Panu went very still.

Was he supposed to keep his powers a secret? He hadn't asked Jaager, and now he had been saying all of these things, and Victor was suspicious. Maybe if he lowered the temperature again very quick he could make the man unconscious and then he could call Jaager--

But he had just gotten him not-dead. And Victor seemed nice now, like a gargoyle that guarded a castle, not a monster in the woods. And he purred.

"<I read it on the computer.>" Panu said, which was entirely true. He tugged the ends of the blanket knot to make sure it was tight, then stepped back.

He turned away his head while the big man was tying the blanket around his waist, in case he was shy. His eyes were useless, of course, but he liked for people not to figure that out. They got sad or protective or pitying or sometimes mean if they knew he was blind. Panu did not think it was much of a weakness, but others seemed to. So he pretended, and things were less weird.

"<My name is Panu. Do not thank me. I-->" He clamped his mouth shut. He was the one who had triggered the sprinkler's electronic sensors, and he was the one who had turned the room to winter with the AC. Probably the sprinklers would have gone off soon anyway, but then the room would have still been warm, just much more wet. Like a good Finnish sauna. It would have stopped the fire without being dangerous to the man.

Probably.

He held out his hand, and Terrier landed on his open palm like a hawk returning to fist. The little camera tucked up against its belly faced Victor.

"<If you have not been violent before, why were you afraid that you would be? Why try to change?>"

"<I read it on the computer.>"

He sighed, "I suppose you caught a peek when somebody left the file open. Do your parents work for Mr.Jaager, is that why you're here? Or perhaps, your here for some sort of test too?" It would explain a lot but he got an inkling that Panu's short explanation wasn't all there was too it. Just like with Ambrose he could just sense something about the boy. He just couldn't tell what it was.

"<My name is Panu. Do not thank me. I-->"

Once again the boy, Panu, stopped short. He wondered what was making the kid so uncertain about his words. Panu was frightened of something that was clear. He just didn't know what. All this not knowing was starting to worry him. Things should be more certain when it came to children.

"<If you have not been violent before, why were you afraid that you would be? Why try to change?>"

"<Because mutations change over time and I don't know what mine will do to me. My body his already too strong for normal interactions and it's too big for the world around me. I want to go back to the way things were. Maybe I'm just nostalgic.>" He could list a hundred other reasons too but those were the biggest most obvious ones that would be easy for Panu to grasp.

"<No.>" Panu was again very matter-of-fact. "<My parents do not work for Mr Jaager. I am not here for test. I am here for... dogs. Mr Jaager says I can have all his dogs. There is a whole kennel in storage, they are very dusty but I will take better care of them, I have already cleaned them and put their batteries on the chargers and I was taking them each for flights... when...>"

His voice faltered at the end. He probably shouldn't talk about these things, they were all hints to his power. He tucked Terrier under one arm so its camera pointed out. Probably he should not fly the little helicopter anymore in front of Victor, either. The man had been very sick before, but now that he was getting better he would probably notice that Panu had not been holding a controller. It was jammed into his hoodie pocket, making an obvious electronic-device-shaped bulge.

Instead he changed the topic. He spun in a circle on his heel, looking around with Terrier's eye for something to change it to, but all he saw was the room and charred things and black.

Oh. That was a subject.

"<Was it fun to break things?>" Panu asked. "<It looked fun. >"

He liked his power. It was very useful. But it would not be so bad to be huge and strong and on fire.

"<I think no one will mess with you, with your power.>" This did not feel like the right word, it felt like something he should use for dirty rooms. But his translator insisted. The blonde boy frowned, and tried again with other words, to make sure he was understood. "<You look very strong and scary, so people are always afraid you will hurt them. That is a very good power. If you go back to how you were, probably you are just... easy target.>"

He didn't like all these languages, he didn't even know what he was saying.

Well the boy definitely knew Mr.Jaager and something told him the boy might be scared of him as well. That didn't sit well with him. A grown man shouldn't be scaring a child into halting and stopping at every thought. So far Panu had stopped three or four times now. Looking worried and thoughtful, careful with his next words. This time was no different.

Then they were moving on to another subject. A subject focused on him...

"<Was it fun to break things? It looked fun. >"

The child didn't seem to understand, it wasn't supposed to be fun...

"<I think no one will mess with you, with your power.>"

He didn't want to be left alone. Being powerful meant he was alone.

