Back at the Hospital they met another set of guards outside. These two weren’t part of the Savior’s but local deputies. They gawked dumbfounded at Zafiri. One made a move for a pistol at his waist.

“HOLD THERE!” Jan commanded. The man froze in place. Haven't you been updated officer? Zafiri is a friend. Anything happens to her and I’ll hold you personally responsible.?

A spark flew from Jan’s band on her wrist.?

“Yes, sure, no problem!” A look of fear crossed both men’s faces.?

“Ah, hell.” Jan pulled Zafiri through the doors and inside.

One of Julian’s men stood outside of Zafiri Father’s room.

He studied Jan intently. “I was expecting you. Julian would like a word.”

Zafiri entered the room carrying her bundle with one quick look back at Jan. Jan nodded and gave her a small smile as the door closed behind her.?

“Of course, where do I need to go?”

“He’s in the room,” he said.? “Go on in.”

Through the door, Julian and the old man were…having an animated conversation?

“So you say these ‘nano-surgeons’,” the old man said, “they’re inside me, literally repairing the damaged tissue of my heart?”

“I’m no doctor, but that’s the general idea,” Julian replied.? “I’m told that your heart will act like it’s 20 years younger when it’s done.”

“Ahh, I could go dancing again,” he chuckled.? Then he turned his head to see his daughter. He smiled.? “Zafiri! My little princess…”

Zafiri said nothing.? She simply rushed forward and wrapped her arms around his neck.? After several moments of sobbing and soft words, she realized something.

“Father…did you?” she started in her language.

“It’s a simple spell, little princess,” he smiled.? “And I had so many questions.”

“I’ll be damned.” Jan said. “I’m...happy to meet you...”?

Did she know his name? She hated that when she’d heard a name and forgotten it. A shadow moved in her mind. It felt like she was suddenly reliving her past in fast forward. The feeling passed quickly and she leaned against one wall. That was better than falling.

Another feeling arose inside her. Like smelling something cooking she sensed the older man held something powerful. Jan pulled back her annoying peeping tom act as best she could. The device or whatever it was drew her in like hypnotic music.?

Jan touched Julian’s shoulder, a gesture she wouldn’t have dreamed of back in the day in the Corp but with Julian it felt right. “I think I should go back home and rest up. Who knows what or when someone else might decide to infringe on our little hamlet.”?

To Zafiri she added, “You are welcome to stay at my house if you want.” She glanced at her Father, “As you may as well.” The strange language came so easily now. It surprised her the look she got from Julian. She shrugged helplessly. How do you explain insanity?

“Well, it seems there are more than a few surprises today,” Julian said.? He eyed Jan. “I’m looking forward to an explanation later, of course. In the meantime, as I understand it Mr. Naarmyr, you should be released tomorrow morning, but the docs will probably tell you to take it easy for a while and avoid fried foods.”

“A wise precaution,” Haran col Naarmyr said.? “Although I hope to continue our discussions at a future date.”

“I can guarantee it,” Julian smiled, before getting serious.? “I have a feeling the future is going to count on this and other conversations.”

As this was going on, Zafiri pulled out a small slip of paper, and prepared another translation spell.? She realized that at some point she’d have to learn whatever their language was. For now though…

“I…apologize for not letting you know we could do this,” she said sadly.? “I just…”

“You needed to learn more about us, I get it,” Julian assured.? “Hopefully, you’ve learned enough that you might trust us. As you might expect, we’re…not from around here.”

Zafiri was surprised at how easily the Hidalgo regarded a situation where most would panic.? They were strangers in this world—a part of the world which happened to be at war right now. Of course, after what she witnessed earlier today, perhaps the world should be more worried.

“Anyone besides me hungry?” Julian asked.? “The hospital cafeteria isn’t half bad, especially if you’re not a patient.”

Although the staff had been updated on the peculiar new visitors that didn’t stop wide-eyed stares from those who had yet to come in contact with the alien strangers.?

Jan kept her sunglasses on and followed after Julian and Zafiri as he led them to the cafeteria. The smell of food made her stomach lurch. The beer had staved off hunger for a short while but now she felt ravenous.?

She heaped potatoes, pork slices and garlic bread on a plate along with a paper cup filled with diet soda and planted herself in a chair.?

She wanted to plug Julian on city reactions to his report but held back. How many of Troy would venture beyond the perimeter out of curiosity? If what they had encountered so far was any indication the lands outside of Troy were extremely dangerous.?

Jan was also curious about the magic Zafiri and her father were employing. It looked as if they were using some kind of script without any obvious accoutrements like lamb’s blood or sacrificed virgins fingers. That was a good thing of course but it reminded her of the sacrificial altar she’d fabricated using pig’s blood, iron flecks and incensed candles. She’d ask those questions later when she had Zafiri to herself.

