Focusing on the task at hand was more complicated than I imagined, knowing the pursuit happening on the streets below. The remnants of the wind howled in my ears, and for the first time in this godforsaken place, I felt as though I might not suffocate in the unbearable heat and density of the air. 

My lips parted as I exhaled my concern. This is an easy task for me. It's just conjuring a simple storm; it doesn't compare to stopping an army or ruling a country. 

"Are you ready?" I ask Tyler though, I will proceed without him if he chooses to succumb to his concerns for his wife. If there was anything that disgusting woman taught me, it was that my fears for Verando would get me killed. 

Never before had that rang truer than now, faced with someone who struggled to get past their love. In his defense, I might feel much the same if I hadn't damned that man to hell for his acts against me. 

"Chant with me. Feel the water flowing, I'll find the source, we'll bring it up, and then disperse it into the air. Understand?" 

"It feels impossible," Tyler admits.

"It's not impossible. It's magic." I follow the current, feeling the familiar flow I tracked when we filled the tanker truck. 

Shutting my eyes, I calm my mind as I block out the gunfire around me. The streets below clamor with life; we're trapped in a box of commotion, and silence is a stranger to this land, seen for the first time in many years. 

Finding the spout, I close my fist and call the water to me. The resistance of the pipe is surprising; it feels familiar to the pipe in the ground. I almost want to back off, reminded by what followed that dreaded reveal, but I surge forward, pushing back against the reluctance in my mind. 

Pulling the water up and out, I maneuver my hands in front of me as the flow moves through the streets like a serpent, obedient to my command. 

"Put your hands out. Feel it." I command Tyler, who does as I ask, only to hesitate as I spy the tremble in his arms. He is honestly spent. 

How many times had I fought with Penelope, only to find that she burned out my energy before I could even touch her? 

I recall a particular fight on the ice shelf of a frozen lake, the first time I bested her, I had felt so weak then. 

"You are your barrier, your mind is your limit, feel as though you can do it and you shall accomplish it." Those green eyes fall on me in a way that says I've lost my mind. Would I have believed myself either? I didn't believe while I was in school; I resisted its teachings every step of the way.

 "Think about each individual drop, separate them, we're going to send them up into the sky as vapor."

"On the roof!" I hear a voice, loud and clear, coming from the street. 

How is that possible? 

"You are stealing valuable resources from the people of this city. Release the water, or we will shoot you!"

I cringe. Surely they couldn't reach me from so far away? I glance over my shoulder and see Marcello and Tonic are backed up against us, we're surrounded by men in simliar outfits.

 Where our cat adversaries are gone, these remain and their numbers are extensive. 

Rhea is unconscious on the ground, not far from our feet, her hands bound behind her back. It reminded me of our time fighting the infected in the courtyard; they kept coming, one after another. We felt overwhelmed then, too. 

"Don't stop," I tell Tyler. 

We'd come so far, it's best to die now than give up and not have tried. 

I begin the process of separating the water, spreading it out in the form of a barrier. It catches the bullets that rain down on us, slowing them down as they pass through the substance and crash back to the earth below. 

As the water straightens, completing its unraveling, my eyes tip up towards the sky, and for the first time since we've arrived here, I see the blackness of night, only it's not dark here. The lights from the city pierce the darkness with an artificial gleam, replacing the haze. 

It's too bright, almost burning my eyes from our distance above the bustling city. As the water blocks out the rapid gunfire, I know that my options are limited. 

"We have you surrounded. Release the water." The men command us from behind.

"Nic. What do you want to do?" Marcello murmurs over his shoulder. 

I grit my teeth, feeling my load double as Tyler drops to his knees. "Surrender now, or we will fire!" The man shouts, the sounds of the guns clicking as they're raised, echoing in my ears as an orchestra of death. If I'm going to die, may it be for the right cause. 

"Sorry, Randy, but I need the help." I reach out to the creature I know has gifted me everlasting loyalty. I can feel it in the back of my mind, but never before has the wolf been loose when I called on it. Using both hands, I push against the wall of water, preparing myself for the final shove that would send it up into the sky. 

Once gone, I would be open to receiving the bullets of those around us. I call to the creature, reaching out from the depths of my mind. The familiar red creeps into the corners of my vision; the surge of energy starts in my toes and climbs up my body.

 As I send the water up into the sky, I hear the distant howl of a wolf and recognize it instantly, even if I'd only ever heard it once. 

Was it the howl of a dying man? Or a spirit awakened?

As the sky fills with vapor, the crack of thunder is mixed with the short, snappy burst of gunshots, and I vaguely remember touching my chest and seeing the red on my hand. My body sinks, slumping down onto the cold, concrete ceiling as I look up at the sky and feel the refreshing droplets of rain flecking down onto my face. 

Gentle kisses from nature. I close my eyes, swearing on my last breath that it feels like I'm being lulled to sleep by that same howl. 

____________________________________

"You sure are popular." 

