Premise: Season 2 AU. Regina and Emma are unable to stop the trigger and it explodes, destroying Storybrooke. However, instead of perishing, most of the citizens of Storybrooke are scattered, ending up with new lives and memories in New York. Except Rumpelstiltskin, who is discovered by the NSA.
After three years in a government facility, the NSA makes a deal with him to help them combat the residual consequences of the trigger's explosion. The others are recruited and awakened. The deal is they form a taskforce and help fight the magical entities that have been unleashed on the world and keep their freedom as a reward.
Thanks for the reviews. Please consider contining to leave reviews. Feedback is very much appreciated. Here are responses to individual reviews:
Sentinel of Stories: Thanks, glad you enjoyed it. I haven't actually seen Suicide Squad, but I'll assume that's a good thing. As for Rumple, we might find that out later on. Hope you continue to enjoy!
cschallert: Glad you like it. Killian and Emma will most likely get to know each other, but I have not committed to a pairing for her. Hope you continue to enjoy!
Ryan T. Morris: Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it!
Sammii16: Thanks! Hope you continue to enjoy!
sweetreader: Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it!
Jennifer Baratta: Thanks! Glad you liked it!
Grace5231973: Glad you liked it! And yes, Neal's still alive. We'll find out what happened to him in coming chapters. ;)
Sexystarwarslover: Thanks! Glad you like it so far. It should be an interesting story. Glad you like my face claims. I love me some Chuck too. It was a great show. Yeah, Snowing stayed together and this story has a very enjoyable David and Killian friendship that you'll be seeing in coming chapters. Yep, Henry is with Emma too. Henry comes up with a much better name. Yeah, they've been reunited and now it's back to a bit of awkwardness. I know, it never will. I always liked how Rumple was always a Snowing shipper, lol. Yep, I had to name him Bobby. Couldn't help myself. Glad you're enjoying!
Face Claims:
General Shaw: Idris Elba
Agent Alex Casey: Adam Baldwin
Agent Alivia Becker: Katee Sackhoff
Operation Castle
Chapter 2: Awakening, Pt 2
"Emma…" they uttered, as she stared at them and then at the baby.
"Hey…" she said numbly, as they hugged her between them.
"This…this is your brother, Bobby," Snow said gently. Emma couldn't help but smile at the baby.
"Hey there, kid," she said, as the awkwardness between them quickly returned. But they wouldn't have time to iron any of that out now.
"Henry…" Regina uttered, as she was led into the room.
"Mom…" he said, as she hugged him.
"He's been with you?" Regina asked.
"Yeah…and he's going to stay with me," Emma replied.
"You can't keep me from my son," Regina growled.
"And I won't…I'm not the one that almost killed us all," Emma said.
"Waking her was a mistake," Gold growled.
"Agreed," David echoed.
"Nice to see you too, Charming…and it's simply delicious that you've been locked up all these years," Regina said smugly, as she looked at Gold.
"Of course you'd like that…you're a pro at locking people up," Belle retorted, as she entered the room.
"This is never going to work," Casey muttered to the General. He put his hand up and stalled them all.
"It will work…because your freedom depends on it," the General stated, silencing them.
"We haven't done anything wrong," Snow claimed.
"Nothing wrong huh, Princess?" Casey asked sternly.
"Careful how you speak to my wife," David replied, getting in his face.
"I'm not one you want to pick a fight with, Charming…I've traveled this entire globe, carrying out mission after mission, tangling with the worst human evil that you can imagine," Casey warned.
"And I've killed the worst from our land too and if you were so badass, you wouldn't need me," David countered, as the other man gave him a long gaze.
"That was a werewolf I killed today, wasn't it?" David asked. Snow blanched.
"You faced a werewolf before you were awake?" Snow asked. He nodded.
"We'd been chasing this guy for days, but he had no pattern. Just random attacks and kills. Now I know why. He's trying to turn, but can't fully. For some reason," David replied.
"You're correct," Shaw said, as he brought up a map of the country on the large screen before them.
