The Noor

[Qadir Uthman Khel]

Pakistan, just east of Waziristan

The Toyota pickup bounced along the rough roadway into the village. The passenger, a man in his early forties in a threadbare grey jacket clutched his parcel that he'd purchased outside of Peshawar. He squinted against the sun as they came home. Ahead were about two dozen humble homes made of mud brick. Children played soccer on a patch of gravel adjacent to a pomegranate tree, across from a shoddily-fenced area set aside for a few goats. He spotted several women wearing burqas, preparing black tea and sweet rowt cakes as they prepared for the midday Namaz prayer.

Ah, home. Or what passed for it.

Qadir sighed a bit, and his cousin Rahim could sense what he was thinking.

"Did you find everything you needed Qadir-jan? I will not bring a whole hospital, I'm afraid."

Qadir gave a small smile, glad that Rahim could say things to make him feel important. A refugee found solace in that sort of importance, and Qadir felt like half a man, away from his watan, beloved Afghanistan. Having family with means in Pakistan was highly fortunate, but Qadir and his family were guests. He had too much namoos to acquiesce to the notion that this was now his home. Rahim didn't patronize him, as Qadir was that rarest of commodities in this place - a doctor.

"Inshallah, I will have enough."

The truck bounced to a stop near the slap-plastered hovel that was his temporary residence, and had been for the past ten years. Through the open door, he could see his wife Aisha already steeped in her prayers. A good time to return home.

He opened up the door and stepped out, glad for his new shoes as he nearly slipped on some rocks. Rahim passed the several large bags to him, and Qadir was now a pack mule.

"Tashakor, Agha Sahib. I think the boy will be alright."

Rahim didn't quite understand this fool's errand, but Qadir was put here to mend the ill, and if this wasn't a sign from Allah, then what was? He nodded, giving a stoic smile to his younger cousin.

"Inshallah, Qadir-Jan. I will have my wife bring food. Please accept her hospitality for your guest. Salaam."

The Toyota accelerated again, bouncing down the road and leaving Doctor Khel and his family to tend to a very special guest.

[Stern]

Michael Stern slept. He did not dream but every so often, when he saw Neutron, explosions, and the most arresting image of all--the sun in the clear black of space. The sheer cold of space, the vast emptiness, and the never-ending darkness always frightened Stern.

Stern's mind continued to fix itself on that intimidating view of the sun. Sometimes the sun was simply a ball of gas. Other times it spoke to him in a booming voice. It was all at once frightening and comforting to him.

Despite the temptest that danced across his mind, his sleep was entirely still. He did not move and his facial expression did not change.

That is, he did not move until one day he noticed something. Cool air brushed his skin. His hand was wrapped in some bandages. There was a bed or a cot.

The young mutant opened his eyes and noticed something very different about his usual point of view. There were no dulled hues like he usually saw with his goggles on. Likewise, the glow that always orginated from him was nowhere to be seen.

His heart skipped a beat and he sat bolt-upright. His torso raked him with pain. He winced and drew a deep breath. There was no light in the room and his goggles were not by him. His shirt was off. Where were his things? Where was he? Why was it so dark?

In a panic, Stern backed himself against the cold mud-brick wall. His eyes widened as he took in the room. A medical kit lay open on a small table across the room, which was no bigger than a closet. Some sort of symbol hung on the wall over the head of his bed.

The fllor was dirt with a straw mat placed in the middle. What was this place? Where was he?

It was dark. Too dark. TOO DARK!

He rasped a few times. His voice was stuck in his throat. At last it came away and tore out of his throat.

"AAAAAAAAAH! AAAAAH! AAAAAAAAAAAH!"

[Qadir Uthman Khel]

A pair of kids with close-cropped black hair wearing pirhan-tumbans were quick to come to the guest's room. They watched the scene with wide eyes, and nervously tried to speak to the strange guest in their native Pashto.

"Please do not wail, Agha Sahib, you are not well."

The other boy held a teacup close to his chest, wary to extend the fragile container of hot drink to the foreigner unles he was calm enough to do it safely.

"Baba is coming, Agha Sahib. Please do rest and drink tea if you can."

The youngest held a finger to his lips.

"Shhhhh"

[Stern]

The room's partition suddenly flew open, spilling light into the room. At once Stern felt eased, but it was curbed by the sudden pain in his eyes.

"Ahh!"

He cringed, curling into a ball and hiding his face in the crook of his elbow.

He kept his face hidden and held out a hand to the strangers who entered. "My--" he paused. Would they even understand him? he had to try. "My goggles, please. I can't see unless I have them."

In the meantime he took a few big slow breaths. His ribs protested as they expanded to their fullest, but he needed to breathe. He had to calm down.

[Qadir Uthman Khel]

"Bas! Imshi, imshi."

The two children immediately scurred out of the room as Qadir approached, hanging a kerosene lantern from a hook on the ceiling. It gave the room a soft glow, as the heavy curtains behind were drawn tight. He patted each of his sons on the head, and removed his shoes as he stepped inside the hovel. He heard Aisha finish her Namaz and asked his youngest son Fouad to bring a pomegranate from outside. Qadir also "shhh"ed the bandaged foreigner, reasurred by the somewhat diminished cries. He reached up and removed the soft pakol hat from his head.

Qadir studied his guest. He was white, which meant a healthy guess.

"Hello?"

It was one of the few words of english that Qadir knew. He looked at the boy expectantly, who averted his eyes and squinted. The doctor looked to the side at the boy's discarded goggles. Photosensitivity, he thought, wondering if perhaps there was some aggrivated head trauma to blame. He reached for the goggles and passed them over, allowing him some comfort initially, but he would certainly want to check his eyes sooner rather than later.

