End of City drop
Nicta rubs her eye. Everything slowly becomes clear. Outside there is somehow a good barrier. There was little movement just inside the barrier. Nicta gets closer, smiles to herself, knowing who it was. She crouched down and moved a few bits out to the way. And there snuggled in the dirt was Frederic.
She wasn’t too sure if he was injured or had anything wrong with him. But right now she was glad he was alive. Raelle would be broken even more, with his loss.
"Hay, there little one"
Fredric looked up with wide eyes. She understood the fear in the little spider face.
"That was, scary, huh"
She reached her hand down to him.
Frederic grunts a little, which makes Nicta giggle. “I know, but i had nothing to do with this”
He clicks and grunts a little. “I don’t know, but let's find out.”
She places her hand on the ground, Frederic, clicks twice. Meaning he gratefully accepted this gesture. And crawled up, along her arm and found the inside pocket of her jacket and snuggled inside. This wasn't the first time Fredric had done this. Which she didn't mind.
"Nice and safe" she muttered to herself.
As she finally looks out at her surroundings. Her eyes widen, her hands become sweaty. Her mouth became dry. Everything was flat. There was nothing. No trees, no animals live. It took a moment for her to gather herself.
She could allow her dark thoughts that wish to fill her, to take her. Nicta looks around her, everyone looks ok, who was inside the barrier. She still could believe that it worked, the shielding had worked. And pushes herself up, dusting off her clothes. Not to remove the dust but as, reflect then, anything.
"Norm, take charge, Stay put, make a new defence. We don't know if there anymore threats"
"Where are you going"
"Raelle was in there” pointing to the land outside of the barrier, “I want to found her"
Their locked eyes neither of them want to admit it, neither of them want to even think of the possibility that she could be dead. But the truth, the evidence was just overwhelming. Nicta just needed to the truth, she was, her daughter after all, not by blood but nonetheless, her daughter.
“Everyone stay here, inform Beth and the three officers. I will call if any rescue is sent. There can go, then” Getting a few nobs and groans. She leaves them to rest.
She walked and walked nothing like it was before. There were no trees standing, there were no buildings in the distance that were just rubble. She had visited this place before this was a waste land. She remembered the way it was.
She secretly hoped that Raelle would be able to defend herself and survive this devastation. But seeing this level of destruction the heart was slowly breaking her mind coming to the realisation that Raelle is dead.
Her mind wandered to the time they first met, as she looked through the rubble that was now before her.
Raelle has found her in her hideout. Nicta has been there for so many years and lost touch with the world around. But somehow Raelle convinced her, convinced quite a few for her people to come out of hiding, to socialise once again. To fight a cause, to fight the Camarilla.
Raelle had been investigating missing witches. That's how it all started, a young detective.
She smiled at the thought of the memory of better times. Before the slumber party before Raelle mind wasn't twisted, before every dark thing that happened to her. Before her souls were destroyed, broken, pained, before every little thing became regret.
She missed the days when Raelle would smile. Days that would hunt and search, the days they spent together, just two of them.
Do you continue to look around the rubble that's fallen trees, the broken houses there was nothing left, everything was truly flat there was no true landmark of why things used to be except the clumps of rubble.
In the distance somehow, with some miracle, there was someone sitting, wallowing, but alive in the mix of all this devastation.
She couldn't quite tell by the distance from the dust and the air who this person was. So being cautious as it was knowing the Camarilla was there she approached her hand on her weapon.
Noticed in the distance up above helicopters flying about, but she was determined she needed to know if this was Raelle, her daughter then she had to know.
"Raelle, is that you". She said softly.
She can tell it was a young person, she could also tell that the person acknowledged what she just said but they did not respond. She could hear the crying, she could hear the helicopters above but everything was still, like that was this underlying threat. That she couldn't quite yet identify.
It wasn't until she was a few feet from her, that not only did she realise it was Raelle but she was holding a fellow witch. Crouch down in front of her, not touching, but close enough, if she wanted to she could reach out.
"Who is she?"
That question finally stirred Raelle to awareness, she looked up at Nicta, tears in her eyes. Like she's been crying for some time, the pain of everything she's been through. Shining to the surface, there are no filters, no masks, nothing. Nothing or anything was stopping her from seeing the true pain of how Raelle was feeling in this moment.
"Margo Toot," Raelle muttered out.
