SSV: Project S.T.A.T.I.C.- Part 2

Chapter 15

Jake touched down on the roof of one of the buildings outside of the prison to catch his breath. He hadn't been looking for a fight when he left Amelia's office, but there'd been plenty of people looking to stop him. Guards and prisoners alike tried to stop him from escaping, but one by one he'd taken them out. It had been a hard fought battle to get away, but he'd done it after nearly half an hour of fighting. There'd be several inmates in the infirmary once things settled down, but broken bones could heal. The guards he'd just tried to knock out, but many of them had let him pass towards the end.

Already, he could see the chaos unfolding from his vantage point. Whatever was happening, there were literal fires scattered throughout the city in the distance. The sounds of sirens wailing in the distance could be heard echoing throughout the city. Fire trucks, ambulances, and police cars were most likely spread out and spread thin trying to contain what they could. There was too much happening at once for Jake to pick a spot to start. What sort of hell had broken loose while he was away?

He pulled out the phone that Alexis had given him. Joining up with Beth and Pam was as good a place as any for him to start. He dialed Beth first, and it rang for half a second before she answered, "Alexis, I swear to God, if you called to tell me something stupid I am going to-"

"Beth, it's Jake," he cut her off.

"Jake?!" Beth shouted into the phone, "Holy shit, finally some good news. So, Alexis finally managed to spring you? Goddammit, stay the fuck down you dumbasses! Sorry, kinda busy right now. Pam, lock those morons in place!"

Jake could hear gunshots and fighting in the background wherever Beth and Pam were. "What the hell is going on?" Jake asked, "Looks like half the city is burning, and I think damn near every member of EMS is out right now."

"Just gonna overlook the fact that I just said I am busy?" Beth scoffed, "We're at Eleventh and Down right now, Jake, get here and we'll explain what we know once this shit is contained. We'd come to you, but we've kind of got our hands full. Watch yourself out there, and stick to the rooftops as much as you can. You can't trust anybody right now."

"Got it," Jake said, standing up and rolling his shoulders, "I'll be there in fifteen."

Jake closes the phone and sighed. "Something tells me we're walking into a trap," Ashley remarked from the ledge of the building.

"Yeah, what else is new?" Jake sighed as he grabbed his grappling gun and got a running start.

"Fair point, but this one feels different," Ashley said as he ran past her and leapt off of the side of the building, "Someone has gone to great lengths to separate you three, and they've been sowing seeds of discord throughout the city."

Jake fired his gun and swung to a nearby rooftop. Ashley sat on the edge of a billboard in the distance that he aimed at. "Amelia is crafty and cunning," he said as he passed her again, "It's likely she's been planning this for months. My bet is that she was working this angle before Rebecca went off the deep end. Probably a short time after we dealt with Abigail, if I had to guess."

"You're positive that she's the one behind all of this?" Ashley asked as Jake swung by her again, "You don't think that Myers woman is pulling the strings?"

"Amelia has always had a scapegoat," Jake explained as he flew through downtown Metropolis, "Myers might be a ghost, but it's more likely that she's another pawn in whatever demented game this is."

"I hope that you're not being blinded by your more recent experiences, my love," Ashley said, "One thing at a time, though. Let's put an end to this catastrophe and save your sister before we delve into whoever is behind these events."

The mention of Sam reignited the fire inside of Jake. That was the cherry on top of everything else that he'd had to endure. The humiliation, torture, and shame paled in comparison to someone messing with his family. Sam was still out there somewhere, and whoever had her was surely still toying with her, hurting her. He flipped a dial on his grappling gun, and rocketed faster than before as he swung closer to where Beth and Pam were. He might not have been looking for a fight in the prison, but he was ready for one now. He was going to find whoever took Sam and make them pay.

