SSV: Project S.T.A.T.I.C. Part 1

Chapter 14

Beth was downstairs in the Birdcage working on an attachment for a shotgun that Sally had given her. It wasn't anything too special, just a combat shotgun that she'd picked up a couple of months ago before Goth had seized control of the city. She'd been toying with an idea for a grenade launcher since before they defeated Goth, but she hadn't taken the time to work on it until they'd rescued Jake. It seemed like as good a time as any considering they were stuck waiting. The attachment was simple enough to make with the fabricator in the Birdcage, but she was trying to figure out a way to utilize an adhesive to the grenades it fired without them sticking to the barrel.

"Maybe if I use a casing that's ejected once it fires?" she said to herself as she jotted down a few notes, "But, then what if that malfunctions? Ugh, I really don't wanna blow my damn hands off."

"Whatcha working on, Kitty-Cat?" Alexis asked behind her and caused Beth to jump.

"Son of a bitch!" Beth exclaimed as she fumbled with a grenade she'd been examining, "Why is everyone so hellbent on sneaking up on me?!"

Alexis giggled as Beth barely managed to catch the grenade before it hit the ground, "Oh, you are funny when you're spooked!"

"Bite me," Beth snapped before sighing, "Shouldn't you be running tests on those things?"

"They're running in the background, and I'm kinda at a standstill until this batch is done," Alexis replied, "I thought I'd see what you're doing. So, whatcha working on over here?"

Beth frowned as she looked back at Alexis then back to her shotgun. "What the hell?" she whispered to herself, "I'm trying to figure out a way to get my grenades to stick to whatever they hit when I launch them. I just can't figure out the best way to keep them from getting stuck in the barrel."

"Oo, sticky grenades!" Alexis swooned, "That's an awesome idea! What you need is an adhesive coating that won't activate until fired. A reagent that'll get triggered by the blast from your little shotgun there. Hmm, something that can be activated by heat, but you'll want it to take a few seconds before activating to prevent it from getting lodged. Well, unless you want the whole shotgun to go boom. Hehe, you'd have a literal boom-stick!"

"Ignoring that last bit of stupidity, that's actually a really good idea," Beth said, "Any ideas on what I could use as a coating?"

"Yes, but how knowledgeable are you in chemistry?" Alexis asked and continued when Beth shrugged, "I'll get you a list of what you'll need, but you owe me for this, Kitty-Cat."

"What the hell do you mean, I owe you?" Beth asked, "I'm already trying to get Jake to get his head out of his ass and take you on a date. What else do you want from me?"

"Maybe a free pass next time I decide to knock over a bank," Alexis responded with a shrug.

"How about I just use rubber bullets instead?" Beth countered, "I'm not gonna turn the other way if you're dumb enough to get caught, but I won't try to put you down like other criminals."

"I'm an artist, not a criminal," Alexis huffed, pressing her hand to her chest and trying to sound posh.

"You're robbing banks and making crazy schemes," Beth argued, "You're a criminal at best, batshit at worst."

"Who says I can't be crazy and an artist?" Alexis countered.

"You're not an artist, but you're right," Beth said, "You're definitely crazy regardless. Do we have a deal, or not?"

"Fine, but rubber bullets with Miri too," Alexis huffed.

"Deal," Beth said, "Any idea if we can get a few of these ready for field testing sooner rather than later?"

"If I'm insane, you're impatient," Alexis laughed, "It's possible, but I wouldn't recommend it without proper testing from someone other than you. Maybe one of Pammy's shiny doubles could use it? The red one seems to really like you."

I am not asking Pam to use that one, out of all of them, to help me test a grenade launcher," Beth replied, "That one gets really possessive."

"Suit yourself," Alexis shrugged, "I doubt that any of these will be ready by the time Courtney makes her move anyway."

"Think so?" Beth asked, "Damn, I was really hoping to blow a hole in that damn cunt for what she did to Jake."

"Speaking of my one and only, have you seen him?" Alexis asked, changing the subject, "I could really go for a foot rub while we go over my latest figures."

"He's-" Beth was about to reply when her phone and several other devices suddenly started going off, "Great, what now?"

—-----------------

Courtney was standing in the center of one of the old break rooms in the warehouse with the camera on her. Andrew had managed to use one of Jake's satellites to hijack every device and network within Metropolis for her broadcast. She was positively giddy with excitement and energy as he gave her the thumbs up. "Ladies and gentlemen of Metropolis!" she exclaimed as she spun around with her arms wide open, "Don't try to adjust your phones, televisions, or computers, I will not be ignored. This is Courtney Tellar here with another magnificent broadcast for you all!"

