfing it. His hands and feet reformed into large paws, the nails becoming large dark claws.

His size grew out into the new body as his facial features pushed out into his new mouth and nose.

Once every part of him was completely changed he stretched out in his cat form; one of the mutated types like Symphony was now experiencing.

She was lying down, cowering in a way, like the human brain was playing the bigger role.

Blue glanced over her frame and nudged against her affectionately, her scent sending him over the edge.

He lay down next to her; moving in as close as he possibly could but she backed away. Blue began to purr. He thought she was playing and so followed her to where she now lay. Seeing him approach, she got up and leapt across the room, landing softly on her bed.

Blue watched her; he was crouched low to the floor, his tail flicking happily behind him. Symphony wasn't in the mood to play games. She arced her back, all her fur standing on end and hissed at him, baring her sharp white teeth and extending her claws. Her fear had allowed her to remain in control, though the animal inside her was fighting to be released.

Blue still didn't understand and tilted his head to watch her. She didn't move but stayed exactly where she was.

He flicked his tail again then pounced towards her, landing on the bed just as she leapt to the other side of the room again. He wasted no time in following her, but now Symphony was in a larger area. When he arrived next to her, she reared up on her hind legs and swiped at him, her claws cutting into his shoulder.

Blue let out a cry and Symphony used this time to throw all her weight at the window, breaking free and tearing out of Sickbay.

When Blue realised, he roared in annoyance then chased after her, ignoring the bemused and frightened medical staff.

Fawn looked shocked at the mess of glass on the floor, "Not again, somebody call security" In his mind he was trying to amuse himself on the situation, 'I wonder how Spectrum is going to compensate for all this broken glass, the damage bill is gonna be run up...again!'

 

Harmony and Rhapsody were walking towards the Amber room; the British red head was off duty but decided to join her friends in there to chat and get the gossip.

"Oh darn, I forgot my reading book, I'll meet you in there"

Harmony nodded, "Okay, Dianne"

Rhapsody turned on her heel and jogged back the way she had come, but before long she came to a grinding halt as some strange noises approached from up a head.

She felt sick to her stomach when she saw the giant Leopard screech to a stop directly in front of her, staring deeply at the Angel pilot with scared eyes, that melted from their greenish colour to soft brown ones.

Rhapsody tilted her head, still a bit unsure what to do, 'There's another cat...that means...' She let out a sharp gasp and said aloud, "Karen!"

The cat acknowledged her words and lifted her ears up.

Her eyes when wide when she realised just who the creature was. "Oh Karen!"

She heard another loud roar from nearby and Symphony's fur stood on end, her tail set firmly between her legs. Rhapsody saw this. "Are you afraid of him?"

Symphony looked at her, giving Rhapsody enough time to register the unease on the cat's spotted face, before running off. The redheaded angel wasted no time in following her. She ran after her and into the Amber room where Symphony lay cowering behind the sofa, the other angels on the other side of the room, clearly uneasy with the situation.

"It's ok, it's Karen!" she called out, shutting the door and running over to her. She put a hand softly on her head and rubbed gently between the ears. Symphony looked up at her; Rhapsody could see some of her fear beginning to ebb away, her brown eyes flickering back to green-yellow then to brown again. The others slowly moved forward and crouched down round her.

"Karen? Are you ok?" Destiny asked.

The leopard looked up at her then on hearing Blue's roar echoing outside she pinned her ears flat against the top of her head and lay as close to the floor as she could.

Destiny, Rhapsody and Harmony got up and quietly walked over to the door. Rhapsody put her ear against it and listening closely. She could hear Blue prowling around outside. She told the others.

"Why doesn't he just break in like last time?" Harmony asked.

"I don't know," Rhapsody said, moving away from the door. "Quick, we've got to inform security where they are," she said, her voice barely a whisper in case Blue heard.

"I'll do it," Harmony said.

"Ok, I'm going back over with Karen, see if I can calm her down a bit. By the way her eyes kept changing, I think she's fighting a battle inside for control."

Symphony shook, not only from fear but also from a raging war inside her body, the cat and human side trying to be the dominant one.

Her eyes kept flickering until suddenly they stuck on the cat’s colour, but beyond that she began to transform back to the human self slowly.

Rhapsody and Destiny watched on in fascination, Harmony only got a brief glance of it, she was too busy calling security and making sure Blue was keeping out of the room.

