The sum of all fears PART 1

[Harbinger]

the dungeon passage

:: Alison glared at Haleigh, who was acting MORE than a little testy. what was the matter with HER? Alison had saved her from the crimson heads...what ANY team mate would do for another. ::

We're all aware of your capabilities Black Widow.

:: she said coldly. Barbas was causing Haleigh to unravel slowly while Alison was reverting to classic type...becoming cold and removed...the pressure, the FEAR of failing and losing Cameron was bearing down on her, even as she did her best to show no outward reaction to Barbas constantly whispering in her ear.::

:: as the women struggled to keep from being derailed and moved along, they found themselves, in a dungeon, a dank corridor.::

:: metal groaned and grinded, echoing around them. the sound of dripping water and flickering light fixtures could be heard in their immediate surrounding and of course the haunting echo of tortured souls and animals could be heard too.::

:: it was a dreadfull, depressing, fearfull scene to behold and Delilah expressed as much.::

Be that as it may...here we are. We have no choice but to keep going and fight...or stand here and perish. I can't let anyone...or anything stop me from saving Cameron.

:: she walks ahead, without looking back at her comrades.::

Barbas: Scared that they will hamper you? Impeded your progress, Harbinger? You know Haleigh has infuriated you before to the point of abandonment, why not do it now? Even SHE wouldnt be able to escape this place by herself. and Delilah...can you REALLY trust her? Remember...it was HER boyfriend who came her to kill Sharon! She nearly waited TOO LATE to do anything about it! What makes you think itll be any different THIS TIME!

:: she hurries around a corner, out of sight of the others...as she leans against the cold metal wall, her hand on her chest as she breathes more rapidly.::

Barbas: :: flashing along side of her...grinning wickedly:: They NEVER listen to you. they ALWAYS dismiss your words. They forget that precognition is your POWER but secretly its because they don't care. They don't respect you, Alison! they take you for granted! Nicolas and Mike especially. Why waste your time worrying about them...about ANY of them! go to Cameron...you can find him on your own and save him...save your baby brother...Alison... before its too late and all you're left with are these people...who dont respect you....don't care for you!

:: Alison looks up at the ceiling...where leeches scuttle along the pipes. she looks disgusted but her face also shows signs of distress and fear.::

they don't care...they don't understand. they NEVER listen! they'll just get in the WAY!

:: She could hear Delilah and Haleigh coming...should she BLINK away and leave them? more than "part of her" wants to at this point.::

 

[Silver Swan]

down the hole

WHAT!?

[ as Sharon felt herself being pulled away from the ceiling in a violent malestrom of wind, the trio were now free falling in a dark, seemingly bottomless shaft! but in a place like this...that was a BAD thing. For a BRIEF moment Sharon was disoriented, and so she didnt immediately remember she could fly!]

[ luckily Arsenal's flare MISSED her as it got her attention and she saw them beneath her. they were ALL falling...and there was no way to know what was awaiting them at the bottom. Silver Swan's sonar was going HAYWIRE!]

SHARON!!! Try flying, remember?!

[ after a few frightfull moments, Sharon was able to control her body and reorient herself, she began to fly DOWN the shaft rather than fall, moving like an arrow fired by Artemis herself. as she sped toward Karen and Mike, she FINALLY caught up with them and using her aerial training, was able to MATCH their momental so is not to cause them injury when taking hold of their hands and not jar their bodies.]

give me your HANDS!

[ Sharon looked beyond Arsenal and ShadowWeaver. Her sonar was coming back online...and the "FLOOR" was coming...but there was something ELSE the floor was thick...had extreme density. there was something there waiting. She couldnt AFFORD to not catch hold of Mike and Karen.]

[ finally after a few moments, she grabs hold of Arsenal and Shadow Weaver. Arsenal was physically bigger than Sharon but she had no problem holding on to him and certainly not on to Karen. ]

The BOTTOM is coming!

[ she began to alter their descent gradually so as not to hurt them and not a moment too soon, as she slowed to a hover JUST right and Karen's high heeled boots and Mike's boots were BARELY danging above a floor...of rusted, jagged metal SPIKES! there were skeletons in the bed of spikes from bodies that had long ago fallen, some human, some animal...but the safe area of floor was to the left of the bed of spikes.]

Karen...use your magick, you can reappear safely over there...

[motioning with her head]

I'll carry Mike to safety.

 

[MorningStar]

“Alison! Alison, wait for us!”

Delilah called ahead to the Seer, who was getting too far forward. Who knows what was out there, and although she had no doubt that Alison could take care of herself, there wasn’t a need to invite extra danger.

Delilah put her hands together with just the fingertips touching, and created a spotlight effect to light their way. Not that she particularly wanted to see what was ahead…

But she didn’t like the idea of getting separated, either. She couldn’t help but remember the last time she had been to Arklay, when she had come here, alone. When everything had gone to hell.

She wouldn’t leave her friends’ sides this time, and she wasn’t about to leave one of them alone to find their way through this house of horrors, the way she had. Though it been worse when she found what she came there for, worse than the whole gallery of creatures the house had thrown at her before it.

