You can't go home again

[Valkyrie]

Tyrant Lab

They were being hunted. And it was NOT a feeling Ashley was used to or LIKED.

"We need to find somewhere to make a stand."

"Hell yes we do. This is bullshit."

The finally came to a place that would work. Unfortunately, the things were too fast to be bottlenecked by the doorway as they would have hoped.

“Stay behind me. I can't be infected.”

Ashley rolled her eyes. John was a good boss, and sexy as hell, but did he have to be such a boy scout?

"Infected my ass. I'm not afraid of any virus created by a human. Bring it ON."

Steel deflected the first two, but there was still another coming, having leapt through the air towards them. She stepped forward and raised her sword, but the thing lashed its TONGUE around the blade, retarding her movement. It crashed into her and then she was on the ground, the thing on top of her. She struggled with it, trying to free the sword. It finally retracted its tongue in a preamble to sinking its teeth into her, but as it did so she rolled left, flipping the sword up into the air at the same time.

"I like it on top, dickhead."

The sword came down point first and she grabbed hold of the pommel, thrusting the blade down into the Licker beneath her.

"Offensive enough for you?"

 

[Recall]

The Citadle - Tyrant Lab

:: Things were not good as they settled into the Tyrant Lab with three lickers on their tail. Valkyrie, Steel and Oracle were doing their best to keep them at bay and move the group forward. ::

"This is BULLSHIT. Why does everything we fight down here gotta be so NASTY?! Ugh!"

:: Recall and Zach were incredibly vulnerable as the remaining Licker came RIGHT at them. She gripped her boomerangs ready to fight, but then she had a better idea. ::

"I am NOT turning into no zombie."

:: It looked as if the other two kickers were down for the count but she wasn't taking any chances. Shifting into a battle stance her boomerangs made a loud hum as she cast them into action. ::

"Everybody! Clear me a space in the middle!"

:: She had been receiving a LOT of information about the citadle over the last few hours as she and a few others had been mining the place for information and she had just remembered a certain security protocol floors like this had for containment. Her boomerangs were spinning around each other incredibly fast creating a whirlwind like effect as "herded" the licker and what was left of the other two towards the center of the room. ::

"And ACTION!"

:: To her left, Vivica saw a security code pad. She held her hand out as a charge of bioelectric energy sizzled through the pad and activated a containment sequence. At that very moment, the blades of Vivica's boomerangs retracted and the lickers found themselves in the very center of the room on a platform that held the MysTech logo. ::

:: With a loud hum the boomerangs returned to her hands and she snapped them into her holsters. Unbreakable glass walls began to enclose the monsters as a thick plume like white smoke began to fill the closed off space. The lickers were howling and hissing as they began to die and melt from the cloud before their cries could be heard no more. ::

:: the box and platform began to lower underneath the ground as a new platform slipped over it sealing it entirely. Vivica looked at the group. ::

"I picked up a few interesting tidbits tonight. One is that every lab has a containment contingency should its creations get out of hand..."

:: smirking ::

"I didn't know if it would still be operating...but it looks like we can move forward."

 

[Fathom]

The Citadel -- Control Room

Talisman: You're going to die tonight, Jasmine...but it won't be in vain. It will serve a purpose. It will show them that Kelly King is ooh dead...but Kelly Shaw...she LIVES...and she's not going ANYWHERE.

Jasmine: Lady....I've heard all this before. You use me as a pawn and expect me to die? [looking at Fathom now] BRING IT BITCH. [looking back at Talisman] Because you severely underestimated who the FUCK you BROUGHT BACK.

And after all that blustering, Frost finally made a move. Fathom threw up a hand calmly, meeting the new ice blast with water, slowing it down dramatically. Water sprayed in every direction, and eroded a great deal of the blast, but as the temperature of the room dropped, the water began to freeze in a spectacular fanned spike formation. It looked like a sculpture, and it blocked Kelly and Heidi from view. Turning to glance at Kelly, Heidi smirked with glee.

"A Christmas present? You shouldn't have! I'll take it from here."

She began to move quickly to one side, forming a water bomb in one hand, still concealed by the huge ice sculpture that nearly divided the room in half. As long as she kept the water moving, it was much more difficult to freeze. She was going to SAVOR this fight.

"Hmm, getting a little chilly in here. Reminds me of underwater caves, dark and cold, and you never know what you'll bump into!"

Heidi took hold of the liquid in Jasmine's body and ripped her off her feet, pulling her headlong right into the newly created ice spikes.

 

[Orion]

The Parthenon -- Karen's Suite

Cass: To answer your question, Zach, I don’t know. I just hope she won’t be doing something stupid.

Blaze: "Stupid" like what, Cass? Taking the fight to someone who has been vexing you for 24 hours, trying to make you crack up, or DIE? That Kelly bitch has been acting like a coward, and now Karen is going to meet her where she is.

"Well, 'stupid' isn't really her norm, but I wouldn't put anything 'crazy' past her."

Blaze: There's something going on with my mom and Haleigh- Karen has been helping her, in her capacity as a doctor and psychotherapist. I was able to CONFIRM it. That's the only reason I "switched sides" earlier, and why she agreed to speak with Haleigh. Whatever the issue is...it's not the first time they've communicated.

Zach didn't reply, but he did look concerned. As Blaze and Cass worked together to repair the damage done to the window, Zach busied himself with tidying up. Everything that had been on or in the nightstand had been scattered around the room as it was tossed out the window. As he picked up the lamp and alarm clock, he thought back to a recent talk he'd had with Ava, when he'd hoped to get some sisterly advice.

"I tried to talk to Haleigh about it but it's weird..... she gets ANGRY when I wake up in a cold sweat and mention the kids. She tells me to just get over it, but she wasn't THERE. She didn't FEEL IT. When I try to explain she gets defensive, like I'm blaming her or something. I started sleeping at my place so we'd stop fighting about it every night."

Ava: Haleigh's a different breed, you know that. She....handles things like a soldier. She knows what happened was horrible, she just can't dwell on it otherwise it'll eat her up. She has a tendency to keep things bottled up until they come exploding out....sound familiar?

"Yeah..... that's not the healthiest way to deal, even if it IS the most popular. I guess I assumed Haleigh would be supportive while I worked through this stuff... and instead I've never felt more alone."

Ava: I know she can be a little dismissive, but don't let it screw with you, Zach. She loves you, she's just dealing with a lot right now.

"That's apparent.... I just wish she'd let me in again.... but it's like there's this void between us now, and it's being filled by Cameron's sense of entitlement."

Ava: Cameron? You think this is about Cam--No...I mean, yeah they have a weird, fuuck up, love/hate relationship that I don't even understand....But I think this goes much deeper than Cameron.

"Mmm, yeah, you say that, but all HER problems started as soon as she laid eyes on Cameron-- and that's been the case EVERY TIME he's snaked his way back into her life. That kiss they shared the night of her return REALLY got under her skin.... and she said it was a huge, impulsive mistake..... but in the cathedral.... she was focused on saving HIM. And she still hasn't said a WORD about the fact that Ash and I basically made out--I mean, it was a heat of the battle thing, and totally necessary, but still, *I* feel guilty, and Haleigh feels nothing."

