A savage heart

[Persephone]

Alek: “Maybe. Maybe not. But isn’t it possible that maybe, you need a friend in this place?”

Ava scoffed.

"Right."

She had been used to dealing with people on the 'bad' side of the spectrum. The Masters of Evil were horrible people, ruthless and malicious. But within the walls of their group, they were a family. They cared for one another, loved each other, DIED for each other. It was a group dynamic that was fluid between heartless and full of heart. THIS--the Hellfire Club--was none of that. It was eat, or get eaten. It was survive or die. There were no friendships or relationships within these walls besides sexual ones. None that she could see at least. Ava envied Haleigh in this situation because her sister just turned everything off. Her emotions, her empathy, everything. Ava didn't have that luxury, she had to actually DEAL with the fallout.

Alek mentioned his lady friend wasn't the bath type. Ava rolled her eyes, so he finally fucked Haleigh. But as she snapped at him for looking at her, his expression changed--a hint of a smile forming on his lips. It made Ava narrow her eyes.

Alek: "I like you."

"Do you now?"

She sneered.

Alek: “I don’t like anyone. I don’t have ‘friends’. But god help me, I like you. So let me give you some advice.”

He made his way over to her and Ava sighed out, feeling his hands on her shoulders. He spun her around so she was facing him.

Alek: “This place, it isn’t like what you’re used to. It’s dangerous. One wrong move…”

"I can handle it."

Ava snapped defensively, offended that he believed she COULDN'T. But his expression became more serious as he looked down at her.

Alek: “You can’t be what you were. You need to accept that. You have to embrace this life or it will break you, do you understand? If you try to be a member of the Six on the Hellfire Club, it will destroy you from the inside out. You can’t be both. Not here."

Ava's eyes softened, averting eye contact now. He WAS right. She couldn't be both. She made her choice to defect from The Six and cross over enemy lines. That meant she made the choice NOT to worry about them, NOT to care about them, NOT to feel guilty for what she did to them. What Diana and Helena did to her was the ultimate test AND punishment. She did what she needed to do--followed their orders. But now she was feeling the ramifications of it. She needed to shut that shit DOWN and fast. Otherwise Alek was right, she wouldn't last another day....and she had to....she needed to for Haleigh AND herself.

Alek: "DO your job. Follow orders. That is how you survive. And if you’re lucky you can scratch out some happiness for yourself, on occasion.”

The dull ache behind her eyes began to subside. Feeling his finger under her chin lift her gaze, Ava looked back into his eyes.

Alek: “I’ve watched them do it, and I don’t want to have to watch it happen to you.”

As she searched his eyes for any sign of deceit or betrayal, there was none. He was telling the truth.

"You won't. I had my moment, now it's gone. No one will make me feel that way again."

Her words laced with venom and resentment. She knew what she had to do to survive. And Alek just reenforced that.

 

[Ruby]

The Parthenon – Top Floor




:: Cass yelped in shock when Sharon grabbed hold of her and TORE through the elevator car – and shaft – to Cameron’s floor!! She had dropped the box that she was carrying as soon as she felt her feet leave the ground and stared in a daze once Sharon set her down. ::

Sharon: “I’LL bury you, you BASTARD!!”

:: Then Sharon charged at Cameron and gave him a SLAP that he would probably never forget, and sent him FLYING into the wall! ::

Sharon: "THAT'S for Alycia..and the PAIN you and that BITCH have caused, what she WOULDN'T do, what you so RICHLY DESERVE! I only REGRET that Haleigh is not here..for me to do the same to HER. Goddess knows you BOTH deserve it, and SO MUCH MORE!"

“SHARON!? WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!”

Sharon: “STAND BACK, CASS! Cameron CAUSED this, let HIM suffer the consequences for it."

CAMERON!!

Cameron: “It’s okay, CJ. I’m fine.”

:: Then Prophet and Silver Swan got into a war of words. Cass fled to Alycia’s side and embraced her friend. She made herself focus on Alycia and not the scene that was currently unfolding before her eyes. Truth be told, the scene unfolding right now absolutely SICKENED her. She didn’t know what went down between Cameron and Haleigh, but she could probably guess. She sighed in frustration. ::

*pleading*: “Guys! STOP IT!”

:: It was as if they didn’t hear her. Cass growled under her breath. It was bad enough that Haleigh switched sides, but THIS?! No, this could NOT happen. She hugged Alycia tighter. ::

“It’s going to be okay, Alycia.”

:: FINALLY the brutal scene between Sharon and Cameron came to an end. Shaking, Cass released Alycia into Sharon’s arms. She [Cass] was so…DISTRAUGHT that she could hardly speak. ::

Sharon: “Cass, I have to leave, take Alycia away from here. She came here to HELP...for that, she was rewarded with a betrayal that hurt as deeply as the one you are all suffering from now. If you have ANY hope of surviving the changes that are coming your way, you'll THINK about whom you put your trust in, and the kind of choices they make.”

:: Cass nodded numbly. ::

Cameron: "You will survive, and we'll all see to it that you are protected. *I* don't toss people to the curb as easily as some do."

:: Cass winced at the harshness of his tone and turned away from him. She knelt on the ground and focused on the elevator before her. Using her power, she began to manipulate the elevator car AND door to fix itself, just like she did with the window that Mike had broken awhile back. She needed to gather her thoughts, but a few things were crystal clear: Haleigh Davidoff was no longer THEIR Haleigh Davidoff, and they could NOT afford to be at odds with the Birds of Prey. As she finished what she was doing, she felt calmer than she did when she [and Sharon] first arrived. A storm of emotions was brewing inside Cass, and she didn’t know what to deal with first. ::

“Cameron…”

:: Cass got up and faced back towards her friend. Shock was all over her face. ::

“What just happened? What had unfolded here? That can NOT happen again. I was TERRIFIED for the BOTH of you!”

:: She closed her eyes for a brief moment and swallowed hard, struggling not to cry. ::

“Our…our FAMILY has been broken and fractured, and I don’t even know how to fix it…”

:: Cass sighed. ::

“Haleigh is NOT our Haleigh.” *sadly*: “Not anymore. She…apparently goes by the name of SCION now.”

:: Cass shook her head. ::

“But this isn’t about her, or you, or even what you two have done. It’s not my business.”

:: Cass took a tentative step towards him. She still felt a bit SCARED by what had happened. ::

“What IS my business is that the truce between us and Malice and Company has been broken. They WILL be coming after us with guns a-blazing. They WON’T hold back any punches, and right now, at this moment? We have NO means to defend ourselves. We are too broken.”

:: She took another tiny step. ::

“And that’s where the others come in. At least, that’s how I see it.”

:: Cass looked at Cameron with pain in her eyes. ::

“Cameron…part of OUR family, yes, I said OUR family, including Zachary Armani and Vivica Lennox, are a part of the Birds of Prey. My concern right now is that because of the broken truce, they are now in danger. It isn’t just ‘us’ anymore.”

:: Cass didn’t know she had started crying silently until she felt tears run down her cheeks. She took a few more steps until she was close to Cameron and threw her arms around him. ::

*softly*: “We can’t afford to lose our ties with them. We NEED them.”

