SSV: Project S.T.A.T.I.C. Part 1

Chapter 17

Sally and Sam rode through the city streets towards Metropolis Central Park. Already, they'd encountered heavy resistance from the infected that swarmed the streets. Courtney had been true to her word about them waiting for anyone stupid enough to go outside. They'd passed by a group that had overtaken and overturned a patrol car, but it was too late for the officers inside. The roar of their bikes had drawn attention to themselves, and they sped up to try to avoid the monsters. However, the infected were faster than any normal person, and they'd already had to expend precious ammo to slow their pursuit.

They pulled into the park after what felt like hours of driving. Jake's mansion wasn't too far from it, but the level of resistance made it feel longer than it was. The park was crawling with zombies too, and both Sally and Sam readied themselves for a fight. They'd almost considered driving their bikes through the atrium, but that would give the infected an opening to funnel through. Instead, they parked near the outskirts of the park and prepared to advance. It would be a battle, and neither woman had a clue what awaited them within the atrium, but they were ready for a fight.

"Safeties off, Sammie," Sally warned as she grabbed her double barrel shotgun off of her back, "These things ain't people anymore."

"Roger that," Sam said as she grabbed her SMG, "It's almost sad to think about, ya know? None of these people asked for this shit."

"I know, kid," Sally sighed as she checked their six, "But, if we don't do something the whole city is gonna be a feeding ground for these freaks. Plus, Beth and the others still need our help. Let's move and try not get to bit."

"Right, you're right," Sam said and her head whipped around as a low growl came from behind them, "We got incoming!"

Sam spun around and opened fire at a young woman who rushed at them. The sound of her automatic drew the attention of more infected. They climbed over the bushes and fences in pursuit of their next meal. Sam took careful aim at the infected as they rushed toward them. "Aim for the legs!" Sally shouted at her, "All we can do is slow 'em down and run!"

"Fuck, forgot about that," Sam said as she aimed lower for the knees and ankles.

"Fucking shit, we gotta figure something out or they're gonna be on top of us!" Sally yelled in frustration as she blasted one with her shotgun and deftly reloaded, "Run for it, and look for something that we can blow!"

"I got it!" Sam shouted as she started to back up, "You still got those napalm grenades?"

"Shit, I nearly forgot about those," Sally replied as she grabbed on from her belt, "Eat up, you ugly fucks!"

Sally pulled the pin on one of their special grenades, and she tossed it into the growing horde. Sam fired what was left of her clip into the knees and ankles of the infected while they made a break for the atrium. The thick smog from the grenades spewed out behind them as they ran before bursting and igniting in a cloud of death and agony. The infected screamed behind them as they were burned to a crisp, but both Sally and Sam were expecting more to appear soon. Courtney had undoubtedly planned for some sort of intervention. She was insane, but she had been methodical in her plans thus far.

Sure enough, the sounds of guttural growls and shrieks filled the air shortly after the screams of the dying faded. They quickened their pace in an attempt to close the gap and barricade the doors to the atrium. Between the magical monsters of Goth, the demons, and now zombies, their lives had been turned completely upside down. Never in their wildest dreams did they imagine they'd be running for their lives from infected citizens. Life felt like a horror movie these days, and life in Metropolis had never been average. Sally caught one of the infected with a blast from her shotgun before it could tackle her, and Sam fired blindly behind her in an attempt to slow their pursuers.

They pushed through the doors to the atrium and threw the doors shut behind them. "Find something to barricade the door!" Sally barked at Sam as she held it shut with her weight, "Jesus, these things are strong!"

Sam nodded and looked for anything that she could use. A rack holding various potted plants sat off to the side. It wasn't much, but it would have to do. A broom rested beside the rack, and Sam grabbed it to toss it to Sally before she started trying to pull the rack down. "Sal, catch!" Sam yelled as she threw the broom and started tugging on the rack, "Slide that between the handles and give me a hand!"

Sally caught the broom and quickly slid it between the door handles. The infected pounded on the doors, and she wasn't sure how long the broom would hold. She saw Sam wrestling with the large rack and rushed to help her. The two of them pulled the rack down; pots crashed and smashed to the ground as they fought to pull it to the doors. It was heavy, and they hoped that it would hold long enough for them to find Beth and the others. The broom handle began to splinter as they forced the rack against the doors. They could still hear the fevered and hungry snarls behind the door, but it appeared that they were safe for now. For how long, they couldn't be certain.