Ava: Honestly Zach...I have no idea.

"Damn.... You were my only hope."

"Well, if Haleigh has been talking to Karen, then I'm glad, because Ava and I have both been in the dark lately with regards to Haleigh's 'status'. So it's nice to know that at least she has SOMEONE, but it's scary as hell to try to list the kinds of things she wouldn't be comfortable talking to me or her SISTER about."

Blaze: With Shadow Weaver GONE, of her own choice and power, we no longer need to stay here. So while I'm not willing to bet place a bet on where Haleigh's going, I AM willing to suggest WE get our asses in gear.

"So whatcha thinking? We disobey mommy and go out to play ANYWAY?"

He asked, with a playful, toothy grin.

Blaze: I'm not waiting for anyone's approval or permission. Too much is at stake, and people we love and care about are converging on the seat of our shared nightmare, we CAN'T sit this out! Come on!

"We're coming, we're coming!"

He replied, following both women out of the suite.

 

[Frost]

Jasmine watched as the woman in white used water to slow down her ice again. Shit....a water elemental...now THIS could pose a problem. But as the danger room drastically dropped in temperature, Fathom's attack began to freeze into a massive wall of ice from floor to ceiling.

Fathom: "Hmm, getting a little chilly in here. Reminds me of underwater caves, dark and cold, and you never know what you'll bump into!"

Jasmine could feel a jolt in her body as Fathom locked onto her water signature Her body was picked up and began to fly forward towards the spikes of the ice wall. In that moment, Jasmine quickly froze her OWN water signature, jumping out of her own body and leaving an iced version of herself [seen here]. She slammed her fist into the ice sculpture and sent it shattering towards the wall. Upon impact the wall exploded outward toward Fathom and Talisman sending spikes and shards of ice flying at great speeds at them.

"You shoulda stayed in those caves, aquabitch. Where's Jason Momoa? Can I trade him for you?."

The temperature in the dome was well below zero at this point, enough to where it started to snow heavily around them creating a blizzard.

 

[Fathom]

The Citadel -- Control Room

Frost: You shoulda stayed in those caves, aquabitch. Where's Jason Momoa? Can I trade him for you?

"Jason.... who? Apologies, I'm not taking 'last requests'. You can speak your last words if you want, but everybody I share them with is just going to laugh at you."

Frost managed a pretty neat switch, creating an ice form of herself and sending THAT into the ice-spike wall instead, causing a great big violent explosion of sharp shards of ice, right in Heidi's direction. Heidi threw her water bomb in Frost's direction, more a distraction than anything. She held up both hands as if to shield her face, and mockingly feigned distress. But the deadly ice razors threatening her never made their intended target, because they broke apart midair as if they'd gone through a sieve. Heidi was showered in cold sparkly, slushy mist, and she guffawed at Jasmine's attempt.

"Silly little snowflake. You've learned to manipulate ONE STATE of an element over which I've mastered COMPLETE CONTROL. I can create water, I can destroy it, I can separate it into microscopic droplets and put it WHEREVER I want it. Do you think, because it has taken on a solid form, that it makes any difference to me? It is STILL WATER."

Underneath Jasmine's feet, a large fountain of water began, spraying upwards with an incredible force, catapulting her off her feet. Another jet of water hit her from behind, engulfing her and changing direction abruptly. It was like being caught in a riptide, trapped underwater and being yanked around in seemingly random directions, and with such a strong pull that even the best swimmers knew to 'go with the flow'.

Heidi continued to move around the room, only mildly annoyed by the blizzard that began around her. Frost may have THOUGHT she could handle herself alone, and surely the small scuffles with the ooze creatures had boosted her confidence, but she'd failed to realize that the ooze was never supposed to stop her, rather, the intention was to herd her. And all this time, Fathom had been patiently waiting for her victim to get here. In the Control Room, where many an experiment had been tested, where anything could be introduced at the whim of the ones at the controls.

With all that extra time on her hands, Heidi had ample opportunity to set this room up exactly the way she wanted it. She'd known exactly who she'd be dealing with, and she'd been given all the details on Frost's development. It was almost unfair, really..... She'd programmed all sorts of fun and games on time delays. Several wall panels near the floor raised up to reveal pipes, large enough in diameter to stand up in. Immediately they began to GUSH with steaming hot water, instantly turning the floor into a churning whirlpool. Thousands of gallons per minute flowed from all these sources, but that wasn't ALL that came through the pipes. At least a dozen massive, 8 foot long bio-enhanced eels poured in, and the only indication of their position was the occasional blue electric glow in the dark, murky water. Soon they would be joined by much more stealthy sea creatures. Heidi was very much looking forward to swimming with the Neptunes.

The water was already chest deep and the steam rising off the surface began to fog up the entire room, making it almost as difficult to see above the water as it was below the surface. Chunks of broken ice were already beginning to melt. Higher up near the ceiling, presumably at the maximum water level for this test room, enormous flame-throwing turrets activated, sweeping bands of fire that often overlapped and set an upper limit. The fire also served to combat Frost's attempt to cool the atmosphere to her liking.

 

[Seer]

BioSystems Lab- The battle is joined...or is it?

<< The Birds of Prey (those not as closely tied to the Six) were able to score a major key victory of sorts, as Oracle and Recall were able to mine more than a little bit of data and information from systems that were still powered in the Citadle. Some of their information paths were dead ends, or being ACTIVELY BLOCKED, and they knew not to press to hard, because that could draw attention. But they took what they could find and easily capture.>>

<< Information was power, and the Birds of Prey needed more than just emotional ties to inform them about Mystech's past and any possible future, especially with "would be" successors like WilPharma and TriCell vying for that position. Oracle would have many days and nights to pour over the in formation, assuming they got out of here ALIVE tonight.>>

<< As Oracle, Recall, Mina, Steel and Valkyrie made a stand in the Tyrant room against the three lickers that had been pursuing them, they prooved once again that team work would go a long way. Added advantages included: less of direct/emotional ties to this place-with Recall being the only among the this particular group that had any, TWO among them had extra measures of protection against possible infection- Steel, in his armored form, and Valkyrie, who was immune, due to her asgardian physiology, and Mina, who could sense the presence of the dead. The bio hazards all give a distinct resonance...and putried scent that she and others with special senses or perceptions could register, which would make it harder for creatures to sneak up on her.>>

<< Oracle and her team made tracks, using the Citadle's own internal directory and navigation systems to help them find their way. Next stop, the Bio Systems lab- the site of the fateful battle between Spellbinder and her father, along with the Six and Imagiomg>>

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

<< In the control room of the Bio Systems Lab Frost attacks Talisman and Fathom, who has just revealed herself.>>

<< Talisman falls back, letting Fathom take the lead. This is a moment for Fathom to show her skills and power in a real time battle and Frost is equally ready to show what SHE can do. After everything she's been through, all that she endured to escape this place...it'll take more than EITHER of these women to give HER pause or reason to worry.>>

Heidi continued to move around the room, only mildly annoyed by the blizzard that began around her. Frost may have THOUGHT she could handle herself alone, and surely the small scuffles with the ooze creatures had boosted her confidence, but she'd failed to realize that the ooze was never supposed to stop her, rather, the intention was to herd her. And all this time, Fathom had been patiently waiting for her victim to get here. In the Control Room, where many an experiment had been tested, where anything could be introduced at the whim of the ones at the controls.