Courtney paused as she rushed the camera and pressed her face against the lense, "I want you all to hear what I have to say," she said darkly before stepping away and walking back, "The police have locked you all in, your heroes have fumbled yet again, and the lot of you are dripping with sin! Haha, who says that insanity can't be poetic?! Anywho, I'm sure you've all been wondering just what is going on, but fret no more, boys and girls! Your mistress of mystery is here to explain the situation! You see, I'm the one responsible for the lovely new additions to the city. You know, the ones who have been devouring anyone stupid enough to go out alone? That's right, those are my babies! Well, maybe not the best choice of word, but the idea is the same, dammit!"

She paused for effect, hoping that fear would begin to sink into the hearts of every man, woman, and child watching. She flashed a bloody smile at the camera before continuing, "Some of you might be wondering why I would do this, let alone why I would claim responsibility for it. The answer is simple: your hope, heroes, and precious police force can't stop me. Nobody is coming to save you, nobody can stop me, and there's nothing for you all to except sit and wait. If this scares you, then congratulations! You still have sense left in you! Enjoy that feeling of terror while it lasts because soon it will be all you have left. I want you all to feel the same fear that I felt when your precious Raven abandoned me and turned me into what I am now! That's right, in case you've forgotten, he is the reason that I exist! You want someone to blame, then blame him and the others you praise and cherish so much. They're the reason that people like me exist, and they're the reason that you all get to witness the dawn of a new age!"

Courtney skipped over to a tarp she'd draped over her prototype. This was it, this was the moment she'd been waiting for. She ripped the cloth away to reveal a large globe with various tunes running to and from the center of the aparatice. Green liquid pumped to and fro the device, and her spores sat inside of the liquid. It was beautiful, and it was the end of an Era. She ran her fingers along the cold metallic surface and smiled longingly at it. She was so close, just a little longer and the world would be hers. More importantly, vengeance would be hers. She chuckled to herself as she imagined the citizens of Metropolis quaking in fear behind their screen.

"I'm sure that many of you are now wondering what this gorgeous woman has behind her," she said laughing at her own joke, "This, boys and girls, is the exact reason that I say your beloved MPD and heroes are fools! This is a specially designed explosive that is packed to the brim with what makes me and my own so unique, so hungry. I've taken the liberty of placing several of these around the city at strategic locations to ensure maximum effect when I decide to detonate them. Your saviors locked you in and sealed your fates! Oh, and for any of you thinking of trying to evacuate, I wouldn't recommend it. My lovely minions are just waiting for someone stupid enough to try to make a break for it! Try to run, and you'll end up satisfying someone's hunger pains. All you can do is sit and wait for the inevitable."

"You may ask yourself, 'why is this incredibly charismatic woman telling everyone her plan?' The answer to that is simple, and I've already said it. There's nothing that can be done to stop me, and your heroes are the ones who put you in this position. I want you all to remember that when in your last moments. Now, onto the heroes themselves. I know you're watching, and I know you're planning on trying to find and stop me. To that, I have only one thing to say. Hurry up and come get me. I'll see you all very soon, boys and girls, and I'm looking forward to meeting you all in person!"

—-----------------

The feed went black shortly after Courtney finished speaking. Beth stared at her phone with Alexis looking over her shoulder. "Well," Alexis said, breaking the stunned silence, "She's got a flare for the dramatics, I'll give her that."

"That's your response?!" Beth demanded, wheeling on Alexis, "She threatens the entire city, defaces us and the MPD, and your response is that she's got flare?!"

"Bring it down a notch, Kitty-Cat," Alexis said, motioning for Beth to relax, "I am not complimenting that bitch, just making an observation. You should go grab Jake and Pam, I'm going to check the results of my current test. Find out from Jake if he has a way for me to send the solution to you three while you're out in the field. We don't have time to argue right now, as much as I hate that. I'm also going to call Miri and see if she's found anything else that might help you three. Get the lead out, Kitty-Cat, this is going to be a long night."

"Shit," Beth cursed, realizing Alexis had a point and grabbing her shotgun before running off to find Jake and Pam.

She didn't have to run far. Jake and Pam were already in the Birdcage when Courtney made her announcement. Jake was on the phone when Beth arrived, "I know, I know," he said, "Look, we owe it to the people of our city to make this right. If any of your men and women are too scared, then send them home to their families. Otherwise, we need patrols ready to deal with any infected that might be roaming the streets. We played right into her damn hand, unfortunately, but we're not done yet. Send your bomb squads out to sweep the city for any areas where that have access to major sources for viral spread. The water treatment plant, monuments, parks, major buildings in centralized locations, anywhere that could have devastating results. We don't know the blast radius on these things, but I'm betting she has more than one stashed throughout the city. We're going after her, and I've got a lead that I'm going to check into. She might have already disappeared, but if I'm right, then The Feral might be able to get some information."

"What's going on?" Beth asked Pam, gesturing to Jake as Pam slipped her cloak on and wrapped various leather straps around her wrists.

"Discussing a plan of attack with Zoey," Pam replied as she tightened the last strap and held her hand out to Beth, "Here, take this and drink it when we find Courtney. The effects will only last a couple of hours at most, but it should be enough for us to make it through whatever hell she's going to try to put us through. It'll take time to activate, though, so you're still going to have to endure her nightmares until it does, we all will."