 

[Black Widow]

Alison: "We're all aware of your capabilities Black Widow."

Haleigh didn't respond, she just looked back at Alison grimly. Barbas was still subtly affecting Haleigh's reactions.

Barbas: Oh yes…. Aware of your capabilities… and aware of your handicap as well.

They made it to the dungeon. Delilah griped about it. Haleigh recognized it immediately.

"What, you mean it's not your very favorite part of the house?? [pausing] This is where Alycia and I found the holding cell for... [clearing her throat] Sharon's son."

Alison urged them to keep moving, revealing her one track mind. Haleigh picked up on the way Alison worded the prospect of Cameron's rescue.

Barbas: Ooo…. Sounds like she's planning a solo mission.

"Alison, you're not alone here. We ALL want to save Cameron, and at the very least, you have Delilah and I--"

Alison walks off without so much as a backward glance and disappears around a corner.

Barbas: And away she goes! That didn't take very long at all. TRY not to take it too personally dear… you knew it was going to happen. At least this time there aren't any gargantuan tarantulas.

Delilah worriedly called after Alison and began to quicken her pace to try and catch up. Haleigh latched onto her elbow and shook her head softly. She kept her voice low and was constantly looking around as if she expected to be ambushed any second. To the uninitiated, she'd look paranoid… but Delilah had been here before too.

"Delilah, it's no use. If she WANTS to leave us behind, she'll succeed. If we pursue her too closely, she's likely to lead us right into huge beasts or a nice friendly mob of zombies… anything to distract us and facilitate her getaway. I wish I could tell you she doesn't have any experience dropping who she deems to be 'dead weight'…. But she's rather good at it."

Barbas: Well isn't this amusing... the cop and the serial killer, side by side. The ONE person on this team with the most incorruptible moral compass.... forcibly paired with the only person one this team WITHOUT a moral compass. How long do you think SHE will tolerate you? You're going to be left ALLLLLL alone in this place, Haleigh... allllllll alllllllone.

 

[Fusion]

Claudia: "Clara, stop. Let me take a look at your ankle really quick."

"No, it's alright, just a little stiff, I don't think it's broken, just--"

But when Claudia wanted to do something, she didn't really listen to discouragement. She grabbed Clara by the ankle and Johnny, a willing accomplice, stopped in place, leaving Clara no other choice but to be compliant.

Claudia: "Just a sprain. The tightness of the boot around your ankle will actually help keep the swelling down. I'll see if I can find you some Naproxen or Aspirin for the pain."

Claudia soon handed Clara a packet of pills and Clara obediently took them, but was dismayed at the nasty, chalky taste they left in her mouth. She coughed a bit.

[sarcastic] "Gee, you wouldn't happen to have a martini handy to wash that down with, would you?"

They headed for the elevator. Clara, for one, wasn't very hopeful that it would actually work and not have some strange, mutated creature waiting for them inside. Unfortunately… there wasn't a better plan to be had. So they went out into a breezy hallway.

"Nice… because I just wasn't cold enough BEFORE… now I've got to deal with wind chill factor. [starting to wade into ankle deep water that was only getting deeper] Oh, yes, please, more water."

She lit the way with a basketball sized plasma sphere. By the time they got into knee deep water, the soft glow of her plasma revealed a second, smaller shark. It charged for them! Johnny pushed Clara back, Claudia and into the wall as he tried to kick the shark. It veered suddenly out of the way and then ran INTO Johnny's other leg, sending him splashing into the water. He felt its sharp teeth clamp down on his hand and it began to drag him away from the girls… but Johnny was calm under fire and quick thinking, and he knew exactly how to turn the tables. He disappeared, taking himself AND the attached shark into the dry control room. He rolled on top of the shark to pin it to the floor and restrict its movement as it flopped around for air, thereby preventing it from causing any more damaged to his hand. It finally 'drowned' and stopped moving, and Johnny pried its jaw open and freed his hand. It wasn't bleeding TOO profusely but it was a definite bite. He could make out the entire jawline of the shark on both the top and bottom of his hand and he knew that he was lucky this shark was small and didn't have the strength to bite his hand clean OFF. He found the medical kit Claudia had been using, doused his hand in rubbing alcohol and wrapped it in several layers of gauze.

Meanwhile, Clara and Claudia were faced with a creature of their own. Claudia was quick on the draw though, and drained the frog of its body water. Clara grimaced and decided not to watch.

"Yeah… that's kind of gross. [turning back to the direction Johnny had been a second ago] Johnny? [lifting her hand up to spread the light further] where in the hell…. [louder] Johnny??"

Johnny: [coming back out of the control room] "Here."

Clara turned back again to look at him, and caught sight of his newly bandaged hand.

"You're hurt!"

Johnny: [shaking his head dismissively] "It's fine. Let's get out of here before there are any more surprises."