Unable to help herself she looked to Julian and spoke up, “So, what’s city hall’s take on all this so far?”

“Well, as of this moment, Mayor Reeves is in a closed session with the rest of the City Council and some of the more prominent corporate leaders,” Julian said.? “Chiefly the managers from Mistu-Sikorsky, Militech and Biothechnica. I’ve been privy to some of the goings on, being the leader of the Three Nations in Troy, but I’ll probably know more tomorrow.? From the sound of it, they’re looking at what to do for the long run, and what our options are.

“The good news for the short term:? Power’s been restored, and it looks like we have it for a good long time at the moment, and people are surprisingly calm.? There was a danger of having everyone panic buy food and supplies at the grocery stores, but those are closed for now under orders of the Mayor.? Luckily, with the fact we just started TroyFest, there’s still plenty of food to go around, and will be for a short while.”

Zafiri listened intently.? These “corporate leaders” sounded important, though the names of their realms were unlike anything she had ever heard before.? Militech? Biotechnica? Mitsu-Sikorsky? They made no sense. She couldn’t even guess at their creed, though if she could’ve, she was pretty certain they’d still make no sense.

“Ma’am,” he said to Zafiri, “I’d like you to attend tomorrow’s city council meeting.”

“Me?” Zafiri blurted.? “Why?”

“Well, quite frankly, because you’re really the only one we know who has a clear idea where we are,” he explained.? “I think they’re going to need to fully understand the reality we now find ourselves in. I mean, Jan and I can tell them all about what happened with those soldiers, but I think they need to understand why it happened, and what’s going on.? We can’t do that, but you can”

Zafiri nodded in understanding.? “I will do my best, my Lord.”

“No, no no, don’t call me that,” Julian pleaded.? “You can just call me ‘Julian’ like anyone else.”

“I’ve heard them call you…jefe?” Zafiri inquired.

“It’s sort of a more informal title,” he said.? “No one has to call me that. It’s just a tradition among my people.”

“And you’re also their leader,” she observed.

“Only because they chose me.”

Zafiri went wide-eyed in shock.? They…chose!? Unbelievable! The way he carried himself, he seemed to be like a nobleman.? Yet his facial features weren’t so delicate. And his hands…they showed rough and calloused, like he had worked with them most of his life.? So…no, he wasn’t a nobleman…but he was a leader. People looked up to him…

But such a strange man for a leader.

“I good one,” Jan chimed in. She gave Julian a wolfish grin with a quick nod at Zafiri.?

She sat back, closed her eyes. The population of Troy dumped into a strange world. It would become the epi-center for learning and power assuming that no one had better weapons than a blunderbuss came down the pike.

That was the positive outlook. She studied their new acquaintance Zafiri. She had a history that defied any preconceptions of normality. Yet the mage with horns remained calm, peaceful under the circumstances.?

Did she have something coercing her behavior? Likely not. No one did. Well there were those crazies who thought the devil resided in their head. What sort of control would they have? Would they walk forward in a suicidal confrontation with a Dragon, no correction, wyvern? Was that her in control? No it wasn’t. She would not just expose herself that way. It defied her training. She would remain under cover. It was what was done in a firefight.?

She walked back the events of the day. Zafiri’s own birth rite: “And the people of Torquan, whether by the dark powers themselves or by the Gods as a mark of their displeasure, placed the mark upon them, changing them from men to what we are today.”

Dark powers? Jan shuddered involuntarily, sighed then slugged down the rest of her diet soda. She needed time to study. To think. If there was some foregn dark one inside her how could she expunge it, him?

“These dark powers…they kept their promise, but at a terrible price.”

Jan shuddered again. Had her price launched an entire city into chaos? Why? If something or someone else had guided her then the question of the day was why? If something was in her head it wasn’t talking.?

She stood, uneasy with the feeling that anything could happen at any second.?

“Need some air, I’ll catch you...mas tarde.” She gave Julian a half-assed salute. Then left the table.

Jan wandered out of the cafeteria and after a short walk out onto the sidewalk of the Hospital.

She wasn’t convinced, not completely. But if there was a chance she was responsible? Could she fix it? Of course not. The thing had done this. She didn’t have the knowledge, intent or power to pull it off.?

She hadn’t been in a good state of mind. She thought back again at the moment she’d completed the circle to devour herself inside. To end her suffering? Shit and hellfire! How did that go genius??

If the people of Troy only knew. She’d be person non grata. Better not let that cat out of the bag.?

Jan ran to her Electro. It was time to do something.

It was a short drive back to her Mother’s house. Jan got a kick out of watching Zafiri climb out of her little Chevy. It was something one had to practice. It was so low to the ground.?

“This is your home?”

“My Mother’s house. I was born here. I came home...not so long ago.” It still hurt, the loss.

