He might be mistaken but it seemed like Flag had gotten some sort of epiphany amidst his soldierly temple of righteousness. Riddick looked down at the woman in his arms and she nodded, a half smile on her face as Flag continued speaking.

"You're free to go," The cortex cracked and broke against the brass edge of the bar as Flag slammed it down. "There's a normal human woman buried inside the monster. The only thing she did wrong… she wanted to learn about our histories, so she went where the Alliance had found a new archaeological site. They swore it was safe for civilians. The Enchantress woke and took her, invaded her mind. She's a good woman. Wouldn't hurt anyone if she could help it."

River nodded, her hand on her sword, "If it weren't for my brother, I might be like her, under the thumb of Parliament, my will replaced with theirs. If I can't ease her suffering, remove the Enchantress, I can at least try to end it. Keep the Enchantress from taking other worlds."

Mal looked at Riddick, Floyd and the rest of the Squad, "Reasons we agreed to do this ain't changed. Just got a little more personal for some of us. And a tad more difficult."

Riddick nodded, "And maybe, according to River, we've got an ace up our sleeve. Might give us a better chance of success."

Floyd sighed heavily, "Well I'm damned if I'll let some nutjob belongs in a bughouse take over the 'Verse. My daughter deserves better than that."

"Wait, agreed?" Flag blinked as GQ picked up on that tidbit with a thoughtful tilt of his head.

Riddick smirked at him, "What? You really thought you had all of us on a leash?" He chuckled wickedly and tilted his head down to River, "This one here…she hunted me down just so we could break in and get Mal out."

"Nobody went through processing when you left Belle Reve," Flag went bug-eyed. That just got the entire squad laughing.

"Nope," Digger grinned at him maniacally. "Kinda puts a whole new light on things don't it?"

"Why?" GQ shook his head. "We're here," He gestured at the Purplebellies. "Because we're soldiers, and we fight to protect our people."

"Same damn reason," Mal took another sip of his drink.

"We all got people to protect," Floyd nodded.

"'Course, that weren't plan A," Riddick shook his head. "We woulda been long gone but you had craptastic timing, landed right when we were leaving. Waller in your ear. So…"

"Go along, so we don't get shot out of the sky," River continued. "And explain why you'd come to Belle Reve. Explained the mission. And get agreement to help." He inhaled her scent, glad she hadn't pulled away after anchoring in him, despite being surrounded by folk they didn't know all that well. How they felt, or didn't feel, about each other, how anchoring affected him, nobody's business but theirs. But the need to hold her close didn't change with their surroundings. Touch soothed the Furyan and Reader both.

"Like I said, we've all got a stake in this 'verse," Floyd looked at Flag. "All you upright do good types, you haven't cornered the market on that. We gotta live here too. And so do our people. We don't want some crazy witch taking over the 'verse any more than you do."

Clearly none of the Purplebellies had thought of that. Including Flag. Riddick barely kept from snickering as the Alliance soldiers realized that the Squad had been following Mal without any coercion but the idea that if they didn't the 'Verse wouldn't be worth living in. Against him he could feel River's shoulders tremble in silent giggles.

"What about you," One of them jerked his head at Riddick. "Richard B Riddick, mass murderer, you're known for working alone. No attachments. Why are you following him?"

"Pretty much the same reason," Riddick shrugged. "Plus a few of my own, that quite frankly are none of your tiān shā de business." He glared pointedly, eyes glowing in the shadowy light and sipped his bourbon.

"What's this ace up your sleeve," Flag asked quietly. Well tactics were his bailiwick, or they'd better be, for a Colonel.

"River?" Mal nodded to his daughter.

"Accidentally anchored to all three of them simultaneously," River gestured at the three metas surrounding her. "With their power and unique abilities, my mind guiding them, I believe we will have an edge over the Enchantress."

"She's got her heart back by now," Flag told her, for the first time since their initial meeting speaking as an equal. "If you can take it out, her power is…diminished."

Riddick filed that bit of information away as Flag took something out of his armor and handed it to Deadshot, "Your daughter writes you every day. Every single day."

"You had these the whole time," Floyd, despite having seen his little girl before this whole mess, was visibly touched by the letters. "You had letters from my daughter the whole time?" The laid-back attitude he'd affected thus far fell away, "We're going to end this. Everybody's gonna know what we did. And my daughter is gonna know that her Daddy is not a piece of lè sè."

None of them were prepared for River to stiffen in Riddick's arms, a harsh shudder rolling over her skin, and a pained moan rising in her throat as she stared into nothingness. The voice that emerged from her lips sounded nothing like her own, coldly impassioned, echoing with power, "With my heart returned, I can finish my weapon. Now tell me how to destroy your armies."

