020

— it's already begun — 

THE BRIGHT LIGHTS CONSUMED THE CARNIVAL, THE AIR FILLED WITH THE SMELL OF POPCORN AND THE SOUND OF DELIGHT. Hazel smiled as her eyes watched the carnival, the neon lights bathing her skin in strange colours. Hazel dodged past a man on stilts, laughing at him as he wobbled around. She bit into the cotton candy when the high-pitched ringing filled her head.

Her eyes dissociated as she listened to Micheal's haunting words, "Hazel darling, see that ride in front of you, I want you to tear it down. Be messy." Hazel moved forwards, vines sprouting from her body tearing into vending stalls, and tearing through concrete. People screamed in terror, watching the roots grow faster and faster, stabbing through people as they ran away. A little girl cried, shaking her mother's arm as her mom lay dying, impaled by a thick branch.

The vines, roots and branches crept along the floor with her as she approached the spinning ride named the power surge. It was 15 metres tall, all 24 of its riders screeching in terror the ride offered. They hadn't seen Hazel yet, and if they could, what could they do?

The roots and vines encased the base of the ride, breaking through the tipping it over, toppling into another part of the carnival. People screamed as the ride smashed, crushing people beneath it. Micheal hummed in delight. "Very good, keep having fun Hazel."

❁

THE DARKNESS OF NIGHT TOOK OVER THE SKY BY THE TIME THEY REACHED THE TOWER. Rachel and Kory were waiting for them, apologising for disappearing but urged they had news to tell. Donna and Dawn leaned against the kitchen island, sending each other shocked looks at Kory's words. "Jericho is alive? Don't tell me Dick actually said that," Donna pleaded, turning to Kory. Terran looked up at Rachel, and the witch nodded.

"Well, more like scrawled it on the wall of his cell," Rachel clarified, moving to sit on top of the island next to Terran. "Like caveman-style."

"I don't even know what that's supposed to mean," Dawn spoke up.

"It's a style Neanderthals used to depict images in cave walls," Kory rambled and Terran's eyebrows shot up. "Usually battle scenes or hunting."

Donna walked to the counter and looked at Kory with a confused face. "No shit," Terran scoffed, leaning her head on the cabinets.

"I meant that Jericho's alive," Dawn clarified.

"Oh. Sorry," Kory muttered.

"Well, one thing's for sure," Donna huffed. "He has clearly lost his mind."

"But I keep having these dreams about Dick being killed by Deathstroke," Rachel argued, leaning forward slightly. "And they're not going away. We need to do something about that," Rachel ordered in a soft voice, reiterating her point.

"I believe you," Donna spoke with a nod. "But we have bigger problems right now." Rachel nodded and Donna flipped the tablet open, revealing CADMUS building blueprints.

Terran pushed herself off the counter, taking a stance next to Dawn and Donna. Hey eyes scanned over the blueprints, trying to memorise the rooms. "Okay, what's the plan?" Terran asked.

"Well, the main CADMUS office building closes at 9:00 and security drops down to ten. It's two at each gate and six roaming inside," Kory explained, pointing to each spot on the map.

"Okay, what about the lab?" Donna questioned, pressing the lab building.

"Whole different story," Dawn started. "It's a 24-hour operation and in the last week they've doubled up the guard. Four six-hour shifts, 20 bodies around the clock. Sounds like that's where the party's at."

"Okay. Well, let's crash it," Donna finished.

"Oh, so we're just gonna break into CADMUS and get Conner, Hazel and Gar out of there. Just the five of us?" Rachel questioned, using her arms to emphasise her words.

"We don't have a choice right now, okay? But between you, Terran and Kory, we have plenty of firepower," Donna said, her eyes jumping between the three. "At least to get us in through the front door.""

"About that. I've got some bad news," Kory spoke up while toying with her rings. "My powers have vanished."

"Excuse me?" Terran questioned, her eyebrows shooting up again. "What exactly do you mean?"

"I don't know. I don't know what happened. But they're gone and I haven't been able to get them back," Kory shrugged.

