Chapter 15: The Heart of Arkon
Unbeknownst to two of them, three teams were converging on the hidden FBI base. Wade might not have been able to control the ship itself, but he was still able to operated the sensors. He knew the hover jet was only moments away and he could see the two parachutes descending as he approached. Somehow they would all arrive at the same moment.
Michael and Isabel burst from the transport, Wil Du bringing up the rear carrying a stop-rifle, a multi shot, more powerful version of his stop-watch. He fired twice, the two projectiles trailing thin wires. They struck the guards at the entrance and they went down in a flash of paralyzing electricity.
Liz's jaw dropped as she watched the monitors on the bridge of the Trinity. "Wade, open the hatch, I've got to get out there!"
"No, Liz, it's too dangerous. Let the professionals handle this…"
He was silenced as she held up her hand, tiny bolts of power rippling along it. "I'm not some helpless little girl, Wade. Those are my friends out there and I am going to help them find Max!" He simply nodded and she sprinted out of the control center, more jumping down the spiral stairs than climbing them. She was down the main ramp at a sprint.
Kim and Shego hit the ground just as Liz reached Michael and Isabel, dropping their chutes and heading to the group at a run.
"Miss Possible, it is agreeable to see you." Wil said as they ran up. "Though I am dismayed that the FBI report seems to have been accurate." He nodded toward Shego who had flared up and once more turned green.
"Can it you little Vulcan wannabe. They only sent that report out to get you off their trail and onto ours." Shego quipped.
"Agreed. Now our best course of action is to invade this base."
"Are we just going to stand outside jawing about it or are we going to do it?" Michael griped.
Shego had enough of it. Her hands flared up fully and she sent a blast of plasma into the entrance that had moments before been guarded by two men. The doors blew apart, leaving the entrance wide open.
Before they could approach, about a dozen men streamed out of the now ruined portal. Michael, Isabel and Liz automatically brought their hands up, ready to summon their powers to blast their way through the charging agents.
"Hold!" Du yelled. "They're not attacking us, they are running from something!"
"He's right!" Kim agreed. Despite the panic of the FBI agents, she was making her way toward the entrance. The reason for their flight was quickly apparent. Dozens of warriors waving monstrous swords, clad in ancient looking armor were streaming toward them, their voices at full howl.
They burst into the open and the battle was joined. Some of the agents were still armed and once they were in the open they turned and brought their weapons to bear. The trio from Roswell and Shego were better prepared, as their abilities came from within and were not limited to the number of rounds they had in magazines. At first they were picking their targets, limiting the amount of power they used, but it quickly became apparent that they would have to use much more, possibly even enough power to kill to make it through the attackers.
Kim moved in and out of the melee, leaping and vaulting over the larger but much slower fighters. She dodged a swinging sword, jumping upwards and landing a kick on the warrior's face. He went down with a resounding thud and clank of his armor.
Wade worked furiously, trying to bring the Trinity's meager weapons online. The small tail-gun was active, but the ship was parked facing the wrong way. The belly gun had a lock-out designed into it to keep it from damaging the landing struts, but he was trying to bypass it. He wanted desperately to contribute to the battle.
What the barbaric looking fighters lacked in tactics they were making up for in berserker rage and numbers. Despite their skill in battle, it was obvious one of them would eventually go down. With the flash of a sword, Agent Wil Du fell.
Kim knew he was hurt and hurt badly. Without missing a beat she surveyed the scene. Shego was the closest to him. "Shego! Get Wil back to the jet! The rest of you, form up and blast your way toward the entrance, we've got to get in!"
Shego glared at her for a moment, but followed the direction, dragging the bleeding agent back to the jet. Two teens were waiting at the hatch and helped him get inside. Shego left him and headed back to the battle at full speed.
Kim was at a disadvantage in the battle, having to carefully place her kicks and punches. She learned quite quickly that hitting them directly in their plated armor just plain hurt and didn't do anything to stop or slow them down. However, inside that armor they were just plain men, and when she could get past it, they went down just like any other.
In moments the four of them, the trio from Roswell and Kim were at the entrance. For the moment all of the fighters were outside, though they were being occupied less and less by the remaining FBI agents, as their ammunition started running out. The last of them dropped his rifle and started running down the dirt road leading back to the highway. There were six warriors still standing, all turning their attention to the quartet pushing their way past the ruined doors. With a mighty yell they charged them.
