Nightfall

Part Two

Stunned silence reigned for several minutes, as the seven college students absorbed the weight of Spectra's decree. The quiet was grave, to the point that you could hear a heartbeat. And considering the panic that began rising within the assembled heroes, the heartbeats quickened.

"Earth is doomed?" Jocelyn repeated blankly, "And there isn't a single thing we can do about it?"

Spectra nodded silently.

"That's bull!" Keith yelled angrily, "We're superheroes! There must be something we can do! Why can't the Nightfall be destroyed?"

"Because the mightiest magicians in the cosmos have tried, and failed. Eons ago, when the Denebian Empire was young, and their greatest warlocks and witches were alive, they all cooperated in creating the Nightfall, which is a living organism that has an endless appetite for consuming energy. After centuries of diligent work, the Nightfall was perfected, and unleashed into the galaxy. The Nightfall consumed the stars near Deneb, leaving nothing but neutron stars in its wake. By drinking the fusion energy of a star, the Nightfall hastens the star's dying process. Star's take billions of years to age and die, but the Nightfall reduces the cycle to a matter of days. One by one, all the neighboring stars were consumed, and the planets that orbited those stars froze in the coldness of space. Dozens of civilizations weere eliminated. Once the star was blocked, the Denebian armada was safe from the light rays, and pillaged the planet. Once they had stolen all the magical knowledge and slaves they desired from the planet, they left, leaving the remaining natives to freeze to death."

"That's terrible," Tamara gasped.

"Indeed," Spectra agreed, "Many of the civilizations that were attacked were mighty in magic, which is why the Denebians targeted them. But no matter how great the magical spells, nothing could stop the Nightfall. So it cannot be destroyed."

"But, if the Nightfall was created eons ago, why didn't it destroy the entire universe already?" Jocelyn asked.

"Because it wasn't allowed to. The White Denebians witnessed the horrors the Denebian creation had caused, and vowed to stop it. So they united, and formed the Council of Light. The entire nation of White Denebians put their magical efforts together, and formed five magical crystals of unparalleled magical power. These are the White Stones. One White Stone was used to contain the Nightfall, preventing it from destroying anything else. The Council then threw the Nightfall, now contained in a magical crystal, into a star, because the Black Denebians can never enter a star to retrieve it. From inside the White Stone, the Nightfall couldn't consume energy, and so it weakened. It had been captured for ages, but somehow, it has been released."

"There were five of these White Stones," Chris pointed out, "So why can't we just get one of the other four?"

Spectra shook her head, her salmon-hued locks casting a shadow over her brow. "I tried," she said, "That's why I left before. I tried to contact the wise Luminus, who keeps a White Stone. But he cannot let us have it."

"Why?" asked Rachel.

"The White Stone Luminus still possesses has been fragmented into seven pieces, which now power the Star Riders, a team of superheroes who span the universe, and battle the Denebian forces in the more distant quadrants of space. Without the Star Riders to protect them, dozens of civilizations could be destroyed."

"Where are the other three?" Craig inquired.

"Two were stolen by a traitor, and were lost. The other has been fragmented into six pieces, and now powers the Spectrum Force."

Everyone's eyes widened in surprise. "So why can't we contain it?" Keith asked.

"In order to contain the Nightfall, all the shards must be united to form the White Stone. Then, once the Nightfall is trapped within, the White Stone cannot be used for anything else. It will forever remain a prison for the evil creation."

"I see," said Rachel, nodding with understanding, "If we were to recreate the White Stone, then that means the end of the Spectrum Force..."

"...and no one will be left to stop the Denebians from conquering the planet with their other methods," Matt concluded, running a shaking hand through his rust hair, "Isn't there some other way to capture the Nightfall?"

Spectra shook her head in the negative.

"Maybe we can find one of the lost gems?" Tamara suggested.

