Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The air was cold against his exposed face, his breath emerging in clouds of fog as he swung the axe overhead and then down onto the wooden block, sending it cartwheeling off in two directions. He was out of wood, again, the winter grasping tightly and transforming the normally temperate landscape into a plain of snow and beauty. Nolan glanced up suddenly when he heard a loud snap at the edge of the forest, his grip on the axe tightening as he held it out in front of him. His eyes glanced around, searching for the source of the noise as he slowly reached his free hand down towards his pants pocket, his fingers reaching inside for the rounded tube of compressed wolfsbane within.

A moment later, there was another snap and Nolan saw an icicle fall from a tree onto the ground, making the noise. He relaxed and exhaled slowly, releasing the tension from his body. There wasn’t meant to be werewolves this far north, so close to the exclusion zone; their packs had last been seen to the east and south, roaming across the war-scarred heartlands. Nolan rested the axe against the tree stump he had been using and gathered the chopped wood up into a bundle, holding it tight against his chest as he set off back towards the house, trudging through the deep snow.

It was a wooden framed construction with merry red paneling and blue painted doors, a tall metal chimney emerging from the roof connected to the stove inside. He could have chosen a bigger house to take over in the abandoned town he was in, but this one was well situated, close to a stream and the small forest that edged the settlement. Nolan stepped over the rings of Mountain Ash and carefully walked around the spring-loaded traps that guarded the entrance from more mundane threats than werewolves.

The interior had been well furnished by the previous owner, with cozy appointments in the living room which had become Nolan’s main resting area. He dumped the wood into a rough basket next to the stove and then knelt down, feeding several logs onto the glowing embers. After shrugging out of his heavy outdoors clothing and pulling on thick socks and a heavy sweater, he turned a reluctant eye towards the dwindling pantry. “I’ve picked this place clean.” Nolan muttered to himself as he looked at the single bag of rice left in the cupboard. His excursion the day before had been disappointing, there was no more food to be found, it would be time to pack up and move on again. “But where to go?”

He walked over to the kitchen table where a map of the region was spread out, various markings indicating what he had found on scouting trips. Nolan tapped the area to his north and frowned at the thick red line that cut off the rest of California, Oregon, and Washington from him. “Radiation. Too dangerous to go that way, even if the other parts of the states are clean. Stupid nukes.” The nuclear exchange had been limited, but still deadly, covering vast swaths of land around the world in lethal fallout. “And the east…probably worse.” Nolan ran his hand across the right side of the map, grimacing as he thought about everything he had heard and seen.

Tribes of desperate humans and savage werewolves roamed the wastes among towns where no one lived any more, the collapse of the United States of America had come quickly in the end as the chimeras spilled out of the west and took major cities with surprising ease. The slaughter came later, thousands captured for experimentation and forced chimera conversion, others yet volunteered. And so many just died. Nolan gritted his teeth at the thought of those awful, dark days, humans reverting to their base instincts of survival. He glanced to the other edge of the map where the Pacific Ocean was a blue barrier to other countries not yet under the sway of the dread Alpha Chimera. The beach towns might offer good savaging opportunities, but he would have to be careful, the water was not safe.

The Kraken and her water chimeras dominated all who dared to plough the waves or slip underneath them, a nasty surprise for the submariners. Nolan nodded grimly to himself. “That leaves only the south, back towards Beacon Hills and the other cities, right into the heart of chimera-conquered lands. It’d be risky, but those calls on the radio for hunters might get me some opportunity.” He chewed his lip and then pushed himself back from the table, determined to sleep on it before making such a fateful decision.

Morning came in a blaze of perfect, golden light, the cloudless sky tinged with red and orange as the snow gleamed silver. Nolan packed up the last of his supplies and let the fire burn itself out, the unused wood left in the basket should he return. It took a few minutes to disarm his traps and retrieve the components along with his reserve stash of Mountain Ash and wolfsbane from the hole in the wall where he had stored them. He shouldered his crossbow, a prized possession from a different time when he was part of the Beacon Hills Junior Hunters, a society that, as it turned out, were interested in hunting more exotic creatures than does and bucks. They had taught him to fire a crossbow and more besides, but it all fell apart when the chimeras came, the hunters scattering to the winds in the face of such unrestrained power.

He climbed into a salvaged pick-up truck and gave the town one last fond farewell before revving the engine and pulling out onto the rough mud track that led towards the nearby highway. Nolan picked his way carefully around the abandoned vehicles that were left behind by desperate owners as the fled war and destruction. But once he was a few miles from the town, the debris and obstacles cleared away into only the occasional broken-down car or truck. The sun had risen fully by now, surprisingly warm as it bathed his arms and chest in bright light. Likewise, the snow was fading away into slush and then, after several more miles, it vanished completely.

He passed through a town that looked as though it was being reclaimed; the buildings repaired and cleaned, new scaffolding around others, well-maintained cars and vans on the streets. The further south he went, the more signs of life he found too, although it was a decidedly different sort of life. Nolan slowed almost to a stop when the first flock of winged chimeras rushed overhead in the distance, their majestic feathery wings extended from their backs like angels. As he rolled through another town, he could see the transition from wild, abandoned places to new civilization, the chimeras visible with their distinctive purple eyes and arrays of elemental and bestial abilities on display. And everywhere, everywhere the dominion of the great Chimera Empire was proclaimed with giant flags and banners of purple cloth and their symbol: a blood red circle with three vertical lines underneath it. Nolan had seen the symbol plenty of times before as the chimeras made their seemingly unstoppable march across the country to victory, across the world too, if the rumors he had heard were true. But its meaning was lost on him even as it seemed to inspire the chimeras with an almost religious zeal.

There were no checkpoints or security barriers to herald his crossing into their territory, unlike the dangers he had faced trying to get out of Utah and back to California several months before. But then, that was when the war was just beginning. Now, he could almost feel the smug confidence in the air that met him as he drove slowly along a busy street and towards the central square of a city whose signs had been removed. He parked next to some other trucks that looked as though they too had been salvaged. Nolan glanced up, his eyes widening as he watched a shirtless youth of about eighteen walk past, his torso completely covered in orange flames, the tongues of fire licking his face and making the air shimmer. The chimera was followed by another one, this man shrouded in white fog which rolled off him in misty waves.

After a moment of silent debate, Nolan left his crossbow on the passenger seat, reasoning that it would be of little use against chimeras that could bend the elements to their will. He climbed out of the truck and looked around, nodding curtly at several others nearby, likely humans given their lack of glowing eyes. Nolan observed the street for a few minutes, noticing that most people were converging on the square where a large building was located, perhaps the former city hall. He wandered over and joined one of the lines, glancing around as the others in front of him nodded politely. “What’s this for?”

“It’s a recruiting station.” A man in his early twenties spoke up. “All sorts of jobs depending on what they need.”

“Huh.” Nolan grunted, his stomach rumbling as the guy smirked suddenly.

“Yeah, you’ll get food inside, if you were wondering.”

“Hmm, for nothing?” Nolan asked, caution edging his voice. “That sounds…too good to be true.”

“Maybe, but I’ve been here a few times, it’s safe enough. I’m Ryan.” He held out his hand and Nolan shook it. “Laboring is the easiest job if you’re not sure, they only employ you for a few days.”

“I’m Nolan, and thanks.” Nolan nodded slowly as he took in Ryan’s strong build and loose-fitting clothes, his skin tanned from working under the sun. “What do you have to do?”

“The chimeras are clearing buildings for use and demolition.” Ryan replied as the line shuffled forward every few minutes. “So, sometimes it’s taking stuff out, or carrying rubble, or operating machinery if you know how.”

“And the pay?”

“It’s about what you’d get before.” Ryan shrugged, falling back into step with him. “Fresh food is pretty expensive, but lodgings are free, so you can take your pick.”

“I’m not sure I’d be any good at manual labor.” Nolan sighed. “Maybe this was a mistake.”

“Well, there’s other stuff, I’ve just taken the temporary jobs because my family is here.”

“I see, you’re lucky.” Nolan smiled tightly as they passed through the door and into the large foyer. Several long tables were set up next to a set of double doors that led into the rest of the building, tall pots of steaming soup and baskets full of bread rolls were placed at regular intervals along with prepackaged crackers and slices of cheese. He followed Ryan as the poured himself a cup of soup and took a roll from the pile. “Hmm, well it beats boiled rice!”

“Come, come! Help yourselves!” A chimera with blazing purple eyes and covered in snake scales gestured grandly at the tables. “All are welcome! All may find their place in the new Chimera Empire!”

“Thanks.” Nolan nodded as he took a careful sip of the hot soup and tore a chunk from the bread, the simple meal being the most delicious thing he had eaten in months. “Oh, man!”

“Good, right?” Ryan grinned at him and gestured for them to continue inside into the larger hall where the line split into several different ones, each gathered under a large sign. “Labor is over here, by the way.”

“Yeah, I see it.” Nolan looked around, noticing a large portion of those inside heading for the queue for enlistment into the Chimera Army. “Are they all humans?”

“Huh? Oh, them? Yeah, there are human brigades now, supposedly if you distinguish yourself, you might be selected for chimera conversion.” Ryan replied quietly to him. “Better than straight up offering yourself for chimera experimentation.” He nodded at a much smaller queue next to them which had several desperate looking individuals standing in it. The next line over was for the generic title of "profession" and Nolan nodded. “You know where you’re going?”

“I’m a hunter.” Nolan glanced at Ryan as the other guy looked him over and grunted. “I’ll see you around.”

“Sure, I’m staying at the Pinnacle on Main Street,” Ryan grinned at him. “If you want to, uh, hang out.”

“Uh huh, maybe.” Nolan swallowed tightly as Ryan gave him a very obvious smirk. “End of the world, right?”

“Who knows how long we have left? Might as well enjoy it!” He grinned wider at Nolan and walked off towards the laborer line. “See ya.”

It took forty minutes for his line to move forward enough for him to be at the front and then Nolan was standing before a small table piled high with paperwork. A bare-chested chimera sat in front of him, his back and arms covered in thick spines as the rest of his flesh was the color of wet mud. The chimera’s eyes were a bright purple even though his face was tired, and he looked expectantly at Nolan. “Yes?”

“I, uh, want to join up.”

"Of course. Profession?"

"Hunter." Nolan replied, confidence rushing back as he stood up straighter. “Hunter of werewolves.”

“Ah,” The chimera's eyes flared a little and he smiled. "Indeed? Preferred weapon?"

"Crossbow from a distance, after that, whatever I can get my hands on."

"Hmm." The chimera glanced to his left, gesturing for one of his fellows to join him, a woman covered in hard, icy shards. "Best defense against werewolves?"

"A ring of Mountain Ash for personal defense."

"And to hurt them?"

"Wolfsbane of varying potencies depending on the power of the werewolf." Nolan replied easily.

"Very good. Please follow Cindy and we shall find a place for you...?"

"Nolan." He replied and moved away with the icy chimera. “Nolan Holloway.”

It took another hour for him to complete the processing as the ice chimera gave him forms to fill out and continued to quiz him on hunter lore before handing him a crossbow and asking him to shoot at several stationary and moving targets. His aim was good, although a little unbalanced from using a weapon other than his own, but Cindy seemed impressed. She took him through the rest of the city hall and out into a large yard at the rear of the building where three armored vehicles were parked. A group of men and women were standing around nearby, dressed in camo gear and sporting a variety of guns and crossbows.

“This is Nolan, the last of your replacements, Helen.” This was addressed to a middle-aged woman with short brown hair and a wicked scar tracing her face from forehead to cheek.

“Hmm, I trust he is competent?” Helen jumped down from the hood of the APC to look him over. “Cindy?”

“Of course, Nolan passed all our tests, whether he survives the hunt is up to you.” Cindy sneered at her and turned away. “You have your orders, human.”

“Sure thing.” Helen grunted and then smirked at Nolan. “A hunter, eh?”

“Yeah, I’ve dealt with a few werewolves before.” Nolan stood his ground as the other hunters looked him over calculatingly. “I’ve been on my own since…well, since everyone I knew either became a chimera or died.”

“You’re in good company then.” Helen clapped a hand on his back and escorted him over to the APC. “Our task is simple: track down and capture a pack of werewolves that’s been spotted roaming north of the Rhino’s Horn experimentation site. Then deliver them to the chimeras running the place, uh, they renamed it recently, um.”

“The Fount of Glory.” One of the other hunters supplied, a sour expression on his face as he finished loading his rifle.

“The Fount of Glory.” Nolan echoed softly. “I’ve heard of it.” Beacon Hills, has to be, that’s where the Rhino’s horn is located. They must have renamed it after…everything that happened.

“We know the way, don’t worry about it.” Helen gestured for the others to move. “Time to mount up and move out!”

The Beacon Hills Preserve stretched out before them like a great green ocean, but Nolan looked past it towards the town at its center. What used to be a cluster of buildings among the trees had been transformed into a sprawling urban center of white and black squares, their purpose indistinguishable from this distance. Instead, the town was dominated by a mighty tower of red rock that had been torn upwards from the ground, supposedly fashioned by the terrakinetic abilities of the Chimera Emperor into a proud fortress. The Rhino’s Horn pierced the clouds and Nolan could just see flocks of birds or perhaps more winged chimeras circling around the monolith.

He turned his attention to back to the hunters who were gearing up as they prepared to dismount and track the werewolves on foot. It was strange, to be back home, at the place where it all began, where the Chimera Empire had risen in an explosion of blood and betrayal.

Chapter Text

The air around the Rhino’s Horn was warm, humid, a stark contrast to the chill that had suffused the forests where he had been hiding out the last few months. But Nolan could already tell it was unnatural, some machination by the chimeras to keep things comfortable for themselves. His breath was loud in his ears, his heart pulsing fast as he sprinted through the undergrowth, his crossbow heavy in his hands, a utility belt slapping against his stomach from its loose attachment. The howling of the werewolves filled the trees around him, answered by an echoing stutter of gunfire on his right flank as the others corralled the creatures towards the central group of hunters waiting for them near the ravine to the west. It was somewhat familiar ground, the forests of the Beacon Hill Preserve, now wild and overgrown, perhaps another effect of the chimeras’ strange mastery of nature and the elements. The old hiking paths were almost lost in a sprawl of bramble and thick brush, while the towering trees blocked out the sun, casting the landscape in shadows and spears of light.

Nolan slid to an abrupt stop as the figure he was chasing turned about suddenly, blue eyes blazing in the gloom, unwilling to be herded any further. He wetted his lips and raised his crossbow with ease, the poisoned bolt already loaded and ready to be unleashed, his feet spreading apart slightly, knees bent into a power stance. Nolan took a deep breath to steady his aim and calm his racing heartbeat as the werewolf began to charge towards him, claws bared and poised to rip his throat. He sighted along the crossbow and waited until he could see the texture of the mud coating the werewolf’s clothes, the electric blue of his eyes, the dark brown of his claws before Nolan grunted and squeezed the trigger.

He flung himself down and rolled to one side as the werewolf snarled in anger and then crashed through the bushes where Nolan had been standing. The hunter scrambled to his feet and reached for a tube from his belt, popping the cap off one end and wrapping the string inside around his fingers as he advanced back towards the downed werewolf. As he stepped over the bushes, Nolan saw that the werewolf had reverted back to its human self, a man in his early twenties, unkempt and gasping as he pawed at the sturdy crossbow bolt buried in his sternum. Black blood already oozed from the wound and only the werewolf’s blue eyes remained of his once ferocious strength.

“Huh.” Nolan nodded to himself and put the cap back on the tube, keeping the weapon safe for another time. He grabbed the radio from the other side of his belt and tuned in to the channel they had been told to use. “Uh, this is Nolan, I’ve got a werewolf down, I’m near the ravine, not sure where exactly.”

“Copy that,” Helen’s gravelly tone came over the radio in a hiss of static. “We’re continuing to hunt a couple of the stragglers. There’s a GPS tracker on your belt, we’ll come to you.”

“Ok, I’ll stay put.” Nolan replied and retrieved his crossbow, loading another bolt as he kept a wary eye on the downed werewolf.

“And good job, new blood.”

“Thanks.” He grunted the response and walked back over to the werewolf, crossbow resting on his shoulder, the radio back on his belt. The man looked up at him, his face a rictus of pain, his hands pressing tight around the bolt, too weak to even pluck it out. “It’s a wolfsbane mixture, very potent.”

“Grrr!”

“I never knew if it hurt,” Nolan replied conversationally as he studied the werewolf. “Just that it was likely to stop you dead in your tracks. I have Mountain Ash for containment, of course, in case you decide to try and run away. The chimeras want you alive after all.”

“Experimentation.” The werewolf growled between clenched teeth. “Kill me now.”

“Not in the job description, sorry.” Nolan sat on a nearby stump and looked around, wary of an ambush. “How many of you are there? In this pack?”

“…”

“I guess you have no reason to help me,” Nolan shrugged and was about to ask another question when his radio buzzed to life in a confusion of screams and shouting.

“The Alpha!”

“I’ve got-argh!”

“Run for it!”

“Hold fast!” Helen’s voice was accompanied by a roar of gunfire and then a wet ripping sound before the radio fell silent again save for the hiss of static.

“What…?” Nolan stared at it as the werewolf at his feet grinned ferally through the black blood that dripped from his lips. The hunter stood up slowly and looked around cautiously.

“Our Alpha…strong…you’ll die!”

“Shut up.” Nolan muttered and raised his crossbow once again, the butt resting comfortably against his shoulder, giving him a reassurance of power and control. The forest was still for a moment longer before the rustling of bushes to his right revealing the charging werewolf, eyes burning like coals from the depths of Hell, the Alpha’s body dripping with fresh blood, gore and viscera coating its claws. Nolan took another deep breath, feeling time stretch out before him, acutely conscious of the sweat crawling down his ribs and his shirt sticking to his back.

“Rawrrr!” The Alpha’s roar was deafening, a primeval scream that threatened to shake Nolan’s confidence as the monster bore down upon him. The werewolf leapt into the air for the final dozen feet, powerful legs propelling it upwards as its claws reached for him.

“Yaragh!” Nolan cried out as he pulled the trigger and dodged backwards, tripping over the tree trunk, his shot too close to miss the larger target. The werewolf crashed to the ground behind him, but slowly stood upright, grasping the poisoned shaft and pulling it out as it snarled in pain. “Uh oh.”

The Alpha was male, all shaggy muscle gleaming in red from its earlier massacre of the hunters, a few bullet holes already healing even as other wounds dripped black blood, the tainted rounds having little effect. It was weakened though, Nolan could see that as he got to his feet and reached for his close quarters weapon. The werewolf glanced beyond him to see his injured pack mate and then snarled again, lips pulled back to reveal the powerful fangs.

“Oh no you don’t!” Nolan shouted and yanked the string back, pointing the tube at the werewolf’s face. A cloud of Mountain Ash exploded outwards and drenched the monster, sending him reeling backwards, claws gouging at his eyes as the dust settled into a crude circle, trapping him in place. Nolan smirked as the Alpha howled and threw itself against the shimmering bubble that surrounded him. “Two down.”

“You got the Alpha!” A shout came from his left and soon another hunter emerged, his face bloodied and a nasty wound dragging through his body armor.

“Charlie, right?” Nolan glanced at him as several other hunters followed him out of the undergrowth, a line of captured werewolves trailing behind them. He gestured at the trapped Alpha and shrugged. “I’m not sure how we’re going to get him out though.”

“Don’t worry about that,” Charlie held up a bulky box with a large metal circle attached with spooled cabling. “Special sonic emitters, transmits a frequency that we can’t hear but they can. Helen had it with her.”

“Is she-”

“Nope, the Alpha over there ripped her head clean off.” Charlie glared at the werewolf and swung the emitter around, the Alpha wincing and shirking backwards. “See?”

“Effective.” Nolan muttered, somewhat surprised at his nonchalant tone. He had barely spoken more than a few words to Helen, but still thought her death might be treated with more emotion, if not sorrow then anger at least. “What now?”

“I’ve sent Victor to get the transport van, we load them up and bring them to the Rhino’s Horn.” Charlie explained as the other hunters fanned out in a defensive circle. “Then we all get paid, good money for a short job.”

“Sure.” Nolan nodded and exhaled, allowing himself to relax now that the others had arrived. “I’m ready to roll out when you are.”

Beacon Hills as it once was, now restyled as the Fount of Glory, was a fortress of concrete barriers and tall watchtowers surrounded by coils of barbed wire and security gates. Nolan could see it on their approach along one of the roads that led down from the forest. The armored transport truck had been positioned in the middle of their convoy, but aside from Charlie and the handful of other hunters who had survived, the rest of their vehicles had been left behind. A brief conversation with Dirk, a hunter with an impressively bushy beard to hide the numerous scars that covered his face, revealed that the casualty rate for hunter missions was high, eighty percent on average. Nolan wasn’t sure if he felt lucky or just battle-tested, perhaps glad that he hadn’t got to know anyone well if they were all destined to die at some point to a werewolf.

“Hold up.” Charlie called out from the front of the truck. “Werewolves ahead.”

“This close to the town?” Nolan peered out the window to see a group of five werewolves standing in the middle of the road, their eyes glowing a soft amber. “Hmm.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Charlie smirked back at him. “They’re a tame pack, the ones who swore loyalty to the Empire, supposed chimera allies.”

“You don’t believe it?”

“Not a chance, probably just waiting for the right moment to turn traitor.” He gestured towards the driver and nodded. “Pull in here, we’ll go see what they want.”

Nolan climbed out with him, his crossbow unfolding with a click as he reached for a bolt from the quiver hanging from his belt. Charlie nodded once at him and pulled his rifle across his torso for easy access as they approached the werewolves. Closer to them, Nolan could see they were young enough, perhaps mid to late teens with an older wolf leading them, likely Nolan’s own age. Their leader looked familiar, a certain handsomeness about his features, his striking eyes, his athletic build.

“Hey there.” Charlie called out, his hands casually touching his gun as Dirk backed them up with a small crossbow held in each hand. “What can I do for you, fellas?”

“We heard the gunfire, the fighting.” The leader nodded as he cast his eyes over Nolan, brows furrowing thoughtfully before his gaze was averted back to Charlie. “That must be the Avers pack, right?”

“Don’t care to know their names.”

“They’ve been kidnapping teenagers from the northern towns near the Preserve for the past two months, biting them and recruiting them to form a new, glorious werewolf liberation army.” The leader smirked and then shrugged. “Who do you think told the chimeras where to look?”

“What’s your agenda, wolf?”

“Please, call me Brett, we’re all on the same side, aren’t we?” He smiled and Nolan’s eyes grew wide as the name sparked a memory from years ago. Brett grinned wider, as though acknowledging his recognition. “And we’ll be more than happy to take the prisoners the rest of the way.”

“No deal.” Charlie shook his head. “We don’t get paid until the wolves are handed over to the chimeras.”

“Hmm.”

“Why don’t we all go together?” Nolan suggested as he studied Brett. Used to play lacrosse and look great while doing so. Strange thing to remember. “Then our, uh, bosses can see how we’re all getting along, right?”

“Well, you did take down the Alpha, I guess it should be your call.” Dirk grinned at him, and Charlie nodded his assent. “Alright, we’ll see you inside.”

Brett nodded wordlessly and gestured for his pack to stand to one side as the hunters returned to their vehicle, before they followed the trucks as the security barrier was lifted for them.

Nolan looked around at his old home town, the once familiar landmarks now completely changed. The main street had been demolished and replaced with a series of squat, low buildings that looked like billets from a military base. Likewise, the high school had been turned into a helipad, with tilt-rotor Ospreys landing and taking off every few minutes. Other parts of the town were seemingly intact, like a neighborhood on the outskirts that was being patrolled by elemental chimeras with the flames and ice on clear display. But it was all overshadowed by the immense structure which jutted out of the ground on the far side of the town. The Rhino’s Horn almost defied belief that such a colossal building could exist.

Nolan had seen the skyscrapers of the big cities on his long trek back west, all empty as the humans fled or were captured or killed. None of those buildings matched the height at which the Rhino’s Horn pierced the sky, or its vast girth miles across at its base and curving into the dull peak. It was a dark orange fang that thrust forcefully up from the earth, its exterior jagged and rough. Nolan kept his head tilted back as he stared up at the impossible creation until he felt a twinge of pain and looked down again.

Brett was standing nearby, watching him with a playful smirk as the other hunters pulled the werewolves out and formed them into a ragged line. Nolan saw the expression vanish and replaced with a scowl when the sonic emitter was used to force compliance among the few that still resisted. But most of the werewolves seemed resigned to their fate as they shuffled forwards towards the grand entrance of the Rhino’s Horn.

Nolan fell into step with Dirk as they walked over to the final security barrier. Two chimeras stood guard in front of the doors dressed in heavy red and gold armor not unlike a Medieval knight, luxurious cloaks of crimson fabric falling behind them as they stared regally at the procession in front of them. Their eyes blazed with purple fire, their faces clean shaven and hair cut identically short, one red-headed, the other black, almost perfect carbon copies of each other. Nolan noticed the powerful claws which extended from within their metal gauntlets, different from the shorter werewolf claws. He glanced at Dirk and lowered his voice to a whisper. “Who the hell are they?”

“Guardians, they protect the leaders of the Empire and other sites like this one that are important.” Dirk stopped walking as Charlie and Brett escorted the captured werewolves into the holding area in front of the entrance. “Only seen them fight once, I don’t want to repeat the experience. Watching them rip people apart gave me nightmares for days.”

“Ok.” Nolan muttered and watched as the grand doors were flung open and a trio of chimeras walked out, two dressed in white lab coats, the third wore a blood-splattered apron over a pair of dark trousers, his chest bare otherwise.

“Please, come out of the hot sun.” The chimera grinned, casting his eager gaze across them all before landing on the captured Alpha. “Come to the Emperor’s Solar and we can inspect what wonders you have brought me!”

“Theo Raeken, the First Chimera.” Dirk explained as they entered into the air-conditioned interior and then were guided along the wide corridor and up into a round room that looked out over the Preserve. “That’s both a title and what he is.”

“Uh huh.” Nolan nodded and bit his lip nervously. It was unlikely Theo remembered him, they had never spoken, had barely interacted, but Nolan recognized him now. A chill raced down his spine as the second meaning of Theo’s title sunk in. “He’s the Emperor’s…”

“Yup.”

“Great.” Nolan muttered softly as he entered the room and stood to one side, the prisoners gathered in the center. The chimeras were examining them, and Nolan took the opportunity to look around. The walls were richly decorated in hues of various colors, the floor was tiled in a circular mosaic, the ceiling held up by slender pillars of red and gold. Even though the room was round with windows set at regular intervals to let in the late afternoon sun, a large dais dominated the back wall with an ornate throne sitting on the top, flanked by two more of the Guardians, this time a man and woman, although they still looked nearly identical save for the haircut, as though these chimeras were stamped out of a factory mold.

“Yes, these specimens will do nicely!” Theo crowed and swept away from the prisoners, Nolan able to see that indeed, Theo was shirtless, his back tanned and muscular. “I must congratulate you, hunters, you managed to capture most of the pack intact.”

“There were some that we had to kill, their bodies are still in the truck.” Charlie replied, lowering his gaze deferentially as Theo looked at him. “Half the bounty, but…”

“Oh, they shall still serve! We shall harvest much essence from their corpses.” Theo purred and looked back at the captured Alpha. “And this one, I have several chimeras waiting for Alpha essence to enhance their capabilities. You captured him?”

“Nolan did.” Charlie gestured back at him, and Theo’s hungry gaze swept over to him. “He’s new.”

“Yes, I imagine I would remember such a…tasty morsel if I had seen it before.” Theo visibly smacked his lips as he looked Nolan up and down, flagrant desire written across his expression. “Tell me, hunter, of your conquest.”

“I, uh, I just got lucky.” Nolan murmured, unable to match Theo’s ravenous gaze. He stiffened as the chimera got closer to him. “Um, First Chimera.”

“You know my title, excellent!” Theo placed a hand on his shoulder and pulled him away from the group, walking towards one of the windows. Nolan could smell the iron scent of blood from the streaks on Theo’s apron, some splashes dark red and dry, others still wet and tacky. The other smells of sweat and aftershave were there as well, a heady combination that was only enhanced by Theo’s proximity to him. With another guy Nolan might have found the experience arousing and enticing, but all he could feel while in the chimera’s grasp was a crawling distaste and deep unease.

“Um.”

“Have you considered chimera conversion, hunter?”

“It’s Nolan.”

“Nolan, yes.” Theo tasted the word and then smiled again, a predator’s grin that never reached his purple tinged eyes. “I can already see the possibilities lining up for what you could be. We can discuss them, of course, once you’re on my table, naked and poised, hmm?”

“Uh,” Nolan wetted his lips as he glanced downwards, seeing Theo’s arousal from the words he was speaking. “I’m-”

“First Chimera!” The shout came from the entrance and Nolan looked over to see another chimera in a lab coat bowing and offering him a letter. “News from Bakersfield, the traitor Mason Hewitt has been spotted in the city and is being pursued by the Guardian Prime. Your presence is demanded.”

“What?” Theo released him and hurried over, snatching the letter and reading it quickly.

Nolan glanced back at Charlie and Dirk who both seemed to relax and nodded at him reassuringly. He noticed that Brett seemed to be paying particular attention to Theo and Nolan looked back over in time to see Theo’s expression turn from excitement to anger.

“Demanded, as if he has authority over me!” Theo snarled and swiped out aggressively, catching the unfortunate chimera a wicked slash across the face with his barbed claws. The messenger yelped and fled from the room, clutched their shredded face as blood splattered out onto the floor. Theo glared at the hunters and dismissed them with a bloodied gesture. “You’ve delivered the wolves, leave. You’ll get your payment outside.”

“Glory to you, First Chimera.” Charlie muttered and the others followed suit, Nolan a few seconds after them. This seemed to be the appropriate response as Theo nodded sharply and they were allowed to leave. Nolan glance backwards as they left, watching how everyone shrank back from Theo’s fury, everyone except the Guardians who had remained standing motionless by the throne the entire time.

“So, you survived being chosen by the First Chimera, eh?” Brett called out to him as Nolan leaned against the hood of the truck. The werewolf smirked at him and folded his muscular arms across his chest. “Not everyone can say that.”

“That was…disturbing.” Nolan admitted with a shrug. “I think I’d rather face off against a dozen Alphas than spend another moment with him. Uh, no offense.”

“None taken, those rogue werewolves are just making things harder for themselves.” Brett joined him against the truck. “My pack abhors violence, we were never going to fight.”

“So, you just surrendered?”

“There are others who are with us, a couple of packs joined the peace treaty.” Brett shrugged. “It could be a lot worse; we don’t get used for parts for new chimeras or get experimented on like those poor bastards you dragged in.”

“Mmh.” Nolan looked at him and frowned. “What did you have to give in return? Other than loyalty.”

“Pack size is limited, we only get a set number,” Brett explained after a moment. “Any born werewolves beyond that limit are sent to the other packs. It’s subject to Imperial Council laws, that’s the governing authority.”

“So no biting.”

“Not that I could anyway, I’m not the Alpha.” Brett shrugged. “And we get to keep our homes, our families, that’s more than I can say for a lot of people.”

“The message, back there, you know Mason?” Nolan chose his words carefully as Brett turned fully to him and pursed his lips. “I-”

“Beacon Hills is gone and so everyone from there. They are chimeras or they are rebels. Or they are dead.” Brett replied softly, his words deliberate. “But yes, I knew him, traitor that he is.”

“What do you mean?”

“His safety was bargained for by another werewolf, but Mason turned his back on them.” Brett looked around cautiously before continuing. “If he’s been cornered, the best he can hope for is capture, probably why Theo is going there. The Guardian Prime would just pound him into a jelly otherwise, I’m not exaggerating.”

“That’s their leader, I’m guessing?” Nolan inclined his head in the direction of the Guardians who were still at their post outside of the Rhino’s Horn.

“Yep, most powerful chimera there is.”

“Not the emperor?” Nolan asked with a smirk as Brett shrugged. “Hmm, not very loyal of you!”

“I’ve seen the Guardian Prime in action before, the single most terrifying moment of my life.” Brett shook his head before falling silent as Dirk and Charlie walked back over from the security station. “I should go, stay safe, hunter.”

“You too, wolf.” Nolan nodded.

“Making friends already, huh?” Dirk grinned at him and handed him a sheaf of crisp bills. “Here, your first bounty payout.”

“I honestly didn’t expect actual money.” Nolan frowned as he inspected what looked like a hundred-dollar bill. Instead of the greenish thread he was used to, it was purple hued and laced with flecks of silver. A dominating building was depicted on one side, some sort of stepped pyramid, while the other was decorated with an all too familiar face. “Theo is even on their money, huh?”

“Haha, you must have been in hiding for a while, new blood.” Charlie chuckled and gestured for them to return to the truck. “We’ll head back to base camp for the night, you can spend some of your new chimera bucks!”

“They don’t actually call them that, do they?!”

The sun was setting behind the hills when they rolled back into the recruitment center, the bustle from earlier had faded away, all who remained were purple-eyed chimeras. Nolan stepped out with the others as Charlie and Dirk gestured towards the loading dock where Cindy was waiting for them. He stowed his crossbow in the arms locker on one of the flatbed trucks nearby as the older hunters talked things over with the chimera. His encounter with Theo weighed on his mind, Nolan’s skin crawling as he remembered the proximity of the First Chimera and his sickly-sweet words. The man held the power of becoming a chimera in one hand while the other extracted payment from those at his mercy. He shouldn’t be too surprised though, there was no one left to keep people’s worst instincts in check anymore.

“Nolan!” Cindy called out to him and waited until he had walked over to him. “Charlie tells me you took down the Alpha alone?”

“That’s right, I got lucky.”

“More than luck, your weapons are coated in a toxin, right?” Dirk asked as he tucked his hands into his body armor. “We could use that formula.”

“Sure,” Nolan nodded. “I need to refill my stock anyway and get more Mountain Ash.”

“There’s a supply station about twenty miles from here.” Cindy replied after a moment’s thought. “Due south, you’ll be heading that way in the morning.”

“Fresh assignment already?” Charlie sighed. “I was hoping to take some days, visit my family in the capital.”

“Your target is there, well, Malibu.” Cindy picked up a tablet from the low concrete wall that divided them from another loading bay. “The Emperor, may he rule forever, has begun construction of the Imperial Palace. It requires the removal of several neighborhoods and those who live there.”

“Hmm.” Dirk grunted. “Due respect, but we’re hunters, not law enforcement.”

“The City Guard will handle most of the evictions.” Cindy replied with an apologetic shrug, the spurs of her icy armor moving with a sharp grating sound. “I want you there to ensure that any werewolves or other supernaturals hiding in the region are pacified. We believe there is a key Resistance leader coordinating activity there.”

“Would there really be Resistance so close to the capital?” Nolan asked as he glanced from one to the other.

“Chimera Intelligence thinks so.” Dirk nodded after Cindy gestured emptily. “They briefed us a couple of days ago, before you arrived obviously.”

“This morning I wasn’t even sure I’d be speaking to another living person.” Nolan laughed shortly before adding quickly when they stared at him. “Not that I have dead people to talk to…”

“Haha, sure thing, hunter.” Cindy chuckled and the tension slipped away. “I’ll have the details ironed out by tomorrow morning, go and rest up.”

“Thanks.”

“Good job out there,” She added, straightening up and looking past them to where the imperial flag fluttered in the breeze atop a nearby building. “Glory to the Chimera Empire!”

“Glory!” Charlie and Dirk responded almost automatically, Nolan hurrying to echo them a few seconds later when Dirk nodded pointedly at him.

“Yes, in the morning then.” The chimera turned away and walked back inside the recruiting center.

“Do you have somewhere to stay, Nolan?” Charlie asked as the trio left the loading dock, the street lamps overhead coming on with a gentle plink, soft light pooling in the encroaching twilight. “I’m gonna have to clean out Helen’s place after we get some chow, but you’re welcome to the room.”

“Uh, I know someone staying at the, uh, Pinnacle, on Main Street.” Nolan replied as the other hunters nodded and smirked. “I’ll see you guys in the morning.”

“No problem.” Dirk waved at him as he prepared to cross the street, a convoy of military vehicles rolling through from somewhere else. “Be there by nine, Cindy is always punctual!”

“Got it.” Nolan nodded and slipped across the street between two APCs, winged chimeras sitting on the top of each one in a sight that still caused him wonder and surprise. He had mostly been around humans since fleeing Beacon Hills; werewolves were just as dangerous as ever and the chimeras he had seen or encountered were always attacking or killing, putting their dreadful gifts to use in service of their all-powerful master. It was strange to just see them walking around, even the less obvious ones, chimera werewolves with their purple eyes.

Nolan looked up as he reached the hotel’s brightly lit sign, unease gripping his stomach as he considered his options. It would be easy to get back into his truck, find another abandoned town and leave everything today had offered in his rear view. No more hunting, no more psycho werewolves trying to rip him apart, no grand chimera intrigues.

And yet, it was exciting, Nolan took a deep breath as anticipation thrummed deep inside him, the thoughts of once again being part of something. Charlie and Dirk were already treating him like a good friend, an experience Nolan had only had once before, and it had taken months before Gabe saw him as an equal. Cindy too, for all that she was a fearsome looking chimera, had given him a respect Nolan had never felt. Perhaps he could stay for a little while longer, at least until he got some more money and resources…

“Planning on staying outside all night?”

“Huh?” Nolan turned around quickly at the voice, relief cutting through his anxiety when he saw it was Ryan, the other guy’s hands full of brown paper bags. “Uh, hey!”

“Hey yourself.” Ryan grinned and nodded past him. “Looking for a room?”

“More like looking for you.” Nolan replied boldly, smirking as Ryan’s brows arched in surprise. “Here, let me give you a hand.”

“Thanks, fresh supplies came in this afternoon, looks like the distribution chains are finally ramping up.” He handed two bags to Nolan and used his shoulder to push through the door into the plush interior. “I’m in thirty-seven, come on up.”

“Is your family staying with you?”

“Across the hall.” Ryan grinned at him over his shoulder. “My parents and little sister, but I have the room to myself, it has a bed that’s too big for one person!”

“Oooh, sounds perfect!” Nolan smiled back at him, their easy interaction from earlier picked back up without any delay.

“How did your job go?”

“Uh, pretty ok,” Nolan shrugged as they climbed the carpeted stairs and into a long corridor with lacquered doors on both sides. “We caught most of the rogue pack and handed them off to, uh, the guys at the Rhino’s Horn.”

“Wow, you work fast!” Ryan fumbled for his key card. “I honestly thought you’d be gone for days, I mean, if you came back at all.”

“The lead hunter was killed, plus a couple of others.” Nolan murmured as he waited for Ryan to open the door. “It’s not like I knew them or even saw them get killed, but, uh, I don’t know.”

“I guess that’s something.” Ryan put down his bags and then gestured for the ones Nolan was carrying. “Give me those, they’re for my parents. I’ll just drop them off. Make yourself at home.”

“Thanks.” Nolan nodded and unzipped his jacket as he walked across the relatively spacious hotel room towards the bathroom. Gleaming white tile almost blinded him when he flicked the switch and stepped inside. He pulled off his t-shirt and splashed water on his face, staring into his own reflection as he considered the avalanche of events that day. For months on end he had done the same thing: scrounge for supplies from the abandoned town, cook a monotonous meal, chop firewood, and fruitlessly plan his next move. So much had changed with a simple decision, but for all the chaos of the day, Nolan felt energized again.

He glanced back into the room as the door closed and Ryan called out, asking if he was hungry. “Starving actually, been running on adrenaline since I took down the Alpha.”

“Ooh, Alpha killer, huh?” Ryan leaned against the door frame, his loose shirt drawing up as his abs clenched and slowly released, instantly drawing Nolan’s gaze.

“I didn’t kill him.” Nolan muttered and reluctantly dragged his eyes away from Ryan’s stomach. “The chimeras wanted him alive.”

“I bet.” Ryan smirked and then pulled off his shirt entirely, revealing his strong, tanned torso. “I’ll just clean up first.”

“Sure.” Nolan stepped back a little, but didn’t leave as Ryan’s grin lingered, arousal revving up in the depths of Nolan’s chest.

They didn’t need to speak a lot after that, it all fell into place so easily. Perhaps it was the end of life as they knew it that prompted such lowering of their inhibitions. Nolan didn’t complain when Ryan pushed him onto the bed and straddled his waist, kissing him passionately. Their clothes were soon on the ground, erections free to press against each other in an unbridling of desire that Nolan had not felt in a long time.

It wasn’t his first time, of course, that had been with Gabe on the night he had learned the true purpose of their hunting club; a quick indulgence of desires to make him want to stay the course. Nolan knew that now, and there had been a few others along the way, eager for a connection or an unbound fuck or even just a quick handjob behind some gas pumps on a rural highway. But there was something different with Ryan, a true attraction between them and the time to make it last instead of having to constantly stay alert for incoming danger.

He was pulled back to the moment when Ryan engulfed his cock into his mouth, sending a jolt of pleasure across Nolan’s body and into his clenching asshole. “Ahh, fuck!”

“Got lost in your head for a moment there.” Ryan replied as he pulled off him and stroked Nolan’s dick up and down. “So, what do you like to do?”

“Do?”

“In bed? Sex?”

“Right,” Nolan flushed awkwardly. “The standard stuff, I guess.”

“Sucking, fucking, rimming?” Ryan replied as he continued to play with Nolan’s cock. “I’m versatile and I’ve got condoms over there.”

“Oh, cool, uh, same.” Nolan nodded and glanced in the direction Ryan had nodded. “But I haven’t really had time to prepare so…”

“I get it, chimeras and supernaturals have those healing powers, I’ve heard it negates any chance of getting sick.” Ryan smirked as Nolan nodded again. “I guess we’ll have to settle for something a little less exciting, this time.”

“Are you planning on a second round?” Nolan arched a brow. “In this apocalypse?”

“A guy can dream!” Ryan smirked and then nodded as though an idea had come to him. “Have you ever sixty-nined? It’s a lot of fun!”

“Never done it, but sure!” Nolan grinned enthusiastically. “Where do you want me?”

“I’ll lie down, and you get on top of me, I think it’ll be easier that way.”

“Ok.” Nolan rolled over and waited for Ryan to get on his back, his head resting on the pillows before he got up on his knees and shuffled into position. He squirmed with pleasure when he felt Ryan’s hands on his thighs and ass cheeks as Nolan lowered himself down so he could see Ryan’s dick in front of him. It was big, easily seven or eight inches, thick all around with a crowning head and already glimmering with precum.

“Mmh.” Ryan grunted as he reached for Nolan’s cock and pulled him into his mouth again. “Ooof!”

“Ah!” Nolan gasped and wrapped his own hand around Ryan’s dick before taking a long experimental lick up his shaft and across his glans. A moment later, as Nolan began to thrust his cock in and out of Ryan’s mouth, he sucked all of the other guy’s dick in between his lips, feeling it hit the back of his throat. “Mmf!”

Ryan began to thrust up and down in an echoing rhythm to Nolan’s own movement, both of them fucking the other’s throat as they moaned and groaned around each other. He didn’t hold back his sounds of pleasure the way he had in the past, no longer concerned if he was overheard. Nolan gasped when Ryan’s hands massaged his ass cheeks, and he felt his hole clench excitedly at the thought of having Ryan’s thick cock slamming inside him.

Nolan reached down to fondle Ryan’s heavy balls and slip his own fingers along the guy’s smooth crack towards his equally hairless asshole. The hunter pressed the pad of his thumb against the entrance, teasing the sensitive area as Ryan squeezed and massaged Nolan’s ass, pulling his muscular butt cheeks apart and then squashing them together. The action only encouraged him to bounce his hips harder against Ryan’s face, his cock massaged by the other guy’s throat. “Mmmf!”

“Ahhh!” Ryan’s moans were muffled, but Nolan could feel him getting closer until finally his thumb slipped through Ryan’s tight ass and into the clenching heat inside. “Ooooh!”

“Mmmh!” Nolan groaned as he pulled off Ryan’s dick, watching it spurt a dozen jets of cum into the air, splashing his face first before pooling on his heaving abs. A moment later, Nolan gasped loudly when Ryan returned the favor, spearing Nolan’s asshole with two fingers and prompting his orgasm in a flurry of pent-up desire. “Ahhh! Fuck! I’m cumming!”

“Mmh!” Ryan grasped his ass with his arm and pulled Nolan’s body tight against his face, keeping his cock buried in the wet heat of his mouth as Nolan bucked up and down uncontrollably, fucking his throat relentlessly.

“Ahhh! Fuck, Ryan!” Nolan rolled off him a moment later, glancing back to see Ryan’s flushed cheeks and sweat-slick hair, his lips stained with cum as he grinned at Nolan. “Woah!”

“Minute.” Ryan muttered, his mouth full as he slipped off the bed and hurried to the bathroom. He came back after a moment, wiping his face with a towel before tossing it to Nolan. “That was intense.”

“Yeah, I loved it.” Nolan grinned at him and cleaned his face. “Especially that bit at the end…”

“Mmh, like I said, next time!”

“Haha,” Nolan chuckled and sat up, leaning against the pillows, both of them now comfortable in their nudity. He felt a little light-headed and his stomach grumbled audibly. “Oops, sorry.”

“No problem, I did offer you something to eat after all.” Ryan shrugged and went back into the bathroom. “Let me wash my hands and show you what I got.”

“Oh, I think I’ve already seen it.” Nolan smirked at him, unfamiliar confidence rushing through him as Ryan just rolled his eyes and shut the door. The hunter leaned back and sighed contentedly. “Ahh.”

Nolan nodded at Dirk as he joined the group of hunters gathered at the loading dock, most of the faces around him were new, fresh recruits Charlie had muttered as Cindy and another chimera walked out from the building. In contrast to her primal armor of ice shards, this man wore a dapper suit with a neat purple tie and shiny black shoes. Only his glowing purple eyes gave away his allegiance and he stood to one side as Cindy wheeled out two notice boards with maps, mugshots, and other information tacked to it.

“Good morning, everyone. This is Agent Keeler with the Ministry for Chimera Intelligence.” Cindy called out to them. “He’ll lead the briefing in a few minutes. Suffice to say, this is a kill, not capture mission, a key Resistance leader has been identified as hiding among the human population of Malibu.”

“Huh.” Nolan grunted softly, drawing both of the chimeras’ eyes as he cursed himself for forgetting their enhanced hearing.

“I know you’re used to hunting supernatural monsters in different environments,” Agent Keeler spoke up, his words soft and controlled. “This is not so strange, flush out your quarry and deliver him to the kill zone. If you balk at killing humans, mmh, then I suggest you leave, a hunter in the Empire is not the job for you.”

Nolan glanced around at the grim expressions on the other hunters’ faces even as none of them moved. He steeled himself and nodded in Cindy’s direction.

“Good, then let us begin.”

Chapter Text

Waves lapped in a soothing rhythm up and down the sea shore some distance away from him as Nolan was slowly pulled from his dreamless sleep. The intense summer sun was partially negated by the pleasant cooling of the wind rolling in from the ocean. He allowed himself to gradually come to awareness, content in the knowledge that he was safe from any enemies, a rare luxury. He was lying on a sun lounger on the timber decking of the cluster of apartments that had been left standing next to the beach, others having been demolished as part of the city’s reorganization.

Nolan sat up and glanced at his arms and chest, glistening from a mixture of sunscreen and sweat, his body feeling pleasantly warm as the sun’s heat suffused into his bones. He stood up and stretched slowly, wandering over to the glass and steel barrier that divided the deck from the beach itself. There were a few others on the sands, playing in the surf or walking leisurely to and fro. It was a scene that could have been anywhere and at any time, if not for the wings that adorned several of the beachgoers or the plumes of different elements of fire and ice and wind that graced the others. Even the more animalistic chimeras seemed to enjoy the beach and Nolan smirked to himself as he watched a mixed group of werewolves and werebears play volleyball on the court further down from his apartment.

He turned away and slipped into a pair of sandals, not bothering with a shirt as pulled on some board shorts; the chimeras didn’t seem to have much of a dress code, but Nolan was sure even they would stare at a naked guy walking down the street. A smile pulled at his lips at the thought, but for all that they ruled this city just like all the others, there were plenty of humans left. Nolan passed into the open plan living room, the space minimalist, with white tiled walls and floors, contrasting pleasingly with the black furniture.

“Hey,” He called out to Ryan who had retired from the sun earlier and now lay sprawled on the couch, napping. Nolan tapped his foot and nodded at him when Ryan opened his eyes. “I’m going out to get supplies, do you need anything?”

“I got fish from the market earlier,” Ryan replied, dragging his eyes lazily up Nolan’s bare torso. “Dinner is sorted.”

“Mmh,” Nolan grinned at his expression, feeling his cock harden as he returned the gaze, lingering on Ryan’s bulging speedo. “Uh, if I don’t go now, I probably won’t go at all.”

“I can think of worse fates.”

“Ahh,” Nolan groaned and then leaned down to kiss him before pulling back wistfully. “When I come back!”

“Alright, don’t take too long!” Ryan grinned and watched him until Nolan slipped into the hallway. “I’ll be waiting!”

“Uh huh.” Nolan felt the smile pull at his mouth as he grabbed the keys and opened the front door, stepping out onto the street.

The deep blossom of heat from the midday sun had passed into the pleasant intensity of a lazy afternoon as Nolan walked towards the market quarter. They had lived here for almost five months now, along with a host of other hunters and their families, Nolan having specially requested that Ryan join him. He had been nervous at first making such a demand, but his various successes in werewolf and, lately, rebel hunting had given him status and power like nothing he had ever experienced. It helped that he was among the most senior of the remaining hunters as the fatality rate on missions was appallingly high. He was needed.

They had given him the apartment, approved Ryan’s relocation, salary enough that he could do whatever he wanted, and even his own hunting squad of mixed humans and specialist chimeras. Power, prestige, reputation, he had it all. And yet, Nolan felt an emptiness inside that he was unable to fill no matter what he tried. He rarely slept properly, lying awake staring at the ceiling as past missions ran through his mind: what he could have done differently, if there were additional lives he could have saved, reflecting on the fate of the now countless numbers of werewolves and rebels captured or killed on his command. Most nights he slipped away from their bed and walked onto the beach, finding some semblance of comfort in the rolling waves and calm spread of stars overhead.

Nolan shook his head as he was pulled back into the present after crossing the street on autopilot. It was less of a danger than in the past though, chimeras rarely used cars other than for work or duty and deliveries came through the city at specific times. Vehicles had been banned from operating for most of the day and by most of the population, although it wasn’t as quiet as he had expected when Nolan read the rules of the settlement. There was a large military outpost on the other side of the city where the regional airport had been taken over and adopted for their needs. Transports and other military aircraft regularly roared over the city as they deployed forces to the many conflict zones the chimeras were engaged in.

The Chimera Army had expanded recently, recruiting more and more human soldiers to fight in the campaign to secure South America and establish a beach head in Europe and Africa. Nolan had thought about the wars during his nightly strolls, considering how the Empire planned to take over the world at such a slow pace when all the other countries would surely unite and fight together to drive them back. During the last time he, Charlie, and Dirk were together, they had talked and discussed the topic into the long hours of the night. Now Charlie had been deployed to the infiltration team sweeping up through the Horn of Africa and Dirk was deep in the Amazon searching for specific creatures the First Chimera had wanted.

As much as Nolan knew it was foolish to get attached to them, he still missed their company and thought fondly of the early days before they had become too effective to be deployed together on a single mission. He understood, of course, better to have the Empire’s most deadly hunters on multiple missions where they could do so much more.

“Hunter.” A chimera with thick fangs and broad shoulders nodded at him as Nolan entered the supermarket.

“Hello, Hank, how’s business?” Nolan smiled at him and picked up a basket.

“Moving well today,” He shrugged and followed Nolan down one aisle. “But I’m not convinced that shop keeping is for me, my brother and sister both enjoy it, but…I’m eager to get back out into the action.”

