The Crusaders

Chapter 12: The Day That Changed Everything

New York City, NY, June 1st, 2029

Naomi waited anxiously by the door as Oscar licked himself absentmindedly. Biting her lower lip, she hoped that they hadn't run into any more trouble, or that Warren had acted out again, according to what Lara had said. If he really had been brainwashed, then whoever this strange organization that was behind everything was more powerful than they originally thought.

Then, she heard two knocks on the front door, and then a buzz as the handprint scanner cleared whoever was at the door. She swung it open to see Lara carrying an unconscious Warren in a strange uniform, and Nyx following behind her, limping slightly. Helping her over to the couch, Naomi watched as Lara placed Warren down on the cushions, his hair draped across his face and his body limp.

Nyx sat near the kitchen table, panting from the pain that she was in. Naomi saw a bullet hole in her suit, and her eyes widened. "What the hell happened?" Lara looked over at her, her eyes sad. "You remember Professor Elemento? He and Red Alice are working for whoever we're up against, and they turned Warren into some kind of soldier. He tried to shoot me and Nyx took the bullet."

Coughing slightly, Nyx waved her hand at them. "Don't worry about me, I'm fine. Really, the suits are built to withstand those kinds of things. But, I'm not gonna be able to take another one of those without doing serious damage to the suit or me." Naomi looked at Warren, who groaned slightly and rolled around in his state. 

Lara sighed and wiped her hair out of her face. Already she could feel the overdose of Mars Serum starting to take a toll on her normal body. "So, what's the plan, exactly?" Naomi said, and Lara looked at her. "Contact Jasper, let them know what's happened. He's probably got a better idea of what to do next." Naomi nodded and headed upstairs towards the computer.

It took a while to connect because of the distance, but Jasper's face finally appeared on the screen. "Naomi? Is something wrong?" Taking in a deep breath, Naomi quickly explained everything that had happened to Lara and Nyx. When she was done, there was a shocked look on Jasper's face. He was frozen, at a loss for words. Clearly, he hadn't expected this.

After a while, he leaned forwards and took in the situation. Placing his hands together in front of his mouth, he looked at Naomi. "Keep him there for now. The Belltower is better equipped for medical care. Keep him there until he wakes up, and then I'll send Mark to pick up Nyx and Lara." Naomi nodded. "And what do I do if he wakes up?" Jasper didn't answer. "Contact me if anything changes. Good luck, Hope." He hung up and Naomi sighed, leaning back in her chair. "Great."

Nyx took off her suit after what felt like a really long time. After placing it awkwardly on a chair, it occurred to her that she hadn't really had a chance in the few days they'd been on the run. She needed a shower. She only wore a tank top and small shorts, but she didn't care how much she was showing off. It was standard uniform, and she was in good company.

Taking a banana from the kitchen table, she ate it ravenously, needing the calories after all the action she just went through. She looked at Lara setting Warren up with an IV tube. She remembered when the two of them first met. He was the only person that Nyx hadn't recognized. She still had no clue why, or what changed the timeline. 

Finally, she decided to get some answers. Lara came over and sat down on the opposite side of the table, sighing heavily with her head in her hands. She was tired as well, due to the effects of Mars withdrawal. Before she was going to take a nap, Nyx spoke up. "Um, Lara? I know this is a kind of sensitive topic but...what happened? I mean, to you guys? What made all of this illegal superhero business possible?"