Tanya pulled a book off the shelf and then turned towards the Ducks, adjusting her glasses accordingly. "We just received a phone call from STEALTH."
Wildwing looked at her in confusion. "STEALTH? I thought they had corrupted a year ago."
Tanya took a seat across the table. "Yes, but it seems they have a new leader now - a human - he's building it up again. Word is the Prophecies are coming true."
"What? You mean those weird stories about the Saurians taking over? I thought that was only pertaining to Puckworld - not Earth."
Tanya shook his head, "Yes, something like that. The Prophecies weren't clear how much would be taken over or even what planet for that matter."
Duke spoke up, "So what does that mean fer us? And how did they find out?"
"I'm not sure. STEALTH has been keeping tabs on Emeral while we've been after Dragaunus. Apparently their information is coming from that. Emeral is raising an army to take over the world in alliance with Dragaunus and he's in a panic trying to find the human from the Prophecies. Emeral is convinced he is alive and someone that he has killed before."
"Well, how can we trust that kind of information? Maybe that lizard is layin' a trap. I really should have dusted that Saurian long ago."
Tanya looked at Duke in reprimand, "He's a lot more dangerous than you think, Duke, but it's not his way to lay a false trap. Besides, STEALTH trusts their inside source."
"OK, I get that, but what do they want us to do about it? We can't be away from Anaheim that long and we don't have a clue where or how to find him and his army."
"They didn't ask us to form an attack or anything. Just to keep our ears open and report any information we might get on the man from the Prophecies."
"Information? Who says we're getting information? Besides, we don't know any more about this guy than anyone else," Mallory huffed.
"Well, the Prophecies are of course from Puckworld times long ago, so there's no way to know exactly what they mean. Basically, there will be a man who will be killed three times and still live. He will gain attributes each time he is killed. I suppose that's where his Saurian-abilities come in. But he will still be human. 'Thrice killed by a Saurian he'll be. Thrice to live on in society.' And he's going to save the world."
Wildwing commented, "I thought that was our job, but I guess we could use all the help we can get."
"You're only one leader with us backing you. You know we can't be everywhere at once and this Emeral/Dragaunus thing is getting out of hand. I'd say if there was a time for these Prophecies to come to light than it's now."
"True. I wish we knew who this guy was though."
"I think his biggest advantage right now is that no one has a clue."
***
Nicolette pulled the shard of glass from her calf, cursing as she did so. "Lance and his damn friends! ARGHHH!!" She threw the glass as hard as she could and watched as it embedded itself in a nearby wall.
"I was SO close, damnit. I was right there! I would have had him!" She turned and kicked the trash can into the wall with such force that it left a huge dent.
Pacing back and forth, she continued to curse Lance and his friends and her own foul luck.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. What has gotten my Nicolette so upset?" Emeral entered the room and grasped her by the waist. "Is there anything I can do to help?"
Nicolette's anger did not leave her face. "It's his friends, Em. I can't seem to get him away from that gang of his long enough to turn him. It's just so damn frustrating!"
Emeral stroked her hair to try to calm her down. "Well, the solution to that is fairly simple don't you think? Just take out his friends."
Nicolette got silent for a moment and then smiled in agreement. "Yes, that's it! I've been so focused on how to attack them as a group that I haven't even thought about trying to catch them one at a time! If I take them out there will be nothing standing in my way! You always know how to make me feel better!"
"Just you remember who your loyal to. I don't mind you having a plaything, especially since I'm so busy lately, but don't start getting attached. Remember that I'm letting you do this as a favor."
Nicolette looked up at Emeral with her most innocent expression. "Of course, Em!" She smiled.
***
Joey, Justin and Chris looked at each other nervously, wondering why JC had just left without saying anything.
"Don't worry about it," Lance said. "I'll go talk to him."
The other guys looked relieved that it didn't have to be one of them.
Lance followed in the direction JC had left eventually finding him standing in the backyard staring at the sky.
"JC?" Lance leaned forward slowly, nervous about what JC had to say.
JC sighed deeply and turned to face his friend. "I just have a lot on my mind. Listen, do you want to take a ride? I need to get out of here for awhile."
Lance nodded in acknowledgment, relieved that JC wasn't too mad at him. "I'm really sorry that I didn't tell you..."
JC put his hand up. "Not here, okay?"
They both got into the van and JC pulled it out of the driveway. The drive was made in silence since Lance could tell that he wasn't prepared to indulge in conversation just yet. As soon as they left the outskirts of town, Lance knew exactly where he was headed.
As they pulled up to the abandoned cabin, Lance followed JC's movements and got out of the car. They walked over to the grave of JC's friend and sat down in front of the tombstone. Lance sat down beside him.
"It just hit really close to home." JC looked over at Lance. "I didn't mean to react so strongly to your story but I couldn't help it. It just forced me to think of so many things that I had been trying to forget."
Lance nodded, finally understanding JC's reaction. "I know. I think it's one of the reasons I didn't leave after you were released from the hospital. Our lives seemed to be heading in the same direction."
"Lance, you're the only one that really understands what I went through. You've been there. I can't say that I'm not a little angry that you didn't tell me before but I do understand. I don't think I could tell anyone what happened to Kara either."
"It wasn't your fault, JC. I know that for the longest time I kept blaming myself. I kept thinking that I should've been able to stop it. Going over everything in my head a million times and seeing what I could've done differently. But in the end I had to realize there's nothing I could've done."
JC lowered his head. "But it was my idea to become a hunter. You never knew what kind of danger was out there. I did and I welcomed it into my life. I just thought that if I could help that I would be helping make the world a better place. All I did was get her killed. He came after us because he knew about me. He wanted me for his army. If I had never became a hunter she would still be alive."
Lance could hear the agony in his voice and he knew this was a wound that would never heal. "I'm a fencing champion, Josh! One of the best in the world and I couldn't stop it. I couldn't stop him! Two of his friggin' goons got the best of me for crying out loud! I can't even begin to tell you how much I've agonized over that. I should've been able to save her..."
Silence filled the night as the two men sat, remembering the horror that had happened to them. "What are you going to do now, Lance? She isn't yours anymore. You can't expect to get your Nicolette back?"
"I'm don't think so. But I have to free her. If that means I have to kill the thing that has taken over her body, well, that's what I have to do. I just don't know if I can. She's was right there in front of me and all I could think about was being with her. I don't know if I'm strong enough."
JC nodded in understanding. "You're going to have to be Lance. She's counting on you."
"I know. Trust me, I know."