“I’m expecting orders from Command later this evening,” Nolan replied as he perused the shelves in search of Ryan’s favorite snacks. “We should be back in the field in a few days.”

“Ah, any idea what we’re after?” Hank grabbed a packet of chips and held them out to him as Nolan smirked.

“Thanks, yeah, werewolves again.”

“Huh, I almost thought we’d have wiped them out by now.”

“I know the feeling.” Nolan shrugged and they set off again towards the dairy aisle. “I haven’t been fully briefed yet, but rumor is that this is the pack that’s been moving through the heartland recruiting and obstructing Imperial operations. Chimera Intelligence wants them dealt with before it gets any more out of hand.”

“Ah, Intelligence, huh?” Hank nodded slowly. “So it’s true? We’re being folded under their umbrella now?”

“That’s what I’m hearing.” Nolan picked up a carton of milk and ran his eyes over it, searching for the expiration date. “Better than being an offshoot of the Chimera Army, I think.”

“Isn’t your boyfriend an officer?”

“Haha, yeah, exactly why I wouldn’t have to take orders from him!” Nolan laughed along with Hank as the chimera nudged him playfully.

“Ouch! Harsh, Nolan!”

“Hey, Ryan is great, but I’m thankful that we have specialists on our missions. Not everyone is cut out to be a hunter.” Nolan shrugged as he grabbed the last item, and they made their way over to the till. “Besides, he’s already got his orders: the Fourteenth Legion are being deployed to Africa at the end of the week.”

“Hmm.” Hank started to ring him up and glanced thoughtfully at him. “If that’s the case, why are you wasting time shopping when you should be at home fucking?!”

“Hank!” Nolan stared at him, his cheeks flushing as he glanced at the other shoppers, one woman nearby glaring at them and covering her son’s ears. She turned to open her mouth to complain but abruptly stared at the floor when Hank’s eyes glowed amber. “Dude, we’re not in the trenches now.”

“Bah, humans…” The chimera took a deep breath and then shrugged apologetically at Nolan. “Sorry, easy to forget you’re not one of us, yet.”

“It’s easier to infiltrate rogue hunters and rebels when I’m not a chimera.” Nolan replied, handing over his money as Hank placed his purchases in a paper bag. “That’s not to say I don’t see the benefits though.”

“Someday the entire world will be chimeras,” Hank said wistfully as he escorted Nolan back out into the afternoon sun. “So says the Guardian Prime, blessed be His name.”

“Careful,” Nolan muttered as a fire chimera nearby looked at them sharply.

“I know, I know, all glory to the Emperor.” Hank murmured back and offered a friendly wave at the other chimera. He waited until they were alone again before looking at Nolan. “Go on back to Ryan, you need anything else, I’ll send a runner up with it.”

“Haha, I’ll talk to you when I have our orders.” Nolan grinned and set off back towards the apartment.

Chimera Intelligence had set up their office in a tall building overlooking the downtown area of former San Diego, now restyled as The Emperor’s Bastion, a fortress city for the staging, training, and logistics of the Chimera Army. Nolan glanced out of the window as the elevator rose along the outside, seeing that entire sections of the city had been demolished and rebuilt to house the ever-growing ranks of humans who had joined as soldiers. The naval base on the other side of the bay was a hive of activity too, with cranes and scaffolding clustered around new buildings. The remains of the human naval fleet were at anchor and being repaired after their ill-fated encounter with the Chimera Navy; sea monsters and water Elementals had destroyed more than half of the ships during one of the largest battles of the American Conquest.

The elevator chimed softly, and Nolan stepped out into the plush hallway outside the offices. He pulled his jacket on more smartly, clothes feeling uncomfortable after having spent so much of the last few days naked and free. A smile touched his lips as he thought back to the seemingly endless cycle of sex and comfort he and Ryan had indulged in, only stopping to eat or doze off. The warmth faded away as the realization dawned that it could have been their last days together, a flicker of hope whispering last until he returned.

He passed into the office, swiping his key card at the door, and pushing through into the command center. Several cubicles were arrayed in rows on either side, stacks of folders strewn across their surfaces as monitors displayed lists and data in a constantly updating stream. A much larger monitor hung in the center of the room, showing a map of the world, chimera held territory was a deep purple while a patchwork of other colors covered Asia, Europe, and parts of Africa. Other countries were hatched in purple, indicating that the war was grinding across them, while much of South America had turned purple, giving the Empire control over two full continents now.

“Ah, Nolan.” A familiar voice called out to him, and he turned to see Cindy walking towards him, a smile softening her business-like expression. “Glad you found us.”

“You could really do with a sign.” Nolan smirked and followed her into the nearby conference room. “But I guess that would defeat the purpose of a clandestine agency.”

“I’m not quite sure we could compete with the building across the road anyway.” Cindy returned his smirk and gestured towards the windows. “You saw it, I assume?”

“Hard to miss a bright pink neon sign that has never-ending sparklers firing out of it.” Nolan looked down at the entrance to the building and frowned. “The Ministry for Chimera Enlightenment…a bit on the nose, don’t you think?”

“Psyops are a critical part of any conquest consolidation.” A male voice came from behind them, and Nolan turned around to look at the speaker. He was familiar, but Nolan struggled to place him; brown hair, cute face, innocent looking expression, twinky build. A blaze of purple fire ignited in the newcomer’s eyes and Cindy bowed low to him.

“Minister, you do us great honor by your presence.”

“Enough, unlike Theo, I don’t need you all bowing and scrapping to me.” He gestured for her to rise and walked over to Nolan. “Hunter, your reputation precedes you.”

“You have me at a disadvantage,” Nolan hummed as he inclined his head respectfully. “I’m sorry if what I said about the sign was offensive, Minister.”

“Oh, don’t be! It’s not my ministry; Greenberg is in charge of, uh, Chimera Enlightenment.” He laughed, a light musical tone that seemed at odds with the tense atmosphere in the room. “Please, you can call me Corey, I’m the Minister for Chimera Intelligence.”

“Honored.” Nolan replied softly, realizing where he had recognized Corey from. There was a flicker of similar knowledge in the chimera’s purple eyes and Nolan swallowed thickly. “Uh, if I had known one of the big three was going to be here, I would have worn a tie.”

“Haha, it’s alright, I’m not here to enforce workplace codes.” Corey gestured for them to take a seat, moving as he did so. Nolan frowned as he caught sight of an armored purple and gold giant standing in the doorway, another of the Guardians, likely there for the Minister’s protection. “Please, sit, we have much to discuss.”

“This is about the mission, I take it?”

“That’s right, Cindy, given the, um, circumstances, I wanted to brief both team leaders in person.” Corey offered her a thumb drive and waited until it was plugged in before speaking again. “The target is the Bowerhouse werewolf pack, this woman has been identified as their Alpha.”

“Hmm.” Nolan nodded as he studied the image on the screen; an imposing raven-haired matriarch with a strong jaw and a fire burning in her eyes as she stared down the camera lens. “Numbers?”

“In excess of seventy-”

“Seventy?!” Nolan ripped his eyes away from the screen and looked at Corey instead. “How did they grow so large?”

“Like a lot of packs now, they bite whoever they can, sheer numbers seem more important than traits or whatever metric was used before.” Corey shrugged. “They can’t wait for natural repopulation, and they know that we are actively recruiting humans to be turned into chimeras. That’s not the biggest problem though.”

“Go on.”

“We were able to get an infiltrator into the pack and they confirmed that Bowerhouse is assembling an alliance of sorts between werewolves, rebel hunters, and the main rebel faction.” Corey reached out to press a key and change the image to an overhead map of rough scrubland and ranges of thick forest. “The last update from our agent had them making camp here, northern Nebraska, but they move around a lot.”

“Is there anything of significance out there?” Nolan mused as he examined the terrain.

“There’s an Imperial lab at the Chimera’s Cradle, uh, Valentine, I think it was before the conquest.” Corey nodded to himself. “It’s a chimeraification facility, there’s some storage, I think Theo used it for a while during his Skinwalker research. Uh, it could be a target, but I think the rebels are gathering for a more brazen attack on our forces.”

“So, find and destroy?” Cindy asked as she typed something on her phone. “I can have the unit deployed by tonight.”

“Good, but no, this is infiltrate and eradicate.” Corey stood up and walked over to the window, his hands clasped behind his back. “Our infiltrator was discovered and killed three days ago, so they will be wary of a direct approach. I’d like to be able to capture them all in one place, deploy our forces and wipe them out.”

“It will be done.” Cindy stood and offered Corey’s back a stiff bow. She glanced at Nolan. “I’ll gather your squad and prepare the transports, logistics, supplies.”

“Thank you.” Nolan got up and joined Corey at the window, glancing sideways at him. “So, um…”

“You know I couldn’t be sure it was actually you.” Corey said conversationally as he continued looking out over the city. “I had read the reports of course and I’m quite sure we said about three words to each other back in high school, but it’s strange how many of the old Beacon Hills crew are now part of the Empire.”

“Yeah, strange.” Nolan replied softly, unsure what to say. “You’ve done well for yourself though!”

“As have you.” Corey responded, letting the moment stretch between them before he abruptly turned around. “I must return to the capital, but I’ll be following your progress on this mission. The Emperor and Guardian Prime are in Europe establishing our landing zone in that sector, so our forces are somewhat stretched at the moment.”

“No backup then.” Nolan grunted. “Well, it’s probably best to keep the squad small for this mission anyway. Once we’re ready to spring the trap closed, we’ll need reinforcements.”

“Keep Cindy apprised, and I’ll see what resources can be directed to you. Some of the Guardians might be available.” Corey acknowledged his nod and added, “Good luck, and safe travels to your boyfriend, he’s shipping out this evening, hmm?”

“Uh, yes.” Nolan managed to reply evenly as the spymaster smirked. “I better go see him off.”

“Come with me, I’m heading to the airport anyway.”

Nolan flashed his ID at the gate guard and was waved through along with a crowd of others as they surged along the long corridor towards the apron at the edge of the terminal. A recovered military transport plane sat on the tarmac, refueling trucks finishing their task as red and white lights winked on and off at the tips of the plane’s wings, bright in the twilight of the setting sun. Another truck was approaching the open cargo hold with stacks of green duffle bags as the line of soldiers shuffled forwards towards the open cargo ramps at the rear of the aircraft.

He looked around the apron, searching for Ryan as he moved past families seeing their loved ones off. A group of chimeras were gathered around the front of plane, the pilots perhaps, while in the distance he could see Corey’s motorcade arriving at a smaller hanger with a Learjet parked outside. Nolan turned when he heard his name being called and grinned as he caught sight of Ryan standing nearby. “Looking smart!”

“Thanks!” Ryan returned his embrace and the swift kiss on the lips before standing back and pulling off a sharp salute. “New uniforms.”

“I can see that.” Nolan smiled as he took in the forest green fabric and flares of purple and red across the buttons and along the edges of the shoulders. His rank was denoted by two black claws under his collar and his hat was clutched in one hand, his trousers pressed and crisp above polished shoes. “Isn’t this a bit formal for your flight?”

“I’ll get changed into our fatigues after we take off,” Ryan explained. “I just wanted to, well, show you first.”

“I approve.” Nolan nodded and took Ryan’s hand in his own, pulling them a little to one side. “I got my orders, we’re both going to be deployed for a while.”

“I’ll be back soon, try not to worry.”

“I know.” Nolan sighed and glanced up as the luggage truck trundled back towards the terminal, one of the workers glaring at them, a black star tattoo scrawled upon his neck. He frowned but his attention was pulled away as another officer shouted out from the ramp, urging the soldiers inside. “Huh, I think it’s time for you to board.”

“Hmm,” Ryan kissed him again before pulling reluctantly away from him. “I’ll talk to you in a few days, ok?”

“Of course, and I’ll see you in a few weeks!” Nolan grinned at him, keeping his other emotions tamped down until Ryan had walked up the ramp and out of sight. Tears threatened his eyes, and he blinked them away hurriedly, returning to the concourse with the rest of the families who had stayed to watch the plane take off.

There was a slight delay as the Minister for Chimera Intelligence got priority clearance and Nolan watched Corey’s plane rush down the runway and then bank sharply as it turned north to return to the capital. He stood at the window as the C-17 taxied to the start of the runway and turned slowly. There was a lengthy pause before its engines ramped up to a howl that could be heard even from across the airport and the plane juddered forward, picking up speed as it did so. Nolan released his held breath as it lurched into the air, mentally replaying the strange interaction from earlier; the ground crew glaring at them. Perhaps it had been jealousy, perhaps an injury, perhaps…

He turned abruptly when the first cry pierced the air and then rushed over to the window, staring in horror as a second fireball erupted from the heart of the C-17, one of its engines already ablaze. The plane banked steeply before careening out of control and crashing back down to earth. It cratered into one of the buildings on the far side of the airport in a blossoming cloud of fire and black smoke. Screams swamped over him as Nolan stared at the catastrophe, unable to process what had happened.

A few moments later, he found himself wandering near the still burning wreckage, the howls of sirens echoing around him as water chimera doused the fires and others braved the intense heat to drag out those trapped within. He absently waved his ID badge when someone challenged his presence, his eyes locked onto the charred remains that were already strewn across the crash site. One of the pilots was sitting nearby, a nasty burn across his soot-covered face, his flight overhauls ripped and burnt.

“What happened?” Nolan managed to croak out and the chimera looked up at him with a grimace. “Uh, I’m with Chimera Intelligence.” He offered him ID and the chimera just nodded.

“Bomb went off in the cargo hold, secondary in the engines ignited the fuel lines.” The pilot grunted, his injuries slowly healing as he spoke. “We started to lose control, I thought we could make an emergency landing, but…”

“There was a third bomb.” Nolan finished for him, and they both shared a grim look. He glanced up when another chimera came over, steam rising from her bare skin, water droplets rising as a cooling mist to comfort the pilot.

“He’s Chimera Intelligence.” The pilot gestured at Nolan. “How many survived?”

“A handful, a dozen maybe.” She shook her head. “Burns are too severe, they won’t make it to the chimera labs.”

“And the officers?” Nolan cleared his throat as he looked back at the charred airframe as the fire was gradually brought under control. “Did any of them…”

“The officers were gathered at the heart of the explosion, I saw them standing around the bags when I last looked into the hold.” The pilot sighed. “I’m sorry.”

“We’ll recover their dental records to be sure.” The water chimera looked at him. “This was the rebels?”

“I intend to find out.” Nolan murmured before nodding determinedly. “But I’m pretty sure it was and I’m going to hunt them down.”

Nolan crept along the narrow forest pathway, dry pine needles crunching underfoot, the thick bushes on either side hiding him from view while also obscuring his own vision. Three of his hunters were spread out in a wide arc in front of him, weapons held at the ready, while Hank was leading the chimera hit squad about a mile behind him, blending into the forest with the help of a chameleon chimera Corey had given him.

The Bowerhouse pack were camped away to the west, but Nolan had already scoped out their settlement, difficult to keep hidden now that their numbers approached that of a small village. Instead, he was focused on finding the rebel hunters and humans, who, according to Chimera Intelligence, were kept separate from the werewolves. But they were here, somewhere. He gripped his weapon close, a rifle instead of the crossbow he normally used, a better tool to blend in should he find the rebels.

The path opened out in front of him and led into a small clearing, the sounds of running water coming from across the glade of knee-high grass. Nolan looked around cautiously as his hunters took up concealed positions around him. It was better to assume that they were already under surveillance, and he glanced down, seeming to be checking his weapon when he heard the snap of a twig and then a muttered curse. “Who’s out there?”

“Alright, alright, you heard me.” A man in camo came out of the trees, his hands held up as a rifle hung across his chest. “No need for sudden moves, there’s more of us.”

“Hunters?” Nolan arched a brow and relaxed his stance as the stranger smirked.

“Yeah, hunters. And you?”

“There’s a few of mine behind me.” Nolan gestured over his shoulder and then nodded at the forest. “We’ve been moving around for a while, I had hoped to, uh, heh, actually hunt in these woods, but game seems to have been picked clean. I thought perhaps that whatever werewolves were in these parts had moved on.”

“Not exactly, they’re still around. I’m Sam.” He held out his hand and smiled when Nolan hesitated before shaking it. “We have a camp a few miles away, it’s not much but you’re welcome to our fire.”

“Thanks, I’m Nolan and we’ll take you up on that.” Nolan made a signal to his left and his hunters stood up to join him, Sam staring at them in surprise. “Ghillie suits, we had an Army guy with us at one point.”

“Useful trick.” Sam shook his head. “But that could be exactly the sort of tactical knowledge our leader would like to know.”

“Nothing comes for free.”

“Agreed, but we can work out the details over the campfire.” Sam replied as he led the way through the trees, his own forces hidden back a little ways, three men and two boys, all armed and dressed in camo and face paint. “It’s cool, guys, fellow hunters.”

They walked in relative silence, only exchanging some news as they went, Nolan confident that the chimeras would be able to track them back to the rebel camp. Night had fallen fully as they passed through a narrow ravine hidden behind a screen of trees. He glanced around, noticing the guards at various strategic locations, some crouching on top of the cliffs, others clearly visible next to barrels of fire. They were armed in the usual mix of assault rifles and body armor that he had encountered before, but this was mundane protection in the face of the chimeras’ claws and elemental mastery. Nolan cast his gaze further afield, the same way he did every time he encountered a rebel force, searching for the man with the dark star tattoo.

Ryan’s loss was still a bitter pill that burned his chest whenever he thought about it, whatever human empathy he had left for the rebel cause had melted away in the weeks since the attack. They were nothing but murderers and terrorists, and Nolan didn’t need to listen to the chimera-controlled news to know that. He gritted his teeth in annoyance when none of the nearby rebels matched the man’s description. But perhaps more information would come out after they raided the camp, he would have a few hours with them before handing over those who remained to the First Chimera.

“Here.” Sam led them to the main bonfire contained in a circle of stones, heat and warmth banishing the gloom of the starless night. “I’ll go get our leader.”

“Thanks.” Nolan nodded and waited for his hunters to gather closer to him. He lowered his voice and looked from side to side to ensure they wouldn’t be overheard. “Last contact from Hank?”

“Twenty minutes ago,” Paul, one of the youngest hunters at a fresh-faced sixteen spoke up. “The, uh, hidden chimera is among us, gathering information for the strike.”

“They’ll take the cliff first.” Nolan nodded. “But wait for my signal, we’re in a disadvantageous position at the center of the rebels’ camp.”

“Got it.”

“The boss will see you now.” A different rebel hunter from Sam approached them and gestured towards the large tent placed near to the fire. “Your team can stay here.”

“It’s fine.” Nolan reassured them as Paul opened his mouth to speak. “Hopefully this won’t take long.” He followed the rebel back across the camp and ducked under the tent flap as it was held up for him, stepping into a large square space, the other parts of the tent separated by different colored blankets hanging from the roof supports. It was hotter inside with clusters of candles giving the space a warm, cozy feeling, while a trestle table rested in the middle of the room, with maps and diagrams strewn across it.

Just as he was about to look through the tactical information, a blanket was pulled aside, and their leader strode out. Nolan glanced up and felt the world lurch as he locked eyes with an unexpected gaze. “Gabe?”

“Nolan, I should have known!” Gabe recovered first, a grin breaking out across his otherwise hardened expression. He crossed the room and pulled Nolan into a hug without another thought, the other hunter not responding for a few more frozen seconds before finally returning the embrace. “I can’t believe you’re alive!”

“I was going to say the same thing to you.” Nolan replied, taking a deep breath as he struggled to stay on task. He looked away from the intensity of Gabe’s dark eyes and noticed a slight shimmer in the air behind the rebel leader: the invisible chimera must have followed him inside. “This changes things.”

“Huh?”

“I mean, I thought I was about to do business with some grizzled veteran,” Nolan forced a laugh as Gabe smiled and gestured for him to sit on one of the small camping chairs next to the entrance. “I didn’t expect to find an old friend here.”

“Not that old, just…lost.” Gabe looked him over and nodded approvingly. “You look good, the end of the world suits you.”

“Hah.” Nolan chuckled and shrugged. “Same to you, the little bit of stubble makes you more…attractive.”

“Glad you think so.”

“I guess we should get down to business.” Nolan said as his eyes skipped past Gabe’s handsome form to the slight shimmer in the air behind him. The movement was easily attributable to the candles burning nearby. When Gabe reached down to pull a dusty bottle from under his seat, Nolan shook his head once and saw the chimera’s cloaked movement fade backwards towards the rear of the tent. The attack had been called off for now, he could gather more information first before deciding what to do with these rebels. “Uh, your man Sam said you might have use for our ghillie suits, we could show you how to make some of your own.”

“That would be helpful indeed!” Gabe pulled the cork out of the bottle with a flourish and produced two wine glasses from somewhere else nearby. “We should toast our reunion.”

“I’ll want something in return, Gabe.” Nolan accepted the offered glass as the rebel leader just smirked and filled the glasses with bubbling gold liquid.

“Oh, I’m sure we can come to some sort of arrangement.” Gabe clinked his glass with one hand while unbuttoning his jacket with the other. “Right?”

“Uh.” The slow reveal of his smooth tanned flesh drew Nolan’s gaze and attention immediately and he smirked to himself; Gabe clearly thought that he would give up such secrets for a tumble in the hay with him. Well, that might have worked back in Beacon Hills, but everything was different now, Nolan already knew what a normal, healthy relationship was like; no games, no bargaining away his power for sex, no matter how enjoyable it might be.

Flashes of Ryan’s smiling face echoed across his mind’s eye as Gabe continued to get undressed and Nolan took a moment to meet his boyfriend’s kind eyes before carefully compartmentalizing those memories. He looked up and down Gabe’s body, just as perfectly muscular and tanned and smooth as he remembered, Gabe’s dick already rock hard as he finally stood naked in front of Nolan. It was impossible to deny his attraction, and for a brief moment, Nolan considered abandoning everything just to be with him again.

The thought fell away without too much conscious debate and was replaced instead by a strange sort of vindictive fire that consumed Nolan. Gabe had used him before to get what he wanted, perhaps this moment was just retribution for all that had happened between them in Beacon Hills. He might as well use Gabe right back, his squad would wait until he gave the signal, he had the time.

Nolan returned Gabe’s grin and laid down his rifle and started undoing the buttons of his jacket. “I assume you have a bed?”

“Oh yeah, right this way!” Gabe turned around, deliberately displaying his glorious ass cheeks, smooth and pink and bouncing with every step he took into another section of the tent. “Come on, Nolan.”

Chapter Text

He wasn’t sure if it was the surrealness of the moment, being there with Gabe, or a deep sense of weariness, but Nolan allowed himself to be led into a different part of the tent, through the heavy drapes and into a perfumed sanctum. A large camp bed was pushed up against one side of the canvas wall and various cushions and blankets were strewn across it, giving a feeling of comfort and coziness. More candles were placed at the edges of the room and clustered on a coffee table at the foot of the bed. The light was perfectly warm and made Gabe’s naked form even more appealing.

Nolan slipped his rifle strap over his head and laid the weapon against a tent pole as Gabe sat down on the edge of the bed, his every move seductive. It was completely different to any other time they had been together, the power dynamic felt as though it had been reversed. Nolan was the one in charge now and Gabe was eager to pleasure him, even though Nolan already knew that it was just a ploy to get out of offering anything real for his valuable knowledge. If he had actually been another rebel hunter the exchange would have been insulting. As it was though…

“Get undressed.” Gabe whispered to him, heavy eyes feasting on his body as Nolan stripped out of his clothes, hands lingering on his underwear. “Ah, let me help you.”

“I…ok.” Nolan muttered when Gabe rose and approached him, the rebel’s hands reaching out to trace down his smooth chest and along his abs. Gabe dropped to his knees and slipped his hands into the waistband of Nolan’s trunks, pulling them down slowly, savoring each moment until he grinned as Nolan’s fat cock spilled out. “Ugh!”

“Hard already, eh?” Gabe’s eyes were full of lust as he grasped Nolan’s dick and immediately started pumping him up and down. “This will be enjoyable for both of us! I always loved fucking you with your thick cock so hard and heavy!”

“Mmh, times change,” Nolan moaned softly. “I’ll want your ass as part of my payment.”

“Ooh, bossy Nolan is so hot!” Gabe grinned at him again and leaned forward, taking Nolan’s cock deep into his mouth. “Mmf!”

“Ah!” Nolan grunted and rested one hand in Gabe’s thick, dark hair, the other hanging loosely by his side as the rebel sucked him off. His jaw clenched tightly, his hips moving back and forth, fucking Gabe’s eager throat as Nolan’s thoughts spiraled between the intense pleasure of the moment and the last person he had been intimate with. The morning of the attack, before he left to get his own mission, one last lazy fuck before they had to get up and pull on the clothes of their respective lives. Nolan groaned as Gabe’s hands clutched his ass cheeks and started massaging them, a finger slipping down his crack to tease his hole. “Mmph.”

“Ahh!” Gabe pulled off him with a flourish and Nolan glanced down at him, noticing that Gabe’s long cock was glistening in the candlelight, clearly aroused by their reconnection. “Damn, I missed this dick!”

“Just the dick?”

“Haha, oh, I’m eager to taste your ass again after all this time!” Gabe stood up and gestured at the bed. “Of course, if you want to go first…?”

“Nah, I’d rather be fucked first.” Nolan replied, fixing a nonchalant smirk onto his face. Gabe grinned at him, his emotions and desires so clearly laid out that Nolan was surprised he had ever allowed himself to be twisted up by the rebel hunter in the past. He glanced away from him and looked at the small table by the bed, a bottle of lube standing alone. “No condoms?”

“Can’t find any.” Gabe shrugged. “We’ve picked this zone clean, and our scavengers have to go further afield, condoms aren’t high on the list. Besides, who knows how long we have left?”

“Alright,” Nolan nodded, making a mental note to visit the nearest medic when he returned to a chimera base. He smiled as Gabe watched him. “It’s cool, I do enjoy a good creampie now and again!”

“Mmh, can’t wait!” Gabe hummed, grasping his cock and spreading his precum along the hard shaft. “So, can I eat your ass first?”

“Hah, that’s direct!”

“It’s been too long, man, we sometimes visit the werewolf camp not far from here,” Gabe explained as Nolan lay down at the edge of the bed, letting his ass hang over the lip, his legs spreading wide. “Sometimes there’s a hot guy I can find to hook up with and damn, those new wolves are wild! Being fucked by a werewolf is all aggression and energy and getting filled with so much cum!”

“Haha,” Nolan chuckled along as Gabe’s voice filled with lust. “How many of them are there? If you can meet a new guy every time?”

“A couple of hundred at this stage, I think.” Gabe shrugged as Nolan’s brows arched in surprise. “It’s hard to keep track, but damn, every type of hot twink, twunk, and hunk available!”

“Indeed.” Nolan mused as Gabe sunk to his knees and pushed Nolan’s thighs back exposing his hole. He carefully filed the information away for later as he focused on the moment, perhaps there was other intelligence he could siphon from Gabe during this intimate exchange. “Ah, that’s good!”

“Mmh, I love that you’re so smooth, Nolan!” Gabe grunted as he licked another wide stripe down Nolan’s ass crack and across his puckering hole. He pressed his face against Nolan’s ass and his thick, eager tongue slipped out, lashing pleasurably against Nolan’s entrance, spearing inside with an accompaniment of moans and grunts. “Mmf! Ahh! Oooh!”

“Fuck!” Nolan gasped, unable to deny the intense pleasure of Gabe’s mouth and tongue. He shuddered and arched his back, reaching down to grasp Gabe’s head and urge him to continue eating him out. His hole quaked and the muscles rapidly contracted and relaxed as he rode a wave of glorious pleasure, his ass bouncing up and down against Gabe’s lips as his cock made a mess of precum on his abs. “Oh fuck me!”

“I’m getting to it!” Gabe took a break from rimming him to look up at Nolan, his face flushed and his eyes full of unrestrained lust. He winked and then dove back in, his fingers spreading open Nolan’s hole and his tongue swirling a long, pleasurable crescent through the sensitive rim.

“Ah! Oh my god!”

“Mmmh!”

“Ah! Ah! Ooooh!”

“Mmmph!”

“Fuck, Gabe!” Nolan gasped as Gabe continued to alternatively stretch his asshole and eat him out, sweat pouring down his body as Nolan lost himself to the intensity of the pleasure. It had never been like this when they were together before; usually a quick ten minutes’ pump and dump. Either Gabe had learned some new tricks, or he was eager for the promised knowledge.

“I think you’re ready to take my dick now.” Gabe announced, the old familiar smirk pulling at his lips as he stood up and reached for the bottle of lube. He poured a generous amount onto his shaft as Nolan grabbed a pillow and shoved it under his ass, raising it up as he placed another under his head, all the better to watch Gabe get ready. “You’re gaping a little already, but when I’m done, your hole will be stretched wide and dripping with my cum!”

“Fuck, that’s a hot image!” Nolan grunted, no longer holding back his desire or lust for the other hunter. He reached for his legs, hand under his knees and pulled them back, fully presenting his hole for Gabe. “All yours.”

“Mmh, we’re gonna enjoy this!” Gabe grinned at him and sank onto his knees on the edge of the bed, his gleaming cock aimed at Nolan’s hole. He pulled Nolan’s body towards him, his cock pressing against Nolan’s swollen taint and began gliding it downwards, both of them gasping and moaning at the erotic contact. “Mmh, fuck.”

“Oh man!” Nolan grunted, feeling the air kiss against the trail of Gabe’s sticky precum as he pulled his cock further south towards Nolan’s hole, his ass muscles clenching and relaxing in desperate anticipation. He gasped when he felt Gabe’s thick cock head press into him, pleasure exploding across his entrance and arcing all across his body and into his own dick. “Ahh!”

“Oooh!” Gabe moaned, their eyes connecting for a long second. He spread Nolan’s thighs wider as he sank slowly into him, inch after inch filling Nolan’s hole so completely, so deliciously. Gabe grabbed the base of his dick and pushed forwards, crying out in pleasure as his cock bottomed out inside of Nolan’s hole, finally fully inside him. He threw his head back and breathed hard, every muscle on his smooth, tanned torso visible to Nolan. “Ahh, yeah!”

“Oh my god.” Nolan whispered as Gabe slowly pulled out of him and then slammed back inside his ass, the sudden shift in pace was an electric thrill, one Gabe repeated a few more times as Nolan reached for his cock and started slowly jerking off in time to the movements. “Oh, man, I feel so full!”

“Ah, yeah, you’re so tight!” Gabe moaned as Nolan rocked back into him, craving more contact, faster thrusting. He picked up his pace, ploughing in and out of Nolan’s hole as his hands grasped Nolan’s hips for leverage, his cock slamming up against Nolan’s prostate over and over again. He pumped in and out a few more times before Nolan gasped and shot all over his chest, coating his pecs with his thick, creamy cum. “Fuck yeah, Nolan!”

“Oh, fuck! Not so soon!” Nolan cried out and then moaned deeply when he saw Gabe’s entire body stiffen and felt the unmistakable sensation of the other guy’s cream filling his insides. “Oh my fucking god!” He gasped again as his cock shuddered in intense pleasure, another orgasm spurting forth as Gabe thrust in and out of Nolan’s loaded up hole a few final times, glorying in the strength of the pleasure that radiated from them both. “Ahhh!”

Half an hour later, after the rosy glow had faded and they were just lying side by side, basking in their nakedness, Nolan rolled over and looked up at the canvas ceiling. Gabe glanced at him and then down at his dick. “You’re hard again.”

“Getting there.” Nolan admitted, desperate to stay in this moment, not have to confront the duty that lay before him outside the tent or even the truth of what they had done that lay outside this fabric room. He already felt the tug of guilt at having sullied Ryan’s memory by getting fucked by Gabe and enjoying it so much. Nolan released a deep breath and looked over at Gabe, seeing that he was already fully erect and slowly jerking off. “So, you still want the secret of our camouflage suits?”

“Hell yeah, that would give us a major advantage over those Chimera Army goons.” Gabe nodded quickly as he used his free hand to trace a finger over Nolan’s pert nipple. “Have you seen them? A bunch of traitors helping the chimeras? But at least they’re a relatively soft target.”

“I guess, they’re just humans, right?” Nolan murmured. “I honestly didn’t think they’d be all the way out here though, I mean there’s nothing of value in this part of the, uh, world.”

“True,” Gabe hummed to himself. “But they’ve got a massive training complex in San Diego and more forts are springing up all over. We need to act against them now.”

“I’m not part of any fight, Gabe, I just want to survive.” Nolan sighed and gestured towards the entrance. “Same for all my friends out there, we don’t want any more shit with werewolves and chimeras and who knows what else.”

“I respect that,” Gabe smiled and continued to caress his chest and abs. “Besides, we’ll be pulling up sticks soon enough to strike those targets. So…you could come with us, or this could be it. Forever.”

Ahh, there’s the Gabe I know. Nolan half-smirked as he recognized the attempt to manipulate him. It had always been more effective after they had fucked, but things had changed, he had changed. “Well, that’s tempting, but like I said, my guys are going to keep running and surviving.”

“Hmm.”

“But I’m happy to help you stick your thumb in the chimeras’ eye, give them hell.” Nolan replied, watching as Gabe nodded along. It was just enough of a suggestion that he could see the rebel was considering another attempt to reel him into their schemes. “Plus, I did promise to give you the secret of our ghillie suits, so…”

“Oh, right, good enough for now.” Gabe grinned at him expectantly. “And?”

“If you recall, I said I wanted your ass too, Gabe.” Nolan smirked as Gabe looked unsure even as his dick twitched in obvious attraction. “I mean, if you’re not interested…”

“No! No, that technology will, uh, give a tactical advantage.” He nodded quickly and then smirked back at him, lust pooling in his dark eyes once more. “This could actually be pretty hot, Nolan!”

“Oh, I’ve always wanted to fuck you, Gabe.” Nolan admitted, his cock rock hard again, his asshole clenching around the dregs of Gabe’s load that weren’t pulled out when Gabe had finished with him earlier. “It’s gonna be fun!”

“Hell yeah, it will be!” He popped up and gestured at Nolan. “Do you want me to ride you?”

“Fuck, just like that?”

“I thought you would have realized by now that I don’t bother with small talk anymore.” Gabe shrugged and jerked himself off as he licked his lips, his gaze fixed on Nolan’s fat cock. “I mean, you can eat me out too, if you want, get the full experience as it were?”

“Mmh, well, turn around and back that glorious ass up here then.” Nolan commanded, feeling a thrill flutter through his chest as Gabe did as he asked, turning around so he was facing away from him. His eyes locked onto the two smooth orbs of Gabe’s ass, lightly tanned but still contrasting with his deep tan on the rest of his body. His ass cheeks were perfectly muscular with a degree of quivering delight as he slowly moved closer to Nolan. “Sit on my face.”

“Oooh, so naughty!” Gabe purred as he planted both knees on either side of Nolan’s head and slowly, indulgently lowered his ass onto Nolan’s face, his cheeks smooth against his skin, the heat of his eager hole mingling with Nolan’s equally aroused breath. “Ahh, this is so hot!”

“Mmmh!” Nolan moaned loudly, the sound muffled by Gabe’s glorious butt cheeks. He reached up and massaged the round muscles, grasping handfuls of his ass while his lips kissed the smooth edges of his crevice. Nolan’s cock was rock hard and leaking cum in an unending stream down his shaft as he heard Gabe moan and felt him shift above him. Lost completely in the erotic haze of lust that stretched between them, Nolan pulled Gabe’s ass cheeks apart and reveled in the moment when his tongue was finally able to thrust into the rebel’s tight, clenching hole. “Mmmph!”

“Aw, yeah, Nolan!” Gabe gasped and rubbed his asshole up and down against his face, his muscles tightening and then relaxing, as he rode the wave of pleasure that Nolan was bringing him with the flicking motion of his tongue. “Oh, fuck yeah, eat me out, bro!”

“Mmmh! Aww!” Nolan moaned into his asshole, not caring that he was almost suffocating, instead he chased the limits of his pleasure, rimming Gabe without too much conscious thought other than doing whatever it took to prolong their glorious arousal. He got a little more air as Gabe began to bounce up and down on his face and tongue, the sound of him jerking off was another erotic beat to the melody of passion that swamped over him.

“Oh, fuck, I’m gonna cum!” Gabe shouted out, arching his back, and ramming his ass down onto Nolan’s tongue. “Ahhh! Ah! Ah!”

“Mmmh!” Nolan desperately flicked his tongue in and out, up and down, over and around as he pushed Gabe’s pleasure tolerance over the edge. He grinned against Gabe’s ass cheeks when he felt Gabe shoot his load all over his chest and abs, Nolan managing somehow not to cum. “Woah, that’s a lot!” He exclaimed when Gabe staggered off him, his cock still hard and dripping. Nolan reached down to scoop up some of the thick cum and shook his head in amazement. “Fuck, dude, so much cum!”

“It’d be a shame to waste it.” Gabe smirked at him, an absolutely filthy grin that made Nolan’s cock twitch and pulse in desperate need for release. Gabe didn’t say anything else until he climbed back on the bed and got on his hands and knees in front of Nolan, his glistening ass presented completely to him. “And I know just the place for it.”

“Fuck…really?” Nolan stared at him, not quite believing what Gabe was so obviously suggesting. “You want me to fuck you with your own cum?”

“Yours would obviously be so much better,” Gabe grinned at him over his shoulder. “But maybe afterwards, right now, I want you to lube my hole with that fresh cum. It’s going to feel so good when you push inside, Nolan!”

“Alright, ok, wow.” Nolan muttered as he scooped the cum off his chest and stomach and pressed it against Gabe’s flared asshole, his fingers slipping inside with ease even as they shook in aroused excitement. “This is so nasty, dude.”

“So hot, you mean!”

“Oh yeah, that too!” Nolan moaned as his fingers slid easily in and out of Gabe’s asshole, now fully lubed with his cum. He even reached down to milk the last drop from Gabe’s still hard cock and spread it across his own dick, the surface now completely slick between the fresh cum and his own precum. “I can’t wait, I gotta get inside you!”

“Do it, Nolan, fuck me with that thick cock!” Gabe begged him as Nolan lined up his cock with Gabe’s puckering ring. “Oh fuck!”

“Oh my god!” Nolan gasped as he pushed into Gabe’s heat, feeling his ass muscles tighten around his dick and pull him in deeper. The sensation of Gabe’s cum around his cock was perfectly slippery and warm, and the knowledge of what it was that was lubing him up was enough to make Nolan see stars, his blood pounding in his ears. “Aww, yeah, fuck, this is awesome!”

“Take me, Nolan, take me any way you want!” Gabe surrendered to him as Nolan reached for him and pulled him flush against his body, Nolan rapidly fucking in and out of him as Gabe grasped his cock and jerked himself off again. “Ah! Oh! Fuck, yeah!”

“Aw! Oh! Ahhh!” Words beyond moans and grunts were forgotten as Nolan gripped Gabe’s shoulder with one hand and used the other to roam across his defined chest and hard abs. He fucked Gabe’s slick ass with fast and eager strokes, pressing his abs and erect nipples against Gabe’s back, driving the final reserves of his energy into absolutely railing the rebel hunter. “Ah! Fuck! Take it!”

“Give me your load, Nolan, I want to feel your cream mixing with mine!” Gabe gasped, skin slick with sweat, his hands desperately jerking himself off as he bounced up and down on Nolan’s thick cock. “Ooh, I’m so stretched out! Ah, fuck! Fill me up, Nolan!”

“So close!” Nolan managed, his heart galloping in his chest as he gave himself over to chasing the pleasure train, slamming in and out of Gabe’s now gaping hole until at last, he finally exploded within him. Jet after jet of thick cum coated Gabe’s asshole before it was fucked out of him and drenched his balls as Nolan pushed Gabe back to his starting position and gave him a few final, desperate thrusts. “Ahh!”

“Woah! Fuck! Ugh! Once more!” Gabe gasped and panted as he came again, a smaller load than before as he frantically jerked off, ropes of cum decorating his hand. “Fuck, Nolan, that was wild!”

“Yeah, intense.” Nolan breathed hard and pulled out of Gabe’s hole roughly, hearing him moan needily at the absence. “Uh, do you have somewhere I can clean up?”

“Through there, washbasin and mirror.” Gabe muttered, still gasping for air. He laid on his stomach where Nolan had left him, ass up and cum dripping out of his used hole. “You’re welcome for another round?”

“Uh, my guys are probably wondering where I am…” Nolan replied, looking back at the ridiculously erotic sight of Gabe spread out and freshly used. He tore his eyes away and poured water into the cheap plastic basin, grabbing a washcloth, and running it across his face.

“Fair enough. But know that you are always welcome here!” Gabe rolled over at last and came to join him, pressing his heavy, cum-slick cock against Nolan’s back as he leaned in to kiss him. Nolan jerked away at the last second and Gabe pressed his lips against his cheek. “For a hook-up, for a cum dump, hell, for the rebellion!”

“Yeah, got it.” Nolan glanced at the mirror, looking away when he couldn’t meet his own gaze.

“These are the ringleaders?” The Minister for Chimera Intelligence nodded thoughtfully to himself as he studied the surveillance pictures splashed on the big screen in the air-conditioned coolness of the conference room. “And this is the leader of human hunters, what did you say his name was?”

“Gabe Valet.” Nolan replied after looking up the file, keeping his expression carefully neutral as Corey hummed to himself.

“Yes, interesting.”

“They’ll be meeting up with the Bowerhouse pack and a couple of other groups of rebels at these co-ordinates outside Vegas in twelve hours.” Nolan continued the briefing. “Their current plan is to disrupt Chimera Army activities throughout the capital region; bombings, attacks, kidnappings for the werewolves.”

“Hmm,” Corey sat back and steepled his fingers. “Their numbers?”

“It’s a small army at this point; several hundred werewolves and assorted other supernaturals,” Nolan read from his notes as Cindy typed quickly beside him. “Uh, about five hundred rebels, though not all of those are soldiers, civilians are among them.”

“That won’t matter to the Emperor, the war for Europe and Asia is almost over, he is increasingly concentrating on affairs here at home.” Corey paused for a moment and then gestured for Nolan to continue. “What about their plans? How actionable are they?”

“When I was at Gabe’s camp yesterday, I saw crates of explosives, several IEDs, and some military hardware; rocket launchers, missiles, that sort of thing.” Nolan explained. “They must have got a bomb maker, they weren’t this organized a month ago.”

“How intact is your cover?”

“It’s fine, he doesn’t suspect a thing,” Nolan shrugged, a flush creeping up his neck as he thought about his cover: doomsday hookups and secret meetings. “Uh, in fact I think he believes that I’m coming over to join his side. No more hunter running from the world, that’s the angle I’ve been playing. He thinks I’ll be a rebel just like him.”

“And are you?” Corey asked the question bluntly as Nolan stared at him.

“No, of course not.” He took a steadying breath as the temperature in the room dropped even further. “I’m still looking for the man with dark star tattoo, I won’t have my vengeance, my justice, until he is found, and I extract it from him.”

“Good.” Corey nodded sharply and turned to the chimera commandos on the other side of the table. “Major, divide your forces accordingly to maximize our ability to capture the targets. We need some for interrogation and the rest for chimera conversion and experimentation.”

“Yes, Minister, we’ll work with the hunter, and General Douglas is bringing his forces in from the east.” The chimera gestured at Nolan. “He’s already briefed us on their weapons and tactics, they won’t see us coming until it’s too late.”

“I have a suggestion, Minister.” Cindy spoke up and Nolan glanced at her, his brows furrowed.

“Proceed.”

“It might be effective to send Nolan in ahead of the strike, even scoop him up during the raid. That way, should any of them escape, his cover could still be intact.”

“I agree.” Nolan nodded and looked to Corey, the spymaster considering the suggestion before inclining his head slightly. “Ok then, I might even get an opportunity to gather additional information.”

“Of course, just don’t put yourself in unnecessary danger,” Corey paused, his eyes lingering on Nolan’s face. “Uh, you won’t have too much protection until our forces are fully in position.”

“I understand.” Nolan murmured and let the other details of the meeting flow over him, his attention drawn increasingly to Corey until at last the Minister dismissed everyone else and it was just the two of them. He was hot, not just chimera perfect hot, but as though there were alternating layers of hardness and softness; one moment Nolan saw the smoothness of Corey’s jawline and the innocence of his expression, the next a flash of steel in his eyes that betrayed the violence he had seen. Nolan took a drink of water as the commandos and other spies filed out of the room, leaving them alone. As he tended to do, Corey stood up and walked over to the window, seemingly taking in the view as he spoke.

“None of your other assignments have required you to directly betray the confidence of your targets,” Corey paused and waited for Nolan to get up and join him at the window. “Hmm, are you sure you’ll be able to do it?”

“Certain? No, of course not.” Nolan shrugged as he answered honestly.

“Hah, the difference between humans and chimeras.” The Minister smirked and tilted his head, directing Nolan’s gaze towards the new phase of construction spreading out from the leveled city center. “Chimeras will act not merely because they have been given an order, but because they believe in the righteousness of our cause, for some, in the divinity of the Emperor, for others, the belief in his vision of a better, unified world. I get the sense that you do not share these sentiments.”

“I…” Nolan licked his lips nervously, carefully considering what to say. “A couple of months ago that might have been true; I just wanted to survive like everyone else.”

“But now?”

“Well, after Ryan…the rebels want to destroy whatever stability we have.” He nodded determinedly. “And they don’t much care who gets caught in the crossfire.”

“True.” Corey let the silence stretch, lost in thought before he turned to Nolan. “Chimera Intelligence believes that Gabe may be in contact with our Number One Most Wanted, I need you to determine if that’s true.”

“I could have used this information yesterday.”

“I know, but the Imperial Council aren’t sure if you can be fully trusted, you are a human after all,” Corey shrugged as Nolan frowned. “And you’ve been in relatively deep cover with the rebels for weeks, although only a handful of us know exactly how you’ve maintained that cover.”

“Well, I-”

“It’s not a criticism, you saw an opportunity and you took it, men are particularly vulnerable to seduction and sex.” Corey replied, his tone neutral even as Nolan blushed. “I trust you have been taking the medical precautions necessary? He is not supernatural.”

“Yeah, I have.” Nolan looked away awkwardly. “Everything is clear so far.”

“Good, I would hate to lose so valuable an agent. One with such…potential.” Corey paused again before continuing. “Don’t push too hard, it’s not exactly common knowledge that Kira is alive and well. Her son is of particular interest to the First Chimera, it would be quite the coup to capture them both.”

“She’s a terrorist, but almost a hero to them, I’ve heard the whispers, I should be able to work it into a conversation.” Nolan turned to go when Corey raised a hand, a now familiar sign of his dismissal. “I’ll see you on the other side.”

“Be careful, Nolan, hunters are particularly dangerous when they’re cornered.”

“Isn’t that the truth.” Nolan murmured as he left the room, the chimera still staring out at the city.

Nolan pushed open the flap of the tent and stepped into the familiar heat and fragranced interior, his easy smile falling away when he came face to face with another figure from the past. The man glanced at him and then frowned, stopping Gabe with a hand on his arm. “Nolan, right?”

“Uh, Mason.” Nolan paused deliberately as though dragging the name from his memory instead of the mugshots he had seen at Chimera Intelligence the previous day. “Right? Uh, you used to hang out with, uh, oh what was his name? Um, Liam? Liam Dunbar?”

“That’s him, now a faithful lapdog of the tyrant!” Mason spat onto the floor, his lips twisted into a bitter expression. “Gabe told me that he was seeing someone from Beacon Hills, but I don’t think I ever expected it to be you. Or that you would be one of us.”

“Reluctantly.” Nolan offered him an easy smile and Mason relaxed a fraction as Gabe glanced between them. “What brings you here?”

“This is the war camp, we’re preparing to strike at the heart of the chimeras’ corrupt empire.” Mason replied with fiery zeal. “Have you seen what they’re doing to LA? That monstrosity of a palace that’s being built in Hollywood?”

“No, I haven’t been near any major urban center in a while.” He gestured behind him. “Other than the ruins of Vegas of course.”

“Once we topple the ‘emperor’, we’ll build everything back better than it was!”

“I’m sure he’s not here for a campaign speech, Mason.” Gabe patted him on the shoulder and gestured for Nolan to come closer. “We’ll talk more later, besides, attacking the palace is risky.”

“Maybe, but I think I’ve finally gotten Kira to work with us, and nothing will stop her.” Mason shrugged and picked up his gun from where it was leaning next to a tent pole. “Our ability to keep Scott Jr safe among the other children swayed her mind, with her on our side, we’ll bust through their defenses.”

“Her methods are barbaric.” Gabe grimaced. “She won’t care if how many of us are sacrificed to achieve her vengeance.”

“Maybe, but can you really blame her after what happened to Scott?” Mason nodded at Nolan and smirked. “Enjoy your booty call! We move out in an hour!”

“Dude, you told him?” Nolan glared at Gabe after Mason ducked out of the tent.

“Well, we’re a bit more serious than that.” Gabe kissed him hard before stepping back, his dick already tenting his pants. “Besides, me and Mason hooked up a couple of times, he has such a gloriously massive dick!”

“Damn.” Nolan agreed and shrugged off his flak jacket. “Sounds hot.”

“Yeah, I was hoping he’d stick around, and we could all have some fun!” Gabe sighed wistfully and then gestured aimlessly when Nolan arched a brow at him. “I don’t know when we’ll next get a chance to meet up, our mission could go sideways, and this could be our last night. Better make it count.”

“He was talking about, uh, Kira, who is she?” Nolan asked as Gabe began stripping off. “Another hunter?”

“No, surprised you haven’t heard of her. She’s a Kitsune, a type of elemental fox spirit in human form.” Gabe peeled off his t-shirt, his chest just as smooth and tanned as ever. “Another hero from Beacon Hills, but she’s almost a villain too, kills whoever she wants, desperate to get to the emperor and take him out.”

“And she’s bringing a kid to a warzone, that’s kinda reckless.”

“I know, but it’s not like she’s here now,” Gabe dragged his underwear down slowly, his heavy dick springing out. “So, why don’t we use our hour well?”

“Haha, I was just thinking…” Nolan trailed off as a massive crump blasted through the camp and the tent shook violently, the explosion coming from the perimeter to the west. “What the hell?”

“We’re under attack! Fuck!” Gabe swore loudly and yanked his underwear back up, hitching his trousers around his waist and grabbing his nearby gun. “Get ready, they’ve found us!”

“I know.” Nolan stepped back from him as Gabe stared. “The chimeras are here for you, Garrett Douglas is leading them with an elite strike force.”

“Why are you so calm? How do you know this?”

“Hand over Kira and Mason and Scott Jr and this will go all the better for you, Gabe.” Nolan replied smoothly as thunder rolled overhead and he could hear the characteristic zapping sounds of lightning being called down by the Elemental chimeras. A hail of gunfire echoed out from around them as the hunters began to fight back. “You’re strong, you’re hot, you’d be a good candidate for chimera conversion.”

“What…are you a chimera?” Gabe kept staring at him, confusion twisting his features. “After everything we shared, I thought-”

“I know, you thought you were in control, but you never were, I’ve been working for Chimera Intelligence since the beginning.” Nolan shrugged, a ragged emptiness howling through his chest as he spoke. “And I’m not a chimera, not yet anyway, I have a mission of vengeance to complete before I claim that honor.”

“Honor, pfa!” Gabe spat at him, his lip curling. “You’re a traitor.”

“I’m a survivor.” Nolan replied evenly, the sounds of battle growing nearer, more intense. “Surrender, please.”

“Never.”

“At least tell me this then; is there a rebel among you with a dark star tattooed on his neck? A bomber, a terrorist, a man who kills defenseless soldiers?” Nolan murmured, his eyes boring into Gabe’s horrified gaze. “We’ll interrogate everyone of course, but your cooperation now would make things so much easier.”