Donna exhaled softly, "Well, that's fucking great. Um, what about you?"

"Fully loaded," Rachel said with a strong nod. "But I can't promise that I... won't go a little bit overboard. Um, things have been getting... dramatic."

Donna sighed, dropping her head for a moment. "Terran?" Dawn questioned, looking down at the young girl.

"I'm pissed off, so I'm stronger," Terran nodded, straightening her back. Then she gave a vague shrug, "But that means I'm a little all over the place, I might explode."

The tablet beeped and a small notification popped up. Kory spun the tablet, clicking on the alert. "A disturbance at Golden Gate Park," Kory read aloud. "Units responding. People are injured. People are dead. Reports of a wild animal. Dangerous meta-human. Abnormal light and natural disturbances."

"Phase Two," Rachel spoke up. "It's already begun."

The girls loaded into the car, Donna and Dawn upfront, and the others sat in the back. Terran stared out the window, watching the lights flash by her. A suffocating weight settled in the pit of her stomach, a relentless churn of unease and nervousness that refused to dissipate. Donna tapped her fingers against the steering wheel and sighed. "Look, I don't know what we're going up against, but I can guarantee it won't be pretty," Donna spoke up, still focused on driving.

"We're going up against our friends," Dawn interjected.

"May not be our friends anymore," Kory countered.

"I won't hurt Hazel," Rachel said in a shaky voice, her hands playing with the silver rings. "I don't care how much we fought. I don't care what they've done to her. I just won't."

"Agreed," Terran nodded. "And if we hurt Gar, Hazel would never forgive us."

"If they're hurting innocent people we need to be prepared," Donna advised, making Terran's eyes jump around. A loud zoom shot through the air and the front half of the car was engulfed in flames and the windshield broke with an explosion.

"Deathstroke. Get down!" Donna yelled, and everyone ducked. Terran held her hand out, the car shaking slightly as Terran turned the sound to energy to work as a shield. It engulfed the front half of the car; the bullets hit the light blue force and fell to the ground a moment after passing through.

"How long can you hold that?" Donna asked, watching Terran close her eyes to concentrate more.

"A minute or two if I focus," Terran explained with a shaky breath.

"I'll draw his fire," Kory spoke up. "You guys hit him with all you got."

"Kory, no!" Rachel yelled. Kory threw the door open, but a bullet whizzed through her arm. Kory's sharp yelp of pain made Terran lose her focus and drop the shield, and the bullets returned to ricochet off the car.

Kory threw herself back in the car, and Terran and Rachel moved to support her. Terran cursed, her stomach twisting as she looked at the bullet wound gushing out blood. A loud thud of something landing on top of the car made the girls pause. The bullets stopped as well and Deathstroke looked up at the car.

Deathstroke tilted his head. "You should've stayed home," He warned. He raised his gun but something flung out and knocked the gun to the side. A man in a black armoured suit with a blue bird symbol, rushed off their car and started to kick and throw punches at Deathstroke.

"What the fuck?" Dawn cursed.

"Dick?" Donna questioned, her eyes narrowing at the man. Dick kicked Deathstroke to the ground and turned to the others.

"Who's hit?" Dick questioned.

"Kory," Rachel answered.

"You take care of her. I'll take care of him," Dick ordered. "This is my fight."

❁

IT LOOKED LIKE HELL HAD RAN THROUGH, CARELESS AT THE UTTER TERROR AND DAMAGE IT CAUSED. Hazel's vines wrapped around another carnival ride and toppled it over, crushing more people underneath the weight. Their screams echoed but Hazel couldn't hear them, all her senses muffled as if she was being forced underwater. A man that had been hiding behind a broken vending machine shuffled back, the sound of crushing glass made her head turn.

The man screamed, begging for his life but a vine sprung up from the ground tearing through the man's throat. The green tigger bounded past her and Hazel followed it with her eyes. "That is your companion," Mercy explained, her voice echoing like Micheals. "Carry on."

