When a quest for the Truth was afoot, a call to action was likely to be required—and typically, it was Destiny who answered the Call for Justice!...

….Except this time, Destiny was lost….in a City Jungle of epic proportions: one that was filled to the brim with untold mystery and mayhem…..the kind of chaos that only Lady Justice could defend!

Except Lady Justice needed help. She needed her timeless partners, Fate and Destiny….but Destiny was missing, and it seemed that Hope had disappeared for all of Time….

If only Fate could locate her dear eternal friend and reunite within time, all order to this fair City could be restored, and peace would reign Eternal once again!...

Usually, when Destiny and Fate were involved, they were on the lookout for someone else who needed saving.

However, this time, the one who needed saving was fair Destiny herself….

And this time, Destiny would receive the help she needed….

…from some very special friends.

The Year: 2022

Where: The Loading Docks

When: 2 AM

Why: Classified

The City docks were typically not considered the kind of place meant for a woman.

Except for one particular woman of native Indian descent, who wasn't from India, this was no ordinary destination-

-and she wasn't just any ordinary woman.

Her friends—once she let people close enough to be considered friends—simply called her "D".

They wouldn't know unless she really trusted them, what her nickname actually stood for.

D was on the run and she wasn't about to stop running.

D had been on the run for quite some time now. Ever since she had broken free of her shackles and had dared to sprint for her freedom, for her life. She knew the Feds were on her tail, as well as the organization which was known as AEGIS. This was, she knew, the City which AEGIS called home, so she had to tread carefully. They could be anywhere, waiting, watching in the wings, for her to make just one small mistake. She had to tread carefully, as well as quietly.

This was of course quite a challenge when you were a Category, as well as far too aware of your abilities as a telepathic psychic—one who had originally been trained to become an assassin, only to fight against it with every tooth and claw. D had never wanted to become a full-blooded killer; and, in the end, she had taken her life into her own hands. She told each and every one of them that they could not control her. She was in charge of her life's journey, and she alone would decide where it would end up. It would never involve becoming a Federal AEGIS Assassin, no matter how much the organization wanted to recruit her and exploit her abilities for the "greater good".

D snuck behind crates and shipping equipment as she navigated her way carefully through the Docks, making her way closer and closer to the water's edge. She didn't know what to expect when she got there, but her "spidey sense" told her that something was worth her while. What, or who, it was going to be, was anybody's guess—and she'd simply have to wait and see. This had been D's way since she was a child, even before she realized her gift. Once she knew, she had to be careful not to let anyone understand she had not only the ability to communicate telepathically, but could also receive what she called "psychic vibes", or messages from those around her—even those who were far away. This was why she was in The City: her signals were getting stronger and stronger, and closer and closer to the Visionary she'd once met who called himself the "Great Blue Yonder".

As of yet, she still hadn't found him, but she knew she was getting close. This was why she was here at the docks, because she knew that this location would provide her the next clue in discovering his true location.

That was when she tripped on some random pipe sticking out of the ground. She fell hard to the ground, scraping her knee against the pavement while crying out in surprise and pain.

Before D could move, a shadow had obstructed her view. "Get up from there!" a voice growled loudly and suddenly in her ear, hissing urgently. D whirled around wildly to find a hand, which looked oddly metallic, extended to her in the shadows. The cloaked fingers seemed to glow iridescent in the light of the full moon. "What are you doing here?" her rescuer demanded, lifting her abruptly to her feet. "This is no place for a woman."

I couldn't agree more, thought D with amusement, but she decided not to agree with him when she realized he hadn't let go of her palm, which was beginning to suffocate beneath his fingers, "Release my hand, please," she demanded firmly, and to her surprise, the other did as she had asked without argument.

"You shouldn't be here," he hissed, and she could tell he was glaring at her in the darkness, as his voice took on a sharp warning tone of danger. When she looked up, she was alarmed to see holographic-looking eyes that seemed to almost shimmer and glow in the darkness.