"Fucking shit!" Sally exclaimed looking around the atrium for signs of life, "Where the hell are they?"

"I haven't heard anything from them since before we left," Sam remarked as she walked around, "This place is creepy, or is it just me?"

"I think that might be the cannibals waiting outside, Sammie," Sally replied as they walked further in and she spotted the bomb, "Well, that's not helping the mood much either."

"Holy shit!" Sam yelled when Sally pointed the massive device out, "Should we try to smash it?"

"What are you, stupid?" Sally scoffed, "We start messing with that thing, and we'll end up blowing Metropolis to shit. That's not what we came here for. Come on, we need to find the others."

Sam nodded and looked down at her phone, "Says we've got twenty minutes before that thing goes off. What happens if we're at ground zero?"

"Don't know, and I got no intention of finding out," Sally replied as they walked into the shadows, "We find Jake and let him disarm that thing."

They walked a little deeper in before Sam spotted Jake, Beth, and Pam lying on the ground. "Shit, Sal, we got a problem!" Sam yelled as she ran over to Jake, "They're out cold, and they're pale as a ghost!"

"Hold it," Sally said as Sam got close, "They're not alone. There's the zombie queen."

Sam swallowed nervously as she looked past their friends to see Courtney sitting cross legged on the ground. A wide and malicious grin was on her face, but her eyes were closed as though she were in some sort of trance. Sally stepped over Pam and Beth to see if Courtney might notice them. "Sal, I don't think that's smart," Sam whispered, "That bitch might bite you, or worse."

Sally sighed as she stepped in front of Courtney and waved her hand in front of her face. "She's not budging," Sally said, "See if you can wake Jake up. I'm half tempted to blow this cunt's head off, but we might need her to defuse that thing."

"Sal, Jake's not waking up," Sam said, ignoring her friend as she shook Jake.

"Lemme try," Sally said as she walked over and slapped Jake across the face, but it did nothing to stir him, "Okay, this might be a problem. Shit, can't just one thing go right today?! Wake up, you bird-brained twat!"

"Fuck, what are we gonna do?!" Sam asked as she shook Beth, "Come on, come on! Wake up!"

"Ugh, we just gotta keep trying," Sally said, running out of ideas and hope, "They're sweating like crazy over here. I bet that bitch has done something to 'em."

Sam spotted the green canisters off in the distance and her eyes went wide. "Fuck, she gassed them! They're probably stuck in some kind of nightmare!"

"Shit," Sally whispered as she moved over to Pam, "Keep trying Jake, I'm gonna see if I wake Pam up. We've got to get them out of there, but I got no clue how we're gonna do that."

Sam hurried back to Jake and tried to wake him from his terrible nightmare. The clock was running out for everyone in Metropolis, and it seemed that Courtney had the heroes in a final stranglehold. Sally and Sam tried desperately to rouse their friends and family, but with every second that passed, they grew more and more fearful that they would run out of time. All they could do was try, and Sally swore that if they failed, she'd personally blow Courtney's brains out with her dying breath.

—-----------

Unaware of what was happening in reality, Pam remained trapped in her personal hell. The dozens of Courtney nurses had continued to buzz and zip by and around her. They routinely injected her with various needles that made her head hurt, her eyes burn, and her mouth taste funny. This was her nightmare, and she was powerless to do anything about it. All she could do was wait for Dr. Murray to return and fulfill her terrifying promise. She'd screamed until her throat hurt, and she was growing tired from struggling. She shook with terror and nerves as she waited and silently cried. She hated crying, but she couldn't stop her terrified tears from spilling out.

"Awe, she's crying!" Courtney teased as she looked at her heart rate, "Oh wow, look at this heart rate. It's beating so fast!"

"That's good," another Courtney said as she flipped through a chart, "A nice healthy and terrified heart rate. That means she'll be good and awake for what's coming!"

"I've got someone who wants to see her before the doctor begins!" another Courtney yelled as she walked in, "Make way, we've got a special visitor for our patient. Pamela, I'm sure you remember Tammy."

It took a ridiculous amount of effort for Pam to turn her head, but she did so and spotted her deceased friend. She looked exactly like Pam remembered, and her mouth hung open as she tried to find the words to speak, "T-Tammy? How…how are you here?"

"Oh, Pammy," Tammy said as she looked her friend over, "It kills me to see you like this, hon, but Dr. Murray has assured me that she can fix you. After everything that cruel woman did to you, I promise I'll take care of you."

