Project S.T.A.T.I.C. Part 4: Worlds Apart

“There we are,” Bruce said proudly as he looked over the stack of papers on the desk in the study, “You have quite a natural talent for this, Ms. Samantha. Your brother would be proud.”

Sam frowned as she looked over the large stack, “It’s just a bunch of yes and no questions, Bruce, it’s like it’s nothing major. Sign here, answer this, pick that, none of this stuff is a big deal.”

Bruce smiled at her as he placed the papers into a drawer, “While it may seem trivial, these decisions affect more lives than you know. Countless employees, business deals, and direction all rely on someone sitting at the head of this table. What we’ve done today will make a world of difference once things are finally put right.”

Zoey leaned down and kissed Sam’s cheek, “Don’t sell yourself short, hon. This is a far cry from taking contracts and causing mayhem. This sort of thing suits you.”

Sam rolled her eyes and snorted, “That’s just not true. I am not cut out for this sort of thing, guys. I’m better outside of an office.”

“Your brother said the same thing many times,” Bruce said, “When the role of leader was thrust upon his shoulders, he fought it tooth and nail. He was far happier to pass the responsibilities off to someone else at first. It was when his company ended up in the tabloids and news for irresponsible, reckless, and dangerous decisions his temporary CEO was implementing that he changed his mind.”

“I remember that,” Zoey said, “Blackridge Inc. was dumping chemicals into the rivers, taking bribes, and signing off on projects that were highly illegal. I was still in school at the time, but I remember hearing about it from my professors and online forums. Wasn’t the company under investigation after that?”

“Indeed it was,” Bruce nodded, “Master Jake was forced to make a choice back then. He had to hang his cape up for a time to attend to his family’s legacy. It was his choice to put his personal wants aside in favor of pursuing something bigger than himself that helped him become the man that you both knew. It took him months to sort through the muck and mud of his overseers and their mistakes, but he learned how to work both sides of the law in that time. He attended classes, spearheaded the investigations and operations within the company, and interrogated suspects by night. He worked tirelessly for weeks to right the wrongs born of his negligence, and in doing so he gained an appreciation for the corporate side of things. Master Jake realized that the choices he made in the boardroom had a direct effect on the city he loved, no matter how inconsequential they appeared."

"You're joking, right?" Sam asked, "I get that dumping toxic waste into the river and shit has an impact, but all this other business bullshit, really?"

"Jobs and pay play a larger role in crime than you think, Ms. Samantha," Bruce replied, "Master Jake made it a point to afford the lower classes of the city opportunities to rise above their stature by enforcing policies that prevented discrimination based on records. He gave people a chance to be more than the sum of their origins and redefine who they would become. It took him months to retool his human resources department, and Blackridge Inc. has made it a point to promote from within since he fully took the reins. It's part of why so many people were loyal to your brother."

"Jake also made sizable donations to the police force and academy students," Zoey pointed out, "It might just seem like a few pen strokes, hon, but that signature made a world of difference to a lot of people. He provided scholarships, financial aid, and opportunities to people who wouldn't otherwise have them. His donations to the MPD also meant we had the resources to contend with some of the bigger baddies that ran about, and his contributions also helped create some of the more complex wards in the prison."

"Still doesn't seem like something that's for me," Sam shrugged, "I'd probably wind up screwing it up somehow, like I usually do."

Zoey rolled her eyes and put an arm around her, "Is someone throwing a pity party?"

"Fuck off," Sam scoffed, playfully shoving her girlfriend away, "I don't exactly have the best track record when it comes to decision making, alright? Putting hundreds of lives in my hands is easily the dumbest thing someone could ever do."

"You don't give yourself enough credit, Ms. Samantha," Bruce assured her, "You've grown considerably since I met you, and one should not be defined by the mistakes of their past."

Sam shook her head and sighed, "I can see why Jake liked you so much, Bruce. You're a nice guy."

