5 years earlier...
It was a cold winters night as two figures walked near each other on an empty street, one of them was a tall thin man with pale white skin and medium length blonde hair, the other was a well-built Chinese man with short hair. Both of them were wearing long black coats, boots and gloves, "you are late Ben," the Chinese man said in an angry tone, Ben looked and smiled, "I am sorry Craig I was held up," he then turned his head to see if anyone else was around, "did you bring it?" He asked as he looked back at the other man, as he said this, he saw a thin smile appearing on Craig's face, "you mean this little thing, don't you?"
He then started laughing as he pulled out a USB stick from inside one of his coats pockets, "this contains all the details and information of all Mega Humans on the planet," he said as he let out a laugh, Ben smiled as he levitated the USB stick out of Craig's hand and let it fall into an open hand, "thank you Craig this will be useful I trust that it wasn't too difficult for you to come by this information?"
Craig looked at the other young man and smiled, "that would be telling you all of my secrets Ben," he said as he started laughing, "besides I think that there is a name that you might be interested in on that stick?" Ben looked at him with a puzzled face, "whose name is that and why would I be interested?" Craig then let out another laugh, "because this person is or was very close to you at one time," he then paused for a moment to catch his breath back, "does the name Stacey Roberts ring any bells?" He then walked away leaving Ben thinking about that name and the girl and life that he had left behind all those years ago.
Chapter One
Old Wounds
Ben woke sudden out of bed in shock, as he did, he could feel that his whole body was covered in sweat, he then carefully got up out of bed and then slowly moved to a window. As he did this, he turned his head and looked over at Stacey, she was lying on her side wearing a white cotton night dress, Ben smiled as he could see that she was relaxed.
He then turned and walked slowly up to the window drawing one of the curtains open slowly, as he peered thought the window he could see that it was still dark, but in the distance slowly creeping up over the horizon was the faint first light of the sun. He then slowly drew back the curtain and made his way back towards the bed, "well there goes another night's sleep?" He said to himself as he sat down on the edge of the bed and began to hold his head, as he did this he felt movement turning his head around slowly he saw that Stacey was now up, she looked at him and smiled as she stretched her arms and let out a yawn, "are you OK babe how come you're up?"
She asked as she began moving her body down towards him, Ben looked at her as she came closer to him as she was doing this he could smell her perfume, Ben smiled faintly at her as he looked over to the window, "what's troubling you Ben? You can tell me, can't you?" He quickly turned his head back to her the smile on his face was now gone, "it's been two years since we took over that base in Florida Stacey," he said in a gentle voice, "yes Hun and your point is?" Stacey asked as she wrapped one of her green hands around his waist, Ben looked at her and smiled, "it's nothing Stacey," he said as he threw himself down beside her onto the bed, "then why are you sweating then?"
She asked him sharply as she watched him turning onto his side to face her, she could tell from the look on his face that something was troubling him the question was what? Like he had just done with her previously Ben smiled nervously at her, "tomorrow Stacey I'll be brought before a panel of MP's to answer for what I allowed to happen two years ago to that base in Florida," Stacey grabbed hold of one of his hands and gently squeezed it. "Why are you being blamed for that?" She asked sharply, "surely these MP's were aware that it was Doctor Young and the US Military that attacked us first?" Ben looked at her and gave her a nervous look, "Stacey," he said as he looked into her bright green eyes, "Young is still on the run despite being labeled as a war criminal." Stacey then eyed Ben giving him a puzzled look, "so why do these politicians want to see you then?"
He then smiled faintly at her, "I suppose that they want to get my side of the story, not that it matters anyway as we Mega Humans aren't trusted by many people are, we?" He then put one of his hands over Stacey's waist, she looked down at him and then back up, "so why are we trying to live together with them Ben?" Hearing this Ben threw his arms around her, "ever since Watts killed Shamus, I felt guilt like I never really felt before as if a great wave had come and washed over me." He then let her go and sat down turning his back to her, "this is what Peter wanted me to do and this is what shamus would have wanted not us murdering each other but living together peacefully as one race." Stacey then sat beside him and rubbed one of her smooth green hands over his naked back, "you are being hard on yourself Ben," she said in a warm and caring voice, "don't you get it that it was the military not you that killed Shamus?" Ben then turned his head towards her and smiled faintly at her, "I know and I wish that I had done something to prevent it now?"
He then looked into her dark green eyes, "look it's early morning you might as well get some sleep," "what about you Ben aren't you coming back to bed?" She asked him in a puzzled voice, "there's not much point me sleeping Stacey as I always have restless nights," he said as he turned his head back towards the window, "nightmares you mean?" She said out loud again, "Ben you have to stop feeling guilty about the past just move on if you can as you can't change it." Saying this Stacey threw herself onto the bed and covered herself with the sheets she then looked up at Ben before she closed her eyes, watching her Ben went back over to the window and looked out, "I might not be able to change the past Stacey but I will certainly try to change the future." He said to himself smiling as he looked over at her.