Time Be Thine Anagnorisis, Part I Scott Iskow smiskow@wam.umd.edu *** *** *** *** This is my seventh attempt at fan fiction. If you want to have a more complete background of my (or anyone else's characters) I recommend reading those stories before this one. *** *** *** *** Athena, Ares, Gemini, Lazarus, Orpheus, Lilith, and Shiva belong to Ryan Stout (Proteus). Athena Resurrections Toil and Trouble Gemini Mutatis Mutandis A Taste of Things to Come A Stitch in Time The Mercures (Scott, Venus, Mistra), Cassandra, Eric, and the BioClan belong to Scott "Macbeth" Mercure. Old Times Full Moon Rising Old Surprises, New Friends Demona's Love Reborn Christine and Belinda belong to Jewel Faulkner. The Child Vissi d'arte In questa reggia Qui tollis peccata mundi Thy Hand, Belinda Without You Wat schal to me befall Con onor muore La Speranza Il Sangue Turandot Doman sara decisio Aiden belongs to Christine Morgan. Unfortunately, Christine has too many stories to mention (over 45). If you haven't read her stories, I highly recommend it. Age permitting, that is... Mars, Mark Adams, and Cerberus belong to me. The Gauntlet Instincts Existence The Kinsman False Subtleties Redemption (not part of current storyline) Everyone else belongs to Buena Vista. Not all characters are used or mentioned in this particular story, but may be used in future installments. I recommend reading their stories, which helps establish the "fanverse" that my characters live in. You might also want to read the beginning of "A Stitch in Time" so that you understand what exactly a "Shiva" is. Be warned that this story may have minor spoilers as well. Also, to avoid repetition, the disclaimers will not be in the following stories that are part of the "Anagnorisis" series. Just assume that disclaimers here also apply to future installments. *** *** *** *** Warning: The prologue, epilogue, and main story all take place in different time periods, but proceed from there in order. For example, the epilogue in Part I will continue in Part II, and so on. The main story begins around the same time as Ryan Stout's "A Stitch in Time." Below is a brief summary of what has already happened to the hybrid up to this point. You do not need to read any of the previous stories, but if you want to you're more than welcome. This story is rated PG13 for violence and language. Comments are welcome (and wanted). *** *** *** *** Previously: Mars is the biological son of Venus and Scott Mercure. He was genetically engineered by Thailog to be his own brand of Athena Unit, though called a Mars Unit, probably. To nullify the odds of a betrayal by this new weapon, Thailog programmed obedience into him to the point that Mars would be a mindless shell without Thailog to tell him what to do. Demona, however, had other plans for him. With Hunter's Moon approaching, the humans would be destroyed, and her child**, who is kept safe by the Mercures, would no longer have any need for protection. To make it up to the Mercures, she decided to exchange Mars for Mistra. Knowing full well that the Mercures wouldn't want a child without a mind, she made her own programming that allowed him to be independent of Thailog's programming in a time of danger. This act also served to preserve the boy, in case he would meet some bad luck. He first gained consciousness in Athens Incorporated.* Details are sketchy, but basically he got the sh!t beat out of him up until he gave Athena a memento to remember him by and vanished. Unbeknownst to Mars, his mission was to bring Thailog the head of Athena. As a result of that very first battle, he developed an irrational fear of Gemini. After running for a while, he had an encounter with Xanatos, decided he didn't like the man so much, and won himself a hollow victory against the human. Directly afterwards, he met the Manhattan Clan. How, might you ask, was he able to find the clan? Magic, of course. The clan took him in and trained him in the Gargoyle Way. He developed a kinship with Angela, whom he would later discover he was related to. They were cousins, and Goliath was his uncle. Mars became uncomfortable around Elisa Maza, because she looked so darned similar to Athena. Unfortunately, he has to keep it to himself since Elisa was allowing him to stay at her apartment, due to his unwillingness to go near Xanatos. Finally, Mars encountered the Mercures and stopped Demona from taking back possession of Mistra, her hybrid child.** *: Material borrowed from Ryan Stout (Proteus) **: Material borrowed from Scott "Macbeth" Mercure *** *** *** *** What is a man, If his chief good and market of his time Be but to sleep and feed? A beast, no more. Sure he that made us with such large discourse, Looking before and after, gave us not That capability and godlike reason To fust in us unused. Now, whether it be Bestial oblivion, or some craven scruple Of thinking too precisely on th' event-- A thought which, quartered, hath but one part wisdom And ever three parts coward--I do not know Why yet I live to say, "This thing's to do," Sith I have cause, and will, and strength, and means To do't. Hamlet "The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark" *** *** *** *** Prologue: The Rest Is Silence Blood. He was covered in blood. His opponent's. He held the human's body in his taloned grip, looking at him with such intensity, willing him to die. He didn't care about anything else at that moment. Only that this human suffer. The human looked shocked. That made sense. After all, Mars had assaulted him from behind. The battle had died down. Both Athens' and Xanatos' forces ceased fire when Mars ran amok. For a brief moment, they worked together to take down Thailog's genetically engineered hybrid... until they realized why he was upset. The human took one last breath, and he went limp, his head falling back. Drained, Mars took a look around himself. All eyes were on him, including that of his clan. This was his greatest fear. Now, they knew the truth, that he was not, in fact, a gargoyle, but an abomination posing as one. He had no more protective instincts than humans did. And