 

[Firebird]

Blaze listened as Morgan and Nicolas filled her in. Apparently Malice had been just deadly here as she had been in Blaze's own timeline. As they continued on, the fire elemental felt a tingling up her spine as extreme evil made itself known. Not Barbas, but SET through NICOLAS! She felt the strong hand of her sister as the sorceress moved her back and stepped in front. the armour and soul sword manifests. never a good sign.

As Morgan warns Blaze to keep back, Blaze narrows her emerald green eyes and shakes her head to the negative.

I'm not letting you fight him alone! we're in this TOGETHER.

Blaze would be DAMNED if she left Morgan risk her life and did nothing. Unlike Foxfire, Firebird was MORE than willing to jump into a battle with her sister and use her powers to a LETHAL extent to defend herself and her sister if necessary.

Morgan: Be ready for anything


Blaze: If he attacks, I'll burn him beyond recognition!

Standing BESIDE her sister now. The sisters were ready to what MUST be done if it came to it, but Nicolas struggled, HARD and seemed to come out on TOP! after a moment or two, Spellbinder approaches, but Blaze isnt so sure. That feeling hasnt left.

CAREFULL, Morg!

Nicolas seemed shaken but FREE of Barbas or Set's influence! Blaze felt Morgan's relief and quietly exhaled. as they began to move on, Blaze lightly touched Nicolas' arm. Maybe she COULD trust him as a team mate...if nothing ELSE. So far he was prooving stronger than she gave him credit for.

"Good job, Nic."

As they moved along, they seemed to walk forever though this giant, dreadfull mansion of evil. Sounds in the air, impossible to know where they came from, but the most eerie was the slow, methodic, "beating heart" that thumped strongly in the air down the black void of one hall. Of COURSE that was where they had to go right?

Noticing the strange looking vines and flowers in the security offices, Blaze looked closer.

"these vines are pulsating, in time with that heart beat. probably a connection."

She rubbed Morgan's back as the sorceress coughed a bit from the pollen in the air. down another hall and through a door they come into a room that's as BIG as it is pitch black!

"wow..."

But seconds after, the heart beat seemed MUCH louder now and there was a buzzing sound. The orb reveals some seriously huges wasps!

" Um...These critters should keep RAID in business for a LONG time!"

Nicolas covers Morgan and repels the wasps.

Firebird, Got a light?

"Like a moth to the flame..."

Firebird brings her red gloved hands out and forward manifesting a corona of white heat energy. She unleashes a glowing, streaming torpedo of flame energy and blasts one of the wasps dead center. it SCREECHES as it is incinerated and consumed!

"Burned to the fire!"

Turning on her red, high heeled boot, energy trails from her hands as she gestures about to pick off another group of wasps when she is staggered by the flash of PANIC.

"MORG!"

Spellbinder is attacked by gigantic thick vines, wrapping around her waste, arms and neck and snatching her back into the darkness!

"Nicolas! my sister!"

But he was taken too! Spellbinder's mystic orb races to the ceiling, sounding an alarm and swelling. the light reveals a MONSTER, a massive plant/flower creature that covers the ceiling and hangs down with a giant bulbous floor in its center. the petals flow and have pulsating veins and in the heart of the flower is a set of JAWS with TEETH! the vines that flow around are large, THICK and also have pulsating veins. the move with the strength and coordination of squid's tentacles! and it DWARFS everything they've seen so far!

"what the hell!? miracle grow OUT OF CONTROL!"

But she couldnt get to them. Even though she could FLY up to try to pull them free, she didnt have the super strength levels of Nicolas or Morgan. She was only physically stronger than her own counter part from this time. But there was another way!

Morgan! DON'T PANIC! It's NOT a snake!

The fire elemental spoke to her sister FIRMLY through their bond. she HAD to. she wanted to free her sister and NIcolas but she couldnt risk endangering them!

I need you to use YOUR power, your stepping disc! Free yourself and Nicolas! He's already been STUNG by wasps and needs healing. I can't deal with this plant creature until you two are CLEAR! FOCUS Morgan!

MORGAN!!

The fire elemental shouted above the din of the wasps as she proceeds to find them up with sparkling fire balls. It was up to Morgan to press past that fear, and get herself and Nicolas clear so she COULD deal with "Plant 42"

 

[Spellbinder]

arklay -plant 42

<< suddenly hoisted up in the air! the vines gripped with such constriction, Morgan felt herself growing FAINT! the strength of this creature was beyond even HER ability to bust loose physically at the moment. Same with Nicolas.>>

<< Still disoriented, she had no idea that this plant was more than alive...it actually posessed some kind of intelligence. All she knew was that this gigantic thing had her and Nicolas and was making moves to EAT them. Wasps were buzzing about but seemed more interested in Nicolas than her! this plant...this THING was gigantic, beyond any kind of plant or flower she'd ever seen. it seemed to have some basic characteristis of a human....and was OBVIOUSLY carnivorous.>>


UGNNN!!

<< she strained try to gain leverage. but to no avail.>>

It's so...TIGHT....i feel...so woozy...just want to let go and...

