—The New Horizon (Remaster)—
-Season 2, Episode 4-
-Dimension 2 (Reset)-
When The Missiles Fly-
Manhattan, 2017-
A man wearing heavy armor stands atop a building, looking out to the horizon. “How many were launched?” He asks, glancing over his shoulder. A soldier approaches him with a tablet in his hand. “5 missiles, Commander Hawthorne.” The soldier responds. Commander Alex Hawthorne nods, a look of sorrow spreading across his face. A mushroom cloud rises over where New York City once stood. “How could we let him do this… we should have known!” he exclaims angrily. Alex looks down at his phone, his fingers tightening around the edges. He dials Abigail’s number, holding it close to his ear. It rings for a moment until eventually, something answers him. “Heya, this is Doctor Abigail Bright! I can’t quite reach my phone at the moment, so please leave a message after the beep. BEEP! Haha, that was me! Anyway, leave a message!” Alex presses the button to hang up, scowling. “Goddamn voicemail… I’ll try Lucy, then.” He mutters. He dials her, and the line rings for a moment. After what seems like years, the line connects. “WHAT!?” A voice screams through the speaker. Alex jerks the phone away from his ear as she screams, eventually holding the phone back up to his ear. “This is Commander Alex Hawthorne of The 18th Regiment of The Division’s Army. Who am I speaking to?” He asks into the phone. “Who the fuck did you call?” The voice asks in return. Alex is taken aback. “I called Lucy Daemon, co-CEO of Division 18… Is this she?” He asks. “Oh my fucking God, yes, it’s me! You pressed the fucking numbers, so I’d fucking hope you fucking meant to call me!” Lucy says, annoyed. Alex smiles softly. “There, was that so hard, ma’am?” He asks. Lucy growls over the phone. “The fuck do you want?” She demands. Alex’s smile fades. “I have a report. 4 more missiles were launched, at New York, Chicago, Washington DC, and Las Vegas. Included with Los Angeles, that’s 5 strikes within the hour.” he says. “Well, get on that, I’m preoccupied!” Lucy says sternly. Alex presses his fingers to his temple to quell the headache and groans. “Where’s Doctor Bright? Why isn’t she answering the phone?” He asks. Lucy shuffles the phone, and suddenly groaning emits from his phone’s speaker. “I’m in the hospital, leave me aloooone..” Abigail moans. Alex grows irritated. “Ma’am, can you please-” “NOOOOOO! Hospitaaaaal..” Abigail interrupts him. “See? She’s hopped up on Vicodin to keep her from feeling the pain! Now leave us alone and do your damn job!” Lucy shouts. Alex opens his mouth to argue, but the line disconnects. He growls, shoving his phone back into his pocket. “WOLVES! Rally up! We’re heading back to Hanover to figure out what to do next!” He orders, and his soldiers all head for the helicopter instantly. Alex sighs, boarding the helicopter last.
Shock And Awe-
Houston, 2017-
“What a dick,” Lucy says, shaking her head in annoyance. A wounded Abigail nods silently in agreement, groaning in pain at the movement. “Anyhow, let’s get you a surgeon,” Lucy whispers to her. She helps Abigail up into the bed in her room, and Abigail sighs. “L-Lucy… I’m sorry I failed you…” She says weakly. Lucy shakes her head. “Nah, you didn’t fail anyone.” She attempts to reassure her. Abigail looks away. “Los A-Angeles…” She mumbles, falling asleep. Lucy takes a deep breath, a tear rolling down her cheek. “Maybe them.” She whispers to herself. After a short wait in the hospital room, Rev walks in followed by what Lucy assumes is Abigail’s doctor. He’s wearing a surgical mask and a bloody apron, but his eyes seem all too familiar to Lucy. “This is Doctor Spencer, he can help,” Rev says. Doctor Spencer nods. “I can fix you up, and even give you some experimental tech as a replacement.” He smiles, though Lucy can sense a foreboding tone to the Doctor’s words. His voice suddenly trips the alarms in Lucy’s mind. That damn house, and those poor kids. “Ronald Spencer…” Lucy murmurs, her eyes glowing a bright red. Doctor Spencer shakes his head. “Please. I went through HELL during med school, I think I’ve earned the title of ‘Doctor’, don’t you think?” He argues. Lucy glares at him. “So help me, if you harm a single hair on Abigail’s head…” She says, her fingers flexing in preparation for a fight. She snarls her teeth, showing her fangs. “L-Lucy… He can h-help me…” Abigail mumbles, waking up. Lucy looks over at her and sighs. “Yeah, yeah… new universe, new rules…” She says. Rev nods, exiting the room. Doctor Spencer looks at Lucy. “I need you out. Patient confideatly.” He says sternly. Lucy growls, heading for the door. She stops to look back at him. “If she doesn’t make it out of this surgery alive, even God’s strongest Archangel can’t stop me from finding you.” She says coldly. Doctor Spencer nods. “I’m sure.” He says, slamming the door in the Demon’s face. Lucy puffs out her chest and takes a deep breath, loudly sighing as the air comes out. She flops down in the waiting room’s chair, and Rev joins her. “Hey.” He says. Lucy looks over at him and looks down at her lap. “Heya.” She responds. The two sit in silence until Rev clears his throat. “You know that Doctor?” He asks. Lucy shrugs. “I think so? It’s hard to say. I’m from a different Dimension, as you know. I… found… him in that timeline. Division 18 had an incident where they released a virus into his family’s house, infecting them and turning them into monsters.” She explains. Rev nods. He looks up at her eyes. A deep sense of dread and regret rests behind her eyes, and she looks away quickly. “Did… did you do something, Lucy?” He asks. Lucy sniffles and nods. “I…” She takes a shaky breath. “I did some bad things… I thought some bastard knew where my brother was… so I crashed one of our planes and… ruined the world.” She says, defeated. Rev looks at her, understanding her predicament. “I’m sure you thought you were doing what was right, yeah?” He asks. Lucy shakes her head. “I… I don’t know…” She says. She begins to sob, and Rev leans over to hug her. She cries into his shoulder as they wait for Abigail to come out of surgery.
