Cross time caper

[MorningStar]

Delilah stood near Karen, watching for any sign, any clue from the others. Her eyes flicked over the cheering crowd. The sick, twisted, crowd that represented the people of this world. The mob at its best, or rather, its worst. But no sign came.

Rick Riley gave the signal, and she shut her eyes. And then the crowd was suddenly silent. She opened her eyes to see Alison and Ava coming towards Karen, the arena and its spectators true frozen.

“Thank god.”

As Haleigh approaches, Delilah moves to stand near her and Nicolas.

“What took you so long?”

She turned and faced Karen and the alternates, waiting for the explanations to be made. She knew that nothing she could say would have any effect upon Karen except to enrage her - she already thought they were a trick. But they were wasting precious time.

“I know this is unbelievable and all, but time really is a factor here.”

She turned to speak to Haleigh.

“Mike and I should stay behind – Nicolas can read from us what the authorities are doing while you get the others out of here. We’ll have to find a way to meet up once Victoria and Karen are safely out of the country.”

 

[Seer]

danger

<< the coldness in Karen's sapphire blue eyes flashed away as HATRED and DISTRESS replaced them as she beheld Nicolas. It was as if the light of a GUILTY VERDICT had just been cast upon Nicolas.>>

<< even as the alternates Ava and Alison quickly tried to reassure their Karen that this wasnt THEIR Nicolas, the hatred from Karen came to Nicolas like a TRUCK and FORCED him to "see" the last moments of his ALTERNATE'S LIFE.>>


FLASH

<< in the quiet, darkened crystaline lobby of Illustra, a young Victoria sits, happy to play with her little toys as they dance around her while a soft symphony of eldritch chimes plays in the air. she looks so sweet and innocent, seemingly unaware of the tragedy that swirls around her and her extended family.>>

<< as Nicolas comes through the multiple glass door entrance of Illustra, his daughter seems not to immediately respond to him. He can hardly believe that Karen has allowed him a chance to see Victoria.>>

<< as he attempts to communicate with Victoria, she does not answer, she continues to play. after a few moments, he shows signs of annoyance as he attempts to jostle the little girl but finds that she is nothing more than a mystical ILLUSION. at that moment....the lights come on all around the crystaline lobby as Karen steps into view and Nicolas finds himself TRAPPED in a CRYSTAL CAGE>>

Surprise....it was a TRICK.

<< walking forward slowly as the crystal cage absorbed or repelled ALL Nicolas' attemps to escape.>>

the only thing that i KNEW would lure you here. but did you REALLY think I'd let you see my grandchild? you murdering bastard? did you REALLY THINK that you could BUY or TELEPATHICALLY COERCE EVERYONE involved in this NIGHTMARE YOU CAUSED!

<< Nicolas tries to intimidate Karen by lunging at her from within the cage.. Karen stands, in her flying suit, unmoved.>>

you should know by now, King...that the crystal cage is quite unbreakable...even for YOU! and now you'll see what it feels like to be HELD CAPTIVE against your will...the same way you did my little girl.

<< Nicolas goes on to tell Karen that she doesnt understand...he tries several tactics until finally.>>

SHUT UP! Shut your filthy mouth you pathetic piece of TRASH! you killed MY DAUGHTER. she was MY DAUGHTER before she was YOUR WIFE. She had a family...friends.. a LIFE LONG before you showed up and RUINED EVERYTHING....and now...where MAN FAILS..MAGICK WILL SUCCEED! I don't care what happens to me...as long as I know that you're DEAD. You'll NEVER see Victoria again. NEVER and I'll make SURE that you're SUFFERRING echoes in the minds of your ANCESTORS ON THE ASTRAL PLANE!

<< Karen gestures, as golden halos form around her hands and she weaves a pattern of power, BAPTIZING Nicolas in mystic HELLFIRE that burns his clothes away immediately and burns him through his body into his SPIRIT. She continues the symphony of assault as the crystal cage buckles against the strain of the dark magick.>>

it would be fascinating...to test your healing factor..your resilience. I suspect that if my daughter had had a fighting chance...she wouldve killed you herself, but you always DID think there was something AMUSING about getting the drop on her...about seeing her POWERLESS AND DEFENSELESS at your mercy didnt you? From the moment you were BORN and your MOTHER died...you've done nothing but blight EVERY woman's path you came across!

