Athena turned to Mindset and Psalm. “And you say this story jives with what you saw on your trip.”

Mindset nodded. “I know it sounds crazy, but yeah. He was a degen with green skin there, but the armor is the same. The staff too. He’s Set just like he says.”

Set, Psalm, and Mindset all sat in chairs around a table in the academy’s interview room with Set in the position closest to the far wall. Mindset knew from her own training that the positioning was meant to cut off the intruder in case of escape. Unlike the green-skinned, pockmarked degen she met in the future, this Set was a muscular black man. His skull was bare but his face was framed by a thick beard. Even so, he looked much like his future self might were he a human.

Mindset could read Athena’s surface feelings as she paced back and forth in front of the table. Epsilon’s leader was anxious, worried about whether she should trust anyone here. Mindset wished she could find a way to make her believe. It wouldn’t be so hard if it wasn’t for Set. His sudden appearance only confuses the situation. But she has to listen. I have to make her listen.

Mindset pushed that thought away. It would be too easy with her telepathic abilities. She never had tried to push her powers in the direction of mind control. It was too slippery a slope to ever set foot on. And she would not start with her teacher and leader.

Athena stopped, leaned over the table, and looked directly in to Set’s eyes. “Look, I don’t trust anyone who attacks my people, for any reason. But after everything that has happened with Psalm and Mindset in this school, I have no choice but to believe them about this future quest of theirs. But you…”

“We don’t have time for this,” Set said. His words were cool, but anger seemed to radiate from his very pores. “Already Nephthys rises, just as the girls told you. I remember them and I remember Nephthys’ future. If it can be stopped, it must be done now.”

“I don’t trust you as far as I can throw you,” Athena said. “My instincts trust them, but you… Your very presence makes my flesh crawl. Your very presence makes me want to lash out and burn you to the ground. It’s like my soul cries out to stop you before you can do more evil.”

Set smiled. “You still haven’t come to understand what you are. How you relate to Nephthys, myself, and the coming battle.”

“What are you prattling about? Spit it out.”

Set laid his hands on the table and slowly pushed his chair off its front two legs. He leaned back and smiled. “In due time, Athena.” He said her name like it was poison. “It is not my place to reveal that secret to you. Not yet.”

“I’ve heard enough of this nonsense,” Athena said. “You can sit here and rot for now.”

Mindset started to speak, but Athena cut her off before she could. “Girls, you’re with me. I need everything you know about the attack on the academy.”

She turned and walked out of the room. Mindset looked to Psalm. Psalm shrugged. She looked to Set, and Mindset’s eyes followed.

“Go and help her,” Set said. “I knew she would not listen to me, as I know how this all will most certainly end. You two are the only factor I cannot account for. It’s up to you to ready her.”

Mindset turned back to Psalm and nodded. “He’s telling the truth, at least as he sees it. You think she’ll listen.”

“She’ll listen. She doesn’t have a choice now.”

Psalm’s words hung in the air as they rose from their seats. With one last look towards Set, Mindset followed Psalm out of the room.

They had far too much work to do.

*****

“Push it, Parkersburg, push it!”

Denny Parkersburg, a twelve-year-old epsilon with a large belly, rubbery orange skin, and sweat he could turn in to any liquid imaginable, ran even harder around the gym. He was one of only three students still left in Bagheera’s physical education class. Their teacher seemed willing and ready to torture them to physical fitness or death, whichever came first.

Balloon Boy floated in to the room just as Denny past the door. Bagheera grimaced at the site of another of his less than spectacular students.

“What you want, Heisler? I’m in the middle of a class here?”

“Sorry to interrupt, sir, but you have a phone call and he says it’s important. He won’t take no for an answer.”

“You get a name?”

“He only said Blake, sir.”

Bagheera turned to look at Balloon Boy. Blake? Could the old bastard really be calling me now?

“You sure he said Blake?”

“Yes, sir.”

Bagheera yanked the whistle from his furry neck and blew in it two times in quick succession. “Everyone hit the showers. Class is over for today.”

Bagheera hustled out of the gym and to the nearest wall phone. He pressed in a four button code as soon as he picked up the receiver. This forced the phone in to scramble mode. Anyone unfortunate to try to eavesdrop on the call would find themselves only listening to some painful static.

“Seth, is that you?”

“It’s me.” Bagheera would recognize the craggy old voice that answered anywhere. It was indeed his friend, or at least someone who could perfectly duplicate his voice.

“Why are you calling now? Where are you?”

Blake sighed on the other end of the line. “It’s a long story, old friend. I’ll tell you more later, but let’s just say it was for everyone’s best interest if I no longer was with any official government agency. But that’s not why I’m calling.”