he killed. That, above everything else, formed the barrier between human and gargoyle. Not only that, but the *way* he killed strengthened the barrier. And they knew. They knew he was weak. Gemini... Fresh tears stung his eyes and chilled his cheeks. My love... *** *** *** *** November 7, 1996 10:20 pm (give or take) He sat perched on the roof, his glowing eyes taking in the sight before him. Athens Inc. hadn't changed a bit. At least, not in spirit. They may have changed their name to Sparta, and they may have cut down some of the larger trees that surrounded the place, but it was the same old building that he'd fought his way out of. As much as he hated to be near it, morbid curiosity played a large roll here. The last time he was here was weeks ago, when that same curiosity wanted him to witness the wedding of Daniel Straussmore/Ares and the android Athena. It was quite a party. Too bad Mars wasn't invited. He was bitter, he didn't deny that, but most of all, he was jealous. Ares and Athena seemed to be focal points for everything that happened in Manhattan, while Mars seemed to be one to sleep through everything. He'd slept through the destruction of the clock tower and the near-death of his cousin, Angela. He'd even missed the death of his creator, Thailog, while in the midst of sulking. For once, he wished he were more like the Areses so that he could at least *try* to handle problems instead of missing them altogether. In his mind, he'd already forgiven them for what they'd done to him on his first night of sentience. He couldn't blame them, really. That, however, didn't mean he should assume that *they* had forgiven *him*. What Mars had done to Athena... He shuddered. A few seconds more, and Athena would have been Kentucky fried. Therefore, wariness was still his main goal. Gemini was another story. Where he should have been wary, he was downright petrified. She frightened him to tears on their first meeting, and now he had an idea why. It was so obvious, that he could almost slap himself. In Gemini, he saw both of his creators. She had Thailog's dark skin and eyes, and she had Demona's body and hair. It was illogical to be afraid of her for just those reasons-- Gemini never did anything of consequence to him--but it was a reaction that he simply couldn't help. The wedding had been marvelous, and that was when watching it from hiding. He wished he was on better terms with Athena... but he would be *damned* if he ever set foot on the place. He turned around 180 degrees and stared up at the castle perched atop Xanatos' Eyrie Building. He would be damned if he ever set foot in there, too. His memories might have been erratic, but it was hard to forget everything that Xanatos had done to him. He supposed he could forgive his first transgression... indeed, it was only the latest one that had Mars on edge. The billionaire had constructed clones of Mars. Three of them. Mars tried to communicate with them, but they were killed before he could determine whether they were truly alive. Mars didn't know what explanation Xanatos gave Goliath, but it seemed to work. Mars sighed. Xanatos had his clan wrapped around his tiny human fingers. He stood there, between the two buildings for a minute or so, then crossed his arms. "Harumph. Who needs you?" he said to both of them. Suddenly, his thoughts were vanquished by sounds of destruction. Mass destruction. He looked toward Times Square, the source of the disturbance and-- Is it just me, he asked no one in particular, or can I actually *see* the guy causing this mess all the way from here? Jesus, how big *is* that guy? He must be a tank! He was about to dive into action, when, from the smoke of the destruction, a huge projectile was launched and aimed for the castle. "No!" he gasped. His clan was in danger! He had to do something... Without a moment's thought, he stepped off the building just as the missile passed. Using his enigmatic powers, he hovered in the air just long enough to aim himself at the missile. Glowing like a small sun, he launched himself from an invisible cannon, rocketing toward its tail, rivaling its speed. He had to destroy it *now*, he realized, or his clan was dust. It's getting a might warm here, he thought. Was it the missile, or was he overexerting his powers? Usually, overexertion gave him a chill up and down his spine and in his chest, but he'd never felt heat before. The missile, then. In seconds, he was alongside the thing, racing it. It was heading for the castle's foundation. Unless diverted, the damned thing would make Wyvern topple over. He reached out and gave it a good whap, hoping that he had enough strength. It spiraled out of control, missing the focal point. Instead, it hit the castle right around the time Mars did. 10:23 pm "Ouch," Mars said, brushing himself off. "I *did* ask for this, didn't I? I could have simply accepted that I always missed out on all the crises, but nooooo! "Ow!" he yelped more forcibly. His skin stung from brushing himself off, as well as from the hundreds of blisters that resulted from the heat of the missile. "That's the last time I play tag with an explosive. Next game, I forfeit!" He was in the courtyard. Or, rather, in a huge hole smack dab in the middle of the courtyard. The projectile must have made a hole in the castle's side that Mars passed straight through. That was as simple an explanation as any. All in all, he was relieved that the castle was spared for the most part. Shards of broken glass had found their way into his blisters, and he knew he would feel this one for a while. He looked around, and noticed with some surprise that no one else was there. Could it be that the clan had something better to do than hang out at the castle every time there was an explosion? Naaaah. Amazing, he thought, examining himself. His magic must have protected him. He'd certainly have been a goner if he were, well, *normal*. One of these days, he really needed to sit down with Venus and talk about all the skills that he wasn't quite sure how to control. One of these days. He made his way over to the hole created by the explosion. Under the circumstances, he doubted Xanatos would make such a big deal about this. He was rich; he could afford it. Right now, however, he was certain of just one thing: He would find the monster who dared to assault his clan, and he was gonna *nail* the bastard. 