Massive RP Story!

[Lauri]

Demoneyes was gone. Whether or not it was just his time to go, Raquel wasn’t sure…

No matter, now. He was with Tisantous, keeping his life strong as long as he could. She could barely believe it, herself, yet she trusted the words of this new Damon, this Demonantous. Don had told her to get her arse to Rompa, and she had done just that. Demonantous related similar warnings as Demoneyes had done the past week and more….


Blackpetal and Don were already in the booth with this new Damon. Raquel stood in awe for a few moments before taking a seat to soak in this strangely new, but familiar presence. They all related what they knew so far.. that was of any use. Damon rambled on about doom, just like his predecessor, warning of a titan, a titan of greed with weapons great, to come. Powerful heads scheming together, making pacts in blood, behind closed doors. … all in the name of Omni-Tek’s destruction? Petal and Don picked apart motives, possibilities, and Damon hinted at Avalon being “where it starts”.

“Within their heartsss, conssumed with greed, upon the innocent they sshall feed, for abosssolute in power they claim, with the fall of Omni, their risse to fame.”

They speculated again, implicating ICC and SOL working together. Raquel’s head swam, was it or was it not ICC and SOL? Somehow, the key, the answer lay in Tisantous… now a branded as a martyr to be. No, it couldn’t be. Why!? He was close to discovering something, she knew… but what, how could she find out.

“Thiss martyr sshall be key to reveal, all that hass been hidden. Hiss death will mark a milesstone. Make ssure you usse it wissely.”

Damon swore that we’d all have to work together on this, that alliances would be made between the unexpecting, and the agent knew what this meant. It meant putting aside any reservations from working with those she’d had second thoughts about. This wasn’t just Raquel’s home, this was all Omni-Tek of Rubi-Ka’s home. Be it criminal, law officer, or… politician. Despite his warning that one of them, Don, Petal, Damon, or herself.. were next to die, she kept her resolve. So much death. So much promised still.

Suddenly, Damon turned to Don, his eyes aglow. With that hissing voice she’d grown so used to, he asked Don if he’d wish to see. Amused, as usual, Don decided to allow it… the nanomage reached for Don’s head, tilting it slightly before quickly latching onto his neck. Raquel looked on, unafraid and calm…

Don could see now, she’d hope…

Damon then suggested that all those given the sight to gather, gather and speak their thoughts, work together. Work together to save their home. Soon, Damon had gone, from where he came… those neverending shadows.

…. To sleep… to dream…

The next morning, Raquel enjoyed the first few moments of darkness… standing there in Rome Red, her comm exploded in static again. Startled, the agent quickly tuned in, knowing in her heart who it was.

“..dromeda..”
“Tis! I’m coming!”
“..too late.. save.. others..”
“… uspace…”

Raquel gasped, having had her way to ICC, to find Damon.. there. Something told her it was too late. But he explained to her that those that wear masks of peace must be exposed…
Sigh, so cryptic… but something told her that it was so very simple, that it was complicating her. They needed to gather, yes… and to “bring the law”. So Damon had said. Raquel hurried from ICC, tapping at her comm as she went, to get ahold of a few people. Time was running out, no, there was no time.

“Alamexis, maybe he’ll know..”

[Lauri]

It was amazing, Julilla thought to herself as she stepped through the whompah to Rome, what a day and a half of uninterrupted sleep could do for one's state of mind. Such lovely dreams, the voices telling her things, showing her many wonders. She wasn't afraid anymore. She paused by the pool, trying to recall what had been whispered in those many hours of sleep, but the only words she could remember were "Blessed be."

"Blessed be", she whispered, smiling, then quickly started moving again. She had so much to do today. Distance had put everything in perspective. She had been foolish, selfish, too. She should never have resigned the case, not when the fate of her friend possibly depended on her research. She had decided, that morning, over coffee and a bagel, to contact Raquel, and offer her services again.

But first, there were several things she needed to take care of. She hurried through the streets of Rome, searching for one particular shop, which carried some supplies she needed. She had just enough time to complete that errand, then it was on to meet the real-estate agent, who had several apartments for lease to show her...


Eight hours later, Julilla had finished unpacking in her new place. The store had delivered her furniture, and the movers even stayed to arrange it to her satisfaction. She waited until they had left to do the more delicate arranging - strategically placing specific plants and herbs around the doors, lighting candles, saying certain words to cleanse and protect her new domicile. She wasn't certain how she knew, the words just seemed to fall effortlessly from her lips. The laughter, a mixture of joy, contentment, relief, seemed to bubble out of her. She went back into the kitchen, and began gathering the herbs and flowers she would need for her friend...

Half an hour later, she picked up her comm-link, and punched in a code.

"Raquel? It's Juls. I... I've had a change of heart. If you still have need of a doctor, I can offer you my services."

((written by Julilla))

[Demenzia]

Once again, Jen woke up with her head resting on her folded arms, in front of her own terminal, feeling slightly queasy after so few hours of sleep. She wasn't actually sure she had even slept, or simply dozed off a little; her comm was buzzing, again and again, warning her that a message in absence had been left. She slightly groaned before seizing the communicator, blinking in the bluish light of her term display; both messages were from malcom Age, keeping her informed of the last news, yet all of this was beginning to blur in her mind, garbled sounds mixed with hazy images. So many things to do, time running shorter, more murders, more cases, Julilla resigning from the case, the two girls that had been bitten before the KFmM decided it was high time to put an end to Clyburn's existence, all this talk about the 'new prophet', Raquel, Tisantous, the program she had been working on without even remembering it, for the third night now... All confusing, all a huge mess, and this unability to gather her thoughts properly, once again...

