William stood in the library seething in anger. Once again his plans had been thwarted by the super heroed study group. He didn't understand how this had happened. He had watched the news and no news crews had shown up until the building started collapsing. There was no way they should have known about this until Laybourne was dead and they were too late. But somehow they had been able to stop him.
He was always prepared. He always thought out every scenario until he had complete control over what would happen. But lately he had to admit to himself that he was slipping. First Pierce escaped right under his nose and now this. The future vision spell he had cast showed Laybourne being killed and that leading to all the city's vigilantes being hunted down and imprisoned. It was fated to happen. And yet that wasn't the outcome of tonight.
He held Osbourne's book as he stared at it. The book had given him great power and even greater insight then even he had imagined it would. But that nagging fear of him losing it still hung in his mind. That's it, he thought. He was so worried about losing the book that it was affecting his spell casting and judgment. He had to figure out a way to ensure that the power of that book never left him. Pierce should have told him how to bind it to him. But instead he mocked him by telling him…
Just then William paused as he remembered Pierce's words. "Why don't you try eating it?" At the time he took it as just an insult. But now…
As William held the book and concentrated it glowed with crackling red energy. As he brought the book towards his face the energy began to elongate his mouth, like a snake unhinging its jaw. He slowly pushed the book into his engorged mouth. Once he had it completely inside him he felt it dissolve completely into energy. He took a big swallow and it completely dissolved into him.
For a moment he stood there immensely proud of his accomplishment. But then he felt a violent spasm hit him. His body gave out another shutter as sweat ran down his face. Breathing hard he fell to the ground as his entire body was wracked with pain. He looked at his hands as they began to glow with a weird light.
Holding himself tightly he willed himself to control the power within. After several moments his body relaxed as the tremors and pain subsided. But rather than feeling relived William was apprehensive. Somehow he knew this was not the end of his suffering, but rather just the beginning.
I've made a mistake, William gravely thought. The power from that book was too great to contain in a carcass of flesh. It would continue to build within him until it destroyed him.
As William took a deep breath to calm himself he knew what he had to do. Before he simply wanted the dimensional powers to become an all powerful supreme being. But now he would need to obtain them to ensure his own survival. As he rose he began to form a plan on how to best go about it.
He wouldn't send them both out. While the chance of both of them being killed was next to impossible, it was still a possibility. He would send only one out, while the other was kept here.
"ANNIE! GET IN HERE!" Evil Annie came into the room, wearing her usual black dress and holding her bandaged side. Willing his body not to spasm William handed her three stoppered viles; one full of a grey potion, one full of a clear potion, and the last one filled with a black potion. "Listen carefully and do exactly what I am about to tell you."
XXXXXXXXXXXX
Jeff didn't even try hiding his tears as he sat in Abed and Shirley's living room. Not that it mattered since everyone else was equally upset. Shirley and Troy were loudly sobbing, while Pierce's face was etched in sadness. Rather than make any pop culture observations Abed had barely said anything. Instead he sat next to Shirley rubbing her back while his eyes clearly gave away how pained he was by the loss of their friend.
So far neither the news nor the police scanner had made any mention of Britta's death or finding her body. Besides them the only one who knew about Britta's death was Chang. Abed had told him what happened and asked him to watch over Aaron for the night. When Chang came to pick up the child he was surprisingly respectful, and actually listened when Abed told him in no uncertain terms that he was not to say anything to Aaron until after his parents spoke to him in the morning.
Jeff got up and went over to Annie, who was sitting in the corner with her knees drawn into her. While her eyes were red and puffy she wasn't crying at the moment. He sat down next to her and just sat there, looking off into nothing. It took Jeff several moments to even register that Annie had put her arm around him and pulled him into her.
He felt her wipe his tears away with her fingers as he shook with emotion. "I shouldn't have given her so much crap. I was always giving her digs and insulting her. And now…"
"Jeff, look at me." Jeff turned to Annie and looked at her. Although she too was shaking she appeared far calmer then he did right now. "She loved you. And she was well aware that you loved her too. You two were like siblings. You fought and bickered but both clearly loved each other in spite of it."
