Identity

June 24, 1999, 00:40
Tunguska, Russia …

Sinopa shoved Karla and Chance back against the reflective glass building and stood in front of them, her back against their chests. Her vertical pupils constricted in the bright spotlights. "You'll have to go through me first."

Karla, exhausted, tried to wiggle out from behind Sinopa. "No, you're pregnant, goddammit."

"Stay put," Sinopa demanded.

A red logo of a bear paw print was scrawled on the sides of several of the trucks; US military emblems identified the rest.

"We're Americans!" Chance called out to them. "Don't shoot! We're Americans!" He lowered his voice and told his friends, "That's English lettering on the sides of those door panels. They probably won't…"

The man with the bullhorn cut the boy off. "FIRE!"

All at once, the three of them tumbled backwards. As they fell away from the convoy of soldiers and mercenaries, the sound of gunfire filled the air. For Chance, the odd sensation of time slowed down just like in France.

He looked around as their bodies flew backwards. The first round passed over his head and sank into the reflective wall. Everything happened at once; a big ball of chaos and confusion.

The sound faded and became distorted, along with a muffled crackling of shattering glass. It sounded like he was inside of a tunnel. The reverberation of muted sound only added to the chaos and confusion.

Chance felt the weight of Sinopa's body as she fell atop of him. He heard Karla grunt next to him. He became aware, all at once, that they weren't standing anymore.

There was a white glow all around. The soft lighting brought about recollections of childhood stories concerning what death might be like.

"Get up." The voice belonged to a woman he didn't recognize. "Let's go! Get on your feet you three. You cut it awfully close, you know that? The reflective surface began to break as I pulled you through. Be glad it was held together by the tinting film. You idiots almost died."

The boy rubbed his face, half-tuning out what the woman said. He touched his chest, still unable to believe he survived being shot at. He left a bloody handprint on his shirt.

The woman's voice continued from off to the side, but he didn't see anyone speaking. He noticed her voice had a hint of an Asian dialect to it similar to the way Sinopa spoke.

His mind cleared and the droning monologue continued from behind. "What kind of clumsy morons walk into a trap like that? You were tricked by someone whose trap was so clever that I dare admit my newfound admiration for them… whoever they are. Now get up."

Sinopa rolled off of Chance. Her exaggerated movement and grunt confirmed what Chance sensed from her. She struggled a bit, unable to get to her feet over her cumbersome belly.

Karla got to her knees then rose to her feet. She reached for Sinopa and helped the kitsune to stand. They turned to Chance. He lay there, still dazed. The girls pulled him to his feet.

The boy looked about in wonder. "Who was just speaking?"

"Down here. Not a very sharp telepath, are you?"

He looked around then gazed down. A white fox with numerous tails sat on her haunches, staring back up at him. She had red markings over her forehead and on parts of her muzzle. Her ears lay flat in irritation, and her whiskers shifted back along the contour of her svelte muzzle.

The vixen's maw opened and she spoke again. Her words were fluent English and easy to understand. "Nothing to say for yourself? You're supposed to be a man. You should have put yourself in front of those women. Especially considering that one of them is pregnant. What kind of man are you?"

"Tamamo-sama! Please!" Sinopa gawked, embarrassed. "I pushed him behind me. They are human. I have a greater chance of surviving…"

"Holy shit," Karla whispered. "A talking animal."

Tamamo-no-Mae's upper lip curled, revealing canine fangs. "Those children in your womb would not have survived, you blundering fool! Do you have ANY idea what kind of trouble I can get into by bringing four humans here?"

"A technicality at best," Sinopa replied. "Two of them aren't even born yet, Sensei, and are thusly incapable of telling anyone of this realm."

"Oh! How nice!" Tamamo said in a sarcastic tone. "You came back from Earth as a lawyer! Wonderful!" All at once, she became dramatically more serious, adding, "I half wonder if you could lose one of your tails for becoming a lawyer. How… beneath you." The small-bodied creature rose to all fours. "Then again, Lady Kiko has always been fond of them because they are responsible for some of the greatest tricks in the Earth Realm." The white-furred fox turned about. The numerous tails shifted about, flitting together in irritation. "This way… Keep your eyes averted in reverence, humans, and follow me."

