Relative Acquisition

August 2nd, 2006 - King's Row

"It's been confirmed sir" Fergie said in a hushed voice as he met with his superior in the decaying church. "She and several heroes took out -both- operations centers in Bricks"

Alpha couldn’t help but feel a sense of wounded pride yet he also felt elation. She was still out there...his prize. "Go on..."

"Kingdom Red 0-1-0 and Kingdom Red 2-0-2 's teams were completely dispatched..All personnel either eliminated or arrested......and there is more"

Alpha sneered with this [censored] there often is...still though the more she fights the more she moves closer to him. "Of course there is...”

Fergie cleared his throat "Yes sir...it seems Crimson's contact led the girl to a Malta site as predicted ...yet due to the numbers she had at the time of her meeting..."

Alpha nodded disappointed "Yes yes our people could not attack her....go on"

Fergie sighed "They remained close but lost acquisition of the target when she and her team entered the portal...they were able to identify her companions...CAPES heroes...Thornechild, War Bow..."

Alpha quirked an eyebrow Thornechild....a new danger...he wasn’t aware Kara knew or associated with this MH. She represented a whole new realm of threat to the hunt. She possessed a level of hatred for the Malta that he had for Diamond....War Bow though, a relative unknown...yet one who seemed to now know the Malta...he would have to be watched. His thoughts continued as Fergie droned on...

"...Ghost Shadow, Ariel and ...Tomoya of the Templars"

Ghost Shadow another relative unknown but such unknowns were a concern of his, he had heard rumors of her...time to make those rumors fact...Ariel...good lord, how many friends with claws does this [censored] know? Tomoya...not good...Kara was reconnecting with some old assets...might be time to move the schedule ahead a bit before that insane fiery kamikaze got too involved in her sisters life once more...damn.

"They were successful in stopping Raptor 2-1-1's engagement against the Devouring Earth that Blue Alpha 1 was running for the girl's father's Crey Project..."

Alpha quirked a brow, this is new he thought "Devouring Earth?"

Fergie nodded "Yes sir they were raiding a DE held ground when her team hit them...took out the DE's as well as Blue's unit under Raptor...then Diamond was snagged by a containment team when the Crey messed with her dimensional anchor signal....as usual the girl fought through and escaped..."

Alpha grinned thinly, of course she did...beautiful "Enough of this...current sitrep?"

Fergie checked his sheets "Last report...Our team intercepted a call the girl received from Swan, she is being dispatched to help a team of younger heroes in Boomtown fight Babbage...The team's leader is proceeding there to engage once the target can be isolated..."

Boomtown, Alpha sneered...how perfect "Who is the team leader again?"

Fergie stopped slightly stunned at Alpha's forgetfulness "Shrike 0-2-1 ...sir"

"Ahhh Julian...Thank you Fergie...move out and await the runner's dispatch...that will be all" Alpha dismissed him with a casual wave of his hand.

Standing Fergie turned and walked up the aisle and out of the church, carefully making sure Alpha could not see the expression he now wore on his face.

Alpha sighed and stretched as he took in his surroundings. He tilted his head to look up at the crucifix. The image did not look back at him, the Israelite's agonized gaze forever turned towards the arched ceiling and the sky that lay beyond it.

"Redemption through sacrifice. Life-blood to remove the stain of disobedience." He muttered to no one...

The price he could not pay.

There was an old method that ranked the gunslingers under the Malta Group, much like the Servants under God. Seraphim and Cherubim, thrones and principalities, angels and arch-angels. Like the Servants, they too obeyed without ceasing. To disobey was to be found flawed and cast out. The wrath of the Malta Group struck more fully against their failures, their flawed creations.

He knew that. He had been a Sword of the Malta group's wrath for too long. At the time of his recruitment, he had been perfect. Time passed, and more was demanded of him, so that he had to become even more perfectly deadly. Hatred-honed into a weapon far more dangerous than a sword. He had hated those who disobeyed the Malta, he then grew to hate the Malta for constraining him in the Crey Project far past his allotted time, and he hated that -[censored] for humiliating defeat after humiliating defeat while he tried to do his duty.

Most of all, though, he hated the demand of perfection that the Malta embodied.

He stood and walked to the aisle, his eyes still fixed on the old worn cross. He himself was imperfect. He had failed against Diamond. Yet he was the only one to face her over and over again after his failure. She had taught him the true meaning of hatred

Hatred.

He turned and strode past the crucifix, leaving the Israelite to his celebrated agony. Behind him, the votive candles on the altar flickered and went out.

===================

'Boomtown"


Kara stood beside the smoldering hulking mess of the fallen Babbage as her more inexperienced teammates began to disperse. There were many 'thank yours’, cheers and high spirits as the rag tag team began to break up. She had been in the Abbey sharing drinks and conversation with Delia and Sam after her near miss with a Crey containment team, when Swan's call had come in.

She had asked her 'student' to head to the ruins of Baumtown, now known simply as Boomtown to aid the efforts of several younger heroes in stopping the rampaging Machine from attacking the reconstruction efforts being made there. Sore and stiff still, Kara responded nonetheless and eventually after a long battle that stretched almost forty minutes they were able to down the metal giant.

With a final wave Kara lifted up gracefully into the night sky and headed for the entrance to the rubbles strewn zone. Her thoughts flowed and bounced, memories both good and bad lingered amongst the dead building she glided over. She held the romantic thought that the zone resembled her vision of a place where old skyscrapers had come to die...

It was amidst this thought that she was struck...

========================

Shrike 0-2-1 carefully maneuvered his team of 2 operations engineers who flanked on either side of him and his phalanx of 5 Tac-ops troopers, all of which moved like sleek black panthers beside him, over the crumbled terrain. His pair Sappers hid and waited, as she drew closer flying right into his trap. Her team had disbursed enough now for him to strike.

"Make it brutal" his order had read. He smiled in anticipation of the coming fight. He had seen the target up close...he had every intention of being brutal tonight after what she had done to so many of his comrade during this op of Alpha's....

Using silent hand signals he positioned his team into place and then signaled the sapper team with "Now!...Now!... Now!"

======================

The pair of bluish white beams struck the young heroine and lanced through her unsuspecting form with clip like precision. Kara scream as the white hot agony robbed her of her breath and strength as if struck by a rushing comet. Her form twisted and fell like a marionette cut from her strings mid performance. She fought the pain as the ground rushed up to meet her before she fully grasped what had happend to her...

The impact across the fallen wall of dirt and broken concrete brought a fresh new wave of pain that swept through her unprotected body and burst through her mind with painful brilliance. Her body slipped from the wall and flopped to the ground as she fought for breath.

Painfully she rose to her knees, as the dark shapes above her rapidly descended. Loud chainsaw like bursts from the pair of small auto cannons send rounds tearing into her thighs and upper chest throwing her backwards, her head striking a large chuck of rubble with striking pain.

Loud pops around her and the concussions that followed rolled her to her to belly, face down once more as she found herself pinned by the sticky grayish white webs of the exploding grenades. Her mind swimming in pain as instinct began to take over, her strength slowly returned...her fields struggled to return and almost made it...

White hot pain struck her form again as the Sapper pair slammed their lances into her back, her strength vanished once more. Through her haze of pain and the wash of bluish white light, she could see the approach of darkened figures in armor...

"No...Not again...please " she whispered a plea in vain..

As ordered the Malta struck her with whatever they could, rifle butts found purchase across her back, fists across the back of her thighs, boot tips struck her sides over and over, one of the Tac ops soldiers took great delight in repeatedly kicking her across the left side of her face. Blackness threatened to wash across her mind as her form struggled with its bonds as her punishment continued...

Her form twisted and shuddered at each strike the sapper fought with their sticks to keep them on target as the agents continued their beating. Shrike 0-2-1 smirked and ordered his engineers to begin to stand down their auto cannons. It may exceed his orders but when this target had been subdued enough, he was going to allow his team to bring her back to the team's bolt hole. She would make interesting barracks entertainment for his boys...hell they have earned it.

He sneered, Alpha wanted her broken...we will break her.

A brief flash of strength sparked through Kara as one of the Sapper's sticks broke contact and another slipped to run along the thick dissolving webbing that pinned her. She knew she did not have enough time to 'Nova' nor even to beak her bonds...she was in a horrific fight for her life now, she knew this. With all of the energy and strength she could muster she blasted the very ground beneath us with an agonized shriek tearing from her throat.

Shrike looked up and away from his engineers as the ground underneath his team erupted tossing them back and off of the target...

"No...." he breathed as he watched the girl in the torn black costume rise and swirl with the grace and speed of a wounded trapped predator begin to wildly fire at his now disoriented team..

Her instincts and fear overwhelmed her pain; images once hazed and unclear became sharp and focused. She whirled on each of the started launching rapid salvo after salvo at them with panicked but even precision. Three of the Tac-Ops recovered enough to bring their weapons to bear and open fire, only to watch her fields flicker over her bruised and bloody skin to absorb or deflect the rounds.

Rising to one knee Kara whirled and fired again and again. Her mane disheveled and wild flew through the air at each turn, her look feral with fear as both sappers crumbled under her onslaught. The ground around exploded as chips of concrete and dirt were tossed into the air. Burst after burst struck her fields as she turned to finish off yet another Tac-Ops soldier with sustained fire.

Sensing the threat the four remaining Malta around her rushed her as their web grenades exploded around her yet failed to find purchase. Shrike and his engineers opened fire madly and with lethal precision as the ground around the young girl and the four Malta Tac-Ops troopers flash a sudden brilliant white. The concussive force was enough to knock the Engineers and Shrike off of their feet as the sound of the massive explosion bounced echoes off the decaying buildings of the zone miles away.

Shrike fought to get to his feet, his finger diving for his belt to teleport to his men's side to bring the wild MH back down. His eyes grew wide as he took in the massive cloud of debris that was now where the target and his men once stood. An ominous dark brown cloud choking with clumps of earth and debris billowed and wafted away from where she had been kneeling. He could see nothing as his Engineers knelt beside their auto cannons, the tiny machines now strangely quiet as they panned back and forth with a soft whine, searching for a new target....any target.

Agonizing long seconds passed as the three waited for the cloud to disburse enough to see through. When it did Shrike felt his throat tighten, laying broken and unmoving half buried in the earth and pieces of concrete lay the still forms of his team. All seven dispatched in less than a minute....and the most shocking revelation, there was no sign of the target!

A hiss and snap followed by a choking cry, brought Shrike out of his assessment. He turned sharply to his left as the Engineer there was tossed up into the air only to crash to the ground and lay unmoving. His armored vest smoldering just above his heart. To his right his remaining teammate flattened himself to the ground as the auto turrets continued their scan in vain.

Shrike keyed his teleport and shot to his far left and dropped behind a broken and burned serving counter with the ruins of a long dead McDonalds. His eyes scanned the area around his remaining Engineer, he was waiting for her shot or her retreat from this position he could see everything, once he had her position, he would take her out...orders or not.

He did not have long to wait as a flash fired from a large pile of rubble not to far where she had originally fallen, took down the Engineer with frightening ease. He teleported right before her and fired...

Kara whirled back in utter pain from dropping the last engineer only to find herself face to face with the enraged gunslinger. The double shot from his pistol filled her ears with a deafening sound. One round deflected exploded into the rubble pile above her head, the second tearing deeply into her right shoulder. She screamed and her form twisted in agony as she blasted out of blind instinct her barrage pummeling him backwards and to the pile just across from her.

Shrike yelled in agony as liquid fire tore into his belly as he felt himself tossed back from the girl, his shoulder struck the wall of debris behind him as he slid to the ground, his finger pulling the trigger of his weapon over and over sending round after round at her.

Kara screamed as she continued to fire shot after shot into the wounded gunslinger who laid a mere six feet away from her, matching him shot for shot. Pain tore through her as his rounds found her flesh, burning deeply into her stomach and chest as she blindly fired.

Shrike's mind grew numb as he fired over and over, the pain washed over him as he pulled his trigger. The blunt force of each blast crushed bone and burned skin as his armor buckled under the incredible force of her attacks. Eventually his sight glazed over and his strength failed, his world had turned into one of bluish white hot pain. Darkness washed over him before he even realized he was out of ammunition. He felt his pistol slip from his hand. He never felt his hand drop nor heard the metallic click as his pistol struck the rubble floor of the zone.

Kara lay there panting and in agony, her wild eyes darted about as if expecting more of them to arrive. Her body burned with pain, even breathing had become an effort. She could feel her energy shift and mend, her body had already begun to reset. The waves of agony pushed her to the brink of unconsciousness.

Slowly she closed her eyes and began to sob; tears ran over the throbbing bruises that dotted her face as she fought off the pain. The sheer speed and ferocity of the encounter now caught up with her. Her emotions collided as she cried, tears mixed with the sweat and blood that covered her cheeks. A soft painful "ouch" occasionally slipped from her lips as she sobbed fitfully.

She wept for her pain...she wept for what she had been forced to do but mostly she wept for the fear that still gripped her heart.

In time she felt strong enough to stand, her torn cape covered in her blood flapped hap hazard behind her as she stumbled through the rubble. Her body weak and shaken, she tucked her right arm closely to her as she tried to take flight. She was exhausted as she lifted off of the ground, her instinct to flee still strong despite the waves of pain the flight brought with it.

She hadn’t the strength to get back she knew this. A familiar shape loomed before her, a hole along its monolithic side. The chunk of its side long removed bare its naked floors for all too see. Ancient and weathered floors beckoned her with a distant hazy memory of safety. She floated down and softly landed on her knees. Her eyes faded in an out as she crawled to a familiar corner near a turned over rusted oil can, once used to make a fire long ago.

Her mind faded, exhaustion slowly overwhelming her as a feeling of false safety began to settle in. Softly she keyed her mic, coughing a bit...

"...going to turn in now...night" she dutifully reported in.

A far away voice came back "...Kara?" Her eyes fluttered open a moment as she looked for Sam.

"Hmm?" Kara curled up tightly in the corner of the litter filled room.

"You don't sound well" Sam tried in a far away voice.

Can't allow them to worry, she thought wearily. Someone told me this. "I'm fine ...just need some rest." She slurred wearily "Good night Sam...."

Her world slipped softly and slowly into the sleep of exhaustion, a sleep to escape pain she could no longer deal with. Just wanted some peace, she thought as she dreamed she could hear Sam and Jeff wish her a good night...

August 2nd 2006 - "Boomtown"

Originally Posted by Rhuby Quartz

Where are you?..

The voice rang loud and clear in her mind as Rhuby flew feverishly towards Boomtown. Dr. Reynolds had been correct.. tracking down Malta and their current Tac Ops had proven to be much simplier than before, she just had to open her eyes. Unfortunately, she always seemed to be one step behind them, picking up their dust trails and never able to be on top of them.

"Not now" She grumbles aloud, just a whisper to herself, but it seemed so loud in the dead city.

I know what it is you seek

Rhuby growled, looking back and forth among the smoldering rubbish. "I KNOW you do! You're in my [censored] head! I'm busy right now and its important so just tell me what you want so you can leave me alone!"

They see them..

Rhuby paused.. stopping in mid flight and feeling her heart leap a bit.. her voice came out a bit softer.. "who sees them? .. Where are they?"

It was then Rhuby's eye caught sight of something she found rather odd. Below her, several of the Devouring Earth seemed to be walking towards something. Sentries, Quartz, and a many of the Lesser devoured marched north towards an unknown destiny.

Yes..do it


[censored] hell, She thought to herself. It was almost obnoxious to know her every thought could belong to him if he so wished it. She had wondered if they would lead her to them.. if she should follow him. Now she was sure of it. She flew overhead, seeing more and more of his little children making their way north of the entrance.

Darting her eyes back and forth, it wasn't long until she found them gathering in a semi circle around what appeared to be the remains of rather large fight. But it wasn't the bodies themselves that made her eyes grow wide and her pulse race.. it was those blue suits.. She knew what they represented. Malta.. She was too late again.

Rhuby flew down ahead of the Earth, looking to and from for any sign of Kara. Many of the men appeared disposed of, some were alive, collecting the wounded and shouting to each other... wondering what the hell was going on.

.. "She's not here" She said to herself. .. She clinched her fists tightly. That wasn't necessarily good news.. She could have been captured.. She could have been fine, but she also could be badly wounded.. and she had heard nothing over her comm.

You hate them..

Rhuby didn't respond to them, but her frown grew deeper as she looked at the few soliders left who were readying themselves for another round.

Is that what you want?

Without hesitating she simply replied, "yes. I want you to kill them.. all of them"

The voice inside her head grew quiet as the creatures behind her hissed and howled...chitters, like sounds of a wild, dark night rang out and the ground shook from the stomps of the stampeding Earth. Rhuby watched with pursed lips as wounded Ops engineers quickly fumbled to set up turrets.. the shots mowing through at least half a dozen of the Bladegrasses and fungi. Their cries squealed out over the sounds of human screams and random gunfire. Before the engineer could set up a second, one of the Devoured projected its acid-like spit onto him. The slime burned into his flesh, sending them back rolling and reeling onto the ground in pain, but only long enough to hear his own bones crack and break under the weight of the monster and its sentry companion.

It was amazing.. even in the most sudden of battles, the Malta seemed so well organized, as if they never paniced. Still, their well-trained formations and skill was over-powered by the sheer numbers of the Earthen beasts. The air hummed with the sounds that emited from the small plants the Herders would erect.. Healing spirits that fed the Devouring life and strength. Rhuby couldn't seem to tear her eyes away as they feasted on the flesh of these men she could feel no pity for. She could feel her humanity slipping more and more with each passing day...and yet she felt so empowered. As She stood there, she almost felt as if it was her who commanded these beasts.. who avenged her. She didn't need Jack to save her, She had the whole earth at her beck and call if she pleased. Somewhere deep down though, she knew it was wrong.. that this alliance he pushed for had an alterior motive... but right now she just couldn't be bothered with what that may be.

Finally she tore herself and her sight from the massacre and pulled out her cell phone, dialing an all too familar number as she casually walked away.

