Future Tense, Part IV: The Ultrapack
by Krystiana Slinky {krystiana@geocities.com}
----------------------------
The fourth installment of Future Tense. When I started writing this, I had NO idea that people
would like it so much! People have taken their precious time to e-mail me about my fics... so I
have to mention some, whether they e-mailed me about Future Tense or my regular universe -
Star Denari, Brooke4NY, Gray, Muddy, Lennox MacDuff, Ryan, Denis, and Llewelyn (actually, I
e-mailed her about HER fic, and then she replyed with compliments for me!) Not just people,
but GREAT people! (not just a milk cow, but a great milk cow!... sorry... got milk?)

Okay... disclaimer inserted here. I don't own them, they don't own me. The only reason I know
about them is because I just happened to watch the show. They don't know me, and if they find
out about this story, may they NOT sue me for all I'm worth, because they sure as hell won't
get much moola.

Oh, and THEM is Disney (and Gargoyles).

-----------------------

2036 AD

I can hear some commotion going outside. Brooklyn is talking into the communicators. I
need to strain my ears to hear Brooklyn's quiet yet excited voice.
"Goliath's back, Lex!"
A murble from the comm, then Brooklyn is speaking again, and this time I can't hear it.
I hear a click and then Brooklyn begins walking towards me.
"Goliath is back, Broadway."
"So I heard," I say. I have not forgotton Brooklyn's clear hatred for Goliath. "You won't
hurt him, will you?"
Brooklyn sighs noisily. "You and everyone else. Goliath abandoned us 40 years ago."
"You took it hardest."
"What?" Brooklyn's voice is disbelieving.
"Of any of us, you took it the hardest that Goliath was gone. You were forced into
leading us, when it was obvious you were far too young to take such a responsibility."
Brooklyn is looking at me, I can tell. Perhaps he will consider my words.
"For you, I won't kill him. But I can't guarantee that I'll be under control." I hear the swish
of wings and tail as Brooklyn walks away.
I blink for the eyes that weren't there anymore. I suddenly find myself wishing that
Brooklyn wouldn't kill him for me, and not harm him for Maggie, Talon, and Coldstone. I still
don't know if they are at peace or not.
As Matt had so elequontly put, I was the lucky one. But I have doubted his words ever
since I lost those three that one night...

* * *

2020 AD
Chicago

Fox was furious.
Her husband had sent her away to "be safe" over 20 years ago. She needed to "be
safe" due to the fact that she was pregnant, and she couldn't risk the baby's life when his
breakaway began.
Alexander was 23 years old now.
His birthday was next week, so he would soon be 24. And Fox didn't think her husband
even knew, or cared. What the hell kind of father was he?
Alex didn't know the Xanatos-Manhattan breakaway was his father's doing. Fox had
changed her name back to Reynard, and Alex took it too. She told him that his father was
dead.
In a strange way, he was. He hadn't made any effort to contact them since 2004. True,
Alex had been old enough to remember him, but he didn't know WHO he was. He only knew a
strange man gave them money.
Fox was down right pissed. And she had every damn right to be. It wasn't that she
didn't have enough money to get back to New York. She had plenty. She had TRIED to get a
ticket to Manhattan, but the airports claimed that there was no way to get in. The government
spread rumors that Xanatos had a city full of hostages.
Hostages. Like HELL.
They weren't ALLOWED to be citizens of the USA anymore. No contact with their
familes out of town, no rights...
No life.
Fox KNEW it. Her husband had taken people's citizenship away. They were the villagers
of his little domain, living in his own little castle. He was the king, the people his peasants. She
half-expected Brooklyn's Rebels to start running around in tights, robbing the rich and giving to
the poor.
Fox laughed silently. She could just see it : Brooklyn and the Merry Gargoyles.
But it was more true then a mere inside joke. Xanatos was a tyrant, and Brooklyn and
his rebels were the peasants only hope. In this kingdom, no one got in, and no one got out.
"Mom?"
Fox looked up at her son. His voice sounded exactly like David's, except without the
cunning "I-know-something-you-don't-know" edge to it. "Yes, Alex?"
"There are these two people at the door..." Alex started, just before a manical laugh cut
through the air. Fox knew that laugh, although she hadn't heard it in years.
The east wall of the house blew apart. Fox turned, knowing who the two people were.
"Just thought we'd drop by and discuss old times, Fox," Jackal began. His sister
grinned, aiming her... hand?... at Fox's head. Fox thought it was her hand, at least.
"You know these people, Mom?" Alex asked, eyeing Jackal.
"I used to," Fox spat out.
Jackal looked at Alex, then back at Fox. "Oh, so you're a mother!" he exclaimed
mockingly. "I can see the resemblence." He grabbed a piece of Alex's long firey hair in one of
his mechanical hands, then dropped it quickly. "Ouch, that burns!"
Fox snarled, and kicked Hyena's hand away. "Don't you _touch_ my son!" she yelled,
lunging at Jackal.
Hyena smacked Fox in the back of the head. Fox's eyes rolled up into her head, and she
fell to the ground in a faint. Jackal grinned.
"Good reflexes, sis," he stated. He then turned to Alex again, who was glowering at the
two of them. Jackal pointed at Fox's only son. "X has big plans for you, my boy."
Alex narrowed his eyes. "X?" he comments dryly. "And who the hell might that be?"
"You'll find out... soon."