Hazel turned to destroy more of the remaining stores, but a shout made her freeze. "Police! Stop!" An officer yelled his gun aimed at Hazel. A vine wrapped around his ankle and pulled him to the floor with a simple tug. Hazel tossed him away and the tiger turned to him, stalking toward the man its teeth bared.

"Oh, shit! Oh, shit! Oh, shit!" He panted, scrambling back. The tiger snarled, deeply as he stalked closer. "I need backup. 999, City Center," The man requested his hand on his radio and the tiger growled again. "Repeat. Backup. Emergency units. Please. Help."

A loud echo of tires screeching made the tiger and Hazel look up. Two large, armoured trucks stopped a few metres from them. "Please remain calm," Mercy's voice echoes from the vehicle's speaker. "This is CADMUS cooperation. Help has arrived." Dozens of soldiers rushed from the trucks, taking three positions, aiming their guns at the two. A soldier opened the back door for Conner, and he walked through the lines of soldiers, the men staying behind him.

"Let Conner win," Mercy advised looking at Michel who sat beside.

"Let me show off then," Micheal bargained.

The tiger growled and ran forward, leaping at Conner. Conner sent a harsh uppercut at the tiger's ribs, flipping him backwards into the air. The tiger landed on his feet growling at Conner, its large fangs on display. He leapt for Conner again, his jaw severing out Conner's arm. Conner grabbed the back of his neck and flung him far past the edges of the bright carnival.

"Hazel sweetheart," Micheal's voice echoed to Hazel. "Let him win but cause a mess." Hazel stepped in front of Conner, lights swirling around her fists. Hazel flicked her hand and vines consumed Conner's feet, pinning him in place as Hazel shot a light at him. The shot made his head whip to the side, the force making him stumble.

Conner looked down and ripped his feet out and when he looked back up Hazel shot a second flare in his face. Conner stumbled back and Hazel across his face, then kicking him square in the chest. Conner tried to throw another punch, but a vine shot up to tangle around his arm and slam him down.

Mercy turned to Micheal, and he shrugged. "Lillis, enough," Mercy ordered. Hazel let the light leave her eyes and Conner rushed to her. He grabbed her arm and punched her chest, shattering her ribs. He tossed to the far right, her body landing amongst the tangled mess of carnival wreckage.

Rachel and Terran snuck around the majority of the broken carnival. Terran walked in front of Rachel, her hand raised in case of an emergency. They slid behind a toppled game machine, Terran peeking out. "If I get close enough, I can get through to Hazel," Terran shrugged and turned to Rachel. "Well, I should be."

"I'll get Gar," Rachel agreed. Before Terran could turn away Rachel grabbed her hand, "Be safe." Terran nodded and the two spit off. Terran walked through the store, sliding under broke rides and vaulted over vending machines. Conner shouted and Terran crouched, hiding as Hazel tossed Hazel somewhere again.

Terran cursed and sped up her movements, her vines lifting large pieces of junk to make her chase easier. Terran stopped over a broken sign, shuddering as she found Hazel's twisted body. Terran knelt beside Hazel. Her torso was broken in, but she could the bones clicking back into position as the seconds passed. Blood leaked down Hazel's nose and her eyes stared off at nothing.

"Haze? Haze?" Terran called, wiping the blood away. "I need you to let me in. Let me help you." The last of Hazel's bones cracked into place and Hazel's eyes shifted as she came back to life. "Haze?"

Hazel shot a flare at Terran and flipped herself backwards to stand. Terran rubbed her eyes, scrambling to her feet. Terran raised her hands, panic moving through her as she slowly backed away. "Hazel, it's me Terran," Terran pleaded. Hazel grew vines but Terran pushed them back. "I'm your sister. Me and your friends are here to help you." Hazel kicked at Terran, and she stumbled slightly. Terran threw a punch at Hazel, but she caught her arm. "Your name is Hazel Drew Lillis, you are eighteen years old, and you helped save the world 3 months ago."

Hazel's eyes scanned over Terran's face. Micheal sighed as he watched the footage, "Get rid of her." Hazel kicked Terran's sternum and then punched her nose, breaking the bone. Hazel snapped the bone in the arm she still held and wrapped a vine around her torso.

