Chapter Three: Forest of the Dead, Part One

And then like that more time passed, citizens of the city started to wonder if their hell would appear in bursts, and they returned to normal life. Only the remains of a charred but now unusable square in their memories, the sole aftermath of the battle. And all of it had started with a panic, the nanobots going out of their own line and attacking an Outsider personally, every villain in the city now knew that mistake and now knew who not to attack.

And all the while the forces of the two outerdimensional forces stood ready to strike on the outside of the city, the Kagens of the west and the Riftwalkers of the east ready to go down on each other. At any minute the city might be engulfed in an ominous Latin leitmotif and find themselves helpless as the two forces battled to the ends of the Earth.

And in fear unity grew, the Outsiders' relations to the military were increased and patrols increased. All the while, the city put their hands to the window and looked out through the vast desert. Everyone in the planet knew of the Kagens and the Riftwalkers now, how long would it be until they decided to prod at the peace.

And even Finn knew it was dangerous to prod at the gift horse, as much as establishing a better peace was, it was still poking a very fragile bubble and trying to hold it in your hands. But it could be slowly touched and it seemed that touching slowly would be the only way to get it to peace, with a treaty between the two forces in the distance.

And that was why as he stood with the two forces representatives, Finn choose his words carefully and knew he had to convince them like before. He had to do this, force them to work together and be alone, maybe make them starcrossed lovers and get them to be the glue between the Kagens and the Riftwalkers, still the two of them didn't seem very comfortable around each other and even Finn knew he was playing with fire.

Bright and Basil sat down in a chair, the two sharks, in the emptied Outsider base, the lights turned to full force and the perception filter activated and hiding the general mess and other sorts of concoctions that were inside the base, Finn thanked the gods that they weren't able to see through it. For if they did see the weapons in development then they might start to run in fear.

Still the two groups looked wholly hating at the other group and that stood still with Bright and Basil, the two of them sitting down and facing as far away from each other. Still Finn persisted, the shark needed to get them to banter or something, if they could see they weren't different, and that was where he had planned the ultimate bonding trip. Looking at the two he groaned and adjusted his coat.

“So then here's what I'm think, in order to show peace, we are going on a camping trip, out to the forests in California, no fractions or alliances, only yourselves and we're going to stay in a cabin for a while?" Finn asked as he looked at two aliens and both of them seemed to consider it without laughing him off as a fool again, which was a starter, no nonstarters in this situation.

“And you know what this will show to the leaders, it will show them we are willing to betray our cause and hang with the enemy, I will probably get berated for just coming here." Bright explained as he adjusted himself in the chair, all the while Basil adjusted himself over a bit and seemed to be looking towards the super computer.

“Oh well then, too bad, I just thought you were cool enough that you would go, I mean you two seemed awesome enough that you could put together your differences and fight, so I mean what harm will a little camping trip do?" Finn said with that look on his face, and then Bright's face turned into a frown, like that Basil raised an eye as well.

“Oh well then, I didn't know you saw me like that, we Kagens can be quite agreeable in these kinds of situations to disappear, the only question is the Riftwalker willing to put away his own beef?" Bright asked as Finn smiled a bit more and knew he had both of them on a hook.

“Oh good then, why don't you start packing the car, suitcases outside of the garage entrances." Finn said as he turned and clapped, the garage door opened and it shifted up onto its large chain as Bright stood up and whispered to himself, standing outside Isaac's car was unlocked and then the trunk opened, Bright grabbed a bag and started to place it inside the trunk.

“Oh well then if he thinks he can camp better than me, he has it coming to him and I'll fit those packages better than he could ever imagine." Basil took the hint and got out of the garage, walking over to the car and while Finn stood up he watched as the shargon grabbed the suitcase out of Bright's hand and placed it down, the two looked at each other like they were going to murder each other.

“Sweet Jesus, you really do believe in this." Isaac said as he walked out from his house, behind him Erick and Ross. He watched as the two of them fought over where to put a suitcase. “I'd laugh right now but this is almost too sad for me, either way on what kind of level is my insurance going to raise?"