Beth took the offered vessel and looked it over. A small purple vial with a thick liquid in it that looked like it would taste disgusting. Beth placed it in a pouch on her belt for safe keeping. "Alright, so we drink this stuff once we find the psycho, then just brace for a shit show?" Beth asked and Pam nodded, "Sounds about like all of our other plans."

"Alright, keep me posted, Zoey," Jake said as he hung up the phone and turned to Beth and Pam, "The MPD is going to try to contain the infected threat as much as possible, and they've got units out sweeping the city for the bombs. I've managed to track our mystery conspirator to one of my company's old warehouses. Surveillance footage has been looped, so I'm guessing that's where we'll find them, or at least a clue to where they've gone."

"If it's just this guy, then he's in for a world of hurt when I get a hold of him," Beth said, checking her guns and equipment, "I am sick of being dicked around by your old secretary. She's been one step ahead of us at every turn, and she's making us look like morons."

"That is precisely her point," Pam sighed, "Her goal has ultimately been to turn people against us. Even if we stop her, she's already planted seeds of doubt and mistrust in the hearts and minds of the public. There's more at play here than just a potential outbreak."

"All the more reason for you three to get to work," Sally said, walking down the stairs to join them, "Standing around and jacking your jaws is just giving that bitch more time to cause havoc. You need to get out there and in front of this shit show before it gets worse. People are gonna talk regardless, but you want them talking about the good you did, not the bad. If you got a lead, then get moving."

"Well said, Sally," Pam agreed, nodding and looking at Jake and Beth, "If there's nothing else that you two need, I suggest we move out."

"I wish my replacement mask was ready, but I guess this will have to do," Jake sighed as he tied a bandana over his head and threw on a pair of sunglasses that had night vision capabilities, "I don't guess Alexis has a cure yet, does she?"

"No, but she's working on it," Beth said, "She wanted to know of there's a way she can send it to us if it finishes."

"I'll handle that," Sally cut in, "Sammie and I will get it to you once it's ready. You three just get out there and put a hurting on that undead cunt."

"That's risky," Jake said, knowing that Sally wouldn't take no for an answer, "I can't ask you two to do that."

"You're not," Sally snorted, "Those bombs go off, and we lose the entire city. It ain't gonna matter if Sammie or I get bit if you three fuck this one up."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Sal," Beth scoffed as she donned her helmet.

"Remember what I told you, Beth," Sally said, "You ain't the type to lay down and roll over. You got this, now get moving!"

"Copy that," Jake said, moving to stand close to Pam for her teleport, "Thanks, Sally, we owe you one for this, and Sam for that matter."

"Yeah, don't make a thing of it, bird-brain," Sally said waving him off as sank into the darkness and headed off towards the warehouse they suspected Courtney had been working within.

Sally watched as they disappeared before turning to go find Alexis and Sam. She sighed and shook her head as she walked off, "Just come back alive, you three. This city ain't done with you all yet."

—---------------------

"Is everything ready, Andrew?" Courtney asked through the video call she'd set up, "You know they're coming for you, right?"

Andrew looked down at the image of his love. His face was paler than usual, and his stomach felt queasy for reasons beyond his infatuation for a change. He suspected it was because of his intimate moment with Courtney, but it was worth it to have felt such a wonderful connection with her. "Yes, Ms. Tellar, everything is ready," he replied, "I'm prepared to give my life if it means buying you the time that you need to finish preparing."

"That won't be necessary, my little lover boy," Courtney purred with a smile, "They're going to hurt you, but don't goad them into killing you. Work them up, stall them, but do not let them land the deciding blow. Our partners need you alive as a backup in case they succeed."

"They're too stupid to outwit you, Ms. Tellar," Andrew argued, "It took them this long to realize that I've been looping the security feeds and trace my badge. They will fail, and you will be hailed as a queen in a new age."

"Your confidence is both touching and naive, Andrew," Courtney said, "One has to prepare for every possible outcome, and even if they stop me, the wheels are already in motion to make them suffer. They're blind to what's happening in front of them. You are an integral part of our success, Andrew. They should be arriving any minute now. I'm sending out a little added incentive to help reinforce the situation they've put their beloved city in. Twenty minutes, Andrew, that's all I need from you. Make me proud, lover boy!"

The video feed went dark, and Andrew was left staring at his phone. He stood up and addressed the handful of infected that Courtney had left to buy him extra time, "Listen up, your mistress has an important mission for you all! The heroes are coming, and she wants you all to feast on their entrails! We do this for her, dammit! Let's not let her down!"

Jake, Beth, and Pam rose from the floor of the warehouse just as a chorus of growls and snarls filled the air. "Sounds like a welcoming party," Beth said as she checked the safety on her pistols, "Let's not waste time dragging this out."