 

[Isis]

The Parthenon- Dominique's diamond suite

:: Dominique conversed with her nephew, listening to his input on the events surrounding Haleigh's departure, and the implications of it all. She remained cold and steadfast in her withering disapproval of Haleigh for this choice of action, AND she informed Nicolas that the woman's actions DIDN'T just affect the Six. The Birds of Prey were also effected, as were allies and associates of both teams.::

:: She then began to discuss some of the intel she and Sharon had gathered regarding the changing of the guard at the Hellfire Club. But before she could discuss her successor in the role of the black queen, OR the new white king....::

Oracle sent a clip of the altercation between Vivica and Ava to all the BOP eyepieces.

[via com to all BOP except Recall] “Birds of Prey, this is Oracle. Be on guard. Those of you near Six members, relay this info, then return to the Clocktower. Oracle out.”

It would appear your erstwhile teamMATES are not wasting anytime.

:: Dominique broadcasts the fight between Simon, Vivica, Ava, and Rose to Nicolas.::

You were wondering about AVA? Well, she defected from your team as well, and has followed her "sister: into the heart of darkness. When Sharon informed the Birds of Prey of this development, several of the MEN on the time reacted in a rather NAIVE way about it. I trust YOU will not be so FOOLISH regarding the clear and present DANGER?

Were it not for the intervention of Rose, Vivica and Simon would be dead now, and this is just the BEGINNING.

:: She trusted that THIS would crystalize to Nicolas what she had been saying.::


Oracle is requesting me to return to the Clocktower. Though I LOATHE that selfish, blustering cow Ashley Oldenburg and couldn't care LESS what happens to her, I cannot, in good conscience, leave Zizi, Sharon, Alycia, Vivica...or even Zach...defenseless against the possible magickal attacks of the Black Queen or the White King.

The Six's ship is SINKING Nicolas. This is beyond your ability to save, and too many of them have wasted too much time. Now it's all but too late.

:: They return to Isis' diamond suite on the private VIP floors, entering through the double doors.::

:: Inside...::

I stood and offered my cheek for a kiss, nodded in recognition to Nic, then spoke.

Miss D, Ava just tried to kill Vivica and Simon Pratt, managed to hurt them pretty bad. I have the footage. Zizi is asking us to return to the Clocktower. Shall I inform the others of a change in plans?

I awaited further orders.

I'm aware. I rec'd that communication from Oracle as well. We shall leave shortly, but first we must wait for...

:: Sharon, once again in the full aspect of her Silver Swan persona, arrives, holding/helping a visibly distraught and pained Alycia Barnett through the doors.::

Bright lady, what's happened to ALYCIA?!

:: Dominique urgently asks, as she motions for Richard to CLOSE the double doors to her suite in order to maintain privacy, but almost AS SOON as he shut the doors....::

Giving it a rap, she spoke through the door.

“It’s me, Delilah.”

:: Dominique nodded::

Bring her in, Richard, and quickly. Close the doors behind her and bring her right here where the rest of us are, brief her on the information that Oracle provided us. Make SURE she sees the footage!

:: After Richard fills Delilah in on THAT part of things, Delilah would see just how agitated Dominque looked and sounded, and would also be greated by the site of a truly hurt and betrayed Alycia in Sharon's arms, with Sharon herself looking QUITE unhappy::

Now, Sharon...what happened to Alycia?

CAMERON KING happened, he and that TURNCOAT Black Widow!

What are you saying....that...

Cameron King SLEPT with Haleigh the night she betrayed the Six, and when Alycia, whom he was SUPPOSED to be in a relationship with, went to check on him just now, he greeted her with that confession. But this is not the FIRST time the two of them have behaved inappropriately behind Alycia's back.

:: Isis' aqua blue eyes widen with surprise::

WHAT IS IT about that woman!? WHAT IS IT about her that compells all the men on BOTH of these teams to behave like reckless reptiles, driven by the BASEST of instincts!? They can't even THINK of anyone else but themselves and their carnal urges!

They know what she's done. They know what she's capable of. They don't care. They LOVE her. that's what CAMERON said. He LOVES her...and he's NOT sorry for what he did.

:: She looks at Nicolas::

YOU did the same thing...and the two of you left Morgan devastated. You've only JUST recovered your relationship with HER behind all of that. I TRUST that you have LEARNED from your folly. CLEARLY Haleigh Davidoff never did, NOR does she have any sense of decency or RESPECT for anyone else's relationship. And CAMERON!? CLEARLY I misjudged HIM.

Sharon: He has no remorse for what he did to Alycia. NEITHER of them do. When I confronted him just now, he'd told Alycia, and then me, that he didn't regret it. That he loved Haleigh, even though she was Malice's daughter, even though she was betraying everyone to GO to Malice. He has NO remorse.

:: Dominique couldn't help but feel a sense of...RELIEF that she'd "DODGED A BULLET" where Cameron King was concerned. HER own relationship with him was one of intrigue, passion, but ultimate....THANKFULLY...BRIEF. It served its purpose during the time that it happened, and there were no regrets afterward. Dominique NEVER saw herself "BEING WITH" him the way Alycia had been. She shakes her head, and looks upon Alycia with sympathy.::

Lay her down, Sharon. Let her rest....let her be. She's SAFE here with you and I. If Cameron tries to enter....my magicks will BAR him. We'll leave for the clocktower shortly.


CLEARLY it was a mistake for us to come here to try to check on these people.

:: She looks at Sharon and Richard::

More than a WEEK has passed, and not one attempt on THEIR part to contact us. WE come to check on them, and THIS...

:: Gesturing to Alycia::

....Is one result. And by his own admission, Cameron doesn't even REGRET IT.

We came here to offer our support and help...it put us at ODDS with some people on the Birds of Prey...and it appears we WASTED our time.

:: Looking at Delilah::

But it is a mistake that is hardly worth repeating.

:: Her voice did not hide her contempt as she returns her gaze to Sharon and Richard::

Just because THEY don't know how to respond to an act of WAR....:: referring to Haleigh's betrayal, and Ava's attack on Vivica::

Doesn't mean WE have to be bound up by their impotence, their LACK OF WILL.

Nicolas...this is just intolerable. Even in the DARKEST MOMENTS, your teammates just CAN'T STOP hurting each other...and OTHERS around them!

You haven't been a real team since the Blue Moon, and apparently it doesn't matter HOW BAD things get...it doesn't matter that NOW it's spilling out and effecting other people and that it's no longer a risk...it's a LIABILITY and a DANGER.

:: She shakes her head and looks Nicolas right in the eyes::

I INSIST that you leave with me IMMEDIATELY.

Your personal safety is of PRIORITY to ME. I WILL NOT allow you to be SWALLOWED by the malestrom that is this team's dysfunction. The moment I found you in the state that you were in....and the fact that NO ONE ELSE in this building had bothered to check on you!? THAT IS ENOUGH.

 

[Black Widow]

Hellfire -- Red Knight's Quarters

He made every attempt to be quiet when he left, presumably because he thought she was sleeping. As if she'd SLEEP here at Hellfire. She only closed her eyes so he wouldn't feel obligated to continue entertaining her, although she wouldn't mind another round if he reached over. She didn't open her eyes until he eased the door shut.

