The Variant Condition: Chapter 1

Jo's Apartment, 27 April 2015

The TV was blaring in the background, proclaiming the latest news of the day. Kenneth Stone had just been assassinated, and of course the networks milked it for all it was worth. The death of any government Secretary was always big news. Especially because he was the head of the newest department, Variant Affairs.

Anything to do with the variants was big news.

Jo sighed, holding her head in her hands, leaning on her dining table. Pages and folders were strewn across the table, with her laptop blinking at her. There were answers hidden in that stack of pages. Something had to explain the sudden assassination. The timing of it, the day before Kenneth was due to announce the Variant Registration Act, was suspicious. It was connected with the variants. It had to be. She wouldn't believe anything else. The news had yet to pick up on the connection-they didn't know that Kenneth was due for an address tomorrow, as it was known only to a few officials within the Department and the Variant Council, but someone would make the connection. 

Then hell would break loose.

The only lead she had were the most recent government talks with the Variant Council. She hadn't attended those, but if she were to snoop around, maybe she could pinpoint motives. Even if this assassination had been planned for quite some time, there were still clues to be had. The talks had only been a couple of days ago. Still comfortably within her time range.

She absorbed as much information as she could from the documents about the talks, and speculation about the assassination. She would need this information memorised as best she could. It was the only way that information travelled back with her, after all.

She eyed her digital clock displayed prominently on her kitchen table. It read 27 April, 2015, 9:45 pm.

She activated her ability. 

The clock now read 24 April, 2015, 9:45 pm.

A jump of three days gave her a slight headache as memories integrated themselves with her past self. She had a day to prepare for the talks. 

She would find out who murdered her boss, one way or another. Even if she had to loop through these talks multiple times. This was not the first time she had to solve such a mystery.

---

Variant Council Hall, 25 April 2015

The hall was full of dignitaries and businessmen sipping at expensive wine, seated at ornate wooden tables or congregating in small groups along the walls. Some eyed each other with suspicion, others with sly smiles as they conversed and pretended to listen to the conversations flowing across the floor. Soft mood music filled the air from the discretely placed band in one corner, as people moved across the room, making their way toward the most powerful men in the room.

Raines sat in one corner of the room, his empty table falling into shadow from the oddly placed down lights. His wine glass was curled in one hand as he observed the people nearby, allowing him to hear snippets of conversations as they reached his ears. 

“…Newest campaign was a success, twenty two children were placed with families…”

“…Department has overreached themselves…”

“…Did you hear about that rogue variant that escaped…”

The man disregarded most of what he heard. It was not the intel he was after. 

"You look bored," Christian said, seating himself across the table.

"These functions always bore me," Raines replied, "I'd rather be elsewhere."

"Then why not leave?" Christian asked, taking another sip from his wine glass. "Attendance was optional."

"But practically required," Raines said. "No one would miss the chance to influence the outcome in their favour." Raines gestured to the middle of the hall, where the Secretary of Variant Affairs was holding court. "Everyone wants to speak with him."

"Kenneth Stone? The Secretary?" Christian looked pensive for a moment. "You're right in that everyone is trying to gain favour. I can hear it in their minds."

"You Blackguards were always more cavalier with your ability than is wise," Raines said. "There are those building up resistance against your mind tricks, you know."

"Like you?" Christian said, raising an eyebrow.

"Perhaps," Raines said, not wanting to admit to anything. It was said that repeated exposure to the mind readers built up shields around the mind. Something that still had to be verified, but any advantage was good against one of the most powerful families in the Variant Council.

Raines watched as Stone excused himself from his 'admirers' and walked out of the hall. Many eyes followed his footsteps, not all of them friendly. "He must know that he has enemies," Raines said. It was beginning to irk him how Stone ignored any threat, real or otherwise.

"His proposed registration act is not very popular, I know," Christian said. "He is restricted because the Council doesn't agree with it, but whether he will stick to the contract is another question."

"My family are furious that it hasn't been withdrawn."

"It's not something that benefits your family business," Christian said. "I can understand that. It's something that the Blackguards have been campaigning against, but Stone is very adamant about this."

"I know our fathers have been discussing retaliatory action," Raines said. "The Lawson Faction is very particular about their privacy. This act would bring everyone into the spotlight."

"Undesirable, for sure."

There was a pause as both men took a sip from their wine glasses. 

"My family has a problem that needs to be dealt with," Christian said, sliding along a plain yellow file across the table. Raines picked it up and flicked through some of the pages. Bethany Schueller. Interesting.

