This novel follows directly from ‘The Fury Trilogy’ and ‘Incubus’. Its plot and its characters originate in those stories, and they often understand their later predicaments by those earlier events. If you haven’t yet read those earlier stories, I suggest that you save this text somewhere safe and read them first.

I know it’s an imposition, a big deal for me to tell you to read a novel and a medium-sized story before you even start this one. But trust me, it’s worth it. The more eager among you can read this immediately, and you will get a general idea as what is going on. But to really get the most out of this novel, first read the earlier ones.

I always intended for this to be the sequel to "Fury"—whether it ever saw the light of day depended entirely on the feedback I received. The entire Fury saga was planned out and then implemented over a five year period.. "Fury" and "Incubus" are the beginning and middle of the story this is the ending.

Note: This story does contain a small amount of strong and explicit descriptions and dark themes (torture, mind control etc) so stay away if you’re easily offended or under 21.

*** Many thanks have to go to Vickie Tern who contributed a ‘special guest’ chapter to this story and generally helped out in more ways than I can mention. As always thank you, the reader for letting me know if the two years it took me to write this was worth it.

 

Fury Saga              by: Darkside

 

The Fury Directive

BOOK I. The Opening.

Cathline Richards, alias Rachel Martin, sat on the red leather sofa. She was waiting for the red lights on the cameras to indicate the show was on air. She stretched out her long, perfect legs and waited patiently. Her host Richard Letterman sat opposite, shuffling his questions and also waiting for the cue.

The floor manager gave the three-two one and the show was a go. Richard looked into camera one and said "Good evening Ladies and Gentlemen. Welcome to this special edition of Richard. We have with us tonite Rachel Martin, who has been described as the most beautiful women ever to walk the earth. Those of you who have read her account of the titanic struggle between her friends and the evil Dr Elizabeth Bexley will be familiar with much of what we’re going to be talking about. However Rachel has agreed to fill us in on what really went on nearly three years ago."

Rachel gave a stunning smile at the camera, noted the cute anchorwoman on the news desk and waited for the follow up question.

"Rachel, most of us know the outcome of the ‘fury’ as it’s been known but can you fill us in. If I remember correctly it started around 5 years ago," Richard said, casting an appreciative glance up Cathline’s long leg.

Ignoring Richard’s glance Cathline started to explain, "Yep. My good friend Matthew Stephens was driving alone when his car broke down. Stranded in bad weather, it looked as though he was going to die. However he was rescued and Dr Bexley saved his life. Their romance grew from there and they were due to get married."

"And did they?"

"No, Matthew realised he didn’t love Elizabeth and so left her at the altar. She was naturally devastated and had to leave her job at her father’s hospital. She joined as chief researcher at the TGEN-Labs. That’s where we first met, of course I wasn’t Rachel Martin then, just plain old Mrs Cathline Richards."

"We’ve got a picture of you and your late husband," Richard said.

Cathline looked away sadly as a picture of a pretty brunette with brown eyes and a taller, handsome man appeared on the monitors in front of her.

"Yeah that was me. Anyway at TGEN labs we were the first to fully map the human genome and we developed a chemical that would replace one set of DNA with another. It was going to be our cure for Cancer and save the lives of millions. It was about this time that I found out my husband, John was having an affair with another researcher. Liz suggested we try the drug on him to teach him a lesson and I agreed."

"So what did you do?"

"Unknown to me at the time Liz had paid this researcher to sleep with John and had already hatched a devious and vicious plan for revenge on Matthew. To cut a long story short and not give too much away John was turned into a copy of Matthew’s new fiancée, Jane Stephens. As a thank you Liz paid for us to go to Egypt for a second honeymoon."

"What was Matthew doing at this time?"

"Oh he’d married another woman, Kat, sorry Jane and was in Egypt on honeymoon at the same as we were. Liz had the original Kat kidnapped, changed into a copy of Jasmine from Disney’s Aladdin and thrown into a harem. She then replaced her as her double. Matthew was forced to take a pill that would slowly turn him into a copy of Dr Bexley. He had no choice but to take the pills because not doing so would probably have killed him."