"Yeah.. Justin.. I need a favor. What? Look don't worry about where I am, I'm fine.. I need to know if you can track or trace Kara Reynolds.. .. Yeah.. Diamond, sorry." She groaned and rolled her eyes. It was always work with him. " I dont know.. that's why I need the Trace. Well what if I tried to contact her comm to comm, could you pick up her signal then.. I mean if she even has it on her? ... great, I'll do that and you send me the cooridinates as soon as you get them"

She hung up and touched her subcom, trying to make a connection with Kara. It took a while, but soon she was given all she had asked for..


-----------------------------


It was very early the next morning... the sun just begining to creep up over the horizan as Rhuby walked silently through the base. She brought with her a beautiful, tall vase filled with a dozen blue roses and plush bear with its hugging arms wrapped around the bottom of the vase. With careful precision, she set the vase down on the nightstand next to a sleeping Kara. Rhuby smiled over at her to see she was almost still in the exact position she had laid her in the night before. She shook her head and grinned, placing a small card to stand in front of the vase. Turning, she faced Kara again.. looking over all her deep bruises and cuts. She hated herself for not being there.. though she knew if the Malta had been fresh as they were for Kara's apparent battle, she would have been little match to them. Still, she hated knowing Kara had to face them alone.. She hated knowing Kara had to face anything alone.

Rhuby kissed her fingertips and placed them on Kara's forehead before turning and heading back out of the sickbay. As she crossed the open area of the mainroom her cell rang and she quickly answered it.

"Hello? .. Ugh.. Jesus Christ, I'm COMING.. I had a good reason okay? Fine." She hung up with a huff and then smirked, pulling her black mask over her face as she shook her head. "He's so damn annoying sometimes.."

August 3rd, 2006 - "The Abbey", King's Row

Thursday Morning...

Muffled sounds...distant noises...far off yet growing closer slipped in past her dreams and frightful visions. Peace and horror struggle within her as she slept fitfully at first then deeper and more soundly at last. Her eyes fluttered open as a sense of displacement filled her. She blinked as her hand ran across the soft pillow her head now rested on. Confused she tried to sit up but was met with a degree of stiffness, of soreness, a reminder now of the fight from the night before.

Where am I? She thought, though slowly she turned her eyes to the room around her. I am at the Abbey? Confusion deepened as she laid her head once more across the pillow. Her eyes roaming across the room.

How? Boomtown, she began to think then stopped as her eyes fell to the nightstand beside the bed. Returning her gaze was a small stuffed Bear with its stitched on yet pleasant grin and deep black eyes. His fluffy arms wrapped around the base of a vase of blue roses. She blinked and gasped a bit then smiled. Perched along the pad of his paw was a card. She stiffly reached forward and retrieved it to read inside and discover just how she had been returned to the Abbey, and who had done it.

It took awhile before she felt awake enough to stand and deal with the fading stiffness, eventually however she managed. She inhaled deeply from her roses and shook her head. She had never seen a blue rose before. So beautiful, she thought as she ruffled the top of the bear's head. She read the card again and believed. Don’t worry about the Malta for now, she smiled...

"All right..." she smiled feeling a bit safer now, sore but alive. She decided to take the next night or two off. Spend some time with Phil....definitely see Susan...

She gathered up her roses into her arms and headed out into the Abbey slowly with a soft limp. Oh Yeah, she mused darkly gonna take a bit to heal...


=================


August 4th, 2006 - Skyway


Last night...

Alpha shook his head as he paced in the backroom of their new headquarters. Fergie continued...

"The entire team was dispatched to a man.....From the amount of ammo expended by the team it was a quick fight....by the amount of ammo expended by Shrike...he should've killed her"

"[censored]" hissed Alpha. "She is /mine/!"

"Alpha...." Fergie said "Look something else happened out there....our teams weren’t the first to arrive"

He looked over; there was something in Fergie's tone "What?"

"Blue's teams got there first even before we did...now the data we intercepted from them indicates she only killed Shrike...and she was severely wounded....she had already dispatched his team...she fought through the ambush...and then...just fly away erratically."

Alpha's eye's widened "So she is still in Boomtown....or did Blue's teams find her? We have to ..." he stopped at Fergie's raised hand.

"You don’t understand....Blue's four teams, the ones he sent to Boomtown... are gone"

"Gone....she got them? But surely her wounds..." stopped again.

"No Sir....she didn’t.....they were slaughtered by a horde of Devouring Earth" Fergie looked up from his report and tossed the surveillance photos atop the broken and worn table. "To a man....Our team found them and scores of dead DE's"

Alpha frowned astonished. DE's, he thought. This is new. Very new. He knew this [censored] could call in support, aid from unimaginable areas ...she had in the past.

"Somehow they made it into the zone and struck the teams unprepared...it had to be mass numbers...they never had a chance" Fergie said with no small degree of awe. He had faced the DE...it had to be a horrific fight. No way for a soldier to die. He shuddered "Sir with all due respect ...until we..."

Alpha headed him off "Send out the runners Fergie...all ops on standby to our remaining teams....However I /want/ to know where the DE's came from...if she called them in I want to know how....if this is an ally I want it found and eliminated....permanently"

Fergie nodded, this was a new player and had to be dealt with quickly. Blue's teams had more resources to call on then theirs. The DE's terrified Fergie, dealing with this threat was now his priority.

Alpha continued "All strike teams are to go dormant and await further instructions, recon and surveillance ops are to be stepped up....all marked targets are to be watched closely....i want to know what happened out there..."

Fergie nodded and headed off to see the runners got the message quickly.

Alpha shook with rage after his friend left. She did it to him again,

"You [censored]", he sneered coldly "You [censored] [censored]...."


==================


August 5th, 2006 - Undisclosed location in Peregrine

This morning....


"......four teams people...all off the grid" Blue shook his head as he circled the polished wood conference table. Across it and on the monitors of the plush carpeted conference room showed photos and images of the devastating DE raid on /his/ men. Seated around the table, The Crey Project Advisor, her security chief and Dr. Reynolds representing the research staff of the Project.

"This makes three very expensive failures in a row" The Project Advisor droned.

"In my men's lives Advisor" Snapped Blue "Where in blazes did DE's come from? Why the hell weren’t they listed under her assets?"

"She doesn’t have any connection to them" The security chief intoned "nor has she any connection to any one who might....we have experimented with DE's and there are a few threats out there who could do such a thing I guess..." he turned to look across the table "Dr. Reynolds ....are there any correlations...any at all of any of those former projects connected to your daughter?"

Dr. Reynolds smirked inwardly and then slowly shook his head "I've been over and over all such files....no Crey Projects, that I can find or that are made available to me...show any such abilities...quite simply put ..Either this was a coincidence or something Alpha has done has brought down the wrath of the DE's on the Malta...."

Blue sighed "Well lookee here folks...on the subject of Alpha...the Malta Group is givng priority orders now to all Malta Operations....to seek out and terminate Alpha's ops with /extreme prejudice/...and i mean to add my teams to that hunt."

The Crey security chief spoke up now "Blue and I discussed this...and recommend all containment attempts cease and deceased for the time being...allow our research to continue but wait for a time when our scouts can ascertain where and how the DE's entered the picture...to be honest such an ability to wield the DE's could be..." he stopped as the Project Advisor stood...

"No....that is not our project....though i agree with going dormant for now to allow the Malta to put its affairs in order so they can return to being more effective for us..." She sighed "Thank you all....return to your departments and brief them on the stand down"

Nodding each left the room. Dr. Reynolds hurried down the hall a bit excitedly. He had work to do now, a chance to help someone who /had/ to have helped him and his daughter. He had managed to bury the connection....for now.

He had seen the news too last night. Fiery Dynamo, Rico Chavez and his Kitten had destroyed a major Malta bunker, the main supply bunker for Blue's men. He had been worried; she had seemingly vanished for a few nights.

The Malta were scared, he smirked. He liked seeing fear in their eyes; it was like a spark of something deep within his own heart was reawakening. He sighed as he reached his desk, he was playing with fire. The Crey could destroy his work, his career, Stephanie, his wife would never forgive him such a social fall....she barely tolerated the fact he had a mutant for a daughter....

Somehow...this evening. He no longer cared. His daughter was alive still and fighting these bullies...

Could this be pride he felt for her? He thought of embittered questions asked of him recently and he set about his work for tonight...

August 6th, 2006 - Skyway City

Originally Posted by S.D.I.'s Wolfcry Division's Pastoral


It is said that there are no more than six degrees of seperation from one individual to any other individual. Some people are much closer, of course, but in theory if you know anyone then you can, by proxy, know anyone else...

Communication is the Cornerstone of Civilization.

Somewhere, a phone is ringing...
~~~~~
"Speak."

"Good evening, Knife."

"..."

"These words will not be heard by others. As a creature of secrets, I respect the secrecy of others. Need, however, drives me to break our silence with this conversation. Will you speak?"

"...who are you?"

"You may call me Operator."

"Right..."

"I have an offer for your consideration."

"There are channels to go through."

"The fewer know, the happier we all are. Those channels lead to you. We will speak."

"I could hang up now."

"But you want to find out who I am, so that you can perhaps seal this percieved breach of your security by my destruction. Let us not bandy about threats and counterthreats. Neither of us has time for child games."

"...all right."

"You are mercenary."

"I have standards. And requirements."

"Of course. I do not seek mere thugs."

"Of course."

"I will require you to discontinue certain working relationships."

"We won't break a contract."

"Suspend it, if that pleases your integrity."

"They won't like this."

"I do not expect them to like any of what I have in mind."

"What do you have in mind?"

"There is an individual I wish you to observe. There is no specific wetwork involved...I want you to see to it that she remains alive for the duration of our arrangement. You may use whatever methods you wish, though she is not to be detained. Secrecy is, naturally, preffered."

"Naturally. I'll speak with my colleagues, but I doubt they'll like this."

"They will like what they will be paid."

"Yes?"

"Details will follow. Through other channels."

"I see. Do we get to meet you? Face to face?"

"No."

"I see."

"You will. Take care, Associate Knife. We will speak again, another time."
~~~~~
Help, I'm steppin' into the Twilight Zone...
This is a madhouse, feels like bein' cloned.
My beacon's been moved, under moon and star...
Where am I to go now that I've gone too far?
~Golden Earing, Twilight Zone

August 9th, 2006 - Eastgate

"...Thank you Janice for that update on the situation in the former East gate zone...for more on a mounting problem in Atlas park we go directly to Walter Scott....Walter can you hear me?"

"Yes Bill I can...as you can from behind me those fires and explosions that you see are the only evidence we have of a massive Hero Corps, Police operation. About forty minutes ago police were tipped off by locals that a very large force of what we have been told are mercenaries from the Knives of Artemis, specifically a band believed to be behind the kidnapping of Councilwoman Amanda McNealy..... “A large blue white flash erupts behind as the camera shudders and shakes. A column of white smoke billows up from several blocks away.

"Oh my god Bill can you see this....from what we have been told by Police, that the Heroines Tomoya and Diamond and possibly a third who as of yet has not been identified were pulled from the Riot in the Hollows to respond to what has now turned out to be an Army of Knives...

Kara rose up from her knee panting as the bodies of the Knives rained down around her. The air hissed as their shuirken tore passed them, thrown with deadly accuracy. Her chest heaved as she fought for breath as her energy recharged following her titanic assault. To her left the air cooked and broiled as her sister let loose a barrage of fire at an advancing column of the lethal women. Before them racing out to meet the new column was their little assistant of the night. Clad in armor Kara knew to be stolen from the council their little scrapper boldly launched herself in a maddening attack surprising the Knives with her ferocity....

A sharp pain lanced across Kara's shoulder as the sword cut through her fields with expert skill. Whirling she pushed her fields higher as pulses jetted out from her with each heart beat. The pulse struck her invisible attacker and launched her a dozen feet away and into a garden wall. Kara grinned as the skin of her shoulder reset, its folds sealing painfully.

"I so live for a ranged fight sweetie" she yelled as her follow up salvo dropped the blond mercenary. With this victory she spun as a fiery explosion lit up the night sky. More Knives dropped their armor smoldering as Tomoya retreated to cover to recharge. Their mysterious friend moving to cover her. Kara hovered slightly, just enough to watch their flank.

A whisper of movement showed yet another large contingent just to her right in an alley. She full out fly into them as their lethal metal stars were easily deflected or missed outright. She drew her breath and released the full might of her energy once more as she reached the middle of the group. Swords clatter, bodies twisted and flew and screams were cut short as the night flashed again with her explosion.

This is far too large a group to merely be involved in a kidnapping of a councilwoman, she thought.

What did we find here?

=====================


Undisclosed Location - Crey Project Facility


"God Damn it!" The Project Security Chief slammed his palm on the smooth panel of the console before him. He turned and glared at the Knives Liaison to his Project "Do you [censored] ever understand the words pull back and stand down?"

Thena stared at the screen her eyes firmly locked on the fight as she shook her head "This was not a planned engagement for this project. We have played too little a part in Blue's offensives...remaining in reserve as requested"

The Chief stood and pointed at the screens as between them the security operatives made sure the moment...each moment was recorded for review and study. "There again see not only has the target arrived but she has brought aid again....

The Knives operative cut him short "We were individually briefed, besides Chief...our target this time was -not- your precious target"

The Chief blinked "What?"

Thena turned to look back to the gunslinger behind her. She frowned as he smiled. His voice as smooth and almost charming as always as he stepped forward and put a hand on the Chief's shoulder "You see son...Thena is also the Liaison of another Project...the one I was drawn for when your old buddy Alpha went renegade..."

The Chief shook his head and looked back to the main screen as the three heroines continued to withstand the assault of the dwindling Knives of Artemis. "What Project?"

Blue looked up and shrugged saying almost casually "Why Operation Karma dear boy...” he shook his head "Tomoya Dengo...We were trying to trap her...you see we have to know whether that is the original or the copy you all made..." he added with a note of deep irony "Who could've known...she would've brought Diamond and that little ginsue-matic with her...she has been known to work alone."

Thena sighed as the final explosions rocked the screen; the trio had rescued and secured the councilwoman. She leaned forward and keyed her comm. to the remaining Knives "Abort Sisters...break contact and fall back" she slammed her fist into the console and snarled "Those [censored]..."

Blue grinned warmly "Now now...you sisters work well together Thena...Now why would expect less of the Dengos....you will get another chance at Tomoya..." he grinned "Could always try nabbing little Hayaka...that just might bring both Targets right where we need 'em"

Thena and the Chief looked to the gunslinger as the latter turned to walk away. "But the orders to stand down from Diamond until we find the source of the Devouring Earth attack?"

He chuckled as he walked out into the hallway.

"Heck can we help it if they come to us?”

August 16th, 2006 - Skyway City



With a soft weary sigh Kara hopped up to sit on the side of the chipped worn desk. The smell of burnt ozone from their weapons and her blasts still filled the hallways of the old institution. All around her the red and white clad Longbow agents shuffled here and there rounding up the fallen Malta and Nemesis Troopers that had been battling each other, when her raid had arrived. Just hours before Kara had received a tip from Crimson that a Malta operation was currently using an old mental institution in Skyway as a cover for a supply base and a bunker to launch raids from. He went so far as to hint that this may be connected to the rogue operation that had hit her in Boomtown.

She had her doubts, so she asked Swan to arrange for Longbow support for her as she moved in. The building was already in chaos, a force of Nemesis Soldiers, with their usual poor timing had chosen tonight to raid the Malta base. Thankfully the hospital was closed the previous year so there was neither staff nor patients to be caught in the middle of the fight.

The fighting had been rough, but a bit disorganized for the criminals, for neither of them seemed fully prepared for a third front to have opened up. Kara stretched and rubbed her sore shoulder; she had been at the forefront of the fight as usual and had pushed herself a bit due to Crimson's warnings. Despite Rhu's assurances that she had been granted a reprieve for now, Kara wanted those responsible brought in before they could threaten her friends once more.

However even now as the arrests were being made Kara could see this was no rogue Malta unit. Crimson's intelligence had been in error. A full Malta communications center had been discovered and tons of files were present. She looked up as the Longbow raid commander, an agent named Carlson walked over to her, his mini-gun slung low across his back.

"Well Done Diamond" He nodded curtly

"Why thank you Commander, I so appreciate your back up on this one...if the fighting had spilled out into the streets innocent people like really could've been killed" She said her voice sweet but with an edge.

"You are most welcome Ma'am!" he began proudly."We were..."

"Why it is like so fortunate that the hospital's sprinklers were still on to put out the fires your flamethrowers caused...." she said dryly "Wasn’t it?" her look hiding none of her opinion of the use of such a weapon.

Commander Carlson blinked then sighed, this was gonna be one of those nights he thought before speaking "Well...um...yes that was....a good thing"

Kara nodded "Ye-up...sure was....so are you going to need me anymore?" Kara looked right at him with a disapproving gaze.

Her look caused him no small degree of discomfort, but with a hero that held such a good standing he was not going to win this argument. He drew a breath and nodded adding quickly eager to change the subject "Yes Ma'am...actually we need to catalog the armory and records...shouldn’t take more than an hour or so now, we have secured the facility and have let the local precinct know we are here. They have set up in the main parking area for the disposition of the prisoners"

"Sure....let me just check in with....well back home " she said with a nod.

"Back home?" he frowned as another agent came in with the communications gear. A few more followed in with laptops and other electronics gear, Kara noted, it seems this office was to be used as their main center of operations as the agents cleaned up the site.

"Yes I like need to let my sitter now I'm going to be late...and to start dinner for my little one" she said as she opened her wafer thin cell and began to dial.

Carlson raised an eyebrow in surprise, it was hard for him to think of the 'Valiant Dazzling Diamond' with a family, she didn’t appear old enough to him to 'squeeze out a puppy’. "Umm...all right" a noise to his left made him turn as another Agent stood waiting.

"What is it Dalton?" he asked.

"Well sir...um I’ve talked to some of the others...and well we are going to be here for awhile...and we were wondering? I mean a few of us are hungry" she began to ask feeling her commander's mood out.

He chuckled "You want to order food?"

She brightened "Yes Sir...since we didn’t lose anyone and this is now pretty much a [censored] detail...you know ammo and record counting?"

"Carry on Dalton....I guess grab em pizza's" He nodded to her, as she returned to her comm. gear, only to hear a soft chuckle behind him.

Carlson turned to the younger heroine he quirked a brow, slightly annoyed "Pizza is not allowed?"

