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Chapter -10- Mother of All Reunions

Ninety Minutes Later...

*Conner sat up. * He stretched and looked around. "Did I sleep?" He sat up, he realized that he'd been lying across his uncle's lap. It was awkward; the realization of sleeping across a grown man's legs was beyond strange for Conner.

"Yeah," James said. "You slept hard. I couldn't wake you. My legs are asleep. But you wouldn't wake up. I was getting worried about you."

Conner rubbed his face. "God I needed that. Anyway, I can sense a lot of wireless computer connections."

Karla stretched a bit. "What's going on back there?" she asked followed by a yawn.

Conner rolled his shoulders forward, and then backwards, trying to stretch his muscles. "It's like when you walk into an apartment complex and you're surrounded by Wi-Fi access points."

Karla passed a small container of Ibuprofen back with a bottle of mineral water. "Here. I know you hate taking painkillers and food with chemicals in it. I get it. But your back muscles are probably tense and knotted up."

Conner reached up and took the two bottles. "Thank you."

Karla blinked. She didn't expect his gratitude but appreciated hearing it. "Yeah, no problem. You're welcome."

"I think we're within a stone's throw of the dome," said Conner. "I don't know how far, for sure, but I can feel the interfaces. We're right at the edge of their transmitting range."

An enormous purple tentacle came down across the hood of the Chevelle. The specially designed suspension grunted under the weight. The transmission slipped into neutral.

Reno waited until the large diamond-shaped appendage, at the end of a long squishy limb, pulled away. The Chevelle lifted back up. He put the car back into gear and punched the accelerator. "Conner, Karla, your new pet followed us."

"God dammit!" Karla exclaimed. She cracked her knuckles and opened the window. "That piece of sh..." Her words were cut short by a blast from the Carl Gustav weapon up on the roof of the trailer. "Jesus! I guess the gang saw it come back before we did."

Conner sighed. "If we can just get to the dome, we can get inside before that thing picks another fight!"

"Too late," Reno said. "Hold on!" He exclaimed. Another purple limb slammed down, hitting the sand in front of the Chevelle. They drove over it.

He looked down at his hood but it didn't appear to be crumpled the way he'd expected. The engine scoop was covered in slime, but even that appeared to be intact.

"Hit the gas," Conner said. "We're close!"

"Can't," Reno called back. "There won't be enough stopping time if we come in hot. We can only see fifteen, maybe twenty yards in front of us. I can't risk going over twenty-five or thirty miles per hour."

"God," Karla said. "Conner, you want to try that electricity trick again?"

"No, I want to get away from that damn thing." Conner rubbed the back of his neck. "If Uncle Reno wants to, we'll do it. James, can you drive?"

Reno called back, "The compulsator and batteries are fully charged. It'll run without me for a while," he assured.

James nodded. "I can drive."

"Keep it slow. We don't know how close we are to the dome."

"I understand." James climbed over the backrest of the bench seating.

Karla teleported herself out of the vehicle. She appeared on the rubberized, textured trailer roof.

Evan looked up, loading another round into the weapon. He looked glad to see her.

"Conner says we're close," she said loud enough for Evan to hear over the roar of water.

"How close?"

"He says close enough to pick up the edge of Wi-Fi."

Evan nodded. "The wall of water may be creating a tunnel that captures floating signal and directs it. It could still be almost a mile away. We should go at a slower pace than our previous speed."

Karla grinned. "We slowed down. You okay up here? How's Charlie?"

"He'll be okay," Evan said. "Grab the bag of ammo from Sekhmet. You can load me!"

A tentacle came down, striking the trunk of the Chevelle. The enormous squid's limb followed through, crashing against the tow hitch, separating the trailer from the car.

Karla used telekinesis to keep herself stable. She teleported Evan to the sand.

The trailer slammed to the ground, its power cut with the separation of the towing hitch. It rolled onto its side. Karla appeared adjacent to Evan, panting in shock.

The Chevelle came to a stop thirty meters ahead.

Karla held her hands up, creating a telekinetic shell just as a tendril came down from above. It struck the invisible shield.

Evan raised his hands. Glass lifted up out of the sand, easing the trailer slowly to an angle. More glass lifted up, cradling the trailer's bottom side, until it came to rest gently on its belly.

Karla and Evan raced towards the rear entrance. She waved her hand, ripping the door away. It landed twenty feet away.

With James further up, the pocket of air in the Atlantic Sea closed in on itself less than thirty feet behind the trailer.

Karla looked back at it and grimaced. She climbed into the back of the trailer. Seven people were jumbled up, lying strewn about over one another. It appeared Kalen Kincade, at the bottom of the pile, broke the group's fall.

Karla turned to Evan. "Check on them. I'll check on the others." She teleported herself up by the Chevelle. "Reno! Conner, James - you guys okay?!"

Conner climbed down from the back seat. He sank into the sand with a grunt of pain. Conner waved to signal he was okay, softly chanting, "Walk it off, walk it off..." to himself.

"This is it, then," murmured Karla. She noticed that Conner was walking away from the car, heading in the general direction of the dome. "Hey! Parker! Wait up."

Reno called back to Karla. "Get everyone up here by the Chevelle! Quick! No time to explain!"

Karla levitated herself up to the roof of the Chevelle and sat down, with her feet on the trunk. She focused her abilities to carefully bring the trailer closer. It took a moment, but she didn't want to teleport a box with eight people.

With a grunt and a grimace, she set the trailer down adjacent to the Chevrolet. She moved to all fours and crawled over to the driver's side. "You okay in there, James?"

James looked up at her. "I've always wanted to drive an eight-five year old muscle car. Too bad I couldn't open it up - I hear this thing can hit two hundred easy."

He reached back for his staff and climbed out of the driver's side. James dropped to his feet with a grunt and drove the base of the staff into the sandy ground.

The pocket of water moved closer until the back end of the air pocket was directly behind the Chevelle. Meanwhile, the front of the pocket extended forward.

The waves shifted up ahead and peeled apart to reveal the enormous monstrosity that was the New Atlantis City dome.

Karla looked up. A purple limb reached through the gap and swiped diagonally down at the group. She lifted her hands and repelled the strike with a telekinetic field. "Okay! Whatever you guys plan on doing, do it now!"

James gave Reno a boost up into the driver's seat. Reno tensed up and put his supercharged hands on the steering wheel. While feeding electricity into the system, he fished a pellet out of the ashtray and put it into a hopper on the dashboard next to the GPS screen.

Reno maneuvered the hopper. A HUD targeting reticule appeared on the windshield. He leaned out the driver door and shouted, "Fire in the hole!"

The track, built into the chassis, guided the pellet down to the rail gun in the frame. It spit out of the grille and struck the side of the dome, blasting a hole into the lower section of the superstructure.

Reno fired a second round for good measure. He reached back for Conner's cane and tossed it out the window. "Conner! Catch!" It landed in the sand.

The giant squid brought an arm down, slamming into the Chevelle.

"Reno!" Karla screeched in surprise. She kept her hands up, repelling most of the creature's arms from above, but never saw the one that came from behind.

The Chevelle was thrown into the water wall. With the force of the upward current, it was thrown high into the air and disappeared from view.

Karla's lower lip quivered. She looked back up at the creature with disdain. It swept its free arm back towards the group in the trailer.

Karla disappeared.

She reappeared atop of the creature's head and drove all of her telekinetic energy into its body. Karla propelled it towards New Atlantis, slamming it face-first into the upper portion of the dome.

She vanished a split second before impact.

Karla reappeared in the wet sand, looking up at the side of the dome. The creature dropped to the left, fed back into the ocean. It was dazed but far from defeated. The dome didn't even crack. "God dammit!"

A flash of lightning reached down from the sky and struck squarely in the sand up ahead. It created a glassy object in the wet ground, which lanced out like a spider's web.

At the center of the strike, Reno materialized, dusting the front of his shirt, which was now dry from all the moisture in his clothing being evaporated. He looked up at the group.

With a somber expression, Reno mouthed the words, "I loved that car..."

Karla teleported herself from one end of the wind pocket to the other. She threw her arms around Reno and hugged him. "You're okay!"

Reno hooked an arm around her waist. "Hey. Yeah, of course. I told you, Karla. I promise I'm not going anywhere. I'm not going to die on you, unless by old age, and I'm not leaving you alone. We discussed this."