If he's going to get food for us, I'll blow him again.

She thought, watching him walk down the hall through the video feed. When he let himself into the Red Rook's Chambers, she followed him on camera. Ava looked like she'd been in a fight, and Haleigh knew from the look on her face it had been personal. She remembered Ava mentioning having 'orders' to carry out, and knew it must have been difficult. It was MADNESS to send Ava out alone, and Haleigh wanted to cuss somebody out for that, but she knew it was another test.

I can FEEL you kicking around inside my head, mother. What are you looking for? You've been in here all week, SURELY if there was something to find, you'd have uncovered it already.

She lifted her head and looked into the camera that was tucked away behind an air-conditioning vent. Then she let her head drop back onto the pillow and stared up at the ceiling. While she monitored the situation between Alek and Ava, she decided it was time to give The White Queen a little assurance.

I know you're busy pretending to ignore me, but why don't you break radio silence for just a moment? I promise it'll be worth it. You CANNOT POSSIBLY have missed what I've been up to for the last few hours. I just have a quick question for you. Do YOU want to send the footage to Cameron and Zachary, or can I? I'd rather crush their little hearts PERSONALLY.... but I thought I'd extend you the courtesy. I remember how much you enjoyed blowing the lid off my affair with Nicolas. I'm sure it'll sting if YOU deliver it... but imagine how much MORE it'll burn if *I* hit them in the nuts with it.....

She thought serenely. If THIS didn't prove to her mother that she was ALL IN, then nothing would.

 

[Malice]

Hellfire Mansion- White Queen & Princess

I can FEEL you kicking around inside my head, mother. What are you looking for? You've been in here all week, SURELY if there was something to find, you'd have uncovered it already.

She lifted her head and looked into the camera that was tucked away behind an air-conditioning vent. Then she let her head drop back onto the pillow and stared up at the ceiling. While she monitored the situation between Alek and Ava, she decided it was time to give The White Queen a little assurance.

I know you're busy pretending to ignore me, but why don't you break radio silence for just a moment? I promise it'll be worth it.

She thought serenely. If THIS didn't prove to her mother that she was ALL IN, then nothing would.

You overestimate your intrigue, Scion. I have psionically MAPPED your mind before. There's nothing I NEED to look for. I'm the WHITE QUEEN, and you may as well GET USED to me being EVER PRESENT. As if you could ESCAPE ME?

You CANNOT POSSIBLY have missed what I've been up to for the last few hours. I just have a quick question for you. Do YOU want to send the footage to Cameron and Zachary, or can I? I'd rather crush their little hearts PERSONALLY.... but I thought I'd extend you the courtesy. I remember how much you enjoyed blowing the lid off my affair with Nicolas. I'm sure it'll sting if YOU deliver it... but imagine how much MORE it'll burn if *I* hit them in the nuts with it.....

:: Well now...::

:: Diana, who was elsewhere in the mansion during this telepathic exchange, was actually paused for a moment::

:: Helena had ordered Ava to attack Simon and Vivica. That was a physical message that was not only being delievered to the Six, but to their allies, the people who secretly thought that Hellfire, that MALICE, wouldn't come after them...if for no other reason than BECAUSE of their associations to the Six.::

:: But THIS PSYCHIC/EMOTIONAL assault would be deeply personal and who BETTER to deliver it to the man who foolishly believed he was PAST Malice, and the other one, who STUPIDLY gave his heart to Malice's DAUGHTER!::

:: A wicked smile forms across Diana's face. The White Princess might be worth keeping ALIVE after all! ::

Quite an IMPROVEMENT in your behavior, Scion. I want it done by midnight tonight.

 

[Rampage]

Aunt D had the inside information on the HC and was relaying it to him when she suddenly paused....then returned to speaking, her face grim.

It would appear your erstwhile teamMATES are not wasting anytime.

:: Dominique broadcasts the fight between Simon, Vivica, Ava, and Rose to Nicolas.::

You were wondering about AVA? Well, she defected from your team as well, and has followed her "sister: into the heart of darkness. When Sharon informed the Birds of Prey of this development, several of the MEN on the time reacted in a rather NAIVE way about it. I trust YOU will not be so FOOLISH regarding the clear and present DANGER?

Were it not for the intervention of Rose, Vivica and Simon would be dead now, and this is just the BEGINNING.

:: She trusted that THIS would crystalize to Nicolas what she had been saying.::

Well fuck. The die was cast now and Nicolas was fresh out of surprise and hurt. He nodded grimly as he digested the reality that they would now be on killing terms, apparently on sight.

Oracle is requesting me to return to the Clocktower. Though I LOATHE that selfish, blustering cow Ashley Oldenburg and couldn't care LESS what happens to her, I cannot, in good conscience, leave Zizi, Sharon, Alycia, Vivica...or even Zach...defenseless against the possible magickal attacks of the Black Queen or the White King.

The Six's ship is SINKING Nicolas. This is beyond your ability to save, and too many of them have wasted too much time. Now it's all but too late.

Now she was back on THAT shit. He silently went upstairs with Isis to her Diamond Suite where Lego Set was waiting to try to be the teacher's pet. It was too late and Nic had to stifle a smirk as he came up empty.

:: Sharon, once again in the full aspect of her Silver Swan persona, arrives, holding/helping a visibly distraught and pained Alycia Barnett through the doors.::

Bright lady, what's happened to ALYCIA?!

:: Dominique urgently asks, as she motions for Richard to CLOSE the double doors to her suite in order to maintain privacy, but almost AS SOON as he shut the doors....::

Is she OK?

No, she wasn't. Cam fucked Haleigh on the way out and Alycia was BROKEN. And then he had to hear about THAT shit again.

YOU did the same thing...and the two of you left Morgan devastated. You've only JUST recovered your relationship with HER behind all of that. I TRUST that you have LEARNED from your folly. CLEARLY Haleigh Davidoff never did, NOR does she have any sense of decency or RESPECT for anyone else's relationship. And CAMERON!? CLEARLY I misjudged HIM.

Sharon: He has no remorse for what he did to Alycia. NEITHER of them do. When I confronted him just now, he'd told Alycia, and then me, that he didn't regret it. That he loved Haleigh, no matter how TERRIBLE a thing she'd done.

Rich got the door and in comes Delilah. PLEASE DO NOT BRING HER INTO THE GUYS FUCKING HALEIGH CONVERSATION!!! Thank God it dropped because just fuck that right now.

Lay her down, Sharon. Let her....let her be. She's SAFE here with you and I. If Cameron tries to enter....my magicks will BAR him. We'll leave for the clocktower shortly.

CLEARLY it was a mistake to come here to try to check on these people. We came here to offer our support and help...it put us at ODDS with some people on the Birds of Prey...and it appears we WASTED our time.

Nicolas...this is just intolerable. Even in the DARKEST MOMENTS, your teammates just CAN'T STOP hurting each other...and OTHERS around them! You haven't been a real team since the Blue Moon, and apparently it doesn't matter HOW BAD things get...it doesn't matter that NOW it's spilling out and effecting other people and that it's no longer a risk...it's a LIABILITY and a DANGER.