<< she continues to bombard him with hellfire....until finally, the crystal cage SHATTERS (it merely dissipates as Karen kicks away one of the crystals that power it) and Nicolas, now badly burned both in body AND soul is greeted by a bloody, beaten, stabbed , throat slashed body of MORGAN.>>

Nnnnniiiiicoollasssss.....

<< the grotesque and decaying Morgan attemps to reach through her body bag, as her bloody hand drags down the inside of the bag.>>

you........killed me.....i loved.....you....and you killed me......why nicolas......why did you kill me.....

<< Karen uses her magick to bombard Nicolas witht he most horrendous psychologcial assuault she can think of...as Morgan shifts into his adoptive father.>>

I should have given you to Malice....you are as evil...as corrupt as she was. I am ASHAMED to have called you my son....

<< the illusion fades...as Karen is now weaving another pattern of power.>>

May he suffer,
may he SCREAM
Orginallity is the theme.
In my sight no longer dwell
Seal him in the volts of hell!

<< the ground SHAKES as it cracks with a massive, jagged fissure....the elemetal, never ending evil and VIOLENCE of hell itself erupts forth as the spirits and physical manifestation of demons and tortured souls reaches up....grabbing Nicolas from ALL parts of his body, his neck, his HEAD, ripping his skin, burning him and MARKING him with the touch of death and evil....as molten lava blasts forth and envelops him. the demons pull him down...and with a VIOLENT explosion that knocks even Karen off her feet...the spell is complete and Nicolas' fate is sealed.>>

<< the hatred, and rage in the doctor's soul allowed her to plummet to a depth comparable to that of DARKCHILDE as she ignited some of the DARKEST MAGICK her now BLACK HEART could concieve of.>>

it's done.....morgan....it is done. Mommy killed him. he'll never hurt you...or anyone else...agian...

<< and as as the thick smoke, ash and lingering flames rage on...alarms go off and Karen slowly fades into unconsciousness.>>

FLASH

<< MAINSTREAM Nicolas has now seen just how Karen killed his alternate.>>

meanwhile

<< as the makeshift "Team" hurries to the tunnel leading out of the arena, they are greeted by NIMROD, the ULTIMATE in sentinel technology. not gigantic, but composed of an almost "glowing" substance, the super sentinel is uneffected by any conventional weapon that Mike or Delilah could be carrying and is capable of performing an infinite number of strategy sessions and battle macros in the blink of an eye. completely immune to telepathic domination and highly resistance to temporal distortion, the sentinel is the ULTIMATE killing machine. >>

<< as it identifies Karen, Ava and Alison, it deems THEM the primary threats. wanted criminals and extremely dangerous, THEY are to be obliterated without any hestitation. and so he locks on those three, preparing to fire.>>

<< only seconds remain before Alison's temporal freeze around the arena wears off. however, she has a tricks up her sleeve for that moment as well.>>

 

[Rampage]

Nicolas stood still as Alison froze the entire arena. Her power in this timeline had indeed grown, to incredible levels. He stepped forward tentatively as Karen was freed, dreading what he somehow knew woul docme next.

NICOLAS?!!

She called his name in a way he had NEVER heard it before. Not even Ava or Alison on their worst day called up such venom in the saying of his very name. It alone shook him and he steeled himself for what was to come. He could, however, not prepare himself for what happened next.

He got a psychic vision of his alternate's death at Karen's hands. The vividness, the weight of her own recollection hit him as hard a Malice ever had, and as it finally faded, Nicolas was bleeding from the shock. From his eyes, his nose, his mouth, his ears. He dropped to one knee as he absorbed the shock of it all, but then something different happened. He HARDENED, stowing away the psychic energy of the assault, using it to steel him for what he knew had to come next. One hell of a battle to get free of here.

The others would see Nicolas simply...disappear.

Then, NIMROD appeared. The impressive machine scanned for and immediately targeted Alison, Ava, and Karen for death. It raised its hands to fire...