The Fixer left a short notice to Age, telling him she had received the messages and was taking the last intel into account for her own research, then slowly walked to the kitchen, rubbing her temples to back off the slight headache that was already threatening to plague her. Only there did she realize that the only idea of eating was making her feel even more sick... only then did she realize it had been almost four days she was working on the algorithms, on the coding, on the DNA data, and that she was in desprate need of fresh air. Time to have her morning coffee outside - or rather, 'evening coffee', for she noticed in astonishment that the night had already fallen over Omni-1.

She needed to talk to Randa. To these two girls, too. To think about what malcom had said. "The Solitus may be the key." And indeed, she had herself noticed that a similar difference existed between the Nano and Opifex breeds' ability to resist to the 'virus'. So maybe... maybe... Sitting at one of her favorite tables in Rompa's now, browsing through the daily Grid reports, reading the messages and packetmails of the day, Jen couldn't get her mind away from the whole affair. Tisantous had not much time left, if there still was only a way to save him, and the girls... what would happen to them once it would have come to an end, if it ever was the case? What would happen? She was aware that saving Saar was important; but she couldn't leave them alone facing this. She couldn't leave Raquel and all the others end up like poor Suznahh.

Someone was talking to her, and Jen needed a few seconds to realize that Randa was facing her, in the central way between the booths. Studying her face, she noticed with a certain relief that her skin wasn't paler than the week before; maybe malcom was right, maybe the Solitus... was less compatible with the virus. Both Fixers exchanged greetings and a few banalities; then, with a slight smile, Jen simply told her to sit and talk a little, their voices dropping to a whisper, not really trusting of the noisy people around.

She briefly explained what her last research had been, what she had learnt from Malcom and Raquel, what had happened to the Devil's Advocate and KFM members having been attacked, and how oddly their wounds had closed too. Randa ageed that her case hadn't been the same, that the wound was still iching, and that it was now easier for her to sleep during the day and keep awake at night... but no other symptoms had shown up apart of this and what she called the 'visions', and at least the process was going slower than it had for Raquel. Jen didna't ask about the 'visions' though - the dreams - or whatever else they could be called; she already knew, and Randa's haunted look was enough to make her understand that it was not really pretty.

People in the nearest booths were behaving a little more quietly, which was a relief, but there was this odd Neutral nanomage though, looking at them, studying them so intently that the Fixers lowly begun to feel tird of it. Whispering all the time, looking like they were 'up to something', while they were simply trying to sort these nasty matters... Ah, yes, the nanomage, and the anger in her eyes each time she was looking at them - Neutral my ass, yer an NLF gal, huh!, Jen was thinking, for the girl was full of hatred enough to join the Clans instead of going on pretending. Yet they simply couldn't stay here any longer, watched as they were by this woman, then by the friend who joined her. With a sigh, Jen looked to Randa, quickly switching on their private comm channel. "Rome?" she simply said, and the other Fixer nodded with a small smile, a glint in her eyes making her all of a sudden almost... amused at the thought of letting both watchers looking at an empty booth. Jen really loved the feeling... loved, for a few seconds, imagining the look on their faces, even though the Gridding process left her even more queasy for long minutes.

Talking, talking... Jen was desperately aware that they were, in many ways, without any power against what was happening, sucking them all into its oddity. They knew where Tisantous was held - but breaking through had already proved a failure once, and forcing a way again... without solid proof... they knew what were the parties involved, and they also knew that any other strong action could end up in a politics incident that would deserve them.

"What if we get some Neutrals together and have them attempt to take it over?" Randa even suggested, laughing, a second later, at her own idea, at the craziness held in it. Desperate situation, desperate measures; but Jen simply shook the head, pondering other ways as well. In her heart of hearts, she was convinced that another action of this kind would mean Saar's death, no matter what. Something more discrete. They needed something more discrete... yet something that could also bring them all the proof, all the still unknown data, all the intel they still hadn't between their hands. Omni-Pol wouldn't act without proof. Ross himself wouldn't give authorization to attack the ICC headquarters so directly! This as if Tisantous was still there... which was another problem. And to know if it was the case, they could...

"...Hmprh. We could hack into..." Jen muttered, before looking to Randa again. "If ICC HQ dun have a single friggin' term connected to the Grid, then I'm willin' to dance naked in Tir's Fair Trade in front of Silverstone 'imself!" She didn't need to further her thought. Surely they keep somethin' there. Or at least, it can tell us if... if Saar's there, an' if he's... still alive.

More proof. More intel. Raquel... Raquel had almost begged her to do something for Tisantous if she had a better solution. Well, that was worth a try. With a minimum of preparation, she would be unnoticed. Break the black I.C.E. Make them think that the hacker was Radiman himself if needed. Yet in the meantime... before any action of this type could be set up... she still had something to do.

Randa was really a kind and brave girl, and despite her strong desire of leaving all of this alive to take a few hours of rest and go partying at Reets, she still accepted Jen to gather a few mpore data. A few more data, transmitted directly to her term through the ID scanner she was always carrying, and also what Jen herself wouldn't have asked for, only one week ago. A blood sample. She hoped she wouldn't need it - she hoped so much! In the end however... if it was necessary...

Now they had to figure a way of retrieving Saar, and of putting an end to the tragedy.

[Demenzia]

Another gloomy morning over Omni-1, rain pouring down from the sky, between the tall buildings, until to reach the streets themselves. Another morning, that seemed to be made even gloomier after the days of feast that had happened for Christmas. The memory was still so vivid in Jen's mind... people running everywhere with their arms full of packets, crazed shopping afternoons on the various comm-channels, last-minute errands, another, eerie atmosphere, with the boss offworld and half of the SPARTAns back to their own families... Well, of course she hadn't gone anywhere, having no other family than SPARTA itself... nor Raquel, but Raquel was anyways living for her job, as she pleasantly said it herself. It had been an odd but all in all interesting break in her own work; she had finally had the time to give a hand to young Quinn, who did his best not to let the shock over his mother's death appear... given him advice, helped him building a few things that were always useful to a Fixer, gone with him to hunt robots for good old Alvin - maybe it'd be high time for her too to pay him a visit again, it had been a while since the last time she went to Lush Fields anyways...