“Please don't be so down, if you tried this then you would know I'd want to tear my hair out already, I'm barely surviving on replacing their anger by imagining it as sexual tension." Finn said as he looked over to the two beings fighting and then blushed a bit. Isaac groaned a bit and walked over to his supercomputer.

“Well I believe you, I saw what you saw during the battle and I believe that the two of them would be the best of their races to get along, just thank me for lowering their mental barriers that your little game worked with them." Erick explained smiling as he leaned against the wall, and Finn laughed a bit. Turning around, he watched as the two still struggled to get the suitcase into its place.

“What they don't know is that I purposely made it so that they would have to work together; the suitcase's perception filter won't stop until both of them hold it at the same time and agree on something." Finn whispered as he turned back to the car, watching Bright getting ready to destroy the vehicle. “How's it going boys?"

“Your car needs to be stretched out, she is horrible at fitting these things." Bright yelled as he pushed against the suitcase, all while Basil attempted to move it and squeeze it out of the way. The perception filter was doing its job amazingly. And Finn saw hope in that, maybe the Latin choir wouldn't be needed and maybe they would be put out of their jobs.

“Just keep working it!" Finn yelled as he turned back to Erick and the two of them laughed at their struggle. “Either that or they figure out that the back door is open and they can line suitcases in there. But alas, for us Outsiders the job is never over and we must keep working these things."

“Seriously all of you shut up, I can only mentally say that was what she said until I have to say it out loud and you punch me." Isaac said as he typed on his computer, Finn looked over, the massive screen was black, he must have been searching for something a bit more private.

“Shut up, we love you. Anyway, just be careful because we can see what you hear what you're saying and what your searching." Erick yelled to Isaac, and Finn knew from the way his ears twitched that the shark was blushing. Erick laughed a bit more and then looked over to the two aliens. “Now then, just a little trick."    

Erick raised his hand and held it still, lowering their mental shields and hacking in was a breeze and he could see what they could see and what they thought as well as what they knew and just imputing the thought of working together was a bit too easy for species that were supposed to have mental control over themselves.  

And then suddenly Finn looked surprised as the two managed to figure it out and like that the suitcases all fit into the car. Finn took a breath and knew that it was time for him to go. He was standing still and looked back as Isaac appeared back and walked towards Finn.

“Well then I will miss you my love." Isaac whispered as he grappled his arms around Finn's waist and looked him in the eye, without Finn saying anything, the shark kissed him and the two made out for a second, as the three onlooked. And then pulling away, Finn smiled.

“I love you, enjoy your time but don't do anything I wouldn't do." Finn said as he forced Isaac to let go and then he turned towards the car, this was his weekend and he had to make the Kagens and the Riftwalkers have some sort of peace, god forbid the war broke out while they were away. Finn walked over to the car and unlocked it again, “Well then boys you two get the backseat, no radio and we will talk."

“Great." Bright complained as he walked around the trunk and grabbed the handle, opening it and entering the seat. Sitting down, the Kagen grabbed the buckle, while the Riftwalker did the same and they buckled, as they looked down at their hands both of them looked away and grunted.

“Come on kids were going to Disney World!" Finn entered the car and made the biggest smile he could and then looked back at the two of them, they already seemed to be in some form of despair. Finn laughed a bit and knew this was going to be a trip for him as well. “Now then, no need to hold this off, let's get going."

And then Finn put the keys in the ignition and the start hummed to life, the garage started to close and the shark waved to Isaac as he disappeared under the fiberglass blocking. And like that Finn shifted the car into reverse and no one spoke as he drove down the driveway, before pulling out onto the main road and advancing onto their trip.

…

“Well then boys I think I might be in charge, seeing as I am the only one fit enough to sit down and watch all these cameras." And then as Isaac turned around towards the garage's door, he suddenly found Iren standing there. She looked as best as she could, with a bit of oily fur and her midriff being bared as her shirt failed to contain, the spawn of Finn.

