Legacy 201: Divine Witchervention
Xxx
As a snowstorm filled the dark skies, a military helicopter flew over the Antarctic. After flying over nothing but ice for hours, it arrived at a research facility built into the ice. The helicopter landed and a figure in a heavy snow coat stepped out, after which the helicopter departed. The figure headed to the entrance and entered a security code. After stepping inside, the figure removed his mask and opened his coat, revealing a tall and athletic young man with short black hair and hazel eyes. He was wearing a black turtleneck and grey cargo pants. He looked at the wall and saw the logo of the MIND program.
Another door opened and a middle-aged, female researcher entered, wearing a lab coat over her winter clothes. She was carrying a gun, which she held ready.
"Who are you?" The researcher asked. "We weren't expecting a visitor."
"The name is agent Reed." The young man replied as he showed his identification. "I was sent by the director for an inspection."
"We weren't made aware of that." The researched replied.
"That's the point of a surprise inspection, Doctor Blanchard." Reed noted. "The director is very interested in what you found and wants to keep things secure."
"I have to check with my boss." Blanchard said hesitantly.
"My boss outranks your boss." Reed replied impatiently. "Show me the subject."
"Alright." Blanchard said.
Blanchard opened the door with her tag and Reed following her down a long hallway. He remained silent as he looked around the various labs through the windows. The MIND program had been stationed at Antarctica for a few months now, after they had discovered a huge concentration of magical power hidden under the ice.
"Are you aware of what we're doing here, agent Reed?" Blanchard asked.
"I know enough." Reed replied. "I was sent to make sure things happen safely. If this thing is what we suspect, we have to be extremely careful."
"I think we know what we're doing." Blanchard said with a frown.
"Then you shouldn't have a problem with me looking around." Reed countered.
Doctor Blanchard scoffed in frustration. She was displeased about the director sending someone to check on her work, especially a young agent she clearly underestimated. She probably thought he was all brawn and no brain, just a handsome face trained to shoot when ordered. Reed was used to it, though he didn't become one of the best MIND agents by not using his own mind.
The two entered an elevator and went several floors down into the depth of the ice. When they stepped out, Reed saw a huge chunk of ice standing in the middle of a cavern. He could vaguely make out a humanoid shape inside. Several machines were scanning the ice while researchers were studying the results. Armed guards were standing by, along with torrent guns.
"As you can see, we have taken every precaution." Blanchard said.
"You need to understand that I'm here for your safety, doctor." Reed reminded her. "Not to criticize your work."
Doctor Blanchard gave him a considering look. At that moment, another researcher came up to them and handed Blanchard a tablet. She studied the data for a moment and nodded.
"Alright, we're clear to take the tissue sample." Blanchard said.
"What?" Reed asked as the other researcher left to prepare. "That's a huge risk, you weren't given permission for that."
"We can only do so much with scans." Blanchard replied. "Besides, didn't you just say you weren't here to criticize my work?"
"I'm here to check the safety of your work." Reed said. "Not just for your team, but for the entire world."
"This is still my project, agent Reed." Blanchard replied as two of her guards arrived on her signal. "I advise you to step back and observe, as you were sent here to do."
Reed looked at the two armed guards and realized he couldn't overpower them, at least not without compromising the lab. He reluctantly stepped back and hoped that his gut feeling was wrong, even though it never was. The researchers began drilling a small hole in the ice while Blanchard prepared a large needle to extract tissue. When they were ready, Blanchard inserted the needle. Reed noticed the temperature was increasing rapidly.
"Stop!" Reed called out. "It's gathering power."
Doctor Blanchard gave him a dismissive look before returning to her work. At that moment, the ice started to glow brightly and shattered with a force that knocked everyone back. Reed saw a figure where the ice had been. It was a statuesque woman with wavy brown hair and caramel skin, dressed in a sand-colored toga with entwines leaves. She looked around with confusion in her eyes.
"Where am I?" The woman asked. "What is this place?"
The woman turned to Blanchard, who attempted to crawl to her feet while holding her burned arm. The woman waved her hand and a small twister surrounded Blanchard, forcing her to her feet. Reed took cover behind a metal pillar, knowing this being was too powerful to face directly.
"W-what are you?" Blanchard asked terrified.
"A mortal, interesting." The woman noted. "Do you know who I am?"
"No." Blanchard begged. "Please let me go, I'm sorry."
"Don't be, you freed me." The woman replied. "My husband forced me into this prison when I challenged his rule. Tell me, mortal, what has become of Cronus?"
"Cronus? The titan?" Blanchard asked nervously.
"I am the queen of Titans, mortal." The woman replied. "I am Rhea. And this world belongs to me."
Rhea waved her hand and Blanchard was blown back by a powerful wind, crashing through a computer. The security guards and the torrents began firing at Rhea, though she was unaffected by their bullets. The Titan glared at the torrents and they melted away, while the guards were forced to drop their glowing hot guns. A strong whirlwind formed around the Titan, destroying equipment and killing the researchers and guards through force and impact.