What was she talking about? "Beth," Pam managed to croak out, "Where's Beth? What…what are you talking about?"

"This is what she does," Tammy said, her eyes filled with sadness, "She goes on about this girl that we've never met. She's done it since I found her weeks ago. Pammy, there is no Beth."

"This is common with patients who've experienced extreme trauma, Ms. Tammy," Dr. Murray's voice cut in as she approached wearing a pink surgeon's gown, "The human mind will often concoct a safety mechanism to cope with pain, suffering, and loss. Rest assured, we will help her to heal. She may be a bit different than you recall, but this way she won't be a danger to herself or others any longer."

"Are you sure there's not another option, doctor?" Tammy asked.

"I'm afraid not, my dear," Dr. Murray said solemnly, but Pam could feel her giddiness as she walked around the operating table, "A frontal lobotomy may be extreme, but any therapies wouldn't work after what she's been through. This is the only way to save her, but nurse Tellar will be happy to provide her services once she's been released. We wouldn't want to intrude on your life, and she's offered to do it without charging as well."

A lobotomy, that's what they were going to do to her! Worse, Courtney was going to be her nurse! Pam began trying to struggle more against the restraints, "Get away from me! You can't do this to me! Tammy, please, don't let them go through with this!"

Tammy bit her lip as she got close and knelt down, "Shh, it's okay, Pammy. I'm never gonna leave you, and these people only want to help you. Just relax and let them work. I'll be waiting outside."

"No!" Pam screamed as she tried once more to use her powers, but found herself hauntingly empty, "Please, anything but this!"

"Get Ms. Tammy out of here, nurse," Dr. Murray said as she walked around to grab her tools, "I'm afraid this might be a bit painful to watch."

"Righty-o, doc!" one of the nurses said as she gently led Tammy away, "Come on, miss, there's no reason to cause yourself further distress. Ms. Lavely is in good hands with us."

"Tammy!" Pam screamed as she thrashed against her restraints, "Please, don't leave me!"

Dr. Murray waited until Tammy was gone before leaning down over Pam and speaking in an excited tone, "Now, now, Ms. Lavely, I did tell you that we'd meet again. This is going to hurt, but pain only makes us stronger. I think you'll find that life as a vegetable, while a bit dull, will still have its perks. Ms. Tellar has been compiling quite a list of fun activities for the two of you to try. Hold still now, I'd hate for my hand to slip and accidentally remove one of those lovely eyes of yours."

Pam cried and shook with terror as Dr. Murray gently stroked her face. This wasn't real, it couldn't be! She tried desperately to find a way out, but nothing she tried seemed to work. She was trapped at the mercy of a lunatic, and her life would be forever changed after this. She would become a toy to Courtney, and there would be nothing she could do to escape her. She'd been handed over to this nightmare by her best friend, and that made it all the more terrible and horrendous. There was nothing she could do. Pam laid there and sobbed as Dr. Murray began humming a tune as she turned on the radio. The sound of Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata filled the room, and the melancholy song added to her sense of dread. Dr. Murray grabbed her instruments and prepared to begin the procedure while Pam laid there utterly powerless.

—---------------

As Pam suffered a betrayal and nightmare of her own, Beth laid trapped in the confines of her coffin. She'd screamed for help again and again, but her screams went unheard and unheeded. The dirt continued to rain down atop her prison, and the crawling sensation had steadily gotten worse. A nest of spiders had somehow gotten mixed in with the dirt for her unwilling burial, and they were angry at being disturbed. It only added to Beth's torment and terror as she tried to find a way out. They crawled along her skin and bit her every chance they got. Her legs, ankles, arms, wrists, and face had all received painful and disorienting treatment from their furious fangs.

Beth cried as her nightmare and grave were filled. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't summon her weapons. She was devoid of anything that could help her, but more importantly, she felt utterly hopeless. She prayed to a God that she wasn't sure existed that someone would come along to save her. She could still see up above her, albeit barely, but she saw Pam and Jake standing over her grave. They ignored her screams as they looked down at her. The wind howled alongside her, and her screams blended with the roaring winds. Jake and Pam watched as she was buried alive, and they dropped flowers down onto her coffin as a sign of good will.

"Somebody, anybody, please!" Beth wailed as another spider crawled under her shirt and bit her, "Help me! I'm not dead, I'm not, I'm alive! Pam, mistress, please! Jake, don't just stand there!"