“Oh great, I can't say no to you can't I." Isaac said as he looked at, her stupid babies and stupid heterosexuals, how the hell did Finn still want to be around here, if he could Isaac would have both of them move some place nice and peaceful, like Las Vegas.

“No honey but the soon you realize that you will be tied to me through your ties to Finn, well then that is going to be the moment that we will have peace in this nation." Iren walked through the base, passing the shark and rubbing her hand under Isaac's chin, all while the shark stood there with an expressionless look on his face. His mouth stood open and he was shitless.

Erick moved back as suddenly the base started to shake and the lizard found the Earth grabbing a bit too tight on his knees. All the while Iren smiled and rolled her eyes as she sat down on Isaac's chair and leaned back, Ross opened his mouth in disbelief. All while Iren stroked her stomach.

“Feel luckily that you do have the spawn of my boyfriend inside of you because if not, well I'm not an old fashioned man and I personally like to threat the woman the same as men." Isaac threatened as he walked away from the base and walked out of the door, Erick and Ross looked amazed as the shark just left the base and disappeared.

“Now then I'll stay here and eat for two, you two can do some stuff. Ross get out of here and go do something fun." Iren turned towards the screen and didn't even look at the dragon. Ross opened his eyes and looked at her like she was crazy and then even he realizing the irony of it, left the room and then there was the sound of metal crashing into brick. Erick looked at her and wondered what the hell was going on in her mind, even he didn't want to look.

“Erick go get me some intel, or do something constructive." Iren said as she waved Erick off and then like that the komodo dragon left the base and shut the door behind him. Iren had played the cards right if she wanted to offend everyone to the point of leaving her. Of course it was nothing personal, it was between her and Finn that it mattered.

…

So then Erick could be found about twenty minutes walking down the street, in his mind it was an enigma. And like that he wondered, could he find information by just searching peoples mind. Use everyone as a personal search engine, listening for the things even they didn't hear and then he had a breakthrough.

He scanned into everyone's mind, everyone who passed him he suddenly heard what they said and then as he searched through, his mind running harder than ever decrypting all the information. He searched through it all the embarrassing moments and the lifetime of information building up. He learned something and he felt it in his head.

“Everyone dies alone, with themselves and their choices, all their baggage out on the table and who they realty are being presented as themselves." Erick whispered under his breath and then he realized something else as he came up to crosswalk.

“Everyone dies alone, as they really are but if you are remembered then you are preserved, and then even if a single person lives on then maybe you don't die at all." Erick said as he saw funerals and so many deaths, all of it presented to him, so many people dying, he rushed across the crosswalk and moved into a new group.

And then as he walked forward, new memories hitting him, he saw this city and it standing in the sand, love and people embarrassing each other, and embracing, maybe there was hope after all and then as he heard the information. Erick heard something from one person that made him stop. He turned and looked at the person.

He stood still and turned facing an orca with a suit, on the sidewalk, walking forward buildings to his side and the man would never know what a service he did to Erick. Erick stopped and took in the information.

“I believe I have found a way to cure the nanobots."

Erick heard it, it was an old voice, maybe of a middle aged man and then turning around, he followed the orca and peered into the moment, he then saw everything it was like he was that person. Suddenly he was standing on the street corner and he heard the voice just minutely, barely audible from behind him.     

The orca looked down to his watch in the memory and Erick found himself with a lead, a time and a place, on the corner of Main and Second. The man wondered and knew that he could look into any security camera and go back to that time, angle it right and look at the man who said that. And he did that.  

“Come on start up." Erick opened up the computer and sort of hacked into the Outsider database, holding it still he opened the filebase and the files loaded up, he was allowed access into the police database. Of course in the library, sitting in the back desk as the cover of books and massive bookshelves covered the Outsider and he allowed himself into the backdoor of the system.

