Blood Sisters
Chapter 19

The Dead Man stood near a placethat he swore he would never be again. The place he broke out ofafter eight incredibly annoying years of confinement. Breaking out ofShay's Mountain had cost the lives of eight guards and forced him tocut a deal with the blue-skinned devil beside him, a bitch of asuccubi that he hated to the core.

The Silhouette had been quietsince the night at Heart's Desire. Victor knew she was disturbed bywitnessing Deed's murder, but this is the life she chose. She hadjust been a thief, yes. A very good thief. She could keep playingaround in the sandbox stealing trinkets, or she could step up and dosomething that mattered. If she was going to be with The Dead Man,she was going to see people die.

Victor was looking down into avalley on the back side of Shay's Mountain. The Terrible Trio were onan old fire ranger station, miles away from Ft. Miles. Victor againusing his high powered scope. “Huh, it is pretty well hidden, butits there”. He glanced over at the women, pointing towards theMountain. “There is a small gap between those ridges. I see a dirtroad that circles around the back of the Shay's and goes into thegap”. He looked back into his scope “There is a camouflaged doorcut right into the rock. You couldn't see it from above. Only fromthe side, from this side in fact”.

“Well, Davos?” Michaelasneered “We are here, how are we going to get Miss Liberty here?”

The Dead Man nodded, still lookingthrough the scope. “Okay Michaela, first we are going to get intothat facility there. Then we are going to replace William Deed'smachines”. He looked over at the Vampire “Allison Ashton hadcanceled most of her shows since her daughter was injured. But shestill performed her annual charity concert in Memphis”. He pausedto see if they were keeping up. “The security there was pathetic,of course. It was easy for me to get backstage and blend in. WhenAllison performs, she does not wear any of her uniform, well excepther boots. But most importantly, she does not wear her M-Tech bracersand belt. I did a little rewiring work on her Miss Liberty equipment,including tapping into the GPS signal that her belt broadcasts so herallies know where she is”. Victor produced one of his customizedPDA. With this I can replace where she is and Silhouette and I will goand get her”. Silhouette raised a brow in surprise and Michaelasnorted “and just how are you and this woman going toaccomplish this?” Victor smiled a shark smile. “Lets just say,Miss Liberty is in for quite a surprise”. He turned on his PDA andthere was a soft beeping. “Huh” Victor said. The Dead Man lookeddown at the small screen. “Well now, how convenient” he smirked.“What?” Silhouette asked. He looked up at his two accomplices andshowed them the display on his PDA. “It seems Miss Liberty isalready here”.

***

Miss Liberty, Miracle, and SuperCricket met D-Day as planned just outside the USSM ops center. Paulstowed his master armor unit in the bed of an open backed Hummer, andmotioned them all to get in the truck with him. He started it up andheaded into Ft. Miles. “Okay Paul, were here, please explain whatis going on”. Allison forced a smile. “By the way, I brought youthe cornbread I promised”. He nodded “Thanks” he said sadly.The air seemed to chill around them. “Allison” he began, ashenfaced. “Cricket was not an artificially created being that ageneticist modified to look like Jenny, she is the product of aeugenic program, Project Bloodsister. Your DNA, Allison, was mixedwith the DNA of an unpowered human. The result of this was what theycall a Synthetic Operative or Synthoid for short”.Cricket was looking more and more scared and angry. Jenny put an armaround her. Paul continued “There are several others, just likeCricket, physically at least. They were being transported from wherethey were grown, at some laboratory in Virginia, up here to thisShay's Mountain R&D facility. There was an accident with atractor-trailer, and the vehicle the synthoids were in was hit.Cricket was thrown free, several others were killed, and somesurvived”. Allison looked as angry as Paul had ever seen her. Itwas unsettling to see. “How did they get my DNA?” Allison askedstiffly. “I am not sure, but if I were to guess... the tissuesamples that you submitted when you registered yourself in accordancewith the Meta-Human Registration Act”. Allison's hands grippedinto a fist. “There's more” Paul said, he was starting to sweat.Miss Liberty closed her eyes how can this be worse? shewondered ruefully.

“Originally, Allison, they hadsimply tried to clone you. But that process failed for the most part.It only produced semi-conscious synthoids they have taken to callingRevenants. For the most part they have to be controlled via aremote VR system”. Paul frowned “They actually modeled it afterthe system I use to control my remote D-Day units.” Allison sighed,glancing back at her girls. They were wide eyed, this was almost morethen they could wrap there young minds around. “Its going to beokay” she nodded, taking a moment to grip there hands.