Regrettably, they turned and took their leave as she finished crying out. Alone, underground, trapped, and abandoned, Beth laid there with no hope or help. She continued to scream until she felt something new and dreadful happen. Spiders began falling into the hole above her; more spiders than dirt. They filled her coffin, and they fell upon her face. They crawled into her mouth as she screamed, and Beth felt new waves of horror and disgust fill her being. She'd been at the mercy of countless evil women, but this was worse than anything she'd ever experienced before. The eight legged nightmares crawled along the inside of her mouth and down her throat. She wanted to vomit, but she couldn't.

The spiders claimed her as their own, and there was nothing she could do. She would either die from the lack of oxygen, or the venom from the revolting creatures. What hope did she have? Her last light was eclipsed by the dirt and spiders that continued to pour into her grave. All she could do was sob uncontrollably as her fate was literally sealed above her. Nobody was coming to save her, and the realization was more painful than the copious bites she was receiving inside and out.

—------------------

Jake was in an excrutiating amount of pain. Courtney had spent what felt like the last hour stomping on every part of his body. From his ankles, one of which she'd snapped, to his face, Courtney was ruthless and merciless in her torture. He was covered in bruises and his eyes were black from the continued abuse that she'd been dishing out. He'd been terrified of what her promise of silencing him entailed, but he couldn't hold back his screams any longer. He wailed and cried out in agony as Courtney stomped on his groin.

"What did I say?!" Courtney barked as she stomped back up his chest and dropped down on his stomach, "You're giving me a headache, Jake, and I don't appreciate that! Ugh, your struggles are turning me on, but that shrieking has got to stop! Luckily, I know just the thing to keep you quiet. Open your mouth, lover-boy!"

Jake tried to twist his head as Courtney inched her bare foot closer to his mouth. Her toes pressed on his lips, but he kept his mouth closed out of fear. Irritated, Courtney violently punched his stomach and made his gasp. It was all the opening she needed to slide her foot into his unwilling mouth. She grinned down at him as she forced her foot down his throat and deeper into his mouth. He gagged as she found her way to the back of his throat, but she only giggled in response as she pushed deeper. His struggles didn't deter her as she pushed deeper down his esophagus. He screamed around her foot as he felt her toenails scratch and claw at his vocal chords.

It was a pain unlike anything he'd ever felt before. Courtney clawed and dug at his vocal chords, and he could taste copper as blood pooled in his throat. Courtney just sat on his stomach and smiled down at him as he realized what was happening. She was stealing his voice from him. It wasn't supernatural, it was physical, and that made it more terrifying and painful to endure. She was somehow worse than Aurora, and he almost wished that she'd been the one tormenting him. Courtney was delighting in his suffering, and that scared him more than anything else.

He felt something inside of his throat collapse, and he was briefly afraid she'd crushed his windpipe. A final scratch from her horrible toes, and Courtney removed her foot from his mouth. He watched as it came out covered in blood. He coughed, but even that hurt. He watched in disgust as Courtney brought her foot to her face and started to lick the blood from his throat off of her foot. "Mm, that is satisfying," she purred as she cleaned her foot, "Why don't you tell me what you think, Jake?"

"Ngh," was all he could manage to wheeze out, and Courtney burst into a fit of laughter at his wheezing.

"Oh my God, this too perfect!" she exclaimed beating on his chest as she stood up, "Hey, Jake, say something if you don't want me to sit on your face!"

"Ngh," was all he could muster as Courtney turned around and presented her shapely ass to him

"Nothing?" Courtney teased as she prepared to drop down on his face, "Okay, if you're really okay with it! I haven't showered in God knows how long, and my last meal has been tearing my stomach up. It's so nice when someone is willing to help, though! You make a much better toy than you do a man, Jake, and it's so much better when you're quiet and compliant!"

Ashley watched in rage and disgust as Courtney continued to abuse Jake. When she crammed her foot down his throat, she nearly lost her mind. Then, the bitch had the nerve to lick the blood from her own disgusting foot. Jake didn't deserve this, nobody did. Her blood boiled as her eyes flashed red. If she could, she'd murder Courtney in a slow and painful manner. When Courtney dropped her full weight down on Jake's broken face, she lost all of her composure. She screamed in fury as Courtney smiled at her and farted in Jake's face. She saw red for a minute before she disappeared.

