A clockwork room. Gears spin and the air is heavy with the ticking of gears and chains. William Shakespeare enters from the darkness.
"It's funny, you know. Some people treat writing as a form of diversion, a means to take their minds off the world. Some, like myself, have made their lives on it, immortalizing themselves in verse and in song. But writing itself is a double-edged sword. It at once relieves the writer of the stresses of life and consumes his entire being. Yes, that is the danger of writing isn't it? In order to escape one trap, the writer must become entangled in another.
"Writing is all-consuming. If the writer is to truly put his soul into his pen, he must give his entire being into his craft. An hour, two hours, a day, a month, it doesn't matter. When he writes his mind must be totally concentrated on his pen. Otherwise he becomes distracted and what he writes is not his soul but his distracted mind. When the worries of this life consume his attention, the true writer can write nothing.
"But never fear dear readers. Just because the hand is idle does not mean the gears do not turn. Nay, the writer's mind is an immortal clock, ticking away in the depths of his imagination until such time as he can be permitted to express himself freely. Our dear author has merely found how difficult writing can be when life takes him by surprise.
"Thus he strives to commit his soul to this tale. Ever his gears do turn but never can his hands move for his craft. Indeed, the lessons of love and industry have taken his life by storm. But if he is one thing, he is the author. His tale will have its end, and this drama will be complete. This is his tragedy, but the tragedy is not yet complete. Our beloved characters still have so much farther to fall before this drama is done! His vision will shape the world of this story, and his will shall bring it to fruition. But do not fear, readers. A tragedy is merely a dramatic action in which persons of high stature fall to mean estate. It may very well have a happy ending! All who walk the earth now will someday sleep beneath it. This is merely tragedy. It is drama made life.
"An incomplete tragedy is a comedy, and an incomplete comedy is a tragedy! Unlock the rivers of your soul, author! Flood this tale with your spirit and show us the vision of your tragedy! Show us an utter tragedy. Let us see what tale the machines of your mind have crafted!"
Shakespeare fades into the background, his laughter becoming one with the incessant clockwork.
The Short Version:
I've been extremely busy this semester. So much so I wasn't able to work on my beloved story at all! But now that it's over I have a few weeks to devote my creative energies to it and give you an even better story than before!
The story so far:
It's been ten years since the momentous events of Shooting Star. Sam, Alex, and Clover have since turned in their WOOHP badges and gadgets to take a chance at leading normal lives and holding normal careers. However, a chance encounter between Sam and Jacob sends Sam's assignment horrifically awry, casting herself and her lifelong friends back into the world of espionage and intrigue. Jacob has apparently turned against them and gathered a powerful team of warriors known as the Wolfpack to help him accomplish his mysterious goals. In addition, the genetically enhanced clones from Counterparts have returned, though Jacob's plans for them are as yet unknown. After an encounter with one of his "Wolves," the girls decided to return to WOOHP, and after two months' training were given an unexpected test when a villain named Nightmare attacked WOOHP and freed Tim Scam and Geraldine. His voice causes the girls to experience their worst nightmares, leaving them helpless and passed-out from terror.
Thus our story resumes.
Part Three: Sin
Chapter Twenty
Before she awoke, Sam's nightmare returned.
This time she could see everything clearly. The dark haze and Nightmare's contemptuous voice were gone. This time, however, Sam was less afraid and more curious. Her analytical mind wanted a better picture of her vision in order to interpret it properly.
Again she found herself in a ruined and burning cityscape. She found it was not night as she originally thought, but dusk. The setting sun stained the sky red on one side, while the flames and smoke burned it red on the other. She breathed and inhaled the smell of ash and crushed concrete. She looked forward and found herself facing down a street that dead-ended farther down in shadow. She strained her ears, expecting to hear the sounds of battle and strife, but apparently the fighting had long ended here. Or perhaps there wasn't a fight at all. All was silent except for the faint roar of fires on the next street over and the crows cawing overhead.
Sam took a deep breath of ashen air and walked down the street. She saw many familiar buildings and confirmed that her vision had taken place in Beverly Hills. She couldn't remember walking down the road last time, but thought nothing of it as she approached the dead end, drawn to it by an irresistible force. The buildings on either side of her were ruined. Most of them had no windows left, and some were gutted by explosion or fire. The streetlights stood cold and dark in the deepening evening as Sam walked down the street. She didn't feel angry, frightened, sad, or even a little nervous. In fact, she felt perfectly calm amidst this devastation. She almost felt that this is what she wanted. Whatever was drawing her down the road was something she wanted to see.
The road ended in a mountain of broken concrete and steel. Fire burned on the other side of it, casting the mountain into shadow backed by flickering redness. She stopped at the foot of the mountain and looked up. A figure she knew to be Jacob stood atop the mountain, surveying the devastation with apparent satisfaction. Sam looked closer this time and saw his expression mixed with remorse. It was the same look he gave her in Korea just before he threw her off that bridge. It was as if he knew what he was doing, didn't like it, but had no choice but to do it. She heard a pack of dogs baying in the distance, and Jacob's eyes softened with concern as he looked in that direction. She heard herself call out to him and he looked down at her and smiled. He slowly descended the mountain as if he were a giant. His footsteps threw up dust and sparks as he descended, and the ground shuddered as if it dreaded his approach. His long coat billowed in a nonexistent wind as he descended to Sam, and she couldn't take her eyes off of him. He looked at her like a weary laborer finally in sight of his home, and Sam saw herself extend her hand to him as he neared. He stepped off the mountain and he transformed from an awful giant to a humble man. He looked weak and weary as he took her hand in his, and then sank to his knees. Sam could tell she was about to do something, but the dream ended there.
