Chapter Nine – Fixing Some Mistakes

"Mistakes, obviously, show us what needs improving. Without mistakes, how would we know what we had to work on?" - Peter McWilliams

It was strange to be walking the streets of Manhattan without them bustling with people. It seemed as though Monger had managed to issue a monster warning throughout the town and people were not to leave their homes until told otherwise. The majority of people listened to the warning due to the events that had taken place with Gallaxhar and the few people that wandered the streets anyway quickly turned and fled at the sight of monsters. Lyra frowned at the people she did see as they scattered quickly and screamed. The only ones who didn't run were many of the homeless people they passed either because they were asleep or didn't really care.

"I'll give 'em something to scream about," Lyra muttered to herself as another young couple ran from the sight of them. She couldn't believe these guys could save the world and still scare people. They weren't THAT creepy looking; really Susan looked perfectly human just tall and B.O.B was like gelatine for crying out loud. Sure Doc's head was a huge bug head but the eyes made it cute not scary. He was only scary when he did that laugh of his. And Link was only scary when he actually tried to which he unfortunately did occasionally. Due to the fact that he was unable to bother anyone else he had taken a liking to scaring the crap out of Lyra whenever the opportunity arose. She hesitated in her thoughts as she looked at Tor'ka...granted he probably looked a little scarier than the rest.

"Mmm it's nice to get out again," Link said as he looked around with a grin on his face.

"I don't get it," Lyra said as she looked at him and cocked an eyebrow. "If you like the outside so much why don't you actually go out then instead of sitting inside playing with that same old deck of cards all the time?"

"You don't get it do you?"

Susan spoke up before Link could continue. "We DO have all the freedom we want now since saving the world but really would you want to go outside if you couldn't go anywhere without making a small child pee themselves?"

Lyra grinned a little. "I hope that's a trick question because I hate children."

Susan smiled a little herself. "Alright fair enough, but I'd rather not do that."

"Alright Suze I guess I can understand that. Well what about other things? I mean why where the same clothes every day and stuff?"

"The deal was we save the world and we have our freedom," Susan replied with a laugh. "Better conditions unfortunately weren't part of the deal. Anything new we want has to be in Monger's best interests or chances are he's not getting it."

"Well that's just stupid," Lyra muttered. She started to think a little more on what she could do to help them out a bit more. Though it seemed as though any amount would be more than Monger was doing for them.

"Where did they last sight Juggernaut?" Tor'ka directed the question politely at Doc who carried the emergency switch which would summon Monger to get them out of there if anything went horribly wrong.

"At the airport. He had applied massive amounts of makeup and worn a business suit to cover the rest of his body, and sunglasses to cover his eyes."

"Fuck that!," Lyra yelled in frustration earning her a look of disappointment from Tor'ka. "No, I'm serious here! Sure that bastard's wings would've gone away with a suit but he had a fucking fish tail! That doesn't just disappear!"

"You are correct," Doc replied calmly ignoring her foul tongue. "According to the report he was allowed access to the plain under the impression that he was blind a paraplegic. His sunglasses stayed on at all times to hide his eyes and his tail must've been tucked underneath him while he sat in the wheelchair."

"Still doesn't make any sense," Susan said. "To get on a plane he would still need an identity."

"He has one." The news froze most of the group in their steps. "The name he used at the airport even matched the name of the man whose features matched his on Monger's satellite images. His name was Dmitri Jones and he apparently was once an accountant in Ramsgate."

Link stared at Doc strangely. "Monger really needs to stop just giving these reports to you and letting you tell us. This is pretty big."

Tor'ka tilted his head curiously. "Dare I ask what happened to him?"

"That's the strange part," Doc continued. "Apparently there are no records of any activity at all for the past half a year. He quit his job and left his home and wife all in the same day. After that there are no records of any purchases made or anything. It was like he was wiped off the face of the map until just now."

"That still leaves a lot of questions," Susan stated. "Like what exactly happened to him to him before? And why show up now of all times?"

Doc was about to answer when something suddenly grabbed his attention and he looked around curiously. "Did anyone happen to see where B.O.B went?"