She buried her face into the front of his shirt, drying her eyes and her soaked bangs. "You had me worried, dammit."

Reno grinned, wrapping his other arm around her. "You goofball, I told you I'm not leaving you. Now, let's get in there and destroy that place. I blasted a hole. Let's get moving."

Evan and Sinopa helped the rest of the group from the trailer. Sekhmet and Heimdallr looked rattled but delighted to fight.

Kalen pressed on his ribs, pushing two back into place.

Rufus pulled off the last article of his clothing and stuffed it into a satchel. And then, all at one time, black strands of fur sprouted from his body.

Rue stood up on his toes. His ankles shifted. His shoulder blades moved further apart. Claws grew from his nails, and his face contorted into an elongated muzzle. A long black tail pushed down from his spine and sprouted thick black fur.

Albert DeLioncourt turned to Sekhmet. "Now?"

"Yes," she told him.

Albert didn't bother removing his clothing. He didn't bother storing fresh clothes, or preparing a satchel. He dropped to all fours. Tan fur pushed out of his neck. His hair fanned out, growing outward with the fur around his neck to create a mane.

Albert's torso became more barrel shaped. His hands became massive paws and his lower body shifted to create powerful, tan-furred legs. A lengthy tail pushed down from the base of his spine with a tuft of ruddy-colored fur at the end.

Albert stood up adjacent to Rufus. The were-lion and werewolf nodded to one another in silence.

Evan licked his lips, watching both transformations in awe. Once complete, he put his head beneath Charlie's left arm and helped Foster up. "Okay, let's go find your brother."

"You are a good man, Evan, and an even better friend," Charlie said with a nod. "Let us go and find Johann."

Sinopa gestured everyone to follow Karla, Reno, Conner and James. "Come, everyone. Time is wasting."

"Let's move," Karla called back to them. "We're burning daylight and that freak will be back any minute!"

Rufus picked up Charlie. The werewolf shifted Charles about, helping the smaller human onto a pair of furry shoulders. "C'mon, bud! Up you go. Hold on tight. This gonna be a bumpy piggyback ride."

The group hurried forward. The immediate area was still bathed by the backup batteries of the trailer's flood lamps.

The brilliant bright lighting made a kaleidoscope effect off the wet sand and watery walls.

Conner picked up his cane and brushed the metal hook against the water, cleaning the dirt off of it. He put it into the holster on his back and rubbed his sore neck. "Okay, everyone. Let's get inside, quick."

Karla made a circular gesture with her hand, trying to rally her friends together. "Keep your eyes peeled for that creature! I can't teleport everyone at once. I'm exhausted. We're going to have to hoof it."

"You heard the lady," Reno said to the group. "Let's get moving. Keep your eyes sharp. You see that thing or its arms, don't try and think of words to say - just shout."

Karla picked up the Carl Gustav weapon, shouldering the tube. She grasped the top of the ammo satchel and followed the others.

The pocket of air held steady in place. It closed at the back, and within a moment the trailer was swallowed into the sea. The air pocket became dark.

Looking over their shoulders, the group saw the dim, muffled brownish-green coloration of the flood lamps, which stayed illuminated under the water's surface.

They approached the New Atlantis dome. The east corner was nestled in the ocean floor at the edge of a steep underwater trench.

They were at a deep section of the Atlantic. The walls of the sea towered over the group over a mile high in this section.

Karla gave Reno's hand a squeeze, looking up at the dome, high above their heads. "That thing is huge. Suddenly the water walls don't seem quite so bad."

"It's menacing," Evan added. "But we just parted the sea like Moses. We just fought a giant squid _twice_and we haven't lost anyone."

Rufus gave Evan a firm pat on the shoulder. In a deep, guttural voice, he spoke with a wolfish growl. "If I were Falcon, I'd be updatin' my will right about now."

The hole created by Reno's rail gun attack was at least a hundred feet above them.

Conner, still sore, tightened his jaw and said, "I guess we start walking the perimeter until we find some bay doors." He fished out a bottle of Advil from his pocket and dry-swallowed the three remaining pills.

"Don't be a dumb ass," said Karla. She watched Conner with the pills, surprised by his willingness to use pain-killers. "That will draw even_more_ attention. Hold on one second." She opened the sack of ammunition and drew out the last four rounds.

The succubus began teleporting one at a time. She breathed calmly in a state of hyper focus. Two of the rounds reappeared in front of her. A pause...

Conner rubbed his chin and asked, "What happened to the other two?"

"They're gone. I found a safe place to teleport. Let's go." She disappeared first.

Next, Reno and Evan. Rufus, Albert and Sekhmet vanished. Kalen, Heimdallr, Sinopa, Conner, Charlie, and finally James.

Evan looked out through the enormous hole created in the bulkhead. It was amazing. He put his hands up and created an impressive glass patch over the hole. "Okay, it's solid. Let'er rip, James."

James closed one hand around his staff. He lowered to one knee in front of the glass hole. His other hand tightened over a shoulder strap of a knapsack full of supplies and thermite grenades. He relaxed his body.

The sea walls crashed together. The glass held and became dark. A loud grunting noise was heard as the water rushed up against the side of the domed city.

Conner looked around, getting his bearings. He examined the surroundings and counted the heads of all twelve people, including himself. He took a deep breath and sighed. "That was ... everyone, you did a great job."

Albert grimaced. His muzzle wrinkled in a semi-snarl. "I didn't even do anything. You guys should utilize your team, instead of doing all the work yourselves."

Conner narrowed his eyes. He looked back at Albert but saw Karla. It reminded him of all the times he'd argued with her. He didn't want to argue anymore. He just wanted to save the day and go home.

"Yeah?" Albert tilted his head.

Conner shook his head. "Sometimes, just being on deck for support is all you have to do. Staying out of the way until it's your time to fight - that's something not many people understand. You all did a great job. Everyone should be proud to have made it this far."

Evan chimed in, "Last time a group of us came down here, we did it in a bathysphere. The thing was pulled into an intake pipe and it flipped over repeatedly. I broke bones. We were all disoriented. It was the first in a long string of downfalls. This time, I feel like we're really on top of our game, here."

Karla clapped her hands together and rubbed her palms furiously. "That settles it people! We did good work, and now we're going to kick some serious ass! First, we have to figure out where we are. We should set up base camp, so to speak, and send someone out to do reconnaissance."

"I want that job," Conner said. "My parents are out there. My stepfather is our inside agent. I'm going to find them, and we're going to sit tight until everything is figured out."

"With all due respect," said Albert, "and I'm not trying to argue here, fearless leader, because I know you have all your Boy Scout patches - even the ones no one has heard of. But we need to be productive; we need to get the most done at one time as possible."

Conner held his hands up. "Okay, okay. First, let's figure out where we're at and then we'll come up with a plan. Agreed, everyone?"

No one disagreed.

Charlie spoke for the group. "Conner, you have our cooperation."

"Alright." Conner looked around the area. He tensed his hand, sending current into the metallic hook of his cane. It illuminated the immediate sewer hallway.

One of explosive rounds was sticking out of the wall while another one was half-buried in the floor, next to Sinopa's right shoe.

Karla sighed, relaxing her body. "I couldn't retrieve those two pieces once they were completely merged into the bulkhead and deck. They're permanent now. It's a good way to test where the air pockets are before sending a living person..." She glanced at James. "You got the other crap from the trailer storage?"

Jaye nodded. "Yeah, Rufus brought it. I've got the satchel now. We have thermite and some other things. I don't know about you guys but I'm emotionally exhausted after that harrowing ride out here."

Karla turned to James and hugged him. "We'll rest before we fight. We're not doing it like last time."

"Last time?" asked Conner. "How so?"

Evan cut in. "We rushed in, trying to topple the place as fast as we could. We got our butts kicked. This time, we can have bigger groups, we can rescue a small army, and we can take our time. It'll take a few days to bring this place down if we do it right."

Conner nodded firmly. "Exactly. We're going to do everything the right way this time. Now, I wasn't here last time, but I don't want to make all the same mistakes. So, with all due respect to everyone present ... I believe Reno and Karla should be the ones helping to call the shots. Also, Evan is somewhat familiar with parts of this city. So everyone should refer to him when necessary."

