Silent Mobius Fan Fiction ❯ Red Destiny - Book 1: New York ❯ Fugue ( Chapter 9 )

Silent Mobius: Red Destiny

Book 1: New York

Chapter 9: Fugue

Authors: OSTOCOM

Email: ostocom_hq@yahoo.com

Rating: PG-13 for language and frozen bodies (and maybe a bad pun or two)

Disclaimer: See Book 0

Special Note: Please be aware that as the Silent Crisis happened in 1999 in this universe, the timeline changed, and September 11th and subsequent wars never occurred.

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Mackenzie was always impressed by Capitol Hill. The gleaming white buildings and perfectly manicured green lawns were a testament to the fact that order existed in a world where sometimes everything seemed on the brink of chaos. (The heart of a strong nation lies here,) she thought to herself. (Though I might not agree with everything that has been done, we are still a good country. Our ideals of freedom and democracy have spread throughout the world since the Silent Crisis, and I think we're closer to world peace now than we ever were before.)

The Hill wasn't quite where she was headed today, however, much as she would have liked to stay. Instead she had the taxi drive on, over the Potomac River, and head for another building that she found herself spending more and more time in. From the ground, it didn't look that impressive to her. Simply rows upon rows of windows set into a long brick face. Absolutely the same, no matter where she looked. But she knew from the air, the sight was awe-inspiring as one got a great look at how the building had received its name. The Pentagon, headquarters of the Department of Defense.

She passed the security check easily and pinned on her visitor's badge before heading automatically to the familiar third-floor meeting room. (In fact,) she thought with a frown, (I don't think we've *ever* had these conferences in any room but that one. You'd think they could vary things a little… Then again these *are* admirals and generals, known for their love of procedures.)

She entered the room with a curt nod to its only other occupant, one of the aides to General Cragstern, the Army's Chief of Staff. The young man was a First Lieutenant and, if the rumors were true, currently involved in a somewhat scandalous affair with the General's daughter. Mackenzie shook her head slightly, amused that she had even bothered to pay attention.

One by one the various heads of the military and their aides filed into the room. Mackenzie greeted them as they entered; she had been to enough of these meeting to know almost everyone. She grew confused, however, as the one man she was most expecting to see did not enter. Admiral Farshtad, the Chief of Naval Operations and her superior officer, was noticeably absent.

The Chairman stood at the head of the large oak table and cleared his throat. "As I'm sure you all have noticed, Admiral Farshtad is not with us today. I regret to inform you that he has tendered his resignation, effective immediately. As you can imagine, this left us in quite a bind as we scrambled to find a replacement."

He nodded toward an aide at the back of the room, who opened the door and admitted two men. Mackenzie stared in shock for a few moments before she managed to compose herself.

"This is Admiral Peter Melcastle, the Navy's new CNO. With him is his new Vice-Chief, Captain Damien Marshall," the Chairman said as the two men strode to the front of the room. Mackenzie knew Marshall, of course, so she spent her time looking over the new Chief of Naval Operations. He was tall, around 5'11 or 6', and had slightly stocky frame that she guessed was more muscle than anything else. His dark hair was cut neat and very short, but there were a few tufts of gray at the side that lent him a more distinguished look. His dark turquoise eyes flickered as he surveyed the room.

"Welcome to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, gentlemen," the Chairman continued as he smiled and shook their hands. "Now, if you'll take your seats, we can begin the meeting. The first order of business is Commander Jameson's report on the unexplained attack at ECC headquarters last week. Commander, if you would?"

Mackenzie rose smoothly out of her seat and advanced to the front of the room. "Last week," she began seriously, "an unexplained virus somehow managed to infiltrate our extensive computer network. The result was a complete decay of command-level functions as well as a break-down of the security net. Headquarters was infiltrated by several enemy agents, and two of my officers were stranded in the holomodule as it went haywire due to the virus's effects. Lieutenant Solaris reported that her personal holomodule was also experiencing difficulties.

"Since the Lieutenant was unable to enter headquarters due to the virus's effects and the automatic security lockdown, she attempted to repair the problem remotely, through her home link with the ECC database. Eventually, she was successful. The results are detailed in my official report."

The officers seated around the table each opened a brown folder sitting in front of them, looking over its contents briefly and making notes. Mackenzie paused for a few moments before she continued.

"As you can see, the damage was fairly significant. However, repairs are proceeding in a timely fashion, and Lieutenant Solaris's anti-virus has already repaired most of the damage to the system. Building repairs will be completed within an estimated four days. Lieutenants Solaris and Nakai have also combined their efforts to effectively increase security in our immediate vicinity in the hopes that another attack like this will not be possible in the future."

Mackenzie spent a few minutes answering questions before being allowed to return to her seat. The rest of the meeting went as such meetings tended to go. She reported briefly on the overall state of the ECC's progress as the others took notes and nodded. When she asked for more funding, several arguments broke out and finally a compromise was reached. All in all, a typical example of modern bureaucracy. It was the confrontation after the meeting that held Mackenzie's focus for the rest of the day.

After most of the men had left, she walked over to where Melcastle and Marshall were chatting softly. "Gentlemen," she said cordially.

"Ah, Commander Jameson," Marshall greeted her with a smile. "I'd like to personally introduce you to Admiral Peter Melcastle. Admiral, this is my longtime friend and the commander of the Equine Clean-up and Control, Commander Mackenzie Jameson. She's the best there is, aren't you, James?"