Everyone froze mid step and glanced around. It was true; the blue blob was no longer following them happily.

"B.O.B!" Susan cried out and they were sure that her voice covered the majority of the city.

"How didn't we notice he was gone," Link muttered as he went back and peered into one of the alleys while Tor'ka took to the air to take a quick aerial survey. Lyra ran back farther than Link to check the other side of the street. Susan went down one of the side streets as did Doc all the while the five of them called his name out.

Lyra called out to Link across the street, "When do you remember seeing him last?"

"About three blocks back," he yelled back. "When we had to stop him from eating that homeless man."

"Let's go!"

The two ran as fast as they could back they way they had all first come in hopes that they weren't too late. The poor chunk of food was so innocent he probably wouldn't even understand if he were in trouble. They made it back a couple of blocks before turning left in hopes of finding some trace of him. Link nearly tripped when he saw the sight in front him and felt all his adrenaline leave him. Lyra slowed down and came to a stop right beside him.

B.O.B was standing on the street talking happily with the same homeless man he had tried to eat only twenty minutes ago. Tor'ka swooped above them and lowered himself into the middle of the street as Lyra and Link ran to meet up with B.O.B.

"B.O.B, what're you doing," Link asked as he threw his arms down in defeat.

"OH hey guys," B.O.B said as he turned to them with a grin.

Lyra went up and flicked the blob causing his eye to spin around before looking at her curiously. "Stupid B.O.B we were worried about you! We thought that Juggernaut might've gotten you. Why didn't you yell back or something when Susan called you?"

"Sorry guys but I was just looking at the mole on this guy's chin it's so neat!"

There was a long silence before Link finally sighed. "Alright B.O.B we better go now and let the others know you're okay."

Lyra leaned over to look at the dirty bearded man on the street. "You're okay right? He didn't try to eat you again did he?"

He shook his head but remained silent looking as though he were about to either scream or pass out.

Tor'ka nodded his head after the others. "Lyra we better get going."

"Coming Tor'ka," she said running after the dragon as it lumbered through the streets.

"So what weapons did Monger give to you upon our leaving anyway? I'm afraid my memory is failing me; I forgot to ask earlier."

"Oh basically just the things Link told him I wasn't miserable with…though I do sorta wish they wouldn't have given me any weapons at all. I'm not good enough yet to actually use them properly without cutting something off."

"I admit I feel the same way," Tor'ka replied though his reasons for not wanting her to fight ran a little deeper than just nervousness due to her inexperience.

She pulled open the black jacket of Susan's that she had put on to show a Scottish Dirk slipped into the inner pockets of each side. "I've also got a pocket knife in each of my boots," she told him. "They agreed giving me a short sword now would've been a really bad idea."

"I agree," he answered with a chuckle.

Susan had luckily flagged down Doc and they all managed to meet up where they had left off and Link explained to the others what had happened to B.O.B.

Susan rolled her eyes and grinned. "Of course," she said as if she couldn't believe she didn't realize it earlier.

"We better hurry we've still got quite a ways to go before we reach the airport," Doc told them. "And the plane he's on has already landed so chances are he's making his way towards us as we speak."

"I propose that we wait then," Tor'ka said drawing all the attention to him. "He is coming for us. Sooner or later he'll find us. And if memory serves me correctly some of the best predators in the jungle waited for their prey to nearly step upon them before attacking."

"Sounds good to me," Link said. "We don't have to walk anymore and we won't really be taken by surprise if we're waiting for him."

~~~*~~~

Juggernaut wheeled himself calmly into the airport parking lot ignoring the fact that the makeup on his palms was now smeared on the wheels of his chair. There was no going back now; he knew that if Area 51 was even half as good as they claimed to be they would have identified him by now and would be going after his house back in Ramsgate. However he had made sure they would find nothing by burning it to the ground before he left. He'd only have this one shot here to get things right or he knew they'd get to him. He peered through the sunglasses ignoring the offers of help that erupted around him. He wondered where he should start his search but grinned maliciously when he saw the silhouette of a dragon soar above the buildings in the distance. They were making this simply too easy for him.

