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Chapter -19- Odds at Ends

Monday, July 24, 2049 - Noon, DCT District Coast, Calvert County, Maryland ...

Karla Loupe turned to Sinopa Guillot and said, "This is where Vincent said to meet us."

"Why not simply go to him?" Sinopa asked.

"Getting on the other side of the gate is the easy part. Finding him isn't."

Sinopa folded her arms, looking at the large sign on the side of Solomon's Island Road. She read the lettering that read, 'Calvert Cliffs Nuclear...' but the sign was broken at the bottom, and covered in graffiti on one end. She turned back to a faded road sign, reading, 'Maryland Route 2 / Route 4.' Sinopa turned back to Karla and frowned. "Must we stand on the side of the road, Karla-san?"

The succubus offered a wan smile. "Vincent said he'd meet us right here. The plant is locked down and the roads leading to the station have been closed. He said he had to save Washington DC, first."

"I thought his ability was to control radiation?"

"It is," said Karla. "Nuclear power is generated when radioactive metal is shoved into water. These metal poles radiate with energy and give off heat. Stick'em in water and steam is created as a byproduct. It's enough steam to crank a turbine. If there is a lot of shielding, the government labels it 'safe for all.' Vincent said this place nearly overheated because of the recent quake. Apparently, we're the only ones that know there is a problem."

"Karla-san, I know what radiation is. In concentrated amounts, it can kill my kind."

"Well that isn't very comforting."

"I suppose not. What happens if the radioactive poles overheat?"

Karla frowned. "The just keep getting hotter and hotter. Each pole gives off natural energy. When they're all touching water together, they share their energy. If the water gets too hot and evaporates and there is a buildup of combined energy shared between all the rods at the same time, they melt into molten slag. It just keeps getting hotter and hotter until it burns its way through the bottom of the container, called a reactor. If it isn't contained it continues to burn its way in the direction of gravity. Who knows, if left alone, it could theoretically burn its way straight down to naturally occurring magma. Then what? A radioactive volcano? Nobody knows. Nobody wants to find out."

"You are making me nervous, Karla-san. Irradiated volcanic ash could fall many miles from the site."

"Exactly. And , surprise, Vincent has to save this power plant from melting. I'm nervous. But he can control radiation and he said he's here to save everyone. Plus, with all the trees and stuff between the plant and us, we have an extra moment to get the hell out of here if that thing blows up. I don't want to be anywhere near it, and I'll be damned if I go any closer. So here we are, foxy. We wait on the side of the road, as far away as possible."

"I see. But, how do you know what is between the plant and ourselves?" asked Sinopa.

"I don't close my eyes when we teleport through the sky a mile at a time. And, no, I'm not making fun of you for keeping your eyes shut. It's cute."

"Cute?!" she fussed in reply. The kitsune unfolded then refolded her arms, eyes on the intersecting road. "My eyes were drying out." She turned away and glared at the turn-only lane leading up to the intersection.

"I wasn't mocking you," said Karla with a grin.

"So you have said."

"You've." Karla grinned.

"Excuse me?" Sinopa glanced over her shoulder at the succubus.

"You and Tammy-no-Mae never talk with contractions. Surely I'm not the only one who's noticed it. You've done it as long as I've known you. It's not like you can't speak otherwise. I've heard you let one slip every now and then. You're capable of doing it; I know you are. Try it."

"Now you're_mocking me for sure." Sinopa sighed. "I used to use them. But the first time my memory was reset, in 2014, I stopped using them. Do you remember the first time _we met, Karla-san?"

"Vaguely. It was when I started dating Chance."

"I thought that his true name was Marcus Howard?"

Karla frowned and approached Sinopa. "It was. But, at first, he woke up from that coma and didn't know his name. So I'd started calling him Chance. And I liked it. And he liked it. And by the time he learned of his identity, I didn't care anymore. He'll always be Chance to me."

"Ah, yes. Nicknames. I only ever had nicknames for my husbands in private."

Karla perked a bit. "Really? You had bedroom names? Like what?"

"That is none of your concern."

Karla came around the front of the kitsune and put her hands on Sinopa's shoulders. "C'mon. You know everything about me. We've known each other for years. Even longer than I originally thought. We've known each other for fifty years as of this year. Five decades. And I'm only now finding out you had sexy lil' nick's for your boys? C'mon, you've gotta tell me."

"Iie; Karla-san, I am very private about the matter of such things."

Karla eyed her for a moment then looked down. She smiled, seeing Sinopa stand on the end of one of her four tails with a bashful posture. Her toes were pointed inwards in stark contrast of her upper posture - arms folded with defiance.

The succubus lifted her head, slowly, drinking in every inch of Sinopa's stance. Finally, their eyes met. The demoness' grin broadened. "How about I guess, then: You called Jonathan 'Master' or 'Senpai.' Maybe 'Sir,' sometimes. You were less submissive with Jules because he treated you like a little princess, and everything was always so romantic." She watched Sinopa's eyes then tilted her head. "Or do I have it reversed?"