:: She shakes her head and looks Nicolas right in the eyes::

I INSIST that you leave with me IMMEDIATELY.

Your personal safety is of PRIORITY to ME. I WILL NOT allow you to be SWALLOWED by the malestrom that is this team's dysfunction. The moment I found you in the state that you were in....and the fact that NO ONE ELSE in this building had bothered to check on you!? THAT IS ENOUGH.

Nicolas sighed. The logic was not terrible, but it was incomplete.

Look Aunt D, you are right. I was not in a great place when you found me today and that is a situation we remedied and now stand to safeguard against going forward. But I cannot leave Delilah or Morgan...Mike...Blaze, Ma, even Cam when he has messed up. Now is not a time to run off. I promise to be open to evaluating things over time and I will stay checked in more often, but I have responsibilities here. If things are messed up here, I must take responsibility to make them better, and I cannot do it from the Clocktower.

C'mon Auntie. we don't try to do what's right because it is easy or safe. I love Morgan and if I go somewhere, it will be TO her, not away from her when she or our family could need me. I will do better. And while that does not please you right now, it has to be sufficient. I will make sure that it is. OK?

It would not be what she wanted to hear, but his courage in the face of danger when Dominique was urging discretion would remind her of her sister, who bravely gave her life for him rather than give him up as Isis had suggested.

 

[Matrix]

So, this was a mess. Turns out Haleigh had fucked Cameron. I couldn't blame him, I was about to try to hit that MYSELF with her thick ass and those lips. I DIDN'T HAVE NO GIRLFRIEND ISSUES. Hell, Enchantrah showed me the porn Haleigh made with Nicolas. BOSS.

Set-boy had to live the porn down again and I let Delilah, Morgan's homegirl, in to get the rest of it. But she looked tired as hell.

Then Miss D hit him with it: Nic would be coming back with them, which actually sucked. But he wanted to stick by his girl and her family.

But I cannot leave Delilah or Morgan...Mike...Blaze, Ma, even Cam when he has messed up.

Blaze...that is Morgan's little sister. Loud as hell. Sexy. Into girls? Either way, I had to respect the speech. Nic IS a long-winded Obama-ass speaker. Now to see if it worked. I gave him 40/60 odds...

 

[Orion]

The Clocktower

Zizi: I can’t imagine Rose holding you to such a…personal choice. She just seemed…unreasonably angry.

"Well I can't 'feel' anything from the video, but... [he studies a few frames of her expression and demeanor] Yes, I'd agree, she looks more upset than I'd expect, considering the subject in question."

Zizi: Would you take it back if you could?

Zach looked from the screen to Zizi. She emanated, as always, a sense of compassion. Still, he hadn't expected her to ask that question.

"No, why, because there's some people around here that think it's their business to condone or condemn my choice of sexual partners? They're all allowed to have their opinions, just like I'm allowed to disregard those opinions when they are inessential."

It could have been harshly delivered, defensive. But his tone was matter-of-fact, and calm. He gave a small smile just to make it clear he wasn't giving her a spiteful response.

"Look, Ziz.... I consider her a friend, I wouldn't try to hurt her or take advantage of her. But that being said, she is SUBLIME. Not only would I make the same choice if I got a do-over, but I'd go in there right now and do.... whatever it took to cheer her back up again. However.... let's be honest, she wouldn't let me help her like that, she'd pretend she was fine. And we both know she got what she wanted from me -- and that's okay too."

He replied gently, and then suddenly, Vivica rounded the corner, with Simon and Steele in tow.

Vivica: Well...my day sucked! How about you guys?!

"Yeah.... after the cookies, it kind of all went downhill."

He said, trying to lighten the mood. It wasn't an entirely true statement. His meeting with Ava had been bittersweet, but he wasn't exactly going to volunteer the play by play. If any of them found out he'd just slept Ava, right before she ATTACKED them? All hell would break loose.

Zach glanced at Simon. Zach could tell Simon's emotions were in severe turmoil right now. They'd kind of rubbed each other the wrong way after the bus incident, but Zach held no ill will. He gave the guy a nod, but waited for Simon to set the tone.

 

[Prophet]

The Parthenon - Top Floor

"I thought they would never LEAVE!"

:: It wasn't what he wanted to say. He hadn't planned on going there with either of them. But they were treating him as if who he had proven himself to be to them over the years didn't exist. Cameron had already experienced that with Morgan upon her arrival and he was done listening to the righteous indignation of those who had made many of their own morally ambiguous choices over the years. Neither of them were perfect. Their anger may have been justified, but he didn't deserve what they had said and he wasn't going to apologize for how he felt about Haleigh any more from this point forward. They all walked in darkness and Haleigh was just a part of his. It was time for them to move on from whatever feelings they had about it, because it was the LAST TIME he would defend his deeper feelings about her. ::

:: He was so lost in reflection that he had nearly forgotten that Cassandra was even still in the room until she spoke. ::

Ruby: "Cameron...what just happened? What unfolded here? That can NOT happen again. I was TERRIFIED for the BOTH of you."

"You should be terrified, Ruby. Because this is just the tip of the iceberg of all the horrible shit that is about come down on us."

Cassandra: "Our..our FAMILY has been broken and fractured, and I don't even know how to fix it.."

:: Prophet's gaze softened for a moment as Cassandra spoke. They had just gotten her to come around to them and then something like this happened. He had promised her that her family was with The Six and that they would be there to protect and support her. Despite her long lived life, she was an incredible naive and sweet woman. A reminder that one can experience great tragedy and still retain a bit of their innocence. He put his hand on her shoulder. ::

"Cassandra...we bend, we sprain, we fall, we hit the ground hard...but The Six? We DON'T break. Not completely. That's what makes us different from the other guys."

Cassandra: "Haleigh is NOT our Haleigh. Not anymore. She..apparently goes by the name of SCION now. But this isn't about her, or you, or even what you two have done. It's not my business."

:: He almost laughed. Somebody in The Six able to understand that not everything required the vocalization of their opinion?! It was a novel concept indeed. ::

"Thank You for that."

Cassandra: "What IS my business is that the truce between us and Malice and Company has been broken. They WILL be coming after us with guns a-blazing. They WON'T hold back any punches, and right now, at this moment? We have NO means to defend ourselves. We are too broken."

:: It was a sad moment, to see her actually realize what was happening in this team. A bitter realization sinking in. ::

Cassandra: "And that's where the others come in. At least, that's how I see it. Cameron...part of YOUR family, yes, I said OUR family, including Zachary Armani and Vivica Lennox, are a part of the Birds of Prey. My concern right now is that because of the broken truce, they are now in danger. It isn't just 'us' anymore."

:: She became more emotional until Cameron could see the tears run down her cheeks. She through her arms around him and embraced him in a hug, and he hugged her back. This had been one of the more positive interactions he had experienced in a few days. Morgan and Cameron had made a pact to have each other's backs and to lead this team where they needed to go. Cassandra might not have known it right now, but she would play a big part of that. He hugged her strongly for a few moments, before gripping her by the shoulders. They both sat down in the hall, their backs against the walls. ::

Cassandra: "We can't afford to lose our ties with them. We NEED them."

