Hello and welcome to Chapter three of Rise Up. Dedicated to my reviewers DZR, SparklySkater and melissaadams22. You guys are wonderful and if I was only going to get three reviews I am glad it was you three. I also appreciate the alerts.
Actually, You Can Go Home Again
Helen glanced in Will's direction. She didn't really know how she was going to explain keeping this particular secret from him. He always talked about trust between them, but she had never shared the Omega protocols with just anyone. There were only three…four people alive who knew of them. Ashley, Henry, the Big Guy, and herself and James had known before he died. It wasn't that she didn't trust Will, far from it. The only reason she had never given him the information was that the idea that they would need them was almost ludicrous and she did not want to seem terribly paranoid.
These protocols were created to protect not only themselves, but every Abnormal who had ever been in the network. Putting them in place meant that every other Sanctuary was locked out. Not just locked out, but alone and in the dark. The databases were inaccessible and information on all patients was encrypted. The only person who could fix it was Henry. It would be difficult for the heads of houses to maintain control and that saddened Magnus. However, she would release every abnormal in her care upon the earth, before she would let people she no longer trusted harm them.
"It means that the Sanctuary network is no more." Helen proceeded to explain what Ashley had set in motion.
"It won't be anytime now, before the rest of the Sanctuaries figure out what is going on. As soon as we are home I can verify that. I will also be able to gain remote access to security systems in all of them. We can send out a run for your lives call to the people and let the abnormals go as soon as you give the word, Doc." Henry assured Magnus.
"Wait a minute. You're going to release all of the abnormals? That is insane." Will snapped.
Ashley shook her head and stood. "Will, it's the right thing to do."
"Will, with Wexford in charge, the abnormals are in more danger from their handlers at this point than in the real world. He will do nothing, but exploit and use them…and I will not have that. Look at how willing he was to kill Bertha. If it comes down to it…I will release them." Magnus said with both conviction and regret, but her eyes became steely hard after that. "Then I plan to rescue them. I'll not leave them to fend for themselves. My mission was to protect and study and that is what I shall do. Somehow."
"I'll be with you, mom. We all will." Ashley said coming to stand behind the other woman and giving her compatriots a look that told them they would help or else.
"Okay, here's my problem with this. You think that we are going to be able to save the Sanctuary Network with just us…oh and don't forget the Yeti." Kate pointed out.
"No…we are going to need help." Magnus told them all.
"What about Druitt?" Ashley asked. "He'd help you, wouldn't he, Mom?"
The entire group refused to meet Ashley gaze. Finally, Will answered her. "Ash, your Dad…he's kind of reverted back to normal. He went on a killing spree after you died. He and Tesla wiped out most of the Cabal, but…"
"Okay, I get it. I guess he'll be my job. I'll recruit him." Ashley told them.
"Ashley, you will do no such thing." Helen ordered her daughter.
"No worries, Mom. I've got this. Besides we need him. I'll make sure he is in fit state and that he doesn't hurt anyone." Ashley assured her mother. Helen gave her a look that asked how she planned to do what she promised, but Ashley ignored her and continued. "What about Tesla?"
Kate smirked and Helen answered. "I doubt he will help. He is no longer a vampire."
"So he probably won't be willing to risk his bony ass." Henry finished her unsaid thought bitterly. Ashley looked pensive for a moment and did not speak again for a while.
Will was brainstorming. "The folding men of Old City kind of owe us. And the autistic boy Edward and his brother. Maybe even that empathic girl Sophie. Not to mention all of the contacts we've made individually."
"I'd rather not get all of them involved unless absolutely necessary. Some of these abnormals are dangerous, but I would rather see them free then used as fodder or worse. Bertha's situation has made something abundantly clear to me." Magnus told them. "I will not see another abnormal harmed simply for being. Bureaucrats and politics be damned."
"Alright, but shouldn't we expect some kind of retribution for what we are doing. I mean Wexford was just put in charge of the Sanctuary. He can't play with a toy that doesn't work. That might make him a little mad." Henry added.
Ashley grinned behind her mother. "Just let me worry about that."
They were all a little wary when Ashley said that, she had a crazy glint in her eye, but there was nothing for it. She would do what was best for them all, as she had proved in Mumbai.
"Let's just worry about getting home. Then, when we are on our own turf, we can decide what to do next." Henry put in hoping to avoid thinking about what was coming for at least a little while.
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The jet had landed at another private airport and the passengers had departed as quickly as possible. It was decided that they would make their way through Old City using every back alley and underground passage that Ashley knew of. She led the way and some hours later they had made it to the river tunnel. It was the only way into the Sanctuary for the moment.
Henry had to manually over ride the automated locks and the physical ones were Ashley's job. It took her a little while to pick them, and she had been picking locks since she was thirteen. A skill which her mother had heartily disapproved of until it came in handy.
All this was done with very little conversation. A word or an order here or there, was all the exhausted travelers could muster. "It's enough that they are holding their guns straight and standing" Ashley thought as she finally beat the final lock on the thick door. It scraped and grated as she and Magnus pushed it open.