Sinopa, trying to appear neutral and stoic, kept her arms folded. The corner of her lips twitched. Her pupils dilated briefly, then constricted to vertical slits.

"Oh!" Karla exclaimed with a brilliant smile. "OH, well now!"

"What?" Sinopa asked pointedly.

"Oh my word, girl! You naughty little thing, you!"

"...What?" Sinopa asked, this time poignantly.

"It's cool, I don't judge!" Karla replied, arms open wide. "I'm just glad to know your sex life wasn't as dull as I originally thought."

Sinopa blinked twice. "There was nothing 'dull' about my sex life with either husband. In fact, you would have been proud to see me in ... what is the word ... in 'action' as it were. Regardless! What I called my husbands in the sanctity of my bedchambers is not - and will never be - any of your business. Are we clear?"

Karla eyed her for a moment then tilted her head. "Wait, you called one of them daddy?"

Sinopa gawked with a cold glare. "I did no such thing!"

"You _did,_didn't you?" Karla giggled and covered her lips with one hand. "Oh my god, that's awesome!"

Sinopa froze and looked Karla over for a moment. "You are trying to bait me into telling you what I called them by making up things and pretending to assume random titles and names. You are doing this in hopes that I will correct you by telling you what I actually used to say, aren't you? And there is your contraction. Be that as it may, I will not fall for it. You cannot trick a trickster, Karla-san. I am a kitsune. We are the greatest tricksters of all time. Every trick is carefully performed in order to teach a lesson. I have tricked twin children into going to bed on time. I have tricked my first husband into never forgetting important calendar dates. I have tricked you into protecting me, so I would not be alone. And yes, I admit that freely."

Karla eyed her for a moment, not sure if she should be insulted or not. After a moment, the succubus smiled. "And right now, you're trying to trick me into changing the subject."

"That is not true. For one, you are too clever for such a simple distraction. Two, I am not that lucky, and three, there is no lesson for you to have learned from such. However, I did trick my sensei into falling in love with my grandson."

Karla's eyes widened dramatically. "Wait, you did what? I thought you were angry it happened?"

"My first husband was murdered. My children were in danger, and my granddaughter was missing. With all due respect, your children were abducted as well. Falcon's henchmen showed up when Reno-san was brought up from the Atlantic ... by whoever it was that rescued him. Conner is all that I have left. My sensei is the only one powerful enough to protect him. Combined with the fact that she likes young men because she does not feel intimidated by them, it was an obvious choice to pair them. Tamamo-sama is none-the-wiser."

"Okay, hold up," Karla said, hands held upward, palms outward. "First of all, we know who rescued Reno. His brother Vincent. Vince was the only inside man we have on our team. They're brothers. I'll prove it to you when he gets his butt down here and talks to us. Second of all, why the hell would a thousand-year-old nine-tail fox spirit feel threatened by a human man? She's badass."

"Perhaps you are correct in regards to Vincent. I was generalizing because it is at least possible Reno was rescued by someone else."

"Tch, yeah right. Like who?"

"Rufus-san, or a friend Rufus made when he infiltrated the city. Anything is possible. Secondly, Tamamo-sama is well over three thousand years old. She was already a nine-tail when she married Xin-Di. He intimidated her very much. Not with his superhuman strength, but with his domineering personality. He was obsessive, aggressive, and utterly romantic towards her. She was disarmed emotionally. After their marriage ended in flames, she vowed never to love."

"Ended in flames huh? Look at you, first contractions, and now metaphors."

"He locked himself inside the temple and set it on fire, Karla-san."

Karla blinked. "Oh ... damn. So Tammy found love again, later on?"

"very much so. She met Toba's son."

"The kid didn't intimidate her, huh?"

"No, Karla-san. My sensei watched the child emperor grow up. She felt his youth made him genuine and gentle. She still loved him even after it ended with the death of both."

"Christ."

Sinopa ignored the remark. "She still had love in her heart, you see. And, so, I knew that I could replace Konoe-tenno by showing her heart a new love. If you ever tell either of them, I will cane your feet for hours then burn them."

Karla backed away a few paces. "Why on Earth would you do such a thing?"

"Because it would be the last pain you feel in those limbs before the nerve endings are destroyed. You would thus feel the ghost pain of the caning for the rest of your life."

"Jesus Christ, Sinopa. That's brutal."

Sinopa continued her explanation. "I am not without mercy. I would cane and burn only your feet. After all, with stockings you would still be able to find lovers from whom to feed. A lesson learned, but nothing that would jeopardize your life. So, you will not tell Tamamo-sama, nor will you tell my grandson that I paired them. Are we clear on this?"

Karla bit her lower lip. She wasn't used to people who could carry out their threats, and she knew Sinopa was one of the few people who could pull it off. "Jesus, sister, I won't tell them. And here I didn't think you had a single mean bone in your body."

