Part 2

Voodoo's heart sank. The club was gone. The few people she had made any connection with in her current life were probably dead. The only person in the world she had right now was a masked stranger. He had come in, guns blazing, and taken her away. They had been driving for a while but with all that had happened she wasn't sure if she could accurately judge time. She didn't recognize the area but deduced it must be outside D.C. They slowed down as he drove through an area that was dark and seedy. All night pool halls, party stores with barred store fronts and run down motels dotted the roadside. The Grifter pulled the bike into the gravel parking lot of a motel. The neon sign announcing vacancies gave it a dated appearance. He parked his bike next to a similar one. She had no idea of his intentions. They were at the center of the complex, vending machines for soda and snacks cast a faint glow on the opening between two dilapidated stucco buildings. She could see thick green privacy curtains pulled shut in the single large window on the front of the room. She glanced around nervously.

"Damn, I need a cigarette," Grifter said wearily. He pulled off the mask. She looked back at her rescuer who was feeling around in the pockets of his leather jacket. She sized him up again. He looked young, late 20's early 30's, and broad shouldered. He was good looking in a very traditional and masculine way, possessing a strong jawline and piercing pale blue eyes. He towered over her at several inches over six feet tall. She had felt strange being in such close proximity to a stranger outside the relative safety of the club. He was well muscled and heavily armed. She had felt the traces of a six pack through the thin material of his shirt along with the outlines of several weapons holstered around his body.

As the adrenaline wore off she was getting increasingly colder. The mini dress and boots she was wearing exposed far too much skin for this time of year. The night had chilly breeze and she shivered involuntarily. Voodoo was thankful she hadn't gotten further into her act when things had gone down. Grifter was still distracted at this point, barely acknowledging her presence. He finally located the stray key card in his other pocket. The paint was peeling on the door and the room number was marked with a reflective number intended for mailboxes. Her heart started to pound at the prospect of following this man into a motel room. Good deeds were rarely free. She learned a long time ago men usually expected something when they helped a girl out. She should never have followed him this far. Her instincts were telling her very little. With a swipe of the card the door unlocked. The hinges squeaked as the door swung open. She looked up at him with uneasiness growing in the pit of her stomach. He gestured that she go first. She placed one foot in front of the other and he pulled the door closed behind them.

"You have done well, Cole."

The voice that met Voodoo's ears was female. Her head jerked in the direction of the sound. The woman speaking was a six foot tall platinum blonde. She was standing by a worn and flimsy table in the corner of the room staring at the screen of a laptop. She was unusually well toned, with miles of leg wrapped in tight red spandex. Her hair was pulled back sharply. This woman had a commanding presence but her demeanor didn't seem threatening. She looked to be about the same age as the man who had taken her here. Her face was a collection of sharp features but with a classic, natural beauty. The woman's eyes were light blue like Voodoo's and were very striking against her light complexion and full red lips. She sized up this woman's body, a habit she had picked up in the club. Her frame was lean and muscular but with defined hips and large breasts. She didn't have the body of a dancer. Everything was too hard for most of the men who would frequent the club. This was the body of a gymnast or a martial artist.

Grifter was peering out the window.

"I could have used some back up when those Cabal goons showed up. Where the hell were you?"

"I was only a few minutes behind you after I dealt with the Troika. I saw you had completed your objective so I figured I would rendezvous with you here."

"Well next time drop me a text. I guess you owe me one since I pulled this gig off solo."

"I'll take it off your tab. It looked like you left just in time. There was a group teleporting in as we departed." The woman turned to Voodoo. "You are Priscilla Kitaen, correct?"

"Uh, yeah. How do you know my real name?"

"You are the Gifted One we have been seeking. My name is Zealot. The man who brought you here is called Grifter."

"You can just call me Cole. That code name bullshit gets kinda old after a while."

"You have great power.. I can see it in you. Tonight your attempted kidnapping was a power struggle. Opposing forces were after you because of powers you possess. You may be the key to turning the tide of a war that has raged for millenia."

"This sounds crazy. What power? What do you mean?"

"If it's so crazy why were highly trained agents of a criminal organization dispatched to kidnap you?"

"Look, how do I know that you guys aren't the criminals? How do I know I can trust you? What are you going to do with me? "

"You don't have an option. I will explain more in the morning but we must leave very early. Why don't you try and get some rest. There's some clothes on the bed. We want to keep you safe, and hopefully you will agree to help us."

