A/N We're back to our Friday postings as usual. I hope you enjoy this one. Chapter 12 is going to be Nathan's memories- since I just LOOOOVE to write for him (he's so much fun). Remember- reviews are LOOVE!

Chapter 11- Stronger

The smell of the dew in the air when the fog stretches over the landscape always gave Private James Tucker of the United States Marine Corps a sense of homesickness. It was usually like this in southeast Texas during the fall. He was thrilled to find out that he was to go with the early morning patrol.

He certainly did not miss the sound of winter snow crunching under his feet and was looking forward to warmer weather. Iceland was nice most of the year- not at all like the name implies. It's very green here mostly, but it still has cold weather.

A smell came to his nose as he moved forward into a patch of dense fog. His senses were on high alert as he followed the scent of something burning but didn't hear the crackle of a fire. It wasn't unusual for one of the local Inuit to have a camp fire as they hunted or camped, but this smell was different than burning wood.

He moved slowly and crouched low. One of those monsters could be near as well. He listened carefully for a sign of life, but heard nothing. All he could see around him was white and hazy silhouettes of near by rocks or trees.

His foot caught on something causing him to nearly fall. He stumbled forward a few paces before he caught his balance and let out a loud curse. Trying to see what his boot had snagged, he retraced his steps as he noticed the strong scent of smoke was coming from whatever was under the black cloak at his feet. Lifting the cloak, he nearly puked. The lavender haired body of a small girl was blistered and torn. He called out for his fellow Marines to collect the body.

~0~

Kai looked at Hibiki in disbelief. She sat across from him at the bar as her expression sank further. She placed the files next to each other and responded, "I wish it wasn't true, but it looks like we were right, Dad."

He finally found his voice and his feet. The setting sun beamed through the window as he ran a hand through his grey streaked hair. "He really is her father?"

She only nodded as she felt the lump in her throat tighten. This news had already broken Kanade's heart and was going to shatter Saya's. Her voice was filled with emotion as she spoke, "I found it on Dr. Julia's desk after I had my transfusion today. When I asked her if she was going to tell us, she said that she was waiting for Hagi to be here since he's denying it still."

Kai looked at her, "Is there any way it's wrong?"

She nodded, "We won't be able to get anything more accurate without Mary Frances and Hagi both giving a sample of their DNA in a sterile environment, but Dr. Julia seemed to be convinced." She added sadly, "This is one time I wish I was wrong."

"Me too," Kai agreed as he looked out the window. It was a perfect view of Hagi playing his cello on the beach. He was further off, but Kai could still see him. "Would a man like him break that easily?" Kai wondered. "He waited for her for more than 100 years- that's a long time for any man to wait."

He turned his eyes from the window as he recalled a time just after Riku was born.

It had been a really rough night. The girls were in high spirits and refusing to go to bed, Hagi was in the US looking for another princess, George was suffering with a bad cold, Riku wouldn't stop crying, and Carrie was snapping at him for all the crap she could think of. He had to get out for a while.

He wasn't planning to be out long- just a walk to clear his thoughts. The neon sign of a nearby club caught his attention. "One drink will make me feel a bit better," he reasoned within himself.

Japanese Techno music was pounding through the speakers, causing his bones to vibrate. It did nothing to ease the stress headache he was suffering from. So many people were crowded onto the dance floor, writhing and grinding against each other, but Kai's sights were set upon the bar.

He didn't recall the bartender much more than the memory of a shock of ruby red hair and contacts that made his eyes appear the same color. Kai's thoughts were on Saya from the moment he took the first drink.

He recalled taking a shot (where it came from, he didn't know), toasting his sister, and gulping it down.

It was 5am when he woke up in the back seat of his car in a puddle of his own drool. Reeking of cigarettes and old Saki, Kai drove himself home.

His head was pounding and it didn't get any better from going home to the angry shouts and questions of his wife. Part of him was relieved that Hagi came back early from his mission to help out, but the other part could feel his unspoken accusation as he glanced at the disheveled Kai from the corner of his eye.

