Night Time (victorious)

Chapter 15

"This doesn't make any sense." Jade growled, pacing the kitchen. "Why would they nuke San Francisco?"

"What do you mean? It seems pretty straight forward to me." Tori said, frowning. Rosie nodded.

"They're a bunch of racist assholes who don't care about collateral damage." She said.

"That's just it though." Jade said. "They do care about collateral damage to a certain extent. Most Hunters don't do what they do just because they hate us; they do it because they think that humans need to be protected. By launching three nukes at a major US city though, they've just made things worse for humans. This is going to start a major war, maybe even World War 3."

"No it won't." Joan told her. Jade turned to face her.

"What do you mean it won't? Somebody just dropped three nukes on San Francisco."

"Yes, but the thing is, every country with nuclear missiles makes them differently. As a result, it's possible to tell what country the nukes belonged to. And in this case, the White Court used Israeli nukes. Even the United States government isn't stupid enough to believe that Israel would nuke them." Joan told her.

"...I got to admit, that's actually a pretty good strategy." Rosie said reluctantly.

"No, it's not." Jade growled. "Yeah, that'll prevent World War 3 for a little while, but if their plan is to nuke every stronghold, that's going to start a war. And what'll they do if they clear out the United States? Our strongholds in Europe are Paris, Berlin, London, Rome, Venice, Moscow, all of Romania, and St. Petersburg. How can they nuke those without starting World War 3? Hell, the majority of our strongholds in South America are in places where humans can't or don't live, how will they find them?" Joan snorted.

"Seriously Jade? You're trying to bring logic and sanity into this?" She asked. Jade nodded, acknowledging the point.

"Uh, sorry, random question." Tori said, raising a hand. "What are you doing here?" She asked Joan.

"San Francisco was always a favorite of the Autumn Court." Joan told her. "King Samhain himself was in the city when the first nuke hit, though he was fortunately able to create a portal and escape through it before the second one hit."

"That doesn't explain why you're here though." Tori pointed out.

"The Autumn Court has declared war on this so called 'White Court'." Joan said simply.

"That still doesn't explain anything." Jade snapped. "Now stop beating around the bush and get to the point."

"King Samhain has sent me to recruit the greatest lone warriors and bring them together to help in the oncoming battle. I have already recruited Link, the samurai known as Jack, Logan, Lord Vader, Peter Pan, Sherlock Holmes, Lori, Brenda Ann Spencer, Lady Kayley, Merlin, and Jason Voorhees. You're the last one on the list."

"I'm flattered, really, but I can't." Jade told her. "The whole reason I'm here and not in Los Angeles was to make it so that I don't have to fight."

"Know it's not." Tori said slowly. The others turned to look at her, and she blushed. "Jade, you came here to keep me safe, but the thing is, I won't be safe anywhere if the White Court has nukes. None of the strongholds will be able to keep us safe."

"Then we won't stay in a stronghold." Jade said quickly. "We can go to Alaska, nobody'll ever think to look for us there, and it's huge."

"I'm not going to spend the rest of my life hiding in Alaska while the world burns Jade." Tori told her. "And I know that you don't want to do that either."

"I'm not just going to leave you here in Chicago, which they can probably nuke at any time they want to." Jade snapped.

"You don't have to leave her in Chicago." Rosie pointed out. "I can take her to New Salem." Jade glared at the witch, who just rolled her eyes. "C'mon Jade, you're being stupid. If you run now and we win, you'll look like a coward in front of the whole magical community and most of them will shun you. If we lose, then it'll be you and Tori against an army that was able to destroy the Autumn Court of the Fey and the strongest warriors in the world. Either way, you'd end up in a living hell." Jade growled and stomped over to the fridge to get another glass of blood.

"What's New Salem?" Tori asked, confused.

"It's a pocket dimension, similar to the Never-Never but much smaller." Rosie told her. "You see, some Imags can live among the humans by making minor changes to their appearances-shaving off facial hair, changing their clothes, dying their hair, etc., etc. Vader is able to run his coffee shop because everyone just assumes he's a huge Star Wars fan. However, there are those who can't blend in so easily, and those that just don't want to live in the human world where they'll constantly be assaulted with new versions of their lives. So they live in New Salem."

"Yeah, great idea." Jade growled, turning around to face the others. "Send the newly made werewolf to a pocket dimension populated by such wonderful people as Dracula, Maleficent, and the Big Bad Wolf."

"I'll go with her to keep her safe." Rosie said reassuringly. "I'm not in any shape to fight in the oncoming battle anyway." Jade scowled and looked away.

"Jade, look at me." Tori said, getting up and walking over to her. "I know you want to protect me, but isn't this the best way to do that? Send me to somewhere that isn't even on Earth, and then go and remove the threat permanently?" Jade looked at her, and Tori continued, a slight smile on her face. "Besides, I know you want to go fight." Jade gave a small chuckle.

"You know me too well." Tori pulled her into a kiss, then turned to face Rosie.

"Let's go pack." She said, heading upstairs. Rosie quickly followed her, leaving Joan and Jade alone in the kitchen.

"She seems nice." Joan said after a moment of awkward silence.

"She is." Jade said, downing the rest of the blood in one quick gulp.

"Does she know about...?"

"Yep." Jade said, tossing the cup into the sink. "Ready to go?" She asked, cutting off the next question Joan was about to ask. Joan nodded, holding out her hand for Jade. Jade took it, and the two disappeared in a beam of light.