Classical Studies

Sam struggled with her bonds to no avail. She was handcuffed to a chair, and all her gear had been taken from her when she was taken aboard the airship. She was seated in a small room with a heater vent in the ceiling, and a single heavy steel door leading in or out. She could only guess where the clones were taking them. No doubt to their hideout, but why?

She looked at the door when she heard muffled voices outside. There was a metallic clanking noise, and the door swung open. Sam-Athena stepped inside and the door closed behind her. She carried her sword in one hand as before, but she also carried a folding chair in the other hand. Sam-Athena unfolded the chair and set it down in front of Sam. She sat down and placed the end of her sword on the floor and rested her hands on the butt of the sword. She rested her chin on her hands and stared at Sam. Her eyes sparked with excitement, as she looked Sam over.

Sam felt uneasy under her clone's gaze. She felt like the clone was taking her apart with her eyes, down to her cells. Sam resisted the urge to squirm and returned a steady gaze at the clone. The clone continued to stare at Sam with the same level of excitement. Sam could tell gears were spinning furiously in her mind. She also noticed details about the dress she didn't see before.

Floral designs decorated the right shoulder and skirt. The petals appeared to be white at first, but Sam saw they actually had the slightest hint of red in them, making them a very pale shade of pink. She then noticed the sash was not white, but the same color as the petals. The sleeve cuffs and the collar were the same color, only accented with gold. The skirt was split on the left side, going all the way to the sash.

Man, Clover would die to have an outfit like that. Who's her tailor?

"You like my dress?" the clone suddenly asked.

Sam jumped, startled by the clone's sudden question, "Well, uh, yeah actually. Where'd you get it?"

"It's a custom job. I'm actually a pretty good seamstress, if I do say so myself."

Even though it was just empty conversation, Sam decided it was best to keep it going. "I see you chose an oriental design."

The clone looked at one of her sleeves. "Yeah, I took a real liking to Chinese-style dresses, and I wanted one of my own. So I made one, and then altered it for my own use."

"It's a lot more elegant than your friends' outfits. They look more like commandos."

Sam-Athena shrugged. "Well, they're a lot more gung-ho than I am. I tend to give more orders than blows. But don't go thinking I'm a softie." She fingered the handle of her sword and grinned slightly.

Sam fidgeted nervously. "You ever…use that?"

"So far only once. We had some help establishing our hideout a ways back. Some fool tried to take advantage of me, so I cut him to ribbons." She grinned wider this time, and a drop of sweat ran down Sam's cheek.

Sam-Athena chuckled. "Oh, don't worry! I wouldn't dream of using it on you or your friends!"

"And why not? You don't seem to have any qualms about violence."

Sam-Athena rested her chin on the sword handle again. "You three are far too important to this plan to risk harming you."

Ah-ha! "And what plan is that, if I may be so bold as to ask?"

Sam-Athena smiled and said, "We need you three to help cure our sisters."

Sam blinked. "Huh?"

"I'm sure Jerry filled you in on the whole mutation thing, right?"

"Yeah, but I don't see-"

"I've been doing my own research since we busted out. You see, WOOHP just decided to lock us up and pretend we never existed. Since we've been interred there, no further research whatsoever has been carried out on the clones."

She paused to let Sam digest that little tidbit.

"So, WOOHP has made no progress in curing the clones because they haven't bothered?"

Sam-Athena nodded. "Mm-hmm. Like I said, they just want to hold us there indefinitely."

"And since you busted out, you've been doing your own research."

"Yep. It's slow going, and it was a bitch to get a hold of Dr. Beckham's research, but when I did, I was able to pick up where he left off."

Sam flinched. She didn't exactly expect to hear that kind of language coming from her own voice.

"Oh sorry. My tongue tends to slip a lot. Now where was I?"

"You picked up where Dr. Beckham left off."

"Right, thank you. Since then, I've made some progress, but it's been hopeless so far. For all his research and all my intelligence, I can't find a way to stop or reverse the mutations."

"And we were the key?"

"Yes."

"How so?"

The adjusted her grip on the sword. "I found out that our genes are so complicated by the mutations, it will be impossible to fix them myself. Even the non-mutant clones have genes from other sources, so they're useless in my research. What we needed was the original copies, a genetic template to compare the mutating genes to so we can correct them. A genetic answer key of sorts, if you will."

