The Battle Begins

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Vivian half listened as Natasha ranted on. She poured herself a cup of coffee, paying more attention to what Anthony and Nat were talking about via the crystal link they shared, than to whatever it was Natasha was complaining about. She knew Jerome and Jordan were connected as well, but neither of them said much. That was not unusual. She had just begun to make her way back toward the living room when she heard Jordan's excited voice come through.

"Guys! I think we're close to something! I'm getting some new information from the veggies down here!" By "veggies" they all knew he meant the plants and trees.

"What is it, Jordan?" It was Anthony's voice.

Vivian paused in the doorway to the living room, holding a hand up to Natasha to try to cease her tirade. She wanted to listen more closely.

"I think... well, from what I'm able to understand, and it isn't easy because the info is coming in fast and thick down here, there may be some kind of... big cave? Wait... no... An undergr..." His words were cut off and then, "Whoa! Where did you come from?"

Just then Vivian's eyes fell upon Tya across the room. Her feet were tucked up underneath her on the sofa, but she was perfectly still. Too still. Vivian's stomach dropped and she felt a chill run down her spine. Jordan's voice became distant. She handed her coffee cup to Natasha without a word and sprinted across the room, skidding to her knees in front of the Oracle.

Tya's eyes were unfocused. She seemed to be far away even while sitting right there within reach. Vivian took her small hands in her own and looked up into the deep, green meadows. She started to say the smaller woman's name, but the word was lost on her lips. The meadows seemed to expand and draw closer. Or was she moving closer to them? They became like windows.

She wanted nothing more than to go to those windows. To open them and breathe the air of the meadows beyond. She felt herself moving toward them and they seemed to be pulling her in. Welcoming her. Beckoning to her. She drifted, lost in the black pupils which had begun to expand and become like pools. Individual at first, but as she drew nearer to them, they joined and became one, big, dark, swirling pool. Just as she began to feel a sense of alarm, the pool engulfed her.

She was falling. Falling in pitch darkness. At first she panicked and braced herself for an impact, but it never came. She held her hand up before her face, but saw nothing there. Frantically she reached out to try to grab hold of something, but there was nothing but emptiness. It seemed eternal. She tried not to scream, but as terror began to grip her heart, she heard the high-pitched wail of her own voice as it tore from her throat. She knew there was no one listening. She was lost, falling forever into utter blackness, completely alone.

...........

Natasha had followed Vivian into the living room, wondering what had freaked her out. She watched as Vivian knelt before Tya and then she appeared to just freeze. Natasha dropped to her knees beside the two women, who seemed locked into an eerie staring match. Vivian was holding Tya's hands in her own. Natasha reached out and touched Vivian's shoulder. There was no response.

"Viv. Vivian, what's going on?" she asked, but Vivian just continued to stare into the eyes of the Oracle.

Natasha turned the red-head toward her and put a hand on either side of her face, breaking the eye contact between the two women. She glanced at Tya, but then looked back at Vivian, her friend. Her antagonist. Her rock. She cupped her face and drew the pale green eyes up to her own.

"Viv..." she began, but the rest of what she was going to say seemed to float away from her as she looked into those eyes. They were beautiful eyes. She had never noticed how beautiful Vivian's eyes were before. She began to feel drawn to them. As if they held every answer to every question she had. All she needed to do was reach into them.

She felt pulled into the pools of pale green. Then the pupils expanded and the green disappeared around her, giving way to swirling blackness as they became one. She felt the pull strengthen and she knew she could not fight it. She didn't even want to try. Then she fell. Darkness engulfed her and she fell faster. Toward what, she had no idea. She could see and hear nothing. The silence engulfed her, weighing her down, causing her to fall faster. There was no end. There was nothing. Fear boiled within her as she felt the loneliness and despair creep in and take root.

She began to scream.

.........

Jordan peered into the underbrush, not sure if his eyes had tricked him. There had just been a girl peering out at him from under the thicket. He was almost positive. She was there and then she wasn't. He pushed some of the branches and weeds apart.

"Hello?"

He pushed back more dead leaves and vines. "Is someone here?"

Suddenly a large lizard of some sort sprang from the shadowy undergrowth, startling him and causing him to fall backward onto his rear end.

"Holy crap!" he exclaimed, backing away from the creature as quickly as possible.