As she rubbed her hands together (which had been healed by Abed's Essence of Dittany solution) a cloudlike ball of light flew into the room. As it stretched to the length of a television screen Evil Annie's face appeared on it. 'By now you must know that your world's Britta is dead and that I am the cause. This continued battle with your world's counterparts is both exhausting and unproductive. So I speak directly to the Annie of this world. Meet me in front of Harmon plaza within a half hour. Come alone and we can finally finish this. Within a half hour.' With that the cloud image compressed and completely disappeared.
They all looked at each other in shock before Jeff stood up. "Screw that." He marched over to Abed's costume unit and opened it.
"Jeff, what are you doing?" Annie said as she marched over to him.
"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm going with you."
"I don't think…"
"What! You honestly think you're going to listen to her and go alone. That's what she wants!"
"And what if THIS is what she wants Jeff. Think about it. If she really wanted you or anyone else to come the surest way to ensure it would be to tell us to do the opposite. She's manipulating us."
"Well she is you, so you would know!"
While the remark stung she bit back her retort giving the circumstance. "Jeff, I'm telling you, she wants you or all of us there. That's why she specifically told me to come alone, so people would come with me."
"Well I don't care! I am not going to let you face her by yourself!"
"It's not your choice to make!"
"So what, you're going to physically stop me!"
Annie's eyes blazed in rage over Jeff actually mocking her super strength over this."YOU ASSHOLE SON OF A-."
"ENOGHT!" Instantly they were silenced as Troy rose up from the couch. "THIS IS NOT THE TIME FOR YOUR FIGHTING!"
As they all looked at Troy in shock over his outburst Shirley cleared her throat, giving both Jeff and Annie a look that could kill. "Both of you are too emotional about this, so I'm making the decision for you. I am going to Harmon plaza to face that bitch, and ANYONE else who wants to go can join me, REGUARDLESS of what anyone else says. Are we clear?"
She waited as first Abed nodded his head. Followed by Troy, then Pierce, and finally Jeff and Annie. "Ok then. Suit up and lets go."
XXXXXXXXXXXX
The six of them walked apprehensively as they approached Harmon plaza. They kept expecting something to come leaping out at them. But so far they hadn't seen anything.
"I have a bad feeling about this." Annie nervously said.
"Cool, Star Wars." Abed almost impulsively said.
"Where is she?" Troy said as he looked around.
"Keep your eyes open. She's probably around here somewhere." Jeff said.
"You've got that right!" They all turned around as Evil Annie leaped in front of them. "You really are predictable. I'm surprised at you Annie. I would have thought you would have guessed this was my plan."
Annie kept her face blank, determined not to let Evil Annie know she had gotten her way despite Annie seeing through her ruse. "Six against one. Those are good odds in our favor."
"Well, I'll have to even them out. But first." Evil Annie pulled out the vile with the black potion and threw it at Annie. Before she could move Jeff dove in front of her, the potion exploding all over him. Instantly a black hole appeared next to him and sucked Jeff into it. Annie frantically reached for him, but he slipped from her grasp. She could only cry out as the hole took Jeff before it disappeared.
Evil Annie cackled at Annie's frantic face. "I know it, I know it would work. You two are so predictable! Try to hurt one and the other leaps in to save them. It's wonderfully pathetic."
"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM!" Annie screamed.
"Oh, Jeff's just getting a long awaited reunion with dead old dad. He really is something. Too bad you'll never meet him." With that she pulled out the two other viles and smashed them to the ground.
The ground shook as dozens of masses of concrete rose from the ground. The masses grew limbs and a head until they looked like people made of solid concrete. As they attacked the group the air around them shimmered as it seemed to solidify into a dome structure. Annie was thrown to the ground and felt herself being dragged away. She frantically tried to grab onto the ground but wasn't able to hold on. As she passed Pierce she managed to grab onto him. Holding onto him tightly they were both thrown through the solidified air wall.