"Agreed," Jake said as he grabbed his batons from his belt.

"Welcome!" Andrew's voice called from up above them, "You three are slower than I've heard, but better late than never, I suppose!"

"I already don't like this guy," Beth remarked as the sound of infected charging towards them filled the area.

A howl from one of the infected filled the air as one of them dove from the top of a nearby machine. Beth spotted it first and put three rounds in it starting from its chest and going up to its head. The alchemical bullets erupted upon impact, and the infected man screeched as he was burned from the inside out. His body fell to the ground as he twitched and writhed in sheer agony. With one down, Jake and Pam turned to ready themselves for the others lurking in the shadows. Pam held out her right hand and a ball of fire formed in her palm. She stepped forward and prepared to cast a new spell she'd been working on. Thr flame flickered back and forth between blue and orange before as she stepped forward.

A pack of infected charged out from behind a machine. Their eyes were dead behind a ravenous hunger, and their teeth were dripping, stained, and rotting. Pam frowned, disgusted by the sight, and held her hand up to her mouth. She blew into the flames, and it exploded in a vibrant and deadly fiery fog that rushed towards the small mob. Their bodies were engulfed in the arcane fire the second it touched them. They screamed in pain, but still they tried to drudge forward toward them. The smell of burning flesh filled the air alongside their pained cries and piercing screams. Pam stopped and waited for any other signs of life. With a flick of her wrist, she summoned her chains around her. She stood poised to strike anything that got close.

Jake had adjusted the voltage on his stun batons for this occasion. These people, these infected, were too far gone for him to save. Maybe there was still hope for others out there, but they had to find and stop Courtney. That meant having to put down the opposition, regardless of how he felt about it. Beth was covering their six, Pam was dealing with any that managed to slip past, and Jake was left to handle any stragglers while searching for a way to Andrew. The sound of an infected getting impaled by Pam's chains before getting burned from the inside out sounded behind him. Jake looked back in time to see a woman dodge three of Pam's attacks and rush toward him.

He readied himself for the inevitable confrontation. Jake turned to the side to make himself more narrow of a target. The woman dove at him with her arms spread wide and ready to pounce. Jake stepped to the side to avoid getting grabbed, but the infected woman recovered quickly and wheeled around to face him. Jake swatted one of her bloody arms away with one of his batons. The electric end caused her body to convulse, but otherwise did nothing to slow her down. She launched herself at him once more, but Jake was ready for her. He threw his knee up as she lunged at him, and it was enough to stagger her. With a fast and deliberate blow to the back of her head, Jake put an end to whatever was left of her life. The electrified end of his baton connected with the back of her head, and he forced her to the ground. She howled and twitched for a minute afterward, and Jake would never forget the sound of her dying screams.

Andrew frowned as he watched the trio cut a swath through the infected Courtney had left behind. Clearly, they were more well equipped than he'd given them credit for. He took a moment to prepare himself for what he knew was coming. With a deep breath, he yelled down at them, "Not bad for a trio of nimrods! Come get me, you slack-jawed fools!"

The last of the infected fell to the ground, and the trio looked up at the catwalk where Andrew was waiting. "We don't have time for this," Pam growled, "Let's get to him and make him talk already!"

Jake and Beth nodded and pulled out their grappling guns. In an instant, they were on the catwalk in front of Andrew. He looked ill as he stepped back and tried to stand his ground. "You're too late, heroes," he said, his breathing heavier than it should have been, "Ms. Tellar has already won."

Beth frowned behind her helmet and pushed past Jake. She snatched Andrew by the collar of his lab coat and lifted him into the air, "I'm tired of listening to you and that lunatic rave about your victory when we're still standing. I'm going to make this real simple for you: tell us where Courtney is, or I'll break every bone in your scrawny body."

Andrew flashed a crazed smile at her, "The ferocious Feral, or should I say, Beth Thompson. To think that Ms. Tellar actually thought you were a victim in all of this. You think I'm afraid of someone who cowers and bows to evil women? You're nothing more than a sad excuse for a girl trying to atone for her own failings! That's why you seek comfort in the arms of that blonde whore, isn't it?!"

Beth growled as she threw Andrew backward. He landed and bounced on the steel grate of the catwalk. "So, you know who I am, good for you," Beth said, "Then you should know that I'm not the one you need to be worried about."

"I'm supposed to fear the incompetent Jake Blackridge?!" Andrew asked, laughing as he looked behind her at Jake, "The man who nearly destroyed this city, the lives of thousands, and claims to be a hero! Don't make me laugh!"

"She was referring to me," Pam's voice echoed around them as the lights suddenly went dark and a black mist billowed up from the ground.

"Wh-what the?!" Andrew asked as Pam rose out of the mist.