Sinopa folded her arms again. "I destroyed Sire to protect my loved ones. Yet, even with him gone, they were still in danger and I did not recognize it. Now my children are gone. My granddaughter is gone. Both of my husbands were executed. I have learned my lesson - I was too lenient. I will not make that mistake again, Karla-san. I will hunt my enemies to the ends of the Earth to avenge those I have lost, and protect those still alive. I am not the soft-spoken three-tail you knew in 1999, because I have lost nearly every-single-person I've ever loved."

"So why did you want me at your side?" asked Karla.

"Know you of the old adage regarding women scorned?"

"Yeah, of course. Every woman does. Every man does, too."

"Hai. We are women scorned. We have little to lose and everything to gain should we make our way to Falcon's dome. There is the possibility our loved ones are like Reno - stored away as hostages that neither eat nor require maintenance. All we have is our anger and our emotions to fuel us. We are motivated. We are intelligent. We made a difference against Falcon's forces once before. We can do it again. That is why you are with me. Together, we increase our chances of making a difference."

"You're ... you're serious aren't you?"

"I am. Even acting alone, we are the embodiment of Aris Falcon's fears. He knew he could not defeat you, so he bribed you. He disappeared before I recovered from my fourth tail coming through. A wise tactical retreat on his part."

A smile crept across Karla's lips. "And now that we're working together, Falcon is on borrowed time."

"Very much so." Sinopa held a hand out, palm up. "I require your makeup compact. Although anything with a mirror will do."

Karla slid her hand into her handbag. She rummaged through the designer purse briefly then withdrew a small plastic object. Passing it to Sinopa, she said, "You calling the boss?"

"Mm, something like that. Giving her an update on our progress. Meeting with Vincent is very important because he is the closest contact we have to finding Falcon's hiding spot."

"And we have something Vincent wants. Knowledge about his brother."

"Very good," said Sinopa with a wan smile. "You see how this is played. Excellent." She took the compact and thumbed it open. "Sensei, I require your ear, kudasai." There was no immediate reply. "I have information for you, Tamamo-sama." While waiting for Tamamo to answer, Sinopa inspected the circles developing beneath her eyes. "Mm, the lack of rest is catching up with me, I fear."

"You're fine," Karla said. "You're just under a lot of stress."

After a moment, Sinopa said, "Tamamo-sama? Please, I need you. I respect your privacy if you are with my grandson, but I must have a moment of your time. You will be angry if I do not tell you the things I know at this time."

Silence.

Sinopa sighed and pressed her finger against the reflection but her fingertip didn't penetrate the portal. Instead, her knuckle buckled slightly in resistance. She pushed her finger firmly against the reflection with a worried look.

Karla came around and reached for the compact and Sinopa's finger. "You'll break the mirror, hon."

"Typically I can push a finger through and call her name, causing her to hear me even if she is in her quarters. Her home is the first doorway nearest to the Hallway of Reflection. She is obsessed with looking in on this world because..."

"She's a voyeur?"

"No, Karla-san! She is trapped in that realm. She lives vicariously through my adventures here. My friends, on this plane, provide her with entertainment. She has little more to do with her life. At the very most, she watches Conner throughout the day. Some call her the watchful eye of Shinto in jest, but she explains that she has to keep an eye out for me, because she was tasked as my sensei. She makes excuses just to sit and watch."

Karla folded her arms. "Well that sucks ass." She paused then tapped a lacquered nail against her lower lip. "Didn't you once tell me that she can possess people?"

"Yes, but she wouldn't. She rarely ever does such, and the last time she indulged, twenty-five years ago, she was careless. The body was killed. She was ejected back to the Celestial Realm, and felt guilty to have caused the death of an innocent human. I made her promise she would never perform kitsune-tsuki unless it was a matter of the utmost emergency."

"And life is pretty dull up there, huh?"

"It is. Her only other form of entertainment is to spy on Lady Kiko Sigyn and her husband."

"That name sounds familiar."

"It is from Norse mythology." Sinopa turned back towards the intersection just in time to see Vincent come around the corner on a bicycle.

Nevada eased in on the handbrakes and walked the bike towards the two women. "Karla, Sinopa - wow it never ceases to amaze me that you two look the same as the day I met you."

Karla turned around and walked over to Vincent. She hugged him. "Hey! Long time, babe. Is your wife still mad at me?"

Vince nodded with a frown. "Yeah. She, uh ... she mentioned she was pissed off at the whole Watson thing. Fox and I don't claim to understand it, but we're not upset with you. Just her." He relinquished the hug.

"Mm, well you tell that wife of yours," Karla trailed off for effect then, in a softer, humbler voice, said, "I miss my best friend. I know we hadn't caught up in a while, because we were both raising our kids. But we talked on the phone. She was my shoulder. My rock, you know? My anchor when things got chaotic. I miss her. I need my friend in my life again. And besides, she needs to join 'Team Angry Bitches.' Just, tell her I'll do whatever she wants to prove myself. I just need my friend back in my life. I love her. She was more than a romp or a pal. We were like sisters. We made a good team."