<< the vine/tentacle swung her through the air...adding to her dizzyness.>>

....

Morgan! DON'T PANIC! It's NOT a snake!

The fire elemental spoke to her sister FIRMLY through their bond. she HAD to. she wanted to free her sister and NIcolas but she couldnt risk endangering them!

I need you to use YOUR power, your stepping disc! Free yourself and Nicolas! He's already been STUNG by wasps and needs healing. I can't deal with this plant creature until you two are CLEAR! FOCUS Morgan!

MORGAN!!

power....

<< the explosion of Blaze's fireballs against the oncoming wasps helped to provide SOME point of connect for the sorceress. All it took was one moment...one THOUGHT!>>

stepping discs!

<< and just when it seemed that she would be constricted into unconsciousness, she DID IT. She opened two discs, one for her and one for Nicolas. they TELEPORT their targets with the speed of thought, closing and opening on the floor by Firebird.>>

i...i'm so tired...

<< feeling utterly drained from lack of air and extreme pressure, Morgan laid down...ready to fall out.>>

 

[Firebird]

plant 42

As Spellbinder and Rampage reappeared near her on the floor, Firebird knelt down.

"Don't worry sis. I've got you now!"

Gesturing, she encircles Rampage and Spellbinder in a circle of flame that immediately repells and words off the wasps and she notices the vine tentacles shrink back from it!

"hmmm."

The beating heart , and other factors prooved this monstrous, mutated plant was more than it first appeared to be. a major threat. But like any OTHER plant, it needed water, MOISTURE! and probably couldnt stand the heat!

"I always prided myself on being a green thumb with plants, but in your case? i'll make a DEFINATE exception!"

Firebird's emerald green eyes GLOW as she begins to EVAPORATE the water flowing through the monstrous plant. wasps, seeing their haven in danger began to come for her as the plant begins to SHUDDER and send out ripples as it shifts.

"Think of me as a really glamorous extreminator."


The flaming auroa forms around her form as she lifts her hands. the flames go from red, to orange...to white

"I deal with pests and WEEDS!"

Just as the plant seemed to ROAR and sent vine tentacles, now with SHARP edges spinning toward Firebird, the fire elemental IGNITES with an explosive crash of power as she unleashes her RAPTOR effect...IMMEDIATELY vaporizing all wasps...but the PLANT itself still does not burn instantly, instead it unleashes massive amounts of pollen and spores but THEY are burned up and soon the plant begins to tremble and burn to ASH as it shudders and massive parts of it began to fall from the ceiling to the floor and vines around the walls and floors begin to melt away.

Firebird destroys Plant 42 as it becomes so much dust and organic matter. watching it for further activity, Blaze nods with satisfaction as she did her job well. she turns to check on Morgan and Nicolas, deactivating the flame energy barrier as she does so.

"Morgan? Nicolas??"

 

[Harbinger]

the dungeon passage

:: breathing rapidly as she struggled to remain calm and rational, she senses something, CLOSE. she turned to her left, the side where Haleigh and Delilah would reach her.::

:: she is met with a ZOMBIE....NICOLAS::

HECATE!

:: on REFLEX, she BLINKS out of his savage reach, and reappears behind him. Delilah and Haleigh would see her appear...they wouldnt realize she had only hidden around the corner to get some AIR as Barbas was tormenting her.::

NICOLAS....ZOMBIE!

:: she shouts.::


Barbas: NOW you can kill him with no qualms. You have a reason! RIGHT? You have a REAL reason this time. Not like when you set Haleigh and your own brother to die!

:: Harbinger grits her teeth.::

There can be no holding BACK!

:: she thrusts her hands out ala' Piper Halliwell and unleashes her molecular acceleration attack, BLOWING "Nicolas" apart with explosive, gory effect. Just as Haleigh and Delilah reach her.::

Barbas: THERE is the brutal, cold and calculating Harbinger we ALLL know...and love...to HATE! Do you think Haleigh and Delilah TRUST YOU anymore than you do THEM?

:: from Haleigh and Delilah's point of view...it almost SEEMED like Harbinger had just MURDERED NICOLAS and used the mansion and the situation as an obvious COVER UP!? Indeed Barbas made it look that way from the finer details but Alison KNEW that it wasnt Nicolas. She "saw" no instance of Nicolas crossing their path anytime soon.::

Why are you looking at me like that?

:: she says to Delilah and Haleigh.::

You should be looking at HER!

:: pointing at Haleigh.::

She's the one acting strangely, with these random outbursts.

 

[MorningStar]

”This is where Alycia and I found the holding cell for... [clearing her throat] Sharon's son."

“Oh…God…”

Delilah looked around, her face fallen in empathy for the pain that had happened here.

As she started to go after Alison, Haleigh grabbed her arm, signaling for her to wait. She looked into Haleigh’s face questioningly as she shrugged out of her grip.

“Wha-?”

