Chapter 69: B3 — 11. The Plan

AuthorSME

POV:  Rachel Park

Recap:  Rachel and the group got caught up in a meeting between the Executive Branch and Tom; they got a little off-track and were concerned about a lot of issues, but mainly money, and how they were going to proceed with the information given.  The gang retired for the night, leaving Tom to talk things over with the Executive Branch.  Now, everyone's waking up.

Rachel yawned as she shifted on the cot, mind rousing; a host of sounds met her, causing her ears to twitch.  Stretching her arms out, she opened her eyes while sitting up; part of her glowing white hair shifted around her back.

The linen blanket the army had given her slid down, exposing her back and shoulders to the chilly air.  Cold Resistance made the environment comfortable, and it only took a moment for her broad vision to adjust to the bright lights surrounding her.

She was lying atop the cot she’d fallen asleep on, and there was nothing out of the ordinary happening around her.  Her ears picked up a few conversations between officers, and she caught one of the men standing by the exit quickly walk-off, likely to report that she’d woken up while a woman jogged forward to meet her.

The guards smiled at her from their assigned posts; a few waved from their massive fifty caliber machine guns positioned around the crystal.  Through a few of their whispered conversations, it was clear they’d been trying to be quiet throughout the day to not wake Scarlet, Fiona, or her.

Rachel returned a smile and gesture before turning her attention back to the right-angled, cream-colored triangle.  The crystal may not have changed, but the guards had moved on to a new shift; she didn’t recognize the men and women around the area.

Scarlet was wrapped in a pink and orange checkered blanket, sleeping soundly in a cot with her hands folded below her chest under the fabric.  She’d bound her long black hair into a ponytail the night before, resting beside her head atop her pillow and running down the outside of her blanket.

Rachel hummed thoughtfully as she realized Scarlet wasn’t breathing; she knew she wasn’t completely dead by the sounds the inside of her body made.  Her blood cycled around in a strange manner that was completely different than the human vascular system.

The teenage Vampire looked at peace; by the soft smile on her lips, she was likely having a happy dream, and Rachel began humming Gooey by Glass Animals as she heard someone listening to it a mile away, calming her rousing body.

She giggled as she saw the sizable Barbie house at the foot of their cots, still inside her broad field of vision; the soft sounds of Fiona breathing could be heard from within.  There was a foldable table set up beside them with supplies on it, including clothes and food.

Fiona finally found a place that fits her.

Releasing another yawn, Rachel threw off her blanket, pulling her hair around before standing up to meet the advancing woman.

She was at least partially Hispanic with black hair that was bound in a tight bun.  Rachel assumed she was older than she appeared; by her soft features, she looked to be in her late teens, but to be here, she’d likely have some years behind her within the military.

The woman had hazel eyes, a cute snub nose, soft, rounded arched eyebrows, and a heart-shaped face.  She was dressed in the standard military uniform, complete with the cap, and was a few inches shorter.

Rachel licked her lips before putting on a smile as the woman approached; Rachel held out her hand as the woman offered her own.  “Rachel, I assume?”

“That would be correct.”

“Hello!”  She said brightly, stepping back a little to give her some space.  “My name’s Second Lieutenant Ava Hernandez,” she said in a Texan accent, drawing out her phrases in almost a sing-songy manner.

Ava was clearly trying to keep her voice in check, but it seemed unnatural to her.  “I took the clothes you had before and found some replacements of similar style; I’ve been assigned to prepare you to be briefed by General Dallas.  A runner has been sent to wake him up.”

Rachel’s brow furrowed.  “Has he gotten enough sleep?”

“He’s been resting for roughly seven hours; you’ve slept through most of the day.  The sun’s dropping below the horizon; it’s currently seven-twenty,” she promptly replied.

We slept that long … it seems we have been on a strange clock that revolves around the sun descending.  Is it just a natural bodily response?  Perhaps for Scarlet and me, but Fiona and Maria don’t have that type of nocturnal background—in fact, Maria should probably feel the exact opposite?  Although, I suppose she has been on the same clock as us since The Oscillation.