<< In these first rounds of battle, the two elementals give and take pretty evenly. But there's a sense that this is all merely preliminary and that escalation is about to happen, starting now. >>

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

<< MorningStar, Silver Swan, and Charope, having defeated their large, menacing adversary, finally clear that area have now made their way properly into the Biosystems lab where they hear and SEE the sounds of confrontation between Frost and Fathom.>>

The water was already chest deep and the steam rising off the surface began to fog up the entire room, making it almost as difficult to see above the water as it was below the surface. Chunks of broken ice were already beginning to melt. Higher up near the ceiling, presumably at the maximum water level for this test room, enormous flame-throwing turrets activated, sweeping bands of fire that often overlapped and set an upper limit. The fire also served to combat Frost's attempt to cool the atmosphere to her liking.

Silver Swan: Who is she fighting!?

<< The woman was unknown to them, but they all surveyed the scene and it was clear she was POWERFUL, using her own abilities as well as the programs of the control room in the bio systems lab!>>

<< The SHARP changes in temperature and environment in this space due to the two elementals was IMMEDIATELY felt by the three new arrivals.>>

Charope: HANG ON, FROST! I'll get up to the control booth, and SHUT DOWN the systems that are powered in this room! If we can remove as much external obstacles....ill then use the programs AGAINST the enemy and ward off any actual creatures that might be drawn to this area!

<< While she was no "Oracle", Alycia had a level of technical skill that had been enhanced during her training as a special federal agent. She was aces at operating and programming Black Widow's danger room, as well as DOME when using it as a form of transportation or power station.>>

Silver Swan: MorningStar and I will help Frost battle this woman!

<< And as this modern group of Charlie's Angels prepared to assist Frost, they found themselves facing another problem.>>

<< A short time later, Oracle and the rest of her team arrived, and were soon caught up as well!>>

 

[Talisman]

The Citadle - Bio Systems Lab

< The stage was set as Heidi and Jasmine began to face off against each other. As Fathom protected Kelly from Frost's initial blast, she shimmered away from the main lab area and back into the Control as her black manicured nails tapped against the control pads, her eyes surveying the battle with an intense curiosity. This was as much a test for Fathom as it was for Frost. Of course, there were fail safe put in place should either of them move past the point that Talisman was comfortable with, but for now, just like Kelly had done, Fathom had things to prove as well. Kelly had given her the tools to be successful, but she also noticed a similarity between them, an uncomfortable one that was beginning to cause Kelly to somewhat re-analyze her approach going forward. Fathom was incredibly sure of herself. So easy had she been able to grasp control over her expanded abilities that she forgot what killed her in the first place - her inflated sense of self, something Kelly shared. To do the things that Dr. Shaw was able to do required a high level of awareness and belief in her ability, but it did present it's own set of challenges. Sometimes she was TOO sure of herself, and it had cost her a few rounds with Shadow Weaver tonight. She knew that she would be facing Shadow Weaver soon enough, and that she was prepared for, but she couldn't help but see a sense of irony in the situation unfolding around her. Fathom was facing a person very similarly suited to the one who took her life many months ago in London. If she didn't survive this, or worse if she DID survive this and was BEATEN - both Malice and Talisman would have her "cancelled". She may have had her "debut" but like Talisman noted in the catacombs earlier, the members of The Inner Circle were all about to pay their "membership fees", in a number of different ways. >

< Her omni sight allowed her to track the arrival of both groups who had managed to survive the number of heinous creatures that roamed the halls and lower levels of the citadle freely. Being her soothed Kelly, it was evolution before her very eyes, to see how he these new species interacted with each other in such a harsh environment. In fact she had spent several weeks since her arrival in the city down in The Citadle, surveying the key differences between her native timeline and this one, one of the biggest being that her own office and lab didn't exist here. Instead the space was used as storage, full of medical supplies instead of her work. It was a bittersweet revelation. >

"And right on cue..."

Silver Swan: "Who is she fighting!?"

< Clicking the intercom button with her index finger. >

"She is fighting somebody far beyond her ability - and she's about to lose."

Charope: "Charope: HANG ON, FROST! I'll get up to the control booth, and SHUT DOWN the systems that are powered in this room! If we can remove as much external obstacles....ill then use the programs AGAINST the enemy and ward off any actual creatures that might be drawn to this area!"

"Amazons really DO think they are capable of anything, don't they."

"You'll do no such thing little girl. You are not here as participants...but observants - I haven't invited you to the family dinner table just YET."

< A comment on her mysterious connection to the group. A pervasive smile curled up in Kelly's lips as she looked down at the witches, her bright blue eyes peering almost through them as she made eye contact with each of the women slowly, making sure each got a chance to see her clearly. Though she had gained some insight from the memories of Kelly King she experienced every now and then, she wasn't really sure of how deep her recognition ran here...though many encounters had shown her it wasn't very deep. >

< Kelly swirled her hand as a swirl of dark black and blue orbs manifested around her hand. She made a fist and brought it forward towards the glass of the the control room. >

<< BOOM! >>

< A familiar BELL toll fills the sound around the bio systems lab as spectral energy of the same hue around her hand as it SMASHES into the group, igniting the spell she had cast earlier over all of them. Just as in the various areas of the clubhouse, the three woman would find themselves pulled and torn into the SWIRLING vortex of magick around them, slowing them down, altering their perception and nullifying their powers. >

< For added effect - Alycia would notice her feminum bracelets FALLING off of her arms and dissolving around her as her body began to feel incredibly human. As she looked down on her arm she would notice something that wasn't there before, a ZOMBIE bite. Though this was simply an illusion, an effect of the spell, Alycia would begin to feel as if her victory in the tyrant lab, one that Kelly had witnessed, was in vein. She had been bitten by a zombie and this time there was nobody here to stop her from "transitioning." >

Silver Swan: "Morningstar and I will help Frost battle this woman."

"Not so fast, Silver Swan. This isn't a CHURCH - this is a place of science. Show some respect!"

< Kelly could sense the arrival of Oracle's team. She smirked. >

"Good..a packed house."

< In the back of her mind, she waited for Shadow Weaver, but for now she focused her attention on the unfolding battle between Fathom and Frost. >

 

[MorningStar]

Bio Systems Lab

Defeating the nasty thing with an ax – finally – they were able to move on towards the Lab. Delilah became more and more apprehensive about what she might find there. Was Christopher really lying in wait for them, or was it something worse?