* * *

Manhattan
2 Days Later

Broadway was absently picking at the cement floor, flicking little pieces of rocks here
and there. Lexington was repairing Coldstone's robotic arm, which had been severely
damaged in a fight with some mutates. Matt, Maggie, and Talon were in the corner playing a
game of cards. Brooklyn was standing in the doorway of the clocktower, looking out.
Broadway looked at each of the "groups" and decided Brooklyn looked too lonely. He
hopped up to the doorway level.
As Broadway approached Brooklyn, he saw the look of sadness on his brother's face.
Without turning towards Broadway, Brooklyn said, "She's heartbroken." Two simple words.
Broadway followed Brooklyn's line of sight and saw Demona on the balcony, wlbows on the
ledge. Her wings cloaked, eyes sad, wind blowing through her hair... no wonder Brooklyn was
up here all alone.
Broadway decided to take his leave then. Not in the mood to talk to anyone else, he
looked at each one of the clan slowly.
The years had changed them all.
Maggie had a nasty scar running down over her eye, which she had recieved from a
rogue mutate not long after Thailog died. Talon's leg had been broken in battle a few months
back, and since they didn't have the advantage of turning to stone during the day to heal, it
wasn't getting much better. He could walk, but very slowly.
Matt was getting gray.
Demona barely spoke to anyone after Thailog's death, except for Brooklyn. It was a rare
occasion that she would voice her opinion about something - going way against her
personality. Anyone could see she was in mourning.
Brooklyn had spent a lot of time trying to console Demona, but even after four long
years, there was little progress. He, himself, had three deep scars, hidden by the blue
shoulder armor that had been supplied by Demona. Brooklyn had always been taller then
Broadway, but now he practically dwarfed everyone.
Coldstone's body was becoming harder and harder to repair, and Lexington was close
to replacing the mechanical parts, but they didn't have the resources.
And Lexington... Lexington had become less than social. He kept to himself a lot,
dissappearing for hours at a time without telling anybody where he was going.
Broadway watched as Lex closed the panel on Coldstone's arm. Coldstone moved it up
and down, and then nodded at Lex. Lex turned around and seemed to disappear.
A shadow fell over Broadway, and he looked up to the higher level. Brooklyn stood
there, looking over everyone.
"I need some volunteers to go on patrol," he said. "I didn't actually schedule anyone-"
"I'll go." Talon jumped up, supporting his weight on the uninjured leg.
Brooklyn shook his head. "You still need to time to heal-"
"Ah, screw healing," Talon interrupted again. "I don't need my leg to use my wings."
"But what if you end up findng something?"
"It's possible to fight without one dinky little-"
"Limb?"
"Uh..."
Brooklyn sighed. "All right. But if you even get scratched tonight, you're NOT going out
until you can walk without limping." He paused. "I want three others to go with him."
"I can take care of mys-"
"I'll go!" Maggie said, standing up quickly beside Talon, who began glaring at her.
Coldstone walked forward. "I will accompany them as well."
Broadway looked around. Lex was nowhere to be seen, so that left... "I'll go, too," he
offered with a sigh. "Not much to do around here."
Brooklyn nodded, and turned back to Talon. "And you will NOT fight anything by
yourself," he ordered.
Talon began sputtering a protest, but Brooklyn gave him a long warning look.
The four filed up the stairs, past him, and past Demona, taking to the air.