Her cloak was wrapped tightly around her as she rose up, and her eyes were both glowing a brilliant shade of purple. She threw her arms out as she stepped out of the mist, and her cloak seemed to explode in a fit of rage and darkness. Tattered and frayed edges seemed to snake out in accordance with her will, and they immediately seized Andrew's limbs. Pam hovered in the air and brought Andrew close to her face. Jake and Beth looked on in bewilderment as Pam showed a side of herself they hadn't seen since Ravenfalls.

"Listen well, you insignificant little worm," Pam said in an almost dual-toned voice, "I am in no mood for games, and my patience has been exhausted chasing after your master. Tell me where Courtney Tellar is, and I can promise you a quick death. Refuse, and I will drag you through the nine circles of Hell until I pull the answer from your worthless lips!"

Andrew struggled to try to free himself from the cloth, but it was like iron shackles on his wrists and ankles. "You call yourself a hero?!" he shouted, "You threaten people, extort information, and murder without a sec-mmph!"

Pam silenced his shrill voice with another tendril of her shroud by wrapping it around his mouth. "I am no hero, boy," she said darkly, "I am just a woman who got fed up with people like you and your mistress hurting others. People are dying because of your depravity, and I will not stand by for another minute and let you continue! Talk, you miserable cur!"

The shroud loosed itself from his lips, but Andrew continued to glare at her. "Says the former right hand of a mad woman," he spat at her, "How many people did you murder in the name of a false Goddess? How many times did you blindly follow her commands? How long before you turn into the very monster you claim to hate?!"

Pam snarled at him and brought him somehow closer to her. She touched his chest and sent a wave of pain through his body as she spoke, "As long as I have breath in my lungs, a beating in my heart, and someone to protect, I will never stoop to your level. How long do you plan on withholding information, Andrew? This is your last opportunity to make this easy for yourself. Tell me where she is and where the bombs are, or I will make you beg for death!"

Andrew maintained his defiant glare as he replied, "Do your worst, you sorry excuse for a woman. There's no pain you can inflict, any of you, that would make me betray Ms. Tellar!"

Pam let out a heavy sigh as she read through his feelings. He was dedicated and devoted to Courtney. There was a level of fear in the face of the three of them, but breaking him wouldn't be as simple as an interrogation. She canted her head to the side as she studied him. Perhaps a different approach would prove more effective in prying his secrets from his lips. She held out her left hand, and a green light started to emanate from her palm. "I believe you, Andrew," she said solemnly, "However, there are things I can do that go beyond physical pain. What if I told you that I could erase the memory of your beloved Courtney from your mind?"

"Y-you wouldn't," Andrew said, his demeanor shifting for the first time since their arrival, "You'd have nothing if you did that! You'll never find her without my help!"

"So you say," Pam said, readying her spell, "But if you're not going to talk or cooperate, then we're just wasting our time. All those lovely memories, every shred of hope for you two, and every lustful thought, gone in the blink of an eye. I wonder, what was your life like before she came into it, before you ever saw her? Were you a good man, or were you just a miserable and hopeless boy? Why don't we find out?"

Pam began to bring her hand closer to Andrew's head. Andrew struggled and squirmed, but the fabric of Pam's mystical shroud tightened and held him in place. "Stop!" he screamed, terrified for the first time in weeks, "You can't do this!"

"On the contrary, I can do whatever I like," Pam countered as she pressed her palm to his forehead, "Oh, now that is an interesting one. It's no wonder you're looking so sickly. Swapping spit with the undead is terrible for your health, Andrew. Really, I'm doing you a favor, when you get down to it. My mentor would have erased everything that made you who you are, but I'm merely going to remove Courtney's horrid influence over your pathetic life!"

Jake and Beth watched with mixed emotions as Pam played with Andrew's mind. His eyes rolled into the back of his head as Pam worked her magic. He screamed and thrashed in her hold, "Okay, okay! I'll tell you, just please stop! Please, don't take this from me, I beg of you!"

Pam pulled back the second he began to beg. She dropped him to the ground, and he curled into the fetal position and began to sob. "There, was that so hard?" she asked, "Pull yourself together, little man, before I change my mind. Tell us where she is and where the bombs are."

"Jesus," Jake whispered as he watched the scene unfold, "She broke him by barely laying a finger on him."

"She's not in a mood to mess around," Beth said.

"You're worse than Ms. Tellar thought," Andrew said between sobs, "What sort of monster threatens to steal someone's memories?!"

"The kind that's been pushed too far," Pam replied bitterly, "You and your beloved Courtney have threatened people I care about and the city I call home without reason or care. My mercy has been extinguished, my patience exhausted, and I will not hesitate to hit you where it hurts the most. Now, tell us what we need to know!"

"You three are a cancer in this city that we seek to eradicate," Andrew spat, his body shaking and trembling, "This world would be better off without you!"

Pam rolled her eyes and knelt down in front of him, "You're entitled to your opinions, but it's the pot calling the kettle black at this point, Andrew," she said, "Where is Courtney, and where are the bombs, boy?"