Mackenzie nodded politely. "If you say so, sir. I must admit, I was surprised to see you walk in today. You hadn't mentioned anything this big to me."

Melcastle laughed. "It came as a bit of a surprise to all of us, Commander. Who would've thought Farshtad would retire so suddenly? I've worked with Captain Marshall before, he's a good man. I knew I wanted him to be my second when they asked me to take the position."

"Congratulations, both of you. I'm sure your new posts will suit you well." She turned to walk away, but a hand on her arm stopped her.

"Wait a minute, James. We actually have something to discuss with you concerning a recent engagement your team participated in. The one in the old Manhattan district?"

Mackenzie knitted her eyebrows. "I'm afraid I don't understand, sir. Was there a problem with the reports my officers filed?"

"No, no problems there. Your field commander, Lieutenant Commander Davis, reported a decrease in her ability to access her non-planar offensive skills, correct?"

Resisting the urge to roll her eyes at the overly formal language, Mackenzie nodded. "That is correct, sir. Lieutenant Commander Davis was unable to call on her fire powers, but Ensign Lynn was able to take up the slack."

"Did Commander Davis report why she believed she was unable to access her skills?" Melcastle asked.

She nodded again. "Commander Davis reported to me that she believed their location to be directly below a nexus of ley lines conducting water."

The two men nodded thoughtfully to one another. "It's as we thought, then," Melcastle murmured. "I have new orders for you, Commander Jameson. You and your team are to return to the location of the nexus and determine what the Lucifer Hawks were looking for. It could be something we can use. In case of enemy interference, you are ordered to use all due force to secure the site." He looked her straight in the eye, as if trying to convey the seriousness of his words. "Am I clear, Commander?"

Mackenzie snapped off a crisp salute and replied, "Yes, sir!"

Both officers returned her salute. "You're dismissed, Commander," Melcastle said. "Report back once you have finished your investigation."

As Mackenzie left the Pentagon and started the long drive back to New York, her thoughts were focused on Melcastle's last instruction. (All due force,) she thought, turning his words over in her head. (It seems as if our new CNO means business. But what price is he willing to pay to get results?)

------

Peter Melcastle and Damien Marshall kept close as they walked down the nearly deserted hallways of the Pentagon. They reached a rather plain-seeming door on the fourth floor and entered. The outer office was decorated in a stately manner with oak furniture and several reproductions of famous paintings. The two men politely acknowledged the secretary before heading into Melcastle's personal office, which was as unadorned as the door outside. There seemed to be nothing to distinguish it from the hundreds of other offices in the building. In fact, even if one looked closely, it was impossible to find a single personal touch in the room.

Both men stopped short as they noticed that they had been followed.

"Can I *help* you?" Marshall all but growled as he quickly shut the door.

Melcastle's secretary carefully seated herself in one of the posh chairs opposite the room's huge desk, smoothing her black skirt and straightening the matching jacket. "It's good to see you too," she said with a frown.

"What do you want?" Melcastle sighed as he settled into the large chair behind his desk. "The Captain and I *do* have business to attend to."

The secretary tucked an errant strand of auburn hair behind her ear and smiled pleasantly as Marshall took the seat next to her. "Yes, I suppose you do. And I would know, wouldn't I? Seeing as I'm the one that arranges your schedule.

"And you've been quite busy lately," she continued. "But I get nervous when I don't hear from you for a while. Not even a 'How are things progressing with your daughter?'" She shrugged. "So I figured I would give you my report… personally." As she said the last word, she leaned forward slightly and licked her full lips.

Melcastle looked disgusted. "Cut the crap, Jacobs. Just give us the damn report."

"Temper, temper, Admiral Melcastle." She wrinkled her nose and gave a dramatic sigh. "What an interesting name. I think I prefer Jerel myself."

Melcastle quickly dropped his disguise and morphed into a huge turquoise monster. "I'd *prefer* to eat you, human. But you do provide some amusement, so I have spared your worthless life. If you try my patience, however, I can guarantee you that will change."

Erika Jacobs narrowed her eyes, but did not comment. "On to my report, then? Things with Adara are moving along perfectly. She's a reticent little bitch, but she wants to trust me again. The rest of her little cadre are on my side. Most of them have encouraged her to make amends." She leaned back in her chair, carefully uncrossing and re-crossing her legs.

"Good," Jerel said, flashing a row of huge, sharp teeth. "You've done well, Erika."

"And when are you going to hold up your part of the bargain?" she asked testily.

"You'll have every thing you need for your next engagement. For now, continue to make your presence known to your daughter. Once you've gained her full trust, we can proceed."

Marshall nodded in agreement. "Indeed. Once you have their trust, you can betray them. And I think we all know that is what you are best at, is it not?"

Erika simply smiled.

------

When Mackenzie entered the small building the ECC called home, she found her five subordinates all hard at work…or so it seemed. "You should really hide that novel better, Ramirez," Mackenzie commented as she walked by the front desk. She had a hard time smothering a grin as Amber guiltily stuffed the paperback in a drawer and tried to organize the papers on her desk.

"Right, sir. Sorry, sir!"

She shook her head and continued onto her destination: the first office on the right. "Lieutenant Commander," she greeted as she walked in.

"Good afternoon, sir," Adara said as she rose. "Did you enjoy your trip to Arlington?"

