

Immortals

Vol. I

Attack on Omicron

B. D. Kush

Prologue

Nighttime had fallen upon the bright and bustling New York City. Being the Fourth of July, this Tuesday was exceptionally lively, with evening festivities and celebratory fireworks erupting across the five boroughs.

On a quiet side street in East Harlem, the two occupants of a blue sedan sat in silence while surveying a white cargo van concealed in an unlit alleyway. On the back of the commercial vehicle, a small logo spelling 'OnI' in red and black letters was barely visible amid the darkness.

The passenger of the car, Adley, was a Caucasian female with brown eyes and shoulder-length dirty blond hair. Adley rolled down her side window and used her phone to take a picture of the van's licence plate. She looked to ensure that the image was satisfactory before lowering her device and continuing with her surveillance.

The driver, Arlo, was a twenty-eight-year-old male with short brown hair and blue eyes. Having no interest in the van, he spent the last few minutes silently gazing out his driver's side window while listening to the faint popping of distant fireworks.

Finally overcome with boredom, Arlo turned to address Adley.

"So, you mind telling me why we're parked here?" Arlo asked with a hint of irritation in his voice. "I hope this isn't for another one of your articles."

Adley shifted her gaze from the van to Arlo and smiled. "What? You don't like spending time with your little sister?" she asked jokingly.

Arlo refused to return the smile and replied, "No, but I'd like to know what kind of trouble you're getting me into. A little forewarning would be appreciated this time, considering I'm sacrificing my day off to help you."

Adley continued to smile as if she neither noticed nor cared about her brother's negative disposition.

"You're so melodramatic, Arlo. When have I ever gotten you into trouble?" Adley asked with what sounded like complete sincerity.

Arlo looked at his sister bewildered, trying to determine if she was joking or serious.

"You're kidding, right?" he asked, dumbfounded by his sister's need to be reminded. "How about the time they arrested us for trespassing?"

"That was a misunderstanding," Adley said defensively. "Plus, they only detained us, remember? They agreed not to press charges."

"And the time you had me distract—"

"How many times do I have to apologize for that?" Adley interrupted. "It was only your nose. Let it go already."

Adley exhaled noisily, irritated by her brother's ability to recollect past events.

"I can keep going," Arlo said with a smirk. Despite his irritation, Arlo could not help but smile when effectively provoking his only sibling.

"Okay, I get the point. This is the last time, I promise."

Arlo sighed hopelessly, having heard that exact promise on more than one occasion. "Why do I not believe you," he said before redirecting the conversation. "So, for the second time, you mind telling me why we're parked here at this hour?"

Adley pointed to the cargo van. "That van belongs to Omicron Incorporated. They're a leading pharmaceutical company."

"Why are you following them?"

"Lately, they've been driving around at night, parking in alleyways and empty parking lots."

"Maybe they're making deliveries?" Arlo suggested, not seeing the problem.

"At night, and armed with weapons?"

"Well, this is Manhattan," Arlo said jokingly, his disgruntled demeanour finally starting to lighten.

"Not funny," Adley said with a smile. She shifted her gaze from Arlo to the van before motioning towards the vehicle. "Last week, I inspected that van. It was full of tranquillizer darts, nets, guns, restraints—I think they are looking for something or someone."

When Adley turned back to look at her brother, his smile had vanished entirely. Arlo did not look amused. "I hope this isn't like the time you had us break into that laboratory," Arlo snapped, reverting to his initial frustrated state. "I told you last time, never again."

"No, it's not like that," Adley said defensively. "And for your information, we proved that the laboratory violated the Animal Welfare Act, I call that a win. Plus, it's not breaking and entering if someone gives you access, it's more like trespassing."

Arlo rolled his eyes and turned back to his window, unable to look his bleeding-heart sister in the face. "You are such a liberal, it's sickening," Arlo said while retrieving his phone. "I told you last time, I don't care about the rodents, or the bunnies, or the lab monkeys," he added while texting.

"And I'm telling you this is completely different!" Adley exclaimed. "I hid a GPS tracker in that van. I think they're starting to close in on whatever it is they're looking for."

Suddenly, a few drops of rain hit the car window drawing Arlo's attention. He opened the weather app on his phone and was surprised to see that it incorrectly indicated clear skies for the next two days.

Noticing the time, Arlo was growing frustrated and finally had enough of his sister's shenanigans. "Do you even hear yourself? Breaking into vans, tracking people. You're going to end up dead or arrested if you keep this up."

Before Adley could respond, the startling sound of a single gunshot echoed in the distance. Upon hearing the loud bang, the siblings' heads simultaneously shifted towards the alleyway from where the noise originated.

"What was that?" Adley asked, trying to peer out the window through the now pouring rain.

"Probably fireworks," Arlo suggested, hoping his sister would not know the difference.

"It came from the alleyway," Adley said while reaching for the car door handle. She grabbed her bag and exited the vehicle before her brother had a chance to respond.

Arlo stepped out of the car and looked over the roof at his sister. "Wait! Where are you going?" he called out as Adley disappeared into the dark alleyway.

Adley ran past the cargo van and down the path leading to a small paved parking lot behind the building. The rain continued to pour as she peeked out from against the wall and spotted two males in identical dark grey uniforms. They both had handguns strapped to their belts, and one was carrying a rifle. Although they were armed and wearing ballistic vests, Adley could tell by the Omicron logo on their uniform that they were not police officers. But the strangest thing about their attire was the dark visors they were wearing, despite it being nighttime and raining.

Adley quickly retrieved her phone and attempted to record the scene in the near darkness. She watched in silence while the two Omicron operatives gazed up towards the rooftop. Seconds later, the man with the rifle aimed his weapon upwards and peered through the scope before firing a single shot.

_BANG!_

Startled, Adley jumped while covering her mouth. She forced herself not to scream when the silhouette of a body fell from the rooftop onto the pavement below. The rain had now ceased allowing Adley to see the motionless figure on the ground more clearly. Fighting her nervousness, she tried to keep her phone steady while recording the scene before her.

One of the operatives slowly approached the target while his co-worker watched with his weapon raised. The man bent down next to the body, but before he could touch it, a tall shadow attacked from above, knocking him a few feet back. Adley watched in awe when she realized that the operative's attacker was a tall woman with dark olive skin and shoulder-length navy blue hair. She was wearing a blue knee-high backless dress and white high-top running shoes with matching light blue trim.

With one operative down, Adley watched as the woman rushed the second male. The woman approached with lighting fast speed and hit the man, knocking him to the ground. The unknown female looked back to check on the first operative who was already on his feet with his gun raised. The man fired a tranquillizer dart, causing the woman to stop in her tracks. He continued to point his weapon at the injured female as she grasped her shoulder in pain.

Seizing the opportunity to help the mysterious female, Adley reached into her bag and pulled out a handgun. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself before stepping out from behind the wall and aiming her gun at the operative's back.

"Stop! Leave her alone, or I'll shoot!" Adley warned the man with as much confidence as she could muster while trying to hold the gun firmly in her trembling hands.

Heeding her warning, the man dropped his gun and raised his hands while Adley continued to aim her weapon at his back.

Hearing footsteps approaching from behind, Adley was briefly startled but let out a sigh of relief when she glanced back to discover her brother emerging from the alleyway.

Arlo was stunned to see his sister holding a gun. "Adley!" he exclaimed in shock. "What the hell are you doing?"

While still aiming her gun at the operative, Adley glanced back at her brother. "She's unarmed and outnumbered. I have to help her!"

"But why do you have a gun?"

"Relax, it's not a big deal," Adley reassured. "I practice all the time."

While the siblings were busy bickering, the two Omicron employees took the opportunity to flee the scene. One man was carrying the weapons, and the other was holding the body that they shot off the rooftop.

Now that the operatives were gone, Adley turned her attention to the injured female. The tranquillizer had started to overpower the unknown woman causing her to fall to her hands and knees. Adley rushed over to aid the victim.

"Are you okay?" Adley asked while kneeling next to the woman.

"I-I have to help Finn," the female struggled to say. Using her last ounce of strength, she attempted to stand but finally collapsed to the ground.

While Adley checked the girl's pulse, Arlo stood over the two females panicking.

"I can't believe they shot her right in front of us! I'm calling nine-one-one," Arlo said while unlocking his phone to make the call.

"But what if they come back for her? We need to get her out of here!" Adley exclaimed with a worried expression.

"We? Are you insane! We witness a crime; they shot her! It is a textbook emergency! She needs a hospital!" Arlo was looking at his sister like she had finally gone mental.

"It's a tranquillizer dart, nothing serious," Adley said, trying to reason with her brother. "Omicron's a pharmaceutical company; they have ties to hospitals."

Adley went to grab the unconscious woman's arms and was surprised by how light she was. Adley could have easily carried the woman by herself if it was not for the height disparity. But unable to do it by herself, she looked to her brother for assistance. "Please, Arlo. Help me."

Arlo exhaled loudly. Surrendering to his sister, he reached down to help Adley carry the unknown female out of the alleyway.

"FYI, this is exactly what I mean when I say you cause me nothing but trouble," Arlo said as they walked towards the car.

After placing the unconscious female in the back seat, Arlo sat in the driver's seat next to Adley and let out a big sigh.

Adley turned to her brother to fill him in on the rest of her plan. "Once we get to your place—"

"Hold on," Arlo interrupted. He put his hands up in a stopping motion, unwilling to listen to another word. "Now you want to bring the stranger to my place! What about your apartment?" he asked in vexation.

"Please, your apartment is closer," Adley begged, holding her palms together while pleading with him.

Arlo groaned and started the car. "I don't know why I let you drag me into these things," he mumbled in defeat.

Adley smiled triumphantly. "Because you're my brother, and you love me," she stated, only to receive a scowl in return.

To avoid enraging her loving brother any further, Adley decided to remain silent as they transported the unconscious stranger back to Arlo's apartment.

I

# July 5th, 2017

Arlo's Apartment (E 60th St, New York, NY) - 0945 hrs

The morning sun was beginning to peak over the urban landscape allowing the bright light to reach the small apartment complex. On the third floor of the five-story building, inside the bedroom of a one-bedroom apartment, a girl named Brook slept in a stranger's bed, unaware of her surroundings. The room was dark, the only source of light coming from a gap in the curtains near the foot of the bed.

While the young woman slept peacefully, a small strip of sunlight started to drift up the bed. Brook's eyes flew open as soon as the light touched her feet. She looked down and immediately pulled her legs towards her torso. She frantically sat up and moved to the top of the bed to get further from the drifting light. As her back neared the wall, a small wall-mounted mirror behind her fell and erupted with a glass-shattering _smash!_

Less than a second later, there was a quick knock at the door before it opened, and Adley poked her head into the room.

"Good, you're awake," Adley said with a smile. "How are you feeling?" she asked while opening the door wider to enter.

There was a quick pause as Brook looked at Adley nervously before answering. "I'm fine," she replied slowly, not sure what to make of the situation.

"My name's Adley. What's yours?"

"Brook," the blue-haired girl replied. She made her way to the edge of the bed and stood up while extending her hand out to formally introduce herself.

As Adley shook Brook's hand, she looked up at the slender female towering over her. Now that she was able to see Brook awake and up close, Adley was a little taken aback by her appearance, mainly her bright blue eyes and hair.

"Nice to meet you," Adley said while also admiring Brook's flawless complexion and olive skin. Considering they appeared around the same age, she could not help but feel a little intimidated.

"I like your hair," Adley commented with an awkward smile. Realizing she was still shaking Brook's hand and gazing at her longer than what would be considered normal, Adley let go of the female before continuing. "My brother and I stumbled upon you and your friend under attack."

Brook's expression changed as soon as she recalled what happened last night. "Oh, no, Finn!" she said in a panic, her eyes starting to tear up. "I have to get home! Quinn is going to kill me. This is all my fault!"

"I can help you," Adley said, trying to comfort the distraught female. "What Omicron did last night was illegal. I was able to get it all on video. We can go to the police and—"

"No!" Brook interrupted vigorously.

Adley looked at Brook in silence, startled by her outburst.

Brook whipped away her tears before speaking. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap," she said, trying to calm down. "Thanks for helping me last night, but I need to get home and fix this," Brook explained before turning towards the exit.

"But I can help you get your friend back," Adley said while stepping in front of the doorway to prevent Brook from leaving. "I've been researching Omicron. After what they did to you last night, I want to help you save your friend. I might have information that can assist you."

"Listen," Brook said in all seriousness. "I know you think you can help, but you don't know me or my situation. The only thing that can help right now is letting me go home." Brook's eyes were now dry, and there was a hit of annoyance in her voice.

"Your right, I don't know you," Adley agreed, stepping aside to let Brook pass. "Can I at least give you a lift home?"

Brook nervously glanced at the small strip of sunlight on the bed before turning back to Adley. "Su-sure. Thank you. You wouldn't happen to have a big blanket I could use?" she asked while smiling sheepishly.

"Why do you need a blanket?"

Brook verbally fumbled as she tried to think of an excuse. "I, ah, need it to hide under in case the...men from last night are still looking for me."

Adley smiled. "I think Arlo might have something you can use," she said before turning towards the hallway and shouting, "ARLO!"

Seconds later, Arlo entered the bedroom with a grim expression, as if he knew exactly why his sister was beckoning him.

"Yeah?" sighed Arlo.

"Can you do me a favour?" Adley asked her brother with a smile, only to receive an eye-roll in return.

**οοοοοοο**

_Greenwich Village (7_ _th_ _Ave, New York, NY) - 1140 hrs_

As Adley and Arlo drove Brook home, the siblings occupied the front seats while Brook sat in the back covered by a grey blanket. A long silence lingered inside the vehicle as the three travelled across town towards the Lower West Side. Arlo could not even use his rear-view mirror due to Brook's blanketed mass taking up the entire back seat of his car. While Arlo drove them to their destination, not particularly happy with this whole situation, Adley sat smiling in the passenger seat. The awkward silence continued until Adley looked back to address Brook.

"So, Brook, do you live with your parents?" Adley asked, trying to make small talk.

"Not exactly, I live with my brother and our extended family," Brook's muffled voice answered from under the blanket.

"Is Finn your brother?"

Brook's voice shifted a little when she started talking about Finn. "No, Finn is more like my boyfriend," she explained before clearing her throat. "Sorry, but I rather not talk about my family right now."

"I understand. Sorry for prying," Adley apologized.

The silence continued until they neared Brook's residence. Arlo pulled over to park a few houses down from the address Brook provided.

"We're here," Arlo informed Brook, who obviously could not see. "Let me help you to the door," she offered while unbuckling her seatbelt.

Adley opened the back door to help Brook exit the vehicle onto the sidewalk. The two walked down the street with Adley guiding the blanketed figure towards the residence. Adley felt slightly embarrassed as passing strangers turned their heads to look at them.

Reaching their destination, Adley stopped at the front steps of the house, causing Brook to stop.

"I think this is it," Adley said while gazing up at the old three-story townhouse. Drapes concealed all the windows with security bars mounted over the glass on the ground level.

Adley guided Brook up the steps towards the entrance. Hanging on the solid wood door was a large antique door knocker with the name 'Markovich' engraved in cursive on the front.

"Damnit, I forgot my key," Brook's muffled voice said from under the blanket. She did not bother trying the door handle, knowing it was locked.

Next to the front door was a metal plate containing an intercom and a small camera. From under the blanket, Brook started feeling around the wall-mounted plate for a button. Once found, she pressed it to produce a loud buzzing sound. Seconds later, the speaker erupted with the gurgle of bubbling water, followed by the sound of someone exhaling.

"What the..." a female's voice mumbled through the intercom before clearing her throat. "Yo, who's this?" the voice demanded.

Brook bent down towards the speaker so she could talk through the blanket. "Freya, it's Brook! I need in!"

"Brook? What happened to you? Who's that girl with you?" the voice asked.

"C'mon, Frey-Frey! Please let me in! It's hot under here!" Brook whined while making a scene.

Two inquisitive strangers passing on the sidewalk turned their heads as they watched the blanketed figure bang loudly on the front door. Adley awkwardly smiled at them while Brook argued with the voice over the intercom.

"Hun, ya know outsiders aren't allowed," Freya's voice explained. "Is Finn under there with you?"

Brook stopped banging on the door and moved closer to the microphone to plead with the voice.

"Please, Frey! Finn's in trouble!" Brook said with as much urgency as she could emphasize.

A loud sigh echoed through the intercom. "Fine, but if anyone asks, you let yourself in."

"I will," Brook eagerly replied.

"I'm serious," Freya's voice warned. "It's my day off, and I'm high as fuck right now. I'm not helping you deal with her today. You're on your own."

"C'MON, FREY!"

"...Good luck," Freya's voice said, followed by the click of the door unlocking.

Brook opened the front door that led into the sitting room. The room contained expensive-looking antiques such as an old chesterfield sofa, matching chairs, and two matching Tiffany lamps on top of two solid wood end tables. With thick dark crimson drapes covering the front window, the only source of light in the room came from the exterior door Brook had just opened. Brook removed the blanket immediately upon entering the middle of the room, away from the direct sunlight.

Brook proceeded to fold the sheet neatly and turned to Adlye. "Thank you again for all your help," she said while returning the blanket. You should go before anyone sees you. Freya and my brother are fine, but if you see Quinn, be cool and avoid eye contact." Brook's expression turned serious at the thought of Quinn catching them.

As Brook warned Adley, she was unaware that a female had entered the room and was approaching from behind. Adley, who was facing the kitchen entrance, immediately noticed the woman.

The unknown female was wearing a backless shirt with long sleeves falling just off her shoulders. It was apparent she was not related to Brook by blood as she looked almost the opposite physically. The woman was shorter and had pale skin, but she was much more athletic looking. She had bicoloured hair consisting of long golden bangs flowing down the side of her face and jet-black hair tied up in a clip. Spiked up behind her head were bits of black hair that transitioned to gold at the tips. But the woman's funky hair was nowhere near as intimidating as her eyes. Having never seen anything like it, Adley could not help but stare at the woman's amber iris as she wondered if they were natural or designer contacts. But what intimidated Adley the most was the way the woman's eyes looked at her, it could only be described as a menacing yet restrained glare.

Realizing someone was behind her, Brook's facial expression change from worry to utter fear. She quickly turned around to discover the woman scowling at her. The woman crossed her arms defensively while glaring up at Brook.

"Quinn! I didn't see you there!" Brook said while futilely trying to block Quinn's view of Adley with her tall frame. "Listen, something happened to Finn—"

"What's she doing here?" Quinn demanded while motioning towards Adley.

Brook nervously tried to explain everything at a rapid speed. "This is Adley, she helped me last night, we were—"

"She needs to go _now_ ," Quinn said, interrupting Brook for the second time.

Brook clenched her fists in frustration. "Listen to me! Finn's in danger, we have to help him!" Brook was now taking an aggressive stance, which only antagonized Quinn further.

"And whose idea was it to go out last night!" Quinn reminded Brook before rudely pointing at Adley. "We'll deal with this as soon as she leaves!"

Adley uncomfortably watched the heated conversation between the two women. Although part of her knew this was a bad idea, Adley's altruistic nature got the best of her, and she felt the drive to diffuse the situation. She raised her hand sheepishly, trying to get their attention, but when that did not work, she cleared her throat loudly to much success.

Quinn and Brook immediately stopped arguing and turned their attention to the visitor. Quinn looked unamused with Adley's interference while Brook appeared genuinely worried about her new friend's welfare now that Adley was in Quinn's crosshairs.

Adley was so busy trying not to look Quinn in the eye, as per Brook's advice, she failed to notice Brook signalling for her to shut up.

"Excuse me," Adley said timidly. "Sorry to interrupt, but I think I can help," she added with a nervous smile. Quinn's expression was growing increasingly furious as Adley spoke, but Adley persisted while trying to ignore the woman's intimidating glare. Mustering the courage, Adley took a deep breath before continuing. "I've been investigating the people who took Finn, and I think I can help you get him back."

Snubbing Adley completely, Quinn turned back to Brook. "What have you told her!" she demanded.

"Nothing, I swear," Brook replied, raising her hands defensively.

Quinn turned to Adley with a glowering expression. "I don't care about what you _think_ you know..." Quinn started to say but trailed off once she noticed that a strange man had taken the liberty of waltzing into her living room. Quinn's scowl deepened as she pointed at Arlo. "Who's he?"

Brook and Aldey turned to see that Arlo had entered through the opened door.

"Adley?" Arlo asked. Having heard the quarrelling from the sidewalk, he wished he had the wrong house, but to no such luck.

Infuriated, Quinn turned her attention back to Brook while Brook held her head in frustration.

"This is not going to end well," Brook sighed while silently praying for any distraction right now.

"Are you okay?" Arlo asked his sister. "You were taking so long. I was getting worried."

Quinn turned to Brook, fuming. "How many did you bring with you?"

"Just the two," Brook explained. "They both saved my life last night. If it weren't for them, I wouldn't be here."

Before Quinn could respond, a male voice spoke up from across the room.

"Brook?"

Everyone turned their heads to discover that Brook's twin brother had entered via the kitchen. Like his sister, Trenton was tall and had olive coloured skin, but instead of a lean frame like Brook, he was more muscular with broad shoulders. Unlike Brook's blue hair, Trenton's was mostly black that faded to dark blue at the very end.

The fact that Trenton was shirtless must have caught Adley off guard as she blatantly gawked at his smooth muscular torso a little longer than what would be deemed appropriate.

"What happened to you last night?" Trenton asked his sister.

A big smile appeared on Brook's face before pushing past Quinn and rushing towards Trenton, giving him a big hug on contact.

"Trent!" Brook said joyfully at the sight of her prayers answered. "It's so good to see you! They took Finn last night. They almost captured me too, but these two rescued me."

After explaining everything to her brother, Brook turned to her rescuers. "Adley, Arlo, this is my brother Trent," she said, introducing Trenton to her new friends.

"Hi. Nice to meet you," Trenton said as he reached out to shake their hands.

As the shirtless specimen stood towering over her, Adley's gaze could not help but linger for a few seconds of awkwardness before she realized everyone was looking at her.

"Ahh, nice to meet you, too!" Adley laughed nervously while her face turned beet red. "Sorry for staring, you're so...tall," she said as she fumbled for words. "What I mean is both of you look the same, I can see the family resemblance," Adley clarified, followed by another nervous laugh.

Arlo smiled while chuckling inwardly at his sister's embarrassment. It almost made this headache of an outing worth it.

"I cannot thank you both enough for helping my sister," Trenton said to Adley and Arlo.

"You're pleasure, was our...welcome..." Adley started to say then trailed off while smiling at Trenton, unaware of the words coming out of her mouth.

Standing behind Brook and Trenton, Quinn had her arms crossed defensively while her eyes appeared to glow in anger. Arlo and Adley were the only two facing Quinn, and with Adley preoccupied with Trenton, only Arlo could see the woman's unnerving expression. Arlo wondered if he imagined the glow as he nervously watched Quinn's unusual looking eyes staring him down.

"Adley, we should go," Arlo said with a nudge to get his sister's attention.

Adley reached into her purse to retrieve a business card. "Here's my number," she said while handing it to Brook. "If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to call."

Brook smiled while graciously accepting the card. "Thank you so much for all your help," she said to Adley and Arlo before lunging forward and giving them a big, intrusive hug.

The four of them said their goodbyes while Quinn observed from a distance, positioned in her usual arms crossed stance and remaining eerily silent. Adley tried to say goodbye to Quinn before leaving, but she was rudely ignored.

**οοοοοοο**

_Arlo's Residence - 2035 hrs_

The sun had just finished setting in the distant horizon. Inside the apartment, Arlo was sitting on his couch watching television when Adley entered from the hallway. She had just taken a shower and was now wearing jeans and a white button shirt with a towel wrapped around her head.

"That felt good, thanks for stopping by my place," Adley said while drying her wet hair with the towel. "I needed a change of clothes."

Arlo glanced away from his television to address her. "Why didn't you stay? Wouldn't you rather shower at your place?"

"Yes, but I left my laptop here and thought it would be too much for you to make two trips."

Arlo rolled his eyes at her idiocy. "How considerate of you," he responded sarcastically.

Adley finished drying her hair and pulled her laptop out before sitting next to her brother on the couch.

"Well, last night certainly was interesting," she commented while looking at the computer. "And you thought following that van was a bad idea."

"It was, we almost died," Arlo said flatly, his eyes remaining glued to the television as he engaged in dialogue with his sister.

Adley let out a little laugh. "You're so melodramatic. They were using tranquillizers, not bullets."

Having no interest in the words coming out of his sister's mouth, Arlo rolled his eyes again but did not verbally respond, trying to focus on the television.

"You know," Adley continued, talking more to herself than to Arlo. "I'm glad we stood up to those men. We did a good thing helping Brook. I wonder what Omicron wanted with them?"

Although Arlo could hear what Adley was saying, he ignored her question while she continued talking.

"I think I have a plan," Adley declared with a smile on her face and a gleam in her eye. "If my source can help me access the Omicron building, I could find out what exactly they're doing and—"

"NO! No, Adley!" Arlo interjected in protest, finally looking away from the television to confront his sister. "I'm drawing the line. I am not getting dragged into another one of your—"

Arlo suddenly stopped mid-sentence when his eyes caught sight of something next to the television.

Following her brother's gaze, Adley looked over towards the living room window and was shocked to discover Brook peering in at them.

Kneeling on the fire escape, Brook smiled and waved as Adley let her in. The tall girl awkwardly crawled through the window, almost knocking over Arlo's end table before standing and brushing herself off.

"Hi!" Brook greeted with a smile.

"Brook, is everything okay?" Adley wondered with a concerned expression.

"Yeah, why?" Brook replied.

"You could have used the front door," Adley said, sounding a little apprehensive with Brook's method of dropping in unannounced.

"Well, I didn't know your apartment number because I had a blanket over my head earlier, but I remembered which floor you were on, and this was the easiest way to find you."

"I hope we didn't get you into too much trouble with your family," Adley said, still feeling bad about earlier.

"Nah, Quinn's always like that. It takes time for her to warm up to people," Brook explained.

"What are you going to do about Finn?" Adley asked.

"The others left to go get help, but that'll take too long," Brook said to her new friend. "I'm going to go break him out myself and wanted to know what kind of information you have on Omicron."

As Brook talked, Adley listened with awe and excitement.

"Yes, I can help!" Adley exclaimed, thrilled that she found someone with a similar plan. "I was just talking about doing the same thing. Wasn't I, Arlo?" She looked over at Arlo for affirmation, but he refused to acknowledge her comment.

"Please leave me out of this," Arlo muttered without removing his gaze from the television.

Adley sat down on the sofa and picked up her laptop to show Brook all the intel she had collected on the company.

"Omicron Incorporate is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. It started as a company call Duper Pharma but changed its name to Omicron Incorporated after an acquisition a few years ago." Adley opened a document on her computer and started scrolling through it while Brook peered over her shoulder attentively. "Their main headquarters is here in New York. That must be where they took Finn. Oh, and they don't just deal with pharmaceuticals. I've found ties to companies dealing in biotechnology, weapons development, offshore drilling, medical equipment, even household products. They try to be discreet about everything. My contact said employees are prohibited from bringing in any outside electrical devices." As Adley slowly scrolled past a picture of a male, Brook touched her arm to signal for her to stop.

"Wait, go back," Brook said, prompting Adley to scroll back to the picture. "Who's that?" she asked, pointing to a headshot of a late-middle-aged man with a grey mustache, glasses, and greying brown hair.

"That's Doctor David Hunter. He was hired as a consultant for this new product they're developing. My contact said it's going to be revolutionary."

Brook appeared shaken while her eyes remained fixated on the picture.

"What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost," Adley said upon noticing Brook's unnerving expression.

"Can you print me a copy of this picture?"

Adley nodded in compliance and pressed a button on her computer. She walked across the room to the printer on Arlo's computer desk. She grabbed the paper off the machine and handed it to Brook.

"I have to show this to Quinn," Brook said before turning towards the front door.

"But what about Finn?" Adley asked, causing Brook to stop.

Brook held up the piece of paper. "If this is who I think it is, I might need their help after all."

"Why don't you just call them?" Adley suggested.

"We're not allowed to have cell phones," Brook replied with a hit of bitterness in her voice. "Quinn says they're traceable," she explained mockingly. It was apparent by Brook's tone and mannerism that she opposed this rule.

"Normally, I would find that odd, but after meeting your family today, not so much," Adley commented then asked, "Are you not permitted phones because Omicron is after you?"

"No," Brook answered. "I've never even heard of Omicron up until last night. But the guy in this picture might have something to do with it. That is if he is who I think he is. I have to talk to my family."

Brook turned towards the exit, but Adley stopped her for the second time.

"Wait! Need a ride?"

Hearing his sister offer his services without consultation, Arlo glared at Adley from the sofa.

"I don't know, it's kind of far," Brook warned.

"Come on, let us help," Adley pleaded. She was eager to tag along with Brook, knowing Brook was the ticket to her story. "If we leave now, we can be there in no time."

"O-okay. Thanks," Brook reluctantly agreed.

The three of them departed the apartment towards Arlo's car and made their way out of the city. It was not until they neared Yonkers that Brook informed them that they were journeying into west Connecticut. Arlo was not happy with the unexpected road-trip and remained silent throughout most of the ride in protest.

After what felt like a lengthily drive, they were now deep in the Connecticut countryside.

"Who lives out here?" Adley asked, turning back to converse with Brook in the back seat.

"Some of our extended family. It's kind of like our country home."

"Sounds like you have a big family," Adley commented, curious to meet the rest of Brook's family.

"You're telling me. It gets a little crazy sometimes, and loud, and crowded," Brook said, trailing off a bit before changing the subject. "What about you? Do you come from a big family?"

"Nope, just the two of us," Adley replied. "Our parents live in Wisconsin where we grew up. Arlo and I both moved to New York for school and stayed for work."

"What do you do for work?" Brook asked.

"I'm a freelance journalist. Arlo builds computers."

For the first time in the last two hours, Arlo spoke up. "Actually, I'm a software engineer."

"An engineer, you must be really smart. You should get along with Freya. She's an engineer. She builds all kinds of cool gadgets," Brook informed Arlo with a smile, not understanding the difference.

"Who's Freya?" Adley asked.

"Quinn's twin sister."

"If she's anything like Quinn, I'm not entirely sure I want to meet her," Arlo commented truthfully.

"Don't worry, she's not," Brook assured.

Upon realizing where they were, Brook looked out her window and alerted the driver. "Turn right here!" she called out to Arlo.

Arlo had just enough time to make a sharp right turn onto a dirt road leading into the thick woods. They drove along a bumpy path for a few minutes until they reached a dead-end obstructed by trees.

"Now what?" Arlo questioned.

"We walk," Brook said as she unbuckled her seatbelt.

"You seriously expect us to walk through the woods in the middle of the night?" Arlo complained, not feeling comfortable with the idea.

"Yep, but it's not far," Brook answered with a smile. She exited the car leaving Adley and Arlo to talk privately.

Arlo looked nervously at his sister. "I don't know about this."

"Come on, don't you have a flashlight in your trunk?"

Arlo unbuckled his seatbelt. "You're going to be the death of me," he sighed before pressing the trunk release button and exiting the vehicle.

**οοοοοοο**

_Sanctuary (?????, Connecticut) – 2110 hrs_

In a small clearing deep within a remote forested area stood a settlement that those who knew of its existence referred to as Sanctuary. It consisted of a small log cabin and three wigwams made from branches and birch bark. It had many accommodations such as a vegetable garden, a gas stove, an old water pump protruding from the ground, and many other things you would find from decades of living off the grid. The only source of light in this poorly lit site was a small fire and a few dim lanterns. The scene was so dark that any newcomer would find it difficult to maneuver safely, unlike the inhabitants who did so with ease.

Immediately upon arrival, Freya was greeted by her partner Marko and their twin boys Flint and Felix. Freya looked almost identical to Quinn in height and complexion. Like her sister, Freya had bicoloured hair except hers was red and black, and her eyes had bright red irises. Freya's red bangs flowed down the side of her face, and her long jet-black hair was tied up with the black fading to red like flames climbing up her ponytail. She was wearing a burgundy halter top that had a detailed black design and a gold band cuff bangle wrapped around her left arm. Her black pants consisted of a custom leather-like material, and she had a military-style knife strapped to her right thigh.

Marko was a few inches taller than Freya, and his complexion had a slightly darker tone. He had a messy mop of bright red hair and red eyes like Freya.

Flint and Felix appeared no more than six or seven years of age. Like his mother, Flint had a mixture of black and red hair. He was wearing a black baseball hat with a green leaf stitched on the front next to the word 'KUSH' in white lettering. Coming out from under the cap was chin-length black hair that faded to red an inch from the bottom. Flint was head to toe in brand name clothes from his black Crooks and Castles shirt to his Timberland boots. Felix, on the other hand, looked more like his father with a head full of red hair. Felix was the type who could not be bothered with overpriced corporate branding and was wearing a generic black t-shirt, blue jeans, and black running shoes. The only corresponding attire the twins possessed were the smartwatches they used to circumvent Quinn's cellphone ban.

Excited to see his partner, Marko picked Freya up in a bear hug. "Good to see ya, babe," he said while embracing her.

"You too, hun," Freya replied with a smile.

Before the couple had a chance to finish their embrace, Flint interject. "So, whatcha doin' back so early?" the boy asked suspiciously. "Has Quinn come to apologize?"

Felix laughed at his brother's absurdity. "Like that'll ever happen," he said before turning to his mother pleadingly. "Can I come back with you? I don't see why I'm being punished when _he's_ the pyromaniac," Felix added while motioning towards his brother.

Flint crossed his arms and smirked at Felix. "Shows what you know, I wasn't trying to start a fire," he said factually. "This whole situation has blown way out of proportion. Nothin' even happened!"

"The kitchen reeked of butane. How do you expect Quinn to react?" Felix retorted.

"Whatever, it was well ventilated," Flint scoffed. "Done it plenty of times before, no problems whatsoever."

Felix sighed, annoyed by his brother's pigheadedness. "Since you obviously learned nothing from this, you best avoid getting caught in the future," he warned. "I will not endure another one of your punishments."

"Or what? Gonna rat me out to Quinn?" Flint growled. "Don't say things you can't take back!" he cautioned before jumping on his brother, triggering a wrestling match between the young siblings.

"C'mon, please behave!" Marko pleaded with the two boys. "Why do you two always fight when we come out here?"

Freya stood behind Marko, watching as her spouse attempted to reason with their feuding offspring.

"It's been that bad, huh?" Freya asked sympathetically.

Choosing to ignore the fighting boys, Marko turned back to Freya. "Please say you're here to rescue me," he begged.

Freya smiled and laughed jokingly. "I love ya, but I'm only here out of necessity."

"What happened?" Marko asked, knowing it must be significant to cut her child-free time short.

"Wasn't even gone for twelve hours when this shit goes down," Freya said while motioning to Quinn and Trenton standing by the cabin behind her. "First day off in over a decade, just my luck."

Although Marko knew Freya well enough to know she was disappointed, Freya did not show it outwardly with a smile on her face and cheerful demeanour.

"So? What happened?" Marko asked eagerly, trying to get Freya to answer the question.

"Finn got his ass captured by some pharmaceutical company," Freya explained, glancing around. "You're commin' with us to bust him out."

"What's the plan?" Marko asked, realizing how dangerous the situation was.

Freya smiled, stepped towards Marko and placed her arms around him. Their bodies touched as she pulled him in closer.

"Kinda," Freya whispered like she did not want anyone else to hear. "I was thinkin' a little destruction of property, maybe some espionage if we have time, but not before we..."

Remembering that they were not alone, Freya stopped talking and turned to look down at her two boys. Flint and Felix were no longer fighting and stood with their arms crossed, unimpressed with their parents' display of affection.

Freya paused for a second before addressing the boys. "And that reminds me, I was planning on testin' out the new toys," she said, trying to change the subject. "Flint, how about you do me a favour? Pack 'em up for us, and I'll talk to the others about knocking some time off your sentence."

Flint took a moment to contemplate the offer while suspiciously eyeing his mother.

"I see what you're trying to do, but I'm willing to play along because this," Flint said while motioning towards his embracing parents, "is disgusting." With that said, the boy turned and walked away.

Once Flint was out of earshot, Freya turned to Felix. "You're on quality control, and make sure he doesn't knock 'em around too much."

Felix nodded in affirmation and left to join his brother under Freya and Marko's watchful eyes. As soon as the children were a safe distance away, Freya rested her forehead on Marko's shoulder while breathing a sigh of relief. It was then that Marko noticed her forehead was full of sweat.

"So glad they're gone. I thought they would never leave!" Freya said through clenched teeth. She slowly rubbed her forehead on his bare shoulder, leaving a trail of perspiration.

Knowing this was not Freya's usual demeanour, Marko had to say something. "You seem...off," he commented with a smirk.

"Is it obvious?"

"What are you on?" Marko asked suspiciously.

"Well, thinking I had some time to myself, I decided to make some tea. Just my luck, it wasn't long after I finished Brook came home and told us about Finn. But it's been a few hours, and I'm feeling pretty clearheaded."

Marko gave Freya a confused look. "What kind of tea?"

"Just some peyote buttons I've been saving."

Marko looked confoundedly at his partner. "Peyote? Why?" he asked, surprised by Freya's choice. Even in the category of hallucinogens, mescaline would not have been one of his top three guesses.

"Long story short, a few weeks ago, I was telling Rowan about our time in Durango, and we started talking about peyote. He mentioned that he grows it and said it would be the best I've ever had. I had no idea, and you know when Rowan claims that, ya gotta try it."

Marko sympathized with a nod. "True, he was right about the green diesel," he agreed, having experienced Rowan's horticultural skills firsthand.

"I was going to wait until next time we were alone, but then I thought, who the fuck knows when that'll happen!" Freya said before laughing at the sad truth.

"How is it?"

"Let's say Rowan has yet to disappoint, three for three. But it has been a few decades since I've last had some," Freya explained while contemplating her decision to test the substance.

"How are ya feeling? Gonna be able to pull this off?"

"I feel great," Freya declared. She then smiled naughtily and quickly looked around before grabbing Marko by the hand.

"Where're we going?" Marko asked as he allowed Freya to lead him into the woods.

Freya looked back at her shirtless partner. "We have a few hours to kill," she said with a grin. "I'm gonna ride you until my head stops spinning, or it's time to go, whichever comes first." Freya figured if she was going to risk her life tonight, she should at least get some ass beforehand.

**οοοοοοο**

On the other side of the clearing, Quinn and Trenton were standing next to the cabin when Flint then Felix walked by on their way to pack up the requested supplies. Upon spotting the boys, a dreadful thought immediately entered Quinn's head.

"Remind me to check the fire extinguishers when we get home," she whispered to Trenton. After the scare they had on Monday, Quinn was still feeling apprehensive over the thought of Flint returning home.

The couple's attention shifted when a woman named Tempest exited the cabin. She appeared older than the others, but it was difficult to ascertain her exact age due to her brown skin, long white hair, and light blue eyes. Her naturally light-coloured hair had pale blue highlights that shimmered in the bright moonlight. She was wearing a green and black floral dress that fastened at the collar. Hanging around her neck was a silver coloured chain attached to a pendant with an embedded pale blue orb a little bigger than a large marble.

Tempest was surprised to see Quinn and Trenton waiting for her. "What are you two doing here, is something wrong?"

"Finn's been taken," Quinn explained.

Tempest's expression shifted upon hearing the disturbing news. "Taken, by whom? Did they locate the house?"

"No. Brook and Finn have been going out at night. Someone must have spotted them," Quinn theorized.

"Where's Brook? Is she okay?" Tempest asked, looking around.

"She's at home. We're going to retrieve Finn tonight," Quinn replied.

"I'll come with you."

Quinn shook her head. "No, you should stay with the children, Ebony and Rowan aren't ready to—"

Quinn suddenly stopped midsentence when she realized the two youths were nowhere in sight. "Wait, where are they?"

"Out patrolling," Tempest replied. "They started conducting nightly patrols about a week ago, not sure why."

"I wonder if they sense danger," Quinn suggested.

"With those two on guard, I feel sorry for anyone attempting to set foot near Sanctuary," Tempest said confidently.

**οοοοοοο**

_Somewhere near Sanctuary – 2340 hrs_

Deep in the dark forest, Adley and Arlo waited in the dark with their only sources of light being Arlo's small flashlight and Adley's cell phone. They had walked through the thick brush a distance with Brook until she suddenly stopped and directed them to wait for her. That was over five minutes ago and still no sign of her.

"Why do I have a bad feeling about this," Arlo sighed.

"Come on, Arlo, stop being a baby," Adley said in annoyance. "You're acting like you've never been in the woods before. Remember all the times we went camping?"

"Yeah, but when we were camping, we had tents, fire, food—"

_SLAP!_

"—bug repellent," Arlo added as he flicked the squished mosquito off his hand.

"Please stop complaining, I'm sure Brook will be here any second," Adley reassured her brother.

"What if she left us here to get eaten by bears? Do you even remember how to get back to the car?" Arlo asked, starting to feel panicky.

"Calm down. Brook won't leave us, I trust her." Unlike her brother, Adley had complete faith in the girl she had only known for twenty-four hours.

"You are too trusting, that girl is weird, and so is her family. It felt like I was walking into some cosplay convention," Arlo said, still remembering the encounter with Brook's family earlier that day.

Suddenly, a loud _snap_ originated nearby, followed by the sound of leaves moving.

Arlo jumped. "What was that?" he asked, looking around frantically.

"I'm sure it's nothing," Adley replied, trying to calm him.

The vegetation next to Arlo started to rustle, causing him to jump back. Then the sensation of something brushing against his leg caused him to leap even higher.

"Something just tried to grab my leg!" Arlo screamed, taking a few steps closer to Adley.

Adley rolled her eyes at her brother. "You imagine things, Arlo," she said, growing tired of his melodrama.

Then the rustling was heard again, but this time closer to Adley.

"AHH! Okay, something just touched me!" Adley yelled, feeling something move near her foot.

Without warning, the trees and plants around them started to shake frantically while seedlings and vines wrapped around their arms and legs, preventing them from moving. With the vegetation restraining them, the siblings screamed and struggled unsuccessfully to break free.

As more and more flora overpowered Arlo, he could not help but think that this was finally the end for him, and as predicted, it was all thanks to his sister.

High above the dense forest canopy, Arlo's hysterical voice echoed far into the distance.

"I TOLD YOU SO!"

**οοοοοοο**

With the group ready to go, Freya, Quinn, Trenton, Marko, and Tempest stood in a circle discussing the impending rescue mission. Quinn was addressing the group when she stopped speaking mid-sentence, having heard what sounded like someone yelling from afar.

"Did you hear something?" Quinn asked the others, wondering if her ears were playing tricks on her.

"It's probably just the boys," Freya replied, trying to move things along.

"Does anyone need to make any last-minute preparations before we go?" Quinn asked the group.

Before anyone could answer, they were alerted to the sound of trees rustling in the distance. They all looked towards the direction of the noise and noticed a dark figure moving near the treeline. To their surprise, Brook emerged from the woods, and upon spotting her family, started running towards them while waving a piece of paper. "What are you doing here?" Quinn asked the approaching female.

"You need to see this," Brook said while handing the picture to Quinn.

As Quinn accepted the paper, her expression immediately shifted to a look of shock and horror. "Where did you get this?" she asked, clenching the paper tightly. Her already fair complexion now white as a ghost.

"My friend Adley," Brook explained.

Freya peeked over Quinn's shoulder, trying to catch a glimpse of the picture.

"What do you think, Freya? Is it him?" Brook asked.

"Hun, probably not the best time to ask," Freya replied as she examined the image wide-eyed while leaning over her sister's shoulder to get a better look. "You know, it kinda looks like an old man version of him, but ya might wanna check back with me later to be sure. Marko, gonna weigh in on this?" she asked her partner.

Answering Freya's call, Marko leaned over Quinn's unoccupied shoulder to get a glimpse of the picture. Frustrated with the invasion of her personal space, Quinn shoved the paper into Marko's face and took a few steps away from the pair.

"This is not possible," Quinn said, holding her head in disbelief.

"Well, it sure looks like him," Brook said confidently. When it came to remembering details like people and faces, she had a natural gift. Everything else, not so much.

"Hmm, maybe if you added twenty to thirty years, but that's still too young," Marko said while looking down at the picture. "The first name is the same, but this says his last name is Hunter," he added while pointing to the name listed under the picture.

"So, the last name is different, and the age is way off," Freya thought out loud, then turned to Quinn. "Could be his doppelgänger," she suggested, trying to reassure her sister.

Before Quinn could answer, the sound of foliage rustling caught everyone's attention for the second time. They all turned to see the outline of four people exiting the woods in the distance. As the figures neared, they could see it was Ebony and Rowan walking behind Arlo and Adley. The two in the front appeared to be hostages due to the rope tied around their hands.

Rowan and Ebony were twin siblings that appeared to be in their late teens. Rowan was lean with brown skin, braided green hair, and matching green eyes. Ebony had a similar skin tone, but with hazel eyes and long brown hair tied back into two braids. They were both wearing a mixture of modern and hand-made clothing. Rowan was wearing pants, moccasins, and a sheathed knife around his neck decorated with a couple of green and brown feathers. Ebony was shoeless, wearing a brown tank top and a hide skirt dyed black with painted white porcupine quills used to decorate the trim. She was holding a bow and had a quiver strapped to her back. Blue, green, and brown feathers adorned the bottom of her braids.

"Look at what we found," Rowan called out to the group proudly.

Ebony and Rowan pushed Adley and Arlo to their knees in front of the others.

"Let us go!" Arlo yelled while trying to break free of his restraints.

"Please, we didn't do anything!" Adley pleaded with her captors.

Brook immediately ran over to help the two. "Let them go! They're my friends!" she said in a panic. Brook untied Adley while Rowan assisted Arlo.

"I'm so sorry," Brook said while freeing Adley. "Are you okay?"

"We're fine," Adley replied as she brushed the dirt off her legs.

Arlo looked at Adley with a mixture of shock and anger. "Speak for yourself!" he fumed. "We were just attacked by plants! Am I the only one who is freaked out by this?"

Quinn looked livid as she stormed towards Arlo. Spotting the scary woman approaching him, Arlo nervously backed away from Quinn until he reversed into a nearby tree.

With her target cornered, Quinn got up in Arlo's face. "What are you doing here? Why are you stalking us?"

"Stalk?" Arlo questioned, looking confused. "We were—"

Arlo was immediately silenced by Quinn grabbing his shirt collar and lifting him a foot off the ground with one hand. She slammed his back into the tree and pressed her forearm into his neck as she pinned him up.

"Who sent you?" Quinn demanded, her yellow eyes burning into Arlo. "Who are you working for!"

Seeing Arlo in trouble, Brook ran over to his aid. "Quinn, stop!"

While holding Arlo against the tree, Quinn looked back at Brook and said, "They must be working for someone. Why else would they follow us here?"

Arlo tried to move, but Quinn tightened her grip, causing him to scream in pain.

"Stop! You're hurting him!" Brook reached out to grab Quinn's arm, but an electric spark shocked her on contact. Brook quickly withdrew her arm and took a deep breath. "I brought them here," she admitted, holding her hand in pain.

Quinn glared at Brook as she dropped Arlo, causing him to fall to the ground. Adley ran over to help her coughing brother while Quinn addressed Brook.

"How dare you!" Quinn exclaimed. "You put us all in jeopardy!"

"I trust them! They risked their lives helping me, the least I can do is give them a chance," Brook defended.

Quinn turned to Trenton. "Are you going to help me out here?" she asked, arms folded in frustration.

Trenton took a second to weigh his options before responding. "If you want my opinion," he finally responded with a slight shrug, "I trust Brook's judgement."

Quinn sighed. Realizing she was alone on this one, she turned back to Brook. "Listen, I know your intentions were in the right place, but you need to start thinking about how your actions impact everyone. You took a huge risk bringing people here."

"Sorry," Brook apologized.

"You're lucky we have more important things to worry about," Quinn explained. "Our priority right now is getting Finn back." Deciding to set aside her apprehensions with the strangers, Quinn proceeded to fill the newcomers in on the rescue mission.

**οοοοοοο**

_Omicron Inc. Headquarters (W 34_ _th_ _St, New York, NY) – 2345 hrs_

The Omicron Incorporated Headquarters was a sizable seventy-two story building located in Midtown Manhattan. It was an old building that had just finished two years of mass renovations leaving only the original exterior. With less than an hour until midnight, the headquarters was void of all non-security personnel except for a select few, one of them being Doctor Howard Joy. He was a slender, slightly above average height, thirty-one-year-old Caucasian male who looked like he had never lifted a weight or been in the sun a day in his life. He had a long, lean face and dark circles under his brown eyes that were semi-concealed by his rectangle glasses. Although he lacked a healthy and active lifestyle, he was well-groomed and well dressed. Joy was sitting at his desk talking to his colleague, Doctor David Hunter, via video conference.

"Good morning," Joy greeted the fellow doctor. "I apologize for taking so long to reach you. As you can imagine, the last twenty-four hours have been frantic around here."

"The message said you captured a male?" Hunter's voice echoed through the computer speakers. "What's his condition?"

"He suffered several injuries during the encounter, we had to use sedatives to treat him," Joy reported. "He's strong. We administered enough fentanyl to knock out a horse."

"And what about specimen M? Were they able to locate her?" Hunter asked impatiently.

"No, and we haven't had a chance to question him about her whereabouts."

"That's unfortunate," replied Hunter. "Good news is my assignment here is now complete. I want the specimen in optimal condition for when I arrive."

"Understood."

"Now, I have some time before my departure," Hunter explained. "I want you to take as many samples as you can. I'll talk you through the vita-plasm extraction process."

Retrieving his notebook, Joy attentively listened as Hunter provided the details.

**οοοοοοο**

_Sanctuary – 2350 hrs_

It was quarter to midnight when Brook, Adley, and Arlo started their trek back to the vehicle leaving the other half of the rescue team lagging due to the slowest members. While Quinn and Trenton were ready to depart minutes ago, Freya and Marko were standing near the cabin, saying goodbye to their children.

"We should be back by dawn," Freya said before bringing her sons in for an unexpected hug. She squeezed them so hard and for so long that both boys exchanged awkward glances as soon as she released them.

"Don't forget to send those corporate ass-wipes a message," Flint suggested to his parents. "Let them know if they mess with one of us, they mess with all of us," he added while clenching his fist for dramatic flair.

"Everything's ready to go," Felix said while handing his mother the full duffel bag. "You have half-dozen of each, but only one detonator, so you might want to keep them away from Marko." Felix softened his voice at the end in the hopes that his father would not hear.

Unfortunately for Felix, his father overheard the comment.

"Marko! First off, I'm your father," Marko exclaimed. "And secondly, what exactly did you mean by that comment?"

"Well, statistically speaking, you are a liability," Felix said, rationalizing his claim.

"He's got a point, Dad," Flint chimed in. "If anyone's going to screw things up, it's you."

Marko did not look impressed with the accurate observation.

"It's late, go to bed," Marko directed, knowing that would wipe the smile off their faces.

As Flint and Felix slowly walked towards the cabin, Flint glared at Felix. "You just had to say something, didn't you?" he complained to his twin.

As soon as the boys disappeared into the cabin, Quinn walked up to Freya and Marko. She had changed into a black halter top and black cargo shorts for the mission. On her exposed left arm was a gold cuff bangle identical to Freya's.

"Ready to go? I don't want Brook and the other two arriving before us," Quinn said as she strapped her weapon onto her belt. It was a custom-made whip made of conductive metal, a creation of Freya's based on a Chinese Qījiébiān, also known as a seven-section chain whip.

Freya turned to Marko. "Here, babe, take this," she said while handing him the duffel bag and grinning jokingly. "Prove your sons wrong and be careful with that."

Marko accepted the bag and grinned back. "What Felix said may be true statistically, but you run the risk of being the inept one this time."

Enjoying Marko's playful banter, Freya stepped closer to him and placed her arms on his shoulders. "Aww, sweetie, don't be so hard on yourself. We don't consider you inept," she reassured him with a hug. "We prefer to use the term maladroit," she teased as she ended the embrace and looked Marko in the eye. Lost in the moment, Freya leaned in to kiss her partner, but before they made contact, a small stream of water splashed over them from above. The moment now lost, Freya and Marko turned to see Quinn and Trenton frowning at them with their arms crossed.

"Let's go!" Quinn called out to the couple. She then turned to Trenton fuming. "Talk about the night from hell. Finn needs rescuing, and they're more concerned about making out," she muttered before stomping away.

Not wanting to hold them up any longer, Freya and Marko walked towards Trenton. The tall man looked down at them and shook his head in disappointment as they passed him. Freya and Marko glanced up at him appearing ashamed.

"I know, I know, totes inappropes," Freya agreed as she walked by.

Trenton nodded in affirmation then followed. The group of four finally ready to leave Sanctuary on their mission to save Finn.

II

# July 6th, 2017

Alleyway (West 33rd St, New York, NY) – 0310 hrs

Dawn was only hours away by the time Brook, Adley, and Arlo arrived at the rendezvous only to find Quinn and Trenton waiting for them. Not expecting to be the latecomers, Adley could not help but wonder how Quinn and Trenton beat them into the city.

Positioned near the Omicron Incorporated building, the group stood in a dark alleyway awaiting direction.

Wearing a communication device in her ear, Quinn checked on her sister. "Are you in position?"

"Just entered the control room," Freya's voice replied over the radio.

"What's happening?"

"Okay, sis. We got good news, and not so good news. The good news is I'm in their system and at your disposal."

"And the bad news?"

"They know I'm here, so we gotta hurry."

Quinn frowned. "What happened?"

"Don't worry, Marko's takin' care of it," Freya's voice explained causally.

"That's what I'm worried about," Quinn sighed. If this was any indication of the direction the rescue mission was heading, she had a feeling it was not going to end well.

Knowing time was of the essence, Quinn turned to Brook, who was standing next to Adley and Arlo.

"Let's go," Quinn ordered the blue-haired girl.

"What about them?" Brook asked, motioning to her friends.

"It's best if they stay here. They'll only slow us down." Quinn was about to leave when unexpectedly stopped by the sound of someone opposing her decision.

"But we can help," Adley objected.

Quinn turned back to see Brook with her hands clasped in front imploringly.

"Please, Quinn."

Quinn paused for a second before answering. "Fine, but make sure they stay out of our way," she warned Brook before using her earpiece to talk to her sister. "Freya, how's security looking on the lower levels?"

Freya's voice laughed before answering, "No worries there, hun. Marko and I got most of the attention right now. You can stroll right in through the front doors undetected, but ya better hurry."

"What floor is Finn on?" Quinn inquired.

"They're holding him in a laboratory on the sixty-eighth floor."

Hearing that, Quinn grinned at Brook. "Sixty-eight floors, that's a long way up. You might want to take the elevator," Quinn said while pulling an extra earpiece out of her pocket and handing it to Brook. "If you run into trouble, the plan is to meet on the roof."

Brook placed the device in her ear. "Thanks."

Ready to leave, Trenton approached his sister. "Be careful," he said with a concerned look.

"You too," Brook replied, giving her brother a big hug before parting ways.

Trenton and Quinn exited the alleyway leaving Brook, Adley, and Arlo to formulate their plan.

"Are we really just strolling in through the front entrance?" Adley asked, starting to feel a rush of adrenalin at the thought.

"Don't worry," Brook reassured. "Frey said the coast was clear."

"Okay, let's go," Adley said, looking from Brook to Arlo.

"Speak for yourself," Arlo said, appearing both shocked and angered with his current predicament. "You two are crazy if you think I'm going in there!"

"C'mon, Arlo, we have to help them!" Adley pleaded.

"No, Adley! This is extremely illegal, I have to draw the line," Arlo said firmly.

Adley frowned and grabbed her brother by the arm.

"Hey! What are you doing!" Arlo demanded as Adley pulled him towards the building.

"Please, Finn needs our help! And there's no way I'm going to stand by while you let two girls rescue him unaccompanied."

Despite her brother's many objections, Adley continued to forcefully drag Arlo as they made their way towards the main entrance of the building.

**οοοοοοο**

_Omicron Inc. Headquarters – 0325 hrs_

Quinn and Trenton had successfully entered the building, but due to a miscount, they ended up on the sixty-seventh floor. It was not until they located an empty laboratory containing no Finn that they realized their error and doubled back towards the staircase. As the two of them ran down a hallway, Quinn continued to converse with her sister over the radio.

"First off, Omicron's operating system is archaic," Freya's voice commented into Quinn's ear. "Guess I shouldn't complain, gives me more time for snooping."

There was a brief pause followed by the distinct muffling sound of Freya trying to cover her earpiece while talking to someone else.

"What is it, Freya?" Quinn asked, knowing something was wrong.

"It's nothing that can't wait. You're coming up on four lightly armed hostiles exiting the elevator," Freya cautioned.

Freya's warning prompted Quinn to stop in her tracks and signal to Trenton. While Trenton prepared himself for a fight, Quinn unfastened the whip from her belt just as four Omicron operatives turned the corner in front of them.

**οοοοοοο**

Meanwhile, a few floors down, Freya was sitting at the control panel watching multiple security monitors while simultaneously using the desktop computer before her. She was alone in the room apart from the three Omicron employees that were hogtied and lying unconscious on the ground.

Suddenly, a loud noise originated from behind, prompting Freya to turn around just as Marko entered the room and quickly slammed the door behind him. Using the weight of his body, Marko held the metal door shut while loud noises echoed in from the other side.

"That did not work at all like I thought it would," Marko informed Freya. He appeared to be out of breath and covered in sweat.

Freya smiled at him as she stood up from her chair. "Your time to shine, hun," she said calmly while holding up a security officer's keycard. "I'll take care of them, you got a job to do," she added before exiting the room to go take care of Marko's mess.

**οοοοοοο**

Inside an office on the sixty-eighth floor, Joy was providing Hunter with an update over the computer. Having just finished collecting and analyzing samples, he looked exhausted with his tie undone and his hair unkempt. Next to Joy on the desk was a big greyish-blue feather resting on a petri dish. The scientist picked up the feather and moved it towards the lamp to get a better look. It was larger than any eagle feather and reflected off the light like metal.

"I've never seen anything like this," Joy said as he studied the feather.

"Remarkable isn't it," Hunter's agreed through the computer monitor.

"I must admit, I had my doubts when I first read your notes."

Before Hunter had a chance to respond, an Omicron operative unexpectantly entered the room.

"Sir," the operative said, announcing his presence.

Joy looked up from his video conversation and frowned. "What is it?" he asked, not sounding pleased with the interruption.

"We have intruders. I'm here to escort you to safety."

"They've come for the specimen," Hunter warned. "Send all available security to the lab. If M is amongst them, I want her unharmed, but the rest are not permitted to leave this building alive!"

"Yes, sir," Joy said, then turned to the operative. "You heard him, direct all available security to the laboratory."

"Yes, sir!" the operative replied.

Joy quickly gathered some valuable items off his desk and placed them in a large safe before fleeing. As they exited the office, the operative proceeded to radio his supervisor while escorting Joy to safety.

**οοοοοοο**

With the others drawing all the attention, Adley, Brook, and Arlo had already entered the sixty-eighth-floor laboratory undisturbed. It was a large room filled with high-tech machinery and multiple tables covered in various objects, from computers and lab equipment to test tubes. Large windows covered one wall, and in the back was a door leading into two examination rooms.

"He should be in here somewhere," Adley said before spotting the examination area in the back. "Over here," she called to the others while racing across the room. She tried to peer into the room, but it was too dark to see through.

"I can't see anything," Adley said, looking over at Brook.

Brook tried peering through the other observation window but was having the same problem.

"He's in there, I can feel it." Brook tried holding her hands next to her face to block out the glare but still no luck.

Spotting a wall-mounted control panel between the door and window, Adley walked over and started pressing buttons. After a few unsuccessful pushes, a light came on in the right examination room, revealing a figure inside.

Brook gasped in horror when she looked in to find Finn severely injured and restrained to the wall. Adley and Arlo appeared equally shocked, but for a completely different reason. Protruding from Finn's back were large wings covered in feathers, the same light-blue colour as his hair. One wing was visibly injured and bent in an awkward position. He was sitting on the floor with his hands chained above his head. He had bandages around his chest and scars on the right side of his body, the same side as the broken wing. His straight hair hung in front of his face with his head flopped forward like he was unconscious or resting; they could not tell which.

"Finn!" Brook cried as she tried frantically to open the door that separated them.

Adley tried to assist Brook by pressing random buttons on the control panel, but with no success. "I can't open the door. I think you need a card or passcode," she said as she examined the automated locking mechanism.

Brook used her earpiece to call Freya for help overriding the door. "Frey! I can't get to Finn, unlock the door!" she demanded, but there was no immediate reply.

Unbeknownst to Brook, Freya was busy fighting Omicron operatives outside the security control post.

"Please, Frey, can you override the lock?" Brook pleaded, hoping Freya was listening.

A few seconds of silence passed before Freya finally replied. "On it!" her voice echoed through Brook's earpiece.

Seconds later, all the doors simultaneously unlocked, allowing Brook entry. As soon as Brook entered the room, the lights immediately revealed a pair of big blue wings extending from her back. Her vibrant blue feathers shimmered and shined under the lights as she ran across the examination room towards Finn.

Meanwhile, Adley and Arlo stood looking through the observation window in awe of the scene before them.

Brook fell to her knees as soon as she reached her partner. "Finn! I'm here!"

Finn's hands were still restrained to the wall as Brook hugged him tightly. Finn looked up at her and smiled faintly. The right side of his face was injured and bruised.

"Are you a sight for sore eyes," Finn murmured, his voice cracking from dehydration.

Brook effortlessly ripped his restraints off the wall before helping him to his feet. She gently put his right arm over her shoulder for assistance, causing him to flinch in pain.

"Don't worry, we're going to get you out of here," Brook reassured, holding Finn tightly as he struggled to walk. Even though Brook was eager to get Finn to safety, she felt relieved to be holding him as they slowly made their way towards the examination room exit.

**οοοοοοο**

Meanwhile, many floors down, Marko was in the server room planting disk-shaped explosives that were around six inches wide and two inches thick. He had just finished planting the last one when Freya called to him over the radio.

"Marko, now that we have Finn, what's your status?" Freya's voice asked through the earpiece.

"Just finishing up in the server room," Marko replied while pressing one of the two buttons on top of the device. "Armed and ready."

"Okay, keep the trigger nearby and wait for my signal," Freya directed. "Remember, I want the remaining six placed in the laboratory on the sixty-eighth floor. Setting the timer is a little tricky, so the boys already pre-set them to discharge five minutes after you detonate the first round."

"How advantageous of them," Marko said, agreeing that it was probably a good call on their end.

"FYI, everyone," Freya's voice alerted the group over the radio. "Reinforcements have arrived, and all spare officers have been redirected to the lab. We're about to have a shit-show on our hands, so we better start hustling."

The troubling news prompted Quinn's voice to join in on the conversation. "Freya, how many are we looking at?" she asked over the commlink.

"Lots, but for starters, we have four about to enter the lab with Brook and company, plus another four approaching via the stairs."

As Freya updated the group, Marko made his way out of the server room and down the hallway.

"Don't worry, sis. I'm on my way!" Marko reassured Quinn through the radio while running towards the stairwell.

**οοοοοοο**

Using the stairwell, Quinn and Trenton finally landed on the sixty-eighth floor. They were only seconds from reaching the laboratory when, suddenly, they were stopped in their tracks by four operatives turning the corner in front of them.

The operatives aimed their guns at the intruders.

"Hands in the air!" one operative shouted at Quinn and Trenton, who complied.

While raising his hands, Trenton looked up and spotted a sprinkler hanging down from the ceiling above the security operatives. Trenton's blue eyes started to brighten as he forced the water to activate the sprinkler and pour all over the armed men. Without straying from their target, the four operatives continued to aim their weapons as they stepped forward to avoid the center of the stream hammering them from above.

With her hands raised, Quinn slowly approached the operatives. "We're unarmed," she said as she stepped towards the water that was now starting to pool on the floor.

"That's far enough!" another operative yelled, trying to talk over the sprinkler.

Obeying the direction, Quinn immediately stopped, prompting the man to signal for two of his colleagues to cuff her. Quinn was already in position and standing in the puddle as drops of water splashed onto her exposed legs. Before the two men could take a step forward, Quinn's eyes started to glow as she extended her leg slightly, placing it directly under the pouring stream. All the operatives immediately started convulsing from electric shock as soon as the water contacted her skin. Quinn took a few steps back as all the agents fell to the ground unconscious, or maybe dead; she did not bother to check.

When Quinn and Trenton continued down the hall, the sprinkler stopped discharging while the two travelled under it, but then commenced flowing once they turned the corner.

**οοοοοοο**

Inside the sixty-eighth-floor laboratory, Brook was in the examination room helping Finn while Adley and Arlo watched outside. Adley was near the exit and could hear the footsteps of people quickly approaching. Fearing it was security, Adley reached into her bag and pulled out her handgun before turning to Arlo.

"Someone's coming," Adley warned her brother.

Heeding his sister's warning, Arlo looked around in a panic. After their encounter with Omicron operatives the night before, Arlo's instinctual flight response took over as he frantically searched for a way out. With no alternative exit in sight, he settled on some good old fashion hiding and decided to flip two nearby steel tables for protection.

Within seconds, four operatives entered the laboratory, two armed with rifles and two with riot shields. The two with the shields gathered in a tight formation while the armed men aimed their weapons directly in front of the siblings hiding behind the overturned tables.

Arlo was on his knees, cowering with his hands over his head for protection. Adley was sitting next to him with her back pressed up against the table.

Arlo glared at his sister with a blend of anger and terror. "This is all your fault!" he hissed in a low voice. "If we get caught, I'm throwing you all under the bus! I'm not going to prison for this!"

Adley glared back at Arlo with her gun still in hand. "This is not the time for your bellyaching!" she spat back. "It would be way more productive if you stop playing the blame game and start worrying about making it out alive!"

Hearing this, Arlo became even more enraged. "If I die tonight, you better pray they get you too because I will hunt you for the rest of your life!" he threatened with a look of utter sincerity.

"Now's not the time!" Adley growled at her brother. She then anxiously glanced back at the examination room with the anticipation that Brook and Finn would emerge any second now.

One operative aimed his gun at the two arguing behind the table. "Come out with your hands up!" he commanded.

While the operatives focusing their attention on the hiding siblings, Brook and Finn finally emerged. As the couple stepped out of the brightly lit examination room, the colour on their wings instantly started to darken and fade before completely disappearing in a matter of seconds.

Immediately, one of the armed men turned to Finn and Brook. He raised his gun while alerting his comrades. "There's two of them! They're trying to escape!"

All the operatives shifted their attention from the overturned tables to the unarmed couple.

Realizing that Brook and Finn were in the enemy's crosshairs, Adley tried to warn them.

"Brook, they're armed! Take cover!" Adley yelled from behind the table, but it was too late, and the two operatives opened fire.

_BANG! BANG! BANG!..._

As the bullets raced towards them, Finn mustered what strength he had left and quickly stepped in front of Brook, holding her tight while shielding her from the gunfire. Brook watched in shock and horror as bullets repeatedly hit Finn in the back.

Once the gunfire finally ceased, Brook tried to hold on to Finn as he collapsed to the ground. She slowly fell to her knees while supporting Finn's limp body.

"Finn, no! Please, FINN!" Brook called to him, supporting his upper torso in her lap. When there was no response, Brook started wailing as the tears streamed down her face.

Witnessing Finn's murder, an emotionally irate Adley stood up from behind the table and fired her gun at the operatives. She fired six unsuccessful shots that recoiled off the bulletproof shields.

Trying to stop his crazy sister, Arlo reached out from behind his table and pulled Adley down just as she stopped firing.

With Adley distracted, the operatives pointed their firearms out from behind the shields, this time in Adley and Arlo's direction. One opened fire and sent a blast of four bullets through the table, missing Adley but successfully hitting Arlo in his side.

Arlo cried out in pain, drawing Adley's attention.

"No!" Adley called out, moving closer to her brother.

Arlo was bent double in pain as he held his wound.

The operatives were about to move in when Quinn and Trenton burst into the laboratory from behind. Using the element of surprise, the newcomers proceeded to quickly and effortlessly defeat the four operatives with Quinn using her whip and Trenton his fists.

After they neutralized the four operatives, Quinn secured her whip and turned to Trenton. "We have to get everyone out before more arrive."

Suddenly, the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps resonated in from the hallway. Everyone braced for more operatives, but to their relief, it was just Marko entering in a panic.

"WE HAVE COMPANY!" Marko screamed as he raced into the laboratory with the bag of remaining explosives.

The group had little time to prepare before three more heavily armed operatives approached. But instead of entering, they stood outside the laboratory while everyone inside fretted over what was next.

Realizing that violence and gunfire could erupt at any moment, Marko started to worry about the bag of potentially volatile devices hanging over his shoulder. Not wanting to risk it, he used his free hand to slide the bag away from everyone. It travelled across the room, coming to a stop under a table with some expensive looking equipment on it. Marko shrugged, figuring it was the best he could do given the circumstances.

Everyone in the laboratory jumped when the door opened partially. They had little time to react when a smoke grenade propelled towards them.

Startled by the approaching grenade, Marko jumped back and lost his balance. The detonator fell out of his hand, then hit the floor and activate on impact.

Quinn ran up and kicked the grenade back towards the entrance just as the explosives in the server room detonated simultaneously. The floor beneath them rumbled slightly in response to the small explosion a few stories down.

"Marko, I said to wait for my signal!" Freya's voice echoed into everyone's earpiece. "Please tell me you at least reached the targets in the laboratory?"

"I can tell you they made it to the lab, but no, not exactly," Marko said into the radio sheepishly.

"Good enough," Freya sighed before proceeding to update the group. "Listen up, everyone. We're outta time. We got four point five minutes before the explosives in that lab with you detonate."

"Where are you?" Marko asked his partner.

"Just reaching the sixty-eighth floor, be there in a few seconds."

Knowing time was of the essence, Quinn and Trenton went on the offensive and successfully lured the operatives into the laboratory by faking submission. Having no firearms of their own, they had to keep their distance while using the lingering smoke from the grenade as cover.

While Quinn and Trenton battled the operatives, Arlo was lying on the floor, injured and bleeding with his sister by his side. Towards the back of the laboratory, Brook was near the examination room entrance sitting in a small pool of Finn's blood as she cried over his body. Unlike Brook, Finn's blood tainted wings were now visible, but the feathers were a dull blue colour and lacking the bright glistening shine seen minutes earlier.

Brook, overwhelmed by an array of gut-wrenching emotions, listened as her family fought with the enemy. The sounds of the surrounding chaos, coupled with her anger and desire to seek revenge for Finn's murder, triggered something in her. Now enraged, Brook looked up at the surrounding commotion, her eyes glowing a bright blue and a look of fury on her face. With her targets in sight, she lowered Finn's body and took off, ready for a fight.

As Quinn used her whip to subdue one operative, she was unaware that another was aiming his gun at her from behind. The operative was about to shoot when Brook appeared at lighting fast speed and grabbed the back of his bare neck. The man froze on contact, paralyzed by Brook's touch. His skin started to wither, and his complexion became ashen as all the water quickly drained from him. Brook released the operative's body as it collapsed to the ground, shrivelled and deceased. Her manic behaviour persisted as she attacked the remaining two men in the same fashion. Brook's blue eyes continued to glow brightly in her berserk-like state.

Trenton looked on in horror as he watched his sister murder the men in cold blood. "Brook! Stop!" he called to his twin.

Brook's hands clutched the surviving operative's neck. The man struggled in Brook's grasp and was beginning to show the signs of severe dehydration when Trenton's voice finally resonated towards her.

Realizing what she was doing, Brook's eyes stopped glowing, and she immediately raised her hands. The man she was holding collapsed to the ground. In shock and breathing heavily, Brook's wide eyes started to roll upwards as she fell into a dead faint.

Sensing that his sister needed help, Trenton ran over to Brook and caught her just before she hit the ground.

Freya had just entered the laboratory and took a brief second to examine the scene before addressing the group.

"We don't have time to get to the roof," Freya said as she glanced around the room. Locating a discarded gun, she fired it at the glass window before throwing a chair through, successfully shattering it. "We gotta jump," she declared while motioning towards the window.

Following Freya's direction, Marko and Trenton jumped out the window with Marko carrying an injured Arlo, and Trenton holding his unconscious sister. As the two men soared out into the early morning sky, Freya was about to jump with Adley when she realized Quinn was missing. Looking around, Freya spotted Quinn kneeling next to Finn's body. With less than three minutes to go, Freya approached Quinn, trying to hurry her along.

"We can't leave him," Quinn said to her sister, not moving from Finn's side.

"It's too late, sis. There's nothing we can do," Freya said, her voice cracking a little as she looked down at Finn's bullet-ridden body. "He's got more holes than swiss cheese, even Tempest can't fix that," she added, trying to convince Quinn to go before they ran out of time.

Quinn looked up at her sister with watery eyes. "We should at least take his body." She did not want to leave Finn here, not like this. He was family and deserved better.

"We can't carry him," Freya said, knowing she needed Quinn's help to carry Adley. She touched Quinn's shoulder, trying to signal the urgency of the situation. "The lab's about to blow, we gotta hurry."

Quinn reluctantly stood up and followed Freya towards the broken window where Adley was waiting. The bright morning sun was starting to ascend over the skyline, exposing Freya and Quinn's bi-coloured wings that shimmered in the bright light. The lower half of Freya's black wings had red iridescent tips that seem to change tone depending on the angle. Quinn's were almost entirely black with just small strips of gold on her bottom feathers.

As they neared the edge of the broken window, Quinn quickly grabbed Adley and jumped with Freya following close behind. Seconds later, an explosion erupted from the building shattering the windows behind the airborne females. Luckily, the trio was out of range of the blast, but the wave of heat sent Quinn and Freya drifting upwards. Gliding towards the rendezvous, the two sisters kept a tight grip on Adley's hands as she dangled below.

# III

Omicron Inc. Headquarters – 0600 hrs

Having received an urgent call from one of his high-ranking operatives, Jun-ho Jang was the first executive to arrive post-incident. After a quick meeting with one of his captains, the chief security officer travelled to his office to meet with his assistant.

Jang appeared to be in his late thirties. He was slightly above average height and of South Korean descent. As a first-generation born in the United States, Jang had no discernible accent but was fluent in Korean along with several other languages. He had short black hair neatly slicked back, and his expensive dark navy suit was immaculate with not a wrinkle or thread out of place.

Shortly after Jang reached his office, his assistant Cassandra entered holding an Omicron issued computer tablet. She stood in front of her boss' pristine metal desk. Cassandra was a five-foot-four-inch tall Caucasian woman with light brown eyes and medium length wavy brown hair that was neatly tied back. She was wearing a black pantsuit, white blouse, and thick heeled black shoes. Cassandra had just finished consulting with the other departments and was ready to provide Jang with an update.

"What's the damage?" Jang asked. No greetings or small talk, just straight to business as always.

Jang leaned back in his chair to get comfortable. After the debriefing with his captain, he knew they had a list of matters to discuss.

Cassandra looked down at her tablet to glance at her notes before speaking. "In brief, they detonated explosives on the sixty-eighth and fifty-fourth floors. Laboratory eight and the sever room were severely damaged, with some minor structural damage. The informatics department still hasn't assessed the damages, but all security footage is missing." Cassandra paused, knowing her boss was going to have follow-up questions to the information she provided.

"Were the PSR scanners functioning?" Jang asked calmly, but with a slight frown.

Although Jang rarely showed any emotion, Cassandra had worked under him long enough to know that he was not pleased with this news, especially the note about the security footage.

Cassandra glanced down at her tablet to check before answering. "No. Since they're connected to the satellite network, they were unaffected. And it appears they picked up a signal," she added, sounding a bit more positive.

"Good, deploy a scouting drone and assemble a team as soon as possible," Jang ordered with a slight hint of excitement in his voice, despite no change in facial expression whatsoever.

"Affirmative," Cassandra said while making a note on her tablet. "Oh, and Shelly's been diverting calls from the mayor's office. You're the first in and she needs some direction on what to tell them."

"Tell her that Joe will personally call the mayor upon arrival. She should be here within the hour," Jang advised. "Are there any other pressing issues?" He assumed by the insignificance of the last question that they were nearing the end of the briefing.

Before Cassandra could reply, a faint ping echoed from her tablet while the cell on Jang's desk started to vibrate.

"Yes, one last thing," Cassandra said as she read the text. "We just received a message that they discovered the specimen's body in the wreckage."

Jang shifted in his chair upon hearing the news. "Call Joy, I want that body in the infirmary as soon as possible," he ordered as he stood up from his desk and hurried towards the exit. "And notify me as soon as Hunter arrives," he added before leaving the room.

"Yes, Director," Cassandra said as she followed Jang out of his office.

**οοοοοοο**

_Sanctuary – 0839 hrs_

Once the rising sun finally extended over the surrounding treetops, the bright morning light made its way through the cabin window and onto Adley's face as she slumbered. Adley slowly drifted awake and looked around to find herself resting on a strange bed inside an unfamiliar bedroom. Still tired from the lack of sleep, it took a few seconds for the memories of the last twelve hours to catch up with her. Adley remembered coming to Sanctuary with the others to seek medical help for Arlo's gunshot wound. Instantly, the image of her injured brother hit her like a brick as she recalled the sight of him being rushed into the cabin. She was so exhausted she had no memory of falling asleep.

Adley sat up and looked around the simple rustic bedroom. It consisted of an antique bed, chair, dresser, and armoire. Across the hall, Adley could see that the adjacent door was partially ajar. She instantly recalled Tempest and Rowan rushing her injured brother into the cabin as soon as they arrived. Adley was so exhausted she had no memory of falling asleep.

Seeing her brother unconscious and injured, Adley became overwhelmed with emotion causing her to fall to her knees outside the doorway. She reached for the gold necklace tucked into her shirt and held the small cross for comfort while silently praying for her brother. As Adley prayed, a cool breeze drifted down the hall, causing her to look towards the opened doorway.

Outside, Ebony was running towards the cabin with something in hand. Her dark brown wings and braided brown hair gleamed in the sunlight as she approached. As soon as Ebony entered the cabin, her wings started to fade away then vanished entirely by the time she reached Adley.

"Hi," was all Adley managed to say as the young adult approached.

Ebony did not reply verbally but responded with an acknowledging smile before entering the room with Tempest and Arlo.

Adley was so focused on Arlo she failed to notice Freya standing next to her.

"Don't worry, he's in good hands," Freya said, startling Adley.

Adley looked to her right to find Freya casually leaning against the wall, arms crossed and looking down at her. Freya was wearing a large pair of aviator sunglasses that covered much of her face.

"I shouldn't have dragged him into this," Adley said as she looked in at her brother full of guilt and disappointment.

"He'll be fine," Freya reassured. "This kind of thing is Tempest's jam. She'll have him feeling better by tomorrow."

"I hope so."

"Want some breakfast?" Freya asked cheerfully. She did not wait for Adley to respond before turning to exit.

Adley looked over at Arlo one last time before following Freya out of the cabin. As soon as Freya stepped outside, the bright sunlight exposed her black and red wings. Adley watched Freya's wings, unable to comprehend the mechanics of what she was witnessing. The colours of Freya's feathers were mesmerizing, the way the red shimmered in the light looked like flames climbing up the bottom half of her wings.

Outside the cabin, Marko was cooking over a small camping stove stationed on a wooden table. Nearby, Rowan was sitting next to the fire making arrows. Equally stunning were the bright, vibrant colours of Marko's ruby red and Rowan's emerald green wings.

A short distance away, Flint and Felix were working in a small vegetable garden. Flint was digging with a shovel while Felix pulled weeds with his bare hands. Flint's shirt hung on a low-lying branch as he worked. On the boy's exposed back were two small masses of dark grey down feathers less than a foot long in size.

Adley followed Freya over to Marko, who handed her a plate of food.

"Thank you," Adley said, accepting the plate of scrambled eggs. The eggs were cooked with fresh vegetables from the garden along with some herbs and spices she could not identify. She took her plate of food and sat down at the table.

Freya grabbed herself a plate and sat across from Adley. Seconds later, Marko joined the group, positioning himself next to Freya.

"This is good," Adley complemented after taking a few bites.

"Thanks," Marko said with a smile before digging into his food.

"I noticed that Ebony doesn't talk much. Is she able to speak?" Adley asked, having yet to see or hear the girl talk. The question had been nagging her since she tried speaking to Ebony in the cabin.

"She can, but not English," Freya explained. "She understands English, but she refuses to speak it. She's been like that since she was a child. We don't push it."

"What language does she speak?" Adley inquired.

"Mi'kmaq, it's a native North American language," Freya replied.

Adley nodded and took a few more bites of food before looking around like she was searching for someone. "Where's Brook?" she asked after she finished chewing.

"Quinn and Trent took her home," Freya said while pushing her food around the plate with her fork.

Adley continued eating in silence when something in the distance caught her eye. Flint and Felix were no longer tending to the garden and were now fighting in a clearing directly behind Freya and Marko. Adley watched as the two young boys fought aggressively. Felix kicked Flint so hard it caused him to fall back towards the firepit where Rowan was working. Flint was so close to landing in the fire that Adley instinctively flinched, dropping her fork and almost knocking her plate over.

On the ground, Flint's scowl deepened as he quickly jumped up. He grabbed a nearby torch and lit it in the fire before running after his twin. As the two boys raced around the glade, Flint repeatedly jabbed at his fleeing brother with the torch. Although Felix was successful in dodging Flint's attacks, Adley's heart skipped a beat when the flame came close to hitting Felix's mass of red hair. Unlike Adley, who watched the fight flabbergasted, Rowan just ignored the battling boys as he worked.

Adley was unable to eat as she watched the fighting, wondering if she should do or say something to the boys' parents. She was disturbed by the sight of them fighting with fire, but she was equally troubled by the fact that no adult had bothered to step in and stop them.

By now, Freya had noticed that Adley was no longer eating. "What's wrong?" she asked, knowing something was up. "It's Marko's cookin', isn't it?" Freya smiled and glanced over at Marko, who responded with a teasing glare.

"No, the food's fine," Adley replied. "Don't you think they're a little young to be fighting like that?" she asked while motioning to the boys in the background.

Freya looked behind to find her sons wrestling on the ground. Flint was still grasping the lit torch while Felix struggled to hold his brother's arms to prevent the fire from touching him.

