Jessica and Viper

[Persephone]

After abolishing the T-leeches, everyone began to head toward the train that was supposed to lead them to their "destination". On the way, they finally ran into Sharon and Alycia. Unfortunately Alycia was savvy enough to survive. Ava tried to hide her disappointment. Nicolas insisted that everyone gather inside the train but Haleigh quickly stopped them.

Haleigh: "WAIT… I don't know about the rest of you, but I would rather not be hurtling through an underground tunnel trapped on a train when Zombies or devil dogs wake up and attack, or T-leeches or T-cockroaches or some other horrendous perversion of nature starts seeping out of the walls."

"Good point--"

Turning head toward the direction they had just came from, Ava could head faint gurgling sounds in the distance.

"Make it quick though Hale. We'll have company in about 3 minutes."

 

[Seer]

Arklay Express

<< Black Widow halts everyone's boarding the train and rightfully so, but surprisingly her scans turn up nothing ON the train itself. its computerized and its systems are in tact.>>

<< but just because they were able to determine nothing was ON the train, didnt mean the ride itself would be smooth. there was ALOT of ground to cover, and despite the train being high speed, they would be on it for a bit.>>

<< from the distance, Persephone picks up a low, gurgling sound. NOT mechanical. Its a sign that there may be something somewhere else. something that followed them or had already been down here. either way, they had to move FORWARD, not stay in one spot and certainly not go backwards.>>

<< as if anxiety and uncertainty werent high enough, there was now some tension was higher now with Silver Swan and Alycia rejoined with the group. Alycia shot daggers at Ava who seemed none too please that Alycia was still ALIVE. Still no matter how many fault lines ran among this "super group" they all allowed themselves to rest on the fact that their working TOGETHER was the only way to ensure success and survival.>>

<< with the scan complete and no other obvious reason to stay put, they slowly boarded. the train was rather cold and had a very dimly lit, blue lighting inside. there were weapons such as axes, flame throwers and other devices stored in wall pannels as well as several ANTI VIRUS first aid kits and a com system that linked the train to its control center inside the arklay mansion. there were three cars in this express train.>>

<< once everyone is inside, the doors slide shut and a metallic feminine voice informs them that they are about to embark on "Arklay Express" and she warns them that any attempt to exit the train prematurely could result in severe injury, INFECTION or death!>>

<< the train begins its moving forward and soon is off to higher speeds, going down a downward incline, the train speeds up even MORE. in these precious few moments of "calm" everyone has a chance to breathe, take a moment and assess the situation.>>

 

[Artemis]

on the train

:: Alycia's hazel widen with disebelief as the Crimson Head comes down at her. She throws her arm up to protect herselfe using one of her FEMINUM wrist braclets to BLOCK the biting jaws of the creature but it never reaches her. she is SAVED by none other than Rampage and MorningStar.::

:: Part of her was relieved but the other part of herself was PISSED at herself...the sitution...THEM. She had done a HELL of a job holding her own this entire way so far, not even reflexively relying on Silver Swan. She was protecting HERSELF! her training as an Amazon was paying off, and while she had learned mental discipline techniques, she couldnt hide her emotions from Cameron, especially those associated with the memories of her trauma and her bitterness toward members of the Six.::

:: she had been able to lose herself and really show what she could do now as an Amazon during her journey here, but it was EASY when fighting by Sharon's side. She TRUSTED Sharon. Loved her like a sister. These others? She didnt know WHAT to think...it would be easy to just HATE them, but inspite of all her changes, there was still that core of her being, that logical part of her that could weigh everything and see clearly through even the gray areas. it was what allowed her to be such a good attorney in her other life and it was now preventing her from simply just hating her former "Family."::

:: she held her shapeshifting metalloid battle staff in her hands tightly as the drew near and began to communicate. there was no denying them now. they were all in this together. the battle staff shimmered a bit as did her feminum bracelets.::

:: as Rampage urged them on the train, Alycia caught sight of Persephone's obvious DISSAPOINTMENT in seeing Alycia alive.::

wither and die, you bitter venus fly trap!

:: Alycia thought as she glared at Ava before rolling her eyes. The woman still held Alycia's SELF DEFENSE killing of Stavros [Ava's Father] against her. Alycia on the other hand, didnt care. The man was an international criminal and had made it possible for Sharon's death. She felt that Stavros' death was JUSTICE. the two would never see eye to eye on that and it would always be a source of bitterness between them, but now was not the time for that.::

:: Black Widow hasa them wait while she scans the train. A sound move...and so Alycia stood, silent for a moment before looking over at Delilah who happened to be next to her and Cameron. Alycia's own unhappy facial expression softened SLIGHTLY.::

...Thank you for...saving me just now. It was too close a call...even for me.

:: she said quietly and solemnly to Delilah.::

:: inside the train, Alycia's staff changed form to an armlet which she placed on her upper right arm as she allowed herself to sit down for a moment. the train took off and they were now on their way.::

Jessica Marcus was chasing us. She identified herself as Viper and is wearing a costume and mask that looks like something MORGAN would wear. each time we squared off against her, she only fought us for a few moments before making it seem like we drove her off. Shraon tried to nail her with her sonic scream, but we dont think she got hit. We havent seen her since we got inside here.