“Spit it out then. Epsilon’s got enough problems right now.”

“I’m sorry to say I have to give you another.” The line went silent for a moment and Bagheera wondered if the signal had been lost. “I don’t know how else to say this, Bagheera. Project: Eshu is back in operation.”

“What?”

“I’ve been investigating it now for a few months. We have reports from Congo, Somalia, Ethiopia, and Kenya. People behaving like animals, destroying all life they see. Monsters as far as they know.”

“And you think it’s Eshu?”

“I know it’s Eshu. I saw the funds requisition forms just before I left ACTION. This time it’s the United States paying for it.”

Bagheera threw his free hand in the air and voiced what he was thinking. “The school is swamped under, and the team can’t afford to lose me.”

“I know, but I need you for this, Bagheera. For you and the rest of your team, Eshu must be stopped before it can move past field testing. If they start mass producing these living weapons they could wipe out the entire African continent within days.”

Bagheera knew he shouldn’t say the next few words, but he had no choice.

“I’ll help. You know you leave me no other choice. Where do you want to meet?”

“You got a view at the Eastman Academy’s front lawn from where you’re talking?”

“Sure, right out a window.”

“Look up.”

Bagheera did as he was told and saw the landing cruiser slowly begin its descent. The vehicle was similar in size and shape to an armored personnel carrier, only with two stubby stabilizers, two wings, and a trio of vertical takeoff and land jets. The VTOL jets allowed the landing cruiser to fly or land in a matter of seconds. Perfect for any situation where a speedy exit was a possibility.

The cruiser sat down lightly on the school’s front lawn. Bagheera yanked the latch of the window open, shoved the window up, and bounded out on to the lawn. By the time, Seth Blake stuck his head out of the cockpit, Bagheera was right there to embrace his friend.

Seth looked exactly as Bagheera remembered him. The former ACTION chief looked to be a Caucasian man in his late fifties. His skin was heavily weathered, his hair a silver gray, but he held himself like a man ever younger. All in all he looks good for a man well over a hundred years old.

“Good to see you too,” Blake said. “But we have little time for friendly greetings. We need to get going ASAP.”

“Understood.” Bagheera turned back to the school. Several students were making their way on to the lawn to see what was going on, including Balloon Boy.

“Heisler, let Athena know that I’ve found trouble, I’m heading to Africa, and not to worry as I have backup. You got that?”

Balloon Boy nodded.

“Good. Go get her told. I’ve got to leave now.” He turned back to Blake. “Let’s get moving.”

Blake nodded. He waved an arm towards the landing cruiser. Bagheera climbed aboard. Blake followed a moment later. Seth took the pilot’s chair. Within seconds they were airborne and cruising at several hundred miles per hour.

Soon they would be back in Africa. And soon, maybe I can finally learn the answers to my past.

And pray that the team can survive my absence.

*****

“She’s dead, you bastard! She’s dead!”

Air Raid sailed through the door from the hallway and in to the foyer outside the interview room. Alter and Cyberpath scattered as their compatriot hurled energy bombs their way. The bombs exploded in to a shower of blinding light.

Alter smashed against a wall head first and slumped to the floor. Cyberpath staggered back and avoided the brunt of the blast. As his vision flashed before him, he reached out to the circuitry in the wall. He activated the school-wide alert system.

Air Raid generated another explosive and tossed it at the door of the interview room. The door exploded inwards. Air Raid touched down on the floor in front of the door. Set stood up inside the interview room. He looked Air Raid dead in the eye.

“Can I help you, kid?”

Air Raid felt the fury building inside him. How can he look so calm? How can the murdering bastard just stand there and look at me?

“DIE!”

Air Raid lunged forward. His hands glowed brightly with two new energy charges. He hurled them straight at Set’s chest.

The armor twisted up and out of Set’s pores at the first sign of the impending danger. It formed around him just as the charges hit his chest and neck.

He staggered back a step. His armor was scarred and burned black.

“Die! Why won’t you fucking die?”

Two more energy charges formed in his hand. Air Raid flew forward, within arm’s reach of his prey. He drove the two charges in to the side of Set’s head. They exploded in another blinding flash.

Set staggered back and fell against the wall. Air Raid could feel it now. It’s working. The bastard felt that. He’s one energy charge away from the end.

Set pulled himself upright and away from the wall. “It’s… not… over… yet…”

“It is for you!”

Set’s helmed head dropped down to look at the floor. Air Raid wasn’t going to fall for such an obvious ploy.

