Dark Skies

Unsurprisingly, the tremor made Anita jump. I spun my pen to stave off irritation. She had every right to be traumatized. Seeing Ergo indiscriminately mow her colleagues down was a valid excuse to flinch at shadows.

Unfortunately, she was sitting beside Blacklight.

"That should be him," I promised, offering her a reassuring look. "We'll explain everything, and you can go home."

Anita gave her head a small shake. "There's no point. I still won't sleep."

The current residents of the situation room, consisting of the Chaos Committee, Church, Blacklight, Novax, Cher, Cryo, Valkyrie, Dreads, Eye-Lie, Hedge and three newcomers in X, Silver Shade, and Mammoth, shifted uncomfortably. Though everyone was Alpha, there'd always been a clear distinction between civilians and combatants. She'd chosen the career of a teacher to avoid the pitfalls of battle, and yet, they'd been forced onto her.

Angela materialized at the door with a pot of steaming coffee. "Refill?"

Anita accepted, though I couldn't imagine caffeine would do much for her nerves.

Originally, the mood had been light, especially with Green and Blacklight's banter. Then Anita was shown in, and everyone went quiet. Her depressed, exhausted aura was infectious.

The wait finally ended with Jason's room-rattling arrival. His eyes were brighter and focused, though I was probably the only person who noticed. He'd honed his stoicism to a fine point. The very idea of Prime Nova faltering was a laughable notion.

Just to be sure, I lightly scraped the point of my pen against the table while turning.

Jason cringed. I smiled.

He wasn't at his, well, Prime, but even a serviceable Nova was a force to be reckoned with.

"What's all this?" he frowned as Angela closed the door behind them.

I nodded to a free chair. "Help yourself."

Angela settled beside the projector as she rolled up her sleeves. Jason's eyes flicked over the crowd, all of whom flinched away or tried to match his intensity. The Chaos Committee, Church and Blacklight were the only ones not to react.

When his eyes fell on Anita, she shivered and curled up further into herself.

Jason noticed and turned to me. "She's not a Hero."

"Not in the bureaucratic sense, no. But since she's the only reason we could recover the children from the Den, I'll let it slide."

Jason frowned, regarding her curiously. Three long strides took him over to her chair. He even crouched to make himself smaller and less imposing.

"What's your name?"

She looked up. "Anita Bauer."

"We're in your debt, Anita. We'll get your kids back."

She sniffled. "Laura tho... Laura thinks that. I... thank you."

"No," corrected Jason, "thank you." He nodded in my direction. "Barn will never admit it, but he's starved for intel. We're blind as a bat, and you just saved all our collective bacons."

That was categorically untrue, but I said nothing since she giggled a little. Despite my grievances, Jason knew exactly how to make the most of his strength, looks, and natural charisma.

He patted her shoulder before moving to his chair, at the opposite end of the oval table. Angela booted up the presentation, and I began my speech.

"On Wednesday, June 7, at approximately eleven-thirty AM, a terror attack took place in Los Angeles, California. Primary hostile elements were composed of registered Rogues Floodgates, Plague, Necro and a King-Class newcomer, Tacti. Little is known of his powerset outside extreme durability, speed, and strength. His average attack power, thanks to a subdermal, energy-based force multiplier, is currently the highest on the planet, even beyond that of our Prime Nova."

Specifics on the attack were still few and far between, so that came as news to my audience. Jason received several sidelong looks, though none were acknowledged.

"A simultaneous raid was carried out on the Syracuse Academy, where a legion of Breakers headed by a high-Class Rogue now identified as 'Evo' kidnapped the student body as well as half the staff. The rest, likely resisters, were killed and left to rot in the gym."

Angela flipped the screen to a picture of the corpse pile. The little positivity still wafting through the room dissolved.

If someone wanted rep, revenge, or respect, they went after Heroes.

Teachers were off-limits.

And they certainly never touched our kids.

"The children, to this day, are still in their custody and likely would've remained that way if not for the courageous actions of Ms. Bauer."

The group turned their attention to Anita, who went a little red. For a second, she looked horrified I'd ask her to speak.