I open my eyes to see my father, and I can't help but run to him, hugging him tightly. 

"I thought you said this was the last we'd see each other-" I freeze, watching him. "I'm dead, aren't I?"

Darrius shrugs, offering me a proud grin that makes me smile back. "Almost, but not quite. You overused- pulling water from that pipe was just brilliant. Way to make something out of nothing." 

I can't help but laugh nervously, twiddling my thumbs as if I were waiting for a release from this conversation. 

"What's wrong?" He tilts his head, curious. 

"Tata, I've wanted to speak to you for a long time now, but-" I look around in the familiar darkness. "Not like this. I have much to do; if I'm not dead, I'd like to return."

Darrius chuckles at me, impressed. He puts his arm around my shoulder as we start to walk. "Wouldn't we all? It hasn't been decided yet; you're in purgatory. But don't worry, that lycan of yours isn't going to let you die so easily. If only I could have tamed one of the beasts. I knew he would help you, I knew there was a bond there, but this-" He points his finger, touching my chest. "This was unforeseen. Now, look at you- in the future."

I make a face at him, pulling my lips into a thin line. "He's quite upset with me-" I stop myself, running my hands through my hair. "More so, I'm upset with him, I suppose. He might just let me die if he weren't connected to me. Tata, is there any way to separate us?" 

We stop, and he watches me with a level of concern that I'm not used to from him.   

"Why would you want to do that?"

"I don't want him to be limited by me. They... He... deserves freedom. The freedom that our family has taken from him for a cause he didn't ask to fight for. I think it wears on him, I-" I shake my head as I watch the ground as if some sort of hidden answers might be there. 

I'm making up excuses because I'm angry, but for the first time in my life, I feel a genuine desire to be alone. If he wants to sleep with other people, I want to get out of his way to do so. I touch my chest, my hand coming away red. I have enough bearings to check for holes, and I see one in my shoulder and another over my left lung. 

"Heart seems okay... I think you're right, I think I just drained my energy." 

"Nikki." He stops me, tilting his head down to catch my eyes. "You have grown so much since I last saw you. You have truly become a man, a king. You should be so proud of all that you accomplished, and for that, you should be rewarded. I will speak to the higher powers; perhaps the source of your freedom lies within the wolf you wish to sever ties from." 

I want to stop him, it's not my freedom I'm after. But maybe he wants me to make it sound that way. If I tell the wolf I want to be cut loose, it wouldn't be wise to tie its life to an unwilling party.

 "For now, I think you'd best be on your way."

Squinting at the light, I cough, grimacing as the blood spatters on my hands. "You never answer any of my questions."

He chuckles at me, ruffling my hair. "You're welcome."

_________________________________________

The room is bright; my eyes struggle to adjust as I blink and attempt to lift my hand to shield them, but I find it restrained. I roll my head from side to side as I slowly sit up from a lying position. The gentle rumble of a mechanism forces me into a sitting position, and I cringe at my painful chest. 

To my surprise, it's more of a dull ache than the sharp agony I was expecting. As my eyes adjusted, I saw the room full of armed men. In front of me sits a man in an outfit I've never seen before, a suit of some sort, if I had to guess. The black material clings to his form, giving him a fit and proper finish. 

His dark hair, peppered with gray, was slicked back and shiny. His dark eyes locked on me. He has his hands folded in his lap. "Nicolas, I presume?"

I take a small inhale of the air. A little sore but not intolerable. "It's a shame I don't know your name since you know mine." I retort, tilting my head back against what I come to find is a padded bed. I'm in a hospital room, much like the one in the compound. My wrists are handcuffed to the bed, of course. "I'm sure you know what I'm about to ask you?"

"You were injured in the fight, we're providing medical services, you were thought to be dead, but it seems you are recovering quite rapidly... It's extraordinary." He eyes me, as much as he might believe I'm amazing, his face does not convey it. "We were planning to have you executed; you were stealing precious water at an alarming rate." 

I scoff, rolling my eyes in a fashion that would rival my warlord. "Stealing. And where did I send it? I gave it right back in a much more useful form." I retort sharply, flexing my hands. As far as battles go, this is the best I've faired. It's hard not to feel cocky when one is not at death's door. 

The stiff man smiles just slightly, leaning back into his chair as if I've given him a reason to relax.

"I saw that. That is why you are alive, receiving treatment. We had been warned that someone was breaking into the news station, but it turned out to be a publishing firm next door. We find you and your crew knee-deep in felines and blasting your way through the building like a bunch of lunatics." 

He pulls out a piece of paper, glancing at it.

 "Destroying public property, damaging a private building, endangering the public, unlawfully activating a fire alarm, terrorizing civilians, stealing precious resources-" 

Is he listing laws? Laws that he feels I broke? 

I relax into my bed, taking this all in—the laws. I'm not above the law here; I'm less than a citizen in this era. 

