

The Blade

Copyright 2017 Lindsey Schussman

Published by Lindsey Schussman at Smashwords

Smashwords Edition License Notes

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Chapter one

Amid an already swollen sky, dark and purple clouds clashed as they drenched the landscape and fought with bolts of lightning. For the rest of the world, it was just another monsoon. A giver of life to the desert. And as they thought nothing of their yearly dueling clouds, a tremendously over-sized bolt made its way quickly through the bulk of water particles, smashing into the Earth under the cover of night and storm.

With the oncoming onslaught of rain from the skies, the washes in the desert below began to fill and bloat with rushing water. The liquid swallowed everything in its path, with a fluid darkness, washing and displacing all.

The rushing waters quickly surrounded a disoriented woman, who had materialized with the bolt that lit up the night of the desert. Her long hair being pulled by the force of the running waters, she coughed as it entered her mouth, blocking her breathing.

Weak and panicking, the woman gasping for breath, grabbed at the soft, saturated and muddied wash bottom, trying to gain stability. With her sight blinded by silt and sand, she fumbled around desperately, trying to find her way to safety and from the raging, rising waters.

Finding rocks firmly anchored, and with great effort, the woman perilously grabbed at each one, pulling up with such a fierceness, survival was the only word in her mind. As she reached the top of the wash, she rolled to her side hacking up water and sand. Her eyes became a bit clearer and she watched the night as it was lit up by flashes of light, uneasy by the sight of tall, brooding objects that surrounded her.

Trying the wave off the pains that singed her naked scraped skin from climbing the walls of the wash, the woman continued to crawl in the raging darkness of the desert monsoon. She gritted her teeth as she pulled herself through any and all pain possible, trying her best to remember where she was.

Crossing underneath the barbwire fence, proved troublesome, as the woman pierced her hands pulling at the wire and tore up her backside, dragging the rest of herself through. She took a moment to rest, turning herself over, agonizing in pain and looking towards the sky.

It was almost like a strobe light was pulsating through different shades of purple stained glass. The rain heavily dropped on and around her, the woman content resting for the moment taking shallow breaths. She took her hand, wiping the remaining grit from her face thinking, when was the last time she had been through this? Her mind drew a blank, but her skin quenched it, as if it was familiar, and had been a while.

The woman quickly smiled as a wave of familiarity rushed over her. When she first arrived, the need for survival surpassed all others, but now, clarity slowly edged its way in. Distant memories calmed her nerves and vague thoughts danced within. Feeling more confident, the woman continued to drag herself through the damp desert, as she was unable to move her legs. She knew not of where she was going, only that where she was, was unsafe.

Out in the middle of nowhere, the lone road was no safe place. Especially in the black of night and undoubtedly in the pouring rain. Luther and Maxine Prince were making their way home. They had just left the only hospital in a rural part of town after visiting Maxine's sick father. There was just that last 30 minute ride on the desolate road before they got to the highway. No one enjoyed it, but it was the only way home. Luther gripped the steering wheel firmly as he strained to see out the windshield. His eyes swiped left to right as he tried to focus on the blurring road. And though his wife sat contently, falling asleep in the seat next to her husband, Luther was nowhere near as comfortable. As much as he tried to master the road of the rainy night, Luther's uneasiness made him a complete mess.

In just the blink of an eye, out of nowhere, Luther's eyes perked up to a fleshy color that flashed in front of his lights. He hit the brakes hard, catapulting his wife out of her seat, belt restraining her. The stop was too short though, for the car went over the object, both front and back tires jumping.

Luther exited the vehicle quickly, racing heart and bulging eyes. Within seconds he was soaking wet, clothes smothered by the drenching rain. Even though he knew he completely passed over the object, he still went to investigate the front of the car. The streaks of blood on the crumpled front end were quickly washed away. Luther hesitantly looked toward the rear of the car, knowing exactly what he would find. His jaw dropped as soon as he saw it.

"Maxine?!!"

Maxine quickly turned to look at Luther. "What? What did we hit Luther?!"

Luther shook his head as he checked her pulse. "Call and ambulance. We've hit a woman."

Chapter Two

Bright lights were blazing by, one after another, as well as brighter lights being flashed into her eyes. People were talking to her, holding her, trying desperately to fix her, but she understood nothing. It seemed her mind was still offline and she was just going with the flow. Her eyes wandered about the room, focusing on faces and objects. Her body was too weak, so protesting was out of the question. As the woman's eyes became heavy, she caught a glimpse of a warm face, smile and big brown eyes. The face seemed familiar as her eyes put her down for a TKO.

Time passed for the woman who lay motionless in her bed. Her eyes would open and blink, but no words would escape her mouth. Before, the talking from the unknowns was muffled and confusing, but now, as time passed, the woman understood more and more. When she finally became fluent, the woman remained silent and listened to all.

Often, she would have visitors, mostly doctors stopping by to ask her questions, all of which started with a smile and bright gleaming faces. The woman would stare at them occasionally, either widening her eyes or flaring her nostrils. It was her main signal for "I don't understand."

As the woman became more aware and in tune with her body, she began to feel stronger gut feelings, all of which were telling her to not trust anyone. It was not until she overheard a conversation in the hall near her door, that she truly began to feel the uncertainty of anxiety.

Dr. Derrick Speedman was in a bit of despair. Everything about the new Jane Doe was just not adding up. All of her tests continuously came up inconclusive. He had run them over and over again, but yet found the results to be the same. As he was about to enter the Doe's room, he was passed by a fellow doctor, a friend for years, Dr. Ida Yates.

"Oh, Dr Yates, may I ask you a question?"

Ida stopped as Derrick brushed her arm. "Sure, what is it?"

"You are aware of my Jane Doe, right?"

Ida smiled slightly, batting the lashes of her brown eyes. "Of course, I was in trauma when she arrived. Why, what's wrong... She seems to be healing nicely?" There was a bit of concern at the edge of her voice.

Derrick shook his head, eyes narrowed with uncertainty. "Quite the contrary... For getting run over by a car, the woman seems to have received minimal damage." He shook his head once again, looking into Ida's eyes, then onto his patient who lay quietly in her bed. "All tests have come back inconclusive."

"Perhaps you should run them again?" Ida inquired.

Derrick shook his head once again, taking a deep breath before he spoke. "Fourth time running them."

"Same person running them?"

Derrick bit the bottom of his lip before he replied, the front part of his beard disappearing underneath his front teeth. "Different people every time. It almost seems as if..." He cut himself off as he gazed into his patient's room.

Ida raised her brows. "Seems as if what, Derrick?"

Derrick moved in closer to Ida and whispered as he spoke. "I don't think she is from around here."

"Did you run her prints?" Ida asked.

"Of course. Finger, toes, retina scan. I've run hair follicles and can't even get anything outta that. And have you seen her body scans?" Anxious, Derrick smoothed over his thick brown hair with his hand. It was always something he did when he was nervous.

"No, I have not, what's wrong with those scans?" Ida herself too, was becoming nervous. She knew exactly where Derrick's conversation was going. Ida knew she was running out of time. She was grateful for the loud hustle and bustle of the hospital, hopefully no one would overhear.

"There is an unknown material covering her entire skeleton. I looks like it was surgically put in a long time ago... Very archaic like, I might add." Derrick licked his lips mind, racing with thoughts of insane speculation. "I can see the original placements, but over the years, it seems to have completely bonded with her. What the fuck does that?! I mean... We have barely learned how to reproduce body parts, and this chick just waltzes in here, exoskeleton on her insides?!"

Ida raised her brows and placed her hand over Derrick's shoulder. He was quite the towering man, a strapping 6"2, but Ida and her short stature would manage. She knew Derrick for some time now and felt terrible for his ongoing ordeal. If she had been able to get to the woman first, Derrick's turmoil would have been non-existent. "Why don't you relax and turn this case over to me?"

Derrick stared off into space. Eyes wide and glazed over with galactic thoughts, and out of this world explanations. "I don't think she is from here."

"But you already said that."

Still staring into space, Derrick took Ida's hands into his, pulling them close. He did not make eye contact with her until they were close enough together that no one else would hear their conversation. "I mean, that woman is not from this planet."

Ida's mouth dropped. "What are you saying? She is from outer space?"

Derrick nodded.

"You have been watching too much Ancient Aliens, Derrick." Ida replied sarcastically.

Derrick shook his head, gripping Ida's arms, firmer this time. "I'm not kidding. At first, when I saw the skeleton, I tried to take a sample. It is removable, but disintegrates within seconds."

Ida's mouth dropped. She was beginning to be frightened of what she was hearing.

"So... I took the scope to the specimen." Derrick looked once again at the Doe. "That shit wrapped around her bones. Almost seems as if it is a vessel for another living creature."

"You seriously saw all of that?"

Derrick nodded, swallowing hard. "Not to mention, have you seen the scars that litter her body? It seems as if she was caught in a rain storm of falling knives. And the ones on her face? Looks like she was clawed at, by another person." Derrick blinked looking into space. "There's also some bullet scars in there too... You know what we have to do."

Ida looked to the ground, then back up to Derrick. His eyes were a pale blue that seemed as if his discovery was sucking the life out of them. She began to move her head in protest, but Derrick stopped her.

"You know that this is protocol 38. We have an obligation... No, a duty to do the right thing. I'll make the call."

Derrick turned to leave, but Ida grabbed him, stopping him in his tracks. "How about you let me run some tests before calling?"

"Are you okay? I'd never imagine you would put the safety of the patients at risk. Is there something that you are not telling me?" Derrick's eyes were narrowed and his mind was flooded with doubts about his coworker.

"Do you trust me?" Ida asked.

"Never had a reason not to."

Ida smiled. "Good. Give me some time and I'll get you your answers."

Dr. Derrick Speedman took one last look at his patient, sighing as he spoke. "I hope you are right about this one, Ida."

Ida walked up behind Derrick, patting him on the back. "I guarantee she will make a world of a difference."

Chapter Three

There was a certain curiosity that plagued the woman's mind. Ever since she got her wits about her, she wanted nothing more than to explore her surroundings. But, the conversation between the two doctor's seemed to somewhat ruffle her feathers.

If she was, indeed, not from where ever they thought she was, then where was she from? But the biggest question of her entire existence, starting from when she woke up choking on water, was as simple as to what her bloody name was.

The woman slowly crawled out of bed, releasing a light gasp as she felt the cold floor press against her heels. Flicking the switch in the bathroom, she stared into the face of a stranger.

Her face was definitely weathered, freckled lightly on the nose and cheeks, but heavily on the forehead. Her nose protruded out further than her chin, and her eyes seemed a glowing green. Her hair was long, dark blonde and very matted. It seemed as if it had not been tended to for a while. However, there was one feature she could not escape. Three scars, diagonally, went from the top of the forehead to mid chin. The woman lightly traced them with her fingers, feeling something familiar.

"Ahem."

Startled, the woman peeked outside of the bathroom to see a tall and intimidating person. Her eyes were black as coal and her hair was dark as night. She stood boldly, hands folded, wearing a white skirt suit with black trim. She motioned for the Jane Doe to lay back into bed.

"I realize you may not understand me, but there are some questions I would like to ask you... My name is Mercer, Joss Mercer. I am the chief of this hospital... Do you have a name?" Joss rustled through the paperwork attached to her clipboard, examining the tests results.

The woman remained motionless, swallowing hard. She knew at that point she could reply, but was urged deeply within not to.

"Sweetie, I don't want to be a bitch, but it is my job to protect this hospital and everyone inside of it. Now, I repeat, do you have a name?" Joss was becoming impatient. Not only with the Doe, but also with a few members of her staff who seemed to forget to initiate protocol 38.

"Don't answer that question."

It was the materialization of a human being that grabbed the Woman's attention. To the left of Joss, standing, was a beautiful blonde headed woman with long hair, curled slightly at the ends and penetrating brown eyes. The woman turned to look at her, dropping her jaw.

"Excuse me?" Joss impatiently snapped. "Hello? I'm over here!"

"Your name is Lillian... And do not answer that woman. Play whatever you have to play, but do not answer her. And, you may want to look at her now, she cannot see me."

Lillian slowly turned her head to look at the maddening Joss. Her cheeks were becoming red and as flushed as the blouse underneath her fancy white skirt suit. Lillian shrugged and acknowledged nothing.

Joss rose slowly and became dark, speaking low. "Consider this your last day in that bed." She turned and huffed out of the room.

Lillian turned back to the materialized woman, amazed with what she just saw. "Are you real?" She asked.

The blond woman smiled. It was warm and inviting and she too had a familiar look about her. "My name is BEAR."

"That's a weird name for a girl. Usually big burly dudes claim that one."

Bear continued to grin. "It's short for Bio-Engineered, Artificial, Reference."

Lillian narrowed her eyes. "Are you real or am I dreaming this?"

Bear took a few steps closer to Lillian's bedside. Not a sound was made from movement, nor clacking heels to the ground. "If you consider a program to be real, then yes, I am real."

"Ahhhhh..." Lillian, left speechless, was trying hard to compute. She knew not what to say, or where to start.

"I'm here to help you, Lillian. I have been designed to be a reference to help aid you in anything you may need."

Lillian lifted one of her brows. "Why do you look so familiar?"

Bear released a short laugh. "My creators thought it necessary to make me look like someone you admired. Someone whom you would pay attention to. Based on your memories, I was the final result."

"Zoie Palmer!" Lillian shouted out loudly as she slammed her hand down onto the bed.

Bear looked out the door quickly, making sure no one overheard the yell. "Well, close. I think you will find that I have the personality traits of one, Lauren Lewis?"

"No shit?" Lillian grinned. "I loved, Lost Girl!" She then raised her brow and tilted her head. "I had the biggest crush on the doc." She said as she stared off into space, daydreaming.

"Lillian, I am here to help you with your transition."

Broke from her trance, Lillian looked up into Bear's eyes. "How are you here right now if you are a program?"

"Technically, I am a tiny nanoite swimming around in your body. I see what you see, feel, taste, and all of the above. I am here when you need me and gone when you don't. You can see me. Others can too if the proper steps are taken. Like I said, I am here to help you transition."

Lillian still did not understand. "What am I transitioning into?"

"A lot has happened since you left."

"Left? Where did I go?" Lillian's words were becoming shaky. "Where am I?"

"In time, all will be explained, I assure you, but for now, you must ready yourself to leave."

Lillian's brow's lifted, then narrowed. "Leaving? To where?"

Bear pursed her lips, shaking her head. "Not yet to leave. We must know when the coast is clear."

"I'd still like to know where I am." Lillian demanded.

"In a hospital." Bear Replied smartly.

Lillian looked about the room. "Obviously... You know, you are a pretty good smart ass, for a program."

Bear smiled, her brown eyes gleaming. "Of course. I was created for you." She then sighed. "Your memories will return, and I promise I will explain everything. Just not here."

Anticipation was the killer of all things Lillian. There was a twinkling hint of memories, but Lillian knew not who was in them, nor where they were taken place. Waiting would have to suffice.

Chapter Four

Dr. Ida Yates peeked her head around the corner of the inpatient ward, looking left then right. Making sure the nurses' station was clear, she stealthily made her way to room 309, quickly slipping in, and startling Lillian as she did so.

Lillian looked up quickly, glaring eyes, but softening as soon as she saw Ida's face.

"Sorry, I did not mean to scare you. Do you have a name?"

Lillian lifted her right brow, folding her arms.

"It's okay Lill, Ida is a friend."

Lillian looked up to see Bear standing in the corner... Or at least hovering. She then looked back to Ida. "Lillian... My name is Lillian."

Ida smiled, showing her pearly whites. "Good, it is you. Is that all, do you know anything else?"

Lillian shook her head. "That is all I have been told."

"Bear?"

Lillian nodded. "Why do you look so familiar?"

Ida quickly changed the subject, placing her stethoscope to Lillian's chest, listening. "Are you ready for a good run?"

"To where?"

Quickly rising, Ida went to the med station in the room, pulling clothes and shoes from the drawer. Tossing them at Lillian, she stole a glance from out of the door, looking both ways. She swallowed hard as she saw government officials down the hall talking with the nurses. She then turned back to Lillian. "Put those on, and hurry... We need to leave now!"

It had been a few days since Lillian felt the flutter of an anxious heart. It was an unknown threat that chipped away at her calmness. She fumbled with all aspects of her clothing, feeling as if it had been years since she actually dressed herself. She couldn't help but to notice Bear standing in the corner.

"Can you actually see me?" She asked while tying her shoe.

Bear folded her arms, smiling. "Not to worry Lillian, I see nothing concrete. I can see heat signatures and sound waves, and I am positioned according to your body location." She tilted her head, blinking slowly. "And your insides. I can see all of you. I am the diagnostics check for your engine. For instance, your heart is currently racing. Current reading..."

"Lillian!" Ida quietly force whispered.

Lillian turned her head from the now rambling on Bear about her blood pressure and met up with Ida at the door. "Are we ready?"

Ida nodded. "We must be quiet." She left the door ajar, allowing for Lillian to peer out into the busy inpatient ward. "Those men and women in uniform is what we are trying to get away from."

Lillian raised her brows, dropping her jaw. "What did I do?" She asked.

Ida looked at her with sympathy and placed her arm on her back. "It's not what you did. It's what you are."

Lillian shrugged. "What am I?"

Ida did not answer. Instead, she quickly grabbed and pulled Lillian from room 309, both of them hurriedly shuffled down the crowded hall.

"Where are we going?" Lillian asked, noting Ida's tight grip around her wrist.

Ida rushed the both of them into the elevator. She pushed the button to the lobby, both women anxiously waiting. When both doors slid open, keeping her cover, Ida peered out to see if the coast is clear. "Shit!"

"What is it?" Lillian asked.

Ida quickly closed both doors and hit the button for the top floor of the hospital, the sixth floor. "The whole hospital is littered with government!"

"And going to the roof will help?"

Ida shook her head, arms folded. "It's all I got."

"Punch her." Bear's voice chimed out.

Lillian looked around the elevator, seeing only Ida. "What, where are you?"

"No visual Lil. If she gets caught, her life will be ruined. Punch her, turn right after you exit the elevator and run like hell."

Lillian took a deep breath before following through with Bear's request. It was a tough act to fulfill, but Bear had a point. "Ahem." Lillian placed her hand on Ida's shoulder, giving her a right hook before she could turn completely. She never saw it coming. Dr. Ida Yates dropped to the ground.

Soon as the doors opened, Lillian sprinted out, turned right and began to run like hell. In front of her was a window, creeping closer as she ran. "Bear! Am I running through that thing?"

Still no visual, but bear replied, loud and clear in Lillian's ears. "Yes. There will be a drop, so brace yourself."

"Stop!"

Lillian could hear the shouts of her pursuers. She jumped through the window, covering her face from the sharp bits. "Ohhhh, hell!" She yelled until she reached the ground, the fall, causing her to bow at the knees. Lillian somersaulted only to land on her feet. Her eyes were wide and her jaw was dropped as she looked back at the sixth story window.

"You need to run now, Lillian!" Bear was now visible in the light of day.

"What the fuck am I?" As Lillian stood waiting for her answer, bullets ricocheted around her. She didn't bother to look back, she just booked it. Lillian ran as fast as she could.

Through her concentration of keeping up her speed, Lillian focused on nothing more than her tunnel of direction. Continuing to pass buildings and life, Lillian was abruptly stopped by a hot, heavy metal machine. She was tossed, then rolled, coming to an abrupt stop.

"Jesus Christ lady! Are you okay?" A man exited his car and headed toward the fallen woman. He was a doctor and had just finished his shift. Even though his head was heavy and his bones ached, he was right at the woman's side, if need be. He checked for her vitals.

"Lillian, you must get up!" Bear was hovering over Lillian's motionless body. It was the first time in her programming that she was discouraged that she was unable to touch anything.

The crowd around Lillian's body was growing, as well as the sirens were nearing. Lillian's eyes opened up slowly, one after the other. The sky was bright blue, and hazy with wispy clouds. The scene was soon voided by an oversized man's head. Her hand quickly grabbed the doctors before he could touch her again. "Speedman?" She asked through her gritted teeth.

Dr. Derrick Speedman pulled back, amazed at the woman's quick recovery. "Doe?"

Lillian moved in closer, nearly touching noses with the vexed doctor. "It's Lillain." She said through her gritted teeth once again.

"Move, Lillian!" Hollered the worried Bear.

Lillian got up, looked around at the stationary gawkers, brushed herself off and hauled ass in the opposite direction.

Chapter Five

The wind from her movement struck her as a gift she had not received in a while. How the sun warmed her flesh, and the way the leaves rustled in the trees, were all distant memories. When she felt she was no longer in danger, Lillian slowed down, walking parallel to the railroad tracks. The sun was slowly fading, a warm summer dusk, filled with chirping birds and savory grill smells. Lillian lifted her nose, inhaling deeply, a surge of childhood memories rushing in.

"Anything look familiar?" Bear asked smiling. She was always there with Lillian, but only appearing when needed.

"Yeah, just about everything... Where are we?" They were crossing the street, still following the tracks. Ahead, there was a canal, leading up to a lush, green park, surrounded by high rise apartments.

Bear's head turned from left to right, as if she were looking around. Even though she saw nothing, her internal GPS identified their exact location. "You are home Lillian... This is where you grew up, Tempe, Arizona."

Lillian looked around, following the side of the canal, inching closer to the park's pond. "This park was like my backyard growing up. Although it seems different." She sat down on a bench, quietly listening. "I don't recall that," Lillian said as she pointed towards the high rise apartments. "That's new... If I remember correctly, my house and houses lined that side of the park."

Bear slightly frowned. Though she has been just a projection from Lillian's mind, Lillian could almost see the golden rays from the setting sun light up her dark brown eyes. "A lot has happened since you have been gone." For a program, Bear almost said it with great sympathy, even keeping her head low.

Lillian pursed her lips, while shaking her head. "And you keep telling me this, but yet have produced any answers, or explanations." Lillian narrowed her eyes, turning to look at Bear "Why are my memories so sketchy?"

Bear disappeared from Lillian's side on the bench and re materialized in front of her, startling her slightly. She could feel the slight spike in Lillian's heart rate. "Sorry Lil, I did not mean to scare you."

Lillian raised her brow. The sun was making its last stand, glowing gold and bold yellows, before it disappeared behind the towering apartments. She was quiet, waiting for Bear to answer her question, but insisted in her mind that her questioning should persist. "I'm missing something, aren't I?"

Bear nodded, smiling slightly and showing teeth. "We thought it necessary to hold back on a small memory of yours."

"Why?"

Bear hesitated for a moment. Her objectives were always clear, stressing mostly that Lillian's past not be revealed until her mind releases them. "We thought it to be in your best interests that you did not know right away. You need to focus on how to use your ability's. We are running out of time."

"We? Ability's?" Lillian shook her head, staring into the park's pond, in the failing light. "That would explain the reason I survived being hit by two cars and a six story fall, huh?"

Bear nodded in acknowledgment, but purposely, dodging the question... "We need to leave and find shelter. It will be dark soon."

When all natural light had dissolved, Lillian's surroundings were lit by that of glaring LED's and a faint crescent moon. Signs and glowing advertisements littered the streets of Tempe, and Lillian sighed a breath of relief as she walked up to the front entrance of the Embassy Suites. "This is where we are going to stay?" As far as Lillian could remember, the building was old, dilapidated and falling apart compared to the last time she had seen it. She could not understand how something could quickly degrade at such a rate. But the biggest question burning in Lillian's mind at the moment was, how long she had truly been gone. She could vaguely remember the streets of Tempe, but what she did know for sure; It was in was worse of a condition than when she had left it.

Bear was nowhere to be found, but her voice was loud and clear within

Lillian's mind. "Do not speak out loud. People will think you are a crazy person, so just talk to me in your mind, understand?"

"Yes..."

"No! Your mind!" Bear's voice shouted back within Lillian's head.

"Hello?"

"Finally!" Bear snapped back.

Lillian smiled big, trying her best to shout in her mind. "Holy shit, this is so cool!" Without knowing, she started hopping around, doing a happy dance. Lillian could hear Bear's voice sighing with disapproval.

"Lillian, please stop _gallivanting around, and calmly make your way to the dumpsters... Try your best not to attract attention."_

_Lillian lightly smiled from the left corner of her lips. As she made her way to the dumpsters, she wiped dripping sweat from her brow caused by the humid evenings of the summer monsoon. Lillian paused for a moment, glancing into the horizon, trying her best to see through the soaring structures. She was hoping to catch a glimpse of a booming thunderhead at work, thrusting bolts of lightning from its bulky body. _

_" Monsoons seemed to have disappeared altogether out here in the valley of the sun. They still make their presence known in the outskirts, and up in the north." Bears voice softly cutting through the silence._

_Lillian blinked, still focused on the rare sight of a distant bolt of squiggly, dancing brightness. "Concrete jungle. I remember them stalling out too. They kept getting worse and worse every year. It's sad... They used to be healthy when I was a kid. We would get a storm every night."_

_" Population and structures take a toll on a planet. The earth is currently fighting to stay alive, as well as keep its inhabitants intact."_

_Lillian shook her head, still speaking within her mind. "And something still does not seem right. I feel familiar with this place, but then, I don't..." She lightly exhaled as she stopped in front of the dumpster. "So, what was it that you wanted me to stop here so badly for?"_

_" We are going to stay here for the night, but we have no money."_

_Lillian raised a brow. "Well, duh... I could have told you that."_

_Bear released a low chuckle. "Don't freak out... But if you haven't noticed, you are capable of doing many things."_

_" Seems mostly to be impervious to cars?" Lillian replied, with a light joke on her breath._

_" Humor me for a moment, Lil. Lift up your hand and look at your palm."_

_Lillian did so, becoming very curious. "How's this? Is this good?" Lillian replied underneath her breath. _

_" Good. Now, if I do recall, we need money for a room, yes?"_

_Lillian nodded, still thinking in her head. "Yup."_

_" It's a bit old fashioned. After all, credit cards are being phased out like checks were, but, we cannot use a chip implant, for tracking reasons, so..._

_" So?" Lillian raised her brows, still clueless as to why she was staring into her palm._

_" Think about it Lil."_

_" Think about what?" _

_" A credit card."_

_" Seriously?" Laughing to herself, Lillian shook her head and thought about a credit card. As far as she could remember, she had used one. Lillian focused on the card, spending limit, as high as possible. Her arm and hand became warm, quickly tingling. It was the feeling your feet got, when they fell asleep. Lillian's eyes beheld a card that materialized into her palm. Her mouth slowly dropped, eyes remained blink-less. "Holy fucking shit... Is that what I think it is.?" Lillian held the card, making sure it was real._

_" Yes, it is. Like I said, you have a lot to catch up on." Bear remained vocal within Lillian's head. "Now, like a normal human being, please make your way in and pay for a room."_

_Lillian, holding the card stood motionless, slowly blinking. What had just happened, was something she could have never imagined. As Lillian began to make her way towards the front desk, she started to mumble to herself. "I don't even think I'm human anymore."_

_" Hello, there!" A cheeky woman with bright blue eyes and pulled back brown hair, greeted Lillian from behind the concierge. _

_Lillian smiled shortly, getting to the point. "Ummm, a room please."_

_The clerk smiled back warmly, tapping away at a touch screen that illuminated her facial features even more. "Would you like a regular room or a suite?"_

_Lillian thought for a moment, referring to Bear, her artificial reference. "What's the limit on this card?"_

_" You made it Lil... You can't remember the limit you put on it?"_

_Lillian, irritated, narrowed her eyes. "I thought about the highest limit possible."_

_" Then that is the limit Lil."_

_" You could have explained that to me when you tossed it into my hand."_

_" I didn't toss it into your hand, you made it!" Bear quickly retorted back._

_" Ahem..." _

_Lillian looked up from her thoughts to see a set of blue eyes carefully trained on her odd behavior. She lightly twitched at the corner of her cheek._

_" Regular, or suite?" She asked once again, this time hesitantly._

_Lillian planted the card on the counter, via her palm. "Suite, please." She quickly replied. Lillian was eager to get to her room and question her Bio Engineered Artificial Reference, known as Bear. _

Chapter Six

She switched on the lights, tore off her shoes, and quickly plopped her tired body onto the bed. Lillian had an exhausting day. She was quite ready for it to pass, but there was one more event she needed to squeeze in. She took a few moments to mellow out, staring blankly into the ceiling.

The room smelled of fresh flowers, but other than that, it was just a room. The walls were beige, and though the hanging art was a reddish-orange hue, it too had streaks of beige to match the walls.

Bear sat quietly in the corner, awaiting Lillian's attention. Her black slacks, and marigold buttoned up blouse stood out among the bland walls. Even though she made no sound, Lillian knew she was there, it was just part of her program. The host always knows. "Lillian, maybe you should make eye contact with me while I explain this to you."

Lillian replied with a smart ass remark. "If I look at you, will you know that I am looking at you?"

"Of course, I see what you see." There was also a tinge of irritation in her voice for Lillian's insubordination. Yes, she has been just a program, but her algorithm was mirrored from Dr. Lauren Lewis, a woman who prided herself on discovery, examination, and explanations.

Lillian sat up, only to look Bear straight in the eyes. Even though the only lamp in the room was dim, its dullness was still able to brighten Bear's dark brown eyes. Lillian took to her feet quickly, taking a few steps towards Bear.

Her eyes widened, lifting both brows. "Lillian, what are you doing?"

"Shh..." Lillian replied as she waved her hand in and out of Bear.

"I'm just a program projected by your mind."

Lillian sat back down on the bed, legs swaying. "You sure... You look so real."

Bear nodded. "Lillian, it's time to get down to brass tacks.

Lillian released a long held breath. "Alright... Let's hear it Doc."

"You were born January 1st, 1982. Your full name is Lillian Ann Cross."

"What were my parent's name?"

Bear stopped, looking agitated. "Please do not interrupt. I will tell you what you need to know. What you already know will return to you in a manner of days. "The year now is, 2066."

Lillian's eyes nearly bulged as her lower jaw quickly dropped. "I am really bad at math, but that maps me out at... 84 years old?"

Bear nodded. "Yes, that is true."

"But how can that be?" Lillian questioned.

Bear shook her head. "Once again, something you already know." Bear leaned back, pressing her palm to her forehead, closing her eyes. She was quickly becoming agitated. It was like explaining to a child how things work. The interest was there, just not the impact on how it really was. In Bear's mind, the logical choice would have been to explain to Lillian everything when she was truly back, but her programming forced her to do it as soon as possible. Thus, creating a muddy puddle.

"You have been away, and taken against your will."

Lillian's eyes dropped. "But..."

"Shut up and listen, Lillian." Bear cut her off. "63 years ago, you were kidnapped by humans, and forced to do terrible things. The biggest part of this, the whole reason as to why you are here now, is what they did to you. You were surgically implanted with a foreign material. At the time it was thought to be a superior bio-metal that would allow your bones to be strengthened and for you to heal faster. All was true, but what was not known at the time, is that what it was actually, was a vessel for a near extinct alien species. The Shitair, one of the first four, after the big bang."

Lillian's face was pale. "Holy shit."

Bear cocked her brow. "Indeed... Along with the creation of the universe, four species of life emerged. The Gods, whose sole objective was to create life. They traveled the universe, planting their seeds, creating all walks of life. They take many forms, but no one has ever seen their true selves. Then there is the Shitair... A species of coexistence. They bond with a life and enhance it in any way possible. You, Lillian share this bond with them now."

"But you said that they are near extinction?"

Bear half smiled. "Yes, hence you, the vessel for survival. Then there are the Guardians, a peaceful race, the good. They don't fight, they help others survive. It is against their nature to show aggression towards others." Bear released herself of an imaginary programmable breath." Then there is the Vitair. Unfortunately, if there is good, there must be evil. The Vitair were created to want. Out of all the innocent life that the Gods created, the Vitair wanted to consume, and they did just that. They abducted, tested and took over. If it was to their benefit, they took it."

"So, how did the Shitair come to me?" Lillian asked, on the edge of her seat.

"Billions of years ago, it was a process... Creation, enhancement, protection, and destruction. The Vitair wanted to be the creators, and the Gods, wanting nothing to do with them, just merely shrugged them off. So, the Vitair sought out the Shitair, millions of tiny beings inhibiting, coexisting one body at a time. It was the Vitairs idea to bond with the Shitair and become enhanced... To overthrow the Gods. When the Vitair finally found a vessel with the Shitair, they forced them out, creating a bond with one of their own."

"Then what happened?"

Bear shook her head. "It was only a matter of time until they used it for their own destructive needs. Many races of life fell, were enslaved, and planets full of life, destroyed. By the time the guardians caught up with them, the damage had already been done. But they succeeded in capturing the vessel, which held the Shitair. Like all new races of life, you first must learn, before you can live. The Shitair realized that, and they did not want to be used for evil and asked for the Guardians help."

Lillian was motionless, gripping at the edge of the bed. "And?"

"The Shitair pleaded with the Guardians to be destroyed, as they were not intended to be a destructive race. But the Guardians, being the life protectors that they were, sent the Shitair away. They embedded the Shitair into a bio-metal that could sustain their life, planting their capsule on a planet as you know today as earth. The Shitair learned, and would not bond with anything, unless it was with pure intentions."

Lillian bowed her head and closed her eyes for a moment. She wanted so badly to remember, but all was still muddled. "And so, I came to be with them? They chose me?"

Bear nodded. "Yes, and you weren't the first. Little do you know, millions of years take a toll on a secluded race. Just as the human race evolved, so did the Shitair's. After their horrible experience with the Vitair, the Shitair decided to bond with a being once more to set right what they had wronged in the past." Bear looked up from the ground and into Lillian's green eyes. "It may disturb you Lillian, but you are the Shitair's hope of bringing down the Vitair. But mostly, your planet is now in danger, for the Vitair are coming to find you."

Lillian swallowed hard, contemplating. "Fuck." Was all she could muster.

"And when I tell you that time is of the essence, I am not shitting you, Lillian."

Lillian, still staring into space, let out a short chuckle. "He, he, you said shitting."

"Have you not heard one word I've said?"

Lillian blinked once, before she looked at Bear. She started to admire Bear's blouse, and her whole body, once again. She was curious as to why she was teamed up with such an attractive woman, or program.

Hearing, was not the problem, it was the difficulty of processing all of the information all at once. Fifty years change one's life, and until Lillian could remember 100 percent, she figured she would dull the pain with some liquid medicine. She rose from the bed and pulled the credit card from the table.

Bear's eyes narrowed. "Where are you going?"

"To get drunk." Lillian replied, not looking back once.

Chapter Seven

The room was dark and the bed, comfy. Lillian stretched her legs as she felt her eyes lighten. She turned to her side, feeling a warm arm wrap around her. Lillian held the hand close as she softly kissed it, receiving the same at the back of her neck and downwards.

When Lillian turned, she was greeted with warm brown eyes, and dark dangling brown hair, tasseled but curled up at the ends. The brown eyed woman maneuvered to straddle Lillian, taking her hands and slowly pushing them above her head.

Lillian smiled and she received a few soft kisses to her bottom lip, the last one trailing with a hint of tongue. "Good morning."

The brown eyed woman smiled, leaning over once again and kissing Lillian deeper and longer. She slowly pulled away, smiling. She took the tip of her right index finger and lightly tapped Lillian's nose, trailing downward. She circled both nipples, hard as rock. Kissing and sucking, the brown eyed woman left each with the tips of her teeth, leaving Lillian's eyes to roll into the back of her head. Her kisses reached down lower and lower, until the removal of Lillian's panties with her teeth.

In between gasps, Lillian spoke. "Little early for breakfast?"

The brown eyed woman slowly raised, covering Lillian's lower abdomen in smooches. "Do you want me to stop?" She whispered into Lillian's ear.

Lillian leaned back, as she gently massaged the brown eyed woman's head back down. "Oh god no, that was just a fucking joke."

When she was done, and Lillian arched her back, releasing herself of a built up breath, she turned the tables and conquered the brown eyed woman. Her handle was a bit fiercer, including a stronger grip. Lillian held both the woman's hands into hers as she kissed and firmly thrust into the woman's body.

The brown eyed woman leaned forward, Lillian, helping her to remove her tank top. "My turn?"

Lillian smiled, pulling her closer. "I want to see your beautiful eyes as I make love to you." Lillian's nails dug into her rear, as the brown eyed woman's drug her nails down her back.

In between gasps, the brown eyed woman spoke. "Promise you will never leave me."

Lillian kissed her, holding her close in her arms. "I promise."

Startled, Lillian woke abruptly, bolting straight up out of bed. She swung over her feet, hanging them off from the sides. One word, and one word only was spoken from her lips. "Paige." She looked around the room, trying to gather her bearings.

Bear, feeling she had awoken, and with her heart racing, materialized quickly, to offer support. "Lillian, are you okay?"

Lillian continued to sit at the edge of the bed, face hidden within her palms, her long dirty blond hair dangling from the sides. She exhaled loudly before she looked at Bear. "Paige... Where is Paige?" Panting in between breaths.

"Lillian... At 100%?" Bear softly asked.

Lillian stood up, taking a few steps towards Bear, naked. "This is the Switchblade fucking Mamma, talking right now, at a goddamn 100%." Lillian's eyes began to tear up. "Now, where is my wife?" Lillian, noticing her nakedness, looked herself up and down. She turned to the bed, observing that both sides had been slept in, or perhaps, something worse. A very worrying feeling began to creep up her backside, for she knew she never slept naked, unless she... "Did I have a rough night sleeping?" She asked Bear hesitantly.

Bear remained silent, momentarily. It was not in her program to lie, but she took time in compiling her answer. She knew the truth would crush Lillian. Partially, in Bear's mind it was not Lillian's fault, for she did not remember that part of her life at the time the act was committed, but without a doubt, it was her duty to tell the truth. "You were having sex."

Lillian's knees became weak, and she fell to them. Her palms once again reached to her face, eyes tearing. Lillian's light sobs filled the room. When she found an ounce of composure, she questioned Bear, one again. "With who?"

Bear's program seemed to learn at every moment. It was only because she was fused to Lillian and therefor connected the Shitair, that she could evolve. The Shitair was an alien race that enhanced all races, and even though Bear was just a tiny nanoite floating in Lillian's body, she too could feel their impact. But still, the truth be with her and as much as she could feel and see Lillian's pain, a real relationship was always built on trust. "You were angry last night. Angry and confused. You needed to blow off some steam."

Lillian looked at Bear, eyes narrowed. "Don't you think it a bit necessary to tell me last night a little bit more about my life, when you clued me in, THAT I HAD A WIFE?" Lillian's voice was loud and rang out.

"We didn't think it wise. We thought it would take longer for you to regain your memories." Bear hovered in the corner. Her hair, blonde and long, curled past the shoulders. She wore black slacks, a white buttoned blouse and a doctor's jacket to fit the bill. Her brown eyes were dark, but still pure.

Lillian, with a broken heart, began to clothe herself. "So, give me the dirty details... What happened?"

Bear could not deny that she saw anything. Lillian was at 100%, meaning, she remembered everything besides her missing fifty years. And, unfortunately for Bear, even though she was not there, she was still there. Graphically, she swallowed hard, just to show Lillian, that it too was hard to explain to her. "You were angry, grabbed the credit card and left. You went to the bar at the hotel and were turned away, due to the fact you have no identifying chip, and age could not be verified. You no longer exist in this world, so you were turned away, but you were quite adamant on getting, fucked up, so to speak, so you went to the nearest junior store."

"Junior store?" Lillian questioned.

Bear nodded. "Yes, most widely known as a Circle K, but now the Double K." Bear shook her head, recollecting. "You sat near the store, trying to find someone willing to buy booze for you. You found an attractive woman."

"Did you have to add that?" Lillian asked.

Bear smiled. "Well, she was. You sweet talked her... She bought a few bottles, and you and she came back here. You two started a conversation, a lot of smiling commenced, more drinking, and then the laughing. That's when you kissed her."

"Stop, please stop." Lillian said while rubbing her temples. She had finished putting on her clothes and shoes and sat contently on the bed while staring into space. "Where did she go?"

"Well, she looked around a bit, for money. She riffled through your jeans, finding the card."

Lillian's eyes widened. "And?"

"Of course, she took it. But you need not worry, the card is of the Shitair's creation and will dissolve within a matter of moments, upon leaving the vicinity of leaving the Shitair's reach."

"And the girl?" Replied Lillian.

Bear shrugged. "Your sex, you also have an effect. It is another wonderful power provided by the Shitair. She will not remember within a few hours, about you, or the night, better?"

Lillian shook her head. "No, it is not. I love my wife, and have done the unthinkable." Lillian turned her head to look at Bear. "Now, where can I find my wife?"

Bear's face remained emotionless. She swallowed once, taking a deep breath before replying. "Lillian, fifty years have gone by. Anyone you have ever known is either dead or dying. I suggest that you proceed with the mission at hand. We have lot's to do, and much to learn. Now please, for your sake, I beg of you. Wait till the sun comes up, and we shall continue on our way."

Lillian clenched her jaws. She could feel the emotional pain from everything, seeping in. Her heart hurt most of all. She had to set right what she wronged fifty years ago. If Paige was still alive, Lillian had to see her, no matter what. Lillian shook her head. "You want a deal? Here is a deal... I don't do shit, until I find my wife, you got that alien and nanoite, fucking alike?"

