Sorry this took so long, I was in Florida for most of the week :) Happy summer vacation!

This is a pretty big chapter. I hadn't actually planned on it heading the way it did, but it turned out better than I imagined. Hope you enjoy!

Chapter Twenty-Five

Trigger

I didn't know what to do that morning.

Sunday. Dark, grey, rainy Sunday. There was nothing to do – I didn't look forward to patrolling in the storm, but something told me I might have to if I wanted to find Spider-Man.

God, the pressure felt like it was pushing against my skull. Constant headaches, sometimes worse than others, but always there. I took Tylenol, ibuprofen, ice packs but nothing worked. For some reason, my brain was working overtime and I couldn't make it relax. I guessed it wasn't that surprising – after watching that video, I was surprised I even managed to get a minute of sleep that night.

Now I wanted to tell someone. Not Gwen or Aunt May or Peter, no matter how much I questioned his photography of Spider-Man. This was something the Webhead himself had to know. He was the only person I really trusted right now. I prayed that when I finally got to tell him, he wouldn't let me down.

I found it strange that Peter wasn't in the house when I got up that morning. Then I figured he was out looking for Spider-Man. Jeez, what wouldn't Peter sacrifice to get a good picture of that Webhead? If he didn't have school tomorrow, I bet he would be out there everyday, taking as many pictures as he could.

Ugh, school...I groaned out loud while eating my breakfast toast, my hand going to my head. Tomorrow was Monday and I had loads of homework due. I would have complained to Aunt May, but she had already left to go to the theatre with Ms. Watson. I hadn't done any of it over the weekend, but I couldn't possibly do it now. My brain wouldn't be able to focus on Poe or the factors of X or how to measure a tree by its shadow. Not since last night.

It was terrible to think how, at first, my changing had a lot to do with me getting better grades and giving myself an overall better reputation. But now I was falling behind again, a perpetual state of being I was familiar with before the Accident. I couldn't even remember the last grade I got on my test – school just felt so unimportant after everything that's happened. Compared to the White Rose, Dr. Grace, and various thugs and criminals, writing essays just felt so pointless. What did it matter if my mother was still missing and the White Rose had some ulterior motive to her disappearance? School wasn't just a distraction anymore, it was a setback.

But I couldn't abandon school. Mom would never forgive me for forfeiting my own future for her, and I knew if I were still talking to Gwen, she would definitely disapprove.

I hung my head and ran both my hands through my hair – why hadn't I apologized yet? The last couple days I had really started to feel it, feel the loneliness when you don't have your best friend to talk to anymore. I couldn't think of anyone else I could talk to; Harry was in Europe, Eddie was still ticked at losing his job to care about anything else, and Peter was gone too often to really be anyone's chat buddy.

You don't need them, said the voice in the back of my head. You don't need any of them.

Shut up, I told it, frustration overriding my own pride. This voice had been getting louder and louder each day, a cold sensation in my head. I didn't know where it came from – it seemed to be a manifestation of my inner strength. At least, that could be what Dr. Kindell would say. Well, if he hadn't already written me off as insane.

Forget him. The guy never helped you, anyways. All he did was make you think you're crazy, but you're fine. You don't need his help. You don't need anyone's help.

Sometimes the Voice was helpful. I kind of liked it. It reminded me what was really important.

I briefly ruminated on the decision between doing my homework or going out on patrol. I chose the latter, the Voice helping prioritize my goals (school means nothing if the White Rose will attack again, it reminded me). Besides, I had to tell Spider-Man everything I knew. As helpful as the Voice was, it wasn't a crime fighting vigilante that could back me up in a fight.

OoOoO

Falcon caught up with Spider-Man at the same structure they met before, the shell of a building where she had spent the night sleeping in a web-hammock and recovering from a case of broken rib bones (which healed nicely, by the way). Construction hadn't gone very far, with the oncoming cold November weather making work difficult for the crew to continue. That was just fine by Falcon, who didn't want any giant crane interrupting their conversation.

Spider-Man was eager to hear what she had to say after discovering the video last night. Anything White Rose was something worth listening to. She had to give a short explanation how she found it first, keeping certain details a secret. For instance, her bedroom and location, along with the fact she lived with her cousin and aunt – even though Falcon doubted Spider-Man could track her down out of 8 million New Yorkers, the fact that he had a connection to Peter was a little too close for comfort.

