Disclaimer: I don't own OffBeat

AN: Time for more Finding. I would really love some more reviews. The last few times I've been so excited when I finished a chapter that I didn't respond to the reviewers at the top of the chapter. I'll start doing that again so I get some more feedback.

To my reviewers:

wonder1440: You have always been so cool. Thanks for keeping up with my story. Hmm, I wonder who lives and who doesn't. Hmm...

Zen-yuu: Yay a new reviewer. Yep I saw your review and it made me pull up my half-completed chapter 15 and start writing again. Tory and Colin are so cool and cute, I almost feel bad for putting them through all this.

julia: Thanks. I will definitely write more, enjoy.

Chapter 16: Midnight Sun

Rockets roared and Tory could feel the helicopter sway with the force of the explosion and then again at another. The armor hull creaked in protest to the shock waves. Tory looked around confused about the source for a moment until he saw a fireball through the window and heard the soft pelting of debris against the hull of their own chopper.

"Someone fired on their own," came their pilot. "I don' know who it was, but I have an idea. Hold on, someone is trying to talk to me. I'll patch it through."

Their headsets clicked and another voice joined them "...I tried to delay them as long as possible. I'm chopper ID SH-156. Request help..."

"I didn't know he got onto a chopper, he was supposed to stay at base," their pilot said.

Colin stood up. "How many guys do we have out there," he asked.

"Two, him and me. Thats all. Everyone else is enemy. Eleven count."

"Okay, turn around, we have to save him." Colin said.

Ramirez was stunned, "Colin, child, it is two against eleven. It is far more important that we stay ahead of them and survive right now."

Colin snapped, "I'm not talking to you. Be quiet." Colin grabbed a support strap from the roof as the helicopter swayed a bit. "Whats your name?" The firing started again. This time it was further away. The other chopper was in trouble.

"Don't tell me you forgot my voice already buddy."

"Nathan?...it's you isn't it?...How? Then that must be Hank. You know we have no choice then." Colin said.

"Colin..." Nathan said as the sound of another explosion rocked the chopper.

Tory, as usual, did not have a clue about what was going on, but he could easily tell that time was not on their side. He broke in. "Don't worry I'll help. Just do it now or he dies." Tory got up as well and took Colin's free hand, placing his other hand in the support strap. I mean I hope I can help.

Nathan saw the formation closing on radar. Somehow he already knew what his decision would be even before he stepped into the chopper, before he had even Colin's face or heard his brother's voice on the radio. See you on the other side buddies. I'm so sorry it came to this, Nathan silently told himself. God forgive me for what I am about to do. His homage was done. "Alright. Can't argue with the spirit of the Earth, lets save him."

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

20 minutes earlier

Second Lieutenant Hank Myers followed his younger brother's chopper closely, trying to stay ahead of the lead. His gunner behind him held the trigger nervously. Orders were flying around. "This is command, awaiting confirmation of defection. Pursue targets and await further orders."

"I can't believe old Nathan would do that." Gunnery Sergeant Nicolas Craft said to his pilot.

"Listen Nick, he had a good reason. I want you to do this one favor for me when the order to fire comes. I want you to hit the ground and call misfire. Thats all I'll ever ask of you buddy. I'm going to call the favors from before man. All those times... just please do this for me. Just buy some time."

"Hank...man I can't fire on old Nathan, thats just fucked up. Sure man I'll do it like you said. Misfire to the ground."

Almost immediately then, the order came through. "Please engage rouge chopper BH-2803." A simple request. Clear and precise. They were just incidentally informed that it was time to murder Hank's brother. The decision must have taken thirty seconds to filter through.

Hank cut in and swooped in closer, putting himself between the lead and his brother. "Roger, engaging." He said and kissed the cross he wore around his neck. His gunner fired then and the missile launched out straight towards the black hawk. Less than a hundred feet from the chopper, it veered down and hit the trees. Hank's heart was in his throat.

