Faith Is Unavailable

Lights, blurry lights rushing furiously sideways. That was all she saw for a while. She didn’t hear anything or feel anything. There were just blurry lights dancing from yellow to orange to red. Then she felt something, heat. But it wasn’t the kind of heat that puts fear in hearts. She didn’t know what was going on.
Slowly things started to come to her. There was noise that started as a dull roar but was increasing in volume. The blur was becoming more sharp. The noise she quickly distinguished as yelling, screaming, and all other sorts of noises that people make during a fight.
Then she saw everything clearly, but it was sideways. The burning structures against a black sky lit with stars. The shots from the ray guns making ribbons across the sky. She thought it was all very beautiful in a way. Maybe it was because she wasn’t a part of it or maybe because she had only just been abruptly dropped into this scene with no background as to what was going on.
Then someone grabbed her. It was a face she recognized but couldn’t name. It was a man that had grabbed her arm and pulled her up from the ground causing the scene to become upright. The man was asking her questions but his voice was distorted by a respirator. Then a shot from one of the ray guns made contact with his shoulder and he fell to the hard ground. Another made contact with his chest and she knew looking down at him with shaky legs he was dead.
None of this was making any sense. She didn’t feel like she was there, she didn’t know why she was there, but she couldn’t leave either. Not knowing what to do but knowing there was an attack going on she grabbed the now dead man’s gun and tried to run from where she was. She could only manage a moderately paced limp.
She looked down and saw blood staining her clothes and an awful gouge in her left thigh. She wasn’t sure, but she guessed the majority of the blood was hers. She touched her face and it was sticky and her hair was matted. Something really bad was happening here.
Something caught her around the waist. She didn’t know what the name for it was, but she knew innately in her heart that it was evil. It was what they were fighting against.
Suspect 12 woke up with a scream. She was hyperventilating and didn’t know where she was. Then her eyes adjusted to the dark and she realized she was in the diner. Then she noticed the arm around her back and then presence of someone holding her close asking her if she was alright. She managed a nod and then felt lips on her cheek. She noticed the other faces looking at her in the dark; faces she knew and faces she didn’t. Some were scared and some were looking for the threat.
“Sorry.” She whispered.
“What happened?” Jet-Star asked touching her cheek and turning her face to him.
“Nothing. Nothing happened.” She said bringing her hands to her face and then letting her frantic hands check her thigh. Nothing.
Jet-Star stood up and pulled Suspect 12 to her feet. She didn’t know what they were doing but she followed him knowing that it probably had something to do with conversation and he didn’t want to bother anyone that was trying to fall back asleep.
“It’s nothing Jet.” She said after they were outside.
“You’re still not breathing normal.” He pointed out.
“Everything okay down there? We heard a scream.” Fun Ghoul asked leaning out over the edge of the diner, gun in hand.
“It’s fine. I think Twelve just had a nightmare.”
“Sucks. It was only a dream.” Fun Ghoul said going back to his watch. He was really craving a fight because there hadn’t been any incidents in a long time and that didn’t feel right at all.
Jet-Star watched the edge of the diner just to make sure that Fun Ghoul was gone before he started talking to Suspect 12.
“You sure you’re alright?” He asked grabbing her hands.
“Fine. It was just a dream like you said.” She sighed hoping to get Jet-Star to drop it.
“What was it?”
“Nothing. Just the embodiment of fear.”
“That could be a lot of things you know. That could mean tons of spiders or a huge ass demon eating you. What was it?”
“Neither of those. It’s gone. Don’t worry about it.”
“Twelve,” Jet-Star sighed stepping closer, “you haven’t been sleeping well at all the last few days. You toss and turn, you moan, now you’re screaming. Everyone is worried. Just tell me what it is.”
“I... I think it was my past.” She whispered not really wanting to think about it. “I’m not sure because I can’t see it anymore. I can just feel it.”
“What about your past?”
“A fight or something. A fight I, or we, were losing.” She said as it all slowly came back to her. “Someone was trying to save me but they killed him. Someone else grabbed me. Everything was burning. I don’t know. Maybe something from before I was captured, like Sector F and the end of what I used to know.” She had tears streaming down her face at this point and her nose was running but she didn’t care. This was a sort of break through. She was fairly confident that she was remembering her past.
