Satyr Play 03 Pt. 02

She stopped and turned to face him. "Roger?"

He clicked and saw she wasn't approaching. "Yeah."

She was just standing there, silent, and he wasn't sure what he wanted to say.

"Is it true? Are you the one killing all those people?" she asked softly.

His anger flared. She was so simple-minded sometimes. "They aren't people! They're monsters, not humans! Tonight is the first time people are actually seeing them for what they are!"

"What do you mean?" she gasped.

"I've seen them chasing the monsters, screaming at them, so they truly see them. I've been the only one who has since that night in the hospital. Since Henry changed me." He spat the name as he knew who'd caused all this mess.

Sandy shook her head. "It wasn't Henry. It was me. Kesini knew I cared for you, so when you arrived, she helped you change as well." Sandy explained quietly.

Roger was confused. "Who's Kesini?"

Sandy paused, then lifted her hand where the bulk of Kesini rested. "You can see how I'm holding my hair, yes?"

Roger's steady clicking showed the large mass balancing on Sandy's palm. "Yes."

Sandy nodded to herself. "She's Kesini. She has a mind of her own, and she thought I'd want you to share the experience. Except, it's random what you become with this magic. When you disappeared that night, we were frightened for you. We could have helped."

Roger snorted. "Helped? In what way?"

Sandy leaned towards him. "Helped you understand what's happened to you. Helped you come to terms with our place in this new world," she said urgently.

"Are you kidding me? You, the backwater bumpkin, teaching me how the world works? You're completely ignorant of who's in control of society, who makes the rules and keeps them," Roger scoffed.

Sandy was silent as she looked into Roger's red eyes. "I just returned from visiting my parents in that backwater. Being away helped me see my home with a fresh perspective. My parents and their friends didn't want to see anything change. They were comfortable and safe in their little bubble. My return showed them things had changed, and that made them uneasy. I made them uneasy. The TV news for them was a horror show, and they much preferred to talk about local news, which was always the same and simpler to digest—"

"That's what I'm saying! Heads stuck up their asses, unaware of the truth!" Rogers blurted angrily.

Sandy looked at him sadly. "They aren't the only ones trapped in a bubble. Without listening to people, experiencing how they live, and truly seeing them as individuals... without that perspective, it's far too easy to put them all under comfortable little labels, like bumpkins. Or monsters."

Roger leaned back as he clicked quietly.

"You've changed," he finally said.

Sandy snorted. "You think?" She smiled sadly. "I think I've grown up a lot in the past year. Visiting home was eye-opening." She suddenly frowned and looked away sharply, making him curious what had happened to the woman who was once a small-town girl.

"It doesn't make them any less monsters," he said firmly.

"Roger, have you looked in a mirror recently? These days, you're not exactly the poster child for Humanity," she asserted.

"That's because I have a special purpose. I see the truth—"

"You see the shape! You see sound, don't you! You bounce sound off people and see their shape in the reflections. But that's only the surface! That's not who they are, who we are! Can't you see your lack of perspective has you trapped inside a bubble just as much as my parents are?"

Roger hissed at her as his rage built. "How dare you put me in the same categories as your simpleton parents!"

"They aren't simpletons! They're just people who've chosen to limit their perspective. Like you," Sandy insisted firmly.

Roger's teeth began to grow as he quickly lost control over his temper. He couldn't believe he'd once thought she was worth saving. She was just as poisoned as Tish and Dayshia.

No matter. She wasn't deadly like Dayshia. She was simple little Sandy but in monster form.

Pathetic and soon to be his dinner.

-=-

When Roger first called out to her, Sandy heard the voice of the man who once looked out for her like an older brother. She wanted to connect with that man and convince him he needed to stop.

Now, she saw that his concern may have just been his ego attempting to assert some control over his perception of her. He'd needed her to behave in a way he imagined she should. He didn't see her then, and he certainly didn't see her now.

As she spoke with Roger, she explained to Kesini how Roger saw using echolocation, how dangerous he was, and how they might survive. Her years in the ER had worn smooth any nervous reactions she had to hostile assailants. She could step back from those emotions at the moment and deal with them later.

When Roger moved to attack, Kesini suddenly ballooned out with each individual hair presenting the least amount of surface for sound to bounce back to his eyes. When all strands moved apart and pointed towards Roger's mouth, his clicks had no surface to reflect from. Kesini simply disappeared from Roger's perception.

