For a technologically advanced, militarized terrorist base, the Homestead was remarkably, and a bit ironically, homey.

Though she supposed it ran with the theme, Elise still found it off-putting. A sharp contrast to the massive, spire-like tower of the Sheath and the hexagon of its colossal surrounding island.

The Homestead was contained and serene.

This was the kind of place people settled down in, once old and gray.

The main building was a large farmhouse. With panelling and woodwork reminiscent of its mid-twentieth-century predecessors, the Homestead painted a perfect picture of rural serenity. In passing, at least.

Upon closer inspection, however, peculiarities emerged.

Like wires looping through fence posts. Flat sheets of dull metal drilled under carpets of long, flowing grass. Radar equipment a little too expensive for the average Norwegian farmer.

All of this, of course, assumed investigators made it past the nondescript gate. While not noticeably ornate, the wrought iron boasted an impressive twenty thousand volts of repulsive power, more than enough to fry wandering blanks. Anything under a Knight would be out for weeks, if not dead themselves.

A shock of that capacity would, at most, tickle Elise, who'd weathered far worse against Crackle only days prior. Eerily enough, thanks to the moronic Rogue, she was likely now in more danger than Indonesia.

No amount of blasting would save her from three Quadruplets.

Even with an overhead scrambler blocking SWORD satellites from reaching the property, Mother had taken no risks. Breakers, dressed cleverly as nondescript farmhands, tended to the fields. Though she only counted twenty, Elise suspected they were the cream of the Family's criminal crop.

This was their Mother's life, after all.

The small sedan she'd ridden from the airfield was already beating a hasty retreat. A wise man indeed. She didn't blame him, considering the welcome party.

Three Rogues awaited her down the dirt road. The first, Proto-Knight, was lean, powerfully built and had a gigantic glowing sword hanging off his back, even without a sheath or straps of any kind. She knew little about him save a Queen-Class ranking and fantastically bloody history.

The second Elise recognized as Opaque, a former resident of the Chasm's Maximum Security wing. He eyed her with something akin to greed. It tracked, given his extensive record of manipulating both friends and foes for profit. He had the audacity to look miffed when she moved on to his colleague, who needed no introduction.

She and Titan went way back, though this time, instead of the cold, time-weary disdain she'd grown to expect, the Rogue regarded her with an uncomfortable level of respect.

"Crimson," he greeted. Elise involuntarily shuddered at the pride in his voice. "Good to see you."

She nodded. "Likewise. Though you're all terribly dressed for an escort."

"That's what we're calling it?" laughed Opaque.

She faced him. "What'd she call it?"

Opaque dragged his tongue across his front teeth. "A reception."

"Mhm." Elise raised her hands innocently. "I'm not exactly the type of person to conceal carry, but I suppose you have a job."

Neither Proto-Knight nor Titan reacted, though the latter maintained his small smile. Opaque, on the other hand, chortled.

"Believe me," he snorted, "if you did, you wouldn't be here."

He motioned for her to raise her arms and patted her down --very thoroughly. Elise commended herself for bringing a thicker cotton turtleneck, though he got more than his fill through her jeans.

"All clear." He smirked. "Though you might have trouble getting that wagon through the front door."

Elise ignored him and made for the house. "Mother, I take it, is unhappy with me?"

"Disappointed is probably more apt," corrected Titan from the rear. "She hates losing any... children."

"Hmm." Elise met the eyes of a squinting Breaker, who quickly turned back to his work.

Titan eyed her sombrely. "Losing allies hurts us all. Even the... colourful ones."

The door opened for them. Behind it stood an extremely bruised and unhappy-looking Blood Rain. Though his clothes were clean, the man looked like he'd been rolled through a lava-submerged meat grinder. His skin was burnt and torn so badly that Elise actually felt a microscopic twinge of pity for the Rogue.

"You look rough," she greeted.

He did not return it. "One day, when this is all said and done, I'll fuck you up. You won't see it coming and you certainly won't be able to stop it. Let's see how many prissy, simping shits slither for your skirts then."

The pity disappeared.

