WRITTEN BY PHOENIX NIGHTSLAYER

To Venice:
Prologue:  The Fiends
Kurt Quezac landed heavily, crouched down on one knee. He had jumped from the rafters. He stood up hastily, careful to make no noise. Kurt pulled back his sleeve and desperately checked his watch. "Where are they?" he muttered, “There always late".

Simone rider pulled up on her luminous green motorbike. She looked up at the back of the scary looking detention facility. It was the complete package, surrounded with chain fences with barbed wire on top. "This'll be fun", she laughed.

Gabrielle Scarlet landed on the roof. She pulled in her scarlet, red wings and ran. She got to the centre of the roof and laughed hard. She couldn't wait.

Wolfie padded out of the forest. He was a wolf. He shifted back to human before someone saw. He was naked, so he looked around. There was the duffel bag. It was blue with a white strip. "Right where he said it would be." He quickly threw on the clothes within the bag.

Cameron Melic entered in through the front door. He glanced around quickly; making sure no one saw him. Well, saw his tan overcoat with big black buttons, the tan hat, the black leather gloves and his big black army boots. He was invisible, hence his nick name the invisible detective. Because that what he was a detective. He smirked. Cameron pulled his revolver and hastily moved down the corridor, his back against the wall.

The light burned into Arsenic Bergovitch's eyes. He cursed under his breath. Agent Langkill was shouting something. Of course Arsenic was being questioned, and by now quite possibly threatened. He wasn't listening though. He was being accused of being a traitor during the Second World War, he was German, and therefore was being questioned why he killed men on his own side. He just hoped 'they' would be here soon.  And how they would.

 

****

Kurt was getting impatient. He started pacing up and down the corridor. They were late, too late.  “C’mon, c’mon”, he repeated longingly. Footsteps. Kurt swung the back pack he was wearing around and pulled two hand guns, loaded them and pointed them at the source of the footsteps. Kurt saw the tan overcoat and relaxed. He pointed the guns downward. “You are late”, no matter how hard he tried, the annoyance in his voice still rung through.

Cameron laughed his hearty laugh. “Don’t be a baby, Kurt”.

“I’m not”, he crossed his arms like a five year old.

Cameron shook his head, causing the hat to move. Simone appeared out of nowhere, laughing.  “He’s acting like a five year old again isn’t he?” She stood on her tip toes and kissed Kurt on the forehead. That made him smile. It always did. Gabrielle appeared next, but brought trouble. She came running hard down the corridor.

“HELP!!” she screamed panting hard. She didn’t get in undetected. There were about sixteen guards running, following her down the damp corridor.

“Shit”, Kurt muttered. He threw the guns up fast and shot the gun hard and quickly. Two of the men fell, dead as a doorknob, while the rest pulled ak-47s down from straps on their backs.

“Dammit!” Cameron Shouted taking one out with his revolver with a shot through the skull. He turned and dived in against the wall. Gabrielle followed, landing hard her head hitting the wall. Kurt kept shooting. He had taken out most of them, seven left. The guns clicked, he was out of ammo, and unfortunately didn’t have any more. Simone ran off down a separate corridor, thinking of only getting away from the shoot out.

Kurt was an alleged hit man, the best in the business. He had dark brown hair, and pale white skin. He was trained with any weapon he could get his hands on. He pulled down the scythe he kept strapped to his back, for good measure he always said. Without a care in the world, as if it was a morning stroll, he ran hard at the guards. He jumped and did a front- flip, dodging an array of bullets. He landed right in front of the guards.

 “Hello”, he smiled cheerfully. Kurt slashed the scythe at one of the guards and severed him of his head, He spun quickly giving a sharp round house kick to another guards head, and then just before another one could shoot He elbowed him hard and low in the stomach.  All the guards he had just inflicted pain or death on, fell to the ground. Kurt rolled away and fired his scythe at a guard who followed him. The three remaining guards ran after him down the corridor.

Cameron got up and sighed. Wolfie strolled in. Gabrielle rushed over and kissed him on the lips. “Hey babe,” Wolfie said kissing her back.

“Adam!” Cameron growled.

“Yes?”

“Where have you been?”

“Oh you see I’m after taking out twenty guards.”

“Really?”

Adam sighed. He brushed his long wavy brown hair out of his eyes. “I knew you wouldn’t believe me.” He handed Cameron his phone and showed him a photo of a pile of guards, bitten, torn and bloodied. “See?”