Evan nodded. "Plus, when Conner, here, finds his parents that will help us a lot."

Karla un-shouldered the large weapon, loaded a high-explosive round into the tube, and passed the satchel towards the others. "Somebody take this. I don't need a freaking shoulder cannon. One of you might, though."

Kalen picked up the satchel of ammunition. The vampire reached for the Carl Gustov and shouldered the tube. "These rounds should be in cases. You don't sling them around in a wet potato sack."

Karla grimaced. "Kalen, you're the best vampire, and I'm gonna let you finish, babe, okay, but Beyoncé deserves that rocket launcher more than you do."

Kalen blinked. "Excuse me?"

Evan grinned at Karla. "Be careful with that meme. It's an antique."

"Heh, that's true. It's the first thing that came to my head." Karla turned to Kalen and said, "The trailer was flipped over and everyone grabbed everything they could with what little time they had. The case is long gone. But there's only two rounds left. One of them is in that thing. You'll be fine."

Kincade nodded. "What about the two that are lodged in the bulkhead and deck plate, here?"

"What about them?" Karla asked.

Albert folded his large, tan-furred arms over the expanse of his chest. The lion spoke with a low rumble, somewhere between a growl and purr. "Kalen wants to know if we can use them."

"They're permanently fused with..."

"Wait," Albert interrupted. "Karla, wait. We get that. You already said that. We understand it. But there's a glass patch over a huge hole. Can we rig those things to blow up later? That way if we're in trouble, later, we can still sock it to these sons of bitches."

Rufus nodded. He brought his paw up and rubbed the bottom side of his wolfish muzzle. "That'd be handy. We could use it as insurance. If we gotta escape in an emergency like last time, we can still stick it to Falcon."

Karla glanced at Sinopa and Reno. She looked back at Albert with a nod. "Yeah, that's smart. That's ... yeah, good idea. We'll need a way to rig them."

Reno approached the round in the bulkhead. "Looks like the explosive is still useful." He knelt to the deck and examined the one jutting up from the floor. "This one ... I'm not sure. Half of the explosive is lodged in the floor. It might blow up when that one goes off. Then again, it might not. Maybe it will go up with half the strength."

Kalen rubbed his chin in thought. "Elvena."

Karla perked, hearing her daughter's name. "What about her?"

"If we can rescue her," said Kalen, "She is a trained Government agent. She'll know how to rig these to explode. We could put them on a timer, and set them to explode in a few days."

Rufus nodded in agreement. "Yeah, even if we escape, Falcon won't think nothing of it once we're gone. Then a day later, boom. Sucker punch."

"I like that," Albert said. He turned to Sekhmet. "You like that, don'tcha?"

"I would prefer we kill this man on our own. We save the women and children and whoever values their lives. This place can flood and collapse on its own time for all I care."

Heimdallr saw eyes fall upon him. "Do not seek my advice, fellow warriors. It is likely I will not live to see the detonation or the floodwaters that follow."

Karla grimaced. "That's a bit on the negative side, don't you think?"

"I will be a kin-slayer," Heimdallr explained. "I would rather die gloriously and drag Loki to Hel, kicking and screaming, than to have my name tarnished."

Reno ran his hands back through his hair. "Conner, there's lots of electricity going through this area. Maybe there's something to control it, like a computer."

Charlie offered Conner an awkwardly fond smile in the dim lighting. "Well done, Conner."

"Oh, uh ... sure, thanks." Conner made his way through the group. "Excuse me."

Karla rung out the front of her skirt, and then the back. "Well, it looks like we're all here and wholesome. Let's get our bearings straight and figure out a plan of attack."

A groaning sound from behind the walls startled everyone.

"What the hell was that?" asked Conner in a low voice.

James looked out through the glass patch in the bulkhead. "It sounded like earlier, when the water rushed up against the outer hull of the dome."

"Yeah," Evan said, "But we already saw it close, so that makes no sense."

Karla offered an uncharacteristically nervous sort of smile. "Okay, let's keep our heads here. Maybe it was just a big wave or the squid or something. You guys worry too much." Karla's expression quickly faded taking the serious atmosphere into account.

The succubus approached a faded sign. She wiped off some grime and glanced over her shoulder with a dull glare. "It was originally 'yellow'." She traced her fingers over the impressions of the lettering then flicked the dark sludge onto a nearby wall.

Sinopa read the wording. She burned away the grime on the walls, revealing the semi-scorched sign beneath. "It says Junction Panel 'D' here, which is a good place to start."

"Start ... what?" Karla glanced at Conner who appeared to know what was going on. She wrapped her arms around her stomach, crisscrossed, holding her hips.

Conner saw something was off. "What, Karla? What is it?"

"We should dry off before we get sick. I'm cold as hell; don't know about the rest of you." Her fake smile belied her discomfort. Her pensive stance was far more apparent than she intended.

"Remember how clean this place was the first time we saw it?" Evan murmured.

"If you guys say so," James replied, adding, "I'm just glad I can actually hear again."

"Yeah, no kidding," Conner said under his breath. He followed the direction of the yellow arrow on the recently cleaned sign. "They'll probably have some sort of maintenance box running to control this stuff, like Uncle Reno said."

Reno nodded. "Electricity, pipe flow, maintenance sensors - all that bullshit needs to be computer regulated. There will be a satellite unit to process all the sensors in the area, and then a main computer. My brother once told me this whole place could be controlled from one terminal. It might not be easily done, but it's theoretically possible."

Conner rubbed his hands together. "Once I get into the satellite computer, I'll be able to get into the mainframe, which means I can take a stab at the heart of Falcon's operation."

James looked around. "But this place is, like, older than you, Conner." He rubbed the base of his neck, stretched a bit, and pushed his hands into his soggy pockets. "Seriously, how will you know what operating system they're using, let alone hack in or whatever?"

Rufus sat down on his haunches. "Satellite as in a remote controlling computer, not like ... satellite, yeah?"

Albert cut in, "Yeah, that's what he means. I consider myself pretty savvy with computers. The kid thinks he can hack the whole place. That's going to take a lot of domain jumping."

Conner shrugged. "Sinopa, did you bring the supplies?"

"Hai. Charlie carried the rest for me." She turned and nodded to Charles. "If you would, Charlie-kun?"

Charles smirked at Sinopa. They appeared to have a brief conversation with their expressive glances towards one another. Finally, Charlie un-shouldered a backpack and opened it.

Karla rubbed her forehead and dropped her hands at her sides in frustration. "Let's just get dried off. Most of us will be staying down here while Conner checks around up top." She turned to Conner directly and said, "See if you can get into the security or something."

The group stopped in front of a door. Conner picked the lock and opened it. There were computers in a small booth. He turned on a light switch. "Albert's right. It's probably on a different domain from main operations. We'll see - right now I'm just going to try and see what's going on."

"What about communication?" Karla asked.

Kalen Kincade nodded firmly. "That's a good idea. We could listen in to see if they're being dispatched to this sewer, due to the hole we put in the bulkhead." Kalen placed the rocket launcher against the wall. He set the bag with the remaining round on the deck, adjacent to the weapon.

Heimdallr set down his own satchel and started dressing in his battle armor. "If there would be a way to listen in to the enemy, that would give us an immense advantage in battle."

Sekhmet placed her hand on Conner's shoulder and purred into his ear. "Perhaps you could use such a device to claim that repairs are unnecessary. Or, better yet, you could use it to lure people down into an enclosed space. I could kill them all for us."

"Guys, everyone, just relax," said Conner. "I need a minute to try and get into the system. Everyone sit down in the hallway and take a breather."

Karla began to rummage through the bags of dry clothing brought by Charlie and Sinopa. "Okay, let's see what we've got, everyone. We should all get naked, before we get sick. And then, I suppose we could get dressed. Heh. But first, we should definitely all get naked."

Sinopa rolled her eyes.

Conner got to work on the computer terminal.

Reno made a quick headcount. He nodded to Karla. "We're good. Twelve out of twelve. Now, most of us want to be in charge. But that's not possible. So I think we should break into groups."

Karla grinned. "Okay. So what's the plan, Top Cop?"

Reno began pacing through the sewer room in front of the group. "Some of us need to rescue our friends. Some of us need to find the artifacts and find a way to get them to the surface. Some of us need to find Loki and get Heimdallr to shut that guy down. Then there's Aris Falcon. We also need to shut down the defense forces, take the city and prep it for evacuation. The storm is headed north, so it will be safe to get them out."