“I can’t believe it was all a lie.” Gabe shook his head, preparing to continue before his words were stolen by another explosion, this one right outside. They both went flying backwards, Nolan colliding with a tent pole as fire and noise roared through the tent.

“Ugh.”

“Don’t! He’s with us.” The voice was distant, as though coming from far away and Nolan slowly blinked his eyes open, a shattering headache greeting him as he groaned and rolled over, looking up to see several purple-eyed chimeras standing around him.

“Oh my god, what happened?” Nolan grunted as he felt the side of his face, blood trickling down from a nasty gash across his forehead.

“On your feet, sir.” A bare-chested chimera with flames licking around his shoulders pulled Nolan upright. “Their main explosive dump detonated, took a fair chunk of their fighters with them.”

“Ok, um, did you get Gabe?” Nolan asked as he took stock of his surroundings, the camp in ruins, fires being put out by water chimeras as lines of the rebels were guarded by members of the Chimera Army. Rotor wash from descending helicopters and transport craft created a buffeting wind as Nolan turned away and looked over at the imposing figure of General Douglas. “Did you get him?”

“He escaped in the chaos, Mason too.” The Löwenmensch growled irritably. “But the Bowerhouse pack has been contained, their Alpha killed, and the other rebels have been captured. Some escaped with Mason and Gabe, we have chimeras on their trail.”

“Damn it!” Nolan cursed and shook his head before gasping in pain. “This was meant to be a clean operation!”

“The cell is destroyed as is their capabilities, or severely degraded at the least.” General Douglas turned to him at last. “You played your part well, hunter, I’ll be sure to tell Corey.”

“I didn’t know you were on a first name basis.”

“It’d be weird to call your boyfriend ‘Minister’ all the time.” He smirked, his red eyes glowing menacingly in the gloom.

“Oh, of course.” Nolan grunted, their relationship taking him off guard, any thoughts of something more between him and Corey abruptly crushed. “Well, uh, better get this lot processed, there has to be some suitable for chimera conversion.”

“Indeed.” General Douglas turned away from him, shouting orders to the soldiers. “Get them into the transports!”

“Sir?” Another chimera approached Nolan. “The trackers are putting Gabe heading east, they’re hopeful of catching him soon.”

“Good. And Mason?” Nolan dusted himself off as he walked with the chimera towards the helicopters. “Where is he?”

“Heading towards the capital; Chimera Intelligence just confirmed that Kira and Scott Jr are in the city.” The chimera waited for him to respond as Nolan considered his options. “Sir?”

“Let’s go to LA then, our mission isn’t finished until the rebel scum is captured or eliminated!”

Every channel in the city was broadcasting the Emperor’s speech, the plaza in front of the Imperial Palace was thronged with people and Nolan could see that the crowds stretched all the way out to his new apartment in Torrance. He let the tv blare the presentation out onto the balcony where he rested on the railing, staring out at the thousands of chimeras and humans filling the streets. The beach was a little further away from him than his house in The Emperor’s Bastion, but the sea air was just as strong, the sunshine just as eternal.

Nolan cradled the glass of amber liquid in his hand as he directed his gaze across the city towards the immense bulk of the Imperial Palace, the dark stone steps of the vast ziggurat rising into the sky to almost impossible heights. It was still under construction, cranes and other machinery looking like children’s toys next to it. The palace was a marvel of chimera terascaping, as clear a symbol of power as the Rhino’s Horn had been. Underneath its vast bulk were a warren of labs and bunkers and offices, including the sprawling command complex of the Ministry for Chimera Intelligence.

“...her downfall was inevitable, as it will be for all of those who continue to resist the perfect embrace of our glorious Chimera Empire!” The Emperor’s strong voice roared the words and Nolan heard an echoing cheer surround him on all sides from both the television and the chimeras gathered outside. He walked back inside, grimacing slightly as the camera zoomed in on the bound figure chained to the dais beneath the Emperor’s podium.

Nolan continued to watch as the Alpha Chimera raised his hands and claws emerged across his fingers, one of which was instead a glowing blue talon that extended beyond the others. The Emperor's next words sent a shiver of righteousness down Nolan's spine, a tingle of vindication for all his efforts. "Kira Yukimura: traitor, murderer, butcher of innocents, rebel and terrorist, I sentence you to death for your crimes against the Empire!” There was a pause as another roar of approval echoed out across the city. Nolan nodded grimly to himself when the Emperor continued to speak, "Any final words?"

“My son will avenge me, as he will avenge his father.” Kira glared at him, her aura visibly flaring as drone cameras circled around the platform.

There was swift movement when the First Chimera yanked her head back and the Emperor's claws flashed in the afternoon sun, a spurt of blood coating his hand and arm as the Kitsune abruptly went limp. The cheering and adulation reached fever pitch as the two chimeras raised their bloodied hands and Nolan grunted to himself.

"No more than all rebels deserve." Nolan muttered and raised his glass to the television screen before taking a sip. He turned away from the spectacle as the chimeras gloried in the rapturous applause of the crowds. Nolan shrugged out of his shirt and shorts as he moved over to the walled sun trap on the other side of the apartment, closing his eyes when his naked body was bathed in radiant light and heat. “Ahh.”

Barely five minutes after he had laid down in the lounger, his phone buzzed, and he groaned. Reaching blindly for it, he saw that it was an invitation to report to Chimera Intelligence Headquarters the next day for reassignment. “In command of a new group, huh? Rebel hunters, I can get behind that.” He placed the phone back down and took a long sip from his drink, feeling the effects of the alcohol swamp over him, pulling him into a thoughtless daze, the shadows of his past kept at bay.

Chapter Text

There were twin galleries above the long sprawl of the throne room, looking out between the pillars which held up the ornately decorated ceiling. Just as the hall itself was filled with imperial subjects prostrated on the floor before the raised dais of the throne and Emperor, these spaces were likewise filled to capacity, although the occupants remained upright, a rare sign of favor from the ruling chimeras. Nolan rested his arms on the marble balustrade and watched while esoteric rituals and rites were performed, incense heavy on the air as the ceremony reinforced the supremacy of the chimeras and infused them with a power that was carefully captured by the television crews positioned throughout the throne room.

Several other hunters, spymasters, and agents from Chimera Intelligence surrounded him and the opposite gallery was filled with the uniformed officers from the military, the battle-tested veterans of campaigns in Europe and Africa. Nolan glanced over his shoulder as Cindy moved past him with a group of Elemental chimeras, plumes of fire and ice and air decorating their bodies in almost artistic displays. Hank was standing at his elbow, the chimera’s gaze focused entirely on the dais. Although as Nolan followed his eyes, he noticed it was not the smirking face of the Emperor that his attention was resting on, but rather that of the armored chimera standing behind the Alpha Chimera.

The Guardian Prime. Nolan had heard the revered whispers as soon as the rulers emerged onto the platform, supplemented by the murmurs of recognition for the members of the triumvirate; the Emperor, First Chimera, and Corey. The latter looked almost out of place, but then, Nolan hadn’t been particularly impressed by Stiles either: he seemed the same as Nolan remembered him from Beacon Hills on the rare times they crossed paths. No, his attention followed that of the others and settled on the Guardian Prime, seeing for the first time in person the chimera all the rest spoke so highly of.

He looked tall, but perhaps that was simply a trick of the heavy armor the Guardians wore, his eyes blazing with purple fire, constantly sweeping the hall for threats. His hair was dark and cut short, his skin tanned and his face handsome and smooth. Nolan could understand the attraction the others had towards him, but it was more than the physical, even from his elevated position, he could feel the power that rolled off the Guardian Prime. Not even the Emperor could claim such easy dominion.

Nolan looked up sharply when a side door was flung open and a line of captured rebels were escorted inside, chained together. The Guardian Prime moved down to the clear area left in front of the throne and secured the prisoners to heavy steel rings set into the floor. Nolan’s gaze flicked back to the chimeras, brows narrowing when he noticed the Guardian Prime’s eyes had shifted from purple to red, a novelty among the chimeras who were granted particular powers and enhanced strength. The Guardian Prime’s long claws slid out through slits in his armored gauntlets, the serrated edges almost gleaming in the light cast from nearby braziers of burning coals as he stood ready should the rebels try anything.

The Emperor sauntered down the steps of the dais, mocking words falling from his lips as Nolan ran his eyes over the prisoners, recognizing a few from the raid on Gabe’s camp, the others must have been captured alongside Kira during her ill-fated attack on the capital days earlier. He lingered on the bound figure of Mason, staring defiantly at the Emperor. It could have easily been Gabe kneeling in his place. Nolan had been allowed to check the recent prisoners as well as those who had died in the raid for his target, but still the rebel with the dark star tattoo evaded him.

A sudden gasp rippled through the crowd when one of the rebels unexpectedly launched themselves forward, a wooden shiv clutched in their hands, aiming at the Emperor. Nolan grimaced when the attacker was easily rebuffed, a stream of crackling lightning arcing out from Stiles’ hand to incinerate the rebel, his eyes burning with purple fire. The gathered chimeras relaxed a fraction as the stomach-turning scent of charred meat filled the throne room. “Fuck.” Nolan muttered as he gagged, Hank nodding reassuringly at him. “I’m alright.”

“Hmm, it will be over soon.” Hank murmured, his gaze fixed on the Guardian Prime as Mason was dragged off.

“Where are they taking him?”

“The Rhino’s Horn,” Hank replied as the executions began, the Emperor tearing out the rebels’ throats with unrestrained glee. “Rumor is that the First Chimera has plans for the high value prisoners they took; experimentation and eventual death are all that await them.”

“Hmm.” Nolan hummed to himself, a twinge of pity tainting his thoughts before it faded away, remembering the chaos and destruction the rebels would have unleashed if they had not been captured. “Can we leave yet?”

“I think so, Cindy has a briefing for us.” Hank nodded. “Go, I want to…wait until our leader is finished.”

“Fine, I’ll wait by the elevators.” Nolan turned away from the spectacle and began to walk towards the corridor that would take him to a bank of elevators granting access to the deep levels of the palace. He could hear the now familiar chanting of the chimeras behind him as they honored their Emperor, words that had a strange way of settling on his tongue so he spoke them quietly under his breath. “Loyalty! Glory! Sacrifice!”

The Operations Center was buried deep under the palace, a sprawling series of rooms dressed in polished concrete and lit with harsh florescent lights. Nolan stepped out of the elevator along with Hank, and the two of them began to walk along the nondescript hallways. Despite the ritual executions that had occurred in the throne room above them, there were already chimeras and hunters roaming the halls, some of whom Nolan recognized and nodded in polite acknowledgement. Flanking the wide doors of the Operations Center proper were two Guardians clad in their distinctive armor, carbon copies of their leader, although without the attractive gravity that the Guardian Prime had.

Nolan spotted Cindy in a briefing room off to one side and he nudged Hank to turn left, bringing them inside as other hunters and agents filed in behind them. She smiled at him and gestured for him to take a seat as she shuffled a stack of papers. Nolan sat down, his eyes flicking over to the map projected on the wall: pale blue filled the space, interspersed with a collection of islands and, at the top, the familiar shape of Japan. The map was hatched in purple up to the mainland, evidence of the chimeras’ advance towards the last free nation on Earth.

“Let’s begin.” Cindy cleared her throat as the final operative sat down. “Most of us were at the military briefing last week, so I’ll keep it short. Japan is the last territory that needs to be taken before the Emperor’s victory is complete. I know there are consolidation issues to address in the other territories, but that is not this task force’s job.”

“Hmm.” Nolan grunted softly, his gaze skipping past Cindy as soon as he saw Corey returning to his office on the other side of the room. The glass cube was elevated above them and looked out on the bustling floor of the Operations Center, its transparent walls shifting to frosted a moment after Corey entered. Nolan turned his attention back to the briefing as Cindy continued to outline the progress of the Chimera Army.

“…and General Mills is to establish a beachhead in Kochi from which we will be able to operate. There are two principal objectives that we are being tasked with: firstly, to investigate and stop sabotage, theft, and other disruptions that we believe are being caused by rebels or rebel sympathizers inside the Chimera Army.”

“Ugh.” Nolan joined the others with a bored groan as Cindy rolled her eyes.

“I know, not the most glamorous of duties, which is why I also managed to pull a few strings and got us a second assignment.” She smirked and started passing around the folders. “There are reports of strange supernatural forces at work on mainland Japan, taking control of the cities; dark spirits supposedly.”

“Indeed?” Nolan murmured, flipping through the folder until he landed on a surveillance photo of a man standing among piles of bodies, his eyes glimmering strangely, a dark aura flaring out from his head and shoulder. “This looks like…”

“A kitsune, perhaps.” Cindy finished for him. “Needless to say, capturing one alive would be of great interest to our colleagues in the science division. I’ll have more details for us in a few days, so be prepared to deploy shortly.”

Nolan walked slowly out onto the floor of the Operations Center as Hank passed him by, deep in conversation with Cindy. He looked up at the live map that was displayed on the main monitor, the Earth covered with glowing chimera purple light save for the small chain of islands on the righthand side. Nolan wasn’t quite sure why the sight filled him with a strange sense of pride and accomplishment, but it swept through his chest and stomach as he took a deep breath. The moment was broken when he saw Corey’s assistant pull open the door to his office and step inside.

Nolan hummed to himself, silently debating whether to follow. He did want to say hello, to speak to Corey on his own, like they used to do during the Gabe missions, but here, surrounded by the trappings of Chimera Intelligence, it felt much more impersonal and intimidating. After a few seconds of internal struggle, Nolan walked over to the stairs and climbed up, sticking his head through the open door. “Hi, uh…”

“Come in, come in.” Corey grunted and gestured for him to enter, his gaze fixed on the stack of folders just delivered to him. “Threat reports.”

“Ah, I can come back another time?”

“No, it’s probably more of the same.” Corey replied before his assistant coughed politely. “Yes, Susan?”

“Uh, Minister, we’ve identified some unusual communication activity here in the palace that I thought you would want to review yourself. It concerns the werewolf pack, Liam Dunbar’s pack.”

“Really?” Corey looked up sharply and Nolan noticed the shift in his expression, whatever had been weighing on his mind was instantly dismissed. “The pack leader himself? Or one of the other werewolves?”

“We don’t know. Whoever it is has been using an encrypted communications line.” Susan pointed at one part of the report. “But they’re not as clever as they think they are. On the fifth, they failed to authenticate the encryption key on the other side, and we managed to capture the data in the daily sweep.”

“Good. Do you have a recording?”

“Of course, Minister.” She held out a tablet to him and Corey laid it on the table, glancing at Nolan.

“Better you stay for this, I may have need of your particular set of skills. Have you met Liam since you came to the capital?”

“No, I don’t think so,” Nolan shrugged. “Much like you, Liam and I barely spoke to each other in, uh, the old days. He probably doesn’t remember me.”

“That will be useful for our purposes.” Corey replied and pressed play as the voices of the traitors filled the office.

“Black Raven, this Red Wolf.”

“I hear you, Red Wolf.”

“Code names, really?” The chimera quirked a brow and sighed, hitting the resume button.

“It’s been confirmed: the son of the True Alpha, Scott McCall, has been captured. He’s on his way to you as we speak, along with a group of other rebels.”

“That’s excellent news, Red Wolf, we’re already very close to getting an agent inside the Rhino’s Horn, but Theo is growing more paranoid, I’m not sure how much longer we can hide our activities from him.”

“Understood, Black Raven, Liam is very close to Stiles, within striking distance.”

Corey pressed pause again, and looked at Susan, “Find out where Liam Dunbar is at this moment, and alert Commander Strauss that no werewolves are permitted to leave the Palace; any unaccounted for are to be arrested immediately when found.”

“Yes, Minister.”

Corey balled his hands into fists as he glared at the tablet. “How deep does this corruption go?” Nolan remained silent as the chimera snarled wordlessly and stabbed the play button.

“That might be true, but I don’t want you to try anything that’ll blow your cover. For now, continue your efforts to flip him back to our side, he’s a werewolf, not a chimera.”

“I’ve been trying, despite our relationship, he’s still in love with Hayden, and grateful to Stiles for capturing and killing Kira.”

“Ok, I have more druids arriving this afternoon, but-hang on, did you encrypt this call?”

“Of course, I…shit!”

“Ah,” Corey smiled grimly as the recording ended suddenly. “That narrows down our list of suspects; a pack member Liam has been sleeping with. As for this ‘Black Raven’, definitely a man’s voice, familiar, I think, but I can’t place him.”

“I agree, I think I’ve heard him before.” Nolan concurred. “So, someone in the Fount of Glory?”

“Satomi’s pack.” Corey replied. “It’s among the largest left, any one of them could be Black Raven, or they might all be in on it. It might just be safer to cull them all. I’ll need to talk to Stiles and Theo.”

“Cull? That’s a bit-” Nolan shut up when Corey looked at him, a cold lance that struck right through him. The moment stretched between them until the office phone rang and Corey picked it up.

“Yeah?” The Minister nodded curtly as he listened and then spoke again. “Thank you, Susan. Have Strauss maintain a soft cordon, I want to speak to Liam before we capture the traitor. I know who she is.”

“Do you want my assistance?” Nolan offered as the call ended.

“I don’t need an infiltrator and the palace guards have anti-werewolf weapons.” Corey paused before shrugging. “But if you want to come and see what happened to Scott McCall’s Beta, then by all means, let’s go.”

The afternoon sky was a deep aqua blue and the sun a perfect, fiery disc that beamed heat down onto the dusty squares of the Training Yards. These sprawling courts were positioned at the rear of the palace, surrounded by high walls that allowed only the slightest breeze to pass over them and grant relief to the chimeras, werewolves, and humans who honed their martial skills to perfection. Nolan followed Corey through the first five yards, passing along the covered walkway as squads of Palace Guards ran drills and worked out under the unrelenting sun.

As they approached Training Yard F, Nolan saw the uniformed figures of the guards blocking access before they stepped aside to let them through. They remained in the shadows of the walkway, Corey staring at the lone occupant of the yard, a shirtless youth of about the same age they both were. It took a moment for Nolan to recognize Liam, his body strong and defined, clad in tight black shorts, his gleaming torso dappled with the red dirt of the earth beneath their feet. Training dummies lay broken and torn to shreds in an arc in front of the werewolf.

“Let’s go.” Corey muttered as he slipped on a pair of sunglasses. “Stay behind me.” They walked out across the court, stepping around the dummies as Liam straightened up and turned to watch them. His eyes flicked passed Corey to look at Nolan, but there was no flash of recognition and instead Liam returned his attention to the chimera as Corey began to speak. “There you are. All alone?”

“Yeah, just training. What’s up?”

“Your pack, how well do you know each of them?”

“Err, well enough.” Liam shrugged, “Why? What are you-”

“I’m here in my role as the Minister for Chimera Intelligence,” Corey spoke across him. “A threat to the Empire has been identified. A threat coming from your pack.”

“What? That’s insane,” Liam protested, shaking his head quickly. “I’m not, I’m loyal, Corey.”

“Perhaps,” The chimera shrugged, looking pointedly at his claws until Liam sheathed them. “But whoever you’re sleeping with isn’t so loyal. We have evidence.”

Nolan glanced around as he saw the palace guards emerge from the shadows, some of them armed with crossbows, others with long daggers, the tips stained green, some sort of wolfsbane most likely. He turned his attention back to Liam as the werewolf looked over Corey’s shoulder worriedly.

“What sort of evidence? Corey?”

“A recorded telephone conversation, between your pack-mate and some wolf in the Fount of Glory; Satomi’s pack most likely. But it is the immediate threat that concerns me the most.” Corey gestured for the guards behind him to advance. “This is more of a courtesy than anything else. We will take her.”

“No!” Liam moved to intercept him, hands spread out placatingly, seeming to ignore the threat of the guards as they brought their weapons up sharply. Nolan felt distinctly unprepared as he watched the werewolf, making a mental note to always have some sort of weapon at hand from now on. “Please, Corey, let me talk to Rachel first, see if it’s really what you think it is.”

“And if she is a traitor?”

“I’m the pack leader, and my loyalty is to the Emperor.” The werewolf swallowed hard, looking at the chimera. “I’ll do what has to be done.”

“Fine.” Corey held up his hand, stalling the advance of the guards. “Because if you don’t, we will.”

“Ok, ok, I understand.” Liam nodded and backed away from him, heading towards the barracks attached to the training arena, slowly at first, and then breaking into a jog.

“Do you really think he’d give her up?” Nolan asked as Corey turned to face him. “Especially if they’re sleeping together, if he’s formed an attachment, he won’t-”

“You had little trouble turning in Gabe.”

“True.” Nolan nodded after a moment’s reflection. He could see Corey’s eyes glowing under the sunglasses and frowned. “But I had a strong motivation to stop the rebels, and well, Gabe is hot, but he played me for a fool once before.”

“I see.” Corey murmured. “Relationships can be difficult in this new world, we must take them wherever we can find them. Besides, I believe that Liam’s sense of duty to his new pack will ensure that he does not risk their lives for one traitor.”

“What will you do with her?”

“Standard practice would be interrogation.” Corey responded coldly, a yawning distance opening between them again after what Nolan thought was a moment of intimacy. “But it will depend on what she does; I think perhaps a more forceful message is appropriate here.”

“She is coming out!” Commander Strauss’ shout cut across their conversation as a werewolf barreled out of the barracks door and made a dash for the walls.

“Seize her!” Corey cried out as a winged chimera surged down and launched a vicious strike on the werewolf, their talons flashing red in the sun.

Nolan grimaced as chimeras surged out from the walkway, passing through the palace guards, claws at the ready, their expressions grim and ruthless. Corey stood among them as Rachel was pulled to the ground, the chimeras cutting into her with fierce strikes, the savage crunch of bones was interspersed with anguished screams until finally the werewolf was forced to her knees. Nolan looked away abruptly when the heavy claws of a werebear chimera tore half her face away and sent her tumbling onto her back. “Gah.”

He spotted Liam hanging onto the doorframe behind the melee and their eyes met for a second before Liam dropped his gaze completely. Nolan looked back at Corey, the chimera’s expression was almost alien; devoid of mercy and filled instead with an icy sternness.

“Finish her.” Corey commanded as the chimeras’ claws flashed in the sunlight once more, an arc of blood spilling onto the already drenched sand. “Good work.” He looked over at Liam and nodded. “Traitors must be punished.”

Nolan grimaced as he bounced up and down in his seat, the plane veering sharply to the right before swooping left, a series of rattling explosions echoing out behind them. He gripped the armrest tight and looked across the crowded aisles to where Hank was grinning at him, the chimera seeming to enjoy every minute of their perilous flight. Some of the greener hunters were getting sick near him and Nolan tried to tune out their retching by examining the new weapon he had been given.

The rifle he had carried during his infiltration of Gabe’s rebels had almost always been a prop, a set piece to convince them he was a hunter, a wandering savage ready to defend himself, but Nolan never had to fire it. He was at home with crossbows and some close quarters weapons, like the wolfsbane and Mountain Ash tubes he had developed, but the heavy weight of the gleaming chrome handgun was strange in his hands. The regular Chimera Army soldiers nearby had been issued with new rifles, but Nolan had declined, he needed to be able to move faster and have access to a greater number of tools.

The crates of silver bullets placed throughout the plane’s cargo bay were almost depleted by now, with everyone replacing their mundane ammunition with the special bullets that were meant to destroy the powerful new threat they were about to face. The Oni. Nolan had read up on them during the long flight from the Fount of Glory; Chimera Intelligence had gathered together all that they knew and collated it with the fresh intelligence coming off the battlefield.

Spectral foxes, the Kitsune and their darker cousins, the Nogitsune, were said to have emerged from seclusion to draw the Emperor and his armies to Japan in an effort to defeat them. Such a direct threat required a direct response and Cindy had seemed confident that the hunters wouldn’t have to deal with the creatures. The Emperor and his chimeras would handle that. Nolan’s task was more mundane: rebel hunting.

“Five minutes to landing!” The pilot’s voice called out over the PA system, the strain of flying a transport plane in an active warzone was clear across her voice. “All teams prepare for combat deployment.”

“Hunters with me!” Nolan shouted as he slapped his belt open and stood up, grasping the seat when the plane swayed violently to the right again. He looked around as various detachments began to rally together. His own band of hunters made their way towards him as Hank gestured for the specialist chimeras to join him, they would meet back up once they had landed. Nolan braced for the landing as more explosions echoed out, loud even over the roar of the engines.

There was a moment of stomach-clenching terror as the wheels bounced off the landing strip and then he relaxed a fraction as they touched down again, everyone bracing as the engines powered down and the plane slowed to a crawl. “Ugh.”

“It’s the new runway.” Paul muttered, gripping his gun tight enough that his knuckles shone white under his tanned skin. “I heard that they only had it laid down a few minutes before the Emperor’s plane landed.”

“That fresh, huh?” Nolan offered him a grim smile before turning to address the rest of them. “Listen up! We let the army boys out first, I don’t know what we’re stepping out into, but our first priority is to find a defensible position to operate out of. We are not here to fight the chimeras’ enemies, we are here to find the enemy within.”

“Got it.”

“Hell yeah.”

“Good.” Nolan smirked at their determined expressions; unlike many of the other hunters at the Empire’s disposal, he had chosen these ones because they had experienced the treachery of the rebels and seen firsthand the effects of their indiscriminate attacks. The ramp at the back of the plane began to lower and Nolan watched as the Chimera Army officers rallied their troops and charged out, his mind’s eye imagining what it would have been like if Ryan had been leading his forces, a dashing figure ready to do battle with monsters.

“Sir?” Paul’s voice pulled him back to the moment. “Shall we go?”

“We shall.” Nolan grunted, taking the lead as he walked down the ramp and into the darkness of the night.

It was surprisingly warm as the squad picked their way through the recent battlefield, corpses of humans and chimeras strewn about, along with the shattered silver of defeated Oni, more than Nolan could count. He spotted bright lights ahead clustered around the temporary command post established a few hundred yards from the imposing bulk of Chimera Force One, the Emperor’s personal aircraft. Beyond it was a sprawl of green tents the army were deploying to serve as medical bays, sleeping quarters, and logistical hubs.

He gestured for the hunters to relax and spread out. “See if you can find a more secure location for our base. I’ll check in with Hank.” Nolan walked over to where the chimera was standing, a pair of binoculars placed against his eyes as he gazed away from the captured airport. “Hey, anything to report?”

“Plenty.” He lowered the binoculars and handed them to Nolan. “The Inner Pack have gone towards Kochi proper.”

“The what?”

“The Inner Pack: Guardian Prime, Emperor, and so forth.” Hank replied. “They’ve taken a Legendary chimera with them and some of the new recruits. The werewolves have been sent to scout other parts of the interior. Chimera Army forces are fortifying this position; looked like we missed all the fun.”

“I’m sure there’ll be plenty of action later.” Nolan murmured before looking up sharply as an armored vehicle roared onto the runway and came to an abrupt halt next to the command post. It was followed by additional trucks and SUVs, and he turned to Hank only to see the chimera’s eyes burning with purple fire. “What’s going on?”

“He is here.” Hank whispered and fell to his knees before reaching up and pulling Nolan down with him. A moment later, a figure climbed out of the truck and gestured for chimeras to go to the APC.

“Hurry up! Get the Guardian Prime inside!” The Emperor’s commanding voice whipped through the air and Nolan could almost feel the tension as it roiled over the chimeras nearby. “Summon the surgeons and we’ll need the blood transfusion team. Get me an engineer, we have to cut away his armor. Now!”

“Damn.” Nolan gasped as he caught sight of the stretcher as it was pulled out of the APC, the familiar red and gold armor of the Guardians, except this had been rent apart and stained with dark blood. He glanced at Hank, noticing the rapid shift of emotions race across his face before grim determination set in. “I’m sorry, I know he was a hero of yours.”

“He’s not dead.” Hank stood up abruptly as the Emperor and First Chimera entered the medical tent. “I need to go.”

“Right, take your time.” Nolan nodded sympathetically as Hank moved away. He frowned when the chimera appeared to take a deliberate path towards one of the hangers on the other side of the runway. “There are plenty of places to grab a breath out of sight, why there?” Nolan hummed to himself before deciding to follow his friend, suspicion blooming in his mind as he shadowed the chimera towards the hanger.

There was an impact crater next to one wall with the metal sheets of the building peeled outwards and Nolan ducked inside, keeping to the shadows as he watched Hank slip past stacked pallets and a damaged civilian biplane to emerge into a pool of golden light. Several other chimeras were standing nearby, their purple eyes distinctive. One of them moved to acknowledge Hank, grasping his hand, and Nolan was able to see the table placed at the center of their gathering.

A strangely crafted lamp was at its center, appearing much like a simple copper bowl filled with burning oil that created the light they were standing in. There was a figurine standing next to the lamp, gleaming in a way that only gold could, its features too fine for Nolan to make out from his hiding place. Perhaps it was the Emperor, he had heard rumors that more and more of the chimeras were worshipping him as divine, that various cults were cropping up throughout the Empire.

He settled back to watch as Hank murmured his greetings to the dozen others gathered around the table. Hank stood apart from them and bowed his head towards the idol, his words soft but still audible to Nolan. “Glory to You, the True Chimera God.” The others spoke too, but Nolan couldn’t make out their words as a plane roared overhead and he was forced to frown at them as they knelt in a circle around the idol. He waited for as long as he dared, hoping to uncover more of the cult’s secrets but he felt the vibration of his phone against his thigh and Nolan slipped back out before he could be discovered.

Several weeks later, as Nolan sat eating his lunch under the shade of a cherry blossom tree, he watched as Hank and another chimera extracted information from a particularly reluctant rebel. Their claws flashed in the sunlight, and he stopped chewing for a moment as the man’s strangled screams raked across his nerves. Nolan nodded when Hank glanced back at him. “We just want the names of your collaborators, that’s all. Give us those names and you will be granted a merciful release.”

“I’ll never help you, turncoat!” The man spat a mouthful of blood at him as Nolan grimaced and shrugged.

“Is Morgan with you?” He directed the question at Paul who was lounging nearby, watching the torture with a thoughtful expression. “We could use her lightning powers, they always loosen up the most unwilling of tongues.”

“Gah! Fine! I’ll give you their names!”

“Haha,” Nolan chuckled mirthlessly and stood up. “Take them down, Paul.”

“Yes, sir.”

Nolan crumpled up his MRE and tossed it towards a fire chimera who smirked at him and incinerated the rubbish mid-air. They were camped out near the ruins of a factory district that the Chimera Army had taken a few hours before, the majority of the Imperial battle forces thrusting their way into the mainland after capturing the coastal regions. The Emperor and his chimeras were positioned a few miles ahead of them, searching out the Kitsunes and Nogitsunes, although Corey had passed along word that he’d be paying them a visit that afternoon.

Nolan frowned at the column of dust that was rising on the horizon and gestured towards it as Paul came back with a bloody page taped to a clipboard. “Look at that.”

“Incoming?”

“Could be the Minister, he said he’d call in later.” Nolan took the clipboard and scanned the list of names. “Hmm, I recognize some of these, logistical officers. They’re the ones we want, either they’re responsible for sabotaging our supplies or they know who is. Send word out to the Chimera Army units and get these traitors arrested. On the authority of Chimera Intelligence.”

“You got it.” Paul ducked his head and hurried off.

“Hmm.” Nolan nodded approvingly as he watched the hunter move across the camp. He was a handsome youth with the rare combination of confidence and skill that Nolan found attractive. But he had been careful to avoid becoming too familiar, wary of falling for someone who could die the very next day. Shaking off the tug of emotion, Nolan stood up straighter as a convoy of vehicles pulled up and several chimeras stepped out. He smiled when he spotted Corey among them, the Minister looking around cautiously before moving towards him. “We’re safe enough here.”

“You can never be too careful.” Corey smiled back at him as another door opened and the imposing figure of the Guardian Prime stepped out, resplendent in his repaired armor. “I brought a friend to make sure.”

“Guardian Prime, you honor us.” Nolan bowed slightly as the other chimeras of his squad hurried over, each of them kneeling before the imposing chimera. He spotted Hank out of the corner of his eye and hid a smirk as Hank quickly wiped the blood from his hands. “I am-”

“I know who you are.” The chimera rumbled over him, his voice deep and commanding as he joined Corey in front of the group. “You have done admirable work in the name of our glorious Empire, impressive for a human. Chimeras: rise, please.”

“Thank you?” Nolan frowned and caught Corey’s eye, a friendly smirk playing about his lips. “Uh, my team-”

“To hunt down the rebel scum is a task worthy of any chimera.” The Guardian Prime declared as they listened to him attentively. “Soon we shall root out this corruption from the heart of our Empire and eradicate those who dare to stand against us! So the Emperor has spoken.”

“Glory!” The response was barked out by the chimeras surrounding him, a conditioned response that Nolan had become used to.

“Indeed.” The Guardian Prime’s attention fell on him again and Nolan shrunk back instinctively as the chimera’s intense, purple gaze bored into him, seeming to pierce his thoughts with ease. “I have joined the Minister for Chimera Intelligence not merely to applaud your efforts, but to meet those who are willing to do whatever it takes to identify and eliminate the enemies of our Empire; the rebel, the traitor, the heretic!”

“Hmm.” Nolan nodded as the Guardian Prime moved away from him, following Hank and the other chimeras as they eagerly showed him their intelligence reports and efforts. He glanced to one side as Corey joined him. “Hey.”

“Hey indeed, glad I don’t have to follow up that speech.” Corey grinned at him.

“That was certainly something.” Nolan muttered. “He is so intense.”

“Well, you better get used to it,” Corey’s expression slipped, and he became serious. “The Emperor wants to meet you, my, uh, most reliable hunter. I think you’re getting bumped up a few ranks.”

“The Emperor.” Nolan repeated as a shiver of fear lanced through his stomach. “So that’s why his bodyguard is here.”

“Pretty much, Connor just wants to make sure you’re not a threat. I guess you passed since you’re still alive.” Corey looked uncomfortable. “You’ve done well with exposing the rebels in the engineering corps; that saved us more than a few dozen vehicles and not to mention what could have happened if their plot to blow up the munitions dump had succeeded. Plus the infiltration of Gabe’s hunters, your intel led us to capture both Kira and Mason. You’ve almost been too successful.”

“Anything I should know about the meeting?”

“Use the Emperor’s title at all times, don’t be informal or Connor will get angry, and you do not want that.” Corey nodded towards the Guardian Prime who was talking intently to Hank. “Theo might be there, he might remember you, but things are…complicated between him and Stiles over the Rhino’s Horn business at the moment, so stay professional.”

“I was planning to.” Nolan smirked. “You don’t start cracking jokes when you’re in the room with the most powerful people in the world. Or flirting with them for that matter.”

“Good, good. He’ll probably ask you about Gabe, so be ready for that.” Corey added as the Guardian Prime returned to them. “Are we good to go?”

“Yes, we should return to the Emperor.” He glanced at Nolan. “I trust the invitation has been extended to you?”

“You could say that.”

“Then let’s go.”

Nolan wasn’t sure what he had expected, but the Emperor’s command post was like many of the others he had been in before; rows of steel shipping containers filled with computers and towering black servers as battlefield feeds came in from across the campaign. Others were tasked with collating the data from Chimera Intelligence assets in Japan and back in the capital, and yet more were filled with military officers coordinating strikes on the remaining hold-out cities in the north. He was led through the bustling camp towards a bombed hotel on a slight hill, the roof having collapsed under the artillery bombard of an ice chimera; the large frozen shards still embedded in the walls.

The hunter glanced around as he entered the foyer, noticing the reception desk had been crushed under fallen masonry, although Liam and a chimera Nolan didn’t recognize were sitting on the little counter space that remained. He avoided the werewolf’s narrowed gaze and instead followed Corey and the Guardian Prime up a flight of steps to the next level. More chimeras were stationed here, some he had seen before in the capital, the more important members of the imperial hierarchy, perhaps these were the Inner Pack as Hank had described it to him.

“This is it.” Corey murmured, glancing back at him. “Are you ready?”

“Sure.” Nolan nodded, steeling himself for what lay on the other side of the door. Corey pushed the double doors open and stepped through, Nolan following him inside. The spacious room had evidently been the hotel’s luxury suite, with several gilded doors leading off it and a comfortable looking seating area around an open fire, now unlit. The first thing he noticed was the sheer number of Guardians standing around him, at least a dozen of the armored giants. They were gathered at the doors and two flanked the balcony where Nolan could just see another person standing, a long trailing purple cloak trimmed in gold falling from his shoulders.

Before stepping forward to greet the obvious Emperor, Nolan wet his lips, waiting as the Guardian Prime moved around him, receiving short nods from the others as he moved towards the balcony. Corey had taken a seat and, as Nolan glanced at him, he saw that another chair was occupied by the First Chimera. Theo looked bored, his eyes skipping across Nolan’s face with none of the predatory interest from the last time they met.

“Glorious Emperor,” The Guardian Prime’s voice rumbled out from in front of him. “The hunter is here, as requested.”

“Thank you, Connor. I was just admiring the view, such a pity the city will soon be reduced to ash and bones.” The Emperor turned around and slipped past his two bodyguards as Nolan swiftly dropped to one knee, his head bowed. “Ah, so polite!

“I live to serve you, Emperor.” Nolan replied, keeping his tone neutral and his heartbeat steady even as he saw the Alpha Chimera’s feet stop in front of him. The contrast of his mundane sneakers with the power Stiles could wield with a word was jarring. Nolan swallowed thickly and spoke again. “How can this one be useful?”

“Haha, you prepared him well, Corey.” Stiles laughed and tapped Nolan’s shoulder. “You may stand.”

“Thank you.” Nolan stood up carefully and inhaled slowly as he met Stiles’ bright purple eyes. It was as surreal as any of his other encounters with survivors from Beacon Hills, except there was a key difference as everything that had happened was because of the man in front of him. Stiles looked more or less the same as Nolan remembered him, although they had exchanged maybe one or two words to each other in all the time they had been on the lacrosse team. The strange part was that Stiles didn’t look like he should be the ruler of a planet-spanning empire though, dressed as he was in a simple plaid shirt and corduroy trousers, only the cloak was an impressive embellishment. But it didn’t suit him, as though he was emulating someone else.

Nolan’s gaze skipped past him to land on Connor instead, the Guardian Prime an imposing figure who stood behind the Emperor. There was a majesty in his intense stare, and the set of his jaw hinted at his awesome power waiting to be unleashed. Nolan wetted his lips again, preparing to speak when Stiles continued.

“Corey has been keeping me appraised of your adventures in rooting out the saboteurs and rebels hiding among our forces.” Stiles walked over to the sideboard and poured himself a glass of clear liquid, water perhaps. “I have been impressed with your dedication to the cause, especially since you’re just a human.”

“You honor me, Emperor.” Nolan murmured before speaking up. “But I have a particular agenda in uncovering these enemies.”

“Yes, I’ve heard that you have been the victim of one of their heinous attacks. I find such tragedies to be particularly…motivating.” The Alpha Chimera smirked at him, a cruel twist of his lips. “A good job for us then, that you have not yet found your terrorist.”

“Not yet, no.”

“Tell me, hunter, what would you do with those rebels you have captured?” The Emperor gestured towards him. “The ones related to this logistical plot you just uncovered.”

“I assumed they had been executed already or are about to be?”

“Sadly no,” Theo spoke for the first time, casting a lazy glance at him. “Stiles has thrown them in with the rest of the prisoners we’ve taken during the campaign.”

Nolan noticed the flash of anger in Connor’s eyes and immediately the temperature in the room seemed to dip. Corey sighed and rubbed his face. “Theo, we’ve been over this; killing them before we’ve defeated the Nogitsunes risks empowering them with additional suffering.”

“I’m sorry, did we not just walk through the ruins of a city that was destroyed by the rampaging hordes of religious fanatics? I think that caused plenty of suffering.”

“The Faithful are powerful weapons of righteousness. The Emperor’s holy might made manifest!” Connor snapped at him, both of them glaring at each other. “Something you would know nothing about.”

“I-”

“Enough.” Stiles barked out, cutting across their burgeoning argument with a flare of authority as Nolan stared at the floor. “These debates…do not concern our guest. I simply wanted to meet the Empire’s most successful hunter. So, tell me, hunter what to do with the prey now that you have captured them?”

“To be honest, I don’t really care.” Nolan replied after glancing at each of the chimeras. He shrugged. “Imperial law is elegant in its simplicity.”

“That’s one way of looking at it.” Corey muttered, drawing a sharp look from Stiles.

“Hmm, a certain degree of moral flexibility is important to succeed with us, Nolan, I’m impressed once again.” The Emperor nodded as though reaching a decision. “I am approving Corey’s request that you be appointed Huntsman General and granted complete authority over all hunters in our Empire.”

“Glory!” Connor and the other Guardians roared the phrase, making Nolan wince in surprise at their volume.

“Corey will deal with all the details. Continue to serve me well and other perks may come your way.”

“Ah, oh, you honor me.” That seemed to be the appropriate response as Stiles smiled and gestured for him to leave. Nolan backed away and bowed before turning around and leaving the room. A moment later, Corey slipped out and smirked at him.

“Congratulations!”

“Thanks, I think?” Nolan shrugged, feeling more relaxed as Corey gestured for them to return outside. “So, what does all that actually mean?”

“For now, nothing major, it’s when we return home that you’ll get the benefits.” Corey explained, ducking under a canvas covering as the grey clouds overhead began to thunder and rain splashed down in thick pearls. “You can expect to be offered a new apartment in the palace itself, but you don’t have to move if you don’t want to. Uh, more money, more responsibility, that sort of thing. You might be given your own office, pulled out of Chimera Intelligence. Connor wants to create a new branch for hunters, so you’ll be working with him from now on.”

“Hmm, ok, but I still have-”

“I know, you have unfinished business to complete.” Corey cut across him. “And I still want you to stay with us, you’re a key part of our team.”

“So, you’ll be fighting over me, huh?” Nolan smirked as Corey rolled his eyes at him. “Hey, I don’t mind the attention.”

“Sure, uh huh.” The chimera’s expression turned inscrutable for a moment before he shrugged. “Plus, friends are hard to come by in this new world.”

“On that we can agree.” Nolan nodded, a familiar swooping sensation rushing through his stomach as he held Corey’s gaze. More was left unsaid however as a runner came splashing through the mud to get to them.

“Minister! Dispatch from the front: Kobe has fallen at last, the Faithful have captured the city in the name of the Chimera god!”

“Ah, but which one?” Nolan murmured faintly to himself as Corey turned to deliver the news to the Inner Pack. The hunter lingered for a moment before moving off to find transport back to his forces, his mission still unfulfilled.

Chapter Text

“Argh!” Nolan gasped as he was flung into the rough wooden chair, his legs immediately shackled to the hard, bloodied chains while his arms were forced down and heavy metal cuffs clicked into place, immobilizing him. He shook his head angrily as the black cloth bag that had been over his head was pulled off and he blinked his eyes as the shadowy corners of the room came into focus.

The stone floor was new and polished dully, black with silver sparkles, granite perhaps. A slow fan whirled through the warm air and cut the light overhead into long strips. Nolan gingerly tasted his lip, busted open in the initial assault, dried blood at his touch. He glanced up as another light turned on, this one directly in front of him, casting those who were sitting at the table into shadow. But he knew who they were, what this was all about. “I’m telling you, I’m loyal.” Nolan gasped out, his throat dry. “I didn’t have anything to do with them!”

“Perhaps, that is what this tribunal will determine.” The voice was familiar, a slight grating in his tone that hinted at the unpleasantness of the task ahead of them. “Thirteen hunters rebelled this morning, in a coordinated attack they struck at The Occulus, the Rhino’s Horn, and here, in the palace. Twenty chimeras are dead, betrayed by those they thought they could trust.”

“I don’t know anything about that, I don’t even know where The Occulus is, I swear!” Nolan replied, straining at his cuffs when another chimera entered the light pool in front of him. Unlike so many of the chimeras who prized their beauty as a key trait, this one was hideous. Yellow and green nodules covered his bare skin, itself so mottled and disfigured it could be mistaken for necrotic. The creature’s eyes blazed with purple fire as a clawed hand was raised up, each talon extending several inches, brightly colored and already dripping with a foul concoction of poison and virus. “Not like this!”

“Hold.” A second voice, higher pitched, spoke from his left and the monstrous chimera paused. “So you know that this is a Blight Walker, hmm.”

“I saw the reports of what they did earlier in the war, I’ve seen them in action.” Nolan murmured, images of the horrifying plagues unleashed by the chimeras flitting across his mind. “What do you want to know?”

“You are the Huntsman General, do you really expect us to believe that you had nothing to do with this…they are already calling it the Hunters’ Revolt.” The first voice continued after a humorless chuckle. “A poor excuse for a rebellion, Chimera Intelligence stomped them out before they could do very much. But they are your forces, your responsibility.”

“I don’t know anything about that plot.” Nolan replied with another shake of his head, his eyes darting past the Blight Walker to fix on the shadowy figures in front of him. “If they were going to rebel against us, do you really think they’d see me as an ally? I’m the head of the hunters who work with the Empire, I have a personal relationship with the Minister for Chimera Intelligence, I want to see the Empire succeed!”

“He has a point.” A third voice joined the others, the tone somewhere between resignation and anger. “I told you it was a mistake bringing him in. The Minister-”

“Gave us carte blanche to do what was necessary.”

“But not complete free reign, as he said, they have a personal relationship.” The third speaker sighed, and Nolan saw a vague gesture directed towards him. “Tell us, hunter, why do you want the Empire to be prosperous and successful? Why would a human want that when so many of your people have died and continue to suffer?”

“Do you want a chimera answer, or do you want an honest one?” Nolan replied after a few moments of thought. He took a deep breath when none of the others responded to him. “Hah, it’s not so simple as saying that the war is over, the chimeras won, and in a few generations, no one will question what was done to achieve the, uh, glory that will surround them.”

“Glory indeed.”

“That’s the chimera answer, I think.” Nolan chuckled to himself, a nervous thrum echoing through his sternum as he glanced at the stationary Blight Walker, still poised to strike at him. “My answer is more personal, but I think it might be relatable. I never had proper social or family relationships growing up, I never fit in with anyone, and when I thought I did, it ended up that they were just using me, or laughing at me behind my back. From the moment I joined with the chimeras, that all changed.”

“A found family?” The third speaker mused and seemed to glance at the others. “I understand that you have worked your way through the hunter ranks in a short period of time. Impressive. What drives such a climb?”

“I have vengeance to find.” Nolan replied, his tone growing colder as determination blazed inside him. “Rebels sabotaged and destroyed a military transport plane several months ago, they killed someone I cared about. Finding and killing rebels is both a duty and an honor for the chimeras, but finding this rebel in particular, that has been my motivation to succeed. I long for the day when I will find him. And I don’t care how many traitors I have to go through to achieve my vengeance.”

“I see.” The chimera appeared to nod. “I am satisfied that you are not a threat.”

“I disagree,” The second chimera interjected. “We should eliminate him just to be certain. No one will miss another hunter taken out in the chaos of the last few days.”

“He was appointed by the Emperor.” A fourth voice joined the conversation, although Nolan shivered when he realized that this chimera had been standing behind him the whole time. The was a deep richness to his words and he could feel the atmosphere in the room shift as the chimeras before him appeared to straighten up, even the Blight Walker shifted his attention away from Nolan and to the speaker behind the chair. “Such favor cannot be simply discounted.”

“Guardian Prime?” Nolan muttered the title and shrank back slightly as the imposing chimera moved around and into the light. His armor was splattered with dark stains of drying blood and viscera decorated the edges of his bared claws. “I swear I-”

“Enough.” Connor shook his head sternly. “The threat to the Empire has been contained, some chimeras were killed, and I have dealt with the rebel hunters in the palace already. The question remains, can you be trusted?”

Nolan remained silent as Connor stared at him, or rather, into him. The chimera’s deep red eyes bored through Nolan’s own gaze as the strangest sensation washed over him, as though every thought, every secret desire was being pulled out and examined for treason. He fought the urge to lean back and confirm their suspicions, his heart thundering in his chest already informed them of his nervousness. The silent interrogation lasted for perhaps twenty seconds in all before the Guardian Prime stood up straighter and rendered his judgement.

“There is no treachery here, he is not part of this revolt.” Connor gestured behind him. “Remove his shackles and release him. But hunter, know that there are so few of your fellows left that your services will be both prized and limited.”

“I guess that’s the promotion gone.” Nolan smiled nervously as the guards from earlier came to undo his bindings. “Um.”

“You will report to Chimera Intelligence and serve the Minister as his personal hunter.” The Guardian Prime replied mirthlessly and gestured for Nolan to follow him out of the dank interrogation chamber. They emerged into one of the long featureless concrete corridors that ran throughout the depths of the Imperial Palace. “Corey will have a use for you and the sole other hunter that has proven loyal.”

“Oh, uh, good. Only two of us, huh?” Nolan rubbed his wrists gingerly as he jogged to catch up with Connor’s long strides. “Who is that?”

“Paul Eregot.”

“Paul? Uh, oh, the young one?”

“Correct.” Connor stopped outside a silver door and pressed a button, the chime indicating an elevator. “The Emperor will revoke your title and position within the power structure, you can return to being a ghost. As I understand, you have not enjoyed the extra duties and visibility.”

“How can you know that?” Nolan frowned at him, his eyes skipping down the bloodied armor when Connor glanced at him. “I mean…has he revoked the title already?”

“Of course, the Emperor assigned a Watcher to you as soon as He noticed your increasing friendship with Corey.” Connor replied as Nolan kept frowning, hearing the subtle shift in acoustics when the chimera spoke of Stiles. “He has known your every move for the last few months.”

“That’s slightly disconcerting.” Nolan swallowed thickly and looked around in vain for the invisible chimera that must have been lingering near him. “Everywhere?”

“Everywhere.” The elevator chimed and they all got in. “My master has decided that you have value, Nolan, and we shall see if you prove worthy of such an investment of trust.”

“As you say, Guardian Prime.”

Nolan sipped his drink carefully, savoring the heat of the alcohol even as the sugary sweetness of the fruit tickled his tongue. He cast his gaze out across the terrace towards the intense blue of the ocean visible from their elevated position just off the Path of Legends. The grand boulevard cut through the center of the city for miles, reaching all the way out to the newly rising walls that encircled parts of old Los Angeles. It emptied into a majestic plaza near the entrance to the Imperial Palace, whatever buildings and streets had been there previously had been torn down and buried beneath the earth.

Flanking the gateway to the palace grounds were three enormous statues, one for each of the Triumvirate, reaching hundreds of feet into the sky, newly installed while the conquest of Japan grinded on towards its inevitable conclusion. One side of the plaza was given over to the construction of the new military and government administration buildings, already rising from their frames of steel and stone into imposing fortresses of their own. On the opposite side of the square a vast concrete foundation had been laid, covering over a dozen acres, in preparation for the Guardian Prime’s personal project.

Nolan had seen the model for the grand cathedral the chimera was planning to build, a church that would dwarf almost any other building in the city other than the palace itself. It had been built of wooden sticks like some sort of school fair project and kept in a glass case in the Guardian Hall, the wing of the palace where the Emperor’s elite warriors had their armories, dormitories, and offices. After his interrogation, Nolan and Connor had gone there, and Nolan had been detained in the chimera’s office for a time before finally being allowed to leave. A few days later and Nolan had been stripped of his title and position just as Connor had said, and Corey accepted him back into Chimera Intelligence, although in a much less visible role.

Nolan took another sip and looked back along the terrace as he saw the only other hunter left come towards him. He waved at Paul to catch his attention and sat back down as the youth grinned and bounded over. “Hey.”

“Hey yourself!” Paul flopped down onto the seat and wiped the sweat from his brow. Clad in a colorful graphic t-shirt and gym shorts, he could have been mistaken for a frat boy on Spring Break. “Thanks for meeting me here.”

“Even though you’re late.” Nolan smirked and pushed the second drink over to him. “I understand it’s your birthday today, eighteen, huh? You could’ve told me.”