"Ms. Bauer is an active member of our faculty and was present during the raid. She was taken, like many teachers and held by the terrorists. They needed information on our defence protocols and were under the impression Ms. Bauer and her colleagues would provide them. They were wrong. Anita then managed to escape thanks to the quick, clever thinking of her fellow teachers and her own perseverance. It is only because of her that we not only know where the children are, but who guards them and how."

The room broke into applause. Anita got redder, but she deserved it. I understood her desire to help kids and stay away from fighting, but her ability to rise to the occasion nonetheless was commendable.

Angela flipped the screen to an overhead shot of a small landmass, which I explained.

"This is Guadalupe Island. Unremarkable, if not unusually large at twenty-two miles in length. Though formerly a weather monitoring station overseen by the Mexican Navy, it now operates as an outpost of sorts for The Family and their allies. Through discreet research, I've discovered that the former federal parties were peacefully displaced through well-placed bribes and surgical blackmail. Once again, the Family displays incredible dexterity.

"Their acquisition occurred noiselessly and would've remained invisible without Anita. How, I hear you ask? Every time a nosy Neil catches their ominous scent, Neil's nose either turns to gold through very bloody money or disappears. It's an airtight operation. Until Ms. Bauer, that is."

The next page contained blurry satellite footage. "And, of course, it wasn't enough to just be slippery. They're paranoid. Someone savvy saw fit to stock their streets with overhead scramblers, so we'll have to go about our cartography the old-fashioned way."

Angela moved to a checklist.

"Our incursion will start on the northern tip, as they bunk in the south. The expected enemy will be made up of Breakers and commanding Rogues. Most have profiles in our database, especially with the 'new hires' made after the Chasm breakout. Think Blowback, Second Skin and Vulcan. Those strong enough to secure management positions oversee common soldiers. And that's without even mentioning our VIPs, which, excuse the pun, entails a whole other migraine."

Angela then showed a battle map.

"Here's the plan. Due to Anita's escape, we can safely assume they cannot detect submarine movement, as their thermal lamps can't go beyond the ocean's surface. Once on land, Blacklight, Dreads, Silver Shade and X will sneak onto the island and provide us with a layout. It's too risky to utilize long-range frequencies, so you'll be restricted to encrypted, short-range channels. Once the data is through, Novax, Cher Fer, Cryo King, the Chaos Committee and whomever else Red deems necessary will leave the submersible and join them. You'll quietly make it across the camp, neutralizing anyone who gets in your way."

Valkyrie frowned. "Slick would be useful for this kind of thing. They'd never see him coming."

"Slick and Bejewelled are currently indisposed," I replied curtly. "Though I do agree. Their absence is felt."

Three rectangles appeared at the edge of the camp.

"The children are being held in these crates. You will set up a perimeter around them and transmit your coordinates so we can trigger Pink's portal from here and get you all out."

Blacklight cocked his head. "I thought you said long-range transmissions can be hijacked?"

"I didn't," I replied. "I said they're risky, but only because they can be detected. They'd need a computer with seven point six petabytes of RAM, at minimum, to crack the signal, then decode it into usable data in less than a day."

"Ah." Blacklight scratched his head. "I still don't understand."

I smirked. "We have our very own long-range receptor right here." I pointed to Jason, who raised an eyebrow. "You'll be on standby, just outside the island's detection range." I turned to the others. "Prime can listen for accuracy up to thirty miles. At rest. He goes up with focus. Even a whisper will be sufficient."

Blacklight nodded. "Alright. But what about the Quads? If they're there, everything changes."

"I'm aware." I crossed my arms. "Once the portal opens, all hell will break loose. If any Family royalty is on site, focus immediately switches to retreat. Get the kids out of there. All bets are off. They're simply too powerful."

I looked at Jason. "Can you convincingly stop Tacti? Or stall long enough for them to clear the containers?"

Jason took his time producing a response. When he did, it sounded pained.

"I can beat him," he promised, clenching and unclenching his right hand. "In an open field with no civilians. But can I do it in time to stop him from hurting any of them? No."

"I figured." My fists curled to rest against the table. "We cannot contain Tacti. He's too destructive and powerful. If he shows, hit him with a Sunmaker."

Jason's jaw dropped. "You're joking."

"The few times I do, children's lives don't hang in the balance."