The lizard's forked tongue shot out and then disappeared as it regarded him with one eye, the other of which was on the far side of its iridescent head. Other than that, it was completely still. Jordan slowly began to get to his feet, not taking his eyes off of the animal. It was the size of a large dog. He had no idea what kind of lizard it was or if it were dangerous.

Just as he made it to his feet and stood up, the lizard began to move. It seemed like its skin had started to boil and buckle. It slowly raised itself onto its hind legs and to Jordan's surprise, it began to grow and shape shift. It was morphing! Changing right in front of him! As it continued to grow, that one eye never looked away from him.

"Uhh, you guys might want to get down here and check this out," he said to the others via his crystal. He couldn't take his eyes off of the creature. It was getting bigger and bigger. Soon it would dwarf him, yet he couldn't seem to move away from it. His gaze was locked to that one, unblinking, reptilian eye. 

...........

Jerome's sharp eyes turned toward the part of the marshy terrain where he knew Jordan was supposed to be, trying to see what it was the boy had found. Anthony was not within eyeshot and neither was Knottalia, but they always kept within view of where Jordan was, spreading out in a sort of triangle pattern.

Just as he noticed movement in the overgrown vegetation, something shot from the trees below and behind him, knocking him from the sky. He felt himself spin out of control as his massive wings fought to regain balance. Something, or someone, had a death-grip on him. They had caught him completely by surprise. Not an easy thing to do to the mighty Falcon, and so he was ill-prepared for the unexpected attack.

Whoever it was had wrapped themself around him from behind and were attempting to pin his wings, cocooning him within them. They both tumbled toward the ground, crashed through the trees, and landed in a heap on a patch of grass and rock. Jerome winced as his shoulder struck the sharp edge of a large stone that jutted from the earth and for a moment his vision was hindered by sparks of pain. He gained his footing and gracefully leapt to his feet.

In spite of the pain in his shoulder, he reached both arms forward, crossing them in front of him to grab the hilts of his curved, scythe-like blades. Faster than it took to blink, he had drawn his weapons and turned around to face his attacker.

Standing before him in a fighting pose with her own weapons drawn stood the winged woman he had never dreamed could exist. His mirror image. The female falcon, just like him. His golden eyes landed upon her and he was frozen in place. Unable to move and hardly able to draw a breath.

She lunged at him with a sharp cry, slicing through the air before him with her razor-sharp blades. A split-second before she sliced through his neck, he jerked backward and to the side, leaping out of her reach. Her blade cut through empty air.

She turned with a frustrated snarl and continued her attack, bringing her blades around in the other direction. He ducked and rolled out of harm's way. He was unable to lift his own blades and attack her even though she seemed fully intent upon taking his life.

"Stop!" he commanded. "Why do you attack me?"

He saw her hesitate, determination faltering in her expression for a moment before she leapt into the air, spinning as she brought her blades around once again.

"Because it is what the Master desires!" she shouted as she swung her swords with deadly aim.

Once again, Jerome deftly avoided her assault, his own sharp weapons hanging harmless at his sides. He could not force himself to raise them against this creature who was proof that he was not alone. That he was not a fluke or a freak of nature. That he was a part of something! This female with wings like his own and skin the color of a starless midnight sky, was living proof that he came from somewhere. From someone. Possibly a whole species of someones. 

His amazement was going to get him killed before he could find out more if he didn't figure out how to subdue her. Quickly. There was no way he could allow himself to harm her. Not even in defense. She was more precious to him than he was to himself.

He sheathed his blades and sidestepped another attack. She leapt past him and spun, hesitating as her gaze fell upon his empty, unarmed hands.

"Draw your weapons, Falcon!" she hissed, her eyes ablaze.

Slowly he spread his arms out to either side, his massive wings partially open behind him. His eyes locked onto hers for a moment and then very slowly, with purpose, he moved one leg back and sank to the forward knee, bowing his head, arms still outstretched. He closed his eyes and knelt before her in surrender.

Then he spoke. His voice came from him like an instrument yet to be discovered, producing a sound the likes of which no one had ever heard. He said, "If you kill me today, I will die 1000 times more at peace than I would have died yesterday, just having lain eyes on you and knowing that you are real."

Then he waited, eyes closed. After what felt like an eternity contained in a heartbeat, he heard a tortured sob wrench from within her and he felt the air whip and swirl around him. Then everything was quiet. He opened his eyes and he was alone.