"Impossible," Spectra said, "Although it is rumored that they are somewhere in this solar system, we simply do not have the time. The Nightfall will completely destroy the Sun within seven days, and whatever damage that is done cannot be reversed. I'm sorry."

"What do you mean you're sorry?" Keith asked, folding his arms, "We're not giving up yet!"

"What can we do?" Matt groaned, sitting heavily on one of the golden steps, "There's absolutely nothing we can do. It's a no win situation..."

"You're really optimistic today," Jocelyn muttered, casting her hazel gaze at her best friend, "I guess the only thing we can do is search for the two missing White Stones. It's our only chance."

Rachel continued her nervous pacing, her brow wrinkled as she analyzed all the possible options at their disposal. "Can't the Star Riders come here, and fight off the Denebians after we use our Spectrum Stones to trap Nightfall?"

"They cannot arrive in time," Spectra said, "Luminus told me they are currently on a mission."

"Then let's call some reinforcements from the Multiverse!" contributed Tamara, "The Power Rangers will help us."

"True," said Rachel, "but for how long? They can't stay here permanently, to keep fighting off the Denebians. They have their own planet to protect. This is our fight, team."

"Hey guys!" said Chris, pointing out the window, "Look!"

The Spectrum Force turned around, and was startled to see snowflakes falling towards the Earth below.

"It was supposed to rain today," Matt recalled, "I guess the temperature's dropped so low the rain is falling as snow."

"Great," sighed Jocelyn, "If there's snow in Langstrum Alps, can you imagine how cold it is up north? The whole planet will freeze over!"

"And with the Sun blocked, there's nothing stopping the Denebians from sending foot-soldiers," whispered Tamara.

"And without the Sun to re-energize our rings, we can't fight them off for long," Craig summed up weakly.

"Dammit!" Keith shouted, pounding his fist into his open palm.

Far above Earth, in the intimidating Denebian Flagship, Phaedra stretched her narrow fingers over a small pool of water, about four feet across and two feet deep. While she moved her fingers in a typing motion, bolts of black energy flowed from her long nails into the glowing, clouded liquid. Nearby, her husband Acheron and daughter Celea waited for her to complete her spell. Celea was busily selecting from her wide collection of magical arrows, kept in a closet against the wall. Acheron stood beside her, observing his daughter's choices.

"I always thought the Flare Arrows were the most interesting," Acheron commented, holding a narrow orange colored arrow, "The condensed force of heat is enough to instantly turn many species into ash."

"I prefer the Graviton Arrow," Celea remarked, slipping a gray arrow into her quiver, "The pressure field it creates can actually transform a block of coal into a diamond in minutes. Not even a Spectrum Shield can save someone from being squeezed to death."

"Don't forget to bring Disrupter Arrows, to break the Spectrum Force's link to their powers. The more they have to transform, the quicker they'll use up what energy they still have."

"Celea," Phaedra called, looking up from the pool of water to her daughter, "have you prepared the foot-soldiers?"

Celea nodded, an ecstatic glint in her crimson eyes. "Indeed. I have collected an army of Denebian soldiers to span the Earth. They are more effective than Shadow Warriors, now that the Sun has been blocked, and they do not require the expense of our magical powers."

"Send them all to Langstrum Alps," Phaedra commanded, "I want to lay waste to the city the Spectrum Force has defended since their inception."

"What of the Force?" asked Acheron. Phaedra smiled.

"Shiva will deal with them," she answered, gesturing to the pool of water, "He is nearly ready for battle."

"Where will you place Shiva?" Celea inquired, "He can only exist in a water source just above freezing."

"There is a river that flows through the city. With the Sun blocked, it shan't take long for the temperature to drop low enough. Now Celea, I want you to lead the attack against the city. Do not engage the Spectrum Force, unless Shiva is somehow defeated."