They both sat down again and Mackenzie nodded. "I always enjoy visiting D.C. Even when things don't go quite as I had planned…" She trailed off and looked at the ceiling thoughtfully.

"Sir?" Adara asked as she knitted her eyebrows in confusion.

"Admiral Farshtad retired suddenly." Mackenzie sighed as she focused her gaze on Adara again. "We have a new commander, someone I've heard very little about. His name is Peter Melcastle. And he's chosen Captain Marshall to be his second while he is in the office."

"Farshtad? Retired?" Adara looked shocked. "Why? How? I mean-he was a good man."

Mackenzie nodded in agreement. "Yes, he was. But these things do happen. In any case, our new CO has given us some orders. Do you remember last week's engagement in old Manhattan?"

Adara looked slightly queasy. "How could I forget?"

"You and your team are to report back there at 0900 tomorrow morning. You are going to try and find out what the Lucifer Hawks were after. I'm sure I don't have to tell you that this could be a dangerous mission. The Hawks will probably do anything to try and stop you from finding whatever it was they were interested in."

Adara nodded, already deep in thought. "Yes, I understand. I have a few ideas we could use in a situation like that."

"Good. But just remember, if things get too hot, I want you all out of there. Whatever this thing we're looking for is... it's not worth all of your lives."

Adara's eyes twinkled with barely subdued amusement. "I don't know about things getting too hot," she said innocently, "but if we get in over our heads, we'll retreat. It's a promise."

Mackenzie allowed herself to indulge in a brief laugh at the joke. "Make sure you keep it. Good afternoon, Lieutenant Commander."

"Good afternoon, Commander."

Mackenzie walked out and headed to her office. She could hear Adara calling the others for a briefing as she closed her door. She sank into her seat heavily. (Damien Marshall is now part of the Joint Chiefs of Staff,) she thought to herself. (I should be happy for him. So why do I have this uneasy feeling?)

Meanwhile, out in the common area, Adara began the meeting as the others trickled in. "The Commander's given us new orders," she said after they all gathered. "We're going to head back to old Manhattan and try to figure out what those Hawks were looking for."

She turned to look at Calixta and Amber, who were sitting side by side. "I want the two of you to do some research. Find out what that building used to be, what it was used for, when it was built, that kind of thing. Let me know as soon as you find anything.

"Maris, Miakoda and I will get together and plan some strategies in case something happens. We head out tomorrow morning at 0830 to get ourselves on site at 0900. Understood?"

A chorus of "Yes, sir" met her ears and Adara nodded. "Good luck, everyone."

The group broke up and headed off to start their assignments. Miakoda tapped Adara on the shoulder and asked her to hang back. "Adara, can you and Maris start without me? I have something I need to see the commander about."

Adara looked concerned. "Is everything all right?"

"Yes, fine," the other woman assured her. "It's a personal matter."

"All right then. We'll be in my office when you're ready to join us."

------

Miakoda knocked lightly on the door and entered when she was bidden to do so. Mackenzie was sitting behind her desk, as usual, and she gestured for Miakoda to take one of the seats opposite of her.

The former political activist sat gracefully and looked her commanding officer straight in the eye. "Want to talk about it?" she asked casually.

Mackenzie sighed and shook her head fondly. "Only you, Willow," she said with a slightly sardonic grin. Then she sobered. "Honestly, I can't really say what's bothering me. I'm not exactly sure."

"Something must have happened at the meeting," Miakoda replied leadingly.

"We have a new commanding officer," she said, frowning. "I trusted Farshtad and I was comfortable with our relationship. I don't know much about Admiral Melcastle. What if we can't trust him?"

"You're as blunt as ever, James," said her longtime friend with a smile. "The Navy wouldn't have put him in that position if they didn't think he was trustworthy. And for the most part, we run ourselves. I don't think we need to worry about outside interference. Especially with the recent problems the president has been having with the Nordic Alliance and Russia."

"I know, I know. If the Alliance and Russia actually work out that peace agreement, things could get very bad very quickly. They would have too much of a monopoly on the fishing industry. And since the Silent Crisis wiped out a great deal of what was formerly viable grazing land, much of the world has been dependent on the growing fishing industry to supply their protein. The New United Nations has managed to keep the balance so far, but if Russia breaks the pact we could be looking at war." She leaned back and rolled her eyes. "Which is *just* what we need right now.

"Why can't they understand that the Lucifer Hawks are a bigger threat? We don't need to resort to petty squabbles that are best left buried in the past; we need to focus on saving the human race! Idiots!" On the last word, she leaned forward and pounded the desk with her fist.

Miakoda gave her friend a sympathetic smile, causing Mackenzie's anxiety to lessen somewhat. "People never change, James…even now, we're arguing over the petty things, because that's what we've always done. But we can't blame any one person, group, or country for it." She paused and made sure she had Mackenzie's eye before continuing, "Russia isn't really the issue here, is it?"

"I know, I know. But still," Mackenzie argued, "I can't shake this feeling of uneasiness. Something just seems…*wrong* somehow."

Miakoda considered her words for several moments before she replied. "I'd be the last one to tell you that you should dismiss your feelings. Maybe there *is* something going on, something you're not aware of on a conscious level. So be alert James, and stay on top of things. But I don't want you to become paranoid because of a few pieces of speculation."