And then like that he opened up the system and took a look inside, the security camera's footage loading up through the slow speed of the library's internet, he looked on the screen and located the day and then the location, loading the whole of the cameras and loading up the location. He looked through the feed and zoomed in on the scene.

Quickly the system activated as people's faces were highlighted and their identities shown. And putting himself back into the memory, he looked through the scene and located the person. Another orca standing just outside of the crowd and talking on his cellphone. Professor David Pavlock.

“Local university worker and a degree in nano particle building, he sounds like our guy that could do it." Erick hit the computer and shut it down. Walking out, he wondered if people would ever put their baggage out and let themselves be who they wanted to be, not be who they were in death but in living, Erick decided that if people were who they were in living the world would be chaos, and maybe that was the way it had to go.  

Still Erick found the man and he knew where he was so maybe there was hope for the city after all. 

…

“Hello who's there." Tidus asked as he grabbed the door knob and looking through the tiny peephole, he was it was Isaac on the outside. He opened the door and then suddenly he was knocked back, the militiaman crashed into the table and everything in his room, plastic, glass and rubber all fell to the floor, tea spilled out onto the ground and the cup shattered, into a million pieces.

Yet Tidus was knocked into the back wall, a part of the dry wall and pain crumbling around it and sinking in. The shark landed on the ground and nearly fell as Isaac's gravity attack succeeded in nearly knocking him out. Isaac walked in, items being pushed away from him as he walked forward, all the scattered items flying into the wall again and crumbling further.

Isaac walked straight through the room, the couch and table moving out of his way and sliding against the carpet as he steamed forward. Tidus woke up and then looked forward, suddenly strikes of electricity blasted forward. Isaac reacted and then suddenly everything was pushed away from him, even the floor, the thunder traveled through the anti-gravity sphere but then they simply deflected. 

And then Isaac cracked his fingers, a wave of anti-gravity knocking Tidus back and deeper into his wall, the shark groaned as he slid down against the ground and closed his eyes, groaning in pain as his shoulder's cracked. Isaac walked forward and manipulating the gravity around Tidus, the shark started to float above the ground, his feet and legs dangling as he was pushed into the crater from before.

“Have you gone mad!" Tidus yelled as he tried to escape the trap that Isaac placed him in. The shark struggled as Isaac breathed heavier and heavier both of them knew what that meant, he was exhausting his powers. Tidus started to sink into the wall and he screamed out as his back started to crack. The wall sunk in deeper and Tidus screamed out.

“You know what you did, you knocked Iren up with Finn's seed. What did you do, did you get them drunk and go town with both of them, the night Finn didn't call me goodbye." Isaac calmly talked as he walked forward and nearly was touching Tidus's chest. “The night they were with you, did you like Finn as a dad so much that you wanted him to become one, that is quite the show to be fucking daddy even if you are as stupid as you are." Isaac said as Tidus leaned against the wall and then suddenly a blast of lighting knocked him off. The shark clashed into the Outsider and both of them ran back. 

“And look at you, you're Livewire aren't you. Traitor to the Outsiders, going with the Military, maybe Finn did know of what you did then maybe he wouldn't be so friendly with the Outsiders, and if you haven't realized then I am the Outsiders as well." Isaac laughed as he wobbled on the floor, everything hurt and he looked at Tidus, sparks struck everything in the strange and disturbed room.

And then Tidus struck him with a blast of electricity, Isaac fell back to the ground and nearly tripped on the ground, he continued to move back as more lighting hit him. He found himself unable to speak and like that he fell to the ground, his breathing stopping as he fell to the ground.

“I'm sorry Isaac but you're too close to the truth and the nanobots need to continue for the future and the past to happen." Tidus spoke as he walked over and the putting his hand on Isaac's chest fired a blast, and then the shark started to breathe again. “Now then where is the short term memory, this might hurt you in a few hours but this has to happen, everything has to unfold as expected."