"The missile veered on its own! Repeat, they moved the missile." Nicolas yelled through the comms. Hank could see that Nick had moved the targeting beam at the last second. That was damn dangerous. The autotrack could have failed

"Craft, are you sure? Red two, try again." asked their operational commander.

"Sir! They lost altitude. If we fire now, we'll hit civilians. Suggest we wait until they leave urban airspace." Nicolas said.

"Roger. All units, pursue out of the city. Red one through three will flank right, six through nine flank left. Lets chase them out of Newark. Heading 270." Hank mentally noted that if they survived, he owed Nick whatever he fucking wanted.

After that the going was slow and nervous. As one of the flankers, Hank knew that they would not be taking the second shot when it came. The formation they flew now would not even allow Hank to have a view of the target. He was sure it was intentional. Nobody was a big enough of an idiot not to see that he would want to protect his brother, just nobody was saying anything. Hank filed away those worries for later.

Taking note of his location, Hank saw that the houses were starting to spread out a bit now, it would not be long before a second attack came. It was then that his brother's chopper's comms system came alive in his headset. "This is first lieutenant Nathan Myers. Please, just listen." What followed was a fantastic story. If hank had not seen and heard what he had, he would have thought it was nonsense. Twenty seven army dead. That made it real enough for Hank.

In his ten years in the marines, Hank had never thought of defecting. He was loyal to the bone and had gone in and out of combat countless times with his brother and the rest of his squadron. Two and a half years ago, his brother was pulled from the unit and was assigned as the Marine Corp/NSA liaison attached to the Musen agreement. It was a promotion. He was given an officer rank and flown to Europe where the job was simple. He had to keep a military eye on the Musen projects and was ordered to terminate if they went beyond the protocol or if they became a matter of national security.

During the two years working with Musen, Nathan had grown attached to the project. He felt sorry for the kid Colin as he suffered through the treatments. Guarding him was the hardest part. His job was to "terminate" this boy that looked reminded him of his own. Somewhere along the line he decided that he would make the boy's life as comfortable as possible in that cold Musen facility.

They shared food and stories on Colin's time off which was never long and a friendship grew between the two. Nathan began to see him as his second son and Colin came to think of him as his surrogate father. More than once, Nathan had pulled some string to keep Colin safe.

When Colin turned fourteen, the NSA asked Musen to move Colin stateside for security purposes and off he went. Nathan was supposed to stay and keep intel on Musen in Europe, but Nathan immediately applied for a transfer and by an act of God, the stretched thin military granted it. It took Hank a lot longer. His entire unit was transferred stateside to shore up the Northeast Coastal Defense after a review by some organization found that the northeast was particularly vulnerable to terrorist attack.

As soon as Musen became a target, his unit was activated and again they were launched into war, just this time, stateside. Nathan was called back to NSA's regional command center. Some good men lost their lives in the NSA before Hank's squadron was called, but for Hank, it was good seeing his brother again after two years. It was midday that a full army squad was ordered to track, trap, and capture Colin and the boy he traveled with. Twenty seven on the easiest mission in the world. Hank remembered joking in the lunch room with Nathan and Nick about how he would probably be sent back to base that afternoon when this was all over. Nathan was tense though, and he told Hank how much he was worried about the boy's safety. Hank laughed and assured him that they had tranq darts and there was zero chance they would open up on the boy.

Thats when the report came in. Six casualties. Six good men died catching two unarmed teenagers. There were no wounded either which everyone found a bit disturbing. In any case, they had succeeded in the capture. Mission completed. It was not fifteen minutes later, a second report came in. The targets had escaped. There were no survivors this time. Things became very real after that. Hank's captain brought the rest of the squad from base to compliment the three marine choppers already stationed at NSA. Hank was to stay and run liaison between the air squad and NSA for the captain. While the rest of the squad arrived and got ready for combat. Nathan ran out of the room then to find the comms center.