Cameron shook his head. “Lets go”, he said annoyed.

****

 

Arsenic collided with the floor hard. Langkill had lost it. He was gone red in the face, veins showing looking like they were about to pop. Arsenic had the ability to control fire, that’s how he got the nickname he had. He used to go around and burn down small cottages and wooden barns during the war. Langkill stood over him, screaming and spitting at Arsenic. It was swear words. Arsenic didn’t give a damn though, he also was very good at not listening…

He was running impatient, they should be here he kept telling himself. Some lot of good they were.  Rescuers they called themselves? More like dopey daydreamers.

****

Simone ran fast and skilfully, like she was taught when she was younger. She was the greatest pickpocket in the world, everyone seemed to have had said to her. Her family had been poor, but she had brought watches, wallets and other expensive items home for them. Her mother used to laugh at her sometimes on her ability to never be detected.

Her black silky hair shone in the dim lilted corridor now. She took a sharp right. Kurt flew straight into Simone, and they both fell onto the ground. “Ouch,” they both said in unison.

Cameron, Wolfie and Gabrielle made their way down a series of identical, dreary corridors. They were separated from Simone and Kurt, and god knows they were probably separated too. Cameron heard shouts and screams coming from the corridor just ahead. A man in his thirty’s came running down the hall a flaming, Smokey mess. Arsenic walked out of a room. Cameron laughed so did the others two.

“Ye took yer feckin time” Arsenic growled.

****

Simone and Kurt had gotten ultimately lost. The corridors were the same, damp, dark and dreary. Simone kept glancing back every few seconds just to make sure no one was following them although it was hardly likely. They just made there fifth right turn, and were fed up. Kurt pulled his mobile phone and rang Gabrielle. No signal. He looked around and saw loads of black solid oak doors, with big shiny brass handles. He sighed and said:

“Let’s look in there”, Kurt pointed to the nearest black door. Simone nodded. They walked over and pushed the big heavy door inwards. There were people in here, all chained up to the wall moaning and sobbing. Kurt looked horrified and quickly glanced doing a head count, everyone added up to at least twenty- five. He was about to run and stat breaking locks when he noticed something. A big metal throne was built right in the middle of the room. It was beautifully decorated with jewels. He knew exactly then it was a trap. Three heavily armed guards jumped out from behind the throne, they held spears and swords. The guards charged swiftly at Simone and Kurt.

Simone reacted quickly pulling two small flexible throwing knives. She threw one and it hit the guard who was nearest them in the chest with a hard thud. She jumped at one of the others and slashed his chest. He grabbed her hair and pulled her forward. Simone spun twisting the guards arm; she grabbed it and effectively shattered it. He fell to the ground.

Kurt kicked the remaining guard and sent him sprawling, quickly grabbed the guards spear and jabbed it straight through the helpless mans eyes. There was screams.  Simone ran over to a prisoner and started to break the chains, when another man walked out, in his late twenty’s or so.

The man introduced himself as Klaus. He had dark blue, cropped hair. He spoke with a high pitched voice.

“So you’re here to join my collection of freaks?”

“What?!?”  Simone and Kurt shouted together in disgust.

“Why these people here”, Klaus said indicating to the prisoners.

“There like us?” Simone asked horrified.

Klaus nodded. Kurt wanted to rush forward and break the man’s nose.  Simone had a similar feeling. Klaus laughed. “I’m like you, the two of you, you know.” he continued with outright disgust “I can read minds. And I just heard what both of you thought.”

 

“Oh yeah, right so, you can read minds? Huh?” Kurt shouted the next bit. “SO YOU CAN READ WHAT PAIN THESE PEOPLE ARE FEELING?”

He grabbed one of Simone’s daggers and threw it hard at Klaus. Klaus reacted swiftly and did a somersault and landed behind the throne. He then disappeared. The couple looked confused at first but, soon saw to letting the prisoners out, most of which ran off, down the mysterious maze of corridors and rooms.

All the prisoners were free, only five had stayed. Kurt asked them their names.

A little boy stepped forward, he was about eleven. “Did you find my dad? They took him, last night, for questioning, but I knew better, everyone does, people don’t come back.” he started to sob.

Simone felt sorry for the kid. She stepped forward and knelt down in front of him. “What’s your name?”