Sam was the second to wake up. Clover had been up for a couple of hours, but Alex was still out cold. Clover was beside the bed reading an entertainment magazine when Sam's eyes fluttered open.
"Good morning Sammie! I hope you got a good night's sleep."
"Huhn? Where are we?"
"The infirmary. We all passed out."
For a moment it was all hazy, but her recollection of their encounter with Nightmare quickly returned. "That's right, now I remember." She propped herself up and paused while the blood rushed from her head. "Ugh, how long have I been out?"
"Since yesterday. Whatever that creep did to us he did it good."
"No kidding." Sam looked at Alex. Her monitor beeped rhythmically and her chest rose and fell calmly. "Is she okay?"
"I'm not sure. I couldn't understand a word the doctor was saying after I woke up a couple of hours ago. But I think she's fine."
"I see."
Clover folded the magazine up. "Hey, want some coffee?"
"Like bread from heaven."
Clover poured her a cup and added sugar.
"It tastes awful, but it's hot and it has caffeine."
Sam accepted the cup, "Thanks." It did taste awful, but it was hot and drove away the coldness in the pit of her stomach. "What happened after we passed out? Did those intruders get away?
Clover nodded. "Yeah. A few of them were captured, but their leader, Scam, Geraldine and most of the rest got away."
"Oh." Sam took another sip. "Well that's just great. Two of WOOHP's biggest haters are on the lam again."
"Tell me about it. Henry says we're going after them as soon as everyone's better."
"We?"
Clover blushed. "Oops, I wasn't supposed to say that."
"Say what?" Sam's eyes widened as her mind connected Clover's dots. "Have we been reinstated?"
"I'm, uh, I…plead the fifth?"
Sam's face lit up with excitement. "Clover! You're hiding something, now tell me! Are we reinstated or not?"
"But…but…but…Oh look, there's Henry! Hi Benny!"
Henry was rounding the corner and paused. "Benny?"
"Look, Sam's awake!"
"I see that. Good morning, Sam. How do you feel?"
"Tired, but otherwise okay."
"Good. I see Alex is still out of it."
"Yeah." An uncomfortable silence passed while Sam worked up the nerve to ask Henry a question, but Clover beat her to it.
"Benny, what happened back there?"
"First off, I do wish you'd stop calling me that."
"Okay, Benny!"
Henry sighed and continued. "The man you encountered is named Nightmare."
"We figured that much out."
Henry opened his wallet and projected a hologram of a strapping young gentleman. "He was born in Britain and was involved in a number of secret operations in Her Majesty's service before vanishing and resurfacing as a mercenary for a few years until he joined with a group known as Atlas."
"Atlas?"
"Yes. Think of it as the Wolfpack only much bigger and less idealistic. Atlas has existed for around two hundred years and was the sworn enemy of the Wolfpack back when Jacob's grandfather started it. However, Atlas proved to be the weaker and was believed destroyed a few years ago with Nightmare's apparent death at Jacob's hands."
"Wait, Jacob killed him?"
Henry closed his wallet. "So we thought. As it turns out, Nightmare lived, but was brutally disfigured. Our sources tell us he's had reconstructive surgery, so we don't know what he looks like anymore."
"I guess we'll be seeing more of him anyway," said Sam.
"Most likely. I'm sure they recruited Tim Scam and Geraldine for a reason. Those two know more about WHOOP than most any criminal we've detained, and their criminal brilliance makes them perfect recruits."
"So why didn't Jacob take them if he wants to destroy WOOHP, too?" asked Clover.
Henry rubbed his temple. "I don't know. I have a feeling that the Wolfpack's ambitions stretch far beyond WOOHP."
"Beyond WOOHP? That's a big bite for one person."
"We're dealing with a very large and very mean wolf, Clover. Don't underestimate him or his accomplices."
"No arguments here. I've seen what he can do."
"Indeed. I'll let you three get some rest. And by the way, I'm afraid I'll have to inform your significant others unless you have a particularly good lie up your sleeves."
Sam waved him off. "Clover and I can handle it, but I'm not sure what Alex is going to do about Mark."
At that instant, Alex shot up in bed as if she'd been alert all day. Her eyes were the size of dinner plates and her gasp very nearly sucked the air out of the room.
"Oh my God! Mark! He's going to kill me! Or at the very least get a divorce!"
Henry jumped at her exclamation and Clover jumped into Sam's arms. Then Henry started laughing.
"What's so funny?" Alex demanded with tears beginning to form in her eyes.
"He already knew."
"He…he what?"
"Alex, your husband is a high-level intelligence officer in the Air Force. He is well aware of WOOHP's operations and the fact that you've joined again. Believe me, he can keep a secret."
Alex blushed furiously while Sam and Clover relaxed.
"You mean I've been keeping this from him for nothing?"
"Truthfully, he knew of your past involvement with this organization, but your reactivation was news to him, though he told me he suspected something was up."