"Okay, well that was fun, but it is so good to be home." Ashley sighed.
A gun being cocked was the only alert they had to the last line of defense for the Sanctuary. "Whose there?" A gruff voice grunted.
Ashley smiled. After all she had told him to do this. "It's me Big Guy and I've brought some other wayfarers with me."
Helen's giant manservant stepped out of the shadows. Henry immediately gave him a pat on the arm to which the response was a slap on the back of the head. Big Guy had been worried. Magnus sprang into action now that she was back in her domain. "How are the patients?"
They all began to move to the elevator. Ashley and Henry reset the locks and then join them on the journey out of the subbasement. They managed to catch the manservant reply of, "Restless."
"Do they know what's going on?" Kate asked from the back of the group.
"Sally knew before I left." Ashley said referring to the psychic mermaid. She sounded a tad grouchy to Kate.
Big Guy continued what Ashley had begun. "Some suspect something is happening. Others just sense upheaval."
"I'm not surprised. Bertha's effect will not go unnoticed. Have we had any contact from the other Sanctuaries yet, or any of our past patients." Helen asked as she briskly entered her office.
"Nothing yet." Big Guy told her.
Henry had already set to work on determining the state of the network. With in moments he had all the information he had promised Magnus. "Here you go, Doc. It says here they are all flying blind. Security systems are still online until you decide otherwise."
"Good work, Henry. I relize we are all in need of rest, but we have our work to do first. Will, I need you to look in on the patients. Reassure them if you must. Kate help him. I will have an assignment for you later, but that can wait." Magnus ordered. Both jumped to get to work, Will only pausing to nod to Big Guy.
"Henry, keep monitoring the rest of the network and let me know if anything changes." Helen continued.
"Will do, Boss." Henry said as he left. Big Guy sensing something between the two remaining women quickly excused himself to go help Will. Finally, Helen was alone with the one person she had wanted to be with for over a year.
"Ashley…" She began, but could not think of a word to say. Ashley just nodded and that was all Helen needed. She hugged her daughter to her closely, inhaling her scent and feeling her warmth, just being grateful she was there. Their embrace lasted longer than any they had shared before Ashley had died.
Ashley pulled away first. "Don't worry, Mom. I am here and I don't plan on leaving again." Helen realized that she had meant this in a very specific way. "I'm going to stay alive, Mom, just trust me on that."
"I know that you think you need to go get your father, but Ashley, he is dangerous. If he hurt you…" Magnus started.
"He won't hurt me mom."
"Ashley, he tried to kill the first time you met him. What makes you think that he wouldn't try it again?"
"Oh, I'm not saying he won't try. He'll just fail. I've got to do this mom." Ashley stated with steely certainty. "I promise you, I will come back."
Helen was taken back to over a year ago, when a look from Ashley had promised as much. Forty-eight hours ago Magnus had thought that promise broken. Now she knew her daughter had indeed come back from the dead to keep it. She could not deny her now. "Alright Ashley."
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Will had been keeping busy since returning home. Checking on the abnormals was a lot of work, but he was glad he had something to keep him busy. This whole mess was really getting to him. Not to mention the fact that a friend he had thought dead was the reason he had actually gotten home. He was glad to see Ashley, but there was something that was bugging him. It had started after Kate had told him about what happened in Mumbai.
As they had gotten to work, they had discussed the time he spent unconscious. Kate had mentioned that Ashley had been a fast mover. She had practically disappeared after rescuing them in the plaza.
Ashley had always been fast, but Kate was also very quick. It was just odd. He was musing over this when Henry approached him. "Hey, Will, how's it going?" The other man asked.
Will barely heard him and did not acknowledge him until he tapped Will on the shoulder. Will gave a little jump. "Oh gosh Henry, sorry. What did you need?"
"Not a thing man. Something wrong?" Henry asked.
Will didn't know how to answer, but if anybody would notice if something was different about Ashley, it would be the guy who grew up with her. "Umm…no. I've just been thinking…have you noticed anything up with Ashley? Other than the fact that she is alive."
Henry sort of chuckled. "Not really, you know, other than that. Well, she seems kind of tense. You know, like she is trying to control her temper. Not all the time, but every once in a while. That and I don't think she likes Kate very much."
"Yeah, it doesn't take a genius to see that. She keeps giving Kate dirty looks. I do not want to be around when that comes to a head." Will grinned.
"I know what you mean. Ash is getting geared up to go find Druitt though, so hopefully we can avoid any bloodshed. You know, at least until Jack the freakin' Ripper shows up." Henry said.
"Okay, well I am going to go see if there is anything else I can do." Will left quickly after that so that he could think about what the other man had said.
Okay sorry about how long it took to get this chapter out. I have been very sick, but I am feeling a lot better now. I have decided that I am not going to update more than once every four days to give myself time to write really good chapters. I realize this chapter was a really dull, but stick with me because this was just to set up a few different story arcs. I promise it will be worth it if you keep reading.