Celea nodded, and strapped her quiver behind her back. She bowed lightly to both parents, and left the chamber. Phaedra glanced at the pool, and saw a gruesome black tentacle, almost as large as the pool itself, stretch towards the ceiling. She snapped her finger, and the tentacle vanished, along with the magical pool. With a reserved nod of satisfaction, the Dark Empress turned to her husband.

"Shiva has been teleported to Earth," she reported, casually folding her arms, "He will make short work of the Spectrum Force."

"Or at least force their hand," Acheron agreed, "Nightfall has already shortened the life of the Sun by a thousand years. At this rate, the entire star will be destroyed in about seven days."

Within the golden walls of Cloud Castle, the six members of the Spectrum Force, as well as their friend Chris Greyson, pondered every possible alternative. Spectra herself sat silently on her throne, her eyes tightly shut in concentration.

"Okay," said Rachel, pressing the bridge of her nose with her fingers, "we don't know how much time we have left until our efforts are meaningless. We have to do something, and soon."

"We can at least try to find the two missing White Stones," Craig offered, "I know our chances are slim, but they are the only things that can preserve Earth."

"But what if we don't find them?" asked Tamara quietly.

"Don't forget, we only have a few hours of power left in our Spectrum Stones," Matt pointed out, "If we spend too much time synched, we'll be completely helpless."

"Not really," said Jocelyn, "Once our stones have been depleted, we can still form the White Stone. I say we search for the gems until our stones are completely wiped. Once that happens, we rejoin the White Stone, and recapture the Nightfall. We won't be able to save Earth, but at least we can save the rest of the universe."

The rest of the team remained silent, each youth making all effort not to make eye contact with anyone else.

"Guys," Jocelyn said faintly, knotting her fingers with agitation, "I know it's hard, but we have to be realistic. The chances of us finding some way to save Earth are slim. We have to think of the greater good, and consider the rest of the universe. If we don't stop Nightfall, then who will? Millions of civilizations across the universe will be destroyed!"

Silence continued to reign for a few minutes, until Chris rose from his perch on the stairs, and cast his eyes around the room. "She's right," he stated firmly, "What else can we do?"

"Wait," said Keith, nervously running his hands through his thick blonde hair, "maybe there is something. Spectra said that the Nightfall was encased in a White Stone before the Denebians released it. Maybe we can storm their flagship and get that stone!"

Tamara shook her head, and wrapped her arms around Keith's. "It's not possible," she said, "Assuming the White Stone is still around, we'd have to face the entire Denebian army, including Celea, Acheron, and Phaedra. And we won't even have full power."

"At least we can take some of them with us," Keith muttered, gently pushing Tamara off his arm as he rose to his feet. He marched across the room, stopping at the foot of Spectra's throne.

"Spectra," he said, trying to get her attention. But she didn't respond. Keith's patience was quickly running slim.

"Spectra!!" he yelled, climbing up the stairs to her throne. About halfway up the set of golden stairs, he halted when Spectra's eyes suddenly opened.

"What were you doing?" he demanded, "Why aren't you helping us figure out what to do?!"

"Because I cannot," she replied, "I have heard all your options, and none of them can save this planet. No matter what you do, Earth is doomed."

"So what do we do?" he pressed with exasperation.

"That is for you to decide," she responded, rising to her feet. She walked down the stairs passed the infuriated Red Enforcer, and halted before the large the window. Her eyes released a bright white light as she stared both above, and at the Earth below. She then turned around to face her Spectrum Force.

"The decision is yours," she repeated, "I am merely your advisor, not your commander. I do not make the decisions. Rather, I guide you in the best manner I think possible. This is your planet, and the White Stone split between you is now your possession, and your responsibility. You must decide what to do with the powers given you. However, before you do decide, you must know this: the Denebian Empire has begun its attack."

"What do you mean?" asked Matt, his green eyes widening as possibilities began running through his mind.

"Ground forces have already appeared on the streets of Langstrum Alps, and I also detect a focus of evil energy in the Hamilton River. And it is getting stronger."