Bear blinked, twice. "I cannot take you where it does not exist."

Lillian lightly sneered. "Oh, yes, you can... I feel her in my bones. She is still alive, I can feel her. And either you take me to her, or I walk this earth mindless, and hopeless, but searching nonetheless."

Chapter Eight

Lillian walked slowly down the sidewalk. The darkness of the early morning was fading into a slow glowing greenish-blue. She knew the sun would be rising soon and with it, the heat.

Lillian was nearly lost in a seemingly new environment. The only problem, it was not new. She made her way through the confusion, nearly lost, had it not been for the street names. Nearly every corner had changed from when she last remembered it.

Buildings were higher. They blocked a majority of the sky, but did not look too bad, for the newer towers were covered nicely in green foliage. Lillian assumed the greens served the purpose to control pollutants and to create CO2, due to the close living proximity of the people and structures. When she left, she read that the Earth would not be able to sustain life for very much longer, should the population continue to grow. Lillian assumed with the raising in architecture, the worlds populous has reached critical.

What Lillian could not get over was the abundance in driver-less pods, or at least that's what she called them. She was amazed at how quickly transportation had changed.

"Where are you going, Lillian?"

Lillian turned to see Bear, hovering behind her. "It's okay for me to talk to you in public? Won't someone think that I am a crazy person?"

Bear relieved herself of a lopsided grin. "For your information, it was just a short learning lesson to teach you that you and I can communicate telepathically, if need be. Everyone uses hands free devices nowadays, anyways."

Lillian ceased walking, and took a moment to look around and listen. She took her time to examine, before remarking on her observation to Bear. "There is virtually no people walking, running, or biking. Hell, I remember just about everybody used to exercise even in the dead of summer." Lillian continued on her trek, back into memories. "What time is it?"

Bear checked her internal watch. "It is currently, 9:30 AM."

"What is the temperature now?"

"Current temp is 110 degrees?"

Lillian's jaw dropped while turning to look at Bear. "How is that possible? I've not even broken a sweat!"

Bear pursed her lips. "It is the Shitar that is regulating your body."

The corners of Lillian's eyes crinkled as her forehead creased. "Come again?"

Bear rolled her eyes. "The Shitair can help control the temperature of your body. It could be freezing or boiling outside, you remain comfortable."

"No shit?"

"Yes, I shit you not. How do you think you arrived here? Do you remember wakening up in a space ship?"

Lillian's expression dulled, then brightened. "No way!"

Bear tilted her head. "Yes, way."

Lillian glowed as she walked, a plastered smile on her face.

"Where are you going?" Bear questioned.

There was not much of any noise in the future, Lillian thought to herself. Everything that buzzed by, was just that. Either driver-less cars, or over-sized drones hovering about or carrying passengers. Lillian smiled, still walking as she replied to Bear's question. "I told you, I am going to walk until I find her. If I am as bad ass as you say I am, I can go on forever."

"You still need to nourish your body."

Continuing with her cruising, Bear transported herself to Lillian's side. "I told you, I am not going to stop until I see her." Lillian exclaimed, while walking. The moist, humid heat, lay havoc upon Lillian's hair. Though it hung thickly, and near the mid of her back, Lillian continued to swat at rouge springy hairs and constantly pulled the bulk of it behind her ears, irritated by its repetitive nuisance.

"Start walking towards Gilbert." Bear Chimed out.

Lillian smiled. "Good. First, we see Paige." Annoyed, Lillian swatted at her hair once again, while rolling her eyes. "Then, I am chopping off this shit!"

Chapter Nine

There was always that beaming glare off of something shiny that occasionally blinded you in the state of Arizona. It would happen any time during the year, and at any interval during the day, but that was just it. The sun had to be out in order to be blessed with its blinding flash, a lingering memory from Lillian's past, giving her the need to smile.

The afternoon was becoming at its peak, the heaviest part of a day, for the heat. As its waves radiated from the concrete, Lillian continued to walk through the dead heat, unfazed. She continued to ponder things in her head, heart rate elevating at the thought of being closer to Paige.

Lillian had already been flashed multiple times as she made her way to Paige's house, in Gilbert. A warming memory indeed, but just another step towards the love of her life. She could vaguely remember her last moment's with her loving wife. What she did know for certain, is that their last moments together, were awkward and foggy.

At some time during the evening in question, Lillian's mind began to drift into a billowing, mindless haze. Sure, she had a few cold ones, but nothing she couldn't handle. Lillian could remember the worried look on Paige's face as she grabbed her bike for a late night ride. She also shuddered when she remembered grabbing and digging into mounds of dirt, trying desperately to escape from her foreign kidnappers.

Her fear, then diverted into anger when she recollected her mother. She had found her mother, after eight years of thinking she was dead. She had been through hell to find her mom, and was determined to be in her life, even if her mother could not remember her past life. The night that Lillian was kidnapped, Lillian met her mom and made dinner plans, not as her daughter, but at least as a partner in business. Lillian and Paige agreed it best, not to revive the past.

The bridge of Lillian's nose began to crinkle as she traveled back further into the past with her memories. The mayhem, which really started her off onto a harsh black path into the depths of hell, began with an evil concoction and Nazi's. "Fuckin Nazi's." Lillian muttered, low and lightly trough her lips.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Bear, who had vanished a while ago due to Lillian's silence, was still monitoring her thoughts. "You've got quite the load on your mind."

"Been reading my thoughts again, have you?" Lillian replied back low, and between her teeth.

"It's not that I am doing it on purpose... It's just, I'm kind of running twenty-four seven, no matter what."

Lillian shook her head. "That's fine Bear, just remember I may be thinking of extracurricular thoughts that may offend you."

Bear remained silent in Lillian's head momentarily. "As it is in human nature to find some things offensive, sex being a big catalyst... I assure you, it is not in my programming, nor nature to take offense, quite the contrary. I am here to learn, Lillian. I am here to learn, and to help you. In fact, the more you think, the more I learn."

Lillian gave off a cocky wink and a confident smile. "Well, brace yourself, then. I know for a fact that you will learn a lot... In that department."

It was one of the older neighborhoods. There were fewer and fewer every year in Arizona with the population increase. Due to the greenhouse effect, weather was beginning to be more and more inclement, causing great blizzards, severe thunderstorms, and flooding. For the greater part of Maricopa, the worst people had to endure was the heat, and most did within the confines of their air conditioned homes.

Bear decided to walk, or in her case "hover" the rest of the way with Lillian as she entered Paige's neighborhood. She thought it better to give Lillian some sort of visual support. After all, Bear knew what Lillian was walking into, and figured she would need it.

The sissoo tree in front of the house was massive and provided the area with welcoming shade. Lillian's steps were light as she tread softly onto the driveway, not relieved from the cooler temps the tree's shade provided, but rather the blocking of the sun's rays from her straining eyes.

She swallowed hard as she hesitated at the door, arm raised and hand balled into a fist. Since her entire time back on the Earth, not once did her heart pound as fast as it was pounding now. She blinked slowly as she turned to Bear.

Bear's eyes never left Lillian's as she shook her head. "You don't have to do this." She lightly pleaded, one more time.

Lillian pursed her lips, turning to the door, and inhaling deeply as her fist dropped, subtly knocking upon the door. "I have to do this... For her, I owe it to her." Lillian replied, never turning from the door.

When the door calmly opened, Lillian was staring into the shirted torso of a very tall man. Lillian at only 5"2, the man at least had to have been into his sixes. She gazed upward until she met his blacked-brown, colored eyes, a familiarity lingering in his face.

He sneered at Lillian when he looked down and saw her. To him, she was nothing more than a scraggly, disheveled mess, which was very much the truth, for Lillian had not showered in days and was covered in strange woman sex. Lillian relived a slight glimpse of last night's evening and shuddered at the thought.

The tall man's impatience's grew with Lillian's silence and his gaze thickened. "Who the fuck are you?" He grumbled.

Lillian's eyes narrowed. "Crabby much?" She replied.

Just as the man was going to slam the door in Lillian's face, she heard a tender voice behind it. He gave Lillian one more dirty look before leaving, a pair of familiar brown eyes emerging from behind the door. "Hello, Lillian."

Lillian's head tilted. "Dr Yates?"

Ida smiled. "Hello, Bear."

"You can see her?" Lillian asked.

Ida nodded. "Yes... There is a small group of us who can..."

"Who, where... why?" Lillian cut her off.

Ida placed her hand softly over Lillian's lips, stopping her insistent questioning. "Lillian, I believe you are here to see my grandmother?"

Lillian's lips stopped moving from underneath Ida's palm. Her lower jaw slowly dropped, and her eyes widened.

Ida's cheeks once again slowly crested. "You have already met my father."

Lillian blinked once, slowly swallowing. "That was Ian... Paige's son, her father made her give up for adoption?"

Ida nodded.

"Paige had his initials tattooed onto her wrist so she would never forget." Lillian added.

Ida brushed a lingering strand of brown hair behind her ear, as she smiled. "And she never forgot either. When my father found her, when he came to her door for the first time, without saying a word, Grandma Paige knew exactly who he was. That was two years after she had lost you."

Lillian gazed down at her feet, sad. The thought of Paige alone and filled with emptiness sent a disturbing tremor through her heart. "She did find love again, didn't she?" Lillian swiftly looked up, eyes once again reaching Ida's.

Ida tossed her hair to her back, as if trying to combat with the heat. Her eyes were increasingly autumn. "She did... Although, I am sorry to say that she did not speak of you often." The right side of Ida's cheek lifted as she began to reminisce. She closed the door to the house, and made her way to a bench that perched itself on the narrow front porch. She sat, urging Lillian to sit as well.

"I only knew of you from a picture that my grandmother had. It never left her billfold, in fact, there were many times my grandfather became jealous of that photo."

Lillian smiled, relieving herself of a short laugh.

"Even though she could never forget what you looked like, she just needed it there. My grandfather would never understand it, but would allow it, because he loved her, and knew that she would never stop loving you."

Lillian dipped her brows, shaking her head. "Christ."

"She never stopped looking for you, Lillian."

"I wish I could say the same... I can't even remember where I have been for the past fifty years."

Ida placed her hand on Lillian's shoulder. "Grandma Paige knew. One thing pointed her in a direction that she knew she would need help looking into."

Lillian's head tilted. "Oh yeah, what's that?"

Ida's brow lifted. She pulled from her back pocket, a small palm sized device.

Lillian's brows lifted. "Christ, it's that bloody GPS tracker!" Lillian took it into her hands, smiling. "Paige must have saved me with this thing a dozen times. If I couldn't find myself, she would always find me."

"You disappeared, and my grandmother tracked you to your last known location using that GPS. All you left was bike tracks, and ten nail marks, dug deeply into the dirt. With what she had seen you do in the past, she was convinced that you were nowhere to be found on earth."

Lillian looked up from the GPS and focused back on Ida. "So when do I get to see her?"

Ida pursed her lips, nearly frowning. Her eyes drifted on and into the yard, never really focusing on anything. It was what she was about to say to Lillian that hurt her heart the most, for she knew the information would break her.

Lillian sat on the edge of the bench, lifting her brows. "Well?"

Ida hesitantly shook her head, as she bowed it. "Lillian, you have been gone for fifty years and, have already been told, everyone you know is either dead or dying."

Lillian narrowed her eyes. "She's not dead, I know she is not. I can feel her in my bones."

Ida looked into Lillian's green eyes, white faced.

Lillian's face drooped. "Oh, god." She softly spoke.

"It's been a while... When we first found out, the doctors said that she had only a few months left. It has now been two years." Ida giggled slightly. "I kind of figured she was waiting for you to come home. Somehow, she always knew." Ida turned to look at Lillian. "The cancer is eating her from the insides. Paige is a shell of her former self. When you knocked on the door, you should have seen her face. I have not seen it brighten up in a very long time."

Lillian's eyes teared up as she stared down at the tired soles of her shoes. The tears trailed down her nose, quietly detaching and falling a lifetime, until they smashed violently into the dry ground below. "Can't anything be done?"

Ida began to shake her head.

Lillian stood up quickly, pointing. "Don't you tell me no... This is the fucking future, remember! This is twenty fuckin sixty six!"

"Lillian, we have tried. There are some things we still can't do."

Lillian turned to Bear, who was silent, but monitoring the whole time. "We can help, right? I've got an alien coexisting with me, we can fix this, right?!" Lillian's voice was becoming frantic and louder. It was cutting through the neighborhood and attracting curious neighbors.

Bear, whom planted herself next to Ida, replied. "It does not work like that, Lillian, there are rules to this game."

Lillian shook her head and walked up close to Ida. She then turned her head to Bear. "Yeah, well this is a fucked up game to play." Looking back to Ida, Lillian's eyes were red and filled with vicious streaming tears. She brought her lips to her palm, kissing it lightly and making sure to pack it with love. She then took her palm, pressing it firmly into Ida's. "You, be sure to give this to Paige. You tell her that I love her, and will meet her in the afterlife."

As Lillian stormed off, Ida watched, clenching her fist which contained the kiss. Her grandmother had waited fifty years to receive it one last time. Dr. Ida Yates returned to the house, tearfully smiling at her dying grandmother, giving her the kiss that would set her free and into the nexus.

Chapter 10

"You need to slow the hell down Lillian!"

Lillian stopped in her tracks, eyes narrowing. She turned to face Bear, who was right behind her. "I'm just a little angry now... I need a moment, so please get the fuck out o' my head!"

Bear could feel Lillian's rising heart rate. "Anger will get you nowhere... You need to calm down before you hurt someone."

Lillian sneered as she generated a fist, raising it up. "Or something?"

There was a green belt close to Lillian. She looked for something inanimate, and satisfied, Lillian walked up to a Sissoo tree. Since she had left Paige's, her anger had risen up to nearly a boiling point.

She needed to release it and fast. Lillian swallowed hard, breathing deep before she closed her eyes. Her face, then pointed up towards the sky, eyes opened. Her jaw dropped, and lips curled up past her teeth and up to her gums. Lillian relieved herself of the loudest and agonized yell she could muster. When she had run out of breath, she fell to her knees, sobbing. She took a few moments before rising.

With right fist clenched, Lillian took a few steps closer to the Sissoo. Her punch blew through the trunk of the tree, causing it to fall. Eyes wide, Lillian lifted her left brow, turning to Bear. She swallowed hard, clenching her bleeding smashed knuckles of her left hand.

"Hurts, don't it?" Bear had a short smirk embedded within her firmly structured jaw line. Her cream-like skin glowed in the sunlight, and her eyes spoke with sincerity. She was not pleased to see Lillian hurt, but quite the contrary. It was the look, the fear emerging from Lillian's face about the realization of her new reality. No more running, or denying what she was. Lillian was going to have to come to her true potential.

"Why won't it heal?" Lillian asked, wincing with pain, while still cradling her bleeding fist.

"Because you are angry. Your anger blinds all things, including the Shitair. You must clear your mind, and focus on healing. This is the first task you must master. If you do not, you will die, and along with you, a species of the first four."

Lillian licked her lips, contemplating. Her brows arched, and eyes narrowed. She tilted her head, watching the shadows from the trees dance on the grass. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes, blocking out everything but the sound of nature. When Lillian exhaled, her eyes slowly rolled open, revealing a completely repaired fist. "Wow." Clenching it and releasing her fist, Lillian walked to the street curb to sit.

Bear nodded, lifting her brows as she spoke. "Although, next time, you will need to do that a bit faster."

Lillian shook her head, still staring at her fist. "Now, how come I could not do that for her?"

Bear took a seat next to Lillian on the curb, folding her Dr's coat underneath her. "Lillian, if that were the case... If we did that for her, then where would it stop? Yes, you are here to save lives. Not one at a time, but rather billions at once."

Bear's eyes glowed in the sunlight, and Lillian could not take her gaze from them. She focused, tilting her head as she watched the intricate movements of Bear's lips. So life like for a program. Lillian shook her head, turning away.

"She has lived a full life." Bear looked off into the distance, slightly pursing her lips. "You can buy her time... You just can't take it back."

"But, she is in so much pain." Lillian replied, lifting a brow, a tear running from her eye.

"Assisted suicide has been legal for years now. Paige could have ended it a while ago. I think she was just waiting for you."

Lillian quickly turned to look at Bear, frowning and eyes squinted. "Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

Bear's expression dropped. "Oh, I suppose I should not have said that."

Lillian shook her head. "Ya think?"

The sky was blue and the heat was hot, but Lillian felt none of it. Her heart was broken and her faith, smashed. Everything she had come to love was withering and decaying away. Her eyes had felt more tears that day than she could ever remember crying. For a good long while, Lillian kept her head tucked away into her lap and wept, her tears of sadness saturating the street curb below.

Chapter 11

Besides the constant humming from hovering vehicles, chirping birds, and the occasional dog bark, Lillian lifted her head to the deep rumbling of a familiar sound.

Breathing in, a small whiff of gasoline laced exhaust enticed her nose, Lillian smiled in remembrance. "God, I use to love that smell!" Her eyes and her head perked up, once she saw the metal beast round the corner.

Lillian's brows arched, then narrowed. She turned to Bear, pointing at the metal tank. "That's my fucking truck!"

The midnight blue and gray, 1989 Chevrolet Suburban came to a screeching halt in front of Lillian and Bear.

A woman, embracing the wheel with just one hand, was pulling down her 50's vintage style cat eye glasses, with the other. She peered at Lillian with bright blue eyes, her white blonde hair pulled up into a pony tail, smiling. "Do I have your attention now?" She asked.

Lillian nodded.

"Good, then get in... We have a ways to drive."

The first few minutes were a bit daunting to Lillian, then somewhat awkward. Besides the fresh flowery scent of the woman's perfume, the truck smelt relatively the same. A mixture of her father and the tons of coffee and grease that was spilled into the upholstery. It was almost as if she had never left. Lillian put her hands on the glove box, turning the knob slowly. The box dropped, and with it, a .45 semi-automatic, and a picture of Paige. Lillian, quickly glancing at the picture, and them pocketed it. She then changed her gaze to the gun.

"There is also a magnum underneath the bench on the driver's side." Said the strange woman from behind the wheel.

Closing the box, Lillian turned to face the road. "It was my father's."

"Don't worry kid, everything is as you left it."

Lillian turned to speak to the woman. "Whe..."

"It's about bloody time you showed up!" Bear manifested herself and then blurted out.

Lillian could see the blue eyed woman roll her eyes from underneath her glasses.

"I can see you rolling your eyes, Dayna!" Bear, retorted.

"What, how?"

Bear relieved herself of an irritated, holographic breath. "I can see what Lillian sees, remember!"

Smiling, the blue eyed woman turned to Lillian. "Ratted me out, huh?"

Lillian lifted her brows, revealing her green eyes, sheepishly smiling. "Sorry?"

"Name's Dayna... Dayna Stiles, pleased to meet you." The woman said, while extending a hand for a shake.

Lillian took it graciously and held it firmly. "You can see Bear too, huh?"

Dayna nodded. "Yup, Bear's Nanotec was implanted into five people. You, me, my mother, Paige's granddaughter, Ida and Bear's program creator."

"Why not Paige?" Lillian asked.

Dayna pursed her lips. "By the time the tech had been created, Paige had already been struck down the cancer."

Looking down, Lillian shook her head.

Dayna reached out, placing a calming hand upon her shoulder. "Look, Lillian, I'm so sorry. None of us... We all hoped..."

"No explanation needed, it's all there in the sound of your voice." Replied Lillian.

"Ahem, I believe I need an explanation."

The two women turned their heads briefly to see Bear's wide dark brown eyes gleaming, and her face awaiting reply. Dayna shook her head, her ponytail breakaways, dancing with the movement. "I was frantic, trying to clean up your mess."

Bear's eyes widened, as she firmly grasped the tops of the Suburban's bench seats, or to the best of her ability's, because she was a program mimicking real life movements; she fired back at Dayna. "Excuse me? My mess?"

Bear nodded. "That crazy doctor you recruited ditched the plan. She pulled Lillian out of the hospital way too early. And where was her Nanotech? She completely ignored me."

Dayna released a laugh out loud. "Ha! Maybe she was just ignoring you!"

Bear shook her head, folded her arms and sat back. "This is not worth my breath."

Dayna smiled. "Breath in which you don't actually have."

Bear's eyes narrowed as she stared down Dayna from the rear view mirror.

"What kind of mess were you cleaning up?" Lillian asked.

"We weren't sure where to pick you up. On the night the drop was made, there was a storm..." Dayna pursed her lips. "It would seem the lightning interfered with your exact location. By the time we reached you, you had already been sent to the hospital. Dr. Yates often helps out at other hospitals, and that being one of them, I sent her there to keep an eye on you."

Lillian shook her head. It was not hard for her to put the pieces together, she just needed to hear them in words, just to make sure what she was going through was real. "How did you keep my identity a secret?"

Dayna nodded, raising her index finger. "Now that is the tricky part. With today's technology, one must grow up to be a super hacker. I deleted you the moment we had confirmation of where you were."

"Where was I?"

Dayna firmly gripped the steering wheel with both hands. "It's hard to say, but a few years back, we received a sub-space message on the exact date that you were to come home."

"Seriously? Outer space sent a fucking post card?"

Dayna nodded. "When the hospital took your fingerprints and blood samples, they realized that you were unique, and not of this world. The government knows you are out there, Lillian, and that is not a good thing."

Lillian grinned slightly. "The government couldn't be any more fucked up than it already is, right?"

Dayna released a deeply held breath. "There is something extremely dark brewing within our, and other governments." The yellow, golden rays of the spent setting sun, cast a glowing hue to illuminate her bright red lipstick. Lillian watched contently as her lips magically danced in their natural spotlight. "But, that is neither here nor there. We must focus on the here and now."

"And what must I do?" Lillian asked, uneasily.

Dayna shook her head, her blonde hair glimmering in the fading sun. "Let's just enjoy what we have left, before we get there. Sound good?"

Lillian nodded. The last couple of weeks had been a roller-coaster of flaming up and down shits. And, come to think of it, Lillian had not yet the time to herself to even process what was happening. She had awoken to the worst nightmare in her life.

She sat back into the bench seat of her Suburban that many years ago belonged to her father. Her eyes remained opened and un-blinked. And yet, still staring into nothingness, she pleaded over and over again in her head, "This is not my life."

The feeling of emptiness etched away at her insides, her soul. But then, she remembered a time in her life when emptiness was all she had, and in the end, it only made her stronger. Lillian took a deep breath, and upon releasing it, she softly released words through her lips, "everything leads up to everything."

Dusk had approached quickly, and with it, the fading of the landscape. A vast cover of twinkling stars blanketed the nighttime sky, the ominous arrival of storm-threatening dark purple clouds, loomed in the distance.

Lillian's elbow vibrated as it rested on the window sill, in the big burly antique truck. As her eyelids were slowly slipping into a much needed sleep, she continued to train them on the massive storm headed their way. Or was it they, who were heading into it?

Lillian watched as each bolt of lightning struck, causing an upward web of light, and a flash of chaos, below. Sadly, it reminded her of when she awoke naked and alone in the wash, on her grand return home. With each lightning crash, came another flash of memories, mostly familiar ones.

But, in the darkness of the shadows, an admittance of red glowing luminescence caught Lillian's eye. Nowhere in her memory bank could she remember as to what object gave off such an ominous glow.

As a curiosity urged her, Lillian found herself reaching out to the red flare. Turning it, Lillian's heart leaped, her jaw clenched, and her eyes squinted. Frightened, she pulled back as far as she could, and took a defensible position.

## The creature glared at her with eyes of scintillation, sneered with a widened mouth of yellowed, gleaming teeth, and tightened its grip around her neck, with its coarse, smoky, twig like fingers.

## It was something Lillian had never seen before, and as far as she was concerned, it wanted to hurt her. Gagging, Lillian brought her arms up, and clenched down with her hands onto the closest thing she could determine a neck, digging fiercely with her nails.

## There was a sharp sting to Lillian's cheek. Her eyes opened to see the ocean blue's that belonged to Dayna, her face darkened underneath the Suburban's dome light. Lillian blinked twice, trying to recover her sanity. "Did you just slap me?"

## Dayna smiled. "Well, somebody had to smack the crazy out of you."

## Lillian shook her head. "Sorry."

## Dayna then smiled. "Besides the fact that you literally strangled me to death, and trust me, I have no problems with a little slap and tickle... Though you were playing it a bit more devilishly then I would prefer."

## Lillian's eyes adjusted to the light. She looked around to see that they were parked in an underground garage. Lillian cocked a brow. "Where are we?"

## "Your new home." Dayna replied.

"Wow, an underground parking garage." Lillian spoke while looking around. She then turned to Dayna. "Awe, you shouldn't have, sweetie. I've always wanted one!"

Dayna relieved herself of a breath. "Cute, good looking and a smart ass, ooh, I'm gonna have fun with this one, lord!" She spoke, as if she were talking to the ceiling.

Lillian, following Dayna, traveled through a thick corridor with chiseled rock walls and steel plates for floors. There were metal plated doors to the left, and to the right. Lillian could also smell damp asphalt. The light was dim, somewhat matching the overtone of the surroundings. And all was quiet besides the sounds of their clacking feet.

Once they reached two heavy plated metal doors, Dayna stopped momentarily to enter a code. As she firmly pushed the buttons, she spoke. "One, six, four, zero."

Lillian, who was not paying attention, missed her words. "Come again?"

Dayna turned to Lillian, towering over her. "One, six, four, zero, dollar sign. That is the code to the door.

Lillian tilted her head.

"There is some seriously sensitive shit in there, okay?" Dayna then pointed down the hall. "All the rooms in this facility have key codes. In fact, your room is three doors down the corridor and on the left, kay?" Dayna turned back around, and gave the two huge doors a hard push. They opened with a loud screech, and followed by a constant beeping and news coverage.

Lillian did a complete 360, looking around. The room was wide, and circular, bright, and filled with every tracking device known to man. Every screen was either filled with surveillance, or tracking. "This shit is off the hook!"

Smiling, Dayna nodded. "Right?"

Chapter 12

"It's been a while, Miss Cross."

Lillian turned to see an older woman, followed by two big suited, burly men, enter through the double doors. She wore her brown hair neatly, and in a French braid. Her high heels and skirt suit spoke power, while her stride and perfect posture declared pride.

Her face was stern and all about business. She nearly floated to Lillian, taking in her hand and firmly shaking it. Her eyes were of a bold brown. Lillian could tell she was older, but by the lack of lines throughout her face, Lillian determined she had aged immaculately.

"It has been a while." The woman repeated once again. This time, removing her hand from the shaking embrace. There was a lingering smile at the edge of her lips, as she lifted a stray brow.

Lillian tilted her head. "Do I know you?"

"And when I say a while, I mean about sixty years... Give or take a few."

Lillian still remained blank. As much as she tried to recollect, sixty years take a toll on one's mind, especially if those years were drawing a blank. The only possibility was, that Lillian had to have met her as a child. She took a long look into the woman's eyes. A tiny face flashed within the back of her mind. Lillian's jaw slowly dropped as she took two steps back. She swallowed hard before speaking, a wicked chill running up her backside. "Dava?"

Nodding, Dava smiled, and licked her lips. "Yes, well, not so much of an innocent little eight year old anymore... More of an extremely weathered seventy year old." Dava Stiles motioned to Dayna with her arm. "I see you've met my daughter."

Lillian turned to look behind her. Dayna smiled back, and shrugged. She could see the resemblance. Dayna's face was a younger mirrored image of her mother's.

"And, I am for sure, you have already met Bear?" Dava's eyes met Lillian's. "Bio. Engineered. Artificial. Reference. The closest thing I could compare her to, would be an Apple Iwatch, Data, from Star Trek, and Al, from Quantum Leap all mixed up into one. Not to mention the gorgeous looks of one, Zoie Palmer. Impressed?" Dava asked while tilting her head.

Lillian somewhat blushed, and smiled.

Bear, are you here?" Dava, asked, as she looked into the ceiling.

It was no longer than a microsecond, before Bear materialize before all, dressed in her Dr. Lauren Lewis special. A lab coat, with a blue low cut blouse, black dress slacks, and mid-high heels. Her hair was down, and curled up at the ends, her face, light, with make-up.

Dava smiled at the sight of her. "Status report, Bear?"

Folding her hands behind her back, Bear paused, looking straight ahead. "Body is in perfect condition. One hundred percent cohesion with the alien being."

Dava slowly walked up to Lillian, looking into her eyes. "We have a lot to talk about."

Lillian nodded, and allowed Dava to guide her to a sectional couch in the corner of the room. There was a massive TV, which showered the couch in its warming screen luminescence. Lillian could see every inch of the ginormous screen covered in squares, each square filled with violent news coverage.

Quickly, and just by closing her eyes, Dava turned off every monitor in the room.

Lillian tilted her head, raising her brows. "How the hell did you do that?"

Dava smiled. "It's 2066, Miss Cross. Super smart houses are a thing of the present." Dava sat in a leather recliner chair, across from Lillian's sitting position on the couch, paralleled to the big TV. She shifted her weight, motioning for her two guards. Both disappeared, and only one returned to place a bottle of Miller Lite on the coffee table in front of Lillian.

Lillian looked at the frothy bottle with a watering mouth.

"I suppose you could use a few... Take in what I am about to tell you, a little easier." Dava said, as she broke the silence.

Lillian shook her head while still staring at the cold beer. "Ma'am, there has been nothing easy about this since I came back. And even though I would like to drink myself into oblivion to make the pain go away, I highly doubt that being in a drunken state of mind on a daily basis, will help anyone." Lillian lifted her right brow, eyes still on the beer. "However, since the situation has presented its self, I dare say I would let good booze go to waste." She then quickly grabbed the beer, and popped the top. She guzzled it until dry.

Putting the empty bottle on the table, Lillian looked to Dava. "How many do you have?"

Dava lifted her brows. "17."

"Better bring the rest of them out. Don't want bodyguard dude working overtime waiting tables, now do we?"

Dava lightly chuckled. "But, they will get warm?"

Lillian shook her head. "Lady, at this point, I don't give a shit."

Dava's voice was radiating from one room, and echoing throughout the halls, in the secret, underground bunker. Lillian listened quietly, as she tried to break down all verbal input. Her mind was racing, heart pounding, and chills tingling all at once.

When Dava had met Lillian, she was only eight years old, but had already seen the worst the world had to offer. "You don't have to be a product of your environment, you taught me that, Miss Cross."

Lillian smiled and nodded. "And someone taught me that."

"I was cast into prostitution by my mother, who was looking for her next fix, and saved by you. I shall forever be in your debt." Dava lifted her brow, folding her hands into her lap. "But we are here to discuss the matter after you saved me."

Sixty one years ago, Lillian had liberated Dava, and three other girls from their pimp, Tech. Dava had only met Lillian briefly, but vowed, once again to meet her. With the money that Lillian had given the girls, they were able to start a normal life, and Dava got to go to school.

Dava Stiles grew up bold, and fearful of nothing. She let no one hold her back, especially not herself. Receiving a scholarship, Dava got herself to college, never forgetting the woman who saved her and her fellow mates.

While working for her Master's, Dava kept a close eye on one woman in particular, a black haired, blue eyed ball of fury, Michelle Bishop. Dava believed nothing in coincidences, only in fate, so when Dava and her dorm mate came across a rather lewd video of two women on a porn site, questions arose about the woman in question, Michelle Bishop, and a younger one with her, looking very much like Lillian herself.

Lillian leaned back, lifting her chin to quickly chug her beer. She removed the bottle from her lips, placing it back on the table, shaking her head. "What was the name of the porn?" She asked.

Dava stopped, looking at Lillian. "What?"

Lillian's brows raised. "The name of the porn?"

There was a tad bit of discomfort as Dava's eyes quickly swept over Dayna's, the left side of her lip twitching. "Mommy, daughter, and hardcore S and M fucking."

Lillian covered her hand over her eyes, as her jaw dropped... "Aghhhh, what is wrong with people these days?"

Dava raised a brow. "You tell me, Mrs. Cross, after all, it was your sex tape."

"Not willingly," Lillian added.

Dava was smart and cunning enough, that she found a way into Michelle's company. After the death of her husband, Michelle sold off his pharmaceutical company and bought into energy. Out of all the issues with the world then, Michelle thought the most good could be done in the energy department.

Dava and Michelle worked alongside each other for a few years, Dava never stopped searching for clues. Her biggest break came while searching through Michelle's Desk. It was an old DVD disk, almost faded out by time. Quickly, she planted it into a player, nearly hidden in Michelle's office.

Dava Stiles's jaw dropped as she relived the same porn she watched years ago.

"Didn't think you were into kink."

Dava turned to quickly see Michelle standing in the doorway. "I'm not." Dava lifted her brows, nodding towards the screen with her head. "I have been searching for that woman."

"Her name is Jenifer Drake, and she has passed."

Dava shook her head. "No, her name is Lillian Ann Cross, and she cannot die, for she is the Switchblade Mamma."

Michelle's expression became numb. "Who are you, and what do you want with her?"

There was a long explanation of the situation over drinks. Dava was cleared of who she was, but the mystery of where Lillian went to, continued to be debated. In 2015, she disappeared. Nothing was left of her, but the mangled wreckage of her bicycle, and ten frightened human claw marks in the mud.

Paige, Michelle and Dava continued to search, while moving on with their lives. Paige always hurt the most, for she knew Lillian was no longer on earth. In the years prior to Lillian's disappearance, Lillian began to go through changes that were not possible for the human body. At night, after Lillian had disappeared, Paige would suffer from night terrors, waking in dripping sweat, swearing up and down that she dreamt of a galactic war, with Lillian on the front-lines.

In 2030, Michelle was able to acquire the Arecibo Observatory, and with it, the ability to search for Lillian more thoroughly. It was not until five years later, that the ladies got their first clue, when a muffled, broken up message came through. It took months to decipher, and after hard work, and long hours, the crew was rewarded with a message, and a build sheet for advanced nano tech.

"Your girl is here with us. She is safe, and learning how to bond correctly with her new species. Build the tech quickly, for you will need it to save your people. Lillian will be returned soon... The Guardians." Dava recited it, still fresh in her mind as if she had heard it that day.

Lillian's mouth had dropped, and her brows lifted. "So, the nano tech was..."

"Bear, yes." Dava had cut her off. "Bio Engineered, Artificial Reference. The Guardians gave her to us, so that we could learn. The universe is vast, and we know so very little. Bear is like an encyclopedia for the universe. She is here to help us with the incoming invaders, but most of all, she is here to guide you on your journey."

Lillian's head bowed at the sound of invaders. "The Vitair, these are the invaders that you speak of?"

Dava nodded. I was informed by Bear that you were filled in on the whole, big bang theory?"

Lillian smoothed her face over with her hand, before answering. "Yes, I do remember hearing something like that before I went out to get piss drunk."

Dava narrowed her eyes as she turned her head to her daughter. Dayna lifted her arms in a surrender position. "Oh no, don't look at me, she was totally under Bear's control at the time."

Hearing the accusation, and wanting to defend herself, Bear appeared, ready to dispute. Her long, high ponytail swayed with her head movements as she explained herself. "I did everything you asked. I was quite persistent with keeping her away from the public's eye. It was out of my power that she decided to leave and bring home a stranger to fornicate with. After all, I am just in her head. It's not like I can restrain her or anything." Bear said, with cheeks red and flushed.

Lillian rolled her eyes. "Fornicate? Lady, I like to call it making love!"

Keeping a straight face, Bear kept her hands clasped together, shaking her head. "If you call rabid dog humping, making love, then you may want to think again."

Paige quickly flashed through Lillian's mind. She released her last breath, without letting any more words out.

Dava remained silent, folding her arms. She then lifted a brow. "Are you both done, then?" Both ladies nodded, remaining silent. "Good. You two really need to work together." Dava spoke, while pointing at both, Lillian and Bear. "This will be a hard few weeks. Lillian, you will need Bear for insight and her wisdom. Bear, you will need Lillian to help you grow and learn. From this point on, I do not wish to hear any more bickering, is that clear?"

Lillian nodded, bowing her head. "So what do I have to do...?" Lillian then looked up into Dava's dark brown eyes. "To save the world, what do I have to do?"

Dava pursed her lips, crossing her legs, and then folding her arms once again. "Creating a credit card and healing quickly is just a speck of what you will be able to do, once you have learned how to work with the Shitair, and hone in your ability's.

Lillian looked up, narrowing her eyes. "I was taken and kept for fifty years. Why was I not taught, then?"

Lillian's encounter with a defibrillator eleven years prior to her abduction, woke the Shitair, thus causing a beacon to be sent out. Just as Paul Bishop, a man obsessed with Lillian's condition, then, had concluded, something would come for the precious bio-silicate embedded underneath her skin. At the time, Paul Bishop, along with the Russian mafia, and a slew of Nazi's worked together, to either win Lillian's allegiance, or to steal her ability's.

Paul failed in his struggle for the ultimate power. It was the Guardians who were able to reach Lillian first. To put the Vitair off of her trail, The Guardians created bogus beacon signals. But they knew it was only a matter of time before the Vitair reached Earth.

It is a rule for the Guardians to not interfere with other races. Natural selection was always the preferred method for death, but it was they who hid the Shitair on earth, so they felt it their responsibility to save it.

As soon as Bear's nano-tech was completed, the transmissions began to pour in. The Guardians wanted to give the humans every chance to live. Notes and diagrams on enemy ships were sent, as well as more build plans.

"All we could do was build, learn and wait." Dava's voice trailed off.

Lillian's hands were clasped, her brows wrinkled. She shook her head. "And yet, no reason for my missing fifty years?"

"They only said that you would return shortly before they would." Dava took her index finger and began tapping it to her forehead. "I can only assume that it is trapped up her, Lillian. It is up to you to unlock it."

Lillian leaned back, folding her arms. "This is bullshit."

Becoming impatient, Dava took to her feet. "If it is wallowing in your own self-pity that will make you feel better, then I've got news for you." Dava's voice became even louder. "Toughen up, butter-cup! Ten billion people are out there, not even aware of the shit they are about to get into... This planet has no fucking clue that they are about to be erased from existence within the next few days, what, maybe weeks?" Dava shook her head. "I get it, fifty years have been robbed of you, and I get it, your wife is on her death bed, melting away without you, but given an opportunity like this, you fold your arms and whine like a little bitch, this is bullshit?" Dava's eyes were narrowed as she glared into Lillian's. "You take this shit with as much pride as possible. And remember, if you die, we all die. Do you understand me?"

Lillian sad nothing. She just lifted her right brow and nodded.

Dava smiled. "Good, I'm off to bed. It is late as fuck right now."

Lillian turned to Dayna, whom remained silent. She then smiled, letting out a low chuckle. "My mom says the darnedest things. She use to tell me to check my shoes before I put them on, because aliens may be hiding in them." Dayna scratched her forehead lightly. "Come to think of it now, that entire statement was true."

Lillian released herself of a low breath. She got up, and with a slight buzz in her step, made her way through the blast double doors.

"Where are you going?" Chimed out Dayna from behind her.

Without looking back, Lillian continued to walk. "Out to find some fresh air." Dayna's voice became muddled with distance, and the thickness of the corridors rock walls. Lillian knew where she wanted to go, but not how to get there. She figured she would make use of Bear, her own Bio-engineered, artificial reference. And with a question, she was escorted to just where she wanted to be.

The night was humid, briskly cool and partially clear. The moon shone brightly through patches of spotted purple clouds. When the stars broke through the thick blankets of water vapor, they sparkled like diamonds, attracting Lillian's eyes. She inhaled deeply for the scent of the creosote bush hung heavy in the air. The smell brought back memories, and the stars brought back uncertainty.

Lillian took herself as far as the overhead flood lights would take her, to the edge of a very steep cliff. She sat, allowing her legs to hang. She looked around, whistling to herself before she spoke. "So where exactly are we?"

"The Painted Desert." Replied Bear, who had manifested behind her.

After drinking many beers, Lillian felt a craving. A craving for something she knew was nowhere near. And, considering she was able to create a credit card out of thin air, Lillian began to focus on her hand, concentrating hard. It took a few moments, but Lillian was successful.

It didn't appear, but more like an appendage of her body, it grew. Lillian smiled when she cupped within her palm, a cigarette.

"Jesus, you have got to be kidding me." Bear's voice broke through the silence besides the wind.

"Lillian turned her head to look at her. "What? You don't think it's like cannibalism, do you? Technically, I am going to smoke myself."

Bears eyes narrowed. "How are you going to light it up?"

Lillian lifted her brows. "I make fire, don't I?"

Bear's eyes remained narrow, her face, expressionless. "You know that's not good for you, right?"

Lillian's eyes remained focused on her snapping fingers. When she hit two snaps, she looked at Bear, raising her brow, while smiling. "Third times a charm." On the third snap, a small flame grew from the tips of her fingers. A sigh of pleasure was released alongside a plume of smoke, as Lillian enjoyed her cigarette, all the while smirking at Bear.

"Cancer mean anything to you?" Bear may have just been a program, but her patience was wearing thin.

Lillian arched her brows. "Ya know, last time I heard, immortality means not dying."

