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

Pam couldn't believe her eyes. The blinding ball of light, a doorway to another dimension, closed and Rebecca stood beside Jake. They were surrounded by bodies and chaos, but this was the last thing she'd expected to see. Although she wasn't entirely sure she wasn't hallucinating from the pain and blood loss. This fight had taken more out of her than she'd been expecting. Worse, it seemed to be far from over. Beth was changing, mutating by the look of things. Her body continued to convulse and contort as the toxins worked their way through her system. For the sake of all of everything she held dear, Pam hoped that her eyes weren't playing tricks on her.

“Wh-what the hell…is this?!” Beth growled, her voice distorting and shifting as she struggled to speak.

“Elizabeth?” Rebecca asked, and Pam knew it had to be her, “What in the nine circles is going on here?”

“Jake?” Courtney whispered, seeing the man she loved alive again for the first time in what felt like an eternity.

“Focus,” Pam breathed, clutching at her side, “Whatever this is, it's going to have to wait until we are finished here. Rebecca, Jake, if you're really here, we need help. This one is a friend, but that is not my Kitten.”

“Call me that again, Pammy,” Beth growled, “I'm going to silence you soon enough, but I'll break those pretty little legs if you insult me again!”

“What is going on?” Rebecca asked, looking over at the burned and changing body of her old enemy, “Where are we even?”

“Long story, but one I don't have time to explain right now,” Pam winced, “The short version is that we are in danger, this building is riddled with magic suppressants, and she is trying to kill her and take me.”

“Hmph, I told you that you're tastes needed improvement, Pamela,” Rebecca scoffed, turning to face Beth.

“Wait, is that Goth?” Courtney asked, trying to piece together what was happening, “Is she…so does that mean that Jake is…”

“I'm not even sure what's happening at this point,” Pam deadpanned, “All I know is that we need to get out of here quickly. Rebecca, be mindful of your powers here.”

“You're a risk, witch,” Jake smirked, stepping in front of Rebecca and the others, “It would figure that your powers are more of a hindrance than a help. You've served your purpose.”

“Would you knock it off?” Rebecca snapped, glaring at Jake, “You can keep running your mouth and let whatever is happening unfold, or you can shut up and actually fight. Which is it going to be?”

Pam frowned as she watched the exchange. Something was certainly amiss here, but she'd have to figure that out later. They needed to get the relic, get away from Beth, and find a way to open a way out of the madhouse first. “Courtney, let me down. These two can be trusted, I promise.”

“That's the Goth Goddess,” Courtney pointed out, “Are you-”

“Do you really want to argue right now?” Pam cut her off, “We have a tide of shit rising around us. If you can trust me, then you can trust them. We don't have to beat her, but I have to get what we came for. Once we have that, we can make our escape.”

“There's only one way out,” Courtney sighed.

“I'll blow a goddamn hole in the wall if I have to,” Pam frowned, “If it nearly kills me, we will get out of here. Rebecca can help to heal me once we have some distance between the more immediate threats. Keep her distracted while I hobble my broken hide around to find the damn thing.”

“Right, okay,” Courtney nodded, “It'll be nice to fight beside Jake again.”

“Don't get too close or comfortable,” Pam warned, narrowing her eyes at Jake, “Something is off with him, but I don't have time to figure that out.”

Courtney nodded and let go of Pam. Pam stumbled back two steps, but she grabbed the remnants of a rack to steady herself. She was woozy, but she was still able to move. Rebecca and Jake would help to buy her time, but Beth was changing into a variable that had her more concerned than ever. Rebecca may have been changing, but she knew her old mentor would still struggle with her ego and hubris. It was entirely likely that she would underestimate Beth, or overestimate her abilities in this damned place. They couldn't afford for both of them to be sidelined here because of exhaustion and stress. She slid into the shadows and tried to focus on finding the artifact she needed to get out of this insane world.

“Don't try to run from me, Pammy!” Beth growled as she lurched forward at blinding speed only to be stopped by a swift kick from Jake, “Ugh, what sort of trick is this?!”

“No tricks,” Jake frowned, glaring at Beth, “You're in the way, and I can tell you've ingested those horrible parasites. It's a shame to see such wasted potential.”

Beth snarled at Jake as he took a stance she'd seen many times before, “I've already lost one Jake today, so I guess taking you will help make up for it. I'll break you alongside that magic freak!”