—----------

Beth was ducked behind an overturned desk in Chasity's apartment. She and Pam had materialized into a miniature warzone only twenty minutes ago. . Almost immediately after Chasity called, they were in the middle of her modest apartment. Avery was lying on the ground bleeding when they arrived, and a group of five young men and women were gathered in the living room preparing to attack Chasity and finish Avery. It had been simple enough to dispatch the group with Beth and Pam working together, but that was only the start of the trouble.

The front door to their house was broken down after the last member of the potential cult. They’d managed to do it without bloodshed, but then more of whoever these lunatics were began pouring into the apartment. Honestly, Beth wasn’t sure if this was the cult that Pam had mentioned, or if this was something else entirely. At that moment, it didn’t matter. All that mattered was that they dealt with the problem as quickly and swiftly as possible. Keeping Chasity and Avery safe was the top priority for both Beth and Pam.

The new arrivals were armed with blades, guns, and bats. It wasn’t the ones with knives or bats that worried Beth, it was the ones carrying assault rifles. Men and women, all of whom were dressed no different than civilians, They immediately opened fire once their comrades were out of the line of fire. Pam had only just barely been able to raise a protective barrier to buy them enough time to find cover. Her concentration was shattered shortly after as a young woman tried to slice her with a knife. She’d bought them just enough time to flip a few pieces of furniture and form makeshift barricades, and to get Avery into cover.

Beth was returning fire in an attempt to force the gunners to scatter or take cover, while Pam tried her best to push their melee attackers back and get Avery out of harm's way. Chasity was hiding in the back trying not to scream as gunfire and fighting filled her home. Pam ducked under a horizontal swing of a bat and released a force wave to knock those close to her and Beth back. She growled as she conjured her duplicates. Beth groaned when she saw Rage take shape, but the furious emotion was easily one of Pam's most dangerous. It may have been entirely too possessive of Beth, but it got results. Her lust and passion took shape as well, glowing a brilliant shade of purple. Truthfully, Beth couldn't complain. Right now, they needed all the help they could get.

While Rage and Lust took the fight to those with melee weapons, Pam turned her attention to Avery. The poor girl was bleeding from a gunshot wound to her stomach, and she was quickly slipping into unconsciousness. Pam's coat billowed around her and Avery as she knelt down to form a protective barrier. Her hands started to glow white as she examined Avery's injuries. She needed to act fast if she was going to stabilize her. More gunfire, the automatics from the cultists, filled the air as she tried to close the wound. Avery would still be unconscious, but she could keep her from passing if she was quick. She heard Beth's pistols firing again as Rage roared and moved to intercept someone trying to ambush her pet.

Beth heard the familiar growl of Rage behind her as she ducked down to reload. She looked up in time to see the red clone of her girlfriend latch onto the arm of a woman holding a butcher knife. She feared that the fiery temperamental apparition would impale the woman for a moment, but it simply threw the woman back several feet. Her back hit the wall, and Rage sent out chains to coil around her and hold her down. It burned brighter as it ignited itself and went back on the offensive. Lust summoned a set of chains and shattered them into several jagged links. They spun around the room before soaring at multiple cultists. Those that hit weren't lethal, but they did manage to bring down a few of the gunners. However, more of the cultists continued to pour in through the door.

"How fucking many of these assholes are there?!" Beth shouted as she dodged a bat aimed at her head.

She ducked under the swing and threw her shoulder into the man attacking her. She raised up and tossed him over her back before taking a quick shot at his chest with her rubber bullets. She stomped his face to knock him out before moving across the room. She dove into a roll across the living room and fired blindly as the gunners finished reloading. Beth landed in a crouch in front of another cultist holding a large knife. The woman tried to stab her, but Beth stopped her with a shot to her thigh. She rose up and spun her pistol to uppercut her with the butt of her gun. Thinking quickly, Beth grabbed her body and slung it across the room into a couple of assailants that were clustering together.