Alex hung her head and sighed. "Well, that's a relief. I guess."
"Well I'm glad that's settled. Take it easy, ladies. If you have any relapses from Nightmare's Terror Call, don't hesitate to call for assistance."
The girls nodded and Henry left the room. But instead of relaxing, the girls began discussing new plans.
"Why do I get the feeling Henry's hiding something?" asked Clover.
"You too?" asked Sam.
"Yeah."
"It's probably because he doesn't know us that well," Alex suggested.
"Maybe. But I think there are some things we ought to know about all this."
"Like what?"
"I don't know, but I think some pieces of the puzzle are missing. Some really important ones."
"So what do we do?" asked Clover. "Go find Jerry?"
A light turned on in Sam's head. "Why not? We're still super-spies. We should be able to go anywhere we want, right?"
"I dunno," said Alex. "Henry probably needs us ready for anything now that we've got all those creeps running around. Do you think he'll even let us use a plane or something?"
"Who said he has to let us?" asked Clover with a wink.
"Yeah, we'll just borrow a jet boat and return it real nice when we get back," said Sam with another wink.
Alex tilted her head in thought for a moment. "Yeah, it is just borrowing. What does it matter as long as we return it when we're done, right?"
"Right! So once you're ready, we'll head down and borrow a boat for a day or two."
"Mmh! I think I'm ready, actually." Alex turned and slid off the bed and stood to her feet. She paused for a moment while the blood rushed from her head, but was stable as ever once she regained equilibrium.
"I take it you're ready, then?" asked Clover.
"Yep!" piped Alex. "Let's go visit Jerry!"
At that moment, a closet opened and three mechanical tentacles reached out and yanked the girls in.
"Right after we see what Henry wants!" cried Alex as they were hurled headlong down the tunnel. When they landed in a most haphazard fashion in the office, Henry looked extremely grave.
"Ugh, what's up, Henry?" asked Sam as she disentangled herself from the others.
"I'm sorry I have to call on you so soon, but this is urgent." The screen behind him lit up to show a heavily guarded research facility that was now under attack. Gunfire lit the view with tiny yellow pinpricks of light, and smoke rose from several places within the facility.
"What you are looking at is real-time footage of one of WOOHP's off-site research facilities in Oregon. Not fifteen minutes ago it came under attack by unknown forces, but initial reports lead us to indicate Atlas may be behind the attack."
The girls immediately sat at attention.
"Is Nightmare leading the attack?" asked Sam.
"If he is, he hasn't used his powers yet. The security staff is holding their ground for now, but I don't think they can hold out much longer against hardened soldiers like these. Your mission is to reinforce the security and stop the attackers."
"What are they after?" asked Alex.
"Something in the labs, most likely. This facility is mainly used for storage, and I honestly have no idea what they're after."
"We'll be there in a flash, Benny," said Clover.
"Clover, would you please stop calling me Benny?"
"Okay, Benny!"
Henry grumbled and pressed a button on his console. A trio of backpacks appeared on the desk and Henry rose to dole out the gadgets.
"For this mission you'll be taking M-Ray contact lenses, laser nail files, anti-gravity hover boards, and smokescreen mascara. Any questions?"
"Got a light?" asked Clover.
"A what?"
"A lighter. I'm going to need a smoke before we dive into this."
Henry frowned at Clover. "There should be one in the jet. Now get going you three."
The panel the girls stood on sank into the floor, and the girls braced to be launched into the ceiling chute. Instead, the panel gave way and dropped them into the tunnels with a startled yelp.
"Never hurts to keep them guessing," said Henry with a satisfied grin.
Far below, flashes of gunfire peppered the otherwise dark facility like firecrackers as the jet flew over it. The forests surrounding the top-secret area were covered in rolling pitch black darkness that stretched for miles in every direction.
"There it is!" said Sam as she leaned out of the hatch. The cold night air stung her ears and cheeks, but she ignored it as she peered at the battle below through a pair of binoculars. She leaned back in and tossed the binoculars aside. "I can't make out much of what's going on, but it looks pretty bad."
"What's the plan?" asked Clover.
"The attackers have the front entrance pretty well secured, but I think if we go in from the north we can catch them by surprise."
Alex looked out the hatch. "Which way is north?"
Sam sighed and rolled her eyes. "Just follow my lead."
She grabbed her hover board and leaped out of the hatch without a second thought. Alex and Clover followed close behind with their boards tucked under their arms. The battle raged below them as they plummeted through the night toward the endless darkness below. Sam counted the seconds, mentally keeping track of their descent and the distance they had to the treetops. When the moment came where she could wait no longer, she placed her feet on the hover board and activated it. Alex and Clover followed suit and their descent slowed to a crawl and within seconds they drifted easily into the trees and sank below the branches. As soon as they were clear of the branches, they powered up their boards and skimmed among the tall hardwoods toward the sounds of battle. A flash of light briefly illuminated the forest and set the facility in silhouette and was followed moments later by a loud report.
"Things are getting serious in there," Clover commented.
"Just means more fun for us," answered Alex.