The fair skinned boy looked her in the eyes “Trey, Trey Bergovitch.”
Surprise sprung to Simone and Kurt’s faces, they said together:

“Arsenic’s son?”

Trey nodded. “Yeah”, Simone continued, “he’s part of our team…”

****

Cameron and the rest of the team walked into the room, to find five strangers and Kurt and Simone. They rushed forward. Cameron glanced at them.

Kurt looked serious, Simone’s face dropped and Trey smiled. He ran and gave Arsenic a hug. Cameron looked to Kurt curiously. Kurt opened his mouth to explain the situation but Cameron interrupted:

 “Save the story till later, we need to go”; he said sternly “they’ve got machine gunners at every exit and we need to get out, because they’ve got guards in this place, patrolling, we just fought and killed about fifty.”

The four prisoners that stayed looked terrified. One of them piped up, “We are going to die aren’t we?” The team laughed.

“No, we aren’t, we will get out of here no problem, I promise you, we promise you.” Cameron wasn’t entirely sure if that was true though.

****

They were out again, searching the corridors, looking for an exit when, bullets ricocheted off the walls. They all screamed out of surprise and shock.  Everyone dropped to the floor. Kurt and Gabrielle grabbed each other and charged forward, crawling on their stomachs, intending to try and fight. They breached the dust and saw about forty guards, all running forward, about to try and kill the eleven people.  Gabrielle screamed, alerting the machine gunners to start up again.

Kurt sighed and pulled Gabrielle back into the dust, where there was a less likely chance they would be shot. When they reached the others Kurt informed them on what they were facing.

“Shit”, Cameron moaned.

And then they were a blast, a blast of blue immense energy. It illuminated the dust cloud and they could see every guard falling to the ground, either dead or seriously injured. The machine guns exploded, sending sparks and fire everywhere. Arsenic grinned.

 ‘How did that happen?’ Cameron wondered to himself.

“C’mon”, Cameron said, “let’s get out of here.”

****

When they finally found their way out, through big heavy metal doors, they came out on a huge courtyard. The team instantly regretted it. There were hundreds of guards all lined with guns and swords and other various different weapons.  It scared everyone. It was perilous, maybe even suicidal, but what it did most was excite the team. The six of them spread out in a line facing the hundreds of guards.  Cameron beckoned the other five. Trey was the only one who didn’t hesitate. He lined up beside his father happily. The others feebly lined up behind them. Then the guards started shooting.

There were bullets flying everywhere, everyone dodging them masterfully, even the five who were reluctant. They seemed to have concluded it would just be easier to fight.  They were all young, two men and two women. One of the men, about in his twenties with bright red hair, jumped and landed on four paws. He had turned into a fox. He ran forward with newly founded confidence and jumped into a crowd of guards. He didn’t get shot or killed miraculously.  His name was Jesse Anderson, but was nicknamed ‘Red’ because of his hair. He bit and tore into guard after guard, without a scratch. Wolfie wasn’t impressed; he shifted into his wolf form, losing all his clothes. He raged on through the small army killing them swiftly and easily.

Simone ran towards one of the surrounding walls and jumped; she grabbed onto a ledge and swung herself over onto a platform that ran all the way around the court yard. She looked around her and spotted a gun. It was a sniper to be exact. She picked it up and made sure it was loaded. She then began sniping guards at will.

Cameron still had a few bullets in his revolver. He shot a couple of guards and put it away. He ran on and started to fight with his hands. He snapped a few necks and kicked a few spines. He was starting to have fun.

One of the women, who had come with the team from the room where they had been imprisoned, was small and petite. Her name was Jenna Vilk. She produced a couple of coin like objects and they enlarged into big metal disks. She flung them at the machine guns and they blew up. She then went along killing guards with them.

The other man produced a long wooden cane. His name was Riley Beavers.  He walked fast with it, swinging and jabbing at guards. He swiftly dodged a guard with a sword and clicked his fingers. A shard of blue light sparked and the man turned to dust. Cameron spotted it and he laughed.

‘That man might not know it, but he’s our ticket out.’ he thought to himself.

Gabrielle sprouted her wings and took to the sky. She ducked and dived attacking numerous guards, kicking and punching. Her scarlet red hair matched her wings. She dodged bullets, but was unfortunate to get hit by one just under the shoulder, right where her wing connected to her body. She dropped to the ground like a ton of bricks.

Kurt snapped a man’s neck and grabbed his gun. He started shouting and shooting, almost instantly.

