A great crashing sound shocked Zhan awake from where he’d been cautiously dozing behind a large bush. Instantly he was on his feet, in a defensive combat stance with his dagger at the ready. 

After a few seconds, Zhan realized he wasn’t in any danger so he allowed himself to relax. Slightly. 

Then there was a second crash. This one was much closer than the first, and much louder. 

It was then that Zhan’s mind put the pieces together and he knew what he was hearing. Footsteps. 

Titan footsteps. 

Zhan was too much of a cynic to think that the approaching giant was Pryvani or another friendly. Far more likely it was Trell returning from whatever twisted errand she’d left to complete. The fact that, as Zhan looked down on them from the ridge above, her worshippers had fallen to their knees in adoration only solidified the hypothesis. 

After another minute and several other tremors that rattled up his legs, the blonde giantess that had haunted his nightmares made her appearance. Trell ducked into the canyon looking inordinately pleased with herself. She sauntered over to where the humans were bowing at her feet. 

As Zhan watched, a careless shadow fell over one of those worshippers and his small form disappeared beneath the uncaring ‘goddess’s’ boot with a sickening crunch. 

Trell didn’t even look down as her boot lifted again, revealing the crushed remains of the young man. None of her other followers dared to comment on his demise either. 

Zhan’s stomach roiled. He knew, intellectually, that every one of those men and women was a murderer and a thief, but nobody deserved that kind of death. 

At least it was quick, unlike the death she’d had in mind for him. 

Again, Zhan had to suppress the urge to vomit. He forced himself to continue watching. He needed to figure out what Trell was doing back on Avalon, and quickly. 

With an inappropriately girlish giggle, the alien woman lifted her hand to her mouth and spat an object into her hand. With mounting horror, but no surprise, Zhan realized it was another human. 

The soaking wet man coughed and hacked, wiping Trell’s saliva from his face. 

“I hope the trip was pleasant for you, Nick.” Trell snickered at the creature in her hand. 

“You really are an idiot, Trell.” Nick gasped as he pushed himself into a sitting position in her palm. 

“Oh.” Trell grinned. “And why is that?” 

“Didn’t you learn your lesson last time?” Nick spat nastily. “I have a chip in my back that lets Brinn find me. The same way they found you last time.” 

Trell shrugged. “I could just kill you, which would put a stop to that rather quickly.” She laughed at the look of horror on Nick’s face. “But I won’t do that. Not yet anyway. You haven’t figured out yet that I want them to come find you?” 

“You do? But… why?” 

“Because,” Trell’s face lit up with a rapturous and slightly insane grin. “I want to see the looks on the faces of that spoiled rich brat and my stupid sister when they realize there’s nothing they can do to prevent what’s about to happen.” 

She carried Nick to where she’d piled the building sized boxes that held her equipment. She reached into the largest one and, with a small grunt of exertion, hefted a silver rectangular contraption out and held it aloft so Nick could see it. 

Nick peered at the strange metal device. Proportionately, it was about a foot long and seven inches high… maybe about the size of a small stereo. On the front were several dials and, ominously, a digital counter with lavender numbers that were counting down hours. 

To what, Nick wasn’t sure he wanted to know. 

“I bet you’re wondering what this is.” Trell asked with a sinister tone to her voice. “And I would love nothing better than to tell you exactly what it is, but I really hate explaining things twice. Pryvani and my idiot sister have probably realized you’re missing by now; I’ll just wait until they find us. Okay?”

*.*.*.*.*.*

“Just what was that alarm?” Brinn asked as she helped Pryvani back to the couch from her desk. 

The young heiress groaned and shook her head, trying to make both her eyes focus at the same time. “That was trouble.” She muttered. “Before she left, Rixie programmed a security sub routine that would activate an alarm if a decommissioned clearance code was ever used on these premises.” 

Brinn’s stomach dropped. “Tell me you don’t mean what I think you mean.” She whispered. 