“Try me,” Jake deadpanned as Courtney stopped beside him.

“Jake, how are you-” Courtney began.

“Hold your tongue, girl,” Jake snapped, his eyes never leaving Beth, “Save your questions for after we've dealt with the situation at hand.”

“Could you try to be civil to those willing to lend a hand?” Rebecca asked, standing behind the two of them, “The girl may be an unknown right now, but her presence improves our odds.”

“You…you're dead,” Beth frowned, looking at Rebecca, “Oh, this week is full of surprises! Two dead girls, a new Jake, and I get to relive one of my favorite moments! Come on, Goth, let me hear you beg again!”

Rebecca scowled and scoffed, “Tch, obviously whoever I was in this world was a fool to fall to someone like you, Elizabeth. Let me show you what true strength is.”

“You're a fool in every universe, an arrogant one at that, witch,” Jake spat.

“So we're just going to stick to hate?” Rebecca sighed, “Why should I be surprised? It's all your kind knows.”

“Stay out of my way, both of you!” Jake barked as he lunged at Beth with a straight punch.

Beth leaned back and swatted Jake's hand away with ease. She aimed a kick at his legs, but he stepped over it and shoved her back. He didn't waiver as he stalked forward and threw two punches at Beth; one hit her in the chest, but she blocked the second one. She caught him in the jaw with a hard uppercut, but it barely phased him. He grabbed what was left of her coat and pulled her into a forceful headbutt. Beth stumbled from the impact, but she drew a blade from her belt and sliced at Jake's face. Jake twisted to avoid the edge of the knife and caught her wrist as she tried to follow through with a second flourish. Beth chuckled as she let go of the blade and caught it in her other hand. She stretched her other hand out and stabbed Jake in the leg before kicking him away.

“You haven't missed a step, Jake,” Beth grinned, “But I've been training hard since I saw you last. I won't kill you, not anytime soon, but wounds heal, my pet. A little blood loss never hurt anyone too badly, right?!”

“Insufferable animal,” Jake sighed as he straightened up.

Beth cackled as she rushed at Jake, but a swift kick to the side from Courtney sent her flying off course. Beth rolled across the rubble and debris, but she landed on all fours. Her grin turned to a snarl as she launched a series of syringes at Jake and Courtney. They were frozen in the air as Rebecca clenched her fist. They shattered seconds later as a green liquid dripped down onto the dirty floor. Beth stood up and looked at the three of them. Her smirk returned as she snapped her fingers and the sounds of multiple heavy footfalls could faintly be heard above them. Her body twitched and jerked slightly as she took a step forward. Without a word, she reached down and grabbed part of a broken rack and hurled it at the three of them. It missed, but it was enough to break their formation.

“What is that?” Rebecca asked, glancing up.

“More company, I'm afraid,” Courtney frowned.

“Then let's try to even our odds,” Rebecca replied, stepping back and making circles with her hands to open two portals above Beth, “Stay on her, and don't let her get to Pamela.”

“Copy that,” Courtney nodded, watching with interest as a wolf and a large raven dropped out of the portal to attack Beth, “What the hell?”

“They're on our side,” Rebecca clarified, stopping and holding a hand to her head, “Ugh, Byzantium minerals…a Brunswick facility, of course.”

Beth was startled by the combination of the raven swooping down to scratch at her and the wolf lunging for her arm. She dodged the talons of the raven, but the wolf sank its teeth into her forearm. She howled and punched it across the face as she slung it off of her. Thankfully, Rebecca's familiars didn't require any channeling to maintain. They existed as extensions of herself, but using her magic here would prove to be exhausting if she relied too much on it. Whoever the girl in the birdsuit was, she was clearly a capable fighter. Between her and Ashley, she felt relatively confident they had a chance. That was until a loud crashing noise came from behind them. A wave of hunger and madness spilled down the stairs as growls and snarls echoed in the basement. 

“Hold them off!” Jake snapped as he ran at Beth, “And keep your little pets out of my way, witch!”

“I'll handle these things,” Rebecca said, turning her attention to the horde of infected citizens that were charging down the stairs, “Stay on Elizabeth.”

“Casting spells is what got Pam in the shape she's in,” Courtney argued, “You can't just hurl magic at them for long.”

