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"Into the sea of waking dreams I follow without pride.
For nothing stands between us here and I won't be denied."
Sarah McLachlan.
"So does anyone know what the next step is?" Uma asked, breaking the silence.
"I'm no doctor but Britney Spears could use some medical attention."
Neve looked at the delirious girl on the couch.
"Not to mention a shower." Kate noticed her improved sense of smell for the first time.
"Yeah well there isn't much we can do." Billy looked at the feverish youth. "Her system is so tanked up on chemicals that there isn't much natural science can do for her."
"Which would leave supernatural science?" Sinead stepped forward and stripped off her green jacket. "Which would be wind and water.
Keavs?"
"On it."
The two girls knelt in front of Britney and concentrated, doing what they could to heal her burnt out system."
"When this is over I have to learn magic." Billy mused.
"Sorry. No can do. Chosen ones only." Lindsay shrugged.
"I'm starting to get the feeling I'm the only one here who isn't superhuman."
"So what does that leave you with Billy?" Uma asked wryly.
Billy lifted up a plastic briefcase.
"And that would be?"
"All that's left of my van."
"Car crash?"
"Claire Danes."
No one had any idea what Billy was talking about and he didn't blame them.
"I was trying to induce programming which she rejected. She claimed to be Nemesis, broke her restraints and ripped apart my van barehanded."
"So your programming backfired again huh Billy?"
"Don't knock it Uma. If it hadn't then you wouldn't be standing here now. Probably none of us would. And it wasn't my programming. It was something else. Something else that awakened something that I sure as hell didn't put inside her."
"You think another mind controller got to her first? This Lilith?"
Helen considered, only half believing Billy’s story.
Billy shook his head. "If she wanted to kill me she would have believe me. I have no idea what the heck this is."
"Sleeper Genes." Christina thought aloud.
Billy blinked twice, the only one in the room comprehending what she was talking about. "Go on Chris." Billy smiled.
"Genetic memory which lies dormant for generations, perhaps thousands of years, just waiting for the right situation to reawaken them."
"The situation being this take over of mankind?"
Uma was incredulous.
"It's possible."
"And the chances that Billy just happens to pick up the bearer of those genes and his actions activate them are what?"
"There's always destiny." Edele suggested.
"I don't believe in predetermined fate." Kate shook her head.
"Yeah well two days ago I'll bet you didn't believe in vampires either."
"Touche."
Uma remained unconvinced. "Billy, don't let this go to your head but I'm guessing you're the most technologically minded one here. And I bet you don't have a clue about gene spicing. How do you think it was done thousands of years ago?"
"Magic?" Winona suggested.
"Okay. Why?"
"To stop this happening again. What if someone knew that the tower would rise again? They put the genes in place to awaken when the tower does."
"But who did it?"
"Who knows?" Chris shrugged. "It could be anyone. What about Christ?"
"You mean the Son of God?"
"Not necessarily. What if he was just a guy with strong mental powers and a little... make that a lot more morality than we do?
Someone who wanted to help the world."
"Don't you think you're getting a little sacrilegious here Christina?"
"Oh please. Our group is composed of a lesbian mind control cult, a kidnapper, four witches, the four horse women of the apocalypse and a vampire. I think we're a little beyond sacrilege don't you?"
No one rushed to reply.
"Who knows?" Jennifer shrugged. "It could be God or science, destiny or chance. I think we just have to play the card's we're dealt here."
"Check the data Billy." Helen nodded.
He nodded and switched on the laptop. He clicked one or two icons then suddenly an image appeared.
"Is that what I think it is?" Helen stared at the screen.
Billy nodded. "Blueprints for the tower of Babylon."
"Neve can you tell me what the heck is going on here?"
Neve looked over her shoulder to see a remarkably confused Jennifer Love Hewitt looking in on the room.
"I can try Love." Neve scratched her head. "I can try."
***
Britney moaned and tugged at her bonds. The gurney straps seemed to cut into her wrists tightly, tighter every time she pulled on them. The spirals had gone. The drug had gone. Now she was left to suffer her burning desires with no relief. At first she'd fought so hard, kicking and screaming but as time passed she became more and more tired. She needed the drug, she needed it worse than she'd ever needed anything in her life. But there was nothing that would help her.