"And here I thought the smell of shit was coming from the barns. Thank you for opening your mouth and correcting me," she snorted arrogantly.

He narrowed his eyes. "Whatever raft you stole to slip out of the country won't save you. There will be no running."

"That's the fun of having friends, Rain." She grimaced. "They give you rides. Your chin is slipping, by the way."

Blood Rain cursed and stormed off to the nearest bathroom. Titan ignored him wholesale and made for a door nailed into the side of the stairs. He pulled it open and nodded towards the descending steps.

"In you go."

Figuring they'd at least wait a few minutes before killing her, Elise descended into a much larger basement than anticipated. Two hundred feet of concrete floors sat between opposing walls, and the ceiling hung at least twenty feet above them. Most of it was occupied by wiring and comically large server towers hooked to flickering LED displays.

The centre of the floor, though, held judgment. Gathered around an engraved long table sat Magne, Evo, Tacti, Mother, Dead Cell, Death Surgeon and Ivory. The latter surprised her. While she wouldn't sit him on the pushover bench, Ivory didn't strike her as an Alpha with sufficient firepower to belong with such esteemed company.

Then she noticed the lip-shaped brand on his exposed shoulder.

Most interestingly, though, were the contents of the table. Tablets, files, and even a few weapons crowded its surface, though none were quite as striking as the human skull resting in the middle. From the damage and abnormal size, it wasn't difficult for Elise to determine its proprietor.

"Elise, sweetheart," greeted Mother, seated in a plushy chair at the head of the table. The woman was definitely younger than her, but apparently had an image to maintain. "Welcome."

Elise smiled and took up the free seat at the other end of the table. Her escort moved to ring around their boss. "Happy to be here. How can I help?"

Mother sighed. Her ability to feign despondency deserved compensation. "Many ways, my dear. We've begun to near something of a climax. Every day, our enemies increase in resource, personnel and intelligence. We must strike soon to seize triumph. And we will need every single one of you to do it."

The gathered Rogues nodded sombrely. Elise, however, stared pointedly at Mother. She hoped her expression conveyed polite impatience, as anything more would probably push Magne to violence.

Speaking of the brothers, each were in fascinating states of disrepair. Tacti, physically, was the worst off. Jason's Sunmaker had destroyed the left side of his body. His skull, even after almost a week, had only just reconnected its jaw, though his arm continued to hang uselessly at his side. His left eye was pulped beyond function, and his ribs were so far out of his stomach that he hid them with a robe. His actual expression, though, was neutral. For someone whose body was effectively ruined, he looked impressively calm.

Evo looked bothered and hurt, though with manageable degrees of each. The beating he'd taken at the Nursery hadn't been light, but nowhere near the severity of his older brother. His expression, though, was hard and distant from the loss of Ergo. His scowl promised retribution, which was getting old. Bloodlust had ruined Elise's preceding mission, and she was tired of people killing themselves for meaningless revenge.

Magne, on the other end, was the best off. Though he'd gone through the wringer at Guadalupe, healthy pink skin had already replaced most of his scorched, black tissue. A few more days and he'd be right as rain. His face, though, was vibrating with fury. Literally, given his telekinetic talents. Elise wouldn't be surprised if the Homestead didn't live to see the night.

"That's why losses hit us hard," continued Mother, raising her hand.

Magne flicked his, hovering the skull off the table and deposited it in his matron's hand. Energy flickered through the eyes and skull when it landed.

"Ergo was my son," she said quietly, though strangely, without much of the emotion a mother tended to display when holding the corpse of their child. "And I loved him."

Elise couldn't see her eyes looking as dry as Mother's if the roles were reversed, even with Bernard.

The boy enraged her, but she'd never wish death on him.

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"He fought and bled for us. For me. And in the end, he died for us." She let out a soft breath. Elise narrowed her eyes. It did not strike her as mournful or distraught. Tremendously inconvenienced, perhaps, but despaired?

Not even close.

"We will not forget him. We will not forget any of them. Plague. Crusher." Mother's eyes flicked up to regard the Hero. "Crackle."