"What Happened to John?"

"Actually I was kidnapped and thrown into another Harem where my stupidity led me to have my eye burned out with a hot iron. John was led a wild goose chase until flying back to the US."

"Was Dr Bexley doing all this kidnapping?"

"No she’d enlisted the help of a shadowy organization called the ‘Guild’.

We don’t really know anymore about them than that I’m afraid."

"If I remember correctly from the now famous Bexley trial Matthew killed John at the airport, thinking he was Dr Bexley returning from her evil deeds. Matthew was then arrested for murder one," Richard said.

Cathline looked down and said sadly "That’s right. Liz led John by the nose like a lamb to the slaughter. She had him killed."

"That’s horrible," Richard Commented.

"That was just the start of it. Anyway back in the Middle East I was imprisoned by my ‘master’ Osman and was routinely raped every day for four months. Thankfully Osman died and I was due to be re-sold."

"My God, how did you manage?" Richard asked.

"Looking back I’ve no idea. I just held onto my humanity and the ones I cared about. Kat had been sold into a much better Harem than me and was promoted to chief girl. Her master, Hassan allowed her to choose a personal maid from Osman’s Harem. She chose me and we instantly hit it off."

"Where was Dr Bexley in all this?"

"She’d flown back under a different face and designed this body you see before you for herself. Dr Bexley was the original Rachel Martin. She appeared to be happy in this arrangement until the tragic death of her parents in an auto-accident. That sparked off her desire to kill Matthew herself and resume the vendetta against him."

"So your body was genetically designed by Dr Bexley?"

"Yep, Bodies by Bexley. Anycase I’m more than happy with it now.

It’s still me inside. I think I got off lightly compared to the rest."

"I assume you escaped from your Harem?" Richard said.

"In a way. Hassan fell in love with Kat but she steadfastly refused his advances. Hassan was too much of a gentleman to force the issue and seeing how unhappy she was agreed to let us go."

Richard raised an eyebrow, "So you flew back to the US and tried to find out what had happened to your husbands?"

"Correct. After a lot of searching we contacted Stephanie Lane, the reporter. She’d already been working on the Bexley trial and was only too glad to team up with us."

"You mean the late Stephanie Lane?" Richard queried.

"Yeah. Anyway we all agreed to meet up at TGEN labs to discuss how we would deal with Liz. In the meantime Liz had enlisted the Guild to wipe out the convoy taking Matthew to death row and so ensured that he’d always be a fugitive. He met up with us at TGEN labs."

Richard looked thoughtful for a few seconds and then said "I remember the attack, brutal and professional as I remember. Anyway, so you set up some kinda council of war?"

"Yeah or so we thought. Liz’d booby-trapped the place and we barely escaped with our lives. Two of us didn’t make it, my colleagues Vickie Turner and James Richardson. They sacrificed themselves so the rest of us could live," Cathline said softly.

Richard nodded, waited a few moments and then asked "So then what did you do?"

"We found out where Liz’s hide away was and flew there to confront her. With the odds at five to one we were sure that we could beat her. Besides we thought we knew who she was pretending to be," Cathline replied.

"So you lay in wait for her to turn up?"

"Exactly. We’d only been there a day when Rachel Martin turned up. We ambushed her and used some of Liz’s drugs on her. The drugs turned her into a cat, it was horrible."

"So that was it, end of story?"

"Not quiet. Kat, yes ‘The Kat’ had deduced that Liz had taken over Stephanie Lane and had orchestrated the whole thing. She also sussed that the Rachel Martin we’d turned into a cat was Stephanie Lane. We managed to surprise Liz and confront her with our suspicions and she confirmed what we had guessed. She managed to escape and leave everyone for dead except Kat who confronted her on the jetty."

"So Kat killed her?"

"No she didn’t. Liz managed to shoot Kat with a drug tipped dart, but before she could escape Kat shot her too and they both collapsed onto the ground. By that time we’d recovered enough to run to the jetty and see Liz turning into a mermaid. She managed to escape before we could capture her."

