Author's Note: First I'd like to thank all the readers and doubly thank those that have commented on the story. In response to comments, this has been edited for clarity as of 11/9/2015. I added a paragraph where the action starts and a few lines at the end.

2012

Dark Side of the Moon, Technocratic Order Lunar Base

"We theorized, of course, how dangerous these Manifested could be; even to enhanced conventional forces. However, it was the Mexico City incident that proved this theory. Their ability to destroy the more powerful reality deviants is unmatched, even by our latest Hit Mark creations," Claus said, his almost bored, factual tone masking his air of triumph.

"These numbers are rather telling," the Chief said, nodding as he reviewed his data pad.

"Yes. Mexico City had what was, by all accounts, the highest ratio of hemophages to humans in the world. Our most recent estimate, prior to the incident, put nearly three hundred of them in the city. After the incident; half of them were dead," Claus said, a ghost of a smile playing across his lips.

The Dissenter shuffled through a few papers in front of him while consulting his own tablet. "Other reports on the incident make it clear that Kai Silbern was not the only Manifested combatant. Infact, is it not true that he had outside, non-Manifested aid as well?"

Claus paused for just a moment. Annoyance crept across his face, but quickly subsumed back into his impassive mask. "Yes, this is true. He had at minimum; Doctor Alanni and an unknown Fire-type individual. There is evidence of a shapeshifter and at least one, possibly more, deviant will worker. Given where he went next, I have a strong suspicion as to their origin," Claus said with a hint of distaste in his voice.

"Perhaps, but we'll get to that in a moment. Let's parse through this combat data for conclusions. I want to pay special attention to lethality and how severe the power curve of these Manifested grew over the some six odd weeks before this assault verses the last one," the Chief said.

With that, the projection display changed, displaying the minutia of the evidence from the combat zone.

April 13th, 2008

Mexico City

Kai opened a tin of sardines and fished an oversized can of beer out of Axe's cooler. He slowly ate the salted fish, punctuating each one with a long drink of beer. He grimaced both at the beer (it was American) and at Terra's disapproving glare. For the last several days, they had been hiding just outside of Mexico City in the back of an abandoned building.

Due to the strong inhuman features of the three Manifested; Kai, Terra and Valentina were forced to remain indoors for security's sake. This left only Axe and the four remaining mind controled staff from the cartel's compound able to venture out beyond the makeshift safe house.

Somewhat surprising to Kai, Terra had been most vocal for the immediate rescue of the prisoners. He had assumed it would be Valentina pressuring him into actions. However, Valentina seemed more reluctant to return to the site of her previous torments. As such the trio settled into a pattern of Terra urging action, Kai forbidding it, and Valentina remaining carefully neutral.

"How long are we going to sit around eating crap and watching while prisoners continue to suffer out there?" Terra finally asked, breaking the silence.

"As long as it takes for Mike to return. We will then plan our assault when he returns. I will not jump into a viper's nest until I know I have every resource available to extract myself when our job is complete," Kai said while licking the fishy oils off his finger tips.

"What if some of them are dying right now!?" Terra asked defiantly.

"They have been kept alive this long, I do not think that will change. If the vampires were going to kill them, it would have been done by now. If they were weak enough to be driven insane, they would be mad by now. If Valentina's escape has triggered a violent response, it would have happened a week ago, before we even found her. Now, I have countered all your arguments at once so we can skip the next few questions. I think now I will enjoy this cherry flavored frozen treat. You will sulk and ball up your fists and I will offer one to Valentina who will likely pick ether grape or jicama," Kai said in a calm voice.

"Jicama, please," Valentina said with a smile.

"Just as well. I do not care for those," Kai said, passing one of the popsicles over to her.

Terra balled her fists together. She then quickly unclenched them, annoyed that she did exactly what Kai said she would. She tried to open a book and read, but it was a futile task. The lack of anything of substance to do was starting to fray her nerves. While there had been rest at the compound, they had also seen progress. This idle sitting was not for her.

Half an hour later Axe returned. He entered the back door with a large sack of ice and a new case of beer. He walked in and, following a daily routine he had developed, poured the ice in the chest before ripping open the beer case to restock the cooler. Terra then realized someone else had walked in behind Axe.

"Hell! I leave for a few days and you find another woman? Now that's a Mexican firecracker over there! Where did you pick that up?" Mike asked with a smug smile.

"Mike!" Terra said bolting up from her seat.