Sinopa sighed and moved her hand towards the small white-furred creature. "Let us follow sempai." The group fell into step behind the vixen.

Karla took Chance's hand into hers and examined his palm. "Looks like you cut it on the glass. I have to say, hon, I'm pretty impressed. Most guys would whine like babies over a gash like that."

"I don't feel a thing," Chance murmured. "It itches a little, but… that's it." He paused, furrowed his brows, then added, "Kind of like when you pulled the IV needle out of my hand the day we met. I didn't feel a thing then, either. Come to think of it, I haven't felt any pain the whole month. Could I have nerve damage?"

"No clue. What kind of nerve damage lets you feel itching and the warmth of sunlight but not the pain of injury?"

"I don't know," he said, then asked, "Where are we, anyhow?"

Sinopa placed her right hand beneath her belly and her left hand on the boy's elbow. She spoke in a soft voice. "Karla-san, Chance-san… Please allow me the honor to introduce you to my sensei. Tamamo-no-Mae. We do not always see eye-to-eye, but she is a fair and just teacher."

"It is about time you introduced me," Tamamo muttered. "I was growing insulted."

The white fox led the trio through a hallway of inter-dimensional portals, each a differently shaped silhouette. Chance cut his eyes to the left and right, then whispered to Karla. "Look at their size and shape. They look like wall mirrors without reflections; they appear to go somewhere."

The fox spoke again in a loud, clear voice. "Forward thinking gets you in trouble, young man. You're not supposed to know about this realm."

"I appreciate that you've saved us," said Chance, "But why would you break your laws and bring us here?"

Tamamo scoffed as she trotted up the hallway at the front of the group. "That is certainly not our law. Those worthless laws belong to your people. They're defined in the treaty by the Esoteric Council. And until such a time as there is no more Esoteric Community to uphold those rules, you fools must keep this to yourselves."

In a snarky and chiding tone, Karla asked, "Did you only save us so you could lecture us?"

"Do not disrespect me!" Tamamo snapped. The fur of her pelt bristled up. Her tails fluffed to twice their thickness. She continued walking down the hallway, presenting her backside towards them. "Do you even know who I am? I am Tamamo-no-Mae!"

Karla shrugged. "Yeah, Sinopa just told us that. I've learned lots of mythology and lots of trivial information about historic things. But, lady, I've never heard of you until now. Am I supposed to have?"

Tamamo came to a halt and turned towards the group. She sat down on her backside, with chest and upper body tall and straight. Her tails curled around her, half on one side, the rest on the other. She narrowed her gaze. "Present your injury to me, human boy."

Chance looked around at the other two women then offered his hand down to the white fox, palm up.

Tamamo licked her tongue along the gash on his hand. The lick smeared his blood. She drew her head back and said, "It doesn't matter. Because after I send you home, you won't remember meeting me or this place." She licked her lips and swallowed, seemingly pleased with the taste.

"No, wait," Sinopa protested. "Please. I need their help to find the mirror."

Chance looked down at his hand, eyes wide. The wound was gone, leaving only the itch beneath the skin. A purple and red blotch appeared just beneath the flesh, but the gash was otherwise fully healed. He wiped away the excess blood, leaving a half print on his shirt next to another one from earlier.

Tamamo narrowed her golden eyes, staring up at the group. "Kiko-tenno is furious that the mirror assignment has fallen to you, Sinopa-chan. She is demanding the chancellor revokes your mission; she argues that a pregnant kitsune should not have been ordered about on a battlefield like a soldier."

Sinopa pursed her lips together then turned to Chance and Karla. "The one of whom she speaks, Queen Kiko, is the first of the spirit foxes. She reigns over them as the oldest and most powerful, but she does not serve Inari. Tamamo-sama and I have pledged our honor and our allegiance to Inari-tenno. Kiko-tenno presides as queen over the spirit foxes of all Asian cultures, and over the coyote of Native American spiritual beliefs. If Kiko-tenno and Inari-tenno cannot agree, the conflict of interests sometimes falls upon the kitsune like a weight. It is often difficult to appease both."