"Cass.."

"We do need them, you're right..but"

[he spoke evenly, though he gave a bit more emotion to her than he had given either Alycia and Sharon just a few moments earlier]

"Something that you have to understand about being a member of The Six..is that we don't hold membership drives. We've never made people be a part of all of this. We SHOULD have told them about the truce the night we found out..we failed them on that account...but all of them? At some point they made the CHOICE to join league with us, to be a part of our world..and they all KNEW the danger that came along with it. Every single one of them...they had an out. For ALL of us...there has been an opening, a time that we could make a CLEAN break and leave. Never look back."

"We who stand as members of The Six..we feel a LOT of guilt..all the time for the things that happened to them under our watch, or because of their association with us. Personally? I can deal with it. I've gone to great lengths to try and make up for all this collective guilt we've felt over the years. We pulled them closer because what other choice did we have? They weren't seeming to go anywhere and we felt that they would be safer with us. Whether or not that was the right decision, well that doesn't just fall squarely on members of The Six."

"That truce..it could have been broken at any second by any side. I was never a part of that decision..and I was forced to work alongside a woman who took everything from me. I had another sister, you know, Cass. Erika..."

:: His mind wandered for a moment before he quickly forced it back into reality. Some thing were better left not thought about. ::

"She was a bit like you. Good hearted. She worked so hard to try and get Alison and I together. Helped us destroy our mother when she came back to kill us. Malice warped her mind, used her against me..used my sister to kill me. And then The Six had to kill her. This of course was after she had had driven my mother to the brink of insanity years before. She vexes me at every turn, she thinks I'm her alpha prey..but I didn't break that truce. Because I knew it helped to protect THEM. So much of the way that we operate now has been because what has happened to THEM. Often times to the point that we forego what WE want, we hide our OWN feelings..because we will forever be punished for thinking that we could have a life...or happiness..or relationships that weren't a part of the eternal and DEEP family war that's been waging since we were all BORN.."

:: Cameron looked out through the window at the night sky, his shoulder touching Cassandra's. ::

"I don't think they realized that the second they joined league with The Birds of Prey..they weren't a PART of that truce anymore. The truce was between The Sisterhood and The Six. Not between The Sisterhood and every person that The Six has ever encountered and taking a liking to. All those people...Steel? Valkyrie? Oracle. They've been fair game since the team's incarnation. They didn't WANT to be members of The Six any longer..so they weren't Cass. That means that they might NOT get all the information. Because we ARE two separate arms...as many of their members have enjoyed pointing out from time to time."

"We owed them an explanation, but for them to be so indignant? When they've picked up their own swords and knowingly joined in on this war? Well..things happen. House of cards fall all the time, and often time, in these kinds of wars, you don't have much time to figure things out. They deserved to know...but we deserved to mourn. We deserved a moment after what happened. Their suffering might continue to happen because of us, but we are always going to be the ones to end it as well."

:: He sighed ::

"So if they hate me right now...hate US for not telling them, so be it. There will come a point where we have no choice but to work together and we will. But...all of this change has made me realize a few things. I've more than paid my membership dues to this team. I have put in the work, and I have done what needs to be done...and I'm going to continue to do so...and I'm not going to feel bad about it anymore..and I'm not going to let ANYBODY make me feel anything LESS than that. I can't afford to anymore. Those kind of emotions because weakness to be preyed upon, and I'm done being prey, Cass.."

:: Cameron squeezed her hand and shot a sincere and serious look at her. ::

"I promise that they will come around. They've simply just found out about this. It's going to take some time. But I promise. And outside of all this...Cassandra, I need you to know, that I'm not going anywhere. I'm here for you if you need it. Just like when that crazy nun attacked and tried to kill us. And I need you. I need you to help keep Blaze here, get her to come around to things. I need you to be the oil can around here..."

:: He hugged Cassandra. ::

"And it's obvious that my delivery needs a lot of work."

:: The two laughed. ::

"CAMERON MICHAEL KING! YOU LITTLE BITCH! WHERE ARE YOU!?!!"

:: He instantly recognized the voice of Vivica Lennox BARRELLING down the hall. Cameron squeezed Cass's hand. ::

"You better get out of here. Looks like my beatings aren't done for the evening."

 

[Recall]

The Parthenon - Top Floor

:: Vivica was FUMING as she stood in the elevator, zooming up the floors that would lead to Cameron's floor. Her mind kept replaying what had happened to her and Simon tonight. She was so mad. So angry at him for a number of reasons, and mostly she was mad because she knew that this anger would probably be lost on him. He didn't care enough to give her a phone call, why would he care about her feelings. By the time the elevator dinged...Vivica was a new beast altogetther. ::

"CAMERON MICHAEL KING!"

:: She appeared in the archway of the hall, her face enshrouded in shadows as she KICKED off her heels, charged forth and smacked Cameron RIGHT in the face with ALL of her strength as he stumbled backwards and fell to the floor. Vivica looked Cassandra with a very twisted smile. ::

"Oh hey Cassandra! Good to see you girl!"

[looking at Cameron]

"Get the fuck up, King! You've got some goddamn explaining to do."

"I don't know how your brain operates. Lord knows I've tried over the DECADES we've had together to try and figure it out, but I can't. So why don't you explain to me..in the most succint way possible, how two members of your team could defect to The Hellfire Club and you couldn't find the time or the fucking COURTESY to let a bitch know?"

:: Shaking her head, she SILENCED Cameron with a simple look. ::

"No. Actually you know what?! SHUT UP AND LISTEN!"

:: Vivica GRABBED him up by the collar of his shirt and propped him up on his feet. ::

"I have spent the night dodging a HIT ON MY LIFE taken out by the Hellfire Club and carried out by it's new Red Rook. That's right, the literal piece of walking human garbage that is Ava Cassadine! That's right! The bitch came after myself and Simon, and because you were too caught in your stupid little man feelings over Haleigh Davidoff. I found myself unprepared and almost MURDERED!"

:: FLAILING her hands. ::

"HOW COULD YOU NOT HAVE TOLD ME, CAMERON!? How could you not have think that this might have been important for me to know! I helped raise you. I have been by your side for damn near two decades, and you couldn't see outside of yourself long enough to give me at the very least a goddamn text message alerting me to the fact that my life was in danger!?"

:: She poked him in the chest repeatedly. ::

"Fuck The Six. Fuck The Birds of Prey. We're FAMILY, Cameron. I am your FAMILY. And when you found out...the only place your mind went..as ALWAYS, was to yourself, and what the implications of this meant for YOU."

:: Cameron looked as if he was about to speak, but VIVICA was NOT having it. Not anymore. ::

"Spare me the details. I can TELL you how this went down! Haleigh delivers the bombshell. Everybody freaks the fuck out. YOU probably went all emotionally numb and weird. You kept it all in..most likely did something STUPID right afterwards and then detonated, because god forbid something bad happens and you actually keep your shit together."

:: Her tone was a bit more somber now. ::

"I could have died tonight, Cameron. And what would you have done then? Oh I know..you would take yet another opportunity to prove to the world just how HARD you have it and prove WHY they should continue to love you and forgive your flaws. I would have been some kind of SOAP BOX for you to get EVEN CLOSER to them, and you wouldn't have given me another THOUGHT! Well, unless it was to use the PAIN of my death to GET you something."