Rufus stepped forward. "I'm volunteering to help find and rescue people in stasis. I cain't fight Falcon. I tried. He got Bull's strength."

James said, "I'll head up the search for the relics."

Reno nodded. "Alright, I'll go after Falcon." He patted a lump in his pocket. The large nut was still in its safe place. "I've got the seed from the Tree of Knowledge. Don't worry, he won't get to use it." His other pocket had the small tablet that was loaned to him by Conner Parker.

Conner turned to Karla and Reno. "I'll find my parents. They'll be able to help all the teams. I can do it alone, using the computer systems in this place. We'll find you guys."

Karla put an arm around Sinopa and grinned. She turned to Heimdallr, Sekhmet and Albert. "Alright, the five of us will go after the defense force. They're going to come at us with everything and it's going to be an all-out war."

"What about me?" asked Evan. "And what about Charlie, here?"

Karla shrugged. "You guys are warriors, Evan. Both of you. But James is going to need help going after the artifacts. And Rufus is going to need help finding the people in Cryogenic Stasis."

Rufus turned to Conner. "When you find your folks, you use them-there computers to find me. Then you meet me. We'll get everyone out of stasis together. We'll need your computer interfacing abilities to get everyone out quick-like. You and your dad. And then you'll get to see those nanobots people've told you about."

Reno grinned at Conner. "See? Rue knows they're real."

Conner grimaced. "When I see them, I'll believe it."

Kalen approached Rufus. "James, Evan, I would like to accompany you in finding the artifacts. Natalia and Peter have made it clear that bringing them together is the problem. These items were created with molecular engineering similar to the way genetics can be engineered. They take whatever shape humans make with them, but when brought together, they act as keys, data cards, and various other objects. These devices should be hidden around the Earth the way they once were. It is important."

Karla blinked. "Damn, Kalen. That's the most I've heard you say in days."

Kalen nodded. "I had something important to say, Karla." He turned to James and Evan. "I would like very much to accompany you both on this mission."

Conner shook hands with Heimdallr. He turned to Sekhmet and extended his hand to her.

Sekhmet motioned to Albert, who shook Conner's hand for her.

Albert spoke softly to Conner. "Don't be insulted, kid. It's her thing."

Sekhmet's ears perked a bit. "And he is my possession. He will shake on my behalf."

Albert grinned a bit at Conner and released the teen's hand. "I've always wondered what it'd be like with a woman who could kill me if she wanted."

Conner grimaced, nodded, and turned to Reno, James, Karla and Rufus. "Okay, you guys. Everyone, good luck. We made it this far. Our army is going to get much bigger soon. Let's stay positive and do this smart. Finally, let me just remind you guys that no body is going to take a deal from Falcon and leave."

"Conner," Karla said with a sigh.

Conner held his hands up. "Wait, wait. I mean everyone. Karla, you're here to save your family. And you know they're in danger if you leave before Falcon's people die. So I trust you're in this for the long haul. You made that mistake so the rest of us could learn from it. I trust you okay?"

Karla nodded. "Okay. I trust you too, Conner."

"Well you should," he said. "I never gave any reason to make anyone think I..." he trailed off and took a deep breath. "Sorry. I'm doing my best."

Karla smirked. "You're such a little shit. Go find your folks. Stay live, you little brat."

Conner nodded to everyone else. "Uncle Jaye, Uncle Reno - everyone. Good luck." He hurried out of the hallway, into the next section of the sewer.

Once the teenager was further away from the group, Conner felt himself begin to relax. He shifted the lay of his harness, so the cane was better angled on his back. He took the first ladder he found and ascended it to a manhole cover.

Conner pulled himself up to the street surface and dropped the heavy metal lid back into place.

Parker looked around. It truly resembled a quaint, early twenty-first century city. There were cars parked on the street corners, light poles, and traffic lights.

Street signs were well lit. He saw tall buildings in the distance. Conner turned around, slowly, looking at apartment buildings and a red brick corner store on a nearby corner.

It was like Rufus described it on the long ride through the ocean, but for some reason the simplicity and quaintness of it all still took Conner by surprise.

He approached a nearby car. One had tires. The vehicle in front of it was sitting on its belly and had no tires at all. He knelt besides it and examined the vehicle closely. The design was almost identical to the new hover vehicles released to market up on the surface world.

"Excuse me!" said a woman from behind with a tone of authority. "Step away from the vehicle and interlace your hands upon your head,now."

Conner clenched his eyes and sighed through his nose. He lifted his hands, placed them upon his head and interlocked his fingers.

"Now turn around."

Conner pivoted on his heel to face a woman in some sort of uniform leotard with logos on her shoulders. She wore an armored vest and padding that covered her shoes, shins and knees. Lettering was down the side of her leggings.

She had a weapon her hip but held her hands out defensively instead. She squinted her eyes as if recognizing his face.

Conner nodded towards her hip. "Aren't you going to draw your weapon?"

"I don't need it."

Conner turned his head to the right, gazing at her from the left corner of his eyes. He scrunched his brows. "You don't need it? I've never seen any kind of hand-to-hand technique like that. What's the posture called? Ode de Esoteric?"

She opened her stance as if readying for a fight. "What do you know about the Esoteric Community - are you one of them?"

"Sort of. But that's how people with powers stand because they teach each other that their powers are an extension of their forearms."

"Who are you?" she demanded.

"Conner Parker. And you?"

She opened her mouth but froze. "Conner?"

"That's me. So who are you?"

"Nichole," she said, trailing off. In a quiet voice, she added, "Parker."

"Say again? A little louder?"

She lowered her hands and approached him. "My God, Fox was right. And Topaz is right to be worried."

"What?"

"Your parents, Conner. They're worried you're ... god, look at you. You've grown a lot compared to the pictures they have on the shelves. You look ... like you're practically an adult."

"I am _practically_an adult," he quipped. "What was your name? I didn't quite catch it - Nichole what?"

Nichole approached him and gestured for him to drop his hands to his sides. "Parker, honey. Nichole Parker. Who else is with you?"

Conner stared at her for a moment. "How did you find me?"

"I'm patrolling this area. How many, sweetheart?"

"No offense, but I'm not your sweetheart. I don't know you. I'm alone."

"How did you get here?"

"I used the storm for cover."

She lifted her eyes and then lowered them. "You have blood on your cane. How many guards did you kill?"

"Guards? You're the first person to see me. I used it to fight this freakish pet creature your boss keeps outside."

Nichole looked him over. "Were you hurt?"

"I'm fine."

"Any bruises? Any breaks?"

"Why, so you can use my injuries against me? I'm not telling you."

She smiled.

"Something funny?" asked Conner.

"You're just like your mother. Which means, deep down, you probably have her secret soft side, too."

Conner remained stoic. "And who do you think my mother is?"

"Topaz Nevada, of course. I can take you to her."

His brows furrowed. "Why should I trust you? I don't know you. You could be taking me to the rest of your patrol or..."

Nichole held a hand up. "Stop. Stop, Conner, please. I'm going to call her right now. You can talk to her." Nichole withdrew a phone.

"Put it on speaker."

"Alright." Nichole thumbed the screen.

Topaz's voice came over the speaker built into the phone. "Nichole? What is it, baby? Did you find something?"

Nichole passed the phone forward.

"Nichole? You there?" Topaz giggled softly, "Did you butt-dial me, hon?"

Conner cradled the phone into his palms. He looked around the area, still suspicious, but his heart ached after going so long without seeing his mother. "Mom?"

There was a brief silence on the other end. "C-Conner?"

"Mom, I came to rescue you."

"Oh, sweetheart, it couldn't have been easy to get down here."

Conner felt emotion well up in his eyes. He swallowed it down and blinked it away to keep himself ready for anything. "That's putting it mildly."

"God, your voice is getting so deep," Topaz said. "You sound more like your Uncle Fox than..."

"Stop." Conner swallowed again.

"Conner?"

"I know, mom. I know. Fox is my father. You don't have to pretend anymore. Everyone knew but me and I felt like an idiot. Like my childhood was some sort of sham, but ... I'm not upset."

"Conner, baby, please, let me explain. I don't want you to be upset with..."