Symphony had de-transformed to a state of her human self but with differences, her eyes were still the yellow green and her skin was a mixture between peach and a soft blonde with black spots. Her human side was playing the better half but still the feline side of her wasn't letting go.

She looked around scared, "What's going on? What's happening to me?" She looked at herself; deepness stayed in her voice, still between her two sides.

Rhapsody and Destiny looked at her, unable to tell if she'd finished or not. They both hoped that she hadn't. She still didn't sound or look like the Symphony they knew.

"Why is this happening to me?" She dropped her head into her hands. "It's not fair!"

They exchanged glances as Harmony called quietly. "They're on their way, girls."

Rhapsody nodded then turned back to Symphony. "I wish there was something I could say or do to help you, other than say that Dr Fawn will find a cure to this, I'm sure of it." She put a hand on Symphony's discoloured arm. She looked into the green-yellow eyes with sympathy. "I promise you, both you and Captain Blue will come through this."

Symphony visibly shuddered at the mention of his name.

Behind them, Destiny had been looking round the room, trying to find something to give to Symphony to conceal her bared skin.
There was a large towel packed into a box next to a protruding storage shelf on the wall, she picked it out and brought it over to Symphony, wrapping it over her shoulders, the hybrid like woman pulled it herself across her front.

"Thank you" She said, as soft as she could.

There were loud roars emanating from outside the room, Symphony squealed and got up grabbing Rhapsody and held her tightly in a hug, looking more like a death lock.

Rhapsody and the others backed away from the door to the far side of the room, knowing that Blue was fed up of waiting for his mate to come out to play again. The doors burst open and the Puma dropped back onto all fours after pushing into the room with his front paws.

Symphony sobbed into Rhapsody and shivered like crazy, not looking at Blue who was taking steady strides towards them, eager to be next to Symphony.

The other Angels formed a protective barrier round their frightened friend, knowing there was little they could do against the Puma, but did so to reassure her they'd stand by her.

Blue prowled across the room, and lay down in front of the group of Angels, his head resting on his paws and his tail twitching behind him. He didn't remove his gaze from Symphony behind them once. The cat's mind was trying to figure out why she looked so strange. She was neither human nor leopard, but both. This confused him and much as he wanted to be right next to her or closer, he remained where he was, watching her closely.

He didn't move a muscle aside from his tail, until the security guards came in. When they arrived, he was up like a shot and ran across the room to avoid their tranquillisers. His speed surprised them and he was able to get out of the room again. The guards looked at each other dismayed; a few sighing then ran after him again.

Then Fawn ran in, having heard where Symphony was.

He was a little flabbergasted by what he saw of Symphony but he knelt down by her and touched her cool skin in various places before speaking to her in a soothing and reassuring manor.

"Karen, you'll be okay, concentrate on yourself, imagine you're just an ordinary human being, in control over your body, just like every normal day of your life"

She closed her eyes, small vibrations rippled across her skin in tiny waves, her body returning to normal.

She collapsed against Fawn, heaving hard on each breath, her face pale and tired from the strain of her change.

"Its okay," He hugged her, some of his medical staff arrived in, and they instantly went to the Doctor.

 

Blue ran as fast as he could, he knew the security team were after him, there was no way he wanted to be captured by them.

He skidded to a swift stop as Scarlet walked out from the conference room in front of him, jumping back when he saw him, not from fear, just from having something suddenly appear out of nowhere.

They glared at each other then at the security team who came running round the corner; tranquilliser guns aimed at Blue.

He quickly dodged behind Scarlet as they fired, the dart hitting the Spectrum agent in the leg. His face clenched for a second then he felt some of the serum inside rush through his body for a few seconds making him woozy, but then it disappeared when the retro-metabolism kicked into play.

"Nice shot" Scarlet mocked, a little angry, the security guard that had fired looked embarrassed.

"Sorry, sir" He replied, then spotted Blue trying to sneak away and finally got a hit in on him.

The dart pierced his pelt then injected the tranquillising serum into him. Scarlet and the other guards watched as he turned back to face them, sway slightly then drop to the floor. With a thud, he landed on his side, his legs outstretched and his tongue lolling out the side of his mouth.

Scarlet rolled his eyes then went over to him to make sure he definitely was tranquillised.

