Blood Sisters
Chapter 23

Winter had brought Marty to theFt. Miles Trauma Center. She did not stay long, wanting to get backto Jenny. She told the charge nurse how Goldstar was injured, and wastold that her locking him in ice may actually have served to preventfurther injury or complications from swelling. Marty was stillcompletely unconscious and they wheeled him away immediately. AsWinter was leaving she heard someone saying it was a good sign thathe was breathing on his own and that he responded to stimuli in hiseyes and extremities.

North Star was skating back asfast as she could when the strange shadow wave hit her. Thedisruption of her powers sent her flying off her own ice at nearlyfifty miles an hour. She tumbled more then a hundred feet down thepacked dirt of the mountain road until rolling off it into a shallowdrainage ditch where the road took a sharp curve.

Winter's beta-cloth protected herfrom most of the abrasive damage of scraping through half a footballfield of gravel, but it could do little to save her from the impactdamage when she came to a sudden halt in the ditch. She blacked outfor only a few minutes, when she woke Winter found herself in threeinches of muddy water. Her right leg hurt badly, she was almostcertain it was broken. The rest of her didn't feel all the greateither. Jenny was in danger, North Star knew this. She would have tolick her wounds later.

Winter drenched, then froze herleg in ice as a temporary cast, getting awkwardly to her feet. Shepuzzled over what happened to her, she almost never slipped, the wayshe learned to combine ice and water below her feet created a suctionthat kept her on the ice. There was no time, that would have to waittoo. Creating a new slide before her, North Star went down on herbelly, looking as if she flying an inch above the ground back to thebattle, desperate that she would now be too late.

Iron Gargoyle had shook off herhorror and retreated up the stairs as Level C began to explode. Sarahfelt the whole underground facility shake as she was in the utilitylift returning to the surface.

Far below her, she could see theblast as it blew into the elevator shaft. The lift lurcheddangerously, but the cables below ultimately held. The lift came to astop, and Sarah worked her way back into the vast lab where all thecarnage had occurred.

Agent David had walked across thefloor to the still form of Cricket, checking for signs of life. Helooked up and glanced around, Broadsword was walking towards Cricketas well. The whole room shook around them and a wave of heat came upthrough the floor as the lower levels blew apart. David toldBroadsword “She's gone”. He paused with a grim look then waved ahand around the room “Wildfire, Peregrine and Agent Goliath are allout and injured. Who knows about Desnoyers, he is still in that D-Daywreck over there. Get Wildfire and Peregrine out of here at least,they look the worse off, if you still have room in the Masterson grabGoliath too. I'll get Desnoyers out of that ruined armor if I can”.The room shook again as more of the structure below collapsed. Thenall was quiet, a sudden hush mixing with the smoke above thedevastation and tragedy around them.

Jack hesitated, he himself wasinjured, and he did not trust this man. “Now, Marshal Broadsword!”David ordered into the grim quiet. Reluctantly, The Metal Manfollowed his instructions.

***

Miracle and Miss Liberty appearedin a flash of gold. Allison was ejected out of Jenny's force-fieldand fell hard on her side. Miracle was bleeding from her nose and layon the ground softly moaning, spent from her colossal effort. MissLiberty got to her feet, still glowing with Bio-energy as it healedand fortified her body. Allison put a hand on Jenny's force-field,and tears came to her eyes. It was such a bittersweet moment for her,there was tragedy and conflict all around her... but she was able tohold her Jenny, finally after all these years. She saw thatMiracle was beat up, burned and bleeding; but she was coming around.Allison patted her force-field and smiled “Great job Miracle”.

Miss Liberty then turned aroundand saw Agent David standing over Cricket's still body, cracked openand smoldering. “Oh no. Oh please no!” Allison said, walking overto the girl. She bent down and found no signs of life. “No... no,oh poor little Cricket”. She rested her head on the girl and heldher body close. Allison looked over at Jenny, who had gotten up onher knees. The look on her mother's face told Jenny all she needed toknow. She bowed her head and cried, then started to sob with herwhole body.

Agent David spoke quietly, stillstanding above the grieving family. “I regret the harm that thisevent has caused your family, Mrs. Ashton”. Jenny glared at theAgent, he killed Cricket as far as she was concerned, she was goingto... “Your husband is badly injured, he is at the trauma centerright now.” Allison got to her feet and Jenny gasped, remembering.“I saw it mom, he flew into the floor, he saved Aunt Winter.... hehit it, so hard... mom.” She bit her lip. This was all too much forJenny, her world was spinning out of control... She took a long lookout the door “Dad...” then back at Crickets still form, toostill. Jenny shut her eyes tight, wanting to wake up from thisnightmare.

Allison looked sternly at AgentDavid as she spoke firmly to her daughter “Jenny, take Cricket'sbody with you and go to your father. I am going to have a word withthis man. I will meet you there shortly.” Jenny jumped, broughtback into the horror of the moment. As Agent David spoke Jenny glaredat him through her tears, walking slowly to Cricket's side. There wasa hard fire in her chest, a burning rising up, spreading to herbrain. She wanted to breathe it out, to destroy this horrible manthat took Cricket away. Jenny realized, this, this was hatred.“Jenny” Allison said calmly, sensing her daughters rage, “TakeCricket, go to your father. I will deal with this.” Agent David,barely glanced at Miracle “Mrs. Ashton, I am sorry but it is stillGovernment Prop...” Allison got into David's face “Call Cricketan 'it' an 'asset' or a 'thing' one more time and I will fly you to adesert island so far from anywhere that you'll never be seen again!”The agent held her gaze “Miss Liberty, this project is topsecret... you can't...” “and just how are you going to stop meDavid?” The agent gave up. “Fine, this will be dealt withlater.” Allison nodded to Jenny and her daughter picked up hersister gently as she could and headed towards the door.