"So why not ask WOOHP? Why go to all the trouble of attacking those fashion shows just to get our attention? Why rob the train?"

"I'll answer your last question first. Chylopsin is a very dangerous chemical; highly toxic. However, it's great for powering advanced weapons technology as well. My sisters are immune to most toxins, so they use the stuff to power their weapons. But the main use for the stuff is in my research."

"How?"

"Chylopsin has some mutative properties in addition to its toxicity. I've been using it extensively in my research to pry apart our genetic codes and try to fix the errors. Now that we have both you and a fresh supply of Chylopsin, we are that much closer to finding a cure."

"So why didn't you ask WOOHP? Their research department is second to none."

Sam-Athena's face darkened. "It's not the research department. I'm sure they'd love to figure this out as much as I do. But they're not the problem. It's the administrators. They fear us, and rightly so. They fear our power, our strength. They're afraid of what we're capable of. So they lock us up forever, and don't bother trying to cure our sisters so that even if we do escape, they'll have an ace up their sleeves."

Sam fidgeted again. "You've thought about this a lot, haven't you?"

Sam-Athena smiled. "More than is probably healthy." She shrugged. "What can I say? When I'm not abroad or sleeping or eating, I'm usually in the lab researching. All these months it's been totally fruitless, but now," she stretched her hand toward Sam's face, her fingertips just inches from Sam's nose, her eyes sparking again, "the key to curing my sisters is sitting just a couple of feet in front of me. You have no idea how excited I am."

Sam maintained her composure as the clone reached for her. Sam could sense the excitement and longing leaping from her clone like electricity. For the first time, she felt compassion on her double.

"So, where are we headed?"

"Our hideout, which we've named the Convent."

"The Convent? Isn't that like a monastery for women?"

Sam-Athena nodded. "True, and you'll find out why it's such a fitting name for our base in time. It's where my lab is."

"You talk so much about this lab of yours, I sort of want to see it now."

Sam-Athena smiled. "You'd love it. The equipment is cutting-edge technology, and the support I get is second to none. Our benefactors really outdid themselves."

"Benefactors?"

She held her finger to her lips. "Sorry, can't say. I swore to keep them a secret. Our sisters and we run the whole facility now. Perhaps you'd like to become a resident yourself? I could use all the help I can get in my research. Who better than my own mother?"

Sam's eyebrows narrowed. "Don't call me that."

"Sheesh, you don't have to take it so personal. It's not like I'm your actual daughter. I'm just a genetic replica, simple as that."

"What do you expect? I'm just a kid! Parenthood isn't exactly on my mind at the moment."

Sam-Athena shrugged. "Suit yourself. But what do you say? Won't you three join us at the Convent? You all have something to offer."

Sam sat straight up. "I'll never join you. I don't exactly like helping evil people."

Sam-Athena stood angrily from her seat and struck the floor with her sword. "Don't you ever call me that! Don't ever call my sisters or me that ever again!" She leaned in close to Sam's face and stared straight into her eyes. "Do you have any idea what it's like to wake up naked, freezing, and soaking wet to find the only family you've ever known incarcerated for no other reason than existing? Huh? You have no idea of the kind of Hell my sisters, my friends, and their sisters have been through. If you had half a brain in that redheaded skull of yours, you'd know that we have NOT led the carefree life of a Beverly Hills teenager. No, we…" tears were pooling in Sam-Athena's eyes, and she stood back and turned away from Sam to wipe them away. She walked to the door and knocked. The door opened slowly and she turned to Sam again, still choked up. "I wouldn't suggest an escape attempt. I've ordered the guard to break both your knees if you try." She stepped out of the room just as a cry came from down the hall. Sam-Athena glanced down the hall and exclaimed, "Dammit, Alex! Not again!" She bolted down the hall and the door shut behind her.

Sam sat in silence for some time after that. She was having a hard time digesting everything her clone had told her. No, she didn't know what it was like to wake up to a cold, unforgiving world that didn't want her. All her life she'd been smart, pretty, and enjoyed the company of her friends and family. The clone was brilliant, beautiful, and strong, yet she was an outcast. Sam felt sad for the clone. She wanted to help them. She wanted to right the wrongs that had been visited upon them. If she were in the clone's position, would she not do the same?

Sam was about to try and call the clone back and agree to go with her, when a thought crossed her mind:

What if she's acting?