When Kai looked up, Hibiki was already gone to her room, leaving behind the file. He could hear Hibiki comforting her sister as she nursed her broken heart. Kai smirked as he thought of Hagi always being a hero in her eyes- ever since he showed up 26 years ago, but his smile fell as he imagined those days were now over for her.

He gave a tired breath as he grabbed his jacket and keys. There was only one person left to talk to.

~0~

The rhythmic clack clack clack of Dr. Smith's dress shoes echoed through the hallway of the facility as he made his way to Van Argiano's office. The smirk on his face caused the prominent smile lines that etched his mouth to deepen.

The doctor was feeling quite happy this morning- they had been able to isolate the enzyme in Mary Frances' blood. They now could use this same enzyme in an experiment created by his mentor- Dr. Aston Collins. The happiness danced in his brown eyes as he addressed Mr. Argiano, "Sir, I have the information requested."

Argiano turned from the screen behind him. He had been speaking to an investor in a conference call, but that could wait until he finished here. He took the file given to him and read over the information presented. "Well, it looks as if our friend has quite amazing blood," he commented. "Is she a chevalier?"

"No, but her blood does seem quite similar to that of the other documented chevaliers," he responded. "There is something about the red line that seems to be more primal and dominant. The chevaliers and the queen herself never had to use their true power to transform completely. Their blood creates very strong mice." He added under his breath, "I wouldn't mind getting a hold of the chevalier- or the younger red queen to see what their blood could do."

Argiano heard the comment and gave a smirk as he continued to skim over the document. "Don't think the idea hasn't crossed my mind as well, but you saw how much trouble we had with that princess. We would never be able to capture Hagi- all of Diva's chevaliers never could." He gave a wicked grin as he finished the file, "We could use these mice, however, to capture Kanade. They are intelligent enough to do the job."

The doctor smiled back, "Yes, but I think my next discovery will change your thought. We have found and isolated the D-base in Reyes' DNA. I have been able to replicate it and inject some into a local dog. The animal is in our laboratory."

Argiano quickly rose from his seat and followed the doctor. They knew that using human subjects could be dangerous at this point. They had a large facility, but they did not want to risk the chance that their plan might be leaked to the Red Shield.

They came to the 1 inch thick plexi-glass window. Suddenly, a muffled snarl came from the other side before a red-eyed animal slammed itself into the widow. There were spikes protruding from its spine and the paws had elongated, thick claws. The fangs had elongated, giving the creature a pre-historic looking image.

"It was a medium size dog when injected. He has grown 4 times his original size and can be injured in any way- he will heal," the doctor informed.

"Dr. Smith," Argiano asked, "how do we get this serum into humans?"

He responded coolly, "The same way Cinq Fleches did- food. Unfortunately, many governments world-wide are now very cautious about imported foods, but I have a solution." He waited as the CEO turned to him. "We create chocolate candy bars and use a local Inuit woman to pass them out under the guise that they are made by her. They will be distributed to the soldiers around here. They will ingest them and transform into mice."

"We do not need anything to cause the transformation- like Diva's singing?" he asked.

"No," the doctor answered, "the reason Cinq Fleches had to use Diva's voice was that there was something in her DNA that would not complete the transformation without her singing. I believe it is because the princesses are already half human, their DNA is more compatible to ours."

Argiano smiled at the snarling creature behind the glass. The animal growled back and bared the rest of his sharp teeth. "Do we have any theory on the rate of transformation?"

"No, sir. It needs to be tested. Even if it is only 10 percent, it will still be to our advantage. We would be turning 10 percent of our surrounding enemies against themselves."

"Indeed," he responded. "Begin the next phase of production."

Before Argiano could walk back to his office, Dr. Smith added, "We really do not need the other princesses any longer. What should we do with them?"

"You are right. There's no longer any reason we should keep them."

"Should we send them back?"

"That is a waste of money and man power. Give them the injection and they will join our fight- as mice." Argiano continued down the hall, unaware that anyone other than the doctor and a few interns heard him.

~0~

The princesses had finished their shower and were all in the same large cell, drying off and brushing their hair. It had only been two weeks, but they had come to know their new arrival pretty well.

