Revelations
Chapter One: The Fourth Day
"On this, the fourth day of the Siege on Terminal City, a new development has caused mixed emotions through a struggling community. The Transgenics currently situated inside the fence this morning raised a flag declaring their independence. Angry crowds gathered quickly with both sides apparently waiting to see who will make the first move in this war that has erupted between humans and the genetically engineered…"
"The 'Trannies' as named by local residents, are currently in the fourth day of the Siege at Terminal City. Reports have been flooding in all over the country of Transgenic activity, as the genetically engineered soldiers arrive from all over to join the standoff, despite the tightening of security around the perimeter of the wasteland, it appears the beings are still managing to avoid the authorities as the numbers of Transgenics inside Terminal City rise…"
"These Transgenics are bred killing machines. I advise no one approach them and report them to the Transgenic Response Team immediately. They have no qualms about murdering innocent people, and although we have several plans in motion, I insist that people leave the handling of these extremely dangerous genetically engineered soldiers to professionals."
"Transgenic deaths by the hands of vigilantes in Seattle has been rising dramatically over the last few days and crowds become impatient with the lack of response in the situation in Terminal city by authority figures. Police commissioners have announced they have 'plans in motion' and insist that people do not take things into their own hands."
Max sighed, throwing down the remote to Alec's television. Every channel was announcing something about Terminal City and it was annoying the hell out of Max, especially when she was trying to avoid the subject all together. A small cheering crowd had gathered in the rec room, apparently two X5's had started a brawl, and of course, Alec stood in the midst of the crowd taking bets on the outcome. The noise began adding to the headache that was growing, Max stormed from the room and past OC, who was talking to Jem and her baby and toward the highest building she could find.
The standoff between the Transgenics and 'ordinaries' as Mole liked to taunt them was escalating, and people all over were tensing for the blood that was bound to be spilt when both sides attacked. It was rare to hear laughter in TC anymore, often it was forced and short lived in the halls, only certain people seemed so confident about the Siege, that they had no problems laughing the situation off.
Max had been spending more and more time alone, she had been taking care of 'George' the snake C.J left behind in the genetics lab. Logan had managed to get out back to Joshua's and was their contact on the outside. A small group of X5's had found a series of hidden tunnels that connected to the main sewer system and with a little disguising, anyone wondering the sewers couldn't tell the entrance to TC from any other solid wall. It allowed people to get food and supplies without being caught by the forces on the outside. But like everything else, it came with a price. Several X5's had been killed by ordinaries on the outside while getting supplies.
"Max?" The voice quickly broke her out of her reverie, and she spun around to see a familiar figure. With speed, Max jumped to her feet, not knowing how to greet the figure in front of her.
"Uh…" was all she managed to get out as the figure sat down on the edge of the building. Max followed suit, staring at her clone, slightly suspicious.
"What brings you back here?" She asked, as Sam stared at her fingernails.
"Well," The 453 began, raising her eyebrows, "I heard my sister was in the war for all Transgenics. Decided to come help out."
"I didn't think I would ever see you again." Max began, wondering what could bring the clone to act so friendly after their last icy meeting.
"Yeah, well, me too. But my husband decided he couldn't be involved with something 'morally evil' so he left and I really have nothing to lose at this point."
Max nodded.
"I'm sorry to hear that."
Sam nodded.
"Me too." They sat in silence for several minutes as the sun lowered in the distance, the sky needle visible on the horizon.
Finally, after the slightly strained silence, Sam turned to Max, and began twiddling her thumbs slightly.
"Look, I'm sorry about the entire 'trying to hand you over to white' thing. I mean, if I had to, I won't deny that I would do the entire thing the exact same way, cause that was my son and husband he had hostage-"
Max nodded.
"I know. You don't need to apologize. If you hadn't tried to turn me over, I would have skipped town and left my family behind. A decision I would have regretted deeply." Sam nodded in agreement.
"So your leading the war now huh? You breeding partner told me Sandman made you into the 'chosen one'. Always going for the attention aren't you?" Sam smiled, but Max looked up quickly in surprise.
"How did you know Alec was my breeding partner?" She asked in indignation. Sam smiled.
"Oh, yeah he was bragging about it in the rec room. Seems he has quite the story to tell, he's charging people for the details."
Max ground out her teeth.
"I'll give him details," She hissed, rubbing her fist. Sam just laughed. There was a comfortable silence as both sat pondering their own thoughts, watching the sun lower and the police cars swarm outside the fence.
It was with a bang that made both females jump, spinning around to find a large Transgenic behind them.
"Woah, buddy," Sam muttered, as they stared at it's black scaly skin and blood red eyes, the nomalie eyeing them with predatory hunger in it's eyes.
"Hey," Max began, taking a small step toward it, hand outstretched in an open gesture, "How ya' going?" It was with speed she didn't expect that the nomalie charged forward, knocking her down, as she slid across the roof and over the edge. With only one hand stopping Max from fully flying over the edge, she scrabbled slightly as Sam's arm leaned over and in a quick movement pulled Max back up onto solid ground. The nomalie let out a growl from the other side of the roof top as both of the X series took up defensive stances, before it swished it's claws in the stabbing motion, and both X's felt a large tug as something pulled at them from behind.