“I've dealt with these fields before,” Rebecca assured her, readying her attack, “Attacking wildly will deplete me, but precision and coordination go a long way in battle. Don't worry about me. Make sure that nothing happens to Jake.”

“Alright, I'm trusting you, crazy as that feels,” Courtney said, hurrying off to help Jake against Beth.

Jake charged at Beth and tried to land another series of punches, but Beth deflected them with ease. She was getting faster, stronger, and every second made her more menacing. Ashley could faintly feel Jake struggling in the back of their shared mind, but she couldn't let him take the reins, not yet. Between Rebecca, this monster masquerading as Beth, and the other insanity happening, it was too much for her to risk. She'd remain in control and fight this battle for him to keep him safe. A surprise hit from Beth jostled her and sent her back two steps. Beth cackled as she jumped into the air and prepared for a strong downward punch, but she was knocked away by a kick from the girl in the birdsuit. Beth recovered quickly enough, but the witch's wolf pushed her back again before she could counterattack.

“I told you to stay out of my way,” Jake snapped, “Focus on-”

“Save it,” Courtney cut her off, “She's got this covered, and you don't know what that serum can do. I've never seen a double dose taken either, and we're better off working together. One last time, Jake.”

While Jake and Courtney prepared for the next bout from Beth, Rebecca was carefully lining up her attack. There were more of those things than she could count hurrying down the stairs. There was only one option that she could see, but it meant she'd have to save more of her strength for when the dust finally settled. She knew that there was no guarantee that these turned people wouldn't find a way to break through, but stemming the tide was better than nothing. Rebecca channeled what she could spare into her right hand as half a dozen cleared the entryway. She let a beam of purple energy fly from her palm. The beam cut through the air and sliced through the ceiling over the stairs. Stone turned to rubble and fell on top of several of the infected. Their bodies were crushed and squished as they screamed in protest. There were more coming, but the path was blocked for now. How long it would hold, she couldn't say for sure. 

The six that had made it through before she could seal the exit were torn between her and the others. They were drawn to Beth, that much Rebecca could tell, but they were also driven by hunger. One of them ran towards her, but three of them broke off to surprise Jake and the new girl. Another one seemed to slink off, probably in search of Pamela. The one that was after her was a top priority, though. It jumped towards her at the midway point, but Rebecca opened her hand and caught its face in her palm. She made sure that it's mouth wasn't near her skin, but that she had its forehead, eyes, and nose firmly in her grip. It growled and thrashed for a second in her grip, but she silenced it by slamming its head down against the floor. The impact was enough to end it, but she spun its body and threw it at the pair charging Ashley and the other girl. Its body crashed into one and knocked it to the ground.

The last one had managed to slip by her without her realizing it. It was behind her before she could react, but her raven cawed as it swooped down and dug its talons into its neck. It was enough to throw the infected off balance and give her the opening she needed. Rebecca turned on her heel and thrust her palm against its chest. A simple move she'd learned centuries ago from studying with monks in the far east, but one that was incredibly effective. The ribs snapped and it was sent hurtling backwards and crashing into the wall. Its body slumped to the ground, and Rebecca returned her focus to the others lurking around. With a simple nod, she sent her raven off to find and protect Pamela while she helped Ashley and the other girl.

Pam was doing her best to remain undetected while the others fought. She'd barely felt a surge of magic from Rebecca since she'd arrived, but her mentor had always been wiser than most gave her credit for. Without the influence of Lilith and lust clouding her judgment, she was truly an impressive force. However, the sudden explosion from the entryway wasn't a good sign. None of them were dead, but Rebecca had sealed them all in. She'd only been half serious when she told Courntey she'd blow a hole to escape, but now it seemed that was their only option. She'd be furious if she wasn't so sore and drained. Right now, Pam needed to remain focused on finding the artifact. The sooner she did, the sooner they could get out of here and back home. Of course, there was the matter of figuring out how Rebecca and Jake were here, but she could only do one thing at a time. 

The aura of magic was getting stronger as she snuck deeper into the basement. She could still hear Beth and the others fighting, but they seemed to be matching each other and keeping themselves busy. Whatever she was looking for was close. A snarl from behind her earned a heavy sigh and made her heart drop. One of Beth's infected minions has managed to find her. Pam winced as she turned around. She didn't have the time or the energy to deal with another of these things. She looked around for something, anything, she could use as a weapon. Her pickings were slim, but there had to be something around this damned place. 