"Both?" asked Chance. He opened and closed his hand a few times, still surprised that the animal's lick could have somehow cured his injury. His eyes cut back to Mrs. Parker.

"Hai. It is difficult to honor the god we've chosen as our master, and to obey the trickster queen at the same time."

"Sinopa-kun!" Tamamo hissed, eyes narrow. "Do not refer to her as 'the trickster queen.' If she were to hear you say that, she would be insulted. She's arguing on your behalf, because you are pregnant. She is concerned for your wellbeing. She is concerned for the safety of your children."

"What would she have us do?" Sinopa threw her arms outwardly in a huff of indignation, seemingly out of character for her.

Chance cleared his throat. "What's going on?"

"The mirror was gifted to Niall Kincade and, later, hidden away. With permission of our people, it was stored with a clan of powerful vampires; not the people who have currently taken possession of it!" Sinopa lowered to one knee, resting her belly upon her thigh. She met the gaze of the white-furred fox. "Please. Let us return it to Niall's widow."

"Hai, you make a valid point. But Natalia, normally calm and reserved and patient, suddenly became greedy and wanted it back. I'm not sure why she acted in such a manner, but it's too late. She let the Esoteric Council find out about the mirror, and let them hunt it down and get it back from wherever it was hidden so that, when it surfaced, she could have it stolen. Natalia Kincade's plan backfired. That isn't my problem."

Sinopa rose back to her feet with a sigh of frustration. She folded her arms just above her swollen belly. "Very well."

Chance rubbed his chin, looking from the fox to the human-kitsune then back to the fox. He sensed that Sinopa felt suspicious Kiko might have somehow caused Natalia Kincade to act out by nesting greed in the human's heart. He began to wonder just how powerful the gods were.

"Sinopa…" Tamamo rolled her small amber eyes. "Kiko-tenno argues it isn't worth the drama. She feels we should leave it with the Esoteric Council for the time being. She feels it is harmless. She said we should only retrieve it if they abuse it, and there is no way of knowing if they will just yet. The Celestial Court will soon make a decision on whether or not we should leave it alone for the time being. It would be best if you lay low, as you cannot transform at this time. You cannot escape into the forest or flee because you are stuck in that shape for a few more months. You need to think about your children. Wait for the court's ruling."

Sinopa sighed. "I was given this task by…"

"Sinopa-chan, I know Amaterasu-omikami tasked you with retrieval of the mirror. And to be asked for such a favor by the Sun Goddess is the highest honor for a messenger spirit. But any one god does not have infinite say over the Celestial Realm. The court of our people will decide."

"I disagree, although not entirely. They may deliberate for some time. It is impossible to be sure. Until they decide, it is my honor to retrieve it as I have been asked, Tamamo-sama. I want to bring honor to myself by fulfilling the request of the great Amaterasu-omikami."

"That obligation is…"

Sinopa interrupted her sensei. "Iie! I am honored to be given such an obligation."

Tamamo's tails bristled up, angered by the disrespect and rebelliousness. She stared at the three-tail girl for a moment then sighed and shook her head with a frown of semi-defeat.

She came to realize that the more she pushed, the more the youthful kitsune pushed back. "Chotto matte kudasai." Tamamo took a deep breath to calm her nerves then said, "Sinopa-chan... The only reason you were asked is because you are currently the only messenger on Earth Realm. Let the court decide. Do not be stubborn and rush into making a decision that will inspire the wrath of our superiors."

"Why would Kiko-tenno want the new leader of the Esoteric people to have that mirror? Kiko is not just a trickster. She is the greatest of all tricksters. What is her motivation for…?"

"Sinopa! Stop!" Tamamo's eyes met the gaze of her subordinate. They stared at one another briefly, then the elder demigod spoke again. "Sinopa-kun, our queen does not wish for one of her descendants in danger over that mirror. You are pregnant. You are one of her descendants. She is genuinely concerned – why must you question her motivation?"