"Is this official or under the table?"

"Everything is above board. There's a contract inside with proper conditions and stipulations. Surveillance only, protection in very extenuating circumstances."

"For this 'Bethany'? What's so special about her?"

"She's a puppet master. The Blackguards have been sponsoring her for years but lately she has been disappearing from our surveillance for days at a time."

"Dangerous, especially for a puppet master."

"She has established a performing arts studio, funded by the Statdfelt family. We don't think the Statdfelts are involved, but we need intel regardless."

"Right. Any other information?"

"In the file."

"Got it." Raines stood with the file in hand. "I think I'll take a break." Christian nodded, waving him off. Raines teleported back to Lawson headquarters. Lucky for him, breaks meant he could go anywhere and still be back in time for the official talks. 

He handed the file to one of his assistants and sat down on his office chair. The Blackguards usually didn't contract the Lawsons for their services. Whatever they suspected that puppet master to be involved in, had to be big, and they needed her back under their control fast. The only explanation that made sense was…

Well, assassination wasn't the only way to deal with Kenneth Stone, after all.

---

Variant Council Hall, 25 April 2015

The hall was packed with people and Jo wasn't sure who to speak with first. The good looking guy who was leaning against a wall, chatting with friends? The dark, morose looking man sitting alone at a table in the corner? 

Choices, choices. 

Well, maybe go with someone safe first. She spotted her boss Kenneth in the middle of the hall, and quickly walked over. He was talking with some important looking people, all involved with their conversation and probably would not appreciate an intruder. Kenneth spotted her, looked surprised but he immediately excused himself to walk by her, gently guiding her by the arm to the entrance of the hall. 

"I did not expect you to be here," he said as they walked through the doors into the hallway that separated the hall with the other rooms. "What could be so important that you had to attend talks you weren't invited to?"

Jo bit her lip. How much to reveal? Would he think her crazy if she were to reveal everything she knew? Was this even a question she should ask herself when his life was on the line? "I've come across some information..."

Kenneth looked expectant. "Yes, information about...?"

"Someone is going to assassinate you," she said in a rush, hardly believing that she went out and just said it. 

Kenneth didn't look surprised. "I know I have enemies. Anyone in politics does. Especially when dealing with variants."

"Yeah, political enemies. But this is real! I think someone ordered an assassination and you have to be really careful and--"

"Jo. Calm down." He put an arm around her shoulders. "I am not going to die." 

He was trying to be comforting, but knowing that he was going to be killed in the next few days was really not helping. "You can't be sure of that," she muttered, slipping out of his arm hold and walking down the hall toward the restrooms. "I'll talk to you later," she said over her shoulder. Stupid overconfident men. She should have known that telling him directly was not going to help. 

She needed a plan. Someone in that hall was plotting an assassination. She needed to find out who. And why. 

She was so absorbed in her thoughts, looking aimlessly into the mirror, that she almost missed the fact that someone was standing behind her. A man. In the women's bathroom. Why did she not hear the door open?

"You know too much," the man said. He stepped forward, grabbing her harshly by the arm. Nothing like Kenneth's gentle touch. "We are going to find out how."

A rushing motion, and then she was somewhere else. She was pushed into a hard metal chair. Another man was sitting on a metal table in front of her. She recognised him as the morose man from the corner of the hall.

He was looking at her curiously. "You don't know of us," he asked.

"No," Jo said, rubbing her arm. The man who had grabbed her and pushed her walked out of the room, leaving her alone with this mystery man who was probably very important if she had seen him in the hall.

"And yet you know what we plan to do."

What he was hinting…could it be? Had she found her assassins?

"Perhaps," she said. She was not scared or confused, as the man probably expected her to be. No, she had the perfect get out of jail card to play. She had to draw this out, see how much information they were willing to part with. 

"You weren't very discreet. Not present at any prior talks, and suddenly you appear, harried and nervous, and pull Stone out of his very important conversation? Obviously you were up to something."

She said nothing, looking around her, trying to guess what kind of building she was in. From the metal chairs and table, this was some kind of interrogation room. So she was dealing with people who were more than just assassins. "So you want to know how I know. Worried about a leak?"

The man smirked. "No, my organisation is airtight. I'm not worried about that." He leaned forward. "You, on the other hand, possess the kind of ability we are very interested in."

