The Spectrum Force/Rachel Summers by Heather Ray (graded readers .TXT) 📖

a voice, "I told you to lay off the Tequila! But no, you had to go all Spring Fling on me!"

Chris' eyes widened, and he sat up on his bed. He smiled wryly when he saw his roommate sitting on a chair beside his bed.

"What happened?" Chris asked.

"I think you should tell me, Man," Kevin answered, "When I got back last night, I found you on the floor! I put you back in bed, figuring you should just sleep it off. I heard you moaning just now, so I came to check on you. And then, you woke up. You were out like a light all night. What did you do... OD on sleeping pills?"

Chris grinned slightly, and shook his head in the negative. "I guess all that Shakespeare is getting to me," he replied, running his hands through his hair. He noticed Kevin looking at him suspiciously.

I don't think he believes me, but I can't tell him what happened,

he reflected, the events of the previous night sending a chill up his spine. Slowly, he reached behind his back, half expecting to find wings there. But all he felt was his back, and the shreds of his shirt dangling on his skin.

"I guess Fruit of the Loom don't make 'em like they used to," Kevin quipped, glancing at Chris' tattered shirt, "or maybe you and that girlfriend of yours had some fun last night that you're not telling me about."

Before Chris could object, the doorbell sounded.

"I'll get it," Kevin said, rising to his feet, "You get some rest, Chris."

Chris nodded, and lay back on his bed, folding his hands on his chest. Seconds later, Kevin returned to the bedroom, with Rachel beside him. Chris breathed a sigh of relief, and sat up once again.

"Rachel," he said, "where have you been?"

"I got your message," she answered, "I... I just got back. I had to help a friend of mine get home."

Kevin grinned mischievously, and walked out of the bedroom. "I figure you two should be alone. I'll go visit Luke down the hall, or something. Have fun!"

Rachel gave Chris a puzzled expression. Chris rolled his eyes, waving away the comment his roommate had made. Once Kevin had left the apartment, Rachel closed the bedroom door, and turned back to Chris, hugging him tightly. The sudden display of affection startled Chris, but he soon returned the hug.

"You don't know how worried you had me!" Rachel said, "I didn't know what happened to you after Phoenix showed up."

Chris suddenly frowned, and pulled away from Rachel's embrace. He looked right into Rachel's eyes, and observed her hurt and confused expression. "Chris," she said quietly, after a long silence, "what's the matter."

"I don't like being lied to," Chris responded, his eyes never wavering. Rachel's eyes widened with surprise, and she stepped away from Chris' bed, choosing to stand up instead.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"You knew what happened to me after Phoenix showed up," he answered, rising to his feet to meet Rachel's gaze, "You're the one who brought me here. You flew me through the window."

Rachel's jaw dropped. "Wh... what?" she managed to say. She barely managed to hold back a scream as a pearly white glow exuded from Chris' dark eyes.

"Look," Chris whispered finally, taking a deep breath, "I'm sorry. I understand why you didn't come out and tell me you were the Purple Enforcer, but I've been having one hell of a day. I'm confused and stressed out. That's why I called you. I hope you can help me."

Rachel remained silent, her focus still fixated on Chris' eyes. The glow had only lasted for seconds, but the impression remained. "What's wrong with your eyes?" she managed to say.

"I... I don't know," Chris confessed, "Ever since I woke up, weird things have been happening, that I can't understand... much less explain. I don't know what's wrong with me. All I knew is that I had to reach you. You're the only one who may be able to help--"

Suddenly, Chris stopped in mid sentence, his eyes widening significantly. Rachel froze as she saw the light shine from Chris' eyes once again, this time brightly enough to light the entire room. Then, he clasped his abdomen tightly, and nearly fell to the floor in pain. Rachel let instinct take over, and quickly rushed to his side, catching him before he hit the ground. She watched as Chris ground his teeth, trying desperately to keep from screaming in agony.

"Hold on, Chris!" Rachel commanded, gently lying his head on the carpet. She glanced back down at him, tightening her hand into a fist. "Spectrum Sync... PURPLE!!"

A bright pulse of purple light transformed Rachel into the Purple Enforcer. Immediately, Rachel scooped up Chris, who was still writhing in pain, and ran towards the window. She used her mental control of light to open the window, and then she sailed into the sky, heading upwards to Cloud Castle. On her way, she opened up her mind, sending out an emergency alert to her fellow Enforcers.

*Guys, this is Rachel. We have an emergency! Meet me at Cloud Castle ASAP!!*

Part Seven

In the throne room of Cloud Castle, a young man hovered a few feet off the golden tiled floor, his entire body surrounded by a thin cloud of glowing white mist. A few yards away from him, the six members of the Spectrum Force were gathered, all in their uniforms, watching him curiously. He didn't seem to realize he was under observation, as he continued to moan in pain and thrash about feverishly.

