"What do you mean he's not there?" Kas asked Hades.
"Dominick is no longer here. I do not know where he went, but he's gone, niece" Hades replied standing in front of his niece, knowing that the disappearance of Dominick from the underworld was not a good thing.
"This isn't good. I wouldn't even know how to track him so as to bring him in. He's spent close to a year down there. Who knows how out of control his powers are!" Kas exclaimed trying to figure out how she could track him down.
"I suggest you call your team in because they may be able to find a way to locate him and determine if he is a threat" Hades replied.
"Yes Uncle, please stay so that you can inform the team with me. We may need the Gods help as well" Kas spoke in a diplomatic tone.
"Of course" Hades smiled.
"FRIDAY, please inform the team that I need to meet with all of them. We may have a serious threat to world safety on our hands that I need help with" Kas spoke to FRIDAY the new AI.
"Yes, Mystic Angel" FRIDAY's voice replied as Kas and Hades walked towards the conference room with the triplets in their arms.
Kas placed them all in the play area the automatically came out of the wall whenever they were in a room and positioned herself at the head of the table while Hades played with the triplets. One by one all of the team came in and seated themselves around the table. Once she was sure that everyone was there she raised her hand for silence.
"Hades has just informed me that Dominick is missing from the Underworld along with several other powerful demigods. This may be cause for alarm because by all accounts Aeron has some how developed more powers. I fear that resurrection may be one of his new powers, and with his powers of suggestion he may be able to control those that he brings back from the Underworld. Now Rach your team does not need to be apart of this unless you want them to. Just remember that this could cost them their jobs and or their lives, so think wisely before making this decision" Kas spoke to all that were at the table and in the room.
"I think it is safe to say that no matter what we are behind you even if it means our jobs and or our lives" Ned spoke up for his superior and the rest of their team as they all nodded in agreement.
"Alright, I have already spoken to Coulson, Chiron, Artemis, and Professor Xavier about this and they have agreed to help us in any way possible. I hate to put y'all on the sidelines; Chris, Sebastian, Nathan, Tom, Paul, and Ned, but I need someone here that I can trust to help from here. However, just know that I am also entrusting you with my children's safety. I know that if anything happens here that you are more than capable of protecting them" Kas smiled at them.
The men nodded in response showing her that they were okay with watching the triplets and helping the team from here as best they could.
"I have an interrogation to continue, so alert me if you come up with ideas as to how we should track these demigods and or if you have found something. Marshall can you watch the triplets?" Kas spoke ending the briefing.
"Sure thing, sis" Marshall smiled at her as he and TJ got up to take the twins.
"Thank you. Rach, Alex, are y'all ready to continue what I started?" Kas asked them referring to her interrogation of Ward.
Both girls nodded their heads as they stood and followed her from the room. Their boots quietly clicked against the marble of the stairs that they descended into the basement where all prisoners where held for interrogation. There was no tension between the three friends as they neared Ward's cell because they had interrogated individuals together many of times, but this time they knew the team was watching along with the heads of SHIELD. Kas cracked her neck and knuckles before they walked into the cell and they all went into a mode that none of the team had ever seen. Their powers radiated from them as they stood in front of Ward who just seconds before had been about to pounce until he had seen the blood-red of Kas' hair he had come to know all too well. He seemed to shrink away from them, from Kas, as she pointed to the chair in his cell, silently ordering him to sit. He did as he was told as she walked towards him after removing her heeled boots, pulling her curled hair into a high ponytail and rolling up the sleeves of her sweater. She moved in a practiced slowness that she had developed long ago for situations like this.
"What is she doing?" Scott asked.
"It's a part of her interrogation technique that she developed a long time ago. By taking the time remove her shoes, tie up her hair, and roll up her sleeves, she is showing that she is going to take time to get what she wants from you. I've seen her do this to a guy we had been trying to break for days and he cracked within seconds" Ned smirked watching his best friend.
"But why not leave her shoes on? What there's blood on the floor and she steps in it when she doesn't have shoes on?" Peter asked.
"She tends to wear expensive designer shoes that she doesn't want to ruin" Ned continued to smirk.
"So Ward care to tell me why you were following me in California?" Kas asked leaning up against one of the walls of the cell in a casual manner.
