Chapter 15
Two stories were released to the news stations. One, from Xanatos' lawyers, denounced OtherEarth, Inc. for deliberately causing harm and then profiting off of the troubles of others. They also demanded an investigation of Off-World Agency, whose rights, they said, did not include those of executing aliens.
The second story originated from supporters of Off-World Agency and OtherEarth, Inc., insisting that Xanatos was harboring a dangerous outsider, who had attacked others near the hockey stadium in Pittsburgh. Referring to Elisa and Chase, they said one victim was in critical condition in the hospital and another had been brutally murdered.
Xanatos appeared a few times to let reporters know how strongly he opposed both the Agency and OtherEarth, Inc. He would not confirm or deny that he was hiding an unregistered outsider. Aside from that, he remained withdrawn. He would not return any calls from the ducks, and Goliath had no more news as he kept a watchful eye on Elisa at night.
Wildwing and the ducks were still weak, but they made arrangements with Phil to return to Anaheim. Wildwing felt they needed to return to the safety of the dome as soon as possible. He also had Phil help with arrangements to have Elisa transferred back to New York. Goliath was grateful to be able to be taking his clan back to their home, and he felt Elisa would be safer there.
When they returned to the Pond, many of the ducks went to their bunks to rest, but Nosedive followed Wildwing outside the Pond. The two brothers stood in the parking lot, looking up at the sky.
"Bro, can you see it?" Nosedive asked.
Wildwing used the Mask to search the sky above Anaheim.
"Yeah, the dome's there, Dive. That means Grace's still alive."
Nosedive looked up though he couldn't see anything but blue sky.
"We need to find her. And I'm not talking about her making us feel better. I'm just worried about her."
"I know," Wildwing said, turning to him. "And we will find her. But with all of this doubt about who's to blame, maybe it's best for Xanatos to keep her hidden for now."
"It's bogus that anyone is even saying she hurt Elisa. Why don't they get who the bad guys are?"
"Too much power scares people. They just have to see that she's not a monster."
In an underground lab on the edge of New York, Grace lay in a hospital-like bed with restraints on her arms and legs. She had woken up only a few days ago, and every part of her ached or felt sick. Upon first waking up, she had thrown up a few times, but that had stopped after the first day. Of course, she hadn't eaten anything since then. IV fluids were all that sustained her.
Owen had been a constant companion, monitoring her progress and her vitals. But he wasn't much for company, and although she felt too weak to go far, Grace hated that she was bound to this bed. Her powers weren't any help. Even thinking about them, made her feel even more exhausted and weak.
One afternoon, Xanatos finally arrived to speak with her. He told her about the return of the ducks to Anaheim and the gargoyles to New York. He also explained that things were still very heated where she was concerned.
"We haven't convinced the public yet, so you'll have to remain in hiding for now. But that's not why I came to see you today."
Grace looked up at him from the bed with a weary gaze.
"I'm not able heal anyone."
"It's not that. Although Detective Maza could probably use your help, she's stable and that will have to wait. What concerns me is that you are still very weak. I thought your powers would be returning by now. Owen has been monitoring the data here, and he believes you should try drawing power from our world to restore your own."
"You want me to resort to stealing energy, just like those creeps at OtherEarth, Inc.?" Grace asked angrily.
"Only this once," Xanatos said. "We just think you need some help getting back on your feet."
Grace's brow furrowed.
"No."
"You'll have a willing participant," Owen said as he held out his hand and arm.
"I'm not doing it," Grace said firmly. "If you really want to help me, then take these restraints off. I feel like a lab experiment down here."
"Remove them yourself," Xanatos said. "When you can do that, we'll know you've recovered."
Though she glared at him, Grace chose not to answer. She knew she was too weak to free herself.
Sleep brought on a peace and renewal that Grace sought as she lay imprisoned in the basement lab. As she let herself slip into a dream, Grace began to feel as though she was falling into a deeper level of sleep than she had ever known. It weighed her down like a heavy mist.
Shadows began to cut through the mist, and Grace heard voices calling her faintly.
"Where are you?" "Are you there?" "Find us."
"Who are you?" Grace heard her own dream-like voice ask.
"We don't want to die." "Can you help us?"
"I don't understand. Who are you?"
The shadows became more distinct, and though she still couldn't see faces clearly, Grace realized she was looking at outsiders. But not ones she had seen at OtherEarth, Inc.
"You're not alone….Find us. Find us."
The voices began to trail off as the shadows faded.
"Wait!"
Grace heard herself calling for them, but they vanished. Then her eyes snapped open, and she felt like she was breaking into wakefulness suddenly as one breaks the surface of water after a swimming far below it.