He was already two large strides closer to Sandy, and she'd taken two steps forward as well. He slowed his forward momentum but could see Sandy perfectly fine and knew her heart rate was rapidly accelerating. She was frightened, and Roger's excitement spiked.

When Kesini drove dozens of steel-like strands of hair through Roger's red eyes, he yanked back. Kesini was prepared for this and curled the tips to cause twice the damage on the way out. Roger lost most of the surface of his eyes in the first seconds.

Screaming, Roger wildly slashed his long razor claws where Sandy had last been. He picked up the vibrations of her cry of pain on the intact corner of his left eye, so he pounced in the direction of the sound. A coil of hair wrapped around his throat, and he slashed again before it could squeeze. His claws made contact with Kesini and tore through her, severing her grip.

Sandy cried out again, and he surged forward, crashing into a concrete pillar of the building. Clever girl, he thought. Bouncing her scream away from her body.

Kesini pounded him against the pillar, and ribs broke, but he ignored the pain and spun again, claws splayed, catching the edge of Kesini's retreating coil and ripping away more strands.

"I'll eat you and heal. Nothing you've done is permanent. You lose," Roger hissed around his jagged teeth.

"Fuck you."

Roger grinned and jumped at Sandy's voice, smacking into the glass door Kesini yanked open before him. The shatterproof glass rang like a bell. He fell to his knees, dazed.

Sandy used Kesini's strength to grab Roger's arm and swing him against the building's brick façade.

He rebounded and threw a few slashes. Kesini lifted Sandy's suitcase like a shield, but Roger's claws tore through it, scattering her stuff across the sidewalk.

Sandy stifled her angry cry as she leapt back. She stepped on a bottle of conditioner and tripped, falling with a thud. Kesini pushed off the ground to send her back onto her feet, but Roger swept forward with another slash that cut a large bundle from Kesini.

Again, Sandy stifled her cries, but now it was from pain. She felt Kesini's life being whittled away as she grew weaker with every slash. Each cut was a raw wound, shattering Sandy's concentration. Kesini picked up the trip hazards, including the bottle of shampoo. Sandy grabbed the large bottle and yanked the top off. Roger swung his head in her direction and caught a large splash of the thick liquid directly across his face and injured eyes.

He roared and slashed in all directions as he tried to clear the remains of his vision. She hit him with another splash in the eyes. Hissing, he swung so wildly he slipped on the slippery stuff and fell onto his stomach.

Kesini slammed a maintenance cover, edge first on the back of Roger's neck. It was the only weapon available to the weary, injured being, but the heavy iron disk cracked the concrete beneath as it separated Roger's head from his body. Both spasmed violently, then slowly went still as the head rolled to stop by Sandy's feet. His mouth worked in shock, then life slowly faded until he went still. His teeth shrank as his body shrank back into its Human shape. Sandy kicked Roger's head back to his body then collapsed onto her ass on the curb, utterly spent. Only now, when the fight was over, did she allow herself to notice the cuts Roger gave her. Thanks to Kesini, none were too deep, but they hurt like nothing she'd ever experienced before. She gathered Kesini in her arms and began to cry. Sitting so close to the ground, she was immersed in the green light, but she didn't care.

"Sandy? What's wrong? What happened?"

She cried out in relief as Henry called to her. She looked up to see him but she was alone. "Henry?" she called timidly.

"I'm here. What's wrong with Kesini?"

Sandy pushed herself to her feet, lifting her head above the green light, but she was still alone. She looked down at the light. Henry couldn't be in there, could he? She sat once more. "Henry?"

"I'm here. What's wrong with Kesini? I can barely feel her," he said softly.

She realized he was traveling outside his body again. "Roger attacked us. He's dead, but Kesini was badly hurt."

Suddenly, Henry was inside her mind, and she could feel his. He was... drunk? His happiness was off the rails, everything was beautiful, and he loved everything! Sandy fought to contain her own giggles as his joy was contagious. He lifted her arm towards Roger's body, which dropped through a hole that suddenly appeared under it. The evidence gone, the hole snapped shut.