There was a commotion up ahead, and as they stepped into the doorway of the lab they could see Frost.

Finally!

It took a second to register what was happening. The place was filled with water and chunks of ice, and it seemed hot and cold at the same time. And Frost was fighting someone – but it wasn’t Christopher. It was someone Delilah had never seen before.

“Frost!”

Who is she fighting!?

Delilah shook her head. The woman Frost was fighting seemed to control water – and the room.

"She is fighting somebody far beyond her ability - and she's about to lose."

“Oh piss OFF!”

It wasn’t a voice she recognized either. Who were these people, and why were they here? Minions of Christopher’s?

Charope was off like a shot to the control room, to try and shut down the room’s defenses.

MorningStar and I will help Frost battle this woman!

“Be careful – there’s something IN that water!”

Delilah pulled back her hand, ready to unleash a photon blast towards Frost’s mysterious attacker, when in a flash of blue & black orbs, she was suddenly unable to move. It was just like what had happened at the Parthenon.

“What the hell is going on?! Who the HELL are you and what do you want with us?!”

She struggled against her bounds, but it was no use – all she could do was watch Frost and pray they would find a way out of this in time to help her.

 

[Silver Swan]

Bio Systems Lab

[ The had caught up with Frost, and she was in trouble! But they were going to help her. They were going to SMACK DOWN this water woman AND whoever her mistress was! Charope would disable the defense systems and the program flooding the place with water, while Silver Swan and MorningStar joined Frost in battle.]

"You'll do no such thing little girl. You are not here as participants...but observants - I haven't invited you to the family dinner table just YET."

< A comment on her mysterious connection to the group. A pervasive smile curled up in Kelly's lips as she looked down at the witches, her bright blue eyes peering almost through them as she made eye contact with each of the women slowly, making sure each got a chance to see her clearly. Though she had gained some insight from the memories of Kelly King she experienced every now and then, she wasn't really sure of how deep her recognition ran here...though many encounters had shown her it wasn't very deep. >

[ She addressed them as if she knew something they didnt [?] She spoke as though SHE was the one behind this, rather than Christopher!]

And just who do you think YOU are?! One of Christopher's TRAMPS? YOU WON'T STOP US!

“Be careful – there’s something IN that water!”

Indeed...MORE than a few things, as my SONAR seems to detect...

[ But Silver Swan and MorningStar had enough uses of their power that would allow them to protect themselves and navigate these dark and treacherous waters...or so they thought]

"Not so fast, Silver Swan. This isn't a CHURCH - this is a place of science. Show some respect!"

< Kelly swirled her hand as a swirl of dark black and blue orbs manifested around her hand. She made a fist and brought it forward towards the glass of the the control room. >

<< BOOM! >>

< A familiar BELL toll fills the sound around the bio systems lab as spectral energy of the same hue around her hand as it SMASHES into the group, igniting the spell she had cast earlier over all of them. Just as in the various areas of the clubhouse, the three woman would find themselves pulled and torn into the SWIRLING vortex of magick around them, slowing them down, altering their perception and nullifying their powers. >

MorningStar....that BELL toll, that power signature....it sounds like HARBINGER'S! But how could this woman...

[it happen AGAIN, as she and Delilah moved in to help Frost...they were STOPPED, IMMOBILIZED!]

NOT AGAIN!

[ Sharon yelled with anger as she struggled with all her might, but she was completely immobilized and her powers, even her sonic scream were unavailable!]

Recall said that the last time we experienced this, she detected some sort of MAGICK power signature. This woman...she's got to be a MAGICK user!

[ From behind her silver eye mask, she narrowed her silver eyes in a glare at the woman]

She MUST be who was responsible for the last attack like this! But WHO is she!?

[ Sharon had never encountered Witchfire, not directly, and Alison did not speak of her mother. She had no idea that this was the cross time alternate of Kelly King, Kelly SHAW.]

“What the hell is going on?! Who the HELL are you and what do you want with us?!”

She struggled against her bounds, but it was no use – all she could do was watch Frost and pray they would find a way out of this in time to help her.

[ Sharon struggled as well, but not even her strength availabled her freedom from the binding that she was in]

 

[Artemis]

Bio Systems Lab

:: Alycia prepared to make her way to the control boothto disengage the systems and stop the program that was running.::

MorningStar and I will help Frost battle this woman!

:: And whoever the mystery woman was inside the control booth, if she was hiding from the battle, then she was probably weak, and could be taken down easily. That was Alycia's FIRST thought, but it was a dangerous assumption to make.::

"You'll do no such thing little girl. You are not here as participants...but observants - I haven't invited you to the family dinner table just YET."

< A comment on her mysterious connection to the group. A pervasive smile curled up in Kelly's lips as she looked down at the witches, her bright blue eyes peering almost through them as she made eye contact with each of the women slowly, making sure each got a chance to see her clearly. Though she had gained some insight from the memories of Kelly King she experienced every now and then, she wasn't really sure of how deep her recognition ran here...though many encounters had shown her it wasn't very deep. >

[ She addressed them as if she knew something they didnt [?] She spoke as though SHE was the one behind this, rather than Christopher!]

And just who do you think YOU are?! One of Christopher's TRAMPS? YOU WON'T STOP US!

"Not so fast, Silver Swan. This isn't a CHURCH - this is a place of science. Show some respect!"

< Kelly swirled her hand as a swirl of dark black and blue orbs manifested around her hand. She made a fist and brought it forward towards the glass of the the control room. >

<< BOOM! >>

< A familiar BELL toll fills the sound around the bio systems lab as spectral energy of the same hue around her hand as it SMASHES into the group, igniting the spell she had cast earlier over all of them. Just as in the various areas of the clubhouse, the three woman would find themselves pulled and torn into the SWIRLING vortex of magick around them, slowing them down, altering their perception and nullifying their powers. >

That sound!

:: Sharon and Delilah heard it too! It sounded like ALISON'S power signature! But that didn't make any sense! Who WAS this woman!?::

:: Suddenly she was experiencing the same thing that Sharon and Delilah had experienced at the parthenon's VIP clubhouse when Karen had been attacked!::

[ Sharon yelled with anger as she struggled with all her might, but she was completely immobilized and her powers, even her sonic scream were unavailable!]

Recall said that the last time we experienced this, she detected some sort of MAGICK power signature. This woman...she's got to be a MAGICK user!

[ From behind her silver eye mask, she narrowed her silver eyes in a glare at the woman]

She MUST be who was responsible for the last attack like this! But WHO is she!?

:: Alycia struggled, REALIZING that DOME was still an option. But before she could concentrate to summon it to action...::

< For added effect - Alycia would notice her feminum bracelets FALLING off of her arms and dissolving around her as her body began to feel incredibly human. As she looked down on her arm she would notice something that wasn't there before, a ZOMBIE bite. Though this was simply an illusion, an effect of the spell, Alycia would begin to feel as if her victory in the tyrant lab, one that Kelly had witnessed, was in vein. She had been bitten by a zombie and this time there was nobody here to stop her from "transitioning." >

My BRACELETS!!!

