Where fall the gods ... - Part 2

Aunt Mary fussed, as she always did, only, this time, Caitlyn had to admit she had a pretty good reason. Caught in a battle between Black Staff and Doctor Blood would, naturally, have that affect on the woman who had raised her since her parents had died. She tried to hide the tears that she had, no doubt, cried from the moment she heard Caitlyn had been taken to the ER, but hid it now. Or tried to. Those puffy, red eyes said everything.

"I'm okay. Honest." Rising from the wheelchair, that she didn't need, Caitlyn tried not to roll her eyes as she reached for the cell phone in her back pocket. "You worry too much, Aunt Mary!"

"How can I not worry? My best little girl almost killed because of that maniac!" She didn't mean Doc Blood. Aunt Mary had never trusted Black Staff. "Are you warm enough? Let's get you in the car and home. Aunt Mary's beef broth for you and bed. No arguments!"

"Mrs Carter? And this must be young Caitlyn. I remember you." And Caitlyn remembered him, too. Raymond Alden. A little worse for wear, suit burned and ripped, hands bandaged. "Your ... niece? Your niece has a keen mind and isn't afraid to challenge accepted principles. I like that."

He gazed at Caitlyn, standing in an easy, relaxed pose that Caitlyn expected he had perfected in order to show his board members just how approachable he was. He said nothing, for a while, and Caitlyn began to feel a little uncomfortable. She glanced at Aunt Mary, but she was looking at the multi-millionaire with an undisguised adoration.

Raymond Alden was a big name. CEO of one of the best, cutting edge corporations in the world. Employer of thousands, including Caitlyn's Uncle Richard. When her uncle had died, a letter from Alden, himself, commiserated with the family and assured them they would receive full benefits, even though the investigation into the incident had said Uncle Richard had caused the accident. Caitlyn had never believed that. Her uncle was never negligent. In anything.

"Thank you, Mr Alden. She is a bright young thing. I don't understand half of what she says, I swear." Mary's hand touched Alden's arm and Caitlyn noticed a momentary flinch. "I never got the opportunity to thank you. For ensuring we were looked after, after Richard's ... mistake. I appreciate that more than you could ever know."

"Think nothing of it. Richard Carter was a good man, a good worker. One mistake, no matter how much it cost the company, could never erase that. We were insured, anyway. The only true cost was his unfortunate loss." He patted Mary's hand then returned his attention to Caitlyn, causing her to dip her eyes. "I just wanted to meet this fascinating young woman outside of the classroom. What you said, the questions you asked, they were far above what anyone could expect from someone of your age. I'd like to offer you the Summer internship, if you'll accept?"

Caitlyn couldn't speak. Her phone, rolling and flipping between her fingers beeped several times. It had already beeped more times than she could count and anyone would think she were popular. She wasn't, far from it. All the messages were probably from Alaina. She was a text maniac. Somehow, that sounded wrong in Caitlyn's head. Meanwhile, Alden dipped his head to catch Caitlyn's eyes.

"I guess." She tried to make it look natural, turning the phone over, checking the number of messages. Twenty-three. Alden expected more than what she had already said. "I mean, yes. Please. I ... I have a number of suggestions for working with room temperature ..."

"I'm sure you do." He gave an easy, warm laugh, reaching out to slap her arm, but thought better of it. No doubt worrying about the appropriateness of the gesture. "I'll have my people call you. We'll send out the paperwork. Just the usual. NDA's, insurance cover, contract for your immortal soul. That last one is mandatory, by the way."

He laughed again before shaking hands with Aunt Mary and walking away without saying another word. Caitlyn wasn't certain she liked him or not. Despite his laughter and jokes, he appeared tense, as though something weighed heavy on his shoulders. An enormous stretch limo awaited him and Caitlyn half-expected it to have parked in a no-parking zone, but, no. It was in a designated space.

She didn't know why she expected the worst of him. But, then again, she could. Uncle Richard. Alden had acted all magnanimous and forgiving, but he hadn't hesitated to make certain he still believed her uncle had caused the explosion that had taken him from them. Another loved one ripped from her under terrible circumstances. She wanted to blame someone, anyone, so long as she wouldn't have to blame her beloved uncle.

Aunt Mary continued to fuss, using her hand to support Caitlyn's elbow as they navigated their way to the battered, ancient Japanese hatchback that had seen better days before anyone knew what a day was. Maybe even earlier. Caitlyn imagined the car was old when the universe began its initial inflation. Somehow, though, Aunt Mary had managed to keep the old bucket running and, if all the other amazing things Mary had done in her life didn't count, she'd have Caitlyn's respect for that.

As they headed home, to the overcrowded suburbs, through traffic that could try the patience of Buddha, Caitlyn checked the messages from Alaina. At first, they were the normal questions asked of someone in hospital, then Alaina returned to her normal topics of boys, music gossip and tacos. She loved tacos. The last few messages were different. Almost frantic and excited and, how Caitlyn had not heard while in the hospital, she didn't know.