“Hmm, okay.  Thanks, Ava—can I call you Ava?”  She asked, sweeping all her loose locks behind her back; they simply fell into their standard defensive wave with her gentle flicks.

“I don’t have a problem with that,” Ava said, smile still in place.

They both turned their attention to Scarlet as she moaned a little, her arms finding their way through her cocoon.  “Rachel?”

“Yeah, Scarlet.  Did you sleep well?”

“I guess,” she yawned.  “I just—had this strange dream where I was back at Disney World with my parents—last time I went was when I was like, twelve, and the strangest thing was—I was a Vampire—in the sunlight.”

“Trippy,” Rachel said with a light huff.  “I don’t dream … I mean, I have to, but I can count the number of dreams I remember on one hand—when I do dream, it’s so real I can’t really tell if it’s real or not for a few minutes after.”

“That’s strange.”

“You’re telling me.”

Scarlet’s tongue slid over her red lips for a moment as she studied her.  “How do you look good in anything you wear?  A black T-Shirt and shorts … anything.”

Rachel chuckled.  “Is that your appetite talking?”

Her blue eyes widened as she gave a start.  “Oh—I think you’re right!  I am kind of thirsty,” she mumbled, glancing around before her vision settled on the cooler atop the table.

Walking over to the case, Rachel opened it for a moment and grabbed a bag, tossing it back to her.  Scarlet caught it without effort before biting into it, eyes flashing crimson.

Rachel heard the Second Lieutenant’s muscles tense for a moment, liquid sliding down Ava’s throat as she watched Scarlet drain the bag within seconds before her eyes returned to their blue color.  “Scarlet—right?”

Scarlet’s blue irises returned as she glanced between the Second Lieutenant and Rachel, fangs detaching from the plastic.  “Who’s this, Rachel?”

“Ava, our guide.”

“Oh,” Scarlet gave her a charming smile, glossy white fangs flashing in the bright spotlights.  “Hello, Ava.  That’s a pretty name.”

“Thanks…”  Ava whispered, trailing off as she glanced around at the other soldiers that were trying their best to keep their focus on the crystal.

Scarlet’s ponytail shifted a little as she scanned the area.  “Where’s Fiona?  Wait … is she in that … she is!”  Scarlet mumbled, eyes turning Vampiric as her vision penetrated the dollhouse.  “I guess she likes sleeping in the nude,” she whispered, shaking her head ruefully.

Ava cleared her throat, walking around the cots to extend her hand, trying to force a smile.  “Excuse me?  I didn’t catch that.”

“Oh, nothing!”  Scarlet giggled, shaking her hand before standing up and pulling out her hairband.  “So, we’re going to get changed and go talk to Tom?”  She asked, glancing over the table of supplies.

“Yes,” Ava quickly replied, gripping her wrist behind her back.  “The general is currently getting ready.”

“That right?”  Her Vampiric eyes returning as she surveyed the area; Ava was clearly perturbed but hid her fear well.  “Oh, it looks like you guys are using…”  Scarlet’s eyes quickly shut as her cheeks reddened, lips becoming a line.  “Boundaries … boundaries,” she stated, berating herself.

“E-Excuse me?”  Ava asked, turning to Rachel as she chuckled.

“Scarlet can be a bit of a perv.”

“Perv—huh?”  She asked, staring at her in disbelief; her cheeks darkened further, blue irises back.  “I’m not a perv!  I just—it’s hard not to see things … sometimes…”

Rachel winked.  “Not judging.”

Scarlet moaned, looking down at the floor as she played with her fingers.  “It’s usually an accident…”

“What’s an accident?”  Fiona mumbled as Rachel heard her rustling inside the dollhouse.

“Nothing!”  Scarlet stated defensively.

Rachel quickly followed with, “Scarlet’s just doing a bit of peeking.”

“Ah—totally get it,” she said with a soft yawn.  “X-ray vision and all—fun stuff!”