Elise didn't react. There was no need, as the speech was meaningless. She'd stress when accusations started flying. The only valuable snippet was the name 'Crusher', which finally put a name to the face of the second Rogue from Indonesia. The irony of someone named Crusher being smushed to death wasn't lost on her, though she elected to keep her realization private.

Mother set the skull down gently. "Wars are comprised of battles, which possess many moving parts. Tactics, armament and resources all play a role, but ultimately, it comes down to the soldiers. Which ones are better at what they do?" She spread her arms wide. "We have worked tirelessly to cultivate an elite cadre of killers. We know we are better, but none of us are immortal. We must band together to circumvent our enemy. So when one of us falls, everyone suffers."

Elise continued not to speak. With her current lack of useful information, babbling would only incriminate herself.

"Crackle, while difficult, was a crucial part of our Family. Her talents ranged in both depth and application, making so much of our mission possible. Her death touches us all."

Everyone nodded again in solemnity. Except Elise. She had no reason to pay the lustful bitch any respect.

Mother noticed. "I see your lack of sympathy, Elise."

"Then your optometrist is doing their job."

The room shook. "This is not the time," growled Magne.

"That was not a jibe," sighed Elise, "it was a statement. I am not going to pretend to be sad over her death."

"She was useful to us," Mother told her diplomatically, though Elise could feel something bubbling below the surface.

"I'm aware," she responded.

"And you killed her."

"Yes."

Blood Rain would've told them everything by now, or at least what he managed to see before escaping the explosion range.

"Why?" snarled Magne.

"She sold me out."

Mother raised her hand, instantly quieting her furious son. "How?"

"She visited the Kove before I did. Before any of you, I think. She wanted a clear path to Jason, who'd wronged the Kollective some time back. Involuntary regicide, as I understand it. Me for the Talons."

Magne snorted loudly. "Please. The Kollective would trade their most valuable treasures for... you?"

Elise nodded. "Apparently. They said something about going for the rest of my family, too, so I suppose I was only the start."

"And you expect me to believe that?" snapped Evo.

"I don't really care what you believe," she replied curtly. "It's not up to you, anyway. I did as I was told. You sent me to the jungle to negotiate, instead a dragon tried to eat me. He failed, so Crackle tried to help. She failed, too." Elise burned a scathing look into the Mother. "I will fight for you, but I won't die needlessly. Crackle was blinded by... a lot, and that cost her. In the long run, her obsessions would've cost us all. They certainly began to cost me, and her life simply isn't as valuable as my own."

"That's certainly a convenient story." Magne tipped forward, eyes blazing with power. "Especially considering this meticulously plotted, deadly ambush ended with her death. You expect us all to believe you defeated the King of the Kill Kollective and one of our most powerful agents all on your own, while blindsided?"

Elise contemplated him flatly. "Isn't that why you sought me out?"

"How do you mean?" asked Mother.

"Let's not pretend I'm here out of the goodwill of anyone's heart," she snorted. "I'm here because I burn hotter than anything on this planet. I'm here because I understand certain things need to... change for the better." She creased her brows. "That those in power have spent too long there and lost perspective of what matters. Of who really matters." She faced her jury. "Crackle did not. She lost perspective and paid the ultimate price."

"Assuming, of course, your story is real." Magne looked ready to explode. "I mean, where the fuck is Pink, anyway?"

Elise's impassive features cracked with hesitation. "You didn't find him?"

"He hasn't reported since your battle," growled the Rogue, "which, considering the size of that fucking crater, probably means one thing."

"Fuck," hissed Elise.

Magne's scowl only got deeper. "So, let me get this straight. You killed one of our strongest soldiers, levelled one of our only remaining bases, especially after Guadalupe and lost our ultimate weapons all in one fell swoop. How exactly are you helping anything, again?"

"I did what I was told." Elise crossed her arms defiantly. "You told me to fly to that shithole jungle. You gave me the outdated intelligence. It wasn't my fault you forgot one of your major players is a fucking lunatic. What was I supposed to do, lay down and die?"

"GET THE FUCKING TALONS!" screamed Magne, punching small craters around his feet and sending powerful ripples through the room. Shouts of alarm indicated they'd run through the walls and into the fields outside.