"Aww! She missed me! See, boss? Always happens when you have more than one woman. They get jealous and their eyes wander," he quipped.

"If you came back alone, I am going to toss you through the window in the front room and send you back," Kai said matter-of-factly, not even bothering to look up.

Mike cleared his throat dramatically. "Might I present David Redfern," he said, moving out of the doorway.

For a moment Terra was disappointed. She had expected someone a little more dramatic looking than a Native American man in his late forties wearing blue jeans, a white cotton t-shirt and grey sneakers. She then childed herself for being silly. Mike looked completely normal as well, at least until he opened his mouth. She hoped this David Redfern had a better personality.

"Hey. I hear you have a spirit problem. We can take a look at that now if you'd like," David said with a smile

"I do not see why not," Kai said with a shrug. He stood up to his full impressive height.

David circled Kai. He had an intense look on his face. He rounded the Austrian giant several times and then nodded while letting out a whistle.

"Yup. You've got a spirit in there. Poison and corruption; metallic poisoning to be specific. We'll have to remove the metals from your bones to destroy it. That means we can't do it here." He stole a glance at the map. "It looks like you have something else going on, though," He said.

"Vampires. The Sabbat faction. They have six of our kind captive. They are being flesh warped and tortured. I have the beginnings of a plan to save them. Mexico City is the bastion of power for the Sabbat in the New World. Their defenses are formidable, however, as they are expecting attacks from either the New Orleans cartel or the Camarilla, who is waging an increasingly hot war on their allied drug cartels. So, we will give the Sabbat exactly what it is expecting; a large scale invasion. At least that is what we will make them think is happening." Kai explained.

David looked down at the map again. "These would be the locations they most want to defend?"

Kai pointed at marked spots on the map. "This is where they induct and house the new vampires. This is their headquarters. That is the armory for their heavy weapons; missiles, explosives that sort of thing. This is where our targets are kept: magical research laboratory. It is all underground. It once belonged to the rouge Tremere that were Sabbat," Kai said

David nodded while looking at the map. Mike glanced at it while fishing a beer out of the cooler.

Mike spoke up. "So what are you thinking? Hit all those points in quick succession, then while their soldiers scramble to cover and watch for an outer attack, hit the labs?"

"No. We hit them all at once; mere moments before we attack the labs. Axe strikes here. You strike the weapons depot. We send the mind controlled 'volunteers' in a truck full of explosives to detonate at the headquarters. Out of respect for Terra's sentiments, I have only kept the most morally repugnant of those you brainwashed. While Terra, Valentina and myself strike the labs," Kai said.

"I can take out the weapons depot," David offered abruptly.

Kai looked up, stunned somewhat at this gesture. "Are you sure? Why would you wish to put yourself in danger?"

"I don't like vampires and the faster we get this over with, the faster we can get out of here and get you to a place where that spirit can be properly excised." He turned back to the map. "This is a gas main. I can send spirits of earth and fire to attack this building with an earthquake. The fire spirits can ignite the gas and some of the explosives inside. Chain reactions will take care of the rest. Once each attack is over, we join you at the lab I take it?"

Kai nodded. "Yes." He considered David's offer. "If that is so, I could move Mike to striking this." He pointed. "The largest cluster of officer level vampires live there."

Whoa, whoa, whoa! What is this volunteering me for attacking a bunch of experienced bruisers?! Fuck that shit! I'm not paradox bait," Mike exclaimed.

Kai snorted. "Then how else would you suggest you contribute to the plan?"

David looked at Mike critically. "This from the same man that destroyed the Nextworld bunker in Afghanistan? That blew up the Daughters of Cacophony concert in Paris? The very man who fought in the battle of San Diego? Who went toe to toe with the Nagloper of Cairo? I hadn't heard he was a total pussy, unwilling to take a little risk and get some paradox."

Mike glowered silently.

Terra caught on to what he was doing and decided to join in. "You mean he really can do something other than complain?"

David nodded. "Supposedly, although that might just all be crap, especially given his attitude. He and the werewolf over there have a reputation for being indestructible, for surviving anything tossed at them. It's almost enough to overcome their reputation for being trouble magnets and grifters who will steal your fillings out of your teeth," he explained.

"I'd never have known. All he's done is bitch and moan the whole time I've known him," Terra said.