"I've cut ties with Hydra and now I need money, so I took a job following you" Ward replied honestly.
"Who hired you?" Rach asked standing next to the door.
"I don't know he never game me his name, but I did hear one of his lieutenants call him Lord Laufeia one time. I tried searching him up but found nothing" Ward spoke.
"You wouldn't find anything on him because he's never been in the system, and around the time he would have been put in we killed him to save innocent lives" Alex spoke darkly.
"So I was hired by a dead man?" Ward asked in confusion.
"No, he made a deal with Kronos before he died and was brought back around the time that we came to be a part of the team" Kas replied.
"Why did he want you to follow her?" Rach asked.
"He wanted me to keep him updated on how Kas was doing. I had asked him why once, but he refused to tell me. I think it's safe to say that he is in love with you in some twisted way" Ward replied.
"Oh that's not really news to me, and it's more he's in love with my power than he is with me" Kas smirked knowing that Ward didn't really know what she was talking about.
"You've heard of Mystic Angel, the most powerful individual in the nine realms, right?" Rach asked Ward who simply nodded starting to get the picture.
"That is Kas, and you're the dumbass that took a job following her" Alex spoke.
"I knew the whole time that you were following me. I just chose that day to bring you in. You have talent Ward, but you have powers that haven't been activated yet. I find it quite intriguing because they should have been when you were being abused by your older brother or even when he made you kill your younger brother. Why do you think your powers never showed themselves?" Kas asked stepping up to him in one long stride.
"I-I-I don't know" Ward murmured.
"Because the Gods took mercy on you, Ward. You're father was not a good man and he would have killed your mother if he had found out that she had had an affair with another man. That man actually being a God of great power" Kas spoke as she placed her hands on his temple.
"I wouldn't move if I were you" Alex advised as Ward started to move away from Kas' hands.
"What is she doing now?" Scott asked.
"Removing the chains that kept his powers from being activated. She would only do this if she knew what his powers were, so she knows that he is no longer a danger to us and that he is someone we need on the teams" Skye spoke before Ned could.
"She knows she can stop him if he goes AWAL, but she trusts that she won't have to because she has been removing the evil from him" Ned spoke watching her work.
"Then why didn't she do that to Aeron?" Jemma asked.
"Because there is only so much evil she can take from someone. Ward may have been evil, but he wasn't evil to the core. He regrets the things he has done, and does not want to do that again to people that he cares about. But Aeron is evil through and through. He does not feel remorse or the emotions that we do. According to Kas he is sociopath and a very dangerous one at that" Ned replied.
A blood curdling scream ripped from Ward's lips as the chains were removed and the power was free. Kas stepped back to give him room as he leaned forward gripping himself. She understood fully the pain he was going through, but she knew he had to experience it to be able to control his powers. She signaled for the girls to leave as she walked back over to the wall she had been leaning against earlier. This was going to take awhile and she was the only one that would be able to contain the powers that Ward was going to struggle to control. Just as the door to the cell shut Kas could feel the an increase in electricity in the room because of Ward's inability to control the power. Without moving an inch she contained the power to within the room, but made sure that the cameras and speakers were still able to function. Ward writhed in pain, but Kas could tell that it was almost over.
"How can you stand there and not be hurt?" Ward asked through gritted teeth as he looked at Kas through tears.
"Because I've withstood more power than you are giving off, Ward. I'm also containing everything to this cell so that it does not harm any of the other prisoners or damage the facility. The pain you are experiencing would have been no where close to this if you're powers had been allowed to develop when you were a child, but you have to go through it to be able to control your powers. I will train you how to safely and properly use them when the transformation is done" Kas replied calmly.
"Transformation?" Ward asked between cries of pain.
"You're cells are changing at an accelerated rate because of the activation of your power. Your physical appearance is also changing slightly to accommodate the powers you have. Your powers aren't as strong as your half-brother's, but there is no mistaking that you are the son of Zeus, Grant" Kas replied.
"Who was my half-brother?" he asked as the pain began to subside.
"He had no codename, but he was a member of the Avengers for a time before he was killed. He was my fiance, and is the father of my children. We lost him about a year ago. You also have a sister. Her name is Thalia and she is the lieutenant of the Hunters of Artemis. You'll meet her in about an hour when she and the Hunters get here. How are you feeling?" Kas spoke still leaning against the wall.