The young man's actions disturbed all the Enforcers, but none more so than the Purple Enforcer. Rachel bit her lower lip, and cringed visibly every time it looked like the pain he was enduring increased. Finally, Rachel gave into her frustration, and turned towards the throne.

"Spectra, what's wrong with him?!" she demanded.

"That is what I am still trying to ascertain," Spectra answered, not moving from her throne. She flicked her wrist, and the white mists surrounding Christopher increased in speed. "From what I can gather, he is undergoing a transformation."

"Into what?" Jocelyn asked quietly.

"That I do not know," Spectra answered, "but something has triggered this mutation. His brain patterns are significantly different from any other human I've seen. I believe this has to do with your encounter with Acheron and the Phoenix."

"What did Acheron do to him?" Craig pondered aloud.

"This isn't Acheron's doing," Spectra announced, descending the stairs from her throne to the floor, "At least, not directly."

"How can you tell?" Keith inquired.

"There is no black magic involved. Not even trace amounts. Everything that is happening is completely natural, without any help from outside sources. My only hypothesis is that what happened to Christopher triggered something that was bound to happen eventually. It just hastened its oncoming."

"The oncoming of what?" Rachel asked, "What is this transformation?"

"Perhaps 'transformation' isn't the most accurate word to describe what is occurring. It is more like a mutation or metamorphisis, something that changes a being on the most basic level, forever."

"Oh God," Rachel gasped, choking back a sob.

"But what is he changing into?" Tamara asked, "And why is it hurting so much?"

"I don't know the answer to either," Spectra admitted, "However, I doubt the pain he is enduring is going to be continuous. Once the transformation is complete, and he becomes accustomed to his new being, the pain will lessen. It is much like a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly, but much quicker."

To add strength to Spectra's comparison, Chris arched his back, and released a howl of anguish. Then, quickly and mercilessly, two bright gleaming wings broke through his skin, and stretched to their full length. As soon as the wings appeared, Chris' cries of agony lessened, and he passed out completely. All the witnesses remained in mute shock for a moment.

"W... wings?" Rachel asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Spectra's eyes narrowed, and the whirling white energy quickened in speed yet again, transferring its scanned information to the sorceress at the speed of thought. "Yes," she said finally, "Chris' alteration has been completed. He should be awakening shortly."

Spectra nodded her head, and Chris slowly descended to the floor. He groaned quietly, and then opened his eyes weakly. His eyes widened quickly when he realized he was no longer in the comfortable surroundings of his bedroom.

"Where--"

"It's alright, Chris," Rachel said quietly, pulling off her facemask, "You're safe."

Chris relaxed when he saw Rachel, but he looked around the chamber, still perplexed.

"You're in Cloud Castle," Tamara said, answering his previous question, "With the Spectrum Force. We're trying to help you."

"What... what's wrong with me?" Chris whispered, trying to sit up. He then felt his wings brush against the floor, and his jaw dropped. Slowly, he reached behind his back, and touched them with his fingers. The wings felt warm, but they didn't really resemble feathers. "So, it wasn't a dream," he muttered.

"Chris, it's going to be okay," Rachel said quietly, kneeling on the floor beside him. She grasped his hand tightly with hers. "How... how do you feel?"

"Better," he said quietly, "I mean... the pain's mostly gone."

"Christopher Greyson," Spectra said suddenly, stepping into his field of view, "can you explain to me exactly what you feel?"

Chris stared at Spectra in surprise, and then closed his eyes tightly. "It's... like fire. Fire in my veins, coursing through my whole body. But, its not burning me, like when the Phoenix Force passed through me in the tunnels..."

"Wait," Spectra said, "The Phoenix Force passed through you?"

"Yeah. Phoenix told me it was the only way to keep me alive. The fire, burned. But at the same time, it soothed. The fire in me now is kinda like that. But it doesn't burn anymore, now that the wings have surfaced."

"That is the explanation we needed," Spectra said, nodding. Rachel turned from Chris to Spectra, her hand never letting go of his.

"Then what's going on?" Rachel asked. The rest of the Spectrum Force turned to Spectra as well, waiting for her to once again provide the answers to their questions.

"Christopher is more than human," Spectra announced, "He was born with special abilities, which have been dormant all his life. The limitless energy of the Phoenix Force, which passed through his body, has triggered his mutation. His inner power has been released."

"So... am I even human?" Chris asked weakly.

"You are. You have just been granted abilities that no other human yet has. At least, in our dimension."

"Look at it this way," Keith said, helping Rachel pull Chris to his feet, "You're one of