Sam decided to keep her mouth shut and think of a means to escape. There were too many things she didn't know the whole truth about to go along with her. She looked around the room. Aside from the vent cover and the folding chair the clone left behind, it was bare. Her own chair was bolted to the floor and her handcuffs were strong. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and started thinking.

Clover hung upside-down in her cell. Blood was rushing to her head, making her face feel like it was going to explode. Like Sam, her gadgets had been taken away and she had been locked inside a small, bare room. A small pipe extended across the room, which her Athena clone had decided to hang her from. Clover had lost track of how long she'd been hanging there like that, and she figured either her head would explode or she'd pass out any minute now.

She heard a loud clanking behind her, and turned to see the door open and her Athena clone step in.

"Oh, hi! Do you think you could let me down real quick? All this hanging upside-down is going to be murder for my complexion, and I think if I stay this way too much longer my head is going to pop. So if it's not too much trouble-"

Clover-Athena threw her knife and cut the rope so fast Clover didn't register the move until she landed on her neck and flopped to the floor.

"Oww! You could be a little more careful, you know! I'm not indestructible!"

The clone smiled and giggled. "I know, just having a little fun with you, is all."

"Well neck injuries are no fun, let me tell you that, sister!"

"Sister? Is that any way to address your genetic daughter?"

Clover blinked. "Okay, this mother-daughter stuff is a little on the weird side for me. Can't we just call each other enemies and be done with it?" Clover then noticed that the clone was unarmed.

"Aww, but I've never had any face time with my mother! Is it wrong for me to want to know the person my genes are based on?"

"For the last time, I'm not your mother, so don't call me that! If anything, Stella is your mother, not me."

The clone blinked. "Stella?"

Clover sighed. "My mother!"

"Oh. That's right, I keep forgetting you weren't grown in a lab! Silly me!"

"Right. Okay, so like, where are you taking us, and where'd you get this airship?"

"We're taking you to the Convent, and this ship was a donation to us."

"The Convent? Do I honestly look like Nun material?"

"No, no. The Convent is the name we gave our hideout. You'll get it when we get there. I honestly think you'll like it there."

"Does it have a shopping mall?"

"Err, no."

"Then no thanks, just drop me in the ocean for all I care."

The clone leaned against the wall. "Why should I do that? We've been wanting you three for a long time now."

"For what? Discipline isn't my strong suit, and my allowance doesn't exactly put food on the table."

"Sam thinks that she can use your DNA to fix the mutations in my sisters."

Clover's mind suddenly found something to focus on. "What?"

"I can't put it any clearer. Sam is going to use your DNA to find a means to cure the mutations in my sisters." Her eyes were lit with excitement.

Clover's mind quickly went over everything Dr. Parker had told them. "Wait, most of the clones are still locked up, aren't they?"

Clover-Athena nodded. "Yep, but not for long. Once Sam finds the cure, we're going to free and cure every last one of them."

"But there are hundreds of clones! How do you expect to sneak them out?"

A smile cracked Clover-Athena's lips. "We're not. Once everything's all set, we're launching an all-out strike on WOOHP headquarters and freeing our sisters."

Clover snorted. "Fat chance. WOOHP's practically a fortress, and their agents aren't exactly pushovers, either."

Clover-Athena shrugged. "Whatever they throw at us, it'll be pointless. The only reason you got this far is because we haven't been in a position for full combat organization. With Alex, Sam and me directing our sisters psychically, and with their superior weapons and skills, we should make short work of WOOHP hq."

"Short work? You don't mean…"

"Yes. Once we've sprung our sisters, we're taking WOOHP apart brick-by-brick, agent-by-agent."

"You can't!"

"We can, and we will! We've been contemplating WOOHP's destruction since the moment we woke up."

Clover struggled with her bonds and the clone snickered. "Please don't hurt yourself. We'd prefer you be in good shape when we arrive at the Convent."

Clover gave up struggling and looked up at her clone. "I just have to ask, why are you going to destroy WOOHP?"

Clover-Athena shrugged. "Revenge."

"That's it? If you're so much smarter than us, shouldn't you know that revenge is pointless?"

"I agree, Clover. Revenge is pointless. But justice is not."

"Justice? How do you figure that?"

"WOOHP wants to strip us of our right to exist, Clover. We didn't choose to be created; yet WOOHP decided we don't have the right to exist anyway. The only thing we have to thank WOOHP for is that they didn't destroy us."