The Upgrade-
Houston, 2017-
“Miss Bright… wake up, now.” Doctor Spencer says gently. Abigail opens her eyes, looking down at where her broken and beaten arm once was. A shiny metallic arm rests up against her side, the metal fusing to her shoulder in an unholy union of flesh and steel. She sits up slowly, the blood rushing to her head. She blinks several times in a feeble attempt to make the room stop spinning. “Easy now, Miss Bright… you don’t want to pass out while the arm’s calibrating.” Doctor Spencer says. She nods, forcing her headache to die down. “Now, I need to explain this to you. So listen close.” He says, sitting on the bed next to her. “The arm is connected to all of your nerves, I meticulously connected every single one. Your brain will take time to recognize them as part of you. You’ll need to conduct mental exercises. Tapping your right pointer finger against your left pointer finger while remembering the feeling of the flesh of your left pointer finger. It’ll be annoying, and exhausting. But it’s needed. Don’t rush it, okay?” He asks. Abigail nods. “I… I think I get it…” She says, flexing the fingers on her cybernetic arm. Doctor Spencer nods in approval. “Just like that. Now get back out there and save the world, Miss Bright.” He says, opening the door for her. She gets up and heads out into the hallway to meet with Lucy and Rev. Lucy jumps up, wiping a tear from her eye. “Woah, look at you! A fifth of the way to being a sexy robot!” She exclaims, hugging Abigail. Abigail smiles and hugs her back, and Rev examines the arm as they embrace. “Wow… that’ll scare the shit outta that crazy priest for sure!” he says. Lucy nods. Abigail sighs. “I fucking hope so, he deserves all the pain he’s got coming.” She says. She lets go of Lucy, and heads for the hospital’s doors. “Come on, we’re heading home.” She says. Lucy nods, and she and Rev follow Abigail out of the hospital.
The WOLVES-
Hanover, 2017-
“Well, well, if it isn’t my lovely Generals.” Alex taunts as the group enters the HQ. Lucy glares at him. “Can it, Hawthorne,” She says. Alex frowns, quickly looking away from the Demon. Abigail walks into the room, flexing her robotic fingers aggressively. “Can it, Hawthorne.” She says bluntly. Rev notices that the arm is twitching, and Abigail smacks the shoulder piece of her upgrade. “Fucking nerves, still need to calibrate…” She mutters, twisting some knobs on her forearm. Rev shrugs and leans back, his eyes drifting off to sleep after the long day they had. Alex clears his throat to attract attention. “Anyway, Arthur and I have something to share,” He says. Arthur looks up confused. “We do?” he asks. Alex rolls his eyes. “Yes, dumbass. We’re creating an elite Spec Ops Unit to help us fight against Father Adam and his psychopaths.” He says. Arthur continues to look at him in confusion. Alex takes a deep breath and sighs. “The WOLVES.” He finishes. Lucy looks up at him, annoyed. “We don’t NEED a Spec Ops Unit, we need more close allies like Rev, Jack, and…. Him.” She glares at Arthur. The Scotsman sighs, throwing up his arms in frustration and defeat. Lucy chuckles and looks back at Alex. “All I’m saying is I think YOU should be out in the trenches with us fighting.” She says, looking down at the shotgun resting in her lap. Alex grows annoyed. “I’m not a soldier, I’m a leader!” He argues. Abigail laughs. “Sure, and I’m a pretty princess with a nice, golden crown.” She says sarcastically. Alex sighs loudly, standing up and heading for the exit. “FINE! See how easy it is leading an army without a Commander!” He says, slamming the door on his way out. Rev snaps awake from the nap he’s been in, looking around like a lost dog. “Who pissed in his cereal?” he asks groggily. Abigail shakes her head and snickers. “Everyone, it seems,” Arthur answers. Abigail shrugs. “Oh well. Come on guys, let’s go figure out how to topple this false prophet’s empire.” She says, heading for the door. Rev follows her, and Lucy joins them. As she exits the building, a sharp pain splits through her head. She turns around and finds Alex standing behind her with a baseball bat. “A-Alex…” Lucy growls. Alex shrugs. “Sorry, Lucy Loo. Gotta make a deal or two to win this war, right? That’s what you did.” He says, grabbing Lucy around the waist. The last thing she remembers before blacking out is the warm interior of a Humvee, and the back of Alex’s head as he drives away from the HQ.
False Flag-
Hanover, 2017-
Alex kicks open the door to the bar, Lucy slung over his shoulder. He enters, noticing a small group of men resting in booths across the room. He walks over and lets Lucy’s body go over the pool table. Her head slams against the green fabric, and she groans. “Commander Alexander Hawthorne. A pleasure.” A man’s voice says, coyly calling out from the darkness of a nearby booth. Alex turns, squinting to see into the dark. A man with curly brown hair emerges, his green eyes glistening in the light. “I’m sure you know who I am already, don’t you?” Father Adam asks. Alex nods. “Yes, I do. Why did you call me?” He asks. Father Adam stands up, taking a small glass of whiskey with him. He takes a sip and grimaces from the burn. “I wanted to discuss payment for her. I’m against human trafficking, by the way. But we don’t usually refer to Demons as Human, now do we?” He asks the other men, who nod and chuckle. Alex looks around at the men again, noticing the lumps on their thighs and backs. Pistols and shotguns. The Commander takes a deep breath and looks back at Father Adam. “Why do you want her? I’d be completely fucked if Abigail or Rev found out about this. Why risk both yourself and me for some Demon bitch?” He asks. Father Adam walks over, resting a hand on Alex’s shoulder. He clears his throat and gives a fake smile. “Because God told me she’s more than just a Demon. She’s something special, capable of destroying EVERYTHING. She’s more important than even Archangels. Even Demi-Gods, maybe even God himself.” He explains. Alex scoffs and rests his hand on his pistol holstered on his hip. The moment his flesh touches the polyester, every single person inside the bar draws a gun on him. Father Adam smiles, raising his hand. “Relax. He means me no harm, I know. God himself says even he has a role to play.” He reassures his cultists. The armed men lower the guns and return to their drinks and conversations. Lucy opens her eyes slowly, looking around. She notices Alex and Father Adam talking and quickly shuts her eyes to listen. “Now, how much money was I going to get for bringing her here?” Alex asks. Father Adam laughs, walking over to Lucy’s body resting on the pool table. “Little Alexander, you silly man. What I offer you for trade is far more valuable than money. I offer you salvation.” He says. Alex’s face contorts, and he grows angry. “Fucking bullshit! Fuck you, you religious FUCK!” He says, drawing his pistol. Father Adam laughs, looking down the barrel of the gun back at Alex. “Leave him, my children. I have a guardian Angel watching over me. Her iris follows my every step, and she shall not allow such a man to harm a single hair on my head. You’ll get your payment soon enough, dear Alexander. Farewell.” he says, grabbing Lucy and picking her up. He slings her over his shoulder and heads for the door, stopping before leaving. “And good luck in the new world, Alexander. This brave frontier will be scary for you, but I have faith in you, as I have in God. May he direct your life as he does mine.” He says, finally leaving. The men in the bar follow him, leaving Alex alone in the smoky bar. “Fuck…” He mumbles, heading for the alcohol behind the counter to quell his anxiety.