“Now then." Tidus put his hand onto Isaac's head and slowly dragged it around as he fired tiny blasts of electricity through the shark's skull and into his brain. He at least knew he was doing something and then as the shark opened his eyes, he knew that he had succeeded. Isaac acted groggy and he should off because his short term memory was erased as was all evidence of something even happening.

…

A noise pieced through Isaac's ears and he felt deafened and confused as he felt a shaking on the ground, there was the sound of an intense vortex around him and as he opened his eyes, Isaac found his eyes were being blasted by wind. He closed them and then heard a horn, it was right above him and it was a train horn.

Isaac opened his eyes and saw where he was, in the middle of two train tracks, the Doppler effect stretching the sound of the train horn as it passed him and continued on its own path. He was in the middle of nowhere, well at least outside of Carson City, looking to his left, he saw the city.

Quickly standing up the Outsider wobbled over the second set of train tracks and back towards the city. He put his hand on his stomach and gasped as he fell to the group and lost his stomach. After that ordeal, Isaac decided to lay on the ground forever and just die there, until he heard the sounds of vultures in the distance, the prey birds were coming for him.

“Oh and we're going." Isaac told himself and he stood up, holding his stomach still and starting his slow walk back towards the city. Another train passed behind him this time wind striking his back and pushing him forward. “How the hell did I get out here and how much alcohol did it involve?"   

Isaac wobbled forward as he found a blank in his memory, everything from the day before was wiped out, he had nothing. He looked around, he tried to remember what he was doing but his mind was as blank as a winter drive in Chicago, how did he remember that. He felt the wind on his body and he shivered for a second.

He walked forward and stepped through the sand until he final passed into the city and finally into the back of an alley. He was blank on what he was doing.

…

“So then you two, come on at least talk. We can't make any breakthroughs with this race war until both of you decide to talk." Finn looked behind him and saw the Kagens in the same place they were a few minutes ago, Bright looking to the south and Basil looking to the north, both of them seemingly refusing to do anything with each other.

Finn kept the AC at high blast and knew that at least the car would be cooling, he looked forward on the two lane highway ahead of him, cars packed nearly bumper to bumper, it must have been some kind of skiing caravan. Finn dammed Colorado, and focused on the road ahead.

“Well let me tell you a story, once there was a planet, call it Terraona Alpha and Prime, two planets in Tau Ceti, that's where I grew up and that is where I became myself a fusion. A horrid president ruled and I raised a resistance with the local king, fell in love with him and discovered I could be a person all of myself and then took down the president. All the while I was mentally tortured by the endless existence of my own soul and what I really am and never knowing if love could come my way or if this universe would ever grow too big for me." Basil said as he looked forward, the endless void in his eyes expanding as Finn looked back to him.

“That's rough, sorry for that." Finn said as he looked back at Basil and then turned back, his face horrified as he kept quiet.

“I have to contend with multiple universes inside of my head and constantly mentally fighting between selves of myself and personality that wish to erratically kill you all in a second." Bright said and Finn looked back to him as well, wondering what the hell he had gotten himself into. He watched and the car stopped as the extend of red lights extended into the distance.

“Well then boys you better get ready to share some stories because it looks like we are in this for the long run." Finn said as he leaned back into his chair and looked up at least the two seemed interested in doing something and if out amazing the Outsider was what it took then he would sacrifice himself to the fire of listening.

“Well one time I went out with Benji and due to the way we transported universes Bitforst Bridge sent us to the other side of the multiverse where dogs were the primary race but they were all four legged and they drove cars." Bright said as he leaned back into the seat and wondered if there would be something to pass his boredom, like a foldable gaming device in his hands.   

“Once me and Ephraim took a rift into a universe where everything had happened the same as in my universe but shifted so that when we arrived, we took the place and cleared that universe in three minutes." Basil said as Bright looked over and raised an eye.

…

“So then I told the man that if he wanted me to fix the radiator of the alertantor, then he should have asked me to put the wrench into the quantum overdrive system." Basil said.

“Oh my god, these universes are crazy, when you do have infinite possibilities then I'm sure we can make the craziest places." Bright said as he leaned against the window and leaned his face on it, laughing as he heard the joke.