They didn't get far as a blast of green energy bowled them over, leaving them unconscious and smoking in a heap.
"Let's go!" Kim shouted, the rest of them in tow.
Something was coming through the flames, oblivious to the inferno around it. It walked like a man but it was taller, bulkier. They could hear it's footfalls going 'clump, clump' as it walked. The head of the shining black and silver creature had no eyes, though it turned as if were surveying the scene. It faced the trio and in that moment they knew it had 'seen' them.
Neil caught sight of its arm, with the elongated axe blade. He almost missed the left arm coming up. Flame erupted from the arm, a focused, coherent stream of liquid flame coming straight at them. He could feel the white hot heat as it reached out for him, though his feet seemed to be rooted to that spot.
Suddenly he was sailing backwards, just out of reach of the tongue of fire. He landed on his feet, barely keeping his balance. Ron's hand was on the back of his collar. His other hand held the collar of the tall, dark haired young man he was with. He hadn't fared as well maintaining his composure and was half sprawled on the floor.
"Run!" Ron shouted "Yeah!" squeaked a small pink shape on his shoulder. This time he didn't have to be told twice. Whether it was a moment of fear or if the apparition had actually done something to hypnotize him, he had no clue.
They rounded several bends, finally finding their way to a staircase leading upwards. Neil thought furiously, but he couldn't tell where he was based on his memory of the floorplan. He had either gotten too turned around in their flight or they were once again in a new section. He fought to calm himself, but something was clouding his mind. Was he that rusty? Or perhaps the fatigue and abuse of his captivity was taking hold. Could he keep this up? The only thing he had even eaten in days was the meager fare his captors brought him, at least after they no longer doped him.
Was it the lingering effects of the drugs they pumped him full of? He knew they had to give him larger and larger doses of it to get any effect. Had they done some lasting damage, or was there some residual effect that was now taking hold as his energy waned?
Or, was it that voice in his head, the voice he could not quite make out? The voice that, for some unexplained reason kept translating to an old movie line? "Use the Force, Luke!" kept repeating over and over in his head. Oh, good grief! Fighting for my life and all I can think of is crap from Star Wars!
Then it dawned on him. He was expecting to find these two in cells. Once it became apparent that something other than their escape had put the base on high alert made him assume that they could still be safely behind locked doors.
"Ron? How did you?" Neil slid up to the two men, confused at seeing them free from their cells. Then he noticed Ron's condition. "I thought you were shot!"
"Max here healed me. It was badical!"
"He healed you? Cool."
"You're not surprised by that?" Max asked him.
"Well, I'm pretty used to being around people with powers. I used to date a superhero, you know. Besides, I have some slight healing powers too, though I don't think I could do anything as serious as a gunshot wound."
"Hi, Max Evans." The dark haired young man introduced himself and held out his hand.
"Neil Argus." He gripped the hand…
…and something happened! There was a sudden flash of white light where their hands met, followed by a different light, coming not from Max's hand but from the ring on Neil's left hand. His fist was surrounded in a purple glow that seemed to come from the softly glowing stone set into it. He hadn't seen the stone before, thinking the ring was only part of the electrodes Oray had put on him. Now he saw it for what it truly was…
…he recognized it!
It was the same ring his counterpart, Jimmy Argus had temporarily given him the year before, the ring that had awakened his powers!
No! It wasn't the same ring! That had been Jimmy's ring.
This was his! It was all making sense now! Doctor Oray was no doctor at all, he was the ancient mage Jimmy told him to look for. He wasn't Arthur Oray, he was Arcus Oray!
He could feel his power surging, as if something that he always knew was within him but lay dormant was finally awakening. It only needed something more, some slight thing that would allow it to fully blossom.
"What did you do to me?" he looked at his hand as the purple light faded.
"I…don't know." Max said truthfully. "Maybe my powers interacted with yours."
"Wow!" Neil held his hand up again. With just a thought the purple light once again surrounded it, growing in intensity. He willed it to stop, not knowing what the haze would do. It went out completely just as a trio of men burst into the room. Neil was too distracted to react as fingers tensed on rifle triggers. Fire burst from the muzzles, sending metal jacketed lead slugs hurling toward the three men. All he could do was grit his teeth in that split second.