Captured-
Moscow, 2017-
Jack’s awoken by the sound of gunfire. Alarms begin sounding, and red lights illuminate the room he and Kane are trapped in. Kane jumps up, his eyes frantic. “Who? Where? Why?” He exclaims, looking around. Jack groans, jumping up as well. “Don’t forget how…” He says, checking the door. A woman walks up to it, her eyes glowing golden. “Move.” She demands, forcing the door off its hinges. The metal cell gate clammers to the floor, and she enters. “Doctor Samuel Kane. My Boss has a task for you.” She says, her silver hair reflecting the red lights almost perfectly, shining straight into Jack’s eyes. Kane looks her up and down. “Well, if that task is something a bit physical, I wouldn’t mind too much…” He says, trailing off. The woman reveals a dagger from under her black trenchcoat, and she stabs Kane in the chest. He cries out in pain, falling to the floor. She removes the dagger, turning towards Jack. “Wake up.” She says, her golden eyes almost controlling him. Jack awakes in the dark room, but there’s no gunfire or alarms. He rolls over, checking on Kane. The man is fast asleep on the cot across from him, snoring loudly. Jack rolls back over, looking up at the cold cell’s ceiling. He sighs, and gunfire erupts from the corridor outside his cell. “Fuck.” Jack says, jumping up. He runs over and wakes up Kane, who also heard the gunshots. “We being rescued?” He asks groggily. Jack shakes his head. He creeps up to the cell door silently, looking out into the corridor. A pair of blue eyes gaze back at him. “Hello, Jack.” She says, blasting the door off its hinges. Jack grabs Kane as the strange woman watches them. “Be careful of the guards!” She calls out, vanishing in thin air. “Let’s go!” Kane shouts, taking the charge down the hallway. Jack looks over his shoulder to find the woman, only to spot the golden eyes from his nightmare watching him instead. “You…” He whispers, feeling his foot impact a large piece of metal. He falls to the floor, and Kane runs ahead, not noticing Jack’s no longer following him. Jack crawls under a nearby gurney to avoid the guards chasing Kane. He notices one is lagging, so he sticks out his leg. The guard trips over the former cop’s leg, falling to the floor. He grabs the guard’s gun from its holster, firing at the fallen Russian’s head. Jack quickly scrambles up, firing the small caliber handgun at the other guards. They fall dead, except one. He turns around, removing his helmet. Jack aims the gun and fires, but somehow, is unable to squeeze the trigger. He tries repeatedly until the guard emerges from the darkness of the red corridor. “Little subject, I am very fortunate to learn my conditioning has worked. Welcome to the Russian Research Unit, Agent.” Reznov says, his brown eyes gazing into Jack’s soul. “7. 19. 93. 102.” Reznov says, and an eerie silence hangs in the air around them. Jack turns around to find Kane standing there, his eyes pitch black. “Heya, bud. Listen, I’m gonna beat the shit out of you so it seems like Kane is under his little spell. Just play along.” The man possessing Kane says. Jack looks confused, and Kane punches him across the face. He falls to the floor, and Kane squats down. “This isn’t how I planned for us to meet, by the way. Sadly, this is how the cookie crumbles. I’m sure you get it.” He says, punching Jack across the face again. Jack looks up at him, blood pouring from his nose and mouth. “W-Who are you?” He asks. Kane laughs and punches him again. “I’m Alastor, and I’m gonna get us out of here. Eventually.” He says, kicking Jack across the face. Jack is barely holding onto consciousness, watching as Alastor pretends to obey Reznov’s orders. He passes out, alone and afraid.