She jerked in pain, agony rising like steam from her skin, that otherworldly voice fading to Waller's cold human tone, "Do your worst, bitch."

"Ō, zhè zhēn shì ge kuàilè de jìnzhǎn," Leila groaned.

River's voice became her own again and she pressed her face to his neck as Riddick pulled her closer, wrapping her in his arms as she recovered, "She has her heart…will do her worst…so much more than Waller could imagine. So much of her power hidden, secret…" He could feel her spine stiffening, forcing herself to steady as she continued, "All the knowledge Waller possessed, Alliance defenses, satellites, bases… the Enchantress will use that…"

Floyd cursed, anyone with a brain understood just how dangerous the Enchantress accessing Waller's knowledge could, and would, be. "Wángbā dàn de biǎo zi."

"Oh this is so not good," Harkness seemed to have lost his mocking mania, at least for the moment. Riddick couldn't help but agree. Understatement though it might be.

"Let me guess," Floyd sighed. "We're going straight for the swirling ring of trash in the sky. Because of course we are… Makes perfect sense. Crazy witch, crazy shit in the sky."

"We would not die in that man's company that fears his fellowship to die with us," River shrugged philosophically.

"It ain't fear," Riddick gave her a gentle squeeze.

"No, not fear," River nodded. "We few, we happy few."

"We band of brothers," Harley finished softly and got her first smile from the rest of the Squad since she'd laid into Chato. "For he today who sheds his blood with me will be my brother."

"That's right," Floyd gave her a hand as she climbed over the bar.

"Yeah," Mal shrugged, half smiling as he met Riddick's eyes. "Let's get to it."

The 'swirling ring of trash in the sky' as Floyd so quaintly termed it, centered over the train station in the middle of the city. "We think that thing's a weapon," Flag explained quietly as they stood in an alley across from the building in question.

Mal tapped Harkness on the shoulder and gave him an easy smile, "How about you show us what your fancy toys can do Cap'n Boomerang."

The grin Mal got back through the scruff defined mischief and he took a deep breath hoping this wouldn't backfire. But Harkness grinned, "Been waitin' for someone ta ask. Ain't been much call for my brand o' fun." He pulled out a heavier than usual looking boomerang and a small cortex, barely more than a screen and some buttons.

A solid throw later and the 'toy' was airborne, giving them a birds-eye view of the main atrium of the station. "Here…" Mal nodded as two beings masquerading as people came into view. "Lower."

"Damn," Harkness cursed as a viney beam of light surged from the big one's hand and destroyed his device.

"We gotta take out the big one," Riddick looked at Mal. "She's crafty, the one doing the planning. He's the muscle."

"I left a gorram big demo charge down there in that subway," Flag looked at GQ and the other Purplebellies.

River pulled her cortex out of the satchel on her hip and pulled up a schematic, a city plan it looked like and Mal looked at it over her shoulder, "There's a flooded tunnel, leads right underneath the building." She looked up at the rest of them.

"If the Purplebellies can recover the charge, swim under that thing's feet," Mal felt the beginnings of a plan form in his mind.

"We get in its face and distract the hell out of that gǒu niáng yǎng de so the swimmers can blow the bomb," Riddick added with a glance at Chato.

"That's how we take it out," Mal nodded. "Difficulty will be keepin' the Enchantress occupied."

"Battle upon two fronts," River murmured quietly. "But it can be done if need be."

Mal looked at her thoughtfully, "Let's walk and talk." He suggested. "We gotta get into the building unseen, then somewhere the Purplebellies can deploy and hopefully, retreat safely away from the bomb.

GQ looked at his men and then at Bryan, and Bravo, "Who's got the better swimmers." He asked quietly. "I've got a few, but most of us are infiltration by land or air types."

"We can handle it," Bryan nodded. He looked at Mal, Flag and the rest of the Squad, "If you're going to distract that thing, and keep the witch busy, you'll need all the firepower you can get."

"So Alpha, we're with Captain Reynolds," GQ motioned to his men and Mal nodded.

"You get that bomb set and you all clear out," He ordered Bravo's men. "No way to enjoy a 'verse free of the Enchantress if you get yourselves dead. Don't wait around."

"We got you," Bryan nodded and consulted River's schematics briefly. "Entry point is here, and here's the submerged tunnel," He verified, and River nodded.

"Not too far where we will need to be in order to enter discreetly, keep company until we must part ways," River half smiled.

Bravo team began to ready their gear as they walked, quietly discussing the possible hazards they might face, and River dropped back to regard Mal with those dark all seeing eyes.

"Doesn't see all, merely more than most others," She Read the thought out of his brain and Mal smiled.

"More'n the rest of us Lil Albatross," He agreed. "Got a notion, wondered if it had crossed your mind."

