“Doesn’t need. Fixing already.” Tenzin shrugged, not really sure of the words to explain that faint medical scent. The water was only for cleaning a little of the grime and blood while the girl was still; memory stirred, and this one was not a creature for appreciating pack. Almost in the same breath the bowl upturned from her hand, soaking her in warmth before she fully comprehended the girl had shot up. “No manners, Amy Pond,” she muttered.
Dark eyes followed the swift movement. Some part of her nature wanted to rag the pup until sense was restored, but she doubted any of the humans would react well to the correction. Instinct sniffed the instability anyway; the girl’s eyes like black balls, heart racing like fleeing prey. An animal reaction. Mistrust flushed out of her like miasma. Tenzin’s nose wrinkled. She hadn’t moved from her position, though her hands twisted to make a gesture of peace. Words weren’t likely to carve a path to sense, so she didn’t offer any, just sat her haunches back down on the ruined couch.
Rune’s neck swiveled quickly. Uncle Seth's face haunted an angry expression on Rune. He was alive, dammit. “She’s not my partner,” and corrected the blonde, but only as she was putting a fork to her mouth for the first warm bite in far too long. Rune was in the greedy process of shoveling loads down when Amy burst up like an exploding pipe bomb. Somehow, she turned on them, issuing commands that Rune suspected was more born from fright and shock than anything rationale.
She dropped the plate, morsels spilling over the edge in sacrifice to the floor, and put herself in the middle of the women, point blank in front of Amy. Rune thought for sure she was dead. It was a miracle that she was even awake let alone breathing. But did enough of her senses remain to recognize a shadowy face from the dark?
Tense moments later, the dangerous kitten of bloody clothes that was Amy unraveled a bit. She started to take stock of her condition, finding it less than positive. No shit.
“Girl, if we were gonna kill you, it woulda been while you was passed out on the couch. Now yu’r getting shit everywhere. These two seem to be tightassed on the not ruining their shit, so chill out before you pass out again and we have to dump your soggy ass at a hospital entrance and squeal outta there.” Rune reached out tentatively, a steady anchor onto which Amy could latch, unafraid of the consequences, even if it cost her a punch in the mouth.
“You remember me right? Rune?”
The girl on the couch shot to her feet and all hell seemed to break loose. And then, the moment froze. Time froze. The girl stood there, adrenaline and whatever else stimulants she must have hooked up to her through her fancy shmancy suit pumping through her system and very obvious by her shaking.
Whatever it was, it wasn't gonna last, not the way she stood. She was old school. Had no interest in that kind of stuff. Well, that and it wasn't like Atharim- especially in America- made a lot of bank. Most lived double lives, Atharim stipend mostly as supplement. As in, basic gear. Hidey holes. But those with more money got to play with some interesting stuff.
She lived on the road and out of hotels. No super tech for her. Yeah yeah, poor Jacinda. But she still knew the systems and their purposes. Patch you up, speed you up, and get you the hell outta dodge asap.
Which was what the girl was doing.
No. Not girl. Despite the tension she shot Ten a grin. Amelia. Yeah, IT. Duh. Jacinda had wondered at all her command line Windows 95 back door stuff back when they pulled up the feeds on Aria. Even she knew that was retro. As in before her time. But hackers could be sentimental about their methods. Now she knew better.
The other girl- her not partner- got in front, tried to calm her. Ten, of course was zen as usual. The adrenaline spike had peaked and things would slow.
She spoke clearly and calmly, not making any sudden moment. "Be easy, IT Amelia Pond. You're with friends." She nodded to Ten. "Remember? Tracking the rogue, Aria? That's Tenzin." She touched her chest. "I'm Jacinda Cross."
She looked at the other girl, Rune, and quirked a small smile. Without seeing the face she couldn't be sure. And it had been, oh....more than 10 years at least. How old she been? 10? 12? She couldn't remember. So she could not be sure.
But if Seth could pick her up at the airport here in Moscow six months ago, it was likely this was his niece. For later, though. "You're with your Atharim sisters, Amelia. You're safe."
Pond hadn’t heard Tenzen during her teleport near the hall. It wasn't anything personal. A girl had managed to beam in front of her though. Bandana-rama said some words that really didn’t penetrate the fog before her name; Rune. That one got through but immediately it slid away like her mind was oil. Not good. Concussion probably. Wyatt Earp was reaching toward her. Why? Pond looked at the girl oddly, a genuine expression of ‘what the fuck are you doing?’ if ever there was one. She was in the way.