Kara seemed amused "You are going to order 'Za...to be delivered...here for your team?"

"Yes Ma'am...and I don’t want to hear about regulations and all of that" he raised a hand as she opened her mouth to respond, already assuming her answer "My team deserves this ma'am"

"No like that wasn’t..." she began, interrupted by him further.

"Ma'am with all due respect if you don’t want any pizza you don’t have to have any...or if you chose not to eat with my troopers due to the flamethrower issue you have.." her look darkened "..then you don’t have too"

Her features softened and then impishly she added "all right....get me a Sprite...if you can"

Annoyed now at her patronizing attitude, Carlson sighed "We just handled the Malta and Nemesis /Diamond/...I’m sure my people can handle a simple Pizza order"

Kara smiled sweetly "Okies..." much of her look indicated something left unspoken...

Carlson turned to Dalton "add a sprite to that"

"Yes Sir!” The red haired agent said as she dialed up the number to the local Domino’s Pizzeria.

Kara grinned and leaned to rest her back against the wall while atop the desk and waited her soft features displayed no small amusement.

"Hello. I would like to order 19 large pizzas and 67 cans of Coke and 1 Sprite please" Agent Dalton began, eager to get her food sent on its way.

The droning voice of the Domino’s girl came across the comm. systems speakers as the other agents continued to busy themselves setting up. “And where would you like them delivered?”

Agent Dalton fiddled with her laptop as she answered nonchanlantly “We're over at the West Gate Psychiatric Hospital."

"The psychiatric hospital?” came the pizza girl's voice. Kara grinned.

Dalton barely looked up." That's right. I'm a Longbow agent."

A tone of surprise crept into the voice of the girl on the other end of the phone. "You're a Longbow agent?” across the room Carlson set his weapon down and began to set up his own Laptop.

Dalton nodded barely looking at the speaker. “That’s correct. Just about everybody here is. "

"And you're at the psychiatric hospital?” the girl asked slowly. Kara glanced around at the other agents who seemed not to notice anything might be wrong.

Dalton nodded once more as she worked answering quickly “That’s correct. And make sure you don't go through the front, the police have it blocked off; go around back to the service entrance to deliver the pizzas."

"The Police have it blocked off...And you say you're all Longbow agents?”

Dalton looked up and said "That's right. How soon can you have them here? "

Slowly the voice inquired once more from the speaker. "And everyone at the psychiatric hospital is a Longbow Agent?”

Dalton shrugged "Mostly...we have one superhero with us" Kara raised an amused brow as she listened to Dalton explain ""but yes that's right. We're mostly all Longbow agents and we're starving. "

With an oddly sweet tone to her voice the Domino’s girl asked “How are you going to pay for all of this?”

Dalton patted her laptop case as she answered evenly "I have my checkbook right here."

The Domino Girl tried one more time "And you're all Longbow agents?”

Dalton sighed, slightly irritated. "That's right. With the exception of the superhero, everyone here is a Longbow agent." Dalton leaned to the speaker to make sure the girl got this right. "Can you remember to bring the pizzas and sodas to the service entrance in the rear to avoid the police? We have the front doors locked. "

The Girl on the other end of the phone laughed and said "Riiight... I don't think so. ...."

Every agent in the room looked up from what they had been doing and over to Dalton and her speaker as the simplest of sounds loudly filtered over it "...*Click.*..."

Carlson gaped "What the...."

Kara giggled. "Trying to convince a citizen of Paragon City that you aren’t nuts by saying you are Longbow -AND- in an insane asylum...” She hopped down from the desk. "Better send an agent out to pick up any food Commander...or you guys are totally gonna starve" she said with a smile over her shoulder.

Carlson sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck. Yep, he thought. It is definitely going to be one of those nights.

August 18th, 2006 - Brickstown

Originally posted by Skilla


A knock at the door made him sit up. Outside the window, Melissa smiled as she treaded air. "We'll get that, Dr. Reynolds," the Crey agent snapped a bit.

Touchy aren't they. Mel thought.

"The Doc's pizza is here," called one of the Crey seeing the young teenage boy with the box from Antonio's Pizzeria. "Lesse...Pepperoni for you, Doc. Meat lovers' for Joe. Here Frances, here's your Veggie Delight..."

Doctor Reynolds sighed almost nostalgically as he took the box and returned to his work station. Kara loved pizza. Are you calling it 'za in your mind, Dr. Reynolds? Mel thought with a soft smile.

His back stiffened as he opened the box, staring at the surface of the pie. "Something wrong with your order, Doc?" the nameless Crey agent asked.

"No...no...not at all," he replied with a quick smile, removing a slice. He glanced back down, pretending to type as he snuck another quick look at the pizza. There in among the fragrant tomato sauce and cheese were his pepperonis...only the familiar red circles had been sliced into thin strips, arranged neatly across the slices, even the question mark neatly carved into the sausage slices.

William, it read

What are you doing William?
Love

Melissa


With a soft laugh, Mel took off from the window. I always knew having the same name as Kara's mom would come in handy. Jamal did his part well. I owe him a second twenty. she giggled. Thus begins the haunting of Dr. Reynolds.

August 20th, 2006 - Steel Canyon

With the cunning and stealth of a panther he moved through the darkness, following her slithering flight through the city. He had watched with dark amusement, her little game with Alpha's target's father. How easily this huntress had slipped so basic a ruse passed the Crey Security that surrounded him.

He quickly scaled the building across from her apartment and took roost once more in his private nook to observe. For sometime now he was in disobedience. He had ignored the recall for the most part after the defeat in Boomtown. There had been a larger defeat of Blue's recovery team by a horde of DE's and that had caused Alpha to withdraw for the moment.

I can not , he thought. He had become entranced by the duality he had witnessed in his subject. He still reported in to his runner that he was idle yet he thought as he watched the light of her bedroom illuminate, how can i remain so.

His thoughts danced in his dark mind as he observed her silhouette move her apartment,so far from his reach and yet not quite so far.

Melissa Darling,

I know you are in your room,

And I am elsewhere,

Endless contemplating,

Future, Present, and Past.

Flying free,

Your dark soul,

Pursuing a thousand years,

Fleeing the end of all,

Did you forget to read the small print?

Are nightmares invading your heart?

Does fear infiltrate your gut?

Would I be,

That much of il Monstrum

To you?

Are you afraid,

Melissa Darling,

Working so hard; for those above you, beneath you,

Hating and loving, and loathing and adoring,

Everything in this world.

Are you, a furious Angel?

Wrathful, and omnipotent,

Or do you quiver

As you,

Watch the night.

These words, are for you, Melissa.

And for you, alone.

These are memories, opinions, hopes, and fears.

They are sentiments, for you,

My remaining flower.

He smirked as her shadow moved away from the window. Switching to his thermals he settled down for their night together. Watching...

Yearning..never to touch, never to possess...

...for now.


=================

Originally posted by Skilla

Mel sang softly as she wandered around the apartment trying to ignore the prickling sensation down her spine. Bryce would be here soon. She wished she hadn't had to leave the party so soon, but that damn seizure...she was having more and more of them recently. She was having more sensory hallucinations too - fingers touching her hair, smells she knew weren't there. Tammie said it was natural after what she went through in the Council base. A little backslide. Just like Kara. Poor Bubbles- so on edge again. But she'd open up when she was ready - and she knew her Blossum would be there for her. I always am. she thought with a small sigh.

She glanced at herself in the mirror smiling a little at the sheer, short, whispy baby blue negligee and matching panties she'd picked for tonight. Her hair was done in soft curls around her face - Just how he likes it. I wonder if I can make him faint tonight she giggled to herself. The candles were all lit and the "treasure map" lay on the coffee table with a note saying "Read me." Tucked into little nooks around the apartment were the various "surprises" she'd left for him with little notes and clues - the champagne, the massage oil - finally leading to the bed she'd scattered with rose petals - and her. Everything was perfect.

She stepped out onto the balcony, looking for the familiar form of her lover sailing across the darkened trees. For a moment she stood, silhouetted in the moonlight, her beautiful figure shining as if cut out of ivory and silk. The night was warm, but suddenly she shivered. She drew back in, biting her bottom lip and pulled the brown bamboo shade down, irrationally. Breathing hard for a second, she turned her back to the shuttered glass door, listening to the soft sensuous melody of Ravel's Bolero, humming softly as she closed her eyes and swayed.

Yes....everything was perfect.

======================

Originally posted by Orion's Fist

Minutes later, he flies through the air quietly in the night, his metallic body catching the light from the moon and causing it to refract, making him look similar to a falling star at the right angle, still dressed in his pirate costume from earlier that evening, minus the wooden leg and hook, seemingly lifeless metal eyes scan the area subconsciously as he goes towards 'lissa's home. He lands at the doorstep of the building with a telltale and quite loud thud that echoes in the night and being impatient, walks in and flies quickly up the steps to her floor. Seconds after he walks into the building, he stands quietly at her door and knocks, a small smile on his face as he wonders what his "surprise" could be, that all too familiar feeling of anxiousness, like butterflies dancing around in his stomach is felt.

As the door opens he subconsciously converts his metallic skin back to the softer flesh and bone, the life returning to his oddly colored blue and green eyes as he does. When he sees the "treasure map" on the door he grins to himself and locks the door, makes sure it is shut and chuckles lightly to himself, his deep voice carrying easily through the apartment as he does his best pirate impersonation.

"Arrrrr.....what have we got 'ere? Some fool left thar bloody treasure map behind, methinks I'll be gettin' me some booty tanight...."

he looks over the map and strokes his fake facial hair in mock thought.

"Arrr....and quite the lovely booty it'll be I imagine...har har..."

August 23rd, 2006 - Warburg

"....as i said it's like total chaos in there, but for each bunker taken and each group of refugees secured, even if it is a food and medicine drop...we so bring a little more order to region" Kara smiled a bit over her shoulder to the reporter as she leaned on the rail of the Longbow ship as it lay anchored off the besieged little island city.

"So you believe that Longbow is doing right here in Warburg" He pressed. "That we have a right to be here"

She smirked "I think I said what I meant Daniel, Blitz has access to weapons of mass destruction and like every nut from both Paragon and the Rogue Isles is like here to secure them....in the middle of all of this mess are the civilians of Warburg. They are why I am here and to save the lives of those here to do the same...." she smiles warmly "Got it?"

He nodded "So ...order out of chaos and to protect the innocent...What...” he began as she turned to face him.

"Also the Malta are here, they are supporting Blitz's men and in a sense Longbow makes an effort to balance that out....I've had a lot of dealing with Malta and well /renegades/ .....Though that seems to have dropped away as of late...I guess they are /hiding/" she added a soft taunt to her tone with the last.

"But....what do you mean Malta operations are still listed as high priority in Paragon...I mean..." The reporter seemed confused as he glanced back to his cameraman, who shrugged.

Kara waved her hand "oh well I've been out of the loop I guess, like being out here...sorry Daniel. Was there anything else?"

Daniel blinked unsure of how he lost control of his short live update interview merely slipped back into his normal demeanor with a "No no thank you Kara.." turning back to the camera he spoke over his feed to the desk back at MSNBC's headquarters. "And that was Blazer, Kick Start and of course Diamond on the on going operations in Warburg...back to you Dana"


=================


Undisclosed Crey Facility

....I've had a lot of dealing with Malta and well /renegades/.....though that seems to have dropped away as of late...I guess they are /hiding/"

Blue laughed warmly as he watched the feed from the console’s monitor in his quarters, deep within the Crey facility. He sank back into his chair and kicked up his heels to the lazy ottoman before him. He shook his head his southern drawl lazy yet filled with a touch of amazement and amusement.

"Gutsy kid, callin' ya out like that, Alpha" he chuckled and took a long sip of his whiskey. "She is up to sumthing pardner..." he raised his glass in a half hearted salute to his one time mentor turned renegade.

"Time ta watch yer butt" he tossed back his head as he finished his whiskey in one gulp. He sighed enjoying the soothing warmth as it moved through him. He turned to his reports for the next phase of their own operations. It was going to be a long month. Operation Karma and all of the data that was coming back on the possible cause of that weird raid by the Devouring Earth.

"No Allies mah [censored]" Blue murmured as he began to read...


==================


Undisclosed Location - King's Row

....I've had a lot of dealing with Malta and well /renegades/.....though that seems to have dropped away as of late...I guess they are /hiding/"

That Little [censored]! Alpha stood before the old TV and stared daggers at that hated smile! Mocking, taunting....TAUNTING.....ME!

His fists clenched tightly as his nails cut deeply into his palms. Rage and pain blended into a perfect fire that began to refuel his gut.

"Fergie?" he snarled a whisper

Ferguson closed his eyes as he sat cleaning his weapons. "Yes sir?" he knew what was coming and the bottom fell out of his stomach.

"Send out the runners...we are beginning ops once more...up the attacks I want our Titan reserves tapped into...the little [censored] is in Warburg" he turned and grinned at his aide "We don’t have to worry about holding back...or movement through war walls.." he chuckled "Besides if we hit her there, her little friends wont know it is us...hell they will blame Blitz....the Malta or Christ another hero there for god sakes..."

"Sir...." Fergie began "She wouldn’t be taunting you ....can’t you see this is a trap?"

Alpha grinned "of course Fergie...that is why I've got it covered...you see when you try to bait a Shark...you may catch -a- shark...but the bait is still devoured"

Fergie blanched "but our men..."

Alpha turned back to the TV "The arrogant [censored] trying to draw me out....sorry sweetheart...you will learn to eat pain like candy before i put a round right through that pretty little skull of yours...."

Over his shoulder "Go Fergie...have Raptor secure us a bunker or three in Warburg...the usual payoffs...and ship out the Titans...full press attacks...then send for Raptor to meet with me " his eyes gleamed ferally "I've an idea and I want to indivually brief him about it"

Fergie stood "Standard established low tech communication procedures for the Warburg ops?"

Alpha nodded "Yes...get a move on Fergie...she wants a fight? Let’s give it to her"

Fergie turned and walked out to begin as Alpha sat down upon the ruined couch. With a leathery soft hiss he withdrew his combat knife; slowly he drew the ultra sharp blade across the skin of his forearm. He sighed and shuddered as he felt the skin part and the pain blend with his rage. Repeatedly he dragged the blade slowly across his arm in neat little rows until his rage had subsided. In his mind's eye each slice was across the soft skin of his hated target, slicing away that hated grin....

His Beast....the blue white fire...he had to wash it away...he had to...

Before she consumed him....

August 28th, 2006 - 'BoomTown'


His sides burned in agony, the cuts torn deeply into his skin, the blood encrusted around the wounds chafed against already sore skin as he crept slowly along the wall of the sewer. Around him the makeshift lab that Blue's gunslinger Paradox Black Iota burned and flickered, the bodies of the dead and wounded Malta and Crey lay around the ruins of the outpost.

Fergie licked at his chapped lips, it had been a horrible fight, unexpected and furious. He had risked trying to contact Blue's Malta, he grew weary of being a renegade, not that he was no longer loyal to Alpha, his friend and his mentor, but Fergie worried for the men under his command. Many of Alpha's team were not even aware their hunt for Kara Reynolds had branded them renegades. Now with the target's reassignment to Warburg Alpha was about to place them in the middle of a war to get her....

A war backed by the Malta...he had to try and end this. Find a way to coordinate. He had heard of a Malta/Crey facility being set up in 'Boomtown', not to far from the last attack on their target. The night Blue's teams were crushed by the walking [censored] plants...in the middle of a rubble pile. Blue and the Crey demanded to know how Kara had pulled that one off...Fergie suspected the Crey were not telling the Malta everything.

As Usual...

He had broken away as he briefed his runner's for Alpha and made his way into Boomtown. Finding the base had been quite simple enough, He had finally been able to meet with Iota and begin to talk about a possible alliance. Iota had gotten Blue's security center online and that was when he had first heard about the impending disaster.

-She- was coming...

Fergie remembered standing there and listened as he heard Blue's team and the Crey Security scramble over the comms. Iota had gone to hid own boards and tried to reach his team leaders, Delta, Epsilon and Gamma. Fergie listened to the frantic calls from the other three gunslingers. Two Knives of Artemis bases, and one of their operations had been knocked out. The mainstay of the attack was the albino abetoir Ivy Roberts...

Fergie seethed, he knew she should've been killed immediately. Crimson it seemed had fooled them all yet again. Ms 'I'm heading to Warburg' was right there on the video screens blasting away and protecting that white freak with her bubbles as she ripped apart Blue's highly trained teams.

In time each base, each team, each bunker fell. Gamma was first, he his team and the Knives present fought in vain to hold back the pair. The bubbles made it impossible even for the sappers to hit as much as they needed too.

Delta's warehouse was next, this fight was brutally fast as the young heroines made short work of the Mech's under Delta's command. Delta's boys were on target but unable to breach the shields covering the scrapper on her offensive. They all stood there as the comms grew silent. Fergie knew it was only a matter of time as he began to prepare his own weaponry..

Blue had tried to order the evacuation of Epsilon's team but the gunslinger would have none of it. He ordered his men to dig in and prepare for the girls assault. When it came , as before the pair cut through the Malta with lethal precision, though different in their approach each moved with a grace Fergie and Iota had to admire. One with the deleicate grace of a ballerina the other with the powerful grace of a predator. Soon Epsilon's team was off the grid and his base compromised. They listened as Ivy informed Kara of the operations base in Boomtown...

They were coming..

He could've fled, he could've retreated...but what good would it have done? Blue's team and Iota's people would need the help, and that would go a long way to easing his own renegade status. Plus he might get that one shot to end this...just one shot and Alpha's prize would be dead....no more of his men need get hurt or killed as renegades..

So he stayed...and his one shot soon presented itself.

It came too late to save Iota's men, even too late to save Iota himself as the last stand in the lab began. Ivy and Diamond had been picture perfect again. Diamond seemed as driven as Fergie knew she would be after all Alpha had put her through. Her spirit not dampened but resolved to go on..

Gathering two of Iota's surviving sappers and three tac-ops he prepared and waited. Cornered and knee deep in the muck the girls had made their first mistake as Fergie's sapper's struck. Each of them took on a sapper and began to drop them quickly as the third struck Ivy, pinning her to the floor as Fergie rose from the dank water. With careful aim he fired three explosive slugs into Diamond's back.