They knew? The man must have seen her change of expression and recognised it for it was, because he laughed. "No, we don't know exactly what kind of ability you have. But your reaction has confirmed to me that you are a variant. A variant who not only works for the government, but is personally associated with the Secretary of Variant Affairs."

These people were good. Intelligence. Definitely were information dealers. The interrogation rooms explained that. "What do you plan to do with me, then?" she asked. 

"Normally I would just torture the information out of you. But I suspect your ability would make that difficult. No, a different approach was needed."

A knock at the door. A red haired man wearing glasses entered. He looked curiously at the man sitting on the table before shifting his gaze onto Jo. "You want me to read her?"

"Yes. Ability, identity, connections, everything."

The red haired man stared at her. "She can send her memories back in time."

Shit. A mind reader. Time to bail. 

The man on the table suddenly disappeared. As she visualised her destination in the past, she saw him reappear in front of her, a blade clenched in one hand. She felt a horrible sensation in her chest before she was whisked away.

She stumbled through the door into the hall. She felt phantom pains in her chest. Crap. That was not pleasant at all. Way too close for comfort.

She looked up and saw that same man sitting in the corner, alone, glaring at Kenneth who was talking with those important people in the middle of the hall. The whole hall was bugged. That was how they knew. They were observing everything, listening in to all the conversations. 

This time she walked toward the good looking man leaning against the wall. She found out that her interrogator was the heir of the Lawson family, Raines Lawson. She had her assassin. Now she needed a motive.

Then, maybe, a way to stop him.

---

Variant Council Chambers, 25 April 2015

People were taking their seats in the official Variant Council chambers, a theatre like room with seats raised around a centre platform. The chambers were split into four sections-one for each Variant Faction and the last for the neutrals. Each faction was comprised of one head family and several supporting families.

Raines sat down in his leather seat-as the heir of the Lawson family, he was accorded a fancy seat directly in the heart of the Lawson Faction area. He saw Christian sitting down on the opposite side of the chamber, as the heir of the Blackguard family, he was equally placed in height and stature to Raines. 

Raine's father joined him, a tablet in one hand as he frowned at whatever he was reading. "Stone is going to be spending a long time arguing for his new registration policy," his father, Eliwood, said.

Kenneth Stone and his entourage were seated in the guest area, part of the neutrals territory. This was not the first time they had been present at a Variant Council meeting-in fact this meeting was requested by Stone himself. 

"These talks with the Variant Affairs Department are growing more frequent," Raines muttered, picking up his own tablet and opening up the agenda. Most of the items were about the new policy.

"Stone has not acknowledged any of our threats," Eliwood said, putting aside his tablet, "and I don't think he means to compromise during this meeting. It's not in his nature."

"Are we going through with the plan, then? Considering that he refuses to meet personally with us, doesn't compromise about his stupid policy, and has ignored all of our threats, I don't see any other option."

"We'll see what he proposes in this meeting. He's got the Cloasteen Coalition on his side, but as long as the Blackguard Alliance continues to disagree, we should have the majority to deny whatever he proposes. He can't implement anything unless he has a majority vote from the council, after all."

The speaker, sitting in his seat at the front of the neutral area, rose. "It is time to start this meeting, specifically requested by the Secretary of the Department of Variant Affairs. Kenneth Stone, you have the floor."

Stone stood. "You already know what this meeting is about. I am here to talk about the Variant Registration Act."

The head of the Blackguard family, Julius, stood. "If you are here to spout the same tired supporting arguments, you are wasting your time."

"Give him the chance to speak," the Cloasteen head, Ryan, said as he stood, gesturing to Stone, who looked bemused by the interruptions. "He would not have called this meeting with old arguments."

"Indeed you are correct, Ryan. I thank you for your vote of confidence," Stone replied. Ryan Cloasteen inclined his head and sat back down. Julius Blackguard huffed and sat down as well, turning to whisper something into Christian's ear. 

"The Variant Registration Act has been unpopular with most of the Council, I am aware of that. The process for this policy has not been as easy as it was for introducing the government facilities for disadvantaged variant children. I currently do not have the Council's approval to proceed with the policy."

"Damn right he doesn't," Raines muttered, tapping the arm of his chair. 

"I am here to tell you, prepare you, even warn you, that I will be making a public address about this policy in the coming days. I have decided, and the president agrees with me, to implement this registration act even against the objections of the Variant Council."

There was an immediate outcry around the room. 

"Is he allowed to do that?" Raines cried.

"Not under the contract his department signed with the Council years ago," his father said heatedly, glaring at Stone as many others were doing. 