Finn just giggled a bit and tried to understand what he could, he continued to drive now through a densely forested area. The road was barely populated and no one was driving on the other side, surely this had to be the first time someone was driving down the road. The road seemed to not be touched, the lines faded by the time.

“Well then I think were nearly there." Finn said as he looked ahead and saw the dirt path in the road. He laughed a bit more to himself, this was going better than even he could expect, at this rate the war might have been over.

“So then good, we can get set up and then share some more stories, this is great I never knew a Riftwalker could be so friendly." Bright exclaimed laughing.

“Hey up yours as well." Basil said as he laughed, Finn chuckled along, surely this must have been some sort of fifth dimensional humor he just didn't get. He drove along and just slowed down the car as he pulled into the dirt path and started to slow the car down. Tiny rocks flew up and scuffed the paint.

As he drove through the tree filled forest, the leafs starting to pop back up for spring and summer. The shark leaned forward and out of the window, he could see the Cabin just standing in the distance, when was the last time it was used. That was a good question, but looking forward it had to be a least empty for half a year.

Driving forward, he saw the empty parking area and stacked wood for the fire place inside, not that it would be needed. The entire forest must have been still about seventy degrees. Finn focused and parked, as he shifted the car and turned it off, it shuddered to a stop but he hit the trunk button and it opened.

“Well then I think we are going to get along just fine, but let me tell you my world was great we should visit it one day. The orbital station is still floating around and if you want a ride then catch one on a re-entering piece." Basil exclaimed as he opened the door and stepped out, Bright followed, the two of them poking their heads over and looking out.

“Really and how do you do that?"

“Well the atmosphere is really thick on our world, same amount of oxygen but a lot thicker gasses that we can breathe, they slow it down and then I can fly off or get a parachute, you generate a shield on the way down and it is the wildest bull ride you might have." Basil explained as he grabbed the back of car and bucked it a bit.

“Sounds more like your trying to kill me but sounds fun, shame that they wouldn't want me to go, but you know what can we agree that war is stupid." Bright finally spoke and then like that Finn found a smile on his face, this was the leaders of the two sides agree that the war was a waste of time, this was changing the universe, this was changing the path the war would take, this was changing history.

“Awesome, now then maybe we can work on a treaty on the inside, and Isaac said I couldn't do it, well he owes me some cash now." Finn added as the two grabbed a set of suitcases and pulling them up took them out of the car and towards the cabin. “This place is two hundred years old and it, has survived through it being maintained, the windows and furniture all new but the core of this building is all the same."  

The log cabin was amazing, layers of smooth logs stacked on each other and cut in just the perfect way so that it was smooth. A thin chemical seal was applied over it and it seemed to be in perfect condition, no wood rot on it or the area around the windows. Bright put his hand on the logs and he felt the life in them, breathing he took it all in and smiled.

“This is amazing, why do we want to destroy a world like this, we need to focus on this and we need to protect." Bright exclaimed as he put his hand over onto Basil's and the two of them touched, a glow was emitted from them and they breathed as one.

“We shared energy." Basil reactively said as his wings opened and he looked to Bright, the two of them paused and then they nodded, this was something they wanted to work on this was something that needed to be done. Finn smiled, he knew what he needed to do and he needed to seal the deal.

“The fighting is stupid, why do we need to do it and we need to stay back and stop this war before everyone we know and love die, because there are things more important than fighting." Basil confirmed as he looked to Bright and the shark paused, his wings fluttered for a second and then he looked around.

“Exactly, we need to protect the worlds we love, because in the end we are both space faring races and we need to both understand the worlds that live." Bright asserted and they nodded, letting their hands go, the two of them nodded and walked into the cabin.

Finn lit a fire, his sparks providing the starter as he placed the log down into the fire place. The sun was still in the sky, light shun into the cabin and hit the floor, as tiny particles of dust traveled through it. Breathing Finn stood up and looked back at the two of them.