And Nicolas' axe embeds itself it the robot's back, the mutant's hands gripping it tightly as he tore at the back of the machine whirling it around before releasing all of Karen's absorbed hatred in a blast that plows into the sentinel. He turns to the three ladies and speaks to them one last time.

GO!!! Raise her well...

Nicolas keeps up the assault on the robot, trying to force it to devote more time to repairs and evasion rather than attack...

 

[Harbinger]

Alternate Alison

:: Alison gasps as Nimrod bursts into view. she and Ava quickly step between it and Karen.::

:: but then....as the Sentinel prepares to fire upon them, NICOLAS or rather the ALTNERNATE moves into view and releases an attack, a POWERFULL one. he yells at them to go...and in that moment...Alison looks back, the Arena unfreezes.::

we have the chance to escape!! it wasn't...supposed to WORK. we were meant to FAIL...ava and i...i SAW IT!

:: the chaos was beginning as RIley ordered them to be cut down. Alison was about to take her friends and run...but not without giving Haleigh SOMETHING back for what she'd done for them.::

one last spell....to give these alternates a chance to escape themselves....tell your Delilah and Mike to take cover...

:: she looks at Haleigh.::

and thank you....all of you for your help.



:: she thrusts her hand out::

Sower of Discord
Work without cease
I summon you now
Give them no peace!

:: she ignites a spell as a flurry of swirling dark orbs flies around the arena, among the soldiers, staff and audience, causing wide spread confusion, disorientation, blindness and even causing some of the soldiers to TAKE DOWN ONE ANOTHER.::

:: the spell causes Riley's army to be useless, not responding to his frenzied cries for order and action , he's unaware that he himself is now infected with a deadly and fatal virus.::

:: Nicolas provides the trio with the chance to escape and Alison leads Ava and Karen....to do just that.::


:: Alison runs, with Karen behind her and Ava bringing up the rear::


we can't look back ava...we have to keep moving. once we're out of here....we're FREE!

 

[Persephone]

:: Running with Karen, suddenly they came face to face with a nimrod. Quickly moving in front of Karen Ava stood in a defensive stance ready for action...but no action needed to be taken. NICOLAS had attacked the nimrod, unleashed a massive amount of power via his emotions. He looked to the three of them and told them to get out of here...surprised by his selfless actions Ava decided not to question them and just get the hell out of there. But before they left, Alison ignited another SPELL [], allowing the alternetes enough time to escape as well. ::

"Good luck!"

:: Shouting above the chaos, she may have been weary of the alternates in the beginning...but they prooved themselves in this rescue. Quickly taking Karen's hand, Ava ushered her passed Nicolas and the nimrod heading toward a less chaotic corridoor. ::

"We have to hurry! Karen, are you strong enough to create a transportation spell?"

 

[Rampage]

Nicolas continued his assault on the Nimrod. As Alison ignited a discord spell, he almost seemed to...SMILE.

Attagirl...

Nicolas pulled in all of the spare hatred, animosity, and discord, and reched out suddenly...

in the ammunition room half a dozen tons of explosive, energy, regular and heated Sabo rounds disappears before reinforcements can grab it to enter the fray. Nicolas, his face still a bloody mask, grunts as he spins the ammunition above him into a devastating whirlwind which he pushes into the Nimrod. A cacophony of armaments, energies and concussions batter the robot as Nicolas tears into him, stuffing the near-ionized ordnance inside...

 

[Arsenal]

Mike stood tensed as they prepared to ignite Karen on the stake. He reached for his gun subtly, but thankfully a much CLEANER way had been devised to handle the situation as Alison froze every damned thing. he was still impressed with the power these people wielded, but he still drew his pistol as Karen faced Nicolas. He did not want to harm her, but he was not willing to lose THIS Nicolas either. He could tell that Nicolas was absorbing her hate and braced for the backlash that ALWAYS emanated out. It never came, and when Nic disappeared, he feared for the young mutant. As Nimrod appeared, he knew immediately that his guns was of no use at all, and he froze, bracing for the battle when...