"Hmm, that's a little concerning," Courtney said quietly as she watched Ashley disappear before her stomach rumbled again, "Hmph, I suppose I better make the most of this while I can…open wide, Jake, here comes your next meal!"

—-----------

Ashley shot up and slammed her head into someone else's. She looked around in a rage, and was surprised to see Sam sitting down and rubbing her forehead. "Ow," Sam said, "Fuck, Jake, you couldn't give a girl a little warning?!"

Jake? What was she talking about? Where was she? Ashley looked around to see Beth and Pam still unconscious and convulsing on the ground. Sally was over Beth, but she was staring at her. "What the fuck?" Sally asked as she looked into Ashley's eyes, "Sammie, I don't think that's Jake."

Ashley looked down to the the Raven suit on her body. She'd somehow managed to seize control of her lover's body, but she wasn't worried about that now. "Where is she?!" Ashley growled at Sally and Sam, "Where is Courtney Tellar?!"

"Shit, Ashley?" Sam asked before quickly answering when Ashley glared at her, "Up there."

Ashley spotted Courtney sitting in her trance, and she shot to her feet in a flash. She grabbed Courtney by the throat with one hand and threw against the concrete. Courtney's head slammed into the cement, and she woke from her spellbound focus. "Ugh, looks like someone learned a new trick," Courtney said with a devilish and pained laugh, "I wonder what Jake will think when he learns that you went back on your word, hmm?"

It was an attempt to get under Ashley's skin, but one that Ashley refused to buy into. She lifted Courtney up and threw a punch into her gut. "Release them!" Ashley growled, "Do it now, or you'll spend the next ten minutes in more pain than you ever thought possible!"

Courtney wheezed before laughing, "Seven minutes," she corrected, "Seven minutes is all you have to play, vampire girl."

"That will feel like an eternity for you," Ashley said darkly as she began beating on the infected woman, "You thought you could just abuse and maim the people I care about?! You thought you would walk out of this alive?! I'll bleed you dry after tenderizing your flesh, you revolting buffoon!"

"Kinky," Courtney laughed between blows, "Kill me, and this city will fall."

"There are fates worse than death," Ashley said as she threw Courtney across the clearing, "Allow me to show you some of them. Seven minutes is more than enough time for me to make you suffer!"

"Fucking hell," Sally said as she stepped back and debated on intervening.

Ashley took Jake's body and flew across the room to land on top of Courtney. Courtney giggled like a mad woman as Ashley beat her face without mercy or care. "Oh, this is too good!" Courtney cackled as Ashley hit her across the jaw, "You're every bit as horrible as Jake fears!"

"Shut up!" Ashley barked as she brought her hands together and slammed them down on Courtney face before rolling her over and beginning to squeeze her parasite, "Fun fact about your babies, you wretched dog! When the queen is ruptured, they're left useless. Care to find out what happens when I remove this from your thick neck?!"

Courtney's laughter suddenly stopped as she started thrashing and bucking, "You wouldn't dare!"

"Try me, you filthy animal," Ashley growled.

Courtney's concentration was finally broken, and both Beth and Pam suddenly shot up. "Jesus!" Sally yelled, "Doesn't anyone know how to wake up normal?!"

Beth and Pam were shaking as they sat up. Beth immediately threw up and started dusting herself off while remaining sitting, and Pam took several deep breaths as she tried to find her composure. "Where am I?" Pam breathed.

"You're back in reality," Sam said, rushing to her side, "Listen, I know you guys have probably been through a lot, but that bomb is about to go off."

"Fuck," Pam sighed as she looked around and forced herself back into action, "Where is Jake?"

"That's kinda hard to answer," Sam replied, pointing at Ashley in Jake's body, "She just came up and started beating the shit out of Courtney. She's gonna kill her."

Pam looked over at Beth who was still struggling to come out of her nightmare. "Tend to Beth for me," she said as she stood up and tried to make contact with Jake telepathically, "I'll see if I can't resolve this."

"On it," Sam said as she hurried over to Beth.

"Jake," Pam sent her thoughts out, "Jake, I know you're in there. You need to get control of your body from Ashley. She's going to kill Courtney before we can save the city!"

Jake was barely aware of what was happening around him when he heard Pam. His body was moving, quite violently at that, but he wasn't in control. "Ash!" he shouted, "Ash, stop! We need her alive!"

"She nearly killed you!" Ashley shouted, not caring that she was talking to herself, "She dies tonight, Jake. This abomination will cause no more harm to anyone!"