"I cannot hit him with a Sunmaker. It'll level the island."

"You can and you will. The alternative is to grapple him to a standstill. Before he kills everyone. Can you do that?"

"No," Jason admitted angrily.

"Use your left hand."

"You don't get it. I'll feel it everywhere , leaving me weakened at best and a liability at worst."

I shrugged. "Tacti will be out. Evo isn't strong enough to stand out, leaving Magne and Ergo against our small army. In that battle of attrition, they'll lose. Remember, we're not here for trophies. It's an isolated locale, so there won't be rules. This is a rescue mission. We get in, get them out. That's all."

Jason rubbed his forehead wearily. "And you're sure it'll work?"

"Of course not. I have no idea what will happen. You are all free to propose alternate solutions, though."

Silence. I wasn't surprised. Hedge looked like she wanted to throw up. Dreads' eyes were full of dread. Valkyrie was almost as jumpy as Anita. We could've choked on the tension. I met the eyes of my Heroes, offering each the chance to suggest new ideas.

I spoke when they didn't. "If things go south, all attention is on the kids. We cannot even let one die. Too many already have. LA and then their teachers at the school. We've already saved two. Let's get the rest back home to their families."

Assent rang through my troops. I did a few more slides on contingencies and alternate escape routes, then breezed through what little terrain data we had before dismissing the group.

"Get her home," I asked Angela, motioning to Anita.

Jason watched them go, still lounging in his chair. I noticed Matthius, Blacklight and Church do the same.

When it was just us four, Church looked at me. "What will I be doing?"

"Spectating. We have big screens."

"I don't like it," Blacklight muttered frustratedly. "We don't know enough. Especially not to save three hundred children."

"Then don't think of it that way," I told him. "Think of saving the three containers unharmed."

"What if they have jump scramblers? They're connected and cautious. It wouldn't be a leap to assume they'll have countermeasures against teleportation."

"Then you'll have to find the nodes and scrap 'em," I told Blacklight before turning to Matthius. "Why are you still here?"

Matthius nibbled his lip. "Bar- uh, Director, don't you think we could use Mom on this?"

"No," I snapped bluntly. "She's done."

"They haven't faced her before!" he protested. "Tacti's an evolving fighter. He's already fought Dad and is familiar with my move set. It's not really that crazy to assume the Sunmaker could miss, and he'll wreak havoc. Mom is the perfect–"

"No."

Matthius ground his teeth. "I get she was a dick to you, Bernard. But there are lives–"

"Which is exactly why she's not setting foot in this building for the foreseeable future. When lives were at stake, where was she? Begging isn't a flattering look, Matthius. Get another one."

"I hate to say it," Blacklight sighed, "but Novax is right. Crim may be a bitch–"

"Careful," growled Jason, white creeping up to his irises.

Blacklight rolled his eyes. "Oh, fuck off. You know I'm right. She almost took her kid's head off with a badge. But even through her bitchery, she's a goddamn powerhouse. And against the Family, we could use 'em."

I pressed my knuckles into the table. "There is no circumstance that ends with Crimson Nova's reinstatement. She is suspended for a gross breach of protocol, but more importantly, inner morals. I cannot trust her to do the right thing, so I must force her. She's not coming. That's the last I want to hear of it. Understood?"

Quiet grumbles floated through the situation room.

"Well," Church suggested, "if we're down ranged elements, why don't I keep on standby?"

"Terry..." I started.

"No, he's got a point," Jason argued. "I take both Tacti and myself out. Ergo can be contained, but we've got no gauge on Magne. For all we know, he's the strongest. Church gives our side some much-needed depth, even if he's..."

"Ancient?" snorted the veteran.

Jason's brow arched as he fought off a smirk. "I was going to say 'rusty'."

"Fine," I compromised. "We'll get you something to wear. Any other complaints, or can I get back to work?"

Jason motioned for the exit. "Please."

"Be ready," I told them as I pulled open the door. "And keep things quiet ."

I exhaled wearily once outside the situation room. My legs hurt from standing, and my head was screaming with all the things I still had to finish. For the millionth time that month, I asked myself why I'd decided to take this career path instead of something quieter.

Like teaching. Or banking.