Bear shook her head as she took a seat next to Lillian on the cliff side. "Always a smart ass, aren't you?" She quietly murmured.

Lillian turned her head towards Bear. "Huh, you say something?"

Bear remained quiet. The night was moist with rain, and the distant landscape, glittering with flashes of light. "I'm seriously worried. It cannot be possible that you are here to save your race."

Lillian tilted her head, to nod. "Oh, ill agree, I'm short and not much to look at. Yeah, and I often say some smart-assed remarks, and am mostly a dick, but..." With a loss of words, Lillian became quiet.

"But what?" Bear broke the silence once again.

Lillian drew in a deep breath. "I am trying to find anything to keep me sane, and so far have been unsuccessful. This truth is a hard thing to swallow, and I am taking it down like a jagged pill. A pill that is swirling and hitting every orifice down, causing pain." Lillian's eyes became red, and gleamed with the beginnings of tears. "With each and every word that she spoke, preaching the glum future, she was there... My wife, my love. And though I had lost her fifty years ago, she is currently dying in her bed of cancer and I am nowhere to be found. The least I could give her, would be my warm hand by her bedside, but no, she will rot away without me." Lillian's cheeks were flushed with tears, her voice cracking and shaky. "Time is time, and if there were not a greater calling, would you not take it? My insides are melting away without her, and my heart burning with fire for the need of her, but it was her who cast me away. I loved her for who she was, and who she built me up to be. Because, everything leads up to everything, and if not for her, I would not be here today. I took in all her words carefully. Broke them up and analyzed them as I always do, contemplating each and every option. My life ended fifty years ago, my love lost... Nevertheless, I can feel her in my heart. And as much I would like to think that I could do it on my own, I cannot do it without her. Her heart flourishes with mine, and I am not alone." Lillian stood up, looking into the sky, wiping away her tears, loudly yelling. "Tonight I make a vow... I will do it for her, and the world. I will never stop fighting, because I want us to survive!"

From the sky, to the ground, Lillian sat back down onto the cold earth, knees bent, and tears pouring into her lap. For a while, all was quiet, besides the winds soft churning, and distant grumbles of thunder.

"If I could, I would hug you and hold you." Bear's voice softly whispered in the night.

Lillian let out a low chuckle, face still hidden in her lap. "I'm not much of a huger, these days.

Bear smiled. "Oh, I wouldn't say that, you were always quite affectionate towards..." Startled by what she was saying, Bear's words trailed off.

Lifting her head, Lillian looked at Bear. She cocked a brow. "Affectionate towards whom?"

Bear shrugged her arms. "Paige?"

Lillian narrowed her eyes, looking into Bear's, as if she was trying to figure something out. "Is there some reason I feel like I know you more than I know you?"

Bear shook her head, before pointing to the horizon, at the speck of light blue that was uplifting the darkness. "You need to get to bed, for tomorrow is a busy day, and that light already indicates it is morning."

Lillian slowly rose from the cliff side, brushing the dirt from her jeans. She wobbled in, taking one last look at the sunrise. Bear followed behind, Lillian taking one last look at her, trying her best to see something more than Dr. Lauren Lewis. But most of all, Lillian was trying to figure out what Bear meant not to say.

Chapter 13

There was always an uneasiness when waking up in an unfamiliar room. Somewhat of a disturbance, when you realize that your dream was just that, a dream. As her eyes slowly rolled open, Lillian gazed up into an unfamiliar ceiling. She blinked, turning to her side, breathing in the scent of an unknown bed comforter. Rubbing her sleep deprived eyes, she tossed the comforter from her, and plunged her feet onto the soft carpet below. Lillian took in a deep breath, remembering the night before, wishing it was a dream. She remembered her promise to her lost love, and rose from her bed, slowly stretching off the night's hangover.

The room was filled with the suns morning gold. Lillian walked to the window, and through squinted eyes, watched as the sun slowly crested over the horizon. She closed her eyes, as she felt its rays penetrate her skin. When she opened her eyes once again, the sun was fully risen.

Lillian's brow furrowed as she realized the window was not a window at all. Slowly she reached out, touching it with her finger. "It's a god damn screen." She muttered to herself.

Lillian assumed she had much to learn in very little time. Though her head was on fire, she urged herself to get dressed and to figure out what it was, that she was to do.

Her clothes were dirty and smelled of stale beer and cigarettes. Feeling an even more overpowering urge, Lillian relieved herself in her room's bathroom. She stood for a while, soaking in the warm streams of the shower, whishing all pain would just wash away.

There was a short dresser in her room, Lillian, pleased to find clean pants and t-shirts. She was even happier when she came across a pair of boots, Doc Martens. When she pulled up the left one and began to unlace it, she realized how old it was. Lillian took a closer look, noting its wear and tear. She held it up to her nose, taking a quick sniff... "It's mine." She said as she smiled putting it on.

Fifty years does a lot to things. Remembering that her dads truck was still running, and her old boots were intact, Lillian could do nothing more but smile. As she finished up dressing, Lillian walked back into the bathroom, looking at her disheveled long hair. With a lot of water and much patience, Lillian brushed out the beast. Finding a hair tie, Lillian pulled back her long hair into a ponytail. She smiled as she saw her long hair. After all, it has been 62 years since she had last seen it. She traced her fingers down her facial scar, remembering what it meant, and left the bathroom.

Still plagued with a headache, Lillian was ready for the next step of her life. She took steps to the door and paused as she hoovered her hand on the knob. It had been more than half a century since she was locked behind doors and held into captivity, and her heart fluttered as she took the knob into her hand and turned it.

The door opened, sending screeching echoes into the damp, dark, cave like corridor. Lillian breathed in its dampness and walked casually, enjoying her freedom. When she passed through the double blast doors, she was greeted by light, blaring news reels from screens, and Dayna, sitting quietly at an elongated table, reading a newspaper. The headline read, "Titanic sinks four hours after hitting iceberg; 66 rescued by Carpathia, probably 1250 perish."

Lillian sat, examining the ships blurred picture on the front on the paper. "I heard iron eating bacteria was dissolving the ship into nothing... Is she still intact?"

Dayna took a moment before answering. She ruffled the paper a bit, before setting it down. Her blue eyes glazed from the paper to Lillian. "They excavated the ship in 2020... By a private buyer..."

Lillian diverted her eyes. She had just recently met Dayna, and was comfortable with her, but still uneasy.

Dayna lifted her head, speaking clearly. "My mom just recently acquired her."

Lillian lifted her brows. "You mean your mom just bought the Titanic?"

Dayna nodded.

Baffled, Lillian took to the coffee pot, pouring herself a cup of liquid caffeine. She figured it may help with the headache. She grabbed the creamer and sugar and went to town, taking a seat at the table with Dayna. She took a sip, satisfying enough, but pinching back the pain of her headache through the bridge of her nose.

Dayna peered at her, lowering her paper. "Hangover?"

Lillian took a deep breath, exhaling loudly. "Yes."

As soon as Dayna smiled from behind her paper, Bear appeared in the corner of Lillian's eyes, starling her somewhat, she jumped in her seat.

"Edgy much?" Bear asked, smirking.

Lillian shook her head. "Only when you do that out of nowhere appearing shit."

Bear slightly bowed her head. "Sorry. It would come to my attention that today is the day that we start training. And as I look over your functions, it would seem apparent that, you are not quite up to par."

Lillian lifted her brow. "You think?" She replied sarcastically. "Last time I was to start training for something, I had a .45 pointed at my head the whole time, while I ran around a horse corral." Lillian narrowed her eyes. "I hate running... Are you going to make me run?"

Bear's eyes were widened. "You weren't bothered by the gun?"

Lillian shook her head. "No... I just really don't like running."

Bear shrugged, shaking her head once again. "Lesson one... Stopping the pain by healing. Do you remember being hit by the car? Your fist, and the cigarette?"

Lillian shook her head. "Ughhhh." She released through her teeth. She took a moment and closed her eyes. Inhaling deeply and letting go, she looked at Bear, eyes more open and mind clear.

Bear smiled. "Better?"

"Yes, all gone."

"Good. And never forget that. Right now, your reaction is too slow. You would have been dead by now."

Lillian tilted her head. "Seriously?" She glanced at Dayna, who was quietly watching.

Dayna shrugged. "Don't look at me. I'm not the one with all of the info."

Bear was wearing a snug, royal blue long sleeved turtle neck, with beige slacks. There were no seats positioned at the table to her visual favor, so she manifested one, taking a seat. "You need to learn how to focus your energy. You are bound by the second species created by the big bang. All things are at your disposal, but you must first learn. What you face, is the fourth species created by the bang. The most evil in the universe."

Lillian leaned back in her chair, frowning. "Well that is relieving."

Bear narrowed her brows. "This is not a joke.

"No shit, Sherlock." Lillian replied. "I made a promise, and I attend on fulfilling it."

The day was ageing and the sun was making its last stand before it bowed out for the night. Once again, Lillian was where she stood in the darkness, looking over the valley, overseeing the valley of the Painted Desert. The clouds were accumulating in numbers, threatening once again of rain. The scent was in the air, and Lillian took it in deeply. She slapped her hands together, rubbing loudly. "So, what's the plan?"

Bear's eyes narrowed. "Walk to the edge."

Lillian did so, walking to the edge of the cliff, with Dayna cautiously observing. Lillian took the tips of her toes, hanging them over the cliff side. "Now what?" She asked somewhat impatiently.

Looking out into the valley, Bear Replied. "Now you fly."

Lillian's jaw dropped, looking at Bear. "What? Like, walk off the edge and fly?"

"Yes. You have fallen before, and have survived."

Lillian shook her head. "That was from a barn, and maybe twenty feet... This is like hundreds."

Bear turned, piercing Lillian with her brown eyes. "We have no time for fear. You imagine the feat, and the Shitair shall do the rest."

Lillian took in a deep breath, shaking her head. "Fine. This is what I am here for, and I shall do it." Like she was ready for flight, Lillian extended her arms and closed her eyes. She took one step and propelled herself off of the cliff side. Lillian fell, and fell, flailed her arms and fell some more, until she hit the hard ground, sending a cloud of dust into the air.

Dayna rushed to the cliff side looking down. "Dude, you just killed her."

Bear floated back, shaking her head. "No... No, no... She turned her eyes to Dayna, realizing that Lillian's vitals were redlining. "How quickly can you get down there?"

"Already on it", Dayna spoke as she rushed inside to the elevator, her heels clacking on her way in, Dayna tossing them off to get more speed. "Two minutes." Dayna replied while in the lift. The two minutes seemed like an eternity to her as she rushed through the desert terrain, trying to get to Lillian's lifeless body.

When Dayna reached Lillian, she was stiff and unresponsive. Dayna held her in her arms, smacking her cheeks.

"Do you know CPR?" Bear asked.

Without hesitation, Dayna put Lillian down, pumping life back into her. "Duh." She replied back to Bear, as she administered rescue breaths.

For a program, Bear seemed uneasy. "Shout heal into her ears, please."

Irritated, Dayna did so. As she worked on Lillian, every rescue breath that she gave, she shouted "heal" loudly into her ears.

After a minute or so of being worked on, Lillian up righted herself from Dayna's arms and gasped for air. "Holy fuck!" She yelled, as she regained conciseness.

Dayna pulled herself back, relived. "Oh, thank god."

Lillian bowed herself over, coughing, as rocks expelled from her backside. She was back and healing.

As Lillian regained normalcy, Dayna glared at Bear, arms still around Lillian, and her body, close to the earth. "What the hell is wrong with you? Are you here to help her, or kill her?"

Bear shook her head, eyes glossed. "I am here to help." She replied.

Dayna narrowed her eyes. "Then fucking help."

The silence was looming as Lillian and Dayna sat, Bear hoovering about. Lillian, with a cooling cup of coffee in front of her, was rubbing her temples profusely, trying to figure out what just happened. She looked up to Bear. "Did I just die?"

Bear's lips wavered, frowning. "Yes."

"But I thought I couldn't.?"

Bear inhaled slowly before answering. "You can, and you can't."

Lillian lifted her brow, releasing a low belch from her consumed coffee, looking somewhat perplexed.

Bear reiterated. "The Shitair, the second species to come out from the big bang... Planted and living within you... Are able to enhance." Bear looked down, releasing a sigh. "But it all depends on the neural connection. Some species are able to respond quicker."

Lillian blinked once, frowning. "So... You are saying that I am slow?"

Bear shook her head. "Some species are more focused. The human brain is all over the place, many thoughts are processing at once. I just need you to focus on one thing, and one thing only, to stay alive."

Dayna sarcastically raised her hand. "And what do you call that back there? You killed her, remember? If it were not for me, the human race would be doomed."

Lillian smiled at Dayna. "Thank you."

Dayna nodded, raising her arms. "Don't thank me, just save the world like you are here to do."

Bear nodded, looking down. "Yes, somewhat of a miscalculation on my part."

Both girls looked at her, repeating in unison. "A miscalculation? But you are a program!"

Lillian took another sip of her coffee, looking back into Bear's eyes. "Look, I am totally about learning... Let's just start with the easy shit first." She took a deep breath, laughing at herself, quietly. "After all, my pops had me shoot the smallest gun first, and gradually raised me up to the biggest. Baby steps Bear, baby steps."

Bear's face remained emotionless. "And if we don't have the time?"

Lillian smiled. "We have to try. If I get out there and die... Then all is for nothing."

Trying hard to stay focused, was not one of Lillian's finer points. As she explained to others in her past life, she had an attention span of a five year old, all words of importance going into one ear and out the other. But her death, perhaps it was her fourth... She had died quite a few times to remember, the freshest one just hours ago, was still burning in her memories. As she had said it before, training is a bitch. And as much as she needed to hear what was being said, Lillian's eyes just drifted...

The sky was blue, but blotched with the gathering of grey dark clouds. The afternoon was aging, and moisture was building up for the next monsoon. Her eyes fluctuated and enlarged with the glaring distance of lightning. Her nostrils flared at the first scent of rain saturating the desert, and for the first time in weeks, Lillian knew she was home. She closed her eyes, inhaling. Extending her arms, she smiled, whispering, "I am Arizona."

"Lillian?"

As there was a darkness between her eyes and the light, Lillian could see herself rising over the cliff, taking flight into the canyons of the Painted Desert, seeing sights that she had never seen before. And as her arms guided her weightless body, she lifted higher into the virgin clouds, as close to the sun as she had ever been. And in releasing flight before her free fall, she took in the atmosphere.

"Lillian?!!"

Lillian released her breath and spoke loudly. "I am Arizona!"

"Lillian!" Bear shouted.

Lillian looked up into Bear's eyes. "Yes?"

Bear's eyes narrowed. "Where were you just now?"

Lillian took her hands to her face, clasping them, rubbing them over her lips. "I was flying."

"Where?"

Lillian turned and pointed out into the peaks of the Painted Desert. "There... I went out there and then up."

Bear smiled. "See? Flying is not that far away. It's has already been planted within your head."

Lillian furrowed her brows. "And how do you know this, all mighty program? Have you found my missing 50 years within my head?"

Bear just gazed and smiled. "Let's just get started with the basics, healing. If you focus hard enough, you can retrieve your two most prized possessions."

Lillian lifted her brow. "My knives, you know where my knives are?"

Bear nodded. "Your friend's knife, and your wedding switchblade are planted within you. Like I said. The Shitair is the second species known to this universe. They are made to enhance. Take your time, and think about it."

Lillian took her right arm, held it out and focused. As she remembered materializing the cigarette, she focused the same thoughts on her knives. Thoughts, and then a clearing of her throat. Slowly, the plastic handle, then the blade of a knife began to protrude from the skin of her arm. Lillian's eyes widened. "What the fuck?" Her eyes then narrowed as she covered her mouth with her hand, watching as the two blades slowly pushed their way from her skin. Seeing it for the first time sober, and objects not as small as a credit card, nor cigarette, Lillian became mildly sick to her stomach. Holding both knives, one in each hand, Lillian shook her head. "That is just a little gross."

Bear smiled. "Well, get used to it. The objects will only get bigger from here on out."

Lillian frowned. "What, like Titanic sized?"

Bear just let out a low chuckle and smiled.

The days were long, stressful and filled with uncertainty. Lillian tried her best to listen and to learn from Bear, but each and every passing day marked a closer date to meeting whatever it was the Vitair were to send to earth.

There were many things to learn and Lillian tried her best to perfect them. From replicating objects, to enhanced strength, and the ability to mask her own face.

Lillian shook her head, as she held a sharp blade to the underside to of her arm. "Echh, I'm really not into this."

Bear tilted her head, her long blond curls simulating being tossed in the light breeze. "If you want, I can have Dayna fetch the guards to beat the shit out of you."

Lillian furrowed her brows. "I think I will pass. I'll do this, just give me a moment."

Bear tilted her head. "Any time now..."

Lillian narrowed her eyes. "Pushy much?"

Bear pursed her lips. "We are running out of time. I know you do not want to do this, but you must focus, control your mind. You will not feel pain if you intercept it. It will heal quickly it you anticipate it."

Lillian frowned, holding her breath. "I don't think it is going to help sitting here looking at it and dwelling."

Bear lifted her brows.

Lillian rolled her eyes, releasing her breath. "Oh hell." She took the knife and cut clean across her arm, feeling the slice as a thick paper cut. She let out a low growl, feeling a touch of pain as a small stream of blood flowed from the mini red colored canyon on her arm. Before the flow could continue, the cut sealed and then healed. Lillian looked up to Bear and smiled. "Ha! Did you see that?! Seconds, right?"

Bear nodded, smirking somewhat sheepishly. "Good, now do it again."

Lillian dropped her smile. "Wait, what?"

Bear nodded. "Yeah, it took you ten seconds to heal... Not fast enough. In a real battle, you would be dead. Do it until you get done in less than a second."

Lillian frowned, feeling sick to her stomach.

Chapter 14

The mornings were always quiet. No matter how late she went to bed, Lilian woke before the break of day, showered, clothed, and made her way through the cold rock corridors of the underground base. She was content with a schedule, a sort of normalcy within her chaotic and weird life, kept her at ease. As she reached the mess hall, she turned on every TV, watching the news feeds, trying to find something familiar. As coffee brewed, Lillian watched as the world fell apart. Mini wars between countries, famine, and innocent people dying for their leaders and or dictators, and the need for power... The world was running out of electricity. Too many bodies and not enough power to support them.

The Earth was indeed in trouble. 2066 seemed to be the breaking point when the Earth said, no more. Every TV covered some sort of disaster. Whether it be a climate issue, or just too many people compacted into one place, it was there, the news of the Earth's slow destruction.

Lillian savored the moment the coffee was done brewing. She took her cup, four scoops of powdered creamer and then filled it to the top with black goodness. Every morning, Lillian snuck outside to watch the sunrise as she drank her coffee, slowly. Her eyes never leaving the rocky horizon, Lillian soaked in the rays as the sun saturated the sky with ribbons of blue and red, just as the Arizona flag had depicted.

She tried to reminisce, as the sun slowly rose. Paige was with her at every step. And as she took a hard swallow from her coffee, closing her eyes, she tried hard to see her clearly within her memories, but there was so much static. Her mind was always racing.

She had to heal, or manifest something, or try to fly... Combat violent aliens... As hard as Lillian tried, keeping Paige in her mind seemed impossible. Why? She thought to herself. The one and only creature she loved upon her Earth was so close, but yet so far away.

Bear was always close by. But as she was in Lillian's mind, she knew that it was Lillian's time. She left the sunrises to her, hoping that soon, she would find closure.

As the sun met the horizon, Lilian finished off her coffee, walked back into the base and watched the rest of the horrific news feeds. She would eat, and ready her day for training.

Lillian's first known and complete control of her new ability, was to absorb power. She had it down like riding a bike. Expelling it? No problem. Lillian and Bear would spend their days in the canyons of Arizona's Painted Desert blowing shit up. The only catch, was that Lillian needed a power source.

For fun, Lillian would do simple snatches, like draining the batteries from the bases vehicles. For something more complex, Lillian went down into the generator room, and soaked up all of the bases electricity, rendering it powerless for a few hours. The more power, the bigger the bang.

Lillian concentrated on the enormous bolder, lifting up and stretching out her arms. She held out one palm, and the other behind it, sneering and releasing a low grunt as a blast of light energy reverberated from her palms, exploding the bolder in front of her. She released herself of a deep sigh as she looked to Bear, who was observing quietly behind her. "This canyon is hella old." She pursed her lips, raising her brows. "Do I have to keep blowing it up? I mean, I'm wasting some serious ground here."

Bear smirked, tilting her head. "If you don't learn, then all of this will be destroyed." She looked around, raising her arms. "All of this, the God's creation, will be all for nothing."

Lillian lowered her brows. "Like Gods, as in the Gods... This first of the four?"

Bear nodded.

Lillian's eyes widened. "So it is true then? God created earth? Was it in six days, like the Bible said?"

Bear shook her head. "The Earth was created naturally."

Intrigued, and listening closely, Lillian lifted a brow. "Really?"

Bear lowered her head, smiling. "Everything happened the way the history books state, except..."

Lillian narrowed her eyes. "Yes?"

"3.8 billion years ago, a seed was planted. Somewhat how you would plant a seed to grow in a garden. A little seed was planted from the Gods onto the Earth, and voila, instant sea monkey farm."

Lillian rubbed her chin. "So what about God, or Jehovah, or Allah... Jesus?"

Bear let out a low chuckle. "The universe is vast Lillian. Any being, or alien could have stopped by. Let's just say that your people have been fucked with enough."

Lillian furrowed her brows. "So, you are saying that religion is a farce?"

Bear shook her head. "Well, technically... Jehovah, and Allah were of the same alien species. After Adam and Eve, and then Noah... And after Moses, the alien species hung around for a while, but realized that the human race was... To say the least, ignorant, uninformed... Allah was created after that, a less vengeful God, but still... The humans at that time, there were so many, and just confusion ensued."

Lillian took a few steps back, planting her butt firmly upon a sturdy bolder. She contemplated, fiercely. Lillian brought her thumb to her lips, and began to dig with her teeth, pulling up skin, which she chewed and spat out, blood seeping quickly, as Lillian licked it up.

Bear examined her behavior closely and frowned. "That has got to stop." She said as she pointed.

Lillian looked to Bear, with a bleeding thumb in her mouth. "What has to stop?"

Irritated, Bear lifted a brow, pointing. "That! That whole fucking cannibalization on your own damn fingers!" Bear did not draw in closer to Lillian, she disappeared and then reappeared in front of her, her holographic hands trying to handle Lillian's. "What are you doing? How is this not healing?"

Lillian looked at her thumbs and then her fingers. "Well, this is me... I've always done this. I pick and pull them to shreds."

Bear's eyes narrowed. "Since when?"

Lillian's hair was long, and falling all around her face. She took her bleeding hands and fingers, looking up at Bear, and pulled her hair back away from her face, the blood wiping into her hair. She narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean, how long have I been doing this?"

Bear remained silent, turning away from Lillian, looking down the canyon walls.

Lillian blinked slowly as she suckled away another drop of blood from her finger. "Is there something I'm missing here?"

"How so?" Bear quietly replied, never turning her head.

"Well, you seem quite familiar with me. Or..." Lillian tilted her brow, trying to think of the best way to state it. "You know me, but don't know me... I just keep disappointing you."

Bear, still motionless, took her hands and clasped them behind her back. There was a light breeze stirring up from the canyon, Bear's hair simulating this, flowing gently in the direction the light wind was blowing it. The nanoite within Lillian could feel the direction of the wind as it caressed her skin. Bear lightly smiled, shaking her head, as she released a light sigh. "You could never disappoint me, Lillian."

Lillian stood up, slowly walking, kicking sand and dirt as she did. She put her hands into her pocket, feeling the chill of the morning, and thinking quickly to adjust her body to disregard the cold. "How much more of this training do we need to do?"

Bear appeared by her side, steadily following. "You, and the need to lean, adapt your ability should never stop. At no point in the infinite time loop could you ever stop learning. You are a carbon based life form with one of the most powerful, adaptable, oldest creatures living within you. Your survival depends on theirs, and that of your people."

Still walking, Lillian tilted her head, lifting her brows. "And that is some deep shit."

Bear moved in front of Lillian stopping her. Her eyes were open, big and brown. And for the first time, Lillian truly saw her as human. "Look, I know that you went to work that morning, just as you always did. Looking forward to beer and Xbox when you got off, but the universe had its way of choosing your fate. You were kidnapped, treated poorly..."

"I was beaten." Lillian added.

Bear nodded. "Yes, and in the middle of all of that, you were put in charge of a very precious life. A life that only existed, because it chose you. Out of all of the others that died in the name of its salvation, the Sitair chose you. Do you know why?"

Lillian shook her head. "No."

Bear continued. "Because you could say no. Because, even when you were being told what to do, when you were being threatened with your life, and that of your mothers, you could still say no."

Lillian furrowed her brows. "But I still killed. As much as I refused, I still killed." Lillian rubbed her face with both palms as she continued to walk.

Bear followed. "You did what was necessary. You took life, yes, but you did not do it willingly. And when you escaped, you put the timeline in motion, and we are both here now. You are here now to save your people. We are all made of the same universe. We are all connected. And because the Shitair were of the first four, they know before all. The universe brought you to them, and because of you, they shall continue on."

Lillian tilted her head. "But why? At what point do you just give up?" Lillian stopped, and looked to Bear. "We keep multiplying, and we are screwing ourselves off of this planet. Is the Earth not real? Does it not have a say in this overpopulation? Is her self-destruction not an indication of her giving up?"

Bear breathed in deeply, releasing slowly. "The earth is way older than the human race. It's just her warning sign to ease up a bit."

Lillian pursed her lips. "Apparently we are not listening."

"Eventually they will, because you are here now."

Lillian raised her arms. "And how am I to make a difference?"

Bear stood motionless, smiling. "Just as you said, Lillian. Everything leads up to everything. The human civilization is not doomed... it's just getting started."

Lillian shook her head. "For a program, you are pretty fucking wise." She took a few steps, stopping to look into the blue, clear skies of the Arizona desert. "And I hope you are fucking right. There is a whole lot of shit, riding on me getting my shit together."

Bear nodded, smiling. "Without a doubt, I know you will. Great things must crumble before we can rebuild and become stronger."

Lillian stopped walking and lifted a brow as she looked to Bear. "So we are to fail? I am to fail?"

Bear shook her head. "As far as my programing takes me... I am well infused with most civilizations... But, great ones fall before they can become strong and rebuild. It's all about the lesson life teaches."

Lillian dropped her jaw. "So... What of the Dinosaurs?"

Bear frowned, searching her databases back. "They were not a strong race."

Closing her eyes, Lillian swallowed hard. "And you think we are?"

Bear smirked. "Survival of the fittest... And with your help. I think you will be okay."

Lillian shook her head and continued walking back to base, nodding her head. "I'll buy that for a dollar!"

"You still need to learn how to fly!" Bear shouted back at her.

Lillian just kept walking, raising her arm and flipping the bird behind her to Bear. "When pigs fly."

Bear tilted her head, as she fluttered after Lillian. "They do on some planets."

There was nothing but silence between them as they walked. Lillian kept her head clear as she breathed in the cool air. She was trying her best to become the weapon that Bear needed her to be, but she was still human. And in her mind, perhaps that was the one device holding her back. She tried her best to do everything, but knew in her heart, she was still disappointing Bear.

Lillian walked slowly and took her time, listening to the light pounds her feet made, small dust clouds from the powdered sand raising underneath her trudging feet. Without a doubt, she wanted to fly... But a part of her felt that the last reaming parts of her humanity would be lost if she did so. Without a doubt, she had tried. And she continuously processed in her mind, mind over matter. Everything she could do was controlled by thought. But she had to control her thoughts. And at which point in time, she had no clarity.

Bear hovered quietly behind, intercepting Lillian's thoughts. It was the last thing she wanted to be, an asshole, but in times like these, it was the asshole that got the job done. While she continued to receive thought input from Lillian, all others that were hosts of her implant were feeding her info as well. When disturbing information reached Bear, she stopped, and looked to Lillian. "Lillian, stop."

Lillian did so, turning to look at Bear. "What is it?"

Bear, momentarily silent, took a few moments as the information processed. "It's here."

Lillian tilted her head, wincing her right eye. "What is here?"

Bear continued to receive information from Dayna's feed. The Vitair scout, it is here."

Lillian furrowed her brows. "Well, where is it?"

Bear took a few more moments to receive input. She then looked to Lillian and spoke, eyes wide and blank as she did so. "Chandler Fashion Square?"

Lillian's eyes narrowed. "A fucking mall?"

Bear shrugged her shoulders. "Regardless of where it is at, you must go!" She released in much urgency.

Lillian dropped her jaw, raising her arms, and turning, putting herself into a run.

"What are you doing?" Bear shouted behind her.

"I'm running back to base." Lillian replied as she ran.

Bear shook her head as she replied. "Lillian, you must fly there!"

Lillian then stopped, turning to look at Bear. "I can't fly there!"

"Why?"

Lillian shook her head. "Because I just can't."

The morning had slowly faded away, the small amounts of September heat was slowly rolling in, and the minute cumulus clouds were softly boasting of rain. Bears programing was through the roof with uncertainties. "Lillian, there is absolutely no telling what damage that creature can do while there. You must fly there at once and distinguish the threat!"

Irritated, and very unhappy with herself, Lillian turned to Bear, right arm out and index finger pointing. "Look lady, I cannot fly! Put that in your tailpipe and smoke it. I have without a doubt, no problem bringing this piece of shit down, but on my own terms!"

Bear's eyes slowly rolled down to blink before she replied. "Very well. Then proceed as you wish."

Lillian turned towards the base and started to run. She hated to run, but everything in her told her to run. When she reached the base of the cliff, she had either two choices. Take the elevator up, or jump the cliff which would lead her directly inside. Lillian let go of a small smirk before she took her leap, jumping to the very cliff, in which she spoke her vow to never give up, in Paige's name.

She blew through the double blast doors which protected the base from the outside, and made her way into the mess hall. Dayna's eyes were planted on the monitor, trying to make sense of its readings. As soon as Lillian burst in, Dayna looked at her, shaking her head. "Lillian, they are here."

Lillian looked at the monitor, trying to make sense of it. "Like, they as in they?

Dayna nodded her head. "Yeah, as in first contact, as far as I am concerned."

Lillian narrowed her eyes. "Is it making chaos? Is it destroying shit?"

Dayna shook her head. "No, so far, it seems to be phasing..."

Lillian dropped her jaw. "Phasing, what is that?"

Dayna stood up, walking closer to the monitor, pointing as she explained. "Phasing... It's keeping itself known, but hidden from the public." She took a deep breath as she sipped from her coffee. "It's waiting for you." Dayna released herself of a great breath. "God damn it, Lillian, they know you are here. They are ready to kill."

Lillian frowned. "If the Vitair are what I have been told... Then they will kill no matter what... Regardless if I give myself up or not." Lillian turned to Dayna, her green eyes piercing. "Ready my god damn Suburban... Let's nip these fuckers in the bud!"

The base was bustling with the sounds of chaotic order. As the team fueled up the Suburban, Lillian rushed to her room to compose herself. Pulling off her training outfit, Lillian rustled through her clothes to find something suitable to wear for her first Vitair encounter. As she pulled a pair of jeans from her closet, she searched frantically for a suitable shirt.

"What in god's name are you doing?" Bear asked from the corner of the room.

Lillian quickly glanced while searching. "Looking for something to wear."

Bear shook her head. "Are you shitting me?"

Lillian quickly turned to Bear, throwing out her arms. "What!?"

Bear sighed, rolling her eyes. "Like all things... Think about what you want to wear, and manifest it."

Calming for a moment, Lillian pulled her hands over her face and began to think. Within seconds, her bra and panties faded away, jeans, a gray shirt depicting the firebird, and Doc Martens now embraced her body. She took a moment thinking once again. "Mmmmm, missing something." Looking at her wrists, two four inch leather cuffs appeared. Looking at Bear, she nodded her head. "And that should do it."

Bear looked at her sideways, rolling her eyes. "Really? You are going as the Switchblade Mamma"

Lillian furrowed her brows. "What? It's not like anyone knows me here, right? Facial recognition was not created until twenty years after I disappeared. It's not like I'm a fucking superhero or anything. Besides, this is what I wore when I kicked some serious ass."

Bear just shook her head "Fine, let's go. We do not have much time."

Lillian rushed down the corridor, entering the garage which contained the vehicles, and her Suburban. As she reached the driver side, putting her hand on the door handle, she stopped, as one of Dava's body guard goons was behind the wheel. She knocked are on the glass, making sure the man heard her, loud and clear. "What are you doing?"

He looked at her blankly, rolling down the window. "Driving."

Lillian glared at him, motioning with her thumb. "Well get the fuck in the back seat, this is my truck, I'm driving."

The guard quickly glanced at Dayna, who was sitting in the passenger's seat. When she gave him a slight nod, he quickly moved to the back.

Lillian felt quite the nostalgia, as she took the driver's seat in her Suburban for the first time in sixty years. She looked around at her passenger's, as she drew in a deep breath, remembering her dad. "Are we ready, kids?"

"Yes." The three man crew replied, in un-enthused unison.

Lillian smiled as she pulled the Suburban into gear, and drove it out of the darkness and into the light of day. "Fuck yeah."

Because the Vitar creature was "phasing," it was hard to pinpoint its exact location. Dayna rubbed her eyes as she became tired at staring at the locator screen. She put it down for a moment, trying to find some clarity while gazing out at the open road. She took a deep breath while rubbing the bridge of her nose.

"You okay?" Lillian asked.

Covering her face with her hands and rubbing hard, Dayna shook her head. "This shit is just out of control."

Lillian released a short laugh. "Oh, I could have told you that. I shot through outer space, remembering not a god damn thing, only to find that I am humanity's last hope. What you got?"

Dayna released a short sigh, licking her lips. "My entire life has revolved around finding you. As a child, we moved from place to place, finding clues as to who, and or where you were. I can only think, it became an obsession of my mother's. Saving the Earth and its people... You were the last clue. There is some deep shit that my mom is into... Some shit that she still won't even tell me."

Gripping the wheel, Lillian frowned. "Lady, and for that, I am truly sorry."

Dayna winced slowly, looking to her hands. "You have no need to be sorry. You, just as well as I have had no control over the situation. Whatever my mom is into, it is way deeper than you and I."

Lillian pursed her lips. "Well, then at least in the beginning, you shall not go it alone." Lillian took her right hand from the steering wheel, and held it out to Dayna. "At least this part, we can do together."

Dayna smiled, grasping Lillian's hand. "We shall do this together."

The Suburban rumbled down the crusty old freeway at an incredible rate. This most definitely was not its first time at the rodeo. When Lillian inherited her father's truck, it had already accumulated a couple hundred thousand miles. Camping trips, hauling quads, boat trips to the sea, and Lillian's father traveled far for his job. It of course was not the original "running gear," for some changes had been made to it for more efficient driving.

Lillian gripped the wheel firmly, not there currently, but elsewhere in time, in her head. Her fingers rolled over the previously made groves her father had made, during his long road trips. She knew that one should not rely on physical objects as remembrance, because they too can fade in time. Lillian firmly believed that one's immortality lied within the memories of others. But for now, the truck was an added bonus.

The setting sun was casting copper rays onto the freeway, bidding its last farewell, as it slid behind the western mountains. To Lillian, it was a sigh of relief to at least be under the cover of darkness, when she met her first alien. As the ruggedness of the open road began to dissipate, and more and more signs of urban life began to appear, Lillian became more nervous, as her destination was drawing near.

Pulling one hand from the wheel, Lillian began to pick at it in order to feel relief from her stress, causing a small chasm, and thus, drawing blood. She put her thumb to her lips, and sucked away the pooling crimson.

Dayna's eyes narrowed as she watched Lillian's ritual of her own cannibalization. She slowly folded her arms, as she turned to Lillian, lifting a brow. "What the hell is that?" As Lillian paid no attention to her words, Dayna smacked her elbow.

Lillian dropped her thumb, turning to look a Dayna, while trying to stay on the road. "The fuck was that?" Her eyes quickly glanced at Dayna, then back to the road.

Dayna furrowed her brows while lightly lifting her arms. "You hungry? Maybe we should stop and get something to eat?"

With both hands planted firmly upon the steering wheel, all fingers at home in her father's grooves, Lillian looked at her bleeding thumb. She put it into her mouth, sucking, before answering. "Worst fucking curse of my life..." Lillian shook her head as she released a deep breath. "Apparently you and Bear don't share Lillian stories at the water cooler, so I will fill you in, because Bear finds it necessary to take a break now!" Lillian began to shout as she came to the end of her sentence.

Dayna remained silent, with her jaw dropped. It was becoming apparent to her, that perhaps someone was becoming unhinged.

"Chewing on my fingers is what I do. I have always done it. It relieves my stress and makes me feel better. And no, it does not heal, because I do not wish it, got it?"

Dayna said nothing, but rather nodded.

"Wow, don't gotta be a puss cake about it, now do we?"

Lillian bit the bottom of her lip as she raised her brow, looking into the rearview mirror to see Bear sitting in the back seat next to Dava's guard dude. She playfully sneered as she replied. "Puss cake? I don't recall adding that to our vocabulary..."

Bear rolled her eyes as she smiled, her brown eyes gleaming in the setting sun. Her grin was big. "Oh, you have tossed it around a few times."

Lillian lifted a brow as she lightly pounded her chest a few times with her fist. "I guarantee you that I have not. But, you are in me, and know me, and yes, I have tossed that saying around a few times in my past. The minute I call you two ladies a puss cake, is the minute we become family." Smiling, Lillian continued to drive into the sunset.

The traffic in town was a snap. Not many cars left on the streets, for most flew. Driverless was the thing of the future, and the future was now. The Suburban stuck out like a sore thumb. She was big and loud, and was smelly as hell. If anyone drove themselves, it was because they were old, and afraid to use the new technology, or because they wanted to keep the old ways. Lillian smiled to herself as she thought the ones rebelling were mostly Generation X, her generation.

The parking lot at the mall was empty besides a few junkards parked, here and there. Lillian's mouth stayed open as she parked, looking around at the empty spaces. There were few people up and out, walking, just barley anyone with cars. She jumped out of the Suburban, feeling the scorching heat as it pierced her face. Thinking about it momentarily, the sear was gone. She smiled as she looked to Dayna. "Biggest reason people run to and from their flying cars?"

Dayna folded her lower lip, shrugging.

"Apparently the damn heat!" Lillian replied with a laugh. "Can't say it bugs me now, can I?" She walked around the truck, getting a better look at the old beast in the sunlight.

Dayna looked closely into a slim pad. "It's still phased. But it is in there now."

Lillian looked toward the old decrepit mall. Taking a deep breath, she released. "It's been awhile, Chandler Fashion Square."

"It's actually the Ghost Mall of Arizona."

Lillian looked to Dayna, dropping her jaw. "What, like... No longer a working mall?"

Dayna nodded. "Yes, it is now a tourist attraction. The mall actually closed down in the late twenty's. People just come here to look at the remaining shops and to relive the experience... Somewhat like a museum."

Lillian lifted her brow, running her hand through her long hair. "That is some fucking crazy shit."

There was a small bleep that emitted from Dayna's pad. She looked at it, and then looked to Lillian. "Are you ready?"

Lillian passed her hands through her hair once again. And as she did so, she pointed to a small cluster of hairbands which resided on Dayna's wrist. "Can I borrow one of those?" She asked as she pointed.

Dayna looked and quickly handed one over. "Of course."

Lillian gratefully took it, and pulled her hair back into a ponytail. Releasing a deep breath, Lillian smiled as she gave her final ado's. "Wish me luck, Dayna."

Dayna smiled as she sat in the passenger side of the Suburban, the fading golden lights of the sun, backlighting her already vibrant hair. "Good luck, Lillian."

Lillian began to walk off into her first excursion into the unknown. Well, as far as she was concerned, minus fifty lost years. That unknown was still to be discovered. She walked from the parking lot until she reached the front of Macy's, Bear then chimed in, stopping her.

"Don't you think it wise to mask your identity?"

Lillian stopped, releasing a short breath. "And where are you, all mighty, Bio engineered, artificial reference?"

"For now... I shall remain on coms. I don't need you distracted with me in your eyes... Just do as I say. Lose the face and the identity. There are cameras all over."

Lillian narrowed her eyes, releasing a deep sigh. "Fine." She turned from the front of the building and closed her eyes. She knew it would seem totally out of place in the middle of summer, but she manifested a jacket, with a hoodie, and blurred out her face. She pulled the hoodie over her head as she walked into the museum mall, with her face blurred, and non-existent. "Better?" She asked.

"Perfect." Dayna replied.

"Ah, so you are in my head now, too?"

Dayna smiled, as she now traced Lillian and the threat on her pad. "Yes... Sorry... But I am watching as well. The threat is on the second story. As soon as you get out of Macy's, take a left. There is a corridor, just left after Justice. The bathrooms are in what once was a community room."

