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

Beth pulled away from Jason the second they appeared on solid ground again. Pam had taken them back to the Birdcage, but it felt hollow and empty. She reared back and hit him across the jaw in rage. "What the fuck was that?!" Beth demanded as Jason took the punch, "You're not calling the shots here, dickwad!"

"Beth, calm down," Jason said, ducking under another swing, "We couldn't stay there. We were outnumbered, outgunned, and we would have been killed. Jake wouldn't-"

"Don't tell me what he would want!" Beth screamed, throwing her helmet off and tossing it to the ground, "You don't get to make those claims! You hated him!"

"He ruined my life," Jason said, "But I don't hate the man, didn't hate the man."

"Fuck you," Beth snapped, tears welling up in her eyes as she stormed off without knowing where she was going.

"Well, that went about as well as I expected," Jason sighed, looking over at Pam, "Your girlfriend has a hell of a right hook. You want to try talking to her?"

"I'm on it," Pam nodded, "Can you check on the others, and see what's happening in the rest of the city?"

"I'll do it," Jason said, walking over to the computer, "His password is still the same, isn't it?"

"Rebecca," Pam said quietly, "He never forgot about her, and he never stopped regretting what he had to do."

"At least now they can be together," Jason shook his head, "Go check on Beth. I'll see what I can find out, and I'll see if I can't get in touch with everybody else. Pam, for what it's worth, I'm sorry."

"Me too," Pam frowned, hating the feeling of loss that was eating away at her, "He deserved better than this."

"Yeah, yeah he did," Jason agreed, "We'll make them pay, all of them. I'm with you two on this until the end, I swear it."

Pam smiled ruefully at Jason as she followed the trail of sorrow Beth was leaving. Her empathy made it easier to track her beloved pet, but the connection they'd formed also helped. Beth had stormed off in a huff, but she'd done so in a hurry as well. For as small as she was, Beth was remarkably fast. She'd wandered off into the darkness, but Pam had a feeling she knew where she was. Trailing behind her, she walked towards the overlook to the rushing waters beneath the manor. It was a spot that Beth had shown her months ago where she and Jake used to train, sit, talk, and relax when they first took up their respective mantles. It was special to Beth, and she suspected she'd find her there. Her suspicions proved correct as she rounded the corner to find Beth sitting on the ledge.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Pam asked, trying to approach as delicately as possible.

"You had no right to do that back there," Beth said, her tone more hurt than angry, "We shouldn't have left him there to be eaten by that psycho. Everything he's done, he deserves more than that from us."

"I know," Pam sighed, keeping still as she felt Beth's emotions roll from hurt to anger, "I did what I did because I won't lose you a second time."

"It's my life, not yours," Beth argued, glaring over her shoulder, "He trusted you, let you in, and accepted you, and you just abandoned him."

"I did not abandon him," Pam defended, choking down her own anger at the accusation, "How can you say that to me? He was one of the only people I trusted outside of you, and he never stopped trying to help me or others."

"Because it's the truth," Beth snapped, her bitterness seeping in as she got to her feet, "You left him there to be eaten by that sociopathic parasite!"

"I did what I knew he would want," Pam said, standing her ground, "You knew him better than me, but do you honestly believe he'd want you to get yourself killed for his body? Is that what you'd have wanted if it were him, if it were me?"

Beth stared at Pam for a moment before looking away again. Pam saw the tear fall down her cheek, and she felt her heart ache at the sight. "He was my best friend, Pam," she whispered, her voice cracking as she bit back another sob.

Pam took a chance and moved in to hug Beth. She'd almost expected to be pushed away, but Beth didn't fight her on it. Instead, Beth turned her head and rested it against Pam's chest. Pam ran her fingers through Beth's messy hair and held her for a moment, "I know, and he was a good man."

They stayed like that for a short while before Beth reluctantly pulled away. "We dated forever and a day ago, you know?" Beth said, turning to look back at the water rushing below, "It was before Goth, back when we were still getting everything together here. I broke up with him, though. I thought for sure he'd have cut me out, but he was adamant that we stay friends. Even back then, he was still this big-hearted goofball only seeing the good in people."

"What made you break it off?" Pam asked, "Were you secretly realizing you had a thing for women?"