:: Alycia spoke in a cold tone. She didnt want to "relax" but she was secretly greatefull for these few moments. how long it would last, she couldnt be sure.::


Scraping the bottom of the barrell I see...bring THEM along.

:: referring to Malice and Isis.::

 

[MorningStar]

Haleigh scanned the train for creepy crawlies. Being enclosed in a steel metal box was not her idea of a smart way to travel, but it was necessary. Apparently the thing moved at high speed, at least, so hopefully they wouldn't have to be on there long.

Sharon and Alycia appeared to be unharmed, even if they didn't immediately leap into the arms of the rest of the Six. Delilah waited for the all clear next to Alycia.

...Thank you for...saving me just now. It was too close a call...even for me.

Delilah smiled warmly. It was a small step towards repairing their relationship, but it was a step forward at least.

“You two seemed to be holding your own without us. I'm just glad you're alright.”

Haleigh pronounced the train safe, and they loaded on. She scanned the contents of the car, tucking a few syringes of anti-virus into her jacket pocket, just in case. She really wanted to try out that flamethrower as well.

Scraping the bottom of the barrell I see...bringing THEM along.

:: referring to Malice and Isis.::

Delilah slid down to a seated position on the floor of the train.

“Yeah, well, we're hoping Jessica will take care of them for us.”

She said while smiling sweetly at Malice and Isis.

“And they're hoping the same about us.”

 

[Malice]

on the train

:: Malice and Isis stuck together...to observe mostly. It was noticeable that Persephone and Black Widow were either ambivilant or flat out unconcerned about Alycia. Persephone, ESPECIALLY. But Alycia was no fool she could read the elemental's body language and her own wicked thoughts toward Ava were as strong as Ava's toward Alycia.::

:: the crimson heads were quickly dealt with. they were the more deadly strain of the zombie menace. she remembered when the FIRST crimson head appeared in Arklay Mansion and she knew who it WAS or rather who it had been BEFORE. Through this whole mad run she was finding herself remembering things that she shouldnt! It was bothernig her more than she would allow anyone among THIS group to see. Thankfully, most of the threats at hand were things not worth her effort to deal with. She'd be needed soon enough though.::

:: on the train, Malice and Isis stood together near the back of the car they were all in facing the rest of them, as Alycia made her remark, Malice lookd at her feigning interest.::

Oh really, Alycia? I almost didnt recognize you without being tied up and held as BAIT by one of the Six's many foes now that you're playing "dress up" as Wonder Woman! Powerfull and Capable as you may have become, they...especially SHE [Persephone] still don't respect you. She want's you dead. Even now she wishes you had been KILLED.

:: unapologetically outing Ava's thoughts once more.::

You SHOULD feel the way you do about them. They don't care about you. Only MorningStar's status as the "moral compass" of their pathetic mess of a team has compelled them to even come THIS way to find you and Silver Swan.

Nice bracelets! Did the pawn shop you got them from give you a slip so we can return them after you're dead?

:: and as MorningStar chimed in, Malice looked at her.::

Don't get your hopes up, little "lightengale". If I were you, I'd focus more on the fact that more than one person in your group wants Alycia DEAD, namely pretty poison Persephone.

:: looking at Alycia.::

You may be focused on Viper, but take it from ME...the more deadly isnt the one in front of your face. It's the one sneaking up BEHIND you. She already murdered one of their team mates in cold blood and thought nothing of it. You may be next.

:: looking at Delilah.::

I've tried telling you, even though you're too stupid to comprehend...that I'M not the one you should be focused on, or even VIPER. You're own TEAM is at war with itself!

Isis and I will make it out just FINE because we know what we're here to do and we will sacrifice ANYONE who gets in the way. YOU on the hand? your holly jolly pollyanna attitude makes you WEAK, FOOLISH and BLIND to what is coming from your own team.


:: she winks at them as the train picks up speed and whisks through the dark tunnel. Hardly smirking as she struck another telling blow to their moral. revealing Ava [and implying others among them] and VALIDATING Alycia's mistrust and bitterness toward them. They COULDNT ignore it now!::

 

[Persephone]

Standing on the train silently, Delilah and Alycia shared a peaceful and friendly conversation with each other, cutting the otherwise defening silence. Looking out the window of the train, there was nothing but blackness. And honestly, Ava wasn't attempting to "see" anything in the first place. She just wanted to be isolated from the growing contempt that boiled in the pit of her stomach. She saw Alycia's hateful glare before they boarded the train. She knew Alycia was very aware that Ava was disappointed she had survived thus far. It was almost sick how they were forced to work together when they could have so easily been the ones battling against each other. It was reminicent of the six's alliance with the sisterhood.

With her eyes focused on the window, every 15 seconds a solitary light would pass by like clock work. It kept Ava's attention focused...that was until Malice opened her fat mouth.