"Honest, Ms. Samantha, that's all that I am," Bruce corrected her, "I believe Master Jake would be proud of what you're doing. I know he was proud of the woman that you were already becoming."

"If you say so," Sam shrugged, "We should probably wrap this up, though. As nice as it is to sit here and pretend things are fine, there's still a sociopathic super freak on the loose. Sal and the others still need us. Are you sure you won't come with us, Bruce?”

“My place is here, Ms. Samantha,” Bruce replied, “I've spent the later part of my life protecting this family, these walls, and the legacy left behind by your brother and father. I will continue to do so in the face of the uncertainty that threatens this city.”

“Come on, pencil pusher,” Zoey smiled as she helped Sam grab her things, “It's better for us to have someone we can count on watching over this place in case we need to fall back to it.”

“I just don't like the idea of Bruce being here all by himself,” Sam admitted, “He was already jumped once, and with everything going on it's a safe bet that someone is going to come knocking again.”

“I was expecting your brother, Ms. Samantha,” Bruce explained, “With the recent turn of events, I'll be keeping my guard up going forward.”

“He'll be fine, Sam,” Zoey assured her lover, “The guy is ex-special forces for crying out loud.”

A loud crash came from the foyer as they spoke. Sam, Zoey, and Bruce shared a look before they hurried to see what had caused the noise. They entered the main room and stopped. Amelia Ritters stood atop the remains of the doors wearing a white suit. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail, and beside her were two women that Sam recognized as the Bathery twins, Heidi and Hannah. The very same women that they'd been talking about before everyone split up. Heidi and Hannah grinned and giggled as they fanned out around Duchess. Sam took an instinctive step back and reached for her sidearm. Zoey glared at the former warden and reached for her pistol as well.

“Ah, it seems the help is still here,” Duchess smirked as she looked at the three of them, “We're going to have to work on your timing, dears. When your mistress knocks, you need to be waiting to answer.”

“Get bent, bitch,” Sam snarled as she drew her pistol and aimed at Duchess.

Heidi was beside her before she could get a clear shot. The mad twin hit her wrist and caused her to shoot the ceiling rather than her intended target. Heidi spun around and threw her elbow at Sam's jaw. Sam was barely able to dodge the attack and retaliate with a jab. Heidi giggled as she ducked under Sam's fist and hit her in the stomach. Sam groaned from the forceful blow, but Heidi wasn't through yet. The mad woman continued to giggle maniacally as she put her fingers in Sam's mouth and pulled down. Sam had no choice but to follow the direction lest she risk having her jaw dislocated. It was disgusting to feel someone's fingers in her mouth, but it was overshadowed by the painful stomp to her back that came seconds later. Heidi skipped over her prone body and kicked her hard in the ribs afterward without a second thought. Sam rolled away and clutched at her ribs.

“Sam!” Zoey exclaimed as she watched her girlfriend take a quick beating and tried to shoot her attacker.

“No, no, no,” Hannah mocked as she snaked her arm between Zoey's and pulled her gun toward the floor, “Wrong target, sweetheart!”

Zoey growled as she pulled back and spun around to try to kick Hannah. Hannah the spinning kick and delivered a kick of her own at Zoey's knee. Zoey buckled in an instant, and Hannag capitalized by kneeing her in the face. “Ugh, bitch,” Zoey growled as she hit the ground.

Hannah advanced toward Zoey and jumped into the air. She put her feet together in preparation for a stomp against Zoey's head, but she was knocked out of the air by a black blur. “What the fuck?!” Heidi shriekd as she watched her sister get knocked to the ground. 

“I was unprepared the last time we met,” Bruce said, standing in front of Zoey and raising his hands, “I think you'll find that I won't fall quite as easily this time, ladies.”

“You'd hit a girl?” Heidi asked, moving to help her sister up, “What a gentleman.”

“Women like you are far removed from a proper lady,” Bruce replied, slipping his coat off and loosening his collar.