"<You look very strong and scary, so people are always afraid you will hurt them. That is a very good power. If you go back to how you were, probably you are just... easy target.>"

He shook his head, "<I'd much rather be an easy target than be alone. I was lucky my family didn't chase me off. I want to be able to interact with people on equal grounds, instead of terrifying them into doing what I want. Tell me, when you first saw me on the ground? You wanted to run away, didn't you? And if you had, where would I be?>"

Panu was speaking from a want of power, control, he could see that now. "<Being big and scary isn't what it's all cracked up to be. It takes a lot of effort to get people to help me. Sometimes there are benefits to being small.>"

The man was very big, but Panu was starting to understand that maybe he was not so big inside.

Panu picked up a blanket, and started to dry off Terrier. Mostly  it had shaken off the water drops while it flew, but it was still a little damp. So was Panu, but it was less healthy for the little helicopter.

Victor spoke questions, if-else statements, if-I-am-scary-then-you-will-run. Maybe he did not understand that not all branches executed. That is not how programs worked.

"<I did not run. 'Want to run' is not the same. You cannot use 'want to run' as evidence, it does not matter.>" Thoughts didn't matter. What he felt about things didn't matter. Only what he did mattered. This was how it should be. If he did something and felt sorry about it, he had still done it. Emotions did not matter, they did not change things. He patted Terrier fondly with the blanket, because Terrier already knew this. All machines knew this.

He had the little helicopter hover in the air while he grabbed another blanket, and tied it around himself. His cape was much bigger on him than Victor's was. He wrapped it snuggly around himself like a warm gray caterpillar cocoon, then brought Terrier down to nestle in his arms. Its camera had never left the other mutant; Panu was very good at making blanket nests by touch alone. It was his other mutant power.

>> "<Sometimes there are benefits to being small.>"

Men who were eight feet tall did not get to say that. It was like an elephant saying it was not so hard to ford a river.

Panu did not bother pretending to meet the mutant's eye. He put up his hoodie hood, and then his blanket hood. Now the man would have trouble seeing his face. Now it would be harder to tell that he was blind. Usually if people did not notice by now, they would not notice for a long time. They thought that when Panu kept his eyes on the floor, it was because he was shy.

"<I think you can say these things because you are strong. You can look at not-strong people and they are like mice that run. But if you are cured, then you are mouse again, and you are the one who is scared, and everyone around you is still scared, because always there is something scary. It is better to be a cat and stay a cat.>" 

Panu was not a cat. But he hoped he was a kitten, at least. He wrapped his hand around one of the mutant's own, and gave it a tug. On his eyes outside the building, he could see a large truck approaching, and the evacuated people turning to watch it.

"<The fire police are almost here.  We should go outside.>"

The man looked very big and scary, but he was not. He would be in trouble if other people realized that. Panu would have to protect him.

He had to remind himself there was no point in pointing out the lack of forward thinking in the child's logic. Panu couldn't be any older than nine. The kid may be smart but he was still a child. So he lacked the experience to really think outside of himself and plan for the future. Panu's thinking seemed to be geared towards power and strength and fear. He had to wonder who this child was looking up to that, that was his standard.

So far he hadn't mentioned his mother or father as known adults. Had told him that he wasn't here because his parents worked here or that he was in for tests. Just Mr.Jaager...Was Mr.Jaager this kid's dad? Adoptive father maybe, given that Panu was mention by name instead of something more familiar. But he hadn't taken Ambrose as the adopting type.

He looked down as he felt Panu tug at his hand, "<The fire police are almost here. We should go outside.>" He would have questioned how Panu knew that, but he was sure the boy would only clam up if he asked. So he only nodded and followed the tug of the little hand in his own.

He kept a grip on the sheets that covered him, making up a reason why he was naked in broad daylight. Simple, he was resistant to fire but his clothes weren't. The fire wasn't his fault, he just happened to be around when it did and Panu woke him up after he collapsed. Yeah, that would work if he was questioned.

The man was not saying anything. Probably this was because he was not taking Panu seriously. This is why Panu did not talk much, no one cared when he talked anyway. Except Jaager. Jaager was very good at listening to him, the man had even given him a name that said he would listen. Panu was his Muninn.

At least the big mutant followed where Panu tugged. The Fin knew the best way out of the building, the way that let out at the side, at the back of the crowd. It was maybe good to not go out the front doors. Also the researchers were still huddled together in their own guilty group, and they were also at the back, and Panu wanted to see them jump when he and Victor came out because this was their fault too. Not just Panu's.

He did not think it was Victor's fault, because Victor was just being a scared mouse. This was dangerous in a cat's body, but it was just how mice were. This is why Panu would help him.

