Chapter ElevenBobbi Kwok dove for cover as a pair of spinning blades whizzed by only inches from her head. They struck Heather just a few feet past and reflected off the girl’s diamond-hard skin. Psalm flashed through the air above them at high speed and blasted the blade’s launcher with eldritch energy. Bobbi couldn’t quite figure out what she was doing here. The combat simulation room was meant for experienced epsilons, those ready for the field. Not a so-so telepath with power control issues. Mitch floated by above her. The new belt rockets provide him gave him a great deal of mobility, and he used it to dodge a pair of falling weights. The second weight fell right towards her. Bobbi realized she had no chance of getting out of the way in time. A body impacted her from behind and Bobbi felt the breath knocked out of her as she suddenly moved at a high rate of speed. She opened her eyes just as Angus let her drop to the ground. “Gotta-be-careful-in-here-anyway-gotta-go.” Angus disappeared back in to the field. Her teammates seemed to have the individual obstacles well in hand, but Bobbi knew it was doing them no good. Their team objective was to reach the heavily guarded shut-down switch in the center of the room. They were no closer to accomplishing it then when they started. It’s up to me, I guess,. She pushed away the we’re doomed that immediately followed the first thought. I’ve got to take charge, but I can’t do this alone. “Rico! Sid!” The two epsilons turned at her voice to see Bobbi beckoning them over. Rico, his body metallic after mimicking one of the combat room’s many titanium surfaces, grabbed his much shorter friend and carried him over to Bobbi. “What is it?” Sid said. “I’m not much use either, but we got to keep fighting if we want to get out of here.” “Listen and we all will.” Bobbi pointed towards their goal. “I got a plan to reach that thing, but I need both of you to do it. “It’s nothing too complex. We can do this. Rico, you are doing the running. You take Sid past the defenses, using your metal body to avoid the worst of the damage. Sid, you can tap in to anywhere on the computer and shut the room down. I will hang back and act as a danger spotter. I can send you a warning telepathically at the speed of thought, if the need arise. Are you with me?” Both boys nodded. Rico lifted Sid back up and turned towards the center of the room. Several focused laser turrets, more razor launchers, and robotic arms with hammer heads formed a tight circle around the shut-down circuitry. Rico broke in to a sprint towards it. “Cheetangus, Heather,” Bobbi yelled telepathically. “Run interference for Rico. We’re going to shut the simulation down.” The plan formed in their heads as Bobbi sent it their way. Angus and Heather both made their way towards the room’s center. The devices turned their assault on them, but Angus easily outrun the attacks while Heather deflected them aside. Rico shot straight between two laser blasts while a flying razor struck and glanced off his metal back. Bobbi gasped as she realized he didn’t see the hammer arm falling towards him— “Dive!” The psychic shout reverberated through her skull, but Rico heard it and rolled forward, but a moment too late. The hammer struck a blow against the back of his ankle and left a large dent. Rico tossed Sid up and forward. Sid scurried as fast as his shortened legs could carry him up on to the control panel. Sid rested his hands on the keyboard and his eyes glowed unnaturally. Sparks of electricity shot from the panel as he forced the system in to total shutdown. The students all stood in shocked silence, no one quite sure of what to do next. We did it, Bobbi thought. It was my plan, and I still don’t believe it. The sound of clapping came from the open observation booth above them. Everyone turned to see Flint in the window of the booth. “Congratulations,” he said. “You all have shown yourself far more capable in combat than I ever dared to expect. I was actually saving this reward for later, but I think it’s time that you officially earned your codenames. He looked around the room and said each name as his eyes fell on that person. Angus: “Cheetangus, of course,” Rico: “Alter”, Sid: “Cyberpath”, Mitch: “Balloon Boy,” Heather: “Solid”, and finally his eyes fell on Bobbi. “Mindset.” “What, no, I can’t take that name.” “You’ve earned it, Bobbi, and I think Katie would have wanted it that way. “All of you welcome to Epsilon. Now hit the showers and head to class.” A collective groan filled the room, but Bobbi knew none of them meant it. They were a team now, the team, and no one could ever take that way from them. ***** Blaine led Athena from the limo and in to the massive brownstone that served as the headquarters for the Order of Nephthys. From the outside it seemed rather large, but it wasn’t until he ushered her in to the entrance that she saw its utter opulence. Crystal and velvet seemed to be the main two design components and this was only the lobby. A concierge waited for her inside. He took her bags from the limo driver and disappeared through a small door to her left. Another valet emerged from the right. He carried two robes, one crimson and one a deep green, cradling them like a small child in his arms. “The crimson is the initiate’s robe,” Blaine said. “Please put it on. Over your normal clothes is just fine.” Blaine slipped his own robe over his shoulders, then raised the hold over his carefully groomed hair. Athena felt a little off-kilter by the already occult overtones of this ritual. You’re doing it for the school, she reminded herself. “Perfect,” Dresden said just as Athena placed her own hood over her red locks. “Please follow me.” Dresden guided Athena through the twin massive oak doors that made up most of the lobby’s south wall. They walked in to total darkness, even