"But you're criminals! Of course WOOHP is going to lock the lot of you up!"

"Criminals? We were under Macker's influence back then. They weren't afraid of us then because they thought they could exploit Macker's mind control for their own purposes. But once we developed a mind of our own, they lock us up and throw away the key. Do you honestly think that's fair?"

Clover grumbled. No arguments here. "You know, I still owe you for ruining my fashion debut."

"Sorry, but them's the breaks, kid."

"Kid? You're even younger than me."

"True, but that doesn't mean I can't antagonize you."

"Oh, shut up."

The clone laughed.

Clover sighed and said, "so what's this research involve from us?"

"Mostly blood samples, I'm sure. Trust me, the sacrifice on your part will be minimal."

"So why go to all the trouble of kidnapping us if all you needed was a little blood?"

"Seriously Clover, would you have agreed to come with us if we asked?"

"Um, no?"

"See? There's no way we can get you to come except through force. Besides, there's no telling how long Sam's research will take. You could very well end up at the Convent for a long time."

"Sorry, but if I'm not back in Beverly Hills in time for the pageant, you are going to seriously regret ever laying a finger on me."

Clover-Athena shook her head. "You're going to help us whether you want to or not."

"We'll see about that. I've gotten out of worse situations."

"Suit yourself." Clover-Athena started. She looked around in alarm and swore. "Crap! I was afraid of this!" She knocked on the door and jumped out of the room.

"Wait! What's going on?" said Clover.

"You stay right there!" The clone took off and the door closed behind her.

Clover blew a strand of hair out of her face. "Hmph! Fine, if she doesn't want to tell me, then I don't care!" She rolled onto her back and looked around. The room was completely bare except for the pipe leading across it, and the knife still stuck in it. A faint whisp of steam was curling from the hole the knife made. Clover grinned and formulated a plan.

Alex looked up when she saw her clone enter. "Hi!" she said, leaving the door open.

"Hello! What brings you here?" Alex asked in her sweetest tone.

"Just wanted to talk, that's all."

"About what?"

"Us, the future, our plans."

"Uh, okay! Where do we start?"

"Why don't you pick a topic?"

Alex thought for a moment. "Okay, what are your plans?"

"Sam's been working feverishly to find a cure for our sisters. Now that we have you three, we can use your genes to correct the mutations and save our sisters."

"Ohh. So what're you gonna do after that?"

"We're still working on that. We've been considering mercenary work, or possibly selling Sam's research material. I'm sure the scientific community would love to get a hold of what she's been finding."

Alex looked at her disappointedly. "Don't tell me this is all about money!"

The clone snickered. "Hardly. This is about survival, Alex. We're fighting for a place in this world, but it isn't exactly thrilled to have us there."

"I think…no, I don't follow."

"It's quite simple, my dear." She turned around. "All we want is to carve our own little niche, but the whole rest of the world wants to lock us away forever." She turned around and slipped a glove of sorts on her right hand. "And you three? You're agents of the world, sent to enforce our excommunication and put us back to sleep."

"That's not tr-" the clone placed her gloved hand on Alex's shoulder and electricity surged through Alex's body. She clenched her teeth so hard she thought they would break as she writhed with the current. The clone let go of her and Alex slumped over in the chair, gasping for breath. She looked up at her clone, who was smiling maliciously.

"Why…why did…you do…that?"

"Because unlike Sam and Clover, I don't think you three can co-exist with us. I believe that as superior beings, it is our right to supplant you three and take your places."

"You're freaking crazy!"

"Maybe, but the fact is, I see things differently than they do. They regard their originals as mother figures and have quite a lot of respect for them."

"From what I've seen, I find that hard to believe."

"Well, we can't be too soft on you guys."

"So how do you see us?"

The clone shifted her weight onto one foot. "I think you three are like Model-Ts. You represent the first generation and are significant in that all of our basic methods come from you. But in the real world, you are obsolete, and should be replaced once we've learned everything we can from you. That's how I view you three."

Alex's eyes widened as she spoke. Her clone had no regard for life at all, and was a sadistic maniac to boot. She swallowed and spoke with trepidation.

"So, why don't you just kill me, if you think I'm so obsolete?"

The clone fingered one of her daggers. "Because, despite how I feel about you, I respect Sam and Clover's wishes more. I, too wish to see my sisters cured of their mutations, and for that, we need you."