"Fine! I'll do it, but I don't see how this is contributing to our payday. You better be able to negotiate a bonus for this when we get to the drop off point," Mike said, complaining

"I told you. You will be compensated for your time. That is all you need concern yourself with," Kai said firmly.

"Yeah, yeah," Mike said. "So when do we do this?"

"Why not now?! It's still light!" Terra said, chiming in.

"No. The vampires will have their day defenses up. They will not rush into the wrong directions during the day. Each location will be sealed up like a fortress. The ruse would not work; they will not think an army of their fellow vampires are attacking them during the day. We sleep then we move into position to attack at nightfall," Kai explained.

"I don't think I could sleep know…. nerves you know," Valentina said.

"Doctor Alani, if you would please administer a light sleep aid to those who need it that would be most helpful. Perhaps double for yourself. I know how eager you have been for action. You will, however, fight better if you are rested," Kai said.

With that, he lay down upon the pallet he been using as a bed on the floor and promptly fell asleep. To Terra's annoyance, Mike put his sunglasses on and dropped into a chair. He reclined back into almost the same position he'd been in when they first met.

"I've got a travel camper. I won't intrude on your hospitality," David said as he began to head back outside.

Valentina quirked a smile and nodded toward Axe. He had curled up in a ball in the middle of a pile of old blankets.

"I still can't believe he sleeps like that. It's like he was a dog," she said.

"Apparently it comes naturally to him. Come on. I'll get you something to help you sleep," Terra said. She headed to the rather extensive medical supplies she had taken with them from the cartel's medical center. Leafing through the stash she nodded and presented Valentina with a small pill.

"Take it with water. Not beer. You don't want to mix this with alcohol," Terra said.

Valentina looked at her quizzically. "What about you?"

"I'll be fine. I think I wore myself out from worry. I should sleep well," Terra said with a sardonic grin.

Both women went to their makeshift beds. Terra stared at the ceiling. She tried to blank her mind to reach a state of meditation, like Kai had suggested, to banish the worry she held that was twisting her insides like a knot. Eventually, despite her anxiety, it worked.

Former Tremere Antitribu Chantry, Dusk.

The guards at the chantry hated their jobs. They were humans who didn't have the wide array of benefits that came with being a ghoul. The Sabbat didn't believe in wasting vampiric blood on mortal scum. Which was exactly how they treated their living help.

The Sabbat was, however, free with the promotion to vampire. The caveat was that most of the vampires the Sabbat created still had to pass through a baptism by fire. Its neophytes were often used as shock troops in one of the faction's many wars. It was not much of an upgrade from mortal flunky.

Guarding the former residence of Tremere antitribu had to be one of the worst jobs for a vampire thrall in Mexico City. It was extraordinarily creepy. A sort of chilly pall hung around the area. The stories the guards traded did not help; particularly the ones revolving around the mysterious deaths of the building's former occupants. The fact that the corpse-like Harbingers of the Skull had taken up residence in the Tremere's place had not improved the building's reputation: not to mention the near constant presence of some of the least stable members of Clan Tzimisce who had chosen to join these new tenants.

Just last week, one of the Fiends had tried to graft a Fire Manifested's lungs into one of the mortals. He'd died of some sort of extreme organ rejection. The Fiend's had made no effort to save the man.

However, both guards jumped to when their radios called for them to pull back to the center for reassignment. It seemed some sort of major attack had struck the city. Both reported in the affirmative just before a sound like two balloons rupturing in quick succession rang out.

Moments later, Kai stepped over the two headless corpses, pausing only to pick up their key rings. "Remember the training I gave you. Stick close to myself and each other," he said, giving orders his companions. Both women nodded and took a weapon each from the fallen to add to the supplies they had.

Rescue workers were rushing to the scene of a devastating truck bomb that had leveled a commercial building complex. Investigators found little evidence from the site of the vaporized truck. There was not a shred of the remains of those that drove the truck. No one knew who they were; the four mad men that had charged past the parking lot security booth and rammed the building's lobby. Large pockets of fire raged almost unchecked. Many wondered why the fire departments from elsewhere in the city were not coming to aid the disaster site.

Across the city mortal firefighters were struggling to contain the horrific fire that had engulfed several warehouses in the wake of a massive blast that had struck the area. These warehouses had been empty and supposedly abandoned, but the fire threatened to spread if not contained. David Redfern watched with binoculars from a few blocks away and nodded before coolly striding back into the street.