Owen was at her side with a questioning gaze.
"You were calling out in your sleep."
"I … I was dreaming," Grace said, feeling weary again. "But I'm still very tired."
Owen studied her face with a frown.
"You should accept my offer and draw some energy from me."
Grace shook her head.
"It's not something I can prove, but I think I understand the reason why some of us have different means of gaining power. Your world did something to all of us, even the humans who didn't seem to get powers, at least gained better health than what they had in our world. But the rest of us felt a deeper connection to your world. And we were faced with a choice, though perhaps an unconscious one as we didn't realize what we were deciding. If we chose to pull power from your world seeking to benefit ourselves, regardless of how it hurt others, then we became like Chase and Vivian. They gave up a chance at something greater."
"And what about you?"
"I sensed the power of your world, but I cared too much about the beauty and life of this world to want to see it harmed or diminished. And I think that somehow, refusing to steal energy from your world, yet still having this connection to it, is what allowed me to start generating power on my own. It was like a gift for not taking the cheap way out. That's why I won't start stealing power now. I'd rather face not having any power than face the alternative."
Days continued to pass slowly. Owen had left her to help Xanatos for some business. But Grace was glad to have some time away from him and his attempts to pressure her to steal energy. Grace looked down at the straps binding her wrists to the bed. Closing her eyes and straining against them, she tried to pull herself free. But after a moment, she opened her eyes again. Still nothing. My power hasn't come back.
Reaching to the table just beside the bed, she could just touch a remote and clicked the button for the tv. It flickered on, and a news reporter stood in from of court house talking about a case against OtherEarth, Inc.
"Although serious allegations have been raised against the Off-World Agency and OtherEarth, Inc., many here today doubt that the charges will stand in light of there being no evidence to support the claims of the protesters."
Thinking back to her dream, Grace closed her eyes again and concentrated. If I'm not alone, I need your help. Please, can you hear me?
Such thoughts passed through her head repeatedly as she lay on the bed alone in the at basement with the sound and light from the tv running in the background.
Suddenly, Grace felt movement, and she opened her eyes to see a strap being unfastened around her right hand. After a moment, that hand was free, and she could undo the other restraints on her own.
She looked back at the tv, and thought, I have to face this if this is ever going to end.
Back in Anaheim, the ducks were also watching another new update about the trial that was released a few days later. Wildwing activated his com when he noticed an incoming call from Xanatos.
"Is anyone buying the charges against OtherEarth, Inc.?" he asked, hoping for good news.
"It's going to be difficult to convince them, but that's not why I called. I had Owen keeping an eye on Grace until I had to call him away briefly to help me with this legal business, but while he was gone, she escaped."
"Escaped? Were you keeping her locked up?" Wildwing asked as his tone grew more critical.
"She was very weak at first. We were just trying to help her recover, and then it didn't seem safe to let her leave with all of this going on."
"How long has she been gone?"
"Our security footage caught her leaving just a few hours before Owen returned to the location. But that's been more than a day now, and we haven't been able to find her."
"She isn't here, if that's what you're asking. Although if she comes here, you're mistaken if you think we're just going to hand her over to you."
"That's not my concern. We're not sure how she got out of her restraints, but she hadn't regained her power yet when Owen last checked. I am concerned she may be planning something rather foolish."
Wildwing glanced back at his teammates watching the report on the court case on the other side of the room.
"You think…?"
Xanatos nodded.
"That she is going to the trial, yes."
Wildwing closed his com a few minutes later once their conversation was finished, and he walked back to his teammates. Tanya, Mallory, and Grin were all still feeling rather weak from the attack during the hockey game. They leaned back against the couches as if they didn't have the energy to do much else. He, Nosedive, and Duke were dealing with some headaches and weariness, but they hadn't been hit quite as hard.
"That was Xanatos," Wildwing told them as he sat down beside his brother.
Duke lowered the volume on the tv.
"Grace left the secure hiding place where Xanatos had taken her. And he afraid she's planning to show up at the trial."
"Why would she do that?" Nosedive asked skeptically. "They'll just try to arrest her."
"Well, Xanatos doesn't think the case against OtherEarth, Inc. is going well. And while it's true that people might ignore Grace's testimony, she's the only one who can really testify against them."
Inside a courtroom in New Haven, the gallery was filled with an audience as on the prosecution side, Xanatos sat with his lawyers at one table while Roy McNabb from the Off-World Agency say with his defense lawyer at the other table. A bailiff called the court to order for the fourth day in a long trial and Judge Larrick entered the courtroom.
"I understand that the defense wishes to call a witness," the judge said.