"YO!" Freya called out to her boys. The children immediately stopped struggling and looked over at her. "You two just playin' funsies, right?" she asked, seemingly unfazed by what they were doing.

"Yes!" Felix said while still holding Flint's arms, the flame now just inches from his face.

"Yeah!" Flint agreed before the two started fighting again.

Smiling, Freya turned back to Adley with a wave. "They're fine, just play fighting."

The three adults continued eating in silence until Adley's curiosity finally got the best of her. Naturally, Adley had many questions given everything she had witnessed, and try as she might, she could not contain them any longer.

"I'm sorry if this is intrusive," Adley started to say as she placed down her fork. "I'm curious about a few things."

"Sure. Wadda-ya wanna know?" Freya asked as she lowered her cutlery, having yet to take a bite of her food.

"What's up with your wings? How do they turn invisible?"

"I think it has something to do with the way the sunlight reflects off of them," Freya replied, sounding almost relieved by the question. "There's a protein in our feathers that's only activated by direct sunlight. In their dormant state, they refract light, appearing invisible. Evolutionary speaking, I think it's a type of defence mechanism because we can use it to camouflage at night."

"Interesting," Adley replied, understanding what Freya said, for the most part. "How did you get them? Are you human?"

Adley could not see Freya's eyes under the large sunglasses, but the smile immediately vanished from her face.

"What do you mean by that? We don't _look_ human to you?" Freya said with a stern expression.

Seeing Freya's demeanour change from smiling to serious made Adley nervous, she wondered if she hit a nerve.

"I, ah, I didn't mean to—"

"Ha! I'm just messin' with ya," Freya interrupted with a laugh, now back to her smiling self.

Marko stopped eating for a few seconds to chuckle at the expression on Adley's face.

"I'd ask the same thing if I were you," Freya reassured Adley before explaining. "It's complicated. The long answer is yes, sorta, but the short answer is no, not exactly."

"So, let me get this straight," Adley said, trying to get her facts organized. "Your human, but not human, and you have wings. Are you like angles or something?"

Freya laughed and turned at Marko. "I was waitin' for that question. The theists, they always ask," she said to her partner, who nodded in agreement.

"Theist? How did you know?" Adley asked.

"Hun, look at that thing," Freya replied, motioning to the little gold cross hanging out of Adley's shirt. "You literally have a T hanging around your neck."

Adley looked down to find her grandmother's cross hanging out of her shirt. She sheepishly laughed while tucking her necklace back in for safekeeping. "I guess that's a silly question. Angles only come down to Earth to do God's bidding and warn us of disasters like plagues or floods," she said, assuming by their reaction that they were not holy servants of God.

Marko and Freya looked at her in dumbfounded silence, not sure how to respond.

"You know that flood never happened, right?" Freya asked, assuming she was referring to the biblical story of Noah's ark.

"How do you know?" Adley questioned, becoming defensive. "How could you know for sure that never happened. Were you there?"

Freya crossed her arms, realizing she hit a nerve. "Well, apart from there being no evidence of a global, near-human extinction caused by flooding, my great-great-grandmother was kickin' around back then and said it never happened."

Thinking it was another joke, Adley was about to laugh but stopped when she noticed that Freya was no longer smiling. Adley looked at Freya skeptically once she realized that Freya was not kidding.

"So, you're saying the bible, the word of God, is wrong because your great-grandmother happened to be alive thousands of years ago?" Adley asked in disbelief and with slightly snobbish undertones. It was not her intention to sound condescending, but as a devout Christian, this was a sensitive topic for her.

Freya sighed. For her, discussing religion with religious people was always a lesson in futility and patience. "Hold on. I never said the _whole_ book was fake. Some parts are based on true events, but like most historical descriptions, they were grossly embellished or completely taken out of context. Like that whole Sodom and Gomorrah thing; that was a complete misunderstanding on the part my ancestors played."

"Are you trying to mess with me because of my faith?" Adley asked, finding it hard to believe what Freya was saying.

"Of course not. I may be an unwavering atheist, but I'm not cruel," Freya said sincerely. "In fact, we're a mix-faith family—Brook's Christian like you, Trent's Buddhist, and Quinn's agnostic. Tempest, Ebony, and Rowan follow indigenous North American teachings. Marko here is polytheist—I can't even count how many deities I've heard him call upon over the years," she added with a grin.

"You might want to avoid Flint through, he's a bit of an argumentative atheist," Marko warned.

"Yes, it's best if you don't mention the R-word in his presence," Freya advised. "Unless you want someone challenging your faith."

Before Adley could ask another question, she noticed Rowan suddenly stand up while gazing off into the distance, like he was alerted to something in the forest. Freya saw too when she turned around to follow Adly's gaze.

"Rowan, what's up? Something wrong?" Freya asked.

Rowan picked up his bow and turned to Freya. "Intruders," he said before stretching out his large emerald wings. He flapped them forcefully before jumping and taking off towards the forest.

Freya and Marko quickly stood up. They were about to follow Rowan when they were alerted to the repetitive thumping of helicopters approaching in the distance.

Freya turned to Adley. "You should find cover."

"What about Arlo?" Adley asked, worried about her injured brother.

"Don't worry. I'll warn Tempest and Ebony," Freya replied.

Adley rushed towards the cover of the forest to hide while Freya ran towards the cabin to warn the others. By now, one helicopter was closing in and setting its sights on Freya. The aircraft had a machine gun mounted between its landing skids and was hovering so low over Sanctuary that the food and tableware began shifting in the wind. The helicopter aimed its weapon at Freya as she ran towards the cabin.

Before anyone could react, Flint swung in from out of nowhere and landed directly on top of the helicopter's windshield, successfully blocking the pilot's view. With Flint distracting the pilot, Freya ran inside the cabin to warn the others.

Worrying about his son, Marko rushed closer to the hovering aircraft. He looked up at the boy nervously and yelled, "Flint! Get down now! Your mom's going to kill me if you get hurt!"

The boy ignored his father and continued banging on the cockpit windshield, trying to distract the pilot. Leaving him with no other choice, Marko carefully jumped towards the landing skids and pulled himself up to reach his offspring. As soon as Marko neared Flint, the aircraft jerked and shifted, almost throwing them off before stabilizing. While Marko reached for his son, the pilot fired the gun, trying unsuccessfully to scare them off.

Felix, who was standing by the fire, rolled his eyes at Marko and Flint. He calmly grabbed a broad-head aero and dunked the tip in some nearby lamp oil before igniting it in the fire. Felix appeared unfazed by the flame as he walked towards a nearby tactical crossbow. Using the table for support, he shot the flaming aero at the helicopter, successfully lodging it into the aircraft next to Marko.

Knowing what to do, Marko's eyes started to glow red, and the flame on the arrow suddenly engulfed the aircraft's exterior. The fire made its way through the open window and into the cockpit, sending the pilot into a panic.

Unharmed by the fire, Mark and Flint jumped to safety just before the helicopter made a hard landing. The helicopter blades crashed into the treeline, and the ground rumbled on impact. The two boys rushed over to the wreckage to help the unconscious pilot while Marko extinguished the remaining flames.

A few seconds later, Freya ran out of the cabin, followed by Tempest and Ebony, all ready to fight. They looked around to find Marko and the two boys with the unconscious pilot near the edge of the clearing.

By now, the second helicopter was hovering close to the cabin. Jumping from the aircraft were three Omicron operatives with their guns raised. As soon as their feet touched the ground, the earth beneath them started to quake, and a cavity opened under two of the men causing them to fall into the newly formed pit. The third man, who was lucky enough to dodge the hole, was suddenly hit with a powerful burst of air that lifted him off the ground, hammering him into a nearby tree.

With all the operatives subdued, everyone turned their attention to the helicopter now hovering near Freya. The pilot set his sights on Freya as he aimed the mounted machine gun directly at her. As she looked up at the helicopter, Freya's eyes started to shine a bright red as her hands began to glow like ember and fire swirled down her arms. She quickly raised her hands in the direction of the aircraft and directed a massive surge of flames towards the helicopter, surrounding it in a relentless torrent of fire. In response to the attack, the aircraft tried to flee by ascending, but a sudden gust of air, courtesy of Tempest, intensified the flames and caused the fire to consume the machine completely. As the blazing helicopter lost control, the pilot jumped from the aircraft just before it plummeted into the nearby forest, erupting in a fiery explosion.

With the enemy neutralized, Adley withdrew from hiding and walked out into the clearing with a look of shock frozen onto her face. As Adley observed the destruction around her, the others were already planning their next course of action. Freya approached her partner and offspring just as Tempest and Ebony joined the group.

Realizing they were one person short, Tempest turned to the others. "Where's Rowan?"

"He's off takin' care of some intruders," Flint said while motioning towards the forest.

**οοοοοοο**

Meanwhile, in a forested area just outside of Sanctuary, Rowan watched quietly from afar as four Omicron operatives followed their captain, who was holding a GPS tracker for guidance.

One operative in the back of the line looked around nervously when a grouping of branches started rustling above him. The remaining men must have noticed it too because they all simultaneously stopped walking and raised their weapons. They quickly turned around when they heard the branches of a distant tree shake so violently it was like an animal was moving in the canopy. The five men slowly moved towards the sound, unaware that Rowan was sitting high up in a large white oak tree patiently waiting as he led them into position.

This section of the forest was occupied by towering hardwood trees that Rowan had grown up alongside since birth. The surrounding floras were like family to him, with the oldest trees commanding authority that even he respected as an elder. But the oak tree Rowan was hiding in was a younger, more vibrant tree that he had cared for since he found it as a struggling seedling. Now, at only a hundred-and-two-years-old, this tree towered over the others from of the extra care Rowan had provided it.

Quietly standing on a sturdy branch, Rowan watched as the men were almost in position. He placed his palm on the tree trunk, and immediately some of the branches shook above, causing a machete to fall next to him. The young green-haired adolescent effortlessly caught the blade and threw it a short distance across the lower canopy. The weapon severed three intersecting ropes before landing directly in the middle of a bullseye painted board positioned in a nearby sugar maple.

The severed ropes released rock weights concealed in a nearby tree that caused boards with spikes to fly up from the ground in three separate locations, but only successfully puncturing the legs of two men. The injured operatives screamed in pain as the sharpened wood pierced their legs.

"Thompson, Fowler, can you walk?" the team leader asked his two injured comrades.

Thompson had two long wooden spikes penetrating his right calf and Fowler had one in his right thigh. Fowler slowly stood up while supporting himself against a tree, but Thompson was unable to stand. The leader motioned for the team medic to assist Thompson.

"Who did that? Which one of you set off the trap?" one uninjured man said anxiously. There was a distinct sound of fear in his voice.

"Jones, stop," the captain ordered while looking around cautiously with his gun raised. "It wasn't us."

Copying his captain, Jones started to scan the area with his weapon.

A short distance away, Rowan used the cover of the swaying trees to quickly make his way through and over the treetops before stopping on an old oak. He quietly ran across the thick branch, then tapped the trunk with his fist and waited, but nothing happened. Rowan looked and touched the sleeping tree again. Seconds later, a branch above him shifted, and a quiver full of arrows lowered into his hands. Retrieving the bow off his shoulder, Rowan moved to line up his targets then rapidly fired at Jones and the captain, successfully disarming them with an arrow through the shoulder.

Now the only one unharmed, the medic stopped tending to Thompson and retrieved his gun. He used the infrared setting on his visors to scan the area for the source of the arrows and located Rowan's thermal presence in a nearby tree. But the medic did not have a chance to fire his weapon before being hit with two arrows, one in the right shoulder and the other in the left leg. The medic screamed in pain as he collapsed to the ground.

Still able to run, the team captain and the one called Jones attempted to flee but did not get far before they were tripped by tree roots shifting upwards.

With all the intruders injured and subdued, Rowan fetched a long rope concealed in another nearby tree and jumped down to tie up loose ends.

**οοοοοοο**

Back in Sanctuary, Freya and Tempest were standing near the entrance to the cabin, formulating a plan while Adley and Ebony were inside tending to Arlo. Marko and the boys were busy dealing with the hostages on the other side of the clearing.

"Sanctuary's compromised," Freya said to Tempest. "We gotta get home to warn the others."

"Is that a good idea? What if they're tracking us?" Tempest asked.

Before Freya could reply, Rowan emerged from the woods carrying five rifles over his shoulder and a broken drone under his right arm. In his left hand was a rope connecting the hands of the team captain and the operative named Jones. Rowan had made his two hostages remove all eyewear, vests, belts, and electronics, leaving it the forest with the remaining operatives.

"Found five of them in the woods," Rowan said as he motioned to the men behind him. He tossed the white aerial device to the ground in front of Freya and Tempest. "They were looking for this. Brother birch caught it earlier this morning."

Freya looked down at the drone and then turned to the two hostages. "You were trying to spy on us?" she asked before bending down to retrieve the device. She took a second to examine the drone before dropping it. Freya approached the hostages for questioning. "How were you able to track us? We made sure nothin' followed us back this morning."

The captain looked Freya straight in the eyes with not an ounce of fear despite being surrounded by the enemy. "No idea what you're talking about," he said calmly.

Freya knew immediately that this man was not going to talk. So, being of no use to her, she receded her fist before punching the captain hard in the face, knocking him unconscious before he hit the ground. The only one startled by the sudden attack was Jones, whose restrained hands were jerked downward by the rope he shared with the now unconscious man.

Freya turned her attention to Jones and smiled. She could smell the uncertainty and fear emitting from this man. The way he looked at them signalled to her that this was all very new and intimidating, meaning if she played her cards right, she might be able to make him squeal. Without warning, Freya quickly gabbed Jones by his shirt collar and jerked him so close he was now inches from her face. Her eyes started to glow red as she stared him down and pointed to the unconscious captain with her free hand.

"That guy won the lottery compared to what I'm gonna do to you if you piss me off!" Freya snarled at Jones. She was clenching the man's shirt so hard that smoke was rising into his face.

Jones could now feel the heat on his neck and panicked as he tried to free himself from Freya's tight grip. When the burning sensation morphed into intense pain, Jones cried out in distress.

"Okay, stop! I'll talk!"

Freya released the man's shirt collar that was now stretched and had a charred hole where her hand was.

"We were tracking you with that," Jones said while motioning to the broken drone.

Freya looked at him skeptically. "How?"

"I don't know," Jones replied, unable to answer her question.

A look of anger spread across Freya's face. She reached out to grab Jones' shirt again, but he defensively raised his bounded hands signalling for her to stop.

"I'm telling the truth! I don't know how it works!" Jones pleaded. "The drone has a scanner that can pick up on your signal."

"What kind of signal?" Freya asked, not buying his explanation.

"How the fuck should I know!"

"Do you know whom at Omicron designed these scanners?" Tempest asked Jones calmly. She could sense this man was not a bad person and believed he would cooperate without duress.

Jones shifted his attention to Tempest. The way the light from her pale-blue wings and long white hair reflected off her brown skin was mesmerizing. Looking at her seemed to have a calming effect on the man.

"I don't know for certain," Jones said honestly. "My guess is doctor Hunter. They installed the scanners shortly after he arrived."

This new information did not sit well with Freya. She turned to Rowan with a stern expression. "Go tie them up with the others."

Rowan picked up the unconscious captain and effortlessly threw the body over his shoulder. He walked across the clearing towards the other detainees while Jones had no choice but to follow due to his hands being connected to his superior.

"We're not comin' back, so grab all your valuables," Freya explained to Tempest just as Ebony exited the cabin. "You and Rowan are on cleanup duty," she informed the young girl.

Ebony nodded in agreement and left to pack while Freya stood alone holding the drone. Wanting to inspect the flying device further, Freya entered the cabin to fetch a toolkit.

Inside the cabin, Tempest and Adley were packing some medical supplies ensuring they had everything they need for Arlo.

Having been briefed by Tempest, Adley turned to Freya. "How are we getting back to the city? Won't you be spotted flying in broad daylight?"

Using a screwdriver, Freya disassembled the device while conversing. "We're going to hoof it. We'll use the cover of the woods to get as far away as possible until nightfall."

Tempest and Adley had just finished packing the supplies when Marko entered to help carry Arlo out. After exiting the cabin, Adley looked towards the edge of the clearing and spotted Ebony and Rowan standing at the head of two graves located at the base of a large oak tree. Adley walked up to Tempest, who was watching from afar.

"What are they doing?" Adley asked.

Tempest was visibly upset as he watched the siblings. "They're saying goodbye."

By now, the site was cleared of the wigwams, bench, water pump, and all other human-made structures except for the cabin and helicopter debris.

Minutes later, Rowan and Ebony joined the others. The group had gathered near the edge of the clearing with their belongings. A sedated Arlo laid resting on a homemade stretcher under a tree.

"Whenever you're ready," Freya said to the two youths.

A few seconds passed while Ebony and Rowan quietly stood by the forest edge, taking one last look at Sanctuary. After the moment of silence, Ebony's hazel eyes started to brighten and turn green. The ground shook violently as a large gaping hole formed under the cabin causing it to collapse in on itself before being swallowed up completely. As the earth resealed itself, Rowan's green eyes started to brighten, causing the surrounding grass and shrubbery to grow over the clearing, concealing evidence that people were living there. Some of the nearby helicopter remains became entangled in the rapidly growing plant life. On the other side of the clearing, the surviving Omicron operatives were tied to their respective trees awaiting rescue.

"Goodbye," Tempest whispered to her childhood home before turning to leave.

There was not a smile amongst the downhearted group as they picked up their belongings and followed Tempest into the forest. Rowan and Marko quietly trailed behind while carrying Arlo on the stretcher.

**οοοοοοο**

_FBI Building (26 Federal Plaza, New York, NY) – 1015 hrs_

On the eleventh floor of the FBI field office, Agent Reese Shears sat at his computer typing. Reese was a Caucasian male around forty years of age and of average height. He had slicked back short blond hair and blue eyes.

Reese was just about to reach for his coffee cup when he was interrupted by the loud slap of a thick file folder hitting his desk. He glanced up to see his co-worker Elaine standing in front of him.

Elaine Edwards was a slightly younger-looking woman appearing in her mid-thirties. Although she had worked for the federal service for almost ten years, she was only starting to shed her rookie status. She was a petite woman with chin-length blond hair and light-brown eyes. Elaine was wearing a dark pantsuit and a white blouse.

Elaine stood over Reese's desk with her hand on the file. "We just received intel that two Omicron aircraft crashed in Connecticut less than an hour ago."

"What are the chances it's connected to the alleged accident at their Headquarters this morning?" Reese asked with a grin.

"I bet my gold-plated pension on it," Elaine said smugly.

"This might be the slip-up we've been waiting for," Reese said before picking up his coffee and finishing the last sip before laying down the empty cup. "Are you up for a road trip?" he asked as he stood up and buttoned his suit jacket.

"The car's waiting out front," Elaine agreed, ready to hit the road.

**οοοοοοο**

_Omicron Inc. Headquarters – 1303 hrs_

Inside the seventieth-floor briefing room, the chief management team had gathered around the boardroom table for an emergency meeting. Although this had the appearance of a standard business meeting, this was not your ordinary upper management team.

At the head of the table sat a woman who had gone by many names in her lifetime, but as president and chief executive officer of Omicron Incorporated, she went by the name José Allete, with only a select few employees privileged enough to call her Joe. Outside the workplace, she preferred to be called by her birthname Nyx.

Nyx was a fit but slender woman of average height. She had flawless ivory skin and gold coloured iris. Despite the youthful complexion, her eyes betrayed that she was much older with a knowledgeable gaze and weariness of someone who had lived a long life. She had jet-black hair tied up into a bun and straight black bangs that covered her brow. Flowing down the side of her face were long strands of golden coloured hair that zig-zagged like lightning bolts at the end. Apart from the unique hairstyle, she was wearing usual business attire consisting of black dress pants, a backless burgundy silk shirt, and a black silk scarf hanging around her neck.

Sitting to Nyx's right was her loyal assistant John. He was a slender man with broad shoulders and short brown hair that was greying slightly on the sides. John looked around the same age as his superior, but it was difficult to pinpoint due to the greying hair. His rimless glasses covered his rusty colour eyes. Like Mr. Jang seated to his right, John was wearing a pristine suit but black.

Seated to Nyx's left was a husband and wife duo who possessed similar physical features. Sevan Remez, the chief operating officer, was a tall man with brown skin, long silver hair neatly tied back, and bright green eyes. Like the other men in the room, he was wearing a suit but a dark charcoal colour. Sevan looked no more than middle-aged, but he did not possess the same youthful glow as the others, he had dark circles under his eyes and an overall sickly appearance.

Sevan's wife, Chief Financial Officer Lucy Remez, had a slightly darker complexion and long white hair with pale blue highlights. Like Nyx, she had youthful-looking skin, and her hair up except for some bangs flowing down the right side of her face. She had light blue eyes and was wearing a short black skirt, black heeled shoes, and a grey backless shirt with a black collar.

Sitting next to Lucy was Doctor Hunter, who had just landed from an almost nine-hour flight and was extremely jet-lagged. Hunter was the oldest looking amongst the group, and unlike the others, he cared little about his appearance with his greying mustache, round glasses, and messy greying hair in need of a trim. His suit was wrinkly from having been in it for so long.

Everyone in the room listened as Nyx addressed her subordinates, recapping the last twenty-four hours.

"Let me get this straight," Nyx said calmly, but the tone of her voice made it clear that she was not pleased. "We were infiltrated by a handful of kin who caused hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages—"

"Madam," John interjected. "With the incident off-site this morning, it's an approximate two-point nine-million-dollar loss."

Nyx's expression did not change as she processed the updated information. "Well, damn. That's much worse," she remarked to John before turning back to the rest of the committee. "A three-million-dollar loss and we still have no clue who they are and only eye-witness descriptions. How disappointing."

Nyx emitted an exasperated sigh before turning to Jang. "Okay, Jang, tell me you have some good news."

Having no positive news to offer, Jang paused for a second before speaking. "Apart from the obvious physical damages, all the security footage was lost along with our servers and data."

"Okay, no good news from Jang," Nyx said, then turned to her assistant. "John, I want to see the cost of increasing our IT and security budget by ten percent. I would also like to hire a consultant to assist in upgrading our network security—"

Lucy sniggered. "I don't know why we didn't think of that when we were renovating," she quipped with an eye roll.

Ignoring Lucy's comment, Nyx continued addressing her assistant. "I want this action on my desk by Monday."

"Yes, madam," John replied while making notes.

"Well, David, I hope you have more promising news," Nyx said to Doctor Hunter.

The weary doctor took off his glasses to rub his eyes before responding. "As you know, the intruders were unsuccessful in their attempt to rescue the male specimen. He suffered multiple gunshot wounds and had succumbed to his injuries by the time we discovered the body. But thanks to a hasty response by Mr. Jang and Doctor Joy, we succeeded in salvaging parts for Doctor Rai's research."

Nyx paused for a second before responding. "Well, that's not all bad news, I suppose. A little gross, though," she remarked before addressing everyone. "Now, can anyone please explain to me how a team tracking specimen M came across this unknown male in the first place? He doesn't seem to match any of our previous intel."

"No, it appears he is from a completely different group," Doctor Hunter informed the Omicron president. "Your operatives were tracking M and came across him and an unknown female."

Growing frustrated with this whole mess, Nyx sighed impatiently before addressing the doctor. "David, as I've told you many times before, I am more than happy to help you find her. You have been instrumental in the discovery of the vita-formula. I pride myself on my ability to keep promises, but I will draw the line if helping you causes any further interference. We have too much at stake to risk jeopardizing it for some worthless girl."

As Nyx spoke, Sevan and Lucy quietly nodded in agreement at her last comment. With all the eyes in the room scrutinizing Hunter, it was evident that he was the least popular individual amongst the close-knit group.

The doctor appeared unfazed by the apparent tension as he spoke. "I understand," Hunter said calmly. "But need I remind you that if it weren't for her, the vita-formula would not be where it is today."

Nyx nodded in agreement. "You may be correct, but I think you greatly underestimated how easy she would be to retrieve. So, I've asked Lucy and Sevan to lend you the use of their boys."

"They'll have her back in no time," Sevan reassured the doctor.

Displeased with this news, Hunter turned to Sevan scowling. "They must bring her back _alive_."

Sevan gave a slight shrug. "I'll mention it to them."

"What are we going to do about the intruders that attacked us?" Lucy asked, trying to redirect the conversation to the more pressing matter.

"Don't worry. I have Jang overseeing the issue. It won't be long until we know their identities," Nyx reassured Lucy before moving on to the next talking point.

**οοοοοοο**

_Random backwoods, Connecticut – 1330 hrs_

Deep in the woods, Adley and the others were slowly trekking along on their journey home. They walked a few hours until they reached a paved road. After checking to see if the coast was clear, everyone proceeded to cross the street except Ebony. She hesitantly touched the pavement with her bare foot, then retracted it, reluctant to walk on the asphalt. Adley looked to the others for an explanation, wondering why Ebony would not cross the road.

"This is her first time walking on pavement," Tempest explained.

"What's up? Are we taking a break?" Flint asked breathlessly. His face was dripping with sweat from carrying a massive tactical backpack stuffed so full he could not stand upright.

Freya stopped walking and turned back to address Ebony. "I know you don't like it, hun, but it's only going to get worse from here."

Ebony paused before cautiously crossing the pavement while the rest continued walking until they were no longer visible from the road.

As soon as they regrouped, Freya addressed the others. "Let's take a quick break. We still have over six hours until dark. Then Marko, Rowan, and I will take Adley and Arlo home."

Using the break to converse, Tempest turned to Adley. "Arlo's stitches will need to come out in a few days. He will also need at least ten days of antibiotics to ward off any chance of infection. We can give you some if you need it. Apart from that, he should rest up, and you can change the bandages tomorrow."

"Thank you so much for helping him," Adley said gratefully.

"It's the least I can do," Tempest replied with a smile.

"It's all my fault for dragging him into something so dangerous," Adley said, starting to sound upset. "I hope he'll forgive me."

"Don't worry, he'll be home and in bed before you know it," Freya reassured Adley, having overheard the conversation.

With the party of nine now slightly rested from the break, they all continued their long journey south-west.

**οοοοοοο**

_Sanctuary – 1335 hrs_

After twenty minutes of walking, Reese and Elaine emerged from the woods accompanied by an Omicron employee dressed in coveralls and a baseball cap embroidered with the company logo. The two agents would never have found the site if it was not for the luck of stumbling upon the convoy of Omicron vehicles parked near the trail that led them here. The two agents looked around to see a crew of Omicron employees already on the scene.

In the background, a medical responder was tending to a pilot with minor injuries. With the more injured witnesses already en route to the hospital, the pilot was the only remaining on the scene.

The Omicron guide pointed the two agents in the direction of the supervisor, a middle-aged man with glasses and holding a clipboard. When they reached the man, Reese pulled out his badge and introduced himself.

"What's going on here?" Reese asked, looking like he just happened to stumble upon this scene by accident.

"Our security department was conducting a training exercise when, what we suspect was a mechanical failure, took down two of our aircraft," the foreman said while looking at his clipboard to appear busy.

Reese was about to ask a follow-up question but was cut off by the foreman.

"Before you ask, we've followed all protocols," the foreman explained. "The police and coroner have come and gone. The FAA was notified, and we have the authorization to deal with this matter internally."

"And I'm sure you have the proper permits to be conducting exercises in this area?" asked Reese.

"Yep, feel free to contact our PR department for the copies."

"Is this your first time using this location?" Reese questioned, this time looking the foreman straight in the eye.

The Foreman returned the gaze and paused briefly before answering, "Yes."

"Why here?"

"Why not? It's a secluded area in the middle of the nowhere," the foreman replied, starting to sound slightly agitated.

"Fair enough. We're going to look around," Reese said before turning to his partner. The two of them walked a few feet away from the foreman before speaking.

"Go interview the pilot," Reese instructed Elaine.

"On it," Elaine replied before splitting away from her colleague.

Reese sauntered while examining his surroundings. He abruptly stopped in front of a small sinkhole marked off with caution tape. The agent took off his sunglasses and bent over to peer into the deep hole. He continued walking until he located pieces of freshly charred wood. Reese leaned in for a further inspection when he noticed a fork with cooked egg sticking out of a mass of overgrown weeds. Reese picked up the utensil, inspected it, then continued walking around while gazing at the ground.

Elaine finished speaking with the pilot then walked across the meadow to update her colleague. "The pilot is saying essentially the same thing," she explained. "A mechanical failure caused one helicopter to collide with the other. One pilot didn't survive."

Elaine kept an eye on her surroundings as she conversed with Reese. It was evident by the look on her face that this whole scene did not sit right with her.

"What do you see right there?" Reese asked while pointing at the ground. They were standing amongst knee-high grass and surrounded by various types of plants.

"Nothing besides grass and vegetation," Elaine said, trying to peer through the thick greenery.

Reese reached down to retrieve a piece of metal that was protruding from the ground and partially concealed amongst the thick grass. The section of debris was a little over two feet in diameter and had some red paint on the corner.

"What are the chances that this belongs to one of those aircraft?" Reese asked his partner while pointing to the damaged helicopter on the other side of the clearing.

"I'd say slim," Elaine replied, looking at the piece of aircraft remains in Reese's hands. "It looks like it's been there for months."

"This looks like part of the Omicron logo," Reese said while pointing to a section of red paint.

"But the foreman said it was their first time using this location," Elaine reminded Reese. "I think we have a fibber."

"Maybe, but I got the feeling he was telling the truth."

"Spill it. What are you getting at?"

"Well, for one, I think this was more than a training accident," Reese said as he put his sunglasses back on and looked around at all the Omicron personnel. "I'm curious as to why they selected this location. It appears that there was a settlement here recently."

"I agree, someone must have been camping out," Elaine suggested. "The medic mentioned that they found the remains of recently harvested pot plants not far from here. They said they reported it to the police. It sounds like someone was running a marijuana grow operation."

"It's only early July. There is no way the plants were mature enough to harvest. Something must have spooked them,"

Having never considered that, Elain was impressed by her partner's comment.

"I think we're done here," Reese informed his co-worker after studying the scene one last time. "You hungry? I suddenly have a craving for Korean barbecue."

"I can eat," Elaine agreed, prompting the two coworkers to commence the long hike towards their vehicle.

**οοοοοοο**

_Markovich Residence (Barrow St, New York, NY) – 1850 hrs_

The three-story townhouse was abnormally quiet and virtually empty. Inside the dimly lit sitting room, Quinn was sitting alone on the antique sofa with a sombre expression on her face. She was looking deep in thought and feeling utterly defeated. Her attention shifted towards the staircase when she heard Trenton descending. Quinn could not help but notice the solemn look on his face as he walked towards her.

"How is she?" Quinn asked, more out of convention since she already knew, given the circumstances, that Brook was a mess.

"Inconsolable. She doesn't want to talk," Trenton explained, his voice strained from exhaustion.

Quinn started to tear up. "I can't believe Finn's gone. We should have stayed with Brook. I should never have let us split up."

Trenton sat down on the sofa next to Quinn. "No one could have predicted this," he said, trying to reassure her.

"Do you think this Doctor Hunter is _him_?" Quinn asked, trying to change the subject. She was too angry at herself to listen to Trenton's comforting words.

Trenton paused for a second before answering. "I don't think so. Freya and Marko said he died in the fire. And even if by some miracle he survived, he'd be long dead by now."

"None of this makes sense," Quinn said, frustrated by the fact that she had so many questions and not a single answer. "What do you think Omicron wants with us? And how were they able to find Brook and Finn in the first place?"

"We could ask Brook, but I think it'll be some time before she'll want to talk about it."

"Poor Brook, I hope she knows we're here for her," Quinn said sympathetically. She leaned into Trenton and rested her head on his shoulder for comfort.

Trenton rested his arm on Quinn's shoulders. "I'm sure she does."

Quinn exhaled and nestled into his embrace as the two of them comfort each other in silence.

**οοοοοοο**

Upstairs on the second floor, Brook was curled up in her bed weeping as she slowly drifted into sleep. She had spent the day sobbing so much her whole body ached. She tossed around restlessly, the memory of Finn's death preventing her from drifting into a peaceful slumber. Eventually, the exhaustion overpowered her, allowing her to dream of more pleasurable moments when the love of her life was still alive. More specifically, she found herself dreaming of the last memory she would ever have with Finn before his untimely demise.

_It was the Fourth of July and night had finally settled over the city. In a secluded section of the park, Brook held Finn's hand as they walked down a quiet path towards the water._

_Brook took a deep breath as she relished the night air. "This feels nice; fresh air, a cool breeze," she said to Finn while taking in her surroundings. "It's been a while since we've done this," she added with a hint of resentment._

_"It's good to get out once and a while," Finn agreed with a smile._

_"Once and a while? It feels like forever," Brook said, the bitterness and frustration now flooding her voice._

_Finn laughed at Brook's embellishment. "I think you're exaggerating a little. We slept under the stars just last week."_

_"Sanctuary is not the same," Brook explained. "I like being able to walk around the city, visit new places, take long strolls through the park." She motioned to her surroundings before glancing up at Finn with a frown. "All we get to choose from is trapped in a house or hiding in the woods. I'm sick of it. I wish we could go out and do our own thing."_

_"You know she means well. She's just trying to keep us safe."_

_"She's punishing us for her mistakes," Brook complained._

_By now, the couple were walking down the path towards the water. As they neared the pond, a playful smile appeared on Finn's face._

_"Come on," Finn said as he took Brook's hand and led her towards the water._

_Upon reaching the edge, Finn looked around to ensure they were alone before picking Brook up. With Brook in his arms, Finn walked on top of the water towards the middle of the pond. When they reached the center, Brook held on tight as Finn lowered her into a standing position. Unable to walk on water herself, Brook placed her feet on top of Finn's while they moved slowly over the water._

_Brook nestled against Finn's firm chest and let out a sigh of contentment, all her anger and resentment dissolving in Finn's warm embrace._

_"Sometimes, I feel like we'd be better off leaving and starting our own family," Brook said, feeling relieved to say something she had been thinking about for a while now._

_Taken aback by her comment, Finn stopped moving and looked down to meet her gaze. "But what about the others? And your brother?"_

_"Trent doesn't need me, he has Quinn," Brook said, not sounding at all saddened about the thought of leaving her twin._

_"You know they'd be hurt if we left, we've been together our whole lives."_

_"We can still visit them. I just don't want to be under her rules anymore, and I think she would be happy to see—"_

_Alerted to something, Brook stopped mid-sentence and stared off into the distance._

_"What is it?" Finn asked with a worried expression._

_"There's someone here," Brook explained._

_"Who, your brother?"_

_"No, someone new, but...I can't explain it, we have to find them," Brook said, prompting Finn to pick her up and carry her back to shore._

_Brook could still sense the presence nearby. She looked around to see a shadow running near the treeline before darting up into the sky. Without saying a word, Brook took off after the figure with Finn following close behind. They flew over the city with Brook leading the way. Following her intuition, Brook landed on the rooftop of a building with Finn landing seconds after her. Fireworks could be heard in the distance as Finn and Brook looked around._

_"I know they're around here somewhere," Brook said with certainty, despite failing to see the person land._

_"They must know we're following them. Maybe they don't want to talk," Finn suggested._

_"Maybe," Brook said while trying to scout nearby rooftops for the figure. After a quick search, Brook decided to try something else. "Can you give us some cover?" she asked Finn._

_Complying with Brook's request, Finn's eyes started to glow blue. Seconds later, the first few drops of rain began to fall, followed by a downpour._

_"I know you're around here somewhere," Brook said out loud while trying to peer through the rain. It was then that she noticed the movement of a dark figure on the rooftop adjacent to her. "Gotcha," she said to herself before turning to Finn. "Wait right here in case they come back. I'm going to take a look around."_

_Brook took off after the figure. While coasting through the air, she spotted the unknown person trying to hide behind a concrete structure on one of the lower rooftops. Brook landed close enough to get a glimpse of the figure and was shocked to see that it was a young adolescent girl. Surprisingly, the girl had an uncanny resemblance to Brook except for her blue and black coloured hair._

_Brook only managed to get a quick glimpse before the girl took off running. Brook did not have a chance to react before the girl jumped off the edge of the building and disappeared into the night sky. Brook was so stunned by the girl's appearance she froze for a second before calling to her._

_"Hey, wait!" Brook yelled. She was about to take off after the girl when she heard a gunshot in the distance. Brook recognized the sound and immediately thought of Finn. Abandoning pursuit of the girl, she travelled back to find her partner._

_Brook was relieved when she found Finn exactly where she left him. She landed next to him as he stood near the edge of the rooftop._

_"Where did that noise come from?" Brook asked her partner._

_"It came from below. Maybe someone's in trouble," Finn said as he leaned over the edge to get a better view of the parking lot below._

_BANG!_

"FINN!" Brook yelled as she jolted up in her bed, having awoken from the vivid dream drenched in a cold sweat. She looked around her dark bedroom before it dawned on her that she was dreaming.

When Brook shifted her gaze towards the window, tears started to form in her eyes. "Oh, Finn..." she said softly to herself as she tried fighting back the tears.

Unable to contain her sorrow any longer, Brook broke down in unbearable emotional pain. Her sobs were drowning out the soft patter of raindrops hitting her bedroom window.

IV

# July 9th, 2017

Markovich Residence – 1535 hrs

It was a hot and sunny Sunday afternoon as Adley walked through West Village carrying a large cloth bag. She had a big smile on her face when she approached the front steps of her newfound friends' home. Reaching out with her free hand, Adley pressed the button to the door buzzer.

"Ahoy-hoy?" Freya's voice erupted over the speaker.

Adley waved at the camera. "Hey, it's Adley."

"We're downstairs," Freya's voice informed the visitor as the door unlocked.

Adley walked towards the basement located directly under the staircase in the sitting room. As soon as she opened the door, she noticed a faint skunk smell. In the centre of the room, Marko and Flint were seated playing video games on a wall-mounted television. Next to the stairs, Freya and Felix were sitting in front of a large table containing two desktop computers and three monitors.

"How is everyone?" Adley asked the group. As she walked down the stairs, she surveyed the basement. It was a large room cluttered with random items amassed over the centuries.

Freya finally turned away from her computer screen to address Adley. "Meh, could be better," she answered truthfully. "This decryption is takin' forever."

"Are you talking about the files you took from Omicron?" Adley asked.

"Yeah, we just started tackling them this mornin'," Freya explained. "It's been a little crazy around here the last few days."

"It doesn't help that we had to spend a whole day replacing windows," Flint said from the couch.

Freya shifted her attention to Flint. "You break 'em, you replace 'em," she reminded her son.

Adley reached into her bag for a flash drive and handed it to Freya. "I brought you a copy of everything I have on Omicron."

"Thanks," Freya said, accepting the memory stick. She turned back to her computer and inserted the stick into the tower next to her, diving into the new material.

With Freya engrossed in information, Adley took a second to look around. Next to the computer station was a door leading into a large laundry room that also held the furnace and water heater. In the back-left corner of the room was a large wooden desk holding a soldering gun. The wall behind contained shelving full of small tools and various items neatly organized. Two closed doors stood between the workstation and a pair of bookcases located in the far-right corner of the room.

"How's Brook doing?" Adley asked the group. It had been a few days since the incident at the Omicron headquarters, and Adley could not stop thinking about her.

"Not good," Freya said, taking a second to look away from the computer screen to answer. "I haven't seen her since we got back from Sanctuary."

"Really? Where is she?"

"Upstairs, she segregated herself in her bedroom," Felix explained.

"And she's on a hunger strike," Flint added without taking his eyes away from the television screen.

Marko unexpectedly paused the video game to Flint's dismay.

"Poor Brook," Marko said sympathetically, unaware that she was on a hunger strike. "You know what would make her feel better," he wondered out loud.

"A night out," suggested Freya.

"Therapy," suggested Felix.

"A joint," suggested Flint.

Adley turned to Flint, a little shocked by the child's comment.

Sensing Adley's confusion, Flint was baffled as to why someone would not think that was a suitable suggestion. "What?" he asked before realizing he needed to provide her with a rationale. "It'll make Brook feel better, _and_ it'll end her hunger strike. How's that not the correct answer?"

"I was going to suggest butter chicken," Marko informed Flint, knowing it was Brook's favourite meal. He then un-paused the game so he and Flint could continue playing.

"Do you think it would be okay if I visit her?" Adley asked Freya.

Freya shrugged. "It couldn't hurt. Two floors up, second door on the left."

Adley exited the basement and made her way up to the second floor of the house. As she ascended the stairs, she could hear voices coming from above. When she reached the top, she found Quinn standing in Brook's bedroom doorway. The two were in a tense conversation and did not notice Adley approaching from behind.

"This is not good for you," Quinn said to Brook with her arms crossed.

Brook's room was dark from the blinds covering the windows. She was sitting on her bed with her legs up against her torso and her arms wrapped around them.

"I'm not hungry," Brook mumbled with her head resting on her knees.

Quinn let out a sigh, frustrated by Brook's stubbornness. "Listen, Brook," she said sympathetically. "I know exactly how you feel. No one is saying you shouldn't be upset, but you are starting to worry us."

Brook raised her head to look at Quinn, her eyes were bloodshot from crying, and her hair was unkempt. "Really? You think you know how I feel?" Brook asked, her voice cracking like she was on the verge of crying again. "You don't know what this feels like, _you_ still have Trent."

"You're right, I still have Trenton," Quinn agreed, appearing unfazed by Brook's harsh comment. "But I still know what it feels like to lose a piece of yourself. The pain is unbearable. It's going to hurt for a long time and will never completely fade, but you need to stay strong."

Brook remained silent, unable to look Quinn in the eye.

"Listen, Brook," Quinn said, trying one last approach. "No one is pushing you to do anything you don't want to do, but we both know Finn would not want to see you like this."

"Yeah, well, he's not here," Brook said into her arms.

Giving up on the grieving woman, for the time being, Quinn turned to leave. She appeared frustrated as she walked past Adley. Quinn did not speak but acknowledged Adley with a slight nod before descending the staircase.

Adley walked up to Brook's bedroom door. "Hello?" she greeted while poking in her head.

Brook looked up upon hearing Adley's voice and smiled faintly before replying, "Hi."

"Sorry if this is a bad time."

"No. You can come in," Brook offered, sensing Adley's reluctance to enter as she stood in the doorway.

Adley sat down on the edge of Brook's bed while placing her tote bag on the floor next to her. "I'm sorry for your loss," she said sincerely. "I know I never had the honour to meet Finn formally, but from what I saw the other night, he was a good man with a kind soul."

"He was perfect, I still can't believe he's gone," Brook explained. "I don't know what I'm going to do without him." As Brook spoke, she fought back the tears that were starting to form in her eyes.

"If there is anything you need, don't hesitate to ask," Adley offered in comfort.

Brook wiped her tear-filled eyes.

"Here, I brought you something," Adley said, remembering her bag full of food. She reached in and grabbed two plastic containers. "I baked you some cookies."

Brook could not help but smile at Adley's thoughtfulness. "Thanks," she replied while accepting the food.

"Maybe some night when you're feeling better, we can get coffee or something," Adley suggested. She agreed with Freya's suggestion that a night out might help Brook feel better.

"Thanks for the offer," Brook said, knowing what Adley was trying to do. "I know I have to snap out of this. I need more time."

Sensing that Brook wanted to be alone, Adley stood up. "I understand. If you ever need to talk, you have my number."

"Thank you," Brook said as Adley exited the room.

When Adley stepped outside, she found Tempest standing in the hallway.

"Hello, Adley," Tempest greeted.

"Hi," Adley replied with a smile, happy to see the woman who helped her brother.

"How is Arlo doing?"

"Great. The wound's going to take some time to heal, but he said he's never felt better. What did you do to him?" Adley asked curiously.

"He was lucky it was only a flesh wound," Tempest said with a smile. "But it helps that Ebony and Rowan have an ample supply of plants with healing properties."

"How are they adjusting to the move?" Adley asked.

"They're managing, would you like to see?"

Adley agreed and followed Tempest upstairs into a large loft. Various species of plants covered the room. Vine flora extended across the ceiling and walls giving the room a bright green glow. Unlike the rest of the house, the large open windows allowed sunlight to fill the room. Ebony and Rowan were tending to plants inside. The bright light exposed their wings as they stood in front of the window, soaking up the sun. The two late adolescents smiled when they noticed Adley and Tempest enter the room.

Adley greeted the youths before turning to Tempest. "This is beautiful," she said as she examined the greenery. "But, are you not worried about people seeing you through the windows?"

"They are privacy windows," Tempest explained. "We installed them yesterday. It's unhealthy to live in the dark, and with Sanctuary gone, I feared the others would never see the light of day again. Freya said she plans on having all the windows replaced with mirror film."

"Good idea," Adley said before remembering she had more treats in her bag. "Here, I have something for you," she said as she pulled out a container and a thank you card. "I made these squares."

"Thank you," Tempest said, accepting the gift. "But you didn't have to make us anything. It was our pleasure."

Adley smiled at Tempest's kindheartednesses. "I couldn't help but notice that you are close to Rowan and Ebony, how are you related to them?"

"I'm their maternal aunt," Tempest explained. "Their parents died when they were young, so I raised them like they were my own."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Adley said sympathetically.

"It was a long time ago," Tempest explained. "If their parents were here today, they'd be very proud of them," she added while looking over at the siblings with great fondness and affection.

After saying goodbye to Tempest and the twins, Adley walked back down into the basement to find Freya. As she descended the basement stairs, she noticed Quinn and Trenton standing near Freya and Felix, the four of them attentively watching the computer monitor in front of Freya.

"Any luck with the decryption?" Adley asked the group.

"Sorta, finally cracked one file," Freya explained.

"You need an upgrade," Felix informed his mother.

"You got that right, kiddo. Been at this for over twelve hours, and we're still not finished. I need to invest in some better hardware," Freya said with a sigh. "I must be getting old, can't keep on top of things anymore."

"You're not the only one, Mom," Flint said from the sofa. "I'm kicking dad's ass at his own game. Now I know why he never wants to play any of mine."

"You're only winning because my controller is sticky," Marko remarked.

"Fine, I'll trade controllers with you," Flint retorted, calling his father's bluff.

"No," Marko objected. "This handicap is the only way you stand a chance against me, and we all know how much of a sore loser you are."

"Sticky controller, my ass. You don't want to admit I'm better than you!"

"I'd have no problem admitting it if it were true!"

"Then switch controllers with me!" Flint demanded as he tried to grab Marko's controller unsuccessfully while still managing to play.

"No!" Marko shouted, trying to avoid Flint's reach.

"You're the real sore loser!"

"You look upset, Flint, am I going to need the fire extinguisher?" Marko teased back with a smirk.

Freya frowned and shifted her attention away from the computer to address the quarrelling males. "If you two don't stop arguin', I'm gonna use it on the both of ya!" she called in frustration. "Marko, stop teasing Flint because you suck at the game. Flint, play nice, or I'm turnin' it off!"

After successfully silencing the two, Freya turned her attention back to the matter at hand.

Felix glanced over his mother sympathetically. "Children," he said with an eye-roll.

"You're telling me," Freya sighed before focusing on the computer. "Now, where was I?" she asked herself while scrolling through the decrypted file to refocus. "Hmm, this looks interesting."

The small group hovered around Freya, attentively watching as she stopped scrolling to read something. After a few seconds of reading, Freya stopped and turned to Quinn.

"Look at this, they got intel here on kin," Freya said while pointing towards the computer screen.

A surprised expression appeared on Quinn's face. "Really?"

"Yep," Freya confirmed before turning back to the computer to show her sister the data. "They got physical descriptions, abilities, known whereabouts."

"Kin? Is that how you refer to each other?" Adley asked.

"Yes," Felix answered.

"There's more kin in this city?" Trenton asked, equally surprised by the news.

"It appears so. I'm startin' to think Omicron was looking for these guys when they stumbled upon Brook and Finn," Freya theorized.

"That's horrible, talk about being in the wrong place at the wrong time," Adley said.

"Any pictures?" Quinn asked, hoping she might recognize one of them.

"Nothin' so far."

"We should go look for them, they might need our help," Quinn explained to the group, excited by the idea of finding more like them. "Are any of the known whereabouts nearby?"

"Nearest location's in Brooklyn," Freya said while looking at the small list of addresses.

"It's a good place to start," Quinn explained to the group.

"I'll go with ya," Freya informed her sister.

"Do you mind if I tag along?" Adley asked. "If Omicron's involved, I'd like to be there."

Quinn did not look happy with this request. "I dunno, it—"

"Sure, you can tag along," Freya interjected with a smile.

"I'll stay to keep an eye on Brook," Trenton said, excusing himself from the quest.

Freya snapped her fingers in response. "Marko, you're up!"

Marko, who was watching the television and not paying attention to the conversation, jumped up from the sofa. "Let's roll!" he called out while throwing down his gaming controller then paused to think. "Wait, where are we going?" he asked, having no idea why Freya called on him.

**οοοοοοο**

_Ruby Hook Shipping Terminal (Brooklyn, NY) – 2320 hrs_

Despite the groups' eagerness to scope out the new location, the fact that it was a shipping yard meant they had to wait until nightfall before they could conduct their search for kin. Freya, Quinn, and Marko carrying Adley landed inside the most secluded and darkest section of the property to avoid detection. They began their search near an old storage warehouse.

"Why would anyone want to spend time around here?" Marko asked as he glanced around at the seemingly endless rows of shipping containers.

"No clue, but Omicron uses this port for shipments," Freya said while scanning her surroundings. "Probably not a coincidence."

"I don't see anything out of the ordinary," Marko observed.

"Let's look around to make sure," Quinn suggested, wanting to leave no stone unturned.

"I'll go check the warehouse," Freya said, having spotted an opened window. Freya took off towards the warehouse while the rest continued searching.

In the distance, Adley spotted the Omicron Incorporate logo on some stacked containers near the warehouse. Grabbing her attention, Adley proceeded towards the crates. As she neared the building, she noticed an unoccupied van with an Omicron logo on the back. Recognizing the licence plate, Adley checked her phone for the photo she took five days ago and confirmed that it was the same van she was tracking the night she met Brook. Sensing something was wrong, Adley immediately went looking for the others.

Spotting Marko and Quinn, Adley quickly approached them. "I don't think we're alone," she warned the two.

Before Quinn could reach for her whip, five Omicron operatives emerged from behind some containers and rushed towards them. Quinn's eyes started to glow as she swung her whip at the nearest operative's arm, successfully knocking the weapon out of his hand while shocking him with electricity. Startled by the shock, the man stopped while the remaining four operatives surrounded the trio with their guns drawn.

"Put the weapon down and slowly raise your hands," one operative ordered with his firearm raised.

With the warehouse behind them, there was nowhere for the three to run. Quinn dropped her whip and slowly raised her hands.

"We could use some help," Quinn whispered in the hopes that her sister was listening over the commlink.

"Almost there," Freya's voice replied, having overheard everything.

The operatives were closing in but stopped in their tracks when a noise from the rooftop caught their attention. Everyone's gaze drifted upwards when a loud rumble echoed down from the clouds above. Suddenly, a flashing light lit up the sky, and a large bolt of electricity struck the operatives.

Adley and Marko instinctively backed up towards the building, shielding their eyes from the bright flash of light and heat. Quinn, on the other hand, was unfazed by the attack. She stood in front of her companions to protect them from the electricity. When the flash finally ceased, Marko and Adley unshielded their eyes. They were surprised to find all the operatives lying lifelessly on the ground.

"Woah, sis, I knew you had it in ya," Marko said to Quinn while looking impressed with what he assumed was her doing.

"Wasn't me," Quinn replied as she looked upwards from where the attack originated.

Marko and Adley followed Quinn's gaze and spotted two shadowy figures standing on the rooftop looking down at them.

It was at this point that Freya finally joined the group. She walked past the presumably dead but optimistically unconscious operatives taking note of the fact that their grey uniforms were slightly darker in colour and made of a thicker material compared to their last encounter. She was considering leaning down for a closer inspection when she noticed everyone looking up at the two figures on the rooftop.

"Who're they?" Freya asked her sister, assuming this was their handiwork.

Before Quinn could reply, the two figures proceeded to jump off the building and drift down towards the group. It was a male and female appearing around their age, maybe slightly younger. The female had the same bi-coloured hair, complexion, and eye colour as Quinn, with the main difference being that she was taller. Her golden bangs were pushed over to the right side of her face, and her black hair was pinned up. Everything about this woman screamed upper-class from her expensive-looking belt and shoes to her stylish backless jumpsuit with long flowing sleeves and pants.

The male was dressed more casually with loose-fitting blue jeans and a black muscle tank. His complexion was the same as the female's, but his hair consisted of chin-length golden locks that matched his yellow irises.

"Thanks," Quinn said to the newcomers.

"Happy to help," the female replied with a slight smile. "Luckily, we heard the commotion when we did. It looked like they were about to shoot."

"My name's Quinn. This is my sister Freya. That's Marko and Adley," Quinn introduced the group.

Upon spotting Adley, the woman did not say anything as her smile faded, replaced by a brief look of disgust. She quickly shifted her attention back to Quinn and introduced herself.

"I'm Styx, and this is my brother Kray."

"How did you find us?" Quinn asked, curious how the two were able to locate them so quickly.

"I should ask you the same thing. What are you doing here?" Styx asked, deflecting the question.

"We retrieved some Omicron data that listed this location as a place to find kin," Quinn explained. She assumed they must know something about Omicron, given the situation.

"Let me guess; you were responsible for the incident at their headquarters the other day?" Styx asked, appearing happy to hear this.

Before Quinn could answer, Freya interjected. "We'll neither confirm nor deny any involvement in that incident," she said defended while Marko stood behind her, nodding in agreement.

Styx looked a little baffled by Freya's comment until Quinn spoke up.

"Don't mind them. Yes, that was us," Quinn clarified.

Styx turned to Kray and smiled smugly. "I told you that was no accident," she gloated, obviously referring to a previous conversation.

Kray did not respond to his sister due to the distractive presence of a stranger standing in his personal space. He looked to his right only to find Marko inspecting his shirt.

"Can I help you?" Kray asked uneasily.

Marko smiled sheepishly. "Sorry," he apologized, then backed off a little. "I was admiring your shirt. How did you manage to get it on, you know, over the wings?" he inquired, envious of Kray's attire.

"It fastens on the sides," Styx explained.

"Really? Where can I find one?" Marko asked. Up until now, all Marko could wear over his shoulders were long scarfs to keep warm. Unlike Trenton and Rowan, who did not seem to mind being shirtless all the time, Marko hated it.

"It's not available in any store. I design and make them myself."

"Please, can you make me one? I would love to be able to wear a shirt again," Marko pleaded.

"I think I might have a few extras," Styx offered.

"Oh, thank you, thank you. This is so exciting!" Marko exclaimed happily.

"So, what does Omicron want with you?" Quinn asked, trying to refocus the new acquaintances.

"You don't know? Then why did you attack their headquarters?" Kray questioned.

"To rescue one of our own," Quinn responded. "What do you know about Omicron?"

"Not much, they just started showing up one day trying to capture us," Styx explained. "We learned to keep our distance."

"I always hoped we'd meet more kin someday. How many of you are there?" Quinn questioned.

"Besides us, just our mother and younger sister. I don't think there are many kin living in this city," Styx replied vaguely.

"Your mother? Maybe she knew our mother, can we meet her?" Quinn asked, sounding exceptionally excited about that last bit of news.

"I'll talk to her," Styx replied, not making any commitments.

"Sorry to cut the conversation short," Freya interjected. "But do you think this is the place to catch up? You know, with the trespassing and all."

"And the bodies are a little incriminating," Marko said while looking around at the five operatives lying on the ground.

"I don't think they're dead. This one is breathing," Adley corrected after she knelt next to an operative and checked his vitals.

"I agree, we should save this for another time and somewhere more private," Styx said while glancing in Adley's direction. "We don't want any humans eavesdropping."

"How can we contact you?" Quinn asked, oblivious to Styx's microaggression.

"I'll text you my number," Styx offered.

"We don't use cellular phones," explained Quinn.

"I got one," Freya offered, pulling a cell out of her pocket like it was nothing.

Quinn frowned at the sight of her sister's phone. "Really, Freya?" she asked, not amused with the insubordination. "You had a phone this whole time?"

"You can't be that surprised," Freya said with a grin. "I got two boys that can destroy our home at the drop of a hat. It would be irresponsible for me as a parent not to have a phone on me at all times."

Quinn crossed her arms. "Since when have you cared about being a responsible parent?" she retorted, frustrated by the deceit and angry at how much Freya seemed to enjoy it.

Freya laughed, unfazed by Quinn's verbal jab. "We both know you're in no position to be lecturing me on responsibility."

Quinn sighed, quietly accepting defeat while Freya exchanged numbers with the new acquaintances.

After saying goodbye to Kray and Styx, they parted ways. Still peeved at her twin, Quinn decided to travel home solo while Freya and Marko escorted Adley back to her apartment.

V

# July 10th, 2017

Omicron Inc. Headquarters – 0945 hrs

It was a busy Monday morning as droves of Omicron employees scurried throughout the building. Unlike the overrun floors below it, the seventy-first floor appeared almost deserted in comparison. The level was restricted to only a few dozen employees and contained multiple offices, two briefing rooms, and a luxurious lounge with a full kitchenette.

Inside the kitchenette, an early adolescent female was making herself a cup of coffee. Although dressed in formal office-like attire, a girl that young would usually seem misplaced in such a business setting, but the upper floors of the building were exceptionally unorthodox.

This young female went by the name Riley. She had black hair pinned back, and the black bangs flowing down the side of her face faded to a golden colour at the very ends. Her amber eyes attentively watched as she poured milk into her coffee cup. When she placed the carton down, she immediately noticed the shadow of someone standing directly behind her. Without turning her head to check, the girl frowned, knowing who it was.

"I know it's you, _Kharon_ ," the girl said without moving. "I can smell your cologne from a mile away. You know, you're not supposed to bathe in it," she added before turning to face her older brother. Being twice her size, she had to look up to meet Kray's gaze.

"Ha-ha, brat," Kray snapped back, unamused with her attempt at a joke.

Riley pressed her back into the counter as Kray leaned forward. Standing too close for comfort, he proceeded to stare at her awkwardly with an unnerving smile on his face. Becoming uncomfortable and anxious, she decided to break the silence. "What are you even doing here?" she asked him, trying not to let her discomfort show. "Shouldn't you be on an assignment or something?"

Kray smiled. "It's almost over. We've already located and contacted the ones responsible for the attack last week."

Riley snorted. "They deserve to get caught if they're dumb enough to fall for anything you thought up," she said mockingly.

A look of anger appeared on Kary's face as he took a step towards her. "Disrespectful little snot!" he snapped. "What gives you the right to talk to me like that?"

Riley did not move as she stared Kray down defensively. "And what are you going to do about it? Tell mommy?" she asked with a slight grin.

Infuriated by her mockery, Kray pushed the girl against the counter and forcefully grabbed her face. "You may be her little _pet_ ," he spat while tightening his grip. "But don't think for a second that I can't hurt you." Kray forcefully released the girl but continued to stare at her as the smile started to reappear on his face. He was about to reach for her again but stopped once he realized someone was watching.

A young man named Kai Remez was casually leaning against the doorway, observing the scene with a smile on his face. Kai was tall with a medium build appearing in his mid-twenties. He had telltale Remez familial traits with light-silver hair and dark bronze skin. His bright green eyes peered out from under the stands of straight hair that ended above his shoulders. He was wearing loose black jeans and a black muscle shirt. A tattoo sleeve of angles engaging in battle covered his right arm.

Angered by the intrusion, Kray glared at Kai. "Can I help you?" he snapped at the bystander.

"Don't stop on my account," Kai replied with a grin. He remained in the same position showing no inclination to move. A few awkward seconds passed while Kai waited for them to restart their conversation, but nothing happened.

Kray continued to glare at Kai. "Leave!"

Kai appeared unfazed by Kray's outburst, but realizing the moment was ruined, his interest began to wane. "Whatever," he said and turned to leave. Before departing, he stopped to say one more thing to Kray. "Oh, I almost forgot, your mommy wanted you in her office five minutes ago," he explained before finally exiting.

With Kray distracted, Riley saw her opening and punched her brother in the face, causing him to lurch backwards.

"Don't ever touch me again," Riley warned him through clenched teeth.

Kray looked furious as he rubbed his jaw. Before Riley could react, he quickly grabbed the front of her shirt and pulled her forward while cocking his arm back, ready to strike.

With Kray's tight grip on her shirt and the counter behind her, Riley closed her eyes, accepting defeat. She held her breath in anticipation but was surprised when Kray stopped short, extended his finger and poked her in the nose.

" _Boop_ touched ya," Kray said with an evil smirk. He released Riley's shirt while forcefully pushing her back into the counter.

Riley let out a yelp as a surge of pain shot up her back. Her cup of coffee was knocked, shattering the mug and spilling the liquid onto the floor.

"You better clean that up," Kray said as he exited the room, leaving the girl to deal with the mess.

Kray took the stairs up one level to the top floor of the building. He walked straight through the reception area, past John's currently unoccupied desk, and into his mother's office.

The president's office was a large room with a mix of metallic furniture and black leather. Nyx was sitting at her desk with Styx seated across from her. As soon as Kray entered the room, the two women stopped conversing and turned to face him. The silence continued until Kray sat in the vacant seat next to his sister.

"About time you showed up," Styx commented.

"Styx was just filling me in on what happened last night," Nyx explained, getting straight to the point. "I want you two to arrange a meeting."

"Where?" Kray inquired.

"Our house."

"Why? What if it's a trap?" Kray asked, not pleased with the idea of inviting the enemy into his home.

"I doubt it," Nyx replied. "Styx says they've had no contact with our kind for some time."

"I'll make the arrangements," Styx announced before retrieving her cellphone to organize a meeting with the enemy.

**οοοοοοο**

_Markovich Residence - 1000 hrs_

It was late morning when Adley stopped by the house visit Brook. Adley was carrying a bag of food as she ascended the staircase to the second floor. She knocked on the doorframe to Brook's open bedroom door before entering.

"Hey, I know it's early, but I brought some lunch," Adley said as she held up the bag.

Brook, who was sitting on her bed with her head down, looked up and forced a smile. "Thanks, but I'm not hungry."

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Adley pulled out a container and opened it so the smell could escape into the room.

"C'mon, it's yummy," Adley informed the blue-haired girl.

Brook paused for a second as the aromas from all the herbs and spices overpowered her senses, making her mouth water in response. "I guess so," she conceded as Adley handed her the container of food and a fork. Brook ate a few bites before speaking. "This is good," she complimented before taking additional bites of the seven-grain salad with feta.

"Thanks," Adley said with a smile before digging in herself.

After eating for a minute in silence, Brook decided to speak up. "I heard you went out with the others last night. How was it?" she asked, curious how Adley made out with her family solo.

"Exciting," Adley replied with a smile. "We met some of your kin; I think you call it."

"Really? That would explain why I heard Quinn and my brother up half the night talking. What were they like?"

"They were a brother and sister named Styx and Kray. We were surrounded by Omicron employees when they saved us."

"Are there more of them?" Brook questioned.

"Just a family of four," Adley replied, trying to remember what Styx told them last night.

Brook's expression sobered when she suddenly remembered something. "That would explain..." she started to say before trailing off, lost in thought.

"Explain what?" Adley questioned eagerly.

"The night they captured Finn," Brook said while trying not to become too upset thinking about it. "We were following a young girl like us, but we lost track of her right before the attack."

"Freya thinks Omicron was tracking someone else when they ran into you and Finn," Adley informed Brook.

"It was all my fault. I was the one who wanted to follow the girl."

"No, it's not. How could you have known Omicron was looking for her?" Adley reassured Brook while trying to think of a way to take her mind off Finn. "Did you get a good look at the girl? Freya has information on them."

Eager to find out more, Brook agreed with Adley's suggestion. "Let's ask Freya," she said to Adley while setting aside her container of food.

Adley and Brook descended the two flights of stairs towards the basement. Inside the subterranean room, Quinn and Trenton were seated on the loveseat playing video games with Flint and Marko. Felix was sitting at the computer desk while Freya was tinkering at her workstation in the back.

As soon as the girls entered, everyone except Felix stopped what they were doing to look up at the newcomers. They were all ecstatic to see Brook out of her room, but they remained completely silent. Fearful that the slightest sound or movement might scare her away. Almost all eyes were on Adley and Brook as they approached Freya.

"Frey, we need your help," Brook said to the woman.

Freya was busy fiddling with a small disassembled device with the circuit board and wires exposed. "What's up?" Freya asked with a smile, happy to see that Adley's persistence had paid off.

"The night Finn was taken, we were following a young girl. After what Adley told me, I don't think it was a coincidence."

"Did ya get a good look at her?" Freya asked.

"Yes, Adley said you might be able to find her?"

"Well, we still haven't finished decrypting all the files, but I might have something that could be of use to you." Freya rolled her chair over a few feet towards the laptop located on the far side of the table. "Let's see if we can match the description of your girl to—"

"Mum!" Felix interrupted. "We're in."

Without saying another word, Freya stood up and hurried towards the desktops. She sat down in a chair facing an unoccupied monitor while looking over at Felix. "Which one?" she asked, excited by this news.

"Project M," Felix replied.

"The big one? Sweet," Freya said, sounding even more excited.

By now, everyone in the room was looking in Freya's direction, wondering what was going on.

Freya looked at the monitor for a second, then turned her chair to address her sister while pointing at the computer screen. "I found this file on a drive assigned to Doctor Hunter," she informed Quinn, knowing that would be of great interest to her sister.

Quinn immediately stood up and walked over towards Freya to get a good look at the screen. Freya turned back to the monitor and started clicking on documents.

"Okay, this looks interesting..." Freya began to say before trailing off.

"Freya, what's going on?" Quinn asked, eager to know what exactly she found.

Freya held up her pointer finger, silencing her sister while she continued to gaze at the computer screen. "Give me a sec," she ordered while reviewing the documents. A few seconds passed as Freya remained fixated on the screen while quickly scrolling through information.

Quinn, Brook, and Adley were now standing behind Freya. The three females looked on in silence as Freya began talking to herself.

"Finally, something useful..." she mumbled quietly before trailing off again.

Curious, Trenton decided to join the group and walked up next to Quinn. Spotting the look on Freya's face, he leaned in closer. "She has that look," he said to his partner, who nodded in agreement.

Finished reading, Freya turned around to face her sister while pointing at the monitor. "Check this out. They got this whole file devoted to this one chick. This stuff dates _way_ back, no doubt she's kin. And look, they even provided us with pics." Freya clicked on a file full of compressed pictures and opened one revealing a headshot of the girl Brook wanted to find.

Brook notice that the girl looked slightly younger in this picture, resembling a nine or ten-year-old human child. Her facial features, eye colour, and bangs were like Brook's, but she had jet black shoulder-length hair tied back in a ponytail with blue tips at the very end.

"That's her!" Brook exclaimed in excitement.

By now, everyone in the room had gathered around to get a closer look at the screen.

"Is it just me, or does she kinda look like a young Brook?" Marko asked while leaning in next to Freya.

"Hey, Brook, maybe ya gotta cousin you don't know about," Flint said jokingly.

Freya turned to Flint with a grin. "If that were the case, it could be your relative too. You're Brook's second cousin."

"Really?" Flint asked. "I had no idea."

"You didn't know Brook and Trenton were dad's cousins?" Felix asked his brother.

"You should know this stuff," Freya warned Flint.

"Or you might end up dating a cousin," Felix joked before turning back to the computer monitor.

As Brook studied the picture, she could not help but feel some sort of connection to this girl. "Freya, is it possible she's related to us?" Brook questioned. "We were so young when we left the village. I can hardly remember my family."

"Hun, I think you're talking semantics at this point," Freya replied. "Considering our ancestry, it's probably a question of who we're not related to."

Freya continued scanning the documents until she found something of interest. "Looks like they're trackin' her movements with GPS. It's all on here, Brook, I can whip up something you can use to track her signal."

"Yes, please, I must find her," Brook said eagerly.

"No prob, hun, I'll have it ready in no time."

Freya was about to turn back to the monitor when she heard a loud vibrating sound. Everyone looked to see a cell phone lighting up on the desk next to the young redhead. Freya reached over Felix for her phone. She quickly scanned the message and frowned before turning to Quinn.

"Sis, we got a text from the electric boogaloo twins," Freya informed Quinn while holding up the phone.

Adley, who was standing closest to Felix, looked at the boy perplexed. "Electric boogaloo?" she asked, wondering if it was supposed to be an insult or joke.

"Mom hates the new people," Felix replied.

"Not true, Felix. I don't hate them," Freya said while sitting back down in her chair. "I just don't trust them, that's all."

"How can you say that?" Quinn asked her sister. "You've only interacted with them for five minutes."

"Sis, you know I'm cautious around new people."

Quinn looked at her sister in complete disbelief. "Are you serious? The other day you let in a stranger Brook picked up off the street!" Quinn exclaimed while pointing in Adley's direction. Realizing what she said, Quinn turned to Adley. "No offence," she added, feeling bad for signalling Adley out while trying to make a point.

"None taken," Adley replied sheepishly.

"What can I say? Those two were shady, and not in any good kind of way," Freya retorted. "They knew more than they were lettin' on."

"Maybe they are cautious," Quinn said as she folded her arms defensively. "I would be too if I had a company like Omicron chasing me."

"I have a question," Brook announced, causing everyone to look in her direction. "Since when were we allowed to have cellphones?"

Ignoring Brook's question, Quinn turned back to her sister. "What does the message say?"

"They sent an address and want us to meet up," Freya replied while turning to her keyboard to look up the address. "Nice house," she commented at the satellite image of a large mansion. Freya then stood up and walked over to her workstation. She sat down and unlocked the side drawer to her large worktable while the others continued talking.

"Think we'll recognize any of them?" Marko asked the group.

"It's possible," Trenton replied.

"Mom was writing to some kin overseas before she died," Quinn explained. "She always talked about others joining us."

"And maybe if we weren't hiding all the time, we would've found them by now," Brook said with a hint of resentment in her voice. "There could be hundreds of kin out there for all we know."

Quinn frowned and was about to say something, but her sister beat her to it.

"Your trackin' device is ready to go," Freya informed Brook while holding up a handheld device connected to her laptop by a cable.

"Thanks, Frey," Brook replied before turning to the group. "So, who wants to come with me?"

"I'll go!" Adley volunteered, raising her hand.

"I'll go!" Flint added.

"No," Marko and Freya said simultaneously.

Quinn turned to Brook with her arms crossed. "It's probably not a good idea to go looking for this girl if Omicron is after her."

Brook sighed in defeat. "Fine, I'll wait," she said submissively.

Quinn, who was anticipating an argument, was a little taken aback by Brook's compliance. "Well...thank you for understanding," Quinn said with a smile, hopeful that this might be a permanent change in Brook's behaviour. "Don't worry. I'm sure we'll find her.".

"You never know, the kin we met last night might know this girl," Marko added.

"I hope so," Brook said, forcing a smile to conceal her disappointment.

**οοοοοοο**

_Botanical Gardens (Main St, Queens, NY) – 2255 hrs_

Midnight was closing in when Adley received an unexpected call from Brook asking to meet up. Since Adley lived in Queens, it did not take long for her to catch up with Brook in front of the Botanical Gardens. Brook was standing by the bus stop observing the GPS device when Adley arrived. Wasting little time, the two of them followed the tracking device down random streets and through parking lots.

"So, do you always do the opposite of what Quinn tells you to do?" Adley asked as they walked between buildings.

"Most of the time," Brook said without taking her eyes off the little red dot on the digital map. Noticing the time, she stopped to turn on her earpiece.

"Flint, what's happening on your end?" Brook asked over the radio.

"You're not even on her radar," Flint's voice replied. "Felix just went upstairs, that should buy you another ten to fifteen minutes."

"Shouldn't be much longer. I can feel a presence nearby, but this thing is telling me that she's inside the building," Brook said into the commlink.

"Check the roof," Flint's voice suggested.

Unable to carry Adley up by herself, Brook knew it would be faster if she went up alone to check. "Can you wait here a second?" she asked Adley in a whispered voice, as not to alert anyone to their presence.

Adley nodded in agreement prompting Brook to take off towards the rooftop. When she reached the top, she walked around surveying the seemingly unoccupied area. She stopped when she felt the girl's presence grow more intense.

"I know you're here somewhere," Brook called.

Seconds later, Brook heard footsteps followed by someone stepping out of the shadows.

The girl was short and slender, appearing on the cusp of adolescences. She had a large black shawl wrapped around her neck and a blue headband covering her hairline. She was wearing a black top, jean shorts, brown boots, and had a long metal staff fastened to her back with a leather strap.

"What's going on? Do you see her?" Flint's voice echoed into Brook's ear.

Brook reached up and turned off her commlink. She wanted to talk to the girl in private, away from Flint's prying ears.

Brook smiled at the girl. "Hello, my name's Brook," she introduced. There was something about this girl that seemed so familiar, but Brook could not put her finger on it.

The young girl did not reply as she studied Brook, contemplating what to do next. She suddenly turned and was about to flee when Brook stopped her.

"Wait! I won't hurt you. I just want to talk," Brook called, prompting the young girl to stop in her tracks.

Successfully grabbing the young female's attention, Brook knew she had to tread carefully or risk losing the girl again.

**οοοοοοο**

Meanwhile, back at the Markovich residence, Quinn was in the basement standing over Flint and Felix, who were sitting at the computer desk.

Quinn glared at Flint with her arms crossed. "Where's Brook?"

Flint, who had not acknowledged Quinn up until this point, turned his chair to face her. "What makes you think I know?" Flint asked innocently, giving Quinn the sincerest look in his repertoire of deception.

Quinn rolled her eyes and turned to Felix. The boy was ignoring them as he sat in front of another monitor.

"And you? Are you going play dumb with me too?" Quinn asked the more reasonable one.

Felix, feeling as though this had wasted enough of his time, sighed in defeat. "She knows we know, Flint. Just tell her," he said flatly, his eyes remaining fixated on the monitor.

Flint turned to face his brother. "Don't say a word, Felix. Snitches get stitches," Flint warned in a threatening manner, only to receive an eye-roll from his twin in response.

Realizing she was going nowhere with these two, Quinn turned to Freya, who was on the sofa quietly reading a book. "Little help?" Quinn snapped at her sister, frustrated that Freya was not taking this seriously.

Freya stopped reading and looked up at Quinn. "He's got a point. I didn't raise my kids to be snitches," Freya said candidly.

"Freya!"

"Okay, okay, I'll find her." Freya tossed the book on the coffee table and approached Flint. "Up," she directed her son who obeyed, surrendering the seat.

"Brook's as predictable as you," Freya informed her sister. "That's why I added reverse tracking capabilities to the device I gave her. I can lead ya right to her."

"I'll go get Trenton," Quinn said before running upstairs to fetch her partner.

**οοοοοοο**

Back on the rooftop, Brook continued to converse with the young girl named Maria. It took some prying, but it was not long before Maria was feeling comfortable enough to talk.

"Why are you running from me?" Brook asked the girl. "I mean you no harm."

"Where I go Omicron follows," Maria explained, looking nervous as she spoke. "I cannot stay in one place for long, or people will get hurt."

"Is that what happened the night they attacked Finn and I? Why were you following us in the park?" Brook asked, desperate to find out what exactly happened that night.

"I apologize for that," Maria replied. "Normally, I am only seen when I want to be seen. How did you spot me?"

"I could sense your presence," Brook explained.

Maria was surprised to hear this. "Really? That's how I found you in the park. I wasn't trying to spy, but when I saw you two walking on water, I was curious. When I realized you spotted me, I panicked, but I didn't know those men were going to be there. By the time I heard the commotion and realized what happened, two people were carrying you out of the alleyway. Did your friend make it?"

A sad expression crossed Brook's face as she shook her head no in response.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Maria said.

"Why are they after you?" Brook asked, trying to change the subject.

The young girl was about to respond when a worried expression appeared on her face, and she looked around frantically.

"What's wrong?" Brook asked, sensing something was wrong.

"GET DOWN!" Maria screamed as she grabbed Brook by the arm. The two of them started running just as a bullet flew by them, hitting the rooftop.

"You have to get out of here!" Maria said while they took shelter behind a concrete structure.

"What about you? We can help protect you," Brook said as she placed her back to the wall for cover.

"Get out of here before you get yourself captured," Maria ordered. She reached for her staff that consisted of a long metal pipe filled with water.

Brook turned on her earpiece to call for reinforcements. "Felix, Flint, I need your help!" she said into the radio.

"Sorry, hun, no boys," Freya's voice replied. "But don't worry, help is on the way."

With Freya's words bringing only minor comfort, the two girls continued to hide behind the structure, both terrified and praying that they were not in the shooter's sights.

**οοοοοοο**

Perched on the edge of a nearby rooftop, Kai Remez gazed through the scope of his sniper rifle. He waited for the hiding females to make a move while using the pause to take a drag of his cigarette.

Kai's brother, Wyatt, stood behind observing. Being fraternal siblings, they had similar features except Wyatt was slightly more muscular, and his hair was spiked up away from his face. He was shitless with two katanas strapped to his back.

Wyatt appeared unimpressed with his brother's competency. "Why did you miss?"

"It wasn't intentional," Kai explained before taking a long drag of his cigarette. "The girls started running as I was pulling the trigger; something must have alerted them."

"Idiot, now we've lost the element of surprise," Wyatt explained with his arms crossed. "Come on, we can't let her get away," he added before jumping off the building and gliding towards their target.

As Wyatt circled the building, he could see the two females trying to hide behind the machine room. His brother remained behind firing his gun at the structure, successfully scaring the girls out. The two females appeared so similar that Wyatt was unable to identify the target as they quickly fled on foot.

Brook and Maria were running towards the rooftop edge when Wyatt plummeted on top of Brook. He slammed her face against the ground, knocking her unconscious. The impact caused Brook's communication device to fall from her ear, and the tracking device in her hand shattered.

"Brook? Brook!" Freya's voice echoed through the dislodged earpiece.

Wyatt was standing over Brook's unconscious body with one of his swords in hand. Realizing Brook was not his target, Wyatt was about to finish her off when he was alerted by the sound of a gun cocking from behind. He glanced back and was surprised to find a female human aiming a gun at him.

"Stop, or I'll shoot!" Adley warned.

Wyatt smiled and drew his other sword as he slowly turned to face Adley. Before he could take another step, Adley fired a series of shots in his direction, but he successfully dodged or deflected the bullets with his weapons. Adley stopped firing and looked on in shock as panic started to set in. Wyatt smiled and was about to attack the human when Maria soared down, hitting him in the back with her metal staff. Maria landed next to Wyatt and the two immediately engaged in combat.

With a few bullets remaining, Adley aimed her gun in Wyatt's direction and waited for an opening. She was so preoccupied she failed to notice Kai flying above her. Kai swooped down and picked Adley up before carrying her a few feet in the air towards the rooftop edge. Adley screamed when Kai let go, sending her plummeting down between the two buildings. The impact of the fire escape knocked the wind out of her, but she managed to grab hold of the railing using all the upper strength she could muster.

With the human removed from the battle, Kai joined his brother, and together they fought Maria just as Brook was regaining consciousness. Despite being in immense pain and bleeding, Brook charged in to help Maria as soon as she could stand. The two grown men were about to overpower the young girl when Brook jumped on Kai's back. Brook's eyes started to glow as she placed her hand on Kai's exposed skin to use her abilities, but Kai quickly grabbed hold of her arm and threw her over his shoulder. Being so tall, Brook landed on her feet and elbowed Kai in the chest with her arm. The pain caused Kai to release his grip on Brook, and seizing the opportunity, Brook set her sights on retrieving Maria. She knew this might be their only chance to flee before the two men overpowered them.

A few feet away, Wyatt has just disarmed Maria with his katana. The sword struck the staff so hard the pole was ripped out of Maria's hands and cast high up into the air.

Wyatt stood in front of the unarmed female with one sword raised. "Come with us if you want to live."

As Wyatt spoke, Maria's eyes began to glow. From out of nowhere, her staff doubled back and zipped through the air towards them. The weapon successfully hit Wyatt in the back of the head, knocking him forward.

With Wyatt distracted, Brook approached Maria, and the two females fled. The staff landed in Maria's hand just as she and Brook reached the rooftop edge. They jumped off and flew towards the nearest body of water. Brook and Maria travelled towards Flushing Creek with Kai and Wyatt quickly closing in. As they neared the water, Brook glanced back at her attackers and started to panic when she could only spot one following in the distance. Before Brook had a chance to react, Wyatt swooped down from above with his sword drawn. Brook tried to dodge Wyatt's attack, but she was not fast enough, and the blade sliced her wing before landing deep into her shoulder. Brook screamed in pain while plummeting to the ground, struggling to regain flight.

Maria was using her staff to fend off Kai when she heard Brook scream. Maria witnessed Brook fall and land near the creek's edge. Maria swooped down to assist an injured Brook. The two females hurried towards the water's edge and jumped in, disappearing under the surface.

Wyatt plunged in after the females while Kai circled above with his handgun drawn. Alerted to some bubbles breaching the surface, Kai was closing in when an explosive wave propelled his brother out of the water and onto the nearby shore. As a wet Wyatt sat on the ground near the water's edge, an equally wet Kai landed next to him.

Wyatt glared at his brother. "You're phoning it in."

"Why me?"

"You missed the first shot. It's your fault they escaped."

Kai did not respond as he reached into his pocket for a pack of cigarettes. Upon discovering his smokes ruined by water, he threw them to the ground in disappointment before reaching for his phone.

**οοοοοοο**

As Adley dangled from the fire escape, she became concerned when the commotion above went silent with no sign of Brook. She listened as she held on to the railing for dear life. She could feel her arms starting to tire and knew they would not hold for much longer. Attempting to save herself, Adley moved her legs around in search of a footing, but it only made her predicament worse, and her grip slipped. Adley let out a scream while plummeting to the ground. Anticipating the bone-breaking concrete, Adley was surprised when she landed in a pair of solid and sturdy, yet warm and welcoming, arms. She looked up and immediately blushed when she realized it was Trenton who had caught her.

Quinn and Trenton had arrived in search of Brook. They had just entered the alleyway when they heard Adley scream. Luckily, Trenton was quick enough to catch her.

"Thanks," Adley sheepishly said while Trenton released her.

"Where's Brook?" Quinn asked eagerly.

Adley pointed to the rooftop. The three proceeded to the top of the building with Trenton carrying Adley up to assist with the search.

Trenton immediately started calling out for his sister. "Brook!" he yelled, appearing panic-stricken as he frantically searched for her.