“You thought I was younger, didn’t you?” Paul sipped it and nodded his head enthusiastically. “Mmh! Is that why you never made a move?”

“Huh?” Nolan stared at him and then shook his head. “Uh, no, not exactly. I’m too used to everyone I know getting killed or turning out to be a traitor.”

“Hmm, fair enough.” Paul lounged back in his chair and cast his gaze out along the terrace towards the ocean. “Do you have new orders yet?”

“Apparently the Minister has a big operation in the works, some sort of joint mission with the Faithful.” Nolan hummed under his breath as he cast an appraising look over Paul’s strong arms and now noticeable ample bulge almost obviously angled towards him. “I could be gone for a while. How about you?”

“I guess this is as good a time to tell you that I’m going to become a chimera.” Paul replied slowly as Nolan’s brows arched in surprise. “It’s, uh, my reward for turning in the rebel hunters. They tried to recruit me right after we got back from Japan, I went along with it before telling Hank what was going on.”

“You didn’t tell me?”

“I couldn’t be sure I could trust you,” Paul shrugged. “Besides, you always say to keep the circle small, the more people who know, the greater the risk of leaks.”

“I’m glad you listened,” Nolan hummed to himself. “Although I could have done without the black site interrogation…”

“I’m sorry about that, I never implicated you in the plot.”

“They were just being thorough, I half expected it to be Corey on the other side of the table, but it wasn’t.” Nolan took another drink as Paul frowned at him. “It was Connor, although he was more behind me, watching everything.”

“The Guardian Prime himself? Maybe he’s taking over the internal security role?” Paul suggested as a trio of spiky chimeras wandered past. “I mean, the war is won, the world is at peace, there’s not so much of a role for Intelligence anymore.”

“The rebels are still out there, we won’t be safe until they’re all hunted down and eradicated.” Nolan growled, memories of Gabe flashing abruptly through his head. “And there are sympathizers everywhere; you heard that the rebel leader Mason Hewitt escaped?”

“The Rhino’s Horn is a fortress, no one can escape from the dungeons there, unless…he had chimera help?”

“There are true werewolves left in the Empire; one leads a pack in the palace, I met him once.” Nolan replied, thinking about Liam, the obvious suspect. “Two more are Archons, trusted to govern the captured regions, and they all knew Mason from the old days.”

“Right.” Paul nodded slowly. “Are you working this case?”

“I’m telling you this so you know, and when you’re a chimera you could become anything, do anything.” Nolan turned to Paul, determination scrawled across his face. “You need to be able to act if you can. Find out why Liam Dunbar is trusted so much, why the Emperor allows his continued existence when he was the True Alpha’s Beta. The others, Peter Hale and Jackson Whittemore, supposedly surrendered after the Battle of Beacon Hills, but was it self-preservation or true acceptance of chimera domination? They are both ideally placed to ferment rebellion against us.”

“Ok, I’ll see what I can find out.”

“Good, the other hunters proved they lack the vision to see a world at peace,” Nolan cast his gaze out towards the far horizon. “And the rebels want to drag us back to a fractured humanity. I’m not willing to let that happen, I won’t lose everything I’ve gained from joining the Empire. See if you can get assigned to the Rhino’s Horn and find out what happened to Mason.”

“Alright, I’ll keep you posted. Nolan, you’ve done more for the Empire than I have, why are you not a chimera?” Paul asked him after digesting the information. “You could take action on this instead of me.”

“Not until my task is done, I haven’t earned the power yet.” Nolan shook his head and drank to hide his emotions. “Look, just keep an eye out, ok?”

“Of course,” Paul nodded and looked at him, waiting until Nolan matched his gaze. “So, um, it’s my birthday.”

“Did you want a cake?”

“Funny you should ask.” The hunter grinned at him and smacked his lips. “In a manner of speaking.”

“Oh, right.” Nolan held his attention for a moment longer and then drained the rest of his drink. He placed it back down and shrugged. “You know, what? Sure, let’s get out of here.”

“For real?”

“Yeah, it’s not like I got you a present, so my ass'll have to do!” Nolan pulled out a crisp note with Theo’s face emblazoned on it and gestured at a nearby server. “Are you still sharing the hunter’s bunkhouse?”

“There’s no one else there now, and it’s probably going to be torn down since you’re the last of the hunters.” Paul stood up with him, eagerness in every movement. “I heard you have a nice oceanside place?”

“Yeah, it’s a bit of a trek, but it’s beach for most of the way.” Nolan shrugged and accepted his change. “C’mon, you can tell me more about the chimera traits you’re going to get.”

Nolan took a deep breath as the cooler air of the ocean washed across his naked body, his muscles aching slightly after the vigorous afternoon he had just enjoyed. He sipped from his water bottle as he recovered, the sounds of the shower in the next room loud against the relative silence in this part of the city. Paul had been bigger than Nolan had expected, with a lean, smooth body and distinct tan-lines from his waist to just above his knees. His fiery red hair was matched further down and while Nolan preferred a smoother look, he had to admit the guy looked good regardless.

The water cut off and he glanced over his shoulder to see Paul sauntering out, the towel thrown over his shoulder, his heavy cock swinging between his legs. Nolan wetted his lips, arousal curling back through him even after the long session they just had. His asshole tightened again, already missing the sensation of being so thoroughly filled. He grinned when Paul noticed his gaze and made to join him on the sheltered balcony. “Was the water hot enough?”

“Yeah.”

“So…” Nolan’s next question was cut off by the long, low chiming of his doorbell. He frowned and moved away from the balcony, grabbing a pair of shorts as he went. The hunter pulled open the door and stared at the chimera on the other side. “Corey!”

“Nolan.” He wrinkled his nose instinctively and looked passed him as Paul hurriedly slung the towel around his waist. “Uh, this is clearly a bad time…”

“No, uh, you’re just…unexpected.” Nolan managed, his cheeks reddening. “Um, come in?”

“Thank you.” Corey slipped by him and made a show of inspecting the movie posters framed on the wall away from their half-naked bodies as they hurriedly dressed. “Ah, The Emperor’s Victory, have you seen it? Greenberg considers it his finest work to date, a masterpiece of chimera enlightenment!”

“Um, last week, Tom Holland was hot as Theo.” Nolan grimaced at the awkwardness of the moment before gesturing for Paul to hurry up. “To what do I, uh, we, owe the pleasure of your visit, Minister?”

“Haha, formal? Very well,” Corey finally turned around to look at him and cleared his throat. “I have a private matter to discuss with you, Nolan, a task I need you to complete.”

“Of course.”

“Uh, I’ll be going,” Paul muttered as he grabbed his shoes and started backing towards the door. “Call you later?”

“Sure.” Nolan nodded and waited for the other hunter to shut the door behind him before turning to Corey. “Look, we were just-”

“It’s none of my business what you do on your own time.” Corey cut across him with a lazy wave of his hand and walked out onto the balcony as Nolan gestured for them to return to the sun trap. “Or who you choose to spend that time with.”

“Ok, sure, but isn’t it in the job description to kinda spy on everyone?” Nolan smirked at him. “Do you want something to drink?”

“No, I won’t be staying long.” Corey reached into his pocket and pulled out a slim, black device, not unlike a recorder. He pressed a button and grimaced as though in pain, before nodding again. “Ultra-high frequency, humans can’t hear it, but any listening chimeras just got an earful of screeching noise. It’ll disrupt any listening devices pointed our way either.”

“Um, ok, that seems even more paranoid than usual.” Nolan frowned. “What’s going on?”

“An enemy of the Empire has been identified, someone we thought we could trust has instead betrayed us and is gathering an army to assault the capital. I’m transferring you to the Special Operations Directorate, they will have use of your unique skills.” Corey explained as Nolan grew serious. “And as of this moment, you are only the second person to know of this threat other than the Emperor himself. The enemy…is Garrett Douglas.”

“Your boyfriend?!”

“Former.” Corey corrected him with an unpleasant twitch of his lips. “Very much former.”

“Ah.” Nolan couldn’t deny the thrill that the words sent down his spine and into his stomach. “Wait, what army does he command?”

“They’re called the Ghost Riders, a group of supernatural beings that can ride the lightning and have abilities that are poorly understood.” Corey resumed speaking again after a moment’s thought. “The Emperor has apparently been expecting this betrayal for a while and has various defenses and weapons developed, I’m not sure what exactly, but they’ll be revealed soon.”

“So, you want me to track down Douglas?”

“Oh, I know where he is.” Corey shook his head. “In fact, I’m going to meet him in a few hours, he’ll try and turn me to his cause, and I will hedge my bets enough that he’ll think I’m actually considering turning on Stiles and Theo.”

“Ok.” Nolan hummed. “So, why are you telling me this?”

“The plan is to force Garrett to tip his hand and reveal not just his army, but also the agents he no doubt has planted throughout the city and the palace.” Corey smirked, a touch of pride in his words. “And once he does that, the chimeras can take out his Ghost Riders, while you will deal with his human agents.”

“Ah, capture or kill?”

“Killing would be preferred, but if there are any of them in positions of power, I would like to have them interrogated.” Corey nodded thoughtfully. “Best to make the others look like accidents, I don’t want panic among the general population.”

“Ok.” Nolan steeled himself for the task ahead. “Anything else?”

“Yes, for now, do nothing, report to Chimera Intelligence tomorrow as normal.” The spymaster turned to look out at the ocean, his expression inscrutable. “Wait until the attack unfolds, if all goes according to plan, Stiles will unleash his weapon on the Ghost Riders, and we may even capture Garrett if he’s fool enough to come here himself. If something should go wrong however, I will likely be implicated as a traitor, and I don’t need to tell you that chimera justice is swift and merciless in that regard.”

“But these orders stand regardless?”

“Yes, the agents will be exposed, and you must take them out.” Corey glanced at him. “You are one of the few hunters left, the others did not prove trustworthy, I hope that in spite of everything, you still see the importance of protecting the Empire and its citizens.”

“Would we be having this conversation if you thought otherwise?” Nolan frowned at him as Corey stayed silent. “The other hunters were fools, they might have had access, but they didn’t have the resources to pull off the type of revolution it would take to bring down the Empire. Gabe couldn’t do it even with an army of hunters and werewolves.”

“Yes, true enough.” Corey sighed, his expression suddenly tired. He turned to go as Nolan walked with him to the door. “Just be ready, I’m not sure what will happen tomorrow.”

“You can count on me, always.” Nolan touched his arm and Corey nodded silently, already preoccupied with other things. He watched the chimera leave, Corey taking out the signal jammer again halfway down the corridor and switching it off. “Hmm.”

Thunder boomed overhead as the sudden storm clouds filled the sky. Nolan joined with the others around him in staring upwards, a deep sense of unease filling him as lightning cracked ominously through the darkness, some spears catching on the rods affixed to the palace’s exterior. He hurried through the security cordon and swiped his badge against the screen that would allow him access to the elevators leading into the underground sections. Even as he was whisked down into the Chimera Intelligence bunker, Nolan could still hear the angry rumbling of the thunder. He didn’t need enhanced senses to feel the unease that charged the atmosphere, a sensation that only heightened when he stepped out into the main command room.

“The Minister isn’t here,” Hank called out to him as Nolan approached his desk. “And we don’t have any active assignments.”

“I know,” Nolan nodded, glancing past him to the wall of monitors showing various live feeds of the palace and the city. “Have you seen the sky? Is this the Emperor’s doing?”

“No, at least I don’t think so.” The chimera shrugged. “It’s not natural, I was thinking-” Hank’s voice was abruptly drowned out by a screaming klaxon that began wailing. Red lights flushed the command center and more alarms chimed in an angry cacophony around them.

“What the hell?!” Nolan grimaced as the siren wailed in a constant thrum, the chimeras around him leaping into action. “What’s going on?”

“Activate emergency lockdown procedures!” The commanding officer barked out as another chimera slammed on a large red button next to him. “Identify that alarm location!”

“The Throne Room, sir!”

“Where is the Emperor?”

“I have his location, uh, in the Throne Room.”

“What’s happening?” Hank asked as he and Nolan approached the commander. “Charles?”

“Someone triggered the alert system.” He pointed at the screens as heavy metal shutters began slamming down on every entrance and exit across the palace. Nolan glanced over his shoulder to see a steel blast door swing out from the wall and slow sweep across the floor to seal the entrance to Chimera Intelligence. “We’re entering lockdown. You, locate the Minister. Deploy all other Guardians to the Throne Room, the Guardian Prime will need backup.”

“Yes, sir!”

Nolan stepped back as the others bustled around him, a sense of deep foreboding dripping through his chest to pool uncomfortably in his stomach. He frowned when he caught sight of the live feed of the Throne Room, seeing a group of strange figures clad in long, dusty leather coats and hats, whips coiled at their side while a revolver pointed towards the Emperor who was sitting defiant on his throne. “The Ghost Riders…” Nolan muttered as he watched Connor rapidly leap towards Stiles, a bulky addition to his armor appearing to open and expel a glowing blue light which enveloped them both. The air shimmered and the strangers staggered backwards, clearly assaulted by whatever weapon the Emperor had deployed.

A moment passed, Nolan concentrating on the images relayed from the Throne Room as the chimeras around him rallied their forces and sought to secure high ranking members of the Empire. Connor and Stiles charged forward and dispatched the first of the Ghost Riders with a brutal combo of claws and fire. One of the strangers raised his whip, the razer crack of its attack bouncing off another shimmering bubble that emanated from Connor’s armor. “Hmm.” Nolan’s eyes widened as the Ghost Rider vanished in a flash of lightning, its allies lying broken and bleeding in the middle of the hall. The attack had lasted only a few minutes.

“The Triumvirate are converging on the Throne Room,” Hank called out, pressing the phone’s receiver to his chest. “The First Chimera has the Minister with him.”

“Good. Have our agents perform a sweep of the palace and the grounds.” The commander replied, radiating calm control. “Inform the city and palace guard that the main threat has been mitigated, but we need patrols to be increased. Someone find me the Imperial Council and make sure they’re all secured, it looked like those…creatures managed to disappear a few people in their first attack.”

“What about the blast door?” Nolan asked, nodding at the imposing bulk of steel that now barred the exit. “When will that be opened?”

“Once I can be sure the palace is secured, this is meant to be a strongpoint during any attack.” The commander explained. “No one leaves until the emergency is over.”

“Ok, no problem.” Nolan raised his hands peacefully and backed off, leaning on Hank’s desk as he waited.

Three hours later, the lockdown was finally lifted, and Nolan returned to the surface if only to get some fresh air instead of the recycled oxygen that had filled the command center, its AC running off a separate system for the duration. The storm clouds were slowly dissipating, aided by wind and fire chimeras who took to the skies to alternatively blow the clouds away and warm the air. He took a deep breath and nodded to himself; Corey’s warning from the day before was finally making sense.

“Nolan?” A chimera he didn’t know called out his name and the hunter turned around.

“Err, yes?”

“A message from the Minister for Chimera Intelligence, he would like to see you.”

“Oh,” Nolan nodded. So, it’s time for part two.. “Err, yes, I’m on my way.” He gave the bruised sky one last look before turning away and stepping back inside the elevator. The command center was as busy as it ever was, and Nolan smirked when he saw several chimeras from the Psyops Directorate clustered around a TV broadcasting Greenberg’s carefully curated press conference on the steps outside the ziggurat.

Nolan moved through the bustle and climbed the stairs to Corey’s office, knocking on the door and sticking his head inside. The chimera smiled slightly at him, a twinkle in his eyes the only hint that their secret plan was in motion.

“Ah, Nolan, come in please.”

“What can I do for you, Minister?” Nolan asked as he slipped inside and shut the door, the glass walls turning frosted a moment later.

“Sit, I have a task for you.” Corey smiled grimly. “As one of the few hunters spared after the, hmm, destruction of the other hunter groups, your service to the Empire has been…inconsistent.”

“I do what you ask me to.” Nolan glared at him. Despite the knowledge that it was all a ruse for anyone listening, he felt a sting of judgement and anger. “No more, no less. I’m not a monster.”

“That wasn’t a criticism.” Corey smirked at him again, this time steepling his fingers. He reached for the thick stack of folders in a pile next to him and pulled out a handful before laying them down on the desk before him.

“What do you want?” Nolan frowned at him as he leaned forward to inspect the files, some had mugshots attached to them, while others were blank. “These are targets?”

“Enemies of the Empire.” The spymaster nodded. “Here in the palace. I need you to kill them, make their deaths look like accidents.”

“Wouldn’t a chimera be better suited to this job?” Nolan picked up one of the unmarked files and flipped through it, key details jumping out at him: works as a kitchen porter, takes a smoke break every forty minutes, has two kids likely to be elevated to chimeras. “Hmm.”

“Sure,” Corey shrugged as Nolan continued to study the files. “As you can see, they’re all servants with access to the palace. Since you’re a human, you can move among them without raising suspicions. Chimeras, especially chimeras in the capital, tend to be a bit arrogant, hold themselves above everyone else.”

“I’ve noticed.” Nolan smirked back at him as Corey rolled his eyes. He gathered the folders together and stood up. “I’ll get it done.”

“As soon as possible.” Corey added, his attention distracted by something on his computer. The chimera frowned irritably and waved him away. “You may leave.”

“Right.” Nolan grunted and stepped out of the office as Corey grabbed the phone, his last words just audible to him.

“I need a Guardian squad to meet me at the apartments, someone has just hacked into the Project LYDIA files, get me-” The rest was lost as the door swung shut and the sound damping reactivated.

“Curious.” Nolan murmured to himself as he walked away from the command center and towards the Special Operations Directorate on the other side of the floor. He pressed his ID against the scanner and waited for the locks to cycle before stepping through into the twilight darkness of this most secret area of the palace. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the low light and make out that he was being observed by a large bat chimera with obvious fangs and deep purple eyes. “Um, hi, I’m Nolan, from-”

“You have been expected, hunter.” The chimera acknowledged him with a nod, his wings stretching out to increase his stature. “Tools have been prepared and laid out for you in the next room. Should you have need of an interrogation suite, let me know and I will ensure our operatives gather your target without a fuss. You may call me Opal.”

“Uh, ok.” Nolan muttered and followed Opal along a narrow corridor towards a glass door, the black walls reflecting the lack of light around him, only a blood red glow coming from the equipment room allowed him to see. “Where are these operatives of yours?”

“They are cloaked and will follow you from afar.”

“Are they Watchers?” Nolan frowned, glancing over his shoulder at the empty air.

“No, the Watchers do not possess combat abilities, and they are too precious to be used for our purposes.” The chimera replied smoothly as they stepped into the equipment room.

“So, I have minders?”

“If you want.” Opal turned to smile at him, although Nolan realized it was less of a friendly expression and more a baring of the chimera’s pointy teeth. “Traitors abound, non-chimeras are not trustworthy.”

“At least you’re honest.” Nolan blinked at the bluntness of the reply but moved past him to inspect the tools and weapons laid out on the table. He ran his fingers over the array of blades and crossbow bolts before picking up a cloth roll that had vials of different hues slipped into the pockets. “Poison?”

“Yes, an effective weapon and one which leaves little trace. There is wolfsbane as well, should you require it.” Opal gestured at another table. “Before the Hunters’ Revolt, we had begun development on a compact crossbow that could be attached to the hunter’s forearm and reloaded with relative ease. Now…well, this is the prototype, you may find a use for it.”

“I bet!” Nolan grinned excitedly as he walked over to inspect it. After rolling up his sleeves and letting Opal fit it for him, he grabbed a bolt and loaded it in with a satisfying click. Nolan flexed his arm, bending his hand back and the bolt was launched across the room to strike the wall, burying itself deep. “It’s almost noiseless. Perfect.”

“Good. Do you know your targets?”

“Yes, I have the details in the folders.” Nolan replied as he began to gear up, first pulling off his sweatshirt to strap a supportive harness across his chest. He slipped a variety of the narrow-bladed knives into their holders, the handles outwards for easy access. There was a small handgun on the table, and he put it into the holster in case things got out of hand. Opal handed him a long black robe that was emblazoned with the Imperial symbol printed in brilliant white. “Hmm, hardly inconspicuous.”

“The Faithful are growing in power among both humans and chimeras, there are few who would dare question an instrument of our most divine leader.” Opal replied solemnly as he helped Nolan into the robe. “The Guardian Prime has infused them with potent capabilities and his blessing, you will be able to go wherever you need.”

“Right.” Not for the first time, Nolan found himself questioning the way some of the chimeras structured their praise of the emerging chimera god. It was obvious to him that the religion was part of Stiles’ cult of personality, but there was always just enough ambiguity that they could mean someone else. He frowned and tried to push the image of Connor from his mind, a chimera who had enough gravity of presence that everyone ended up orbiting around him. “Uh, the poison…”

“There are pockets lining the inside.” Opal explained as Nolan pulled the loose hood over his head, his face cast in shadow. “Here, place these darts by your chest, they will allow a silent kill.”

“Thanks.” Nolan finished preparing and pulled the robe closed, a strange sense of power sweeping over him. He could feel Opal’s eyes on him, and the hunter frowned. “This feels right.”

“As it should be, you are one of us now.” His smile was genuine this time. “You too shall be a Blade of the Chimera!”

Nolan dropped from the rafters which crisscrossed over the supply warehouse, landing on his target and driving the dagger deep into her neck, severing the spinal cord instantly. She collapsed onto the ground and Nolan grunted in satisfaction after making sure she was dead. He dragged the body behind a stack of water bottles and looked over his shoulder as one of the chimera assassins decloaked. “Take care of the body, will you? We’re near the ocean, dump it in there.”

The chimera didn’t reply other than to nod at him before grabbing the body, both of them vanishing a moment later. Nolan pulled out his list and struck off another name. He had taken care of two of the traitors by slipping poison into their water flasks left carelessly where anyone could take them. They had keeled over shortly afterwards in different locations across the palace, clutching their chests and dying in mere seconds. The third he had grabbed from behind a pillar in the grand vestibule and tossed the unfortunate serving girl down the steep stairs that flanked the second tier of the ziggurat. Nolan had watched with cold detachment as her body was broken by the vicious speed and hardness of the stone.

This fourth one was even more personal of a kill, but Nolan found a strange satisfaction in taking them out in a way that was completely different from hunting a werewolf or even when he had collapsed the rebel cell that Gabe was in charge of. This was…righteous work, exposing the treachery that clawed at the foundation of the Empire, rebels who cared nothing for how their selfish actions impacted those around them.

“One left.” Nolan murmured to himself as he checked the file: no photo, just some lines about the man’s work as an electrician during the palace’s construction. He was still attached to the building crews and likely working on one of the large projects near the Path of Legends. “Let’s go.” Nolan gestured for his cloaked allies to follow him out onto the streets. Just as Opal had said, no one paid him any attention in his robes, other than perhaps a fraternal nod of acknowledgement from the other Faithful. Some were robed as he was, seeming to perform ministerial tasks such as giving alms or preaching on street corners. Others were the bare-chested variety, the Imperial symbol painted on their skin, full of zealous fire and marching in formation, they must be the armed wing of the group.

The Cathedral of Emperor’s Ascendance was being rapidly built, with its walls rising higher every day, the ornate architecture was already taking form, and the interior walls and systems were being installed alongside the masonry. The construction site sprawled around it as Nolan swept through the entrance, the builders offering him short bows while other members of the Faithful nodded at him before turning back to their tasks.

Nolan made his way over to the internal systems engineers and stood in the center of their camp, a grin spreading across his lips as they moved away from him in deference. Even as a hunter, he never had such an effect, it was thrilling to be so feared! Although Nolan had to remind himself that it was the disguise that offered him such power, perhaps there was something to be said about joining their insane religious cult after all.

After questioning several of the workers, he began to zero in on the target, their descriptions matching the information he already had. Nolan nodded his thanks to another electrician and set off towards the supply shed. He slipped inside the unlit interior, a strange prickle tickling the skin at the nape of his neck. Nolan instinctively ducked forward and felt the shimmer of passing air as something heavy swung over him and buried itself in the timber shelf next to him. “Huh?”

“Hah!” The target lunged out of the shadows, crashing into Nolan and driving him to the ground. He smashed a knee into his stomach and Nolan gasped, taken by surprise as the man scratched at his face.

“Gah!” Nolan swung his elbow hard and managed to knock his attacker off him and onto the concrete floor of the shed. He reached inside his robes and pulled out a long, slim dagger, the wicked triangular blade sharp and gleaming in the spill of light from the open door. “Target confirmed.” Nolan smirked at his assailant as the man snarled wordlessly and charged him again.

Nolan ducked backwards and flicked his dagger out, slicing a long, smooth tear across the man’s bare arm, the point catching on the edge of his florescent vest. The assassin dodged the man’s grasping hands and instead pushed him away, Nolan’s fingers sliding over his neck. A greasy sheen covered his hand and Nolan stared at it before looking up sharply. Where there had previously been unblemished skin, he could now see the edges of a familiar tattoo, the black star revealed. “You…”

“Do I-argh!” The terrorist screamed out as Nolan rushed forward and stabbed his dagger furiously into his eye socket. “Arghh!”

“I’ve been waiting for this!” Nolan growled and swept the man’s feet from under him before wrenching the dagger back out with a brutal flourish and drawing more howls of pain. “You’re one of Douglas’ men, I wonder…” Nolan ignored the swirling questions and instead hefted his dagger, images of Ryan crashing through his mind’s eye, before he struck again, this time turning the weapon horizontal and slashing it across the man’s throat.

“Ughhhh!”

“Gah.” Nolan grimaced as he was drenched in blood from the cut arteries, the terrorist falling backwards after gurgling blood and spit. He breathed heavily, recovering from the fight as all emotion drained away and an awful emptiness filled his chest.

Chapter Text

Nolan glanced out the window as the small plane began its final descent towards the recently paved landing strip. He was sitting on the right-hand side of the craft next to several large crates, while a few other people he didn’t know were seated behind him. They were human though, he was almost positive, given they looked to be in their late fifties. The chimeras were only ever interested in younger people to join them, something about the effects not taking hold after a certain age. They were dressed in loose cotton clothes and carried battered leather briefcases. The few words he had overheard marked them out as archaeologists, here to join the excavation of a prominent site to the west, in the middle of the desert. Nolan grunted as the wheels touched down and he jolted forward in his seat, clutching his own travel bag to his chest.

They taxied slowly for a few minutes before coming to a stop away from the squat terminal he had seen on their approach. Nolan slapped his belt free as the chimera pilot got up to open the door for him. “Thanks.”

“Of course, safe travels.” The chimera acknowledged him with a friendly smile and stepped back to let him past.

“Oh!” Nolan’s brows arched in surprise as he clambered down the short stairs towards the welcoming committee. A trio of black SUVs were gathered around the plane and a purple carpet had been rolled out between him and a group of local dignitaries. The Archon he was here to assist was standing front and center, Alexander, a man who lived up to his namesake in attractiveness and pose. Nolan began walking towards him, his bag held loosely in one hand as the archaeologists behind him started to disembark.

“Welcome to Egypt, Blade of the Chimera!” The Archon bowed shortly to him, a smile playing about his lips. “My staff and I are at your disposal.”

“Thank you, Nolan is fine.” The assassin replied with an uncomfortable grimace, unused to such an effusive greeting. “I’m sure we can work effectively together, Archon.”

“As you say, and you may call me Alexander.” He gestured for Nolan to join him in the middle SUV as the archaeologists were escorted to the other vehicles and the plane was unloaded. The interior of the SUV was mercifully air conditioned, and Nolan settled in as Alexander leaned forward to speak to the driver. “Return us to the palace, please.”

“Of course, Archon.”

“The heat is oppressive, I had almost forgotten what it feels like, the capital is always kept at the same temperate.” Nolan remarked as they sped out of the airport and along a wide asphalt snake that cut through the sand dunes. “I trust the Minister briefed you on the reasons for my coming?”

“Indeed, we are getting close to finding the City of the Overmind.” Alexander nodded and handed him a chilled bottle of water. “Marric has had substantial success in translating the latest tablets and hieroglyphics we’ve recovered from the tomb sites around us. He is confident that we will soon have the location.”

“Hmm, it’s certainly a different mission than my last one.” Nolan mused as they finally cleared the dunes and rushed towards a plateau of rock rising from the sand where gleaming white walls towered above a ramshackle town of tents and metal roofed shacks.

“Yes, I can imagine,” Alexander replied, the convoy not slowing down even as they entered the town and roared along its empty streets. “But there are some local threats that could benefit from your, hmm, unique skill set. As you can see, I am having difficulty convincing the locals to return to their homes. We will need their labor for our future projects.”

“How many chimeras do you have?”

“Oh, a couple of thousand, there’s a major science hub in Alexandria that is the de facto regional capital.” He explained, the convoy branching off, so it was just their SUV going up the zig-zag road that led to the Archon’s Palace. “We have been steadily converting most of the remaining population to chimeras, but alas not all are suitable.”

“So the plan is to work the remainder to death?” Nolan muttered, rubbing a hand over his tired eyes.

“Hardly, the tenets of the Church of the Emperor in Ascendence tell us to cherish all as equals under the gaze of the benevolent Alpha Chimera.” Alexander responded quickly, his voice full of shining zeal. “If they have embraced the glory of our rule, they are to be treated as friends and allies. There will be no slaves here.”

“Right, sorry.” Nolan apologized quickly, recognizing the telltale signs that the Archon was another of the Faithful, those strange zealots that seemed to have spread like wildfire since the conclusion of the Japan campaign. “I’m tired after my trip.”

“No doubt, I have had your apartment prepared, you should rest before we begin our great work.” The Archon gestured towards the white walls of the palace which were now visible in front of them. Sturdy wooden gates were pushed open by bare chested locals and Nolan took in the majesty of the palatial estate. Lush green gardens filled the open spaces with pools of blue water and bubbling springs breaking up the lawns. Tall trees provided shade from the oppressive sun, and he could spot several larger pools in shady spots that were being used by the chimeras who lived and worked in the palace.

The SUV pulled up to the grand front entrance, stopping on a disc of patterned mosaics arranged around another ornate fountain. Nolan stepped out, sinking into the oppressive heat, his shirt sticking to his back and his feet sweltering in his boots. The palace stretched across the length and breadth of the plateau, with its high protective walls hiding the no doubt stunning views out across the desert. He followed Alexander inside, sighing in relief as they passed into the cooler interior.

After a few minutes of walking along simply decorated hallways, he was outside an electronically locked door and Nolan accepted the key card from the Archon. “What time shall we meet?”

“Let’s say eight?” Alexander replied, turning to go. “The evening will be cooler and Marric should be up. The Occulus is ten hours behind us even if he’s fueled by coffee, he’ll have time to get ready.”

“Good, thanks.” Nolan nodded and inserted the key card, opening the door after the light turned from red to green. He slipped inside and quickly locked the door before dropping his bag and looking around. The apartment was more like a hotel room, with a comfortable if featureless bedroom, a pristine bathroom and shower, a desk for working, and a sprawling living area that opened out onto a private terrace and pool. He hadn’t realized that they had been steadily sloping upwards and the patio looked out beyond the barrier walls to take in the grand expanse of desert that stretched into the horizon. He could just make out the blur of the airport in the far distance before Nolan turned away and wandered back into the bedroom.

After struggling out of his boots, he stripped naked, moving like a shambling zombie, his actions clumsy as utter exhaustion set in. Three flights across nearly twenty hours and he was finally here, surely a few minutes for a nap could be justified. With the cool air from the AC unit overhead washing across his naked body, Nolan felt himself drift off and he finally fell asleep.

The sun was a ball of fire in the western sky as Nolan perched upon the crest of a sand dune, staring down at the sprawl of tents gathered around a smoldering fire. These were the agitators who had been harrying Alexander’s diggers for the last few weeks. They were locals, in as much as anyone could be local to the vast desert that surrounded them, their faces tightly wrapped in cloth so only a strip between their brows and the bridge of their noses were visible. The assassin hunkered down to lie flat on the sand, his camo suit hiding him perfectly as he made a final few adjustments to his sniper rifle. Nolan looked down the sight and waited for the leader to step out of his tent.

The position was surprisingly comfortable, and Nolan felt his attention wander a little as he waited. The day before he had met Marric as part of getting up to speed on the threats surrounding their mission. The young chimera was intense and as zealous as the rest of them, but his passion was paired with an intelligence that Nolan hadn’t expected. Marric was fluent in a dozen languages, many of which were from the Ancient World, seeming to be as interested in science and technology as he was in archaeology. It was the latter that the Emperor had tasked him with, discovering the secrets of the Overmind which, as Nolan soon learned, was the true power within the Alpha Chimera.

In the same way the werewolves had a distinct spark of supernatural ability, Stiles’ unique abilities came from something beyond himself. That had been somewhat of a surprise to Nolan, that they would worship someone who was really made from something else. It had become incredibly technical and specific after that, Alexander and Marric discussing grid references and soil samples, but Nolan gathered that they were searching for a particular place, what the chimeras called the City of the Overmind.

Movement in his scope made Nolan focus on the present and he waited as the flap to the leader’s tent was thrown open and the man walked out, flanked by several identically dressed men, each carrying an AK slung loosely across their shoulders. They were relaxed, not expecting an attack on their camp, not realizing perhaps that winged chimeras had already found it earlier that morning. Nolan made one final adjustment before locking onto his target.

He squeezed the trigger once, the weapon recoiling silently in his hands as the bullet spun down the barrel and out through the suppressor. Barely a second later, it impacted against the leader’s skull, sending him sprawling forwards into the campfire. Nolan didn’t allow them any time to recover, taking a succession of quick shots across the party, his enemies dropping abruptly as the silent assassin completed his grim work with cold detachment.

A few minutes later, Nolan paused to swap clips and then he surveyed the camp. It was still, only the flickering of the fire as it caught on strands of fabric, the bodies around it could have been sleepers turning in early for the night. After waiting for ten minutes in case any of them were playing dead, Nolan got up, pulling his ground sheet with him and shaking off the sand. The rifle was bulky still even as he broke it down and stowed it in the dusk-colored bag that fitted neatly over his shoulder. He had left the borrowed Jeep a few miles away and Nolan set off back towards it, the sun now setting beneath the dunes.

Things seemed to settle down after that brief raid, Nolan lounging around the private pool at the rear of the estate, Alexander joining him in the afternoons and the evenings for lengthy cocktail hours and long, indulgent meals. In the mornings, he strolled around the gardens, slowly allowing himself to think about all that had happened to him in the year since he left the solitary life of the hunter. His memories of Ryan were all too short for the intensity of emotion that still rolled over him whenever he permitted his thoughts to drift in that direction. Although the intrusion of Gabe into those moments was hardly a welcome relief.

It was complicated, of course, almost too complex to deal with alone, Nolan had heard that there were chimera therapists back in the capital where things were returning to some semblance of normality. It would be intrusive to discuss either of them with a stranger, and he felt he could only talk a little bit about what happened with Gabe to Corey. But even then, it was all still too close and raw. Perhaps things would improve if he became a chimera. Nolan knew that Corey would probably sponsor his request if he asked for it. But there was still something about the whole thing that kept Nolan on edge and wary.

It wouldn’t just be giving up his humanity and potentially becoming a slave to Stiles, who seemed to be able to control every aspect of any chimera he wanted. There was also a mental change that Nolan had observed from those he knew who had been turned into chimeras, not necessarily a bad change, but it was still almost frightening. Nolan had always been the outsider looking in, not sure how to present himself so people would like him and not find his abrupt intensity to be creepy. That hadn’t been a problem for the chimeras since he joined up as they were so entirely focused on improving the Empire and watching for treachery rather than for socially awkward behavior.

And yet…there were practical benefits of being a chimera that would be useful for his job, and the guaranteed fitness that came with it. No more hours toiling away in the gym while the others around him just effortlessly stayed healthy and strong, immune to all disease and impervious to almost any mundane attempts to kill them. Some chimeras were more animalistic than others, it seemed, with the majority he had encountered being able to activate their abilities when needed. Alexander, for example, looked perfectly normal except for his amber eyes, his other powers safely locked away until they were needed. He had been spending a lot of time with him and found the chimera instantly likeable and surprisingly easy to talk to, something about his easy smile and laid-back attitude. Nolan discovered that he was from Bakersfield originally, had a promising career in football lined up as a star kicker before the chimeras had rolled into town. After that, it was a common story; recruited to the growing army and then turned into a chimera. He had climbed the ranks through a combination of demonstrating effective planning skills and impressive prowess in combat, using his Kanima abilities to devastating effect. Stiles rewarded him with the position of Archon and appointed him to govern a large swath of Northern Africa but had essentially left Alexander alone after that.

Until now, at least. Nolan had woken up one morning to find two full battalions of human soldiers marching in parade formation in the dusty oblong that stretched between the sloping lawn and the decorative maze at the rear of the palace. Supposedly they were here to aid Alexander in rebuilding his region, but Nolan was skeptical, what could soldiers achieve that builders and tradesmen could not? Taking his breakfast on the terrace as he had come to do each morning, Nolan smiled when Alexander joined him. “Hey.”

Clad in a flowing white robe left open at the waist to reveal the chimera’s tanned skin, he sat down and nodded in response to Nolan. “Good morning, did you sleep well?”

“Of course, I always do. Here at least.” Nolan took a sip of orange juice and reclined in his chair as a formation of winged chimeras flew overhead, their majestic, feathered wings beating through the air. “It’s very relaxing.”

“I’m glad your, uh, vacation is working out so well.”

“Vacation?” Nolan repeated, a frown creasing his brow. “Well, I suppose so.”

“Hmm, the Minister said it would be useful for you to have some down time.” Alexander glanced at him as if gauging his response. When Nolan just pursed his lips, the chimera continued speaking. “And I hope you’ve made use of it, you’ll be needed again soon.”

“How so?”

“News from the capital, pretty dire actually.” Alexander grew serious, sitting upright and leaning his arms on the glass table. “Are you familiar with the Ghost Riders?”

“They attacked the city before I left.” Nolan nodded slowly. “I got the impression that the Emperor was taking the matter seriously.”

“He is, there was a pitched battle outside the Rhino’s Horn, casualties were heavy.” Alexander paused again, this time measuring his breaths as Nolan tapped the table in anticipation. “I understand that you and the Minister have a close relationship?”

“I don’t have to call him by his title, if that’s what you mean.”

“Ok, that makes this more difficult. Uh, during the fighting, Corey was captured by the Ghost Riders.”

“What?!” Nolan stood up suddenly, knocking over his chair as panic filled his chest. “Where is he? H-how can I get there?”

“Calm down, calm down.” Alexander waved at him to relax. “It’s not that simple.”

“You have aircraft, let me take one.”

“I meant that the Emperor has sent Connor and a mixed group of chimeras and werewolves to rescue him,” The Archon paused as Nolan picked up his chair and sat back down. “Right? Connor will get him back and tear apart anyone who gets in his way.”

“I didn’t know you were on a first name basis.” Nolan muttered as he digested the news.

“I know him from…before.” Alexander’s eyes were suddenly distant, as though remembering a different time, a different world. He shook himself a moment later and looked back at Nolan. “He’ll save Corey or die trying.”

“Well, let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.” Nolan breathed hard as conflicting emotions raced through him. “I feel like I should still go back and help out.”

“I understand, but I need you here.” The Archon shook his head. “Marric believes that he has finally found the location of the City of the Overmind, what did he call it? Uh, Ka’narack. He’s sent out a squadron to fly over it, it’s nearby apparently.”

“Hmm.” Nolan grunted, a sense of foreboding washing over him as the name of the city echoed in his ears. “What do you need me for?”

“You’re a specialist and we have no idea what might be inside, but it’s important enough that the Emperor himself will come to claim it.” Alexander got to his feet slowly, joined by Nolan and they both walked out of the terrace and into the blazing heat of the late morning sun. “The Guardian Prime has spent years searching for the origins of the chimeras, Marric may lead the teams, but it’s Connor who has been pushing the research.”

“Did you both work on it?” Nolan glanced at him, the faraway look back in Alexander’s eyes. “Huh?”

“Ah, to an extent.” The Archon shrugged. “Egypt is the natural starting point as the first Overmind organ was recovered in the region, at least according to the Dread Doctors’ own notes. It seems that-” He broke off when a flying chimera landed gracefully next to them, her head bowed in respect. “What is it?”

“We have confirmed the location of Ka’narack, Archon.” The chimera spared a glance for Nolan before looking back at Alexander. “Marric has informed the Emperor, he and several of his forces are coming here.”

“How long until they arrive?”

“Eighteen hours at least.”

“Hmm, inform the housekeeper that we will have such important guests.” Alexander dismissed the chimera with a gesture and turned to Nolan. “And that will give us enough time to inspect the site and make a threat assessment.”

“We could use one of the new battalions, if not for security, then at least for help with the site itself.” Nolan suggested, already thinking about the risks of leaving the palace for the wilderness of the dunes. “Is Marric coming out too?”

“I don’t know, he is of extreme value to the Empire,” Alexander gestured for them to return inside. “It might be safer for him to wait away for now. If this city has been undiscovered and unexploited for thousands of years, then there are probably defenses in place around it.”

“Good point.” Nolan muttered, his mind quickly pivoting away from unpacking the complicated memories of Ryan and Gabe, and back towards his duty. “Let me get my tools.”

“Yaaaaarrrrgh!”

“What the hell?” Nolan looked up from his map as the blood curdling scream rent the air. He stared in horror as the winged chimera from that morning staggered sideways, having just attempted to land on the tall dunes that ringed the buried city. Her leg from the knee down was a ragged mess of flesh and white bone as she struggled to flap her wings and return to the safety of the sky. Nolan’s eyes widened when a great shape surged beneath the sands and reached the chimera in an instant, a final ragged scream cut short as the dunes exploded and some sort of creature erupted from the sand, engulfing the unfortunate chimera in its gaping maw before crashing back into the sand dune again. “What was that?!”

“No idea, but it’s claimed three flying chimeras already.” Alexander climbed the short hill to where Nolan had set up the field tents. “There’s clearly structures inside that giant sand dune, but any attempt to land triggers the creature.”

“Some defense system.” Nolan muttered and returned to examining the sparse details on a map of the area. The sun was hovering at the horizon now, the long night spent driving equipment out to the site and establishing a base camp for the Emperor’s imminent arrival. “Are you off?”

“Yes, I will greet the Emperor when he lands.” Alexander pulled out his sunglasses as the sun finally broke free of the darkness and flooded the desert with its golden light. “The First Chimera is with him, alongside a valuable ally, but I do not know who.”

“Any updates on Corey?”

“Connor had deployed when I last heard from the Ministry, no doubt we’ll get more updates as the day goes on.” The Archon paused before reaching out to give Nolan’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze. “Trust in the Chimera God and He will deliver your friend back to you.”

“Thanks.” Nolan murmured, a familiar sense of disquiet slipping over him. Ambiguous as ever; is it Connor or Stiles I should be praying to?! He cleared his throat and gestured for the commander of the human soldier to approach him. “Hey, uh, pull your forces back into the base camp and ask the Fire chimeras to standby once the Emperor arrives, things might get intense.”

“Of course, Blade.” The man saluted him sharply and Nolan frowned, still surprised that his designation was widely known.

“Strange and stranger.” He muttered as he walked to the edge of the open-walled tent, staring out at the tall dune that reached high into the sky, blocking his view of whatever lay beyond it. The sand shivered and quaked as the mysterious ancient defenses they had triggered slithered underneath the ground.

After about forty minutes, Nolan spotted the rising dust cloud that signaled the return of Alexander’s convoy. He waited in the shade of the tent as the SUVs rolled in and the Emperor stepped out. Stiles looked as ordinary as ever, while Theo’s face was pulled into a permanent scowl, perhaps because the third member of their group was missing at home. Nolan watched as Alexander opened the door of the second vehicle and a young woman stepped out, her face vaguely recognizable.

He straightened up as Alexander escorted the woman up the short hill towards him, the Archon speaking softly as she produced a large, white, floppy hat from her bag and placed it on her head, throwing her face into shadow. “Alexander.” Nolan nodded at him. “And…?”

“This is Lydia, the Emperor’s special guest.” He clicked his fingers at a servant. “Fetch a chair!”

“Lydia?” Nolan echoed softly as she smiled and extended a hand politely. “Uh, a pleasure to meet you.”

“How lovely to meet you too!” She beamed and sat down as a camping chair was dragged outside. “Have we met before? I feel like I know your face.”

“Uh, perhaps?”

“Hmm, I’m sorry, I’m told I just woke up from a very serious injury.” Lydia accepted a glass of chilled water from Alexander. “My recent memories are…foggy at best. But everything from about three years ago seems to be intact. Beacon Hills, werewolves, monsters in libraries… are you from there?”

“I, uh,” Nolan saw Alexander minutely shake his head and he shrugged. “I doubt it, that sounds entirely too exciting for my high school career.”

“Indeed!” She laughed, a high, musical sound. “Well, uh, Nolan, that’s your name?”

“Yes.”

“Great, I’ll be sitting up here with you while Stiles and Theo do whatever it is they came to do.” She gestured expansively at the sand dune as if this was a perfectly normal occurrence. “Alex, do you have to go back down too?”

“Uh, yes, I will be needed.” The Archon smiled pleasantly at her and then winked at Nolan. “I hope you will join us at my estate when this is over, it has been some time since I’ve had so many guests, and especially one as beautiful as you!”

“Oh, pish!” Lydia playfully slapped his arm as the chimera backed away and sauntered down the hill. “What a character!”

“Yes, quite.” Nolan murmured and turned his attention towards the dune as Stiles barked an order for their soldiers to start climbing up it. “What is he doing?”

“I don’t…” She trailed off and they both stared in horror as the troops abruptly turned around and came screaming back towards the camp. The monster from earlier had returned, the sand around its form bulging and flattening as Nolan realized it was on the surface, invisible except for the moments it struck its victims and was splattered with blood and gore.

“Fuck.” He grimaced, the entire company of soldiers wiped out before they could reach the bottom. “That was so fast.” Nolan glanced to see Lydia’s reaction, but she was already on her feet, wandering over to Theo as Stiles moved past them to climb the dune himself. “Hey, come back here!”

Nolan stopped moving when Alexander reached Lydia and seemed to intercede with Theo, allowing the hunter to scramble back to the relative safety of the tents. His gaze followed Stiles as the Emperor climbed up the dunes and reached the top, the invisible creature moving around him, carving patterns in the sand.

“Do you know who I am? What I am?” The Alpha Chimera shouted loudly across the expanse of sand in front of him, his voice echoing around the site. “I am one half of the Overmind! I have come to take the other, and tame whatever stands in my way! Reveal yourself!”

Nolan felt shivers race across his skin at the words and he watched as something reared out of the dunes, sand running off the invisible presence in waterfalls dozens of feet into the air. The Emperor thrust out a hand and the monster was suddenly revealed. It had scales covering its head and reaching back down a long sinewy body that was still buried in the ground. The feet that braced it on the sand were clawed and the toes had wide, hardened pads that spread its weight across the surface. Large eyes stared down at Stiles, filled with an intense blue fire, almost startling enough to distract from its long snout and slit-like nostrils, its jaw slowly opening to reveal row after row of diamond teeth. The Emperor's hand was placed above its mouth and Nolan watched with parted lips as the monster's eyes shifted from blue to the familiar chimera purple.

The monster, the chimera, seemed to be tamed as it turned about at a shouted command from the Emperor and rushed back towards the raised sand dune. Nolan frowned as the implications of what just happened started to filter down to him. That creature was not under Stiles’ control before they had come, if it was a chimera created by the Imperial scientists, he would not have had to Awaken it. That was the term he had heard the others use, some process of binding the chimeras to the Alpha Chimera’s power and activating the bond between them that enhanced their capabilities and allowed the Alpha to borrow them. The hunter chewed his lip thoughtfully as the newly connected chimera rushed through the sand dunes, its vast body now visible as it shifted away the protective layers that shielded the ancient city from any would-be plunderers.

Vast limestone walls gradually became visible, covered in brightly painted figures and etched with thousands, perhaps, millions of hieroglyphs. Nolan began to walk back down to where Alexander was standing next to the remainder of his soldiers, all of them transfixed by the vastness of the fortress walls which sloped ever outwards until they were finally revealed, stretching hundreds of feet into the air. He could see glimpses of other buildings inside the guardian walls, the golden tips of flag poles were visible from the temple complex at the heart of the city and black granite obelisks pierced the sky, the architecture familiar to him from the briefing he had received from Marric. Near to where Stiles and now Theo stood, two immense statues sat upon ivory thrones, flanking the entrance to the city, the figure’s faces were at once strange and familiar, purple gemstones gleaming in their eyes.

“Come Alexander!” Stiles gestured back at them as Nolan turned away slightly, unwilling to be recognized and risk spoiling the Emperor’s good mood. “Let us enter the city of the Overmind and you can be the first to witness my new power!”

Nolan followed the group at a distance until he reached the others clustered around the giant metal door that barred the way further into the city. At the front of the entrance a shallow copper dish had been set into the hard ground, about ten feet across, with grooves carved into the stone leading from three smaller copper bowls at equidistant places around the dish. Nolan felt an unpleasant shiver race across his skin as he glanced between the strange apparatus and the heavy door. It was inscribed in more hieroglyphs and several monstrous looking figures decorated the dark bronze panels. He glanced at Alexander who was thoughtfully looking at Stiles, the Archon was only one of them who seemed unsurprised by their findings. Before Nolan could speak, Theo turned away with an irritated sound and signaled for one of their support staff to come forward.

“Tell Marric to get his enlightened butt down here and start figuring out how to open that door.” The First Chimera scowled at it and Nolan noticed the fresh claw marks around the handles where Theo probably dug his talons into the bronze. “Stiles, I’m returning to the plane, Connor and Liam should have rescued Corey by now.”

“Yes, good idea.” The Emperor sighed at the door before turning abruptly to Alexander. “Archon, I will call for you later to discuss our next steps, we’ll probably stay in the palace tonight.”

“Of course, Alpha Chimera, we are honored by your presence.” He bowed deeply and Stiles made to move away, pausing when his gaze passed over Nolan. The Emperor’s expression darkened for a moment before he moved on, and Nolan began to breathe again. Alexander nudged him, indicating that they should leave also. “Come, we should make sure Marric has all he needs for the ritual.”

“Ritual?” Nolan frowned and the Archon grimaced.

“I mean...that’s what it looks like, right?” Alexander gestured impatiently. “Come, there is much to be done.”

“Sure.” Nolan replied slowly and began to follow him away from the creepy door.

Marric reminded Nolan of Gabe in a strange sort of way, it wasn’t in appearance though, the teenager looked more like Corey with that same youthful gleam in his eyes and a cute mouth. His brown hair was constantly falling into his eyes while he studied the door intensely, muttering under his breath as his assistants trailed after him, thick books held open and aloft as he translated the archaic hieroglyphs on the surface. Nolan was stationed nearby with a few soldiers to provide protection in case anyone was foolish enough to think of taking the Emperor’s prize. It hardly seemed necessary as two Guardians had taken up positions under the shadow of the towering statues that flanked the entrance.

When he wasn’t thinking about Gabe yet again, Nolan found himself studying the armored warriors, their forms unbowed and resolute even in the searing heat of the high sun. They were as dedicated as their leader, it seemed. The Emperor had left them behind when he and Theo returned to the capital, news of Connor’s capture at the hands of the traitor Garrett filtering out to everyone by now. Nolan had felt a strange twist of anger that they had not altered their plans for Corey’s capture, but now Stiles was leaving the most important historical site they had ever discovered to race home and rescue a mere bodyguard. It didn’t seem right.

Of course, that had been almost two weeks ago now, and still the Emperor had not returned. By all accounts, Connor could not be found, and many Imperial citizens had begun to mourn his loss. Nolan had been surprised to see that the Guardian Prime’s influence had spread even all the way out here, but perhaps it was because of Alexander’s personal connection to Connor. The Archon had hung the flags at half mast, with black banners on alternating poles to symbolize their collective grief. Those who had been driven away by the warlords had trickled back into the city and on Nolan’s last excursion into its warren of streets, he had seen a half dozen shrines to Connor and the Emperor both, although the former heavily outweighed the latter in representation.

