“That’s Inspector Ruffino to you,” the woman haughtily said. “And you may think that your role with Extensive Enterprises may give you some leeway with me, but you’d be wrong. I’m not going to give anyone special privileges, whether you have money or powers.”
“Well, Inspector… You know that your desire to keep everyone under the same laws would be well-supported, if you simply gave us the access we need.”
Ruffino slammed a hand down onto her table. “ENOUGH! You can either support the police in this case, but I refuse to give you any special consideration. Thank you, but the police do not need external support to maintain law and order. Good day to you.”
The suited men stood, looking across the table at the Inspector. Finally the last of them, the leader, got up to grin. “You know, Inspector, Extensive Enterprises is a regular supporter of the police… I hope you can appreciate that support more in the near future.”
Ruffino stood and slammed both palms down on her table. “Gentlemen. This meeting is over. Do what you feel you need, that is within the bounds of the law… and we won’t have any problems.”
Meanwhile in the Society of Sentinel’s Headquarters’ control room, Dragonmage was musing over a mystical projection of Ouroboros. He spun like the world itself, tangled into a delicate pattern, his coils looping around to form an almost perfect circle, his mouth latched onto his tail.
Should he someday let go, the world would come to an end, but this would not be the time of armageddon.
Dragonmage’s eyes narrowed as he studied the coils and took a deep breath. “A great trial looms,” he muttered.
“For whom?” Mistral asked from where she was sitting cross legged while communing with the spirits.
“The angel.”
Mistral sighed and let her feet touch the floor as she rushed over to the projection of the great serpent to study, herself.
“I can’t read him as well as you.” Mistral eyed her cryptic karmic mentor. “What are you seeing?”
“I don’t read the future. That’s irresponsible.” Dragonmage turned his back to Ouroboros. “I can tell you only this. There’s a strange mystic signal coming from the northwest of North America. Others will see it soon for themselves.”
The shaman frowned at the green man. “We should assemble a team and investigate.”
Dragonmage shook his head. “The angel’s concerns are what concerns the Society at this moment. I sense that she’s at a crossroads.” He looked meaningfully at the shaman. “This matter may concern you, but the choices are hers.”
Mistral gasped. “You liar! You had to have peeked at the future to know any of this!”
“Wrong. I don’t know her answer. This mystical signal is also a part of her destiny. I won’t take any action. And you...” His eyes narrowed at Mistral. “Go home. It’s not your karma to fight with her this time. She may have helped you with your trial, but you must protect your city and wait to see what comes of her choices.”
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“You’re telling me to avoid Aurora? Why the hell?” Mistral darted to Dragonmage to practically bore a hole through his head with the fierceness of her glare.
“Trust the information I’ve gleaned from Ouroboros. I trust that you’ll wait and watch from afar.” He turned back to his console.
“She’s returned to life! Teacher!” A small girl cloaked in darkness said gleefully as her heart started to hammer just at the thought. Her energy’s signature had resurfaced!
She hadn’t for a moment believed that she’d bite the dust going up against a mere dabbler in the art.
A big grin spread across the girl’s face. “The Tenebrous Concordat must know of this.”
An enormous demon of flame standing beside her spread his grotesque lips to bare pointy teeth.
An enormous man with cybernetics standing out from his body turned his mighty head. There was a strange beacon signalling. Something called him.
“Mine…”
He slammed down a leg to send rippling of kinetic energy into the ground that would create a great chasm soon after he left. His interest in the signal had loosened his slight control over his power.
Aurora stared at the sea below while the Midnight Avenger spoke quietly with Vanguard. She nervously swallowed saliva, thinking. If she told them the truth of who she was… it could endanger Mistral’s career. But for some reason, she felt that she had arrived at an important crossroads. If she made the wrong choice…
“Don’t trust,” Black Angel said softly. “Your love is all that matters. It doesn’t matter what happens to that little robot. You should focus on that cute little girlfriend of yours, Sarah Namias.”
Aurora didn’t speak aloud. Go away.
“I’m just trying to help you make the right choice. You’re very conflicted. These noble fools… one even trusted you with his identity. It has to be a trap. He’s a fake. It’s a ploy and you know it.”
Shut up!
“I will remain silent, except there’s something more interesting you should be aware of. What I really wanted to talk about was not your petty concerns… something special has awakened. Darkness incarnate. Leona, you’ll be drawn to it soon… and in the end we’ll be together. It will be a marriage of epic proportions. Trust me when I say that you’ll be very safe, nestled deep in my heart, and I’m sure that you’ll cherish me.”
I won’t be like you. I swear it! What the hell are you talking about?
Black Angel put a hand on Aurora’s shoulder and squeezed it with an eager smile.