The second woman took out two whips and whipped three oncoming guards.  Her name was Emily Aramid.  She choked another one and dodged a bullet. She glanced at the man with the cane. She was attracted to him but felt sorry for him at the same time. They had burned his eyes out with acid. He was blind now, but he could see through vibrations in the ground, he could also control plasma energy the one he was killing people with.

The numbers of guards reduced dramatically. There were barely a hundred left. Cameron made his way over to Riley. He said:

“Son we got to get outta here”, he continued, “I need you to create a ball of energy like the one you blew up in the tunnel. Can you do that?”

Riley looked up at him. His sockets were empty. Cameron nodded and said “I know what they did. But it doesn’t matter, I’ll get you a pair of eyes, they won’t work but I know you can see because of the vibrations.”

Riley looked taken back “Thanks mister. How do you know? I know you’re invisible too.” He continued “I’ll do it.”

He snapped his fingers out and a ball of energy exploded from them. It blasted towards the remaining soldiers and they turned to ash instantly. Everyone cheered. They were safe.

****

With everyone acquainted, Jesse and Wolfie dressed and back to human form, Cameron stood up. There were back in the old abandoned ware house they had set up their base in years ago. It got reactivated but shut down again. It was full of wooden crates and other items. The team had split and went separate ways about a year ago, and when they heard word of Arsenic being captured, they decided to get back together to break him out.

“So”, Cameron said happily “We made it”, everyone cheered, “and” he continued, “The teams back together, and with five new members as well, not a bad day.” He nodded. “And I would like to make a toast”, He said taking his wine glass “To the Imaginary Fiends!”

~ Flame

The Purple Rose of Glittah!

*Please note. This is a Purple Roses story that takes place shortly after the current story takes place. This is dedicated to Legolas.

The winter sun shone brightly on the blond curls of Legolas as she walked through the streets of London giving her an angelic appearance. Stylishly dressed in a trench coat she became the focus of many wondering eyes. She was on a mission though and didn't take any notice of the double takes she was getting. Instead she adjusted her sun glasses and frowned a bit. Someone had told her that London was usually foggy and cold this time of year. Clearly they lied. While it was somewhat chilly it was nothing to the December winters back home in Connecticut. There was not even snow here. Nor was their any fog. The Christmas lights that decorated the town looked odd and out of place in the unusual weather.

“So much for the land of Sherlock Holmes.” She muttered disappointed.

She loved mystery and on a day like today there was no hint of mystery anywhere.

“Focus, Legolas.” She breathed softly trying to remember the whole point of her being there in London.

It was she who had been selected by the Board of Purple Roses to fly to England to recruit another member. At Christmas time. The usual English agents who did the missions in the U.K were all busy on another important assignment or on break.

Legolas casually slipped out from her bag the photo of the girl she was to recruit. Genesis Aggelos. The picture showed a girl with soft blond hair framing the delicate face of a classic English beauty. It had been recently discovered that the girl possessed many talents and abilities the agency sought. Trouble was, other agency's wanted her too. The Purple Roses had to get to her first.

Lego felt her heart quicken and hastily put the picture away. But she could not get the image out of her mind of those glorious intelligent eyes. What was this strange pull she was feeling? She had not even met this girl yet,. Legolas reached the front steps of a town home and took another deep breath. It was time to be professional. The others where counting on her.

She quickly pulled her face into a professional friendly smile and was about to knock when the door was opened and SHE was standing there.

Genesis posed there for a moment with a mild surprised look on her perfect face. It looked like she had been heading out for a meeting some place else.

“Miss Aggelos?” Legolas inquired politely with a slightly raised eyebrow.

“Yes. That's me.” She responded, an look of dawning understanding unfolding across her features. “You must be Legolas. The agent from the Purple Roses. You are early.”

Legolas gulped feeling slightly outdone by the brilliant smile given by one Miss Aggelos.

“No.” She responded, somewhat flustered while trying to keep her professional voice. “I have the time right here. Three O'clock in the afternoon we are to meet right here. Agent Kallista even set the time for me.......”

Legolas let her sentence trail off and she faceplamed. Genesis laughed softly.

“It's noontime.” Genesis smiled. “Perhaps the jet leg has gotten you confused. It happens to everyone.”

“No.” Legolas muttered softly, vowing to get her hands around Kallista's neck when she got back. “It is purely my fault. In the last minutes before leaving to come here a fellow co-agent came to “help” me out. I should have double checked knowing who it was who helped me. I apologize.”