the dim lighting from the lobby did nothing to cut through it. The doors closed behind them seemingly of their own volition. Athena found herself alone in utter darkness. She didn’t know quite how, but she could feel Blaine leave her side. She was suddenly alone. Not a normal loneliness though. It ached in her soul, as if the whole word was gone. She was utterly and completely alone in a world without light. It took all her willpower to keep from breaking down. Whatever is doing this, you know it’s not real. Fight it. I’ve got to fight it! Lights suddenly rose in front of her. Four beacons cut through the darkness, each held like a torch in a person’s hands. The lights became stronger as the four robed figures approached and formed a semi-circle to the front of her. This is it, the Order of Nephthys. I should feel honored, but I just can’t. Something—I’m not sure what it is, but something—is not right about this place. The four robed figures removed their hoods. In front of her and slightly to her right stood Blaine Dresden. Farther right, she recognized Phantasy. The semi-circle completed with two people she did not recognize: a severe looking young woman in her twenties and a heavily wrinkled and bald Hispanic. “You already know Teresa to my right,” Dresden said. To my left are Antonino Phere and Desdemona Faust. Desdemona, despite her appearances, is our most senior member and should be treated as such, while Antonino brings the resources of his vast international conglomerate to the Order. Alas our fifth member is running late, but I trust you will meet him soon enough. Athena nodded. “Is this it? Have we finished the initiation?” Phantasy seemed to wince at “initiation”, but quickly returned to a stoic expression. Not before Athena saw it. Something is very wrong here. “About that, Ms. Chaykin,” Dresden said. “I’m afraid I’ve been less than truthful with you, may Nephthys forgive her servant. We are in on way interested in you for membership. The reason you’ve been called here is simple: we want your school. “And really, what better way to take it than to first capture its leader. Athena raised her hands up in to a defensive stance and summoned a weak, nearly invisible force field. Damn it! I should have listened to my guts and not been blinded by the money. She sized up the four people in front of her. Can I take them all? “For what it’s worth,” Phantasy paused. She was almost teary eyed. “For what it’s worth, I am sorry, Athena.” The room turned to blazing light. Athena gasped as she found herself standing on the surface of the sun. An evil grin filled Dresden’s face. “Take her.” ***** Air Raid dropped Bagheera gently down on the rooftop. Bagheera scurried in to the evening shadows as Air Raid swooped down and landed. Air Raid folded his wings up to his back as he followed Bagheera to the rooftop access door. “You sure about this, Bagheera?” “Not sure of much, kid, but I know our chances are better from up here. This place is a damn fortress either way.” “Where’s Thief when you need him, right?” “I’ve been breaking in to building since you kids were in diapers. I can handle this one.” Bagheera sniffed the door. “They got it wired. If we open it, we set off the alarm and that will bring who knows how many guards. How accurately can you choose the strength of those charges you make?” “Pretty well. Wave drilled me on it dang near every day before he—” “All right, kid. I need you to plant one right here.” Bagheera pointed to the middle of the door frame. “It needs to be strong enough to blow open a hole in the center of the door, but not too strong to knock it off its hinges. Can you handle that?” Air Raid nodded. “So small, but hot. I think I can do that.” A soft glow emerged from Air Raid’s hands as a ball of energy coalesced in his palms. “Stand back. This will be a burner.” “I can handle it,” Bagheera said. Air Raid threw the glowing plasma bomb straight in to the center of the door, just above the handle. With a muffled explosion and the hiss of melted metal, the center of the door burned away. The hole was about a foot and a half wide by two and a half feet tall. Just big enough to make an entrance. Bagheera looked Air Raid up and down. “Good job, kid. You think you can fit your wings through there?” “For Beauty, I could walk through it.” “Save the sappy stuff for your girl. Let’s go.” Bagheera pounced forward. He sailed deftly through the still warm egress. He landed, rolled forward in to another pounce, and landed again on the second step down the stairs. “Come on, kid. We don’t have all day.” Air Raid sized up the hole for a moment. He nodded to Bagheera, took a couple steps back, and broke in to a sprint towards their entrance. He dove forward and hit the hole square. He pulled his wings back— His body went in just past his shoulders before he wedged to a stop. His wings ached from the impact with the door. He ignored the pain and forced his wings further down towards his feet. With them stretched across themselves, his wings slid just barely through as he pulled himself the rest of the way in to the building. He dropped to the floor, just a couple feet from Bagheera. His wings hurt where the skin had scraped away against the door, but he pulled himself to his feet. He may not have been as tough as Bagheera, but for Beauty he would try. “Where to next?” “We start heading down floor by floor. Hopefully we can avoid any guards, at least for awhile. I should be able to get a good scent on your girl within a couple floors of her if this place’s air filtration isn’t too good. “We better get moving. We have every floor and who knows how many basements and sub-basement to search tonight, and we sure as hell aren’t leaving ‘til we find Beauty. “I don’t care who they are. No one takes one of the Epsilon captive and gets away with it.” ***** Devil