Next, she felt Henry drawing power from the light around her, filling her cells from her toes upwards. Each scrape and gash tingled madly as they were reached, and as the power rose past them, she saw her injuries sealing and healing. They itched like mad, but she managed to keep herself from scratching. The intensity of the green light around her was dimming as Henry drew upon the Wild Magic.

When the energy reached her scalp, she felt Kesini suddenly wake. She felt the being sighing contentedly as the Wild Magic fed along each strand, healing and growing them where necessary. Soon, Kesini was back to full length and strength. She thrashed around, searching for Henry, desperate to hug him, but he wasn't there. Sandy calmed her as best she could by pulling her close.

"Henry, you need to go back to your body," Sandy said to Henry, but she could feel him slipping away. "Henry!"

Weary from the ordeal, Sandy looked around her and saw the ruins of her suitcase and its contents. She began picking up her items and dumping them into the case's intact side as best she could. Kesini put the manhole cover back and scooped up the rest of her scattered clothes.

She made her way into the building with a sigh, spotting the building manager, Johann Bruger, watching her with wide eyes. The lobby was otherwise empty. He stepped closer, his hands clenched together almost as if in prayer.

"You have my eternal gratitude and utmost admiration for dispatching a creature my grandparents spoke of in frightened whispers. I never thought I would ever bear witness to their evil as the night hunters were thought to be extinct. I don't understand how you did it, but thank you!" The diminutive man bowed to her, and she wearily nodded to him before making her way to the elevators.

Belatedly, she realized her glamor had been in place during the entire fight, so it would have appeared like she had telekinetic powers. She'd also failed to use her shield, but she didn't know if it even worked against physical attacks. She shook her head weakly as she pressed nine and headed upstairs.

Once inside her unit, locked safely behind her door, she dropped her suitcase on the floor and crawled into bed to have a good long cry, releasing the fear and tension now, when it was safe to do so.

Kesini wrapped herself around Sandy to give her what comfort she could.

Chapter 37

Minkah drove the rental car into the underground parking lot of the Manhattan investment house. She looked in the rearview mirror to see if the green light would follow them down the ramp, but it didn't, so it wasn't completely mirroring water's behavior. She didn't understand this new magic at all!

The Vampires didn't seem to be affected, Henry seemed to be able to control it though she'd been informed he was a conduit, not a wielder, and the Silver People keeping pace with their car seemed to enjoy it. When she'd been immersed in the light back at the containment facility, she'd barely managed to switch back to her Human form to dispatch the shooters. Her abilities were suppressed by the Wild Magic. That made her very nervous.

Meixiu pointed to the visitor spot she'd been instructed to use. Minkah stepped from the car and immediately prepared for an attack as she saw four large men rushing towards them. They slowed when they saw the four silver escorts standing by the vehicle.

Meixiu moved in front of her, gesturing to remain calm. "It's okay. They work for Roy. They're here to help with Henry." The smaller woman opened the rear door, where Eleanor gently slid out, pulling Henry after her. The security officers took over carrying Henry back towards the elevator lobby, and they followed.

"Here are your keys," Minkah said, tossing them back to Raymond.

"Do you think the rental place will be open in the morning?" he asked with a strange wistfulness.

She watched him, and the thought of what the morning would bring stuck in her head. She could only shrug.

They walked past the elevators and entered the stairwell, taking them down two more levels where one of the agents touched a wall pad, and the door opened automatically. They guided Henry's body inside where the tall blonde she'd seen in the museum with Henry stood waiting with an anxious look on her face.

"This way," she said as she led them through a hall and opened double doors into another large chamber with a large round boardroom table circled by chairs. Beyond that was a medical gurney with an IV prepared.

Eleanor went immediately to inspect the IV and nodded to herself. Once Henry was laid on the gurney, the doctor went to work. The four security officers left to head back upstairs.

Minkah quickly scanned the occupants in the room. It was quite a gathering, and she noticed four wearing cloaks. Glamor issues?

The far doors closed, and she felt a slight change in pressure.

"Okay, we have privacy," a tall and lovely brunette stated.

One of the cloaked figures pointed a long boney finger at the Silver People. "Who vouches for them?"

The big redhead man was listening to his earpiece. "Hang on, we have another guest." He nodded to his man by the door, and they opened once more.