"No, dork," Beth rolled her eyes, a light chuckle escaping her lips despite herself, "I loved him, I still did even today. I just couldn't be with him because…because I was afraid of something like this happening. I couldn't bear the thought of him getting himself killed out in the field. I thought it would hurt less if he and I weren't together, but then…then everything with Goth happened, and I realized that didn't matter. I watched him die the night she sent me the tape, and I lost it completely. I fucking snapped beyond belief to the point that I didn't care about my own life because I thought he was gone. Then, you told me he was alive that night at the cabin, but I couldn't face that hope. I couldn't stand the thought that maybe you were lying to me, but then I saw him for myself. Afterwards, well, you know the rest…"

"We found each other," Pam finished, "I knew you loved him, but I always thought it was in a sibling manner rather than a romantic way."

"Jealous?" Beth asked, sitting down again, "You shouldn't be if you are. He moved on from me, and I moved on from him to you. Hmph, it's funny how it works, I guess. He fell head over heels for a witch, and I did the same for the girl studying under her. I guess we have the same taste in women, or should I say had."

Pam walked over and sat down beside Beth. She stared out into the cavernous darkness as she spoke, "I've never been jealous of him. Even when all I wanted was Rebecca's approval, I never harbored jealousy. I know where your heart is, but I know how much it hurts to lose someone you love. He was a good man who gave his life for a city that never knew him beyond that of a billionaire."

"He was a selfless do-gooder with a heart bigger than anyone I'd ever met," Beth added, "He was probably the biggest idiot to live, but he was my friend. He always did whatever he could to help someone in need. Yeah, he had his faults and selfish tendencies, but he hardly ever let those things overshadow who he was at his core."

"A good man that refused to give up on people," Pam smiled as she looked down, "Even when Rebecca was battling possession and hate, he still tried to save her. Ashley turned you, and he still tried to find a peaceful way to resolve things. He only resorted to the extreme when it was absolutely necessary. The path of peace and heroics isn't an easy one, but he walked it regardless. The world has lost one of the last good men today."

"I want to make them pay, Pam," Beth said, "All of them, starting with Courtney. It's not fair that he's resting in the belly of that bitch."

"We will," Pam assured her, "But we need a plan. Charging in blindly will only get us more trouble. What can you tell me about Voidfoot?"

"Goth didn't have records on her?" Beth asked, "I thought she kept tabs on every villain that popped up over here."

"The name Voidfoot was never mentioned or recorded directly," Pam sighed, "There were entries about a being of phenomenal power that rivaled that of some cosmic deity, but they were written off as myth by Rebecca."

"Phenomenal cosmic power," Beth scoffed, "Yeah, that about sums her up. The closest I ever saw to anyone coming close to her abilities was either Goth at her worst, or Dilatrix. It's like she exists outside of time and space, but then it's like she's in all time and space. She can rip open doors to other worlds, walk through them like it's nothing, and pull the fabric of reality apart. I've never seen anything like her, and I had hoped we never would again. She can unmake the world, Pam. With a snap of her fingers, everything you know can be gone. The fact that she has a sister only makes things worse."

"Eva, the woman who hired Ingrid," Pam said, "My guess is she's the brains behind the entire operation, and the one who's been pulling the strings from behind the curtain until now. Jason seemed to know more about the two of them than any of us."

"If you're right, then she's the guidance system for a nuclear warhead," Beth shook her head, "That means she's the biggest threat, but if we can take out Voidfoot then maybe she won't be such a problem. Taking out her muscle is our best chance at handicapping her."

"It's unwise to underestimate the cunning, Kitten," Pam reminded her, "If Voidfoot is as powerful as you say, and I believe she is, why would she bow before her sister? Someone with that much power isn't likely to be held by familial bonds. Ties to humanity are often the first to go when someone transcends their flesh in the way she has."

"You think Eva has something over her?" Beth asked.

"I don't know, but I do know we need to evaluate our every move from here on out with the utmost scrutiny," Pam sighed, running a hand through her hair, "If we move without proper consideration and deliberation, we risk losing an already impossible fight. You might not like it, but Jason is right. As of right now, we are hopelessly outnumbered and outgunned. We've gotten by on our abilities thus far, but I fear that this will take more than what we've given to date. They have an untold number of resources at their disposal, and we've been chasing diversions while they amass power. The deck is stacked against us this time, and we've already lost one of our own."

"Jake wouldn't give up," Beth whispered, choking back another sob as she thought about her friend, "He wouldn't care how bad the odds were against us. If there was even a small chance, he'd keep going and keep fighting."

