Jane paced back and forth from her large picture window to her desk. Frost was seated in her chair; something that normally didn't fly so well, but she found herself not caring much about right at the present moment. She stopped at the window again, watching out over her city as she stood still for the first time in awhile.
"Any word from her?" She finally called back; watching the people that she could just barely see as they went about their business happily. There was some light clicking; the sound of fingers on a keyboard.
"No transmissions yet. However, Oh wait. Here she is." Jane spun around, glaring at him as he rose from her chair, the screen connecting. Jane folded her hands, resting her chin on them as she gave her best glare to the nearly- connected screen. She lowered one hand to the desk as Sera looked at her from the other side of her own screen.
"They're planning a take over of Leather & Lace, ma'am. This afternoon, around six." Jane nodded, scratching a note for Frost, who nodded at the names scrawled across the page. "Also, I looked into the woman for you. I know you said she was smart, but she hasn't seemed to figure out what I'm doing, yet."
"She probably has, and just hasn't let you know yet." Jane hissed, knowing better than to think that the blonde leader was not feeding her this information so easily. There had to be a catch; there always was. "What else?"
"Well, she runs her Stars differently than the Saints. Its almost like they're... I don't know. Closer. She and that red haired one, Akilena, they seem especially close together. Its almost creepy actually, they're like nineteen years apart." Jane turned to Frost, nodding her head to tell him to search the name.
"Akilena Zolnerowich. She's only nineteen years old, this year. Birthday in June. Biological parents unknown, private adoption by the Utkin family." He told her. "Ran away when she was seven. Guess she joined the Morningstar then, but that's kind of young. Doesn't say much more about her, except she was exceptional in school until she flew the coupe. Changed her name when she was twelve to Zolnerowich, with a signature that was a rather exceptional forgery of Mrs. Utkin's. The woman in question was however, dead at that point. The documentation was signed by..." Jane turned her head.
"By who, Frost."
"A blonde woman with hazel eyes and pale skin, who never gave her name. You think it was her?"
"My gut says it was." Jane turned back to the informant, who fidgeted nervously. "What else do you have to report, Sera?" The dark- haired woman bit her lip, before sighing.
"Lady Rizzoli, I hope you don't take this as offensive, but I... I like it here. There's some seriously big secrets, and some seriously bad shit going down, but... I don't know. Its almost like its friendly." She paled a bit, before running a hand through her hair. "They've all accepted me, trusted me. I don't understand it at all." She shrugged, before seeming to shrink back a bit. "Are you angry?"
"Is your loyalty still to the Saints?" Jane pushed a harshness into her voice that she didn't necessarily feel, but Sera nodded, her eyes hardening. "Then no, I am not angry. I expect top performance from you, however. Show what the Saints can do."
"Of course, ma'am." As the connection ended, Jane looked down to the on- screen clock. It was only one- twenty in the morning. She leaned back in her chair, sighing.
"Akilena Zolnerowich. You think they're together?"
"Probably as much as you and I are, Jane." He scrolled through more information, his face a mask of concentration. "There's a lot of stuff on the girl that just plain off does not make sense. The Utkins were the sweetest people, then she just up and left."
"Zolnerowich. Son of the soldier. Maybe she found her birth mother?" Frost shook his head, closing the laptop as he did so.
"Don't know. But if she did, why did she have Maura Isles sign, instead of the Zolnerowich woman?" Jane raised a hand to her temple, head starting to pound.
"Yea. Alright. Not a whole lot makes sense about her story. Sorry I doubted you. Now go get the people we need for tonight. I'll go down to Korsak and see what he's got in the name of weaponry." Frost nodded, packing up his equipment as she rose, stretching. They would also have to find time to get some rest before going out on this mission. The late nights and early mornings were really starting to effect her. And that was never good. But at least she never dreamed.
