Us vs Them

By: Malaizjan P.J. Shultz

One week Later…

Getting away from her husband had been hard, but after leaving Reilie with her mother and Rini with Cassidee and her Uncle Zach, she Boom Tubed to London. Meygan walked the ruins of Camelot for some time. She had a sword with her, although she wanted Excalibur. But she understood that the legendary sword could not be shown unless there was no choice.

Mordred was near the ruined throne room on her 4th circuit around the ancient palace. "You came."

"You invited me." Meygan unsheathed her sword. "Now we can finish this."

"Yes, now we can," Mordred agreed.

The two met in a flurry of sword strikes and kicks, trying to out-maneuver the other.

Meygan blocked the sword stroke from Mordred, and she countered it, hooking his leg behind the knee and taking his knee out.

Mordred send dirt at her face and as she stepped back, he got up and swung his sword at her. She blocked it and countered. He blocked that as well. The two went at it for some time, the dance pushing them deep into the land of Camelot, the ruins a cruel reminder of what once was.

Meygan jumped kicked him in the face and he fell back. She kicked Mordred's sword away from him, and aimed her own sword's tip at his throat. "I won." Meygan smiled demonically.

"Then do it. Kill me!" Mordred taunted.

"That's too good for you," she commented. But she raised her sword up slightly.

"I guess you're of two minds..."

She cut his cheek to prove she wasn't.

"If I were you, I'd reconsider killing my apprentice."

Meygan stiffened. She slowly turned around. And her eyes were red with rage.

The Master was there in his cloaked glory, but he had Rini in his clutches. His had one arm around her small body, pinning her arms to her sides. She was crying; scared out of her mind.

"Let. My. Daughter. Go." she said in a low, dangerous tone.

"Let my apprentice go. I have no need for the runt. Although her magic is delicious..." he smacked his hidden lips for emphasis.

Rini whimpered.

Meygan let Mordred up and the young man was at his Master's side. She glared with such hatred at them.

"Now on your knees."

Meygan went to her knees.

The Master stepped to her, still holding Rini to him. "Hands behind your back."

She glared at him even harder.

"Now or I drain your runt of her magic!"

Meygan did as she was told.

Mordred came to them and shackled Meygan's hands, keeping them behind her back.

"Now...I think this is a suitable position for my newest apprentice." The Master let Rini go. She fell to the ground, and then ran to her mother. She was terrified for her mother.

Mordred took Meygan's chin into his hand and forced her to look at him. "Yes, she will be."

Meygan spat in Mordred's face.

He slapped her hard and she fell against the ground.

"Mommy!" Rini was right at her mother's side.

"Move runt!" Mordred pushed her away.

Rini fell against a tree trunk. But she looked at Mordred angrily.

The Master picked Meygan up by her shoulder. "Now swear your loyalty to me or Mordred gets to play with your runt."

"Mommy...let me kick them hard."

"No Rini. I want that all to myself. You stay quiet."

"Ok Mommy."

"Go blow yourself."

The Master struck her face as he tightened his grip on her shoulder.

Mordred grabbed Rini's arm.

A shot rang out.

A bullet tore through Mordred's arm and he cried out, letting Rini go.

Rini ran behind the tree.

More bullets rang out and three nailed the Master. He was forced to let go of Meygan.

Red Hood leaped from a tree, and he just cut loose with his guns.

The Master knew he had to go. So he and Mordred left in a fog, leaving the girls behind.

Jason ran to Meygan and shot off her shackles. Rini ran to her mom and the two hugged.

"You ok?" Jason asked Meygan.

"I am now," Meygan said.

"Thank you, Uncle Jason," Rini said softly.

"Thank you for staying in contact, Candy Cane."

"Wait...You used Rini as bait?!" Meygan cried; her eyes a faint red at the thought of Jason using Rini as bait.

"No, but she contacted me when she was in trouble."

"And you just happen to be in the neighborhood?"

"You didn't even notice that I was tracking you."