Terran sputtered, pleading through the searing pain, "Please Hazel..."

Hazel flicked her hand, and the vine threw Terran through a food stall. Terran rolled out against the floor, landing by Dawn's feet. "Terran," Dawn cried, dropping to her knees. Kory and Hank knelt by her, looking over her broken bones.

"Hazel... help her," Terran whined.

Kory looked up at the others. Donna and Rachel held Conner down as Dick dug through his subconscious. Kory clenched her fists and looked up at Hank. "We have to wait for Rachel and Dick to save Conner," Kory said, taking Terran's hand.

"We have to hold Hazel back," Hank spoke up, watching as Hazel walked closer.

"Can we?" Dawn questioned.

"Hazel!" Kory shouted, standing up. Hazel turned to her, her eyes focussing on the alien woman. "Come on Hazel, you can fight this." Hazel shot a fare at Kory which she ducked under. Kory kicked Hazel's leg out, but Hazel rolled backwards. Hazel waved her hand and vine wrapped out Kory's throat, raising her high into the air before slamming into the hard ground. "Hank!" Kory choked.

Hank crash tackled Hazel to the ground, and he quickly stood. "Hazel please, tell me how to help you," Hank pleaded. Hazel kicked herself up, striking and firing at Hank but he dodged them easily. "Hazel, listen to me! You are a good person; bad things just happen to you!" Hank shouted. "You drink away your problems, and the ones you do try to deal with, you ignore." Hazel landed a hard kick to Hank's chest, and he rolled back. Hazel jumped on top of him, raising her hand high, charged with light. "But you wanna help, you spend so much time thinking you're not enough. You help people, so no one has to feel the way you feel."

Hazel froze, staring down at Hank. Micheal's voice distanced itself from Hazel's mind, but she could already feel it growing. "Hazel!" Mercy screeched.

Hazel jumped pain, pain earring through her skull as her control washed away. Hazel looked up; her eyes glazed over. "Dick!" Dawn shouted.

Dick, Rachel and Donna looked at the others. Hazel ran at Hank again, sticking her knee so hard into his face she snapped the bones in his nose. Dick cursed, tossing a flare at Hazel. Hazel saw it from the corner of her eye, and raised her hand, the flare turning to sand in seconds. "Holy shit," Rachel muttered.

"You good to go again?" Donna asked, reeling her lasso back in. Rachel nodded and her eyes went red.

"We can do this," Dick encouraged. "You can reach her." Rachel nodded and she and Donna walked closer to Hazel. Hazel turned to them; her head tilted. Dick flipped his batons and stuck at Hazel.

Hazel knocked two blows away before he landed a shot on her stomach. Hazel filled with rage, and grabbed Dicks hand, twisting him around and threw him to the floor. Donna flicked her lasso, trying to catch Hazel but she grabbed the lasso tugging hard. Donna was pulled forward and Hazel grabbed her throat.

Rachel panicked, trying to push her magic at Hazel but she shot it away. Hazel turned back to Donna but was suddenly kicked aside. She was knocked off her feet and tossed back before she hit the ground. Jason flicked his jacket and looked down at Hazel. "Hey babe."

Hazel squared her shoulders, her gaze steely as she faced Jason. "I leave for a week, and this is what you do?" Jason teased. With a swift motion, she lunged forward, light springing from her hands. Jason slid under the shot and met her blow for blow, bouncing her hits off as he landed hard strikes on her sides. She refused to back down, Micheal's voice still instructing her as she fought. Hazel's heart pounded in her chest as she dodged a blow, her muscles burning with exertion. Hazel struck Jason but he dodged every move. He had taught her everything, how could she beat him? Jason kicked her knee, spinning around Hazel and pinned her in a headlock. "Donna!" Jason shouted.

Donna flicked the lasso again, wrapping around Hazel's body. Jason moved it so it pinned her arms at her side, but he kept a tight grip on her arms. "Rachel!" Donna shouted.

"You going in?" Rachel asked and Jaso nodded. Rachel pushed her hands out, her dark power consuming the pair.

— pain —