Soon they cleared the forest and skimmed across the clearing surrounding the facility at breakneck speeds. They aimed for a hole in the wall at ground level and crouched low to their boards as the attackers noticed their presence and honeycombed the air around the girls with laser fire. Their reactions were too slow, however, and the girls sped across the ground unharmed. At the breach in the facility wall they encountered a group of Atlas agents who were entrenched against the guards inside. The attackers had a half second to look back and see what their comrades were yelling about when the girls' boards clobbered them. They rode in to the applause of the security agents, and the girls dismounted and ran to the Lieutenant.
"We're from WOOHP," began Sam. "What's the situation?"
"Not quite sure, ma'am. Head to the control room. The captain will fill you in."
"Thanks!" piped Sam.
The girls dashed away from the battle and ran down the twisting corridors until they found the control room. Inside, an old man was cursing furiously and barking orders at dozens of screens and following up his orders with more cursing. He was in the middle of cursing the attacker's dogs when he saw the girls enter.
"Who are you?"
"We're from WOOHP."
"Reinforcements? Good, come here."
The girls walked down to his control panel and he directed their attention to a screen displaying an overview of the facility.
"The main force is centered here," he said, indicating the front entrance. "I think they're after the central vault, judging by the fact that their forces are concentrated there."
"How are you holding up?" asked Sam.
"We're holding, but not well. We're losing ground every minute. I'm not sure when they'll breach the central vault, but-"
A loud alarm interrupted him, followed by a technician's shouts.
"Captain! Something's
disabling the central vault's security field!"
"What?"
"An
unknown source is disabling our security systems. The way to the
vault is almost wide open and our early warning systems are going
down like flies!"
The captain swore bitterly. "That can't be right! WOOHP's security systems are the best in the world!"
"Well whoever's doing this is better!" said Clover.
Alex had been staring at the screens the whole time, trying to piece together what was going on in the chaotic attack when she let out a squeal. "Look! On that monitor!"
The captain looked at the monitor she indicated and displayed it on the big screen.
"What the…?"
The screen now displayed a shot of the front entrance. Unmarked helicopters were descending and disgorging more soldiers, who began attacking both the Atlas and WOOHP forces.
"Captain!" shouted the technician from before. "The whole system's being hijacked!"
"Pull the plug now!"
Almost as soon as he said that, every single screen in the room went blank for a moment, and then a blue spider appeared, accompanied by a caption that read "Not so fast, comrade."
The captain shook his head and turned to the girls.
"I don't know what's going on, but I'm pretty sure all these guys are after the central vault."
"We're on it," said Sam. "But, what's in the central vault?"
The captain sighed. "I can't tell you, but you have to protect it."
Sam scrutinized the elderly captain. His distracted eyes told her he was hiding something major in that vault, but he was under strict orders not to reveal the contents. Sam wanted to know what was so important in the vault, but thought better about pressing the issue.
"Alright, we'll take care of it."
Sam's eyes were deeply troubled as they left the control room. She stopped when they were a few paces outside the door and huffed.
"What is he hiding that's so secret? It might help if we knew what we were protecting."
"Yeah, no kidding," said Alex. "I hope it's as important as he's acting like it is."
"Seriously," said Clover. "I'm not risking my life for another one of Jerry's keepsakes."
Sam sighed and giggled. "And if we were, would we have any choice?"
Clover shrugged. "I guess not. So what are we waiting for? Let's go save Jerry's piece of crap!"
Outside, the last helicopter descended and disgorged its passengers. Wild Bill and Viktor jumped out last and hurried to the scene. Viktor carried a machine gun in his arms and an armored pack on his back, while Wild Bill carried a revolver in each hand while shouting orders to the others.
"Secure the area! Put down all resistance with extreme prejudice and secure the path to the vault!"
Wild Bill and Viktor strode calmly to the main entrance, heedless of the boiling chaos around them. Wild Bill was dressed in his trademark attire, consisting of his wide-brimmed hat, long coat, boots, and bandolier. Viktor was dressed in more contemporary fashion, being clad in black battle dress, combat boots, Kevlar vest, and gloves. Bill raised his left revolver and picked off a careless Atlas soldier who strayed into the open as they neared the front door. An explosion went off behind them, causing the two men to hurry under the entrance and press themselves into it for cover. Bill quickly scanned the scene and spotted the sniper with the grenade launcher on the roof. He aimed his right revolver and felled him in one shot.
Viktor tried the doors, but found them locked. He pressed his fingers to his temple and spoke into his collar.
"Arachne, the doors are locked."
"They must have locked them from inside," said Arachne over the radio. "Hang on a sec…there."
The doors slid open with a whoosh, revealing a cluster of very surprised Atlas soldiers. Viktor gunned them all down in a spray of machine gun fire before they had a chance to react to this sudden turn of events. When the slaughter was over, Wild Bill looked down and examined one of their laser rifles with the toe of his boot.
"Non-lethal weapons," he spat. "What a waste. Contradicts the very nature of war."
Victor checked his weapon. "I guess they weren't expecting a war."
"Better hurry guys," Arachne warned over their radios. "They're about to breach the central vault."
Viktor checked his weapon and Wild Bill exchanged the empty shells for fresh bullets. They stood still and looked down the corridor in quiet contemplation.
"Go," said Bill.
The two men dashed down the hallway to the rising tempo of battle.
Thanks to the security breaches, the girls had an easy time navigating the labyrinthine facility and finding their way to the central vault entrance. The scene they found caused no small amount of concern between the three of them. The outer and inner doors stood wide open, and the vault appeared empty.