Vincent frowned again then nodded to Sinopa, affording the kitsune with a soft smile. He gave Karla's arm a gentle pat then approached Sinopa and hugged her. "Mom."

Sinopa returned the gentle hug. "My son-in-law. Your words warm my heart."

"My, uh ... my words?"

"You said that you and Fox are not upset, and that you have spoken to Topaz. That means they are alive."

"Oh!" Vincent stepped back and brought his hand to his mouth. "OH, my God, that's right! The two of you had no idea they're with me."

Karla smirked. "I had a feeling. They're tough, those twins."

Vincent chuckled and reached his hand back to rub at the nape of his neck. "Geeze. Mom, I'm sorry. I should have reached out to you. Heck, I thought they had told you one way or another. Yeah they're fine, actually. They've been living in an apartment near my place. I see them every day. We found out where Carmen and Elvena are being kept. They're just, you know, in stasis. They're totally fine."

Both women immediately appeared relieved.

Fidgeting, Vincent added, "Everyone is fine, actually. Donovan, the toddler. He's just fine, too. Karla, I'm sorry that even happened. I feel awful Dr. Falcon put you through all that. I, uhm ... I know how you feel. My brother was hidden away for years. I didn't even know he was down there until recently."

Sinopa nodded in understanding. "It was brave of you to find a way to send him to the surface."

Vincent rubbed his forehead. "Uhm, what? Anyway, how is he? Has he asked about me?"

Karla cut in. "He hasn't woken up. He's in some sort of coma. Didn't Topaz tell you that?"

"She said he's safe but that you guys were working on a way to wake him. I figured he'd be awake by now. Look, I'm up here for a reason. I'm here because I'm tasked with saving this power plant."

Karla narrowed her gaze. "Saving the plant? You mean to tell me that you didn't just shut it down? It's still in operation? Right now?"

"Well, uh, yeah. It's one of a handful of nuclear plants left in operation on the whole coast." Vincent rubbed the side of his neck.

"Why would you want to save it? Fuck nuclear power. Unless it's that fluoride style, it's dangerous. If something happens to that plant, DC is toast. It's only, like, forty miles to Washington DC."

Sinopa took Vincent's hand. "Vincent, are we in danger?"

Karla appeared nervous. "We should get the fuck out of here if that thing is going to blow up, and..."

Sinopa turned her head sharply to Karla and said, "LET me speak with my son! Calm down. Now."

Vincent's eyes widened, never having heard Sinopa raise her voice before. "I, uh ... I've been up all night. The control rods wouldn't engage into one of the reactors. They were using the diesel pumps to keep water on the reactor but they couldn't reduce power because something happened during the quake. It's been heating up slowly. And with no way to stop it, it was only a matter of time before the reactor melts. I came in, and they freaked out. But I, uh ... I made my way to the plant and rendered the rods inert. The water slowly did the rest. It, uh, it's no good anymore, though. Reactor number two is worthless. They will need to put all new rods in after they repair it."

Karla blinked. "You can turn a radioactive rod into ... a regular old worthless rod?"

"Yeah. All radioactive elements slowly age until they become inert. That's how scientists do radiocarbon dating. They measure material based on how," he trailed off and held his hands up to stop himself from rambling. "I don't have long, I can't go into all the details. Sorry. Anyway, I just wanted to know about my brother. I'm glad I could tell you guys that your families are safe."

"Is Eric Loupe down there?"

Vincent shook his head. "No. Donovan was the only one to be brought in after Carmen and Elvena."

Sinopa reached up and fixed the lay of his shirt, where it was bunched up on one side from sweat. "Can you send them out the way you did with Reno-sama?"

Vincent turned to his mother-in-law and offered her a strange look. "Wait, you guys think _I_rescued my brother? I didn't even know he was down there until someone broke him out. Nobody knows who did it. All we know, now, is that Rufus Darken received my brother's body and was in on the rescue. But he wasn't the inside guy. Nobody knows who saved my brother. I have a theory though."

Karla tilted her head. "Lay it on us, kiddo."

Vincent scoffed. "Kiddo?"

"I'm turning four hundred 'n fifty years old this fall ... kiddo. So what's the theory?"

Vincent shrugged. "Reno had history with Krys Monroe."

"Yeah, they hated each other." Said Karla. "Justifiably so."

Vincent nodded. "She was killed. She was hunted down and killed for her power. It was scary. Thankfully, my ability isn't genetically compatible with anyone but myself. So I get to live. Yay. Whatever. But Krys was killed. And she ran for her life. She was hunted down. I think she tried waking up Reno, hoping he would be willing to fight or something. His power was another one that isn't genetically compatible with anyone but him. Nobody else can use it or take it. So I think Krys freaked out when he didn't wake up, and I think she found a way to get him sent to the surface."