"Because all Cheetahs have spots! All vultures feed on the dead or dying! A judicial chief will judge, and a jester will joke!" Sinopa exclaimed. "She is a trickster who thinks ahead, obsessing over her endgame! I repressed my nature to trick when I pledged my honor and fealty to serve Inari-tenno. I continued to repress it when I married the love of my life. I repressed it further when I came into the mindset that I will soon be a mother. Never before, that I can recall, has Amaterasu-omikami tasked a mere messenger spirit with something so crucial. I must fulfill my obligation."

Tamamo sighed. Her ears laid back. Her eyes lowered. She paced about in a circle briefly then stopped and turned her head up towards the trio. "As I said before, you're the only messenger in the physical realm. It's the reason she asked you. Stop looking into this matter as though it were a quest of enormous significance. Your health and the health of your children must come first. Kiko-tenno has made it quite clear that your children – the offspring of a fox spirit – are important to her. You are her descendant. She cares, Sinopa-chan. In fact, she said that they may be able to bridge the gap between the Esoteric Community and the deities because these are the first humans born of our kind in a very long time. There could be true armistice! Not just shaky détente, but true and lasting peace. She said they are extremely important. Worthy of protection. Not to be placed into danger by an errand."

"Why?" Sinopa murmured.

"I do not know, but she seems to think they have some great destiny ahead of them. She does not want you to risk their safety. Sinopa-chan, please…"

"Then she has plans for them."

Tamamo's ears lowered once more. "I cannot fathom a trick that would come out of desire for the safety of your children."

"It does not necessarily mean there isn't one beyond what we can perceive," Sinopa muttered.

"Listen to yourself!" Tamamo snapped. "Still unwilling to trust your own queen!" She side-nodded towards a portal nearby. "I will appear before you again when the court has ruled with a decision." The vixen looked back up to Karla and Chance. "If Sinopa is ruled to find the mirror, your assistance will be important. The task of her safety will fall to the two of you. I WILL remove your memories of this night and of the Celestial Realm. But not yet. Not until a verdict is reached. You may keep your memories until I feel that Sinopa is no longer in danger. Do not think you can outsmart me by writing down tales of your little 'adventure.' I can possess your body and force you to burn any such documents. Keep her and her children safe or I will take out my aggression on the both of you. Are we clear, humans?"

Chance placed his hand on Karla's forearm to keep her from saying anything rash or rebellious. He cleared his throat then bowed slightly to try and show some measure of respect to the best of his ability.

Tamamo's ears perked high, eyeing the boy.

"Thank you for rescuing us from Siberia," he said. "I'm sorry for the trouble we have caused, but we never meant any disrespect. We only wanted to help our friend. The widow of Niall Kincade tasked Karla with retrieving the mirror. When we crossed paths with Mrs. Parker, we felt obligated to help one another. I promise we will keep her alive and the children safe until they're born. But we've come up against opposition that is above my capacity to help. Is there anything you can suggest that will help us do our job of keeping Mrs. Parker safe?"

Tamamo arched the fluff of her brows. "At least you speak in a tone of reverence, boy. Very well. Kneel down."

Chance looked around and licked his lips apprehensively. Sinopa nodded to him. He pressed his lips together in apprehension, sighed through his nose then lowered to one knee and rested his elbow on the ground. On the fox's level, his eyes met hers.

Tamamo-no-Mae placed her forepaws on the boy's head, briefly, then eased back to her haunches. "Your memories from before… they will return over the next few days. Certain actions or thoughts may help to bring them back more quickly. Your name is Marcus Howard. You turned sixteen the first week of February. Your mother died in childbirth. Your father was part of the Esoteric Community and uncovered something serious within the council; his secret remains unknown. You were in New York with him when he made the decision to bring his discovery to the attention of the council. You had a significant headache and he made the decision to take you to the hospital first. Your pain was so great that it rendered you unconscious, leaving you unable to talk him into going to his meeting first. The vehicle was attacked."

Chance rose to his feet. "Do… you know who attacked us?"