Just as it was about to rush her, a large raven dropped down and knocked it into the wall. That was enough of an opening for Pam to find something to use. Pam grabbed a piece of one of the broken racks, a steel splintered rod, and held it in both hands. The infected shoved the bird away and immediately charged at her. Pam swallowed as she took a step back to steady herself. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough and she'd lost too much energy. Pam swung the beam too early and missed her target completely. As a result, she was tackled to the ground with a loud crash and a snarling, salivating zombie above her. It took everything she had to keep his rotting teeth away from her neck. 

Between her fatigue and its weight, her arms would give out sooner than later. Pam's arms were trembling as she leaned her head to the side. The raven from before screeched as it rammed its beak into the infected's neck. It didn't kill it, but it knocked it off of her. Pam fumbled for the beam for a second before she found it and struggled to get to her feet. The large black bird kept pecking and swarming the zombie as Pam got close. As though it could sense her, it retreated as Pam raised the beam and drove it down into the man's skull. She'd need a stiff drink once this was over. Pam fell to one knee, but she clung to the rod to keep from falling. Looking up, she spotted something that gave her a glimmer of hope. A small, stone box with runes etched on the sides. It was buried under a collapsed rack, but she could almost see the magic radiating off of it. That was it, it had to be. Now all she had to do was uncover the damned thing and get the other; easier said than done.

As Pam tried to reach the buried box, Courtney was fighting alongside the love of her life once more. While it was incredible to see him again, there was something different about him. It wasn't just his cold and scathing speech, but his body language was more aggressive and almost dominant. He fought similar to the Jake she knew, but the way he carried himself was unlike the man she knew. Then again, this was a Jake from another world. In a way, it made sense that he was different, but what happened to change him this much? A snarl from behind her quickly caused her focus to shift back to the battle at hand. 

Courtney grabbed a birdarang from her utility belt and turned to face the infected coming for her. She swatted its arm away as it tried to grab her, but it threw itself forward with its jaws snapping at her neck. Courtney threw her shoulder forward and shoved it back. In a flash, Courtney dropped down and swept its legs out from under it. She spun around and drove the edge of her birdarang into the side of its head. She twisted her wrist and ripped it out of its skull. Courtney twisted and launched her birdarang at Beth in hopes of catching her by surprise. Much to her chagrin, Beth caught her birdarang as she blocked another punch from Jake. She watched as Beth snapped it in half, ducked under Jake's fist, and hit him in the jaw. 

Courtney flanked Beth's left as she tried to move in for another blow to Jake. He was fighting through the pain in his leg, but she could see his stance faltering. Beth kicked at the stab wound and forced him to bow before her, but Courtney leapt into the air before she could hit him. Courtney wrapped her arm around Beth's neck and pulled her to the ground away from Jake. As she landed, Beth was already getting to her feet despite Courtney keeping her arm tightly wrapped around her neck. Her strength was terrifying as she grabbed Courtney's arm and broke her hold. Courtney was flung overhead without warning, but she righted herself and landed on her feet. Another growl came from behind her, but Courtney heard a sickening snap shortly after. 

“You really need to watch your back, dear,” Rebecca said, letting the body of another infected drop.

“Thanks,” Courtney sighed, hurling two birdarangs at Beth, “What's the situation at the stairs?”

Beth swatted the two birdarangs away and screamed as she charged at Jake again. Thankfully, he managed to sidestep and push her to the ground, but his leg buckled as he stopped. “Collapsed, but those things are trying to break through,” Rebecca replied, glancing over to see her wolf pounce on Beth, “We'll be overrun before long at this rate.”

“Then go find Pam,” Courtney ordered, getting ready for another attack, “Help her find whatever relic or artifact she needs and get out of here. You're magic and hers should be able to locate whatever it is faster. She needs help, but I've got to focus on this.”

“Are you sure you can handle this?” Rebecca asked, watching as Beth threw her familiar off of her and frowning when she heard it whimper.

“I'll be fine, just go!” Courtney snapped, racing towards Beth before she could get back to Jake, “Get the damn thing and get back here!”