[Stern]

Stern heard the word, but didn't answer until he had the goggles in his hands.

"Hello."

He kept his eyes shut until the goggles were lowered over his eyes. He checked the seal reflexively and slowly opened his eyes.

The last deep breath came out as a relieved sigh. The lamp light was good. Stern had only encountered kerosene lamps at his grandparents' house as a small child. Storms knocked the power out quite a bit. The pitch darkness always bothered him, but the quick bursts of lightning held him mesmerized.

Everything was settling into place. Stern smiled slightly. Things were going to be ok for the moment. His ribs continued to heckle him, but it was bearable for the time being.

"Uh..." he paused a moment before running his fingers through his clear hair. "Thank you."

[Qadir Uthman Khel]

Qadir watched him closely, keeping a guarded expression, but was inwardly optimistic. Fouad returned with pomegranate, and Tariq had brought Aisha's rowt cake. Inshallah, this boy would eat something.

The doctor broke the rowt, split the pomegranate, and placed both on a plate as he held the black tea in reserve. He took a piece of rowt smeared rich red pomegranate pulp across it, and had a bite of it as an example before extending the plate toward his guest. Language was going to be a problem, but food was hopefully a universal way of communicating. The boy looked thin. Tsk.

He hazarded another bit of english.

"America?"

[Stern]

Stern nodded. "America. New York."

He took some of the food and did as his host did. It was very nice and Stern was really quite hungry.

How long had he been out? Where was he?"

"Here is?" He asked, gesturing to the area.

Without really thinking about what he was doing, he finished the rest of the small cake in a few bites. Apparently the people around here were poor. No doubt they took care of him out of what little they could afford. He wasn't sure about how they felt towards Americans, but he didn't want to appear greedy.

"Good. Thank you."

He leaned against the wall of the house and felt the cool sufrace against his back. He looked at the light coming fromt he kerosene lantern. He was far away from home. He remembered the fight with the terrorist. Then the sun.

Now here.

What was the deal? It hurt him a great deal, but the young man managed to get to the edge of the bed and put his feet on the floor. He looked towards the partition and noticed the thin line of light from the other side.

He wanted to see the sun.

[Qadir Uthman Khel]

Good, the boy was eating. Qadir passed him tea once he knew he could handle some nourishment.

"You...mareez..."

He paused, redoubling his efforts.

"...sickness?"

He wanted to know if he felt any ill effects like nausea, fever, or any other pains. He had a feeling that he'd only figure that out by poking and prodding, but he'd try to see what he could find out.

Here is?

He wanted to know where he was. Another one he could answer.

"Pakistan."

[Stern]

Stern perked up when the man said "sickness."

He placed his hands on his ribs. "I hurt here."

He paused a moment and looked at his bandaged hand. He held it up, turned it over, opened it as far as he could, then closed it up until it was almost a fist. "It's fine. My eyes are good too."

Stern pushed off the bed with his good hand, trying to balance himself and not get pitched to the ground or back on the bed. Clearly it had been some time since he last did anything active.

"I want to go out there," he said and pointed towards the door.

[Qadir Uthman Khel]

Qadir shook his head emphatically as the boy attempted to get up and head out. He wasn't quite there yet, and the doctor would prefer to check him and make sure he could be moving about.

He gently put his hands on Stern's shoulders, and pointed to the cot again, nodding his head encouragingly.

"Lotfan, bachem." He pleaded, pressing another piece of rowt into his hand.

He gestured at his eyes, and then to Stern's bandages. He needed to check.

"Lotfan."

[Stern]

Stern took the food and sat down. He made an effort to eat this one at a less hurried pace.

The man wanted to check his injuries. Stern was too exhausted to really disagree, so he sat back and took another bite of the food.

Stern didn't think his eyes were hurt, apart from the burst of light from earlier. They seemed to be recovering just fine. In truth, he hadn't had an eye exam in years. Despite the general darkness of the exam rooms, then bright light from the projector inevitably wound up causing him too much strain.

There was a blanket by the cot. Stern leaned over to get it and covered his head. The lamp wasn't terribly bright, but he figured the light needed to be dampened a bit more. He pushed his goggles onto his forehead and then held up the blanket so it made a sort of canopy over his head.

Who knew how the doctor would react when he saw Stern's eyes.

[Qadir Uthman Khel]

Qadir let the bachem relax a little before he took a look. He kneeled on the floor across from him, thinking of the best possible way to go about this. He needed to telegraph his intentions clearly so as to not startle him.

He again gestured to his eyes, and then to Stern's, easing two extended fingers in their direction, followed by a gesture up to the lantern.

"Noor, lotfan."

For emphasis, he held out a small instrument with a magnifaction lens. He wanted Stern to give him at least a little light to see by. He wasn't sure how this would be accepted, as the American seemed to be highly sensitive to light.

[Stern]

Stern braced himself and peeled back the blanket, showing his eyes in full light. He had only pulled it back an inch or two and he was already seeing stars.

It was definitely the first time his eyes had been exposed in plain view for other people. The last time it happened was when his pupils had expanded and replaced his irises. Afterward he wore protective lenses as the pupils expanded to the point where they were all that there was.

Since then his eyes took in the maximum amount of light all the time.

"Hurry please. This really hurts."

[Qadir Uthman Khel]

Qadir's eyes widened with shock at what he found looking back at him.

"Bismillah! Nazar!"

At the outburst, Tariq and Fouad came running to the door's threshold. Qadir shooed them off, raising his voice.

"Imshi, bachem! Imshi, Tariq-jan!"

He looked back at the American, his face softening and carrying a look of shame. He again fell upon his limited english.