"Forgive me, Ms. Tellar," Andrew whispered go himself as he closed his eyes and gave the heroes what they wanted, "The atrium at Metropolis Central Park, that's where Ms. Tellar is. It won't matter how fast you three move, though. The bombs are wired to a central control mechanism that I've given to Ms. Tellar, and she's already proven that she's superior to you all in every way. You've already lost, heroes. The city will be bathed in her wondrous gifts, and she will usher in a new age of unity and compliance that not even your false Goddess could bring!"

"Cannibalism and a hive mind are hardly what I would consider a prosperous age," Pam scoffed, summoning chains to bind him in place, "Someone will be along before the night is over to pick you up, Andrew. You made the smart choice to give up your beloved."

"Go to hell," Andrew spat as he was wrapped in bondage.

Pam shook her head as she turned back to Jake and Beth. Her cloak billowed out behind her as she walked towards them, "Central Park at the atrium," she said, "Jake, call Zoey and tell her we have a conspirator in custody."

"Right," Jake said as he pulled out his phone, but he paused as a timer flashed on the screen, "What in the world? Andrew, what is this?"

Andrew laughed as he looked up at Jake, "That's how long you have until Ms. Tellar detonates our bombs. She thought it would be nice if the city knew how long they had before their lives are forever changed. She's thoughtful like that!"

"Shit," Jake said, "We've got two hours before she makes her move! Dammit, you're telling me this has gone out to everyone I'm Metropolis?!"

"That's right," Andrew replied with a smug grin, "The entire city is waiting with the knowledge that their trust in you has been betrayed. They will burn you three in effigy before this night is over, even if you somehow manage to succeed!"

"Okay, I've heard enough," Beth said, moving over and stomping on Andrew's face to knock him out, "Let's move out before dickhead over here wakes up."

"Agreed, we've no time to waste," Pam said, channeling her powers and envisioning the atrium, "Everyone together now, let's put an end to this."

Jake and Beth walked over to Pam as she prepared their teleport. Jake made the call to Zoey while they waited. She agreed to send someone to pick Andrew up and take him into custody. The police were still searching for the bombs, but they were running out of time. Infected had begun swarming the streets in an attempt to slow them down, and the panic from the timers had caused morale to drop drastically. Fear and terror were quickly overtaking both the MPD and civilians alike. If they didn't act soon, then there would be nothing left but chaos and death in the streets of Metropolis. With this in mind, Pam transported the three of them to the entrance of the atrium.

They materialized just outside of the atrium within seconds. As they were preparing to storm the place and confront Courtney, Jake's phone rang. He looked down to see Sally's number flashing across the screen, "Hello?"

"Bird-brain!" Sally shouted, causing Jake to pull the phone away from his ear for a second, "Alexis figured out the cure, and Sammie and I are getting ready to head out with it. Where the hell are you three at?!"

"Central Park at the atrium," Jake replied, "We just arrived, and Courtney is inside. The streets are crawling with infected, so you two watch your backs."

"The atrium?" Sally repeated, "That big ass and stupid building your company built that serves no purpose other than for plants and shit? What the hell is she doing there?"

Jake rolled his eyes and bit his tongue for a moment before responding, "My guess is she intends to use the skylight as a means of funneling her toxin into the open air. The plants could even add another level of potency to it if it synthesizes with them well enough."

"Goddamnit," Sally sighed, "Alright, we're on our way. Don't worry about us, Sammie and I are armed to the teeth. We can handle ourselves. You just make sure that you put a boot in that bitch's ass while we head to you three."

"Copy that," Jake said, "Thanks, Sally, we'll see you two soon."

The line disconnected, and Jake looked up to see Beth staring at him expectedly. "What's up?" she asked.

"Cure is enroute," he replied, "Alexis managed to pull it off, and Sam and Sally are heading out to meet us here. We've got to get in there and stop Courtney if we can, though."

"Then let's not waste anymore time," Pam said, stepping forward and blasting the doors off the entrance to the atrium.

The three of them stepped into the large open space to find it filled with large canisters of Courtney's toxin alongside the different fauna. In the center of the open area, they saw the device that Courtney had shown off during her broadcast. It was bigger than they expected, and a timer was ticking down on a digital screen. "Look who decided to show up!" Courtney called from up above them, "I was beginning to think you'd turned tail and ran, but I'm glad you decided to stick around! The party is just about to begin!"

"Leave her to me," Jake said as he spotted shadows moving in the distance, "You two deal with the infected she's got lurking around."

"Jake, I don't think that's wise," Pam warned, readying her spells in case of a surprise attack, "This isn't a time for compassion and mercy."

"I'm well aware of that, Pam," Jake said, "You and Beth are better equipped to deal with her zombies, though. I'm the one she wants, and I'm the one responsible for all of this. I need to be the one to try to finish it."