“Have you been dreaming that a lot lately? Is that why you can’t sleep?”
“Maybe. I’m not sure. I haven’t thought about it. I don’t want to. It scared the shit outta me.”
“But if it helps you, then maybe you should try. Maybe then the questions you have can be answered.” His hands were on her shoulders now and she was looking up into his eyes.
“It’s over now. Just forget it. Go back to bed.” She said nodding towards the diner doors.
“Are you coming with me?”
“No, I don’t want to go back asleep. I’m scared to.”
“Then I’m staying with you. Come on.” Jet-Star said taking Suspect 12’s hand and leading her away.
He opened up the door to the Trans-Am, whoever drove it last had left it unlocked, and got into the back seat after Twelve. They sat in the car and just talked until the sun came up and Kobra Kid came to find them.
“Everything cool?”
“Copacetic.” Suspect 12 said.
“Good, I need the car so...”
“We’re leaving.” Jet-Star said starting to climb out.
“I have day watch anyways.” Suspect 12 added following Jet-Star out.
“Where are you going?” Jet-Star asked Kobra Kid.
Suspect 12 didn’t care to listen so she just walked around back and climbed up the ladder to get on the roof. Fun Ghoul was sitting up there still in a lawn chair waiting for her to take up the post so he could go to bed much like Party Poison had just done.
“You good?”
“Fine. Get some sleep.”
“Alright. Night.” Fun Ghoul said letting it drop. Everyone knew if she didn’t want to talk she wasn’t going to.
“It’s morning.”
“Fine, morning. Don’t see how it matters though. I’m going to bed.” Fun Ghoul said opening up the roof access to the attic and climbing down the stairs and then closing it behind him.
Suspect 12 noted a Draculoid out to the east wandering by himself. She took aim and shot him down. Luckily Kobra Kid had seen it as well and said he would go take care of it so she could stay up on the roof. He sped off spinning the tires and kicking up some dirt as he went. Boys, she thought to herself.

In for one of her regular reports Suspect 12 sat on the couch in Korse’s office. He was late. That was very unusual. Normally he couldn’t wait to hear what she had to tell him even if it wasn’t a whole lot other than what his Killjoy daughter had been doing.
She kicked her feet up on the table and started picking at her hands thinking about getting back to the diner. She missed her family of misfits, even the people she didn’t know that were there at night.
Twelve was surprised that none of them other than Silver Sands had caught on. She could chalk that up to her choices with Jet-Star though. No one would even think of Suspect 12 as being a double agent if Jet-Star was so in love with her. Even Girl liked her and everyone knows children are a great judge of character.
Viktoria came in shutting the door behind her. She didn’t say a word to Twelve but went to the radio and tuned it to Dr. Death Defying’s channel for communication. Twelve uncrossed her legs and withdrew them from the table to sit up.
“What’re ya doin?” Suspect 12 asked.
“You are staying here for a while. Say this to the doctor. We will be listening” She said leaving a paper on the desk and walking out.
“Wouldn’t hurt you to warm up a bit, Tori.” Suspect 12 called after her knowing how much that would get under her icy skin.
Suspect 12 got up to read the paper. The radio was crackling and she could hear nothing other than static. She twisted the knob just a bit and the static was gone. Once more Twelve read the page and then sat down in Korse’s chair. She crossed her legs on top of his desk and picked up the transmitter on the radio.
“Dr. D you in, it’s Twelve?” Suspect 12 said into the transmitter and then waited.
“You got an appointment?” He responded.
“No, but I think I need to make one for a check up when I get back home.”
“Why, where are you?” Now he sounded concerned.
“Out in Zone 5 Sector B. Can’t talk long. There’s some Dracs out here patrolling. I can’t get back home tonight. Broadcast the warning, they chased me here. I don’t want anyone to worry. I’m fine.”
“I can send someone.”
“No. Don’t. I’ll be fine.”
“Set your guns to dust and hold tight little lady. I’ll send out the warning after this song. Stay safe.”
“Thanks. See you soon.”