"When did Krys Monroe die," asked Karla, somewhat glad to hear the blue-haired bitch was toast. "Just curious."

"Early January."

Karla rubbed her chin with a frown. "Hon, Reno was sent up at the end of February. You've got seven weeks, give or take, to figure out how Reno would have been floating around before being brought here by helicopter. Sorry, I'm not buying it. There must be someone else. I'll track down Rufus, be nice to him, and ask him to tell me."

"You guys know where he's at?"

Karla nodded. "Yes, but no offense, I can't tell you."

Vincent blinked. "Why not?"

"It's considered compartmentalized information, babe. If someone tortured you, or was able to read your mind..."

"Oh. I see, now. That makes sense."

A fourth voice joined the group. "I know exactly who it was." Nichole Parker came around the corner and folded her arms. "But now that I know it wasn't you, Vincent, you won't be punished. I suppose I cannot blame you for running to the enemy in order to get information on your brother. A small part of me wondered how Reno was doing. Shame he's not awake. I imagine he'd be here if he was. I want him back. Dr. Falcon was studying a way to get his power to become compatible with me."

Sinopa stared, wide-eyed, at the still-young sister of her first husband. "Nichole! We thought you were dead!"

Vincent frowned and looked down. "She's the one who killed Krys Monroe. She's known throughout the city as The Enforcer. She can replicate someone else's power. She's only able to 'borrow' mine for a short time, though. They sent her here to help me double my ability in order to stop the plant from going supercritical."

Karla narrowed her eyes. "Good job killing that dumb cunt Krys Monroe. But you won't be getting Reno Nevada back if you work for the bad guys."

Nicky smirked. "I want my fiancé back, safe and sound, in his cryogenic chamber. You cannot wake him up, anyhow. All you can do is watch him age in his sleep. I want him back immediately. I will kill you, succubus, and then hunt for him myself if I must."

Sinopa stepped forward. "You will do no such thing. Karla-san is under my protection."

Nichole smirked. "I am fireproof. A little gift from Dr. Falcon after what you did to Sire. Don't make me use Vincent's borrowed power against the two of you. I will cook you from the inside out and irradiate this entire area in the process."

Vincent turned to her, eyes wide. "No! Don't!"

Sinopa frowned at her son-in-law, "You would let her do such a thing? You won't stop her, Vincent?"

"I can't use my power on her. She possesses it when she's this close to me. It's like a loaner. And I'm immune to my ability. Therefor, she is immune, too."

Nichole turned to Karla with a narrowed gaze, and said, "I will trade your son and your daughter for Reno Nevada."

Karla frowned. Everyone turned to face the succubus. Karla backed away from the group. She looked down at the ground then back up at Nichole. "And Eric?"

"He's dead. I cannot change that, and I will not lie to you about it. But I can give you both of your children. Elvena broke in. We captured her. Dr. Falcon, captured Donovan in hopes of learning learn about his extremely unique ability."

"The word you meant to use is 'kidnapped.' How was Eric killed?"

"The good doctor activated your husband, who was still susceptible to the MK Ultimate activation process. He forced your husband to deliver the boy, then ordered your husband to go to the Freak Farm, kill everyone and then kill himself. This time, his gun didn't jam."

Karla flinched. She scowled, hands balled into fists. "Irradiate this whole area, go ahead. I dare you ... it won't matter. You will be dead. I will teleport your body into the street and telekinetically kick your head off of your shoulders. But don't worry, you won't feel a thing. I will kick your skull so hard that it will shatter like a melon."

"Please," Vincent begged them, "stop arguing. We came to the surface to stop this plant from destroying DC and what's left of the District Coast." He turned to Karla with a frown. "We can get your children home safe. Dr. Falcon couldn't imbue himself with the boy's power. It's incredibly unique. He was hoping to keep the child around until he breaks into the other city, then use Donovan to access the computer system that was maintained by the ancients ... but I'm sure we can work something out so that everyone is happy."

"Vincent, stop fucking talking," Nichole snapped. "You're telling them far too much."

Sinopa glared at the girl. "I am disappointed in you. You were my sister-in-law. Now you are a traitor."

"times have changed. I have been given a higher purpose. Nothing will get in my way."

"Except me," said Karla, sneering with disgust. "Falcon has plans for my son? That means even if you give him back, you people will just find us and take him again later. No. I don't think so. My kid is safer on ice. You won't bribe me again."

"I will kill your daughter. She's useless. Hand over Reno, or Elvena dies."

"Nichole!" Vincent exclaimed in shock.

Karla clenched her fists, trembling with fear, rage, and a myriad of other emotions. "You want to fight me, bitch?"