"Delilah, it's no use. If she WANTS to leave us behind, she'll succeed. If we pursue her too closely, she's likely to lead us right into huge beasts or a nice friendly mob of zombies… anything to distract us and facilitate her getaway. I wish I could tell you she doesn't have any experience dropping who she deems to be 'dead weight'…. But she's rather good at it."

Delilah gave Haleigh an “aw come on” look.

“She wouldn’t put us in harm’s way, Haleigh – not even for Cameron. But all the more reason we need to stick by her. If Barbas is playing tricks with her mind – and of course he is – we can’t let her walk into a trap all alone.”

Delilah once again started to follow Alison, then looked back over her shoulder at Haleigh.

“Well, are you coming?”

Not waiting for a response she moved on down the passage to where Alison had disappeared. Then suddenly she reappeared in front of them…and there was also NICOLAS behind her.

NICOLAS....ZOMBIE!

Something was wrong. Alison was on the attack…but…but…Delilah reached out towards Alison – a futile but reflexive gesture.

“Wait, Alison, that’s not a zombie that’s-“

Harbinger’s hands thrust out as she blew Nicolas to bits, quite literally.

Delilah stopped in her tracks, horrified at what she had just seen. Had Alison really just murdered Nicolas, right in front of them? Her mouth gaped open.

“Alison…”

Why are you looking at me like that?

:: she says to Delilah and Haleigh.::

You should be looking at HER!

Delilah was silent for a few moments. Alison snapped at them. She was acting crazy. COULD she really have done what they just saw? It was Barbas’ influence, surely. But…

She swallowed hard.

“Alison…that wasn’t…you didn’t…just kill Nicolas?”

Then she added, hopefully, “Right?”

 

[Rampage]

"Like a moth to the flame..."

Firebird brings her red gloved hands out and forward manifesting a corona of white heat energy. She unleashes a glowing, streaming torpedo of flame energy and blasts one of the wasps dead center. it SCREECHES as it is incinerated and consumed!

"Burned to the fire!"

FRIES. ARE. DONE. Now maybe we can get to-

Snatched up, pulled quickly...getting bearings...a PLANT?!

Unhand me!

NIcolas slice away two branches only to have it regenerate so quickly that his blade was nearly caught mid-swing by the vine itself.

What the hell?!

He was swarmed by wasps, stinging his forearms painfully and shockingly (how did they penetrate?) as he tried to pull apart the atoms of the tree. But the venom the hit him with burned like fire, made it hard to concentrate, and soon he felt cocooned. He swooned as he was covered. He could hear Barbas whisper in his ear.

Checkmate, godling...

Then he felt the vines fall away a bit as he was teleported by Morgan at Blaze's feet and she struck fiercely, incinerating the wasps and destroying the plant utterly.

"Morgan? Nicolas??"

I..I'll be fine Blaze. Morgan...I need you to help me. I know you are weakened right now, but I need to do something awful, and I need you to fix it when I am done.

The venom was laced with the virus. He had managed to seal it off as he was cocooned, but he needed to get rid of it once and for all, then have Morgan heal him. He did not know of a better way right now and if he was to die, it would not be as a Barbas-infected bitch in this nightmare.

Fuck you, Barbas.

Nicolas turned his back to the pair and cut out of his arms a plug of meat about an inch larger than the welt that the wasp stinger left. The ladies could hear the cutting and then his own stifled yell as he tore out all of the infected pieces of his arm. His axe clattered to the floor heavily as he dropped it, his own blood staining its blade.

HMMMMRRRRGGHAAAA!!! Please...do it now, Morgan. It's bad.

 

[Black Widow]

Dungeon Passage

Delilah: "She wouldn't put us in harm's way, Haleigh - not even for Cameron."

Barbas: Aww… her naïvety and blind trust would be endearing if it weren't so annoyingly inconvenient. Maybe you should just let her go, if she's going to charge right into a trap.

Haleigh seemed to be considering it…. But only for a moment, then she shook her head. I can't let her wander around this place all by herself. Delilah turned back to ask her if she was coming or not. Haleigh took a wary, deep breath, then trudged forth. It wasn't long before they caught back up with Alison…. And Nicolas. Except….. There was something… off about him. Alison blew him up. Haleigh looked on warily.

Alison: "Why are you looking at me like that? You should be looking at HER!"

Alison exclaimed, pointing at Haleigh. Haleigh calmly looked over at Delilah, who stood next to her.

"What was that you were saying, Delilah?"

Alison: "She's the one acting strangely, with these random outbursts."

"PERHAPS I'm acting this way because I don't care to be the next slop of exploded remains to be sprayed all over the walls."

Delilah: "Alison… that wasn't… you didn't… just kill Nicolas? Right?"

Delilah was still tripped up on Alison killing 'Nicolas'. But Haleigh knew it wasn't Nicolas. First of all… his DNA signature had been forged poorly. Secondly… she hadn't 'felt' that mental rapport between her and the Nicolas replica that Alison had obliterated… and thirdly… she could sense the REAL Nicolas a few floors below them, along with Morgan and Blaze. Of course… just because Haleigh knew it wasn't Nic… didn't mean that Alison had known it when she acted to destroy him.