Reed managed to hold onto the metal pillar. He had to warn the director. When the wind stopped, he ran toward the emergency stairway. The Titan laughed manically, unleashing a wave of thermal heat that destroyed the ice walls. The entire facility rumbled and started to collapse. Reed climbed the stairs as quickly as he could, though the tremors caused him to lose balance. When he finally reached the top, the Titan appeared before him in a whirlwind.
"I sense you are a warrior." Rhea said. "Tell me what I need to know and I might let you live."
"I'll pass." Reed remarked.
Reed noticed the Titan was standing next to a gas line. He fired his gun at the line, ducking to the floor as it exploded. The blast sent the Titan crashing through a wall. Reed resumed running as the facility fell apart. When he reached the outside, an explosion destroyed the entire facility and knocked him forward into the freezing cold.
After regaining his senses, Reed rolled around and saw the facility burning. The Titan emerged from the flames and Reed hid behind a large chunk of ice.
"Much has changed." Rhea noted. "Time to remind this world who its Queen is."
Rhea was engulfed in a whirlwind before disappearing. Reed crawled up and realized he had been injured in the blast. He stumbled back to the facility to warm himself by the fire, after which he reached into his pocket for his satellite phone.
"This is agent Reed." Reed said. "We have a problem."
Xxx
In the San Francisco Memorial Hospital, Chris Halliwell was sitting behind a computer working on some patient dossiers. He had just run a nightshift and was getting ready to head home. The last three months had been quiet when it came to demonic activity, allowing him to focus on his career. He passed his exams and successfully completed his training to become a certified nurse. The achievement made him proud, as it gave him a purpose outside of magic The work was also a welcome distraction from the loss his family had suffered. He still missed Prue every day, but things were slowly getting better.
Chris locked the computer screen as the head nurse entered the station. Her name was Barbara, a woman in her late forties who had helped him through his training. She was strict but fair.
"Morning shift?" Chris asked.
"You bet." Barbara replied. "You worked another double last night?"
"Yeah, we were understaffed." Chris said.
"Still, you need sleep as well." Barbara said. "You've been working your butt off for months. You passed your exams, take some time off."
"I'm good." Chris replied. "I like the distraction."
"Right, I heard about what happened to your cousin." Barbara said. "A car accident, how tragic for such a young woman."
"It is." Chris agreed.
"Chris, let me give you some advice." Barbara said. "This hospital isn't going anywhere, there will always sick and injured people. Don't forget to enjoy yourself in the meantime. Go out and enjoy the weather."
"You mean the heatwave?" Chris asked. "I don't see much to enjoy. Do you know how many people were admitted with dehydration?"
"It is bizarre, isn't it?" Barbara replied. "I can't even remember the last time we had these temperatures. Must be at least twenty years ago."
"That's why I prefer the air-conditioning here." Chris noted.
"Nice try, mister." Barbara replied. "Go home and get some sleep, then find something fun to do. I'm giving you the rest of the week off."
"What?" Chris asked. "You can't do that."
"Do you really want to test me?" Barbara replied with a frown as she crossed her arms.
"No." Chris admitted reluctantly.
Chris handed over his charts and headed to the changing rooms. He knew better than to pick a fight with Barbara, as she could make his life at the hospital a living nightmare. It was better to stay on her good side. However, he hated the idea of sitting home. Work kept him busy and distracted. There weren't even demons to hunt at the moment, so what was he supposed to do?
After changing his clothes, Chris got in his car and drove home. Even though it was still early, the heat was already unbearable. Getting decent sleep would be difficult in the manor, as they had still never bothered to invest in a new air-conditioning system. When he got home, he noticed a cab waiting out front. As headed up the stairs, he nearly bumped into a redheaded young woman leaving the manor. She was dressed in a skimpy dress and looked like a mess.
"Sorry." Chris said as he stepped aside.
"No problem." The redhead replied.
Chris let the redhead pass and she got in the cab. Chris shook his head as he went inside. While he had focused on work the last few months, his brother had gone the opposite route. Losing Prue and breaking up with Dylan had sent Wyatt on a so-called journey of exploration, which was a cheap excuse to hook up with as many people as he could to get over his pain. As Chris entered the hallway, he saw Wyatt had just left the kitchen with a cup of coffee, dressed in boxers while looking like a complete mess.
"Morning." Wyatt said with a yawn.
"Seriously, Wyatt, again?" Chris asked with a frown. "How many times do we need to have this talk?"
"I already have a headache." Wyatt replied. "Can you keep it down?"
"No, I can't." Chris said annoyed. "There are more people living here, Wyatt. Not to mention, we have a powerful magical book in the attic. You can't bring half of San Francisco back here for one night stands."
"Come on, it's not that bad." Wyatt replied. "I'm just rebounding while exploring what's out there."
"We have rules." Chris said.
"Whatever, mom." Wyatt remarked. "I'm going to bed."