“So then if we do this, then we do this right, you get me, we're going to make a comprehensive treaty and we are going to do this right the first time, first off the name, I like the Treaty of Nevada." Finn said as he reached behind him and grabbed a piece of paper, it was large, almost poster size, grabbing a few pencils he spread it out on to the table and looked at his two friends, they nodded.

“Let's do this, this planet should not suffer because of both of our arrogances and we need to put aside our differences, and to show this I believe in the Treaty of Nevada." Bright contributed as he put his hand into the table and looked over to Finn who put his on top, they looked over to Basil.

“To new friends and new worlds, we can change this planet. If we do that with one treaty and with ourselves then I think we can change this world for the better, I believe as well." Basil nodded and the three of them put their hands together, they all glowed, three separate energies flowing through them and three separate energies joining to cross time's scar.

“Let's do this then." Finn nodded and then he grabbed the chair, this was it, this was when they would change the future for the better. He smiled and grabbed the pencil and then like that suddenly there was the sound of an explosion, the entire house was shaded in red light and like that the room was blood red.

“No, no, this can't be it, we need to do this." Finn said as he walked over and looked forward, he grabbed the door handle and like that a wind was passing by, it was doing into the forest dragging leaves with it and dragging the smell of doom away from them. Forward as the Latin chorus decided to start up again, a red glow was projected onto them.

The three looked around as fire surrounded and them like that a shadow appeared, it was the same person with the penchant for fire, the heat was one them as Flashpoint walked forward. Finn felt the electricity in his hand fizzle around and he knew he had to do something.

The nanobots were back and if they wanted a fight then they would get a fight, Finn cracked his fingers, this was going to be his own war and he didn't care what he had to do.

“Well, well, well, my boss says there cannot be a treaty without him, so we're going to have to ask you to stop." Flashpoint smiled as he stepped past a bush and it caught on fire, he smiled as his steps caught aflame, the entire world around them was on fire and the Outsider would find trouble now.

…

Erick drove through the desert, sun shining through the desert sand and his car carefully following the dirt road. He looked forward, following the instructions given to him by his phone, leaning forward and pestering his vision through the window, he looked forward. He was looking for a massive observatory in the desert.

Traveling over a sand dune and looking forward, he saw a massive mesa in the distance, it rose up into the sky and on top of it was the observatory, the massive construction sitting there. A telescoping arm pointing into the sky and presumably it's lens looking into the sky to find the secrets of the universe, if only it knew the secrets had arrived.

“Ok then, Mr. Pavlock you know something on the nanobots and you're going to have a few moments to give me it or I will have to extract it myself." Erick threatened as he sat down in front of the orca professor, he was a bit old and a bit grey on top, his skin was wrinkled and his eyes didn't seem to be working as good as they were, but the man seemed to be a professor through and through, wearing the white lab coat of power and having that gleam in his eyes.

“Well I figured one of you would come for me any day, but if you want to take me out for attempting to cure your virus from this planet then you will have to try harder than that, if you kill me then a virus of my own will spread out and my completed work will be given out>" Pavlock asserted as he stood up and spread his arms out. Erick looked into his mind, seeing the work and then he realized the man was bluffing.

“Oh really, then old man you're going to have to do better than a bluff but don't worry your work is safe, you been working on this during the side, and your close, but don't worry, Outsider." Erick reached into his pocket and flashed the miniature FBI badge he was given; in this case it didn't change because of the perception filter.

“Oh good, I figured that sooner or later a target would be put onto my head, but for now it seems that I am good." The scientist said relieved.

“Well how would you like a new job, work with us in any lab you want, including the dinky little one you set up downstairs and we will give you funding for the formula to develop and hopefully you can form one that counters all generations of the nanobots." Erick stood up and looked around.

“The nanobots are my focus but the rifts that the Kagens traveled through are my focus as well, if I could find the pint from which I came then I could puncture to the other side and we might travel to different universes." Pavlock explained using his hands as a metaphor as he walked over and peered through the telescope, of course it's image displayed on a screen and giving him a look into the great blue nothingness of the day.