The bullets never reached them. Max threw up his hand and a wall of pale green energy erupted, The bullets were caught in the field, suspended as if they had embedded themselves in rubber. The men fired again, with no more effect than before.
"Holy crap!" one of them shouted, though it was quickly apparent something other than Max's power display elicited the expletive. The sound of howling men reached the trio and they watched as the agents fled in panic. Something, some wave of invisible energy hit the entrance, causing the framework to buckle. It was followed by a blast of green energy.
Green!
A figure appeared in the doorway, a lithe young woman with flaming red hair. She was quickly joined by a slightly older, much more curvaceous woman and a tall young man with long, light brown hair. Bringing up the rear was a petite young woman with long dark hair and a taller woman with very long raven hair caught up in a ponytail, her face and bare hands a very light green, brighter green fire burning around those fists.
Kim almost knocked Ron over as she grabbed him, holding him tight and kissing him fiercely. The petite woman with Shego did the same with Max.
Neil almost didn't notice any of that. His eyes met Shego's. They locked together in a moment, something passing between them as it had many times in the past. He saw the fire around her hands go out and as he watched she slowly faded until her eyes turned brown and her skin was its original porcelain doll color once again.
He wasn't aware that they moved but he found himself caught up in a crushing hug. He held her tightly, knowing in that moment that he absolutely and totally loved her. It didn't matter if she couldn't or wouldn't love him back, he knew in his heart what she meant to him. She was his world, his everything. She was part of his soul and he was part of hers.
The Soulmates have been reunited. Three pairs of souls, brought together in love and devotion. Three sets of heroes.
The King of Antar, for he is a king by birthright and divine choice, not by just the will of a rabble or at the point of a sword, he is the key. With his Soul and the Soul of his chosen mate, he is the key, he is the one who will bring forth the Champions.
For the Effurien, known to many as the Fury, it is entwined in the lives of all people, those of Antar, those of Earth, those who now lived on the planet Arkonia, even the pale skinned folk of Tor El Ka! Those who have ascended have chosen their champion. The first of the Trinity, the Wisdom! The first and greatest among them.
The Sword has been chosen as well. For along with the wisdom there must be the will to do what is necessary. The sword is poised to strike for all that is just, for the greater good of all life!
The Hand has been chosen. The strength and the goodness, the power and the purity!
The Trinity of the Effurien stands ready to lead all from the days of darkness!
"What just happened?" Kim asked, breaking away from Ron.
"I don't know." He answered. "It was like something just rushed through me, like a wave breaking over us."
"I felt it too." Liz said, still holding onto her husband.
"Shego? Neil?" Kim asked.
They didn't seem to hear. The two were locked in a kiss that seemed to go on forever. A faint purple glow seemed to surround him, mixing with a soft green glow that washed all over Shego. It wasn't her usual burning plasma, but a faint light that seemed to come from her whole body. The edges where the purple and green light met merged and swirled, blending, spreading until the two of them were bathed in the curling, two toned mist.
"Is that the superhero he used to date?" Max leaned over to Ron and asked.
"Used to?" Kim answered for him.
"Um, I think there is still a killer robot wandering around down here." Ron said. "Am I the only one who saw the big black flame shooting robot?"
"I don't think they can hear you." Isabel said, smiling a little as two people she had never seen before kissed as if the whole world had ceased to exist.
"What robot?" Kim asked, worried. "You said big, black and shooting flames? Is it some version of the Diablos?"
"No, Kim, it's something else. It's a lot smaller, but it did something to Max and Neil that made them freeze while it tried to fry them."
"Okay, then let's get out of here. We've got what we came for." She gave his hand a good squeeze.
Beep-Beep-De-Beep!
Kim froze. She hadn't heard that sound since the day Neil was kidnapped! Her hand dove into her pocket, pulling her Kimmunicator out. It was still dark. It wouldn't even power up now!
Beep-Beep-De-Beep!
"Ron, it must be yours!"
"I don't have it. I think I left it in our car!"
"Then where?"
