AN: It has been an unforgettable trip .. writing these stories from both the beginning and end of the AoM timeline. But will need to go on a hiatus now. Thanks to all the category authors, without you these would never have happened, as well as to all the readers / reviewers!

...

The sunset reflected off the small pyramid of beer cans and the repainted body of the Ka. It was still grey, but the bullet holes were all covered now. It was May now, and the trip had proceeded up to the west of Italy. Jo liked it more than France, somehow it was easier here to play a slightly dumb UK metalhead, and debate the locals on the merits of symphonic vs. harsher metal genres whenever they managed to spot a Rhapsody T-shirt, and were in the right mood.

The preferred route planning method had become apparent fast: stick to sparsely populated areas as much as possible. Not for security that much, but because the quiet was simply more pleasant. Finding a little used beach along the coast was always the best, like they had managed to do now.

The Ka was almost like a steel guardian watching over them, its tires partially embedded in the sand.

Jo sat in front of it, the cheap Squier electric in her lap, while Ian stood closer to the waterline, finishing his beer. It was almost odd to think that nothing was really wrong now, no existential threats or Agent missions waiting for them. Even the fake identities and the Ka's registration had stood to scrutiny; Vlad had done his work as expected.

The air was still; it would yet be pleasantly warm for some hours to come.

Seemingly from nowhere, a riff materialized in Jo's head and she began to play. It was a slow, tremolo picked black metal rhythm, something unusual for her.

The chords were Em – A5 – Csus – C5 – G5 – Hm, repeating over.

Ian turned to listen. "That sounds like Nargaroth."

Jo didn't know their entire discography as well as Ian did, but she thought it was not a direct copy of anything.

"I came up with it just now."

"Yeah, it's just very much like them. What's it about? Or did you think that far yet?"

Jo had only got as far as the melody. But now that she thought … she remembered the fearless "girl power" mission to the SCEPTRE observatory dome, which she and Gwen had managed with zero casualties. Except if the guards got executed later for their incompetence. Gwen had hacked the security log and rewritten it to look like the alarm had been caused by a "rat infestation." And now … only Jo was left to tell the tale. The mournful minor key riff was very fitting.

"Could be in Gwen's memory."

Ian came over to sit next to her.

"Yeah," he said.

"Fuck. Just before I was thinking like … how nothing's wrong. And now I wonder about Erik too. How is he doing? He hasn't taken contact yet."

Ian was quiet for a moment.

"It's OK. It's just something you can't avoid. I think he will contact us when he's ready. But now … do you want to hear something stupid to cheer you up?"

That kind of reply from Ian was as inevitable as the Ka trip itself.

"Go ahead."

Ian shifted closer, behind her, as he spoke. "Well, for the longest time I considered if it was possible to play guitar at the same time that you'd be in my lap. But then I concluded it's a physical impossibility. The guitar must be on you. You're the better player anyway."

Jo thought that put just in words that way, it was moderately stupid. But in her heart, especially right now, she found it hard to think of a better place to be. She leaned back, until she was practically using Ian as a pillow, and the Squier's neck was pointed skyward. She started playing four chords, strummed in a slow rhythm, repeating over and over: Dm – Am – C – G.

"That's definitely Nargaroth," Ian said slowly. "Zorn Des Lammes III, right?"

...

At the same time on the other side of the Atlantic

Her radio came to life, the male voice on the other end noisy and crackling, but just about decipherable.

"A troublemaker in the car park sublevel. Eyewitness saw him using a steel object, causing damage to the property. I believe you're closer."

"I'm on it," she responded.

Her late night shift (turning into morning) working security was just about to end, and now came this. She cursed inwardly. But a part of her longed for action, to get to actually apply violence. She descended the set of stairs and opened the steel door leading into the subterranean open parking space.

It didn't take long for her to spot the suspect. A tall, wide-shouldered man in a black leather jacket, his dark hair long and unkempt. He was swinging a heavy crowbar, trying to dent the steel dividing posts, as well as the concrete walls.

"Stop and drop the crowbar, hands where I can see them!" she shouted. She was already going for the Taser gun on her belt in case he wouldn't comply.

The suspect turned at her, his face oddly determined.

"I just wanted to see whichever breaks first, my arm, this bar, or the walls!"

She held the Taser in her both hands now and closed the distance, careful to not get too close. The response was as odd as the look on his face. If she was honest, it connected on a subconscious level. She could actually imagine herself in a state of mind that would lead her to do something similar.

"Not the place. You're damaging what's not yours. Now stop! Or I will use this."

"Go ahead."

She judged that it was useless to try to prolong this more. No matter how tough he was, he would not be a match for the high voltage. The response would be all involuntary. His jacket was open, and the wide chest would be an easy target, as long as he wouldn't dodge at the last instant.

She depressed the trigger, and the twin darts were propelled out along with their wires. She heard the steady crackle as the weapon began to feed out electricity, and it didn't take long for the man to fall on his knees, grunting in agony. The crowbar clattered to the floor next to him.

She walked cautiously just a little closer.

"Give me more," the man growled in a low voice that reminded her of death metal. More precisely anti-cosmic death metal, that her late boyfriend of sorts had liked to listen to.

To be honest, she was glad to comply. On the other hand, if she was being completely, hundred percent honest, she knew she was not fighting fair. To kick his ass physically would have been immensely more satisfying. But it could also have ended badly for her.

After the next prolonged jolt, the man did not ask for more, instead he just shook all over.

"Argh ... Listen, I understand now that I must test my strength somewhere private. Please don't detain me," he grunted.

"Rules are rules," she snapped back. Though the job was not that well-paying, she had little intention of losing it. It was a definite improvement over her previous, extremely shady employer.

"But even if you do, thanks for the experience. What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger."

She shook her head. This certainly was not your usual troublemaker. A part of her almost wanted to know him better, as absurd as it sounded.

She took a quick look around. The sublevel was still devoid of anyone else. As far as she could tell, the man had not smashed any of the few cars parked in here. Therefore, a crucial moral event horizon had not been crossed. She could, of course, just report back that the suspect had already vanished, and if she was lucky it would not come back to bite her.

"Can you walk?" she asked, as she knelt down to remove the embedded darts. The man grunted once more as she got them loose in a somewhat crude motion, then nodded silently.

She felt the familiar rush of adrenaline from doing the exact wrong thing. Paradoxically, that made it the right thing to do.

"Then go."

He stood up unsteadily. "I'm Erik, by the way."

This was crossing even more to doing the wrong thing.

"Kim."