Annie pulled herself up and frantically pounded on the air wall. But even with her superior strength it wouldn't break. She quickly turned around as Evil Annie laughed at her. "It's just you and me now Honey."
Seething with rage Annie leapt towards Evil Annie, ready to strike. The other woman was ready and met her head on. As they grappled with each other Annie pushed her hard into the air, jumping up to meet her. Pierce watched from the ground with apprehension and aw as both Annies punched and pummeled each other in mid air. He moved out of the way as Evil Annie threw Annie into the ground. As she fell towards her Annie pulled out her sais and managed to stab Evil Annie through the shoulder as she landed on top of her.
Before she could strike again Evil Annie jumped back, screaming as she held her bleeding wound. She raced towards Annie, who grabbed her outstretched arms and threw her back several feet. Evil Annie regained her footing as she hit the ground and waved her hands towards a nearby car, sending it flying towards Pierce. Just before it hit him Annie raced forward and pulled him out of the way, shielding him as it exploded and parts flew all around them. She had just enough time to see into the dome (Shirley kicking the head off of one of the rock men, Troy jumping out of the way as two ran at him and instead caused each other to crumble to bits, Abed using his baton to beat chunks out of one) before she and Pierce rolled out of the way of a barrage of fire balls. Tightly gripping her sais Annie appeared to be a blur as she charged at Evil Annie. But before she could reach her Annie felt herself lifted into the air. As she struggled she cried out as her legs were pulled into an excruciating split. Her eyes widened in horror as her hands tightened around her sais and her arms involuntarily moved until she was pointing her sais in front of her own chest.
"How poetic it would be if you killed yourself. You almost did it once with pills. This would just be finishing the job twelve years later. But while that would be fun to see, I have to be the one to kill you." She paused to block the chunks of debris Pierce was throwing at her. She used one hand to make Pierce rigid and unable to move while she formed a massive fireball with her other hand. Evil Annie grinned sadistically as she moved her arm back to throw it at Annie.
Just then a barrage of rapid fire pop blasts were heard, simultaneously followed by Evil Annie being riddled with bullet wounds. She didn't even have time to gasp her final words as she fell to the street. Annie dropped to the ground in a heap, quickly pulling herself up as she saw Evil Annie spit out a mouthful of blood before she died.
Annie looked at Pierce, but he was just as shocked as she was. They looked into the distance as a slender lone figure walked towards them on heavy uneven footsteps. As the person came closer Annie kept telling herself she had to be dreaming, that what she was seeing was too miraculous to be real. But as the person threw their gun down and hugged her Annie finally allowed herself to believe that the impossible was happening right now. "Britta!"
Britta didn't say a word as she held Annie for several moments, not even after Pierce rushed forward and hugged her tightly. Finally she struggled against them as air started to become an issue. "OK, need oxygen." They pulled back from her so she could breathe, but still touched her as if they were afraid she would disappear at any moment.
Annie looked at her in complete wonder. "Britta, how are you…how?"
"Well…"
XXXXXXXXXXX
Britta struggled to regain control of the car, but the gas pedal and steering wheel weren't being controlled by her. Unable to stop it, the car smashed through the guardrail and bridge and flew headfirst into the water.
She tried to unbuckle her seat belt but it was jammed. She pulled out a knife and managed to cut herself free just as the car was completely submerged underwater.
As she sat there overtaken in panic she suddenly remembered something she had seen once on television on how to survive if you're trapped in a car under water. Willing herself to become calm she took a deep breath just as the car became completely filled with water. She pushed herself out of the broken window hole and swam to the nearest tire. She unscrewed the cap and inhaled the air in the tire, taking a deep breath. She waited several moments before she took another breath from the tire. She continued to do this until she was certain Evil Annie and anyone else above her were gone.
XXXXXXXXXXXX
"Oh my god, Britta, you're incredible." Annie gasped as she hugged her friend.
"Way to go Britta. Although truthfully I never took you for someone who liked sticking things in her mouth and sucking, if you know what I mean." Pierce said.