“Yes.” Pryvani sighed as she flopped onto the couch. “Trell must be here, or was here…” 

Brinn didn’t say another word; she dropped her pad on the desk and rushed out of the room at breakneck speed. 

Pryvani tried to rise and follow, but her knees wobbled and she fell back onto the couch with a very undignified grunt, which thankfully no one was around to see. 

“It’s during times like this I wish I really was a goddess…” she muttered, wiping the fever sweat from her forehead.

Brinn, meanwhile, was running full tilt down the corridor from Pryvani’s office to the medical lab. She was breathing hard and there was a stitch forming in her side, but she ignored it. There were much more important things to be thinking about. 

Like whether Nick and Sophia were still alive. 

Brinn rounded the corner and skidded to a stop. Dr. Selil and Taron were knelt over the prone form of Zara who was carefully sitting up and rubbing the side of her head, tears streaming down her face. 

“Oh Brinn…” The young woman sniffed. “I’m so sorry. I came around the corner… she surprised me. I tried to stop her but… well… She’s got Nick…” 

Brinn’s heart thumped in her chest and she tamped down on the wave of panic that threatened to overwhelm her. “Sophia? Did she take her too?” 

Taron shook his head and gently helped Zara to her feet. “She’s still in her enclosure. She’s a total mess… but she’s as physically fine as she was before.” 

“Sophia says Trell left her behind as a message to us.” Dr. Selil interjected, leading Brinn into the medical lab. 

Brinn immediately dashed over to Sophia’s enclosure and scooped the woman into the palm of her hand, no longer caring about containing the disease now that Nick wasn’t around to get infected. She immediately brought Sophia up to her face and gently pressed the little woman to her cheek.

“Brinn? Is that you?” 

Brinn’s eyes popped open. She’d completely forgotten about Sophia’s blindness. 

“Yes sweetheart.” She whispered softly. “It’s me, sorry if I startled you.” 

“N-no…” Sophia sighed. “It’s okay. I’m just… Nick…” 

“Shhh…” Brinn shushed gently. “We’re not giving up on him. Trell apparently forgot about his tracking chip. Again. We’re about to go get him back.” 

“I’m sorry Brinn…” A voice spoke from the doorway. “I can’t let you do that yet.” 

Brinn turned around to find a very bedraggled looking Pryvani leaning against the door frame for support. 

“What are you talking about?” 

“I’m sorry Brinn.” Pryvani muttered, rubbing the side of her face. “But until we’re sure the vaccination is effective… none of us are leaving this compound.” 

“But Nick-!” 

Pryvani raised her hand to forestall any complaints. “I know. You have no idea how much it’s hurting me to tell you this… but I have to think about the thousands of people out there as well. We’ve managed to keep the plague contained to Atlantis, by some miracle. I can’t risk undoing that now.” 

Brinn gritted her teeth. 

“Oh yeah, I’m sure it’s hurting you plenty Pryvani!” The young veterinarian spat venomously. Pryvani winced from the fury on the young woman’s face. 

“Don’t worry Brinn.” Sophia spoke up from the Titan’s palm. “She doesn’t want him dead. Not yet. Not until she’s been able to lure you out.” 

Brinn’s browed creased and she resisted the urge to scream in frustration. As much as she hated to admit it, and somewhat hated Pryvani for that matter, the young woman was right. They had to think of the greater good. 

No matter how much it hurt to do so.

*.*.*.*.*.*.*

As she stood on the ledge overlooking the little town that had been taken over by murderers and thieves, she decided that there wasn’t any point in delaying the inevitable.

At first she’d been concerned that they might be walking straight into the jaws- literally- of a murderous Titaness, but she’d contacted Pryvani, who’d informed her that Trell had just been at the former goddess’s home, and Lysis’s scouts had reported no signs of the psychopath, so she felt it was unlikely that Trell was there. Titans were pretty hard to hide, after all.

The young Captain hefted her sword and turned to the men and women gathered behind her. 

“Let’s end this now.” She said simply. “Charge.” 