With Brook nowhere to be found, the three searched for clues. Even amongst the surrounding darkness, Quinn was able to spot a small pool of blood located next to some debris. She walked over to investigate and discovered Brook's commlink next to the fragmented tracking device.

"Please tell me you have another way of tracking her," Quinn asked Freya over the radio.

"Sorry, sis," Freya's voice responded. "I could if she had a cell, so I guess we're shit out of luck."

Quinn frowned and pulled out her earpiece before turning to Adley. "What happened? Where's Brook?"

"She was here talking to the girl when two men attacked," Adley explained. "Last I saw, she was knocked unconscious just as one tried throwing me off the building."

"Was it Omicron?" Quinn asked.

"I can't say for sure. They weren't dressed in any uniform. Plus, they could fly, like you." Hearing that kin were involved, Adley watched as Quinn's worried expression deepen. "But they were armed and knew where to find us. Wasn't Omicron tracking the girl?" Adley's gut was telling her that this was Omicron's doing.

"It must have been them," Quinn agreed. "But if they have Brook, would they be dumb enough to bring her to their headquarters after what happened last time?"

"Maybe Freya will know how to find her," Adley suggested, taking a leaf from Brook's playbook.

"Let's hope so," Quinn agreed, seeing no other options at this point.

Not wanting to turn on the radio, Quinn suggested that they all regroup back at the house to formulate their next course of action.

VI

# July 11th, 2017

Remez Residence (W 59th Street, New York, NY) – 0005 hrs

The Remez family lived in a penthouse overlooking the south side of Central Park. Inside the master bedroom, Sevan Remez stood in front of a large window gazing at the night skyline. Sevan's attention shifted when he heard the click of the door open behind him and could see his wife enter through the reflection in the window.

"Any news?" Sevan asked his approaching wife. Having heard the house phone ring minutes earlier, Sevan could only assume it was their offspring with an update given the late hour.

"The boys made contact, but they slipped away."

"They?" Seven asked, raising an eyebrow.

"She's not alone. There were two unknown females with her; one was human."

Disappointed by this news, Sevan turned back to the window. Lucy walked up from behind and placed her arms around his torso.

"Do not worry, Husband. I have faith in our boys," Lucy said, knowing what he was thinking.

"As do I," Sevan agreed as he wrapped his arms around Lucy's waist.

After a quick hug, Lucy started to unbutton Sevan's shirt. "It's late, let's get some sleep," she said while undressing her husband.

The white button shirt fell off Sevan's broad frame exposing two large indented scars on his back, remnants of what were once wings. Lucy placed her hands against her husband's bare torso. Sevan wrapped his arms around Lucy's small frame and pulled her in for a long passionate kiss before progressing to the bed.

**οοοοοοο**

_Subterranean Tunnel (Brooklyn, NY) – 0025 hrs_

It was a slow journey for Maria and Brook as they swam from Flushing Bay through the East River towards Brooklyn Bridge Park. The cold, damp females made their way underground with an exhausted Maria assisting a semi-conscious Brook.

The extensive abrasion on one side of Brook's face looked deep and painful. Based on Brook's level of consciousness, Maria feared Brook suffered a concussion or worse. The deep lacerations on Brook's left shoulder and wing were still bleeding profusely from the attack. Blood covered feathers were visible against the rest of Brook's indiscernible wings.

"Just stay awake a little longer, we're almost there," Maria reassured the female.

Brook was now dragging her feet, making it more difficult for Maria as they neared their destination. After a series of twists and turns, Maria stopped at a steel door built into an underground tunnel that had been abandoned a little over a century ago.

Maria knocked on the door and waited a few seconds before announcing, "It's me." She then opened the door and assisted Brook inside.

Maria and Brook entered into a little living area with a sofa, chairs, table, and a small makeshift kitchen. Two prepubescent females named Moselle and Dalie were standing before them. Moselle had light-blue hair flowing down her back, dark olive skin, and blue eyes that were lighter in colour compared to her sister's. Dalie possessed similar features except her shoulder-length hair was a slightly darker blue and covered by a black tuque. Both girls' wings were visible, covered in fluffy white down feathers with small patches of exposed skin were blue pin feathers were beginning to emerge.

Spotting the injured woman, Moselle rushed to the kitchen to get medical supplies while Dalie helped Maria carry the now unconscious Brook towards the living room.

"What happened?" Dalie asked as she helped Brook onto the sofa.

"We were attacked," Maria explained.

"We're running low on supplies, but we should have enough to help her," Moselle informed Maria while looking through a large metal first aid kit that was several decades old.

"I'll get some more," Maria said before looking around the room for someone. "Where's Axel?"

"He left a few hours ago," Daile explained.

Maria turned towards the exit while Moselle started tending to Brook's face and shoulder. Without looking up, Moselle added, "He should be back soon if—"

"She's gone," Dalie interrupted her twin.

Moselle glanced up and came to the same realization. "And she's gone," she said before turning to her sister. "I didn't even hear her leave," Moselle commented, surprised by Maria's stealthiness.

The girls had finished tending to Brook's wounds by the time Brook regained consciousness.

Brook was startled when she awoke on an unfamiliar sofa in an unknown location. Still slightly disoriented, she sat up and glanced around the room before spotting Moselle and Dalie sitting nearby. "What's going on? Where am I?" she asked the girls.

"Don't worry, you're safe," Moselle reassured her.

"I'm Dalie, and this is Moselle," Dalie introduced.

"I'm Brook. How did I get here?" One side of Brook's face was throbbing, motivating her to touch the sore and tender wound. There was a large bandage covering one side of her face, and she could feel a big bump on her head. A chunk of hair and skin was missing around her hairline. Brook could not see herself, but she knew she looked a mess.

"Maria brought you here," Dalie explained as she watched Brook inspect the bandaged stab wound on her arm.

"Where is she?" Brook asked, looking around the small room.

"She went back up to the surface," Dalie replied.

"I didn't realize we were underground," Brook commented, still slightly disoriented. "Why did she leave?"

"She had to," Dali replied.

"Omicron is tracking her. She can't stay in one place for too long," Moselle clarified, sensing Brook's confusion.

"We think they have trouble picking up on her signal down here, but she doesn't like to risk it," Dalie explained.

"Why doesn't she just remove the tracking device?"

"She thinks they implanted the tracking device in her body, but she doesn't know where it is," Moselle answered.

"Or how to find it," Dalie added.

"I think I might know someone who can help her," Brook stated.

Upon hearing that, Moselle and Dalie started the smile.

"Someone like us?" Moselle questioned.

Brook nodded in response, and the two girls exchanged excited glances before turning back to her.

"How big is your clan?" Moselle asked.

"There's ten of us living in one house right now," Brook replied.

The two girls quickly grabbed Brook's hand and pulled her across the room towards another door.

"Come," Dalie said while leading Brook away from the sofa.

"You must meet Diana," Moselle added as she followed them towards the door.

"Diana?" Brook wondered, having known someone named Diana when she was a child.

Moselle knocked at the door and waited. A few seconds passed before they heard a response. "Yes, you may enter," a woman's voice said through the door.

Dalie and Moselle entered, followed by Brook.

Inside the room, a woman appearing late middle age was sitting in a rocking chair with a blanket and book on her lap. She had strands of light grey scattered throughout her short, dark blue hair and blue irises. She looked like she had been sleeping with a slightly groggy expression that changed immediately upon seeing Brook.

A look of disbelief appeared on Diana's face. "Brook?" she asked, wondering if she was still dreaming. "Is it really you?"

"Diana?" Brook replied, equally astonished. She quickly embraced the woman when she realized Diana was an old acquaintance from her childhood.

"How can this be? We thought you were dead," Brook said, still dumbfounded by this surprise reunion.

"Tara never told you?" Diana asked with a puzzled expression. "I kept in contact with her, but our communications ceased just before arriving in New York. The address she provided had been destroyed by fire a few days before we arrived. We tried searching for you, but we couldn't find any leads. How is Tara? Is she okay?"

"She died," Brook informed Diana with a hint of sadness in her voice.

"How awful. When I lost contact with her, I feared the worst," Diana said, a little shaken by the news. Diana paused for a second before eagerly pressing Brook for information. "What about the others? Did her girls make it? And your brother? And what of my nephew?"

The sting of hearing Diana mention Finn made Brook's eyes tear up, she fought them back as she spoke. "Omicron took Finn last week. We tried to rescue him, but he didn't make it."

Diana was visibly upset. "No," she said while sitting down in her chair, suddenly feeling lightheaded after hearing about the passing of her nephew and Tara in a matter of minutes. "Maria told me about what happened last week, but I had no idea it was Finn. Please don't blame her. She didn't mean for that to happen."

"Dalie and Moselle told me about Omicron tracking her," Brook explained. "Freya should be able to help her."

"Who's Freya?" Diana asked, looking perplexed.

"Arinitti," Brook answered. "She changed her name to Freya. Astraea is now Quinn, and Marcus goes by Marko now."

Unlike Quinn and Freya, who changed their names because they felt their birth names did not age well, Marko altered his for an entirely different reason. Historically, kin never used surnames, but when their family relocated to Manhattan, Freya insisted on proper documentation. It was during a time when white men had status, and out of all the males in their family unit, Marko was the most Caucasian looking. For some reason, which Brook assumed as a joke, he picked the name Marko Markovich, and they had remained the Markovich family for almost a hundred years now.

Diana laughed. "That Marcus and his brother are like two peas in a pod," she said with a slight smile. "Alexander changed his name to Axel."

"Marko's brother is alive?" Brook asked, surprised by this news. "They would have been toddlers the last time they were together. I wonder if they'll even recognize each other?"

"I'm sure they will. You recognized me, didn't you?"

"I suppose you're right."

"And you say Tara's daughter can help Maria?" Diana said, getting back to the topic at hand.

"If anyone can, it'll be Freya."

"Can you reach her?" Diana inquired.

"Do you have a phone?" Brook replied.

Dalie and Moselle each pulled out a cell phone to offer Brook.

"Thanks," Brook said while accepting Dalie's phone.

"But you need to get closer to the surface to use it. There's no reception down here," Dalie warned.

Phone in hand, Dalie and Moselle led Brook up towards the city surface to make the call to Freya.

**οοοοοοο**

Inside the basement of the Markovich residence, Felix was sitting at the computer desk working while Flint was near the sofa, counting a large stack of money on the coffee table in front of him. The house phone rang, prompting Flint to reach over and grab the old corded receiver located on the nearby end table.

"Yo," Flint greeted the caller.

"Flint," Brook's voice replied. "Is Frey there?"

While using his shoulder to hold the handset to his ear, Flint continued counting his money as he replied to Brook. "Nah, they're all out looking for ya. They left about thirty minutes ago."

"I need you to get a hold of her," Brook said to Flint before filling him in on the current situation.

**οοοοοοο**

_Nyx's Residence (Kings Point, NY) - 0030 hrs_

It was half-past midnight by the time the group landed in a quiet and affluent neighbourhood located on the north-west side of Nassau County, Long Island. The residence was a contemporary-style mansion with a guest house, tennis court, and swimming pool sitting on a large property overlooking Manhasset Bay.

Freya, Marko, Trent, and Quinn admired the property as they walk up to the front door.

"I still think we're wasting our time here," Freya said just before they reached the front step. "The best way to find Brook is to find that girl."

Quinn stopped at the door and turned to her sister. "We tried that, and _you_ said you lost her signal. Styx and Kray might know something, and they agreed to meet us right away."

Quinn reached out to ring the doorbell. "Let's hope they know something, for Brook's sake," she said while the others waited quietly for the door to open.

Nyx's assistant answered the door. John paused, taking a second to study the guests before his expression became even more stern. "Welcome," he said flatly while holding the door open. Once everyone was inside, John shut the door and addressed the group. "Follow me," he ordered before escorting the guests towards the sitting room.

Inside the room, Styx was seated on a bright white sofa while Kray sat in the matching armchair. Styx was wearing a short-sleeved shirt that exposed a gold cuff bracelet identical to the ones worn by Freya and Quinn.

Styx stood up to receive their guests. "Good to see you again," she greeted with a smile.

"Thanks for agreeing to meet us on such short notice," Quinn said as she walked past the staircase and into the room.

As soon as John excused himself from the group and ascended the staircase, Freya turned to Marko.

"Okay, that guy gives me the creeps," Freya whispered to her partner, who nodded in agreement.

Quinn and Trenton approached Styx standing closest to them.

"This is my partner Trenton," introduced Quinn.

"Wonderful," Styx replied with a smile. She quickly turned away, pretending not to notice when Trenton reached his hand out to greet her formally.

"Please, have a seat," Styx said to the group before sitting down. "I'm so glad we could arrange this meeting, my mother is eager to meet you all," she explained as she leaned back into the posh-looking sofa.

As if hearing her cue, the matriarch of the house entered from the top of the staircase. Nyx's hair was down, and she was wearing a long black backless dress with a gold collar that fastened around her neckline. The most noticeable item amongst all her jewelry was a golden cuff bangle on her right arm identical to the ones worn by the other females.

As soon as Nyx glanced down at the newcomers below, her neutral expression transformed into a look of astonishment. She immediately recognized Freya and Quinn as the family she thought she would never see again. All eyes were on Nyx descending the stairs, but Nyx was so distracted by the unexpected turn of events that she lost her footing. She would have stumbled down if she had not successfully caught herself on the railing.

Having never seen their mother this uneasy, Kray and Styx instinctively stood up knowing something was wrong.

Nyx slowly walked down the stairs, holding tight to the railing as she remained fixated on the two females before her. "Can it be? Astraea? Arinitti?" Nyx asked Quinn and Freya, still in shock.

Styx and Kray looked at each other bewildered, both having no clue what was happening. They watched speechless as their mother walked past them and over to the two sisters.

Quinn and Freya looked at Nyx with equally dumfounded expressions before finally speaking up. "Aunt Nyx?" the siblings said simultaneously.

Nyx could not help but smile as she pulled the two sisters in for a hug. "After all these centuries," she said before ending the brief embrace. "I was starting to think I'd never see you again. And my sister? How is she?" Nyx asked, smiling as if she was expecting good news.

Quinn's expression turned grim. "I'm sorry..." she began to say but trailed off, unable to finish.

"She died," Freya explained impassively. "A long time ago."

Nyx appeared genuinely shocked by this news. "I'm so sorry. How did it happen?"

"She was murdered," Quinn answered.

"Murdered?" Nyx asked, surprised by this news. For a moment, it looked as if she was fighting back the tears before continuing. "My poor Tara, how shocking. If there was ever someone less deserving of such a fate, she had a heart of gold."

Nyx took a second to compose herself before changing the subject. She turned to Marko and Trenton with a smile. "And who do you have here? Marcus and Trent? You were all so young the last time I saw you." Nyx walked over and hugged the two males before turning back to Quinn and Freya. "And I see you've met my oldest two. It pains me that they'll never have the opportunity to meet my sister."

Quinn was about to respond to Nyx's comment when Freya interjected.

"I hate to interrupt this reunion, but we kinda got an emergency on our hands," Freya reminded, trying to refocus her sister's attention.

"Emergency?" Nyx questioned.

"Yes. Trenton's sister was abducted by a company called Omicron Incorporated," Quinn explained. "She went out last night looking for a young female. We called because we hoped you might know where to find her."

Nyx shook her head in disappointment. "That is terrible news, but I think you're misinformed. The only young female I know is my youngest daughter, but she does not leave the house without my permission, and certainly never alone."

"Where is she?" Quinn questioned.

"I sent her away," Nyx explained. "A precaution in case you turned out to be hostiles. Of course, if I had known it was you, I would have invited her to join us."

"We will help you find Trenton's sister," Styx offered. "Are you sure it's Omicron that has her?"

Quinn nodded. "We believe so. They abducted Finn last week. We tried to rescue him, but he didn't make it."

"That's terrible, last time I saw poor Finn he was just a baby," Nyx said sympathetically. "Why don't you start by telling us everything you know. Maybe we can help you locate her."

Nyx took the liberty to pour herself a glass of limoncello from the bar while everyone else declined the offer of alcohol. Once Nyx found her seat, Quinn provided details of Finn's abduction and the botched rescue mission. The whole room remained silent until Quinn finished.

"It's a shame what happened," Nyx said to her niece. "Must you be so rash? I understand trying to save Finn, but explosives? It's better if we keep a low profile, I'm sure your mother taught you that."

"Pfft," Freya scoffed, sitting back with her arms crossed. "We successfully destroy all video evidence while simultaneously sticking it to the enemy. Super effective if you ask me." Freya could not help but grin when thinking of the damage she caused that night.

"We retrieved some of their data," Quinn explained, trying to move the conversation along. "That's how Brook was able to find the girl."

"You need to be more careful," Nyx warned. "I believe there are kin working for Omicron. That girl could be one of their spies."

Before Quinn could respond, Freya's cell started ringing. Freya pulled out her phone and turned to her sister. "It could be the boys, excuse me," she said before answering the call and exiting the room to talk in private.

With Freya gone, Nyx turned back to Quinn. "I can't believe you've been living nearby this whole time. Are there more than just the five of you?"

"A woman named Tempest lives with us along with her niece and nephew," Quinn explained.

"Plus, Freya and I have two boys named Flint and Felix," Marko added.

Nyx smiled upon hearing this news. "Oh, that's wonderful. I guess that makes me a great-aunt," Nyx stated before taking a sip of her drink to rejoice. "And having two Ifrit parents, I'm sure they'll be incredibly powerful."

"Ifrit?" Marko asked, not recognizing the term.

"Yes, you don't remember? That's what we call kin born with fire abilities, like you and Freya," Nyx explained.

As if hearing her name, Freya walked into the room and looked at her partner. "Marko, we gotta go," she said abruptly.

"Is everything okay?" Quinn asked.

"It's fine," Freya reassured her sister. "We need to get home before Felix kills Flint, or maybe it was the other way around. Either way, we gotta go."

Taking his cue, Marko turned back to Nyx. "It was nice meeting you, I mean, seeing you again," he said before turning to join Freya.

Before Mako could take a step, Styx grabbed his attention while reaching down for a paper shopping bag next to the sofa.

"This is for you," Styx said while handing him a bag full of the custom shirts she promised during their initial encounter.

Marko grinned ear to ear when he looked in and saw almost a dozen shirts all with the same design but various colours. "Sweet, thanks!" he exclaimed in a super happy voice.

With Marko ready, Freya turned towards the front entrance. "Let's mosey," she said before the two of them made a swift exit.

**οοοοοοο**

_Rendezvous Rooftop (100 Gil St, New York, NY) – 0220 hrs_

Brook, Maria, and Diana had gathered in Lower Manhattan on a large rooftop near Brooklin Bridge. It had been two hours since Brook told Flint to call Freya, and almost an hour since Flint told Brook to meet Freya at this location.

"This is taking too long. Omicron could be here any minute," Maria warned, starting to grow anxious.

"Don't worry. She'll be here any second," Brook reassured the youth.

"Is that them?" Diana asked, spotting two approaching shadows that almost blended in against the night sky.

Brook approached Freya and Marko as they landed on the rooftop.

"Sorry, we took so long, got a little sidetracked," Freya explained. She did not bother providing more details assuming Brook was already privy to the constant chaos that was their family.

Noticing Brook's facial injuries, Freya's expression changed. "Oh, Brook, you look like shit. What the hell happened?"

"No time for that now, I'll explain later," Brook replied.

Having yet to be filled in on all the details, Freya and Marko were shocked to see Diana walking over to greet them.

"It's so good to see the two of you," Diana said while giving them both a big hug. "I always hoped we'd be reunited again."

"Diana, what a surprise!" Freya said with a big smile.

Marko embraced Diana even though he had no memory of the woman.

Feeling out of place, Maria stood back and kept watch as the group greeted one another. She looked nervous and continued glancing around like she was expecting something to happen at any moment.

Brook motioned towards the young girl. "Freya, this is Maria. We need to hurry. Omicron could be here any second."

"On it," Freya said as Marko handed her the black bag he was carrying. Freya opened it to retrieve her hand-held scanner then turned to Maria. As Freya approached the girl, an unexpected feeling came over her. There was something about Maria that gave Freya a strange vibe, making her extra cautious.

"What's that?" Maria asked, looking at the scanner in Freya's hand.

"It's an RFID reader I jimmy-rigged. Whatever they're tracking you with, this thing will find it." Freya started to scan the girl's body, beginning with her head. She stopped when she heard a _BEEP_ in the middle of Maria's upper back. "Ahh, here it is," she said as she put down the device and placed two fingers on the space between Maria's wings. "Good, I can feel it near her spine, should be easy enough to remove."

Freya pulled a small black leather case out of the bag, then retrieved a bottle of alcohol and a compact first aid kit. She pulled a scalpel out of the casing and proceeded to sanitize the location of the incision.

"This is going to hurt a little, ready?" Freya warned Maria before proceeding.

"Yes, please hurry," Maria said, looking anxious. Omicron would usually be on top of them by now, and this worried her. As the uneasy feeling in the pit of Maria's stomach intensified, she just hoped this respite was not the lull before the storm.

**οοοοοοο**

_Brooklyn Heights, Brooklyn, NY - 0225_

Quinn and Trenton were starting to feel defeated. They had spent the last hour and a half scouting Brooklyn for any sign of Brook to no avail. They travelled from the location of Brook's last known whereabouts to Brooklyn Heights, where Freya lost the girl's signal hours earlier. Luckily, Styx and Kray had joined in on the search to help them cover more ground.

"This is where Freya said she lost the signal," Quinn said to her cousins once they regrouped on a random rooftop next to Brooklyn Bridge Park.

Kray looked around before turning to Quinn and Trenton. "What's the plan exactly? This is like trying to find a needle in a haystack."

As Quinn scanned the area, Trenton said, "We're looking for anything out of the ordinary, we—"

"Shh, I hear something," Quinn interjected while looking up into the dark sky.

Everyone followed Quinn's gaze upwards just in time to see someone diving towards them. He was approaching so fast all they could make out was his red and black hair. The unknown male was almost on top of them when the red orb pendant hanging around his neck started to glow the same bright red as his eyes. Immediately following was a blast of fire that expelled from the attacker's hands towards the rooftop occupants. They all managed to dodge the attack before the male swooped down and landed in front of them.

Wasting no time, Styx responded to their attacker with electricity from her hands while Kray simultaneously lunged at him. The red and black-haired man dodged the attack and countered with a big wave of fire, hitting both Kray and Styx as they unsuccessfully tried to flee. The siblings quickly dropped to the ground to extinguish their flaming clothes. After the flames dissipated, their garments continued to smoulder until water from a nearby puddle doused them courtesy of Trenton.

Quinn used the distraction to her advantage and jumped the attacker from behind, striking his face and bare chest with a series of electric punches.

The male attacker was knocked off balance from the attack. He quickly found his footing but was unable to land a hit of his own. The latest miss left him exposed, prompting Quinn to grab hold of his arm and throw him. The attacker quickly regained his composure and landed on his feet a few meters away.

As the man stood tall facing Quinn, the orb on his necklace started to glow a bright red again. Quinn noticed and rushed him, trying to grab the gem before he could use his attack again. The man grabbed Quinn in return, and they both took off into the air.

As the two grappled, Quinn failed to notice her whip slip from her belt. She released the man's pendant and punched him in the chest to free herself. Quinn tried to fly away when she noticed her attacker's necklace starting to light up again. A large flame formed in his hand, but before he could complete his attack, the water-tower located directly behind him began to stir and fall over. Gushing water hit the fire-wielding man as it came crashing down onto the rooftop below. Utilizing the distraction, Trenton flew over to the smaller man and the fighting commenced.

The attacker was now covered in water and more vulnerable to electricity. Realizing this, Styx called out to Quinn.

"Quinn! What are you waiting for? Zapp him!" Styx yelled to her cousin.

Quinn was gliding directly above the fighting males. She reached for her whip, unaware that it had fallen off her belt. She looked down to see Trenton punching the man. The man fell backwards and forcefully hit the wall behind him. The attacker struggled to stand as Trenton walked towards him. With his opponent's head down, Trenton failed to see his attacker's eyes glowing before suddenly shooting up and sending a wave of fire in Trenton's direction.

Anticipating the attack, Quinn dove down and pushed Trenton out of the way just before the fire engulfed her instead. Even Styx and Kray had to back away from the heat as they looked on in shock. The siblings assumed Quinn had been burned alive, but when the rolling fire dissipated, they were surprised to see Quinn standing unfazed while extinguishing a lingering flame burning her pant leg.

The attacker appeared equally surprised by Quinn's immunity, so Quinn took the opportunity to rush him with another series of electric punches. She proceeded to attack the male relentlessly, successfully injuring his ribs in the process.

Using all his strength, the attacker kicked Quinn away before retreating into the sky. Trenton and Quinn wasted no time pursuing the male with an injured Styx and Kray trailing slowly behind.

As they followed in pursuit, Trenton called out to Quinn.

"He's trying to lead us away," Trenton warned, fearing that the man was diverting them away from Brook's location.

"It won't matter if we can catch him," Styx said as she caught up to the couple.

While trying to gain as much distance as possible, the man glanced back at his pursuers before firing a burst of flames. Trenton, Styx, and Kray dodged the attack in the nick of time while Quinn flew right through the fiery wave. When Quinn cleared the fire, she was surprised to discover that the attacker was gone. Having lost the suspect, they all landed on the nearest rooftop to regroup.

"Who was that?" Trenton asked as soon as they landed.

"Whoever he was, he wasn't friendly," Quinn added.

"Our cover's blown, there is no point going back now," Kray said, throwing in the towel.

Unlike Quinn and Trenton, the brother and sister duo looked worse for wear. They were burnt, dirty, and wet from the fight while Trenton and Quinn appeared mostly untouched, apart from Quinn's burnt and singed clothes.

Styx turned to Quinn. "What was that back there? You had an opening!" she exclaimed furiously. "My mother told me you had some of the strongest abilities she had ever seen in a young Aurora. Why didn't you zap him when you had the chance? And how are you fire-proof?"

Quinn looked stunned by Styx's outburst. She was about to respond but was cut off by Trenton as soon as she opened her mouth.

"Quinn, you don't..."

"No, it's okay," Quinn said to Trenton before turning back to address Styx. "I lost most of my abilities a long time ago. And I've always been immune to fire. I was born that way."

"A little warning would have been nice," Styx said bitterly.

"No point standing out here, let's go," Kray said, wanting to get cleaned up as soon as possible.

Quinn and Trenton took off into the night sky while Kray and Styx lingered on the rooftop.

"Lose your powers, how is that even possible?" Styx commented to Kray before following the other two off the rooftop.

**οοοοοοο**

_Rendezvous Rooftop – 0235 hrs_

Meanwhile, back in Manhattan, Freya had just finished pulling out a thumbnail size transmitter from Maria's body before throwing it to the ground and stepping on it.

"Thank you. It feels like a great weight has lifted," Maria said once Freya bandaged her incision wound.

Freya finished cleaning her supplies and turned to Brook. "Guess we should let the others know we found ya," she said while pulling out her phone.

"How are you going to reach them?" Brook asked, knowing Quinn and Trenton did not possess mobile devices.

"I'll text Styx, Quinn's probably still with them," Freya said while typing on her phone. After sending the text, Freya was just about to put the phone back in her pocket when it started ringing.

"Y'ello," Freya answered.

With Freya busy on the phone, Diana turned to the others. "We should go, it'll be daylight soon."

"Brook," Freya called while holding the phone up. "Trent wants to talk to ya."

Brook accepted the cell from Freya and walked away from the group to talk in private.

Diana turned to Marko. "Your brother will be so happy to see you," she explained to the redhead.

"Alexander's alive?" Marko asked, shocked by this news.

"Yes, he never gave up hope looking for you," Diana explained. "Come, we have so much to catch up on."

Brook, who had now finished talking to Trenton, handed the phone back to Freya. "I should go," she informed the group. "I just promised Trent I'd go straight home."

"Tell the boys we'll be home soon," Freya said to Brook.

"Sure, see ya later," Brook said to the group before taking off solo.

**οοοοοοο**

On a distant rooftop, Kai and Wyatt were spying on the target and her associates. Using the scope of his gun, Kai watched Brook depart the group while the rest continued to stand around conversing. Behind the sniper, Wyatt paced with his cell to his ear.

"I'll text you the location, tell Levi to meet us there," Wyatt said into his device before ending the call.

"The older blue-haired girl just left," Kai said as he peered through the scope.

"Don't worry about her. This time we're not letting the target out of our sights," Wyatt reminded his brother.

Kai sighed out of boredom. "And the orders? Shoot? Follow? What?" he demanded impatiently. Feeling restless, Kai lit the cigarette hanging out of his mouth and took a long drag, feeling a rush of contentment as he exhaled.

"Follow, for now. If everything goes according to plan, they won't know what hit them," Wyatt added with a smirk, pleased that this assignment was finally coming to fruition.

**οοοοοοο**

_Nyx's Residence – 0235 hrs_

Inside the virtually empty manor, Nyx was in her office seated behind a large sandalwood desk. John sat in one of the two matching chairs facing her. Nyx was busy speaking to someone over the phone while John listened attentively. After a few more seconds of speaking with the caller, Nyx hung up and looked at John.

"That was Lucy. We should have M back within the hour."

"It was wise of you to suggest the Remez brothers," complimented John. "But I must ask, why continue to help Hunter? With the vita-serum project near completion, he is no longer any use to you."

"Now, John," said Nyx with a smile. "What sort of person do you think I am? Like yourself, the Doctor and I go way back. Plus, he's a very talented man. I'm sure he can still be of some use to us."

"I trust you will do the right thing when the time comes."

"We were _encouraged_ to work with him, remember?" Nyx said with a hit of annoyance. "Still, I'll have no qualms pulling the plug if there is any hint of Hunter or his girl interfering with our directive."

"And while we're on the topic of interference, what do you plan to do about your nieces?"

Nyx paused to think about it before responding. "I haven't decided yet," she said with a shrug. "Luckily, that Quinn is sentimental just like her mother. She should be easy enough to manipulate."

"But the other one, she's a lot like their father," John warned.

"Yes, we'll have to keep an eye on her," Nyx agreed, trying not to think about her last encounter with the girls' father.

"Wise decision considering your track record with family."

"You worry too much. I'll dispose of them as soon as they become a nuisance."

"I have no doubt you will," John agreed with a smirk.

Nyx and John's conversation ended when they were alerted to the sound of people entering through the front door. John glanced at the wall-mounted monitor behind Nyx to see that it was the group returning from their search.

"If you need me, I'll be in my quarters," John said before standing up and exiting the office.

Styx, Kray, Trenton, and Quinn entered just as John was making his exit.

"Any luck?" Nyx asked. But judging by the look on their faces, she could tell the answer was negative.

"No," snapped Styx. "We were attacked by some Ifrit."

"He got away before we could question him," Kray added.

"How disappointing," Nyx said, trying to appear sympathetic to Quinn and Trenton's predicament.

Before Styx could respond to her mother's comment, a chime sound originated from her pocket. She pulled out her phone and read a text before turning to Quinn.

"Your sister just messaged me," Styx informed her cousin. "They found Brook. She's safe."

Trenton and Quinn look relieved by this news. Quinn sat in a nearby chair, finally feeling at ease.

Trenton turned to Styx and asked, "Can I use your phone?"

"Sure," Styx replied, handing him the cell.

"Excuse me," Trenton said to the group before exiting the room to call Brook in private.

"I'm so relieved she's okay," Quinn sighed in relief.

"Yes, that's good news," Nyx agreed.

With Quinn seated on the antique sofa towards the back of the office, Styx and Kray each took a seat in the two chairs facing the desk. It was then that Nyx noticed the full extent of her offspring's burns.

"It appears you suffered injuries," Nyx observed. "How did one kin overpower the four of you?"

"He was powerful. I've never seen anything like it," Kray explained.

"It's not like we put up much of a fight," said Styx, downplaying the man's skill. "It didn't help that one of us is a walking sprinkler and she's defective," Styx explained as she motioned to Quinn sitting behind her.

"Walking sprinkler?" Quinn asked, appearing irritated by the comment. "Trenton got more hits in than the two of you combined."

Realizing that a nerve had been hit, Nyx turned to her daughter. "Not cool, Styx. That was uncalled for," Nyx corrected. "Why don't you two go and tend to your wounds?" she suggested to her two children.

Kray and Styx exited the room leaving Nyx and Quinn alone to talk. As soon her offspring cleared the area, Nyx turned to her niece. "Sorry about that, Styx turns into a bit of a bitch when she loses," Nyx said apologetically. "But she must have been mistaken, how are you defective?"

Quinn paused for a second before answering. "I lost most of my powers a long time ago."

Nyx paused to see if Quinn was going to elaborate on that statement before responding. "There must be more to it than that?" she asked doubtfully. "Our abilities are not something you can _lose_. What are you not telling me?"

Quinn looked away, unwilling to discuss it.

Realizing Quinn was not going to tell her, Nyx stood up from her desk. She turned and walked towards the door behind her. She pressed a four-digit code on the keypad to unlock the door.

"Follow me," Nyx directed Quinn as she walked through the doorway.

Quinn followed her aunt into the study. In such a contemporary and open home, this little four-cornered room appeared out of place. It was tastefully cluttered and contained soft looking-couches, a small table, and a large gas fireplace along one wall. The room was filled top to bottom with books, pictures, antiques, and artwork.

Quinn was so mesmerized it was almost too much for her to take in at once. She started in the right corner and slowly walked around, examining all the kin antiquity in detail. There was so much history; the feelings and memories of the past were starting to overwhelm her.

"Very few have seen this room," Nyx said as Quinn admired the artwork on one wall.

Quinn pointed to an old painting. "What's this?"

It was a classical-style painting of a group of kin, mostly children and young adolescents, in a bright outdoor setting. Standing amongst all the youths were two adult females in long flowing robes. They both had black skin but other contrasting features. The woman on the left had a blue gown, long white hair, and snow-white wings. Kneeling amongst a group of female kin children, the woman was handing a green-haired girl an emerald colour orb pendant on a gold chain. The other adult female had a large mass of black kinky hair tied back and jet-black wings. She was wearing a purple robe and was standing defensively in front of a group of young boys. In her left hand, she was holding a golden shield with a yellow orb mounted in the middle. In her right hand, she grasped a silver-coloured broadsword with a bright blue orb attached to the tip of the handle. She was holding the weapon up as if she was teaching the children how to fight. There were so many details in the painting. Quinn could not help but gaze at it for a minute to take it in.

"Your great-grandmother Spitha painted that shortly before she passed away. Fortunately, it endured with only some minor structural damage," Nyx explained as she walked up alongside Quinn. The two of them admired the painting as Nyx continued. "It's her conception of our first descendants on Earth. I always admired their story."

As Quinn studied the painting, she could feel a sense of familiarity, knowing she must have seen it before. "I'm glad it survived," she said before moving on to the next artifact.

"Yes, I'm glad we were lucky enough to salvage a few items from the village. When I returned years later, it was virtually untouched since that night. Sadly, most of the homes had been destroyed by the fire."

Catching her eye, Quinn skipped a shelf full of items and walked over to a large wooden panel with a landscape painting of a small stone hut village surrounded by mountains. Upon seeing the picture, Quinn's mind became inundated with memories of that night. She was so young at the time she had no recollection of what exactly happened, but there were things about that night she would never forget. She remembered witnessing homes engulfed in flames and kin fighting all around her. She could distinctively remember her mom and Nyx leading them away from the chaos and the sound of Freya's voice calling out for their father, who was nowhere to be found.

"This was painted a month before the fire," Nyx explained as Quinn fixated on the artwork. "Do you remember our home? I know you were young when it happened."

"I don't remember much except for our family and a few others," Quinn said. She looked away from the painting in an attempt to relieve herself of the memories. "I remember you and mom fleeing the village with all of us. I remember hearing father return home from a long trip before the fire broke out. That was my last memory of him."

Nyx looked surprised by this news. "What about your mother? She must have told you about what happened that night, and about your father?"

"No," Quinn replied. "Mom never really talked about it, and we never asked. So many people died, discussing it bothered her. She always told us to keep moving forward."

"No wonder you're having problems."

"What do you mean?" Quinn asked, unable to comprehend what her aunt was getting at.

"What I mean is that your problem is one hundred percent mental," Nyx replied, spelling it out for her. "It's impossible for you to lose your powers. They are a part of you, engraved in your DNA."

Quinn smiled. "You're starting to sound like Freya. But if you're right, how do I get them back?"

"That's for you to decide. But first, you must overcome what's stopping you here," Nyx explained while motioning to her head. "But in the meantime, I might have something that can help."

Nyx walked over to a shiny box sitting on top of a table in the corner of the room. She opened the metal box revealing a lavish gold neckless with a large yellow stone mounted in the middle. She picked it up and handed it to Quinn.

"Here, until you get your powers back, you can use this," Nyx said as Quinn accepted the accessory.

"What is it?" Quinn asked as she examined the jewel mounted in the center. The round yellow gemstone looked like the gem on Tempest's necklace but larger.

"When I returned to the village, I discovered our clan's shield broken beyond repair. I had that necklace made with its remnants. It's precious to me, so don't lose it." Nyx smiled as she watched Quinn put on the necklace.

"How will this help me?" Quinn asked. The item looked a little too ornate for Quinn's taste, and she was not much of a jewelry wearer. The only accessory she had ever owned was the cuff bangle that once belonged to her mother.

"Generations ago, we would give these orbs to our young before they learned to control their abilities. The gem in the middle will enhance and focus your powers."

"Thank you," Quinn said as she admired the necklace in the mirror above the fireplace.

"We should go, Trent's probably wondering where you are," Nyx suggested before walking towards the entrance.

Not wanting to leave, Quinn took one last glance around the room before slowly following Nyx out.

**οοοοοοο**

_Subterranean Hideout – 0255 hrs_

With Maria's tracking chip finally extracted, she no longer felt nervous travelling with the others towards the undergrown hideout. Freya and Marko had accompanied Maria and Diana back to Brooklyn with the hopes of seeing Marko's twin brother. The four of them entered the shelter to find Moselle and Dalie seated next to the sofa tending to a man's wounds.

The male was Marko's brother and the same man who fought with Quinn and the others less than an hour earlier. Axel looked like Marko but was leaner and slightly more toned. Like his brother, Axel had a thick head of red hair except his was a little shorter and had jet black roots. His injuries were visible with swollen red marks all over his face and body. His right eye looked sore, and the swelling was already starting to bruise.

"Axel, what happened to you?" Diana asked the wounded man.

Before answering, Axel looked over and immediately noticed Marko. "Marcus?" he asked, looking shocked to see his brother after such a long time.

"Alexander!" Marko exclaimed as he rushed over and embraced the injured man, causing him to flinch. "Aww, sorry," he apologized, releasing his sibling.

Worried about her injured friend, Maria approached Axel. "What happened to you?"

"I was attacked by four kin," Axel explained. "One female was immune to all my attacks. Every strike shocked me with electricity. I've never seen anything like it."

Freya smiled knowingly at Axel's description of the attacker. "Did she look like me except shorter hair spiked up with blond tips?"

"Yeah," Axel said slowly, realizing that Freya looked like his attacker.

"That's my sister," Freya explained.

"Oooh, yeah, you don't want to mess with her," Marko said while looking at his brother sympathetically.

"Why did you attack them?" Freya said, wondering why Axel was fighting her sister in the first place.

"And who are you?" Axel questioned.

"Alex, do you remember Arinitti?" Marko introduced. "She's called Freya now, and she's the mother of my children."

Axel turned back to the female and snarkily said, "Well, _Freya,_ they were snooping around the entrance to our home. I assumed they were after Maria."

"Did you even talk to them? You must have done something to piss them off," Freya retorted. "Trenton and Quinn are not the types to fight unless provoked."

"Look at me," Axel commented while raising his arms to display his injuries. "They would have killed me if given a chance."

"Doubt it, Trent doesn't roll like that," Freya said confidently. "Who attacked first?"

Axel took a few seconds to think before responding. "I did," he said, coming to the realization that Freya might be right.

"Yep, just as I thought," Freya replied, vindicating her sister.

"I was being cautious," Axel explained defensively. "There are kin working for Omicron."

"He's telling the truth," Diana confirmed. "Two kin attacked Brook and Maria earlier."

Freya turned to Maria for some answers. "Do you know the kin who attacked you?"

"No, it was my first time seeing them," Maria replied.

Freya knew this girl was the key to the whole Omicron mystery, and she wanted to get to the bottom of it. "What's your connection to Omicron?" Freya asked. "They sure have a lot of information on you."

"Dr. Hunter," Maria replied shamefully. "He works for Omicron. He's the reason Omicron is looking for me."

"And what's he to you?" Freya demanded.

"I—"

Maria's response stopped short when she suddenly sensed intruders. A look of fear appeared on her face. "We have to get out of here!" she warned the others panic-stricken.

Suddenly, an unknown smell caught everyone's attention just as a hazy substance started to pour in through the crack under the front door. The occupants began coughing from the unknown gaseous matter filling the room. As the thick vapour consumed their breathing space, the front door opened, and multiple shadowy figures entered. Finally overcome by the gas, the seven encumbered inhabitants were powerless to do anything about the approaching intruders as they simultaneously drifted into a deep slumber.

**οοοοοοο**

_David Hunter's Condo (Queens Blvd, Kew Gardens, NY) – 0405 hrs_

Dawn was beginning to break when the three Remez brothers, with the hostages in hand, landed on Hunter's top floor balcony. This time Wyatt and Kai were joined by their brother Levi, the largest of the triplets. Levi's girth gave him the reputation of being the brawns of the trio. Like his brothers, Levi had bronze skin, silver hair, and green eyes, but his hair was much shorter, standing no more than an inch or two off his head.

Feeling good after a job well done, the brothers felt they exceeded their mission by capturing more than the intended target. They entered Hunter's condo though the balcony door with Wyatt carrying Maria, Kai holding Diana, and Levi shouldering Dalie and Moselle. All four females were unconscious, oblivious to what was going on. The brothers proceeded through Hunter's spacious apartment and down the hallway towards the office.

Inside the room, the doctor was wide awake and working on his computer. He glanced up when the three men walked in carrying the females. The first thing the doctor noticed was Wyatt holding Maria.

"Put her over there," Hunter directed Wyatt while motioning towards the large brown leather sofa in the corner of the room. "You weren't followed, were you?"

"No," Wyatt replied as he placed the young girl on the sectional and turned back to the doctor. "What about the others?" he asked, motioning towards his brothers standing by the entrance.

Hunter stood up from his desk. "Let me see," he said, inspecting the remaining females. He walked up to Kai, who was holding Diana in his arms. "She'll prove useful," he commented while observing the older woman.

Hunter proceeded towards Levi. As soon as he spotted the children, he turned to Wyatt scowling. "Children? Is this the best you could do?" he asked, unimpressed with the catch.

"A little thank you would be nice," Kai retorted.

"We were doing you a favour," Wyatt remarked, irritated by Joy's ungratefulness. "But if you don't want them, we'll just let them go."

The brothers turned to leave, but Hunter stopped them. "Not necessary. I'll make use of them."

Having enough of this conversation, Kai spoke up. "This is boring."

Agreeing with his whining brother, Wyatt turned back to the doctor impatiently. "Are we bringing them to headquarters?"

"No, it's too predictable," Hunter said as he walked over to his desk and jotted something down on a notepad. "We don't want a repeat of last time," he explained as he handed Wyatt the paper. "Take them to this address. I'll have Doctor Joy meet you there."

"Let's go," Wyatt ordered before exiting the room with his brothers at his heels and the remaining females still in hand.

**οοοοοοο**

_Markovich Residence – 0425 hrs_

It was in the early hours of the morning when Felix, feeling the need to stretch, looked up from the computer screen and realized he was alone. Noticing the time, he pulled out his cell phone and tried to call his mother, only to have it immediately go to voicemail. He placed the phone down and rubbed his eyes before standing up to exit the basement.

With everyone sleeping, the main floor of the house was quiet and void of light. Quinn, Trenton, and Brook had come home hours earlier, leaving his parents the only two unaccounted. After searching each floor, it was not until Felix reached the second-floor landing that he finally found light emanating from the top floor, motivating him to go up and investigate.

Bright LED lights illuminated one corner of the plant-filled room. Near the entrance, Ebony and Rowan were quietly pruning leaves off a large plant. The brother and sister stopped what they were doing when Felix entered.

"Have you seen Flint?" Felix asked the siblings.

Without saying a word, Ebony and Rowan pointed towards the far end of the loft. Felix walked towards the thick cloud of smoke that was resonating from the back of the room. He was not surprised to find Flint standing by an opened window. Flint appeared to be preoccupied with his phone and was unaware that Felix was approaching from behind. Less than a second later, a drone with a black bag attached to it came flying through the open window. Flint grabbed the drone and sack then turned to find Felix looking at him.

"What are you doing up?" Flint said, slightly startled.

"I should ask you the same thing," Felix retorted with his arms crossed.

With the items in hand, Flint walked past his brother to find Rowan and Ebony. "Hey!" Flint called to them.

The siblings stopped what they were doing to look at Flint.

"What was that?" Flint questioned while pointing at Felix. "I said to keep six!"

Instead of responding, the siblings choose to ignore the boy and returned to their gardening.

Giving up on Ebony and Rowan, Flint turned his attention back to his brother. "What's up?"

"Our parents aren't back yet, and there's no signal coming from Mom's phone."

"Brook said they were meeting Dad's brother," Flint suggested with a shrug. "Maybe they're still doing that."

"But they told Brook they would be home soon," Felix explained, fearing the worst.

"You sound like Quinn," Flint complained. "I wouldn't worry, they still got a few hours until daylight."

"No, sunrise is less than an hour away," Felix informed him flatly.

"You worry too much," Felix reassured. "Dad's probably chattin' it up with his brother and lost track of time."

"I'd like to think your right, but I doubt it," Felix said, not willing to ignore the nagging feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"Well, excuse me for trying to be positive," Flint said sarcastically. "Got any ideas on how to find them?"

"Brook was the last one to see them. She might know where they are. Or we could ask Quinn and Trenton for help," Felix added, trying to consider all options.

Flint was in shock and disbelief of the words coming out of Felix's mouth. "What the hell are you on? You know the drill, twenty-four hours _minimum_ before we go to Quinn for help," Flint reminded his brother. "You need to relax. I'm sure they're fine." Having more important things to do, Flint was growing weary of this conversation. "Get some sleep, we'll ask Brook in the morning," he said to Felix as he walked towards the exit.

"It _is_ morning!" Felix said in exasperation as he followed Flint down the stairs.

**οοοοοοο**

_Subterranean Hideout – 1157 hrs_

Several hours passed while Freya, Marko, and Axel laid unconscious inside the underground dwelling. When the trio started to regain consciousness, Marko was the first to sit up. He raised slowly while supporting his head to minimize the throbbing.

"What happened?" Mako asked, hoping someone else was conscious enough to hear.

Freya was the next to sit up while scanning the room. "Maria, Diana, Moselle, and Dalie are missing," she informed the others.

Hearing this, Axel shot up and stumbled towards the bedrooms, still feeling the effects of the gas.

"It was Omicron! We have to get them back!" Axel shouted after checking the two rooms.

"First, we gotta find 'em," Freya explained, having run into the same problem yesterday when they thought Omicron abducted Brook.

"What do we do now?" Marko asked the two.

Freya pulled out her phone and noticed that it was almost noon. "That shit's strong," she said, commenting on the fact that they were unconscious for over eight hours. "I'll call the house and let 'em know we're okay."

Freya quickly stood up and almost lost her balance from unsteadiness before stabilizing herself. She had nearly reached the exit before being stopped by Axel.

"Wait, you'll need this," Axel informed Freya while opening an old wardrobe.

Freya walked over to the closet and looked at the collection of long coats ranging in various styles from different periods over the last century. She settled on a dark brown jacket from the forties then spotting a wide brim hat from the same decade. She put it on figuring she should at least complete the outfit. Once the two males donned their more modern style trench coats, the three proceeded towards the exit and made their way up to the subway tunnels.

"Do any of you know what happened?" Axel asked as he slowly followed behind the couple. He appeared to be having the most difficulty walking, still suffering some effects from the chemical attack. "What was that gas they used on us?"

"No clue, but I'd like to find out," Freya replied. She still felt a little off, but at least her head was no longer throbbing. "I don't know about you two, but I was havin' the craziest dreams. It was like sleeping on acid."

"Me too," Marko agreed. "I thought for sure I was at home eating dinner. It tasted so yummy," he said as his mouth started to water in response to the thought of food.

Unable to relate, Axel remained silent and followed behind the couple as they compared their recent gas exposure to various other substances they consumed, both willingly and unwillingly, over the years.

Minutes later, the three were climbing a ladder up to civilization. The reception on Freya's phone returned upon reaching the subway level, followed immediately by a series of beeps and vibrations alerting her to all the missed messages and calls she had accumulated. The first thing Freya did was text the boys as the three quickly made their way towards Brooklyn Bridge Station.

The trip home was mostly uneventful, with only a few odd looks and second glances from their choice of attire on such a hot day. Since they rarely utilized public transportation, or private transportation for that matter, the travel time seemed to drag on forever.

While Marko and Axel used the journey to catch up, Freya went right to work massaging the boys. Abandoning standard protocol, she made her sons promise to fill Quinn in on the situation. Freya figured it was best her sister knew about Axel coming over and his relation to Marko.

After a few stops and ten minutes of brief walking, it did not take long for them to reach the village. It was mid-afternoon by the time the three entered the Markovich residence and immediately removed the hot, sticky jackets. After checking the unoccupied main floor, they went downstairs, where they found Flint, Felix, Brook, and Adley.

After greeting everyone, Freya joined Felix at the computer desk. Brook, Adley, Marko, and Axel sat on the sofas conversing while Flint sat on the floor playing video games.

"Thankfully, you contacted us when you did," Brook said to Marko. "I don't think we could have contained the boys much longer."

"We were starting to run out of ideas," Adley added.

"Pfft, if we wanted out, we'd be gone," Flint called out matter-of-factly without taking his eyes off the screen.

Felix rotated his chair to chime in on the conversation. "Considering we're the only ones in this family that can go out and search inconspicuously, it only makes sense," he explained, continuing the debate they were having just before Freya messaged them.

"No offence, but you two look like six-year-olds," Adley rebutted. "You would not get far travelling without an adult."

Hearing Adley's comment, Flint paused his game to look back at his brother. "She thinks we're dumb enough not to go incognito."

"She's new. We'll let it slide," Felix said before turning back to the computer.

"Consider yourself lucky," Flint warned menacingly.

"I said no offence," Adley said with her hands raised defensively.

Marko glanced over at Axel, who looked deep in thought. It was apparent his brother was worried about Diana and the girls. Marko approached Freya and Felix to see if they made any progress finding the abductees' location.

"Any luck?" Marko asked.

"Nothin' so far," Freya replied.

"Nadda," Felix added.

Freya leaned back in her chair with her hands behind her head, trying to think. "Maria said Hunter was the reason Omicron was after her," she thought out loud.

"I'll see if I can find any private properties in his name," Felix suggested.

"You won't find anything online," Adley said, having already looked. "It took me months to get a picture of Doctor Hunter. Even after I met..." Adley stopped mid-sentence, having remembered something. "Wait! I might be able to help, let me call someone," she said while frantically looking through her bag.

Locating her phone, she ascended the stairs while scrolling through her contacts for a number.

The topic of Hunter reminded Brook of something she had been wondering for a few days now but never had the opportunity to ask. "Did we ever figure out if this Hunter guy is the same guy who messed with Tara and Quinn?" she asked the group. "I know they look the same, but you said that was impossible, right? He must be..."

Brook went silent when she heard the squeak of the basement door open behind her. Everyone in the room turned to see Quinn standing at the top of the stairs. There was an awkward silence as she descended the steps towards the sitting area.

"What's everyone doing?" Quinn asked, sensing that she walked in on something important.

"Nothin' much, we were just talking about ya," Freya explained to her sister before turning back to the computer screen.

Quinn was standing by the stairs with Axel sitting on the sofa closest to her. Both their faces were void of emotion as they made eye contact, sizing each other up. Even Flint, who was sitting with his back to them, could feel the tension.

"Awkward..." Flint said while his eyes remained fixated on his video game.

"Yep," Felix agreed from the other side of the room.

"You two cool, right?" Marko asked, unable to get a clear reading of the situation.

Making the first move, Quinn stepped forward with her hand out. "I think we got off to a rough start," she said, trying to make amends.

Flint snorted. "Yeah, ruffed up his face," he snarked with his eyes still glued to the screen.

Quinn and Axel simultaneously glared at the back of Flint's head, unable to see the grin on the boy's face. Before the two could continue their reconciliation, Adley rushed into the basement and down the stairs.

"I was talking to my contact at Omicron," Adley announced in excitement. "She's checking to see if Hunter's connected to any properties nearby, but in the meantime, I have his home address." She held up a piece of paper with an address scribbled down.

"Sweet, tonight we'll send someone to scope the place out," Freya explained.

"I will," Axel volunteered, finally speaking up.

Diana, Moselle, and Dalie were like family to Axel, and he felt responsible for Maria. He was eager to find his missing companions and vowed to seek revenge on Omicron and Hunter for taking them.

**οοοοοοο**

_David Hunter's Condo – 1850 hrs_

It was early evening, and Hunter was sitting at the desk in his private office. Hearing footsteps approach, he looked up to find a visibly upset Maria standing in the doorway.

"Oh good, you're up," Hunter said with a smile. "How are you feeling?"

"Why are you doing this?" Maria asked, finally sounding like the young adolescent she was. "Why can't you just leave me alone?"

"You left in such a hurry. You never gave me a chance to explain myself," Hunter replied calmly.

"There is nothing you can say to make me stop hating you," Maria said, starting to become emotional. "You lied to me about everything. All the tests, everything you put me through. For what? You were experimenting on me! Tracking me!" As Maria talked, she was becoming more enraged. Months of anger building up to this moment.

Hunter remained calm, taking a deep breath before speaking. "I know, I lied. But I did it for you. I wanted to give you a normal life. I promise I won't lie to you anymore. The tests, the experiments, you're right, it was for my research. I was selfish, and for that, I'm sorry."

"And Omicron chasing me!" Maria yelled, not finished with her tongue lashing. "Abducting people, drugging us, shooting at us! Someone died! How do you justify that?"

"That death is not on my hands," Hunter said defensively. "I'll admit when I realized they caught the wrong kin, I used the opportunity to take samples, but I planned on releasing him after questioning. _Your_ friends stormed the building. Do you know how many Omicron staff died because of their actions? I know my method of finding you was not ideal, but you made it extremely difficult."

"That's because I didn't want you to find me!" the youth yelled at her father figure. "I've been gone for months and never tried to contact you. Couldn't you take the hint?"

The doctor sighed, realizing that this was going to take longer than anticipated. "I may not be your biological father, but I did raise you as my own. No matter what, I'll always love you." Hunter approached Maria as tears were forming in the girl's eyes.

Maria looked away, unable to meet his gaze. "I don't know if I can ever trust you again," she said in a soft, cracking voice.

Hunter reached for Maria's hands to comfort the unhappy female. "After what I did, I don't blame you. I just wanted the opportunity to explain myself."

When Maria did not withdraw from his contact, Hunter pulled her in for a hug that she refused to return.

"I hope someday you will find it in your heart to forgive me," Hunter said to the young girl.

Maria did not reject his embrace but remained silent, still too angry to accept his apology.

**οοοοοοο**

_Remez Residence - 2015 hrs_

The sun was setting behind the city skyline as Sevan sat in his chair watching the crimson horizon, lost in thought. He appeared tired with circles under his eyes and a weary expression on his face. His concentration was interrupted when his wife entered the study with a smile.

"Did you hear?" Lucy asked, having just returned home from a long day of meetings and overseas teleconferencing. "They completed the assignment this morning." Lucy sat at the edge of Sevan's desk before continuing. "Now Hunter can get back to doing his job. There's been nothing but delays lately, one thing after another. With Shalu's sabbatical, then Hunter's missing girl and assignment, that department is falling into the crapper..."

Lucy continued talking, but Sevan could no longer hear her. A ringing sound was echoing in his ear, and a frightful expression appeared on his face. Barely able to breathe, Sevan grabbed his chest in pain.

Noticing her husband in destress, Lucy stood up and rushed to his side. "Is it the pain?" she asked, having seen him like this many times before, but rarely this bad.

Knowing the drill, Lucy ran over to his desk and retrieved a box. She pulled out a vial of clear liquid and used a syringe to inject her husband in the thigh. In a matter of seconds, Sevan was relieved but still appeared in pain while breathing heavily.

"Thank you," Sevan said, starting to gather his composure.

"That was the last of it, I'll get more in the morning," Lucy said as she threw the empty vial in the trash. "But in the meantime, you should get some rest. You don't want to have another attack before we restock."

Agreeing with Lucy, an exhausted Sevan slowly retreated to his bedroom under the watchful eye of his loving wife.

**οοοοοοο**

_David Hunter's Condo – 2110 hrs_

Maria was on the balcony observing the city landscape when she noticed a bright flash on a nearby rooftop. She quickly looked back to make sure the coast was clear before jumping over the railing and gliding towards the light.

As soon as Maria landed on the rooftop, Axel stepped out of the shadows causing Maria to run over and greet him. "I'm so glad to see you! How did you find me?"

"Are you okay? Are Diana and the girls with you?" Axel asked with a worried expression.

Maria was surprised to hear this. "No, why would they be with me?"

"They were taken too."

A look of anger appeared on Maria's face. "What! As if he lied to me again!" she yelled. "And to think I was going to give him a second chance. I'm such an idiot! I never want to see that man again!"

"Maybe you can find out where's he's holding them," Axel suggested, having formulated a plan. "Go back and pretend like nothing's happened. It'll give us time to prepare. In the meantime, see what you can dig up. I'll let the others know you're safe."

Maria thought about it before answering. "Okay, I'll do it for them. But once we have their location, I am out of there."

"Thank you," Axel said with a smile. "You're very brave."

"I should probably get back before he notices I'm missing."

"Be careful. We'll keep in touch," Axel said before parting ways.

Once Axel left, Maria returned to the penthouse. Unbeknownst to Maria, Hunter was standing in his bedroom window, spying on them with night vision binoculars. He lowered the binoculars when he noticed Maria returning to the apartment.

"What are you planning?" he asked himself. Hunter reached for his phone and pressed a button before putting it to his ear to make a call. "Howard, it's David. There's been a change in plans," he said before proceeding to fill his colleague in on the situation.

VII

# July 12th, 2017

_Markovich Residence – 0755 hrs_

It was gloomy and overcast Wednesday morning. A welcoming relief from the intense sun and heat that had been consuming the city the past few days.

As if on cue, the house exploded with its usual morning activities. The early risers were the first to enter the kitchen as the aroma of bacon and eggs filled the air. While Marko cooked, Tempest stood at the peninsula cutting fruit. Brook proceeded to her post in front of the toaster, the extent of her culinary capabilities.

With the three busy making food, Trenton and Felix sat at the table drinking their coffee while reading the newspaper and tablet, respectively.

The next to enter the kitchen was Flint, dragging his feet. He slowly walked towards the coffee pot in a zombie-like state.

"Looks like someone had a late night," Marko greeted the boy with a smile.

"Shhh, coffee," Flint mumbled, silencing his father as he walked towards a small counter located in the corner of the kitchen. Using a stool to reach the pot, Flint proceeded to pour some freshly made coffee into the reservoir of a second percolator. He then started to add coffee grounds to the second machine and turned it on before moving to the expresso machine.

Tempest had only resided in the house a few days, so she was unfamiliar with Flint's morning routine. She stopped cutting the oranges as she watched Flint, fascinated with his concoction. She finally turned to Brook and asked, "What is he making?"

"It's his creation," Brook explained. "He calls it a Flinticano."

"It's double brewed coffee with expresso," Marko explained. "Pretty gross, unless you like strong coffee."

"And that's why he has his own peculator," Felix added while still reading his device.

Freya was the next to enter the kitchen but stopped just short of the entrance. "Where's Quinn?" she asked, looking around.

Trenton stopped reading the paper and replied, "Still sleeping."

"I guess there's a first time for everything," Marko said. He was a little surprised since Quinn was usually an early riser.

"Yeah, even Flint beat her to the coffee," Brook said. Hearing the word coffee, Freya walked over next to Flint and made two cups using what was left in the first pot while Brook and Marko continued talking.

"What about Axel? Is he going to join us for breakfast?" Brook asked.

"He's not here, he left early this morning," Marko explained.

"Where'd he go?" Brook inquired.

"He didn't say," Marko replied with a shrug before flipping his egg mixture with the pan.

Once she finished making two coffees, Freya exited the kitchen and proceeded up the stairs towards Quinn and Trenton's bedroom. Sitting on her bed, Quinn was holding the necklace Nyx had given her. Freya entered and handed the lighter coloured beverage to her sister.

"Thanks," Quinn said, accepting the cup and taking a sip before placing it on the night table next to her.

"Nice bling," Freya said, spotting the necklace for the first time. "Where did ya get it?"

"Nyx," Quinn replied. She handed the necklace to Freya so her sister could inspect it.

"This gem is from the old world," Freya said, studying the yellow stone. "It's similar to the one Tempest and Axel wear."

"I haven't tested it yet," Quinn said, hoping this would help her.

"It works for Axel," Freya said while handing the piece of jewelry back to her sister. "Without his necklace, he wouldn't be able to generate fire, only manipulate it like Marko."

Holding the necklace in both hands, Quinn turned to her sister appearing dismayed. "I still can't believe Diana was alive and looking for us this whole time. How many more from the village do you think are out there?"

"Probably more than we think," Freya replied, trying to cheer her up. "It's not like we're looking for them, it's a big planet."

"What was mom thinking?" Quinn asked with a hit of frustration in her voice. "Bringing us all this way by herself. I know she was trying to find Tempest's tribe, but why leave her sister?"

"I'm sure she had her reasons," Freya replied before taking a sip of her coffee. "Everything kind of went to shit after we left the village. Diana told me mom was writing her, but the only address she provided was to the shop." Freya sounded uneasy when mentioning the workshop that was destroyed by fire many years ago.

Calming down a little, Quinn put the necklace back into her side table drawer and picked up her coffee. "Mom always talked about others coming, she must have meant Diana and Axel," Quinn concluded before taking another sip. "To think, if it weren't for that fire, we would have been together a century sooner."

Freya frowned at Quinn's mentioning of the incident. "C'mon, sis, you know how I feel about that accident. You don't see me rubbin' salt in your psychological wounds," she said lightheartedly.

"Your right, sorry. So, Marko must be happy about finding his brother," Quinn said, trying to change the subject.

"Yeah, though he's a little ticked that mom never told him Axel was alive," Freya explained.

"Marko, mad? I can't even picture it."

"Well, as ticked as Marko can get," Freya clarified.

"I'm sure mom had her reasons for not telling him."

"That's what I said," Freya agreed. "Axel said there were eight of them when they left the village, including Finn's sister. He didn't go into details, but something bad happened to them."

"What happened?" Quinn asked, disturbed by the news.

"Donno, all he said was that they ran into some bad kin on their journey west," Freya explained. She was about to add a thought when her phone started ringing in her pocket. She pulled it out to discover that Adley was calling.

"Talk to me, girl," Freya said as she answered the device.

"My source just called, I have some good news," Adley's excited voice echoed through the phone.

"Did you find another address?" Freya guessed.

"Yep! I'm still hoping she can dig up more intel, but it's a start. I'll be there in an hour," Adley explained before hanging up.

**οοοοοοο**

_Omicron Headquarters – 0845 hrs_

The grey sky had deepened, triggering a downpour over the city. Escaping the rain, a black town car with tinted windows entered the building's underground parking lot. As soon as the vehicle stopped, Lucy exited from the back and approached the elevator. Once inside, she inserted her keycard into the control panel before pressing the button to the sixty-ninth floor.

Lucy stepped off the elevator and proceeded towards her office. Notwithstanding the gloomy weather outside, the windows inside displayed a sunny city landscape.

Stacy, an administrative employee with short brown hair, approached Lucy as she briskly walked towards her office.

"Excuse me, Mrs. Remez?" Stacy asked, stopping Lucy in her tracks.

"Yes, and you are?" Lucy inquired, trying to decide if she should know this woman.

"Stacey Hicks," the woman introduced herself. "I just received a message from Jill, your assistant."

"Yes, I know who Jill is."

"Of course," Stacy agreed, slightly intimidated by her superior. "Jill's sick and can't make it in today. She asked me to fill in for her. Is there anything I can do for you?"

"What happened to the girl who filled in for Jill last time? What was her name, Rebecca?" Lucy asked, not liking the idea of a brand-new assistant, even if it was just for the day.

"I'm not sure exactly. I think she transferred departments."

"Oh," Lucy said flatly, realizing she was stuck with this Stacy woman. "Well, then, can you contact Doctor Hunter and tell him I need five units."

"Five units of what?"

"He'll know," Lucy informed her subordinate. "Make sure to tell him I need it by the end of the day."

Lucy walked past the temporary assistant and into her office. She hung her bag on a coat hook and threw her keycard on the desk before reaching for her mail. As Lucy skimmed through the documents, the speaker on her desk made a loud beeping noise.

Lucy reached over, pressed the button. "What is it?"

"Mrs. Remez, I called Doctor Hunter," Stacy's voice advised. "He said both him and Doctor Joy are offsite and won't be in today. He said the safe in his office has what you're looking for, and your keycard should open it. His assistant has the key to his office. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

Lucy frowned. "No, that's all for now."

Lucy lifted her finger off the button and let out a frustrated sigh. She forcefully grabbed the keycard from her desk and made her way down to the sixty-eighth floor. With the damaged laboratory undergoing repairs, most of the personnel had been relocated to other locations leaving the floor unusually empty. As Lucy walked down the hallway, she could faintly hear a female voice.

Outside the offices were four cubicles belonging to the department heads' aids. They were all unoccupied except for the one closest to Hunter's office belonging to his assistant.

As Lucy closed in on the occupied cubicle, she could hear a woman whispering into her phone.

"No, Adley," the woman whispered. "I looked everywhere. It was the only address I could find. There must be some reason why he kept it all these years. You should check it out."

Hunter's assistant, Rebecca, had not noticed Lucy approaching her cubicle as she continued talking on the phone. "I'll keep looking, but I think that's it. It's been a madhouse since the accident. Both him and Doctor Joy have been out of the office all day, that never happens. Doctor Joy practically lives—"

Rebecca stopped talking when she noticed someone standing behind her and started to panic. "I gotta go," she said quickly before hanging up.

Rebecca turned to face the eavesdropper, instantly mortified to see that it was Lucy. "Mrs. Remez," she said nervously. "What a pleasure to see you. Is there anything I can do for you?"

Lucy glanced at the nameplate on the desk and suddenly remembered how she knew this woman. "Rebecca Kyle, you use to work in my department, didn't you?"

Rebecca smiled nervously. "Yes, I did. I even acted as your assistant for a week when Jill was on vacation," she said, trying with all her might to sound cheerful.

"Yes, I remember," Lucy said with a smile, able to smell the fear resonating from the woman. "May I ask why you transferred? I hope it wasn't because of me." Lucy tried to sound a little hurt while inside she was enjoying every second of this.

"No, of course not," Rebecca replied defensively. "This vacancy opened, and I requested the transfer because of the higher salary. You signed off on it." Rebecca appeared a little more at ease upon witnessing a glimpse of Lucy's humanity.

"Yes, I remember now," Lucy said as she glanced down at Rebecca's desk and observed an address scribbled onto a notepad.

Rebecca noticed Lucy's eyes wander and tried to grab her attention. "So, what can I do for you?" she asked as she placed her coffee cup on the address.

With Lucy's suspicion of Rebecca now confirmed, her demeanour changed. "I need to retrieve something from Doctor Hunter's office. I was told you have the key," she said in a stern voice.

"Of course," Rebecca replied, starting to look uneasy again. She opened her desk drawer, pulled out a keycard and held it out for Lucy. "Here you go."

Lucy looked at the keycard with contempt, unwilling to touch it. "Do you mind coming with me? I need to locate his safe."

"S-sure, my pleasure," Rebecca replied, trying to hide her nervousness.

Lucy smiled evilly, knowing the young subordinate would not refuse. "Good, there're a few things I would like to discuss with you in private as well," she said, successfully driving one last nail of fear into the woman.

Upon hearing that last comment, Rebecca's nervousness finally resonated to the surface. She could not contain her terror any longer as she stood up from her desk and followed Lucy towards the unoccupied office.

**οοοοοοο**

One floor up, Jang was sitting at his desk when he received an inhouse call from someone he assumed was Doctor Hunter based on the caller ID.

"Jang here," he announced upon answering the phone.

"It's Lucy," the female voice informed him.

"Lucy? Why are you calling from Hunter's office?"

"That's not important right now," Lucy corrected. "Rebecca Kyle, Hunter's clerk, I need you to trace the last number she called from her work phone. She's been providing information to a reporter named Adley Anderson. I need you to locate her."

"Understood, do you want me to send Cassandra up to deal with Miss Kyle?"

"No, it's taken care of," Lucy explained. "You find that reporter. I don't need to explain to you how important this is."

"Consider it done," Jang assured his superior before hanging up.

VIII

# July 13th, 2017

_FBI Building – 0900_

It was a bright and sunny morning outside the FBI satellite office. Inside, Elaine was sitting at her desk drinking coffee and checking emails when her morning routine was interrupted by the sound of her phone ringing.

The female agent placed down her hot beverage to answer her phone. "Hello?"

"Elaine?" a male voice replied. "It's Richard."

"Oh. Hi, Richard," Elaine said, trying to sound busy. "This is a bad time right now, I just got in and—"

"Too busy for a social call, huh?" Richard's voice commented in his usual playful manner. "How about a business call?"

"It depends, what is the business call pertaining to?" Elaine asked, sounding intrigued.

"The last time we talked you mentioned Omicron, well, I might have something for you."

Elaine quickly reached for a pen and paper, excited by the potential news. "What happened?"

"This woman, an Omicron employee," Richard started to explain. "She committed suicide last night by jumping off her apartment—"

"Richard," Elaine interrupted as she laid down her pen. "I don't think suicide—"

"Hold on, I'm not finished," Richard interjected. "I interviewed her fiancé. He said she has no history of depression, a happy life, a recent promotion at work, and so on. He mentioned that the only thing stressing her out was helping some reporter with an exclusive on Omicron."

Elaine's interest was now piqued. "Do you think it was suicide? Are there any suspects?"

"So far nothing to suggest foul play," Richard replied. "Fiancé said she came home from work early yesterday saying she wasn't feeling well. He tried talking to her, but she was acting all strange. He chalked it up to her being sick. Well, sometime after he went to bed, she got up and offed herself by jumping off the rooftop. We got it all on security footage. Toxicology results aren't back yet, but it's been ruled a suicide."

"Interesting," Elaine agreed. She had to admit, the part about the reporter had potential. "Did you happen to get the reporter's name?"

"No, he doesn't know anything except that it was a woman," Richard explained. "But he said most of their communications were by phone or email, so it'll be easy enough to track. I'll text you her info."

"Thanks, Richard, anything else I should know?"

"Yeah, I'm free on Saturday if you want to grab something to eat."

"Oh, this Saturday is no good for me," Elaine lied. "Work's been crazy. You know how it is, the boss likes to keep us busy, but I'll let you know next time I'm free. It was nice talking to you, thanks again for the tip!" Elaine did not wait for Richard to reply before hanging up the phone. She looked up to find Reese standing in the doorway.

"So, what was that awkward call about?" Reese asked.

"I think we have a lead on the Omicron case," Elaine informed her partner. With intel like that falling into her lap first thing in the morning, she had a feeling this was going to be a good day.

**οοοοοοο**

_Hunter's Laboratory (Liberty Ave, Jamaica, NY) – 1345 hrs_

Hunter's property stood in a small manufacturing block located in a borough of Queens. The exterior of the decades' old factory was void of any signage or identifying logos, having been out of business for over thirty years.

Inside the first-floor laboratory, Hunter and Joy were standing in front of an extraction chamber. A device that was designed by Hunter and used by a select few the world over. The extraction chamber consisted of a large glass cylinder filled with water and surgical tubes. Hanging over the containment cell were two custom made full spectrum lights that illuminated most of the room, including the bright blue wings of the enclosed individual. An unconscious Diana stripped down to her undergarments floated lifelessly inside the chamber. Although not necessary in her case, a respirator covered most of her face as it provided her with oxygen. Small plastic tubes inserted along her back contained a liquid with a light blue hue that collected in a large glass vial located outside the contraption.

"Your notes don't do it justice," Joy said as he admired the machine in action for the first time. "How much can one subject yield?"

"If done correctly, the supply can last years," Hunter explained while writing notes on a clipboard. "It has taken over half my life to perfect this procedure."

"And the vita-plasm can only be derived using the lights?"

"Based on my observation of their energy cycle, I believe that their skin cells react with the light. That reaction creates the vita-plasm stored in the cavities of their bones." Hunter stopped writing to look up at Joy. "You should consider yourself lucky. We are the only two scientists granted the opportunity to study these amazing creatures. Their biology is like nothing you will ever see. Their bones are like graphite, nearly unbreakable but less than half the weight of a human's. And we are only beginning to scratch the surface on the potential their vita-plasm has to offer." Hunter talked proudly, eager to share his life's work and vast knowledge of the subject with Joy.

"How did you get the vita-serum past the FDA?"

"I've discovered a way to synthesize the required enzyme," Hunter explained. "The formula approved for clinical trials is a fully synthetic version. It's not nearly as potent, but still highly effective on humans. Only the synthetic version will be available to the public."

"Ingenious, but why share your discovery with Omicron? Don't they own the patent to the formula?"

Doctor Hunter frowned and paused for a second before speaking. "I have my reasons," he said, unwilling to go into detail. "It's not like I need the money. I've been making millions selling the synthetic version to wealthy buyers for years now. But that's just between you and me."

"This vita-plasm, is it the source of their powers?"

"No, but I believe there is some correlation," Hunter explained before shifting his attention to Diana floating in the chamber. "I've studied them for most of my life, and I'm no closer to discovering the source of their powers. But I can say with almost complete certainty that the vita-plasm is linked to their longevity. They start producing it in adolescents, that is why we are only using this specimen for extraction."

"The two children, what do you plan to do with them?" Joy asked.

"I've been thinking about using them for our bio-cybernetics research," Hunter replied. "I've read your notes, and I think they will be ideal subjects for your proposal."

"Agreed," Joy said, trying unsuccessfully to hide his excitement.

Hunter smiled at the young scientist's eagerness. "I would like to start immediately. I have a small workshop upstairs we can use to get started."

Joy smiled at the news. "Of course, I'll commence preparations immediately."

**οοοοοοο**

_Rendezvous Rooftop – 2030 hrs_

It was midevening when Freya reached Lower Manhattan to check in with Maria. As soon as she landed, the young female stepped out of the shadows holding a file folder.

"I couldn't find much," Maria said while handing Freya the file full of documents and notes. "It looks like he spent the last few months collecting data, maybe you can make sense of it."

Freya accepted the intel and quickly skimmed through it before providing Maria with an update. "Adley located an address to a commercial property in Queens owned by Hunter. Axel's been keeping an eye on the place. Do you know anything about it?"

Maria paused to think before responding. "He owned a textile business in Queens when I was younger. I always assumed he sold it, but it could be his old factory. I've never been there, wasn't allowed out much back then."

"Sounds promising," Freya said.

"Now what?" Maria asked, hoping her mission was over. She wanted to be as far away from Hunter as possible.

Freya looked at Maria apologetically. "I need you to go back for just a bit longer. If you leave now, he'll know something's up." She handed Maria a cell phone and a commlink. "Here, I'll contact you when we're ready to roll. You know how to reach me if anything happens in the meantime."

"Thanks, I should get back before he returns home," Maria said, looking disappointed.

"Be careful, hun. I'll be in contact soon," Freya reassured before departing.

IX

# July 14th, 2017

_Adley's Residence (34_ _th_ _Ave, Queens, NY) – 0930 hrs_

It was a busy Friday for Elaine and Reese. After getting an early start to their workday, they spent the morning in Jackson Heights scoping out an apartment building. Inside the car, Elaine quietly looked through a file while Reese sat observing his surroundings.

"Normally, I'm not a fan of these bleeding-heart types, but this girl is incredibly thorough," Elaine remarked while reviewing some of Adley's work.

"A woman after your own heart," Reese said as he casually observed a good-looking woman walking down the street.

"So, it appears Miss Anderson predominantly writes about social justice issues; environmental crimes, corporate crimes, whistleblowers."

"She must have her hands full with Omicron," Reese said right before spotting Adley. "There she is," he alerted his partner.

The duo watched as Adley quickly exit her apartment building holding a tote bag.

"Wonder where she's going in such a hurry?" Reese asked.

Adley stopped and stood on the sidewalk, looking around like she was impatiently waiting for someone. She was not standing long before Arlo's car pulled up alongside her.

"Who's that?" Reese asked as he watched Adley enter the vehicle.

"It looks like her brother Arlo Anderson," Elaine explained. "I have his picture right here. No criminal record, but they were detained by police once, never charged."

"Should we see where they're going before we introduce ourselves?" Reese asked.

Elaine shrugged. "Why not."

Reese started the car, and the two of them carefully followed as their target's vehicle towards Manhattan.

**οοοοοοο**

_Markovich Residence – 1040 hrs_

Once Arlo and Adley arrived, the basement became overly crowded. Crammed into the sitting area, Quinn, Trenton, Adley, Arlo, Axel, Marko, and Brook occupied all available sofas, chairs, and floor pillows. Felix was sitting in his usual spot at the computer with Flint in the chair next to him. Freya was in the back of the room positioned comfortably at her workstation. Everyone in the room except for Felix had their attention on Quinn as they planned the rescue mission.

"Just so we're all on the same page, I'm going to start from the top," Quinn explained to the group. "Axel's been watching the address Adley gave us, and from what he observed, we think Diana, Moselle, and Dalie, are being held there. He'll provide us with the security layout."

Taking his cue, Axel started to speak. "There are three security posts outside the building. The exact number inside is unknown but—"

"There are two fixed posts inside, the remaining are unfixed," Felix interrupted, correcting Axel. "They have approximately six guards on duty during the day, and at least double that at night."

Flint laughed. "Double the security at night, yeah, they're not expecting us," he said sarcastically.

Axel looked at Felix perplexed. "How do you know all this?"

"We tapped into their security system."

"Don't you have to be in the building to do that?" Arlo asked.

"Yes," Felix replied before turning back to the computer.

Spotting the shocked expression on Quinn's face, Flint tried to deescalate the situation.

"Don't worry, it was super easy because they have essentially no security during the day," Flint explained.

Unable to contain her anger, Quinn glared at Flint and the back of Felix's head.

"Seriously? You two went out alone?" Quinn asked, her voice starting to rise. "It's not even on this island. How did you get there?"

"Uber, but now's not the time to worry about that," Flint said, attempting to redirect. "Let's focus on what's important, like the rescue mission."

Quinn turned to Freya. "I guess _you_ put them up to it?"

Freya crossed her arms and smirked, unfazed by her sister's glare. "They were successful, weren't they? And they did it without detection, not my fault you don't utilize their talents more often."

Flint turned his chair to look back at Freya. "Aww, thanks, Mom."

Freya shrugged. "I give credit where it's due."

Quinn remained silent as she continued to scowl at her sister while Brook used the opportunity to change the subject.

"Are we storming the building like last time?" Brook asked.

"Well, no. We should formulate a better plan this time," Quinn replied. "Find out where they're being held, subdue the—"

"I think we should storm the place," Marko said, cutting Quinn off mid-sentence. "It worked last time."

"Sorry, no explosions this time, hun," Freya informed her significant other, knowing what he was thinking.

"No explosions, no fooling around, no anarchy," Quinn said firmly while shifting her focus from Marko to Freya and then to their offspring before addressing the group. "I've asked Nix and Kray to help us this time. So, can we please for once act like we know what we're doing." Quinn pleaded with her family, only to receive eye-rolls from half.

"Anarchy, that's a little much," Marko mumbled loudly while Flint and Felix nodded in agreement.

Realizing that they strayed off-topic, Axel cleared his throat to rein everyone in so he could continue with his briefing. "Back to the matter at hand, it should be easy enough to navigate the building. The security is the biggest obstacle. Besides security, I've only seen two staff members on the premises."

"Must be Doctor Hunter and Doctor Joy," Adley chimed in. "My source at Omicron says they haven't been in the office since Tuesday."

"Okay, I know I keep asking this," Brook said upon hearing Hunter's name again. "But did we ever figure out if this Doctor Hunter is the guy I think he is?"

"That's gotta be impossible, right?" Marko wondered. "That happened over a hundred years ago, how—"

"It's him," Freya corrected her partner.

There was an awkward silence amongst the group as everyone turned to Quinn to see her reaction to the news.

"Freya already told me," Quinn informed everyone.

"But how?" Brook asked.

"He must have survived the fire," Freya replied. "I didn't want to say anything until I was certain it was him."

"No, how is he alive age-wise?" Brook clarified. "He would have to be over a hundred-years-old, and he doesn't look a day past seventy."

"It appears he invented a drug that halts the ageing process," Freya explained. "That's why Omicron hired him."

Before anyone could comment further, the slight _click_ of the basement door opening caused everyone's attention to shift to Tempest at the top of the stairs.

"Sorry to interrupt, but I think there is something you need to see," Tempest informed the group.

Quinn and Adley followed Tempest up to the second floor, with Flint joining out of curiosity. As they crowded around a window overlooking the neighbourhood, Tempest identified an occupied black car parked on the opposite side of the street.

"Ebony spotted them," Tempest said to Adley. "She said they pulled up right after you and Arlo arrived."

"It could just be two people sitting in a car," Adley said, starting to feel anxious.

"Nope, that's the establishment," Flint corrected. He started sniffing the air drifting in through a small opening in the window. "Smells a little strong for the five-o. Maybe it's the feds or the CIA, or maybe some top-secret government agency tracking kin—"

"That's enough!" Quinn stopped the boy then tuned to Adley scowling. "What happened? Why are they following you?"

"Nothing happened, I don't know why they're following me," Adley replied honestly.

"Who says they're here for her?" Flint pointed out. "She's not the one who bombed Omicron headquarters. You've probably been labelled terrorists for that one."

Ignoring Flint's comment, Quinn continued to glare at Adley. "You should go. Let's hope they're only following you."