"So sorry."

He knew that the bachem was enduring pain to even let him see this, and the doctor nodded, gesturing to his goggles, as to let him know it was okay to go from the light again. He'd born witness to many birth defects and treated them where he could. This one was one he had not seen.

What was beyond reproach was that this American was his guest, and no matter his strangeness, any slightness of effort from him would be a grave insult.

"I help you. Inshallah."

[Stern]

Stern put the goggles back on and wiped the water from the corners of his eyes.

"Thank you."

He quickly gathered that the doctor didn't understand about his mutancy. He needed to go outside and recharge.

"More light," he said and pointed towards the partition again. "Outside."

Stern needed to spend some time in the sun. Then maybe he could show the man why he looked like he did.

"Please."

[Qadir Uthman Khel]

Qadir was uneasy about that prospect. Yes, the village was bound under Pashtunwali to treat the American with the best hospitality and respect possible, but his was just a small village. It was still tricky business. There was always the possibility of Mozahem, invading their humble hamlet for whatever reason. Dozd today, Mujehedin tomorrow, Taliban the next. This close to Waziristan and Afghanistan, the government didn't do much to help the rural settlements in any case.

Afraid that his concern was telegraphed on his face, Qadir changed tact. He held his hands up and nodded reassuringly to his guest.

"Latfan, latfan."

With that he rose, exited the room, and spoke briefly to Aisha in the next room, who was finished with midday Namaz, and was busy preparing a pot of murg shorba with Rahim's wife. The couple spoke for a minute or so, and Stern could hear their quick exchange through the mud brick wall.

[Stern]

Stern checked the seal on his goggles.

"What happened?"

The question that had been jumping up and down at him like a Jack Russel Terrier finally caught the forefront of his attention.

"There was the fight with that guy."

He winced at the thought of his defeat. He didn't want to know what happened. But probably thousands of people died that day. Probably his friends. And now he had no way to check on them.

His failure overwhelmed him. The goggles went back up onto his forehead, his eyes went into his hands and he cried. He hadn't been strong enough, fast enough. And now it was over. Who knew what would happen to his college or his life when he got back. If he got back.

"How did I get here?!" He shouted.

The man pressed the button on his remote. Then there was a sudden flash of light. Had space been a dream? Or had he wound up here?

He needed to recharge. He had to see for himself if what he really did do what he thought he did. He had to do it himself. He had to become light.

Stern stood up and replaced his goggles. Eyes bleary, legs wobbly, his face set in full determination, he stood up and made his way outside. The partition moved aside into the larger family area. The way out was just across the way.

He shuffled over to the entrance and stepped out into the sun.

It was hot. It felt good. The sun covered his skin with its rays and suddenly Stern felt a hundred times better. His sadness remained, but at least the sun was still there to warm him up and pitch the darkness away.

He continued out into the small road until he finally lost his balance and abruptly sat on the ground. He fell backwards the rest of the way and looked up at the sky.


The eye exam, the mourning and the short trek outside had finally taken out of him what littlle energy he had. Stern's face turned peaceful again as he drifed off to sleep on the dirt road.

[Qadir Uthman Khel]

It didn't take long for his brief wandering to become known to the family. Fouad had darted out for soccer, and just as quickly ran back in side.

"Baba, Baba! The American has wandered into the road. He is laying in dirt, does he have no sense?"

Qadir, who had been sorting through old clothes with Aisha for the American to wear, quickly put the clothes aside and ran out the door. Rahim was already there waiting for him, stern-faced but with an understanding look on his face.

"Qadir-jan, we need to be more careful here. Our guest can't be outside so blatantly. If the Talib come?"

He didn't finish that speculation, as they all knew what would be the outcome of that. It would be dire for everybody.

Qadir shook his head.

"Inshallah, they will not see him."

He looked back to Aisha, who held a neatly folded pirhan-tumban with a brown pakol resting atop it. Mashallah, it had not been given up for charity. It might not fit perfectly, but it would do.

Rahim understood his cousin's plan, and smiled.

"That is somewhat clever, Agha Sahib. Perhaps you have a pill to give, and make his beard grow?"

The half dozen assembled kinfolk laughed at the joke, as Qadir and Rahim grabbed opposite ends of the American, and hauled him back inside.

[Stern]

Stern woke up a couple of hours later to the same small room as before. It irked him slightly. The dirt on his back and in his hair was mostly gone. Instead he wore loose pants and a shirt.

Feeling rather like Aladdin he sat up again and looked around. He scratched his head and found a hat there. The took it off and looked it over. It was a lot like the one the doctor wore from before.

The loose fit was nice. The pants were a little big in the waist, but apparently they were kept up with a rope or something.

He looked his hands over. He wasn't glowing like he usually was. apparently his host returned him to the room shortly after he fell asleep. He needed more time in the sun.

Exasperated, Stern finally decided to follow the whims of his hosts. For one reason or the next they didn't want him outside. Maybe for his health, but still. Stern didn't like having to stay in the room.

At least the clothes were nice. He wondered where his clothes were. He would need his identification and other things eventually.

[Qadir Uthman Khel]

Qadir entered the room again, pausing momentarily to give a pleasant smile at how well the American's wardrobe change had gone. He still looked like a pale-skinned kafir, but he could possibly pass for Pashtun at a distance at least.

He carried with him a dog-eared copy of an english phrasebook, which he had purchased from a neighbor and was flipping through it over a cup of tea, occasionally underlining something with a pen. He wasn't entirely sure this would work, but perhaps it might.

Aisha entered the room, setting down the pot of murg shorba, along with several warm loaves of naan. Without a word, she left the two men alone.