“It’s not like that!  Geez … you’re both mean!  It was really an accident.”

“Usually,” Rachel quoted with an innocent nod and gave her a thumbs up.

“Oh, gosh…”  Scarlet mumbled, folding her arms while turning to look at the wall.  “One time…”

“Wait, one time?”  Fiona asked, getting up and making some noise while she got ready inside the house.  “So, Kyle was on purpose,” she giggled.

“Do I have to … yes, okay—I was just … curious … just once...”  She mumbled, pointed ears now affected by her blush as Fiona burst into laughter.

“Exotic taste!  So, how’d he look?”

“C’mon—stop teasing me…”  Scarlet whimpered.

Ava seemed utterly bewildered, unable to follow the Fairy’s side of the conversation and baffled by Rachel’s laughter.  “Am I—missing something?”

“Nope—private conversation,” Scarlet stated.  “So, umm—this stuff is for us, right, and uh—Fiona, you getting ready?”

Rachel shook her head while leaning against the table, silently appraising the abashed Vampire as she clumsily tried to redirect the conversation.

“Maria’s inside that one—what was it?”

“The greenhouse?”  Rachel helped.

“Yeah, the greenhouse … is someone going to wake her up?”

Rachel’s ears shifted a little as she continued to filter past conversations, learning about the flood of information that had passed through the area while she’d slept.

In the following silence, while she gathered information, Fiona quickly interjected.  “Yes, I’m getting ready.  I wanted to make sure I had a lot of options, so we went to a few local toy stores.  You’d be shocked how hard it is to find even Barbie clothes that fit me!”

“Wait … are you talking to Fiona?”  Ava asked, vision falling to the dollhouse.

“Yes,” Rachel replied, “she’s currently getting ready.”

“Oh … I was a little surprised when you started talking to yourself…”  Ava trailed off, cute features twisting with concern.  “Not that you’re crazy—I don’t think you just talk to yourself—I just…”

“No, no—it’s fine!”  Scarlet replied with a forced smile before walking around her cot to look through a few of the clothing options on the table.  “I totally get it.”

Rachel cut in while opening a bag of original Fritos.  “Maria’s not awake, but some of the conversations I’m hearing,” she chuckled, ears twitching for a moment as they shifted to catch another group’s discussion.

“Like what?”  Fiona asked before mumbling, “Black leggings with a black and white striped shirt … bronze flats should be good; they were super hard to find.”

A depressed sigh left Rachel’s throat.  “Well, just your average talk about a drop-dead gorgeous woman sleeping in a glass room.  It’s been going around that you can see sleeping beauty by looking around Bench Boulevard and Hilltop Road.  It’s turned somewhat into a riddle game among the troops and even some citizens.”

“Wait … what?”  Ava asked.  “People are making a game out of finding Maria?  If I remember correctly, she’s sleeping in the greenhouse off those streets.”

“It’s not harming anyone,” Rachel said with a short shrug.

“Imagine how their view would change if they met her in person,” Fiona giggled.  “Sleeping beauty … I’m totally going to call her that!”

“Oh, we should ask her where her prince is!”  Scarlet added, laughing as she tried to redirect their focus off her recently discovered deviant behavior.

“I love it!”  Fiona said as she walked down the stairs to open the front door.  Yellow dust exploded around her as her white wings appeared, and she rose into the air.  “So, what’s up?”  She asked, joining them by the table.

Ava blinked a few times as they all stared at her; after a moment, she gave a short start.  “Oh—sorry, I just—I’m not used to seeing—people as … small as you.”  She mumbled.  “And that you can fly.”

Fiona shrugged, folding her arms under her chest.  “I totally get it.”

“It’s just a lot—different, seeing it—you—in person.  I was given a report, but … it’s just not the same.  Can your dust make people fly?”

Looking back at her wings, Fiona giggled.  “No—well, maybe…”

Rachel chuckled.  “Not in the way she’s thinking.”