The blue mage marveled over the whole package, from the entrance to the rooms, the kitchen and she almost fainted when Jan showed her the refrigerator.?

“This is true magic, special.”

“Actually it is not. It is science. A whole different beast. I’ll explain things as we progress.”

She showed her the shower and how it operated. The shampoo and soap she used and how to use it. She gave her a fresh towel.

“You want some fresh clothes?”

Zafiri sorted through the large closet and dresser. After some consideration and some suggestions from Jan she picked out a black jumpsuit with short sleeves and plunging neckline that would certainly not be official military grade.?

Zafiri showered. It seemed to take forever. She finally appeared in the old outfit, it had been her Mother’s from a couple of decades ago but it was in stellar shape. In a pair of black flats she looked bad ass. Some kind of gnarly tattoo ran up the side of one shoulder and disappeared down her back.? Her hair was combed and held a new luster.?

“Wow,” Jan said. “You look great.” She led Zafiri to a full length mirror in her bedroom. The alien looking female had a fantastic body that made Jan jealous. The tail was a problem with the Jumpsuit. In the end Jan ended up cutting a hole in the back just below the band. It was fluffy enough to hide the opening, hopefully. It twitched and quivered under Jan’s soft touch and she wondered just what kind of feeling it was giving the blue women. Touching her that way made goose pimples rise on her arms. It was very erotic, unexpectedly so. Zafiri said nothing and gave no indication of any kind. Good enough, Jan thought. Up close like this she felt giddy. It made little sense. She wasn’t into girls all that much. Despite old habits she longed to touch the women again. She had to fight to restrain herself.?

Zafiri glared at her reflection but seemed mollified by Jan’s constant barrage of compliments.?

‘I can wash these things and get them back to you later?’

Zafiri considered it for a moment then agreed.

She let the blue mage watch some old National Geographic vids on her terminal while she went to clean up.??

She looked at herself in the mirror. “Saul’s Ghost!” She looked like the living dead! Before she took her shower she grabbed a pair of sunglasses out of her bedside table. These were the only solution for now. She looked like a pissed off instructor.?

Later, dressed in her normal jeans and flight jacket she entered the living room to find Zafiri gone!

“Oh shit!”

Jan didn’t move or breath for a heart beat. She just closed her eyes and felt around. Zafiri was outside near the flower garden. It was badly tended. Jan wasn’t nearly the green thumb her mother had been. But years of gardening didn’t evaporate the little darlings overnight. The flowers had almost gone away with the advent of fall but today they were making a strong comeback with the warm air coming from the west.

A shadow crossed her mind like a blanket. She blinked her eyes open. What the hell was that? Was she going insane?

She made a quick meal for them. A soup and a salad with lemon tea. Zafiri made faces but seemed satisfied after it was over.?

“Thank you for your hospitality,” Zafiri said.? “You’ve all been rather kind, not to mention generous, but I don’t understand why, and your conveyances…these buildings…who are you people?”

“I can explain our position relative to your situation. We were seeking the cause of a fire. I’d determined that, or guessed that we were no longer physically located in our world. Our new core, a circle I think about 20 miles give or take in diameter was transported to your world. We didn’t really feel it.” Jan paused, well she had but that was different.?

“We moved to investigate the fire. We found a family being attacked, raped actually by some moronic men in uniform with muskets or blunderbusses. Shortly after anialating those dick heads we noticed you incoming with Dragons on your tail. It seemed at the time you were the ones being persecuted so we intervened.”

“Yes…those men…mercenaries under the command of Lord Marshall Aiden Turriq,” Zafiri nodded.? “They’ve come up from the South, as part of Ispaara’s efforts to conquer and pacify the Northlands.? They recently sacked the city of Masden not too long ago, and now their forces are spreading out through the countryside.”

Burning villages…she could still smell the nightmarish stench.? She remembered having to hurry through. Even in villages, she had to be careful, as people wanted to avoid “tiefling corruption”.

The news that they were not of this world was astounding, though not out of the bounds of reason.? Rahal da Carta, Master of the Many, had posited the concept of other worlds and realities, some of which were inhabited exclusively by the Gods, some not.? She owned a rare copy of da Carta’s Naturalis enim ordo codice, where he discussed this and other metaphysical concepts.

“And, as promised, it’s your turn,” she said with a slight smile.? “What’s your question?”

Jan studied Zafiri and inconspicuously her tail. “Well, the men we killed were just men but you, you are of some other humanoid category. You also don’t seem natural to this world, at least that would be my first thought. How many more here are like you?”??

“I and my father are Torquani,” Zafiri explained, “although most people outside our kind call us ‘tieflings’, though we find it offensive.

“Our ancestors were of the race of men, like you long ago, and ruled a region once known as Torquan.? They were rivals to the Imyrrians of the north, and fought many wars with them. Finally, in a desperate bid to overcome their hated adversaries, their leaders made a pact with dark powers, and beseeched them to destroy their enemies.