"What was all the noise for Scarlet?" Colonel White said, appearing at the door to the Conference Room. His gaze took in the security guards and the large Puma lying unconscious on the floor. He grimaced as he realised what must have happened. "Not again!" He repeated the very words Fawn had said less than an hour ago when they first escaped. "This is getting too much. We need to find a cure for these two and fast!"

Scarlet stood looking thoughtful.

"What is it, Captain?" White said, walking over to him, being careful not to stand on his other top agent.

"This is why they did it," he said quietly.

"Who did what?"

"The Mysterons," Scarlet said, turning to look his superior in the eye. "They didn't just experiment on them to see the effects, but also to create chaos on Cloudbase."

"Well, it's working," White said, a tone of dissatisfaction in his voice.

Scarlet nodded. "While we've been running round the base playing chase the kitty, they've probably been cooking up something much bigger for us to deal with and where we're too busy trying to sort Blue and Symphony out, we won't be as ready to counter their threat should one arise."

White looked at him, worriedly. "Well, let's hope it doesn't," he said as some people arrived to take Blue back to Sickbay again.

 

The glass had been scattered like glittering molecules across the floor. But the staff had already taken care to clean it up and use some scrap boards to bar up the window to use the quarantine room again for Blue who was restrained with Iron shackles, bolted down to the table. Symphony was more trusted and was only sedated on minor drugs for the time being.

Hours later, she awoke, looking over to see Blue wide-awake and a little bit displeased that he was maximally restrained.

He looked at her, she jarred slightly with fear, and he was hurt with regret practically written all over his face.

"Karen..."

"What are you going to say to me now, hmm? Anymore lies come from your lips or maybe your actions spoke more"

"Please, I want to apologise"

"Shut it, Adam, I've heard that one before, then the next thing I remember I was woken up after surgery"

She walked over to his bed, he was firmly restrained, and he wasn't going anywhere.

"What will you say now, go on, try and fix things, even if we are cured do you expect me to look at you the same again?"

Blue looked at her, shock replacing his regret. Then anger brewed inside him.

"Well, fine!" he yelled, pulling against his restraints. "If you don't want to know me because of something out of my control then I guess I'm better off without you!" He narrowed his eyes. "I thought you loved me, I sure as hell, loved you!"

She looked a little confused for a moment, trying to gather her feelings on the situation before snapping back at him with a lot more force.

"Why are you angry, I'm the one who should be angry!" She stood right up against his bed, "After all you put me through, and you think you're worse off, how can you be like that? How can you bring love into this?"

"Hmm, let me think! Because I did love you! I remember you telling me you'd love me no matter what I were, but you were obviously lying! You shouldn't be an Angel pilot! The Angels are honest and true to their friends!" He turned away when he realised he'd said that out loud. Even though deep down he meant it, he hadn't actually meant to say it.

Symphony backed away, her hands on her hips. "Oh, so now we're going for the organisation's link, huh?" She clenched her teeth and glared at his back. "Two can play that game! With the way you've been treating me, with what you've been putting me and the other members of this base through, it's a wonder you're still here! There's no place in Spectrum for a stupid self-centred prat like you!"

He turned back to her. "I've already told you! What I did was in no way my fault!"

"No, of course not! Then how was I able to control the leopard’s mind? Or did you actually have control but just went along for the ride?" She sat down on her bed again. "You're a sick man, Ca-" She paused. "No, you don't deserve the title Spectrum gave you! You're a sick man, Adam Svenson!"

Blue took in a deep breath; he'd been thinking the same of himself and hearing it from someone else cut deep.

She gripped one knee up to her chest, the other dangled off the edge of the bed, swaying slowly, she was heated up and had a thousand and one things she wanted to say, but it was neither the time nor place. She had to back down now before she would say something that she would really regret.

Blue closed his eyes, trying to think about the whole animal mind, was he really weak and letting the puma dominate or was he just sick and wanted to lay his hands all over Symphony, he didn't know how to answer the question.

"I loved you so much, Karen, but now I see you are just so high of yourself, thinking you're better," He narrowed his eyes, "You talk about me being sick, well you're just selfish and so ignorant"

She didn't want to say anything, she was boiling up to the brim with hatred and anger, and all she did was scream, but more coming out as a feline cry.

She covered her mouth, feeling as if the cat just swept over her, tears poured in gentle drops down her cheeks, Blue looked at her with firm and unresponsive eyes.

She fought hard against the animal that was desperately trying to break free. She sat back, her back to the wall and she was breathing hard. The struggle had taken a lot out of her and she shut her eyes.