"A monster," Rachel uttered, "Phaedra's placed the entire population of Langstrum Alps in immediate danger!"

"So that's their game," Matt groaned, "They want to take down our hometown... and us... before they branch out and conquer the planet."

"Phaedra's trying to force us to use up our powers," Craig commented.

"True," said Rachel, "but what choice do we have?" She paused for a moment, leaning her hand on the windowsill and staring down at the peaceful planet below. "We're the Spectrum Force, defenders of Earth. And that's exactly what I think we should do. I'm going down there, and I'm going to fight this monster. I'm going to keep fighting until my powers are gone. Then I'm going to give up my Spectrum Stone, and keep on fighting as a plain human being. Win or lose, I'm a fighter. I won't stand back and watch my planet go up in smoke."

Rachel then turned around, fixing each of her friends with a meaningful gaze. "Who's with me?"

"I am," Keith stated immediately, taking a stand beside the leader.

"Me too," Tamara added, joining the circle.

"You can count on me," said Craig.

"To the end," affirmed Jocelyn.

"Lead on, Ray," called Matt, taking his place beside the Orange Enforcer.

"It's unanimous," Chris observed, completing the ring of heroes. Then, they spread out into a row, with Keith and Chris on opposite ends. As one, the Spectrum Force held their bright rings heavenwards, creating concentric circles of energy flowing from their gemstones, down their arms, and whirling around each one's body.

"Spectrum Sync... Red!!" bellowed Keith.

"Spectrum Sync... Orange!!" cried Jocelyn.

"Spectrum Sync... Yellow!!" yelled Tamara.

"Spectrum Sync... Green!!" shouted Matthew.

"Spectrum Sync... Blue!!" roared Craig.

"Spectrum Sync... Purple!!" Rachel finished.

Chris watched as his six allies transformed into the Spectrum Force, ready for what may be their final battle. After bearing witness to the awe-inspiring display of energy for a few moments, a small grin crossed his face as his hazel eyes shuttered closed. His face grimaced in concentration, as his clothing took on a surreal glow, and rippled like pearly water. The liquid energy poured over his entire body from head to toe, and slowly solidified into a form-fitting uniform, matching that of the Enforcers in style, but with white as his signature color. Black leggings and sleeves, white bodysuit, gloves, and boots wrapped his body, along with a white facemask that reached his crown, allowing chestnut locks to spill over and frame his face. While the Spectrum Enforcers' uniforms sported a white V symbol on their chests, Chris' was gold to match his golden belt. Finally, gleaming ivory wings sprouted from his back, stretching to their full span.

While Rachel and Spectra were aware of Chris' new bodysuit, which can morph to suit his needs, the others were shocked at such a display of power.

"What... happened?" Jocelyn asked, her eyebrow arched beneath her visor.

"Spectra gave me a morphing costume," Chris answered, smoothing out his sleeves, "It functions as a body armor, so I can help you guys out."

"Interesting design," Tamara noted, tapping her chin lightly.

"I figure with this uniform, everyone will identify me as part of the Spectrum Force," Chris pointed out, "The people will know right off whose side I'm on."

"Okay," said Rachel, her authoritative voice severing that conversation in a heartbeat, "The Spectrum Force will fight that monster Acheron and Phaedra sent to play with us. Chris, you'd better patrol the streets, and try to protect the people from the Denebian foot-soldiers. Let's hope people have the sense to stay indoors."

"Gotcha," Chris said, one beat of his massive wings lifting his body from the gold-tiled floor, "I'll call you if I need help."

"Same here," Rachel said, waving as he flew out the window. She watched his departure for a few moments, worry creasing her brow as his energy signature faded with distance. Then, once he was out of visual range, she levitated off the ground, a cloak of purple energy washing over her slim form like an ocean wave breaking on a protruding rock. In response, the five other Enforcers rose into the air, and as a group they hovered towards the window.