"No, that wasn't Nicolas….. [suspiciously] But it easily COULD have been."

 

[Harbinger]

arguing in the dungeon

"PERHAPS I'm acting this way because I don't care to be the next slop of exploded remains to be sprayed all over the walls."

Delilah: "Alison… that wasn't… you didn't… just kill Nicolas? Right?"

Delilah was still tripped up on Alison killing 'Nicolas'. But Haleigh knew it wasn't Nicolas. First of all… his DNA signature had been forged poorly. Secondly… she hadn't 'felt' that mental rapport between her and the Nicolas replica that Alison had obliterated… and thirdly… she could sense the REAL Nicolas a few floors below them, along with Morgan and Blaze. Of course… just because Haleigh knew it wasn't Nic… didn't mean that Alison had known it when she acted to destroy him.

"No, that wasn't Nicolas….. [suspiciously] But it easily COULD have been."

:: Haleigh and Delilah were unknowingly playing UP what Barbas was whispering in Alison's ear...her subconscious. The seer GLARED at the two women, her jaw jutted out with annoyance as she exhaled loudly.::

OH i see...

:: she said, snapping at Haleigh.::

Do what you ALWAYS do, dismiss EVERYTHING I say and second guess MY judgement!

Oh heaven FORBID that the PRECOG should actually KNOW what she's doing or what she's talking about.

Maybe if you LISTENED, we wouldnt be where we are NOW!

:: looking at Delilah::

I know I'm not terribly FOND of him, but do you REALLY think I'd KILL HIM for no VALID reason? I KNEW it was a zombie...or something else.

If you two aren't comfortable with me...then get the hell out of my sight and I'll find Cameron ALONE. I took care of myself from the time i was a TEENAGER...ALONE and I can do it AGAIN!

:: If Barbas couldnt immediately SCARE any of the Six to death, maybe he could try DIVIDING them and making it easier to pick them off! He was having some success here which balanced out the failure he was experiencing ELSEWHERE in the mansion. Using fear and doubt to stroke the feelings that lay deep within the three women. But would any of them be able to REALIZE this before it was too late?::

 

[Siren]

Clara: Yeah… that's kind of gross.

"Well it got the job done, didn't it?"

Claudia said as she stood upright from her kneeling position. Johnny came around the corner revealing that he was hurt, and Clara immediately forgot about the dried up frog carcus and began to freak out about him.

Johnny: It's fine.

Claudia took his hand and lifted up the end of the gauze very gently, noting that there were some teeth marks but that they weren't too deep. Not a life threatening wound by any means, but Claudia WAS concerned that maybe the shark was infect with some weird disease or virus because of it's mutation....but she hoped her worries were unfounded.

"Here."

Handing him the same packet of pills she gave to Clara, it would help with any pain he had.

Johnny: Let's get out of here before there are any more surprises.

Nodding in agreement, Claudia looked down the breezy hallway; Clara's plasma sphere casting a very faint light on what looked like the elevator ahead. Pointing.

"Look...it's not that much further."

Continuing forward, the knee high water level remained the same so it didn't take them long to reach the elevator. Punching the up button, it obviously didn't work. That would have been TOO easy.

"Okay...so....can you send a shock or plasma pulse through the pannel or something? Try to jump start it?"

 

[Seer]

and so...

<< Spellbinder, with some assistance from Firebird, was able to get her bearings back and sat up...she soon was greeted by the gross, gory sound and site of Nicolas doing his best to deal with the aftermath of the wasps sting. Firebird urged her sister on and the witch cast a potent healing spell on Nicolas' body to restore it from the damage after he extracted the wounded/infected area.>>

<< the three took a moment to recover but that was ALL they had, a moment before they CRASHED through the floor of the room, which had been been more than terribly weakened by the plant taking over the structure and the insects. they crashed through the floor and fell a frightening distance before Spellbinder and Firebird took flight to avoid injury and helped to keep Nicolas from crashing down as well. They were now below ground on the same level that Harbinger, Black Widow and Delilah were. THe same floor that Silver Swan, Shadow Weaver and Arsenal as well but they were ALL at different areas. of the dark dungeon area.>>


elsewhere in the dungeon passages

<< Silver Swan sets Arsenal down and Shadow Weaver checks over everyone for injuries. the pair continue now with Sharon leading the way to the east...through narrow corridors with rusted pipes that spray steam out at random moments and the sound of old machinery and what sounded like growling creatures could be heard in the air. it was much darker here and the air was thick with moisture. as they move along, they are confronted by a LICKER, a massive humanoid shaped creature with agility and strength beyond that of a tiger, the ability to climb walls, adhere to ceilings and a long reaching tongue that can tear through flesh, bone and other substances. Lickers were once humans who were directly injected with the T virus. The lickers were "lucky"...in that they didnt SLOWLY degenerate into ZOMBIES, but they were still things too vicious and dangerous to live. Carnivorous and VERY physically powerfull...they were HARD to hit.>>