"So that was how Kat became how she is today?" Richard asked.

"Yeah it took a week for her to change into the half tiger/half woman creature the world knows as Kat."

"Why couldn’t you switch back?"

"We didn’t know how to. Liz’d locked down the systems too tight and we knew the Guild would be after the DNA technology so we decided to destroy the device."

"So Matthew and Kat stayed on the island, how did you end up as Rachel Martin?"

"Liz’d had some additional doses prepared for her own use. I took a Rachel Martin dose before we destroyed them all. It allowed me to regain the use of my eye and have a fresh start."

"I see. What about Liz, what happened to her?"

"No idea. She’s either shark bait by now or in exile somewhere. Now that the governments have endorsed ‘The Fury Directive’ which outlaws all human genetic research with the threat of mass retaliation if genetic weapons are ever used. As for Elizabeth I think we’ve seen the last of her. Part of me however says don’t be so sure."

o - o - o -

One Year Earlier..

The large yacht drew silently up to a small cave located in the Indian Ocean. After the crew had weighed anchor a small dinghy was lowered into the turquoise colored swell. A tall, well muscled man with a dark moustache sat in the bow of the boat. Three other men sat behind him, their AK-47 assault rifles scanning the ocean, their fingers poised on the triggers.

The outboard motor spluttered into life and the dinghy sped towards the cave. At the last moment the engine was cut and the dinghy drifted towards the dark entrance of the cave. One of the men deftly jumped out of the boat and tied it to a nearby rock. He then crouched down by the cave entrance and waited for his companions to disembark. The other two left the boat and switched on their flashlights.

Thru the foreboding darkness they saw the remains of fish and other seafood. In one corner was a digital camera and piled high at the end of the cave was a mountain of salvaged goods.

They almost missed her, so well was she concealed. The first thing they saw of her was her long blonde hair, still damp from the water but slowly drying out. They could see her shapely form under the water but they stopped short when the beams of light spotlighted a long green tail where her legs should have been. Her slow breathing told them that she was asleep.

Silently the men returned to the dinghy and indicated to the waiting moustached one. He slowly got out of the dinghy, pointed to the man nearest her who then pointed his firearm at the sleeping form.

The moustached man crouched down by the sleeping form, flicked a finger at another man who in turn trained his weapon on the woman’s naked back.

The moustached one reached out his hand and touched the woman on her back. She jumped awake and spun round, her hands ready to strike at her would be attacker. She froze when she saw the guns trained on her every move.

"Dr Elizabeth Anne Bexley I presume. My name is Hassan," the moustached man said holding out his hand.

o - o - o -

Present Day.

Matthew Stephens took the corner with consummate ease. His wife Kat however with her superior reflexes and balance managed to overtake him on the inside, her jetski spouting water in one smooth motion. Matthew gritted his teeth and opened up the throttle determined not to lose this one but Kat was long gone.

"Come back," he shouted.

"Catch me if you can. You drive like a girl!" Kat taunted and proceeded to go even faster than before.

"Only because that bastard Liz made me one! One more lap," Matthew called. How did she DO that he wondered?

A single, cheeky wave from Kat was his only reply.

Excellent Matthew thought. They were now coming up on ‘Stephanie’s cove’. So called because this was the place where Elizabeth Bexley had imprisoned the unfortunate reporter, Stephanie Lane. Kat always slowed here, the underlying rocks made navigation difficult and unpredictable. Kat always lost ground here. Matthew stooped down to reduce air resistance, the wind blowing his long auburn air in front of his eyes. Brushing it away he concentrated on the task in hand, namely trying to win for once.

Sure enough Kat had messed up and Matthew was scarcely two metres away and closing fast. Kat was hunched too, even her tail was flat against her body. These round island races were always bitterly fought. Against Kat however they were nearly always one sided. Kat was starting to slow, seemingly letting Matthew catch up and Matthew, eyes glinting with the chase homed in for the kill. At the last moment Kat started to accelerate and with a mock salute was off like a water borne missile, leaving Matthew trailing in her wake.