The first had dropped her shields tearing into her ribs on her left side as the sapper she was fighting fell. She had jerked and spasmed wonderfully as his slugs slammed between her shoulder blades. His next double shot was aimed at the base of her skull as she dropped to her knees in agony...

He had her! It was over! He pulled the trigger...as his side exploded into white hot pain. His shots deflected by the impact of Ivy sheathing her claws deep into his sides. He watched as the one slammed into the side of her head sending her face down into the muck, its twin going into the wall...was she dead he wondered?

Slammed into the wall Ivy became a blur of white and claws, Fergie's weapon slipped from his hands as he felt his torn form lifted off of the ground...he was finished he knew it, there was blood in the young hero's eyes...The eyes of his own personal 'Fury'...here was his judgement

...At last. He thought.

"Ivers...." a harsh raspy whisper as several blasts were sent at the remaining tac operatves of his failed ambush. Incredibly there she stood, bleeding and shaken but up and firing. Fergie couldnt believe it...she was back in the fight...it was his last thought as he felt himself being released...he awoke to find himself in hell..

A hell of fire and pain, IV had released him, she had let him live. Most likely to help Diamond finish off the base. The comms were silent...

No Longbow had arrived....no police..not in a hazard zone..

Maybe he would just wait here for awhile...he closed his eyes as the pain danced with darkness.

Yeah....I could use the rest.

===================

Crimson smirked to himself as Indigo reported calmly about the night's sting operations and IV's Offensive. He was even more amused when he learned IV had reported Thornchilde's interest in this, his most current Malta offensive.

Oh yes, he mused. Diamond is quite the little rallier. The team grows...

How perfect this was. His new weapons had performed brilliantly.

It was now only a matter of time.

September 9th, 2006 - Independance Port

Originally posted by Kara's Praetorian Counter Part Dark Thorn of the Nemesis Council


He awoke to the smell of dirt filling his nose and to a small puddle of blood next to his face. He couldn’t move his arms or legs. His chest heaved as he struggled to breathe. The reality of what had happened and what was to come, started to dawn on him when he heard the hollow moans of the dead near by.

It was to be a simple ambush. It had been weeks, almost a month since the Project had made an attempt to bring in the target, that the powers that be had decided to chance it. A full team of lightly equipped riot troops and Armored Cryo Agents had struck without warning. The target had been spotted, through a field tip near a dock in Independence Port and was alone.

The attack had been swift and they had surrounded the girl with unexpected ease. The agent winced horribly as he struggled to breath, the cold heat burning his lungs made breathing difficult. He had been with the Project for sometime, twice he had face Diamond in the field. Something about the way she had been dressed this time, or maybe it was her surprise at seeing the Crey. Something had alerted him that it had all gone terribly wrong , even before it had begun.

In mere seconds he had been beaten nearly half to death, then had both of my legs shot out by a wispy inky black darkness. His chin was busted open and his ribs were cracked. His heart burned with anger and a sense of betrayal that numbed the terrible pain in his body.

He saw me, the agent thought, I know he did. The agent was right there begging for his life but the dark figure didn’t move from his spot high in the shadows of the rusted fire escape. He just stood there with a blank expression on his face as the dead..../her/ dead ran over and smashed the remainder of the collection team.

This wasn't their target! He remembered thinking, This wasn't Diamond, she looked like her, but Diamond was never able to make an army of undead /things/ appear from no where....

The agent tried to focus his fuzzy vision to the darkened figure high above. It took a moment then he recognized him...

Alpha!

The agent remembered the face of the former Malta security chief for the project, turned renegade. Alpha . . . you [censored]!. You led us here just so you could trap her...only this isn't her!

Memories of his past flooded his my mind as he heard them drew closer across the alley. Alpha seemed to matter little now that he knew with a heavy heart, he was going to die.

Diana . . .

The Agent rolled onto his back and despite his injuries, he lifted himself up in a sitting position, fumbling in vain for a pistol that had been knocked free.

The Dead were coming closer...

He thought of his wife, the girl who will forever changed his life from the minute she saved him from getting robbed by his childhood bullies. That was the first time they met. She stared at him with those big dark brown eyes, that held either gentle pity or a soulful connection.

He always wondered what was it she saw in him. He was a nothing back then but yet she still came over to his apartment and eventually she began to date him. Waiting for him even during his tour in the Army and standing by his side during his dishonorable discharge for theft. She had married him and together she and he worked to enjoy his job as a Crey soldier.

“Why do you let me hang out with you” he once asked her in High School.

They had been at her house doing homework. She dropped her pencil and stared at him, “what kind of question is that”

“Well, why do you let me hang out with you” he had asked again.
She just smirked and shook her head, “because you’re my best friend”

“But why”

“Because you’re my best friend and I love you. Do I have to give you another reason.” She asked.

The part when she said, “I love you” was something he hadn't ever heard from his parents. “No.” he had said.

“Honestly, you get weirder and weirder everyday”

“What can I say, I got it from you” he had laughed until she hit him with a pillow.

He could still smell her hair spray from the pillow case as he realised his time was growing very short, the moans of the dead filled his ears as he rested against the brick face wall of the alley.

They were coming closer and closer. He couldn't believe it.

I going to die, he thought fitfully, I’m really going to die. There so much I never said to those who I should've...

(Closer)

Momma, I’m sorry for never defending you from -him- every time he was drunk. I’m sorry, but it’s hard to forgive you from ignoring me all my life. .

(Closer)

I curse you, Alpha, for doing this to us.....TO me . . . god, I hate the taste of blood in my mouth . . . and I hate your Malta bastards! I have a bad feeling your fate will be down right cruel and bloody just like mine is about to be.

(Closer)

I’m sorry for the fight we had Diana and I wish I knew whether you could forgive my slap. If I could I would go back in time and cut off my own hand before it struck you. I am NOT my father! You’re the greatest thing that ever happened to me and I’ll never forget it.

I love you.....

The shambling corpses moved in, their bloodied and encrusted claw like hands reached for him. The shear terror sends his last memory deeper into the recesses of his mind as he shuts his eyes tightly. The memory of his Diana and he making their vows to each other, play over and over in his mind.

No, I am not here,he thinks frantically. I will feel no pain, I will feel no pain!

He can feel their decomposed hands grabbing at his arms and legs, their fingers tearing at his wounds. He hears the Dark one's lilting almost musical voice coo to her minions

"Go ahead my babies...feed...he is the last of those who would harm your beloved"

Shuddering he repeats shouting his thoughts within, I will feel no pain, I will feel no pain, I WILL FEEL NO PAIN!

Like a thousand paper cuts, he can feel it, he can feel them biting and tearing his flesh off. OH GOD, THE PAIN, THE PAIN, THE TERRIBLE PAIN IT'S SO UNBEARABLE. MAKE IT STOP, MAKE IT STOP, FOR THE LOVE OF GOD MAKE IT STOP!

He screamed as loud as he could, hoping against hope for his tormentors mistress will just end his suffering as quickly as she had the others of his team.

I WILL FEEL NO PAIN, I WILL FEEL NO PAIN, I WILL FEEL NO PAIN!
PLEASE, SOMEBODY, WAKE ME UP, PLEASE TELL ME THIS ISN’T REAL, TELL ME IT’S A DREAM. SOMEBODY HELP ME, HELP!

“DIANNA, DIANA! HELP ME, HELP ME, OH GOD I DON’T WANT TO DIE LIKE THIS.”

PLEASE, I DON’T WANT TO DIE LIKE THIS, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE. TELL THIS ISN’T REAL, TELL ME THEY’RE NOT TEARING MY FLESH OFF OR CHOKING ON MY BLOOD. SOMEBODY HELP ME, I CAN’T TAKE IT ANY MORE!

More flesh is torn off with blood gushing out of his body like a waterfall. running through and over the decayed fingers. He could feel his body about to be torn in half, those very same fingers digging into his stomach flesh and ripping it apart to get to the precious body organs within. The largest of the dead, a woman once, grabbed a hold of his mouth and began to tear it loose. With the last of his strength , the last of his breath he screamed out one last time...

DIANA!

The double shot rounds, fired from above pierced through his head, ending his suffering as his jaw was ripped away. His blue eyes widened as his vision....his pain..darkened into nothingness..

His body fell to the alley floor in a pool of his own blood as he became yet another feast for the hungry dead.

==========

The shot drew the cool eyes of the mistress to these undead monsters his way. His gaze locked with hers for the briefest of moments as she stood beneath her protective shimmering bubble. Alpha shivered despite himself as he found the coldness of his own stare mirrored back.

This was not his beast, this was a whole other nightmare in and of itself. He withdrew quickly leaving -that- Kara to her victory over the Crey he had intended to use to trap his Kara.

Good Lord, he thought. What the hell was that.

Was it possible she had changed since that incident in Boomtown? Or was this something new?

He had to find Fergie, he thought as he moved through the back alleys of Independence port.

Fergie would know..

He could make this right. That wasn't Diamond!

That was another predator, one as lethal as he...

September 19th, 2006 - Undisclosed Location , Brickstown


The silence surrounding him was almost deafening as he sat before his computer. The light from the monitor the room's only illumination. He dared not risk a light. The lights had been dimmed all over the base at this ungodly hour to ensure those whole worked within the lab would share the same hours of night and day as those who lived high above in the city.

One should move in total darkness when one is using one's computer to betray those he works for, Dr. Reynolds reminded himself as his program began its probing search of the Crey's main database. His eyes scanned endless files, networks and any conceivable location he could find for any information about his new found ally. The one his daughter had once chosen to give her heart too.

Dr. Reynolds sighed. He could not understand so much of what Kara had become since she 'mutated'. He had believed it to be a sickness, her mind altered by the rush...the onset of powers. He had even rationalized her relationship with the other girl as a part of her confusion. He had even been happy when he had received word they were no longer together. Yet in time, even he could see the deep sadness that had gripped Kara since their separation. His thoughts wandered over to this other girl....who still wished to aid him and his daughter..what a fool I have become, he thought as the other girl's words still hung heavy with him. She had shamed him that night in Founder's..

"...why can't you be proud of her?"

He closed his eyes and lifted his wire glasses to rub the bridge of his nose as a piercing pain coursed through his skull. So much had escaped his attention...the loyalty his daughter seemed to command without so much as asking, her popularity as a heroine of the city. Good lord, she has even been to the White House. The city and its heroes seemed to respect her and stood by her each time...

How can she be sick?

Then of course there had been that message on his pizza, it obviously could not have come from Melissa...could it have? What would she think of him...He sighed again as the computer chirped before him. He frowned and opened his eyes. Before him on the screen were a series of files all of them arrayed in order under the Mayhann girl's name. Each one dated going back almost two years, yet each one updated as early as last week.

His heart froze one of the files was titled "Reynolds/Dengo"

He winced seeing /that/ name, the name that indicated his daughter had forsaken his name for the name of her Japanese friend. The other one the Crey had hurt so badly. Her new family...Do they honor and love you kitten, he thought, better than your fool of a father? His failures were becoming more and more apparent with the passing of each night...

He had to help...but how? And what had Kara to do with this girl's project? He turned to his laptop and went over his ciphers and code breaking software and sighed. None of what he possessed could crack the codes of these black files, not without alerting his presence to Crey Security...

God Kitten...what is this...

His fingers trembled as he began to copy down what he saw and remembered how to find this section again. If he could not get through it, perhaps he could find someone...or something he amended remembering that his daughter had somehow found an ally who shut down the project's computer networks last winter.

He shook slightly and drew a tight breath, the Crey had even classified the Project's name but clearly it was active. And tied to his own work...

"What have I done?"

==========================

"......two more of that jack [censored]'s teams...are off the grid" Blue shook his head as he circled the polished wood conference table. Across it and on the monitors of the plush carpeted conference room showed photos and images of the two failed ambushes in Founders Falls. They showed PCPD officers, EMT's and of course Diamond and IV. Seated around the table, The Crey Project Advisor and her security chief. Blue turned a cool gaze to the well dressed yet nameless suit who had decided to join them this evening, When Blue demanded this new meeting...

"His insane attacks are becomin' very expensive failures for us" The Project Advisor droned.

"Once more in my men's lives Advisor" Snapped Blue. "Most of those operatives do NOT know they are renegades!" he leaned across the table looking directly at her "her allies amongst the Templars... and when we last met here you yourself told me directly she had no ties to the creatures of that /thing/ out there in the Hive...

"She doesn’t have any connection to them" The security chief interrupted "nor has she any connection to any one who might..."

"[censored]!" Thena interrupted as the representative from the Knives unit entered and threw a manila folder at the desk. Several photos slipped out of it as it skidded to a halt across its polished face. The photos clearly showed their target and a red and black armored blond.

"Then you bastards tell us why this girl....the one pictured with the target has no solid identity before her arrival at NPI. The holes in her background for the months prior to her admittance to NPI are so big you can [censored] drive a tractor trailer through them..." she smirked at Blue as she took her seat at the table.

Blue smiled his good ole boy smile and said warmly yet with a hint of danger looking right at the new suit "Our people have found 'footprints' of this girl's records in your databases guys..." he thinned his smile "like the data has been shifted and hidden but not erased....so much for a canceled project..." he shook his head "So are we gonna finally cut through the horseshit and get down to business now?"

The Crey Project Advisor turned a frightened eye to the dark suit who canted his head slightly "Yes ..... and No my dear Gunslinger"

Blue narrowed his eyes "Hard to dance pal if I don't hear the fiddle or know what song is a playin’'"

The man briefly glanced at the photos then back to Blue. "Very well I can tell you what you /will/ need...I will give you your priorities. Fair enough?...you need not know the song list just yet...just the name of the next song to dance as you are paid to?"

Blue paused before slowly nodding "Fair 'nuff"

"The Reynolds Girl is still a very high priority, how ever she is to be taken -alive-" he said coolly "Is this clear"

"Wha...” Began Thena who was cut short by Blue waving a cautionary hand towards her

"Go on...” Blue said his blue eyes as cold as icicles

"Your renegade problem is to be eliminated immediately...not just for your Malta's reasons but to safeguard the integrity of this project and the two...yes two Projects this is involved with...you see my dear Blue..." he paused as he stood indicating he was about to end his presence in their hastily called meeting.

"Operation Karma is a sub project of this one for Doctor Reynolds..."

Blue nodded, Thena fumed and the Crey Project advisor lowered her head as if terrified of interrupting this man

"Doctor Reynolds' work you see is invaluable to us because the Reynolds girl is a godsend...the Project Revenant story is just a cover my dear gunslinger" He buttoned his perfect suit jacket and straightened his sleeves, each move one of confident perfection. "Why this girl is the missing element to the only Project at this time that matters. It is the very reason we have been after her for the last two years now."

Blue frowned "and that project is?"

The Man finally looked up into Blue's eyes "Classified....of course" He added with a quiet but strong authority "Eliminate your renegades.../quickly/”

Blue nodded "We've already begun ...Tilly...” he stopped as the man leaned forward across the table towards Blue to add...

"Capture the girl, bring her to us alive, and deal with any and all assets with extreme prejudice who assist the target should she resist capture." He waved a hand lazily "I care not how you get it done just do it ...one more thing" he voice turned ice cold for emphasize " This one..." he tapped the photos over the blond girl's features "is not to be killed....defend yourself. Pain is never a problem. Do what it takes to discourage her from assisting your target...but never finish this one off...am I clear?"

"Check....no matter what these two alive..." Blue said coolly. If anything he was a professional "So bring her in as well”

The suited man stood and shook his head "Of course not...we want her left out in the field...for now" he smirked thinly at Blue "Are your instructions clear?"

"As mud...” Blue intoned dryly "But they will be obeyed. But I have to warn you...Malta is getting impatient with the losses in manpower and material"

"They will as always be compensated...this is a very important project..."

With that the man in the suit turned and left the room, vanishing into the shadows of the hallway.

Terrific, Blue thought as he met Thena's gaze. The two trained killers nodded and stood to walkout.

The Project Leader stood leaning forward to collect the photos and restore them to the folder "You will keep me informed then?"

Blue paused at the door and glanced over his shoulder "Yes Ma'am...at least we now know where we all stand" he added indicating he realized her position now as the head of a sub project.

He left her to seethe as he too stepped out into the shadows...

September 25th, 2006 - King's Row



Undisclosed Airstrip
15 miles South-West of Paragon City
0037hrs Local
(Mission: Black Light + 0 days)

It took all but 30 minutes to reassemble and prep the three MH-6 ‘Little Bird’ helicopters and within 4 minutes they were airborne screaming like angry locusts into the dark Rhode Island sky. The three black machines banked swiftly and headed off for their target in Paragon. The three were flying blacked out except for the green tritium laced instrument panel, glowed with the aid of night vision goggles. Chief Flight Officer "Baker-1" piloted the lead helicopter Rook 3-7, followed by Rooks 3-5 and 3-6 carrying the brunt of the Malta assault force, Knight -3 and 4 on their external benches.

Gulf Foxtrot Adder- the team leader of Knight 3 and mission commander, fidgeted with his assault vest in an ill-fated attempt to ease the pain of the pinched flesh caught between its straps. Seated on the forward outboard spot on Rook 3-5 the Gunslinger mentally rehearsed the mission ahead of him, contemplated contingencies as well as the planned escape and evasion options hatched by Blue's planning and operation staff.

From this position he was exposed to the elements and could feel the cold air scrape across the uncovered portions of his face and creep through the neck line of his modified obsidian black coveralls, similar to the ones used by pilots, and cool the heat accumulating from underneath all of his gear. Looking to the south he could see the distant lights of the city. Paragon City, Rhode Island, the city of heroes, Christ he thought. It's bad enough his team had been training to recover one of the city's most well known heroines but one mistake down there brings a world of super powered hurt down upon his team.

He frowned as the machines banked once more and centered on the region of the city known as "King's Row", they would only have minutes before the local air traffic controllers would realize they had broached the war walls. Though for two years most of his men had been involved with or had participated in the hunt for the Hero known as Diamond, tonight regrettably their target was much different. Much different yet no less deadly nor elusive as the Heroine herself had proven to be.
Tonight each member of his team knew that their objective tonight was quite capable of wiping them out as well.