“Heh, the butler has skills and jokes,” Amelia chuckled, “Go ahead, girls, let's see what he can do. Don't break my new servants, but teach them a good lesson for me.”

Heidi and Hannah nodded as Hannah got to her feet. They spread out evenly and watched Bruce closely. Bruce, in turn, watched the two of them carefully. He'd faced opponents like this before. The two of them moved in tandem, and he knew from experience that it was almost like they shared a telepathic link. Heidi moved first, flanking from the right with a sprint, and Hannah followed behind from the right. Bruce raised his hands and stepped back to root himself. Heidi threw a punch aimed at his head, and Hannah a kick aimed at his thigh. Bruce blocked Heidi's fist with his forearm, and he stopped Hannah's kick with one of his own that knocked her foot back. He twisted the arm he'd blocked Heidi with and threw a punch at Hannah; his right leg extended as he tried to kick at Heidi as well. His blows connected, and the two girls snarled as they took a few steps back to regroup.

“Don't forget the other two, ladies,” Amelia reminded them, “You knocked them down, yes, but I don't think they're through yet.”

Sam and Zoey had gotten back to their feet by this point. Heidi and Hannah glanced at the two of them and smirked. They let out a unified cackle as they broke into a sprint while ducking and diving. Sam and Zoey opened fire, but they couldn't get a lead on either woman as they rushed around the room. Heidi continued to giggle as she raced up the stairs, and Hannah echoed her laugh as she dove into a slide aimed at Zoey's legs. Hannah's feet crashed into Zoey's ankles and knocked her to the ground as Heidi leapt from the stairs and onto a low hanging chandelier. Heidi swung from the base of the fixture before kicking off and diving at Sam. Her hand wrapped around Sam's throat as she pushed her to the ground, but not before taking a bullet to the shoulder. The pain only seemed to spur her further on. Hannah spun on her back, raised her leg, and brought her heel down on Zoey's face before she could get back to her feet.

Bruce moved to help Zoey, but he was cut off by Amelia throwing her cane like some sort of javelin. The tip of the cane embedded itself into the wall, and the back opened up and began crackling. A sudden jolt of electricity charged the air before bolts shot out in random directions, effectively cutting Bruce off from helping either of his friends. Zoey and Sam continued to try to fight off Heidi and Hannah, but they were quickly losing ground by the minute. Bruce looked over at Amelia just as she charged forward shoulder first. Her thundering footfalls were second only to her impressive speed. Bruce was able to evade her incoming charge and duck under a vicious swing of her right arm.

“I don't think I want you involved,” Amelia sneered as she stopped between Bruce and Heidi, “It's important that people handle their own battles, don't you think?”

“Amelia Ritters,” Bruce shook his head as he slowly circled her, “Master Jake was quite vexed with you and your stature. Have you come here to take something else that doesn't belong to you?”

“Hmph, I'm here for what should have been given to me months ago,” Amelia scoffed, “You and everything that Jake owned should have been mine long before now, jeeves. Since I can't have my boy-toy thanks to that walking corpse, I'll have to settle for taking his home and his staff.”

“Over my dead body, madam,” Bruce declared, widening his stance a bit and staring Amelia down, “I taught Master Jake everything he knew about fighting. I think you'll find me more than a match for the likes of you and your cronies.”

“Hmm, I'd be scared if you didn't share his weaknesses,” Amelia chuckled as Hannah held Zoey's gun to her temple, “Unless you want these two bimbos to have their brains stain my new floors, I suggest you stand down. Otherwise, your first job will be cleaning up the blood that will literally be on your hands.”

“Do it, old man,” Heidi giggled as she pressed Sam's gun to her head, “Give us a reason to have some fun!”

Bruce frowned as he realized he'd been outmaneuvered by the trio. “Despicable,” he growled as he reluctantly lowered his fists, “Let them live, Ms. Ritters.”

“Disappointing, but predictable,” Amelia sighed before punching Bruce in the face, “Get them on their feet, girls. It looks like we've got new help.”