<< Silver Swan SHOVES Shadow Weaver and Arsenal out of the way as she attempts to engage the Licker! but even SHE will need help!>>

<< the sounds of THAT confrontation are echoed...and heard by those nearest them...Harbinger, Black Widow and MorningStar.>>

<< Harbinger and Black Widow began to go at each other, much to the dismay of MorningStar...they were wasting time and could once again seperate, this time for good. That's just what Barbas wanted.>>

<< meanwhile The Zaccharas and Johnny survived another run in with the creatures of this place, but not without taking more hits on their health and general morale. They reached the elevator and as Fusion generates enough of a jolt to get it open, they are greeted by CRIMSON HEADS, the evolved form of the ZOMBIES. 4 of them come CHARGING out, with blood dripping from their opened mouths, their enlarged, clawed hands and feet. They have increased strength and agility as well as a measure of coordination and intelligence and a truly SAVAGE instinct. growing with predatory anger, the creatures charge for the weary trio and any bite or scratch from them will signify INFECTION of the T Virus!>>

<< two of the crimson heads reach Claudia, clawing and biting at her while another one rushes Clara and the final one corners Johnny.>>

<< they are TWO floors beneath where the rest of the Six are. the floor BETWEEN them is the ARENA...where creatures were dispatched for test battles and other cruel observations! the same place where KYLE was dispatched by his own mother.>>

<< THAT is where they will all ultimately come to find one another...whether they are ready or not!>>

In the Arena

<< a hole, not unlike the one Persephone created against Kyle can be seen, with a young, battered, bruised man "crucified" horizontally over the hole by moving human tognues. It is CAMERON KING, who is slipping in and out of consciousness and hanging the gaping yawn of OBLIVION. if he falls, his soul is lost, and he will be consumed by Barbas as he dies a horrid, painfull BURNING death!>>

<< time was growing short for them ALL and the worst was YET to come. barbas would not be so easily challenged or defeated.>>

 

[MorningStar]

I know I'm not terribly FOND of him, but do you REALLY think I'd KILL HIM for no VALID reason?

Delilah looked sheepishly at Alison.

“Weeelllll…you know, I HOPED not. But he IS Nicolas, after all…”

She smiled at her severely put out friend.

“Listen, Alison, no one is saying they aren’t comfortable with you. We’re just concerned that you might be a little gung ho at the moment. We know you can take care of yourself, Alison, but why do it if you don’t have to? I don’t want anything to happen to you – to any of us.”

She looked pointedly at Haleigh.

“If Cameron is here, we’ll find him – together, and on our own terms. Fuck Barbas.”

He’d like nothing better than to split them up – and with both Haleigh and Alison ratcheting up the bitch factor, it wouldn’t be hard to do. But she wasn’t about to let them wander off alone.

“So, can we stop fighting now and get moving?”

Just as Delilah was about to get really exasperated with the other two, they could hear an altercation happening nearby. Was it their friends in need of help – or some horrifying creatures battling it out in the depths of the mansion? Delilah pointed.

“It’s coming from this direction – what ya think? Is this a fight we want to find?”

 

[Siren]

"God...please work."

Claudia plead quietly, hoping they would be lucky enough to avoid the other flooded cooridors that most likely harbored more disgusting water dwelling creatures. She may have been in her element, but wherever they were....WHOEVER had done these experiments, it was definitely a place Claudia wanted to distance herself from.

Clara sent the plasma jolt, and almost instantaneously the elevator groaned to life. The rusted cable holding the cart could be heard making it's way down from the upper level to their location. Looking up, Claudia lifted her hands in a gracious gesture.

"Thank you."

But of course, her gratitude was short lived. As the elevator loudly--and almost painfully--came to a stop on their floor, the doors opened. Claudia was fully prepared to climb right into the elevator, despite the fact it sounded like it was about to break any moment. But as the doors opened, crazed zombies came rushing out; two heading straight for her. Blood gushed from their mouths, staining their grey/white skin; and their eyes looked ravenous....like they wanted to eat her alive. They dove after Claudia, their arms outstretched with anticipation. Completely FREAKED OUT, Claudia gasped, stumbling back and FALLING into the knee high water with a splash.

The zombies didn't waver as they followed suite, diving into the water right after her. Like hungry dogs, they began try and bite Claudia, pinning her down in the water.

The water was now stain red all around her from the blood that had been seeping from the zombies mouths. What were only mere seconds felt like YEARS. Everything was in slow motion as Claudia gritted her teeth, struggling under the water against the insanely strong zombies. As one came plunging down toward her face, teeth bared, Claudia's body melted into the water around her just as he went to take a bite. At that moment, the water itself began to current, waves immediately arising from the shallow pool. A powerful rip tide swept the confused and annoyed zombies off their feet, dragging them down toward the enterance of the hallway as the remaining water created a 'flash flood' like effect. The water, now barreling down the narrow coridoor with such intensity, it forced the zombies OUT of the hallway, CRASHING THROUGH the labratory's glass walls that overlooked where the leech tank was supposed to be, and spilling over into the Aqua Ring like a waterfall thirty feet below.