Mackenzie allowed the tension to drain out of her as she sat back in her chair and offered her Miakoda a weary smile. "Looking out for my best interests as always, Willow. Sometimes I don't know what I'd do without you. What do you say to an offer of dinner after you get done with your next assignment? We'll talk about anything *except* work."

Miakoda grinned. "I would most certainly agree."

"Then it's set. And now you'd best get back to your meeting with Commander Davis. You know how impatient she can get."

"Sometimes," Miakoda agreed with a smile. "We'll talk more later, James." Miakoda offered one last nod before she took her leave and headed back to her meeting with Adara and Maris.

------

When Adara stepped out of the ECC's office after the long strategy meeting, she was surprised to find someone waiting for her. "Hello, Mother." She nodded neutrally at the older woman.

"Adara dear, come here. I have something I need to talk to you about."

Adara stifled a sigh and reminded herself that she was trying to get along better with her mother. So she obediently walked over to her mother's side and asked, "What is it?" She was actually successful at keeping the hostility out of her voice.

"I was hoping you and I could go somewhere for a little while to talk. It's been a few weeks since I've seen you for any length of time." Erika smiled hesitantly. "That is, if you have nothing better to do?"

Adara swallowed and had to fight a sudden rush of nervousness. Here was her mother, actually *wanting* to spend quality time with her? (Quite a change from when I was a kid,) she thought bitterly.

She took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down. (Mother is here because she wants to reconcile. She's done nothing but prove that over and over since she showed up. You have to give her a chance.)

"I'd like that a lot, Mother. I know a little out-of-the-way coffee shop…"

"Actually," Erika interrupted, "I was hoping we could go back to your place. This is the type of conversation I would prefer to have in private."

Adara nodded somewhat dumbly as she pushed down a flash of panic. (I'm a grown woman now,) she reminded herself. (I can always ask her to leave if something happens.) The panic came back a little stronger and for a split second Adara thought about running away. But that would look foolish and serve no real purpose, so she forced herself to walk with her mother to her car.

"I let the lease go on my apartment here in the city," she said conversationally as she opened the car door. "I've been using Judith's guest house out on Long Island, since Maris needed some place to stay. We'll have to go there, but she has the evening shift tonight, so we should have relative peace."

Erika merely nodded her acceptance as Adara slid into the driver's seat and started the engine. The rest of the ride was tense and silent, each woman lost in her own thoughts.

After they arrived, Adara showed her mother to the sitting room and then excused herself to make the two of them some coffee. When she returned, she found Erika standing before the scenic windows that took up an entire wall of the room and offered a beautiful view of the ocean. The sky was surprisingly clear for March, and Adara took a moment to admire the scenery before gently clearing her throat and setting the coffee on the table.

Erika turned from the view with a small frown and walked over to sit across from her daughter. "How do you take your coffee?" Adara asked.

"Black, with just a touch of sugar." Adara carefully spooned in the required amount and mixed it before handing the cup to her.

The two women drank in silence for a while, Adara refusing to meet her mother's eyes and Erika not wanting to push the issue. After several long minutes, however, Erika set her cup down with a gentle clank and said, "We really do need to talk, Adara."

"So talk. I don't really know what to say to you anymore." Adara's voice sounded defeated and she slouched further into the couch, still refusing to look in Erika's direction.

"If we're going to have this conversation, I'd appreciate it if you would look at me." Erika waited until Adara did as she was asked, and then continued. "I know this must be difficult for you, having me show up again after all these years. But I'd like to think that even after…everything that happened…that we are still mother and daughter.

"I made some mistakes when you were young, I'll admit that. I was young too, and foolish. I should never have married your father."

"How can you say that?" Adara asked softly. "It's like you're saying you shouldn't have had me…that I shouldn't exist now. Is that how you feel?"

"Don't be absurd!" Erika ordered sharply. "You're misunderstanding me again. That's not what I meant. I was just trying to say that your father and I weren't very compatible and I'm…I'm sorry that you got the worst of it."

"Oh." Adara once again cast her gaze to the floor.

Her mother sighed sharply. "Look at me, Adara." Once again she waited until she was obeyed. "I'm not very good at this. But for what it's worth, I really am sorry. Especially for that day. You're right, the fire wasn't your fault and I was wrong to blame you. Can you forgive me?"

Adara was silent for a long moment. "You know, I honestly never thought I would hear you admit that. Part of me still wonders if maybe it really *was* my fault, if maybe you were right."

"Quit being so dramatic. I honestly don't know what more you want from me. Adara, I'm doing the best I can here. But I can't do much if you won't give me anything to work with. If you honestly don't care, then tell me right now and I'll leave. I'll leave for good and I'll promise never to bother you again."

"Now who's being dramatic?" her daughter replied, a little bit of anger creeping into her voice. "I'm trying too, mother. I don't want you to go away again. But I don't want to get hurt again either."

"Can't you just take what I'm telling you at face value? I'm *sorry*, Adara. All right? I'm admitting that I made mistakes and I'm sorry that you got caught in the middle of everything. What more do you want from me?"

Adara stared at her long and hard, searching her face for something; exactly what, Erika was not sure. After a long, tense moment, she seemed to find what she was looking for and she closed her eyes, leaning back against the couch and letting all of her anger evaporate. "Nothing. I guess I can be content with that. Thank you, Mother. I really do appreciate everything you've done today."