"No, but I know he was trained by a human man named Erik Prince. I can only speculate as to why the man attacked your father; I do not know whom your father wished to meet. It is even possible that the contact was the attacker. I am sorry that your father was killed."

"Why wasn't the hospital able to identify him or me?"

"Chance-san, your father was not traveling with his identification on purpose. I am sure he had his reasons."

Chance looked at Karla then back at the small fox. He swallowed then turned to Sinopa. "What happened after the crash?"

"I was in the area," Sinopa explained. "We were passing through lower Manhattan on our way to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. I wished to visit it before leaving the city. I saw the crash. I wanted to help; I only just learned about my pregnancy and with my newly born maternal instinct, I felt compelled to help the boy I saw in the backseat – you. I pulled you free while Jonathan did his best to direct traffic away. You looked up at me and read me. You spoke my mind, active and inactive thoughts. You started to recite things that should not be learned about our kind. All obscure information from the deepest recesses of my mind."

"I… I'm sorry. I don't even know how to do that. I can barely pick up active thoughts. I don't know how I did all that other stuff."

"It's not your fault, Chance… Marcus." Sinopa smiled softly then continued her story. "Tamamo-sama appeared in a broken rearview mirror lying nearby. I picked it up and she asked that I touch the mirror to your forehead. You became unconscious before I could comply with her order. She said you would not remember what you learned from me. I moved you away from the vehicle and asked Jonathan to look you over. I went back for your father but the flames had already consumed the sedan completely. I said a prayer for you and cried for your loss while the ambulance took you away."

Chance sighed and nodded.

Karla gave him a gentle pat on his shoulder blade then affectionately placed her hand at the small of his back. "So, you're a Pisces. That explains a lot." She offered him a playful smile.

"Not sure what that means," he murmured.

The succubus waggled her eyebrows in a playfully flirtatious manner. "Just trust me, it explains a lot. Then again, I'm not your average Scorpio. I used to be really jealous about things but… I've accepted my fate as having to have a series of one-night stands. Yeah. We'll talk later about that." She turned back to Tamamo and said, "Thank you for giving him back his memories. I know Sinopa will want to continue after this mirror. What if you let me finish the task for her? She can act as a, uh… spirit guide."

The vixen licked her paw then rubbed it against the side of her svelte face. She exchanged glances with Sinopa then Karla. "Answer me this: Are you jealous or upset with my three-tail for attacking that man? …Darius Vei?"

"Well… yeah, I'm pissed off but… I mean, you know… he deserved it. So…" Karla shrugged. "That's an awkward question and that was so half an hour ago."

"I needed to see if you would hold a grudge. Sinopa-chan is my responsibility. So far as your ex-lover, you should probably know that he has not yet died. Although he may. His prognosis is not good. But he is not dead at this time."

Karla nodded then put an arm around Chance. "To hell with that guy. I've got myself a new man, now. And I'm happy." Her words brought a secret smile and a blush to the boy's face.

Tamamo eyed the succubus for a moment then nodded. "In order for you to be successful in your quest for this mirror, you will need proper help. I will arrange a fateful meeting."

Sinopa frowned. "Sempai, divine intervention is strictly forbidden!"

Tamamo sneered at her subordinate then cut her eyes back to Karla and Chance. "I will arrange for a small series of events to bring someone special into your lives. You will meet her in two weeks when you cross paths by accident. She has not yet manifested, but she will when you meet her. And her transformation will be a life-changing moment."

"Great. Dramatic rookies… I've already got one of those." Karla received a gentle rib in her side from Chance. She offered a half-hearted grin then cleared her throat. "I'm exhausted, starving hungry and emotionally screwed up right now. Just… I'm trying my best, here. Now I have to believe in the afterlife because I've seen it with my own eyes, and I'm just…"

Tamamo smirked. "First of all, girl, rookies can be molded to what you need of them. An old warhorse is set in his ways, and difficult to control. Take it from a demigod; I know what I'm talking about. If you were ever to lead a small army, find ones who you can mold. Train them, yourself."