An eerie atmosphere. But she was now heading to Rompa's, eager for its famous coffee, holding the collar of her trenchcoat against her neck to protect her of the rain - she had tried to take her Yalmaa, then quickly renounced, given the low visibility in town. And Rompa's hadn't changed at all. People chatting, oblivious of the weather, drinking, laughing, minding their own businesses in the booths or around the bar. Herself had been talkign to Raquel over the oddly quiet SPARTA channel, doing ehr best, this time, not to let her own worries appear in her voice. The worries, for her sis, the worries for the Soldier she loved so much, the worries about the regular weird news reaching them, ake warnings, possible threats, real dangers. She'd get back to work later in the morning... but for the moment, she needed something strong to help her wake up.

Jen was about to greet the barkeeper and to ask her for coffee when all of a sudden, she spotted the man in the nearby booth. The one she hadn't herself met - or had she, back then in the sewers... could she really say he wasn't the same at least a little?... - but had heard of through Raquel. Damon "Demonantous" Fadri... slightly different than the Damon she had run after in the Entertainment District, but still... looking so much like him, in many ways, that is was really troubling. The Fixer pondered, for a second, what would be the better course of action; she didn't feel like running after him once again, she didn't feel, either, like taking her gun and threatening him. Yet would he accept to simply... talk? Backing a shrug, she decidedly walked toward his booth, seeing him slowly turn to her, feeling his burning eyes on her, as if they were physically sliding over her whole body. As troubling as usual...

"Nice surprise", she slowly smiled, raising an eyebrow, as he was letting out a hiss. As troubling as usual...

"Sssit, and be in my pressence", he simply answered in a calm voice, and after having ponderedthe thought for a few seconds she nodded, however sitting at a safe distance from him, wary at his reactions and at what he could do. So, he was willing to talk... that was already a good start, wasn't it.

"Do not fear what isss within you, embrace it! Welcome the esssence passsed unto you..." Damon hissed again, and depsite not departing of her smile, she slowly frowned at these words. She wasn't sure she was really liking the sound of them.

"Look into my eyess my dear, look deeply and sssee what it isss you need to sssee..." Before she could even say or do anything, Jen felt the odd voice, the slow hissing, as she had never felt them... shadows rising around her, or was it only her mind playing tricks on her?... Shadows all around... deepening... "Ohh, and tell meh what I'm... supposed... to...?...What the....?!..." she managed to say, her sarcastic tone dropping all of a sudden. Things weren't going as she'd have thought they'd do... and she had expected it... but... but this!... His eyes were now slightyl glowing - unless it was another trick of the light, between the booth's shadows and the dim light of the lava lamp on the table?... Jen slightly shifted on the couch, her frown slowly growing under this odd... assault. "...Stop this..." she whispered, however knowing that it was useless... an eerie hush feeling her thoughts... Damon's voice... "Embrace the truth my dear, do not fear it... know what isss, and fight with your very ssstrength..."

"Tell meh whatcha expectin', exactly!..." the Fixer attempted in another whisper; and then her voice faded even more, as her eyes met those of a man she knew well... very well... Sid Saar, badly beaten, his skin seemingly radiated... bleeding... yet still struggling still trying to hang on to the little life that was left in him. "It's that... yer showing?..." she weakly managed to mutter, backing off; Damon simply lifyed his arm, touching her cheek in sympathy, his hand as cold as ice. A disgusting touch, that made her shiver... and at the same time, she was unable to break off. She was understanding better, now... why Raquel had seemed so mesmerized... why the other Damon had been able to approach Randa, and all the other girls... No! I musn't fall in his trap! I mustn't!... she screamed in her mind, yet it was already too late. Was she in Rompa's... facing Demonantous... or there, in this strange, dark plce, looking in Tisantous' desperate eyes?...

"Sssshh, my dear, ssseee, know, and embrace..."

Her sight began to swirl, as she was desperately trying to get hold of what seh thought was 'the reality' around her. Things began to shadow... to disappear... the darkness only letting her focus on what was lying in front of her. "S...stop this..." she tried again, hands convulsively shaking now, a pitiful whisper that was barely able to escape her trembling lips. Ghosts were flying by her side, slain figures, screaming in agony, weeping souls, begging her to help them, to do something, no matter what... Then, in the center of her vision, Saar was lying again, clinging to his life, surrounded by tall, shadowed figures... And at the same time, she was awfully aware of Damon's eyes upon her. "...What's the purpose?... S.. stop... No!..." An inaudible moan now, echoing to her ears only, a plead to the one that was showing her these... but was it really him?...

Damon was looking at her... no, it wasn't Damon, but Saar, crimson tears pouring from his eyes, trying to reach her, as the shadowed figures were drawing nearer, closer. "And what... what am I... stop this! If ya wanna... if ya wanna show me... why... why using such..." Jen was desperately aware that her voice wasn't even strong enough to be heard. Once again, her sight swirled as the figures were moving in. Clad in a long decorated cloak, a woman was stepping forward now, motioning to the others men around her to strike at Saar. A glimmer on her cloak, as she was doing so, and as they were all obeying - an emblem that Jen knew very well, that she recognized even more when the woman sudenly turned to her, looking straight in her eys, though without seeing her. Tall. Smirking. Smirking, for she knew her own power, her own pull and influence. Unable to pevent it, Jen let out a slight groan, as her eyes were darting now to the badge on the woman's chest; she knew this face, for having already seen her a great amount of times on the various Gridfeeds; she knew this name,; she knew, also, what the initials on the badge were standing for. I.D.