A series of growls and snarls echoed around them. "When this is over, we're having a chat about this self-sacrificing pity bullshit, dude," Beth said, readying her guns, "Do your thing, but don't forget the plan."

"Drink up, everyone," Pam reminded them, slipping her hand into her pocket and downing the potion she'd prepared, "Better safe than sorry tonight."

"Right," Beth said, opening a hole in her helmet and chugging the thick liquid, "Ugh, it's like drinking snot!"

"I didn't say it would taste good, just that it would work," Pam pointed out, "Don't be a baby."

Jake drank his as well, and he shuddered as he forced himself to swallow. Beth's assessment was painfully accurate, and it brought back foul memories of revolting encounters with old foes. With their potions drunk, they split up to deal with the threats at hand. "Coming to face me alone, Jake?!" Courtney asked, cackling as she spoke, "You're even dumber than I thought! How I could fall for someone as pathetic and stupid as you is beyond me!"

She was trying to be hurtful, to get under his skin, but he wouldn't be deterred. She was right, but Jake was intent on finding a way to move forward. Her voice was coming from somewhere in the back, and he could hear Beth and Pam beginning to engage the infected as they tried desperately to stop them. He ran towards the back of the atrium, expecting something to stop him, but nothing ever came. Even as he passed the massive bomb, none of the infected tried to ambush him. They were focused on Beth and Pam. What was Courtney planning?

His thoughts were interrupted by a vicious forearm that slammed against his throat and knocked him onto his back. He grunted as he hit the ground from an unexpected clothesline to the throat. "Pay attention, Jake!" Courtney snapped from behind him, "I want a fight, not a one-sided dance! Get up, get up!"

He snarled as he spun himself around and swept Courtney's legs out from under her. Her wicked grin fell from her face as she hit the ground, but she was back on her feet at the same time as Jake. "Courtney, stop this," he pleaded with her, "Hate me all you want, but the people of this city have suffered enough!"

Courtney scoffed as rushed at Jake with an incredibly fast left hook. He managed to block it with his right arm, but Courtney attempted to catch him with an uppercut. Jake leaned just out of reach of her fist, and quickly spun around her while throwing his left around her neck. His right hand grabbed her left wrist and pulled it behind her back. She struggled in his grip for a moment before grinning, "Trying to get fresh with me? That offer fell off the table when you left me to rot!"

Courtney threw her head back and slammed it into Jake's jaw. It broke his hold and caused him to stumble back. He was just barely able to dodge a surprise kick from her. "I'm begging you, Courtney," he said, drawing his weapons, "Don't make me do this. Stop this before it's too late!"

"Oh come on, I know you can do better than that!" Courtney scoffed, "You're a bottom bitch, Jake Blackridge, so I know you can beg properly! Get on your hands and knees, bow before me, and maybe I'll consider it. Otherwise, stop talking and fight!"

Jake grit his teeth at her glaring remark, "No, that's not who I am anymore."

Courtney laughed as she moved in to attack once again. Her attacks were rapid and hard, but Jake managed to fend her off with his batons. "Bullshit, Jake," she said between attacks, "You've been sleeping with anyone willing to put you in your place! Deny it to yourself all you want, but I know you better than that, Jake! Even while we were together, you never took charge! You're weak, you've always been weak! I always chose where we went, what we did, but I never imagined you'd be so pathetic as to suck the toes of someone like Goth! I was a fool not to see it back then. Hmph, maybe if I'd have chained you down, sat on your face, or stomped on your sad little junk, then maybe you'd have stayed with me! Instead, you left me in financial ruins at the alter, and turned me into what I am now!"

With every word she screamed at him, her attacks seemed to become more aggressive. Jake finally managed to lock her arms with his and hold her in place for a moment. They stared at each other, Courtney glaring at him and snarling the entire time. "I made mistakes," he said through gritted teeth, "I never wanted to hurt you, Courtney, but I did and I'm sorry. I was an idiot, a selfish and stubborn kid, but I won't let you make other people suffer because of what I've done!"

Jake kicked her in the gut and let go. Courtney skidded back with a grunt, but she stood her ground, albeit doubled over. "You think an apology is going to make up for what you did to me?" she asked in a dark tone, "You stole everything from me! You handed this world over to Goth, and just because you helped save it, doesn't erase the fact that it was you who created the mess! I'll see this city suffer the same feelings of hate, hopelessness, despair, and fear that I felt while I waited for a hero who never came! And you, Jake Blackridge, you will watch as I burn everything you love to the ground!"

"Then there really is no other way," Jake whispered to himself as he switched his batons on and they crackled to life, "I'm sorry, but I won't let that happen! This ends now!"

"Bring it on, lover!" Courtney laughed as Jake rushed at her with his weapons activated.