"I… okay." A pause, then, "You said 'first of all.' What's second?"

"Secondly, this is not the afterlife. Seeing this realm should change nothing about your current beliefs. It is simply an adjacent plane of existence where my kind migrated after leaving your plane. This girl will be a good fit to your ensemble. She heals quickly, and will learn that she is quite physically powerful. She can survive grave injury. Be helpful while she transitions from timid to exceedingly confident and proud. Do not be discouraging." Tamamo looked to Chance, adding, "But help her to hold onto her humility. And remember, when this task is complete, I will find you both. Understand this, Marcus-san, neither of you will remember Sinopa, our secrets, or this realm."

Chance swallowed. "Last time, you took everything. I don't want to forget Karla or…"

"Iie! Do not interrupt. It is rude, boy." Tamamo glared at him for a moment then said, "You had a tumor and swelling in your brain from hitting the side of your head on the frame of the automobile. It was not my intent to take everything and I have made up for that mistake, have I not?"

"Y…yes. Sorry, Miss… uhm… Tamamo, uhm, Dono… Heika."

Sinopa grinned and cut her eyes back down to Tamamo. "Isn't he adorable?"

Tamamo glanced back at Sinopa. "Hai," she said in a sarcastic tone. "Ignorance is 'adorable'." She looked back to Chance, who appeared exceedingly nervous. The fox shook her head and sighed. "Very well, you did try. I accept your honorifics. I will reward you by giving you information, although I'm not sure how useful it will be to you. I leave it to you if you wish to follow this lead."

"I appreciate anything you can tell me about what's going on."

She offered Chance a wan smile, which tugged at the corner of her muzzle. The fox tilted her white-furred head then she said, "The red paw print logo you saw on some of the trucks back in Siberia… the logo belongs… belonged to a mercenary group named Blackwater-USA. The man who struck your car and subsequently killed your father has recently separated from the outfit. I located him in Siberia shortly before I rescued you from being executed by that firing squad. I overheard a conversation the man had on a satellite phone. He called his contact, 'Doctor Falcon.' Then he called his employer, a man named Erik Prince, and they argued about scruples. Mister Prince told the man to pull out of the operation."

Karla tilted her head. "The owner of the mercenary outfit wanted to quit in mid-operation? It must have been really serious, then. Those guys like their money; I can't imagine that a mercenary would ever want to walk away from a contract."

"Hai, Mister Prince learned that there will be an upcoming war. Against whom I am uncertain – all I can tell you is that the enemy is not a matter of nationality and some people would be civilians. Erik Prince said he would not allow his company to be involved in the purposeful assassination of unarmed civilians. He broke the contract. He will now take his company to the doorstep of the American Government. This still leaves us with the man whose name I do not know."

Karla suddenly became all business. "We're intrigued by the lead. We'll follow it if we're able. What do you know about this man with no name, Miss Mae?"

"That is not my surname… never mind. The man you seek is part of a super soldier project and was created by Aris Sokolov with the help of several other supernatural scientists. This soldier's loyalties are to some doctor named 'Falcon,' and the Blackwater people in the United States trained him. As I just explained, Blackwater has broken ties with Falcon. However, Falcon and his super soldier still have property belonging to the old outfit – thus the trucks and logos you saw in Siberia. It seems this super solder's current task is to provide security escorts. They are moving large objects from France and Siberia out to barges. Those barges are moving these large objects out to the Atlantic Ocean, where they are being used to construct something beneath the ocean."

Chance nodded slowly. "I will look Mister Prince up, then call him. Perhaps if I can meet him in person, I can somehow telepathically learn the name of this soldier guy, then we can find him."

"It is not an issue, Marcus-san. I've located the super soldier. I have personally contacted Nathanial Carrington. He cornered the soldier only a bit ago. I was watching but then decided to rescue the three of you instead. You can repay my generosity by building a kitsune statue from marble upon your return to Earth."

"Karla and I can help Mister Carrington with this super soldier guy. Thank you for the all the information. I really appreciate everything you've done for us, Tamamo-sama. …It is sama, right?"