Someone else spoke. Right. There were...two? Three. Really? Nika didn’t have time for this. Pond. X said that name. The voice. Nika blinked and her eyes, one blue and one nearly black, as she’d lost a contact in the water, found the blonde’s face. Her heart beat twice before a sluggish brain translated the English. Friends? Sisters? Having no concept of that, Nika stared at her like she’d sprouted horns. “That really hasn’t been my experience,” she said in a quiet voice nothing like Pond’s chipper parlance. She would have laughed too but couldn’t afford to expend the energy. In fact, all of this was costing quite a bit of precious time she did not have.
Focus. Nika breathed, centered herself. She was the strong one. The personas weren’t as tough, they were just characters...subterfuge. Nika set her jaw and her gaze moved toward the hall.
The others were ignored as she pulled up her sleeve to access the forearm screen. She was admittedly a little disoriented, vision a bit hazy around the edges...and felt better consulting the directory. Yup, this location had a fully kitted out medroom. Awesome. That was what she’d allocate all of her remaining energy toward. No matter she was three minutes and change from running on fumes. You do what has to be done. Find a way. Dig deep. It was go-time.
Nika sent a glance toward the women. She stepped around the girl, having forgotten her name again. “I gotta go. Thanks for getting me out of there.” Her limping gait was partly from the night’s activities and partly because she was wearing only one shoe. Water under the bridge.
The European safehouses all had dedicated medical rooms. The access panel for this one was hidden embedded on the face of a Joan of Arc painting. It was always a saint. The wall opened to reveal a ramp leading down to the basement, the necessary space cleverly concealed underneath the stairs to the second floor. Hand on the rail, Nika made her way down.
Jacinda looked at Ten eyebrows raising, though irritation flashed across her face more than anything else. "God damn kids!", she muttered. "Comin in acting like they own the place." She hated being in the dark. And they had lived here too!
She began to stalk toward the open doorway and then turned to Ten. "I'll go take care of her." She nodded at the other girl, not hiding the half smile that formed. "Good to see you again, Rune. Seth said you'd grown up to be a good hunter." She eyed the mess on the floor. "There's more in the kitchen. Go eat." And then wrinkling her nose in mock disgust, she added, "And take a bath. Seriously, you stink. And if I can smell it, my friend Ten there has to be about ready to pass out."
Reassuring smile, she plunged into the downward sloping hall toward whatever Amelia was looking for. Fucking Atharim. Woulda been nice to have this back home. Or to know about it. She'd have to ask if they had happened to be in the only safe house like this.
Amelia was still unsteady and the way she jerked at her footsteps said her adrenaline was still high. Peaking anyway. Which meant she'd crash soon. Lot of the stuff appeared do-it-yourself. Made sense. Sometimes you were the only one who dragged your ass in.
She moved as close as she could without getting in the way, trying to follow what she was doing. And ready to step in to catch her if and when she dropped like a bag of dirt.
If she’d been a robot her battery meter would be blinking red. But Nika wasn’t done yet. Strength of will saw her cross the spartan room to a cabinet filled with energy pouches. Two were sucked down immediately as she leaned heavily on the counter top. Nika looked over at the medical table gauging the distance before jerking into a shuffle like a sticky automatic transmission. Her feet were barely able to break their grip and move forward. Willpower. Her casted arm braced against the table as she lowered it with the long press of a button. Once she could reach she slid onto the surface and rolled over with some effort. Weight sensors activated and the scanning arm emerged from an aperture in the ceiling to pass back and forth with a deep, important sound before disappearing again. The tablet near her head came to life at the same time a green strip of LED light marked a path on the floor. Her legs were leaden. Still she managed to flop one and then the other over the edge before mostly falling off to follow the line. Because she had to. No choice.
Jacinda watched her curiously, as she activated a whole army of tech but her curiosity stopped once she was struggling off the table. She reached the table just as Pond’s feet touched the floor again. "Amelia! Amelia, listen. Let me help you. What do you need?" She didn't pretend she knew what all this was but she’d be damned if Amelia went through it alone. She looked down at the girl. So young. Fuck!!! So fucking young. Were the Atharim recruiting children now? She felt something in her gut. She touched Amelia's face. "I'm here. Let me help you, dear."
The woman was next to her suddenly. She was in the way. What was her name? She reminded Nika of that show her grandmother used to watch. Xena. Well, ‘X’ it would be. Her mind started to wander down toward shadow. The touch brought her back. Nika jerked away as though Jacinda had shocked her with her staves. Through her nose short breaths were forced. “No,” was the whisper. Hazy vision lost the LED line. “...in the way...no time to explain.” Jesus. The line! Where is the green line?