Nicolas REALLY let loose on the robot, tearing into him in a way he often held back from. Alison ushered Karen out, casting a final spell as he watched everyone unfreeze and began beating the shit out of each other. He killed three men quickly before remembering his stealth tech, which he used to become nearly invisible. In this state, he picked off any other higher-ranking officials he encountered (Haleigh had already taken care of Riley), hoping to do lasting damage to the militaristic line of succession as he worked his way to the arena floor...

 

[Shadow Weaver]

alternate Karen

<< everything happened so fast. there was no time to process, she had to trust Alison and Ava. they were all she had left and so...as Nicolas pulled in all the animosity and hostility from the psychic memory, Karen just stared at him for a moment, before she was helped down and they began their dash for the exit only to be blocked by NIMROD.>>

<< Karen felt her heart sink. Ava and Alison would not be able to stop it. It had a full knowledge of their abilities, their patterns of behavior and fighting. but they didnt have to worry. NICOLAS stepped forward. It caused Karen's eyes to widen with disbelief!>>

<< they had to go...and NOW. Alison thanked Haleigh and ignited one last spell to provide these alternates the room they needed to escape and with that...the three women ran for their lives, their freedom. Ava asked her if she was strong enough to ignite a transport spell.>>


<< before Karen could answer, the women were momentarily blocked as three more soldiers ambushed them, attempting to fire upon them. Karen is NOT surprised when Harbinger thrusts her hands out and BLOWS THE MEN UP...killing them as suddenly, as VIOLENTLY as they appeared. Karen is hardly the woman she was before and is not above KILLING to protect herself or those she loves.>>

I've got...a spell...

<< she says...a little winded as the women ran through the corridors.>>

just give me a moment to....

<< her mind raced. it was so long that she could even CHANNEL magick, let alone gave place to thinking of spells.>>

Magic Forces heed my call
The Universe to search is not too small
Searching through the darkness of night
Manifest the path of our escape to my sight!

<< the intruder alert sirens were blaring now...and as the women ran...they were now being accosted by psychic hounds. the spell activated and a portal opened in the wall...a golden portal.>>

There's our way out! itll take us back to the mansion!!

<< the psychic hounds were closing in.>>

 

[Persephone]

:: Karen was winded, trying to quickly think of a spell when 3 guards showed up. Alison quickly disposed of them giving Karen enough time to cast a spell creating a portal to the mansion. The golden circular vortex was loud and windy, blowing back the woman's hair as they stood before it. Looking over her shoulder the psychic hounds hand turned the corner and were now in the same corridoor the woman were in. ::

"GO!"

:: Shouting to both Karen and Alison to go into the portal, Ava turned and stepped away from it; her honey brown hair blowing forward nearly masking her face. The hounds started forward as Ava lifted both arms out to her side, palms facing the hounds. With a thunderous clap [think x-men 3] the walls, ceiling, AND floors IMPLODED all at once onto the hounds creating an earthquake-like tremor to shake the entire facility. Rock, steel, dirt, and rubble were all that were left of that corridoor... ::

:: Quickly turning back around, Ava headed back for the portal to join Ava and Karen back at the mansion. ::

 

[MorningStar]

Delilah watched the frozen crowds as she tried to usher the three alternates out of the arena. She looked over her shoulder and saw the looming figure of Nimrod! Nicolas goes berserker on the mass of metal, covering Alison, Ava and Karen’s escape. But it was not to be as easy as that, as the crowd picks that moment to unfreeze.

Some people were screaming, others were running for the exits – the whole place had erupted into chaos. Rick Riley was barking orders, calling for their heads.

Delilah’s eyes narrowed.

“Change of plan.”

Delilah stormed over to where he stood.

“Governor Riley?”

The man – the MONSTER – turned towards her, and as he came to face her, she pulled her right arm back, formed a fist, and DROPPED him. Riley went down like a shot. Delilah stood over him, hatred and contempt written across her face.

“You’ll never destroy another innocent life again. Consider this my resignation.”

And with that, she gave him a swift kick in the balls with her pointy toed shoe, then turned on her heel. The consequences would be life-changing for her alternate, but at that moment, she didn't care. She had cross drawn the two 9mms and was starting to fight her way out of the arena when she received the signal from Haleigh to take cover. She dove to the floor as Alison’s spell hit the spectators and officials, turning them almost comical in their worthlessness. She looked behind her to see Riley uselessly barking orders and trying to get up from the ground. Delilah couldn’t help but smile at the sight, then picked herself up and starting running after Haleigh and Nicolas. She saw Alternate Alison, Ava and Karen make it out.