Malice: ...they...especially SHE [Persephone] still don't respect you. She want's you dead. Even now she wishes you had been KILLED.

"And EVERYONE here wants you dead, so what's your point?"

Ava snapped as she shot a deathly glare toward Malice who stood near the back of the train.

Malice: If I were you, I'd focus more on the fact that more than one person in your group wants Alycia DEAD, namely pretty poison Persephone.... She already murdered one of their team mates in cold blood and thought nothing of it. You may be next.

Ava didn't deny it. In fact, she remained silent at Malice's accusations because frankly, they were true. If it weren't for Morgan, Alison, and even Sharon, Ava would have NO problems cutting Alycia's life short. But she knew how deserately they each cared for Alycia--WHY was anyone's guess--but it kept Ava in check. She couldn't lift a finger against another member of the six... If she did, she knew she wouldn't have a place with them anymore.

"Your words are selective, Malice. But why should anyone here be surprised about that fact? You thrive on exposing peoples personal thoughts, but you never do seem to say EVERYTHING we're thinking. Otherwise you would know that while you are right, I would NEVER lift a FINGER against Alycia. But as long as you throw a few seeds of doubt our way and fertilize it with your CRAP, I guess you've served your purpose of being the instigating bitch of the caper. Although I suggest crossword puzzels to pass the time. That is what people your age like to do when their bored, isn't it?"

Tossing her a wink back, this was going to be a LONG train ride.

 

[Isis]

long ride

Oh spare us you're "i know you are but what am i" routine, you viper.

[ Isis quipped with contempt as she eyed the renegade goddess.]

You killed your own mother. Why should ANYONE good OR "bad" believe or even TRUST you? You apparently can't go more than a little while before you end up killing "one of your own" no matter WHAT time you're in.

Do you even know what side you're on?

You can deflect on Malice all you want, but that doesnt change the fact that you're kind of help and "teamwork" is pure poison.

At least we continue to be as we always are and will be....FOES and occassional "collaborators" out of necessity.

You are just a traitorous cancer waiting to strike.

Don't be mad because WE of all people can see that from a mile away.

[ Indeed it WOULD be a long train ride, for more than one reason. ]

 

[Persephone]

Isis: You killed your own mother. Why should ANYONE good OR "bad" believe or even TRUST you?

"Leave my mother out of this."

Ava warned evenly, her breath coating her words with a hint of a growl.

Isis: You apparently can't go more than a little while before you end up killing "one of your own" no matter WHAT time you're in. Do you even know what side you're on?...You can deflect on Malice all you want, but that doesnt change the fact that you're kind of help and "teamwork" is pure poison....You are just a traitorous cancer waiting to strike.

"Who the hell asked your opinion, Isis?! Oh, I'M sorry, Dominique. I'm not going to address you by the surname that you so OBVIOUSLY don't deserve to HAVE. The REAL Isis wasn't a glorified D-Lister who obviously made her way to the MIDDLE of the music industry by flat backing. She was a powerful, beautiful, regal woman who commanded respect. You're just a glorified, WEAK, has-been. So you can take what you THINK you know about me and piss off!"

 

[MorningStar]

Malice put in her repetitive little comments...Delilah thought she had heard the whole “prisoner” one used before on Cameron. Tsk tsk.

She want's you dead. Even now she wishes you had been KILLED.

Delilah scoffed.

“You don't have to be a telepath to see THAT.”

”I've tried telling you, even though you're too stupid to comprehend...that I'M not the one you should be focused on, or even VIPER. You're own TEAM is at war with itself!

Isis and I will make it out just FINE because we know what we're here to do and we will sacrifice ANYONE who gets in the way. YOU on the hand? your holly jolly pollyanna attitude makes you WEAK, FOOLISH and BLIND to what is coming from your own team.

“Trust me, Diana, I've seen this team at war with itself. This ain't it. There was a lot more blood and hair pulling.”

She crossed her arms, still seated across from Alycia on the floor of the train.

“Unlike YOUR team, which will, as you said, 'sacrifice anyone who gets in the way' - WE protect our own, even when we don't particularly like each other.”

Malice was so transparent. Sowing seeds of discord, trying to play them off against each other. But Delilah knew that the rest of her team could read the woman like a book just as easily as she could. She did hate that Malice was picking on Ava, though. But the girl could take care of herself, and it showed.

Delilah got up and walked over to Ava, who was getting a bit worked up. And who could blame her, Dominique was SUCH a bitch. Delilah put a steadying hand on her arm, while looking straight at Dominique.

“And how many times have you told us how you're going to kill Nicolas? Your own nephew, without batting one of those fake eyelashes? So I hardly think you're one to lecture ANYONE on family values.”

After a second, she removed her hand from Ava's arm, and looked to the group at large.

“Now, do you think we could focus on the job we're here to do, or what?”