Phoenix-
Paradise, 2017-
The dust wakes Lucy up with a violent fit of coughing. She looks around, finding a ruined church and several broken pews. A large monitor rests on the wall, and Father Adam stands before her, his back turned as he types on his computer. “No, not this fucking place again…” She says, annoyed. Father Adam looks up, turning to face her. “Good morning, Demon,” he says, taking his overcoat off. Lucy’s eyes widen in fear. “No, you’re a preacher, right? You wouldn’t…” She asks, audibly worried. Father Adam sighs. “No. I’m a holy man. I have no desire to engage in… relations… with a Demon, much less without consent. I’m not a monster, despite what you may think of me.” He says, pulling up a chair. He positions it across from Lucy, who finds she’s been restrained by a set of advanced cuffs mechanically connected to the door mechanism. “Twenty minutes is all I’m asking for. Twenty minutes and I can let you leave, and we shall go our separate ways. I wish you no ill will.” he says, sitting down. Lucy glares at him, her eyes glowing red. “Don’t really have much of a choice, do I?” She asks. Father Adam shakes his head. “No.” He answers bluntly. Lucy sighs. “Fine. Speak.” She says. Father Adam smiles. “I will, and I’m sure I’ll have you interested within the first ten words.” He says. Lucy shrugs. “Try me.” She retorts. Father Adam nods, clearing his throat. “North Reach, 2004. Abigail Bright ordered me to make the NRV.” He says. Lucy perks up. “What? No, that came from another dimension…” She says. Father Adam shakes his head. “Nope. Omega, under the watchful eye of Doctor Samuel Kane, found something under the ice in Alaska back in 1999. He found some man, infected with a virus capable of creating a massive mutation similar to clay. Combining itself with other corpses. It was horrific. I tried to defect to Omega in 2004, shortly after Abigail ordered us to replicate it, so…” Father Adam pauses. He takes a shaky breath. “A year later, she killed my wife. Burned my house down. Nothing was left.” He says. Lucy looks horrified. “S-She wouldn’t…” She starts, but Father Adam politely shakes his hand to silence her. “No. She did. She thought the ends justified the means, anything to stop The Thule or Omega from taking over America. You knew her from 1971, but you can’t be with her every day. The same way that she couldn’t have known… known that…” He trails off, tears forming in his eyes. “My son was in that house. He was only four.” He says loudly, kicking the dust at his feet. Lucy looks at him in shock, and tears form in her eyes. “N-No…” She says. Father Adam nods. “After that, I abandoned Division 18. I went to Kane and worked for Omega. Abigail knew of this and had me murdered. They invaded Omega’s base in Hawaii, gunning me down in the process. I was saved by my guardian Angel and was even visited by God himself. It was divine.” He says, standing up. “But enough of me. I am sure you cannot trust what I say, so I shall unshackle you. I know you have already heard this before, but I have a deadman’s switch connected to all of Division 18’s nuclear warheads. I trust you know of the repercussions in the event I die?” He asks. Lucy nods, remembering Dragon’s gambit. Father Adam smiles. “I am glad you trust me enough to believe my threats. Return to Abigail, and Division 18. When the time comes, I know you’ll trust who you should. My God shall direct it.” He says, opening the large bulkhead that once sealed Abigail, Rev, and Lucy. He closes it and releases Lucy. She slowly gets up, looking around skeptically. She notices the front door is wide open, and she runs for it. Father Adam watches her with a slight smile, and she makes it out. She runs until she’s as far from that church as possible. She breaks down in tears, unable to believe that Abigail could be so cruel.
God’s Plan-
Hawaii, 2004-
The gunfire in the distance slowly dies down, and Russell Adam lies back in a pool of his blood. Tears stream down his bloody face as images of a young boy slowly fade into his mind. The boy’s arms are outstretched, beckoning Russell to him. “I’m coming, Oliver… I’m coming…” Russell says, heading for the light. Two glowing blue lights stop him. “No, you’re not. I got something planned for you.” A man says. Russell opens his eyes, finding the burning building around him frozen in time. A man stands over him, a black suit and white undershirt complimenting the blue necktie hanging on his chest. His mouth smirks at Russell, and he waves. “Hello, Russell Adam. I’ve heard a lot of… interesting things about you.” He says, reaching down and offering a hand. Russell glares up at him, refusing the extended hand. “Well, will hear about you. You’ve got some fun things coming at you in your future.” The man says. Russell attempts to get up but slips in his blood. He groans, looking over to the doorway. A woman stands there, her blue eyes looking at him curiously. “Y-You always k-keep women like that as c-company?” Russell asks weakly. The man laughs. “Even while you’re dying, you still crack wise. I like that. You are dying, by the way. No way out of it…” he says. He turns away, a sly smirk on his face. “Unless you make a deal with me…” he says. The man turns back around, with a toothy grin. “I’m as close to God as you’ll ever get, Russ. Take it from me.” The man says. Russell looks over to the woman, who just stares back at him with a blank expression. “I am Azrael, an Angel of Michael. And this is The Director, my Boss.” Azrael says, walking over to Russell. He watches her take methodical steps towards him, her eyes glowing blue as she reaches down to his wounds. She closes her eyes and grunts quietly, her palm glowing blue. Russell can feel his wounds closing, and the blood returning to his body. He feels alive again, however slightly. He looks back at the woman, who now has a glowing halo above her head. Large, white wings are folded neatly behind her back. Her cleavage is at eye level with him, and Russell can’t help but stare. She smiles at him, and blushes. “Do you like what you see?” Azrael asks. Russell shakes his head in confusion, turning back towards The Director. “W-What did you mean, earlier, when you meant you had foreseen some things in my future?” He asks. The Director grins devilishly. “Well, I can’t tell you, but you, my good man, are destined to change the world,” he says coyly. Russell walks over to him, anger in his eyes. “How will I change the world?” He asks. Azrael walks over to Russell, brushing her hand against his face. “You are going to do what we tell you. We-” The Director cuts her off. “We want you to burn it all down. Make America great again, in your image. Mwahahaha!” He says sarcastically. Russell nods, looking down. “Yes, Father.” He says. Azrael glances nervously at The Director, who shrugs as a response. “I kinda wanna see where he goes with that.” He says. Azrael looks over at Russell, who’s pacing around like a madman. “I do not know, Sir. He seems dedicated, in the worst possible way…” She says. The Director ignores her, handing Russell a bible. “I wrote this JUST for you… keep it close, and keep it safe.” He says. Russell nods. “Yes, Sir.” The Director pats him on the back and walks towards the facility’s door with Azrael. “Sir, I do not think this is a good idea…” Azrael says. The Director looks back at her, his eyes glowing bright. “Talk back again, and I’m going to make you fucking regret it. Michael doesn’t care what I do to you, and you better believe I can fix whatever I break. Don’t fucking speak against me again, understand?” He says in a deathly serious tone. Azrael nods her head rapidly. “Sorry, Sir. Won’t happen again.” She says. The Director nods. “Good. Now let’s go, we got work to do.” He says. Azrael nods, heading out with him.
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Father Adam looks up from the bible and takes a deep breath. “I know not if what I do is just, all I know is I do it for the betterment of Humanity and America.” He says, opening the book. Inside the cover is a photograph, of a smiling woman and a young boy captured forever in happiness. The date ‘11/04/2005’ is written beneath them, and a tear falls next to the ink. Father Adam smiles. “I do what I do for you. I miss you two.” He says, gently closing the book. He gets up and walks towards the door of his church, looking back at the altar. A small wooden box rests atop it, velvet fabric inside. He smiles, playing with the amulet in his pocket. “I need to do this. For you, for her, and America,” he says aloud. Eris approaches him, her eyes glowing gold. “You know that’s dangerous, right? Especially if in the right hands…” She says, looking down at his pocket. Father Adam smiles. “Relax, my Angel. I know what this can do, and I know the dangers it poses. I will put it to good use, I promise.” He says, walking out of the church. Eris sighs, flying away as he walks out into the desert.