Courtney was still struggling to get away, but she laughed as she realized what was happening, "Uh-oh, somebody is in trouble!"

"Be quiet!" Ashley growled as she hit Courtney's parasite once again, "I won't let her get away with this!"

"Ash, I hear you and I get it," Jake pleaded with her, "You wanted me to trust you, right? We can deal with her later, but I can't let the city suffer because of me! Let me back in, and we will find a way to deal with her!"

"There's no curing madness, Jake!" Ashley growled, "The only way is to kill her!"

"Ash, please!" Jake begged, "One problem at a time. I love you, and I want to trust you. I can't do that if you won't trust me, though!"

Ashley was silent for a minute as she thought about what he said. "Fine," she thought as she stepped away and back into his subconscious, "But she has to be locked away, Jake. If you won't kill her, then she can never see the light of day again."

Jake felt himself regain control and he thanked Ashley for conceding at last. Maybe there was hope for the two of them yet. Courtney cackled as she felt the weight atop her loosen. "Awe, I think somebody missed me!"

Jake growled as he dropped his knee down onto her throat. "Not on your life," he said darkly, "Tell me how to stop the bomb, Courtney, or I'll let Ashley finish you for good. I doubt that even your parasites can stop her for long."

Courtney let out a strained laugh under his knee, "You think I'm stupid enough to put on off switch on that thing?! Do I look like an amateur to you?! There's no stopping it, baby, and you've got about two minutes before this city becomes my playground!"

"Fuck!" Jake said as he knocked Courtney out with a vicious stomp, "At least that felt good to get out. There's no disarming it, and we don't have enough time to figure it out!"

"Shit," Sally groaned, "All this way, and we still end up as braindead corpses."

"What about the cure?" Sam asked, fishing it out of her pocket, "Can't we do something with it?"

"It's a long shot, but toss that to me," Jake said as he rushed over to the bomb.

The cure was in a small cylindrical tube. A bluish green liquid bubbled inside of it, and Jake wasn't sure how well his plan would work. He hurried over to the bomb and forced the front panel off. The inner workings of the device were like advanced and experimental tech his company had designed for military contracts. He searched for a wire, a connector, anything that he could use to inject the cure into. Time was ticking down, and he couldn't find an exact spot. Hoping for the best, Jake thrust the cure into a random tube that was pumping Courtney's nasty green toxin to and fro. The liquid changed color, but he didn't know if that was good or bad. He stepped back as the timer hit zero.

"Brace yourselves and cross your fingers!" he yelled at everyone.

"That inspires a lot of confidence," Sally scoffed as she did just what Jake said.

The device hissed as the ball rose into the air and began to spin. Holes opened up on the ball, and a strange blue gas started pumping out of it. Everyone held their breath as the gas filled the atrium. The ball fell, and the gas shot up and out of the skylight above. One by one, everyone was forced to breath in. They braced themselves for either a horrendous nightmare or an inevitable turn, but it never came. The smell of lavender mixed with a distinct odor of sweat filled the air. The doors to the atrium suddenly broke down, and infected rushed into the cloud of gas. They howled and shrieked as they breathed in the gas. They stopped in their tracks, and their shrieks and howls turned to more human screams as they collapsed one by one.

Jake rushed over to one of the infected to watch as their body changed. The sores and wounds started to disappear little by little. Jake checked their pulse, and breathed a sigh of relief when he felt one. "Holy shit, did that actually work?!" Sally asked as she looked around.

"I think so," Jake said letting out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding, "Oh my God, I think we actually did it."

While Jake and Sally were checking the area, Pam had rushed over to Beth's side. "Kitten, Beth, can you hear me?" Pam asked, pulling Beth close, "It's me, I'm here and we're safe."

"S-spiders," Beth whispered, "They're everywhere…"

"Beth, it wasn't real," Pam said, trying to push some soothing emotions into her girlfriend, "We're back in our world, and I'm right here. Look at me, Kitten."

Beth shook with fear, but she could feel the familiar presence of Pam's comfort on the fringes of her mind. She looked up at her and slowly exhaled, "Mistress?"

"Yes, Kitten, it's me," Pam said, breathing a sigh of relief, "It's over, and I think Jake actually managed to save us this time."

Jake walked over to his friends to check on them, "Actually, Ash is the one who pulled us out," he said, rubbing the back of his neck, "She jerked control of the wheel while Courtney was torturing me, and she nearly beat her to death before we woke up."