"I'll make that decision thank you." In spite of her sudden nervousness, she glared right back. "And who are you? Do you own this dock? Because otherwise I have every right to be here."

"I'm none of your business." The other took a short step forward, as though appearing to sound more menacing. "I do however demand that you take any monkey business elsewhere. These docks are my territory. Understand?"

" 'Your territory'?" D smirked at him with a sneer (even though she knew that was probably a bad idea). "And what do you use this territory for?"

"Again," he growled, "none of your business….unless you're willing to confess why you're here at this ungodly hour."

"Funny," D smirked again, "You don't seem like the kind of guy that believes in God."

"I believe in the power of justice." Her opponent took another step forward; they were now almost nose-to-nose. "I believe in doing what's right." His holographic eyes, while they seemed programmed by some otherworldly being, seemed to stare straight into her soul. "Are you," he demanded icily, "here to do what's right?"

D took a step backward in retreat; he was beginning to make her a little more than nervous, and his presence was becoming more and more intimidating. "I always do what's right," she declared, "as long as I'm not prevented from doing so."

"Don't step any further!" he halted her in her tracks.

"Why?" she demanded, mirroring his coldness.

"You'll fall off the edge." He was pointing behind her. D whirled around, nearly losing her footing as she realized she had backed up, without realizing it, to the very edge of the docks. Any further and she would have gone into the brink. He had stopped her just in time….

D stared up at the strange individual who had appeared out of nowhere without any specific agenda, much like herself. He seemed almost more robotic than human.

Was this someone who, if she gave him a chance, she could actually trust…?

Somewhere deep in the recesses of her mind, a voice flared, You'll never get out of here alive. She wasn't sure where this was coming from. (Was it him?)

"You're bleeding." This….person (if she could even call him that) appeared to have an irksome knack for stating the (literally) painfully obvious.

"Um—yeah…." Feeling awkward, she glanced down at her left leg, where she could see a trail of bright red blood still trickling down from where she'd scraped herself earlier.

An even more awkward and longer pause followed. Then, a begrudging, "Come with me," invited her to follow him, to only God-knows-where.

"Not until you tell me where we're going."

"I've got first aid expertise." He spoke over his shoulder without breaking his stride. She could make out some impressive-looking infiltration gear glinting off the moonlight as he walked. "You're in need of first aid. Now follow my lead," he ordered her, "before we both get ambushed and it's Game Over."

"Hey!" she shouted, and her unexpected guide whirled around. "I didn't ask for your help," she snarled, "and I'm not following you back to your cryptic lair."

"Then you must be a fool." Any goodwill he had building towards her was retracted almost instantly. "This is not a place to go gallivanting around," he said as he began to backtrack towards her intimidatingly. "There are true criminals who skulk about in the shadows and they won't stop at anything to let you know you've overstepped your bounds."

She could only stare at him then, speechless. Could it be that this stranger was actually looking out for her? You'll never get out of here alive. The voice wouldn't stop blaring in her ears. She had learned a long time ago not to ignore it.

She had no way of knowing where it was coming from. Was it his voice trying to warn her? Was it her own? D shook her head clear, then zeroed her focus straight at him. "Why are you helping me?" she asked then, in a voice that struggled not to shake with fear.

They had reached the end of the dock, where there sat an unusually large structure—one that appeared to be a large military-style ship, which also looked like a hybrid between a boat and a fighting jet, emerging out of the darkness like a forbidden fortress. "Let's just say…" He paused at the entrance without facing her. "...that I'm a recruiter of lost souls."

She was about to protest, "but I'm NOT lost!" when the automatic door of the ship opened at once, letting out a soft bluish-and-greenish (neon!?) glow. "What is this place?" She ducked inside, finding herself standing within the middle of a narrow corridor with metallic walls and ceiling.