Lillian grinned, shaking her head. "Well, when you gotta go, you gotta go." She walked through Macys, until she came out to the mall. She looked around and laughed as she saw people reminiscing about something that was once great, and not shopping. Her heart stopped for a moment, as she was brought back into time. She paused, taking a minute to breathe in the past. All mighty mass structures that were made for shopping were now on their last leg. And unfortunately, she had the wrong feeling in her gut. The mighty mall was soon to fall. Lillian walked through the great open halls of the mall, taking in seriously her impending duties.

Behind Lillian's lowered blurred face, she was conflicted as she passed through family after family. She whispered lowly, as she spoke. "This is bullshit... There are too many innocent people here..."

As Dayna was checking the stats, Bear was on top of the reply. "We don't know if the Vitarian threat is a danger. And this is between us. The American government cannot know. The minute you feel the threat, get the innocents out the best you can."

Lillian narrowed her brows. "Are kidding me?" She continued her excursion into the unknown. As Dayna and Bear led her, she reached the second story bathroom, as that was the known location of the phased Vitair. She slowly pushed open the door, listening. She wanted to make sure that no woman, nor child, occupied it. "Hello?" There was no reply back, but still not satisfied, Lillian looked under the stalls for feet, and even more thoroughly, pushed open the stall doors.

As she was about to ready herself for action, Lillian sighed, remembering the men's next door. Changing her look, she created a plumber's outfit, complete with tool box and beard. Opening the door, she winced as she caught a man at the urinal, Junk in hand, peeing. "Argggh."

The man turned to look at her, penis still in hand. "Excuse me?"

Lillian lowered her cap closer to her eyes. "Aaagh, ye need to leave sir. Someone has dropped quite the duce down the bog, an I need to clear it wit thus here steck of dynamite." Lillian replied in a Scottish accent.

The man blinked once, zipping. "Okay." He turned to walk out the door.

"Clear the area, now won't ye lass? And don't forget ta spread the word." Lillian shouted after him.

"Well, that was graceful." Dayna spoke in the coms, lightly chuckling.

"Hey, whatever gets the job done, right?" Replied Lillian as she returned her clothing to normal. She walked back into the bathroom. "So, where is this thing?" She asked, as she turned around getting a look at the bathrooms insides. "It's full of blue tiles, toilets, shit, and piss. What is this thing, how big is it?"

Even though Lillian's body was bonding with another alien species, she still needed to function normally. She still needed to sleep, eat, and very much so, take a piss. Since she was already there, Lillian figured she would kill two birds with one stone. She entered the stall, and dropped her pants.

Still being a germafobe, Lillian hoovered, as she released herself of a long drives held liquids. "Is it here? Is it like, watching me while I pee?"

"Nothing yet. The bleeper is still bleeping in the bathroom." Replied Dayna playfully through the coms.

"Lillian, this is not a game. You need to stay focused." Chimed in bear.

Lillian pulled up her pants, zipped and buckled her belt as she spoke. "Aghhh, what are you the boring police?"

"Lillian, I mean it. This is no time for fun and games." Bear retorted back.

"Ah, come on, boss lady, there is always time for fun and ga..." As Lillian put her hand on the stalls handle, the bathroom began to shake with a low rumbling. Her eyes widened as she looked to the floor, the small bathroom tiles lifted and unseated. "Oh shit."

"Lillian!" Shouted Dayna through the coms. "It's here!"

The floor gave way, with Lillian still in the stall, her steel toe boots landing on the tips of a snarling mouth, with very sharp teeth. "Fuck!" Lillian grabbed the top of the stall door, throwing herself over, running to the door, as the bathroom exploded into falling, smoking debris. She reached the corridor, planting herself against the wall, breathing heavily.

"That was a Vitarian Hell Hound." Replied Bear. "You need to clear out the mall, now!" She shouted with much urgency.

As Lillian was about to bolt down the corridor, she looked at the men's room once again, feeling it her duty to check it one more time. Quickly, she threw open the door, catching one more dude peeing. Her eyes boggled and she sneered. "Get the fuck out, now!"

Before the guy could even zip up, the mass of mall destruction had blown through the wall, Lillian, grabbing the man by his arm and pulling him out before the roof could cave in on him. His remaining pee had dribbled down his pants, as Lillian gave him a hard shove down the corridor. "Run fucker, run with all of your might!"

Lillian stopped and took a deep breath as she realized the shit had just hit the fan. Her hair had fallen from its ponytail, and like a wild woman, covered her face. In dismay, pulling her hands through her knotted and disheveled hair, she gazed around wide eyed, and dropped jaw, watching as men, women and children screamed and ran in a panicked frenzy. With eyes glazed over, and a blank mind, Lillian stood frozen. She had never seen anything like it, and it was not computing.

"Lillian? Lillian?!" Bears voice was frantic. "Yes, a majority of the people have fled, but there are still kids in there... Can you not see them? Lillian?"

Dayna, on the edge of the passenger seat in the Suburban, shook her head, as she looked into her pad. "Damn kids and their Iphones." Even though she could not see what Bear could see, Dayna still had access to the video feeds in the mall.

Overwhelmed, Lillian's nostrils flared, breathing in heavy dust, as she kept her eyes trained on the smoke filled corridor. Inhaling in and out through her mouth, with fists clenched, she waited for the creature to emerge.

"Lillian, listen to me... You need to get the rest of the people out, do you hear me? God damn it, snap out of it!" Yelled Bear.

Backed to the edge, Lillian gripped the balcony of the second story of the mall, as she continued to stare down the corridor, unresponsive. Her eyes twitched momentarily, but all functions ceased.

Dayna worked quickly on her pad, as she tried to find something that would help Lillian to snap out of it. She grinned as she found something, and quickly played it for Lillian to hear. "Lillian, this is your mother... This is mom... If you must do it, then do it for me."

Lillian blinked once, turning to look around. Kids and teens were scattered throughout the second and first story of the mall, all recording its events, with their phones. Lillian quickly re-blurred her face, manifested the first gun she could think of, a .44 auto mag, and began to wildly shoot it into the air, flames spewing from the end of the barrel. "Get the fuck out!"

Her actions were made in vain, as the creature burst through the walls, sending a pile of crumbling debris and smoke hurtling towards Lillian. Her jaw dropped as she got a closer look at its glowing red eyes. "Oh, heeell no... What the hell is that? It looks like a demented Australian Shepard." The creature was indeed like a dog, but covered in grey scales. It was nearly thirty feet in length, teeth large, yellowed, and snarling.

Lillian pointed the gun at the beast, pulling the trigger, nothing. Her eyes widened as she saw the slide was dry. "Bullets?"

"You have to manifest more, Lillian." Bear quickly replied back.

As the psycho dog began to charge, Lillian quickly dropped the empty magazine from the auto mag, manifested a loaded one with her other hand, and quickly popped it in. With huge flames emitting from the barrel of the gun, she swiftly unloaded the entire mag into the beast, with no effect.

Lillian had to flee, and seeing that going left nor right would help her, she leaped from one side of the mall, to the other. The beast snarled at her, saliva dropping from its huge incisors, its red eyes glowing. Keeping her distance, she took a moment to collect her thoughts. "Okay, so bullets can't kill this thing... What can?"

"An energy blast, perhaps?" Replied Bear.

Lillian released a short sigh. "Eh, it's worth a try." Separated from the Hell Hound, Lillian kept to the other side of the mall. She put herself into a slow jog, absorbing the electric power of the structure as she ran, the lights flickering as she soaked it in. She could feel the power, the energy spiking through her as she collected it. When they came to the end of the division, when both sides met, her fists were glowing with full power.

The beast curled its lips, clawing at the floor, pulling up tiles, and creating destruction. It was a standoff between the two, and how ironic, it to take place in the heart of the desert, Lillian thought. She narrowed her eyes, as her fists clenched, glowing, boasting of cracking, popping, and snapping electrical power.

Each circled, never leaving eye contact. The beast's oversized bulbous, glowing red orbs staring Lillian down, hers emitting a dark green sparkle. She remembered those eyes from somewhere, and every second hers lingered with its, she became more and more infuriated on the inside. She knew where the fear, and duty to defeat it was coming from, but as far as the heinous anger, she knew not. All she did know, was that her glowing balled up fits were keeping it at bay for the moment, and perhaps she had what she needed to defeat it.

While focusing on keeping herself charged, a single bead of sweat accumulated at the top of Lillian's furrowed brows, its salty liquid mass growing. When the dam broke, the drop fell through Lillian's eye lash, and into her eye, causing her to automatically wipe her eye with the back of her hand.

It was all the distraction the beast had needed. It charged, and with its big size, it did not take long to get to Lillian. As soon as the ruckus began, Lillian quickly pulled both hands together, releasing the malls charge. Simultaneously, there was a discharge, and Lillian was hit, sending her flying backward into the air. She burst through two walls before coming to rest on a pile of fallen cups and plastic oranges.

She coughed, waving her arm about clearing the dust. She picked up one of the fallen empty cups, smiling. "Mmmm, Orange Julius. God, how I have missed you."

"Lillian, are you okay?" Queried Dayna through the coms.

"She's fine." Replied Bear plainly.

Lillian laughed to herself, as she climbed over the Dairy Queen counter, and back into the food court of the mall. "Only worried if my heart stops beating, right boss?" She humorously asked.

"Lillian, that's not funny." Bear retorted, somewhat coarsely.

"Hey, nothing better than a laugh to brighten your day. Besides, a happy worker is a productive worker." Lillian walked through the food court, the air mildly infused with dust. She came to a very big hole in the ground, which had to have been at least 15 feet wide, and had no signs of having a bottom. "Speaking of productivity... Exactly where did my target go? Did it go south for the winter...? Like as into hell?"

"That would be fitting, seeing how the Vitair call it a Hell Hound. I'd keep on your toes, Lillian. There is no telling where that monster went."

Lillian circled the cavernous hole as she lifted her brows. "Right." She shifted the subject. "Dayna?"

"Yes, Lillian?"

"When I get out of here, I would really like to know where you got that recording of my mother."

Dayna smiled as she monitored behind her pad. "Sure thing."

Lillian nodded as she cleared her throat. "So, where did this thing go? Don't we have to worry about cops, the Army? I mean, they are in the area because of me, right?"

"Yeah, we fixed that. The satellites have been blocked for miles, but it won't take long before they figure out what's wrong and fix them." Replied Bear.

Lillian's attention span got the best of her. She pulled her head from the bottomless hole and looked around. Her eyes caught the glimpse of a GameStop store, and she grinned with nostalgia. Her hands wistfully hoovered over the stores stock, and Lillian took a trip down memory lane.

In her youth, she was much of a latch key kid. After the death of her father, her mother had somewhat self-destructed, spending nights away at the bar. Lillian's sister was often out, with friends. So, alone Lillian would be, just her and her gaming system.

She perhaps, missed a lot due to her semi gaming addiction. Beautiful days outside, events with friends, and even her first real boyfriend. Well, maybe not so much the boyfriend part. Even then, Lillian knew she was gay.

As Lillian's mind wandered, she completely forgot where and when she was. Upon passing the classic games rack, Lillian's eyes reached a familiar looking game. Her jaw dropped with complete excitement. "Holy shit! Red Dead Redemption 2?! I missed this? When the hell did this come out!?"

Dayna laughed behind the IPad in the Suburban as she looked it up, feeding Lillian's nostalgia. "About three years after you disappeared."

"Ladies, we need to stay focused here." Bear cut in.

"Wow, I'd give anything to play it." Spoke Lillian, somewhat childishly.

"Well, it is all over the web, Ill plug it in for you sometime." Added Dayna.

"That would be awesome!" Lillian shook her head, smiling.

"Lillian, heads up!" Shouted Bear.

It was too late for a reaction. The floor seemed to implode, sending Lillian down into a crumbling mess of debris. She landed on her side, rolling down a broken roof, out of a Victoria's Secret on the first floor. Coughing and spitting up dust, Lillian brushed herself off, looking around for the Hell Hound.

"I told you to pay attention!" Snapped Bear.

"Yes you did." Replied Lillian. She once again began to charge up with the malls energy. "Is there any point to this? It didn't seem to work the last time. Maybe I should use something stronger? Like a M.O.A.B., or nuke?"

Don't be silly, Lillian. A bomb with that power would take out you, it, and this entire city."

"So what? I've all this bullshit at my disposal, but I can't use it."

"You are a resourceful girl, I am sure you will think of something." Replied Bear.

Silence was cut through with the sounds of a crumbling building, snapping electricity, and the low crackling from small fires. Lillian's eyes were narrowed as she sought out the devilish Hell Hound. Her brainstorming to defeat the creature was leading her into dead ends. Her fists still pulsated with pure electricity, awaiting confrontation.

An idea did not come to her, until she swept her hands over her blades, which nestled inside her jean pocket. It was a normal movement to her, like breathing. She would always check to make sure they were there, and they were, but this time, an idea popped in to Lillian's head. She lifted her brow as she pulled her wedding switchblade from her pocket. Lillian pulled the switch, the blade ejecting quickly with a snap.

The knife was not indestructible, but Lillian could enhance it. If blasting powers would not bring the beast down, then perhaps hand to hand combat would do. Lillian took her saved up power, and transferred it to the knife, its blade glowing brightly. She pursed her lips as she now prepared herself for battle, and to end this short war.

Lillian held out the knife as it glowed brightly. "Alright, little sting. Let us slay this fucked up dragon dog."

"Lillian, what are you doing?" Asked Bear.

"Like you said, being resourceful... The trials and tribulations of life. You won't know it works until you try it." Releasing herself of a nervous breath, Lillian knelt down to untie and loosen up her boot laces.

"And removing your boots is part of this plan?" Chimed in Bear, once again.

Lillian tilted her head. "It may, and it might not. Either way, we are running out of time and options. If this thing is not here to kill me, then it is here to fuck me up real bad... All it wants is what is inside of me, right? The Shitair?"

"Yes." Was all Bear could say.

Lillian nodded. "Then so be it!" She shouted. "Let the good times roll!"

"Please remember, that even if they do get you, the Vitair are still going to ravish the Earth and enslave its people." Reminded Bear.

"Oh, I did not say I wasn't going down without a fight." Replied Lillian.

When the rumbling finally returned, Lillian prepared herself. Almost earthquake like crashing sent more of the structure to the ground, Lillian braced herself for battle.

Outside of the Victoria's Secret, the floor of the mall caved in, creating a small chasm, the silver scaled Hell Hound crawled out. Its glaring red eyes, once again met Lillian's. It snarled at her, creeping closer.

With glowing switchblade in hand, Lillian smiled. "And there it is." She took her free left hand, lifted it out and waved it around a bit, before unleashing her middle finger towards the beast. She the motioned with her middle finger for the beast to come closer. "Come get some." She said, loud and clear.

When the beast began to charge, Lillian turned to run, tossing her boots from her feet as she did so, so that she ran in her socks. She turned abruptly, shooting a mild zap of electricity from her left hand, halting the beast altogether.

Jumping, and landing with knees bent, Lillian intended to play with the beast as if it were a dog. She mimicked the movement of a bull, readying itself to charge. Sweeping pretend dirt with her feet, Lillian gritted her teeth, and snarled at the beast. With her hand gripping her switchblade as tight as possible, Lillian began to run, as fast as her short legs would take her.

As soon as the two nearly met, Lillian skidded in on her socks, and onto her back, raising her searing hot switchblade up as far as possible. She could hear as the skin split, small droplets of warm green goo falling on her forehead, as she cleared the creature. It was done, Lillian had split the beast, unleashing its insides upon the mall floor. With heart racing, and breathing heavily, Lillian hoisted herself up, standing, and raising her arms up in victory.

As she took two steps, the Vitarian Hell Hound had one last stand. Its tail, ending in a scale shaped spade, shot out, hitting Lillian abruptly in the back. She never saw it coming, and the force hit her so hard, her head snapped back quickly, Lillian plummeted to her knees, and fell to the ground face first.

Dayna covered her face, as she watched the whole scene unfold on her pad. "Aw, shit!"

As soon as she spat out her words of despair, Bear manifested in the rear driver's seat of the Suburban. "She is gone." Bear said plainly, her eyes glazed with sorrow.

Dayna turned to look at Bear. "What do you mean she is gone!?"

"There is nothing. No life, no heart beat... The Hell Hound snapped her neck."

Dayna shook her head in disbelief. "No, no, no!" She turned to look at the guard in the back seat of the Suburban. "Quickly, you go get her body and bring it back." Without question, the man left the truck, to fetch Lillian's body.

Dayna worked frantically on her pad, trying to make the proper connections to save Lillian. As she did so, she glanced in the back to see Bear, motionless. "Is that all you are going to do? Sit back there and do nothing?"

Bear shrugged, looking into Dayna's eyes. "I haven't done enough, and here Lilian is, paying the price."

Chapter 15

Among all of the noises and echoes that resonated throughout the bases halls, one remained constant for days. Its creation was abrupt, a last stand against the inevitable, death. In fact, the constant repetitive bleep was a sound that would ensure everyone that life was still there. But the sound was no guarantee that life would stay, and for the time being, all those that embraced the sound within their ear drums, would continue to be on edge.

Another constant echoing off rock walls, was the blaring of TV's, and the insane effect an alien attack has on a planet of unprepared souls. Dayna Stiles sipped her coffee as her eyes jumped from one TV to the other, assessing the damage. The only word that could come to her mind for the moment was, overwhelming.

"This is a complete disaster." Muttered Dava, as she took to the counter, poured a cup of coffee, and topped it off with a bit of brandy.

Dayna furrowed her brows. "Mom, its eight in the morning."

Dava turned to the table to sit down across from her daughter. She lifted a brow, as she took a long satisfying sip. "Tell my headache that. I have poisoned myself over that past few days with pills, my body will find this booze as a much needed vacation from the aspirins." She took a moment to look around at the mayhem on the screens. "This was a disaster." She spoke as she released a breath. Dava then looked to her daughter. "How is the patient?"

Dayna pulled her hand through her light blonde hair, finishing off with a light rub to the eyes. They were water soaked, tired and worried. The last week for her had been a hard one, and not once were her brows to be relieved with a smile. She took a deep breath before answering her mother. "Everything is the same."

Unhappy, and filled with fear and uncertainty's, Dava stood up to look her daughter in the eye. She firmly planted both palms on the table. "This has to be fixed. We are running out of time. She dies, we all die." Taking one last sip of her coffee, Dava left Dayna, to her own devices.

"Good Morning."

Dayna looked up from her trance like face, to see a bright and happy, Dr. Ida Yates walk into the mess hall. She sat in the very chair, inhabited earlier by Dava. Sitting down, Dr. Yates collected a whiff from the nearby coffee. "Whew, that one has a load of booze in it."

"It was my mother's." Replied Dayna.

"Must be a lot on her mind." Spoke Dr. Yates, as she rose the make herself a cup, and then sitting back down.

"Speaking of things on my mother's mind, how is the patient?"

Dr. Yates lifted her brows as she took the mug to her lips, sipping slowly. "Since I have reattached the necks vertebrae, nothing but the continuous beating of her heart. She is breathing, and her body is getting plenty of oxygen, but no brain function yet."

Shaking her head and staring into space, Dayna muttered lowly, "Shit."

"More than likely, if she is not the one staying alive, then they are keeping her alive. They need her to survive."

Still staring into nothingness, Dayna nodded her head.

"Well," Ida said as she quickly stood, and collected her bag. "I must be getting back.

Dayna glanced up, and showed Ida a half forced smile. "Thanks, for everything."

"If anything changes, Bear will let me know. She is in there monitoring, twenty four seven. We have one IV that can administer anything. Bear will take care of her." As Dr. Yates was readying herself to leave, she turned back one more time to look at Dayna. "If Lillian is anything like the woman my grandmother described in her stories, then she is resilient as hell. She will get through this." Ida turned, and quietly slipped through the double metal blast doors.

Bear sat in a chair in the corner of the room, motionless. It was not until the door opened, and Dayna emerged, that Bear acknowledged her presence. Yet, she still said nothing.

There was a stool next to the bed, Dayna taking it quietly. She eyed Lillian momentarily, then looked to Bear. "Have you been here the entire time? Visible, I mean?"

Bear almost moved her head robotically, to look at Dayna. She then blinked once, her brown eyes dark, but clear to the pupil. "It's mostly for your benefit."

Dayna lifted her brows. "Ah." She replied, as Bear continued her watch on Lillian.

Dayna's curiosity began to get the best of her, one question constantly barging up to the lips of her mouth. And yes, it did seem somewhat inappropriate, but with Lillian out of commission, and Bear by herself, Dayna felt and overwhelming urge to ask. So she threw caution to the wind, and let the inquisition roll. "So, what's your deal with Lillian?"

Bear once again shifted her gaze, to look at Dayna. "Excuse me?"

Dayna shook her head. "Don't play stupid with me, I see how you look at her." The statement left Bear speechless. Dayna knew she was coming on to something.

Bear narrowed her eyes. "I have no idea what you are talking about."

"Please stop with the bullshit." Retorted Dayna. "Whatever the fuck it is, I think you should let Lillian in on your little secret, she at least deserves that. And cut the crap that you don't know what I am talking about."

Bear shook her head, with lifted brows. "I really have no idea where you are going with this."

"Aaachoo!" Dayna mustered up a fake sneeze. "Oh, I'm sorry, I am allergic to bullshit." She then rose from her chair, getting closer to Bear. "Number one, you look at her like she shares a piece of your heart. Number two, you push her more than any of us, like you have seen exactly what she is capable of, and her unwillingness to do so is a complete failure on your part. Number three, your cheeks reddened and flushed when you explained to my mother Lillian's fornication story. Now, the last time I checked, Programs don't have emotions, do they, Bear?"

When Bear remained motionless, and said nothing, Dayna got up to leave the room. But, before she did, she added, "At least tell her about her lost fifty years, and at some point, let her in on what went down between you two. I get that now is not a good time, you know, considering her dying wife and all, but at least when all of this shit has blown over." Dayna raised her brows waiting for an answer.

Bear's eyes never left the floor, she just nodded.

"Oh, and I am still going to fuck with you about it." Dayna added.

Lillian's left hand slowly rose, lightly grasping the beds railing. She rolled open her eyes, one at a time, feeling as if they were encrusted with a pound of sleep. She inhaled deeply through a half plugged nostril, before slowly pulling herself up. Seeing Bear, she swallowed hard, mouth dry and scratchy. "How long have I been out?" She hoarsely asked.

Bear lightly smiled as she replied. "Seven days, twelve hours, and four minutes."

Lillian rubbed the back of her neck, as she took deep breaths and stretched, trying to loosen up her stiff body. "What the hell happened?"

"The Hell Hound snapped your neck... When you weren't ready for it... You couldn't regenerate. Thankfully, the Shitair were able to work to heal you while you hibernated."

Lillian raised her brow. "Yeah, it feels like hibernation. So, I fucked up, huh?"

Bear's arms were crossed, as well as her legs near the ankles. She wore a tight black turtle neck and beige kakis. Her blonde hair was pulled up in ponytail, and her short heels clacked softly as she changed footing positions. Dayna's words kept coursing through her head. "We should probably talk."

Lillian tried lifting herself further out of bed as she spoke. "I get it, I fucked up." She ran a hand through her long matted hair before looking at Bear. "You got a brush? I've got to do something with this mop."

"Lillian, we need to talk about your missing fifty years."

It was softly spoken, but Lillian heard it loud and clear. She lifted both brows. "Are you shitting me?"

Bear shook her head. "No, I am not shitting you."

Lillian furrowed her brows. "Since the moment you told me it was 2066, I asked you about those missing fifty years, and you said you hand nothing. Why do you have it now?"

Bears eyes widened as she began to feel trapped. "Because I didn't know then. I've just received a message from them."

"Ahchooo!" Lillian mustered out a fake sneeze. "Oh, I'm sorry, I'm allergic to bullshit."

Bear tilted her head. "Really? You too?"

Lillian took her feet, planting them upon the cold concrete floor. She turned to look at Bear. "Alright, all mighty mentor. Explain to me my last fifty years."

Bear pulled herself up in her seat, readying herself for the long explanation. She knew it not to be complete, but she would give Lillian what she wanted to know. "In 2015 you were taken. Only because out of all that you had been through, you were a threat upon your own people."

Lillian narrowed her brows. "I don't think so."

Bear raised a hand, index finger lifted. "Don't interrupt."

Lillian nodded.

"You were assigned a case worker, a Guardian that would help you learn about the new things happening in your body. It was not the Guardians main objective to pull you from life and limb, but considering the circumstances, and the chaos that had already ensued. The minute the Shitair woke up within you, was the minute the Guardians knew they needed to pull you out."

"It was years after I was brought back to life... Why did it take so long for them to come?"

Bear narrowed her brows. "Once again, don't interrupt."

Lillian frowned. "Sorry."

"The Guardians are capable of many things, but super-fast space travel, they are not. It took a while before they could reach you, but they got to you before the Vitair did, so that was all that mattered. They took you in, and taught you how to coexist with your new friends."

"And that took fifty years?" Lillian asked.

Bear shook her head. "No, it took twenty years to be exact, but because you are who you are, the Vitair put that very Guardian ship, the one in which you resided in, in their cross hairs. Your home became ground zero for their attacks."

Lillian slumped back into bed, releasing herself of a breath. "Because of me, I fucked up innocent lives."

Bear shook her head. "No, quite the contrary. Everyone on that ship knew their duties. They were all there for you and the Shitair. It was their job to protect you both... That is what we do... Er, what they do. They guard the lives of the innocent. They protect life."

"And?" Lillian asked.

"As you became more and more with the Shitair, you started engaging in the battels. As you fought off the Vitair coming after you, you also sought out those on other planets, protecting innocent lives from brutal alien takeovers. It was your coffee... Getting up in the morning and finding out what race needed saving."

"Are there mornings in space?" Lillian asked.

"Depends on what system you are in." Replied Bear.

"Is there coffee in space?" Queried Lillian.

"Yes, we have coffee." Answered Bear.

"Is there a shit ton of creamer?"

"Lillian!" reprimanded Bear. "Can I please continue?"

Lillian nodded.

"The fight eventually became severe. The Vitaians have what they call, a "Master Ship," was sent to yours."

"And that is?" Lillian asked.

Bear took in a deep breath before answering. "They mean business. For days, your home ship took hit after hit, as they looked for you. And as they narrowed in, the Guardians thought it a good idea to clone you to throw the Vitair off the trail."

Lillian leaned back, lifting brows. "What, like there is now more of me?"

Bear shook her head. "Yes, and no. They have your DNA, yes, but they are nothing more than cyborgs. The key is the faint glimmer of Shitair planted within them, which threw off every Vitair after you. With a shit ton of Lillian's flying around, the Vitair lost sight of you, giving you and your crew time to board their ship, and download their navigation logs."

Lillian's eyes were way wide by now. Her insane heroics were plaguing her forgetful mind. "And?" She asked.

"Despite the fact that they already knew where you where... One of their ships still had a plot set to earth... It was their mission to break you, or put you into a corner. Either way, they knew how to get to you, Earth."

Lillian rubbed her face. "And that is why I am here now? To stop them, because the Guardians do not interfere?"

Bear nodded. "I can tell you yes, and that is all. And that is all I know of your missing fifty years, Lillian."

Lillian leaned in close, as she looked Bear in the eyes. "Are you sure?"

The corner of Bear's lip lightly twitched. "Yes, I am sure."

Chapter 16

Lillian's bare feet were mildly chilly as she left her room, leaving a trail of echoing pitter patters, in search of some coffee. She urged Bear not to notify, nor alert anyone of her waking, they would just figure it out as soon as they saw her.

The mess hall was alive with noise, as all TV's continued to blare their stories of mayhem. Lillian's eyes widened, and her jaw slowly dropped as she watched the news feeds of the planets scared and rioting people.

"Been going at it like this since you went down."

Stiff, and still sore, Lillian turned to see Dayna walk in. She took a few limping steps, taking a seat at the table.

Dayna took to the counter, initiating a fragrant caffeine packed brew. "Coffee?"

Lillian smiled. "Please."

Dayna spoke as she prepared it. "You okay? You seem to have a limp, and are moving slowly."

Lillian rolled her neck, trying to loosen it up. "Sore... For the most part. My feet were cold, but I finally got them to warm up. It seems like everything is slowly coming back."

"Good." Replied Dayna as she sat at the table across from Lillian, sliding the coffee over. "I told Bear to alert me if anything changes with you."

"Sorry, I told her to keep quiet." Lillian shifted in her seat. "So, do you think that the Hell Hound will come back?"

Dayna lifted her brow. "Considering it is dead, not that particular one.

"So, now what?" Asked Lillian, lifting her brows.

"The Viatian's Hell Hound has the ability to travel quickly through space. Its lungs are able to adapt to any atmosphere."

Both women lifted their heads, and looked in the direction of the voice. Bear sat at the end of the rectangular table. Long blonde hair up in a ponytail, tossed over one shoulder, and lightly curled up at the ends. Her eyebrows accentuated as she spoke, and her words were articulate and clear. "We are down to a number of days before the invasion."

Lillian furrowed her brows as her eyes widened. "What, it's called and invasion now?"

Bear continued. "There is another Hell Hound on the way."

"Ughhhh..." Looking down, Lillian pulled a hand through her long hair.

"Soon after that, we can expect our much uninvited guests." Bear then looked to Lillian, eyes brown with all sincerity. "You need to fix this." She said, as she pointed to the TV screens. "No more fifty percent, or seventy five. You need to be at one hundred in order to get out of this alive... To keep us alive. And you know what that means right?"

"Yes." Lillian slightly nodded.

Bear smiled. "Good, are we able to start immediately?"

Looking up, Lillian tilted her head. "What do you think?"

Bear lifted a brow. "Just making sure. The President will be addressing the nation as well as the world, tonight. I suggest you make an appearance, to ease troubled minds."

Lillian leaned back in her chair, somewhat squirming. "Are you shitting me?" She then looked to Dayna.

Dayna lifted her hands. "Don't look at me, first time I am hearing of this. Though, I am interested to see where it goes."

Lillian shook her head. "Not helping."

"Like I said, you have a mess to clean up." Bear looked to the TV, directly in front of Lillian and waved at it. The channel changed, and Lillian's hooded self, fighting the creature embraced it.

"Oh..." Lillian's jaw remained dropped.

Bear lightly nodded. "Yes. The creature dissolved into the Earth, once you slayed it. But, unfortunately for you, since there is nothing else to blame... The blame now resides on your shoulders. You are now an enemy of the state... And Earth."

Lillian lightly slammed her fits on the table in protest. "Well this is bullshit!"

"Oh, I agree." Bear replied. "And thus the reason for you to make an appearance. The world needs something more than madam president to calm them down."

Lillian lifted a brow. "We have a chick president now?"

"We have had all woman presidents since Trump was elected in 2017." Spoke Dayna, from behind her coffee mug.

Lillian widened her eyes. "Wait, what? We elected Donald Trump as president?" Dayna nodded as Lillian sat back into her chair, scratching her head. "Wow... Fucking shit is going to hell in a hand basket... I really need to catch up on my missing fifty years."

"You can do that later. But for now, you need to start readying yourself for tonight. You know what you need to do?"

Standing, Lillian nodded.

"Good, then get to it. There is no way in hell you are going to make the speech on time, unless you learn how."

Lillian took one last swig of her coffee before leaving.

Smiling, Dayna looked at Bear, saying nothing.

"What?" Bear asked, lifting her hands.

"You're such a hard ass now, aren't you?" Dayna replied, as she lightly chuckled. "I told you I was going to keep on giving you shit."

To fly. To extend ones being into the aerial realm. To float on clouds, and allow one's self to drift among the blue dry ocean, known as the sky. To soar with the birds, and to glide with an absolute weightlessness. All were words swarming in Lillian's head, as her toes hung off the edge of the cliff side.

Her hair delicately fluttering in the wind, Lillian watched as the sun slowly rose, her eyes trying to adjust to its dark golden, orange rays. Her fists rested still, and by her sides, slowly clenching in and out of a fist. Lillian closed her eyes, swallowed, and the exhaled. "Is there anything more I need to learn besides this?"

Bear stood behind her, brown eyes glowing in the rising sun, the tip of her ponytail gently sawing in the breeze. "Yes, much more. But for now flying is the most important."

Turning, Lillian looked to Bear. "And what's the second most important?"

"Energy absorption. Lucky for you, you learned that on day one."

Lillian ran her hand through her long, golden blonde locks of hair. "Really? It doesn't really seem like a cool deadly ass kicking weapon."

"You did power up a switchblade and use it to cut the Hell Hound in half."

The mention of the switchblade startled Lillian, as she remembered she may have forgotten it at the mall. She lifted out her arm, and waited until it slowly pushed its way through the skin and out. Lillian shook her head. "Whew, thought I forgot it."

Bear smiled. "Better?"

Lillian nodded. "Kind of reminds me of Space Sword Blaster, that Sailor Uranus used to kick ass."

Bear lifted a brow. "Sailor who?" Bear shook her head. "Never mind. Lillian, look... Just learn to fly and keep practicing on your energy absorption. It is going to become very vital within the upcoming events."

"You know what the master plan is when it comes time to defeat the Vitair, don't you?"

Bear nodded.

"Are you gonna fill me in?"

Bear shook her head. "You will know when the time is right. But, for now get your ass out there."

As Lillian walked closer to the edge, she turned back to look at Bear. "You don't need to be here to see this. I think I got it. Besides, if I manage, there is somewhere I would like to see."

Bear nodded. "Is it far?"

Lillian shook her head. "No, it's a couple hundred miles southwest of here." Lillian looked to the ground, tilting her head. "Or at least, I think it is."

"You know where to find me, should you need help."

Lillian lightly smacked her cheek. "Always with me, I know."

"Oh, and be sure to keep out of sight. They know what you look like, just not who you are." Replied Bear.

Lillian nodded. "Will do."

The desert was not quiet. It was teeming with sounds, and filled with calming smells. The suns brightness showed the valley for its true colors, red and purple hues, extravagant rock formations of the pained desert, and a picturesque landscape that could only take ones breath away. At least for those who could truly admire it, and Lillian was a true fan.

She took her time in collecting her thoughts, listening to the desert, her home, her world. It would always be something that was a part of her. She was the sand, the cactuses, the shrubs, the wind, and wildlife. Lillian Ann Cross was Arizona. No matter what, her origins were a part of it. She breathed desert, and for the first time, took Arizona in as a whole.

Lillian extended her arms, closing her eyes and tried to gain some basis on flying. There was no book of instruction, all she knew of it, was from comics and from movies. But to truly defy gravity was nowhere near comprehension in her mind. With everything that she had already been through and done, how could it not be so?

Throwing caution to the wind, was not one of Lillian's ideals, but considering the circumstances, she had no other choice. She would fly. She had to fly. Lillian knew that through patience, one could be taught correctly, but thus far, her time and patience was wearing thin. Lillian smiled. "I can do this." She muttered to herself.

She was not sure of the proper pose to use for a takeoff, and in positioning herself, moved closer to the edge of the cliff. Mimicking a pose Superman would do before takeoff, Lillian balled her hands into fists, and raised them towards the sky. When her foot inched further to the cliff, a good sized chunk gave way, sending Lillian plummeting down the face off the cliff.

Falling, back first, Lillian kicked off the rock wall, flipping herself, so that she could see the oncoming ground approaching quickly. She cursed at herself for being so stupid, for the first time she fell, she died.

As the rugged desert ground was quickly approaching, Lillian crisscrossed her arms over her face, to protect her head from the fall. "Holy shit!" She screamed, as she neared the ground. Seconds before impact, Lillian's speed was halted by a reverse pull of gravity, causing her to monetarily levitate, before she hit the ground at an acceptable rate.

Standing up quickly, Lillian brushed the red dust from her clothes, before looking up and realizing that she had actually flown. "Hell yeah!" She yelled at the top of her lungs, while performing her happy dance. At that moment, and as wide as the Grand Canyon, Lillian smiled, and thanked mother Arizona for her safety. Lillian celebrated and laughed loudly, sharing her joy with all that could hear.

Levitation was a start, but not good enough. And working on borrowed time, Lillian knew she had to move faster. She sat down on a smooth boulder, trying to think of the moment that led her to flight, and the thoughts that were racing through her head as she did so.

The images that were brought to her, was when she was learning softball for the first time. Batting, to be precise. If she thought too hard, and anticipated the ball, she would swing too hard, and too fast, missing. But if she just waited, and let it come too her naturally, she would hit it.

Lillian furrowed her brows, and took a moment to let all other things in her mind go. She had just proved it was possible, and even though flying would relieve her of her last bits of humanity, her actions would save humanity. Lillian pulled her hands through her hair, and focused wildly into the desert landscape.

Lillian started into a gallop, jumping with her fists in the air and shouting, "fly!" But nothing. It was perplexing, as well as frustrating. Leaning over, Lillian covered her face with her hands. Anger filled her as she shouted in her mind, "it was just there!"

She knew that she was trying too hard... After all, it should have been second nature. It was not supposed to be hard. If she had done it before, then it was already in her. Lillian felt she just needed to let her humanity go.

Lillian closed her eyes and pictured the ball, as it was thrown, slowly coming towards her. When it came close, Lillian swung, thus connecting the missing cog, to start the system. Quickly, Lillian was lifted from her feet, and shot into the air.

Her heart pounded as she was propelled into the sky, the ground quickly fading. Lillian's eyes bulged, as she tossed out a slew of cuss words. "Oh, fuck me, fuck me, and fuck me!!" At an exasperating rate, Lillian's elevation continued to climb, her arms flailed, and she had no idea what to do. There was up into space, and there was down onto the ground. Either way, she knew not how to control and spiraled out of control.

As the atmosphere was growing thin, Lillian found it hard to breathe, and became extremely chilled, she became increasingly worried of her ascent. As soon as the worry kicked in, Lillian began to free fall. The atmosphere was soon filled with her words of doubt. "Fuck, fuck, fuck!" Lillian screamed as she plummeted to earth, hopeless in all, but once again, her tremulous mind, stopping her from destruction.

When Lillian was finally able to stop herself from being so sporadic in thought, she was able to hold herself steady in flight. And for the first time, she could take a moment to look around, and breathe in the atmosphere. Flight was just as hard as Lillian had thought. And as she hoovered in the stratosphere, she was thankful for just that. Up was dark, and down was the Earth, but Lillian still had just one destination in mind.

Keeping all things in order, Lillian slowly lowered herself, looking at all landmarks, Arizona. When she finally reached the troposphere, she smiled to herself, as she could finally see all. She was under control, and she had it. Lillian breathed a sigh of relief, as she had finally learned to fly. "Piece of cake," she thought to herself.

With her new found ability, and without a doubt, there was one place in mind that Lillian wanted to be. It was nestled between the San Francisco Peaks and the lava tubes. It was hidden as well as it could be, for then, the structure hid a dirty secret. Lillian flew as gracefully as she could, hitting every low laying cloud, and smiling as the mist hit her face. It was a feeling of freedom, and extremely exuberating.

Lillian took a deep breath as many times as she could. Her heart was on fire with excitement, and containing her joy was impossible. When she reached her destination, she inclined quickly, to the point where the blue met the black, where the air became thin, and breathing was labored. Smiling heavily, and stretching out her arms, Lillian yelled, "Hell yeah!" She then crossed her ankles and allowed herself to freefall from the heavens. Backwards and down, Lillian fell, the strength of the winds forcing tears of joy from her eyes. And without fear, Lillian fell and watched as the Earth came closer.

Lillian kept her target in sight as she fell, wondering how she would land, as it would be her first time. As she moved herself into position, she extended her arms once again, thinking it would slow her down. As it did not, her eyes widened, and the word "fuck" steadily coursed through her brain, as the Earth came barreling towards her. Shortly before impact, the thought of stopping crossed Lillian's mind, and before smashing into the ground, Lillian halted in midair, before completing her landing, crashing through the trees, and tumbling through the tall grass.

Lillian laid on her back, staring into the gray clouded skies, coughing lightly, once. Getting up quickly, she brushed off the dirt and sat in awe, as she gazed at the dilapidated structures.

A house and barn, old and torn by time, stood as well as it could, considering its age. Lillian walked through the corral, or, what was left of it. The wooden fence had fallen, and not much was left besides rotting posts. She walked towards the melting barn, a structure where she had lived for, at least a year.

The doors were gone, and the opening, wide. Lillian walked in, examining the empty horse stalls, remembering the noise the horses made. She peered down into the depths of the dungeon, where she was kept for nearly a year. The sun shined through the broken planks, just as they did, nearly seventy years ago. And the eye lope, which held her chains, sternly stood, minus its chains.

Lillian walked from the barn and into the house, as half of the roof had collapsed. The grill from the back was gone, and there was no door that led into the kitchen. It was apparent that the house had been ransacked and occupied by squatters. Furniture was gone, and the elements had withered its way in, making way for the forest to thrive inside. Beams of sun shuddered in, leaving the house empty, and filled with ghostly memories. Lillian carefully took steps up the rotting stairs and into Paige's old room.

Not much was left, besides an old box spring, and the same window that Lillian had gazed out for the first time and truly seen the moon. As much pain as she had felt in that house, it was still the first time that she had truly felt love.