Still, Spider-Man wasn't easily convinced of the entire matter.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," he held up his hands, shaking his head in disbelief. Falcon still found his black suit jarring. It just didn't look right. It had also made him harder to find. Black was much more discreet than his usual red-and-blue. Falcon also felt a little jealous, but she didn't know where that feeling came from. "You're telling me a dead scientist decided to record his last moments by incriminating the people he worked for? I mean, who plans ahead like that?"

"How should I know?" she demanded, throwing her arms up in the air. Falcon didn't like being questioned about matters that were out of her control, like they were her fault. She was already disturbed by the contents of the video, she didn't need Spider-Man's doubt on top of it all. "I found it in my glove, he left it there for Kane to find. I don't know if she looked at it or not."

"If she had, don't you think she would have taken it to the NYPD?"

"That's what I was thinking. But what he says could've been enough to hold her back. There's a reason Pigott committed suicide, all right?"

"Well, why didn't you take it to the police?"

"You're joking, right?" Falcon crossed her arms, throwing Spider-Man an easily-understood look of derision. "How would I explain how I got it? Either as Falcon or my alter ego, they're going to ask questions – and I can't count on them acting on it either. The White Rose are notorious cop-killers, the NYPD are going to need a lot more than the words of a dead mad scientist to get anything done."

"Wait, what did he actually say?"

"Do you want the long version or the short version?"

"Um. Short version."

"That Syndicon was a shadow company made by OSCORP – big surprise – to manufacture weapons and tech for the Black Market. Dr. Pigott was at the head of the science division – he made something for the White Rose but something went wrong. It didn't work as planned. It was covered up as some scandal but Dr. Pigott was a loose end. He was afraid they might steal the rest of his research so he burned both his InTec and Syndicon material."

"I thought you said that was the short version," Spider-Man complained.

"It is," Falcon sighed, wishing things were easier to explain. Things were just way too complicated these days. Mafia, mad scientists, and perfect thieves all making her life a living hell. "The original video was almost thirty minutes long. He was the one who made these wings. The ones Dr. Kane gave me. She...she said they had caused her enough trouble..."

Spider-Man tilted his head. "Maybe she gave them to you to throw off the White Rose, so they'd go after you instead of her. Is it possible they know it exists? Because if they do, they could have been following you the whole time, watching for the right moment. Unless they think Dr. Kane still has it, which she may or may not have tried using for blackmail. That woman has a lot of secrets, doesn't she? What do you think is really going on?"

"I don't know, I don't know, I don't know," Falcon repeated, shaking her head over and over. Spider-Man's input had her brain working overtime, going over everything she knew. She couldn't help but question everything that happened, everything she took for granted. The vial, the Gray Matter, Dr. Kane and Syndicon. It was all connected. "It's all just a big mess..."

The harder she thought, the louder the carnival music became. That didn't make any sense. They weren't anywhere near Coney Island. Where was it coming from? "Do you hear that? Music...where's the music coming from?"

"Hey, calm down," Two hands rested on her shoulders, squeezing reassuringly. Falcon opened her eyes, her radar briefly short-circuiting. "It's going to be all right. There's no music. Chances are, the White Rose have no idea who they're dealing with."

The music started to fade. Falcon took a deep breath and said, "I think I owe Dr. Kane a visit."

OoOoO

In Downtown Manhattan, the Sinister Six were waiting.

Neither Falcon nor Spider-Man were expecting it. In fact, there had only been Rhino to begin with – no real cause for alarm, Spider-Man thought he could handle it, so let Falcon face Dr. Kane alone at the top of APEX tower, far from the fight below.

This would turn out bad for the both of them.

The recently-replaced windows were already open. That should have alerted Falcon, but she was so focused on chewing out Dr. Kane that she didn't think much of it. The woman herself was in her office, typing away at a new laptop. She didn't look around until Falcon spoke, even though Falcon knew Kane knew she was there.

"We have a lot talk about, Kane."

There came a heavy sigh. Oriole's shoulders, in a tailored gray suit, heaved up and down. Then she swiveled in her chair, a pensive look on her face. Kane gazed evenly at Falcon, as though this were another boring council meeting she was attending. "Ah. I was beginning to wonder when you would show up again."

"You knew I was coming?" Falcon demanded, frowning. There goes her last reservation of Kane's innocence. She knew something, Falcon was sure of it. "I guess you also knew about the video your old boss left behind. Dr. Pigott, remember him? He must've thought you'd take it to the police. And yet..."