"Who... no... they can't... they can't!..."

The Fixer looked up again in shock. Other shadowed figures were standing in the background this time, their own emblems glimmering on their cloaks. Holding guns - guns the like of which she knew, for she herself had been using a similar weapon for long months now. Firing at Saar, radiating him, delighting upon his screams of pain. bastards!... She... Is she who I think she is...

A third time, her vision swirled, in a quick motion that almost made her feel sick, allowing her to catch a glimpse of another man standing quietly in the shadows. His brown robe wore no emblem... nothing that would have allowed her to spot whom he was working for... yet how could she have forgotten his calmness, his tall stature, his dark skin, the way he used to keep his hands folded, clasped together?... How could she have forgotten the almost enchanting eyes, the bald head, the sheer power that seemed to radiate from him?... Jen shook her head, in complete disarray, trying to clear her thoughts. It couldn't be... "Henry, it's critical we keep him on the brink of death, they will be looking for him, and we can not risk exposure with him dying just yet." The tall woman's voice, echoing in the shadows swirling around her, and Jen felt her eyes widening even more with the shock of this second name.

[i]How can I know? How can I know... if it's 'truth'?..." Yet in her hearts of hearts, she knew she was seeing 'the truth', just as her instincts usually told her how to act, and what road she had to follow when she was in tense situations, and... Other voices, some from cloaked men, some from other peopel who ddin't wear any emblem either, all mixed, all confusing.[i]"Alright that enough, he wont be giving up his information, that is for sure, leave him, we are to close to completing the Age OF Prosperity to risk a screw up like this, isn't that right Rashid?..." And there, in the very distant background, a new, quick flicker, like words briefly flashing on a screen: "The Dawn of Sol: Age Of Prosperity Project"

The Fixer blinked in confusion, trying to grasp a hold of the place, to engrave it in her mind, along with the faces, with the voices. Anotehr swirl of the shadows, leaving her alone in another room, this one devoid of all human presence, yet filled with massive computers, all marked with the ICC logo. And Tisantous' face again, swollen, bleeding, weeping, silently begging for help... before things suddenly went back to normal, leaving her shivering on the dark booth in Rompa's. Now they dun' need 'im 'nymore... they're gonna... gonna get rid of...

"You have ssseeen. Call Ssezmra and passs thiss unto her", Damon whispered. Slightly staggering,glad that she was already sitting on the couch, Jen looked to him again, blinking in the light that was oddly seeming too strong for her eyes.

"...Whatcha trynna do, tell meh?..." were the only words she was ablt to whisper in this moment. "...Yer only way of actin', or...?"

But he cut her straight: "You havent much time!"

"...I feckin' know this!" she retorted, confusion slowly leaving room to anger. "But... Tell meh. What's gonna happen? I dun mean to him only. To all the others."

"Whom? Do you mean to all who live here, all of Omni?

"I mean those ya... involved. Raquel. Randa. All these gals. All of 'em!..." she said, her voice still no more than a whisper.

Damon looked at her, very intently this time, and Jen was even less sure she liked this stare. Something... something that was aimed directly at her...

"They will lead the firssst wave", Damon calmly whispered. "They will ssstand and fight thisss titan with their followerss, and fate will be tesssted. You too ssshall go with them."

[Demenzia]

"You too shall go with them."

Jen stared back, flatly, wondering if she had really heard what he had just said. Of course she'd go with them... she had promised Raquel her help, she had promised Randa she'd find a cure against this odd 'virus' they had all been struck with, she had promised she'd bring her talents in freeing Saar, no matter the costs... but these words... were sounding differently.

"...Kuso! I'll go, but certainly not as... as one of his... as what they were turned in!..." the young woman firmly whispered, frowning. This wasn't... possible.

"It isss asss it isss planned to be", Damon nodded, as if this was the sheer evidence. Yet this was an answer she couldn't acept: "And so what?!... And after it's over... if it's over...?! Will they... stay like this?" Tell meh, 'Demonantous'!... Tell meh, what is supposed to happen?...

He shook his head, reddish eyes staring at her, almost in sympathy. "Focusss on the presssent and what you mussst do now to change the future. They will be given a choice." The Fixer snarled, only half believing it, still wondering what exactly he was expecting her to do now... and fearing, already, that what she was suspecting was true. "Why should I trust ya? Tell meh. Why?"

"How could I... hey... stop lookin' at meh like this!..." Damon had suddenly leant close to her, nose to nose, his eyes glowing, and a feeling of panick briefly surged in her.

"Because deep within you know I ssspeak truth. Deep within you know he ssspoke truth", the weird Nanomage whispered.

"So what I'm supposed to do... Ya intend meh on.. joining 'em?...." Confusion arose in her again - confusion, and another feeling, one she knew very well - anger, hatred, even. "Let me take this in hand. He won't have you, Jen! I won't let him have you!..."

"And you feel the change coming, you feel it in the fiberss of your being. And yesss, you are to join them", Damon stated. Another evidence to him. So... there wasn't any choice? She couldn't accept this! And neither could Heiji... Heiji, who had supported her so much in this long trial, Heiji who couldn't stand someone trying to arm her...

"Ya know what will happen if ya... force meh to join...?", she whispered, the shadow of a smile on her lips. "Ya know that... that I won't be... Heh. Ya say ya know the 'darkness' within meh? Then... tell meh whatcha see!"

"You are not forced my dear, it isss your choice, you can join them and fight thisss viper, or stay behind." But if he knew her as well as he was claiming to, then he already knew that she wouldn't accept to be left behind... and that she would help, just as she had almeady begun to do.

"Can ya be certain that we'll follow the way ya want us to follow?" the young woman asked, sadly.