"I'll go get Arlo," Adley complied before exiting the room to retrieve her brother.

**οοοοοοο**

Meanwhile, in the car across the street, Reese quietly observed the exterior of the Markovich residence while Elaine conversed with someone over the phone.

"No, that's helpful...Thanks," Elaine said to the caller before hanging up.

"What was that about?" Reese asked.

"That was Richard. He said Rebecca Kyle's fiancé found an address in her work bag. It belongs to an old factory owned by Doctor Hunter."

Reese smiled. "This Richard guy must like you. Doesn't he have more important cases besides suicide?"

Elaine shrugged. "I'm not complaining, he's a good police officer," she said before redirecting the conversation to the more pressing issue. "The fiance thinks the reporter asked Rebecca for the address."

"I think it's time to talk to Miss Anderson."

"Let's give her a call," Elaine complied. She then pulled out a piece of paper and started dialling the number.

**οοοοοοο**

Inside the Markovich residence, Adley was descending the basement stairs with Quinn and Flint following close behind.

"Arlo, we need to go," Adley said as soon as she reached the basement landing.

"Why?" Brook asked, realizing something was wrong.

"What's up?" Freya questioned, coming to the same conclusion as Brook.

"I think the police followed us here," Adley explained to the group.

A look of horror appeared on Arlo's face. "What!" he yelled, hunted by the memory of previous encounters with the police at the hands of his sister. "Oh, my God, they know it was us! We are so going to jail! I think I'm having a panic attack!"

"Don't panic," Adley said, trying to calm her brother, "but we need to go—"

_Buzz. Buzz._

Adley froze and stopped mid-sentence when her phone started to vibrate inside her bag. Everyone watched in complete silence as she retrieved her cell.

"Hello?" Adley answered. There was a moment of silence before she said, "This is she."

A few seconds passed when Adley suddenly turned white as a ghost and a panicky expression appeared on her face. "Yes, I-I'm a little busy at the moment, can I—"

Adley abruptly stopped talking to listen to her caller before continuing. "Yes, of course, see you soon," she added before hanging up. Adley's now unsteady hand placed the phone back in her bag while everyone in the room watched in complete silence.

Unable to contain his curiosity any longer, Flint was the first to speak up. "So? Was it the fuzz?" he asked eagerly.

Adley, still in shock from the conversation, turned to Flint. "What?"

"He's asking if the police called you," Felix clarified.

"Oh, no. It wasn't the police," Adley confirmed, causing a sigh of relief to pass over the group. "It was the FBI," she added flatly, still in disbelief.

Everyone appeared worried by this news, except for Flint, who had a smug smile on his face. "Called it!" The young boy congratulated himself as everyone else raced to process what this would mean for them.

Suddenly, a loud _THUMP_ resonated near the computer station and everyone turned to find Arlo lying on the floor.

Flint, who was next to Arlo, laughed. "Ha! This dude fainted," he said while pointing at the unconscious man.

"Is he okay?" Brook asked as she stood up to check on Arlo.

Upset by the new information, Quinn turned to Adley for answers.

"What do they want?" Quinn demanded.

"I'm not sure exactly," Adley explained. "I'm meeting them in front of my place in two hours."

"I don't need to remind you how vital it is that they don't find out about us," Quinn warned.

Brook, who was sitting next to Arlo on the floor, looked over in Quinn's direction. "Quinn," she started to say in Adley's defence. "I think she knows—"

"I would never do anything to jeopardize your family," Adley interjected, trying to put Quinn's concerns at ease. "Even if that means staying away from you until this all blows over."

"Does that mean she's not coming with us tonight?" Brook asked in disappointment. "Come on, Quinn, we never would have found Hunter's laboratory if it wasn't for her."

Quinn paused for a second while contemplating. "You're right, Brook. That's why I am leaving the decision up to her."

"I understand," Adley agreed, not taking the responsibility lightly.

It did not take long for Arlo to regain consciousness and his composure after what he believed to be was a series of crippling panic attacks. Once he assured the others that he was fine to drive, he took Adley home with less than an hour to go until her meeting.

"What are you going to do? Are you going with them tonight?" Arlo asked his sister, trying to take his mind off the authorities.

"I'm not sure," Adley replied. "I'll see how the interview goes first. They may want to discuss something unrelated to Omicron."

"I highly doubt it," replied Arlo.

"You're probably right," Adley agreed before letting out a big sigh. The remainder of the drive was unusually silent until Arlo reached Adley's apartment.

"Are you sure you don't want me to stay, or call a lawyer, or something?" Arlo asked nervously.

Adley looked skeptically at her brother. "We both know how bad you are at talking to the authorities. I'm not making the same mistake as last time," she said before opening the car door. "I should go hide my notes before they show up. I'll call you after."

"Good luck," Arlo called out to his sister before driving off.

Adley entered the building and walked up to her apartment. As soon as she stepped into her unit, she noticed everything in disarray. All her furniture drawers were open, and its contents sprawled all over the floor. Before she could react, a shadow came over her blocking the light from the window. Adley looked to her right and came face to face with the torso of a large man. The daylight shining in through the window exposed his large sliver coloured wings.

"Mother wants a word with you," Levi informed Adley.

Before Adley could react to the intruder, Levi hit her hard in the face. Blood came flying from Adley's nose and mouth as she fell hard to the ground, instantly knocked out from the blow. The bag over Adley's shoulder toppled open on impact, causing her phone to tumble out and land next to an overturned chair.

**οοοοοοο**

_Adley's Residence – 1300 hrs_

Outside Adley's building, Reese and Elaine had been standing around for the last ten minutes waiting.

Growing impatient, Elaine looked at her watch before turning to her partner. "Should we try her apartment?"

"Good idea," Reese agreed.

The two of them were lucky enough to enter just as someone was leaving, allowing them easy access to the building. The agents climbed the stairs to the fourth floor and down the hallway. As they neared Adley's apartment, they noticed her front door was slightly ajar. They knocked before entering and immediately realized that they had walked into a crime scene.

"Looks like whoever did this was searching for something," Reese observed.

Elaine pulled out her phone to call Adley. Their suspicions were confirmed when they heard a phone vibrating. Following the sound, Elaine located the cell next to an overturned chair. Upon noticing that there was blood next to the chair, she turned back to Reese.

"There's blood over here," Elaine alerted her partner while dialling a number on her phone. "I'll call it in."

**οοοοοοο**

_Hunter's Laboratory – 2200 hrs_

Nearby Hunter's building, Quinn and her family were the first to arrive. They were not waiting long before Styx and Kray joined them minutes later. Quinn was determined to make this rescue mission successful with every move thoughtfully planned out.

"No word from Adley, I guess she decided not to come," Brook said, looking at her newly acquired phone one last time before putting it back in her pocket.

"Man, I hope the FBI isn't onto us," Marko said. "That'll be a first."

"When this is over, we'll see how her meeting went," Quinn reassured them, trying to focus on the task at hand.

"There's eight of us, so taking out security should be a cinch," Freya explained while putting a radio in her ear and turning it on. "Can ya hear me?" she asked into the commlink.

"Affirmative, and video's all good on our end," Felix's voice replied.

Quinn, Marko, and Brook each put in their own communication devices. Since they did not have enough radios for everyone, they made sure at least one person per group could communicate with the boys as they monitored the video feed.

"The plan is simple," Quinn started to say once everyone appeared ready. "We'll split up into teams and take out security. Once security is down, we go after Diana and the girls."

"Brook and Axel, you two take out the guards patrolling the perimeter," Freya directed.

"Got it," Brook replied with a nod.

"What about the very likely possibility that we run into someone non-security?" Axel asked.

"Subdue them as quickly and quietly as you can," Quinn answered. "Whatever it takes, our main priority is rescuing Diana and the girls."

With no further questions, Freya continued with her instructions. "Marko and I will take the security post closest to the entrance. Then Styx and Kray will go with Quinn and Trenton to the second-floor control room."

With the plan set, they all split up to accomplish their assigned tasks.

Brook and Axel were the first to strike, neutralizing security around the southern perimeter and clearing the way for Freya and Marko. The fiery couple entered the building through a ground floor window the boys had unlocked the day before. The window led into a dark and empty office with the only source of light coming from the faint green and red glow of various electronics.

Within a few seconds of entering the room, Marko had already managed to knock over a desk lamp and some papers with his large wings. Fearing they lost the element of surprise, Marko and Freya froze while cautiously listening for the rush of alerted footsteps. After a few seconds of waiting and no audible reaction outside the room, they let out a sigh of relief.

"We're in," Freya said into her earpiece. "How are things lookin' on the other side, Felix?"

"Good job avoiding the cameras so far," Felix's voice explained. "Your target is through the doors, around the next corner, and down the hall."

"Easy enough," Marko commented with a shrug.

"Wait for it," Freya said quietly, knowing there was a catch.

**οοοοοοο**

Back at the Markovich house, Felix and Flint were in the basement sitting at the computer desk, each observing a monitor. Flint was busy guiding Quinn's team while Felix filled his parents in on their current dilemma.

"There's a camera located down the next hallway. Once you turn the corner, you'll be spotted," Felix informed his parents over the radio.

Having overheard Felix's predicament, Flint turned to his twin. "Can't you run a loop or something on the screen?"

"If I could have, I would have," Felix answered with a hint of frustration. "Worry about your own team."

"What's the lowdown, Felix?" Freya's voice asked. "I need a plan."

"Brook and Axel cleared the perimeter as planned, but that's about the only thing. Flint spotted Hunter on the third-floor camera and told Quinn, who split from the group with Trenton, completely disregarding her plan, might I add. They left your cousins to neutralize the target alone."

"I sincerely hope Flint rubbed that one in her face," Freya's voice mumbled.

"Like he would ever pass on that opportunity."

"What about the boogaloo twins, did they neutralize their target?"

"Negative. Flint lost track of them," Felix explained as he looked over at his brother in annoyance. "They should have reached their target by now, and until they do, you'll alert security soon as you turn that corner."

"Why doesn't she just do what we did?" Flint interjected, again turning away from his task to comment.

Felix rolled his eyes. "She can't fit, and she's too heavy."

"Tell Flint I ain't crawling around in the ductwork if that's what he's implying," Freya's voice echoed through the commlink, having overhead the conversation. "Try again."

While Felix contemplated an alternative plan, Flint glanced back at his monitor and finally spotted Kray. Flint forcefully nudged Felix while pointing at the screen. "Found 'em'."

Felix glanced over at Flint's monitor before alerting his mother. "Styx and Kray are finally in position. You're clear to neutralize the last target."

While his parents dealt with the remaining security, Felix glanced over at Flint, who was busy watching the monitor. Kray was standing in the security room next to two unconscious security guards. He appeared to be talking to someone off-screen.

"Who's he talking to?" Flint wondered out loud.

"Probably Styx," Felix replied, stating the most likely explanation before turning back to his monitor.

**οοοοοοο**

Meanwhile, inside Hunter's laboratory, Quinn and Trenton were in the stairwell. They had just reached the second-floor landing when Flint's voice echoed through Quinn's radio.

"Security's been neutralized," the boy's voice informed.

"Where's Hunter?" Quinn asked. She waited for a few seconds, but no answer. "Flint! Where is he?"

"I'm looking!" Flint's voice called back. "He was here a minute ago..."

"You lost him?" Quinn questioned.

"It's not like I got visuals on every corner of the building! I'm talkin' loads of blind spots," Flint explained before pausing again. "Hold on, let's rewind some video and see if I can find him... Okay, he's still on the third floor. He was last seen walking down the corridor to the right of the stairs."

"Got it. Thanks."

"Mom says they'll get the others while you look after Hunter."

"Has Freya located them yet?" Quinn asked before she and Trenton ran up the last two flights of stairs towards the third-floor hallway.

"Yep, they're on the first floor," Flint replied. "There's a greasy dude with glasses in the room with them."

"It's Doctor Joy," Felix's faint voice clarified.

"Tell Freya and Brook not to wait for us," Quinn ordered Flint as she ran down the third-floor hallway. "Our priority is getting Diana and the girls to safety."

Quinn and Trenton's hearts and thoughts were racing as they closed in on their target. The couple had a score to settle, and after all these years, they were only seconds away from the retribution they so long desired.

**οοοοοοο**

While the teams were busy neutralizing security, Styx had already reached the third floor using a hidden egress that few knew existed.

Inside the laboratory, Moselle and Dalie were unconscious and lying on metal tables. Hunter was standing next to them with a tablet in his hand, unaware that Styx had entered the room. It was not until he heard footsteps that Hunter was alerted to Styx's presence and turned around. Seeing that it was only Styx, he frowned and turned back to his work.

"What are you doing here?" Hunter asked, annoyed by the interruption.

"Are you that blind to what's going on around you?" Styx asked, finding his ignorance slightly amusing. "They infiltrated your building and disabled your security."

Hunter stopped his work and finally turned to face Styx. "Infiltrated? By whom?"

"You know, for someone with a Ph.D., you're a bit of a moron," Styx remarked snidely. "Who do you think? They're here to rescue the kin you abducted."

Hunter's expression did not change. "And you're here to stop them?" he asked, appearing unconcerned.

"No," Styx said flatly.

Hunter scowled and turned back to his work. "No? So, what? You're here to rescue me?"

With Hunter's back to her, Styx walked over to a desk and casually started looking through the drawers while the doctor continued speaking.

"I don't know what your mother has planned, but I'm not leaving without my specimens. Does she not realize how important this is?"

Hunter was too engrossed in his work to notice Styx take a small pistol out of the top drawer of the desk and slowly walk towards him.

"She's messing with fire," Hunter continued ranting. "The implications can be detrimental for us all. The Council has plans that exceed your mother _and_ Omicron. Don't let her stupidity be your downfall too."

Styx, who was now standing directly behind the doctor, quickly grabbed Hunter and wrapped her left arm around his neck in a chokehold. "That's my mother you're talking about," she warned. Styx grabbed his right hand and placed the gun in it, forcing him to hold it.

Still not taking the threat seriously, Hunter laughed with the gun pointed at his right temple. **"** What are you going to do? Shoot me? You need me! I'm—"

_BANG!_

Styx quickly stepped back, causing Hunter and the gun to drop to the ground. She knelt next to the body and searched the pockets for Hunter's mobile device. Once found, Styx used the phone to send a text. She then retrieved the phone's SIN chip and replaced it with a new one before smashing the device on the floor.

Styx casually walked over to the unconscious girls. Throwing one child over each shoulder, she exited through the same passageway she used to gain entry. Only seconds after reaching the hidden egress, she could hear a door open, and people enter the room behind her. Letting out a sigh of relief, Styx fled the building with Moselle and Dalie, escaping in the nick of time.

**οοοοοοο**

Meanwhile, in the first-floor laboratory, Doctor Joy was mesmerized as he quietly watched the unconscious woman floating peacefully inside the containment cell. He looked on in awe as the vita-plasm flowed down the tubes, collecting in the glass container that was now a quarter full.

Joy's attention suddenly shifted when he was alerted to the beeping of his phone on a nearby table. He walked over and reviewed the incoming message. After reading the text, he looked around the room then quickly travelled to the coatrack located next to the door. He retrieved an extra lab coat and used it to cover the nearby security camera.

The doctor hastily shut off the extractor machine. He went to retrieve the beaker of vita-plasm only to discover that it had vanished. Having just seen it there a second ago, he looked around the room, puzzled by the lost jar of fluid. Joy had little time to look before his searching was cut short by the faint sound of footsteps approaching. Deciding to cut his losses, he quickly grabbed some notes from the desk then proceeded towards the hidden egress that Hunter had disclosed to him for such a situation.

Joy pushed on the false wall when he noticed something out of the corner of his eye. He was sure he saw a shadow move towards a large air vent along the back wall, but upon second glance, there was nothing. The doctor did not have time to investigate further before he was alerted to the sound of people descending on the laboratory. He quickly rushed through the exit and secured the wall behind him. As he ran down the secret stairwell, he could hear the distant sound of footsteps entering the laboratory behind him.

**οοοοοοο**

On the third floor, Quinn and Trenton stood over the deceased body of the man called David Hunter, but to them, he would always be known as David Gates. A few seconds felt like minutes as they watched in silence, and with mild satisfaction, the body of the man who singlehandedly changed their lives forever.

As Quinn's mind became inundated with distant memories and raw emotions, Flint's voice chattered in her ear oblivious to the fact that she had not spoken for a little over a minute now.

"The girls are safe," Flint's explained. "We just got word that Kray and Styx brought them out. Flint says Mom and Dad have Diana. It looks like everyone's accounted for." Flint paused for a few seconds before continuing. "Mom wants to know how you're doing? Did you find Hunter?"

After seconds passed with no answer, Flint's voice shifted. "Quinn? Ya there?" he said, starting to sound concerned.

"We're fine," Quinn finally responded in a soft but sturdy voice.

"Are ya ready to go?" Flint asked, sounding relieved.

Before responding, Quinn took one last look before aggressively spitting on the body. "On our way," she informed Flint before turning towards the exit.

Trenton lingered for a second, taking one last look at Hunter's body before quietly following his partner.

**οοοοοοο**

Back at Markovich residence, Flint and Felix surveyed the perimeter of the building while the teams made their exit. Felix used the brief break to look something up while Flint kept an eye on the uneventful screens. On the monitor closest to Flint was a quad split screen showing various views of the building's exterior and parking lot.

With the job almost done, Flint stood up to retrieve something to celebrate with when he noticed a car appear on the camera overlooking the parking lot. Recognizing the vehicle, Flint jumped forward and quickly pulled Felix's headphones off his head, along with a handful of Felix's red hair. Flicking the hair off his hand, Flint placed the headphones on and sat back in his chair before leaning in to get a better look at the screen.

"Okay, Mom, things are about the get interesting," Flint said, the smile on his face suggesting amusement over the turn of events. "Adley's tail from earlier just pulled into the parking lot."

"What's the best way out of here?" Freya's voice asked.

Before Flint could reply, Felix punched his brother in the shoulder and aggressively retrieved his headset. Felix shot his brother a dirty look as he placed it on his head.

"Head towards the north-east exit," Felix directed his mother. "The others will meet you at the rendezvous."

**οοοοοοο**

In the parking lot, Elaine and Reese had just exited the car. Less than a minute later, a black sedan pulled up, and a slender man exited the vehicle. The man appeared in his mid-to-late thirties with shorter auburn hair in need of a trim, a clean-shaven face, and blue eyes. The navy-blue suit he started his long day in was now reduced to a white dress shirt, pants, and loosened tie.

"Thanks for coming, Richard," Elaine said to the man.

"Hey, I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't check it out," Richard replied. "Kind of curious why this building is so important."

"I'll let security know we're here," Reese informed the others.

As Reese walked a few feet towards the entrance, he was stopped in his tracks by a splash of cold water hitting him from above. He instinctively lifted his hands to wipe the liquid off his face and turned towards the others, wondering what just happened. Before Reese had a chance to say anything, he heard a noise and immediately felt the searing pain of metal entering his body. The bullet entered through the edge of his shoulder on a downward angle, just missing his torso.

"We have a sniper!" yelled Richard.

Richard and Elaine pulled out their firearms, and the three of them ran towards the vehicles for cover.

"Are you okay?" Elaine asked her colleague.

"I'm fine," Reese replied while holding his arm.

Richard, who was next to his car, opened the driver's side door and reached for his radio to call for backup. As Richard communicated with the dispatcher, he filched and dropped lower when a series of bullets hit the top of his vehicle.

Elaine, Reese, and Richard were so busy avoiding the gunfire they failed to see two female children flee from the building with something in hand. Sticking to the unlit areas as they fled, the girls quickly hopped over a chain-link fence and disappeared into the shadows of a neighbouring property.

**οοοοοοο**

Inside the Markovich basement, Flint attentively watched the parking lot shootout on the monitor. Catching a quick glimpse of the girls as they ran near a floodlight, Flint leaned in for a closer look.

"What the..." Flint started to say, not exactly sure what he just observed.

"Are you watching channel three?" Felix asked, too engrossed in his screen to look.

Ignoring his brother, Flint rewound the video to get a second look. "Hey, Felix, look at this," Flint said, grabbing his brother's attention.

Felix turned to Flint's monitor as it replayed the video of the two barely visible children running across the screen.

"Am I seeing things?" Flint asked, doubting his senses. "Are those two girls? Or do I need to lay off the girl scout cookies?"

Felix glanced at the video then looked at his brother flatly. "They're real, but that shouldn't stop you, you're stinking up the basement," he added before turning back to his screen.

Flint paused the video when he noticed a large glass vial in one girl's hand reflecting off the light.

"What's she holding?" Flint wondered out loud as he squinted at the paused image.

**οοοοοοο**

Positioned next to Hunter's building, Maria watched Kai pack up his gun on a neighbouring rooftop. Her orders from Freya were clear; observe and report. That was what she tried to do until she witnessed the same males she had battled a few nights ago target the humans in the parking lot. It was hard for her not to do more to help them, but she had to be as discreet as possible.

Seconds later, Wyatt returned carrying two young children. The girls were likely related to the males, given they all possessed similar features. The female holding the container of vita-plasm had long hair, and Maria could not help but notice the large handgun strapped to her belt that stood out against her small stature. The other female had chin-length hair with her bangs pinned back.

As soon as Wyatt and the girls arrived, Kai threw his gun over his shoulder, and they all departed. The four members of the Remez clan jumped into the night's sky with the brothers each carrying a child.

Maria decided to follow the four siblings while keeping a safe distance. Although Maria promised to stay nearby, she wanted to learn more about this family and their connection to Omicron.

**οοοοοοο**

_Remez Residence – 2330 hrs_

Back at the Remez penthouse, Lucy was sitting in front of her unusually cluttered desk with an exasperated expression on her face. Standing before Lucy was her son Levi and behind him was the female hostage. Adley was unconscious, injured, and restrained on the marble floor with a towel tucked under her head. The last thing Lucy wanted was to have their captive's bleeding face messing up her floor and furniture.

"Are you sure this is all of it?" Lucy asked Levi while motioning to the stack of file folders, papers, and note pads covering her desk. "What about her electronic devices?" Lucy braced herself, knowing she was not going to like the answer.

"Don't worry," Levi said proudly. "I smashed all the electronics. I destroyed everything like you said."

Lucy shook her head in frustration. "I said to destroy all her notes and take all the electronics," she explained, trying to restrain her displeasure when she noticed the sad look forming on her son's face. Lucy sighed. "But it's my fault for sending you alone," she explained, unable to stay mad at him. She could never bring herself to hurt Levi's feelings when all the big lug wanted to do was make her happy.

"Did I do bad?" the thick, muscly man asked.

"No, you did well," Lucy lied, forcing a smile. "You brought the right girl, didn't you? Now, get yourself a snack. You deserve it."

Levi smiled and exited the room, excited by the mentioning of snacks.

While Levi rushed towards the kitchen, Lucy returned her attention to the mess of papers in front of her. She picked up a folder and started flipping through it but stopped when she heard footsteps running across the marble floor outside her office.

Belladonna entered the room carrying the vita-plasm. "Here you go," the young girl said as she placed the container of fluid on the desk.

"Excellent," Lucy said with a smile, pleased with her daughters' success. "Anything to report?"

"Yeah, Hunter's dead," Belladonna said then waited to see her mother's reaction.

"Good, he deserved it," Lucy replied casually. "Who did it?"

"Styx," Belladonna said with a smile, she always enjoyed being the provider of juicy gossip.

"Interesting," Lucy said as she contemplated the news. A smile appeared on her face as she considered the betrayal that had just occurred. Nyx was always known for stirring things up. "I wonder what she has planned," Lucy thought out loud.

"But, won't the Council be displeased?" Belladonna asked, not anticipating her mother's upbeat reaction. "I know he's not one of us, but I thought he was important to their mission."

"You're right. He is _not_ one of us, therefore completely expendable," Lucy reminded her daughter. "But if he still had some value, Nyx will answer for her actions, and I'm sure we'll hear about it. Our concern is your father, remember, clan always comes first."

"What are you doing with her?" Belladonna asked, realizing that the hostage was in the room.

"First, I need to find out what she knows," Lucy said before glancing over to see if Adley was awake. "She is taking forever to wake up. Levi did a number on her."

Belladonna smiled. "Are you going to kill her?"

"That doesn't concern you," Lucy informed the girl. "Now, please put that somewhere safe," she directed as she motioned to the vita-plasm on the desk.

Belladonna picked up the glass jar and exited the room while Lucy returned to the stack of documents before her.

**οοοοοοο**

_Rendezvous Rooftop – 2335 hrs_

Freya was waiting unaccompanied when Maria arrived. The young adolescent returned Freya's earpiece, but when she tried to pass back the cellphone, the older woman refused to accept it.

Freya smiled. "You keep it. Everyone needs a phone."

"Thanks," Maria replied, putting the mobile device in her pocket.

Freya's expression shifted to look of concern. "Did ya hear?"

"That he's dead, yeah." Maria's expression was void of emotion as she tried to maintain a hard exterior.

"I know he raised you. How are you feeling?"

"I dunno," Maria replied, not sure exactly what she should be feeling. "He was an evil man who did horrible things, but he was the closest thing I had to a family. Now he's gone, and I still don't know who I am or where I came from."

"Don't worry, kiddo. I'll do whatever I can to help you," Freya reassured. "If ya need a place to stay, you can always come live with us."

"Thanks for the offer," Maria said sincerely. "Maybe I'll take you up on it when this is all over, but I need some time. I'm going back to Hunter's apartment to see what I can dig up before Omicron ransacks the place. I'll let you know if I find anything."

"When you're finished, come by our place. The others will want to hear from ya."

"I will," Maria assured Freya before parting for the only place she could call home.

**οοοοοοο**

_David Hunter Laboratory – 2345 hrs_

With the parking lot full of police cruisers, the authorities were already on the scene and gathering evidence. If the mysterious sniper was not strange enough, they discovered the property riddled with unconscious security personnel. The three employees that regained consciousness at the scene could not provide any details of the assailants, and the security video receiver that contained all the security footage was missing. But that was the least of the messed-up shit they found that night.

Inside the main-floor laboratory, Richard was examining the scene while Elaine looked through a desk. Reese, with his injured arm in a sling, flipped through a nearby filing cabinet.

Richard examined the vita-plasm extractor then turned to the two agents. "Okay, they were doing some fucked up shit over here," he said while pointing to the containment cell full of tubing. "And did you see those diagrams? It looks like they were trying to put wings on people."

Elaine stopped reading to look up at the mechanism. "It's big enough to hold a human."

"Do you think Omicron is experimenting on humans?" Richard asked.

"Not Omicron, this building is owned by Doctor Hunter," Elaine corrected. "Well, technically, his company owns the building."

Richard's already puzzled expression deepened. "But doesn't he work for Omicron?"

"They hired him as a consultant," explained Elaine. "He's been the owner of MacCo Industries for over thirty years now. His family founded the textile business in the early nineteen-hundreds."

"Textile factory would not be my first guess," Richard commented while looking around the laboratory. The room reminded him of a contemporary Frankenstein movie. "So, this might have nothing to do with Omicron?"

"Still too early to say," Elaine answered.

"Whatever is going on here, David Hunter is now a prime suspect," Reese added as he pulled a handful of files out of the cabinet.

Before Richard could ask any more questions, he was interrupted by the sound of his phone vibrating in his pocket. He retrieved the device to review the incoming message before turning back to the agents.

"Speak of the devil," Richard said to Reese while holding up his phone. "They just found your prime suspect's body two floors up."

**οοοοοοο**

_Nyx's Residence – 2345 hrs_

Inside the quiet abode, Nyx was sitting in her study reading a book when John entered with some news.

"I just received word that the police were on the premises before our crew could tend to the scene."

"That was fast," Nyx remarked. "I wonder what's drawing their attention?"

"I could think of several reasons. You seem to surround yourself with unruly and unpredictable people."

"Through no fault of my own," Nyx said. "I'm trying to do the best I can with the cards I've been dealt."

"Maybe the police were there for Hunter, he is known to engage in risky and illegal endeavours," John reminded. "I did try to warn you about his shifting loyalties two months ago."

"You were right, like always," Nyx agreed. "No one crosses me and gets away with it. After everything I did for that man over the last century, he had the audacity to sell the vita-serum behind my back!" Nyx was furious at the thought of Hunter's betrayal. There were seven people in this world she trusted, only three of them were human, and Hunter used to be one of them. She had to make sure he paid the ultimate price for crossing her.

"I've located his client list and contacted his buyers," John said. "We can continue to sell it to them at the current price. Maybe offer them a discount when it becomes available to the public."

"Maybe a slight discount," Nyx corrected. "But do you think Joy will be able to head the department until Shalu returns? He's a little young."

"He has the knowledge and experience working under Hunter. I think he's a good match. I vetted him myself."

"Let's hope he's up to the challenge," Nyx agreed hesitantly. "At least it's only for another two weeks."

"Then there's the matter of the missing vita-plasm," John said. "Joy said it disappeared before the police arrived."

Nyx signed. "Probably one of Sevan's brats."

"I believe Hunter was giving him the synthetic version."

Nyx looked a little surprised by this news. "Well, that would explain why Sevan's been looking like crap lately."

"Hunter was likely withholding the real vita-plasm for himself," John assumed.

"You never did trust him," Nyx said, a little surprised by the extent of John's distrust of Hunter after all these years. "I guess your intuition was right again."

John grinned. "And that's why you keep me around, madam."

"True," Nyx agreed. "Arrange a meeting with Doctor Joy for first thing Monday morning," she directed before turning her attention back to her book.

"Yes, madam," John replied while exiting the room.

**οοοοοοο**

_Markovich Residence – 2355 hrs_

Quinn stood outside the second-floor hallway waiting patiently. Tempest examined the two young girls in Brook's room while Ebony tended to Diana in the spare bedroom. After being inside for over twenty minutes, Tempest was the first to emerge with her supplies in hand.

"How are they?" Quinn asked eagerly.

"The little ones are still unconscious, but physically they appear fine," Tempest advised. "Diana, on the other hand, is extremely enervated, it'll slow her recovery."

"Is there anything we can do to help?"

Tempest shook her head no before saying, "We've done all we can, they just need time to rest."

"Thank you for helping them."

"No need to thank me," Tempest replied with a smile before giving Quinn a concerned look. "You look tired. You should get some rest."

Quinn smiled faintly. "I will."

Tempest exited towards the third floor just as Trenton entered from the main floor. He spotted Quinn standing in the hallway with her arms folded and a sombre expression on her face.

"Are you okay?" Trenton asked, matching his partner's troubled expression.

Quinn, exhausted and discouraged, turned to look at her partner and sighed deeply. "You know, finding out he was alive after all these years, I thought the one upside was getting a second chance to make him pay for everything he did to us." Tears started to form in Quinn's eyes as she talked to the one person who knew exactly how she was feeling. "I tried to tell myself this was about saving Diana and the girls, but part of me wanted nothing more than to look him in the eyes and watch the life fade out of them, just like he did to me. I can't help but feel angry that we were robbed of the chance to confront him, and it terrifies me that I still feel this way." Quinn paused for a second to wipe away a tear running down her cheek. "It's like no matter how much I try, after all these years, I can't let it go..."

Quinn went silent when Trenton grabbed her tightly, pulling her in for a long embrace. Tears rolled freely down her face as she hugged her lover; her stress and anxiety instantly faded away in his strong arms.

Once they released each other, Quinn took a deep breath. "I needed that. Thanks," she said, still sniffling, but now with a smile.

**οοοοοοο**

Meanwhile, the basement was abuzz with activity, fueled by the adrenalin lingering from the rescue mission. With not a single person feeling sleepy, it was easy for Freya to find takers when she suggested a game of midnight poker upon her return. Freya, Marko, and Felix started counting chips while Axel and Brook pushed the chairs around to make room at the table. As the small group set up, Flint walked into the basement with a big bowl of peanut butter cup ice cream.

"Up for a game?" Brook asked Flint.

"What's the buy-in?" Flint questioned, slightly intrigued by the offer.

"Just five dollars, it's gettin' late," Brook replied as she sat down at the table with the others.

Flint laughed. "Thirty-dollar pot, I rather take a nap," he replied while walking into his bedroom with his ice cream.

Everyone was now seated at the table when Felix started to deal the cards.

"Good job tonight," Freya said to the group as she tossed in her ante.

The others nodded in agreement as they threw in their chips.

"How did Maria take the news?" Brook asked Freya while Felix dealt the flop.

"Hard to tell exactly," Freya replied with a shrug as she grabbed some chips and threw them in. "She seemed conflicted."

"How did he die?" Marko asked. "Was it Quinn?"

"No, Trent said it was a suicide," Brook explained.

"Doubt it," Freya corrected. "A man like that doesn't just off himself when cornered. He lives for his work."

"Poor Maria, she's too young to be out there all alone," Brook said.

"Maria may look young, but she's a tough one," Axel said, trying to reassure Brook. "If she needs help, she'll ask."

"Maria said the snipers from tonight were the same kin who attacked the two of you the other day," Freya informed Brook. "They were distracting the feds while two girls fled the building."

Felix flipped another card then placed the deck on the table. "Flint caught the girls on video," he added while everyone betted on the turn. "It appears they were there to retrieve something."

"Maybe they were the ones who killed Hunter," Marko suggested.

Before Freya could make a bet, she was interrupted by the ringing of the telephone. "Hold on a sec," she said to the group before walking over to the sofa and picking up the receiver. "Ahoy?"

"Hello? Freya?" a male voice said on the other end. "It's Arlo. I know it's late, but I didn't know who else to call." Arlo's voice sounded panicky and in distress. "I just left the police station, Adley's missing!"

"Arlo, calm down," Freya stopped him. "Don't worry, we'll find her. Just come over and try to avoid being followed this time."

X

# September 7th, 1886

_Josephine's Store (Manhattan, New York)_

It was late evening when a young woman named Tara exited the store holding a basket full of items. A closed sign hung on the door that was held open by the storeowner's wife as they conversed. Tara had a scarf over her head to conceal her hair and was wearing a slightly frayed dress and cape.

"Thank you, Josephine," Tara said to the older looking woman.

"No, thank you for the medicine," Josephine corrected with a smile. "Please pass on my sincere thanks to your friend. She saved Sammy's life."

Tara smiled. "I will. See you next week."

"Goodnight," Josephine said before retreating into the shop.

Tara was walking down a dark, empty street when the ear-piercing sound of a woman's screams originated from a nearby alleyway. Tara raced towards the sound and peered into the dark backstreet. Inside the alley, she observed two men struggling with a young female. The girl screamed again, prompting Tara to place her basket down and enter to help the woman in distress.

"Leave her alone!" Tara called to the attackers.

The two men stopped and turned their attention to Tara while still clutching the woman. Without warning, Tara was attacked from behind by a third man brandishing a knife. Tara grabbed the man and threw him towards the other two assailants, but not before the man sliced her arm with the weapon. The other men released the unknown female while dodging their incoming comrade. The terrified female fled the alleyway leaving Tara alone with the three males.

With the girl safely gone, Tara's eyes started to glow, and a surge of electricity expelled from her hands. The dark alleyway flashed brightly from the electrical energy hitting the three aggressors.

Unbeknownst to Tara, the flickering light drew the attention of a lone male walking down the street. Standing amongst the now unconscious men, Tara did not notice the passerby positioned at the mouth of the alleyway until he spoke.

"Simply amazing," the man said, causing Tara to turn around to face him. "I spotted the light from the street. Are you okay, miss?"

"I'm fine," Tara replied. She was a little nervous, given her current predicament. It had been decades since a human had witnessed her powers. She did not know if she should flee or continue talking.

The stranger was a slender man with dark brown hair and a mustache. He walked over to the unconscious males and checked for a pulse before turning back to Tara.

"They're alive," the man observed, causing Tara to let out a sigh of relief. He approached Tara and noticed her wound. "You're injured."

Tara glanced down at the deep cut on her forearm. "It's nothing," she said, shrugging it off.

The man reached into his pocket for a clean handkerchief. "Here, if you don't stop the bleeding, it could be lethal," he said while handing her the cloth. "I'm staying right around the corner. We can tend to it there."

Tara hesitantly looked at him. "I don't know you, that doesn't seem very wise."

"Miss, I've seen what you can do," the man said with a slight grin. "If anything, I should be wary of you."

Tara smiled back and nodded in agreement before following the man out of the alleyway. After taking a few steps, the man stopped and turned back to Tara.

"Excuse my rudeness. I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Nikola Tesla."

"My name is Tara."

Tara followed Nikola two blocks to a nearby hotel. Nikola entered through the door and switched on the light revealing a small room cluttered with boxes.

"Please excuse the mess, I just moved in," Nikola informed his guest.

"You live in a hotel?"

Nikola smiled. "Not ideal, but at least it has electricity."

Tara removed her headscarf, revealing her jet-black hair and golden coloured bangs. It was then that Nikola noticed her yellow eyes. His gaze lingered for a few seconds as he admired the woman's features but then turned away in fear of coming across as rude. Nikola started to search through his boxes, checking a few before locating his medical supplies. While Nikola looked for bandages, Tara began admiring some of his gadgets.

"What is this?" Tara asked, pointing to a small induction motor.

"Just a motor I've been tinkering with, I'm an electrical engineer," Nikola replied. "I'm between jobs at the moment, but hopefully not for long."

Seeing that Nikola was ready, Tara sat in a chair next to the desk.

With the supplies in hand, Nikola sat down next to Tara before continuing. "I have devoted my life to the study of technology and electricity," Nikola informed her. "I am interested in learning more about what I just witnessed."

Tara spotted a lightbulb on the desk next to her. Having never held one before, she picked it up and examined it. As she held the metal base of the bulb, she gave it a little charge causing it to flicker then light up.

Tara smiled at the illuminated object in her hand then turned to Nikola. "What would you like to know?"

Nikola was busy gazing at the light in her hand, mesmerized by the organic powered object. He snapped out of his trance to reply to Tara's inquiry.

"Many things," Nikola replied while he wrapped Tara's wound. "Would you allow me to conduct some tests? I have so many questions."

"I would love to help you, but it's late, and I must get back to my family."

Nikola had now finished bandaging her arm and looked up at the young woman. "Of course," he agreed, delighted to hear that she was willing to work with him. "How soon can you make yourself available?"

"How about tomorrow?"

"I have an important business meeting tomorrow," Nikola explained. "Do you mind meeting with me Thursday?"

"Yes, but it must be after sunset."

"Of course," Nikola agreed.

"Would you mind if I bring my daughter?" Tara asked. "She's very bright. She would be delighted to watch you conduct your experiments."

Nikola took a second to think over the request. "I don't normally allow children near my research," he said hesitantly. "But, since you are willing to assist me, I will make an exception."

"It's late, I should get back before they start worrying about me," Tara explained while standing up.

"Can I escort you home or call you a coach?" Nikola asked, standing up to escort the lady to the door.

"Not necessary. Thank you again for your help, Mr. Tesla."

"Please, call me Nikola."

**οοοοοοο**

**April 14** **th** **, 1893**

_Tesla's Laboratory (33-35 South 5_ _th_ _Ave, NY)_

Nikola's workshop encompassed the entire fourth floor of a six-story building. It contained hundreds of his ideas in the form of inventions, plans, notes, and records. Inside the shop, a young Freya with the appearance of a thirteen-year-old human was busy assembling a prototype for a new electrical transformer. She had messy hair tied up and was wearing overalls over an altered girl's undershirt. Freya was busy working when she heard a machine fire up behind her. The machine ran smoothly for a few seconds until a high-pitched squeal echoed through the room, prompting the device to be switch off. Freya looked up to see Nikola standing on the opposite side of the large workshop.

"It sounds like a coupling is loose," Freya suggested.

"Exactly what I was thinking," Nikola agreed while peering into the large generator. "Too much time has poured into fixing this already. My patience is starting to run thin."

"Well, there's always ditch-digging," Freya said with a playful grin.

Nikola did not return the smile, frowning at the girl. "Still too soon," he grumbled before turning back to his work.

"What are you working on?" Freya asked, unable to see what he was doing behind the machine.

"This is what I'm using to exhibit the polyphase system's power."

"For the exposition?"

"Yes," Nikola replied. "This exposition is our chance to demonstrate to the public the safety and reliability of AC power. Twelve of our _new_ systems will power nearly one hundred thousand bulbs."

Freya and Nikola's conversation paused when Tara walked into the room with a tray of food. Tara was wearing a light-blue dress that was altered in the back to allow room for her wings. Despite it being daytime, the females' wings were not visible due to the blacked-out windows and artificially lit room.

"Dinner time," Tara informed the two.

"Tara, before we eat, would you mind helping me with something?" Nikola asked.

"What would you like me to do?"

Freya pointed to the corner of the room. "Go over to that machine and zap it with everything you got."

"What's going to happen when I do?" Tara asked.

"We're trying to see if we can find a way to store your electricity," Freya replied. "We are testing different metals in different states to see if we can alter electrical resistance."

"Any success so far?" Tara asked as she walked over to the device.

"No," Freya replied.

Tara approached the machine stationed in the corner with a gage and two big metal handles attached to the sides. As soon as Tara touched the handles, her eyes started to glow while she transferred large amounts of electricity into the device. Nikola and Freya watched Tara, unaware that someone had entered the workshop behind them.

Standing in the doorway was a young man, appearing in his early twenties, with brown hair and brown eyes. "Excuse me, Mr. Tesla?" the unknown man shouted, alerting the others to his presence.

Startled by the newcomer, Freya and Nikola turned around while Tara immediately stopped powering the machine.

"Who are you?" Nikola demanded.

"I apologize, Mr. Tesla, but Mr. Westinghouse sent me," the young man explained, looking nervous and embarrassed by his intrusion. "He is leaving town within the hour and has important papers for you to sign before he departs."

Nikola removed his gloves in a snit. "Fine, but I ask that you never barge into my workshop again," he warned sternly. "It is insulting and dangerous."

"I tried knocking," the man responded defensively. "I heard the commotion inside and assumed you were too engulfed in your work to hear me. Please forgive me, but my uncle said it was urgent."

"George is your uncle? What's your name?" Tesla asked.

"David Gates."

As the two men conversed, Tara and Freya were dusting and sweeping in the background, pretending to be maids.

Nikola quickly walked over to his coat rack to retrieve his jacket and hat.

"There's always time for manners and proper edict, my boy," Nikola lectured the young adult before turning to the two females. "When your done cleaning, please lock up on your way out."

"Yes, sir," Tara replied.

After the two men exited the shop, Freya turned to her mother. "That was close," she said, letting out a sigh of relief. "We were lucky the blinds were shut, or it could have been a lot worse. Do you think he saw anything?"

**"** If he did, he would not know what to make of it," Tara reassured her daughter then looked up at the clock. "It will be dark soon. We should get ready to return home."

"Do I have to go back?" Freya asked. "There's something I'm working on, and it can't wait until next week."

"You know I don't like you spending time in the city alone," her mother said with a stern tone, making it clear that the decision was final. "It's too dangerous," she added as she put down the broom and retrieved her cape.

" _Fine_ ," Freya grumbled before packing up her belongings.

**οοοοοοο**

_Sanctuary_

Eventide was descending upon Sanctuary, where a small group of kin hastened to complete their chores before dinner. Tempest was prepping the garden for the growing season while her young niece and nephew played nearby. Adolescents Brook and Finn were busy cleaning animal hide while Marko chopped wood next to Tempest.

Taking a quick break, Marko lowered his axe and looked over at the older woman. "Shouldn't Trent be back by now?" he asked Tempest. "Tara and Freya will be home soon."

As Marko spoke, Tempest could hear his stomach growl in hunger. She smiled at the hungry youth.

"Quinn went with him. They must have lost track of time again," Tempest explained. "I'm sure they'll be back with the catch any moment now."

**οοοοοοο**

Along the edge of a nearby pond, an unattended pail of fish supported a wooden pole that was attached to a line leading into the calm water. Not a creature could be seen in this quiet and tranquil scene until a loud _SNAP_ reverberated from the surrounding treeline. Suddenly, a small patch of treetops started rustling, and two adolescents came flying out of the forest amidst a heated battle.

Quinn's black and gold and Trenton's black and blue wings shined in the amber sunlight as they vigorously tried to block each other's kicks and punches midair. The two sparrers landed near the edge of the pond. Quinn positioned herself on top of Trenton, giving her the advantage. Trenton tried to stand up, but the young girl successfully shifted behind him, placing him in a headlock. As Trenton struggled unsuccessfully to break free, his eyes started to glow, followed by a small wave of water splashing up in Quinn's face. With his sparing partner distracted, Trenton successfully managed to grab hold of Quinn and throw her into the shallow water.

Quinn, now soaking wet and defeated, looked up at him. "You cheated," she said with a grin.

"You said not to hold back," Trenton replied with a shrug.

"I did say that," Quinn assented.

Trenton walked to the water's edge and held out his hand to help Quinn up, but instead of standing, Quinn retaliated by pulling him into the water on top of her.

Young, in love, and heated from the adrenalin pumping fight, the couple started kissing before Trenton stopped his partner.

"Shouldn't we bring back dinner first?" he wondered, knowing exactly where this was going.

"It's not sunset yet," Quinn answered with a playful smile then continued to kiss Trenton as the sun set behind the distant tree line.

**οοοοοοο**

**August 6th, 1894**

_Sanctuary_

It was a hot and sunny afternoon outside Sanctuary. The inhabitants were hard at work partaking in chores or assisting with the dinner preparations. Tempest, Rowan, and Ebony were out checking traps leaving Marko in charge of roasting two ducks over the fire. Trenton and Freya were tending to the garden while Brook cut fresh vegetables for dinner. Since it was such a beautiful day, Quinn and Tara sat outside the cabin mending clothes.

"Can you tend to the rest by yourself?" Tara asked her daughter. "Your sister and I are travelling to the city tonight."

"Why?" Quinn questioned, unhappy with the news. "We won't need supplies for another week at least."

"Josephine is expecting me, and I promised your sister I would accompany her in."

"Do you think it's wise to be going into the city so often? Even you said you had an uneasy feeling on your last trip."

"Yes, that's why we are taking a different route," Tara explained. Sensing something was wrong, Tara looked at her daughter inquisitively. "Is there something you're not telling me? We've been doing this for decades, why are you objecting now?"

Quinn's face turned red, not expecting that line of questioning. "No-nothing, I have a bad feeling, that's all. I was also hoping we could spend some time together, maybe talk."

"Why don't you come with us?" Tara suggested.

Quinn started to look uneasy. She was about to reply to her mother when Marko came running up to them. He was eating a duck wing that had fallen off while roasting.

"Tara," Marko called out, interrupting the mother-daughter conversation. "Freya said you two are going into the city tonight. Can I tag along?"

"Sure, Marcus. And what about you?" Tara asked Quinn.

By now, the aroma of Marko's food had wafted towards Quinn, causing a nauseated expression to appear on her face.

"I—uh, no. I can't..." Quinn struggled to speak while fighting back the gag feeling in the back of her throat. "Excuse me," she barely managed to say before running off.

Quinn fled into the forest, holding out long enough to duck behind the first tree she could find.

Noticing Quinn vomiting up a storm, Brook approached. She leaned on an adjacent tree with arms crossed, waiting until Quinn stopped retching.

"So, I guess you haven't told your mom yet," Brook observed.

Finally finished, Quinn whipped her lip and glanced up at Brook with a nervous expression.

"Tell her what?" Quinn asked, trying to play dumb.

"Come on," Brook said with a know-it-all grin. "I know your preg—"

Before Brook could finishing saying the word, Quinn jumped forward to cover her mouth. "He told you!" Quinn exclaimed in disbelief.

"He didn't have to tell me. He's my brother, I can read him like a book," Brook said. "The poor guy should have someone to talk to about this. It's not his fault you're taking so long to tell Tara."

"Like you would be excited to tell _your_ mom if you were in my position."

"Umm, my mom is dead," Brook reminded her.

"Don't try to guilt-trip me, Brook. You know what I mean."

"I don't know why you're so scared. Tara was around your age when she had you and your sister."

"And she almost died giving birth to us," Quinn informed her. "Mom always said she wanted a better life for all of us, and I go screw it all up. I'm not ready for this..."

"Your mom wasn't ready when she had you, and look, she practically raised the six of us," Brook reassured. "Plus, you'll have Trent helping you, and he'll be a great dad."

Quinn crossed her arms defensively. "I don't know what he's been telling you, but I don't get the feeling he's overly excited by this."

"Of course he's nervous, who wouldn't be? It'll all change once their born," Brook explained, trying to make Quinn feel better. "What's been up with you lately? Is it the _hormones_?" she whispered.

"I don't know, it could be," Quinn said truthfully. She had no idea why she had been feeling this way but assumed it was related to the stress, exhaustion, and ever-present nausea of early pregnancy. "I have this uneasy feeling like everything is going to change."

Brook snorted while letting out a loud laugh. "That's because things _are_ going to change," she informed the mother-to-be. "Say goodbye to fun, sleep, alone time. Not to mention the physical changes, you're going to get so huge, then there're stretch marks and..."

Refusing to listen to another word, Quinn ignored Brook's teasing and left in search of food to satisfy her sudden craving for something sweet.

**οοοοοοο**

_Tesla's Laboratory_

It was now late evening and Tara, Freya, and Marko were wrapping up their visit to the laboratory. As Freya was busy tinkering, Marko sat next to her, passing over tools while simultaneously eating blackberries. Tara was in the background quietly tidying.

"When is Nikola returning from his business trip?" Marko asked between mouthfuls.

"Wednesday," Freya replied as she tightened some bolts. She paused when she glanced up and noticed the expression on Tara's face. "What's wrong, Mom? You look worried."

"We should go," Tara said. "I still need to bring the supplies to Josephine, and I wanted to talk to your sister before she goes to sleep. She's been acting so strange lately. I'm worried about her."

Tara noticed Freya and Marko exchanged awkward glances causing her to look at the two suspiciously. "You don't know what's going on with your sister, do you?" she asked Freya.

"Ya know how private she is," Freya replied, trying to deflect. "She doesn't tell me anything."

Tara was skeptical of her daughter's answer but did not press the issue further and quietly started packing. "Are you ready to go?"

**"** Please, can we stay here?" Freya begged. "I'm not alone this time. I have Marko with me."

Tara considered the request. "I'm not sure that's a good idea," she said hesitantly.

"Please, you know I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important," Freya pleaded, clasping her hands as she begged for her mother's approval. "I still have so much work to do, _please_."

"I suppose you two are old enough to travel home on your own," Tara reluctantly agreed.

"Thanks, Mom," Freya beamed.

Tara put on her cape and fetched her basket. "Be careful," she warned the adolescents before exiting.

Freya and Marko stood silently for a few seconds to ensure that Tara had left before turning to each other with faces full of excitement.

**"** You get the whiskey and glasses," Freya ordered Marko. "I'll start the calibrating," she said before turning back to the piece of machinery.

**οοοοοοο**

_Josephine's Store_

It was late by the time Tara arrived at Josephine's residence. With the store closed, she knew the family would be in their quarters located behind the storefront. Tara walked up to Josephine's side entrance and knocked on the door. Tara waited to hear the usual sound of footsteps approaching from inside, but this time she failed to notice. She was about to knock again when the door suddenly opened, startling her. It was not until she saw Josephine's familiar face that Tara's nerves started to settle.

Without saying a word, Josephine smiled wearily and stepped aside to let her friend in. Tara entered and was mortified by the scene before her. Josephine's husband was facedown on the kitchen table in a small pool of blood. Next to him was a large man with one gloved hand over Josephine's son's mouth and the other holding a knife to the boy's throat.

Immobilized from the initial shock, Tara had no time to react before she heard movement behind her, followed by the sudden pressure of a blunt object striking the top of her head.

**οοοοοοο**

**August 7** **th** **, 1894**

_Tesla's Laboratory_

Inside Nikola's workshop, the newly opened window shades permitted some much-needed morning sunlight to illuminate the room. The beam of bright light hit Freya's face as she laid passed out on the floor, forcing her awake. Lying next to her was Marko, asleep and surrounded by an empty bottle, two glasses, and various tools.

"Ugh, my head," Freya said while holding her forehead as she slowly sat up. "Marko, you alive?" she asked while poking the boy next to her. Marko did not move but responded with a groan.

Freya looked around slowly, trying to avoid any unnecessary throbbing. She glanced next to her and was surprised to discover a strange cylinder-shaped machine on the floor. The unusual device was mounted on a tripod and pointed at a charred hole on the adjacent wall.

**"** What the hell did I make last night?" Freya wondered while studying the contraption. "Ugh, remind me never to drink and build again," she added while looking from the device to the damaged wall.

"Why is the room spinning?" Marko asked, finally sitting up while holding his head.

"It's spinning to remind you of how foolish you are," Quinn's voice answered from across the room.

Freya and Marko look back to discover Quinn standing near the window with her arms crossed. Knowing something was wrong, Freya ignored her throbbing cranium and stood up to address her twin. "What are you doing here?"

"Where's Mom? I need to talk to her."

"What do you mean? She didn't come home last night?" Freya asked. She was still slightly intoxicated from last night and was not thinking clearly.

"She must be nearby. She wouldn't leave you two here alone."

"This is not good. Mom left for Sanctuary last night. She said we could stay," Freya informed her sister.

"Where could she be?" Marko wondered.

Freya approached the coatrack to retrieve her jacket. "She said she was going to visit Josephine."

Quinn looked troubled by this news. "Something must have happened. She wouldn't leave us for this long."

"No point worrying until we talk to Josephine," Freya said, trying to stay positive. "Let's go," she directed as they exited the laboratory.

**οοοοοοο**

_Josephine's Storefront_

Freya, Marko, and Quinn stood in an alleyway wearing hats and oversized coats. They tried to remain out of sight as they canvassed Josephine's family store from across the street. Standing in front of the business were two police officers conversing with Josephine's neighbours. Seconds later, two blanketed adult-sized bodies were carried out of the store, followed by a smaller frame.

"This is not good," Freya said as an acute feeling of dread started to grow in the pit of her stomach.

"Who would do such a thing?" Marko asked in disbelief. "Murder an innocent woman and child like that?"

Tears started to form in Quinn's eyes as she watched the men place the boy's body inside the horse-drawn coach. She was confident that the person or persons responsible for this also abducted her mother. With her fists clenched in anger, Quinn vowed to bring vengeance upon those responsible with a might and fury the likes of which they have never seen.

X-II

# March 2nd, 1895

_South East Manhattan_

It was nearing midnight, and the neighbourhood was quiet. A man name Joe raced around the street corner, attempting to hide from the unknown creature closing in on him. The panic-stricken man darted into an alleyway knocking over some cans while ducking down behind a pile of trash. Joe peaked above the trash pile, trying to see if he successfully lost his pursuer. He ducked down immediately upon spotting the cloaked figure pass in front of the alleyway. Joe held his breath while silently praying that the monster would not find him.

After a few seconds of silence, Joe peered over the garbage pile to find the mouth of the alleyway unoccupied. Assuming he was safe, Joe stood up when he suddenly felt the presence of someone behind him. He turned around only to discover the cloaked figure standing over him.

A large hood concealed the figure's face except for the pair of glowing yellow demon eyes burning into his soul. Joe's legs became frozen in terror, causing him to fall back into the pile of trash. With no chance of defending himself, Joe's screams were silenced as soon as the creature pounced.

**οοοοοοο**

**March 3** **rd** **, 1895**

_David Gate's Residence (Queens, NY)_

It was morning, and David Gates sat in his study reading the newspaper. His concentration was suddenly interrupted by the sound of the telephone ringing, prompting him to get up and answer it. The caller was an acquaintance named Tommy calling from a payphone inside a busy apartment complex. It was difficult for David to hear the hysterical man with all the commotion in the background.

"Mr. Gates, you gotta help me!" Tommy said, his voice sounding frantic and frightened. "George and Joe've been killed! I heard someone's been askin' about the job. I know they're comin' for me next!"

"What? You said there were no witnesses," David exclaimed angrily. "You didn't tell them my name, did you?"

"No, I didn't tell no one," Tommy's voice assured. "That's why you gotta help me, please!"

"Fine, meet me the same place as last time," David sighed, frustrated with Tommy's stupidity. "Be there at noon on the dot."

"I will. Thank you," Tommy's voice replied before ending the call.

As soon as David hung up the telecommunication device, it immediately started to ring again. He grabbed the receiver in frustration. "WHAT?" he yelled at the caller.

"David, is that you? It's me, William," the male voice stated hesitantly. "Is everything okay?"

David's posture changed, and he forced himself to calm down before speaking. "My apologies, William, I thought you were someone else. What can I do for you?"

"I have good news," William's voice replied cheerfully. "I was contacted by some overseas investors who would like to discuss your research with you. They're intrigued by your doctoral thesis on cellular degradation."

David smiled. "I am happy to hear this, William. Good news, indeed!"

"They should be arriving this Saturday."

"Many thanks," David said, excited by the news. "Let them know I will make myself available at their earliest convenience."

"I will, good day."

"Good day to you, too," David said, beaming. He was still smiling as he hung up the receiver and exited the room towards the basement. Down inside the damp, cold cellar was a primitive lab consisting of a surgical chair with rope restraints and a caged area big enough for a human, both were unoccupied. There was a desk covered with notes in one corner and next to the surgical chair was another wooden table that held some medical supplies. In the other corner of the room was a trunk locker and a large safe. Gates proceeded directly towards the cabinet and pulled out a black bag. Unlocking the safe, he retrieved a crossbow, a handgun, and some ammunition. He then shut the door to the locker and closed the safe before leaving to meet Tommy.

**οοοοοοο**

_Sanctuary_

It was late morning, and Trenton was on the hunt for Quinn after he awoke to find her missing.

Locating his sister, Trenton approached her for help. "Have you seen Quinn?"

"You lost her?" Brook asked, sounding surprised by the news. "She's cutting it close. Not very responsible if you ask me."

"I'm sure she's not alone, Freya's gone too," Trenton explained while secretly hoping he was right.

"She's due any day now," Brook remarked. "I know she's been busy looking for Tara and all, but she should start taking better care of herself."

"I'm going into the city to look for her. If she comes back—"

"Tell her to stay put," Brood interrupted, finishing his sentence.

Eager to find his partner, Trenton hurried to get ready for his journey into the city. He knew exactly where to find Freya, but Quinn was a completely different story. If the two sisters were not together, he just prayed Quinn was not off engaging in anything too risky.

**οοοοοοο**

_Tesla's Laboratory_

It was almost noon, Freya and Marko had started tidying up before lunch while Nikola sat at his desk writing notes. When the youths finished cleaning, Freya walked over and peeked at Nikola's work. It included a ruff sketch of something she had never seen before.

"What are you doing?" Freya asked the inventor.

"I've been thinking about that contraption you built a few months back," Nikola explained.

"That again? I repaired the damages to your wall," Freya reminded him, embarrassed that he brought it up.

"No, not that," Nikola corrected. "Your design gave me an idea for a weapon using electrostatic repulsion."

Freya sat on the edge of his desk and studied the paper. "I see, you're going to accelerate the projectiles inside a vacuum before firing."

Before Nikola could respond, Trenton entered the workshop with his hat and coat still on. The tall man scanned the room before he turned to Freya for help.

"Do you know where Quinn is? I haven't seen her since yesterday," Trenton said with a worried expression.

Being both shocked and angered by the news, Freya jumped up off the desk. "THAT GIRL!" she yelled in frustration. "She said she'd wait!"

"Wait for what?" Trenton asked.

"Remember when the woman who worked across the street from Josephine gave us a description of three suspects?"

"Yes, but she said she didn't know their names and they stopped coming after Tara went missing," Trenton remembered.

"She gave us a lead yesterday," Freya started to explain. "She said that her friend's brother owes money to the owner of a saloon uptown. The owner sent some thugs to her friend's house looking for the brother. She was at the house when it happened, and she recognized one of them."

"Did she give you a name or address?"

Freya shook her head. "No, but it happens that Marko and I know the night bartender that works at the saloon. It's the only place in a five-mile radius that has high stakes poker."

"Then what were you and Quinn waiting for?" Trenton questioned as Freya's explanation came full circle.

"The bartender was off last night," Freya explained. "We probably could have tracked him down, but Quinn was tired and lookin' like shit. She needed a break, so I told her to wait, and we'll talk to him on shift tonight. She said she was goin' back to Sanctuary to see you."

"We have to go find her," Trenton said anxiously.

"How irresponsible of her!" Freya exclaimed in frustration. "I can't believe she would go off alone!"

"Really? I can," Marko piped up.

"Well, normally, yes," Freya agreed, realizing he was right. "But in her condition, that's a whole new level of recklessness."

"And extremely dangerous," Marko agreed.

"And unbecoming of a lady with child," added Nikola.

"Yes! Now let's go!" Trenton ordered as he hurried towards the door while Freya and Marko gathered their coats and followed.

**οοοοοοο**

_Queens, NY_

It was exactly noon when David arrived between two large buildings located near the edge of a metal manufacturing district along the East River. Being Sunday and lunch hour, the location he selected was scarcely populated and ideally secluded for this encounter.

In the shadows, David could see a cloaked figure with layers of black cloth covering its entire body. Spotting David, it emerged from the shadows and stepped into the direct sunlight revealing a pair of black and gold wings. The Grim Reaper like creature watched silently, its glowing yellow eyes piercing through the opening of its hood.

Kneeling afore the mysterious figure was Tommy, a young man with short brown hair and of average height. He was hunched forward with his head down and his hands tied behind his back. Blood dripped from his obscured face, pooling into a small puddle on the ground.

The figure jerked the chains attached to Tommy's hands, forcing the hostage to lose his balance and almost faceplant before catching himself. Tommy looked up at David with utter terror in his eyes.

"Mr. Gates! Please hel—"

The young man stopped when electricity flowed through the chains and up to his arms, causing him to squeal in pain.

Appearing apathetic to Tommy's suffering, David quickly pulled out his handgun and shot Tommy in the head, killing him instantly.

The figure dropped the chains and rushed David while its eyes started to brighten from under the hood. Before the creature could use its powers, David had already reached for his crossbow and fired. Instead of arrows, the customized weapon discharged a weighted metal cord that successfully wrapped around his target.

The impact knocked the cloaked figure down. It thrashed around on the ground, attempting to free itself. The figure's eyes began to glow brighter from under the hood as it tried to use its powers but to no avail.

"Try all you want, but those restraints counter your electric charge," David explained as he knelt next to his captive. "Now, let's see who's hiding under there."

David pulled back the hood revealing Quinn.

"Aww, you must be one of her offspring," David said with a smile. "You look just like her."

An enraged Quinn struggled against her restraints while glaring at David. "Where's my mother!"

Witnessing the girl's furry made David's smile grow wider. "You must have been so worried about her," he stated, enjoying Quinn's plight. "Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but she died unexpectedly. The good news is now I have you to take her place."

Quinn continued to struggle as David reached into his pocket. He pulled out a box containing a full syringe and held her down while injecting her in the neck. With his new specimen incapacitated, David picked Quinn up and proceeded towards his awaiting carriage.

**οοοοοοο**

_Manhattan Rooftop_

Nighttime had fallen upon the city. After hours of searching, the small group was no further forward in locating Quinn. Trenton, Freya, Marko, and Tempest had just gathered to discuss their next move when Brook and Finn joined them seconds later.

"Any news?" Trenton asked hopefully, only to have his hopes shattered by the look on their faces.

"I tracked down the suspect," Freya informed them. "He and two of his known associates were all murdered within the last twenty-four hours."

"Sounds like Quinn," Marko confirmed.

"But if they're all dead, where is she?" Finn asked.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Brook commented, the only one willing to say what they were all thinking.

**οοοοοοο**

**March 9th, 1895**

_Manhattan, NY_

It was an early Saturday morning in the business district. Inside a large office located on the top floor of a five-story building, two men sat waiting. Sitting at his desk was William Cooke, a dark-haired man in his mid-thirties. Sitting across from him was a tall, pale, and younger-looking man with blond hair named Jovan Leblanc.

"Thank you for permitting me the use of your office," Jovan said in flawless English, but with a slight hint of a French accent. "I realize you are a busy man. I appreciate the accommodation."

"No trouble at all," William replied with a smile. "My old man always said your company's accounts helped build our business from the ground up. We hold you and your employers at the highest regards."

"This relationship certainly has stood the test of time," Jovan agreed. "We consider loyalties like yours assists to our success."

"I couldn't agree more," William said, beaming with delight. "If you need anything at all during your stay, do not hesitate to ask."

"Wonderful," Jovan replied with a slight grin. "You will be happy to know that we are looking to expand, and I think you will be pleased to hear what we have planned."

William appeared excited by this news. He was about to reply when the conversation was interrupted by knocking, followed by David entering the office.

William raised from his desk to greet his friend. "David, punctual as always," he informed the doctor. "Please allow me to introduce you to Monsieur Leblanc. He is eager to speak with you."

Jovan was now standing and walked over to greet David formally.

The two men shook hands before William continued. "Now, if you will excuse me, I will let you two get down to business," he informed the gentlemen before standing up from his desk to exit.

"Nice to finally meet you, Mister Gates," the Frenchman greeted while motioning for David to take William's chair. "Please, have a seat."

Accepting the offer, David proceeded to sit at his friend's desk.

Sitting back down, Jovan got down to business. "As I'm sure you know, I am meeting with you because my employers are interested in your research."

"Your employers are too busy to be here in person?" David asked, upset that he was only meeting with what appeared to be the messenger boy.

Sensing David's frustration, Jovan tried to reassure him. "Don't take it the wrong way. They wish to meet you as soon as possible. As you know, they are willing to invest in your research. But first, you must pass the vetting process. That's why I'm here."

"What would you like to know?"

"I'll get straight to the point," said Jovan seriously. "We've been watching you. We know the origin of your research, and we know about your test subjects." Jovan smiled as David squirmed in his chair. "If you want to do business with us, you will have to modify a few things."

"Modify a few things?" David asked, slightly insulted. "What if I refuse?"

"For one, you will be missing out on an opportunity of a lifetime. They are willing to go to great lengths to further your research, but only on the condition that you play by _their_ rules."

David took a second to contemplate the proposition before responding. "I will agree if the price is right. What do you want me to do exactly?"

"We will get to that in a moment," Jovan said as he sat back in his chair casually. "First, I have a few questions about your research."

**οοοοοοο**

**March 18** **th** **, 1895**

_Westinghouse's Residence_

It was mid-evening when George Westinghouse, having returned from a long and exhausting business trip, invited Nikola over for a drink. Sitting in the study, George confided in his drinking companion.

"It's just awful, Nikola," George said, looking tired and worn as he sipped his drink. "All the patent battles and takeover attempts with General Electric, I don't know if my health can take much more of it. And the lawyers, I sometimes wonder if it's worth the fight. Maybe I should settle."

"It might be a wise decision," Nikola suggested truthfully. "They do have backers with deep pockets."

George sighed. "Yes, with J. P. Morgan backing them, it will only be a matter of time before the lawyers bleed me dry, and they wouldn't even break a sweat."

"Do you know any investors willing to assist you?" Nikola asked. He hated seeing his friend this distraught.

"I assure you, if I knew some, I would have asked already," George informed his friend before taking another long sip. "Maybe I should ask one of those French businessmen," he commented as he swirled the remaining liquid in his glass.

"French businessmen?"

"Or maybe they were Dutch," William said with a shrug. "Some European businessmen are in town looking for new investment ideas. Remember David, my wife's nephew that worked as my assistant a few years back? They just agreed to invest in his research on cells or something of that sort."

Nikola drank as he listened attentively to William but did not find the topic of in-laws very stimulating. "Interesting," he said before taking another sip.

"And to think, just last year, my wife's family considered committing him after he raved about angels walking amongst us." William let out a slight laugh at the thought. "I assured her it was just pressure from school."

"Sorry to interrupt, but did you say he was ranting about angels?" Nikola asked, suddenly becoming responsive to what his friend was saying.

George smiled. "Even more bizarre than that. He said they had invisible wings and could control lightning. But as I said, it was only for a brief period. He's been better for over a year now."

"And what did you say was his field of study?"

"He has some degree in medicine," replied William, looking as if he was struggling to remember. "Not sure exactly what that paper of his was on, couldn't be bothered to commit it to memory, but it had something to do with cells. I'm a businessman, not a science buff like yourself. But I can give you his contact details if you wish to talk to him. David always inquired about you after he stopped working for me."

"Thank you," Nikola replied with a smile. "I am eager to learn more about his research."

**οοοοοοο**

_Tesla's Laboratory_

Later that night, Freya and Trenton were standing in the workshop with Nikola, who had just returned from his visit with William.

Freya was holding a four-month-old newspaper article containing a picture of David Gates. "Are you sure this man is him?"

"I believe so," answered Nikola. "He seems to know of your kind."

"Do you know where to find him?" Trenton asked impatiently.

Nikola grinned and held up a piece of paper. "I have his address. I can arrange a meeting—"

The inventor ended mid-sentence when Trenton hastily ripped the paper from his hand and raced towards the exit.

Realizing Trenton was leaving, Freya ran after him. "What the hell, Trent!" she called out. "We need a plan! Does nobody learn from mistakes around here!"

Wasting little time, Trenton flew across the river towards College Point with Freya on his heels. The street in front of David Gate's residence was empty, and the house was void of all light. Even in the dark, Freya picked the front door lock with ease, and they were inside in a matter of seconds. When Freya and Trenton entered, they were relieved to find the main floor unoccupied.

"You know," Freya said to Trenton as she looked around for clues. "I'm worried about her as well, but you shouldn't be so impetuous. What if he's expecting us? This is exactly the behaviour that got Quinn into trouble in the first place, and who's to say she's even here?"

"She's here," Trenton confirmed.

"If you're right, my bet would be in the basement."

It did not take long before they located a locked basement door. Not willing to waste any time picking the lock, Trenton effortlessly kicked the door open with his brute strength. Finding a nearby lantern, Freya illuminated the way down the steps to the landing. They peered around the makeshift laboratory, searching for their loved one.

In the back of the room, Trenton immediately spotted Quinn. She was dirty, bleeding, and nearly clinging to life as she laid unconscious in the cage. Wasting no time, Trenton ran over and ripped the cage door off before gently picking her up.

"Quinn!" Trenton tried to wake her, but she did not respond.

Freya walked over next to them and checked Quinn's vitals. "She's alive," Freya reassured him. She looked down and noticed their mother's bangles clutched tightly in Quinn's hands. **"** Let's get her out of here."

Trenton looked around to see if there was anyone else in the room. "What about Tara? There could be clues."

Before Freya could reply, Quinn moaned in pain.

"We need to get her help," Freya urged. "Go, take her to Tempest. I'll be right behind you."

Trenton hastily made his way to the exit with Quinn. Freya stayed behind and looked around the room. She proceeded towards the desk while breaking everything in her path. Slides, test tubes, tools, and a microscope; every breakable object she destroyed out of anger and vengeance. Once finished, she noticed a locked drawer in the desk and reached into her pocket for two pins. After quickly picking the lock, Freya began looking through the contents. She located a stack of documents and started to read them under the light of the lantern she had placed on the desk. As Freya examined the papers, she began to sort them by putting some into a pile while the others she burnt up in her hand, turning to ash before they hit the stone floor. After she finished sorting, Freya retrieved a pen and started to write on a blank piece of paper. Leaving the note on the desk for the homeowner to find, she took the stack of papers and exited the room.

**οοοοοοο**

**March 19** **th** **, 1895**

_Sanctuary_

After hours of waiting, the sun was starting to rise as Freya, Trenton, and Marko stood outside the cabin. The troubled and weary group waited for an update on Quinn's condition. Trenton was pacing anxiously but stopped when Tempest finally emerged.

"How is she?" Trenton asked eagerly.

"It's too soon to tell," Tempest replied grimly. "I've managed to ease her pain, but she's not out of the woods yet. She suffered significant internal damage. I can't even imagine what was done to her."

After hearing Tempest's update, Trenton rushed into the cabin to be by Quinn's side.

Freya, who was quietly listening, looked furious. She stormed away and called out to her partner.

"Marko, let's go!"

Taking his cue, Marko started to jog after her and asked, "Where are we going?"

"We're going to get some answers," Freya replied before the two of them departed towards Nikola's laboratory.

**οοοοοοο**

_David Gates' Residence_

It was early afternoon by the time David returned home from his business trip. Upon entering his basement laboratory, he was surprised to find the place ransacked and his specimen missing.

"Well, at least she survived," he said to himself before putting his bag away.

He turned to his desk and was mortified to find his drawer opened and his notes missing. He ran over and started opening all the drawers looking for his precious research papers.

"My notes! They're all gone!" he called out, then noticed the message Freya left. A wave of anger came over him as he read the note before crumpling it up and forcefully throwing it onto the ground.

**οοοοοοο**

**March 20** **th** **, 1895**

_Pier 42 (East River, NY)_

It was one stroke past midnight. Freya was standing alone by the docks when David approached wearing the same long concealing coat he wore when he confronted Quinn.

"Okay, I'm here. What do you want from me?" demanded David.

"I want answers," Freya calmly replied.

"I don't have time for games," David replied smugly. "You were lucky enough to get the girl back. I'd advise you to cut your losses." He quickly pulled back his coat to retrieve his crossbow. "I am giving you one chance to return my notes and walk away."

Freya laughed. "What are you going to do, shoot me?" she asked mockingly.

David smiled as he aimed his weapon. "You can't say I didn't warn you," he said before firing.

A metal cord discharged from the weapon, but Freya dodged it. She watched the flying cable pass by her before turning back to David. "What the hell was that?" she asked, wondering why this guy had junk flying from his crossbow.

David reached into his jacket for more ammunition, but not before Freya rushed him, sending him flying back onto the ground. Despite hitting the ground hard, it did not take long for David to retaliate. He quickly reloaded his crossbow and fired for the second time. This time Freya was not quick enough, and the metal cable wrapped tightly around her torso and right arm. David laughed as Freya struggled to free herself.

"It's futile trying to use your powers," David said as he picked himself up off the ground. "I've grounded your electric current."

Freya immediately stopped struggling and looked up at the man dumbfounded. "Grounded?" she asked with a smirk, her eyes starting to glow. "You can't ground me!" Visible heat waves began to rise from Freya's body, causing David to stop in his tracks. "I'm on fire!" she exclaimed as fire swirled around her burning her clothes and weakening the metal cable enough to free herself.

As soon as Freya was free, she jumped up and directed fire towards David, who started to run from the approaching flames.

"Marko, now!" Freya called.

Marko instantly dropped down in front of the fleeing man while holding a large weapon. With his homemade air gun in hand, Marko fired a potato at the doctor. The projectile hit David in the head, knocking him out cold.

Freya and Marko walked over to the unconscious man. By now, most of Freya's clothing had been incinerated, and what little remained was smouldering. Freya was fixated on the doctor while Marko's attention shifted to Freya, who barely had anything covering her chest. Not to mention the little bit of material that was once her pants was being held up by a scorched leather belt and half her suspenders.

Finally noticing Marko's gawking, Freya responded with a playful gaze. She gave Marko an inciting smile as she approached. Marko blushed and smiled back, but he was instantly filled with disappointment when Freya grabbed the bag hanging off his shoulder and opened it in search of her spare clothes.

"Now what?" Marko asked Freya as she dressed.

After putting on the garments, Freya slipped on a big pair of work gloves and grabbed the unconscious man. "Interrogation time," she explained as Marko assisted her with the body.

**οοοοοοο**

_33-35 South 5_ _th_ _Ave, NY_

It was almost two in the morning by the time Marko and Freya reached Nikola's building. Not wanting to implicate their friend in a kidnapping, they brought the unconscious hostage to the building's basement and tied him to a chair. Wasting no time, Freya gave the doctor a forceful slap in the face causing him to regain consciousness.

David immediately began to struggle when he looked up to see Freya standing before him holding a large hunting knife. Freya's piercing red eyes glared at him, full of hatred and contempt. The female youth bent over and forcefully grabbed a handful of hair on the back of her captive's head.

"I'm only going to ask this once," Freya warned, looking him dead in the eye so he could see how serious she was. "What happened to my mother?"

"I think you know the answer," David said, trying to maintain a brave demeanour. "Do you want the details?"

Not heeding her warning, Freya punched David in the nose, causing it to erupt in a gush of blood.

"Dammit!" David screamed in anger. "She's dead, okay! I killed her! Is that what you want to hear?"

Freya punched him again, this time on the side of the head. "Details!" she yelled in his ear. "How'd she die?"

The repeated assaults were starting to take its toll on David, causing him to slow his response. "I don't know exactly," he said before pausing. "Could have been several reasons, an infection most likely. I did not intend for her to die!"

Freya paused as she processed the news. Clenching her fists in anger, she started the next round of questions. "And my sister, what happened?" she asked, trying not to let her sorrow override her anger. "Did any survive?"

David looked away, avoiding her gaze while remaining silent. His failure to answer the question caused Freya's rage to burn up and over again. The knife in her hands started to glow hot red as she clenched it in anger. She raised the weapon high before bringing it down into David's thigh. For a split second, the sizzle of burning flesh was audible before being drowned out by the man's screams. Freya pulled the knife out of David's leg before pointing it at his face, silencing his screams as he glared at her with a mixture of anger and fear.

"Answer me if you want to live," Freya warned. "What happened?"

"They didn't survive," David said as he fought back the intense pain resonating from his leg. "By the time I realized she was pregnant...I tried to save them, but it was too late."

Freya continued to grasp the knife, trying not to break, not yet. As she fought back the tears, the intense heat from her body was causing the temperature in the room to rise rapidly.

"How many?" Freya asked through clenched teeth.

"There were two females," David explained as the sweat poured down his face. He shook his head, trying to prevent the sweat from dripping into his eyes.

"The bodies, where are they?"

"I incinerated them. I had to destroy the evidence," the doctor replied. "And _you_ destroyed the only remaining samples."

Freya noticed the hit of anger in David's voice as he glared at her, seeming more upset with losing his research than what he did to her family.

"That's the least of your worries right now," Freya corrected him, enraged by his blatant indifference for the harm he caused. "If I were you, I'd be more concerned about making it out alive." She leaned in closer to her captive, her eyes glowing a brighter red as a small ball of fire formed in her hand.

Freya was unaware that this whole time David was attempting to free his hands behind his back. As the flame neared his face, he successfully managed to free himself. David jumped up from the chair and forcefully pushed Freya away. Freya fell backwards onto an exposed metal spike and yelled in pain as the spike pierced her wing.

Immediately, Marko, who was keeping watch outside the room, heard Freya in distress and came running in to assist. As soon as Marko entered, David picked up a crowbar and started swinging it at him. David limped from his injured leg while trying to keep his distance.

Without thinking, Freya angrily directed a blast of fire in David's direction. The doctor dodged the attack, but it struck the wooden crate behind him, causing it to ignite.

Marko rushed David, and they began struggling. As the two males fought, the fire started to spread quickly before it finally reached the building's exposed wooden frame. David finally landed a hit with the weapon, successfully striking Marko on the side of the head before fleeing towards the exit.

After freeing herself, Freya turned to Marko. "Put out the fire," she directed her partner.

By now, flames had engulfed the room, fueled by the building's large timber frame. While Marko attempted to extinguish the fire, Freya left in pursuit of David, who was in the hallway racing towards the exit. Surrounded by thick smoke, the fleeing man struggled to breathe and had collapsed by the time he reached the basement stairs. David uncontrollably coughed as he tried to crawl, but Freya caught up to him before he could reach the fourth step.

"You deserve a fate worse than death," Freya informed David as she fetched her belt. "Consider yourself lucky," she added as she used it to secure the doctor's hands to the railing.

"Freya, where are you?" Marko's voice called out through the thick smoke.

"Marko, ya gotta stop this fire!" Freya called back.

"It's out of control!" Marko exclaimed. "This building is eighty percent timber with a basement full of flammables. Nothing's stopping this inferno!"

"But the shop's upstairs," Freya pleaded. "We can't let the fire reach it."

"It's too late, Freya!" Marko grabbed Freya's hand and led her up the stairs to safety. Behind them, they could hear David cough while he struggled to free himself from the railing.

Outside the building, Freya and Marko were standing amongst a crowd of people watching the firefighters unsuccessfully tend to the fire. Freya could not bring herself to watch the only place that had ever felt like home burn to the ground. Unable to suppress the overwhelming feelings any longer, the tears were now flowing freely as the couple departed for Sanctuary.

XI

# July 15th, 2017

_Adley's Apartment – 0025 hrs_

It was shortly after midnight by the time Freya and Arlo entered Adley's apartment in search of clues. Once Arlo attended the Markovich residence and filled everyone in on what happened to his sister, Freya insisted that they return to the scene of the crime.

"Are you sure it wasn't the FBI that took her?" Freya asked as they searched the ransacked apartment.

"I don't think so," Arlo replied. "They said they arranged to meet her downstairs, but when she didn't show, they checked her apartment and discovered it like this."

"I don't think this is from a struggle. Whoever did this was looking for something," Freya concluded.

"The FBI was asking about her Omicron article. Do you think they abducted her?"

"That's the most likely explanation."

"They asked me if I knew a woman named Rebecca Kyle. She worked for Omicron. I've never met her, but I think she was Adley's informant. They said she passed away shortly before Adley went missing." Arlo was so preoccupied with worry he was flipping through a stack of papers without registering the information before him.

After a few minutes of searching, Arlo was starting to doubt they were going to find any clues. Given that the destroyed remains of Adley's laptop, desktop, and external hard drive were all seized by the authorities, Arlo figured anything of significance was long gone.

With nothing of interest recovered, Freya turned to Arlo. "Don't worry. I know someone who might be able to help."

**οοοοοοο**

_Rendezvous Rooftop – 2045 hrs_

It was early evening as Maria waited at the rendezvous. Having received a call earlier in the day requesting her attendance after sunset, Maria was not waiting long before Freya arrived.

"What happened?" Maria asked, having yet to hear the whole story.

"Our friend Adley's missing. I suspect it was the same kin that attacked you and Brook."

"I know where they live," Maria said keenly. "Last night, I followed them from Hunter's factory to a penthouse near Central Park."

"Can you show me?"

Maria agreed, and the two travelled north towards Midtown. After a short flight, they landed on a nearby rooftop.

Maria pointed to the top floor of an adjacent building. "They entered through the balcony doors of that building."

Freya pulled out her phone and pressed a button before putting it to her ear. A few seconds passed until she started speaking. "I'm texting you an address. We need some info ASAP," Freya said into the phone before ending the call.

As Freya texted on her phone, she glanced over at Maria. **"** So, have you given any thought to my offer?"