Jacinda stepped back, looking around. "Ok. Tell me what you need. I’ll get it. I’ll help. Carry you. Whatever. " She was panicky. The harpy had messed her up. Jacinda couldn’t bear to lose this kid. Somehow....it was just one more sacrifice she just couldn’t make.
X gave her space because the line was suddenly visible again. Her blood-soaked armored baselayer top was peeled off with some effort and dropped on the floor along with her forearm tactical screen. She clawed open a cabinet for a feeder cuff and then the cooler, choosing the two bags indicated by the blinking lights. Once in place over her arm the cuff automatically inserted vein catheters and all she had to do was plug the bags in. Easy peasy. Nika dragged herself to the shower stall and hung the bags off the wire soap rack in only two tries. The elder woman was still nearby but Nika couldn’t have said what she was doing. There hadn’t been a spare moment to account for that. She rasped the water on hot and sank into the shower seat fully clothed save her shirt; the sports bra would have put up too much of a fight so it stayed on. Shivering despite the water scalding the day away, she watched numbly as red and pink swirled down the drain.
Stubbornly, Nika fought off the exhaustion pressing down on her. She could beat it, she knew. This was not the first time she’d sprawled in a shower watching her own blood flow down a pipe. Experience said her energy levels would start to climb as the bags emptied and her body processed the goo she’d taken in. So the game was mind over matter at that point. She didn’t linger, as much as she wanted to. Hot showers were her thing...so refreshing. As soon as the water ran clear Nika stood and stripped, soaked clothes smacked wetly in the corner of the shower. Apparently that was what the other woman had been waiting for.
A stray hand parted the curtain but respectfully so, and Nika took the amber rectangle after half a second. Energy was spared for a quiet, “thank you.” She lathered up with the bar of antiseptic soap, twice, and rinsed herself clean before she squeaked off the faucets. A towel and clean clothes flopped overtop the curtain bar. Another ‘thank you’ was spared and meant. Nika’s energy meter had started to eke upward a meager percentage point at a time but it was more than she’d had to get here in the first place. She knew a plateau was in the future until she got some sleep however there were chores to tick off in the meantime.
She emerged from the shower clad in unadorned scrubs, crappy O.R. socks and a fluffy robe. The cut at her hairline had finally stopped bleeding, weirdly, only after she’d dug a corner of the soap in the thing and ow-ed it around. There was a mirror over a stainless sink and Nika glued her head shut finally, just in case. Tired legs carried her to liberate more sustenance and the tablet from the medtable.
Nika ended up slumped in a chair back to the wall, her legs propped up on the matching desk by the door. Three empty pouches of the nutrient-gu slime stuff occupied the trashcan along with the tattered remains of her t-shirt and puffer jacket. She reached into a desk drawer, plucked a loaded handgun from within and set it heavily on the surface.
Jacinda was suddenly there hand firm and in charge, but voice soft. "Sorry Amelia. You can’t have that." The fight was in the girls eyes and Jacinda smiled, brushing her forehead. "It's ok, Amelia," she whispered. "You're safe." Her eyes were soft but they wouldn't give an inch. Nor would her fingers. "I'll watch over you, Amelia Pond from IT." She hoped the name reminded her they had already worked together. Indeed, if they wanted her dead they coulda left her or, as Rune said, they coulda killed her on the couch. She smiled kindly, but forcefully. "Don't make me take it from you, sweetie. I'll make sure no one hurts you while you sleep."
She was still foggy. Or even more foggy. Maybe there’d been drugs in the bags. Nika couldn’t recall if she’d opted out of those. Nevertheless, X was there again. Had she ever left? Despite the gentle words, Nika again felt as though she’d been tased. She jerked first her hand away and then her head. Wild eyes said that was not okay. Why were these people always trying to touch her? The weapon was completely forgotten as she tried to process the words. We are never safe! Are you serious? Trust...you people? Americans and...whatever that other girl was? Instead, after breaths around her clenched teeth she whispered. “Please, do not touch me.” Of course there were reasons. Hadn’t she already asked that? Definitely drugs. Damn it. She ran a hand over her own face and took a deep breath before turning her attention to the tablet.