“These dark powers…they kept their promise, but at a terrible price.? The entire subcontinental mass that was Immyr was sunk beneath the waves, her people massacred.? It didn’t stop there, though. Devastation the likes of which had never been seen were wreaked across the lands.? The area known as Torquan, once a lush rainforest, is today the barren desert known as Al Shafah. It is also why this continent, known as Ocillia, is called the Shattered Continent.

“And the people of Torquan, whether by the dark powers themselves or by the Gods as a mark of their displeasure, placed the mark upon them, changing them from men to what we are today.? We are often considered unwelcome in many places, and those places we’re allowed, we’re sequestered in ‘Torquani Quarters’ of their cities and towns. If there is a way to undo this transformation, no one has found it.”

Zafiri had decided that it didn’t pay to be deceitful to these people.? They honestly didn’t know anything about the Torquani or anybody else around here.? Besides, as an intellectual, it was anathema to her to lie about such things.

“This world, I’d like a map of it with whatever knowledge about it’s peoples and lands if you can. I expect we are here to stay and I’m curious to the geography and habitation. Not to mention the Dragons. Are there more dangerous creatures that dwell on this planet?”

“There are plenty of dangerous creatures, though actual dragons are rare,” Zafiri responded.? “What those men were riding are actually a breed of wyvern.? You can tell by the fact that it only has four appendages—a pair of wings and two legs.

“As for a map, I can make you one, but it will take time.? I can tell you now though that you’re in an area of Ocillia known as the Northlands.? This particular area is part of a province once ruled by the Duke of Masden, though I suppose right now it belongs to Turriq by right of conquest.”

Jan went to the fridge and grabbed two beers. She handed one to Zafiri before continuing.?

She opened hers first as a demonstration.?

“Anyway, it seems we are more advanced technologically whereas you have certain magical inclinations we are oblivious to.” She paused, that had been a mouthful.

“Yes, I’ve noticed that your wondrous devices don’t seem to use magic,” Zafiri observed.? “Even if they were, I’d still be impressed.? The idea that such things could exist without magic still boggles my mind.”

Jan nodded agreement. “Upon sight of those Dragons I had the same feeling. Our people from where I come from developed technology recently. Over the course of our history technology is new like a baby. We were getting to the point where AI was beginning to create its own life. A dangerous prospect. AI stands for artificial intelligence. Basically machines started to think on their own.”

“A machine…that thinks on its own!?” Zafiri blinked in disbelief.? “I find that difficult to fathom.? Although…I am familiar with stories of certain ancient wonders, like the Mad Golem, and the Infernal Machine of Torann the Tyrant.? No one has ever found these wonders, though.”?

Jan finished off her beer. “How many of the inhabitants of this world can do magic?”

The young Torquani pondered the question and how to best answer it, taking the occasional pull of what Jan called “beer”.? In truth, it seemed rather watered down to her. “I cannot give you an accurate estimate, as I don’t know the state of the entire world.? What I can tell you is that magic is common enough for everyone to be aware of it.??

“But being aware of it and having the Talent for it are two different things.? I have a strong Talent, while my father has a weaker one—but he makes up for it with his knowledge of the healing arts.? If one isn’t born with the Talent, one can’t do magic, though there are some exceptions to this rule.

“There is often a concerted effort to find individuals with the Talent, and you’ll often find powerful wizards among the courts of the elite.? Less capable individuals might sell their services to warlords and the like. Every village probably knows of a hedge magician—people with very small talents for magic—who use the craft to address certain woes, though their skills usually rely more on herbalism than actual magic.

“You won’t find anything like an army of wizards or the like.? The closest to that comes from the Church of the Holy Twelve. In order to be at least a priest in their order, you have to be a Talent.? The stronger the Talent, the higher one can climb in the hierarchy of the Church, up to the High Lord Papal, who ranks as one of the most powerful wizards on the continent.”

She had largely abandoned the exchange of a question for a question.? At the moment, she was finding out quite a bit just from listening to the questions she was asked.? It was true what her father had once said: You can learn a lot simply by listening.

In english she said to Zafiri, “Hospital...Father.” Then spoke to her in her own language. ‘We return now to the Hospital and your Father, yes.’

She handed Zafiri a fluffy blanket and a small pillow. ‘This will come in handy later trust me.’

Even in the age of the mid-21st century economic collapse, the Troy Regional Medical Center was considered one of the finest medical institutions in America, and could’ve easily competed with big name hospitals in big cities.

It had been responsible for nearly all the needed major medical care for the southeast quadrant of Alabama, and even some Floridians who dared to make the trek (the highways weren’t as safe or intact as they used to be).? It had a small fleet of ambu-naughts (armored ambulances), medical choppers (cheaper to use and refuel than AV’s) to extend its reach, and it could perform any medical procedure short of full body cybernetic replacement (that kind of stuff was reserved for the even bigger corporate hospitals).