:: This SHOULDN'T be happening. NO ONE could just remove an amazon's feminum bracelets from her person! Feminum was a substance with DIVINE and MYSTICAL properties! But somehow...it was HAPPENING, her bracelets had fallen off her wrists! WORSE, she began to feel odd....WEAK...on her right arm...there was a ZOMBIE BITE!::

ATHENA!

...I....I'VE BEEN BITTEN!

:: Alycia screams as she begins to PANIC, dropping to her knees holding her armand crying out::

I've been BITTEN!!

:: Her mind races as she shows all the physical symptoms of a panic attack. Her worst FEAR...being bitten by a zombie and BECOMING ONE! But HOW could this have happened!?::

::FLASH!::

:: The Crimson head appears to get the upper hand and goes in for what would surely be a fate sealing bite on her neck::

ATHENA!! NO!!!

:: She SCREAMS as she brings her left arm up and over just enough, just IN TIME to BLOCK the super zombie's bite! He instead bites her FEMINUM BRACELET.::

GET OFF OF ME!

:: That moment in the office pool, when the crimson head attacked her! She'd BLOCKED it's attempt to bite with her bracelet, HADN'T SHE!? Silver Swan, Recall, and Oracle wouldn't have just stood by and let her be bitten...WOULD THEY!?::

:: Alycia was CONVINCED she was succumbing to the T virus now...and DYING.::

Silver Swan: Delilah...Alycia's reacting as though she's been BITTEN by a zombie! Earlier in the office pool, she was attacked by a CRIMSON HEAD. It nearly DID bite her, but she STOPPED it with her feminum bracelet! but look at her! she's reacting as though she was BITTEN in the very spot where the bracelet had protected her!

:: Silver Swan and MorningStar watch, HORRIFIED, as they realize that Alycia is experiencing an attack JUST LIKE Karen did on the balcony. THEY See Alycia, her feminum bracelets are still on her wrists, she was NOT bitten. She's caught up in this spell...some kind of ILLUSION that is tormenting her::

Silver Swan: ALYCIA! You've got to get ahold of yourself! YOU WEREN'T BITTEN by that crimson head! I was THERE! You STOPPED IT, you SAVED YOURSELF! It's that WOMAN! Her spell...it's DOING SOMETHING TO YOU, making you THINK ...

:: Silver Swan SCREAMS at Alycia but it's no use, Alycia is convinced she's dying...she can FEEL IT, she can FEEL the virus claiming her, and without Nicolas, Morgan, Alison and Haleigh to work in concert...there's no hope for her this time.::

:: She'd come so far...and she thought returning to man's world was the right thing to do....but now...it was all coming to THIS!? She fell to the floor, laying on her side, with a blank look in her hazel eyes, tears falling from them::

Silver Swan: DAMMIT! [ She cries out with frustration, as she glares at Talisman who did this] I'll RIP YOUR THROAT OUT! I'll BREAK EVERY BONE IN YOUR BODY! I've FOUGHT magick users before! THEY DIDN'T STOP ME, and NEITHER WILL YOU!

[ Silver Swan struggles once more, and suddenly...much like with Black Widow in Karen's suite...there is a glowing/rippling effect, as orbs fly around her. She's using nearly ALL of her physical power now, and driven by a DEEP seated desire to get her hands on Kelly Shaw. The magick binding holds...but she's forcing Kelly to COMMIT more concentration to keeping the spell in tact]

Silver Swan: You don't know who I am, woman, OR what I can do! When I get my hands on you....I'll make you REGRET EVER crossing me and my friends!

[ Sharon was NOT fooling around. Even the NIMROD during the Puririfers Caper had remarked on the raw physical power this woman posessed, and NOW, she was BEYOND the point of anger! She struggled and exerted her power, and it looked as though she were trying to pull the PLANET itself! She took...A. STEP. And DRAGGED that magick with her, but she was moving in slow motion and the sounds of her STRAINING the spell's 'binds' was earsplitting.]

[ She saw what happened to Karen, she saw what was happening to Alycia. She would not let this woman get away with this! She'd snap her neck 5 times in less than than 5 seconds, she'd KILL HER!]

 

[MorningStar]

Bio Systems Lab

Blue black orbs…that bell sound…

MorningStar....that BELL toll, that power signature....it sounds like HARBINGER'S! But how could this woman... Recall said that the last time we experienced this, she detected some sort of MAGICK power signature. This woman...she's got to be a MAGICK user!

Had Alison finally gone all the way to crazy and was attacking them directly?! But what reason could she possibly have to attack Karen? No. The only thing that made sense was…but that was impossible…

“It must be Christopher…playing some sort of trick with our minds!”

I've been BITTEN!!

Silver Swan pleaded with Alycia, but she would not believe her, that she HADN’T been bitten.

“Charope – Alycia – you have got to snap out of this! You have not been bitten, I promise you! You are FINE! Fight it!”

Sharon was fighting hard, POWERING through the magick.

“Push Silver Swan, break her hold!”

They HAD to get to Alycia and then help Frost. They couldn’t just watch their team mates be attacked.

 

[Oracle]

To the Bio Systems Lab

Recall finished off the last of the Lickers and disposed of the bodies, using the Citadel against itself. With room to breathe – and now armed with the complete plans of the fortress – they made their way to the Bio Systems Lab, expecting to catch up with Silver Swan, Charope, MorningStar and Frost there.

But as they found their way out onto the observation deck, much more was going on. The steam hit them like a freight train: Frost was in a pitched battle on the floor of the Lab, which was now over halfway under water, while Silver Swan and MorningStar seemed to be frozen, and Charope was down!

“Alycia!”

She didn’t LOOK hurt, but she was laying down, tears on her cheeks.

“Steel: protect Charope! Mina and Valkyrie: help Frost! Recall and I will aid Silver Swan and MorningStar.”

They each began to move into their assigned positions, when each was hit by a wave of the same blue-black energy signature that had befallen Sharon and Delilah. Struggle as they might, they couldn’t move any further.

“Who are you?! What do you want?!”

Steel: “We’re here, Charope – we’ll help you, just HANG ON!”

Mina: “Coward. Come out and face us.”

Valkyrie: “You ^*&^*$&^*$&* #W^&#^* $^*&^$* #^*Q&*&#$^* ^&^&^&!”

Oracle stopped struggling against the bonds. She focused all her energy and will on moving the index finger on her right hand ever so slightly, pushing a button on her chair's armrest.

 

[Frost]

Frost was blasted with a geyser of water from Fathom, who easily avoided her earlier attack. The water catapulted her into the air, engulfing her in a riptide like effect. Frost immediately shifted into her permafrost form, a form that allowed her to take massive hits and feed off the moister of the water around her. This allowed her strength to double and her durability to withstand almost anything. As her body was tossed around in the riptide of water, it finally smashed into one of the danger room walls and SHATTERED her. But because she could still control all aspects of her permafrost form even when not in a solid state, Frost uses this opportunity to kill two bird with one stone.