10:24 pm The massive collection of armor, circuitry, and genetic tampering looked around at the wasteland that used to be Times Square. And he looked at the flattened heaps of metal that were once vehicles. And he looked at the scattered bits that used to be human limbs. And he looked at the glass that still rained from shattered windows. And Shiva saw that it was good. 10:25 pm Mars was on fire with magical fury. Like the rear of a comet, a tail of bright flames followed him. Within seconds, he found the transgressor and, heedless of this being's menacing shape, dove into him. A collision like that would have gone straight through a human, a car, and a boulder without stopping, leaving behind singed holes in those objects. All it did to the bad guy was knock him backward and make him fall on his ass. "What?" it shrieked in surprise, its voice sounding like a collection of condemned souls. Mars hovered before it. "Oh. It's only *you*." The behemoth stood, not even wobbling. Before Mars could wonder how he was recognized, the being said one simple word: "Scram." It happened so fast that the pain didn't even register until he hit the ground. The being had lashed out with his scythe-like claws, each almost as tall as Mars. It hit the hybrid with such strength that he must have been hurled somewhere just outside of Manhattan. He'd hit the ground before he could determine which way was up, and therefore did not have time to attempt to hover. He slid, his back scraping the ground, creating a trench after himself. After a moment, he opened his eyes... and regretted it. 10:26 pm "Where are those cops?" Shiva mused aloud. "I need more things to blow up." In the distance, he heard sirens. "Ah... It's about bloody time." BEFORE SUNRISE Goliath and Elisa shared no words until he dropped her off back at her apartment. For a while, they just stood outside on the balcony, staring out at the city. The others had gone back home, recovering not only from wounds, but from the confusion of all that had happened. They didn't know the whole truth, though. Goliath and Elisa were the only ones in this time who did. And now... they had to decide what to do about it. Goliath looked down at the human beside him. She was in pain. A silent pain. One that Goliath couldn't protect her against--not that she needed protecting, being a police officer. His instincts cried out for him to do something. Anything! He was about to speak, when she, without looking at him, beat him to it. "So." Grim, Goliath thought. Understandable. "What do you think about all this?" "I think a more important question would be 'What do you think we should *do* about all this?'" he replied. "My experiences have taught me one thing about the Phoenix Gate--It fulfills history." Elisa still didn't look at him. "So, apparently, history is immutable." "Uh, yes," Goliath stammered, remembering the last time he'd heard someone say that. "Unacceptable." Elisa looked him dead in the eyes. "We can't just give up on them! We can't give up on Belinda. My *gut* is telling me that we've got to do everything in our power to stop this... *thing*... from occurring. I won't just sit idly." Goliath felt defeated. She didn't understand the Gate. He learned all about its methods when he attempted to save Griff. Griff *had* to disappear, and Fate made sure that he would never return home... until Goliath found a loophole. "There is nothing we can do," Goliath said, "short of removing all involved from this time period and returning them to a time after the key events take place. And, even so, we know not when exactly those events take place. Besides... the Phoenix Gate would find a way to bring them back. No matter what we do, Shiva will be born. We've already seen evidence of that." Elisa rubbed her temples. "Time travel is such a headache! You're saying we can't do *anything*. I just can't accept that, Goliath. Everything inside of me is *screaming* to do something. I'm not just going to sit and watch." Goliath looked down at his human love. He felt for her. She just didn't understand time-travel. It was like a river. If you stood in it, it went around you and continued on its way. Still, he had to say something. The truth. He reached out and touched the side of her face. "Anything we do, Elisa, will be fine." "Gee, that just fixes *everything*, Goliath," she said bitterly. Why was he being so withdrawn? I thought that gargoyles were a bundle of instinctive urges to *protect*. And here, Goliath is willing to just sit and *watch*? "I should leave," Goliath said. "I am not helping." "No kidding." He looked positively crestfallen. He turned, opening his wings-- "Wait, Goliath." She grabbed his arm. "I... I'm sorry." "I am as well. I wish I could do more, but..." "I know, I know... 'History--even future history--cannot be changed,' yadayadayada. But we have *time*, Goliath." God dammit, she didn't want to be alone right now... "At this point, the most important thing is to reevaluate our relationship with Athens. If we know what happens, then maybe we should sever our ties. Cut our losses." "And risk Shiva's wrath when the time comes? The first thing he'd do is come after us. There are still things we do not know. For instance, where are *we* in the future? Where will *they* be? Will Shiva kill us? Those are the events that we can still prevent. If we remain on good terms with Athens, then Shiva might... spare us." Coward! Goliath felt like he was giving up a part of his soul for every word he spoke. "Besides, do we dare hold them accountable for crimes not yet committed? That is almost as ludicrous as someone arresting me now for a Viking's death one thousand years ago!" Elisa nodded. Goliath made sense, even though the likelihood of Shiva showing "mercy" was a stretch of the imagination. "Okay, I'm with you on