:: Angry once again! ::

"I have tried for so long to try and be understanding with you. To try and meet you where you were, because I felt BAD at the things that you went through. But I WENT THROUGH THINGS TOO, CAMERON. I nearly died. I was alive for four years...and the ONLY time you reached out to me was...TADA!!!!! When you found yourself alive and well and feeling butt hurt about Haleigh. And even then, I led you back to them. I held your hand and listened as you didn't so much as even THINK to ASK about what my life had been. I knew then..that you...were a USER...that you really...just moved on from everything that I had given you..but I ignored it. Tried to tell myself that I was just being sensitive, that what you must have gone through in The Six was far worse than whatever I had experienced...but I was RIGHT."

"You can talk and dazzle people all you want, Cameron. Get them on your side, make them feel like they can trust you, that you care about them. But you don't CARE. You do it so that YOU can feel like a good person. So that YOU can do whatever you want. Because there is always going to be somebody that identifies with your pain, always somebody that is going to be BAMBOOZLED by the CON MAN that you are."

:: She PUNCHED his arm. ::

"You had every opportunity to tell me, Cameron. And I was NOWHERE in your mind. And SPARE me the monologue I'm sure you have prepared about how losing Haleigh was so hard and how you just needed to grieve and get your mind together. You never HAD Haleigh. She was engaged to Zach. She's BEEN with ZACH. For ALL of these YEARS! You two only WANT each other because everybody tells you that you shouldn't..that you CANT be with each other."

"Clandestine Intelligence houses the server that interacts with the chip in my brain, Cameron. Haleigh runs Clandestine. At any possible second, she could be forced to use what I know...the information that resides in my brain, that I have on ALL of you. Things that the world DOESN'T know..that NOBODY knows. Haleigh's betrayal has signed my DEATH CERTIFICATE. And here you still are...sitting pretty at The Parthenon, able to have your time to grieve while I've been fighting for my life."

:: Vivica was done. Done with this place and DONE with him. ::

"The rest of them? I don't care that they didn't say anything. I expect it from them. But YOU? I expected better than you, but I don't know why. All of this WORD VOMIT has made something clear to me that I guess I've been ignoring for a long time.."

:: She began to back away from him. ::

"You are no friend to me, Cameron. No family. I don't know when it happened? But somewhere along the way..by your hand. We became strangers."

"No. DON'T touch me. Don't MOVE. Don't say ANYTHING. Don't make this anything OTHER than what it is.and what it is..."

"Is me saying goodbye to you. Whatever part of me you might have had is no longer there. For all intents and purposes, we're divorced. And if the people in this building continue to be as much as a MISERABLE fuck up as you have been? They'll be strangers too and I will see to it that The SIX will be out of OPTIONS...and allies."

:: It had needed to be said. Vivica spun on her heels, turned around making eye contact with Cass as she strutted down the hall as if it were a runway, as if she were Angela Bassett in Waiting to Exhale. Just before she left, she turned to face him one last time. ::

"Get some sleep and stop drinking. You look TERRIBLE."

:: Dissappearing into the elevator, she made her way to the ground floor, where she would soon run into Dominique, Sharon, Alycia and Richard...and BOY did she have a lot to say. ::

 

[Berserker]

The Hellfire Mansion – Red Rook’s Quarters

"You won't. I had my moment, now it's gone. No one will make me feel that way again."

“Good.”

His hand was still holding her chin. He leaned in close, resting his forehead against hers. He held there, like that, for a long moment, as if deliberating what to do. He closed his eyes and breathed out. And then he kissed her, slow and gentle.

Pulling away, he looked at her silently, before stepping backwards and turning to go.

“Make sure you get that bath.”

He went into the hall and closed the door behind him.

A short time later he was returning from the kitchens, carrying two trays. He set one down in front of Ava’s door, then knocked twice before slipping back into his own room with the other tray.

Haleigh was no longer asleep, so he set the tray with two massive plates of food down on the bed.

“Hungry?”

He grabbed a burger off of one and took a bear-sized bit of it as he walked into the bathroom and turned on the water.

“I feel like a bath.”

 

[Oracle]

The Clocktower

"No, why, because there's some people around here that think it's their business to condone or condemn my choice of sexual partners? They're all allowed to have their opinions, just like I'm allowed to disregard those opinions when they are inessential."

Zizi put her lips together, and nodded.

“Good.”

"Look, Ziz.... I consider her a friend, I wouldn't try to hurt her or take advantage of her. But that being said, she is SUBLIME. Not only would I make the same choice if I got a do-over, but I'd go in there right now and do.... whatever it took to cheer her back up again. However.... let's be honest, she wouldn't let me help her like that, she'd pretend she was fine. And we both know she got what she wanted from me -- and that's okay too."

She sighed.

“Ashley doesn’t know what she wants. Or rather, she doesn’t really want what she thinks she does.”

She shook her head.

“But no one can tell her that, she’s going to have to figure it out for herself. Doesn’t make it easy to watch, though.”

Before they could continue their conversation, Vivica, John and Simon arrived.

"Well...my day sucked! How about you guys?!"

Zizi couldn’t have been happier to see someone if Santa Claus had been standing in her apartment.

“Thank god you’re alright! And finally here.”

She reached out for her customary hug.

“I’m so glad you’re safe.”

"I brought Simon with me. I know this place is lowsy with houseguests, but we need to keep an eye on him."

“Simon! Welcome, how are you feeling? [to Vivica] He can have one of my guest rooms in the floor below. He looks like he could use some rest. It’ll be safe there, top notch security systems, I promise.”

"I'm going to The Parthenon to get Sharon, Alycia and Dominique...and speak to Cameron. It's not far away, and The Hellfire Club isn't going to bomb The Parthenon…as satisfying as that would be right now. I'll be fine, I promise. And when I get there, I'll have two amazons and the avatar for Isis by my side. I'll be good. I promise, and I'll live stream the whole way. Be back in a few."

“Viv, I don’t think-“

But she was gone. She gave Steel a look that said, “Watch her” and he slipped out after her.

She helped get Simon settled downstairs, and then she and Zach could only monitor their friends while they waited for them to return – and hope they all returned safely.

 

[Persephone]

Alek: "Good."

He kept his hand on her chin and leaned in before putting his forehead against hers. Ava became tense, her eyes lowering before finally closing. She let out a slow easy breath, finally allowing herself to relax. She didn't know what was going on, but for once, she felt a moment of peace and normalcy. And she allowed it. She felt his face move and his hand slid down her jaw before slowly pressing his lips against hers. He deepened the kiss gently, just enough, before pulling away.

Alek: "Make sure you get that bath."

Ava's eyes remained close for a moment longer, feeling him move past her toward the door. She grabbed his forearm, stopping him mid stride. Turning her head, she finally looked at him.

"Thank you."

She loosened her grip from his forearm, as it slid down to his wrist, then his hands, before leaving his finger tips as he departed her room. Hearing the door click shut, Ava heavily sighed out raking her fingers through her hair and feeling the dirt pulling at the strands. She really did need to clean up. Slowly she began to make her way into her bathroom, stripping off her clothes as she went. Turning on the faucet to the tub, she began to draw herself a hot bubble bath.