He reached up with his other hand and patted Victor's arm as they stepped out. The skin was softer now, and warm. "<Remember that this was an accident. I do not think Jaager will be mad at you or me. Probably at his scientists, but not us.>"

Speaking of the scientists... the door opened directly behind their worried huddle. They were facing away from it, towards the big red truck that had just parked by the front doors. Men in heavy yellow suits were talking with the crowd, while some were going in the building.

"<Remember that this was an accident. I do not think Jaager will be mad at you or me. Probably at his scientists, but not us.>"

He smiled and nodded, "<I'm sure you're right. Still can't help but feel a little bit guilty.>" Even if he hadn't been in complete control that had been a whole room he wrecked. Given the wrecking was done with him in a state that he could only describe as monstrous. Sure no one could blame him, but nonetheless he had been doing the wrecking. And then there were those troublesome thoughts that came with that change.

Stepping outside with the boy, they were nearer to the group of scientists and doctors that had run from the room. Rightfully because he was setting everything on fire. He could see one give a jump when they saw him out of the locked room, lips parted in a scream before he realized nothing was on fire. That and there was an inexplicable child present. It didn't take long for the rest of the group to catch on.

They immediately swarmed him with questions, asking what had happened and why there was a kid with him. He explained the best he could, saying that the sprinklers came on and he collapsed, only coming to when the boy showed up and got him some blankets to dry off and cover up. He didn't include the terrifying thoughts had, had or the sneaks suspicion that the boy was more than he seemed.

But it seemed to be enough for them, there was hope yet that they might retain their jobs. The only question now was getting new clothes. His cellphone had gone up in the blaze, so there was no calling his family. He doubted walking into any store would prove fruitful given his extra limbs. Looks like he was going to be wearing blankets for a while.

The researchers were very quiet for a moment, then very loud and questioning and pressing in all around them. Panu pressed against Victor's side. Things were warm and much less pushy there. He let the other mutant answer the questions, and turned his audio feed down so that things were not so... so... everyone talking at once. It was okay when computers did that. It was what computers did. But people could only respond to each other in consecutive alternating dialogue and they should realize that and not be so demanding. Walking out of the building was like walking into a gnat swarm, and he did not like them all around.

Probably he should let Jaager know what had happened, now that everything was okay and he was not in trouble. But now that everything was okay, he did not want to bother Jaager. The building had only been a little on fire, it hardly even counted. The man tested with mutants. This happened a lot, maybe.

Madeline, then. She would be okay to call. She was not here, so she was probably out wherever Jaager was. The secretary could decide if Jaager needed to know.

The boy's phone was ringing already when he pulled it out of his pocket and put it to his ear. She picked up on the third ring.

The tiger woman did not sound pleased. "How did you get this number?"

"This is Panu," the boy said. Probably that explained enough. "The building was a little on fire. Victor is wearing only blankets and my clothes are very wet. The fire police are here. Can you bring us clothing?"

" 'A little on fire'?"

"Just one lab. Probably it needs much fixing. Victor is naked because he was on fire too. It did not hurt him."

"Victor is...?"

"Mr. Jaager's test subject? Four arms? Very large? He did not mean to be on fire, he is really mouse."

There was a very distinct pause as the woman processed that. "...I'll send someone."

The secretary hung up on him. This was okay with Panu. He put the phone back in his hoodie pocket, and kept leaning against the fire mutant, Terrier tucked under his arm.

He glanced down at Panu pressed to his side and on seeing that the child wasn't enjoying being swarmed by the science staff, shifted one arm to block him from view. Wouldn't do to let them harass the kid too, he didn't do anything wrong after all. If anything the JW staff should probably be thanking Panu. Because if it wasn't for him, they would have had a dead mutant on their hands.

Still their constant questions did wear him thin. The conversation he was hearing Panu have with someone on the phone was more interesting. At least in the sense that apparently they were talking about him and the little incident. Apparently he was a mouse to the kid and he would have been more insulted if it hadn't come from a child. He rested a large, gentle hand on Panu's head. "<Who were you talking to kiddo?>"

Victor tucked Panu under an arm just like Panu had Terrier tucked under his arm. The blonde boy decided, after a moment of surprise, that this was acceptable. And also very warm. The space under the man's arms was like a cavern, separate from the talking scientists and all the business of the street as drivers slowed down to gawk on their way past the building. Yes. He liked it much better under here. It was quieter, without actually being quieter at all.

When the hand settled on his head, he turned back up his audio for the outside world.

"<Mr. Jaager's secretary. She said she would send us clothing.>"

He was still very soggy from drying to dry off the other mutant.