"Mom, stop. I'm _not_upset. It took a long time, but I finally understand. I'm not saying I condone it, I'm just saying I understand that it's nothing that could be helped."

"Where are you?"

Nichole moved closer and said, "On the corner of Aquahart and Ivanov."

"Can you bring him here, babe?"

Nichole shifted her gaze to Conner and, in a soft voice, asked, "Will you let me?"

Topaz added, "Please, just trust her - she'll bring you to me."

Conner sighed. "Don't take this the wrong way, but I didn't get this far by rushing into things. You trained me to stow my emotions. How do I know it's really you?"

Topaz chuckled. "That's my boy. Your best time in the vault beat mine. You made the Master Trial in under half an hour. When you crossed the finish line, you refused to let me set the two fingers that you'd broken. You wrapped it with your other hand and your teeth. You thought it was somehow part of the test."

Conner licked his lips. He looked down at his hand. The very fingers that he'd broken, again, when jumping out of the Government building in Chicago, back on the third of November. It seemed like a lifetime ago.

"Conner?"

Nichole frowned. "She's really your mom," Nichole whispered.

Conner nodded. "Okay, why did you leave me in San Francisco with my grandparents? The place was nuked."

"I know it was nuked," Topaz said with a sigh, adding, "But I didn't leave you in San Francisco. I left you in Louisiana."

Conner cracked a thin smile. "Karla is a bitch."

Topaz erupted into bright laughter. "I know, honey, but I think I'm ready to forgive her. Just because she's immortal, it doesn't mean she's perfect. I assume you came with her. She's one of the few people who would be eager to come down here again."

"What makes you think she's here?"

"We're told there was a very, very large disturbance in the ocean. Many times more powerful, and putting off far more energy than the hurricane. It spawned dozens of water spouts, too. Karla is a very loud, obnoxious, showy person. Seems like her style."

This time Conner laughed. "Yeah, she's definitely all those things. Okay, where are you?"

"Have Nichole bring you here. She won't come in with you; she has to stay on her patrols, but I'm close. Please, Conner. I need to see you. It's been since March."

In a soft voice, Conner said, "It's been even longer for me." He cleared his throat and said, "Yeah, I'll see you soon."

Nichole offered Conner a smile. "Okay, hon. I'll see you in five."

"Bye babe. Love you."

"Love you, too," Nichole said. "Bye." She made a kissing sound and thumbed the phone screen.

Conner made a sour face. "So it's true? She has a husband, she he me with her twin brother, and she's also a lesbian?"

"Conner," Nichole said in a stern voice. "Don't judge her."

"I just need to hear it from her," Conner said. "I hate being lied to by someone I trust. Come on, lead the way."

Nichole nodded and guided him up Ivanov Street. "This road goes all the way downtown to Falcon's main building. Any street that leads directly to his building was named after a scientist he's worked with - someone who has influenced his work."

"Yeah." Conner walked behind her, to the left, so he could keep his eye on her and still look around the area.

True to the woman's word, the apartment wasn't far. It was surprisingly small compared to the Parker Mansion. At the very least, he expected his mother to live in a larger place.

Nichole opened the door and pointed up the stairs. "We're the only tenants here. It was two apartments but they've been combined. The first floor is a gym, which your parents love. Go on up. Stay safe." Nichole abruptly walked away.

Conner eyed her. "You live here, too?"

"As you've surmised, we're all lovers. Please, don't judge." Nichole continued down the street, back towards where she found him, earlier.

Conner sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "God." He made his way up the stairs and withdrew the cane from over his left shoulder.

At the top of the steps, there were two doors. One near the stairs, and another further up the hallway, on the same side of the building.

"Here goes everything." He switched his cane to his left hand and opened the knob with his right.

Topaz stood at the center of the room looking ... uncharacteristically nervous.

"Hey." He stepped in and used his cane to close the door.

"God, let me get a look at you." She approached her son. Her eyes shifted to the cane but, for now, she ignored it. Topaz put her arms around him and hugged him in silence.

After a moment, he slid his right arm around her and sighed. Conner felt himself relax. "I feel like I'm the only one who is freaked out by the fact my parents are ... related. And, because I'm the only one bothered by it, I feel like I must be the biggest, most unaccepting asshole in all of creation. And ... I have so much to tell you. Some is good, some is really bad. And I barely have any time to ... I just ... Fuck, mom. Fuck. I'm so frustrated you guys came down here. And then Carmen shows up without you guys. And now she's dating some sort of blood drinking freak and..."

Topaz tensed her arms, hugging him firmly. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I never apologize to anyone, but I'm apologizing to you. I was being emotional when I left you with Jules and Sinopa and I am so sorry."

Conner broke from the hug. He took her arm and moved her to a chair. He sat down on a sofa, facing her. "Jules is dead."

Topaz pursed her lips together.

"San Francisco has been nuked. So ... our home is gone. It's still there, but it's in an exclusion zone. Give it time, people will get in and raid it for every last piece of crap art on the walls."

Topaz fidgeted with a nod.

"The Parker Island is gone. Joseph Pendleton and his son, who apparently know you and my father, were able to find it. They couldn't get in because I found a way to lock them out. So they set a nuclear weapon beneath the water to try and access it directly. They wanted the gold. They're both dead, and I failed the family, whose names have dwindled down to one branch, with a non-existent legacy. And who let the place become destroyed? Me. I couldn't do it. It was too much. I couldn't bare all those burdens by myself. I wasn't prepared. I let Jules die. I lost our home, our island, our legacy..."

Topaz moved to the sofa and pulled him into her arms. "Conner..."

"I couldn't do it by myself! Carmen wasn't there to help! You weren't there to help me, and Fox wasn't there! I tried to teach James, but I couldn't prepare him to be ready enough, either. It was the blind leading the blind, and..."

Topaz pulled his face against her shoulder. "Shh, Conner, I failed you. I failed you and I am so sorry."

Conner's chest hurt. His throat hurt. His eyes hurt. He was trying so hard to hold in all the emotion. He was trying so hard to hold in all the depression he'd been bottling.

All at once, all of his emotions came out. Tears ran down his face. He cried for all his failures - every last one, all at once.

His shoulders heaved in a broken off-time cadence. Conner doubled over and buried his face into her lap, crying against her knees. "It's all gone, and it's all my fault! I'm just a goddamn kid, and I wanted to make you proud and..."

"Shh, I am proud. You were attacked on all sides, and you lived. Carmen is strong, but she was captured. But when Falcon came for you, he couldn't lay a hand on you. Conner, don't you see? You're the_only_ thing he wanted. The house and the island were attacked to try and draw you out. They came at you from fifty different directions at once, and they couldn't even catch you."

"So was it stupid of me to come?" he said. "I can't run anymore. They'll never stop. They've killed or burned everything I care about. I need to put a stop to this myself." He looked up at her. Tears streaked down his face.

The fabric over her knees was darkened with his tears. Her heart ached for him. Seeing him hurt was as painful as watching Vincent's death twenty-six years ago. Topaz placed her hands on his face. "I love you. I am _so_proud of you."

"My people are here. We're going to burn this place until there is nothing left."

"I came here all those years ago and I couldn't stop that man."

Conner shrugged. "I brought a small army, and we're going to wake up the other half of our army soon. I killed Pendleton Senior with this," he said, picking his cane up from the floor by his feet. "I put the hook right through his neck while he was in the middle of running the trials."

"Conner..." She licked her lips. All those years of telling him not to falter over a kill, and now, for some reason, it bothered her that he was so nonchalant about killing Joe Sr.

"Yeah? Are you proud of me?"

"I am prouder that you're alive. You've brought help. You have more good news than bad news, and I _am_proud of you. I really am."

"But..."

"Listen," she said in a stern voice meant to quiet him. "The Parker legacy is to keep what's in the vault safe from the world. You did that. It's even harder to obtain, now."

Conner leaned his cane against the sofa and wiped his face with his palms. "I saved all the orichalcum." He nodded to the staff. "I've been using that. You won't believe what I can do with it."

"Is it like Fox's nanobots?"

Conner rubbed his face again. "Are you telling me that shit is real?"

Topaz grinned. "Listen to the mouth on you."

He swallowed a lump in his throat and said, "I learned from the best."