Blue saw this happen and frowned, wondering how she was able to suppress her change, but said nothing, still being mad at her.

The pair sat in silence; their heated rage had cooled off, but for how long? Fawn entered the room, grabbing their attention from their distant concentration, they looked at him, Blue had trouble doing so since he was pinned down to the bed.

Fawn looked at them with a wide smile; “I have good news for you both, from the information Lt. Green brought back from the lab in Texas I have managed to find a way to break down the cat cells, eradicating it totally. In simple terms I have found you a cure”

Symphony looked at him with broad eyes, a happy smile crossing her face, she would finally be shedding off the animal inside her, all the emotions and instincts would be gone, she was about to turn to Blue to express her excitement but she remembered she hated him.

Blue looked at Fawn, his face still looked neutral. He didn’t know how he felt about the news.

He would be glad to rid of the cat’s instincts but the extra strength and speed would be missed.

He returned his gaze to the ceiling seeing is that was the most comfortable position to be lying in due to his restraints.

He pulled on them in an annoyed way trying to get more comfortable.

Fawn looked back at them, worrying. He’d heard their argument but hadn’t heard what they were saying. He’d have to administer the treatments soon or their relationship would be ruined.

Colonel White had just got the news sent up to him that a cure had been discovered to rid Blue and Symphony of the cat DNA permanently, which he was pretty much pleased with, he was fed up with having to lock up his best agent and fighter pilot.

Meanwhile, Scarlet was talking with Destiny, Ochre and Rhapsody in the officers lounge, when they found out, their reactions were the same as the Colonel's, but they were much happier.

"It will be so nice to have Karen back to normal," Rhapsody said with a sigh, "And Adam too"

"Yeah, we won't have to worry about them trying to kill us or sniff our crotches" Ochre leaned back in his seat, feet on the coffee table.

Destiny backhanded him across the head, shutting him up after his lame attempt at practical humour.

"I hope they aren't mentally affected" Destiny said, she was equally as worried as everyone else who nodded at her as she spoke.

"We won't know for sure..." Scarlet said, his best friend on his mind, "...until they have been tested on, given a day or so to revert to their original body structure from what they recall on how it feels"

"Don't be so damn technical, Paul" Ochre scratched his head, a little boggled by what Scarlet was rambling about.

"I was mealy thinking aloud,” He said.

"Well, does your thoughts have to be so damn complicated!"

Scarlet shrugged and sat back in his chair, his arms folded and wearing a distant expression. Ochre tilted his head then picked up his drink from the table and sipped it thoughtfully.

Everyone had been touched in some way by what had happened.

 

Fawn came into the quarantine room an hour or so later after preparing things for the experiment to have Blue and Symphony back to normal.

"Okay you two, it's time"

Symphony sighed with relief, realising this was the moment when she would get rid of the horrible cursed DNA that didn't belong in her body.

Blue remained silent as he was unshackled from his restraints and helped up by Doctor Fawn, both taken to the next room and laid on some beds next to a monitor, especially hooked up with a serum pack, ready to have the contents injected into the two Spectrum members.

"Okay you may feel a strange sensation, but we don't know if there will be any pain, and just relax and you'll be back to normal in no time"

"No" Blue said sitting up, Fawn looked at him with a confused face while Symphony just looked blankly on him, not understanding what he was up to neither.

"What?" Fawn said befuddled.

"I won't go through with it, I don't want to be cured" His eyes flicked onto Symphony who couldn't find a motive.

"What? Why? I thought you'd want to be rid of this!" Fawn said, his voice full of confusion as he walked over.

"So did I, but I don't see why I should bother now." He looked into Fawn's eyes unflinchingly. "I have no reason to return to normal, no one will care," he said quietly.

"Of course you do!" Fawn countered. "All your friends want to see you happy and back to your normal self."

"Well, maybe I've accepted this as what is normal for me now!"

"How can you say this?"

"Easily! And you just heard how so I won't repeat myself!"

"Adam, you can't be serious about this!"

"I assure you I have never been as sure about anything in my life."

Fawn sighed. He knew he couldn't force anyone to have treatment, but this wasn't just about Blue, every member of Cloudbase's personnel could be put in danger should he change.

"As a patient, I have the right to refuse treatment and so that is what I am doing." His eyes were narrowed, his gaze steady on the doctor.

