Chapter Text
Time to an immortal is quickly lost.
Curse returned to her duties. Her human body was abandoned and nothing more than a dull memory in the wake of the turning tides.
The gateways were opening once again, The Witches Circle had grown more hostile. It meant one thing and a familiar ache settled in Curse’s bones, lodging itself into the padding of her heart. It went beyond exhaustion or dread. It was like the acceptance that came with grief, the kind without comfort.
She put these feelings away because just ahead of her was a demon, its gullet swollen, pulsating. The essence of a small village crawled within.
Dipping low, her talons dug into the back of the demon’s skull, squeezing until brains squished between her claws.
Its body crashed down, hitting the earth with a tremor, and shaking the trees. Slicing it open allows the souls to float back to their vessels.
A human eye can’t see the luminous wisps that swim in the air like an iridescent vapor. Curse can. She watches a thousand people whirl away, gliding on the breeze and she notices the warmth in the air.
It’s humid. The scent of summer is fresh in her lungs. These woods were fat with snow just a few days ago.
That ache flared in her breast, and she thought of grief, the emptiness where something precious used to be.
A sudden urge has Curse traveling through the shadows. On the other side of the void was New York City. Her body shifted and contorted in the air, shrinking, smaller and smaller.
She just wanted to check on them, as foolish as that was. Curse landed on the railing of a familiar balcony.
They were arguing. Luke was doing most of the yelling. Eel had his hands up, trying to get him to calm down. Curse ruffled as Luke stretched up, towering over his father for a few seconds before snapping back down. His body pooled into liquid until slowly rolling back into his original form.
Luke stared down at himself, then shot a glare at his father. Eel tried to call his son back as he stormed away.
Curse flitted over to Luke’s bedroom window. He sat on his bed, his knees tucked up into his chest. She pecked at the glass getting his attention.
She hopped around on the sill and he got up. He watched her curiously, and she studied him in return. Horrible sadness, anger, and fear flowed out of him like water.
To Luke, she was just an owl, but when Eel caught her flying past the living room window, he knew better.
***
Eel sat on the ledge of the apartment roof. He was back to smoking a pack a day, it wasn’t like it was going to kill him. He searched the skyline for any sign of Curse, finding nothing.
His ears were still ringing from Luke shouting at him. In no hurry to get back inside he lit up another. A bright flash of light behind him nearly caused him to drop his lighter to the street below. “Curse,” he muttered, turning around.
The T-Ship hovered a few inches from the roof, opening for Phantom Girl to fly out and hug him around his neck.
“Plas!” she cheered. Eel crushed the cigarette in his hand, he hated smoking in front of kids.
“Holy cow, you're growing like a weed Linnya.” Rex came out behind her, followed by Mr. T. “Don’t remind us, we feel old enough already.” Rex said as Linnya let go.
“Speaking of old, is that your real face, rubber ball?” Eel morphed into his shiny body. “At least I have a nose gas cloud.” Rex pulled him into a crushing embrace. “What are you guys doing here?” Plas wheezed out. “We’re getting the team back together!” Linnya announced with a squeal.
Micheal and Rex were sheepish as Plas stepped back.
“Oh…guys, you know I can’t.”
It had been almost a year since he’d seen any of them. Only a handful of texts had been shared between the four of them. “Hey Linn, why don’t you introduce yourself to Luke? If that’s okay with you, Plas? Mr. T said and Linnya scoffed.
“I’m a member of this team too, I get to be a part of conversations!”
Plas smiled, “Go ahead PG, Luke could use the company.” Linnya glanced at the three of them, huffing, and phased down into the roof. “I get to say my piece when I get back,” she warned as her head vanished.
“Brother, it’s been long enough,” Rex said. Micheal nodded in agreement, “ The FBI is using you like a machine, and you know it.”
Plas frowned deeply, his mouth going U-shaped. “Now you're spying on me?” Mr. T didn't apologize. “ I know what it's like to lose the woman you love.” Plas crossed his arms, “I should have reached out sooner.” It was tense until Plas broke the silence.
“My penchant from the FBI and Angel’s life insurance isn't going to last forever.” Rex was thoroughly disturbed by how mature Plas sounded. His voice was deeper when he was serious.”With a record like mine, it’s hard to find work.”
***
Linnya knocked softly on the door she presumed was Lukes. “Go away Dad.” Linnya knocked louder, “I’m not your dad.” the door creaked open to a sliver.
“Hi, I’m Phantom Girl.” His eyes darted around, he held up a finger. “Give me a second.”
Luke shoved a mountain of garbage under his bed, put on his pants, and hid his stuffed rabbit under his pillow. Then he opened the door.