“Yeah, probably not—snorting dark yellow Fairy Dust,” Fiona laughed, running her left hand across her scalp and through her hair.  “And like I said, I get it.  So, umm—what’s up?”

“Right—you can get ready real quick, and then we’ll go meet General Dallas.”

“Good ol’ Tom,” Fiona said while floating down to a small bowl of sugar.  “Okay—I’ll go wake up sleeping beauty.  Oh, wait, before that—Ge’r, Ha’e, Te’r, and Ja’a are currently in the hotel across the street.  They don’t do too well in the cold; they needed a heated area to rest in.”

“What’s the plan for them?”  Scarlet asked, brow furrowing with concern.  “I could feel their terror, and it was terror … they’re not faking their fear.”

“Just rest—I think?”  Fiona asked, turning to Ava for confirmation.

“I haven’t been ordered to bring them.”

“There you have it!”  Fiona stated.  “And you’re totally right, Scarlet, they’re petrified of the Azure Frost.  They seem to think that we can’t stop it.  I did a bit more translating after you two went to bed.

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“They had an interesting life in their world.  It was a bit more and less violent than we have it.  Some colonizing and rebellions here and there, but it sounds super complicated.  Mostly we talked about the Azure Frost.”

Rachel nodded.  “I can’t hear anyone talking about it, but that’s likely because it’s only known by Tom, the top officers here, and the Executive Branch top brass.”

“Right, right,” Fiona said with another salute.  “Well, I guess I’ll go get the sleepy head.”

Ava cleared her throat.  “It didn’t snow while you slept, but it is freezing outside—about negative four celsius.”

“No prob,” Fiona replied, waving as she shot up a meter above their heads.  “I’m super-resistant to the cold, and I know where our sleeping princess is; oh, I’m going to win the riddle!  Okay, see you all at the meeting.”

“Later,” Scarlet and Rachel said, waving her off.

Fiona shot into the tunnel leading outside, disappearing from sight.

They grabbed a set of clothes before Scarlet teleported the three of them to one of the empty hotel rooms; she swore she hadn’t peeked in on anyone around them.  Ava was a little concerned about traveling through shadows but quickly gave in as they moved to teleport.

Ava was a bit dazed as both Mythickin girls moved onto getting ready without skipping a beat.  She had to sit down on the bed and think a little about what she’d just done and what had happened.

While she collected herself, both girls dressed in matching apparel, light brown army boots, black leggings, panties, and sports bras with a white long-sleeve shirt.  Rachel found matches that fit her perfectly, but Scarlet’s was a bit tighter than she’d like.

After brushing their teeth and doing a quick check of their appearance, Scarlet transported them back to the crystal to eat a little.  Rachel finished two bags of chips and a few vegetable rolls that she cooked in the microwave that had been set up with a portable electric battery.

Scarlet grabbed another bag before traveling through shadows to the trailer Tom was waiting in; Ava was a bit more willing this time around.  The three of them fanned out as they entered; Scarlet and Rachel promptly took the chairs on both sides of Tom while Ava tried to regain her bearings.

Tom’s eyebrows lifted as they entered, and he sat back, a grin splitting his lips while following them take their seats; he looked a lot more rested, and he was out of his suit and in a standard military outfit with four stars on the shoulders.  “Rachel, Scarlet, how did you sleep?  Ah, Lieutenant Hernandez, you’re dismissed.  Thank you for guiding them.”

“Of—of course, general,” she said, saluting before hesitantly exiting through the front door; a chilling breeze swept through the opening, causing Tom to shiver before she shut the door.

“Poor woman,” Scarlet mumbled.  “She was petrified of the shadows surrounding us.”

Tom groaned a little, glancing back at the closed door.  “She’s a good soldier, from what I’ve read of her OMPF.  Everyone’s been playing catch-up since the world’s changed overnight.”

Rachel breathed out a heavy sigh.  “I’ve been hearing a few of the reports flooding in; a lot of countries are in chaos … a lot of violence between the changed taking over areas and humans cracking down on the changed.  I’ve been hearing the term Demi being thrown around?”