The Viatorem-
Viatorem Space Station, 2017-
Arthur watches out over Earth, the globe spinning slowly through space. The Viatorem floats silently around the moon, watching over Earth as its protector. “I can’t believe Lucy put you in charge of specialists like US.” One of the soldiers says, the Division 18 emblem embroidered on his shoulder. Arthur glares at him. “I got put in charge ‘cause I’m better than you. So grow up and follow orders.” He says back, looking back out over the Earth. The other members of the WOLVES snicker. “You sure? How did you allow HIM up here if you’re so much better than us?” One of them asks, motioning for the door. Father Adam steps out from the darkness, the amulet in his hand reflecting gold onto the floor of the steel space station. “Hello, Arthur Callahan. I am Father Adam, and I’m here to offer you a choice,” he says, his black combat boots clanging loudly on the floor. Arthur backs away from him slowly, reaching for his gun. “I dunno how you got up ‘ere, but you best be leavin' the way you came…” He says, his fingers wrapping around the pistol’s grip. Father Adam snaps his fingers. The WOLVES instantly bring up their guns, and their eyes glow a dull yellow. Arthur lowers his gun, looking at the six WOLVES in awe. “H-How did he…” He asks, but FAther Adam already has an answer loaded. “My guardian Angel ensured they’d be loyal. Eris, dear, introduce yourself to our dear Scottish friend.” Father Adam says. Eris emerges from behind him, her eyes glowing a bright gold. “I have a somewhat intoxicating effect on people… watch.” She demands. She turns to face one of the WOLVES. “Shoot this other soldier.” She orders. The WOLF turns his rifle at his fellow soldier and fires, killing him swiftly. “Now, shoot in the air three times before twisting your own neck.” Eris commands. The WOLF nods, raising his rifle to the air. Three bullets pierce the ceiling, and Arthur watches in horror as the WOLF takes grabs his head, one hand around his left cheek, and the other under his neck, and twists his neck sharply. A sickening crack bounces around the near-silent atrium of the space station, followed by a dull thud as the soldier’s corpse falls to the ground. Arthur looks back at Father Adam, who’s found the controls for the Viatorem’s controls. “Now. I have no wish to harm you, but I will if I must. All I ask is that you show me which one of these buttons launches the Minerva warheads.” He says calmly. Arthur glances between Eris and him, thinking of what to say. “Hell no, you’ll have to kill me.” He says, puffing out his chest in an act of defiance. Eris grins, drawing an ornate dagger from under her trench coat. “Fine by me.” She says, walking over to Arthur. Father Adam raises a hand, and she stops. “No, dear Angel. Leave him alone. He will tell me, or this whole station falls on Saint Louis. The impact alone would wipe the whole state of Missouri off of the map, but what of the Hell Gate? Imagine the damage I could do if I dropped a nuclear-powered space station on a weak tear between our world and Hell! Hell on Earth!” he exclaims, grinning. Arthur sighs, walking over to the controls. He points at a small keyboard with a screen built in atop it, and Father Adam smiles. “I knew you’d be smart. WOLVES! Take our friend here to the teleporter, send him somewhere starting with an… H.” He says. Eris nods, and the WOLVES grab Arthur by the arms and drag him out of the room. Father Adam looks out over the Earth, America resting directly in the line of sight. He sighs, closing his eyes and holding onto his bible. “Dear Heavenly Director, forgive me of my sins. Forgive them for theirs, and allow them back into the beautiful Eden where they belong. I know what I do, yet they know not of their damnation. Punish me for their sins, and accept them into your loving arms. Hallowed by thy name, Amen.” Father Adam says. He inserts the amulet into a lock on the console and turns it. A glass container lifts, revealing a large red button. He glances snack at Eris, who’s fiddling with her dagger. He smiles and presses it. A prompt appears on the screen, asking if he’d like to confirm the launch. He looks out over Earth again and presses the Y key on the keyboard.
Operation Scorched Earth-
Hanover, 2017-
Arthur opens his eyes. A bright blue sky, with fluffy white clouds, rolls across his vision. He sits up, looking around. He’s in a green field, surrounded by woods. The trees aren’t too dense, so he can easily spot a town in the distance. He suddenly remembers what happened moments prior. Father Adam. Viatorem. Minerva Warheads. He searches his pockets in a panic, finding his cell phone tucked away in his back right pocket. He opens it, fumbling with the passcode. Opening the contacts, he searched for Abigail. “Fuck me… come on… pick up…” he mumbles as the line attempts to connect. Eventually, the line reaches Abigail. “Arthur? What’s wrong?” She asks. Arthur takes a shaky breath and sighs. “F-Father Adam… Warheads…” He stammers. “Arthur? What is it? What’s going on?” She asks again, fear hidden in her voice. Arthur wipes the sweat from his forehead, looking around nervously. “Father Adam took over The Viatorem…” he says. Abigail goes silent. Arthur waits for her to respond, and she just hangs up after a while. Arthur looks back at the town again, and heads for it. As he walks through the woods, sirens begin sounding around him. Some distant, some near, and some within the town he’s heading to. Finally emerging from the woods, Arthur finds a familiar town. A military humvee races towards him, a woman in the driver’s seat with her hair flying wildly in the wind. The humvee screeches to a halt before him, and Abigail kicks open his door. “Get in, NOW!” She shouts over the sires. Arthur follows silently, closing the door behind him. Abigail revs the engine and races down the streets of the derelict town. Arthur looks behind him to find Rev in the back seat, fiddling with a radio. Eventually, the machine sparks to life, and Rev hurriedly grabs the walkie-talkie. “Alex! Alex, do you copy!?” He shouts over the sirens. Alex’s voice quickly answers the question. “Yeah, I copy! What the fuck is happening!?” he shouts back, sirens blaring from his end of the radio as well. Rev looks to Abigail, who swerves out of the way of a truck. “It’s Adam! He’s got the Viatorem! He’s launching the payload!” She replies. Alex goes silent, eventually returning to the speaker. “Fuck me, it’s true! Where the fuck are my WOLVES!?” He asks. Arthur speaks up. “T’was Adam, he bribed them, or brainwashed them! I dunno, they just turned on me!” he says. Alex sighs. “Fuck, fuck… fuck…” He says. Rev looks back at Abigail, who’s visibly worried. “H-How did this happen? How did I let this happen?” She asks. Rev shrugs. “I don’t know, but we need to find that psycho and put him down before he does something really fucked!” Rev says. Abigail nods. “All right, yeah. You're right.” She says confidently. Alex speaks up again, the radio growing filled with static. “Listen guys, I gotta go. Something’s happening, and I need to figure out what. I’ll contact you all later-” He’s cut off abruptly, and the radio goes silent. Arthur takes a deep breath. “Well, fuck.” Rev says, leaning back in his seat as they drive. Abigail looks out at the rising mushroom clouds. “I’m going to the Cold Blue. We’ll be safe there, I know it.” She says.