Jacinda placed the gun in a secure place and sat back, giving Amelia her space and time. She kinda liked the quiet of down here. She liked basements. There was something... womb like about it. Mother earth. Not that that was spiritual. She might have been. A smile smile formed. Jill. Idly she wondered what had ever happened to her. She remembered loving her. A memory of a memory. She had been so important. Occupied a part of her mind and heart. She...she didn’t actually feel love or even miss her. Like she was remembering being another person. No. This girl needed her now. Tending to her bots or whatever. She’d return to real life soon enough. Ten would take care of Rune. It was nice to count on that. Tenzin Dolma. Her partner. Damn but the world was odd. Now Rune. And Amelia. And fuck but Jacinda felt responsible. But not it a bad way. Like....she kinda liked this. No. Don’t lie. She did like this. She smiled as Amelia did her important tech work. The girl was safe, wasn't dying, wasn’t gonna kill anyone! And would sleep soon. All seemed alright with the world.
Nika felt a little better overall having sucked the blood and fluid bags dry. Meaning she wasn’t going to keel over from bleeding out. Exhaustion though? That was a possibility. Medibot’s tablet said she was alright internally except for a concussion. Wonders never ceased. Her last task before bed was to check in on the babies. SOP programming for the drones would have them covering their tracks and cleaning up any messes made so she wanted to pop in on their progress before allowing herself to rest properly. Bleary-eyed, Nika keyed into her private feed and pulled up her drone cameras.
Big Brother was doing his thing with the cleanup drones, which was good. Mater had retrieved Tennant’s bits and pieces and the broken drone itself. Why Tennant was broken was a question she was investigating while trying not to nod off. The drone’s own camera footage showed him fly into the pipe. She saw herself passed out, watched the red lights strobe in her face for a good minute until she came to. She fast forwarded through the patch and pain, no need to relive that agony, until Dark Hour. Then came the Beast...whatever it was. Tennant, bless him, had tried to scare it off. Nika watched numbly in utter disbelief as the thing lapped up her blood like the night’s menu special. Gross. It was the strangest, most surreal feeling...almost fake. It had happened though, clearly, as shown on the security feed. She heard the women outside through the video and Jesus, the thing had nearly dragged her off. That would have been an awful end. Additional thanks were in order at least. See? This is another fine example of why we don’t go on random monster hunts, stupidfuckingidiot. Alright, lesson learned. That’s what you said last time. She closed down the tablet, yawned mightily and dimmed the lights. X had taken up station in a chair nearby. Whatever.
With Jacinda Cross
Nika woke with a dull ache in her side where the rebar had done its best to tear her in half. She was groggy and had no idea how long she’d slept or what time it was. There were no windows or clocks in the med room. Hungry. She was hungry. Bleary-eyed, Nika unfolded herself from the desk and stretched with a groan. Another hot shower would be awesome. First, food. Her stomach gurgled in agreement. She pushed through the door and into the dark hall beyond. No one else seemed to be up as all the lights were off. At least she wouldn’t have to answer stupid questions about who she was and what she really did for the Atharim. Leave it alone, people. Jeez.
There was a lingering odor of charred meat in the air indicating someone liked their burgers well done (freak) or wasn’t adept at cooking. It should be a high crime to char anything that wasn’t a vegetable or marshmallow. The light of the fridge was bright and like a teenager Nika took her time deciding on what to grab. This was exactly why her condo fridge had a clear door. Know thyself. The hockey puck burgers wrapped in cellophane on a plate were not even an option. Ugh. Chicken won out. Good ol’ standby. She opened the container and affected a sniff test despite the date on the lid before grabbing a plump breast. Nom. Cold chicken would work for something quick. Nika returned the container and closed the fridge door after yoinking a bottle of tomato juice. She leaned up against the counter in the dark and ate a few bites until deciding to sit down and attempt to relax. Maybe that would make her side feel better. Weird that it was hurting at all.
The smell hit her as the living room door clicked shut at her back. Blood. Unmistakably blood. Nika froze mid-swig but sensed nothing in the darkness. She swallowed. “Lights.” Nothing. Her wallet was in her pocket and she keyed the flashlight. The spot ringed on the wall where red slung about like a Jackson Pollock painting. What the fuck? She moved the phone around quickly until stopping on an inert form. Tenzen. Her face and throat were...gone. Skull empty. The light glared off the inside of a bright white bowl.
A noise whipped her around, gun suddenly in hand and at the ready. Cross was splayed out in the corner underneath one of those things. Nika fired Baby and blew it to kingdom come even as she moved to intercept. A dead stare met her efforts. The elder Athari was cold and stiff.