The blast had been much larger than he expected. Idly he wondered just what the Sabbat had been keeping in there. He dismissed those worries with the knowledge whatever it had been, it would never be used now.

Elsewhere, people fled in terror. Their minds were unable to process the image of a monstrous, pony sized wolf covered from its head to its paws in thick sticky blood. Their later statements on the creature would be attributed to the general panic and confusion in the city during the fires. The massive canine charged through back streets and alleys. Axe spared no thought to his fallen foes; he knew others he claimed companionship with were going into danger and needed it.

Mike, meanwhile, glared into a very large mirror in a high end furniture store. It reflected not the store around him, but the heart of the lair of the city's vampires. It was the building Kai had directed him to attack. It held the regent of the Sabbat itself. Knowing the defenses around that one would be too great to penetrate, Mike had resolved instead to send the elders scrambling for shelter by assassinating one of the resident members of the congress that ruled the Sabbat, the Consistory.

The particular Lasombra's meeting room was filled with large mirrors. She took delight in forcing those who met with her to deal with the unnerving sight of themselves reflected in the mirrors while she was not. Unfortunately for her, Mike had learned a few tricks to keep up with Axe's ability to use reflective surfaces to enter and traverse the spirit world. He stepped through the mirror and appeared right beside her, both of his hands aglow with magic. He opened his right hand. In his palm, flames appeared and grew to such an intensity as to liquify stone. He then, with an almost flippant gesture, directed it to flow outward in a cone and engulf the room. The glass of the other mirrors that did not immediately shatter, twisted and melted like wax in the extreme heat. The flames incinerated the door and spread panic down the hall. Seeing that the powerful Lasombra elder still lived, Mike dodged a blow. He then opened his other hand and released the more vulgar spell he had readied. She might have survived the initial blast, but that was mudane fire. This spell was a far from mundane energy. As he was a master of the mystic powers of Forces and Prime, he conjured forth around her a flame that consumed not only the body but the very essence of her being. Not even a howl escaped the rapidly vanishing form as the hellish flames consumed all that she was.

Stepping backwards, Mike exited through the soot covered mirror in the Lasombra's chambers and back into the furniture store. He studied the image still projected before him to ensure his powerful adversary was indeed dead. When satisfied that she would not be regenerating, he struck the mirror with a swift kick shattering it and breaking the magical connection he had wrought. Without a backwards glance, he made his exit out the rear of the store and melted into the crowd.

The elevator into the Tremere antitribu chantry ran down deep into the very bedrock. Neither Terra nor Valentina enjoyed the feeling of being so entombed in the earth, but to Kai it seemed invigorating. He sported the black tactical armor he had used to rescue Terra. he had patched the hole where the bullet in his shoulder had blown through. The women had no armor but had mastered some of the skin strengthening powers Kai taught them. It was the best that he could do for them on such short notice.

The battle plan Kai crafted had held thus far. While he normally disparaged firing weapons full auto, this place was an exception. Normally such actions were used only for suppression or by amateurs who did not know to conserve ammunition.

Vampires, however, as well as the flesh warped war ghouls the Tzimisce created, were notoriously hard to terminate. Thus both the female manifested guarded his flank with long bouts of automatic fire. As instructed they used their assault rifles for this purpose. When not pressed, they put them away and used pistols to ensure downed foes stayed down with two quick shots to the temple or side of the skull.

The trio proceeded slowly, methodically chewing through the ranks of guards like a machine. They were expending a great deal of ammunition, but it was a fair trade in carnage. Each woman held two other weapons in reserve; a shotgun and a sub machine gun for when the assault rifles ran out of ammunition. The less bulky sub machine guns were for continuing suppressive fire. The shotguns were for when they ran into things a bullet to the head might not have success in terminating.

"We are near the holding cells. Remember the Tzimisce are likely to flesh warp into a form where the head or heart is hard to find. If that happens, change to the shotguns," Kai said.

Both women shouted an affirmative. Seeing the door ahead was reinforced steel, Kai readied one of the limited number of explosive charges he had brought with him. Even with his gigantic frame and incredible strength, the bulk of such a door was an issue.

Kai's armor, size and harness allowed him to carry more items than the women who lacked such equipment, but he required more specialized gear in order to perform his assigned role. A few grenades on his vest had been traded for explosive charges to deal with doors. On his person he sported a pair of pistols and a pair of sub machine guns as well as a large machete and a good sized hatchet. In his hands he carried a massive rotary gun meant to be fired from a fixed position.