Wyatt headed up the stairs, while Chris rolled his eyes and headed to the kitchen, he was tired of having the same argument every morning. Wyatt was the older brother, he should be the one acting responsible, not like a hormonal teenager. As Chris grabbed some coffee and a bowl of cereal, a column of orbs appeared and formed into Henry. His younger cousin had apparently been out all night, since he was wearing the same shirt and shorts as yesterday.
"Hey, where have you been?" Chris asked.
"I stayed over at a friend's house, they have a pool." Henry replied. "Did you just get back from the hospital?"
"I did." Chris said. "Just in time to meet another one of Wyatt's one night stands."
"Again?" Henry asked. "Guy or girl this time?"
"Girl." Chris replied. "I don't know what we should do."
"Do we have to do anything?" Henry asked. "He's an adult. Sure he's also a bit of a man-whore at the moment, but still an adult."
"It's just not like him." Chris said.
"Look, we all have to deal with what happened in our own way." Henry replied. "You burying yourself in work is no different from what Wyatt is doing."
"And what about you, our voice of reason?" Chris asked skeptically. "I've barely seen you all summer."
"This is going to be my senior year." Henry replied. "I've been hanging out with my friends, doing normal stuff for once. Who knows when I'll see them again when everyone goes off to college."
"And you're doing okay?" Chris asked.
"I'm fine." Henry said as he rolled his eyes. "Look, I know everyone is still dealing with what happened, but I'm trying to enjoy my summer. Does that make me a bad person?"
"No, of course not." Chris replied. "If you're having a good time, you shouldn't have to feel bad about it. Just as long as you're not avoiding your feelings."
"I'm not, I promise." Henry said. "I'm just trying to move on."
"Alright." Chris replied. "Just know that we're here."
"Thanks, I know." Henry said. "I have to go, I just came home to change, since a bunch of my friends are going to the beach."
"Have fun." Chris replied. "I'm going to shower and get some sleep."
Henry padded him on the shoulder before leaving the kitchen. Chris sighed as he took a sip of coffee. Why did he suddenly feel like the parent in the manor? He couldn't even remember what he used to do for fun, as he spent most of his time hunting demons or working these days. He needed a hobby.
Xxx
In a warehouse near the docks, Penny Halliwell ducked as her attacker tried to punch her. She managed to block several strikes and kicked him the chest. She then summersaulted backwards and jumped on a crate to get to higher ground. Her attacker tried to grab her leg, though she leaped down and wrapped her legs around his neck, forcing him to the ground. She could feel him struggle as she overpowered him, though she stopped when he hit the ground three times. Penny released him, though part of her wanted to keep going. She wanted to hurt him.
"Giving up so soon?" Penny asked.
Her attacker, a six foot tall guy with a broad chest and muscular arms, coughed as he got up from the floor. He was a personal trainer and life coach named Chad. The warehouse they were in was his personal gym. They had been working together for about a month, after Penny got his number from one of her bouncers at the club. She needed a way to release her frustrations.
"You're out of control." Chad said. "This amount of anger isn't healthy."
"Are you kidding me?" Penny asked. "That was nothing, just some friendly sparring."
"No, that was something else." Chad replied. "I don't think this isn't helping you."
"Isn't this what you do for a living?" Penny asked with a frown. "Training people and helping them work through their issues?"
"It is, and I'm a professional, so I know when my methods aren't working." Chad noted. "Your anger is consuming you. You need another form of therapy to deal with it."
"I don't need therapy." Penny replied. "I just need a way to blow off steam."
"Not with physical violence." Chad said. "I used to be a pro-wrestler, so I could handle it, but if it had been anyone else, that person would have ended up in the hospital."
"Whatever." Penny replied. "I don't need this, I don't need you."
"You need something." Chad countered. "And I hope for your sake that you figure it out before someone gets hurt. Get some help, Penny."
Penny ignored him and grabbed her stuff before heading out. She didn't need his advice or concern. All she needed was something to punch. The adrenaline helped her to focus and to forget everything else for a moment. Anger was the only thing she felt these days and it was exhausting. She leaned against the railing of the pier. She looked at the docks while cooling down, which was impossible in this heat. When her phone rang, Penny saw it was Payton. She reluctantly answered it.
"Hello?" Penny asked.
"Hi, it's me." Payton said. "Where are you?"
"I'm out." Penny replied. "Why are you asking? Aren't you still in New York with mom and dad?"
"No, I just got back, aunt Paige orbed me over." Payton said. "I got worried when I saw what a mess the condo is. Are you okay?"
"Don't worry, I'll clean it up." Penny remarked.
"That's not what I mean and you know it." Payton replied. "I'm worried about you, you've been really distant lately, I think I should call mom and dad."
"No, don't!" Penny snapped at her. "I'm fine, trust me. I'll be home soon."
Penny ended the call before Payton could respond. Her family didn't understand, they didn't feel the anger she felt all the time. They were different. The only one who could understand was probably Julian, but he had disappeared from the face of the earth. All the others ever wanted to do was talk about their emotions. Prue was never coming back, no amount of talking would ever change that.
xxx