"She's still alive?!" Pam asked, torn between finding her and finishing her and comforting Beth.

"Easy, Pam," Jake said, stepping between Pam and where Courtney was laying, "I think I might be able to help her, to fix her."

"She belongs in the underworld!" Pam argued, "There's no cure for that woman, and if she escapes, then she will just begin the cycle of torment and hate again!"

"What about Rebecca?" Jake asked, "Would you say the same thing about her?"

"Jake," Pam sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose, "I understand what you're trying to do, but this is comparing apples and oranges. Rebecca was possessed, Courtney is already dead. All that's left of her is the parasite and her hate."

"I resent that!" Courtney growled as she shakily got to her feet, "You all might have managed to stop my fun, but this isn't over, not by a long shot!"

Pam snarled at her and twisted her hand. Chains materialized around Courtney and bound her tightly. "I disagree," Pam said impassively, "This is over, Courtney. Were it up to me, I'd tighten those chains until your ugly head popped off. Fortunately for you, my friend has a soft spot for damaged goods and a bleeding heart."

"Hahaha, I wonder, is this how you felt on the operating table, Ms. Lavely?" Courtney asked between giggles, "I doubt it, I think you felt a real sense of danger, didn't you? Afraid of hospitals and doctors, what a childish notion!"

Pam clenched her fist, and the chains dug into Courtney's flesh. "I said you'd live, I never said you wouldn't be harmed," Pam warned.

Courtney laughed harder as she continued taunting, "Oh, I like it rough, Pammy. If you're trying to get me wet, you're doing a phenomenal job. Although, listening to your beloved pet whimper and cry really did it for me, haha!"

Pam snarled as she raised her hand and slammed it down. Courtney was lifted into the air before crashing back to the ground and falling back unconscious. "Disgusting harlot," Pam grimaced before looking over at Jake, "You are, without a doubt, the king of bad decisions, Jake. Keeping this wretch alive is dangerous, so I'll ask one time. Are you sure about this, Jake?"

"I have to try," Jake answered with a sigh, "Can you teleport her and I back to the Birdcage? We need to contact Zoey and try to help with damage control, but I need to seal Courtney away."

"The cell in the back," Pam sighed, referring to a glass hermetically sealed holding cell, "You're going to put her in there, aren't you?"

"It was designed to hold Havoc and Rebecca," Jake replied, "It will be enough to keep her locked away."

"Just make sure that you keep her quiet when Beth and I are around," Pam sighed as she readied the spell, "I still think this is a horrendous idea, but I'll grant you this request. I'll call Zoey, but I expect you to be back out tonight once she's secured. We've still got a long night ahead of us, Jake."

"I'll be back as soon as she's locked away," Jake promised as he and Courtney sank into the shadows.

Pam sighed as she finished the spell and walked back to Beth. Sally was with her and trying to help her to her feet. "How are you feeling, Kitten?" she asked.

"Like shit," Beth replied, "What about you?"

"Not great, but we can discuss it later," Pam admitted as the memories of her nightmare still felt fresh, "Are you up for trying to reign in the chaos left in Courtney's wake?"

"I need something to take my mind off of that hell I was in," Beth answered, looking at Sally, "Think you'd be willing to lend a hand?"

"I got ya, kid," Sally said, patting Beth on the back.

"Jake's making a mistake," Beth sighed, referring to Courtney.

"Agreed, but it's his mistake to make," Pam sighed, "All we can do is ensure that he doesn't-"

"Shit the bed by leaving that psycho alive?" Sam asked, rejoining the group as she pulled out her phone.

"Not quite how I would have phrased it, but essentially yes," Pam said.

The remaining four waited in the atrium while Sam called Zoey. Just as they thought, the city was still in a state of panic and chaos. The bomb had indeed cured the infected, but people were still terrified. Looters were out running amuck, and there were reports of thugs hoping to capitalize on the chaos. Sally and Sam headed to their bikes and agreed to help round up thugs and dissuade looters that might be in their neighborhood. Beth and Pam would lend their aid to the MPD, and Jake had agreed to join them as soon as possible. The two of the phased into the ground, and welcomed the end to their nightmares. They would face the aftermath of it together, and while it had been a terrifying night, at least it was over. All that was left was to pick up the pieces and try to restore order. At least, until the next super powered lunatic reared their head.