"Please, keep an eye on him," Rachel said to Spectra, who was still seated on her golden throne.

"I shall watch over you all," Spectra affirmed, a reassuring smile breaking the stoic expression on her snowy face. All the Enforcers smiled a little in reaction to the rare display of affection from their Denebian advisor.

"To the river!" Rachel declared, her voice ringing like a battle cry to the heavens.

^...and to top off an afternoon of unnatural weather and an inexplicable solar eclipse, an army of unidentified creatures has been seen marching through the Langstrum Alps. City Hall has declared a State of Emergency for Langstrum Alps, as well as all surrounding suburbs. Please remain in your homes, or get to your homes or some other safe place as quickly as possible. Stay out of the streets, for these unidentified armies appear to be hostile. The National Guard has been sent--^

Stephen Maloy grumbled something unintelligible as he turned off the television in his hotel room. He rose to his feet and crossed his arms, holding his head at a defiant angle as cold sapphire eyes stared holes into the blank television screen. Just a few feet away, his wife Monica was seated on the couch, a large comforter wrapped around her body as she trembled from both fear as well as cold. Her bright green gaze darted from the smoky black screen, to her pacing husband, to the powdery snow that fell passed their window.

There were several minutes of stony, shivering silence between the pair, who had been married for twenty-six years. How else should a typical family react when they find themselves trapped in an unfamiliar city during an alien invasion?

Stephen marched across the room, and picked up the telephone for the tenth time that afternoon. After waiting for a while, he cursed angrily and smashed the receiver back onto the unit.

"Nothing?" Monica asked in a hoarse voice, looking up at her husband. His silence answered for him.

"I've had enough of his nonsense," Stephen finally declared, walking briskly into the conjoining bedroom. He stepped inside, glancing momentarily at Connie before continuing towards his suitcase. The youngest Maloy played with a tendril of her chin-length flaxen hair as her attention passed from her textbook to her father.

"How are you holding up, Constance?" Stephen asked, hefting his suitcase onto the corner of the bed and rummaging through. Connie slipped a bookmark into her text and sat up on the bed, watching her father inquisitively.

"I'm fine," she answered, "Just trying to keep from going nuts with worry by studying for my micro exam." Her pink-glossed lips curled into a pout as she tossed the book onto the floor. "Yeah, microbiology is very distracting when the Earth is being invaded by aliens!"

"There's no such thing as aliens, Connie," Stephen said sternly, lifting a jacket from the suitcase and lying it onto the bed. Connie rolled her eyes, and rose to her feet.

"No such thing as aliens?" she repeated in amazement, "Then what the hell do you call those... things marching through town as if it were the Macy's Parade?"

Stephen pulled out a pair of sneakers from another bag, and fixed his daughter with a penetrating gaze. Despite herself, she flinched slightly.

"Don't speak to me in that-" he started to scold her, before stopping himself short. He then sighed deeply, and sat down on the nearby chair and removed his slippers. "Never mind," he said, his voice unusually gentle, "It's not worth arguing about."

Connie blinked in amazement as she watched her father put on his sneakers. This was the first time in recent memory that Stephen backed away from an argument, whether it was petty or otherwise. Stephen Maloy was legendary in Austin for his short fuse, and no one was safe from it. Especially not his children.

"Uh... Dad," Connie said quietly, as Stephen rose to his feet and reached for the jacket, "what are you doing?"

"I'm going out," he answered simply, buttoning his jacket.

Connie yelped slightly in surprise, and rushed to follow as her father went towards the door. She threw herself against the exit, prohibiting him from leaving.

"Are you NUTS?!" she shrieked, "There are aliens out there, running rampant!"

"And my son is out there somewhere," Stephen responded as calmly as he could manage, "The phones aren't working, and I can't contact Keith. I want to make sure he's okay."

"Stephen, you're not making sense," Monica said quietly from the couch, "Keith is probably safe and sound with his friends. What do you plan on doing?"