"I will rip you apart," Nichole glowered. She levitated slightly and her skin began to glow. "I have more powers than you could ever know what to do with. Including this one." Patches of shade came up off the ground, cast by trees, road signs, and their bodies. "I will strangle you with you shadow. A little power I picked up from your late husband's uncle. Heh. Your 'late husband.' Has a ring to it, doesn't it?"

"Karla!" Sinopa shouted. "Not here in public! If she uses the radiation ability, borrowed or not, she will..."

"Most of this fucking coast is contaminated," Karla snapped. "Let her do it. I will teleport you, Vincent and me. But if she touches my children, I will teleport her fucking spine out of her body and beat her with it."

Nichole's eyes shined with delight. "You can do that? Oh, I must have your version of that power!"

Karla smirked. "Get in line. Everyone wants it. Nobody can have it. And the one thing that apparently gifts it? A little green piece-of-shit stone that Falcon was shipping to himself by plane twenty-six years ago? Yeah. Well, I got to it first. Now nobody will get it." Karla began to levitate off the ground as well, as if to challenge Nichole. She tensed her fists, which began to glow pink. Her arms and shoulders illuminated as well. Her neck and bosom glowed. Glyphs appeared just beneath the skin. "You want to dance, bitch? I will flatten you."

"You are mistaken, Karla Loupe. The green stone has nothing to do with your powers. It was designed to increase the output of your abilities. I want it."

"Fight me for it."

Nichole grinned. "With pleasure."

"We are in public!" Sinopa shouted. "Stop this before it gets out of hand!" She opened the compact again and said, "Tamamo-sama, if you can hear me, it is an emergency!"

No reply.

Vincent looked around, terrified by how quickly the situation was getting out of hand. He thrust his palms outwards.

Karla dropped to the ground with a groan.

Nichole fell to the grass and rolled onto her side with a grunt. "What the hell?"

Vincent swallowed. "No fighting. I used my ability to stop the inertia used by your abilities to levitate with telekinesis. Karla, sorry." He turned to Nichole. "And for your information, Karla's telekinesis is far, far stronger than yours. I barely had to do anything to make you fall. I had to give everything I had to bring her down. If you two fight here, it will cause far more trouble than Dr. Falcon would want. We have to leave."

"I want Reno!" Nichole said, getting to her feet. "I need his fucking lightning power! And while we're at it, I want karla's other powers. I want to be able to teleport people and objects. So help me god, I would be unstoppable with that." Nichole got to her feet.

"Fuck you, bitch." Karla stood up. "You're not getting shit. Now crawl back to your little hole under the ocean."

Nichole shouted in anger. Shadows came at Karla from all sides and enveloped her. "I will crush the life out of your body like a vice!"

"Nichole, stop! PLEASE!"

Nichole tensed herself, held her fists up and then thrust her hands outwards. The shadows dissipated but Karla stood on the side of the road, unharmed. Nichole's eyes widened. "What!"

"Telekinetic shell. Shadows can't penetrate it. Nothing can. I've evolved my ability. I'm badass. And your team never got the little green stone. So fuck you."

Nichole narrowed her gaze. "That stone was technology from the First Age. I have read about it. I won't deny that you are impressive, succubus, but you glow pink. Glyphs show on your arms. And your telekinetic abilities are admittedly much more powerful than my own. I can only levitate my own body. But the stone you stole would have increased your ability ten fold. You would glow green. Did you even know what to do with it?"

Karla brushed the dirt off of her skirt from where she'd fallen on the ground minutes earlier. "I touched it and the damn thing forced itself into my skin. It was painful. It knocked me out it was so painful. But it didn't do anything special."

"Then I wonder if you're compatible with it. You should have been able to do far more with it."

"I can lift a school bus, bitch. And so help me God, I will drop one on you if you don't back off."

Sinopa put her hand on Karla's shoulder. "We should all part ways. If someone sees us using abilities, it will be reported in. We all know that humans of the world are now hunting for Supernatural persons. We cannot risk letting people know that we still exist. Everyone walk away. Now."

Nichole glared at Karla. "That stone should have allowed you to increase your ability enough to flatten buildings and throw tanks. So you're lying to me - you can't possibly have found it all those years ago. It would have manifested by now. Where is it? Tell me."

"I told you, it's inside me. You dumb twat, maybe you don't know as much as you think you do."

Nichole narrowed her eyes. "I have read about it from the source of its creation! It's an ability cube! This isn't your first ability cube; you've obviously come in contact with a red one. It's why you have the writing of the ancients all over your body when your adrenaline spikes!"

"What?" Karla stared at her but couldn't see any sign of dishonesty on the woman's face. "What do you mean?"

"Those markings on your arms and chest, succubus. Your abilities came from technology created by the First Age. You never had any natural telekinesis. Yours was artificially created from technology. The green stone was an ability cube. It increases an ability ten fold. If you really have it inside of you, then it's not working. Or you're_lying_ about it, and you've hid it somewhere. So where ... the fuck ... is it? I want it. It's mine."