Some of the strain of the Collapse had forced it to close a couple wings, but they consolidated what they could, and used the unused space to store extra medical supplies in case the highways got completely cut off, so the hospital was incredibly well stocked, even by the standards of the day.

Of course, no one ever contemplated being cut off from Earth indefinitely.??

No one was thinking that right now, of course.? The priority was to keep their current patients comfortable and get to treating the new patients that came in.? Power had only been briefly interrupted, since the hospital had its own backup generators in the basement and the latest Sol Invictus solar panels on its roof.? As a result, the hospital didn’t even notice when main grid power took over a few hours later.

When Julian’s small convoy pulled up, nurses and med-techs were standing ready, having been radioed ahead of time.? Julian, knowing he wasn’t a medic, got out of the way, and started making some calls to the rest of the Nomad leadership, the Mayor, and in turn, the Police.? He had already described what to look for, but he wanted to make sure. The edge where the CHOOH2 crops turned into forest was now effectively their border, and it needed watching.

=====

“A-ya, what the hell?” Nurse Bethany Lum exclaimed as an unconscious girl was placed on a rolling litter, back up, showing the blood-soaked bandages on her back.? “You there, medic! What happened to her!?”

“Some bastard decided to whip her in front of her Dad,” the medic said.? “I um…gave the old man a sedative. He’s sleeping it off right now.”

“Right, got it,” Lum said, putting her professional facade back on.? “This one: Clean up and spray skin, stat! What’s next?”

“This poor woman,” gesturing to a woman dressed in a simple dress and bodice combination.? “She um…ahem…three men were taking turns with her…”

“I wish you didn’t have to tell me that,” Lum grimaced.? “Get an IV drip started on her, with 12 cc’s anti-bio 1, and make sure we have female staff only checking on her.? Go! Next?”

“This guy here,” the medic said, wheeling in…the devil!?? He was older, green skinned, and had well looked after horns, but STILL horns…and was that a tail!? “He’s had a massive coronary.? I’ve got him stabilized but—“

“But what?” Lum interjected.? “I mean, is he even human? I just can’t start treating him willy-nilly—“

“Look nurse,” the medic interrupted.? “I don’t know what he is, but I know he’s responded positively to the anti-coags and beta blockers.? And my blood test tells me he’s blood type O-, so you don’t have to worry there. But I’ve done all I can for him, and I don’t want his daughter worrying, so…”

Bethany looked over at a young, blue skinned girl, who also had horns and a definite tail, and her lines softened.? Whatever they were, she knew worry when she looked her in the eyes, and the way she wouldn’t let go of the old man’s hand.? Bethany took a deep breath, let it out…

“Okay, get him hooked up and ready for ultrasound,” she said.? “Did you use nano-surgeons?”

“Yes, ma’am,” the medic said back.

“Good,” she affirmed.? “We’ll get them online to tell us what’s going on, too.? Next!”

=====

Still able to understand them, Zafiri feared they were about to be thrown out, but then the…medic?? He explained some things, and said something about his blood type being O negative. What in the heavens did that mean?

Whatever it meant, this woman changed her mind, it seemed.? They were not being thrown out. She talked about something called “ultrasound”, and apparently they could talk to the “nano-surgeons” that were inside of her father, already.

It all sounded like strange magic to her, but as far as her senses could tell, nothing they used, from their healing materials to the strange horseless carriages, were magical in any way.? Nothing about them was magical…

Except now that one woman.? The one who talked into Zafiri’s mind.? The one who seemed to spontaneously cast that powerful magic that wiped out that one dragon.? She noticed that that woman was being wheeled off—to a “recovery room”, and how they weren’t sure what was wrong with her or why she was unconscious.

They started to wheel off her father, but she refused to let go.? Surprisingly, they didn’t make her do so. They just let her come along as they brought him to a room, and started removing his robes.? Reluctantly, she let go to allow them to do that.

Then she grew rather alarmed!? His jewelry…they were removing it.? Oh gods…were they robbing him? What about their possessions in the chest?? Would they be taken? Would they discover the silver her father was responsible for?? What could she do!?

Then she found that her worry was strangely unfounded.? True, they did remove his jewelry, but they put it all in a curious clear…bag.? Once the last ring went in, they handed the bag to her, and proceeded to put on some sort of flimsy…gown on her father’s still form.

“Keep these for him,” said the woman slowly, as his rings were handed over to her.? “We wash clothes, then give back…”

What a shock it would have been for the woman if Zafiri decided to respond in their own language.? She could, at least for a few more hours before the spell wore off. But no…they were helping, it seemed, but there was so much going on.? And this place…this hospital? It was unlike anything she had seen before. It was large, and so clean. And the place was lit up so brightly, and she wasn’t sure how.