Topaz laughed through misty eyes. "Yeah, you sure did. Is that a wedding band on your left hand?" She reached for his hand and lifted it, examining the ring. "You got married and I wasn't even there for it. What kind of mother am I?"

"Mom, stop."

"There's so much I missed."

"Yeah. You're going to be a grandmother, heh."

She swallowed. "Don't even joke like..."

"It's true. Tamae is late. The pee test has a plus."

Topaz felt numb for a moment. "I don't know what's scarier ... that I'm pregnant ... or that my child is having a child."

"You're ... pregnant?"

"Yeah," Topaz said. "Falcon forced it ... that mother fucker. But I won't kill a child, especially when the child will belong to Fox again. Not to mention the fact that the Parker lineage needs to survive."

"I don't even know what to say."

"Is your wife here with you?"

"God no," Conner said. "I wouldn't let her near this place. But I've been through so much, I could never tell you everything in one day, let alone in the time we have to escape."

"How about the highlights?"

Conner pulled his shirt up. There was a round mark on his skin where he'd healed from having his cane run through his body. "I was impaled by Pendleton. Oh, and he dropped a building on me and left me to die. I laid under the rubble with Karla while Kuda brought bottles of water from a town a few miles away. Karla fed me water until we were dug out."

"She ... she did that for you?"

"I was unresponsive. I don't remember anything. I woke up in the hospital with missing teeth and a huge hole in the side of my molars. It makes chewing a bitch. And..."

"Jesus Christ, Conner. I was so stupid for leaving you to fend for yourself, undefended."

Conner stood up from the sofa. He wiped his face again. He held his hand out. The cane lurched up and met his hand. He held it firmly and the hook began to glow. It hummed and crackled with electricity. "See? I'm not defenseless."

"How did you do that?"

"Still not sure. Something about how it was in me for days, and then, look here," he said, pointing to a scrape line in the middle of the handle. "This is a diamond saw, they couldn't cut it in half to take it out of me at the hospital."

"Jesus. I didn't realize orichalcum had such ... a diamond saw couldn't cut it? How is it shaped then?"

"Hell if I know," said Conner. "Ask Steven Milford. He apparently used to work with it to make things, or he would use a mix of gold, copper and orichalcum alloy."

Topaz feigned a smile. "That's what the scientists think Orichalcum was. They think it was an alloy mixed with copper."

"Yeah. Well, let them think whatever they want. I saved every last bit from the island before it went up."

"See? I'm proud of you."

"I'm sorry I freaked out when I got here. I guess I just needed to get it off my chest after a year and a half."

"And a half?"

"I stayed on the island with Raul and James and some others. We trained our asses off. Raul slowed time to a crawl and we lived there for about half of a year. It really feels like forever since I've seen you."

"God. I'm sorry, Conner. You've grown up so much. What's your wife's name?"

"Oh, I thought I told you. Tamae Parker - you'll meet her soon enough. We just have to get out of here alive."

"You may have told me. I was just ... so besides myself. I'm calming down now. Conner, I really missed you. I know you're not a momma's boy, but we've always had so much in common. We were more like friends than a parent and child. I'd like to think you appreciated that."

"Yeah. But you were a terrible friend to keep all those secrets from me. I was never prepared for Pendleton and his kid. I was never prepared for so many things. I was never prepared to find out about Jules and Sinopa. I was never ready to find out about Fox being my father. You kept so much from me."

Topaz sighed. "I was trying to keep you off everyone's radar and I'm sorry. How can I make it up to you?"

"Do you know where everyone is kept in cryogenic stasis?"

"Yes," said Topaz.

"Could you take me there?"

"Yes. But first, would you like to say hello to Vincent?"

Conner sighed through his nose and nodded. "Yeah, sure. Where is he?"

Vincent came out from the bedroom hearing his name. He approached Conner and the two shared a masculine hug, complete with a half embrace and firm pat on the each other's back.

"Hey," Conner said.

"Hey yourself," Vincent replied. "Is my brother with your group? Sorry I was listening in, but she asked me to wait in the bedroom so she could talk to you, mother-to-son."

"He's asked to go after Falcon alone. Everyone in the group has an important job to do, and Reno wanted to be the one to confront Falcon."

Vincent's eyes widened. "My brother is going after Aris Falcon alone? Does he even understand how many abilities that man has?"

"Reno doesn't give a shit," Conner said pointedly. "Reno has had a serious beef with Falcon since the man cost Uncle Reno his job."

"Uncle Reno, huh?" Vincent grinned. "That's cute."

"You're my mother's husband right?" Conner asked, turning to face his mother with a snarky glance. "At least that was true, right?"

"Conner," Topaz said with a sigh, "Yes, of course. I'm Topaz Nevada, and Vincent is your step-father."

Conner turned back to Vincent. "See? Uncle by marriage. Uncle Reno. I've taken to calling you Uncle Vincent, even though you're my stepfather. I'm not sure why. It just helps me separate things in my head."

"But ... I'm _not_your uncle."

"Sure you are. You're my father's brother-in-law, right?"

Vincent nodded with a frown.

"You see how confusing this situation is?" Conner asked of them both. "I'm trying really hard not to judge, but I found out from other people, and it was hidden from me. Taboos are things you hide from people so they don't feel judged. Maybe if you told me when I was a toddler, I'd have grown up not giving a shit."

"You never used to cuss around me," Topaz said. "Now you sound just like me."

"What can I say?" he asked with a shrug. "I'm my mother's son. And, really, maybe you two should stay here while I handle this shit out there."

"What?!" Topaz erupted.

Vincent sat down on the sofa and pulled her to sit besides him. He took her hand in hers and squeezed it gently. "It's what you told me in the elevator when we met. It's his way of trying to protect you."

"Yeah, well," she looked up at her son. "Conner, no offense, but there are nicer ways to say what's on your mind." She froze and turned to Vincent. "Shit. Were my social skills that emotionless?"

"Ah, yeah, they were," said Vincent.

Topaz looked up at Conner and said, "I'll take you to the lab. The city is on lockdown so we'll have to steal a government vehicle. An official lives with his family not too far from here. He would be home right now. We'll take the car over to the lab."

A weak grin tugged at the corner of Conner's mouth. "You want to steal a car together? World-class master thieves ... jacking a car together. Seriously?"

"Seriously," she said. "It's one of those electric hover cars. Do they have them on the surface? They just came out, here, this month."

Conner smirked. "Yeah, they came out in October or November on the surface. But I haven't had the chance to drive one." He cut his eyes to Vincent. "Reno taught me to drive. You tell Fox when you see him, that Reno is the coolest uncle I could have ever asked for. No offense, but ... I was in good hands, okay?"

Vincent swallowed. "Do you know which way he went?"

"Where's Dr. Falcon? I'd start with that guy's front door."

Vincent turned to Topaz. "I know we were talking about sitting on the sidelines, but he's my brother. I can't just let him go to his grave. I have to try and talk him out of it, or..."

Topaz stood up and approached her husband. "No. You find Reno and you help him."

"What?"

She cupped either side of Vincent's face. "You heard me, babe. You help Reno end it. I mean it. You vaporize that motherfucker. It's time to end it. All our loved ones came to put an end to this. It's time to end it. We strike them down now. You really want Falcon taking this baby from me?"

Vincent nodded in understanding. "I love you."

"I love you," she said back. They shared a kiss.

"I would say, 'get a room,' but," Conner shook his head with a smirk, adding, "it's your place, not mine. So by all means. Go right ahead. Kid in the room, but it's cool."

Topaz looked back at her son and smirked. "You're married with kids on the way. Suck it up, you're an adult now." She turned back to Vincent and kissed him as if it would be their last. Deep down, she prayed it wouldn't be.

Conner walked around the apartment, looking at photographs. He looked at the things they used to express themselves around the living space.

Conner made his way into the bedroom. It was the length of two queen beds, side by side. He assumed it was the largest that could be brought up the stairs and through the door. The pillow arrangement said it all - four people slept in this bed.

He made his way around the bedroom, looking at photographs of himself with his sister and pictures of the four who lived in that very room.

Conner saw images of his mother and her brother, kissing, hugging, and looking generally happy together.

He picked one up and took the photograph out of the frame. It was such a strange thing - enamel-coated photo-paper. He rubbed his thumb over the glossy surface of the photograph. His parents, Fox and Topaz Parker. Twins. Chimera. Related ... yet not. Born together, yet they had so many genetic differences.