Jake's attacks were fueled by his determination, but Courtney was still too fast for him. She danced around his swings with ease; stepping left when he swung down, leaning back when he tried to uppercut, and spinning around him when he tried a frontal assault. She kicked the back of his knee as she got behind him, and Jake fell to one knee in front of her. Without a second thought, Jake spun around and brought the end of his baton to her throat as she was trying to sink her teeth into his neck. She screamed in pain and convulsed as he sent thousands of volts through her body. Jake got to his feet, and slammed the other baton against her head to send her flying backward. Suddenly, the sounds of combat from Beth and Pam ceased. The connection between Courtney and her minions had been seemingly broken.

Courtney lay on the ground panting as Jake approached. She shuddered and looked around, confused and bewildered. Her voice shook as she spoke, "Where am I? What's going on?"

Jake watched her carefully, unsure if she was putting on an act or not. She reached for her throat, and seemed shocked that her throat was bare. "Drop the act, Courtney, I'm not falling for it," he said, trying to sound stern.

She gasped and looked up at him. She squinted and trembled, "Jake? Oh my God, I knew you'd come for me!"

She stood up and tried to embrace him, but he stepped back, leery of trusting her. "What are you talking about?" he asked.

"Goth, the collars, all of it," she said, staring at him, "Jake, what's wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"You mean to tell me that you don't remember anything?" Jake asked.

She paused as though she were struggling to think straight. "I remember you disappearing," she began, "Then the collars coming out, and then…oh God! The warehouse…I remember being trapped and feeling this…this thing digging into my skin!"

"That's all you remember?" Jake asked, letting his guard down slightly and stepping closer, "Courtney, you've been on a rampage since you got out. We thought you were dead. You don't remember any of that?"

Courtney's eyes went wide and she fell to her knees, "Oh God, it's…it's blurry. I can barely think straight, and I…I can still feel that thing trying to get in my head! Jake, please, you have to help me!"

Beth and Pam approached just as Courtney threw herself into Jake's reluctant arms. "What's going on?" Beth asked, "The infected just stopped and froze."

"I…I don't know," Jake admitted, torn between a fear of losing someone else and trying to end things once and for all, "I hit her with the electric end of my baton, and suddenly she's lucid."

"Please, help me!" Courtney wailed as she buried her face in Jake's chest.

"Courtney, I need you to try to remember how to stop the bombs," Jake said, "I'll do everything I can to help you, but you need to help us first. The entire city is in danger."

"Jake," Pam said, sensing something amiss from Courtney, "She's lying to you."

Courtney looked up and shrunk behind Jake at the sight of Pam. "What's she doing here?!" Courtney asked, "She's the one who put that thing on me! She's the reason I ended up like this!"

"Courtney, she was doing what she had to in order to survive," Jake said, "She's harmless now, and she's on our side."

"Jake, I'm telling you that she is playing you," Pam warned, "We need to end this now before it's too late."

"Pam, knock it off," Jake said, "She's confused."

"See!" Courtney yelled, "She wants me dead! Jake, please, you have to protect me! Don't you care about me at all?"

"Of course I do," Jake said, grabbing Courtney's arms and holding her.

"Then do something about her!" Courtney begged.

"Jake, listen to me," Pam said, trying to reason and remain calm, "This is an act. I know you're suspicious of it, but I know you also want to believe that it's true. You know my abilities aren't wrong. I wish that they were, but there is no confusion coming from her, only hate and malice."

Jake was about to argue when Courtney suddenly started to chuckle. "Courtney?" Jake asked, turning as she stepped back.

"Well done," Courtney laughed as she took another step back, "Bravo, really, I thought I was convincing, but nothing gets past the Gothic whore! 'Jake, help me, help me!' What a crock of shit! It was so hard to keep a straight face and not puke while spilling that bullshit! Ha, as if I'd be controlled by anything or anyone. My lovely baby and I have a symbiotic relationship. I can see that you three are just too clever for me, though. However, why don't we see how clever and strong you are in my world?! Oh, this is going to a blast, and then you three can watch the real fireworks begin after I've thrashed the hell out of your sad psyches!"

"Stop her!" Beth shouted, but Courtney had already backflipped away from them all and landed beside a large canister.

"No!" Jake shouted as Courtney twisted the nozzle and gas began spraying out and filling the air.

"Yes!" Courtney mocked, cackling as the gas filled the air and their lungs while they began to cough and wheeze, "This is my latest batch, kiddies, and it's the most potent I've created yet! Oh, this is going to be one hell of a party for us! I can't wait to watch you all scream, squirm, and cry! Nighty-night, failures!"

"Dammit, it's getting through my respirator!" Beth shouted as she fell to her knees.

Jake coughed and looked around as the green fog blanketed the atrium. He'd had the chance to end things, but his compassion had given way to gullibility. Now, he and his friends were once again falling victim to Courtney's wretched toxin. Their only hope was that Pam's plan might work, but first he would have to overcome his own grief. This was all his fault, and the weight of all of his failures from the past were crushing him. They all flashed before him as he fell to the ground and into Courtney's horrible nightmare world once again.