~ The abandoned mansion – 30 minutes later ~
Penny watched as The Wanderer cleaned and bandaged Megan’s wounds. In the corner Brett stood awkwardly not exactly sure he they got here so fast. After a couple of minutes The Wanderer finished and walked back to Penny.
“Go easy on her alright?” he said quietly, “from the looks of her she’s already been through a lot.”
Penny gave a look to The Wanderer then walked over to Megan. Pulling up a chair she sat across the Techno-Pagan and looked at her seriously.
“How do you know who I was?” Penny asked
Painfully Megan reached into her backpack and pulled out a printout.
“’Penny Whitfield, aka Nighthawk, Slayer’,” Megan quoted, “’Member of the L.A. operation’ should I go on?”
Penny snatched the print-out out of Megan’s hands and read it. Sure enough it was her council record. She looked up at her suspiciously. Penny’s council record was only stored in two places and one of them is in England.
“When I was hunting around for components I broke into a boarded up club called ‘Gen S.’ I head that the police had been through it but nothing was taken which seemed weird. Anyway, I found some computer systems lying on the ground. When I searched though them I found these files.”
Penny placed the page on the ground and looked at her seriously.
“You said you needed my help? Why?”
“Have you ever heard of Techno-Pagans?” Megan asked Penny
Penny thought about this. She’s heard the name but wasn’t sure what they were.
“Oh,” Brett said from the corner, “you’re one of them? Those online witches.”
“Shut up!” Megan snapped, “This is your fault!”
Brett shrugged.
“How is this my fault?” he asked, “I don’t even know what the hell you people are talking about?”
Penny looked over to Brett in confusion. None of this was making sense.
“Megan?” Penny asked
“Alright, this is the stitch,” Megan explained, “My coven has been storing demons on computer servers.”
Penny looked stunned. That can’t be possible.
“A few decades ago a Techno-Pagan by the name of Jenny Calendar posted details about a demon that was set loose on the internet. To release him they had to form this circle online to drive him out. Some of the other pagans saw potential in this and started to work on a safer way of posting demons kinda like a digital prison for the worst of them.” Megan continued
“I’m guessing it worked.” Penny replied
“Yeah,” Megan replied shooting a deliberate look at Brett, “Until some idiot decided to crash the internet!”
Brett folded his arms and scoffed at the accusation. Megan glared at him angrily.
“This Luthor crashed our online system dropping the holding spell releasing the demons stored.”
“Oh my god,” Brett yelled, “this is insane!”
“There’s lot more to this world then you think kid,” The Wanderer replied
“How many?” Penny asked
“Twelve, well, eleven now since to killed that hell hound,” Megan replied, “That includes Thi'Ne.”
“Who’s that?”
“Thi'Ne was a demon overlord who ran his hoard through Europe and parts of Africa for a better part of a Century. He came to the U.S. after he heard about the battle in the desert. We trapped him a few weeks later as he tried to move on L.A.”
“And now he’s free,” Penny replied
“Yeah and not alone,” Megan replied, “I barely made it out alive before his demons ripped the coven apart.”
“God, I’ve had enough of this,” Brett said moving for the door.
Penny moved swiftly and blocked his path.
“Where the hell do you think you’re going?” she asked
“I don’t know,” Brett replied, “I was thinking of finding some sane people to talk with.”
Penny shot him a look but Brett wasn’t buying it.
“Oh come on Pen! You guys are talking about demons and monsters like they were real! I think you all need help.”
“What do you think attacked you before?”
Brett shrugged.
“Zoo animals. My virus could have killed the security.”
“You have no clue.”
“And you have no sanity so we’re both even.”
Brett tried to walk forward again but penny put her hand on the wall.
“You can’t keep me here.” Brett continued, “as soon as your back is turned I’m out.”
Penny looked at him seriously. A moment later she swung out with a left hook knocking him out cold. Penny returned to the other three.
“We need to find Thi'Ne now.”
“Most of our supplies and equipment were destroyed in the raid.” Megan replied
“The witches are still waiting for you Pen.” The Wanderer pointed out, “don’t think they’d mind whipping up a spell to find him.”
~ The coven of the high priestess Cassandra ~
The circle of witches sat quietly in meditation. Cassandra opened her eyes slowly when she sent the presence of the visitors. She smiled softly as she saw the small Night-Hawk sitting in the center of the circle.
“We have been waiting for you champion.” She said softly
Nighthawk, The Wanderer and Megan stepped in through the doorway.
“We need your help,” Nighthawk said, “There’s an incredibly dangerous demon on the loose.”
“We know about Thi'Ne the tormentor.” Cassandra replied, “His presence has been felt across the city.”
“Do you know where he is now?” The Wanderer asked
“The last time we sensed him he was traveling east towards a house on the hill top.”
Nighthawk knew instantly where they were talking about. She turned and moved for the door.
“Where we going?” Megan asked, “She didn’t do the spell.”
“We don’t need it. I know exactly where he’s is.” Nighthawk replied
Back in the coven Cassandra watched them leave. One of the other witches looked at the high priestess anxiously.
“Priestess is she one of the ones the goddess is looking for?”
“Yes.”
“Shouldn’t we inform her?”
“Not yet,” Cassandra replied, “When the time is right I will talk to Willow myself.”
Back at the mansion the group looked at what remained of the room.
“Damn it!” Nighthawk exclaimed
“Guess they have him now.” The Wanderer continued
“What do they want with him?” Megan asked
Nighthawk thought about this.
“When I fought Thi'Ne he called Brett his freer.”
Megan’s face dropped.
“He’s going after the other servers.” She replied
Nighthawk looked at her in concern.
“You think Brett’s capable of releasing the others?”
“You gotta understand there’s servers are delicately configured. Even the slightest black out could ruin them.”
“And what if a hacker is forced to work on them?”
Megan looked at the other two seriously
“Then you can say good by to this city.” she replied
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