She had so many questions, and no one to ask them to.

Well…maybe not no one.? There was one, perhaps…the Hidalgo.

The one they called Jefe, or Julian.

Janet had been right there when all the fireworks happened. The strange blue expulsion from her own body, an exodus of something potent from a pool of energy found...everywhere. Yet she had been a passive stranger in her own self. She’d strayed into suiside realm once again but not of her own accord.?

She’d fought for control, the fear so terrible, the blackness so complete. She worked to free her mind, felt something tear, a slice here and a hole there. Then a message came to her but it was like a feeling had come, ‘be still, watch’.?

She’d done so as her body expelled something incredibly powerful, a force violent and extreme. Whatever it was it was death and it had come from her but directed by something else. What was this other?

She groaned. Light was stinging her eyes. The darkness had left her and now it was bright. Noises came, footsteps on a hard floor. The smell of the hospital. Her meager sheets felt cold against her skin. She raised a hand to her head. Something encircled her wrist.?

Eyes open she looked up at the strange ornament. What the hell was this? The bracelet was of some kind of blue metal that was locked firmly onto her like a vice. It did not give her pain and it seemed of no consequential weight. With her free right hand she tried to gain purchase and wiggle it free. It was not budging.?

She gave up and struggled to her elbows. Then a thought occurred to her and she cursed out loud. Her ChevyElectro was god knows where._._,_._,_

A door opened and a man in a white coat was smiling at her. “Hello Janet. What did you do to get yourself in here?”?

The man was fit and good looking, a professional doctor, one with good bedside manners. Things were looking up.

“I’m fine if you need to know. Just a little disoriented is all,” Jan said weakly. She didn’t feel weak but her voice sounded like crap.

“I am Doctor Jenson. We’ve done a little work up on you. Everything seems to be in working order. I am curious as to what happened to you?

“Hit my head, right on the chip-o-meter you might say. Out like a light I guess.” She smirked sourly at her quick lie.?

He took her arm and checked her pulse. “Okay,” he said as if to himself. He examined her head in the back near the nap of her neck.

“Not a scratch here that I can see,” he added cheerfully. He stepped back and folded his arms across his chest. “You know the drill? Make sure someone checks on you when you go to sleep. Just a precaution for the next day or so.”

“Got it,” Jan said with a smile. He was letting her go. That was cool. She hated hospitals.

She started to climb out of the bed.?

“Wait,” Doctor Jenson said. “I think you might want some clothes.”

A nurse eventually showed up with some oversized jeans and a thermal shirt in a sick orange color. She pulled them on. Thankfully there was a belt to keep them up. She checked the mirror on the way out and groaned. She looked like a war victim. She touched her face. The skin was very pale and cold to the touch. “Holy hell,” she remarked to the face staring back at her. She did a double take and blinked. Her eyes, they were almost black. “You couldn’t take the freckles but you could do this too my eyes?”

Her voice was fierce. A spark jumped randomly from her arm to the alien bracelet on her wrist. It made her jump and made her heart leap in her chest. “This is stupid.”

Then she felt it. The power that surrounded her. It had come on so slowly she’d not noticed until now. Or had it been her anger? Hadn’t the Doctor noticed those eyes? Scared the shit out of myself!

She looked back into the mirror and gripped the sink that hung just below with both hands. She tried to push back on that feeling of energy rippling around her. It seemed to fade slightly.

Out in the hall she looked both ways. Out, left maybe. She strode confidently bare-footed down the hall. She was just making some good headway, the front doors were in sight the daylight still strong through the window when she passed another room without a door.

Don’t look. She looked. It was a waiting room. SHE was there in a seat looking lost as hell.?

Shit! It was the blue girl.?

“Zfiri.” Had she spoken out loud? The horns swiveled and those yellow eyes glowered at her.?

“Hey,” Jan managed with a little wave. “Ristoy esstr oywh?”

The words were foreign, completely unknown to her yet they meant ‘Are you okay’?”

Zfiri nodded in the affirmative but her body language said ‘I’m just a little freaked out now’.

Jan nodded. She was ready to bolt big time. She needed a shower badly and her poor Chevy was out in the sticks, literally.?

Instead she went and sat down next to her.?

“Your father, is he here, is he okay?” Again with the weird words but they were making sense somehow.

Zfiri gave Jan the rundown the best the poor thing could do. Her father was doing okay she thought but wasn’t very sure at all. This place is safe right? What happens next? Several more questions came quickly and Jan did her best to answer them.?

“I saw him, on the table,” Zfiri continued. “I was terrified. They gave me his...” She held up the bad and Jan noticed rings and other jewelry inside. It all looked like very fine stuff.?