For the duration of the trip Adder had tuned the world out of his head; drifting off into that zone of semi-consciousness controlled by instinct and intuition. Lost in his surroundings, a burst of static followed by the flight leaders voice rushed through the FM frequency and into the left padded ear-cup of Adder’s headset, “Command be advised, we're 11 minutes from the target and the objective is still well illuminated if, we push on we’ll be compromised,” informed the flight leader. Adder methodically replied, “Roger that Chief, have some faith. Press on.”

And with no notice or clamor the ground ahead of them went black, as though consumed by a massive black hole as the lights of the warehouse block went dark. “Oh [censored], I think somebody kinda [censored] up down there,” yapped Tac-Operative Peters over the team’s communication network- Team Net. Instead of the preplanned one blacked out city block, covert assets managed to disable garment district’s electrical grid. The incident was so unexpected that it dissolved most of the pre-mission anxiety,
“You know I’m gonna wanna hear that story when we get back,” replied Adder over team-net.

“No kidding,” mocked Peters over his microphone’s boom.

The flight to their target had been gauged at 40 minutes and the aerial convoy had been flying for 36 of them. After receiving the 2-minute warning from the lead pilot and confirming with his own GPS unit, Adder adjusted his MICH helmet- tactical replacement to the bulkier combat helmet, flipped down and engaged his night vision monocle as the rest of the assault force made last minute equipment checks. The Chief Flight Officer, carrying a sniper/Sapper, broke away from the formation and slipped into an over-watch position which circled the target building as Rooks 3-5 and 3-6 continued the one-minute flight to the target building’s roof. Adder checked the FM frequency his MBITR was set to and applied pressure to his radios press-to-talk button,

“Knight-3-Lead to all Knight Elements, stand-by for insertion,” the Gunslinger ordered.

The sleek and agile MH-6 decelerated and hovered at 2 feet over the target building’s roof for a few seconds, giving the operators of Knight-3 enough time to unhook their safety-lines and slip off of the helicopters benches. Adder’s team fanned out taking up security on the rooftop’s four corners as Rook 3-6 came in fast, flared and deposited Knight-4 who then proceeded to the roof’s access door.

The Chief Flight Officer then transmitted a brief message back to the team’s Malta tactical operations center located deep within the Crey Lab, “Rook-Lead to Queen-6, Guard Dog. I say again Guard Dog,” confirming the successful deployment of the assault force.

Knight-4’s team leader quietly articulated through the Team Net, “In position, demo up.” Upon hearing this, Knight 3 collapsed its perimeter from the four corners and moved towards the access door behind Knight-4, Tac-Op Peters from team-3 prepared a full-frame breaching charge- three shaped C4 charges were placed vertically to destroy the door hinges while a fourth was placed to cover the locking mechanism. While Peters placed the demolitions, Ops Officer Smyth- Knight-3’s communication specialist, removed the two-foot long satellite antennae from its black carry-bag and unfurled its brackets back. Smyth placed the antennae on top of the access door and pointed it in the appropriate azimuth of the nearest orbiting satellite constellation. He would then trail a fiber optic cable behind the assault force and connect it into a wireless signal repeater which would be received by the multi-band satellite radio he carried.

The bare MH-6’s took up a flight plan that would circle them around the target at a distance of 5 minutes. Constantly observing the city skyline for police and Hero air assets. The Knight elements stacked up in anticipation of a dynamic entry; Knight-4 was located to the right of the door while Knight-3 was on its left side. The demolitions sergeant was positioned at the head of his team and would use a lightweight battering ram to push back the metal door after the explosive charge went off on the order to breach, so that Knight-4 could smoothly lead them through the door and down the flight of stairs to their objective.

“Knight-3-Lead to all Knight Elements, I have control- stand by,” commanded Adder as he gripped the electrical firing device linked to the breaching charges. “Five…Four…Three…Two…Breach…Go! Go! Go!”
On the Go command Tac-Op Peters stepped forward and swung the ram forward with all of his strength to push the disabled door out of the way.

Gunslinger Silent Tango Viper and his assault team, Knight-4, led the offensive into the building and first through the door was the gunslinger that immediately came into contact with two Malta tactical operatives, who still had their hands protecting their bloodied ears. The engagement was brief as Viper dispatched the first guard with two rounds to the chest and as the second guard turned to run, Viper’s second two round burst entered under the guard’s armpit and exited through his abdomen, he quickly crumpled to the ground.

The four-story warehouse had once upon a time been a local carpet and garment storehouse, but now it housed a full strike team of Malta commandos. Renegades who had been acquired and trained by Adder's own one time commander, The Gunslinger know commonly know as Alpha. His failure to capture Diamond for the Crey and dismissal from the Crey's Project had led to some kind of breakdown. A breakdown that now not only jeopardized the Crey's Project but all Malta operations in the city.
Most of the agents working with him had no clue they were renegades.

His tactics had been mostly low tech after the heroine had somehow shut down and compromised the Crey computer network under his watch. The Malta were clear on their ordered objectives as were the Crey. Alpha seeks to kill the target of the Crey Project; his actions are bringing unwanted attention to other Malta and Crey operations. The renegades were to be eliminated....with extreme prejudice. Tonight was merely the first of many cells Alpha had operating in the city scattered and with little in the way of tracking them.

Team 4’s first shooting pair, split off on the 4th floor as their teams Engineers set up their auto turrets to secure all access the floor. They entered and secured the minute office space as a second pair of Tac operatives, moved down to the second floor thus isolating the primary assault team, Knight-3, who was responsible for conducting the 'kill' on the third floor. The guards were taking by surprise by their fellow Malta intruders as they tried to make sense of the commotion on the roof, unfortunately for them by the time they realized what was going on, Knight-3 began their assault of the target floor.

With clipped precision the elements of Knight-3 moved through the makeshift renegade barracks on the main target floor like vengeful silent wraiths. The soft coughing popping of their weapons muffled by the suppressors only added to the ballet of death as in turn each of the renegades caught unprepared arced through the air twisting in final throes of life. Two by two the invaders moved through the room in step and with lethal accuracy they pulled the triggers of their weapons at anything not of their team. Within moments they had swept across the massive room and turned beginning a sweep back, adding the necessary round or two were necessary to the fallen bodies of their one time comrades.

Adder chirped into his radios’ boom, “This is Knight-3, floor secured. Knight-4 gimme a sitrep,” requesting the two shooting pairs to report their current situation. Knight-4’s team leader was the first to respond with his situation report,

“This is 4-Lead, my location is secure, encountered light contact on my level, but something’s not feeling right,” followed by Operations Officer Aston, team 4’s assisting team leader (ATL) down on the second floor,

“4-2 here, my location is secure, I think they’ve figured out what’s going on and might attempt to counter-attack but I think we’re cool for now.”

Satisfied with the team’s status he ended the transmission, “Roger that, hold status Knight-4.”

While the Gunslinger assumed his command responsibilities, the other members of Knight-3 assumed their own mission responsibilities; Peters and the teams medic once more ensured that the dead were not faking their deaths by checking their pulse’s and then collected any weapons they possessed and dumped them at the other side of the room. Tac Op Smyth roughly scuffled through any paper work he encountered looking for any viable intelligence on Alpha's operations. However his slightly erratic behavior caught the senior Malta’s eye prompting him to approach the 24 year-old communication specialist,

“You okay kid,” asked Adder placing his right hand on the younger Malta’s shoulder.

“Locked and cocked Boss,” he responded shrugging off the instant flashback of his first face to face kill of a fellow Malta Operative.

The team leader nodded understanding the new members’ plight, and then squeezed and shook Smyth’s shoulder, “We’ll deal with it later. Get your game face on, we’re still in the [censored],” Adder firmly assured.

“Boss we got a situation over here!” Without hesitation Adder turned 90 degrees to face one of his operators crouched over by a dirty and broken window "CFO reports police and MH units inbound. Rooftop cannons struck two wandering MH's and scragged em, but mediport got em before we could" the young engineer reported.

"[censored] ...guess our secret is out" Adder sighed, thinking to himself, well no OP is without its problems.He looked up as Peters approached with a renegade in tow. "He surrendered sir..." Peters went on "Found him shutting' hisself in the backroom...he tossed up his hands instantly"

Adder winced at the mistake but perhaps this could salvaged, if the renegade knew anything useful he would be spared, if not it wouldn’t matter whether the man was shot here or in the hanger back at the lab.
"Be smart “he hissed at their prisoner "Say not a [censored] word til you get back with us...clear" he grinned thinly as the former Malta operative nodded

“It’s getting pretty hot down here 3-Lead, third MHI in as many minutes” announced Aston over the Team Net from his position on the second floor. “Roger that. We’re nearly done, just keep it cool. If you need another body let me know,” replied Adder. Viper then joined Adder on the third floor, “What’s up skip?”

In silence he pointed to the prisoner in response, “Yea, he’s ready to go upstairs.” Nodding in acknowledgment he glimpsed over to the new souvenir, “Who the [censored] is that?”

Adder grimaced “Apparently he’s a European Operative, Alpha used the boys from the Italian Operation he was heading too, they didn’t seem to think they were renegades...he might be able to help us finish off the rest of Alpha's operation.”

“Well we shall see,” answered Viper as the sounds from below indicated the arrival of more minor league MHI's. Adder, the leader of team-3 turned to Smyth and Peters and frustratingly looked at his timepiece; they were three minutes behind schedule “What the [censored] is taking so long?”

“Nada, he’s ready to go, flex-cuffed and blindfolded like you like ‘em Boss,” witted Peters.

“Ok [censored], move him up to the 4th floor, Smyth give Rook the go ahead.”

Smith unhooked the handset from his vest, checked the VHF frequency located on the remote display hooked to his left shoulder strap and applied pressure to the handset’s press to talk button with his thumb, “Rook elements, extract is a go, I repeat green light for extract, over,” after receiving confirmation Smith outstretched a thumbs up to his team leader and replaced the handset.

Adder ran his eyes over the dead and stripped former Malta operatives that lay around the warehouse floor where they had fallen. In silence he vowed that not only would Alpha pay for this...but so would Doc Reynolds little princess.

"We will get her boys and laugh as the Crey doc's tear her insides out for this"

With a snarl he turned and bolted to rejoin his team. Within moments they were clear of the building and flying with great stealth out of the city. Each of the operatives had undertaken a painful operation...Payback was coming. Each of them would see to it...

October 13th, 2006 - Undisclosed Location, Italy

The warm breeze wafted across the blue Mediterranean as the music reached out to caress his soul. The crystal melody of Andre Rieu's performance of Schubert's Ava Marie danced across his senses and tempted his soul with beauty. Beauty that he could see and appreciate but yet in his heart he felt removed from.

Forever to admire yet never to partake. He closed his eyes and simply enjoyed the moment as he stood amongst the lovely green of the gardens that surrounded him. The leaves and the brightly colored flowers danced. He sighed, his mind soon found itself tugged and pulled in two different directions. One longing for this moment of peace the other knowing it could not last. He knew of the situation that would soon require his presence, he had heard of the failures and knew it was a matter of time.

A matter of time struggling eternally with a longing for true peace. He felt his sigh deeply within his soul as the lovely chords of Rieu's violins blended in harmony with the wind around him. His mind's eye began to slip past the years to another time, another day, much like this one, another time so long ago atop this roof. The image came so clearly, as the words of Nietzsche arose to herald its arrival...

"One must have a good memory to be able to keep the promises one makes."

...He was a little boy once more; his Grandfather had taken him up to the roof of their house almost to this very spot. This wasn't unusual as Grandfather and he often spoke and often he found himself strange places while they did. They took walks in the park, journeyed to the sea's shore. He'd always looked forward to the journeys and their conversations because the older man never treated him like he was stupid and never as a child then.

Grandfather spoke to him never down to him. With patience and with wisdom he taught the boy to think while the boy soaked it all in, thriving under the older man's tutelage.

Up on the rooftop, gray clouds scuddled along the northern sky and the wind carried its moisture as well as the scent of apple blossoms back. The city normally glowed. Now in the aftermath of a summer storm, it more than glowed. It was radiant.

“This is our home. Everything you see before you is everything that generations of our family have died to create and protect. People will tell you that our traditions, our beliefs, are chains. Maybe when you get older, you may begin to think that as well...”

He'd opened his mouth to protest. No, Grandpa. I'd never make that mistake. But, just in time he caught himself. Grandfather was talking. It was for him to listen. But he still couldn't help himself from shaking his head in the negative.

Just a fraction.

Grandfather frowned at him. “Maybe,” he repeated, “when you get older you may think that as well. But I want you to consider our gardens. Look.”

A hand gently touched the boy's shoulder and directed him to the north end of the building's roof. The perfect lines of roses, orchids, lilies and trees stretched before them. Color. Life.

“They are beautiful, aren't they?”

“Yes, Grandfather,” he said as soberly as his piping little voice could.

The hand at his shoulder shifted him again, “Now. Look at those gardens. The ones your brother was given charge of. Tell me of those.”

The boy knew better than to speak without thinking his answer through. He studied the patch of earth and growth that his mother had given Daniel as a gift. Daniel had been polite enough but it was clear that a garden was not what he'd been hoping for as his sixteenth birthday gift. The boy didn't think that the small garden had been touched since that day, four years ago. Strangely enough, none of the servants had touched it either. It had just been left. Waiting for Daniel's hand or for no one's.

“It is all weeds.” the boy said slowly. “There's still color but its bleeding out of the rows and the weeds are grown up in it. It’s not solid and it’s...sloppy. Parts of it are dead.”

“Very good. Why do you think it is that way, then?”

“Because... Danny hasn't taken care of it?”

The silence from grandfather was an indication that more was required.

“Because... weeds grow faster than flowers. And... Flowers only grow where they are tended. Weeds... grow anywhere if not controlled? They grow where they aren't supposed to be. And... Things that aren't cared for. They die?”

For a moment, he was afraid. His Grandfather's eyes were so distant. What had he said wrong? It was never a good sign when Grandfather was silent for so long.

“The world is not a perfect place, child. Not in its natural state. Weeds will always kill the flowers if allowed their way. Men, without law, will despoil the beauty around them. Look well." The older man gestured to the dying garden.

"See what happens to a garden without a strong hand to guide it and show the flowers where to grow." his voice to on a wispy wistful tone. "To prune when needed. To pull the weeds that threaten to choke out all color and life. Even more, to unify the efforts of color. Of life. To a common purpose and goal.”

The boy shivered. He could see it. He could see how something beautiful was no more because nothing had brought it together. A flash of inspiration brought the analogy.

“Grandfather?” It was a request to be allowed to speak. The old man nodded.

“Might it be said that it is like a chorus of singers with no one setting the tune. The noise would be horrible.”

Grandfather smiled and the boy straightened in pride at the tacit approval.

“It is the same. Now see that. See those images in the city in front of you. Look to what we've done here. I want you to see these gardens and believe, always in what order can accomplish.”

The boy turned his dark eyes to the glittering buildings before him. To the people just starting to go about their lives after the cleansing rush of the rain.

“I see it Grandfather,” he said gravely.

“And?”

“... and I believe.”

The perfect harmony of wind and music came to an abrupt end as the mere sound of a soft scuffing of a boot across roof tile. The Man quirked a brow the noise had been for him as loud as the falling of might crystal chandelier.

"Excuse me sir?" a sharp, even toned voice said from behind.

"Yes?" the man said allowing a part of him to slip back to reality from his momentary reverie.

"You have a call" The voice belonged to his only servant, the man who was to care for his memories in his absence. "It is direct from Malta"

"Direct from Malta" the Man's warm yet even tone repeated as his eyes reluctantly opened. "They have need of me once again, in point of fact Jerome"

"Yes sir, I would imagine so" Jerome replied and turned to head back down the stairs into the building.

The man allowed himself only a moment more of peace, his thoughts already turning to the long expected call. His mind began to prepare him for a trip to Paragon. Such a call could only be for one reason. They could not control a situation. They could deal with the renegades and maybe their target...

But not both...

So they required him to do what he has always done before. Restore order from chaos; weed the garden to allow the flowers to grow. He did not relish this trip however, if it was what he expected.

He drew a breath and allowed his gaze once more to cover the beautifully maintain rows of flowers and plants. Their colors, their scents, their natural beauty...

He sighed and then smiled.

“... and I believe.”

October 19th, 2006 - Talos Island


Death.

I wait for it. Finally my time has come.

I have failed...

I have fought with my soul ablaze in this damned city unlike any who have fought before. Doing the duty to my men, my cause...

My hunt....

At first all I sought was the work the Malta set before us...and yet I failed. Her eyes...that damn smile..I gave in...I yielded to pride.

All about me stand the men I betrayed when I betrayed myself. I see them looking down at me as I lay there.

Almost as if asking for their absolution.

Peace finally found on the ground before them, Like it should have been in life, had I not turned from our purpose.I feel the light around me fading; the sun long chased from the sky by the magic of this bizarre invasion. This eclipse surrounds the docks where my men stand around me, its darkness taking with light, the warmth of my body. Though my sight is blurred and every fiber of my body cries out so desperately in pain, I manage to move my line of sight to the night sky, to the very heavens themselves. It’s beautiful, beyond words to me dying eyes. I remember seeing the skies of many places, in many different countries.

Yet none have looked as peaceful as the one that hangs above me.

So strange, this place, this sky is all so unfamiliar to me and yet I feel at home. Calm and serene as though I had lived all my long life in this place. Though part of me knows that in some sense it is. She took...no I gave to her a piece of myself and became blinded to our true work...in then end it was not her defeat of me.

I defeated myself...

I smile, somehow through the agony, happy in the fact that I will meet my fate here and find myself not lacking. My part here is complete for it is nothing but His will that has felled me. I lost my way and it was not the weapons of my enemy but the will of my Lord. I have tread the path laid down at my feet to its end and as I have done so in the end with my duty...

I do not fear what is to lie ahead for me. I have and will never fear my own demise.

Grey. The colors are lost to me now.

All about me is dull. No longer will my eyes see the beauty of my home, no longer will I look upon the wonder of the places I was charged to protect and defend. No longer will I gaze upon my brothers, my men, the people I have fought along side for as long as I can remember.

They are lost to me now, as I am to them. Gone forever, never to be returned.