Boy awoke to pain rippling through his shoulders. He quickly realized the pain’s origin as he opened his eyes to find himself hung against a brick wall by a pair of shackles. His arms were pulled back behind him which forced his body outward and all his weight to fall on his shoulders. His mouth was filled with some kind of damp cloth. The smell of mildew assailed his nostrils as he blinked his eyes repeatedly to adjust them fully to the dimly lit room. “Look who’s finally awake.” Devil Boy turned his head at the familiar voice. The woman on first glance seemed normal, a healthy, dark-skinned woman in her early thirties. But on closer inspection one could quickly see the dozens of tattoos on her skin. Tattoos that constantly shifted from place to place and pattern to pattern, again and again. Her name was Fetish and he remembered her from the war over Seaside City. She was one of the few Brethren members to escape with her powers intact. Fetish gave him a wry grin. “Welcome back to the living, gene traitor. You’re just in time for the big show.” “Back off!” The voice came from behind Devil Boy, somewhere past the wall. But he recognized it instantly: Athena. He wanted to cry out to her for help, but could not. He struggled against his bands but they were too strong for him. “No need to fight,” Fetish said. “Soon your precious leader will join you in capture. After that, we will strike. Your precious school will fall and its students invited in to the Brethren.” Devil Boy strained even harder, but to no avail. He could hear the sound of battle behind him. Athena needs me. I have to help her. Devil Boy could only watch as Fetish reached for the sheep tattoo only moments after it formed on her wrist. A hissing sound emerged from the tattoo. Devil Boy coughed as he inhaled the gas. The sleeping gas. Moments later, he was unconscious once more. ***** The sun faded away, and Athena found herself in a bedroom. Teddy bear wallpaper slowly peeled from the walls. It clashed horribly with the pink décor of the rest of the room. She remembered this room, and it sent shivers down her spine. It was her childhood bedroom. From before the school, before her powers— And before the bastard that she called Daddy came in to her room and ripped away her innocence. Damn you, Phantasy. Damn you to hell. The bedroom door burned away in a puff of head and ash. Desdemona Faust entered the room. A smile filled her face. She is enjoying this. How twisted can these freaks be? The wall behind her crumbled to dust. She turned to see Blaine Dresden enter the room. A warm glow emanated from his outreached hand. “I again apologize for the subterfuge, Ms. Chaykin. Alas, you are our not our newest initiate. The pentagram only requires five corners, and as I said before our final member was already selected. He asked for you as his reward.” “You are all sick,” Athena said. “And you will be ours!” Desdemona’s words came out like a hiss from her thin lips, and suddenly the veneer of youth disappeared off of her. For a brief second, Athena could see the wrinkled, ancient form that was Faust’s true form. Desdemona’s hands glowed white hot and burst in to flame as her younger form returned. Athena let them close in on her. Desdemona unleashed a burst of flame towards Athena. Athena quickly threw up a shield of golden energy. The fire burst against it harmlessly. Dresden leaped at her, but Athena was ready. She unleashed a battering ram of pure energy in to his chest. He flew back and crashed through the hole he had made in the wall. She turned back to Desdemona and wrapped the fire-witch in bands of energy. The older woman struggled as Athena tightened the bands. Finally, Faust fell to the floor, unable to move. The room shuttered and vanished around her. She found herself back in the brownstone. Phantasy stood across the room. The illusionist refused to look her way. Athena turned to Phere. He stood silently across the room, his expression stoic. Something scratched against her leg. She looked down to see some kind of strange creature. It stood about two feet tall with grayish skin and dagger-like teeth. And it wasn’t alone. Dozens of these things filled the room. And now I’ve found myself trapped in Gremlins. But the joke was lost as the creatures swarmed at her. Athena threw a force field up around herself. The gremlins struck against the field again and again. Athena could feel the strain on the field as each of the critters collided with the shield and exploded in to a ball of energy. Phere stood in place, one hand raised, as he generated another of the gremlins every three or four seconds. I need to end this now if I want to survive. With one concentrated force of will, Athena pushed the field outward. It cut through the gremlins in seconds. A moment later it slammed in to Phere and crushed him against the wall. As he collapsed to the floor unconscious, the remaining gremlins vanished back in to whatever abyss he had spawned them from. Athena dropped to her knees. Her entire body ached from the gremlins’ assault and the strain of that final blast. The lightning struck her full force in the back. Athena’s entire body shuttered under the impact. She dropped to the floor as Rubicon’s laughter filled the room. No! We beat you! We took your powers! An elderly man in navy blue robes walked in to her view. She didn’t know his face, but she would know that voice anywhere. “My dear Athena. I thought you would embrace the Order’s greetings.” He chuckled at his joke. “Nonetheless, welcome to my future, dear girl. A future where you, your friends, and your dead leader’s dream have no place. Goodbye, Athena.”
The lightning struck her again. And again. She fell face first to the floor. The last thing she heard was Rubicon’s continued laughter.
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