Pam had managed to stabilize Avery, but the young woman was still out cold. She had to get her out of here before things took another unexpected turn. She was safe for now, but staying here meant she'd run the risk of getting further injured. Pam placed her hands on her prone body and activated her teleportation spell to send Avery's body back to her and Beth's apartment. With that problem solved, Pam was free to turn her focus back to the battle at hand. She stood up and readied a spell in her right hand.

"Eyes shut!" she commanded as she threw a large orb into the air.

Beth knew the command well enough. They'd practiced this move together after Courtney and her insanity. A large green orb flew into the air, and a blinding light exploded into the room. Beth kept her eyes shut as it flashed, but she knew how long the explosion lasted. Beth opened her eyes only a second after the initial boom, and she made her move. Eighteen rounds in her clips, and she intended to use every one she had. She charged forward and took careful aim at the knees of the cultists. Many of them were stunned by the blinding flash, and Beth took down four more before tackling one holding a bat. She took advantage of their dazed state with a fast right hand to the side of their head. She was back on her feet and moving to seize control of the small battlefield.

Pam's cloak flew open and lifted her off the ground. While Beth was taking a more direct approach, she moved to subdue as many as she could with her chains. They clattered as they rose from the shadows of her cloak and whipped towards anyone she could see. Wrapping around the legs and ankles of their enemies, she pulled them to the ground so her duplicates could go to work. Lust and Rage moved in to finish the job as Pam tried to control her spells. Admittedly, this would have been over sooner if they could simply dispatch their foes. Alas, both women had agreed to try a less lethal approach. Besides, many of their current opponents seemed like almost normal citizens rather than criminals.

The effects of her spell was starting to waver, and while they'd taken down over half of the cultists, there were still more funneling in. This was taking too long. They'd end up exhausting themselves before they managed to save Chasity at this rate. Pam contemplated just phasing the three of them somewhere else, but before she could, she watched two more cultists fall outside of the door. Pam furrowed her brow before smirking as she watched a purple and black blur race past the doorway and launch into an assault on whoever else was trying to storm the apartment. It seemed that fate had finally ordained some measure of good luck for them after all.

Jake had arrived at the apartment complex to find it swarming with outraged and aggressive citizens. He'd burst through the doors and fought his way up the stairs to the third floor. Papers and signs littered the ground outside, but he'd barely stopped to see what they said. It looked like a protest gone horribly wrong, though. After fighting his way to where the bulk of the chaos seemed to be heading, Jake found a hallway covered with dozens of mad citizens. Consumed by rage, Jake went on an immediate offensive as he fought his way towards the only open door in the hall. His time taking abuse had built up quite a bit of pent-up fury, and he was ready to unleash it.

He'd ran forward and kicked off the wall to deliver a hard right to an older man in a suit carrying a sign and using it as a weapon. Once he landed, Jake threw several birdarangs from his utility belt to knock down a few more assailants. A woman charged at him, seemingly enraged at the sight of him, and swung wildly. Jake caught her left arm with his right, and shoved her against the wall. Her head hit the back of the wall, but Jake had to jump back to avoid a knife aimed at his shoulder. He kicked low at the man's ankle to knock him off balance, and grabbed his jaw with his right hand to throw him into the crowd. He had little more than a moment before they'd recover and attack, but at least their attention seemed to be diverted from the doorway. The sounds of Pam's spells and Beth's pistols confirmed he was in the right place.

Jake unclipped the rope Alexis had given him from his belt. Now seemed as good a time as any to test out how effective the weapon could be. He let the spearhead drop a bit before he started swinging it in an arch. He moved carefully and waited for someone to make a move. A woman rushed at him to try to tackle him, but Jake sidestepped to avoid her, kicked the back of her leg, and launched the rope forward. He jerked his arm as it got close to someone, and pulled back to coil it around their wrist. The man he'd ensnared fell forward, and Jake ran down the hall and jumped as another man approached. The rope was still pulled taunt as he landed, his back nearly colliding with the ceiling, and Jake flicked his wrist to free it. He delivered a swift kick to the man's back before pulling the rope back towards him. He caught the end of the rope and smirked behind his mask as he turned around to ready himself for another round.