“Well then you would have access to FBI resources, as well as our supercomputers." Erick spoke with the truth, trying to look through the man and trying to get him on their side.

“If I had access to better computing then I could put my degree in nanotechnology to better work. A formula would be easy to formulate but hard to produce, any of it made would be small and at first days would have to put into it until Moore's Laws takes hold of it and then we wait until; the laws of diminishing returns takes its hold." Pavlock walked over to Erick and looked at the man, and then suddenly there was the sound of a screeching behind them.

“Metal constricting." Erick raised his hands and knew that he was tracked, suddenly the door blasted off and a blast of cold air entered the observatory, the chill tide blew random papers around and knocked the professor's items of his desk as a man entered. Erick scanned the mind and knew who it was. “Frostbite, nice shades."

“Watch out both you and your annoying acquaintances are making to many advances and far to soon will you defeat us, so then our master has sent us to deal with pests like you." Frostbite reached to his face and took a pair of sunglasses off, the man dressed like someone at a tropical resort, frozen armor underneath a tropical shirt.

“Do not interfere with our work, your virus will not spread and the mortal men and women of this world will not be reduced to nothing." Pavlock defended and then suddenly a layer of ice appeared over his mouth, shutting him up. Erick turned his face and saw Frostbite with his hand up and frozen wrist shooters shown. He blasted again and this time, the professor was knocked up into sky and frozen to the ceiling.

“Oh trust me you two, you have failed months in advance, years in fact, our plan to change the future to meet our interests has succeeded but somethings still need to be set in such as certain Outsiders." Frostbite threw his hands forward and even with all the knowledge of what the man would have done, Erick was knocked back by a wall of ice.

And like that Erick was knocked out, his eyes closing as Frostbite walked forward, giggling like Jeff Goldblum and fully freezing the Outsider, Erick felt the cold ice incase him.

…

“Well then boys good luck with this, because all the power in the world couldn't change what has." Flashpoint taunted as he walked forward and put his hands into the air, he giggled a bit and looked around at the Outsiders. Finn stood confident with his hands out, electricity bouncing back between his hands and the ground. Flashpoint stood in front of the cabin, around him burning bushes.

Fire blasted out his palm and on the ground, his body was covered in armor, nanobot armor, Finn knew that it would absorb his thunder unless he could overload it, he still had a few sparks from the battle left, maybe he could just overload it. Flashpoint's armor had a central point, his glowing fire encasement in his chest, maybe that would be a weakness.

“Oh don't be so mean, it would probably take the entire power grid of the Eastern seaboard in order to do the same to us of which you did to our friends." The fire nanobot walked forward, fire trailing behind him and leaving a trail of afterimages burnt in fire. “Now then good luck to you because consider yourself countered, because if you don't then heads will roll."

“Stop this now, give up and there will be no more deaths, you will find peace and we can negotiate this. If you want to be a part of the treaty, then you can join easily." Finn said as he paused and nearly he expected the fire around him to fall, but nothing did happen, instead Flashpoint laughed, his echoing howl nearly put out by the blazing around them.

“Oh Outsiders if only it were as easy as that." Flashpoint said as suddenly the sound of fire around appeared, Finn looked back to see Bright and Basil run out of the cabin as fire engulfed it, they looked around as trees burned. The two of them looked forward and saw Flashpoint standing before them, he was making himself a target to the groups. And then suddenly looking around, all the trees was engulfed in fire and all of them, expect for the small space where the three of them stood were ablaze.

“No Outsiders, we don't wish to be a part of the treaty, we wish to cancel the treaty. Right now the paper is burning and right now the Kagens and Riftwalkers will find two of their high agents dead and then the war will properly start." And with that Finn knew what the nanobots were, they were agents of chaos.

“Consider this your final ride Outsider, Kagen and Riftwalker, because when this day is over, you will be the same as the ashes around you."