“Demi … it’s a word that’s become popular in the last twenty-four hours, coming out of a mix of Japanese and U.S. fiction subculture.  People are collectively calling the people that changed Demi-Humans, Demis, for short.

“Yes, there are issues that have been happening around the world; the whole of Africa is a battleground.  Many of the once peaceful places in South America have become war zones between struggling individuals with powers.

“Some just trying to keep the peace and some trying to live out their power trips.  Well, mostly the countries with weak militaries or that rely on other countries for their military support.  Mexico has become a theater between the rival cartels, military, revolutionaries, and smaller gang violence, and Venezuela is divided between rival factions breaking down into utter chaos.”

“The U.S. seems to be stabilizing, though,” Rachel said with a hum.  “Between all the branches of military, public, corporate, and religious support, most areas are trying to learn how to accept this change.  Now people are beginning to look for answers.

“Of course, there is still the need for a lot of policing in places around California and New York, where mobbing was the worst.  Texas did shockingly well, but I suppose the military is heavily patrolling the borders.  I haven’t heard much about how things will be handled from here, though.”

“Was it really that bad?”  Scarlet asked, fidgeting with her hands in her lap.  “I mean, I know it got a little bad in Miami, but was it even worse in California?”

Tom ran his hand over his bald scalp, scratching the back of his head with a long sigh.  “Much worse … Las Vegas was really bad, too.  Mostly, it came from the homeless and gangs.  Primarily looting before retreating back into the tunnels or scattering along the waterways, but there was no shortage of home invasions and murders within many of the cities after the initial shock with their dense population.

“Most of the more rural counties and cities tended to do a lot better after the initial shock since there were firearms within nearly every home and distance.  There were incidents, but it didn’t grow rampant like it did in the major California and New York counties; there were leaders of the mobbing that came from the local gangs that overwhelmed the police in many areas that are still being dealt with as we position boots on-ground.

“It’s to be expected with places like California for obvious reasons.  As the President mentioned, we’re already the largest immigration country in the world … by far, and since we’ve closed our borders because of the new sickness and security risks, we’ve come under heat from a lot of countries.  That’s politics, though … I’m more concerned about our citizens; I’ll always prioritize our country over others because that is my job as a general.”

Scarlet’s brow furrowed.  “Shouldn’t we be helping everyone we can, though?”

Tom chuckled with a sad expression.  “It’s easy to say that, but when you’re dealing with a country, it’s not so simple.  There’s a lot of things to consider that most people just brush off.

“If we just opened the borders, we’d turn into a Third World Country overnight and the police would be overwhelmed; we already have boots on the ground in many areas of our own country.  We have borders for many reasons, and all of them are to protect our citizens.  When a plane is going down, you are told to first put a mask on yourself before helping the person next to you.  You must be in a stable position to help others; it’s as simple as that.”

Scarlet slowly nodded.  “I never thought about it like that.”

Tom cracked his neck before clearing his throat.  “It’s not uncommon.  I’m in this job because I have the experience to handle the larger picture.  Our own are our first priority, and everyone that says otherwise can join support groups to help those they are interested in aiding; everyone prioritizes certain people above others … it’s just a part of being human.

“You have a priority on every human’s life, from your mother to a homeless millionaire, but my job is to look at our citizens as a whole, not the world or your grandmother.  It’s a reality that people in 1st World countries and those that have never been in a position of power tend to gloss over.  When you have people’s lives in your hands … America can’t save the world; so, we do what you can.

“There were a few local militia groups that went overboard, but it’s nothing like the media is trying to portray it as … in other words, it’s not this massive movement.  Most people are just trying to keep their small part of the world safe from the looters; people naturally try to use chaos to get free stuff or break things when they have the chance.  It’s just mob mentality.”

Scarlet tucked her lip under as she listened.  Once Tom stopped, she asked, “Will it get better?”