Freedom In Security-
Washington DC Outskirts, 2017-
Alex puts down the radio, his eyes focused on the Washington Monument in the distance. “Listen up, soldier. Get me to the Pentagon as soon as fucking possible.” He demands. The pilot nods, tapping on the equipment keeping the helicopter in the sky. “Uh, sir? Are you sure this is the right way? My systems are down, so I’m flying blind.” He says. Alex groans. He leans into the cockpit and points at the Washington Monument on the horizon. “Guess you’re learning how to use a fucking sundial then. Look, we’re facing East right now, right?” He asks. The pilot nods, checking the area around the helicopter. “No, think of the area around the monument like a clock. The shadow points to the hour. Understand?” Alex asks, annoyed. The pilot shakes his head. “Look, man. I’m flying the goddamn helicopter. Just let me work please.” The pilot asks. Alex groans in frustration. “JUST LOOK AT THE GODDAMN-” A bright flash blinds both Alex and the pilot. Alex looks away, shielding his eyes from the burning light. He looks back at the Washington Monument, a mushroom cloud rising where it once stood. The sky around the explosion seems to be stained red as well. The burning sky is almost gorgeous, and Alex can’t help but admire it in a moment of weakness. The pilot lurches to the side, and the whole helicopter violently shakes. Alex snaps back into reality as the shockwave hits. He grabs onto the back of the pilot’s seat as the helicopter spirals down to the Earth. “Fuck me!” he shouts as the helicopter makes impact.
Paradise Lost-
Paradise, 2017-
Lucy runs through the town of Paradise, searching for anyone to help her. She looks around only to find the town is abandoned. “Hello!?” She cries out. No response. She runs towards the nearest building, scanning the inside for any sign of life. A thick layer of dust rests on all of the countertops and shelves. She backs away in shock. “H-How the fuck am I going to get home?” She asks herself. A sickly feeling forms in her chest. “What did he mean ‘I’d know who to trust’?” She asks herself. She thinks to herself until her train of thought is derailed by the sound of a motor speeding towards her. She looks towards the sound of the engine and spots a small pickup truck racing through the town. A woman is driving it, and three men are latched onto the vehicle as she races down towards Lucy. “Holy shit!” She shouts, jumping out of the way of the speeding truck. The woman driving it slams on the brakes, and the three men jump off. They start banging on the door and window, cracking the glass. Lucy whistles as loud as she can, and the three men stop. “Oh? Another little fucktoy wanting to get it on?” One of them asks. He reveals a knife, and the other two reveal weapons of their own. One of them has a wrench, and the furthest one has a small revolver. Lucy smirks, her eyes glowing. “Oh, if you manage to beat me, I’ll let you do whatever you want, wherever you wanna do it.” She says smugly. The man with the knife charges at Lucy, and she easily moves out of the way. She grabs him by the back of his head, pulling his hair. She looks him in the eyes as he looks at her upside down. She kicks him in the back, and a loud snap bounces around the abandoned desert town. He cries out in pain, and the man with the wrench shouts in anger. “What the fuck, you crazy bitch!? He screams, preparing for a brawl. Lucy laughs. “Weak. You want all of this, but you can’t handle the bottom of my fucking boot. Pathetic.” She says, rushing towards the man. The other man fires his gun at her, hitting her in the chest. She falls in a cloud of dust, and she lies still. The man with the wrench looks at his paralyzed comrade and slowly walks over to the corpse of the Demon. He kicks her shoulder, but she doesn’t get up. He smirks, dropping the wrench and undoing his belt. “Oh yeah, you got a pretty little face to fuck, don’t you, bitch?” He asks. Lucy smirks and jumps up at him. Her fangs pierce his skin, and she rips the rapist’s throat out. Blood sprays all over her face, and she laughs as he falls to the ground. She looks over at the final man, and he fires at her five more times. She smirks and starts to walk over to him. He looks between his friends and his gun. “Oh, fuck this shit! The world’s ending, and I'm going out on my fucking terms!” He shouts, putting the gun to his chin. He fires, and he falls to the ground in a heap. Lucy glances back at the woman in the truck, who seems terrified of the Demon. She slowly approaches the driver’s side door and gently knocks on the window. “Hey! I’m Lucy, I saved you from them!” She says through the window. The woman slowly rolls down the window, looking back at the corpses anxiously. “D-Don’t kill me… please… I just wanna get somewhere safe…” She begs. Lucy raises her hands and shakes her head. “No, no! I helped you! I’m not gonna hurt you, I just need some help myself.” She says. The woman looks her up and down and takes a deep breath. “O-Okay… what do you n-need help with? I guess I owe you big time.” She says. Lucy looks around the town, the dust settled after the brawl. “What’s happening outside of here? Why did that guy say the world ended?” She asks the woman. The younger woman looks at her puzzled. “You… you don’t know?” She asks. Lucy raises her eyebrows. “Know what? If I knew I wouldn’t be asking.” She retorts sarcastically. The woman sighs. “The bombs… someone took the American reserves or something… they blew up the country.” She says slowly as if she can’t believe it herself. A pit forms in Lucy’s stomach. “Mushroom clouds?” She asks in return. The woman nods, shedding a tear. “I-It’s over…” She says, quietly sobbing to herself. Lucy looks up to the sky, and her eyes flare red. She growls and looks back at the woman. “Let me drive, I can take you somewhere safe. I need to get there, too. It’s official FBI business.” She says, hoping the lie will work on the poor girl. She looks up at Lucy. “The FBI allows… Demons?” She asks. Lucy scoffs. “Uh, yeah. We can even vote now.” She says. The woman nods and shuffles over to the passenger seat. Lucy climbs into the driver’s seat and floors it, kicking up a cloud of dust. She turns the truck around and races toward the West Coast.
