Chapter #14

The early morning sun rose up from across the horizon as the dark thunderclouds cleared to reveal the many light colors that touched the sky. The wind had died down as the dust settled on the silent streets of Limerick. Many of the evacuated citizens had not returned yet as some of the police force worked on cleaning up the debris-covered streets. 

Back at Headquarters, Commander Wilson began pouring coffee into cups to serve to the exhausted heroes. He smoked silently on his pipe as he handed Marié and Harold two mugs. They accepted it without complaint as they held each others hand.

Roger nudged Henry lightly, smirking and pointing over at the newly arranged couple, "they look like quite the item, wouldn' you say?"

Henry smirked and patted Verlin on the shoulder as he turned his attention back to his thoughts and worries on how Clare was doing at this moment. Over on one of the benches, Catherine slept soundly in John's arms while he conversed quietly with Draco over the events that occurred only hours ago. Kenny sat at another bench farther down, silently warming his coffee with his hands. He looked up at the people crowded around the small office and noticed all the happiness and the emotions floating about. Kenny looked down in shame, feeling all of the pain and conflict he had caused each of them and sank further down into the bench. 

He suddenly felt that he wasn't alone and he looked up to see Tracey sitting on the bench beside him.

"You look beat," she smirked and held out a larger container of coffee, "care for some more?"

Kenny chuckled, "you read my mind. Thanks," he offered at his cup as she poured a small amount of coffee into it.

The large double doors swung open as Donovan walking in, dusting off some of the dust.

"Any sign of them?" Leslie jumped up from her office chair.

Donovan took a swig of coffee before shaking his head, "No. Nothing. We uncovered Hugo Harriman's body, pinned up on a wall by a metal pipe. Either he committed suicide or it was the work of Aaron and Martin. Wherever they are, I'm sure they're alright. But we'll keep searching."

"So...what happens now?" Roger asked curiously.

"Well I hate to split the team but I think it's best if I was there for Clare when she gets transported to the Maine Ivory Hospital," Henry shrugged apologetically.

"It is completely understandable, and probably for the best. Marié and I," Harold squeezed her hand gently, all the while grinning, "may try to find a new mansion that may fit us."

"Well in any case, we could never have accomplished this without the help of Mr. Kransky," Draco nodded to the far back corner where Jason stood.

Everyone in the room nodded in approval as he stepped forward shaking his head, "No, no. Listen. My being there should never have occurred. I only showed up because of pure vengeance, not out of pity for the fact you all almost lost.

This is a new beginning. For all of us. I won't be around every time something this serious happens, so don't get your hopes up on relying on me. You all have in the past few weeks created a bond between one another, made yourselves a true team. Now is the time when most of all, you must rely on each other and yourselves. Terrible times are still ahead, we must be prepared for the inevitable."

"But we defeated Zarian, didn't we? What more terror could happen here?" Henry interrupted.

"Ah, you seem to not realize that I was not the only one to survive the medical genocide Zarian had ordered throughout those hospitals. Many of the survivors of the electrical plant explosion escaped his grasp. Not all of these people will be as kind as you all have been. At any case," Kransky began walking to the door, stopping in front of Cedar to shake hands, "I'm not sticking around for any more destruction. I still have to get over the feeling that I won't be able to die in the next 100 years. I'll see about taking my chances and journeying the globe for a while. But it was truly an honor to meet you all, but I do pity your predicament at this time. For I do not think that this fighting will stop anytime soon, and at the same time, I feel safer now that I know your team will be there when the fate of the world may be at an end. I believe that you all will save us from those perilous days."

Jason took one last moment to look into each of their faces, seeing the right within each one. He quickly nodded, turned and walked steadily out of the office building.

Silence filled the small, darkened room as everyone sat quietly, absorbing the words Jason Kransky had just addressed.

The same question was crawling through each of their minds; could they really continue this fight and continue to win?

Finally John broke the silence with a soft and calm voice, "I think we can." He looked up to see most of them facing him, smiling and nodding in approval.

*"And so marks the day of reckoning, when The Igknighted shall stand and fight against the almighty evil and bring about justice and the protection of others. The dawning of a New Age has passed," Donovan silently spoke, "the beginning of The Igknighted has just begun."

TO BE CONTINUED...