She had come from a fatherless home- like many of the others. Her mother was a prostitute when Mary Frances was conceived and had decided that she wanted better for her daughter. Mary Reyes started The Center in 2018; a year after her daughter was born. Mary Frances had grown up among prostitutes and addicts, sometimes with children. She had seen the ugly side of life at a young age.

When her mother died in 2034, she took on the responsibility of running The Center in her mother's place. The job was a labor of love on her mother's part, but it wasn't something Mary Frances felt like she wanted to do for the rest of her life. The next year, a councilman approached her with $50,000 and the plan of purchasing the center to have it run by the city of Los Angeles. He knew Mary Frances had just turned 18 and did not want to run The Center any longer.

The young woman had a friend that was a role model to her. She spoke of Daddy Green often- he was a father to her. She gave him $5,000 for a beat up old diesel with a rusted trailer in bad condition. She scrapped the trailer and purchased a new one- shiny and black. She worked very hard, side by side with one of the diesel mechanics she knew. It took nearly a month to fix up that old cab, but it was worth it. When it was all said and done, she had a shiny black semi.

She didn't share the trouble she got mixed up in with Pappa Harlo, but she did like to constantly spout, "Dammit! I nearly had my life together when that ass showed up."

Her thoughts would constantly drift back to her sales of the parts she had pulled. Was anyone at the shop able to keep it going? How much had they made?

Kaylee was standing at the back of the cell, eavesdropping as usual. Mary Frances often wondered why she continued to do it, knowing there was little they could do stuck in this tin can.

Kaylee watched the youngest princess from a distance. The girl was given the luxury of a contact lens case and some solution. Her brows furrowed briefly as she recalled none of the other princesses having any vision problems. Mary Frances was the daughter of a different chevalier- not to mention that chevalier came from a different queen. She just shrugged and continued to overhear a conversation on the other side of the wall about chocolate bars.

Kendra noticed something completely different than Kaylee about the new arrival. "You dye your hair." It wasn't really a question, but a comment.

"Yeah," she responded as she roughed her red hair. The roots had grown a quarter of an inch of black hair under the vibrant burgundy. It was floppier than before she was taken, causing her to curse under her breath as she grabbed a brush. The other princesses could already see the waves developing in her hair. "I wish I could have some hair dye."

Kendra absently asked as her thoughts drifted to her own children at the moment, "Is your natural hair color black like your father?"

The cell went completely silent. No one had told Mary Frances that the scientists had discovered that he was her father. Many of them still didn't want to believe it.

She gave her questioner a puzzled look before she turned back to her task of brushing through her hair. "My hair is actually black."

"Your eyes- are they blue, too?" Kaylee asked.

Her brows knitted together as she recalled the steel-blue, no-nonsense eyes of the tall man she had spoken with two weeks ago. "No, my contacts are for seeing- not coloring my eyes brown." She then quickly asked, "Are you guys asking me because you think you know who my sperm donor is or because you know?"

The women looked at each other as if debating whether or not she should be told. Finally Renee spoke, "The scientists used the DNA found under your nails to compare it to your own. It proves that Hagi is your father."

Her eyes briefly became wide in surprise. "You mean that pervert in the park…"

"He's no pervert!" shouted Renee. "If it weren't for him, many of us would never know what we are. He's saved more lives than you can imagine."

She snorted, "Yeah, yeah. Does he fucking walk on water too? I don't care what he did back then, he was acting weird in the park and I defended myself."

"Did you stop to think he may have been protecting you?" Kaylee asked as she joined the group. "From what you told us, he was trying to get you away from the van before they took you."

"I don't care. If he's really my dead beat dad, where was he all those years I needed him? He wasn't there and I had to fend for myself," she snapped.

"You had your mom," Kendra observed.

Mary Frances cooled down a bit before saying, "Yeah, I had my mom."

The group was suddenly interrupted by a familiar face to all those that had been there longer than a year. He stretched his long frame against the bars as he ran a hand though his blonde, messy waves of hair. He always wore a sneaky smile and some frilly lavender shirt.

Nathan visited every 2 months in an effort to keep up with what he called "the other side of Diva's family." The princesses gathered near him on the other side of the bars to hear about how their families were doing. Mary Frances joined them out of curiosity.

