Carolyn

"Don't bring Mavra here," Harry said shaking his head. "No, I think it would be better to face the black court somewhere where we can set some sort of trap." "What kind of space do you need?" Bruce asked. "Let's see some iron fencing, a place clear of people so that they cannot feed by killing, some sharp iron swords, a flamethrower, maybe some UV lights," Harry shrugged. Bruce and Alfred exchanged a look. "The old iron works has a fence around it and it's been abandoned for years. I don't think anyone in the city of Gotham would notice if it was suddenly replaced by a giant crater," Alfred responded. "Do you think you can get the mayor and the police put out something for some sort of curfew to make sure everyone stays in their homes?" Harry asked. Bruce nodded. "I'll call the commissioner, but with all of the strange things happening there is already a curfew in place." "Good," Harry said getting to his feet. "Bob and I already put some potions together and we have a few hours before sunset. As soon as the son goes down, I want to be ready for Mavra to be at the ironworks. Mavra has a vendetta against me and the first thing that will happen when the sun goes down will be that he comes for me." Aeron looked at Linda. "There are different types of fae, many can fly, some look like humans, and are hardly distinguishable. Demons can fly if they want to, but don't forget they make their quota by fooling everyone. I think the issue with the dead rising is coming from the Black Court Vampires being here. They deal in death, so a little necromancy wouldn't be above them."

Janis closed her notebook before tucking it away under her cloak. "It's a safe place for me to heal," she said with a shrug. "Do you ever not work?"

Janis fastened her cloak as she shook off her jitters. She folded her arms across her chest and tucked her hands under her upper arms. She stood up and wandered over to where he was working. Not saying anything, she peered at the paper he was scribbling away on and nodded. “Einstein Rosen bridge,” Janis mumbled as she walked over to the bookshelf she had used to right her shoulder. Inching up on her toes, Janis moved a couple of books and retrieved a small leather bound diary. She pushed the books back into place. Janis walked back, opening the little book, and flipping to a page to something similar to what he had been writing.

Harry tipped his head to the side a bit as the barrage of questions came flying at him. “This was not my first demon and it looked an awful lot like the frog headed one I fought some years ago. Demons have demonic powers, which I guess is magical. The biggest thing is to make sure it doesn’t have your fulll name and you don’t make deals with a demon. If a demon or fae know your name, they can use it or control you. “I cannot answer the Alfred question, but I do suspect that the two have known each other for longer they let on. I suspect we are quite safe in this house if Aeron is what I suspect she is. No, I did not take any time to talk to said demon, because I did not have him confined to a protection circle and was not in one either. So, I was a little more preoccupied with trying not to die. ”Then Aeron showed up with her armor, sword, shield, and wings… she sliced the thing in half and melted it with some sort of golden light. She snagged me and booked it back here, while being chased by some very angry fae, which included the wild hunt. “I suspect Aeron used up all of her magical reserves getting to me, fighting the demon, fighting off angry fae, and bringing me back here.” Harry finished his soda and stood up from the stairs. “I’m fine,” Harry muttered. “Queen Maab won’t let me die.” He set the can on the counter. ”You are quite right Mr Dresden,” Alfred began. “Aeron is a creature of that wields the powers of the holy light… and I have known her for a very long time,” he paused. “The darkness that seeks her is any sort of creature or being would be considered something of dark magic. Or, that’s how she explained it once. She needs consecrated ground to heal, generally she will cast a spell about herself which will create a glowing, golden circle to protect herself while she heals. I cannot day for sure it was the trip that drained her, but once she wakes,” he paused to look at his pocket watch. “We shall know for certain.” The door flew open behind Alfred smacking into the wall with a thud. Aeron crossed the room to the sink, turned on the water, and started drinking from the tap. She drank from a long time before she wiped her mouth on the sleeve for her coat. She pulled back her blonde hair with black tips and tied it up with a leather thong. She finally looked back at the room. “The dead will rise at sundown.” “I heard that too,” Harry said. “I had Bob check and most graveyards will be tightly closed down with iron fences.” Aeron shook her head. “It’s not those we have to worry about. It’s your friend Mavra. I saw it, just now.” Harry sighed closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Do you know where they’re hiding?” Aeron nodded. “I think so.”