Nolan grimaced at the wet sounds that came from his right, the heavy thump of the sacrificial chimeras fell to the ground as their blood was collected in the copper basins and directed towards the central bowl set into the ground. He had watched the zealous chimeras stand at the ready as Marric explained the ritual to them, the other chimera certain that this was what was required to unlock the door and gain them entrance into the city. Nolan took another breath and glanced over his shoulder sharply when there was a loud metallic thunk and then another and another, before the massive bronze doors slowly swung inwards.

“Well, it worked.” Marric dusted his hands off as he came over to talk to Nolan.

“Uh, yes?”

“You’re the ranking chimera, aren’t you?” He was fixed with an intense gaze. “That door wasn’t just a door, you see, it’s a mechanism, needs to be sated with chimera blood before it opens and allows us inside.”

“What?” Nolan stared back at him before blinking and looking past him at the door. “Uh, no, I’m not a chimera, I’m with the Ministry for Chimera Intelligence.”

“I know that. I thought you were a chimera though.” Marric frowned at him and then shook his head. “It doesn’t matter, the door is open, the city of the chimeras is ready to be explored. The Chimera Emperor will want to know.”

“It’s insane that ritual sacrifice worked.” Nolan muttered, looking past him at the dead chimeras. “Was there no other way?”

“Unlikely, there were still defensive systems inside the city that seemed to take out anyone who tries to fly over the walls. If this were any other site in Egypt, I’d say it was cursed, haha!” Marric laughed cheerfully at him, quite the change from his serious nature that Nolan had observed for the past few days. “Can you get onto the Archon and ask him to send the news up the chain? I have a sat-phone, but it only connects to Connor and…”

“Right.” Nolan watched him as all sense of accomplishment and joy drained from Marric’s face, tears welling in his eyes. “The entire Empire mourns his loss.”

“As they should, he is a titan.” Marric swallowed thickly. “But I knew him well, better than anyone else, we are, we would’ve… excuse me, I need to catalogue the, uh, the door.”

“Sure.” Nolan nodded and allowed him to hurry off, feeling an echo of old pain resurface as he remembered Ryan. It was easy to compartmentalize things and not let his emotions run to the surface, at least, it had become that way. He had managed to cram all that loss and agony into a tight metal box and hide it away among all the other toxic memories that seemed to fill his mind, slamming the vault door shut on it and walking away. It was a lie though, that radioactive box was still in there, still weighing him down. And while he was starting to sort through the recently reclaimed Gabe memories, Nolan wasn’t ready to confront the rest of his grief.

It was a little comforting to know that there were others who had experienced their own tragic romances, the chimeras he had come to know seemed to practice his technique of forgetting about the past in order to focus on being able to do their jobs. Perhaps in time that approach would come back to bite them. He continued to muse on the topic as his driver brought him back through the desert to the Archon’s Palace. The city had expanded anew since the last time he was there, and Nolan frowned at a new structure was being built on the outskirts, similar to the Ancient Egyptian temples they had glimpses of in the unearthed city.

“Thanks,” He muttered once they arrived and slipped out of the cooled interior of the SUV back into the oppressive heat of the desert city. Nolan nodded at the chimeras flanking the entrance, their white plumed wings stretching out over their heads to provide shade. The palace itself was cooler and he strode across the tiled floors towards the Archon’s reception hall, a room identical, if much smaller than the throne room in the Imperial Palace. A titter of musical laughter came from within as Nolan pushed open one of the ornate doors, the sound making him hesitate. It was from Lydia, she had remained with Alexander while Stiles and Theo returned to deal with Connor’s capture.

Nolan made his way slowly across the hall and waited to one side until Alexander noticed him, the Archon smiling at Lydia and murmuring his apologies. The hunter gestured for them to step aside out of her hearing range. “Marric has completed the sacrifice, the gates to the city are open.”

“I’ll send word to the Emperor.” Alexander nodded, his expression serious. “Have they started exploring yet?”

“Not yet, Marric wanted to wait in case you had any news from the capital?” Nolan hummed softly when the Archon shook his head. “Have you heard from Corey?”

“He’s fine, completely unharmed.”

“I know that.” Nolan grunted, his brows furrowing. “I meant, does he have any new orders for me?”

“Just to continue to assist.” Alexander shrugged and lowered his voice even further. “Chimera Intelligence are struggling to locate the Ghost Rider army. There is significant pressure from the Emperor to find Connor. But don’t worry, Corey will call on you again when he needs you.”

“I just feel like a spare wheel at the moment.” Nolan shook his head and then nodded when Alexander gave him a helpless look. “I know, it’s not your fault. I’ll go back to Marric and tell him to begin exploring the city.”

“The Emperor should return soon now that the gates are open, he’ll have to, Guardian Prime or no.”

“How are you feeling?” Nolan asked him, the question appearing to take Alexander by surprise. “You said you and Connor were close.”

“He’s an old friend, true.” Alexander replied softly, his gaze distant as it sank into the mosaic floor. “He will…”

“Yes?”

“I should get this message back to capital.” The Archon snapped back to himself and nodded curtly at Nolan. “I’ll see you tonight at dinner, yes? You have been avoiding us these last few weeks.”

“I wanted to give you time to, uh, get to know Lydia, I know you like her.” Nolan smirked as Alexander shrugged.

“I do. But I miss our conversations too.”

“Of course, I’ll be there. Uh.” Nolan hesitated before continuing. “We should be careful though, Lydia doesn’t seem to remember me, we had few enough interactions, but keep to non-controversial topics.”

“Her false memories appear to be holding.” Alexander murmured as they began to walk out of the hall. “The First Chimera gave me a list of things that can be discussed safely, I’ll send it to you.”

“Lydia is clever, I’m not sure how much she’s actually believing what we tell her about the state of the world,” Nolan mused. “The True Alpha as the villain, the Emperor as the hero? It seems a bit…too neat and tidy.”

“Like you said, she’s clever.” Alexander smirked as they reached the exit to the waiting SUV. “Even if she suspects the truth, Lydia won’t say as much. Besides, it’s hard to fight against your own memories.”

“I suppose.” Nolan nodded at him once more before stepping out into the sunshine. “I’ll let you know if we find anything special.”

It was strange, the return of the Guardian Prime. One moment, the city was shrouded in mourning cloths, the next it was festooned in fresh Imperial banners. Nolan heard the news of Connor’s rescue and survival as he was leaving his quarters the day after they had breached the gates of the ancient chimera city. At first it was whispered conversations between the servants and then a joyous confirmation by Alexander at breakfast while Lydia looked on with a slightly confused smile. Less than twelve hours after that, the Emperor and his extensive entourage had arrived in the Archon’s Palace, eager to unlock the secrets of Ka’narack.

Nolan had stayed out of their way for the most part, only moving forward to catch Corey’s eye as the spymaster followed Stiles and Theo into the reception hall. The chimera inclined his head and mouthed “Later” at him, and Nolan melted back into the ranks of gathered chimeras and loyalist humans. One of Alexander’s aides came for him as he made to leave for his rooms, extending an invitation to dinner with Stiles and his guests. Nolan grimaced slightly, recalling the last time he had to share the same space as three of the most powerful people in the world. “Oh, goody…”

The dinner was served on a long, low table under the shade of a vine wrapped terrace overlooking the sprawling gardens of the estate. Nolan slipped in as Stiles took his seat at the head of the table, the Guardian Prime standing behind him, as regal and noble as ever. Corey was standing near a fountain, wine glass in his hand as he slowly swirled the dark red liquid, a pensive expression on his face. The hunter nudged his elbow as a smile pulled at his lips. “I’m glad to see you well, uh, Minister.”

“Nolan.” Corey nodded shortly and glanced over his shoulder, but Stiles and Alexander were deep in conversation. “You can dispense with the formalities, I think.”

“It’s been a while.”

“I’m sorry, truth is we haven’t had much use for your particular talents lately.” Corey shrugged as Nolan grunted. “The Ghost Riders can only be dealt with by chimeras, well, and Banshees, but those are few and far between.”

“There’s one here.” Nolan gestured lightly to where Lydia was reclining on a settee, her blue dress dazzling with embroidered sapphires in the evening light. “Why leave her behind if she’s so valuable?”

“The Emperor extracted what was needed.” Corey replied cryptically. “Sentiment is keeping him from tying up the loose ends.”

“Hmm,” Nolan hummed under his breath, noticing the way Connor had turned his head to look at them. “Do you have a job for me?”

“Not yet.”

“So, will I be returning to the capital with you?”

“Perhaps,” Corey’s voice lowered to a barely heard whisper. “Stiles is here for the second Overmind organ, with both implanted, he believes he can exert control over natural chimeras.”

“Huh.” Nolan frowned as Corey watched him. “What does that mean?”

“Ah, Garrett is in control of the Ghost Rider army, he’s a Löwenmensch, a natural chimera that cannot be commanded by the Overmind.” Corey explained after a weary sigh. “No doubt the Emperor has plans for the army, but we still need to get close enough to capture Garrett.”

“This must be difficult for you given your…relationship?” Nolan mused as he spotted Theo emerging from the stone maze at the bottom of the garden. “I heard he, uh, took you prisoner.”

“Not exactly the highlight of the year. Suffice to say, we’re over.” Corey grumbled and shrugged again. “At least he didn’t hurt me, can’t say the same for Connor.”

“Oh?”

“The Ghost Riders can use lightning to their advantage, along with carrying some of that current in their bodies.” Corey explained as he began walking slowly away from Stiles towards the other end of the table. “Garrett tortured Connor to try and get his secrets, access codes, I don’t know, maybe just for the thrill of it. He took Connor to the brink of death over and over, sometimes pushing him off only to use the Ghost Riders to start his heart again, allowing him to heal just enough to keep him alive.”

“Fuck.” Nolan grimaced and looked back at the stoic figure standing behind Stiles. “He looks fine now.”

“Probably some of the worst injuries I’ve ever seen.” Corey’s expression twisted into displeasure. “He heals fast though, and with a few hours sleep, he’s back on his feet again.”

“Hmm.” Nolan reached out and picked up a glass, pouring himself a drink of water from the crystal jugs placed among the spiced dishes of the main course. “You’re not hungry?”

“Not for meat.” Corey swallowed thickly and nodded at Theo as the First Chimera slipped past them, giving Nolan a sour look. “The rebels have been muted lately.”

“Oh?” Nolan pivoted with the sudden change in topic even as excitement began to thrum through his veins. “You think they’re planning something?”

“Undoubtedly.” The spymaster turned around fully so he was looking back up the table at Stiles and Theo. “There have been reports of a number of small werewolf packs gathering in the forests at the Fount of Glory, specifically around the Nemeton. Add to this the strange figures seen in the area wearing robes and such.”

“Robes?”

“Something is going on, but he doesn’t seem worried.” Corey inclined his head at Stiles. “I’m inclined to let this play out and we’ll see where everything goes.”

“Ok, I can investigate for you.” Nolan offered but Corey shook his head. “Whatever you need.”

“I need a capable chimera.” Corey glanced at him, brow raised. “You’ve completed your mission of vengeance, you’re a Blade now, an elite assassin and hunter. But you’re still hindered by your humanity. Say the word and I can arrange for your chimeraification.”

“Ah,” Nolan shifted uncomfortably. “I haven’t really thought about that.”

“Eventually every human will become a chimera, Stiles has teams working on chimera breeding and life extension technologies.” Corey maintained his stare as Nolan looked at his feet. “I advise that you think about it some more. You’re among my most trusted agents, you could easily become my right hand once you have the necessary enhancements.”

“I need more time.” Nolan finally replied as the spymaster just shrugged wordlessly at him, moving away when Stiles gestured for Corey to join the table between him and Theo.

“Behold!” Marric gestured grandly as they walked through the blood-stained doors, “Ka’narack: the city of the Overmind! Can you feel it, master?”

“I can.” The Emperor nodded, and Theo glanced at him. “There is a power here; ancient and divine. We’re definitely in the right place. Guardians, take one of Marric’s people with you and scout the buildings on either side of the main thoroughfare. I have a feeling that what we’re looking for is in the structure directly in front of us.” He pointed at the imposing square edifice further down the road, white walls rising up to gleam in the mid-morning sun. Stiles began walking forward, and Theo hurried after him as Nolan hung back with Connor and Corey, the Emperor’s words clear on the still air.

“What do you mean, you can feel it?”

“The Overmind, it’s,” Stiles paused, glancing at the tall, black obelisks interspaced between the statues of animal-headed Egyptian gods. “It’s here, there’s an almost magnetic draw between us. Whether or not the organ has been implanted, I don’t know, I just know that it’s here.”

Connor walked behind them, Corey by his side, both of them looking around at the ancient buildings and brightly colored hieroglyphs on the walls. Even the flags on top of the buildings had been perfectly preserved, flapping gently in the wind as the group moved past. Marric was talking quickly to the Emperor, filling him in on the history of the period, and gesturing excitedly at examples of buildings he was amazed to see, but Nolan ignored the lesson, looking at everything himself. He paused at the foot of a large statue, tilting his head at the strange animal face depicted on the top of the muscular male body, realistically painted in dark, tan colors.

“Hmm.”

“What is it?” Connor glanced at him, his eyes skipping on, claws already out. “I don’t like this place, I feel like we’re being watched.”

“It’s a chameleon.” Corey replied, joining Nolan at the statue. He pointed at the next statue down. “And that one is a wolf, or maybe a dog. The one beyond it, that’s a cat, but it looks more like-”

“A lion. C’mon.” Connor frowned, but pulled Corey away, hurrying to get back to the Emperor and First Chimera. “We shouldn’t be too surprised, if the Overmind is here, then it would need chimeras of its own; natural, or otherwise.”

“I guess.”

“Come on, you guys.” Stiles called over his shoulder, leading them up the steps, past two flanking statues of stylized rams, and into the coolness of the temple complex.

Nolan stayed back, sensing that as much as his presence had been ignored up to this point, the chimeras might not tolerate him if he witnessed the secrets of the Overmind. Instead, he slipped away and wandered back towards the grand plaza that dominated the center of the city, the temple complex behind him as other buildings rose up, their white walls shining in the midday sun.

The city itself was strange, perhaps because it was so empty when it could clearly be occupied by thousands of people and animals. He had been to ruins before, mostly falling down and marred by smoke or the degradation of time, but Ka’narack was different. The paintings on the walls were still vibrant and bright, the hieroglyphs that adorned almost every free surface were clean and sharp, as though freshly carved that day. Where outside the desert heat was oppressive and the sand swirled in the strong breeze, the interior was merely warm and deathly still.

Nolan explored several of the buildings closest to the fortress walls and away from the grand causeway that arched upwards towards the central clustering of buildings that Marric and his team headed towards. He had expected the interiors to be empty or perhaps damaged from being buried in the sand for thousands of years. Instead, there was furniture and tools placed throughout, everything neatly positioned and left ready. It wasn’t as if whoever had lived here had been interrupted and forced to leave in a hurry, but rather that they had simply packed up for the day and left, expecting to return on a tomorrow that never came.

After about an hour, he spotted Marric and several Guardians emerge from the temple, the archaeologist directing them to gather equipment and supplies from the camp site outside the walls. Nolan wandered over as Connor came out next, the Guardian Prime’s expression caught between thoughtful and concerned. The hunter paused when Marric reached out for him and the two of them moved off the causeway and into the shade of one of the towering statues that were a common sight around the city. Frowning, Nolan followed them from a distance as the duo kept walking until they stopped in front of a panel decorated in rich hieroglyphs.

“This is what I wanted to show you.” Marric gestured at the panel, clearly waiting for Connor to read it. “You see it?”

“I do.” Connor’s voice sounded strained, and Nolan risked looking around the pillar he was hiding behind. The Guardian Prime glowered at the panel before extending a hand to trace one of the symbols. “The Creator. Tem.”

“The priests prayed to Tem for help repelling their enemies and the Overmind was given to them, as it is portrayed in the temple.” Marric translated. “But this wall indicates something else, that Tem himself took mortal form and walked among them. He was a guide, a protector, someone to show the Overmind what to do and how to create others. The first chimeras.”

“Yes, well, it’s hard to know what is myth and fact here.” Connor replied slowly, still gliding his hand across the wall. “Have you relayed any of this to the Emperor?”

“No, I thought you would want to-”

“Good.” Connor cut across him quickly and shook his head. “There will be time to discover the secrets of this city, but it is not now. We must ensure that the second Overmind organ is implanted successfully, and the Ghost Rider threat is contained.”

“If you say so, Guardian Prime.” Marric bowed his head respectfully. “As you saw in there, the Ancient chimeras are still alive, dormant perhaps, but still waiting for their Overmind after all this time.”

“Your point?”

“Perhaps the Creator still walks among us.” Nolan couldn’t see Marric’s expression since he was facing Connor, but there was a distinct edge of hope to his words. “Do you agree?”

“Perhaps.” Connor looked past him abruptly and Nolan ducked behind the pillar, his heart pounding. “Come, we have an implantation ritual to perform.”

“Of course, Connor.” Marric’s voice became distant as the two chimeras walked away.

“Phew…” Nolan leaned back against the cold stone as his heart hammered in his ears. After he was sure the chimeras had left, he slipped out and walked down towards the wall panel they had been discussing. The markings were as fresh as everywhere else in the city, with a mixture of symbols that he recognized as Ancient Egyptian and pictures that depicted various scenes. Nolan frowned at the panel, unsure how to read it. Instead, he stepped back and pulled out his phone to snap a quick picture. “This could be useful later.”

Returning to the main concourse, Nolan noticed that Corey had emerged from the temple and was sitting outside on the steps which led up to it. He climbed them quickly and offered the chimera a pleasant smile as Corey gestured for him to approach. “Hey!”

“Hey,” Corey seemed subdued even as he stood up, his shirt unbuttoned and the smooth skin of his chest visible. “There’s finally some air out here.”

“Careful you don’t get sunburnt.” Nolan murmured, his eyes slipping up and down Corey’s chest before meeting the chimera’s glowing purple eyes. “Did they find what they were looking for?”

“Oh, yes, Stiles is getting his upgrades now.” Corey replied with a shrug as Nolan leaned on the stone balustrade that lined the stairs. “Theo is performing the surgery inside the temple.”

“That doesn’t seem sanitary.”

“The ambiance is spectacular apparently.” Corey let a smile pull at his lips before shrugging. “Connor is there along with a couple of other Guardians, they have special abilities that can bolster Stiles’ health.”

“You always use his name.” Nolan commented with a frown. “I thought that was…punishable nowadays.”

“Well, you and I knew him from before, and I don’t think you’ll report me.” Corey shrugged. “I just make sure to use one of his many titles whenever I’m around Connor or the Faithful, anyone who might take offense. Stiles has power, but he’s not a god.”

“That’s a dangerous fact.” Nolan agreed softly as Corey nodded. “Do you believe that there could be a chimera god though?”

“It’s a useful propaganda trick, and Connor is right that people need to rally around an ideal in order for them to do good things.” Corey gestured around at the city. “The people here believed in their gods, but this city was buried in the sands for thousands of years. It didn’t exactly save them.”

“I didn’t think you were so cynical.” Nolan frowned at him as Corey shrugged again.

“It’s just my perspective, I’ve seen Stiles at his lowest when Theo was imprisoned by Skin Walkers, I hesitate to use the word ‘magic’, but their abilities took him from us.” The spymaster moved past him and turned around to stare up at the temple’s flags fluttering in the strengthening wind. “We went through so much blood and death just to get out of Beacon Hills, and it hasn’t stopped since. It should have ended with the war in Japan, but Garrett found the Ghost Riders and things went to crap again.”

“Yeah.” Nolan wasn’t sure what to say until Corey sighed deeply and sat down once more.

“I’ll have a new assignment for you when we return to the capital.” The spymaster glanced over his shoulder and then dismissed Nolan with a gesture. “The Guardian Prime approaches, we’ll talk later.”

“Of course.” Nolan waited long enough to see Connor emerge from the temple, as regal and resplendent in his armor as ever. He bowed slightly and backed away before turning and taking the steps back down into the city, determined to find one of Marric’s assistants and get the mysterious wall panel translated.

Chapter Text

“Do you understand what I’m asking of you?” Corey’s voice came clear across the line even as his picture shimmered on the screen. “With the Ghost Rider threat contained, I want to focus on rooting out the last of the rebels.”

“No, I got it,” Nolan cleared his throat and glanced out the window, the sand storm howling against the Archon’s palace. “I just don’t get why you want me to return to capital through New York, there’s nothing there anymore. Anyway, I thought you said there were reports about packs gathering near the Nemeton?”

“Yes, about that…” Corey grimaced as the signal cleared up and Nolan could see the inside of the spymaster’s office again. “Things developed in a way I was not expecting, the Emperor had plans of his own in motion. I’ll debrief you properly when you return. Just come back across the heartland and see if you can find any hint of Gabe and his rebels, they’re out there somewhere.”

“Alright, there are some local assets I can call on.” Nolan replied, his mind immediately bringing up Paul’s handsome face and eager disposition. “I’ll swing by the Fount of Glory on way back.”

“Very good.”

“Anything else I should know?” Nolan asked, getting the impression that Corey was being deliberately evasive. “Anything pertaining to the mission at hand?”

“Uh, no, no, you should be good. There is a chimera outpost in the ruins of NYC and Archon Hale controls the territory to the north if you should need any other support.” Corey rubbed a hand over his tired eyes and looked past the screen, nodding once. “Tell him I’m on my way.”

“You need to go?”

“Garrett’s judgement is about to be passed.” Corey glanced back at him. “Just see what you can find, Nolan, if things work out the way I expect them to, you may have a whole host of new assignments to choose from. And maybe an upgrade while you’re at it?”

“Alright, I’ll see you in a few days.” Nolan waited for Corey to nod at him before he turned off the webcam and settled back in his chair, his lips pursed thoughtfully. Lydia had arrived the night before, just as the storm rolled over the region. Her return had coincided with the news from the capital that the Ghost Riders had been defeated, the traitor Garrett captured, and the Empire at peace once more.

But Corey evidently expected that the rebels had been using this period of distraction to re-arm, regroup, and prepare for another attack. Nolan stood up and walked over to the window, eyes searching through the sand for some hidden meaning or pattern. Gabe’s disappearance after their attack on his camp had begun to weigh on Nolan’s mind lately. It would be too much to hope that the rebel had come to his senses and just left them alone. No, for all that they might have changed since high school, Nolan knew that Gabe was too arrogant to allow that moment to be their last. He would need to get the advantage back. Gabe would have a plan to strike at the Empire.

Nolan nodded and picked up the phone by his bed, relaying his request for Lydia’s plane to be prepared to send him to the remains of the Eastern United States. Afterwards, the assassin packed up the meagre baggage he had taken with him, his tools and tradecraft would be transported to the runway separately. Emerging from his room, Nolan handed the suitcases off to one of Alexander’s servants and went to find the Archon.

At the center of the Archon’s Palace was a circular room without any windows save for a tall glass dome that let in the sun and gave spectacular views of the heavens at night. It was also the best room in the palace to shelter in when sand storms rolled over the city. Nolan slipped inside as the chimeras nearest to the door nodded respectfully at him. Alexander was lounging on one of the long couches, delicately picking at the bountiful feast laid out across the low table in the middle of the room. Lydia sat across from him alongside an older woman who Nolan finally recognized as her mother, a glass of ruby red wine in her hand. He smiled awkwardly at them when they glanced at him before Nolan turned to address Alexander.

“It’s time for me to go.”

“Ah, so soon?” Alexander replied smoothly with a faint crease of his brow. “I had hoped you’d be around for a few more weeks, I wanted to show you the capital.”

“I’m sorry,” Nolan shrugged. “The Minister for Chimera Intelligence has need of my services, I’m sure you understand.”

“Of course.”

“We’ll meet again, no doubt.” Nolan replied. “Maybe then I can take you up on the offer to see Alexandria.”

“I hope so.” Alexander stood up and extended a hand to him. “Know that you are welcome in my region any time, Nolan.”

“Thanks, it’s been…interesting.” He replied with a smile and glanced at Lydia. “Goodbye.”

“Take care, Nolan.” She paused and then added. “Can you let the Guardian Prime know that he has my thanks, again.”

“I’ll pass the message on.” Nolan nodded before leaving the room, returning his key card to one of the chimeras as he made his way towards the front of the palace. The storm was beginning to abate, but he wrapped a scarf around his mouth and nose anyway before stepping out to find the waiting SUV.

A few days later, Nolan found himself essentially back where he had started, driving down the repaired highway that led into the Fount of Glory, the Rhino’s Horn dominating the dark skyline as evening began to draw in. He skirted around the heliport and towards the security barriers that guarded access to the main chimera base. Nolan lowered the window and stuck out his ID towards the officer who came over to inspect his SUV. The chimera’s eyes glowed a deep amber and she gestured for the inspection team to continue screening his vehicle.

“What is your purpose here?”

“I’m under direct orders from the Minister for Chimera Intelligence,” Nolan replied smoothly. “Rebel hunting business.”

“Of course.” She nodded and wrote something down in the clipboard in her other hand before handing his ID back to him. After looking towards her colleagues, the chimera gestured for the barriers to be lifted. “Proceed to Sector Thirty-Four, parking for visitors is underground, floors twelve through nineteen.”

“Thanks.” Nolan accepted his ID and pulled off slowly, driving through the cordon as more chimeras watched him until he reached the main internal road and could pick up speed again. Paul wasn’t stationed at the labs of the Rhino’s Horn itself, but rather a smaller command post near the satellite array that maintained the uplink between Chimera Intelligence and the remaining human satellites in orbit that they had co-opted. This part of the complex was closer to the forest and various routes led down leafy roads to houses and other low buildings that the support staff used.

He followed the directions mapped out to him by Paul the night before, the only signposts in this area used single letters and numbers to obscure the true purpose of their destinations. Nolan turned down another road and flicked his headlights on, twilight passing over him quickly, the sun blotted out by the vastness of the fortress behind him. At last, he pulled up in front of a nondescript brownstone building with small, mean windows set into its thick walls.

Leaving his baggage in the car, Nolan slipped out into the cooler night air, acutely aware that his movements were being monitored by a security camera as he approached the metal door. A moment later, there was a distinctive click, and the door swung open, allowing Nolan to step inside. A featureless corridor led to a tall desk and another chimera waiting for him, this one’s eyes glowing a soft purple, the Alpha Chimera pulling on his abilities. “I’m-”

“We have been expecting you, Blade of the Chimera.”

“Ah, good.” Nolan nodded shortly, still unused to the full title. It didn’t feel quite earned yet. “Paul?”

“Sub-level three, I’ll call the elevator.”

“Thanks.” Nolan glanced around and then stepped into the small metal box once the doors opened. How strange it must be to be turned into a powerful chimera and then be assigned to desk duty for your efforts. Nolan mused to himself as he descended into the true command post, the surface building hiding the extent of the secret facility. He stepped out into a gleaming white atrium, the brilliance offset by streaming Imperial banners placed on the walls, the rich purples and reds providing a welcome relief for his eyes.

“Nolan!” The welcoming shout came from across the room and a moment later, Paul emerged from an office. He gestured for the assassin to come over to him and they both stepped back inside the room. Unlike the rest of the floor, the office was decorated in warm woods and comfortable furnishings. “So glad you’re here!”

“Uh huh, it’s not exactly a social visit.” Nolan replied as he accepted Paul’s offer to sit down. “I see you’re doing well for yourself.”

“I arrived at the right time to prove my usefulness again,” Paul grinned at him and gestured at the opaque window to his left. He pressed a button, and a panel slid down, revealing a view across the operations floor of the command post to a series of big screens showing a variety of information and live data. “I don’t control this, of course, but we were instrumental in finding where the Guardian Prime was being held by Garrett a few weeks ago. It’s really put us on the map, so to speak.”

“That’s good to hear.” Nolan looked back at him, his eyes narrowing. “Did you manage to give any time towards that matter I asked to look into back in the capital?”

“It’s got a new name now, you know?” Paul remarked with a smirk as Nolan grunted.

“I heard: Victory City. Fitting.”

“Hah, it sounds like something from a Pokémon game.”

“Uh huh.” Nolan didn’t return Paul’s grin. “Regardless, about what we discussed the day of your birthday…”

“Right, just a minute.” Paul pressed a button set flush into the desk and glanced to one side, listening to something that was beyond Nolan’s human hearing. “Privacy mode is engaged. It’s common practice in these offices to discuss sensitive matters. Plus, your arrival will have been noted.”

“Like I said, hardly a social call.” Nolan leaned back in his seat. “What have you been able to discover?”

“About a week ago, there was an incident at the Nemeton site, you should check it out for yourself, there might be clues left behind.” Paul replied slowly. “We weren’t told anything, just to continue with our work as normal. The Guardian Prime arrived while celebrations of the war’s end were still going on, he was here on a mission for the Emperor, I don’t know what.”

“Go on.”

“A couple of hours later, the Inner Pack, the Emperor, the remaining Guardians, they all arrived, but never came to the Rhino’s Horn, they went into the forest instead.” Paul grimaced as Nolan frowned at him. “Obviously I wasn’t following them, but I did happen to be high up on the Horn and had a great view over the forest. We’d been hearing rumors for weeks that the werewolf pack that lived there had been swelling with new packs and other travelers. The Emperor informed my boss not to do anything, that he expected druids and darachs to converge on the site, but we were not to interfere.”

“And chimeras never disobey an order.” Nolan mused to himself. “What did you see?”

“There was a storm that night, lightning, thunder, rain. It might have been natural, but it was localized to where the Nemeton grove is, deep in werewolf territory.” The chimera steepled his fingers as Nolan nodded slowly. “There was an explosion, this horrifying blue light and howling like nothing I’ve ever heard. The trees around the grove were destroyed, like a nuke hit the area. The werewolf pack and their allies are gone, the Emperor returned with three survivors, but I didn’t see enough of them to get an ID.”

“Interesting.” Nolan hummed as Paul finished his report. “Anything on Mason Hewitt?”

“I made some careful enquiries; the Emperor had him turned into a chimera and set him up as a sleeper agent inside the local werewolf pack here, no doubt part of his plan with the Nemeton.” Paul replied, standing up in order to pour himself a glass of water before doing the same for Nolan when the assassin nodded. “Perhaps he was killed along with the pack, or he was one of the ones who survived.”

“So, did he escape from the Rhino’s Horn or was he released?”

“He escaped with help from those other three, Liam, Jackson, Peter. But it was calculated to occur during a feast for the Emperor when security was lightest.” Paul explained. “It shouldn’t matter now though, right? Mason can’t rebel now that he’s a chimera.”

“He can try, unlike most of you, he won’t have that automatic loyalty and submission to the Emperor.” Nolan took a drink, savoring the chilled liquid. “Mason is still a rebel at heart, but if he’s a chimera then perhaps I can speak with him, learn the location of Gabe and the last of his holdouts.”

“Mason’s in Victory City, I know that much.”

“You’ve done well.” Nolan put down his glass and slowly stood up. “I’m glad we’ve been able to maintain a working relationship.”

“It could be more than that.” Paul arched a brow at him and offered the familiar flirty grin. “You’re not planning on staying in the visitor center, are you?”

“I had hoped to see the Nemeton site and then get back on the road.” Nolan muttered, feeling an echoing pulse of desire in his stomach and sinking down to his dick as Paul stretched his arms over his head. “I could be in Victory City by morning then.”

“There’s no point in traipsing around the forest at night without chimera eyes,” Paul shook his head. “And who knows when you’ll be out this way again? You can stay at my place, a free house is part of the pay package!”

“I know all about that.” Nolan murmured, letting his gaze linger on the short sleeves of Paul’s shirt before he nodded again. “Alright, I’ll stay the night, it’s been a long day’s drive anyway.”

“Good, I’ll show you the way.” Paul grinned at him and pressed the privacy button again. “Now, let’s wrap this up, Blade.”

The Rhino’s Horn dominated the skyline from wherever Nolan looked out of the windows in Paul’s residence, a comfortable wooden frame house that looked identical to a dozen others on the street near the Intelligence command post. The forest was close around them, kept at bay with metal fences topped with razor wire, a not-so-subtle reminder that they were at one of the Empire’s most critical chimera production sites. The exterior was painted black with muted blue windows and a dark slate roof, the type of house Nolan wouldn’t have given a second look.

The interior was furnished in a cozier style, with a wood burning stove at the center of the living room and several couches and seats arranged around it, their soft fabrics a pleasing contrast to the hardness of the pine flooring. There had been a complex electronic lock to get past and then another, different, alarm system to disarm as Paul gestured for Nolan to take his shoes off in the entryway. As he was looking around, the assassin noticed the subtle additions and changes made to increase the protection of the dwelling.

The window and door frames were made from Mountain Ash, providing a security barrier against the supernatural, while the glass in the panes had been reinforced and metal shutters could be pulled down to further protect whoever was inside. Paul explained that the water and waste disposal systems were on their own network, routed back towards the Rhino’s Horn so they couldn’t be tampered with, while power was independent for each unit with solar and geothermal set up.

It seemed like overkill when most of the occupants were probably already chimeras and could easily defend themselves, but apparently the neighborhood had been designed to house humans of great value to the Emperor and Empire both. Nolan nodded along as Paul continued to explain, adding that Liam Dunbar’s parents and extended family were accommodated in one such block on the other side of the Fount of Glory. Nolan secreted that piece of information away for further use, should he need leverage against the traitor.

Paul busied himself laying down a fire and Nolan dropped his baggage into the spare room, taking the time to shower and shave. It had been several days since he had access to secure facilities, the heartland being little more than abandoned towns and the remnants of battle sites from the previous wars. After half an hour, he stepped back into the living room, clad in a loose pair of cotton shorts and a baggy vest, steam still rising from his flushed, tanned skin.

“Hey,” He called out as Paul came in from the kitchen, a cheese platter in one hand. “Ah, food too?”

“Well, I can’t let you think I won’t satisfy my guests.” The red-headed chimera grinned at him and gestured at the spread on the coffee table. “Help yourself.”

“Have you eaten?” Nolan asked, sitting down and reaching for the bowl of olives.

“Perks of the service, you get dinner for free!” He sprawled out on the couch opposite him, having changed also into more comfortable lounge wear. Paul checked him out with an approving nod. “You look great! Been overseas, huh?”

“That’s right, uh, Egypt mostly.” Nolan replied, chewing slowly. “A lot of sand and sunshine, and more secrets than you can shake a brush at.”

“Hmm.”

“How’s life as a chimera?” Nolan asked him in return, careful to shift the conversation away from what any of those secrets might be. “Are you enjoying all the benefits it brings you?”

“Yeah,” Paul grinned and flexed his arms in his tight t-shirt. “I feel incredible!”

“You certainly look it.”

“Haha, I’m stronger, faster, better in just about every way,” He paused, nodding slowly. “And there’s a sense of, I don’t know, peace. I haven’t felt that since this all began.”

“What was the surgery like?” Nolan asked, curious now. “Do you remember anything?”

“Uh, it was like most surgeries, I guess,” He shrugged. “I was lucky, I just got on the bed, they knocked me out and when I came to again, I was changed, different. The Emperor Awakened me a couple of hours later along with about two dozen others…the sensation of connection, of power, was incredible, intoxicating almost.”

“What do you mean, you were lucky?”

“Well, I think it depends on your doctor,” Paul grimaced as Nolan frowned. “Look, everyone knows the First Chimera enjoyed his job here a little too much and took particular pleasure in converting hot guys into chimeras. Rumor is that he had them strip down first before they were knocked out and transformed into chimeras, so he could, you know…”

“Are you saying-”

“I’m not saying anything!” Paul cut across him hurriedly. “Just what I heard. But I know that they have to open you up and implant various essences to integrate your chimera abilities. The doctors at the Imperial Palace were super-professional and there was a whole team of them, not just the, uh First Chimera and his goons.”

“Haha,” Nolan chuckled at the thought, memories of his first encounter with Theo rising from his mind. “I guess I can understand the lure of all that power and control, especially when he sees himself as above reproach.”

“No, but it’s been great, honestly. And there’s been no more sideways glances from other chimeras anymore.” He sighed as Nolan nodded understandingly. “We’re all part of the same team now, I suppose.”

“I get that. The Minister has been pushing me to get converted.” Nolan explained. “I hadn’t really given much thought to the actual mechanics of how it would be done though.”

“Well, hopefully I haven’t scared you off!”

“No, the opposite really, I trust Corey.” Nolan murmured and glanced at his watch. “I’ll need to be on the road early tomorrow.”

“You’re going to bed already?” Paul didn’t hide the disappointment in his voice.

“Well, hopefully not alone.” Nolan smirked as the chimera perked up. “And I haven’t seen the master bedroom yet.”

“Ah, let me give you the grand tour!”

Perhaps their previous hookup had made things easier, but Nolan was surprised at himself for how quickly the “tour” turned into both of them stripping off and crushing their lips together. Nolan had seen him naked before of course, but his muscles seemed to have developed even more, Paul’s chest was broad, and his abs clearly defined. Thick pectorals balanced his strong shoulders and hard, pink nipples graced the center of each pec, his skin still paler than Nolan’s, a glorious contrast to Paul’s dark, fiery red hair.

The last time they had hooked up, Nolan was comfortable being the bottom, had even derived pleasure from getting ploughed by the eighteen-year-old. But this time he had something else in mind. They kept kissing as Nolan urged him back towards the bed, Paul sitting down abruptly when the back of his knees hit the duvet, breaking their embrace. “You look so hot.” Nolan breathed as he took in all of the chimera’s beauty, his eyes dragging down Paul’s chest to linger on his heavy, erect cock nestled in a thick bush of red hair. Normally Nolan preferred the smooth look, but something about the natural fire sparked a deep arousal in his core.

He sank to his knees before Paul and reached out to grasp his cock, pumping it up and down a few times as Paul gasped and grunted. Nolan’s own cock was almost painfully hard, and he spared his other hand to jerk off, slowly, burning off a touch of the arousal while still leaving himself eager for more. “You good?” He asked as Paul nodded, his hands bracing his body as he arched into Nolan’s grip.

“Fuck, yeah!” Paul moaned, his lips parted, eyes glowing softly.

“Nice.” Nolan murmured back, watching him as he continued to pump up and down. Aside from his obvious handsomeness, there was something almost tantalizing about having sex with someone who shared a connection to someone else in a very real way. Paul’s eyes were amber, not the purple fire that marked him as being directly controlled by Stiles. But it was still Nolan’s first time with a chimera. He idly wondered how, if at all, it would be different. Before Paul could erupt in his grasp with his musings, Nolan turned his attention back to the matter at hand.

Nolan stroked Paul's dick a few more times before shuffling forward, his head lowering and mouth opening. His hot breath made the chimera's dick shudder and Nolan grinned as he ran his tongue over Paul's pink mushroom head. There was a delicate taste of precum as Nolan bent his head down and sucked the thick cock into his mouth. He was hung, maybe ten inches in total and girthy as well, it had been wild to let go and get fucked by him that time before. But they hadn't done much more than that and Nolan had all night to explore his body and unlock the chimera's fetishes.

"Mmmh, oh, yeah!" Paul groaned as Nolan swiped his tongue up and down his shaft, rolling it against the underside of his slit as Nolan's head bobbed up and down. "Fuck, that's hot!"

"Mmph!" Nolan moaned around Paul's dick, sending vibrations up his cock and into his full, heavy balls. He continued to tongue the head of his cock then slid down the shaft until his nose was buried in the guy's thick red bush. Nolan concentrated on his breathing as his throat was stretched to the limit, barely hearing Paul swear and pant above him. He slid back, easing the pressure for a moment before slamming his mouth down Paul's dick again, sloppy sounds spilling around his lips as he choked on the guy's dick. "Aghhhh! Mmmmph!"

"Fuck, Nolan, that's intense!" Paul grunted, arching into him and letting the rest of his body relax. One hand came up to rest on Nolan's head as his legs slid open, encouraging Nolan to use his fingers to play with Paul's balls. "Uh, yeah!"

"Mmmh!" Nolan moaned again, his own dick rock hard as he moved back and forth, faster and faster as Paul gasped and groaned above him. Before allowing him to cum, Nolan pulled his mouth off Paul's dick and instead dedicated himself to kissing and licking at his heavy balls. Nolan groaned in his throat as he felt Paul twitch uncontrollably, the sensation new and strange and exciting. He only teased them for a short while, rolling them around inside his mouth with his tongue, before going back to sucking his cock again.

"Oh, dude!" Paul cried out, tried to push him away. "If you keep it up, you're going to have a mouth full of cum."

"That's the plan!" Nolan paused for a moment to grin at him. "You chimeras have legendary stamina, I'm sure you'll recover fast!"

"Uh, I guess, ahh!"

Nolan went back to sucking him off as Paul began to rock back and forth, lifting his ass off the bed to thrust into Nolan's mouth. The chimera pumped his dick in and out of Nolan's ready mouth as he lavished the passing shaft with his tongue, his mushroom head slipping against the sides of Nolan's cheek as Paul began to push himself over the edge into pleasure.

"Ah, yeah!" Nolan grunted when he felt Paul's cock tighten in his mouth, the chimera still feeding it to him even as his thrusts became reckless. He wasn't sure how much longer Paul had before he came, but Nolan grinned, his own cock jerking in his free hand as he felt Paul's cock tighten once again and shoot wad after wad of thick cream into the back of his throat. "Ah, uh, mmmh!"

"Fuck yeah, Nolan!" The chimera cried out as he twisted his fingers in Nolan's hair. He looked down at him with lazy eyes as Nolan pulled back, showing off the thick load on his tongue. "Fuck, that's hot!"

"Heh." Nolan smirked as a devilish idea sparked through his mind. He kept Paul's copious cum in his mouth as he straightened up, pushing at Paul's legs until the other guy got the idea and rolled onto his back, his asshole exposed. Nolan bent down and used his hands to pull Paul's ass cheeks apart, his puckering hole winking at him. Moving closer, Nolan pressed his mouth directly against Paul's hole and used his cum-coated spear to thrust inside, shot gunning Paul's load into his own asshole. After a few minutes of sloppily making out with the new cream pie, Nolan pulled back and looked up at him. "Now you're ready for a good time!"

"That was so fucking nasty and hot!" Paul gasped at him, his cheeks burning red like his hair. "I'm so turned on, my dick hasn't gone down yet!"

"And we're only beginning!"

Nolan lined up his cock with Paul's messy entrance, his dick covered in a sheen of lube as he used his free hand to keep the chimera's legs back. He could see Paul's flushed face, the swell of heat continuing down across his chest and ending at his clenched abs, shiny with the remnants of his load that had spilled out after Nolan had collected his prize. Their eyes met, Nolan pausing until Paul nodded his assent at him. "Ooooh!" Nolan crooned as his pushed his dick into Paul's ass, groaning along with him, the wet heat of his hole deliciously complemented by the knowledge that Nolan was fucking Paul with his own cum as lube. "Ah, yeah!"

"Oh, wow!" Paul grunted as Nolan pushed all the way inside. "Fuck!"

"This is so hot." Nolan mumbled, moving forward until Paul's ass was pushed off the bed and he was leaning over the chimera, one hand on either side of his body, fully inside his asshole. Paul's abs were tightening as he let Nolan take control, a momentary pause as they both savored what was to come until Nolan started rocking forward and back, faster and faster. There was no prelude to a gentle pace, but rather Nolan began hard and fast, and only increased his speed as they went.

"Aw, yeah, pound my ass, Nolan!" Paul gasped, his arms thrown behind his head. "Fuck, yeah!"

"Ah! Ah! Ah!" Nolan moaned loudly, fucking the other guy hard enough that he was dripping sweat, his cock slamming in and out of Paul's loaded up hole without ever sliding all the way out. He eased up on the angle of his thrusts, allowing Paul's body to relax a little more as Nolan wrapped a hand around his cock and began to jerk Paul off.

"Oh man, yes!" Paul grunted as Nolan matched his thrusts with his hand-job, slamming deep into Paul's ass just as his hand reached the base of Paul's shaft, his cock slick with cum and precum. "Fuck me, Nolan!"

"Ah! Oh! Yeah, I'm close!" Nolan gasped, feeling his balls tighten as he rammed in and out of Paul's asshole, the erotic implications of the cum squelching around his cock was overwhelming. "Uh, no, here it cums!" He cried out and went still, buried deep inside Paul's ass cum boiled up from his balls and arced out in thick streams into his hole, mixing with load already locked inside. "Ughh!"

"Ah, fuck, that's feels incredible!" Paul moaned, taking over from Nolan to jerk himself off with long, fast strokes. He caught Nolan's gaze and came a few seconds later, not as copious as the first time, but still spraying jizz across his pecs and abs. “That was awesome!”

“Yeah, nice.” Nolan replied softly, pulling his cock out slowly as Paul winced and grimaced. He stepped back and gestured over his shoulder. “Bathroom is…where?”

“Behind you, to the right. Fuck!”

“Thanks.” Nolan staggered away, a little light headed after the intense energy burn. He slapped on the light switch and grabbed some tissues to clean himself up as he glanced at the mirror. Nolan wetted his lips and nodded at his reflection. The guilt and awkwardness he had felt from previous encounters was barely present any longer, his thoughts only drifting towards Ryan from time to time. “Ok, good to go.”

He walked back into the bedroom to see Paul had cleaned up too and was pulling on a pair of shorts and a gym vest. “Going somewhere?”

“Well, I figured we’d go back to the living room and finish the snacks.” He shrugged. “There’s a new film I want to watch as well, Shades of Bearopolis, have you seen it?”

“Uh, no.” Nolan was thrown by the normalcy of their conversation, but he nodded. “Um, I’m game.”

“Awesome! It’s about this group of explorers that come across a mystical island filled with bear-people.” Paul explained as Nolan got dressed. “I promise, it’s not a porn.”

“I mean, you say that…” Nolan chuckled and followed him back into the living room.

The last time Nolan had been in this forest he had been on his first assignments for the chimeras and the hunters. It wasn’t too long ago, but still felt like years. He was a different person now, he had seen too many things to remain the hunter he was then. Nolan glanced his fingers over the holster of the gun strapped to his thigh, a necessary precaution when looking for rebels. Paul’s information that the werewolves in the region had been wiped out had influenced his decision not to bring any additional hunting equipment. Besides, he was still so close to the Fount of Glory and the hundreds of chimeras that worked and lived there, that Nolan felt a modicum of protection.

It wasn’t difficult to find the location of the Nemeton. There was a deliberate channel carved into the forest where trees had been uprooted and the undergrowth whipped aside. The grove itself was at the center of the swath of destruction and Nolan felt a strange sensation creep over his skin as he approached the shattered stump. He hadn’t been quite sure what to expect, knowing only that the tree itself had been cut down some years in the past, with the base left behind.

The ground around the Nemeton was scattered with bleached bones and Nolan grimaced as he spotted dozens of skulls discarded across the clearing. He knelt down to inspect a strange symbol etched into the dark earth, his fingers brushing through the dead, grey soil that was beneath the surface layer of bones and leaves.

“Strange, isn’t it?” The familiar voice called out from across the glade and Nolan straightened up at once. Gabe emerged from the treeline, an assault rifle slung across his chest as he extended his hands in a peaceful gesture. “Don’t shoot!”

“You…” Nolan growled. “What are you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same thing, chimera-lover.”

“Is that the best you can do?”

“I don’t know, ‘traitor’ seems a bit redundant.” Gabe shrugged and offered him a half smile. He kept approaching until the spilt stump of the Nemeton sat between them, a hard grey goop coating the splintered shards of wood that emerged from the hollow. “Perhaps you’re a chimera now?”

“Not yet.” Nolan shrugged as Gabe arched a brow at him. He turned the conversation towards a different topic, gesturing at the Nemeton. “Why are you here?”

“Oh, I had to see it for myself, regardless of the risk of returning to Beacon Hills.” The rebel’s smirk grew when Nolan grimaced. “You’re too used to calling it The Fount of Glory, aren’t you? Tut tut, Nolan, don’t get swept up in their propaganda.”

“See what?” He replied, ignoring Gabe’s smarmy expression.

“The ritual site, of course. I heard that Satomi’s pack had gathered all manner of werewolves and darachs and druids to her cause, something about creating a weapon that could defeat the chimeras once and for all.” Gabe finally explained. “I even lost some of my supporters to it, some sort of dark and profane ceremony that went against nature itself.”

“That could be true.” Nolan murmured, eying the broken Nemeton and the skeletal debris around it. “What was the weapon?”

“Ah, now that’s the question, isn’t it?” Gabe chuckled to himself. “Scott was killed by Stiles and Theo, you heard about that, right?”

“Something about it, the name is forbidden in the Empire.”

“Right. Did you hear that he had a son too?”

“Maybe, I don’t know.” Nolan evaded as Gabe continued to grin at him. “Yes, actually, back in your camp, that evening we met Mason-”

“When you betrayed us? Yes, the child was alive at that point.”

“But now?”

“I told you it was a profane ritual, use your imagination.”

“Ugh.” Nolan made a disgusted noise in his throat and looked around him. “They were sacrificed.”

“All of them, yes. And in return, Scott McCall rose from the dead, well, with a little help from the Emperor, of course.” Gabe shrugged when Nolan looked sharply at him. “My soldier ran away before seeing exactly what happened, but I know Scott’s back, True Alpha or not, he is a natural ally.”

“Hmm,” Nolan slowly reached for his weapon. “And what does that make us?”

“Careful, Nolan, I have hunters in the trees, don’t do something I’d later regret.”

“Bold of you to come so close to an Imperial stronghold.” Nolan pulled his hand back up and nodded at The Rhino’s Horn rearing in the distance.

“I had to see this for myself, Nolan, we finally have a chance!” Gabe grinned at him, the same old fire in his eyes. “I’ve made a lot of new contacts, our ranks are growing, and now I’ve got agents of my own. Not to mention a deal with the devil which will bring the remaining werewolves to our side.”

“Devil?” Nolan arched a brow curiously. “Who?”

“Gerard Argent, you might not remember him. I only met him once with the, uh, shooting club.” Gabe smirked as Nolan stiffened. “He’s a hunter, kind of, something weird happened to him, but he’s back and ready to bring the fight to the chimeras. And I’m guessing you really aren’t one yet or you’d be hurling your abilities at me instead of reaching for a gun.”

“What’s your point?”

“It’s time to come home, Nolan, back to your real family. The hunters will take you back, offer a clean slate for what you’ve done, since you’re ideally placed to help us break the chimeras from within. Not to mention, we can pick up where we left off, no one else has managed to give me the same satisfaction as your thick dick and sweet ass!”

“Hmm, that’s almost tempting.” Nolan drawled, his lip curling in distain. “But if you think that you can take on the might of the Chimera Empire and win, then I’ve been seriously over-estimating your intelligence.”

“You-” Gabe broke off as a challenging roar echoed through the trees and moments later, an armored warrior charged into the clearing. The rebel glared one final time at Nolan before fleeing into the trees on the other side as gunfire broke out, peppering the invader with rifle rounds.

“Gah!” Nolan dived to the ground and hid behind the stump as the gunfire petered off and a few minutes later, the glade was peaceful again. He climbed to his feet to find himself staring at the purple eyes of a handsome Guardian. “Err, thanks?”

“Hmph.” The Emperor’s bodyguard grunted and gestured towards him. “You have value to the Minister for Chimera Intelligence. But this place is not for you. The Minister would be displeased if you died.”

“Corey? Huh.” Nolan muttered as the Guardian glared down at him. “What about Gabe?”

“You should leave this place, I will gather the garrison to chase down the rebels.”

“Of course, thank you.” Nolan bowed slightly, receiving a curt nod in response as he backed away from the towering chimera before turning around and retreating back to the relative safety of The Fount of Glory.