"It's very nice of you, but I would hate to intrude on your family."

Freya stopped texting and looked up at Maria with a smile. "You won't be intruding, if anything, you will be intruded upon," she said jokingly. "There are not many of us on this earth. We gotta look out for one another."

"It must be nice growing up in a large family. I've always wondered what that felt like."

"Hunter never told you where you came from?" Freya asked.

"No, up until a few months ago, I thought he was my biological father. I don't even know my exact age."

"You don't have to be alone anymore," Freya reassured her.

Suddenly, Freya's phone started to ring, prompting her to answer it. "Talk to me, Felix," she said before activating the speaker so Maria could hear.

"The building has a connection to Omicron," Felix's voice explained through the speaker. "It's owned by a Sevan and Lucy Remez. They are both top—"

"I know who they are," Freya interrupted. "I recognize the names. Did ya happen to find any pictures of them?"

"Nothing so far," Felix's voice replied. "It appears they manage a few of these lucrative properties around town."

"Keep diggin'," Freya said to her son. "If they are kin, keep an eye out for name changes, inherences, transfers, you know the drill."

"Affirmative," Felix said before ending the call.

**οοοοοοο**

As the two females continued their stakeout of the Remez family home, Kai was on the rooftop balcony, watching them through the scope of his gun. It was a complete fluke that he spotted them just as he stepped out to have a smoke. As soon as he confirmed the stalkers' identities, Kai alerted his brother.

"We have company," Kai called out to Wyatt through the opened screen door.

"Who?" Wyatt's voice called from inside the condo. He rushed onto the balcony with his swords in hand.

"Maria, and she's with that other girl."

"What other girl?" Wyatt asked, frustrated by the lack of details.

"I don't know her fuckin' name," Kai shot back. "It's the Ifrit bitch we left in the sewer the other day."

"Just the two of them?" Wyatt asked, sounding surprised by their stupidity. "With Hunter gone, Maria is free for the taking."

"Finally," Kai said with a smile.

"But don't kill her. She's more valuable alive."

Kai frowned. "And what about the Ifrit? Let her go again?"

"I'm getting sick of playing by their rules," Wyatt replied. "Kill her."

Kai grinned. "Don't have to tell me twice," he said as he lined up his shot.

**οοοοοοο**

Back on the neighbouring rooftop, Freya approached the edge of the building while pulling out a pair of custom-made digital glasses. She put them on to zoom in on the Remez residence. As Freya scooped out the enemy, Maria watched from behind.

"Hmm, let's see what's going on," Freya said as she homed in on the building. "Damn privacy windows, I can't see inside," she said to herself while scanning the premises. Upon reaching the balcony, Freya immediately spotted Kai aiming a gun in her direction. "Shit! Watch out!" she alerted Maria. Freya turned just as a bullet whizzed by her and struck Maria in the thigh.

Freya rushed over to help Maria but was blocked by Wyatt dropping down with a sword in hand. She dodged Wyatt's attack, but Kai caught her off guard. Kai grabbed Freya from behind and wrapped a metal wire around her neck.

With Freya restrained by Kai, Wyatt set his sights on Maria. The girl was on the ground, putting pressure on her bleeding wound when she noticed Wyatt. Using her abilities, Maria's staff zipped through the air and struck Wyatt repeatedly.

A few feet away, Freya was still struggling with Kai. She used the distraction to slip a small black device into the pocket of the jacket tied around Kai's torso. Freya then grabbed the knife strapped to her leg and reached back to cut Kai's face before using her powers to melt the wire around her neck.

As Kai held his injured face, his eyes started to shine a light blue, and a smoke-like substance surrounded them. The thick gaseous cloud tickled Freya's throat. As soon as Freya coughed, Kai attacked with a series of punches, but she quickly rebounded, and the two continued grappling.

Nearby, Maria was too injured to put up much of a fight. Wyatt had managed to grab hold of her staff and used it against her, knocking the girl down. While Maria attempted to stand, Wyatt jumped in with a finishing punch, knocking her unconscious before she hit the ground.

With Maria subdued, Wyatt turned his sights on Freya and rushed at her with his sword in hand. Freya tried to dodge Wyatt's attack, but could not move in time and was nicked in the arm.

Now outnumbered, Freya quickly retrieved the air pistol strapped to her belt and aimed it at Wyatt. She fired a putty-like substance in Wyatt's direction, but he successfully dodged it. The white material hit the wall behind Wyatt, sticking like glue.

Freya turned her attention to Kai, who was almost on top of her at this point. She fired the gun again, hitting him in the chest with the same white substance. Kai stopped and glanced down at his chest then shot his brother a puzzled look before they proceeded to attack simultaneously.

Freya jumped away from the brothers, keeping her distance while racing towards the machine room. As Freya ran, she sent a small ball of fire towards the white substance, igniting it and causing the wall to burst into a ball of flames.

Kai stopped in his tracks and looked down at the same explosive substance stuck to his shirt. Kai backed away from Freya as he frantically started to take off his rifle sling to get at the shirt under it.

With Kai distracted, Freya turned her attention to Wyatt and sent a wave of fire in his direction. As Wyatt dodged the blast, Freya used the opportunity to grab Maria and jump off the rooftop to safety. It was difficult for Freya to fly with the injured girl, but she was determined to get as far away as possible before stopping to call for help.

**οοοοοοο**

_Markovich Residence – 2145 hrs_

Inside the basement, Flint was sitting on the sofa playing video games while Felix sat at the computer behind him. Quinn entered the basement and approached Felix.

"Trenton said he saw Marko and Tempest leave in a hurry. What's going on?" Quinn asked the boy most likely to tell her the truth.

Felix turned away from his research to converse with his aunt. "Mom went to see Maria. She called saying they were ambushed, so Dad and Tempest went to help."

Quinn did not look pleased. "Why couldn't Freya wait until I returned? I told her going to see that girl alone was dangerous."

Before Felix could respond to Quinn's comment, he spotted the group returning on the front door camera. "They're back," he informed his aunt.

Quinn exited the basement and continued up the stairs to the second floor to find out exactly what happened. She heard movement coming from a bedroom and looked in to see Tempest exiting the room to retrieve Ebony. Quinn glanced in and spotted Maria on the bed with her eyes closed. The young girl looked like she was in immense pain from her injury. Seeing Maria in person for the first time made Quinn appreciate how young this girl was. Feeling apprehensive about Maria up until this point, it dawned on Quinn that the child was a victim in this mess. She immediately felt guilty for thinking the worst of Maria because of what happened to Finn.

Seconds later, Tempest and Ebony passed Quinn with hands full of supplies. Leaving the females to work their magic, Quinn shut the door behind them and went to find the others.

With her twin still unaccounted, Quinn continued her search for Freya when she noticed the bathroom light from the gap under the door. She walked over and knocked on it before trying the doorknob. Turning it, Quinn stepped into the steamy room to find Freya wrapped in a large towel and sitting on the edge of the bathtub. She was holding a medical icepack to her face while Marko bandaged the wound on her arm. Freya had her hair up in a towel, having just quickly rinsed off all the dirt and blood from the attack.

"What happened?" Quinn asked her sister.

"They ambushed us while gathering intel," Freya explained.

"Did you find out who has Adley?"

"Nothing concrete, but there's a penthouse I got my eye on," Freya said as she removed the icepack from her face.

"A penthouse? Whose?"

"Remez is the last name," Freya replied as Marko finished bandaging her arm. "That reminds me, I got to go check something out," she added before standing up and quickly exiting the bathroom. Forgetting to change back into some clothes, Freya ran down the stairs while still wrapped in her towel.

Quinn followed Freya as she descended into the lower extremities of the house. Entering the basement, Freya darted towards the computer and sat in her chair with Quinn standing behind her.

"What's going on?" Quinn asked.

"I planted a device on one of our attackers."

"What kind of device?"

"Just somethin' I cooked up a few weeks ago," Freya explained. "Besides having GPS, it can pick up on nearby wi-fi signals and listen in on conversations. It even has a camera."

Freya pressed a button, and a blank screen popped up on the monitor.

Flint snorted. "Great video," he said from the sofa.

Freya frowned. "Everything else is workin' fine." She picked up the headset and placed it up to her ear. "The audio is muffled. It must still be in his pocket."

"Do they have wi-fi?" Felix asked.

Freya looked at the monitor and checked before answering. "Yep. Soon we'll have access to all their electrical devices. If they step in front of any camera, we'll see 'em."

Freya continued typing and clicking. Seconds later, multiple windows appeared on the monitor in front of her. "The only catch is that the device is the size of a cell phone. It'll only be a matter of time before they find it. I'm surprised it's taking this long."

"We'll have to act fast," Felix agreed before getting started.

With Felix busy, Freya turned to Flint on the couch. "Flint, I need you to keep an eye on these video feeds. We need as much intel as we can get. Some headshots would be nice."

Flint shrugged. "Sure," he said while standing up. "Might as well spend my Saturday night grossly invading people's privacy."

"Thanks, hun," Freya replied as she turned back to her work.

Flint walked past Quinn and sat down in front of a monitor. "And I mean grossly in every sense," the boy continued. "Not only is this a massive invasion of privacy, do you know what people do in front of their computer cameras these days?" Flint shivered at the thought while his mother let out a quick laugh.

"Probably nothin' you haven't seen before, you'll be fine," Freya replied.

"Okay, but if some dude starts getting naked, I'm walkin' away," Flint warned before turning back to the monitor.

**οοοοοοο**

Back up on the second floor, Tempest and Ebony were tending to Maria. Having given her something to ease the pain, Maria's eyes were closed as they removed the bullet and stitched up her leg wound.

Brook walked in with a fresh bowl of water and extra bandages. She spotted the blood-soaked clothes, and a concerned expression appeared on her face. "Is she going to be okay?"

"She'll be fine," Tempest replied as she started washing the blood off her hands in the clean water while Ebony finished with the bandaging. "Luckily, the bullet missed her major arteries."

Before Brook could reply, Diana entered the room, holding a cane for support. Diana appeared tired and worn out like she had aged slightly in the last twenty-four hours.

Brook smiled at Diana. "How are you feeling?" she asked, happy to see Diana out of bed.

Diana smiled faintly. "Feeling much stronger today. Marko told me about Maria, how's she doing?"

"Better, considering the circumstance," Tempest replied. "She's so young, how do you know this girl, Diana?"

"It was Axel who met her a few months ago," Diana said. "He said he found her fighting off Omicron aggressors in an alleyway."

"I see. And how are the girls?" Tempest asked.

Diana frowned. "No change, I've tried everything, but they just won't wake up."

Brook looked at Diana, puzzled. "What's wrong with Moselle and Dalie? I thought they were unharmed when we rescued them."

"We're not sure exactly," Diana replied with a worried expression. "Physically, they are fine, but for some reason, they will not awaken."

"We hoped it was only temporary, but with every passing day it's becoming more and more doubtful," Tempest added.

"Oh no, that's awful."

The sound of Maria shifting in the bed caused everyone to look in her direction. Having fallen asleep briefly, and still slightly drowsy from the medicine, Maria opened her eyes and gazed around the room bewildered. "What's going on?"

"Don't worry, your safe in our house," Brook said, trying to comfort the youth.

Maria smiled faintly. She looked around the room and noticed Diana. "Diana, I'm glad to see you're okay. Freya told me about..." Maria stopped talking and looked around the room. "Freya? Is she okay?"

"She's fine," Tempest assured the young girl. "You should get some rest. I'll have Brook bring you something to eat."

"Thank you," Maria said before closing her eyes for a quick nap while everyone exited the room.

**οοοοοοο**

_Remez Residence – 2150 hrs_

Inside the Remez family home, Lucy was in the study with the hostage. Adley was now semiconscious and tied to a chair for interrogation. The Remez matriarch had spent most of the day questioning the hostage. She was quietly writing at her desk when Wyatt and Kai entered the room looking dirty and injured.

"What happened to you two?" Lucy asked, unaware of the battle that had occurred outside her home moments earlier.

"Hunter's girl and another female were outside spying on us. They must know we have the human," Wyatt explained while motioning to Adley.

Lucy looked puzzled at Adley before turning back to her son. "The reporter? What do they want with her?"

"She's associated with them, I thought you knew," Wyatt replied.

"She's the human that was with Maria the first time we attempted to capture her," Kai added.

This new information caused Lucy to smile while looking at her captive. "Interesting, she'll prove more useful than anticipated. And what of the spies?" Lucy asked with a slight frown. "I assume you failed to detain them?"

"They got away, that Ifrit girl is tricky," said Kai.

"No, she got lucky," Wyatt corrected. "It won't happen again."

"What do I tell you about being reckless?" Lucy disciplined them. "You boys are too eager to fight. Had you of alerted the rest of us, we could have followed them home and waited for when they were most vulnerable."

"You're right," Wyatt agreed. "We won't let it happen again."

"We wanted Maria so Father could have an unlimited source of vita-plasm," Kai explained.

"Unfortunately, he requires more than just the vita-plasm to make the vita-serum," Lucy informed her offspring.

"Are you going to make it for him?" Kai asked.

Lucy shook her head. "None of us can. It's not a process you can follow like a recipe. It's technical. Hunter figured out a way to isolate an enzyme in the vita-plasm. It's only one of many ingredients in the vita-serum, albeit an indispensable one."

"Then who will make it?" Wyatt asked.

"I have my sights set on Doctor Joy," Lucy replied. "He doesn't have the same loyalties to Nyx as Hunter did. It would be advantageous for us to win him over."

"And what are we going to do about her?" Wyatt asked while motioning towards Adley.

Lucy glanced over at the female captive. "I have a few ideas. Now that I know of her connection to the enemy, her value just increased."

**οοοοοοο**

_Markovich Residence – 2220 hrs_

Maria was only able to rest her eyes for a few minutes before she was awoken by the commotions that were a typical occurrence in the Markovich residence. With conversations taking place on every floor of the house, and what sounded like hammering coming from above, Maria was wide awake by the time Brook entered the room with food.

Brook sat in a nearby chair while Maria ate the toast Brook had made for her.

"I hope you like almond butter," Brook said with a smile.

"Yes, thank you," Maria replied before taking another bite.

"How are you feeling?"

"Much better. I'm grateful for everyone's help, especially Tempest."

"Yeah, Breezy's one of a kind," Brook remarked. "You're not the first gunshot wound she's tackled, and you won't be the last."

Maria continued eating and talking with Brook when they were interrupted by Trenton entering the room in search of his sister.

"Brook we're—"

Trenton stopped midsentence upon noticing Maria. He knew what the girl looked like from the picture, but seeing her in person, it surprised him how much her face mirrored Brook's.

"Trent, I don't think you've met Maria yet," Brook introduced. "Maria, this is my brother."

Maria smiled at Trenton. "Nice to meet you."

"Me too, I mean, nice to meet you, too," Trenton replied, still caught off guard by the uncanniness of her appearance.

Brook and Maria exchange glances while Trenton composed himself.

"Brook, we're meeting in the basement," Trenton said, finally able to convey the reason why he was looking for his sister. "Maria, you're welcomed to join us," he added before exiting.

**οοοοοοο**

The upper levels of the house were eerily silent as almost all the occupants were gathered in the crowded basement waiting for the meeting to commence. Diana and Tempest were sharing the loveseat while Rowan and Ebony were seated on floor pillows next to them **.** Trenton, Quinn, and Marko were sharing the sofa, and Axel was sitting in a nearby chair. Flint and Felix were in their usual positions at the computer desk, and Freya sat at her workstation in the back.

Last to join the meeting, Brook and Maria had finally entered the basement. Brook helped the unsteady Maria down the stairs while Axel gave up his seat to the injured girl. Axel decided to stand while Brook took a seat on the floor next to the coffee table.

With everyone now gathered, Freya started the meeting. "Okay, everyone," she said, addressing the group. "As you know, we've been snoopin' on this Remez family, and we've managed to capture images of the followin' people."

Freya turned to her son and said, "Hit it, Felix."

Felix clicked on his mouse, and an image of a female appeared on the wall-mounted television screen. It was a screenshot of Lucy's head and shoulders captured with her computer's webcam.

"From what I gathered, I believe this woman to be Lucy Remez," Felix informed the group. "Her maiden name is Lunette. She's Omicron's chief financial officer and holds an extensive portfolio within the company." Felix clicked the mouse, and an image of Sevan appeared on the screen. "I believe this man to be Chief Operations Officer Sevan Remez."

"Wait, if he's kin, how is he able to wear a suit?" Marko asked, immediately noticing Sevan's perfectly fitted outfit.

"Maybe he's human?" Flint suggested.

"I doubt it," Quinn corrected. "Something must have happened to his wings."

Ignoring the side conversation, Felix continued. "On top of being Omicron executives, Mr. and Mrs. Remez have their own private business. I've also found documents linking them to a venture capital firm, as well as some overseas companies I'm still researching." Felix changed the picture on the television to a photo of a shirtless Levi taking a picture of himself in a bathroom mirror. "This is their son, Levi Remez," Felix explained, followed instantly by the sound of Flint laughing.

"Where did you get that picture?" Flint asked his brother.

"On his Instagram account," Felix explained. "Based on what I've found so far, I can tell you they have multiple children, but this brute is the only one I can find on social media."

"The two that attacked us look similar to this guy, so we're thinkin' they're siblings," Freya said.

"What kind of abilities do they possess?" Axel asked.

"Yeah, what type are they?" Flint added.

Maria turned to Brook for clarification. "What does he mean by _type_?"

"I think what he means is that kin can be divided into five categories based on the nature of our abilities," explained Brook.

"You're mistaken, Brook, there's at least seven that I'm aware of," Felix corrected.

Maria looked surprised by this news. "I didn't know there was such diversity amongst our kind. What are they called?"

Brook blushed in embarrassment. "You're asking the wrong person. I was just a child the last time I heard anyone use _that_ terminology. I think kin like you and me are called Undines, or something. I can't remember the other names."

Flint laughed. "My system's _way_ easier. I classify us into elemental groups like in most magic-based games."

Maria was intrigued. "I'm curious, please explain," she said, inviting Flint to elaborate on his system.

Flint scanned the room while pointing at various people. "Let's see, Quinn's an electric type. Mom, Dad, and Axel are fire types. Brook and Trent are water types, while Ebony and Rowan are earth types. See, it's common sense."

Freya looked unimpressed with Flint's labels. "A primitive oversimplification if you ask me," she said with her arms crossed. "There's a reason we abandoned such archaic categorizations centuries ago."

Tempest turned to Flint. "And what category do I fall into your system?"

"I called you an air type because you blow shit around," Flint explained. "But if this were a video game, you would also double as our healer."

Tempest smiled. "Well, I can see how you came to that conclusion. After all, I'm the only _air_ type you've ever met."

Brook turned to Tempest. "That's what your father was, right?" she asked curiously. "I've always wondered why your family left the village in the first place."

"Not just my family. Many kin left," Tempest clarified. "Families suffered and were split up all because of a few who thought they were stronger and superior to other _types_ of kin, as Flint would say. My family was caught in the middle. My mother had to leave when she was pregnant, my sister and I never met our father."

"That's so sad," Brook remarked.

There was a moment of silence amongst the group before Freya finally spoke up, trying to redirect the conversation. "Hate to put a pin in this sob story, but we're straying _way_ off topic here. We still don't know for sure if these people have Adley but—"

"Mom, we got movement on screen two," Felix interrupted.

With a smile now on her face, Freya stood up from her desk. "It's about time the idiot found it."

"Isn't that a bad thing?" Brook asked.

"Nope," Felix replied. "We've already combed through their drives and downloaded all their files."

"We're finally going to see what's going on inside that apartment," Freya said as she sat down in front of the computer.

"Until they destroy it," Felix commented.

" _If_ they destroy it," Freya added. "There's a chance they might keep it."

"I can think of a few people in this house that might," Flint stated.

"I would if I thought it was a cellphone," Brook said while smirking at Quinn, who responded with an eye-roll.

On one of the monitors, Kai's face was visible as he examined the device. With a click of his mouse, Felix put the video input on the television so everyone in the room could see.

**οοοοοοο**

Inside the Remez penthouse, Kai, Wyatt, and Lucy were still in the study with their female hostage. Mistaking the device in his pocket for his cellphone, Kai pulled it out, but upon realizing it was not his phone, he started inspecting it.

"What's that?" Wyatt asked, noticing the baffled expression on his brother's face.

Lucy glanced up from her desk to see what her sons were discussing. "Did you get a new phone?" she asked, looking at the device in Kai's hand.

Kai started inspecting the device for buttons or a screen. "This isn't mine."

Wyatt quickly grabbed the mechanism from his brother's hand. "Let me see that," he said while examining it. "That Ifrit, she must have planted it when you grabbed her."

"Destroy it," Lucy ordered. "They could be using it to spy on us."

Wyatt dropped the device to the ground and smashed it into pieces with one stomp. Almost instantaneously, a loud ringing sound reverberated through the room. Kai and Wyatt gawked at the broken device, thinking it was the source of the noise.

Lucy rolled her eyes and walked over to her desk. "Everyone, shut up," she said before answering her phone with the press of a button. "Doctor Joy, thanks for returning my call so late and on the weekend."

"I received your message," Joy's voice replied through the speaker. "What can I do for you?"

"First off, congratulations on your assignment," said Lucy.

"Thank you," Joy's voice replied. "It's a shame what happened to Doctor Hunter. He was a brilliant man, and the best mentor I had the honour to serve under."

Lucy sat on the corner of her desk, becoming both impatient and annoyed as she listened to Joy. She rolled her eyes as soon as Joy started discussing Hunter. "Yes," she agreed, attempting to move the conversation along. "Well, as you know, we had a supply agreement with Hunter for the vita-serum. Since you're assuming the role of acting department head, I'm expecting you to honour the agreement. And I need the real stuff, not that synthetic crap. How soon can you have it?"

"To do that, I need real vita-plasm, and the only vial I'm aware of disappeared last night."

Lucy smiled. "We're in luck. I recently procured some."

"So, it was you," said Joy.

"Someone had to ensure it was safe," Lucy rationalized. "You can never be too careful these days, especially with moles infiltrating our organization, and the authorities showing up unannounced."

"Fine. But only if you do me a favour in return?"

Lucy crossed her arms, annoyed that her request came with stipulations. "May I remind you that I am your superior. You are in no position to demand a favour in return for doing your job."

"If you help me, you can consider myself indebted to you."

"What do you want?" Lucy asked, willing to hear Joy out.

"The two young girls that were rescued last night. I need them back."

Lucy paused to think about it. "Fine. But don't think you can start making a habit of this. And I want the vita-serum tonight. I'll have someone meet you at the headquarters within the hour so you can get started. We will notify you when we have the girls."

"Do you know where they are? How will you find them?"

Lucy smiled and looked towards her unconscious hostage. "No worries, I happen to have someone who can assist." She turned back to the phone on her desk and placed her finger on the button. "I'll be in touch," she said before ending the call.

**οοοοοοο**

Inside the basement of the Markovich residence, the video feed from inside the Remez house had just terminated, displaying a black screen on the television.

"You called it, Felix," Freya said to her son.

"But not before we captured this," Flint announced with a click of his mouse followed by a screenshot of Wyatt's face appearing on the monitor.

In the background of the image, Adley was sitting on a chair with her hands tied behind her back. She was slumped over with her eyes closed.

"Poor Adley," Brook said with a grim expression. She shifted her attention to Quinn, who was sitting quietly on the sofa, lost in thought. "Quinn, what are we going to do?" Brook asked. "We have to help her."

Breaking her concertation, Quinn turned to address Brook. "We will. Now that we've confirmed her location, we'll get her back."

"Who's coming?" Axel questioned the group.

"These people are armed and dangerous," Freya cautioned. "We're going to need all the help we can get."

"We could ask Nyx," said Quinn.

"They didn't seem that friendly towards Adley last time," Freya said doubtfully. "I don't think they'll be willing to risk their lives to help her."

"They might do it if the target is connected to Omicron," Quinn countered.

"Maybe, but I wouldn't hold my breath," Freya warned. "The way Styx was eyeing Adley that night, making her feel uncomfortable just because she wasn't one of us. That chick's cold, I can't believe she's related to us."

"You don't know that," Quinn said, becoming defensive. "I was unsure of Adley when I first met her. Does that make me a bad person? It wouldn't hurt to ask. They're family."

Quinn raised from her seat and walked towards the stairs. "We'll leave as soon as I get back," she said before exiting the basement.

With Quinn gone, Axel looked around the room. "Who else's coming?"

"We're going to need all hands on deck for this one," Freya explained. "Except you, you, you, and you are all out," she stated as she singled out Flint, Felix, Maria, and Diana.

"But I feel fine, I can help," Maria contended.

"You're crazy, hun," Freya replied with a laugh. "I like your moxie, but it's only been a few hours. A gun-shot wound like that is a minimum forty-eight hours before being cleared to leave the house."

Realizing she was right, Maria remained silent.

With only an hour or two to go before they depart to rescue their friend, the group dispersed to start prepping for what they knew would be a difficult mission ahead.

**οοοοοοο**

_Nyx's Residence - 2300 hrs_

Across the river, Nyx was sitting at her desk when John entered her office.

"Before I retire, I just wanted to advise you of a schedule change Monday morning," John said. "A Detective Leno would like a brief word with you, so I arranged a meeting with him."

Nyx frowned at the news. "You agreed to this? You know I don't talk to the authorities. What could this possibly pertain to?"

"The recent death of your employee."

Nyx scowl deepened. "We successfully muzzled the DEA when flooding the market with narcotics, but I must talk to police about one little death?"

"I think it might be in your best interest to meet with him," John explained. "I already did some research. He's a detective stationed out of New Jersey."

"Jersey? How is this even within his jurisdiction?" Nyx asked. "I thought this was about Hunter?"

"Exactly," John replied. "The only connection I could find was a suicide in New Jersey by one of our employees, Rebecca Kyle. She was recently promoted to Doctor Hunter's assistant. According to Jang, she was providing information to a reporter Lucy abducted."

Nyx frown deepened. "That Lucy," she said while shaking her head. "I admire her tenacity, but is it that difficult to send us a memo or email before she goes murdering and abducting people?"

"It might be wise to contact Sevan before the meeting," John suggested. "You don't want to be hit with any more surprises."

"Good idea," Nyx agreed. "Call him right away."

"Yes, madam."

"And please arrange a business dinner next week with Governor Clarke," Nyx added. "It appears New Jersey is going to need a reminder to keep their public servants out of Omicron business."

Before John could respond, the buzzing sound of the front doorbell alerted the two. John walked over to the intercom screen to see who it was. "It's your niece, Quinn."

Nyx put her hand to her head in frustration. "I'm in no mood."

"Should I say you're indisposed?"

Nyx sighed. "No, I should at least find out why she's here unannounced at this ungodly hour."

"Very well," John said before exiting to greet the visitor.

**οοοοοοο**

_Markovich Residence – 2315 hrs_

Freya was alone in the basement soldering a circuit board at her workstation when Maria entered.

"Is this a bad time?" Maria asked as she approached Freya's desk.

Freya looked up briefly before turning back to her soldering. "I can talk, what's on your mind?"

"I noticed that you seem to know a lot about kin history," Maria said.

"I wouldn't call it a lot," Freya replied. "My father left us some journals belonging to our ancestors. It may be the only chronological record of our kind in existence."

"That's incredible, how far do they date back?"

"Pretty far. Long before humans were documenting their history," Freya explained. "The journals are written in multiple languages. I've translated most of them, but the others are long extinct."

"I would love to read them someday."

"Feel free. I keep them on the bookshelf over there," Freya explained as she motioned to the left of her. "Even if you can't read all of them, some have illustrations. Many of my relatives were talented artists."

Maria smiled. "Thank you. I've tried asking Diana about her childhood, but it's obvious that she doesn't like to talk about the village you came from."

"That was a long time ago. I was so young I hardly have any memory of the place," Freya explained.

"It's sad how people can lose so much of their history," Maria said. "Imagine what we would know if everyone documented their history like your ancestors."

"Unfortunately, when history is forgotten, it'll be destined to repeat itself. I feel it is every generation's responsibility to learn from the past. It's the only way to move forward."

"Is that why you seemed frustrated with Flint earlier?" Maria asked.

"Maybe a little," Freya replied. "I assumed he wouldn't hold such narrow views given the diversity within his own family. But he's not the first to focus on race. It's an underlying theme in many of the journal entries."

"You have your work cut out for you with Flint. I found it interesting that he could know someone like Tempest his whole life, and yet know so little about her abilities."

"He was a little off with Tempest," Freya agreed. "They call her Breezy, but she can do far more than simply blow things around."

"What do you mean?"

"You know how you're able to manipulate water molecules," Freya explained. "Tempest can control oxygen; she even exhales the stuff. It may not seem like a lot, but you'd be surprised how often it comes in handy. Like being trapped in an airtight room or giving my fire a boost."

"I heard Brook say she can heal someone with the wind. What does she mean?"

Freya laughed. "Not healing. That feelin' is just her surrounding you with a little more oxygen than normal. With extra oxygen in your lungs, your muscles and body feel better when fatigued, ergo, your body feels re-energized. Too much oxygen can be poisonous, so her powers have the potential to be deadly."

"I never knew our kind possessed so any unique abilities," Maria said.

"Yes. I've always found our biology fascinating."

"Me too. I'm eager to learn as much as possible," Maria explained.

As the two continued their conversation, Maria listened attentively to Freya's knowledge of kin history while Freya prepped for the upcoming rescue mission.

**οοοοοοο**

_Nyx's Residence – 2320 hrs_

Inside Nyx's manor, Quinn had just finished updating her aunt on their upcoming mission. Nyx attentively listed as Quinn provided details on Adley's abduction and request for assistance before finally responding.

"I'm sympathetic to your predicament, but we cannot assist you," Nyx explained flatly.

"Why?" Quinn asked, taken aback by her aunt's refusal.

"Styx and Kharon are unable to help you."

"But this is a life or death situation," Quinn said, a little stunned by Nyx's indifference. "Our friend's life is at stake. What happened to always helping out family?"

Nyx frowned at Quinn's persistence. "I was trying to be polite, but I think you misconstrued what I said. I am more than happy to help _family,_ but you must understand my reluctance to risk my flesh and blood to help some human."

"You do understand that the same kin who took Adley have already tried to kill my sister and Brook on more than one occasion. It will only be a matter of time before they come after you."

Nyx looked at Quinn impassively, unwavering in her stance. "And _if_ that happens, we will stop them. From what you explained, you are going up against a formidable clan to save some reckless human who put herself in harm's way. This battle is not worth risking my children's lives. I'm sure you will understand one day when you have children of your own."

Quinn stared at Nyx stone-faced. "I guess I'll never know. I can't have children of my own."

Nyx's expression softened. "I'm sorry to hear that," she said sympathetically. "But you never know. Looking back someday, you might consider it a blessing in disguise."

"How could that possibly be a blessing?" Quinn asked, dumbfounded by her aunt's comment.

"You might not understand right now, but as you get older, you'll begin to reflect on the big picture. Maybe I'm becoming more altruistic in my old age, but I believe we should all strive to advance our bloodline and do what is best to strengthen future generations."

"What are you implying?"

Nyx paused. She assumed Quinn would have picked up on the point she was trying to make but decided to be more direct. "Well, having children with someone like Trenton would do the opposite of that," she explained bluntly. "I was afraid you wouldn't understand, but someday you will," she said while trying to ignore Quinn's scowl. "Look at your sister. I'm sure your father and his family would be proud of her choice in a mate."

"I think it's time for me to go," Quinn said before standing up and walking towards the exit.

"I hope it wasn't something I said?" Nyx asked, trying to play dumb. "I'm sure if your mother were still here, she would agree with me. It's what motivated your parents to get together in the first place."

"I find that hard to believe," Quinn said as she stood by the entrance. "My mother would never think that way. She raised Freya and me to be better than that."

Nyx shrugged. "People change, not always for the better. Surrounding herself with humans must have weakened her perspective. And from what you tell me, it sounds like it caused her downfall."

Quinn's glare deepened as she tried to restrain her anger. "Are you saying her compassion for humans caused her death?"

"I'm not insinuating anything, just stating facts," Nyx explained calmly. "There was a time when the humans worshiped us like gods, and our Aurora ancestors were considered the most powerful of all kin. The blood of Zeus himself runs through our veins. How can you possibly compare someone as great as him to kin like Trenton?"

"I don't see what so great about him," Quinn answered truthfully. "He played off the vulnerability of humans. What's there to be proud of?"

Nyx frowned. "Blasphemy," she spat. "It's obvious Tara taught you nothing of our heritage, and your lack of appreciation for everything our ancestors did for kin kind is shameful. They did what was necessary to ensure _our_ survival while living amongst such a primitive and violent species. Do you think the humans would have let us live peacefully amongst them if they knew the truth about our kind and where we came from?"

"Maybe if our ancestors were more open and honest with the humans, we wouldn't have to hide now."

"And how did that work out for my sister?" Nyx snapped. "It's human nature to fear and destroy anything different, anything they perceive as a threat. The harsh truth is that not all humans or kin are created equal. To think otherwise may appeal to _them_ , the lowest common denominator, but you believing such things dishonours our bloodline."

"Then so be it," Quinn said with a shrug. "I'd rather not be part of any bloodline that harbours such repulsive values," she added before storming out of the room.

XII

# July 16th, 2017

_Markovich Residence – 0005 hrs_

Having rushed over immediately after receiving the call from Freya, a weary Arlo arrived at the house looking distraught. He entered the basement and took a seat next to Brook and Maria. Freya sat at her desk, loading her weapon in preparation for the upcoming mission. As always, Felix was sitting in front of the computer monitor semi-engaged in the conversation.

"Thanks for the call," Arlo said to Freya. "I've been so worried I haven't slept a wink since Friday."

"We'll have Adley back in no time," Freya reassured. "We leave as soon as Quinn returns."

"Axel and Marko are already there keeping an eye on the place," Brook informed Arlo. "If they try to move Adley, we'll know."

**"** I'm coming with you," Arlo declared.

"Sorry, hun, this mission is way out of your league," Freya objected. "But you can stay with the boys. They'll walk you through everything as it happens."

Before Arlo could protest, Quinn entered the basement and walked down the steps. She did not say a word while proceeding towards the armchair to join the group.

"How did it go?" Freya asked her sister but received no response. "That bad, huh?" she added as Quinn continued to sit there with a disgruntled expression on her face.

"She won't help us," Quinn mumbled, appearing too upset to provide any further details.

"Should we gear up and get going?" Freya asked, trying to refocus her sister.

Quinn nodded in agreement and left the basement to fetch her belongings.

Meanwhile, Freya stood up from her station and walked towards the bookcase closest to her. She pulled on the shelving unit, causing it to swing open and reveal a door. She entered the small room filled with cabinets of spare parts and a small arsenal of standard and custom-made weapons. Freya walked over to a drawer to gather some supplies. She strapped a knife to her leg, then walked over to the wall and grabbed a high-powered crossbow and quiver full of arrows for Ebony.

Maria entered the room out of curiosity. Looking around, she started admiring Freya's collection of weapons and random machinery. In the back of the room, she spotted a large machine supported by a metal stand with a white sheet over it.

"What's that?" Maria asked.

"A teleforce prototype," Freya replied as she grabbed an extra magazine for her gun.

"What's a teleforce?" Maria wondered, having never heard of such a thing.

"It's a death ray," Brook answered with a smile as she stood in the doorway.

"A death ray? Why don't you bring it with you?"

Freya laughed. "Trust me, as fun as it is, it would not be much help to us," she explained before turning to Brook. "Ready?" she asked the blue-haired girl.

"Let's roll," Brook replied, and the two of them left to find Quinn and the others.

**οοοοοοο**

_Remez Residence – 0010 hrs_

Inside the Remez penthouse, Sevan was sitting at the desk when Lucy entered his office.

"How did it go with the girl?" Sevan asked. "Did you acquire the address?"

Lucy approached her husband's desk and sat next to him. "Yes, I sent Wyatt to scout out the location. Soon we'll have the vita-serum, and Joy will have his _specimens_ ," she added mockingly.

"Has the vita-plasm been delivered?" Sevan asked. With the way he was feeling tonight, Sevan feared he was going to need the vita-serum soon but did not want to worry his wife.

"Yes, as we speak," Lucy replied. "They'll monitor Joy throughout the entire process. I trust they will keep the pressure on him."

"As do I," Sevan agreed as he removed his hands from the keyboard, ready for a break.

Lucy was about to say something when her cell rang. She answered the phone and listened attentively for a few seconds before speaking.

**"** Yes, follow them," Lucy said to the caller. "If they're gone, Levi should be able to handle the retrieval by himself," she added before ending the call.

"Was that Wyatt?" Sevan asked his wife.

"Yes. He said the house is virtually empty," Lucy explained with a grin. "This should be easier than anticipated."

**οοοοοοο**

_Omicron Inc. Headquarters – 0015 hrs_

Inside the Omicron underground parking lot, Jang, who had arrived moments earlier, stood alone waiting. Seconds later, a black town car pulled up in front of him. The Remez sisters exited the vehicle with Belladonna carrying the container of vita-plasm. The two girls followed the man into the elevator and up to the sixty-seventh-floor laboratory. Not a word was said as the three of them made their way down the corridor. Once they reached their destination, Jang stopped at the entrance and opened the door for the children.

"Doctor Joy is waiting inside, message me when you're finished," Jang directed the girls as they entered the laboratory.

Jang travelled back to the elevator and down a few floors. As he walked through the corridor, he could hear voices coming from the staff lounge. He looked in to see two security operatives on their midnight break. They were eating at the table while conversing with Riley, who was sitting in a nearby chair. All three stopped talking to look at Jang as he passed in the hallway.

Spotting Jang, Riley quickly stood up from her chair and exited the room after him. "Hey, Jang," she called out, prompting the man to stop and turn as she approached. "We were just talking about the VIPs you were escorting. What are you and the children of the corn doing here at this hour?"

"I was called in, what's your excuse?" Jang asked. "What are you even doing here on a Saturday night?"

Jang continued to walk down the hallway with Riley following him.

"Technically, it's Sunday, and this is how I usually spend my weekends. It beats being stuck at home," Riley explained. "So, Jang, got any work for me?"

"I have some filing," Jang offered.

"Filing? That's it?" Riley asked. "It's like the only night I'm not here, the building gets attacked. I always miss all the fun."

"Don't go looking for trouble," Jang warned. "You were trained for self-defence only. Which I have no doubt you will need given the recent turn of events."

"I heard about Hunter, tough break," Riley said. "Known the guy my whole life, but not that well, mind you. Surprisingly, Mom didn't seem too upset over his death."

"You don't know the half of it," Jang mumbled.

"What was that?"

"Nothing, do you want the filing or not?"

"Sure, if you insist," the young adolescent added with a smile.

"It's up in a folder on Sheryl's desk," Jang informed Riley, prompting the girl to turn back towards the elevators.

**οοοοοοο**

_Random Rooftop (W 58_ _th_ _street, New York, NY) – 0020 hrs_

On a rooftop near the Remez penthouse, Marko and Axel were already on the scene when the rescue team landed.

"Since we arrived, three have exited the building from the rooftop," Axel briefed Freya and Quinn. "Two males left forty-five minutes ago, and a single male left a little over a half-hour ago."

Freya approached the edge to get a look at the penthouse. Marko walked up next to Freya and returned her glasses.

"We made sure to keep our distance," Marko informed his partner.

Freya put on the glasses and switched to the thermal setting that effortlessly penetrated through the windows of the penthouse. The top floor of the building contained the bright yellow and red hues of three bodies, but only one had distinct wings, while the other two appeared more human-like.

"Good, there are fewer than anticipated," Freya said to Marko before looking back towards the others. "Quinn, come here."

As soon as Quinn approached, Freya handed her the glasses. Looking through the lenses, Quinn started to formulate a plan. "We should strike now while their numbers are low."

"Exactly what I was thinking," Freya agreed.

"It looks like a kin is in the room with Adley," observed Quinn as she handed the glasses back to her sister.

"And the second person will come to their aid once they're alerted to our presence," Freya said. "Kin or human, we have to assume they're dangerous."

"What are you thinking?" Quinn asked.

"A two-to-one ratio to cover the attackers and an extra body to secure Adley," Freya suggested. "The rest can cover us should any more return."

"You read my mind."

With the plan established, the two sisters divided everyone into groups to brief the others. Marko, Trenton, and Tempest stood with Freya as she apprised them of the plan.

"Okay, this should be a simple smash and grab," Freya informed the three. "The room we think Adley is in is located on the north side of the building. We bust in, and hold off any aggressors while Tempest's frees Adley, then we exit as quickly as possible."

"What happens if Adley's not in the room?" Marko asked.

"Then we plow through the place checking every room until we find her," Freya replied, keeping the plan simple.

After instructing the offensive team, Freya broke from the small group to join Quinn, who was briefing the defensive team consisting of Axel, Rowan, Brook, and Ebony.

"We need you four to keep a lookout while staying out of sight," Quinn directed. "If anyone shows up, alert us and distract them until we exit the building." She scanned the group making sure they understood her directions. "Remember to stay aware of your surroundings; one is known for using a long-range rifle."

With everyone ready, Freya used her glasses to confirm the target's position one last time before striking. While still wearing her glasses, Freya turned to give her sister the go-ahead when she noticed something out of the corner of her eye. It was the thermal presence of a kin-like figure on a nearby rooftop.

"Quinn, we got company at four o'clock," alerted Freya.

When Quinn approached, Freya handed her the glasses. Quinn located the spy while trying not to make it apparent. Considering the shape of the figure and their current location, Quinn could only assume their shadow was a member of the Remez clan.

"There goes the element of surprise," Quinn said while handing the glasses back to Freya.

"Then you must hurry," Axel said. "We'll hold them off. You go get your friend."

"Be careful," Quinn said to the defensive team before departing with her party.

**οοοοοοο**

_Markovich Residence - 0023 hrs_

Inside the second-floor spare bedroom, Diana was standing next to the bed tending to Moselle and Dalie while Maria sat in the armchair reading one of Freya's journals.

With the girls appearing flushed, Diana put her hand on Dalie's forehead before turning to Maria.

"They still feel a bit warm. I'm going to let some air in," Diana said as she walked towards the window.

"Good idea," Maria agreed. "The night air might do them some good."

As Maria returned to her reading, Diana walked away from the newly opened window, both females oblivious to the stranger lurking outside, waiting to strike.

**οοοοοοο**

In the basement, Flint and Felix sat in front of the monitors while Arlo observed from the sidelines.

Moving his headset away from his ear, Felix turned to update the outsider. "Okay, Arlo, they're in position."

"Let's get this party started," Flint stated as he pulled out a giant spliff and placed it in his mouth. He reached in his pocket for a lighter when a series of loud thumps resonated from above.

Alerted to the sound, the two boys simultaneously lowered their headsets while listening attentively.

"Did you hear that?" Flint asked his bother quietly. His concern was confirmed when the distinct sound of fighting vibrated down through the house.

"Something's going on upstairs," Arlo said, stating the obvious.

The two brothers immediately jumped from their chairs and ran over to the bookcase, pulling it back so they could enter the small armoury. Felix grabbed a metal nightstick and a knife while Flint armed himself with a handgun before opening multiple drawers and quickly stuffing small items into his pockets. The armed boys exited the room and hurried towards the stairs. Flint stopped to throw Arlo his headset.

"What do I do with this?" Arlo asked the boy.

The boys had reached the top of the staircase when Felix stopped to answer. "Listen, and if they ask for anything...just do the best you can."

The twins were about to exit the basement when Arlo stopped them again. "Hey! Wait! Are you two really going up there? It could be dangerous, shouldn't I go?"

Flint laughed at the thought. "What are you going to do? Faint?" he questioned mockingly. "Just stay down here until we get back."

"And don't say anything about this to Mom until they have Adley," warned Felix.

Unsure if he should take orders from the younglings, Arlo tried to object. "But—"

"Don't say a word Mom, or I'll cut you," Flint warned with a stern expression.

"Okay," Arlo reluctantly agreed while placing on the headset.

With his gun in hand, Flint looked at his twin. "Let's do this," he said before the two raced through the basement door.

The commotion upstairs grew louder as soon as Flint and Felix stepped onto the main floor. They travelled up to the second floor and followed the sounds coming from the spare room. When the boys reached the bedroom, they found Diana lying unconscious on the floor and Levi holding Maria as she struggled to break free. Levi towered over the girl as he restrained her with only his right arm around her upper torso.

Flint raised his gun as soon as he entered the room, causing Levi to shift his attention from Maria to the boys. The large man did not have time to react before Flint fired the gun, shooting a dart into Levi's upper left shoulder. Levi dropped Maria and pulled the dart out of his arm.

With Levi distracted, Felix jumped and swung his metal baton at the man who caught it mid-swing. Felix flicked a switch on the weapon electrifying it in Levi's hand.

"Heh, that tickles," Levi said with a grin, appearing unfazed by the electric current running up his arm. Felix quickly pressed another switch, heating the metal rod to a glowing red and burning Levi's hand.

"Ouch!" Levi exclaimed as he forcefully tossed the stick and Felix away from him.

Flint used the opportunity to fire another dart, but this time Levi was ready and caught it. The boys watched as the large man unscrewed the dart before drinking the contents. Levi's eyes started to glow as he swallowed a big gulp of air and belch out a gaseous substance.

Felix covered his face with his shirt. His eyes started to glow as fire emerged from his hand, successfully burning up any remnants of the noxious gas.

Before Levi could react, Maria jumped him from behind and pressed her staff against his neck. While Maria choked Levi, Flint and Felix assisted by restraining the man's arms. Unable to breathe, it did not take long for Levi to be rendered unconscious by the youths. The three proceeded with caution as the large man laid passed out on the floor.

The youths were standing over the body when they were startled by the noise of Levi's phone ringing. They looked at each other, unsure if they should answer. Flint smiled and leaned forward to reach for the phone only to have his arm slapped away by Felix.

"Come on, let's get this guy tied up before he comes to," Felix said to the others.

Flint left to find suitable restrains while Felix and Maria tried to wake Diana.

**οοοοοοο**

Inside the Remez residence, Lucy was standing outside her study. She tried to call Levi for an update but furiously ended the call upon hearing Levi's stupid voicemail. Lucy was about to put her phone away when she noticed a text from Wyatt warning her of the imminent attack.

With little time remaining to tie up loose ends, Lucy went back into the study. The rearranged room had all the furniture pushed together in a pile alongside the far wall. Adley's chair was now positioned on top of a large sheet of construction plastic away from the expensive furniture.

As soon as Lucy entered, the now conscious Adley looked up towards the door. She was visibly terrified from having realized what was about to happen to her. With her injury from Levi left unattended, she had a big bruise on her face and a swollen eye.

"Please let me go," Adley pleaded desperately. "I won't tell anyone, I swear!"

Lucy smiled at the pathetic human and walked towards her desk behind Adley.

"Oh, you poor thing," Lucy said as she opened the drawer, pulling out a gun and an extra clip. "We both know I can't let that happen. I do appreciate your assistance, but unfortunately, I no longer have any use for you."

Lucy walked up to Adley, who was now sobbing in fear. She knelt in front of the girl and looked at her sympathetically. "Try not to be so pathetic, it's not a good look on you," Lucy said in annoyance from Adley's excessive crying.

Unable to escape from her restraints, Adley closed her eyes in defeat while sobbing quietly.

Fed up with Adley's bawling, Lucy frowned. "Here, let me help you," she said as her eyes started to glow a pale blue.

Within seconds, Adley stopped crying, and a blank expression appeared on her face.

"That's better," Lucy said with a smile. She stood up and released the safety switch. "I know, life's a bitch. If anyone can relate, it's me," she explained as she released the weapon's safety. "Thanks to your friends, I'm stuck with all the dirty work. Try not to spray everywhere, okay?"

"Okay," Adley replied in a voice that was void of all emotion while gazing forward in a trance.

Lucy was about to raise her gun when she was interrupted by the sound of glass shattering, followed by multiple figures flying through the window. Anticipating the attack, Lucy swung around and opened fire at the intruders.

**οοοοοοο**

Meanwhile, Sevan was pacing his bedroom with a phone to his ear. He had just received an unexpected call from Nyx advising him of her upcoming meeting with the authorities.

"That's unfortunate," Sevan agreed after hearing about their predicament. "I will make sure she knows."

Suddenly, Sevan heard the distant sound of glass shattering followed by gunfire. Having heard multiple gunshots, Sevan knew this was not Lucy taking care of the hostage.

"I have to go, they're here," Sevan said into the phone before ending the call. He hurried towards his walk-in closet and started to arm himself with two handguns before pulling out a semi-automatic rifle. With his weapons in hand, Sevan rushed out of the room to aid his wife.

**οοοοοοο**

Back inside the study, the hindered rescue mission was at a standstill. Lucy's gunfire forced the team to find cover immediately upon entering the room. Quinn and Freya jumped behind a large sofa while Trenton, Tempest, and Marko found shelter behind the desk. Marko had a gun but was unable to fire because Adley was blocking his shot of the target. Lucy, on the other hand, unloaded her whole clip into the furniture attempting to hit Quinn and Freya.

With the enemy's clip emptied, Quinn used the opportunity to strike. Having a clear shot of Lucy, she stood up and walked two steps forward as her eyes and Nyx's necklace glowing brightly. But before Quinn could strike, Lucy hid behind Adley, forcing Quinn to cease her attack.

Lucy smiled while casually pulling the extra clip out of her pocket and released the empty clip to load her weapon. Quinn quickly ran back next to her sister for cover while Lucy pointed the gun at Adley's head.

"Try that again, and she gets it," Lucy warned the intruders.

Ducked down with her back against the sofa, Quinn turned to her sister. "We have to lure her away from Adley."

"Easy, you distract her while I'll shoot," Freya said as she pulled her gun out of its holster.

"Okay, I'll go tell Tempest to wait for your signal," Quinn agreed. She then jumped out from behind the furniture pile and ran a few feet towards the desk.

As soon as Lucy raised her gun and pointed it at Quinn, Freya emerged from behind the sofa and fired towards Lucy. The same putty-like substance from earlier hit Lucy's weapon, successfully knocking it out of her hand.

With Lucy unarmed, Freya stood up while still aiming her gun at the woman. Lucy looked around for her weapon but stopped when Freya fired the same substance at the wall to gain her attention.

"What is that?" Lucy asked with a frown, unimpressed with the mess Freya was making.

"I highly recommend that you do not make any sudden movements," Freya warned with a smile. "The last thing you want me to do it ignite that shit, so don't piss me off."

Quinn and the others emerged from behind the furniture. They were about to join Freya when Sevan suddenly barged in through the door with his weapons in hand.

"Don't fire," Lucy warned Sevan, not appreciating the idea of an explosive substance detonating inside her home.

Spotting his wife unarmed, Sevan threw Lucy a handgun as everyone ducked behind their original covers.

"I still wouldn't shoot if I were you," Freya said to Sevan and Lucy from behind the furniture. "I can still detonate it from here!"

Freya turned to her sister while lowering her voice. "I greatly underestimated the difficulty of this recovery mission," she sighed before putting her hand to her ear to radio her son. "Flint, I'm gonna need a fatty rolled when this is over, and don't skimp on the kief this time, okay?" she said into the communication device.

"...Ahh, Flint isn't here," Arlo's voice replied.

"Arlo? Where's Flint? Is Felix with you?" Freya asked as a worried expression appeared on her face.

Quinn looked at her sister and could immediately tell something was wrong.

"No, they're both...busy," Arlo's voice answered nervously.

"Arlo, what is going on!" Freya demanded.

There was silence in the study as Freya conversed with Arlo. Sevan and Lucy glanced at each other in confusion as they listened to Freya scream at someone from behind the mound of furniture.

Arlo was silent out of fear, but this only angered Freya more. "Arlo! What is going on!"

"He threatened to cut me if I said anything," Arlo's voice replied shamefully.

Freya looked back at her sister. "Something's wrong at the house, tell Brook to go check it out."

"On it," Quinn said as she used her commlink to radio Brook while Freya tried to get more information from Arlo.

"Arlo," Freya warned in a stern voice. "You better tell me what's goin' on, or I swear Flint will be the least of your worries!"

Arlo's sigh echoed into Freya's ear. "Okay, fine. Something happened upstairs. They left to go investigate," Arlo said with a hit of nervousness in his voice. "I know I shouldn't have listened to them and let them go alone. I'm such an irresponsible adult!" Arlo's voice was starting to sound panicky as he continued talking. "There was this noise, and I didn't know what to do. I just assumed the boys were in charge and—"

"Get a hold of yourself!" Freya interrupted. "There's no point getting all worked up now. You could have informed me a little sooner, but I'm not mad. Hiding like a coward is a good move for you."

"Gee, thanks," Arlo replied sarcastically.

"Don't worry. We are sending Brook over," Freya informed Arlo before refocusing on the current rescue mission.

**οοοοοοο**

Meanwhile, on a neighbouring rooftop, Axel and Rowan had just finished restraining Wyatt. Their hostage had visible burns on his face and body. Brook was nearby talking to Quinn through the commlink while Ebony stood on the far end of the rooftop, scanning the perimeter.

Once she finished speaking with Quinn, Brook turned to address the others. "I have to get back to the house to help the boys," Brook informed the two males. "Quinn said they could use some reinforcements."

"You two go, I'll watch him," Rowan offered as he disarmed Wyatt.

Wyatt started to struggle, prompting Rowan to point one of the katanas at his face, to signal for him to stop.

"Don't move. I don't want to hurt you," Rowan warned.

Wyatt remained silent as he sat leaning against the rooftop ledge, appearing oddly calm for someone who was disarmed and bound.

Seeing that the hostage was not going to cause any more trouble, Ebony decided to scout the area. She had just finished circling the block when she spotted the faint outline of a dark figure on top of a nearby building. While gliding towards the target, Ebony could see that they were facing the building her brother and the hostage were on. She picked up speed when she noticed the rifle in the shooter's hand. Fearing that he was going to shoot before she could reach him, Ebony pulled out her knife and threw it at the man, but it was too late.

_BANG!_

The sound of the gun firing caused Ebony to stop midair just as the knife impaled the shooter. Kai screamed in pain while trying to reach for the knife sticking out of his right shoulder.

Even in the surrounding darkness, Ebony could make out the faint shadow of her brother falling to the ground in the distance. Abandoning the attacker, Ebony flew towards Rowan, knowing he was hurt.

With his only captor defeated, Wyatt used the opportunity to break free of his restraints and take back his swords before making his escape.

Ignoring the fleeing hostage, Ebony was focused solely on her sibling. As she flew towards Rowan, she could start to make out his body resting on top of the dark rooftop. She immediately lost her breath and fell hard onto her knees once she noticed the obliterated section of Rowan's skull from a fatal headshot. With the image of her twin's mutilated face now emblazoned in her mind, Ebony closed her eyes in grief. She held herself shaking as she tried to contain her anger. Then, unable to restrain the feeling any longer, Ebony let out a blood-curdling scream while the ground below her trembled in a violent earthquake.

**οοοοοοο**

Inside the Markovich residence, Levi was handcuffed and propped up against a wall. Flint, Felix, Maria, and Diana were standing around the captive as he started to regain consciousness. Realizing what was going on, Levi began moving his arms to free himself.

"Try all ya want, but you ain't getting free," Flint warned while pointing the gun in the hostage's face.

Levi frowned at his captors. "You kids can't stop me I'm—"

"Put a sock in it," Flint said as he stuffed a roll-up ball of socks into the man's mouth, reducing Levi to mumbles.

"Now what?" Flint asked the others.

"We should check on Arlo," Felix replied. "Mom's probably figured out something's up by now."

"While you do that, I call dibs on interrogation and torture," Flint said with an evil smile. "Let's make this guy spill the beans on his whole organization."

Suddenly, the whole house started to tremble violently. The powerful quake knocked over a nearby dresser, and wall-mounted pictures started to fall around them.

Levi capitalized on the distraction to make his escape. He effortlessly snapped his handcuffs before jumping up and plowing through the small group, knocking them down.

As the house rumbled, Levi quickly ran over towards the unconscious girls. Securing his targets, he jumped out the window with Maria and Diana in pursuit.

**οοοοοοο**

Quinn and Freya promptly moved away from the furniture pile as soon as the penthouse started to shake violently. Expensive antiques fell all around them, and the sound of glass shattering resonated in the distance.

Lucy and Sevan looked at each other, wondering if they should stay and fight or escape to safety.

By now, Axel had already entered through the broken window and was standing next to Trenton, Tempest, and Marko.

"It's Ebony! Something's wrong!" Tempest said with a worried expression before exiting through the broken window to help her niece.

"We have to hurry," Quinn warned her sister. "Trenton and I will get Adley. You distract them."

The room continued to shake while Freya reached into her belt pouch and pulled out a small trigger switch. She pressed the button, igniting a tiny detonator inside the mass of explosive material. Trying to run against the rumbling floor, Lucy and Sevan fled just as it detonated. The explosion created a hole in the wall while the surrounding drywall ignited in flames. The fire was starting to climb the wall when the earthquake finally ceased.

Amid all the chaos, Quinn and Trenton freed Adley before escaping towards the broken window. The condo's emergency sprinkler finally activated, extinguishing the fire while the group fled.

**οοοοοοο**

Outside, Kai and Wyatt were flying toward their parent's condo when the city finally stopped trembling under them. Observing smoke and steam billowing out the broken window, the brothers reached their parents' home just seconds after Quinn and the others fled.

"Where's the fire?" Kai asked his parents as he stumbled over the tossed furniture and various other belongings that had shifted in the earthquake.

The sprinkler was no longer running, but everything in the room was drenched, including Sevan as he stood alone, assessing the damage.

"It's out now," Sevan said while motioning to the charred hole in the wall.

Since there was no emergency, Kai took the opportunity to take off his shirt and pressed it against his shoulder wound to stop the bleeding.

Wyatt surveyed the damage. "I hope you have coverage for earthquakes."

"We do," Sevan replied.

"Are you sure?" Kai asked as he looked down at the remains of some expensive antique pottery that had fallen off the shelves. "Earthquake coverage is not standard in most policies."

Sevan sighed while holding his head. "I think we've been through enough earthquakes to remember to get the damn coverage."

Lucy entered the room, having left to shut off the water and assess the damages to the rest of their property. She looked like she was about to say something but stopped when she noticed Kai and Wyatt's injuries.

"Oh, my poor boys," Lucy said, a look of motherly concern appearing on her face. "What have they done to you?" she asked as she examined Wyatt's facial burns.

"They outnumbered us, but we managed to kill one," Wyatt explained.

The angry expression on Lucy's face deepened as she glanced around at the surrounding destruction. "No one attacks my family. I will not let them get away that easily," the matriarch declared as she walked up to the broken window and jumped out.

"No!" Sevan called, attempting to stop his wife but to no avail. He turned back to his two offspring. "Go help her!" he ordered in a panic.

Abandoning their grounded father, Kai and Wyatt followed their vindictive mother out the window.

**οοοοοοο**

The rescue party had gathered on a nearby rooftop. Freya was standing with Marko and Axel while speaking to Felix over the radio.

"Okay, Brook should be there any second," Freya informed her son. "We're leaving now," she added before ending the transmission.

Seeing that Freya had finished talking, Quinn approached for an update on the situation back home.

"Levi Remez took Moselle and Dalie," Freya explained. "Luckily, Felix put a tracker on him. Maria and Diana are on his tail, so we need to hurry."

Quinn gave her sister a nod of approval prompting Freya, Marko, and Axel to take off towards the house. Quinn turned to Trenton, who was holding a semiconscious Adley.

"I should get her home," Trenton said before parting with the injured woman.

Staying back to help the others, Quinn spotted Tempest and Ebony on the far end of the rooftop kneeling next to Rowan's body. Tears started to form in her eyes as she walked up next to them, cringing at the sight of Rowan's fatal wound.

"Tempest, Ebony..." Quinn started to say but could not bring herself to finish. She watched the two grieving women in silence. Ebony had her eyes closed, and her lips were moving as she softly said a goodbye prayer.

"They will pay for this," Tempest said with clenched fists and tears running down her face.

Quinn glanced up at the exterior of the Remez penthouse and observed Lucy, Kai, and Wyatt emerging from the broken window.

"Looks like you'll have that chance," Quinn remarked, alerting her comrades.

Enraged and ready to fight, Ebony quickly retrieved the crossbow and stating firing at the approaching assailants.

The three members of the Remez clan dodged the arrows as they raced towards their targets. Kai slowed his descent to fire his handgun at Ebony. Kai missed, but Ebony used the opportunity to successfully hit Kai's gun with an arrow, knocking it out of his hand. Thwarted by the girl again, an enraged Kai pulled out a hunting knife and dove towards Ebony.

As the attackers approached, Quinn's eyes and necklace started to glow. She fired a series of electric bolts in their direction, successfully hitting Wyatt midair. Stunned by the shock, Wyatt dropped a few meters before regaining flight. Quinn pulled out her whip as Wyatt landed in front of her with both swords drawn.

With Quinn and Ebony engaged in battle, Tempest set her sights on Lucy as she approached. Lucy pulled out a gun and aimed it at Tempest while closing in. Tempest's eyes started to glow a pale blue. A gust of air suddenly hit Lucy from below, causing her to burst upwards.

By now, Quinn and Ebony had teamed up. Using the men's wounds to their advantage, they had managed to gain the upper hand. While Quinn distracted the brothers, Ebony fired an arrow straight into Kai's shoulder, successfully hitting the stab wound she caused minutes earlier. Quinn hit the brothers with a powerful electric charge causing Kai to yell in pain from the shock while pulling out the metal arrow.

Meanwhile, Lucy had finally regained control of her flight and descended towards Tempest. Recognizing Tempest as a fellow Venti, an intrigued Lucy landed on the rooftop to talk while the other four continued fighting around them.

"Who are you? And what is your relation to them?" Lucy asked Tempest as she pointed towards Quinn and Ebony.

"They are my family, and who I am is of no importance to you," Tempest replied.

"Regardless, even you will not get clemency from me," Lucy warned. "You all must pay for what you did here tonight."

**"** No! _You_ will pay for the murder your family committed!" Tempest yelled as her eyes started to glow, and the air began to swirl around her.

Without warning, Lucy was hit with a powerful gust sending her flying backwards over the edge of the building. Tempest quickly followed Lucy towards the rooftop edge, unwilling to relent her attack as a cyclone of air threw Lucy around like a rag doll.

Kai and Wyatt immediately stop fighting as soon as they noticed their mother in distress. Abandoning the fight, the two men quickly flew towards Lucy, but Ebony and Quinn followed suit. Quinn reached for her whip and used her weapon to latch onto Wyatt's leg while trying to hold him back. She sent a powerful electric charge through her weapon, successfully debilitating him.

Seeing Ebony opened, Tempest called out to her niece. "Now!" she yelled at the girl prompting Ebony to fire an arrow at Lucy as soon as the gust dissipated.

The arrow hit Lucy in the torso while she tried to regain control of her flight. Lucy struggled to keep airborne as Kai approached her. Kai reached out for his falling mother, but another powerful gust hit the two, sending them flying into the side of a building. The mother and son were immobilized while they struggled against the powerful current.

"LUCINDA!" a male voice roared in the distance.

Tempest looked up to see Sevan standing in front of the broken window, watching the scene unfold. Desperate to save his wife, Sevan fired his rifle at Tempest. Although Tempest was too far to hit, the shot distracted her enough to stop the attack.

Now free from the strong current, Kai and Lucy plummeted towards the ground. Kai quickly recovered and immediately dove after his injured mother as she freefell away from him.

Tempest was about to charge after them when she was stopped by Ebony's hand on her shoulder. Tempest's face softened as she looked at the young woman, and her anger began to dissolve, replaced by the gut-wrenching feeling of sorrow.

"You're right," Tempest said as Ebony embraced her. "If we continue, we'll be no better then they are," she whispered. The two continued their mourning while holding each other. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for him," Tempest apologized as she squeezed her niece tight.

With the fight over, Quinn watched the two Remez brothers carry their injured mother back towards the penthouse. She was relieved to see that the Remez family was no longer a threat but knew it would not be long until they returned with a vengeance. Knowing they needed to leave, but not having the heart to say anything, Quinn looked on in tears as she allowed the grieving females a few more minutes of consolation.

**οοοοοοο**

It did not take long for Maria and Diana to catch up with Levi. The large male was carrying Moselle and Dalie while futilely trying to lose his pursuers. The females were quickly closing in on him, and the children were encumbering his ability to flee and fight. To even the odds, Levi dropped Dalie hoping to distract his chasers while freeing up one arm.

Diana and Maria both dove after the falling girl with Diana successfully catching the child.

"Get her somewhere safe," Maria said to Diana before continuing after Levi.

Maria retrieved the staff off her back as she neared the man. She quickly gained speed and jabbed Levi in the back as soon as she was close enough to strike. Levi dropped a few meters before catching himself while still managing to hold onto Moselle.

Unable to get away, Levi landed on a nearby rooftop and placed Moselle on the ground before turning to fight Maria. The young adolescent was able to fend off Levi's attacks with her staff, but when she tried to land a kick, Levi effortlessly grabbed her foot and swung her into a nearby wall.

With her body aching from the attack, Maria struggled to stand.

Levi approached Maria to deliver the final blow. As soon as he neared the hunched over female, he extended his leg back to kick her but suddenly stopped when he felt the searing hot pain of fire hit his back. He quickly turned around to find Freya, Marko, and Axel standing before him ready to fight.

"Fuck this," Levi said, knowingly outnumbered against the three Ifrits. He reached into his pocket and pulled out two smoke bombs before throwing them towards his enemies.

As the thick cloud expanded, Freya cautioned the others. "Be careful, it could be poisonous!" she warned, causing them to move away from the gaseous substance. As the gas started to disperse, Freya looked around frantically only to discover that Moselle and Levi were gone.

**οοοοοοο**

_Omicron Incorporate HQ – 0200 hrs_

Inside the sixty-seventh-floor laboratory, Joy had just finished containing the damage from the earthquake and was back to making the vita-serum under the watchful eyes of the Remez sisters. Dalie was still unconscious on a nearby table, having been dropped off by Levi twenty minutes earlier. The lingering silence in the room finally broken by the sound of footsteps rapidly approaching the laboratory.

Suddenly, Sevan, Kai, and Wyatt burst into the room with Sevan carrying his injured and unconscious wife.

"Mother!" the two girls called upon seeing their mother's torso covered in blood from the wound.

"What is it now?" Joy demanded, darting up from his chair in frustration.

"We can't slow the bleeding, you must help her," Sevan said as he placed his wife on the empty table that Joy had reserved for Moselle.

Joy frowned at Sevan. "First you demand I drop everything to make you the vita-serum, then you only bring me one specimen, and now this! Does this look like a hospital to you?"

Seeing that Joy was reluctant to help, Sevan's posture changed. He looked at the doctor furiously as his children stood behind him, each pulling out their respective weapons ready to persuade the doctor otherwise.

Sevan forcefully grabbed Joy's lab coat and pulled him close. **"** Listen and listen good," Sevan growled as he tightened his grip "I am your superior. She is your superior, and by extension, so are they," he said while motioning to his offspring. "You better do everything in your power to help her because _you_ are expendable, and she is not!"

Joy nodded nervously but was quick to compose himself once Sevan released him. "Fine," he agreed while fixing the collar of his wrinkled shirt. "I'll see what I can do."

The silence in the room resumed while Joy examined Lucy under the watchful eyes of the Remez clan.

**οοοοοοο**

_Markovich Residence – 1005 hrs_

Time crept along for Arlo as he quietly waited for an update on his sister. With Diana and Tempest mending Adley on the second floor, and the other half of the household inhabitants tending to Rowan's body on the top floor, Arlo remained in the basement with the boys.

The room was silent apart from Felix typing on the keyboard. Flint sat at the coffee table in front of Arlo, playing with a pile of dried green plant material Arlo assumed was weed. Arlo would have been more disturbed with this scene if he was not so exhausted and worried about his sister.

"What are you doing?" Arlo asked, finally breaking the silence.

"Getting ready for the burial," Flint explained.

"Your parents let you do drugs?"

"Depends on the drug," the boy replied with a shrug. "It's a pretty vague term."

"Okay, let me rephrase, your parents let you smoke that?" Arlo asked the boy as he motioned to the pile of cannabis on the table.

"No, not this," Flint innocently replied as he pointed to the pile in front of him. "This is an offering for the fire. It's Rowan's signature strain," he explained, but upon saying the deceased man's name, a wave of sadness passed over him. Flint let out a sad sigh. "Business won't be the same without him," he added before suppressing his feelings and returning to a more neutral expression.

"What business?" Arlo asked curiously.

"It's more of an essential service. I provide cannabis to people."

"You're a weed dealer?" Arlo asked the child in disbelief.

"I prefer to call myself a cannabis philanthropist," Flint corrected.

"How is that any different?"

"First off, my organization runs more like a charity because I never turn anyone away. Pay what you can, or not at all, and for those of my clients that have some extra coin, I sell primo shit for a reasonable price."

Arlo looked at the boy baffled. "You give it away for free? How is that a sustainable business model?"

Flint rolled his eyes. "I said _charity_. But you'd be surprised how much of a profit I turn. Over ninety percent of my clients offer to pay something, and I've had a loyal customer base for several years now."

"You are a strange kid," Arlo said while shaking his head.

"And you're a pusillanimous man," Flint retorted as he brushed his pile of plant material into a small piece of red cloth and wrapped it tightly.

Arlo remained silent as he retrieved his phone to google the word pusillanimous while the two boys exited the basement to get ready for the ceremony. Arlo sat alone for a moment before deciding to go upstairs to check on his sister. He walked up to the second floor and into the spare bedroom. Inside he found Diana sitting next to Adley, who was lying in bed with her eyes closed. Arlo's heart sank upon seeing his little sister's battered and swollen face.

"How is she?" Arlo asked Diana.

Adley started to stir in the bed upon hearing Arlo's voice, and her eyes slowly opened. She gazed around the room in confusion but faintly smiled when spotting her brother.

"Adley, thank God you're okay," Arlo said as he rushed to her side. "I was so worried."

Adley turned to the woman sitting next to her. "You must be Diana."

Diana smiled. "Yes. Nice to finally meet you, Adley."

"Nice to meet you, too," Adley replied. "What happened? How did I get here?" she asked while feeling her injured face.

"Brook and the others rescued you, they brought you back to their house," Arlo explained.

"The last thing I remember is walking into my apartment and being attacked by a big man."

"It was Omicron," clarified Arlo. "You've been gone for almost two days. The police are even looking for you."

"I guess I should let them know I'm okay," Adley wondered.

"What are you going to tell them?" asked Diana.

"The truth, well mostly," Adley replied. "I'll tell them someone ambushed me, and I don't remember what happened. I'll say I was drugged and left in an ally."

"Why not tell them Omicron did it?" Arlo asked. "Don't you want to blow the whistle on them?"

"You can't, not yet," Diana pleaded. "They still have Moselle."

Adley looked at Diana, puzzled. "What happened? I thought they rescued all of you?"

Diana's already grim expression deepened. "A lot has happened, not everyone made it back safely..."

Diana proceeded to fill Adley in on everything that had happened since her abduction. Diana detailed the rescue mission, Hunter's death, and the battle with the Remez family. Adley looked horrified to hear about Rowan's murder and Moselle's abduction. Tears were forming in both females' eyes by the time Diana concluded the account.

Despite her injuries, Adley was determined to attend Rowan's burial. Arlo was hesitant, believing it was a bad idea to return to Sanctuary since it was compromised. Still, even he understood that Rowan deserved a final resting spot alongside his parents.

XIII

# July 17th, 2017

_Omicron Incorporated – 0930 hrs_

The Omicron building was bustling with Monday morning activity when Richard arrived at the reception desk. John was already there to greet him and escorted the detective up to the conference room where Nyx was waiting. After a brief introduction, John excused himself while Nyx and Richard took their seats at the table.

"Thank you for taking the time to meet with me, Miss Allete," Richard said as he sat down in front of the large desk. "I realize you're a very busy person."

"Then, you can appreciate why I must keep the length of this interview to a minimum."

"The news is buzzing about this new product of yours," Richard commented. "I must ask, did you really invent a drug that stops the ageing process, or is this a marking tactic?"

"No tactic," Nyx said with a smile while trying to hide her annoyance with Richard's pointless small talk. "It does everything we claim."

"A product like that will probably have a price that's out of reach for the average person."

Nyx frowned as her feelings of annoyance bubbled to the surface. "Not necessarily. When available, everyone will have access to it. It's an investment that pays for itself," she added before redirecting the conversation. "Now, I hope you have more important matters to discuss besides Omicron's new products?"

"I apologize, I got a little sidetracked," Richard said with a smile. "I've requested this meeting to discuss a few of your employees, well, deceased employees."

"Yes. I heard about Doctor Hunter, how unfortunate," Nyx said before giving the detective a puzzled expression. "But I'm only aware of the one death. To whom else are you referring?"

"Rebecca Kyle," said Richard. "She was an employee of yours that committed suicide shortly before Doctor Hunter died."

"How upsetting," Nyx said while trying to appear shocked by this news. "The name doesn't ring a bell, but this is a large company. I'm curious, what does suicide have to do with Doctor Hunter?"

"Miss Kyle worked in his department. She also had the address to his private laboratory in her possession. A bit of a coincidence, don't you think?"

"You believe that Miss Kyle and Doctor Hunter's deaths are connected?" Nyx asked. "Just out of curiosity, did you determine the cause of Doctor Hunter's death?"

"I can tell you he died by a gunshot wound to the head at point-blank range," Richard explained. "Do you know anything about the type of research he was conducting off Omicron property?"

"No. I hope it had nothing to do with any of our products," Nyx replied with a frown.

"We found his body inside a warehouse in Queens," Richard explained. "He's listed as the owner."

"Huh, I wasn't even aware he owned commercial property."

"Evidence suggests he was experimenting on people. The whole scene screamed mad scientist," Richard informed the president.

"That's disturbing news. If I had known Doctor Hunter was engaging in such abhorrent activities, I never would have hired him."

"The human experimentation part is only just speculation at this point, we're still waiting on the lab results," Richard corrected.

"I appreciate this information, but I don't see what the doctor's death, or the unfortunate loss of Miss Kyle, has anything to do with me or my company."

"Were you aware that Miss Kyle was providing information about Omicron to a journalist?"

A surprised look appeared on Nyx's face. **"** No, I was not aware. Had I known, I would have terminated her employment immediately and pursued legal action against her for breach of her non-disclosure agreement."

"The odd thing is that this particular journalist is now a missing person," Richard explained. "You can understand my curiosity when I discovered that the missing journalist also had the same address in her possession. Considering your company is a reoccurring theme in the missing person's case, a suicide, and a possible homicide, I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't investigate."

"I can see where you're coming from," Nyx agreed. "But I assure you that any correlation is simply a coincidence. The doctor was only hired on temporarily as a consultant. He had many personal projects that had nothing to do with Omicron. He mentioned this when I hired him, so I made sure his contract specifically limited his work on company time and property to the one particular project."

"Aren't you thorough."

"Just following the advice of my legal team," Nyx explained. "I'm no detective, but may I suggest a theory?"

"Please do."

"Well, since Miss Kyle worked next to Doctor Hunter, perhaps she discovered his illegal activities and provided the information to her reporter friend. It sounds like Doctor Hunter was a much more interesting story than anything Omicron is working on."

"It's a very compelling theory, doesn't explain what happened to the reporter, though."

Nyx shrugged. "Could be a coincidence, correlation does not mean causation. But unless you have any further questions, I have a ten o'clock meeting I must prepare for."

Richard raised from his seat and pulled out a business card. "If you think of anything, please call," he said while handing her the card. "Thank you for your time," he added before exiting the room.

Seconds later, John entered the boardroom just as Nyx threw herself onto the table. "Ugh, that was torture," she said with her face down before slowly looking up at her assistant. "Mark my words, I'm _never_ doing that again."

"You did well, madam," John replied as he looked down at the tablet in his hand. "Oh, and I've cancelled your ten o'clock with Doctor Joy."

"Thank you. Finally, some good news," Nyx said with a grin.

John did not return the smile. "Don't thank me yet, Sevan is on his way down to see you."

"How disappointing," Nyx sighed. "I'm in no mood to deal with him right now."

"Unfortunately, you don't have a choice," John said just as Sevan stormed into the boardroom.

Nyx smiled at the enraged man. "Good morning, Sevan. How did it go the other night?"

"You're not fooling anyone. I know you know about Lucy," Sevan snapped as he approached the table. "Something must be done about your nieces!"

"Lucy brought this on herself," Nyx said calmly. "She may have had the best intentions, but it seems like she bit off more than she could chew."

Sevan glared at Nyx, enraged by her apathy. "If she doesn't make a full recovery, I'm holding _you_ personally responsible!"

Nyx sat up defensively. "I don't owe you a thing. It's because of your wife I just spent the last half-hour talking to the authorities. This kind of attention is the last thing we need right now!"

"They've attacked Omicron, my home, and you've done nothing to stop them!" Sevan growled in frustration. "You're too soft. You're letting your unresolved issues with your sister get the best of you. If someone is jeopardizing everything, it's _you_!"

Nyx laughed, unable to take his threat seriously. "Hah, you're giving me a lecture on unresolved family issues," she retorted with a smile before her expression turned serious. "Don't mistake my absence of action as a sign of weakness. We must keep a low profile. I've worked too hard to get this far, and nothing is going to get in my way." Nyx paused and casually sat back in her chair. "It's a shame what happened to Lucy, but don't try to blame me for her recklessness."

Infuriated by her last comment, Sevan slammed his fist down on the table as he moved forward threateningly. Nyx did not flinch at Seven's act of aggression.

John immediately took a defensive step towards Sevan, but Nyx put her hand up, signalling for him to stop.

"Don't worry, John, he's not going to do anything," Nyx informed her assistant as she continued to make eye contact with Sevan.

Sevan glared at the woman before turning to leave. "You better watch your back, _Nyx_."

Nyx's smile widened. "Is that a challenge? Bring it on _Septimus_ , you and your dysfunctional family."

XIV

# April 5th, 1598

_The Kin Village_

The sun was setting over the mountainous village hidden along the Afghan-Pakistan border. Inside one of the huts, a young woman was slumbering peacefully when a similarly aged man entered. The young man had brown skin and white shoulder-length hair tied back off his face. The visibly distressed man quietly bent down next to the sleeping woman.

"Rose," the male whispered as he gently awakened the female. "I'm sorry, but this could not wait," he said in a soft voice.

The young woman had light brown skin, bright green eyes, and long emerald green hair tied back in a braid. A confused expression briefly crossed the rousing woman's face before concentrating on her partner. "Jacob, what is it?" Rose asked as she rubbed her tired eyes. "Is the meeting over already?"

"Yes," Jacob replied before turning away, too upset to look her in the eyes. **"** They are leaving at nightfall."

"What?" Rose asked in disbelief. "And you? Are you leaving as well?" she demanded as tears started to form in her eyes.

Jacob could not bring himself to answer, but he did not have to because his face said it all.

"Then I'm coming with you!" Rose sat up in her bed, exposing a very pregnant looking midsection. She leaned over and pulled Jacob into a tight embrace.

"You can't," Jacob said as he hugged her back. "I asked, only Venti are allowed."

The tears were flowing freely down Rose's face by the time they ended the hug.

"We are not the only ones leaving," Jacob continued, finding it difficult to stay strong as he watched his lover's heart break in front of him. "There are talks of the Gaia clans leaving. There is something big happening, something they are not telling us. You need to stay with your clan. They will protect you."

"I can't do this without you," Rose pleaded. "Why don't we just stay here together?"

"My father would never allow it. If they found out I was staying because of you, who knows what they would do to you."

Rose was growing frustrated. "Let's leave the village now, just the two of us."

"You know my family would come after us. There is no way we can outrun them in your condition." Jacob put his hands on her shoulders and looked her straight in the eyes. "I don't want to see you get hurt, that's why you have to stay with your clan. You will be safe with them." He moved one hand on to Rose's belly. **"** _They_ will be safe."

"No!" Rose shouted while shaking her head in disagreement. "I can't do this alone! How can they separate us like this? There has to be some other way!" Rose's voice was rising in anger.

"I don't want to risk bringing more attention to you," Jacob said calmly and quietly, trying to lower Rose's anxiety. "My father has changed. But it's not just my family. Everyone's been arguing and fighting lately. It's like darkness has fallen upon us."

Rose was now crying as Jacob pulled her in for another embrace. "Many of my sisters and brothers feel the same as me. I'm sure we can talk some sense into the elders, reason with them."

"I'm due any day now! I can't do this alone!" Rose sobbed into Jacob's chest.

"You won't be alone. I know you can do it," Jacob reassured her. "And don't worry, I will find you even if that means leaving my father if he won't listen to reason. I need to ensure you are safe and far away before I anger him. Just promise me you will stay with your clan."

"I will," Rose said between sobs.

Jacob pulled out a pale blue orb pendant and placed the silver-coloured chain around Rose's neck. "Take this. It belongs to my clan. I want you to hold on to it until we meet again."

"Just promise me you will find us," Rose said as she hugged her partner tight.

"I will, I promise."

The two lovers continued holding each other, both praying that this would not be the last time they would feel the other's embrace.

**οοοοοοο**

**February 7** **th** **, 1599**

_Ipsen Castle_

It was snowing outside the large castle nestled within a valley in northern Germany. As the soft flakes silently drifted onto the thick blanket of snow outside, inside the fortress, the sound of a woman's screams resonated throughout the entire south-west corner.

Within the castle library, two men were seated next to the fire enjoying a stiff drink. The lord of the castle, Ulric, was a middle-aged male with short silver hair, a short silver beard, and brown skin. The younger male sitting next to him possessed similar features apart from his long white hair that had a slight blue tinge to it. The younger male, Godric, started to fidget nervously in his seat when a series of screams and moans echoed down the hallway.

"Don't be so nervous, my boy. She's in good hands," Ulric reassured his drinking companion. "Your sister Sandra is a knowledgeable woman. She delivered my last two grandchildren with ease."

Godric forced a smile before taking a large drink from his cup. "I'm sure this comes naturally to you by now," he said with a heavy sigh.

Ulric smiled and let out a brief chuckle. "Yes, after five children and six grandchildren, I would like to think I'm experienced in _the wait_. Having raised most of my daughters single-handily, I've been present for every birth."

"I do not know how you survived with that many daughters," Godric commented while trying unsuccessfully to take his mind off the anxiety he was feeling.