What Nathan did not know when he took the black hawk was that Hank was reassigned at the last minute to fly NSA's own special ops comanche with Nick. The captain stayed back himself and left a different captain, a new addition, in charge of the squadron. Nathan was rash, Hank remembered that he was always this way. Without warning he joined their squad as red thirteen. Everyone accepted the addition of their old comrade without issue. Hank was ecstatic being on a mission with his brother for the first time in over two years. All of that was shattered when, again without warning, he landed right outside the target and took off with the boys.

Now there they were about to attack again. He could almost feel the squadron leader getting ready to order them to fire again on their own old squad mate. His brother. The order came in crystal clear. "Red four and five, move in on the target and fire at will."

"Sir! That my brother in there." Nathan found himself yelling. Both helicopters hesitated.

"Red Two, that chopper holds a threat to national security."

"No one fire! Don't kill Nate!"

"I know how you must feel, but twenty seven people died today and I'm not going to have a repeat in this squadron. Your lives and national security have to come first."

"No. We can't. You can't just sit there and tell me to watch Nathan die." Hank yelled.

"He's right captain, we can't fire on him. We're going to have to wait until they land." It was Nick.

"I am giving everyone ten seconds before I do it myself. You are treading on dangerous ground Meyers." the captain said. No one made any move.

"So thats how it is. I guess I will have to do this myself. For the honor of the marines, I will stand up and protect this country and avenge the deaths of the heroes who died today." the captain drew back and pointed his chopper at the black hawk guns and missiles on the ready. That second drew out. Hank knew the next second would see his brother dead. It was the pivotal moment of his life. This single moment was all that mattered or would matter from now on. Hank acted without thinking. He rolled his chopper behind Red One and unleashed the turreted guns on his own captain. Immediately, two explosions ripped through the shopper as its fuel tanks were hit. No one kills my little brother, thought Hank as he watched the chopper fall to the ground in pieces. In a surreal peace, Hank felt righteous and vindicated.

"Hank. Hank! What did you just do? They are going to kill you now. Kill me!" Nicked shrieked.

That reality hit him then. "I..I. I killed him."

"Thats right man you did, now what?" Nick asked. Hank made no answer. "Well, I can't say it wasn't stupid, man use your head. I just want you to know that I'm with you. Not only because your brother, but those kids don't need to die. I believe in your brother, he is the finest solider I have ever known," Nick said. "If any of what we heard on the radio was true, we should be protecting those kids instead of trying so hard to try to kill them."

The radios crackled, "This is the commanding captain of the 135th Sabers. Given recent events, Red Two is ordered to de-alititude immediately. Red Five through Twelve will pursue and destroy the target and Red Three and Four will guard Lieutenant Myers and Sergeant Craft."

"No!" Hank yelled.

"Don't make me give the order to shoot you down, you will get yours in court," the captain spat.

Nick spoke up then, "Captain, don't you get it, we will all die if we destroy that chopper."

"Nonsense. Sergeant, they are threat to all of us. Thirty dead so far. For the soldiers who died and are yet to die we must end this now. They are America's enemy. You all know what you need to do, what you were trained to do. De-altitude immediately lieutenant. That act of murder makes you an enemy of America as well."

Hank hesitated. Nick spoke up, "I'm with you. To the end."

Hank opened a channel to the black hawk then, "Nathan, listen to me. I tried to delay them as long as possible. I'm chopper ID SH-156. Request help."

"Last warning lieutenant. There is an F-22's en route that will definitely listen to orders if three and four don't. Whether its right now or in pieces, you will on the ground." Hank did no respond. His palms were drenched in sweat under his gloves. Seconds past. Hank could here his own heartbeat. Red Three and Four moved in. Hank knew the order was given. Now his radio was cut off from the rest. It was his last chance. Hank didn't know what he should do, what he could do. Nick, Nate, two boys and his own life were hanging right there on the line in front of him. The world or red squad. Hank had decided.

"Fire at will." Hank said to his gunner.