~~~*~~~

Lyra groaned in boredom and rolled onto her stomach as she swung her feet back and forth in the air. "What kind of soldiers are we," she whined. "We've been sitting here for an hour and nothing! I'm starting to think that we should've kept heading towards the airport. At least then I would've felt productive."

"Lyra my dear you just need to be patient I'm sure this will work," Doc assured her calmly.

She was about to bite out some comment about his impatience during their chess match when a sudden coldness seemed to surround her. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end and her gaze fell to Link who seemed to feel the same thing. His eyes momentarily jerked towards the roof of one of the buildings and she cautiously looked without turning her head. There he was perched on top of one of the buildings just watching them. It was a waiting game now to see who would make the first move. He must've known that they knew he was there yet he made no sudden moves; he just crouched there and staring at them with soulless black eyes.

"Hey guys look there he is," B.O.B shouted as he pointed straight at Juggernaut.

Everyone leapt to their feet and prepared for him as he leapt from the building only to easily land the thirty story drop as if it were nothing. He still wore the pants from his suit though he had ripped a hole purposely in the back for his tail to break through. His shirt and jacket had been discarded somewhere as had his sunglasses.

"You've been waiting for me," he stated calmly.

"That's right Dmitri," Susan said a little cockily.

"So you do know then." His face grew with a grin that revealed his jagged teeth. "I was hoping you would. I suppose though that that's all you know. My name and perhaps who I once was. Sadly that has nothing to do with who I am now!"

"Care to explain," Doc taunted hoping to elicit some new information.

Juggernaut laughed mockingly at them. "What do you take me for a fool? If I tell you everything then I lose everything. There's no need for you to know."

And with that he launched himself at the group this time aiming for Doc. Susan glared angrily and punted the raging monster before he could reach Doc and he crashed through the building behind Lyra and Tor'ka causing them to bolt closer to the other members of their team. He rose from the rubble and seemed to be trapped in deep thought as his gaze remained on the ground. He began to mumble things to himself still not looking at the group. Tor'ka refused to wait for him to make another move and released a huge breath of fire into the now broken building. It consumed the small shattered opening and Juggernaut was lost in the flames. Soon Tor'ka had to stop for breath and they stared at the flames in anticipation. Nothing moved behind the wall of fire but everyone knew Juggernaut wouldn't be silenced so easily. As if on cue the grey monster leapt through the flames at them his mouth a snarl of rage. Lyra whipped out her dirks and readied herself for him though he never came. The grate just between him and the group howled with an expulsion of wind; it was caught in his wings and sent him soaring into the air where they lost sight of him in the darkness.

"Damn," Link hissed.

Susan frowned and tried to squint into the darkness above the buildings but saw nothing. That's when they heard it; the loud cracking of stone against stone as if it were breaking apart.

"Hey look guys," B.O.B said happily to everyone. "The building is coming to say hi!"

They looked up and sure enough the building that Juggernaut had just been trapped inside was starting to tip towards them. Lyra and Doc leapt to one side while Link and Tor'ka dove to the other and Susan quickly grabbed B.O.B to pull him out of the way. The building slammed into the ground and launched chunks of rubble to the side along with clouds of dust. Lyra used her arm to cover her mouth as she coughed and choked on the air. She attempted to peer through the settling cloud for Doc to ask him if he was okay but her words caught in her throat as she saw Juggernaut lifting Doc off the ground with one hand clamped firmly around his throat. The poor cockroach struggled but unfortunately his asset was his brain not his strength. Knowing she needed to act fast she growled and launched herself at them and slammed one her dirks into Juggernaut's arm. He howled in fury and dropped Doc as a thick black liquid poured from the wound in his arm.

"Stay out of this you pathetic creature," he hissed as he ripped the dagger from his arm. His eyes were filled with hatred as he turned to her. He threw her against the wall of the nearest building and thrust her own dirk through the shoulder of her shirt and jacket. She watched in horror as the dirk became imbedded in the thick cement wall and held in a scream as the blade sliced through her skin. He leaned in close to her and his hot breath skimmed her cheeks. "This has nothing to do with you so stop getting in my way."