Kat was lying on the jetty by the time Matthew got back. Her fur was slowly drying off in the warm sun. Matthew stepped off his jetski, adjusted his bikini and walked over to her.

"YOU CHEAT," he accused her. His face smiling though.

"Hey look we swapped jetski’s just as you wanted," was Kat’s sleepy reply.

"Next time I blindfold you," Matthew complained.

"What’s the score now. Umm 20 to 1 isn’t it?" Kat smiled.

"You only lost that one because you ran out of fuel," Matthew said.

"How about a kiss for the winner?" Kat asked.

Matthew stood, embraced Kat’s furry body and kissed her. He could feel the warm fuzzy sensation of his lips pressing against her furred face. His breasts pressed against Kat’s and he felt his nipples become erect and the arousing fire grew within him.

"Hmmm" We’d better get ready," Kat said.

"Cathline’s due over tonight. What’d you fancy?" Matthew asked.

"I’m not feeling too great. I feel kinda giddy. Just my usual."

"What’s up?"

"Dunno. But I ache all over. Come on let’s get ready for Cathline."

Matthew took Kat’s hand, helped her up and hand in hand they walked up the long winding stairs towards the house.

Some hours later while sitting in the TV room they heard the sound of an approaching chopper. By the time they had ran to the landing pad Cathline was already unpacking. When she saw Matthew and Kat waiting a wide grin appeared on her face and she waved vigorously.

"Seems incredible that a couple of years ago she was with us trying to stop Liz," Matthew remarked.

"Now look at her, The worlds first ultra model," Kat added.

After unpacking all Cathline’s things the pilot jumped back into his chopper and with a gust of warm air was back off to the mainland.

Cathline came running up to them and held them close, "It’s been too long," she said.

"Six months. Say, looking at Rachel Martin’s, busy schedule I’m surprised you could make it at all," Matthew said.

"To the world I’m Rachel Martin, the most beautiful woman in history. But with my friends I’m just plain old Cathline Richards," Cathline said in grandiose fashion and performed an elegant curtsey.

"Come on in, Matthew’l take your stuff," Kat said smiling.

"Hey just because I’m the only man around here," Matthew said.

"Not from where I’m standing you’re not," Cathline quipped.

"Sorry WAS the only man," Matthew said.

"Race you," Cathline challenged Kat.

"You’re on," Kat replied.

Kat sped off with Cathline in hot pursuit, half way to the house Kat slowed and Cathline flew past her and almost forgot to open the door to the house.

"I win! Hey, you OK?" Cathline said, panting hard.

"Fine. I’m just a little under the weather that’s all," Kat said, almost collapsing into a heap on the floor, her breathing heavy and labored.

"Hey sister you’re not OK. You’ve been timed at 35mph before.

There’s NO way I should be able to win," Cathline replied.

"Drop it. I’ll be fine. You worry too much."

After a dinner they still sat around the dining table, slowly drinking coffee when Cathline asked.

"Do you ever think about her much?"

"Who?" Matthew asked.

"Liz," Cathline said.

"I sometimes wonder, no make that hope that she’s shark bait by now," Kat said.

"I doubt it. She’s far too clever," Matthew said.

"I do. I can’t help but think we’ll see her again. That she’ll pop up where and when we least expect it," Cathline said.

"No chance. If a mermaid had been found we’d hear about it. Besides it’s been two years," Kat said.

"True. I also wonder why the Guild have left us alone," Cathline said.

"They’ve no reason to get to us. It’s not like we’re inconspicuous. You the world’s most famous model and Matthew’s and mine faces being plastered all over the worlds media. No we’re much too famous for the Guild to get at," Kat replied.

"Do you think the Guild copied Liz’s designs for the DNA system?"

Matthew asked.

"I don’t see how. Can we change the subject please," Kat replied.

Talking about the old days was painful.

"Oh I bumped into Robert, sorry Robin the other day," Cathline said, reading Kat’s discomfort.

"How are Robin and Steve?" Kat asked.

"Doing just fine. Robin’s just found out that she’s expecting in April, I think it is."

"Hey that’s great," Matthew said joyfully.