The malicious grin returned and she turned up the output on the glove, "But they never specified exactly how we need you."

Alex squirmed as the clone reached for her, unable to escape. She grabbed Alex's arm and Alex felt a powerful current wrack her body. The clone held on, grinning gleefully as Alex writhed. Electricity coursed up her arm and across her chest. Alex felt her heart begin to ache and her muscles begin to spasm. She opened her mouth, but no words came out. All she could do was cry out in agony as electricity continued to course through her body.

Moments that felt like centuries later, Alex heard a familiar voice command, "Alex! Stop!"

Alex-Athena let go and the current ceased. Alex's whole body trembled violently, and she could have sworn she heard Sam order the clone to stop. She looked up to find Sam and Clover's clones standing in the door.

"Aww, you always ruin my fun!" complained Alex-Athena.

"We need them alive, not deep-fried!" said Sam-Athena.

Alex-Athena walked to the door and removed her glove. She shoved it into Sam's hands and said, "Fine. I'll be at the cockpit if you need me." Sam put the glove on a shelf outside the room and gave Clover-Athena a worried look. Clover returned the look and watched Alex-Athena leave. Sam watched her go as well, and gave Clover a suggestive look. She nodded and headed after Alex.

Sam-Athena entered the room and knelt next to Alex. She took Alex's trembling hand in hers and gently stroked it. "Poor girl, I knew I shouldn't have let her in here alone."

Alex's trembling began to subside as Sam-Athena held her hand. "Wh-wh-what was th-that f-f-for?"

Sam looked away. "I'm sorry. It's just that, how do I put this? Your clone is a very cruel person. To tell the truth, I didn't mean to wake her up when I escaped."

"What?" Alex felt weak and was having a hard time processing the clone's words.

"You see, between the two Athena variants of you, I knew one of them had become a cruel person. I was the first clone to wake up when my stasis chamber malfunctioned. I meant to resuscitate the nicer of the two, but I was in a rush and made a mistake."

Alex focused to keep her voice from trembling. "Why is she so…mean? You two don't seem all that bad."

Sam sighed heavily. "You know how we secrete strong pheromones as part of our mutation?"

"Yeah."

"Well, Alex developed that aspect before her strength and intelligence developed. As you know, the pheromones drive men wild." Her voice lowered further. "Someone tried to rape her shortly before her other primary mutations developed. The guy was stopped and beaten within an inch of his life, but the event still scarred Alex deeply."

"…" Alex stared at Sam's clone.

"When her intelligence increased with her mutation, she also developed a major mean streak. She is absolutely merciless to her enemies, and even her own sisters are careful around her."

Alex was speechless. It made no sense at all that anyone could exhibit such sadistic behavior, especially a replica of herself. "Isn't there anything we can do? She doesn't have to be so mean! She told me she'd love to dispose of us after you're through with us!"

"I know. I hoped at one point that finding a cure for her sisters would calm her down, but I'm less and less certain about that."

They sat in silence for a moment. "It just doesn't seem right," said Alex. "She's smart, pretty, and strong. Why does she have to be so mean when she's got so much?"

"I wish I could answer that," said Sam-Athena. "But even as advanced as my intellect is, I still can't fathom the human psyche. The human genome is easier to comprehend than the mind."

She let go of Alex's hand when it stopped trembling. "Feel any better?"

"Yeah, lots. What did you do?"

She smiled. "Just talked and held your hand is all. How's your arm?"

Alex rotated her shoulder. The skin on her arm felt dry and sore. "It hurts a little."

"Minor electrical burn, no doubt. You'll be fine." She stood up and walked to the door. "We'll be arriving at the Convent in a few hours. I'll try to keep Alex away from you when we get there."

"Where are you going?"

"To have a word with her." She started to leave, and then stopped and looked back at Alex. "I'm…I'm so sorry about what she did. Please, don't hold it against her."

"I'll try."

Sam-Athena closed the door behind her, leaving Alex alone in the room.

Clover hung upside-down in her cell again when the guard entered with food. The hideous clone looked puzzled for a moment, and then realized what was wrong.

Clover grinned. "Now you see me, now you don't!" She yanked the knife out of the pipe with her feet and landed on the floor as a jet of steam blasted Nemesis in the face. The clone put her hands in front of her face and yelped in alarm. Her hands still cuffed behind her, Clover dashed past the clone, kicked it into the room, and shut the door with her feet. She took the time to carefully slip her feet between her arms so that her hands were in front. She found a hook on the wall where a set of keys was hanging and snapped the handcuff chain over the hook before noticing the keys.