Courtney jumped between Beth and Jake to try to surprise her again. Beth's twisted features that weren't obscured by her burnt mask had a knowing smirk as she pivoted at the last second. Courtney tried to hit her with a jab, but Beth caught it and blocked it with ease. She followed her attack with a cross aimed at Beth's head, but again Beth dodged it. Beth let go of Courtney's wrist and spun around for a roundhouse kick that Courtney barely avoided. Courtney tried to sweep Beth's legs out from under her, but Beth was too quick to recover and stepped over her leg. She was about to try for another series of punches, but Beth hit her with a blindly fast punch that sent her flying across the basement. It felt like something might have been broken from the force of her blow, but it was astonishing how fast and hard she'd managed to hit her.

Ashley had been watching the brief exchange between Beth and this new girl while she recovered from the surprise attack. The second she'd prepared to jump into the fight, Beth had managed to send the girl halfway across the room. She saw Beth's arm seem to swell for a second, pulsating and losing more color. Her veins were getting darker too. Every second that ticked by she was looking more and more like that nightmarish Courtney from their world. However, something was different. Beth was slowly changing. It was difficult to see in the shadowy pit of the basement and the fighting, but it was more than just her strength and speed. Whatever was happening, they needed to end this fast. The stories she'd heard about the Devil Burrowers were mostly myths, but her experience with them was limited. 

The only advantage that Ashley could see was that Beth seemed to be more single-minded. She charged off towards the new girl in hopes of finishing her, but that was when Ashley made her move. She pushed aside the pain shooting through Jake's leg to give chase. Unfortunately, she stumbled despite her best efforts and caused some of the rubble around her to shift. Beth whipped around as Ashley got within feet of her. She barely had time to dodge a fast jab from Beth. Beth grinned as she stepped in and threw an uppercut that Ashley swatted away. Ashley landed a hard punch to Beth's face, but it was like it didn't phase her. Beth's head snapped back for a second, but she merely smirked and kicked low at Jake's knee. It forced Ashley to one knee, but she blocked the next punch aimed at her face. She growled as she rose back up and poured everything into a mighty uppercut that sent Beth into the air. She reached out and grabbed Beth's ankle before slamming her into the ground.

Ashley frowned as Beth began convulsing on the ground, “Is that all you've got? You're going to have to do better than that!”

As Beth got back to her feet and Courtney prepared to rejoin Jake in their fight, Pam was crawling on her stomach trying to reach the stone box. She was so close, but still so far away. A growl from behind her caused her to freeze, but it didn't sound like one of Beth's turned minions. The rack pieces she was crawling under suddenly rose up off of her, and she rolled over to see what was happening. Pam couldn't remember the last time she'd been so relieved to see Rebecca. Her canine familiar was trotting beside her keeping an eye on the fighting in the distance, and her raven was perched on one of the racks. 

“Having a difficult time, Pamela?” Rebecca asked.

“More than you know,” Pam admitted, rolling back over and reaching out to snatch the box off the ground, “This is it. This is what we need.”

“A pandorica?” Rebecca asked, eyeing the ancient box, “Pamela, are you sure that's what you want?”

“Not want, need,” Pam replied, “I take it you're familiar with this.”

“It's a portal generator,” Rebecca nodded, looking back over her shoulder as the sounds of rubble shifting hit her, “That's the short version of it, anyway. The sides have to be aligned properly, but it can connect to other worlds. The problem is that it's gambling unless you can figure out the puzzle or focus on where you're needing to go.”

A loud shriek came from the stairwell as the debris started to roll away. “We don't have time for fucking puzzles, Rebecca!” Pam snapped, her frustration and fatigue combined with the imminent danger exhausting her patience, “How do I open the door without messing with this thing?”

“You two are finished!” Beth screamed as more rubble shifted, “Jake, you'll be mine again soon. As for the rest of you, you'll be a nice meal for the rest of my little family. Did you really think you could win?!”

“We really need to discuss your taste, Pamela,” Rebecca remarked, glancing over her shoulder and between the racks.

“Rebecca!” Pam shouted, “Tell me what to do!”

“Right, apologies,” Rebecca shook her head, “This is incredibly risky to attempt a jump without proper training, but I'll admit we're running out of options here. You'll need to concentrate on a strong feeling. Something that you know and that you can use to tap into whatever reserves you have left. Then you're going to have to picture where we're going.”