Legolas tried to keep the flush from spreading over her cheeks but it was too late. Things were not going good. Little did she know they were about to become worse.

“GET YOU FOUTUNE COOKIES! C'MON AND GET YOUR FOURTUNE COOKIES WHILE THEY ARE STILL AVAILABLE!” A street vendor cried out as he walked the streets.

His voice was oddly high pitched and sounded familiar.

“How strange.” Genesis murmured peering around Lego at the vendor on the street. “We usually don't get vendors of that sort anymore. Certainly not selling something so random. How curious.”

“Indeed.” Lego nodded trying to keep the strain from her voice. She needed to get to the vendor before things became more awkward.

“I am sorry Miss Legolas. I really must go now to my other appointment.” Genesis smiled. “I promise I will be back here at three O'clock and we can discuss our business then.”

Lego nodded and stepped aside for her.

“I look forward to it Miss Aggelos.”

Lego waited for just a few more moments before rushing down the steps and towards the vendor.

“Kallista Pendragon! What are you doing here?” Lego hissed at her softly.

“Well! Hello there little lady!” Kallista laughed with false bravado , nervously trying to maintain her disguise.

Lego looked on in disbelief at the getup Kallista was in. Wearing bright blue trousers with a matching shirt, a tie with the Hello Kitty trademark on it, a badly placed gray wig resembling that of an old balding man and a hairy thing under her nose which Lego presumed was meant to be a mustache. The worst think of the whole outfit was the sparkling rainbow suspenders Kallista was wearing. On second thought, the suspenders were really epic in Legos mind and she wanted them. Badly. But they did not work well with the rest of Kallie's odd disguise. Nothing worked well. But there was Kallista beaming at her proudly. The mustache started to slip off but Kallista didn't appear to notice.

“Hey! Lego!” She whispered in an over loud conspiratorial voice while leaning in close.”It's really me! Kallista!”

“Yes, Kallista.” Lego half turned away rolling her eyes as she sighed. “I called out your name. Remember?”

“Oh, yeah!” Kal responded, looking at Lego with admiration in her eyes. “You are REALLY good at this!”

“Yeah, sure.” Lego responded then asked in a low voice.”Why are you here?”

Kal masked her face into one of intense drama. “I came to warn you about the time. It is NOT the correct time.”

Lego faceplamed. Again.

“Yes. I found that out Kallista.”She muttered wearily. “ Did you REALLY come to England just for that?”

Legolas' phone vibrated just then and she looked down at the text message. It was from Lizzy.

“Hmmm..It appears you are on a training exercise in the art of disguise. I am suppose to be the observer in addition to my other duties.” She finished reading out loud in a dry voice. “Lizzy says you where suppose to come tomorrow.”

“But that's today!' Kallista insisted. “I checked the times myself.”

“Of course you did.” Lego muttered exasperated. “Hold on a minute Kal. I am going to text Lizzy.”

She wandered a few feet away while Kal opened up a fortune.

“Cool!” She heard Kal exclaim. “It says that I am going to meet a man in a uniform. I LOVE men in uniform!”

Lego shook her head and turned away and began to text. So involved in her conversation with Lizzy she didn't notice the commotion behind her right away. When she did, her jaw dropped open and she groan inwardly. Oh WHY did she have to be stuck with Kallista?

A London policeman stood there questioning Kallista. Lego suspected a local resident had noticed the unusual activity outside their home and had called the cops.

“What is you name sir?” The cop was asking again, politely but firmly.

Kallista looked slightly panicked. Clearly she had not thought things through. Then she got that “Aha face” where she thought she could outwit another person. Lego wanted to run and hide.

“No! What's YOUR name?” Kal spoke in an exaggerated voice and tried to stand taller then the cop.

The cop was not amused.

“ I am the police Sir, and have been called to investigate a disturbance here. Unless you cooperate I will be forced to arrest you.”

“GUS!” Kallista blurted out suddenly, wild eyed.

The cop hesitated for a moment before speaking again. “Pardon me?”

“My name is Gus!” Kallista repeated as she smirked, proud of her “quick” thinking.

Lego sighed and begin texting again. No doubt the Roses where going to be busy getting Kallista out of another jam.

She was right. A moment later after “Gus” failed to produce a license for selling on the streets, Kallista panicked. Wildly she pointed above the police man's head and shouted.