"And that is exactly what we are going to do," Pam assured her, taking one of Beth's hands and giving it a squeeze, "That is how we honor his memory. We fight like he would, but we do it smart and survive. It's going to take everything and everyone we have, but we will do this for him."

Beth bit her lip as she looked up at Pam. The woman that had been a tormentor a year ago was now her rock. She didn't flinch or pull away as Pam gently rubbed her thumb across her cheek to wipe away a tear. "I love you," Beth sniffled, "Do you think Jay is mad at what I said?"

"I think he's an asshole regardless of what anyone says to him," Pam replied, smiling when Beth chuckled lightly in response, "No, Kitten, I don't think he's mad. He may not have liked Jake, but he knows how much he meant to us. Despite his own misgivings and feelings, he too believed Jake to be a good man that deserved better than what Courtney did to him. He also wants to see this stopped before it goes too far."

Beth nodded and stood up, "Okay, so then we need to start planning and calling in reinforcements."

"Jason is already trying to get eyes on the situation in the city," Pam said as she stood up, "He's working to see what happened while we were fighting, and he's likely trying to contact the others for a rendezvous. Let's go see what he's found out, shall we?"

"Yes, ma'am," Beth nodded, letting Pam take the lead as they walked back to the main console in the Birdcage.

It felt strange and wrong without Jake to walk through their old base. Beth had been here countless times while he was out, on patrol, or even captured, but knowing he was dead brought a much heavier feeling. There was an absence and a void that she couldn't put into words. Her worst fears had been realized again, and there was nothing she could do to help him this time. She'd waged a war against a criminal empire the last time something like this had happened, but Eva was somehow more calculating than Goth had been. Then again, Goth had been driven by passion, and Eva seemed motivated by cruelty and greed. 

They found Jason sitting in front of the monitors typing away and reviewing footage. "If you're going to swing at me again, at least let me get up," he said without turning around, "No sense damaging the systems if we can help it."

"I'm…sorry about that," Beth said, shifting uncomfortably, "I shouldn't have-"

"Don't sweat it," Jason shook his head, spinning around to look at them, "You were upset. I get it, and you don't owe me an apology, Beth."

"I still shouldn't have done it," Beth shook her head, "We're on the same side, we want the same things."

"Yeah, well, you get used to it when you're an asshole," Jason shrugged, "What happened wasn't right, and you weren't angry with me. Well, not entirely with me. I promise you this, we'll make them pay for what they've done. Blackridge may have been a pain in my ass, but he never did anything to me on purpose or out of malice."

"He was careless at times, but all he ever wanted was to help," Pam smiled as she remembered Jake's better qualities, "His submission to Rebecca was only done to save Beth and this city. I don't know if you remember, Jason, but he tried to save you before Rebecca sank her hooks too deep in you."

"Tch, everything after Goth is hazy for me," Jason shook his head, "Once she came into my life, things got distorted. I can remember bits and pieces, but she kept me under her spell more often than not. I remember the conditioning, and the reconditioning whenever I'd start to come to my senses. I…I try not to think too much about it. I was an accomplice to her back then. I remember some of the things she had me do. You want to know why I held such a grudge against Jake? It wasn't because Goth enslaved me because of my looks, and it wasn't because he left me in her clutches. No, my grudge and hate came from the things I remembered. The people I hurt, the plans I helped with, and all the bad I did while under her influence. Jake got to live his life, but it came at the cost of mine."

"What was he supposed to do?" Beth asked, getting defensive again.

"His whole shtick was saving people, Beth," Jason replied, his tone remaining even, "You can hate me for this, but the fact is he failed to save me. I spent a lot of time bitter and angry at him, but I made my peace with it all after Goth fell. I saw the regret and the care he had during that fight. Besides, if it happened the way it did, I wouldn't be the man I am now. We wouldn't have the intel we have, the allies working with us, and Goth would be ruling Hell and Earth now."

"Speaking of," Pam interjected, trying to steer the conversation away from a potential confrontation, "What do you know about Eva, Jason?"