 

[Isis]

confrontation on the train

[ Isis remained stone faced as Perspehone shot back. She shot back hard too, discrediting Dominique's relevance and talent as a singer and her even her worthiness to be "ISIS" in this time and place. What a venomous creature she was! But that was usually the case with common renegades and no matter how much time had passed, that was all persephone was. a renegade exile with no home in ANY time or space. ]

Oh and you're SUCH an excellent one to talk about relevance and talent, my dear. You whose ONLY relevance in this or ANY OTHER time rests in the minds of feeble, overweight, old college professors and scholars with bald halds.

You rank less than a FOOTNOTE in most studies of antiquity. I am the PRESENT, you are the FORGETTABLE PAST searching for some chance to become necessary AGAIN.

You're nothing but common rabble. In this and any OTHER time. You're a bloodthirsty, selfish SAVAGE who would kill ANYONE if it suited your needs, regardless if they were foe, friend or FAMILY.

My goddess may have been friends with and respected Demeter, Athena and Hecate and even YOU, but this is a new time and place and everyone, INCLUDING Isis knew that you always were and always will be a vile, vulgar, petulant CHILD with no purpose other than to apparently hop from one timeline to another until the family you become apart of is destroyed, usually by YOU.

[ Isis looked down her nose at the other goddess.]

And if there was ever any DOUBT, one need only ask Michael Armstrong, Hecate, Hades and most especially

[ using her magick to glamor her face and voice into...]

DEMETER.

[ placing one hand on her hip as she sweeps back that side of her cape, Isis was happy to engage in a personal bitchy battle with Persephone OR Prophet. In prophet's case, it was simply because she didnt like him. she felt he was a wreckless amateur. She hadnt known him BEFORE he reformed so this was all she had to go by and in Persephone's case, the two women had histories that put them closer than EITHER was comfortable with. Persephone felt that Dominique was a rank amateur excuse for "Isis" and Dominique via Isis' essence and memories saw /knew Persephone's own reputation and felt she was beneath contempt. Both women were "blended beings" each had a "divinity" that was now enhanced or perhaps TAINTED by humanity and its tendancy toward judgement.]

[ Dominique had obviously gotten to Ava on some level, given her more agressive stance and tone of voice. But the avatar didnt back down. MorningStar stepped in again and headed off Malice and now Isis directly calling her out about her own willingness to kill Nicolas, her nephew, and of course the usual adding of age/cosmetic insults. This young woman was hardly the sterling example of ladyhood that she was reputed to be.]

Delilah you are weak. It's as simple as that. You dont have the strength, the resolve to do what needs to be done. That is why you fail. My nephew has within him the power to loose an unspeakable evil on the world...and destroy it. When I ORIGINALLY tried to destroy him, it was YOU and your meddling upstarts who interfered. Your sorceress Morgan nearly paid for it with her life and may yet STILL suffer at his hands.

I have been called to a better way to handle...HELP Nicolas bear his burden, which is more than can be said for YOU and your treating him like a PARIAH inspite of his efforts to be the "friend" , "team mate" and "PROTECTOR" you claim everyone in your group to be.

 

[Artemis]

from one car to the next

:: Alycia looked up and locked eyes with Malice. The hatred in Alycia's heart was such that she didnt TRY to hide it from the telepath/empath. ::

I'm surprised you're here. I was SO hoping the gift i sent you at the Hellfire Club would take up all your time...PERMANENTLY but I should have known that evil like YOU never dies.

:: Malice confirmed what Alycia had suspected. Part of her WAS hurt by it, considering that she had helped Persephone integrate into this timeline without any scrutiny but oh well...those were the breaks. Alycia HAD been the leading force behind the international effort to take down Ava's father and in the end, Alycia herself killed Stavros, although it was in self defense. ::

I'm not surprised, Malice. I killed her father and he deserved it. I was protecting myself. And I dont expect from any of them :: the Six:: anymore. Death kind of changes how you feel about things...and the people responsible for it.

Notice that I got here and made it this far just fine? and remember, It was I who engineered that bio terror event against YOU at your Hellfire Mansion. Rest assured that when this is over...I'll come BACK for YOU. You have enemies EVERYWHERE, Malice and even those of us who are "only human" can bring it to you when you push us too far.

And I'm not "only human" anymore, you telepathic ho, I'm an AMAZON. I'm not so easy to kill and I'll NEVER admit defeat until the last breath is crushed from my breast! That goes for You, PERSEPHONE and anybody ELSE!

:: she said with sure, cold, matter of fact resolve. she wasnt AFRAID of Malice but she knew what the woman could do. She also know that she herself was one of the few people outside of the Six that could be a tremendous thorn in Malice's side after this caper.::

:: As Isis joined in the bitchy stand off between Malice and Ava and then Delilah got involved, Alycia got up, she had nothing else to say to ANY of them at this moment. she decided to move to another car, the lead car. she needed to clear her head, center her thoughts and prepare for the real test of her emotional and mental preparedness, the ARKLAY MANSION replica.::

:: moving away from them, and passing through a door from that car to the lead car, it was a little darker in this car. she quickly checked around , looking at the seats, the ceiling and other areas. Even though Black Widow's thorough scans had confirmed no other creatures aboard, Alycia couldnt afford to take anything for granted. she walked slowly from the back to the front of the car. her high heeled boots clicked along the metal floor with each slow, cautious step.::

:: now in somewhat solitude, the amazon allowed herself to exhale outloud as she slid down into a seat and put her face down into her hands.::

...i thought it would be easier than this....