The geysers of water controlled by Fathom began to freeze instantly, traveling down from the top of the geyser until finally hitting the steam cannon below and freezing that as well. But it didn't stop there. The ice traveled beyond the steam cannons to the massive whirlpool of water that Fathom was filling the dome with. She began to FLASH FREEZE the pool of water, which in turn also froze the electric eels swimming within it as well. The entire danger room looked like a massive ice skating rink.

"Cute trick."

Frost's shattered permafrost form reconfigured behind Fathom as she returned to her normal state. Grabbing the sides of Fathom's head, Jasmine began to DRAIN Fathom of her energy while in turn freezing her molecules from the inside out. She was literally feeding off Fathom's warmth to boost her own powers, which in turn INTENSIFIED her freezing attack on Fathom.

"But i'm DONE playing!"

Jasmine FLUNG Fathom into the air, controlling her body by the frozen molecules within her, and sent her CATAPULTING into the giant fiery bands of fire above.

 

[Recall]

To The Bio Systems Lab...

:: With the lickers dispatched they moved with a great speed and renewed confidence as they headed towards the Bio Systems Lab. Vivica shuddered for a moment as she thought about what might be contained in a place like the Bio Systems Lab. Everything thus far had been horrifying and disgusting and she was sure that this place would be no different. As they entered the observation deck, they could hear and see something quite dangerous brewing below them. It was was an altercation between Frost and...somebody else. ::

:: Her power signature was curiously familiar to Recall, as if she had seen it somewhere before but she couldn't exactly place it, which worried her. But there was no time to investigate as The Birds of Prey began to realize that Silver Swan, Charope and Morningstar were in trouble. Charope was crying and Silver Swan was fighting against a swirl of blue and black looking magick. ::

Oracle: "Alycia! Steel: Protect Charope! Mina and Valkyrie: help Frost! Recall and I will aid Silver Swan and MorningStar."

:: Vivica nodded and crouched, ready to spring over the observation deck and thrust into action until they too were hit by the same blue black energy signature that she had experienced in the VIP Clubhouse earlier. This was not good - and it confirmed to Vivica that she had been correct in her thinking that this entire thing was in the hands of a magick user. ::

Oracle: "Who are you?! What do you want?!"

Steel: "We're here, Charope - we'lll help you, just HANG ON!"

Mina: "Coward. Come out and face us."

Valkyrie: *some kind of asgardian cursing chant*

:: Recal''s eyes shot up as she peered into the Control Room, her eyes meeting with the woman in shadow for a brief woman. Though Vivica didn't have her abilities to aid her - things began to click together for the mutant. The blue/black energy signature, the bell toll she had heard earlier - the cobalt blue eyes. Eyes she had seen before, though not on this woman, but on people she knew pretty intimately. Slowly but surely all of these similarities began to hit her one by one until she swallowed hard in her throat, her eyes widening at what she had just realized. ::

"My GOD...."

[pausing for a few moments]

 

[Talisman]

Bio Systems Lab

< She watched as they struggled with all of their might forcing her to carry a great deal of concentration their way, which was fine for now. In fact, she was learning a lot about them as they screamed and demanded to know who she was. Alycia's was experiencing her greatest fear and she saw the fierceness of Sharon's resolve. They were a weak spot for each other, they would attempt to move mountains to save one another. It was these kinds of behaviors and emotional ties Talisman could use to her advantage later. Still, even she was surprised to see how STRONG The Silver Swan was. >

"And you don't know who *I* am...or what *I* can do. I'm not JUST a magick user - i have other abilities in my arsenal...ones that could make what you experienced at the hands of your creators look like DAYDREAMS!"

< Snapping her fingers a burst of blue/black spectral energy sparked from her fingertips as the illusion cast over Alycia faded completely. >

"But I admire your moxy. I know it's partly my fault...for my mind games earlier..but you all give Christopher Victory far too much credit. Granted he was a brilliant man, despite certain proclivities...but you aren't completely off base. As we've all seen in this war that's been raging for decades, across TIME AND SPACE, that the dead don't stay that way for long...like your companion, Frost over the there..."

< She gestured towards the battle of the elemental as Frost delivered one hell of an attack on Fathom. >

"Or me."

"Don't get your hopes up. Fathom isn't down for the count. I recreated her myself. I know what she's capable of."

< A somewhat sadistic half smile. >

"I'm sorry...I'm being rude. Does anybody require refreshments before we reach the finale?"

< Perhaps Malice WAS rubbing off on her a bit. She has been the woman in Shadow for too long. After tonight...EVERYBODY would remember her name, and not for the reasons her alternate had been remembered. >

Oracle: "Who are you?! What do you want?"

"I'm a woman who has been denied a destiny that is mine to fulfill...and tonight, my journey CONTINUES."

 

[Fathom]

The Citadel -- Control Room

Frost turned completely into ice to avoid taking too much damage. Despite slamming into the wall and breaking into pieces, she wasn't yet defeated. She even started flash freezing Heidi's carefully crafted lagoon!

Heidi shook her head, determined to win. She may have retained her narcissism, but in death, she'd lost her complacency. She still believed she far-outclassed the vast majority of elemental beings on the planet, and that confidence was not misplaced. But having tasted recent defeat, she'd resolved herself to become more like her element itself: adaptable and uncontainable.

She blasted the ice forming on her pipes with concentrated dark water bursts that hit with the force of a torpedo, breaking up the blockages and allowing the water to flow. There were so many pipes pumping water into the room, she went from pipe to pipe and kept the hot water flowing even as Frost tried to freeze the top surface and create a layer of ice. There was the loud, unique sound of glacial cracking as the top layer of water that had frozen over began to weaken. Heidi, standing atop to the ice, turned herself to her elemental form, and prepared to begin punching through the fractured ice layer.

Frost had reformed behind her though, and grabbed a hold of her 'head'. In Fathom's watery form, she held the basic shape of a humanoid being, but she didn't have a 'brain' or a 'heart' or any other specific organ, just a network of florescent blue cells that constantly shifted as she moved. She BECAME Dark Water, an inky bluish-black liquid substance with extreme density and high salinity. In this form her temperature was actually BELOW freezing, in fact, she was more resistant to freezing than normal water. As Frost tried to freeze her 'head', she found it to be much more challenging than usual. A very thin layer of ice began to form on the surface of Fathom's 'skin', and that ice slowly spread. Some of the glowing blue cells began to get stuck together, but there seemed to be no response from Fathom herself. She was concentrated on breaking up the surface they were standing on, and it was working. Frost and Fathom were both floating on a chunk of ice just big enough to stand on.