"See you on the other side of hell buddy," and the war began.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Colin focused his abilities for the fifth time. It was getting more natural. His range and speed were improving. The dreamlike frames of death and agony that accompanied his first experience smoothed out and gave him the ability to see beyond the walls of the helicopter. It was a skill he had once used when he took down the convoy. Not two hours since he killed so many, Colin was living up to the name of Lethe, the goddess of death. He felt shame holding Tory's hand evn while he focused on the lead chopper killing the pilots immediately.

"Colin, get the second chopper after Hank, I'll swing around and take out the one coming in from the right" Nathan said.

"No good, he's out of range. Move closer, I'll watch our flank." Colin said.

"Roger." The helicopter swooped pivoting on a dime and flew back on their course. The battle had turned dogfight now. Colin killed a second leaving nine. Hank was swinging around with Red Four as three more choppers left the Nathan's black hawk to assist. The remaining five went after them.

Hank's chopper was the now canceled advanced comanche helicopter. Only fifty were ever produced. It became the NSA/DHS's own homeland defense vehicle. It's abilities far outweighed a standard marine cobra helicopter about two to one. As good as it was, it wasn't going to out fight four to one. Hank, saw the incoming choppers and set his sights on Red Four firing rounds from the gun turret. The cobra dodged and followed with a round of rocket fire to which Hank rolled to the left out of harm's way. Nick fired his own rockets and hit the target sending the cobra barreling. Eight left. No damage so far. Four more of his comrades dead.

Nathan pushed up the throttle and gained altitude, pulling back on his stick so one pursuing chopper flew beneath him. Colin took care of it and another coming in from the right. The sound from a choppers hitting dirt echoed a few seconds later. Nathan had problems keeping from being hit by the pilotless choppers barreling at them from the right. He pulled his stick back and to the left as hard as it would go. The downwash from the blades rocked the black hawk as Nathan barely avoided it. Six left.

More fire echoed from the black hawk's own guns, but were easily avoided and answered with fire by two cobras approaching from both flanks. Bullets riped through the midsection of their chopper as Hank dodged a rocket from the right. The bullets were piercing through the armor plating flew through the cabin around Tory and Colin. One hit Dr. Ramirez flat in the chest, exploding it. Tory knew he was dead beyond even his own power. Tory felt so useless amidst the carnage. He let go of Colin and ran to Ramirez stumbling over the seats and focused as best he could. Remarkably the doctor stated to heal, his chest closed up and in seconds he looked fine despite the blood still staining his shirt. He was still very dead though. Tory knew it. Dead is permanent. He could not change that.

Colin meanwhile killed the pilot from the chopper on the left and the gunner in the chopper on the right. The firing silenced. He was unable to keep this pace up. He was really pushing himself against his limit. Projecting his power was draining him and he was starting to feel very sick. Still he fought on.

"Finish the one on the right. Quickly before he gets in range with his guns." Colin ordered. Nathan turned the sluggish chopper and finished the gunnerless chopper with their own rockets moments before the pilot opened up.

It was too late when Colin noticed the last chopper coming in at the same time."I can't reach it, behind us! I can't reach it!" Colin yelled. Nathan knew this was it. In his bones he knew. He could sense it. Somehow he felt the inevitability of it as he slowly turned his craft and tried to doge what was soon to be a rain of steel. A barrage of missiles and bullets launched towards them from the rear. No maneuver, no strategy would stop it. The best he could buy was one second. One second remained between them and death.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Hank saw it all happening. He watched the flankers circling in He saw them fire on his brother. He saw the single chopper circle behind to deliver the death blow. All the while he pushed his comanche as fast as it could go leaving his three pursuers in the dust. No matter how he pushed, he could not get in range in time. He saw the helicopter turn and aim.

This was it. Again he saw everything on the line before him. It was his choice who would live or die. One moment to make a decision.

"Do it. I'll see you on the other side," Nick said and the cobra fired.

No more time left. Hank covered the last thirty yards in a moment and pulled up between the two choppers and cut into the rain of bullets.