Nicta reached forward and checked. There was a very weak pulse, so faint that only Necros could feel it, as they were close to death. Even the best Fixer would think they are dead, she could blam, Raelle for thinking she was. Her heart breaks.
"She's alive," Nicta whispers.
As if Raelle didn't take that in or could register the spoken language. She spoke, her voice creaking, her Cession drawl coming out. "I tried to save her. But her injury was too great. She safe me"
Nicta made eye contact, she knew that she had to play like she was dead, not in a coma state. Or Raelle would act aggressive with her. And she didn’t want that.
"How," Nicta said.
That was a simple question but how could she explain the agony but be factual with it all.
"I don't know how to explain it, Nicta. 1 minute, we were fighting against the Camarilla. Then, next everything turned, White.”
Raelle had become more raided, “And the next she was standing there. Protecting me from whatever the light was, I don't know", Her dart down to Toot. Tears dripped from her eyes.
"What that explosion you"
"I don't know"
The helicopters in the distance were no longer in the distance. They were close, almost like they were coming into land. Nicta looks up and could see two, coming in. About 2 minutes out, max. But that was not her goal to care about that, but with Raelle.
"What do you want to do Raelle?" Nicta asks.
"I need to take her home, I want to see them"
Nicta didn’t need to know who she was talking about to know, it was her unit and lovers. "That, we can do," she says with a smile.
Nicta connects with her Cession witches, and orders them to send the three offices and Beth to her, because two helicopters are coming into land. It could clearly hear the response saying there are coming.
A little noise behind Raelle distracts her and pulls her out of talking with her witches. Making snap in that direction. ‘What was that?’ Nicta thought.
Raelle's hair stands on its end. 'there still alive'. Her thoughts grow dark. She rushed out and stopped Nicta from moving toward that noise. Seeing that she was about to investigate the noise. Even with the helicopters overhead now, they could clearly hear this.
"Protect, Toot. I have unfinished business to attend to"
With a little nob, Raelle passes Toot over grudgingly. Kissed her forehead with tender care. As she get up, her face hardens. Send a cold shiver down Nicta back. She had seen this before no in Raelle but with Alder, even Petra. But this was a lot more unnerving.
She quickly looked down at Toot and started a little prayer that she had picked up from the Cession Necros. To heal the connection between soul and the body. So basically heal her connection to the mother.
This is a theory how Raelle became connected, how she is, with the mother. Nicta does know everything, this theory is missing one thing. The Witch plague.
Raelle walks over to a particular bit of rubble and starts moving things. Until she gets bored and windsters the debris. And there together was a battered Willa and Alban.
“Where was I”
She pretends to think, Nicta as she looks over at her. Can tell she is faking. Again she saw that look. That she had so long ago, the look of I remember, everything.
She clicks her fingers, and says with a chuckle.
“I haven’t introduced you to your friend that you abandoned. But I have looked after, ever since, the Slumber party.”
Alben's face pales but doesn’t move, too fearful. ‘Finally’ Raelle thinks.
She extends her hands toward him. This black liquid pours out of them. If she was in charge of it, then it would run toward every witch. But over the time, it had spent with Raelle it had learnt to over right the way of the Camarilla. But to the way of the Mother.
“Stand Alben Hearst” her voice as always laced with her working.
He pushes himself up, Willa trying to stop him. But to, tired and injured to stop this, she try pleading with her. Only fell on deaf ears.
They all watch as this blackness swamps him, taking him whole. He dropped to his knees. His eyes know longer knew his, black veins coming out of his mouth and every hole he had. Even the witch coming into land, that was paying attention to who have, seen this. She wasn’t hiding this.
Raelle steps to him and whispers in his ear, “find all the Camarilla and do your will.”
She stepped back, “I have relieved you, now fly my pretty. Fly.”
And with that, Hearst climbs to his feet and starts walking toward the wood. The witch plague inside him, controlling him. Pushing him toward the Camarilla.
The only reason he didn’t go after Willa. Raelle wanted to have a little game with her. It was a lot more fun then sudden death, by her lover's hands.
“Know that done, Willa. Your next”
Raelle gets down, eye level with Willa and smiles.
“You will only speak the truth, whenever I or Alder asks a question. Outside of that you will not speak a word. Nor will you move without us ordering you to. Our little soldier”
“That easy” Willa spits back.
With a hardened face, “and if you, should, break these rules, you will feel the pain. That you made me suffer.”