“IT'S HARRY FIKKEN POTTER!”

He merely raised an eyebrow at her. Kallista made a weird grunting noise as she threw a handful of fortune cookies at the policeman and dashed madly off. It was yet another epic fail for Kallista's training. As the startled policeman took off after the oddly dressed “Gus” Legolas counted in her head the number of fails Kallista had just in the art of disguise. She lost count. She saw the man take out his radio and call for help.

Sighing she started walking in the direction that Kallista had taken off in. Casting one last lingering look back at Genesis's town home, she called Lizzy instead of texting. If Kallista made her miss this meeting, she was not sure she could forgive her.
“Let me guess. Kallista messed up again.” Lizzy's voice greeted her.

“She's being pursued by the local authorities now.” Lego confirmed grimly. “The scheduled meeting maybe delayed.”

“I have some agents nearby in Scotland on a mission. I will send them to help diffuse the situation immediately. Hang tight!” Lizzy replied then hung up.

Lego put her phone away, her mood getting bleaker just like the weather. What happened to the sun? It was getting chillier too. She glanced up at the sky to see the gray clouds rolling in blocking out the sun. Just a day till Christmas yet already the fifth day of Chanukah. It was a time to celebrate yet here she was far from home in the middle of yet another rescue mission to help Kallista.

Rounding the corner in a sprint she stopped suddenly at the mass of people who were gathered in the park square. Straining her eyes she searched the crowd for her wild insane friend. It was the police man she spotted first. He was with some friends by now and all of them cops. They were just beginning to surround the park when the mass of people broke into a song. It was a flash mob.

“Of course!” Legolas shook her head exasperated. “What next?”

She never should have said that.

Unable to get free from the mob where she had tried to hide, Kallista now found herself trapped with all the singing dancing people. The cops wisely hung back and waited for their prey to emerge. But Kallista saw them. Eying them crazily she did her best to blend in with the mob who were doing a sort of Scottish Highland dance. It was quite the spectacle; a supposedly older middle age man with rainbow suspenders, dancing strangely and out of sync. In horror Lego watched helplessly at what happened next. Trying to keep up with everyone, Kallista accidentally kicked the man in front of her. A series of events followed in quick succession. First Kallista's pants ripped when she did a weird leapy thing. Next the guy who was kicked fell into the next person who then fell into the next person creating a domino effect. In a matter of seconds everyone had fallen and the music had stopped.

The pedestrians who were watching gasped as soon the only one left standing was a weird looking older man with sparkling rainbow suspenders and torn pants; bright pink undies showing through the butt area. Kallista looked around uncertain and a bit sheepish and gave a sort of awkward wave. Then the clasps on the suspenders broke snapping Kallista in the face and her ripped pants drooped down around her ankles.

“Move in!” The cop close to Lego signaled the other cops.

Lego had to get to Kallista first! But the flash mob and pedestrians had other idea. Almost rising as one and with one mind, the enraged crowd of people stood and someone shouted.

“GET HIM!”

Kallista screamed crazily and began running as fast as she could, leaping out of the trousers as she did so. The policemen did their best to get through the crowd but there was no stopping the angry mob.

Lego stood there a moment stunned when she noticed something. One person remained behind from the mob. It was none other then Genesis. The beautiful blond was bending over the castoff remains of the pants, the rainbow suspenders still attached. Legolas approached her carefully.

“I did not know you would be part of the flash mob.” Lego remarked, surprised.

“Yes.” Genesis replied with a smile. “This was the appointment I had to leave for earlier.”

Genesis looked down at the suspenders.

“Looks like it can be fixed.” She said with a spark in her eyes. “I am glad. It's made with glitter and I just love glitter!”

“Really?” Lego replied, her eyes widening. “So do I!”

Gen raised her head and looked at Lego with a half smile.

“I think I might like you.” Genesis quipped.

Legolas laughed. The feeling was mutual.

“So you are an agent for the Purple Roses.” Genesis looked at her admiringly. It was a good feeling.

“That is correct. I see you read the brief synopsis I sent you.” Legolas responded, pleased.

“Yes, I did . I also saw the other offer from the other agency. But I think I like your offer better.” Genesis replied. “I feel that I am a better fit with your agency, that my talents will be utilized better there. Besides, I have a feeling that this is where I should be. I always trust my gut feelings.”

Lego smiled and nodded in approval. It was always best to trust your gut feelings.