 

[Black Widow]

Hellfire Club -- Red Knight's Quarters

Malice: You overestimate your intrigue, Scion. I have psionically MAPPED your mind before. There's nothing I NEED to look for.

Haleigh accepted that as truth.

And yet, you continue to be intrigued. You still don't trust me? Do you think that I'm so stupid as to believe a scheme would accomplish anything other than getting me killed?

Malice: I'm the WHITE QUEEN, and you may as well GET USED to me being EVER PRESENT. As if you could ESCAPE ME?

Haleigh scoffed.

As if I even WANTED to. I'm not a prisoner of war. I have forsaken my former allies, my misguided heroism, and my useless 'values'. I surrendered myself to you, and embraced Hellfire. How much longer will we waste time on HAZING? I can HELP YOU hurt them. I can be your weapon against every one of them. That's what you wanted me for in the first place, isn't it?

Malice: Quite an IMPROVEMENT in your behavior, Scion. I want it done by midnight tonight.

It worked, it seemed. She wasn't going to wait until midnight. She tapped into the server that housed the Hellfire footage, and easily located the different cameras that were planted in the Red Knight's suite. It was going to take some mild editing. She wanted to withhold certain information, like Ashley's involvement, for example. She had plans for Valkyrie and could wait for an opportune moment.

She cut it together with strategy, starting from the moment the Red Knight backhanded her, to the completion of the first round. She removed the sound from the footage, and made sure that there were no shots in which their lips could be read. Then she texted the finished product to Cameron, with a follow-up message. 'I hope you're having as much fun as I am.' And a big, grinning emoji. She could hear her mother's laughter in her mind again. Next up was Zach. He got the same video, the same message.

Alek came back in, and Haleigh propped herself up on her elbows, then sat up all the way when she saw he had gotten food after all.

Good boy..... who deserves a treat!

She thought, with a big smile and a nod as he asked if she was hungry.

"Famished, thank you."

She removed the onions, then started wolfing down a giant burger. He went into the bathroom for a minute, and turned on a faucet before declaring that he wanted a bath.

Is he going to put bubbles in it? Or light some fucking candles and incense?

"Yeah.... in my opinion, taking baths falls into the same category as strolling on the beach. I'm only interested in participating if there's going to be sex involved."

She said, then ate a few fries before returning to her burger.

 

[Berserker]

The Hellfire Mansion - Red Knight's Quarters

"Famished, thank you."

He noticed as he was going into the bathroom that she removed the onions from her burger. How thoughtful.

He tested the temperature of the water coming out of the tap into the large soaking tub, then slipped out of his hastily put on clothes. His mind drifted. He wondered if Ava had taken his suggestion, if she was at this very moment down the hall…the water glistening off her naked-

"Yeah.... in my opinion, taking baths falls into the same category as strolling on the beach. I'm only interested in participating if there's going to be sex involved."

He snapped himself out of it.

Walking naked back into the bedroom, he stood in front of Haleigh, showing her that, indeed, Berserker Junior was ready to go. He raised his eyebrows, smirking.

“Have you met me?”

He reached out his hand, expectantly.

“Though the idea of that gore in your hair turning it a permanent shade of red has its appeals.”

 

[MorningStar]

The Parthenon - Dominique’s Suite

Rich let Delilah into the suite, telling her unceremoniously that Ava had attacked Vivica. AND there was video.

Delilah couldn’t believe it. What the hell was Ava doing? Had she run off and followed her sister on this insane plan? Apparently so.

She followed Rich deeper into the suite where she saw a very upset Alycia, a visibly angry Sharon, and an agitated Dominique.

“Rich told me…is something ELSE going on?”

Cameron King SLEPT with Haleigh the night she betrayed the Six, and when Alycia, whom he was SUPPOSED to be in a relationship with, went to check on him just now, he greeted her with that confession.

Oh SHIT.

Luckily there was a seat nearby as Delilah’s legs went out from under her and she sank into the chair.

I TOLD him. I TOLD him to make his decision and TELL her before something happened. WHY didn’t he listen?!!

She looked over at her friend sympathetically.

“Alycia, I’m so sorry…”

WHAT IS IT about that woman!? WHAT IS IT about her that compels all the men on BOTH of these teams to behave like reckless reptiles, driven by the BASEST of instincts!? They can't even THINK of anyone else but themselves and their carnal urges!

Delilah sighed.

They know what she's done. They know what she's capable of. They don't care. They LOVE her. That's what CAMERON said. He LOVES her...and he's NOT sorry for what he did.

“We DO love her Sharon – she’s our teammate. How could we not? And Cameron does love her. I’m sorry, but he does. Maybe it’s better now…that he’s stopped pretending he doesn’t. It wasn’t fair to Alycia, for that to go on, even if nothing had happened.”

She shook her head.

“But his timing could have been better.”

He has no remorse for what he did to Alycia. NEITHER of them do. When I confronted him just now, he'd told Alycia, and then me, that he didn't regret it. That he loved Haleigh, even though she was Malice's daughter, even though she was betraying everyone to GO to Malice. He has NO remorse.

“Haleigh didn’t leave the Six to betray us. She did it to PROTECT us. Haleigh broke the truce: she sought Malice out and attacked her. Malice KILLED her and stuck her mind back in some clone body. Haleigh – stupidly, I agree – thinks that by giving Malice what she wants, namely HER, that Malice will leave the Six alone. Or at least that it will buy us some time. Ava must have…followed Haleigh to protect HER. We didn’t know about Ava. At least I didn’t.”

Delilah put her head in her hands. What the hell were they going to do now?

She looked up with frustration.

“What the hell are they DOING? Why are they doing this? How can this be better?”

You haven't been a real team since the Blue Moon, and apparently it doesn't matter HOW BAD things get...it doesn't matter that NOW it's spilling out and effecting other people and that it's no longer a risk...it's a LIABILITY and a DANGER. I INSIST that you leave with me IMMEDIATELY.

“Dominique…”

Look Aunt D, you are right. I was not in a great place when you found me today and that is a situation we remedied and now stand to safeguard against going forward. But I cannot leave Delilah or Morgan...Mike...Blaze, Ma, even Cam when he has messed up. Now is not a time to run off. I promise to be open to evaluating things over time and I will stay checked in more often, but I have responsibilities here. If things are messed up here, I must take responsibility to make them better, and I cannot do it from the Clocktower.

C'mon Auntie. we don't try to do what's right because it is easy or safe. I love Morgan and if I go somewhere, it will be TO her, not away from her when she or our family could need me. I will do better. And while that does not please you right now, it has to be sufficient. I will make sure that it is. OK?

Delilah went to stand at Nicolas’ side and put a hand on his shoulder.

“Dominique, you’re right, we haven’t been a team in a long time. And some of that is my fault. But I’m here now, and things WILL be made right with us. Nicolas is one of us and – I’m sorry – but you can’t just summon him home like a naughty child when things get tough. He needs to be here. We need him here.”

 

[Arsenal]

Vivica receives a text from Mike.