“Oh, it’s already improving; the media would have you believe there are racist hangings and the normal cocktail of anti-establishment propaganda.  It’s not completely wrong, but as usual, way over the top to gain ratings, clickbait, and push an agenda.  No different than any other politician.”

He shrugged.  “No, everything will be fine; the big issue isn’t internally, but these crystals and the threat they bring.  We can easily handle the occasional Antifa riots and pockets of Alt-Right arsonists … most of them scatter the moment they hear a gunshot or someone throws a fireball.  People have been recently learning not to mess with Beastkin, too … a gashed open arm wises people up...”

He twisted his seat a little as the front door opened to admit a quivering Maria and Fiona; Maria rushed in, rubbing her arms as her teeth chattered, mumbling, “¡Maldita sea, hace frío!”

“Thanks, sir,” Fiona yelled, waving someone off.

Maria turned around to glare at the floating Fairy.  “You’re insane; get in here!”

Fiona casually zipped side to side, entering the room with a mischievous smile.  “It’s not that cold.”

Maria slammed the door with a huff, quickly rubbing her arms again while mumbling, “I’d swear you’re making it colder … but you’re not blue.”

“It’s not that cold, to begin with, sissy!”

“S-Sissy!”  Maria blustered, glaring at her.  “I don’t have insane Ice Resistance like some pixies…”

“Right, so you’re supposed to show how Spartan you are!”  Fiona said with a wink.

Maria’s nose twisted into a sour complexion.  “Spartan, my ass.”

She’d changed into similar clothes but had added a large furry gray coat, and Rachel suspected two more layers of clothing under that by how it bulged.

“Good, the gang’s here,” Tom chuckled, motioned to the chairs.  “Take a seat.”

Fiona glided over by Scarlet, floating two feet above the tabletop, cross-legged.  “Thanks!”

Maria released a long sigh before rolling out the chair beside Rachel and dropping into it, scooting forward.

Scarlet forced a smile.  “Going to take off your coat?”

“Nope,” Maria stated, folding her arms across her stomach.

Feeling it was about time to take control of the conversation, Rachel drew everyone’s attention, glancing between them as she spoke.  “Alright, now that we’re here, why don’t we get down to business.  We’ve heard about Fiona translating a bit more yesterday.  So, Tom, what did the powers have to say on how we should proceed?”

Tom released a short chuckle in his throat.  “Rachel, ever the one to keep us on point.  Right,” he sighed, rubbing the back of his head.  “Well, the Executive Branch wanted me to get a few answers from you, Rachel, and from Scarlet.”

“Why me?”  Scarlet asked, glancing between him and Rachel.  “Rachel’s the one that has the plans!”

Tom leaned against the table, partially lifting a hand to indicate he needed a minute.  “Just hear me out … you’ve all earned a lot of trust with the President and a few of the Executive Branch members, and they want your opinion on a few things.”

A few … meaning there’s likely some that don’t like us at all.

“It may sound derogatory,” Tom shifted his weight back, causing his chair to squeak, “but, I’ll be referring to the people that changed as Demis since it’s already caught on like wildfire, and it’s easier to say to identify them.  On the contrary, it is a bit polarized in some circles, but most seem to accept it.

“First, what is your opinion on the mental state and the ability for Demis to function in society?”

Scarlet looked stunned.  “Me—you’re asking me—a Vampire?”

Tom nodded, causing Scarlet to run her hands through her hair.  She released a low moan before responding.  “Mostly—probably?  I mean, there are some—possibly dangerous stuff, but for the most part, I think people—Demis want to live in peace.”

He turned his eyes to Maria as she huffed.  “Right—my hitters ain’t got a problem, but if anyone else has a problem, then there’s trouble.”

Rachel sucked in a breath before releasing it slowly.  Everyone’s eyes fell on her as she clicked her tongue a few times, staring down at the table.  “Honestly, it would depend on the laws that were initiated.  You already told me about people lobbying for segregation, depending on how the government handles the laws coming out of the House.