"Still...sickness?"

[Stern]

"No."

Stern moved his damaged hand again. If it had hurt before, it was doing much better now. He must have been unconscious quite a while. He had a lot of questions. He needed answers. Now.

"How did you find me?"

[Qadir Uthman Khel]

In the midst of breaking a loaf of naan, Qadir paused.

"Noor."

Seeing the lack of recognition in his eyes, the doctor pointed to the lantern, gesturing quickly from it to the ground, as if the lantern was lobbing some projectile to the earth.

He brought a finger up over his head, and down swiftly into his opposite palm a few times, and pointed up. He felt absurd, and for all the use of the phrasebook, how do you explain seeing a blinding streak of light that hits the ground, and there is nothing left but a foreign boy?

[Stern]

Stern raised an eyebrow. "Noor? Light?"

He thought back to that odd sensation of space.

"I fell from the sky?" The question was a shout in his head, but a calm puzzlement when it came out of his mouth.

"So I can become light."

Stern shifted on the bed, folding his legs Indian-style.

"Noor?" He asked again, pointing to the light.

[Qadir Uthman Khel]

A broad smile betrayed white teeth behind Qadir's beard, and his eyes sparkled, feeling vindication at the American's moment of clarity.

"Yes, yes, noor"

He pointed to the lantern...and then to Stern. He nodded his head. Inwardly, he wondered if any of this seemed as fantastic and bizarre to the American as it did to him. By his questioning tone, the doctor began to suspect that was at least partly so.

"You are Quran ayat; Pari."

He thumbed through the english book, desperately trying to hammer his point.

"spee shall"

And suddenly, he started to understand. Was this American a mutant? What he knew of the concept was from out-of-date medical journals he picked up in Peshawar, but he knew of the growing trend of genetic variations appearing around the world.

[Stern]

Stern nodded. He pointed to the light, then to himself. "Noor."

[Qadir Uthman Khel]

Still on a rush at the success of their breakthrough, the doctor stopped, feeling that an introduction was now vital. He placed a hand on his chest.

"Qadir."

For emphasis, he pointed into his chest, then gestured to the American bachem.

"You heef name?"

[Stern]

"Michael Stern."

He pointed to himself. "Stern."

Not knowing what else to do, he extended his hand for a shake.

"Thanks again for your help, Mister Qadir."

He really wanted to go outside. Maybe once the conversation was over, Qadir would let him venture out.

[Qadir Uthman Khel]

Qadir tried the name out, and he was sure he butchered the pronounciation.

"Mekhul Shtarn"

Satisfied that it was passable, he grasped the American's hand in a well-meant embrace.

"A Salaam Aleikum, Mekhul Shtarn al-Noori"

He pushed a bowl of murg shorba into Stern's hand when they had retracted their embrace, and made sure he took plenty of naan as well. What an amazing phenomenon, this young man was!

[Stern]

Stern smiled and ate the soup and what he took to be a kind of biscuit with clumsy enthusiasm.

"Your wife cooks good."

He chuckled and quickly ate the rest of the meal.

Bowl empty and cakes gone, Stern gestured to the empty bowl. "What do I do with this?"

Impulse and manners told him to find the place where they stacked dirty dishes. He stood up with bowl in hand and stepped with a bit more vigor to the door. Rather than go straight out and risk upsetting his host he pointed to the partitions and asked, "In here?"

[Qadir Uthman Khel]

Aisha was already there to meet him with his empty dishes, and demurely took them from his hands, eager to relieve him of the burden of even menial household duties. With a smile, Qadir flipped another page.

"The clean, wife do. You are rafiq...and guest."

What was that word he'd used when he remarked about noor? Light?

"Light. You need?"

He had to understand the nature of Mekhul-jan's condition.

[Stern]

Stern nodded. "Please. I would like to be in the sun as much as allowed."

The statement came out more enthusiastically than he meant to.

He really wanted to go outside. They were burning daylight and Stern wanted as much as he could get. Trying to be restrained and adult was hard. He had been asleep for who knows how long and suddenly he wanted to get out and move.

[Qadir Uthman Khel]

Qadir looked toward the door, and back to Mekhul-jan. He sighed, cinched the pirhan-tumban and tilted the pakol a bit, so that it was just off center. He stepped back, scrutinized, and shrugged, reaching up to pat the bachem's baby face.

"You shaad grow."

He reached up with both hands and curled his fingers in his beard, giving a slight tug for effect. He gave a big laugh.

"Com, we drink the chai and make smoke, in light."

He reached into his pocket and produced a crumpled pack of Iranian cigarettes.

[Stern]

Stern declined the cigarettes. "No thank you, sir."

Once outside Stern brightened considerably. His smile widened and there was a definite bounce in his step.

"Oh, have I been waiting for this!"

He stretched his legs, torso, and arms. The feeling of moving was great, even if it did come with little stabs of pain from his wounds.

Some of the children played soccer in the street. Quadir's son kicked the ball hard. It flew off in an unintended angle, shooting off towards Stern and his host.

Stern stopped the ball with his chest (which he regretted a bit), let it drop to his feet, and returned the ball to the children.

He also noticed the pomegranate tree and jogged over to it. It must have been where Qadir got the fruits from before. Surely there were several ripeend fruits in its branches.

Stern didn't want to risk knocking any fruit out of the tree by climbing it. Some of the people here probably really relied on it and couldn't afford for any of the fruit to waste.

The soccer ball rolled past again. Stern decided to give chase to it instead and punted it towards the boys who were waiting expectantly for the ball.

"How fun. I wonder where the water comes from?"

The American mutant went to look for a well.