* * *

Alex slowly came to in a dark room. He shook his head to clear it.
A thin stream of light filtered down, giving him just enough to see his surroundings. He
was in a small room, painted gray. There were various paintings on the walls, along with a
turned-off light.
His mother was nowhere to be seen.
The light source was coming a cracked door. Alex began crawling towards it as quietly
as possible. He peeked through and saw... no one.
He opened the door, cringing when it squeeked. ~Why is it whenever you try to be
quiet, everything makes as much noise as possible?~ he thought, grinding his teeth. He walked
quietly out into the open, stopping ever few steps to listen.
Footsteps!
If he got caught again, there would be NO way he could rescue his mom.
He fled silently, fighting back tears at leaving his mother behind.

* * *

Lexington laughed gleefully as Fox's son ran from the building. No doubt he was going
to try and get help. But who would help him? No one. He sounded enough like Xanatos that
people could believe he WAS Xanatos.
Fox watched Lexington through narrowed eyes. She knew her son would come back for
her, but she was praying that he wouldn't. He deserved better then to be put to death by his
father's successor.
Who would have possibly thought that the actual one causing all this misery was one of
the ones fighting it?

* * *

Sevarius was dead frightened of his Master.
He had been captured years ago.
Actually, Sevarius had heard about the breakaway from the US. Why not get on
Xanatos's good side while he still had the chance?
But Sevarius never had a chance. The cyborg gargoyle trapped him, and made him
work his ass off. He got a five minute break each day, but only ONCE. He was allowed 5 hours
of sleep... but during the day. He had to do most of his work at night, so the Master could see
his progress. He had already spit out the mutate formula, the mind-controlling machine that
brainwashed the newly mutated humans, and he had tracked down the Pack. His current
project was forming nicely, but he had NEVER wanted to do it in the first place.
Thailog Shock Troops is what they were called. His first few attempts failed. The first he
managed to create a clone, but it literally melted. The second didn't have a mind to control; it
just stared blankly. The third was the closest he had gotten, but there was the minor defect of
it's increased aging not stopping when it got to it's prime. It was just difficult to clone
something from a clone.
But now Sevarius thought he had it.
This newest subject had a mind, it had stopped aging a few weeks ago, and it was
looking VERY promising.
Just in time for the Master's check-in, too.
The cyborg gargoyle walked into the room where Sevarius worked. Anton felt shivers
go up his spine as Lexington tilted his head back in question.
"I-I think I've got it," he stuttered nervously. "The subject is ready to be programed."
Lexington looked into the glass holding the dark figure. "Good." He turned back to
Sevarius, unsmiling. "I'll need more than one, though..."
"O-of course!!" Sevarius yelped.
"Then get them done." Lexington stared Sevarius straight in the eye.
"Yes, sir."

* * *

Alexander stumbled through the streets, not knowing where he was. If he shouted for
help, who would hear him? And who would care?
He sat down for a rest. He felt like a little lost child again, wandering around the
supermarket looking for his mother.
As he was stopped, he looked at his surroundings. Nothing but crumbling buildings and
a few scampering rats. And there was the distinct smell of salt water in the air.
Alex suddenly jumped up. If he could find the main beach on Lake Michigan, he could
find his way home from there!
Following instinct only, he turned around and crawled through the ruins of a building.
As he was doing this, it hit him.
There weren't this many wrecked buildings in Chicago, and he knew the Windy City like
the back of his hand. After all, it was his home.
Then why did this place feel more like home to him?

* * *

Broadway half-heartedly scanned the streets below. Here and there, a few people were
gathered around a trash can with a small fire in it for warmth. Some even looked up and
waved at the gargoyles and mutates as they went past. It was something of a silent thanks for
watching over them.
They landed for a rest near a large group of humans. They were grouped together in a
circle, all holding hands, singing something. Broadway inched closer to listen.

"We are a circle
Within a circle.
With no beginning,
And never ending."

It was just that repeated over and over again. It was slow, repetative...
And the one of the most beautiful things Broadway had heard in years.
Broadway leaned farther forwards, and noticed a man watching the same group. Most
of him hidden by shadows, the only distinct feature he could make out was his bright red hair.
Broadway gestured to the others and pointed out the human. They all nodded, then
silently approached him.