"Are we too late?" asked Clover.
Sam walked inside the vault and looked around. The walls and ceilings were covered in heavy armor plating, and the floor was a solid mass of steel. Aside from the door and the lights, the only outstanding features in the vault was a single pedestal in the center of the floor and a few heavily armored lockers spaced evenly throughout the room. Sam's gaze was drawn to the pedestal. She approached it and studied it from a few steps away. It was cylindrical in shape, divided in two across the middle and into quarters at the top like an unopened flower. A small control pad was the pedestal's only adornment.
"What is it?" asked Alex.
Sam hesitated. "I don't know. Let me check."
She opened her X-Powder and scanned the mysterious device. However, instead of getting a readout, the screen flashed a yellow "CLASSIFIED" warning and went back to the main menu.
"I guess this is the thing they don't want us knowing about."
Clover heard the sounds of many footsteps coming from down the hall and gasped.
"Someone's coming!"
"Quick," said Sam as she prepared her bungee belt. "Follow me."
The girls fired their belts at the ceiling and climbed up just as a squad of Atlas soldiers entered the room. As if they knew exactly what they were doing, they spread out around the room in an orderly fashion and took up a defensive position around the pedestal. One of them produced an electronics kit from his satchel and began working on the control pad.
Sam studied the scene carefully from her vantage point. What are they after? What's inside that thing? Her answers would have to wait, however, because at that moment a loud explosion sounded from just outside the vault door and a cloud of dense smoke poured into the room. The Atlas soldiers scattered and took cover in the room as gunshots burst from the smoke cloud and the two nearest soldiers, still stunned from the sudden calamity, dropped dead.
Alex stifled a gasp at the sight of the two dead men, and Clover pursed her lips and looked on. The Atlas soldiers returned fire now, perforating the rolling cloud with laser fire for three solid minutes before their leader ordered them to cease firing. The room stood completely still. The girls could hear the soldiers breathing heavily, and see their minds were totally focused on the door. The cloud began dissipating, and the soldiers braced themselves for another fight. The smoke cleared, their fingers tensed around their triggers, the girls steeled themselves for another show of violence, and the vault entrance proved empty.
The soldiers aimed their weapons at the entrance for an anxiously long minute. The vault stood completely silent except for the hum of electric lights and air conditioning. The girls heard one of them whisper, "did we get them?" and all Hell broke loose.
In the confusion of smoke and laser fire, Wild Bill had flanked the soldiers and now took the liberty to decimate them with savage efficiency. Every shot was a kill, and every time a soldier tried to run to cover Wild Bill's bullets found a home in his heart. The few that managed to return fire found themselves in such a panic they couldn't hit much more than the wall behind Wild Bill, and soon found a bullet in their heads. When all was said and done, there was one Atlas soldier left, and one bullet in Wild Bill's right-hand gun.
The girls watched from above, awestruck at the carnage a single man unleashed on the hardened warriors below. There was still one soldier left, hiding behind one of the armored lockers tangent to Wild Bill's position. But Wild Bill didn't reload. Instead, he raised his right-hand gun and aimed it at the wall. He fired and the shot banked off the wall and struck the soldier square in the chest and he collapsed lifeless as a puppet with no master.
The girls still didn't move. They really weren't in any mood to mess with this guy. The last shot still echoed in the metal vault when Viktor entered with his machine gun resting on one shoulder.
"Geez, man. I guess I lose the bet, then?"
Wild Bill calmly reloaded his guns and put them away. "It would seem that way," he said with a smile. "Now let's get cracking. I'm not sure how long we'll have the element of surprise on our side."
"Gotcha." Viktor approached the pedestal and set his armored case on the floor. He pulled a data stick from one of his pockets and plugged it into the console on the pedestal.
"Okay, all yours."
"Who's he talking to?" whispered Clover.
"Shhh!" hissed Sam.
Everyone in the room was completely silent, especially the dead soldiers, while Viktor watched the console intently. A couple of minutes passed, and a single high-pitched beep filled the room like a flood and the display turned green.
"It's done," said Viktor as he stood up.
Wild Bill approached the pedestal and the girls craned their necks for a better look. The top half of the pedestal split into quarters lengthwise and spread apart with a hiss and a spill of sublimating gas. When the petals spread roughly twice the diameter of the pedestal, a piston rose from the fog and a beaker containing a red substance rose from the piston.
"Is this it?" asked Viktor.
Wild Bill's face lit up with pleasure. "Yes, that's it. The first, well, second sample."
"Second?"
"I'll explain later. Just grab it."
Viktor nodded and opened the armored case. It too was filled with refrigerants that hissed and escaped as a mist when he opened the case. He carefully removed the beaker and laid it in the case, and then closed the case and locked it before slinging it on his back.
"Let's go."
Wild Bill nodded and the two of them left the vault. The girls let themselves down when their footsteps died away and followed them out of the vault.
"What do you suppose that was?" asked Alex.
"I don't know," said Sam, "but if those guys want it, it can't be good."
"If it's not good then why is WOOHP keeping it here?"
"What's why it was in the vault in the first place!" said Clover as she hopped over an unconscious WOOHP agent.
"What are they going to do with it?"