Meygan held Rini in one arm and hugged Jason with the other. "Thanks."

Jason hugged them both, knowing that the Master was Zach. He had been the one babysitting her.

And Zach finally made a mistake.

"Let's get you two home," Jason said, taking off his jacket and putting it around Rini, making her giggle. Jason opened a tube and the three walked through it.

The first generation team, along with the older kids of the second generation, were frantic when they found out that Rini and Zach had gone missing. Kevin was holding Reilie while Serenity was trying her best to track her brother's magic, but for some reason she couldn't find him at all. Areina and Orin's twins had been visiting with Dick, so he kept them entertained.

"I'm going to check his house," Areina said.

"Go. I'll find Cassidee," Mathen said. "She was in Metropolis shopping last I talked to her."

"I'll go with," Olivia said. The two took a boom tube to Metropolis.

Orin was right behind his wife when another boom tube opened and Meygan and Rini returned, with Jason right behind them.

"Meygan! Rini!" Kevin ran to them with Reilie and he hugged them both. "What happened?!"

Meygan let out a sigh; she knew she had to explain. "Mordred challenged me to a wizard's duel. I accepted, but the Master was there with Rini. I surrendered to him."

"And I showed up, guns blazing. I nailed both those fu-um I nailed them both," Jason finished.

"Uncle Jason did it without cussing even once," Rini said; a smile on her face.

"Really?" Kevin said, surprised.

Rini nodded, and everyone looked at Jason with shock on their faces.

"What? I don't have to swear you know."

"But it's not in your nature to hold back when you speak," Serenity said.

"Where's Zach?" Areina asked.

Rini shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. Uncle Zach said he had to go to the basement and I watched TV. Then this hand grabbed my arm and pulled me off the rug. Then I saw Mommy beat Mordred silly!"

Areina looked at Zach's home. "Orin, with me!"

"Right honey." Orin said, and the two took off to Zach's house.

Jason smirked, knowing that Zach's secret was going to come out.

Rini went to Jason and hugged him. "Thank you Uncle Jason," she said in her small voice.

"Anytime Candy Cane." Jason said as he hugged her back.

Just then, the twins came running out of the house. "Uncle Jason, you found Rini!" Bruce said; happy to see his cousin was safe.

"Hi!" Rini flew to Bruce and Jason, and all the while holding onto her Uncle Jason's jacket.

"I'm not going to get my favorite jacket back, am I?" Jason said out loud.

"You can," Rini said. She released her hold on his jacket. "Can I have the grenade?"

Everyone glared at Jason.

"NO." Kevin and Meygan said at the same time.

"Your parents are right." Jason took back his jacket and put it on.

Rini pouted at Jason, and all the Graysons present laughed.

"Ok. When I'm older?" she asked. "Like 15?"

Jason sighed. "Maybe."

Just then, Areina and Orin came walking back to the group, and Zach was between them, he looked like hell.

Jason's jaw dropped.

Meygan's eyes widened. She knew her Uncle Jason had been right. But there was no blood falling from him.

"Zach!" Serenity ran to her brother. "What happened?!"

"The Master...he waited till I was away from Rini then beat the crap out of me till I was unconscious."

"This guy's mean, he needs to pay." Bruce said.

"I agree," Zach said.

"Let me heal you, Uncle Zach." Molly said as she walked up to him.

"It's ok...Is Rini ok?" He asked.

"I am."

"I can feel that you're really hurt Uncle Zach." Molly said.

"Meygan needs it more." Zach said.

Jason folded his arms. He wasn't buying this. "I shot the Master three times and Mordred once. Why don't you let Molly heal you?"

"I will be fine with a little rest, but Meygan looks like she took a beating."

"I can't be healed by Molly," Meygan said.

"Even though you and Mona are no longer together as one?" Zach asked.

Serenity eyed Jason. His whole body language said that he was accusing her brother of conspiring with the Master.

"Yes. My demon powers can heal me."