* * *

Alex turned around abruptly to face four large... somethings.
The female something spoke up first. "Who are you? We've never seen you before."
"Alex Reynard," he said on auto-pilot, then mentally kicked himself for giving these
creatures his name.
The big green one blinked. "Reynard?" he said in a surprised tone. "Are you related to a
Fox Xanatos?"
"Fox is my mom's nickname... but Xanatos?!" Alex said, disgusted. "Like I'm related to
the guy that's taking over Manhattan..." He stopped and looked at the creatures more
carefully. "Gargoyles?" He shook his head. "How the hell am I in New York?" he muttered.
"You're supposed to be somewhere else?" the black panther-like thing asked.
"Yeah - Chicago."
"Do you know how you got here?"
"Probably those two hyperactive-cyborg-whatevers brought us here."
"Us?"
"Me and my mom."
"Can you tell us what happened?"
And so Alex spilled his guts to the four.

* * *

Hyena silently watched them talk. Somehow she knew that if they followed Alexander,
they would find the Rebels. True, not ALL of them, but it was a good portion of them.
She signaled to the rest of the Pack, which had thinned in the past years. Dingo was
somewhere in Austraila, and they all knew where Fox was.
X's head scientist had given Jackal, Hyena, and Wolf all upgrades. They were all
stronger, faster, and (to put it bluntly) meaner. They were ready to literally rip the gargoyles
apart.
Jackal crept up beside her. "You were right, sis," he whispered. "They're here."
"But they're not what we were sent here to do," Wolf growled. "We're supposed to
capture those people." He pointed at the circle.
"I know that!" Hyena hissed. "But think about how much respect we could get if we took
out half of the resistance!"
"And think how deep we'd be in it if we didn't get the free humans!" Wolf's eyes were
narrowed, and low growl was starting deep in his throat.
Hyena glared. "Fine. Just because you're scared, we'll take out the freebies."
"Scared!" Wolf opened his mouth to start shouting, until Jackal slapped a cyberbiotic
hand over it.
"Do you two want to give away our location?!"

* * *

As Alex finished his story, Broadway spoke up. "Should we bring him to Brooklyn?"
"Brooklyn?" Alex asked. "As in Brooklyn's Rebels?" He shook his head in disbelief. "I
thought ithat was just a title, like, you lived in Brooklyn or something."
"Nope, he's a real person," Talon said. "And you're going to go see him."
"Why?"
Broadway spoke up. "Because the two who brought you here sound like Jackal and
Hyena. And if they're in town, we've got a problem."
~And he might be Xanatos's son,~ Broadway thought to himself as he grabbed Alex
under his shoulders and took a tremendous jump to get himself going.

* * *

Wolf watched the five leave. He raised a hand, and then brought it down, signaling for
the attack to begin.
Hyena circled the humans in the air, laughing, shooting randomly. The people started
running for cover, but everywhere they looked their escape was cut off.
They were cornered.
Jackal called the "box" to come forwards. The box was just a big metal cage that
moved. Simply gesturing, the humans got the idea and went inside. The door shut after them
with a clang.

* * *

Coldstone picked up an unusual sound with his hearing. It was like.. something very
large made out of metal? He gasped and looked back.
"The humans!" he exclaimed. The others turned around. Talon immediately leapt into
action and shot towards the box. The others followed, while Broadway swooped down to the
ground and set Alex there.
"Stay here."
Alex watched their diminishing forms with narrowed eyes. "Yeah, right," he muttered.
He quickly started sprinting after them.

* * *

"Sevarius!" Hyena shouted. "We got 'em!"
Anton Sevarius walked out of his lab to collect the humans to turn them into mutates,
but the first glance over the Pack's shoulder sent him running back in.
"What's his problem?" Jackal inquired.
A roar turned their heads. They saw four winged creatures flying towards them at top
speed.
"I _knew_ we should've taken them out!" Hyena said in a smart-ass fashion, extending a
blaster from her arm. She shot right between two of them, seperating the four into two
groups of two.
Coldstone and Talon were one group, Maggie and Broadway the other. Talon swooped
in and knocked Wolf off of his feet. Coldstone ran into Jackal, who immediately started fighting
him hand to hand.
Broadway landed behind Hyena, who swiveled around with an insane screech. She
leapt at him, sending them both rolling across the ground.
Maggie wondered which one to help. They all looked like they were faring well.
Sevarius ran back outside carrying a large laser gun. Maggie was facing away from
him. He aimed, and fired.
The shot hit right on the neck.
Not even letting out a cry, Maggie fell from the air and landed on the ground with a
thump.
"MAGGIE!!" Talon cried. He started running towards her, but was stopped by Wolf, who
kneed him directly in his wounded leg. Talon fell to the ground. Coldstone meanwhile, was
tiring. Jackal was as strong as ever, and not giving up. He forced Coldstone up against the
wall. He brought back his clawed hand, and the same time Wolf was making a fist.
It was the last thing Broadway saw before Hyena gouged out his eyes.