It is cold now, bitterly so. To know despite failing I stood for my mistake... The warmth totally and irrevocably leached away with the blood that flows so freely and unbidden from my body. I shiver despite myself and I cannot fathom the reason why. My world, my universe is so changed. Narrowing to a thin line of vision. And in it I see nothing.

I strain my ears to try and pick up any sounds, but they are gone too. The world is empty to me now. In it is only myself. My mind begins to wonder. Am I truly alone here?

Have all fallen in this battle. Is this world lost to all as well as myself?

No. My unspoken questions are answered. A face swims into my sight. A face that I now and clearly recognize. A vision of mercy in my eyes, a vision in pure white. He speaks, though it sounds like from a great distance away, though I still understand his words.

"You fought bravely" his soothing tone reaches my ears from far away. "Though in error, you showed yourself to be a man and stood your ground"

His eyes hold great sympathy and understanding, such an odd face for my executioner.

"Do not despair, this is a good death" He adds as he squeezes my hand tightly in his . "It is fitting for you are a man who has done great works and thus deserve such a death"

I smile perhaps my failure is not yet complete.

‘Your wounds are too grave brother’ he speaks softly to me. ‘Do you desire a peaceful release?’

A click, quiet as a whisper, but as loud as thunder rolls around me.
I open my lips to speak, to ask. But my words are lost in my chest.

My Angel nods in complete understanding.

"The others? They are whole, brother" He smiles sadly "You saved them. They will be returned to duty as certain as your name is to be entered in some book of honor"

I nod. My strength all but spent. Content in the knowledge that my brothers still live. I have given my all for them and all the people I serve. My name will be remembered and through my brothers I shall not be forgotten.

I will live on through them even though my soul is released.

I close me eyes and feel no more as the roar erupts before me.


===========================================

Undisclosed Location - Brickstown

Blue replaced the phone's receiver back onto its cradle and settled back into his chair within the walls of the security center. With one finger he idly lifted his folded and worn cowboy hat up a bit and shook his head.

From the shadows behind him a voice spoke "What was that?"

Softly Blue marveled "This new operative the Malta are sending us..."

Athena stepped out of the shadows, and frowned "Yes go on..."

"He already got Alpha...." Blue's voice though as even toned as usual held a degree of surprise as he turned to face her.

"Already? but...this man hasn't...." she started.

"Yup...hasn't even checked in yet. Got Alpha after only being in the city five hours. Tracked him and his men down in the middle of all of that [censored] going on out there"

Athena stood silent as Blue continued softly.

"He got Alpha..."

"And?" Athena asked.

Blue turned to face the Sister of Artemis and said in a cool voice...

"All he said to me was..."Your Man Alpha has had a good death".." Blue cleared his throat and turned back to the bank of monitors before them

"And then he said he was coming to see us"

November 3rd, 2006 - Undisclosed Crey Lab - Brickstown

He wasn’t supposed to love her anymore. She was different, a mutant, hidden and brewing inside of her like a virus until that horrible day. The day he lost her like he lost her mother.

His world ended. She came to him, alone and frightened .... and he had turned her away.

He could see the fear in his son's eyes and the scorn in his wife's tones. He had rejected her in a moment of weakness...and she had been horribly hurt.

She was supposed to be happy and perfect, the way she had always been. His pillar of strength when her mother had died. A smile for her father whenever he had needed one. His kitten...now a freak..

He is not a good man. Not any longer, he has done questionable things, and knows that he will do more of them in the future.

He had lept into bed with the Crey when, playing on his fears and weakness they offered to fund his research for a cure for his kitten. Hidden agendas, other projects almost an army against an army...

She is sick they had told him, delusional. So he did things...things for them...things for her.

There is blood on his hands, and much of it is innocent. He still believes that what he does is vital—necessary—but no longer does he delude himself into thinking that it is moral or just.

If there is a hell, he expects to burn.

He did not, however, expect his own reaction to the other girl's disgust in his actions. He did not expect his heart to skip a beat when she asked him how he could not be proud of his daughter....to accept Kara.

As she is....for what she is...

His daughter.

Not a test subject. Not a freak.

His child.

When did that happen? He wonders.

When did she become nothing more to him than an experiment? Was it those reports that poured in from the Crey of out of control mutants? Was it his wife's concern over their social standing at the club and with their friends? Did the fear in his son's eyes cause him to be so deaf he forgot who she really was?

He closes his eyes and sees who she once was ...her smiles..her laughter... those late nights, after her mother had been taken from them, when it seemed like the only thing that would soothe her was if he held her in his arms?

He sees and hears her very first noises she made to him as he held her tiny form in hands so long long ago. He hears her first words. Sees her as he holds his arms out to her while she tottered on chubby toddler legs as she took her first steps to him...

How many times did he say “I love you, Kara” to her ....only to fail her when she most needed those arms.

He can almost still feel her hand in his as she told him what had almost happened to her. He can still feel her need for her daddy to comfort her, protect her … and he can still feel his own desperate desire to keep her safe.

He cringes as he remembers how he snapped his hand away from her...the freak that stood before him. His heart freezes as he remembers her pleas and tears as he turned his back on her...ordering her out of his house..

"My child is dead..."

He chokes as the awful words he spoke that day rise up in his memory. He still hears the sound of his den door closing quietly behind him as she left.

He had paid for her schooling...at PCU and that mutant school ...if only to keep her away...

It’s too late for him, he knows. He will never be clean again. Never be free of the shame. Someday, when his kitten learns how involved his was with her project, when she sees finally what he truly is, she won’t be his little girl any longer …

But he has never been prone to self-delusion and he won’t start now. A chance to free her and those close to her will come...
I failed her on so many levels. a failure that hurt her friends and those that she loves..

Those that she loves...

He will find away to keep them safe...to keep her safe...

He can not undo...he can not fix things or make them go away. He is trapped and he has learned one thing after all of this...

He loves her, and he knows he always will.

The lone figure stands in shadows beside the now sleeping figure of Dr. Reynolds, as he lay slumped across his desk in the semi darkness of his lab. The man beside the sleeping father had been standing silently behind the exhausted man and had remained quiet as he listened to his thoughts.

Since he had reported to the Project's facilities after dispatching their renegade problems, the man known only as the Specialist had used the delay of the current invasion. During this time he had spent it observing and questioning it's key members.

The Specialist had been observing this doctor for some time. Often his casual thoughts too were guarded, protective almost paranoid. The Specialist had caught the man's deepest and most protected thoughts only as exhaustion had overwhelmed him this evening.

Carefully the Specialist walked around to the other chair to retrieve a discarded lab coat and draped it across the sleeping man's shoulders with a gentle respect.

"You may sleep peacefully Doctor" he whispered. "There isn't a man amongst us who can say they've never had a crisis of faith or love"

With a look of admiration the man shook his head "Such loyalty through love is a strong bond...regrettably you and I will be at odds..." with that he reached out and patted the doctor's shoulder.

"Sleep now good doctor and dream of a daughter's love....while you still can"

Walking softly out of the lab, the Specialist paused only to turn off the lights to the lab. He would not report the good doctor, this was to have been expected. He could not fault the man.

He understood him.

Empty.

That was what the city was...

Empty.

A biting cold wind blew, tossing papers and other rubbish around him. Dr. William Reynolds looked about him, taking in the eerily silent buildings and vacant streets. Paragon, he thought as he closed his jacket tighter. I'm in Paragon..

The hairs on his arms stood up on end as he moved about, he could've sworn he had taken his wife and son away for the holidays. How did he come back here, why was it always to /here/ ?

‘What on Earth, happened here?’ He thought peeking into an abandoned grocery store. The area was untouched, no items spilled or carts left unattended. Everything was neat and organized. Pulling away from the store, He continued through the city streets, looking about as his thoughts rattled on. It was as if the people had just been removed, as if...as if the city ..no the world awaited something new.

The thought nagged, an itch buried deeply in his thoughts that he could not reach..

‘Where is everyone?’ He thought, a chill running down his spine. ‘ The people, all of them, they are all gone…everyone.’ The silence around him save for the wind was devastating.

Turning a corner, Dr. Reynolds found himself now in a totally different section of the city, a residential section, a well to do one at that. Apartments surrounded him, boats floated in isolation still tied to their docks as if waiting with extraordinary patience for their owners who would never return. Flipping his collar up to fight off the chilling wind Dr. Reynolds continued his walk, trying to find someone…anyone…

“No, no…he’s coming, he’s coming…”

Doctor Reynolds turned, peering through the darkness of one of the alleys. He could just barely make out the shape of a young man curled up beside a dumpster half covered in the drifting snow, mumbling softly. Making his way into the darkness, Dr. Reynolds knelt down beside the shivering form.

“It’s ok…it will be ok.” He soothed in his best bedside manner as he tried to assess the boy's condition.

“He’s gonna get me…gonna get me…” the near frozen young man kept muttered not looking at him.

“No one is…” He tried to reassure the frightened figure "There is no one here but me...your safe now, here let me help"

“He’ll come…take you too!” The man looked up with panic-filled eyes. “They took everyone…everyone…don’t let them take you.”

“Who took them?” The Doctor asked as the wind ripped around and through them. “Tell me what happened.”

The man looked around, shaking hard. He continued to mutter to himself, saying nothing but gibberish. Dr. Reynolds sighed, standing up and moving to go, he had to go get help...at least try to get the boy some shelter. Before he could take a step, the man’s hand latched onto his ankle.

“A gun…do you have a gun?” William frowned, feeling the bulge inside of his jacket long before his numb finger found it. A shoulder holster for a handgun....a pistol. He couldn't remember ever wearing such thing. He was even startled more to find the holster empty. The thought of losing a pistol he never knew he had send chills through him. His eyes grow wild as he sees the black pistol in the hands of the frost bitten youth.

“Don’t let them get you.” he gasped and with that, he placed the revolver in his mouth.

“WAIT!”

The small clap of thunder echoed through the alley.

Dr. Reynolds could only stand in mute shock as, the boy's body slipped down with a sickening thump. He took a few steps back in surprise and bumped into another person. So silent had been his approach the doctor had not even heard the crunch of the snow, he seemed to just appear. His form unmoving at the contact, firm and solid in place, like a coiled spring simply waiting to explode.

“Looks like someone had a problem with anxiety.” The newcomer said in an even tone, his voice soft as he turned his almost gentle looking brown eyes to the body laying slumped against the wall. "If you listen to your fears, you will die never knowing what a great person you might have been."

“You…” Dr. Reynolds, turning to face the man he knew only as the 'Specialist'. The Agent of the Malta was dressed in dark tactical clothing, and topped off with a black leather duster. The man turned his gaze back up to meet the doctor's.

“Hello Doctor Reynolds.” The man said. “You can not save them all you know, some just lose their way, every Sheppard must be prepared to lose a part of their treasured flock"

Dr. Reynolds, slowly inching back towards the dead man, towards his pistol. “what did you do?...What have you done here?”

The man merely closed his eyes and waved out one of his hands “Oh, this city? It had to be taken, it had to be pacified in order to maintain control over the order of things” He paused. “You must see this of course?”

“Why?” William asked, shaking his head.

The Specialist regarded him with pity. “Because we could, my good doctor. Why else? Why do you do what you do? The thrill of power.” He leaned in, lips curled up in crude smile. “Do you have any idea what it is like…to say a single word and bring millions trembling in fear, at your feet in sheer terror? Ooooooh, nothing like it.” His eyes twinkled. “Of course, once we got bored with that, we let our partners in crime take care of the leftovers.”

“Partners?” William shivered.

“Of course…you see without order, without control they can do anything they like, chaos, murder destruction. Yet you see order needs to be maintained." The Specialist shook his head, " See one of them behind you removing the gun you are trying reach.” The man nodded slowly. “Turn around my good doctor.”

William slowly turned, taking in a short gasp of air as he came face to face with the figure in a black duster much like that of the specialist.

“What?...but who?”

The figure’s head lifted up. “Don't you even know me anymore /Daddy/.”

“Kara?” he breathed shocked at the sight of her.

Kara smirked, pointing the gun right at her father. “What, no Kitten?”

"Kara…how…how could you…”

“Kill people?” Kara asked, circling her father and moving towards the Specialist. The older man wrapped his arms around her waist, chin resting on her shoulder as she continued to point the gun at her father. “He and the Crey opened my eyes Daddy.” She grinned. “Order must be maintain only then can the laws work...can justice be maintained?” she smiled a smile of the deeply devoted half glancing at the Specialist as she said "Isn't that right?"

“Absolutely, one must always keep faith with one's true goals dancer.” The Specialist said softly.

Doctor Reynolds’s eyes narrowed. “You did this…you forced her…”

“He showed me to truth!” Kara shouted. “He accepts me…he accepts what I can do! You wanted me to hide, to be normal! I’m not normal dad!, and I will never be normal. This is who I am, and you can’t stop me from being me. -They- showed me that.” She sneered wickedly at him with a great deal of hurt and pain in her eyes "You know what was done to me..what you tried to do....they almost murdered /her/ on your order!"

"Kitten No! " William sputtered. "I never tried to have her.."

"Don't you dare call me your Kitten!...ever" she snarled viciously cocking the hammer of the pistol. Her hand stayed by the gentle touch of the Specialist.

“No my dancer...not like that.” The Specialist said to her removing the pistol from her hands. “Your gift of energy is pleasing to her and of so much more use to us. " He turned to look at William with a great deal of sympathy " But now dancer, I do very much think this reunion has come to its close.”

He shrugged, stepping away from Kara as she leveled her hand at her father's chest, her arm glowing brightly. “Just think Doctor, you will be remembered as the man that raised the first Mistress of the Earth. Quite an honor.”

The Specialist shook his head slowly "A new World order is rising...such a gift from a man who has done such good works"

"Mistress of ? " William blinked stunned such a familiar phrase, where had he heard that, he threw a panicked glance at Kara who now stood trembling before him. A hiss seemed to surround the air of the city carried forth by the wind, as if a million trees were wafting in an unseen breeze.

”Kara…don’t…”

Kara looked at her father, tears in her eyes, so vulnerable, so frightened as she had been that night in his den so long ago. “Why didn’t you stop him Daddy?” She whispered looking down, she shivered as the noise around them grew louder. The sidewalks shuddered as if something titanic was trying to push through from the ground beneath the pavement.

Kara looked back up, her face transformed into a more wicked form. “This is all your fault!” She laughed a hollow laugh, as her blast left her arm searing deeply into his chest...

Searing white hot pain .....

.....and then...

“KARA!”

December 27th, 2006 - Bermuda

He sat straight up panting, his side of the bed covered in sweat. His eyes darted about as he tried to get his bearings. Beside of him her heard his wife's annoyed murring at his disturbance before she once more returned to her gentle snoring. He stood, still shaking as he left the bed, and walked out of the room. Opening the glass doors he stumbled out onto the terrace of his hotel room. The warm Bermuda wind gently caressed him as he turned to look out over the sea

.…so peaceful…

William leaned forward to clench at the rail of his balcony, his knuckles going white. William closed his eyes..

“I won’t let him hurt you.” He whispered. “You will not become a monster for them"

"I promise kitten....I won’t let that happen.”

December 29th 2006 - King's Row

Originally posted by Templar Paul Angel


Ever had one of those days...

Paul Angel sat atop an abandoned building in Kings Row, looking about the area scanning for Clockwork. He had been there for about half an hour now looking for as many as his contact had wanted parts from.

"Still amazes me..", he laughed to himself, "you can always find Clockwork when you don't need them, but if you do..not a one."

He laughed again, smiled and just shruged his luck off because he knew that maybe somehow with those parts that the Clockwork could be figured out. About to stand up, Paul's attention was drawn to a noise in the alleyway below him. Several figures marching along in order in the shadows of the alley.

Paul kneeled to try to get a better look, saying to himself, "Now who are these guys.."

In the alley below, the Unit Commander of a small Malta detachment stopped to check the surroundings before using his comm.

"Unit Commander 416 to Commander, no sighting of the target in Kings Row, she does not appear to be in the area. Requesting further instruction.", he said as he stared down at the comm.

A voice replied back on the comm, "Unit Commander, continue your search. Also be aware it is known that Paul Angel is in the area as well, his lack of memory might be useful towards finding her.."

Upon hearing this, Paul quirks a brow and says, "How do they know me?". Quickly he starts to stand up, but his knee catches a loose brick on the edge of the building knocking it off. He tries to grab it, but he misses and can only watch as it smashes into peices upon the ground in the alley next to the men below.

Paul winces, then sighs, "You ever had one of those days.."

The unit commander looks to the noise of the smashing brick, then up to the roof of the building spying Paul, who just laughs a little foolishly back in return.

Quickly into the comm the Unit Commander barks, "Target, Paul Angel aquired, further instruction after capture."

Putting away the comm, he then hefts a large launcher up upon his shoulder and takes aim at Paul with it. With a quick pull of the trigger, fire reigns out the back of the launcher and a missle barrels its way upwards.

"That can't be good..", Paul thinks to himself as he uses his wings to thrust himself backwards across the roof just as the missle hits taking out part of the top of the building. Shaken, but not planning on sticking around after that, he stands up and leaps off the building taking to the air as his best way of getting away.

In the air, Paul takes a quick glance behind him, only to see a second missle get fired. Knowing there are too many people below him, he takes the only course he knows and flys at the War Wall. Stopping for a moment as the missle approaches, he waits then quickly uses his wings to move sideways out of the way. The missle explodes against the War Wall and while not hitting Paul, the force of the explosion takes the wind out from under his wings sending him crashing down upon a nearby rooftop.

Paul slowly pushes himself up, not knowing if he was out for seconds or minutes, only to be greeted at eye level by the barrel of a gun.

The Unit Commander stares down at Paul and says, "That was the most fun I've had in quite a time, I would say we should do it again some time but I am afraid that will not be the case."

Taking up the comm again, the Unit Commander gives his report, "Commander, subject Paul Angel captured. The woman is still nowhere in sight."

Paul gets himself to one knee and balances himself with one hand, "Who are you and who is this woman you're talking about?", he says.

"We, Paul Angel, are Malta and the woman is..", but the Unit Commander doesn't have time to finish before a Lowbow Detachment flies past the building and he carefully watches them.

