This idea popped into my head after watching the first episode for the billionth time and looking through some other stuff. And of course, as most ideas tend to do, it wouldn't leave me alone. So, I started writing it. It was originally supposed to be a one-shot, but I got to seven written pages and still wasn't even halfway through it. So now it will be two chapters plus an alternate ending with the potential of a full multi-chaptered story. Who knows.

So...on we go...

Lab Rats Elite Force

Brothers in Enemies

John 15:13 states, "Greater love hath no man than this: that a man lay down his life for his friends."

So what does it mean if one lays down his life for his enemy?

Chapter One

The line between good and evil was wearing thin. However, neither hero or villain took notice – save one. This one swore up and down, mostly to himself, that he didn't care. Not about them. They were the enemy; every one of them. But there was something that kept nagging at him. He had tried to shake it off as the product of a concussion he may or may not have had. Whether or not that had actually occurred would make no never mind to his father. Or anyone in his family. He was fine – physically. And that's what mattered to his father. Sometimes he wondered if his father still truly cared about him, still truly loved him like a father should. He shook the thought from his head, telling himself to stop dwelling on such notions. It was all ridiculous, anyway.

He sat quietly in the darkest corner of the cavernous room, listening to his father speak, rant, yell, bellow, over the Elite Force – or as one of his younger brothers like to call them "the Elite Farce." He had cracked a smile the first time he had heard it, but it grew old quite fast. His ears started ringing from all of his father yelling. The man had nearly been killed the previous day by the super-powered bionic girl. Now, he was up and around as if nothing had occurred. He had wanted to simply feel grateful that his father was still alive, but that something that had been nagging at him would not allow him to be.

His sister glanced at him, a smirk on her face. He didn't return any change in his own expression. She turned back, folding her arms across her chest. A smirk crossed his lips. For some reason, ruffling her feathers was strangely satisfying. The room suddenly fell deathly silent as he slunk further into the corner. He could feel his father's eyes boring holes into him.

"Riker!"

He stood so quickly he nearly made himself dizzy. Standing at attention, he remained silent. There was no need to speak. Besides, Roman was the talker, not him.

"Come here!"

He walked to his father quietly and swiftly. Anxiety was building within him. Why was he so nervous? This was his father.

When they were face-to-face, his father spoke. "Go to the Davenport Tower and see if this Douglas is still alive. If he is… finish him."

He nodded. As he was about to leave, his father spoke again in an eerily calm tone. "And Riker."

"Yes," he replied.

"Don't fail me."

There was something undeniably wonderful about soaring through the air like a bird. Or in his case, as a bird. Whether hero or villain, flight was truly a sweet freedom. And he loved it. While he could shape-shift into any living creature, birds were his favorite; especially in the city. He did wonder, however, what it would be like to run free through the countryside as a wild horse. Far away from people, however good or bad they were, just far away from them. Somewhere far away where he wouldn't be pushed around by anyone…where he could be himself.

He suddenly snapped out of his thoughts. What was he thinking? He was a villain. The bad guy. And it was his sworn duty to destroy all superheroes and those who would help them, including that man that his sister had likely blinded for life, if not killed. It was his duty to eliminate them from the world. Right? He squelched the thoughts from his mind. Was he really debating with himself over what was right and wrong?

No. It was his duty… Was? Is! It is his duty to destroy all superheroes and those that would aid them. Including that man with the…standy-uppy hair.

Who was that man to them, anyway?

He perched himself on a deck chair on the penthouse terrace. The glass doors were open and he could hear that super-powered bionic girl speaking. They apparently had been out looking for his sister and had just returned empty-handed. Why did they even bother? No one in his family could be found unless they wanted to be. The group went on and on about trying to find them, but not one of them had said anything about this "Douglas." He was beginning to wonder if the man was still alive. They obviously cared about the man, otherwise he wouldn't have been there in the first place and Reese wouldn't have attacked him. But who was this guy? Was he –

His thoughts were interrupted by the one with the spiky, dark hair, entering the room. He looked sad. The kid's eyes were red; he must have been crying. This Douglas-person must be very important to him.

"Chase," the super-powered bionic girl said, standing up. His sister? "How is he?"

Chase looked at her. Riker swore he saw a tear fall down his cheek. "Not good," he said. "He's in a coma. And his heart rate's very slow."

The rest of them gasped in horror, but none more than her. Tears were forming in her eyes.

"Reese nailed him pretty good. He may not make it. If he does…he'll be blind."

At those words the bionic girl was sobbing. Her brother pulled her into an embrace.

One of the others spoke up, Kaz, if he remembered correctly. "You two should go back down there and be with him. I mean, he's your father. You need to be with him."

Chase looked at him. "Thanks, Kaz."

Riker watched as the two bionics left. Go to the Davenport Tower and see if this Douglas is still alive. If he is… Finish him. His father's words echoed in his head. No. He couldn't do that. He couldn't kill their father. He almost lost his; he knew how it felt. This wasn't right. No, no, no. Stop thinking like that. It's your duty to destroy….

He needed to get in there. Barging in was out of the question. And if they saw him as a crow, they would know it was him; he wouldn't stand a chance. There had to be another way.

"There's not much more we can do right now," the alien girl said. "We should get some rest."

The other two agreed and left the room.