The burst of water hit him like a ton of bricks. It drove him up in to the ceiling and soaked his leathery wings. The water faded down and away. Air Raid dropped hard to the floor. He looked up to see the body of the pretender raise up from the ground. He took Wave’s name. He deserves what’s coming to him too.

Air Raid tossed the two charges from his hands as soon as they were formed. They rolled across the floor right beneath Wave’s feet and exploded in to a red-hot burst of energy. Wave cried out as his lower half was instantly evaporated.

Air Raid pulled himself up on his feet just as another form flew through the air. He rolled just in time to avoid the deadly slash fingers of Solid. A low, angry growl rose from her throat.

“Stop! I don’t want to fight you, Heather! Please.”

She shook her head. She signed a quick flurry at him, never taking her eyes off of him. No hurting.

“He has to pay. He has to. He killed Beauty, don’t you understand?”

Solid just shook her head.

“Damn you! Damn you all!” Air Raid hurled a charge straight at Solid’s face. The charge wasn’t damaging, but it unleashed a blinding flash of light directly in front of her. It was enough to stagger her. Enough for him to take flight again.

Air Raid soared up and over Solid and the injured Wave and out the door. He didn’t stop to check on Alter and Cyberpath. He just continued back in to the halls of the school.

He flashed over Flint as he hustled to the interrogation room. Flint didn’t stop to look at his student. He didn’t see the tears welling in Air Raid’s eyes.

It was for the best. He knew of the entire team, Flint was the one he could stomach facing the least. Let him have a few more minutes before he realized what I did. Perhaps he’ll remember me as someone better than this.

Air Raid burst through the twin doors at the front of Eastman Academy and out in to the evening sky. He flew skyward, up and out of the sight of anyone in the school.

He had betrayed his friends for revenge, for lost love. He gave it all up and yet failed to avenge her. I’m a failure to everyone. Even myself.

He flew as hard as fast as he could. He hoped he would tire, fall from the sky, but it was no use. He banked to avoid the city and instead headed towards the mountains a few miles past. He set down on a mountain of which he didn’t remember the name. The peak was a few thousand yards off the ground. It ended in a jagged unforgiving cliff and a several hundred feet fall. From here, he could make out Seaside City and miles of oceans beyond. All tiny specks as the light faded.

He looked down. He wrapped his leathery wings around him. Tears fell from his eyes as he thought back on his memories of her. Memories of their time together whether as students, teammates, or as lovers. Memories of the closeness, the perfect love that went without physical fulfillment for so long.

I’m sorry, Nessa. I’m sorry I failed you.

He looked down again. It would be so easy now. Just to hold his wings around him. Drop off the precipice. Let it all end here.

Be with Nessa again.

“Are you so willing to give up on love, boy?” The voice was like nails on a chalkboard. Air Raid could feel the shiver at the base of his spine growing.

He turned around. A woman stood shrouded in the darkness. She was tall and slim, but the growing shadows cloaked the rest of her from view.

“Who are you?”

“My name is unimportant. It’s what I can do that will interest you, I think. Yes, I’m sure it will.”

“What? What is it that brings you here, old woman?”

“Old? Yes I suppose old would describe me. Although I see it as too simple, too plebeian.” The woman’s head slowly shook. “I digress. I am here for an offer, a simple trade of goods for services.”

“Leave me be, woman. I want none of your nonsense.”

“Nonsense.” She laughed, but there was no humor in it. “No not nonsense. All I seek is your servitude in my name.”

“You are insane, old woman. I don’t even know you but I will not be your slave. Not for anything.”

“Not even for the life of your lost love. A true beauty wasn’t she.” The woman raised her hand in front of her, and held it palm open and up. A glow emerged and rose up. It circled, ebbing and flowing, until it formed in to the shape of a face. Nessa’s face.

“Nessa? What do you know of her, witch?”

“Witch? Yes, I think that may be a better name for me. I can give you your heart’s desire, Air Raid. All you must do is serve me. Serve in my name.”

“Who are you?”

“My name is Nephthys. Soon I will be the goddess of this world, and I will reward my most faithful servants. Give me my heart’s desire and you can have yours.”

“I…” He didn’t know what to say. What to think. How could any of this be real?

“You want your love back, don’t you? I can bring dear Nessa back. I can make her human, fertile. You can have every dream together you could possible dream. All you must do is swear your fealty to me. Will you help me so that I may help you?”

Air Raid looked at her, cloaked in the shadows. He looked at the image of Beauty floating in her hands. My Nessa. My love.

“Yes, I swear my loyalty to you. Give me her back and I will do anything you ask of me.”

A glimmer of shining white teeth, backed by a glow of red. Air Raid realized Nephthys was smiling.

“I thought you would see it my way. Welcome to my acolytes.”