"When the explosion that destroyed your town went off, a cloud of what we can only assume is some sort of magical radiation washed over the country. It has caused magical beings and creatures to pop up in places, with the highest concentration of the magical and paranormal activity being in New York," Shaw explained.
"If magic is here…why can't I feel it?" Regina asked.
"As I have explained to Mr. Gold, it works very differently here. I have no doubt that you'll figure out how to use it eventually. But this team will also have all the firepower and equipment needed, including a base of operation, which we will aptly code named, Castle," the General explained.
"Bullets don't work on most of these creatures. I just had to kill what seemed like a werewolf in mid transformation. Normally, that takes silver, but he wasn't fully transformed so the steel rod was enough…this time," David said. Shaw nodded.
"You will have guns, swords, bows and arrows, and an entire armory of weapons. Even silver bullets if needed," he assured the Prince.
"What if we don't want this? What if we don't want any of this and just want to go back to our lives?" Emma asked.
"I'm sorry, Miss Swan, but it is the position of the United States government that the explosion in Maine has resulted in devastating consequences for the entire world, perpetuated by people not of this land. It would be within our scope to lock all of you down in a containment facility for the rest of your lives," he warned sternly, chilling them all for a moment.
"However, we believe you are also the solution to saving the world from creatures we don't fully understand and thus, we are willing to bargain with you," he continued.
"You help us and work for us and you have relative freedom and citizenship in this world. As a bonus…you'll be helping to protect and save people's lives," he finished.
"Then we accept," David said.
"You don't speak for me, Charming," Regina protested.
"You're the reason we're in this mess. Had you not blown up our town, because you weren't getting your way…then none of this would be happening," Emma snapped. Regina pursed her lips, but went silent, as the General nodded.
"Then Taskforce Magic is up and running," he said. Killian raised an eyebrow and the others clearly were amused by the silly name.
"That's what you're calling us?" Killian asked.
"Does anyone have any better suggestions?" he asked.
"Operation Castle," Henry chimed in, as all eyes turned to him. They smiled.
"I like that," David said..
"Me too," Snow agreed.
"And it makes sense. We have Castles back in our land and you've named our base Castle," Belle said.
"Then Operation Castle it is," Shaw agreed.
"One more question…we noticed that Red isn't here. She helped us a lot when we took back the Kingdom. Granny too. Why didn't you wake them as well?" Snow asked.
"I'm afraid we're concerned that since magic is different here that your friend wouldn't be able to control her transformation. It has been many years since she phased, after all," a woman said, as she entered.
"This is your second handler, on loan from the CIA. Agent Alivia Becker," he said, as he introduced her.
"Okay…Red will have no trouble controlling her powers. Trust us," David said.
"Except that I don't yet and even if she could, we are already exposing people to things that they have never seen before. We need to contain each mission to as few people seeing it as we can. It's too dangerous," Alivia refuted.
"Disagree," Snow said.
"It doesn't matter…the decision is made," Shaw stated. Snow huffed and made her displeasure known.
"So where is this Castle? And what about the jobs we have in this world?" Killian asked.
"Why do you care?" Gold asked.
"Excuse me, Crocodile, but Dave and I have made quite a name for ourselves as a team. I enjoy my reputation, as you well know," Killian replied. David rolled his eyes.
"We do have important cases that we were working and Snow loves her teaching job," David said.
"I've already informed your Captain that the NSA will now be employing you and Detective Rogers. Your skills as law enforcement have not gone unnoticed. Agent Casey will be your Captain now. Or rather…your Major," Shaw said.
"As for the rest of you…you'll maintain your day jobs as much as possible. We have an agent that will step in and cover as Margaret's new student teacher when she's away with the team," the General continued.
"Same with Ms. French," he added.
"Miss Swan…your talents are also recognized by the NSA and we are recruiting you full time as well," he said.
"And me?" Regina asked.
"You'll maintain your business. Roni's is the base. We have built Castle beneath it with internal access," Casey said.
"You built a base beneath my bar?" Regina asked. He smirked.
"We did. It's state of the art, with an armory and the latest tech," he replied.
"Fine…I assume you're tracking some of the monsters? Other than the one I already killed, of course," David said, as he crossed his arms over his chest.