"In sssome I can yesss."

"If I accept... If I accept... ya know I won't be the only one.... ya know this?" She blinked again, casting a brief glance around her. So many people around... and all of them, so unaware of what was happening, of what was being discussed!... Jen could hear Missmaul's voice, in one of the booths nearby. Help me, she wanted to scream, someone... help me!...; but it wouldn't be fair, for neither of them, to be involved in this. To many people had already been. She had to keep this conversation discrete... to keep it for herself. Except for the names she had spotted, which would be useful to Raquel. "Besides.... I.... I won't be... I can't choose.... alone..."

"Yess I know thisss, but the more who know isss critical. It will give you the advantage", Damon said, yet in the exact same moment, his voice was covered by heiji's mental scream. "I WON'T let him do! Jen! Go away! Go away, now!..." She shook her head, almost in pain all of a sudden. "...No... wait!.... Lemme... lemme talk , he's....! ...No...."

The Fixer briefly looked to Damon again, deeply scared this time. Certainly did he misunderstand this gaze; "Ssshhh", he whispered, "remember, do not fear, but

embrace yesss..." Oh, but she wanted to tell him... that it wasn't him she was afraid of... that it wasn't, even, of what he was telling her... She knew the feeling. The same feeling as when it had begun... when she had found herself jumping at Don's throat, her head a maelstrom of sheer pain, before losing it completely and sudenly waking up in Malcom's arms, long, long minutes after... "No... please... dun do... dun force 'im to..." Stop this, Damon, please... before you anger him even more...

"I can't stay silent, Jen... not on this!... Jen! Jen, what are you waiting for? Get away from him, before he decides to force you!..." SHe let out a yelp, suddenly taking her head in her hands. She could feel... feel it so much!... That wasn't a dream... that was reality, horrible reality... and if she couldn't stay in control, if she couldn't manage to keep a hold on all of this... then what would be happening?...

"...Wait!..." she whispered between grinded teeth

"Ssshhh, accept itsss coming, welcome the sssight, the ssshadow, do not be affraid..." Damon's voice was almost kind, almost protective, almost sad, also... but it wasn't him she was talking to. It was becoming too hard, too hard to bear. The easiest thing would have been to completely give it up, and yes, how much she would have wanted to!... But she suspected it wasn't the first time such a thing had occured. She had already 'woken up' in unknown places too many times, since she was back from the Wastelands, and highly suspected that it wasn't simply a matter of sequels after what had happened to her. Heiji... no! Lemme do it my way... Heiji-kun... I beg ya... Please... Noooooooo!....

She finally gave up.

It was too hard...

[Demenzia]

Heiji knew that his anger was almost often his worst enemy... but things couldn't be that easy to manage. sometimes, he needed to do things his way. And he was aware, as well as Jen, that the matter at hand couldn't be solved like this. He knew her so well. He knew, also, what she had planned on doing if things had been to go even more askance than they already had... what she kept as back-up, last-resort solutions... he knew that she could have accepted, simply to understand the situation better and help her friends. He knew this, and he couldn't let her act.

"Heiji-kun... Heiji, please!... Hei... noooooo!"

Her scream pained him more than he'd ever have thought, and he wondered if he should, maybe, let her aware of what was to follow. It would be the first time. It would also be a shock to her, although she would anyways remember what he had done.

"Don't mind me, Jenny. But I need to talk to him too. Directly. Can't you understand this?..."

He felt her anxiety. Her fear, not for her, but for what he was able to do. "Don't kill him, Heiji... please... don't harm him..." he felt her think, and he softly laughed, softly smiling at her in the abysm that was their shared mind. He was angry at him, but not to the point of killing him, and this seemed to ease her a little. "Don't worry. I just... need to clear this matter for me too."

He suddenly looked to Damon, taking complete control again. "...And how could she not be afraid, tell me?...." he managed to say, getting quickly used to speak with a real voice again.

"It isss normal to fear the unussual, the uncertain, the unexplained, but if you ussse what iss given, it will aid you in your fight to come", Damon quietly answered, as if he knew from instinct whom he was now talking to. Could this man really know?... or was it simply his usual self... a way of always seeming to know it all, even if it wasn't true?... Heiji slightly grinded his teeth, still staring, and this time, Jen's gaze was devoid of all fear... only a slight expression of anger remaining in her dark eyes.

"I know the unexpected. And I think she has dealt with it enough already. So please explain", he snarled. "Go with it, and tell me why she should accept, and why I should let her accept."

"... Do you wisssh to see thiss city in flamess, in ruinss? The innocent crawling like animalsss, dying, decay, death all around?.." the Meta-physicist whispered, giving him his stare back.

"No."

"Then there isss your ansswer..."

"But I also don't want her nor her friends reduced to... something they didn't wish to become", he added, ignoring the previous statement. "What will they become, once it's over? You said they'll have a 'choice'?... How can I trust you on this? How can I be sure it's the truth, when they were forced in this state by... by the one that came before you?" He frowned, casting an icy stare at Damon, awaiting his anwer.

"They will have a choice. And trusst? Did he or I ever bring death to any of you, we have come here in warning, to aid in thiss fight for sssurvival".

Oh yes, of course, it was soundling like the evidence! But he couldn't trust. Not like this. "You didn't bring death... but what happened to Raquel and to the others is worse than death to me!... And believe me, I know death enough to know what I'd prefer!..."

"All thisss hass happened for a reassson and a greater purpossse, without thiss there would be no hope my dear..."

The purpose. The destiny crap. if there was something he couldn't stand, it was really this kind of argument!... Sarcasm dripped from his tone as he was snarling again. "A 'greater purpose'? Ah. And then we should rush into this without knowing. We don't need knowing, of course, just acting to serve. And 'hope' things will turn out to the better!" He flashed a dangerous smile, one of these smiles that were so much more like him, and yet suited Jen's features as well.