She woke to screaming. The first thing she did, was look over to her clock, grabbing her gun in the process. She had registered that it was only a few minutes after two- thirty before she recognized the voice. She then all but sprang out of bed, tripping over her own feet ungracefully as she shouldered through the door connecting their quarters, barely glancing around the room to make sure it was empty before dropping the hand gun and reaching out to shake the girl's shoulders. The red- head sprang up, drawing her own pistol and pressing it to the side of her attackers face before a hand clamped down on her wrist, she made the connection to who it was, and her bad ass resolve crumbled as quickly as it had sprang forth.
"I'm here. It's alright, nothing can get you."She whispered, trying to keep her voice gentle, soothing. The girl wrapped her arms around her neck, dropping her firearm back to the bed as she burrowed her face into the older woman's shoulder, sobbing. "What happened? Was it a dream?" She ran her fingers through deep red hair, pressing her cheek to the side of the girl's face as she spoke.
"Oni shli na nas, dlya vsekh nas . Oni shli , chtoby ubitʹ nas vsekh."They were coming for us; for all of us. They were coming to kill us all. Maura leaned up against the wall, rocking the girl as she did so.
"Who came after us? The Saints? Jane?"
"Net." No. The younger one shook her head to emphasize her point. "YA ne znayu, kto . No tam bylo tak mnogo, i vse bylo chernym. Ikh forma i transportnykh sredstv, ya imeyu v vidu." I don't know who. But there was so many, and it was all black. Their uniforms and vehicles, I mean. Maura reached behind her for a tissue, slipping it into the girl's hand.
"Whatever it is, we'll get through it." She whispered again, looking towards the large window of their stronghold. She could see the neon purple lights that rose up from the Saint's stronghold, even from here. She wondered, vaguely, if it was them. If they would cause whatever Lena was seeing.
"Oni pytalisʹ menya ubitʹ. No im ne udalosʹ." They tried to kill me. But they failed.
"Khorosho. Potomu chto ya ne znayu, chto ya budu delatʹ , yesli -" Good. Because I don't know what I would do if- She began, switching languages as Lena began to calm down a bit.
"Oni ne mogli ne s vami." They didn't fail with you. Maura drew in a deep breath, looking up to the ceiling. She shifted slightly, when Lena gripped tightly to her arm. "Stay. Pozhaluysta. Tolʹko dlya nemnogo. Pozhaluysta." Stay. Please. Just for a little bit. Please. Maura nodded, wrapping her arms tightly around the girl again.
"YA nikuda ne poydu." I'm not going anywhere. She felt Lena sigh, settling comfortably against her shoulder. Maura waited a few moments, before she started singing. It was a sad melody, and an even more depressing song. But she had always loved the words, always loved the way that her voice had risen with emotion. And it had always been her song to Lena. How when they weren't together, there was no more desire to sing. She turned to the window again, to those neon lights in the darkened sky. She often forgot how young the child was, until something like this happened. A part of the Morningstar for twelve years now, joining at the age of seven. She could remember it like it had been only yesterday. The little, red- haired firecracker waltzing in like she owned the place. The twenty- five year old Maura forcing the hands of her father to let the child in. He hadn't wanted to. He had said she was too young. He had been right, but she couldn't stand the thought of what other terrors laid outside their stronghold that the little Akilena would face. So she took her in. Had never expected the truth, who they all were, to come full circle and dredge up memories from her past again. But she never would have traded it for the world. Twelve years with the overly mature girl, and there had only been the occasional slip- up. Only the occasional moment where those who followed her would know the truth behind their relationship. She suspected the others knew, yet no one said a word. They turned a blind eye, and they followed her regardless. As the final notes of her song rang out from her lips, Maura wondered if Jane would think differently of her, if she knew. She wondered what the dark beauty was dreaming about, if she dreamt of Maura the way that she dreamt of Jane. She shook her head, trying to dispel the thoughts of something that would never be, instead laying her head back against the wall as she watched the sleeping city. Why had she come here? Everything was suddenly much more confusing. And she simply didn't deal very well with confusion.