The Hummer had turned down anarrow dirt road and bounced along it. The road was taking them tothe far side of Shay's Mountain. Paul said “I am driving you now towhere all this was being done so you can see for yourself.” Allisonlooked at him, inwardly fuming at the situation “Paul, I am goingto destroy every stolen bit of me that is in this place if I have tobring down the whole mountain to do it”. Paul nodded. He knew fullwell that she could do that. “Allison, I didn't know, I'm sorry”.

The truck came to a dusty stopand they all got out. D-Day shrunk down and got into his cockpit.With a quick burst from his jump jets he flew over to a huge metaldoor, painted to look like the side of the mountain. Allison calledover to him “Paul, you kept saying they did this. Whoexactly is they?” Paul punched in a code which opened themassive doors with a loud hiss. “Us” Paul said, his voice thickwith regret. Waiting behind the doors were all but one of the USSpecial Marshals, the bloodsisters, the revenants, David and Goliath.

***

“I can not believe our luck”The Dead Man said. He was looking down as D-Day opened up the massivedoors, and saw the ambush that waited behind them. “My, my. PaulDesnoyers, who would have thought”. He gave a shallow grin andglanced over at the women. “I could not have planned a betterdistraction, lets hop over to a shadow in there and replace Daedalus'machines”.

Silhouette looked reluctant, butconsented. The Midnight Mistress reached out to them. The Dead Mantook a deep breath and took her hand. Michaela grinned viciously,smelling her prey and ready to pounce “This is the day that Libertydies”. The Terrible Trio stepped into shadow.

***

“PAUL?!” the look of betrayalon Allison's face burned into his heart. He knew he would neverforget it. He hated himself. Of all the words he wanted to say inthat moment only “No choice” got out his tight throat. At leastWinter was not here, he was not sure he could have stomached that.North Star had refused to go along with this operation. Davidpromptly suspended her, and ordered her sequestered. Winter waslocked up in the Ops center, angry as hell. Paul was beginning tothink this was the worst day of his life.

Allison looked over behind themarshals and the synthoids to see two men in black suits withperfectly groomed hair, wearing sunglasses, one shorter, one a bigagent, taller then she was, with an AR-15 slung over his shoulder.The shorter agent spoke loudly, his voice echoing out of the largeroom behind the doors like an orchestra hall. “Miss Liberty. Irequire you to turn over that asset” he pointed at Cricket. “Thatis bloodsister 1-8-7. She is government property. I thank you foryour cooperation, and your continued service to our country”.

Miss Liberty called out in fury“The hell you say, mister!” she leveled a mighty finger at theagent. “You will never lay a hand on Cricket again, you hear me?!”Allison kept at him. “You made these... things, these girls out ofME. I am going to tear this place apart, and then you and I are goingto take a little flight up to Washington DC. How much you want to betPOTUS will make some time for me you snake? This is OVER!”

Jenny looked over the opposition,this was not going to be pretty. The revenants looked particularlytroublesome. They looked only vaguely like her mother. Their skin waslike pale ash, they had shaved heads showing just a hint of blondefuzz. They had what looked like cracks in their skin from where wispsof green energy escaped, it was like all they were in the inside wasbio-mutant energy. The eyes of the revenants also glowed a sicklygreen, and the same green energy leaked out of all the holes in thethey're skulls. The bloodsisters all looked kinda like Cricket, butwith numb, vacant looks on their faces. They only wore simplebeta-cloth jumpsuits, with a three-number designation printed on it.On top of all these zombies, were five Special Marshals, two of whomshe didn't recognize.

Jenny's force-field glowedbrighter as she prepared to fight, humming loudly. She looked over ather sister. Cricket looked like she was itching for this fight. Thegirls smiled at each other “they're going down Jen” Cricket saidwith an eager grin. “Hell ya” Jenny said.

Agent David let Miss Liberty'sanger wash over him, apparently unaffected. He replied calmly “Mrs.Ashton, you do not, and cannot have all the information you need tomake an informed decision about this. You have always been a patriot,and I admire you. I appreciate that you and your fine family havebecome attached to the asset. Which is unfortunate. In any case, yourcountry requires this sacrifice from you. Release the asset to me,and withdraw.” Allison just shook her head in defiance. The SpecialMarshals all looked at one another, reluctance and regret plain onall their faces. Peregrine looked over at Mighty Miss Liberty as thevisor of her flight helmet snapped shut. “This is going to hurt”she muttered. David sighed and spoke with icy calmness “Usewhatever force is necessary to acquire the asset, initiate.”