"Well…good," Erika replied slowly, uncertainty evident in her cool tones. "I'm glad we were able to come to an understanding. I actually need to get going, I have a meeting in an hour that I can't be late for. We'll talk again soon, dear."

Adara stood and escorted her mother to the front door. "Yeah, I'll see you soon. I hope your meeting goes well. Good-bye, Mother."

After Erika had left, Adara sank to the floor, drawing her knees up and locking her arms around them. "Oh Mother, why does it always have to be this way?" She stayed that way for a long time thinking about everything that had, and more importantly had not, been said that day. Then she picked herself up off the floor and headed over to the phone.

A smile lit her face when the person she had dialed picked up. "Hello, Richard. It's me." There was a pause and then, "No, nothing's wrong. Not really. Listen, are you free tonight? I…I miss you." She laughed when he voiced his obvious concern. "Really, everything's fine. It's just been a long day. Why don't you come over and we can spend the evening getting…reacquainted. It really has been too long since I've seen you." A few murmured words later, she ended the call with, "I'll see you soon. I love you." She hung up the phone and realized, that for the first time in a long while, everything seemed like it would finally be all right.

------

"Coffee."

Calixta looked up from her computer with a distracted "Hmm?" as Amber entered.

"Coffee," Amber repeated, holding out a tall white and green cup to her teammate. "You know, that stuff you drink when you know you're going to be working all night."

Calixta took the cup gratefully, letting the heat soak into her slightly chilled hands. Then it dawned on her that she was holding a *warm* Starbucks cup. "Thanks, Ramirez," she said a bit warily. "But what'd you get me?" She sniffed at the lid but was unable to identify just what was inside.

Amber rolled her eyes, having become quite familiar with Calixta's coffee quirks since they had started working together. Every time they stopped at Starbucks, Calixta would order the same thing, a caramel frappuccino. Even in the dead of winter, she ordered her favorite frozen beverage.

"It's too cold to be drinking a frappuccino, Calixta. I got you a caramel macchiato. It's the next best thing. I promise."

Calixta once again eyed her teammate warily, but took a sip and then widened her eyes in surprise. "Hey, it's not half bad. Thanks, Amber!"

Amber grinned and took a seat next to the red-haired computer specialist so she could see what Calixta was working on. "What have you got so far?"

"Not much," Calixta sighed. "Old property records, bills of sale, past ownership. Everything looks like it's on the up and up. The building was built in 1952, during the post-war boom. It was rented as an office for several different companies until 1964, when it was bought by Henley, Henley and Masterson."

"Lawyers, I presume." Amber wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"With a name like that, I'd hope so." Calixta smirked and added, "At least it wasn't Wolfram and Hart."

Amber grinned at the reference and shook her head. She continued to read over Calixta's shoulder. "After that it was remodeled into a… fashion center?"

"Yup. It was a fairly popular place until the Silent Crisis, when it suffered a lot of damage. In fact, that whole area suffered a lot of damage. It's mostly been abandoned except for a few homeless drifters."

Amber frowned and tapped her pen against her lips thoughtfully. "Well this went a lot easier than I thought it would. We've got the information Adara wanted. Now the only question left is *why* the Lucifer Hawks were so interested in this place. It doesn't make sense!"

"They were digging for something. There must be something buried there that they were anxious to find. But ever since we attacked a few weeks ago, there's been no activity in that area. So whatever it is, it also can't be that important. Really the only way we can find out anything now is by going to the site."

"Which we're doing tomorrow," Amber pointed out. Calixta interrupted her train of thought with a sudden yawn. Amber smiled wryly and added, "Which is also why, if we're done, we should both get some sleep."

Calixta heartily agreed. "It looks like we're out of here, then. Good night, Amber."

"Good night, Calixta!"

------

- 0900, The Next Morning -

The hole where the Hawks had been digging was sheeted in ice. Amber shivered in the early morning chill and pulled her coat a little closer. For some reason, it seemed to be colder inside than it had been outside when they landed.

"Be careful," Adara warned as she carefully surveyed the outer edge of the pit. "The floor here is pretty slippery." She shined her flashlight into the depths, but was unable to make anything out of the shadows.

Calixta followed her, taking occasional readings with her scanner, but frowning as everything came back either negative or inconclusive. "We have to find some way to get down there," she said finally. "I caved in the hole the last time we were here and there's no way for us to dig out all that rubble. There's nothing more we can do until we find a way down."

Adara agreed. "Miakoda, Maris, scout around over there," she indicated her left, "and see if you can find anything. Amber and I will check things out over here."

The two groups moved off, each searching for some kind of access to the basement of the former shopping center. "There're some elevators over here!" Amber called. "But I don't think they work anymore," she added as she tentatively pushed a button and nothing happened.

"There's no electricity in the entire building," Calixta called back. "We need to find stairs. That's the only way other than jumping and digging, which I don't think any of us really want to do."

Everyone heartily agreed and resumed searching. After several quiet minutes the peace was shattered by a rattling sound and a curse. "Fuck!"

"Maris?" Adara yelled worriedly. "Is everything okay?"

"I think I found the stairs," the other woman called. "But the damn door is rusted shut!"

Everyone hurried over to where Maris was standing, next to a fairly plain door with a staircase sign hung haphazardly by one nail. The entire door was covered in dull brown rust, some of which fell off in flakes when Maris lightly kicked it.

Amber studied the door thoughtfully. "Well, this might be tricky. Do you think we could remove the hinges somehow, or...?"