Professor Halstrom had disappeared. One moment, he had sat in a room in the ER, the next he was gone. That wasn't the worst of it. In leaving, he had injured a number of nurses and orderlies. Nothing had reached the news, yet, but Alaina had a knack for hearing about things before anyone else. If she could ever focus on one thing, she'd make an incredible reporter. More texts came through and, each time, Alaina gave more information, but she didn't need to.

Cop cars screamed past the struggling old hatchback and Caitlyn knew exactly where they were going. They had to pass the school, now cordoned off, to reach their little home. Something else drew her eyes that way, however. A compulsion. That's was the only way she could describe it. Something compelled her to return to the school. Luckily, Alaina had given her an excuse.

"Aunt Mary? It looks like something's happening, back at the school. I know you want to get home, but Alaina's there." In the distance, she could see the flashing red and blue lights coming to a halt. "I think it's probably best if we stop and pick her up? Right? It's the right thing to do?"

"Oh, my! Of course." Her aunt waved a vague hand toward Caitlyn's phone. "Let her know we're on our way. And tell her to stay out of trouble. I know what you girls are like."

Almost as soon as Caitlyn finished sending the text, a car fell from the sky, landing in the path of the old hatchback. It fell on its roof, squashing it, smashing the windows. The wheels continuing to revolve, tilting and wobbling as it came to rest. Aunt Mary had slammed on the brakes, and panic crossed her face, but still her eyes searched out toward the other cop cars. Looking for Alaina, no doubt.

"I'll find her." Caitlyn had unfastened the seat belt and opened the door before the car had even come to a stop and, as she raced toward the wreckage of her school, she could hear Mary crying out for her. "I'm sorry! I'll be careful!"

She wasn't certain whether that would help as she came closer to the line of cars that now blocked the way to the school. Away to both sides, she saw dozens of sightseers and gawkers, standing on tip-toes, pushing, elbowing their way to better views. Of Alaina, she could see nothing, but the constant texts continued to arrive. With pictures. Indistinct, blurred, but clear enough to know who Alaina had taken pictures of. Professor Halstrom.

Gunfire erupted and Caitlyn dropped to the ground, hair falling across her face. She wanted to run away, back to that little car and her loving aunt, but something else drew her forward. An inhuman roar emerged from the other side of the police car barricade. More gunfire, explosive flashes and thundering sounds, but none of that seemed important. What was beyond those cars, back at the school, that was important. Though what 'that' was, she couldn't say.

"It's mine!" That sounded like Professor Halstrom. A little. But it came out as an animalistic roar. Almost inhuman. "No-one can take it from me! No-one ... no ... I know you're there! I know you have some of it! Give it to me!"

Something big and monstrous emerged from the smoke beyond the cars. A hulking form that, though hunched and twisted, still stood far taller than anyone Caitlyn had ever known. Huge hands punched into the hoods of two cop cars that barred its way and it lifted them, engines and all, before tossing them aside as though they were nothing, and Caitlyn caught a good look at the monster as it began to move toward her.

"Professor Halstrom?" She began to back away, tumbling to her backside as the monster that was once her teacher stalked her.

"You have some of it!" The creature, the professor raised up to his, its, full height, enormous hand balling into a fist before bringing it down toward Caitlyn. "I want it all! I'll have it all!"

Caitlyn curled into a ball, praying for help, hoping that something, somewhere could save her. Could protect her. The fist seemed to take forever to fall and, something deep inside Caitlyn stirred.

-+-

Meanwhile ...

Raymond Alden watched the tablet in his hands, reviewing footage that no-one else would ever see. It hadn't cost much to acquire it, not in the grand scheme of things, but he had paid enough. He ran the footage again as he sipped at the perfectly aged whisky in his cut crystal glass. He had no ice in the glass, despising ostentation yet knowing how useful it could be in the eyes of the right people.

Up ahead, he could see the towering building of Ald-Tech headquarters, centre of one of the biggest conglomerates on the planet, supposedly run by the board, the shareholders, various and sundry high-level employees, but, secretly, they all answered to him. He was Ald-Tech and, in that building, the future was made, every day. Only, now, the past and the future were about to become one.

The footage rolled around again as Alden reached into the inside pocket of his once immaculate suit jacket. He pulled out the two test tubes, and looked at the contents, rattling them inside the glass. They had caught it in time, before the pieces could metabolise and enter his DNA, like they, apparently, had with the unfortunate Professor Halstrom. One black piece, one red. At times, a liquid. At others, a crystalline solid, as though the pieces themselves didn't know what to be.

He paused the footage, nursing the whisky tumbler against his chest and licked his lips. She had taken almost the full blast from Black Staff and Doctor Blood, and survived. Not only had she survived, but the evidence of any injuries were minimal and, as he had paid to find out and make secret, had almost healed completely.

Caitlyn Carter. Such an interesting young woman and getting more interesting by the hour.