The capital, or Victory City as it now was, had changed considerably in his time away. The urban sprawl that had been tolerated up to now was swiftly cut off several miles from the Imperial Palace by a massive stone wall that ringed the region from the shore back around to the edges of the ziggurat and circled through the San Fernando Valley out to the beach on the other side. Everything outside the city walls was in the process of being cleared away, concrete piling up, steel rebars gathered in long stacks, miscellaneous wood amassed in clusters on the corner of every street. Nolan slowed down as he drove through it, mindful of both the chimeras working as well as the large machines being operated by human laborers.

At regular intervals in the curtain wall were entrances straight out of a Medieval castle; arched gates that allowed vehicles to pass through, metal portcullis behind and in front of each access point. Security had tightened too, with City Guards taking his details and inspecting his dusty SUV with teams of bomb-spotters and working dogs. “Couldn’t they just sniff themselves?” Nolan murmured to himself as he passed through the checkpoint and started towards his apartment complex which, if his calculations were correct, should be still inside the perimeter. The streets inside the wall were surprisingly busy, with construction crews on almost every block. Gone was the sprawl of low-level homes and businesses, replaced now with the foundations for towering skyscrapers, the region’s tectonic activity quelled by the presence of chimeras with terrakinetic or other earth manipulation powers.

The streets of Victory City were pristine, not merely clean or tidy, but the concrete and stone gleamed underfoot. With much of the capital having been redesigned or rebuilt to accommodate the needs of the chimeras, it was difficult to determine where he was and how to get to where he needed to go. The roads were almost empty, with only a few other cars travelling slowly through the city, the chimeras drawing their endless stamina from the proximity of the Alpha Chimera as they flew overhead or walked along the streets.

Nolan was relieved to find his apartment was intact and he parked in the underground lot, remaining in the driver’s seat for a few minutes as he settled after the long drive from the Fount of Glory. After gathering himself, Nolan stepped out and picked up his luggage, taking the elevator up to his floor. The apartment was the same as he left it, although someone had come by and both watered his plants and cleaned away the dust and cobwebs, perhaps in anticipation of his return. He was already looking forward to a hot shower and a clean change of clothes before reporting in to Corey.

An hour later, and Nolan was walking up the long boulevard that stretched from the main entrance of the outer wall all the way up through the center of old LA and finished at the central plaza outside the gates to the Imperial Palace. This was the famous Path of Legends, adorned every ten feet with plinths that were to be filled with statues of chimera heroes with a small plaque that outlined their achievements. It was only just being completed when he had left for Egypt.

The sun beat down from the cloudless sky as Nolan wiped the sweat from his brow, making a detour to grab a bottle of chilled water from a vendor who had set up their stall across from the now finished Church of the Emperor in Ascendence, a towering Gothic cathedral that dominated the space around it. Craning his head back, Nolan followed the tall spire that arched out and backwards from the center of the church, the only modern consideration which gave the entire building an almost alien appearance.

After resting for a few minutes, Nolan finished his water and disposed of the bottle before making his way into the Imperial Palace itself. Another series of tall ramparts and thick walls encircled the ziggurat, although the security arrangements were overshadowed by the enormous statues of Stiles, Theo, and Corey that stood over the entrance, Nolan smirking as he stepped inside. There were dozens of chimeras gathering around the doors of the palace and he slipped through the crowd into the grand entrance hall.

He would need to cross the throne room to access the wall of elevators that led into the fortified bunker that housed Chimera Intelligence. Nolan frowned at the large numbers of chimeras and humans who were standing in the throne room, but a quick look over their heads confirmed that the Emperor was in attendance. The assassin slowed down, feeling the rising tension in the room, moving over to one of the columns that offered a better view of the dais and the throne itself.

A semi-circular void had opened between Stiles and the crowd, Nolan noticing that three chimeras were on their knees before the Alpha Chimera. He hummed to himself, studying the scene as Stiles paced back and forth on one of the steps above them, a pale blue cloak dragging on the stone as Theo lounged in a smaller throne next to him, a bored expression on his handsome face. Nolan spotted Corey standing beside a cadre of other intelligence officers and was about to slip across the floor to meet him when an unrestrained roar of anger broke through the quiet whispers.

“No!” Stiles yelled and whirled around, his eyes blazing like purple suns as he bore down on the cowering chimeras at his feet. Coils of purple electricity arced up and down his body and formed a sizzling crown over his head, his hands clenched tightly into fists before he snarled wordlessly and thrust out his hands. Nolan felt the blood drain from his face when the Emperor lashed out, the electricity zapping from his hands with an angry zing, vaporizing the unfortunates kneeling in front of him.

“Ah!” The crowd collectively shrank back, those in the front rows scrambling backwards in case the Emperor should turn his fury upon them.

"No!" The Emperor shouted again, the electricity continuing to build up around him as the air took on a charged aura, Nolan tasting metal in his mouth. "I will not accept this! He cannot just have disappeared. Someone find me my Guardian Prime!"

Nolan slipped through the quivering ranks of the chimeras and ducked out of the throne room, hearing the echoes of Stiles’ raving voice reverberate around the marble halls. An unpleasant shiver raced up and down his spine as he considered the meaning of the words. The Guardian Prime had been abducted before, taken during the rescue of Corey from the Ghost Riders, but this sounded different, as though he had actually vanished. Nolan knew from talking to the chimeras that the Emperor was able to find them wherever they were and could share their powers at his will. The only time he lost that connection was when the chimera died.

“Hmm, not ideal.” Nolan grunted as the elevator finally arrived. After having to bribe one of Marric’s human archaeologists to translate the picture of the hieroglyphs he had taken in Ka’narack, it had been unclear why Connor wanted to keep that particular wall from Stiles. The results weren’t exactly a smoking gun, it seemed to be a pretty common creation myth with a chimera twist, but Nolan wasn’t sure why or even if it was important. Since their focus seemed to be on recovering some sort of added abilities for the Overmind that controlled the other chimeras, Stiles and his pack weren’t going to be interested in some stories from thousands of years ago. And yet…Nolan had thought about the conversation he had overheard between Marric and Connor, the way the Guardian Prime had sounded: irritated and unwilling, but clearly hiding something.

Regardless of the past however, the loss of this one chimera could have far-reaching implications, Nolan reflected as the elevator slowly dropped through the earth, seeming to stop at every floor between the surface and his destination. He knew Connor was respected, revered even, by most people in the Empire, that he had created his religion for Stiles not merely as an extension of the cult of personality but as a means to unify and rebuild the shattered people of the planet. It was also a useful cover for Intelligence’s more subtle infiltration and Psy-Ops. If that crumbled along with him, then the future of the Empire would be left in the blood-soaked claws of chimeras like Theo, a poor outcome for everyone.

He finally arrived outside the security checkpoint for Chimera Intelligence, but only had to flash his ID before being allowed through. There was something familiar and relaxing about the bustle of the main operations center and Nolan nodded his greetings at those he knew, smiling as Hank moved over from his section to greet him personally. “Hey.”

“Hey! Nolan, good to see you!” The chimera embraced him briefly, grinning as he let go. “Well, you got plenty of sun on your travels!”

“I guess.” He shrugged and followed Hank over to the image analysis section. “Is this where you’re working now?”

“That’s right, part of the new taskforce to investigate the Guardian Prime’s disappearance.” Hank replied, his expression becoming muted. “No leads, no evidence beyond his Osprey going down.”

“This has happened before though, a few weeks ago with Garrett and the Ghost Riders.” Nolan frowned. “Maybe it’s something similar, some holdout from his rebellion?”

“You’re not a chimera yet, are you?”

“No.” Nolan shook his head as Hank sighed. “What does that have to do with it?”

“You’d know that the Emperor can find his chimeras wherever they are.” The spy explained, gesturing behind him at the big screens. “Garrett kept the Guardian Prime on the brink of death to the point that the Emperor kept feeling him die. But he could still feel him. Not this time, apparently, he’s just gone.”

“Were there others with him?” Nolan asked, his curiosity piqued.

“A few other chimeras, some scientists, and a valuable human prisoner.” Hank shrugged and nodded for them to move away from his work station. “Same deal as with the Guardian Prime, no survivors, no trace, just the damaged vehicle. Hmm, but I guess you’re not here to lend a hand with that?”

“No, the Minister has something else in mind for me.” Nolan looked over his shoulder as he saw Corey stride across the main floor, gesturing irritably for his Guardian bodyguards to return to their posts outside the security checkpoint. “Ah, here he is.”

“Rebel hunting again?” Hank grinned at him. “I almost wish I could join you.”

“Almost?”

“This is important work.” He pulled out his phone as a message came through, his expression muting. “Ah, well, enjoy the hunt.”

“I intend to, there is unfinished business to finally put to bed.” Nolan nodded grimly and walked away from him, climbing the steps to Corey’s office. The door was open, and Nolan stepped inside as Corey gestured for him to close the door after him and then sit. “Hey, good to see you in person again.”

“Likewise.” Corey replied curtly and rubbed his hands over his face before looking at him. “Right, I received the report from the Guardians stationed around the Nemeton, but I’d like to hear it from you. What’s your assessment of Gabe?”

“Straight to business, huh?” Nolan offered him a smile, but Corey’s face was stony. “Uh, hard to give a threat assessment, he had a few people with him, but I couldn’t see their weapons or equipment. He had a gun himself, but nothing exotic.”

“How about his bearing, his demeanor?”

“Gabe was the same as before, maybe a little more arrogant.” Nolan reflected on his encounter with the rebel. “He talked about gathering new allies, Gerard Argent, if that name rings a bell?”

“Not for me, I’ll pass it onto our agents, see what they can find.” Corey sat back in his chair, Nolan noticing for the first time how tired he looked. “You blew your cover at the end of your last mission with him, right?”

“Yeah, I’m beginning to regret that now.”

“Hmm, we could have used you to infiltrate their ranks, see if they’ve rearmed and regrouped, find where they’ve gone to ground.” Corey fell silent for a moment, clearly thinking. “What else did Gabe tell you at the Nemeton?”

“He mentioned some sort of ritual…” Nolan left the sentence hanging to see what Corey’s reaction would be, but the spymaster just nodded. “Scott’s back?”

“In a manner of speaking, Stiles had him turned into a werewolf chimera and then…reanimated him with the help of some unwitting friends.” Corey’s lip curled in obvious disgust. “Mason was turned into a chimera too, they’re both with Liam’s pack to train and get up to speed. There’s been some advancements in chimera technology while you were in the desert.”

“Really?”

“Any existing supernatural can become a chimera now: Parrish, Liam, Jackson, no matter their exotic capabilities. Except Banshees, they still haven’t cracked that one.” Corey shrugged as he glanced at a flashing light on his phone console before ignoring it. “I believe that Stiles intends to use Scott to recruit the rebel werewolves and hunters to the Empire, giving him the option to save them or have them killed. From what we can tell, Scott is still Scott.”

“Hmm.” Nolan nodded slowly, watching as Corey unconsciously ran his fingers along the nape of his neck. “Do you want me to shadow him? See if he’s loyal?”

“I already know he isn’t, that he has some plot to save his best friend.” Corey grimaced. “But, no, not yet, not until you are a chimera.”

“Soon then?”

“You are ready?”

“I am.” Nolan nodded as Corey mirrored him, a smile pulling at his lips for the first time. “Do you have any, uh, recommendations?”

“I already agreed the configuration of your abilities with Opal, they will complement your natural skills and aid your operations as a Blade of the Chimera.” Corey looked around and found a piece of paper, sliding it over to him. “Here, tell me what you think.”

“Thanks.” Nolan picked it up and scanned the page, nodding to himself. “So, chameleon cloaking for invisibility, that will come in handy…I’ll be able to leap really high?”

“And climb effectively. We can discuss further augmentation, maybe for gliding, in the future.” Corey replied. “You’ll get standard chimera claws based on the werewolf, werebear pattern, but we’ll add in some Kanima essence so they’ll be envenomed, and you’ll have new resistances to venom so you can’t accidentally hurt yourself.”

“Huh.” Nolan frowned at the last line. “Venom glands in the stomach…that sounds unpleasant.”

“You won’t even notice, but you’ll be able to spit venom as a sort of last line defense.” Corey shrugged at his discomfort. “Go talk the Dragon, uh, Nick, you’ll find him in the cathedral. He can breathe fire, he might be able to put your fears to rest.”

“Alright, so when is this going to happen?”

“You’ll need to be Awakened, one-on-one with the Emperor,” Corey mused as he turned to face his computer, typing at the keys. “He does daily Awakenings for a couple of hours in the afternoon, but his mood isn’t exactly stable right now.”

“I was in the throne room earlier,” Nolan offered as Corey winced. “I’d rather not be incinerated.”

“Hah, agreed.” Corey hit the return key and looked back at him. “I’ve scheduled the chimeraification for three weeks from now, it’ll be done here at the Palace, our surgeons are second to none.”

“Even Theo?”

“Trust me, you don’t want him drooling over you as he works. Blood is his primary kink.” Corey smirked when Nolan blanched. “Besides, you’ve seen behind the curtain often enough by now, take the time to get used to the idea of having all that power at your fingertips.”

“I could use an assignment to keep myself busy.” Nolan said after a few seconds of thinking. “Do you have anything that needs taking care of?”

“As it happens, the City Guard were planning on handling a particular matter, but I think you’d be a better fit.” Corey wheeled his chair over to the stack of files piled onto the edge of the table. After sorting through the tower, he pulled out a slim folder and offered it to Nolan. “We’ve been monitoring the communications of non-chimeras who live in Victory City for a while now. It’s the usual mix of conspiracy theories, complaints, and gossip that you’d expect.”

“But…?”

“But yesterday we picked up chatter from a few rebel leaning citizens about taking action.” Corey pursed his lips as Nolan scanned the transcripts. “There’s a couple of leads in there, it could be nothing, it could be everything. Start with Nathan Pierce, he’s the one we got the intercept on.”

“I’ll check it out.” Nolan prepared to stand up, pausing when Corey arched a brow at him. “What?”

“These aren’t avowed rebels yet,” He sighed. “The Imperial Council passed a decree last week, the final one Connor presented to them before he died. Something about improving the lot of the humans, stopping random violence against them, what I like to call an anti-Theo law!” Corey chuckled as Nolan tapped the folder against his arm thoughtfully. “Heh, anyway, I don’t need you to go in and start knocking heads around. Just…find out what sort of threat these potential rebels are and I’ll have them arrested.”

“I understand.” Nolan stood up again when Corey indicated he could leave. “I’ll keep you informed.”

Chapter Text

“Exult brothers and sisters! For today you become chimeras, chosen of the Emperor!” The words rang out across the chamber from the speaker atop the marble podium placed at the rear of the windowless room. They were deep under the palace, among the warren of labs and medical facilities that ran for dozens of miles beneath Victory City. The chimera smiled at them with almost smug benevolence. “The Chimera God has chosen you to join Him in our most perfect unity. Even now, this is a rare gift given only to those who have demonstrated true loyalty.”

“Hmm.” Nolan hummed to himself as he continued to listen with only half his attention. He studied the smooth, white walls and featureless doors pressed into them at regular intervals. There were perhaps twenty others with him, some he recognized from Chimera Intelligence, others were likely from the administrative or military branches of the Empire. They had met an hour ago in the atrium beneath the palace, milling around until several of the Faithful gathered them together and led them further underground into the chimera transformation labs. Now a richly dressed man spoke to them from the podium, his eyes bright with purple fire and his voice full of righteous zeal.

“Exult brothers and sisters!” He cried out again, raising his arms over his head. “And embrace your destiny as a chimera!”

“Glory!” Nolan shouted the response with the rest of them, no longer feeling self-conscious or uncomfortable at their ardor. He followed the others as they began to file through a door that just opened to his left, taking them down another pristine corridor. More doors stood open along this hallway, and people began to peel off, one person going into each one until it was Nolan’s turn, and he stepped through into the smaller room.

It was not unlikely a doctor’s surgery, with the usual array of diagnostic tools and equipment. A large monitor hung from one wall, blank for the moment while other screens displayed his medical records and the numerous scans and x-rays that had been done the previous day. Nolan took a seat on the edge of the examining table as the door to the corridor swung shut silently and yet another door opened up. This double door led deeper into the suite, and he could just see the sealed operating room behind thick glass, several nurses and assistants already scrubbed in and waiting for him.

“Ah, Nolan, good to see you again.” A smiling young woman came out from the surgery area, her mask hanging around her neck, her hands not yet encased in gloves.

“Dr. Markus.” Nolan returned the grin as she picked up his chart and gave it the once over. “We’re all set?”

“Yes, the essences have been gathered and the team are ready to begin implantation.” Dr. Markus glanced at him. “Are you ready?”

“Yes.” Nolan nodded and took a deep breath. “I thought I’d be more nervous.”

“You’re in good hands, the best in fact.” She laughed as he smirked. “I had the honor of improving the Guardian Prime’s abilities.”

“Well, that’s certainly a reassuring boast!” Nolan shrugged. “No matter what happens to him, he always survives: captured by Ghost Riders and repeated shocked and tortured? No problem! Attacked by a goo monster and almost devoured whole? Comes back just as shiny and perfect as ever!”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” Dr. Markus gestured for him to follow her into the antechamber. “I’ll just walk you through the surgery again, just so you know what to expect when you wake up on the other side.”

“I’m looking forward to it, to be honest.” Nolan replied, walking into a small changing room, a hospital gown laid out on the bench next to an open locker. “Not just the abilities, although the added strength and versatility will make my job a lot easier.”

“You enjoyed the Exarch’s speech then?”

“Exarch?” He frowned in confusion. “Is that what they’re called?”

“Religious leaders to further strengthen and unify the Empire.” Dr. Markus examined the chart as she spoke, nodding to herself. “A boon granted by the Emperor after the Guardian Prime’s return, they will serve to spread our faith and lead our righteous armies!”

“Maybe you should consider a career change!” Nolan smirked as she shrugged. “So, chimera abilities?”

“Yes, your primary base will be that of the were-chameleon, similar to the Minister for Chimera Intelligence.”

“I know Corey.”

“Oh, of course.” She put down the chart and addressed him fully. “Well, you’ll have the cloaking from that essence branch as well as enhanced leaping to augment your athletic capabilities. The venom production will happen naturally, you won’t even notice it, just like how blood is produced without you needing to do it.”

“And I have a natural immunity to venom afterwards?” Nolan asked as she nodded. “Is there anything else I should know?”

“The Emperor will Awaken you this afternoon, but before that you might feel strange, uncomfortable.” Dr. Markus explained when Nolan frowned. “There will certainly be an itching sensation across your entire body and potentially some light-headedness as your system adjusts to the changes being made. There is no risk of death or other complications, the process is so well-understood and refined now that our success rate is a hundred percent.”

“Hmm, that seems to be true.” Nolan hummed under his breath as he tried to think of an example of a failed chimera. “So what now, do I get changed?”

“Yes, you can put your clothes and personal effects into that locker.” She gestured at the gown. “There are disposable underwear and slippers too, put them both on. When you’re ready, come into the operating room and we’ll put you under. You should wake up in a few hours.”

“Got it.” Nolan waited for her to leave and then stripped out of his clothes, folding them neatly in a stack and placing them into the locker along with his phone, watch, and keys. It took him a minute to figure out the loose, baggy underwear, and it felt strange when he realized there was no front or back. The gown came next, the same as any other hospital garment meant to fit everyone and no one. Nolan awkwardly tied the strings at the back, keeping the knots simple as it was likely they would remove it anyway when he went under. He didn’t really think about anything as he pushed his feet into the slippers, simply allowing himself to go with the flow and allow the surgery to take place.

On his last day as a human, he had walked around the city and onto the beach, sitting on the sand until the long evening turned to night and the stars broke through the rare clouds. Corey had left with Stiles, Theo, and Connor more than a week before, taking most of the Inner Pack and their soldiers to deal with an emerging threat in South America. But Corey had called ahead to let him know they were returning and approved his surgery for the following day. Where previously Nolan had been reluctant to surrender himself to the prospect of being under the direct control of Stiles, he came to the realization that there was no more he could do without chimera abilities.

A handful of hunters remained across the Empire, and almost all of them were already chimeras, using their unique combination of skills and abilities to perform high value missions. Nolan craved that level of power and the recognition that came with it, that sense of feeling that he belonged, that he was valued. It had begun to slip away from him, even with his elevation to the ranks of the Blades. If he wanted to remain a key part of Chimera Intelligence, and more importantly, if he wanted to get closer to Corey, he had to become a chimera.

Nolan steeled himself as he left the changing room and walked into the operating theater, passing through two layers of decontamination before entering the sterile interior. One of the nurses gestured to the table and he climbed onto it, his head resting against a pillow as his heart thundered in his chest and his hands began to shake. The doctors and nurses surrounded him, one of them standing behind him as the anaesthetic was prepared. “I’m ready.”

“May the Emperor guide my hands,” Dr. Markus said as Nolan began to feel the effects of the drug wash over him. “And may the Chimera God protect you on your journey to glory itself!”

“Ugh…” Nolan groaned and frowned as he felt himself falling into a deep, dark pit, finally losing all sense of awareness.

Nolan had had surgery once before; removing his appendix had been a big deal at the time, a week off school and a month to recover fully. His only memory of the operation had been struggling against the mask as they used gas to put him under and then the sudden shock of waking up in the recovery room before falling back into groggy weariness. It was almost the same this time around, but he dreamed when he was under. Perhaps. The images and flashes that echoed around him were at once wildly fantastical and as mundane as reality. Massive cities of stone rose from the desert and stretched from horizon to horizon, great temples like those he had seen in Egypt towered above him as he soared over the bustling streets, monuments of such vastness and complexity surrounded him as he struggled to comprehend it all.

Under the boiling sun high in an azure sky, Nolan found himself on the top of a mountain plateau that dominated all around it, his gaze fixed on a verdant plain beneath him. The cascade of images had finally ceased, and he glanced around, awaiting the next shift of the dream. He was subtly aware he was dreaming, and Nolan reached out a hand, imagining a flame springing from his palm.

“That won’t work here.”

“What?!” Nolan whipped around as a voice reached him, cool and reassuring, the accent lost in the neutrality of the words. “Agh.” He winced as his eyes fell upon a figure standing nearby, a brilliant pool of golden light flaring around them as their features were lost. “What’s happening?”

“This is the boundary between life and death.” The figure, a man, Nolan was almost certain, spoke again, gesturing out at the vista before them. “Do not worry, your surgery is proceeding well, soon you will awaken to your new life as a chimera.”

“Who are you?”

“I…I am fragment cast off from the whole.” The figure spread his hands out before him. “You may think of me as a guide.”

“That’s not very helpful.” Nolan muttered as he glanced back at the plains beneath them. “I thought I was dreaming.”

“Of a sort. This is the Creator’s Sanctum.” The man replied smoothly. “Many chimeras have come here since the Overmind was united, they are finally beginning to see the machinations behind the power the host wields. However, I can only touch their…your minds when you sleep.”

“Will I remember this when I wake up?”

“Probably not.” The man sighed, a touch of silver racing through the golden aura blocking his features from Nolan’s sight. “And we may never speak again, I just need one chimera to establish a bond and return me to my rightful place. Will that be you? Will you be the one to restore my-”

“Ugh!” Nolan gasped as he lurched upright, breathing hard as reality crashed down over him and the dream faded into half-remembered images, the abruptness of his waking tearing the memories away. “Ah, ah, ah.”

“Easy, easy.” A nurse rushed over to him, a handsome tanned man in his mid-twenties, the smell of honey roasted nuts accompanying him. He patted Nolan’s shoulder and guided him back down onto the bed, adjusting the height so it propped him up. “Welcome back, chimera.”

“Thanks.” Nolan muttered, his pulse normalizing as he was left to come to himself slowly. The recovery room was a wide-open bay with a few other hospital beds in it and a monitoring station nearby. A strange tightness surrounded his skin as Nolan lifted the sheets to check on his stomach and chest. They were unmarked other than for a slight rawness where the skin was healing.

He leaned back as awareness flooded his senses slowly, like the tide gradually returning to shore. The first thing he noticed was the sharp tang of the bleach on the floors and the warm comfort of the nurse’s…scent? “Huh.” Nolan grunted as he realized he was able to smell things that had previously escaped his notice, it was new and confusing as he analyzed each scent, his brain attaching descriptors to the smells automatically. After a few minutes of drawing deep breaths and shifting through the various emotions that were attached to the smells, he became aware of a faint humming behind him.

Nolan arched his body and stared at the wall, trying to discover the source of the noise before identifying it as coming from the monitoring panel attached to the screen. “Ah.” He whispered and looked around him again, this time allowing his breathing to calm and other sounds filtered in around him, the pulsing of the nurse’s heartbeat was a soft thud to echo his own from across the room, a light patter of feet came from the hallway beyond the recovery center, another mechanical hum could be heard through the opposite wall. “Impressive!”

“How are you finding your new abilities?” The nurse asked him, not moving from his station a dozen feet away, his voice soft and low. “Can you hear me?”

“Yes! Yeah, this is incredible!” Nolan grinned as he pushed himself up in the bed, a rush of wonder and excitement racing through him. “I can’t believe I’ve been blind to this my whole life.”

“Welcome to the new world.” The man grinned at him and gestured towards the exit. “I think you’re ready to move to the next stage.”

“Next stage?”

“It’s just some basic combat testing, to make sure your abilities are functioning as intended.” He explained as Nolan pushed back the covers and swung his legs towards the floor. “I’ll get you your clothes.”

“Thanks.” Nolan nodded and looked at his hands again, concentrating on his fingers where the claws would come from. He glanced up as the nurse approached him with his folded clothes. “Uh, what’s your name?”

“Max.” He smiled and held the bundle out to Nolan. “Do you need assistance?”

“No, I think I can manage.” Nolan murmured as a strange sensation of discomfort raced across his skin. “I just feel weird.”

“You will for a while until you get Awakened.” Max explained as Nolan stood upright gingerly. “Then, well, then you’ll feel better than you ever have before!”

“Ok.” The new chimera grimaced as he pulled off his hospital gown, seeing the splotches of dried blood on the interior as Max turned away and walked back to his station. After a few minutes, Nolan was dressed again, surprised by the comforting sensation of his clothes, but the softness of his t-shirt’s fabric was offset by the somewhat chafing nature of his socks, the cotton rough like gravel against his skin. “Ugh, this is going to take some getting used to.”

“Ready? Great!” Max smiled at him and gestured with the clipboard in his hand. “I’ll take you through to the testing chamber.”

“Sure.” Nolan followed him out of the recovery room and down another featureless white corridor into a long room. There were reinforced concrete barriers a third of the way into the room, with bare rock lining the walls afterwards and three targets set into the back wall about fifty yards from him. Scorch marks darkened the floor and ceiling, while shards of ice and stone were embedded in one of the targets. Training dummies were set up along the wall nearest him, some showing signs of damage with jagged scratches and claw marks across their wooden torsos.

“Ok,” Max set down the clipboard and plucked a pen from his pocket as Nolan looked around. “It says here that you are an Exotic chimera; invisibility, venom, and agility.”

“Exotic, huh?” Nolan glanced at him and smirked. “I like the sound of that.”

“It’s your classification, I’m an Elemental.” Max explained, lifting his hand and letting his fist spring open, a blast of wind blowing from his fingers to buffet Nolan’s face. “See?”

“Cool.” Nolan agreed. “So you’re a nurse and a tester?”

“More like your induction trainer, the Minister appointed me to you.” Max replied when Nolan arched a brow at him. “Most chimeras were made in large batches and trained in groups to harness their abilities. But there’s less chimeras being made at the moment, and it was decided that having a sort of, uh, mentor to help get new people acclimatized would be a good idea.”

“Right, ok.” Nolan nodded and looked around again. “So, what do I do?”

“For now, we just need to make sure your combat abilities work as intended, we’ll test your agility later.” Max gestured towards the nearest training dummy. “Something to bear in mind is that you’re not going to feel great at first, you’ll feel weak and maybe even out of control. Think about it like the first level of a new video game; you have a bunch of unfamiliar abilities in a world you’re new to. It’s going to be difficult at first, but after you get Awakened-”

“I level up?” Nolan smirked as Max nodded his head. “Alright, so what first?”

“Claws, a chimera’s basic attack function. Almost everyone of us has them, so flick them out and attack the target.” Max came to stand next to him as Nolan looked down at his fingers. “Don’t overthink it, just relax and let your emotions guide you. The same way as you’d ready your muscles before sprinting.”

“Ok, I think I understand.” Nolan murmured, looking away from his hands. He grunted in surprise a moment later when he felt the tips of his fingernails tingle and itch uncomfortably. “Woah.”

“Good.”

“Not what I expected.” Nolan inspected the dark claws that covered his nail beds and extended out into sharp triangles of grooved bone. He flexed his fingers a little and gingerly tested the claws against each other, feeling nothing as the points met. “Now what?”

“Strike the target.” Max pointed at the training dummy. “Just swipe it.”

“Ok.” Nolan drew himself upwards and tensed his muscles as he lashed out, his claws dragging a rough line across the wooden board of the dummy. “Huh, I barely felt anything.”

“Good, as it should be.” Max ticked a box on his clipboard. “The claws are an extension of yourself and in time you’ll be able to fight with them naturally. But you won’t have to be concerned about damaging them or yourself against hard objects. Concrete, metal, bone, everything yields to a chimera’s claws. Next, we’ll test your venom.”

“I’m not sure I’m ready to start spitting it.” Nolan chuckled weakly, the thought still grossing him out slightly. He had spoken to the Legendary chimera known as The Dragon, an imposing young man with large leathery wings and the ability to breathe fire. Despite his assurances that Nolan would get used to the sensation of essentially vomiting up a projectile weapon, the assassin still wasn’t reassured. “But I can envenom my claws, right?”

“Yes, the Minister tells me you’ll be using that as your primary weapon, at least for close quarters or stealth missions.” Max checked his notes again. “Since you’re a Blade of the Chimera, the stealth will probably be the most useful and you don’t have to use the spitting ability.”

“I’ll probably stick with my gun for a while.” Nolan agreed. He looked down at his claws again, eyes widening slightly as he watched drops of venom well up from where the shards of bone met his flesh, the venom sliding down the groves in his claws to gather at the tips. “Uh, how do we test it? Do you have a prisoner or something?”

“What?! No.” Max shook his head and glared at him. “The fact that you can produce it is enough, I’m not the First Chimera, we don’t do human trials here.”

“Haha, fair enough.” Nolan continued watching as the venom dried up and his claws receded. “So, no random killing to test my powers?” He smirked until Max’s sour expression didn’t change. “Sorry, sorry, gallows humor, I guess.”

“Hmm.” The other chimera grunted and gestured towards the longer test range. “We’ll do invisibility now, it’s a simple test. You cloak and I’ll throw some objects at you, you need to dodge and come around and tap me on the shoulder. Start from down there near the targets.”

“Will do.” Nolan grimaced as he turned away, the atmosphere of joviality had slipped away into cold professionalism. He cracked his neck when he reached the set of targets and turned back to face Max. “Now?”

“Go!” Max reached out with his hands and lifted up several small tennis balls, miniature tornados swirling around them as they danced in the air. “Once you cloak, I’ll start throwing. Remember to dodge.”

“Eh, I’ll try.” Nolan grunted and closed his eyes, doing what he had done earlier with his claws and the venom. He tried to relax, flicking his eyes open again a moment later, the world cast in a strange grey hue as he moved away from the target. There was a softness to the edge of things, and he walked forward as his vision slowly sharpened. Nolan watched as Max hurled the first ball towards the target, sailing over him, the next one went to the side, and he hurried forward as Max sniffed the air and looked directly at him, the tennis ball shooting his way until Nolan ducked and it went over his head. The chimera patted Max’s shoulder as he passed by, uncloaking seconds later, the world’s colors rushing back over him in a wave of brilliance. “Wow!”

“Impressive! But I could smell you coming, haha, in a good way, I suppose.” Max smiled at him. “Most chimeras are able to change their scent on demand, that will be useful for infiltration work, and an occasional few are able to mask it entirely. But I think that is enough for today, you have demonstrated your abilities and learned how to call on them.”

“I think I’ll need more training though.” Nolan looked around as Max finished filling in the clipboard. “Maybe just not underground.”

“Yeah, I’m happy to help you out, there’s training facilities all over the palace and the city.” Max pulled out his phone and nodded at him. “Let’s trade numbers and then I’ll take you up to the cathedral.”

“Why there?”

“That’s where the Emperor will Awaken you, it’s a great honor to be in his presence.” Max replied. “Come on, we don’t want to keep them waiting.”

Nolan had been to a few churches before, from the austere Protestant white chapel in the town they lived in before Beacon Hills, to the large warehouse-like space the Evangelists used near the north gate of the Preserve, and even the ruins of St. Peter’s Basilica in chimera-occupied Rome. But the cathedral that the chimeras used was different to any that he had been to before. Aside from the high Gothic architecture that delivered an immediate, awesome impact, the building soared into the sky, arches and buttresses complimenting the dark stone as stained-glass reliefs played out scenes from the Emperor’s rise.

The interior was a welcome reprieve from the heat of the day, the vaulted ceilings arching dozens of feet into the air, the marble floors underfoot rang out with their steps as they advanced up the central aisle. Rows upon rows of stained pine seats spread out on either side, the church could accommodate several thousand worshippers with ease. Nolan wrinkled his nose at the strong scent of incense burning from ornate braziers set into wall alcoves, the gray smoke rising into the air as bells chimed softly from somewhere in the distance. Hundreds of candles provided light, dozens clutched together, wax dripping from their long, slender forms as afternoon’s sun poured in through the tall windows.

Dominating the space was a massive gold statue of the Emperor rising from floor to ceiling, it was more stylized than the stone one outside, with the features of the face lost in the gloom of the rafters, but the eyes glowed with purple malice as Nolan’s gaze drifted down from the ornate crown and across the carefully sculpted folds of his robes to where the feet stood on marble plinths. At the base of the statue was a raised pulpit decorated with lavish carvings of chimeras and yet more scenes of conquest and victory.

Max led Nolan towards the empty space between the end of the pews and the support structures for the statues. A deep purple carpet covered the marble floor and Nolan looked around as they waited. There wasn’t an altar, as he had expected, so it seemed likely that whoever was leading the religious service did so from the pulpit, but what that service actually entailed, he didn’t know. It was likely some version of the daily adoration that happened in the throne room, Stiles basking in the endless praise of the sycophants who came before him. Perhaps it was different, perhaps Nolan was being cynical.

“They’re here.” Max nudged him and sank to one knee as Nolan looked off to one side, seeing Stiles approach them with the ever-present shadow at his back of the Guardian Prime. “Nolan.”

“Right.” The assassin got down on his knees and kept his eyes downcast until he could see Stiles’ sneakers before him. He looked up, meeting the Emperor’s gaze before moving past it to the watchful expression of the Guardian Prime behind him. Nolan was still learning about the different scents and their meanings, Max providing him with some basic instruction, but he could read Stiles fairly easily. There was a smugness to him that pervaded the air and a certain hard tinge that felt like anger to Nolan, but it was hidden behind another scent that he couldn’t quite place. Diverting his attention to Connor, Nolan tilted back slightly, the complete absence of his scent was almost overwhelming after being bombarded by different smells for the past hour.

He could detect the slightly acidic scent of Connor’s armor polish, the gold and purple metal plates that covered the chimera gleamed in the candlelight. His head was bare, black hair cut close, his cheeks smooth and lightly tanned, his eyes glowing with an echoing purple from the Emperor below him. Nolan lowered his gaze again as Stiles nodded approvingly.

“Excellent work, uh, what is your name?”

“Max, Emperor.”

“Ah, yes, good.” Stiles pivoted so he stood directly in front of Nolan, his voice dropping to a sibilant hiss. “I love this part.”

“You can raise your head, Nolan.” Max said as he stood up and backed away with an elaborate bow. “It is time.”

“Ok.” Nolan swallowed thickly as he tilted his face upwards, watching as Stiles reached out towards him. The subtle pressure of his fingers as they pressed against his forehead made him grunt, the sensation strange. He was about to speak when a wave of dizziness washed over him, and Nolan rocked backwards. A sudden urge swamped him, the desire to unleash his claws and use his chameleon cloak fired through his body, no other thoughts on his mind. Without even needing to think about it, three words fell from his lips. “Command me, Alpha.”

“Haha, excellent!” Stiles grinned at him and Nolan felt a pulsing connection spark between the two of them as the Overmind drew on his powers and mimicked them, the points of his venom claws touching against Nolan’s forehead. “You may rise, my chimera.”

“Yes, Alpha.” Nolan replied, standing up in one smooth motion. He glanced past Stiles at Connor, the Guardian Prime offering him a simple nod. Nolan looked back at Stiles, feeling his eyes heat in response to the Emperor’s purple gaze. It was beyond any physical connectivity, he could feel the Overmind pulse in front of him, the power that unified the chimeras and gave them their unique blend of strength and passion.

“You have done good work in service to Chimera Intelligence, Nolan.” Stiles said, gesturing for them to begin walking. “Come.” Nolan grimaced as his legs started moving without his intention, the Overmind forcing his muscles to move and pick up his feet. He managed to start walking on his own after a minute or two, keeping up with Stiles as the Guardian Prime stayed behind them, his presence strangely comforting. “And I have a special task for you. Connor?”

“Yes, my master?”

“Go and wait by the door, I wish to speak to our new chimera in private.”

“Of course, Emperor.” Connor gave him a bow and turned away, striding down the aisle as his red cloak streamed out behind him, ever the noble figure.

“Now, Nolan.” Stiles smiled at him after a few minutes. “This special…operation is not to be shared with anyone, not Corey, not Chimera Intelligence, you will report directly to me, understood?”

“Yes, Alpha.” Nolan nodded swiftly.

“When Scott was returned to us, I thought that he would obey me as easily as all the other chimeras, but that has not been the case.” Stiles began, gesturing vaguely in the air. “In his heart, he is a rebel and a traitor, eager to bring ruin to all that I have built. Mason has been dealt with, he will no longer be a problem for us. But Scott remains.”

Nolan didn’t say anything, waiting for his part to be revealed as the Emperor continued to speak.

“I tasked Scott with rooting out the remaining werewolf packs and recruiting them into the glory of our Empire, a final chance for them to come peacefully.” Stiles smiled benevolently at him. “And he has had some success, true enough, but not all is as it seems. I believe that Scott is once more plotting against me, that he has enlisted some of those rebel hunters we didn’t catch the first time.”

“Gabe?”

“Just so,” Stiles nodded. “I want you to find that hunter, shadow Scott, and determine what their plan is. No need to take them out, just gather intelligence so we can crush them together!”

“As you command, Alpha.” Nolan bowed his head and Stiles smirked as he walked past him. After a moment, Nolan felt his muscles relax and the Overmind’s direct control over him was released. There was still a connection between them however, a sort of invisible river that flowed both ways, Nolan could feel his abilities empowered. His thoughts turned to Gabe and their final confrontation.

Chapter Text

The mid-morning light bent around the trees in front of him as Nolan crept forward, his chameleon cloak keeping him hidden from view even as rebels moved in patrol patterns around him, their guns held loosely in their grips. He paused outside an open tent, the raggedy green canvas was weathered and torn in several places, evidence that these last dregs of the rebels were frequently on the move. Inside he could see several black crates stacked up against one wall, while one of the trestle tables had been given over to ammo reloading and the servicing of weapons. It was the other table he was interested in, documents spread across the surface, Nolan could just see a map from where he was standing.

He had been shadowing these rebels for almost a day as they followed an overgrown road that led from Big Bear Lake where he picked up the trail out towards the coast. Scott had been tasked with confronting the final werewolf pack that Chimera Intelligence had discovered, but Nolan had learned that Gabe was further south, orchestrating some devious plan to level the playing field. Or so the previous hunter Nolan had captured told him. The chimera assassin extended his claws slowly, beginning to enjoy the sensation of them sliding out and covering his nails.

Nolan crept forward, stepping inside the tent as the scent of brass and gun oil and blood filtered into his nostrils. The last smell was coming from the man standing over the maps, his hands grimy and streaked with dark red. He stood up straighter behind the rebel, tensing his muscles before striking hard, his hands moving in opposite directions. His claws tore through the fragile human flesh of the rebel’s neck as he jerked backwards, pulling him down with a soft gurgle. The other rebels nearby looked up sharply, but Nolan struck just as fast, whirling out of him chameleon cloaking and spinning across the room. The chimera’s enhanced agility allowed him to clear the table and slam his claws into the other two hunters’ chests before they were able to unholster their guns.

He wrenched his claws back out as the rebels collapsed to the ground without too much noise. “Ah.” Nolan inhaled in and out rapidly, catching his breath after the exhilaration of the assassinations. He wiped his fingers clean of blood on the dead man’s jacket and moved around to examine the maps and other documents. “Hmm.” Nolan photographed each of them as his eyes followed the arrow marks that guided the rebels towards the coast. A star had been scribbled next to a small port town and the name Excalibur had been scrawled underneath along with a time. “Two-thirty in the afternoon, they’re still here, so probably tomorrow.”

Nolan glanced up as the sound of footsteps approached the tent and he cloaked again, the action becoming increasingly instinctual. It took careful movement to slip out of the tent as the alarm was raised and the rebels rushed forward, guns at the ready. He crept back to his original vantage point near the road and crouched down in the thick brush, watching as the camp was searched and then broken up. It appeared that they were on the move once again.

He followed them from a distance, keeping an eye on the small screen attached to his dashboard, one of Chimera Intelligence’s drones following the rebel convoy from above. They were indeed heading for the port town Nolan had identified on the map and he quickly transferred his photos back to headquarters as he drove along the deserted roads. His phone rang a moment later, Opal’s ID flashing on the screen. “Yes? Did you get the pictures?”

“I got them, my analysts are examining them now.”

“Good, it seems as though there may be some sort of ship on the coast they’re heading for. Search for boats registered to Excalibur. It could a weapon system as well, I’m not sure.” Nolan replied, slowing down as the convoy pulled off the highway onto more rural roads. “They might also be fleeing into open waters.”

“That would be a mistake, the Kraken and other water chimeras control the ocean.” Opal responded smoothly. “I can send word to her.”

“No, these rebels might lead us to Gabe and he’s mine.” Nolan growled. “The Emperor commanded me to find him, and they might be part of this larger plan that is in motion. If anything, they should be left alone and not interfered with.”

“As you wish, Blade.” Opal disconnected the call, and Nolan took the exit ramp, glancing at the fading sign overhead. Red Shell Fishing was indicated below the town’s name, an anchor symbol alongside it.

“Hmm, what are they up to?”

The fishery was a hive of activity as Nolan moved forward along the cliff that overlooked the harbour. He had left the SUV behind at a nearby gas station, the town seemingly abandoned at some point in last two years. There had been some blast marks on several buildings and a large crater torn into the green space near the high school, but everything else looked mostly intact, if a little overgrown. Nolan crouched down and scanned the approach to the fishery, noticing the armed guards standing next to the chain link fence. They had the barrier down and a truck was blocking the road beyond it.

He sent the drone to patrol a long sweeping arc around the facility as he continued to survey the buildings. Most were dark except the large warehouse at the center of the fishery, a tall building with steel walls and bright lamps affixed to the sides, banishing the gloom of night. The convoy had travelled non-stop for almost five hours to reach its destination, clearly spooked by his attack at their camp. Nolan would have taken them all out if it weren’t for the clear instruction to follow these rabbits back to their hidey-hole, hopefully revealing Gabe in the process. The doors of the warehouse were pulled open, and Nolan could see inside, stacks of wooden pallets were lined in rows up to the ceiling around a large articulated truck which slowly began to pull out of the building.

The chimera moved along the cliff’s edge, following the truck as it crept down the quayside road towards the pier. He glanced at the feed coming from the drone and took a sharp breath when he noticed the container ship silently approaching the pier, all its lights switched off, a dark behemoth in the night. “I need to get closer…” Nolan murmured to himself and looked down over the edge, spotting a segment of the chain fence that was obscured by thick bushes. He stood up and jumped off the cliff, rolling on impact as he felt his muscles tense and release, his bones shuddering unpleasantly. “Ah!” Nolan gasped and stayed still for a moment as the flair of pain fell away once his enhanced healing kicked in. “Ok.”

He was able to cut through the fence with a powerful swipe of his claws and slipped inside the fishery, cloaking once more as he followed the truck’s progress from behind the rows of abandoned machinery and crates. The truck turned slowly onto a wide pier and Nolan watched as the dark bulk of the container ship moved into position alongside the pier, the anchor tumbling off its side and splashing into the deep water of the port. He frowned as lights came on across the ship, the sound of voices calling out to each other while the truck rumbled to a stop. A gangway was hauled up towards the container ship as a crane operated from the ship’s deck rumbled into life.

Nolan moved closer, confident that he was hidden from view, the only giveaway of his presence would be the impact left by his feet in the seaweed that had become heaped on the dock’s concrete edges. He watched as the doors of the transport were pulled open and a large crate was slowly manoeuvred onto a trolley and carefully lowered onto the ground. The crate was nondescript, a wooden box with some red stencilling that he couldn’t see. Nolan followed the box towards the container ship, his heart missing a beat when he spotted a dark-haired man coming down the gangway wearing a long leather jacket open at the front as it flapped at his heels. “Gabe.” The name was whispered, and Nolan stopped in his tracks.

Amongst the stench of fish and seaweed and diesel fumes, Nolan could pick out Gabe’s scent with surprising ease. Perhaps he always knew it, a concentrated tincture of his sweat and uniqueness captured in the heat of their passion. Overriding parts of it were the emotions Nolan associated with zeal and certainty, scents that were common among the chimeras. He switched his attention back towards the crate, watching as it was secured by straps and hoisted carefully onto the container ship.

“How long will it take you to get there?” Gabe asked one of the nearby rebels as Nolan stopped a dozen paces from him, studying his face.

“Twelve hours, nice and slow.” The rebel responded, pausing to listen to chatter from the walkie talkie in her hand. “If we time it right, we’ll join the supply ships coming into the port and no one will take any notice.”

“You need to go up the coast and dock here.” Gabe showed her something on his phone, but Nolan couldn’t make it out. “I’ll meet you there with a truck and we can get into the city proper that way.”

“What about security?”

“There are no walls around that part of the dock, it’s not meant to be used so we’ll only have a short window to do this.” Gabe replied, catching her eye as he nodded sternly. “Once the crate is off-loaded, you need to get out of the city, just put out to sea and go as far as you can.”

“I…”

“What is it?”

“Why are we using the bomb when Scott says he can get into the palace and take the Emperor on there?”

Oh? Nolan’s attention slammed back to the rebel as his eyes had been flowing over Gabe’s handsome face. He glanced around, careful of his surroundings as Gabe smiled and shrugged at her.

“It’s an insurance policy.” He gestured at the ship as the crane finished its operations. “Scott might think he can talk Stiles down, but he’s a fool. Either way, this weapon guarantees that the heart of their evil city will be gutted, uninhabitable. Besides, the palace is reinforced, we might need the bomb just to blow open the doors.”

“I understand.” She hesitated before grasping his hand and shaking it firmly. “Whatever happens, it’s been an honor to fight beside you, Gabe.”

“Likewise, Trish.” Gabe watched as she walked back up the gangway and the ship pulled its anchor back up out of the black water. He turned away and Nolan backed to one side as the rebel walked towards the truck, gesturing in their air. “Alright, finish up here and let’s head to LA! Tomorrow, we bring the fight to the chimeras for the last time! Huzzah!”

“Hmm.” Nolan frowned to himself as he shadowed Gabe towards a line of scavenged SUVs and pickups, the hunter unaware of his presence. He would need to let Opal know of the container ship and the bomb it was carrying, but for now, following Gabe seemed to be the best choice. It would be easy to strike now and take Gabe out, cut the head off the snake and have the Kraken destroy the cargo ship. But…Nolan hesitated as his claws itched irritably, drops of venom pooling on the tips. It was Gabe, not some rebel goon. I’ll take you in, later, once I know more about your plans.

The self-assurance seemed hollow even to Nolan, but the chimera grimaced and pulled out a small tracking device from the equipment pouch at his waist before moving past Gabe to where the column of SUVs were idling. It would be impossible to know for certain which vehicle he would use or if Gabe would switch cars at some point, but Nolan was sure that they would at least lead him to their lair. Once they got to the city, there would be plenty of other chimeras to intervene and capture Gabe.

Terminal Island gleamed under the morning sun as Nolan wiped the tiredness from his eyes and chugged another energy drink. Being a chimera certainly helped keep him awake, but three days since he got some sleep was pushing at the edges of his endurance. The stacks of containers that normally filled the port had dwindled considerably since operations were moved further south to the new deep water port at Laguna Beach and the piers were shuttered. He could see the aged battleship, the USS Iowa on the other side of the piers from his position near the terminal building, while the rebels’ container ship slowly drifted into position near the concrete docks.

He had tracked the convoy to the outer reaches of Victory city before they split up completely, each vehicle going in a different direction. Nolan cursed his luck and followed the one he had tagged, both of them going through the security checkpoint without hassle. The rebels either hid their weapons more effectively than he thought they could, or they had stockpiles inside the barrier walls. This SUV led him to the abandoned docks and Nolan parked back far enough that he could approach them on foot.

Gabe was not with them and Nolan took out his disappointment on the unfortunate rebels. The four of them had gone down with ease, taken by surprise as he jumped from a nearby truck and slaughtered them with a series of vicious claw strikes. His suspicions about their supply caches was proven accurate as Nolan discovered several machine guns and a sniper rifle in crates inside the office building.

Standing on the roof, he watched as several other vehicles came down the road and headed for the pier where the container ship was standing at anchor. Two SUVs and a flatbed truck turned in an arc as the ship’s crane began to move. “Hmm, this must be it.” Nolan murmured and picked up the sniper rifle. While he was more comfortable with his own weapon, this would do in a pinch. Settling down into a prone position, Nolan adjusted the scope as the SUVs’ occupants got out, Gabe’s characteristic leather jacket marking him out. “Tut tut, Gabe, should’ve dressed in dirty camo like all the other hunters. I’ve got you in my sights now. Would have preferred to take you on in person though. Hmm, not quite a mile and a half, I can make that shot.”

Nolan got comfortable as a large container was hoisted out of the ship and lowered slowly onto the flatbed truck, the bomb had to be inside, perhaps the crater from earlier was hidden to avoid detection if they were searched. He swept the gun side to side to ensure its functionality before flicking the safety off. Nolan froze when he spotted two familiar chimeras walking along the pier several hundred feet away: the characteristic uniform of the City Guard immediately catching his eye, bright epaulets signifying Commander Strauss’ high rank. The bare-chested chimera accompanying him was Parrish, the jewelled armbands on his biceps supposedly kept the Hellhound from overwhelming him even when he drew on his power. “Hmm, well, if Gabe is arrested, I guess that means I got him. I’ll maintain overwatch.”

The assassin repositioned his gun, watching as the two chimeras approached Gabe and his goons. The container ship was already backing out of the pier and turning for open water, its engines screaming loud as thick steam belched from its exhausts, the captain clearly pushing hard. Nolan frowned, sensing something was wrong as Gabe stepped into the container and Parrish pulled out a torch, clearly inspecting the cargo. The trio backed out and Nolan watched as the Hellhound gestured at him, Gabe pulling something out of his pocket. “What the…” The assassin spotted the detonator at the last moment and quickly squeezed the trigger, aiming for Gabe’s shoulder. “No!”

Time seemed to stretch as Nolan’s finger tensed on the trigger, watching as Gabe shouted something defiant and pressed the button on the detonator, Nolan’s bullet lost in the abrupt bloom of fire and light that blossomed from the center of the crate. Time sped up once again and Nolan screamed as his eyes were blinded in the nuclear flash. He was swept off the roof by the blast wave and crashed into the building behind the office, the roof collapsing on him, providing flimsy shelter against the deafening roar of the explosion. Heat seared across every inch of his body, incinerating his clothes and charring his skin as the air burned before him, his howls of agony stolen by the super-heated wall of energy expanding over the docks. The terrible howling faded abruptly when the torment became simply too much, and Nolan lost consciousness.