Ulric chuckled. "I consider it a blessing," he explained. "Females are tasked with the child-rearing, guaranteeing me the opportunity to guide the next generation. Plus, what I lack in male children, I make up for in grandchildren. If you have a son tonight, it will be my seventh grandson, a lucky number in our family."

"I hope so," Godric agreed. "I always thought it would be nice to have sons. I was close to my brother growing up."

"Your sister was telling me triplets run in your family," Ulric commented. "Wouldn't that be a handful for your first time."

Godric smiled. "Luckily, that only happens on the maternal side. The women in my family are very fertile. My aunt had quadruplets twice."

"Yes, very robust genes, indeed," the elder agreed. "I'm glad our clans were presented with this opportunity. It was a union many years in the making."

"Leaving the village was the best thing we could have done. I must admit, I first doubted you when you said Mary would change her mind once we left. You're a wise man. I can see why my father followed you."

"When opportunities present themselves, one would be a fool not to take them," Ulric explained. "Human nature, like our own, is very predictable. The times of kings and queens are coming to an end. Global colonization, advancements in science, societal revolutions—it will only be a matter of time before we step in and take advantage of this natural progression. Remember, those who control the gold, control the world."

Suddenly, a blood-curdling scream echoed down the hallway, causing the older man to grin.

"Not much longer," Ulric said, knowing that sound all too well.

**οοοοοοο**

In a nearby chamber, a labouring female was lying in bed, surrounded by two older females and a young child. Being all Venti, they had similar features, but there were noticeable differences. The adult females assisting with the birth were sisters named Sandra and Cynthia. They both possessed brown skin and white hair with blue undertones. Sandra was a tall, slender woman with broad shoulders and her marginally lighter coloured hair pinned back in a tight bun. Cynthia was shorter than Sandra and slightly heavier with her hair pinned back loosely.

The young child in the room was Sandra's daughter Lucinda. Her face was the spitting image of her mother. Standing silently along the far wall, Lucinda watched the women work.

The only non-biological relative in the room was a woman named Mary. She was much younger than the other two. She had long silver hair and pale blue eyes. Mary's hair was messy, her body drenched in sweat as she laid naked in the bed under cover of a quilted blanket. Mary was exhausted and worn out from enduring hours of painful labour. She took a series of quick breaths and let out a scream while clenching the side of the bed with white knuckles.

Sandra stood at the bottom of the bed overseeing the labour. "One more push," she said as she grabbed a clean cloth from the pile next to her.

Clenching her teeth, Maria grunted and exhaled, giving one last painful push before falling back into her pillow for a quick rest. A few seconds of silence passed before she could hear the cries of her first-born child.

"It's a boy," Sandra explained as she cut the umbilical cord and wrapped the baby in a blanket. The newborn was alert and no longer crying as he looked around the room with big emerald coloured eyes and a thick patch of silver hair on the top of his head. Sandra handed the child over to Cynthia, who was sitting next to Mary.

**"** What remarkable green eyes," Cynthia said while placing the baby in his mother's arms.

Mary started to cry as she looked down at her beautiful baby boy. She was about to start feeding him when a wave of pain resonated from her midsection. She had to pass her son back to Cynthia when she felt the excruciating agony of a forceful contraction.

"You're not done yet," Sandra said as she reached for another blanket.

Mary mustered her last ounce of strength to give three more pushes before hearing the cries of her second child. Hit with a wave of relief and enervation, Mary struggled to catch her breath. A few seconds passed as she waited for Sandra to announce the sex of her newborn. Using her last ounce of fleeting strength, Mary lifted her head and looked down towards her feet to get a glimpse of the infant, but all she could see was Sandra looking down with a grave expression on her face.

"Is everything okay? What is it?" Mary asked before resting her head back on the pillow, completely drained of energy. Her efforts to sit up were making her feel faint and nauseous.

"It's a boy," Sandra said quietly without taking her eyes off the child.

Feeling dizzy, Mary closed her eyes for a second. She could hear Cynthia congratulate her as she opened her eyes and unsuccessfully tried to sit up again.

"Can I hold him?" Maria pleaded while trying to lift her weak hands.

"Mary," Sandra said while standing up with the newborn so the mother could see him. **"** What have you done?"

All the women in the room looked at the baby in shock while tears started to form in Mary's eyes. Unlike every other kin in the chamber, this infant had a head of jet-black hair and dark blue eyes.

Fear and sadness hit Mary like a ton of bricks as she looked between the two women. She wanted to run away, but she was too weak and helpless to do so.

"Please, you must help me, you can't tell him," Mary begged, knowing the lives of her newborns were at stake.

Sandra frowned and glared at the wary woman deciding if she should help coverup this major indiscretion. Mary held her breath while Sandra scowled at her before passing the swaddled baby to Lucy.

"Lucinda, take him to Uncle Jacob," Sandra directed the child. "Tell him what happened here, and do not let anyone see you."

"Thank you," Mary whispered to Sandra.

Lucy quickly exited through a back passageway with the second-born infant. Sandra continued tending to Mary as Cynthia attempted to calm the crying first-born in her arms.

"The bleeding has slowed but hasn't subsided," Sandra said to Cynthia while reaching for more cloths.

Seconds later, the sound of footsteps resonated from the hallway, followed by a knock at the door and Godric poking his head into the room.

"I heard a baby crying," Godric asked Sandra as he entered.

"Congratulations, it's a boy!" Cynthia exclaimed as she held up the infant.

Godric smiled. He walked towards Mary and kissed her on her sweaty forehead. "My love, you did it!"

Too exhausted and nervous to verbally respond, all Mary could do was force a faint smile.

As if sensing Mary's apprehension, Cynthia walked around the bed towards Godric. "Let the poor mother rest," she said as she placed the infant in her brother's arms.

Godric glanced down at the baby, then looked around before turning to Sandra. "We thought there was two, did something happen?"

"Sorry, brother," Sandra answered. "Singletons are uncommon, but they do happen. Mary was a singleton. Maybe it's hereditary."

"But she was sure she felt two, and she was so large," Godric said in disbelief. "We were certain there were two."

Sandra shrugged. "She had a lot of fluid. I can see why you suspected twins."

Accepting his older sister's explanation, Godric finally turned his attention back to the infant. "At least he's healthy," he said with a smile as he admired the newborn.

Cynthia and Sandra exchanged nervous glances when they were suddenly interrupted by Ulric bursting into the room.

"So, what's the verdict?" Ulric questioned the group upon entering. "Any girls yet, or is the male streak going strong?"

"Meet your seventh grandson," Godric announced proudly.

Mary smiled faintly at her father as Ulric walked over and kissed her on the forehead.

"Congratulations," Ulric said to his daughter before his expression turned serious. "You look pale, my dear," he observed before addressing Cynthia. "Make sure you feed her some liver for dinner," he directed the woman before turning to look at the baby in Godric's arms.

"He's wonderful," Ultic beamed. "What are you going to name him?" he asked the father.

"I will give that honour to you, sir," Godric replied.

"No more formalities, Godric. We're family now," the older male explained. "We will call him Septimus, a fitting name for my seventh grandson. What do you think, Mary, my dear?"

Everyone looked towards Mary and were shocked to find her barely conscious and breathing rapidly with a ghostly complexion. She looked like she was about to say something but suddenly started to vomit, barely having enough strength to turn her head. Sandra looked down to see blood soaking through the quilt.

"Quickly, Cynthia, I need the water and more clean cloths," Sandra demanded as the woman nervously fumbled for supplies.

Ulric rushed to hold his dying daughter's hand. "Mary!" he called but received no response.

Godric held the crying newborn, unable to do anything other than watch Mary perish in front of his eyes.

"Godric, take your son and go!" Sandra ordered her brother.

Godric did not move as he stood in shock, his eyes unwavering as he watched his sisters' futile attempt to save the love of his life.

As the life drained from Mary's body, the only thing she could think of was the child she never had the opportunity to hold. Drifting away, Mary found herself fixated on the spot where Lucy fled with her nameless newborn, never to be seen by her again.

**οοοοοοο**

**July 7** **th** **, 1650**

_Ipsen Castle_

It was a warm and sunny summer afternoon as a group of kin relaxed by the lake. Ipsen castle stood in the background surrounded by hills and a small nearby forest.

Four children of various ages were playing near the water. Sevan was the youngest, looking no bigger than a six-year-old human while Lucy appeared slightly older with the appearance of a nine or ten-year-old. The eldest two were Gillies and Gabriel, a pair of pre-adolescent twin brothers that had their flight feathers almost fully developed.

Unlike the rest of the group, the two brothers had dominant Ifrit characteristics with slightly lighter coloured skin, darker hair, and bright red irises. Gillies had short copper coloured hair and wings. Gabriel had chin-length jet black hair with just a hint of red along the hairline and predominantly black wings with small patches of red scattered throughout.

Nearby, four Venti women, all wearing altered tunics of various colours, sat around a tree conversing as they enjoyed the beautiful weather. The two sisters, Sandra and Cynthia, were sitting in the sun with their snow-white wings glistening in the light. Their younger sister Melinda was sitting nearby under the shade of the tree. Like her older sisters, Melinda had white hair with a slight bluish tinge except much shorter in length. Next to Melinda in the shade was Sophia, the mother of the Ifrit boys. Being a daughter of Ulric, Sophia had light sliver hair pinned back and pale blue eyes.

The four children were tossing a ball around when Lucy threw it towards Sevan. The young boy tried to jump for it, but it hit his hand, causing the dense ball to land in the water and sink immediately.

"It's too deep, we'll never get it back," Lucy said in disappointment.

"I'll get it!" Sevan exclaimed before diving into the water without hesitation.

"You won't make it!" Gabriel shouted just as the boy disappeared under the surface.

A few seconds passed as everyone waited for the young boy to resurface.

"There is no way he can reach the bottom, it's one of the deepest lakes around," Gillies said as the youths stood by the edge of the water.

Their smiles began to fade as seconds turned into minutes, and Sevan had not resurfaced. The adults started to exchange looks of concern as panic set in.

"Why has he not surfaced yet? Septimus!" Melinda shouted fearfully. "Go, get Godric!" she ordered Sophia in a panic.

As Sophia took off towards the castle, Cynthia ran towards the water. She was about to jump in when Godric happened to arrive.

Realizing something was wrong, Godric rushed over to his sister. "What is going on?" he asked Cynthia.

"It's Septimus! He's been down there for over four minutes!" Cynthia replied while pointing at the lake.

Godric quickly pushed his sister aside and rushed towards the water. He was about to dive in when Sevan finally broke the surface while holding the ball up victoriously. As the young boy swam towards the shore, everyone looked on in shock.

"And _you_ said I couldn't reach the bottom," Sevan gloated to the other children. "It's not that deep."

"Septimus, dear, we were worried about you," Melinda said as she walked towards the young boy still in shock. "How were you able to hold your breath for so long?"

"What do you mean by hold your breath? What's that?" the youngster asked curiously, not understanding the question.

Godric looked at his son in disbelief as Cynthia and Sandra exchanged worried glances.

Cynthia walked up to Sevan, kneeling next to him. "Are you alright, my dear? Are you feeling dizzy?"

"I feel fine, Aunt Cynthia," Sevan replied with a shrug.

With all eyes on the child, Sandra discreetly signalled to her daughter, who responded accordingly.

"Septimus, Gillies, Gabriel, do you want to go play in the forest?" Lucy asked the boys, who nodded in agreement.

As the four youths ran off to play, Godric watched Sevan intensively while his mind pieced together the nagging suspicions that had been accumulating for some time now.

**οοοοοοο**

Dusk had fallen upon Ipsen castle. After minutes of eagerly searching for his older sister, Godric found Sandra in the library. Sandra was standing on the ladder, looking for a book when he approached.

"Godric, glad you are here," Sandra greeted him. "Do you know where Father is? I haven't seen him all day."

"He left this morning with Ulric," Godric answered flatly.

"I thought they weren't leaving until tomorrow," Sandra said as she returned her attention to the bookshelf. "Maybe you can help me. I'm looking for a book about—"

"I hate to interrupt," Godric interjected abruptly. "But I have an important matter to discuss with you."

Hearing the seriousness in her brother's voice, Sandra turned around to face Godric as she stepped off the ladder. Godric was glaring at his sister with a fury the likes of which she had never seen in him.

**"** What's wrong?" Sandra asked with a concerned expression.

Godric looked his older sister straight in the eye. "I'm only going to ask this once," he said firmly. "I'm warning you now, I know the answer, but I need to hear it from _you_."

"You can ask me anything, brother. I'd never lie to you," Sandra said with unwavering sincerity.

"Do you swear?" Godric asked, not believing her. "Do you swear on our late brother Peter's soul that you will tell me the truth?"

Sandra hesitated before replying. "I swear," she replied, her nervousness starting to show.

"Is he mine?" Godric asked his sister slowly, looking at her intensely as he spoke.

Sandra looked away from him, unable to meet his gaze. "...No."

There was silence. As soon as Sandra turned to look at Godric, her brother forcefully slapped her across the face so hard she lost her balance.

"How could you do this to me!" Godric demanded furiously. "How could you stand back and watch me raise _his_ child by myself? How could you dishonour our family name!"

"The child is innocent in all this," Sandra pleaded with him. "I couldn't bear to think about what would happen to him if you found out."

"No child of _his_ deserves to live amongst us!" Godric spat back in anger. "He will always be a constant reminder of my failure!"

"You can't!" Sandra pleaded. "What would Ulric do to you if you hurt him? Septimus is his favourite, and the only piece of Mary he has left."

"Then I am going to make sure he is no longer the favourite," Godric said vengefully.

"Please, Godric. Don't hurt the boy. He did nothing wrong," Sandra begged.

Godric raised his hand to hit Sandra again but stopped himself and aggressively pointed a finger in his sister's face. "You have no right telling me what to do. You betrayed me, Sister, and I will _never_ forgive you."

Too disgusted with Sandra to look at her any longer, Godric stormed off in anger.

**οοοοοοο**

Lucy was walking down the castle corridor when she heard Sevan's deathly screams coming from inside his bedroom. Responding to the young boy's calls for help, Lucy rushed into Sevan's chamber and was horrified by what she saw. A small pair of severed wings were lying on the ground amongst a pool of blood and fluffy grey down feathers. The young child was huddled on the ground crying while Godric towered over him, holding a bloody knife. Unaware that Lucy had entered the room, the man threw the blade to the ground, having just finished cutting off the boy's last wing.

A wave of rage rushed over Lucy as she looked at her uncle furiously. Acting on instinct and raw fury, Lucy raced for the knife before jumping on Godric and driving it deep into the back of his neck, severing his spine. Godric was dead before his body hit the ground with Lucy still on top of him.

Hearing the commotion from outside the room, Sandra raced through the door and immediately upon spotting the horrifying scene before her, she let out a blood-curdling scream.

XV

# July 18th, 2017

Omicron Incorporated HQ – 0605 hrs

After staying up until the early hours of the morning worrying about his wife, Sevan could only get a few minutes of shuteye before giving up and travelling to his place of employment. Sevan found Joy in the newly renovated sixty-eight-floor laboratory that the doctor had temporarily confiscated due to the sensitive nature of his patients.

"Any progress?" Sevan asked the doctor.

"Not since your last visit," Joy replied as he typed away at his computer. "She's still unresponsive, but the restoring solution is expediting her physical recovery. I'll give it a few more hours and remove her from the containment cell tonight."

Sevan proceeded to the back of the laboratory that now housed a row of four extraction chambers. They were identical to the one in Hunter's laboratory but slightly more modern from being made with the most up-to-date technology. In one chamber was Lucy with an air mask covering her face and the bright lights above revealing her bluish-white wings.

Sevan put his hand on the chamber glass, quietly watching his wife float lifelessly inside the vat of liquid. It was then that Sevan noticed another body in the far-right chamber. It was a tall male figure with chin-length blue hair. Although his wings were visible, they were missing their vibrant colour and appeared barely functional. One wing was slightly warped and had a small chunk of feathers missing, exposing the skin underneath. Like Lucy, the man had a mask covering his face and was floating lifelessly in the liquid.

"What's this?" Sevan asked while admiring the subject.

Joy stopped typing and looked back to see what Sevan was referencing. "That's specimen fourteen. We thought he would be an ideal candidate for Doctor Rai's research. With her approval, I've made a few tweaks of my own. I'm waiting for the green light to start field testing."

Having already formulated a plan to exact retribution for his wife, Sevan turned to face the doctor with an evil smile. "I will ensure you have clearance by days end, so long as I get to decide what its first test will be."

**οοοοοοο**

_Police Station (7_ _th_ _St, Jersey City, NJ) – 1145 hrs_

With a day's worth of paperwork on his plate, Richard used his lunch break to meet with the two agents and fill them in on yesterday's meeting with the Omicron CEO. Standing in the station parking lot, Richard did not wait long before the car pulled up next to him. He started talking immediately upon entering the vehicle.

"I just want to say, you were not kidding when you warned me about that woman," Richard said with a grin. "Different is an understatement."

"What did she say?" Elaine asked just as Reese's phone started vibrating.

Reese exited the car to take the call while Richard continued speaking with Elaine.

"There's no doubt in my mind that woman knows what's going on," Richard explained.

"What did you find out?"

"I asked around. One assistant said that a Doctor Joy is running the research department until they decided on a permanent appointment," Richard informed Elaine. "I asked if I could talk to him. She said he wasn't in, but I got the feeling she was lying to me."

"Not surprised to hear about Joy's promotion," Elaine said. "After the death of their chief of R and D last year, Omicron picked Hunter to oversee the department until they could find a replacement. Rumour has it that he handpicked Joy and was grooming him for the position."

"I meant to ask you," Richard said as he sat up in his seat. "Why are you investigating Omicron in the first place? Does it have to with that new drug?"

"That's no concern of yours, you know we can't discuss confidential information," Elaine said firmly.

"So cold, Elaine, and after everything I've done for you," Richard said with a hurt expression before placing his hand on the door handle. "Okay, well, we probably could have done this over the phone, but it was nice seeing you, as always. When you need my services again, and we both know you will, you know how to reach me." Richard smiled at Elaine before exiting the car.

"Nice seeing you too, Richard," Elaine called out to her friend.

Alone in the car, Elaine quietly looked through the file in her lap until Reese entered the vehicle with his phone in hand.

"They found the journalist," Reese informed his partner.

"Is she okay?"

"She's a little ruffed up. She's at the station answering questions," Reese explained while starting the car. "Let's hope she can identify her abductors."

**οοοοοοο**

_Markovich Residence – 1835 hrs_

Dinner had just finished inside the Markovich house. Maria entered the upstairs bedroom to check on Dalie and was surprised to find Freya drawing blood from the young girl's arm.

"What are you doing?" Maria asked.

"Just takin' some samples to a friend for analysis. She works down at the university."

"Do you think she'll be able to help Dalie?"

"Don't know, but we're starting to run out of ideas," Freya replied. "Professor Daniels is a knowledgeable doctor and has been my go-to person for years. Felix is coming with me. Do you want to tag along?"

"I would love to. Thanks."

Freya smiled. "Great. We leave at sundown."

**οοοοοοο**

_Ice Cream Shop (7000 Main St, Flushing, NY) – 2125 hrs_

It was a hot and humid night as Brook and Adley sat outside an ice cream shop in Queens. In the background, a wall-mounted television was broadcasting a local news report covering the clean-up from Sunday morning's earthquake. Both Adley and Brook looked battered and bruised, but unlike Brook's semi-healed facial scars, Adley's wounds were fresher and more noticeable.

After spending the morning talking to the authorities, Adley returned home. She slept for a few hours then started cleaning her ransacked apartment before giving up and calling Brook. After everything that happened, Adley did not feel comfortable being alone in her apartment and needed an excuse to get out.

"So, how did it go at the police station?" Brook asked Adley after taking a few bites of her cone.

"Okay, I guess," Adley replied between bites, rushing to eat the melting desert. "After speaking with the police, two FBI agents showed up and started asking similar questions. I don't think they believed me when I said I didn't know who took me. But at least I could honestly say I don't remember anything that happened."

"Why did the FBI want to meet you in the first place?" Brook asked. "Is it because of the story your writing on Omicron?"

"My contact at Omicron committed suicide. They found out she was helping me. I can't believe Rebecca killed herself. I'm still in shock about the whole thing."

"Do you think she killed herself? Or do you suspect foul play?" Brook inquired.

"I didn't know her well enough to say for sure, but my gut is telling me Omicron had something to do with it." Adley stopped eating as a sad expression appeared on her face. "I feel so bad. I'm the one who pressured her into helping me, and after what happened to Rowan. I never meant for any of this to happen."

"Don't blame yourself. You couldn't have predicted this," Brook reassured her friend.

"Thanks," Adley replied, forcing a smile.

Adley took another bite of her dessert before deciding to change the subject. "What about Dalie? Any progress? And do you have any idea where they brought Moselle?"

"No, but I'm sure Quinn and Freya will think of something," Brook said with a hopeful smile. "They always do."

**οοοοοοο**

_Nyx's Residence – 2130 hrs_

There was a trace of awkwardness in the room as Quinn sat in front of Nyx's desk. The older woman was silently drinking her evening chardonnay while Quinn filled her in on the recent events.

"I'm sorry to hear about Moselle," Nyx informed her niece. "And now you say they know where you live?"

"Yes. We fear they will come back for Dalie. We need to find Moselle and stop them before they attack again."

"Do you know where they are holding her?"

"Nothing concrete," Quinn admitted.

"Well, I draw the line when they start to go after kin and children for that matter."

"Then you'll help us?" Quinn questioned hesitantly.

"Of course," Nyx agreed before addressing the elephant in the room. "I hope you are not still mad about our previous conversation. Although I still feel the same way about helping the human, that other stuff I said was inappropriate. I often say things without thinking, it's a character flaw, and I am not proud of it. Unfortunately, I lack the filter your mother had."

Quinn smiled at the thought of her mother. "She always said, if you can't say anything nice, then shut your mouth."

"Oh, Tara," Nyx sighed at the memory of her sister. "She did not have a mean bone in her body. She always saw the best in everyone. I miss her."

"Me too," Quinn agreed.

"Well, no point dwelling on the past. We have a child to find," Nyx said with a hint of determination in her voice. "But before we go storming buildings, let's see what I can dig up. Give me twenty-four hours, and if I can't find Moselle's location, we'll help you infiltrate any building in search of her and this Remez clan."

"What do you plan to do?"

Nyx smiled. "When you've been around as long as I have, you meet a lot of people along the way. Check back with me this time tomorrow, and I'll let you know what I've found."

"Thank you," Quinn said with a smile. "I have to admit, I was a little hesitant about coming over, but I'm glad you invited me."

"I'm thankful you accepted my invitation," Nyx replied, returning the smile. "The way we ended our last meeting did not sit well with me, and I just wanted to apologize. My behaviour that night was rude and completely uncalled for, I hope you can forgive me."

"Of course, I feel partly responsible for coming by unannounced. I was asking a lot from you and your family, I'm sorry," Quinn said sincerely.

"Let just put it behind us," Nyx suggested. "We've been apart too long to let something like this get between us."

"I agree," Quinn said before getting up from her chair. "I look forward to hearing from you."

"See you tomorrow," Nyx said as Quinn exited the room.

As soon as Quinn departed the residence, John entered the study to discuss the meeting with his boss.

"This certainly is a predicament," John said as he took a seat in the chair Quinn was sitting in.

The smile on his face told Nyx that her loyal assistant was enjoying the irony of her situation. Anyone else would endure termination for such mockery, but John was allowed more leniency than most.

John's smile faded upon realizing his boss did not see the humour in the situation. "What are you going to do?" he asked.

"Don't worry, my plan is already in motion," Nyx replied. She then proceeded to fill John in on her deceitful scheme that, if goes accordingly, should have all her nuisances eliminated in one fatal swoop.

**οοοοοοο**

The warm air hit Quinn like a wall upon exiting Nyx's residence. She looked up to see the thick thunderclouds covering the night sky. Her sensitivity to electricity made a shiver resonate down her spine as she could feel the energy accumulating around her.

Enjoying the natural surroundings, away from the concrete jungle, Quinn quietly strolled through her aunt's private garden. Their recent visit to Sanctuary reminded Quinn of how much she missed the fresh air and surrounding flora.

As Quinn walked through the large property reflecting on the last few days, she could not shake a feeling growing in the pit of her stomach and suddenly started to worry about her family. Trusting her instincts, she took off flying towards Manhattan, eager to return home.

Quinn was only seconds away from reaching the river when she noticed something out of the corner of her eye. She did not have time to react before an unknown figure came crashing down from above, driving her into a rooftop below.

Quinn quickly picked herself up but was immediately grabbed from behind. Although she failed to get a glimpse of the unknown attacker, she could feel hard metal pressing in on her body. Quinn's eyes and necklace started to glow before shocking the assailant, but nothing happened. Using brute strength, she managed to break free of her attacker's hold.

Quinn turned to face the aggressor and was startled to see Finn, but he did not look like his former self. His wings were visible, despite it being nighttime, and his feathers were a duller colour. One of his eyes was artificial, with a slightly lighter blue iris and red pupil.

"Finn!" Quinn exclaimed. Her heart raced upon seeing Finn's face. "Is it you?" she asked hesitantly, worried her eyes were deceiving her. Finn's expression did not change as he rushed towards her. Quinn quickly evaded Finn's strike before trying to address him again. "I don't want to hurt you," she explained as Finn looked at her with a stone-cold expression.

Finn immediately raised his right arm in Quinn's direction, prompting Quinn to fly away just as he fired a gun mounted into his robotic limb. Quinn dove as bullets whizzed by her but jerked right when one penetrated her left wing. Forced to land, Quinn hit the ground harder than expected and lost her balance.

Finn landed on top of her, restraining both her arms in a tight hold. With a surge of adrenaline coursing through her, Quinn's eyes and necklace started to glow. Seconds later, the sky above lit up, and a bolt of lightning propelled towards them. Quinn was unharmed by the blast, but the intense heat and electricity stunned Finn. He dropped to the ground, allowing Quinn the opportunity to flee. While Quinn made her escape with one injured wing hampering her flight, her stunned attacker slowly regained his composure. Finn struggled to stand and was about to pursue the wounded female when a male voice stopped him.

"Stand down, S-fourteen," the voice commanded. Kai stepped out of the shadows and approached the robot-kin hybrid soullessly awaiting his next order. "Not bad, but you could use a little more firepower," Kai said critically.

Kai turned his attention to Quinn as she struggled to fly away in the distance. He reached for his gun and fired it in her direction. Quinn was almost out of range, but Kai assumed he landed the shot because she suddenly plummeted towards the river and out of sight. Kai was about to finish the job but stopped upon hearing a beeping sound resonating from his pocket.

Abandoning the hunt, Kai turned to Finn. "Let's go," he said before taking off with Finn following close behind.

**οοοοοοο**

_Neurological Institute (W 168_ _th_ _St, New York, NY) – 2145 hrs_

Freya had brought Felix and Maria to visit an old family friend who worked at the nearby campus. Doctor Ranae Daniels was a professor of medicine at the local university. She was an early middle-aged black woman with rectangle glasses and dark hair tightly pinned back.

Inside the laboratory, the four were discussing recent events as Ranae reviewed the results of Dalie's blood tests.

"Most of her readings look normal, well, kin normal," Ranae said as she scrolled through her tablet. "I should have her toxicology results tomorrow. If you bring her by then, I could perform an MRI."

"Thanks, Ranae," Freya replied. "We can't figure out what Omicron did to her. This one has us stumped."

"Felix told me about Finn's run-in with Omicron, I'm sorry for your loss," Ranae said. "If you don't mind me asking, what did Omicron want with him in the first place?"

"He wasn't even their target," Freya explained. "Omicron was chasing Maria here and accidentally stumbled upon Finn and Brook. One of their scientists was using Maria for his research."

"That reminds me. I have a colleague who works for the FDA," Ranae explained. "He said he reviewed the NDA submitted by Omicron for this new drug called Vitaga. They completed a five-year, double-blind study, and of the participants administered the drug, there was no sign of telomere shorting and some of the participants' telomeres reportedly lengthened. Even more outstanding, he said that their bodies were purged of all senescent cells."

"What are telomeres?" Maria asked.

"Telomeres are the caps at the end of our DNA that protect our chromosomes," Felix replied. "As we age, the telomeres shorten until the DNA strands become damaged and can no longer do their job. Essentially, telomere shorting is linked to cellar ageing."

"So, the drug can prevent ageing?" asked Maria.

"Yes, my friend said the discovery is revolutionary." Ranae smiled at Freya. "When he mentioned it, I immediately thought of my father's research."

"Why's that?" Maria inquired.

"Because kin telomeres are longer and shorten at a much slower rate compared to humans," Ranae explained. "My father and I have been studying Freya's DNA for almost sixty years combined, and the only time we witnessed _any_ telomere shorting was thirty years ago."

Freya smiled. "Yes, it appears that having the boys aged me greatly," she said lightheartedly.

"She's exaggerating, the shorting was minimal," Ranae corrected. "But from what my friend explained, I couldn't help but think that Omicron used kin DNA as the source of their research."

"You must be talking about the vita-serum," Maria said. "That's the drug David Hunter created."

"Well, he's about to make a fortune if he hasn't already. Could even be Nobel worthy," Ranae said.

"He's dead," Maria informed the professor.

"Sorry to hear that. Were you two close?"

"He raised me."

Ranae was about to reply when Freya spoke up. "That reminds me," Freya interjected to get Ranae's attention. "Maria here doesn't know anything about herself, not even her age. Can you check for any genetic links, maybe create a protein profile to get an estimate on her age?"

"Sure, I'll take a sample and let you know what I can find. I should have the results in a day or two."

"Using blood to determine age, I didn't know that was possible," Maria remarked.

"She has programs that can analyze blood and predict age based on specific biomarkers," Freya said. "As you know, kin age much slower than humans, but using us as subjects, she was able to predict all our ages within a ten-year variance and ninety percent accuracy."

"All I need is a blood sample if your interested," Renae informed the young girl who nodded in agreement. With Maria's consent, the professor proceeded to gather the materials needed to take the sample.

**οοοοοοο**

_Markovich Residence - 2255 hrs_

The rumbling of the storm clouds signalled the beginning of the imminent downpour that was lingering over the city. A fresh, welcoming breeze blew through the kitchen window, cutting into the house's warm air.

While the upper floors of the house were relatively silent, the basement was abuzz with activity. With half the family still out on their respective errands, but due back at any moment, the males' poker game was winding down. The dimly lit basement appeared extra hazy as Trenton took one last peek at his cards before pushing in his remaining two short stacks. The blinds were due to increase next hand, so Trenton knew he had to make a move.

Unwilling to call, Axel and Marko tossed in their cards, passing the torch to Flint. Having been stone-faced up to this point, the young boy grinned widely before calling Trenton with a small fraction of his massive stack. Now head-to-head, Trenton flipped his cards, revelling a king and queen of diamonds. To Trenton's dismay, Flint proudly flipped a pair of aces.

"Pocket rockets trump your king high. Let's see the flop," Flint ordered Marko, who proceeded to deal the next three cards—five, queen, king, all various suits.

Marko and Axel chuckled at the sudden shift in odds, but it was not over yet. Trenton's excitement quickly diminished when Marko dealt a three on the turn, followed by an ace on the river.

"River king strikes again!" Flint exclaimed as he reached over to take his winnings. "Man, I'm kickin' all your asses tonight, no contest here," he declared while neatly stacking his winning chips.

Feeling a little relieved to be out of the game, Trenton stood up from the table and exited the basement. The fresh air perked him up as soon as he stepped out onto the main floor. He was about to walk towards the kitchen when he was startled by the sound of glass shattering upstairs, followed by the thump of heavy footsteps.

Trenton raced up the stairs towards Dalie's room, from where the noise originated. He detected an unusual smell as he neared the room and quickly peeked in to see Moselle standing over Diana's unconscious body while wearing a gas mask over her face. Levi was standing next to the bed holding Dalie. Spotting Trenton, Moselle drew a handgun and fired a round of silenced shots in his direction. The young girl ceased fire as soon as Trenton dived out of view of the door.

In the hallway, Trenton was formulating a plan of attack when he noticed commotions coming from every floor of the house. Downstairs he heard the loud bang of the front door kicked opened, followed by the sound of furniture breaking. Seconds later, the sound of a man screaming in pain echoed through the floor above him. Knowing Tempest and Ebony could hold their own upstairs, Trenton hoped the crew in the basement were alerted to the intruders on the main floor.

Trenton took a deep breath and returned to helping Diana and Dalie. Ready to meet the attackers head-on, he turned the corner only to discover Levi jumping out of the window into the heavy rainstorm with Dalie over his shoulder. Moselle was on Levi's heels with her weapon in hand. Determined not to let them escape, Trenton lunged towards Moselle.

"I don't want to hurt you!" Trenton said as he effortlessly wrestled the gun out of her hand.

There was no reaction from Moselle. Without saying a word, she reached for a large knife attached to her belt and rushed him. Her eyes appeared void of all emotion while fighting. She successfully cut Trenton as he tried to subdue her as harmlessly as possible.

With one final stab to his upper arm, Trenton's patience had finally worn thin. He grabbed the girl by the arm and threw her into a night table, smashing it to pieces. Unfazed by the throw, Moselle quickly stood up and wielded the knife in Trenton's direction, but he effortlessly grabbed her by the arm. Trenton tried to pry the weapon from Moselle's hand, but she managed to break free and fled out the window after Levi, who was now long gone.

Trenton quickly ran to Diana to make sure she was breathing before moving her onto the bed and racing out the window in pursuit of the flightless girl.

**οοοοοοο**

Axel and Marko exited the basement immediately upon hearing the commotion at the front door. The two brothers almost tripped over each other when they rushed into the living room only to find Sevan in a long black trench coat and holding a large katana.

Sevan lunged at Axel with his blade, but his target successfully jumped out of the way. Axel's eyes and necklace started to glow as he directed a wave of fire at the tall man who dodged it by jumping towards the staircase. The flames hit the curtains, setting them ablaze.

Marko quickly extinguished the flames before turning to his twin. "No fire in the house!"

Using only their brute strength, and an antique wooden chair, Marko and Axel unsuccessfully tried to overpower the intruder. Unable to gain any ground, the brothers were being pushed back towards the kitchen by their sword-wielding opponent.

As Sevan battled, he failed to notice Flint emerge from the basement holding the electric rod. Sneaking up from behind, Flint drove the weapon's metal prongs into Sevan's back to shock him but was unsuccessful. Unable to puncture Sevan's custom-made coat, the large man turned his attention to Flint and quickly grabbed the child by the throat.

Marko watched in horror as his son struggled to free himself from the intruder's grip.

"Flint!" Marko yelled as the boy dangled a few feet off the ground, unable to breathe.

Before Marko could react, Flint drove the electric stick into the exposed skin on Sevan's hand, electrocuting them both, but only harming Sevan.

Startled by the pain, Sevan immediately dropped the boy who used the opportunity to attack again. Flint drove the stick into the exposed skin on Sevan's neck, severely electrocuting the man for the second time.

With the attacker incapacitated, Flint turned to Axel. "Go help the others," the boy ordered his uncle.

Axel raced up the stairs leaving Flint and Marko to deal with the intruder who was quickly starting to regain his composure.

**οοοοοοο**

On the third floor, Tempest and Ebony were holding their own against Kai, despite their lack of firepower. The onset of the attack started with a canister of gas thrown through the window towards them. Luckily, the toxin failed to render the immune women unconscious and alerted them to the attack. By the time Kai entered threw the window, the two females had already taken cover with their weapons in hand.

As Kai scanned the room, Tempest and Ebony had already concealed themselves inside a dark flowering closet. Ebony looked at Tempest, wondering what to do next.

"Not yet," Tempest said softly. She knew what Ebony was thinking and wanted to reserve the girl's abilities as a last resort.

Tempest handed a crossbow to Ebony and opened the door a crack. As Kai slowly scanned the room with his gun, Ebony quietly retrieved a quarrel from her quiver and aimed it at the intruder. Waiting for the shot, she finally released the arrow, driving it directly into Kai's now bandaged shoulder wound she had inflicted during their previous encounter.

Ebony smiled for the first time since Rowan's death as she watched Kai scream in pain while frantically looking around the room for his attacker. Ebony quickly opened the closet further and fired another quarrel in Kai's direction. The arrow only grazed his hand but successfully caused him to drop his gun. With Kai unarmed, Ebony and Tempest exited the closet with Ebony's weapon at the ready.

Kai tried to ignore the pain as he quickly retrieved another handgun strapped to his waist. With one limb bleeding profusely, Kai aimed his weapon with his uninjured arm. He was about to fire when Axel approached from behind and sent a wave of flames in his direction.

Catching Kai off-guard, the fire ignited his hair and engulfed his entire head in a matter of seconds. Panicked by the attack, Kai fled out the window and into the rainstorm to extinguish his flaming hair.

**οοοοοοο**

Back on the main floor, Marko and Flint's advantage against Sevan was waning. Sevan had regained his composure and weapon before charging the father and son relentlessly. The taller man lunged at Marko, who dodged the attack, but not before the sword struck his leg. Marko screamed in pain as Sevan retracted his sword.

Flint watched in anger as the man attacked his father. The rage finally got the best of him, and Flint's eyes lit up. Fire swirled around his hands in Sevan's direction.

Anticipating the attack, Sevan smiled as his green eyes lit up. As soon as the flame neared him, an explosive surge of fire engulfed the entire room and ignited all the furniture. Untouched by the explosion, Sevan quickly fled through the front door. Every smoke detector on the main floor was beeping loudly while Marko frantically extinguished the remaining flames.

Flint looked around the room anxiously. "Oh, shit," the boy regrettably moaned upon realizing how much trouble he will be in for breaking the fire rule.

"Who do you think is goin' to be more pissed?" Flint asked nervously.

"Let's see, extensive fire damage to the living room furniture, walls, and antique rug," Marko said as he appraised the damages. "Probably Quinn," he concluded before reaching down to pick up the heavy front door and propped it back into its upright position.

"I was afraid of that," Flint sighed in response. "Should we give them a heads-up?" he asked his father, hoping to minimize the shock, and by extension, the punishment.

"I'm not calling," Marko said defensively. "You're the one who scorched the house. You do it."

"Hell, no, I ain't callin'," Flint said as he pulled out his phone and sat down on the smouldering sofa. "I'll text Felix. He'll pass it on."

Sitting on the sofa, Flint messaged his brother while Marko sat next to him to examine his leg wound.

Suddenly, the faint sound of footsteps approaching outside caused their hearts to skip a beat. Flint and Marko's gaze remained fixated on the front entrance as they watched the doorknob jiggle. The two of them held their breath as they attentively observed the door start to open a crack, revealing a flash of blue and black hair before falling off the hinges. The father-son duo let out a sigh of relief upon realizing it was just Trenton trying to enter.

Trenton effortlessly placed the thick wooden door against the wall. He showed no outward reaction as he surveyed the destruction around him before turning to Marko and Flint.

"They took Dalie," Trenton informed them. "I left Diana unconscious upstairs."

Marko was about to respond when Axel and Tempest hurried down the stairs.

"We heard the smoke detectors," Axel said.

"Is everyone alright?" Tempest asked.

"We're fine, but the living room didn't make it," Flint replied.

"I can see that," Axel remarked as he looked around the room.

"Did you see Diana?" Trenton asked Tempest.

"She's fine, just a little light-headed from the toxin. Ebony is keeping an eye on her."

"Moselle was amongst them," Trenton informed the group. "She did not react when I tried to talk to her. It was like she was in a trance."

As the others listened to Trenton, they failed to notice Brook walking in through the door-less entrance.

"What a mess!" Brook called out in shock as she entered the house and looked around the living room in astonishment. "What the hell happened? Did Flint finally set fire to the house?"

"Thanks, Brook, fire in the house and you automatically assume it's me!" Flint snapped back with his arms crossed. "For your information, it wasn't me...well, not completely."

As everyone watched Flint try to defend his actions to Brook, they failed to see the new wave of arrivals entering the home.

"You were right, Felix. He wasn't shittin'," Freya's voice announced.

Everyone turned around to find Freya, Maria, and Felix standing in a puddle of water that was now forming in the entranceway.

"Please tell me the damage was confined to the living room," Felix said with little emotion as he examined the destruction.

"And some windows upstairs," Axel added.

"What happened here?" Brook asked.

"They have Dalie," Trenton informed the newcomers.

"That's awful," Brook said in shock.

"That's not all," Tempest continued. "Moselle was allied with them. She attacked Trenton."

"It was like she was under some mind control," Trenton explained. "She didn't even respond when I tried to talk to her."

"Mind control?" Maria asked. "Could this be why they came back for Dalie?"

"Maybe," Freya replied before turning to Trenton. "Does Quinn know about this?"

"No. She left to visit with Nyx. She was due back over an hour ago."

"How irresponsible," Flint commented. "That woman needs to get herself a phone."

"Why didn't you go with her?" Brook asked her brother. "You two are usually inseparable."

"I think Quinn wanted a private visit with our aunt," Freya answered for Trenton. "Their last meeting didn't end on a positive note."

"Should I ask what happened?" Brook inquired, looking a little intrigued by the juicy news.

"It's not important," Freya replied before turning back to the others. "We should go look for her. It'll be—"

Freya stop talking when she was alerted to the splash of footsteps approaching outside. Everyone was surprised to see a visibly injured Quinn slowly walking up the steps towards them. Being closest to the door, Freya rushed out of the house to help her sister.

Noticing that the front door was hinged, Quinn looked at her sister baffled.

"What happened here? Is everyone okay?" Quinn asked as she entered the house to find everyone standing in the living room.

"Home invasion. They took Dalie," Freya answered. "What happened to you?"

"I was ambushed."

"By whom?" Freya pried while the rest of the room looked on attentively. Considering how bad Quinn's injuries were, everyone knew it must have been a strong opponent.

Quinn looked around the room but stopped when she spotted Brook. She quickly looked away, unable to make eye contact with the blue-haired girl.

"It was dark, I didn't get a good look at them," Quinn replied softly.

Trenton and Freya exchange glances knowing Quinn was lying or, at the very least, hiding something.

"We should find Dalie before she suffers the same fate as her sister," Axel proposed to the group.

"Where do we even start looking?" Brook asked.

"If we find the Remez clan, we'll find the girls," Tempest said.

"They still have a crew fixin' up their penthouse," Freya said. "I doubt they would bring the girls there."

"I told Nix what happened to Moselle, she said she might be able to find their location," Quinn explained. "I said I would give her twenty-four hours before we act on anything."

Freya, Flint, and Felix did not look pleased with this news, while the others appeared unsure with Quinn's decision.

"Well, in the meantime, should we start cleaning?" Axel asked, prompting most of the group to get to work while Tempest went upstairs with Marko and Quinn to tend to their wounds.

XVI

# July 19th, 2017

Omicron Incorporated HQ – 0900 hrs

On the very top floor of the building, Seven stormed past John's unoccupied desk and into the president's office. Inside, Nyx was calmly sitting at her desk when the raging man approached.

"Where is she?" Sevan demanded.

"Where is who?" Nyx asked calmly.

Agitated and impatient, Sevan pounded the desk in anger. **"** Don't play games with me! Where is my wife!"

"Oh, you mean Lucy," Nyx replied with a smirk. "Well, seeing as _you_ commandeered Omicron property without authorization last night, I thought I would do the same. Since everything in the laboratory is free for the taking now."

No longer able to contain his anger, Sevan lunged at Nyx with a clenched fist. Nyx quickly caught Sevan's hand, shocking him with a powerful electric current as soon as it made contact. Sevan gritted his teeth, forcing himself not to scream in pain.

"Now, Septimus, no need to resort to violence," Nyx said as she forcefully let go of Sevan's hand. "You want your wife back, don't you?" she asked with an evil smirk. "You used _my_ property, and _my_ scientist, without _my_ permission. Did you think you were going to get away without any repercussions?"

Sevan did not reply as he continued to glare at Nyx silently.

"But don't worry," Nyx reassured her subordinate. "You will get your precious wife back after you do exactly what I tell you to do."

Sevan glared at her with his fists clenched in anger. "Fine," he reluctantly agreed, having no other choice.

"Good," Nyx said with a smile. "Cooperate, and you will be one happy family by tomorrow morning. No trickery though or your poor Lucinda will suffer the consequences, understood?"

"Yes," Sevan mumbled through gritted teeth.

Nyx's smile grew wider. "And if I were you, I would ensure your offspring get the message. Do you understand?"

"...Yes," Sevan answered softly in defeat.

"Excellent," Nyx happily replied before quietly divulging her instructions.

**οοοοοοο**

_Queens Midtown Tunnel – 2025 hrs_

It was nearing dusk when the limousine containing Nyx and her two oldest reached Manhattan bounded for Greenwich Village. The matriarch had spent most of the ride briefing her offspring on their assignment. Nyx smiled as soon as she finished detailing her plan.

"This will teach Sevan to threaten me," Nyx said to her children.

"What about the others?" Styx asked. "How can we be sure they won't intervene?"

"It would make our job a lot easier if we could take them all out," Kray added.

"That's the plan," Nyx agreed. "But I would like to see Quinn unharmed. I've grown rather fond of her. The rest I expect you to eliminate."

It was nightfall by the time the vehicle pulled up near the Markovich residence. Nyx was the first to exit while her children remained inside the limo conversing. A few seconds passed as Nyx waited. When her twins failed to emerge from the vehicle, she turned around to face them.

"Let's go already!" Nyx called while bending down to look in at the idlers. The last thing she wanted to do was drag this visit out longer than it had to be.

The clan made their way towards the Markovich residence with Nyx leading the group. As the three approached the front entrance, they could not help but notice the heavily damaged door. Nyx pressed the intercom button, making a buzzing noise.

"Who is it?" a childlike voice echoed through the muffled speaker.

Nyx lowered her face to the intercom. "Hello? With whom am I speaking?" she said into the communication device.

"I asked first," the young voice replied.

"Fine," Nyx sighed in defeat. "It's Nyx. Can you let Quinn know I'm here?"

"Nyx, who?"

Nyx smiled as the realization hit her. "Ahh, you must be one of Freya's boys," she said, unable to remember their names.

The sudden sound of the door jiggling shifted Nyx's attention back to the front entrance. After a short struggle, Quinn finally wrestled the door open to greet them.

"Sorry about that," Quinn said after carefully forcing the door ajar.

"No worries at all, kids will be kids," Nyx replied as she walked past Quinn.

The three visitors walked into the living room and immediately noticed the extensive damage.

"This place is a dump," Styx said as she looked around in disgust.

"Now, Styx, I don't think this is purposeful," Nyx corrected. "It appears they had an accident, or perhaps, remodelling?"

Quinn struggled to close the broken door before turning to address her guests. "We were attacked last night. They took Dalie."

"That's horrible," Nyx said as she forced a look of concern. "It's a good thing I rushed over when I did. I think I know where you can find them."

"Where?" Quinn asked eagerly.

"I've called around, and it turns out this Remez clan is well known amongst our kind. They are reportedly very dangerous, as you've experienced firsthand. I was able to dig up an address to a property upstate owned by Victor Lunette, a relative of Lucy Remez. It's in a secluded location, perfect for hiding someone. My two can escort you there."

By now, Freya and Brook had entered the room from the kitchen and were listening to Nyx's intel.

"Shouldn't we figure out how they were able to control Moselle?" Brook suggested. "There's no point rescuing her if she's going to try to kill us."

"Good point," Quinn agreed.

"Didn't you say one was abducted less than twenty-four hours ago?" Nyx asked. "I would think that time is of the essence. If you act quickly, maybe you can get the girl back before they turn her too."

"What's it going to be, sis?" Freya asked.

Quinn paused for a second to think before answering. "I agree with Nyx, let's try to get Moselle and Dalie back tonight before it's too late."

"Should I go tell the others?" Brook offered.

"Maybe you should sit this one out," Quinn suggested to Brook.

"Why? What are you not telling me?"

"Nothing," Quinn responded while crossing her arms defensively.

Brook rolled her eyes at Quinn's patronization. "Everyone in this room can see you're hiding something. You're a horrible liar."

There was complete silence in the room. All eyes were on Quinn.

"Okay," Quinn sighed, knowing Brook was right. "The thing that attacked me last night looked like...Finnigan."

"Finn's alive?" Brook said in shock.

"I said it _looked_ like him," Quinn warned. "He was more machine than the Finn we know. Like Moselle, he didn't know who I was or even respond to his name."

By now, Marko and Trenton had entered from the kitchen. They stood next to Freya as they quietly watched the scene unfold.

"We all saw it. He's dead!" Brook said as she raised her voice in anger. "Is this what Omicron is doing now? Turning people into mindless puppets to do their dirty work?"

"Oh, no. How horrible," Nyx half-heartedly stated as she tried to force a look of concern. "We have to stop them."

Brook started to tear up as the news sunk in. "I can't believe he's alive. This can't be possible."

"This is why you shouldn't go," Quinn said sympathetically. "The thing that attacked me last night tried to kill me. If it is him, we'll do everything in our power to help him, but I wonder if _you'll_ be able to fight him? I know I had a hard time."

Realizing Quinn had a point. Brook remained silent.

"That's what I thought," Quinn said with a hint of smugness in her voice.

"I'm still coming!" Brook retorted in frustration. "I understand it might not be the real Finn, but I need to see for myself. You would do the same if it were Trent."

Quinn knew Brook was right. "Okay, but let us handle Finnigan."

"So, what's the plan?" Trenton asked.

"I don't like this," Freya said, finally speaking up. "We have no intel on this place. The ones we're rescuing will probably turn against us, and we don't even know how they're being controlled."

"We'll just have to wing it," Styx countered. "Isn't that what you usually do?"

"No, what you've seen so far is us having a plan," Marko explained truthfully.

The sound of footsteps above caused everyone's attention to shift to Diana entering the room from the staircase. The older woman dawned a surprised expression upon spotting Nyx.

"Nyx, it's so good to see you," Diana said with a smile as she made her way down the last few steps.

"Ah, Diana, you are looking...well," Nyx said, surprised by how frail the older woman appeared. "It's been so long. I thought I'd never see you again."

"I'm afraid everything did not go according to plan," Diana explained. "It was a long journey west. We lost many along the way."

"That's horrible," Nyx replied, trying to sound sympathetic to Diana's plight. "At least you can take solace in the fact that you finally made it, better late than never," she added, trying to add a positive spin to this depressing conversation.

Diana smiled at Nyx. "I can't get over how good you look," Diana said in disbelief as she observed Nyx more closely. "I haven't seen you in centuries, but you look like you only aged a few decades."

"How kind of you," Nyx said with a big smile. "Imagine my surprise when I learned you were alive and living in New York all this time."

"We have a lot of catching up to do," Diana agreed. "And what beautiful children you have."

"I also have a younger daughter, Riley," Nyx said. "I'll be sure to bring her by next time we meet, hopefully on a more positive note."

"Three healthy children, you are truly blessed. I look forward to meeting her."

As the two women conversed with each other, Brook turned to Quinn impatiently. "It's getting late, shouldn't we be gearing up right now?"

"Yes," Quinn agree before addressing Freya and the others. "We'll meet back in ten," she ordered, prompting the group to exit the room to get ready.

With only four of them remaining in the living room, the two old acquaintances continue conversing while Styx and Kray waited for the others to prep for the mission.

"Are you going with them?" Diana asked Nyx.

"Me? Oh, no," Nyx replied with a smile. "In my younger years, I'd be the first to volunteer. Now I'm just a wink link compared to these strong youths. I'm sure you know the feeling."

"Yes, all too well," Diana agreed but failed to return Nyx's smile.

As Nyx and Diana caught up on old times, it did not take long for the others to finish prepping and depart on their next rescue mission.

**οοοοοοο**

_Omicron Incorporated HQ – 2030 hrs_

Inside the Omicron Incorporated building, Wyatt and Sevan were speaking with Joy in the sixty-eighth-floor laboratory. Dalie was lying unconscious on the table as Joy injected a syringe into the back of her neck.

"You're lucky they're both off the premises," Joy warned Sevan. "She'll probably have my head for helping you. But you're permitting me the opportunity to test my new prototypes, so it's worth the risk. But you must understand that this will be the last time I can help you."

"Understood," Sevan agreed, so desperate for help, he was willing to take direction from the lowly scientist.

"How does this mind control liquid work?" Wyatt asked as he watched the doctor inject the young girl.

"No, this only activates the nanobots," Joy said as he placed the empty syringe onto a metal tray. "Doctor Hunter and I implanted the nanobots last week and placed the girls into a sedated state to help weaken their immune system. The bots act like a parasite attacking the brain, allowing us to control the host."

"Ingenious," Wyatt replied.

"Yes, I'm quite proud of it," Joy agreed. "Hunter spent his life creating the vita-formula, whereas my focus has always been neurobiology, more specifically, parasites that manipulate the host to their advantage. It was my work in this area that caught Doctor Hunter's attention."

"So, this mind control technique can be used on anyone?" Wyatt asked.

"I can't see why not," Joy replied with a shrug. "Theoretically, it should work on anything with a complex neurological system. The tricky part is programming the nanobots—these I programmed to seek out parts of the cerebrum, as well as areas in the hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus. They suppress parts of the brain that control memory, fear, and emotion. Then they alter the way the brain cells release neurotransmitters leaving the subject in a trans-like state and under the control of any voice I input into the bots voice recognition programming."

"That's why you're here," Sevan explained to Wyatt. "He's going to program them so they will only respond to your commands."

"You're not coming with us?"

"No, she has something else in store for me," Sevan replied with a sombre expression. "It's imperative that you three stick to the plan."

"You know this is a trap, right?" Wyatt said with anger growing in his voice. "She's going to try to off us like she did Hunter."

"I know," Sevan agreed calmly. "But we must appear like we are following her directions, for now. Your sisters will signal you once we have retrieved your mother."

"Then I will make sure that bitch suffers for this," Wyatt threatened. "By the time we're finished with her, she will regret crossing our family."

"All in due time," Sevan said, trying to calm his son.

**οοοοοοο**

_Markovich Residence - 2150 hrs_

It was getting late, and Nyx was still visiting with Diana and a new acquaintance Tempest. The three of them sat on blankets covering the slightly charred furniture as they discussed times long ago.

Nyx had been conversing for over an hour before she finally checked her phone. "Oh, look at the time," she commented as she quickly read an urgent text message from John. "I wish I could stay longer, but my ride is here."

"It was nice meeting you," Tempest said to Nyx.

Tempest and Diana stood up to walk the guest to the door.

"My sentiments exactly," Nyx agreed. "It was an enriching and informative experience meeting you, Tempest. It brings me comfort to know my sister was successful in her quest to find the Gaia clans."

"Only Tara would be dedicated enough to travel the world searching for kin she's never met," Tempest commented with a smile at the memory of her late friend.

"Her sentimentality was one of her greatest traits," Nyx added.

As the three women approached the entrance, Diana gave Nyx a parting hug while Tempest wrestled open the front door.

"This was such a delight, we must do this again soon," Nyx said to Diana before leaving.

Nyx exited the residence towards her driver waiting by the vehicle. "Please hurry. I'm running late," she said to Nathen as soon as she entered the limo.

"Yes, ma'am," Nathen replied before closing the door behind her.

As Nathen made his way around the car, Nyx pulled out her phone to read the text message but paused when something caught the corner of her eye. Nyx's gaze was drawn to the movement of something passing quickly across the car window. With only the streetlights aiding her view, she peered into the darkness curiously but was unsuccessful in spotting anything before the car shifted forward and drove away.

Nyx sat back in her seat and returned to her phone, eager to finally reread the message she had received from John. Having confirmed, to her dismay, that she had not misread the text, she angrily threw her device into her bag. Nyx's mind started to race as she processed the news that Gillies was in town, and he was looking for her.

**οοοοοοο**

Felix and Flint waited for Nyx to enter her vehicle before racing down the sidewalk towards their ride parked three spots behind. After jumping into the awaiting silver sedan, the two brothers lower their hoodies, revealing their faces.

The driver of the vehicle was a thirty-one-year-old male named Kyle. He was of average height, slightly heavier build, and had short brown hair and brown eyes. The inside of the car had a lived-in feel with the same musky smell as the boys' basement.

"Follow that limo!" Flint ordered the driver.

"On it!" Kyle replied. He started the car and quickly pulled into traffic. "You know, you were lucky you came when you did. You had me waiting for almost half an hour. I was about to leave."

"Cut the crap," Flint said while glancing down at his phone. "You're gettin' paid either way. If I want you to wait, you'll wait."

"It's still a waste of time!" Kyle started to complain. "It's late. I've been driving all day. I'm tired. I'm hungry. My fiancé's calling, wondering where I am. I have places to be!"

Flint laughed. "Then why did you wait?" he asked mockingly before looking up from his phone.

"If we're that much of an inconvenience, I'm sure we can find someone else willing to drive us," Felix remarked while his eyes remained fixated on the limo two cars ahead of them.

Kyle was silent, refusing to respond to the children.

Flint smiled arrogantly. "That's what I thought. And don't try to blame Michelle for _your_ restlessness. She texted me minutes ago, she ain't worried about ya."

"Why are you talking to Michelle?" Kyle demanded.

"She wanted to know if I had any Berry Kush left," Flint said with a shrug. "She's a funny one. You should bring her along next time."

Kyle laughed. "Yeah, like I'd be dumb enough to introduce her to you two."

"Why? Afraid we're going to steal her from you?" Flint joked.

Kyle remained silent, refusing to answer.

Flint started to laugh hysterically. "Dude, look at us. What do you have to worry about?"

"I've known you for long enough to know what you're capable of," Kyle replied. "Even if you look like you belong in elementary school."

"Hey, it's a genetic disorder," Flint said defensively. "But that's what I'm trying to say. The only way she'd be into me is if she was a pedophile. She's not a pedophile, is she?"

"No, of course not."

"For the best, not an ideal trait to have in a mate," Felix quipped as he continued to fixate on the limo's position.

"You need to work on your insecurities, Kyle. Jealously is an unattractive trait," Flint advised his friend.

Flint's attention shifted back to the target's vehicle just as the brake lights illuminated. "Hurry up, the car's getting away!" he said as the limo turned right onto another street.

Kyle sighed. "I'm so giving you one star when this is over," he mumbled under his breath.

"What's that? You said you hate tips?" Flint asked. "I wonder how Michelle would feel about that," he threatened half-heartedly. Flint's smile disappeared, and his expression turned serious as he peered up into the rear-view mirror to look his friend straight in the eye. "Seriously though, you give me anything less than four stars, I'm dumping you as our driver."

Heeding the boy's warning, Kyle remained silent as he followed the limo towards the edge of an industrial district in Brooklyn. Kyle made sure to keep a safe distance when traffic started to dwindle until the headlights of the car made it almost impossible to disappear completely. The distance between the two vehicles increased to the point where Kyle almost lost the target, but by sheer luck, he turned the corner just in time to see the limo enter a gated parking lot. There was a manned security post preventing them from entering. On the side of the security hut was a logo that read 'Ino Industries.'

"Mom's gotta see this," Flint said as he took a picture of the logo.

Knowing this was as far as he could take them, Kyle drove past the entrance circling the building so the boys could conduct surveillance. He stopped two blocks down and turned to look back at the brothers.

"So, now what?" Kyle asked.

"Here," Flint said as he threw a fat baggie of green and a small wad of bills onto the passenger seat. "You said you were in a hurry, but there's a Benjamin in it for you if you wait," Flint said while opening the door to exit.

"Keep your phone nearby just in case," Felix added before following his brother out of the vehicle.

"Thanks!" Kyle cheerfully replied while picking the items off the seat and hiding them out of view.

The two boys formulated a plan as they quickly walked towards the business. They located the most secluded location and penetrated the perimeter by effortlessly jumping the fence.

As they neared the front of the five-story building, Felix stopped. "They have cameras," he warned Flint. "Let's go check the side."

Spotting a cluster of dark windows on the second floor, Flint scaled the side of the building to see if one was unlocked. He singled to Felix once he discovered a window slightly ajar, then checked to ensure the coast was clear before entering.

The boys found themselves inside a small office with the door wide open leading into a semi-lit hallway. Felix quickly ran over to the door, shutting it a little so he could peek out inconspicuously. He reached into his backpack and pulled out a mirror to check the hallways.

Meanwhile, Flint used the light on his phone to look around the room. Seeing nothing of importance, Flint turned back to his brother, who was still positioned next to the door.

"See anything?"

"Nothing yet," Felix replied as he shifted the mirror to look down the opposite hallway.

As he looked around, Felix instantly caught a glimpse of something moving at the end of the dimly lit corridor. The dark figure was massive and possessed way too many appendages to resemble a human or kin. Felix was almost sure he spotted multiple tentacle-like shapes, but it was too dark to be sure. When he shifted the mirror to follow the shadowy figure's movement, it quickly disappeared into a room.

"What do you see?" Flint asked, noticing that something had caught his brother's attention.

Felix jerked the mirror around, trying to find the shadow again, but it was gone. "I'm not sure," he replied as he put the mirror in his pocket, his mind still trying to decide if what he saw was real or his eyes playing tricks on him.

Suddenly, the two boys were alerted by the sound of movement coming from behind them. They turned around, and expecting a full-grown person, they were relieved to see it was just two similarly aged, but slightly taller, children climbing through the window with a large duffel bag.

It was apparent to the brothers that these two were siblings, but despite having similar features, they dressed like complete opposites. One had short, pale-blue hair and dressed like a male in black pants and a black sleeveless shirt under a large sword. The broadsword had a light-blue orb on the tip of the handle and looked oversized against the child's small frame. The other sibling appeared female with long silver hair tied back and was wearing predominantly black clothes from her black boots, leggings, and shirt, to her black and white plaid skirt. She had a large knife and sheath strapped to her belt.

Flint shifted to a defensive stance as Felix quickly reached into his bag for his electric truncheon. With a flick of his arm, Felix expanded the weapon before turning it on.

"Who the hell are you?" Flint whispered, trying not to alert security.

"We should ask you the same thing," Belladonna spat back in a low voice. She approached the boys, appearing more annoyed by their presence than threatened in any way.

As Belladonna approached, Felix held up his weapon, causing her to stop in her tracks.

"Watch it," Felix said in a low but stern voice before turning to address his brother. "They belong to the Remez family."

"And you two are in our way," Beatrix said as she walked up next to her sister. "Move, or _I'll_ move you."

Flint laughed and looked at his brother. "This dude thinks he can take us. Bring it on!" he called before quickly jumping forward and punching Beatrix in the face.

Everyone looked at Flint in shock as Beatrix held the side of her face in pain.

"Fucking asshole," Beatrix growled at Flint in a low voice, trying to restrain her anger.

"You just punched a girl," Felix informed his brother.

Flint shifted his gaze from Felix to Beatrix. **"** A girl? Really?" he asked in disbelief.

After realizing he did not care, Flint shrugged before shifting forward to strike Beatrix again. This time Beatrix was ready and blocked Flint's punch before retaliating with a kick to the torso. Flint flew back into a desk, causing a pencil holder and paper tray to fall over.

With the fight initiated, Belladonna smiled and pulled the large hunting knife from her belt before attacking. Felix tried to hit her with his weapon, but she was too fast. After a few misses, he managed to knock the knife out of her hand successfully. Felix swung the stick at the unarmed girl, but she caught it and quickly retaliated with a kick in the head before Felix could flick the switch. Seeing stars from the strike, Felix lost his balance for a brief second before realizing that he was now unarmed. Felix looked up to find Belladonna smiling with his weapon in her hand.

Meanwhile, Beatrix approached Flint as he was picking himself up off the ground. She lifted the sword off her back and approached the unarmed boy.

Unable to flee, Flint raised his hands defensively and closed his eyes. Luckily for Flint, someone diverted Beatrix's attention just as she was about to strike.

"Bea," Belladonna said, stopping Beatrix in her tracks.

Beatrix looked back to see Belladonna holding a small gas canister prompting Beatrix to retrieve a similar canister out of her side pocket. She then pulled the pin and activated the switch before throwing it in Flint's direction while Belladonna did the same to Felix.

Unable to escape the rapidly releasing gas, Flint and Felix immediately become lightheaded from the airborne chemicals. They started to cough as they struggled to breathe fresh air before finally being rendered unconscious.

Unfazed by the gas, the two girls grabbed their large duffel bag and proceeded out the door, making sure to close it tight behind them.

**οοοοοοο**

Nyx exited the limo as soon as it pulled up to the front entrance of the commercial building. After making her way past the occupied security post, she rushed towards the loading dock where she assumed John would be waiting for her.

"I got your text," Nyx said immediately upon walking through the bay doors. "When did he get here?" she questioned before realizing John was not in the room.

"About an hour ago," a male voice replied.

Instead of John, the loan occupant of the room was a tall man with medium length copper coloured hair and lightly bronzed skin. His custom-made clothes appeared unusual but expensive. He was wearing a leather-like trench coat that was burgundy in colour and big black boots.

"You're a hard person to track down," Gillies said as he leaned against a nearby desk.

"Ah, Gillies, what brings you here?" Nyx asked, forcing a smile. "If you wanted to find me so badly, you could have just called."

"I wanted to see for myself what you've been up to," Gillies replied as he stood up and walked over to a glass containment cell that seemed to stick out amongst the surrounding shipping pallets, boxes, and crates. "Is this really what you've been doing with your time?" he asked while motioning to the unconscious Lucy floating inside the cell. "Granted, it is amusing, but this is not how the Council wants you to spend your time and their resources."

Amused by Lucy's predicament, Gillies pulled out his phone to snap a picture of the unconscious woman before returning it to his pocket.

Nyx continued to grin at Gillies nonchalantly. "We both know if this were my doing, Lucy's current predicament would be the least of her worries. It's not my fault she's in there, she messed with the wrong people and put _herself_ in there."

"Then why did you bring her here?"

"I'm using her as leverage to keep her unruly family in line."

"That does not surprise me," Gillies said with a slight nod.

Nyx let out an exasperated sigh. "Come on, Gillies. What are you doing here?"

"Well, a little birdie told me you were the one who ordered Hunter's murder. The Council is displeased that you failed to seek their approval first."

"I didn't think a formal request was necessary. I felt David had outgrown his usefulness. Wasn't his long rang PSR scanner a success?"

"It was," Gillies replied.

"Then what did the Council still want with him?"

"We have reason to believe he picked up on a potential target before returning," Gillies explained. "He brought the locations back with him. Do you know where they are?"

"You can check with his replacement. We recovered some notes from David's apartment after he died, but the police ransacked his private laboratory," Nyx explained. "If he kept it off Omicron property, it could be anywhere by now."

"It's imperative that you find the data."

"Me? You're not serious? It could be anywhere!"

"The Council holds you responsible," Gillies said firmly.

"I can't. I have a lot on my plate right now," Nyx countered. "Why don't you look for it?"

Gillies paused for a second. "No," he replied flatly. "You have one week to find it," he warned before exiting the room.

Furious with her current predicament, Nyx pulled out her phone to call John. Luckily, her assistant entered the room just as she pressed the send button.

Nyx frowned at her assistant. "A little more forewarning would have been nice," she remarked.

"Should I start making calls?" John asked, having overheard the conversation.

"Please do," Nyx said as she hurried towards the exit with John following. "This is the last thing I need right now."

Nyx and John exited the building, unaware that the Remez sisters had seized the control post and were observing their every move.

**οοοοοοο**

Flint and Felix remained undisturbed as they laid unconscious on the floor, both rousing at the same time.

"Ugh, my head," Flint said as he sat up. "What hit me?"

"It appears they used gas to render us unconscious," Felix replied, pointing out the obvious.

"Those bitches got lucky," Flint uttered snidely, enraged by the girls' trickery.

Felix rolled his eyes at his brother and looked at his watch. "We've been out for over fifteen minutes. It's almost midnight."

"Thankfully, no one found us."

"We've wasted enough time," Felix stated as he peeked out of the room to check if the coast was clear. "Let's go see what they're hiding here."

"Do you think Mom and Dad are having better luck than us?"

"Let's hope so," Felix said before the two brothers exited the room to continue with their reconnaissance.

# XVII

**July 20** **th** **, 2017**

_Lunette Residence (Upstate New York) – 0002 hrs_

With Quinn's injured wing slowing them, it took longer than expected for the group to reach their destination. Styx and Kray led the team to a house sitting deep in a secluded part of a forested area just north of Palmerville, New York. It was a sizeable Italianate style house with spacious balconies on all three levels of the building, ideal for kin. Despite it being centuries old, the home appeared decently maintained for its age but was in dire need of an update. The surrounding vegetation consumed the exterior, suggesting that it had been unoccupied for some time.

Surveying the house, Freya immediately noticed that the dirt road that once led to the property was completely overgrown with vegetation and young trees, signifying that no ground vehicles had visited within the last few decades. The house was void of all light, so Freya pulled out her glasses to see what was going on inside the abandoned-looking structure. Switching to thermography mode, she noticed that the house was resonating little heat, making it easier to pick out the two figures walking down a staircase before disappearing underground.

As Freya watched the house, Book approached Maria. "Wow, this place sure looks spooky," Brook said to the young girl.

Maria did not respond as she gazed at the large house attentively, unaware that Brook was talking to her.

"What's wrong, Maria?" Brook asked, finally getting the girl's attention.

"I know this property, Hunter and I spent some summers here," Maria explained.

Before Brook could respond, Marko approached the two females. "This place is a mansion, not what I had in mind when they said summer cottage."

As everyone talked amongst themselves, Freya switched off her glasses and turned to face the others, successfully grabbing their attention.

"There are only two small figures inside. It could be Moselle and Dalie, but that would be suspiciously convenient," Freya said to the group.

"At least I'm not the only one who thinks this is a trap," Axel said in relief.

"Ditto," Quinn agreed.

"What are you thinkin', sis?" Freya asked her twin.

"If this is a trap, we all shouldn't charge in at once," Quinn replied.

"If your so apprehensive," Styx interjected. "Kray and I will volunteer to go in and scope the place out."

Freya frowned at the offer. "How about we take Trento and Marko, safety in numbers," she suggested to Quinn.

Quinn nodded in agreement before turning to Axel and Brook. "I want you two to circle the perimeter. We don't want to be ambushed by the Remez family again."

Axel and Brook nodded in agreement before taking off and disappearing above the treeline.

"What about us?" Styx asked.

"The rest of you will stay out of sight, in case we need reinforcements," Quinn replied. "The more people we have watching our backs, the better."

With a plan in place, the groups parted, leaving Styx, Kray, and Maria charged with the important task of waiting.

Freya, Quinn, Trenton, and Marko entered the house through the suspiciously unlocked front door. The house was large, dark, and eerily silent with an abandoned feeling to it. As Freya used her cell to light the way, they did not get far before the sound of her phone broke the silence. Having lost any element of surprise, everyone turned to Freya, who was busy reading a text message.

"This better be good!" Quinn spat at her sister.

Freya smiled. "My call to Adley paid off. Victor Lunette—the relative of Lucy Remez that Nyx said owned this place—actually sold it to Omicron years ago. The company uses this place for corporate retreats. Funny how Nyx failed to mention that."

"She did say the information came from her contacts overseas," Quinn replied defensively. "Maybe they didn't know."

"The fact that Omicron owns this house suggests we're in the right place," Freya added.

"Where should we look first?" Marko asked.

"The bodies I spotted were heading into the basement," Freya replied.

The team was about to start searching for the basement when they were startled by thumps originating upstairs.

"Oh, great, now we gotta check all the floors in this death house," Marko whined.

"Should we split up?" Freya asked.

"Are you crazy, woman!" Marko quickly retorted. "If Scooby Doo taught us anything, it's that splitting up in a hunted house is always a bad idea. Everyone knows that's when the monsters come out."

Quinn looked at Freya tediously. "Is he joking?"

"No, but he's probably right," Freya replied. "Except for the monster part."

"We'll cover more ground if we split up," Trenton opposed.

"Okay, Freddy, have it your way," Freya conceded. "We'll take the sketchy sound upstairs. You two take the dungeon."

Against all sound judgement, Freya and Marko left on a mission to find the source of the upstairs commotion while Quinn and Trenton continued towards the basement.

**οοοοοοο**

Outside the house, Maria waited patiently while Styx and Kray were growing increasingly frustrated.

"What's the point of coming on this mission if we're just going to stand here all night," Kray complained to his sister.

"It's a complete waste," Styx agreed, equally aggravated.

"I'm sick of waiting," Kray declared before taking off towards the house.

Styx was about to follow her brother when Maria stopped her.

"Where are you going?" Maria asked, sounding a little nervous that they were abandoning their post.

"We're going in after them," Styx replied.

"Wait, we have a job to do," Maria pleaded, trying to stop them.

"What job? Standing and waiting?" Styx replied. "I think you have that covered."

The two siblings travelled towards the house, leaving Maria standing by herself near the edge of the dark woods.

**οοοοοοο**

As Marko and Freya ascended the dark stairs, Marko continued with his protest of the current plan.

"I know you must think this is a bad idea," Marko said to his partner.

"Yes. But Trenton was right. We'll cover more ground this way," Freya replied.

"Fine, don't tell me what you have planned," Marko whined. "I love being kept in the dark, especially when it's both literally and figuratively."

The two of them reached the top floor and entered a bedroom. Once inside, the couple immediately spotted a dark figure standing near the moon-lit window. Freya shifted her light towards the unknown person and was relieved to discover that it was only Kray.

"It's just me," Kray reassured the two.

"What are you doing here?" Freya demanded. "Quinn said for you to keep watch outside."

"We thought you two could use some help," Kray replied.

"We? Where's Styx?" Freya asked warily.

"She entered from the first floor."

Assuming the noise from earlier was just Kray entering, Freya turned to Marko."We have to go find Quinn," she said, suddenly hit with a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach.

Freya and Marko were about to exit when Finn burst into the room from the hallway. Startled by the intruder, Kray immediately started attacking Finn with his fists, wasting no time engaging with the robot-kin hybrid.

"Is that Finn?" Marko asked Freya as he watched the two males fighting.

"Quinn did say she had a run-in with him," Freya replied.

"But you scanned the house, where did he come from?"

"Not sure. Even if he was completely mechanical, he should be resonating some heat," Freya noted as she retrieved her glasses and put them on to check. As the couple stood conversing, Kray and Finn continued to struggle in front of them.

"So, what's the verdict? Is he all robot?" Marko asked while Freya fiddled with the glasses.

Before Freya could answer, Kray took a hard hit in the chest, causing him to fly back and shatter a large dresser next to Marko and Freya.

"Gee, thanks for your help," Kray said sarcastically to the couple.

"It looked like you had everything under control," Marko said casually.

Kray scowled and was about to curse Marko out when he realized something.

"Wait, why hasn't he attack you two?" Kray wondered.

"You attacked first. He probably thought you were the biggest threat," Freya said with a shrug. She reached out to help her cousin up off the floor.

"Well, in that case," Kray said as he accepted Freya's hand. "Tag, you're it," he added while simultaneously pushing Freya towards the approaching cyborg then quickly fled out the open window.

As Freya came face to face with the familiar-looking attacker, she sent a wave of fire in his direction. The flames stalled Finn for long enough so Freya and Marko could follow Kray out the window.

**οοοοοοο**

Deep in the lower extremities of the house, Quinn and Trenton were walking down a long rickety staircase towards an old wooden door. The surrounding walls consisted of uneven cobblestone, and the damp air had an earthy aroma. As they descended the basement stairs, the temperature grew colder to the point where their breath was faintly visible. They finally reached the bottom of the long staircase and opened the door to the underground chamber.

Much to their surprise, the couple walked into a finished room containing an electric fireplace, large desk, wall-to-wall books, and a cozy looking leather chair. On the opposite side of the study was a metal door next to a wall-mounted control panel.

Spotting the door, Quinn walked over and tried the control panel with no success. She approached the desk and began opening drawers in search of something that could help them unlock the door.

While Quinn looked through the desk, Trenton scoured the rest of the room. Trenton was examining the shelving unit when Quinn discovered a switch built into the desk lamp. Quinn pressed the button, turning on a large wall-mounted television located above the fireplace. Appearing on the TV was a quad split screen displaying one unlit room and three brightly lit hallways. Looking at the images, it was evident that this was not video feed from within the house.

Quinn's attention shifted when the light hanging from the ceiling started to sway from the commotion occurring above.

"Did you hear something?" Quinn asked as she glanced up at the shifting light.

"No, probably just the light flickering," Trenton replied. He looked up and noticed a camera hanging from the ceiling in the corner of the room. "I wonder if someone is watching," he said, alerting his partner to the surveillance.

Finding nothing of significance in the desk, Quinn made her way back towards the metal door. She walked over to examine the control panel for the second time. Quinn pressed one button and, much to her surprise, the door opened. Behind the door was a bright white corridor, identical to the hallways on the television. The unique lighting instantly revealed Quinn's wings.

Trenton stopped what he was doing and walked towards Quinn as she entered the newly discovered area. Before Trenton could reach her, the door suddenly closed between them. Trenton ran over and frantically pressed buttons trying to open the door, but to no avail. Noticing that the lock was activated, he started touching random numbers only to have the word 'UNAUTHORIZED' flash repeatedly on the digital screen.

Unable to reach Quinn, Trenton was beginning to panic. He was so focused on getting to his partner; he failed to notice Moselle and Daile enter the room behind him. Alerted to their presence, Trenton turned around and was startled to see the two girls, each holding large kitchen knives they retrieved from upstairs.

"Please, Dalie, Moselle," Trenton said calmly, looking from one girl to the other. "I don't want to hurt you."

Ignoring his warning, the two girls simultaneously rushed Trenton with their weapons raised. Trenton had the strength to defeat them effortlessly but could not bring himself to do it. At the same time, trying to stop the girls without injury to them or himself was going to be challenging. No matter how Trenton approached this, he knew someone was going to get hurt.

**οοοοοοο**

On the other side of the big steel door, Quinn called out to Trenton while frantically searching for a way out. Realizing the door was not going to budge, she stopped to look down the bright hallway. At the end of the corridor was a single opened door leading to an unlit room. The flash of a shiny object inside the room caught Quinn's attention. As she walked down the hallway, to her right, she noticed a closed door with the word 'OBSERVATION' written on the front and a small control panel mounted on the wall next to it.

Quinn continued straight through the open doorway, the bright lights from the corridor illuminated the room enough so she could make out its contents. Inside the room was an empty containment cell, it resembled a primitive version of the one she saw in Hunter's laboratory. Quinn entered further and noticed a two-way mirror on the wall to the right of her. It was then that she observed in the mirror's reflection that someone had entered the room behind her. She turned to find Wyatt shutting the door while holding a sword in his free hand.

Quinn did not say anything and quickly reached for her weapon just as Wyatt prepared to strike. Quinn quickly flicked her whip in Wyatt's direction, forcing her attacker to back off with no opening inside the small room. Right when Quinn was starting to think she had the upper hand, Wyatt lowered his weapon and smiled as his aqua coloured eyes began to glow. Quinn could feel the air in the room shift. Realizing what was happening, she instinctively ran towards Wyatt, who was blocking the only exit. As she approached him, she expected to encounter resistance. To Quinn's surprise, Wyatt voluntarily stepped aside, permitting her to pass. Before Quinn could question his motive, a searing pain resonated from inside her torso. She bent over in agony as soon as she reached the door. As Quinn struggled to turn the handle, her eyes remained fixated on the bright light shining in through the small window. Fighting the intense pain, she successfully turned the lever. Then, losing her balance, she fell to her knees when the door swung inward.

Finally free, Quinn started to crawl through the doorway, determined to make it out of the room. Her head began to spin as she slowly crept through the entrance, fighting the heaviness while struggling to stand. By now, Quinn's hands grasped the doorframe to help pull herself up and out into the bright hallway. Holding onto the wall with all her remaining strength, Quinn felt like she was in an intoxicated state as she struggled to stay on her feet. Unable to run to safety, her eyes spotted the observation room a few feet away. Quinn knew she had to make it far from the danger behind her, but the thought of walking made her nauseous. Letting go of the wall, she used her last ounce of strength to walk as she stumbled a few feet towards the closed door. She pushed down on the door handle and lost her balance as the door flew open, causing her to land hard inside the room.

After a few seconds on the floor, Quinn finally mustered the strength to look up. To her shock and horror, she found herself in a replica of David Gates' basement from the nineteen-hundreds. Quinn's stomach started to turn as the smells long-forgotten hit her like a ton of bricks. Every detail of that nightmare, all the torture she endured in that room, came flooding back after a century of repression. As soon as Quinn spotted _him_ standing next to the operating chair, she realized this was no replica. Next to the young doctor was Quinn's younger self unconscious, broken, and helplessly strapped down. Quinn watched in horror as the man aggressively tried to extract something from her arm with a primitive hypodermic needle. He worked on her so haphazardly, Quinn wondered if this was a memory or some twisted dream. Tears started to form in Quinn's eyes as she watched, but her attention shifted upon hearing footsteps approach from behind. She turned around to discover the observation room entrance was gone and replaced with a staircase leading to the basement entrance. The sound of someone knocking bellowed through the door, causing the doctor to stop what he was doing to answer.

"What is it?"

**"** Mr. Gates," a female's voice said from behind the door. "I know you asked not to be disturbed, but it's five o'clock, and I need to be heading home. The little ones are fed and napping, and I have your dinner waiting upstairs."

"Miss Stephens, I have an important business meeting in two hours. Would you be able to take them home with you tonight? Like always, I'll pay extra for the inconvenience."

"Of course, sir, no problem at all," the woman's voice said happily. "I'll pack a bag and be off. You have a good night, sir."

Before the doctor could reply, a heavy moan originated from the operating chair. The doctor calmly walked over to his desk and retrieved a glass bottle of morphine.

Seeing her younger self starting to stir, Quinn knew what was next. Determined to stop him, Quinn tried to approach, but everything around her vanished as soon as she neared. With nowhere to run, Quinn fell to her knees in exhaustion and defeat, unable to move as she sat alone in the enclosing darkness.

**οοοοοοο**

On the main floor, Styx was in the houses' safe room standing in front of a control panel watching various scenes unfold. On the screen to her right, Wyatt was walking down a corridor holding an unconscious Quinn. To her left, Trenton was struggling with Moselle and Dalie. The two girls appeared relentless in their attack. Styx's brother and the other two were on another screen until they exited through a window with the robot in pursuit.

Styx looked back at the screen containing Quinn and Wyatt. Seeing them together reminded her of the conversation she had with her mother and brother hours earlier. She was furious with her mother over the task they were assigned. Not only were they ordered to kill the Remez brothers whom Styx considered close allies to various degrees, but then her mother asked them to spare Quinn, of all people.