“Hey, Hi, I’m Luke.” Linnya flew in and sat on his bed.
“I like your room.”
“Thanks.”
Luke shifted on his feet awkwardly, he’d never had a girl in his room before. “Are you out for summer break?” Linnya asked.
“ Yeah, I go to school online now, so it doesn’t feel any different. It was my dad’s genius idea.”
PG kicked her feet. Her hands were in her lap and she fidgeted with her fingers. “ Do you like the Caribbean?” She asked softly.
“Uh, I don’t know, I like the beach,” Luke mumbled, not looking at her, her shyness was making him shy.
“Okay, well. The Terrifics need your dad, and your dad won’t go without you. Our new base is on this private island, it’s so beautiful.” Luke slumped down in a bean bag chair in the corner.
“No one needs my dad. Trust me.”
Linnya scowled. “Well, I do. I’m stuck on an island with Mr. Terrific. I love him and all, but he can be the most boring person in the galaxy.” She made her face as solemn as possible. “I can’t hang out with you Linnya, I need to digitize my mortal essence into a calculator.”
Luke sputtered out a laugh. Linnya smiled, “We want to help you too, you know with your powers.”
***
“I can’t just take money from you Micheal!” Plas exclaimed.
“It’s not charity. I’d pay you to help with research, Plus free room and board.”
They had been going back and forth for several minutes. Rex was growing impatient. “Rubber Ball!” He hooked his arm around his neck. “ Linnya needs this too.”
Plas stretched his neck up, to look down at both of them. “ What’s wrong with Linn?”
Michael rubbed the back of his neck. “ She’s having trouble being at Titans Tower full time. The other kids are only there on the weekends. So she’s alone most of the time.”
Rex pulled his neck back down, “ and she’s not fitting in at school, they can tell she’s different, and they pick on her.”
Plas furrowed his brow and looped an arm around Michael. “ You enrolled our sweet Linnya into Middle School? Public school kids are vicious!”
Michael tried to pull away, “ It’s a private school.” He explained.
“ That’s even worse!” Rex and Plas said in unison.
On cue, Phantom Girl phased back up, this time with Luke. The three men, all tied together, turned clumsily to face them.
“Dad, I want to go,” Luke said as he dangled from Linn’s hands. Plas pursed his lips. “What? It's summer break, and none of my friends remember me.”
Untangling himself, Rex clapped Luke on the back. “Exactly, you should listen to your son.”
Eel ran his hand down his face. This was getting out of hand, and he needed to put his foot down. His skin rippled, shivering, he looked over at the T-ship.
Where a black owl had perched, large dark eyes blinked slowly at him. She cocked her head and then vanished like smoke.
Eel sucked his teeth, taking in the group around him. They all stared at him with hopeful expressions.
“Alright, we’ll go. but I have one request.”
***
Father O’Brien had forgotten how overcrowded the NYC subway could be. He adjusted his collar. It felt unbearably tight, especially with the weight of the .45 in his suit pocket.
“ I went out walking with a bible and a gun.
The word of God lay heavy on my heart.”
The Johnny Cash tune had danced in his head for months. He caught himself humming it nervously. “ Pardon me Father, could I trouble you a moment?”
The English accent caught him off guard. A man had approached him. Who was a little older than himself, or maybe younger. “ Of course my son.”
He was the last priest on earth anyone should be talking to, but he had meant those vows when he took them. “ Could I ask you to pray for me, for protection?”
Caolan had asked for that exact prayer many times himself and didn’t hesitate to pray over the man. “ What kind of trouble have you gotten yourself into.”
“ I’m searching for someone, I’m not certain how it’ll turn out for me.”
The doors opened and the man thanked him again, shuffling out with several others.
Father O’Brien made the sign on the cross. “God be with you.” He called after him.
“ -and God help me.” He muttered to himself.
Caolan unbuttoned his shirt with its collar, leaving him in just his undershirt. He glanced at the crucifix on his rosary, before tucking it away.
“ I’m not going to hurt him, I'm just going to scare him.”
The building smelled like mildew, and the door left oily residue on his hand when he knocked.
It opened the chain still on. A wiry, dark-haired man peered at Caolan from the other side. “ …Ya lost, old timer?”
Caolan shook his head. “ Not lost, I’m looking for you Jack Ryder.”
in the brief moment, between Caolan speaking and his boot knocking the door off its hinges, Jack Ryder recognized the stranger.
Behind the age and the thick beard, were those eyes, with the thick jagged scar over the left one, leaving it clouded.
Caolan the Butcher had found him.