* * *

Alex whispered one thing. "No."
He sat there watching the Pack laugh. The one human (or human looking) person sat
there without a smile.
Hyena finally noticed Alex watching them with horrifed eyes. She decided it was time to
put X's plan into action. She walked up to Alex, trying to look non-threatening.
"Alexander," she said in a soft voice, bringing back her acting skills from high school
and such. Alex looked at her with narrowed eyes. "Your mother is dead."
Alex gasped and looked down.
"I'm sorry," Hyena added. "She was an old friend of mine."
"Is that why you kidnapped us?" Alex hissed.
"I did that because the gargoyles ordered me to!" she exclaimed. Even as she spoke,
Alex could tell she was lying through her teeth. But if Xanatos thought he was on HIS side...
"And what do you want me to do it?"
"Your father wants you to reign with him."
Alex stared at her. "Father?" His voice was barely a whisper.
Hyena nodded. "You father got us away from the gargoyles, and we fight with him now.
He's RIGHT, don't you see?" There was false sincerity in her eyes.
"Father?"
Hyena put a hand on Alex's shoulder. "Xanatos is your father." She paused. "And he
wants to see you."
"Not right now," he said. "I-I'll come here later..."
Hyena plastered a look of understanding on her face. "You want time to mourn your
mother."
"Y-yes," he stuttered.
Hyena left.

* * *

The rest of the rebels found Alex kneeling in a mud puddle, sobbing. Alex quickly
sobered and explained his story. Brooklyn nodded, but then noticed four bodies lying nearby.
Brooklyn knew he shouldn't have let Talon go. He knelt beside his second's body. His
head had apparently been crushed in by something strong.
He next walked over to Coldstone's body. His neck had been broken.
Maggie had been shot in the spinal cord by some sort of laser. Her death had
mercifully been painless.
Broadway was laying face down. Brooklyn froze. His brother was dead too?
He couldn't deal with something like that.
But he was thankfully breathing, as Brooklyn could see. "Broadway?"
Broadway sat up with his hands over his face. Brooklyn walked up by him. "Looks like
you were the lucky one," Matt stuttered uncertainly.
"Brooklyn?" Broadway's voice cracked. He drew his hands away from his face.
"I can't see!"

* * *

2036 AD

Why do you never remember the best night of your life? You always remember the
worst.
Always.
I always remember the look on their faces...


To be continued...

--------------

Coming Soon!

The Final Chapter of
Future Tense: Part V: Loving the Enemy -
Can Brooklyn and Demona's relationship fall through?

---------------

Ergh... this one took me forever to write. Oh, well.

Okay, I've been getting worried e-mails that wonder if I'm giving up on my regular universe.
Don't be paranoid! Me? Leave you guys hanging with everyone forgetting?
Then check out this-

FINALLY!!

The definite list of my stories!!!
In order of releasing...

Future Tense, Part IV (this one)
Future Tense, Part V
AU: Long Way to Morning (sequel to my version of Temptation)
Faith at Heart (the continuation of my regular fic universe)
Time (sequel to "Faith")
Mind Games
The Coven Saga, Part IV: Dark Reunion - SEASON FINALE!!

You may think that just because I've labeled it a season finale, I copied off of Christine Morgan.
Guess what! I sorted out this list before 5 stories from her 'verse finale were posted. Oh, and if
she may ever read this... YAY!! My stories are being read by a "what need be done... chief?"
(sorry... school joke)

Why is it my season finale? Because that's pretty much where my ideas stopped (or decent
ideas that were worth shaping into stories). I'm compiling something called "Krystiana's
Creativity Demons" that is just me and my odd brain working (can't you hear the gears go
round and round? squeek... squeek........ squerk....).

Okay... and NEWS FROM ME!! In my RL in good old Ohio, a few of my stories (no, they're not
posted on the 'net, anywhere) were nominated by my classmates to be published in a book of
short stories. I'm one of the youngest nominees (hell, I'm happy just to be nominated). 15
stories will be picked, and 5 of mine are in the judging. So on September 20th... uh... thoughts
be with me?