"Sir, I'd like to remind you what was produced from my efforts, and I'd also like to point out that your men are part of the reason for the damage. If we had been able to do our work in peace, then this wouldn't have been an issue." 

He looked less than impressed with my response, and I adjusted my seat, trying to look less slouched and weak.

"All I saw was you stealing water-"

"I produced that storm cloud. I made it rain."

He takes a slow breath. "We can not be too careful, Nicolas. There have been many things going wrong in this world. So you're saying you can control the weather? How do we know you're not behind what is happening to our planet?" 

I gape at him, but he's right. 

How would he know? 

My breathing quickens minutely as I try to find a way to get out of this, but I'm coming up blank. I'm a magical man from the past, and they have proof and witnesses that I influence the weather; my admission is reason enough.

"I'm on your side. I wasn't trying to kill people, and no civilian was intentionally hurt. The fact that those mutants were after us should be proof enough that we are on the side of good."

As our eyes lock, I plead that this man is not much like the government of my own time and that some integrity remains in this world. He snaps his fingers, and Marcello is brought in; my body relaxes when I realize that it's under his own power. 

He walks over to me quickly, touching my shoulder. 

"You're alright." I sigh.

"Of course. These bastards can't aim for shit. Well.. got you pretty good." He looks me over and gives my friend in the suit a frustrated look. "Don't let him scare you, Nic. David, I hope you're being good to my friend."

The man shrugs. "I just wanted to see what he was made of. He seems legit. Agent David Malcom is at your service. I'm with special forces; you're a lucky man. Marcello and I go way back, and he vouches that you are the real deal.. a modern-day messiah." 

Marcello smirks in response. 

"That was quite a feat you did back there, so you can control the weather... and I thought I'd seen it all."

"You have no idea, Dave." Marcello scrubs his short hair with his gloved hand. "You did it, Nic."

Of course, I did. I said I was going to. 

"How are the others? Where are we?" All I can focus on is getting out of here; I want to do a headcount; I want to make sure everyone is alright.

"We are in a military outpost just outside of town; the cats were on the prowl, and civilians were panicked. We could best provide aid at this location, so we brought you all here. Your friend, Tyler. He's in recovery, a bit worse for wear than you are, but nothing some rest and grub can't handle. Marcello says you're a vegetarian?"

He slides a tray on a swiveling arm over to me, and I resist the urge to tackle it; I've only just come to realize how hungry I am. "Go ahead. Eat." David nods to Marcello, who releases my hands from their cuffs.

When I can no longer stand it, I take a small bite. 

"We want to work with you to provide support by any means necessary. Be advised, the government is very interested in your abilities, and we want to see you succeed."

I eye him suspiciously. A government that wants to help its people? It seems too unlikely. The uncooked carrots suggest that something evil is afoot. I chew quietly, mulling it over. 

"The best support would be to stay out of my way and fund this mission. Would that be doable?"

 He chuckles, and I know I've caught him by surprise; I smile sarcastically, inviting him to eat up what he thinks is cute banter. I'm more than serious; I want him nowhere near me. 

"So by anything, you mean stick your nose in my business and demand things be done your way? David, was it? I invite you to look around. You've had however many odd years to get this right, and this city is dying. I suggest you consider the best way to get this done is with you and your followers out of the picture." 

I take another innocent bite. Marcello gives him a knowing look and takes his seat alongside me. 

"Further, I'd like to be dismissed from this place as I feel fine. I have much to do, and little time to do it, so if you want to get any use out of this rain, I suggest we finish up this business here and allow me to continue fixing this mess." 

I'm met with many nervous glances from the surrounding men as David takes me in. Finally, he nods. 

"Alright. That's fine. We'll dismiss you immediately. Jackson, draw up the release forms, would you?" That was easy. I take another bite, not taking my gaze off the man in the suit. "Should I arrange transport for you and three friends?" 

"I think you are missing some." I retort sharply.

He checks a paper, raising one eyebrow. "Hmmm... Tyler, Tonic, and Rhea are what I have written here for release."

 My eyes flicker to Marcello, who is no longer meeting my gaze. 

"Oh. Do you mean your.. lycans?" His tone drops as my heart begins to race. 

I sit up straighter, clutching my hands into fists. 

"Yes. The lycans, I'm almost positive you captured them, judging by the smug look on your face." This doesn't make any sense. 

Why would he let Tonic and Rhea go but not the others?

"A gray, a brown, a tan, and a white.... Sound familiar?" A white? Helen. "Beautiful creatures. It's also incredibly illegal. You're lucky not to be hit with large fines and jail time for harboring such beasts."

I grit my teeth,  "You sorry bastard! Tonic and Rhea are also lycans, and you're releasing them?"

David waves a finger at me. "No. Tonic's implants prevent him from shifting. Rhea does not scan as a lycan; she's dormant. The four that we have in custody are active, a big difference. Of course... if you were willing to work with us, maybe I could be convinced you were using these creatures to save our planet. What do you say? Are you ready to talk business?"