Mr. Tompson, the main defense lawyer for Off-World Agency, rose from the table.
"We do your honor. We call Vivian Rykks to the stand."
Vivian entered, and the bailiff asked her if she swore to tell the truth.
"I do," she said raising a gloved hand, and then she took her seat.
"Miss Rykks, how long have you worked at OtherEarth, Inc.?"
"Five years."
"And what do you do there?"
"I offer healing services to our customers."
"You've helped many people from our world, including someone who's here today. Is that right?"
Vivian turned her glance to Xanatos.
"Yes, David Xanatos paid for my service in healing him and his family. And I did all that I could to help him."
Xanatos' gaze narrowed as he watched her.
"Where does your healing power come from?" Tompson asked.
"After living in this world, I, and others like me, learned how to generate it," Vivian said.
"You don't steal it from people in our world?"
"No, of course not."
"Does any share of the profits from OtherEarth, Inc. fund the Off-World Agency?"
"No. That would be inappropriate since they are exist to monitor our work."
"And how does the Off-World Agency monitor you and your coworkers?"
"They regularly visit our facility and interview our customers as well as those of us who work there. Sometimes they'll ask for additional information if any questions arise, and we always comply."
"Miss Rykks, I notice you are wearing gloves that cover your wrists and much of your arms. Would you remove them please?"
She did so, and he motioned for her to raise her arms for the jury, which she did. There was a gasp as people caught sight of the damaged skin on her arms.
"How did you get such injuries, Miss Rykks?"
"I was attacked by the monster Xanatos is hiding," Vivian said bitterly.
"You're certain this thing is in Mr. Xanatos' keeping?"
Xanatos' lead lawyer stood up at once.
"Objection, your honor. Mr. Xanatos is not on trial, nor is the person being raised in questions. This trial is about any negligence or over-stepping that the Off-World Agency is at fault for."
"Sustained," the judge said. "However, that does not mean that Mr. Xanatos will not be on trial in the future."
The prosecuting lawyer took his seat as Mr. Tompson returned to questioning Vivian.
"So the purpose of the Off-World Agency is to monitor the business of OtherEarth, Inc. Would you say that the Agency succeeds in doing this, Miss Rykks?"
"Yes."
"Does the Agency serve any other purposes?"
"To keep dangerous outsiders from our world off the streets where they can harm others," she said coldly.
"To your knowledge, have they been hindered from doing that?"
"Very much so. That is why I have been injured and Chase Farrows is dead."
One of the members of the audience suddenly rose and removed a coat and hat. Vivian's eyes widened.
"Careful, you're under oath, Vivian. That means they should be hearing the real reason you have those marks on your arms."
The judge banged his gavel.
"Order! No interruptions!"
But as the speaker stepped forward, it became more obvious that she was an outsider.
"Your honor, you might as well declare this whole thing a mistrial. It's not the Agency, or OtherEarth, Inc., or even Mr. Xanatos who's on trial. I'm the one this is really about."
Grace moved before the court and stopped as the bailiff rose to stand between her and the judge.
"It is her, the fugitive!" Roy McNabb confirmed as he stood up warily. "Call for the guards! Get everyone out!"
People started to rise in fear, but the judge banged his gavel again. And glancing at Vivian's pale face, the judge turned back to Grace.
"If you are the one they've been looking for, why would you interrupt this trial?"
"I'm not here to hurt anyone," Grace said holding her hands down and in front of her as if waiting to be handcuffed. "After the incident with the agency's device outside the Pittsburgh hockey stadium, I've lost my powers. Let McNabb check if he wants."
McNabb drew out a device and used it to scan her, but the reading came back negative. There was no sign of power at all though he tapped and shook the device.
"I don't want to be seized by the Agency and executed as others like me have been with no chance to defend themselves," Grace said. "If everyone else can be put on trial, why not me?"
The judge considered that for a moment before saying,
"Technically, that is not in my power to decide. The Off-World Agency has jurisdiction over all of those from your world."
"But their right to that jurisdiction is in question," Grace said. "That's what this trial that I've interrupted is about. So with such a matter still awaiting your ruling, I think you do have the right to decide whether I am taken into police custody or the custody of the Off-World Agency."
The judge nodded.
"Very well, I declare a recess for the current trial. And what is your name?"
"Grace Elloch."
"Bailiff, take Miss Elloch into custody. She will await further decisions under police supervision."
In a meeting room beside the courtroom, McNabb brought his fist down upon a table.
"This cannot be allowed! That thing has already caused too much destruction."
"That destruction was caused by your device," Xanatos said coolly.