"What else. Oh yes Kitty Liz has just had her second set of kittens, although we don’t know who the father is."

"What about you Cathline, any eligible young men or women on the scene?" Matthew asked.

"Plenty of offers, none suitable. The media were trying to make something up about Brad Pitt and me. But there’s nothing in it."

"Are you telling fibs. You stayed over one night, after the Oscars wasn’t it?" Kat said playfully.

"I came here to get away from all that rubbish. We just talked OK. He wanted to know the true story of us, not the printed one. I said the one we published was the true one and we just got talking from there."

"I bet..," Matthew said smiling.

Cathline looked around the room and said, "I’m so glad you got rid of all those creepy statues. I’m surprised you’ve kept as much of her stuff as you have though."

"Strangely enough we did like a lot of Elizabeth’s decor. The statues freaked us out so we dropped them in the ocean. If Elizabeth wants them back she can go and get them. Oh more coffee?" Kat said reaching for the ornate coffeepot.

"I’m fine thanks. I live on coffee for most of the time so it’s a welcome break to only have a cup," Cathline said.

"Cathline, Did Kat tell you we’ve brought an apartment in Manhattan?"

Matthew asked.

"I did hear something about it. Cost a couple a million I think. What’s it like?"

"No idea, we’ve only seen the pictures. We want to get out and investigate it further," Matthew replied.

"You brought a multi-million dollar apartment without seeing it first!"

"We liked the look of it and hey live a little. We mainly got it to be nearer to you and the rest of our friends. Not that you’re in New York much these days but hey," Kat said shrugging her shoulders.

Matthew reached over to the coffee port and poured himself a black coffee. "Say, how about I give you a race around the island tomorrow?" he asked Cathline.

"You’re not still obsessed with beating Kat at that thing are you. Sorry no way I’m not taking part in any of your stupid macho contests. You never know, maybe one day Liz’l get you, then you’ll be sorry," Cathline said.

Kat coughed a little, yawned and said "Sorry guys I’m beat. I’ll turn in for the night. Dear I’ll see you upstairs."

"OK see you later," Matthew said and stood up and kissed Kat goodnight.

When Kat had gone upstairs Cathline’s face went serious. Gone was the jovial friend look that had been there all evening. Matthew looked at her and said, "What’s up. You look like you did when we were fighting Elizabeth."

"Matthew," Cathline said, reaching across and putting her hand on his.

"It’s Kat, I’m very worried about her."

"Why? She’s just a little tired that all."

"I don’t think so. I’ve never seen her so drawn. There’s no way I should be able to win that race today. She used to be able to stay up all night, she was the powerhouse that kept me going. I think you should take her back with me. Let her see a specialist," Cathline’s voice was quieter and softer. The concern showing in every muscle of her perfect face.

"She’s probably just got a bug or something. Thanks for you’re concern but she fine," Matthew said.

"How do you know? Hell the doctors couldn’t even work out her biology. You know as much as I do that there’s nothing like her on the planet. What is just a bug for us could be serious for her. Fucking hell Matt, God knows what effect Elizabeth’s EXPERIMENTAL drugs will have on her longer term," Cathline was almost crying with emotion.

"I know that. Listen she’s been like this for two years and she’s not had as much as a cold. You think we enjoy being like this? Oh yes, we’re the big celebrities, the man who is a girl and the Kat creature. You know the struggle we have every day. If we didn’t love and need each other as much as we do you think we’d have even got this far? Sure she puts on a brave face but she’s in mourning every day for her lost humanity. Her chances of motherhood dashed in those few months of vengeance. Sure we were full of optimism, live with the cards life deals us and all that. But Cathline, it’s SO HARD," Matthew was crying now and Cathline put an arm around his slender shoulders.

"Hey listen, you need to see your new apartment right. Fly back with me at the end of the week and we’ll get Kat checked out. If you’re right then great, if not at least you’ll know," Cathline said softly.

"OK I’ll speak to her. If it was anyone else but you telling me..."

Matthew left the sentence unfinished.

"That’s all I ask. Remember I love her too you know."