“Saul to hell,” Jan said in spanglish then reverted to horn language, “Do you want to come to my home? Rest, clean up, maybe eat then come back here?”

Zfiri looked around the room then back at Janet. She reached out to Jan’s freckled face with one blue hand. Jan noticed the fine rings and the beautiful bracelet on her wrist.?

“Your eyes?!”

Oh shit, she needed some sunglasses in the worst way.

Zafiri was, even by 21st century standards (though she didn’t realize it yet), very well educated.? She was a classically trained mage, could speak and was literate in seven different languages, and had training in practical magic (like alchemy), as well as thaumaturgic theory.

It was this last one that was guiding her now.? She kept her voice low.

“I think you may…” How did she word this delicately.? “Something may have contacted you.? I don’t think your eyes are meant to be that color, are they?? And it would explain why you can speak Torquan all of a sudden.”

Of course, she wasn’t sure about the nature of the contact.? Not yet, anyway. Was she possessed? Or perhaps…perhaps she’s one of those who was receptive to Others?? Perhaps she was a potential Covenant mage, and inadvertently made her first Covenant? She wasn’t sure. Not yet.

“I will accept your offer,” Zafiri said.? “But I have questions I need to ask.? I assume you have some yourself? I’m willing to exchange evenly if such is the case.”

She was marginally satisfied that her father was safe.? More to the point, it was her father, not her, who was adept in the healing arts.? She couldn’t do more for him right now.

Jan nodded consent and stood up. The room didn’t wobble and her knees didn’t buckle. In fact she felt about 100% and that didn’t make any sense to her at all. Except...the energy, the pool of energy seemed to seep into her like a water to a sponge. Was that why? Then why had she gone comatose on the battlefield? Maybe Zafiri was onto something. Jan didn’t like the tone of her words. Something was wrong with her and she knew it. But to face it was a different matter. She felt fine right now. She had just nodded in agreement with Zafiri. One thing was certain, that summoning circle had been a real bad idea.?

Outside the hospital stood two of the Nomad soldiers Jan had met briefly during the impromptu raid.? Wasn’t everything today impromptu??

“Saviors,” Jan intoned. The term one she just made up on the spot. After all Aldecaldo in Latin meant aid crock. The crock part didn’t make sense unless you consider the group as a whole unit together. In her opinion they were the Saviors in deed and in name.?

They both raised eyebrows at her word for them. “Aldecaldo,” she explained. “You come to help those in need, hence Saviors. Just trust me.”

She couldn’t remember their names. “I’m Jan and this is Zafiri. I need to get home to clean up. Can you help?”

In spanglish the taller one replied, “We know you Jan. You stood before the Dragon and split it with thunder and lightning. You are a champion.” He paused, looking embarrassed, “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Jan said switching to spanglish. Sometimes she forgot these little things. “My Electro, I left it...”

“I am Luis. We have your car in the parking lot. Come I show you.”

At the car Jan was very appreciative. She did ask Luis one last question. “Is the boss around?”

“He is very busy.”

“I believe that.”

(TBC)

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-Ireland-

“But you did, Rain. You chose money and power over all of us and now you act like Brandon and Dad are the villains because they don’t agree with you choices and they are vocal about. I don’t agree with it either. I don’t understand why you would turn you back on family to run with a bunch of ganstas, but it’s your life, Imma let you live it the way you want.” She said with a shrug.

When he said asked about the mansion she sighed. “I don’t live at home. I live on campus...or at least I did. Not sure now,” she said absentmindedly.

“Anyway. So what’s going on with you and that girl I saw you on insta with.”

?

-Rain-
“Those gangstas didn’t make me feel like everything I did was wrong, those gangstas didn’t make me feel like a damned black sheep in daddy’s little family.? I am not some weakling that has to abide by the typical society rules. I don’t have to feel like a damned freak just because I am different and I dare someone to try to dissect me.? Forgive me if I don’t want to be daddy’s project.? I don’t have to do everything he says just cause he is richer than god!?? Dad wants to cage me up and Brandon wants to do, whatever Daddy wants cause he can’t think for himself.? You are the only one that gave a damn and I say it again…I am sorry I left or that I hurt you!? But I didn’t turn my back on my family…my family..save you turn its back on me!? But I thought we said ‘We’ were having lunch.”? She said she was going to let him live his life, but the shrug told him she was disappointed in him still.

“What does that mean?? Why are you not sure?? Don’t tell me…daddy’s making you move back home?”? He looked at her as he always checked on her, at least once a week.? She was his all, the only one that could talk to him like that anyway.? She was the only one that mattered now!

“Please…once the money is gone so are they.? Or they believe the money is gone.? I am not a keeper remember, I am the badguy.”? He winked.? “So your insta has been kinda dry lately…what gives?? You can get any party favor you want male or female?”? He arched an eyebrow as he ordered just a raspberry tea wine spritzer.?

