Cowritten by OReal History
Two days ago Connor was sitting at home, recovering from his injuries, and enjoying some much needed time with his family. Finally, he thought, he could rest. Then he received a call from Nat MacGregor that would change everything.
Ezekiel Kane had another child.
Unlike Lilith, this child embraced the worse tendencies of the rogue hunter. Already Sophie Kane aka Seraphim had caused irreparable harm, quickly becoming S.P.E.A.R's most wanted fugitive. Worse, she showed no weakness and it appeared she was only getting started.
As Miles now pulled into S.P.E.A.R's parking lot, Connor exited the car wincing in pain.
"Easy does it old man," Miles said. "Not trying to see you break a hip...again."
"Oh ha ha real cute Miles," Connor grumbled. "FYI your birthday is two weeks before mine so who's the old one?"
"Hey, I'm vintage not old." Miles smirked.
Connor snorted, a grin crossing his face. He always appreciated Miles humor, especially in tough spots. Throughout their careers as hunters, it was Miles who always managed to put a smile on everyone's faces, even in the toughest spots. With the realization that their oldest foe had an offspring who was trying to out due the legendary rogue hunter, Connor realized humor was a commodity they could I'll afford to lose.
"So who else is coming?" Connor asked.
"Nat was the one who called us," Miles stated. "So she's here. Also my sister and Amara. Pretty sure Travis and Stephanie are coming too. I'm surprised Spark didn't want too."
"She's home with the kids," Connor said. "Pretty sure that's why Chenoa isn't here either."
"And you'd be right," Miles replied. "Pretty sure your wife reacted the same as mine. They remember what happened the last time we dealt with Ezekiel Kane. If his daughter is trying to follow in her dad's footsteps, they want to keep the kids safe. Besides, we both know they'll hear everything we say."
Connor simply nodded as the pair approached S.P.E.A.R HQ. Spark and Chenoa were just as concerned, but their maternal instincts went into overdrive at the mention of Ezekiel Kane. Considering the mad hunter nearly killed them when they were on high school, they needed to keep their young children safe. As they approached the desk, they could see the fairy receptionist Jane.
"Mr. Desoto. Mr. Moreland. Agent MacGregor is waiting for you."
Miles and Connor nodded, entering the building as they made their way towards the conference room. It felt surreal for the pair of hunters, walking these hallways as they had done so many years ago. As they now opened the room of the main conference room, they smiled.
"Good to see you all again."
Nat and Rei smiled, quickly approaching the hunters and embracing them in a tight hug.
"Good to see you too again," Rei said. "How's everything?"
"Kids are getting big," Connor and Miles replied. "How's work?"
"Usually boring," Rei shrugged with a grin. "But that's the way I like it. Being a high school secretary has a certain routine. Me and Vice Principal Kane made sure that nothing bad ever happens at West High School."
"Still amazed that none of the kids ever realized you and Mary Elise were keeping an eye on things," Travis stated. "How many times did you two cover for Aaron and the others over the years?"
"More than I can remember," Rei chuckled. "And they never suspected a thing, at least from me. It was harder for Mary Elise since she taught Yuriko magic, but I can't complain. One of us has to be anonymous."
"And you've done a phenomenal job Rei," Nat smiled. "You made sure the kids were safe all throughout high school."
"Mostly," Connor added with a smirk.
"As much as I'm enjoying the reunion," Stephanie interrupted. "We have some pretty pressing issues. Who is Ezekiel Kane and why are we freaking out so much about his long lost daughter?"
"Stephanie's right," Nat stated. "Why don't we take a seat so I can tell Travis and Stephanie about Kane and catch everyone up on the Seraphim."
The others did as asked, Nat lowering the lights as a screen now illuminated. Travis and Stephanie now stared at the still image of a man in his 50s. Despite the aged appearance of the photo, the couple shuddered at the soulless eyes the man possessed.
"A year before you two came to town," Nat began. "There was a rogue hunter by the name of Ezekiel Kane. He began to systematically pick off the supernatural and wizards."
"The wizards?!" Stephanie asked in alarm.
"The Davis family," Nat continued. "He put Samantha and Mike Davis in the hospital. Would've killed Tricia Davis as well if the cops hadn't shown up."