Doc had already run to the others and Lyra struggled to pull the dirk free from the wall but it wouldn't budge. She tried her best to shift around but as her shoulder burned and became warm as her blood soaked into her clothes she realized she wasn't near strong enough to rip her clothes free. She swore and watched helplessly as Juggernaut bounced between everyone and managed to hold off their attacks while launching ones of his own. Doc stayed more to the back and made sure to keep B.O.B with him while Link, Tor'ka and Susan did most of the fighting.

"Doc, give me a hand over here," Lyra snapped angrily.

He didn't seem to hear her over the commotion of the fight and she cursed again. This battle was huge and destructive; any car parked near them had been flipped and crumpled by now and any street light had been toppled. Many of the buildings were also crushed in many places and they could only be thankful that they were in business district so they weren't destroying any homes or endangering anyone but themselves. A piece of rubble was hurled her way by accident though it only barely missed her head. She began to panic and started pulling rapidly at her jacket ignoring the pain in her shoulder. She could see that Juggernaut was badly injured and wouldn't be able to last much longer before he'd have to retreat once again empty handed but the fight was still drifting too close to her for comfort. She heard a howl of rage and watched Juggernaut pick one of the fallen lamp posts. She hadn't realized that Link had somehow moved over directly in between her and Juggernaut and that was why that last projectile had come so close to her. This next one was much larger and was aimed directly at her. Her world seemed to stop spinning and everything around her moved so slowly as the next few events unfolded. Juggernaut threw the lamppost at Link and as it spun in her direction it warded off the other monsters enough that he was able to run and slip into the darkness. Link easily dodged it despite the large wound on his abdomen and it was then that they all saw her pinned to the wall in the post's path. She closed her eyes not wanting to see her death as at happened but suddenly the something occurred. A pair of strong hands gripped her shoulders and though the pain at such an action was immense she felt herself ripped away from the wall. She collapsed to the ground and her eyes sprang open as she heard the post crash into the wall of the building before it clattered to the ground beside her. Lyra spun around to see if her savior was okay but she gasped in shock and horror to find that he was anything but. The homeless man that B.O.B had attempted to eat fell against the building and slid to the ground holding the wound on his chest; the bar and smacked against him rather than spear him though there was no doubt some internal bleeding. The pain that was evident on his face threatened to roll his eyes back into unconsciousness but he forced himself to stay awake as Lyra crawled to his side.

"You crazy hobo jerk," she breathed harshly and she laid him softly on the ground. "Don't worry, we'll take care if you just don't use too much effort or you'll probably bleed worse. What the hell were you thinking? Not that I'm not grateful but why didn't you make it somewhere safe?"

He laughed though it came out as more of a cough and he smiled roughly through his disheveled beard. "I couldn't just leave…not when I had finally found you…"

"What? Who are you?"

He coughed up a little blood this time when he laughed. "Of…of course you wouldn't recognize me now… it's been so long and I've changed so much. You...have too…but no matter how different you look…a parent will always know their child…"

"D-Dad?" Her heart froze and refused to keep beating as she stared unbelieving at him. Tor'ka stopped dead and ushered to the others to remain back while ordering Doc to call Monger for a medic.

~~~*~~~

Juggernaut collapsed in the pitch black of the nearest alley behind one of the trash receptacles. His breathing was slightly shallow due to the harsh blow he had taken to the chest from the dragon's tail. Despite his injuries he still managed to choke out a harsh laughter.

"Finally," he hissed out through chuckles.

He stretched out his hands to stare at his findings. A large strand of white hair was clasped in his right hand while a chunk of bloodied green scales were in the other. Coming to America was the best decision he had made. He had half of what he needed; now he only needed to find himself another home and then he could get started again.

He sighed and leaned his head back against the coolness of the stones and let it sooth him. He had come a long way from where he started and he be damned if he let the success that was so close slip through his fingers. A small smile tugged at the corners of his lips; he was already damned. He watched as the general's aircrafts took to the air; one helicopter probably carrying the injured human while the much larger jet carried all the monsters back to Area 51. He watched them soar off as he pulled his victory pieces closer to him and bore his teeth in a malicious grin.