No idea he did not tell you. The rest I have been busy working on personally. Details when I can meet you and Zizi. And stop hitching your shoulder to throw a cross. I can see it a mile away.

 

[Orion]

The Clocktower

As quickly as Vivica had dragged everybody in, she rushed back out. Zizi wisely sent Steele to follow, because they'd already learned that Andrew's buddy system idea was paramount to their survival. Zach wondered if the Hellfire Queens were going to make Haleigh attack next, and who the target might be.

Zizi took Simon to a guest room where he could rest, and Zach watched the replay of Ava's attack for some kind of sign or clue. If it was there, he never spotted it, even when he slowed the motion down. As Zizi rolled back in the room, Zach felt a buzz in his pocket. It was from Haleigh, some video clip, and a text. He angled the phone toward Zizi.

"Hey, Haleigh got a message out. There's a video, can you put it up on a normal sized screen?"

He asked, passing her the phone. He stood behind her as she worked, his mind racing as he tried to decipher what she meant. The video came up on screen and Zach took a slow breath. The freeze frame beginning showed Haleigh faced with Berserker. Zach shared a look with Zizi and nodded as if to say 'go ahead'.

Immediately the bastard backhanded Haleigh, catching her off guard and twisting her into a bear hug. There was no sound to the video, unfortunately. Camera angles changed regularly. He could see cold aggression on Haleigh's face.

"Oh, she's going to MURDER him."

He said, as he watched Berserker throw her to the ground. But then he remembered what Sharon had said about the Red Knight in her briefing. Still.... he's seen Haleigh's strength, and how savage she could be when her life depended on it. He had no doubt she could rip a BEAR to pieces. She applied an arm bar that could have separated the limb from Berserker's body completely, and Zach almost cheered, but then the fight turned. The Red Knight must be strong indeed, and it was clear he wasn't holding back. Something didn't quite seem right though.... was Haleigh...... TAKING the beating? Was this some kind of punishment she was enduring? Zach grit his teeth as he watched Berserker pin her down. He clenched his shaking hands into fists. He could feel his anger rising. Obviously Haleigh's text message had been sarcasm. He tried to figure out why she'd sent THIS video. To give them intel on Berserker?

"Get UP Haleigh."

He growled, as if she could hear him, as if this were even happening in real time. It was hard to watch her absorb hit after hit, even though he KNEW she'd fought the Silver Swan and survived, seeing this violence against her was poignant. She had already sustained some damage. There was blood running down one side of her face, and it looked like she'd busted her knuckles and cut her elbows. She pushed herself off the floor slowly and then snapped some elbows back at her attacker. Zach hoped she'd knock his fucking head off, but it appeared the asshole could take a good hit himself. She managed to break his hold on her hair, then delivered the most beautiful stomp kick Zach had ever seen.

She mounted her downed opponent, and Zach expected to see some good old fashioned ground and pound. Instead, Haleigh pinned the man's wrists. There was a pause in which insults must have been traded. Zach imagined she was giving her victim a chance to speak his last words. Then that son of a bitch got a hand free and grabbed Haleigh's ass, and the fight didn't look so much like a fight. For a second, Zach had the glimmering mirage of hope that Haleigh was going along with it to get Berserker to drop his guard. But just when it looked like she was going to rip his throat out, she released him, and Zach stared at the screen with a gaping expression, unable to look away, as if he was seeing a train come off the tracks and explode.

 

[Oracle]

The Clocktower

"Hey, Haleigh got a message out. There's a video, can you put it up on a normal sized screen?"

“Does Jupiter have 67 moons?”

A few keystrokes and Zach’s video was queued up projecting in the center of the room.

“My jumbotron is at your command.”

Zizi smiled proudly up at Zach, her eyebrows raised waiting for his go-ahead. He nodded, and Zizi pressed the control pad, starting the video.

It started with Haleigh being hit in the face, hard. Zizi audibly gasped, in spite of herself. She studied the feed.

“That’s the Hellfire Mansion.”

Her face fell into a sad expression.

“What are they doing to her in that awful place?”

But Zach didn’t seem worried about her, at least not about THIS fight.

"Oh, she's going to MURDER him."

When the camera angle changed they got a good look at Haleigh's assailant.

“Berserker.”

She whispered it, and her eyes darted to the closed bedroom door. They continued to watch the two fight. It was brutal, savage even. Black Widow’s hand to hand combat skills were second to none, but why wasn’t she using any of her OTHER abilities against her opponent. It was like they were…

“Sparring.”

But they didn’t seem to care if they hurt the other person. And then…

“Oh my…”

They were NOT trying to kill each other. They were NOT simply sparring. This was..

She gulped.

Foreplay.

It was at this moment that Andrew, who had been napping on the couch in Zizi’s living room and dead to the world, walked in on his way to the fridge. He stopped, speechless for a long beat.

Andrew: “Are you guys watching porn?”

Zizi hurriedly cut the feed.

“She’s being mind controlled by Malice. That’s the only explanation, Zach.”

What the H-E-double hockeysticks was that girl thinking otherwise?! Who would do something like that, on purpose?! Her heart broke for Zachary. No matter what he had done, he didn’t deserve that.

“Are you okay, Zach? What can I do?”

 

[Orion]

The Clocktower

Andrew: Are you guys watching porn?

Zach was momentarily dazed and a little nauseous. Why had she sent this to him? He didn't want to believe her purpose had been jealous revenge. She'd barely cared about their breakup, a bitter truth that still felt like a wound. So it didn't make much sense to him, as a message. If she HAD wanted to make him jealous, she would have sent him evidence of her and Cameron.

Zizi: She’s being mind controlled by Malice. That’s the only explanation, Zach.

Was that it? Had Malice forced her to send it, and burn her bridges? Had Malice forced her to DO it, through mind control or some kind of leveraged threat? He started to pace again, because his skin was crawling at that thought.

It was bad enough when he thought she was being beaten down. If he'd had to see her lose that fight, through knockout or submission, a little part of him would have died, because it was brutal to watch a hero fall in battle. This was somehow worse, and not because she slept the Red Knight. He had absolutely no right to be upset about her sleeping with other people -- IF that was her CHOICE. The idea that it could have been some kind of psychologically manipulated domination or psionically enslaved rape made Zach's blood run cold.

Of course, this WAS Haleigh, so there existed the possibility that this had been her idea, or that she gave consent voluntarily. Weirdly, he found that concept less disturbing. It was still heartbreaking though, because it meant that she was willing to give the monsters at Hellfire every part of her, mind, body and soul. That was a whole other kind of submission and self-sacrifice.

Zizi: Are you okay, Zach? What can I do?

He was still pacing, and he reached into his pocket to fish out a peppermint. He seemed to have a thousand-yard stare as he popped the candy in his mouth and rolled it around on his tongue. He needed to think, but wasn't entirely sure he WHAT to think.

"I.... I don't know. When I said she'd send a message, I assumed it would be in..... Ones and Zeroes or something and we'd need a decoder ring to figure out where and when to attack. Why would she send this? How could this be her message? Why isn't there any SOUND? Is she trying to tell us she CAN'T communicate directly? Did you see anything staged in the background?"