Alright, chapter 14, although technically 12 if you don't count Shadow Play, but who's counitng!
GKND HQ
"So…this is where you go when we aren't in that bleak chamber." The crustacean-like alien member of The Big Three, Samos, said as he entered what appeared to be a laboratory.
"Of course." Cindus responded. "I do somewhat have a life." Cindus, draped in a hooded robe, over saw countless computer screens and monitors. "If you can call this a life. Why are you here Samos? You never come down here, not since I showed you it in the first place."
"A couple of operatives have told me about a salvage ship delivering something to you earlier." Samos stated.
"Told you or were forced?" Cindus turned to face Samos.
"Numbuh 1 Inch and Numbuh 10,000, keep in mind the willingly relinquished this information." Samos narrowed his eyes. "I trust this is not another one of your rogue robots, now is it?"
"It is a project. A personal project, one that does not concern you." Cindus spoke sternly. "I advise you, Samos, do not meddle with fire; it is toxic to your kind." Cindus returned to the monitors. "Now, please, leave me."
"As you wish, Cindus." Samos forced himself to say before leaving the laboratory. Samos walked down the hall, making sure to get as far away from Cindus as possible before stopping. "I think it is safe to talk now." Samos spoke aloud. From the shadows, a female humanoid operative with feline features appeared.
"Why so jittery, Numbuh A+Bi?" the operative asked.
"Cindus is up to something Regalis. I would like you to find out." Samos said without facing Regalis.
"Then I report back to you, right?" Regalis said as she began to walk back into the shadows.
"No, no." Samos narrowed his eyes. "After you find out what he is doing, I would like you to go to a planet for me and inform a GKND operative currently stationed there."
"Who's the operative?" Regalis asked from the shadows.
"His name is Nigel Uno."
Quahog, Rhode Island: The Q
"This city has gone to hell." The twenty-one year old manager of the book store known simply as 'The Q', said as he and the rest of the employees look out the window and to the destroyed city. The front door to The Q opened, taking the employees attention away from the window, forcing them to get back to work. "Whelp, back to it then."
A teenage girl with dark purple hair walked through the aisles of the book store, looking at the colorful spines on every shelf. "Been awhile…" Crystal spoke lightly. "…I hardly remember this place…it's been so long…"
"Need help?" Crystal turned to see the manager standing at the end of the aisle.
"No…I'm good Mario." Crystal smiled at the manager.
"Crystal? Where the hell have you been?" The manager, Mario asked surprised. "We haven't seen you since the funeral."
"I've been working." Crystal laughed.
"So, haven't given up on the 'Wiccan' thing?" Mario asked as he walked down the aisle to meet Crystal.
"No…not yet…although I'm starting to think about changing the name." Crystal sighed. "So, how's the city been since the Anarchist attack?"
"A lot of good men, women, and children died." Mario shook his head. "Benedict is using this as an opportunity to make himself look like some kind of Angel. Not to mention he's got Garret running around as 'Sandman', supposedly fighting Gwen as she returns to power over Quahog."
"What?" Crystal asked, her anger slowly rising at the mention of that name. "What about Gwen?"
"She got out, alongside some other badies during the Anarchist attack." Mario shook his head. "Can you believe it, she's actually calling herself Prom Queen now…out of all the names she could've chosen…she chose that one."
"Why that name?" Crystal raised a brow.
"The original Prom Queen dated Teen Tornado. Those two tore what was left of the original Sector Q apart, putting me in a wheel chair for six years and killing Dillon." Mario shook his head once more. "Well, what can we do? Well beside that, you're back in town for a reason, see your folks? Buy a new book about how to distort gravity? Any reason in particular?"
Crystal thought for a moment. She thought about Mexico, she thought about the Scales, she thought about her role in helping Nigel's mission, and then she thought of Nolan. "Just had to get out of the office. Sometimes I feel claustrophobic."
"I hear that." Mario laughed. "Okay, well when you're ready, Edward will ring you up; I got to go look into something." Mario said before walking off. "Good seeing you again Crystal."
"Likewise." Crystal smiled as she resumed looking through the shelves. Crystal ran her right hand across the spines of several books. Crystal closed her eyes as she walked towards the end of the aisle, running her hand against the books, smiling at the feeling.
"Why are you reading?" a six year old Crystal looked up from her book to see her older brother, Travis, looking down at her. "Shouldn't you be out having fun or something with your friends or watching T.V.?"
"You know why I'm reading, Trav." Crystal spoke innocently, I like to read, it's like watching T.V., but in your head."