~~~*~~~

Monger's aircraft was filled with silence as they all nursed their wounds. Link cleaned and bandaged his own abdomen wound where there was a large chunk missing. Susan padded the side of her head with a large towel to try and stop the blood that dripped slowly through her snow white hair. Lyra sat quietly as she played absentmindedly with her jacket which she had tossed to the floor to so that Doc could dress the deep cut on her shoulder. Tor'ka was the least wounded out of all of them due to his scales though he had received a large cut across his left eye and he figured he would probably never be able to see out of it again. But something hurt him more than any physical wound and he lay solemnly in the corner near Lyra so he could deal with himself. He had been so focused on trying to fight his best so Lyra wouldn't have to he hadn't seen her. If he had been doing a better job he would've noticed that she had gotten into trouble and then he could've helped her and so many things would've turned out differently. Her real father James had passed out before he could explain much to her and had then been carted away in the helicopter to the nearest hospital while being attended to by whatever medics Monger had brought. If he hadn't been so focused on trying to be strong for her then her reunion with her father would've turned out differently. And now they weren't even sure if he would last the night. He wanted desperately to apologize to Lyra but he felt that nothing he could say right now would soothe her mind.

"Hey."

Her voice was soft and quiet and riddled with angst but it was nice to hear it again. Tor'ka turned to look at her only find she hadn't spoken to him.

Lyra's eyes remained glued to the floor as Link came and sat beside her. She reached over and gently grasped his hand in hers though she could barely hold two of his fingers.

"Juggernaut…we'll get him…right?"

Link offered her the best smile gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "Damn rights we will."

A smile tugged at the corners of her lips though it never actually came. "Good…"

~~~*~~~

James Rivers got home as fast as he could when he received the call at work. He burst through the front door his eyes aflame when they met his wife's tear filled ones.

"I…I don't know where she is James," Hillary sobbed. "She came home from school I know she did…but now I can't find her…I don't know why she would-"

"Bullshit you don't Hillary," James snapped out as he threw his suitcase on the ground. "It because you can't keep your affairs to your own time and you keep dragging Lyra into them!"

She froze and her hazel eyes went wide in surprise. "You…You knew?"

"Of course I did," he bit out. "I'm not stupid…well I guess I am stupid actually. I was stupid enough to fall in love with you, I was stupid enough to love you so much that I didn't care what you did as long as we could still be the family Lyra deserved. She's your daughter for God's sake, I don't care if you hurt me but you hurt her too! I thought this would end once my brother left…"

Hillary was in shock as she watched her husband kick the couch and run his hands angrily through his hair as he paced around the living room. "Oh James…I never meant to…I love her…"

"Apparently not enough to keep your affairs to your own personal time and out of the time you should have been spending with your child! I tried my best to tell her that she was still young and must've misunderstood things …I'm going to find her I'm going to fix this." He grabbed a flashlight from one of the drawers of the end table and threw on a heavy jacket. "I'll find her and I'll make things right. Our family may not be perfect but it'll be the best I can give her."

"What do you want me to do?" Hillary stepped towards him and reached for his shoulder only to have him smack her hand away.

"You've already done enough, I don't really give a shit after this point."

And with that he left and began to search every inch of the city. Hillary had spend her days making posters and putting them though after months of fruitless efforts she had finally lost her sanity as the guilt overcame her and she took her own life. After that James had started to expand his search by calling police stations all over America and spending them pictures of his missing child. He sold everything he had even his home in order to get as much money as he could to find her. It took him a couple years before his money ran out entirely and he lost his job. In the end he found himself in Manhattan where he wandered the streets he slept on asking anyone who passed by if they had seen her. No one had and soon his appearance had become too intimidating and people began to avoid him. He had spent every night on the street since hoping to see her pass by as there was nothing else he could do anymore. It had taken ten years before he saw her again; all grown up and as passionate as ever. And it would snow in August before he would let the opportunity to finally make things better with her slip away from him.