North Star skated in and saw...her face turning desperate “No... Jenny....” Jenny noddedtearfully. “Come on Auntie” she sniffed “lets get her to thehospital. I gotta see Dad, please lets go”. Winter glanced over atAllison who said “hold the family together Winter, I will be rightthere”. Then she turned back to Agent David. Winter said “Thehell with that, this man would have killed me if not for Marty, andnow he is fighting for his life! And Cricket...” Winter startedgathering up a massive wave inside “I am going to freeze you solid,you...” “WINTER!” Allison yelled. Younger sister snapped herattention to older sister. Allison stared down winter with commandand compassion. “Go with Jenny, keep everyone safe until I getthere. Please.” Winter yelled in frustration and sent two huge jetsof water from her hands, drenching the walls. Then like cracking awhip she froze it all. Steam rose off her body as she dispersed theheat. “This isn't over David...”Silence. “C'mon auntie, lets go see my dad.” Jenny swallowed.Winter nodded, with a final glare at Agent David, the two womenturned and left. Allison turned her attention back to the Agent,looking down at him since she was much taller. “Agent...”

The whine of servos and steelfeet was heard, interrupting Allison who clamped down in annoyance.She and Agent David looked over to see Iron Gorgon entering from theservice hallway. Sarah said without preamble “Dead Man and TheSilhouette escaped. Michaela is destroyed”. She swallowed hard,still shaken from the horror below.

Agent David said “Thank you Dr.Reed” he glanced over at D-Days wreck. “Marshal Desnoyers isstill trapped in there, he is not responding and the cockpit is bentinto the torso. I couldn't see how badly hurt he is.” Sarah glancedat her medical scanner “His vitals look okay, we just need to cuthim out of there.” Agent David said firmly “Marshal Gorgon, takeD-Day's battlearmor back to Ops and have the Tech's cut him out ofthere.” Sarah glanced between the Agent and Miss Liberty, feelingthe thick tension in the air. “Okay, you got it.” “Dr. Reed”Allison said. Sarah stopped and her armor turned towards MissLiberty. “Give Paul a message for me, will you? I might not get achance to see him for quite some time.” Her voice was tense. “Sure,of course Miss Liberty” Sarah said. Allison looked back at AgentDavid as she spoke, her eyes drilling through those damn lenses.“Please tell Mr. Desnoyers for me to enjoy his cornbread. Tell himthat we are now even, and that we are quits” she paused and gaveSarah a quick glance and a nod of thanks. “I will speak to himmyself later, but I don't want him to come around me or my familyright now, thank you Dr. Reed.” Iron Gorgon nodded affirmativelyand left.

The mountain had settled. Thoughsmoke was drifting into the room from below. The distant voices ofpeople could be heard as they recovered from the explosions. MissLiberty, looked down at Agent David, the two stood facing each otherin silence for several seconds.

Finally it was Allison thatspoke, her voice stiff with quiet anger “I am disgusted by what youwere doing here, and what happened when I came to put a stop to it. Iam not sure exactly what should be done now, but I will soon enoughwhen I have time to consider.” She kept her gaze on David, eyeslike cold stones. “A government program being top secret isnot a license for breaking our laws, or even worse, violating ourcore principles, let alone basic humanity. There is no excuse forthat harm you did to Cricket, whatever she was, she became a person,a child” Allison kept her anger in check, and agent was lettinghave her say. “What I can promise you is that if you or any of yourdogs come after me or my family, I will use every bit of myreputation, fame and influence to expose you and all of this.” Sheraised an arm. “Shut this down, and destroy any bit of me that isleft. Or I will shut you down, I swear it”.

Agent David nodded “We willhave to, Miss Liberty. The program is hopelessly compromised now.”He looked around at the damaged room. “This facility will bedecommissioned as well, I am sure. Sealed up with rock and cement”.He sighed and looked back up at her weary face “I have no intentionof coming after your family, as you say, at this time. Ultimately itis my superiors that will decide that, but I will pass on myrecommendation and your... threat of exposure. Also Marshal Ashtonwill likely remain on indefinite suspension, other then that...” Hecleared his throat “What I can say is this. The government is goingto insist that the body of... Cricket... be returned.” Allisonglared at the shorter man. “My family is going to grieve and buryher. I wont be able to guard the graveyard if you decide to add beinga ghoul to your list of accomplishments. I want my daughter tosee that her sister is below the headstone that will mark hermemory”.

Davidtook off his sunglasses, looking up at Allison. He looked tired. “Imeant what I said before, Mrs. Ashton. You and your family arepatriots, our country needs you. You are a symbol of hope, and allthat is good about America.” Allison replied coolly “What doesthat make you, Agent?” David spoke up to Allison evenly “I doeverything that a hero like you can't do, but that needs to be done,Mrs. Ashton.” Miss Liberty bent down close to the man “I amfighting for a world where there is no longer any need for peoplelike you. In fact, I think that world is already here, but men thatdeal in fear, men that are afraid of losing power, men just like you,are doing everything they can to keep us afraid. Miss Liberty, and athousand more like me are going to keep holding our torches high,living in the light, while you petty people all cower in the dark.”Agent David nodded, and put on his sunglasses “That's why I needthese, it can be hard to see with the sun in your eyes. Goodbye, Mrs.Ashton.”