Crystal walked out of the book store, smiling at the memory.
Quahog, Rhode Island: Residential District
Crystal walked on the ruined sidewalk near a park. Her eyes wandered to a crosswalk near the sidewalk. On the crosswalk, though faded, was a rough white outline of a dead body drawn with chalk.
Nearby, behind a house, lay the fallen rotting Sector Q tree house, left for all to see as if set out as a display.
"I'm going out on another mission." A seven year old Crystal looked up from her bed to see her brother getting dressed.
"Where are you going, Trav?" Crystal asked her brother.
"Numbuh 100 asked for me personally, you know how Steve is, always needs the best." Travis smirked. "He's doing this whole rallying speech and what not; all I know is that I'm going to be working with Sector Q and T on this."
"Okay." Crystal yawned. "See you in the morning, Trav. Good luck."
"Thanks see you in the morning Amethyst." Travis smiled as he looked at his now sleeping sister. He left through their shared room window to his waiting S.C.A.M.P.E.R.
Crystal frowned as she stared at the letter 'Q' on the fallen tree house. She recalled the following morning.
"I'm sorry." Crystal looked up to see a twelve year old Mario speaking to her. "Your brother was the greatest of us all."
A tear streaked Crystal's cheek. Crystal walked past a familiar house, stopping in front of the path way to the front door. The house looked burnt, possibly from a grenade thrown by the Anarchist. There were caution signs everywhere; even blood stains on the front door of the house.
Crystal walked up the pathway. She stopped at the door and proceeded to knock on it. The door fell backward at the slightest touch. Crystal looked around for any sign of the sole remaining occupant of the house. "Mrs. York?" Crystal called out. "It's me, Crystal. I'm just here to check up on you." There was no reply.
Crystal entered the house, walking up the stairs to the second floor. She knocked on a door before opening it. She found the room empty of everything besides a mattress, like someone left with all their belongings.
'Deserted, Mrs. York must've left after the Anarchist attack.' Crystal thought. Crystal walked away from the door and headed to another door. She knocked on the door before entering it. She found the room still holding possessions, all which seemed to have been left untouched for months, everything covered in dust. 'Nolan's room.' Crystal thought.
Crystal walked to a nearby dresser. On the dresser was a Bunsen burner that appeared to not have ben years in a long time. Two soda cans that were just gathering dust, the remains of a SCHMS gas mask, and a picture frame of a young Nolan surrounded by the original members of Sector Q.
Crystal left the room, closing the door behind her. She walked down the stairs as recalled the first time she met Nolan.
Crystal fell face first onto the concrete floor of the cafeteria. She turned to see Gwen Tucker and cronies laughing at her. "Aw! The new girl trip herself ?" Crystal forced herself back onto her feet. "Maybe you should watch where you step. Or where and how you move."
Crystal prepared to retort, but someone beat her to the punch. "Ha. Ha. Ha." A humorless laugh and clap caught her persecutors attention. "Really? You've stooped this low Gwen? Terrorizing her just for being new? This is just pitiful."
Gwen glared at the newcomer. "Keep your nose out of our business Nolan. This doesn't concern you."
"Oh it does. It does." Nolan said stepping forward. "You remember John, right? My friend that you bullied every single day? Well if memory serves you and your cronies here were the main group that pushed him into becoming the monster he is today."
"Please." Gwen waved him off. "He was too week. He cracked under pressure to easily." Nolan only glared in response. A chill ran down Gwen's spine. She looked to her friends for assistance, only to find they'd all backed away.
"I recommend you cut your crap and just leave. Before you know it, she'll be just like John." Nolan said lowly. "And you know fully well how he retaliated. Aren't you still talking to a therapist?"
Gwen glared at Nolan. She scoffed before turning around and walking away. "We don't have to put up with this." She said aloud to her group. They all began to follow her, leaving as the schools populace looked on after them.
"Wow." Crystal said astounded with the turn of events. "You know exactly how to push their buttons."
Nolan only nodded. "They'll continue to pester you until you start trying to be like them. I'm telling you this only because I don't want another Affright running around."
Crystal began to form a question, only to stop herself as she watched Nolan walk off.
Crystal exited the former York Household and resumed walking down the sidewalk. Her eyes drifted upward to the sky. Up in the sky, three crows flew high above in the sky. Crystal continued to stare at the crows as they began to fly in circles.
Quahog, Rhode Island: Wickens Household
Crystal walked through her front door, locking it behind her. She found a note on the fridge addressed to her from her mother. Crystal read it and set it down on the kitchen counter. Crystal walked up her house's stairs onto the second floor. She entered her room, closing it behind her. She sat her workbench within her room, turning on her radio as she began to work on another staff.