“Get your hands off me!” Sam exclaimed as Heidi tried to pull her to her feet, “You won't get away with this, Duchess!”

“Hmph, I think I already have, girlie,” Amelia chuckled as she walked over to Sam, “Who would have guessed that the gutter rat that tried to stab Jake in the back time and again would resist such a golden opportunity. How many times did I pay you and your miserable little cronies to do a job? How many times did you come begging me for work?”

“Shut up,” Sam glared at her, “That was then.”

“And now you're on the losing side, sucking up to badges that mean nothing!” Amelia cackled, gesturing to Zoey as Hannah held her by her hair, “You're just as pathetic as your brother, and just as easy to control. Maybe since I can't have him, I could settle for having you act as my cushion, hmm?”

“Don't you dare!” Zoey growled, trying to pull away from Hannah, only to have the back of her knee swiftly kicked.

“What is that, love?” Amelia asked, glancing behind her, “Love is for the weak and foolish. Power, now that is where the real fun lies. You used to know that, Samantha, but somehow you forgot. Why don't I make your girlfriend watch while I use you? Better yet, you two can take turns watching while I have my way with the other. Oh, this is going to be fun.”

“You're going to be in for a world of hurt when the others get their hands on you,” Sam growled.

“You think I'm afraid of your little crew?” Amelia cackled, “They're already dealt with, and Alexis isn't coming to save any of you this time. Jake is dead, your friends are finished, and it won't be long until Beth and Pam have been handled as well. You chose the losing side, Sammie, but I'll make sure you get plenty of use for years to come. I think you'll find that I can treat my toys nice once they're fully broken in. Heidi, take her to the living room and hold her down. Hannah, keep a tight grip on the cop as well. I want her to see what happens when you defy royalty.”

“This is inhumane!” Bruce barked, “We've surrendered!”

“Surrender doesn't guarantee submission, little man,” Amelia scoffed, kicking Bruce in the stomach, “You three are going to learn what It means to serve. If you think I give a damn about humanity, you don't know what it means to be a true Duchess, but we'll fix that. It might take weeks, months, or even years, but I promise we'll get there.”

—---

Kait, Sally, and Addy sat in the main room of the clock tower base. The dust had settled in since the last time any of them had visited the old base. While Beth and Jake would occasionally visit, they seldom made use of the equipment inside. The final battle against Goth had left the tower mostly untouched. Sally sat on the old couch cleaning her pistol and trying to distract herself. Addy had her sword out and was sharpening it methodically while Kait fiddled with the console in the corner. They hadn't heard a word from Beth or the others since arriving, and all of them were growing restless. It was the trepidation of the unknown and the magnitude of the threats looming overhead that had each of them on edge. Jake's death hasn't helped things, but leaving Sam and Zoey behind had their nerves acting on high.

“You get that damn thing working yet?” Sally asked, reassembling her pistol.

“No, not yet,” Kait sighed, resisting the urge to punch the console, “Tech isn't my first language, and this thing isn't wanting to cooperate. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I wish Alexis had answered the damn phone. She and Beth are the most familiar with this stupid bird-tech.”

“I thought you were supposed to be some high powered conqueror,” Sally said, “You're telling me you never learned how to operate a computer?”

“First off, fuck you,” Kait spat, “It's not that I don't know how to work these things, Sally. Jake uses a custom operating system, and I'm not familiar with it. Jason was able to crack it last time we were here, but that was nearly a year ago. Birdbrain must have changed the encryption codes since then, the little asshat.”

“We shouldn't speak ill of the dead, Mistress,” Addy spoke up, adding when Kait shot her a look, “You instructed me that we should honor the fallen, especially when they fell for the sake of others.”

“I taught you too well,” Kait sighed and smiled, “Sometimes I forget just how well you listen, Addy. You're right, but it doesn't relieve my frustration.”

“May I assist you, Mistress?” Addy asked, setting her sword to the side.

“Please, not while I'm in the room,” Sally shook her head, “You want to tongue fuck each other, or whatever, pick anywhere else other than here.”