"This is the cryptic lair," he introduced with a grunt as she entered the main room of the ship's hull, which was even brighter and nearly blinding with neon green, and filled with high-tech equipment all over the walls. "Welcome," he added stiffly, "to Overkill's undisclosed HQ."

" 'Overkill'?" D repeated awkwardly, gazing around the room in awe, as she had never seen anything like it.

"In other words," he added promptly, "Me." With that, he tossed a First Aid kit onto the main table as easily as though it were a Frisbee. "My name is Overkill," he declared as he turned slowly about to face her, "aka the Rogue—the forgotten Vigilante, the absent agent of one Corporation known as AEGIS." He spoke the acronym with a voice hardened by hatred, and it chilled her to the bone, but still, she stood her ground. "You should know that you are one of the lucky ones, Miss—"

"D," allowed D slowly as she hesitantly extended her hand. He didn't take it, nor did he question her name.

"Typically," he said in the same grim and gravelly voice that she was slowly (and strangely) growing accustomed to, "I take down someone such as yourself if I happen upon them in the darkness."

"Wait for a second—" D's eyes widened. "Do you work for AEGIS?"

"Worked." He bit the word so harshly that she nearly fell backward. "I worked for AEGIS….Once….but now….I work for nobody but myself." He spoke with his back turned, the majority of his focus on the First Aid kit as he spoke, preparing a piece of gauze and Neosporin, which managed to put her slightly more at ease. Her leg was beginning to sting and itch, and she knew it needed to be bandaged quickly. She was glad he was talkative at least because it was distracting her from the pain—even though his bitterness was unnerving, to say the least.

"Why…" D paused, grimacing in pain as he began to apply the ointment. "Why did you leave AEGIS?"she managed to ask, in spite of her trembling voice that sounded far too small even for her own taste.

"How about telling me something instead," he cut her off sharply, "such as what you were doing wandering around out in the middle of nowhere, in the dark?" He glowered up at her, and Dee was surprised by how almost—normal—he looked, in spite of his glassy eyes and armor. "Also—what kind of a name is 'D' anyway?"

"What kind of a name is 'Overkill'?"

That was a mistake. She jumped as soon as his eyes met hers, and the eerie piercing reflection of the bluish-green glow of the ship made her pause; between his eyes and the three curious scars on the right side of his face, the lighting only made him seem all the more menacing.

"Where did you come from?" he demanded brusquely. "What business do you have in this City?"

"I'm…." D hesitated. "I'm….looking for….someone." How could she possibly explain who she was looking for? He'd think she was crazy (if he didn't already); yet he might possibly be crazy himself, and even as he continued to bandage her leg, she still wasn't sure she could trust him.

"Oh?" He sounded annoyed, almost impatient, as though he were eager to be anywhere else than where they were.

"And who could that be—and why would they meet you at the Docks of all places?" He shook his head at her. "You're lucky you didn't get mugged."

"Hey," she snapped, "I can take care of myself!"

"Clearly," he grunted with an unamused nod at her leg. "Next time you want to go sneaking around someplace shady," he added sourly, "bring a flashlight."

"Light just makes it easier for them to find you," she noted, then blushed when she realized he was being ironic. He of all people, she knew, understood that shadows were best when you didn't want to be found.

"You got a place to stay?" he asked then, as he finished the final touches on her bandage. The question surprised her because she hadn't thought he'd care.

"Is…" D swallowed hesitantly. "Is that an invitation?"

"Maybe." He didn't turn around. "You'll have to sleep on the floor—or the table, if you prefer," he added hastily, "because I only have one room…and it's off-limits." Anywhere, he thought to himself, as long as she'd be in sight of the scanner.

"I've got a sleeping bag," she added, pointing to the bookbag she wore on her back. "You don't have to worry about me."

"You better not give me a reason," Overkill returned bluntly, "I don't have time for troublemakers."

D crossed her arms pointedly and with a glower proclaimed, "Well you won't have to worry….because neither do I."