Sinopa placed her hand on the boy's shoulder. "Sama shows more honorary respect than 'san.' And stay out of Nathanial-san's way. It would be best if you instead focus on Karla's errand on July 8th."

Karla rubbed her chin. "Yeah. The one in Vegas. YiaYia said to bring an umbrella because it will rain that day." "

Tamamo gestured with a paw towards one of the nearby floating portals. "Please, go through this passage," she nodded to the one on the wall nearest to where she stood. "I must speak with Sinopa briefly. You will arrive in your home, Karla-san. Remember to feed soon; you cannot properly help Sinopa-chan if you are weak or sick. Sayonara, Marcus-san, Karla-san."

"No flying? Really?!" Karla reached for Chance's hand and pulled him through the mirror.

Sinopa turned to the mirror portal and walked towards it only to feel a hand on her shoulder. She turned about, coming face-to-face with Tamamo-no-Mae in her human form.

"No, Sinopa-chan. Let them go for now. They need time together. They're in love and you're a third wheel… and a fourth wheel… and a fifth wheel."

Sinopa rolled her eyes. "Enough. Please. What makes you think they need time alone?"

"I've been a servant of Inari for long enough to know they are on the verge of romance simply by looking at them."

"Very well, sempai. What did you want to tell me?"

"Tell you? No, no… there's something I wish to show you." Tamamo took Sinopa by her elbow and walked her a little ways up the hall until they came to another mirror portal. There was an old man in France struggling against another man in a fight.

Tamamo placed her hand at the small of Sinopa's back. "That's your friend, Nathanial Carrington, fighting against the successful so-called 'super soldier' created by Aris Sokolov's experiments. All the creatures you saw in France… they were a failed version of this man's predecessor." She nodded towards a human man facing off against Nathanial, seen through the window portal. "The nameless soldier has been imbued with many abilities. As you can see by watching," she nodded towards the mirror. "It seems he is impervious to lightning. I imagine Nathanial-san is fighting him with particle blasts, plasma strikes, and attacks other than lightning. Go on, help him. I know you want to."

"You were letting me waist time up to this point when I could have helped him all along?!" Sinopa said, approaching the portal.

"No. Last I checked on them, they were still shouting at one another about how the other side was out of line. You know time moves differently in this realm than it does in theirs. Now… I will let you help your friend so long as Lady Kiko does not find out. Do not harm the children. This will be our secret. Now go on, help your friend."

Sinopa replied with a delighted smile. "Arigato!" She kissed the side of Tamamo's face then stepped through the portal. She emerged from a two-way mirrored window on the outside of a small office. Across the empty building, Nathanial Carrington was facing off against the super soldier with the elusive name.

"Nathan-san! I am here to assist you!"

Both men froze. Carrington glanced back over his shoulder. "Parker?! You're pregnant! What're you doing here!? You're going to put Fox and Topaz at risk!"

She blinked, approaching the two men. "I… have only discussed the names with my husband. How do you know their names?"

"Nevermind that right now," said the old man with a grunt. "Get your tails back in that damn mirror right now. You can't be here, it's too dangerous."

"Nonsense!" She withdrew her katana from its sheath. The blade ignited with a brilliant flame. "You need my help, Nathan, my friend. I owe you from many years ago. We will fight him together."

The soldier cracked his knuckles. "I have no problem fighting a pregnant woman and an old man."

Sinopa moved closer to her friend. "What is his name?"

Nathanial chuckled, then spoke in a chiding tone loud enough that the soldier across the room would be able to hear. "Would you believe it? Our 'super soldier' is named 'Jasper.' Doesn't sound very super to me."

"Do not judge a book by its title, Nathan-san."

"Yeah, he's a tough guy, but he won't last against the both of us." Nathan grinned then waved the soldier forward. "Come on, kid. I'm old and she's pregnant. We're not coming to you. You're going to have to come to us if you wanna fight. So get'cher ass over here."

Jasper sneered. He balled his hands into fists. "I'll make this quick and painless." He broke into a sprint, charging towards Nathan and Sinopa.