An explosion ripped the comanche apart as the rockets made contact an instant later.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

"God no Hank..." Nathan whispered.

Tory saw all this. It overwhelmed him. So many died in one day all around him. Still through it all his hands remained so clean. Everyone was sacrificed to protect him. It was too much. Colin murdered for him, Nathan murdered for him, Hank murdered and died for him. No, this can't be real. I can't let this keep happening. I have to do something. I can't let anyone else die. I can't let it happen again.

Tory mind was racing even as the four choppers around them came in to finish the job. No more. No more sitting around helpless. No more fucking loss, no more murder. No more pointless sacrifices. No more waiting for the world to end or make sense. Tory stood up. "No more!" Tory yelled."You hear me Gaia, I said no more. I'm stopping this now. Whether you are going to help me or not. This ends now!"

A light glowed and emanated from Tory then. Colin saw it. It looked to him like the silhouette of an angel; his red hair reminding him of fire. The light pierced the cabin and made everything dim by comparison. Tory could now feel could feel Gaia's strength coursing through him. He could hear her with him. Tory could see it all now. The whole battle field was visible to him. Four. No five. There is one coming in from the sky. Tory closed his eyes and focused. Thank you. Gaia, you wont be sorry you picked me. Give me all that you are right now. Tory felt the power. It was all there at his will. He understood it now. He looked up at the dark clouds overhead and felt the presence behind them. Lethe, you just watch me. It's all over now.

It was a wind. It began soft and warm. It turned the snow to rain as it blew. Soon it picked up speed and began to rotate gently around the helicopter. Faster and faster it blew churning up the ground below them. It grew fast still and drew the clouds into the growing cyclone. Starting out small, the cyclone grew outward and quickly consumed the four choppers blowing them around, but not killing the pilots. Tory was delicate, his power was great enough to protect everyone. The task easy.

"Fucking awesome! You have no idea how awesome this is." Tory said.

The F-22 pilot saw the malevolent storm and when the orders came to all fire on the growing cyclone, he did so willingly. Tory saw the missiles and bombs approaching and dismissed them with a thought, causing them to hit the ground harmlessly. Easily he twisted the air further so that the aircraft could approach no closer. Hank and Nick had ejected, Tory now saw. They were caught in the wind, but okay. Tory molded the air so they could land safely and healed their injuries.

The military was no longer a threat, but it was not enough. Tory felt the storm seeping in from the north all around the world. Now he would focus. He concentrated all his power and extended his wind as far as it would go. Around the wold it went and combined with Gaia's effort and beat back the storm. Slowly but steadily the clouds moved towards the highest north. Mile by mile, Lethe was beaten back. Faintly Tory felt her scream in rage. Her vow of vengeance resonated in the wind.

"Nathan, your brother and his friend are safe, but there something we need to do. I need to go to Antarctica. Can you make this happen?" Tory asked.

"He's alive? I really owe you one." Nathan said.

"He ejected a split second before his chopper got hit, he would have survived on his own. About Antarctica..." Tory said.

"Hank you sly dog. Yeah Antarctica, I just need a jet. I'll fly over to Maguire, its close." Nathan said. "Before we go, can we pick them up?"

"Sure. Let me deal with the choppers real quick." Tory focused again forced the choppers to the ground and twisted their blades once they had touched down.

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Maguire Air Force Base was fifteen minutes away by helicopter. The air was warm and the clouds were gone when they touched down. The clear sky revealed rays and waves of orange and deep red scattered over the horizon as sun dipped lower. The winter twilight was unabashedly beautiful. Unfortunately, the moment was tainted and wasted by the trails of the day. With the night came more battles, and, Tory feared, more death.

Picking up a transport was easy enough. Tory made it impossible for anyone to approach or point a weapon at them. Tory knew that he was forgoing rescuing his parents again. He regretted that even now he could not spare the time to help them. For everyone's sake, he put his family on hold once again and focused on what needed to be done.