And, with that one word of command, Lysis and the troops gathered behind her let loose a roar of challenge and ran down the hill toward the captured city. 

Before she knew it, they’d entered the courtyard and overwhelmed the sentries. 

Well, almost. A sudden ringing gong echoed through the town square. Apparently someone had survived long enough to raise an alarm. 

It was just as well, they’d all have to be flushed out eventually. 

The guttural roar of combat intermingled with the sound of metal striking against metal as the militia collided with the hastily gathered forces of the death cultists. The scene around them became a blur as Lysis’ focus narrowed to the man directly in front of her. 

She raised her sword in time to parry the blow he’d attempted to land on her shoulder. She knocked the sword away and kicked the man in the chest sending him sprawling. Before he could react, she’d stabbed downwards, severing his windpipe along with the artery in his neck. He’d bleed out in moments, so she moved on. 

With a single minded determination, she drifted through the battlefield, parrying thrusts and delivering quick and decisive deathblows to the cultists. She felt no remorse in their killing. After all, she’d seen first-hand what they’d done to the people whose homes they’d ransacked. A quick death was far less than they deserved. 

As she pushed through the mass of men and women in combat, she kept her eyes peeled for the one man she’d designated as her target. 

Khalin. 

It was easy enough to guess where he’d be. The man was, after all, a glorified coward. He’d be at the back of all the action urging others to go fight his battles for him. Not only that, but she felt it was a reasonable assumption that he’d be in the little hole he’d managed to dig for himself, or rather- steal. 

As she rounded a corner in one of the streets, she was suddenly blindsided by a rather heavy weight bulling into her. 

Before she could react, she was on the ground pinned under the unwashed and pungent body of her assailant. 

The smell alone was almost enough to kill her, but Lysis managed to resist the urge to vomit. Instead she pushed up against the bulk that pinned her down, even as the man tried to grip his greasy hands around her throat. 

Lysis managed to grip the hilt of the knife she kept strapped to her calf and, without a second thought, thrust up into the mountain of flesh that had her pinned down. 

The result was a scream of pain and her attacker quickly backing away from her. As he stood, she noticed a large crimson stain forming on the side of his torso. Before he could regroup himself, she thrust up into his gut with her blade and with a strangled gasp, the man fell over dead. 

Lysis pulled herself to her feet and brushed herself off in disgust. 

“May you find a bath in whatever afterlife awaits you.” She spat contemptuously, before turning to continue her journey towards the center of town. 

It didn’t take long. She’d moved away from where the majority of the fighting was taking place, and the air around her suddenly seemed still and quiet. 

“Hello Cap.” 

Lysis turned at the sound of the voice. Her eyes narrowed as she beheld Khalin for the first time since the night they’d spoken in the jail house. 

He’d looked terrible then, and he’d only seemed to have gotten worse in the intervening days since. His hair was thinning and greasy, and his skin had a pale pallid look to it. 

But it was his eyes that spoke the most. His eyes stared at her with a wild sort of intensity that did not speak of any sort of sanity existing in the mind behind them. 

“Khalin.” Lysis’ grip on the hilt of her weapon tightened and she shifted herself into a more ready stance, preparing for whatever the insane cult leader had in mind. “I’m going to give you one chance to end this. Come peacefully.” 

Khalin grinned ghoulishly. “Not a chance. My goddess has reappeared, your doom is at hand.” 

“I was hoping you’d say something like that.” 

With a flash of metal, a sword appeared in Khalin’s hand and he raised it to block Lysis sword. The two weapons clanged off each other and the combatants fell back a pace, eyeing each other warily. 

The two of them circled, holding their weapons aloft, each looking for any opening. 

“You can’t possibly hope to defeat me.” Khalin laughed. “I’ve been blessed by a goddess.” 

Lysis frowned, studying Khalin’s stance and looking for weaknesses to exploit. She did her utmost to ignore the taunting. 