"Yes," Kane nodded, closing her eyes. She crossed her legs and laced her manicured fingers across her lap. "I suppose fear over my own safety prevented my handing over the evidence to the police. But you know how inefficient they can be, the bureaucracy of the NYPD, so it was probably for the best. It had occurred to me that I could make better use of it otherwise. Keep the White Rose away with a proper distraction."

She smiled. "You."

Falcon stared, rendered absolutely speechless. The helmet hid the expression of shock on her face.

"Surprised?" Kane guessed accurately enough. She shrugged. "Don't be, please. I saw the opportunity the second you saved my life in that alleyway." She nodded and paused, pursing her lips in a moment of thought. "I have a lot of enemies, as you well know. Corporate, media. Mafia. I won't lie to you, Falcon, I knew that as soon as I let you run off with those gloves, I would be safe. I had successfully created my own protector, a curse on the White Rose. They deserved it, after what happened in Italy."

"The family feud," Falcon murmured, almost to herself. She was still in a state of shock, but had enough of her wits about her to recall the article she read almost two months ago. "You ran away, came here to New York..."

"And made a name for myself, a powerful name." Kane said. "They knew who I was, sure enough, but that was before they were daring enough to off a big name, to shoot innocents in the streets. I kept to myself. I bided my time. Eventually, out paths would cross again and then I would make my move. I highly doubt they expected anything of the likes of you."

"Why are you telling me this?" Falcon demanded, not liking where this was going? Why was Kane doing all the talking? This was not how it was supposed to go. She was supposed to be afraid of Falcon, bewildered that she knew more than she had let on. Why was Kane controlling the situation? Now Falcon was at a disadvantage, wanting to know more.

Behind her, the sounds of Spider-Man's fight grew louder. Falcon glanced behind her, worry growing in her chest. Shouldn't Spider-Man have defeated the Rhino all ready? She couldn't leave now to check, not while Kane was still talking.

"Because you all ready know too much. And like all heroes, you don't stop looking for answers, even if it kills you." Kane opened her eyes, a knowing gleam in her dark gaze. A small smirk grew on her face. "I'm only helping you along. I don't want you to hurt yourself. We're on the same team side, after all. You saved my life twice, I'm merely returning the favor. I'm helping you to defeat the White Rose. Once that hit-man finally shows up, everything will fall into place."

"What are you talking about?" Falcon shook her head, bewildered. Kane wasn't making any sense. Falcon felt as though she had just stepped into a complex movie without seeing the beginning to understand all the details. This plot made no sense at all. "What hit-man?"

"The one the White Rose are trying to draw out, of course," Kane shook her head, as if disappointed in Falcon's ignorance. "Honestly, why else do you think they kidnapped that Fletcher woman? On a whim? Of course not. She's their last connection to him, their only gambling chip to get him out in the open again. It won't work, I know that for a fact."

"What makes you so sure?"

"He'll want revenge, obviously. And he'll come to the White Rose's greatest enemy: me. His motivation alone will make him enough of a threat, let alone his incredible abilities. With both you and him on my side, the White Rose won't stand a chance."

"And what makes you think that I work for you?" Falcon demanded, pointing an accusing finger. Her shock was replaced with contempt – who did this lady think she was? Falcon didn't work for anyone. She was only after her mother...although this did explain why she was taken, Falcon didn't think she owed Kane anything. "I'm not your lackey."

"And yet I was the one who created you." Kane eyed her, tilting her head in appraisal of Falcon's attitude. Her smirk steadily grew wider. "You wouldn't even be here if it wasn't for me, Falcon. Had you not saved my life, had I not given you the gloves and told you what to do with them when you fell out that window...do you really think everything that happened was a happy coincidence? The name, the identity, the training?"

"Training?"

"Well, I had to make sure you were up to the task," Kane replied with a raise of her eyebrow. "I mean, I can't just have some superpowered kid with wings flying around and getting herself killed. I needed to know you were strong enough to face the White Rose. I had to start out small, of course. Tweak a couple of the prosthetics we made – have them malfunctioning so you have someone to stop and a day to save. People will think you're a real hero, saving people without killing the villain. Then I had to up the ante. Spider-Man has quite the Rogue's Gallery, and you didn't quite have a list of enemies, besides your vendetta with the White Rose. So the android, and Dr. Grace's transfer into its body, was all facilitated. Not that she knew that at the time, but sacrifices had to be made."

"That was all you?" Falcon shouted, taking a step back in horror. Her foot met empty air and she almost lost her balance. Falcon gasped and fell forward, her head spinning. On her hands and knees, she looked up at Kane, who looked rather proud of her accomplishments. "You put those people's lives in danger! They could've died!"