It was her anger over the assignment that caused Styx to linger in the limo, torn between her loyalties to her mother and _him_ —knowing very well that her mother might never forgive her if she chose the ladder. Luckily, Styx's mother was too conceded and oblivious to notice her dilemma. But her brother knew, and for some reason, she could not shake the conversation as it repeated in her head.

_The car had just pulled up to the Markovich residence. Kray turned to her as soon as their mother exited the limo._

_"Are you doing this?" Kray demanded._

_"It's none of your concern," she replied defensively._

_"It is tonight," Kray corrected. "I don't want any surprises. I need to know how committed you are to the success of this mission."_

_She glared at her brother before responding. "You should know by now that I don't have an emotional obligation to anyone," she said while trying to hide the anger and conflict going on inside. "How about you worry about yourself tonight and mind your own fucking business," she added just before her mother's voice called from outside the vehicle._

Snapping out of her thoughts, Styx shook her head, trying to refocus on the task at hand. She had made her choice, and now it was time to fulfill her obligation. Pulling out a small gun, she exited the room towards the basement.

**οοοοοοο**

Freya, Marko, and Kray had spent the last ten minutes outside futilely trying to overpower Finn. Deciding to switch to fleeing, they re-entered the main floor through the kitchen. They had lost their pursuer when fleeing outside, but they knew it would not be for long.

"Nothing seems to be workin'," Freya said as the three of them regrouped in the open kitchen. "He's immune to all our attacks."

"Any ideas?" Kray asked while holding his sprained arm.

Marko turned to Freya. "C'mon, babe," he said hopefully. "You must have something that can stop a robot immune to fire and electricity?"

"Hun, you just gave me an idea," Freya said, remembering she had something that might be of assistance.

Suddenly, Finn entered the room, having located his targets. Kray stood up to draw the attacker's attention, trying to distract Finn long enough so Freya could give Marko his directions.

Freya reached into her pocket and pulled out what looked like a smaller version of the electromagnetic explosives they used when they attacked the Omicron Headquarters.

"Marko, I need you to distract Finn so I can get close enough. We need to get him outside, and when I plant this, you must get as far away as you can."

"Got it."

While Marko and Freya planned, ray attempted to fight Finn, but his injured arm was starting to take its toll. Just when Finn was about to overpower the wounded man, an airborne spoon hit the back of his head, immediately followed by a bombardment of more cutlery.

Finn turned around to see Marko standing in front of the counter with a drawer open. Finn raised his arm and fired his gun at Marko, causing him to fall back behind the island counter. Locating a stack of cookware, Marko started throwing frying pans over the island in Finn's direction. One successfully hit Finn in the head, but the cyborg did not flinch as he rushed towards the island, causing Marko to jump up and retreat.

Marko almost stumbled a few times as he ran out of the kitchen and down the hall with Finn following close behind. The front door was wide open, making it easier for the redhead to exit as Finn closed in on him. As soon as the two fled the house, Freya jumped Finn from behind and attached the device to his metallic back before activating it. Marko continued running into the bushes even though he was no longer being chased.

With the press of a button, it set off high-pitched charging sound, followed by an explosive bang and a surge of electricity expelling out of Finn's chest. The scorching electrical blast hit an immune Freya. The device on Finn's back was smoking as he fell to the ground with Freya on top of him.

Kray exited the house, looking slightly impressed with what he just saw. "What was that thing?"

Freya leapt off the deactivated Finn and brushed herself off. "Just a little EMP device I cooked up," she answered. "It will fry almost any electrical device it touches. Luckily, Finn is just enough machine that it worked."

"You know this guy?" Kray asked his cousin.

"Well, he certainly looks like a relative of ours, but can't tell for certain if it's him," Freya replied. "This guy tried to kill us, so if it is Finn, I don't think we're on speaking terms at the moment."

With the coast clear, Marko exited the woods to join the group.

"Hurry," Freya called out to her approaching partner. "Help me hide him. The last thing we need is Brook seeing this and having a conniption ."

The three of them quickly hid Finn under some brush before entering the house to search for the others.

**οοοοοοο**

Brook and Axel were five minutes into their aerial patrol when they noticed Kray and Styx travelling towards the house. Worried about Maria being left alone, Brook went searching for her but could not find any sign of the young girl. Axel joined Brook, and the two of them continued exploring the woods on foot. Brook began calling out Maria's name but stopped in her tracks when she felt the faint presence of another kin.

"What's wrong?" Axel asked, wondering why Brook paused.

"We're not alone," Brook replied. The presence she was feeling was faint but familiar. She thought it was Maria at first, but her adrenaline kicked in once the realization dawned.

Suddenly, the sound of trees rustling resonated above and a towering figure came crashing into Axel, smashing him hard into the ground. Axel looked up to see Levi standing over him. The large man was about to attack but stopped when he noticed Axel's eyes and pendant staring to glow. Levi jumped back just as flames came flying in his direction, missing him but instantly igniting the nearby brush.

"Axel, no fire! The forest is too dry!" Brook warned. With her attention on Axel, Brook failed to notice Levi approaching until he was already on top of her.

Axel was just about to help Brook when he suddenly noticed something out of the corner of his eye. He did not have time to react before being ambushed by another figure. Axel turned around and looked up to find Kai standing over him. Kai was about to reach for his gun when he was suddenly hit in the back by Maria's staff. As soon as Kai fell to the ground, Axel used the opportunity to jump on him to secure his weapon.

As the two men struggled, Maria entered the scene and shifted her attention to Brook and Levi, who were fighting a few feet away. The large man had grabbed hold of Brook, who retaliated with a kick to the head. Levi appeared unfazed by the strike as he tightened his grip on the blue-haired girl. After a brief struggle, Brook successfully freed one arm and placed her hand on Levi's forearm, using her powers to try to subdue him. Levi groaned in pain as Brook started absorbing the water in his body. Brook immediately became nauseous; she had never felt this sick using her abilities before. Levi released Brook, and they both collapsed in pain.

Levi smiled despite being doubled over from severe dehydration. "I bet that hurt," he said with a grin.

"What's inside you?" Brook asked as she struggled to get up.

Being the first to regain his composure, Levi was about to charge Brook when Maria's staff came flying towards him. The metal pipe struck Levi in the head, instantly rendering him unconscious before slamming into a nearby tree.

Nearby, Kai was about to aim his gun at Axel when a blast of fire barreled towards him. The dry foliage ignited immediately, spreading quickly in an upsurge of fire. Having lost his target in the distraction, Kai stopped to look around only to be surprised by Axel jumping through the flames on top of him. Axel grabbed Kai and threw him into the flaming brush. Kai's painfilled screams filled the air as he disappeared in the growing inferno.

With their attackers temporally deflected, Brook turned to her companions. "We need to stop this fire before it spreads!"

The three went to work extinguishing the flames. Axel tackled the base of the fire while Maria and Brook remained on the outskirts trying to prevent it from spreading. The two females were attempting to contain the blazing canopy when a battered and burnt Kai emerged from the thick smoke. At the same time, Axel was approached by Levi as he extinguished the flames from the ground. Kai looked down at Levi and tossed him a grenade. With both brothers now holding an explosive device, they simultaneously pulled the pin and threw it towards their targets.

Spotting the grenades, Axel, Brook, and Maria tried to flee, but they did not get far before a section of burning branches and projectiles exploded behind them. As soon as Brook hit the ground, a large piece of scorching timber fell on top of her, burning her exposed skin.

Kai and Levi circled above their unconscious targets to avoid the flames. The two men were deciding what to do next when Kai's phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and looked at it before turning to Levi.

"It's time," Kai informed his brother, prompting the two of them to depart.

**οοοοοοο**

_Ino Industries (777 Barretman St, Brooklyn, NY) - 0007 hrs_

Flint and Felix had just reached the ground floor when they made the grim discovery of a security guard lying face down in a pool of blood. Next to the deceased male was a set of small bloody boot tracks leading down the hallway.

Felix approached the body for examination. "Still warm."

"So, do we follow the trail of carnage?" Flint asked.

Felix stood up before turning to his brother. "Yes, if we want to find the party responsible."

"No doubt it was those girls," Flint said while pointing to the child-size footprints. "One look and I could tell they were cold-blooded killers."

As the two boys continued down the hallway, it was not long before they reached another body. Like the body before it, this security guard had a large wound on his back.

By observing the scene, Felix could tell the victim had crawled on the floor a few feet before being finished off with a sharp object to the back of his neck. Felix also noticed that the victim's gun holster was empty, suggesting that the assailants now possessed a firearm.

Flint and Felix continued following the trail of blood until they came across two big metal doors leading to the shipping dock. The two boys slowly opened the door, peeking inside to make sure the coast was clear before entering. Hearing voices inside, the two quickly ran for cover behind a stack of skids. Gazing through the gaps, the boys could see one more dead body off to the side and the two girls near the opened bay door. Beatrix was using a forklift to load an occupied containment cell into the back of a fifteen-foot cargo truck. At the front of the vehicle, Belladonna stood leaning into the driver's side cab while attaching something to the pedals.

"Who do you think is in that thing?" Flint asked his brother, unable to get a good look at the cell's contents.

"Couldn't see," Felix replied with his eyes still focused on the girls. "We should try to approach discreetly for further observation." Receiving no response, Felix glanced over at Flint only to find his brother walking out from behind their cover, ready to confront the females. Knowing they were out-armed, Felix tried to plead with Flint. "No! We should wait!" Felix hissed in a low voice.

Flint stopped and looked back at Felix. **"** Nope, I gotta get me some payback," he said before stomping towards the enemy.

Belladonna had just finished installing the pedal extenders and started typing on her phone. She glanced up when she noticed that Beatrix had finished loading the van.

"That was quick. Good job, Bea," praised Belladonna.

"She has less than three hours, we better hurry," Beatrix informed her sister before turning to walk around the vehicle.

"Yo!" a voice yelled from behind.

Beatrix stopped in their tracks and turned around to see Flint storming towards them.

**"** Did you really think you'd get away that easy?" Flint demanded.

Belladonna sighed in exasperation. "Listen, buddy, I'd love nothing more than to kick your ass again, but we don't have time for this," she said hastily then turned around only to find Felix pointing a newly acquired rifle in her face.

"Don't think so," Felix said as he cocked the gun, ready to fire. "Who's in the truck?"

Standing only a few feet away, Beatrix quickly reached for her sword but stopped when Belladonna raised her hand.

"No, Bea, let's tell him," Belladonna said to her sister before turning back to Felix. "It's our mother. We're here to rescue her."

"Why do you care who's in there?" Beatrix snapped at Felix. "Why are you two even here?"

"We didn't care until you got up in our business," Flint retorted. "Gassing us, that's when you made it personal."

"That was your fault," Belladonna said to Flint. "You were in _our_ way, and your loud ego was going to alert security."

"In your way? We were there first!" Flint exclaimed, growing increasingly frustrated.

Beatrix and Flint watched quietly while Flint and Belladonna argued like children. It continued for a few more seconds until Beatrix finally had it.

"Enough!" Beatrix growled, causing Flint and Belladonna to stop. "We don't have time for banter. Are we fighting, or not?" she said while retrieving the sword off her back.

While still aiming his weapon, Felix turned to Flint. "Are we going to stop them from rescuing their mom?"

"Nah, we're not here for them," Flint replied, prompting Felix to lower the firearm. It was then that Flint remembered the reason they were even on this mission. "You two know where Nix is?" he asked the girls.

Beatrix frowned upon hearing that name. "Gone. That cunt's lucky she left before we could reach her."

"She and her man slave took off right after our encounter with you two," Belladonna explained.

"Do you know what she was doing here?" Flint asked.

"She came and talked to some guy, then she grabbed her assistant and left," Belladonna replied.

"Do you know the guy?" Felix inquired.

"Nope," Belladonna lied. "Well, love to stay and chat, but we gotta go," she added before the two girls walked past Felix and jumped into the cab of the truck.

Flint and Felix watched as the truck drove a few feet before stopping. After a brief second, Belladonna stuck her head out of the driver's side window and looked back at them.

"Hey, we'll give ya a lift if it's on the way," Belladonna offered the boys. "Which direction are you heading in?"

Flint smiled and was about to reply when Felix stopped him.

**"** No! We are not going with them," Felix said firmly. "We'll call for a ride."

"Ahh, come on," Flint whined. "Kyle got his green. He's long gone. It could take him hours to get here if he even comes at all. Plus, it's not like they don't already know where we live, their family has been to our house twice in the last week."

"And their father destroyed our living room!" Felix exclaimed. "They are a family of cold-blooded killers!"

"And our parents are any better?" Flint retorted. "Have you ever asked Mom how many people she's killed?"

"No, why?" Felix asked with a puzzled expression.

"You should. She's disturbingly transparent about those kinds of things."

Deciding to ignore his cautious brother, Flint turned back to Belladonna. "Are you heading near the village?"

Belladonna smiled. "You're in luck, hop in," she said as the passenger side door opened.

The boys ran up to the van and hopped in next to Beatrix. With Belladonna at the wheel, the vehicle exited the warehouse on its journey back to Manhattan.

**οοοοοοο**

_Lunette Residence – 0035 hrs_

Inside the subterranean office, the fighting was starting to take its toll on Trenton. He was battered and had incurred several lacerations trying to defend himself without seriously injuring the two girls. Trenton knew he had to start planning his next move. He could not keep this up forever and had to put an end to this, even if it meant harming them.

Moselle took a stab at Trenton, who effortlessly blocked the attack.

"I don't want to hurt you, but you leave me no choice," Trenton warned the girl.

Moselle retaliated with a kick, but Trenton grabbed her foot and swung her into the bookshelf. The shelving unit collapsed, causing books and wood to fall onto Moselle.

Spotting an opening, Dalie tried to attack Trenton, but he caught her knife-wielding arm and held it tight as she struggled unsuccessfully to free herself.

Before Trenton could make another move, he heard two faint shots followed by a sharp pain in the back of his neck. The large man fell unconscious as Styx stood in the doorway, holding a tranquillizer dart gun.

With Trenton subdued, the two young girls were now motionless as they expressionlessly stared off into the distance. Styx kept the gun aimed at the girls while approaching cautiously. Realizing they were not going to attack her, Styx lowered her weapon and gazed at the girls curiously. She made a quick forward jerking motion to see if she could get a reaction from the children, but they just continued to stare blankly. Determining that there was no risk from the zombie-like youths, Styx put her gun away.

"If anyone asks, you didn't see me," Styx said to the girls before approaching the control panel next to the metal door. She inputted a series of numbers, successfully unlocking the door. The lights revealed her black and yellow wings as she walked down the hallway and into the observation room.

Inside, Wyatt was standing at the controls looking through the observation window. The lights were now on in the adjacent room, where Wyatt had placed an unconscious Quinn into a containment cell that was actively collecting vita-plasm at an alarming rate.

Hearing someone enter the room behind him, Wyatt instinctively grabbed his sword but stopped when he saw that it was only Styx.

"What's up with the puppets I just encountered," asked Styx.

"Your bitch of a mother told us to hand over the girls," Wyatt explained with a grin. "There they are, free for the taking."

"But what's up with them? Did a Venti do that? It's freaky."

"No, it was all Joy."

"What do you plan to do with her?" Styx asked, motioning to Quinn on the other side of the window. "This wasn't part of your arrangement, and you know my mother is just looking for an excuse to off your mother."

Wyatt clenched his fist in anger and turned to Styx, glaring at her. "And who's going to tell her? You?"

Styx laughed, unfazed by his outburst. "Wow, I know she's your mom and all, but this weakness sure leaves you vulnerable." She looked at Wyatt pitifully. "Even my mother has you wrapped around her finger. That's sad."

"What you mistake for weakness is our greatest strength," Wyatt corrected. "I wouldn't expect you to understand, coming from a broken family."

Styx failed to react to his jab. "Was that your attempt at an insult?" she said mockingly. "Nice try, you'll never see me caught in these predicaments. You, on the other hand, are stuck between a rock and a hard place."

Wyatt smiled. "You think that bitch can stop us? We'll have mother back any minute now. As soon as I have confirmation, they will pay for what they did to her."

Styx laughed at Wyatt's confidence. "Well, I hate to burst your bubble, but my orders are to destroy this place and take you out in the process."

Wyatt pulled out his sword and pointed it at Styx's face, but she did not budge.

"You think I'd be that stupid?" Styx asked, unfazed by the weapon. "Why would I tell you this if I wanted you dead? I agree with you, my mother is being a bitch, and her choice in company lately is disturbing. She's forcing me to choose sides, and I choose you."

Wyatt lowered his sword. "What are you going to do?"

Styx turned her attention back to the window and looked at Quinn loathingly. "I think if we work together, we can both get what we want."

Before Wyatt had a chance to inquire further, his phone started vibrating. He looked down to see a text from his little sister announcing their success. He put the phone back in his pocket and smiled at Styx. "What do you have in mind?"

**οοοοοοο**

When Freya, Marko, and Kray entered the basement, they found Trenton unconscious and face down on the floor. Freya rushed over to check Trenton's vitals before trying to wake him. After a few seconds of shouting and shaking, Trenton finally roused.

"What happened? Where's Quinn?" Freya asked Trenton once he started to regain his composure.

"We were separated when she went through that door," Trenton explained, motioning to the entrance behind him. "Then I was attacked by Moselle and Dalie."

"Where are they?" Freya asked.

Feeling the back of his neck, Trenton pulled out two small tranquillizer darts. **"** Not sure, I guess one of them drugged me," he said before throwing the darts to the ground.

Trenton looked behind to see the laboratory entrance opened and quickly tried to stand. "We have to find Quinn," he said while accepting Freya's hand up.

The four of them proceeded down the brightly lit hallway and stopped at the first door. Looking into the observation room, Freya noticed the computer and entered to see if she might find anything that could assist them in their search. The three males followed Freya in and stopped to peer through the window into the adjacent room that was now empty.

Freya sat down at the computer and was delighted to discover that she could connect to the security cameras scattered throughout the property. She quickly started checking the channels with the hopes of locating her sister. After searching through a few uneventful screens, Freya switched to camera five, revealing Styx inside what looked like a stone cellar. Styx had her back to the camera and was bending over an unknown object obscured by her body.

"Well, we found Styx," Freya remarked in frustration.

"Maybe Quinn's with her," Trenton said optimistically.

"What she's doing?" Marko asked.

On the video, Styx had stopped fiddling with the unknown machine to talk to someone who was standing off-screen. The three of them were shocked to discover that Styx was wearing the necklace Nyx had lent Quinn. They watched as Styx walked away from the large mechanism and out of view of the screen. Seconds later, Wyatt crossed in front of the camera carrying an unconscious Quinn. Moselle and Dalie followed close behind Wyatt.

"Quinn!" Trenton and Freya called simultaneously.

Successfully finding Quinn and the girls, they all turn to leave the observation room only to find Kray standing in the hallway. He smiled while pressing a button on the exterior control panel and shut the door. Trenton ran up and started pounding on the metal door while turning the handle, but it did not budge.

"Let us out!" Trenton yelled at Kai through the little glass window.

"Oops, I activated the emergency security lock, and I don't know the passcode," Kai's muffled voice said sarcastically. "Don't worry, I'll go find help," Kai offered as he walked away, still grinning while Trenton furiously pounded on the door behind him.

**οοοοοοο**

The deepest extremity of the Lunette residence contained a stone enclosure fully stocked with barrels of alcohol, expensive bottles of wine, and numerous other aged spirits. This climate-controlled cellar was the prize of Wyatt's maternal family and the location of the last line of defence against intruders.

While Styx armed the explosives, Wyatt gathered items from a safe strategically placed for emergencies such as this. Using two duffel bags, he loaded Moselle up with the rarest bottles of liquor, while Dalie was packed with essential documents and valuables from the safe.

"They will not be pleased to hear about this," Wyatt said, speaking of Styx's plan. "We should just kill them."

"I have to make it _appear_ like I followed my mom's plan," Styx explained before motioning to Quinn. "I'll call her an unfortunate accident."

"What about your brother?" Wyatt asked. "Are you going to take him out too?"

Styx grinned at the comment. "He should be right behind us. That's why I set a ten-minute delay on the detonator."

Once everyone was ready, Wyatt, Styx, Moselle, and Dalie exited through a steel door leading to an underground escape tunnel. The heavy door shut behind them, leaving an unconscious Quinn alone with the armed explosive.

**οοοοοοο**

Meanwhile, Freya, Marko, and Trenton were still locked inside the control room, frantically attempting to find a way out. After exhausting all options with the door, they reverted to checking the cameras for any sign of the others. Switching back to the cellar, they attentively watched the screen, but there was no sign of activity within view of the camera. It was then that Marko noticed the device Styx was working on when they first spotted her. As he leaned in to get a closer look at the object, he could make out what appeared to be a digital screen.

"Is that clock counting down?" Marko asked the others with his eyes squinting at the monitor.

Freya leaned in and could make out the small numbers indicating less than six minutes remaining.

"Well, fuck this shit," Freya remarked. "That bitch is going to blow the fuckin' place up."

"How much time do we have?" Trenton asked, unable to see with Freya and Marko obstructing his view of the screen.

"Just under five minutes," Freya replied.

"We have to do something," Marko said, starting to sound anxious. "Can we call someone?"

"C'mon, hun, that was the first thing I tried," Freya answered. "No reception down here."

"I think I'm going to have a panic attack," Marko said as his breathing started to become quick and shallow. He turned back to the monitor while holding his head. "Four minutes!" Marko moaned, looking as if he was going to cry.

Faced with the possibility of defeat, the unexpected sound of footsteps coming from the hallway made their hearts skipped a beat. They glanced towards the door and were ecstatic to see Maria peeking in through the little window. The trio raced over to the door in a panic, all trying to look through the window simultaneously. Freya reached the entrance first and could see that Maria was also with Brook and Axel. Maria started pressing the control panel as Freya tried to guide her.

"The door's locked!" Freya warned the girl. "We don't know the code, so you need to—"

_Click_

Freya paused as soon as she heard the door unlock. Freya wanted to ask Maria how she did that, but time was of the essence. As soon as the door opened, Freya, Trenton, and Marko rushed out of the room, gabbing the others as they ran. Unaware of the urgency, Maria, Brook, and Axel were reluctant to follow.

"There is a bomb going off in less than three minutes!" Marko yelled, causing everyone to pick up speed as they raced back down the bright hallway and into the study. The group continued up the long staircase onto the main floor, then down the hall and out through the kitchen.

As soon as they exited the house, Trenton stopped. "What about Quinn?" he asked Freya.

"We don't have time!" Freya exclaimed, her heart sinking at the possibility of her sister still being inside. "We have no choice. We have to bank on Styx and the Remez guy having her."

"What? Quinn might be in there!" Brook asked in shock.

Angry with himself for not looking, Trenton was about to turn back when the earth below him started to rumble, immediately followed by a loud explosion erupting from under the house. The blast sent the group flying backwards, and what remained of the burning structure collapsed in on itself.

As they all stood up and watched the house burn, everyone was paralyzed, unsure of their next move. Brook started to cry, the thought of Quinn being in that house was too much for her.

Regaining her composure, Freya urgently addressed the group. "They might still be in the vicinity! We have to split up and look!"

Obeying Freya's orders, everyone darted off in opposite directions, frantically searching for any sign of Quinn or her captors.

**οοοοοοο**

The escape tunnel under the Lunette residence led towards a small shed located a quarter-mile from the house. Levi and Kai were already waiting outside when Wyatt, Styx, Moselle, and Dalie emerged from the wooden structure.

"What the fuck is going on?" Kai asked his brother, unimpressed with the change in plans.

"We're detonating the house," Wyatt replied.

"Why?" Kai asked angrily.

"It was necessary to ensure their elimination," Wyatt explained. "They won't interfere with our plans again."

Before Kai could respond, the ground started shaking, followed by the sound of an explosion in the distance. At the same time, Kray emerged from the shed holding an unconscious Quinn. Styx looked at her brother furiously while Kai turned to Wyatt, equally infuriated.

"Looks to me like you destroyed a perfectly good house for no fucking reason," Kai said while pointing at Quinn.

"What are you doing!" Styx barked at her brother. "Why did you bring her?"

Kray frowned at his sister. "You may be willing to risk your inheritance for some dick or _dicks_ ," he remarked contentiously while looking at the three brothers. "But don't think for a second I'll follow along blindly. Do whatever the fuck you want, but I need to be able to tell mother that I spared her niece."

Kray placed Quinn down on the ground in front of Styx. "I'm going home," he informed his sister. "I don't give a shit what you do with her after I leave, but I'd choose my actions wisely if I were you."

Exiting the shed, Kray left for Manhattan while Styx and the three brothers decided what to do with the unexpected addition.

Styx retrieved a knife from her belt. "Who wants to do the honours?" she asked the group without giving it a second thought. She wanted her cousin dead, regardless of her mother's orders.

"I think we should wait," Kai objected. "Even if we can't use her as a bargaining chip, shouldn't we at least harvest her vita-plasm first?"

"Good point. I was able to collect a great deal from her in just a matter of minutes," Wyatt noted as he reached into his pocket and pulled out four large vials.

Not wanting to argue with the brothers, Styx reluctantly agreed to postpone her quest to ensure her cousin's demise. "Fine, as long as we kill her after," she consented.

Now that they had accomplished their mission, for the most part, the group departed for Manhattan with Levi carrying an unconscious Quinn, and the remaining two brothers assisting Moselle and Daile.

**οοοοοοο**

_Manhattan Bridge – 0115 hrs_

Trying to avoid as many tolls as possible, the van full of children had finally reached the city via the Manhattan Bridge. Throughout the entire drive, Beatrix and Belladonna had been surprisingly cooperative by answering any question Felix had thrown at them. Although Felix was happy that the sisters were providing him with information, he assumed their unexpected candour had more to do with the topic since Omicron and Nyx were two things they cared little about safeguarding. Nonetheless, the gossip yielded surprising results, including information about Nyx's connection to Omicron. In retrospect, this news was in no way shocking to Felix. If anything, the events over the last few weeks made more sense, given the new information.

Felix knew this was his chance to secure vital information, and the more he learnt from Beatrix and Belladonna, the more his list of questions grew. Felix only had minutes remaining until they reached their destination, so he had to make the most of his last opportunity for insider knowledge. Unfortunately, to his dismay, Felix did not get far into his questioning before Flint transpired.

"How come that gas didn't knock you two out?" Flint asked the girls.

"Venti are immune to all toxic gasses, poisons, and venoms," Felix answered in a hurried voice.

Flint gave his brother a perplexed look. "What? How did you know that?"

"The journals," Felix replied abruptly, growing annoyed with his brother's stupid questions.

Before Felix could guide the conversation back on track, Flint started moving around in his seat while patting down various pockets as he searched for something. Felix and Beatrix watched as Flint reached into his final unchecked pocket and pulled out a plastic vial containing a green leaf cigar wrapped in hemp string. He proceeded to unravel the cord before sticking the cigar in his mouth and firing up his zippo, puffing on the end repeatedly to make it nice and hot.

Beatrix looked at Flint in shock. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Do you think that's a good idea right now?" Felix asked his brother in frustration.

"Look at the time," Flint replied while pointing at the clock on the radio. "These cannagars take a minimum of three hours to burn. I need to get to bed at some point, preferably before sunrise."

Flint continued to smoke the cigar unaware or indifferent to the glares coming from his fellow passengers.

As the group neared their destination, a red light caused Belladonna to stop next to an idling car. She glanced to her left and observed a male driver with his passenger window down, trying to peer up at her from his position in the driver's seat. Belladonna's window was down, allowing a thick trail of smoke to waft out of the vehicle for everyone to see. Down the adjacent street to her left was a parked police vehicle with an officer visible in the driver's seat.

Belladonna glanced down at the nosey man before turning to Flint. "Can I have some?" she asked, reaching across Beatrix and Felix for the cannabis cigar.

It was then that the traffic lights turned, permitting for a pre-emptive left-hand turn. With the nosey man stalling the lane, the car behind him honked loudly, alerting him to the green light. The man quickly accelerated, but not before Belladonna tossed the cigar through the open window and onto the man's passenger seat as he turned left.

Belladonna's light finally turned green, signalling her to drive straight. As she accelerated, she glanced into her side-view mirror to see the man's car jerk before hitting a vehicle in the next lane, all within view of the police officer.

"What was that for?" Flint demanded. "Do you know how long those take to make?"

"Your idiocy almost got us busted!" Belladonna exclaimed without taking her eyes off the road. "The last thing we need is to get pinned because of some stupid stoner."

"A little warning would have been nice," Flint said as he sat back in his seat sulking.

A few seconds of silence passed before being disrupted by the sound of Beatrix's phone beeping. She pulled it out to read the incoming message. Felix, who was sitting next to her, curiously glanced over to get a glimpse of the text. It was from Levi informing her they were finished and on their way home. Felix wondered if this meant his parents were on their way back as well.

It was not long before the children neared their destination. The boys agreed to be dropped off along Sixth Avenue, allowing the girls to continue their journey north. Flint and Felix thanked the girls before exiting the vehicle. Then they proceeded to quickly and discreetly make their way home.

**οοοοοοο**

_Nyx's Residence – 0310 hrs_

Still wide awake from the flight home, Kray kicked off his boots and poured himself a drink before making his way to the family room. He retrieved the remote off the table before plopping down on the sectional. He raised his feet into a comfortable position before turning on the television.

Alerted to Kray's presence, Nyx walked into the room wearing a backless silk nightgown.

"How did it go?" Nyx asked her son before looking around for her daughter. "Where's Styx?"

"She jumped ship, ran off with her boyfriend," Kray said with his eyes focused on the television.

"Boyfriend?" Nyx asked, bewildered by the news. "Styx doesn't have a boyfriend."

Kray snorted while letting out a single laugh. "You seriously didn't know? She's been fucking a Remez brother for over a year," he explained while trying not to laugh too hard at his mother's obliviousness.

Nyx appeared shocked by this news. "Then what happened? Where is she?"

"We blew the house up with your Ifrit niece and some of her clan still in it, sparing Quinn as requested," Kray replied flatly. "Then your daughter ran off with the three brothers, Quinn, and the two kids. And before you ask, I don't know where they went."

"Styx ran away?" a female voice asked from the hallway.

Nyx turned around to find Riley standing near the entrance, looking like she had just awoken. Ignoring the young girl, Nyx turned back to her son.

"Why didn't you try to bring her back?"

"She doesn't _want_ to come back," Kray said in frustration. "If you want her back so badly, _you_ go get her."

Nyx frowned and was about to reply when she was interrupted.

"I can convince her to come back," Riley interjected. "I can find her, too."

"How?" Nyx questioned.

"I know all her passwords," Riley answered. "We can use the lost phone app to find her cell."

"That's my girl," Nyx said with a smile, happy that at least one of her dependents was willing to assist.

**οοοοοοο**

_Omicron Headquarters – 0340 hrs_

It was a long night confined to the building and Seven was exhausted but also gratified, having taken solace in his offspring's success. Everything went according to plan, except for the Lunette house, a misfortune that was sure to upset his wife. With dawn approaching, Sevan was packing up his belongings when an unexpected visitor entered the office.

"My, aren't we the hard worker," a male voice commented.

Sevan looked up from his satchel and frowned upon seeing Gillies. "What are you doing here? Were you sent to check on me?" he asked, looking annoyed by the redhead's presence.

"No. I'm here to retrieve something from your boss," Gillies said as he walked in and sat down in the empty chair in front of the desk. "But you should be thankful I came when I did. Nyx's new assignment will take her focus off you for the time being."

"I don't need your help."

Gillies smiled, enjoying every moment of this conversation. "Oh, Septimus, I don't understand how you let yourself get dragged into these predicaments. You are your own worst enemy. You know that?"

"I don't have time for this," Sevan said while closing his bag. "What do you want?"

Gillies shrugged. "I'm visiting with family. Isn't that what you do when you travel?" He then shifted the conversation back to his cousin. "It appears you're between a rock and a hard place. What are you going to do?"

"Appearances can be deceiving," Sevan replied with a grin.

"Indeed," Gillies agreed. "Rumor has it you have two young Undine females in your possession. The Council would like to have the girls back. They might even be willing to forgive your wife's transgressions in exchange."

"I planned on using them as a bargaining chip," Sevan explained. "But now that I know how important they are to the Council, I might decide to keep them for myself."

"Grandfather will not be pleased," Gillies stated while shaking his head in disappointment. "He has been searching for them for a long time. And you know firsthand how sentimental he gets about things that remind him of his late daughter."

Sevan's expression changed, and he looked at his cousin bemused. "What are you talking about?"

Gillies grinned at Sevan's bewilderment. Gillies enjoyed playing games, and Sevan always made it too easy to pass up. "Nothing you need to worry about. But I would take good care of them if I were you, Grandfather will not let them go that easily.

"Then tell him to come here and retrieve them himself," Sevan retorted.

"It doesn't have to be like this," Gillies sighed, giving Sevan a look of pity. "Come back with me. We'll welcome you back with open arms."

"I'm not leaving my wife," Sevan said firmly.

Gillies shook his head. "I don't know what you see in her. I should warn you, though, there are talks of something big coming. If I were you, I wouldn't piss Nyx off too much. You might want to stay on their good side."

"I would rather die than accept help from any of you," Sevan spat back.

Growing weary of the conversation, Gillies stood up. "You are impossible," he said while shoving his hand inside jacket pocket. "Well, I must be off. You have fun doing whatever monotonous task you do here," he added, looking around the office.

Gillies smiled at his cousin, taking delight with the scene before him, the poster child of a mighty man castrated by modern society. He then proceeded to pull out his phone and snapped a picture of Sevan sitting at his desk in his fancy shirt and tie.

Gillies continued to grin at his cousin. "Gabriel will get a kick out of this. Chow." He placed the phone back in his pocket and exited the office, leaving an irritated Sevan glaring at him from behind.

**οοοοοοο**

_Markovich Residence – 0540 hrs_

It was sunrise by the time the weary group arrived home. After the obliteration of the Lunette house, they spent hours looking for any sign of Quinn near the wreckage and surrounding forest. They called off the search once they located the collapsed escape tunnel leading into the shed. They knew this was where the enemy made their escape, and they prayed Quinn, Moselle, and Dalie were with them.

After a long and disastrous night, the three males and three females were exhausted and emotionally drained as they walked through the front door, only to come face to face with a distraught Diana.

"What happened?" Diana asked eagerly, looking exhausted from having been up all-night awaiting their return. Her eyes started to tear up upon realizing that her great-nieces were not amongst the group.

Spotting their cue, Trenton and Brook ushered Diana into the kitchen for a talk. At the same time, Axel, Marko, Maria, and Freya rushed the deactivated Finn into the basement and out of the older woman's sight. After having no success retrieving the girls, they figured the last thing Diana needed right now was to see her nephew like this.

When the group entered the basement, they were surprised to find Adley sitting with Flint and Felix on the sofa so early in the morning.

"Wow, Quinn wasn't shittin' when she said Finn was alive," Flint said in disbelief.

"I wouldn't go that far. This thing has so much hardware we haven't established how much of Finn is even left," Freya explained.

"It sounds as if you brought an unsanctioned cyborg into our house?" Flint asked with a curious grin.

"It appears that way," Freya replied slowly, trying to think of why her son would ask such an absurd question.

Flint's smile widened as he held his hand out towards Felix. The redhead sighed and retrieved a small wad of bills from his pocket. Taking his clip off and pulling out a fifty, Felix handed the bill to Flint.

"What was that for?" Freya asked the boys suspiciously.

"A bet," Flint replied. "Remember, after the laundry robot incident. You said it would be years before we see another sentient machine inside this house."

"Oh, yeah, I did say that," Freya said, suddenly remembering.

"Well, I bet Felix you wouldn't last a year," Flint replied smugly.

"Six months and fifteen days," Felix explained.

"What happened with the laundry robot?" Axel asked while Adley and Maria appeared equally intrigued.

"We built a machine with artificial sentience to do our laundry," said Flint.

"It was an existential nightmare," Felix added.

"Regardless, I still say those computer sciences courses you boys took online were worth every penny," Freya defended.

"And I like what they did to the Roomba," Marko agreed.

Wanting to change the subject, Freya turned to Adley. "What brings you here so early?"

"I received a text from Felix asking me to stop by as soon as possible," Adley replied. "I was about to get up anyway, so I came right over."

"She has information on Ino Industries," Felix explained to his mother.

"Ino Industries?" Freya asked while helping Axel and Marko clear a spot for Finn's body on her workstation.

"You didn't get any of my texts?" Flint asked his mother.

"We were kind of busy," Freya explained while motioning towards the body lying on her workstation. "Not to mention, we failed miserably at getting' the girls back and lost my sister in the process."

"Quinn's missing?" asked Adley.

"We think the Remez brothers took her when they made their escape," Axel explained.

"That's who we ran into when we followed Nyx to Ino Industries," Flint informed the group. "Two Remez girls were there to get their mom back from Nyx."

"You mean Lucy Remez? What was Nyx doing with her?" Freya asked, enthralled by the news.

"Nyx was using Lucy as leverage over the rest of the family," Felix clarified. "Nyx was the one who arranged the encounter between you and the brothers. They had no choice but to follow her orders."

"That bitch! She tried to take us all out!" Freya fumed in anger before reaching for her phone. She tried to call the number she had for Styx, but it went straight to voicemail. Freya then tried Nyx's cell, but no answer. She threw her phone down on her desk in frustration.

"I am so going to beat her ass for this," Freya growled. "And if I find out she hurt any of them, I will—"

"That's not all, wait to you hear the best part," Flint interrupted, enjoying being the bearer of valuable information. "Nyx is the damn president of Omicron! She's behind everything!"

"But the president of Omicron is a woman named José Allete," Adley said.

"It's her alias," Felix explained.

"Then she's also on the board of directors of Ino Industries," Adley added.

"I guess it was no coincidence that we ran into her after our first visit to the Omicron headquarters," Marko theorized. "She was playing us from the beginning."

Hearing Marko talk about their first encounter with Omicron reminded Freya about Maria's connection to the company. She looked at the younger girl who was now sitting next to Adley on the sofa.

"Was last night the first time you've ever seen Nyx?" Freya asked Maria. "Did Hunter introduce you to any of the Omicron executives?"

"I've never met anyone from Omicron," Maria replied. "He just started working for the company around the same time I ran away. He never introduced me to anyone."

"I meant to ask you. How did you know the code to the room we were locked in?"

"Hunter brought me to that house a few times over the last ten years," Maria replied. "Always in the summer, and always to test out his tracking prototypes. The last time we went was over three years ago. Apart from being picked up and dropped off by helicopter, we were always there alone."

"Tracking prototype? What was he trying to track?" Freya questioned.

"Me," Maria answered. "He figured out that kin emitted a frequency or radiation of some sort. He used that property because he needed a remote location with no interference to test it. I think he called it a PSR scanner, no idea what the letters stand for."

"It must be the same scanner they use to find us in Sanctuary," Freya concluded.

Exhausted and having just received a lot of information to process, Freya craved a bong hit before going somewhere quiet to rest and think this all over. She needed a plan, and she only had a few hours to formulate one.

Letting out a sigh of exhaustion, Freya looked at all the equally tired faces in front of her then turned to Marko. "You better get some sleep. We leave at sunset to go find Nyx," she explained before entering their bedroom.

**οοοοοοο**

_FBI Headquarters – 0830 hrs_

It was a sunny Thursday morning when Reese arrived at work, holding a take-out tray containing two tall paper cups. Being Reese turn to buy coffee, he walked into Elaine's office to find her reading her computer monitor, too engrossed in her work to notice that someone had entered. Reese pulled Elaine's coffee out of the tray and placed it on her desk, finally grabbing her attention.

"Thanks," Elaine said while reaching for the hot beverage.

"What are you working on?"

"I just received an email from Chris. Remember, we had him analyze some of the evidence. He sent us a report on the notes we found."

"The book filled with numbers and dates," Reese confirmed.

"As suspected, one column contained dates and the other geographical coordinates," Elaine explained.

"Where to?"

"All over," Elaine replied as she scrolled through the long list of locations. "India, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Russia, Greece, Italy, Egypt, and most recently, Saudi Arabia."

"What do these numbers mean?" Reese asked, pointing towards the third column.

"He couldn't say for sure. They appear to be readings of some sort."

"Does any of it correspond to Hunter's passport records over the last four years?"

"Some, but not all," Elaine answered, having already considered that. "He was abroad on every single one of these dates. A few of the earlier ones match up perfectly to our records, but nothing recent. For example, he was in Italy when the most recent dates note Saudi Arabia. Also, the readings ended in February, and he's been out of the country multiple times since then."

"Is there anything significant linking these locations and dates?" Reese asked.

"No visible patterns," Elaine replied. "Chris had one note relating to the data from February. It belongs to a location near the south-west coast of Saudi Arabia. He reported that a South Korean drilling company requested permission to survey that exact area around the same time."

"Would that organization happen to be Ra-shin Enterprises?" Reese asked.

"How did you know?"

Reese shrugged. "Lucky guess. It was the first thing that came to mind when you said South Korean, given their connection to Omicron."

"Chris noted that two weeks before Hunter died, the Saudi government granted them permission to drill along the southern coast of the Red Sea."

"Well, this certainly leaves more questions than answers, but at least we're making progress. I'm going to go make some phone calls," Reese announced before exiting the office.

With Reese gone, Elaine reached for her now room-temperature coffee. She took a sip and immediately made a disgusted face before placing the cup back down and continuing with her reading.

**οοοοοοο**

_Remez Brother's Residence (W 69_ _th_ _St, New York, NY) – 1300 hrs_

The Remez brothers resided in a four-bedroom condo located on the Upper West Side next to Central Park. With Lucy and Sevan's condo still undergoing repair, the brothers had opened their home up as the new Remez family center of operations.

Requiring the expertise of a doctor to tend to his wife's medical needs, Sevan had brought Joy with him from the office. After a thorough review of the patient, Joy finished Lucy's examination. The unconscious woman had been moved from the containment cell to a bed in the guest bedroom. Joy was standing by the window while Sevan stood on the other side of the bed, attentively watching. Joy was standing next to her by the window while Sevan stood on the other side of the bed. Scattered around them were cardboard boxes of various sizes.

"Her wounds are healing," Joy said as he put the stethoscope back in his bag. "Physically, she fine, but she was in the cell longer than desired. It might take her a few days to get her strength back."

Joy picked up his bag and looked around the room at the numerous boxes containing ventilators, cardiac monitors, infusion pumps, as well as various other medical devices and supplies. "Where did you get all this equipment?" he asked curiously.

"Lucy was being held inside Ino Industries. It's a business that distributes medical equipment," Sevan explained.

With his job done, Joy made his way towards the exit while trying not to interrupt the conversation between Styx and Riley that was taking place in the living room.

As they stood in the middle of the room, the two sisters did not even acknowledge the passing doctor while they were engaged in a heated discussion.

"It's not like you have to come home right now," Riley said to her older sister. "Mom's not mad. She just wants to know if you'll be coming home eventually."

"She won't be saying that when she finds out about Lucy," said Styx.

Riley shook her head. "You're wrong. Mom knows about Lucy, and she doesn't seem to care about that anymore. Someone from the Council met with her, and now she's more worried about finding some notes that belonged to Hunter."

The news piqued Styx's interest. "What kind of notes?" she asked nosily. "What does the Council want with them?"

"Mom didn't say. She thinks he hid them somewhere safe before he died."

"Well, if they were in his laboratory, the police probably have them," Styx theorized.

"That's a good place to start looking. You should tell Mom."

"No, _you_ can tell her," Styx replied, seeing through her naïve sister's attempt at reconciliation. "Let her do her own dirty work, and if I were you, I wouldn't come running to her rescue."

"But we're her children. We're supposed to help her," Riley said in defence. "How can you be so ungrateful?"

"Don't you see how she uses us?" Styx retorted in frustration. "She treats us like pawns. She puts herself in these predicaments then expects us to bail her out. Over the last two weeks alone, she had us track down the people that attacked her company. Then she does nothing about it because one of them reminds her of her dead sister. She caused a rift between her and our long-time allies, escalating to the point where she orders me to kill my boyfriend! Now she wants us to start searching for Hunter's notes when it was her fault for killing him in the first place!" Styx's voice raised at the end, no longer able to suppress years of built-up anger at her mother. "Don't you see how manipulative she is? She even has you running around doing her dirty work."

"She doesn't know I'm here," Riley corrected. "She tried to get Kray to track you down, but he refused."

"That's because he's had enough of her bullshit too," Styx explained. "Our mother's cold-blooded. She doesn't care about us. She's just manipulating you to get to me, and she only wants me because she thinks I might know where Hunter's notes are. The only time she cares about anyone is when _she_ needs them. You should know that more than anyone."

"You're wrong," Riley replied, shaking her head. "She's a good person, and she loves us. Even you said she couldn't bring herself to kill her nieces. That proves she cares about her family."

"No, only one niece. The one that looks like her sister, the Aurora like us," Styx clarified, becoming fed up with Riley's stubbornness. "Don't mistake what she did for love or kindness. She spared Quinn out of some self-righteous act to atone for some horrible thing she did to her sister years ago. It was all so _she_ could sleep better at night. She had us blow the other niece to smithereens when we destroyed the house."

"You might want to double-check that last statement," Riley corrected. "The one you blew to smithereens has been bombing Mom's phone all morning looking for her sister. You didn't kill Quinn, did you?"

"Not yet. Wyatt wants to extract her vita-plasm first," Styx explained coldly.

"Where is she? Can I see it?" Riley asked, curious to see the procedure.

Styx brought her little sister downstairs into the den. The large containment cell was propped up in the corner of the room. Inside the cell was a partially naked Quinn in nothing but her bra, underwear, and the cuff bangle on her arm. Quinn was unconscious and restrained in a standing position with multiple tubes protruding from her body. Her head was slumped over as the opaque liquid flowed up the tubes, collecting in a medical bag located outside the cell.

Riley was shocked. Her stomach turned as she looked at the poor woman in front of her. Riley knew what vita-plasm extraction involved, but finally seeing it in person left a sickening impression. The way the woman was left exposed and mounted into the device, it did not sit right with the young girl.

"Are you sure you're doing it correctly?" Riley asked. "Shouldn't it be filled with water or something?"

"There was liquid in it when they brought Lucy home, but they made a mess trying to get her out, and Wyatt didn't want to risk more water damage," Styx replied. "Joy said it wasn't necessary for the extraction process. It just makes it less painful."

"And don't you need special lighting, so her body can produce more vita-plasm?" Riley asked, her eyes remained fixated on the woman whose physical features mirrored her own to the point where it was uncanny.

"It's only required for continuous extraction," Styx said with a smile. "We don't plan on keeping her around that long."

Riley's attention suddenly shifted back to her sister. For some reason, Riley felt a connection to the woman and wanted to help her.

"What are you going to do to her?" Riley asked.

"The plan was to kill her, but knowing her family is alive and looking for her..." Styx trailed off as she calculated her next move. "We might have to come up with a different plan."

"A different plan for what?" Wyatt asked as he entered the room, startling the two females.

"Her family survived and are hounding my mother looking for her," Styx said to Wyatt while motioning towards Quinn.

"Is that why you're here?" Wyatt asked the young adolescent.

"No, I'm here for my sister," Riley replied.

"My mother needs my help finding Hunter's notes," Styx said to Wyatt. "He failed to turn them over to the Council before he died." Styx smiled at the thought of her mother's blunder.

"That must be why our father's cousin is in town," Wyatt said as he thoughtfully considered this new information. "Do you know where to find them?" he asked Styx keenly.

"I suspect that they were seized by the authorities when they search his laboratory. Hunter is the type to keep important things near him at all times unless he hid them." Styx paused then gave her boyfriend a puzzled look. "Why do you want them?"

"If it's something the Council wants, it's worth finding," Wyatt explained.

"But if the police have the notes, how are you going to get them back?" Riley asked.

"Mother met with a detective inquiring about Hunter's death," Styx replied.

"Are you going to ask Mom for his contact info?"

"I don't need to. His name will be in the logbook at headquarters."

"Do you think your mother has figured this out yet?" Wyatt asked Styx.

"Mom, no, John maybe," Styx replied.

"Knowing Mom, she'll probably try to get her other niece to find the notes in exchange for information on her," Riley commented while motioning towards Quinn. "That's probably the last thing you need right now."

"What are you getting at?" Styx asked her sister, suspiciously.

"If you give Quinn back to her family now, Mom loses all bargaining power with them," explained Riley. "They already think Mom's responsible for her disappearance, if you let Quinn go, you won't even be on their radar."

Everyone in the room knew Riley had a valid point and was accurate in her prediction of Nyx's next move.

"No," Styx said firmly, unwilling to give it a second thought. She then turned to Wyatt, who was looking at her in disagreement. "What? You want to let her go?"

"As much as I would like to wipe out that entire clan," Wyatt explained. "They will impede in our search for the notes."

Accepting defeat, Styx looked furious as she turned to her sister. "Fine! Have fun dragging her infirm ass home," she snapped at Riley before exiting the room with Wyatt following behind.

**οοοοοοο**

_Nyx's Residence – 2030 hrs_

It was nearing sundown, and Nyx paced anxiously inside her living room, waiting for news of her daughters' whereabouts. Nyx was furious. First, her two oldest betrayed her, and now her youngest disobeyed her; she had half a mind to disown all of them. With everything else she had to worry about, Nyx could not believe her children stabbing her in the back would be one of them.

Suddenly, Nyx's attention was drawn towards the window by the flash of car lights approaching the house. She walked to the window to check and immediately recognized Jang's car. Not expecting a visit, she watched as Jang exited the vehicle, followed by Riley on the passenger's side. Jang walked over to the passenger's side as Riley opened the back door, and the two of them started to pull something out from the back seat.

Nyx hurried towards the front door and opened it, allowing Riley and Jang to enter with Quinn, who was unconscious and covered in a blanket.

"What happened?" Nyx asked the two as they carried the unconscious female towards the living room.

"They were draining her vita-plasm," Riley said after placing Quinn on the sofa. "I couldn't bring her back by myself, so I called Jang."

Seeing the rage on Nyx's face, Jang took it as his cue to leave. Excusing himself with a slight nod, Jang exited the residence and quickly drove off.

"Where the hell were you!" Nyx demanded. "Did you find Styx?"

"She set up shop on the Upper West Side with her boyfriend. I convinced them to let her go," Riley added while motioning to Quinn.

"Extremely inappropriate of you to bring Jang into this. You could have called me for a ride."

"They wouldn't let me," Riley explained. "Styx says she isn't ready to talk to you yet."

"She's not ready to talk to me! She's the one trying to fuck me over!" Nyx exploded in anger.

Before Riley could say anything to calm her enraged mother, there was a loud knock at the front entrance followed by the repeated ringing of the doorbell. Riley was about to answer the door when Trenton, Freya, and Marko burst into the home.

Freya approached in a threatening manner. "Where's my sister!"

"Over there," Nyx calmly replied while pointing towards the sofa.

Spotting her sister, Freya immediately changed direction towards the living room with Trenton right behind her. Shocked by Quinn's condition, Freya stopped in her tracks and turned back to address Nyx. "What the hell did you do to her!"

Apart from the physical wounds, Quinn looked clammy and pale with slow, shallow breathing. As soon as Trenton reached Quinn's side, he picked her up with the blanket.

"I didn't do anything to her," Nyx explained truthfully.

"They drained her vita-plasm," Riley interjected. "She's telling the truth, she had nothing to do with it."

Freya turned to glare at Riley but quickly softened her gaze upon realizing there was a minor in the room. "Who are you?" she asked curiously.

"Riley, her daughter," the girl explained while motioning to Nyx.

"Who did this to my sister?" Freya asked the youth.

"Sorry, I'm not at liberty to say," Riley replied, unwilling to rat out her sister. "But if I were you, I'd be more concerned about getting her medical attention," she said sincerely, having witnessed Quinn's inhumane treatment firsthand.

Trenton immediately exited with Quinn in his arms while Freya turned her attention back to Nyx.

"Where are Moselle and Dalie?"

"How would I know?" Nyx answered defensively.

"We know about the set-up," Freya explained in an angry tone. "We know about your connection to Omicron and the Remez family. Where the fuck are they!" she demanded, raising her voice.

"The girls are with the Remez clan, and they are not giving them back." Nyx could tell by the look on Freya's face that her explanation was not believed. "Seriously, I tried!" she stressed truthfully but stopped short of mentioning that it was because she was trying to get back Omicron property.

"Where is the Remez family?"

"I have no idea where they're hiding," Nyx answered honestly. "The penthouse you damaged is still undergoing renovations."

Having no further questions for her aunt, Freya turned her attention to Riley. "Got anything to add, tight-lips?"

"No comment," Riley replied firmly.

Frustrated and worried about her sister, Freya turned back to Nyx. "We'll finish this some other time. And if you ever come near my sister again, I will kill you," she threatened before joining Marko, who was waiting near the entrance.

"What a drama queen," Nyx commented to Riley as soon as Freya and Marko left. "She gets it from her father," she explained to the young girl.

With the excitement dwindling, and the females too exhausted to argue any longer, Riley and Nyx decided to put their argument on hold and turn in for the night.

**οοοοοοο**

_3_ _rd_ _Ave, New York, NY – 2115 hrs_

It was evening when Elaine and Richard exited the theatre, having just finished watching the movie Baby Driver. They walked through the crowded sidewalks as they made their way towards the parking garage.

"You mind giving me a lift home?" Elaine asked her male companion. "I've had a long day." She was too tired for the fifteen-minute trek back to her apartment.

"Sure, no problem," Richard agreed as they walked towards his vehicle.

They reached the parking garage and climbed the stairs to the second floor. Richard pulled out his keys and pressed the key fob to unlock the nearby car.

"Thanks for suggesting the movie," Elaine said to her friend as she walked around to the passenger's side door. "I needed a distraction from work."

"I figured as much," Richard agreed before entering the car.

"How did you know?" Elaine asked while shutting the car door.

"In the five years we've known each other, you've never initiated the date," he explained as he started the car. "Except tonight."

"Really?" Elaine asked, trying to sound like this came to a surprise, despite knowing it was true. "I never realized."

"I know your busy with work. If anyone can relate, it's me," Richard explained.

Richard put his hand on the gearshift and was about to drive when he suddenly noticed a pungent aroma wafting through the car. He looked over to say something to Elaine but was surprised to find her asleep in the seat. Elaine told him she had a long day, but he was shocked to see her crash that quickly. Suddenly, a wave of nausea washed over Richard, followed by an intense feeling of light-headedness. With no time to react, Richard could feel his eyes growing heavy as he finally surrendered to the darkness.

The car continued to idle as the two friends laid sleeping, unaware of the trap they had unwittingly entered.

# XVIII

**July 21** **st** **, 2017**

_Ruby Hooks Shipping Terminal – 0215 hrs_

Many hours had passed by the time Elaine regained consciousness. She was surprised to find herself sitting in a chair with her arms tied behind her back. Elaine's head was throbbing, and her vision was blurry as she tried to inspect her surroundings. The first thing she noticed was the large sheet of thick constriction plastic between her chair and the concrete floor. She tried to look around but stopped when she heard voices in the distance.

"What's up with the girl?" asked a male voice.

"She was with him in the car," replied a second male voice.

"We took her because they were both there the night Hunter died," a female voice explained. "The two of them must work together."

The sound of Richard moaning simultaneously caught everyone's attention. Elaine looked over to discover her friend tied to a chair with his head down. Richard's eyes were shut, but his arms and shoulders were moving as he struggled with his restraints.

"Good, he's up," said the first male voice.

By now, Elaine's vision was starting to clear, and she could make out distant objects in the dimly lit room. She realized that they were in a warehouse and could see Richard's car parked in the distance next to a closed bay door. Elaine tried to look back at her captures as their footsteps neared. She quickly looked over at Richard, who was now awake but looking disoriented. Elaine's attention shifted back to her captors when Wyatt and Levi stepped into her view.

"Move the female," Wyatt ordered his brother.

Elaine looked frightened as the large man approached her. "What are you doing?" she asked, struggling in her seat. "What do you want with us?"

"Not you," Wyatt replied to Elaine. "It's him we're after," he explained while motioning to Richard, who was now appearing more alert but confused.

"What do you want?" Richard inquired, now finally aware of his surroundings. Unlike Elaine, he appeared more annoyed with his current predicament than frightened in any way.

"We want Doctor Hunter's research notes," Wyatt demanded.

"Really? Notes?" Richard asked, trying not to laugh. "What's so important about them?"

"We're not sure exactly," Levi responded like he was having a casual conversation. "We want them because the Council wants them, I think."

"Shut up," Wyatt barked at Levi, trying to silence his brother before he idiotically divulged any more information. Wyatt turned his attention back to the male captive. "Where are the notes?"

"They're in evidence room inside my precinct," Richard explained. "You should go inquire. I'm sure there'll be an officer there eager to assist you," he added with a grin.

Wyatt did not look impressed with the man's attempt at humour. "Where is it located?"

"Jersey City, east district."

Wyatt pulled out his phone and checked the time. Pleased with how smoothly this was going, he grinned and read a new text message before looking back at Richard.

"Kill him," Wyatt ordered Levi before turning to leave.

"What about the girl?" Levi asked.

Wyatt stopped, looked back at Elaine and shrugged. "Whatever floats your boat," he said before walking away.

Levi turned to face Richard while pulling a knife out of his pocket.

"No! Don't hurt him!" Elaine shouted. "He lied to you about the notes! I can prove it!"

"Elaine, what are you doing?" Richard asked, wiggling in his seat as he tried to look back at her.

Levi stopped in his tracks and turned to face Elaine. "What? How?"

"Hunter's notes are not inside a police station, they're with the FBI," Elaine explained.

Levi smiled. "That doesn't help him," he commented before continuing towards Richard.

"Stop!" Elaine yelled. "I can get you the notes, but only if you let him live!"

Levi stopped and turned back to look at the woman again. "No. If you don't give them to me, I will kill you too."

Levi grabbed Richard's hair and forcefully pulled the head back, exposing Richard's neck for an optimal throat-slitting position.

"I wouldn't risk it if I were you," Elaine warned. "You do not know the magnitude of my stubbornness. If you kill him, you will never see those notes."

Ignoring Elaine, Levi was about to press the knife against Richard's neck when an unknown observer signalled him.

"Levi, stop!" Belladonna's voice echoed from above. This whole time she had been watching from the upstairs walkway, giving her a bird's eye view out of the hostages.

Levi lowered the knife, released the man and stepped back just as Belladonna jumped down next to him. The young child turned to Elaine with a stern expression.

"Where are the notes?"

"I have a copy of them in an e-mail," Elaine explained.

"No, Elaine," Richard warned as he struggled with his restrains. "You shouldn't do this, don't give it to them!"

Ignoring Richard, Elaine continued talking. "I can access them from my work phone. Let him go, and I will send you one attachment now, and the second half after you guarantee my release."

Belladonna paused to think about it before answering, "Fine." She then pulled out her nine-millimetre pistol and pointed it at Elaine. "But if you try to call or text anyone, I'll blow your head off."

"Okay," Elaine agreed.

The young girl walked over to Richard and retrieved a compact aerosol can.

"What are you doing?" Richard asked the girl as she sprayed the contents of the can in his face.

Richard thrashed his head around, trying to avoid the spray as she applied two long blasts near his mouth and nose, knocking him out as soon as he inhaled.

Belladonna smiled. "Levi, call Kai. We need to put this guy back where we found him," she ordered her brother cheerfully.

**οοοοοοο**

_Markovich Residence – 0910 hrs_

It was mid-morning by the time the bright sunlight finally reached Quinn and Trenton's bedroom window. Tempest and Ebony had been up to the early hours of the morning treating Quinn. The injured woman was now sleeping peacefully in her bed. Trenton remained in the room the entire time, refusing to leave Quinn's side. Once Quinn's wounds were bandaged, they removed the blankets to expose her skin to the light penetrating the window.

The entire time Freya hovered around the upper levels of the house, randomly peeking in for updates while trying not to disturb the healers. She eventually made her way to the third floor, where Ebony was tending to a small planter of tulsi near the newly mended window.

Freya paced anxiously, consumed by an array of emotions and thoughts, torn between the concern for her sister and everything else. She was angry at herself for not acting on her intuitions sooner, and even more pissed about her aunt's betrayal.

Freya's racing thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the ringing of her cellular phone. She pulled it out of her pocket and was surprised to see that it was Ranae calling, hopefully with some good news.

"Good morning, Professor Daniels," Freya answered.

"Good morning," Ranae's voice replied. "I have Maria's bloodwork results. Were you aware of her relation to you when you asked to have her compared against the database?"

"How related?" Freya asked. "It's not uncommon for kin to share some DNA."

"It's significant," Ranae explained. "Twenty-five percent and the same mitochondrial DNA. As you know, I don't have Quinn's DNA in the database for confirmation, but Maria's your maternal niece."

"No shittin'?" Freya asked in disbelief. "Maria is Quinn's daughter?"

"Yes, and according to the results, Trenton's the father," Ranae added.

Now that Freya finally knew the truth, it all seemed to make sense. Hunter lied about Maria's death and kept her for his research. Then Freya remembered Hunter telling her that Quinn had twins, meaning Maria's sister might still be alive. As Freya's mind raced into overdrive, her conversation with Ranae went silent.

"Hello? Freya?" the doctor asked, wondering if her friend was still there.

Snapping out of her engrossment, Freya finally responded. "I'm sorry, Ranae. I'm in the middle of a family emergency right now. Can you email me the results?" Freya asked, not wanting to waste any more of the doctor's precious time as she tried to make sense of this new information.

"Of course. Good luck," Ranae replied before ending the call.

Freya put her phone back in her pocket and looked over at Ebony. Having overheard the entire telephone conversation, the young adult was now smiling smugly at Freya.

"You were right," Freya informed Ebony before exiting towards the stairs.

Inside the couple's room, Quinn slept in her bed while Trenton sat attentively by her side.

"How's she doing?" Freya asked Trenton.

It was apparent the sunlight was aiding in Quinn's recovery. Her skin now had a healthy glow, no longer looking pale and clammy, and her breathing was back to normal.

"Tempest says it'll take time, but she should make a full recovery," Trenton explained as he continued to watch Quinn sleeping peacefully. "At least her injuries aren't as severe this time. It shouldn't take as long for her to bounce back."

Seeing the suffering look on Trenton's face, Freya felt an overwhelming urge to tell him. "Trent," Freya said quietly, a lump starting to form in her throat.

Noticing Freya's out of character demeanour, Trenton turned his attention away from Quinn. Seeing the look on Freya's face, he immediately knew something was wrong.

"What is it?" Trenton asked, his look of concern deepening.

"I was just talking to Ranae," Freya explained, cutting straight to the point. "She ran some tests on Maria and, well, she's your daughter."

"What?" Trenton asked in disbelief, wondering if he misheard.

"He lied, Trent," Freya said. "He had them the whole time... I was so naïve. I shouldn't have believed him. I should've kept looking..." As Freya trailed off, she fought back her tears in a rare display of sadness.

"Them? You think there's more?" Trenton questioned, his mind still trying to come to terms with the news.

"He said there were two girls," Freya replied, having already reverted to her regular neutral disposition. "We have to assume there's another out there until we learn otherwise."

"But why would Hunter keep one and not the other?"

"Good question," Freya agreed, having not considered that yet. "Hunter doesn't strike me as the type to share, plus twins are a researcher's dream. He either gave one up, or something happened. A hundred years is a long time."

"Maybe we should ask Maria. She might know," Trenton suggested.

"Okay," Freya agreed. She pulled out her phone and started texting.

Trenton watched Freya questionably. "Are you texting her? She's probably downstairs eating breakfast."

"I bought everyone in this house a cell, they can come when called," Freya explained as she lowered her phone. She was about to sit back in her chair when her phone started to buzz. Freya glanced down at the message before looking up at Trenton. "Want some pancakes?"

Trenton nodded, prompting Freya to text the girl back. Minutes later, Maria arrived with a plate of hot pancakes for Trenton, who looked a little nervous seeing the girl in a new light.

Giving Maria her seat next to the door, Freya stood up and sat on the edge of the bed.

Quinn started to stir as soon as Freya sat down next to her feet. As Trenton dug into his breakfast, there was a brief period of silence until a moaning noise resonated from the bed.

"Why do I smell buttermilk pancakes?" Quinn mumbled with her face half in the pillow, and her eyes still closed.

Freya smiled. "Because Trenton is eating some," she explained to her sister in a cheery voice. "Want some? They're Marko's."

Quinn opened her eyes and looked over at Trenton holding out a plate of pancakes, minus a few bites. Quinn slowly sat up, feeling sore and weak, every inch of her body aching. Trenton handed her the plate as soon as she found a comfortable position.

"Glad to see you're awake," Freya said to her sister. "You worried us."

"What happened?" Quinn questioned while scarfing down the pancakes. "The last thing I remember is being in the basement of that house."

"Really?" Freya asked in disbelief. "Man, where do we even start..." she said while trailing off, contemplating how to break the news before continuing. "But first, Trenton and I invited Maria up to ask questions about her childhood."

Everyone turned to Maria, who was looking a little uncomfortable from being singled out and having no idea why.

"What do you want to know?" Maria asked.

"What do you know about your parents?" Trenton inquired.

"Nothing. I thought Hunter was my biological father until I found out about our kind about a year ago."

"Did he ever mention a sister?" Freya asked.

"Yes, but he said she died from pneumonia when we were infants."

"Growing up, was there anyone Hunter would answer to?" Freya questioned. "Anyone he was afraid to say _no_ to?"

"I'm not aware of anyone," Maria explained. "Growing up, I overheard him talk a lot about some council, and more recently, Omicron."

"What kind of council?" Freya inquired. "Are they human or kin?"

"Not sure," Maria replied with a shrug. "I know they were the ones interested in his PSR scanner, and he said they owned that property we visited upstate. They seemed interested in finding kin."

"Anything else you can tell us about this council?" Freya asked eagerly, her intuition telling her they hit on something significant.

"He would travel overseas to meet them a few times a year. The length would vary from a few days to a few weeks."

"I hate to say it, but we should talk to Nyx," Freya said to Trenton. "Hunter, Omicron, she's the common denominator in all this."

"She's told us nothing but lies so far. What makes you think this time will be any different?" Trenton asked in frustration.

"I'm sure we can find a way to force the truth out of that conniving bitch's mouth," Freya replied with a smile.

Hearing her sister speak maliciously towards their aunt made Quinn uneasy. "Freya, what are you talking about?" she questioned while placing the empty plate on the nightstand next to her.

"As I implied a few minutes ago, a lot of plot altering shit has happened in the last twenty-four hours," Freya explained to her sister. "But I wanted to wait until you finished eating to tell you."

"Why?" Quinn asked.

"Because you're more emotional when you're hungry," Freya explained bluntly. "And the shit I'm about to tell you is going to be a rollercoaster."

Quinn glanced over at Trenton, and observing the urgency on his face, turned back to Freya.

"What's going on with Nyx?" Quinn demanded, not appreciating her sister's candour.

"Yeah, let's start with her," Freya said as she brought her feet up on the bed to make herself more comfortable before continuing. "Let's see. She's the president of Omicron. She orchestrated _everything,_ including the run-ins with the Remez family, because they work for her." Freya paused to think if she was missing any additional information from the Nyx narrative before adding. "Oh, and she tried to have me, Trenton, and Marko killed."

"But why would she do all this?" Quinn asked in disbelief. "She's family, we've never done anything to hurt her."

"I think we kept getting in their way," Freya replied. "It started with that one mix-up between Brook and Maria. Everything escalated from there."

Quinn looked hurt by this news but not overly surprised, given the timing it made sense in retrospect.

"So, is that everything?" Quinn asked, already looking drained from this conversation.

"No," Freya replied before taking a long pause. She looked at Trenton, then shifted her gaze between Maria and Quinn before stopping at Maria. "Remember when Ranae took a blood sample from you the other day?" Freya asked the young girl who nodded yes in response. "Well, she called me this morning, and it turns out we happen to know a lot about you and where ya came from." Freya took a deep breath before continuing. "A little over a hundred and twenty years ago, Hunter kidnapped our mother. We searched everywhere for her. Quinn came the closest to finding her, but..." Freya paused and glanced over at Quinn before turning back to Maria. "Hunter imprisoned and experimented on Quinn. She was pregnant at the time and gave birth to two females, you being one of them." Freya stopped talking so the mother and daughter could absorb the news.

Tears were flowing down Quinn's face when she turned to Trenton. "Is it true?" she asked, but Trenton did not have to respond, the look on his face said it all.

Quinn immediately turned to Maria, trying to fight back sobs. "You're our daughter," she explained in a cracked voice, overcome with emotion. "I'm sorry...I didn't know. We were told you both di—"

Quinn stopped midsentence when Maria leapt forward to embrace her. The tears were flowing freely as the two females cried in each other's arms. Trenton tried to remain strong, but even his eyes were starting to look misty.

Unable to handle any more of the cryfest, Freya exited the room to give the newly united family some space. She continued downstairs to the main floor just as Adley walked in through the front door.

"Good morning," Adley greeted with a smile. "I hope you don't mind. Felix said I could come in."

"Hey, Adley," Freya greeted. "Not at all, come on in."

"I heard you found Quinn, how is she doing?"

"She's a little roughed up, but she'll be fine."

"Is this a good time for well-wishes?" asked Adley.

"I wouldn't advise it," replied Freya. "I just informed Quinn and Trenton that Maria is their biological daughter, so they're going to need a moment."

" _WHAT_?" Brook's voice shouted from the kitchen.

Suddenly, there was a stampede of footsteps followed by Brook, Tempest, Diana, and Marko racing into the room, stopping just short of running down Freya.

"O-M-G, what did you just say?" Brook exclaimed in disbelief.

"You heard me," Freya responded with a smile.

"How is this possible? How do you know for sure?" Brook asked, still stunned by the news.

"Brook, she's a cross between you and Trent with Quinn's stature, and was raised by the man last seen with them," Freya answered rationally. "Are you that surprised?"

Without responding, Brook took off towards the stairs to check on her brother.

"Them?" Marko questioned. "There's more than one?"

"Not sure yet," Freya answered.

"How sad being separated all this time," Adley commented sympathetically. "Hunter was such a horrible man."

"Adley, have you ever heard of the Council?" Freya asked her reporter friend.

"No, what kind of council?" Adley questioned.

"Not sure," Freya replied. "Maria said that Hunter did business with a group called the Council." Freya then turned to Diana, Tempest, and Marko. "Do any of you know what I'm talking about?"

Tempest and Marko shook their heads no while Diana's demeanour shifted nervously.

"I do," Diana answered.

"What do you know?" Freya asked.

Diana took a deep breath before speaking. "After we fled the village, we followed Tara's letters west towards Austria. When her trail grew cold, we decided to settle and make a home for ourselves. After the war started, we made our way north in search of refuge. That's when we met Malachi and his clan. Malachi's grandfather was a Venti named Ulric, an elder member of the Council."

"Sorry to interrupt, but what are Venti?" Adley asked while lifting her hand sheepishly.

"Venti are kin like Tempest and the Remez clan," Diana explained to Adley before continuing with her story. "At first, they were kind to us. They fed us and shielded us from the chaos going on at the time. But that didn't last long. Once they learnt of Darya's heritage, everything changed." Diana paused to wipe away a tear at the thought of her niece.

Freya's expression shifted in puzzlement. "Darya's heritage? What are you talking about?" she asked Diana.

"You were too young at the time to know this, but Finn and Darya's father is only my half-brother," Diana explained. "My father had relations with a Venti shortly before they left the village. The whole village knew they loved each other, but her father never allowed it, so they married other kin. I was just a child at the time, but I remember the day a Venti showed up with an infant. He explained that my brother Jet was not wanted, and if my father didn't take him, they'd kill him. My parents agreed, and my mother raised him like he was her own."

"Why would they care if Darya was a Venti?" Freya asked.

"I don't know," Diana answered softly. "After they found out, they separated her from us. They started watching us, limiting our access to certain areas of the property. That's when things turned violent, and they started berating us for the slightest objection." Diana wiped away another tear. "Poor Fen, he died from an infection. Then, after Meredith and Gail died unexpectedly months later, I feared Axel and I were next. I wanted to leave, but I couldn't without Darya. They let me see her once, that's when I learnt about her pregnancy..." Diana paused for a second, trying to force down the lump in her throat before continuing. "I knew I had to get her out of there, but they must have caught on. They kept her away from us until the girls were born. Then I met a Venti named Jacob. He wasn't like the rest of them. He knew Tara. He even had one of her letters. Once he learned what they did, he helped us escape. But Darya didn't make it, and Jacob sacrificed his life saving us. If it weren't for him, we wouldn't be here."

After hearing Diana's story, tears were now flowing down Tempest's face. Everyone turned to look at the crying woman.

"Sorry," Tempest said while wiping her eyes. "Jacob's my father. I always had a feeling he was gone, but never knew for certain until now."

"I had no idea," Diana replied sympathetically. "He was our hero. He said he had family here and had every intention of coming with us to North America. He risked everything to save us."

"I know you are emotional and stuff right now," Freya said to Diana. "But don't you think it would have been a good idea to mention this to us at some point?"

"Jacob assured us that this was a haven," Diana explained while wiping her watery eyes. "He said North America was not on their radar."

"Considering we just visited a hundred-year-old house supposedly owned by the Council, and your nieces were abducted by people associated with the Council, I think it's on their radar," Freya retorted.

"You're right, I should have informed you sooner," Diana agreed. "But if I had any reason to believe the Council was connected to Omicron or the girls' abduction, I would have said something sooner."

"So, besides Moselle and Dalie, what does this council want?" Marko asked Freya.

"Maria said Hunter was working with them. He helped them develop technology capable of tracking kin."

"That can only be bad news," Diana said. "As far as the Council is concerned, all kin are not created equal. The only things they care about are power and strengthening their bloodline."

"Do you have any idea as to what kind of kin they're searching for?" Adley asked Freya.

"I have a theory, follow me," Freya said to the group. She proceeded towards the basement with the others following close behind.

Flint, Felix, and Axel were already downstairs when the five entered. Felix sat in his usual spot in front of the computer while Flint and Axel were on the couch.

Freya quickly walked over to her worktable containing the deactivated Finn.

Flint looked over to see what his mom was doing before asking, "Are you finally going to fix him?"

"It's on my to-do list," Freya replied as she walked behind her desk and knelt to access the large safe built into the base.

She pressed the five-digit code and opened the thick door revealing various personal items. At the bottom of the safe was a large stack of notes and books. There was a thin lockbox on the top shelf that contained various substances that required safeguarding. On the top of the box was a large dagger in a red and gold metal sheath and matching handle. On the tip of the weapon's grip was a red orb bigger than the one Axel wore around his neck. Under the knife was an unopened envelop with a red wax seal that contained the same pattern that was on the dagger's sheath.

Freya searched through the bottom shelf of the safe, eventually pulling out a large book and a rolled-up piece of laminated paper. The book's cover consisted of a scaly, leather-like material with metal trim on the exterior and gold trim on the paper. The second item was an ancient-looking scroll that was laminated to help preserve what little of it was left. It looked fragile and worn with the writing beardly visible.

"This belonged to our ancestors," Freya said as she held up the large book to show everyone. "They brought it with them from their homeworld. It's at least half a million years old. It's written in their native language, so I'm unable to translate it, but it's essentially a journal that contains details of life on their homeworld and ends with their transition to life here on this earth. This book is the only one of it's kind, and as far as I know, it is the only chronicle we have of where our ancestors came from." Freya put down the book and picked up the old laminated scroll. "This scroll is another journal written tens of thousands of years _after_ our ancestors arrived here on Earth."

Adley was the only one shocked by this news. "Let me get this straight," she said, trying to make sense of everything. "Are you saying your ancestors are extra-terrestrials that came to this planet thousands of years ago?"

"Hundreds of thousands of years ago, but not exactly," Freya corrected. "As you know, kin have unique abilities. There are kin with particularly unique abilities that can alter the fabric of space and time. Essentially, our ancestors are from another dimension; a version of earth where humans took a slightly different evolutionary path, creating kin. When there was an extinction-level calamity on the kin version of earth, our ancestors sent a small group of young kin to this Earth in a last-ditch effort to save our species."

"What kind of calamity?" Adley asked, fascinated by the story.

"Not sure exactly," Freya replied. "A few of us studied the book, but because the language is lost, we've all come to different conclusions. I think it was war using weapons of mass destruction, Felix thinks it was a deadly disease brought on by an invasive species, and Flint thinks it was global destruction caused by a large meteorite."

"That's obviously a meteor in the sky in those drawings," Flint said in defence of his theory.

"I keep telling you that is not a meteor, it's a second sun," said Freya.

"How do you know that if you can't read the book?" Adley asked.

"The legends passed down to us as children talk about our ancestors coming from a binary solar system, one yellow sun and one red," Freya replied. "I think the planet Jupiter in this timeline was a brown or red dwarf star in their timeline."

"So, the kin that can alter space and time are they alive? Are they here on this planet?" Adley asked.

"Not sure," Freya replied. "But if they are, from what Diana explained to us about these council people, it might be the kin they're looking for."

"What are you going to do?" Adley wondered. "How are you going to find out what the Council is up to?"

"The first thing I'm going to do is get Quinn on board, then we're going to visit Nyx," Freya explained. "If anyone knows what's going on, I have a feeling it'll be her."

**οοοοοοο**

_Remez Brothers' Residence – 2100 hrs_

A small group had gathered in the living room, silently watching Wyatt as he negotiated with Gillies over the phone. Wyatt was pacing around the center of the room with the cell to his ear. On the sofa sat Beatrix and Belladonna with their female hostage seated between them. Despite having her hands restrained, Elaine appeared calm and collected as she watched the scene unfold before her. Sitting in the chair next to them was Styx wearing her mother's necklace that she had lifted from Quinn. Unlike the others, Styx had no interest in what was going on and played on her phone, seemingly oblivious to the conversation.

"We've located Hunter's notes," Wyatt said to his first cousin once removed.

"Glad to hear you're finally cooperating. Have you secured them?" Gillies' voice asked.

"They are with the FBI, but we have digital copies," Wyatt replied.

"Can you forward them to me?"

"First, we want to make a deal," Wyatt explained. "We want Nyx ousted in exchange for the notes."

Gillies' laugh echoed through the phone. "As much as I would like to see that happen, it's not possible. She has friends in high places."

"Then the notes can't be that important," Wyatt remarked, about to end the call.

"Wait!" Gillies' voice bellowed through the speaker.

Wyatt smiled and placed the device back up to his ear to hear what his relative had to say.

"I know a way we can both get what we want," Gillies suggested.

"I'm listening," Wyatt replied.

"Those two young Undies you have in your possession. They are the Council's property, and I'm sure your great-grandfather would agree to anything to get them back," Gillies explained.

"What's so special about them?" Wyatt asked.

"That's of no concern to you," Gillies replied. "You bring me the notes and the girls, and I will make sure they eject Nyx."

"Agreed."

Wyatt ended the call just as Lucy entered the room wearing a long nightgown. It had been a little over a day since they had removed Lucy from the chamber. She walked with an unsteady stride having yet to regain her strength.

"Who were you talking to?" Lucy asked as she approached her children.

"Levi," Belladonna lied. "We sent him for shawarmas, but he forgot our orders."

"Where's your father?" Lucy asked.

"Not home yet, must be working late," Wyatt replied.

Lucy scanned the room and stopped when she noticed Elaine sitting on the sofa between the two girls.

"Who's this?"

"A federal agent we're extorting for information," Beatrix explained.

Lucy showed no change in emotion but paused to think before answering. "Does your father know?"

"Not yet," Belladonna replied.

"Wake me up when he gets home," Lucy said to her offspring before returning to the bedroom.

**οοοοοοο**

_Nyx's Residence – 2122 hrs_

It was nearing sunset, and Nyx was sitting quietly in her living room after a long day at the office. On top of her regular presidential duties, she spent her downtime going through every document Hunter left in his company office. John stayed back working late, trying to locate any property Hunter may have off the premises.

Pouring herself a glass of wine and setting it on the end table, Nyx dropped down into her chair and kicked off her shoes before resting her weary feet on the footstool. She was about to reach for her glass when the doorbell suddenly rang. With a loud sigh, Nyx sat up from her chair and walked over to answer the door. She was surprised to discover that her unexpected caller was an unknown blond man and the cop that had interviewed her earlier in the week.

"Hello, Mrs. Allete," Reese said as he held up his badge, identifying himself as a federal agent. "I apologize for the unheralded disruption to your evening, but I was wondering if we could have a moment of your time to answer some questions."

"What is this about?" Nyx asked with extreme displeasure as she tried not to glare at the two men.

"This is about two co-workers of yours, a Lucy and Sevan Remez," Reese started to explain but stopped when he noticed Nyx's expression change. "May we come in?"

"Yes," Nyx agreed as she opened the door further to allow them entry.

The two men followed her as she walked towards the living room and back into her chair. Reese and Richard sat on the sofa next to her.

"What's going on with Lucy and Sevan?" Nyx asked.

"Do you know their whereabouts?" Richard said hastily.

"Their listed address is undergoing renovations, where are they staying in the interim?" Reese said.

"They never told me," Nyx explained. "What did they do? Maybe I can help?"

"We linked their children to a kidnapping last night," Reese answered.

"Do you know why they would be interested in Doctor Hunter's research notes?" asked Richard.

Nyx tried hard not to appear enraged as soon as the cop mentioned Hunter's notes. She knew Sevan and his family were attempting to locate the documents before her, and she could not allow them to succeed. She had to find a way to use this to her advantage.

"That is horrible," Nyx said. "But if you want to talk to Sevan personally, he should still be in the office. He is behind on a deadline and will be working late all week. If you leave now, I can have my chief security officer keep an eye on him until you arrive."

"Is his wife working late too?" Reese asked.

"No, she's off on sick leave," Nyx replied. "But if you want to talk to Sevan tonight, he'll only be in the office for another hour or two at the most."

"Thank you," Richard said before standing up.

"I'll call ahead. One of my staff will be waiting for you," Nyx said.

The two men quickly exited the residence just as Riley came down the stairs. Having overheard the conversation, the young girl looked worried.

"Are they going to arrest the Remez family?" Riley asked.

"It appears so," Nyx replied with a smile before retrieving her cell to text Jang and John, advising them of the situation.

"But Styx is with them," Riley reminded her mother.

"She made her choice," Nyx commented coldly.