"I think it's best we not find out," said Sam as they burst through the front door and into the courtyard. It was mostly calm now, being under the control of the Wolfpack forces. However, helicopters were now carrying them away, and the sounds of battle were growing closer as the Wolfpack's numbers dwindled. Wild Bill and Viktor stood in the middle of the courtyard awaiting a helicopter when the girls approached them.
"Hold it right there!" shouted Sam as another helicopter flew overhead.
Wild Bill turned slowly and looked at them in surprise, while Viktor spun about instantaneously and leveled his machine gun at them and the girls braced for a fight. Unexpectedly, Wild Bill placed his hand on Viktor's gun and lowered the barrel.
"Patience, Blood Wolf. He wants them alive, remember?"
Viktor eyed Wild Bill for a moment and relaxed. "Right, forgot."
"Hand over the case and turn yourselves in, or we'll be forced to hurt you!" Sam shouted.
"Isn't it usually 'hand over the case and we'll let you go free?'" said Wild Bill derisively.
"Not for criminals like you," said Clover.
"Criminal? My dear, I am a lawman. I've done a lot of things, but enforcing the law will always be my chief calling."
"Doesn't matter. We're not letting you walk away from this," said Alex.
"You have no choice but to let me walk away," said Bill. "There are things at stake far beyond your reckoning."
"I'm afraid we can't do that," said Sam.
The two parties faced each other for a few anxious moments. The wind whistled with the sounds of helicopter engines and the sounds of battle grew ever closer. Finally, Wild Bill smiled a smile that sent chills down the girls' spines.
"Very well. It seems the most valuable treasures must always be fought for." He motioned to Viktor, who handed him the armored case. Bill took a few steps forward and set it on the ground. "Then let's make this a duel. Whoever wins gets the case. Whoever loses, well, you know the drill."
"Three against two," remarked Clover. "Seems awful unfair."
Bill scratched his moustache. "You're right. Viktor, get in the chopper."
"What?" said the startled youth.
"You heard her. The three of them is so unfair against the two of us. I'd like to even the odds a little."
The girls and Viktor stared at him in disbelief, and Viktor resignedly retreated through the front gate.
Sam laughed confidently. "Are you sure about that? I mean we're not exactly pushovers."
"I know who you are," growled Bill. "But you have no idea who you're dealing with." He slid one foot back and threw his coat back to expose one of his pistols. His hand reached back and hovered over the ivory-inlaid handle like an eagle's claw. The girls tensed themselves for the ensuing battle. The courtyard grew silent as a cemetery while the stars eagerly awaited the outcome. The earth paused to watch.
"Draw!"
Before the girls could blink, Wild Bill drew his pistol and a crack of thunder preceded a whistling noise beside Sam's ear. She felt it brush her hair before she even saw him draw his weapon. When her mind finally caught up to the bullet, she somersaulted away just as Bill fired a second shot that whistled between her legs. The girls scattered and leaped toward cover with Bill's bullets peppering the air and ground around them. Alex cartwheeled behind an abandoned truck just as a bullet struck the ground a hair's breadth from her fingers. She yelped in surprise as her finger stung from the near-hit and shook her hand.
"Ow, that hurt!"
Wild Bill laughed. "These aren't foam bullets I'm using, girl. I only fight with the real thing."
"You're not very nice!"
"I can't afford to be."
He fired two more shots at a retreating Clover before she vanished behind cover. The girls caught their breaths and heard the sound of bullet casings falling to the ground.
"That was very good," they heard him say. "You're fast, very fast. Usually the fight is over by now. I'm very impressed with you three."
Sam swallowed. "Yeah? Just wait until we hit our stride, then you're toast!"
"I look forward to it. It's been many years since I've had a good fight. Too many, really. But I'm afraid the time for playing around is over. I'm using both guns this time."
The girls felt their hearts sink.
"You might want to move, though. I excel at bank shots."
Having seen his display in the vault, the girls took his word for it. They darted from their positions under a hail of gunfire, leaping and rolling and dodging however they could from Bill's lethal assault. Sam gasped as a bullet grazed her leg and ripped a hole in her spysuit. Alex felt a bullet pass through the air where her head should have been a moment ago. Clover stumbled and saw a bullet hit the ground where her head was about to be.
Sam counted his bullets and ran at him after ten shots, barely dodging the next two and leaping at Bill with a gravity-defying lunge. The wily gunfighter calmly raised his second gun at Sam and pulled the trigger, only to hear it click harmlessly.
"Damn."
He rolled away from Sam's attack and retreated while reloading his gun. "You're doing well, ladies. I see Jacob's faith in you is not misplaced."
"Tell it to the judge!" piped Alex.
"There is no judge for the likes of me. There is only the gallows!"
His guns barked again and put the girls to flight. They attempted to flank him repeatedly, but the wily gunfighter always saw them coming and changed his position accordingly.
"You can't win," he told them. "I've been in countless duels in my long life, and I've won every single one of them."
"First time for everything!" shouted Sam while taking cover.
"You have no idea who you're dealing with!"
Many tense minutes later, all of them were exhausted. Bill because he was an old man, and the girls because adrenalin was surging through their veins after dodging death so many times. Blood slowly seeped down Clover's neck where a bullet had grazed her, and Sam's hair was a complete mess. The armored case still stood in the middle of the courtyard like a prize waiting to be taken. Bill's guns were hot in his hands while he reloaded them with shaking hands.