He stared at the photo with a sigh. His parents looked so happy in the picture. They looked so in love. He wondered if they still had close moments like the one depicted in the photo.

After a moment to collect his wits, Conner walked back out to the living room. "I'm sorry if this comes off as weird, but, mom - are you still romantically in love with my father?" He held the photo up, sans frame. "Are you guys still happy like this?"

Vincent looked over his shoulder at Conner. "Yes. I consider him my husband. Fox and I share everything. Topaz and I share everything. Topaz and Fox share everything. We're very much in love. I hope you don't judge us."

Conner shook his head and slid the photograph into his pocket. "Mom? Are you two still in love?" he asked again.

"Yes," she said. "I treat them like I have two husbands. I never saw Fox as my brother. I saw him as my soul mate. Are you familiar with Plato's theory on soul mates? Because you can't help who you love, Conner. And I love Vincent as much as I love your father. And Vincent loves your father as much as he loves me. The three of us are the relationship."

"Oh yeah?" Conner said. He picked up his cane and put it into the holster on his back. "Who's Nichole? Why does she share the bed with you guys? Why is she in photographs kissing you guys?"

Vincent chuckled, deflecting the hurt he felt over Conner's judgment. "We're married, she's our girlfriend. It's hard to explain."

"Whatever," Conner said with a shrug of indifference. "Who am I to judge? I technically had two wives, so to speak. It's complicated, and I'll explain it at length when we get out of here. So who am I to judge?"

"But you do," Topaz said.

"No, I don't care if you have two mates," he said. "It's the 2040s - it's the in-thing. I even did it for a while. But you guys knew you were twins when you conceived me. And then you lied about the identity of my father - that is a little weird. But it's cool. That was so last year. We're about to go into 2050, and I'm ready to let go of that stuff."

"Really?" Topaz turned to face her son. "You're not going to be upset with me about this?"

"I've been upset for months. I confronted you. It's over. I just need to relax after letting it all out. I'll sleep or meditate, and then I won't be upset anymore."

"Okay. So who is your other lover? Your unofficial wife, I mean."

"Her name is Tamamo-no-Mae."

Topaz's eyes widened. "What!! Tamamo is your other lover?!"

"Oh, please do not tell me you slept with her," Conner said. "I swear to God."

"No!" Topaz said. "She's basically my grandmother. She was Sinopa's acting mother."

"So you can sleep with your twin, and I can't sleep with my non-blood great-grandmother. Got it." Conner nodded firmly. "Cool. Well, don't worry. I broke up with her. So it's a non-issue. Can we go steal that car now?"

"It's awfully tense in here," Vincent said to Topaz in a soft voice. "He's been bottling this for a long time. Considering the fact he's found out you're in a polygamous, incestual, and lesbian relationship, he's actually taking it pretty well."

Topaz stared at her husband for a moment. "Just ... every minute you're not out there looking for Reno..."

"You're right. I love you." Vincent kissed his wife. "Stay safe."

"You too, babe." She gave her husband's ass a firm slap, "That's for luck. You vaporize that bastard for me, babe. And when he looks up with his final breath, you tell him 'Topaz can't wait to have that baby on the surface.' Then you spit on him for me."

"Alright." Vincent turned to Conner and snatched the teen's left hand. "Stay safe. This is your stepfather talking. Stay safe, and fight smart."

Conner sighed and pulled Vincent into a slight hug. He figured it was obligatory at this point, and didn't want to be rude. They hugged. It was simple and there were no words.

Vincent left the apartment.

Topaz turned to Conner and sighed. "Okay, this whole reunion has been one big tear-fest. And you're right, I do cuss a lot. Fuck. Shit. Whatever, let's go save everyone. Can you do what Fox can do?"

"I'm told he could interface with computers, so long as they have a direct radio interface, like Bluetooth or Wifi. I'm getting pretty good at it."

"Good. You need the nanobots." She called her brother on her phone and waited for him to answer. Then, "Hey, get to the corner of Ivanov and Aquahart. I need your help stealing Philip's government-issue hover car. Conner is here, and we're going to free everyone. And bring the nanobots from the lower city."

They exchanged very brief pleasantries and hung up. Topaz turned to Conner and said, "Fox's nanobots were in a jar in the island. I assume they're at the bottom of the Pacific, but right before Patty Balmoral escaped this city - much respect, because I couldn't pull it off - she uncovered another collection of First Age nanobots created by people who lived in the city ten thousand years ago."

"Ten thousand year-old nanobots," Conner murmured. "Yeah..."

"You'll see." Topaz reached for his hand and gave it a squeeze. "You ready?"

"No offense, but holding hands is a little weird."

Topaz flinched. She snatched his hand and squeezed it. "Damn, Conner, I don't know if I should smack your ass and pretend to flirt to make you feel uncomfortable ... or if I should cry, because I am upset that I hurt you that badly. I ... I'm ... Jesus Christ."

Conner was at a loss for words. "Sorry." He gave her hand a squeeze back. "Today is the first chance I've had to process this crap. I guess I just ... I look at Carmen and wonder how you could kiss Fox without cringing."

"Well, good. I don't want you fucking your sister. It's bad enough that Falcon made me this way. I can't help how I feel about Fox. We emit pheromones only detectable to the other. We were made broken on purpose. And I'm not saying other incest relationships are broken - but I feel broken when you judge me."

Conner swallowed. "Okay, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you."

"I didn't mean to hurt you either," she said with a sigh. "You don't have to apologize. I was the bitch. Let's go." She opened the door and locked the knob. "Follow me."

Conner closed the door behind himself. "You're not a bitch, okay?"

She headed down the stairs. "I'm not trying to guilt trip you, Conner. I am a bitch at times. Usually I'm proud of being a bitch, but right now I'm pregnant and hormonal and I go from keyed up to breaking down," she snapped her fingers, "like that."

"Keyed up as in ... you want to fight people, right?"

She looked back at him over her shoulder and smirked. "Sure." She pushed the door open, at the street level and turned the corner.

Conner followed her out. "I feel like a huge asshole. I came down here to rescue you and all I did was blow up on you."

"No, you needed to get that off your chest."

"All I do is fight with Karla. I feel like I argue with everyone except for Tamae."

"Do you argue with Reno?"

"No," Conner said, following her up the block and around the corner. "I don't fight with Rufus, or Reno, or James or..." he cleared his throat with a shrug. "Come to think of it, it's really just Karla. We're from two different worlds. We can't agree on anything. We have a normal conversation and suddenly we're pushing each others buttons, and looking for ways to twist each others words just for a reason to argue."

"God, it sounds like you two are ex-lovers."

Conner cringed. "Perish the thought."

Topaz stopped adjacent to a hover car, sitting on its belly - the same one Conner was admiring half an hour earlier. She turned back to face her son and asked, "Did you fuck the succubus?"

Conner shrugged. "It was a blow job, and I didn't want to. She was dying of starvation okay?"

Topaz stared at him for a moment, studying his face. "It's not a big deal, Conner. It's okay."

"It's more complicated than that, but it's not Karla's fault. But we argued a lot before, and now ... now we're nasty as hell to each other."

"Do you love Tamae?"

"God yes. I am _crazy_about that girl. I can't even make the words to accurately ... just ... yes. I love her."

Topaz smiled back at him. She looked up. A split second later, Fox came around the corner. They smiled at one another.

She side-nodded towards Conner.

Fox turned to Conner and offered his hand. "Hey, my God you've grown. Look at you!"

Conner cut his eyes to Topaz, briefly, then wrapped his arms around Fox and hugged him.

Fox was taken aback by the affection, but appreciated it. He hugged his son. "You know, huh?"

Conner nodded into the side of his father's face. "Yeah. That lie couldn't have been easy for you."

"It wasn't."

"And all these years, I thought my uncle loves me more than my other father because you were always there for me. Hell, I think you taught me how to pee on Cheerios when I was a kid."

Fox laughed. "Yeah, that was me. I potty trained you. I'm surprised you remember that."

"You were there for me my whole life," said Conner. "And you couldn't even tell me. I forgive you. I know you, and I know it was hard for you. You were always a good dad."