A growing noise interrupted her interlude with Genesis. It was Kallista running back. The wig she had been wearing had fallen off long ago revealing a mass of knotted up black hair that stuck up everywhere.

Genesis and Lego watched open mouth as Kallista started running in slow motion with hands outstretched as if nearing the finishing point of a race. The theme from Chariots of Fire could be heard coming from her as she won her imaginary race. Then remembering she was being chased, she gave another shriek of terror and raced past Lego and Genesis.

“HELP ME!” She blurted as she streaked past. Then. “I'M STILL BEAUTIFUL!”

“Friend of yours?” Genesis cocked her head at Lego.

“Uh....er....I guess in a way....” Lego shoved her hands in her trench coat pocket.

Genesis only laughed. “I guess I definitely won't be bored with your agency!”

The mob reached them and then passed them, still in search of the flash mob wrecker.

“Should we help her?” Genesis asked.
“Help is already here.” Lego told her as she looked up, smiling.

From high up a helicopter appeared. Three figures dressed all in black with face masks dropped down form the helicopter. One person stayed just behind the mob while the other two took off in opposite directions. Just in time too, Legolas thought as she saw Kallista had stopped and was facing everyone.

Fireworks lit up the winter skies coming from the single hooded figure. The mob turned around and quieted down while watching the firework display.

Kallista too watched it open mouthed. “SO beautiful-”

She was cut off as one of the other figures in black came up behind her and grabbed her. Putting an arm around her waist the figure shot back up to the sky. When Lego looked again the other two men were beside them.

“We need to go now Lego.” Niall said.

Lego obediently grabbed hold of him even as he put his arms around her.

“You ready, Hellboy?” Niall asked his partner who was with Genesis.

“Hell, yeah! Let's go!” Was the enthusiastic reply.

Then they too were pulled back up into the helicopter.

Once in the helicopter, Lego moved to go sit near the front as it flew away. Kallista was there leaning her head on Octaboona's shoulder.

“My hero.” She murmured into his ear.

“My dear?” He whispered back.

“Yes?”

“You lost your trousers again.”

“Trousers are so overrated.” She smiled secretly.

Lego just stared.

“You planed this whole thing didn't you?” She accused Kallista in astonishment as realization struck her. “You knew ahead of time about Genesis, the flash mob, EVERTHING! You put this all together just to be rescued by Octaboona!”

Lego took a moment to glace incredulous at Genesis then back at Kallista who was suddenly asleep.

“Faker!” Lego sneered while shaking her head.

Kallista giggled and snuggled closer to Octa only to pause long enough to open an eye, wink then nod towards Genesis who was chatting with Hellboy.

All three of the boys had taken off their masks by then. Niall made his way towards the pilots chair where a lovely redhead was flying the helicopter.

Legolas took the opportunity to go sit beside Genesis who was still holding on to the rainbow suspenders.

“Here. I think you should have these.” Genesis said. “It's Christmas time. My present to you.”

Carefully Lego took the sparkling colorful suspenders and knew this would always be a treasured object. It had brought into her life a kindred spirit.

“Thank you Genesis.” Lego smile.

“Call me Gen.” She nodded.

Hellboy came back to them with a couple of glasses and some eggnog.

“Cheers you all!” He hugged them after he poured them the drink. “ MERRY CHRISTMAS and HAPPY CHANUKAH!”

They all raised their glasses except Kallista who was not allowed any eggnog.

“You get too insane!” Venice shouted back from the front over the noise of the helicopter. “Well, insaner!”

Kallista grumbled as everyone laughed. Legolas relaxed for the first time in a while. She was on her way home and as she looked outside, she saw it was snowing. The best part was that she was surrounded by her friends and the beginning of a promising new one. It was something to celebrate.

“I love you guys!” She smiled.

“We love you too!” Kallista launched herself at Lego in a hug.

As they both fell backwards off the seat, a small bottle of something fell from Kallista's breast pocket.

For a second they all looked at it blankly then Hellboy shouted. “IT'S ONE OF KALLISTA'S GLITTER BOMBS! DIVE FOR COVER!”

He dove madly away, covering his head as he did so. The others followed his example.

Then as if on cue the tiny bomb exploded covering Lego and Kallista with glitter.

“SURPRISE!” Kallista grinned. “MERRY CHRISTMAS, LEGOLAS! WE LOVE YOU!”