Their numbers were dwindling now, but there were still several on their feet. Jake rolled his neck and shoulders as two men tried to flank him. Jake dodged a fist aimed at his skull, and wrapped the other man's arm in a quick snare. He stepped around him and pulled his arm back over his shoulder. With as much strength as he could muster, Jake threw the man over him, and delivered a sidekick to the other man's stomach. He charged forward and slid under a bat aimed at his head. He sprung back his feet, and blocked another bat with his forearm. The Kevlar lining absorbed the bulk of the blow, and Jake headbutted the man to knock him back.

Then he realized he'd made a mistake. In his haste to close the gap, Jake had gotten himself surrounded by a proverbial mob. He took a step back and got another idea. It was risky, and he wished he'd had more time to practice with his new toy, but he didn't see another option. Jake unfurled more of the rope, and started to swing it wildly. The cultists watched for an opening, and a woman thought she'd spotted one. Jake spun around and dropped low to sweep her legs out as she tried to surprise him. He loosened his grip on the rope, and it swung out in a wider arc. The edge of the spear clipped a few legs, and Jake let his momentum continue to roll as he got to his feet. He leapt into a corkscrew kick, and he swung the rope in a downward arch as he brought his heel down on someone's shoulder. The edge of the spear cut a couple more of the cultists as he landed.

Jake started to spin as he continued swinging his new weapon in a controlled arc. He pulled back on the rope to shorten the length and keep it from banging against the walls. He couldn't count the cultists he hit, but he finished his wild move by kicking the edge of the spear with his boot. It flew forward and dug into the shoulder of the last cultist standing in the hall. Jake pulled back with all of his might, and knocked him out with a spinning roundhouse kick as he pulled the spear out of his shoulder. He took a moment to catch his breath as he looked around the hallway. He was the last man standing, and those that weren't unconscious were rolling around in pain. The commotion in the apartment had finally stopped too, and Jake walked through the door to see what was going on.

"Nice of you to join us," Beth greeted as she reloaded her pistols, "Did you have a nice little vacation? Catch up with some old friends in prison?"

"I'd rather not talk about it right now," he replied as he looked around, "What the hell is going on?"

"Still trying to figure that part out," Beth sighed, "Whatever it is started with an activist group, at least that's what we think."

Jake frowned as he looked around at the people lying unconscious on the ground. He spotted a paper hanging out of a woman's jacket, and he reached down to pick it up. "This is a petition to close Blackridge Inc. and reinstate the Brunswick Co.," he said, "Emily Brunswick isn't even alive anymore. You mean to tell me that whatever this is happening is because people want an ancient company back?"

"I suspect there's more at play than just that," Pam said, raising her left hand to bind those that had fallen, "We received a call from the woman we'd interviewed, the one who's daughter had been abducted. Her daughter had snapped out of nowhere, and was trying to stab her with a kitchen knife. By the time we finished there, Chasity called us begging us for help. Whatever is going on, there seems to be a connection to the Children of Darkness, Meg Myers, and now this Brunswick nonsense. How they're connected, I can't quite say."

"We managed to free up Zoey, though," Beth pointed out, crossing her arms, "She's back on our side, but I'm guessing she's a little preoccupied at the moment. Fucking city is a damn warzone right now, and the MPD is probably going apeshit over whatever this is."

"So, no luck on finding Sam," Jake sighed, clenching his fist and crumbling the paper, "Dammit, if it's not one thing it's another. Have you two found any leads on where she might be?"

"Your sister?" Chasity asked, coming out of hiding, "I might have an idea where she's at."

"Where?" Jake asked.

"How's about checking on her first, Jake?" Beth asked, "I get you just got out of prison and everything, but she was just attacked in her own home."

Jake nodded, realizing he was being selfish, "Right, I'm sorry, Chasity. Are you alright? Do you know why these lunatics charged in here to try to attack you?"