"We are…but I'm running this operation, Agent Nolan. You're a rookie at this. I've gone on more missions than you have worked in the last three years and countless in my career. I'm a marine…and your superior," Casey said. David smirked.
"I've killed dragons, trolls, and creatures that would make the blood drain from your face. I was a Knight and like you, can snap a neck when I need to. If you could handle this on your own, you wouldn't have brought us in," David replied, as they stared at each other and when David didn't back down from his intimidating stare that usually worked on others, Casey seemed to give a nod of respect.
"We have cars waiting outside. We can show you to the base and we'll brief you on the intel we have there," he said.
"Roni's bar will be a cover for myself and Agent Becker," he said, looking at Regina.
"I'm your new bartender and she'll be your new waitress," he added.
"I already have those," Regina said.
"They've both received other job offers today that they just couldn't pass up. I'm sure you have messages that they've quit," Casey replied. Regina was about to lay into him about intruding into her business in such a way, but Henry saved him from enduring her tirade.
"What about me?" Henry asked.
"You'll keep going to school and be with your family like a normal little boy," the General answered. Henry's shoulders slumped.
"It's okay, kid…we'll tell you all about everything," Emma promised.
"Hold on a minute…are you just assuming that you have custody now?" Regina asked.
"According to the papers generated by the backfire of your trigger, she does," Shaw interjected.
"He's my son…she gave him up," Regina argued.
"Not by choice," Emma said.
"And I'm not going to keep him from you…but he's settled and has a routine. You can come over anytime and we can work out a schedule," the blonde added. Regina didn't like it and wanted to lament how things had turned out for her, especially since the imp's voice was in her head, giggling about how villains don't get happy endings.
She couldn't help but reflect that such had happened. The backlash from the trigger had kept Snow and Charming together and now they had a baby. It had put Emma and Henry together too, while Rumple was imprisoned and she had been a lonely bar owner. Hook seemed to have somewhat of a good life too, but he also seemed to be alone.
"Enough," Casey said, ending the argument for the time being.
"It's time to show you the base and pinpoint the location of our first target," he said, as they were led out to a couple of large SUVs, which took them to Roni's bar.
The sound of someone walking could be heard in the dark hallway and it perked Tamara's interest. Since the explosion, she and Greg had been locked away in a pair of cells. There were others around them too, but they didn't know who they were. Nothing much had been said to them and three long years in isolation had done nothing to help their already questionable mental health. They had three meals delivered to them and were allowed out to use the shower stalls and that was it. No outside, no fresh air, no sunlight. It was maddening, to say the least.
The footsteps stopped at her cell and she looked up at the door as it opened for the first time and a figure stood there, male by the looks of the height and build.
"Who are you?" she asked. She had asked this a million times whenever she heard someone outside her cell, but never received an answer. Today, that would change.
"We're the Home Office," the man said.
"You're lying…" she claimed.
"No…but that's only part of the story. We're the real Home Office, I should say. The one you were following was just using our mission and using you as a means to an end," he said, as he came into the light. She didn't recognize him, but he was tall and well built.
"What are you talking about?" she asked, as he motioned her and she followed, as he let Greg out of his cell.
"For your utter failure, you've been in isolation to make sure you were not genetically altered by the magical radiation from that town," he said, as he led them into what seemed like a control room.
"This is a satellite image of the explosion of the trigger that destroyed Storybrooke," he said, as he showed them the diamond exploded and complete eradication of the town. Greg allowed himself a small, smug smile.
"I hope it was painful when the Queen perished," he said.
"It wasn't…and she's very much alive. Most of them are," the man revealed. Greg frowned.
"How is that possible?" Tamara asked.
"You survived. Do you really think no one else did?" he answered her with his own question.
"They fought us…we were supposed to be through the portal with the boy before it went off," Greg said.
"Except the Home Office you were following isn't the real one. Our mission is to destroy magic and eradicate it from this world. But you've caused the opposite," he said.
"No…we destroyed the town and we were on our way to bring the boy to our superiors," Greg argued.