Neil's lips finally parted from Shego's The swirling light disappeared and he looked around. Slowly he let go of her and reached into the slash pocket of the borrowed black jumpsuit. "I've got it." He tossed the unit over to Kim, who caught it deftly.
"What's the sitch, Wade?"
"Woah! I keep getting the wrong people answering these things!"
"Okay, then I'll just give this back to…"
"Never mind that Kim, I just couldn't get your Kimmunicator to activate. Something has happened to it. Big problems, the sensors of the Trinity are going wild about something in that base!"
"If you mean a big, scary robot, it's already been spotted."
"I don't mean the Omnitron…" he began.
"Omnitron?" she queried.
"That's what the tracking screen calls it. I think the ship recognized it. It moved away from your position a few moments ago and activated some kind of device. That's what's bad!'
"What's bad?"
"It's activated something the computer is calling the Heart of Arkon! It's some kind of bomb!"
"Okay, so we've beaten them and they've activated the self-destruct. We're already on our way out of here!"
"It's worse than that! It's not an ordinary bomb!"
"They've got a nuke?" her eyes narrowed.
"No, worse. It's some kind of Anti-Matter converter. It's started a countdown and when it goes off, it will change a whole bunch of normal matter into anti-matter."
"And…"
"…and it will drop its containment field allowing the matter and anti-matter to mix. When that happens, there will be a massive blast of mutual annihilation."
"How massive?"
"If my calculations are correct, it's going to turn most of South Carolina and a big chunk of Georgia into a big steaming crater. It could be worse, it could take out the better part of the Eastern Seaboard! Kim, if it does that, it will crack the Earth's crust!"
"We're on it!" She broke into a run, Ron and Neil following close behind.
Neil ran with renewed strength, as if the brief moment with Shego had renewed him both in body and in spirit. It allowed his mind to focus on the crisis at hand.
Somehow he had to stop the Omnitron from setting off the Heart of Arkon!
He became aware that he was outstripping the others. Only Kim managed to stay close on his heals. He shouldn't have known where he was going, but somehow he knew that the creature was waiting for them at the center of the base, in a large circular chamber at the very foundations. In a way he sensed that the thing knew activating the bomb would draw him to it.
He skidded to a halt as he entered the chamber, Kim close behind. The robot, or battlesuit or whatever it was it stood there, legs apart, normal hand on its hip and bladed arm held at ready. Behind it was a spherical metal object held aloft on three articulated legs. Sound emanated from it, a low thrum slowly turning into a scream.
There was a loud crashing sound behind them as a massive door swung shut, trapping Kim and Neil inside. They would face the thing alone!
"So the Argus faces me without his precious Trinity! Fool!"
The artificial voice boomed around the circular room, though somehow it sounded familiar.
"Starler!" Neil raged through clenched teeth!
"Starler is dead. His body now powers this unit!" The Omnitron gloated.
"You realize if you set that thing off, you are going to die too?" Kim shouted, hoping beyond hope she could reach the agent trapped inside the battle suit.
"That I will die only serves the greater glory of the Master. With the Cornerstone of the Trinity dead, nothing will remain to stop his power. It will wash over his world and this one, finally taking the fools on Antar and the warmongering Torellians as his own. He will rule over all!"
"He'll rule over nothing but ashes. That device will destroy this planet!"
"So be it. The Mother Planet is no longer important. If it is destroyed then all hope of there ever being a Trinity to oppose my Master!"
"TO THE GLORY OF THE PODONDRIN!" It shouted, charging them finally.
Kim dodged a swipe of the massive blade, rolling out of the way. Neil barreled full force into it's midsection. Despite the great weight of the clanking armor, he bore it backwards a bit, until the left arm came up, striking his chest. He could feel his ribs crack and break under the blow. He rolled away in utter pain, the great sword end of the blade slashing his back, drawing blood.
Kim ripped Ron's Kimmunicator out of her pocket. "Wade, can you do anything?"
"On it!" the voice on the device answered. There was a screeching sound, much like he had once employed against Drakken's Bebe robots, but louder, more intense.
The Omnitron spun, facing her. It staggered slightly, then it's left hand flashed. Something streaked through the air, striking Kim's hand and the object making the sound. She grasped her hand, staunching the blood from the deep gash left by the weapon. She spared one glance at the ruined device. Something that looked like an oversized three pointed shurikin was embedded in it. The piercing sound had ceased.