Around his enormous shoulders Kai carried extra ammunition for the device. It was the the sort of appalling bullet hog he normally would have balked to use. However, everything had its place and even he had to admit the gun was doing a stellar job in this specialized environment.

He set the charges and backed away. With a blast, the lock was torn apart along with a section of the door and good bit of the wall and frame. Charging though and counting on the explosion and noise to distract any foes, Kai entered the prison area.

Inside were six figures that could only loosely be described as humanoid. Kai had seen such Tzimisce handy work before he gained his powers. He had last been privy to this particular brand of horror when he helped Axe and Mike dispatch a stubbornly hard to terminate Tzimisce lord. Those flesh warped creatures had been crafted to serve a purpose; to either be more deadly fighters or to or serve their master in some other way. Those forms were constrained by function. Here the Fiends had no wish for their subjects to be able to do anything or to go anywhere. Here they gave vent to their rage that one had escaped their grasp. That was obvious. They had worked their insane art with furious inspiration.

Valentina made the sign of the cross as she looked at the other flesh warped Manifested. "By all that is holy…" she whispered in Spanish.

"This is far worse than we feared. I'm not sure how we're going to move them. Not while under attack," Terra said.

"We are not. We will press the attack further and drive the enemy backwards. When the others arrive, we will have the means to move them out," Kai said with resolve in his voice.

Terra spoke up. "Are you sure we shouldn't we hold our ground?"

"No. If we do not keep them on the defensive, we will lose our momentum. We must continue to press them. We dare not give them time to think or time to plan," Kai said advancing out of the prison.

Secret trepidation filled Kai. They had not yet faced foes powerful enough to be the ones responsible for this horror. If the Fiends were as smart as he feared, they had used their lesser troops as bullet sponges.

"Be prepared. Search this area as we did others. Pile clips and weapons in stacks. We are nearing the point where we may have to use the enemy's salvaged weapons," Kai said.

The order was quickly carried out. The trio then advanced further following the sweep of the rooms. They made it to the end of the hall before they encountered what Kai was dreading; the true battle. It was not the grand convocation hall, but it was a very large room. It was most likely once meant to impress dignitaries the rogue Tremere invited. A place the rouge Tremere Councillor, Goratrix, could show off his clan's power.

It was now a gallery of horrors. Inside were a dozen Tzimisce elders, numerous Szlachta War Ghouls and three imposing Vozhd; living tanks crafted of multiple beings fused and warped into a single enormous form.

Valentina mouthed the only word that leapt to her mind. "Shit!"

Terra could only stare, nodding in agreement. Her mind was trying to sort the Vozhd into its component parts. Kai began sweeping the room with fire from his rotary gun.

"I have killed one before. That is the good news. The bad news is, back then, I had an anti-tank rocket. They are not insurmountable, but I will have to get close and use explosives. I must press in and you will not be able to guard my flank. You must not let them get out of this room. You must not let them pass this door," Kai ordered.

"There are other doors they can use! There has to be other ways for them to get behind us," Terra said, fighting down her rising panic.

"Yes, but this is the only path large enough for those monsters. The side passages are too small for them and they want to keep their force together. They waited here to give themselves room to fight as well as for psychological reasons. They want to show off and scare us, however they are vulnerable. If they get into a narrow hall they will be densely packed, reinforcing each other. The war ghouls will exhaust our bullets then the masters will slay us. Here, where I can move around them, there is a chance to kill the largest beasts. However, it means I have to go inside. When they realize what I am doing, they will try to press you back down the hall. They will try to break us up and force me back here into the trap. We cannot let that happen. Hold this door no matter what. It is your choke point," Kai explained.

With that proclamation, the gun clicked empty. Kai drew his sub machine guns. Diving into the fray, weapons blazing, he called up all the power he could to move swiftly and leap far.

To Terra and Valentina the world became a haze of smoke, noise and fire. Both women were mechanically firing weapons, reloading, swapping weapons and firing again. Firing. Reloading. Firing. It was with some shock that Terra found herself pulling out her shotgun. Taking a quick look around, she realized both herself and Valentina had expended everything they had for both the assault rifles and submachine guns. The floor was littered in spent clips. She looked up to see Valentina's shotgun was snagged. She could not bring it to bear due to a strap that had gotten caught on the discarded assault rifle. Without thought, Terra pulled up a war ghouls severed bone blade and sliced the strap off. Valentina fired the weapon so close to Terra's face she felt the sound like an impact.