"The device was only to be used to destroy her … instead she turned it into a bomb," McNabb argued.
Judge Larrick walked back into the room holding up a letter stamped with a distinguished seal.
"Enough of this debate, gentlemen. I have just received an order from my superiors to preside over the case of this outsider. They believe she must have a trial. Apparently there are several, including Mr. Xanatos, who wish to speak to her innocence."
He stepped aside and Wildwing walked through the door followed by Duke and Nosedive. McNabb's gaze narrowed as he caught sight of them.
"So, the ducks are in on this too. I will be speaking with Inspector Mulligan about his failure to incriminate you for your role in this catastrophe." And turning back the judge, he said, "It's not safe to let her have a public trial. You'll put everyone in danger by proceeding with this!"
"You scanned her powers yourself, didn't you?" the judge asked. "Anyway, enough of this has been dealt with in secret."
"The people of Anaheim and New York want answers," Wildwing insisted. "They no longer trust OtherEarth, Inc. … or your agency."
"How dare you? There is no proof except your wild accusations," McNabb insisted. "And if there was evidence of OtherEarth, Inc.'s wrongdoing, then of course our agency would have taken action."
Xanatos stepped forward.
"Mr. McNabb, trials are held to establish proof. I suggest you let us proceed, or you will be at fault for hindering the process."
The judge turned to the ducks and Xanatos.
"The trial begins tomorrow. I will have the outsider informed, so she can seek a defense lawyer."
"No need, your honor," Xanatos said. "My lawyers will be representing Miss Elloch."
"Your honor, may we speak with her?" Wildwing asked quickly.
"Briefly, and under the observations of guards," the judge agreed.
Grace was led out of a cell to a chair at a table in a private room. The guard bound her to the heavy table with a chain, and then another guard opened a door, and the three ducks entered. But the first guard raised his hand to keep them from coming too close, and they sat down in chairs on the far side of the table.
Their eyes widened with surprise and sympathy as they saw lines of weariness in her face and dark circles around her eyes. Her skin looked even more pale than usual, and it looked as though she had lost weight.
"I know. I've looked better," she said with a soft smile.
"You shouldn't have come out of hiding," Wildwing said, shaking his head. "You still haven't recovered your strength or your powers, have you?"
Grace shook her head.
"But I had enough strength to do this. And you know I had to. They were never going to listen if I couldn't show them that I wasn't the monster they were searching for."
"Are they feeding you here?" Duke asked. "Have they hurt you?"
"It's not them," Grace said, looking up at the guard beside her. "I've just had trouble eating since that night of the attack. I don't think my body believes it should still be alive."
Nosedive watched her with a worried glance.
"Isn't there anything we can do?"
"You're doing it," Grace assured him. "I wanted to see you again, and here you are. But if things go badly tomorrow, you must be careful. I don't want to see you get hurt."
"Grace, Xanatos said he still thinks there's a way for you to regain your power," Wildwing said.
Her gaze took on a hard edge with a cold light.
"No, don't even mention it. I will not hear it from you too."
Wildwing sighed and then closed his beak. Grace saw their desire to help her, and she softened again.
"Trust me one more time," she urged. "I am certain about what must be done."
Duke nodded.
"You've always got our trust, sweetheart."
In a hotel suite not far from the courtroom, Vivian and several of her colleagues from OtherEarth, Inc. sat together considering the new developments in court.
"If that fool has lost her powers, she won't be able to stand in our way anymore," one of them said.
"She could still ruin much by her questioning in court. If would have been better for us had she never dared to reveal herself," Vivian said as she paced around the room.
"You think they will listen to her?"
"Some might. Any questions or doubts cast against us is a victory for her. Our goal was to keep the attention, the hunt, on her as an elusive and dangerous fugitive, but now she's welcoming the spotlight."
"So what if things don't go our way tomorrow?"
Vivian stopped pacing and her expression hardened as a look of malice appeared in her eyes.
"The court has agreed to let Grace Elloch take the stand for questioning. The defense will ask questions first."
Grace followed the bailiff and took an oath to tell the truth. Xanatos' lead lawyer asked her questions to establish her identity and how she sought to try to help others. When he was finished, the prosecutor rose to take his turn.
"Miss Elloch, you claim that you remained in hiding only to help defend those from our world from the theft of energy committed by OtherEarth, Inc. Is that right?"
"I had some wish to preserve my own life as well," Grace admitted.
"Ah, yes, you claim you have knowledge of executions committed by the Off-World Agency. But I would remind the court that these claims have not yet been proven."
"If the Agency wishes to disprove them, have them produce the ones they took prisoner," Grace said coldly, and she turned her gaze to McNabb. "Where are Alex Farnoy and Jane Arnost if you didn't kill them?"