Janis finally stirred after a couple of hours. “Oh no,” she mumbled looking around. She sat on the edge of the cot and rubbed her face. “So, it wasn’t a dream,” she mumbled to herself. “Why do I keep coming to this place? I know he’s just going to lecture me about encroachment on his private space.” She buried her face in her hands.

“Sleep sounds like a good idea,” Cait muttered.

“I suspect we will have to wait for one of them to wake up,” Alfred said stepping into the kitchen, he halted seeing Harry making his way down the stairs. “Alfred do you have anything for a headache?” Harry asked as he stopped in the last few steps, sat and stretched his length out to rest in the stairs like a recliner. “Indeed, sir,” Alfred returned. He snagged a bottle of Tylenol from a cupboard and a can of Coca-Cola from the fridge. He handed Harry the can and tapped 2 pills into the man’s hand. “Thanks,” Harry mumbled popping the pills and cracking the soda taking a sip. Alfred returned the bottle to the cabinet before turning back to look at Harry with his arms crossed over his chest. “I must say, Mr Dresden, you are a very fast healer.” Harry shook his head swallowing more of the cold beverage. “That’s because of the mantle of the Winter Knight. Which is the result of my making a deal with Queen Maab.” He shook his head. “Don’t make deals with fae, or demons, or anything supernatural. Speaking of,” he paused looking around. “Where is Aeron?” ”She’s recovering in the chapel. She will rejoin us when she’s better,” Alfred said with an authoritative tone. Harry nodded. “If she hadn’t shown up, I’d been in worse trouble than I already was with that demon. Found me and followed me into the never, never. She made quick work of it, but I think the trip took it out of her.”

“I wasn’t suggesting fighting. Lord knows, we are useless without our air power,” Cait shook her head. “Teeter can design and help build them a new home and Campbell can sell them on anything they don’t want. I can fix things.” Cait shrugged. “I’m good with a combustion engine and I could get that bird I rode in on back in the sky. But I’m not sure how much use my skills will be.”

Alfred pursed his lips. “Put Harry in his quarters… Aeron will need to go in the old chapel. Bruce take her on, she needs consecrated ground to heal,” Alfred urged. Bruce took Arron’s limp body. “Better hurry, because we have no hope of fighting off those nasty beasts that will be looking for her.” Bruce hustled out of the room and made his way to the long forgotten chapel in the disused west wing of the manor. Alfred snatched up a massive tackle box filled with medical supplies before hustling Linda upstairs. Once Harry was laid out on his bed, Alfred made quick time assessing the wounds and noticed that many were beginning to heal on their own. He wrapped up the head wound, and an arm wound. “It seems that Mr Dresden has many secrets as a Wizard,” he said to himself as they left Harry to rest. Alfred then led Linda down the hallway away from the kitchen and living quarters of the east wing. He led her down a disused stairwell and through a door into a hall with furniture covered in dust cloths. They traveled down the dusty hall and stopped outside the open door of the old chapel. The stained glass windows letting in the midday light. Bruce had laid Aeron on the floor next to the old altar and was crouched close by. “There’s nothing you or I can do,” Alfred said to Bruce gesturing for him to come over to them. “She has to recover on her own.” ”How do you know?” Bruce hadn’t moved and was still staring at her. “Because, I’ve known her since the London I knew fell,” he sighed. “That’s why she called me Alfie.” Bruce looked at Alfred and stood up crossing the room to them. “You’ve known what and who she is all along?” ”It is not for me to tell,” Alfred responded looking over at the limp form. He closed the door behind Bruce. “Just as it is not for me to say what or who you are, Master Bruce.” With his final words he gestured for everyone to return to the west wing. “Let us check on things in the bat cave, sir,” Alfred suggested as he followed them out of the dusty corridor.

“I believe I met him earlier before we came here,” Cait said. “He was ready to fight the aliens with pistols.” She shook her head. “I don’t see a pistol being more effective than a dozen dragons.” ”Maybe a flame thrower would work,” Campbell suggested. “I think it only kinda worked in Predator.” Teeter nodded an answer to Campbell. “Bullets didn’t really work in any of the alien movies. Need phasers, lightsabers, and blasters,” Teeter added. “Nothing beats a good blaster at your side, kid,” Campbell said with a smirk to Teeter. ~~~~ Janis did not stir at either Claw’s words or prodding. Her body was as limp as a rag doll. After a minute or two, Janis made a loud gasp for air before shooting up to her feet with her back against the wall. Her head low she continued to gasp as though trying to breathe after being suffocated or drowned. “Yes, cot,” she gasped as she pointed over to the cot without looking. “Safe place,” she mumbled before edging away from him and over to the cot. She collapsed on the cot the gasping subsiding. “Safe place,” she wheezed as she covered herself with her cloak, pulling it up to her chin. “Safe,” she mumbled incorrectly before falling into a fitful sleep.