Chasity smiled at his concern, "I'm fine, Jake, but I'm not sure. I overheard one of them shouting about making the resistance pay, and that since I was aligned with Goth, I needed to suffer. They said something about a mausoleum in the old Metropolis cemetery."

Beth and Jake shared a look, and Pam picked up on their shared concern. "Care to enlighten me as to why you two seem apprehensive?" she asked.

"The Brunswick Crypts," Beth explained, shooting Jake a worried look, "How much did Goth have on Voidfoot?"

"Voidfoot?" Pam repeated, "There wasn't much, but she was some type of interdimensional being, right?"

"By the time it was all said and done, yeah," Jake sighed, pacing back and forth, "Emily Brunswick was who she was before she became that monster. Out of everyone, and everything, we've ever faced, Voidfoot was probably the biggest threat. Even Rebecca paled in comparison to her. Rebecca was motivated by passion, but Emily was driven by greed, lust, and unmatched sadism. The reason Brunswick Co. went down was because their CEO was mutilated in an experiment gone horribly wrong. She disappeared for years, but she eventually clawed her way back into our world. She nearly unraveled the fabric of reality when she did."

"This seems like something that either I'd remember, or that Rebecca would have had documented," Pam said.

"Most people don't remember her," Beth explained, "Goth had magic, but this woman had something on another level. Some strange blend of magic and science from other worlds, universes. She was the only villain Jake and I ever killed."

"A memory distortion," Pam remarked, "That's complex magic, but on such a grand scale is unparalleled."

"She's dead," Jake said, "One of the only times I can honestly say that I'm relieved. She was more dangerous than anyone we've ever encountered."

"Why are these psychos hiding out there, though?" Beth asked, "More importantly, why are they rallying behind a dead woman that nearly destroyed our entire universe?"

"I guess we can ask them ourselves," Jake said, "Any ideas on how to get there without going through the fire?"

"I know a way," Chasity meekly spoke up, "My sister and I used to work for the city, and there's a sewerline that connects to the cemetery. "

"Of fucking course it involves going through the damn sewers," Beth huffed.

"You have a respirator, while the rest of us have nothing," Pam pointed out.

"Still wading through piss and shit," Beth countered.

"And not having to breathe it in," Pam reprimanded her, "Don't argue with me right now, I'm not in the mood."

"Yes, ma'am," Beth sighed, "Alright, so we're going on an underground adventure, great."

"As long as we get to Sam, I'll do whatever it takes," Jake said.

"Let me make a phone call to my family real quick," Chasity said, "I want to make sure they're okay, and then we can head out."

"Do what you need to," Jake nodded, "We'll secure the area, and we can move when you're ready. Just, try to be quick. I don't want to think about what Sam has been going through."

Chasity nodded and pulled out her phone, "I'm going to grab a weapon while I check in with them. I won't take long, don't worry."

—------------------

Deep beneath the cemetery, a woman sat in the dank and musty air of the crypts. It was nothing new to her, and she'd spent more time than she liked to admit here. Years of mourning, weeping, and searching had culminated in a hardened heart and steel will. It was here that she'd been reborn, and here that she'd found the means to resurrect her beloved sister. She sat beside a candle burning with a vibrant green flame. Her patience was being tested, but she knew she wouldn't have to wait much longer. For now, she was content to sit in silence. That is, until a meek whimper escaped her little guest.

She frowned as she stood up and backhanded her guest, "How many times must I tell you to be silent, Samantha?! Are you missing your pathetic mistress and her punishments, hmm? I assure you, I can provide you with the pain that you crave, if that's what you truly desire!"

"No!" Sam screamed, bowing her head and shuddering as she fought back her tears, "Please, I'll be good. I-I won't make another sound, ma'am."

"Sniveling and pathetic little worm," the woman said grabbing a fistful of Sam's hair, "You're just as useless as your idiot brother. You're lucky I need you as bait for that moron. Otherwise, I'd snuff you out once and for all."