"I'm going to the High Rise," he said, walking back to the den and hugging his wife to calm her, "It's not even half a mile away. I just want to make sure he's okay."

Stephen then returned to the door, where his daughter still stood. "I'll be right back," he assured Connie, kissing her forehead. He then gently pulled her away from the door, without her offering much resistance. Finally, he stepped out the door. "Don't leave this room," he ordered briskly, before closing the door behind him. Stephen then hurried through the empty hallways, and down to the reception desk.

"Excuse me," he said, "can you tell me where the High Rise is?"

The woman behind the desk blinked. "You're not going out in that mess, are you?"

Stephen nodded. "I need to find my son. Please, can you tell me how to get there?"

The receptionist nodded, and took a deep breath. "Once you reach the street, turn left, and keep going straight. The High Rise is the tallest building on the UCLA campus. You'll see it."

Stephen smiled, and ran to the door. His eyes widened when he saw that over a foot of snow had already fallen. He stepped outside when he didn't see anyone... human or otherwise... nearby. He shivered as the freezing winds wove through his hair, and penetrated his clothing.

"Damn, it's cold!" he remarked, shoving his hands in his jacket pocket. He began trudging through the deep snow, heading in the direction the receptionist guided him. After a few minutes of slowly making headway, he reached the street. To his surprise, he saw a car parked on the street, almost entirely covered with snow. It was a wine colored minivan.

"No," he whispered, running as quickly as he could to the van. He tried the handle, and realized it was unlocked. He opened the door, and glanced around. He frowned when he saw the familiar set of purple dice dangling from the mirror.

"This is Rachel's car," Stephen recalled, "that Keith and Tamara were in when they left. They were supposed to go to the museum, and pick up their friend. They didn't get very far."

Stephen climbed further into the car, searching for any sign of Keith or Tamara. There was nothing to be found.

"What the hell happened to them?!" he shouted to himself, sitting in the driver's seat. He wiped his face with his cold hands, and thought about his next course of action.

Why wouldn't they have driven to the High Rise? he pondered, They just up and left, and they were in too much of a hurry to even lock the car. What could have made them abandon the car?

Stephen stepped out of the car, and a passing shadow caught his attention. He whirled around, but all he saw was the thick whiteness of the blizzard. However, he did see footprints nearby... and they certainly weren't his.

At a loss of options, Stephen jumped back into the car, and locked the door. He jumped in surprise when a loud banging sound shook the entire automobile. Something wiped the snow accumulated on the windshield, and Stephen found himself staring at a pair of blood red eyes. A cold smile crossed the creature's ash-colored face, sending chills up Stephen's spine.

The creature then proceeded to speak, although the words were utter nonsense to Stephen.

"My Princess," the alien uttered in his native tongue, "there is a human inside this vehicle."

"Well," was the equally-unintelligible response, "get him out then, Exen."

The Spectrum Force flew over the quiet streets of Langstrum Alps in V formation, with Rachel and Keith in the lead. She glanced beside her, and saw Keith's pensive expression.

"You okay?" she asked gently. He glanced at her, a frown creasing his face.

"How could I be okay when the entire $@#*ing planet's going to die?!" he yelled furiously. Rachel remained silent, regarding her friend for a moment. She had known Keith Maloy longer than any other member of the Force, and she knew he only displayed such anger when he was truly and deeply afraid.

"Don't you give up on me, Red Enforcer," Rachel said in a dead serious tone, "We're going to fight until we can't anymore. I'm counting on you, Keith. Keep your head on."

Keith nodded. "I'm... I'm sorry, Ray," he whispered, his eyes catching the hotel his family was staying at as they passed over the city, "There's just a lot at stake here. Do you think Chris can really protect the whole city?"

Rachel sighed. "He's going to have to. LA's been overrun by footsoldiers, and I doubt the police can stop them. Or even the National Guard."