A Neptune burst out of a break in the ice and slammed down onto another section of ice a few feet away, smashing it into smaller bits. It was a great-white looking shark, but remarkably mutated, it had more than just a sharp dorsal fin, it had a ROW of spiky 'fins' along its spine from nose to tail. They all looked to be sharp and dangerous, but that wasn't the only thing to be worried about. The creatures had giant mouths with rows upon rows of teeth that were several inches long. These creatures, though not yet full size, had been piped into the mix from their development tubes. They were still several feet long, and likely weighed close to a TON. Another burst out of the water, another chunk broken. This time it was closer to where Frost and Fathom were standing. It was clear the neptunes were trying to flip any unsuspecting victims off their ice-islands and into the water.

Frost is still trying to freeze Fathom, with mild success. The thick, steamy fog surrounding them begins to swirl and take shape, wrapping around Frost in tendrils. But before the fog could take her, Frost THREW Fathom up into the air, towards the fire. Fathom disappeared into the flames. Above the turrets, a great amount of heat had collected. It was easily over two hundred degrees. Fathom remained above the flame throwers, thawing out for a moment. Then she hit them each with small, softball sized orbs of dense water, not destroying them, just angling them more down towards the arena to help control the temperature.

Down below, the neptunes were still popping up and overturning/smashing the ice blocks. Fathom zeroed in on Frost, and jetted herself down, directly into Frost's form, 'tackling' her and dragging her underwater, where all the creatures were circling in anticipation of a feeding frenzy. Fathom was under here as well, but now unseen in the murky water. She moved further back as the water around Frost began to freeze.

 

[Seer]

Bio Systems Lab - Elemental Chaos, Cryptic words, and ANOTHER Bird of Prey

<< A verticle split view of Fathom and Frost engaged in a true power struggle, both elementals, and each was one side of the same essential coin. >>

<< Frost had demonstrated a new level of connection to the power of ICE, one that she had never displayed in her previous life, and Fathom was a completely overhauled genetic copy of Hydra, an omega level water elemental>>

<< The power that they each represented, now being directed at each other, was creating truly spectacular and DANGEROUS results. >>

<< Even as The Birds of Prey, and MorningStar were immobilized by Talisman's spells, they could feel the byproducts of the elemental chaos on their skin, their hair, their own body temperatures...it was not a place to be if you were weak or sickly, and while some individuals present had physiology or physical constitution that allowed them to better withstand or adapt to what was happening, none of them, not even Silver Swan, had been able to BREAK FREE of Talisman's spell!>>

[ Sharon was NOT fooling around. Even the NIMROD during the Puririfers Caper had remarked on the raw physical power this woman posessed, and NOW, she was BEYOND the point of anger! She struggled and exerted her power, and it looked as though she were trying to pull the PLANET itself! She took...A. STEP. And DRAGGED that magick with her, but she was moving in slow motion and the sounds of her STRAINING the spell's 'binds' was earsplitting.]

Sharon was fighting hard, POWERING through the magick.

“Push Silver Swan, break her hold!”

They HAD to get to Alycia and then help Frost. They couldn’t just watch their team mates be attacked.

<< None of them could get to HER, OR to FROST, and while Frost HAD been holding her own, the ODDS were AGAINST HER and that was becoming more apparent!>>

<< The rest of the birds of prey were present, bearing witness to this as well. >>

They each began to move into their assigned positions, when each was hit by a wave of the same blue-black energy signature that had befallen Sharon and Delilah. Struggle as they might, they couldn’t move any further.

“Who are you?! What do you want?!”

"I'm a woman who has been denied a destiny that is mine to fulfill...and tonight, my journey CONTINUES."

<< WHO was this woman that seemed to be orchestrating all of this!?>>

<< Talisman had wondered if there was any recognition among them. There didn't seem to be any. MorningStar and Silver Swan had noted the striking resemblance between her power signature and that of Harbinger's, but there was not anything more to suggest that it WAS Alison, though there WAS a faint resemblance in her appearence to the precog.>>

<< But if there was any one among them that specialized in connecting the dots, and putting the pieces - no matter how far flung- together...it was RECALL, a woman who had TOTAL RECALL, a WEALTH of data and information at her access, AND who had an intimate connection with Harbinger AND her brother.>>

:: Recal''s eyes shot up as she peered into the Control Room, her eyes meeting with the woman in shadow for a brief woman. Though Vivica didn't have her abilities to aid her - things began to click together for the mutant. The blue/black energy signature, the bell toll she had heard earlier - the cobalt blue eyes. Eyes she had seen before, though not on this woman, but on people she knew pretty intimately. Slowly but surely all of these similarities began to hit her one by one until she swallowed hard in her throat, her eyes widening at what she had just realized. ::

"My GOD...."

<< that moment of recognition was at hand, for ONE of them, but she was no more able to do anything about it than the rest of them. She'd heard Alison, Blaze, and others in the Six say "nothing is impossible." She'd seen and experience how magick could change things, defy the laws of logic and sense of reason. This entire CAPER, the mystery of Frost, the attacks on Karen, all of it seemed WRONG, and now...as she realized just who they were most likely dealing with...the realization of just how OFF BALANCE the world of magick had become in Spellbinder's absence was hitting Recall like a TRUCK.>>

<< The battle between Fathom and Frost raged, with Fathom gaining the upper hand, and having the advantage of environment and the apparent backing of this mysterious woman who was a magick user and apparently had a very personal motive in all this!>>

<< But all hope was not lost!>>

Oracle stopped struggling against the bonds. She focused all her energy and will on moving the index finger on her right hand ever so slightly, pushing a button on her chair's armrest.

<< that EVER so slight movement was ALL that it took, as Oracle quietly activated her S.O.S signal!>>

<<FLASH!>>

<< Hours earlier, at the Clock Tower! A meeting between Oracle and Harbinger>>

:: Harbinger holds up her hand and in a flash of dark glowing orbs, a USB memory stick appears. she leans forward and passes it to Oracle.::

You'll find footage of Tachyon showcasing his powers in a variety of effects, as well as my tactical analysis.

He has spent with me at my aerie, I have observed him, and timelines leading to/from him, and I can vouch for his credentials, as well as his benevolent nature. He's one of US ("the good guys.") but his destiny lies here, in NYC, with you and your team.


I sense that he will be INTREGAL to the success of an endeavor you and your team are involved in.

 

[Tachyon]

TIME STAMP TIME

Xavier was at the Clock Tower, studying the notes of the current caper when...


0.0000 seconds

Oracle stopped struggling against the bonds. She focused all her energy and will on moving the index finger on her right hand ever so slightly, pushing a button on her chair's armrest.

4.2732 seconds

The SOS on Xavier's brand-new communicator begins to chirp. He notes that Oracle is in distress and her location by her homing beacon.



4.2734 seconds

Xavier enters the Citadle, vibrating through the walls rather than bothering with doors and such.


4.2739 seconds

-S.

4.2742 seconds
KRA-KOOM!

A two-pronged crack is heard as Tachyon cracks open the spell as it tries to hold him and punches Talisman in the mouth, cracking her jawbone with the accumulated momentum of a 20-minute drive reduced to milliseconds.

I have seen your work, and you are a HATEFUL twat. Never should have crossed us.