"Those superiors that recruited you only co-opted our message for their own purposes. You were bringing the boy to Peter Pan. That portal would have taken you to Neverland and he would have likely killed you. Then he would have used the boy's heart to ensure his immortality," the man said.
"Peter Pan?" Greg asked.
"Do you know what you sound like?" Tamara asked.
"Please…you know that it's all real and yes, I do know what it sounds like. But suspend whatever images of Peter Pan you have in your head from movies and television. He's no boy. He's a demon…once a man wanting to shirk his responsibilities. But in a land that gave him his youth back, like everything, it didn't last. Feeding off the youth of others was the only way to keep his own youth," the man explained.
"The boy…" Greg said. The man nodded.
"He needed that particular boy to avoid death. Thankfully, you two failed to give him what he needed and he shriveled up and died finally. Very recently," the man said.
"So…it's over. We destroyed the town and magic," Greg said.
"Wrong…they're all alive and worse, the magical radiation has spread through the country, with the highest concentration remaining in New England," the man replied.
"Are…are you saying there is magic everywhere now?" Tamara questioned.
"In a way…it doesn't work exactly like it did there. But it's here and so are many creatures and abominations that don't belong," he said.
"Why are you telling us this? Obviously you were keeping us locked up as punishment," Tamara said bitterly.
"Correct and like I said, we had to make sure you weren't genetically altered by the radiation. But now, you have a chance to help us rectify your mistake and actually destroy magic, once and for all," he said.
"How do you know we weren't altered?" Greg asked curiously, as the door opened and someone walked in, practically dragging a frightened old woman.
"Your hearts, of course. If you're not from this world, your heart possesses a certain unique trait that a normal human heart does not," the man said, as he opened a metal case and took out a strange looking device. It was circular and glowed brightly in the center, like something out of a comic book.
"Most of Storybrooke's citizens survived the explosion. Their memories were wiped and they were given new lives. Most of them ended up in New York City, but thanks to our technology, we are able to identify them with a simple scan from a special device," he said, gesturing to the frightened old woman.
"This is Molly and she works in a tailor shop in upstate New York, but really she is from Storybrooke and was but a simple seamstress there," he said.
"I…I don't know what you're talking about. I've never lived in a place called Storybrooke," she said.
"See? No memory…but it doesn't matter. She doesn't belong and we must take care of the problem. Fortunately, we can do it easily now," he said, as they watched in horror, as the device hummed and glowed very brightly. It seemed to have a powerful suction and they watched in abject horror, as her heart was literally ripped from her chest, without opening the woman's chest. She cried out in pain though and they saw a burn mark that was left behind. The poor old woman looked at the man in horror too. The heart glowed, just like Greg had seen Snow White's do when the Queen ripped it from her chest. The man transferred the glowing organ to his free hand and stared at it like it was the most evil thing he had ever seen. Then they watched him crush the heart into diamond dust and let it fall on the body of the old woman, who now lay dead at his feet.
"Who…who are you?" Tamara asked.
"My name is not significant, but I am a General. I am former military and CIA. I have gone rogue now in the pursuit to destroy magic, because it nearly destroyed me," he said.
"How?" Greg asked, as he turned to him.
"Because I was once one of Pan's lost boys. I was abducted by him and then attacked and left for dead when I wanted to leave. By chance, I was swept back into this world through a portal and was nursed back to health at a hospital. I wanted to find my family, but to my shock and horror, I found that it had been nearly one hundred years since I had been gone. Everyone I had known and loved was dead. I went into the system and vowed that I would rise to a place of power in this world, so I could pursue my life's mission to make sure no other child would ever be ruined by magic," he said bitterly.
"The Home Office is actually a rogue government agency?" Tamara asked. He nodded curtly.
"Yes…and some of my former employees have awakened and recruited prominent members of Storybrooke to get a handle on the magical outbursts in this world," he said, as photos of several people appeared on the screen. Greg scowled at seeing that one was the Queen.
"While they hunt magical anomalies, we will hunt those from Storybrooke and kill them, including them," he said.
"That is…if you are in?" he added. Greg and Tamara exchanged a glance and smirked.
"We're in,"