"Miss Elloch, this trial is about you now, remember?" Judge Larrick said.
"Yes, your honor. I merely wish to point out that I had reasons not to trust the Agency."
"Back to your claims about OtherEarth, Inc.," the prosecutor said. "How do we know it was not you causing the illness that beset Anaheim and New York? Even if you don't have the power now, you once did."
Grace listened quietly without speaking.
"How do we know that you did not create a problem that it appeared only you could solve, so as to make yourself indispensable to the Mighty Ducks … or the gargoyles, - and so you could continue to operate outside of the Agency's authority?"
"That is a good question," Grace admitted. "But if that is what I did, tell me this, why am I not profiting more from it? If all I received in return for helping the ducks and the gargoyles was protection, why didn't I just stay in hiding? I allowed the ducks to run tests on my powers, and I turned myself over to you as a prisoner. I am trying to be honest and open with all of you."
Grace nodded towards Vivian and the other outsiders with her.
"Those are the thieves you are looking for. And what tests or demands have you made of them? Do you even care that they demand millions for services that don't even last?"
"These questions are about you!" the prosecutor insisted, trying to get back to his point.
"There is nothing more for me to tell you about myself," Grace said with a firm tone. "But if you don't listen to what I have to say about those self-satisfied leeches, there will be nothing left of your world by the time they have finished draining it."
"All we have to condemn OtherEarth, Inc. is your word, and that's not good enough," the prosecutor argued.
"Then don't take my word for it," Grace said. "But test them yourselves. I can promise you that the Agency hasn't been doing enough to ensure your safety."
She turned and looked at the judge.
"Order the tests to be run, and you can do what you like with me."
The prosecutor was about to speak again, but the judge halted him. Grace could see that Judge Larrick was truly considering her words.
But Vivian stood up from the crowd in the court room and several others stood with her. The judge suddenly slumped in his chair, and several others in the courtroom began to fall to the ground. McNabb struggled to remain on his knees as he gaped in surprise at Vivian.
"What is this?"
"You failed us," she said coldly. "It appears we'll have to take control of this world by force."
Grace rose from the stand and hurried over to Xanatos and the ducks, who were also suffering under the attack.
"Stop this, Vivian!" she shouted. "You won't win this way. They'll have to destroy you when they learn about this."
"They can't stop us if we take control of things first," Vivian scoffed. "And now that you cannot stand in our way, no one can."
Grace faced her with a solemn gaze.
"This is your last warning, Vivian. Stop this …before action is taken against you."
Vivian glared at her and turned to Golott.
"Blast her."
But as Golott stepped forward, the walls of the courtroom began to crumble and the ceiling and roof was stripped away. As the park outside the courthouse was revealed, Vivian saw several figures standing around the exterior of the building.
"I thought I was the last," Grace said. "But there were others in hiding, like me. I saw them in a dream, and they reached out to me while I was injured. I knew they would come forward if only someone was willing to pave the way for them. And now that you've revealed yourselves, they don't have to hide in fear anymore. Everyone will know that you are the enemy, not us."
Golott backed down, but Vivian scowled and raised her hand towards Xanatos and the ducks. They groaned and fell all the way to the floor.
"Tell them to leave, or I'll kill him and all of the rest of these fools," Vivian said.
Grace clenched her fists, but she closed her eyes. The others standing around the courthouse began to step back slowly, but with rapid speed, a beam of light streaked over the ground and struck Grace.
When she opened her eyes, her eyes were blazing with light, and suddenly more beams from outside raced inside towards her. Grace raised her hands and cords of light shot out them and wrapped around Vivian, Golott, and their companions.
"If you can only wield power to harm others, then you must lose that power," Grace said.
The cords grew brighter as Vivian and the others from OtherEarth, Inc. cried out in anger, but in another moment, they vanished, and pieces of light floated down upon the ducks and the other victims in the courthouse. They began to recover and sit up slowly before rising to their feet.
Vivian and Golott had dropped to their knees as they looked at their hands.
"What have you done?!" Vivian shouted angrily.
"Spared your lives, but never again can you take power from others," Grace said as she helped the ducks and Xanatos up.
"And your power is back?" Xanatos asked.
Grace gestured to the outsiders standing beyond the courtroom.
"They gave it back to me as I promised to speak for them. You see, I didn't have to take it from your world after all."
Duke looked carefully at her face and smiled.
"You got your color back, kid. You look like your old self."
Grace stretched her arms and opened and closed her hands.
"Yes, I feel whole again. I'm healed, and now we're going to heal your world."