The five of them took off while Tory provided a generous tail wind. Ten thousand miles and six hours to go. It was the only peace they would have. No aircraft or missile could catch their pace. Colin fell asleep almost immediately. Tory got used to using his powers enough that he was able to sleep as well. A stable stalemate formed between Gaia, Tory, and Lethe. All three were spent and resting for the coming battle that would surely decide the fate of the future.

In the plane, the two boys cuddled as best they could in the military seats as Hank and Nathan flew them south. Nick was on the comms trying to figure out what the Pentagon was doing.

War with Musen, with the east, was culminating into a greater battle then anyone had anticipated. The United States was firm in its resolve to destroy the Gaia Project. Musen was likewise as firmly resolved to protect it as they weaponized it. Like the battle over New Jersey, the results of the Gaia research had created a formidable enemy the military was unable to equally match. Even without the power of Colin, Musen was able to hold its own and with the support of a rouge military force they had attracted, the battle was drawn into its forth hour. With the initial strike a failure, the military retreated to await reenforcement and formulate a second, hopefully decisive, wave.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Friday 6:58 AM EET(Eastern European Time)

The sun was just making itself known as Tory woke up. He could see the dark hues of blue were giving way to the the shades of day through the window. Tory felt disoriented and looked at his watch. It was a minute before midnight. Just six hours since New Jersey. The midnight sun. Colin stirred on Tory's shoulder and Tory could not help but feel his heart melt. Colin's beautiful body was curled up on his at perfect peace reminding Tory of the time he caught Colin sleeping in the library. The moment was perfect. No matter that Colin had cut off his circulation in an arm and his bladder protested any delay. Tory watched Colin sleep a few minutes more, before he finally relented.

Tory turned and kissed him lightly on the forehead. "Colin. Wake up, we're almost there," Tory whispered.

Colin stirred a bit more and Tory used his free arm to stroke his hair "Come on sleepy, we have to save the world." Colin woke slowly and smiled at the sight of Tory smiling sweetly at him. Love filled his heart.

"Kiss me Tory." Colin purred and Tory did so.

"Tory, if you're up, Hank needs to talk to you," Nick said from the row of seats behind him.

"Kay, one sec, bathroom," Tory said as he scampered off dragging the dead weight of his arm with him.

"Hey Colin, are you okay?" Nick asked.

"Yeah." Colin responded.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm fine," Colin said back getting a bit annoyed.

"Hey, its none of my business, but I saw how you were. You could barely move from the chopper to your seat. I'm just trying to make sure.."

"Just drop it. I'm fine." Colin wasn't going to let the man question his health now.

Nick was not phased. "Alright buddy. Look, I'm no good with kids, I was never sensitive enough to deal with their hormones so I'm going to tell you straight. You need to tell us exactly what you are capable of so when we go into whatever hell awaits us we will know exactly what our options are. So if you're good to go, great, but if you are hurt, exhausted, wounded or not fit for whatever reason, you better say something now because I sacrificed my team, my career, and my nation today and if I'm going to sacrifice my life, I damn well know beforehand."

Colin just stared at Nick. For a minute they just locked eyes, neither willing to relent. A teenager staring down a combat veteran and a combat veteran staring down a boy he had watched kill half his air wing. Tory came back down the aisle holding his arms as pins and needles shot through his nerves. "What's going on?" he asked.

"Nothing," Colin said before Nick could answer. Nick simply turned his head and shrugged at Tory. Colin turned back in his seat and offered nothing else.

Tory knew something was up, but decided to deal with it later. "Oh...um, I'll go see what Hank wanted."

When Tory was out earshot Colin said, "I can't use it."

Nick's eyes went wide. "What?" Nick asked.