“Up you get, sir, try not to move.”

“Ugh…” Nolan’s voice came out as cracked moan as he felt hands pull him out of the rubble and a slow brightness crept back into his vision.

“Another one over here!” The speaker called out above him. “The building collapsed on him, saved him from the worst of the blast. Burns are healing rapidly too.”

“Bring him to Triage One.” An authoritative voice replied as Nolan blinked uncomfortably, pain blooming across his skin as his nerves tensed and pulsed unpleasantly. “Wait, I know him. Leave him here.”

“Ah, ugh.” Nolan blinked rapidly as his vision returned and he saw the burning visage of the Hellhound standing in front of him, Parrish’s eyes glowing a deep purple. They were on the street, still near the docks as flocks of chimeras flew overhead. Nolan chanced a look upwards to see hundreds of Elemental chimeras holding back the atomic-infused winds and redirecting the gale out to sea. “Woah.”

“Welcome back.” Parrish growled at him.

“Thanks, uh, why am I alive? That was a…”

“A nuke, yeah.”

“Oh.” Nolan didn’t know what else to say as he tried to process the enormity of what just happened. He glanced down at his body, almost fearful to see what horrors had been caused by the explosion, but he was relieved to see that besides being covered in smoke and filth, his skin was red raw but otherwise unburned. “Chimera healing, perks of the job.”

“And something else too, you probably should be dead.” Parrish shrugged when Nolan looked sharply at him. “I don’t know, but that blast wave hit your position in seconds, everyone at the impact site was, uh, vaporized.”

“Everyone.” Nolan echoed dully, his mind flicking back to Gabe’s final defiant action. “Fuck.”

“Were you here to stop it?”

“Stop…no, my orders were to find their leader and then report back. I followed Gabe from, uh, it doesn’t matter. Intel never said the rebels had access to nukes.” Nolan stood up, swaying slightly as nausea swamped over him. He turned away from the Hellhound and vomited, blood mixing with his stomach contents. “Ugh…” Parrish reached out to steady him and Nolan nodded gratefully. “Thanks, um, we need to warn the Emperor, Scott is-”

“It’s already over.” Parrish interrupted him gently. “The rebellion failed, its leaders and any survivors captured. The Emperor will address everyone in about an hour, we’ll need to be there. The Minister will want to debrief you, maybe later, maybe you should go get checked out.”

“Right, of course.” Nolan mumbled, blinking as a dozen different emotions poured from his heart. He walked away from Parrish and stared up at the bruised sky as the wind buffeted his shoulders, carrying the deadly fallout away from the city. “I can’t believe that was a nuclear bomb.”

“A small one by all accounts, the damage was contained to the port, but there’s fires across the city, gas mains blew out.” Parrish joined him and held out a pair of cotton shorts. “Uh, everything kind of burned when it went off. You might want to…cover up?”

“What?! Oh, thanks!” Nolan snatched the shorts from his hand when he realized he was still naked. “I could really use a shower, but I guess we have bigger things to deal with.”

“Right, the city is in lockdown, but chimeras are gathering at the palace and the cathedral, those who aren’t responding to the situation.” Parrish nodded up at the resolute bulk of the Imperial Palace that endured above Victory City. “Go there, I have things under control from here.”

“What about-”

“I’ll let myself grieve when the threat is contained.” Parrish growled, wings of iridescent flame extending behind him. “There are uncontrolled fires spreading throughout the southern sector of the city, if you see any water or earth chimeras, I could use a hand.”

“Got it.” Nolan murmured and watched him fly away.

Moonlight filtered into the throne room as the stars shone down on Victory City, the air still singed by the intense atomic wrath that had been unleashed earlier that day. Nolan stood with the other chimeras, filling the room to capacity, each of them silent and waiting. The mood was mournful with a hint of rage that grew rapidly when the captured rebels were escorted out and tossed into the small crescent of empty space in front of the throne. Howls of anger and aggression soon filled the hall as Scott was escorted out by two Guardians and chained to the other rebels, the traitor chimera inspiring such hatred as Nolan had never seen before. He could feel the fury radiating from those around him, its scent sharp as lemons pressing against his nose, a barely restrained fury that waited for the Emperor’s justice.

The Guardians moved around to cut the audience off from the prisoners, forcing them up onto a raised area where the dignitaries usually stood. Nolan caught a glimpse of Corey when he emerged from a side room, the other chimera looking pale and worried. Their eyes quickly crossed before Corey slipped back into the antechamber. Nolan felt as he had since that afternoon, a total and complete numbness at everything that had happened. Exhaustion had finally crept in and presented its bill for the past few days, the chimera swaying on his feet now and again as tiredness threatened to overwhelm him. While his body ached somewhat, his healing abilities were working to bring him back to full health, Nolan was still surprised that he was even alive. He suspected that there had been some additional chimera abilities added to his surgery that he didn’t know about. It was hardly the time for answers, but the assassin was determined to get them.

The doors of the antechamber were thrust open, and Corey emerged, followed a few seconds later by Theo, Connor, and a trio of Guardians. Corey stood on the far side of the dais, near to Liam and Philip, just in Nolan’s view. He watched as Theo stood next to Connor, the Guardian Prime climbing the steps up to the throne before turning around and looking out at all of them. Nolan felt a shiver race across his skin when the chimera’s gaze swept over him, something between fear and reassurance.

"Ahem," Connor cleared his throat and raised his metal-covered hands, heavy with caked blood and gore, evidence of his battle with the rebels. “All praise and glory to the Chimera Emperor!”

"Glory!" Nolan roared the response with the rest of them, the conditioned phrase offering some familiar comfort.

"Hmm." Connor smiled for a moment, as though sharing their relief before his expression returned to grim anger again. “The Emperor is currently recovering from grave wounds inflicted by the rebel scum, and as such is indisposed. He cannot carry out judgement of the traitor and his conspirators. Therefore, as Guardian Prime and Prophet of the Emperor, under Edict One-Thirty-Five passed by the Imperial Council in the Second Year of Imperial Unity, I am assuming full and total control of the Empire until such a time as our glorious master is well enough to rule once more.”

There was a rustle of surprise through the hall and Nolan blinked as he glanced around. Those nearby nodded approvingly, while some others looked concerned, and yet more smiled openly. He looked back at Connor, seeing Theo’s jaw slacken visibly, his mouth open as the words rang out across the hall. Nolan risked a glance at Corey, but the Minister was simply frowning before gesturing for an aide to come to him. There was a whispered conversation and Corey straightened up, nodding slightly when he noticed Nolan’s gaze.

The Guardian Prime wasn't finished yet, however, as he turned to regard the lone chimera held in chains at the foot of the dais. “Scott McCall: leader and organizer of the werewolf rebellion, you were offered a second chance by the Chimera Emperor Himself. Your response? To spit in His face! Your attack using an atomic weapon has killed thousands of our people and wounded tens of thousands more. Your weapon would have turned entire districts of our proud city into smoking ruins with no regard for who might be consumed in nuclear fire in order to get your revenge on the god who resurrected you!”

"Yarrah, die monster!"

"Traitor!"

“Tear him limb from limb!”

"Murderer!"

"Kill him now!"

The howls of abuse deafened Nolan as the chimeras around him screamed their fury at Scott, only quietening down when Connor raised his hands to silence them. The Guardian Prime nodded once. “Therefore, by the powers invested in me by the Imperial Council, I sentence you to be held in the Dark Prison until such a time as your execution can be arranged.” The chimera paused, glaring at Scott. “Your co-conspirators will be executed now, by my hand in accordance with Imperial law.”

“Hmm.” Nolan hummed to himself as he ignored Connor for a moment, his attention switching over to Theo. His scent was surprisingly easy to find, even among a packed room and the strong tang of blood and death that clung to everyone. No one else was aroused at what was happening here. Nolan hadn’t noticed it before, but then he was rarely in the presence of either of them. But it was unmistakeable, the hard, pulsing scent of Theo’s arousal only grew more potent as Connor descended from the throne and then turned back towards it.

Nolan knelt down with the other chimeras, his head bowed, but his eyes open, watching as Theo followed them, his attention locked onto Connor. The Guardian Prime shouted the usual praise for the Emperor, as Nolan responded automatically, the gears of his mind working overtime as he tried to figure out what was going on between Theo and Connor. The last time he had been with them both was during the feast at Alexander’s, and they were still as cold as ice to each other. Something must have changed in the intervening weeks.

He stood up as Connor and Theo moved to stand on either end of the line of rebels. The Guardian Prime nodded and they began the executions. Nolan watched detachedly as the Guardians in front of them moved quickly and efficiently, killing the prisoners with a swift punch of their claws through the rebels’ necks. In contrast, Theo gleefully slashed their throats open in order to sate his bloodlust, the crimson liquid splattering all over his face and hands, patterning red on his tanned skin. The First Chimera stared at his fingers, evidently enjoying the sight of blood on his hands as Connor urged Scott to his feet and gestured for the prisoner to be escorted out of the throne room.

The silence offered for the executions was abruptly shattered as more jeers and threats were levelled at Scott’s retreating back. Nolan looked towards the dais as Connor straightened up, his armor bloodied and dented from the fighting that day, his handsome face marred by fresh streaks of castoff from his claws as Theo stood next to him again, the First Chimera staring at Connor, his hard-on evident as Nolan frowned. It seemed so…disrespectful for the moment. He grimaced as Connor spoke again, this time directing his words towards the Faithful and the Exarchs who were clustered in one corner of the throne room.

“Faithful! The hour has come to purge the city of anyone with rebel leanings or sympathies! In the face of such an act of violence and terror, there can be no other response than to crack down on all forms of dissent and subversion. We must do this for the protection of our divine Empire and all those who dwell with its safety.”

“As you say, Guardian Prime, it shall be done!” One of the Exarchs bowed before him and gestured for their forces to leave.

“Huh.” Nolan looked back at the dais, but Connor and Theo were leaving, and Corey had already left. He stood in the hall for a few more minutes as the gathered chimeras drifted away, some to resume search and rescue efforts, others eager to aid the Faithful in their purge. Nolan watched as attendants emerged from the side entrances to drag away the executed prisoners and begin cleaning the floor below the throne. He turned away slowly and walked out of the hall, through the large doors that had suffered explosive damage, and down the steps onto the grand plaza in front of the palace. The cobblestones had been breached earlier in the morning by some supernatural entity unrelated to the rebels, who had raced over it hours later in their suicidal attempt to defeat the Empire.

The upper streets were quiet, and Nolan found himself walking towards the cathedral, his thoughts refusing to engage as exhaustion washed over him. There would be time enough for reflection later when he was alone and able to sort through everything that had happened in so brief a twenty-four-hour span. For now, he just wanted to rest, too tired to head towards his apartment and see if it had survived the attack. The cathedral doors were open, a golden light spilling from its interior as Nolan approached it. Several Faithful stood sentinel at its entrance as chimeras seemed to wander towards them aimlessly. He joined the informal procession and slipped inside, sitting down on a pew near the back of the church. It was warm and peaceful, the heady scent of incense blocked out anything else and Nolan could already feel his eyes growing heavy as he slumped back in the seat.

Chapter Text

“Stop, Gabe! Don’t do this!” Nolan shouted out, decloaking behind his former ally, the darkened sky of the dockyard riven with purple lightning. “It doesn’t have to end this way.”

“It was always going to end this way!” Gabe grinned back at him, a horrible, twisting smirk that made his eyes sink into his face. He raised his hand, the detonator already primed. “And you should have been at my side when it did!” Gabe pressed the button and exploded outwards in a shower of gore and super-heated air, knocking Nolan off his feet and into the icy water.

The sudden shock sent Nolan’s mind reeling and he sat up abruptly, ripped away from the nightmare and thrust back into the waking world. “Ah! Ah, ah, ah…” He panted and sought to bring his racing heart under control, slapping his nightstand blindly until his fingers found the lamp switch. The bloom of comforting light banished the darkness and its lingering images of horror.

Nolan swung himself out of bed, his naked skin flushed and dripping with sweat. He made it to the bathroom before waves of nausea washed over him and he braced himself over the sink. Nothing came up and the sensation of fire in his throat gradually bled away. Instead, he ran a washcloth under the tap and used it to wipe away the sweat from his face and chest. Nolan took another steadying breath and looked at his reflection in the mirror, his dark eyes skipping over his gaze before dropping entirely.

He left the bathroom and walked over to the balcony doors, the sky was streaked with pink clouds, the purple of night slowly fading away as the sun rose behind his apartment, his view over the western ocean caught the few lingering stars. The morning air was pleasantly cool against his skin, and he leaned on the balcony, gathering his thoughts while he watched a flock of winged chimeras arc over the waves, heading towards the reassuring permanence of the Imperial Palace.

It had been less than a week since the attack on the capital, and he’d had nightmares every single night. Sometimes it felt as though they were invading his waking mind too, with crushing moments of regret and guilt as Nolan lived through those key seconds again. Principal among such moments was the feeling that he could have stopped all of this from happening: the attack, the hundreds of deaths, Gabe’s foolish self-sacrifice. The first two were important, of course, but it was the loss of Gabe that was affecting him the most. He had lost Gabe yet again.

Those early years of chimera expansion had been like something out of a post-apocalypse drama; scrounging for supplies, scouting for a safe route, bunkering down and just surviving. Nolan had accepted that his old life was gone, that Gabe was probably dead, along with everyone else he knew. But then finding him again earlier this year, reconnecting with him, both as a friend and a lover…only to betray his confidence and declare him an enemy. It had been a lot.

Nolan sighed again, feeling the warring emotions surge inside himself. On the one hand, Gabe had been a threat to the Empire and his entire job was focused on finding and defusing those threats. But on the other, Gabe had been his first…everything, even if half of it was a lie Nolan made up in his head. Nolan pressed his hands against his face, rubbing his eyes as the circular debate raged across his mind. He had had the exact same argument with Max the day before as they trained his venom spitting skills.

Max’s twin brother, Charles, had been killed in the attack, crushed by a steel beam that came crashing through their roof, another death Nolan somehow felt responsible for. But they had talked it out, with plans for Max to come over later. Nolan rolled his head back, cracking his neck as he stood up straighter. He glanced back into the apartment at a gentle chime from his computer, sleeping in the corner. “Hmm, another mission?”

He walked over to it and tapped the keyboard, grunting as he scanned the dispatch. It was another update from the palace, confirming the Emperor’s swift recovery and resumption of control. Everyone else seemed to take it as fact that Stiles needed time to recover from Scott’s grievous betrayal and brazen attack on the city. But Nolan suspected there was something else going on, some piece of subterfuge that only the Emperor knew about. Initially, the assassin had thought that handing the reins of power over to Connor was an attempt to discredit him, to swing the pendulum of public opinion back towards Stiles.

Oh, the Alpha Chimera had plenty of loyal sycophants to bolster his ego, but did the chimeras love him because he could control their every movement or because they actually liked him? There seemed to be a difference between the chimeras who knew Stiles back in Beacon Hills, however tangentially, and those who had been converted afterwards, when he had become a distant figure with immense power. But Nolan had been in the throne room the moment Connor took control of the Empire, he hadn’t really realized it at the time, but there was a sense of appropriateness about the Guardian Prime being in charge. It was a treacherous thought, but then again, Nolan had seen similar reactions from those around him.

He had been granted a private audience with Stiles two days prior, when the Emperor was still “recovering”, a sort of after-action report in the penthouse floor of the palace. It had been all black marble and rich furnishing, and Stiles still didn’t look like he fitted in, giving Nolan the impression of an eccentric billionaire playing at being God-Emperor.

He kept those opinions to himself of course, but for all of Stiles’ powers, he still couldn’t read minds. Nolan had made his report in a calm, detached manner, the Emperor seeming to accept that his tailing of Gabe instead of intercepting him before the city had been the right thing to do. Stiles had lounged in an armchair, barely looking at him as Corey sat nearby, his expression impassive while Theo leaned against the door leading out onto their balcony, picking at his claws. At the end, after giving his report, Corey had walked him out, their brief moment spent in silence, an awkward tension rising between them. Nolan hadn’t given it much thought until now, perhaps it was something he could explore in the future when there wasn’t such heaviness around them.

He closed the dispatch and checked his phone, Max confirming that he would be over within the hour. “Better shower then.” Nolan muttered and walked back to the bathroom, twisting the brass knobs of the taps as he grabbed a towel from the stack. The hot water did a better job at washing away his nightmare and lingering anxiety than an hour of agonizing, the steam rolling out of the open door as Nolan gave himself over to the sensations.

Nolan had finished brewing the coffee when a series of knocks rang out on his front door. He straightened up and walked over, confirming it was Max through the spyhole before he pulled it open. The other chimera was dressed in a stylish cotton shirt and cargo shorts, his hands full with a paper bag. “Hey, morning.”

“Uh, hey,” Max’s brows arched, and he smirked at Nolan. “So, it’s that sort of breakfast date, huh?!”

“What? Date?” Nolan looked confused and then glanced down at himself, realizing he was still naked. It had become a comfortable familiarity when he was at home that he hardly noticed anymore. “Oh, uh, I’ll get some clothes.”

“I mean, I’m not objecting to the view.” Max’s smirk got bigger as he came inside and left the paper bag on the counter. “Plus, it’s your house, you should stay in whatever makes you comfortable. I know plenty of chimeras that are not bothering with a shirt, and no one objects to them.”

“Aren’t they mostly on fire?” Nolan laughed as Max glanced around and made for the balcony where a table had been set. “It doesn’t seem very practical to burn through your shirt constantly. But I do have questions about their underwear.”

“A chimera mystery for sure.” Max agreed as he settled into a chair, the sun on his face as he undid a few of the buttons on his shirt. “Your apartment is nice, I’m on the other side of the city, near those new hills they built a few months ago.”

“I love looking at the ocean.” Nolan commented, bringing coffee and the pastries over to the table, before doubling back to grab a pair of gym shorts. “And I was lucky it survived the attack mostly unscathed.”

“Hmm, thanks.” Max looked at him as Nolan sat down in the opposite chair. “And how are you feeling now?”

“I feel fine.”

“Uh huh.”

“Look, I-” Nolan broke off midway through his retort as his phone let out a gentle chime and he turned it over, looking at the incoming message. “Huh, we’re going to have to cut this short, I’m needed in Chimera Intelligence.”

“Nolan, you’re going to have to deal with your feelings about what happened sometime.” Max fixed him with a steady look before getting up. “You know where to find me when you’re ready to talk.”

“Don’t hold your breath.” The assassin muttered, drawing a glare from his friend. “Uh, look, I’ll talk to you later.”

“Right.”

Another week passed in a flurry of training and secret meetings as Nolan threw himself into his work to avoid thinking about Gabe and the fool’s death. The streets of Victory City were eerily quiet, the Emperor having gathered almost every chimera and loyalist, taking them to confront an existential threat in the jungles of South America, some sort of monster that sought his destruction. Nolan had stayed behind along with a handful of other chimeras, those entrusted to reshape the city and its districts to the Emperor’s unique design. Skyscrapers were pulled down in clouds of dust and debris to make way for flat plazas awaiting new structures. Entire streets and water systems were removed with the erosive powers of Elemental chimeras, while the depressing concrete trickle that had been the LA river was transformed overnight into a verdant, if still slightly torrid, rush of water flowing from the mountains behind the city. It streamed beneath the towering curtain wall and across the newly constructed market district towards the port and out into the bay, cooling the air and attracting tentative animals to its banks.

Nolan was standing on the new promenade overlooking the estuary when the news came to him. Loud pings echoed out from everyone nearby, each of them looking at their phone as the official notification flashed across the screen. “The final victory…” Nolan muttered, ignoring the cheering that had broken out around him. “The Harvester is defeated.” He locked his phone and slipped it back into his pocket, returning his gaze to the river. Nolan was meant to be relieved, thankful that the fighting was over, that the Empire had prevailed, but he didn’t feel anything.

It was familiar by now, a sort of sucking darkness that had fallen over him ever since Gabe had died. He didn’t want to talk about it with Max and had actively avoided the other chimera even though there were few enough left in the city that they had run into each other a couple of times that week. Nolan wasn’t sure which was the worst part: losing Gabe (again) or not stopping him when he had the chance. The failure to intervene could be passed off as just following orders, but he knew that wasn’t the real reason. Nolan had loved the pursuit, searching for the rebels and tailing them, losing himself in the mystery of what was happening, the fact that he was a critical part of the mission. He was the center of attention for once. It was petty and stupid and now he had to live with the consequences of his hubris.

“What is it now?” Nolan sighed as he felt his phone buzz again, his expression smoothing out when he saw the familiar bluntness of Opal’s message ordering him to go immediately to the palace. “A job at last!” He felt the thrum of excitement pulse through his chest and force the darkness of Gabe’s passing deeper inside. The chimera turned away from the river and walked quickly across the bridge towards the ziggurat, passing through the crowds of humans and chimeras who were celebrating in the streets as news of the victory spread. Fireworks exploded in blooms of red and purple flowers overhead, the sun dawning on a new day in the Chimera Empire.

“Hello, Opal.” Nolan murmured his greetings as he stepped into the twilight chamber, his eyes adjusting as the bat-like chimera shuffled over to him and gestured at a nearby monitor. “What’s the mission?”

“I do not know, only that the Minister for Chimera Intelligence requires your presence in Glória do Imperador.” Opal paused as Nolan frowned in confusion. “The Emperor’s Glory, Archon Jackson’s city, Brazil.”

“Ah, I’ve never been to South America.” Nolan nodded at the explanation. “Is that where the battle took place?”

“Yes, there is a grand victory celebration planned for the Emperor and his servants this evening.” The chimera pulled up blueprints of the Archon’s Palace and Nolan stepped closer, studying them. “Every Archon, Exarch, military leader, and scientist worth their salt will be arriving today to applaud the victorious army, another jet from the capital will not be remarked on. I do not know the target or if there even is one, but such a gathering presents an opportune window for the destruction of an enemy.”

“True enough.” Nolan studied the blueprints, committing the most relevant parts to memory. “Will I have any local support?”

“I do not know, perhaps it is best to assume that no one can be trusted until you hear what the Minister has to say?” Opal turned away and led Nolan into another room. “Reports from the battle indicate heavy casualties among both human loyalists and chimeras, but the complete destruction of the being known as the Harvester was achieved.”

“So, we’re likely dealing with a traitor.” Nolan grunted, running his eyes over the various tools and devices laid out on the table. “Hmm, I have my own abilities to draw on now, do I really need a handgun?”

“Your choice, Blade.” Opal bowed shortly and slipped away, fading silently back into the gloom that hid the corners of the room. “Your jet is waiting for you on Runway Five, flight time is fourteen hours. You will arrive after the festivities have begun, providing ample cover for any immediate deployments. If you have need of tactical support, I will be available.”

“Thank you.” Nolan picked up a collapsible crossbow, the heft familiar and strangely comforting in his hands. It was easy to pack away his thoughts of Gabe as his mind turned towards the approaching mission; compartmentalization was something he had done ever since he was a teenager, it was only now that he had a word for describing the self-protection measure. Nolan collected a quiver full of bolts and turned on his heel, leaving the room and striding towards the elevator.

The heat was the first thing Nolan noticed when he approached the open door of the jet, waves of humid air rolling over him as though he had just slipped into a bath. Through some sort of elemental manipulation, Stiles maintained the same pleasant temperature in Victory City every day but clearly wasn’t bothered to do the same here. The sun had gone down by now, but the heat lingered and sweat stuck his shirt to his back as Nolan climbed down the stairs and onto the runaway. Blinking lights pulsed gently, and he could see the steady traffic of cargo planes and private and commercial jets landing on the other side of the airport. The sky was full of the buzz of military aircraft as they ferried passengers between the large compound near the city proper and a hive of lights and activity a few miles further away.

Nolan offered his bag to the attendant waiting for him next to the silver SUV and sat inside, gratefully breathing in the sharp bite of the air conditioning. “Take me to the Archon’s Palace, please, south exit.” He settled back as they started driving, looking out the window. The city streets heaved with people, the familiar mix of obvious chimeras and Faithful mingling with those who had called it home before the Empire’s arrival. The victory celebration was in full swing, having spilled out from the gates of the palace to consume the nearby plazas and boulevards. Dancers whirled and music swamped over him when Nolan cracked open the window, letting in more of the humid heat. A smile touched his lips as they drove on, leaving the crowds behind. He could feel the influence of the Alpha Chimera seeping through his bones, a sort of light-headedness that was different to the usual surges of strength and vitality that he had become accustomed to.

Turning away from the main plazas and driving along lushly decorated roads, the SUV brought him towards the quieter side of the city nearer the ocean-facing side of the palace. The Archon had built it on a hill to overlook the city, tearing down the iconic statue of Christ the Redeemer and replacing it with a garish statue of Stiles instead, desperate to win the Emperor’s fickle approval. Nolan felt his lip curl in distaste, trying to remember what he could about Jackson from Beacon Hills. It wasn’t much, the guy had left when Nolan was only a freshman, but Nolan vaguely recalled that his family was rich, that he had meet him once or twice at the country club, and that his father said Jackson had a promising future in lacrosse if he worked at it.

I’ll ask Opal to pull a profile on him, in case he’s the target. Nolan thought to himself as they slowed down before the security barrier. After waving his ID at them, the SUV continued onwards, drawing to a stop a few minutes later in front of a pair of steel doors. “This will do, thanks.” Nolan stepped back out into the oppressive night air and picked up his bag.

The entrance yielded to his touch and Nolan found himself in a sterile white corridor stretching off in the distance. He started walking, pausing at the first junction and then turning right, continuing for a while longer before reaching some stairs. These brought him up two levels and out into a more richly decorated hallway with several doors leading off it, not unlike a hotel. He glanced at the room code Opal had sent him and started walking slowly along the corridor, glancing at the brass numbers on each door. He was looking for four hundred and thirty-two, and these were only starting at two hundred.

Nolan slowed down as he approached a group of chimeras standing around an open door, their shoulders decorated in spikes of ice and stone while two of them sported the revealing vests of the Faithful; sashes of decorated cloth that hung diagonally from shoulder to waist. They were speaking softly, snippets reaching his ears as he walked past.

“They said the Emperor was injured…”

“I heard the Guardian Prime gave his life for him!”

“Nonsense!” One of the Faithful shook her head, zealous fire burning in her eyes. “He gave the Emperor his flesh and bone, restored the Alpha Chimera, and in turn was healed.”

“Glory to the Chimera God!” The other Faithful bowed his head, his words echoed by the others. “Long may He protect us.”

“Hmm.” Nolan hummed to himself as their conversation fell out of his hearing range. “The rumor mill must be in over drive…and the ‘enlightenment’ activities too! Greenberg must be pulling an all-nighter.”

Eventually he found the right room and let himself inside. Nolan dumped his bag on the bed and walked over to the window, staring out at the nearby jungle. “Shower, shave, sleep, in that order!” Just as he was pulling his sweaty shirt off, Nolan heard his phone chime, and he dumped the ruined garment on the bed before picking up the device. It was a message from Corey, short and deliberate. “Meet me on the upper terrace near the statue, tomorrow morning.” Nolan murmured and typed his reply quickly. “See you there.”

Steep gardens and dense jungle plants screened off much of the Archon’s private terraces from the outside world, but Nolan had little trouble slipping through them, his new abilities allowing for effective camouflage against the patrols that wandered around the outer perimeter. Corey hadn’t said that their meeting was a secret, but Nolan didn’t want to reveal his presence without necessity, still unsure of the Minister’s objectives. He pushed aside a large green leaf and stepped out onto the path as the early morning sunlight speared through against his skin, already scorching hot despite the hour.

Corey was waiting for him, leaning against a nearby marble column that held up one end of a shaded canopy, dressed casually in shorts hanging below his knees and a tank top that drew Nolan’s gaze at once. His skin was more tanned than before, still as smooth and flawless as ever, although Nolan noticed the extra musculature that Corey had gained since they last saw each other, perhaps it was some sort of rapid chimera change. Not that Nolan was complaining, Corey looked great. He smelled good too, the realization making Nolan blink. It was the first time he had been one-on-one with Corey since his chimera conversion, his nostrils flaring as he drew in scents of milk and honey and some sort of spice that complemented Corey’s overall sense of guarded optimism.

“Ah,” The Minister nodded at him and gestured for them to move away into a more secluded part of the garden. “I’m glad you got here in time.”

“I have my ways,” Nolan shrugged, wiping sweat from his forehead, his loose shirt half-open to combat the heat. He smirked as Corey arched a brow and then shrugged. “Not sure why you called me though, don’t you have other assets you can use?”

“I would have activated Ghost, but she slipped away after the fighting.” Corey explained, pacing back and forth in front of him. “I’m sure the Emperor knows where she is, regardless, I prefer your methods: less blood and more finesse.”

“Hmm.” Nolan grunted, unsure as to whom Corey was referring to, another assassin probably. It was foolish to think he was the only one Corey had on hand. “Well, that’s kind of you to say.”

“Hah.”

“Uh,” Nolan glanced around to make sure they were alone before he spoke again. “And thanks, Minister, humanity’s stock is on the downward slide, being a chimera has its advantages.”

“Good. The Emperor was more than willing to agree to my request once I explained how important you were during the War of the Ghost Riders.” Corey smiled at him. “Besides, it’s so much easier to be an assassin when you can produce your own venom!”

“I’ll agree to that.” Nolan inclined his head and turned around, so his back was heated by the rising sun. “But what’s the assignment?”

“The Banshee, Lydia.” Corey wet his lips and stopped moving. “The Emperor has decided that it is no longer worth the risk of her uncontrolled presence. She cannot be a chimera, she must be eliminated. We are to deal with it.”

“Are you thinking an accident?” Nolan asked, folding his arms and frowning, lips parted in thought. “I could poison her, but-”

“No, nothing so obvious.” The other chimera shook his head. “Perhaps an unfortunate infection from her grievous wounds sustained in the battle with the Harvester?”

“Blood poisoning would work, Minister.” Nolan replied as he began to mentally plan the assassination. “I-”

“It could, but I think something grander might serve as a better method.” Corey grinned as another idea sprung to mind. “The Faithful are zealots in the extreme, and there are many in the city after the battle. Perhaps one of them overheard her inconsequential threats to the Emperor and decided that he would strike down this heretic and protect his master from such a danger?”

“Go on,” Nolan nodded, sitting on the stone bench nearby. “There’d certainly be more deniability than a sudden turn in her condition.”

“Archon Alexander and Lydia will be leaving by plane this evening, returning to his territory in Africa. I can separate them, get the Archon to remain behind for a few minutes, security briefing or something,” Corey continued, looking at Nolan. “That means Lydia will go to the airport in her own vehicle. You’ll blow it up: not all the Faithful are chimeras and there’s an armory on the lowest level of the palace. Grab an RPG and I’ll send you the route. Take her out, there’ll be an investigation, if necessary, we can use one of the actual Faithful, they’ll take the blame if the Emperor commands it.”

“I got it,” Nolan stood up, glancing at his watch. “I’ll be in position by five o’clock.”

“Excellent.” Corey smiled coldly. “We’ll speak more once I return to Victory City, there are some other loose ends I want you to tidy up.”

“Of course, I serve at your pleasure.” Nolan returned the smile and bowed low, seeing Corey’s lips twitch into a smirk, a subtle flex in his scent that hinted at something other than just amusement. He straightened up and walked away as Corey turned to leave in the other direction. Nolan felt a familiar swooping sensation in his stomach as he passed through the gardens towards the palace proper. “I wonder…”

The aftermath of the great battle was evident throughout the city as Nolan carried the heavy weapons case through its streets towards the overlook he had scouted earlier that morning. The Faithful were omnipresent on every corner, groups of them accompanying the Exarchs as the priests wandered through the city, flowing robes of crimson and gold gathering dust in the midday heat. Some were simply there to be seen, while others acted as standard bearers for the imperial flag, and yet more carried long metal poles with incense braziers on the end, clouds of the strong scent accompanied the Faithful wherever they went. Human soldiers occupied the restaurants and cafes, their camo gear looking almost out of place alongside chimeras with their vibrant abilities on display. In other parts of the city, Nolan had seen hordes of lab-coated technicians and scientists escorting samples from the recent battle towards the airport, glass containment vessels filled with inert, gray goop.

There was a tension in the air as well, no longer the pleasant euphoria of the victory party, more like a building pressure waiting for something to make it pop. Nolan wasn’t quite sure what was causing it, perhaps it was the presence of all the disparate factions in the same city. They seemed to get along when they were in the capital, but here it was as though someone was itching to draw the battlelines and start the bloodshed again. Perhaps it wasn’t too surprising, after all, the chimeras lived to fight, and now there was no one left to fight.

Nolan finished his climb up the abandoned apartment block, positioning himself on a balcony that overlooked the road leading from the palace to the airport. He looked over the route again, making sure his sightlines were clear before returning to the table where he had left the heavy weapons case. He’d only have one shot, but the weapon had a laser guidance system and was relatively simple to use. Nolan checked the rocket launcher over before taking out the earplugs from the pocket in his shirt and slipping them in, deadening his enhanced senses.

The weapon was a sleek black tube with a complicated targeting computer attached to one side along with the scope, and Nolan brought it over to the balcony edge. Leaving it on the weathered table next to the railing, he went back inside to clear the space behind him so the exhaust from the blast would have somewhere to vent to. Once he was fully prepared, he returned to the balcony and sent Corey a confirmation message.

“Ok, let’s see here.” Nolan muttered, taking out one of his ear plugs and replacing it with an in-ear communication plug. “Can you hear me, Opal?”

“Reading you loud and clear.” The chimera’s soft voice responded instantly. “I have updated information from the Minister. The target is already on the move. Target vehicle is a black government SUV, plate number Delta, Hotel, Sierra, One, Four, Three, Seven, Alpha. Confirm.”

“Delta, Hotel, Sierra, One, Four, Three, Seven, Alpha. Confirmed.” Nolan repeated back to Opal as he stood up, looking over the balcony. “Traffic is light, no sign yet.”

“I have a satellite tasked above you, awaiting a clear image.”

“Acknowledged.” Nolan grabbed the rocket launcher and hoisting it onto his shoulder. It was lighter than he had expected, or perhaps that was just his chimera strength kicking in. The targeting computer lit up as Nolan pointed the end towards the street, scanning the passing cars for the one he was looking for. “Opal?”

“I have the target, passing through the security check point at the outer palace gates as we speak, it will be in range in a few minutes.”

“Good.” Nolan tensed himself, his feet planted firmly apart as he swept the approach from the palace, waiting for the SUV to come into view. After a few strained seconds, he saw a black SUV coming down the road. “I have it, confirming the target.”

“Standby.” Opal’s voice came quickly over the coms, a sudden rush that was unlike the chimera’s normal sibilant tone. “Abort! Abort! Abort!”

“What?!” Nolan jerked up, snatching his finger away from the trigger. “What’s wrong?”

“The strike is called off, the Emperor has rescinded the kill order.” Opal replied, the sound of furious typing in the background. “Do not take out the target, confirm.”

“Do not take out the target, confirmed.” Nolan echoed back and relaxed his posture. He moved away from the balcony as the SUV rolled on towards the airport unaware of the peril it had been in. “Follow-up orders?”

“The Minister asks you to return to Victory City and he’ll debrief you himself.” Opal said after a few moments. “You can leave the rocket launcher where it is, and I’ll have a chimera come and collect it.”

“If you’re sure.” Nolan grunted, replacing the weapon into the carry case and pulling out the noise cancelling ear plug. “I guess I’ll see you in a few hours.”

“Hang on,” Opal paused, clearly listening to something before sighing irritably. “The Minister wants to speak with you now. Do you have the sat-phone?”

“Of course.” Nolan pulled out the clunky device from his travel bag and punched in the numbers as Opal called them out. “I got it.”

“I’m logging off, if you have any other trouble, you know how to contact me.”

“Yeah, thanks.” Nolan replied and moved away from the balcony and into the gutted remains of the apartment, passing through a large hole blasted in the fading painted wall. He pressed the call button and held the phone up to his ear, the call answered after only a few rings. “Minister.”

“Nolan, status of the target?”

“Alive. Unhurt.”

“Good.” Corey sounded stressed and Nolan could almost picture him running his hand through his hair, ruffling it into soft points. “It was a change of circumstances, I-”

“It doesn’t matter to me.” Nolan shrugged, interrupting him. “Go, no-go, I don’t need the reason, I’ll just do what you tell me.”

“I…thank you.” Corey hesitated and then spoke again. His tone was different now, more friendly with perhaps a touch of nervousness threaded through it. “Listen, when we both get back to the capital, we’ll have that briefing. But I was wondering if you wanted to come over for lunch one of the days? We can talk a little more, uh, intimately, I guess.”

“Oh yeah?” Nolan felt his pulse spike at the way Corey described it, and he wetted his lips as he accepted the invitation. “Sure, I’m always free. And it would be nice not to have to stand on ceremony all the time.”

“That’s true.” Corey laughed and Nolan smiled along with him. “Let’s say Thursday around noon? I have apartments just beneath the Emperor’s level, western side of the ziggurat.”

“I’ll be there.” Nolan replied, ending the call as a flutter of excitement thrummed through his body. “Looking forward to it!"

Chapter Text

Three Years Later

The sun was just cresting the barrier hills that guarded Victory City from the desert beyond as Nolan reached the halfway point of his morning run. The air was still a delicious crisp slowly being warmed that allowed him to go flat out for the first part from his apartment and down along the promenade that girded the coast above the ever-golden beaches. He ran in only shoes and shorts, sweat gleaming on his bare chest, his muscles enhanced by his chimera DNA and kept in perfect physical condition even without exercise. But there was a purity in running, in taking in the fresh air, and not having to worry about pulling a muscle or straining his tendons.

There were other benefits too, Nolan had come to cherish these moments of relative calm and solitude. He had a podcast on his ear pods that kept him distracted when he wanted to be, but it was just a couple of chimeras talking casually about the myriad building projects that were being undertaken across the world. Something so different from Nolan’s professional life that architecture and engineering could be considered a break. He often tuned them out, reflecting instead on everything else that was happening. Things had been relatively quiet since the end of the Harvester War, only a few missions to take out the final pockets of rebels in hard-to-reach places.

Instead, Nolan had been spending a lot more time with his friends, both those from his old squad, Hank and Charlie and Dirk, and, increasingly, Corey and Garrett. He had spent the night before with them, tucked away in their apartment at the peak of the Imperial Palace, almost above the clouds. They had dinner and then Nolan had continued his campaign with Garrett in the new Chimera of Duty game, the older guy having become instantly hooked when Nolan bought them the gaming system.

A smile touched his lips as he thought about his friends. They certainly were friends, but Nolan always felt that there was something else there, a certain tension in their gazes. There was a softer, smoother side to Corey that Nolan hadn’t seen previously, as well as a loveable goofball hiding under the surface. Both aspects had surprised him at first, it seemed drastically at odds with his public facing persona of a stern spymaster and wielder of assassins. As for Garrett, Nolan had heard all the tales of the fearsome Löwenmensch and his failed plot to overthrow the Emperor with his army of Ghost Riders. Beneath the bravado and pride though, Garrett was clever and reasonable, caring more about rebuilding things with Corey than jockeying for a place in the imperial hierarchy. He’d be seeing Corey later in the morning, a new assignment was finally going to be his, Corey had hinted at it all last night, enough to drive Nolan crazy with curiosity.

But for now, Nolan was almost at the end point of his run. A long concrete pier jutted out into the water, a new construction that allowed ships to moor closer to the towering ziggurats that now dominated Victory City’s skyline in a mirror of the Imperial Palace. He could head to the barracks which were located under the curtain wall and get a shower there instead of returning to his apartment. There still weren’t many out and about as the sun finally flooded the capital with light and heat, the azure waves sparkling like gemstones as Nolan slowed to a stop and raised his arms over his head.

A light breeze rolling in off the ocean cooled the sweat that drenched his hair, and he slicked a hand across his brow. Nolan took off his sunglasses and just stood in the comforting relief for a moment, his eyes closed. After a few minutes, he turned away and walked towards a large steel door set into the base of the stone wall that soared a hundred feet above his head. The door swung open when he touched his hand against the scanner, artificial air rushing out to cool him further as the chimera at the front desk nodded at him in greeting.

Nolan kept a locker in the barrack’s shower room, a large, tiled square that could easily accommodate a few hundred at max capacity. It was quiet here too, but the morning rush was still an hour away, the Chimera Army maintained continuous drills despite the years of peace and stability. He knew that the Guardians had a specialized training facility in the bowels of the barracks, but Nolan had never seen it, despite seeing plenty of the armored warriors roaming about.

There were a few scribes near him, the assistants to the Guardians that helped clean and polish their heavy armor suits and long, flowing robes. Nolan nodded at them as he passed, grabbing a towel from his locker. It was the work of a moment to strip off his sweat-soaked shorts and underwear, finally freed of the chafing material, Nolan sighed with relief. “Phew!”

“How’s the morning air?” A deep, rich voice called out to him from the other end of the locker row. “Cool?”

“It’ll be hot later.” Nolan replied as he glanced in the speaker’s direction. “A real scorcher, I think.”

“Ugh, and I’ve pulled a patrol on the gatehouse.” The chimera sighed and then smirked, shrugging his impressive frame. Nolan ran his eyes over the man’s muscular form, his skin dark and alluring. “Not sure what I did to piss off the Guardian Prime…”

“Ah, so you’re a Guardian?” Nolan flicked his gaze up as the man approached him, a towel cast over one shoulder, his large cock swinging between his legs. He could feel his own cock getting hard, his asshole tensing. But Nolan didn’t need to say anything, and he didn’t have the ability to suppress his scent. The arousal pooling between them spoke for him instead. “Coming to the showers?”

“Uh huh, lead the way.” The Guardian grinned at him and gestured towards the row of shower stalls near the rear wall. “I’m Colt by the way.”

“Nolan.” He replied and selected a stall furthest away from the currently occupied ones. Nolan glanced around and then stepped into it as Colt crowded him from behind, the other chimera reaching out to close the stall door. They both tossed their towels on the hook and then Nolan turned around to face him, backing up with one hand behind him until he reached the knob for the shower. “Ah!” Nolan grunted when the water sprayed out and drenched them both.

“Nice, very nice!” Colt muttered as he placed his hands on Nolan hips and guided them back around to cup each of Nolan’s ass cheeks. They were both fully hard now, Nolan’s cock jutting outwards and glancing off Colt’s girthy dick as he moved closer to the other guy. “How long do we have?”

“Eh, I need to be at Chimera Intelligence in about half an hour.”

“Oh, a spy, huh?”

“Something like that.” Nolan shrugged and reached out to caress Colt’s expansive chest, enjoying the sensation of his broad pectorals and hard, erect nipples. “What about you? How long until your patrol?”

“Hmm, about the same, I’ve already been late twice this week, can’t make it a third time.” He sighed wistfully as he gazed at Nolan’s cock and then looked up to meet his eyes. “Not sure how much we can do in twenty minutes…”

“You’d be surprised.” Nolan smirked and turned around abruptly. He bent over slightly, feeling his asshole quiver and tense in anticipation as he backed up, so Colt’s cock was touching against his lower back. “We can always hook up properly another time.”

“I like how you think!” Colt grinned when Nolan glanced over his shoulder and the Guardian slowly sunk to his knees. “But there’s definitely enough time for this. Mmf!” He shoved his face against Nolan’s asshole without further commentary, wrapping one arm around his waist to keep him from moving as Colt’s heavy tongue pressed forcibly into him.

“Ah!” Nolan gasped and groaned as he was eaten out aggressively, his cock bobbing up and down, precum streaming from the tip. He braced himself against the tiled wall, hot water drenching his shoulders and head as his legs eased apart, allowing Colt even greater access to his asshole. After a few minutes of being sloppily rimmed, Nolan moaned when Colt’s mouth was replaced by two fingers roughly scything in and out of his hole. “Ah, fuck, that’s good!”

“Mmh, it’s going to feel even better in a minute, dude.” Colt promised him as he pushed a third finger into Nolan’s tight hole. His cock was pressing against Nolan’s ass cheeks now and when Colt pulled his thick fingers from Nolan’s hole, he replaced them with his cock almost instantly. “Ah, yeah, you’re perfect!”

“Mmmh, feels big.” Nolan moaned approvingly, sinking back onto Colt’s girthy ten inches. His own dick bounced and spasmed without him needing to touch it, the pleasure was intensive enough that Nolan could feel the orgasm building in his balls. He glanced over his shoulder as Colt slid fully into him, the other chimera’s strong body glistening from the spray of the water, his hands stretching Nolan’s ass cheeks apart as he slowly started to back out. “Aw, fuck, go for it! Fuck me already!”

“I don’t want to hurt you, I’m pretty big!” Colt smirked at him as Nolan grunted and bucked his hips back and forth. “Mmf, but if you want it this bad…ok!”

“Ah, yeah, just like that!” Nolan groaned when Colt pulled almost fully out of him and then slammed his thick cock fully inside him again, widening his hole and sending shockwaves of pleasure through Nolan’s body. He reached down and started jerking off as Colt settled into a rapid, hammering pace, railing Nolan’s ass with his big dick and pounding his prostate continually. “Ah! Ah! Ah!”

“Fuck, I’m close!” Colt warned him and ploughed in and out of Nolan’s stretched hole a few final times before unloading inside him as Nolan’s hole clenched tightly around him. “Ah! Oh! Fuck!”

“Mmh, perfect!” Nolan grunted, cumming a moment later, his jizz drenching the shower wall for a few seconds before the water washed it away. He gasped and groaned when Colt continued to fuck him a couple more times, sliding his thick cock in and out of Nolan’s used hole, getting off on the creampie. “Dude, that was awesome!”

“Yeah, we should do this again.” Colt replied enthusiastically as he finally pulled out, Nolan looking back to see the chimera’s heavy dick coated in copious cream as Colt kept Nolan’s asshole gaping with one hand. Desire still hung thick in the air as their eyes met and both of them grinned, clearly wanting more. The Guardian was the first to break, sighing as he moved towards the shower head, washing his body clean of sweat and jizz. “I gotta get going or I’ll be busted down to City Guard.”

“Haha, let me help you with that.” Nolan chuckled and stood behind Colt, his hands snaking around his torso to slide up and down Colt’s abs, reaching lower to grasp his still hard cock. His own dick rested along the muscular chimera’s ass cheeks and Nolan frotted against him slowly as Colt fucked back and forth into his grip.

“Mmh, feels so good, dude.” Colt moaned and squirted shower gel over his body and across his shoulders, his hands working it into a lather, the white suds contrasting erotically against his dark skin as Nolan pressed his chest against Colt’s back, feeling the gel turn their embrace into erotic, frictionless heaven. “Fuck, I might cum again, Nolan.”

“Yeah?” Nolan smirked and continued to use his hands to form a slippery, tight fuck tunnel for Colt to thrust into. He was a little surprised when the Guardian reached back and stretched one of his ass cheeks open so Nolan’s cock would slide deeper into his ass crack, but Nolan went with it, his slicked-up dick pressing hard along the muscular cheek and then against Colt’s hot, puckering hole. “Ah, fuck, are you sure?”

“Oh, yeah, stick it in me!” Colt moaned longingly and pressed back against him as Nolan angled his hips just right, his cock spearing Colt’s hole at the same time. They both groaned loudly, Nolan reaching up to wrap his arms around Colt’s well-built shoulders for leverage. He got fully off the ground a moment later, his thighs gripping along Colt’s legs as he bounced back and forth, rapidly thrusting his hard cock in and out of the chimera’s incredibly tight ass. “Fuck!”

“Mmh!” Nolan groaned along with him, Colt’s hands reaching down to replace Nolan’s grip on him. They fucked almost awkwardly for a few minutes, only the slip and slide afforded by the shower gel made it all work. Nolan came suddenly, the unexpected orgasm barreling through him when Colt dragged one of his hands down from his shoulders to play with a hard nipple. The sheer eroticism of the action made Nolan’s balls tingle and seconds later, he was dumping a load in Colt’s ass, cream sliding out as Nolan stepped backwards, Colt gasping and turning to face him. “Fuck, yeah!” He exclaimed when Colt jerked off a few more times and then unloaded on Nolan’s chest and abs.

“Wow! That was intense!” Colt backed off from him as Nolan grinned. “We are so late now.”

“Sorry about your demotion.” Nolan smirked, both of them moving around to wash off the cum.

“It was worth it though.” Colt sighed contentedly. “I’ll flick you my contact details as I’m getting changed. We should hook up again.”

“Definitely.” Nolan agreed and smiled at him as Colt grabbed his towel and exited the stall first, steam spilling out along with him. “I’ll, uh, see you over there.”

“Let’s hope we don’t get distracted again!”

“Hopefully.” Nolan nodded and grabbed the shower head, detaching it from the wall, about to use it to clean the cum from his ass. He didn’t need Corey or anyone else in Chimera Intelligence to know he’d been railed in the shower stall, no matter how good it had felt. Casual sex was as common now as it had always been, but Nolan felt there was actual potential in his relationship with Corey, and he didn’t want to take any risks with it.

The large plaza at the front entrance of the Imperial Palace was bustling with commuters and tourists by the time Nolan arrived, freshly scrubbed and dowsed in aftershave that would hopefully obscure his morning activities from the acute senses of his co-workers. The towering masterpiece of the Cathedral of Unity loomed large into the azure sky, banners and flags streaming from its many battlements in the breeze rolling in off the ocean. Nolan could already see the line forming for the Exarchs’ Ceremony later that morning and he moved away from it, looking instead at the newly built headquarters of Chimera Space Command, a gleaming marble ziggurat that sat across the Path of Legends.

He walked through the open gates that sat under the three statues of Stiles, Theo, and Corey, and into the palace proper. This was somewhat less busy than outside, but tourists still occupied most of the courtyard, gazing up in wonder at the imposing, black-bricked ziggurat, the seat of chimera power. Nolan slipped past them and nodded at the two impassive Guardians flanking the entrance to the throne room. He sneaked a peek towards the dais, but the throne was empty and there were only a few courtiers and attendants around, polishing the marble or brushing the carpets.

The quiet was quickly banished as Nolan descended to the lower levels, emerging into Chimera Intelligence’s nerve center, a wall of sound crashing over him. The big screen was displaying a large map of some jungle area, with a satellite feed on the smaller monitors showing heat signatures and another the status of the operatives. Nolan nodded at Hank as the chimera raised a hand in greeting, his attention otherwise diverted by the ongoing mission. He left his bag at his desk and wandered over to his friend. “What’s going on?”

“We’re providing tactical support to the First Chimera. He’s in the Amazon, tracking heretics with a squad of Faithful.” Hank nodded at the screen nearest them, a grainy photo of the target was pinned to it. He glanced at Nolan and winced slightly. “A bit heavy on the aftershave, huh?”

“Sorry, my hand slipped.” Nolan murmured, studying the intelligence before him. “What sort of heretics?”

“I’m not sure,” Hank shrugged. “By the way, the Minister is waiting for you, I think he has a mission, off-world. Threat Analysis is in with him right now though.”

“Off-world?” Nolan echoed with an arched brow. “The Moon?”

“I’m not in the loop, but CSC sent over a file bundle for you, it’s on your desk.” Hank gestured and then moved away from him when an analyst flagged him down. “Later, Nolan.”

“See ya.” The assassin frowned and moved back to his desk, sorting through the files and papers until he found the CSC dossier, the emblem of the space command clear on the front; a clawed hand grasping a flaring sun. “Hmm.” He was about to flip through the file when the door to Corey’s frosted glass office opened and a trio of chimeras emerged, their meeting evidently over. A few seconds later, his phone rang, and Corey asked him to bring the file over. “On my way.”

