All is revealed and a hostile rival

Steven floated just above the floor behind them. They all looked at him in wonder. His eyes still glowing like neon lights. He approached them slowly so he didn't scare them. Then settled on the floor in front of John's car. "Don't worry guys. I'm still me."

Jade was the first to run to him. She held him close and let a tear roll down her cheek. "We were so scared we was going to lose you Stevie. When we saw the blue light spread after your scream. We..." Steven stopped her

"I'm alive Jade. I now know what has been happening to me." Steven looked up and addressed them all. "It was the nanobots. All this time, they were inside me. They didn't destroy my tumour. They used it to make more of themselves. They repaired and improved every part of me and now. Now I have become what they said I could be. I know everything, I can see everything. I'm part machine now, but still very much human."

John spoke next. "Mate. You know you was floating there."

"Yeah sorry about that. I wanted to get back to you all as quick as I could. I knew you were all worried about me. So I err. I just jumped space back to you."

"Jumped space?" Jane questioned.

"Yes mum. I don't have to walk or run anymore. I can manipulate time and space around me. If I want go somewhere I can just go there, just by thinking about it. Humans only use around 10 percent of their brains for thought. With the mechanical parts in my body, I can now use 100 percent of the brain towards thought. That's what has allowed me to become so powerful. But you don't have to worry anymore. Look at it this way if you want mum. Next guy you want to have a date with. I can read his mind and let you know if he's a prick or not. Anyway. Now that my changes have finished it's time to head back home. I'll take Jade with me and do it my way. John, you take my mum home. If we all go in the car we still might get seen by those reporters Mr Thompson warned us about."

"That might be a good idea Steven." Jane realised he was right. "We've still got the matter of the nightclub incident to deal with. Best not to let our guard down now. We'll see you at home shortly Steven." She then hugged him tightly. "I'm so glad you're ok." She then kissed his cheek and got back in the car.

"I'll see you back at yours soon buddy." John and Steven fist pumped, John then started his engine and drove back to Steven's home.

Steven turned to his sister. "So Jade. You ready to become the first woman to know what it feels like to be transported home?"

"Yeah. As long as you don't expect me to start calling you James T. Kirk. Go ahead."

"Jade. You know, for a girl, you can be a right geek at times." Jade punched him on the arm. "Ow. No need for that you know."

"Oh shut it Stevie." Even though it was dark he could still her smiling. "Like I ever hurt you when punched your arm before now. Take me home. I'm looking forward to this." They disappeared and were back home in an instant.

John and Jane returned a short time later. Noting that the living room curtains were still closed to prevent anyone looking in and seeing Steven and/or Jade. Secrecy was of the upmost importance at this time. Entering the house, Jane found her two offspring sitting in on the couch joking around as if everything was normal. Steven's eyes were back to normal too. "I see things are looking like we haven't done anything out of the ordinary then."

"Jade and I spoke while we was waiting for you two. And we've decided that it's best that we try and carry on as normal as possible. You don't have to worry about this anymore mum. My changes have been completed."

"Well if you've nothing more to go through, then. Then we will just have to see what the future brings." Replied Jane. "I'll speak to Mr Thompson in the morning and let him know what's happened. He knows everything up to this morning. He could prove to be a useful ally in this with the contacts he has."

"I'm not going to interfere in everything mum. But there is one thing I can do, right here, right now. Come with me and I'll show you." They followed Steven into the dining room. The room wasn't used for that anymore. When everyone had to work from home over the Covid pandemic, Jane used it for that purpose instead. She still had her laptop and various bits of paperwork filed in there. Steven started up Jane's laptop. "Mum. If you would please enter your password."

"I'm sure you can bypass that now." Jane replied.

"Yes, I could. But I'm not going to. It's your laptop and anything on it should still remain private to you. I may be practically a god for all intents and purposes, But I still have respect for your privacy." He paused " Besides. I have no intention to find out whether you been watching porn or not." Jane blushed.

Jade gasped. "EW, MUM."

"What Jade. I'm a grown woman with needs too you know." John hid his face trying not to laugh. "There you go Steven. We're logged in. What do you have in mind?"

"Something that is going to have every government in the world scratching their heads." Steven sat at the desk and placed his hands on the laptop. The screen flashed up page after page faster than the others could see what they even were. Not knowing what Steven was doing. They looked in amazement at the things he was doing with the laptop. After a few minutes. Steven removed his hands and turned to the others. "Done. This is gonna confuse the hell out of them."

"What did you do Stevie?" Jade, having experienced her brothers power first hand was the first to snap out of her amazement.

"Nothing much. Just totally disabled the entire planets nuclear defences. That threat no longer exists. Don't have to worry about some tin pot dictator or mad man destroying everything we hold dear."

John's head was spinning. "Mate, this is all to much to take in. If it's ok with you Jane, I gotta sit down before I fall down, and roll one up."