"The pain is gone, but I don't think I can control the power" Grant replied looking up at her with fear in his eyes.
"Lucky for you, I anticipated this and modified the dogtags Tony made for me as a child. They will allow you to turn your power on and off without risking harm to yourself and others around you. I also modified this bracelet that will help you control your power until I can properly train you" Kas spoke stepping up to him and placing the necklace and bracelet on him.
"Thank you" Grant smiled slightly at Kas as he stood feeling a lot better already.
"Knock on the door when you've finished changing" Kas smiled back handing him a full change of clothes.
It wasn't anything special, just standard issue SHIELD pants and t-shirt with underwear, socks, and boots, but he took them appreciatively anyway and Kas walked out to wait for him. A few minutes later a knock came from the other side of the door and Kas opened it for him. They silently walked through the underground prison to the stairs, and up into the main halls of the Avengers training facility. Kas could tell Ward was itching to ask her a question, so she glanced at him giving him permission to ask the question that was bugging him.
"Is the ring you wear on your ring finger the one that Dominick gave you?" Ward asked.
"No, I'm engaged to Captain Rogers it's the one he gave me when we were thrown into Tartuarus a little over three months ago. The one that is on a chain around my neck is the one that Dominick gave me" Kas replied.
"How long have you and Steve been together? If you don't mind my asking" Ward questioned.
"About nine months. We got together about three months after Dominick's death. Steve was the only one that I let in while I was mourning and when I almost died saving his life he refused to let me out of his sight. Three months later the triplets were born a month early and Steve instantly went into Dad mode. He's a great father-figure to my kids and I really do love him" Kas smiled.
"So that means you were five months when you and Steve got together, so the triplets are six months old now and you disappeared when they were three months. That is if I did that math correctly" Ward replied as they got to the training room where everyone was.
"Sounds about right. Just to warn you, Skye, Jemma, and May might hit you, but I advise that you allow them to do so" Kas smirked as they entered the room.
"Yes, ma'am" Ward replied entering behind her.
The room was full of supers, SHIELD agents, and demi-gods that all fell silent when Kas entered the room. They all knew that even if she didn't outrank them she sure as hell was more powerful. Kas was not someone to be toyed with and to be on her bad side was not what any of them wanted. Not long after TJ, Marshall, Alex, and Rach walked in with the triplets and flanked her on either side after she signaled for Grant to join the rest of the people there. Kas looked powerful in her knee-high boots, dark skinny jeans and black sweater that accentuated the muscles in her arms as they lay folded across her torso.
"We have work to do people. At this point and time there are a total of 30 souls that have disappeared from the Underworld, and if Lord Hades, Alex, and I are correct that number is going to continue to increase unless we figure out who is pulling them from the Underworld. At this point and time our prime suspect is Aeron Laufeia brother of one of our own, David Didymo. One of the souls that Aeron has taken is one we should be very concerned about because of the extent of his powers which may have grown since his death, Dominick Ischyros. Those that are not searching for Aeron will be looking for those souls that have been taken along with any others that Hades discovers to be missing. Your job is to bring them in so that Hades, Alex, and I can return them the Underworld or if need be kill them. Also, make sure that you call for backup whenever you go up against of these individuals because they all are extremely powerful and will kill you if they feel threatened. The list of souls has been sent to your secure emails and will be updated as new souls are discovered or ones on the list have been taken care of. If you have any questions come to me with them, you are dismissed" Kas spoke with authority as she looked at the large group she had come to call family.
Everyone nodded at her dismissal and dispersed to their stations throughout the facility. Steve, Ward, Jemma, Leo, Skye, May, Bobbie, Darcy, Maria, Mack, Hunter, Lincoln, Mike, Ian, Fury, and Director Coulson approached Kas and her group as she took Adrien in her arms. Though she still looked intimidating with Adrien in her arms the look was a bit softer and you could see it all over her that she missed her family in the three months she was gone. She had no plans of being gone without contacting them like that for so long.
"So, Grant, did they slap you?" Rach smirked at Grant.
"Not yet surprisingly" Grant replied cautiously stepping a little farther away from the three woman that potentially wanted to slap him.
"I don't think I actually need to slap him. I mean it would be just as easy to kill him, but Kas seem to trust him so I guess he has changed" Skye smirked as she moved slightly causing Ward to flinch.