"Wait hold on," Stephanie exclaimed. "Are you telling me this guy took out Samantha Davis? One of the strongest wizards in existence and her husband before threatening the dragon princess Tricia? How the hell did he do that and live?!"
"Ezekiel Kane was almost as a good a hunter as my father," Connor said softly. "Hell, he was in many ways the dark reflection of him. Where my father was an example of the best of hunters, Ezekiel Kane was the worst. All that skill, all that knowledge, used to hurt people."
"Including my dad," Nat added, the dhamphir's shoulders slumping as her eyes grew damp with tears. "I...I was there when it happened. Kane was trying to kill me. My dad tried to stop him...and caught a bullet in the belly for it. We....we almost lost him."
The room went quiet, noticing Nat wipe her eyes. As Stephanie and Travis studied their friends, they could only imagine the trauma this dark hunter inflicted on them when they were so young.
"What happened to Kane?" Travis asked.
"We beat him," Miranda said, realizing that Nat needed a moment. "After that, the vampires showed up and turned him. Things were still tense with the vampires back then. Only a year before they tried kidnapping the kids under the leadership of Miro Tepes. Wyatt was still trying to come into his own as a ruler after Miro was destroyed. If Duke hadn't made a deal for Wyatt to help us....we might not be sitting here. Still, it didn't mean Kane was gone. Bastard tried to kill me a year later."
"The vampire civil war?" Stephanie said to which Miranda nodded.
"He betrayed Wyatt and helped overthrow the Tepes kingdom," Miranda stated. "Nat and I helped Wyatt win it back but, Kane tried to murder me. If it hadn't been for Lilith and the Solar Guardians, I might not be here."
"Any idea what happened to Kane after that Travis?" Connor asked.
"Unfortunately no," Travis sighed. "I've asked my father about it. I heard about Kane over the years, but never knew his fate. All my father said was, he will never harm anyone ever again."
"Well at least Death took care of Ezekiel Kane," Miles shrugged. "But that still doesn't explain where the hell Sophie Kane has been. From what I heard from the church, Lilith Kane was the last living heir of the Kane dynasty."
"Before Alyssa was born," Connor added. "Caleb told me the church was interested in the last living heirs to the Kane family after Lilith was discovered. When Lilith died, they learned she had a daughter. Some in the church wanted to raise Alyssa. Turn her into an assassin. The ultimate weapon against the creatures of the night."
"You can't be serious!" Amara exclaimed. "Look , I maybe the only demon in the room, but I never thought the church would resort to child assassin's!"
"They didn't," Connor stated. "Caleb and Archbishop Castignoli made sure of it. Caleb hid Alyssa and the Archbishop kicked those who thought that creating a child assassin was a good idea out of the church. That should have been the end of it."
"It wasn't though," Nat added sadly.
Nat now clicked through several different images, showing her friends what had transpired over the last 17 years. Each picture made the groups skin crawl. Werewolf families butchered. Vampires heads mounted on stakes. A Tanuki business blown up in a terrorist attack. Fairy's squished underfoot. Wizards murdered in their beds. Even kitsune skinned alive, their lifeless corpses hung from trees.
"Each of these has occurred over the last 17 years," Nat continued, her voice hollow. "Evidence at first was spotty. The killer was very good at covering their tracks. Slowly, S.P.E.A.R began to build a case, learning of an organization known as The Superior Church."
"Who are The Superior Church?" Rei asked.
"An offshoot of the church," Nat continued. "A radicalized, almost cult like organization bent on destroying the supernatural and it's allies."
"Why am I having a really bad case of deja vu?" Travis sighed in annoyance.
"Because they are exactly like The Normal," Nat continued. "Only difference is they are much better at covering their tracks..."
"And we don't have some all powerful teenager from the future telling us their every move," Amara finished.
The group fidgeted in place, recalling their interactions with the Normal. Seventeen years ago this secretive organization journey's through time, nearly killing everyone in this room. If it wasn't for the actions of a future wizard known as the Catalyst, there was a good chance none of them would be sitting here now.
Travis furrowed his brow, recalling his last encounter with the Normal. They had nearly beaten him in an attempt to steal his magic. This Superior Church could do the same, the difference being they weren't interested in stealing their magic or even enslaving the supernatural. They were only interested in their destruction.