"Guys!" Craig called, breaking formation and staring directly below him, "There it is! The Hamilton River!"

"I don't see anything," Jocelyn commented, gazing intently at the long river that stretched across the ground below her, "The river is several miles long. How do we know where this monster is supposed to be?"

"We'll split up," said Rachel, "Keith, Matt, and Tammy, and Craig, Jocelyn, and me."

"We'd cover more ground if we go alone," Keith said.

"I'm not risking it," Rachel responded, turning to Keith, "Your team goes west along the river, my team goes east. Contact us as soon as you engage the monster. We have to beat it as quickly as possible to conserve power. We don't have much time left."

Keith nodded, and gestured to Tamara and Matt. The three Enforcers flew along the river, and Rachel's group went in the opposite direction.

"Let's get lower," Rachel said, "and keep your eyes open! We have no idea what we're looking for!"

The Purple, Blue, and Orange Enforcers streaked along the river, about three yards above the water's surface. They continued to fly relatively slowly, to get a proper look at the water. However, for over five minutes they didn't find anything suspicious.

"This is ridiculous!" Craig muttered, pulling ahead of the others, "Maybe Spectra was wrong. Maybe the focus of energy isn't a monster. Or maybe it's somewhere else."

"When has Spectra ever been wrong?" Jocelyn pointed out, "It's a monster, and it's here. Somewhere."

"Well, hopefully Keith and the other's are having better--" Craig began to say, when suddenly an enormous black tentacle broke through the water, stretching as tall as a tree in the blink of an eye. Craig yelped in surprise, and just managed to turn in time to avoid colliding with the tentacle. Rachel and Jocelyn, who were a distance behind, skidded to a halt.

"You wanted a monster, and you got it," Jocelyn commented.

Suddenly, the tentacle plummeted back towards the water horizontally. All three Enforcers moved quickly, and tried to injure the monster with concentrated beams of colored light. But the light didn't seem to have any effect, and the tentacle reached up again, and swung at the team.

"Back!" Rachel ordered, flying backwards from the tentacle, "Get out of its reach!"

As Rachel continued to back off, another tentacle broke the water behind her, and wrapped around her body before she could retaliate.

"GUYS!!" Rachel shrieked as the tentacle plunged into the water, taking the Purple Enforcer with it. Jocelyn and Craig looked at each other in petrified amazement.

"Contact Keith," Jocelyn said, "I'm going after Rachel!"

"What?!" Craig muttered, "Are you seri--"

But before Craig could finish his sentence, Jocelyn dove into the freezing water of the Hamilton River. Craig sighed, and flew upwards, until he felt he was safely away from the monster to concentrate on a telepathic message to the other Enforcers.

Stephen Maloy had experienced much during his fifty plus years of life. He had traveled the entire world, and seen many of the sights. He was the founder and CEO of a highly successful company, and he managed to care for his family much better than his own father had done for his. He had three wonderful children, all of whom he was very proud. He had a lovely, caring wife, who always understood him when even he didn't understand himself. He had lived a charmed life. And now, he couldn't help but wonder if he'd run out of luck.

It didn't take long before the strange creatures broke through the glass windshield of the minivan, and pulled him out. One creature hefted Stephen out of the driver's seat as if it were lifting a bag of potatoes, and tossed him into the snow, which had already accumulated to about four feet. Stephen tried to lift his body, but the creature placed its armored foot on his back, keeping him face down in the snow.

"Let him up," a decidely female voice commanded in flawless English. Stephen felt the foot move off his back, and he rose to his knees. The creature that had held him down was one of about a dozen troops, with ash-colored skin, blood red eyes, and fierce expressions. They all wore matching black uniforms, with armored boots, gloves, and shoulder armor. They also had black helmets, which covered most of their faces. But the red eyes glowed brightly and menacingly.