Lillian traveled back downstairs, further into the houses bowels. After her first year of hen fighting, she was moved from the cold outside, and into the warmth of the house. As the war room, and interrogation room were both unlocked, Lillian's most recent room was locked and untouched. She put her hand to the knob, wiggling and pushing, but it was firmly sealed. There were marks and dents on the door, indicating someone tried to enter, but failed. Lillian took a moment to summon strength, and forcefully pushed open the door.

Dust blasted through its opening, the room's darkness remaining still. Lillian narrowed her eyes as they tried to adjust to the dim lighting. Everything was as she left it. Bed unmade, clothes strewn into a corner, the mildew smell from a leaky shower penetrating her nose. Lillian smiled, but cringed at the thought of perhaps a happy, but unhappy memory. As she walked towards the bed, she glanced at it, and pocketed her MP3 player. It was the first thing that Paige would give her to feel comfort.

Despite all of the hell that the house had put her through, it had given her Paige, her first true love. Lillian took herself from the house of hell, but good memories, stepping outside to take one last look. She smiled, bidding the eroding structure one last goodbye. "I love you, Paige." Lillian put her left fist into the air, bent her knees, and thrust herself into the skies, ending yet another chapter in her life.

By the time Lillian had returned home, the last red rays of the sun were fading, beckoning for the twilight to arise. She landed softly this time, smiling as she did so. Small clouds of dust arose, as her feet landed gently.

She should have been cold, for all she was wearing was a shirt and jeans, but her thoughts, and the Shitair kept her warm. As she turned to look at the moons luminescence one more time, her thoughts quickly transferred to Paige, a cold chill running up her back, and goosebumps emerged.

Lillian pulled the old MP3 player from her pocket and smiled. She looked at it, lifting it slowly to her lips and kissed it. She then looked to the moon. "This is for you, Paige. This is for us, and this is for our people, the human race. I will fight." Lillian lightly chuckled to herself, before turning to go inside, a single tear streaming from her eye. "I will fight."

The mess hall was quiet, all TV's on mute. Lillian took a chair at the table, rubbing her hand over her tired eyes, sighing deeply. She put the tired old MP3 player on the table, eyeing it for some time.

"Did you find what you were looking for?"

Lillian looked to see Bear sitting at the other end of the table. Her hair was down around her shoulders, and in curls. Lillian grinned. "Yes, thank you."

Bear's lips curled to her cheeks. "Are you Hungry? You should eat something."

As Lillian could feel the rumblings of hunger within the pit of her stomach, she was in no mood to eat. But she could feel the fogginess within her head, caused by an empty stomach. She planted her palm upon the table, looking up to Bear. "Can I manifest a pizza, eat it, and gain sustenance from it?" She asked with narrowed brows.

Bear's eyes rolled from one side to the other. Her lip twitched as she replied. "You can. The Shitair is a race of enhancement, and can create any molecule that exists in this universe."

Lillian tilted her head. "You hungry?"

Bear lightly scowled. "You know I can't eat."

Lillian leaned onto the table, resting both elbows. "Duh, but I am not going to sit here, stuffing my face while you stare at me."

"Do you want me to leave?" Bear replied.

Lillian shook her head. "No, I want you to eat with me. Keep me company, please."

Bear smiled. "That, I can do."

Lillian manifested her pizza, a stuffed crust with everything, and the two ate contently. As she ate, Lillian's mind continued to race. So many things juggled within her mind, so many questions. She took another bite of her pizza, before looking into Bear's brown eyes. "So, what else can I do? Am I like a Jedi? Can I move shit with my mind?"

Bear, nearly with a mouthful of pizza, put hers down, looking into Lillian's straight green eyes. "The gods were first...They create life, and you cannot..."

Lillian lifted her brow. "And, I don't intend on having babies..."

Bear shifted herself, sitting higher in her chair. "Being the second life to come out of the creation of the universe, I would imagine that you could be capable of many things."

Lillian lifted a brow. "But, like what? I can't go into anything without my head on a swivel. If I am out of it, I get fucked and die? I still have to eat... I guess I can eat myself, but all other? Everything I do, I have to think about. What if I don't think about it, do I die?"

Bear nodded. "Unfortunately, there are only so many things the Shitair can do with a human body. At some point, you will have done it so much, that you will no longer have to think about it. It will have become a second nature."

Lillian tilted her head, as she put her pizza down. "Oh."

"The president will be addressing the nation tomorrow, trying to explain about you, and it. I think it wise for you to make an appearance."

Lillian got up to rummage through the refrigerator.

Bear narrowed her eyes. "What are you looking for?"

Just as Bear had finished her question, Lillian found what she was looking for, replying with and enthusiastic, "ahh!" Lillian popped the top from her bottle of beer, chucking it onto the table. She took a deep swig, smiling and refreshed as she pulled the brown bottle from her lips.

Bears arms were folded, a perplexing look planted upon her face. "Now why did you go through all of that trouble to make a pizza, only to go looking for a beer?"

Lillian took another quick sip. "As I was eating the pizza, I realized that I was receiving no pleasure from eating it, and that its flavor was of ash in my mouth. So, I went looking for a beer, because I did not want to make one and have it taste like shit, as well" Lillian took the remaining golden contents of the bottle, and swallowed them down in one chug.

Bear placed her holographic pizza down on the holographic plate, and both disappeared. She then leaned back in her holographic chair, folding her arms. "So then I wonder if it provides any nutritional support at all."

Lifting her brows, Lillian got up to grab another beer. She pulled the last one out, sat back down, pulled the top and chugged. After it was gone, Lillian licked her lips, placing the bottle on the table, tilting her head. She then looked at Bear. "I may need to do a beer run.'

Bear shook her head. "Don't even think about it."

Lillian smiled before getting up. "No worries, I'm just fucking with ya."

"We need to work on that language, as well." Bear said as she shook her head. "You should get some rest. You have a big day tomorrow."

As Lillian rose, she nodded. "Right. Flying to the White House, and going on national TV, while trying to convince the world that they're not crazy. Yeah, let's see how well that goes over!"

Bear widened her eyes. "Maybe you should write something down?" Bear asked.

On her way out, Lillian leaned on one of the blast doors grinning as she spoke. "Yeah, like that will happen. I'll sleep on it... I'll think something up."

Bear rolled her eyes at the last statement. "That's what I am afraid of."

As Lillian turned, she bumped into Dayna, who was making her way into the mess hall. "Pardon me, babes."

Dayna narrowed her eyes as she headed towards the kitchen. "Babes?" She muttered to herself.

Dayna lifted her right brow as she went to the cupboards, searching for a late night, nightcap. Her silk robe glistened in the dim fluorescent lights, her atomic blonde hair down, loose, and curled up at the ends, dangled near the mid of her back.

Bear observed somewhat before speaking. "Late night?"

Dayna turned to take a seat at the table, holding a glass, and bottle of brandy. She poured halfway, taking a long drink, before looking back at Bear. "Hey, some of us do have jobs on top of all this bullshit, you know."

Bear smiled. "I know. And you have been burning the candle at both ends."

Dayna stared into the dark brown liquid before taking another exaggerated sip. "First night I can get to bed early, and now I can't sleep. Any improvements with Lillian?"

Nodding, Bear replied. "Yes, she has flown, and is ready to go to the White House tomorrow."

Dayna furrowed her brows. "Tomorrow? Don't you think that is a little too soon?"

"We are out of time. Otherwise, I would agree with you." Bear answered, shaking her head.

Feeling the warmth that one receives while consuming spirits, Dayna thought to have a spot of fun with Bear. She grinned as she spoke. "You and Lillian go on that date yet?"

Expressionless, Bear folded her arms. "Ha, ha. Very cute." She added sarcastically.

"I told you I was still going to give to shit." Dayna said as she eyed the cold pizza that lay on the table in front of her. After quickly finishing off the glass of brandy, Dayna could feel the urges of hunger grumbling within the pit of her stomach. Leaning in, she grabbed a slice, bit and chewed, eyes quickly narrowing with suspicions.

Bear said nothing, but rather just watched with a rising right brow, and a hidden inside grin. The slow evolving look of worry upon Dayna face was priceless, to Bear.

Dayna hesitantly swallowed with much regret. She tilted her head as she looked at the pizza, face filled with uncertainty. "Well, that pizza tasted weird."

The straight line across Bears face, finally emerged into a half smile, as the right of her lip lifted. "That's exactly what Lillian said."

Dayna's eyes widened. "Where did this pizza come from?"

Bear's lips remained pursed, anticipation to the climax was pleasing her.

"Did she order it?"

Bear shook her head.

Dayna's mouth slowly took to gravity, as the ends of her lips plummeted to the ground. In the back of her mind, the answer was blaring within her head, as to the real origin of the pizza. In anticipation of the answer, Dayna took the bottle of brandy, filling the glass to the near top. Slowly, the question oozed from her mouth. "Did this pizza slither from out of Lillian's skin?"

There was a lifting of brow, and slight twinkle at the ends of Bear's lips. For some reason, one simple answer, brought her much pleasure. "Yes." Spoken between a pair of red, smiling, plush lips.

Dayna rose immediately, swallowing the fiery liquid, in all but three big gulps. She then put the back of her hand to her mouth, in order to thwart an oral purge led by her queasy stomach. "That is the most disgusting thing...I think I am going to be sick." Dayna turned, to leave to her room.

Smiling, Bear waved Dayna off, in somewhat of a Queen of England fashion. "That's exactly what Lillian said... Well, minus the sick part. If you manage to keep it down, and it evaporates, like all of Lillian's made items, I believe you can classify that as a ghost poo."

Without turning, and still heading on her course, Dayna lifted her arm, and extended her middle finger. "You are a sick fuck, Bear."

Sitting in silence with arms folded, Bear stared into holographic space, smirking. If Dayna could give her shit, than so could she. She manifested a big glass of chardonnay, taking a victory sip. Bear relieved herself of a big sigh, as she set the glass down. "God, I wish I could taste that right now." She said as she shook her head.

Chapter 17

"Everything leads up to everything." Softly spoken words were muttered from Paige's lips. The sun was fading, leaving cascading rays of gold, only to compliment the autumn brown of her eyes. Her skin was soft and pure, without flaw, and glowing in the setting sun.

The meadow was filled with life. A clearing of soft green grasses and flowering beauties. A plethora of colors, and of contentment. A surrounding of natural distractions, but all Lillian could see was Paige.

As much as Lillian tried, her reach couldn't get close enough, and her yells were soundless. In frustration, she pulled her hands over her face, through her long hair, and falling to her knees. Time seemed to stop. The dust flurries stood in midair, and the sun halted to set. The wind steadied its self to a mid-breeze, a never ending soft gust of torment to Lillian, for it was bringing Paige's scent to her nose.

Her face became a stoned statue of a sad one, Lillian no longer able to move, struggling to get to her lost love Paige, but unable to do so.

Lillian turned abruptly in her bed, only to wake up, and to see the morning sun through her rooms view screen. She sat upright on her bed, and slowly rubbed her neck. "Time?" She asked the room.

"Current time is 6:15 AM." Replied the room.

Lillian laid back, momentarily. "Uggh, I hate mornings." Getting out of bed, it was Lillian's intentions to take a shower. As she remembered she needed to procure a speech for the day's proceedings, Lillian still had nothing come to mind. She sat back down on the bed, remembering of the dream with Paige.

Lillian showered, brushed her long wet hair, putting it into a ponytail, and dressed herself in jeans, and her lucky Firebird T-shirt. She laced up her Doc Marten boots, and made her way into the mess hall.

The room was quiet and in complete silence. Lillian went directly to the coffee pot, and started up a brew. She then turned on each TV, one by one. Chaos was still erupting, but slowly subsiding. She still had not thought of anything to say, or how to interact, but her mind continued to race encrypted jumbles, and useless information.

"How is the speech going?" Asked Bear, as she appeared at the table, coffee mug in hand, blue turtle neck glowing in the dim lights.

Lillian sat, sipping her hot coffee slowly. "I got nothing so far."

Bear smiled, assuring. "I'm sure you will come up with something."

Lillian shook her head. "I don't know, I don't feel so good."

Bear furrowed her brows. "You feeling sick?"

Lillian leaned back in her chair. "I don't know, can I?"

"No." Was Bear's short reply.

"I have to do it today, don't I?" Asked Lillian.

Bear nodded. "You must. And I get it, flying to the White House blind for your first time will be extremely difficult, but for you, I have created an easy navigation system to help you find your way.

Intrigued, Lillian lifted her brows. "How so?"

Bear continued. "Considering your past gaming activities, you are familiar with a sort of radar system that was used in certain games such as, Grand Theft Auto, Red Dead Redemption, and Assassins Creed."

Tilting her head, Lillian leaned in closer. "Go on."

"I will implement such a radar into your ocular feed, so that you can navigate comfortably to your place of destination."

Lillian held on to her gulp of coffee, as she thought the plan through. She smiled as she swallowed. "Good fucking idea! I'll have no problem getting there then."

Satisfied, and folding her arms, Bear was happy to help. "Good, then you should ready yourself for departure."

"What, like now?" Lillian's happiness faded with Bears sense of urgency.

Bear nodded. "Yes, the White House is guarded, and penetration nearly improbable, lest you wish to be discovered. I suggest you get there early and figure out your nonviolent entry plan."

Lillian leaned back in her chair, eyes wide, sipping the last bits of her creamed up coffee. "You got a point. Let me give it a few thinks..."

There was still an emptiness that blocked Lillian's mind, as she went back to her room to grab her hoodie jacket. Hoisting it over her shoulders, she inhaled, exhaling deeply. Her brow was narrowed, and doubt, anxiety, and anticipation was running rampant within her mind. Lillian could not stop the blaring sound of madness from blocking all thoughts of logic.

Lillian sat at the edge of the bed, hands folded into her lap staring down. Her eyes swayed back and forth, as the silence of the room became the only ringing in her ear.

"I've added the radar app to your eyes." Chimed in Bear, who broke the silence. "You should be able to bring it up with a thought. Go ahead and try it."

Unenthusiastically, Lillian swallowed, blinking once. Immediately, the radar opened in the corner of her right eye, indicating the direction, and distance, to said destination.

"Look familiar?" Asked Bear.

Lillian mustered out a fake smile. "Just like playing an Xbox."

"Good. Than you should get going."

Lillian laughed to herself lightly. "Trying to get rid of me?"

Bear appeared in the corner of Lillian's room. The sun was fully up now, enveloping completely, the rooms view screen. Even though Bear was just an image planted within Lillian's mind, the sun soaked up Bear's golden hair, causing it to glow. Bear's eyes sparkled, and her smile showed as vibrant as a precious gem. "No, I would never try to get rid of you. However... Your heart is racing, and you're extremely uneasy. I find it necessary for you to go out early, see some sights and get some fresh air, before you die of anticipation."

Reluctantly, Lillian nodded. "Roger that." She then picked up her hoodie jacket, and began to make her way towards the door. She stopped, threw her hoodie back on the bed, blinking once, slowly. Her skin lightly bubbled, then phased. A bomber jacket grew from her body as naturally as a petal would from a flowers bud. She smiled as she enjoyed how well it fit.

"Never had anything fit so well, until I started growing it myself." Lillian said while smiling. The jacket was camouflaged, thick, and sporting a hoodie.

"Planning on going somewhere cold?" Bear asked with a grin.

Lillian nodded as she fastened her jacket. "It's probably half way around the world." As she continued to walk, she lightly laughed at herself, before turning to look at Bear. "Ya know... A long time ago..." Lillian's eyes flashed with a sparkle in a remembrance of a long ago nostalgia. Memories of how she traveled the world in one night, all the while, still holding her beer.

Lillian's teeth showed through her childish smile as she spoke. "I'd spend many nights alone." Her grin widened, as she shook her head while speaking. "My own choice... To stay in alone... Because I didn't think I was ever going to get a chance to travel the world, and before the day of the Google Maps, Id surf the web, traveling the world from the comforts of my apartment... And being refreshed with a Miller."

Bear stood motionless, looking into Lillian's narrowed, green eyes. She said nothing, but lightly arched her right brow.

"Sad, huh?" Lillian asked.

Bear smiled, slightly at the ends. If she could, deep within her mind, somewhere beyond the reach of her programing, something that had always been there, and ignited the day she saw Lillian, Bear would have given anything in that moment to grab Lillian by the collar of her jacket, pull her face up closer to hers, and kiss Lillian ever so gently upon the lips.

Even though that fire did burn brightly, the power to snuff it out was even greater, and when the flame had vanished, Bear continued on with a simple smile and kind words. "I don't think it sad. We do what we must to stay happy. Did it make you happy?"

As Lillian turned to continue on her way out, Bear Followed. "I was content. And now I am scared shitless. But, as my mother used to tell me, if someone gives you lemon's..." Lillian cocked a tiny smile. "Make some god damn lemonade."

The morning was bright and cool, the air motionless, with the exception of a rouge breeze. Though it was somewhat impromptu, and Lillian had not much time to think about it, she pondered one last time as to her first destination, before she took flight to the White House. The place was desolate and empty, as was the feeling in her soul. She thought the two would pair well together. As she took her last steps towards the edge of the cliff, Lillian heard Bear's voice.

"Should you need me..."

Lillian smiled as she lifted her arms horizontal, stretching them at both sides. "I know where to find you." She replied. Lillian's heart began pounding in her chest. The anxiety was overwhelming, and with a thought, it quickly subsided. She took one last deep breath, before raising her right fisted arm, stepping out with her left leg, and reversing the motion, jumping with force and lifting off quickly.

As she took off, the purple and red hues of the Painted Desert became a gray and red blotched water-color. As Lillian rose higher, her mountainous home became a speckled cluster of dark blots in a rigid mountainous region splotched with green and beige colors. When Lillian remembered how she passed out when she reached space for the first time, she decided it best to keep as high as possible, without leaving Earth's atmosphere.

She went as high as she could go, without strain, looking around to see the United States as a whole, for the first time. The feeling was met with great excitement, and astonishment. Lillian took a moment to absorb, and to reflect, before heading south.

Lillian followed the Gulf of California, till she met the Pacific Ocean, keeping Mexico's shore in her left peripherals. She then cut through to the middle of the luscious green landscapes of Brazil, continuing southward. Her smile was never ending.

There was a freedom flowing within her. An awesome sense of ability to do anything, and for once, since Lillian had woken up, she felt complete and utter liberation. The free wind was coursing through her veins, and she felt higher than she ever could.

Lillian blasted through Argentina, a short skip over an ocean, before arriving to her destination, Antarctica. Vinson Massif, was not untouched by human hands, but for Lillian, it was at least the most desolate place she would ever visit, her fortress of solitude.

Lillian landed perching upon it highest peak, breathing in, until its very icy winds scorched her lungs. She wore only jeans and a bomber's jacket, feeing the freezing blasts as it pierced her skin. She did not think once to relieve the pain, for she wanted to feel it. Her need to feel her humanity became absolute.

Lillian shivered as she observed the hellish wintered landscape. She took in the howling wind, as its gusts lifted her. She planted her hands into the snow, grabbing, and feeling as its freezing temperatures singed her skin. And when the time came that Lillian could take no more, she thought about it, and all pain was gone.

Human or alien, Lillian was either or. When she became content with the silence, when she felt she had breathed in the icy Earth long enough, Lillian was ready to leave her solitude. It was no longer time to hide, Lillian now had to make her presence known.

She knelt, breathing in, closing her eyes, a flash of Paige pulling through the blackness. Throwing her right fist up, and stepping forward with her left leg, Lillian jettisoned herself into the sky, headed towards the White House.

Lillian took on a north, slightly eastern heading. She kept her altitude low, staying close to Argentina's coastline. She landed when she came across a rusty abandoned ship. She put her hand on its degrading hull, reciting the words on the bow that were slowly being erased by time. "Desdemona."

One of Lillian's favorite subjects was history. She loved to explore ghost towns, and enjoyed antiques. When she entered something old, or held an aged object, she would always ask herself, "Who was here? Who used this, and how did it get here?" And, the very same questions ran through her mind as she walked around the Desdemona, quietly thanking it, and its long gone crew for its service in history. The intrigue it left within her mind was uplifting, and though she wanted to know more, Lillian had more pressing matters to attend to. She took to the skies once again.

When Lillian hit Montevideo, she turned sharply, on more of a traditional northern route. She was to travel through the heart of South America. Staying on a low altitude course, Lillian passed through the dense forests of the amazon, tracing the Rio Negro, and hitting the ocean exiting through Venezuela. She trekked over the Dominicans, past the Turks and Caicos, trailing up the United Stated coastline.

Lillian had a plan, though not quite put together. She knew for a fact, that she could not just land on the White House lawn and receive a warm welcome. And, as she kept low enough to steer clear from any detection, she hoped, Lillian knew that there were too many eyes about the area to land anywhere near the house. So she did what she thought was safe enough to do. As soon as Lillian hit the beach of ocean city, she dropped into the cool brown waters near the fishing pier.

The grey overcast was lingering since the early hours of the morning. A light pattering of drizzle had been on and off throughout the day. With the more than usual cool weather, this time of year, and since it was the middle off the week, the pier was fairly vacant. With the exception of one man, who peered over his shoulder at the sound of a bigger than usual splash.

He narrowed his brows, putting down his fishing rod. He scratched at the dark curly whiskers on the end of his chin, as he slowly made his way to the other side of the pier, where he heard the noise coming from. When he saw a hand reach over the top feeling around for something to grab on to, the man without hesitation rushed to the edge, grabbing the hand and helping Lillian over.

She coughed, spitting up salty water, using the man's hand for stability, to rise to her feet. She looked towards the sky, fresh small droplets of rain water pattering on her sticky, salt covered face. "Damn, that drop was a little higher than I thought."

"You okay?." The man asked, his eyes never leaving Lillian's face.

Lillian knew she was with company, but became more aware of it when she heard the man's voice. She smiled as she replied. "Yes, I am good thanks to you." She took his hand and firmly shook it.

The warmth never left his face, but his curiosity was swirling within, and with no meaning for harm, the man spoke once again. "You drunk?"

Lillian lifted a brow. "Excuse me?"

"Are you drunk?" He asked once again, just as lightly as he did the first time. "I heard you fall in, but I didn't see you anywhere on the pier."

Lillian lifted her brows, quickly putting together a lie. "I dropped my wallet, and was hanging of the side looking for it."

"For how long?"

"Oh, it was for quite some time."

The corner of the man's eyes crinkled. "You sure you ain't drunk?"

"Would you think it wrong, if I was?"

The man's mouth curved into a smile. "Hell no, I ain't no fucking judge. You do wit your life, wit what you see fit. But I do gotta ask you one serious question."

Lillian gave a lopsided grin. "Sure, shoot."

"You a woman?"

Lillian removed the water soaked salty tie from her hair, pulling it back firmly into a ponytail once again, trying to catch all of the breakaway hairs as she did so. She smiled at the man once more, before thanking him, and continuing on her journey. Nothing irritated Lillian more, than moving in soaked clothes, especially jeans and steel toed boots.

The streets were saturated, as well as empty. The Maryland October weather, was somewhat comparable to Arizona winters. Still soaking, Lillian could at least appreciate the mild climate. Even though the streets remained fairly empty, Lillian took caution before having a change of wardrobe.

"You could just blink away the sticky feeling rubbing and irritating your skin." Bear stated, speaking in Lillian's head.

Lillian slightly smirked, narrowing her eyes, as she casually walked down the US 50. "And my clothes?"

"Well, had you manifested your own this morning, instead of putting on that drab outfit you are wearing now, you could have very well waterproofed it."

Lillian lifted a brow. "Oh, well then, what is my next option?"

"Ditching what you have on now, however, in a possible future scenario, your remains could serve as evidence."

Lillian's lips twitched. "Next?"

"You could just find a corner and absorb your current wardrobe. I know how attached you are to your boots."

Lillian smiled, lifting her brows. "Damn straight. My wife got me these boots for Christmas." And for a moment, she held back, thinking of Paige.

It was decided then. Lillian searched for a secluded alleyway. Her ocean soaked clothes slowly faded, showing her naked body for nearly a second. Shocked, and caught off guard, Lillian looked around. "Damn it, I forgot about that part."

"Then learn to do it faster." Replied Bear.

The bus route took a little over three hours, with stops made at every other block, inside the city. Lillian did not think of this as a nuisance, but rather relief from the inevitable that was causing many butterflies within the pit of her stomach, which, she refused to blink away. Her eyes were always trailing the land.

It was the excess of greens which calmed her mind the most, the open road of the country. The corn farms, trees, and seas of grass were very plentiful, as well as open roads, virtually traffic free. Lillian allowed her mind to travel, brainstorming ways to get into the White House, but most importantly, what she would say to the President.

The last big town Lillian was to travel through before entering Washington, was Parole, Maryland. The town was busy and bustling with traffic. It seemed that wherever the rioting was happening, it had either subsided, or it was nowhere near Maryland, or Washington DC. The calmness overall, gave Lillian second thoughts about meeting the president. But, then again, the threat of the Vitair was looming and no matter what, the people of Earth had the right to know, that they were all in danger. Lillian had the firm belief that, every creature of earth deserved a fighting chance.

Interstate 50 had taken Lillian via bus all the way from the coasts Ocean City, to the corner of New York Ave and 15th street. The White House was just a hop and skip away. Lillian pulled the hoodie over her head, before exiting the bus and began working out a concrete plan.

"How do you intend on getting in?" Bear's voice cut through the concentrating silence in Lillian's head. "Nothing show boaty, I hope."

Lillian smiled as she held a badge in her palm that was created within her jackets sleeve. "I plan on walking right in."

Bear released a sigh. "Well, I suppose it's better than crashing through the roof of the White House, which I assumed you were going to do..."

"Nope, I am no Superman. Only he gets the right to do that. But I am going to need your help."

"Shoot."

Lillian took her ID card, clipping it to her Jacket pocket. She then pulled a camera out from under her jacket. "I need you to get into the system and add me as a photographer."

"I don't see that as a problem, only tonight's speech won't be covered by the press. It will be broadcast inside the Oval Office."

Lillian nodded as she grinned. "I get that. But there are press conferences and all sorts of crap going on today that will require some flash photography. Just get me in, and I will figure out the rest."

"Very well." There was a second of silence before Bear chimed in again. "Okay, you are clear to head in."

Lillian reached the booth containing the armed security guard. With a warm smile, she held out her ID card playing with her camera, so the man could see it. He looked at it, then at her, then back at it. Lillian winced as she remembered, though she had changed her clothes, she had forgot to fix her hair. It still held firm in its ponytail, but its fly-a-ways must have been running rampant.

He searched her, looked over her camera thoroughly, and took it apart. When he was satisfied, he motioned to Lillian to piece her camera back together, and sent her on her way onto the grounds of the White House.

Lillian breathed an enormous sigh of relief, as she ventured down one of the massive walkways that would lead her to the innards of the huge house. The grass was greenish brown, and a few trees sported the leafless look. With October making a slow exit, the cool winter air was quickly seeping in. It brushed at the back of her neck, as the sun became nonexistent behind looming grey clouds.

As Lillian walked, she noted the heavy security. Armed guards toting AR-15's, and snipers sneaking on the rooftops. She was unsure if she could take a bullet and heal from it quickly. She had the life knocked out her, but had yet, to receive lead. It would be a shame to come this far, only to be put down by a gun. Lillian thought it necessary to keep her wits about her.

Upon entering the house, Lillian was searched again. Her breath left her as she began to look around. As a former builder on a small scale, Lillian was taken aback by the houses architecture, and interior decorations. Its vibrant colors and sun saturated rooms, sent her to a place away from her own mind, and for a moment, Lillian forgot why she was there.

"Wow." Lillian quietly whispered as she looked around a room covered in green, occupied by dainty delicate chairs, and showered by an extravagant sparkling chandelier. Her eyes were moved to a picture hanging on the wall above a white and green stripped couch.

It was Independence Hall, Philadelphia. The streets were crowded with people who wore colorful fancy dresses and suits, carriage drawn horses, and hopeful street vendors. But what grabbed Lillian's attention the most, was the partly clouded skies. There was a break on the darker side, allowing for rays of sunshine to spill in, lighting old glory. Lillian's lips pursed together, procuring a tiny smile.

"Sightseeing is over. You have work to do." Broke Bear's voice through the silence of Lillian's mind.

"Thank you mother... I was just trying to find inspiration." Lillian replied silently.

"Did you find it?"

Lillian nodded to herself. "I sure do hope so." Lillian took a moment to gather her thoughts. She needed to ready her tools for infiltration. "I'm going to need a recipe. Dig into your databases, my dear reference, for I know you have the ingredients for all."

Bear released a low chuckle. "What are you looking for, Lil?"

Lillian lifted her brow as she made her way to the press briefing room, taking a seat and sitting calmly. "I know I can't control minds..."

"No, you cannot." Bear replied quickly.

"So, somewhere out there, I know there is a species that can, am I correct?"

"Yes." Bear shot back quickly.

Lillian smiled to herself. "Good. And, I am going to need a sleeping one as well. Is that possible?"

"Yes. What are you planning on doing? You know damn well that you cannot get close enough to all of these people..."

"To touch them? Yeah, I know." Lillian looked around the room, filled with fellow press compatriots. She smiled as her devilish plan came into view. All she needed was one quiet and quick method of dispersal. That would at least take care of most of them.

"The recipes have been downloaded." Bear spoke hesitantly.

Lillian's quirky smile flared teeth. A memory flashed within her mind of the third grade, when she was reading Dear Mr. Henshaw with the class. It was who she was as a kid, always trying to find a smile. And as she let out a very loud fart, that the whole class could hear, they, all trying to escape the aftermath, and Lillian just smiling from cheek to cheek.

But now, the method of dispersal was to be quiet. So, Lillian let out the biggest, raunchiest SBD she could muster. She waited for a moment until she was sure... That all heads were bobbing, confused, and under her control within the press briefing room. Lillian took in a deep breath before releasing a heavy sigh. She then stood up, raising her arms, and spoke as she made for her exit into the West Colonnade. "Chill." She said, no one objecting.

The Colonnade was bare, with the exception of a few armed guards. As one saw Lillian and began to protest, she lifted her right arm, making a gun with her hand. "Poof." Was her sound effect that she made, as a dart flew from her fingertip into the man's neck. He fell to his knees, and then to the ground. There were three others around the corner, Lillian putting them to sleep with no issue.

Now was the moment of truth. The whole day had led up to this. Her heart pounded as she placed her hand upon the door knob to the Oval Office. She knew not the amount of guards, but knew as soon as she got in, she would have to quickly extinguish the threat humanely, and block all four doorways leading into the office. Her main goal was to assure the president, and the world, that she was not a threat, and that she was there to help.

With eyes closed, Lillian took a few moments by the door, trying desperately to collect herself.

"You've got this." Spoke Bear quietly within Lillian's mind.

Lillian shook her head as she smiled. "I know you came here with me, but who had the big brains to duplicate you here on earth?" She replied back, in her mind.

"A wonderful, intelligent, warm and funny woman named Faye Blackwater."

"She sounds like an awesome chick. I hope to meet her, someday."

"Oh, you will." Bear replied. "You most definitely will. Now, get in there and speak your peace."

Lillian nodded. "Roger that." She held her breath as the turned the knob, locked. Lillian rolled her eyes as she looked at the fallen guard. "Duh, key card." Grabbing the key card, Lillian hesitated one more time. "If you have access to the satellites above, can you give me a heat signature of the bodies on the inside?"

"Coming at you." Bear replied.

Lillian's view changed on how she saw things. She now saw the world through infrared. Six. That was Lillian's lucky number. Four guards by the door, one camera guy, and Madam President herself. Lillian closed her eyes before swiping the key card. In her mind, she brought up one game that she used to play, Metal Gear Solid. Head shots with the darts, was all she could think of. It was fast, and in her mind, portrayed in slow-motion.

Lillian kicked open the door, aiming her hand-dart gun. "Poof, poof, poof, poof." Four darts, four guards down. The camera guy stepped away from the camera, holding his hands up high, and eyes wide open. Lillian tilted her head, frowning. "Sorry dude, poof." All now had fallen with the exception of one. Lillian turned to Madam President, lowering her hand gun.

President Palmer looked at Lillian, wide eyes and filled with fear. Her hands slowly rose, but with great quickness, she reached for her desk, pulling a gun.

Lillian rolled her eyes, rising her arms in defense. "No, no, no no!"

The gun had run dry, President Palmer still pulling the empty trigger.

Lillian was on her knees. Breathing deeply and concentrating hard on expelling the bullets that had entered her body. Fortunately, none had penetrated her head. In agony she moaned, as she tried desperately to squeeze out the .44's slugs. When the healing was complete, Lillian quickly reached all four doors of the Oval Office, coating the seams with a welding compound so that they could not be opened. At least not any time soon. It was now time. The room was filled with just her, and her.

President Mya Palmer stood tall behind her desk. Her black brown eyes glowing with resilience. She may have run out of bullets, but she would have never run out of courage. With the cameras still rolling, President Palmer's eyes never left Lillian's.

Lillian took a moment to compose herself, the sting from the slugs still burning within her mind. She swallowed hard, raising both hands, speaking with closed eyes. "Look, I am not here to hurt you... If that was the case, would you still be breathing?"

President Palmer relived herself of a deep breath, sitting back into her chair. "Then what are you here for?" She asked, the .44 revolver laying empty, close to her.

Lillian gathered her composure, lifting her head so that her eyes could reach the Presidents. "I am not the threat. You have already seen it. And it is not just that creature, but it is many. I am here to protect you... First contact is here. There is an alien spices coming, ready to wipe us all out."

"Why?" Palmer asked, behind solemn, black eyes. Her brown hair glowing long, behind her shoulders.

Lillian shook her head. "Because of something that happened a million years ago... Nothing that we ever had control of. But all I know... Is that it is here... And I was sent back to defend us, from it."

Palmer narrowed her eyes. "And where are you from?"

Lillian slightly lifted her right cheek. "America, to say the least."

Palmer lifted her arms, resting her chin upon her hands. "So then you are American, you fight for America?"

Lillian shook her head. "No. I fight for no country. I fight for this planet. I am human, and I will fight for all life on this planet to survive, that includes humans and creatures alike, do you get me?" Lillian's green eyes were stern and absolute.

Madam President Palmer's eyes were locked on Lillian's sincerity. Out of all the turmoil, the chaos that the last few weeks had brought, she was happy to receive some answers. The war of the unknown would not be fought alone. Her eyes narrowed, as she looked at Lillian. "And what shall we call you, lady savior?"

Lillian smiled as she was called a lady. She wanted nothing traced back to her, nor her past family, so she mustered up the only name that she could think of. "Call me the Switchblade Mamma."

Palmer smiled, her brow slowly lifting. "Very well then, Switchblade Mamma, we are at your side."

Lillian took a few steps closer to Palmer. She reached out her hand, grabbing Palmer's, shaking it toughly.

"Im about to Superman your ass," Lillian said with a grin to Palmer.

Palmer smiled, with Lillian's hand in hers. "Superman?"

In an instant, Lillian took off, blowing through the White House roof, and into the skies. As she headed home, the darkness of DC began to lift, and Lillian started a race towards the sun.

"You've got some bogeys on your tail." Chimed in Bear.

Lillian lifted a brow, as she checked her rear. Three jets were fast on her trail. "Shit, do you think she is trying to shoot me out of the sky?"

Bear hesitated. "It's a possibility. And with the firepower that those jets are packing... you'd better be quick, Lillian."

"Damn, and I thought I was on my best behavior." Replied Lillian through her teeth, as she picked up some speed. "How we doing on the space thing?"

"We have a dying colony on Mars, but as far as casual orbital flight, still in the works... Nothing concrete."

Lillian sneered, as if what she was about to do was a grueling task. She took an abrupt 90 degree angle, and headed towards the black twinkling skies of space. "Ahhh, this is going to suck." She muttered to herself as she felt the temperature quickly drop.

"But I thought you loved space?"

Lillian tilted her head as she continued to climb in altitude. "Oh, I do. It's just the last time space and I met, I seemed to have much difficulty in adjusting to breathing vacuum."

"So then just make a space suit, silly." Bear replied.

Lillian shook her head as she smiled. "Son of a bitch." She said. A red helmet fused over her head, complete with a green face plate. The inner suite was yellow, and of a thin flexible material, that was durable and able to ward off enemy fire. The outer, the parts that were to cover over Lillian's shoulders and legs, was an orange-ish thick metal armor.

With the jets slowing in their pursuit, Lillian halted her flight at the end of the Mesosphere. Her jaw dropped as she saw something that she thought she would never see.

"They have left Lillian. You may come back home now."

It was as if the planet wore a halo, a blazing, blue green halo. The earth was a wondrous speck in a sea of black, with white sparkles. Lillian tilted her head in awe, as she watched the northern lights dance, embracing the planet with its grace, and its mystery. "What a wondrous place this is." Lillian muttered between her lips.

There was a quick scrambling of radar, and Lillian headed back to base. She felt giddy about her new suit, smiling the entire way, the northern lights still fresh in her mind.

As she landed on the outside rock cliff of the base, she was greeted by Dayna, who was waiting by the blast doors, occupying herself with filing nails. Dayna casually looked up and smiled at Lillian, her eyebrows arching. "Samus called, she said she needs her suit back. She has another mission to Zeebes."

The front of Lillian's helmet opened up, shifting backwards, and then tucking and disappearing in the back. Lillian gave of a small grin as she met Dayna at the door. "Ha, ha... Very funny. It was the only thing I could think of at the moment. Space and Metroid go hand in hand."

Dayna patted Lillian on the back, and they walked together down the corridor towards the mess hall. "Now, I'm 5"8. And normally, you are 5"2. Dayna stopped Lillian, grasping her arms side by side. "How is it you are now like six feet wearing that suit?"

Lillian shrugged, raising her brows. "I guess Samus was a tall chick. How do you know about Metroid? I thought that was way before your time."

Dayna smiled, reminiscing about her childhood. "Believe it or not, Samus has been making her rounds ever since 1986. They keep reinventing her, and we kids keep eating her up."

Lillian nodded, while rubbing her face with her hand. The suit feeling smooth, but cold and hard on her skin. "As it should be." They took a few more steps, before Lillian spoke once more. "So where have you been? Did you see me on TV?"

Dayna pursed her lips, the memory of her absence making her queasy. "Yes I did see you... Congrats on no one getting hurt. And... I've been a bit under the weather."

Lillian stopped to look into Dayna's crystal blue eyes. She slowly placed her hands upon Dayna's shoulders. "Are you okay? I could totally scan you with this suit and find..."

Dayna cut her off. "Lillian, I am fine. Someone just left their body pizza laying on the table."

Lillian's facial expression turned numb. She pulled back the side of her lip into a lopsided frown, her eyes growing big. "Oh, sorry about that."

Chapter 18

"Well, I am not fucking around anymore." Growled Lillian, from between her teeth. "Where is she? Where did they take her?" There was a clouded static buzzing in Lillian's ear. And at the moment, all she felt was fear and doubt.

From the shuttle bay, Lillian jettisoned herself into space, clinging on to the side of the Vitair's battle cruiser. There was no need for amenities or luxuries of any sorts aboard a Vitair ship, for all they sought was knowledge and power, and looking through window's for answers was out of the question.

Lillian's heart was in a manic pulse, and combating with her normal thoughts was the word, why, why, why? She held on hard to the ship's hull, closing her eyes and trying to fight off tears. Lillian cursed at herself for being too human, for the moment. And when her tears burned away and transferred into anger, Lillian became one with the structure, phased into it and made her way into inside.

She took a deep breath as she tried her best to remain quiet. "I'm in." Lillian said in her mind. She stood tall, extending her arms. "I am sending a pulse now. Quickly give me the schematics of this ship, as we do not have any time to waste, where is she?"

Her eyes narrowed as she received her answer. Even if Lillian rendered herself invisible, her location would still be detected. The Vitair had a lock on her life force, and it would be only a matter of moments before they reached her position. Taking a split second, Lillian summoned help from her decoys. In a matter of moments, the Vitair's ship was flooded with help, those that breathed Lillian's life force.

The fight was back on, and strong. Explosions rocked and rumbled throughout the ship, as Lillian searched its decks. The Vitair were at every corner, and Lillian mustering up all the positive universal energy she could muster, blasted each and every shadowed, red eyed lifeform that she came across.

They fought with a fury, and in numbers. And with the constant absorption of energy and expulsion, Lillian's human body became weak. She knew that if she became too tired, the Vitair would overtake her, and all would be for not. But Lillian's love, her anguish in trying to fight for someone whom she cared very deeply for, fueled her insane berserker mode, she continued, forcing her way through the masses.

The red glaring eyes of the Vitair shown brightly, as Lillian sent their smoky, black beaten bodies into the nexus. Her skin was tearing, her body failing under the stress. As Lillian was putting so much thought into blasting the bad guys, and forgetting to heal herself, she was tearing herself to shreds. At the moment, only one word existed in her mind, TeLanna.

Leaving a trail of bodies, Lillian blasted through the bridge doors, face torn, and body covered in skin tears, and blood. Her eyes glowed insanity as she stared down the captain of the ship.

It's long, praying mantis like smoking arm held tightly against TeLanna's neck, its barbs grinding into her skin, and glowing red eyes, intense. It sneered at Lillian, licking its lips with a smoking tongue. "You already have what you want... Or do you?" It spoke with a low, deep slithering speech. "You humans are so sentimental... Always hanging on to that which is not real."