[Qadir Uthman Khel]

Qadir made a pained expression as he watched Mekhul-jan involving himself so strenuously in football. Tariq and Fouad were all too eager to have another player, as were the other children.

He sat with four other men in the town across the road from the pomegranate tree, getting a light for his cigarette as he poured some chai from the kettle that sat between them. He was nervous, but at least Mekhul-jan's condition seemed to be rapidly improving. Where he'd been lethargic and weak inside, he now seemed to be not only more active, but it seemed that some of his injuries were beginning to subside. Of course, he was risking compounding them by playing such games. He would much rather him come and sit with the other men and have cigarettes. A Pashtun man without a beard was unlikely, but possible. A Pashtun man who didn't smoke was unlikely, but possible. A Pashtun man who neither had a beard nor smoked was too peculiar to believe. He would have to explain this peculiarity to Mekhul-jan very soon, but for now, he let the bachem enjoy the noor for a bit longer.

[Stern]

The boys got back their soccer ball, but didn't return directly to their game. They shouted and waved Stern towards them. Clearly they wanted him to join them.

Stern thought about it. Qadir, being a doctor, wouldn't want him to stress himself overmuch or get his bandages dirty. The kids continued to wave and shout until finally he caved and joined them.

They set up their starting formations for kick-off. Stern took a defensive position and left the more strenuous things to the kids.

Every now and then a child would run towards him. Stern was grateful for his size. It gave him leverage to participate in the game without working himself too much. He switched between passing the ball to the goalie to move down the field and passing it up to one of the kids egging him on.

Soon Stern had lost total track of time. During a lull in the action Stern checked for the sun. The shadows were growing longer but it wasn't sunset yet.

"If the last meal I ate was lunch then it's about four or five o'clock right now."

That meant he had spent roughly that many hours in the sun. Of course looking at his hands he couldn't tell if his powers were returning. There was only one way to be sure.

The ball came loose from the group of kids and rolled towards him. Stern kicked the ball into the air and down the field. He watched it go until he saw where it was going to land. He fixed his gaze on the spot and willed himself to be there. Light obscured his vision. When it subsided he saw the children running towards him and the ball careening out of the air.

Stern brought it to the ground with a headbutt. His hat fell to the ground revealing his shining pale yellow hair.

"Woo hoo!" he shouted.

He jumped. He danced. He shouted more. He laughed. He picked up his hat.

He smiled ear to ear as he dusted off his cap and put it back on. It was amazing! He had to tell someone.

Qadir was the only one who spoke even the tiniest bit of English, but it was good enough.

Stern spotted him out of the small gathering of men who were still talking and smoking. He jogged over and declined yet another cigarette, but gratefully took a cup of chai.

"Cigarettes make me sick. The smell is enough to make me turn green," he said. To punctuate the remark he filtered out the green color spectrum, causing his skin and the hair showing under his cap to turn a brilliant green.

He chuckled and returned to white light. "Did you see, Qadir? I moved like light! 299,792,458 meters per second! Ha ha!"

He sipped the Chai and moved to the shade where his glowing could be better seen. "See?" he said, pointing to himself. "Noor."

Stern was giddy at the return of his powers. Maybe after he talked to Qadir a bit he would go and play on both of the children's teams. It had been a while being outside and Stern was nearly certain Qadir would want to check his hurts.

[Qadir Uthman Khel]

Qadir clapped him on the shoulder.

"Shahbas! Wah wah Mekhul-jan! Is good thing."

As the other men held strange looks on their faces, the doctor gestured to follow him for a walk. Once out of earshot, his cheery demeanor faded a little.

"Bachem, make careful with rafiqi."

He glanced behind at his kinsmen, who did not fully understand his uniqueness the way that he did.

"I expain at them, but...noor bas."

He made a gesture with his palms down, as if pressing an invisible lever down to reduce the light. His kin would be easy to relate to. He was more concerned about the ever-present possibility of outsiders. What good were a pakol and pirhan-tumban if Mekhul-jan turned into streaks of light and glowed at will?

[Stern]

Stern watched Qadir's hands carefully. "I can try, but I've never been able to make it go entirely away. I'll work on it."

He'd work on it. There was a lot to work on.

The euphoria of new accomplishments faded into the dysphoria of regret.

If only he had been able to travel at light speed then. It couldn't be helped, but still.

"Is there a place that is with no people? Where I can be by myself?"

[Qadir Uthman Khel]

Qadir's brow knit. He wasn't sure what Mekhul-jan was saying. English was still a bit of a hit or miss affair.

"Wat say?"

He crossed his arms over his chest, concentrating on listening to his guest.

[Stern]

Stern paused. He thought about it for a moment, rubbing at his bare chin as he thought.

"Come."

He beckoned Qadir to follow and led the man back to the small room where the Pashtun man had hidden him.

"Like this," he said, gesturing. "But bigger."

He spread his arms out wide.

"A big secret place."

[Qadir Uthman Khel]

Qadir rubbed his beard, and nodded.

"Balay, come, bachem."

He pulled Stern back out of the house, and headed back towards where the other men were assembled and smoking. He gestured for Rahim, and he began to speak to his cousin about the possibility of borrowing the Toyota. They took an aside and conversed for a bit.

"Agha Sahib, I ask the use of your truck. Mekhul-jan needs a place to practice his talents away from the village."

Rahim gave a stern expression, looking over to Stern.

"You are thinking of the caves to the north?"

Qadir nodded, which caused Rahim to tsk.

"Qadir-jan, be careful. If those caves are used by Drozd, or worse, Taliban?"

Qadir looked a bit defeated, but Rahim did not say no. He looked to Stern and gestured for him to come.