"Ms. Myers," a voice called through the darkness, and the woman sighed as she took on the form of the city's mayor, "I'm sorry to disturb you, ma'am, but your guest has finally arrived."

Her auburn hair and facial features began to shift, and Sam watched with terror as she shape-shifted into the alleged Mayor. Even her clothes changed to that white suit she always wore. "Very good," she said, her voice almost an octave higher, "Send her in."

A massive woman with long red hair stepped into the room. She wore an orange prison jumpsuit, but the shackles on her had been shattered. She looked around and frowned, "Is this how you treat guests, Ms. Myers? Quite the unusual place for a meeting for someone of your caliber, don't you think?"

"These are unusual times, Ms. Blackridge," Meg replied, crossing her arms, "This may not the penthouse that I'm used to, or that you were expecting, but given your former status, I think you'll be fine."

The Amazon, Rose, frowned and crossed her arms, "So, what's this about, Ms. Myers? I was on my way to my baby boy's home to reclaim what's rightfully mine when your thugs tried to ambush me. If it weren't for that little gentleman being so polite, you'd have lost quite a few of your own."

"Losses are inevitable in war and business, Ms. Rose," Meg said, "However, I'm pleased you were able to show such restraint in the face of what was surely quite aggravating. I believe I have a proposition for you that you'll find to your liking. Your wants and mine align, for the time being. You want Jake Blackridge, and I need him out of the way. Your meddlesome son has been a thorn in my side for long enough, and since my dear Amelia has failed, I thought it best that we speak woman to woman."

"What is it you want in return, Myers?" Rose asked before adding, "I'm above being in debt, but I'm not a fool. Everything comes at a cost, so what's yours?"

"Simply that you keep that brat you refer to as your son docile and out of my way," Meg said, "If you're inclined to lend your services at a later date, I wouldn't turn you away, but I don't expect you to join me as a lackey. I want you to have what you've dreamt of since you crawled out the grave so long ago. As a bonus, you can break that annoying girl running around with that witch. Bad influences, wouldn't you agree?"

"Beth Thompson," Rose sneered, "You'll give them both to me?"

"All three of them can go to you for all I care," Meg scoffed, "Just as long as they're out of the picture so I can continue my work unimpeded. Their fates are in your hands, assuming your capable if handling them that is."

Rose crossed her arms and raised her eyebrows, "Are you questioning my abilities, girl? I'd think twice before insulting someone twice your height."

"I fear no man or woman, Ms. Rose," Meg said, her tone dropping to a cold and malicious threat, "Were I you, I'd reconsider threatening me. If you think my only support are my children, then you're sorely mistaken. I come to you with a proposition that is mutually beneficial, and it would be unwise to spit in my face."

The Amazon snarled and decided to remind the mayor of why she was such a threat. She lunged at her, but Meg easily dodged her large frame. Before she could turn to attack, Meg's hand had shifted to a blade and was aimed at her heart. The Amazon froze, not wanting to impale herself. "There's more to you than meets the eye," she said, forcing herself to relax.

"Do you know the greatest folly of all men and women, Ms. Rose?" Meg asked jabbing her bladed arm closer to her chest, "The underestimation of one's obstacles and opposition. Why do you think you failed time and again to succeed in your quest to subdue your son? It's because you either underestimated his resolve, or because you wrote off his little friend. If you think this is the extent of my powers and abilities, you'd be just as foolish and idiotic as the rest of this world. So, you're going to take five steps back, and you're going to relax. Unless, of course, you have a desire to experience true pain and suffering. In which case, I encourage you to try something else against me."

The Amazon stared at her for a moment before reluctantly doing as she was told. "Tough talk for a politician," she remarked as she took a deep breath, "But that's not really what you are, is it?"