Beneath The Tides-
Cold Blue, 2017-
After a long journey, Lucy and the woman sit in the submarine headed down to the Mariana Trench. Lucy looks out the window as the woman stares at the floor. The sound of the deep ocean helps keep the awkward silence at bay. “The radiation wouldn’t be able to reach down here. Now for a while, at least.” Lucy says, reassuring the woman. “My name is Emma.” She replies. Lucy looks confused. Emma glares at her. “You kill the men trying to rape me, kidnap me, and force me to go down to the fucking bottom of the ocean and never even asked me my name,” Emma says. Lucy looks down at the floor of the sub. She takes a deep breath and sighs. “Look. I acted in the moment, and the moment I acted in didn’t require formalities. If what you said is true, then America as we know it has been destroyed. Millions dead, and you’re worried about my name?” She asks. Emma sighs. “Look. I think I might be a little fucked up, okay? But trust me, shit’s real. Higher powers are at work here. I know they are.” She says, a sly smirk spreading across her face. The Demon’s eyes watch the gauge on the wall reading 4,450 Fathoms. Lucy looks away from the gauge for a moment, glancing at her with a concerned look on her face. A slight yellow glimmer shines from her eyes, and Emma looks away. Lucy shakes her head and looks back out the submarine’s window. “I wanna try something new. Look at me.” Emma says. Lucy looks over at her, and Emma’s eyes glow a slight yellow. “I am Eris. I am an Angel created to be the Archangel Michael’s replacement in the event he’s slain in battle. You will not remember this, but you will heed my warning. Continue down this path with Abigail Bright and I will kill her.” Eris says. Lucy nods, the red in her eyes mixed with the yellow. Eris snaps her fingers, and Lucy wakes up. She clears her throat, looking up at Lucy. “I know it’s a dumb question, but it helps me stay in the moment. Can you say my name? I don’t know if you know it or not.” She asks. Lucy sighs. “You’re Emma. We just discussed this back at four thousand and…” She trails off, reading the gauge on the wall. 4,470. “I… guess we’re moving faster than I thought…” She says, the sense of something being off growing in her chest. Emma nods. “Yeah, you fell asleep for a minute or two.” She answers. Lucy nods. “I guess I did.” She says.
The submarine docks at the entrance of the Prison, the water crashing against the open floor. Lucy and Emma step out of the sub, and Atkins is waiting for them. The scientist’s arms are crossed, and he glares at Lucy. “Good to see you again, Demon.” He says sarcastically. Lucy looks confused. “I’ve never seen you before… have we met?” She asks. Atkins sighs, shaking his head. “You called me a fool for creating the SW-01, and said I should be hung for my crimes.” He says. Lucy shrugs. “Well, maybe you should have been. But the past is in the past. I’m sure you’ve heard what’s happening above us?” She asks. Atkins nods. “I was told by Abigail. She’s here with Rev and the Scottsman.” He says. Lucy nods, walking past him. She enters the main atrium of the prison, now turned into a survivor’s camp. She looks around to find the stairwell leading up to the watchtower and heads off. Emma watches this, and she smirks. Her hair slowly turns from brown to silver, and her blue eyes morph into yellow ones. She laughs to herself as she slips into the shadows.
Two Faced-
Cold Blue, 2017-
Lucy runs up the stairs and bursts into the main room, finding both Rev and Arthur sleeping on the couch and guard’s chair, respectively. She looks around and discovers Abigail sitting in the corner, sniffling. “Hey, dear. It’s me. It’s okay. I’m here now.” Lucy says, walking over to Abigail. Abigail looks up at her, her brown eyes red and puffy. “It doesn’t matter. It never mattered.” She says to herself. Lucy sits down across from her, taking Abigail’s hands into her own. “Listen to me. I love you, and I’m here for you. No matter what happened, or what happens.” She says. A strange feeling hits her chest, looking into Abigail’s eyes. Lucy remembers what Father Adam said. Could those be the same eyes that killed an innocent woman and child? Lucy stares into the brown pupils of her partner, and Abigail looks worried. “Did something happen?” Abigail asks. Lucy takes a deep breath. “No. It can wait.” She replies. Abigail leans forward to hug Lucy, her mouth hovering close to Lucy’s ear. “You can talk to me. I trust you, and I know you trust me.” She whispers. Lucy shakes her head. She sighs. “No, I can’t. I need to ask you a question. Something important.” She says. Abigail leans back and nods. “What’s up?” She asks, wiping the dried tears from her face. Lucy takes a shaky breath, tears forming in her eyes. A strange sense of rage growing in her heart. “What happened back in Hawaii, in 2005?” She asks. Abigail looks away. “Nothing.” She answers sternly. Lucy jumps up, her eyes glowing red. The rage is building, and she can’t stop it. “BULLSHIT! I know what happened! Omega found Harold in Alaska, and you attacked their base in Hawaii! I know you ordered those men to be murdered!” She shouts. Rev and Arthur wake up, looking around worried. “Something happen? Besides the nukes?” Rev asks. Lucy glares over at him, her eyes borderline on fire. “Go check out the prison with Arthur. Make sure it’s structurally sound. Now.” Lucy orders. Rev glances over at Abigail, who nods. Rev shrugs and gives Arthur his gun. The two men leave the room, and Abigail stands up. “Yeah, they found something! And we had to take it from them!” Abigail shouts back, her face getting red. Lucy shakes her head. “And what about Adam’s wife? His kid? Did they have to die so you could get your precious virus!?” Lucy screams out. Abigail’s eyes widen, and she backs away. “H-How did you…” She stammers. Lucy approaches her, her eyes burning. “I read a file. The casualties were large in number. All of this so you could force Russell Adam to make your deadly virus!?” She shouts. Abigail backs up against the wall, her hands flat against it. She tries to walk away, but Lucy puts an arm up against the wall to block her escape. “Answer me or I swear to God we are over!” She shouts. Abigail’s