Symphony continued to look at him then something dawned on her. "You just like the attention!" she said suddenly. "I always thought you were slightly jealous of how Paul got attention whenever he died and came back, but this is ridiculous!”

"This is not about jealousy!" he snapped, turning to face her. "I just don't want to be given something that will make me a weak! Since this has happened, I've been stronger, faster and this power of mine, the power to change, that's something our organisation could use! Imagine it, sending a Spectrum agent who is capable of changing into a deadly predator to take out the Mysterons!"

"This has nothing to do with Spectrum!" Symphony yelled. "What's happened to you, Adam? Since this has happened, you've changed!"

"Of course I've changed!"

"I don't mean physically, I mean in your personality. The Adam I loved must have died when that first lab was destroyed because that was the last time I saw him."

Blue shuddered with anger, he felt the stir of his change but held back on it, he didn't want to provoke anything at that moment.

"You know, I've thought about it, this power you say you have was given to you by the Mysterons, the bad guys, even like Paul was given power too...but in your case they are corrupting you, even though they have no control over you. You're just a monster in general... you'll turn against us, finally thinking everyone is too weak"

Blue's face became a little shocked, he didn't believe a word she was saying about him, it was just her silly little theory, but it had bitten at him fiercely. He could see she wasn’t relenting, proving there had been love there but he had killed it with what he had become.

"I did say I could love you for whatever you were..." This snapped him from deep thought, he watched her expression release from an angry one to a sad and un-nerved one. "...But you let yourself become an evil, weak minded beast, I loved you for what you were...not some selfish animal"

Blue was up like a shot, stood beside her bed with a hand on her throat. His eyes were narrowed and his lips were pulled up into like a snarl. She pounded on his arms until a security guard, knocked his head with the butt of his weapon. His grip loosened and Symphony took a deep, gasping breath. Blue sat on the floor rubbing his head and glaring at the security officer.

"Don't look at him like that, Blue, you brought that on yourself," Fawn said, his tone neutral but he averted his gaze from the man on the floor. Blue frowned. The way the doctor had addressed him confused him. "What's the matter Blue? Don't like the way I'm speaking to you? Because if you've decided you'd rather be an animal, that's more than likely the way people will be talking to you from now on." He turned his attention n to Symphony to make sure Blue hadn't done any damage to her. "Are you still wanting to go through with this?" he asked her softly, a hand resting on her shoulder.

"Of course, the sooner I'm less like him the better," she said, throwing an icy glare at the man who’d climbed off the cold floor and sat back on the bed.

Fawn nodded and took a brief glance at Blue, who was not paying attention to anything around him, too busy deep in thought.

The Doctor picked up a serum pack and attached one end onto the monitor and the other was put with a needle and put into Symphony's arm, she winced as the sharp prick tingled on her skin.

Blue had to turn and watch, he hated everything she had said to him but he wanted to see what became of the experiment, one part of him wanted it to go wrong or fail, just so he could get back at her.

She squeezed her eyes closed as she felt the serum run into her body, it was a painful experience and she breathed hard, feeling as if she was being burned inside, she finally screamed out, Fawn held her shoulders, helping her to calm down.

She lay on her bed, squirming and screaming as the antidote flowed through her. She couldn't feel anything except the pain, not even Fawn's hands on her.

She arced her back, letting out another deafening scream. It took all of Fawn's strength to push her back down onto her bed, though she continued to writhe, tears streaming down her face.

She suddenly stopped screaming and fidgeting and became very still; the movement of her chest from breathing was barely visible. Fawn stood fixed to the spot, where the treatment was new to him, he had no idea as to whether her reactions were good or bad. She started to tremble then shaking violently.

Fawn's eyes widened. He had no idea what to do.

After a few moments, she stopped; Fawn held his breath as she gained herself to breathe more calmly than she had been.

Her eyes grew wide as she looked around, stretching out a little bit.

She smiled a little, "Oh my god"

"What is it?" Fawn lent near to her.

"I think it’s worked, I feel normal, no other feelings inside me"

Fawn gave a chuckle, "Good, at least I know that the serum is a success"

Blue laughed, making them turn to him, his expression was a mixture of hate and angst.

"Good for you, you're happy that you can go around like before, no regrets for killing a poor animal" Symphony raised an eyebrow, disgusted by his words. "I don't care, I don't need no one, it seemed before everyone wants to get rid of me, they can't accept any species beyond human, that's how this whole war started"

He stood up; pressing his fingers deep into the bed while the people in the room looked at him with strong confusion.