Kat reluctantly agreed to accompany Cathline and Matthew back to the States. She did take some persuading but on the day before Cathline was due to leave Kat found herself vomiting after almost every meal. This and Cathline’s constant badgering brought her around. Cathline had arranged for an appointment at a private hospital the next day. After they landed Cathline had to give her apologies, she had a shoot for Vogue the next day.

After neatly avoiding the waiting press Matthew and Kat got into the waiting limousine. In silence it took Matthew and Kat to their new apartment and after collecting the keys from the realty agent they went inside.

"Hey, nice place," Matthew said.

"Yep. Just needs some more furniture in and it’ll be our town house," Kat smiled.

"You don’t mind being dragged away like this?" Matthew asked.

"A little. I feel so tired these days. I’ll be relieved to know that it’s probably nothing. In some ways I’m glad Cathline forced me to come here. I was getting bored kicking your shapely butt at jetski races," Kat joked.

Her reply was a friendly dig in the ribs from Matthew.

The next day Matthew and Kat took a cab to the private clinic where they met a small, middle aged doctor called David Rankin. They followed him into his office where he sat down at a large desk.

"Mr and Mrs Matthews?" He asked.

"Umm yes," Kat said.

Dr Rankin pulled a large volume of notes from a folder and started to say slowly "Rachel Martin booked you in and has described some of the symptoms you have been feeling to me. Now Jane, if you wouldn’t mind telling me how you have been feeling."

Kat started to outline how she’d been feeling for the past few months.

Dr Rankin thought for a second and then started to say, "Due to your unusual biology and genetic makeup it’s very difficult to say what is wrong. I’ll take a few blood tests and arrange for, if you will excuse the pun, a CAT scan to be performed. You should know by the end of the day."

The rest of the day dragged by. The appointment with Dr Rankin weighed on their minds. Even the usually cheerful Cathline could do nothing to lighten the atmosphere. Around 6pm they drove back to the hospital where Dr Rankin was waiting. They knocked on his door and waited.

"Please take a seat," Dr Rankin gestured.

Matthew and Kat sat down. Kat’s face looked worried and she reached over and took Matthew’s hand.

"Mrs Stephens. You are aware of the unique nature of your physiology and that we don’t really understand it at all. This makes diagnosis of any condition very difficult and perhaps inaccurate in your case," Dr Rankin started to say in a soft, sympathetic tone.

"Hey, come on, what’s the news?" Matthew interrupted. An element of fear crept into his voice.

"As I said diagnosis is difficult but in this case the results are only too clear. It appears as though your body is breaking down. The chemical used to transform you was unstable and is causing random mutations in your cellular structure. It’s as though your body is rebelling against it’s self."

"Which means?" Kat demanded.

Dr Rankin paused and then said "In layman’s terms. You have Cancer.

The chemical Dr Bexley used on you is causing it."

"My God. Can you cure it," Matthew said, his face shocked.

"Maybe if we had access to Dr Bexley’s machine we could re-write Jane’s DNA to a normal healthy state. Since all such machines have been destroyed and their production outlawed we can safely say that avenue is no longer open to us. We could try chemotherapy and the usual radiation treatments but in this case the cancer is so embedded inside that its effect would be doubtful. I guess what I’m saying is that unless we find a way to fundamentally alter Jane’s genetic structure and remove her current form then she will die."

Matthew and Kat looked like they had been struck in the face "How long?" Kat managed to say.

"Difficult to tell. Six months at worst, Nine at best."

Matthew held Kat’s hand tightly, "Are you sure?"

"Positive. As I said if we had access to Dr Bexley’s machine we may be able to do something. If Dr Bexley was available she should be able to cure you but from what I have that read, that is extremely unlikely. If you choose to have therapy then this has a slim chance of success. However your quality of life will be affected earlier than it would normally be. The choice is yours. We need to start to act in the next few weeks if we are to stand any chance of success. Now if you’ll excuse me I have to take some more of your samples to devise some method of treatment."