"But you do know, you fear to face what it isss though. Act on what you have, and sssee."

He shook his head, almost saddened this time. "The fear I'm feeling is not for me... Damon. It is for *her*..."

The Nanomage leant in again, his glowing eyes staring right into Jen's. "Are you sssure?"

Heiji nodded, firmly. "For her, and for her friends, and for all the effort she put in trying to find a cure... a solution... whatever!... to bring things back to 'normal' once it's over."

"You have ssseen much thisss eve, ussse it well..."

"I have seen maybe even more that you can imagine. But..." it was hard to explain, yet he tried to do it all the same. "...Understand that the choice is not only hers. So you'd better have to convince me too."

He stared back into Damon's eyes, unblinking. "If what you know now, and what you sssaw here doess not "convince" you, then you wallss are up and unbreakable", said the Nanomage, and this brought a brief, sad and somewhat bitter chuckle to her lips. Cratty will kill me if he learns of this, for sure... He would kill Demonantous first, also, this was even more certain. But Malcom wasn't here - Heiji took a mental note to make him pay for this too - nor was it the moment to bother about him.

"Take thiss to them and ssshare it. Time isss coming to a clossse."

"Don't worry... this I will do. She will do, actually", he slightly sighed. "But... why do you need her to follow the same way? She would have acted to help them... to help this man... no matter what. So why... Why does she need to choose too?"

He was feeling so sad all of a sudden... so sad for Jen... for what she'd surely decide to do. He already knew her choice. She was with him, whatever could happen, her mind was aware of his words, of his acts right now, and the smile she was gaving him, although terribly sad too, was meant to convince him as well as Damon's words.

"Heiji-kun... Ya already know... Please, dun mind 'im. At least... at least I have the choice, contrary to the others... ne?..."

He however couldn't simply accept Damon's answer like this. "All will come together"... what crap! In spite of Jen's decisions, he needed something more. Something certain.

"That's not enough for me. Not enough to risk her life... to risk her being!" he coldly answered, knowing, though, that he was losing ground by the minute. "If I accept... to let her follow you... what will happen to her?..." He knew that his - her - voice was sounding anguished now, and he didn't care.

"Ssshe will lead a great fight, with her and thossse who have been chosssen, yess, she will not parissh, but it will be a dangerousss fight indeed..."

She was pleading him to leave her room again, and he could have cried for this. Such a kind girl... so caring for her friends... it was hurting even more, to think that she would finally be going through all of this just to help them better than she was already doing... "I know this. Accepting or not, I know - she- knows - it's going to be dangerous. But what I want to be sure of... is that there will be a way back... That none of them... nor Jen... will stay as they were... turned into. They wouldn't stand it. I watched what happened to Raquel... to Destiny... what's happening to Randa.... Can you understand that I fear for Jen?!..."

"In the end a choice will be given, how they wisssh to follow will be in their handss, Demoneyesss will return and will offer them thisss choice", Damon said. Heiji was desperately aware that this was sounding like another of these... of these meaningles speeches he loathed so much. However, he had his own understanding of what had happened to the involved women... and he knew, also, that there would be a way around. may it be provided by Damon or need ten years of their existence to find a solution, he wouldn't give up, and certainly not if Jen was to be so directly involved as well.

He cast an almost anguished look to Damon. "...I wish I could believe you that easily... I really wish..."

"But the end isss not for sssome time.Wissshing doesnt make it sso."

"...I know..." he shook the head. "...If we both accept... what will you do? How will it... help us all?"

"I ssshall be there by your sside every ssstep of the way. Assss will Demoneyess in spirit. He isss here even now"

Cold air suddenly brushed past Jen's face, and he barely managed to back up a long shiver. That was sounding so much like his own case... in some sort of odd, twisted way!... "...Within you?..."

"Partly, yesss."

Indeed... this was a feeling he knew. He forced himself to look back to Damon, to prevent his houghts from drifting too far away from the present matters.... "Let me know, please. Let me know... exactly... how it could hep us."

A slight, slight interrogation pointing in the Nanomage's voice. "The sssight? The gift?"

"...What she will become. What Raquel has become. What Randa has become. I know my talents. I know Jen's talents. But I don't know what your... 'gift' will bring us!..." And that was true... so true. he didn't know. maybe this was making him anguished as well, for he feared that Jen would accept something she herself couldn't understand.

"It has helped already, yesss, the thingsss they have ssseen would not have been brought to their eyesss had it not been for thisss, they would have dismisssed it had it not been for thisss gift."

With great effort, he managed to back off another desperate laughter. "You know... even before you asked this of her... she had pondered the thought. Wondering if it could help her understand all of it better..."

"And it doesss."

"Will it make her... stronger.... in what is to come?.... Won't I lose her this way?...."

Damon looked at him with this odly kind attitude again. "Yess, it already hasss. And no... you will not."

"Then... you have to be aware... that her acceptance won't be the only one."

"That isss what isss expected."

"You are aware that it is not only her you will... 'change' this way? Even if I..." He slightly shook the head with a sad litle chuckle again. "You know what we are, right?...."

Stll this steady, half-kind, half-cold stare!... "Yesss."

Heiji looked back to Damon, an this time, there was an oddly peaceful expression on Jen's features. He had already lost, and he knew it.

"You know that I was here... since the beginning." Not a question, a simple statement, rather.

"Thisss I know, for I asss well."

From the depths of their mind, Jen slightly smiled. Frightened, scared to death, even, but confident that it would at least help them. Silently asking him to accept, to let her do what she had to do, even if it was paining the both of them so much... even if it would pain Raquel, too.

"You know that I love her, and that I don't want her to suffer more than she already has. And you know, also, that what she wishes to do for her friends... this I'll help her to achieve."