"They are not going to go down without a fight. Someone is going to get killed," Riley said urgently. "This is going to be a repeat of the incident a few weeks ago," she warned, feeling like this was going to end badly.

"Jang and John are there. They can assist this time," Nyx explained with a shrug.

"Yeah, send two humans to fight a family of kin," Riley replied sarcastically.

"Don't worry. It'll all work out," Nyx assured to her daughter. With a big smile on her face, she proceeded to sit in her chair, put her feet back up on the stool, and finally picked up her full glass of wine. "Have some faith in your mother," she added before taking her first satisfying sip while Riley stormed off towards her room.

Minutes passed as Nyx savoured the silence and her beverage. She was less than half-way through her glass when she was rudely interrupted by the doorbell for the second time this evening. Setting the glass down forcefully, she stood up from her seat to answer the door.

Standing on her front step was Freya, Quinn, and Trenton. She could not help but notice that Quinn looked better but slightly pale and with circles under her eyes.

"We've come back for some answers," Freya said as she pushed through Nyx's front door and into the house.

"Answers to what?" Nyx demanded. This was the last thing she needed right now.

"Do you know what Hunter did with Quinn's children?" Freya asked.

"Quinn's children? What are you talking about?"

"About one hundred and twenty years ago Hunter abducted Quinn when she was pregnant," Freya explained. "He took her and Trenton's twins. We think two females. Maria was one. We want to know what happened to her sister."

Having heard this news for the first time, Nyx was shocked. "I had no idea, I swear."

"Where's your youngest daughter?" Freya asked.

"Up in her room," Nyx replied.

"Does she know she's adopted?"

"How did you know that?" Nyx questioned abruptly.

"I didn't," Freya answered with a grin. "At least, I wasn't certain until now. Her age, appearance, and your connection to Hunter—call it intuition."

Nyx turned to Quinn, stunned by the news. "I swear, I had no idea she was yours," she said to her niece with complete sincerity. "When I first met David Gates, he had the two infants in his possession. They couldn't have been more than a month or two old. He said their parents were dead, and I knew the Council would want the Aurora. I couldn't let that happen, so I took her in and raised her as my own."

"I want to meet her," Quinn said eagerly.

Nyx nodded in agreement, then turned towards the staircase and yelled, "Riley! Can you come here, please!"

"What does this council want? Why are they tracking kin?" Freya asked while they waited for the girl to join them.

"How do you know about that?"

"Maria told us," Freya explained. "We want to know what the Council has planned, and we want Moselle and Dalie back."

"I wish I could tell you, but I don't even know what they're up to," Nyx lied, then tried to deflect the conversation. "But if you want the two girls, you can find them inside Omicron headquarters. I negotiated with Sevan for their return."

Nyx looked towards the staircase and noticed that Riley had yet to come down. "She's probably listening to music with those damn headphones on. I'll get her," she explained while walking towards the staircase.

"Who wants to bet that bitch knows what the Council is up to?" Freya whispered while Nyx was out of the room.

Sensing Freya's frustration, Trenton tried to reassure her. "Don't worry. We'll get to the bottom of this."

"We'll worry about the Council after we get Moselle and Daile back," Quinn explained, trying to set their priorities.

It was then that Nyx descended the stairs in a panic. "Riley's gone!" she informed the group.

"Do you know where she went?" Quinn asked.

"She most likely went back to the office. I told her not to go, but she's never one to listen." Nyx walked over to retrieve her phone from the coffee table. A frown appeared on her face as she started to read a string of missed texts from John.

"Those bastards!" Nyx exclaimed in response to the messages.

"What's going on?" Freya asked curiously.

"They're meeting him tonight, and on my domain, no less!" she replied furiously. "We need to go to Omicron headquarters. Riley's there, the girls are there, and I just sent the feds there to find Sevan, who, I'm now informed, is partaking in a backroom deal with his cousin."

"What is this all about?" Quinn said, trying to make sense of the situation.

"What kind of backroom deal?" Freya asked curiously.

"No time to explain. We need to go now!" Nyx said, then stopped to look down at her work clothes consisting of a skirt and backless silk shirt. "I need to go change first. You three go on ahead. If you need to access the building, my office window is unlocked. It's on the top floor, east side."

"I'll text Marko and have the others meet us there," Freya said as she pulled out her phone.

"See you there," Quinn said to her aunt before turning to the exit with Trenton and Freya.

Having discovered that her daughters were alive this whole time, Quinn felt like the darkness that had been hunting her for over a century had finally lifted. This newfound ambition, coupled with the possibility of locating Moselle and Dalie all on the same night, only added to Quinn's determination to have her fragmented family reunited by morning.

**οοοοοοο**

_Omicron Incorporated HQ – 2200 hrs_

Inside the sixty-seventh-floor laboratory, Moselle and Dalie were seated with EEG caps on their heads, allowing Joy to run tests. Sevan was standing nearby, reading a document while waiting for the doctor to complete his analysis. The faint sound of a centrifuge was audible in the background as Joy simultaneously prepared a batch of vita-serum for Sevan.

"The nanobots are functioning impeccably," Joy said out loud as he reviewed the data. "I couldn't have asked for better results."

"You might want to find new test subjects," Sevan warned the doctor. "Nyx wants to give them back."

Joy stopped reading the results to look over at Sevan. "And you're going to let her?"

"She can have them, they can't even fly yet," Sevan replied with a shrug.

"You're one to talk," Joy snapped, obviously frustrated by the idea of losing his specimens.

Sevan glared at the man in a threatening manner. "If you have a problem with it, why don't you take it up with her?" he encouraged while knowing Joy would never dare.

Ignoring the suggestion, Joy continued venting his frustration. "Is that what happened to S-fourteen, she let him go too? Do you know how much work Doctor Rai put into the biomechanical parts I used to make him? She will not be pleased when she returns."

Before Sevan could respond, he was interrupted by the sound of his phone ringing.

"What?" Sevan asked, knowing it was one of his sons.

"It's Kai," said the voice on the other end. "Meet us on the rooftop and bring the girls."

"Why?" Sevan questioned, but his son had already ended the call. Sevan angrily put the phone back in his pocket and quickly stormed towards the exit without the girls.

"Hey, wait, is something going on?" Joy asked, wondering why Sevan was leaving in such a hurry.

Ignoring the doctor, Sevan travelled towards the elevator to find out what his offspring were up to this time.

**οοοοοοο**

Inside the underground parking garage, John and Jang stepped off the elevator just as Richard and Reese exited their vehicle.

"Good evening, Mr. Leno," John greeted Richard.

"Mr. Nova, right?" Richard asked, trying to recollect from their previous encounter.

"Yes," John confirmed then turned to Reese. "And you must be, Mr—"

"Agent Shears," Reese corrected.

"My apologies, Agent Shears," John stated before motioning to the chief security officer. "This is Mr. Jang. He will escort you to Mr. Remez."

"Follow me, please," Jang instructed the two men.

Reese and Richard followed Jang towards the elevator. As they waited inside the ascending lift, Jang's phone beeped, prompting him to check the incoming message.

"Mr. Remez has moved to the rooftop," Jang updated the two civil servants.

"What's he doing on the roof?" Richard asked, but received no response.

The awkward silence continued as the three made their way towards the top of the building.

**οοοοοοο**

On top of the Omicron headquarters, Wyatt and Levi, transporting a restrained Elaine, arrived to find Gillies waiting for them.

"What's with the hostage?" Gillies asked the brothers.

"She had the notes," Wyatt replied. "We're disposing of her after and didn't want to make two trips."

"Makes sense. Where are the girls?"

"Father has them. They should be here any second," Wyatt replied. "We will send you a copy of the notes, but first, we want to know how you plan on upholding your side of the bargain?"

Before Gillies could reply, they were interrupted by Sevan walking out onto the rooftop. Sevan shook his head in disappointment upon spotting his two sons, an unknown woman, and Gillies standing around conversing.

"What is this about?" Sevan demanded.

"They didn't tell you?" Gillies asked his cousin. "They said you were bringing the girls."

Ignoring the man, Sevan turned to Wyatt. "Why are you aiding him?"

"He said he could have Nyx expelled from the Council if we give him the notes and girls," Wyatt explained.

"About that," Gillies interjected. "I lied. I'm not going to do anything about Nyx, but we still require the notes and girls."

Angered by Gillies' deception, Wyatt glared at the man. "What makes you think we'll give them to you now?"

"I had a feeling this might happen, that's why I didn't come alone," Gillies explained as he lifted his hand to signal his associates.

Seconds later, two kin appeared from the other side of the rooftop and glided over the group before landing next to Gillies. The males looked like younger versions of Gillies, but with slightly darker red hair. Marid was the smallest of the two with longer hair. He was wearing a pair of worn-out jeans and no shirt, exposing a tattoo of a fire demon that covered most of his upper right arm. He was holding a Pantera Claw in his left hand and a large knife strapped to his right side. Next to Marid was his brother Iblis, a slightly taller man with short hair and no visible markings. Iblis was more clean-cut with custom made clothes and had a handgun strapped to his side.

"These are my sons," Gillies introduced the two men. "They're here to help even the odds," he added with a grin. But Gillies' smirk quickly faded when he noticed the smile on his opponents' faces.

Wyatt laughed. "Is that all?" he asked before lifting his hand to signal to his siblings on a neighbouring rooftop. Suddenly, three red laser lights appeared with one dot on the chests of Gillies and his two sons.

"You greatly underestimated our numbers," Wyatt stated.

Before Gillies and his offspring could react, they were interrupted by the sound of the rooftop door opening, followed by Jang, Richard, and Reese walking out to join the family discord.

"Wasn't expecting a rooftop shindig," Richard commented as he studied the menagerie before him.

"Elaine! Are you okay?" Reese called out as soon as he noticed his co-worker standing next to Wyatt and Levi.

Reese took a step in Elaine's direction but stopped in his tracks when Wyatt pulled out his swords, motivating Reese to counter with a drawn gun.

"I'm fine," Elaine reassured Reese in a calm voice.

"What are you doing?" Sevan questioned Jang.

"We're here for Elaine, and to arrest the suspects involved in her abduction," Richard said before Jang could answer.

"You can have them after I get what I want," Gillies said before turning back to Sevan. "Where are the girls?" he demanded, growing annoyed with the constant interruptions.

"Does Nyx know?" Sevan asked with a grin. "I think she promised them to someone else."

"That's because she doesn't know that they're not hers to give away," Gillies explained. "What floor are they on?"

Sensing the escalating tension, Jang retrieved his gun from its holster and looked towards Reese and Richard. "You two should leave before you get hurt."

Richard shook his head. "We're not leaving without Elaine."

Everyone turned to Elaine, who was standing next to Wyatt and Levi. Then all eyes shifted to the brothers, wondering if they were going to release the female hostage.

Realizing Elaine was no longer any use to them, it made no difference to Wyatt what happened to her.

"Let her go," Wyatt ordered Levi, prompting the larger brother to remove the woman's handcuffs.

Elaine rushed over towards her fellow humans and took a position next to Reese and Richard.

"Go check the sixty-seventh and sixty-eighth-floor laboratories," Gillies ordered his sons.

"You are not authorized to enter," Jang said as he raised his gun at the approaching males.

Spotting the gun, Gillies and his sons stopped in their tracks. Not one of them reached for their weapons as Gillies raised his hands to signal that he was unarmed.

"Kill them," Gillies quietly ordered his offspring.

Obeying their father, the two brothers jumped high and disappeared into the dark sky. Jang, Reese, and Richard aimed their weapons as they peered upwards into the sky in anticipation of an attack.

Since engaging in this battle provided no real benefit to the Remez clan, they all decided to flee the scene. Wyatt and Levi jumped off the rooftop into the night, while Sevan casually exited through the rooftop entrance.

The four humans were the only ones remaining to face Gillies while the brothers soared above. Reese and Richard tried unsuccessfully to shoot at the flying targets when Marid suddenly stopped mid-air. Without warning, Marid sent a current of fire downward, forcing the humans to dodge the flames in the nick of time.

With the four humans distracted and vulnerable to attack, Iblis was about to strike again when a bolt of lightning came flying out of nowhere, hitting him mid-air. Iblis crashed hard into the rooftop, causing Gillies to run over and check on his son.

Riley landed on the rooftop in front of the humans and turned to face Gillies and Iblis.

"Leave! Now!" Riley yelled at the assailants.

"How dare you!" Gillies shouted while reaching for his sword.

As Riley faced Gillies, she failed to see Marid behind her forming a giant ball of fire. Sensing the heat on her back, Riley turned around. Approaching too fast to dodge the attack, Riley barely had time to shield her face as the fire barreled towards her. Suddenly, right before impact, Riley felt the shadow of a person falling over her, followed by a tight embrace. The unknown figure shielded her from a direct hit while the flames that touch her exposed legs were hot but surprisingly bearable. Opening her eyes, Riley looked up to find Quinn embracing her.

As soon as the flames dissipated, Quinn quickly turned around to confront Marid. The male had used his attack as a distraction and was now almost upon them. Quinn pushed Riley away before quickly dodging Marid's sharp weapon. Using her whip, Quinn caught hold of his claw and hand. The young man struggled to free himself as Quinn sent thousands of volts of electricity up his arm, causing him to collapse to the ground in pain.

With the attacker subdued, Quinn turned back to Riley. "Are you okay?" she asked the girl.

"Yes. Thanks," Riley replied.

The gathering on the rooftop expanded when Trenton, Axel, and Brook landed, ready to fight.

"It's not safe," Quinn warned Riley and the four humans. "Get to the laboratory. We'll take care of them."

"She's right," Elaine agreed. "We don't stand a chance up here," she informed her comrades.

Agreeing with their friend, Reese and Richard hurried towards the exit with Elaine. Jang was about to follow them when he turned back to address Riley.

"You need to come with us, this is too dangerous for you," Jang warned the young girl.

"No, I can help," Riley disagreed.

"He's right, Riley. We'll be right behind you," Quinn explained firmly. "Go to the laboratory. Your sister is there waiting for you."

"Styx is here?" Riley questioned.

"Go! We got this!" Brook yelled at the girl.

Obeying their directions, Riley ran towards the steel door where Jang was waiting. The rooftop door closed, leaving Gillies, Iblis, and Marid battling against Quinn, Trenton, Axel, and Brook.

As Gillies surveyed the group before him, the expression on his face turned to pure rage as soon as he spotted a familiar face.

" _YOU!_ " Gillies shouted while pointing at Axel. "That's mine!" he yelled with his eyes fixated on the younger man's orb pendant.

Taking off with immense speed, Gillies quickly charged Axel and was on top of his target before anyone could react. Axel tried to defend himself, but Gillies was much bigger. Gillies knocked the younger man down and started to punch his face repeatedly while trying to rip the chain off his neck. He successfully broke the necklace just as Trenton joined in to pull Gillies off Axel.

Blood dripped from Axel's nose as Brook helped him to his feet.

"Thanks," Axel said while raising his hand to check his face.

Gillies broke free of Trenton's grip with the orb still clenched in his hand. He turned back to Iblis and Marid, who were watching and awaiting their next order. "Get the girls," he ordered his sons.

Quinn stood in front of the door with her whip in hand while the others braced themselves for battle.

"If you want the girls, you'll have to get past us first," Quinn threatened.

Gillies looked at Quinn incredulously. "You know they can fly, right?" he snarked right before his two sons jumped off the rooftop.

"We have to stop them!" Quinn called to the others while running towards the building's edge.

"You'll have to get past me first!" Gillies said with a smile as his eyes started to glow red along with the orb in his hand.

A bright light illuminated the rooftop from above, causing them to look up and discover an enormous ball of fire forming in the sky above them.

"Go help Freya!" Quinn ordered the others. "I'll take care of him," she added as she turned back to face Gillies.

Trenton and Brook fled, but Axel did not follow.

"I can help you!" he said to Quinn.

"They are going to need you downstairs. Don't let them get Moselle and Daile!" Quinn directed Axel before turning back to Gillies.

Obeying Quinn's orders, Axel exited the rooftop leaving Quinn and Gillies in a one-on-one battle.

**οοοοοοο**

Inside the laboratory, Freya, Marko, Diana, and Maria were standing around Doctor Joy, who was sitting in front of the computer monitor typing slowly on the keyboard. They all attentively watched as the doctor initiated the nanobots' deactivation program, something he agreed to do only after a little forceful swaying from Freya.

"How are you going to remove the little robots?" Diana asked the scientist.

" _I_ won't be removing them," Joy replied bitterly. "The nanobots are too small. Once I initiate the deactivation process, the body will eliminate them naturally."

Doctor Joy's freshly injured right arm slowed his typing, but it did not take long for him to finalize the deactivation process.

"How long until they're back to normal?" Diana asked.

"Not sure, but the monkeys I tested it on reverted within the hour."

Suddenly, everyone's attention shifted to the laboratory entrance when Sevan casually strolled into the room. Unsure of the newcomer's intentions, Freya and the others immediately moved into a defensive stance while reaching for their weapons. Sevan stopped in his tracks and calmly raised his hands to let them know he was unarmed. Everyone relaxed but remained silent once they realize Sevan was no threat.

Sevan walked across the room and retrieved a small box containing vials of completed vita-serum. He gave a slight nod of thanks to the doctor before casually making his way back through the laboratory exit.

Turning back to the task at hand, Joy had just finished activating the program when Marid and Iblis came crashing through the laboratory window. The assault started when Iblis sent a wave of fire towards them. Marko used his abilities to block the attack, forcing the flames back towards the attackers. Seconds later, Trenton and Book joined the group, followed by Axel. The three newcomers immediately started engaging in battle with Marid and Iblis.

Joy, while taking cover behind the computer desk, grabbed Freya's attention. "The deactivation program has not finished uploading. Get them out of here before you destroy another laboratory!"

Heeding the doctor's warning, Freya and Marko stepped in to help the others. Iblis' eyes started to glow as he sent a wave of flames towards Freya, but Marko quickly directed the blaze back towards the broken window. As soon as the fire dissipated, Maria's staff came flying forward and hit Marid in the chest, causing him to fall backwards.

Before anyone else had a chance to strike, the room started to vibrate downward while the lights above them trembled slightly. Freya knew it had to be from Quinn, who was the only one unaccounted for and presumably still on the rooftop.

As soon as the deactivation program was complete, Joy gave Freya the signal.

"You take care of these two, I'm going to help Quinn," Freya informed the others before running towards the exit.

As Freya parted from the group, Maria quickly took her place with her staff raised. Without skipping a beat, Trenton, Brook, and Diana retreated to safety with the two unconscious girls and Joy trailing close behind. Before Iblis and Marid could follow, their path was blocked by Maria, Axel, and Marko, allowing the others to make their escape.

**οοοοοοο**

On the rooftop, Quinn shielded her eyes from the light as a torrent of fire engulfed her. The attacker darted down with his sword drawn as Quinn retracted her whip. Before Gillies could strike, Quinn flicked her weapon and successfully wrapped it around Gillies' hand and sword. Quinn shocked him with a blast of electricity before ripping the weapon from his hand.

Now unarmed, Gillies raised his hands and sent an efflux of flames towards his target. Quinn attempted to use her whip again, but the heat from the fire was causing the metal weapon to warp and seize. Quinn threw her inoperable whip to the side just as Freya entered through the rooftop entrance.

"What's going on up here?" Freya asked Quinn, who was now gazing up at Gillies as he circled a few meters above them.

As Quinn ignored her sister, her eyes started to glow just before a blast of lightning came from her hands up into the sky above, nearly hitting Gillies.

"Wow, sis. It looks like ya got your spark back," Freya commented, impressed with the force of Quinn's rekindled powers.

Still struggling with control of her abilities, Quinn clenched her fists in frustration. Even though it had been over a hundred years since she had felt this kind of strength, it was not the time to be rusty.

With his adversaries immune to fire, Gillies knew he had to take a different approach. Spotting a faint glimmer on the rooftop below, Gillies swooped down to retrieve his sword before circling back towards the sisters.

Freya sent a burst of fire in Gillies' direction, but he just flew through it with his eyes focused on his targets. As Gillies emerged from the flames, Quinn sent a bolt of electricity in his direction, successfully striking him. Gillies fell through the air before crashing hard into the ground. He came to a stop in front of Freya and Quinn.

Quinn attentively watched the injured man as she stood ready and waiting to strike with another bolt of electricity if needed.

"I'm going to kill you," Gillies threatened as he struggled to get up while using his sword to support himself.

"Think again, Gillies," corrected Nyx as she touched down on the rooftop.

Freya and Quinn watched from a distance while Nyx and Gillies conversed.

"Don't you think you're a little old to be running around fighting a bunch of kids," Nyx said with a grin.

"They are far from being considered children," Gillies snapped. "They're interfering in council business. They deserve to die!"

Nyx laughed. "You need to relax a little," she said condescendingly. "But no need to fret any longer, I have your notes," she informed him as she reached into the pocket of her dress pants and pulled out a small flash drive.

"And what about the girls? They belong to us!" Gillies exclaimed furiously.

"I just finished speaking with their father. They are to remain with Diana," Nyx informed him. "For now," she added in a softer tone, hoping that Quinn and Freya would not overhear.

"And what if we lose track of them again!" Gillies yelled. "You expect us to wait another hundred years to find them?"

"You're going to question the Council's will?" Nyx retorted. "The girls are not essential to the mission; these notes _are._ " She threw the flash drive at the man. "I suggest you bring them to the Council as soon as possible. They are expecting your immediate return."

"Fine, but if my boys have already apprehended the girls, they will not be returned," Gillies informed her.

"They haven't," Nyx replied flatly. "You can find your sons in the laboratory with a broken window." She turned away from Gillies and started to walk towards the rooftop entrance. "You have the notes, go collect your offspring and get off my property," Nyx ordered before walking through the door with her nieces close behind.

**οοοοοοο**

After fleeing from the rooftop battle, Riley, Richard, Elaine, and Reese followed Jang to his office located a few floors down. The five of them had just entered when they felt the vibrations and slight rumbling originating from above.

"They're going to destroy the whole building this time if we don't do something," Riley pleaded with Jang. "Let me go help them!"

"No," Jang replied firmly. "You are to remain here until your mother arrives. She's on her way as we speak," he added before looking down at his phone.

"What does she mean by _this_ _time_?" Richard asked. "Are the same people responsible for the incident earlier this month?"

"No," Jan replied. "That incident was the result of equipment failure."

"I'm sure it was," Richard remarked with an eye-roll as he pulled out his phone. "I agree with the girl. I'm calling for backup."

"No need. We've contained the situation," Jang informed the detective. "All parties involved will be off the premises before your reinforcements arrive, and the assailants will be out of the country before you can start searching for them."

"He's right," Elaine said to Richard, prompting the detective to lower his phone.

Before Richard could reply, Cassandra entered the office and approached Jang's desk.

"We completed the sweep," Cassandra advised her superior. "All non-essential staff have been sent home."

"Good," Jang said to his co-worker before turning back to Richard and the two agents. "Cassandra will escort you to your vehicle."

Opening his desk drawer, Jang pulled out a business card belonging to the chief of communications and handed it to Richard. "Call this number should any questions arise," he said as a formality.

Elaine and Reese nodded before exiting the room while Richard appeared a little more agitated with the current situation.

While exiting the office, Richard stopped and turned to Riley. "Thanks for your help up there," he said to the girl before following Elaine and Reese.

Riley smiled at the man before letting out a sigh of relief once she and Jang were alone. "So now what?" she asked Jang while sitting back in her seat.

Jang was reading a message on his phone when he stopped to look up at the girl. "Your mother will meet you in the sixty-seventh-floor laboratory."

Riley cringed at the news. "How mad is she?"

"I think you know the answer," Jang replied unsympathetically.

Jang had a stern expression on his face leading Riley to believe that he was also not impressed with her actions tonight.

Without saying another word, Riley let out an exasperated sigh and exited the office.

**οοοοοοο**

Freya was surprised to find the laboratory looking exactly how she left it, minus some overturned tables and slightly damaged equipment. Gillies, Iblis, and Marid had already exited through the broken window when Freya, Nyx, and Quinn entered the room. In one corner, Marko was standing with Maria, Axel, and Trenton. On the other side, John was busy appraising the damages. Nyx walked over to speak with John while the others conversed.

"Are Moselle and Dalie okay?" Quinn asked Trenton.

"They're safe," Trenton answered. "Brook, Diana, and I brought them home. They were awake and talking by the time I left."

"I'm so happy to hear that," Maria exclaimed, relieved to hear that they were finally awake.

"As am I," Quinn agreed.

"I'm impressed," Freya commented to Marko while scanning the room. "You fought them with minimal damage."

"That's because nothing happened after you left," Marko explained before motioning towards John. "They surrendered as soon as that dude walked into the room."

Having overhead Marko, Nyx turned to address him. "John has been my proxy for many years. They know this."

"Where's Riley?" Quinn asked her aunt.

"I've messaged my chief security officer," Nyx replied. "She should be here any second."

As if on cue, Riley entered the laboratory and remained silent as she headed straight for Nyx with her head slightly lowered. There was no doubt in the girl's mind that she was in big trouble for not listening; she just prayed her mother would avoid making a spectacle of her in front of all these people.

"Sorry for not listening, I know coming here was stupid and dangerous," the young girl apologized.

Nyx frowned. "Sorry doesn't work if you don't mean it. I stopped believing you after the tenth time."

Riley's expression shifted once she realized Nyx was not going to let this one slide in the presence of onlookers.

"Maybe I said it because I was hoping you wouldn't make a scene in front of all these people," Riley snapped. "But I should've known _that_ wasn't going to happen!"

Sensing the tension in the room, Freya decided to interject before it escalated. "Yo, Nyx," she called out to her aunt. "Isn't there something more important you two should be talking about?"

Nyx's angry expression eased. Agreeing with her niece, she decided this fight was not worth pursuing. Nyx looked at Quinn before turning back to Riley.

"I guess it's best if I'm the one to tell you," Nyx said to her adopted daughter. She briefly paused before clearing her throat. "It was recently brought to my attention that the intelligence I received of your parents' demise was grossly inaccurate. Your biological parents are Quinn and Trenton," Nyx explained while motioning to her niece and Trenton.

Riley looked at Quinn then turned back to Nyx. "Who told you? How do you know for certain?" she asked in disbelief.

"Ask her," Nyx replied while pointing at Freya behind her. She then looked at Quinn and Trenton before turning back to Riley. "No doubt, there's some resemblance, but I'd demand a DNA test if I were you."

"I'm certain you're their daughter," Freya explained. "But I agree you should take a test. It's the only way to know for sure."

"Whatever the case may be, I just wanted you to know that you're always welcomed at my house," Nyx informed the young girl.

"Thanks," Riley replied before hugging Nyx. She turned back to face Quinn and Trenton still in shock. "I can't believe this is happening. My birth parents were alive this whole time."

"And don't forget your sister Maria," Freya added while pointing at the blue and black-haired girl who was standing off to the side watching.

"Hi," Maria replied with a smile as Riley approached her.

The two girls were of similar height and completion. Their hair had identical patterns, like Trenton's, but Riley had gold where Maria's was blue.

"So, were you adopted too?" Riley asked.

"Yes," Maria replied.

"Who raised you?"

"Doctor Hunter," Maria answered.

Riley looked at the girl regrettably. "Ouch. Sorry to hear that," she said sympathetically.

"Thanks. Could have been worse, I guess," Maria added with a shrug.

Quinn and Trenton approached their daughters; their family finally reunited for the first time.

As Nyx observed the young family, she felt the slight tickle of contentment under a thick layer of exhaustion. But any happiness Nyx had for her niece and adopted daughter slowly started to fade at the thought of her reclining chair, her shoes removed, and a stiff drink.

"What a day, I need a scotch," Nyx commented to herself.

"Add a spliff to that mix, and you got yourself an idea," Freya agreed, starting to get antsy. "I think it's time to go," she said to Marko and Axel.

Nyx followed Freya's cue and turned to her assistant. "John, call the car. I'm ready to go home," she said before the two of them exited the laboratory.

**οοοοοοο**

There was silence in the vehicle as Elaine, Reese, and Richard drove away from the Omicron headquarters. All three of them pondering the series of events that had occurred over the last twenty-four hours. It was exactly eleven o'clock when the beep of Reese's watch disrupted the lingering silence.

Feeling both physically and emotionally exhausted, Elaine pulled down the vanity mirror to see if her physical appearance matched her current mental state. Using the mirror to glance back, she could not help but notice the distant expression on Richard's face. Elaine was considering asking him what was wrong, but having a good idea what it was, she decided not to broach the subject.

Unable to keep silent any longer, Richard finally spoke up. "What the hell happened back there?" he asked the two agents. "After everything we just witnessed, you are going to walk away and do nothing?"

"We had an agreement," Reese said as he glanced into the rearview mirror to make eye contact with the detective. "If I let you help me find Elaine, you would not question anything you observed here tonight. I suggest you don't ask questions to things you are not authorized to know the answer to."

"My job is to uphold the law," Richard retorted. "You can't expect me to stand idly by after everything I just witnessed."

"What you witnessed was insignificant," Elaine said sternly. "The activities of Omicron's consociates are not worth jeopardizing our mandate."

"Our assignment has explicit requisites," Reese explained. "We already jeopardized everything by rescuing Elaine. I will not let you aggravate the situation."

"Can you at least tell me what the hell happened back there?" Richard asked the two agents. "Has there always been flying magic people running around the city, or is that new?"

"I guess it depends on what you mean by _always,"_ Elaine answered with a smirk. "But don't bother rephrasing because we're not at liberty to say."

Realizing he was not going to get anywhere with these two, Richard let out an exasperated sigh.

The exhausted trio continued their drive in silence, eager to reach their respective homes.

# XIX

**July 22** **nd** **, 2017**

_Nyx's Residence – 0700 hrs_

After another long and chaotic night, Nyx was sleeping peacefully in her bed when she was rudely awakened by the sound of her phone vibrating. Without lifting her head, she clumsily reached out and started feeling around her nightstand for the noisy device. Upon locating her cell, Nyx held it up and lifted her sleep mask to see who was disturbing her so early on a Saturday. Recognizing the name of the contact, she quickly sat up in her bed before answering.

It took a few seconds for the video call to connect before a headshot of a young woman of Indian descent appeared on Nyx's device. The woman was Doctor Shalu Rai, an employee of Omicron and one of Nyx's top scientists. The doctor looked to be in her early thirties with ebony hair, dark brown skin, and bright hazel eyes. Her right iris had a slightly darker colour, and there was an old but still visible scar running across that eye ending just above her cheekbone.

"Good morning," Shalu greeted Nyx. She was smiling over the video, but upon realizing that her superior was still in bed, her expression changed. "My apologies, is it still too early? Should I call back?"

"No, it's fine. What is this about?" Nyx asked, not looking amused.

Shalu smiled. "I call with good news. I was visiting Grandfather the other day, and he was asking about you. I mentioned the lost journals, and he said that he knows the current owner."

"Who?" Nyx asked eagerly, now appearing more awake. She had been searching for these journals for many years with no success.

"He won't say," Shalu replied. "He wanted to tell you himself."

Nyx's frustration deepened. "Fine, put him on then."

"He's not here," Shalu explained. "My phone would not work in Beaumont, so I came back to New Delhi with my sister. We arrived last night."

Nyx looked furious. "What does he expect me to do? Go halfway around the world to see him in person!"

"Yes," Shalu answered candidly.

"He is being ridiculous!" Nyx exclaimed while shaking her head. "How sure is he that his intelligence is even accurate? It could have been centuries since he'd last seen them."

"I don't think the journals are the sole reason he wants to speak with you," Shalu informed her superior. "He wouldn't say anything to us, but he was acting uneasy throughout our entire visit. He said it's important that you go see him."

"Fine," Nyx sighed. "But don't think you can extend your leave because I'll be away. I still expect you back on the thirty-first."

"Of course," Shalu agreed. "I already have my ticket purchased."

"Good," Nyx said, her demeanour starting to calm. "Enjoy your final week and send your mother my regards."

"I will, bye," Shalu said before ending the call.

Nyx placed her phone back on the nightstand. She was contemplating returning to sleep when there was a knock at her door, followed by John entering the room.

"I heard yelling," John explained as he entered. "Is everything okay?"

"Shalu called," Nyx explained. "Aegis wants me to meet him in Beaumont. She said he might know the location of the journals."

John was surprised by this news. "Are you going?"

"What choice do I have? We need to find the journals."

"Do you think it's wise to leave now after everything that's happened?"

"A few days shouldn't hurt," Nyx countered. "Shalu is returning next Monday. With you two overseeing the others, I'm sure things won't go awry."

"If you insist," John hesitantly agreed. "I will make the arrangements."

"Thank you," Nyx said while pulling down her sleep mask. She laid her head back on the pillow, longing for a few more hours of uninterrupted sleep.

**οοοοοοο**

_Markovich Residence – 0850 hrs_

It was a typical morning inside the crowded abode. In addition to the household's usual vibrant energy, there was an ambiance of tranquillity among its inhabitants. Moselle and Dalie, having made a full recovery, spent the morning glued to Diana. Riley and Maria were seamlessly integrating into their new family, while parents Quinn and Trenton had never appeared more serene. For the first time since its formation, some much-needed contentment had finally fallen over the Markovich household. That's not to say the family was no longer hurting. The past few weeks left some deep wounds, but today their happiness was able to numb the pain.

Inside the basement, Freya was sitting in front of her laptop with her morning coffee in hand. On the workshop table in front of her was a deactivated Finn. The kin-machine hybrid was lying face up with a piece of his right chest plate removed, exposing a motherboard and microprocessor underneath.

Sitting on the sofa, Flint drank his morning caffeinated beverage as he watched the news with his brother. As soon as the show switched to a commercial, the boy glanced over at his mother.

"So, is there any Finn even left in that thing?" Flint asked.

"He's not completely mechanical, if that's what you mean," Freya replied as her eyes remained fixated on her work.

"How much organic material are we talking about?" Flint questioned. "On a scale from one to ten."

"What are the parameters of the scale?"

"One being Luke Skywalker's mechanical hand and ten being Star Trek's Data," Flint replied.

Freya looked up from her computer to think for a second before answering. "I would say he's about a six."

"Would that be the equivalent of DC's Cyborg?" Felix suggested, chiming in on the conversation.

"Nah, too high. Cyborg would be at least an eight," Freya corrected.

"With that weird eye and machine arm, he kinda reminds me of Marvel's Cable," Flint observed.

"They're not even comparable," Felix retorted. "Cable was infected with a techno-organic infection, so his mechanical parts are semi-organic."

"Well, I can tell ya, Finn here might as well be from the future too," Freya said while motioning to the body. "I've never seen mechanical parts like this. He's a living Steve Austin."

Flint glanced over at his mother, puzzled. "Steve, who?"

"She's referring to the Six Million Dollar Man," Felix clarified. "It's a television show from the seventies about a bionic man."

Flint paused to think before responding. "Then, if you account for inflation, Finn here probably costs closer to thirty point five million by today's standards."

"Doubt it," Felix objected. "That's if you only factor in the costs associated with the research and development of a bionic man. If they already had the design, production costs would only be a small fraction of that."

"So, Mom, if Finn has a human brain, why hasn't he regained consciousness?" Flint wondered.

"Not sure," Freya replied. "I'm starting to think they might be controlling him with the nanobots they used on Moselle and Dalie."

"How are you going to remove them?" Flint asked. "Are you going to make Doctor Joy do it?"

"Don't need to," Freya said with a grin. "Luckily for us, I'm a bit of a klepto when it comes to the intellectual property of my enemies. Fingers crossed the nanobots are unscathed."

"How sly of you," praised Flint. "Omicron deserves to have all their property stolen after what they did. I don't know how you can still be so cordial with Nyx after everything she did to us, and him," Flint explained while motioning towards Finn.

"The best way to effect change in someone is through open dialogue and communication," Freya responded matter-of-factly. "Violence and isolation will only make it worse."

Flint paused and gave his mother a nauseated look. "Wow, you sound exactly like Quinn. That is terrifying."

Freya shrugged. "What can I say, she's right. You keep your friends close and your enemies closer,"

"I assume you are using Nyx to find out more about this council?" Felix clarified.

"You're not wrong," Freya responded.

As Freya was speaking, Maria and Riley entered the basement, having just finished breakfast. They descended the stairs to join the group, finding a spot in the vacant loveseat and armchair.

"What I would like to know is what exactly were in those notes," Flint wondered.

"That's funny," Maria said. "We came down here to talk to you about that. Riley had just finished telling us that she might be able to secure a copy."

Freya stopped working to look over at the sisters. "How?" she asked eagerly.

"It's possible that Styx was the one who provided the notes to Mom, err, I mean, Nyx," explained Riley. "If she emailed them, I can access her account. She never deletes her sent messages."

"Well, let's find out," Freya said to the girl before turning to Felix. "Go set her up," she directed her son, prompting Felix and Riley to walk towards the desktop computer.

As the two logged on to Styx's webmail account, Maria and Flint watched television, and Freya continued with her examination of Finn.

Less than a minute later, everyone's attention shifted to the basement entrance. This time it was Tempest followed by Adley, who was stopping in after hearing what happened last night.

"Hi," Adley said as she sat down in the armchair while Tempest sat next to Flint on the sofa.

"Tempest, I think I found the perfect property," Freya said. "It has everything we're looking for, and it just went up on the market."

"That's wonderful," Tempest replied. "But Ebony and I were planning on taking a trip north to see our band. They deserve to know what happened to Rowan, and with sanctuary destroyed, we think it's a good time to visit."

"Where are they located?" Adley asked curiously.

"Nova Scotia," Tempest answered.

"Your phones have free unlimited calling anywhere in North American," Freya explained. "Bring a few battery banks. You never know when you might need to reach us."

"Thanks," Tempest replied with a smile.

Suddenly, the sound of Riley cheering captured the room's attention. "She did use email!" the girl exclaimed with a smile.

"This is our lucky day," Freya gleefully declared as she stood up from her chair and walked over.

With the notes on the computer screen, everyone in the room gathered around the monitor. Maria immediately recognized the documents, having seen something like this before.

"These look like the notes I gave you from Hunter's home office a week ago," Maria commented to Freya.

"They do look familiar," Freya agreed before reaching for the desk drawer and retrieving a red folder. She searched through the small stack and pulled out one sheet of lined paper ripped from a book. The page was identical to the one on the monitor, with both having three columns consisting of dates, geographical coordinates, and what appeared to be readings of some sort. Freya reached over towards the computer and started to scroll through the digital notes. She immediately noticed that the paper in her hand had the most recent dates.

"It appears that we have the last page of these notes," Freya said while handing the paper over to Felix.

"Not surprised, Hunter wouldn't make something so important that easy to find," Maria explained.

"Are these geographical coordinates?" Adley asked while pointing to the middle column.

"It appears so," Freya answered.

"I'm working on the locations now," Felix said as he sat typing on the computer. "So far, they appear to be concentrated around the Middle East."

"Good job, keep going," Freya said to the redhead before turning back to the group. "Can someone get Diana? I think we might need her help with this."

Maria stood up and exited the basement to retrieve Diana, who was reading in the living room. Seconds later, Diana descended the stairs with Maria, Moselle, and Dalie close behind.

"Hey, Diana. We could use your help," Freya advised the older woman. "Do these locations hold any significance to you or the Council?" she asked while pointing to the list of locations Felix was typing.

Diana studied the list before replying. "Not sure about the Council, but some have significance to kin," she added while pointing to a location in north-eastern Afghanistan. "Beaumont Sanctuary is just south-east of here. It was the closest one to our childhood village, and there is another here in Kabul."

"How many of these locations have significance to kin?" Freya asked.

"Most of them," Diana said while looking through the list again. "But I'm not sure if any of these still exist."

"What about the kin that can control space and time," Adley said. "Do you know where we could locate them?"

"No, and that's even to say if they're still around, or real for that matter," Diana explained. "My grandmother told me stories about them, and she heard them from her mom when she was a child. We're talking thousands of years ago."

"This is so interesting," Adley exclaimed, appearing overly excited. "I'm tempted to go visit these locations."

Flint laughed. "Can you imagine travelling halfway around the world looking for kin."

"I just might do it," Adley said as she started to give it more thought while studying the list. "Look, the last seven locations are clustered around the Red and Mediterranean seas. I have an aunt in Tel Aviv that I haven't visited in a few years, and I have a good friend covering the war in Syria. He should be able to help me. I can check out a few of the locations while I'm there if that's okay with all of you?" she asked the group.

"If you do this, you should have a kin with you," Diana suggested. "The sanctuaries might still be occupied. Last time I visited, some weren't welcoming of humans. But that was a few hundred years ago."

"You should come with me," Adley recommended to Diana. "You appear to be the most familiar with these locations."

"I would like nothing more than to stop the Council," Diana said while considering Adley's suggestion. "But after everything that has happened, I can't bring myself to leave the girls while I go halfway around the world."

"We don't mind," Moselle admitted. "Don't let us stand in your way of helping other kin."

"We know how important this is," Daile added. "It's worth it if it means stopping the Council once and for all."

"If you go, I would like to finance the expedition," Freya informed Adley. "But we should call a house meeting to iron out the details," she explained before turning towards Riley. "Try not to mention this to Nyx," Freya directed the young girl. "We can't have the Council know what we're doing, and they can't find out about the notes in our possession. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Riley agreed.

"Good," Freya said, then turned to the others. "It looks like we got a lot of planning to do," she explained before turning to Felix. "Do your thing, Felix. I want to know everything you can find about these notes and locations."

"Already on it," Felix replied with eyes fixated on the screen.

As Felix continued with his online search, Freya went upstairs to find her sister and the rest of the household inhabitants to plan their next major undertaking.

# XX

**February 23** **rd** **, 1756**

_Kin Village_

In the northern regions of the Caucasus Indicus mountains, rested a secluded village of stone lodges nestled in a small valley seldom visited by humans. Although not as prosperous as it once was, the community was enduring despite the hardships fallen upon it. War, desertion, famine, disease, and resulting social upheaval; it was as if a curse had plagued the village for the last hundred and fifty years.

The current village leader was an Aurora called Jupiter. Named in memory of his great-great-grandfather, Jupiter knew the importance of his role as a leader and devoted himself to ensuring his community prospered. Unfortunately, he inherited the position at the worst possible time, when his village was on the brink of annihilation and himself facing a period of civil unrest and internal feuding. There was no doubt that the odds of Jupiter succeeding as chieftain were stacked against him the moment he took the lead.

The strife and misfortune that plagued the village all started with the unexpected passing of Jupiter's grandfather, Titus, at the age of one-thousand-and-eleven. Since it was Titus' father that founded the settlement, it was only natural that Titus' eldest son Cronus would be next in line. But not all villagers agreed with Titus' choice of a successor as some of the Venti clans felt it was time for a much need paradigm shift. The Venti wanted a member from one of their families leading the village. After all, the Venti were considered just as strong as any Aurora or Ifrit. Plus, being natural healers, the Venti always held a protective role over its inhabitants.

In an attempt to seize control of the village, the most powerful of the Venti, a kin named Azazel, challenged Cronus with fatal results. But Cronus did not emerge from the battle completely unscathed. He was never able to recover fully from the wounds and effects Azazel inflicted upon him that day. As the victor, Cronus remained on as village leader, but Azazel's defeat only added to the tension between clans. This discord eventually escalated to the point where the Venti abandoned the village.

But the Venti were not the only ones to vacate the village at that time. To everyone's surprise, the Gaia clans fled shortly after. There were many theories on why the Gaia deserted the settlement. Some believed that the Venti manipulated the Gaia into leaving. Others thought that the Gaia's ability to communicate with the planet told them of a better and more prosperous land far away. It was not until recently that Jupiter began to believe that the Gaia left because they were the first to sense the evil presence that had been poisoning his village.

It was precisely one hundred years to the day of the battle between Cronus and Azazel that Cronus died from a deadly fever, his death marking the first of a mysterious illness that would slowly take hold of the village. Now, almost a century since Jupiter's father's mysterious death, over half the settlement was abandoned, and the sickness continued to plague the remaining inhabitants. Reduced to a little over sixty residents, tensions in the village were at an all-time high.

Inheriting his role at a young age, Jupiter was tasked with the responsibility of healing his broken village while trying to validate his position as a leader. To help with these challenges, he called upon his clan and support from his fellow Aurora to regain the confidence of the villagers, but it was proving to be an uphill battle.

It was another late night as the chief sat before his immediate family to discuss some important news. Sitting at the dinner table inside Jupiter's lodge was his wife Blitz and her mother, Spitha. The mother-daughter pair had similar features, both having long jet back hair and golden bangs with yellow irises. The two were beautiful and robust females that Jupiter considered his closest confidants.

Jupiter's twin brother Ion, on the other hand, was gruff and burly. He was an exceptional warrior but lacked the refinement and levelheadedness needed in a great leader. Despite the opposing personalities, the two men had similar features consisting of large stature, bright golden hair, and yellow eyes. The only difference was that Ion had long hair and was clean-shaven in contrast to Jupiter's short hair and slight facial hair.

Having spent the last hour discussing the potential merger of two highly vocal clans, the small family was on edge, especially Ion, who was becoming increasingly irritated.

"You must not allow this marriage to happen," Ion argued.

"What am I to do?" Jupiter asked his brother. "I have no right to tell another clan whom they can or cannot marry."

"But if this union proceeds, the Undines will be sure to side with the Ifrits," Blitz said to her husband. "I have no doubt they will try to overthrow you."

"This union is nothing but a strategic ploy by the Ifirts," Ion scoffed. "Why else would an Ifrit marry an Undine? Utterly disgusting."

Jupiter frowned at Ion. It angered him to hear his brother speak that way about any kin. No matter what clan they belonged to, they were all his wards, and they all deserved respect.

"Stop it," Jupiter snapped at his brother. "This is the type of thinking that led us to this problem. Perhaps if we had been a little more accepting of _all_ kin, they would not outnumber us almost three to one."

"What do you suggest then?" Ion asked.

"Tara is smitten with that Ifrit boy," Spitha suggested. "If something happens between them, maybe we should allow it. The Ifrits would be less likely to overthrow their own family."

"Of course you would suggest that. Your family is notorious for diluting the gene pool," Ion snarked in disapproval at the very idea.

"How dear you talk to my mother like that!" Blitz snapped at the man. Her exhaustion and frustration showing as she raised from her chair in anger. "Petty insults at a time like this! Have you no shame? My brother and his wife are _dying_. They lost their infant daughters just last week! A quarter of our village has been wiped out by this illness, and your solution is insulting one another!" Blitz was shaking in anger as she looked down her brother-in-law.

Ion glared at the woman as he stood up to confront her. He was about to say something when Jupiter interrupted before he could get a word out.

"Careful what you say, Ion. That's my wife you are talking to," Jupiter warned sternly.

Heeding his twin's warning, Ion remained silent.

"It's late, maybe you should retire for the night," Jupiter suggested, diffusing the situation.

Following his brother's advice, Ion decided to excuse himself from the meeting. He pushed his chair aside and proceeded towards the entrance before stopping at the door to address his brother. "Remember, this village belongs to _us_ ," he reminded Jupiter before storming out of the lodge.

**οοοοοοο**

**April 22** **nd** **, 1757**

It was a beautiful and unseasonably warm day as the newlyweds stood in front of the entire village. The crowd erupted in cheers as Jupiter took the honour of announcing his daughter Tara and her partner Adam as husband and wife for the first time.

It was believed by many that this union marked a new era of peace and happiness for the village. The mysterious illness that had claimed dozens of lives had finally vanished with not a single new case in over six months. The mild winter had provided them with more opportunities for hunting and harvesting, which in turn created a surplus in food, the likes of which they had not seen in over a hundred years. Although the village was still struggling to repopulate, this spring had seen an increase in births, and the many pregnancies amongst the female villagers only added to the good fortune bestowed upon them. With the recent surge of prosperity, many of the inhabitants were hopeful that the dark cloud hanging over the village had finally lifted.

But the union of Adam and Tara was not a joyous occasion for all kin, one of them being Nyx, who felt betrayed by her twin sister. Refusing to participate in the festivities, Nyx sat on top of a distance overhanging ledge, watching her fellow kin celebrate in the village center. Nyx was wearing a beautiful red silk robe with her hair pinned up. Grasped in her hand were two golden bangles her mother had given her earlier that day in honour of Tara's wedding. Nyx and her sister were each given a pair of the cuff bracelets to symbolize the significance duality had in their culture. Good and bad, yin and yang, balance, unity; their mother went on about how Tara and Adam were entering the next phase of life's journey while Nyx could not help but feel left out.

Now, feeling alone and abandoned by her only sibling, Nyx refused to stand by Tara's side on her big day. The whole evening, she watched from afar as the villagers danced, ate, and drank by the fire; not one person noticing her absence from the celebrations, or so she thought. But one person saw the young girl sulking from the sidelines and came to check on her.

Seeing the look of discontent on his niece's face, Ion sat down next to Nyx.

"Why aren't you joining the festivities?" Ion asked the young girl.

"Why should I?" Nyx sighed. "I have nothing to celebrate. Tara is about to start her perfectly happy life with her perfect husband. Father's happy, Mother's happy, the whole village is happy, they don't need me there to ruin their fun."

"Don't be envious of your sister, be grateful that you are not in her position," Ion said, trying to comfort her.

"Easier said than done. You don't know what it's like growing up in her shadow," Nyx complained.

Ion laughed. "Did you forget that I'm your father's brother? He was crowned favourite just for coming out of the womb first. You are a smart, talented girl, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

"Thanks," Nyx replied, trying to force a smile. "I know I shouldn't be so angry. I don't blame Adam for picking her. It just hurts knowing that even when it comes to love, she's better at it than me."

"Love! This has nothing to do with _love_ ," Ion scoffed. "This union is nothing more than an abasement by your father in a desperate attempt to cling to his fleeting power." Realizing he said too much to the young girl, Ion decided to deflect the conversation. "I mean, marrying an Ifrit is not the worst thing, but your great-grandfather would not approve of such a union."

"It's a different time, there are slim pickings in this village," Nyx said sarcastically. "Only three boys even close to my age and two are already married."

"You are too young to be worrying about such things. You have so much more to offer this world, and you can't do it tied down with children." Ion paused for a second before continuing. "Everyone has their own path, Tara's is becoming a young bride, but that doesn't have to be yours. You are powerful, I've seen you fight. I see a lot of potential in you if you let me help you."

"I would love that," Nyx replied with a smile.

"I am happy to hear that, and please stop comparing yourself to your sister, _you_ are destined for great things."

"Thanks," Nyx said, blushing from all the attention.

"Would you like to come with me to congratulate the newlyweds?" Ion asked while holding out his hands.

"Sure," Nyx replied, happily accepting his invitation to join in on the festivities.

**οοοοοοο**

**July 7** **th** **, 1777**

Darkness had fallen as the cold night air brought a thick blanket of mist over the village. Inside a small hut located near the outskirts of the settlement, Tara emerged from the bedroom exhausted, having just put her young daughters down for the night.

Blitz and Spitha were sitting at the table with a pot of after-dinner tea between them. Tara walked over to join the two females, pouring herself a cup before taking a seat at the table.

"It's a shame Nyx could not make it for dinner," Tara said before taking a sip of her hot beverage. "It's not very often we get a night to ourselves like this, Astraea and Arinitti were looking forward to having their aunt at dinner."

"You know how Nyx is, she's been busy training with Ion," Blitz explained.

"She spends a lot of time with that man," Spitha said cattily before taking a sip of her drink. She hated Ion, and the thought of him influencing her granddaughter bothered her. "I've heard disturbing rumours about those two," she added spitefully.

Blitz frowned at the older woman. "Stop, _Mother_ ," she said in an angry tone, not willing to listen to another one of her comments. "How can you even imply such a thing? The two of them share a common interest, nothing more."

"Don't you think it's a little strange that he spends all his time with a girl half his age?" Spitha asked.

"She's his niece, nothing unusual about that," Blitz replied. "I'm glad he has taken her under his wing, Nyx seems happier now. You know Jupiter's clan has always been close with one another; they understand the importance of guiding the next generation. Our clan could take a lesson from them."

"That's why Father invited Adam to join him instead of Ion," Tara added. "He wanted an opportunity for them to get to know each other."

"I suppose," Spitha replied. Seeing that she was outnumbered, Spitha decided not to push the topic. "So, when are Jupiter and Adam due back?" she inquired, trying to change the subject.

"Tomorrow evening," Tara sighed. They had been gone for two days, and she was already yearning for her husband's return.

"Trade negotiations can be a fickle thing," Blitz warned. "Their trip could be extended if one party does not cooperate."

"I hope not," Tara replied. "The girls miss him. Astraea's been waking up at night."

"I'm sure they will be back soon," Spitha reassured. "Last time it went so smoothly, they returned a day early," she reminded her granddaughter.

Tara smiled after hearing her grandmother's comforting words. "Let's hope so."

**οοοοοοο**

On the other side of the village, Nyx and Ion, having just finished a long practice, entered Ion's lodge.

"I noticed you were holding back," Ion commented on Nyx's performance. "I don't think I've ever seen you this distracted during a match. Is something wrong?"

Nyx hesitated before answering. "I've had a lot on my mind lately, and I haven't been feeling well," she added as her voice started to crack from nervousness.

Ion could tell something was not right with the woman. "What's wrong?" he asked, looking her straight in the eye to signal his seriousness.

Nyx paused and took a deep breath before responding. "I'm pregnant."

A surprised look appeared on Ion's face, but he remained silent as he processed the news.

Nyx immediately started to panic. "I hope you are not mad. I've wanted to tell you for a few weeks now, but I was too scared, and we are rarely alone. I didn't know what to do and—"

"Do not worry," Ion interrupted the havering girl. He stepped forward and pulled Nyx towards him. The two engaged in a long embrace before Ion continued speaking. "I'm not mad at all. In fact, I cannot be more delighted," he informed the girl with a smile.

"But won't Father be mad? Everyone is already starting to talk about us," Nyx asked, unable to return the smile.

"I'd be lying if I said no," Ion answered truthfully. "That's why we must leave."

"Leave? Where?"

"I know some kin who will take us in with open arms. You know Jacob, the Venti that brings letters and supplies to the village every few months?"

"Yes," Nyx replied, knowing to whom he was referring.

"His leader, Ulric, is indebted to me. He will keep us safe."

"How are we going to find them?"

"Jacob frequents a sanctuary not far from here, we will wait for him there," Ion explained.

"Whatever it takes, I don't care as long as we're together," Nyx said as she leaned forward to embrace him again. She was so happy to see how accepting Ion was and knowing that they were going to have a life together. It felt like her hopes and dreams were finally starting to come true.

Ion caressed Nyx's back as the two of them started to kiss passionately. They removed each other's clothes as they made their way into Ion's bedroom and onto the bed. Noticing that the cover to the nearby window was open, Nyx reached over to shut it as a precaution before they continued. The two were so preoccupied with passionate lovemaking that they failed to notice someone enter through the front door. It was not until they heard the distinctive sound of footsteps that they stopped immediately.

Nyx's heart sank as soon as she felt the rattle from the heavy boots hitting the floor. The lovers turned towards the door, only to find an enraged Jupiter glaring at them.

"It is true!" Jupiter exclaimed in shock as his hand grasped his sword. There was a fury in his eyes never seen before as Jupiter glowered at his twin brother.

"How can you betray me like this, she's my daughter!" Jupiter roared as he pulled out his sword.

Fearing her father might kill them, Nyx frantically looked around for something to help defend herself. A sudden breeze drew her attention to the window that was now wide open again. It was then that she noticed something shining on the windowsill. Closer inspection revealed a large dagger contained in a red and gold sheath and a red orb mounted on the tip of the handle.

Being nude and unarmed, Ion put his hands up defensively as he tried to explain himself. "Brother, I—"

But before Ion could say another word, Jupiter forcefully plunged the sword into his brother's chest. Ion's voice gurgled as he tried to breathe.

"NO!" Nyx screamed in horror.

Jupiter pulled out his sword, causing Ion's deceased body to fall to the ground.

Nyx could only see red as she unsheathed the dagger. Powered by the murderous rage flowing through her veins, Nyx raised the weapon as she leapt out of bed and onto her father, driving the blade deep into his throat. Nyx withdrew the blade causing the blood to flow freely from her father's neck wound.

Instinctively, Jupiter tried to flee but only travelled a few feet before falling to his knees. Nyx ran up from behind and plunged the large knife into the back of her father's neck, severing his spine. She left the knife in her father's body as she quickly ran back into the room to fetch her clothes.

After dressing herself, Nyx made her escape through the bedroom window to avoid suspicion. Once outside, she took off into the night sky, determined to flee the scene as quickly as possible. She travelled across the village under cover of darkness. She knew she had to get to her sister's place as soon as possible.

**οοοοοοο**

On the other side of the village, Tara, Blitz, and Spitha were still conversing around the dinner table when Adam entered the lodge with his travel bag in hand. Surprised by his early return, Tara immediately jumped from her seat and raced over to her partner with arms wide open.

"It's so good to see you!" Tara exclaimed as they embraced. "What brings you back so early?"

"The meeting was cut short," Adam explained.

"Where's Jupiter?" Blitz asked, wondering why he was not with Adam.

"He went to go find his brother," Adam replied. "Our allies are asking for assistance keeping rebels from invading their lands. Jupiter wants to gather a handful of kin that can assist."

Before Adam could continue, the front door opened. Nyx entered, looking pale as a ghost and her hair untidy like she had just awoken.

"What's wrong?" Blitz asked her daughter.

"Nothing," Nyx replied defensively.

"Where were you? Have you seen your father?" Blitz asked.

"No, I didn't even know he was back," Nyx replied, trying to sound casual while her heart was beating so rapidly it felt like it was going to rip through her chest. "I wasn't feeling well, so I cut practice short and went home to lay down. The house was still empty when I awoke, so I came straight over."

"I'm going to go find your father," Blitz said as she walked towards the entrance. The news of rebels had her worried, and she wanted to see her husband as soon as possible.

After Blitz exited the lodge, Adam gave Nyx a suspicious look. "But we stopped by Jupiter's lodge first. He said it was empty."

"I was sound asleep, father must have missed me," Nyx replied with a shrug.

"So, how was your trip?" Tara asked, changing the subject.

Before Adam could answer, a blood-curdling scream echoed across the village. Recognizing it as Blitz's scream, a look of fear appeared on Tara and Spitha's faces.

"You three go, I'll watch the girls," Spitha said as Tara, Nyx, and Adam rushed out of the home.

The three ran across the village to find a small group of kin gathered in front of Ion's lodge. Blitz was standing outside the front door with a bloody dagger in her hand. Tears were rolling down her face as she looked at the group in anger.

"WHO DID THIS?" Blitz yelled at the crowd as she held up the weapon. "Which one of you murdered them! I have your weapon! I know it was an Ifrit! Who did this?" She angrily shook the dagger in her hand while screaming.

Not one person said anything to the hysterical woman as she shouted accusations at the growing group of kin. Diana pushed her way through the crowd and tried to comfort the woman, but Blitz pushed her away.

"Mother! What's wrong?" Tara called out to Blitz once she made her way through the group.

Blitz started to break down crying as soon as she spotted her daughters. Tara ran up and held her mother.

"They're dead, both of them!" Blitz explained through sobs. "I found _this_ in your father's back," she said as she held up the weapon.

A look of horror crossed Tara's face as she processed the news. Tears started to flood her eyes while the two comforted each other.

Adam immediately recognized the dagger and took it from Blitz's hand for closer inspection. "That's my dagger," he admitted once he confirmed that it was his. "How did someone get this? I placed it in my chest for safekeeping before I left."

"But no one was in our lodge while you were away, except for mother and grandmother earlier today," Tara explained to her husband as she wiped away tears.

By now, almost every adult in the village was crowding around to see what had happened. Blitz knew the killer or killers were amongst them.

"This must have been a collaboration," Adam theorized. "No one kin would be strong enough to kill both of them."

"A clan must be behind this!" Blitz's male cousin, Fulger, shouted from the crowd. "It was an Ifrit's dagger, one of their clans must be responsible."

Now all the villagers were talking and murmuring amongst themselves. As families started to argue and blame one another, the mob began to grow louder.

"Please, everyone, remain calm," Adam pleaded. "The dagger was taken from my home. I think someone is trying to inculpate me."

"How do we know you didn't do it!" a male Undine said defensively.

"Someone took it from our lodge while he was away with father," Tara said in his defence.

"They were not due back until tomorrow," Fulger replied angrily. "The only people who knew of their early return was Adam and Jupiter!"

"What reason would Adam have to kill his father-in-law?" Adam's aunt asked in his defence.

"Isn't it obvious?" Fulger replied. "With Jupiter and Ion out of the way, he's next in line to be village leader."

Angered by the accusation against his son, Adam's father stepped out of the group to face Fulger. Like his son, Angi had a slimmer build with jet black hair that faded to red at the end and red eyes. "How dare you say such a thing!" he yelled at the man. "You have no right accusing him without any proof, Jupiter's daughter is saying he is innocent!"

The tension in the crowd was rising as everyone started to talk amongst themselves, placing blame with no proof or reason.

"I think it was an Undine," Adam's sister commented to her husband. "They always blamed the Aurora for driving the other clans away."

A small group of Undines overhead the comment and talked amongst themselves before one of them finally said something.

"How dare you accuse us without proof!" one of the blue-haired females shouted, causing Adam's sister to take a defensive stance.

Suddenly, a blast of fire hit the female Undine from behind, causing her to scream in pain. Her hair and feathers started to singe while a part of her dress ignited. Two nearby Undines came to her aid and quickly extinguished the flames, but not before a fight broke out amongst that side of the crowd.

Not one kin saw who sent that first attack, but it was no doubt the catalyst that ignited the ambiance of hatred and anger that had consumed the mob. The fighting spread like wildfire as the crowd erupted in chaos and kin started attacking one another.

Overwhelmed with violent rage, Blitz ran into Ion's lodge to retrieve Jupiter's sword. While Blitz joined the battle, Tara and Nyx stood in horror as they watched their friends, family, and loved ones violently attacked one another.

"Please, Mother! Why are you doing this? We have to stop the fighting!" Tara pleaded, but Blitz did not acknowledge her as she forcefully drove her sword through an unarmed male Ifrit.

Tears were flowing down Tara's face as she watched the chaos and destruction around her. Flames and bolts of electricity were crashing into the crowd as the villagers tried to kill one another. Tara was so preoccupied she failed to notice a ball of fire barrelling towards her.

"Look out!" Adam screamed as he jumped in front of the fireball to shield his partner. His pants became ignited by the attack, but he quickly extinguished the flames. With his dagger still in hand, Adam turned back to Tara and Nyx.

"Something's wrong," Adam informed the sisters. "You need to get the girls and flee the village!" he directed Tara as he forcefully pushed back an unarmed male Undine that was trying to fight him. "I have to try to stop this. I'll meet you at Beaumont!"

Obeying his orders, the sisters took off towards Tara's lodge. When they landed, they were surprised to find Spitha outside trying to fight Diana. Spitha took an aggressive stance as Diana defensively held her sword. It was a broadsword with a blue and silver handle, and a blue orb mounted on the handle's tip.

"Please stop this, Spitha. I don't want to hurt you!" Diana pleaded.

But the Aurora woman did not respond as her eyes started to glow, and a bolt of lighting came shooting from her hands. It nearly hit Diana directly as she dodged the attack, but it still managed to shock her. Diana fell to the ground, injured and convulsing.

"Grandmother, stop!" Tara pleaded, but Spitha ignored her.

Setting her sights on Tara, the older woman approached with glowing eyes, but Nyx intervened and started to wrestle the older woman.

"Go get the girls," Nyx directed Tara as she fended off her attacking grandmother.

Tara entered the lodge and raced to the bedroom, hoping to find the two girls sleeping. She was shocked to find their bed empty, causing her to look frantically around the room.

"Astraea! Arinitti!" Tara called out, then stopped to listen. She could hear the faint sound of sobbing coming from inside the room.

Spotting Adam's chest, she opened it and was relieved to find her two girls hiding inside. Both girls smiled through their teary eyes upon seeing their mother.

"Come, we have to go," Tara said as she picked her daughters up in her arms and exited the home.

Outside, Nyx had just finished overpowering Spitha, who was now lying unconscious on the ground. By now, the chaos had engulfed the entire village. Homes were ablaze all around them while the cries of women and children were audible over the fighting.

"Let's go," Nyx said as soon as Tara emerged with the girls.

"Wait, where's Diana?" Tara asked as she looked around.

In the distance, they spotted a visibly injured Diana approaching with her sword in one hand and an infant in the other. Next to her was another female Undine with black and ocean blue hair that was tied back in a braid. In her arms was a young redhead boy that was sobbing with his face nuzzled in her neck. Walking next to them were two children, a male and female Undine, appearing scared and confused by the chaos.

"We must flee the village," Tara said to Diana as they approached.

"I'm not leaving without Alexander. We lost him in the commotion," the braided woman explained, looking distraught. She was still dressed in her nightgown, having been awoken by the fighting. Around her neck was a blue orb amulet hanging off a silver coloured chain.

"Don't worry, Arroyo," Diana reassured her. "I'm not leaving until I find my brother and the rest of my clan. I'll help you look for your son."

"Take the little ones to safety," Diana said as she handed the baby over to Nyx. "We will meet you at the Beaumont sanctuary," she directed the sisters before she and Arroyo ran back towards the chaos on the other side of the village.

Being too encumbered with children to travel by air, the two sisters went to the field where they kept some livestock. With the largest animals being goats and sheep, there was nothing for adult kin, but it was common for younglings to ride goats effortlessly due to their size and lightness. Securing female ibexes for the oldest four children, Nyx used a long thick cloth to wrap the baby securely to her torso. Tara did the same with the redhead toddler by strapping him to her back.

It was nearing midnight by the time they exited the valley. The echoes from the fighting eventually dissipated as they followed the trail into the mountains. It was going to be a minimum of a sixteen-hour trek by foot to the nearest sanctuary, maybe longer because they were navigating the trail in the darkness. Exhausted and devastated, the group silently travelled through the mountains, many of them preoccupied with thoughts of their loved ones and the hope that they were not far behind.

**οοοοοοο**

**July 8** **th** **, 1777**

_Beaumont Sanctuary_

The Beaumont sanctuary was a beautiful property lying deep in a forested region of the mountains. It was a modest sanctuary, consisting of two cabins, a nearby stream, a garden, a chicken coup, goats, and a small stable.

The refuge belonged to a kin named Aegis and his children. Aegis was one of the only Gaia remaining in that area. Many years ago, when the rest of the Gaia clans contemplated leaving the village, Aegis was in love with a human named Padma. He refused to travel west with his family and ended up marrying her less than a year later. Unable to live in the kin village with a human, Aegis and Padma created Beaumont—a haven for kin and rest stop for any weary traveller. Being human, Padma died over a hundred years ago, but Aegis was not alone. The couple had three offspring, two girls and a boy of various ages. Despite not having wings, the human-kin hybrids possessed some kin characteristics such as a longer lifespan and other unique kin-like features that varied from sibling to sibling.

It was late afternoon by the time Nyx and Tara arrived at Beaumont. The youngest of Aegis' children, a pre-adolescent female named Prini, was outside washing clothes when she noticed the approaching group. She was a petite girl with brown skin, dark brown hair, and bright hazel eyes.

Spotting the two sisters travelling on foot with the group of children, Prini immediately knew something was wrong back at the kin village.

"Hello! What brings all you here?" Prini asked the travellers.

"Something happened last night, we had to flee," Nyx explained vaguely.

"Oh, no, what happened?"

Not wanting to discuss the incident in front of the children, Tara did not answer the question. "Where's Aegis? We must speak with him."

"He's inside."

Hearing his name, Aegis emerged from his home to greet the newcomers. He was a large man with dark brown hair, brown skin, and emerald green eyes. His big brown wings glistened in the sun as he stepped out to greet the visitors. Like his daughter, Aegis immediately noticed that something was amiss as soon as he spotted the weary group.

"Has something happened?" Aegis questioned the sisters.

"Can we discuss it in private?" Nyx asked as the baby started to fuss in her arms.

"Of course," Aegis replied, realizing the seriousness of the situation. He looked down at the small group of tired and frightened children, then smiled sympathetically. "You lot must be hungry," he said as they all nodded in agreement. As if on cue, Finn started to cry loudly in Nyx's arms.

"Saima!" Aegis called out.

Seconds later, an adolescent girl emerged from the home. Saima had similar features to Prini, but her eyes were a dark green.

"Would you mind making the little ones something to eat?" Aegis asked her.

"Yes, Father," Saima replied before walking over to fetch the crying baby from Nyx. Finn stopped crying and snuggled into Saima as soon as she picked him up.

"Let's go talk in the forge," Aegis directed the sisters.

Nyx and Tara followed Aegis behind the cabin, where another smaller structure stood. Inside Aegis' shop was a forge, anvil, heaps of metal, weapons, and tools amongst other random items the family had accumulated over time.

"What happened?" Aegis asked the two girls as soon as they entered the shop. "Your father and Adam stopped by yesterday for dinner. They said everything was fine."

"Father and Ion were murdered soon after they arrived last night," Tara said while trying to suppress the overwhelming emotions still lingering.

A shocked expression appeared on Aegis' face. "Disturbing news, indeed. I'm sorry for your loss," he said to the girls regretfully. "Did you find the party responsible?"

"No," Nyx answered quickly. "After it happened, the whole village broke out into chaos and started fighting amongst each other."

"Clans were trying to kill one another, I've never seen anything like it," Tara added.

"Our grandmother tried to kill us, it was like they were possessed with a blinding rage," Nyx explained.

Aegis' grim look deepened as he listened to the girls talk about the incident. "And you two felt fine?" he asked as he tried to piece together the cause of the tragedy.

The girls nodded their heads, prompting Angis to inquire further. "Besides you and the children, were there any other kin not affected by this rage?"

"A few," Tara replied as she tried to think. "Adam seemed fine and Diana."

"Arroyo was fine too," Nyx added, unable to forget the look on her face last night.

Aegis paused to think before asking the next question. "Did they have anything on them when this happened? Any weapons or jewelry?"

"Yes," Tara said, starting to see a connection. "Adam had his dagger, and Diana had her family's sword."

"Arroyo was wearing a necklace with a blue orb," Nyx remembered.

Aegis did not look pleased to hear this news. "Based on what you are telling me, it sounds like the whole village went berserk."

"What caused it," Nyx asked nervously. "Could a Venti have done this?"

"No, this does not sound like the work of any kin," Aegis answered with a grim expression. "I know of only one creature on this planet capable of causing a whole village to turn on each other like that."

"What kind of creature?" Tara asked, horrified that such a thing existed.

"I only know of him from stories passed on to me by my grandmother, she called him Bilai, but he was supposedly defeated by our ancestors thousands of years ago. It was your great-great-grandfather that led the crusade to destroy him before he founded the village."

Aegis paused for a second before his expression turned slightly panicky like he just realized something. "Did you see anyone unusual in the village last night? What happened to the others that were unaffected?"

"When we fled with the children, the others stayed behind to try to contain the situation. They said they would meet us here," Tara explained.

"We must be careful," Aegis warned. "This creature is a shapeshifter and can manipulate others. As you can see, he turned the whole village of kin against itself undetected."

"But why weren't we affected?" Nyx asked. "And how can certain items make someone immune?"

"Not just any item," Aegis said as he walked over to his anvil and picked up the large hammer positioned next to it. The metal hammer had a green and silver coloured handle with a bright green orb mounted on end. "This hammer is made of mythril and titanium. Each of our ancestors was gifted an item containing mythril before they arrived here from the old world. One of its many properties is that it will bring tranquillity and clear headiness to anyone touching it. You two were not affected because of the bangles you are wearing."

"I thought the bracelets Mother gave us was just plain gold jewelry," Nyx replied. "How do you know it's mythril?"

"I know because I made them," Aegis explained. "Your mother asked me to make four bangles using a piece of yellow mythril from your father's damaged shield." Aegis held up his hammer and slammed it down on the anvil so hard it created a flash of sparks. "The only thing strong enough to bend hot mythril is cold mythril. It's a good thing she decided to make them for you, or you two wouldn't be standing here."

"But that still doesn't explain why the children were unaffected?" Tara asked.

"I'm not sure, maybe they were too young to manipulate, or they were not seen as a threat," Aegis theorized.

As Aegis continued talking, Nyx was starting to feel overwhelmed with emotion as she listened to him. For years she had resented her mother for giving her the bracelets, but Aegis' words brought on a whole new wave of guilt. Along with the pre-existing torment from murdering her father, the feelings were starting to become too much to suppress. Suddenly, a wave of nausea washed over her as the smells of Aegis' shop began to aggravate the feeling, and her body screamed at her to find fresh air.

"Excuse me," Nyx mumbled before running out of the shop, stopping next to a tree. She braced herself, unable to suppress the queasiness any longer.

"Are you okay?" Tara asked, standing behind her vomiting sister.

"Yes," Nyx replied as she wiped some drool off the side of her mouth. "I'm trying to reconcile myself to what happened last night, but it makes me sick just thinking about it," she explained.

"Me too," Tara said sympathetically. "I still can't believe that father and Ion are gone. And no one else from the village has arrived yet. I'm starting to fear the worst. I should go back to see if they are okay."

"You're not serious?" Nyx asked her sister in disbelief. The thought of going back was starting to make her stomach turn again. "That creature took out our whole village without us knowing. What can you possibly do to stop it? What about Astraea and Arinitti?"

"There might be survivors that need our help. Adam might need my help," Tara explained.

"The best thing you can do to help Adam is stick to the plan. He is a skilled fighter. I'm confident he will make it."

"I hope you're right," Tara agreed with a worried expression. "Do you think we will ever be able to go back to the village?"

"I'm never going back," Nyx said firmly. "There is nothing for me back there, that village is cursed."

"Where are you going to go?" Tara asked, a little shocked by her sister's statement.

"I'm going to find the Venti clan that left the village. Ion said they would welcome us with open arms."

"How will you find them?" Tara asked, just as Aegis stepped out of his workshop.

"Aegis," Nyx called. "Do you know a Venti named Jacob? He brings supplies to our village a few times a year."

"Of course, I know Jacob," Aegis replied with a smile. "He was here last week. He said he was going to Kabul to visit some sanctuary in the city."

"There's a kin sanctuary in Kabul?" Nyx questioned.

"Yes, I was surprised to hear that, too," Aegis answered. "Could you imagine a whole clan of kin living amongst the humans? I tried it for a short period when I met my late wife. It's no way for kin to live. Travelling at night, always shielded from the sun—it's an unhealthy lifestyle."

"How do you expect us to get to Kabul with the children?" Tara asked her sister.

"I don't expect you to come with me," Nyx said flatly. The truth was, Nyx did not want Tara to join her. If Tara found out about the pregnancy, it would not take long for her to put everything together. The last thing Nyx wanted was her sister to find out what she had done, even if that meant never seeing Tara again.

"Let's worry about finding Adam and Diana first, then we'll look for Jacob," Tara suggested, starting to feel like this was moving along too quickly.

"I plan on leaving tomorrow."

"Why are you so unreasonable!" Tara exclaimed in frustration.

"I think it's best if we part ways," Nyx said bluntly.

Tara's expression immediately changed from frustration to shock. She then paused for a second before speaking. "Why?" she asked softly.

"I've wanted to leave for some time now, and after everything that's happened, I just need to be alone," Nyx said firmly.

"I never knew you felt this way," Tara said, trying to keep a straight face, but unable to hide the hurt look in her eyes. "Fine, if that's what you want," she added before turning to walk away.

Tara and Nyx avoided each other throughout most of the day. Neither of them said a word during dinner and the silence continuing late into the evening. While Tara was too upset with her sister to engage in conversation, Nyx welcomed the silence even with the understanding that this could be their last night together.

After getting the children to bed, Tara and Nyx sat in the guesthouse hoping someone from the village would arrive, but as more hours passed, that hope became more and more fleeting. Eventually, Tara fell asleep in the rocking chair, her exhaustion from the recent events finally catching up to her.

Nyx was equally exhausted but still awake as she looked out the window, thinking about tomorrow's solo journey. Having been with her sister since birth, the idea of starting a new chapter by herself brought on a mixture of emotions, but mostly just added to her longstanding fear of loneliness. The more Nyx thought about it, the more the negative feelings would consume her, making it impossible for her to fall asleep. She decided to exit the cabin to get some fresh air and clear her head.

When Nyx walked out, she noticed that it was unusually cold for July, but at least it was a moonlit night. The full moon illuminated the entire valley except for a forested area a short distance away. As she walked down to the nearby stream, she could make out a small figure leaning near the edge of the riverbank drinking the water. Thinking it was an animal at first, Nyx slowly approached to get a closer look. As she neared, she was surprised to discover that the small figure was a child. Thinking it was one of their wards having snuck out of the cabin, Nyx raced towards them, worried that they might fall into the stream. She quickly realized that she had never seen this boy before.

The boy stopped drinking and turned towards Nyx as she neared. The boy had unique features, nothing she had ever seen in a human or kin. He had light coloured skin with a strange grey hue that stood out against his dark grey hair. But what mesmerized her the most was his bright pink irises that appeared to glow against the surrounding darkness. She stopped in her tracks a few feet away from the boy, wondering if it was safe to approach.

Sensing her hesitation, the boy smiled. "Hello," he said calmly, appearing unfazed by the approaching stranger.

"Hi," Nyx said in a more cautionary tone.

"How are you feeling?" the boy asked sympathetically.

"Fine," Nyx lied. "How are you?" she asked, still slightly shocked by the boy's presence.

"Better now," the boy replied with a smile. Seeing Nyx's expression, a look of concern appeared on his face. "You don't have to put on a strong face for me. I'm here to help you."

"Help me?" Nyx asked. She was starting to wonder if this boy was a figment of her imagination, or perhaps the first step towards a mental breakdown.

The boy laughed. "Don't doubt yourself, you know I'm real." He paused for a second to admire her before continuing. "You are such a unique organism," he commented endearingly. "I've never sensed anything like it."

This caused Nyx's guard to go up immediately. "Who are you?" she demanded defensively. This was starting to get uncomfortably personal, and it was making her anxious.

"I'm Bennu," the boy said calmly. "But you shouldn't worry, I'm your ally. I thought I proved that to you already when I left you that gift."

Nyx immediately knew what he meant. "Were you the one who put the dagger in the window?" she asked, even though she felt like she already knew.

"Yes, you looked like you needed help. What your father did to you last night, he deserved punishment. Don't you agree?"

"You're the creature Aegis told me about, Bilai," Nyx said as she came to the realization.

"Bilai, I don't know that name," the boy replied with a shrug.

"Go away! I don't want your help!" Nyx knew this boy was bad news, and she could not handle any more death or destruction.

The boy did not move as a hurt expression appeared on his face. "I apologize if I hurt you, but when I witnessed your last chance of happiness destroyed, I couldn't stand by and do nothing. For years I stood by and watched your own kind mock and ridicule you behind your back. They needed to atone for their sins."

"Atone! You killed them!" Nyx replied angrily.

"I did not force them to fight one another. Their hearts were already filled with hate," the boy said.

"They didn't deserve to go like that, they were my family, my friends, some of them were good," Nyx explained. Her heart started to beat rapidly at the thought of being an unwilling contributor to the destruction of her village.

"Isn't this what you wanted?" the boy asked. "You wanted to be free from them. I finally gave you that opportunity."

"Yes, but not like this. Children lost their parents last night, my mother and grandmother did nothing wrong."

"But it was the only way you could be free," the boy said. "You know, deep down, they would have punished you for the one thing that brought you happiness."

"You don't know that," Nyx snapped.

"Yes, I do, and so do you," the boy replied in his calm demeanour. "Look at how your father reacted. He killed your lover, his brother. What do you think he would have done to your unborn if he found out? That is why he had to go; they _all_ had to go."

Listening to the boy speak was starting to stir a mixture of emotions Nyx had been trying hard to suppress. Unable to contain them any longer, her eyes began to sting as the tears flowed freely down her face. Nyx was so preoccupied with the boy she failed to hear someone approach from behind. Her heart immediately sank into her stomach as soon as she felt the presence of someone behind her. Paralyzed with fear, it took a few seconds for Nyx to force herself to turn around only to come face-to-face with Tara's husband.

Adam stood before Nyx with a look of shock and anger on his face. He was visibly injured with his right arm in a makeshift sling. He looked battered with dirt and dried blood covering most of his exposed skin.

"Is it true?" Adam demanded, having overhead most of the conversation. "You were the one who caused this? You murdered your father because he found out about you and his brother?"

Nyx started to panic as she felt like her heart was being ripped out of her chest. "No, it's not like that. I didn't want anyone to get hurt," she pleaded. She approached Adam, but he backed away in disgust.

"Does Tara know about this?" Adam demanded.

"No, please, you can't tell her!" Nyx begged, but Adam turned towards the cottage to find Tara. "Wait, no!" she called out as she ran after him.

Adam tried to pick up speed, but his injuries made it difficult to walk. "GET AWAY!" he yelled as Nyx caught up to him.

Using his uninjured hand, Adam pulled out his dagger and held it up as a warning, but Nyx was already on top of him. The two struggled on the ground, but Nyx effortlessly overpowered the injured man. She was now on top of him with the dagger in hand. Adam tried to call for help while Nyx attempted to silence him with her free hand over his mouth. Adam thrashed his head around, and after successfully freeing himself of her grip, he looked towards the cabins.

"HELP!" Adam called out just as his eyes starting to glow a bright red.

Adam had no other choice but to use his powers. Flames started to form in Adam's uninjured hand, when suddenly, Nyx plunged the dagger into his throat to silence him before stabbing him in the chest to finish the kill.

"Why couldn't you just listen to me," Nyx whispered as tears flowed from her eyes. Adam gave her no choice. There was no way she could let Tara find out.

Physically exhausted and emotionally drained, Nyx slowly stood up off her brother-in-law's body with the knife still clenched in her trembling hand. She took one look at him before glancing towards the water in search of the boy, but he was gone. She turned back towards the cabin and was mortified to find Tara stopping in her tracks, having just stumbled onto the scene.

As soon as she saw the mortified expression on her sister's face, Nyx's heart sunk further. She dropped the dagger in shock.

"You have to believe me, I didn't want to hurt him," Nyx said through tears as she took a step towards Tara, only to have her sister recoil in fear.

Unable to withstand the emotional pain any longer, Nyx turned to fly away, disappearing into the night sky. The horrified expression on Tara's face forever ingrained into her memory as the last time she would see her sister alive.