"How have my daughters and sons-in-law been?" was the prominent question among them, which he calmly informed each of them what he had observed.

Shortly after the facility was built, Nathan happened to be in Iceland. He was curious about the place being built inside of a mountain. He took the form of a guard and watched over the place from time to time. When the princesses began to be collected, he realized what was happening. He visited the princesses disguised as a guard and then, while in the US, would check on their families for them. The families were all diligently looking for their lost matriarchs.

Kaylee would let him know what she had overheard and he would relay it to his only source within the Red Shield- a person no one would suspect of being a Red Shield operative since she lived in the middle of nowhere herding sheep. Monique, who had kept in touch with Mao Okimura, would then tell her.

Nathan hated dealing with a busy body like Okimura's wife, so he would secretly deal with Monique. The woman was now nearing 50, but she still looked young and smiled often. There were two orphans that came to visit her now and again with their families in tow. They often asked after Saya and Kai. Nathan told them he knew very little of either in spite of knowing that Saya was asleep in the family tomb in Okinawa.

A very tall red-head pushed her way to the bars and asked, "Who are you?"

Nathan could sense Saya's blood pulsing through the woman's veins and also her age- she was quite young compared to the others. He began to reason within himself that he must be wrong. There was only one chevalier that still lived from Saya's line and she looked so much like him. Her face was a little rounder and her eyes and hair were the wrong color, but there could be no mistake. In spite of the revelation, Nathan's expression remained shocked.

"Will everyone please stop looking at me like that?" she complained.

"So," Nathan teased, "even the placid chevalier couldn't resist some down time."

She raised an eyebrow and returned, "You're one to talk! I can feel it- you're a cheva- cheva- whatever. That means someone here is your kid too."

He raised his hands in defense, "Hold on, little girl, I bat for the other side." At her confused expression, he rolled hiss eyes and elaborated, "I thought the shirt made it obvious, Darling- I prefer men."

"You're gay?!" she asked in shock. "Why would anyone want a gay cheva…?"

"It's chevalier," he interrupted. "We may not be great for fathering the next generation, but we are the greatest shopping companions ever!" He then added in his flamboyant way, "Why would you cover up that gorgeous black hair with a ghastly burgundy? It really isn't working with your skin."

She folded her arms over her chest and responded, "I can do whatever I want- it's my head."

He smirked and gave a slow nod, "You're nothing like your father, yet you're exactly like him."

"Just what is that supposed to mean?" she shot back.

He just smirked as he decided to ignore her question. There were more important things that needed to be discussed. He already began to mull over what he would say to that sneaky chevalier when he saw him again.

"The Red Shield is planning on using something that will make you completely useless to Argiano and Smith. I thought I should warn you. When they complete the mission, you will no longer have extended lives and your blood will be just like an ordinary, boring human. You will live out your lives as if you were human."

"So we will be able to grow old and die?" Kendra asked.

He nodded as the women looked at each other, questioning what each thought. Kendra turned and responded, "That's fine with us. We don't want any more people to die because of our blood."

Nathan nodded and gave them a thin lipped look. He remembered Saya saying the same thing before she and Diva fought their last battle. He recalled the look he saw on Hagi's face when Saya had won and was about to kill Kanade and Hibiki. It was at that moment, he realized what Saya's true intent was. Hagi was supposed to kill her and then himself- eliminating all chiropterans- or so she thought.

"I will let them know," he answered. He then looked to the red-head and said, "I'll tell your dad hi for you when I see him."

She turned away from him and answered, "Don't tell that bastard a goddam thing from me." Her face contorted in anger as she recalled his words, "I would never betray Saya." She muttered under her breath, "Well it looks like you really did, liar."

Nathan made his goodbyes to the others and left. His heart felt heavy from the thoughts of the girl in the back of the cell. She was very strong and now very hurt. As he walked away, Nathan projected his mind into hers and saw what she was remembering. Hagi denied what was obvious to everyone and, without realizing it, injured her. Nathan smirked as he bypassed a well guarded wall in her mind and found the secret behind all her pain. It was terribly sad, but she was turning her pain into anger- anger against he one person she needed most- her father.