Seeing this as a chance, Paul uses the distraction to send an energy wave across the roof, knocking the man off his feet, before quickly sliding off the roof and flying into the Yellow Line Tram building. Still reeling from the encounter, Paul steps on the tram and looks behind him thinking, "What was that all about..". The doors of the tram close and Paul is on his way to Atlas Park with more questions than he had when he started.

Elsewhere on a rooftop in Kings Row, the Unit Commander embarrsingly gets back to his feet and takes up the comm.

"Command, subject Paul Angel, has...escaped..current location unknown at present and...still no sign of her..", his report given in a quiet tone.

Over the comm again comes the voice, "I see. So Paul Angel escaped. Unit Command, you will report back for further training. If you can not capture a low security level hero, your chances of capturing a much higher security level hero is next to none. No further instruction is needed."

With a shameful sigh, the Unit Commander turns to head back, knowing he won't live this one down for quite a time to come. He shakes his head thinking, "Ever had one of those days..."

January 8th 2007 - New Overbrook


She bolted awake, shivering despite the cold into...

Darkness...

She hated darkness.

It wasn't that she feared it, as such - it wasn't as if it could hurt her. It was the horrors that always lay hidden within the dreaded blackness that still terrified her.

Yet somehow, she'd always had this irrational fear of being blinded ..being restrained. Maybe it was some sort of strange twist on the fact that she always felt so free when she danced, so much more than others could and the dark robbed her of this. The dream had startled her, she had been unprepared for it.

It had been different tonight. She could feel the eyes of someone new. Someone who did not belong there, yet she felt was seeking her out. The fact she could not see him terrified her. It was just a dream, she reminded herself as she sat up. Her eyes struggled to focus in the darkened room.

Kara hated darkness, the dread of confinement that seemed to engulf her. It always brought her back to that horrible night, stuck in it, swimming in the black with the fear and the pain, surrounded by there mocking laughter. No way out until her... captors ... chose to free her, such power over her to decide when they were done. The pain, the fear, the shame and revulsion gone in an instant with the hum and the light of white. A hospital and safety...no not safety, just an end to the darkness.

Being so panicked that night, her blindness was total - not even her powers would work for her. It took every ounce of strength she had not to dissolve into a screaming, mindless fit of hysteria right then and there, as she was assured over and over she was finally safe. Their touch supposed to be of comfort only made her ill, each grip making her want to crawl into a deep hole to hide. It remained so and would for some time to come. She had come to accept it to live to merely avoid it was much as possible. This was her world now and had been for so long afterwards.

Then, out of no where, she felt a hand brush her arm long ago. It was soft, almost furtive, or maybe just very, very casual. It had shocked her at first. She felt no threat. No revulsion...

A moment later, everything resolved into place. The impression was feminine and strong, but there was also warmth, compassion, and concern, laced with a certain knowing amusement accompanying a somewhat-more-than-friendly interest. The playful nervousness and the dance that had followed had restored for her hope and the ability to dream once more.

It comforted her, and intrigued her, even as her strong response to it scared her. She'd never reacted to any touch like that before - much less from a stranger and another woman.

... and it was high on the list of reasons she could've chosen to flee, to hide once more. Yet as always she remained and held her ground....

(When you fall little one, to dance again you need only get up off of the floor)

She smiled at her mother's soft words that floated to her through the darkness as she slipped out of bed to walk in the darkness to her room's window. She cast her eyes out to the sleeping city far below.

Strangely, though, through out all of what followed the memory of that moment of her first touch had become one of the many reasons she had to stay...

"..you need only to get up off of the floor" She whispered.

At that moment the darkness seemed to be a bit brighter.



================================================== ============


January 8th 2007 - Undiclosed Location

this is the garden: colours come and go,
frail azures fluttering from night's outer wing
strong silent greens serenely lingering,
absolute lights like baths of golden snow.
This is the gardenursed lips do blow
upon cool flutes within wide glooms,and sing
(of harps celestial to the quivering string)
invisible faces hauntingly and slow.

This is the garden. Time shall surely reap
and on Death's blade lie many a flower curled,
in other lands where other songs be sung;
yet stand They here enraptured;as among
the slow deep trees perpetual of sleep
some silver-fingered fountain steals the world.

His mother's words followed him as he walked through the garden he had requested installed here at the center. The hush of the night filled the air, The once beautiful and serene scene was too silent, almost ominous. He had looked into the soul of the dancer tonight and was horrified by what he had witnessed. So much pain, so much cruelty. He understood now the depth of what he was to face.

He understood now why they had failed before. Yet despite what he saw, he knew what he had to do.

He paused at a flower bed, the blossoms pale violet in the moonlight. They seemed to sparkle in the breeze of the New England Winter. His mother had once told him how rare these blooms were. A single gloved finger reached out and outlined the delicate petals, not quite touching. Not wanting to corrupt something so rare and beautiful held so dear in his charge.

He followed the narrow dirt path to a grove of trees. The gentle branches swayed in a murmur, the leaves capturing the moon.

He wrapped his coat around him tightly. It was cold, so cold. He could never just adjust to the winter of the Americas. He smiled thinly as he reflected on the most recent events. More plans were crumbling. The powers that be were swiftly undermining each other with vast deceptions. So much was dying, yet it was not even the beginning. Something worse was going to happen. He knew this from the moment the Grey Suited Project director of the 'other' project revealed the truth to the man's Malta masters.

Order was coming. But he wondered was the truth truly told to them?

Was it told to him ?

He was a believer, the order the Malta were to bring, the order he was to help usher in with a fanatical devotion. His world, his garden....ordered and beautiful.

It must be protected. His thoughts turned to the dancer, his assigned target and to the other.

He closed his eyes, and the garden turned black. Blood filled the fields of endless grass. Flowers were trampled in a fight for survival. Death, everywhere. The center's walls were cracked, blast marks staining the once-proud marble. Screams filled the air with pain, reverberating as the defenses faltered. The image was torn apart, so much anger, so much agony, so much of the chaos..... it was smothering everything.

He opened his eyes. The garden was as it was, lush, alive and safe. No battle cries, only the sweeping of the leaves and the faint roar of the small waterfalls.

One of the pale, delicate blossoms broke off in a sudden breeze, tumbling farther along the path.

He shivered. It was a cold night.

It must be protected.....

....No....

.....It must be saved.

He walked to the end of the path and turned to glance back as he reached the doorway. He wished for just one more look at the peace the garden offered before he returned to the path that was being laid out for him. He sighed only once before stepping through the door.

January 18th, 2007 - Steel Canyon

He watched her prance up the sidewalk and the front porch steps from his hidden roost high above the street. Her beautiful Red hair swayed as she moved. He took out his camera and snapped a couple of shots.

She turned, as if sensing him, and looked, but he knew his spot was concealed from her eyes. He took a picture of her ever-so-pretty face, formed in a striking expression of curiosity and suspicion.

Skilla can /feel/ me!

She went inside her building and closed the door behind her. He could see her shadowy figure in her apartment-bedroom, pulling her tank-top over her head and letting her hair bounce freely around her head. He took a picture of that as well.

He wasn’t stalking her.

This was more important than Alpha's mission now...

He was loving her from afar.....

That was then, now nearly 6 months later, he looked at that very picture, the one of her body facing her house, her upper-body turned toward his car, her face looking directly at him and not seeing him.

She was beautiful in this picture, in his eyes. He only wished that this was the way he could remember her for always. His eyes strayed to the very few that showed her with /him/. The large man who stayed with her in his place...

He had avoided the purge of the renegades, he had proved his devotion to his Angel. He had fooled those who had sought him out.

He had stayed hidden.

He remained prepared, dedicated and ready as he waited...

...For his Angel to come home to him.


==================

Heroic Rescue in Eden
19 January 2007
Associated Press

Paragon City, RI - A daring rescue took place early yesterday evening during a raid that shook the very foundations of Hamidon Hive like nest. Hero Corps Representatives said they are still assessing the results of yesterday's task force following the rescue of 3 noted Heroes from the clutches of the Devouring Earth.

The on going battle between the well known Hero Huntsman and the Hamidon for control of the embattled city zone known as 'Eden' escalated after Devouring Earth elements seized a team of heroes working for Huntsman. The heroes seized by the devouring earth were performing a simple patrol for their mentor when they were taken hostage by the forces of Hamidon. Each of them and their powers were reportedly directly tied to nature and thus drew the attention of Hamidon.

Huntsman, fearing for his team's lives put out a call to the CAPES Heroine Glitterbeam to rally an experienced and powerful rescue team to head down deep into the underground lair of the devouring earth to free them. Reaching out to those of her coalition she assembled a team consisting of herself and fellow CAPES members Stranglehold, Ultimo-Girl,Warbow, Take One and CAPES Leaders Battletide and Psycharisma. With Diamond of the Templars of the Abbey joining them, the team assembled in Eden where Warbow was able to calm the concerned Huntsman and a plan of attack was soon formed.

"Huntsman was understandably concerned." Glitterbeam said following the rescue. "Warbow was able to reach out and let him focus and help organize the team so we could help them"

The first battle of the rescue took place across the plains of Eden as the self named 'Task Force Awesome' engaged Devouring Earth creatures in a desperate attempt to draw away enough forces from the massive hive to allow the team to slip inside to rescue their fallen comrades. The half hour long fight left more than 200 devouring earth creatures dead and a large enough gap in the hive's defenses.

The attack on the Devouring Earth's lair, included the destruction of one of Hamidon's most lethal creations, Hero Corps Representatives reported. Dubbed the Crystal Titan, the massive giant and it's hordes stood in the way of the rescue team deep in the bowels of the warren. After a several hour run and gun battle with the denizens of the warren the heroes engaged the Titan and were able to bring it down.

"In it's own way it so was really quite lovely," Diamond said afterwards, adding that the team had very little difficulty in bringing it down.

She went on to say about her fellow rescuers, "These folks are like the best. They are so always willing to lay it on the line for others when necessary. I was very proud of the job they did and to be a part of their team. The Titan was simply no match for their drive and courage."

The Devouring Earth is considered to be an ongoing and deadly militant threat to the city, despite having been contained to Eden and the Hive. The Huntsman however cautioned that they only remained contained due to the heroic efforts of heroes he likened to 'Task Force Awesome'.

"This affront to nature has been contained once more and this city owes these heroes and those like them, an ever growing debt of gratitude" He said.

Rhode Island National Guard spokesman Lt. Col. Barry Bacarro said the Devouring Earth group is now "suffering from a leadership vacuum" in its warren and is in disarray following the assault.

"We cannot give you a time frame, but the Defense Department and the Hero Corps are expecting a reaction from the Hive," he added. "This rescue caused enough collateral damage that the creature will have to respond."

The Creature known as Hamidon last tried to escape it's confinement only last month. A Force of 116 Heroes were needed with back up from the RI National guard and elements of Longbow in order to contain it. The attack resulted in 4 Heroes being killed and several dozen injured.

"Should he like try again.." Diamond went on to say. "We will so be there to stop him. His Creatures were preparing to eat Huntsman's heroes, he so didn't leave us any choice but hit them like this. He rarely does"

The rescued heroes were taken to an undisclosed area hospital and are reportedly doing fine. They are expected to make a full recovery.

January 23rd, 2007 - Peregrine Island

"Purity"

There was something so very childlike and sweetly innocent about the way the silent man craned his head back so the gentle white flakes fell over his face, which broke out in a peaceful smile. After a few moments of silent sensation as the snow melted against his face, he chuckled to himself, releasing a cloud of steam from his parted lips with the faint noise of contentment. His dark eyes opened and watched the gentle downfall, his gaze cast across the city he found himself standing in.

Peregrine was deceptively quiet and free from disturbance on this winter evening. The skies dark, but thick with heavy clouds that had insisted on releasing the soft snow that now fell about him. It was already coating much of what lay around the dark man, his smooth bald head becoming damp and dotted with white, but with a vigorous and almost mischievous shake of his head, small droplets of water from what had melted were sent scattering to the ground around him.

His feet ensured that there would be two patches of spared ground beneath him, the grass all around starting to turn from dense green to grey and then the telltale color of snowflakes as they packed together and settled.

It felt wonderful.

The Specialist lifted his arms, pulling his bare hands from his pockets, and held them out at his sides, letting it fall all around him. Just feeling it settle against his face, neck and palms as he lifted them skyward, suddenly a child again. Something about the snow made him feel so much younger… free. Free from weight on his shoulders, and memories of missions and regretted actions in his own past. Sacrifices so that moments such as these could be shared by all.

A sigh fell out of him with a calm ease, and he looked without a care, his tall, athletic frame relaxed in stance and posture for once, instead of tense and prepared. Certainly, his guns still hung at his waist, but it was more force of habit than concern for his own well-being in the city he resided in at that exact moment in time.

It was starting to cling to his duster now, speckling it with moist dots of white against the solid black leather, and looking down at it, he grinned, not caring in the least that he would be freezing and extremely damp when he got back inside the bunker.

The rest of his 'team' had stayed below preparing for this long scheduled briefing on the restart of their operations. He sighed, so impatient they are, so consumed in their endeavors they miss such moments.

I wonder Dancer, he thought. Do you hide from the snow? Do you enjoy such freedom or dismiss it for your own endeavors?

The thoughts of his team bothered him very little at that moment, bringing one of his chilled palms in front of his eyes to see all the miraculously fine and individual flakes collected on his skin, slowly melting atop one another to create a little puddle in his hand.
Crouching as the snow fell heavier, he watched it cover the grass completely from view, its density hiding it away until the next day, should the sun penetrate the clouds and reduce all of this to slush… or nothing at all.

It was almost a shame, he realised. Snow had a way of making everything so simple, and so innocent. So pure, somehow. He supposed it was the color, always used to represent virtue in one form or another, whether it be a bride’s wedding dress, or a flower in a jacket at a formal dance or even the Dancer's chosen color of her costume.

Hmm , He mused. What does this say for us that we have chosen black?

One hand lowered to the carpet of snow around him, and after a moment, he marked out his initials in it. He grinned softly as he knew no one alive would recognize the significance of the two letters before him that had long ago lost any meaning. He watched as the snow began to fill in the letters as if softly erasing them from the city landscape. He stood after a fashion, standing again with balance and something like grace without the elegance that came with feminism. Looking down on his simple mark in the ground, he knew it wouldn’t last, but there was something almost fun in the simple gesture, even if no one would see it nor understand it.

There was no one else near to him, and with the thickness of the flurry now, it would cover over shortly, before it could be seen.

But it didn’t matter… he’d done it, and that was what mattered.

Smiling languidly, he heard the soft crunch of snow behind him announce the end of his moment, and looked almost disappointed. Though lacking in the sadness that usually accompanied such a state of mind and being.

"Sir?" Blue's crisp yet buissness like southern drawl wafted gently through the snow to him. "The briefing is assembled and we are waitin on y'all"

"Ofcourse" He said without turning. Enjoy such moments my Dancer, he thought. Soon there will be little time for them.

He turned to look at the Malta Gunslinger standing beside of him now and knew he should be heading back… but he felt refreshed; more so than he had felt in a long time.

And he liked that. The Specialist asked in a soft even voice then..

"Shall we begin then, good sir?"

January 30th, 2007 - The Hive

Pain

It was the Pain that drove him always, the bright searing agony of fire in his blood. He came to believe there was nothing but the pain, nothing but the torture of his existence. His paradise had grown as he began to outstretch take root and expand. Men and women firing their noisy sticks, blasting, tearing, burning, hurting him and leaving him to die.

He remembered the beginning of the agony his life had been relatively peaceful until they came. His memories of that time were fractured as it was before his evolution...an awakening.

His awakening the very thought coursed through his soul. Had he been capable any more, he would have smiled at the phrase because he never asked for it, had never wanted it. It was in fact merely his true destiny. He sometimes longed for the time before, before the pain and before his hatred, before his desire to change the true face of the world.

His awakening had come sometime after the men who had sought him had left, all he clearly remembered was the light the blinding white, hot light that had engulfed his body. A pain that burned him to his very core and the awareness.... true awareness for the first time in his long existence of change. He felt his body tear and expand, his muscles dissolve and flow. He felt himself become stronger, His mind once that of a mere man became something more, and of course the pain that this transformation brought.

Yes the light had brought all theses things but it also brought one other. This was the fault of man, man and his world had done this to him, and that world had tried to destroy him again and again but had failed. Then the newest feeling that his change had brought him, Hate. He hated the so called heroes and their devices he would destroy them all. He hated being contained, his instincts, his hunger all contained. They would suffer for this, what they had done to him. A new world would arise gloriously growing across the ruins of the old.

He slept for a long time after this most recent fight. He was unsure of how long, but a passing helicopter awakened him. The rage and hate boiled up immediately here was a chance for vengeance, here was a chance to inflict the pain on them. He rose from the depths of his earth where he had been sleeping and unleashed his fury. The helicopter ceased to exist as soon as the hellish beam that had been released from his massive form engulfed it, and even more surprisingly the pain nearly vanished, but the moment was very short lived. For the searing pain began to bubble up almost immediately after the pleasure of of the attack had subsided. He had to have more, just as he had before. It was as it always had been, he would awaken and begin the cycle of change, his true destiny, his true nature and they would arrive.

He would again seek to smash the walls that stunted his growth, to once more release his nature upon their world giving him the relief from the pain. Deep within him was the satisfaction of knowing there were now fewer of those pitiful annoyances that he would have to deal with later. Soon even this most recent assault upon him time grew tiresome. He wanted more, more relief, more change.

He could still feel /her/ though she was quite far away now. The one whose dreams he sought out. His reasons for it flowed through his pain, swirling and dancing amidst his hunger and need. He suspected now they purpose they had for trying to awaken her but he would have to bind his time.

For it was the other that was the mystery to him. The other that was ever so close, yet frustratingly out of reach.

He arose and flowed out across the desolated landscape of his containment, his hive. His massive form fluttered and shook as the winds and snow whipped around him. A small degree of satisfaction filled him as he could once more feel his army of 'children' stir from their dormancy to bow in reverence. Any bystander would have been chilled at the site of what could only be described as an entire forest of tree and rock bow before their master...their God.

Memories of the most recent battle still showed in the ruined landscape, hidden partially by the blanket of snow. Then they had attacked with beasts made of metal firing their noisy sticks and lights of pain that had so long ago nearly led to his destruction. He felt comfort somehow in the masses that now surrounded him.