[Stern]

Stern nodded and followed Qadir to a beat up Toyota.

"Very nice, sir."

Stern climbed into the truck with Qadir.

"Where we going?"

[Qadir Uthman Khel]

Qadir pointed toward the craggy heights in the distance. Rahim briefly stepped into his hovel, and returned with a pair of long, cloth-wrapped parcels, which he laid out on the truck bed. The doctor looked at them both with a blank expression. He made a hand gesture to Mekhul-jan that would be universal. A closed fist, with thumb extended upward and index finger extended outward.

"Bang bang."

Rahim unwound the parcels - two AK-47 rifles, and handed each of them a pair of 30 round magazines. There was nothing to be said of the potential risks of heading into the mountains, and Rahim didn't deny them, but also didn't coddle the prospect one bit.

[Stern]

Stern understood a bit about shooting. He wasn't terribly good if he didn't have time to really line up a shot, but then again the AK-47 wasn't really meant for that.

He accepted the magazines without fuss.

"Let's go."

Stern watched the countryside as they drove towards the mountains. He had heard on the news about Taliban and other terrorists hiding in caves. He didn't really like the idea of using caves. Even if they were big, they were very dark. With luck the mountainside itself would be good enough for him to do what he wanted without having to used the caves.

"Why's it gotta be dark?" He muttered to himself.

The Toyota wound its way to where the road gave out partway up the mountain. The caves were somewhere near. Qadir would have to show him.

"Lead on, sir."

[Qadir Uthman Khel]

Qadir said little as Rahim started the truck. The vehicle began to bounce down the road, leaving the little hamlet behind as they began the dirt trail ascent through hardscrabble hills and broken rock formations. The doctor worked from muscle memory, sliding the pan on the rifle down with his thumb, pulling the bolt back as he peered within to inspect the chamber. With the bolt held fast, he angled the magazine with the front lip touching the magazine well, and rocked it back gently until the catch snapped to secure it in place. A quick slap at the charging handle with the blade of his hand sent the bolt down, feeding the first round into the weapon. He then slid the pan upwards again so that it blocked the bolt's path backwards, thus becoming an effective safety.

Qadir finished in the span of a moment, and looked to Mekhul-jan with a bit of strange sadness in his eyes. He doubted the bachem ever had to learn to use a weapon in such a way.

He cast his eyes upwards, speaking a low and solemn profession.

"La illaha il Allah, Muhammad u rasul ullah."

That done he looked at Stern, holding his AK up to his chest for emphasis.

"Inshallah, not using this."

[Stern]

Stern nodded absently. The other AK rested against the door, unloaded.

He didn't want the AK. He wanted to use what he had.

Apparently the road or lack of one didn't bother Qadir. He drove the truck up to a particular ridge on the mountain and smoothly followed the winding trail up the mountainside.

"You do this much?" Stern asked.

[Qadir Uthman Khel]

Qadir wasn't quite sure what Mekhul-jan asked, but instead glanced at the mountain ridge around him, his eyes sharply watching for any movement. This wasn't quite a warzone, but it wasn't too safe to linger for extended periods.

"Good place?"

He pointed at a cropping of mountains coming up about two kilometers to the north.

He again took hold of a cigarette as they rode, lighting it in the whipping wind so that the wind carried away from them as they drove onward. He'd gotten the point before, and did not offer the American one of his Iranian cigarettes.

The hamlet soon disappeared behind them. This was desolate country. Beyond the mountains perhaps another twenty kilometers was Afghanistan.

[Stern]

"That will be just fine, Qadir."

He appreciated Qadir's sensitivity to his feelings on smoking. No doubt the man was nervous. Clearly these mountains were not safe.

"Let me out when we get to the place and you can go back to the village."

[Qadir Uthman Khel]

Qadir slapped the roof of the truck, shouting to Rahim.

"Ahesta boro!"

Rahim nodded, and slowed the truck as they came close to a rock formation that should work fine. The truck finally came to a stop, and the doctor hopped out, clutching his AK in one hand as he reached up to pull Mekhul-jan down to the ground.

"Come, balay. We go."

[Stern]

Michael Stern clambered out of the truck and brought the weapon he had been given just for the sake of easing Qadir's nerves--if they were eased at all by an untrained American holding an assault rifle/machine gun/firearm.

He adjusted his hat and climbed the mountain trails, following his guide while glancing about now and then. The villiage was off somewhere below the mountain. He could tell that at least. Perhaps at night he might be able to see one or two lights from the little place.

"Where is village?" he asked.

[Qadir Uthman Khel]

Qadir squinted, turning Mekhul-jan around so that he saw the hard-scrabble trail that cut back down the slope. He pointed at a faint bit of beaten-down earth and small things that looked like stones from afar, but were the mud brick hovels of the village. He turned again, peering at the mountains beyond them.

He began to move toward a cave, about 100 meters ahead, beckoning Stern to come along.

[Stern]

Stern shielded his eyes from the bright sun and peered off in the direction Qadir pointed him. "Ok."

He followed his guide up the slope to a cave. It was a short distance away, slightly obscured by a few dried out bushes.

"Is that the place?"

Stern was looking forward to the chance to be by himself and work out his powers. He was also anxious. Caves were dark. But if he stuck close to the mouth of the cave, it might not be so bad. Even so, it worried him.

He hated the dark.

[Qadir Uthman Khel]

Qadir nodded, clasping a hand on his guest's shoulder.

"Go. I watch out for Drozd, Taliban, who may come. Inshallah, you be safe."

[Stern]

Stern thought it over. "You sure? You can go back to the village. I can run away if I have to. I can just become light and get away."