Stone seemed to expect such opposition to his statement, as he wasn't even bothering trying to speak up his case. He sat down and waited for the speaker to return order to the chambers.

Order which was not going to come. It was like a match had been lit, there was no blowing out the fury of some of those in the Council.

"We will execute the plan," his father said, "if Stone is going to do his own thing regardless of what the council thinks, he needs to be taken out. We do not need a human like him thinking he can get away with such acts against variants. Not with the power he wields over us."

"Agreed. Perhaps his replacement will be more…amenable."

---

Department of Variant Affairs Building, 26 April 2015

Stone was sitting at his desk, typing away at his computer. Oblivious. Too trusting in his security systems, which had been hacked and replaced with stock footage by Raine's agents. 

The stupidity of government workers really pissed Raines off. Stone was the head of the Variant Affairs department and he didn't even take his own security seriously!

Raines entered the office, poisoned blade in hand.

"So, the Variant Council makes its true intentions clear," Stone said, looking bemused as he sat placidly behind his desk, pushing his computer to one side. He glanced down at the blade held in Raine's hand. "I expected a sword. Symbolism and all that."

Bastard. Stone still wasn't taking this seriously.

"The size of the blade matters not when poison works just as well," Raines said, coming to a stop before the desk. He kept the blade down. One last chance, perhaps. "And this is not on behalf of the Variant Council."

Stone raised an eyebrow, looking intrigued. "A rogue element? You've hidden your features well, but with your skills…you definitely have ties with the Lawson family." 

"I want to know why you insist with your registration policy," Raines said, his voice cutting as he glared at the relaxed features of Stone. 

"Suddenly you become an inquisitor. Second thoughts, perhaps?" Stone said, looking entirely too smug for his own good. Stone was getting exceptionally irritating with his brush offs, displaying his trademark tendencies in ignoring anything he didn't wish to answer. "You do yourself a disservice. I expected to be dead already."

"Why do you refuse to compromise about the registration policy?" Raines said, glaring at Stone. Answer the question, dammit!

"I answered these questions at the recent talks. I don't see any reason to repeat myself," Stone replied. He turned back to his computer. "Now, if you aren't going to kill me, I might as well continue working."

The nerve! Raines glanced at the blade in his hand. He was wasting time. The stock security footage was going to run out soon. Trent was probably screaming at him to get a move on.

He fingered the blade hilt. One last question.

"What do you gain by being so stubborn?"

Stone looked up, a slight smile on his face as he for once pondered upon the question. "It's because of you."

"What?"

"I want this registration act to pass because of variants like you. Variants who think they can do as they please, threaten and kill to get their own way."

"That has always been the case," Raines replied.

"Perhaps. But it is occurring more and more. First generation variants are appearing in greater numbers. What happens when the Variant Council fails in its sworn duty because it has too many variants to keep track of? Who will pick up the pieces?"

"Do you really believe that will happen," Raines said scathingly. 

"Not believe. Know. I have seen evidence of it already. By working with the council I have come to the conclusion that they are failing in their duty. Not because they are inept. But simply because there are far too many variants thinking they can do whatever they want, that the laws don't apply to them. This act will allow me to put into place measures that will protect everyone."

"Protect your precious humans at the expense of variants, you mean. Having to register like we're some kind of pet, its degrading."

"That's what you believe. But you fail to see the many, many advantages."

"Tch. I've heard enough. Your silver tongue won't sway me. Trying to delay the inevitable won't work."

"Kill me then. Do it. If you won't be swayed, I have no further reason to speak with you." Stone then had the arrogance of glancing down at his computer, as if he was dismissing his latest unruly employee.

Raines was going to enjoy this. 

Later, when he was wiping the blood and poison off his blade, he wondered at the lack of reaction from Stone when his throat was slit, or when the blade was plunged directly into his heart.

---

Department of Variant Affairs Building, 26 April 2015

Jo was working at her desk in the office, looking to all who observed her like she was totally absorbed in her work. She knew she was being observed. Having looped through this scenario a couple of times, she knew that a team of assassins had infiltrated the government offices and were about to kill her boss. She never caught them in the act, and neither did she want to. Her memory of getting stabbed in the chest was dulled from looping through the same set of days many times, but she still shuddered at the thought of it happening again. 

You do not mess with teleporting assassins.