Suspect 12 then tuned the radio to Dr. Death’s broadcasting channel to hear him put out the warning. She knew the Killjoys were all listening back home in the diner. She thought of Jet-Star and how she knew he would want to go find her right away but if Dr. Death told them not to look for her, he wouldn’t. Not for a little while anyways. Twelve would have to check in once in a while so Dr. D could update everyone.
Viktoria came back into the office and stared at Twelve.
“What.”
“Get your feet off the desk of my father.”
Twelve just stretched and yawned. “Quite comfortable actually.”
Viktoria knocked Twelve's feet off the desk and stood staring down at her.
"What? You want me to get out of the chair now?" Suspect 12 said glaring up as she crossed her legs.
"What do you think?" Viktoria crossed her arms over her chest. "It eludes me why we keep you around anymore. You are turning into one of them more than you are helping us."
"Korse needs me."
"My father needs no one. He built this city. He made this a livable place for the faithful. He preserves life."
"So long as it has use. Seems like you're insecure about me."
"The only thing stopping me from dispatching you is my father. But one day I will not heed his warning and on that day you better watch out."
"How cute. Someone who is nothing but a glorified Draculoid wrangler is threatening me. Sweetheart, the only person I would listen to when making a threat would be your sister, Silver Sands. You are nothing compared to her."
"She left us when things got tough. She is a coward and we are better off with out her."
"Again sweetie, you're wrong. She did what you can't; she survived on her own without her daddy to protect her."
"That is it!" Viktoria spat reaching for a gun on Korse's desk.
Suspect 12 was quicker on the draw and they were soon both pointing guns at one another. Korse walked in at that moment. He shook his head being able to guess what the conversation had been about.
"Viktoria, put the gun down."
"Wouldn't want to hurt yourself now would you?" Suspect 12 taunted raising her left eyebrow.
"That is enough from you too, Sleeping Death." Korse mocked Twelve. He only used her Killjoy name when she was being particularly difficult.
Viktoria threw the gun back on the desk, it slid across the glass surface knocking a few things off of it and stormed out of the room.
"So much stronger than Sands." Suspect 12 called after her.
"Why can you two not just get along? I want nothing more than my two favorite people in this city to at least tolerate each other." Korse said pinching the bridge of his nose.
"I have no problem with her. She's the one who doesn't like me." Twelve said taking Korse’s hand and drawing it away from his face.
He looked at her for a moment with no words. She was so like his late wife in the way she got through to him he was astonished. His wife had been the only one able to calm him when he was stressed but now there was Twelve and she did it so easily.
She didn’t look anything like his wife, but she reminded him of her so much it was almost hard for him to be in the same room with her.
"Maybe to ease the animosity you could speak correctly instead of like a Killjoy. You know how she is about that kind of thing." Korse sighed holding on to Twelve’s hand.
She didn’t pull her hand away from his when he laced his fingers with hers. They moved to sit on the couch and Twelve was not bothered by how close he sat to her or that his hand was still holding hers.
"As I remember you had quite the problem with me using contractions and leaving out the ends of words when I first started reporting to you." She smiled.
"I have become used to that. I know that if you are going to fit in with the animals then you must learn to grunt like them as well."
Suspect 12 rolled her eyes. Korse was always so demeaning towards the Killjoys. It was a wonder how she stuck around to listen to him talk that way. She remembered that they were the ones responsible for the fear she dreamed about almost nightly, but she’d gotten to know them now and had a hard time believing they could have done that. Korse did appear to be more human than he had in the last few months. It could be because she talked with him more often or because he showed much more emotion towards her now than he ever had.
"So, how is the poor animal you made fall in love with you?"
"Fine. Now what is so important that I have to stay here for a few nights?"
"New strategy. I also want to see if the animals are stronger now without you around. My Draculoids may have their guns set to dust since you are not there for me to worry about."
That worried Twelve. She knew they had been doing so well because all Draculoids and Scarecrows were under direct orders to have their guns set to ghost while she was out there. It almost made her feel guilty when she dusted them during her watch; but she couldn't risk one of them seeing the diner and reporting back to Korse.
The location of that diner was the only thing that was keeping her from being turned back into a captive again, or worse.
“Now I know this is futile, but I would appreciate it if you showered and changed into normal clothes for the duration of your stay here in Battery City. We have a room ready for you with fresh clothes and a shower if you so choose to appease me.”