Until the door opened.
Britney didn't even look to see who it was. She simply started screaming from her already hoarse throat demanding they give her the drug or the spirals. She tugged with renewed fury at her bonds, screaming at the newcomers.
"What do you reckon Keavs?" the new blonde asked as she looked down at the wretched youth.
"I don't know. This inner mind stuff is a little new to me."
"You and me both. Look we need to calm her down first."
"How do we do that?"
"I have an idea. Britney?"
"Who are you?" she demanded.
"I'm someone who wants to help you."
"You're lying! No one wants to help me! Everyone lies to me!"
"I'm not lying. Tell me about the spiral."
"It comes down from above and spins. So nice. So peaceful. Takes away the need."
"How does it do that?"
"It makes me come."
Sinead cast a concerned look at Keavy who shrugged.
"Britney. I want you to look up."
Sinead spun her finger about slowly and in the air above Britney a whirlwind appeared.
"Does the spiral look like this Britney?"
"A.. little." Britney looked at the swirl with uncertainty.
"Keavs give me some water droplets."
The air in the room seemed humid enough for Keavy to materialize some water in the wind. The light reflecting through the spinning droplets flickered through the air.
"Britney. I want you to watch the spiral. Watch the spiral and the lights. Just watch it and relax. Relax."
Britney starred up into the spinning light. It wasn't quite the same but somehow it was nicer. It didn't seem as forceful as the other spiral. Britney had almost forgot what softness was.
"Just relax. Relax. You feel so peaceful don't you Britney. So peaceful."
"peaceful." the pop star repeated, her eyes gazing intently on the spinning image above her.
"Keavs. Check what's through that door will you?"
The girl nodded and moved over to a side door, opening it and recoiling in shock, slamming it tight.
"Nothing. Absolutely nothing. It's just a black void."
"I guessed so. That's good Britney. Just relax. Relax... Try the shower door."
"What shower? Sinead this is the only door."
"Open it."
Keavy shook her head in confusion and opened the door to the abyss. It was gone. Instead there was a shower room. Keavy cast a confused glance to her older friend.
"Remember it's not real Keavs. Once we take control we can change it. Britney? How are you feeling?"
"peaceful."
"Okay. I'm going to let you go now and we're going to have a shower okay?"
"showers don't help."
"This one will. I promise. Promise you won't fight?"
"promise."
Sinead reached down and undid the straps which held Britney down. She made no attempt to struggle and Sinead helped her to a sitting position. The two girls in green lifted her up from the bed and helped her to the shower room, her small medical gown slipping off as they moved. Sinead turned on the water, feeling it's icy touch as it fell.
"You're going to get under that water dressed?" Kevay asked.
"For some reason Keavs it doesn't seem that unfamiliar. Besides, it's only water. And it's only imaginary water."
"Okay, you've convinced me."
The two girls helped Britney under the icy torrent. The nude girl shivered and groaned as the cold water flowed over her hot skin.
"What?" Keavy turned to her friend.
"I didn't say anything."
"I thought I heard.."
"Turnip?" Sinead raised an eyebrow.
"You too?"
"I guess so. I have no idea what that means but ignore it. Talk to her."
"It's alright Britney." Keavy comforted her. "It's just water. Nice cool water. It's going to wash away all the poison out of you. You'll be fresh as new. You want to feel like that don't you?"
"Yes." Britney gasped.
"Good girl. Good girl. Just relax. Let the water wash all your troubles away. All your troubles are being washed away. No more needs, no more cravings. Doesn't that feel good?"
Britney nodded.
For the first time in months she was beginning to feel truly free.
***
Billy felt slightly down trodden. He was looking at the most complex and detailed computer model and plan that he'd ever seen and he wished that it had been his. But it wasn't his. It was Claires or whatever Claire had become. Full details of the tower. Every defense and weak point. Everything they had to do to get to the top of the tower. And as Billy read he began to feel that there was more than a little fate at work.
"So we can get to the top right?" Helen asked.
"I.. I think so.. I think we have everything we need. Except.."