"My powers, I can't use them. I need more time or something. It hurts to focus. I don't... I don't know if it'll ever..." Colin was getting a little hysterical and choked up on the last few words.. Nick put his arm on Colin's shoulder. Colin melted under it. No one but Tory touched him in Colin's recent memory. While he preferred it to be Tory behind him at that moment, a part of him liked a more mature person to support him right then. "I have to. I can't let Tory down. I have to protect him. He wouldn't be in any of this if it wasn't for me."

Nick had no idea what the right words were right then. This was not Hank. There was no history here. This was some kid he had never spoken to opening his heart to him. Nick had to say something though. "You saw Tory, he's pretty powerful right now. Maybe he'll be the one to protect you this time."

"You don't understand." Clearly Colin was correct.

"Well, what am I missing then?" Nick asked.

Colin sighed and looked thoughtfully at the ceiling, compiling his thoughts into words. "He doesn't kill. Tory, I don't think he can kill anything. He is all love and heart and sure he gets angry sometimes but he is so forgiving and caring and I won't let anything change that. If I can't be there for him, he'll have to become a murderer just like me. Besides, the way his powers are, I don't think he could end this war alone. Someone will need to deliver a death blow. That someone needs to be me." Colin said.

"Colin, just tell Tory, we'll figure out whats going to happen.." Nick said.

"I know what needs to happen. I just need to be strong. I just need to keep fighting for him.." Colin said. He doubled his effort then to hold back tears that were threatening to form. He could not show Tory a weakness. Not now, not ever. "Just don't say anything." Colin paused and looked Nick right in the eye to make sure there was no mistake."Or I'll make sure you regret it." Taking his hand off Colin's shoulder, Nick weighed the threat and decided to wait for now.

The cockpit door opened and Nathan and Tory came through. Nathan spoke as he came down the aisle, "Tory gave us the landing coordinates and I wanted to make sure we all know that its not going to be a little difficult to land on the ice. We are about twenty minutes out at this speed so we are going to need a battle plan ASAP."

Tory broke in, "Colin, up until now, you've been fighting without any real help from Gaia. We are going to need to address that first because the way you have been until now, you'd pass out if you tried to do what you did at New Jersey."

"So what are we up against exactly, Tory?" Nathan asked.

"Lethe is up there. She physically lives about fifty feet below the surface as a pseudo spirit/persona according to Gaia. She's pretty powerful, at least as powerful as me, but there are limits. Her powers work a little like Colin's, but much more. While Colin can kill, she can not only kill, she can turn the elements against us. Since I woke up, I've been fighting her with Gaia. Thats whats going to make landing so hard. I'm sure I can handle it as long as we don't get too close. Which means that we need to cover some distance on foot. For now I'm having us go as fast as I can so I don't get drained before I get there."

"Pretty cold out there." Nick remarked. "Without gear, you wouldn't last fifteen minutes."

"You have no idea. She would kill us instantly if we just walked up to here." Tory said. "Thats why its going to just be me and Colin out on the ice. Combining our abilities will give us our best chance. More people is more to worry about. If we lose the plane or our pilots, we'll die anyway so I need everyone else to stay here."

"What if it doesn't work?" Nick asked. "What if the power fails or something?"

"Then we die. I don't know what to tell you. Thats it. We just have to trust it." Tory said. "Now Colin. I don't want you to worry about it okay? Don't do anything until the moment is right. I'll protect you until then." Colin only nodded. The finer points of the plan were being discussed, but Colin was unable to focus. He was feeling conflicted. Somewhere along the line Tory went from being the victim to being in charge. Now that Colin thought about it, Tory had always been calm and collective. All that time and energy that Colin spent hiding the truth from Tory only ended up hurting him, but when he told him it all, he handled it with no problem. When Colin got emotional, Tory was always able to diffuse the situation. When it seemed that all was lost, Tory always seemed to come up with a plan. When Colin's feelings were twisted by Dr. Reed, it was Tory who took control and stood up to him. Now Tory was more powerful than Colin too. So powerful, he didn't need to kill. He had protected the both of them without hurting anyone. Effortlessly at that. He was so powerful indeed that he had come out of all the mess that he had been through with a plan to survive and end it all. Here Colin was babbling about protecting Tory and even threatening people who were worried for him when he had no power anymore. He was just a dead weight dragging Tory behind. He had always been dragging him into situations, but now, he would finally drag him to death and there was nothing Colin could do to protect let alone support anyone. What made it worse was that Tory, through it all, still loved him. Colin felt lower than dirt then.