"Know thisss, ssshe isss not suffering. But your politician... HE isss suffering. Ssshe iss coming to be what ssshe needss to be in order to lead thisss battle. I know all there isss to know."

"And what does this man know, that he is so precious that I should let Jen make this choice?!" he retorted with another of these sad chuckles that were so disturbing. "But... I also know that she'll act to help him, no matter what. Tell me... if she doesn't accept... but still helps... then it'll be dangerous for her - even more.... Am I right?...."

"Yesss", Damon simply whispered, and Heiji noded in turn.

"Then I don't have much choice myself...." he said, flashing a last, desperate smile.

"It isss not a matter of accepting, it hasss already begun, the choice hass been made."

The Nanomage shouldn't have said this??? but he was already too late to really back off. "WHO made this choice, then? Who the hell..." Heiji attempted, then gave up, lowering the head.

"Ssshhh, you ssspend to much time in quessstion, in doubt, take what you have ssseen here thisss eve and sspeak it to her and to othersss."

"...I will", he finally answered. "I'll however... let her choose. I won't prevent her from doing it. Sayonara, Damon-san. Or maybe not. Maybe not..."

He slightly smiled again, then gave room to Jen again, hoping, begging her, even, to make the right choice. And the young Fixer simply collapsed near Damon on the couch.

[Demenzia]

Jen felt herself fall, fall in the darkness, fall until a slight, oddly soft shock forced her back to reality. Something cold on her head, also, so cold that she could feel it through her hair. A cold, icy hand. She slightly stirred, frowning, trying to escape this awfully disturbing touch. Heiji...? Heiji, what...?

"Do what you have to do, Jenny. I'll respect your choice" were his only words, and he felt silent again, though she could feel his pain, his sadness, his despair, even, at what was to come. Their were the echoes, certainly, of what would be her own feelings in a short moment, maybe.

She tried to open her eyes. The cold hand against her head was feeling warm all of a sudden, and for a brief moment, she almost had the feeling that someone, something, was pouring a new strength directly into her body, to help her stand again. "...What?..." she whispered, realizing that the hand was Damon's, and that she was half-lying on the couch near him now.

"Go...and ssspeak your sssight", he simply said, undecipherable burning gaze resting on her, with a somewhat, yes... somewhat worried expression. She flashed a sad look to him, slowly sitting back, feeling relieved, in a way, when the touch of his hand left her.

"...Ya talked to 'im...." she said, knowing it was useless to hide the fact. Although she couldn't remember it all, she was aware that this time... this time again, heiji had acted through her. "...I know ya did...."

Damon nodded, and she swallowed hard, attempting at smiling... unable, even, to feel angry against Heiji, because, all in all, they were sharing the same body, the same mind... and she hadn't really the right to decide of this all by herself, had she?

"I reckon... if I wanna help 'em... I dun have any other choice than... looking at it all from their side?..."

"It isss beginning to come to you", Demonantous said in a whisper. She closed her eyes for a second, then slowly nodded. He was right. She knew. She had... already decided, as painful as this decision had been.

"Ssspeak your sssight", he said again, and Jen gave a start, aware of another, anguished presence behind her. Sis...

"....Allright...", she said, casting a brief glance to the young Opifex Agent that had silently entered and approached without ehr even noticing it. To the one she called her sister. To Raquel Svancara, who simply nodded, seemingly wondering what had happened. She flashed a brief, sad smile, a smile that she hoped would carry her feelings... "I'm sorry, sis..." then looked back to Damon.

"You have much to ssspeak do you not Jenae?" he calmly said, and Raquel raised an eyebrow.

"I have. An' I know... what I have to do", she nodded, bfore adding, this time in a whisper for his own ears only: "But believe meh... if this turns out badly... he's gonna make ya pay..."

"Ssshare your sssight, your visssion you sssaw thisss eve", the nanomage went on, without showing if he had agreed to her last statement or not.

"Jen...", Raquel began, yet she cut her. Not here. Not in this place. Not with all these people around, some of them begnning to look oddly at their booth. Raquel simply leant to the side a bit, studying her, still keeping silent. Raquel... she had become so pale..; so diferent now...

"Do whatcha have to do with meh, Damon... jus' don't make this last any longer...", Jen almost begged him, wishing that Raquel wasn't here, that she wouldn't have to bear the sight of what was to follow.

"It isss not up to me how long thisss lassts. Remember I am only a messsanger."

Once again, Raquel glanced at Damon, then back to Jen, slowly. "Raq, we'll have to talk. Alone", the Fixer said, still without looking at her, gussing more than seeing that Raquel was nodding, biting her lip to force her to stay silent.

"Ya already know my choice, Damon. So now... what have I ta do?" Jen whispered, sawllowing hardly.

"Go forward, and allow the ssstrength of itss essence to empower you." Shenodded, sadly smiling, as Raquel was staring fixely at the both of them. It's a bad dream, an' we're all gonna wake up soon... How I wish... how I wish it was jut a dream... How I wish...

"Jen...look at me..." the slim Agent managed to whisper, but Jen simply shook the head. I'm sorry, sis!...

"Sssezmra, the climax of the visssions came thisss eve to your sssisster thisss eve, much needed information ssshe hass for you."

"Yeah, I have, so do whatcha hafta do with meh, and then... then I can...!.." Jen muttered between her teeth, feeling more and more desperate with each passing second. If he didn't do it now, she'd just run away.

"Embrace and do not be affraid. Come to me, yesss..." Damon answered, his eyes softly beginning to glow as he was gazing at her. She stared back, unblinking, her voice almost inaudible again. "I'm here. Do it. Before I change my mind!"