Bruce shrugged as he walked toward the secret panel that led to the bat cave. “You can change in your room for now. We will have to set you up with changing area. ”Right now the sensors that are running mostly A.I. based software that’s going through CCTV setup all over Gotham. I have some weather devices setup, but I must be honest in that we are NOT setup for paranormal. “Everyone had their own demons, memories that torture them. Alfred had a very long life before the age of forty. Seeing things that many may never see.” As Bruce strode down the steps into the bat cave, overhead lights snapped on with motion sensors. “There were no superheros to help Alfred. Just HWE’s. You’re not likely to find any around anymore,” he paused looking back up the stairs as though he heard something. “Did you hear that?” ~~~~ At the same time ~~~~ Aeron rose from her meditation, her wings swinging out from her as she rose high into the air before diving through the door to the Never, Never. Minutes later, she reemerged with a half conscious Harry Dresden in tow. Aeron’s strength was greatly diminished and towing a person over a foot taller than her wasn’t helping. “Help,” Aeron managed to croak as she drug Harry under his arms, her wings and armor gone. Her now long blonde hair covering her face as her combat boots fought for purchase to drag the large man. “Wake up Harry,” she implored the dead weight. Harry groaned and she lowered him to the ground. She knelt to him. “Come on, I know that Winter Mantle of yours will kick in. Maab ain’t gonna let you die!” Harry groaned in pain as he began to come around. Aeron raised a hand over her head and a cast a glowing circle around them, before she dropped to the ground completely drained.

“We are trained to fly, we have had combat training, but I for one am not highly trained fighter. Being officers of the Air Force Academy, we have been trained in battle strategies, trained on personnel and logistical management, and of course the historical battles of our people. But each of us have varying degrees,” Cait stood up stretching. “Campbell has a degree in political science, so he’s a politician. Teeter has a civil engineering degree, so he knows about building things for the people. I am an aerospace engineer, so I know planes and spacecrafts work,” Cait shrugged. “Not sure how useful I am without an airplane…” ~~~~~~ Janis and Meli finished the final movements, bowed to each other before retreating to their respective side. They each knelt on one knee, closed their eyes and lowered their heads. Their arms went out to their sides rotating out and around before binging hands together in front of them with palms touching. They kicked out their legs that they were not kneeling on, bringing the leg around to rise to their feet. The synchrony of the movements had ended as they studied each other. Janis made the first offensive move throwing a jab at Meli, which was deflected easily. After deflecting the jab, Meli ducked to sweep at Janis’s legs. Janis dodged the kick and returned a kick that Meli deflected. The women continued their onslaught of different combinations of attacks from varying forms of hand-to-hand combat. Each learning from the other as the moved, and each searching for a weakness they knew would not be there. After some time, the attacks grew in frequency and strength. Each combatant taking turns in throwing the other across the spar ring, only to have the other catch herself in her feet and swiftly returning attack. Eventually, the two were beginning to tired. Meli dislocated Janis’s right arm when she wrapped her legs around the woman’s shoulder and yanked it out of place with her arms. But Janis did not yield, with a limp arm she caught Meli off guard with a left handed haymaker before slamming her to the floor of the ring. Janis wrapped her thighs around Meli’s neck, locking her ankles, and holding tight until Meli stopped moving. Janis drug herself to her feet. Walked to the edge of the ring. She knelt down on one knee and bowed her head, a faint light of gold covering her before she stood. Leaving the ring Janis pulled her cloak over her limp arm. She never looked back as she walked off. Janis slunk into Claw’s study, used a bookshelf to relocate her shoulder, before collapsing on the floor… completely oblivious to the world. A few minutes later, Meli stirred on the spar mat. She slowly stood up and walked to her edge of the mat. She knelt on one knee bowing her had, a light of gold covering her before she stood. She picked up her cloak, eyed the roof of a building, and hopped to the rooftop. She sat with her legs folded and bowed her head before falling into a deep meditation.