The next second is punctuated by roughly 30 strikes to the face of the witch. If not for the innate defenses and buffs many witches have to their physical person, she'd be dead. He would have continued but for the anguished cries of Charope. Executing a high speed Muy Thai elbow strike that tosses Talisman into the control panel, shorting it out, Tachyon rushes to the amazon, lifting her to a sitting position.

Hey love. We're all right. You stand with us and FIGHT, yeah? You're no ZOMBIE.

One hand fans her at high speed while he continues to talk. He looks into her eyes.

Stick with me love. Here.

He kisses her full on the lips.

I'm not KISSING a ZOMBIE, love. I am kissing a goddamn superhero. Now GET. UP!

Xavier lifts the stunned-straight Amazon to a standing position and faces Talisman, nodding to the others.

After we finish kicking her ass, drinks on the new guy.

 

[Artemis]

Bio Systems Lab

:: She lies where she fell, laying on her said, with a blank look on her face, and a vacant stare in her hazel eyes, with tears falling from those empty eyes.::

:: She had been convinced by Talisman's spell that she'd been bitten. Somehow she'd LOST her feminum bracelets and when she THOUGHT she had used her bracelet to BLOCK the biting attack from the crimson head, it had actually bitten her!::

:: There was no hope. She was dying...and soon, she'd become ONE of them.::

:: Silver Swan and MorningStar pleaded, SHOUTED at her, trying to get her attention, to lead her back with their voice. THEY could see what was REALLY happening. She was suffering from the same attack that Karen had suffered on the balcony at the Parthenon, but while THEY knew it was an illusion, it was one that would likely KILL Alycia. Just like Karen had nearly suffered cardiac arrest, Alycia's mind was reacting, and her body would soon follow!::

:: She could no longer care what was happening with Fathom vs Frost. She was on her away to becoming a ZOMBIE!::

:: Seconds later, Oracle and the rest of the team come bursting in.::

:: Oracle resgisters Alycia's DECLINING vitals, and sees the amazon on the floor, completely unresponsive, even with her eyes open::

“Alycia!”

She didn’t LOOK hurt, but she was laying down, tears on her cheeks.

“Steel: protect Charope! Mina and Valkyrie: help Frost! Recall and I will aid Silver Swan and MorningStar.”

They each began to move into their assigned positions, when each was hit by a wave of the same blue-black energy signature that had befallen Sharon and Delilah. Struggle as they might, they couldn’t move any further.

We’re here, Charope – we’ll help you, just HANG ON!

:: But even as Steel tried to assist her, she didn't respond. She didn't register him at all.::

I'm dying....I don't want to become one of them...

:: With the bit of conscious thought she DID have...she hoped that one of her team would "take care of her" and not let her exist one second as a zombie.::

:: But ALL of them were caught up in Talisman's bindings, and Fathom was getting the upper hand on Frost! Even now, Talisman had CEASED her personal attack on Alycia, but the damage was DONE, the Amazon was "half past dead" in her own mind, and her body was following suit!::

:: what happened NEXT was truly unbelievable!::

:: As the "light" in alycia's mind grew more and more dim, dangerously close to fading out all together...::

The next second is punctuated by roughly 30 strikes to the face of the witch. If not for the innate defenses and buffs many witches have to their physical person, she'd be dead. He would have continued but for the anguished cries of Charope. Executing a high speed Muy Thai elbow strike that tosses Talisman into the control panel, shorting it out, Tachyon rushes to the amazon, lifting her to a sitting position.

Hey love. We're all right. You stand with us and FIGHT, yeah? You're no ZOMBIE.

One hand fans her at high speed while he continues to talk. He looks into her eyes.

Stick with me love. Here.

He kisses her full on the lips.

I'm not KISSING a ZOMBIE, love. I am kissing a goddamn superhero. Now GET. UP!

Xavier lifts the stunned-straight Amazon to a standing position and faces Talisman, nodding to the others.

.....

:: Alycia doesn't respond to him at all at first, but then he kisses her full on the lips, and suddenly his voice starts overriding the growing "static" in her mind and soon, she's regaining her sense of awareness, her sense of self!::

:: Her hazel eyes finally BLINK several times, before she opens them WIDE::

::GASP!::

I'm...I'm ALIVE!

:: her feminum bracelets were on her wrists, they'd never LEFT. She'd never been bitten. Sharon and Delilah had tried to tell her, but she couldn't hear....understand them. Steel was right beside her, but she didn't register him. NOW, this new person, this MAN...was right there, with her in his grasp::

WHO!? LET GO!

:: She cries out with a mix of shock, disorientation and distress. She's not ANGRY with him, just distraught. She frees herself from his grasp and pushes him away. She's ALSO a bit WINDED by his full on kiss!::

Wha...WHAT HAPPENED!? Who are YOU!?

<< Tachyon's arrival, and devastating attack on Talisman has DRASTICALLY weakened her spell, BREAKING her HOLD on the others. The witch had not accounted for this element in the game because Tachyon is not easily "seen" , even by those with magickal gifts of sight, as Alison learned from HER first encounter with the mutant speedster. he ALSO posseses an innate resistance to different forms of magick, making him MUCH harder to hold in a binding spell, among other things. >>

<< Harbinger bringing him to Oracle was like SANTA CLAUS visiting someone BEYOND "that wonderful time of the year." And Oracle, being a master strategist in her own right, decided to hold him in reserve as her team got deeper into this caper, once Mina had learned that the siege perilous had not been activated in six months, and given all the attacks on Karen and their magickal nature!>>

<< NOW we know WHY Oracle did this!>>


<< Charope is now completely free, and Silver Swan, who had been exerting nearly ALL of her physical power to try to fight through the spell, suddenly finds herself CHARGING forward and falling to the ground! It was a truly RARE moment to see HER "tripped up", but under the circumstances, no one could blame her!>>

<< Xavier Winston, TACHYON, had just made the scene! He was summoned by ORACLE, and only SHE and Mina knew about him. This was her ACE IN THE HOLE!>>

Oracle: It's alright, Alycia! Don't WORRY! He's with US! Birds, say hello to Tachyon, our newest member! The rest, we'll discuss later!

<< Everyone was physically FREE, and getting their bearings back now!>>

Silver Swan: I can't BELIEVE IT! [ She's back on her feet, and by Alycia's side, checking over the Amazon and making sure to give Alycia a chance to breathe and recover. ] Many thanks, Tachyon! And now, we've got to help Frost! We've got to do something about that woman!


<< Speaking of FROST, her battle with Fathom continues to RAGE. The advantage is not in Frost's favor, but now, with Talisman being thrown into the control panel by Tachyon's attack, the control room, the actual test arena, is short circuiting, and the program that Fathom was running is now CANCELLED OUT, REMOVING that piece of advantage from her side of the battle. Still, she's LEARNED from her previous failures, and when one door closes, she's already moving to open ANOTHER.>>

Tachyon!

:: Alycia says in a much more composed tone as she seems more like HERSELF. She even smiles at him. ::

THANK YOU.