The two-way door flapped quietly behind her and again she whipped around, monochrome shape edging the border of the light in her hand. A dark shadow caught her flanked on the right. Nika adjusted and fired again right between the beast’s eyes. All teeth and claws, the thing kept coming. Baby clicked empty. Nika pivoted from the charge last-minute and gifted a solid crack of the weapon behind the thing’s ear hard enough to split any skull. The beast hit the wall and crumpled. Something hit her from behind, taking her to the floor. Nika fought it all elbows and snarls. She was an adept grappler but more and more weight had her pinned, knees between shoulder blades and her temple jammed into the hardwood. Even more beasts arrived, seizing her wrists and ankles. They pulled until she was spread out then coordinated expertly to turn her over and held firm. Her stomach was burning white-hot fire. Claws held her face still and her dark eyes glared vengeance. The giant saggy beast from the pipe seemed to melt from the shadows. Nika shivered and tried to pull free but there were too many hands holding her down.
‘Sister,’ it hissed. It made her skin crawl. The group around her echoed the greeting. The grand beast folded itself down over her like it had before in the drain. An impossibly sharp claw sliced her shirt away like it was paper and flicked wide the bisected cloth with a grand gesture. An unwelcome hand cold and clammy moved over her bare chest and trailed down to her abdomen where it lingered. The beast smiled in her face, long black fangs dripping with saliva.
The entrapping claws tilted her head. Nika could see her stomach now. Something bulged beneath her skin. Her dark eyes widened. Grandbeast hissed again and a razor sharp talon sliced a deep horizontal line from hip to hip. Nika gasped and shuddered, her forced breaths punctuated the silence like a billow. Her captors had gone silent, all eyes were on the gash, the welling blood. Nika was not a screamer by default. You either were or you weren’t. She’d screamed exactly once in her life, long ago. A hand rose from within her middle. Nika screamed then.
The thing that emerged was like all the other things around her, just smaller. Still the size was impossible to believe. But it happened. She watched, no choice really, as arm, elbow, shoulder and head birthed itself and stretched her skin sickly. Tearing muscle and rending her flesh, it slithered out. Pulling itself along it went for Tenzen’s corpse beyond sight. She could hear slurping and the hollow crunch of bones.
Shock. She was in shock. Surely. Because the pain was gone and she was hungry again. The hissing chant of ‘sister’ started back up. The crowd parted to reveal Rune torn and bloodied, held firmly by her own captors. Alive. She was alive! Both women shared the same thought as their eyes locked. Rune’s own gaze had a ripple of hope at Nika’s fierce look. Always fighting. Then Rune saw what was left and hope visibly faded.
The beasts dragged Rune over and folded her to her knees with cowardly blows. Victorious hisses punctuated the dark room. Rune’s right arm was peeled from where it had been pressed against her side. She cursed and threatened, squirmed and fought, trying to break free but there were too many hands. Too many. A black claw split the woman’s wrist expertly. Held it over Nika. The fuck?! Droplets spotted her face, she twitched away closing her eyes and compressing her lips. The hands overpowered her too still and cruel fingers pried her jaw open. Blood, Rune’s blood, dripped into her mouth. The hisses were happy, encouraging...accepting. Her eyes shot open in horror when she felt Rune’s wrist touch her lips. She tried to turn away. The Harpies were kneading the woman’s forearm calling more life forth. Their dark eyes locked. Nika choked, coughing up the mouthful of blood. The beasts only pressed harder; they pinched her nose shut. She couldn’t last. Weak. It was involuntary. Nika’s gaze pleaded for forgiveness. Rune’s face was unreadable. Betrayal? They could have been friends. Nika could have had a friend. The wrist was removed. She gasped and coughed for air. Rune was pulled from sight. Bastards!
Hot. Her tongue burned, throat seared. The heat magnified a thousandfold and spread downward throughout her body. Her nerves were on fire. She gasped and groaned, her vision blurred. Nika convulsed against the hands holding her, bucking and arching as her muscles all seemed to seize of their own volition. The sounds in her ears were foreign even amidst the surrounding hisses. Hours passed it seemed before the heat lessened, dissipated. It was replaced not by relief but by antithesis; cold. A frigid wave overcame her. Her skin lost its pallor, pebbling grey and dull. Her teeth chattered and ached. She burned anew, differently but the same.
Nika did not notice when the hands had released her. She was in a ball, shivering. She hurt. Everything hurt. Hunger. Such. Hunger. Hisses prodded at her consciousness. Feed. Feed, they said. She didn’t see, couldn’t see in the dark. So cold. It was there. Food. She fed unthinking, unfeeling. She found it in the dark. Crawled to it. How didn’t matter. No plate or utensils. It was warm. It warmed her. She buried her face in the bowl and drank. Soup? Had to be. The whispers said it was good, she was doing good.