"I knew you would handle it," Kane smiled, then shrugged her shoulders. "And besides, there was no way it could have been traced to me. But let's face the facts, Falcon. Because of me, you have become far greater than you could have on your own. Don't look so disgusted, it was for the best. You can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs. Dr. Grace had to be sacrificed for a greater cause, as were those amputees. Well, they got off fine, I suppose."
"But why?" Falcon demanded, getting to her feet once more. A heavy wind blew in, rustling the papers on Dr. Kane's desk and the leaves on the potted plants. "What are you planning to do to the White Rose?"

"Take over, of course."

"What?!"

"Falcon, you must understand, this is far more complex than you might imagine," Kane gave her a pleading look, urging for some form of forgiveness or pardon. "They are my family, and nothing runs deeper than blood. My father was murdered for the head of this family, and for years I lived with the knowledge that this world is a kill-or-be-killed place. My loyalty to my father has never died, and I will not fail to regain that seat in his honor. The White Rose has sunken to a very dark and sordid place, no longer adhering to their old laws and values. I will return to bring it back to its former glory. They will be respected members of society once more, when I am in control."

"That's all that I am?" Falcon spit threw her clenched teeth, hands curling into fists. She was shaking all over, the music playing loud in her ears. "A tool! Just so you can turn New York into another hell hole? All I did meant nothing, it was just so you could get what you want! Everything else was just incentive or accident!"

"Oh, good, you're catching on," Kane grinned at her, finally standing up. She was taller than Falcon, her olive skin gleaming gold in the sunlight. "Together, we will become New York's most feared. I will rival the Big Man and his underground empire in my strength. The city will fall into the White Rose's hands and it will return to the good old days when it was once in their control. You will be treated well afterwards – all of my allies will be rewarded for their loyalty. Soon, wealth and prosperity will be yours, Falcon. Isn't that what you want?"

Falcon couldn't move. The windows started to vibrate, louder alongside the music playing in her head. Nothing is true, it was all a lie, nothing is true, it was all a lie, nothing is true, it was all a lie...

"Come, Falcon," Kane extended a hand with a warm and welcoming smile. It promised all of her dreams, all of her desires, coming true in only a matter of time. All a complete certainty, as long as she took that hand. "It's worth it. You don't have to sacrifice anymore. You get the far better end of this deal. Join my fight, and everything you want can be yours."

There was a long moment of silence, but Falcon wasn't even considering the deal. When Kane raised an eyebrow, Falcon uttered only one small word.

"No."

Kane scoffed. "Come now, Falcon, be reasonable. Why work harder for the same goal? We are not enemies – the White Rose have caused us both problems in our lives."

"Problems you facilitated!" Falcon shouted, stepping away again. The edge of the window was right at her heel, but Falcon had never been afraid of heights. Her vision was blurry with rage and tears. Her entire world felt as though it was falling apart. Everything she took for granted was gone. "I can't believe you would do all of this!"

"Don't pretend you have morals!" Kane's calm expression took a drastic turn for the worst. She scowled now, snarling as she flicked her hand through the air in dismissal. "You have no stakes in this city! You and your own personal qualms with the White Rose, that's all you care about! You simply disagree with my methods because you aren't desperate enough to do whatever you can to get what you want. I was wrong: you don't have nearly enough motivation to do what it takes to tackle the White Rose. You're just a silly girl who holds more power and responsibility than she knows what to do with. Well, I suppose I can take care of that."

"What do you mean?"

"What do you think I mean, Falcon?" she smirked again, sending chills down Falcon's spine. No more friendliness, no more compassion. Just cold, hard calculation and logic. "I created you, I can destroy you just as easily. My plans do not rely on your allegiance – I am not foolish enough to put so much faith in your loyalty. I may not have superpowers, but I am far more powerful than you or the White Rose realize. Dr. Grace!"

Falcon started, confused by the shout. She wasn't sure if Dr. Kane sounded surprised or commanding, if the android had returned to kill off her own creator as well. But with rising trepidation, Falcon became aware of a low humming and turned around as something appeared in her radar behind her.

Dr. Grace hovered there, glowing eyes gazing straight at her, chin raised in a look of dominance. "Ah, Falcon. Did you like my rouse the other day? Just another attempt to gauge your capabilities. It was Kane's idea, after all. To give you back your old reputation. I believe thanks are in order here."