Suddenly, Maris pulled back her right leg and landed a sound kick in the middle of the door. The door caved in with a mighty groan, revealing a dark and terribly dusty staircase beyond it.

"So much for finesse," Adara sighed.

"Hey, it worked, didn't it?" Maris replied defensively.

"Yes, but it was also noisier than necessary," Miakoda pointed out. "If there were any Hawks around who didn't know we were here, they sure do now."

Maris grumbled softly and stalked down the stairs.

With a shrug, Calixta followed. Adara stretched an arm gallantly. "After you two," she told Miakoda and Amber.

The group descended the stairs cautiously, each of them shining her flashlight in order to pierce the all-encompassing blackness of the stairwell. After four flights of stairs and couple of muttered curses from Maris, who was in the lead and thus the first to encounter any debris or wildlife, they reached the bottom. Maris kicked open another rusted door and led them into yet another pitch-black room.

"This room must be pretty big," Miakoda said softly. Her voice echoed distantly. "I can't see any other walls besides the one we're standing next to."

The group once again cautiously set out to explore, jumping every so often as an unexplained noise echoed in the eerie silence. The silence was suddenly broken by loud crash and a shout of pain.

"What happened?" Adara demanded as she whirled in the direction of the noise. "Check in!"

"I'm fine," Calixta responded. "I just tripped."

"I'm here," Miakoda replied.

"Me too," Amber added.

"Yeah, I'm just peachy," Maris groused.

"There's a generator over here," Calixta called excitedly. "An old gas model. And it even has actual gasoline in it! I bet it still works too, they built these things to last." So saying, she made a cursory inspection of the odd little device before pulling firmly on the rip chord three times. The first time, the old engine sputtered and then quickly died. The second time, it caught a little longer and a few lights in the room flickered on before being extinguished. The third time, the generator roared to life and the girls all had to blink against the sudden pain the light caused their eyes.

When they could see again, all eyes were drawn to the only thing of significance in the large and otherwise empty gray room.

Calixta whistled under her breath, Amber gasped, and even Maris looked surprised at what they found. Encased in a block of ice that stretched from floor to ceiling was a woman. The ice distorted her features, but they could tell that she was young, probably younger than anyone in the ECC. Her eyes were closed and her hands folded neatly across her chest. She appeared to merely be sleeping peacefully.

"You don't think she could actually still be *alive* do you?" Amber whispered hesitantly.

Calixta pulled out her scanner and walked slowly around the column, humming to herself as she read the information. "Well, isn't *that* interesting?" She snapped the scanner shut suddenly, and the clack made a loud echo in the empty room.

The noise caused Amber to jump, and she sent Calixta an annoyed look. "Did you find anything?"

Calixta nodded. "Yes. I found out that something in this ice is interfering with my sensors. I can't get anything on her." She smirked and opened her scanner again. "Scanning for signs of intelligent life... scans negative."

Amber sighed and shook her head. "That wasn't very funny, Calixta," she said to the grinning computer specialist.

"Nothing on your scanners?" Miakoda asked as she walked over. "So we have no way of knowing whether or not she's alive."

"She's alive," their commander spoke up. They looked to see Adara staring at the ice block and holding her stomach. "She's got to be alive. *Something* is tapping into a lot of mana around here." She swallowed heavily. "I just wish it wasn't water."

Miakoda hurried over and offered the other woman a shoulder, which Adara gratefully leaned on. "Are you all right?"

Adara attempted to smile wryly, but it ended up more a grimace. "We elementals are a bit sensitive," she explained. "You have to understand that to me, this whole area just screams 'wrongness'. It's kind of like I'm standing in the middle of a huge ocean and keep getting hit by different currents. The ones I'm expecting to be warm are ice cold. And the ones I think are going to be cold are warm." She shrugged. "Sorry, it's a bit hard to explain. Let's just say it doesn't feel good."

"Yeah, I think I get it," Maris spoke up. "I feel like I've got more power…a *lot* more power. It's a damn rush, that's for sure."

"I think after all this is over, I should drag *you* to a volcano and see how you react to that," Adara retorted with a glare.

Maris just smirked. "Besides all that, how the hell are we supposed to get this girl out of Jurassic Park mode anyway?"

The others looked at each other and shrugged.

"I think I have an idea." Adara straightened herself up and looked her teammates in the eyes. "What's the only thing that can melt ice?" She glanced at each of her teammates as comprehension dawned on their faces. "Fire. I just might be able to do it."

"Adara!" Miakoda protested. "You're in no condition to try and melt a nine-foot block of ice!"

"Not by myself," Adara agreed. "But since I'm not alone…" She trailed off, looking pointedly at her companion.

Miakoda sighed. "What in the world are we about to get ourselves into?"

------

Adara handed out orders easily, directing everyone to where she needed them to be and briefly explaining what she hoped would happen.

She closed her eyes and started to concentrate. She heard the restless shifting of her teammates, the steady drip of water against the concrete floor and Miakoda's soft chanting, but she let them fade away, out of her conscious mind and into the background. She searched within herself from the power she knew was her birthright. In her center, she felt it. The burning flame that was always with her. She reached for it, pulled it up through her stomach to her chest and out to her arms and finally, into her hands. She started to chant.