"Can the anchor draw upon the strength of a meta and use it as her own," River had clearly considered the possibility though she remained silent for a few minutes, mulling it over a bit more.

He had no doubt she'd seen everything he'd been thinking/wondering. Chato had the heaviest amount of firepower at his disposal, literally, and he never thought that'd be something he'd see. Riddick and Waylon were the strongest physically. Floyd, Katana, Harkness and Harley were nothing to sneeze at in a fight either.

"It is possible," River answered him finally. "Uniting them, channeling their power, is more likely, but it is possible to use the connection and enhance her," she corrected herself quickly, "my strengths."

"Need an anchor Shorty?" Waylon rumbled. Of the three metas he happened to be closest, Chato and Riddick were discussing potential strategies against the Enchantress's big male ally.

"Does," River nodded and Mal watched as she gratefully took Killer Croc's hand and sighed as if finally relaxed a moment later. He guessed half an hour anchored to Riddick might have been more helpful if she hadn't inadvertently Read Waller when the Enchantress had taken the woman's mind.

"Occurs to me that holding hands through a fight ain't exactly subtle, or easy," He commented finally. "How'd you think that'll work?"

"Touch is not necessary," River replied, her voice slightly absent. Mal knew that tone like he knew Serenity's silhouette, River's mind was racing, running calculations, figuring the odds. "It is a comfort, but not strictly needed."

"If Riddick an' Diablo are gonna fight the big guy, you can stay linked up with me," Waylon offered in a more amiable way than one would ever suspect was possible upon seeing his frankly terrifying face. "See if it helps. Borrow some a my power."

"Battle is no time for experiments," River shook her head. "But we may not have a choice."

"Do what you gotta do," Waylon advised. "Won't be anything left of us if the witch gets her way."

Mal nodded, "Truer words ain't ever been spoken."

River watched the Bravo team Purplebellies ready their oxygen masks and compressed air tanks while she remained linked to Waylon and checked her weapons. Riddick hadn't much liked it when he'd turned and seen her holding onto KC's big hand but Mal had shot him a look and for once Riddick hadn't spoken his mind.

Borrowing, channeling, using a meta's power as her own, or channeling the power of others through someone else, all these things were possible thanks to Blue Sun and its Academy. Stripping her amygdale had more far-reaching effects than simply making her a Reader.

The mind, above all, strives to defend itself, adapts, blocks, develops ways to compensate for injury or other debilitation. Her mind… she'd never consider herself to be a true meta, born with such powers, but sometimes, a creation can become more than what it was made to be.

No one could become a metahuman without the right genetics. And occasionally something extreme to activate those genetics, like the meta she'd Read of in Waller's mind. Someone called Barry Allen, the Flash. Waller hadn't been clear as to what had activated the meta-gene but it seemed as if Barry Allen had fallen afoul of a large amount of electricity or another form of energy.

Could the mind force a gene to activate in order to protect itself from the repercussions of injury? Had that been one of the goals of the Academy? To create meta-humans they could control?

Terrifying thought, considering Waller's goals for the Squad, if she believed she could create meta-humans of her own…

She would have to be stopped. Permanently if steps were taken in that direction. River made a mental note to keep track of Waller and her activities. Necessary anyway, considering her own status as a person of interest to the Alliance, but more in depth monitoring would be required.

And if Waller ever learned what River could truly do, she just might, and rightfully so, be more afraid of River than the Enchantress. The Enchantress, while deadly, had limits to her power. The limits might be beyond what anyone would consider possible to counter but they were limits, nonetheless.

In the depths of River's mind, like a spool of thread unwound from that stripped amygdale, her mental capabilities grew. She could borrow Waylon's power, his strength, and infuse it into her own limbs, without truly stealing away even a gram of his abilities. Channel Chato's fire through her hands. Feel Riddick's Wrath. Enhance her senses with his Furyan talents or Waylon's animal nature

There'd be a price to pay of course. Nothing in the 'verse was free. Exhaustion, pain, and all the attendant weakness that accompanied such fatigue. Her abilities were finite after all. Just like the Enchantress. River knew her barely evolved talent didn't match Enchantress, no more than a fly could match a horse. But with the help of other metas, more powerful, more practiced, for a time, she'd be able to face Enchantress. Face her and force her back. Through Riddick or Chato if need be. But it could be done.

Waylon had guided her as she thought, not necessary but he'd kept others from bumping into her as they moved towards the outer area of the station. Stairs nearby held water up to the third step from the floor and the Bravo Purplebellies were readied themselves in earnest.

"You got this Shorty," KC grinned at her, a mouth full of sharp teeth and affection as he let go of her hand. "You do what you gotta. We'll do the same." He turned to the Purplebellies, "I'm goin' with you."