"Go ahead John. You know where to go."

"Conservatory?." Jane nodded. Just as John was about to leave, he turned back to everyone. "Anyone else need one. I'm sure I'm not the only one who's head is screwed up over this."

Both Jade and Jane said yes, but before they could go, Steven stopped them. "Wait. Jade, you and me can't go in there. There's no blinds in there. And I can sense someone down the down rear access way to everyone's gardens." Steven closed his eyes and searched. When he opened them again. He confirmed what he saw. "Thought so. It's the reporters Mr Thompson warned us about. There snooping around the rear of the houses trying find Jade and me."

"They don't give up do they. Looks like we're gong to have to stink out the living room. I'll open up the side window to let some of the smell out. You two stay here until I have the curtain closed again. John. Haven't you got work in the morning?"

"No. I've booked the week off of work. Just me at home. I was planning on relaxing the whole week and getting stoned most of it. Besides, it's not that late. Still got couple of hours to go until midnight."

Jade now fully aware of John's liking to her, even though had still not asked her out, walked to him and put her arms around his neck. "Aww. My big brother ruined your week." She kissed him square on the lips. "I'm sure I can make it up to you."

"I think you already have Jade." John then went to roll up his joints. When he was halfway down the hall Steven and Jade heard him shout out "Yes." They looked at each other and smiled.

"Told you he liked you. Believe me Jade. He's not the type to sleep about. His heart got broke last year when his ex done that to him. So he knows how it feels when it happens."

"Is that the time when you was constantly round his? No wonder. You always put others before you Stevie. That's why you're the best. I'm glad this has happened to you. You're the most wonderful, kind, caring and unselfish person I know. I'm proud to have brother like you."

Jane called them through let them know the coast was clear to go and sit on the living room.

___________________________________________________________________________

At the lab. Things were a mess. Bill had spoke to his wife and explained that he will be staying on site, limiting his information to the explosion in the lab and Ellen being ****. His wife never questioned him. She knew that his work was government funded and classified top secret. Shortly before midnight, Ellen woke up in her bunk. Taking a quick look around her and seeing Bill sitting beside her, having moved a chair close to her. "Bill. What happened in there?"

"Don't you remember Ellen?" Ellen shook her head. "What's the last thing you do remember."

Ellen to took her time to think. "The explosion on your terminal. Then the mainframe terminal saying something about he is coming. Beyond that, it's a bit fuzzy." Bill remained silent while Ellen tried to remember. "Steven. I said something about him but I don't quite remember what." She continued to struggle to remember.

"From what I can gather Ellen. Your statement eluded to Steven being the person the mainframe was speaking of." He lent in towards Ellen. "But I'm more concerned about you. Somewhere deep down, you know what is going on. Maybe it's a classic case of memory trauma. So I'll fill you in and try to jog your memory. When I asked what does he is coming meant. You flat out replied Steven's name. Then I asked how you knew. Your reply was that you just did. But your eyes Ellen."

"What about my eyes?"

"Ellen. They glowed. Just like Steven's did in the nightclub last night."

Ellen sat up sharply. It all came flooding back to her. "I remember. It's the nano's Bill. They used his tumour to create more of themselves. They didn't just break their programming. They have achieved sentience."

"What? that can't be. They don't have enough memory capacity to get anywhere near that. Even our most powerful computers haven't managed to do that."

"It's true Bill. They told me. They're not just in Steven, I have thousands in me too. They're a collective intelligence. Together, they can think for themselves. They are the ones that made Steven what he is now. And they want to continue my work for me. To make the world a better place for everyone. Not just us, but all life. They said that I was, their queen." Bill couldn't believe what he was hearing. "I know my fate now. And what must be done."

"My god Ellen. What are you saying?"

"Steven and the nano's have merged. He's become, omnipotent. I can." She paused. Thinking carefully about her next words. "I can feel him. All this time. I wasn't meant to create the nanobots to help save those that are ill. I was meant to create them to bring humanity's saviour. I know something else as well now too. The reason we were both destined to have the nano's in us. Steven is my soul mate. He loves me too. I can feel it." Bill just sat there dumbfounded. "But there is something else we have to do Bill. Do you trust me"

"If you can feel Steven's love from here, then I think you already know the answer to that. But yes Ellen. I do. So what do we have to do."

"We have to end the project. Get the rest of the nano's out of the chamber. I will take them in. I have enough inside me already so it won't make a difference. They've already moved their core intelligence to a place where no one can find it. We just have have erase all of our work. The mess in the lab will cover us. We cannot allow them to fall into the wrong hands. If they do, then."

"I get the picture Ellen. I could be a disaster if they do." Just then, they were distracted by Mark, the security guard, Followed closely by Chris, who was in turn followed by a number of people that didn't work for Ellen's crew.