Jason frowned and looked away, "She's the real threat here. Emily, Voidfoot, is dangerous, but Eva is the real monster. A wolf in sheep's clothing, and more clever than anyone you've faced to date. Her patience is probably her greatest asset. Eva has been around for years, even before Emily made her move years ago. I don't know when her plans started, but the compound underneath Ravenfalls was a Brunswick facility, and the chemicals Abigail used came from their corporation. Eva was working in the shadows, hiding, biding her time, and watching while Jake continued to grow and establish himself. Loyalists to her and her family worked for Blackridge Inc. and they fed her information without notice. Meg Myers, that was her in disguise testing the waters and your abilities."

"What do you mean Myers was Eva?" Beth asked, "Those two look nothing alike."

"She can change her appearance, her body, with ease," Jason explained, "Shifting either individual body parts into a weapon, or altering every bit of her appearance with just a thought. She took the role of a politician that was known but forgotten, and she used her influence to separate you three. She installed Duchess as the warden of the prison in hopes of breaking Jake, and she used her followers to test all of you. Having Duchess acting on the inside also meant she had access to a wider range of cohorts. The Amazon, Multigirl, The Cougar, Hippogirl, just to name a handful that she could potentially lure in with promises of power and revenge. I don't think she was expecting to win with that play, though. Personally, I believe it was just another way for her to study and amass more resources. The chaos that her little group caused gave her ample opportunity to steal more without any of you being the wiser."

"You think she has anyone from the prison escape working with her?" Beth asked.

"That's tough to say," Jason sighed, "Penelope is probably out, but that's the only one I can say for almost certain. Her aiding Jake and selfish desire to live means she's either long gone, or she's playing the long con. The Amazon is dead, we know that, but the others are a toss-up. All we know for certain is that she has enough on her side to be a real problem, and she has enough information on all of us that we aren't safe. It's only a matter of time before she sends her forces after us. By the look of things as we left, Courtney went off script pretty hard. With Jake being gone, that'll throw a wrench in her plans to get Alexis fully on board. However, I'm not banking on her joining up with us a second time."

"How much time do you think we have?" Pam asked.

"A day, maybe," Jason shrugged, "We need to start planning whether to attack, fortify, or move. I've already called Kait about what happened. She was pinned when I contacted her, they all were, but she's pretty sure she can make it to Alexis and break the news to her. Once she does, the odds are that Footgirl will pull back before going on a rampage. Our only hope is that she aims her chaos at Eva and the rest of her operation out of anger, but the chances of her timing lining up aren't grand. We're stuck between a rock and a hard place, I'm afraid. It's only a matter of time before Eva sends Emily out to deal with us."

"Yeah, and if everything you say is true, I'd wager a day is more generous than we deserve," Beth sighed, "They might divide and conquer, but they'll be coming for us. We're all that stands between them and total domination. Women like that don't want to have obstacles in their way for very long either."

"No, no they don't," Jason agreed, "The others will be here before too long once Alexis has been dealt with. We can nail down the details then, but we need to go ahead and decide what we're going to do now. We're in this together, but this show is still yours at the end of the day. So, what are you two thinking?"

Beth looked over at Pam and shook her head, "You know exactly what I'm thinking. I want revenge on those asshats for what they did, and I want to take the fight to them. They need to relearn what fear is, what pain is."

"That's one vote for an ass kicking," Jason remarked, "No surprise there, if I'm being honest. Your rampage throughout the city a year ago is still talked about in criminal circles. Shit, it's part of the reason some villains retired."

"Good," Beth said, "But, I'm not stupid. This isn't like when I took on Goth and her bullshit. These people are mobilizing now, and they've got a small army, an unknown number of allies, and powers that rival anything we've ever seen. We need a plan, but getting one of those cultists to talk is harder than your average lowlife."

"Then we need to find a weak spot in their defenses," Pam crossed her arms, "I'm not opposed to taking the fight to them, but we need to be smart about it. The odds are that once we launch even a small attack, they'll send their monster after us. It was the same way when we were dealing with Ingrid, and this Eva woman seems intent to learn from the success and failures of her pawns. Ingrid had her little character, but Eva has her sister the unmaker and titan."

"You two need to rest and prepare," Jason sighed, bringing logic back into their discussion, "Planning is one thing, but launching an attack is something else entirely. We do this, we need to be ready to stay on the move. A shell game of sorts that keeps them guessing as to where we are. Kait and Zoey may have some information on their operations, so we can cover that with them when they get here. Regardless, you two haven't stopped since getting away from the nerd and her giant fucking robot. Pam, you magic is gonna need to recharge. Beth, I'm doubting you slept much while you were with your stalker. Rebuild, reload, rearm, and rest while you have the opportunity because once this starts, there's no stopping it. We won't have the chance to slow down again, and there won't be any catching our breath."