Slowly ever so slowly as his awareness returned, he realized his body was healing itself, its form regrew, blood vessels sealed and his mitochondria dance once more within him. Once again the God of the Hive began to feel whole.

The humans had failed to destroy him, failed to prevent their own extinction. He was becoming even stronger than before, he could feel this somehow. Soon they would again taste his wrath, very soon it would be time to crack these walls and grow once more.

It was then that he felt the presence of a strange creature within the Hive. The presence was close, it had been there as he rose. He had always felt just not been able to concentrate. It was one of them. The powered beings that so often tried in vain to prevent the inevitable. Alone, so foolish of it. With a deep rumble he began to command his children to converge....then stopped.

It was the other...

Perched high atop one of the rocky spires that over looked his magnificence she stood.

Watching...

Excitement coursed through him. He had felt her presence many of times. She had stood against his evolution so many times. She often she was amongst those that hurt, those who had brought pain. He could see 'some' of this other. This disturbed him, she was a powerful source of energy. Yet part of her he could not see and this intrigued him. Memories flowed through now to dance with his pain and hunger. He felt more alive then ever as he remembered, as he reasoned.

This other had one time disrupted the attack on him. Once not long ago she had used such glorious energy to drive back the men and women of her world to spare him the pain. The other had allowed him to escape once.

Why?

He observed her as she observed him intently for quite awhile as the winter wind caressed the white land around them. What does she want? His sense can feel her thoughts, her feelings as she stood silent above him. Threats, defiance, devotion, conviction flow across the white void to him as loud as the howling of the blustery wind. He flowed and shifted as he observed her. A word ebbed up from deep within him, a word ...no a name befitting this 'other'...

This word stayed with him as, after another long while she flew off back to the entrance to his cage. This simple word summed up all she was to him...no what she was to /her/ for him.

....Protector.

He reached to feel for any others within his cage and found only his children. He was safe, he sensed nothing, no sign of the presence of the old world. Then the wind picked up and cleansed the air around him and his new world order. He would have to do something about this 'Protector'. It was time to once more begin anew..

His form fluttered and shook as he uttered a battle cry that would warn the world. A cry that shook the very war walls that surrounded him.

The unstoppable force of creation had awakened once more...

February 3rd,2007 - Peregrine Island

Sirens filled the air, rubber tires screeched against an unforgiving asphalt as the sounds of helicopters filled the air. Shotgun shells hammered in and though out the garish nightclub, tearing through glaring neon walls and flinging shrapnel around everywhere. Deftly moving through their section of the chaos, a four man SWAT team took their places in the club. Each member gripped a jet black MP5 in their hands.

“Alright, men, on my orders!" barked their commander through his throat mic. " Pops, you’re taking the left flank. Sara, get behind the stage. Kruege, get to the upstairs window. I’ve got post behind the bar. Weaps Hot!”

It was dead silent at the Blue Parrot. A Gang War had erupted into the streets of Paragon City yet again. The underground terrorist group called the Council had begun to take over businesses all across the docks here in Peregrine. A Longbow Base had been bombed with the Council's own new prototype stealth 'bunker buster'. The PCPD and Longbow had to deal with it on their own. And to top it all off, The Carnival of Shadows had entered the fray by capturing both the North Point Yard facility from the Council.

The leader of the SWAT team, codenamed Cerebus, slowly crept to the front door to see where the attack was coming from. He immediately spotted a black and silver painted Zenith Mek striding up to about 40 yards away from the Malibu milling around the large robot several dozen several dozen black armored Council soldiers darted here and there..

“Alright, cops. Hands over your heads and step out of the bar or we blast your ***** outta there!” boomed a filtered voice.

Cerebus sighed and turned to calmly walked back to the bar. Kruege turned to his tac boss a curious look under his tactical balaclava.

“So, Cereb, what exactly are we facing? 9? 10 of ‘em?”

“Oh, I’d say about 70, and they’ve got one of their walking tanks.”

“WHAT!” Sara hissed. "Where the **** is our hero support?"

“Don’t worry, Hero support is a bit occupied troop..." The large ever growing whine of charging energy weapons outside grew rapidly to the point of deafening as Cerebus barked over it. " just.... GET YOUR ***** SOME COVER AND DUCK!”

Tank shells, energy discharges and small arms fire blasted into the small club. The front roofing collapsed immediately and half-blocked the entrance in a cloud of debris. After about 9 or 10 blasts, the club caught fire as half of the 70 man Council Company charged into the club.

As soon as the first terrorist ran into the club sweeping his rifle around for a target to strike, a hail of well placed armor piercing 9 mm rounds blasted furiously at the entrance. The two dozen or so council warriors that rushed in first were met with a gift from the little SMG's that could. Bodies twisted and fell, some arching backwards as their specialized body armor was put to the test. From their well defended positions of cover the Swat team poured it on driving the surviving members of the council to cover.

Quickly recovering from the opening barrage the surviving soldiers splits to the sides of the Swat teams kill zone in an attempt to outflank them. Shotgun shells ripped though the club, met with the well trained bursts of the MP5s. Several more Council soldiers fell moments later as a blast filled the ruined entrance to the club as the Zenith exploded. Soon the blast was followed by an almost unbelievable amount of automatic fire. Caught off guard and ill prepared for this new assault the Council soldiers fell back.

“What the ****?” asked Pops as he slammed home a fresh clip into his still smoking weapon.

“Quiet….” said Cerebus holding up his gloved fist. "Do you hear that?"

A buzzing sound entered the ears of the team. At first it was only as loud as a bee, but then it grew…louder and louder.

“MALTA!” screamed the SWAT leader. "COVER!"

Rockets rained down and slammed into the whole Eastside Dockyard. Council terrorists and Carnies scattered around for cover desperately but the carpet bombing continued. The warehouse, The large rusted Crane, and The Blue Parrot all erupted into flame. Council Warriors as the few remaining Carnies flew up in all directions from the explosions, smacking into buildings, raining into the ground and sea along with the rest of the burning debris. Some burst into flame and their charred bodies screamed in pain as they writhed amongst the ruins.

Cerebus dived away from the bar as the bottled alcohol ignited and exploded, as debris rained down from the crumbling building. Quickly gathering his team Cerebus herded the stunned and shaken police officers outside, ducking rocks, cement, and hot metal. A soot covered patrol officer turned to face them, waving them over to his overturned squad car.

"Here! Over here!" ducking back down as the team dove over and around its metal frame for cover as the pair of Malta Zeus continued to rain fire down on Council positions.

“GET DOWN!” Sara screamed.

A giant flat piece of metal flew down and struck the top of the ruined car sliding over the cowering officers like a metal lean too. It was too heavy to lift, but luckily it protected them from falling debris and minor explosions. Bombs screamed through the air and smacked into the ground causing eruptions of fire as the Malta soon found themselves facing the long awaited hero support. Cerebus looked up to see the woman hero wink at him, Knowing she must've flung the piece of metal to protect them. He tossed her a half hearted wave of thanks she never saw as she returned to the Malta machines.

After a few minutes that seemed like hours silence gripped the dock as the fighting shifted away from them.

“Kruege, help me dig our way out of here.”

Cerebus shoved the stock of the gun into the side of the debris and began to clear it away.

The officers stood one by one, Sara pausing to help the patrolman stand and leaned next to his ruined cruiser. A quick survey around them showed the Blue Parrot and the surrounding dock were all now black and charred. The bar had fallen on its side and smashed into the buildings next to it, setting fire to them both. The Blue Parrot had been completely gutted now with fire, and Pops chuckled as he noticed the large sign for the Blue Parrot had been what the woman hero had dumped over them as the shield that had saved them from the Zeus' fire. All around them lay the Council team that had tried to kill them just minutes before.

“Cerebus to dispatch, Dispatch?, do you read me?! Eastside dock section around the Blue Parrot has been bombed. We will need a bus for the survivors. Do you read me?”

“I read you Cerebus. Be advised all emergency vehicles are en-route?”

Cerebus sighed and leaned against the wrecked police cruiser as his team fanned out to check the fallen council members for wounds and weapons. His team was fine, they had gotten right back to work securing the area as in the distance the fighting could still be heard.

The wounded patrolman turned to him and asked in a shaken voice. “Is this the end of it?” asked the young cop

Cerebus chuckled, has to be a rookie.

“Nope. It’s just the beginning.” he turned to the boy "It's Paragon City Son...this **** happens all of the time."

Cerebus turned to look at the twisted broken frames of the twin zeus mechs. Damn , he thought. Why did they get involved? His eyes scanned over the docks and the untouched field of warehouses beyond. ****, for the Malta to involve themselves in a dockyard squabble means they are hidin' bigger **** down here...

Yeah, he smirked. But hidin' what?

The sounds of the ambulances drew near as Cerebus rejoined his team in securing the area around them.

February 8th, 2007 - New Overbrook

The cool chill of the Rhode Island wind curled around her as she sat along the rim of the porch rail as she gazed out across the city skyline and up to the amber sky. She smiled softly, remembering when she was a little girl, she had always loved this moment. To sit outside on her front porch, on her father’s lap, watching the sunset.

The two of them wouldn’t talk, just contently watch the sun go down. It was as if they had been afraid that their voices would chase away the beauty being displayed before them.

Once she asked him if they would still do this when she was older.

He had said of course and smiled that smile that father's seemed to always have to make her believe.

However, they had stopped when she was about 12. She smiled sadly remembering the excuses they had both silently created. That they were both busy, her with homework or her friends, him with his practice.

Neither really thought their sunset tradition to be very important anymore.

It was an excuse, a lie to hide from the pain they both had shared. The emptiness her mother's death had left behind...

A void neither of them could truly fill.

Kara wrapped her arms around herself now, and found herself longing for her father’s lap as she sat alone on the porch.

Phil was over a friend's house, Rachel and Paul were out shopping and Luci was on a date with RJ.

It wasn’t that she really wanted her father. There was so much distance between them now. She just wanted to share this moment with someone. With someone who loved her. She had always felt so loved those evenings, so safe, even though no words were ever spoken. She drew a breath at the oddity her life had become, how busy she had become and how little time these days, that she made for sunsets.

Then a thought occurred to her as she gazed out at the glorious reddish orange finale of the day before her. Did her father even remember those evenings? Did he miss them as much as she?

She frowned, probably not. Too busy trying to save me. To busy looking for a cure to the present, never concerned with healing the past.

So obviously, she was the only one who appreciated them. She used to look forward to the evening all day long, she would tell her mom and brother how great it was, telling them they couldn’t join her and her Dad. It was always their special time together. Kara sighed once more looking back, her father had never seemed excited. Half the time she had to practically drag him outside.

Why hadn’t she remembered that before? She had been too wrapped up in the beautiful sunset to realize at the time. Too young to see she guessed.

Anyway, right now, she decided that the sunset wasn’t going to last for very much longer, Such moments of beauty ... of peace rarely do.

She sighed, then smiled. Her thoughts traveling to another she knew she would want to share a moment such as this with someday. Such thoughts brought her the feelings of being loved and feeling safe.

Peaceful and suddenly perfectly content she watched as the sky closed before her.

==================

The cool chill of the Rhode Island wind curled around him as he stood along the rail of the balcony of the entrance to the lab. He gazed out across the city skyline and up to the amber sky. He smiled a little, his thoughts filled with images of a little girl, so young and trusting, safe and warm in his arms. He remembered how special this was to her. The way her eyes lit up as they watched, her small sighs of contentment. She had always loved this moment.

To sit outside on her front porch, on her father’s lap, watching the sunset.

He felt him approach before he saw him. The man was like a cat, how long had he been watching me.

"Good Evening Doctor" The man spoke with a chilling ease to his voice. "I will not disturb you for long, I merely came to let you know things are now in place and you should make the preparations. With any luck this should be over in no time at all."

He reached over and gently placed his hand on the Doctor's shoulder and squeezed just once. "Things will be all right soon, my good doctor" he smiled "Do not fear, I'll not see her truly harmed"

The man known as the specialist then turned his gaze up to the sky that held the doctor's attention and watched for a long moment beside the doctor. He then just smiled peacefully and without another word turned and re-entered the long dark hallway leading down to the lab.

William Reynolds turned his eyes back to the sky and sighed. Those moments, he thought how he was always annoyed about being dragged outside , away from his work. He thought about how he once considered such moments frivalous after Melissa had been taken from him. He thought about all of those moments he allowed to slip through his fingers and trembled a bit in the cool breeze that surrounded him.

Do you still watch the sunsets kitten? He wondered sadly.

He turned his eyes back to the day's final moments as the light slipped from the darkening sky.

He looked and he remembered...

March 17th, 2007 - Brownsville, Upstate New York


Darkness seemed to touch everything in the room around her, even the heavy curtains were shut to drown out the street lights from the parking lot below. She sighed in the shadows. It was as if everything was blackened to try and hide what had happen, She thought what was happening....and where she was.

The whipping wind of the storm outside howled against the enshrouded window pane. The repeated pecks and snaps of the flurries of snow and hail battered against it as if seeking a way inside.

The air in the room was still a bitter cold tonight, the same as the pit of her stomach and the pain in her heart. Feeling she kept hidden behind a smile and a well place giggle during her visit. The sounds beyond the door of the room was full of unwelcome and unrecognizable sounds and the muted voices of the night staff. They had gotten used to her being here, even occasionally brought her a Sprite now, each time she had to be escorted out of the room whenever the attacks got bad.

When they actually got worse.

Each time when she returned, she found the attacks had once more returned /her/ to a deep sleep.

"She is resting now, you can go back in." She was told this over and over again .... resting.

The darkness, the cold outside, the politeness still didn't help hide the one thing that overshadowed her.

The deep heavy, feeling of helplessness.

The doorknob turned causing her a start, her fists clenching the blanket around her shoulders. She relaxed a bit as she saw it was in fact the doctor, someone to save her... right?, a man who was for healing, not for dying...

The older man leaned over to check the readouts from the softly beeping console on the other side of the bed and grunted softly as he jotted down a few lazy notes.

"So?" Her voice softly broke the still. "How has she been doing?"

"No real new progress that I can go into with you, I'm afraid," the doctor replied, glancing at his clipboard. "I'm sorry..."

She sighed at his unstated "as you know you aren't family" but listened as he continued "Her vitals are strong and well she is a fighter" She just looked at him as his tone maintained it usual soft paternal patronizing lilt. "As I've told you, she has been cooperative, at least in regards to the steps we've had to take to guarantee her safety-" he turned and offered her a half smile "She will be fine"

Kara smiled sweetly in return. "Thank you Doctor" She /so/ wanted to melt off his face, but this wasn't his fault. She was just a visitor, and she was thankful she was allowed to stay, but ...again the helplessness weighed down on her. There was a threat, she should be out there facing it, stopping it, saving.../her/.

Looking from Kara and back to his clipboard, he continued, "But I will meet with her again tomorrow morning and go over her next batch of tests with her." he snapped his pen closed and sighed wearily. "I expect her usual reaction"

Kara smirked wryly as he left returning the room to darkness. She pulled the blanket around her own shoulders tighter as the wind howled in vain against the window... sliding onto the edge of the bed beside Rhu. Her slender fingers delicately graced the warm skin of Rhu's cheek, causing her to stir a bit in her sound sleep. Kara sighed and laid down beside her. She rested her chin gently atop Rhu's unruly soft blond mane and closed her eyes.

Outside the dark, now silent room one storm raged... as yet another grew closer.

=========

Independance Port - Paragon City, RI

Darkness seemed to touch everything in the room around him, save for the soft glow from the streetlamps of the parking lot far below. His eyes scanned the city beyond the furiously dancing white. His mind rapidly considering what was happening....and where she was.

The whipping wind of the storm outside howled against the window pane before him as the pecks and snaps of the flurries of snow and hail battered against it as if seeking a way inside. He saw the reflection of Blue even before the man spoke.

"Sir?"

He paused only a moment more as he took a moment to marvel at the beautiful performance that nature had been displaying as if for him alone. "The patrol still yielded nothing"

"No Sir ..which is odd given the fact of the weather and the young girl under her charge..." Blue sighed his southern drawl never more evident than when he was tired. "She had to have left the city"

The man known only known as the Specialist nodded "Of course she has"

"Sir? but then if you knew?"

"Why the patrols then?" The soft brown gaze of his superior seemed captivated by the snow as he asked Blue's own question "because though my dancer is important to us, she was required elsewhere. No matter though, the performance must continue for all of the participants."

"But I thought the point was to drive her into a crazed offensive...make her careless and then nab her" Blue protested.

The man grimaced at the use of the word 'nab' but merely smiled, his tone as even as ever "Of course it is, and we are doing just that, while aiding other factors as well. For we are not mere performers, but choreographers" He turned to look at Blue "Are you a man of faith my dear gunslinger?"

Blue blinked and then tipped his large brimmed hat back a bit with his finger "Well there are times out there i sure do ask for help from the All Mighty Hisself" he shook his head wistfully flashing that all too disarming boyish grin. "Why?"

The Specialist smiled warmly at him and returned his gaze to the fury of nature just beyond the glass "Then have faith and /believe/ Blue"

The gunslinger frowned "Believe? Believe in what?"

Softly as if reciting a beloved poem the Specialist breathed "That the same storm that rages here in Paragon City, rages in New York"

Blue waited for the rest, then blinked and shook his head "...annnd?"

The Specialist smirked, The fool, he thought can not see beyond the target in his sights. With a softer tone he merely said "Contact the Survivalist...tell him to continue his dance here in the city, and stand down the bunkers and labs from heightened alert..."

Blue smirked "And this will bring her back?"

The Specialist turned his eyes to the confused gunslinger "In point of fact...it will not" he nodded "Carry out my orders...and prepare"

Blue turned to go, and then paused "Prepare for what?"

The dark man returned his gaze to the storm beyond as it covered the city "Why for her storm"

Blue smiled wickedly, eager for that fight and nodded as he departed.

The Specialist could only sigh, as he took in the power and beauty of nature's might as it howled and danced before him.

The fool, He thought, the short sighted gunslinger actually thought the coming storm would be 'The Dancer's'...and not the other girl.

He closed his eyes as he listened to tonight's elegant performance....and prepared.