"Whoops."

She used the keys to remove the handcuffs and peeked around the corner. Another Nemesis was patrolling the hall in front of Sam and Alex's rooms. Clover leaned against the wall and tried to think. She needed a distraction, and she was unarmed. With their psychic connection, it wouldn't be long before the missing guard was noticed.

Sure enough, Clover heard footsteps running down the metal walkway toward her position. She looked up and saw a mass of tubes and conduits running across the ceiling and climbed up on them. Moments later, Clover and Alex-Athena ran right under her and opened the cell Clover had formerly occupied. Steam poured out of the room and a now-sweaty clone stumbled out. It growled something to the others that alarmed them.

"She's escaped?" exclaimed Alex-Athena.

The other guard came from around the corner to investigate the disturbance, and Clover took the chance to move. She crawled along the pipes until she rounded the corner and then let herself down. She hurried to the first door and used the key to open it. Inside, she found a dejected-looking Alex. Alex looked up at Clover sullenly, and her face lit up when she realized it was her friend.

"Clover!"

Clover hurried over to Alex and started removing her bonds. "We don't have much time. Let's get Sam and book it!"

"And how! That clone of mine is sadistic!"

They exited the room and opened the last cell, finding Sam inside. Sam had a folding chair balanced on her toes when they entered, and she shot them a puzzled look.

"How did you…never mind, just get me out of here!"

Clover removed Sam's cuffs and they stepped out of the cell just as the alarm went off.

"Guess it's time to boogie!" proclaimed Alex.

They took off down the corridor just as the guard rounded the corner. She growled something in their direction and pointed at them. Alex-Athena appeared and took off in hot pursuit.

The girls spotted a junction up ahead, with a stairwell leading down.

"Split up!" said Sam.

Sam and Alex jumped down the stairs to the next level while Clover continued across the walkway. Alex's clone jumped down after Sam and Alex as the guard chased after Clover.

"She's gaining on us!" exclaimed Alex.

Sam spotted an open door up ahead. "Maybe not for long." She stopped just before the door and turned to face the approaching clone.

"Sam! What are you doing?"

"Buying us some time, I hope."

Alex glanced at the room. The heavy door had a lock on it from the outside. "Oh, I get it!"

Alex-Athena closed in on them. She struck at Sam's head, who ducked to avoid the strike. Alex dove at the clone's feet and she jumped to avoid Alex. Sam spotted her chance and grabbed the clone's ankle, pulling her out of the air. Sam tossed her into the room before she could react and Alex pulled the door shut and locked it. They heard the clone hammering the door from within, yelling "Let me out!"

"No thanks," said Alex, "I think you've earned a time-out!"

"Time out? Time out!? When I get out of here I'll…I'll…I don't know what I'll do, but it won't be pretty!"

"Come on, Sam. Let's go!"

Sam nodded and they took off down the corridor.

The guard had lost track of Clover. She peeked into a room and scanned it with her eyes. Finding nothing, she stepped out of the room and continued down the hall. Clover let herself down from her position over the door and heaved a sigh of relief. The room was lined with drawers on every wall, and one of them was hanging open. Clover opened it to find their gadgets lying inside.

"Score! Obviously our clones are just as sloppy as we are!" She gathered up the gadgets and slipped on her multi-tool bracelet. She stepped out of the room and rounded a corner just as one of her nemesis clones appeared. It snarled and charged at her with its shield held in front. Clover quickly selected the nitroglycerine explosive and tossed it at the clone. It stuck to her shield and exploded a couple of seconds later.

"Ha! Take that!"

The smoke cleared, and the clone was still standing, quite unharmed. Electricity arced from the edges of her shield, and she growled irritably.

Clover screamed in panic and bolted down the corridor, and her clone gave chase.

Sam and Alex wandered into an observation room near the ship's hull. A hatch led outside, but they weren't terribly interested in opening it just yet. Sam started looking around while Alex wandered over to a closed window. Curiosity got the better of her, and she pressed the window button. The cover retracted from the large window to reveal endless miles of ocean blue beneath a layer of cottony clouds.

"Man, where are we?" Alex wondered aloud.

Sam looked out the window. "I can't tell until we see some kind of land mass."