The hum of the tanks was music to Maura's ears as she tossed her right leg over her Kaneda, customized to be a slightly lighter shade of red that looked nearly pink, with bright red stars emblazoned along the black detailing up the sides. She was glad that they had managed to salvage her bike from Paris, but couldn't hold on to the memory long, before it threatened to override her with grief at the reminder of their last mission time in France. She looked behind her to where the others were either mounting their own Kanedas, or slipping into the brand- new Temptresses that she had sent her operatives to look into purchasing. She had gotten rid of the Specter not long after their arrival to Boston, having been the worse for wear after the extended flight, but instead had found the funds for a Stork, in order to make transporting their challengers easier than putting all of the weight on the Oppressor. She signaled to her troops, accelerating slightly out of the garage to give them enough room to form up behind her. She had also replaced a few of their Challengers; they had five now, rather than the two that they had escaped with. Shading her eyes, she looked up at the sound of spinning blades, and could barely keep the grin from her face. Other than the two side shooters and the Tornado that they had left Paris with, they had assembled a matching pair of armored Eagles. The five helicopters bobbed in a V- formation, the red and black Tornado out in front, waiting. She turned to check on everyone, before turning on the headset she was wearing, revving her engine. Their Oppressor lowered, cables connected to the Challengers, lifting them up into the air. The Stork completed the same task only a few moments later. Maura then nodded her head when the tanks were clear, turning to the road ahead, accelerating as she turned from their home towards the destination she had set. Hopefully, Jane had gotten the message, and would be meeting them their. She looked forward to the prospect of meeting the Saints in another clash, once again.
"What the Hell are you doing, Lena, you're flying crooked!" They hadn't gone far when she heard the voice, and quickly recognized the voice of one of her pilots. She looked up with the side mirror, watching as the Tornado rose up a bit, its tail kicking to the side slightly, riding with the wind.
"I always fly crooked. You think you would learn by now." Maura nearly snorted, slowing down to stop at the red light. She raised a hand, turning on her communication, before replacing her hand on the handlebars.
"Yes, but, its difficult to stay in formation when you're kicking fucking everywhere! You should at least give us a little more time to see the buildings before you whip a tight turn around them." The voice sounded annoyed, and Maura risked another glance upward again. She knew this type of flying meant one of two things. And since they had yet to start shooting anything, well, there was only one option left.
"Are you reading Boost monthly?" She asked sweetly, hearing the other pilots gasp at her sudden entrance. Akilena laughed, and she tapped on the receiver lightly.
"Why, of course. There are some new models out this season. Fancy, fancy. Very appealing." Maura tilted her head.
"Do inform me." She found herself listening to an avid description, considering she couldn't see the photos, of the newest model of not only helicopters, but planes and hover bikes as well. According to the pilot above her, there was a new version of the Tornado out, and an attractive- looking Vulture with an updated auto- machine gun. She spent awhile complaining about the rocket launchers however, and then how the undercarriage and tail were both redesigned. She was then informed about the latest version of the Condor; a transport plane that Maura made a mental note to look into exclusively when they got back. Just in case they were ever pushed out of another district, that sounded like it could come in handy. That was when she waved her signal, speaking up briefly to Lena and watching as the Tornado straightened out, the helicopters widened in their formation until they made a protective circle around the ones on foot. Maura signaled her troops, stashing the bikes in the alleyways quickly, efficiently. They drew their weapons, and she nearly dropped her hidden blade, just in case. They split up, entering the door on her call.
It was too late, on the third floor when she stopped dead, spinning around. This was too easy. It was much too easy. Maura slammed down on her headset, calling through on emergency. Her voice hit a higher pitch, one she didn't even think possible.
"Lena! Get us out of here!"
And then, all Hell broke loose.
AN- So everyone still needs to go and show my tumblr some lovin' at littlemissgoldie*tumblr*com... Because I posted the full cover for this story there, and, trust me. You'll see Frost's edit, and cry you'll laugh so hard. My apologies for the lengthy time between updates, I crossed R&I with Sleeping Beauty, and it was wonderful. You should go check it out :P I am, however, planning to finish this one before I start a crossover with Beauty and the Beast. *cough'BeautyandtheJane'cough*
~SnapTobiume