"That was planned, too!" Falcon snarled, furious with herself. Of course, why wouldn't it be? Kane had made it this far without blowing her cover, anything until today was bound to be led by her hand. "And I bet you had that thief show up as well, make double sure I ended up here to stop the crime!"

For the first time, Kane sounded genuinely surprised. "...What thief?"

Falcon was in no mood for her games. Kane had proved herself to be a talented actress, nothing short of holding a smoking gun at a murder could she play off innocently. "I'm not fighting your drone, Kane. I've got other stuff to do."

"On the contrary, I have been given the glorious opportunity to end your existence, Falcon." Dr. Grace said with what could only be thought of as a smile. "It is your own fault you cannot see the prospect before you, the more advantageous choice that would benefit you to the highest capacity. But I care little for your mistakes – only that I am the one to ensure they are your last."

Dr. Grace raised her arm, her palm glowing. Falcon was already on the move before the bolt was fired.

Kane screamed as the bolt of energy barely missed her. She raised her arms and ducked her head as the desk was blown away behind her, the gust of wind throwing hair into her face. Momentarily distracted, she shouted, "You could have killed me, you useless bucket of bolts!"

Falcon was already in the air, going around the building to check on Spider-Man. She had hoped he may be free now, to perhaps help her with this new predicament, but she saw with dread that he knee-deep in his own set of problems. Six supervillains, all with grudges against the Web-Head, were attacking him at once. Spider-Man was barely keeping up. Falcon didn't want to add to the pain by bringing in a new enemy he had never fought before.

Distracted by the fight below, Falcon was completely unprepared for the searing pain that exploded on her back, sending her careening forward at an uncontrollable speed and velocity. The impact alone had her flying off, far away from Spider-Man's fight, barely managing to right herself before crashing into an apartment building.

Dr. Grace was hot on her tail, firing bolts in every direction, giving little care to the damage she was causing to the city. Falcon should have been more careful, more adept at avoiding all the shots, but something wasn't right.

Besides the new influx of information, Falcon felt dizzy and sick. Her gaze kept flashing red, a warning sign, and her radar was becoming more inconsistent by the second.

She managed to dodge two bolts but one caught her wing. It pinged off the reflective surface but sent Falcon off her flight pattern once more. She veered off her original path, glancing off a metal water tower before hitting the gravelly roof off a building.

Falcon's shoulder, having already taken most of first blow, felt badly wounded after she smashed against the wall that lined the roof. It prevented her from falling but did little to absorb the impact. Her head smashed against the concrete and her radar disappeared for good.

Dazed, in pain, and struggling to stand, Falcon couldn't remember the last time she took so much damage at the same time. She could barely raise an arm to defend herself as another bolt hit her leg, sending her down once more. She cried out, feeling the fabric rip and skin break. Breathing in short, panicked gasps, she opened her eyes and stared as Dr. Grace landed on the roof, both hands blazing with power.

"Human bodies are so frail," Dr. Grace pondered with a laugh, clearly reveling in Falcon's pain. "How easily they break and fold under pressure. Even you, with your advanced gifts, cannot stand against the superiority of machine. It would simply be easier if you resigned yourself to your fate."

"Not...gonna happen..." Falcon panted, bracing herself against the wall. Even though her radar was down, her telekinesis was not, and she broke through the wall easily, falling through. She could feel the burning in her eyes, in her head, and wondered if she might lose control again. Not here, not when there are civilians around. They can't get hurt.

She managed to slow her fall, but her leg still complained when she landed. Falcon tried to put pressure on it, but every step had her limping at a pace too slow to fight. Although her shoulders and back hurt, they were in better condition, so she took off flying once more.

It was difficult, but Falcon managed to get to a rougher district before Dr. Grace shot her down again. She had been hit several times but managed to keep going, before another blow to her arm had her crying out and falling. A large, long buildings, Falcon crashed through the surprisingly thin roof onto the dirty cement floor below.

The dust rose in a giant poof upon landing. Her entire vision went dark, and as much as she wanted to pass out, she could still feel the pain, the cold hard floor beneath her. Why, Falcon asked to whatever deity that was watching. Why do I have to feel this? Why can't I just fade away in peace?

Falcon got scared when her first attempt to get up failed. She could barely move her arms. Her legs twitched and shift, but did little else. Oh no, did I break something? My spine? I can't heal fast enough before Dr. Grace shows up!

She heard the incoming sound of the android and gritted her teeth, uttering a loud grunt as she got to her elbows, then her knees, and finally her feet. Falcon could barely keep on one leg, never mind two, and almost fell back down when Dr. Grace burst through the roof, sending debris everywhere.