"Ms. Lavely?" Bruce's voice came from behind them, "Mr. Graves, I was unaware that you would be stopping in. Ms. Thompson, is Master Jake around by chance?"

Pam exchanged a look with Beth who couldn't stop herself from biting her lip and tearing up. "I'm afraid we've got some bad news," Jason said, trying to intervene and save Beth more pain, "Blackridge, I mean, Jake is…he didn't make it back."

Bruce's face paled for a moment, "Who has him?"

Beth looked away and hid her face behind her hand. Her foot began tapping out of nervousness, and Pam hurried over to hold her. Jason locked eyes with Bruce and shook his head, "It's not that simple. Jake is…gone, Bruce. We were ambushed, and we got separated fighting an old enemy. He was holding his own, but then Courtney…"

"No," Bruce whispered, taking a step back and staring into the darkness, "Master Jake is…dead? I knew I should have been more insistent on disposing of that girl, but I too held on to the hope that her humanity was somewhere inside."

"Bruce, I'm so sorry," Beth sobbed, "I couldn't…we couldn't get to him in time, and we-"

"He would have wanted you all to live," Bruce cut her off, "It was how he was raised, what he believed, and what he tried to embody throughout his life. His life in exchange for others; a foolish and selfless notion that I taught him."

"Shit," Sally's voice came from behind Bruce, "The Bird is dead?"

"No," Sam, trailing close behind Sally and beside Zoey breathed, "No, he…he can't be."

"I apologize," Bruce said, shaking his head and trying to keep himself composed, "We have more guests. It was why I had come down in the first place."

"You all made it quicker than I expected," Jason sighed, trying to ignore the heaviness that was setting in, "What's the news on Alexis?"

Sally, Sam, and Zoey didn't respond. They, alongside Bruce, were struggling to process the news. Jason didn't blame them, and he didn't press any of them. Death was difficult, and he knew how much Jake had meant to them. Sam had found her family, and Sally had taken a slight shine to her old enemy from what Kait had told him. "Gone," Kait said, the only one seemingly unphased by the news, "She didn't take it well, but she abandoned her post once she learned he wouldn't be coming. She's angry, and that powderkeg of crazy is going to go off soon."

"Let's hope sooner than later," Jason said, "Eva is going to try to manipulate her, but Footgirl seems to be coming back in full swing. She's never played well with others, not for long."

"Except the twins," Beth pointed out, returning to the moment at hand, "Them and Duchess were the closest she had to friends and allies. Granted, the twins were a couple of sadistic airheads."

"The twins?" Pam asked.

"Bad news in the dumbest way possible," Beth explained, "They're not the brightest in the box, but what they lack in brains they make up for in sadism. The stuff that Alexis and Duchess have done to people is right up their alley, and they delight in torture and suffering. The closest I can think to comparing them to anyone is Aurora with a touch of Alexis thrown in. Bubbly and cheery personalities, but they're hiding a serious streak of evil underneath. They kidnapped some people a while back, and we found them mentally broken and physically battered. Fingernails cut off, limbs broken, faces covered in sweat and tears, and bruised to shit. They seem innocent enough, but they're devious and manipulative. They managed to escape custody more times than I can count, but it's usually because they've got someone guiding them. They've been MIA for a long while, but they'd jump at a chance to get back in the game, I'm sure."

"They're not the type to align themselves with someone as rigid as Eva, though," Jason pointed out, "They tried working for you once, right, Kait?"

"It was a while ago, but yeah," Kait nodded, "They didn't like the restraint I showed, and I ended up kicking both of them out. They can follow orders perfectly, but they've got a strong need for chaos that didn't work well with me."

"Those morons tried joining up with us once too," Sally added, "Botched a simple job because they wanted to play with the hostages. Psychotic doesn't even begin to describe them. It took all of us to get them out. Girls are stronger than they look."

"I remember those two," Sam said, sobering slightly despite the news of her brother, "They were insane. I remember their laugh, that childlike giggle just before they stomped on that guy's face."

"Did you say a giggle?" Bruce asked, "Two of the people that accosted me before Courtney Tellar was released erupted into a fit of giggles. They were stopped by a young man before they could do too much harm to me."