this one. We stay friends with Athens. Besides, it's only a matter of time before Athena's baby is born, and I don't want to miss out on that! Maybe they'll throw another party. You never know who--or *what*--will show up at one of those." Goliath nodded, slightly amused. "Then we are agreed in that respect. And, in turn, I agree with *you*. We cannot just *allow* things to happen. But I am afraid there is nothing we can do right now, with so few details available to us. We need... time." Elisa slid her arm around his waste, sighing. "Big Guy, we've got plenty of *that*." She spat the word, as though it tasted sour. Mars did his best not to think about anything as he limped back to Elisa's. Right now, he had a migraine, and any attempt at flight would make his head pop like a balloon. So he walked to Elisa's, taking alleyways where no one of consequence would see him. He was wounded, internally and externally. It would probably be a whole *week* before the scars disappeared. It was amazing... he had enough power to level a building, but the bad guy still got away. At least, Mars thought while looking around, he got away from *me*. He eventually found Elisa's apartment, closer to sunrise than he wished. Holding his breath, he rocketed up to her balcony, wanting nothing more than to hibernate for the day. His head was throbbing when he touched down. He opened the window and dripped into her apartment. He went for the couch, (where he normally slept), but found Goliath and Elisa snuggling there. As if he weren't nauseous enough... "A*HEM*!" he coughed. "Does this mean I get to sleep in Elisa's bed tonight? Goliath, you'll flatten the thing when you turn to stone. Would you *please*--!" "Don't even *start*, Mars," Elisa said without looking at him. "We've had a bad night." Mars looked down at himself. His shirt was torn off by the bad guy's swat. Deep marks were all over his body, with blood that dripped faster than it dried. He ached all over, even more than after that fight with Athena, and *she* had a bad night? If they'd simply *look* at him, then they'd see... No. No one would ever see Mars. He was the one that everyone passed over. Even Fate herself ignored him, causing him to miss crucial events where he could have made a difference. No. Fate was against him. Someone didn't want him getting involved, and that was reason enough *to* get involved. If he wanted to make a difference in this world, then he had to be stronger than the forces against him. He had the powers, didn't he? It wasn't like he was helpless. If he could hone his skills, (and stop spending his free hours in isolation with a book), then not even Fate could stop him. He would be a force to be reckoned with, even if it killed him. Mars' eyes glowed with a determination he'd never felt before. For the first time in his life, he had a mission. He walked toward the couch, ready to speak with Goliath on the subject. There were a million things that Mars could do, but the most important thing was to consult his peers. As he approached, he noticed vaguely that he felt drained. He was about to say so, but, with a brief, guttural moan, he collapsed. *** *** *** *** LATER *** *** *** *** Lilith walked with a very silent, very precise stride through the darkened corridors of Gen-u-tech. She cradled a particle beam weapon in her arms like a newborn child. In a pouch tied to her belt, she had a disk with the Coldstone Virus on it, supplied to her thanks to her new master, Ares. The plan was simple. Too simple. She need only get in, download the appropriate files to a CD, infect the network, and get out. The job could have easily been completed with a modem connection, but those things had a nasty habit of being traceable. The whole ordeal was obviously a test of her abilities, and Lilith was happy to oblige... but she wouldn't mind if some unexpected guests showed up so that she could show off her... other ...talents. After avoiding security cameras for a while, she found what she was looking for. She sat smoothly into the chair, shifting her tail anxiously to one side. She *lived* for stuff like this... The office she'd just broken into belonged to one of the higher-ranking employees. Dismantling the motion sensors was a piece of cake. Very soon, she was hacking her way into the system until she found all the information anyone could ever want on genetic monstrosities such as Talon and his fellow mutates. A sound echoed from the other end of the sub-basement. Lilith's secondary programming went up a notch. She looked back at the computer when it beeped, indicating the successful download. She removed the CD with one hand, and inserted an old-fashioned floppy with the other. The Coldstone Virus should spread throughout the network now, destroying all the data. This would set Xanatos back several years in his research, if it didn't ruin his project altogether. Without Dr. Sevarius, the odds of Xanatos repeating the experiments that *provided* the data were practically nil. More importantly, the virus was in the process of destroying that which would soon be in the sole possession of Daniel Ares and Athens Incorporated. Not bad for her first night on the job. Lilith allowed herself a slow smile her ivory-white, needle-sharp teeth only hinted at. "Step away from the terminal." Lilith had known they were coming for some time. Though her mission objectives required caution, she couldn't help herself. She could always tell Ares that they got the drop on her. After all, he didn't know that she was an Athena Unit, and had she been anything *but* an Athena Unit, they *would* have gotten the drop on her. She swiveled her chair so that she faced the newcomers. She smiled sweetly at the two of them, a façade she often used. "Well, if it isn't my old leader! Back from Japan so soon, Bio One? Number Two, it does my heart well to see you fully functional... That is, if I *have* a heart." She smiled predatorily. "Four?" Bio One looked surprised, calling her by her old, numeric designation. Lilith knew, however, that Bio One was not truly surprised. Merely programmed to *appear* so when the appropriate situation arose. Lilith wasn't a program. She was her own being, pure and simple, and she looked down at the two robots with pity. They didn't know what they were missing... and they never would. Lilith snatched her laser from the desk beside her and fired in one swift motion. It seemed to be Number Two's destiny to be constantly damaged and re-repaired, and this time was no different. The laser sliced through the female Bio's waist before she'd even uttered a sound. Bio One dove sideways, but Lilith was on him. At that moment, she wished her adversaries were alive, so she could *revel* in their raw emotions... but this would have to do. She butted him on the head with her weapon. His head snapped back, but rebounded. He was made of tougher stuff than before, but what did that matter to an Athena Unit? She would win, simply because losing was impossible. She straddled her former leader, who tried feebly to push her off. If Lilith didn't want to move, then she couldn't *be* moved. Finally, deciding that there wasn't enough challenge (or blood) to keep the fight interesting, Lilith took the laser and severed the robot's head from his shoulders. The CPU was still intact, so odds were that she would be pounding on him again in the near future. For kicks, she scooped up his head, setting aside the laser, and threw the lifeless ball to the other side of the room. It landed cleanly in a wastebasket. Her hands convulsed into fists as her arm pumped the air. "*Swish!*" Lilith looked around, noticing as an afterthought that the computer was still functional, despite the ruckus. Bonus. She looked at the inoperative One, and the writhing Two. "Catch ya later," she laughed sweetly, picking up her gun. "It's been a real..." She glanced at the decapitated One. "Slice!" She stepped courteously over Bio Two on the way out. Mission accomplished. Her new master would be pleased. David Xanatos sat back in his chair, steepled his fingers, and counted to ten. There was a bright side to this, he reminded himself. There was *always* a bright side, simply because Xanatos never lost. Losing was an impossibility. Every great defeat had always earned him a small, secret victory. That was how it was with David Xanatos. He couldn't lose. Not really. Now, as he looked at the reports, he struggled in vain to find that nearly elusive silver lining in this dark cloud. Gen-u-tech was hit. Hard. Whoever was responsible had bypassed all the security measures, including his BioClan robots. His computers at Gen-u-tech were wiped clean by something that could have only been the Coldstone Virus, (which Xanatos was quite sure he was the sole possessor of). The research would have been lost forever, had Xanatos not kept a copy of the data right here in the Eyrie. Still, the fact that someone could go in, infect the computers, go out, and still be *alive* did not bode well for his being able to *keep* the information. What was to stop the intruder from coming to the Eyrie and doing the same thing? Then, the info would be lost permanently. As it was, Gen-u-tech was set back several weeks until the programmers could isolate the virus. On second thought, it would be cheaper to simply buy new computers. He could afford it, (and there simply was no way to combat the virus). His mind thought again about the unseen attacker. He knew in his gut that Athena was the only one with the speed and resources to go in and out undetected, but he'd been keeping tabs on her, and she hadn't left Ares' side since the battle in Times Square. There appeared to be a new player in the game, Xanatos thought. As if there weren't already *enough*. Sitting up, he suddenly realized that he'd found his silver lining: Once the Bio robots were repaired, they would be able to relate the entire story to Xanatos in flawless detail. He'd be able to know who this shadow stalker was, and he would be able to strike at him... or her... or *it*. There, that wasn't so bad, Xanatos sighed. I'll recover; I always do. And as an added bonus, I'll be able to nail the bastard... or bitch... that did this. Things were never as bad as they seemed. Ares looked at Lilith calmly as he lay immobile on the medical bed within the Sparta Tower. They were alone, save for the rhythmic beeping from the machine that kept track of his heart rate. She'd told him exactly what happened, in every detail. He only listened patiently for her to finish. Then: "My cane." She looked where the hooked staff sat against the wall out of his reach. Intrigued, she said, "You will attempt to walk?" He'd been very much against the idea of using the cane. He said that he depended on no one but himself. Lilith liked when he got all macho; turned her on. "Just give it to me. I need it." How odd, Lilith thought as she reached for the item. She handed it to him without question, wondering just how macho he was. She was rewarded with a conk on the head. "I *knew* this thing had its uses," Ares said, examining it for the first time. Lilith sat back, unfazed and relieved. He set the item against the wall beside his bed, and stared at Lilith with enough fire in his eyes (especially the left one) to reveal that he was holding nothing back now. "Next time, you will follow the mission objectives to a *tee*, you understand? The whole point of this was to *avoid* detection, and you botched that one up *royally*. I am in *no* condition to defend against an attack by Xanatos... or anyone *else*, for that matter. It would be wise of you to take that into account next time." Lilith just shrugged. "Couldn't be helped, Master." "Ares. Just Ares," he corrected. "The Bio robots are an inferior design. I simply had to show them why." "Next time, destroy their CPUs. Xanatos is no doubt looking forward to their reports once they're reactivated." Lilith shrugged again. "You wanted me in and out as fast as possible. I didn't have the time to destroy them." "Yet you had the time to scoop up Bio One's head and treat it like a basketball?" Lilith smiled sadistically. "Couldn't resist, Master." "Ares," he corrected. Sighing, he laid