DreamWorld
Xander and Artur stand side by side as Leon and Tegan are sitting against the speeder as Xander turns to Leon.
Xander: Rested and ready?
Leon: Hell yeah. Let's do this.
Xander: There is no turning back…
Tegan: We're in it to win it. To the end.
Leon: To the end.
Artur nods as Xander smirks and looks at the Conclave.
Xander: Let's do what we came here to do.
Elsewhere-Inferno Bar
Michael and Lucifer look up as they watch Kami, Blayde, and a battle hardened looking Valencia stroll back inside as she is clear of all scars except for one that went under the right eye and across the bridge of her nose.
Lucifer: That didn't take long…
Kami: You knew by sending us to the Rim that it wouldn't matter.
Lucifer: I did what I had to do. You lied to me.
Kami: You were never going to give me the coordinates.
Lucifer: True. I did not know them. But I knew who does...
Blayde: Lemme guess…
The three look to Michael who takes a sip.
Michael: I do. But I haven't decided whether or not I want to give it to you.
Kami: You know what's at stake.
Michael: The Paragon wishes to be left alone. I have given them my word that they should only be found once there is nothing left to…
Valencia: You're Michael right...the Archangel?
Michael looks at Valencia and smiles.
Michael: I am.
Valencia: You've seen what's happened. You know what's being attempted...why do you wish to see it get worse?
Michael seems taken aback as Lucifer grins.
Michael: I believe that the light shall always wash away the dark. I do not attest that the ones who stand opposed to you are destined to succeed unless you intervene.
Lucifer: An unfortunate trait he learned from our father, I'm afraid.
Michael: I am not convinced the Paragon needs to be bothered.
Valencia: What do you need to be convinced?
Michael finishes his drink and faces her.
Michael: I will take you. And only you. To view what you fear. And to see what comes to pass. Thank you for the drink brother. I will see you again.
Lucifer: Till then.
Michael stands and touches Valencia as the two disappear as Kami looks about.
Kami: What the fuck…
Lucifer: She'll be okay. Take a seat, let's have a drink.
Kami: We don't have time for this…
Lucifer: All we have is time. Nothing can be changed. You cannot get your Paragon unless Michael wants then to be found. Valencia stands to be the best chance you have. Drink.
Lucifer sets the bottle down as Blayde shrugs and grabs a chair as Kami grimaces and sits where Michael had just been sitting as Lucifer seems contemplative.
Reality
Ian leans against the wall as Courtney changes into a t-shirt and jeans as she smiles as Ian wasn't looking.
Courtney: You're more than welcome to get a peek in you know, boss.
Ian: You live to be a thorn, don't you.
Courtney: Gotta have fun when you can.
Courtney works her hair up into a ponytail as she smirks at him.
Courtney: I can handle myself…
Ian: Mario isn't some D.R.C thug. He's the best Untherer Orion Industrial has.
Courtney: You're the best…
Ian: I'm an old man who could at least slow him down. If he wanted to do something to you, he could.
Courtney: Geez, thanks.
Ian: I just want you to be mindful and alert around him. Even working together do not let your guard down.
Courtney: You're too good to me.
She comes over to him and gives him a cheek kiss.
Courtney: I can handle myself. But I'll keep what you said to heart. Promise.
Ian nods as he turns and heads out of the room as Courtney falls in behind him.
The two come back into the foyer of Winston's hideout as an A.N.N system is in the middle of the room as Ash was already jacked in.
Ian: Ash as your host?
Winston: Beat fighter we have b
Courtney: Where's…ahh. There ya are. How ya doing, Wes?
Wesley Johnson, a silent slender young man with long hair nods at Courtney as A large, bigger man comes over to Ian and extends a hand.
Ian: Braxton.
Braxton Gleeson smiles as he looks at Courtney and blushes.
Braxton: Boss... Courtney…
Courtney: Brax. You beautiful hunk of meat how ya doing?
Brax: Nervous.
Ian: Don't be. This is what we've been training for.
Winston: Exactly. Listen up, all of you.
Mario comes over next to Courtney as she sneers as Winston pushes his hands together.
Winston: We will do all we can to stop these terrorists and zealots from bringing down everything we've built, my family had built. Order. We are the order that stands amongst the tides of the chaos. We will be ready, we will be vigilant. And we shall show any and all who stand against Orion Industrial no mercy.
Braxton and Mario smirk as Courtney folds her arms and grins as Ian looks concerned as Wesley seems disinterested as Winston dials up his feed and begins to watch as Ian faces his team.
Ian: You know what to do once we get in there. Protect yourselves. Watch each other's backs. And do not engage Xander...leave him to me.
The three nod as they surround the others as Mario gets into his chair and adds the neural link as Braxton and Wes do the dame, the three eventually going limp as they enter the dream share as Courtney looks at Ian.
Courtney: Me and you going in all natural?
Ian: Brax and Wes could benefit from Ash's host control. You and I don't need that. We also need an element of surprise. We shall observe and join in when needed.
Courtney nods as she and Ian come and stand beside Winston as Winston watches the Agents mobilizing their defenses about the Conclave…
DreamWorld-Conclave
Ash directs a few Agents to mount some Brax and Wes come to him as he nods and shakes their hands.
Ash: Good to have you here.
Braxton: How many are we dealing with?
Ash: They way they make it sound like, should be an army. But I think it's only like three or four.
Brax: Doesn't seem likely.
Mario: You don't know Xander the way we do...we will not be ready for this. But we will do what we can and slow them down.
Ash: Nice to see you're confident, Mario.
Mario: Is the code secured?
Ash: It will be once we're…
Agent: They're here!! Main gate!
The alarms began to sound as Brax and Wes look over the front end wall as there was a trail of destruction leading out from the ridge as Artur puts his sword away as Xander stands before him as Tegan and Leon flank beside him as Agents begin to pour out, weapons raised as Ash looks at Mario as Mario nods.
Mario: Go. I'll take a squad and protect the code. The three of you so what you can to keep them out.
Mario heads off, grabbing any Agent that seemed listless as Ash nods.
Ash: Alright boys. Let's go have ourselves a parlay.
The three headed down as Michael and Valencia stand off in the distance, watching what was about to unfold with careful and wary eyes.
End of chapter