:: she said softly as the train sped along through the tunnel with only the whistle of wind being cut by technology and the 15 second light flashes in the window piercing the otherwise quiet area she was in.::

:: it wouldnt last long.::

 

[Malice]

on the train

:: If anything DID surprise Malice, it was Alycia's cold revelation that SHE was behind the attack on the Hellfire Club.::

:: even as Isis tore into Persephone with a vengeance and dismissed MorningStar, the White Queen looked astonished if only for a MOMENT.::

Sooo.....Alycia, you haven't changed that much AFTER ALL.

:: she said in a knowing tone.::

You're USING Terra Save to advance you're OWN personal campaign of REVENGE!

you're as capable of twisted tactics now as you were years ago when you sent Bishop to rescue Sharon from Arklay Mansion years ago.

But that's okay, my vengefull little raven, because when this is over, if you want my attention, you've just bought it UNDIVIDED.

:: Malice was both amused and infuriated at Alycia's moxie and she'd deal with her soon enough, but for now, there was the matter of Jessica...who apparently was calling herself Viper. Still no CLEAR indication as to what her powers and how they reached were.::

:: so many things had returned to haunt Malice in this caper, and Alycia was apparently one of them. Malice didnt like surprises and it was becoming harder for her to maintain her hard diamond exterior facial expression.::

:: STILL the fact that she and Isis had tripped Persephone up and called her own dependability and trustworthiness among the Six into question was a small satisfaction at the moment.::

 

[MorningStar]

Delilah surmised that Persephone's words must really be getting to Isis, for her to work so hard to rebuke them.

Delilah you are weak. It's as simple as that. You don't have the strength, the resolve to do what needs to be done.

Delilah's leveled her gaze coolly on Dominique. She kept her tone even as she spoke.

"Everyone else on this train knows that's not true. Don't presume that you know anything about me."

Grandma, she added silently.

"Or anyone else on my team, for that matter. You've known Nicolas for what, a minute? You have no authority to speak on his or any other relationship with this team."

Alycia shot back at Malice.

...and remember, It was I who engineered that bio terror event against YOU at your Hellfire Mansion.

Delilah's head snapped towards Alycia.

"What?"

Delilah was shocked. Alycia had admitted to knowing about the attack, but she hadn't so bluntly - and unapologetically - said she was responsible for them.

"But I thought -"

She had thought Ron Davis had orchestrated the attack. Had Alycia become that vindictive? That she would unleash such horrors on the world - even if their target was Malice - was unbelievable to her.

Alycia left the car for another. And though Delilah normally would have gone after her, she didn't at first. She just stood there, dazed. She looked at Sharon, Nicolas, Ava, Haleigh - my god, what had become of them all? Why did it seem as if they had all hit rock bottom?

With a last glance for Malice, Delilah silently moved into the next car of the train.

It was surprisingly quiet. She saw Alycia sitting there, head in hands.

"Alycia..."

She closed the space between them slowly. She didn't know what to say. Didn't know if she wanted to comfort her friend or scream at her.

She sat down across the aisle from Alycia on the edge of one of the plastic seats.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked gently. "Because the woman I know wouldn't wish that kind of death on anybody, not even Malice."

Then she asked what she really wanted to know.

"Why?"

 

[Artemis]

front car of the train

:: she didnt lift her head up, even as she heard someone coming. if it had been a creature, it would have been growling or groaning or some other abnormal sound.::

:: it was Delilah. AGAIN!::

:: the woman groaned a bit as Delilah sat across from her, but if anyone WAS going to try to question her on her actions, Delilah made the most sense.::

Well I'm NOT the woman you knew. Hell half your team mates arent the people you knew. I may not have been around for a while but I've heard/read stories. Nicolas is the spawn of something worse than satan, Haleigh is two heart beats away from turning into a zombie...and Cameron is here, but for how long?

:: she shakees her head.::

No I'm definately NOT the woman you knew. But DEATH has a way of changing someone...you know?

Well maybe YOU don't. You're one of the lucky ones. You havent DIED in the service of that team.

:: sitting up a and finally looking at Delilah.::

How can you sit there and ask me that? We're talking about MALICE!

You may be in some twisted truce with her but not ME! I was on Themyscria when that happened so it doesnt apply to me.

:: astonished that Delilah could even ASK her such a thing, Alycia looked at the woman with indignation::

I dont owe her ANYTHING. Personally I think it ws rather POETIC! That she and her sister "QUEENS" DIE by the same virus they helped to create.

I'm just playing the game in terms THEY can understand. I'm playing for KEEPS!

Don't you get it? This time around, I don't HAVE to play by the rules. The ones i stupidly believed in BEFORE when i was an attorney, an ADA or a high powered....PUPPET for the government. NOW, i can do what I want...I can get the job done by ANY means necessary and NOW? I have the power to DEFEND myself!