To Alec, who had come to see if Sam had managed to find a very pissed-off Max (He was hoping they hadn't killed each other, but there was bound to be an upside if they had.) stopped in the doorway of Max's favorite sitting place, at the sight of both Sam and Max glaring down on a large black nomalie. He was about to jump forward, when the monster clicked it claws and two large bolts of light, almost like lightening exploded from his hands and hit both X5's on the chest. Both clones flew backwards, high into the air, before they disappeared in a clap of light. The nomalie turned around, staring at the momentarily shocked soldier, before it too vanished it a flare of white light.
"Is this the only way?" Buffy Summers asked in distaste, watching several drops of her own blood fall to the floor. In an attempt to track a demon who had attacked and killed several innocent people before disappearing in a flash of light, Willow had deduced it must be using some kind of self made portal to travel around. She had created the 'Circle of Sebecus' that would force the portal to deposit it's demonic rider in the middle, essentially trapping it. Willow looked up from the book she was reading, smiling slightly.
"Sorry Buff, slayers blood is the only way to activate the circle."
She wrinkled her nose in distaste, but only for a second. A white light exploded over their heads, sending them flying to the floor as smoke filled the room and around Buffy her friends choked and spluttered.
"Everyone Okay?" She asked, crawling to her knees and trying to see through the white. There was a cough and a small scream as someone ran from the room.
"Oh my god!" Cordy's voice filtered through, "This is toxic! You know what it's doing to me lungs?" There was a chuckle as Buffy sighed, climbing to her feet, well aware the monster could be trapped a few feet in front of her unseeing eyes.
"We can only hope." Came Xander's voice, "And yeah I'm fine. So is Cordelia."
"I'm okay," Came Willow's voice,
"And me." There was Oz.
Everyone was fine.
"Good," Said Buffy as the smoke began to clear and they all gathered for their first look at their new prisoners.
"Hi," Said Buffy to the two identical women, both their arms in defensive stances, both trapped inside the circle, "Looks like we caught the wrong fish Wills."
Willow shrugged,
"Wrong time wrong place I'm going to assume. I am curious to know how they used a Portal. Are you two witches?" Her eyes were gleaming with hope, as both the twins turned to glance at each other.
The one dressed in the black leather coat (The other one's was brown) was the first to speak.
"Where are we?" She asked, looking around. Her eyes landed on Buffy. She appeared to be sizing them up. "Are you from Manticore?"
Eyes wide, Buffy turned to look at Willow, who shrugged.
"Noo…" She began, "And you're here in Sunnydale, California. Why were you using a Portal?"
The black jacketed woman looked at the other.
"Sunnydale?" She asked, "How did we get here?"
The brown jacket answered immediately,
"That damn Nomalie must have the power of transportation or something."
The black jacket rolled her eyes,
"Great. We have to get back to Terminal City. Who knows what will happen when they realize we're missing."
Xander looked at them.
"Mind filling us in?"
Black Jacket crossed her arms over her chest.
"Yeah, right. Says the people who's pad we're currently stuck in." for emphasis, she kicked at the circle edge, where Willow's shield came into operation and repelled it. "What are you anyway?"
Looking up from where Black-Jacket's foot had connected with the shield, Buffy narrowed her eyes in suspicion.
"I'm a slayer, he's a werewolf (she pointed at OZ, then at willow) she's a witch."
Xander piped up, inserting his usual humor into the conversation.
"And I'm a smart-ass, and Cordy outside is a drama-queen. Anything else you need to know?"
Black-Jacket looked at brown-jacket, giving her a 'they're clearly crazy' look.
"Can we go now?"
Buffy shook her head.
"What are you, and why were you using a portal. Then you can go."
Brown-jacket answered.
"We're trans-" Black-jacket elbowed her, "sisters. Identical twins. And we have no idea how we got here."
"Oh yeah, what's Manticore then?" Willow asked smugly.
Black-jacket side glanced at brown jacket before answered.
"You don't know?"
"Know what?" Xander asked as the sisters exchanged looks.
"You," Black jacket continued, "have never heard of Terminal city? Or the hold up at Jam Pony? Or the Transgenic threat? Where have you been?"
Buffy looked at Willow, who shook her head negatively. She shrugged.
"No, I haven't." She looked around her living room (where the circle had been made, currently her mother was staying with some friends).
Behind them, Cordelia slipped into the room, glaring at the two identical women standing in the circle.
"They don't look black and scaly to me." She said loudly, ignoring the looks she was getting off the people around her. The twins looked at each other.
"Black and scaly?" Brown-jacket asked, "With red eyes by any chance?"
Buffy perked up.
"Yeah, you seen him?"
Black-jacket nodded.
"Yeah, he's a transgenic. Like us. We we're fighting him when we ended up here."
"Okay, what the hell is a transgenic?" Buffy asked, looking between them.
Black jacket cocked her head to the side.
"We're not speaking until you let us outta here."
Buffy glanced at Willow and nodded.
Two unarmed women couldn't be a match for a slayer, a witch, a werewolf and two humans? Right?
TBC