Her senses returned after a time. She was stronger, grew stronger. Nika pulled her knees under herself. There was a noise at the door. The light clicked on. Rune was bound and gagged on the floor before her. Lifeless eyes stared back. Her throat torn out. Nika scrambled backward until her shoulders rammed into something.
“Abomination!”
A familiar voice snapped the spell holding her horrified gaze from the other girl’s corpse.
Nika turned her head slowly toward the sound. Her eyes widened in shock. “Mom?” Then she saw her own reflection in the cabinet door beyond. Blood covered her mouth, slicked her neck and grey chest. She was one of them; one of the beasts. Tears welled in her eyes as she looked back at her mother.
Her mother’s beautiful face twisted in disgust. “You are not my daughter.” The elder Raskov fired.
Nika woke with a start, nearly jerking herself off the desk and out of the chair. She was shivering and hot all at once. Sweat beaded on her nose. Her face was wet. Dark, haunted eyes stared past walls and reason. Her heart was pounding. One question echoed in her mind. What made harpies? Was that right? Was it an infection? Was it? Nika didn’t know. She didn’t actually possess a lot of monster lore...that wasn’t her area of expertise. Her career path had never been geared toward hunting monster monsters. So, where did they come from? That Beast had been all about sucking her dry, or had it? What if...what if it did something and...what if she was going to turn into one of those monsters. Like in the nightmare. Nika’s face turned ashen. Oh. Dear. God.
Jacinda nodded in and out of sleep. The whole basement womb thing only get stronger the longer she stayed here. In her more lucid moments, she thought she might come down here to catch her breath. Not that Ten spoke a whole lot. But the...air seemed quiet. She felt swaddled in warmth. The chairs weren’t great. She eyed Amelia's chair enviously. She’d had worse though. She must have dozed off cuz next thing she knew the girl was awake and breathing heavily and looking around frantically. She was at her side in moments. HR elevated. Duh. "Amelia. It's me Jacinda. You're safe." She held her hand.
Hot. She was burning up. X was suddenly right next to her face. And holding her hand. What the hell? Her head pounded. What the hell drugs were in the bags? An unwelcome feeling twisted her insides. Nika shook off X’s hand like she’d touched a spider and stumbled up and toward the loo. The door was open, thankfully, and Nika skidded on her knees to the bowl. Might not have made it otherwise. There was not really a dignified way to vomit your guts out. Nika lost count, the pressure in her head increased each time and ended with her coughing, occasionally spitting and otherwise miserable with her new found porcelain friend. Ugh.
This was either the drugs or the concussion. Sonofabitch. She doubted there was a treatment machine here but you never knew. There were more pressing matters to think about at the moment. Like the harpy question.
Jacinda saw her run- wobbly- girl was messed up, that was for sure- for the throne and her heart went out. This time, even as she watched she gave the girl space. She had no long hair to hold back. Instead she looked around and saw a small fridge. Bottles of water, as well as energy and hydration drinks filled them. She pulled the hydration and then, after a moment, a couple of waters. She could use one. She placed a bottle of each next to the girl.
The seat was cool on her cheek and head at least so Nika tried not to dwell on location and...germs. Harpies. There were creatures who could take over hosts, she knew there were. Vampires and were-things...those were based on real things. So, were harpies the basis of the lore or legends? Whatever the correct terms were. She didn’t know. Nika didn’t specialize in that kind of monster. Niche. She was niche. X had brought some bottles, kindly. That was nice. Her throat wasn’t keen on letting words out right then so thanks would have to wait. Nika took a grateful mouthful of water, a lucky grab as she didn’t look, and swished it around in her mouth before adding that to the swirling flush. Another cough and she rest her face on the cool surface once more. Her blackened eyes found the telltale dotted triangle; two pips on the bottom and one on top. A pyramid. That meant there was a gun right behind the bowl. Nika wouldn’t even have to stretch to reach it.
Okay. So if harpies were parasitic and took over people, where did that leave Nika? The nightmare was fresh in her mind, certainly. She could nearly feel that thing draping itself across her. I mean...dreams were sometimes a way of your mind telling you things you needed to know, right? Needed to know or problems solved? It wouldn’t be the first time she’d figured out the solution to a dogging problem in her dreams, that’s for sure. This though? There was only one course of action if it were true.
The gun was right there. Nika’s heart beat in her ears. Seconds passed. She wouldn’t couldn’t be responsible for murdering the people in this house. Silence in her ears. Nika breathed. Clarity. Calm. There was a drain in the floor, that would make it easier to clean up. For the others to clean up. She didn’t want to create work for them but ultimately, it wouldn’t be anything to hose the place down. It was an operating theatre and designed for it after all. Time stretched out. Nika went over the plan again in her head. The gun was right there. It was the right thing to do. She believed that. The gun was hers. It was the right thing. Peace. A sense of peace unlike anything she’d ever experienced descended upon her.