:: she points at her feminum bracelets, the ultimate symbol of her overhaul as an Amazon.::

I'm not scared of Malice, or that poisonous plant Persephone.

Do you think that if it werent for your truce that Malice and her team wouldnt have tried to kill you already?

 

[MorningStar]

Delilah stayed calm, and let Alycia rail at her. She paused for a moment before responding, looking at Alycia thoughtfully.

"We're not talking about Malice, Alycia. We're talking about you. A lot of people died that night at the Hellfire Club. And you know - better than anyone - what their deaths were like."

Alycia's change in attitude worried her. If they weren't in the middle of (yet another) crisis, she would have suggested Alycia have another session with Karen.

"I don't believe that you've just given up on all the things you used to stand for, FIGHT for. You may be changed by your experiences but you are STILL the woman who would do anything for what she believed was right."

She leaned forward.

"I don't give two shits about Malice, and I don't doubt they WILL try and kill us before this job is done. They got me here - to you and Sharon - and that's all I needed from them. But I'm worried about you, Alycia. I know you value human life. I know you're not...not a cold-blooded KILLER."

She sat back in the seat and looked out the dark window of the train.

"Even if you want me to believe that you are."

 

[Prophet]

Cameron watched the catfight unfold, knowing that it would. In this instance, he took an observatory stance and sat down on one of the benches, calming and preparing himself. Alycia had confirmed his own suspicions that Alycia was behind the Hellfire Club incident and Delilah was desperately trying to extract whatever humanity she could find left in Alycia, which didn't seem to be going well.

Malice upkept her business of "one upping" those around her using their thoughts, and Cameron just felt extremely drained by all of it, and while he would have normally taken ANY opportunity to go at it with Dominique, the things she said about Ava, really.. somewhat resonated with the feelings he had about her from the moment the two met. They had never been friends, and he found her entire existence unnerving. She was simaltaneously Ava Cassadine, Haleigh's sister, and Persephone, a goddess. He couldn't pin point her, and even though she may have had the memories of Ava, he didn't like when she went to Haleigh's side as a sister, to Cameron it seemed she didn't deserve it, she was just lucky.

Cameron stood up.

"Look, I know we all have a history for these lengthy and verbose sparring sessions, but in the interest of the situation at hand, do ya think ya'll could just shut the FUCK UP?!"

[gazing out the window for a moment]

"We are about to face something that could quite honestly iradicate all of us, not that it's anything new to us, but part of me wants to be a little more prepared...Alycia, Sharon... Jessica was tailing you yes? Did you happen see what kind of abilities she happened to have? Maybe give us an idea of what we are dealing with here?"

He had his own questions for Alycia, but he after listening to her speak, he really couldn't BLAME the way she felt about MysTech/Diana/The Sisterhood in general, and he couldn't say that in her position, he wouldn't be doing the same thing. He KNEW Alycia wasn't the type of person to "budge", so he felt it best that they all save the one on ones and revealing monologues for a time when they weren't about to be eaten or flayed alive by zombies.

 

[Artemis]

talking on the train

:: Alycia looked at Delilah in disbelief.::

What do you think...I just went away for an "extended vacation" on Themyscria and that when I came back it'd all be the same? Well that's not what happened.

Mystech is on its way BACK, under a different form but no less deadly! Itll ruin more lives, more families...just like Mystech did. You should understand TOO. We've ALL been touched by it.

I'm trying to stop them before they come back to FULL STRENGTH. Do you remember what happened the LAST TIME?

Flash

<< a montage of flashbacks! The Silver Swan, Arklay Mansion, Zombies, Sentinels destroying Illustra, the six and alycia branded as outlaws, the TRI SENTINEL attempting to kill them.>>

Flash

Some of that was YOUR fault wasnt it? You didnt check up on Bishop's hidden interests. But I can't blame you anymore than I can blame myself, seeing that I ...hired him to rescue Sharon and her family all those years before. I gave him the key he needed to even get an idea of what was really going on.

"I don't believe that you've just given up on all the things you used to stand for, FIGHT for. You may be changed by your experiences but you are STILL the woman who would do anything for what she believed was right."

You believe in something that even I don't believe anymore. It must be that light you channel. It allows you to hold on to hope....false or not.


:: Alycia sounded doubtfull and yet reflective as she said that.::

Ron Davis was trying to kill me because he knew who I was...who i REALLY was, beyond my facade of being apart of Terra Save. I killed him to protect MYSELF and I did EVERYONE ELSE a favor too. he was pumping MILLIONS into WilPharma and pushing their agenda on American Soil! I sent that attack to the Hellfire Club ...more out of poetic justice than anything else. Maybe that was my mistake, given the unfortunate relevation that the Black Queen is Nicolas' AUNT.

I'm just trying to do what must be done, Delilah. Surely you can understand that.



At this point, all I want is to deal with Viper and STOP this before it start all over again. I cant even look at Malice and that other woman, that's why I came up here. All this other stuff you're talking about, it'll have to wait till later. If there even IS a later.