"It's not like I have a choice," she replied bitterly. It was false bravado, her words were strong but she was shaking as she walked to the bed laid out with her clothes. Zealot returned to what she was doing but Grifter felt pity for the poor girl. She looked overwhelmed and about ready to cry as she stroked the soft fabric in her hands. The bed dipped as Grifter sat next to her.

"Pris...I know this seems like a lot. I know you have very little reason to believe Zealot. I know what it's like. When Zealot asked me to join her I thought she was crazy. She told me I had great potential. She told me she could help me. I was almost at the end of my rope and instead of taking her offer I left. 'You help me, I help you.' Uncle Sam gave me that same offer and it didn't work out so well. Three months later these Daemonites have me cornered. I think my number is up. My back is against the wall. It's over. I'm about to go down in a blaze of glory. Suddenly I hear the sound of flesh on steel. I look up and Zealot's standing over these dead Daemonites. She saved my life. I took her offer that time and she made good on her word."

"So what is this? Good cop, bad cop now?"

"Look, just give us a chance. If you don't trust Zealot, remember I won't let anything happen to you." He smiled at her before walking back towards Zealot.

Voodoo felt so alone. She was a prisoner. She had nowhere to run. She also had no idea what a "Daemonite" was. After the incident tonight she had no desire to return to D.C. She was estranged from her family. She had no close friends other than the girls at the club. She glanced at her captors as they conversed in hushed tones in the opposite corner. She had the bed furthest form the door. There was a second bed and a pathetic excuse for a couch in the entry. She strained to hear their conversation but couldn't understand them.

Grifter stared at the cigarette pack in his hand as he spoke to Zealot.

"This was a risky maneuver, Z. We are going to be target number one of the Cabal as long as we have her with us."

"Don't we hold that honor already? We had no choice. She cannot fall into the wrong hands. She is young and her powers are not even fully realized."

"She's young all right..and helpless."

"I thought you liked them that way?"

"Don't do this, Z. Don't start. Giving up my bed is bad enough."

"The fold out is not to your liking?"

"What fold out? That thing was made before they invented sleepers. I'm going to wake up with a crick in my neck."

"Just take the bed. You have done well. You deserve it."

"I'd turn you down if I wasn't so beat."

"You can rest. I'll finish packing." She was about to walk away when Grifter's hand grabbed hers and squeezed.

"Goodnight," he said huskily. He looked into her eyes, searching for a flicker of feeling...a trace of intimacy.

"Goodnight," she answered turning away from his gaze. Voodoo took that opportunity to slip into the bathroom to change. As he heard the door to the bathroom click shut the Grifter stripped down to his boxers in the room. The box spring creaked loudly under the weight of his body. Fuck being a gentleman. He had worked his ass off today. He retrieved the target, he was sleeping in a bed. If Zealot wanted a place to sleep other than the couch there was still room on the mattress. It wouldn't be the first time...

When Voodoo emerged the makeup was scrubbed from her face and she wore the loose sweats that had been purchased for her. She found a glass of water next to her bed and drank it. She crawled under the covers and promptly fell into a deep sleep.

Zealot glanced over at the beds. She had finished packing up their gear. The girl was sleeping soundly now. This was no time to take chances so she had placed a mild sedative in the glass by Voodoo's bedside. She would not awaken for several hours. She stared over in the direction of her partner, Grifter. She could tell by the sound of his breathing that he was still awake. She could use a small amount of sleep. She eyed the couch hesitantly, knowing it was scratchy, squeaky and definitely not comfortable. The bed was barely better and probably a greater health hazard. She sighed and approached Grifter. She hesitated at the edge of the bed, then turned away.

Things were complicated enough as it was. She walked to the couch and lay down but sleep was more elusive than usual. They had been working for months on located the Gifted One. Now it was time to put the plan into motion and Zealot had the unfamiliar feeling of dread. She closed her eyes but with the newcomer's presence it was hard to relax. So much was going on and all according to plan so far. Something was bound to go wrong soon.

HALO Industries

"What do you mean you showed up and the girl was gone?" His team had failed on its initial mission. Jacob Marlowe was understandably upset.