Sam continued to search the room, but her mind was distracted. Alex noticed this.

"Something on your mind, Sammie?"

Sam paused her search. "Not really. It's just…on some level, I want to help the clones."

Alex voiced her surprise. "You do? Why on earth would you want to help these psychos?"

"They're not psychos, Alex. They're just like us. All they really want is to live a free life and help their sisters. I honestly do want to help cure them. You saw what was happening to them."

Alex was about to protest when they heard footsteps approaching rapidly. Clover sprinted into the room, slammed the door and locked it just as something big slammed into it. She huffed and puffed as she leaned against the door, and then slumped down to the floor.

"Clover!" exclaimed Alex and Sam.

"Huh? Hey guys! What's up?"

"We need to find a way off this ship," said Sam.

"These might help." Clover held out their gadgets.

"Alright, Clover!" said Alex as she reclaimed her gadgets.

After Clover caught her breath, she looked up at Sam. "Sam, we've got to stop the clones! They're going to destroy WOOHP after they free the rest of them!"

"What!?"

"Yeah, and they plan on going mercenary after that!" said Alex.

"What? This is news to me."

"Your clone never told you?" Clover asked.

"No, she just said she wanted us to help her finish her research and find a cure for the clones. She never mentioned destroying WOOHP or mercenary work. Are you guys sure?"

"How else do you think she's going to free her sisters? Asking nicely? You know darn well WOOHP won't let the rest of the clones go."

"Clover, you're starting to sound like them," commented Alex.

"I am? Aw man! We need to finish this mission in a hurry!"

"Wait," said Sam, "are you guys sure you heard that?"

"Yes!" Alex. "And that clone of mine is totally sadistic! She almost deep-fried me!" Alex rolled back her sleeve to reveal a patch of pale skin on her arm.

Sam was aghast. "How…why?"

"She's as mean as they come, Sammie. Your clone told me that she was…abused when she started mutating. Apparently, she never got over it, and now she's a total psycho. She doesn't think we can co-exist with the clones."

They sat in silence for a little while. Sam was torn. She sympathized with her clone, but there was no way she would let them destroy WOOHP.

"Do you think the clones have different ideas? What if Sam-Athena's plans are different from the others?"

Clover shook her head. "Mine told me they've been planning it from the moment they woke up. They're determined to take WOOHP apart with their bare hands."

Sam wandered over to the window and placed her hand on the frame and sighed.

Clover looked at her closely. "Don't tell me you sympathize with them?"

Sam nodded. "Yeah, I do. I just…I just want to help them. They shouldn't be locked up like that if there's a means to cure them. It's just not right!"

"It's not right that they wanna destroy WOOHP!"

"I know! I want to help them, but…I can't let them destroy WOOHP, either." She turned around and leaned against the window frame. "So what do we do?"

Nobody knew the answer to that. They didn't have time to answer, either. They heard a commotion outside the door, and seconds later a flame burned through the door and started traveling up one side of the door.

"Sammie, time to think fast!" said Clover.

Sam looked around the room in earnest. She spotted a panel on the wall and opened it. Three packs of some sort were inside, and a set of illustrated instructions was printed on the inside of the door. She scanned them quickly and her eyes lit up.

"Glider packs!"

Alex and Clover looked away from the door. "What?"

Sam removed the packs and tossed them to the others. "Just pull the chord like a parachute!" She pulled hers on as the flame made it halfway up the door. "Clover, open the hatch!"

Clover took hold of the hatch release lever. "Okay, you guys ready?"

"Hold on, we should call Jerry!" said Alex.

Sam nervously glanced at the flame, which was almost to the top of the door. "Okay, but get ready to jump immediately."

"Right."

Sam dialed Jerry on her Compowder, and the old man's image appeared.

"Ah, there you are. I was starting to worry about you girls. Any trouble?"

"In a word, yes. "We're about to jump out of an airship, so we'll need a pickup."

"Done. I'll send aircraft to pick you up. How goes the mission?"

The flame vanished.

"We'll talk later! Gotta fly!" She put the Compowder away just as the door was kicked in. All three Athena clones were standing there, with a trio of Nemesis behind them.

"Stay where you are, Sam," said Sam-Athena. "There's nowhere to run."

"I beg to differ. Clover?"

Clover pulled the lever and the hatch flew open. Everyone had to brace themselves to prevent being sucked out by the sudden depressurization.

"What do you think you're doing?" asked Clover-Athena.