:: and then Cameron shows up.::

What is this..."Follow Alycia through the Train" time?

:: he asked her what she could tell him about Viper's powers.::

She's fast...just about as fast as Sharon! She's in amazing shape too. She can fly and LEAP incredible distance and she fires these energy bolts. Sharon said they were bio electric blasts. But she was playing cat and mouse with us. I dont think we saw EVERYTHING she could do.

 

[Black Widow]

Ava: Good point. Make it quick though Hale. We'll have company in about three minutes.

"I'm already done. All aboard."

She replied with a wink, satisfied that there wouldn't be any manner of biological horror on the train [other than them, that is]. A cold, metallic voice welcomes them on the "Arklay Express" and the train takes off. Alycia thanks Delilah and Delilah responds in kind. Haleigh takes a deep breath and it's a nice moment for them all to relax without something terrible on top of them.

It only lasts about 3.2 seconds.

Alycia makes a remark about Malice, and Delilah quips as well. Malice responds as she can be expected to. Haleigh smirks at first but then starts to scowl; Malice has taken the opportunity to play on the chasm between Ava and Alycia.

Diana: You SHOULD feel the way you do about them. They don't care about you. Only MorningStar's status as the "moral compass" of their pathetic mess of a team has compelled them to even come THIS way to find you and Silver Swan.

"That's not entirely TRUE--"

Haleigh argued weakly, and just about EVERYONE there could see that it wasn't entirely FALSE either, and Haleigh didn't have much to follow with. Dominique seemed to think she had room to talk, and picked Ava to bitch at, probably for some reason as ancient as she was. Ava held her ground, and Haleigh had to remind herself not to step in, as her big sister instinct was telling her to.

Delilah: Trust me, Diana, I've seen this team at war with itself. This ain't it. There was a lot more blood and hair pulling.

"Yeah, we aren't actually at WAR until there's LITERAL mudslinging."

Haleigh said with a smirk, trying to find a way to get everyone to disengage their talons for a minute or two.

Isis: Oh and you're SUCH an excellent one to talk about relevance and talent, my dear. You whose ONLY relevance in this or ANY OTHER time rests in the minds of feeble, overweight, old college professors and scholars with bald heads. You rank less than a FOOTNOTE in most studies of antiquity. I am the PRESENT, you are the FORGETTABLE PAST searching for some chance to become necessary AGAIN.

………… OH HELL NO!

"She's relevant to ME, Dominique. She's memorable and important and necessary TO ME. And RESPECTED, and LOVED and CHERISHED and DEFENDED BY ME. Is there even ONE person in the world who would say all those things for YOU? [pause] No, I didn't think so. She's made her mistakes, as have we ALL. Now I realize that Persephone and Isis go WAAAAY back, but Persephone is not ALL that Ava is. She is also my sister, and you would do well to remember that, because she's not going anywhere THIS time. THIS is her home now, THIS is her family and while we have a lot to work on, we're still A LOT STRONGER THAN WE SEEM TO OUTSIDERS."

Dominique: Delilah you are weak. It's as simple as that. You dont have the strength, the resolve to do what needs to be done. That is why you fail.

"DELILAH is stronger than YOU will EVER BE. DELILAH has the strength it takes to stand up for your beliefs, even when you have to stand against your friends to do it. Delilah has the strength it takes to stand up for people who can't stand up for themselves, and to defend the weak and powerless. YES, you have 'what it takes' to strike down your own nephew if needed, and you'll kill anyone who gets in your way. And don't get me wrong, because I think you of all people NEED to be able to do that, but don't delude yourself either, Dominique, because for all your cold, heartless strength in that regard, you still aren't HALF the woman that Delilah is."

And then the debate came to a screeching halt, because Alycia could be heard admitting-- nay, BOASTING that SHE was responsible for the attack on Hellfire. Haleigh's gaze whipped over to Alycia in disbelief.

"YOU, it was YOU?! You unleashed a deadly, highly contagious virus on unsuspecting people? You initiated an outbreak of the TO VIRUS! What… WHAT THE FUCK WERE YOU THINKING?? What if we hadn't been there to ensure it was CONTAINED?? WHAT IF IT HAD GOTTEN OUT INTO THE CITY?! IT could have spread to MILLIONS of people in a matter of HOURS. New York city would have been…. Lost. The damage IRREVOCABLE. You could have been DIRECTLY responsible for an act of terrorism that topped EVERYTING, even 9/11. And for WHAT? So that you could prove…. What? That you're a big bad bitch now because you're an Amazon? Who gives a fuck. YOU'RE the only person who cares. Your inferiority complex has now reached DOWNRIGHT OUTRAGEOUS levels. I mean, it's outpaced your MASSIVE motherfucking ego, and THAT is saying something!"

Alycia stalked off, and Haleigh stared after her. Ava wasn't the ONLY person who wanted to MURDER Alycia now… Haleigh wanted it too. How could Alycia be so STUPID, so SELFISH, so SHORTSIGHTED? HOW could she think that it was EVER okay to release a zombie into an uncontrolled environment?? It was incomprehensible. Even if Malice WAS the intended target… what about all the others at Hellfire? There were varying degrees of culpability amongst the Hellfire members. Not ALL of them deserved that.