"Why don't you face something perfect, better than you!"

His eyes flashed green and everyone knew what was coming next

The medical staff jumped back in shock as in front of them the puma reappeared, his front paws up on the bed and his back paws shifting around on the floor. His tail twitched behind him as he considered what he was going to do next.

Fawn looked at him, nervousness written all over his face. He tried to judge how far away the intercom was compared to Captain Blue, but the cat saw him and dropped down from the bed and walked calmly over to him.

Fawn backed off as far as he could, but Blue jumped up at him, his front paws against the doctor, forcing him into a table behind him.

"Stop it, Adam" Symphony said weakly, the Puma turned its head and growled at her, she didn't have the strength nor the skill to confront this animal.

He snarled slashing at Doctor Fawn and leaping over to the other side of the room, watching all the terrified faces of the medical staff before briskly bounding out of the room.

The other medical staff were helping Doctor Fawn as Symphony sat, eyes in a dream state, thinking as hard as she could.

"I understand now..." She mused on her thoughts, "...I know why the Mysterons did what they did"

Blue ran out of the medical bay and into the hallway, growling and roaring at any personnel who stood in his way. He ran through the corridors until he reached a familiar room, a room he had sat in often as a human for mission briefings and debriefings.

He growled quietly and then stealthily went in, unnoticed by the green-clad lieutenant at the communications console.

 

Colonel White was busy reading a report from one of the land based Spectrum installations when he heard a shuffling noise. He ignored it, thinking it was Lieutenant Green fidgeting, his shift was nearly over and he tended to get a bit restless towards the end.

He shrugged to himself and continued reading.

He heard a noise behind him and on looking up, he saw Green's scared face. He knew what he'd find behind him when he turned. "Lieutenant, get out."

"But, sir..."

"Just do it, I'll be alright. Get security." Green stood looking shocked. "I gave you an order, Lieutenant."

The lieutenant nodded and ran out as White turned to face the puma.

"I see you have not gone through with the treatment," he said, knowing the animal would understand. He shook his head. "A shame really, you were one of my best officers. All you're fit for now is the zoo."

The puma looked at him, his head tilted to one side and growled. The Colonel knew what was going to happen and soon as he saw the creature in front of him lower his head slightly, the piercing green eyes still fixed on him.

Before he could do anything to get away, Blue had leapt, pinning the Colonel to his desk and dug his claws into his chest.

White yelled, the pain was unbelievable. Blue jumped off him, giving him the opportunity to get out from behind his desk. He climbed up onto the chair and watched White stumble away from him. His eyes narrowed and his tail flicked about, this was a game to him.

White moved as quickly as he could to the door, but Blue pounced again and he was pinned to the floor before he could react.

Then he heard voices coming towards them and looked up away from the man below him, being crushed by Blue's weight.

He growled and leapt off charging through the security men and Lt. Green.

He made a quick exit and was off like a bullet down the corridor, heading into the conference room.

He stalked around and saw the lighting panel, slashing at it, so he had the cover of dark hiding him.

He stooped against the large table, heavy and thick grunts flowed through his throat.

Then the door opened, light seeping in, he was well hidden from sight watching a lone figure stand in the doorway, he considered it to be one of the security men.

He crawled around as the figure walked in looking through the darkness; Blue was ready and took the advantage of the man's back being turned to pounce at him.

They tumbled across the floor, Blue being quicker with his cat graces, moved on top of the man, clawing into him and grabbing him around his neck, crunching into it.

For an instant after pulling back, he could have though he heard his name called by the dying man, one he recognised.

The emergency lights were flicked on, dimmer than the original ones; he looked down at the body, to see it was Captain Scarlet.

His green eyes widened, staring down at the man he had just killed by tearing his throat out.

"Oh my god" Blue turned to see Symphony pressed up to the door, she had her hand on the back-up control panel, and she was staring with shock at Scarlet.

Blue began to turn back to his human self, he couldn't believe he just butchered his best friend.

"Oh no...Why..." He managed to say after he regained a voice.

"You killed him..."