Lillian, dripping blood, madness flooding into her mind, clenched her fists and began emitting all the positive energy she could muster. "You let her go, you low life piece of shit."

The captain held TeLanna closer, her brown eyes filling with pain. "You can do whatever you want with me... No matter what, your species is already doomed."

Lillian held her glowing fist up high. "You let her go."

The Vitarian captain shook his head. "A trade then... You for her life?" His red eyes never faltering, his low deep voice cracking, and echoing.

Lillian nodded. "Fine, just let her go."

TeLanna protested, shaking her head. "No Lillian, no, no, no." There was a slight movement in her jaw. TeLanna's eyes widened as she looked at Lillian, her body going limp within the Vitarian's arms.

Lillian fell to her knees as she shouted, "God damn you!!"

The Vitarian captain dropped her lifeless body to the ground. He then looked to Lillian, eyes piercing red. "You can't win this war... We are many, and you are just one." He sneered, showing ghastly teeth. "You have billions to protect now."

Lillian's eyes darkened, as she pointed her blazing fist towards the Vitarian captain. "You go to hell."

He smiled a smoky grin, his yellowed sharp teeth showing glee. "I shall forever haunt your dreams."

Both of Lillian's arms flew forward, blasting. The bright white light encased her, and Lillian flew forward in her bed. She was covered in sweat, and breathing hard. A feeling of nausea overcame her, and she rushed to the bathroom, releasing herself. The dream was thick in her mind, and so very real. After she had rinsed her mouth, she sat back onto the edge of her bed, and watched as the sun rose through her view screen.

She shook her head as she spoke. "What the fuck was that?"

Bear appeared in the corner of the room, her face somewhat expressionless. "Are you okay?"

Pulling her hand over her head, and through her thick long hair, Lillian swallowed hard before looking into the suns, amber raising rays. Her reaction to the dream, was a dwelling of complete devastation within her heart, a feeling to where she had no idea, as where it was coming from. She took a deep breath as she pushed herself up from her slouching sitting position, and looked into Bear's eyes. "Who is TeLanna?"

Bear remained stone-face, a slight raise in her brow; Lillian noted. "Did you have a nightmare?"

Pursing her lips, Lillian tilted her head. "You think? Have you heard the name before?" Lillian was becoming short. It was not in her nature to be rude or pushy, but what she was feeling at the moment, it was just too real, even for a dream.

There was another slight twitch in Bear's eye, before she answered. "I am not aware of it, no."

Lillian raised a brow before standing. She took a few steps towards Bear as she spoke. "What scares me, is that fact that everything in that dream seemed real..." Lillian stopped directly in front of Bear, not completely eye level, as Bear was 5'6, perfectly crafted after her protégé, Dr. Lauren Lewis, and Lillian 5'2. But Lillian adjusted, tilting her head, eyes focused on Bear's. "And as much as I did not see, or missed, what I did manage to catch, was the eyes of the woman who killed herself in order to save me, this TeLanna... Why did her eyes look exactly like yours?"

This time Bear did not move, nor twitch. "Perfectly explainable. I have had the most contact with you as of lately, so it would be normal for you to dream of me."

Lillian sat back down, shaking her head. "And the aliens... Your death... I am still devastated... It just felt so real." Her staccato words slowly trailing off as she clasped her hands together, turning to look outside. The sun had completely risen by now, the Painted Desert fully encased in the suns golden rays. "He told me he would haunt my dreams."

"Who?" Quickly asked Bear.

Lillian shook her head, lifting a brow, while pulling her hand through her long, thick, dirty blonde hair. When her eyes narrowed, they lifted to meet Bear's. "Wildeve? He told me to call him Wildeve."

Bear's lips remained in a straight line. Until her mouth slowly dropped to speak. "And when did he tell you that?"

Lillian softly shook her head, trying to think, her eyes remaining in a daze. "Somewhere in the transition of me blasting him, and waking up." She lifted her brows, face filling with fear. "I'd seen those eyes before... The night that I came here, and nearly Strangled Dayna to death, they glowed something fierce. But subsequently, those eyes have been glaring at me every night, ever since. So..." Lillian swallowed hard. "I've been drinking before bed... To make the dreams... Not so vivid."

Bear furrowed her brows. "When? I haven't seen you consume much alcohol."

Lillian's cheeks lifted, and she smiled through gritting teeth. "I thought you were tracking my moves, reading my thoughts?"

Bear frowned. "I do try to give you your privacy." She replied.

Lillian shrugged, leaning back, and reaching for something underneath her pillow. She pulled out a green bottle of Highland Park, single malt, scotch whiskey, Ice Edition. "I've been hitting the nightcaps pretty hard." Lillian said as she pulled the cork from the bottle, and took a light swig.

Bear's eyes widened, as her jaw slowly dropped. "Christ, Lil."

"After he killed..." Lillian's eyes lifted towards Bear. "You, he said that he was to haunt my dreams. There is absolutely nothing I can do to make him stop, I have tried." She pulled her hand through her long hair, once again, looking at the bottle before putting it away.

Bear's lips remained fused, for she felt there was nothing more she could say. Lillian's pain was a phantom one, a very powerful being that had resolved to haunt her for the rest of her eternal lifetime. Bear shuddered. "We will fix this for you. I'll have Dava get with Faye, and create something. If the Shitair can't stop it, we will find something that can.

Smiling, Lillian lifted her brows, as she pulled off her night shirt, readying herself for a shower. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, boss." She pulled off her boxers and undies, her long, dark blonde hair cascading down her torso. As Lillian reached into the dresser to grab some clothes, she turned to look at Bear. "Blushing much?" Asked Lillian.

Bear's eyes swirled. Her face now turned an even darker red for being caught in the act of voyeurism. Instantly, she changed the pigmentation of her skin, returning it to normal. "I am a program, I do not blush."

Lillian lifted a brow as she grabbed her towel, and made her way to the bathroom. "That's not what I saw."

"I...I am a program. It is in our nature to want to learn to be more human." Bear stammered.

At the entrance to the bathroom, Lillian let out a little laugh. "Okay Data, be sure that Dr. Blackwater gets working on your emotions chip too."

Bear blinked once, mildly irritated. "Please stop being a smart ass."

Lillian entered the bathroom, her head just peeking out the crack of the door. "If you are lonely, maybe you should check out the interwebs for some porn. It's been fifty years, I know I have missed out. I think I will put that ocular screen to use in the shower, and dabble a bit in some 2066 porn." Lillian smiled before closing the door.

Bear blinked once before dissolving, and disappeared from the area.

Porn wasn't really on Lillian's mind. It was just a craving of hers to say outrageous things to people and see how they would react. And what intrigued Lillian about Bear the most, was the fact that she was reacting, her blushing, and her expressions made Lillian smile with an acute curiosity. But with most things, personal, and or for pleasure, at the moment, Lillian's curiosity would have to wait. She had bigger fish to fry.

Lillian could feel the subtle warming kick from the scotch-whisky, lighting up her insides. And as the shower ran and fogged up the room, Lillian glared at her own eyes, through the misty layered mirror. With all that has changed, Lillian traced her fingers slowly down the contours of her facial scars, and took a moment to think of Paige. Lillian quietly spoke a prayer to the universe for her.

Lillian pulled her hands through her long hair one more time, before a thought popped into her head. She lifted it, pulled it to the sides, and into the back. With a thought slipping into Lillian's head, she relived herself of a lackluster smile. And on instant, she searched in the bathroom's cabinet, below the sink. She knew she would not find one, but she had to try. Lifting her left arm, Lillian's forehead puckered. Her eyes narrowed, and she proceeded to manifest an unusual request from her Shitair co-inhabitants, a pair of hair clippers.

Dayna mildly choked on her coffee, as Lillian walked into the mess hall. Spitting out a bit of coffee, she pulled down her Bengal printed, cat-eyed glasses, covering her mouth with her hand, trying to mask a light chuckle. But, as she watched Lillian make herself a cup of coffee, Dayna Stiles realized that Lillian's new do, actually suited her. "Wow, Lil... At first, I wasn't sure, but... It looks right on you."

Lillian took a seat at the table, across from Dayna. She smiled in gratitude. "Thanks. Before my missing fifty years, I strongly supported the short look. It was easy to cut my own hair." She shook her head, sipped her coffee, and then swallowed. "I wish I could remember why I changed my mind."

"Have you figured out yet, why you have lost your memories?"

Once again, Lillian shook her head. But she mentioned her thoughts on who she thought was the culprit, who was also responsible for her restless nights, and nightmares. A glowing, red-eyed creature with a deep slithering voice, known as Wildeve.

Dayna clung on to every sentence. She had seen many extraordinary things in her life, but any dealings with space was a complete fascination to her. Around the time of her birth, in 2031, the first crew of the Mars One set off on their mission to the red planet. The landing was a success, and colonization of Mars had begun. In 2033, when Dayna was four years old, crew two, of the Mars One mission departed. A successful landing on Earth's sister planet, a year later.

As the energy crisis on Earth became more apparent, its financial situation became dire. There were fewer and fewer supply drops to Mars, its inhabitants suffering. Throughout school, Dayna always worked on projects pertaining to space, or the Mars One mission. One day, out of the goodness of an unknown donor's heart, a shuttle was donated to take supplies to Mars, Dayna leading the project.

Dayna, and with the help of other schoolmates, burned the candle at both ends trying very hard to fill the shuttle with much needed goods. And for some reason, the need and passion to help the Mars colonists, enflamed Dayna's heart the most.

It had been a little after a year since the goods were sent. Dayna's team had celebrated as the news broadcast their shuttles successful drop on the red planet. It had been a long day, and after a night of libations and laughter, Dayna sluggishly peeled off her clothes, replacing them with pajamas, usually just boxers and a shirt.

Dropping her contact lenses on her night stand, Dayna rolled into bed. She was always made fun of at school for still wearing them, or glasses. But, she would just smirk at her harasser, and raise her brows proclaiming, "I do not wish to alter my body in any way. I am happy the way I am."

Pulling out a copy of To Kill a Mocking Bird, by Harper Lee, Dayna slid a pair of thin, wire framed glasses to the edge of her nose. She hadn't even cleared one paragraph, before she was notified of a caller on her reference pad. Not often did she receive late night calls, but with much curiosity, Dayna reached for her night coat, and rushed to her pad.

She pushed her glasses further up her nose, accepting the extremely long distance call. Her heart fluttered as she realized the communication was coming from Mars. With the tap of a fingertip, Dayna was introduced to a bright, blue eyed man. His face was long, and covered in a busheling beard. Despite his shagginess, his friendly smile shown through immaculately.

"Are you Miss Dayna Prisma Stiles?" The man joyfully asked.

Dayna's face glowed as she replied. Communications with the Mars colonists were always back and forth at school, and with a big group, but none one on one. "Yes, how may I help you, Mr.?"

"My name is David, Captain David Bishop. And I wanted to thank you for your help... The supplies. We were in dire need." His smile faded somewhat, a light glaze coursed through his eyes.

"Captain Bishop, it was a team effort, we all did..."

Before Dayna could finish, the Captain cut her off, emotions wavering in his speech. "I know... But this is more of a personal call for me, to you."

Dayna narrowed her eyes, as she tilted her head. "I'll do my best to help."

Warmly, the man smiled, once again. "I know you will. But this isn't about that. It's about you and me."

Confused, Dayna tilted her head. "How so?"

David Bishop pulled his hand through his beard. The lines on his face crinkled with signs of worry and hard living. He raised a bushy brow, willing and wanting to speak the truth, but not sure if it was right to do so. But he threw caution to the wind, speaking his peace, only because he knew his time was running out. "I know who you are... You are of my blood."

Dayna narrowed her eyes. "I don't understand. Who are you to me?"

A warm smile shown on David's face, once again. "I am your father, Dayna."

Dayna's face went expressionless. Her shoulders dropped, as she leaned back into her chair. She pulled her hands over her face, and through her hair, contemplating. "How? My father died before I was born... A car accident on his way to work."

David pursed his lips. "And that is what your mother told you?" He asked.

Dayna nodded, confused.

David lowered his head, a sideways smirk floating from his lips. "We had known each other for a while. We met through my aunt, Michelle, your mom was working for her."

Breathing in deeply, Dayna let loose a deep breath. "And she still is."

Blinking, David nodded. "I know... I had done terrible things with my life, only because it was my father's doing. And I no longer wanted to follow in his evil footsteps. And out of nowhere, I met this extraordinary woman."

"My mom?" Dayna asked.

David shook his head. "No, but she saved me, and led me onto the path to your mother." David rubbed his hand through his bushy hair. "Let's just call her Lillian. I didn't die in a car accident... As much as I loved your mom, I had to do something important with my life. I joined the Air Force, and learned to fly..." David shook his head, closing his eyes. "Mars... Mars just seemed like the right thing to do at the time. I owed her my life... Looking for her..." David trailed off, the memories burning rich within his mind. "I didn't know she was pregnant when I left, otherwise I would not have gone." David's eyes reached Dayna's, their piercing blues meeting. "Otherwise, I would not have gone..." He repeated, once again.

Dayna felt a chill throughout her body, a natural acknowledgement to the man's truth. She swallowed hard, her eyes filling with tears. "How can I help? How can I get you back?" She asked, mildly frantic.

Captain David Bishop smiled warmly, and with much reassurance. "I have chosen my path, young one. I love you with all of my heart, but I am here to stay. Your mother has created you into a strong, caring, beautiful being, and you must never lose that passion. The world depends on love like yours." His voice became shaky, and low.

Dayna, brushing back a few tears, wiped them from her face. "So what? I am to leave you there to die?"

David shook his head. "No, I am not here to die...I will tough, an old man. There are lives here... Young and old... We are the United Colony of Mars. Even if you offered all to leave, they would not. We elders cannot leave, and the young ones, the Red Planet is all they know. I know times on Earth are tough. But don't forget about us...I love you daughter. Please, to keep your mother from any hurt, we never had this conversation."

Dayna's eyes were soaked, and as quickly as she could wipe away the tears, more would protrude. And throughout the years, she kept her promise to her father, never speaking of it to her mother. Dayna vowed, as well as her mother had done, years ago, to find this "Lillian," that had turned both of their lives around.

Lillian remained stoned faced, her jaw slowly lowering at each sentence. She released herself of a low breath, reaching out across the table to take Dayna's hands. She looked her in her eyes, and smiled firmly. "I swear to you... That when I am done here, I will do whatever it takes to help your father, and his fellow colonists."

Lillian said nothing to Dayna about her father, David Bishop, but she knew him. He was the youngest of two, an offspring to a very evil man, Niko Bishop. The Bishop men, Paul, Niko, and Mickey had all fallen at the hands of Lillian. But David was a different breed.

Because of him, Lillian may not have been alive. Sure, in the past, he may have walked her into a trap, but realized it was a mistake. When we are young, mistakes play a crucial role in the teachings and learning of life. Lillian felt proud of David for moving on and finding a much higher calling in life. Lillian intended on keeping her promise to Dayna. She owed it to David.

Chapter 19

Lillian passed her hand through her short, freshly cut hair as she gazed out into the radiant, setting sun. Her face remained bland, and without emotion. But when the wind blew, and the light breeze gently caught Lillian's face, she slowly closed her eyes, and inhaled in the world.

Her stomach was uneasy, but not because it was upset. The Shitair inside her were churning, because danger was approaching, and it was their way of warning her. Within the past few months, as Lillian learned, she became more connected with the Shitair, their bond growing stronger by the day. It was her job to protect them, and them, her.

The night was bringing darkness, and the darkness would invite unknown creatures to this otherwise oblivious world. Lillian sat at the table in the mess hall with Dayna, as Dayna enjoyed a beer. Lillian's eyes looked at the frothy brown bottle for a few moments, before getting up to the fridge, and grabbing her own.

Dayna raised a brow, while pulling the bottle away from her lips. "Arent you on call tonight?" She asked. "The worlds ending is imminent." She lightly chuckled.

Lillian shrugged, tilting her head. "Takes the edge off, lady." Flicking off the bottle top, she took a long, satisfying drink. "Besides, I can totally metabolize this shit if I wanted to, and you know that."

Bear quickly materialized, startling both women. Dayna spit out her beer, lightly coating Lillian's face. "Damn, you crazy woman, I told you to stop doing that!"

Taking both hands, Lillian wiped the moisture from under her eyes. "Yeah, she gets me every time too."

Her demeanor was serious, and her eyes were stern, but splashed with worry. "Lillian, your stomach is churning, not because you are on edge, but because the time has come."

Lillian put the bottle down. She swallowed hard, as her eyes rose to meet Bear's. "The Vitair?"

Bear nodded, her ponytail lightly bouncing with the movement. "Yes, I thought they would have come sooner. For an appetizer, they have sent another hell hound, too see how strong you have become."

Releasing herself of a gigantic breath, Lillian stood up and started making her way to the door.

"Wait, you're going like that?" Dayna chimed out before Lillian could leave.

Lillian stopped, taking a moment to look over her clothes. She wore and old green Mountain Dew shirt, blue jeans, and a pair of New Balance. Lillian looked up, shrugging. "What, You want me to put the Metroid suit back on?"

Dayna shook her head. "No, but maybe you should fit the part a little more?"

"Ahh!" Lillian snapped her fingers, as her index reached for the sky. "Wardrobe absorption it is!"

Bear opened her mouth in protest, but before she could, Lillian had already commenced in the wardrobe switch.

Dayna's eyes bolted, her brows narrowed, and her jaw dropped. "Dude, I just saw your fucking tits." She said as she pointed to Lillian. "That was so fucking weird."

Lillian lifted her brows. "What, my tits?"

"No, what you just did, silly!" Replied Dayna.

Bear was shaking her head. "Still have not figured out how to do it faster, huh Lillian?"

Lillian shrugged. "I may have forgot about that part... This was only my third time."

Laughing, Dayna went to the fridge to get another beer. "You know, you may want to rethink that outfit to, Lilian."

Lillian lifted a brow. "What's wrong with this one?"

"Shouldn't you wear a mask or something? Maybe more form fitting clothes... A cape?"

Lillian shook her head. "Look lady, I aint no superhero. Just some chick with a job to do, and I feel more comfortable doing it in my own clothing." Smiling, Lillian shot out her arms and shimmied. "You know what I sayin?"

Motionless, Dayna blinked once. "Kay."

Lillian dawned her battle gear, and with deep thought, she walked towards the outside. She was complete in her Docs, jeans, and charcoal gray Firebird shirt. Both wrists were adorned and protected with six inch, studded leather gauntlets. And when Lillian reached the outside, felt the briskness of cool air, she manifested herself a lucky, black hooded jacket.

"A little light for some night time flying, don't you think?" Bear spoke as she emerged from the shadows, and glowed once in the light.

Lillian tossed on her jacket, lightly grinning. "I made it with some super-duper materials. Ultra-warm and bullet proof. So, where am I headed?"

"I'm downloading it to you now."

Lillian blinked once. "Pier 15?"

"San Francisco, my friend." Bear Replied Warmly.

Lillian lifted her brows. "Wow... Another pier. What is it with me and those?"

Bear smiled as she looked out off the cliff with Lillian, and into dusk. The rising nighttime stars were bright and glistening with hope. "I assume you will be making the pier this time, and not in the water?"

Lillian tilted her head. "Well, it is night time."

"Are you ready for this?" Bear asked quietly.

Lillian pursed her lips, while giving Bear a long glance. Her brightly lit hair glowed among the flood lights, and her eyes a penetrating darkness of brown. "No, but what choice do I have?"

"We all have a choice, Lillian."

Lillian took a few steps closer to the edge of the cliff, the whispering winds beckoning her. "And what if I said no, I can't do it."

"You already said you would. I've known you for too long. You are not one to back down from a fight."

Lillian bit down on her lower lip, the butterflies raging within the pit of her stomach. Her mind was clouded, and raging with uncertainties, but Bear's last sentence raised her curiosity. "Wait... You've known me for..."

"It's reaching for surface, you must go now!" Exclaimed Bear, quickly cutting off Lillian.

Blinking subsequently, and quickly, Lillian swallowed hard, took a deep breath, and flung herself abruptly into the nighttime sky. It was difficult to navigate through the night. From where Lillian was pointing, she knew at first, that she needed to head northwest. But in her frantic, hurried state, she forgot about her ocular display.

"You need to focus, Lillian. Your heart rate is through the roof." Gently pleaded Bear within Lillian's mind.

As Lillian was gaining speed and altitude, she tried to slow down on her panting, and focused on direction. She closed her mouth, licking the insides profusely, trying to regain some saliva. "Okay, okay, I'm on it..." The cold stinging, harsh wind was battling her on all sides, Lillian trying desperately to concentrate on comfort and stability.

As she finally had herself under control, she began to worry of other things. "Is there anything out there following me...? Should I be worried of being shot down?" Asked Lillian, somewhat frantic.

"No. Just keep your altitude down... You should be fine." Replied Bear, calmly.

From the Painted Desert, through the Mojave National Preserve, Lillian followed Interstate Five, until she reached San Francisco. When she reached the Bay, Lillian traced the beacon until she landed safely on pier 15. She released herself of a deep sigh, as her boots touched dry ground.

Heavy muffled music played in the background, as brightly lit lights, bounced off the waters in the bay. There was a structure in front of Lillian, the beacon leading her into it.

It was lively, filled with smoke, and vibrated with young and old voices. The patio was brightly lit, and as Lillian was making her way towards it, she was greeted by a group of men and women. One individual in particular, looked to be an older man, smiling, his teeth showing through his thick goatee. As held on to a drink, his mouth seemed to be occupied with a big thick cigar, but not immobile. He lifted one of his bushy eyebrows, his blue eyes glowing underneath them. "Wow that was incredible. Where is your chute?"

Lifting a brow, Lillian narrow her eyes. "My what?" Her gaze lifted as she tried to make eye contact with the 6"2 man, who was also peculiarly dressed.

"Your jet pack?" The young man asked truthfully.

Shaking her head, Lillian lifted her brows. "Jet packs? Is that a thing now a days?"

The man put his hand around Lillian's shoulder, leading her closer into the club. "Either way, that shit was crazy! Come on, let me buy you a drink!" He said joyfully, Lillian following, perplexed.

"What the fuck is this?" Replied Lillian within her mind, as she was escorted into the innards of the club, at the hands of a very tall, unknown man.

"A classic rock club." Replied Bear.

Lillian took a moment to inhale the atmosphere. It was not too far off from the steampunk club she visited years ago, in search of Michelle Bishop's daughter, Prisma. It was of course dark, but softly lit by sparkling colored twinkles, such as vintage Christmas lights. The fashion was a garb from many periods of time. The particular era favored in this club, was very Victorian, and sexy. Lillian was enjoying the eye candy. Her new friend in fact, looked much like Van Helsing himself. The song currently playing was one of her all-time favorites, Save Yourself, by Stabbing Westward. She smiled, as she lifted both fists into the air. "Fuck, I love this song" And for a moment, forgot why she had come in the first place.

The tall man shouted, and raised both of his fists as well. "Hell yeah! It's so old, but it is truly far out!"

Lillian lifted both brows, turning to the bar and waving for a drink, desperately. "Far out? What time am I in again?"

"2066, but the terms from the fifties are back in, due to the Mars mission."

"Christ, now I really need a drink." Panted Lillian. As the bartender came to her, Lillian raised her fist, all five fingers accounted for. "Five of the oldest scotch you have, please." She asked.

"Really, this is no time to indulge Lillian." Exclaimed Bear.

Lillian took the first shot, followed by four others, quickly as her adopted group cheered loudly. "I'm not indulging, I'm dealing."

"You need to clear the club out now!" Barked Bear, as the target in question was on the move.

With the warmth from the booze trailing into Lillian's insides, she felt it much easier to disperse the party. But first, she needed a chaser. "Watch this." She said to her young friend and his group, as she manifested a cigarette from her hand, and lit it with her finger.

Their eyes were in awe, as Lillian took a drag. "How did you do that?" The man asked.

Lillian placed the cigarette into her mouth, taking her palm and placing it upon the young man's chest. She inhaled deeply from it, and blew it into his face. "You need to leave now."

His brows furrowed, with confusion. "What?"

With the cigarette hanging from Lillian's lip, she lifted both arms sky high, index fingers extended. Before she fired, she lifted her brow, and looked at the man solemnly. "For your safety, and the safety of your friends, I seriously suggest you leave, right now."

Lillian's eyes became a fiery red, small embers burning and releasing into the air. The tips of her fingers sparked, followed by a long stream of flames, bold enough to grab everyone's attention, but gentle, as to not ignite the building. Her voice loud and bellowing, dropped a few octaves. "Everyone needs to leave..."

Lillian looked around, to assure herself that she had everyone's attention. With the music killed, the silence only revealed the crackling from her flaming fingers, and a few light whimpering's from the fearful, here and there. Her needed attention was gathered, but everyone stood motionless, as if staring into the headlights of a car.

As the building began to rumble, Lillian stomped her feet, finishing her sentence. "NOW!" The people scrambled frantically, flooding and pushing through the few available exits. As the floor in the middle of the establishment began to split, and the roof came down piece by piece, Lillian shook her head and began to regret the time used to get the drinks, as people were still stuck inside. Bear was right, and she had been selfish with her time.

Thinking fast, Lillian smashed through the brick walls by both doors at each exit, with hope to allow more people to get out. It was working, and turning to the split in the floor, Lillian's fear had worsened. People were hanging onto whatever they could, as to not fall in to the growing crevice. She moved quickly, using her ability to fly, and assisting those in hard to reach areas.

When she had thought the area was clear, and all were safe, Lillian heard a faint cry from the building. She turned to see her newly made friend hanging on for dear life, at the edge of the crevice. Lillian rushed to the side of the man, as she had little time to waste. The tips of the creature's ears were rising from the hole, and its snarls and grumbling was becoming more amplified.

As she reached him, at the foot of the ledge, his fingers frantically grabbed at the soles of her boots. She turned, jumping backwards to level herself, defying gravity. Coming from the back, Lillian wrapped her hands around the man, giving him a snug bear hug.

Startled, the man with the flowing goatee and crystal blue eyes, grappled the ledge with a death like grip. "What the hell are you doing?" His body tightened and he became ridged.

Reassuringly, Lillian adjusted her grip, speaking into the man's ear. Her voice was calm, and laced with humor. "No chute, remember?"

Trusting her, the man released his grip, and Lillian flew him from his impending doom. She had only managed to get a few feet out of the hole, before the hound had its oversized claw at her backside. The man fell, tumbling to the ground, Lillian twisting quickly to face the creature and to fight back.

Rubbing her hand down her backside to take damage control, Lillian pulled her arm back, covered in blood. As she felt the pain, and saw the blood, Lillian thought she was in no immediate danger, and held off on focus healing for the moment, as her thoughts were needed else ware. This time, she knew she could not cut the monster in half, and blasts of energy did nothing, so, she manifested a token of her appreciation within her palm, waiting for the right moment to strike.

It was about torso out, front legs extended, and nails grappling the failing wood planks of the club. The lights glistened off of its shiny silver scales, and its eyes glowed red, mimicking that of a deep blood, red moon.

As Lillian readied herself, she backed up, until she was stopped by the fallen man whom she had just saved. She turned her head slightly towards him, lifting a brow. "You better get ready to move guy."

"I think I have dislocated my kneecap." The man said frantically.

Lillian blinked quickly, arm ready. "Well, you better relocate it now!" Lillian shouted back.

The Hound crawled further from the hole, its eyes emitting a fiery red glow. As it lowered its jaw to release one more, loud howl, Lillian took it as an invitation to chuck in the grenade that she had been harboring within her palm. It had no choice but to swallow, and choke. Before Lillian could turn to run, it gave out one last fleeting strike at combat, its nails tearing into Lillian's gut.

Turning, Lillian picked up the defenseless man, holding him close to her, she ran with all of her might. "I popped it back in!" He exclaimed. "I can run!"

Lillian shook her head, as she started for the door. "Dude, you are the only one keeping my insides from falling out." As she reached the outside, the building blew, sending Lillian and the man flying.

Lillian tumbled, rolling multiple times, before coming to a stop on her back. Her eyes were set blankly upon the stars, as she gasped for air, franticly trying to heal herself. Voices echoed from every which way, none of which were comprehensible. Grasping at her stomach, Lillian rolled over, stood up, and then cradled her gut.

Her insides were truly falling out of her, all twenty five feet. And as the flames glared in the background, Lillian struggled to put herself back together. Her hands were slick and bloodied, large and small intestines falling from the large gaping wounds in her stomach. She continued a steady pace backwards, as she stuffed, only to have more intestines fall out.

Darkness was becoming, lacing Lillian's vision. She saw nothing more than blood, and focused only on her fading heartbeat. As she fell back, plunging into the black salty wetness of the bay, Lillian choked on the waters, as she continued to stuff, running out of air. Her focus, her mind... All ceased, but on one function... Put the body back together. There was a stiffness within her fingers, as her body began to lose oxygen. She choked, her hands becoming at ease.

The stars twinkled, and the universe became apparent. Its function, its sanctity cradled Lillian, and readied her for the beyond. And as Lillian was ready to accept the parallels of death, her last struggling breath of a horrific underwater doom, was lightened by the bright blue eyes of a determined man.

His arms were sturdy, and held on to her tightly. As he pulled her up, Lillian gasped, gulping air and water. She heaved violently, the man turning her over, assessing her wound. "Tell me, how can I fix you?" He asked, with a hoarse voice.

Lillian choked, gasping on blood and air. "Put my insides back into my belly."

The man did so, cradling Lillian in his arms, holding her close, and trying to keep her warm and calm. "Okay... You are one piece now."

Lillian smiled, bloodied teeth showing through. "Thank you... For saving me." Her body went limp, and relaxed.

As the man watched, Lillian's gut wound began to heal. The torn intestines mended, Lillian's stomach fusing into one. The man blinked, shaking his head. "What the hell?"

The flames from the club became an inferno. The sirens became increasingly close. When Lillian was finally whole once again, she lifted herself quickly. "We have to leave now."

The man lifted a brow. "We?"

Lillian smiled, and then nodded. "Yes, we. You saved my life. You are now a part of this." Lillian put her arms around her savior, and jettisoned them both into the sky, and towards home.

Chapter 20

The call for help had come in the early hours of the morning. Ida abruptly awoke from the side of her dying grandmother's bed, as Bear was whispering into her mind. She turned, somewhat startled by her presence, eyes squinted and encrusted with sleep. "What are you doing here?" She softly asked.

Bear made no effort at adding facial expressions to her reply, but rather tilted her head as she spoke. "I've lost communication with Lillian some time ago. But we believe that she is hurt and in need of medical attention."

Ida blinked, getting up slowly and kissing her grandmother's hand. "Let me get some things packed."

Bear nodded. "There is a flying conveyance waiting for you out front, when you are ready."

Dr. Ida Yates fumbled with her things, as she quickly stuffed her medical bag. She had seen many things in life, but none of which twisted her nerves as much as Lillian did. Each and every loss was an uneasy one, but for Ida, a Lillian loss would mean the eradication of a species, the end of life as she knew it.

The first time Ida had met her grandmother, she was six years old. It was a cold December afternoon, and the rain had been pouring down all day. Ida contently stomped at the puddles laughing, as the splashes disappeared with the rain. Her father gently pulled her as she slowed, her curious eyes trying to find the missing drops.

"Come Ida." His voice calmly rising over the rains patter. "You are going to meet your grandmother."

Ida stopped, and furrowed her small childish brows. "But you said grandma went to heaven... And mom... and grandpa."

Smiling, Ian Yates knelt down beside his young and innocent daughter. He took his hand and lightly brushed a lone strand of brown hair from his little girls face, with his finger. "Yes, they have. And this woman is also my mother... But she is the one who created me... Which makes her your grandmother."

The little girl smiled, as she quickly looked up to the grey sky, to collect a few wet drops on her tongue. Ian hugged his daughter, and the two continued up the drive, knocking on the door.

A man in his late fifty's answered, eyes narrowing as he peered at the pair. "Who is it Ben?" A woman asked in the back. The man's eyes remained trained on the two, but no answer was spoken.

A brown eyed woman put herself between the man and the door to get a better look. Her hair was long, graying in strands, and curled up at the ends. Her skin was showing signs of age. When her eyes met the outsiders, something inside of her acknowledged what she already knew. Her jaw slowly dropped, drawing in a deep breath. "Ian?"

The man smiled, a single tear falling from his eye. "Mother."

Paige Jackson gave up her son at an early age. It was not her decision, but rather that of her father's. She had fallen in love, deeply, and the result was Ian. But what she was involved in, what her family was involved in, had no business for children. So, from then on, Paige lost both her loves, and the willingness to feel. It was not until some years after that, Paige had met Lillian, and once again, her love began to brew.

It was not until around fifteen years later that Lillian had disappeared, Paige met her son and granddaughter for the first time. The three bonded immensely, but Paige and Ida the most. Paige's life changed, as she tried her best to move on and to be happy, but not one minute went by that she did not think of Lillian. As much as she tried to show brightness and love in her new life, her eyes always hinted with a strain of loss.

When Ida was eleven, she discovered Lillian. "Nana, who is this?" She asked as she held and old tattered picture up to Paige.

Smiling, Paige took it from her granddaughter. "Where did you get this from?" She kindly asked.

Blinking quickly, Ida pointed to Paige's purse on the table. "I was moving it to get more room. It dropped and this fell out, who is it? Is it another son of yours?"

Paige lightly chuckled. "No... She was..."

Ida confused, tilted her head. "That's a girl? But she has short hair, and she does not dress like a girl."

Nodding, Paige concurred. "She did indeed."

"Then who is she, nana?" The youth asked, once again.

Paige took the picture, sitting down at the table with her curious granddaughter, and placed it back into her billfold. "Before your grandpa Ben, I loved another. A woman... And when she came to me, she was broken, and afraid." Paige took the picture from her purse, and looked it over, once again. "Both of us were... Broken and afraid. But she brought the light back out of me, and showed me how to love, once again, and I her."

Ida took the picture from her grandmother, looking it over thoroughly, once more. "But where did she go? Why is she not here?"

There was a deep, echoing pain growing once again inside of Paige. And as the search for Lillian was continuous, and never ending, her need to explain the truth to her granddaughter was a must. "Lillian will return, I know this, as I feel it in my heart, but not in my lifetime... I don't think. But for you, my child, I want you to be ready for whatever may come."

Ida placed her hand over her grandmother's squeezing tightly. "I will nana... Tell me what I need to do."

Paige smiled, her brown eyes damp with loss. "Are you ready to believe child, to open your mind?"

Ida nodded, ready to receive. "I am ready nana... Tell me about this Lillian."

When Ida had finished packing, she took one last look at her grandmother, lying still, but peaceful. Her ear hovered above her chest, checking vitals momentarily, then placing a warm kiss upon her forehead. As Ida headed for the door, and placed her hand upon the knob, a faint voice echoed throughout the room.

"She is in trouble, isn't she?"

Ida stopped, and looked to her grandmother. "No, she is fine."

Paige took a deep breath and released it as she spoke, every word hard, but vital. "Don't lie to me because I am dying. Tell me the truth because I have nothing left to lose."

Ida took a seat, clasping her grandmother's hand in hers, the pain of truth tearing a hole within her insides. "It is believe that she is hurt. But I am going to help. I will help her, nana."

All of Paige's strength went into mustering up a smile. It was short, but vibrant. Her energy always roused with the topic of Lillian at hand. "I felt her presence the moment she landed... Her energy gives me strength too..."

Ida gently guided her back to her pillow. "You do what you must when I am not around... But I am here now, so lay, nana."

Paige took her place, releasing herself of pain. "You take care of my love, won't you?"

Ida nodded. "You need to rest, nana." She replied calmly.

Paige let go of a deep breath, staring into the celling. "Not until I know for sure she has succeeded. I know my Lillian. She is scared and confused... But when the time comes... She will shine like the sun does."

Ida smiled, gently pulling her hand through her grandmother's short curls. "Nana, I have to go..." Ida placed one more kiss upon her grandmother's forehead. "For the love of all."

Paige smiled as the wind outside blew the chimes into a melodic symphony. "For the love of all." She closed her eyes, as her heart melted and prayed for her true love.

Ida took one last look, smiling at the strength her nana held onto. On the outside, the wind blew every which way, chimes blasting, the cold fall air, chilling. As Ida pulled open the door to her conveyance, she peered into the skies, the stars so brightly lit and sparkling, she could do nothing more but smile. For here, was out there. And little did the Earth know... Out there was back, to save it all.

Lillian's decent was too quick, and as she came in to land, she dropped the man as gently as possible, tumbling and rolling as she reached the ground. The man coughed a few times, straining and squinting his eyes, so that he could see the woman who had flown him in... In her arms.

The sun was making its way up, the lower horizons of the Painted Desert glowing a bright fiery red. The man stood, brushing the dirt from his pants, as he looked beyond the rolling hills of the desert, and witnessed an unfolding beauty that was a kaleidoscope of colors.

Lillian made her way to man's side, taking in the moment's beauty with him, both faces glowing in an immaculate golden hue. Her brows narrowed, as her tongue fidgeted within her mouth. When she found what she was looking for, Lillian spat both tooth and blood over the cliff side.

The man's attention soon moved to the tumbling tooth. He raised a brow. "Need a dentist?"

Lillian shook her head. "Nope, already grew one back."

"Oh." The man was silent. Her sentence sent a nauseas quiver to his stomach.

Lillian slightly turned towards him, extending her hand. "Thanks for saving my life, by the way."

The man smiled lightly, taking her hand and shaking it hesitantly. "It was really... No... No problem at all. After all, you saved me first." His mind was whirling at an insane speed, and he tried to gain control and to catch up. Everything had happened so quickly, his brain was still trying to compute and understand all of the impossible things that he had seen that evening. At first he thought it was the alcohol, but now, somewhat pining over a semi-crude hangover, his own thoughts begged to differ. And for some reason, he couldn't get it out of his head, that the strange woman looked familiar.

"Come on dude, I don't bite." Lillian said as she turned, guiding them both towards the heavy blast doors. Moments before reaching them, Lillian took her right hand, and planted it firmly upon the man's chest. She pushed him hard and firmly into the rock wall next to the doors, shoved her left hand up against his chin, keeping his mouth closed, and from screaming. He was taller than her, but she managed, the man struggling a bit, but unable to move from Lillian's lock.

Lillian eyes narrowed, and her friendly, inviting expression left. She took her right hand, and waived it in front of the man's face. "Do you see these claws here?" Lillian motioned to her long fingernails with her eyes. Excitedly, and filled with fear, the man nodded. "Good." Replied Lillian. "Because, I swear to god, I will gouge your eyes out, and shit you not, I will find whatever I can to skull fuck you, if you breathe a word of this to anyone." Lillian added a wicked smirk to her narrowed lifted brows. "Do you understand me?" Affirmatively, and steady, the man nodded once again. Releasing her grip, Lillian took a few steps back. "Good. Now, let's go inside and relax with a few beers."

Releasing himself of much stress and fear, the man ran his hand over his goatee. "Sounds good to me... Do you have a name?"

Before Lillian could speak, the doors opened, and Ida, with Dayna in tow, stepped outside. Ida's eyes drifted quickly past Lillian, only to set on the man. She dropped her bag as her jaw fell. "Speedman?" She said point blankly.

Smiling, Dr. Derrick Speedman waved at his friend and coworker's familiar face. "Dr. Yates... So good to see you here..." With his jaw now in succession, he turned to look at Lillian. He shouted at himself for not noticing it earlier, but when he saw her, she had long hair. "Jane Doe?"

Grinning, Lillian spoke. "That's who you are... I thought I knew you from somewhere. Dude from the hospital that did not turn me into the feds..." She moved in closer, extending her hand once more. "Oh, I do have a name... It's Lillian... But my enemies call me the Switchblade Mamma."

Derrick took a deep breath, and released.

Chapter 21

The insides of a normally serious hall, were somewhat abruptly filled with laughter. Loud chuckles, talking, and popping bottle tops could be heard echoing throughout the corridors. A rather large number of empty beer bottles was piling up on the table, as its occupants were drinking and laughing the night away.

Lillian was content with the distraction. Her memories of losing her intestines were quickly fading, as most thoughts were being diverted for the moment. She smiled, grateful for the company. It was good to feel human, once again.

"I seriously had no clue... Everything turned to shit so fast. I was with my cousin drinking the night away. I didn't even bother to watch the news. When I saw her fall from the sky, the booze just made it feel it so real. It was not until I fell into that hole, near death, and she," Derrick motioned to Lillian with a big smile, "She pulled me out, got hurt and told me nicely that I was the only one keeping her insides in."

The four unloaded into a broad laugh, sharing the night's triumphs, and taking deep sorrowful breaths on its downfalls. Derrick Speedman thanked Lillian over and over for his life, for if it were not for her, he would not be here. Lillian in turn thanked Derrick, for if it were not for him, she would not be either.

The laughter flourished, as Lillian showed all, her small parlor tricks of creating a cigarette, lighting it with her finger, and smoking it. She manifested a beer, letting all who dared to take a sip, and tasting its blandness. Food was procured by her hands, as was electricity emitted. Laughter was guaranteed by all who tasted, Dayna politely declining all tastes, as she had already sampled Lillian's "body food".