/And I with the heart of flame pledge myself/

/To the burning soul of the world, renew/

/And let it live again/

The rest of the ECC shifted uncomfortably as the air in the room began to suddenly warm. In the span of a few seconds, the temperature had already risen several degrees, and it did not look like the trend would stop anytime soon. Around Adara's body, the air was visibly hotter, the heat waves slightly distorting her image. Her hair began to float slightly in the thick air.

/Lend me your powers Belenos, Lord of the sun/

/Brigid, mistress of fire, hear my plea/

Now, both of Adara's hands were wreathed in flame. The temperature had gone up another few degrees, and most of the women were sweating freely.

/Grant me mastery of the sacred flame/

/And let the fire dance begin!/

When Adara snapped open her eyes, Calixta blinked, wondering if they really were filled with fire, or if it was a simple trick of the light. Adara didn't seem to notice any of them as she focused all her concentration on the huge ice block. Calixta watched, enthralled, as small flames about the size of a fist separated themselves from the elemental's hands. They started…well, the only term that really described it was "dancing" out towards the ice. When they made contact, steam hissed loudly. Within moments, the entire area was completely obscured. Calixta could barely see her hands in front of her face.

"Shit," she heard Maris curse from somewhere nearby. "We didn't think about this. We're sitting ducks if any Hawks decide they want a meal!"

"Just keep on your toes," Calixta ordered firmly. "And remember to protect Adara and Miakoda no matter what. The two of them can't do anything now."

Maris muttered something under her breath that Calixta couldn't quite make out. She shrugged, knowing the New Englander would do what she had asked. "Amber, you still with us?"

"Yeah, I'm here," Amber replied nervously. "I've got Miakoda in my sights, so don't worry about her."

Calixta nodded, and then realized that there was no way the other woman could see her. "Good job. I'm going to try and find Adara in this mess." She moved forward cautiously, scanning in every direction for any sign of activity, enemy or otherwise.

A few tense minutes, later she heard Maris say, "Damn, that's pretty impressive."

"Care to share with the rest of us, Lynn?" Calixta asked dryly.

"I've got Adara covered. She's…really good. I can barely make it out, but I think she's about half done. The ice block is probably only a foot thick now. Those little flames are really going at it."

Calixta let herself relax a little more. At least her teammates would be safe. (Although you definitely can't say the same about yourself. Damn it, we really *are* sitting ducks. And I'm getting really nervous about the fact that we aren't lunch meat yet. Where are all the Hawks?)

Ten minutes crawled by like hours. With each glance at her watch, her nervousness increased. (There's no possible way we can get through this without a Hawk attack,) she reminded herself. (They'll be here. They're just…a little late, that's all.) Then she felt the sudden urge to smack herself in the forehead. (Why are you making excuses for the Lucifer Hawks? Maybe they *aren't* going to come. Maybe they've finally realized we can kick their sorry behinds clear into next week.)

Her train of thought was interrupted by a startled yelp and the sound of a small scuffle. "Report!" she called frantically. "What's the situation?"

"Adara's down," Maris's voice replied. "I've got her, but it doesn't look like she's going to be waking up anytime soon."

"Miakoda? Amber?"

"We're all right," Amber's voice reassured her. "Miakoda's a little drained, but she's awake and responsive."

Calixta nodded and made her decision, heading over to where she thought she had heard Maris. By the time she reached them, the fog had thinned considerably. She found Maris kneeling over two prone bodies, one of which she recognized as their field commander. (That means this must be the girl. Odd, she looks smaller than I thought she would. Peaceful too. Although that still doesn't answer how she managed to get frozen in a giant block of ice. It's almost like a bad B movie.)

Calixta brushed Maris out of the way and opened her scanner, checking to make sure the girl was all right. She let out a soft sigh of relief when her readings indicated that the girl was breathing and that her brain activity was within acceptable levels.

Miakoda and Amber had hobbled over during her exam and she looked up at the Navajo woman, asking a silent question with her eyes.

"It's your show, Lieutenant," Miakoda replied.

"All right, we'll do it by the book. Let's get everyone in the STAV and get to the hospital. We'll check in with the Commander on the way. Maris, get the new girl first, I'll stay here with Adara."

The blonde merely shrugged, lifting the blue-haired woman into her arms with a slight grunt. "She's heavier than she looks," she grumbled as she headed out. Amber and Miakoda followed her slowly.

Calixta let the tension finally drain from her body after they were out of sight. Things hadn't gone perfectly, but they *had* gone a lot better than even she had anticipated. She also felt a little gratified that this time it was Adara and not her that would be checking into the hospital. "Have fun," she murmured under her breath as she sat back to wait for Maris's return.

------

The members of the ECC were all crowded around a single bed in what seemed to be the hospital's smallest room. The doctors had said that the mysterious girl they had rescued was doing fine and should in fact be waking up sometime soon.

"Why are we *all* here again?" Maris grumbled to herself as she tried to get comfortable in the slightly-too-small plastic chair. "Fucking hospital chairs always make my ass hurt."

"Maris," Amber scolded lightly. "We're here to make sure she's okay. We *did* rescue her, after all. Besides, the commander wants to know *why* she was sealed in a nine-foot block of magical ice."

Just then, the figure on the bed started to stir. Everyone turned their attention to the bed, except Maris, who pointedly looked at the wall from her position right next to the girl's head.