"The ship is locked and secure at night," Overkill informed as though he were giving instructions, suddenly all business as he tossed her a bottle of water. "Bathroom's down the hall and to the right."

"This place is pretty high tech," remarked D, "what kind of ship is this?"

"I am Danger Boat!" An unexpected voice of unknown origin made her jump and swivel about, as what appeared to be a gigantic all-seeing eye came zipping towards her at an unprecedented speed.

"Wh-wh-what's THAT?" D walked all the way back until she was up against the wall, and then there was nowhere to go—and this menacing eye was staring straight at her!

"That is D.B.," declared Overkill, as calmly as if they were discussing the weather, "which is short for Danger Boat, which is what this ship is—a Danger Boat."

"Y-y-your ship," D managed to utter even as her voice shook in spite of herself, "I-it c-c-can….TALK?"

"I am a highly intelligent and incredibly advanced AI mechanism," declared D.B. promptly as he hovered directly above her. Horrified, D pushed herself as far back as she could go, and in defeat she crumpled against the wall, covering her head immediately with fright. "No need to be afraid," the voice said, much to her astonishment, "I will not harm you. I am sentient and know the difference between friend and foe. Overkill allowed you into my hull. That means you must be a friend."

The slightly robotic tone, paired with such empathy, forced D out of hiding to stare at this most unusual device in wonder. "You….think I am a….friend?"

"D.B. is trained to sense danger," Overkill explained. "He has not sensed any danger in you…which means I can sleep a little easier tonight."

"Your ship is a robot?" D was still trying to wrap her mind around it.

"I am NOT a robot." D.B. 's single eye seemed to glower at her from above. "I AM Danger Boat."

"You said you worked at AEGIS," D murmured, in awe as she spun around, "is this…one of AEGIS's fighting ships?"

"I do Not fight," D.B. declared somewhat solemnly, following her movements as he tracked her from above, "I only defend."

"D.B. is now retired from his original….service in the force," Overkill allowed, all the while keeping a careful eye on his visitor, watching as she continued to explore and inspect the room. "He's my partner now." He nodded dutifully up at the carefully observing lens. "Everything you see here is under strict security. Nothing will work unless you know the passcode—and the only one who knows the passcode is me."

"And I," inserted D.B. (somewhat proudly, D noted with surprise). "But do not fret. The password is in place for protection. And I will be here to protect you."

D smiled, pleasantly surprised by the affection that this particular AI system was capable of exhibiting. "Thanks," she replied. "Just as long as you don't spy on me in the bathroom?" she added.

"Good luck with that," snorted Overkill as he prepared to leave. "D.B., make sure our guest is settled. I'm off to bed. Goodnight," he added hastily, before departing the room.

"Goodnight," murmured D to his retreating back and the closing door. "He's….not the easiest person to communicate with," she muttered to the ceiling, "is he…?"

"He grows on you." The bot swiveled its lens in her direction. "If he's allowed you to stay in his headquarters for the night, I'd say you're in good standing—and that's no easy feat when it comes to Overkill."

The response both surprised and flattered her. "What did he do when he was at AEGIS?" she asked, as she took out her sleeping bag and prepared to settle down for the night.

A lengthy pause, and then a single word that gave her even further pause: "Assassin."

"He kills…for a living?" Shivers fluttered up and down her spine.

Again, that awkward pause, and then another surprising response: "Only when he has to."

D settled down deep into her sleeping bag in the corner of the room. The glow from the monitors and the lights on the ceiling seemed to have an automatic lulling effect, and she felt herself drifting off. In the distance, she could hear what she thought was a lullaby, a song that she hadn't heard in quite some time—but she couldn't put her finger on what song it was, only that she knew the music, but couldn't remember the lyrics.

"Good night," she whispered to the soul of the ship.

"Sleep tight," the ship replied, and D finally let herself slip into the magical world of dreams.