“You know I can’t. The Killjoys would notice. I’ll shower when I’m done with them.” Suspect 12 said hoping that she never would have to be done with them.
“Very well. The clothes at least will be there if you choose to change so the occupants of the City are not so frightened by your appearance.” Korse said running his hand from her knee up to her hip to emphasize his words.
“No can do. What if one of them comes into the City? You know my terms.”
“Suspect 12, you were a captive and now you are a kind of soldier. There are no terms for you.” He sighed reminding her of her place.
“Fine, you know my... enjoyment from disobeying orders.” She smirked. “Besides, I think I can get away with a lot.”
“Once you let them join the Killjoys they become one.” Korse said. “These two Draculoids will show you to your room. Please don’t kill them like you did the last two.”
“Sure thing Sweet Cheeks.” Suspect 12 said standing up and letting her hand slip from his. She followed the Dracs out of the room.
She didn’t have any intention of dusting the two escorts but now it was tempting to ghost them. If Suspect 12 had to put up with Korse’s incessant flirting, give him information, and do his bidding with out choice then she should at least have the right to a little fun once in a while.
Since the Dracs hadn’t tried to hurt her yet she chose to ghost them once they brought her to her room. It would be simple enough to leave them lying in the hall.
Korse found them an hour later sprawled out just like the report he got said they were. He checked to see if they were still alive and then told someone else to clean up the Dracs and get them back to work. He chose to leave Suspect 12 alone for the night and give her a hard time the next day starting by leaving her with Viktoria. He knew just how well they got along and hoped this would annoy Twelve.

The next morning Viktoria came to Suspect 12’s room as he father had instructed her to. Or rather she was doing what the card left on her bedroom door told her to do that was signed by her father. If there was one thing she hated more than the Killjoys, it was that her father seemed to not have the time to ask her to do things in person. He just wrote out a note and had one of his mindless followers place the note on her door.
This morning’s task was no less annoying. She had crumpled the note and thrown it into the incineration bin before leaving to go to Suspect 12’s room. She didn’t bother to knock and just threw the door open.
Suspect 12 was making use of the treadmill in her room. It was one of the things she would admit she missed from Battery City. Running in the hot sun was not ideal. She stopped the treadmill and stood there waiting for Viktoria to say something.
When it was evident that Viktoria was giving her the silent treatment today Twelve laughed. She stepped off the treadmill and the room walls faded back to white. Twelve put her gun holsters back on her thighs and placed the guns in them. She grabbed her jacket and tossed it over her shoulder as she walked to the doorway Viktoria was standing in. She shoulder checked Viktoria as she walked past and gave her a cold glance.
“Come on Tori, wouldn’t want to be late.” Twelve called over her shoulder as she headed down the hall.
Viktoria slammed the door shut and followed Suspect 12. This was not how she intended to start the day. Not only did she have to fetch Twelve like she was a Draculoid but she was now being lead down the hall by her instead of the other way around. Viktoria picked up her pace trying to get in front of Twelve but another shoulder check stopped that from happening so Viktoria settled for walking just a step behind her.
Korse was in his office pouring over the latest newspapers from both Battery City and the Outer Zones. He was tying to get all the information he could in case there was something that Twelve wasn’t telling him.
“You can leave now. It’s time for the adults to talk.” Twelve said looking back at Viktoria.
“I think I can sit this one in.”
“Suit yourself.” Twelve said taking the water bottle that was on the desk and opening it up.
“That is mine.” Korse said not even looking up from the papers.
“I got no breakfast this morning.” Twelve said planting a kiss on Korse’s cheek just for Viktoria’s annoyance. Then sat on Korse’s desk in front of him with one foot the armrest of his chair. “Why are you reading that? You know they print false information in that rag to throw you off.”
“And I’m trying to figure out what is false and what is real.”
“The reports about Battery City are real at least. Can’t guarantee anything else.” Twelve said sipping the water and looking out the window at the Captive Ward where she used to stay.
“That’s the only reason you are allowed to be out there.” Korse said folding the paper over. “The only reason you are allowed to frolic around is to bring me guaranteed information on the Killjoys so that I can destroy them.”
“I think I’ve given you plenty.” Twelve said batting her eyelashes with a leer.