Any other time she would have told Pierce off for that. But instead she just hugged her friend. "I think a part of me actually missed your terrible comments Pierce." She went over to the air dome and pounded on it. "Guys!"
Even through the dome Britta, Annie and Pierce could hear Shirley, Abed and Troy's cried as shock and joy at seeing Britta alive. Her presence seemed to inspire renewed energy as they fought the rock men with enthusiasm. They were destroying them, but more kept rising up to take the place of the fallen.
"Why are they trapped in here?"
"Evil Annie threw some liquid that created the dome and the rock men." Annie said.
"It must be a spell William devised. It won't break unless he lifts it or he's killed." Pierce gravely said
Annie gasped as she heard William's name, remembering what had happened just before the fight. "Jeff! He was teleported to his father."
Just then they heard something ringing on Evil Annie's body. Annie went over to her and found a cell phone in her dress pocket. She opened it and held it to her ear.
"Is she dead? Did you kill the other Annie?"
Annie's eyes widened as she looked at Pierce and Britta and mouthed 'it's Jeff's father'. She internally panicked for a moment before an insane idea came to her. "Yes, she's dead." She said, mimicking Evil Annie's contempt filled voice.
The voice on the other end was silent for several moments before it said "What part of this plan did you come up with?"
Panic coursed through Annie as she desperately tried to think. Obviously Jeff's father was unsure if she really was Evil Annie and was trying to test her. Desperately Annie tried to think about what Evil Annie could have possibly come up with. She had said she had to be the one to kill Annie. She had been happy to cause pain to all of them. She had been particularly happy when Jeff was sucked…
No, Annie thought as a sense of revelation washed over her. It wasn't Jeff being sucked into the black hole that had made Evil Annie so happy. What had made her happy was that Jeff had thrown himself in front of that glass vile. She had known he would have tried to protect Annie, so she had purposely thrown it at Annie so Jeff would block it and be hit with it instead.
"I came up with throwing the black potion at this dimension's Annie because I knew that her Jeff would throw himself in front of it."
She waited apprehensively for several moments before she heard him sigh in relief. "Ok then. It is you. Just needed to be sure. You've done well. In spite of your shortcomings you have been a faithful servant. But I have decided that ultimately Jeff will be the one I obtain the dimensional powers from. If you want to see both of their deaths, you better hurry back here."
Annie turned to Britta and Pierce as she hung up the phone. "Jeff's father has Jeff and he's going to kill him. We have to get to them."
Britta nodded as she realized where they had to be. After they all took one more look at their friends they ran to the nearest car and managed to hotwire it.
"I'll drive." Pierce said as he started getting into the driver's seat.
Britta quickly pulled him out of the seat. "I think it'll be better if I'm driving."
"This is an emergency, not some trip to the mall."
"Oh, so the guy who usually had people drive him everywhere is going to lecture me on driving."
"We're going to my home. Besides, I should drive because…"
"Because what? You're a MAN!"
"There are just certain things men do better than women."
"That is such bullshit. I'll have you know that-."
"GUYS!" They looked over and saw Annie sitting in the driver's seat. "We don't have time for this. Get in."
"Sorry Annie." They both simultaneously said as they got in the car.
They made it to Hawthorne manor in record time. After Pierce opened the gate they ran up to the house. Pierce reached up to open the door, but as soon as his hand got an inch within it he was thrown backwards.
"Pierce, are you all right?" Annie said as she helped him up.
"Something threw me."
Britta tried the door, but was also thrown on her ass before she could touch it. "It's like a force field or something."
Annie tried reaching for the door, and let out a shriek at what happened. Instead of being thrown back her arm went right through it as if it was a hologram.
"Well that's new." Pierce said as Annie pulled her arm back. She tried both arms and they both went right through the door. Pierce and Britta tried to touch it but they were simply thrown back again.
"Guys, what…" Annie said. But as they looked her she knew how this was going to work. She would have to go in alone if she was going to rescue Jeff.
"We'll be right out here." Pierce said. Annie hugged both Britta and Pierce tightly before she took a deep breath and walked right through the door.