“Hmph, I didn't figure someone as crass as you would be a prude,” Kait smirked.

“Piss off, I've just got more important shit to worry about other than watching you two get each other off,” Sally waved Kait off, “Doesn't make me a prude, asshole, just tense.”

“I was referring to a sparring match,” Addy clarified, “Although, if my Mistress wished for me to service her, I happily would.”

“Why do I always get stuck with the fucking weirdos?” Sally grumbled, “We've got bigger problems than Kait's temper, kid. City might be quiet for now, but that's just a calm before the storm. What happened out there was a scare tactic to force people into lockdown, clear the streets, and mobilize the police patrols. These bitches are planning something major, and this is all a part of the grand plan.”

“What do you mean?” Addy asked.

“Forcing the MPD to step up their patrols gives them a chance to memorize their routes,” Kait answered, “It's a risky tactic since they'll be well-armed, but if you know you have the advantage of firepower and force, it's one that can pay off. They'll be able to circumvent and move throughout the city in a matter of hours to try to deal with us and any other opposition. Once we've been handled, they'll move on to dismantling the MPD piece by piece. The more protection that's chipped away, the more people will begin to panic. Panic gives way to unpredictability and fear, and that means they'd have an easier time herding the masses into whatever they're planning.”

“They've already proven they've got the might to shake the city too,” Sally pointed out, “Those cultist assholes are scattered throughout Metropolis in all sorts of different departments. Jake had some on his board, there's some in college, probably some professors, and I'm betting more than a few politicians, first responders, and other officials here and there. Shit, more than one of them flew under the radar with Goth and us back when you were serving that Goddess claiming psycho. You combine that possibility with the fact that worm-bait Courtney freak is out, and you get a potential receipe for an army of freaks that could topple the entire city with ease. Shit is not playing out in our favor, kid, and the longer we're separated from the rest of our team, the more tense I'm getting. Sammie is like a daughter to me, and Beth is the only real family I've got left. We might have been at odds for a long time, but I worry about her these days.”

“You're kinder than your appearance let's on,” Addy nodded, “How long do you think we have before they mobilize their next attack?”

“Don't know,” Sally sighed, “Hours, minutes, could be either, but it's happening today. That much I have no doubt about.”

“Fucking finally!” Kait exclaimed as the console screen finally flickered to life, “Goddamn thing finally decided to work. Alright, let's see here…what the hell?!”

“What's up?” Sally asked, getting to her feet.

“Fuck, we've got incoming,” Kait sighed, looking at the screen, “Not sure how many, but this thing is detecting multiple breaches in security.”

“Dammit, this is exactly what I was hoping to avoid!” Sally growled, grabbing her guns, “Get your shit and get ready for a fight. Does that thing say where they're coming from?”

“Like I can read this thing!” Kait snapped, trying to make sense of the readings, “Fuck, I think they're surrounding the place. Escape isn't an option.”

“Then we hold the line and send ‘em packing,” Sally said, grabbing a shotgun that she'd stashed last time they were here, “Worst case, we cut a path through these bastards.”

“Worst case is we go down or get captured,” Kait corrected her, “But you're right. We're going to have to stand our ground here and now. Let's just hope Jason and the others are having better luck. Addy, get your blade and get to the shadows. We can try to ambush some of them, but I want you falling back the minute you're exposed.”

“Yes, ma'am, understood,” Addy nodded, grabbing her sword and climbing the beams into the shadowy upper areas.

“Ready for this?” Sally asked, tossing Kait her sword and shield.

“Ready as I can be,” Kait sighed, brandishing hee sword and raising her shield, “Fire at them before they get too close, and I'll hold them off when you reload.”

“Sounds like as good a plan as any,” Sally said, readying her shotgun and standing behind Kait.