back into the cushion, looking for the comfortable imprint he'd made over the last week. "At least you did everything else. The technology is out of Xanatos' hands, at least for a few weeks. He won't be making anymore monsters in that amount of time," he said, remembering one in particular... "But the most important thing is that *we* have it all. I might *finally* be able to cure Talon and the mutates... if he still *wants* to be cured, that is. He seems quite happy to be a bat-winged, cat-faced freak'o'nature. I just can't believe that something *good* came out of my working for Xanatos." Lilith stood up, rolling her eyes, not wishing to hear such weak musings. She had more important things to do... like planning the next avenue of attack. It would be some weeks before One and Two were back online, which gave her that much time to figure out how to proceed. The master wants that technology out of Xanatos' hands, she thought. It shall be done. Ares watched Lilith as she departed without a moment's hesitation. One second she's more obsequious than Owen Burnett, and the next she's ignoring him and doing things in her own way. She had the skills, sure, but there was just something... odd... about her. There was only one word to describe Lilith: Inconsistent. "Hmph. She's good... but she's no Athena." At least with Athena, he knew where he stood... always. That thought lingered until he fell asleep. Athena watched the monitor, chowing down on some pizza while watching her husband slumber. He'd almost died, she realized. And I couldn't do anything about it... Never again. She fought against every impulse and instinct that demanded she go in there and rest beside him. Right now, the best thing for him to do was get plenty of rest. She'd have to talk with Lilith later to make that known to her. She didn't know what the two of them were talking about, (even though she could read lips), but Daniel wasn't well enough to make sudden movements like (Athena made a weird face) bopping her on the head with his cane. Athena got the feeling she did *not* want to know what they were talking about... Still, she conceded, Lilith *is* the new girl in town, and as such, Athena was willing to let some things go. Give her enough time, the android thought, and she'll find her roll in this odd little society that seemed to be created for the weirdoes of Manhattan. The door creaked open slowly, and Athena knew right away that it was Gemini. The girl was too bashful to barge in, and too worried about how weak she would look if she knocked. She was far too concerned about appearances, as if her newfound father would reject her when he found them. Truthfully, he already knew about them, so Athena didn't know why Gemini was always doing the "façade thing." "Come in," Athena said, smiling wryly without looking at her. Gemini hesitated a moment, apparently wondering if the situation warranted coming in without knocking... She was interrupted when six glowing eyes appeared hovering in the shadows and started walking toward her with a low growl. "Down, boys," Athena said to the eyes. "It's just Gemini." The eyes turned upward, growls turning to whimpers after hearing Athena's chide. They retreated back to the shadows, nothing but dead silence following it. She motioned for the shapeshifter to have a seat next to her. Gemini complied, albeit nervously. She was a jittery little thing, Athena figured. That's what too much coffee will do to you. "You wanted to see me?" Gemini said roughly. A little *too* rough. Athena was about to tell her so, but thought better of it. Whatever her issues were, they were hers and hers alone. If she found a mate, then she could make them *his* issues, too. Until then, Athena decided not to worry about it. "Yes," Athena said. "I like how you handled the situation with the Dark Ones," she said quickly, to the point. "I know you are a competent businesswoman..." She leaned over and patted the girl on the arm. "And a loyal friend. Right now, more than ever, we're going to need your help. With Daniel... in his condition... I'm afraid I can't completely trust my judgment. I need you to watch over things. I know you've been doing that for a few weeks already, but you're the only one I can trust to do it." Gemini was quick to respond. "I can do it. I won't let you down." Athena smiled weakly, feeling like she was going to collapse. "Thank you. Can you start tomorrow?" "Sure. No problem!" she said with forced enthusiasm. Daniel's situation was hurting her, too, but Gemini was driven by something much stronger than love. When the girl had left, Athena looked back at the monitor, watching her husband sleep. She wished she could be with him... Dammit! That bitch told her he wouldn't die when she kidnapped him, but she said *nothing* about *this*! If she ever found that time-traveler again... She forced herself to relax. Now wasn't the time for plotting vengeance. Daniel didn't need the mother of his child to run out and risk her life on some vendetta. There were more important things. Shiva was his name. Very well, then; Shiva would be his goal. Mars stood on some randomly selected roof, his legs spread and his knees loose. He was poised for action, with glowing hands that convulsed into fists. He'd convinced the trio to help him out, much to their reluctance. He could understand it, though; it's not everyday that someone requests that you hurl blunt and heavy objects at him. Indeed, *that* only occurs every *other* day. His jaw, a bit less sharp than his uncle's, was firm, his lips pressed forcibly together, teeth clenched. With a slow dip of his head, his too long hair fell over his face, but a nod was still a nod. Brooklyn began the first barrage, first throwing one experimental brick to make sure that Mars could actually repel them. Then, satisfied, he threw objects in groups of two and eventually three. What Mars couldn't hit with his flaming fingers, he swatted aside with an elbow or a forearm. When Brooklyn was almost halfway through their pile of junk-promoted-to-projectiles, Lexington began tossing the sharp objects. Mars