“You have given me a lot, but I think it’s time for me to give you something. An incentive if you will.” Korse said putting his hand just above Twelve’s knee.
Suspect 12 narrowed her eyes to try and see the angle that Korse was coming from. She had never known him to give her anything.
“Leave us Viktoria.”
“Father.”
“Leave.”
Nothing was said until the swish of the doors was heard and then the subsequent click of it automatically locking. Korse opened up a desk drawer on the opposite side of where Twelve was sitting and pulled an envelope from it.
“Among these documents are some very incriminating sources.” He said lying them out on the table. “Choose one and let the Killjoys know who Sandra really is. We need to weaken their trust in her.”
“Why?” Suspect 12 asked casually as she moved to sit in the chair in front of Korse’s desk and looked at the documents and photographs.
“You said yourself that she suspects you. We cannot have her spreading lies about you without being stopped... or threatened. I do not like doing this to my own flesh and blood, but she’s a very important part of my life and she has forced me to act this way.”
“Photographs would be easiest to plant. I’ve done that once already and Pony Boy found it just like I wanted him to.” Twelve sighed picking up one photo and stuffing it into her jacket pocket. “Can I go now?”
“Not quite yet. We have a few other things for you to do. Just some desk work if you will. I said I was giving you something. It is not this photo.” He said gesturing to her pocket. “Although if they know she is my daughter from that previous photo already, then take this document. It paints her in a far more incriminating light.”
“What is that you are then?”
“An incentive. I want you to have something to come back to. A reason for you to not get too wound up in this Killjoy animal that has fallen in love with you. You’ll be the head of a department when this is over, the department of Captive and Draculoid Training. The current head is about to vacate the spot. Just go complete the desk work. A Scarecrow will show you the way.”
“From where I stand that position won’t last too long after the fall of the Killjoys.” Twelve eyes Korse carefully.
“It is only a temporary position in order to fulfill the requirements for the final position I will place you in. In order to legally have it you must be a head of a department for at least six months before promotion. Follow the Scarecrow please.”
“Oh wow, I must be really important now. A Scarecrow is leading me instead of a Drac.” Twelve said sarcastically as a Scarecrow slipped into the room using a code to unlock the doors.
“Be careful Twelve.”
“No prob, Boss.”
Twelve saw Viktoria lingering in the hallway watching her as she stood. Twelve looked back to Korse and judged that Viktoria would see what she was going to do next. Twelve leaned over the desk Towards Korse and looked straight into his eyes. He smiled and leaned forward.
Twelve had only intended to make it look like she kissed Korse but he took the liberty of actually doing it. Again Twelve was overcome by the compulsion to just do an not think and kissed Korse back. All the while Viktoria stood there watching.
This time Twelve waited for Korse to pull back -she didn’t know why but something felt right then- and after she left the room with the Scarecrow. Viktoria was gone from the hallway. This made Twelve worry that her little show had gone to waste.
It had not fallen on blind eyes. Viktoria was a very resourceful woman and knew exactly what she was going to do. She had left the hallway for the surveillance building. It wasn’t too far off from the main BLI building and she was there in a matter of moments with the help of her motorbike.
Amy Smith, a tall black haired Asian woman, was head of the surveillance department and she was quite glad to see Viktoria. She already knew what she had come for.
“Hello Viktoria.” Amy smiled holding an envelope.
“Amy.” Viktoria smiled back.
The two women hugged. They had become very close in the time that Amy had been working in the surveillance department, since she had come to them a bloody mess from the Zones.
“You saw what happened this morning in Korse’s office, did you not?”
“I did. That’s the second time we have caught that on camera.”
“Who knows what has happened off camera.” Viktoria sighed.
“I do not know.” Amy said handing Viktoria the envelope. “Stills from the video; I know that is what you want.”
“Thank you. You know me so well.”
“I assume Sandra will be getting a visit from you soon?” Amy asked.
“Her or whoever else I run into of the Killjoy nature. Maybe even that little rat that loves Twelve. Would that not be delicious?”
“It would. Cause strife within the Killjoy ranks and then watch them become exterminated. It is a wonder why your father did not send you out.”
“I have too many duties here.” Viktoria said repeating the exact reason why Korse said she could not preform the double agent job.