The night spiraled into the early hours of the morning, the laughing crew feeling the strain of fatigue. As everyone had finished their last beers, and Lillian smoked her last cigarette, the crew readied themselves to get some sleep. As they smiled, and bid each other farewell, the corridors became loud with the sounds of marching feet. Lillian lifted a brow as she blew the last puff, eyes focusing on a very determined Dava. The table of friends was soon surrounded by soldiers, generals, Dava, and the Madam President herself.

"Oh shit." Lillian said, as she manifested yet another cigarette. She took it to her mouth, and lit it with her finger.

Dava, the leader of the pack, looked around with narrow eyes. "With all that is happening right now..." Her eyes narrowed further, and her lips sneered. "This is how we find you... Not preparing, but partying?"

Dayna quickly stood up in defense. "Mom..."

"I don't want to hear it!" Dava replied abruptly. She looked around, eyes dark, and brows furrowed. Her hair was up and twisted tightly into a braid. "Who is this!?" Dava asked sharply, while pointing at Derrick. Ida stood up quickly in response, but Dava cut her off. "I don't care... If he can't keep a secret, Lillian, kill him."

Lillian's eyes bulged. "Uhhh."

"Stop!" Dava shot her arms out. Her eyes remained constant and forbidding. She extended her arm, as she gently urged the President to make her presence known.

President Mya Palmer overlooked the group with her deep brown eyes. She was hesitant in all things, as she was unsure of her stance on Lillian. Briefly, they had met under shaky circumstances. Her freckle riddled cheeks rose on her tanned complexion as she spoke, her dark eyes sincere. "Miss Cross." She extended her arm.

Lillian took it without hesitation, and smiled as she shook firmly. "Nice too... Not have a gun pointed at me and meet you minus the bullet holes."

The president's smile lightly faded as a twinge of pain reflected in her face. "Yeah, I'm sorry about that. You really scared the shit out of me."

Smiling, Lillian shook her head. "It's no problem... It happens all the time."

"Ladies?" Dava's voice stopped the women's chatter, and got the president back on track.

"Right, ummm, Lillian, I think there is something you should see." Said President Palmer.

Looking at Dava, Lillian gave off a confused look. "Here?"

Dava nodded.

"What haven't I seen here?" Lillian replied lifting a brow.

Dava smiled, folding her arms. Her pressed silky white blouse glowing under the rooms artificial light. "Come downstairs, and you will find out."

Lillian lifted both brows. "You mean, downstairs, downstairs?"

Dava nodded.

There was a curiosity ebbing at Lillian from the moment she arrived at the base. There was one elevator, and once staircase. As Lillian had explored the entire base, there was just one more spot that was off limits. In the elevator, the floor button was indicated with a minus one number. As soon as she pressed the button, access was denied, as she did not have the right fingerprint.

When Lillian tried the stairs, she followed them all the way down into the darkness, as there was no light. Using her fist, she ignited a small flame, to see in the dark, and proceeded until she was stopped by two very big, thick metal plated blast doors.

There was no apparent way to open the doors, but Lillian had other thoughts. She extinguished the flame from her fist, it now glowing as a red hot ember. Extending her finger, Lillian pushed it hard into the door, a searing sound piercing her ears.

As her finger nearly reached a half inch in, Lillian stopped, pulling out. She inhaled deeply, released, and then turned, waking back up the stairs. As much as Lillian's curiosity was getting the best of her, for the first time, respect and responsibility flooded her mind. She trusted the people whom she was with. And if they were not tell her something, or kept it from her, it was for her own good.

The elevator was hot and restraining. Lillian could feel the claustrophobia setting in as she continued to breathe in other people's air. Lillian, Dava, Madam President, and three secret service men, compacted tight like a can of sardines, made their way to the bottom of the mountain. When the elevator doors opened, and a rush of cool cavernous air made its way in, Lillian forgot her claustrophobia all together, as her jaw dropped at a sight that completely dumbfounded her.

"Holy fucking shit balls..." Lillian blankly stated. Her breath escaped as she walked towards one of the several beings, inhaling once again as she turned to look at Dava and the President. Her brows were lifted, and her face filled with an unknowing fear.

"They began to show up sometime after we had out little meeting. The first group had landed in some remote part of the pacific ocean." President Palmer spoke with hands clasped behind her back.

"The first bunch reached us, while you were out. They were close. They were standing and not responsive to any command, so we put them on trucks and brought them here."

"How did you two find each other?" Asked Lillian.

"After your wonderful performance on TV, and getting shot by the president, I thought I should reach out and collaborate... After all, we will need all the help we can get." Replied Dava.

"We have been collecting them. Trying our best to get to them first. But it has not been easy. Many were consumed by dry, and or aquatic creatures." Spoke the president.

Lillian lifted a brow while munching on her finger. "How many are there?"

Dava looked into the vast group of beings as she spoke. "A little over five thousand.

"Wow, five G's huh? How do they work...? Do they take commands?" Asked Lillian.

Both women turned to Lillian, Dava now speaking. "We were hoping that you could tell us that."

Lillian furrowed her brows, folded her arms, and pulled at the bridge of her nose, as she did a complete circle around one of the beings. "I mean, the resemblance is quite uncanny."

"It is." Replied Dava. "As far as we know, they are not your clones, but some sort of bio-engineered... Something. They look human, an exact replica of you, but their DNA does not match that of a humans. Nothing about them speaks human... And there is nothing upstairs." Dava came close to one of the beings, snapped her fingers close to its face, nothing. She walked behind it, clapped, and still nothing.

Lillian looked at the group momentarily. When she folded her arms, all folded their arms in unison with her. Lillian's eyes widened as she lifted both brows. "What the fuck?"

Dava came around to Lillian, face filled with questions. "How did you do that?"

Lillian didn't reply, she continued to focus and lifted her leg. All followed suite. "They are all programed to follow me." Lillian, never blinking, her eyes remained in a constant state of bewilderment. "They are for me... They are my army. These are the beings that helped me aboard Wildeve's ship. They were there when... She died." Filled with sorrow and hurt filled emotions, Lillian turned to Dava and the President.

"Lillian?" Dava asked.

"It was in my dream... Only it was not a dream, it was a part of my lost memories." Lillian took her arm, swinging it towards her look alike replicas. "They are me... They have my essence in them. They are here to confuse the Vitair. They are the decoy, and I am the destructor."

Lillian walked closer to one, touching it, feeling the scar that crossed its face, just like hers, and trying to pull at its grey jumpsuit, striped with dark green arm and leg accents. "This shit is all connected. Even the jumpsuit is a part of the body." Lillian narrowed her eyes as she looked into the green eyes of her exact copy. Perplexed, she folded her arms, and rubbed her chin with her hand, raising her brow as she spoke. "Do you have a name?" She asked out loud.

Blinking, the being looked at her, and spoke telepathically. "36."

Lillian nodded.

"What did it say?" Asked Dava.

Lillian rubbed her hand over her forehead as she spoke. "She said her name is 36." Lillian than looked to the being once more. "It's okay, you can speak out load. Originally, how many of there were you?"

The being blinked once again. "I am sorry, I am unable to respond to that answer."

Lillian released a breath of irritation. Thinking of her memory loss, and the reason the Shitair kept her from the truth, she revised her question. "Out all that were sent to Earth, how many were lost?"

Blinking, 36 spoke once again. "Approximately 2632."

Lillian's jaw dropped. "Jesus Christ, what happened?"

"Solar storms, asteroids, alien threats, black holes, the elements, wild animals, and humans." Replied 36.

"Out of all lost on earth, how many have fallen into the wrong hands?"

"All have been decommissioned."

Lillian twitched at her nose. "Dead, destroyed?"

"Yes." Replied 36.

Lillian sighed deeply before she replied. She then turned to Dava. "Well, there you have it, in a nut shell. All Lillian replicas that are still in existence are her and accounted for... So, now what?"

Dava lifted a brow. "I have an idea."

Lillian shrugged. "Care to share?"

Dava shook her head. "No, the less you know the better.

Blinking slowly, Lillian replied. "Thanks."

Out of the darkness, a brightly lit hologram appeared before Lillian and Dava, startling them both. Bear spoke with words of urgency. "I have a message from the Vitair leader."

A wave of fear flushed across Dava. "They are here, now?"

Bear nodded. "Yes ma'am, they are now in our atmosphere."

Closing her eyes, Dava shook her head. "Shit, what time is it?"

"7:45 AM, Arizona time."

Dava took in a deep breath. "Too god damn early."

Lillian narrowed her eyes. "What does it matter what time it is? I have the army, let's whop their ass!"

Dava's face was shrouded in anger. "You cannot do this on your own."

"But I am not alone..."

Before Lillian could continue, Dava cut her off. "Bear, please patch through the message."

Bear nodded. "As you wish."

As she disappeared, there was static, followed by a thick, dark grey cloud, glowing red eyes, and a voice that sent chills down Lillian's spine. "Send us the Shitair vessel, and your pathetic planet shall be spared."

Lillian's skin tingled as the voices ominous vibration resonated within her. She sneered. "Wildeve... That piece of shit is not dead. I failed the first time, I'm not going to fail again." With fists clenched, she readied her army for battle.

Dava stomped, grabbing Lillian by the arms, restraining her. "No, you don't!"

"I have the man power now, I am unstoppable!"

Dava quickly turned Lillian, slapping her face, hoping some sense came to her. "Not is not the time... Time is of the essence!" Dava hissed, between her teeth.

Lillian took a few steps back, holding her freshly stinging face. The power within her blow, the sincerity within her eyes, Lillian now knew, that Dava knew the key to destroying the Vitair. She stood down and nodded. "We will do it your way, then."

Dava then looked to Bear. "Get the Vitair online... We shall let them know when Lillian will be released to them." She then looked at Lillian as she spoke. "We will give her one more day upon this Earth... To enjoy it, in all its glory."

Bear nodded, sending the message. There was a moment of silence, before she spoke. "The Vitair would like to know what time Lillian will join them."

All the color flushed from Dava's cheeks as she replied. "Tomorrow... two o'clock AM, Arizona time." Her eyes never left Lillian's as she spoke.

Lillian looked at her army, before making eye contact with Dava, nodding. The battel would begin underneath the stars and moon of the Arizona desert.

Chapter 22

Waiting is always one of the harder sides of life. Waiting for the inevitable to rear its ugly head, most distressing. Especially if you are aware, it most certainly includes your death, but most of all, the loss of innocent life.

Lillian sat by herself, at the table in the mess hall, tearing at her fingers, till they bled, and staring into nothing. But, to the blind eye, Lillian may have been perceived to have fallen into a mental collapse, or frozen with stupor. Little did they know, there were a mechanics of sorts working behind those flaring steadied, green eyes.

Though it was erased from her mind, Lillian's life in the cosmos still remained a great part of her, and still coursed through her veins. She saw the universe, as it was. Not just stars, planets, and black holes, but as energy, its true being. And, as she was drained from being up all night, she feed off of the universe's energy, in hopes to recharge... To stay alive a little bit longer.

As the rest of the base slept, Lillian could hear the pitter patter of barefoot steps creeping up behind her. She took a deep breath, before closing her eyes, and exhaling. "Can't sleep either, Dava?" She asked.

Dava came to the other end of the table, sitting down. "How did you know it was me? Do you have eyes behind your head too?"

Smiling, Lillian shook her head. "Naw, everyone here has their own scents..."

Dava narrowed her brows. "What about Deets?" She said, referring to one of her body guards.

Lillian let off a low chuckle. "Deets smells like and old tent."

"And the Shitair gave this smelling skill to you?"

Lillian shook her head. "No ma'am. I've had a good nose since I was a kid."

Dava rose and made her way to the coffee maker, as her dark blue robe lifted, and fluttered behind her. For a moment, she was a butterfly, gliding. Pouring a cup, she turned to look at Lillian. "Coffee?"

"No, thank you."

Dava sat down, concerned. "No sleep... No food... Out of all the days, you choose to do this now? We are running out of time. I thought you may be out of here, exploring... Seeing what you've always wanted to see."

Lillian remained motionless, only to blink. She swallowed, turning her head to look at Dava. "Last will and testament."

Dava dropped her jaw, pulling her coffee mug from her lips, and setting it down. Her brown-grayish curls falling from her shoulders. "Oh, you have got to be kidding me."

Lillian lifted both brows. "Do I look like I am kidding?"

Dava pursed her lips, releasing a deep sigh. "Record." She said loudly in the room. "In the event, that does happen... That you should not succeed. All information of our existence, and our fall, will be sent to the Mars Colony. I have procured a care package for them, and equipment so that they will flourish for years to come... And carry on out legacy."

Dava rose, walked to the counter, and pulled something from the cabinet. She returned to the table, pouring brandy into her coffee. Her eyes fluttered as she did so, sitting back down, her dark brown eyes met Lillian's. "I have a connection on Mars. He will make sure our whishes are met."

Lillian raised a brow. "You mean Dayna's father?"

Leaning back in her chair, Dava took a long sip of her coffee. She lowered her cup, a fierce look embracing her face. "How did you know that?"

"Dayna told me." Lillian replied.

Dava furrowed her brows. "How does she know? I have never told her that."

Lillian smiled. "Well, kids are smart. They will find out what ever you don't want them to know."

Perplexed, Dava shook her head. "Too what extent?"

"They have video chatted."

Dava winced. "For how long?"

Lillian lifted her brows. "Since high school."

Dava released herself of a deep sigh. "Christ."

Lillian tilted her head. "Yes, Christ indeed... How about we go with the fact that your husband, and Dayna's father, happens to be the man that lured me into a den of Nazi's, complete with a Russian madman and an evil Nazi woman henchman, who, might I add injected me with a black liquid, known as liquid hate. I have never done such heinous acts in my life, then when I was under the influence of that, and to this day, I still dream of those men's bleeding eyes."

At some point during Lillian's remark, Dava lowered her jaw. Through the stories of Michelle Bishop, who was also there, and shared a cell with Lillian, Dava was familiar with the tale. Lillian didn't go into details of the whole ordeal, but Dava could see through Lillian's eyes that it did tear a hole into her soul.

"I nearly killed Michelle, too." Lillian's face went blank, as her eyes drifted into space... "But somehow... Somehow I was able to stop."

"Is it still in you?" Asked Dava, hesitantly.

Lillian dropped a breath, smiling. "No, it is not Gatorade."

Tilting her head, Dava blinked sharply. "That's not what I meant, smart ass."

Smirking, Lillian replied. "I know... My smart ass remarks and being funny are the only things keeping my fear at bay right now...But no, it is no longer with me. After the whole ordeal, I was different, and I could feel it. I assume, besides being a threat to the entire planet, the Shitair picked me up fifty years ago to cleanse me of the liquid hate." Lillian rose from her chair, with a deep need to clear her thoughts.

"Where are you going? I thought you wanted to record your last will and testament?" Said Dava.

Lillian turned. Her eyes gracing a wonderfully smart, immaculate woman. She remembered something she found in her room, and kept it within her for safe keeping. Sitting next to Dava, Lillian lifted her arm, a small tri-colored bracelet slowly emerging from her skin.

Dava's brows lifted, as her lips lightly pursed.

Lillian smiled, eyes glossed over. "You left this for me, didn't you?"

"Your wife gave it to me, some time ago, when she first found out about the cancer."

A shaky breath was all Lillian could muster, as she pulled her hand over her face to wipe away welling tears.

"I didn't leave it to break you... I left it to remind you. When you came, you were confused, sad, and so very scared. Everything had changed, but you were the same. You had lost so much." Dava took her hand, and held it to Lillian's cheek, pulling away a stray tear with her thumb. "It doesn't matter where you go in the universe, where ever you go, you will always be loved."

A small smile grew from underneath a watery trail, as Lillian's green eyes glistened with love filled tears. She held up the tri-colored bracelet one more time, pointing at one of the colors. "The green is for honor." As Lillian spoke, Dava recited in unison with her. "Though you are filled with pain, you serve a great purpose of honor. The blue is for loyalty. You are loyal to one, but expand your loyalty to others. The pink is for love. Love is what keeps you going, love is what keeps your heart pure. If it was not for love, you would have not gotten this far. In the end, you shall be reunited." Smiling, Lillian shook her head. "Man that is some crazy shit.

Dava lightly wacked Lillian on the side of the arm. "I was eight when I wrote that... For you."

Lillian took Dava's hand, lightly kissing it. "And it has served its purpose." Lillian rose one again.

"Where are you going? Will... Remember?"

"I'm not going to give myself a reason to fail. Besides, I died in '02... And then again in '15... So technically, I don't exist anymore, right?"

Dava mustered a small smile. "So then, where are you going?"

"I am going to watch the sunset, and to clear my head. Paige is still out there, I can feel it. I wish to spend my last quiet moments... With her. And to feel the Arizona breeze on my face, once more." Lillian bowed, smiling once more at Dava. "I shall she you tonight, with my army of mini me's. Until then, get some sleep."

Dava took a long gulp of her spiked coffee. "Now, I kinda just want to get drunk."

"And I would totally join you, however, I have a date with my wife, I shan't miss. I bid thee farewell." Lillian turned, leaving the mess hall, and walked towards the sunset.

Chapter 23

The yellow-orange orb sank below the horizon some time ago. It left an indigo hue, illuminating the lower skies, while the night sparkled with glittered stars. The moon shone brightly as it cast the mountainous, but desert plain in lingering shadows. The landscapes were alive with nighttime life, and Lillian's ears were alive with the sounds of chirping, clicking, screeching, and the occasional howling.

Lillian sat at the edge of the cliff, overlooking. She had remained stationary for hours, thinking of Paige and feeding off of the positive energy of the universe. For a while it was quiet, but soon the government began to make its presence known. Tanks, men, jets, and planes moved into place. And very quickly, Lillian's sanctuary of night became a brightly lit military camp.

As the sight began to make her a bit uneasy, Lillian closed her eyes, and quickly willed her nerves to calm. The inevitable was near, and she could feel it in her veins. Out of the silence and darkness of night, Lillian received her summons to make ready.

Bear appeared glowing in the moonlight, her doctor's coat fluttering in the nighttime breeze. "How we doing?"

Lillian sucked the blood from one of her torn thumbs before answering. "We're doing." She replied.

"Rather unenthusiastically, I might add."

Lillian rose, taking steps towards Bear. She looked as close, and as best she could through Bear's holographic eyes, before asking. "Who are you...Really?"

There was a slight hesitation, before Bear filled the air with words. "I am B.E.A.R., your Bio. Engineered. Artificial. Reference... I am here for your guidance, and to help you learn..."

"Cut the crap." Lillian jumped in. "You aren't just any ordinary Bear, I know this. But for some reason, you find it necessary to keep whatever secret you are hiding from me." Playfully, Lillian furrowed her brows. "And that's okay, because that seems to be par for the course, these days." Lillian relieved herself of a deep breath. She felt like she was saying goodbye to an old friend. "Either, 'twas a pleasure working with you... And if I could, I'd shake your hand, or hug you."

There was a light glistening twinkle from the corners of Bear's, amber brown eyes, and for a moment, Lillian could have sworn to see tears, as Bear's skin lightly flushed under the moonlight. Bear shook her head as she spoke, a single tear falling from her cheek. "You are not going to die."

Lillian looked at Bear with concerned eyes, pointing at the trailing tears. "See, this is what I mean. Why tears, why emotion...? If anything, it's making me more nervous. Not to be a dick... I would totally be hugging you and wiping away the tears if you weren't just a figment of my imagination."

Bear tilted her head, smiling as she wiped away the small droplets of figment water. "Really?"

Smiling, Lillian nodded. "Yes." She replied sternly.

As Bear was about to say something, the thick metal blast door opened, and Dayna emerged into the moonlight. She said nothing, navigated towards Lillian quickly, in sleek, black Jimmy Choo heels, grabbed Lillian by the shirt, and pulled her in for a long, deep kiss.

As Lillian was gradually released, she slowly blinked twice, exhaling. Her mouth didn't close, and her face remained in a state of shock. "What was that for?"

Dayna smiled, running her palm past the side of Lillian's cheek. "Just some incentive for you to come home... Alive." The moon tinkled within her blue eyes, somewhat in the way it dances upon the caps of waves in the ocean. It was serine and inviting, and Lillian could not help but too be sucked in by her beauty.

Lillian lifted a half smile. "Thanks."

A light sobbing murmur was caught by Dayna, and she turned to look behind her. Bear was still sobbing, lightly. Dayna lifted a brow as she gently nudged Lillian in the stomach. "What's with her?"

Lillian narrowed her eyes. "I don't' know... I was about to ask her that." Her eyes shifted from Dayna's, and back to Bear's. "Why the tears?"

Bear's sadness and frustration began to grow. Her eyes wavered as she spoke. "I want to be more human."

Both ladies eye brows lifted, and in unison they asked, "Why?"

Impatiently, Bear let out a fuming gasp, and disappeared from the both of them.

"She's got daggers for you." Said Dayna. "I've been testing her the whole time."

"I am noticing that." Replied Lillian. She then tilted her head, while lifting a brow. "Was that kiss a test?"

Dayna lightly shrugged. "Yes, and no." She then put her hand upon Lillian's shoulder. "But god dam it, you need to come back alive."

Lillian looked up, around her surroundings, and then at the moon. It brightness sent her eyes into a minor squint, and she felt the air around her move. Time slowed down, and for a moment, all the man made sounds dissolved into silence. For a moment, Lillian could hear the world, her breathing, and the steady beat of her heart.

"Lillian?" Dayna grasped Lillian's wrist lightly.

Lillian blinked, hearing the drop and crash of her eyelids. As time and sound resumed, Lillian smiled at Dayna, reaching for her hand and squeezing it. "I'll be fine." She replied calmly.

Dayna nodded, somewhat hesitantly. "Good... Because it is time. You need to head down, and get your team ready to go."

Swallowing hard, Lillian nodded. "Right, my team." She then shook her head as she slowly closed her eyes. "Everything leads up to everything."

Lillian remained silent in the elevator with Dayna, all the way down. She was focused on the job, and made room for nothing else in her mind. As the doors to the elevator opened, Lillian was face to face with thousands of her own expressionless faces.

With hands clasped behind her back, Lillian paced in deep thought. When the elevator doors opened once again, and Dava, and the president exited, Lillian swallowed hard, stopping.

Dava's eyes were glassed over with sleep, and heavy with worry. She took Lillian's hand and shook it firmly. "It is time, Miss Cross."

Grinning, Lillian nodded. "I knew you were going to say that."

"Are you and your team ready?"

Taking a deep breath, and nodding, Lillian replied. "As soon as I get that plan."

Dava shook her head. "The plan is not happening until you and your crew get to that ship."

"Seriously? That's cutting it kind of close, don't you think?" Asked Lillian.

"I do, but there is no other way. Saddle up Miss Cross, you leave in ten." Echoed Dava's voice, in the gigantic underground garage.

"Wow..." Murmured Lillian to herself, as she pulled six of her replicas from the front. She took her finger, and underneath each replica's left eye, Lillian left a colored mark. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. She then stepped back, folding her arms, smiling. "You six, are the group leaders. It is your job to protect your group, save as many lives as possible, and to assist, whenever necessary."

Lillian then pointed to the replica with the green mark. "You my friend, your team is the odd one out. You are here to protect those below from falling debris. If anything falling from the sky has a possibility of harming anyone, you stop it, do you understand?" The replica nodded. "I also mean falling bodies. Save as many as possible. If one of us is falling, and in need of help, you rescue them and take them to safety. Do you understand?" Lillian added. The replica nodded once more.

Lillian took a few steps back, before addressing all six. "You may now take the time to set up you teams. You have five minutes." Lillian walked to Dava's side, as they watched the replicas group up.

Dava's attention was focused on the group. "It is quite amazing to watch. How fluidly they work together. It's almost as if it were by..."

"Design?" Lillian finished Dava's sentence. "I think they are serving the exact purpose they were meant to serve." Lillian narrowed her eyes as she watched the group quickly assemble. "To be built to protect, and to fight, but have room for nothing more." She shook her head, lifting a brow. "That is true ash in one's mouth."

Dava shook her head. "Only if you were given the world and had it taken away, would you know the true pain of emptiness. These beings were created for two things. To protect, and to fight. They know nothing more." Dava took her hand and rested it on Lillian's shoulder. "So when you give the order to fight, you are giving them their joy and their reason to live."

Lillian let go of a shaking sigh. Chills ran up her spine as the words that Dava had recited, resonated within her. Her jaw tightened, and she clenched her fist, as her eyes glistened with light tears. "Touché." She replied.

"Madam, Lady Cross... We are ready to proceed. It is time."

Lillian and Dava turned to see an American General standing before them. Her dark eyes were shadowed by the visor of her hat, and the shiny metallic that graced her chest, glowed underneath the giant lights, in the oversized garage. With sincere eyes, but facial expressions lingering with fear, she spoke once again. "It is time, Miss Cross." Her fear was not misplaced. For she was looking at a woman, small in stature, at 5'2. This tiny creature, along with the help of her replica army, was to save the world.

For the past twenty four hours, a gigantic looming, black behemoth of a vessel, remained constant in Earth's atmosphere. And as much as she, and her fellow soldiers wished to blow it from the sky, all hopes in doing so were squashed by the fact, that move would too, destroy the earth.

They assembled under the natural luminescence of the moon, nervous of the unknown, and quietly tiptoeing, trying their best to be invisible from the above, although they knew for a fact, they were not.

With all set up, fires were lit, and the valley beneath the peaks of the Painted Desert began to flicker and dance with orange and yellow hues. Men and women gathered around the fires, bundled up in their coats, their voices being carried in the breeze, echoing throughout the valley.

The wait was the worst part. On the top off the cliff, as they observed, sat a short haired woman, some debated it was a small boy, legs hanging off the side, and swaying. As they set up, she remained, never moving from her spot. And as conversation's progressed throughout the night, doubt was placed on the short, short haired woman, as to whether she could do anything at all.

General Lydia Teeds never stopped to relax. She attended briefing after briefing, but still her mind, uneasy. She must have left nearly a dozen tents that night, and each and every time she did, Lydia Teeds looked up towards the cliffs side, and watched as the woman who was supposed to save the world, remained motionless.

"Madam President, I have my doubts with this woman." Spoke Lydia softly, into President Palmer's ear.

Mya Palmer closed her fiery brown eyes, breathing deeply. It was a doubt that everyone had shared, and throughout the night, every one of her top advisors, and or friends, shared it with her. It was not until her top general and close friend graced the entrance of her tent with weary eyes, and a doubtful face, that Mya truly began to doubt herself.

President Mya Palmer, with a warm smile underneath her freckled cheeks, motioned for her best friend of a lifetime to sit. After she had finished some last work on her pad, she looked up to see the dark eyes of her longtime companion. Smiling, she spoke. "Lydia... Good to see you. I haven't seen much of you these days."

Lydia nodded, placing her hat within her lap, her black hair fastened tightly up. "I have been very busy these last few days."

Mya lifted a brow as she tilted her head. "I'll bet. Our new guests must have you on edge."

Lydia lifted her brows. "On edge? That's to say the least. I have a family, a very big one, and I swore that I would protect them at all costs." Her hands were in her lap, small tremors fluctuating within them.

Mya took a deep breath before speaking. "I know this is a hard thing to chew, but I would not be going through with it if I thought she could not pull it off." Mya took a moment to reflect. "They have made first contact. They know what they are up against. We have no other choice but to be allies. She could have killed me. I was unarmed, and alone in that room with her, and she could have killed me, but he did not."

Lydia remained motionless, breathing lightly and staring into the eyes of her best friend. Thoughts were rolling and bouncing back and forth within that head of hers, but no words could be recited. The tips of her finger lightly touched her lips, as she contemplated.

"It's close to time... I'm sure she is aware, but if you wish to notify her yourself, just to verify that we do have a chance, I urge you to go. And when you do meet her, and see for yourself, I know you will call your family and let them know, everything will be okay."

General Lydia Teeds nodded, rising and replacing her hat. She smiled once more at her friend, before leaving her tent and making her way towards the base hidden within the mountain. The walk seemed long throughout the camp, as her mind was heavy with worry. Hopefully, meeting this human-alien, known as Lillian, would remove some of the clouded doubt that was weighing down on her mind. So she lifted her head as she walked, not trying to hold her breath.

General Teeds took Lillian's hand and shook it firmly, and hard. It was her intention, that hopefully she could read Lillian's soul within that shake, but no such luck. Eye contact and an affirmation of sincerity would have to do.

Raising her right brow, Lillian slowly pulled away her hand, once she got it back. "That's quite the handshake you have there, General Teeds." Lillian observed, as she gazed into Lydia's dark brown eyes.

Lydia was not far off, for she too had ventured into the green jungles of Lillian's eyes. There was a serene calm and assertiveness that resided, but also a small mixture of torment, emptiness, and loss that dwelled within those gorgeous eyes. "You don't seem like an alien." She said.

Lillian smiled, flashing teeth. "No... Quite human... However, I have been mistaken for a thirteen year old boy, a few times."

Lydia softly chuckled. For a moment, Lillian had helped her forget the impending doom that surrounded all life on Earth, but a flash within her mind sent her spiraling back on course. "I have a wife and three children at home, Miss Cross." Lydia removed her hat, her black hair glistening underneath the imitation light, her dark brown eyes glowing. "What are my assurances that you are going to pull through?"

Lillian took a deep breath, filling up to lung capacity, remembering the time her mother had taught her about black and white lies. Black lies are to be deceitful, and white lies are to protect. And as much as she wanted to be 100% sure of her success, she still had doubt dancing around in her head. She smiled, firmly taking Lydia's hand. "I, without a doubt, will succeed." She replied with a firm face.

Lydia let go of a shaky breath, unveiling a small smile. "Thank you, Miss Cross." She turned to leave, but before she did, Lyida looked at Lillian on more time. "Now, get out there and kick some ass."

Smiling, Lillian nodded. She then took her side by Dava, once more. "Are you ready kid?" Asked Dava.

Lillian took both hands, running them through her thick, short, poufy hair. "Damn, I've no product in my hair." She turned to Dava, grinning. "I can't fight bad guys looking like this." Lillian rubbed both of her hands together, until they became coated with a thick gel. She then proceeded to sculpt and mold her hair with her hands, into her patented spikey, Elvis look. When she was done, she flashed a big smile at Dava, holding out her hands. "Tada! How do I look?" She asked.

Lifting her brows, Dava shook her head. "That shit is so weird."

"You're telling me... I've got an infinite supply of hair gel right at my fingertips." Exclaimed Lillian.

There was some commotion near the garage doors, as they slowly began to open, letting the cold, moonlit air in. Dava looked up, then down at her watch, then at Lillian, fear running through her spine. "Lillian, it is time. They are waiting." Smiling, she hugged Lillian, hard. "Thank you." She softly said.

As Lillian turned to head out of the garage, and into the unknown, she was hugged from behind. Turning, she smiled as it was Dayna, bidding her farewell. "This is not a goodbye hug, but rather a good luck hug."

Lillian held on to her, wanting human touch out of fear. "What, like that kiss?"

Dayna put her lips near Lillian's ear. "And there will be plenty more for you, when you came back."

Lillian smiled. "Oh, don't threaten me with a good time." As she turned to head out once again, Ida and Derrick stood idle in front of her, forced grins embracing their faces.

Lillian took Derrick's hand, shaking firmly. "Thanks again for saving my life." He said. Lillian pulled him in for a hug, patting his back. "You saved me first, dude."

She then turned to Ida, grasping both hands. Ida's face was beaming with sweet sorrowful tears, as her neck heaved in and out of light sobs. "My grandmother thanks you for tonight. You reached out, and she felt you." Ida swallowed hard. "She had enough energy to get out of bed, watch the sunset, and the moon... It was the first time in a long time she had enough energy to get up by herself." Ida shook her head, wiping tears from her face. "How did you do it?"

Lillian smiled as she began to recite. "I give you my energy, I give you my soul, and I give you all that makes me whole... I'm glad it worked." Lillian inhaled deeply. "Please tell my wife, that I love her."

Ida placed her hand upon Lillian's cheek. "I don't need to tell her something she already knows, Lillian."

Lillian pressed her hand to Ida's and smiled, a subtle flash of despair reflecting within her eyes. "You have no idea how much this is killing me inside." She replied.

"And she wishes for you to be happy, so you must move on, Lillian... Let go and be free... You will meet her once again, in the..."

"Nexus." Lillian finished Ida's sentence, as she took her hand and lightly kissed that back of her palm. "Thank you, my dear friend." Lillian's smile wavered, underneath small streams of tears. She then turned, and began her march towards the unknown.

Chapter 24

When you are faced with the unknown, the heart flutters at an amazing rate. When you are up against the undefeatable, the heart begins to beat uncontrollably, and the mind races with every horrible outcome. And as Lillian took her paces lightly, her mind struggled to keep them in line. "Everything leads up to everything." Was all she could mutter to herself, everything else within her, falling apart. As she took her last steps upon the Earth, she lightly touched eleven random replicas and quietly said, "You're with me."

She reached the outside, allowing the moon to flush her skin. She took a deep breath of that cool, Arizona desert air, and glanced quickly at the black omen that infected its airspace. "Fuck you, asshole." Was all she said.

Lillian blinked hard, wiping away any stray tears. "Bear, are you with me?"

"Yes Lillian, I am here." She replied within her mind.

"You okay... You know, considering tonight's events?"

There was a momentary pause, before she answered. "There was no event, Lillian. Let's just get to business, please."

Lillian lifted her brows. "Kay... So, what is the plan?"

"The plan will be laid out once you and your team get up there."

Lillian shook her head. "That's what I am afraid of. You are with me right?" Lillian asked reassuringly.

"Lillian, I am always with you." Bear replied in a soft voice.

Lillian shook her head, flailing her arms, in an attempt to loosen up. She had her eleven replicas with her, and instructed them to stay as close as possible. She turned to them, smiling. "Let's do this kids." With the most powerful and elite of the U.S. army watching, Lillian knelt, lifting her fist into the air. She then lowered it, pressing it into the cold ground. "For you, Paige." She loudly said, as she sprinted and blasted herself up, her eleven chosen, following quickly after.

The cold air was penetrating, and Lillian's nerves were ecstatic. But she focused on control and thought, as she reached the end of the Earth's atmosphere, her eyes set upon the impending doom, the Vitair ship.

Its bay doors began to open, and its shadowy grey, red eyed figures protruded from the entrance. There was a deep voice that beckoned to her. "Liiiiiilian..."

Lillian sneered as she herd its creeping voice. "Wildive, you piece of shit." And as she had spent the night collecting the universes energy, without thinking, she drew it, expelled it towards the ship, and towards Wildive, the blast sending her and six of her chosen back to Earth.

Lillian plummeted back to Earth, blasting through her second wave, like a rush through a hive of bees. She gathered up her six, before they could fall to their death's, laying then softly upon the ground. She then took a deep breath, and shot herself back into the nighttime sky. Her mind was filled with rage, and no turning back.

"That was extremely unnecessary." Chimed in Bear loudly, over the passing howling wind, echoing within Lillian's ear. "You've just started a war."

Lillian narrowed her eyes, as she gained speed. "I thought that was the idea."

"Yes, and no. Now he is just really pissed."

Tilting her head, Lillian lifted a brow. "Good."

The fighting had commenced, sending a wave of gray and green after, or being chased by, smaller black, ghost like ships. The fallen was everywhere and Lillian watched as soldier after soldier, fell from the sky. Lillian's heart hurt, for the pain she was causing. As she flew into the skirmish, Lillian took to enemy ships, attacking. From observing, the mini ships were intact with shields, so energy blasts had no effect. Seeking one out, Lillian landed on the back, pulling out the hatch, and its occupant.

For several minutes, she took out one, after the other. Her eyes glared a complete dark green glow, angrily, as her body and hands made sharp, hasty movements. Her gritting teeth glowed from the suns reflection, and her lowered brow boasted of an ensured death.

For the first time, Lillian Ann Cross had completely lost herself in a fit of utter rage. She felt nothing more, than the need to destroy, kill and maim. Her heart sent boiling lava filled blood through her veins, to her extremities, and her body parts were carrying out the heinous acts.

Lillian's comms were hailed over and over again. Attempts by Bear, Dava, and Dayna were made, but all were futile. Lillian's end remained a static haze. Time was running out, and the team knew that Wildeve was using the residual Nazi's liquid hate within her body, to cloud Lillian's mind.

Wildeve came to the opening of his ships bay doors, looking out over the fighting. Though they all looked the same, and had the same essence, Wildeve knew exactly which one was Lillian, for she was causing the most carnage and destruction. His glowing red eyes narrowed, and he sneered, as his teeth hung over his lips, dried-leather jaggedness. He had her, baited and hooked. All he had to do now, was to reel her in. He smiled at the thought of a planet for a bonus prize.

Wildeve dropped his lower lip, and released his summon to Lillian. The very word that would end it all. "Liiiiiiiliannnnnnnn."

Lillian stopped, fist in mid-flight. Her brow furrowed, and her eyes blazed a fiery green, as she looked directly into the glowing reds of her nemesis. She was still unaware of the person Wildeve had killed, but one thing she did know, is that she cared deeply for them, and revenge was best served as soon as possible.

Dava paced frantically, outside of an ancient staircase. Her heels were being put to the test, as she pivoted and turned on a dime. To her favor at least, the skies were clear. "I need you to get her to stop." Dava spoke firmly, while absently observing the landscape, its snow covered treetops nearly blinding to the eye.

"There is no getting to her. He has her completely under the control of rage. It's that damn liquid hate, somehow, it is still in her body." Exclaimed Bear.

"Fuck!" Dava shouted. She inhaled deeply, the cold air penetrating and stinging her lungs. As she exhaled, a plume of her vapor poured from her mouth. She pulled her jacket closer, in futile attempts to warm up. She was not entirely dressed for the weather. Arizona was much warmer, and she had not anticipated the harsh temps of Siberia's "Valley of Death."

"Engage the kill switch." Spoke Dava, reluctantly.

"Are you sure? There is no telling if she will regain conciseness." Bear's voice was uncertain, and filled with fear. "She will fall... Or space... Or..."

Enough! We have no choice. If they get ahold of her, than all will be for nothing. Engage the kill switch, Bear!" Dava shouted loud enough for it to echo throughout the valley, and even through a few others.

"Fine." There was a second before Bear answered.

Lillian was well on her way to Wildeve, when the switch went off. A blast of electrical current, starting from her chest, encased her entire body, and much like a light, Lillian's went out, cold.

The gravitational pull from earth, guided Lillian back into the atmosphere, and she began to fall like a blazing meteorite. All below watched in horror, as she continued to fall, unconscious.

Dayna had her hand at her ear, as she watched a blazing object fall from space. "Mom, is that who I think it is?"

"Is she still out cold?" Replied Dava, from thousands of miles away.

Dayna nodded to herself. "Yes. What is the plan on getting her back up...? I have some serious Army folk down here shitting their pants, and to tell the truth... I'm kind of shitting mine as well."

Dava clenched her teeth, chills running up her back. "Trust me daughter, we are working on it."

Dayna shook her head. "Can't you get any of her replica's to help?"

"They are only under Lillian's control..." Bear thought for a moment. "But she did order one team to protect the earth from falling debris... Including bodies."

Dayna looked around. Objects and replicas were falling everywhere. She was worried they would not get to Lillian in time.

"I'm sending electrical pulses to her heart and brain... Hopefully I can get something jumpstarted." Replied Bear, to Dayna and Dava.

Dayna's brows lifted, as her lips frowned. She watched each and every replica stop something from hitting the ground, but no Lillian. She shook her head. "Come on, come on, come on." She repeated nervously. "I bet you a million bucks she did not make herself a priority." Dayna bit her bottom lip, on edge. "Anything yet, Bear?"

"Nothing. I have a heartbeat, but nothing up top."

"Well, give her a higher charge!" Yelled Dayna, her despair attracting attention.

"Miss Stiles, it was the higher charge that put her down."

Folding her arms, Dayna shook her head, not able to take her eyes off of her plummeting friend.

"Earth to space... Earth to space." Lillian breathed in deeply, as she rubbed her eyes, stretching. There was a faint glow about her, the sun slowly peaking its way into the house. Lillian's father had his hand firmly gripping her foot, lightly shaking it to rouse her, as she laid content on his couch. "Is it you?" He asked.

Lillian sat up, scratching her head. "It used to be." She could smell her father's coffee, excited for the day's adventure. She gazed into his blue eyes, it seemed years since she had seen them last.

"Well get up, get ready, we have places to be." His voice echoed, and his lips moved beneath his graying beard. "Open your eyes, Lillian... Wake up."

Lillian did as her father told her, her eyes opening feet from the dark desert ground. Throwing her arms out in front of her, she halted in midair. Startled, she took a deep breath, as she remembered where and when she was. Lillian placed her two feet to the ground, taking a moment to remember her father. "Thank you, dad." She softly said.

"Are you with me, Lillian?" Asked Bear.

"You bet your sweet ass I am."

"Good. I've sent some coordinates to your ocular view. Get to Dava, ASAP." Replied bear.