Bryan and his men seemed a little offended the huge meta thought they were incapable of setting a bomb underwater, "We got this."

"I'm not askin' bro," Waylon informed him as he began to remove his jacket and shirt. "I live underground, ya'll are just…tourists."

River grinned and nodded at the soldiers, "He's right. Can move faster, stronger, made for moving through the water. A valuable ally and not to be snubbed."

Waylon nodded at her, "Watch your pì gu shorty."

"You do the same," River nodded back as he lowered himself onto all fours and just as his name suggested, entered the water with disturbing speed and grace.

She turned back to the area where the rest of them stood once Bravo had all entered the water and Riddick held out his hand in a silent invitation and command. Raising an eyebrow at him and moving to his side, River simply leaned against his hip and ribs. "One does not command a cat. Or a woman," She reminded him gently.

Leila grinned at her from her spot between GQ and Mal, loading her guns and making sure she had spare magazines. "Too right," She agreed.

"Wasn't a command," Riddick muttered and wrapped his arm around her waist. She'd noticed the more time they spent with others, the more he seemed to stake his claim to her. Not that she minded really, touch had become a comfort for both of them.

"We cannot change our nature," River gave him a smile. The murmur of Japanese caught her attention and she looked past the glass divider to where Katana knelt, speaking to her sword.

"The man who killed her husband used that sword," Flag told them quietly. "His soul is trapped inside of it. She talks to him."

River nodded, "She says to him, that should she die in battle they will be reunited finally."

"Yeah, made her a promise, that I'd use the sword on her, if she fell. So she could be with him," Flag's hands never stopped moving though his expression turned bleak. "I do not look forward to keeping that vow."

"Hey…well, you know what they say about the crazy ones," Digger commented as he tested the edge of a knife.

"Huh," Harley looked up from her gun with a question on her face.

"Not you Harley," Floyd grinned as he rolled his eyes. Harley, with her usual mischief, grinned right back at him. River spared a moment to pray that the two of them wouldn't join forces. Perhaps a wasted prayer since she doubted Floyd would be able to stand Harley's shenanigans for more than five minutes. But still… better to pray. Just in case.

"What do they say," River wondered, Harley's wicked smirk prompting her. She could Read it but she'd rather not and it was always fun to make Mal uncomfortable. It made him forget imminent danger when he became embarrassed.

Harkness grinned lewdly, "Well they say the crazier the woman the better a lay she is." He clarified as if he thought she might not understand the slang, "Crazier means better in bed."

"Understood the first time," River smirked at him.

"Guess that means ole Riddick there's gettin' quite the ride," Now Harkness was trying to press her buttons.

Mal winced, "Adopted daughter Cap'n Boomerang. Do not talk about how my yǎng nǚ might be sportin' with that big hún dàn she calls a bàng jiār. Please."

Digger held up his hands as if to show his good intentions, somewhat hampered by the knives he'd been holding and wicked smile, "Nature a the beast mate."

"Well," Flag pushed off the wall he'd used as a backrest.

"Let's do this," Mal agreed.

River took a deep breath and looked up at Riddick, "You and Chato, you've agreed to distract the…Incubus." She pulled the name out of the air it felt like. "Do not let him sacrifice himself. We will need him."

"Do my best," Riddick nodded. He looked over at Chato, "You hear that?"

"Don't get myself killed," El Diablo nodded.

"Do not," River ordered. "We will need every bit of strength, including yours, if we are to defeat her." For a moment she flashed to Waylon, felt what he saw, "The swimmers are attacked." Every eye flashed to her as she took a breath. "They continue on," She murmured. "Waylon's skill and strength is greatly helpful." A collective sigh of relief from the Squad and Purplebellies and Mal nodded.

"Let's move."

Author's Note: We're on our way to the confrontation… I really wanted it to come out before they meet Enchantress that no one there was being coerced. Lots of preparation here, not a ton of action, so I hope it's not boring.

Chinese Translations:

tiān shā de (goddamn)

lè sè (Garbage, trash)

Ō, zhè zhēn shì ge kuàilè de jìnzhǎn (Oh, this is a happy development)

Wángbā dàn de biǎo zi (whore's bastard/son of a bitch(insult))

gǒu niáng yǎng de (son of a bitch)

pì gu (butt)

yǎng nǚ (adopted daughter)

hún dàn (bastard)

bàng jiār (lover / partner)

Quote Sources:

We would not die in that man's company that fears his fellowship to die with us – Henry V – William Shakespeare

We few, we happy few – Henry V – William Shakespeare

We band of brothers – Henry V – William Shakespeare

For he today who sheds his blood with me will be my brother – Henry V – William Shakespeare