Stern began looking around in the cave. It was oddly large in the front with a long tunnel going through the back. Very strange.

He checked the brush, breaking off a branch or two and laying it out in the foot on the cave in a small pile.

"I appreciate your help, Qadir. Thank you."

[Qadir Uthman Khel]

The doctor said nothing, but nodded knowingly. He hefted the rifle a bit on his shoulder, tilting the pakol on his head slightly as he flicked his Iranian cigarette.

"Go, bachem. I wait. Salaam alaykum."

With that, he stepped to the periphery of the cave, finding a good spot against a rock to prop on and keep a sharp eye about. At least from here you could see trouble coming from a long distance.

[Stern]

Stern broke off a branch of the bush and laid it in the mouth of the cave. This was why he didn't want Qadir to be around. If he succeeded on this, it would make them very noticeable.

For the moment, Stern shone light further into the cave. When he was convinced the cave was safe for several feet, he jumped to the end and turned to see the bush. It was small. Not a very good target.

He jumped half the distance and sized it up. It would be fine. But he'd need to try to get used to doing what he was planning from a distance.

"Achilles' trick didn't work before. But I'm going to get it right," he said to himself.


Before he had been frightened and unable to focus. Between the threat of Neutron and his bomb, Stern didn't know what to do. But at least his mind was clearer. He needed a high level of consistency and a very narrow focus on the beam to get it to work.

He entered a basic stance and cupped his hands out in front of him. He paused to regulate his breathing and finally began to project light out of his hands. He used his palm and his fingers to tighten the beam down into a point and scaled up the intensity.

THe beam tightened and steadied. Nothing was happening. Finally a small whisp of smoke as the branch began to change due to heat.

You will be seeing that I am in the right!

Neutron's voice cut through his mind, laughing at him as he attempted the technique.

He set his jaw and re-focused the beam as the light wavered.

The darkness at his back and the cool air of the cave chilled his spine. The damaged arm twitched, threatening to destroy his precariously set concentration.

Stern growled and tightened his muscles, letting his frustration add to the intensity of the beam. The cave lit up brightly until suddenly the bush ignited, exploding into flame.

"Yeah!" Stern snarled, grinning wildly. "That's what we came to see!"

The bush crackled and popped as it burned, sending plumes of smoke out of the cave mouth and into the sky.

Knowing that he could do it once, he light jumped past the bush and broke off another small branch.

"Half the time. I can do it again in half the time it took to do it the first time."

Stern took the end of the ignited branch and dragged it to a dusty place to burn without catching anything else on fire. Then he placed the new branch where the old one was.

He returned to his spot in the cave and held out his hands. His fingers tightened and he released his energy in a quick burst. It took but the bush was not ablaze like the one before.

"This is not a sudden thing. It's got to be sustained? Got to at least shorten the time it takes otherwise this won't be any use to practice."

He kept the beam trained in one spot and tried to remember how bright he was burning the first time. Once he reached that point it was simple just to count "One-one thousand, two-one thousand, three-one thousand."

At seven-one thousand, the bush caught and blazed like the first.

"Seven seconds. Needs to be shorter."

Stern moved the second branch near the first one and stopped a moment to see how Qadir was before getting a third bush branch.

"I make the fire, Qadir."

[Qadir Uthman Khel]

The doctor peered in at the sight of the smoke, and it was apparent what Mekhul-jan was saying. He smiled at the boy's accomplishment, clapping him on the shoulder with enthusiasm.

"You kamyab, Mekhul-jan. Well good. Wah-wah!"

The doctor stepped in to look at the flame, and marveled at his guest's talent. He even leaned in to press a new Iranian cigarette against it, puffing on the freshly lit tip as he gave the American a bear hug.

"You are gift. Special. Do not waste. Use to bring namoos."

He thought a bit, not really sure how to explain what he was trying to say.

"Use for good."

[Stern]

Stern returned the bear hug.

He appreciated Qadir's praise and smiled when the man asked him to do good with it.

Stern nodded. "That's the plan."

He took the third branch and set it up.

He immediately opened up his full force on it and it caught fire very quickly.

"Professors always said I was a quick study. I just hope no one decides to come see what's cooking."

He moved that branch with the other two. "Man, this is hard on me."

[Qadir Uthman Khel]

Qadir let the boy return to his training, and exited the mouth of the cave. When he stepped into the sun, he made his rounds, walking a few meters out to get a vantage of the mountain behind them. What he saw was an unwelcome sight. A trio of Toyota trucks were bounding down a mountain trail about two miles out, and were headed in their direction.

He scrambled back into the cave, interrupting Stern's training.

"Mekhul-jan, imshi, imshi!"

He gestured out of the cave hurriedly.

"Mozahem!"

[Stern]

Qadir's voice sounded like it was saturated with anxiety. He light jumped out of the cave to his friend.

"What's going on?"

He looked around, totally on guard. He didn't understand a word Qadir said, but it sounded like a lot of trouble.

"Who's coming?"

[Qadir Uthman Khel]

"Mozahem, Taliban!"

Qadir suddenly took appraisal of his weaponry and found it wanting. He looked back at the approaching technicals, then at the hardscrabble below. They had to hide.

"Go! We go! Now, bachem!"

He pulled Stern by the hand, nearly throwing him down the hillside as he scrambled for a better hiding spot.

[Stern]

Stern tumbled down the hill, trying to save his busted arm from as much damage as possible. His chest and back weren't taking kindly to the rolling. Stern chose a spot a short distance down the hill and light-jumped to it, materializing with his feet on the ground, facing up hill.

He pressed up against the hillside, laying flat on it to keep his profile low. He reached out and grabbed Qadir's free hand, helping to slow the older man down.