"Hey, where's Bucky?" Alex asked when she noticed he wasn't with them.
"He's bringing someone in for me that I feel we can use for information when it comes to Aeron and his army" Kas smirked.
"Who?" Jemma asked in confusion.
"Her name is Perdita, she is a lieutenant in Aeron's army. I ran into her when I was in hiding and turned her. She has stayed in his army as his second gathering information for me and I told her that I would be extracting her soon. She knows Bucky is coming" Kas smiled.
"How?" Lincoln asked in surprise.
"There is a lot that you do not know about me, Lincoln, but that is because you do not have the clearance to know. However, this was not with the use of one of my powers, any one could have done this. She already did not like what Aeron was doing but she did not know how to get out without being in a body bag. I showed her a way that she could get out alive and she took it. She trusts me, but because of Aeron it will take her awhile to trust everyone else, so be kind to her and show her that all of us can be trusted and that we are not like Aeron" Kas spoke kindly.
"Kas, I found Dominick" Ned rushed out as he ran into the training room.
"Alright, how are your powers?" Kas asked him and then turned to Rach, "Rach, you're with me no matter what on this one."
"They're 100%, so let's go" Ned smirked as Rachael nodded and Steve took Adrien from Kas so she could run and change before the trio left.
"I love you and I promise to come back" Kas smiled up at Steve after kissing him goodbye and then kissing the triplets as well.
"Be safe out there and call if you need more backup!" Steve called after her as she jogged to the door.
"I will!" Kas smiled at him as she glanced back at his words.
Kas quickly changed into tactical catsuit, black wedged boots, and red leather jacket and ran out to the truck where Ned and Rachael were waiting for her. They took off down the road without saying a word and their battle ready energy filled the air of the truck. Kas was not happy about the fact that she will most likely have to kill Dominick and with the mist gone mortals would be able to see what was really going on. Rach and Ned would have to clear the area until SHIELD agents could get there because there was no way he wasn't going down without a fight.
"Where is he, Ned?" Kas asked from the back seat as her worst fear came to light when they entered the city.
"Time Square' Ned answered knowing she was dreading his answer.
"Before I get out call the director because these people are going to be in serious danger" Kas spoke as she spotted Dom standing in the middle of Time Square with several classic weapons that they had been trained on since they were all kids in camp.
"Kas, wait for us!" Rach yelled as Kas jumped out of the truck all while transforming from her catsuit to the armor that had been given to her by the gods when she saved Olympus the first time.
"Clear the area and leave him to me! There may be more and all these people are in danger!" Kas yelled back when she was no longer in the midst of traffic.
Rachael nodded knowing she was right and Ned pulled into a parking structure so that they could follow their orders quicker. Coulson had told Ned that they would be there in about ten minutes to help clear out the square and would also have Chiron send some assistance as well.
Kas cautiously made her way through the crowded square in her black armor that looked like the Nightingale armor from Skyrim had materialized on her body. Her swords were strapped in an X across her back, her specialty blades were strapped to her thighs, and her mask that covered the lower half of her face was in her left hand. She discretely put her com in her ear and as she neared Dominick her falcata materialized in her right hand. When she finally stopped the square was almost devoid of people and she was about twenty feet away from where Dominick stood watching her.
"So they send a girl to fight me?" Dominick laughed.
"I see that your new master has wiped your memories because you do not remember that I am the mother of your children and the most powerful individual in all nine realms. You have made the mistake of thinking I am like other woman" Kas replied in a menacing tone.
"Oh no I remember fully who you are Sandra, and you are nothing but a child that acts like she is older than she is" he responded.
"Ah, I see. Does it anger you that the triplets will grow up to believe that Cap is their father? That I love him more than I ever loved you?" Kas smirked trying to get him to snap.
"Steve, just remember that Kas is trying to get a rise out of Dominick and she means nothing negative towards you. She really does love you" Rach spoke through the com to Steve.
"He's nothing but a less powerful version of me and he's weak compared to me. Why would that anger me? It makes me laugh that you went to him after I died" Dominick laughed again.
"Oh trust me Nick he is far better in bed than you ever were. Woo damn is he good! I don't know why I didn't leave you for him before you died!" Kas smirked.