There! She lashed out with her weapon, nearly catching Khalin off guard, but at the last second his own sword swept down to catch hers on the flat of his blade. This set off a flurry of blows as each of them tried to offset their opponent and throw them off balance. 

Lysis ducked under a sideways swipe of Khalin’s and brought her own blade up alongside his head. Khalin ducked to the side in time to avoid a fatal blow, but Lysis did manage to leave a long shallow cut up the side of his face that oozed blood down his cheek. 

It matched the one on his forehead. 

Khalin ignored the injury and continued to press the attack, using his superior size and strength to his advantage. His relentless onslaught forced Lysis into a defensive position and pushed her back. 

Lysis knew that unless she could regain the advantage, he’d press her against the wall and it would all be over. 

Fortunately, Khalin was as arrogant a swordsman as he was everything else. Without realizing he’d done so, he allowed Lysis to work him into a pattern and before he knew what had happened, she turned the tables on him and broken out of his hold, darting to the left and ducking around him. 

Confused, Khalin whirled around to face her once more, bringing his sword up again and narrowly avoiding having his throat slashed by Lysis’s sword. 

The tide of the battle had turned again, and Lysis made sure to take full advantage of the situation, driving Khalin back with a wild flurry of blows that had the younger man staggering back and desperately trying to keep his footing. 

The sound of metal striking against metal rang out through the stolen home as the two of them clashed in a life or death struggle.

Suddenly, Lysis felt a stinging blow cut across her cheek and heard a sharp whistling sound rush across her ear. She blocked Khalin’s strike with her sword and brought her hand up to her cheek. When she pulled it away, it was covered with blood. 

“I won’t miss next time, whore.” 

Standing in the doorway leading into the room was the wild-eyed and bedraggled form of Cara, who held another knife aloft, ready to throw it at her. 

“So glad you could join us, my love.” Khalin spoke smoothly. 

Lysis’s heart beat a little faster. Things just got complicated. 

Before Lysis could plan further, Cara darted into the room and ran straight at her, slashing wildly about with the two daggers she brandished in her hands.

Lysis was forced to dodge away from the armed madwoman. Fortunately, her sword had a longer reach than Cara’s blades, so it was a simple matter to stay just far enough away that she could not be harmed. 

Khalin took this opportunity to duck around behind Lysis, trapping the unfortunate Captain in a pincer maneuver. The madman advanced on her and lashed out with his sword, hoping to deal a fatal blow. 

Which he did. 

Lysis ducked out of the way at the last second and Khalin’s weapon found it’s mark deep in Cara’s breast. 

The dark haired woman stopped short, a startled gasp bursting from her lips. She looked up, a pleading and confused expression on her face, before falling to the ground, her eyes dulled by death. 

Khalin looked down on the newly created corpse dispassionately. 

“Well.” He muttered. “That is unfortunate.” 

With a jerk and a wet squelch, he tore his blade free of his ex-lover’s body and raised it, dripping with blood, into a defensive stance. 

Lysis eyed him warily. She’d known he was psychotic, but the way he’d cruelly dispatched- even by accident- the one he claimed to ‘love’ …it was a little disconcerting. 

Nevertheless, she couldn’t worry about that now. Raising her sword, she deflected Khalin’s attack and pushed him back, causing him to stumble before he regained his balance. 

The murderous cult leader remained eerily silent as he went back on the offensive, using his superior height and strength to his full advantage- hammering away at Lysis’s own weapon until she began to think her arms would break. 

Relentlessly, Khalin pressed the attack, driving Lysis to her knees. Desperately, she reached for the dagger at her side and sliced at Khalin’s ribcage, leaving a long shallow cut that left a dark red stain on his chest. 

Khalin grunted in pain and fell back, allowing Lysis to regain her feet. She moved to stab down into Khalin’s chest, ending the fight once in for all, but at the last second Khalin rolled away- stumbling back to his feet with a gasp. 

“Nice try.” Khalin panted, holding his side which was still leaking dark red blood. “But you’ll have to do better than that.” 

“If you insist.” Lysis replied savagely.