And without waiting leans over and presses her hand on Willa's head and starts a link. After a short fight, Willa stops fighting, her body becomes still.
****
2 helicopters landed, a witch drop before the helicopter hand and windshear the debris away. They quickly got out of the way as the feet touched the ground of the helicopters.
The first helicopter, only two witches exit, the pilots of said helicopter stayed on board. And the second the two Generals or the entire witch army, General Sarah Alder and her biddies and General Petra Bellwether.
Both of them pause seeing Nicta on the ground holding a cadet. They do not see Raelle just the distance away, if they did they did not react to her.
"Nicta" Sarah and Petra say together.
Nicta looks away from Raelle, her frown turns to anger at seeing them. She really didn’t want to see them. Not after they portrayed her. Used her work with asking, allowing the backlash to fall on her. And both, not taking the responsibility of their actions.
Nicta put up her hand and pointed toward four people coming toward them. Petra pulls away, not wanting to, but being the second hand had to help them.
Petra quickly identifies them and ushers them into the helicopter. But hold them off, from taking off just yet. They all watched as Sarah moved closer to Nicta.
“It been to long, old friend”
“Not long enough,” she said spitefully.
Sarah pauses and looks at her, only a few people have ever got emotion out of Sarah. Nicta being one and Kelly Wade her further. Nicta could see the sadness, in those dark eyes of hers.
“Is she alive”
Nicta titled her head toward one of the Biddies that had been trailing Sarah as she walked over. “Your Necro”
One of the biddies made eye contact with Nicta and nob yes.
“Can you take Toot, she is in a deep coma. Her tether is weak”. Her voice was sweet, nothing of what Sarah had remembered about her.
The biddies rush forward, understanding the depth of the issue. She tells Alder everything through her link. As she takes Toot in her arms. Two other biddies that Nicta couldn’t care less about, or who there are. Help take them over to the helicopter.
Nicta watches them until they are safely on board the helicopter. She turns her attendance back to Raelle who is still linked with Willa. Sarah doesn’t follow her gaze.
“Nicta”
She looks over at Sarah. There is something in Sarah's eyes that she hates.
“I have to take you in, I don't want to fight you.”
Nicta laughs at her, almost falling to the ground at this.
“What so funny”
“Have you not learnt anything? Are you blind.” her face dropped, “do you not know me, at all. Because if you did. You would know, I stop being, spree. A long time ago.”
And before Sarah fight this.
Raelle drugs Willa over Sarah's feet and dumps her. Sarah just looks down at a broken Willa.
“I thought you died”
“I fake it” Willa grounds out.
Sarah looks up at Raelle, she can finally see the truth of just how painful. This really are, but said nothing. Sensing Raelle have words to speak.
"This one will answer any question you may have. I've compelled her to speak the truth, and only the truth or shall she feel the pain of what she has caused me. Afflict her. She will follow only mine and your order and questions."
With a smirk, "Willa, are you the leader of the spree?"
"No Nicta is." Within seconds she bent over. A whole body vibrating, the pain making it hard to breathe, to movement, everything was just painful, unbearably so.
With gritted teeth she looks up at Alder, "it's me."
The pain stops as quickly as it comes. Getting Willa to pant with relief. Sarah an eyebrow.
“Test” Raelle said to Alder.
Sarah looks at Raelle, “how long will it last”
With a shy smile, “as long as I say it does, my work doesn’t fade. Or can it break? Until I command it so.”
Sarah steps forward, “your work is impressive, we will discuss this further. Later”
Patra comes up, looks at Nicta longingly but follows her order taking Willa to the second helicopter, which she also jumps into. Within seconds, the helicopter takes off. Toward Fort Salem.
As Raelle walks toward the Helicopter, her legs become to be heavy. Her breathing, uneven. Her vision burred. And then her legs in one step give out. Nicta quickly catching her, in her arms. Not allowing her to fall. She walks over to the Helicopter.
Sarah looks at her, “what are you doing”
“Coming with”
And without saying anything, climb onboard with Raelle in her arms. And closed the side. Alder hide her smile, thanking that she didn’t have to ask her to come along. Maybe she has a second change. But still she might repair the damage. And tell the world that Willa aka, the Spree leader code name, Nicta. Had been captured. Who is also a part of the bombing.
She made a mental note to speak with Kelly on this.