"How does this Seraphim figure into their plans?" he asked.
"From what I've learned," Nat stated. "The Seraphim is their greatest weapon. We believe they may have enhanced her. Taken the already exceptional genes of the Kane family and made them stronger. She's a ghost. Anytime anyone gets close she either avoids capture....or kills whoever got in their way."
"And now we have to deal with it," Miles sighed. "Man...I'm getting too old for this."
"We all are Miles," Nat stated. "But, we might have a slight advantage."
The others eyes now went wide as they began to understand what Nat was getting at. The next generation, the kids they had either babysat, trained, or raised as their younger siblings. Tom and his sister, the Harris siblings, the Tepes quints, even Stephanie's kid sister. They may not have a Catalyst from the future , but they hopefully had the next best thing.
"Do you think they can do this Nat?" Stephanie asked.
"I don't think we have a choice Stephanie," she replied. "We haven't faced a threat like this in years. If Anjelica, the Harris family, and the others can't stop Sophie, then I don't know who can?"
*****************************************************
In a secret facility that the Superior Church now occupied, Linda Michaels stood with her cane patiently waiting for the armored truck to come in. The armored truck arrived with Linda Michaels surprised to see Seraphim standing before her holding her damaged helmet.
"What happened out there?" Linda Michaels demanded to know speaking directly with Seraphim as the two walked further inside their headquarters.
"We stumbled upon two werewolves preying upon a couple out for a nightly stroll, but we were deceived. The werewolves were part of a sting operation by S.P.E.A.R., many of our soldiers were either captured or died by taking their cyanide capsules. I made a tactical retreat but was persued by one of their men, a wizard it seems with ferrokinetic abilities. I obligated him in combat, and would have been victorious if not for the interference of a couple of young girls dressed in....Japanese school girl uniforms." Seraphim said still unsure of their choice in uniforms.
"And they got the upper hand on you? I'm surprised. Usually you don't let something like young women distract you on the field." Linda said shaking her head.
"There was something else. The two of them changed and looked similar in appearance, the older one looked familiar to me somehow, while the younger one called me a name, 'Sophie'. She....seemed to recognize me, and the older one, I can't be sure but I thought I've seen her faces somewhere before." Seraphim said as Linda Michaels was surprised to hear her say the name 'Sophie' and turned around.
"What did they look like? Did your vehicle's camera get an image of them?" Linda Michaels asked avidly interested.
Seraphim went over to a computer and brought up the camera footage from the vehicle she had escaped in and brought up the footage. It was just before the vehicle picked her up. The video footage showed Tom Harris standing next to Lilith and Alyssa as Linda's eyes went wide.
"Who are they?" Seraphim asked.
"They are important. Very important. I've got to go into my office for a private meeting with an old friend." Linda Michaels said as she now went into her private office and locked the door behind her and grinned malevolently.
"At last!" Linda said laughing aloud to herself. "Briar, wake up, I have wonderful news to tell you." Linda said as she went to sit down at her table.
"You're finally letting me go after all these years?" A female voice, Briar, said as she sat down behind her desk.
"No, of course not. I've just learned that more of Ezekiel Kane's family blood line is still flourihing. It seems his youngest daughter is alive and well again and his granddaughter is still in perfect health. They'll be perfect for joining our cause." Linda said clapping her hands.
"Your cause you mean, I've wanted no part of this in any way, shape, or form." Briar said as Linda took off a cloth from a bird cage that revealed a fairy that looked disheveled and slightly weak as she was chained in the cage.
"Yet you have no choice in the matter. There's not a day I don't regret taking you with me from the church. Seraphim wouldn't exist without your help you know. You're in this as deep as I am. Now should I take a little more off your wings again if you argue with me again?" Linda asked as Briar opened her once beautiful wings to see how terrible they had gotten with every little pluck Linda had done over the years to make Briar do as she bid.
"No. What's your game this time?" Briar asked looking sad.
"To find and bring Lilith and Alyssa Kane home to their real family. It's what Ezekiel Kane would have wanted. His legacy must be honored." Linda grinned to Briar who sighed knowing this would not bode well.