"What?" Winona asked, examining the screen.
"As best I can figure.. We're going to need two people immune to mind control."
"Why? Don't we have those patches of yours?"
"They're only a slight defense to the broadcast mesmerism. I'm talking about natural and total immunity to mind control."
"But no one has that." Uma stated resolutely. "Some people have a higher resistance but no one is immune. Not even vampires. Not even Ally McBeal here."
"The name is Calista." A groan came from the couch.
"I see that you're up on your feet again?" Uma mused.
"No thanks to you." Calista felt her bruised lip. "On second thoughts I guess it is thanks to you. I guess you snapped me out of .. whatever I was in."
"You remember it all?"
"Yeah." Calista admitted grudgingly.
"What did..."
"I said I remembered it. I didn't say I wanted to talk about it. Let me see. Lilith or Jezebel or whoever the hell did this to me is trying to take over the world and you want to stop him?"
"In a nutshell." Billy nodded. "You seem to be picking up on this fast."
"What I went through wasn't exactly a picnic." Calista scowled as her voice trembled. "So don't patronize me whoever you are."
"Billy."
"Billy then. Just tell me what I can do to get that bitch back."
"Well you can help certainly. But we still need two people immune to psychic effects."
"Well Uma and Helen are .. well I don't know what the word for it is but you know what I mean.. mind benders or whatever... Can't they scan for peoples brains or something?"
"Nice thought Calista." Helen bit her lip. "But the point is that we don't even know if they exist."
"They do." Billy cut in. "We're way too far past chance for them not to."
"Well okay, assuming they do exist, we can't find them. Even with the whole Sisterhood scanning we wouldn't pick them up because they'd be immune to it. I'm guessing that's why they're safe."
"Radar."
The group turned to Jennifer Hewitt who was sitting on a couch next to Neve and listening intently.
"What are you talking about Jen?" Helen raised an eyebrow.
"Well doesn't radar work by bouncing back from dense objects? What if we sent out a psychic message, I don't know just 'Turnip' or something. Even these zombies would pick that up. But people who were immune to control would have it bounce maybe. That way we could locate them."
Helen and Uma exchanged glances. They were on to something.
"I'm not going to stuff this up am I?" Kate looked about the circle.
"I wouldn't worry." Winona shook her head. "You're not a real vampire. You're still you Kate. You always will be."
Kate nodded.
"Ready?" Uma asked.
The other nodded. The six joined hands and closed their eyes, linking their minds together.
READY? Uma’s though combined with the others. Five mental nods came in reply.
TURNIP
The thought flowed out in a circle. Even though there was no sound, Billy felt the image of a vegetable being pulled from the ground. Immediately after he wondered if they couldn't have thought of a better image. Only then did he realize that the thought had penetrated the neural block on his neck. Perhaps a simple thought could do it. In all honesty things were getting way out of his league.
Over the next few seconds the image of a turnip flashed into the mind of millions of people throughout the city. Instantly it was gone again, replaced with oblivion. Neve Campbell opened her eyes.
"Turnip?" she said aloud. "I got a bounce!"
The others broke their concentration.
"Where?" Helen asked the other star.
"That way." Neve pointed. "It felt like maybe three or four miles."
"You could tell that just from the word turnip?" Billy said in awe.
"It's a new science Billy." Helen achieved a smile. "Give it a chance."
He nodded in wonder. "Okay then. How do we get four miles, keeping in mind my van is in severe need of repairs."
"Try flying Bewitched Airlines." Lindsay stepped forward.
"But for best results we can only take one each." Edele added.
Uma nodded. "Helen. You go and.. as much as I hate it.. Billy you go too."
"I'm not exactly a seasoned flyer."
"Never mind." Edele smiled. "One you fly with us you'll never want to fly with anyone else."
"I'll keep that in mind." He swallowed grimly.
***
Laura felt as if she was dead. Her body felt numb but it kept on moving, climbing up through the blackness. Every inch was agony, not because her body hurt but because it brought back another memory of the torture she'd suffered. But she refused to let it stop her or even slow her down. She knew each move would hurt but she had to keep moving. Back to the world of the living.