Turning, she saw one of the vampires had used its supernatural speed in an attempt to exploit the opening to slice the doctor apart. Terra lifted her own gun and joined its fire to Valentina's weapon. Metal shot pelleted the stone hard skin of the vampire. He shied back with an angry hiss. As he retreated, more ghouls filled the breach. Explosives detonated on one of the hulking Vozhd as Terra saw Kai leap into the air. He held a second detonator in his hand and his tactical vest was bereft of grenades. The second monstrosity exploded shortly thereafter. Now, however, without explosives, the sheer number of enemies was endangering him. He stumbled as he landed and the last Vozhd snagged him and lifted him up into the air.

From his now elevated position, Kai could see the vampires that had turned to see if they should come stop this warrior that had slain two of their precious ghoul tanks. They were already turning their attention back to the besieged defenders at the door, sure the last Vozhd would make short work of the gigantic Austrian. He saw the the pile of clips at the feet of the two women. Rage consumed him; an intense hatred the like of which he had never felt. His already hulking form seemed to swell from the sheer anger that overwhelmed his facade of reason. Kai bellowed in fury. He pulled his oversized knife and hatchet and hacked into the arm of the monstrosity that held him.

Looking up, Terra and Valentina saw the change come over Kai. His calculated and cold facade melted in the face of what he kept tightly concealed in his heart. Fury and bloodlust overcame his features. He looked more like some wild and primal war god as he rained blow after blow into the beast before him.

As the two paused briefly to watch Kai, a snarling snap of teeth and claws came from from behind Terra and Valentina. Over Terra's head leapt the massive wolf form of Axe. He collided with the nearest vampire jaws savaging something that was either an arm or a neck. A curtain of fire sprang up between the women and the closer foes. The bent over and panting form of David Redfern joined them.

"I was ahead of him, but, damn! That thing can run fast," the mage said, panting as he pointed at Axe.

Valentina blinked. "Who, Axe?"

"Try to catch your breath. Your mind is trying to process too much right now. Don't feel bad. I'm in the same boat," Terra told her. David looked forward into the room with a critical eye.

"Mass destruction isn't my sort of magic and those vampires are hedge mages. I can't keep this spell up in the face of the counter magic they can bring to bear. I saw piles of weapons back there. Let's go get some before they bring this barrier down," David said. The group quickly looted the nearest piles. Already the flames were dying. David joined the women in pouring firepower into the doorway.

"Isn't there anything you can do? Call your spirit allies or some sort of elemental," Valentina asked.

"They won't come near this place. There's something unnatural just beyond those doors. A place that's not a place. Something that is not of this world yet still is here. No spirit I have spoken with will come near this cursed building," he explained.

Inside the room, Axe had shifted into his war form. He was trying to hold off several vampires and slowly losing. Kai was atop the back of the last Vozhd hacking away with a stolen sword. It was a massive, two handed thing that had most likely belonged to one of the fallen vampires. His harness had been shredded. It was worse than when he had escaped with Terra at the American prison. There would be no repairing it this time. Pausing, Kai ripped it away, tossing the impeding scraps and resumed his hacking bare chested.

Trying to defuse some of the tension, Terra quipped to Valentina, "You said something about him reminding you of Conan?"

Mike's derisive snort came from behind them. "Yeah, yeah! He's ready for a Harlequin novel cover. He's makin' me swoon like a little girl. The real question is how are we going to get him the fuck out of there?"

"You are going to use your magic and get him out," David replied back. Mike came closer and took a long look at the room.

"What do I look like? Paradox bait? That is a goddamn nightmare in there. I'm not even sure I can get Axe out," Mike said.

"If he dies in there you will join him," Terra said fiercely and unexpectedly.

Mike gaped and turned to the short woman. "Excuse me?"

Terra glared. "If you let Kai die, I will kill you. Is that plain enough?"

Mike opened his mouth. He closed it quickly when he saw the intensity etched on the face of the doctor. He decided against a verbal rejoinder. Something in her eyes told him for once not to press the issue.

"Fine! Give me room. David use your Life and Matter. Help me make movement. I want all the vampire blood to gather here," Mike said.

"I didn't know you were still a blood junkie," David said.