"Lie flat."

Stern watched the ridge of the hill, waiting for the Taliban to look over the side. If they were going to shoot, Stern was going to shoot back. He started going over the options in his head. He could flare and try to blind them, but it would risk giving them a better method of aiming. He could light-jump up the hill and knock them down it, but it could be dangerous for Qadir.

He could use his Archimedes shot, but if he missed it would certainly give away his location.

He held his breath, set his jaw, and waited to see what they would do.

[Qadir Uthman Khel]

Qadir watched as the technicals began to slow, and pull tentatively closer to the cave. Three men with long beards and traditional dress piled out of the back, extinguishing cigarettes as they went to inspect the obviously-smoking fire. The doctor wished he was closer to get a better look, but was more thankful that he wasn't, since that would mean they had a look at him. In the still air, he could barely make out raised voices rapidly speaking in Pashto.

He kept his eyes open, but lay low to the ground. Only when Stern stole a glance did he decide to do the same, but mostly because it was shameful for him to act with less bravado than the guest he was here to guard.

[Stern]

Stern glowered up the hill at the terrorists as they picked around the small training ground.

They kicked some of the embers from the first two branches down the hill, causing them to tumble down towards the two in hiding.

The fiery bits hurtled down the hill. Stern froze in place and protected his face with his good arm. If he moved any, it'd give them away. The embers struck his arm and fell across his neck and back.

The young mutant howled in pain and stood up to throw the offending coals off his back.

The Taliban suddenly turned towards the ridge and saw Stern standing on the ridge, glaring hatred at them.

"You guys are finished!"

The three men took their rifles off their shoulders, aimed at Stern, and opened fire.

Once the sound of gunfire reached his ears, Stern light-jumped behind them, kicking one of them down the hill. "Bastards."

[Qadir Uthman Khel]

Qadir initially flinched and cowered from the gunfire, but found his resolve soon enough when he saw that Mekhul-jan was no longer with him. He popped up from his vantage, and leveled his rifle at the man who had finally stopped rolling, and was trying to bring his rifle to bear.

The doctor's kalashnikov belched a fusilade of firepower as he put a stitch of automatic fire into the Talib, who continued to tumble and paint the rocks red in his wake.

Qadir drew his rifle to the next target, but hesitated when he saw how close that Stern was to the enemy.

"IMSHI, BACHEM! GO QUICK!"

The remaining Taliban in the other technicals were already firing, and the next sounds Qadir heard were 7.62x39mm Soviet rounds zipping by him like angry bumble bees, and the sound of rocks cracking and pinging with weapon fire. He again returned to his hiding spot, cursing himself for his inability to do more.

Mekhul-jan's fate was in Allah's hands, and Qadir prayed that he would be delivered from this trouble.

[Stern]

Stern kicked another man down the hill and grabbed the remaining man, turning him towards the technicals.

He advanced slowly, keeping control of the man's arms so he shot at his own men in the trucks. Clearly his comrades had no qualms shooting back. The man was torn to ribbons by the mounted machine guns.

Stern was trying to buy Qadir some time. He might have some cover on the hill, but it wasn't the best. The mouth of the cave would be better, but until the people stopped paying him attention, he would end up staying pinned to the side of the hill.

Stern dropped the dead man and light jumped into the cab of the front truck. Apparently one of the three men had been driving it, but had left the key in the ignition.

"Just like an action movie. Honestly."

Stern cranked the truck, threw it into reverse, and rammed the truck directly behind him as hard as he could. The gunner in his truck flew out of the truck.

The American climbed out of the truck and quickly ducked behind the other side of the door. The second gunner momentarily lost control of the turret due to the impact. Stern took the moment to blast the man's face with his Achilles' shot.

The man's bear and turban caught fire. The man screamed and fell out of the truck. There was one truck and one gunner left.

The last man climbed out of the truck, trembling and shaking. He bowed low to the ground and spoke in a language Stern didn't understand.

Allah....Allah. blah blah...Allah.

Clearly the man was begging. How pathetic. Invoking the name of God for the sake of mercy when he so often invoked the name of God to visit violence upon others.

"You make me sick."

Stern kicked the man in the jaw, knocking his head against the wheel well of the truck. He planted his foot in the man's chest and knocked him onto his back.

He let his full weight rest on the man's chest. "I hope you were right. Otherwise, it's going to be much uglier what's going to happen to you when I'm finished."

The last thing the man remembered seeing was a bright flash of light and then flames as his head caught fire.

Stern kept his weight on the man, letting him struggle under his foot to get away from the frightening American and put out his head.

At last the man stopped moving and the fire died out. None of the man's facial features were discernible.

"Yeah, you bastard. You're next." Stern's mind was across the world at ESU's basketball stadium, glaring Neutron in the eye. "When I find you, you'll burn just like this guy."

[Qadir Uthman Khel]

Qadir watched in such a gawking way that he somehow forgot he was in mortal peril. Mekhul-jan moved without moving. It was an amazing sight to see, and one that could only be blessed by God. The boy was a prodigy at his work, and it seemed that what little practice he had gotten had paid off. With little help, he had routed this small group of Taliban without incident.

Thankful to see the tide turned and his guest safe, Qadir fell to his knees and prayed, thankful that God had willed it so.

[Stern]

Stern spat on the corpse of the man he mutilated and light-jumped to Qadir's side. The man was still in prayer, but from what he could see, the older man was not injured in anyway.

Still writing inside with disgust and anger, he chose to scan the countryside and let it sit while Qadir finished his prayer.

The fight was over. It was time to calm down. And it was time to go. He had to get home. There was unfinished business to take care of.