They could hear the rampant footfalls coming up the stairs to the clock tower. Sally stood behind Kait with her shotgun aimed at the door. Kait knelt down in front of Sally to serve as a guard, and to keep her ears from being damaged by the pending boom of her gun. The door burst open, and both women felt their stomachs turn at the sight pouring in. Decaying and grotesque mobs of shambling, rabid people rushed in like wild animals. Sally recognized them as infected monsters courtesy of Courtney Tellar. The poor souls were already dead and gone, but that meant she didn't have to feel any remorse putting them down, not that she would anyway. 

Sally fired at the first ghoulish man that got close. The buckshot ripped through him, his face, and sent him to the ground. A quick pump later she was aiming at another one getting close. The process repeated until she was out of shells. She hollered at Kait to signify she needed to reload, and Kait stood up to repel the infected before they could get close. The shambling horrors continued to swarm in, groan, and growl despite their efforts. Kait bashed one with her shield, and quickly drove the tip of her sword through one of their skulls. The body fell to the floor as she retracted her weapon to prepare for the next attack. Sally loaded her shotgun as fast as she could while Kait worked to defend her. Their efforts were solid, but the numbers were clearly against them.

As one of the shamblers managed to get through Kait's defenses, Addy dropped down from her perch. She split the skull of one of them close to her beloved Mistress, and she ducked down into a sweeping kick to topple two more close by. She fell back, as she was told, and stayed close to Kait to help fend off the mob. After dispatching another with a well-placed thrust of her sword, Sally was reloaded and barked at them to get down. Another round of gunfire exploded behind them as they forced them back and made room to breathe. They'd bought themselves time, but there was still no end to the mob in sight. The more they killed, the more seemed to flood into the room. Sally's shotgun clicked as she finished her last shot, and she threw the gun at an incoming zombie before drawing her pistol and taking another one out.

“There's too fucking many!” Sally shouted as she fired at anything that moved, “We've gotta bail!”

“Where are we supposed to go?!” Kait shouted back, raising her shield, “Addy, maneuver zeta, now!”

Addy nodded and ducked down as she sliced another infected across the face. Addy sprang upward and kicked off of Kait's shield while Kait pushed against her. The young woman was sent flying into the air and spun like a top with her blade extended. She flipped in the air and cut down another five of the infected, but she was surrounded. Sally shifted her fire to try to take out the ones swarming the young swordstress. They were being overrun, though, and she was running out of ammo. Kait let out a battle cry as she charged forward to try to save Addy before she was overtaken. They fought as hard as they could, but the snarls and growling grew louder by the second. The infected grabbed hold of them one by one, but their bite never came.

“Well, well, well, what a show!” the voice of Courtney came from the doorway, “I am surprised that the three of you losers managed to last as long as you did. I guess the backup isn't half bad, but still not good enough, eh?”

“Fuck me,” Sally grumbled, being forced to her knees by one of Courtney's zombies, “Not this fucking lunatic again.”

“Oh my, look at the size of you!” Courtney cackled as she walked through the crowd of infected, “You could fill me up and I'd still have leftovers! Hmm, I'm almost tempted to take a bite, but I'm already in enough shit with Eva and her crazy sister. It's your lucky day, ladies, you get to live! Well, I don't know how great it'll be since you'll be a new experiment for the good doctor Babydoll.”

Sally jerked at the mention of Dr. Murray and flung the infected holding her away, “Get the fuck out of here with that shit! There's no way in hell we are going to that sociopathic butcher!”

“Like you can stop it,” Courtney giggled as Sally tried to make it to the console only to be pounced on by several more zombies, “You three are going to serve as test subjects for the new age. Who needs animal testing when we can go straight to human trials?! Tie them up, boys and girls, we've got a show to put on!”

Addy tried to break free, but there were too many infected around her. She looked at Kait with fear in her eyes, “Mistress?”

Kait glared at Courtney before looking at Addy, “We're going to get out of this, I promise you. Stay strong, Addy, and remember what I taught you.”