Like going right on in. The glass doors were left open. He shifted into a cat and ran in, hiding under the couch. One of them would be back soon once they realized the door was still open. As if on cue, one of them came back down and closed and locked the door. When they were out of the room, he dashed over to the hyperlift. Now to get down there without the two bionics noticing. He sat in front of the fireplace. Well, may as well just go for it.

Bree laid her head on her brother's shoulder as they sat silently beside the bed – along with all the necessary machines to keep Douglas alive – that had been set up in the command center. It was the best place for him at the moment, Chase had insisted. Bree closed her eyes, holding onto her brother's arm.

They needed to get back out there. Take care of business and stop Rodissius and his family once and for all. But Chase couldn't make himself leave his father's side. And he knew his sister wouldn't leave, either. All the bad things Douglas had done in the past no longer mattered; those things meant nothing now. He hadn't really known Douglas for very long. And now he was about to lose the man he hadn't realized he cared so much for; a man he dearly loved. His heartbeat was so slow, Chase knew it could stop at any moment.

"It's all my fault," he said quietly.

"No, it's not," his sister replied, just as softly.

So deep in their thoughts, neither noticed the hyperlift open and a long-haired, coal-colored cat dash out. Riker hid in the darkest, furthest corner away from the two bionics, listening and watching.

"Yes, it is," Chase continued. "It's my fault Douglas is laying on this bed." Tears were beginning to fall down his cheeks. "It's my fault our father's laying here dying," he choked out. "All because I believed that a girl would actually like me. How could I have been so stupid?"

"You're not stupid, Chase," Bree reassured him. "You didn't know. I know I make fun of you over girls, but you do deserve to be with someone."

By this point, Chase was sobbing. "Not if it means losing him. I can't lose him, Bree."

Riker couldn't take it any longer. He knew exactly what he had to do. Even if it cost him his own life.

He shifted back into his human form, stepping as softly as he could toward them until he was in full view. With the bionics' backs still turned, Riker spoke. "I can save him."

Bree and Chase jumped out of their seats and whipped around.

"Riker," Chase growled, taking a fighting stance.

"Wait." The shape shifter put his hands up in defense.

"How did you get in here?" Bree said.

"Does that really matter?" Riker replied.

"I suppose not."

Chase, remaining in his fighting stance, said, "you said you could save him. How?"

Riker dropped his hands to his sides. "I can heal people. But it's dangerous. At least for me."

Chase glanced at his sister. "Why do you want to help?"

"Because I know how it feels. I know how it feels to sit by your father's bedside, wondering if he's gonna survive."

Bree could see a softness in his eyes, along with uncertainty. She could see the conflict raging within him. "Chase." She looked at her brother. "We should give him a chance."

Chase sighed and relaxed his stance. "All right. But don't try anything you'll regret."

The shape-shifter nodded and walked towards Douglas.

"Why is it dangerous to you?" Bree asked.

Glancing back at her he said, "you're about to find out."

There was something about the look on his face, something about his eyes that caused Bree to become deathly afraid…for him.

He stood silently beside the dying man, taking a deep breath before placing his hands on Douglas's chest and stomach.

The bionic siblings watch closely and silently as a soft, blue, glowing light slowly formed under Riker's hands. The light continued to grow until it engulfed nearly all of Douglas's body. Chase was unsure of how long they had been watching, when he noticed how erratic his father's heart monitor was acting. He strained his bionic hearing towards Riker's heartbeat. It, too, was becoming erratic. It couldn't have been that long since he began, but whatever Riker was doing it was clearly taking a toll on his body.

"Chase, look," Bree whispered, pointing at Riker's neck.

"What the…" Chase squinted, wondering if what he was seeing was real.

Thin, blue, glowing lines were creeping their way up his neck to his face, curling and twisting.

"What is that?" She asked in a whisper, holding tighter to her brother.

"I don't know," he breathed in reply. "But they're appearing on Douglas, too." He glanced back and forth between Douglas and Riker. The glowing, blue lines were appearing on all the exposed skin of both of them, possibly on their whole bodies.

Riker grunted in pain as the glowing, blue lines twisted their way up his face. The EKG spiked, as Douglas's heart continued to beat erratically. Chase could hear the shape-shifters heart beating in time with his father's.

"What's happening to them?" Bree cried out, scared.

"I don't…" Chase trailed off, just as frightened as his sister.

Riker howled in pain as his knees buckled underneath him, forcing his left hand off Douglas's chest. He grabbed ahold of the bed's railing, trying to keep his right hand where it was.

The EKG flatlined.

"No…!" Riker screamed, forcing himself back up. He was not going to let Douglas die. "You're not gonna die tonight." He slammed his hand back onto the man's chest.

The glowing, blue lines now covered both Riker's and Douglas's faces. Chase stared at the EKG. It was still flatlined and Riker's heart was still beating wildly. Then he heard it. A beep. Then another beep. His father's heartbeat was picking back up. It was coming back to normal. He glanced at the man's arms and hands; they were moving.

"Bree, look."

She did and the sob that had been trapped in her throat made its way out. But this one was a happy sob.

The glowing, blue lines that covered both Douglas and Riker faded away, along with the light that had encompassed the man lying in the bed.

And then…

Riker collapsed to the floor.

Elite Force

I hate cliffhangers. Do you hate cliffhangers?

I'm hoping to have the second chapter up before New Year's. Mainly because I'll be going out of town.

But...anyway. Hope it was enjoyable.