(Chord, Imogene, Ireland)

?

“So today was an interesting and eventful day,” Chord said as he trying to sound upbeat and reassure the team as he walked into the room with Ireland to his left and Harrison to his right. He was fully prepared to fall back and let Harrison advise the team in the whatever manner saw fit, which was exactly what he said he would do when he finally wore her down enough for her to agree to come to work alongside of him to whip this ragtag bunch into shape.?

?Harrison was just about to speak when Gen cut her off. Chord’s jaw ticked. The taller older man, placed both his hands in his pockets, a move that both Ireland and Brandon would recognize.?

“I got this Imogen,” He said to Harrison as he came to stand deceptively casually before Gen,

Oh this was not going to be good Ireland thought…

“I have never been big on temper tantrum so let me be very clear that neither I nor Ms. Harrison will tolerate them. Thus if you are given to such useless display of emotions this program…we” he gestured to everything around her, “is not a good fit for you. Furthermore, if you found today hard, good. Get used to it. Each new day from here only get harder.? Understand that this is not the Gen saves the world show and judging by the look of your performance today it appears you think it is. And it for damn sure isn’t the pre-game show for any kind of extracurricular activity your raging hormones might have your brain pre-occupied with.” ?His eyes flicked to Kites.

“This is not some video game. You are not here to live our some hero fantasy. You are not here to eat and get laid.” He said looking first firmly at Gen and then past her to Kites, and then Kat and finally lingering on Brandon with a disappointed look.

“When you walk into this room its real life.? Its test your mettle. Its push your limits. Its learn your weaknesses and test your strengths. It is not play time. Its shut-up, fall back, shut up, stop blaming others for your screw-ups, take some ownership of your mistakes and learn time because what we do here are matters of life and death…for you, your team and civilians. So if today’s activities have your panties in a snit…if you don’t like mine or Harrison’s tactics…the is door right there,” he said stepping aside so that Gen could see there was a clear path to the door with no one blocking her way.

“You can walk out and be about you merry way. None the wiser with our well wishes, otherwise understand your role and the program. And as far as Ireland watching…contrary to what you think,” his eyes landing on Kites. “Ireland is your biggest cheerleader and a wonderful judge of character. And since ?the purpose of today’s exercise was to see what we were working with…if you could adapt and learn. If you were trainable and coachable. We were testing your personal abilities and the ability for you to come together and work together as a team in a high pressure, stressful situations, please understand you failed miserable. If Ireland wasn’t watching, you would still be flying around screaming at unbreakable cameras, potential injuring yourself and your team getting your ass handed to you by battle droids. It was because of her that the bots self-destructed. When neither you or Kites conferred with your team lead about the best way to approach the defeat of the bots...she realized that you were giving the bots the opportunity to learn your movements with your solo continuous attacks. When your team lead failed to do just that...lead... Ireland realized someone was going to get seriously hurt. She is A computer wiz, after asking me...begging me in fact to end the test, she hacked into my computer causing them to self destruct. So make sure you thank her.”

He said moving to the door. “Oh and effective today. Ireland is your new team lead. “

“Wait...what...”Ireland said...she looked at Brandon.?

“Now all of you get washed and changed and eat. i expect anyone who plans to be apart of this team actually be apart of this team to report classroom B first thing tomorrow morning. Good night.” He said gesturing for Imogene to follow him out of the room.?

Once Chord and Imogene we’re gone, Ireland turned to Brandon. “I had no idea he was going to do that. I swear.” She said. “I gotta go but we will talk later.” She said leaving out too.

?

?

(Brandon)
He listened to Chord, he realized he was trying to lead from behind making sure everyone was ok.? But apparently it wasn’t enough.? When he mentioned the fact that he didn’t lead them he realized it.? He was still used to doing things on his own.? He didn’t have to say he was disappointed in him…he could feel it, his eyes, his mannerisms.? He honestly would have rathered Harrison have told him, he sucked than disappoint his father.? But here he was again focused on…nevermind what he was focused on now, it no longer mattered.?

Now to add insult to injury he was demoted and Ireland was put in his place.? ‘Slap in the face and kick in the nuts!? Thanks dad!’? He realized why Rain left now, but it wasn’t worth him leaving.?

‘Some hero he turned out to be!’

Ireland tried to apologize.? He put his hand up to stop her.? “I’m good!”? He said as he watched them leave.? It wasn’t Ireland’s fault he sucked, the blame rested solely at his feet.?

?

He turned to Kat and touched her arm gently before he headed up to his room to clean up.? He was easily…no longer hungry? as he made his way to the living room only to let gravity launch him up into the air and floated into his room as he closed the door and began to make his way to the shower.?

?

Tag: ?Kat, Mia, Kites, Gen, with Chord and co posting at random

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