"I don't want to drink it you ass! I need the Tass in the stuff," Mike replied hotly.

Mike pulled out a piece of white chalk with his right hand and black charcoal with his left. He began to quickly draw symbols and runes on the floor. In the center of these symbols, blood rivulets began to merge and pool. The blood began to burn with a blue flame.

"Blood is the essence of Life. Magic is the Life of the Universe. Blood from those that feed on the Magic of Life. Life stolen to feed Death. Their Blood to the Universe. The Universe's Life to me. Blood for Magic. Magic...my power!" Mike chanted three times and on the third he lifted his head. His eyes glowed and his body levitated. He floated forward into the room and from his hands exploded flames from his his eyes streaked bolts of lighting.

Terra was stunned. "What...?"

"It's sad to see such talent wasted," David lamented.

"If he's so powerful why does he act like a cheap hood and a con man? It makes no sense," Terra said. She was struggling to frame her amazement at actually seeing such a display of raw magic.

"He's fallen from the path of Ascension. He's nearly powerful enough to be an archmage. In learning hard lessons he's excelled. He's mastered powers along a hard path of life, but he lost his purpose along the way. He's forgotten the why of being a mage. He's lost his love of magic. He fears the dangers of its use more than he loves his art. For him, now, magic is just a tool in his box of tricks. For a devoted mage it has to be the reason for your being. Mike's reason for being is being itself. He's become banal. Despite being awakened it's like he's fallen asleep again. He's become so lost in life and so focused on living he's forgotten that life must have a purpose other than survival for one to be more than an animal," David said sadly.

The flames that washed the room crashed like waves at Mike's command striking into the heart of those enemies he sought but evading his allies. Those that were too close to Axe and Kai for the flames were blasted by lightning so powerful it burned holes the size of a fist through their bodies. The Tzimisce responded with magics. They conjured elemental attacks of their own, only to find them seized by Mike and turned against them. Their counter magic battered him but failed to do more than slightly dampen the fires he conjured. Then, just as suddenly as it started, Mike fell from the air like a puppet with it's strings cut. Axe leapt to his side snarling at the few close survivors.

"Come on," David shouted as he charged into the room.

Seeing few survivors they might overwhelm, Terra and Valentina joined him. Her guns nearly empty again, Terra reached deep within herself, channeling her own innate power. She hurled bolts of power; a green energy that formed into the shape of leaves and vines. Valentina followed suit with her own bolts of fire. Kai finally hacked though the tree trunk like neck of the great Vozhd and it fell with the thud. He raised the massive two handed sword he had found in one hand and ran for the nearest surviving vampire, his eyes wild with blood lust.

Quickly the few remaining foes in the room was dispatched. Axe shifted back into his human form and pulled Mike into his lap. Kai stood breathing furiously, his eyes roving the room wildly.

Terra looked at him, a worried expression on her face."Kai, are you alright?"

He turned and looked at her, his eyes boring a hole in her. "Terra? You live. We have won?"

"Yes are you alright?" Terra asked again.

"You were...I don't know what you were! It was like some berserker out of a story!" Valentina exclaimed.

"I have always loved fighting. I love it too much at times. I have to discipline myself. It seems I let my control falter." Kai admitted.

"Mike helped us save you. He helped us win," Terra said.

Turning to look she saw the fallen mage. His body was spasming. It was like unseen ripples were coursing through it.

"It's not a Tzimisce attack. He pushed reality too hard and it pushed back. Reality is warping around him, breaking his flesh and reknitting it. He'll be useless until it fades," David explained.

Terra looked at David. "How long will this last?"

"Days. Months. You can never be sure," David said with a shrug.

Kai looked down at Mike. He wore an expression of gratitude mixed with pity. "It is madness to use so much power. Was he trying to commit suicide?"

"No. Terra said she would kill him," Valentina offered.

Kai looked at the Latino girl. "What was that?"

"Terra said that if you died, she would kill him," Valentina said, expanding her explanation.

"You did that? You threatened to take a life for mine?" Terra shrugged. "I am moved," He said with a smile.

The far door to the chamber creaked open and a voice called out from it. "We wish to parley," it stated.

David answered the voice. "We destroyed your army. Why would we wish to negotiate?"

"You destroyed the Tzimisce army and in doing so…" Around the room the fallen forms that had not been consumed by flames started to rise. From far down the corridors the sounds of shuffling feet could be heard "...provided us with our own," the voice finished.