"Who are you?" asked Sam. "Tell us the truth."
A laugh coiled through Wild Bill's smile.
"You want the truth? Fine then, since I know we'll be seeing more of each other I think it might be best if you know the real score." He reloaded one of his guns and began spinning it on his finger nonchalantly. "I am Wild Bill, also known as the Bullet Wolf, founding member of the Wolfpack. I have seen action in almost every major conflict this century since World War One."
Sam raised an eyebrow. "World War One? I find that hard to believe. You'd be over a hundred years old if you fought in the Great War."
"A hundred and sixty-eight years, to be exact."
"What? Okay, now you're just insane."
Wild Bill laughed again and took a few easy steps forward, still playing with his gun. "My full name, as given to me by my parents in Illinois, is James Butler Hickock. You'd know me better as "Wild Bill" Hickock, Sheriff of Hays City, Kansas and the greatest gunfighter the West ever knew!"
The girls involuntarily backed a step away. "That…that's impossible," said Sam.
"Y-yeah, stop joking with us, man," said Alex.
"I never joke around when I fight," said Bill "I either kill the man or he kills me, much like I had everyone in Deadwood think that punk did way back when."
"But, if you're really the Wild Bill Hickock," said Clover, "then how are you still alive? And can I get the name of your spa, because you are really well-preserved for your age."
Wild Bill stopped playing with his gun. "I'm afraid that is a secret I'll have to keep. Now then, I do believe we have a duel to finish."
Before the girls could react, he already had Sam lined up in his sights. Sam covered her face and dove away as bullets ripped at the air around her and ricocheted off the wall behind her. He emptied his gun at Sam and retreated to reload, only to find his bandolier empty.
"Damn."
He checked his other gun: six bullets, two for each girl. He took a deep breath and raised his weapon, only to have a mascara smoke grenade explode at his feet.
"Got him!" exclaimed Alex.
Wild Bill Hickock choked on the thick smoke and the noxious fumes burned his eyes. He stumbled out of the cloud like a drunken man and found a very angry Clover standing before him. She still held one hand over her wound, and the blood was still running.
"Just so you know, if I have to get stitches, I'm suing your ass."
With one kick she disarmed him, with another to the stomach she doubled him over, and with a strong throw she tossed him to the ground. "Unbeatable my ass."
Wild Bill wheezed and coughed on the ground. His wheezing soon gave way to laughter as he sat up.
"I guess my time has come. Congratulations, you've beaten a living legend."
Sam approached him and grabbed his collar, bringing his face close to hers. "What did you want the sample for?"
"I won't tell you, but rest assured that you won't want the answer."
"I'm sorry, was I speaking Greek?" She shook him roughly. "I said tell me what you wanted that thing for. And furthermore, what is it?"
"If you're trying to threaten me, you'll have to do better than that. I've seen all the horrors mankind has to offer in my long life. This is child's play."
"I'm a woman now, you know. I think I can do better if I have to."
Wild Bill sneered. "You think? Thinking will get you nowhere in the coming days, my dear. You'll have to know."
"Know what?"
"Know who your enemy is, and more importantly, who you are."
"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Clover.
"It means that if you are incapable of doing what will be necessary, you are doomed."
Sam was about to press the issue further, but at that moment another helicopter swung in so low the wind nearly knocked them all over. Sam barely heard Wild Bill cursing the aircraft over the noise and saw a figure jump out of the helicopter and land like a lead weight near the old man. It was Jacob.
The helicopter climbed a hundred feet and hovered over the battleground.
Wild Bill held his hat to his head. "Jacob, what are you-"
"I though you might need some help."
Wild Bill spat. "Hardly. I was in a fair duel. I didn't count on running out of bullets so early."
"Which is exactly why I came. Securing the sample is our top priority. And I do believe I told you to keep them alive?"
"That's why they're still alive in the first place!"
"You held back?"
"Yes!"
Jacob shook his finger. "Tut-tut, you know better than to hold back."
"Hey, what about us?" yelled Sam. "We're still here, you know."
Jacob looked up at Sam and his smile faded. "Oh, right. You." He calmly approached her and stopped twenty paces away. "So what are you doing here? Finished your training?"
"Yeah. And we're ready to stop you."
Jacob looked her over. "Hardly. You're not ready to take me on. Or the rest of the Wolfpack for that matter."
"We can see about that!" Sam settled into a fighting stance, but Jacob just laughed.
"You're so cute, thinking you can take me on all by yourself. But the truth is, you're not ready at all."
"What makes you say that?" asked Clover.
"First off, because unlike you I know my true strength. And second, we have important business to discuss. Believe it or not, we have a common enemy right now. I worked hard to destroy Atlas all those years ago, and right now they're trying to interfere with plans I've had in the works since childhood."
"So what do we do about you?" asked Alex. "We won't forgive you for what you've done."
"I don't expect you to. However, what I will ask is that we call a temporary truce. Help me destroy Atlas first, and then we can continue our fight."
The girls stared at Jacob uncertainly. Was he bluffing?
"And what about your plans?" asked Sam. "We know you have something bad planned."
"From your point of view, it is bad. But Atlas may prove to be a greater threat if allowed to persist for too long. I can suspend my plans long enough to deal with them once and for all, but I'll need your help."
"Why?"