"Could be a coincidence, but our luck hasn't been great lately," Beth sighed, putting her hands on her hips, "We need to be prepared just in case. They're not the targets, but they're a potential problem all the same."

"Sociopaths, godlike murderers, and who knows what else waiting in the wings," Jason sighed, "We've got our hands full on this one. We can't stay here for long either."

"Right," Kait agreed, walking over and putting a hand on Beth's shoulder, "You okay?"

Beth glanced at Kait's hand and shook her head, "As good as I can be considering everything happening. I'm angry, but Jason is right. We need to start preparing for the worst."

"Zoey, has anything come across your desk that's been unexplainable or unsolved over the last month?" Jason asked, "Anything at all that could point us in the direction of what might be coming down the pipeline."

"I'll have to pull the database from here, but I think I remember a few strange occurrences since Myers and Black were in office," Zoey nodded.

"I've got some leads that might be worth looking into and cross referencing," Kait added, "Addy, why don't you see if you can help Beth with her armaments?"

"Of course, mistress," Addy said, having stood still and silent until now.

"That's not necessary," Beth said, "I can-"

"Addy is a whiz when it comes to sharpening blades and she's well-versed in firearms as well," Kait cut her off, "You can trust her, and an extra set of hands will give you time to rest before we have to head out. From what I understand, you've been through a lot over the last week. We can formulate a plan while you and Pam rest and work, and we'll get you before we move. Addy, do whatever she says, okay?"

"I am at your disposal, ma'am," Addy bowed before Beth.

"This is making me uncomfortable," Beth frowned, "Stand up, you weirdo."

Addy stood up straight and nodded, "Apologies, miss, I only meant to show my respect."

"Well knock it off," Beth said, "I'll accept your help, but I'm not better than you. As far as I'm concerned, we're equals. Submit to Kait all you want, but don't just bow before anyone."

"Don't go undoing my hard work, Thompson," Kait warned, "It took weeks to get her to see that I was, am, trying to help her."

"I'm not telling her not to follow you or your orders," Beth argued, "I'm telling her that it's okay to be selective with who she bows to."

"We are equals?" Addy asked, looking between Kait and Beth.

"See the blonde over there?" Beth asked, pointing at Pam, "Like you, I choose to submit my will to her. It's okay to do that, but I wouldn't do the same with your mistress, or even Zoey over there. Follow who you want, as long as she's looking out for you, but not everyone deserves your submission. It's a gift that you should save for the person, or people, that you trust and that mean something to you."

"I…I understand," Addy nodded, "My life belongs to Mistress Kait, and I owe her more than I can describe. She saved me, made me strong, and she takes care of me."

"Then save your ma'ams and respect for her," Beth smiled, "I'm just another sub. As long as you're not attacking me, you and I are fine."

"Can I help you two?" Sam asked as they started to walk away, "I could use a distraction after…after hearing what happened. I can help make casings, reload, and I wouldn't mind someone to talk to."

"Yeah, if you want," Beth shrugged, "More hands make less work."

"Cool," Sam smiled, "Let's go arm up."

Pam watched as the trio of submissives walked away and smiled, "You've trained her well, Kaitlyn. I almost didn't recognize the girl that attacked us here when Rebecca was in charge."

"I took a few pages out of your book," Kait said, "She's a good girl, and she's stronger than most. As long as Beth doesn't turn her against me, I guess it's fine that she's teaching her a few things."

"Beth knows loyalty and devotion better than anyone," Pam said, "If I can see the girl's admiration for you, then so can she. She won't turn her against you, I assure you. Thank you for lending her to her. What happened to Jake has shaken her to her core. I'd be lying if I said it hasn't done the same to me."

"He was a pain in the ass, but he deserved better than what he got," Kait sighed, "We were enemies for a long time, but I always had a level of respect for him, even back then. I know what it's like to lose someone you're close to."

"He was a good man," Zoey added as Jason got up to let her sit, "Samantha was devastated when she heard the news. We lost one of the good ones today. I should have pushed harder for him to turn Courtney over to us."

"Master Jake did what he felt was right," Bruce cleared his throat, "As you all are aware, there was no talking him out of something once he'd made his mind up. Master Graves, I know this doesn't mean much coming from an old man, but your condition kept young Master Jake awake many nights. To him, you were always the one person he could never save. His love for the fallen Goddess waged a war in his heart that he couldn't break through."