"I know...I don't know what I'm doing anymore"

"They knew you were gonna go crazy" Blue looked at her, he was stressed out intensely, "The Mysterons planned this all along, to give us this power, to make us hateful and turn our backs on Spectrum. They waited for this to slowly corrupt us...I fought it...that got to you deeply"

Blue shook and leaned closer to the floor. "I don't want to be an animal, I don't want to be treated like one" He looked up at her. He looked like he was going to have a nervous breakdown, "I thought this is what I wanted, I thought it would make me stronger...but it didn't it made me weaker, I want to be normal...I want life back"

Symphony walked over to him and kneeled down beside him, "I never would admit it, but I loved you all along, through my hate, because I knew we'd get through this...I don't want to loose you"

She wept softly, he touched her cheek and wiped the streaming tears away, "Let them cure me...I hate this part of me..."

After his words he collapsed, she stayed there staring at him before security found them.

 

Dr Fawn was running round sickbay attending to his patients when a security guard ran in carrying the unconscious Colonel White. There were red bloodstains all down the front of his pure white uniform vest. He stopped what he was doing when he saw him and went straight over.

"What the...? Blue found him, didn't he?" he said, directing the guard to a nearby bed. "Right, we've got to stop this bleeding!"

He was about to start seeing to Colonel White when the voice of another security guard came over the intercom. "Security Officer Reynolds here, medical emergency. We will be bringing Captain Blue back up to sickbay. He has collapsed and requests the antidote and Captain Scarlet is dead."

Fawn sighed as he heard Reynolds mutter again under his breath. "Bring them up," he answered then turned back to Colonel White. "Ok, you're more important than them right now, sir. Scarlet'll be back and Blue can wait!"

Fawn turned away and groaned, "I feel a headache coming on, I really wish that they'd transfer me sometimes"

 

Within the next sixteen hours, everything was sorted out.

White received treatment for his wounds; Blue and Scarlet were carted in, Blue given the antidote and Scarlet came back from the dead.

When the Colonel regained consciousness, Symphony explained her theory about the Mysterons using the cat gene as a way to send someone off the deep end and that Blue was going under an influence that came with the DNA.

White still was angry but was going to see for himself what became of Blue mentally when he recovered.

Colonel White was sat up in his bed in the Sickbay ward. His wounds had almost healed but Doctor Fawn had insisted he stay and rest until he was satisfied he'd be alright to return to active duty. This annoyed the Colonel a great deal as he preferred to be behind his desk.

He looked around and saw Dr Fawn removing the bandages from Captain Scarlet's throat. The bandages themselves were soaked in blood but there was not a mark on his throat.

He tilted his head, despite the fact that he's witnessed Scarlet's unbelievable powers many times, he was still surprised at it. The man had had his throat ripped out and yet there he was, good as new!

He shook his head and looked the other way. In another bed, Blue lay asleep, wearing a pained expression.

He jumped with shock when Blue sat bolt upright, yelling.

Fawn ran over. "What is it, Captain?"

Blue rubbed his forehead, wiping away the forming sweat. "A nightmare, just a nightmare. I expect I'll be getting a lot of them, won't I? After what I did, I mean."

Fawn shrugged and Blue rubbed his temples softly then looked at his commanding officer who looked slightly alarmed from when Blue had snapped upright.

"Sir," He said looking down, White shook his head slowly, "I suppose you’re going to give me a court martialled"

"No, Captain"

"Huh? Why not" Blue looked at him astonished.

"Because Symphony told me of what the Mysterons she figured, where doing, she said she had experienced some things that could relate to it,"

Blue thought of Symphony, she was a lifesaver, and maybe overall, she was right about what had happened.

 

Melody and Destiny sat in the Amber Room talking about recent events. Melody had been up in the Interceptor throughout quite a substantial part of the drama involving Symphony and Blue and Destiny had just finished recalling the events that had occurred in the Amber Room, the Control Room and the Conference Room.

"You mean he ripped his throat out?" Melody repeated, astonished. Her dark face was a mask of surprise.
“Yes, and attacked the Colonel” Destiny responded.

“Yes, I heard about that, he’s still in Sickbay isn’t he?”

Destiny nodded, “He doesn’t like it though, from what I’ve heard, he keeps telling Dr. Fawn he’s alright to return to duty, but Fawn is still insisting him on staying”

Melody giggled.

“Why doesn’t that surprise me”

Destiny smiled, “At least things should start going back to normal now”

"Yeah, hopefully. I guess it all depends on how Captain Blue comes out of this."