"Magne," warned Mother.

He spent fifteen seconds mastering himself and sank back into his chair.

Mother faced Elise. "You must understand, sweetheart, that your actions have been catastrophic to our mission. Those Bloodreapers would've been instrumental, especially against stronger Heroes. Now, we are down a King-Class, without our primary innovator and short an entire base."

Elise sat forward. "All of which could've been avoided if you didn't send a fucking psychopath on a diplomatic mission. Any goddamned Alpha would've sufficed. Literally any, but you had to choose the one that fucking hated me. Take a moment, Mother, and think about how this mission was structured."

Elise stabbed a finger at Magne. "You lost at the Nursery. Badly. In fact, you lost the entire fucking island. You were outclassed, outfought and completely outmanoeuvred. That stung because you boys can't fathom the concept of inferiority. So instead of sucking it up, you took it out on me and punished a Nova for the actions of others. Instead of using what I am exceedingly hesitant to call a brain to not send me on a mission with the woman who's wanted my husband for the better part of two decades, you greenlit disaster. All to scrape back some semblance of control. And now you've paid for it. You, not me. This is not my fault. You knew some shit like this would happen, and in your childish need for authority, you actively incited it."

She lounged back.

"If we're fucked, it's your doing, not mine."

"MAGNE!" barked Mother, right as he began to rise. "Enough."

Magne trembled. "The traitor speaks, Mother. It's clear now–"

"That you made an error in judgment."

Magne deflated in shock. "What?"

"You heard her. Instead of throwing things, refute her arguments."

"I will not justify myself–" started Magne.

"Will not or cannot?" snorted Elise.

"Shut the fuck up!" yelled Magne, whirling furiously.

"We achieve nothing like this," Mother chastised, though even her patience was chafed. "Elise, I understand you were in a difficult position, but that doesn't change the fact that your actions have weakened us. Recourse is required."

Elise paused to think. "Well, the Bloodreapers were always a failsafe, anyway. Wasn't the whole idea to turn him," she pointed to Evo, "into God?"

Evo cocked his head. "It still is."

"So we continue, now just with heightened urgency," she reasoned with a shrug. "The teleporter remains priority. Unstoppable movement makes you untouchable."

Tacti, for the first time all day, spoke. "Were it that simple. The Sheath, when in lockdown, makes Fort Knox look like a cardboard box. Assuming she's there, we'll have a hell of a time fighting through whatever safeguards Skies has left in place to deter us. Then we'll have an entire island to search before we're forced to evac."

Elise cocked her head. "Not necessarily."

"Oh?" Tacti said, curious.

"Matthius is still in the hospital," she said with a slight grin. "Bernard often visits. We're... better than before. I can probably probe him to spill, and if not, I'll just go straight to his computer for weaknesses."

Magne's eyes narrowed. "So eager. You really are a scheming bitch."

"Powerful, too," Elise added. "Don't forget that. Crackle certainly won't."

"You can't save him," warned Magne. "He killed my blood. I will end Skies' life, whatever it takes. Him and anyone who gets in my way."

Elise shrugged. "Might makes right. If you're able, kill away. Remember what happened the last time you tried, though." She gestured lazily to the skull on the table. "No matter how powerful you are, Bernard is smarter. Bull blindly, and you'll never even spot the muleta. And believe me, he has many."

"Is that why he ran, begging his colleagues for aid when I reached out to crush him?"

"Is that what happened?" Elise shrugged. "I wasn't there. Do what you want, Magne. I don't care. Just remember what happens when you let feelings overpower reason. I won't risk this all on your childish fixation on control."

Mother stood, ending their argument. "Go, Crimson. Find where the girl is hidden and how we will get to her. You have ten days. If you cannot, we use force. We lose too many otherwise. To win, we can wait no longer." She studied Elise severely. "We depend on you."

Elise rose to her feet as well, nodding respectfully. "Understood. I'll get you what you need."

Five minutes later, she was back outside, waiting for her ride.

All things considered, that went pretty well. She wasn't dead. Hell, she'd even been promoted.

Sort of.

Not a bad day's work.