First. Really, last wasn’t it? Nika swallowed and turned her face to look out the door. What was the blonde’s name? “Hey.” That was not her name. Nika’s voice was...odd. Off. There was something off about it. “May I ask you a question?” She was floating. Euphoric. The answer was hers after all. Nika knew what she had to do. She accepted it, owned it. It was right.
Jacinda watched patiently, heedless of the time. And then something pricked her. Something was off with Amelia. She looked around, trying to ascertain the source of her unease. Nothing came to mind. Her eyes were narrow as she watched everything. Amelia, voice low and raw, finally spoke. After a moment, Jacinda spoke, voice warm but tinged with concern. "Of course, dear."
The peace was so filling. Calm embraced her still, beckoning. The next life called to her. Warmth. Love. Such love it made her heart ache. “Those things were what, harpies?” Someone had said that. That’s what she’d been calling them somehow in her head for quite some time even if she couldn’t quite account for that knowledge. “How do harpies come to be?” Love. She could see her parents again. She was going to join her parents.
Jacinda heard the dreamy quality to her voice. Had she taken too many pain meds? That was the last thing the girl needed. She pulled a towel and wet it in the sink with cool water, then rinsed it out. It was a risk, but she was spiraling down. She wiped Amelia's brow gently. "Honestly, I'm not sure. They lay eggs though." Regan hadn't been much on lore. But she'd learned a bit in the decades since then. Not enough. Then again, she wiped gently at the girl's face, especially her mouth, and then rinsed the cloth, making a compress she folded for her head. She sat, knees to chest next to her. "The gods were creative. You have to give 'em that. The things I've seen...." Her tone shifted. Some things began to click. Worry formed. "They're not chupacabra, Amelia." She scanned the room, looking for the thing that was pinging her alarm.
Nearly black eyes amid bruised and cut features regarded the woman tending her. Nika swallowed. Still at peace. “The tablet. Can you pull up 8’27” on the drone feed?” She wasn’t trying to get rid of the woman at all, for once, it was the last affirmation. Before. “Just say, ‘Play Tennant feed 8’27”,’ that’s it.” Nika looked at Jacinda. “Please?”
Jacinda looked at this girl. God. She was a girl. Had she ever been this young? She tried to remember. And for some reason she couldn't fathom, something began to well up in her. Anger. Oh yeah. She remembered. All of it. Every. Fucking. Bit. And something burned. Rage and protectiveness. Fucking Atharim throwing kids out like chum in the waters. Strongest survive and all that shit. No more. Jacinda decided. Here. Now. It begins now. With this kid. And Ten. And Rune. By her look and smell, the girl had been abandoned. Alone. These were her sisters.
She nodded at Amelia with a reassuring smile and called out the commands, unsure what she was supposed to see. Didn't matter. Jacinda had the beginnings of something. And no one was gonna hurt hers. The screen lit up and amid the darkness of the tunnel she saw the big bitch harpy at the end. Her stomach turned as it came toward the downed Amelia. Gross tongue and lips drooled as it hovered over her. She remembered the tickle of the rougs lips and tongue at her ears all those years ago. The feel of the quetz on top of her last year. Death had come. She wished the bot had a better angle. It was hard to see what it was doing. Likely playing. Harpies were like that and these were female. The massive low hanging tits swinging to and fro made that clear.
"It's playing with its food. With you. We took her sisters. She has to gloat." She called a halt, looking at the child. "You weren't infected or anything." She remembered the old rougs hands pressing into her womb. She knew what they wanted to put there. She remembered the choice she'd given those women in Mexico. A bullet or a pill. Ricky had thought her cruel. Men never understood. Women could be warriors. She ran her hand over her forehead as her mom might have done.
Nika watched the woman, dark eyes large. Processing what she’d said before about eggs and now about the feed. Her mind raced. Nika let the woman touch her. For once she didn’t flinch away. Peace. That eternal, welcoming sense of the End, that was sucked from her being as quickly as a muzzle flash. An emptiness remained. A chasm. Energy abandoned her too. All of her focus had been the colossal effort of making such a decision and she had been committed to ending her own story. Because it was the right thing to do. ...and Nika was a hair’s breadth from having done so.