Demonantous' eyes were now pulsating en eeire white. Jen was vaguely aware of Raquel's muffled whisper behind her... " No!..." before Damon leant down, reaching for her, gently tilting her head. She heard Raquel slumping to her kness, unable to react, staring, staring, and closed her eyes, unwilling to see what would follow. Then... then there was the sharp pain, when Demonantous latched his teeth into her neck, the sharp pain, the odd feeling... odd, yes, it wasn't as painful as she had thought at first... and now it seemed to her that the pain was fading by the second, that nothing... nothing would be left of it... Jen grinded her teeth, for it was the only thing she could do to avoid crying, a single tear flowing down her cheek. it was too late to back off... too late to make another choice. I'm sorry, sis... so sorry... I had promised I'd help... but... now I ain't even sure I'll be able ta do it...

A slow, cold breeze seemed to drift by, and she felt like thousands of whispers were filling the booth now. It was... so weird. So frightening, and so peaceful at the same time... as if she had never been as strong as she now was. Then Damon released his bite, and all went back to normal.

"...Gomen ne... o nee-san... gomen ne..." Jen whispered, letting herself slump against the couch, keeping her eyes closed. Near her, Raquel gave a soft groan, and gripped the edge of the booth.

"It isss complete", Damon said. The Fixer answered to this statement by letting out a desperate, wild laughter

"...If I had known... or mehbe... mehbe I knew..." she said, looking at the ceiling through burning tears. Raquel buried her face in her hands, trembling against the couch. "Jen... Jen..." she was whispering, her hands on Jen's knees now, but Jen couldn't answer, unable to speak.. I'm sorry, Raquel... She raised a shivering hand to wipe the tear from her cheek, trying to put on a steady attitude... and damn, was it hard!... Was it hard, when she could almost touch Raquel's sadness... and when she felt Heiji's single howl of anger and despair within her mind!...

"Ssspeak, you have much to reveal..." Damon urged her again. How dared he... couldn't she... couldn't she take at least a few minutes to accept the facts now? She swallowed hard again, trying to regain her composure. "Time iss fading, ssspeak your vission..." he said again, and she knew that he was right.

"...C'mere, sis..." she simply whispered, turning to Raquel, doing her best to look a strong as she should have been. But Raquel was hiding her face against the edge of the couch, still kneeled on the floor. "Oh Jen... Jen..."

The Fixer simply turned on SPARTA's private comm-channel, so that none of the people around could hear what was to be said, and absently began to speak. If she didn't do it know, then she'd never... never find the courage to go on. "Raq... I... recognized some of them..."

This time, Raquel looked up and listened, still obviously more concerned about her for the moment - but listening. "Them..? You did?..." the Agent frowned.

"Saar... I saw 'im...Said... they wanted ta keep 'im has hostage... but... he ain't gonna talk.... ain't gonna tell 'em what they wanted 'im to tell..." Words were pouring out of her, and she was barely aware that maybe she was sounding really confusing. "So... soon... gonna kill 'im... dun need 'im anymore....They were... wearing ICC cloaks. Well... symbols on 'em. And I..."

The Fixer began to shiver, unable to control herself; Raquel sank her head against Jen and the couch, and just listened to her ear piece., waiting for her to go on, silent.

"...I think one of 'em is Derousse, and the other Radiman..." There. it had finally went out. Raquel gasped loudly, looking up. "No!... Radiman!? Derousse!?"

"...'Twas clouded an' all, but I saw the initials on her cloak..." Jen went on and on with a hazy look. "And him... she
called 'im 'Henry'... and I'm pretty sure it was 'im.... can't forget his face, eh??? and they spoke to a 'Rashid ' too... and... and... Tisantous... was there... Radiated... bleeding... said they were gonna kill' im now.... they.... they...."

Jen suddenly buried her face in her hands, trying hard not to cry
...Why!...Raquel too was trembling, unmoving, frozen... her eyes watery, cheeks flushed.

"...I saw.... computers too... mehbe... think it was... their headquarters... not
sure, I... I never was there myself.... I... And I... I'll come with ya Raq...."

"Come with ..me?"
Raquel finally snapped out of it and looked up at Jen, oddly. "JEN! You've come too far already..."

Jen didn't answer, beginning to silently sob, and Raquel simply hugged her, closely. She would have liked to smile at her, to tell her not to worry, but it was imosible... she wasn't that strong.

"Now you.. see what I see sometimes..." Raquel whispered, swallowing hard, finding her resolve again.

"Please... forgive me, Raquel.... forgive me...." was all that the Fixer managed to say, her voice only a weak whisper. "I... can't letcha all... alone... in this!..."

"No.. I have nothing to forgive you of, Jen..." the Agent softly answered. "You haven't done anything... but now.. you know..."

"I failed ya, Raq..." she shook her head. "Not only I've failed in helpin' ya, but now... now, I too... I am... I...."

"No.. no failures? Now I KNOW we have to find a 'cure'", Raquel firmly said. So strong, always so strong... Jen wished she could have been as strong as her in that moment, but it was so hard...

"...Yeah... figures out that now I'm best placed to... to...." she tried to joke... just before bursting into tears against Raquel's chest. Too hard... Raquel frowned, huging her close again, rubbing her hair. She couldn't do anything else, but let the tears out... crying, crying as she had seldom done, crying until her throat was aching, until her head was pounding. "...Sorry... Jus'... jus' allow me to... to be sad... a lil'... yeah?...." Jen miserably whispered. She couldn't prevent it anyways... not anymore... not when she was so scared about what would be to follow. Was it how they had all felt... Destiny, Randa, all of them...? Had Raquel also cried, when she was alone at home... or was it only her, because she had had the time to watch the process, to know what the effects would be... to anticipate it... knowing now what was awaiting her?...

Jen felt like she had committed an horrible mistake. But it was too late to back off now...