"Now you're beginning to catch on," Meg smirked at her, "I'm a woman of many talents, but all you need to know is that I'm offering you something you want. You should also be aware that I'm much more dangerous than any of the peons you've encountered, including your nuisance of a son."

"If that's the case, then why not handle him yourself?" Rose asked.

"Fools tip their hands, Ms. Rose," Meg countered, "Your son may be an obstacle in my way, but why should I dirty my hands when someone such as yourself wants to do it for me? Besides, were I to handle your precious baby boy, I don't expect you'd be too thrilled with the results. You're not a threat to me, my operation, or my family, but you're certainly not worth the effort of dealing with."

"Insulting me is how you intend to recruit me?" Rose scoffed.

"If honesty overlaps with an insult, than you should either step your game up, or get thicker skin," Meg said, crossing her arms as her arm returned to normal, "Peronally, I could care less what you choose. The choice is yours, though, Ms. Rose. Do you want your precious baby boy for yourself, that annoying rat Beth, and their latest addition, or would you prefer to sulk in the shadows?"

"Let's say I call your bluff," Rose said, "What then?"

"We are in a crypt, my dear," Meg replied, "One more body to rot with the bones of one of this city's greatest families. You should be so lucky as to be laid to rest here, but is that really what you want? Wouldn't it be better for you to accept my offer, have what you want, and enjoy yourself?"

"What's your plan to get Jake here?" Rose asked after a moment of terse consideration and silence.

"This sniveling little urchin," Meg replied with a chuckle, gesturing to Sam, "She's been an absolute gem for this phase of my plan. Filthy, pathetic, and whiney, but she's the key to getting your son here."

"Hmm, the bastard siblings finally serves a purpose," Rose smirked, walking over to Sam for the first time and making her cower, "Why don't you let me have a turn with her while we wait? I'm sure she's been quite the naughty girl, and a mother's touch goes a long way."

"No, please," Sam begged, fighting against the ropes, "Please, Ms. Myers, I've dome everything you've said!"

"Did I tell you to speak, Samantha?!" Meg barked.

"Hmm, she's scared," Rose cooed, "Come to mommy, little girl. I'll keep you safe, as long as you mind your manners."

"Hands off," Meg snapped, stepping between them, "Once you've dealt with Jake and the others, she's all yours. Until then, I need her still functioning. Her begging, sad as it is, will serve as the perfect catalyst to ensure Jake's emotions get the better of him. Everyone and everything has a purpose, Ms. Rose, and I won't have you disrupting my plans."

"Fine," Rose huffed, "How long until my son arrives?"

Meg's phone rang, and she held up a finger as she answers it, "Myers speaking, this had better be good news."

"Yes, ma'am, we're heading to you," Chasity replied, "I did just as you asked, but that witch managed to save Avery before I could finish her."

"Another loose end," Meg sighed, clearly disappointed, "Nothing we can't handle at a later time, though. The important thing is that Jake and the others will be dealt with soon enough. We can worry about Avery and the others once we've dispatched Jake and his little friends. Oh, and Chasity, our special guest has arrived. She's agreed to lend her aid to our little cause."

"Wonderful, Ms. Myers," Chasity replied, "We'll see you soon. Vivere in tenebris, ma'am, is everything else ready?"

"Don't ask stupid questions, dear," Meg smiled, "I'll see you soon, Chasity."

"I take it that was good news," Rose said with a sadistic smirk.

"The trap is sprung, and now we merely have to wait," Meg replied, "Not much longer now, Rose, and we'll both have what we want. Just try to sit back and relax, Ms. Rose."

"I suppose I can wait a little longer," Rose sighed.

"Ah, I believe you may find a change of clothes refreshing," Meg said, snapping her fingers as she grabbed a large box she'd tucked away, "I believe this is what you're more used to wearing. Go ahead and get changed. We wouldn't want our guests arriving without a proper welcome, would we?"

Rose looked over the outfit in the box and smiled as she ran her hand over it, "No, of course not."