Nolan picked up the bundle and strode across the floor towards the office, dodging around the threat analysis team as they exited. He climbed the stairs quickly and entered the office, a soothing calm falling around him as the door shut and blocked out the bustle of the command center. “I have those files for you, Minister. Do you want them now?”

“Yeah, thanks.” Corey smiled at him. “And I told you before that it’s fine to use my actual name regardless of where we are. We’re friends, right?”

“Of course, Corey.” Nolan returned the grin, feeling a flutter in his stomach. Corey’s expression became more serious as he nodded absently.

“Great, ok.”

“Hmm.” Nolan grunted under his breath, studying Corey’s face, the same as ever, youthful perfection realized. If he had any objections to Nolan’s blurred scent, the chimera didn’t mention it as Nolan took a seat in front of him.

“Um, I have a mission for you.”

“Who do you want me to kill?” Nolan replied emotionlessly, easily slipping into his professional mindset.

“Not that kind of mission!” Corey shook his head quickly, irritation flashing across his face. “Something different.”

“Oh, well, what is it?”

“The orbital construction yards at Moonbase Alpha and Beta are getting backed up, so the Emperor wants to set up a new one deeper into space.” Corey explained, sitting on the edge of his glass table, facing Nolan. “Marric is already on site, bringing in the equipment and resupplying our city there. But I want you to oversee the creation of new Leviathan construction yards at our Deep Space Communications and Training Center on Mars.”

“Me?” Nolan blinked, standing up and moving closer to Corey. “But I’m just-”

“You’ve been invaluable these past few years, Nolan,” Corey smiled, getting to his feet and placing his hands on the other chimera’s shoulders. “I trust you to carry the authorization to the Red Planet and begin overseeing the building efforts. And don’t worry, I’ll join you in a few weeks. We’ll make sure everything is moving along and then Marric will appoint an overseer to take over from us; we’ll be back in the capital before Garrett’s birthday, and months before he has to leave for his new colony world.”

“If you’re sure.” Nolan frowned at him and glanced at Corey’s lingering hand. “I don’t really know anything about Leviathan construction anyway, maybe someone from the Science Division would be better suited?”

“And if you had to do any of the actual building, then I’d agree. But Marric will have his engineers set up and the initial pylon placement for the space docks mapped out by the time you arrive.” Corey lowered his voice and pulled his hand away to grab the CSC folder. “Look, I know it’s not what you’re used to, and I don’t want you to be gone for so long either, but there’s been more than a few accidental deaths on the Moon sites. We need to make sure that legacy doesn’t follow into the rest of the Leviathan docks. So, poke around, see if you can find anything odd or out of place.”

“You suspect sabotage?” Nolan nodded slowly and flicked out his claws, inspecting them. He had never been off-world, although an increasing number of chimeras were taking up positions in the outer colonies, eager to expand the reach of the Empire in Stiles’ new galaxy-spanning vision. A thrum of excitement roared through his body at the prospect, and he glanced at Corey. “How far does my official sanction go?”

“The Emperor’s law is clear: anyone found tampering with Imperial property or interfering in the creation of the bio-ships is to be killed, without exception. It hasn’t been needed yet, the threat matrix is way down.” Corey gestured vaguely at the Operations Center outside his office. “It might just be accidents, it might not be, use your judgement and if you find something amiss, deal with it.”

“Happy to.” The assassin hummed under his breath, “So, when is my flight?”

“There’s a shuttle taking off from Fort Connor outside the capital in three hours,” Corey switched on the monitor attached to the wall, a schedule of flights appearing. “Then you’ll rendezvous with the Leviathan Emperor’s Vision which will ferry you out to Mars. Flight time is about an hour, so don’t get too settled in.”

“No worries of that.” Nolan grinned. “It’ll take me longer to get to Fort Connor!”

“Ok, call me when you arrive.” Corey gave him back the folder and nodded slowly.

“What are you going to tell Garrett?” Nolan asked, pausing as he reached for the door handle. He hadn’t meant to ask the question so abruptly, so overtly, as if they were all more than friends. “Uh.”

“That you’ll be back in a few weeks,” Corey shrugged when Nolan smirked at him. “Besides, he has his own work to do, we’re going to be spread out a lot for the next few years. But with the advances Marric has been making lately in the antimatter engines, we’ll be able to jump from place to place in no time at all.”

“Hmm, I guess you’re right.” Nolan came back towards him when Corey gestured at a steel case left next to his desk. He placed the files inside and turned to go again. “Tell him that we’ll have to pick up our game some other time.”

“I will.” Corey stood up, walking with him to the door. He placed his hand back on the assassin’s shoulder, leaning in. “Fly safe, Nolan, I don’t want to lose you.”

“Relax, Corey, stalking enemies lurking in the shadows of the Empire is what I do best.” Nolan grinned at him, their farewell lingering a little longer than seemed necessary. He noticed Corey fidgeting with the hem of his shirt, his eyes dragging up Corey’s torso, delaying a moment on the exposed skin at his collar before finally reaching his purple eyes. “I’ll see you in a few weeks, it won’t be that long.” Nolan parted his lips, breathing in as Corey wetted his own, the familiar scent of arousal sparking between them the same way it had been doing for months now. “Err, I better get going if I don’t want to miss my flight.”

“Yeah, I know.” Corey let him go, trailing his hand down Nolan’s sleeve until his fingers were brushing across the chimera’s bare skin. “For the glory of the Empire, right?”

“Glory!” Nolan whispered back with a grin. He surprised the other chimera by bending forward suddenly and wrapping his arms around Corey, hugging him tight before pulling away just as rapidly and walking out the door into the bustling Operations Center, trying not to overthink what he just did.

Fort Connor was a sprawling complex of launch pads, runways, ancillary buildings, and warehouses gathered around a massive limestone pyramid that served as the command center, operations control, and flight terminal for those leaving Earth towards the local system bases or further afield abroad the massive chimera starships known as the Leviathans. So gargantuan were the Leviathans that they remained in orbit around the planet rather than landing, their immense bulk preventing them from ever lifting off again. Instead, Fort Connor hosted a fleet of shuttles, rockets, and smaller bioships used to ferry colonists to and fro between Earth and the Orbital Approach Dock. It wasn’t far outside the city, serviced by a rapid bullet train which left from the foot of the Path of Legends and wound through tunnels under the city before emerging from beneath the barrier mountains and up onto the scrubland of the Mojave Desert.

As usual, the train was bustling and fully booked, although Corey had arranged his travel plans and Nolan found himself a comfortable seat with views out across the desert. The last time he had been out this way there was nothing but the occasional ghost town left to collapse into oblivion under the hot sun. But not anymore. Countless cranes were jutting up from endless construction sites as they rushed through new and restored towns, transit platforms in various stages of completion hinted at the vast sums being poured into infrastructure and renewal.

The train began slowing down as they approached their destination, and he could see the towering plumes of white smoke signaling the launch of another shuttle from the pads nearest the railway. He heard the muffled cries of surprise and excitement from the other passengers and Nolan looked out the other window, feeling his jaw slacken at the massive construction project happening on the eastern edge of Fort Connor. He had heard rumors that the Emperor was building a new Space Elevator, a much grander version of the test concept that had been built near the palace. It was the sort of wild sci-fi project that would have taken the old-world nations decades to plan and billions to even attempt. And yet before him now were the deep foundations of the anchoring masts and the beginning of the immense tube that would one day ferry chimeras and cargo from Earth to the stars in the blink of an eye.

Nolan gathered his things together as the train sunk back into the earth again, bringing them under the perimeter wall of Fort Connor and into the terminus located beneath the pyramid. It was cool and refreshing as he stepped off, a welcome change from the sun-soaked train carriage. Nolan glanced around as thousands of people moved through the station heading for the banks of elevators at the far end of the platform. It was an eclectic mix of human families towing whatever worldly possessions they had in dreams of a better future, chimera parents holding their new offspring as they set out on new adventures, and groups of the bare-chested Faithful accompanying Exarchs to the colonies.

An armored chimera in the characteristic red plate and purple cloak striding through the crowd attracted Nolan’s attention. He felt his mind flash back to the hookup he had that morning, a pleasurable jolt sparking through his chest. But this Guardian wasn’t familiar to him, the chimera had a strong face with a chiseled jaw and short cut black hair, almost a carbon copy of the Guardian Prime save for the puckered scar which cut through his lower lip. Nolan nodded at him and raised a hand. “Hey there.”

“This way, Blade, the launch schedule has been cleared for you.” The Guardian gestured for him to follow, and Nolan fell into step behind him. “You will be departing from Gate-33, all other flights will be delayed.”

“The Minister mentioned something about priority clearance. I was thinking that meant a free drink at the lounge.” Nolan joked as they crowded into one of the elevators, the metal box creaking ominously under the Guardian’s heavily armored form. “I’m not sure a high-profile launch is going to work to my advantage exactly.” There wasn’t a response from the other chimera and Nolan hummed under his breath, carefully sniffing the air. A distinct scent of armor polish and rigid professionalism radiated from the Guardian. “What’s your name?”

“Cameron.” The reply was short, almost grudging. “I will be your escort until we reach the orbital dock. Then you are on your own.”

“No offense, Cameron, but you do stand out a bit.” Nolan smirked as they were whisked up through the pyramid towards the mid-point where the departures lounge overlooked the apron and runways. “My job requires some degree of subtilty.”

“As you say.” Cameron replied stoically, stepping out ahead of Nolan as they entered the crowds making their way through the security cordon. Bright, white limestone lined the walls and reached upwards along the slope of the pyramid while the space in front of him was bathed in light from the immense windows that covered one side of the structure. Nolan could easily see the entire space port laid out in front of him. A dozen shuttles were already strapped to booster rockets and standing by on pads to his right, while more were being refuelled and prepared at the stations further away near the fence that ran around this part of Fort Connor.

On the runway below him, he could see the strangely smooth fuselage of the new bioships, a fusion of machinery and chimera science. There were several parked by the departure gates, pill-shaped vehicles with short, flared wings jutting out from their sides. Nolan caught sight of one of the bio-ships turning, the cowling on their rear-mounted engines opening slowly, a deep blue fire revealed as the air shimmered behind it.

Crowds of people were kept away from him by barriers as Cameron escorted Nolan towards his departure gate, the authoritative voice over the speaker system advising passengers of an expected delay to their travel plans. He felt a little uncomfortable under their curious eyes, but soon realized most of them were gazing at the Guardian instead in a mixture of awe and reverence. These were the warriors who guarded the Emperor, the Overmind few chimeras would have more than a passing acquaintance with. To see a Guardian was to see an extension of the Emperor’s divine will. Nolan could almost taste their devotion on the air.

“This way, Blade.” Cameron waved him through the security detectors, ignoring the readout as Nolan followed him down a sloping corridor towards the apron. The jet bridge extended out and its collar was fixed around the sliding entrance panel of the bioship. Up close, the skin of the vessel was a pale green with a somewhat unpleasant organic texture. But once he stepped inside, Nolan felt the uneasiness pass.

“Hmm, more comfortable than I would have imagined.” He commented and walked down the aisle towards a row of seats near the large window that looked out over the stubby wings. Cameron sat opposite him, moving the arms of the chairs to allow his armored bulk more room. “How long will this take?”

“Seven minutes.” The Guardian glanced towards the cockpit as the pilot came out to seal the door and detach the sky bridge. “Take-off when ready.”

“Of course, Guardian.” The other chimera bowed respectfully and returned to the cockpit.

“So, we need pilots? I thought this was a chimera?” Nolan asked as he felt a vibration under him and then a clunk as the bioship moved away from the apron towards the runway. “Is that the same for Leviathans?”

“I don’t know,” Cameron shrugged, pulling out a tablet and tapping delicately on the screen. “I’m informing the Emperor’s Vision that we are on our way. Perhaps its captain can answer your questions.”

“Sure.” Nolan buckled himself in and settled back as the bioship trundled down the runway. He had expected the usual sensations of force and pressure to slam him back into his seat, along with the heady roar of the engines. But instead, there was a gentle purr and a sudden feeling of weightlessness as they abruptly took off, sweeping into the air on a curving arc. Where Cameron seemed bored and was looking ahead emotionlessly, Nolan stared out the window, his lips parted in awe as they picked up speed and soared through the sparse clouds, a sense of weightlessness coming over him. “Inertial dampers, maybe? This is incredible.”

Without any ceremony, they passed from the glorious blue skies of Earth into the dark void of the heavens, countless stars laid out before him as Nolan stared through the window. They turned silently as they came closer to the Orbital Approach Dock. The enormous space station was ever-expanding, and Nolan could see the outline of the next phase of construction in the metal gantries that stretched out from the main hub. Constellations of solar panels bloomed like flower petals from the upper reaches of the station, while long tubes jutted out from the large octagon that comprised the dock itself.

Some of these tubes were connected to the vast space-faring starships called the Leviathans, miles long, armor-plated creations that reminded Nolan of whales or perhaps dinosaurs. They were impossibly massive chimeras that combined the latest technology with the ancient knowledge of chimera parascience. He stared out at the nearest one and shook his head. “Can you believe it’s only been a couple of years? Gone from fighting for every scrap to roaming space? Incredible.”

“We’re here.” Cameron replied, standing up as the bioship sailed into the internal docking bay of the Leviathan, the small space closed off from the rest of the craft almost like a pouch. Nolan followed him towards the door, pausing as the Guardian waited for the outer hull to reseal and atmosphere to be restored. A light pulsed from red to green and a shrill sound blared out from a speaker near their heads. “After you, Blade.”

Nolan had never been on a cruise ship before, but the interior of the Leviathan matched his expectations for such a vessel. There was a vast open lobby of sorts with fluted columns holding up an arched ceiling and rows of comfortable seats arrayed near large viewing ports which looked out over the glorious blue marble of the Earth. They had taken an elevator up from the docking bay, letting out into a long corridor, one end leading to the lobby while signs informed him that the other way led to the airlock. It all felt surreal as he followed Cameron through a half dozen empty rooms, lounges and games rooms and dining areas, and then towards a set of stairs that led further up. He was the only other passenger, and it was strange to walk through an environment that had been clearly designed for hundreds, if not thousands, of people, almost like being in a school after dark.

After a few minutes of silent walking, Cameron stopped in front of a heavy steel door and tapped an entry code into the panel next to it. The doors swung open, and conversation washed over them as Nolan was led onto the bridge. Three rows of consoles and operators were arrayed in an arc from the prow of the Leviathan with a large, raised dais positioned in the center. A uniformed chimera sat in the command chair, another console at his side. He nodded at the Guardian and smiled reassuringly at Nolan.

“An honor to meet you, Blade. We’ll set off shortly.”

“I will take my leave.” Cameron gave Nolan a curt nod and turned away, leaving him on the bridge.

“See ya.” Nolan smirked and moved forward, looking at the blinking lights, display screens, and seemingly endless knobs, buttons, and levers which covered the consoles near him. He glanced up when a grating sound came from the panels at the front of the bridge. Large, armored hull plates moved forwards, covering oval-shaped viewing ports that gave him vision over the sharp prow of the ship and out into the field of stars. Several banks of monitors flickered to life to provide the same view. “Wow.”

“Impressive, isn’t it?” The captain came down to stand next to him. “We’ll be underway in a few minutes once the Guardian’s ship has left. I have a position for you over here and we should be arriving at our destination in about forty minutes. Unfortunately, the snack car is not operating on this service.”

“Haha, uh, so soon?” Nolan arched a brow at him. “Do I want to know how that’s possible?”

“There’s no magic to it, just chimera engineering and science. The hull is reinforced with diamond plating and it’s capable of organic regeneration, just like a normal chimera.” The captain smiled proudly and walked back to his chair as Nolan made his way to his own seat. “The antimatter engine allows for incredible speeds, although not quite at FTL levels.”

“Uh huh.” Nolan grunted as he sat down and reached for the harnesses built into the chair. He left his briefcase between his feet, hopeful that he would have some time to study the dossier during the trip. “I not sure I’m smart enough for this conversation.”

“Haha, there’s info sheets available on the observation deck.” The captain chuckled good-naturedly and checked his console before clearing his throat, addressing the rest of the bridge. “We have confirmation that the Guardian’s bioship has departed, crew standby for docking release.”

Nolan settled back in his seat, a thrum of nervousness plunging through his stomach as the howling of the engines below him shuddered up through the Leviathan. A moment later, he could see the stars in front of him moving slowly as they pulled away from the orbital dock and turned slowly away from Earth. The humming sound rose to a steady whine and Nolan was slammed further into his seat as the Leviathan accelerated rapidly, the harness grabbing hold of him and preventing Nolan from flailing all over the place.

“Woah!” Nolan gritted his teeth as the entire super-structure began to vibrate violently, the sensation only lasting about ten seconds until the Leviathan reached its top speed and bolted through the cosmos, smoothing out a few seconds later. The stars outside were zipping by now and he could already see Mars ahead of them, a brighter star than the others. After a few minutes of travel, Nolan felt himself relaxing and a quick glance around the bridge confirmed that the worst of the launch was over. He caught the captain’s eye and released his harness. “Is it normally like that?”

“Yeah, this is an older model Leviathan, I’m told the new ones are a lot smoother.” He tapped something on his console before speaking again. “You can relax now though, we’ll be spending the last half an hour slowing down so we don’t collide with the planet.”

“Comforting.” Nolan chirped and reached for his briefcase. “Hopefully the case files are distracting enough.”

“Mars Orbital Approach Dock, this is the captain of the Emperor’s Vision, we are holding on our intercept trajectory. We will be at docking range in three minutes.”

Nolan looked up from his notes as the captain spoke, the Leviathan gradually slowing down from its rapid speed. He stood up slowly, lips parted as the armored screens rolled back and he could see the Red Planet in all its majesty before him. There was a large space station between them and the dusty crimson sphere, much bigger than the one he had left from. The chimera could just see the edge of the sprawling Leviathan construction yards from his position; the great metal gantries spiraling out from the orbital dock into space. There were dozens of half-completed chimera frames hanging in the void, their bones white against the inky darkness. He looked back at the captain as the man spoke again.

“We have a high-priority chimera official on-board, wishing to speak to you at once, Marric.” The captain inclined his head at Nolan as a hiss of static and feedback made them wince. “Ugh.”

“Acknowledged. Proceeded to the space dock and I’ll meet them there.” Marric’s voice came through clipped and clear.

“Do you remember how to get to the lobby?”

“Yeah, I remember.” Nolan answered as he went back to retrieve his case. “And from there?”

“Just follow the trail of blinking lights, they’ll come on once we dock with the station.” The captain smiled at him. “Good luck.”

“Thanks.”

Nolan stepped onto the long skybridge once the doors slid open, the glass paneled walls giving unparalleled views over the space station and Mars behind it. There was a large steel door blocking the exit, but as Nolan approached, it swung open on oiled hinges, utterly silent. Beyond the doorway, he could see Marric standing, facing away from him, appearing to be looking around at the empty arrivals hall. It was similar to an airport terminal, lots of polished metal and impersonal furnishings. However, as Nolan got nearer, he could hear the other chimera speaking aloud, giving voice to his thoughts.

“Well, I guess we could add those additional systems like Connor wanted, but I’ll have to put in more cooling for the particle accelerator, maybe expose sections of it to the vacuum of space? No, that won’t work, I’d have to re-order the armor plating and-”

“Do you always talk to yourself?” Nolan asked, a playful smirk tugging at his lips.

“Huh?” Marric turned around, his brows arching before his youthful face became serious again. “Oh, only when I think no one else is going to hear me. I’m Marric.”

“Yeah, I know. Nolan.” The chimera replied with a grin, pointing at himself. We’ve met about a dozen times before… “I think you’d have to be living, err, pretty much in space not to know who you are and what you’ve achieved for the Empire.” Nolan looked around and gestured at the arrivals lounge. “It’s impressive.” He pulled out a sheet of paper from his jacket pocket and handed it over.

“Yeah, I suppose.” Marric accepted it and quickly scanned over the authorization. “Ah, the Minister for Chimera Intelligence sent you?”

“That’s right. I understand your team are already set up for construction of the dockyards?” Nolan walked with him when Marric gestured for him to follow over to the other side of the lounge. From here they could look out onto the surface of the planet, and Nolan’s eyes fixed on a large dome some five miles from the Space Elevator that would bring him to the surface. “Hmm?”

“I said we’re getting there.” Marric repeated and gestured at the dome. “We’ve had some missing shipments of late. I’m thinking that habitat down there would be a good place to start; population is sixty-forty humans and while they claim allegiance to the chimera religion, I would not consider them to be actual Faithful.”

“If they are heretics, maybe I should call the Guardian Prime and First Chimera instead?” Nolan asked, thinking back to earlier that morning at the Operations Center. “As far as I’m aware, they have yet to spill the blood of any colonists!”

“Do what you feel is necessary,” Marric shrugged wearily. “My orders are to return to Victory City once the Emperor’s Vision has been unloaded. There are detailed plans in the control tower’s mainframe for what the space dock and construction facilities are to look like. I’ll be back up here in the morning to answer any questions you might have, Nolan.”

“Thanks, I’ll take the evening to get settled in.” The assassin nodded before grinning suddenly at him. “Never thought your daily commute would be between Earth and Mars, huh?!”

“Hmm, in the future yet to come, it will be like crossing the street to go to the store,” Marric said, turning away from him to leave. “Such will be the breadth of our Empire and the power of our technology!”

“See ya.” Nolan grinned at the conviction in Marric’s voice and watched him enter the skybridge, the door sealing shut behind him. Once he was gone, Nolan turned away and followed the signs for the Space Elevator, the station was almost entirely empty, only a few technicians working late, nodding at him as he passed. As he stepped inside the amber pod, Nolan stayed standing, grasping the handles set into the ceiling and wall, too eager to experience the ride down to worry about safety. The pod moved out of the station smoothly, tilting around and locking onto the tether with a muffled clunk, the inertial dampers preventing any nausea at the acrobatic maneuver.

He could see the planet much more clearly now, the characteristic red soil covering much of Mars, but close to the elevator’s anchor and around the domed habitats, enormous machines slowly moved about, churning the earth and infusing it with chemicals as greenhouse gases were belched into the thin air, gradually warming the planet and creating an atmosphere. They began to descend along the tether, flowing like water along the metal string, and soon Nolan caught sight of the huge solar mirror array that was directing heat onto the surface near the poles, another was hidden by the rising bulk of the planet.

The dome was connected to the Space Elevator by a long concrete corridor and Nolan craned his neck to see more of the alien landscape as the cradle of the elevator came rushing up to meet him. “Damn, that was cool.” He muttered and turned away to face the door. A few moments later, the panel slid open, and he found himself in another arrivals lounge, this one looking more lived-in than the one above them. A tram would bring him into the colony proper, and Corey had already arranged accommodation for him near the Archon’s Palace, such as it was.

Nolan hadn’t been sure what to expect from the colony, Tiberian Vale as proudly declared by a sign over the exit from the tram. His mind had sparked to dystopian clichés of cramped conditions and neon drenched streets. Instead, he found a perfectly planned city, with wide boulevards and imported trees from Earth. Every building was made of polished pink stone, slightly more crimson than garish, he’d later learn it was mined from the quarry outside the dome. The Archon’s Palace was still under construction, taking its inspiration from the renewal of Ancient Egyptian architectural styles that had swept the Empire since the end of the war.

His apartment was on the seventh floor of a large block of identical mixed-use development, restaurants and shops underneath, with housing above them. There was even a balcony that looked out onto the main plaza and beyond that to the elevated pad upon which sat the temple to the chimera god, the only structure in the colony made of Earth hewn white marble. It gleamed under the refracted rays of the harsh sun, the dome above them keeping out the harmful radiation. It wasn’t glass exactly, Nolan had heard the engineers talk about it on the train ride over, but rather a sort of super-composite that they were able to make locally.

He placed his briefcase on the bed and walked back over to the balcony, standing at the railing as he looked out over the manicured streets of Tiberian Vale. They were bustling now in the evening rush, chimeras and humans wandering around together, and somewhere, out there, a traitor lurked. Nolan felt a smile pull at his lips, the thrill of the hunt just beginning.

Chapter Text

The sun rose on the Red Planet as a shimmering disc refracted through the glass of the dome’s roof. Nolan watched the colony change colors from the neon-drenched streets of predawn silence into the slow bustle of a new day dawning on the triumphant Empire. He walked up the steps towards the Grand Temple of the Chimera, great, wide slabs of polished marble which gradually rose to the flat plateau where the building proper stood, as though it had been transported wholly from the desert sands to this alien planet.

Nolan made his way through the arching outer gate and into the cool oasis of the inner courtyards, the tinkling of water from fountains nearby caught his attention while fragrant scents of flowers spilled over from the elaborate beds where attendants were watering them. He kept walking, passing through several more plazas and antechambers before reaching the inner sanctum, tall marble walls decorated in intricate carvings sloped away from him. Scenes of chimera history, still so new, played out as he passed by: the sacking of Berlin, the transformation from human to chimera, the final victory over the Harvester. Nolan stopped a little way into the main chamber, glancing up at the long, wide slot in the roof, seeing the sun bending through the dome’s curve high above them, a brief haze as the atmosphere processors started their daily work anew.

He had been in Tiberian Vale for several days now, having met with the Archon and Marric, among a dozen other officials and dignitaries, but not the Exarch, the spiritual ruler of the region. Perhaps it was one of the new High Exarchs, responsible for the entire planet, but their identity hadn’t been in his briefing notes and Nolan was curious to meet the person who had so far evaded his efforts to speak with them. Despite Corey’s insistence that there was a grand conspiracy afoot, Nolan had yet to find any evidence of it. Speaking with the priests was the final item on his list before he could declare the case dead and make his return to Earth, assuming Corey wasn’t keeping him away for a reason…

“I’m looking for the Exarch.” Nolan stopped one of the Faithful standing at attention beneath a towering sandstone statue of a rising snake. “I am-”

“We have been expecting you, Blade of the Chimera.” The youth was shirtless save for a leather sash that crossed his chest, several metal badges pinned to the material. Nolan wasn’t familiar with the icons as the Faithful smiled at him. “Go through the arch on my right and continue until you reach a courtyard with a pool of blue stones, Exarch Faye will be waiting for you there.”

“Oh, good.” Nolan muttered and turned away, following the directions that led him deeper into the temple complex. It was different to other imperial churches he had been to, their varying designs seeming to reflect the particular artistic tastes of the Exarch who headed them. But this was beyond some surface styles, there were statues and images that Nolan did not recognize, and notably, Stiles was not depicted at all in any of them. The Emperor was a ubiquitous feature of the entire society; paintings, murals, statues, media, Stiles was everywhere, except here. Nolan paused before another strange statue, a golden orb banded in silver was held aloft by two curving black supports so thin the orb almost seemed to float. There was a strange quality to the burnished surface of the sphere, as though it was both absorbing the light and reflecting it back at him.

“Do you like it? The sun gives us life and purpose.” A rich, melodious voice came from behind him and Nolan turned to see a strong, confident woman approaching him, long swaths of cotton trailing along her feet, as a ripple of electricity roiled over her shoulders and wreathed her head in a sparking crown of power. “I recovered this piece from the ruins of the House of Ra long ago.”

“I can’t say I’m familiar with that location.” Nolan murmured, studying the Exarch, noting she had the loop of gold and gems around her wrist which marked her rank.

“Ah, perhaps Heliopolis then?”

“Sorry, ancient history isn’t my strength.”

“Ah.” Faye appeared momentarily disappointed, as though Nolan had failed some hidden test, but the expression was wiped away seconds later and she gestured for him to follow her onto a private terrace. A heart-shaped pool stood in the center and even though it was empty, the light reflected in a sparkling gleam from the deep aqua blue sapphires lining the bottom of it. “The Faithful tell me that you have been scurrying all over our fair colony these last few days.”

“Indeed?” Nolan remained neutral, taking the offered seat at the edge of the pool. “Well, you probably know that I’m here on direct orders from the Minister of Chimera Intelligence.”

“Oh, of course, I didn’t mean anything untoward.” Faye poured them two glasses of water, a precious luxury on Mars and took a sip from her own before Nolan followed suit. “It is no secret who you work for, Blade, nor is it any surprise to find one of Corey’s agents out here, especially after the…incidents that have afflicted the other space stations.”

“Hmm.” Nolan cradled his glass and stared ahead as he spoke. “But let me guess, you don’t have any traitors, there’s no one here that is suspicious, and you think I should just go home right now?”

“Hardly, there are humans aplenty among us, even carefully screened and investigated, they could still be harboring treacherous sympathies, flawed creations as they are.” Faye laughed quietly and Nolan glanced at her. “I have a dozen Faithful with me at this colony, those who I can be sure are loyal to the Chimera God, but everyone else? Who can say how truly they believe?”

“Uh huh.” Nolan nodded slowly, his ears pricking up at the very particular, if familiar, phrasing she had just used. “So you think there rebels up here with you?”

“Rebels? No, nothing so dramatic.” Faye paused and then shrugged. “I suppose it depends on what you consider a rebel.”

“Generally someone who doesn’t like the Empire and is willing to take action to stop it.”

“An easy answer, I’d expect nothing less.” She smirked at him, and Nolan felt an itch of irritation crawl down his back.

“If you have pertinent information, please tell me because right now I haven’t seen anything that would suggest something is going on.” Nolan replied testily.

“Hmm, in that case, I know of a place where you might find more than whispers of treachery.” She looked around before lowering her voice. “There is a nightclub in the city, Shapes, humans and chimeras mingle there after dark, sharing many things, perhaps even the grand conspiracy you are seeking.”

“I appreciate the tip.” Nolan was careful to keep his expression and emotions muted as Faye leaned back in her chair, studying him over the rim of her glass. If it was a manipulation, she was being obvious, and Nolan smiled slightly as a thought occurred to him. “I’m sure you’ve heard about the, uh, necessary and righteous hunting down of heretics since the war’s end.”

“It is glorious indeed!” Faye grinned ferally. “The old religions must fall, and their adherents converted by claw or sermon!”

“Right,” Nolan replied softly. “I have been thinking that if someone wanted to conserve their, uh, false religion, they would come to outer colonies where everyone is too busy creating new lives to really pay attention.”

“That is a treacherous thought that such a thing could happen here.”

“I know, but the problem is that I’m not really equipped for that sort of mission, we would need additional Faithful, uh.” Nolan hesitated as Faye sat forward almost imperceptibly, eagerness hiding beneath her aloof expression. “The first heretics off-world…I’m sure the Guardian Prime would seek to punish them himself.”

“The Prophet of the Emperor here?” Faye whispered and looked away from him towards the temple. Nolan saw the gleam in her eyes, not quite the reverence he was expecting, more akin to a predator’s hunger. “Such an honor would almost be worth the disruption to the colony.”

“Surely, you’ve met him before? When he ordained you?”

“Oh yes, I was one of his first followers, you know?” Faye smiled proudly. “It seems so long ago now, but I was there. After Victory City was taken as our seat of power, he came to our school, so inspiring, so regal, so…” Her words trailed off and Nolan saw the fires of zeal burn brightly in Faye’s dark eyes. “How could I turn away after meeting such a titan, no, becoming a chimera was merely the first step on my journey to greatness!”

“I remember, it’s like the world opens up to you at last.” Nolan nodded along, encouraging her to keep talking. “How did you-”

“When the Prophet began to speak of the glorious Chimera God, I knew it was destiny that had brought me to him!” Faye spoke over him in a rush, Nolan staring as her eyes filled with tears, the fervor in her voice rising. “The others didn’t believe yet, they couldn’t see what I saw. I was part of the first cult, the first to stand before the Chimera God and receive His blessing! We were chosen to spread the good word to the unbelievers by oratory, talon, or fire itself!”

“Right, I remember now,” Nolan nodded slowly as memories of the dire massacres committed in the Emperor’s name came back to him. “They were deployed to Japan during the war, as I recall, barely any of you came back.”

“A test of righteous purity!” The Exarch stood up abruptly and began pacing, her words taking on a preaching tone. “The adherents who remained became the foundation for the new Faithful, we brought the tenets of the Chimera God to the masses and in turn raised them up from ignorance to behold the glory that was laid out before them!”

“And the rewards of your devotion?” Nolan murmured to himself as Faye lowered her arms and turned back to look at him. “Forgive me, but this is a dusty backwater and you’re only one of several Exarchs on the planet. I would have expected someone from Connor’s inner circle to be elevated to at least High Exarch.”

“We all have our roles to play in the Prophet’s plan.” Faye scowled at him as Nolan smirked. “I have a sermon to deliver in an hour, you’re welcome stay for it and the three hours of Imperial Devotion afterwards.”

“Alas, my duties prevent me from praying to the Emperor for so long.” Nolan stood up and inclined his head to her. “Thanks for the tip though.”

Shapes was the sole nightclub in Tiberian Vale, a dark, humid basement dug under the central plaza, lit in red neon and filled with ankle-high smoke from the dry ice dispensers venting along the stage. Nolan lounged at the long, S-shaped bar, sipping a blue drink that tasted of fruit and fizz. It was relatively late by Martian standards, the workday starting in only a few hours, but the club was still more than half-full, residents dancing and weaving on the floor in front of the stage. A DJ was mixing a set of deep house mixed with tribal beats that thrummed solidly through Nolan’s chest. It was hard to tell who was human and who was chimera, their scents mixing thoroughly in the barely filtered air.

But that seemed to be the point, this was the dive people came to in order to lose themselves, find a quick screw for the night, or embrace oblivion for a few hours. Chimeras typically couldn’t get drunk, but that didn’t seem to stop them from trying. It was a good place for Nolan to observe them, although he was becoming less and less certain that there were any rebels or heretics in the colony. Faye had directed him here for a reason, but the reason for it still eluded him. He knew there was more to that story than she had told him, but Nolan was hesitant to get involved with the militant arm of the Faithful. Their justice tended to be swift and ruthless without much opportunity for discussion. He still got chills thinking about the time they had grabbed him after Gabe’s attack on Victory City.

Nolan ordered another drink as he reflected on the progress of his investigation. He had spent the rest of the day liaising with Marric and his engineers, preparing the space station for the construction of the Leviathan space docks. They had been polite, but Nolan could tell they were as confused as he was about his purpose. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that an assassin had no business managing a major space infrastructure project. If Corey had at least given him a clearer mission than the vague “go and look” approach, Nolan could do something. He swirled the dregs of his drink as a dark thought slipped over him; it was entirely possible that this was a wild goose chase that would keep him away from the capital for months or even years. Perhaps Nolan had misinterpreted the closeness he and Corey had been developing, and this was an easy way for the chimera to sideline him. Nolan blinked as he felt a rush of heat on his righthand side, pulling him back to the present.

“Hey there.” As Nolan turned towards the speaker, his nostrils flared, drawing in their scent, chimera spikiness dancing in the air. “I haven’t seen you before.”

“Do you know everyone in this colony?” Nolan frowned as the chimera grinned at him, a handsome face backlit by orange flames dancing from his shoulders: he must have been a fire Elemental chimera, a common variant made during the War of the Harvester. “Hmm?”

“It’s a small place,” The stranger continued dancing from side to side as he spoke, his tan upper body bare, his muscles well developed. “I’m Henry, I work out on the terraforming rigs.”

“Nolan,” He replied with a swift nod. “Yes, I just arrived, administrative transfer from Earth.”

“Uh huh. Do you want to dance?”

“Sure.” Nolan followed Henry out onto the floor. It paid to blend in, the aloof stranger at the bar routine had its advantages, but he needed to understand the character of the colony before making any judgements about their loyalty. Besides, Henry was attractive, and Nolan’s chimera abilities allowed him to dance and move in a smooth, seductive manner that he never would have had the confidence to try as a human. The music was fast and pulsing, strobe lights flaring overhead as jets of smoke poured down from the stage onto the dance floor. It could have been a club anywhere on Earth if not for the emergency oxygen stations at regular intervals along the walls.

They danced for about twenty minutes before retiring to one of the booths off the main floor, lost in the darkness. Henry was easy to talk to, the sort of natural extrovert that had to keep the conversation going. But that was what Nolan wanted, and before long he had all the details on every mover and shaker in Tiberian Vale, all the little quibbles that were never included in the intelligence reports and profiles. There seemed to be some tension between the Exarch and the Archon, the latter eager to press on with their conquest of the planet while the former was engaged in some sort of ‘archaeological dig’ out in the dunes. Nolan filed that away for later while Henry babbled on about the new gym that had opened the week before.

It would have been easy for Nolan to seduce and sleep with him, but the desire wasn’t there, especially whenever he replayed his parting with Corey in his mind. Now there was something special, something on the verge of blooming. Instead, they swapped numbers, and Nolan left a vague “maybe later” on Henry’s obvious attempt at hooking up. As he walked through the slowly waking streets of the colony, Nolan’s thoughts returned once again to Corey and his purpose here, the futility of his mission gnawing at him.

The sun had risen fully to bathe the dome in its crimson light by the time Nolan returned to his apartment, his eyes heavy after a long day and night of pointlessly chasing leads. Faye’s tip had turned out to be nothing more than a few muttered phrases about the difficult living conditions. Nolan was almost certain now that there was nothing going on here, but the Exarch’s attitude had been weighing on his mind since the previous afternoon. He sent a request to Opal to dig up whatever information they had on Faye and her service history. The sunlight filtered into the apartment where he was sitting, and Nolan stripped out of the restrictive clothes suit he had to wear in case there was a dome breach. He settled back onto the warm leather, the sun bathing his chest and arms in its welcome heat, feeling almost as though he was at home in Victory City.

Without intending to, Nolan slipped into a comfortable snooze, his eyes heavy and his breathing becoming deeper and slower. The transition from modern apartment to dusty plains was instant, the dream capturing his fears about being exposed on the Red Planet’s untamed surface. Nolan clawed desperately at his throat for a horrifying moment before realizing he could breathe easily. He turned around, finding himself on a rocky outcrop looking down at the growing number of domes populating the surface. “Woah.”

“I do not think the Creator expected your people to spread so far or He would have hidden the orb much better.” There was a flash of blinding golden light and abruptly Nolan was standing next to an incandescent figure casting its arms outwards in a possessive arc. “Hmm, these plains did not look as barren as this when I was last here.”

“Huh?” Nolan glanced to his side as the words came to him without being spoken aloud, it was that strange dream logic where he knew exactly what was happening without knowing why. A flicker of recognition passed over his mind and the assassin frowned as another dream came back to him. “The Creator’s Sanctum…have we met before?”

“Ah, you remember. Good, I was not sure if you would be the tool I required for this task. But you have proven yourself worthy since becoming a chimera.” The golden light faded slightly so Nolan could make out the physicality of the being; muscular and defined like a man, but his face remained obscured. There was a familiarity to him that Nolan couldn’t place. “I have watched all of the chimeras to find the one that would best suit my purposes.”

“Yeah, there was a dream and I, uh, I can’t remember beyond that.”

“We do not have much time, the Creator’s vengeful Aspect is searching for me even now, so listen closely.” The figure looked around cautiously before turning back to him, and Nolan could feel the warmth of his smile pressing against him. “There are many chimeras nearby, but none with the clarity you possess. So few remain who knew the United Overmind when he was a mortal man, and those that do are more concerned with power and position to risk it all for the truth.”

“I remember Stiles, I remember when you could say his name without it carrying a punishment.” Nolan smirked. He glanced around as a strange sensation washed over him, as though the dream was less of a construct from his imagination and more like a fractured reality. “What is it that you want from me?”

“You are seeking enemies in the wrong places, you already found the traitor.” The figure paused, as though carefully choosing his words. “Although, whether or not it is a traitor is dependent on your perspective.”

“Go on.”

“The priestess here has unearthed an artefact of great power that was cast aside when the Creator turned away from His creation. It is a relic from the ancient world when the lesser gods walked among men and the Creator’s golden radiance shone brighter than ever. All the Aspects worked as part of this one divine being to guide and shape our newest creation. But then came…”

“What?”

“Uh,” The figure paused, and Nolan felt the acute sorrow that radiated off his golden surface piercing his heart and making his eyes well up. “There was a great schism and fracturing. Our creation had been befouled and corrupted, and the Creator could not understand why. The Aspects were split from the whole, leaving only duty and vengeance contained in an immortal vessel, destined to live endless human lifetimes to better understand our creation.”

“What happened to the other parts of the Creator?” Nolan asked, grimacing as fluorescent images blasted against his eyes, their distinctness lost in the glow. He was just able to make out a towering figure standing before a golden orb, rivers of silver energy flowing out of the figure and into the orb. “Ugh.”

“I am sorry, it is the only way to help you make sense of something that is beyond your limited understanding, chimera.” The figure smiled at him and the barrage of images lessened as he spoke again. “The time of our renewal has been heralded by the discovery of the relic, soon we must return to our celestial palace and leave the chimeras to your destiny.”

“Uh, ok.” Nolan blinked. “What does that have to do with me?”

“The artefact, the orb can only be unlocked with the Creator’s Scepter. It was hidden here long ago.” The figure glanced around as Nolan followed his movements. “You must recover the artefact in the temple and bring it to me before the priestess finds the Scepter. Then I can force the Creator to reveal Himself and together we will unify the rogue Aspects.”

“Is that a good thing or not?” Nolan frowned as he tried to sift past the mystical nonsense and see the mission. “Don’t you know who the Creator is? You said you were part of him?”

“You must secure the orb, it cannot be allowed to remain in the hands of zealots. Their meddling will only draw His terrible wrath down upon them.” The figure avoided his questions and looked over his shoulder with a visible shudder. “The vengeful Aspect is almost upon us!”

“I…” Nolan followed his gaze, seeing a violent storm of black clouds riven with purple lightning rushing across the landscape. Fear boiled in his stomach, and he turned back to the golden figure, his eyes widening as the shining light began to diminish. “What’s happening?”

“You must secure the orb! There is an ally among these chimeras you can call on, she will-”

“Ugh.” Nolan woke up with a start, blinking rapidly at the sun blazing in his eyes. The dream which had been so crystal-clear seconds ago began to drain away so that only disjointed fragments remained. He sat up and rubbed his eyes before glancing at the computer, noticing the update from Opal. The message was short: no records exist for an Exarch Faye in the Imperial database, arrest and interrogate the subject at once. “Damn it!”

Nolan shifted uncomfortably in his seat and glanced at Corey next to him, the other chimera’s expression twisted sourly. He looked back to the front where Connor was standing before the long, floor-to-ceiling window which gave grand views over the entirety of Victory City and its surroundings. They were in one of the offices at the summit of the grand spire that towered out of the cathedral, hazy clouds drifted through the evening sunlight outside the window. The Guardian Prime was dressed in his regal gold and crimson armor, with a smooth red cloak draped across his shoulders and flowing down his back, facing away from them, his scent was a cold blankness that gave Nolan a headache. Connor should have looked out of place, comical even, but if anything, Nolan felt underdressed by comparison. “Um,” Nolan coughed awkwardly, eager to break the uncomfortable silence that had filled the office since they arrived. “Like I said in my report, Faye, if that even is her real name, she wasn’t there when I returned to the temple.”

“Fake name, fake credentials, and a false purpose.” Corey muttered darkly. “It seems the Emperor was right to suspect something was going on in the colonies, just not the way we expected.”

“But why go there of all places?” Nolan glanced at him, shaking his head. “We’ve only began settling Mars, it isn’t even terraformed properly. I don’t understand.”

“You mentioned in your report that she was conducting some sort of excavation?” Connor finally spoke, still facing away from them, his tone calm and neutral. “Did you discover what she found?”

“I don’t think there was anything to find.” Nolan shrugged before hesitating. “Well, there was one thing, not something found on Mars, but I noticed it was missing when I went to detain her.”

“Don’t leave us in suspense.” Corey commented dryly.

“There was this sort of, uh, golden orb, it was ancient, some sort of Egyptian artefact she recovered from, uh, what was it again?” Nolan hummed under his breath as he strived to remember the details. “The House of Ra.”

“Interesting.” Connor turned around and took his seat behind the desk, his armored form giving him a more powerful stature as he steepled his fingers and looked at both of them. “And she took this artefact with her?”

“Yeah.” Nolan frowned as his subconscious pulled at him. He knew he was missing something but couldn’t place his finger on it. “I have a feeling that it’s important.”

“Alright, a golden ball, who cares?” Corey sighed irritably. “We need to focus on this security breach. How the hell did this happen?”

“The Chimera Expansion Corp decides which worlds and systems to colonize, Chimera Space Command charts the routes and provides the Leviathans to bring them there.” Connor explained as Corey nodded along. “Archons of each world are selected by the Emperor, they appoint regional Archons to control and oversee construction across the planets, and likewise Exarchs are selected by the Emperor from the pool of ordained ministers. The Imperial Council signs off on each one.”

“That’s a lot of institutions and red tape.” Nolan commented. “It could be easy to slip someone in and have them appointed to the position.”

“It would require significant access.” Connor frowned and reached across to the stack of folders on the left side of his desk. “I had these files gathered for this meeting; lists of every one of the Faithful, their role, their duties, if they are human or chimera. They will need to be cross-referenced, but we must be careful, it is not clear who we can really trust.”

“Paper files, hmm, I’m trying to make everything digital.” Corey murmured as he took the folder offered to him, flicking through the contents. “Was there anyone who matched her description?”

“Too many, but there was never an Exarch appointed to Tiberian Vale, not yet anyway.” Connor nodded slowly. “I was still discussing the matter with the Emperor.”

“Someone built a large temple complex with materials from Earth. How does that happen?” Nolan asked as the other two chimeras shrugged. “Yeah, another mystery.” He nodded and asked his next question carefully. “She mentioned that she was among the first believers in the chimera religion, that she was there with you when you, uh, revealed the truth of the Emperor’s divinity. Surely, there are not so many of those adherents left? You’d know them personally.”

“They were all killed during the Japanese conquest.” Connor answered after exchanging an equally careful look with Corey. The Minister nodded and Connor spoke again. “It was decided that their extremism would be detrimental to incorporating humans and chimeras into the Faithful. Their sacrifices in combat are worthy of remembrance, but not veneration.”

“He means they were blood-thirsty psychopaths who would give even Theo a run for his money.” Corey smirked as Connor shrugged, a ghost of a smile pulling at his lips. “If one of them did survive and she figured out they were being sacrificed, then it stands to reason that she would want revenge.”

“Faye did get very excited when I mentioned that you would have to come up personally and confront the heretics if they were present.” Nolan said as the pieces began to click into place. “I asked Opal to run a background check on her, we must have tipped someone off in Chimera Intelligence that we were on to her.”

“Or maybe she did not want to take any risks until she was ready.” Corey frowned thoughtfully and looked back at Connor. “Considering how difficult it is to kill you, she would have to have something pretty special planned. The only one who came close was…”

“Garrett, yes. But he had help.” Connor replied smoothly even as Corey’s expression flickered. He glanced at Nolan and gestured emptily. “When the Löwenmensch revealed his true colors and gained control of the Ghost Rider army, he kidnapped Corey and I, along with some others, went to rescue him. He-”

“I got free, and Connor got captured.” Corey interjected quickly before the Guardian Prime could continue. “Garrett tortured him for days on end, using electric attacks borrowed from the Ghost Riders to constantly stop his heart and then bring him back over and over again. He was looking for information on the Emperor and trying to use him as bait to draw Stiles out, sorry, the Emperor.” Corey smiled an apology at Connor when the Guardian Prime growled at him.

“And this is the guy you’re seeing? I’ve hung out with him, I could’ve done with this information!” Nolan stared at him, aghast. “You don’t think being kidnapped by him is a bit of a red flag, Corey?”

“It’s…well, it doesn’t matter right now!” Corey snapped at him, his cheeks turning red. “I simply meant that Connor can’t be killed by some half-baked chimera with a grudge. They’ll need special tactics.”

“Agreed.” Connor went silent for a moment as Corey deliberately looked away from Nolan. The Guardian Prime’s face was inscrutable even as Nolan studied him, the soft, smoothness of his nose and the slope of his chin contrasted with the hardness of his jawline. His dark hair was cut short, and his cheeks were clean-shaven, but Nolan found himself getting lost in Connor’s eyes, a deep, searing crimson, the mark of a chimera with special abilities. He blinked and Nolan looked away abruptly as Connor nodded. “The mystery of who this chimera is, and her support network must be uncovered. We cannot allow anything to interfere with the Emperor’s plans for galactic conquest. I will assume responsibility for the investigation, there are several Guardians whom I trust absolutely.”

“Sure, yeah.” Nolan muttered. “I have a feeling this is going to be a wait-and-see sorta deal.”

“So who gets to tell the Emperor that his suspicions were only half-right?” Corey asked as Connor nodded. “Where is he anyway?”

“Touring the new flagship with the First Chimera.” Connor stood up abruptly and returned to looking out the window, although this time, Corey and Nolan flanked him, the sprawling capital spread out beneath them. “I will speak with them later, after all it was Theo who suggested the Moon mishaps were attributed to heretics. I think he just wanted an excuse to shed some blood.”

“With you.” Corey smirked as Nolan arched a brow, the other chimera lowering his voice into a stage-whisper. “Theo’s idea of a good time is covering hot dudes in blood and jerking off to them!”

“That…that explains so much.” Nolan muttered as he curled his lip in disgust. “Um, so, that whole heretic hunt you had me go on? It wasn’t real? Did we uncover actual traitors while I was wasting my time?”

“I believe we are done here.” Connor said as the silence stretched into awkwardness. “I will let you know what the Emperor decides to do, if anything. Thank you for your service, Nolan, may the Emperor’s light continue to guide your steps.”

“Sure, thanks.” Nolan grunted and exited first, not bothering to say goodbye to Corey. He swept past the towering Guardians who flanked the door to Connor’s office and strode down the hallway towards the elevator, stepping inside and hammering the button to take him to ground level. The doors had almost closed when a hand was thrust forward and they sprang open, allowing Corey to step inside. “Ah.”

“Glad I caught you.” Corey shook his hand with a grimace and stood next to him.

“Uh huh.” Nolan tried to ignore him as they began to descend down the outside of the spire, the bustling streets reaching up to meet them as twilight fell across the city.

“Nolan, it wasn’t a personal decision to send you on this mission.” Corey turned to face him, his expression serious and his scent sincere, laced with the familiarity Nolan had come to long for. “It was completely operational to send you in there with only a vague idea of what was going on. I wanted to see if I could flush them out.”

“I don’t like being lied to, Corey, and I understand that sometimes that’s how things happen in this business.” Nolan shook his head firmly. “But nothing happened up there, you could have sent a normal officer.”

“I know, but I wanted to play things out for a while, you would’ve been up there for a few weeks or months if Faye hadn’t bailed.”

“Chasing false leads, that’s hardly comforting.” Nolan glared at him. “I don’t like being used.”

“I…yeah.” Corey flinched at his turn of phrase and Nolan would have read it as him being upset if it wasn’t for the scarlet tongue of arousal that pulsed through his scent in the moment. He abruptly looked away as Nolan frowned. “Sorry.”

“That wasn’t the response I was expecting.” Nolan bit his lip and waited for Corey to look at him again. “Are you…were you thinking…?”

“We’ve being hanging out for long enough now to be more than just work colleagues, right?” Corey asked him as Nolan nodded slightly. “I mean, you’re an assassin, I run a spy empire, neither were exactly options at the career fair.”

“Sure.” Nolan kept his voice low as Corey spoke. They were finally at the base of the spire and sinking into the cathedral proper, only another thirty seconds before they reached the exit. “What’s your point?”

“There’s something here, between us, you and me.” Corey replied and moved closer to him. “Right?”

“Yeah.” Nolan agreed softly, reaching out to place his hand on Corey’s waist as he did the same to Nolan, drawing them swiftly together. Whatever other words were about to be spoken were lost when Corey tilted his head forward and crushed his lips against Nolan’s mouth. The kiss was a breathless fusion of desire and release as Nolan closed his eyes and lived in the moment, feeling his stomach summersault over and over until Corey finally stepped back and the elevator chimed its arrival. “Woah.”