“Oh, how sweet,” Courtney chided, kicking Addy as she walked by her towards the console, “The big bad Kaitlyn the Conqueror has a pet. You make me sick with how fucking weak you've become! Love is a weakness, and you'll find that out soon enough. Take these miserable insects out of here and load them in the van. I've got a call to make.”

“You're going to regret this!” Sally barked, trying and failing to break free.

“Yeah, I doubt that, fatass,” Courtney scoffed as she grabbed the radio on the console, “Your little friends have already been dealt with, and we've got a special guest coming for Beth, Pam, and the walking bandaid. Oh boy, I wish I could be a fly on the wall there! Ah well, I’ll have to settle for watching you three buckle and break.”

Courtney smirked as she prepared to deliver a message to the remaining members of their opposition. “Cowardly little corpse,” Kait snapped, causing Courtney to stop and glare at her, “You hide behind women with money because you’re too stupid and weak to fight for yourself.”

Courtney looked ready to snap for a moment, but then she flashed a sadistic smile as she set the radio down. She walked over to Kait and chuckled as her minions stopped, “Tell me how you really feel, Kaity. I was going to wait to do this until the good doctor gave you a once over, but two out of three won’t be terrible for her. Out of all of my new friends, she is easily the most patient. Let’s show your little pet that even the mighty conqueror is afraid of something, shall we?”

Kait squirmed and tried to break free, but the infected tightened their grip on her. Courtney cackled as she held out her hand and placed it over Kait’s face. It was then that Kait saw the tubing coming down out of Courtney’s sleeve. Her hand had some sort of strange glove on it, and Kait could do nothing to stop a puff of gas that spewed out of the glove. Kait was forced to breathe it in, and her vision became blurry. She slipped into a strange state somewhere between reality and fiction. She began to quiver and shake as her mind summoned her darkest fears and brought them to the surface. She screamed, despite herself, while Addy and Sally looked on in horror.

Courtney spun around and chuckled as she sauntered back over to the console, “Everyone is afraid of something, girls. Take a good look at your strong savior, and pay attention to the way she writhes and screams. You’ll be joining her soon enough even without my latest toxin! Now, where was I?”

—-------------

Beth, Pam, and Jason had made their way back to Beth and Pam’s apartment. They’d left shortly after Rebecca had walked through the portal into Hell. Sadie had stayed behind, but she’d wished them luck. To an extent, Beth could understand her point of view. Despite their history, Beth could respect the fact that she was a professional. She’d taken a job from Rebecca, and Beth knew that Sadie would do everything she could to see it through. Infuriating as she was, she and Rebecca were certainly a match made in Hell. It wasn’t too much of a shock to learn that Goth had employed Sadie in the past, at least not as much as a shock at learning that the Goth Goddess was back. 

Beth’s mind was still reeling from the chain of events and the possibility that Rebecca might somehow bring Jake back from the dead. Trusting the soul of her best friend to someone like her wasn’t ideal given their history, but if anyone could do it it was going to be Rebecca. As much as Beth hated her, she knew that her determination and heart was nearly unmatched. The passion she had when it came to Jake had driven her to the depths of madness, and it seemed that was still the case. The woman had managed to somehow escape the bowels of Hell, and now she was on her way back into the depths of the underworld for a slim chance to save Jake. She was insane, but maybe that was what they needed right now.

Unfortunately, Beth knew she didn’t have time to dwell on the fact that one of her most hated adversaries was back and supposedly on their side now. The truth was that they had much bigger problems to deal with right now. Eva, Emily, Murray, Courtney, and who knew who else were all working against them. Meanwhile, the remaining eight of them were working against the clock. It was only a matter of time before they ran into the forces of chaos and true evil. It was part of the reason why they’d dropped the scumbag they’d taken off at one of their safehouses while they returned to their apartment to retrieve some of their gear. They would need everything they had if they were going to stand a chance against the combined might of the most powerful woman she and Jake had ever faced.