The thing was still staggering. Whatever had been in that sound was still affecting it. Did it have some kind on internal processor that was damaged or scrambled? Or had the sound wave simply affected it's sensors? She didn't know and at the moment, didn't care. Ignoring the pain in her hand she ran, jumping upwards, bringing both feet crashing into the metallic helm of the creature. Pain rocketed up both legs as she met with the unyielding material, but it was enough. The head snapped back and it fell to the ground, unmoving.
The sound from the Heart was growing. The scream was turning into a whine which itself was starting to hurt her ears. She saw Neil pull himself up and start staggering toward it.
"We'll do this together!" she screamed, though she had no earthly idea how they would disarm the alien weapon. She was so engrossed in it she did not see the dark shape rising behind her.
Neil made a split-second decision. He saw the Omnitron's blade moving as if in slow motion. He could also see the Heart of Arkon about to fire. He twisted his body painfully, grabbing Kim by the belt and part of the butt of her pants and threw her with all his might. She sailed across the chamber, screaming "Nooooo!" until she landed in a heap near the entrance.
The Omnitron's blade plunged into his chest, pain searing through him as the energy that rippled along the blade tripled the damage it caused. His vision started to fade, but the power was still flaring within him. His fist was wreathed in purple flame as it plunged into the Heart.
There was a sound like a thunder clap. It was the same sound heard when you are too close to a large firework. Only, here, there was no burst of sparkling, burning material, only light as only a small amount of matter had been converted to anti-matter. With the containment field ruptured, normal matter rushed in and was annihilated mutually. It was not a blast that would have taken out most of South Carolina and Georgia, but everything within a thirty foot sphere was blasted down to component atoms.
The Omnitron was gone, as well as the Heart…
…and so was Neil Argus.
Sparks from exposed wires touched off the last of the free-floating hydrogen until all that was left was a perfectly round crater. There was no sound save the popping and crackling of the enraged electricity. Even that ceased as circuit breakers automatically cut the severed connections.
Kim struggled to her feet. She was bruised, battered, cut and her left wrist was at least twisted but more likely broken. She limped to the edge of the crater and looked in. The thick concrete had a glassy edge and the Earth beneath the ten foot thick floor could be seen. Marsh water was already seeping in and would soon fill the bowl and perhaps the entire chamber eventually.
There was a booming sound as the doors finally burst, admitting Max, Michael and Isabel, their hands extended in front of them, ready to unleash their powers on any enemy within. Kim turned toward them and they could see the tears running down her face. Shego was right behind them, pushing past them and running up to Kim.
"Where, what?" there was a look of desperation on her face.
Kim knew that what had happened was slowly dawning on her. "He saved us."
"He's…?"
"He tossed me out of the way and did something to the Heart. It was destroyed and didn't go off, but he was…" She choked a little bit. "He was at the center of that blast."
Shego fell to her knees, starting to sob then threw back her head in a scream that shook the hidden base, green fire running from her hands, up her arms and even seeming to spill from her eyes in place of tears.
A small fleet of Global Justice hoverjets descended to help pick up the pieces. The surviving FBI were politely loaded onto a larger vehicle to await debriefing to determine who among them might still be culpable for the illegal actions of the Special Unit. Tybor had to be physically restrained as he raged against the 'invading alien hordes' the six from Roswell represented. It was Millard Bedarest, a hero of the Iraq war and former combat controller for the air force who finally dealt with him, simply walking up to the raving agent and slugging him in the chin. He dropped to the ground, glaring as GJ agents cuffed him.
Doctor Director gathered the Roswellians to her. "I will personally see to it that every hint of what has happened over the last year is officially stricken from the records. All of you can go back to your homes, to your families and start over without fear that your government will ever interfere in your lives again."
"Our government?" Max asked, puzzled.
"It seems, Maxwell, we're natural born citizens after all." Michael said, his arm wrapped around Maria.
"It's just a shame the people who started all of this won't pay, except for that slug Tybor." Isabel growled, though most of her thoughts were of her husband Jesse, who was waiting for her in Boston.