"Tory," Colin said. He could not bring his eyes up to meet Tory's.

"Yes love? Something wrong?" Tory said.

Love. "I...um.. I can't use my powers. I tried and.."

"Oh. One second. I can heal you. I didn't know you were that bad off. I though you were just tired." Tory said. Not three seconds later Tory said, "there. Try it again. Don't hurt anyone though."

Colin focused and he felt his abilities and instead of the headache that accompanied his last trials, he was relieved to feel power flowing freely through him. It was even stronger than before with all the time it went unused and how practiced Colin was getting.

"How is it?" Tory asked.

"Better than ever." Colin looked up and saw Tory's warm smile. The sunlight through his red hair resembled a glowing halo. Beautiful. Colin felt so ashamed. "I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for. I told you already. Like three times. Lethe attacked you I think. She attacked your powers. I had to fend her off to heal you. Just tell me if it happens again. I can't sense when stuff is wrong with you for some reason." Tory said. Colin nodded again. He forgave me instantly. How can someone be so amazing? If I can't protect him, then the least I can do is always love him. I can do that much. Besides, he makes it so easy to love him.

"Thanks." Colin said and Tory responded by kissing his forehead causing the other teen to blush. "Can we go over the plan one more time please. I think I missed the last part. Something about a cave right?"

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Nothing lived in the realm of Lethe, the Bringer of the Cold and the Dead. Nothing had for millions of years. No microbe, no stray penguin, no scientist, no adventurer, no aircraft. Her power was far too weak to spread the death over the world due to Gaia's four billion year lead, but for three miles from her cave, Lethe kept her realm entirely sterile, ironically, except her own life.

After one hundred and thirty two million years, three months, seven days, two hours, and nine minutes, her sterile peace remained intact. It was only now that Lethe was forced to draw back her guard. Only now was she forced to save her power and allow life to trespass.

Gaia

The war had come to this. A stalemate had been broken. Gaia had created her foot solders and sent them on the march. Closer they came with every labored step. Persistent and inevitable, like water breaking down stone. Gaia knew when to strike. The Antarctic summer was Lethe's most vulnerable time. The hole in the ozone that inexplicably centered over the south brought the rays of the sun directly on her realm. Was their no end to Gaia's treachery?

Lethe watched an waited. Her saved power building. The battle ahead would decide the fate of the world. Lethe would kill or be killed and she knew she would do all that was in her power to be the one doing the killing and like Gaia, Lethe knew where to strike.

oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

Six hundred yards. Seven hundred steps to go. All uphill a slope that gradually increased the closer they got to the center of the mountain. Tory's warmth melted the snow he stepped on making it hard to climb with Colin huddled close to him against the cold. It was here they crossed a border. Tory could feel death in the still air or more accurately a lack of life. The air felt as if it had never been breathed. It was fresh and tasteless. No dirt or dust, just the pure air warmed by the power he emanated. They were deeply trespassing now. Not long now.

Five hundred steps to go. Colin listened for Gaia as Tory told him to desperately. He waited for the boost of power Tory had received, that Gaia had promised. No word yet. No surge of new power. Colin was starting to get anxious. Does Gaia like to keep me worrying?

Lethe's first strike came without warning.

AN: Working on this chapter took a while. So much happened in it and I didn't want to rush anything so alas, the story will go on. This time will definitely be the conclusion. This chapter didn't resolve any of the big problems, I know. It just set the stage for the big showdown. (Its summer finals week so college, as always, is taking a lot of time out of my day) Please oh please tell me about any mistakes or holes or whatnot and please review. I live off of reviews.