"I know Rach and I'm kind of getting a kick out of this" Steve laughed through the coms causing Kas to smile a bit and feel a little better about the things she was saying.
"You're lying, bitch!" Dominick yelled.
"Now Nicky you know I hate lying so why would I lie to you about that especially when we're talking about my sexual pleasure?" Kas smirked knowing she was getting what she wanted out of him.
Seconds later she could see a bolt forming in his hand but she wasn't concerned about it because Zeus had told her that he would never allow something related to him to harm her. She also knew that she could stop it and sent it back at him with much greater force. She slipped on her mask onto her face and shrugged off the knee length hood so that her wings wouldn't rip it to shreds. The ball of electricity came flying towards her chest but she stopped it in her free hand as she moved the longswords to her hips using her powers. As Dominick was struck with the electricity the sound of metal moving could be heard.
"Is that Kas?" Ned asked through the com referring to the sound of the metal.
"Yes its me" Kas replied from behind the mask.
As Dominick got back to his feet Kas skillfully unfurled her wings and the metal armor smoothly melded with the metal of her wings so that no matter what she was protected. Just as Dominick was about to charge her the mask morphed into a full helmet that stopped the 24 inch tactical sword from splitting her skull and killing her. She quickly kicked him square in the chest and sent him flying.
"I spoke to Zeus today and he told me to tell you that you are no longer his child and I will not be punished if I kill you" Kas spoke as she advanced towards him.
"Kas, heads up you have someone trying to come up behind you" Rachael's voice warned her as she sensed the man.
"Got it" Kas replied not taking her eyes off of Dominick who was advancing on her as well.
Just as both men reached her Kas sent the tip of her sharp wing through the man's chest killing him instantly and blocked the death blow Dominick was trying to deal her. She could feel her heart break the longer she fought him and the more wounds she dealt him caused her to want to scream out. In a blur Kas' left wing slashed through the leather armor and mail that was covering Dominick's stomach. The wound was fatal and the force of the blow sent Dominick spinning through the air and crashing to the ground. Kas slowly walked over to where the man she once loved lay dying by her hands. She kicked his sword away from him and made sure none of his other weapons were in reach for him as she bent down over his face. The helmet slowly collapsed back into just the half mask that she removed from her face and her red hair fell around it framing her face. In that split second she looked just the way she did when she first met him all those years ago.
"Tha katoikoún gia pánta stous tomeís ti̱s timo̱rías kai kamiá dýnami̱ tha eínai se thési̱ na sas apomakrýnei apó ekeí . Échete diapráxei asynchó̱ri̱tes amartíes enantíon ekeíno̱n pou agapoúse kápote esás. Eíste ntropí̱ gia ton patéra sou , ti̱ mi̱téra kai ti̱n oikogéneiá sas . Échete ftýnoun sto spoudaío ánthro̱po pou kápote í̱tan, Dominick" Kas whispered the curse before stabbing the falcata through his heart.
"Can someone translate what was just said for those that do not speak Greek?" Sam asked through the com.
"She cursed him to live on the fields of punishment for the rest of eternity and that no power could remove him from there. She then went on to say that he has committed unforgivable sins against those that once loved him, he has disgraced his parents, and his family, and that he spit on the great man he once was" Rachael translated as she cautiously walked towards her best friend and she saw that Ned was doing the same because none of the agents wanted to get in the way.
Kas had moved a few feet away from Dominick's body and as she looked up at her best friends they could see through the veil of red hair that she was crying. Just as Ned reached her Kas collapsed in uncontrollable sobs at having to kill and curse the man she used to call the love of her life and one of her best friends. Ned caught her in his arms just before her knees could even scrape the ground. Her wings went back into her back as she shifted back into her catsuit and she wrapped herself around Ned's torso. He held his best friend in his arms as he and Rach walked back to the parking garage where the truck was.
"You did good today, sis" Ned whispered to Kas as he tossed Rach the keys and he hopped into the back with Kas still wrapped around him.
"I did what I had to do but it still hurts like hell" Kas whispered back as she unwrapped herself from Ned and laid her head in his lap.
He played with her hair until she fell asleep like he had done when they were kids and she would struggle to sleep. Steve was going to be in for a long night and a couple of weeks because she was going to be plagued with nightmares for awhile.