 

Symphony was sat in the officer’s lounge alone, she was thinking over what had happened.

From the minute she had first walked in to Blue when she first discovered he had the DNA to when she found him coiled on the floor next to a dead Scarlet, throat mangled up.

She sighed; it was if life had taken a turn for the worst with her most recently.

The radio was quietly humming a soft tune, which made her much more calm, but not as soothing as it needed to be.

Then she saw the doors open and a familiar face walked in, "Paul..."

He had last been in sickbay and was now fully rejuvenated and out of uniform, she remembered about his death and how frightening it had been to look at his dead body, she covered her face quickly trying to block out the images from her mind.

Scarlet saw her movements and pulled an embarrassed face, stopping just inside the doorway. "Uh, hi Karen. I can go if you want."

She didn't respond, she couldn't find her voice to talk to him.

Scarlet's shoulders dropped and he sighed. "I'll go then."

"No, you don't have to," she managed to say quietly.

He looked at her, confused then realised what she must be feeling. She was the one who had found him. He put his hand on his throat as he remembered. "I'm sorry," he said.

She looked up at him, her eyes straying to his neck as if to continue reassuring herself he was all right. "What? Why?"

He shrugged. "A lot of things, I guess. For making you go and talk to him back when this started, for not getting to you sooner when the Mysterons took you." He looked into her eyes. "And for you being the one to find me, you shouldn't have been exposed to that."

"That was hardly your fault, Captain."

"I know, but still..."

"Oh Paul," She stopped him, "No more being sorry, I guess most of it was my own fault, but still, I love Adam...I am willing to forgive in time"

Scarlet smiled and sat down with her, "You've been put through a lot"

"I know that, I just wish that sometimes I wasn't here" She looked out the window, "And that I’m safe at home"

"I wish that sometimes too" He smiled, "Then I wouldn't have this strange gift of coming back from the dead like out of some cheesy horror film"

Symphony just had to laugh, he looked at her, and glad to see she was smiling like she usually did.

 

A few days later, after Cloudbase had settled down, Symphony was walking up to the Amber Room to take over from Rhapsody in Angel 1. She wasn't paying attention to much of the world around her, but was deep in thought. Her thoughts centred on what had happened and the possibilities of what might happen in future.

She stopped quickly in the cafeteria to get a quick drink to deal with her very dry throat then carried on along the corridor, walking along watching the ceiling.

Ahead of her, unnoticed to the Angel pilot, Captain Blue walked round a corner, heading towards the Control Room to report to Colonel White. She hadn't seen him and walked right into him, tripped over and landed heavily on the floor.

Captain Blue looked down at her and offered her a hand, which she took after hesitation, remembering what had happened last time they had walked into one another.

"You okay, Karen?" He asked her, "I didn't mean to walk into you, I'm sorry"

"Yes, I'm fine" She kept her eyes to the floor.

"Something wrong?" He lifted her chin up so she would look at him.

"Just a feeling of déjà vu a few moments ago”

Blue understood immediately what she was going on about and blocked it from his mind, he just didn't want to remember.

"Is everything clear with us?" He said in a low voice, she looked at him and nodded.

"Yes, I don't know about our relationship in other terms, I..."

He put a finger to her lips, "I want you to know, I truly understand if you don't want to be with me after all this...but I really want another chance, I hate the thought of us being distant, please tell me you will still be with me?"

She looked into his eyes, her face slightly saddened.

Blue understood and lowered his head. "I didn't think you'd want me back," he said, his voice full of pain.

She put a hand on his arm. "It's not that, I do want you, I love you, I just..." She paused, running a hand through her hair. "I think we should take things slowly."

He nodded his eyes still on the floor. She put a hand on his chin and raised his face to look at her. "And you can start by letting me past, I'm on duty now." She smiled at him and his face instantly brightened.

He grinned and kissed her cheek softly. "Thank you," he said.

"What for?"

"For caring and for making me realise that I was wrong, even if it was too late for Paul."

She shook her head. "You realised that yourself."

"I wouldn't have done if you hadn't come in! "

She smiled again. "Come on, you. Why not get together for a while next time we're both off duty then we can talk properly."

"Ok," he said, nodding again.

He lent in and kissed her cheek then moved away to let her past, she smiled and went on her way to the Amber Room, Blue watching her as he went, thinking he was so lucky to have someone around as understanding and sophisticated as Symphony Angel.

 

The End

 

 

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