The death toll is catastrophic. In the wake of the Anarchist's attack on Quahog, more than five hundred men, women, and children have been confirmed dead.
Crystal began to work on staff that was already past the main stage of construction, all it needed now were the components that would give it its ability to fly, melee attacks, and its energy projection.
New teen mastermind, Prom Queen, continues to prey on the fear and fallout of the Anarchist attacks, selling drugs to the desperate, uniting any gangs formed gangs, and is suspected of murder.
Crystal's eyes narrowed behind her welding mask. She added the gravity generators to her staff and proceeded to link it with her remote control.
Where were the police! Hundreds of citizens are now dead, and more are dying! Whether from the Anarchist, or from the effects of the toxins he threw into the city, or even the new power struggle. Why are there so little few helping the relief effort?
Crystal set up the energy projector at the tip of the staff, choosing to screw it in first then weld it onto the staff.
The Uno administration acknowledges the pain that Quahog is feeling. We assure the public we are doing everything in our power to help. We have plenty of supplies on the way and the dully appointed officer of Quahog, The Sandman, is doing everything he can to keep the citizens safe.
Crystal inspected her staff. She let it drop to the floor and hit a button on her remote control, causing the staff to levitate off the ground. Crystal smiled. Crystal left her work bench, walking to her closet. Crystal dug into her closet, pulling out a box with gray version of her Wiccan outfit.
West Quahog: Later That Night
"Why are we doing this again?" A teen asked as he and his ski mask wearing friend attached C4 explosives to a bank vault.
"Why not, Prom Queen said she needs the doe, we get her the doe." The ski mask wearing teen rolled his eyes. "What she wants, she gets, no matter the cost." The ski mask wearing teen motioned to the dead security guards behind them.
"Jus' saying, that new Sandman killed Holiday, I hear that he also killed the Anarchist." The teen said worriedly.
"Won't be happening, that new Sandman is friends with Prom Queen." The teen with the ski mask rolled his eyes.
Unnoticed by the two teens, a shadowy figure walked silently through the Bank. The figure raised a staff and pressed a button, causing the tip to glow a rainbow of colors.
"What in the world." The teen with the ski mask turned around, only for his eyes to rise in horror before he and his friend were consumed in a flash of white.
Quahog: Community Relief and Care Center
-Police are now consoling the families of the now deceased Bank Guards as the critically injured robbers are being transported out of town for suitable treatment-
"If you all want housing or food, get in line!" a teen wearing an executioner outfit exclaimed as he burst into the center on horseback. "This city now belongs to Prom Queen, if you want anything; you talk to her." The teen exclaimed as he began to trample over the injured and starving men, women, and children within the Relief Center.
"If anyone disagrees…" The teen chuckled lowly as he pulled out an obscenely large axe. "…Please stand forward to voice your complaints."
"Where are the cops?!" A number of those present exclaimed.
"Too over rated." The executioner set his axe aside and reached for a torch. "Now, seeing as Schurr is busy, I'll have to take over in the arson department." The teen held the torch up in the air. "It'll be beautiful."
The lights within the Relief Center began to flicker before cutting out. The torch's fire was extinguished as the sound of a fight rang throughout the Center. When the lights turned back on. All those present found the teen in the executioner outfit on the floor unmoving as his horse looked spooked.
Downtown Quahog
-Recent news of an arson attempt on the Quahog Community Relief and Care Center are flooding in like wild fire, pardon the use, as the culprit was found unconscious-
"You feel lucky, punks." A bald teen with piercings resembling DVDs, said as he and a teenager with a buzz cut stood around terrified children.
"We got orders from Prom Queen, torch 'em." The teenager with a buzz cut smiled sadistically as he approached a group of teenagers with a moltov. "This'll teach you to walk onto Prom Queen's territory 'n try to steel our candy supplies."
"No." The teen with the buzz cut turned his head, only to be greeted by the butt of a staff. The teen was knocked over onto the ground, the moltov rolling out of his hand without breaking. The teen force himself up, only for a foot to stomp on his face, knocking him out.
"You…" the bald teen said, eyes widening in fear.
"Yep, me." Crystal lowered her eyes behind her gray hood. She raised her staff and pressed her thumb on a button, causing the end to glow a rainbow of colors. The staff projected an energy blast, knocking the teen off his feet.