At this point, Haleigh was pretty much DONE with Alycia. She didn't even care that Alycia looked down on them now, she didn't bother being hurt that Alycia blamed and hated the Six for ALMOST dying in Arklay [never mind the fact that they had SAVED HER FROM THAT]. As far as Haleigh was concerned, Alyica was on her own now. 'amazon' or not, whatever THAT was supposed to mean, it didn't mean SHIT to Haleigh, except that apparently all the women coming out of Themyscria were BATSHIT INSANE. Alycia was just another human out in the world.

Haleigh hurried the train along, turning her back on the car that held Alycia, Delilah, and now Cameron. She listened to their conversation but didn't participate. She tried not to focus on the feeling that she was charging headlong into oblivion -- marching right into a fate so much worse than death.

 

[Rampage]

Nicolas, unlike the others apparently, had no desire to talk. Malice was a disease that he only wanted to eradicate. His aunt? Well she either wanted to nurture him or kill him. The others? Who knew? Well. to be honest many of their minds were so open that HE did.

That is why he was only mildly surprised when Alycia gave her revelation about the Hellfire Club. It was a foolish move, designed to accomplish something that he knew would not easily happen. In the end, even if they had not come, Isis could have turned into sand, Malice into Diamond, and it was not even sure that Enchantrah could even BE infected. They came in the end because he simply had not seen that level of alarm in Dominique. The thing that he had to think about though was this: What if he had gone alone? Would he have come back? The desire to get to know Dominique and her relatively softened attitude toward him when they were alone was more than he had with anyone in the Six present now. Even Haleigh with her current issues seemed so far away to him.

Cameron had the right idea, and Haleigh's outburst with Alycia, while not helpful, was pretty much spot on. If Alycia needed all of this to make her claim as relevant and equal now, that was a problem that was not going away. Indeed, she had now killed more than Bishop had.

Nicolas relaxed and meditated, unwilling to step in the emotional shit that seemed to rise in this train like a tide...

 

[Seer]

terror train

<< something was wrong, something that NONE of them seemed to realize and by the time they did, it would be too late.>>


<< so far, the PAST was coming back to haunt them all in a major way, but what if a key element of the past was not what it seemed?>>

<< if Viper, with her deep, detailed connections to the Six & the Sisterhood, had been lying in plain sight for over a decade, what OTHER surprises could be right under The Six & The Sisterhood's noses?>>

<< so deep were the personal divisions and hostility, that it prevented even the strongest telepath among them from seeing how firmly trapped in the web that VIPER had spun they ALL were.>>

<< some among themlike Black WWidow were truly outraged by what Alycia had done...and some like Rampagewere impossibly and foolishly much more calm about it but Delilah, once again seemed to be on the right track, even if it was unpopular again as she questioned Alycia on a deeper level. Alycia's responses, her very attitude thus far had been "within the scope" considering all she'd been through, but could she REALLY go this far? would she really use the very same virus that had ended her own life and she was was BARELY recovered from it? Had the experience just left her twisted and corrupted to her core or was there something ELSE? Cameron had been sensing something...odd. as though what he was picking up from here was an "echo". Was it merely here trying to block him? or was it something else?>>

<< Malice and Isis continued to stand as a united front, tearing down Persephone and drawing Black Widow's outrage. Prophet was weary from their seemingly endless supply of cruel, opportunistic, bitchy remarks and manipulations. The White & Black Queen would be tested to their known limits, if not BEYOND and would find that these "vapid idiots" they look down on would be just as necessary as they felt THEY were to surviving.>>

<< the train whisked through the dark tunnel, even as Haleigh attempted to speed it along, she was merely hastening its collision course with the worst yet to come, much like her own collision course with her ultimate fate. one that she thought she was ready for...but deep down, she knew she wasnt.>>

<< they thought they didnt have peace, but this WAS their peace...and now, on the last few miles of the train ride, there would BE no peace.>>

<< the train seemed to go over a particularly rough patch of track as it shook and jolted a bit.>>

<< the low lights inside the train flickered and some of the lighting mechanisms shorted out completely.>>

<< The train seems to skip a beat before the ceiling over the car most of them are in is TORN OPEN and a massive creature known as a "Licker" peers in and roars with predatory agression.>>

<< the licker is a creature brought about by injecting the T Virus into living human tissue, it is also the enventual evolved form of a Crimson Head that is left unchecked for quite some time. the creature is easily 6-7 ft tall, but travels on all fours with the speed and reflexes of a cheetah. it has strength that surpases Black Widow and possesses massive claws on its hands and feet that can tear through most hard substances. one bite, one scratch or even contact with its impossibly long tongue can cause T Virus infection.>>

<< the licker drops down among the group, forcing them to back away and scatter from its sheer size and deadly appearence and immediately sets its sights on Isis and Malice first....charging full speed ahead.>>