***
As Billy brought up the last of his mercifully small breakfast in a trash can he was little comforted by the thought that of everyone here, not only was he the weakest but also the least traveled. He was among famous people from all over the world and here he was trying no hold down his stomach contents after a blurred flight through L.A streets. He'd have to leave this part out if he ever told the story of the time he helped save the world.
"Better now Billy?"
He nodded to Helen and they turned to face the apartment block.
"This is it?" he asked.
She shut her eyes for a second then nodded a reply.
"That's a bounce. Fifth floor."
"Taking the elevator or the Irish express?"
"I think we should take the elevator." Billy responded quickly and hurried into the building.
"If it makes you feel any better Billy," Helen pointed out, "I had to use self hypnosis to stop myself throwing up too."
"Gee thanks." Billy entered the elevator and pressed the button once the other three had entered. The elevator rose up through floors opening to a silent corridor.
"We should tread carefully." Helen mused aloud.
"Tell me about it. The last girl I picked up in a hotel got a little rough."
"Down the hall. Third on the right." Edele pointed. When Helen and Billy cast her a confused look she simply shrugged.
"Thermal scan. There are two people in there."
"Hello?" Helen called out. "Is anybody there?
We don't mean you any harm."
There was a timid sound of movement and an unlocking of a door. Helen stepped down the hall and pressed it open. Inside she saw two young women, holding hands tightly and obviously frightened. They blinked when they saw Helen Hunt at their door. Helen found herself blinking in wonder too. Keri Russell and Amy Jo Johnson were totally immune mind control.
***
Britney felt as if she was waking up from a long nightmare. Only it wasn't a nightmare and what made it worse was that unlike a nightmare she remembered every single thing she'd done.
She remembered the addiction and the rampant desires.
She remembered the capture and mind altering treatments she received.
She remembered killing a man in cold blood.
She threw up.
"I'm on it." Keavy shook her head, still getting used to being back in the real world. Quickly she brought a jet of water down from the sprinklers and cleaned up as only someone with magical powers could.
"Just rest a while. You've been through a lot." Sinead put her hand on Britney’s shoulder.
"We've all been through a lot. And the worst thing is that it isn't over yet." Uma bit her lip. "I'm sure Billy’s little plan isn't going to be easy."
There was a groan from behind her and she turned to see Winona helping Laura to her feet.
"You look like.. well Death warmed up."
"Tell me about it." Laura groaned. "I still feel dead."
"We seem to have retained our new abilities." Calista remarked as she dried to hit her hand against a table, each time achieving no force.
"I don't feel able." Britney moaned again. "I just feel sick."
"You might for a little while. We've done all magic can do."
Sinead tried to comfort her. As she finished, a bangle on her wrist glowed.
"That'll be Linds and 'Del. Probably want a pick up."
"We'd best get a move on then."
Before Uma could say no they were both out the door.
***
Keri didn't believe it. Neither did Amy. It was all too much to grasp in one go. The world was about to be taken over by an immortal woman in a floating tower. A group of female celebrities with all sorts of bizarre abilities were going to stop her and a weird guy with a laptop was showing them how. And somehow, among all that, they were they final piece of the puzzle. They kept their relationship low key. So low key in fact that they hardly ever got to spend time alone like they wanted to. It had all started some time ago, Each developing a secret crush on the other and each trying to subliminal induce interest.
As it turned out neither worked but by that time they'd found out anyway. That was when things got a little odd. The concept of hypnosis was one which aroused their interest. In fact the more they considered it the more it aroused. Eventually they tried it out only to fail totally. They achieved the emotional result they'd sought, leading to hours of wild exploration, but the hypnosis itself had failed. They put it down to lack of experience but it seemed to go further. Using the pretense of work stress they consulted a professional hypnotherapist.
He had no more luck than they did. They left it at that, resorting to their ability as actresses rather than their ability as hypnotists. They never thought that it might be something more than a quirk. Certainly not something that would save the world. Part of them didn't want to be in this room. But the other part of them had been alone for the past days and didn't want to be alone. The later part won out. Now they were assembled with sixteen others, the last hope for humanity to be free. Britney wasn't the only one that felt sick.
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