"I do not deal with those that I cannot see. Come out," Kai ordered.

The far door opened. A skeletal form barely coated in dry, taut flesh exited. A voice came from cracked lips that were peeling from the bone of the creature's skull. All reason said that there was no way the being should have been able to speak with such a body, let alone stand or move. It was as if a dry, wracking corpse from an ancient tomb had come to treat with them.

"You are low on munitions, fresh out of sacrificial assaults, tired and hungry," the eerie creature observed. "These are all reasons to negotiate for you. For ourselves, we have been impressed enough with your ingenious talents for killing we have no desire to see what new acts of desperation your party will conjure forth. From your track record, so far, they are likely to be surprisingly damaging to those you face."

Kai eyed the creature wearily. Despite this, he was well aware of the undead that were slowly ringing the six of them.

"Besides we can see you, Kai Silbern. The voices in the darkness whisper your name. They are prepared to greet you. You appear strong and vital, but a flame often burns brightest before the end." Behind the speaker, the door opened wider. Ghosts could be seen floating in the inky darkness of the room.

Valentina blinked. "What does he mean?"

"He means Kai is near death," Terra whispered.

"Then you know I truly have nothing to lose, monster. Speak your terms quickly. As you have said, time is short," Kai responded with a sneer.

"Very well. You may exit this place with your lives and the lives of those you came to rescue. We will not pursue you. You will not pursue vengeance against us for those experiments," the speaker offered.

"Forswear vengeance? You cannot say the rest of the Sabbat will do the same. You do not speak for them all," Kai scoffed.

"We only ask for such for our clan, not the faction. We have been advising an end to these experiments for weeks. You see, they are pointless now. Like the Imbued Hunters you are immune to the powers of the blood. For you it's only iron, proteins, and water. Your kind can neither be ghouled nor turned. Your flesh can be warped, but the changes are not permanent. Your blood is rich in power, but the cost of claiming it is far too high. We have confirmed that in death you are just ghosts like any other. Frankly, there is nothing special enough about you to warrant continued experiments. You have nothing we can use and we possess nothing to offer you for service," the speaker explained.

Kai looked at the creatures. "You will tell the Sabbat this? You will spread the word that making us ghouls or vampires is impossible? That antagonizing us is a mistake?"

"Yes," the creature nodded.

"Then we..." Kai started before Terra cut him off.

"No! I want your research. There are things you might have discovered about us that we don't even know yet! Not to mention that there are others out there that will not believe the word of a being like you. I want the data so I can show them myself," Terra barked.

"The woman has a good point. Yes, provide that and we have a deal," Kai amended.

"Yes, very well. Let her take it from my hand then. Come. Doctor Alani, of wanted poster fame! Come. I have a few Compact Disks, here. Behind the times, but still readable on most any computer. Our assistants have been meticulous in their note taking. Come to me and I will hand them over," the speaker offered.

Determined not to show fear, Terra summoned all of the haughtiness she could muster and approached; struggling to master her natural reaction to such an obvious dead thing. The doctor with her voluptuous build and riot of tropical flowers in her hair could not have been more incongruous with the tall, corpse like figure before her. She reached out, her supple and warm hand to its dry dead one and took the discs without even a shudder.

Suddenly, the dead thing clasped her hand and pulled her close while shaking it. "A DEAL THEN," it said loudly. Then, however, and in a whisper that only Terra could hear it spoke to her. "You should have asked your other question as part of the deal, doctor. I will not tell you for free."

"I will not let him die so what you see is meaningless," Terra said defiantly.

The Harbinger let out a low hiss. It could have been laughter. Terra was not sure. "Do not be so sure, Childe of Life. He has less time than even you fear." With that taunt, it released her hand. Terra stumbled backwards a step then turned and marched away. The skeletal figures melted away into mist and the undead suddenly vanished.

Kai leaned on his stolen sword. "We need to get out of here quickly. We have only Mike's van and David's camper. Mike is unwell. Axe does not drive. We three manifested cannot be seen."

"The six flesh warped prisoners can't be seen anymore than you three. I think we can risk a night drive with Valentina at the wheel. We won't all fit in the camper," David said.

"We need a sophisticated medical facility and fast. We can't use any place in this city. The vampires will kill us. We have to find a place safe from the Sabbat," Terra said.

David nodded. "The closest safe place that fits the bill is New Orleans."

Kai closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "Then we go."