Disclaimer: I do not own W.I.T.C.H. This is a work of fan fiction.
Season Three Episode Twenty: "Enemy of my Enemy" Chapter One
Author's Note: Fans of Dean Koontz may recognize the military installation mentioned in this episode. 'Fear Nothing' and 'Seize the Night' are among my favorite books, so when I needed an army fort, I just couldn't resist…
Earth. The Vandom/Collins apartment. Will was awakened by the sound of insistent knocking on her bedroom door and the voice of Dean calling for her. Not a morning person on the best of occasions, she was barely able to wake up after being 'on duty' 'til well past midnight the preceding night. Still, some part of her mind recognized the urgency in his voice. Grumbling to herself, she rose and opened the bedroom door. "Dean? What time is it anyway?" she asked. Through half-closed eyelids she saw the clock on the hallway wall. "Five-ten? Dean I really need more sleep, we didn't get back from Zambala 'til like midnight…"
"I know Will," Dean apologized. "And I'm sorry. But there's something on the morning news you really, really need to see." Curious in spite of herself, Will followed her new stepfather into the living room where Susan was waiting in front of the television. One look at the images on the screen dispelled all remaining sleep from Will's mind: The news was showing a burning hotel building in downtown Heatherfield. Suddenly, a wall exploded outwards and the Dominators, in full powered up form, flew out. They were pursued by Garix and a contingent of Varthan soldiers.
The film ended and the morning news anchors appeared on the screen. "The film you've just seen was recorded earlier tonight by our own news-nineteen crews. Shortly after one a.m., fire and police crews were called to the site of the abandoned Ridgemont Hotel, where they found the structure engulfed in flames. Sounds of some kind of battle were heard from inside, and then, what you've just seen."
Another newscaster took over. "Yes, as incredible as it seems, what you saw was real: five young people flying out of the burning structure under their own power, pursued by armed soldiers and an unidentified being."
"Adding to the mystery," the first newscaster said, "is what we found when we used our computers to zoom in on the faces of the five winged youths." A blow-up of the Dominator's faces appeared on the television screen. "These five all bear uncanny resemblances to the five students missing from Sheffield Institute for the last several weeks."
Will exhaled sharply. "Well, there goes any hope that being older as Guardians would prevent people from recognizing us… Well, time to wake up the others I guess."
Soon, everyone was one again crowded into Will's apartment. "What I don't get," Irma was saying, "Is how Garix even got here. The veil's still up around Varthan isn't it?"
Taranee said "That's the easy part: We were too late. He was already here, waiting on the Dominators to come back. Honestly, I doubt Garix even cares about us at all right now. He just wants the Heart of Varthan back so he can free his-" Taranee fell silent. Her eyes grew wide. "Aw no!" she exclaimed.
Elyon grinned. "Yeah. I already thought of that, wondered how long it'd take for you to see it too." she said.
Cornelia stared at her best friend. "See what?"
"Judas doesn't just have the Heart of Varthan." The queen explained. "He also has the Heart of Zambala, a.k.a. the Heart that was used to create the veil around Varthan in the first place. If Garix gets it away from Judas…"
"…Hello armies of Varthan surging across dimensions to attack earth." Taranee finished.
"Okay… So what do we do then?" Alchemy asked.
With a deep sigh, Elyon said "I hate to suggest it, but maybe it's 'strategic alliance' time. Garix represents as much a threat to the Dominators as he does to the rest of us. And Judas, at least, seems smart enough to see that."
"Wait. You're suggesting we try working together with these dips?" Irma exclaimed.
"It wouldn't need to be a true alliance." Dean interjected from the sidelines. "Even if they just agreed to leave you alone 'til Garix is out of the picture, you'd both benefit."
"Good thinking." Elyon agreed.
Susan, keeping an eye on the muted television, said "Heads up girls. Something new." She raised the volume.
On screen, a young newswoman was speaking with a Heatherfield police representative. "What do the police make of these events?" she was asking. "And how do you respond to what both our own channel nineteen experts and others have noted regarding the similarity between these strange flying teens and the missing school students?"
"Regarding the fact that they were flying, our position is that they must have been wearing some kind of experimental military technology. We've contacted Fort Wyvern for answers, but they've not responded to us yet. As for the resemblance, surely your experts have pointed out that these teenagers are clearly several years older than the missing Sheffield Five. It's got to be a simple coincidence." The officer replied.
"I see." The reporter said. She was clearly unconvinced by the second answer, but then the cop seemed unconvinced by his own words as well. "And what of the strange men who were following them? In particular, the huge creature that looked disturbingly like a spider?"
"We have no answers regarding those questions at all."
Susan re-muted the television as they returned to the studio. "You girls are all buying scarfs to hide your faces." She said. "Scarfs… And maybe dark sunglasses…"
"Ooh, maybe wraparound visors, that'd look cool!" Hay Lin said.
Cornelia rolled her eyes. "Ugh. And you wonder why I'm the one they come to for fashion advice… Don't worry Mrs. Collins, I've got it covered. I'll go shopping right after school."
Fort Wyvern, one hundred miles southwest of Heatherfield. Deep in the base's extensive underground warrens, an emergency meeting was underway. Captain Anthony Ananias, father of Dominator leader Judas, had been summoned by his superiors at such an early hour that he knew something had to be very, very wrong. And, he mused, at Wyvern that was saying something.
General Stanrych sat at the head of the conference table, and began as soon as Anthony was seated. "Captain, I understand your son is still missing, is that right?"
"Yes General." Anthony replied, "And four of his friends as well. The police have been searching for leads for the last two months, but nothing has been found."
"Well son, we may have something now." The General said. "The following images were recorded at the site of a hotel fire in Heatherfield four hours ago. Watch closely." The news footage Will had seen was displayed on a large screen. At the end, the general backed it up and zoomed in on Judas' face. "This is your boy, isn't it?" he asked.
"Yes sir. Though he looks different… older… What could have happened to him?"
One of the science techs, silent until now, spoke. "Sir, could this be the result of one of our internal issues? Perhaps the Mystery Train or Tornado Alley projects…"
"No!" Anthony shouted. "No, I refuse to accept that my own son has been compromised by that. Besides, both of those are dead and buried."
"I hope you're right Captain." General Stanrych said. "But whatever the explanation, we can't sit idly by. Prepare for deployment. We're getting to the bottom of this…"