insisted that he aim to kill, but Lexington didn't trust Mars' inconsistent abilities to help him one hundred percent of the time, so he missed deliberately, but not by too much. The point of the whole exercise, he figured, was to test Mars' reaction speed and to discover whether his magical powers guided his actions like the Force in "Star Wars." So far, Mars was doing a pretty good job destroying the incoming objects, but a few still got by him. He looked like he was in a trance, and Lexington didn't like the idea of action without awareness. After all, without awareness, what was to distinguish that person from a machine? Broadway had the job of throwing the larger, heavier objects. He rolled tires at the hybrid, as well as a bowling ball which he hoped to salvage after this little ordeal. His hopes were shattered when Mars blasted the ball like he had so many other items that night. Ah, well, he thought. At least he knew what to tell Angela to get him for his hatching day. He wished he were with her *now*, instead of helping Mars learn how to waste time by blowing things up. He had a feeling that the hybrid was a pyromaniac waiting to happen... "Faster!" Mars yelled. "You can do better than this!" For god's sake, he muttered to himself, they were so *slow*! How did they expect him to learn about his powers if they weren't willing to push him to the limits? His whole body was now on fire with undefined magic. Each flame flicked outward, tasting the air. Somehow, Mars need only to *desire* something to be done, and the flames would do it. It was almost subconscious. The flames would snap out like a snake's tongue to destroy some approaching object, and all Mars could remember doing was seeing the object for a brief second before it was vaporized. It took him a few seconds before he realized that no more were being thrown at him, the indirection causing the magical flames to run amok. The trio hopped from foot to foot before Mars stopped himself from vaporizing *them*. He was *seething*. The ordeal gave him such a rush... and he didn't even *notice* it until afterward. He zoned out during the exercises, and woke up afterwards with an adrenaline high. The memories of the experience felt like a strange dream, but at least he didn't have that dreadful *chill* this time. The trio stared at him, not sure if he was in his right mind. Their friend had just *attacked* them... at least it appeared so. He didn't look like he knew what he was doing, but that would only prove him to be that much more unstable. The clan was always afraid on some level of what kind of power Mars had, never quite sure of them. They were relieved when Mars developed some more gargoyle-like traits, but his powers were always present in those wings that he crafted out of them. They only realized this *now*, as they saw a feral creature on the other side of the roof--not the one whom they had begun to call "brother." This creature was snarling and looked very, very hungry... "Mars?" Brooklyn ventured, hoping that the boy would recognize his voice. Mars blinked once, twice, then shook his head. The trio looked wary of him. Could he blame them? He'd pretty much blanked out there as some alien force took control of him. Well, not "alien," exactly. It was his powers, and his powers were a familiar presence. They'd been through a lot together... And Mars knew practically nothing about them. That situation would have to be remedied. He'd never been so utterly defeated as he was when he *attempted* to face Shiva. Even being beaten up by Athena, he managed to get in the last word and escape. But Shiva... not even a minute into the battle-- No, not a *minute*. It took him a minute to *land*. He'd faced Shiva for all of ten seconds before he'd been hit. If he'd known more about himself and his powers, he might have been able to prove himself a worthy challenger, at *least*. Now he would never know, for Shiva would be out of the picture for some time. "Mars, we're heading back," Brooklyn said in a hurry. "You coming? Or are you going back to Elisa's?" Mars frowned. Brooklyn had been trying to convince Mars to join the clan at the castle, but Mars declined time and again. Xanatos was... Xanatos was *Xanatos*. He would always *be* Xanatos. Mars doubted he would ever trust the man who had lied and killed without conscience so many times. "Nah, I'm gonna patrol for a bit more." "Not too much more," Broadway warned. "It's less than an hour till dawn." "I'll watch myself," Mars promised. "Good." *Someone* had to, Brooklyn thought. The trio left Mars, heading in the opposite direction. They were unsure about a lot of things: Enemies-turned-allies, thousand year-old Hunters, redeemable qualities in Demona, and now *this*. Mars was undergoing a change. Whether it would be better in the long run, they couldn't tell. Mars watched them glide off, feeling a chill crawling down his neck. He knew something was wrong via the strange looks he'd gotten, but that didn't disturb him so much as the *fear* he felt. It took him a while to pin it down, but he found it: He was in this by himself. Before, whenever he needed help his clan was always there. Ever since his cousin Angela extended her hand in aid, he knew he'd found himself a group of people he could trust. And now... His powers were simply beyond their area of expertise. Yes, that was it. They didn't help him because they didn't know *how*. He should have known that this would have happened eventually. He couldn't spend his whole life with his hand being held. It... it was time to leave the nest. He looked at his talons, one then the other. Then, he looked up at the retreating forms of the ones who'd taken him in. I'm alone, he thought. His head fell, his brown hair falling before his eyes. "A little more than kin... and less than kind." He looked up again and saw that the trio was no longer within sight. Then, he turned around and went in his own direction. "Hello?" "Hi." "Elisa? Hi! How're you doing?" "I'm doing okay, Athena. How are things at Athens?" "Things are doing fine... Gemini's a great help. What about