Lillian smiled, as she raised her fist high into the air. "Roger that." She said as she blasted herself into the stars.

Watching from a distance, Dayna witnessed all, eyes squinting in the night. As she saw Lillian take back off, she quickly raised both hands into the air, shouting. "Fuck yeah! Go get them, Switchblade Mamma!" She then pointed her fingers into the skies, at the replicas. "No thanks to you!"

As soon as Lillian reached Earth's space, she collected twelve decoys, and headed towards her destination. When she was near the area, she dispersed them, so that her true position would be masked. She landed in a snow covered field, surrounded by trees, and the sun directly above. There was nothing around but a narrowed decrepit staircase leading into darkness. She tilted her head as she peered into the descending hole. "Hello?"

There was the sound of faint clacking, followed by a feminine voice. "It's about time you got here, Miss Cross." Dava Stiles became visible, once she emerged from the darkness, ascending the staircase. "I thought I lost you there, for a moment."

Lillian warmly smiled as she took Dava's hand. "I thought I was too."

"What brought you out of it?" Dava asked.

Lillian smiled, reminiscing. "My dad... He woke me up, just like he used to."

"Well, then I send my thanks to him." Dava replied.

With brows furrowed, Lillian looked around. "Where are we?"

"Miss Cross... With a fifty year bout with aliens, I thought you would recognize the place.

Lillian shrugged. "No?"

Dava released an impatient breath. "Siberia... The Valley of Death... Ring any bells?"

Lillian's jaw dropped. "The caldrons...The..."

Dava cut her off, walking down the dark musty stairs, Lillian in tow as she talked. "Everything you heard on Ancient Aliens is true. When the Guardians left the Shitair here, they knew the bad would follow. What is going up there right now...? Is just a decoy." Dava pointed to space. When they reached the belly of the structure, it was a dimly lit, small room, with a standing platform. There was an upright, resting structure that looked to hold in a human body. Lillian's heart began to race.

Dava held her coat close to her, as she felt the cold creeping in. "This is where you come in, as per the Guardians instructions."

Lillian bit the bottom of her lip, unable to control her nerves.

"We have modified it a bit... But you are to strap in, and draw in the sun's energy. The modification is, an extremely big power cell that will collect the suns energy, and when full, will send a lethal blast to the Vitair ship above, destroying it."

Lillian lifted a brow. "Kill the enemy and save the world from the energy crisis?"

Dava nodded. "You will provide the Earth with thousands of years of free energy."

Lillian smiled. "Sign me up."

Dava bowed. "There is a catch."

Lillian playfully threw her arms into the air. "Always is when buying a car."

"Faye." Spoke Dava.

A tall, beautiful Navajo woman, with black short hair and black eyes, graced with glasses, covered in a foil metallic suit, walked into the room. She had high rosy cheeks and a never-ending friendly smile.

"This is Faye Blackwater.... The woman behind all creations here."

Lillian smiled as she took her hand. "I've heard about you."

Faye smiled, her high cheeks flushing. "And I am very pleased to meet you." She replied.

Dava continued. "Once you begin to absorb the suns energy, Faye has created a magnetic corridor to safely keep the sun from burning up the Earth."

Lillian lifted a brow. "I feel there is a, but in there."

Dava nodded. "There is. Once the power cells become full capacity, there is no way for the corridor to be shut off remotely. It has to be done here."

Lillian lifted a brow. "Meaning?"

Faye smiled, knowing her fate, and accepting it. "I am here to do it for you."

Lillian shook her head. "No, I can do it."

Faye Blackwater took Lillian's hands into hers, reassuring. "No, you cannot. You must focus on the last expel... Do your best to absorb the energy, and send the rest to those assholes who are trying to kill us all."

Lillian's insides ached, her heart hurting. "No, I cannot send you to your death."

Faye's hands squeezed harder upon Lillian's. "No, you are not. Four months ago, I was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor." Faye Blackwater's eyes became glossy with tears. "Since then, I have been on borrowed time... This is for my family... This is for the people of Chinle."

Lillian nodded, taking her place in the restraints. She narrowed her eyes, face straight. "Let's do this."

Dava bowed to both of them. "Alright ladies, then I shall leave you to your devices. Lillian and Faye... Save our Earth." She took to the stairs quickly, to make her leave.

Within her bulky suit, Faye strapped Lillian into her standing, restraints. She knew, within the next few moments, she would no longer exist. She pulled a mouth piece out, flashing it to Lillian quickly. "Mouth protection?"

Lillian lifted a brow. "If I bite my tongue off, I can always grow another, right?"

Faye shrugged. "True, but you would have to think about it... And I would think that the feeling of losing a tongue would be just as worse as growing one back. And most importantly, you need to focus on drawing in the sun"

Lillian nodded while completely restrained. "You got a point, lady. Bring it in... Let's mouth piece that shit."

Chapter 25

Faye did as she was told, placing the piece into Lillian's mouth. She then walked to a panel attached to the wall, covered in circuits, dials and switches. "I am going to ready the cell to take a charge, and to open the corridor."

Lillian began to speak muffled, Faye, removing the mouth piece. "What's going to happen to you... you know, after you close the corridor?" Lillian had a faint glint of fear within her glazed eyes. She was strapped in so tightly, not one of her extremities could move, with the exception of her lips. Her eyes were narrowed, and brows, furrowed.

Smiling, with her cheeks up high and rosy, Faye replaced the piece into Lillian's mouth, while pushing her thin framed glasses up as high as they could perch, upon her nose. She then took her helmet, fastening it securely upon her head. Faye Blackwater's heat suit was complete. She then pulled a few more switches before speaking. "Once the corridor closes, this room will be flooded with the residual rays of the sun. Temperatures in here will exceed that of any man made heat suit."

Lillian blinked, as a tear strolled down her cheek. She began to shake her head in disagreement as Faye walked up to her, wiping away the stray tear with her thumb. "You have no say in this, Miss Cross." As Lillian tried to speak once more, Faye placed a foiled index finger upon her lips. "My life, my choice."

Faye then returned to the panel, finishing up her sequence. "I could be taking this lying down and dying, or I could be here with you." She took one last look around, smiling. "My work is everywhere. The nanites in human bodies, to project alien technology. The base within the mountain. This room... That big ass cell down below, which will provide thousands of years of free energy for this planet." Faye walked to Lillian, lightly tugging on one of her fingers, as her hands were restrained. "I also have a surprise for you, Miss Cross. I hope you enjoy it once you get out of here.

Lillian watched as Faye Blackwater took her final steps towards the control panel. As she hit the red switch, she nodded towards Lillian, in acknowledgement to start the pull.

"Are you ready, Bear?" Asked Lillian within her mind.

"I was always ready." There was a short moment of silence, before Bear spoke again. "I am going to do something for you, Lillian. Please don't take it the wrong way... It's just... knowing you, I think you would appreciate it."

Lillian smiled underneath her mouthpiece. "And I trust you with my life."

There was a sequence of flashes within Lillian's mind. They were memories of her child hood, and of her father. They then moved to Paige. Streams of tears formed, as she reminisced, and felt the warmth of love. "Thank you my friend." She replied to Bear, within her mind.

Closing her eyes, Lillian took a deep breath, releasing slowly. She focused. Her thoughts set on the very first time she had ever gathered a charge, from an electrical socket. And from there, she moved on... Further down the line, soaking up bigger, and more powerful objects. As Lillian Ann Cross met the sun within her mind, the tiny structure they were in, shimmied and shook violently.

Faye Blackwater's eyes widened as she looked around at the falling debris. When she glanced at Lillian, a blinding bright aura surrounding her, her jaw dropped in awe. "Holy shit, this is seriously fucking happening!" Turning to the control panel, Faye adjusted the direction of the caldrons, readying them for the suns expelling rays.

Lillian's eyes rolled into the back of her head, revealing pearly whites. Her body began to shake violently within its restraints, as the room became nearly whited-out from the sun's rays.

Faye Blackwater's hand never left the lever that would close the corridor. If she failed, Lillian would continue to soak up the sun, thus scorching the Earth and destroying it. She continued to check the temperature, holding out till the last moment she would become vaporized. The entire time she watched Lillian, Faye's teeth remained tightly clenched. She swallowed hard as the battery cells were halfway full. "Almost time." She lightly said. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end, as she readied herself for one epic death.

Lillian held on for as long as she could. Everything was all about focus now. As she drew in deeper, the sun's rays, she began to feel it as an entity. Its life force was becoming a part of her, and she saw its birth. 4.6 billion years of memories began to process through her brain, and she saw the creation of the Sun's solar system, and the birth of her home planet, Earth. It was the most vivid memoir of solitude, minus a few visits here and there from a comet, or asteroid. But it gave her the greatest take on life, all life is precious.

Faye Blackwater was nearing the end of her life, as the cell was nearly full. She was proud of Lillian for accomplishing the unthinkable, and now it was her turn. Her hand gripped firmly upon the corridor lever. She closed her eyes momentarily, thinking of her hometown, Chinle, Arizona. In Navajo it meant, "Flowing out." She laughed at herself, as that was exactly what she was about to do. Shut down the corridor, and watch as Lillian allowed the Sun's rays flow out of her, guided through the caldrons, to destroy the Vitair ship.

When the cell reached capacity, Faye pulled the lever down, without hesitation. The room enveloped with an extreme heat, flooding her suit immediately. There was a piercing white light, and as Faye was blinded, she could feel the pain from her eyeballs and body, as they quickly melted away. Faye Blackwater desperately shouted one last phrase, the last sounds of her voice to ever resonate upon the Earth. "Do it Lillian... Blast those bastard Vitair pieces of shit with our sun!"

Lillian's eyes rolled from the back of her head and forward, to see Faye Blackwater's last stand. As her body slowly became pixelated, and turned to dust, Faye Blackwater gave a thumbs up, before disappearing into the blurred, whited-out room that became the momentary resting stop for the sun.

After Faye had vaporized, Lillian knew it was her time to shine. The time to put Wildive down was now. The heat was unbearable, and Lillian could feel the sear at all sides. Her insides were literally boiling, and it was hard to focus on anything, but she knew she could not fail. Her suit was singeing and fraying away, her skin beginning to peal underneath. Lillian had to make sure the she absorbed every last drop of sun, before sending her gift package on up.

As her breathing became labored, Lillian spat out her mouth piece, in hopes to gain more oxygen flow to the brain. At some point during the heat, Lillian could feel her connection with Bear severed, thus making her even more distraught. But she remained focused, as she could do nothing else more. Lillian Ann Cross made her last stand. She clenched her teeth tightly, and held on to all, and she inhaled deeply for the last time, expelling the Suns energy through the caldrons, and into the atmosphere. She could think of nothing more, but the unbearable heat, and pain, and screamed, "for you, asshole!"

The nighttime sky was filled with flashing lights, and sounds filled the air with pops, and bright explosions. Dayna watched, nerves bubbling on every end, as bits and pieces of debris fell towards the Earth, only to be salvaged by a Lillian replica. For the most part, the battle was kept in space.

Dayna Stiles knew what was going down, and very frequently looked into the direction that she should see such a light. Her heart was on edge, beating at an uneasy rate. She sat, uncomfortably upon a temporary brick barricade, blanketed underneath a lone, yellowed light, staring out into the starry horizon. Lillian would either live, or die, but either way, she had to succeed for the survival of the human race. Dayna sheltered herself from the cold, shuddering uncontrollably, keeping one hand close to her heart, feeling its pounding beat.

As the light became apparent, Dayna's heart skipped. She swallowed hard, and took a deep breath, as she could see the rays of the sun being dragged in. It was almost like an Arora Borealis out of place, fluttering hues of orange and yellow, with dark purple colors, flashing about. No sooner did the drag occur, that the mini ships from the Vitair vessel, took suit to the destination.

Dayna could see nothing more, but all she could do was assume a battle ensued over Lillian's positon, to stop her from succeeding. She lowered her head, and out of complete nostalgia, crossed her fingers. "Go get them Lillian." She repeated over, and over again. She continued to look away, as blasts decorated the skies, faint flashes lighting within her eyelids.

There was a sonic boom, a massive tremor that vibrated the world around her, and Dayna, forcing herself, looked up. The brightest light, a beam of pure sun, illuminating the night of the Arizona skies, blasted through the atmosphere and penetrated the massive black ship. It glowed, brightly red, before turning to ash, and gently falling to Earth, as a light, grey snowfall.

The camp erupted into loud cheerful shouts, Dayna jumping from her concrete barricade and shouting, "hell yes, you go, Lillian!"

After the fall of the Vitair ship, Dayna remained stationary at her lone concrete barricade waiting for Lillian's return. Night had turned to morning, and Dayna remained, as the army packed up, and left. Dayna bid all farewell, and politely declined all rides home to base, as she insisted upon Lillian's return.

The day quickly turned to evening, and Dayna waited, still no Lillian. Her body was craving sustenance, sleep, and despite her mother's pleads, Dayna insisted to wait for Lillian. The world was celebrating victory, but patiently, Dayna still waited, never giving up hope. As night fell, and Dayna could feel the stings of the cool fall air upon her, too weak to move, she heard a faint thud, followed by light footsteps in the darkness.

Lillian emerged from the night, hunched over, holding on to her hip and limping heavily. As Dayna recognized the black form, she rushed to Lillian's side, providing support. "Jesus Christ, are you okay?"

Lillian swallowed hard, blinking. The heat was still penetrating her eyes. "Yes... At least I think."

"Where the hell have you been?" Asked Dayna, as she helped sit Lillian down at the base of her concrete barrier.

Once again Lillian swallowed hard, rubbing at the strain in her eyes. "I couldn't see... I was blinded by the damn sun, and Bear got fried... She wouldn't reply to my calls." She stared into space, as if she were still blinded. There were motions, characters, and colors, but all was still blurry. "As soon as I felt the sun drain from me, I blasted up. I had no idea as to what direction I was headed, but I headed for the cold. I was just burning up, and needed relief." Lillian shifted, pulling a hand through her hair. "Everything had burned. My skin, hair, I was just singed."

Dayna blinked. "Jesus Christ..."

"I flew till I was sure I was in the coldest part of the Earth. And then I took a plunge, not knowing if I was going to live or die, I just wanted to cool off."

"So you've been there... Since now?"

Lillian nodded, trying to stand. Dayna grabbed her arms, to give support. "Yes...Somehow I was able to breathe water... Ice cold water."

Dayna lightly nodded, rubbing her hand over her tired face. She pulled a small phone from her pocket, raising it to her ear. "I need a pickup."

Chapter 26

It had been gray for days. Rain was not constant, but when it came down at times, it would be in sheets. Fall storms in Arizona weren't exactly famous for thunder, but the last couple of days, Mother Nature sure made her voice heard.

It was cold, and the area was blanketed by a light drizzling rain. Lillian pulled her coat closer to her, as she forgot for the moment, all things uncomfortable could be willed away.

There was a constant low tone of thunder rumbling about, and Lillian smiled as she looked towards the dark, greyed skies, allowing the tiny droplets of rain to fall on her face. She breathed in deeply, tears masked by rain, and grinned, as she knew it was Paige who had brought her the beautiful weather, and was being vocal through the thunder.

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid, John 14:27." There was a warmth to her dark brown eyes as she looked up. She smiled, extending her sorrow and sympathies. As she closed her book, a rouge ray of sun radiantly, and with golden vibrancy, uncovered from the dense clouds, returned colors to the cemetery, flushing pale cheeks of mournful loved ones.

"Paige Jackson was loved by all, and she loved all. And she will never be forgotten, for even though we die, our immortality lies within the memories of other's. Now, let us bow our heads."

Swallowing a lump, Lillian bowed her head, thick streams of tears running down her cheeks, as tiny drops fell from her face. It was taking everything she had to hold back, and to keep from rushing to Paige's coffin. She wanted to hold on forever, never let her go, but she herself, let go.

Fifty uncontrollable years passed by without her Paige, and somehow, Lillian allowed it. Every part in her body ached with the notion, "How could I have let her go so easily." But her memories from her missing time were as vague as a black hole, and her heart pounded with such unease, she had to shift uncontrollably in her shoes, pulling down her black fedora, keeping her heavy frown, from sight.

Dayna felt her sporadic movements, and locked her arm with Lillian's, holding her close. She could feel the tremors throughout Lillian's body. "Not quite yet, my dear. You need to hang on."

When the service was over, guided by Dayna, Lillian found a tree out of eyesight, fell to her knees, and wept. Dayna, hovering over her, arms wrapped about, in a comforting embrace. Her hand covered her eyes, rubbing harshly, before pulling it through her wet hair. Lillian's suit was damp, as the rain came down in silent drops around them.

"Miss Cross?"

Hearing a familiar voice, Lillian stood, turning to see the teary, red eyed granddaughter of Paige, Ida Yates. Though her tears were masked by the rain, Lillian wiped them away, mustering a much forced smile. "Ida, hello." She replied.

"I have something for you." Ida pulled out of her coat pocket an envelope, heavier than just a letter. She placed it into Lillian's palm, speaking. "You disappeared after the success of your mission. The world thinks you are dead, Lillian. But my grandmother did not think so." Ida breathed deeply, looking around at the grayed landscape. "I have no idea how she did it, and with what energy, but she wrote you this letter. She was clutching it in her hand, when I found her." Ida lowered her head, clasping her hands. "She waited, Miss Cross. She waited until she need not worry, any more. She wanted to be sure that her family would be safe, you gave her that assurance, Miss Cross." Ida leaned in, hugging Lillian. And as she pulled away, she whispered lightly into Lillian's ears. "Safe journeys. I hope you find what you are looking for."

Puzzled by Ida's statement, Lillian raised her brows, as her and Dayna watched Ida walk and disappear into the rains mist. Lillian held the letter tightly, fingers wrapped around the bulky object. She put her hand in the envelope, pulling out a switchblade.

The blade, was that of her father's. On the day Lillian and Paige spoke their vows to each other, they exchanged switchblades, rather than rings. Lillian giving her most loved possession to Paige, her father's knife.

"Are you going to read the letter?" Dayna's voice was calm and soothing, nearly nonexistent over the pattering rain.

Lillian released a deep breath before speaking. "Come here, I want to show you something." The two ladies walked in the grayed muffled silence of rain, and fresh air. Though Lillian was silent, her mind raced with uncontrollable thoughts, not one, was she able to stop on, and process thoroughly.

It was a short stroll through a yellowing, winter-ridden cemetery. The only green that stood intact was from the pine needles of the evergreens, and the leaves of the Sissoo trees. And, it was in fact, a Sissoo tree that they stood underneath.

Dayna's eyes narrowed as she read off one of the names inscribed in the stone. "Lillian Ann Cross, beloved daughter, 1982-2004." She then looked at the other. "Who is she?"

Lillian smiled, lifting a brow. "My mom. An evil piece of shit tried to have her killed... And a misunderstood woman saved her." Lillian reached into her coat, pulled out a purple rose, and placed it near the head stone. "Her real name is here, but her body is in Bonaire. She woke up on the beach one day, remembering nothing, but lived the best, rest of her life that she could."

The rains pace became more steady, as Dayna adjusted the umbrella. "And you are also buried next to her, under your aliais?"

Lillian gave off a small doubtful grin. "Jenifer Ann Drake, yes... She is in the same cemetery, but no, my mother is next to her husband." Lillian shrugged, staring at her mother's empty grave. "But, he was a great guy. Gave my mom a second chance at life and made her happier then I could ever."

"Are you hurt that Paige wanted to be next to her husband?" Asked Dayna.

Lillian looked to the ground, briefly. Yes, she was hurt, but her grave was empty. And even though Paige and Lillian had spent a good chunk of their time together, Lillian knew it wise for Paige to cut all ties with her. Lillian looked back up to Dayna. "She did what she needed to do."

Dayna took Lillian's hand, and pulled her closer, getting her underneath the umbrella. She wiped off Lillian's shoulders, and shook her coat, releasing it of stray, loose clinging water droplets.

Lillian pulled out Paige's letter, its frailness shaking in her wet hands.

Dayna stopped her, placing her hand over the letter. She swallowed before she spoke. "Don't you want some privacy to read it?"

Lillian took a deep breath before speaking. "If I don't do it now, then I will do it never... Everything leads up to everything." Lillian looked at the pages, the ink smearing from the rain. She read out loud so that her voice lightly carried over the pattering rain. "My dearest love, Lillian. I know that this letter will reach you, as I still feel you within my soul, though you have been missing for days. When you first came home, I felt you. And when you came to my house, it destroyed me not to see you, but I did not want you to see me in the condition that I was in. I wanted you remember me, for how you remembered me.

Fifty long years without you wrapped in my arms, does a number on one's soul. I waited as long as I could, but as always, life proceeds to move on, weather you permit it or not. My son came back into my life, and before I knew it, I had a granddaughter.

As life carried me further, as you have heard, I met another and re-married. He was a very loving man, and I loved him, but one thing he knew, was that my soul did not belong to him, but rather to you. Always to you, my love.

You have grown, and become a better, stronger woman than I could have ever imagined. Everything that you have ever gone through has led up to this moment, and you are reading this letter now because you believed, and never gave up. Everything leads up to everything, Lillian, and you are living proof of that. And because of that, we all get to go home and love our families.

As much as I don't want this letter to end, I feel my hands and strength failing me. And I know you already know, that I will never stop loving you, and will see you once again in the Nexus.

I know you would have wanted me to go to the grave with your father's switchblade, but I think you will find much more use out of it, than I would, inside of a dirt hole. The Blade means much to you, as you do to me.

I realize immortality seems like a long time, but think of the good that you could do with it, the places you could explore. Be passionate Lillian, as you have always done. And remember... I will forever, and always be with you. Your beloved friend, lover, and wife, Paige."

Chapter 27

"What did you and my mother talk about for so long?" inquired Dayna.

Lillian shrugged, while opening the top of a beer bottle. "Stuff," was all she said.

Dayna narrowed her eyes. "Stuff... That's it?"

Lillian nodded. "Yeah, stuff."

Dayna went back to her pad while sipping her beer. "I thought maybe we could go see and old fashioned movie this week, you know, do normal people things."

Lillian lifted her brows, as she took a long swig of her beer, looking towards the ceiling of the mess hall. She remained silent, as she put her bottle down upon the table.

Dayna furrowed her brows. "Okay, what's going on? What are you thinking?"

Lillian shook her head. "Nothing..." She then took another long drink of her beer, before speaking. "So what did you think of that, a... Speedman guy? What was his name...? Derrick?"

Relieving herself of a deep breath, Dayna put down her pad and placed her elbows on the table. "Okay, what's going on?"

Lillian wiped her mouth, scratching her head. She thought carefully about the next words that were to come out of her mouth, but clarity could not be achieved. Instead, she spoke the one phrase that no one would ever want to hear. "It's not you, it's me."

Dayna hunched back into her chair, lowering her shoulders. "Oh, you have got to be kidding me."

Lillian shrugged. "No, it's me."

"I know it's you." Dayna replied, narrowing her eyes. "But the question is, why?"

Lillian finished off her beer, and then manifested a cigarette from her palm. Lighting it with her finger, she took a long needed puff. "Some things are needed, left unsaid, my friend."

Dayna finished off her beer, got up, and made her way to Lillian. She put her hand on the table, leaning in close to her, speaking, their lips nearly toughing. "I know for a fact, that whatever you do is for a goddamn good reason, and this better be a good one." Closing her eyes, Dayna kissed Lillian, one more time, hard and with passion. "See you around, Switchblade Mamma." Said Dayna, as she left the mess hall.

"I left Speedman's number on your dresser." Replied Lillian, loudly. "Ya know, in case you want to call him and see that movie."

"You are a bitch." Replied Dayna, kiddingly, as her voice echoed throughout the stone corridors.

Lillian finished off her beer as she shrugged, smiling. "I know." She put the cigarette in her mouth, and with much giddiness, made her way to the elevator, that would lead her down into the bowls of the mountain base.

As the elevator doors opened, Lillian put out her cigarette into the palm of her hand, absorbing the butt. She took a deep breath, as she was greeted by cool, cavernous air. To one side of the enormous, underground hangar, stood the remaining 1000, Lillian replicas. Lillian smiled, and pointed at them. "You guys are baaaad, fucken ass!" She then turned herself to an empty side of the hangar, looking and smiling big. "Bear, you with me?"

Bear appeared, smiling. "Yes Lillian, I never left." She wore her doctor's coat, a blue turtle neck, riding just underneath the chin.

Lillian lifted a brow, smiling. "You say that, but I believe that is was the work of my Shitair friends that brought you back into the fold."

Grinning, Bear clasped her hands. "And it was, my dear Lillian. How may I help you now?"

Lillian lifted a brow. "I'm just really glad you are back." Smiling, she then folded her arms. "Uncloak the ship, please."

With a nod from Bear, A small ship appeared from the empty space.

Inhaling deeply, Lillian released, as she ship became visible. "That is a piece of fucking work. Faye Blackwater was a bloody genius."

Bear walked with Lillian as she came closer to the ship. "And I will not disagree with you on that. Faye built my nanotech transmitters here on Earth, and designed this base. She was the core, and cause of your victory."

Lillian nodded. "Amen to that, sistah." As she walked closer to the ship, she felt a familiarity to it. It held something within it that would not allow it to be a stranger to her. Lillian turned, looking to Bear. "How do I open it?" She asked calmly.

"It responds only to your DNA. Let your presence be known." Bear replied calmly.

Lillian walked up to the ship, raising her arm. As soon as she became near, the bay door opened, lowered, and allowed her to enter. She walked in slowly, analyzing all around her. Lillian lifted her arms as she spoke. "This is what dreams are made of."

Bear clasped her hands smiling, her long blonde hair flowing passed her shoulders, and curled up at the ends. "I'm glad you approve."

"But is this not a bit overkill? Can't I just fly from place to place, solo?" Asked Lillian.

"Humans may not know about other species out there, but other species know about humans. If any other race of being, found out that you are more than just human, they may seek you just like the Vitair did." Bear Replied.

Lillian let go of a saddening sigh. "Aw, crap."

Bear nodded. "Besides, if you happen to find friends on your way, where will you put them? On you back."

Lillian plopped into her captain's chair, eyes wide. "Right... So I will be the only teen in high school with a car." Lillian smiled, shaking her head. "Ohhh, everyone will want to go to lunch with me then."

Bear's face remained expressionless. "I don't believe I understand that reference."

Rubbing her face with her hand, Lillian looked into the ships on screen display. She lifted a brow. "What are they doing back there?" She asked.

"Supplies. It is Dava's whish for you to stop on Mars, and drop off some much needed supplies to the colonies. Is this okay with you?" Asked Bear.

Lillian raised both brows. "Did not need to ask, lady. I am already aware of the Mars relief program." Replied Lillian. What about you? You coming along for the ride?"

Smiling, Bear replied. "If you would have me."

"Duh! You have saved my ass countless times, taught me how to do everything... I could not see myself going any further without you." Spoke Lillian, as she rose to inspect the rest of the ship.

The ship was not huge, but had more than adequate accommodations for a captain, and her small crew. The ship had two decks. The bridge was on the first, complete with captains ready room. Living quarters, galley, med bay, and cargo bay all on the second. To Lillian, it did not matter how big ones ship was, it was the complete and utter fact that she had one. She was about to take the biggest camping trip of her life, and headed toward the stars.

She was filled with a complete euphoric giddiness that surpassed all others. And for a moment, one fleeting moment, floating out in space and time, Lillian had forgotten all of her troubles. She wondered about the ship aimlessly, looking about, smiling, and high on happiness. Because for some reason, one faint feeling within the depths of her bones, told her she was going home... Back into the stars.

"Aren't you going to say goodbye to anyone?" Asked Bear, breaking the silence of the ship.

Shaking her head, Lillian sat back down in her captain's chair, laying her arms on the rests. "Everyone already knows I am leaving." She winced, lifting a brow. "Besides, more than likely I will never see them again."

With light emphasis, Bear lifted her arms from her sides. "All the more reason to see them, then."

Lillian shook her head, eyes a bit glossy. "I don't do goodbyes... I just disappear... I call it, pulling a ninja."

Bear's argument then became silenced. She knew that once Lillian had made her mind up, there was no changing it.

Lillian narrowed her eyes, as she became aware of a flashing red light on the ships control panel. "What's up with this light? It's been flashing since we got here."

Bear swallowed, knowing exactly what the light was. "It's a sub-space message."

Lillian ran her hand through her short, un-gelled hair. "Meaning?"

"Meaning, the message is from space... A ship, or a planet... Wherever it is from, it is not here."

Smiling, Lillian widened her eyes. "Sweet! My first message from someone in space! Let's hear it."

There was a slight hesitation in Bear's reaction, but she did as she was told and played the message.

It was fuzzy at first, sounds filled with static, and Lillian lifted her brows as she got nothing from it. She then turned to Bear, tilting her head.

Bear shook her head, adjusting the controls. "Sorry. The further a message travels, the more likely it is too become distorted."

Lillian shrugged. "No worries." Quickly losing interest, Lillian got up from her chair and once again began to scout about the ship. It was not until she heard a familiar voice that she stopped dead in her tracks, seeking the voices face.

"If you are watching this, then you have survived the Vitair attack, and saved the Earth. Congratulations, for you have done it with way less training than I, which means, you are now more powerful, for you have actually harnessed the power of the sun."

Lillian's eyes became wide, as her jaw dropped. She was staring at herself on the screen. A long haired, Lillian Ann Cross, and yet, a complete stranger. "What the fuck?" Were all the words she could lightly whisper between her lips.

The long haired Lillian went on. "You probably have a lot of questions..."

"You bet your sweet ass I do." Quickly snapped Lillian.

"And I know you would like to know where your fifty years went."

Lillian furrowed her brows, lightly sneering and showing teeth. "Damn straight..."

"Look no further, for I am the culprit."

Lillian smashed her hand down on the rest of her chair. "God damn it, I fucking knew it!" Looking back towards Bear, Lillian threw her arms into the air. "Leave it to fucking me, to erase my own god damn memories, and forget about it!"

"I know you are pissed, but this decision was not made easily. Fifty years ago, yes, you were taken against your will, but only because it was necessary. The residual liquid hate that remained in your body, was only working against you. It was only a matter of time before you hurt someone."

Lillian lowered her brow, and her defenses, sitting back down into her chair. She rubbed her forehead, speaking to herself. "Yeah, but why my memories?"

"No matter what, you were to be a threat in anyone's hands, so the Guardian's scooped you up. You fought like hell, when you woke. You were scared and angry for what you left behind."

"You left her behind, you asshole!" Lillian shouted, pointing at the screen.

"The Guardians are the third species of creation. They have nothing but good intentions within their bones. They are a shapeshifting species, so no one really knows what the look like. Very fitting for their line of work, to protect life."

"You... We..." The long haired Lillian placed her palm upon her chest. "I was assigned a case worker. Her name was Telanna, and she assumed the looks of Zoie Palmer, AKA Dr. Lauren Lewis. I believe we were watching that series at the time, and per brain scan, we would be the most receptive to that structure."

Lillian's jaw completely fell as she turned to look at Bear, chills running up her back. "Telanna?"

"The plan was to teach about your co-inhabiting, alien friends. How to utilize your power, harness it, and to protect yourself from threats. The biggest challenge was the liquid hate. We couldn't remove it completely from your body, but we learned how to box it up, and to lock it in. Which, needless to say, was most challenging."

The long haired Lillian smiled, blinking lightly. "And I know... The words that are running through your mind right now is, what about Paige?"

Lillian nodded, running a hand through her hair. "Uh-huh."

"It took me more than ten years to cope... The loss was great in my heart, and I did not think that I could live without her. But the training with Telanna was extensive, and time consuming. My mind became focused elsewhere. We were becoming one with the Shitair. And I... I was becoming one with Telanna.

I never forgot about Paige, but I also knew, that no matter what, with the threat that I posed, and what I was, I could not go home either." The long haired Lillian clasped her hands, eyes becoming glossy. "So... She became a part of my life. And, for forty years... We loved each other."

Lillian's eyes remained wide, as she turned to look at Bear.

"The Vitair, as the always do, found us, our ship. It was me they wanted, and would stop at nothing to get me. I would agree to something, as long as it would stop lives from getting lost, but Telanna would not have it. Without saying anything, she went to the Vitair ship, to sabotage it, to stop them." Pulling her long, dark blonde locks from her face, Lillian wiped a tear from her cheek. "Wildieve, the Captain of the Vitair ship captured her, and used her as bait to bring me in. And, I would have to say that it worked. I came to that ship, in a burning fury from hell, aided by my replicas."

The long haired Lillian laughed lightly to herself. "I am sure you have found a great use for them, for they are a wonderful bunch, and will stop at nothing to get the job done."

She then switched back to the subject of pain, the long haired Lillian losing her grin. "Like a bat out of hell, I flew into that ship with the wrath of my replica's following, and tore it to pieces until I found Telanna with Wildeve. He was going to make a trade... Me for her, and I agreed... Too eagerly." Her face became white, as she rubbed her flushed cheeks. "And that's when she killed herself."

The long haired Lillian stopped talking, as her words became muddled with sadness. She took a moment to swallow hard, and to compose herself, tears now streaming. "And, that was only hours ago. Before Telanna was captured, she found out info that a Vitair ship is already on its way to Earth. I have no other choice. They are leading me into another trap, but I have no choice, as it is the Earth and its people that are now in danger."

The long haired Lillian relieved herself of a long breath. "If I flew there, it would take years. So, I have made plans to harness wormholes in order to get there quicker... The only issue is memory loss, acute, as they have told me. But the bigger issue, and main reason I have confiscated your fifty years, is Paige. Right now, I am fucking heartbroken... Again."

The long haired Lillian shook her head as she closed her eyes. "She will be in her eighties when I get there... Either dead or dying. And Telanna... Her death is weighing on my heart right now. It's like fire in my insides, oh... How it burns. I feel my rage will lead to brash decisions, and therefore, I cannot let that happen..."

The long haired Lillian stood up, pulling her deep gold lengthy hair into a ponytail. "So, I have made the decision to have my memories from the last fifty years removed. I apologize greatly for this, but I cannot do my job properly with knowledge of pain. The Guardians have assured me, that they will send me on my way, with tech that will help you. Bio. Engineered. Artificial. Reference. Or, Bear for short. You will need to relearn everything, and I know you are a smart, but you are a stubborn girl. If you have learned it before, I know it will come to you again."

Lillian was standing now, frozen with the truth.

"Should you complete your task... And save the Earth... Just as I know you will. Your memories are not lost, but here, on this Guardian's ship. Let Bear guide you home, and perhaps one day, we shall meet."

With a raised brow, Lillian's jaw remained dropped. "Holy fucking shit." Were the only words she could muster, she turned to Bear once more. "Telanna?"

Telanna swallowed, taking a deep breath. "She didn't know, but I had my soul transferred into the tech, and into you. Us Gaurdians can either pass on into the nexus, or have a new body created. I did not have time for a new body, so I transferred... I just wanted to be with you."

Lillain furrowed her brows. "This whole time you knew. And yet you said nothing, though I struggled."

"It was your wishes. I did not want to confuse you."

Troubled, Lillian began to pace. "So now what? Where do we go from here?"

Bear walked to Lillian, wishing nothing more than to hold her hands. She looked into her green eyes, hating every moment she could not be in her arms. "Do you want to go home...? And get your memories back?"

Lillian stopped pacing, and folded her arms. She looked into Telanna's brown eyes and found a familiar sanctuary. "Yes, yes I do."

Telanna smiled. "Oh Lillian, how I have missed you."

Lillian tilted her head. "Are you real? Like intact?"

Telanna nodded. "I will be, once we get back to the ship. I can have another body generated, and we can be together, forever."

"Your species does not die?" asked Lillian.

"Our species is a structure of souls. We have artificially generated our immortality, something the Vitair strive so desperately to do. And, if they are able to succeed, there will be hell, I sincerely guarantee it." Bear stated, with a strain of fear flowing through her voice.

Lillian stood quiet momentarily, looking at Bear, somewhat differently then she had done so before. Her eyes twitched, as her mouth pursed under the trying pressure of thought. The entire time, the entity, the soul of a being that loved her, resided in her body. And it was completely oblivious to herself. She took a deep breath as she tried to decide the next course of action. Her eyebrow lifted as she spoke. "Let's go home."

Bear smiled, face filled with shear exuberance. "May I make a course suggestion?"

Lillian shrugged. "Sure. Apparently I've got the time right?"

Bear smiled, cheeks warm, and rosy. "I believe this course correction will make Miss Stiles very happy."

"Ah yes, the supplies. To Mars we go!" Replied Lillian with a grin.

Once the ship's cargo bay was filled, Lillian sat herself into the captain's chair, anxious and ready for her next adventure. Even though she had spent fifty years amongst the stars, she had not remembered a lick of it, minus the horrible dreams that haunted her at night, attributed from Wildeve.

But now she sat, remaining motionless as if she were incased in a layer of frost and ice. On one side, she was so cold, she could figuratively see the vapors escaping her gaping hole of a mouth as she tried to control her sporadic, and excessively heavy breathing. And on the other, her heart raced because she was so excited to be going "home."

"You heart rate is through the roof." Spoke Telanna, calmly.

Lillian took a deep breath, as she readied herself to say hello to an old adversary. Shen then nodded. "Alright, put me through."

The holographic screen appeared, filled with popping, crackling greyness, as a low double beep commenced. There was a moment of silent filled static. Worried, Lillian ran her hand through her hair. "I hope there is still life."

Telanna closed her eyes. "Approximately one hundred souls."

Lillian shook her head. "Someone needs to learn how to answer the phone."

The screen continued to beep for a few more moments, Lillian waiting patiently, when finally, a young bearded man heed their call. "This is Mars colony... As too whom am I speaking to?"

Lillian smiled, lifting a brow. "I need to speak with Captain Bishop, please."

The man narrowed his eyes, running his hand through his beard. "Captain Bishop is unwell..."

"Put him on." Lillian cut in. "He needs to speak with me then, before he kicks the bucket."

With furrowed brows, the man left his coms station. Moments later, the bearded man returned, pushing a much older man in a wheelchair. His face had withered and cracked in time, his beard lengthy and greyish-white. As he was pushed closer to the coms screen, his eyes slowly focused on the being that resided on the other side.

He swallowed hoarsely, as he licked his dried and cracked lips. David Bishop's eyes dropped opened, when the being clearly came into view. "I will never, ever forget those eyes and that damn scar. Have you come to put me too my end, after what my family had done to you? How you are not aged? Are you not the Switchblade Mamma?"

"Well, hello too you too, fucker." Smiling, and lifting a brow, Lillian leaned back into her chair. "No, unfortunately I am not here to finish the job. I've already collected on those two souls, remember? And yes I am, but you may call me Lillian. And the rest of it is a long story that we will talk about that later."

The old man rustled through his beard as he tried to remember, what seemed like ages ago. "I have reformed, you see. I have started life, and maintained it." He then blinked slowly, looking towards the ground. "Although, I am failing at this too. There is some vital hardware that was damaged in a storm, and I fear without it, we will not survive much longer."

Running her hand down her face, her fingers caught in the crevices of her scars, Lillian smiled. "Well my friend, you have no more worries. You happen to be part of a family that I hold near and dear to my heart. Relief is on the way, and as soon as you hang up here, it will be in your orbit within five minutes."

David lifted a brow, his bushy eyebrows slightly covering his yellowed eyes. "How is that possible? Since the Mars program, all space advances has been suspended... It would take nine..."

"Enough, my man." Lillian cut in. "I assure you, you will have supplies within minutes."

"And what ship should I be expecting?" Asked the skeptical man.

Lillian took a moment to think, as she had not yet named her ship. One name, and one name only popped up in her head. It was the least she could do for a great woman, who made the ultimate sacrifice for her people. "The E.S. Blackwater will be entering your orbit, to deliver supplies." Replied Lillian.

"E.S.?" Quarried David.

Lillian grinned, as she ran her hair through her short, cut hair. "Earth Ship. This is the Earth Ship, Blackwater."

There was a wave of mild hope that surfaced within David's facial wrinkles. He smiled, as his dry lips cracked and lightly bled under the strain. "And who is the captain of this ship?"

Lillian smiled, with happy teeth showing through. "Why me, of course... Captain Cross."

"Well then Captain Cross, I look forward to seeing you."

Lillian nodded, her lips grinning on end. "As do I, my friend."

When the screen disappeared, Lillian turned to Bear. "Set a course for Mars?"

Bear looked at her, shrugging. "I can give you directions on how to fly the thing, but I do not control it."

"Oh... Alrighty then, please send me brain the directions." Lillian replied in a Scottish accent."

"Done."

Lillian lifted her brows, as she received the input. "Wow, now that is some shit."

"Think you can handle it?" Asked Bear.

Lillian nodded, as she began to work the navigation. "Just like programing a stereo... There, Mars course laid in." There was a twinkle in Lillian's eyes, as hers meet Bear's. "Are you ready to go home?" She asked.

"Since the moment I got here." Replied Bear.

Lillian lifted her arm, and extended her index finger. "I also voice programed this shit, and have always wanted to do this." Lillian dropped her arm, still pointing, and loudly spoke one word. "Engage!"