He allowed a sigh of relief to escape and then, rare as it was, he smiled.

"Jerome! Where are you! You've got to see this!" It was Anthony. The spell broken, he stood and shot skyward with a pump of his wings. He set off to find his friends.

..................

Jackson accepted a cup of coffee from a fresh-faced rookie cop who was apparently paying his dues by playing fetch for his boss. The smiling police chief had guided Macy back to his office with Jackson sauntering along behind, hands in his pockets and expression slightly amused. He was accustomed to men fawning over his partner and it didn't bother him as long as they remained respectful and as long as she didn't seem to mind.

Now they were both seated across from the charming Australian and Jackson sat forward with his elbows resting on his knees, cup in both hands, as soon as the rookie had left, closing the door behind him.

His eyes narrowed at the smiling man who seemed incapable of being serious and he cleared his throat. "Listen. I just want to let you know that what we are investigating here is highly confidential and the situation volatile. We'd appreciate as much help and information you can offer without you’re asking many questions in return. I understand that's asking a lot, but you'll be filled in on whatever we are permitted to tell you the minute we have that permission and we will not leave you in the dark."

Chief Crowly's smile did not waver as he shifted his gaze from Macy to Jackson. He leaned back in his chair and placed one boot up on his desk, adjusting his hat so that the brim cast a shadow over his sparkling eyes. He let out a long breath and then waved his hands out to either side in a conciliatory gesture.

"Well, then Detective. I suppose you'll just have to tell me what it is you want to know about," he said. "We'll see if I can be of any help to you. So long as it doesn't question my morals or challenge my duty to the people of this city, I'll do whatever I can."

Jackson nodded, regarding the guy. He trusted him. Chief Crowly was a bit unprofessional. Very laid back almost to the point of seeming careless. Yet Jackson knew he was a good guy with good intentions.

"Are you aware of any scientific research being conducted in or around this city?" Jackson asked, deciding to get straight to the point. He wanted to wrap this up, get what information he could, and get back to the others as soon as possible.

"I assume you aren't interested in research that involves the next breakthrough wrinkle cream or impotency magic pill, am I right?" Chief Crowly joked and then looked at Macy and laughed at his own hilarity. She giggled back and continued to file her nails.

Jackson didn't laugh. He just looked at the man and sat back in his chair, taking a sip of his coffee. "The research I'm interested in would be being conducted in secret, against the laws both of your country, mine, and the laws of humanity itself."

For the first time since he'd laid eyes on the crinkly eyed Australian, Jackson saw the humor leave his face. Chief Crowly pulled his boot back off of his desk and placed it on the floor, sitting forward, his eyes on Jackson and his attention finally hooked.

"Just what kind of research are you suggesting, Detective?"

"The kind where innocent people are the test subjects and they never signed any consent forms. The kind where things go wrong and their bodies are never found."

"Is there something like that going on in my jurisdiction?" Crowly asked, his eyes locked onto Jackson's now, unwavering. There was not even a hint of humor in them now.

"We believe so, Chief. We'd appreciate any information on any cases, calls, claims, anything that could possibly be tied to such a thing. And I'd like to get a list of research facilities, both government owned and private, along with any military operations being conducted in this and the surrounding areas. If there's anything going on that you haven't been given security access to, I want to know about it."

"I'll have everything ready for you to pick up first thing in the morning." Chief Crowly sat back again and gave Jackson a nod. "You'll have all of the above and anything else I come up with that I think might help. Sound good?"

Jackson and the Chief stood to their feet and then Jackson reached down and pulled Macy to hers. She let out a small, surprised squeak as she suddenly found herself on her feet. She stowed the nail file and smiled up at Chief Crowly.

"It sure was fun meeting you, sir!" she said softly, offering him her hand.

He took it and bent over it with a kiss before raising his eyes back up and tipping his hat with his free hand. "The pleasure was all mine, I'm sure."

Jackson rolled his eyes and nudged Macy out of the office ahead of him before turning back to shake the man's hand and thank him. "I'll be back in the morning, sir. I appreciate your help."

"Anything I can do, you let me know."

Jackson followed Macy out of the station. They both reached back and activated their crystals just in time to hear their teammates shouting back and forth to each other regarding what sounded like an ongoing battle. Jackson looked down at Macy and her blue eyes were round and seemed to mirror his own confusion. 

"Honey, did I just hear someone say something about a T-Rex?"

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