you? It's been about a week since... Since. You never even called to see if Daniel survived." "I knew he'd survive." "You did? Well, you could have let me in on it, girl. It could have saved me a lot of anguish, let me tell you!" "Athena..." "...What? What is it?" "There's something you need to know... about Daniel." "...What?" "He's... Well, Goliath and I found out that... Well, we *think* that... "..." "Elisa?" "Yeah?" "What were you about to say?" "Um... Goliath and I think that... he's going to need you... so he can recover." "Oh." "... "Well, I just wanted to check in." "Thanks. You really ought to come by and visit sometime." "Careful, Athena, I might just take you up on that offer." "Warning noted and logged, Elisa. Keep in touch. "Oh, why don't I give you my office number?" "Okay. E-mail it to me. I don't have paper and pen handy." "Okay. Well, good-bye, then." "...Good-bye." Elisa dropped the phone in place, disconnecting the link between herself and her double. It was just so frustrating! Why couldn't Elisa just tell Athena the truth about Daniel? There was nothing stopping her... except Fate... but people make their own fate. Fate doesn't make her own people. Elisa oughta pick up that phone and just *tell* her... She'd sound like a first-rate *looney*, but still... Aw, forget it. Goliath was right. They had no choice but to wait and see. "Elisa." The policewoman jumped, gasping. She hadn't heard Mars come in. He tended to be quiet as Cagney, and that just grated on her nerves more than usual. "Can't you ever *knock*? Give me some warning, huh?" Mars gave her a look, was about to make a comment, then thought better of it. "Sorry." "Well, think about it next time! I'm sick and tired of having you walk in and out like you own the place. Just because Goliath and the others took you in doesn't mean--!" She stopped herself. What was she saying? She *was* a raving lunatic! She blinked once or twice, thinking about what she'd just said. "Mars, I--" "No, don't apologize," he said. "I was thinking the same thing. I can't stay here anymore." She examined him, trying to read him with all of her cop's instincts, and failing miserably. He was as stoic as Owen Burnett. "I know that I must be hard to get along with, and I just don't know what else to do about it." For a moment, Elisa didn't know what to say, until finally: "No way! If anything happens to you, Goliath'll kill me!" "I doubt that," Mars smirked. "But Brooklyn and Angela definitely would." Elisa grabbed his arm. "There's no way I'm letting you go out there on your own." Mars looked at her with an expression that fought between sympathy and disgust. "You don't understand. All my life, for as long as I can remember, this clan has been all that I've ever had... They've come through for me more times than I can recall, and I owe them much. After awhile, however, I noticed that... that I had nothing that was really *mine*. They shared their home. They shared their ideals. They shared their possessions. They even shared *you*, expecting you to treat me like I was just another gargoyle. But I'm not... "I can't accept this... *charity*... anymore. So, I'm leaving." "Mars, you wouldn't survive one night out there!" "You'd be surprised what I can survive. "And the point is moot. I'm going. I'm tired of being a small player in the Grand Scheme. I won't sit by and watch while another creep like Shiva decides he wants to take a piece out of the city." He turned his back on the human, opening the window with his magic. "I've lived in shadows for too long... It's about time I started casting some." He had his foot on the windowsill, when he looked over at the table where two silvery metal gauntlets sat. "Those are mine." And, thanks to his magic, the gloves followed him out. Elisa stared out the open window, a breeze catching her hair. After a moment, she walked slowly to the window and shut it. "I'd give him a week." *** *** *** *** Epilogue: Implements Of War Thailog waited patiently in the church tower of Notre Dame, leaning on the railing and staring out into the starry night. He'd only recently adopted the "business" name of Alexander Thailog, coming to Paris to look for lucrative business opportunities. It must have been fate that brought Demona to him. A lovely creature, yes, but ultimately blind, with the business sense of an imbecile. Yes, it must also have been Fate who brought Macbeth to them as well; a wealthy man, whose fortunes were collected throughout the centuries. The wedding was only a few days away, and with that the deaths of Macbeth and Demona were to follow. He would have not one, not two, but *three* fortunes; enough to build a small empire! But first... there was a matter of vengeance to attend to. Athena. The flap of gargoyle wings sounded behind him. He turned around and smiled his sharp-toothed smile. "Ah, my love! What news of your dealings Macbeth?" Demona ran up to him and embraced him, forgetting when the last time was when she had strong arms around her. "Everything is going according to plan," she said. "I have Macbeth wrapped around my talons!" Thailog chuckled. "I can only imagine what *that* feels like! "Oh, some good news: Our... special delivery... has arrived from Manhattan." Thailog gestured at a small package that sat in the corner. Demona ran over to it eagerly, like a girl opening a present on Christmas. Demona opened it, then turned and smiled darkly at Thailog. "It's here, all right." She produced some vials. "From this, we can create our very own warrior!" "Excellent. I'll get in touch with Sevarius and set up a series of appointments. If this works, not even the almighty *Athena* will be able to stand up to me!" Demona sneered at the name... but more at the face that name conjured up. "Yes... that bitch has to be brought down a few notches. If she thinks she can get away with what she did..." "Relax, my love. We will have vengeance, I promise you." She looked at the vials. "What shall we call him?" Thailog grinned, his white teeth contrasting with his dark skin. "What do you think of 'Mars'?" *** *** *** *** TO BE CONTINUED