Karla eyed her. "You're crazy as hell. Now go crawl back to your little hole. And I'll see you when I make my way down to that shitty little city of yours. And, when I do, I will be coming for my children. Let me make you a promise right now - if you've hurt either one of them in any way ... I will make you suffer way more than Sire."

"I told you. Give me Reno and you can have your children back."

"I don't take bribes anymore. You can go fuck yourself, and I'll take my children back over your dead body."

"Karla, please. Just go." Vincent offered a pleading gaze. "She's killed so many supernatural people. I can't bare to watch her do it again."

Sinopa frowned. "Vincent, thank you for ... it was good to see you again."

"You too, mom."

Nichole smirked. "Vincent, I won't fight them. Get on your bike and go. I'll be with you shortly. I need to stay here and make sure they won't approach the plant. Now go."

Vincent sighed. He got on the bike he'd borrowed from one of the plant workers, and headed back up the hill at the intersection, towards the nuclear power plant. After a moment of silence, he was gone.

Nichole smirked. "I didn't want him to hear this from me." Her expression melted into a devious smile. "I'm letting the two of you live because I need you both."

"Excuse me?" Karla said, brows furrowed. "For what?"

"I want that stone. If it's really in your body, I want it back out. It must be broken. I will have it repaired and use it. Sinopa, you're one of the few people left alive that can get me into my brother's precious little island vault. The time will come when I need the both of you alive. But I see that neither of you respect me, yet. So let me give you a little tiny taste of what I can do in a real fight."

"Do your best, bitch."

"Karla," Sinopa snapped. "Not here in public!"

"She's going to attack us, Sinopa. You can't burn her. So let's see what she's got. I'm ready for it."

Nichole smirked and waved her hand.

Karla dropped to the ground, gasping for air. Acting on instinct, Karla thrust her hand outwards and blasted Nichole back into the trees.

Nichole's body slammed into a tree trunk, shattering the center of the tree into splinters. The top fell back into the other trees and Nichole fell to the ground, landing on all fours.

Both women gasped for breath, having been winded.

Karla found her breath first and got to her feet. "What ... the fuck did you just do?"

Nichole sat up, dazed. She rubbed her face. "I'll be ready for that next time."

"What did you do?!" Karla shouted in a hoarse tone.

"I demolecularized the oxygen in your lungs. But I wasn't quick enough to take it all, else your lungs would have collapsed. You have impressive reflexes, succubus."

Karla's eyes widened. "Where the hell did you get that power?"

"From this little brat named Johann. I can do this, too." She got to her feet and opened her hands.

Sinopa cried out as ice formed around her legs and tails, encasing her body from the waist down. "Karla!"

"You bitch," Karla growled. "Next time, I'll teleport you under the ground, and put you in solid rock. I swear to Christ, I will kill you."

"Mm, yet you're not killing me right now. Why is that?"

"Fuck off. Get lost."

Nichole smirked. "I'll tell you both a little secret. Sinopa, you know that breath-stealing trick I did to this little succu-bitch? Well, I did the same thing to Fox and Topaz. Just two days ago. Poor Vincent has no idea. I took the air right out of their bodies; their lungs collapsed. Then I took their power. It hasn't manifested yet, but soon I'll be the Parker I was always meant to be."

Sinopa looked up from the ice around her legs, eyes narrowed. She ground her molars together and the ice melted immediately. The grass scorched around her body. The nearby street sign collapsed with a clang on the pavement. Its wooden pole burst into flame on the asphalt. "You lie."

"No." said Parker with a smile. "I wanted to tell you but I wanted to make sure Vincent was gone, first. He's dreadfully obsessed with those two. He'll be told they were caught and captured after he left for the surface. After all, he came up here ten hours before I did." Nichole turned to Karla with a smirk. "And, now I have something to tell you."

"You'd better not have touched my children."

"No. And I won't. But not because I don't want to. I respect Dr. Falcon. He wants them frozen." Nichole smiled brightly. "I just wanted to tell you a little secret, Karla. Guess what?"

"What..."

"I learned this_ability from your _father." Suddenly, Nichole disappeared.

Karla's eyes widened. She looked around then teleported herself into the sky. She used her telekinesis to levitate high above the area. She quickly scanned the ground, looking for Nichole, or anything even remotely the same color as Nichole's clothing. "When I fucking find you...!" she shouted in anger.

"You'll do what?" came Nichole's voice from behind.

Karla turned about only to receive a telekinetic punch in the face. Caught off guard, Karla fell out of the sky, dazed. She watched Nichole, high above, who grew smaller and smaller.

Karla fell into the trees at the side of the road. As soon as the branches caught her body and began to break her fall, her adrenaline spiked, and she snapped out of the fuzzy daze. Her body disappeared and reappeared on the ground, twenty-feet away from Sinopa.

The kitsune hurried towards Karla. Her feet hovered over the ground, her toes brushing against the grass. She neared the succubus and dropped to all fours, protectively over Karla. "I saw her appear behind you. How did she do that?"