"As you know, they've enlisted the help of two of your old nemesis. You know how to deal with them better than I do. I can destroy their infrastructure and leadership, but Geraldine and Tim Scam are two powerful foes I have no time for dealing with. I need you to take them down for me, while I destroy Atlas itself."
Another long silence passed between them. The helicopter hovered overhead, while Wild Bill nursed his wounds.
"What about the sample?" asked Sam.
"The sample? We're taking it. I still need it."
"We can't let that happen."
"So you still want to commit suicide?"
"If that's what it takes."
Jacob sighed. "I didn't want to do this, but I really don't have time for you."
He snapped his fingers and something big and black fell from the helicopter. It stood up to a full height of about seven feet, and the girls gasped in shock.
There was no mistaking it; it was one of the Nemesis clones. Her body was covered in gleaming black armor, and she bore weapons similar to the ones from ten years ago. She growled angrily at the girls and tensed her muscles to perform one of their signature lunges.
Sam was horror-struck. "You…you…you have one of them?"
"Yes, actually. She was a pain to acquire, but I think she'll be worth the effort."
Sam's sense of self-preservation disappeared in her curiosity and she stormed up close to Jacob. "What about the other clones?"
"The other clones? Oh, you mean the Athena strains?"
"Yes."
Jacob didn't say anything, but the smirk that crossed his face told Sam everything she needed to know.
"You didn't…"
"We have. And they're almost ready for service. We're just waiting for Sam to recover from her long sleep. Now if you'll excuse me."
Jacob turned to retrieve the case, and Sam jumped in his path. Tears were in her eyes.
"I don't believe you!"
"What? Sam, get out of the way before I hurt you."
"I just can't accept that you're doing this! You fought for every good thing back then! Why are you doing this?"
"I told you, that was a lie!"
"I don't believe it! You're not that kind of person!"
"How do you know?"
"I just do!"
Jacob was livid. "Get out of my way!"
"No!"
Sam lunged at Jacob, who dodged her attack and faced her. "What are you trying to accomplish?"
Sam faced him again. "What?"
"What are you trying to accomplish, Sam? Are you trying to stop me? You don't even know what I'm up to, do you?"
Sam clenched her teeth in anger. "No, but I know you're up to no good."
"So why are you trying to stop me if you don't even know what you're trying to stop?"
"Because…because I know you're still a good person! There has to be more to this!"
Alex and Clover took the moment Jacob's back was turned to them to launch an assault. They were a mere foot from his backside when a huge black shadow snatched them out of the air and tossed them aside like a pair of rag dolls. They looked up to see the clone standing and snarling over them.
"Don't worry," said Jacob over his shoulder. "She won't kill you. Yet." He returned his attention to Sam. "So what's it going to be? Are you going to help me destroy ATLAS?"
Sam snorted. "Why should we?"
"Because the two people who know most about WHOOP and its methods are now working for them. If we don't eliminate Atlas they might just destroy your beloved organization."
Sam hesitated. "And you?"
"You worry about Atlas. Then I'm all yours."
Sam glared at him darkly. "Fine. We'll do it. But under one condition."
"What's that?"
"Tell me what you're up to."
Jacob smiled appreciatively at her. "I already told you all those months ago. The world is broken, and I'm trying to fix it."
"How?"
"Sorry, I already met the condition." The helicopter descended and dropped a rope ladder. Wild Bill climbed up into the helicopter, and the clone merely jumped into the open door. "I'll see you again, Sam." He took up the sample and climbed onto the ladder. "Don't die on me."
The turbines whined and the helicopter lifted away and sped into the night like a bad dream. Alex and Clover hurried over to Sam, nursing their bruises where the creature threw them to the ground.
"Sam, did you just agree to help him?" asked Clover.
"Yes," answered Sam with a hollow voice.
"Why?"
"Because I think if we work with him for now, we might be able to find out more about what he's doing and stop him."
"A risky, but nonetheless necessary stratagem," said a cultured British accent. The girls looked up and saw Henry approaching with an entourage of WOOHP agents.
"You think so?" said Alex.
"Absolutely. It might be wise to side with the enemy for the time being and observe him. And if the past few nights have been any indication, Atlas is a force to be reckoned with. We may yet have to put Jacob in queue for the time being."
The girls nodded.
"Excellent. Now then, let's head home and plan a strategy."
"Just one thing!" Alex blurted out.
"Yes?"
"The sample: what was it?"
Henry's face noticeably darkened and he sighed resignedly. "I suppose the time for secrets is over." He looked up. "That beaker contained a sample of your genetic information, Clover."
Clover's jaw fell open. "Huh? What on earth is it doing here?"
"It's one of three. You see, we used to keep samples of your genetic information at WOOHP headquarters as a clean example for those incidents when you were physically transformed into something…non-human. After the second clone incident, all three samples were sent to secure facilities operated by WOOHP."
"What would they want with them?" asked Sam. "Is someone trying to clone us again?"
"I don't know. All I do know is that we can't allow the other two samples to fall into the wrong hands."
"So how do we do that?" asked Clover as she lit a cigarette with her laser nail file.
Sam's face lit up in that special way it did whenever she got an idea. Her eyes brightened and her lips curled into a smile. Her whole demeanor, dark and dreary from her encounter with Jacob, changed dramatically as her confidence returned.
"We're going to set a trap."