Stephen swiveled his head, and saw the one who had spoken. She was easily distinguishable as the leader, and by the gold tiara adorning her forest green hair, Stephen determined her to be royalty. Unlike her soldiers, the woman wore no armor. Instead, she wore a black leotard, and gold colored boots and belt. Her green ponytail whipped violently in the harsh winds of the blizzard, but she didn't seem to feel the cold, despite her minimal dress. Stephen's eyes then fixed upon her long bow, which she was leaning on like a walking stick.

"Hello, Human," the woman said, "You look like you've had a difficult day."

"You could say that," Stephen responded, "Snow in LA is rather uncommon, especially for springtime. And yes, it's been awhile since I've seen armies of aliens roaming the streets."

Celea smiled at his sarcasm. She was rather surprised to see him display no visible fear of his present situation. But she heard his heart quicken dramatically with her superior senses. He was terrified, although he refused to show it. She would enjoy torturing him.

"You know," she remarked, walking atop the accumulated snow as if she were weightless, "you're the first civilian I've seen since my soldiers and I invaded. Are you all hiding?"

"We're not hiding," Stephen replied, "There's just a great baseball game on, and we Americans have our priorities."

"Enough insolence," Celea commented, holding her bow with both hands, "I tire very easily with you humans."

"Perhaps you're not getting enough vitamins," Stephen remarked. Celea frowned, and glanced at the nearest soldier. The soldier nodded, and sharply kicked Stephen in the stomach. Stephen yelped, and fell back into the mounting snow sinking several inches due to the force of the attack. The Denebian soldier then picked up the man by his hair, forcing him to look at Celea.

"Perhaps you don't know how serious your situation is, Human," Celea commented, "Your life is at stake here. Tell me one reason why I should spare you."

"Well, I'm good with animals, and I'm legendary at karioke bars across Texas."

Celea's frown deepened, and she placed her hands on her hips. "Search him," she ordered, "He must have some identification on him. Let's see if he's important."

The soldier nodded, and frisked Stephen. He located a wallet, and held it out. Another soldier took the wallet, and handed it to Celea, bowing humbly before her. Celea waved him away, and opened the wallet.

"Stephen Maloy III," she read from his driver's license, "born 8-30-46. From Austin Texas. You're a long way from home, Human."

Celea cracked a small grin as she flipped through the contents of the wallet. She found numerous credit cards, club memberships, and cash-- none of which impressed her. Then, she found a series of photographs. There was one of a woman, most likely Stephen's wife. Also, there were three younger humans, a girl and two boys. One photograph caught Celea's eye.

"Now this is interesting," she commented, pulling the photograph out of its jacket and looking on the back. Her crimson eyes widened slightly as they read "Keith's Senior Photo". Celea bared her sharp teeth in frightening smile, and her gaze rose from the photograph and fixed on the human before her.

"So, Mister Stephen Maloy III, you are related to this young man," Celea stated, showing Stephen the photograph.

Stephen looked at Celea, bewildered. "What of it?"

Celea smiled again, and tore the photograph in half. "Guilt my association," she remarked, "Your connection with the Red Enforcer has sealed your fate."

"My son... the Red what?" Stephen asked, "What the hell are you talking about?!"

Celea nodded at her troops, picking up her bow from the snow. All the soldiers stepped back, leaving the bewildered human being alone before Celea. Stephen's eyes widened when he saw her draw an onyx arrow from her quiver. He staggered to his feet, and stepped back as Celea pulled the drawstring back on her bow. She smiled as she took aim.

"My signature arrow," Celea explained, "I want Keith Maloy to know who exactly killed his father."

"NO!" Stephen cried as the shiny black arrow streaked through the cold winds. It plowed into Stephen's chest, and wedged itself there. Stephen choked out another cry, as red blood stained his shirt and jacket. The strength in his body vanishing, Stephen fell onto his back and sank into the mound of snow. Red blood stained the frigid powder beneath him, as Celea's wicked laugh filled the crisp air.