A pair of aquamarine eyes opened slowly and a delicate voice issued a low groan. Her hand went up to her forehead, gently massaging her temples. As she slowly surveyed the different occupants of the room, a look of horror formed on her face. "Oh my God," she said in soft voice. "I've died and gone to fashion hell."

The members of the ECC all exchanged bewildered looks. Miakoda, being the bravest soul of them all, leaned forward slightly and said, "Excuse me?"

The girl on the bed lay there, looking aghast. "What *are* you people? The softer side of Sears?"

Amber nearly doubled over laughing, and at Adara's inquisitive look, managed to gasp out, "Cordelia! " before collapsing again in a fit of giggles.

Calixta looked at the girl on the bed, puzzled. "S.E.A.R.S.? Solar Energy Apparitional Refractive System? What does that have to do with anything? "

Maris simply stared at the girl, her eyes growing wider by the second. Finally, she summed up her feelings with an emphatic, "What the fuck? "

"That's what I want to know! " the girl exclaimed, gesturing weakly toward Maris' ECC uniform. "I mean, I could *drive* on those lapels! Ew! How can you stand *wearing* that thing? "

Miakoda sensed a loud confrontation coming on, so she broke in quickly. "I think we all have some questions we want answered," she said. "We'll answer your questions as well as we can, but first we need to know something about you. Do you remember who you are?"

"Or where you were, or how you wound up frozen in ice?" Adara added.

The girl's brow furrowed. "I...I don't know." She turned away and buried her face in the pillow. "I'm tired."

"Not too tired to insult us," Maris muttered, but she backed away as she noticed the doctor returning. She and the rest of her teammates left the room and gathered in the waiting room. They looked to their leader for guidance.

"Well," said Adara, "this should be interesting."

------

A week later, from within a sparsely-decorated office, a well-dressed, middle-aged man leaned back in his leather chair. Jerel stared at the ID shot of the blue-haired woman on the screen. Even in this quick shot, he could see the confusion, the loneliness in her eyes. "Feritzia Ricci," he murmured softly, rolling the name on his tongue. "It has been a while, dear one."

He quickly surveyed the rest of the information on the screen, which basically consisted of all the ECC had been able to discover about her. Her name, age, hair and eye color, height, weight and supposed residence were of little concern to him; he already knew all the details. What he was interested in was what Commander Jameson had found out about her:

'While Feritzia Ricci claims and appears to be 19, she also claims that she was last conscious in July 1999. This would mean that she has been frozen underground for thirty-six years, and thus should by normal means now be fifty-five years old. However, the ice she was encased in created a state of suspended animation, and prevented any aging.

'We have also determined that this ice block was created by Feritzia herself. She has demonstrated on numerous occasions a mastery over ice magic. She claims that she is an ice mage, which seems self-evident. How or why Feritzia used her ice magic on herself, she has been unable to recall, or at least has not wanted to disclose.'

Jerel interlocked his fingers as he read over the date towards the top again: July 1999. (After all these years... at last I've found you.) After staring at the monitor a few more moments, he clicked it off and then reached for his phone.

"Erika, get me Jameson on the line."

He waited while his secretary did as she was asked. A few rings later, a crisp female voice answered, "Mackenzie Jameson speaking."

"Ah, Commander Jameson!" He let false cheer seep into his voice. "So, it's been a week since Miss Ricci was released from the hospital. I was curious as to how she was faring at your headquarters."

"As well as can be..." Mackenzie sounded exasperated. "May I speak freely, Admiral Melcastle?"

"Of course."

"There has been a lot of conflict between my subordinates and Feritzia. I know she is still recovering from a very strange and unsettling situation, but she can be rather...demanding."

"That's unfortunate," Jerel said with mock sympathy. "But perhaps as time goes on, she'll get along with her teammates better."

"Teammates, sir?" Mackenzie staggered over the word. "Are you asking me to *recruit* Feritzia Ricci?"

"I'm ordering you to," Jerel responded, making all of his authority present in every word. "The Hawks were apparently looking for her, which means she's somehow important to them. You also mentioned her being an ice mage...therefore, an asset in battle. Recruiting her would be the wisest option at this point."

There was a frustrated pause. "I would, of course, need to ask *Ms. Ricci* if she's willing to join," Mackenzie stated.

"Oh, I trust you'll convey the severity of the situation properly," he answered through clenched teeth.

Another pause. "Yes, sir."

He leaned forward a bit and clicked another button on his desk, smiling as the soft strains of an organ filled the office. "Hmm?" he asked at Mackenzie's question. "Oh that. Just a little music after hours to relax. You know how it is." He decided to quickly change the subject. "At any rate, Jameson, keep me updated on your progress. That will be all."

He set the receiver in its cradle with a click and then turned up the volume on the room's stereo speakers. The furious organ notes rose to a fever pitch. He thought about the young woman now residing with the rest of the ECC. "My dear Feritzia," he murmured. "You will soon be part of something greater than yourself. You will soon be exactly where I want you."

The orchestrations were now complete. Jerel smiled. The ECC would make
beautiful music with him as the conductor.

---------------------------------------------

Next Episode Preview:

Feritzia: "This is so totally stupid!"

Maris: "It's your own fucking fault!"

Adara: "If you'd just learn to follow orders-!"

Miakoda: "...you selfish, fickle, materialistic..."

Amber: "I definitely think there's a problem here."

Mackenzie: "It's time to seek intervention."

Calixta: "Yeah...that might be a good idea."

Next episode: ECC Therapy.