“In general, most Demis would play by the rules to stay with their families … if those rules were fair—equal opportunity.  I expect the pushback would be harder from normal citizens—humans, than the Demis.  Demis can do all sorts of things that could make their skills much more of a valued asset.”

Tom nodded with a grave expression.  “Yes, that has been stated, but we have planned on going forward with the privatization of the crystals.  The bill needs a lot of work and input, but we’re getting everyone we can on it.  It should be one of the first big bills passed; that, and an amendment to the Constitution for Demis with several other Demi Equal Rights bills that protects their rights with any other citizen.

“There will naturally be pushback and a lot of debates to come in the months leading up to the new election.  I’m sure there will likely be some Demis jumping into the race.  I’ve heard that even Senator Hutchings was turned into a Faekin.”

Rachel folded her hands in her lap.  “In short, yes and no.  You already know that Lunar Pride influences me, blood influences Scarlet, and so on.”

Tom closed his eyes and swallowed before turning his attention to Maria.  “Maria, specifically, they wanted an answer from you; they’ve been briefed that you cannot lie.”

Maria groaned, glancing over at her with a furrowed brow.  “Well, damn … I mean, we do have abilities that can cause us to do some messed up shit.  Can we function in society?  Hell yeah, but I’ll be damned if everyone is stable.  I think it’s the same with any human, though, any human can have their bad and good eggs; no different.”

Tom breathed out a long sigh.  “Good, just what I hoped.  Thank you, okay, and second, Rachel, why did you let that alien go?”

She didn’t break eye contact with Tom.  “It seemed like the best option we had.  The aliens were making a move to either weaponize him or break him out already.  We just showed them that we aren’t savages.  I made a split-second decision when I discovered they were sending up a tentacle from their base below.  Have they retaliated yet?”

Tom shook his head.

“Good, then it seems like I averted at least one possible escalation of the conflict.  Might we need to attack them to close the portal?  Possibly, but we at least have some time to discover that method without the natives busting into our side of the crystal … for the moment.”

“A perfectly reasonable decision,” Tom stated with satisfaction.  “Now, to get down to business.  We need to handle the Azure Frost, and we’ve come to the conclusion that Maria needs to do it.”

“Huh?”  The Unicorn lifted an eyebrow.  “You kiddin’?  You’ve seen me out there!  I can’t go into a place that’s sub-zero.  Not a chance in hell!”

“What we need,” Tom continued, “is for you to handle the Core; you need to remove or destroy it, and we think you might also be able to absorb its solar energy.  From what information we gained through Fiona and what I’ve already discovered about your abilities.  Scarlet can locate and teleport you near it—through shadows,” he quickly stated as Maria promptly shook her head.

“Shadows will work fine.  Fiona can act as defense and offense … there were some heavy discussions about collateral damage Demis can have between a few members of the Executive Branch when they saw the video cycling the web, Fiona.”

“I—well … nevermind,” she said before whispering, “probably shouldn’t mention Warpath…”

Rachel hummed thoughtfully, breaking in to complete his plan.  “I think I understand.  Maria, Scarlet, and Fiona go after that while I stay back at the camp to defend in case of an attack if one comes.  I wouldn’t be much help in a raid like that in any case.  Fiona can handle any destructive aspects, and if it turns out Fiona, Maria, and Scarlet can’t handle it, then I can trade places with Maria and Fiona.”

“That’s it,” Tom said.  “I know you must do it at night when it’s expanding, but by our projections, it will overtake our crystal within seven hours by our calculations.  At least, from the data we’ve been able to gather from its rate of growth last night that our cameras were able to observe.  It could and will most likely accelerate in speed, based on the bird’s predictions.”

“Then we can’t waste much more time,” Rachel said, getting to her feet.  “Anything else?”

“Not until this is handled, and then we can move on to the alien problem.”

“Got it,” she gestured to the others as they breathed out heavy moans, stretching out.

“Ho’boy, here we go again!  Let me get my murder spikes out,” Fiona mumbled, flexing her fingers out.

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