Cait looked at the others before shrugging. “I’m not sure. I feel like we are a bit out of place.” ”And out of time,” Campbell added with a smirk nudging Cait with a chuckle. “We gotta get back in time…” Teeter added with a smirk looking over at Campbell. “Guys…” Cait protested. “We can’t listen to that song or watch that trilogy. Now, I’m going to have Huey Lewis and the News stuck in my head for the rest of my meager life.” With that she dropped her face on the plane of the table. “If only I had a saxophone and could play it,” Campbell added patting Cait’s head lightly in feigned pity. ~~~~~~ Meli and Janis now stood on the opposite sides of the spar ring. The requisite contemplation completed. The women walked to the center of the ring and bowed to each. They began making movements with their arms and legs like someone practicing movements of tai chi or karate. Both women perfectly executing each movement in time with a short pause after snapping into the position. The movements carried the pair around the ring in perfect harmony, the sounds of the snapping motions creating a quiet rhythm. A rhythm that the pair locked into for some time, completely unaware of the world around them. Lost in the ancient ritual of their sisterhood.

Alfred shook his head shooting Bruce a knowing look. “That’s not my home anymore. Before we got to Gotham, thanks to Thomas, the battle followed us to the countryside. I lost family,” he said with a look of pain. “The Waynes lost family,” he sighed shaking his head taking a drink and a deep breath. “Going back there is akin to going back or looking at the past. Coming to Gotham was looking forward to the future and creating new lives for ourselves ”I had been hired on as private security and as a private investigator for Thomas Wayne. It ended up turning into an ongoing job that had me getting Thomas out of the Tower of London. Even me mum helped keep the Waynes safe, working as a housekeeper and a Nanny. So, naturally me mum and I ended up here with Thomas and Martha. “The butler bit was me mum’s idea you see, because my da, who we lost in the war against the Ravens, was a butler. He used his position to gather intelligence for the Ravens and set off a bomb. Much to our surprise he came back and helped me and the boys defeat the Ravens. “Mum thought I should act as a butler to the Waynes, so that I could continue to protect them and honor me da’s memory. She helped me learn what I needed to do,” Alfred said with a tiny smile remembering his mother. “She passed before Bruce was born. One of the strongest women I’d ever met, and the best at hiding guns.” Bruce refilled Alfred’s drink. ”Ravens…” Aeron muttered. “A group of Ravens is called ‘an unkindness’.” She sook her head. “A bit of irony there,” she muttered. Alfred shot Aeron a look, the two smiled as though sharing an old memory or inside joke like old friends. “Alfie,” Aeron said with a soft smile. “It was Salt, not Glub that was the ire of Bet and Peggy.” ”Huh,” he mumbled in return. “Quite right. Both right bastards who are now rotting in hell,” he added with a nod. Again the pair shared a smile. “I think I’m going to call Dave boy,” Alfred mumbled before he headed off up the stairs. “Sometimes the past is best left in the past, but it shapes the present and future,” Aeron added sagely. “I suspect Harry will be returning very soon. Mayhap you should check your computers, Mr Wayne,” she said with emphasis on his name. “I think I shall perch on the roof for bit of contemplation and meditation.” Aeron walked out the door, looked up at the roof judging the height, she lowered herself to the ground like a runner getting ready in a race. Then with an effortless burst of energy, she vaulted herself on to the roof. With a purpose, Aeron walked across the roof with the grace of a cat and halted where all of the sections of the house connected. Taking a deep breath, she spun herself about casting a consecration spell over the area that surrounded her. The magic causing her hair to glow a golden blonde, her skin to shimmer, and her clothing to change into full plate armor. She dropped to her knee and lowered her head as Aeron slipped into contemplation. Bruce watched Aeron disappear and he sighed. He looked at Linda. “You can follow the Valkyrie if you like. I’m going to go see if there’s anything on the sensors popping up.”

“I see,” Cait said with a nod. “There’s nothing like that in the country we’re from. We do have certain elected officials we have to show respect to, but our special forces and military all follow the same basic principles as far as saluting the higher ranking officer. All enlisted people salute all officers, and the like. They, also, show respect to the non-commission officer in charge. The special forces are all generally enlisted ranks, so they’re mostly grunts,” she said with a shrug. “I remember there was a time when the Colonel met herself a Navy SEAL and rank wasn’t a problem,” Campbell teased. “Yes, well there was alcohol and we were in our civis, so how was I supposed to know?” Cait retorted.