"<Are the researchers happy again? I stopped listening.>"

This was a very literal statement. Panu understood that mute was not an option in most people's minds, but he was not sure how they functioned without it.

"<Mr. Jaager's secretary. She said she would send us clothing.>"

"<Ah, good. Wouldn't want you to catch a cold.>" He had noticed that the kid was damp from helping him out. But of course had no real way of fixing it. Not without scooping up the child and warming him himself. However that would probably be fairly strange for everyone involved given his state of dress.

"<Are the researchers happy again? I stopped listening.>"

He chuckled and shrugged his shoulders, "<I don't blame you. They seem to be happy or at the very least distracted.>" Indeed the group of researchers were huddled together talking to each other. He caught a few words that led him to believe that they were discussing the cure and what could have gone wrong. The other words he caught were a slurry of chemical mumbo jumbo that he wouldn't understand even he knew the words.

Still, calling on Mr.Jaager's secretary just led him back to his earlier conclusion. Panu must be Ambrose's child and now he had to ask, "<Panu, is Mr.Jaager your dad?>"

Panu squirmed a little bit, so that Terrier's eye could see out from behind Victor's arms. The researchers were gone. Mostly. They were like drops of water that had found each other on the sidewalk, and now were all in one glob. But it was a glob that did not include him and Victor, so this was okay. The boy nodded, satisfied, and re-squirmed back inside.

He would not have had to squirm if he'd taken over the street cameras of other businesses on the block, but if he did that, he would have a harder time watching the firemen as they combed through the building. He did not like so many outsiders in Mr. Jaager's place. They moved in teams, with purpose, and something about seeing them from above as they advanced was like watching... like watching...

memory file 20141125123498876 locked. File flag: do not watch, you do not want to watch. Watch anyway because you are stupid? y/n

...n

Sometimes he did not like the notes he left to himself, but usually they were right.

Victor had been talking. He had to replay the audio, so there was a noticeable delay before he answered.

>> "<Panu, is Mr.Jaager your dad?>"

"<No, not my father. I live in his house.>" He should not say that Jaager was his employer: that was a secret, even more secret than his power. But he wanted to make sure that Victor liked the man. Victor was still an important test subject.

"<He gives me things when I am good. See?>" He lifted the little blue helicopter happily.

"<No, not my father. I live in his house.>"

He tilted his head, a little concerned, wondering for what reason Panu would live in Ambrose's house. Though he hadn't mentioned it there was still a possibility that perhaps one of Panu's parents worked or lived with Ambrose. A live in maid like his grandmother back in Peru used to be. But if there wasn't a parent then why was Panu running around the office unsupervised. He was tempted to look around the crowd and see if there were any family members looking for their child.

Then Panu had to add on to it before he could ask clarifying questions...

"<He gives me things when I am good. See?>"

Alarm bells went off in his head. Like fire trucks blaring down the street. Like that time when he watched the neighbors across the street, how the father's hand gripped too tightly, too roughly. How the kids had been shy and quiet, carefully wording sentences as if afraid to upset the adults. The only thing that was missing from this situation were bruises. He knew something was wrong, something in his gut knew something was wrong. Buying a child's affection was not unusual, but buying it on top of these already alarming signs only compounded the issue.

Maybe he was wrong and Panu was a victim that Ambrose was caring for temporarily, until a better home could be found. But he was going to have to confront Ambrose about this now. There was no way he couldn't. Not with a child at risk. Still it wouldn't hurt to glean more information from Panu.

"<Can you tell me why you're staying with Mr.Jaager?>"He asked, trying to sound more curious than worried. He didn't want to make it seem like Panu was in trouble or would get in trouble for talking.

Victor was being a little quiet. Did he have to pause sometimes to understand things, too? Or had Panu's words been wrong? He checked the translation again, running it through a different site, but the words that came out were much the same. Did the man's fingers tense a little in his hair, or was he imagining it? He could not replay touch and taste and smell the same way as he could with AV inputs, so he could not go back to check.

The bigger mutant's voice sounded normal enough, when he spoke again. Probably Panu was just imagining this.

>> "<Can you tell me why you're staying with Mr. Jaager?>"

It was a normal question, but the Finnish boy still froze up. He did not know how to answer this without telling a secret. He did not want to lie, lying to adults was not good, sometimes they found out and then it was trouble. And now he was taking too long to answer, so even if he did want to lie Victor would already be suspicious. Hurry hurry just say something--

"<Mr. Jaager is nice, I did not have a home so he let me stay at his house. It is a very big house. I am very small and quiet so probably he does not even notice me. It is a good house.>"

Yes that was okay. All of that was true.