A few moments passed before Claudia emerged from the destoryed labratory, entering the breezy hallway once again. It was now completely bone dry; not a drop of water in sight. Out of breath and completely shaken by the attack, she rested her back against the wall closing her eyes.

Barbas: Sooooo close... For a SPLIT second....you didn't think you would survive.

"But I DID."

Barbas: Ah yes....you did. But there was an underlining hint of DOUBT that crept it's way into your body. THAT, my dear, is all I need. Because once there is doubt...there is FEAR. You're not as strong as you think, Claudia. This entire situation: from the very first nightmare you experienced at Melrose Place until now, has had a toll on you. Has FILLED your head with doubt. [with a laugh] Now it's only a matter of time.

 

[Arsenal]

Mike reached up as Sharon grabbed his hand, slowing their descent easily. Karen teleported to the side of the long-assed spikes that simply HAD to be waiting at the bottom while Sharon carried him to safety. He chuckled a bit at the grim reality of it all. As he landed, Karen immediately began fussing over him while checking them for injuries.

Thanks for the save, Sharon. Karen...honey...I'm GOOD, OK? We are all fine. Let's keep moving.

They started back out in their usual formation, in a sub-basement worthy of Clive barker or Stephen King, with even the pipes emitting steam at various intervals. Mike timed the movement of the steam, pulling Karen back at the last second when she would have been hit by a spray. They sped up a bit to catch back up with Sharon, doing so when a growl was heard in front of them.

Mike stepped forward, gun leveled, when he saw the damndest thing ever. This...THING was once human, but his legs, his movements were cat-like and it seemed hungry and aggressive, his tongue coming out an impossible length and licking its chops at the three. Mike betrayed a sarcastic comment as he leveled his weapon.

GOD. DAMN!! I'll bet an ugly bastard like you just LOVES dark meat.

Just that quick, the thing moved to evade his aim, and it moved FAST. As fast as anything he'd seen in the wild as it ran to one side and UP the wall, then leaped forward to close distance as he set to get a bead on it

OOF!!

Sharon pushed Mike behind her, towards Karen as she stepped forward quickly to engage the beast. Mike figured early on that direct contact was likely unwise.

Dammit Sharon I had him in my sights! Jesus...be careful while I get a bead.

Mike disappeared, having used his cloaking device in his armor to try to get a better shot unseen by the beast...

 

[Shadow Weaver]

the dungeon

<< While Arsenal seemed to almost begrudge Sharon a battle that she was MADE for, Shadow Weaver would surprise both of them, as she lifted her hands and her cape flowed behind her. Magick sounds off as the witch gestures, and weaves a pattern of power, calling up the spell of "Dancing swords".>>

<< five glowing, sparking orbs spin into view before spinning into the shame of golden mystic swords.>>

I've had enough!

<< thrusting her hands forward...the dancing swords fly with the speed and form of arrows loosed from Artemis or Athena, zooming through the air.>>

<< using the circumstance of Silver Swan chasing the Licker, she times it just right and the swords SLAM into the licker's hands and feet, CRUCIFYING IT against the wall with painfull accuracy.>>

<< the fifth sword impales the TONGUE of the creature, causing it to let out a pained shriek.>>

and now....it's MY turn!

<< her face enshrouded in shadow as her hair and cape flow with sparkling energy.>>

Outside of Time
Outside of Gain
Know only Sorrow
Know Only Pain

<< she directs the spell, and the Licker is surrounded by a swirling flurry of magick shards and bombarded with PAIN. it was clear that Shadow Weaver was TORTURING the creature. She seemed more like the ALTERNATE that Mike had encountered in the time stream at that moment.>>

the power of dark magick will set you free!

<< the swords EXPLODE and the creature is destroyed by the force of the explosion and its remains consumed by the energy. and Karen wipes her gloved hands and nods with satisfaction.>>

I am not without my OWN brutality...and its time Barbas REMEMBERED that.

I have MORE spells where that came from, and I can't WAIT to use them...on HIM!

Shall we go?

 

[Arsenal]

As Mike swung wide of the beast, readying his next shot, Karen stepped forward and busted the monsters ass.

I am not without my OWN brutality...and its time Barbas REMEMBERED that.

I have MORE spells where that came from, and I can't WAIT to use them...on HIM!

Shall we go?

She enjoyed hurting in before destroying it utterly, causing Mike to betray a whistle as he revealed himself and stepped back to the sorceress. She was more like the alternate than herself for a moment, but thankfully it seemed to be just a side of her, not who she was ENTIRELY.

DAAAAAMN! Just go off why don't we.

<<changes his voice to more closely mimic hers, with a touch of evil overlord as he moves his hands as if casting>>

The kids are outside...kick his ass!! Shazam!!

<<voice returns to normal as he chuckles a bit>>

You are something else, hon. I'll stick with the guns. YOU keep doing THAT!