"In fact," Dr. Director said, "It seems that in order to take control of the Special Unit, Starler had a good many of the original conspirators eliminated. Whatever his intentions were concerning you six, he did not want them interfering. You see, originally their directive was to eliminate you as a potential vanguard for invasion. Starler wanted you alive, though, for what reason, I don't know."
"What about the mole you had in their organization?" Michael asked.
"I do not know what has become of her. She is not among those we have captured and her body has not been found inside the base. I'm not worried, she will eventually turn up. She is cut off from her home world and will no longer have credentials as an agent of the FBI. Besides, her service was invaluable. We owe her a debt of gratitude.
Liz's eyes wandered back over to the space ship sitting nearby. Wade was supervising a group of GJ workers, helping to load a small car into the cargo bay.
"Max, remember the space ship we were investigating in Middleton?"
"Uh, yeah."
"I think that's it!" She pointed at the Trinity. "Do you think it could carry the three of you back to Antar?"
He took her hand again. "If it does, it is carrying a lot more than three. There's you and Maria and Jesse to think about. We may even want to carry the Dupes back with us." The thought of the three remaining copies of them brought something else to his mind.
"Dr. did any of this involve another one of us? A girl, same age as us, blonde, kind of done up like a punk rocker?"
"You mean Ava? She is safe. All of this started when we had Agent Argus retrieve her from this base. She is now working with us and we hope to make an offer to her to become a full agent some time in the future. She was afraid at first, but now she is excited to become a contributing member of society."
Max relaxed a bit. He no longer felt that Ava was anything more than another member of his extended family. Even if the original Queen of Antar had been the bride of Xan, he as not that person. He was Max Evans and his bride, the queen of his world held his hand tightly. It was finally time for Liz and him to start a real life together.
Kim and Ron made their way back to the chamber at the foundation of the base. More of the water had seeped in, filling the bowl and lapping at the edges. Shego was still sitting there beside it, her back slouched and her head down. They could still hear her sobbing. Kim knelt beside her and put a hand on her shoulder. Ron held back a respectful distance, Rufus standing quietly on his shoulder.
"Wade has the ship ready, Shego. We're going to fly back to Middleton. Come with us, please?"
Shego put her hand over Kim's but instead of pulling it away she gave it a tight squeeze.
"You can't stay. They'll have people in here soon to start the investigation. I'm sure you don't want to be around while all those GJ folks are milling about."
"You're right, Kim. It's…I…" She sagged even more. "There for a moment everything was right in my world. There for that one bitty moment somebody held me in my arms that loved me no matter what, whether I was evil, whether I was a villain who tried to take over the world and one time even succeeded. I found somebody who was truly, truly mine as much as I was his and now…"
"Shego…Sherry," She looked up slightly hearing her real name. "He saved us all. He might have even saved the whole world. There isn't any greater love than that. He not only saved you, he saved me, he saved Ron. He at least saved all the millions of people who live in this part of the South. Come on." She gripped her hand and pulled her up to her feet.
Shego wavered just a bit, but Kim put an arm around her, steadying her. The two of them walked out that way.
"They're going to arrest me up there, aren't they."
"Don't worry about it. I just had a nice long talk with Dr. Director. As far as she is concerned, you aren't here. You never were. She's told her people to be on the lookout for a green colored woman with green glowing fists."
Shego stopped, looking at her hands. They were the same pale, mint green they had been for a decade. "Kimmie, you've got to be kidding."
"Concentrate. Think of good things. Think of the good times you had with Neil. Heck, think about the time he changed you. Think of that last kiss you had. Think of things you want to remember him by." Kim took her hands and held them.
She did that. The kiss, Neil's touch, his embrace. His smile, even that silly 'soul patch' beard he had grown in the last few months. She thought of their first time, that awkward and embarrassing moment back when they were seventeen. She closed her eyes, suddenly aware of her power. Not just her ability to turn it off and on, but aware of its true nature. She took the glow and diminished it, until it was just a tiny flicker in her heart.
Her eyes opened, to behold Kim smiling at her. She knew that she was finally just little Sherry Godfrey again, a girl who without a certain tragedy, might have been named Dona Marks.
She took Kim's hand and walked out of the new tomb.