"Everything alright, sir?" asked Lucas, glancing up from the tablet in his hands.

I nodded. "How's work on the Mark II?"

He grimaced. "I'm no Pink. The exoskeleton is completely out of my range, so you'll have to be happy with power multipliers and flight systems."

"That's fine," I assured him. "Just get it working."

"Uh, sir," he said as I closed in on the elevator.

"Yeah?"

"I was wondering why you took me off portal maintenance. I just figured..."

"I need a suit, which someone has to build from scratch. The portal's already up; it just needs fine-tuning. You're not a fine-tuner, Lucas. You're a creator."

Lucas scowled, though it was through tired eyes. "Whatever you say, chief."

"Keep me updated," I ordered him. "And get some sleep. I'd rather not blow up the second I turn on the thrusters."

Lucas coughed out a funny laugh. "No. No, you would not."

Jason got home late. Thanks to Bernard's villa, he hadn't actually been sleeping in his own bed for the past few days. And, to his growing lack of surprise, Bernard had been right.

He'd needed time off. Despite his earlier sentiments, the fight had taken a lot out of him. Tacti had been brutal, unforgiving and exhausting. The death toll nearly drove him over the edge.

But now he was back, and it was time to focus.

He pushed open the door, then stripped for a cold shower. At least, that's what he assumed. His skin was too tough to tell.

Five minutes later, as he was towelling off, he heard the front door open.

Ah, shit .

After her fiasco at the Sheath, and his ensuing reaction, he wasn't sure what to expect. His wife was seldom predictable, especially at times like these.

Into the flames, he grumbled, pulling on a t-shirt as he stepped into the hallway.

"Jason?" asked Elise, hearing footsteps.

Jason frowned. Her voice sounded strangely nervous. "Who else? Matthius barely visits."

Elise laughed. Again, it was timid. Jason was confused. He expected anger, not this.

"You alright?" he asked uneasily.

Elise's blue eyes met his, where he saw weight. She was carrying something, likely the source of her skittishness.

"I'm okay." She tried a half-smile. "How was work?"

"Elise, come on." Jason scowled. "We really gonna do this?"

His wife knit her brows. "I'm just making conversation."

"I... fuck." He rubbed his forehead. "I'm sorry. Yes, work was fine."

She laughed. Jason had to fight for focus. The sound encapsulated every good thing in his life.

"Happy to hear it," she replied, placing her purse on the table. As she reached in to find her keys, Jason noticed the strong scent of cleaning chemicals wafting from her hands.

He cocked his head. "You... uh, spill something?"

She frowned. "Hmm?"

"Your hands. There's soap and... stain remover?"

So small. So negligible. But it'd been almost thirty years. He could tell when she flinched.

"The usual." She shrugged nonchalantly. "Went for a coffee, barista got excited." She gestured to her blouse. "If I waited to get home, I'd never get the brown out."

Jason watched her toss her keys onto the hook. "I suppose."

"You smell nice," she told him, circling the island to peck his cheek.

He rolled his eyes. "Yes, the shower is yours."

"I'll be quick," she promised.

Yeah, right.

Jason dug through the freezer as he waited. After some deliberation, he tossed frozen lasagna in the oven before heading into the living room to review the case. Elise took her time and only appeared when their dinner was all but cooked. He heard her hum through a thirty-minute shower, claw her frizzy hair to submission, then sift through the closet for night clothes.

He spent most of that time distracted, contemplating the nagging doubt nibbling the back of his head. Why she seemed a lot less angry than she had any right to be. He'd stood against her in Bernard's office. That should've been the first thing she brought up, even before greeting him.

In all their years of marriage, Jason had seen Elise be kind. Be patient. Empathetic. But she rarely forgave, and never that fast. Something was up.

"Don't give me that look," she snorted, finally emerging from the upper floor. She shot him a glance before moving to the kitchen to check the oven. Jason glanced up from his laptop to appraise her rear, which filled the robe fantastically. He sighed contentedly, then scolded himself back to the present.

Elise hiding something, he chastised internally. Focus, Nova. Head out of ass. He smirked. Such a nice ass, though.

"Jason!"

He spun. "Yeah?"

"Stop staring and get me plates."