“Godspeed, ladies…”

 

[Black Widow]

Alison gave the go ahead on Riley.... and Haleigh could see approval in Ava's eyes as well. Haleigh brushed past the trio of alternates, going quickly to Riley as Ava and Alison tried to explain things to Karen. Haleigh closed her hand around his throat for a few moments, not squeezing too tightly, though she wanted to. Delilah asked if she should stay behind...

"No Delilah.... when Riley unfreezes and sees that Karen has escaped, he'll do what every cowardly leader does... he'll BLAME EVERYONE ELSE... INCLUDING YOU. I'm not leaving you here to face that. Once the alternates are in the clear, WE'RE getting the hell out of dodge as well."

She glanced back over her shoulder.... to see Nicolas kneeling and BLEEDING. Haleigh finished with Riley and moved quickly towards Karen.

"What are you DOING to him?! KAREN! YOU'RE HURTING HIM, AND HE DIDNT DO IT!"

She was about to grab Karen and try to break her concentration when Nicolas disappeared.... and chaos broke out. Some kind of new generation Sentinel was upon them.... everything unfroze..... Ava, Alison and Karen broke into a run, trying to escape. Haleigh stood up as high as she could, searching the arena and the crowd.

"NICOLAS?? NICOLAS!"

And then there he was.... attacking the Nimrod. Alison turned to give them a parting gift, and Haleigh told everyone [via their earpieces] to take cover as the spell kicked in and sent the crowd upon themselves. Karen opened a portal and Ava closed in the tunnel behind him.... Haleigh used xray vision to watch them reach the safety of the portal before she began marshalling her own. Delilah sent Riley to the floor with a well placed punch, Mike was taking out the opposition left and right. Haleigh hardly had to do anything.... She took off her jacket, revealing a tank top.... anyone that tried to grab her was instantly knocked out by a wave of unbearable pain shooting through their bodies. Haleigh signalled the others over.

"Nic, leave that hunk of scrap metal ALONE and get over here, Mikey, you too, you've done ENOUGH! Delilah, come on, get us a wormhole OUT of here!"

 

[Seer]

Escape from New York

<< everything was happening so FAST and in such an unbelievable way and in that brief time, the makeshift team saw the fruits of working TOGETHER...it was a reminder for the alternates how strong they were as a TEAM and a lesson to the MAINSTREAMS about how BADLY things could go for the team...>>

<< with Alison's last act of help to the "alternates" as she saw them, the spell indirectly FUELED Nicolas' power in his assault against Nimrod but the super sentinel did not fall completely for long.>>

<< Alternates Alison, Karen and Ava made it through their portal which then closed and though the mainstreams may not have realized it, they had significantly impacted the outcome of events in this timeline...for the BETTER. Haleigh gathered her team together...and as the arena began to meltdown from flames and structural damage, Riley himself was showing signs of physical distress, the first symptoms of what would be a fatal infection, courtesy of Haleigh.>>

<< at the last moment, when more reinforcements arrived, Delilah jaunts everyone away via WORMHOLE and they reappear outside of the mansion of the alternates....but Haleigh and Nicolas can detect no life signs...the house is empty. Everyone, including Sharon and the cats are now gone. The alternates succeeded in finally fleeing the country and as the mainstreams could find small comfort in that...the mansion EXPLODES ..from the foundation to the top of the attic...rocking the entire block and causing some car alarms to go off in the area.>>

<< the mainstreams had already confirmed that alternates Alison, Ava, Karen, along with Victoria, Sharon and Tinkerbell had departed the mansion and so they must have decided to DESTROY all traces as themselves at the mansion.>>

<< at the moment the mansion exploded...the mainstreams were encircled by a STEPPING DISC...a violet one. the time had come for them to MOVE ON, but they would carry the memories and experiences of this timeline with them. It was meant for them to be here...not only to impact, but to LEARN.>>

<< and so we watch, as the search for Alison and Ava continues.>>