"What's done is done," Jason shook his head, "I believe you, but sentiment won't bring him back. We honor him by fighting and winning, and we hold a memorial afterwards."

"Didn't peg you for the type to commemorate someone you hated," Sally scoffed, "Birdboy was a thorn in all of our sides at one point, but most of us were on the wrong side before shit hit the fan. Still, the kid welcomed us into the fold like we were innocent."

"I didn't hate him," Jason corrected, "He pissed me off, and I thought I did for a long time. But, after what he did here against Goth…I saw the man that the rest of the city knew. He made a hard choice, and he did it despite how much he didn't want to. He was an idiot for agreeing to the terms of a demon, but he did it because there was no other way."

"We can reminisce later," Kait said, "We need to plan now. That bitch will be on our heels soon enough, and I'm not counting on Alexis to strike back in time. I've got safe houses around the city that we can shuffle between."

"I'm afraid I won't be joining you all in this endeavor," Bruce said, "My duty is to the Blackridge family, and that means I stay here to guard this house."

"That's suicide," Jason pointed out, "They'll come here and try to make you talk, old man."

"I survived torture in the wars, young man," Bruce said, rolling his sleeves up and showing several scars, "Who do you think taught Master Jake to withstand the torment of the naredowells throughout this city?"

"That was you?" Kait asked, raising an eyebrow, "I spent days torturing him to try to break him when I captured that costume wearing moron. He once told me he'd endured worse after a severe beating that ended with him covered in my filth."

"When he came of age, I refused to let him go into the streets unless he was prepared to handle the worst the mind could offer," Bruce explained, "Days spent chained to a chair as I extracted whatever I could from him without killing him. Bleeding him, removing teeth and fingernails, and more were just a few of the things that young man endured."

"Jesus," Sally grimaced, "How old was he?"

"Sixteen," Bruce replied, "Several of his teeth are implants, and it took weeks for his scars to heal properly."

"Okay, so Blackridge has a fucked up family, noted," Jasin shook his head, "Alright, but you still need to watch yourself. Voidfoot can bend and warp reality, and Eva-"

"She can torture the mind more than the body," Zoey finished, "She's the bitch who broke my sweet little Samantha and gave her night terrors. It took her a week to accept that I wasn't her in disguise after Myers was dealt with. The bullet that puts her down belongs to me for what she did."

"I can live with that," Jason nodded, noting the fire in Zoey's eyes, "Pam, you should rest, or meditate, whatever you do to collect yourself. You and Beth are going to be the main targets of their assault. We may not be a priority to them, but they'll come for us just the same. We've got enough in the tank to keep going, but we need you and Beth at full strength."

"Agreed," Kait said, "We can handle things from here, but we're gonna need that powerhouse you keep hidden to finish this. The shit you pulled when you nearly killed Goth is what I'm talking about."

"I was angry, and I still haven't mastered that side of myself," Pam admitted.

"Then think about what they'll do to Beth if we lose," Jason offered.

"Right," Pam nodded, "I'll be close by if you need me."

"If anyone has any ideas for backup, now is the time to make the call," Jason said as Pam turned to leave.

"I have someone I can call, but she hasn't answered me since this started," Kaig sighed, "She also doesn't work for free."

"Try her again after you run through the notes with Zoey," Jason said.

"There's something I need to do first," Zoey shook her head, "Call her again, and we can start going over things in a moment."

"What are you doing?" Jason asked.

Zoey pulled up a broadcasting system on the computer and a microphone. "Attention Metropolis," she began as the system booted, "The Raven is dead. I repeat, The Raven is dead. He was murdered by a group of women that want to control and rule over the city. He gave his life standing against them. The last vestige we have against the evil threatening our city now lies in the hands of The Feral, The Spectre, a handful of miscreants, and all of you. It is up to all of us to stand for the ideals that he represented, to stand against the tyranny of evil, and to ensure that his legacy lives on."

She set the message to repeat across all stations throughout the city. "Are you sure that's wise?" Sally asked.

"The public deserves to know," Zoey replied, "Our only hope is that his death can inspire the people he defended to stand with us, not against us."

"She's right," Jason agreed, "Even if these people don't fight with us, it'll be good to have them resisting the will of the Brunswicks in case we fail. We need a fire in the hearts of the common people. We can't bring him back, but at least as a martyr his death means something."

"It's the least we can do for him," Zoey frowned as she logged into the MPD database, "Let's get to work, you guys."