"So let Molly heal you." Jason stated.

"Very well. If you don't mind, privately."

"No, here." Meygan said; she wasn't very trusting of her uncle right now, and she wasn't going to let him be alone with Molly.

"Ok then." Zach agreed.

Molly started to heal her uncle and as her golden glow transferred to him, she instantly stopped. "I don't believe it...Uncle Zach has three bullet wounds."

"I freakin knew it...you were avoiding the discovery." Jason said as he pulled out his guns.

"Zach. EXPLAIN YOURSELF." Serenity said. Her voice had a tone to it no one ever heard before.

"I...I don't know...how..." he said and he looked utterly confused.

"I had a feeling since the kids were just six months old." Jason said. He still had his guns out and ready to fire if Zach tried anything.

"Meht ezeerf." Zach said, and the entire group was frozen in place. He stood up, smiling. "Thanks for healing me, little healer. Meht ezeerfnu neht sdnim reiht morf ytitnedi eurt ym esarE." Zach said. With that, a strange glow covered the people in front of him then suddenly, they were all free.

Meygan shook her head. "I've got a headache."

"We don't hon," Serenity said. Everyone else agreed.

"Uncle Zach?" Molly asked.

"What's wrong?" Zach asked back.

"I...don't know. I healed you, right?"

"Yes, thank you; I feel 100% now." Zach answered; relieved that no one remembered what just happened.

Meygan eyed him though. Something felt wrong, but Raven was visiting in the morning. She could have her check out her head. "I'm really tired. I better get the girls to bed." Meygan picked up Rini and took Reilie from her husband.

"Yea, the boys had a hard day and it's way past their bedtime." Areina said as she picked up Jason and Orin picked up Bruce.

"Night girls," Zach said. He couldn't believe he just got away with wiping their minds.

"Night Uncle Zach." Meygan and Areina said.

Serenity hugged her brother. "Night Zach. Invest in some magic-enhanced locks, alright."

"I'm going to have to now." Zach said; a laugh in his voice within his ruse.

Jason still suspected Zach. But he headed off to his own house. Someday he would prove it. Too bad it wasn't tonight.

Zach watched everyone go to their homes. He got away with his secret intact.

Luckily...

The following day, Mathen and Olivia were sparring on the beach, as Serenity took the kids to London.

Olivia swept Mathen's legs from him. As Mathen fell on his butt, Olivia jumped him.

Mathen had his breath rushed from him and when he opened his eyes, her blue eyes stared at him.

Both were breathing heavy...

"Ow," Mathen said with a grin.

"Sorry," she said.

"Awww, did I hurt the big bad Nightwing II." Olivia said as she smiled back at her boyfriend/sparring partner.

Mathen pulled Olivia's head down and kissed her.

Olivia was shocked...then she gave him control. She moved against him.

Mathen's control was shattered... he rolled her beneath him and just kissed her breathlessly...

"Mathen?" Vincent was making his way to the beach.

Mathen and Olivia didn't hear him.

Vincent then turned at the tree...and stopped. "Oh!..." The archer did an about face and ran back to his house.

He so didn't need to see any missing shirts...

Mathen pulled Olivia's shirt off.

Their comm links went off.

"DAMN IT!"

Olivia laughed as Mathen calmed himself before answering... "Nightwing here."

"It's Raven."

"Aunt Raven?"

Olivia moved off of Mathen as he sat up.

"I need to see you and Olivia. Someone has messed with Jason's memories. So far, it's him and Robin. I need to check you and your girlfriend."

"Um...sure? I'll be there in 20." Mathen hung up.

"What is it?"

"Raven wants us."

"What for?"

"She thinks our memories were messed with. But she needs to be sure."

"Messed with?! How?!" Olivia cried...

"She didn't say. Let's go. I'd like to get back to...sparring."

"Ooo...Liv...you are bad..."

"But..." Mathen said as his hormones were raging. He sighed.

Why did the universe hate him?