Pam frowned as she tried to rein her emotions in. Beth, that was the one thing she could focus on that aligned all of her emotions. A warmth began to spread through her aching body as she pictured her beloved Kitten. “Good, now channel that into the pandorica like it were a focusing tool,” Rebecca explained, “Pour everything you've got into it and I'll-”

Courtney and Jake were thrown through the remains of a rack and landed against the wall across from Pam and Rebecca. Rebecca looked over to see Beth, who she swore appeared taller and possibly wider than she remembered, advancing slowly. A string of howls and shrieks came from the entryway as the infected broke through and began pouring over the bodies of their fallen brothers and sisters. Rebecca sighed and shook her head as she stepped between Beth and the others. This was going to hurt, but it was the only chance they had to buy time for them to escape. She just hoped that wherever Pam was sending them would be more hospitable than this wretched place. Rebecca opened her hands as her eyes began to glow white. A sheen of translucent energy rose up from the ground to the ceiling just as several infected approached. Their bodies collided with it and bounced off, but Rebecca could feel the kickback more than usual thanks to the dampeners lining the walls.

“What are you doing?” Jake asked, looking at Rebecca, “We can still fight!”

“Don't be a fool,” Rebecca snapped, “We are outnumbered and my powers are limited here. Do not let pride and arrogance cause you to make such careless mistakes. Get beside Pamela, grab the girl too.”

“Wait, what?!” Courtney exclaimed, “What are you talking about?!”

“Be quiet and come on,” Jake said, grabbing Courtney's arm and dragging her over to Pam, “Would you rather die here, girl?”

Beth stepped forward and pounded the barrier. Rebecca took a step back as she felt the shockwave from Beth's heavy punches. “You four are finished!” Beth growled.

“Pamela, you better hurry!” Rebecca shouted, “I'm not sure how long I can hold this!”

“I'm trying, dammit!” Pam snapped, channeling everything she had left into the pandorica.

Dozens of infected met the barrier Rebecca had erected, but she fought through the pain and strain it was putting on her body. “Oh, for the love of,” Rebecca grimaced, turning slightly and sending a beam of energy at the pandorica, “Concentrate, Pamela, that should finish the charge! Open the door and let's go!”

Pam could feel the magic radiating off of the pandorica. She closed her eyes and pictured Beth with the hope of getting back to her beloved. It was difficult to drown out the sound of the infected and this Beth slamming into the barrier. After a moment, she heard a faint whooshing noise and felt the temperature drop in the room. A blue and black doorway began to open as the pandorica began to glow. She couldn't see what was on the other side, but the door was finally opened. It was time to leave this world behind. Sadly, it seemed they were going to have an unexpected tag-along. After everything Courtney had done for her, she wouldn't leave her to die here.

“It's open, let's go!” Pam shouted, “Everyone move because I'm not sure how long I can hold this!”

“Take the girl and go, I'll be right behind you!” Rebecca snapped at Jake, “The second I move, this barrier is coming down!”

“Right,” Ashley sighed, grabbing Courtney and forcing her towards the doorway, “Let's go, girl, nobody is dying here today.”

“Wait, you can't do this!” Courtney protested, but she couldn't break Jake's grip, “I can't abandon my world!”

“Listen to me, you inane halfwit,” Ashley snapped, “If you stay here, you will die. You cannot save a world if you cannot first save yourself. Sometimes you have to run in order to live to fight another day.”

“This is-” Courtney began before screaming as Ashley shoved her through the door.

“Talk, talk, talk,” Ashley sighed, stepping through the doorway, “Don't delay, Pam.”

“Go!” Pam snapped.

Jake stepped through the doorway, and only Rebecca and Pam were left. Rebecca looked over her shoulder and saw that the others had gone through the portal. She'd only have seconds after dispelling her barrier to get herself and Pam through the doorway. She could only hope that it was enough. Rebecca lowered her hands and ran as fast as her long legs could carry her over to Pam and the portal. Her familiars were close behind and jumped through the portal before her. Rebecca grabbed Pam's wrist and pulled her forward as she stepped through. Beth and her army of monsters were hot on their heels as they jumped into the unknown.

“No!” Beth screamed as the doorway shut behind them.