Fox bit his lower lip. "God, I don't know what to say, Conner. I'd love to be apart of this hug-fest, but the city is locked down and we're going to draw attention. We need to hurry. But I've always loved you. I've always been proud that you're my son. Look, there's lots of time after this is over, we'll catch up."

"Mom will tell you all the crap that happened to me when you two catch up on the way out of here. But, listen, you need to get her out of here right away. Things are going to move really fast from here on out." Conner stepped back from his father. "You need to get her safe and lay low. Don't worry about Falcon; he won't be an issue for much longer. Mom will tell you everything while you guys hide out."

"And what're _you_going to do?"

Conner feigned a weak smile at Fox. "Well, I'm going to end this. When the city defenses fall, my people are going to evacuate the city. You help everyone get out and blend with them."

"Okay." Fox looked down. "Is that a wedding band? You got married?"

"Wish you guys would have been there, but ... mom will tell you everything soon. For now, let's get in that car - you're right, we're going to draw attention if we don't hurry."

Topaz lit a cigarette. "Fox and I already figured out to steal these things. They're pretty clever, but you know Fox - he's a master with anything electronic."

"You smoke?" Conner said, confused. "But isn't that bad for the pregnancy?"

Topaz chuckled. "It's not for me, although it helps with the nerves." She took a single puff and inhaled deep, letting the nicotine relax her.

"Oh ... kay."

Fox grinned. "She knows what she's doing." He and Topaz worked together to nudge the front corner of the vehicle up onto the curb.

Topaz pointed to the front bumper and Fox responded in silence by crawling beneath the vehicle, now angled up onto the high curb.

Fox rolled onto his back and pushed his right hand up into the underbelly, where the recessed repulser rings were located.

Topaz took Conner's staff off of his back and wedged the base beneath the silent hover car. She gestured for Conner to take it. "Wedge it up, and keep it elevated. How can you handle that thing? It tingles like crazy when you touch it."

"Yup. Biometrically coded to me," he said with a joking smile. Conner put leverage on the cane, helping to lift the lightweight vehicle up enough that Fox could climb beneath it.

Fox's left hand slid out beneath the driver door, palm open.

Topaz reached into her back pocket. "I'm glad you told me what we're doing before we left the house so I could be prepared, Conner." She withdrew a makeup kit and put it into her brother's hand.

Conner watched them, curious how they would break into the electric vehicle.

Topaz fished out her cellphone and placed it on the hood. She approached the next nearest car and broke the window with surprising silence.

She went through a duffle bag full of clothes in the back seat and removed the only coat hanger available, bundled up with the balled up clothing. She brought it back and twirled it.

Topaz leaned against the front grille, assuming the position of watch guard. She took another puff of the cigarette to look inconspicuous but never took more than two or three drags from it.

She handed the cigarette to Conner and said, "Stand there and look like you're smoking. Pretend."

Conner took the cigarette and stood next to the car, keeping leverage on his cane. He brought the old fashion style cigarette to his lips but didn't inhale. He knew it would likely only make him cough. He knew coughing would attract attention.

Topaz moved to the door and slid the coat hanger down between the rubberized window lining and into the doorframe.

She reached for the cellphone sitting on the car and removed the battery. She touched the rechargeable battery's positive and negative plates against the end of the metal hanger.

Conner sniffed at the air, able to smell burning plastic, even over the cigarette.

"Gimmie that," said Paz. The driver door opened.

Conner looked around the quiet street corner and handed his mother the cigarette.

She took a drag and then blew a plume of cigarette smoke over the door to mask the smell of burnt plastic.

Paz switched the hot battery to her other hand, blowing cool air on it for a moment before replacing it into her cellphone.

She handed it down to her brother and, in a soft voice, said, "Charge that. We may need it again." She pulled the coat hanger out and passed it to her son, adding, "In just a second, you'll want to put all that stuff into the broken window in the car behind this one." She spoke over the cigarette, which dangled from her lips.

Topaz dropped into the driver's seat and pulled a plastic molded panel from beneath the steering wheel. She fiddled with the wiring for a moment then took the cigarette into her fingers and used the heat of the burning cherry ember to burn two wires until their plastic coated wire jackets burned away.

With the exposed wires now touching, she returned the cigarette to her mouth. "Come here and take this."

Conner pinched the cigarette from his mother's mouth and held it between two fingers.

Fox, underneath the hover car, grunted. Seconds later, the two connected wires, held by Topaz, went live with current. They sparked and the engine came on.

The car lifted from the ground. Fox crawled out from beneath the vehicle, stuffing small pedicure tools back into the makeup bag. He handed it to Topaz.

Conner put his cane into the sheath on his back and went to the car behind the hover car. He tossed the hanger in through the window. "What do I do with the cigarette?"

Fox called back in a quiet, yet audible tone, as if shouting a whisper. "Toss it in that car, onto the carpet. Make sure it lands on the carpet. It'll be a good distraction."

Conner reached in through the broken window and dropped the burning cigarette on the carpeted floor. The chemicals used to keep it smelling nice and clean were surprisingly quick to ignite.

Topaz waved Conner back. "Now you know why cigarettes are illegal contraband down here. Come on, let's get moving." She turned to her brother and said, "Thanks for the help, babe. Did you bring the nanobots?"

"Yeah." Fox turned to Conner and handed him what appeared to be a small Ziploc bag with a tiny pinch of grey dust in the bottom corner. "This is for me missing your birthday."

"How do I use it?"

"Trust me, you'll figure it out." Fox gave Conner a hug. He slid into the back seat. "Drop me off back near my post. I can't be seen walking around without a defense team uniform."

Conner took the shotgun seat.

Once everyone was inside and the doors were shut, Topaz put the hover vehicle into gear and pulled forward. "Conner, I'll let you drive after I drop off Fox, I promise. Fox, you did a great job redirecting the AHW mechanism from the battery. That was quick work, everyone."

As she pulled away, the car that was second in line from the end of the curb began to burn wildly. It got to the point where flames licked up from the windows.

Fox pulled his sister's cellular phone from his pocket. He booted it fresh, showing it was now at full battery. Fox opened the GPS application, linked in to the city's cellular data service, and waited for the phone to triangulate.

Parker passed the phone up to the front. Topaz placed it on the instrument panel, blocking the digital fuel gauge.

Conner asked, "Won't that be traced?"

Topaz shrugged. "It takes a while. Having a GPS will buy us more time than it will cost."

"What's AHW stand for?" asked Conner.

Fox grinned at his son "It stands for 'Anti Hot-Wire' mechanism. It cuts power to the cabin, so that you can't hotwire the car. If you override it the old fashion way by physically routing leads from the battery to certain wires, it becomes possible to jump the engine. After that, you're off the alternator and power cell. The starter battery design in these newer cars set back car theft by... well, by a lot. It takes several people to steal a single car, now. Plus, it's time consuming."

"Seemed pretty quick to me," said Topaz. "Good job, guys. Listen, things are going to get dangerous soon. If things don't 'take off' as fast as everyone hopes, we can always do this stuff in segments and take our time. Let's just eyeball it."

Fox nodded. "I'll get back to my post and dig up some intelligence."

Topaz adjusted the rearview mirror and asked, "Where did you get your current intelligence from, hon?"

"I seduced a coworker," Fox offered a meager smile. "A friend who has the inside scoop."

Topaz chuckled. "That's my boy. Was he hot?"

"Not as hot as you and Vince."

Topaz grinned at her brother in the rearview mirror.

Conner sank a bit in the passenger seat and pinched the bridge of his nose.

Topaz grimaced with a semi-nervous chuckle. "Sorry, babe. I'm just so used to being myself lately." She reached over and patted Conner's knee. "Sit up properly. You're a married adult now."

"A grossed-out married adult. I don't want to imagine my parents' sexual exploits."

Fox nodded. "Fair enough. I always thought it was gross that dad was with Fara. I never wanted to imagine that, so I understand."

"Let's just ... talk about anything else," said Conner.

"Sure," Fox replied. "Did you finish your homeschooling stuff?"

Conner laughed inwardly. "You mean my college stuff? I finished high school stuff before you guys left."

"Yeah, I know." Fox grinned. "I was there. I didn't forget. I meant, did you finish your freshman year?"

"God no. I had to save the world."

Fox nodded. "We've got a few minutes before you two drop me off. Why not tell me about it?"

Conner took a deep breath. "Well, long story short..."