By this point she knew roughly what time he was killed. Having seen a body, always wrapped in a sheet, carried out by the authorities each time she knew that the assassins did not take the body with them. She had to verify how he died. This would probably be the last chance she had as she could feel exhaustion setting in, the kind that only came from time looping too much over the same period of time. Something about too many different sets of memories from the same time period clashing. She wasn't quite sure of the details.

She looked at her watch. 8:45 pm. It would have just happened. Ten minutes before one of the secretaries would look into the office and alert the authorities. Time to move.

She was reasonably sure that the assassins had left the building. She moved quietly along the hallway, and emulating what the secretary would do in a few minutes time, looked into Kenneth's office. 

There was no body.

What? She crept in. There was a lot of blood, sure. A laptop knocked to the floor. The assassination had definitely happened. But where was Kenneth?

Questions immediately sprung up in her mind. Was the body she saw, always wrapped in the sheet-and wasn't that suspicious-a fake? Someone else? Had the assassins taken the body with them after all?

There were too many possibilities. She didn't know what to think. She waited in the room until the secretary, Alana, walked in. Alana looked like she wanted to scream. Then she spotted Jo. Alana's face became expressionless. 

"You shouldn't be here," she said.

This was becoming eerily similar to when she was captured by Raines Lawson.

"Where is Kenneth's body?" Jo asked, gesturing to the puddle of blood on the floor. Alana didn't answer. Instead she whispered something into her collar.

Then everything started to go dark. Jo became alarmed. Another variant ability? She decided to cut her losses and send herself back fifteen minutes. She felt it immediately. She wanted to collapse on her desk and pass out there and then. But she had to act the clueless employee one more time. Then she would stagger home, wait it out a couple of days, gather more clues, and hopefully find some answers.

---

Lawson Family Headquarters, 28 April 2015

It was meant to be an ordinary meeting between the head and heir of the Lawson family. Raines was anticipating the new plans his father would put forward concerning influencing the new secretary of the Variant Affairs department, one who would be more amenable to their requests. Stone's assassination had been widely publicised, and although the department was due to make an address-probably announcing the identity of the new secretary-the registration act would not pass. Not without its major supporter behind it. Not when he had been assassinated because of it.

The TV screen was on in the background, the networks still blaring out the news of the Stone's assassination and the wild theories about how it was done. 

"Looks like the address is happening now," Raines commented, seeing the networks switch cameras to one of the government podiums. A man was standing behind the microphone. A man he had not expected to see.

Kenneth Stone was alive.

Raines was shocked. His father glanced at him. "You did verify the kill, right?"

"Of course!" Raines replied. Stone was shuffling through some notes, then he looked at the camera. It was like he was staring through the screen directly at Raines.

"The rumours of my death have been greatly exaggerated," he said, smirking a little. Camera flashes were going crazy, he was being continually lit up.

"I don't believe this," Raines said. "There is no way he did not die by my hand. I saw it. I felt it."

"Unfortunately, I had to let everyone believe I had been murdered just so I could prepare properly for this address. There are those who would do anything to stop me making it."

He stared directly into the camera again. "I am here to announce the Variant Registration Act. There are humans out there with special abilities. The majority of them are harmless, or beneficial to society. But some of them are not. My rumoured assassination is an example of that. This new law will require everyone with the 'Variant Condition' to register themselves with the government. This will allow variants, as we are calling them, to be supported by the government in all aspects of life. Registering as a variant will give you better legal representation, special pensions, more comprehensive support with health care and better, more targeted education."

"And paint a target over your head," Raine's father said. "There's a bloody good reason why we hide ourselves from society."

"Variants are encouraged to register by the 17th of June. After which time an added administrative fee will apply."

Raine's father turned the TV screen off. "I have seen enough," he said. "Trent will be recording and analysing it for us regardless."

"There is only one way Stone would have survived. If he had some kind of ability himself," Raines said.

"Which would mean he is a variant, just like us," Raine's father said. "A variant in a position of power, seeking to control others."

"Something that the Variant Council has sworn to stop," Raines replied. They looked at each other.

"Kenneth Stone has just made an enemy of the entire Variant Council."

---

Department of Variant Affairs Building, 29 April 2015

Jo stalked up to that insufferable man and slapped him. Kenneth reared back, shock on his face as he held a hand to his cheek.

"That was for making me extremely worried about you," she said. And for making her live through the same three days too many times to count.

"I'm…sorry?"

"You better be," Jo spat, turning on her heel and marching back to her desk. She wouldn't bother rewinding time. She wanted him to remember that slap, after all.