The same feeling of sickness and stomach turning returned as Pam fell through space and time beside her mentor. Her body was throbbing this time, and she thought she might pass out. She felt her mentor pull her close as they drifted through the void between worlds. She didn't fight her. Instead, she leaned into the embrace. It was the first time in a long time that she could say she was glad to have Rebecca close by. To her credit, Rebecca held her close but not too tight. She was sheltering her from the potential danger. It didn't diminish the sick feeling swirling in her stomach, the pounding in her head, or the exhaustion threatening to overtake her. She couldn't sleep, she wouldn't, not yet. Pam held the box close to her chest and let Rebecca guide through the void.

The drop out of the dimensional doorway was abrupt and unexpected. Rebecca had grabbed her former apprentice to keep her from drifting away, but she hadn't been anticipating the possibility of a rough landing. She and Pam landed on the rough concrete of a rooftop somewhere in a world of shadows and darkness. Rebecca took The worst of the landing, using her body to shield Pam from any more damage. She grunted as she rolled over and gently laid Pam down on the rooftop. Where were they, and why was it so dark? A quick look at the skyline revealed they'd landed in a city, but one that looked familiar, if broken. She knew this place. It couldn't be, could it? 

“Ugh, my head,” the girl in the birdsuit groaned, “What…where are we?”

“I'm working that out,” Rebecca replied, continuing to survey the area, “Pamela is hurt, make sure she doesn't lose consciousness. Do you have any medical supplies in that belt you stole, girl?”

“I didn't steal it,” she scoffed, hurrying over to Pam, “I…I took this up after…”

Rebecca could sense a sudden anguish from the young woman. “You were…involved with Jake in your world, weren't you?” Rebecca asked, looking over the ledge.

Rebecca watched as the girl lowered her cowl to reveal a thick head of auburn hair. Her eyes widened as she recognized her. This was the girl that had nearly stolen Jake from her in her world; the same one that had killed him and sent him to hell. It took a moment for her to restrain her first instinct to lash out at her. This wasn't the same girl, not entirely. A different world meant a different life. The lunatic version of Beth they'd just fought was proof that the differences between individuals and their worlds was staggering. Sadly, Ashley didn't seem to share the same sentiment. She was still piloting Jake's body, and she was in front of the girl before Rebecca could stop her. Jake's hand was around her throat before anyone could stop it. 

“You!” Jake growled, “You miserable little runt! You-”

“Ashley, let her go!” Rebecca barked, readying a spell in her right hand.

“Stay out of this, witch!” Ashley shouted, “You, of all people, should want this unnatural freak dead as much as me!”

“Unhand her, now!” Rebecca snapped, “I won't tell you a third time.

Ashley held on for a moment longer, Courtney clawing at Jake's hand the entire time. She scoffed before dropping her to the ground. “Make no mistake, little girl,” Ashley began, bending down to look Courtney in the eyes, “If it were up to me, I'd rip you to shreds and scatter your blood across this city. You're not even fit to drain, you miserable little cur.”

“Jake?” Courtney coughed, scooting away from the menacing man she thought she knew.

She watched as Jake stormed off to the opposite side of the rooftop in a huff. Rebecca walked over and extended a hand to help her up, “That isn't the man that you love, girl.”

“Ashley,” Pam wheezed, having finally put the pieces together.

“She's taken control,” Rebecca sighed, kneeling down beside her friend after Courtney got to her feet, “Don't take it personally, Courtney, was it? In our world, our version of you ended their life.”

“Their?” Courtney repeated as Rebecca's hands began to glow white.

“That is a long story, but lucky for you, we have time,” Rebecca said, “Are you familiar with the name Ashley Bilefoot?”

“That's the vampire queen you brought back that turned Jake,” Courtney frowned, “Jake told me about it, but he said you banished her to some other dimension or something. What the fuck is she doing inside of Jake?”

“As I said, it's a long story, but one that probably isn't what you'd expect,” Rebecca sighed channeling her healing magic to restore Pam.

Courtney frowned as she sat down across from the woman she'd known as the Goth Goddess. It was surreal to be having a civil conversation with a woman that had nearly killed her multiple times and had cost her lover his life, but here she was. Then again, she'd just gone through a door to another world after fighting alongside another version of Jake. On top of everything else, the man she loved was apparently possessed by a vampire and had almost killed her. Maybe strange was becoming her new normal. There wasn't a doubt in her mind that it was going to get weirder from here as she listened to Rebecca tell her tale while she healed Pam.