Nika released the hammer and clicked the safety catch on. She flipped the weapon and offered the grip across her body to the other woman. That motion took the last of her reserves. Nika was still on her knees. She couldn’t get up, couldn’t move. She was done. Exhausted. She did turn her head away though, face still resting rather undignified on the seat. She turned her head so the other woman could not see her tears. Then Nika closed her eyes and slept.
Jacinda's heart jumped as she heard the tell tale click. Fuck fuck fuck fuck! She was angry. At herself. How did she not see it? At this house that she was living in with weapons everywhere. At this girl- this little girl who had been this close to blowing her brains out. For the sake of all of them. She knew. She got it. She would have done the same. But this was so fucked up. She pulled the weapon and slid it out into the other room. Useless, she knew. Amelia could have used it anytime. She just felt so....helpless. She started to slip and she passed out. Jacinda bent down, ignoring any twinge, and lifted her in her arms, carrying her to the bed. It was sterile looking with hospital style paper sheets, but it was something. She laid Amelia down and gently eased her under the covers. And then she pulled up a chair and watched for a while. It wasn't right. This being alone thing. Gradually, the warm quiet enveloped her and she drifted off. But she never let go of Amelia's hand.
With Jacinda Cross
Time passed. Rune ate (like eight times). She showered. She cleaned her weapons. She washed clothes. But often she glanced the basement door, wondering what was going on down there. Never did she descend the stairs herself. Jacinda was on it.
Jacinda. Rune barely remembered her. She wasn’t the same as the glimpses of memory Rune recalled. Then again, she wasn’t exactly sure what she was supposed to remember. So they were all Atharim. Rune wasn’t surprised, really. The old world was full of Atharim, and Moscow HQ was a concentrated vat of them. In America, they were few and far between, scattered like ants roaming Mars, unlikely to ever encounter each other. Here, practically anyone with a gun was Atharim.
“She’s sick isn’t she?” Rune asked next time she saw Tenzin, like the woman automatically knew what was happening in the basement. Rune didn’t want to check herself. Interrupt. Or watch Amy slowly die off. For all the violence Rune recognized in the world, the prospect of dying slowly from your wounds frightened the shit out of her.
“Maybe we should take her to a hospital. We’re not doctors.” Brow furrowed pensive, Rune sat on the couch, arms propped on her knees and laid her face in her palms.
In the end, Rune growled with frustration and thought about leaving.
Jacinda took control, and Tenzin was content to let her.
She mostly left Rune to her own devices, finding some small comfort in sharing the space without interaction. Humans usually liked their flapping tongues. She showered free of her own mud stink once the other girl had finished with the bathroom, then found somewhere to rest. Eyes closed, her mind stretched out to the warm den of the wolfdream. Perhaps her pack roamed the waking world, for it was Silver alone who welcomed her. The ripple of his soft fur filled her heart with such a deep yearning it released from her muzzle like a whimper. Foolish pup, he told her.
Then pushed her away.
The nudge sent her tumbling back into wakefulness. It was still dark. She could smell by the sharp tang of frustration that Rune was awake. Perhaps she’d never gone to sleep. Tenzin sat up, disconcerted. Deft fingers braided her hair anew, capturing the black sheet of it away from her face. The contacts ached against her eyes, but she did not have the luxury of dispensing with the deception.
“Don’t know.” She shrugged. “Hospital ask questions. Take if need, but don’t think it needs. Maybe go see? Friendly face might be of welcome.” Her lips hitched a wolfish grin, a finger gesturing her own mouth. “Though might try more friendly smile. Smell nicer now, though.”
She stood, stretching the faint ache from her long limbs. “Need air.”
Nika slept, dreamless. Awareness returned piecemeal. She felt beaten. Chewed up and spit out by something. Her mind was still in a fog. The bed was uncomfortable. It took her a minute.
This was not her bed.
Nika’s eyes shot open. The room was dim, hazy. Why was it hazy? Million dollar question. It’s certain to be important later. Her gaze flicked around amid a confused expression. Sure it was your basic Athari med room but...where and why? That was the trouble with standardization, she supposed. Rarely a clue where-
The thought cut short upon suddenly seeing and -feeling- the strange person's appendage on her bed.
Well, it’s not your bed. Possession is nine-tenths of the law? Are you serious right now? Who the fuck’s head is that? Not the first time you’ve asked that question. Nika almost laughed at that memory. At least this one is still attached? Why is she holding your hand? That revelation drew a sharp intake of breath coupled with an extraction so swift it could have left the impression she’d been burned.
Drugged. She was drugged. The haze. Shit.
[[Small note. Jacinda is actually sitting in a chair on thr right NEXT to Nika's bed, but her left hand is holding Nika's right hand. And she is lightly asleep.]]