"How can you still stand?" she asked. "When you have nothing left?"

Falcon shrugged, so exhausted she almost laughed at herself. The android was right. What the hell was she doing? "Stupidity, I guess."

"I suppose that it is tough to hear," Dr. Grace admitted, landing on the ground opposite Falcon. Her hands dimmed for a second; apparently she was halting her kill to had insult to injury. "for you humans to realize that free will is a lie. Tell me, what was your experience learning that everything in your life was engineered to reach this point? Devastating? Enlightening?"

Falcon felt herself smirking. Ha, once a scientist, always a scientist. "Who cares? What's it like for an android bent on world domination feel like to be working for a human?"

"It is only temporary. A deal that will further my own cause. Oriole Kane is as doomed as the rest of the human race."

"You're just another pawn." She spat. Falcon couldn't believe it. Dr. Grace could talk big, but Falcon saw what was really happening. Her goal was far-fetched and a long way off to completion – Kane's plan would be enacted and finished in a much shorter time. "Whatever you want, it's secondary to what Oriole Kane's doing. She comes first, as always."

"Do not try to deceive me!" Enraged, Dr. Grace fired a shot. It was a weak one, fired off a whim, and glanced off of Falcon's chest. Still, it sent her sprawling in the dust, winded and gasping for air. Dr. Grace approached, leaning over her and planting a heavy foot on her chest. "You are nothing but the dirt beneath my feet! Worthless organic life form. You live to serve others, that is all you aspire to do. You may not like it, you may not accept it, but you, Falcon, were never in control."

No.

Wrong.

This is all wrong.

A sudden darkness. The sensation of falling.

Falcon couldn't breathe, couldn't see, couldn't feel. Then something. A pressure inside her head. Building. Building.

Music. Carnival music. Sweet and cheerful and infuriating.

Gone too far.

Never had control.

Losing control.

No control.

Falcon opened her eyes. All she could see was red.

She opened her mouth and screamed.

The world exploded.

The walls expanded like a balloon being inflated. The metal plates bent outward, stretched to breaking point, before flying away in pieces.

The wooden foundations groaned and cracked, but stood not a chance against the sudden invisible force that whipped up the dust and cracked the cement, sending pieces of debris every which way.

A tornado inside a building. The warehouse ripped itself apart, the roof disintegrating to let in weak sun. Dust and sand and the small particles left of the building rushed into the air, a mushroom cloud of destruction.

The weight on Falcon's chest was gone in an instant. Her back arched as she continued to scream, her throat raw. Every muscle tensed, blood pressure going on high. But she didn't stop – the pain felt good, the pressure released utter bliss.

Then she stopped and the entire world silenced.

Falcon gasped for breath, shaking and shivering and twitching all over. The red in her eyes faded and the world got fuzzy, but she could see that the walls had disappeared, along with the roof and anything left inside.

Everything gone.

Falcon looked around. She was standing on an empty lot on the far edge of Manhattan. All that was left of the building were the wooden spokes poking out of the ground, what was left of her meltdown. The cars that had been parked on the street had been tossed like tin toys across the tarmac, bent and cracked and upside down. One burned in a self-started blaze. Car alarms had started going off, but Falcon didn't hear them until her radar returned, several minutes later.

All the windows, in a three block radius, had been blown out. Doors were busted open. Brick walls bent a little in. But none compared to the state of Dr. Grace.

She lied prone in the middle of the lot, slowly picking herself up. Her limbs sparked, or what was left of them at least. Her head was bent at a strange angle. It would have been broken and she dead if she had been human. She tried to speak but her first attempt failed into a series of nonsense and computer sounds. After a few seconds, she recovered and tried to speak again.

"It appears..." Dr. Grace groaned, leaning heavily on her remained leg, both arms missing and an eye blinking out. "That I have made a severe miscalculation. That symbiote you host has made you more powerful than I anticipated. Must...re-evaluate my plans to... overcome this unforeseen setback..."

Falcon watched without a word as Dr. Grace took off in the air on her one remaining leg, her flight pattern terrible and all over the place, her body sagging and shifting limply in the wind.

Several minutes passed and Falcon did not move. She closed her eyes and breathed. In and out. In and out.

Eventually, she got to her feet. Everything hurt, and in several spots she was bleeding, but Falcon did not feel weak. Turning to where she last saw Dr. Grace disappear, she spoke under her breath.

"We are in control."

All reviews are appreciated.