Karla sat up and put her hand on the side of her face. "That bitch decked me. Her telekinesis isn't nearly as strong as mine, but I didn't create a barrier for myself. But she can teleport. She ... she said she stole teleportation from my father."

"Hai, Karla-san. And she said your telekinesis was gifted by technology. I do not understand these things very well, but I do know that she ... that Nichole ... is alive and very dangerous."

"What the hell would make her work for Aris Falcon, though?" Karla sat up a bit more and rubbed the side of her face. "God. My cheekbone stings like hell."

Sinopa cupped either side of Karla's face, gently. "Let me see." After a moment she said, "Your body absorbed the impact. You must have fallen back, away from the strike. It appears she did not break your cheekbone, Karla-san."

"I didn't know my father could teleport."

"Stop talking." Sinopa continued to look at the wound for a moment. "This will require medical attention."

"I'm a succubus. I'll heal. But I'll need more than the pills to help after taking a fist to the face from a bitch like that. God that hurt." She gently brushed Sinopa's hands away. "My father's still alive, though."

"How can you be so sure?"

"You heard her brag. She was all too happy to mouth off about the twins. But she didn't brag that my father is dead."

Sinopa pursed her lips together. Her eyes filled with tears. Now that all the chaos was over, she had a moment to think about Nichole's bragging. "Do ... do you think she froze them, or do you think she let them die from suffocation?"

Karla gently drew Sinopa into her arms and they hugged. After a moment, Karla sighed. "I don't know."

"How could you let her live? You threatened to bury her, but you let her go."

"No I didn't." Karla gently relinquished the hug. "I used my teleportation."

"Pardon?"

Karla offered a weak smile then leaned forward and kissed Sinopa's forehead. "Remember Lance Patterson? I'm still friends with that guy. He told me if I ever come into contact with Falcon's mercenaries, I should plant a tracking device and let one of them go. I had it in my purse." Karla looked around and spotted her purse on the ground near where she materialized after her fall. "God, she ruined my handbag. That bitch. That bag cost..."

"Karla! Focus. You planted a device on her?"

"Yeah. It's some sort of liquid isotope thing. It was in a vial in my purse. I just teleported the whole bottle of liquid into her. Maybe I should have put it in her lungs and drown the bitch but ... it's the only way I'll get my kids back. So ... I had to let her go. I had to."

Sinopa nodded slowly then, quite suddenly, she launched herself forward, hugging Karla. They tumbled to the grass together. "Thank you for thinking so clearly. I thought you were beyond reason at times, but you've proven me wrong. I am so proud of you, Karla-san."

The succubus winced, gently tilting her head away. She used a free hand to cup the side of her face protectively. "Ow, hey now, careful." Finally, Karla used her other arm to hug Sinopa back. "We'll find them. We'll find everyone, I promise."

"What do we do for now?"

"We go back to Paris. We find Lance and have him track the liquid stuff. He's the one who knows how it works. We stay at my house and gather our wits. We check on Reno. You can take a breather and check on your grandson."

"He's at your place?"

"I told him to watch Reno. If he knows what's good for him, he's sitting in the basement watching television. Or playing video games. Or whatever it is that teenaged boys do these days."

"Perhaps he will know why Tamamo is not answering."

Karla leaned back against the closest tree trunk. "It felt so good to hit that bitch, even though I couldn't breathe."

"What was it like?" asked Sinopa. "What did you feel when she took your breath?"

Karla frowned. It had been the most painful thing she ever felt. It was scary, it was excruciating, it made her body cramp up and lock down. It was the worst thing she'd ever felt in her life. She cleared her throat and shrugged a bit. She didn't want to worry Sinopa. "It wasn't so bad. It just caught me by surprise."

"Don't lie, Karla. You promised you'd never lie to me. I made you promise."

The succubus sighed. "It was the worst two seconds of my life. I was scared out of my mind. I acted on instinct. But if I waited just one second longer, I wouldn't have been able to use my abilities."

Sinopa wept softly. "My children experienced that. She said their lungs collapsed. I do not know what such pain is like, but I need your help to ensure that she suffers one hundred fold. I want her to experience pain unlike anything she could imagine. How ... how _could_she do such a thing to her niece and nephew??"

Karla frowned. "France is less than thirty minutes from here."

"What?" Sinopa said, mid-sob. "It's much further than thirty minutes, Karla-san. You are mistaken."

"Hold on tight. We're going to teleport all the way there. It's close enough. I can go over a mile at a time. My teleportation endurance is much greater - I'm a lot better now than I was a quarter-century ago. Hold on tight. We can both take a long hot bath; you can talk to Conner. We'll all just take a breather and relax, okay?" She snaked an arm around Sinopa's waist, pulled her close, and they disappeared.

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Next Chapter: https://www.sofurry.com/view/696249