"Escaping. What's it look like?" said Clover. She dove out the open hatch.

Sam-Athena held onto the doorframe to avoid being sucked out. Alex and Sam slowly moved to the hatch.

"Sam, wait!" said the clone. "If you jump, you side with the same people who want to put us back to sleep forever. Is that what you want?"

Sam stared at her.

Sam-Athena steadied her voice and spoke calmly. "Are you really going to side with them? Are you also going to deny us the right to live? Don't you care at all about the rest of us?"

They stared at each other in silence. Alex looked out the hatch and tugged on Sam's arm. "Come on, what are you waiting for?"

"Just one question," Sam began, "Were you really planning on destroying WOOHP after you freed your sisters?"

A sorrowful look crossed Sam-Athena's face at the question, knowing full well what the answer would mean. "Yes."

Without another word, Sam and Alex jumped out the hatch.

Sam-Athena stayed at the door while one of her sisters went to close the hatch. Alex-Athena placed a hand on her shoulder. "I told you they would never agree. We can't live in harmony with them. Not so long as they fight for their world."

Sam tightened her grip on her sword. "I know but…I just…I don't want to declare war on my own mother."

"Then deal with it, Sam. They're the enemy now. They're going to do whatever it takes to bring us down, and we can't let them!"

"But Alex, we still need their genes to cure our sisters."

Alex walked around in front of Sam and leaned in close. "Then we'll drain it from their lifeless veins if we have to." She left Sam and Clover and went down the hall.

"She's right, you know," said Clover after a moment. "They're going to do whatever it takes to bring us down, now. I, for one, won't let them. We've come too far to go down without a fight." She went down the hall after Clover. Sam didn't see her wipe the tears from her eyes.

Sam slumped down to the floor. She knelt there for a moment, weighing the consequences of their actions and what it meant for their future. She clenched her fist and her eyes narrowed in anger as tears began to roll down her cheek.

"Alright then, mother. If that's the way it's going to be, then so be it. Don't say I didn't warn you." She cupped her face in her hands and wept.

Sam and Alex opened their glider packs a short ways above Clover. They caught up to Clover and went into formation around each other.

"Well, we lost them again, didn't we?" said Alex.

"Not quite!" said Clover. "I stuck a tracking device on their ship when I jumped. They'll lead us straight to their hideout!"

"Alright, Clover!" exclaimed Sam. They flew on for a minute before Sam asked, "So, anyone know where we're going?"

"Not a clue," Alex answered.

"So I guess we wait for a pickup, then?"

Clover shrugged. "I guess so."

A few minutes later, a WOOHP hovership caught up to them and brought them aboard. The agents handed blankets and hot chocolate to the girls to drive away the cold. The girls accepted them gratefully and went up to the cabin. They sat around a table and sipped their hot chocolate. Sam opened her Compowder, dialed Jerry, and set it on the table.

"Hello again, girls. I trust you're out of danger now?"

"Yeah, finally," said Alex. "I haven't been able to relax for hours."

"And I trust you lost the clones again?"

Sam grinned. "Not this time! Clover attached a tracking device to their ship."

Jerry looked at his console. "Yes, I see it. Good work, Clover. Once we know where their hideout is, we'll be able to formulate a plan."

"Thanks, Jer. Um, what do you mean by 'plan'?"

"We still have to bring the clones in, so we'll have to come up with a strategy once we know some details about their hideout."

Sam nodded. Her mind was clear now. She had no regrets about fighting the clones. "So what now?"

"We'll bring you three home and watch the clones' ship. You three just rest and get ready."

"No complaints here."

"Alright, then. I'll see you when you arrive." Jerry's image vanished.

The girls leaned back in their seats and relaxed every muscle in their bodies.

"So what's next?" asked Alex.

Sam stared at the ceiling. "We hit their hideout and put an end to this mission, that's what."

Alex yawned. "Sounds good to me."

Clover yawned as well. "And I still have to put a portfolio together."

"We will," said Sam. "But you know, I still feel sorry for the clones. The whole world is against them, and all they want to do is live. What happened to them isn't fair at all, but we still have to put them away. It doesn't seem right, but it's the only way. Why does it have to be like this? Guys?" She looked up to find Alex and Clover asleep on each other's shoulders. Sam smiled and sat next to them. She pulled her blanket around her, leaned against Alex, and drifted off to sleep.