Beth grabbed the dufflebag she’d been loading with all of her best armaments. Grenades, rifles, attachments, pistols, machine guns, knives, and whatever else she might be able to make use of in a tight spot. She knew Jake would probably opt for recon and stealth, but she was past the point of worrying about things like that. She was fully prepared to blow the entirety of Eva’s ivory tower to Hell if she had to. Looking over everything she had gathered, she still didn’t feel like it was enough. Pam had heard about Voidfoot, but Beth knew what the lunatic was really capable of. She’d seen it and experienced it firsthand, and she would do everything in her power to ensure that nobody else would have to deal with it.

“Are you ready, Kitten?” Pam asked from the doorway, carrying a small satchel and wearing her cloak.

“Not even close,” Beth sighed as she hauled the bag over her shoulder, “Even with everything that I have here, I don’t think it’ll be enough to bring down that bitch. Hopefully, Jason still has a stash back at the tower.”

“I do,” Jason said, appearing behind Pam, “I never show up unprepared. I made sure to stash weapons throughout the city in places that even the cultists wouldn’t search. Based on what Zoey told me, I don’t think that any of my caches were disturbed. If you’ve got everything you need, we need to get moving. We’ve wasted enough time here, and it won’t be long before the Brunswicks start mobilizing. Patrols from the MPD have already increased, and the city is going on high alert. It’s the perfect time for them to move.”

“Wait until the people are on edge and prepping for a fight before going in,” Pam nodded, “Let your enemy show you their openings, and find their throat before you move in for the kill. It’s the same philosophy that Rebecca taught us years ago.”

“Sometimes I forget just how fucked up your life was before we got together,” Beth shook her head, “I know you’re right, and I’m glad you know this stuff, but damn it’s always weird to hear you talk about evil stuff.”

“This is war, Kitten” Pam explained, “War is never pretty, but it isn’t entirely evil either. The objective is to win at all costs, and that means being prepared to kill. You reached that point when you first went to war with Rebecca and started taking us out one by one.”

Beth shook her head, “Guess you got a point there.”

“That killer instinct nearly toppled an entire regime,” Jason added, “We’re going to need that side of you back if we have a chance at winning this. No more pulling punches, Beth. You brought fear, once upon a time, and it’s time to do the same again. Eva and Emily might not scare easily, but that doesn’t mean that their underlings can’t understand it. Bring the fire to them, and we’ll hold it at their feet to make sure that we deal the killing blow this time around.”

“After what happened to Jake, there’s nothing holding me back,” Beth replied, her tone cold and icy, “I’ll show these assholes what The Feral is really capable of.”

“I’d actually like to see that,” a chilling voice chuckled from the dining room as they walked down the hallway, “It’s been too long since I saw something of a spark in someone like you, Beth.”

Beth froze and dropped her bag. She grabbed her pistol and hurried down the hall to shoot the source of that dreadful voice. She rounded the corner and opened fire on the red suit-wearing monster known as Voidfoot. Her bullets stopped in midair before falling to the ground. Beth glared at her, “Come to face your end already, Emily?”

“Don’t be absurd,” Voidfoot scoffed, taking a sip of the tea that was on the counter before standing up as Pam and Jason entered the room behind Beth, “You couldn’t kill me then, and you certainly can’t kill me now. No, not even with your little girlfriend and the deadman. You may have been able to finish Emily, but she died a long time ago. I am the alpha and omega, children, and I am all that will remain long after this world perishes. I am the voidwalker, the nocturnal matron, I am Voidfoot. Sit down, all of you, I want to talk before I finish this once and for all.”

Beth, Pam, and Jason exchanged a look before they slowly walked around the room. This was the last thing they’d been expecting, but now they were face to face with a titan of infamy and evil. Beth clenched her fists and wracked her brain trying to figure out what to do. If this madwoman wanted to talk, though, maybe they could use that to their advantage. Talking meant taking up time, and that was what they needed right now. It was all they had left, and it was running out by the second. So the three of them sat down and waited to hear what the embodiment of sadism and evil had to say.