"We saw the Cabal agents dead on the ground, bodies everywhere in the rubble but the girl had been taken by a masked man who took off on a motorcycle, sir." Hadrian gave just the facts. He wasn't programmed to talk back.

"Who do you think he works for? We have to find this guy!"

"He took her without harming her. He could be a mercenary. If he is we have to find her before she is sold to the highest bidder."

"Agreed. We can work on finding out who this mysterious man is. Did you get even a glimpse?"

"We arrived seconds after he had left. I wasn't even able to get a license plate number. We were able to get a name from the club owner. I'm not sure if it's an alias. He said the man's name is Cole Cash."

It was just before dawn when the incessant beep of the clock radio rang through the small hotel room. Voodoo looked towards the clock groggily. She couldn't seem to focus or shake off sleep. Her limbs felt like lead. Grifter was scowling. He was apparently not a fan of early mornings either. He sat on the edge of the bed for a the moment rubbing sleep from his eyes. Voodoo looked at the tattoos scattered across his arms and back. She quickly turned away when he caught her looking over at him. Zealot was already walking around the room fully awake. Voodoo swung her feet over the side of the bed and attempted to steady herself. She looked up when Grifter tossed a set of clothes at her.

"Get dressed. We've got a long ride ahead of us."

"Do I get any of the explanations I was promised?"

"Let us get you a safe distance from here where the Cabal will not find you and I promise I will answer your questions then," Zealot interceded. Voodoo was still not trusting, but went into the bathroom to change into her clothes.

Zealot changed into a leather jumpsuit for the ride ahead. As she zipped the form fitting leather on she felt eyes on her. "You've seen this a thousand times now, Cole."

"The view never gets old."

"Keep your mind on our objective. We can discuss…other matters later."

"I get the feeling we just walked into a shit storm. There won't be a dull moment for a long time."

"With us, is there ever one?"

Voodoo emerged from the bathroom in head to toe leather. Grifter was taking out his morning cigarette and eyed her up and down. Maybe they were walking into some trouble, but he could get used to running around with two ladies if they dressed this way regularly. He gestured at the cigarette pack and offered her one. She shook her head vigorously and ran her hand through her dark mane, attempting to comb it out with her fingers. Zealot left to check out of the motel. Grifter and Voodoo walked outside with their bags into the freezing early morning air.

"Do you guys have anything to eat?" Voodoo inquired. Grifter pointed to the vending machines flanking their room. She wrinkled her nose in disgust. "I can't put any of that in my body."

"Well aren't you a princess… We'll stop at our halfway point about two hours ride from here. If Z had it her way we would just drive on through but I just don't work that way."

"So is Zealot your girlfriend? Wife?"

"What? Wife? I've been running around with Zealot for a couple decades now, but married? That's just not in our dispositions. She's my partner."

"Decades? Since you were what? Twelve? How old are you anyway?"

"Look, what you need to know is Z and I are going to keep you safe. Don't get too personal too quick, kid."

Zealot returned at that moment. They loaded the small amount of gear up on the bikes. Grifter motioned that she would still be riding with him. She pulled a helmet on over her head and held on tight anticipating the jarring force of the bike's forward momentum.

HALO Industries

Jacob Marlowe paced in his office. It was still dark out but the many city lights still were illuminated outside his office's floor to ceiling windows. He had been nothing, a bum living in a haze when Void found him. Then with her guidance within two years he had become a world class businessman amassing a fortune. The next step she outlined was for him to be the savior of the human race. It was still so foreign to him. Void floated beside the window, looking out at the vast city below. "Any more visions, Void?"

"No, none of this is right. It is like the future has not yet been written. We are entering uncharted territory."

"Great, so did we screw up?"

"I do not believe that is so. I think through the butterfly effect the probable future was distorted. A power surge caused an electrical short that triggered a delay on a traffic light or even a pause of the elevator or a change in plan of the other players caused an unexpected detour to this alternate future. I relied on my visions before, but now there are no visions. No guide. We are on our own."

"Well, I guess making our own rules can't be so bad. We can just make it up as we go. Spartan is working diligently to see if we can get a lead on this Cole Cash character."

"I will keep trying to hone in on the Gifted One's bio signature. It would be a lot easier if she were not on the move. I cannot lock onto a target constantly in motion."

"We all gotta stop running sometime, Void."