He smirked, unfolding himself from the couch. "Can't I do–"

"No. Unless it's to do with fighting someone, you can't multitask for shit." She fixed him with a look, then stabbed her index at the cupboard.

Jason obliged. "Not my fault. You distract."

"You can't focus," she retorted. She poked the food a few times to ensure it was cooked, then pulled it from the oven. She then leaned over to pluck a pizza cutter from the dishwasher.

Jason nibbled his lip as she cut the lasagna in cubes. "That was stupid, Elise."

Her hand faltered. "I know."

"Really, really stupid. I... dammit. You have no idea what it was like."

She faced him. "I know."

"No, Elise, you don't. Do you have any idea how bad shit has to be for me to side with him over you? He's spent half the month pimping me out like a cage fighter. First Titan, then LA, now this."

Elise cocked her head. "This?"

"We're going to save the children on the island."

"Oh." Elise looked down. "I see."

"Matthius asked. They're not familiar with you. It would give us an edge." Jason raked fingers through his hair. "Bernard shut him down on the spot."

"I'm not surprised," she sighed, head sagging as she picked at her nails.

Jason's scowl was now one of confusion. Why was she defeated? He'd never seen her this... despondent since being around her father. She couldn't possibly have tapped out now, against Bernard?

"We're not giving up," he assured, lifting her chin with his finger. "And neither are you. Big fights need bigger fighters. It's just a matter of convincing Bernard you belong in the ring."

She smiled, but there was nothing behind it. She just looked so tired.

He cupped her face. "What's wrong?"

She wavered as a small shiver rolled through her body. Her face scrunched in what Jason was horrified to see as a struggle not to cry. She had to brace against his chest to stay on her feet.

"Do you trust Bernard, Jason?"

"About you? Of course n–"

"Jason." She let him flick a tear off her cheek, then looked up into his eyes.

He searched hers. "He's given us no reason not to. The Family is world-class. The fact that SWORD still functions is proof he is, too."

"And you think he can win?" she asked him.

Jason scratched his head ruefully. "Well, I guess we'll see. He's pulling all the stops for this extraction. Despite what his natural shortcomings may suggest, he's got a knack for plans."

"This is the Family we're dealing with," she protested. "Alphas. Who knows what the Mother's powers could be? Super-intelligence isn't so rare–"

"Elise, trust me. He's solid. And if his plans aren't, he adapts." He wrinkled his nose. "God, I can't believe I actually said that. But I'm serious. Come tomorrow; those kids will be home safe and sound. Without their leverage, the Family will need to reassess, giving us enough time to talk him into reinstating you."

"Don't waste your breath," she snorted frustratedly. "He won't budge. He's too far up his own ass."

Jason shrugged. "I won't give him a choice. And I hate to say it, but you don't have one either."

Elise's face fell, again showing her fatigue. "I know."

"We'll figure it out," he promised, flashing her a confident smile. "We'll be fine."

Elise stared at it long enough to make Jason uncomfortable.

"Uh, this is the part where you–"

"I need you to be honest with me, Jason."

He frowned, then shrugged. "Sure."

"Do you love me?"

"Yes," Jason replied immediately.

She took a shaky breath. "No matter what?"

"Yes." He cocked his head. "What's going on? If you need to ask me this after all this time, you haven't been paying much attention."

The beginnings of a wry grin flickered across her lips. "And you trust me?"

Jason tapped his chin. "To trash the hair you leave in the shower? Fuck no. But everything else? With my life."

Elise studied him for cracks. When she found none, she leaned onto her toes and kissed him with a lot more emphasis than earlier. He could almost taste the desperation on her lips.

"Then please, please trust me," she urged. "And whatever happens, please remember I love you, no matter what."

He scowled suspiciously. "Elise, what–"

"Jason. Please. Promise me."

She was scared. Fucking hell. His King-Class, fire-breathing wife with more superhuman kills than most countries put together was scared. Of him, the Family, or what was coming, he couldn't be sure.

And she wasn't going to tell him.

He could've pried. Maybe he should've. Maybe that would've changed things. But when he looked into her eyes and saw the raw, honest desperation, he realized it didn't matter.

He didn't care.

This was Elise. And he did believe she loved him.

"Okay."