"Leave all of you." Crystal ordered the children, all of whom did as she told them. "Alright." Crystal stood over the bald teen. "Where is Gwen, Fanatic?"
"Like I'm going to tell you." The teen, known as Fanatic, muttered as he held his chest in pain.
"Oh you will." Crystal's staff drifted downwards into her waiting arms. She hit a switch on the side, causing three knifes to pop out. "Tell me, now."
"S-She's at James Woods High School, what's left of it anyways. Just, please don't hurt me." Fanatic whimpered.
"Thank you for your cooperation." Crystal muttered before knocking Fanatic out.
James Woods High School
-News coming in all over Quahog, various crimes taking place over the city have been thwarted by what witnesses say to be, and I quote, a 'Witch'-
"She can't be back." A teenage girl with long brown hair, wearing a pink prom dress and a tiara, narrowed her eyes as she sat on a throne. She glared at the radio beside her. "She can't be back, she's been gone for months."
"You know what this means, don't you Gwen?" The teen in the prom dress, Gwen Tucker the former Numbuh 58, turned to see a teen with shaggy hair leaning on a support pillar. "It's a sign, a sign that means that you should stop this now before that sidekick pops in and thrashes you."
"Why are you even here, Doug? Last time I recall that you left us." Gwen glared at the teen, Doug the former Numbuh 59.
"I'm here to talk some sense into you." Doug spoke softly. "Do you wonder why I left? Because this got too big, it got too real. Since we left the KND, since the day we took over the Candy Ring, I've started to see how big the world is; how it was too big and how we had no control over it. How we could never have control."
"What are you getting at, Doug?" Gwen raised a brow.
"That this never was for us. That this whole life of organized teen crime never was for us. And that we could never change that." Doug took in a deep breath. "I'm also trying to tell you to stop this before something bad happens to you."
Gwen merely glared at Doug. "You think that I'm just going to drop everything, all the power I claimed for myself in the ruins, everything we ever worked for? God, Doug you know I can't do that."
"You should've listened to him." An all too familiar voice echoed throughout the school auditorium/makeshift throne room.
Gwen stood up from her throne, her eyes scanning the rows of seats. "Where are you, show yourself!" Gwen shouted aloud into the darkened auditorium. "You could at least give me the decency of showing yourself as you barge into my headquarters, after you ruin all of my operations transpiring throughout the city, and after you get in between me and my childhood friend's conversation.
Crystal stepped out of the shadows, walking up the stairs onto the stage. "Fine, only because it's you." Crystal glared at Gwen behind her hood.
"I always wondered why you wanted to take me down. It never really crossed my mind until we got sprung out by Monger. 'Why would this one in particular have it out for me?' I asked myself that over and over and yet I still don't know who the second thorn in my side is…just who the hell are you?"
Crystal's gaze softened. "I am the Wytch of Quahog, and I am here to stop you, once and for all."
"Alright, okay, I see Nolan's BS 'no killing' virtues have no effect without the jerk being here." Doug watched as Gwen pulled out a knife. "Well then, if you think you're going to kill me without losing some blood, then you've got another thing coming you witch."
"Who said I was going to kill you." Crystal muttered as she walked forward, staff raised. "My entire walk down memory lane had led me to one conclusion, killing solves nothing, all it does is cause you pain, all it does is make you sink into that pit you stand in every day."
Gwen lunged forward at Crystal with her knife. Crystal hit a button on her staff, causing it to shoot a blast of energy at Gwen, sending her flying backwards, crashing through her throne. "Despite how much I hate, for everything you had done to me, I won't kill you…"
"You don't need to kill her." Nolan's voice echoed through Crystal's head.
"Because we both know someone had taught me otherwise." Crystal spoke lowly as she looked down at Gwen's unconscious form. "What's left of the Quahog Police Department will be here shortly." Crystal said, directed at Doug. "I heard everything you said, thought you like the time to get out of here."
"No." Doug muttered. "I'm staying with her."
"Suit yourself." Crystal muttered as she began to leave the auditorium.
KNDHQ: Cindus' Laboratory
"Show it to me." Nicaea's voice echoed throughout the laboratory.
Regalis, hidden in the shadows, observed Cindus and Nicaea crowding around a table covered in white cloth. The cloth was thrown off by some unseen force, revealing a bulky, yet damaged, ten foot robot with a skull-like head and wire dreadlocks.
"What is it?" Nicaea asked as she took in the sight of the mechanoid.
"I give you the future." Cindus spoke sternly as the robot's eyes began to glow to life.
"…D-Death…Death's…H-H-H-H…ead…Death's Head."
Yep.