Minkah watched Rand von Deussel enter the room. He got three steps inside and froze when he saw the Silver People. His face went into a scowl. "What the hell? What are they doing here?" His eyes locked on Minkah with more than a little anger in them.

"They've been quite helpful," Minkah replied.

Rand's eyes went to Henry on the gurney. "What about him? He's the source of all this misery outside!"

"Your containment center was compromised, and all the inmates are either dead or have escaped. Henry's not the source. Mab is. We heard her! Besides, Henry remains in my custody," she explained.

Rand snorted with a sneer. "So, you believe that story too. You think he's in your custody? Is that what he told you?"

The doors were sealed again with the privacy field in place.

Minkah glared at the dwarf.

What was his problem?

-=-

Rand knew they'd have one chance to catch them all by surprise and put an end to the source of the chaos. He quickly categorized the threats in the room.

Roy Duncan was an Alpha Were, but he looked tired. His beast-like natural state would make him vulnerable to their initial attack.

The assassin was also a beast, so she was equally susceptible, as were the Succubi for slightly different reasons.

The old Fae was already bruised and bloody. She had no glamor, so her magic must have been suppressed by the Wild Magic outside. She was a minimal threat and would likely be taken out by the initial attack as well.

The Silver People and a few others were unknowns, so they'd have to be careful and strike their target with deadly accuracy.

It was showtime.

-=-

Marisa and Siobhan were standing on the far side of Henry's gurney, watching him slowly breathing. Meixiu was whispering into his ear, but he wasn't returning. Siobhan had been visiting Marisa when the skies fell, so she tagged along when Camila picked Marisa up.

The brunette smiled at Lorelei as the tall woman approached. "Hello, I'm Siobhan, and this is Marisa."

"I'm Lorelei. Is he okay?" the pale beauty timidly asked as she gestured to Henry.

"His mind is traveling outside his body, and Meixiu is trying to get him back," Marisa explained as she frowned in concern. "He usually responds to her compulsion."

Lorelei's eyebrows went up. "Compulsion?"

Marisa smiled slightly. "She's a Vampire. It's one of their skills."

Siobhan was watching the Dwarf who'd just arrived, and something was wrong. There was a suppression of magic surrounding him. It was a shield or some other kind of defense that caused the flow of magic to avoid him.

She reached out to grip Marisa's arm just as his eyes found hers.

Marisa's eyes flicked to Siobhan's, which were widening with alarm. She quickly glanced towards the new arrival and opened her sight. Death radiated from the dwarf. Reacting, she leapt forward, pulling Siobhan up against the gurney as she engaged her shield.

Startled, Lorelei took a step back from them.

Then all hell broke loose.

-=-

Rand's collar popped open, and Lise-Anne flew out of concealment, slapping her tiny hands together to launch her attack spell. Immediately, the air in the room was filled with fungal spores.

As expected, Roy and Minkah reacted first, choking on the air as it infiltrated their sensitive sinuses. The Fae investigator gasped as she dropped to the floor. The cloaked Succubi behind her soon followed.

Lise-Anne quickly launched her second spell. While the fairy folk were eternally underestimated due to their diminutive size, a senior member like Hoek had centuries of experience building her skills to access and control magic. She was master level, so her next spell sent a tight beam of intensely hot plasma directly at the unconscious Satyr and the females crowding around him. Everyone in its vicinity instinctively flinched away to avoid the energy ripping through the air.

The beam struck a domed shield over the group and rang it like a huge bell as it deflected up to cut through the ceiling. This triggered the sprinklers, whose spray began to clear the spores from the air.

Rand dropped his glamor and pulled his dual war axes from their harness with a mighty battle cry. He launched himself across the room at the Satyr's defenders. The deadly honed edges of his weapons hungered to bite into the flesh of his enemies. He rarely carried the enchanted axes as he couldn't draw them without feeding them, but their magic cut through almost everything.

An explosion of white light slapped him back towards the door. Lise-Anne was knocked from the air as well and slammed against the wall. She fell to the floor, unconscious. The remaining airborne fungal spores were reduced to fine ash from the Wild Magic in the intense light. Those that fell from the fungus choking them felt the light pass through them, helping to clear their sinuses.

Sigrid stood between the attackers and Henry, her battle armor gleaming with her righteous fury. She looked to the four stunned Silver People. "Defend Henry. The Dwarf is mine."