face twitches, and she faces Lucy. “I needed to get that virus so we could keep it out of Omega’s hands! If you think North Reach was bad, imagine if the fucking virus got weaponized! Imagine the chaos then! I don’t think a little deal with Death could fucking save us from that, could it!? I didn’t fucking think so! Now how about you put yourself in my shoes! Imagine the weight of that choice! Save a few soldiers and scientists and let an evil corporation make a bioweapon capable of ending all life on Earth, or kill the scientists and soldiers and save the world as we fucking know it!? Huh!? PICK ONE!” Abigail screams. Lucy sits quietly and sighs. “Neither. I’d steal the virus, and destroy it. I wouldn’t have developed it, and it would never have leaked into the water supply. I’d have destroyed it!” Lucy shouts. Abigail starts to snicker. “Oh yeah? That’s what you’d do? You wouldn’t unleash it on a family and record the results? Because your actions prior have spoken for you.” Abigail says under her breath. Lucy glares at her. The rage inside has reached its limit. “What the fuck did you just fucking say to me?” She asks, her face twitching. She snarls her fangs at Abigail, but Abigail just shrugs. “Funny. You criticize me for being this evil scientist when you yourself worked for Harold Bright? Then when some sneaky politician lied about your brother you decide to ruin a family’s life by infecting them with some virus? What about that? Is that not evil?” Abigail asks. Lucy stares at her in silence. The rage is overflowing, but Lucy can just stand there. “Take that back. Right fucking now.” She says. Abigail shakes her head. “I can’t. It’s something that’s out there now. We’re both awful people, so we need to accept it and just move on.” She says calmly, her voice coarse from screaming. Lucy looks away, tears streaming down her face. “But I never killed an innocent child. An innocent, four-year-old child.” She says quietly. Abigail stops and looks down at the floor. “I… I didn’t know he had a wife and kid. I had no way of knowing.” She says bluntly. Lucy stares at her. “I… I deal with it every fucking day. I’ve killed hundreds of Nazis, Omega Soldiers, and even some civilians on accident. But Oliver Adam is always on my shoulder. I can’t escape him, and I can’t forgive myself for him.” She says. The two women stand in silence for a while, and they both calm down. “I’m sorry for claiming you are evil.” Lucy says abruptly. Abigail chuckles and looks at her. “I get it. It seems like it without me telling you how I feel. But I deal with the guilt every day. It’s why I get so worked up when I can't save people… I feel all of their souls on my shoulders.” She says. Lucy nods. “I still have nightmares about the Spencers. What I did. I…” Lucy trails off. Abigail walks over to her and kisses her gently on the lips. She breaks away and looks Lucy in the eyes. “We’re trying to be better, right?” She asks. Lucy nods softly. Abigail smiles. “Let’s keep each other in check, okay? You call me out, and I’ll call you out. No more Spencers, no more Adams. Okay?” She asks. Lucy nods, and the two hug as the waves crash above them.
Return Investment-
The Euphoric Plain, 2017-
“OH MY FUCKING GOD!” The Director screams. Eris flinches, and he spins around to face her in his chair. “I was this close to breaking them up! UGH!” He exclaims. Eris nods, and steps forward. “I told Lucy what you wanted me to say, and she won’t remember it. Consciously, at least. She’ll recall them in her dreams.” She says. The Director nods. “Good girl. Get out there, and keep an eye on those two carpet munchers for me. OH!” he shouts, stopping Eris in her tracks. “Check up on Azrael, see how she’s handling those two lobotomized nutjobs in Russia.” He says. Eris nods. “Yes, Sir.” She says, exiting his room. He leans back, closing his eyes for a quick nap. “You shouldn’t call them carpet munchers, Xander. It’s offensive.” Death says, her green eyes glowing from the darkness. The Director jumps and faces her instantly. “Holy fuck! You can’t sneak up on me like that, man…” He says. Death smirks. “First off, I can and will sneak around like that. Second off, I am not a man. Though I’m more masculine than you, shriveled dick.” She says with a grin. The Director stands up, his eyes glowing blue. “Call me that again and I’ll show you how big it is.” He says, threatingly. Death bursts out laughing. “You think that sounded tough!? You threatened to show me your tiny dick!” Death says between gasps of air and laughter. She calms herself down and sits down across his desk. “Anyway, tell me what’s up with my Bitch and her bitch.” She says, pointing towards Abigail and Lucy on the screen behind him. The Director sighs and sits down. “I sent Eris out to plant subconscious thoughts into Lucy’s head telling her to either break up with Abigail and run away, or Abigail’s gonna die. As for Kane and Jack, well, I got something planned for them. It’ll be fun.” He says. Death nods. “I’m with you so far, but why? Why torment those two?” She asks. The Director glances up at her. “Because it’s funny, that’s why.” He answers. Death nods and stands up. “Fair enough. I’m leaving, I got a job to do. Another mass shooting in some school, I gotta go take care of those poor kids.” She says as she walks towards the exit. The Director smiles. “Send them to Hell, they need more souls.” He says. Death stops and turns back around. She draws her sword, lunging at The Director. The red blade of her katana presses against his neck, and her eyes are glowing a light green. “You don’t tell me where my souls go. Michael is in charge, and you’re his second-in-command, but don't you fucking forget that I’ll be here to reap you BOTH.” She says. “Those poor, innocent kids are going to Heaven, where they’ll play for eternity. Now, you tell me what to do again, I swear to myself that you’ll enjoy your stay in Purgatory. There’s some hungry things in there looking for their next meal.” Death says, lowering her sword. She vanishes, and The Director sighs. He turns around to face the screen once more. “What a bitch… she’s so fucking hot.” He whispers to himself as he watches Abigail and Lucy hug it out beneath the waves.