Matthew and Kat just sat there shocked. Kat was going to die. Elizabeth had, had the last laugh. Her evil had sealed their fate together. Kat was starting to cry softly and Matthew put his slender arm around her shoulders.

"Come on. Let’s go talk about this. There’s still a chance," Matthew said, and he managed to pull Kat upright. They walked slowly out to the waiting limo where it took them to their new apartment.

They were just sitting on the sofa, engrossed in their own thoughts when the buzzer went. Matthew got up and answered.

"Hi it’s me."

"Cathline?"

"Yeah."

"You better come up," Matthew said pressing the door release button.

A few minutes later Matthew let Cathline inside.

"Hey, what’s up?" Cathline asked, spotting the tear stained faces of her two friends.

Taking a deep breath Matthew said "It’s Kat. She’s dying,"

Cathline visibly took a step back "No!"

"Yeah. Six to nine months," Kat said softly.

Matthew then explained what Dr Rankin had just said.

"Fuck. I knew something was wrong but I thought it was just the flu or something. What are you going to do?"

"No idea. I want Kat to have treatment but she doesn’t want it. The size of doses she’d have to have would all but destroy her last few months. Y’know the bitch of it is, is that if we hadn’t destroyed the DNA system we could have done something."

"I doubt it. Only Liz could have unlocked it and she’s gone. Besides the Guild would have got us long before then."

"I suppose. It just seems so, so tragic after all we’ve gone thru," Kat said tearfully.

"Yeah I know. Hey, something will turn up."

"If you say so," Matthew said softly.

"Hey, it’s me. Trust me," Cathline said.

Kat smiled "Always Cathline. Always!"

"Now this is getting much too solemn. How about a game of chase the Paparazzi?" Cathline said.

"Don’t think I’ve heard this one," Matthew said.

"Easy. I get my agent to let slip I’m in one location or am going to dinner somewhere or with someone. The press then rush around getting to that location. We wait an hour or so and then let slip that we changed our minds and went somewhere else. My personal best is getting them to do four trips before getting fed up. I ended up at Celine’s place, which really foxed them. I think I’ll drop the hint I’m going to see Brad Pitt again. That should get them going for a while."

Kat laughed for the first time today "Cathline your incorrigible!"

"That’s better," Cathline smiled.

The next day they had a call from Dr Rankin who said that they had better drop in.

"Take a seat," Dr Rankin said.

"What’s up, Doc?" Kat said.

"Yeah like I’ve heard that one before!" Dr Rankin said, slightly annoyed.

A sheepish Kat said "Sorry."

"More bad news I’m afraid. The samples we took from Jane here did not respond to any treatments we gave it," Dr Rankin said softly.

"Which means?" Matthew asked.

"That the cancer Jane has cannot be treated by conventional methods."

"So Kat’s going to die," Matthew said bitterly.

Dr Rankin’s voice took on a grim tone "Unless a way can be found to fundamentally change her DNA, then yes."

After the meeting had concluded Matthew and Kat drove back to their apartment in silence. Cathline came up an hour or so later and saw their distraught faces.

"That bad huh?" Cathline asked.

"Yep, unless we change Kat’s DNA she’s dead. I just feel so, so helpless," Matthew spat angrily.

"I’ve been thinking," Kat said slowly.

"What?" Cathline asked.

"There’s one person who can help me. It’s extreme and a very long shot but it’s the only way. Some chance is better than no chance," Kat said.

"Anything. We’re desperate," Matthew said.

Kat coughed and said "We could find Elizabeth and get her to change me back."

"WHAT?" Matthew and Cathline said in unison.

"It’s the only way. Dr Rankin said that if we could find Elizabeth’s machine and get her help we could cure me."

"I’d rather...," Matthew started

"It’s my body and I think it’s a risk worth taking," Kat said, folding her arms to emphasise the point.

"What on Earth makes you think she’d agree?" Cathline asked.

"Because she’s still a mermaid and what will help me will help her," Kat said.

"You mean let her loose again. NO WAY IN HELL," Matthew shouted.

"I didn’t say let her loose, I said change her back. I always wanted to bring her to justice and now we have the chance. We needn’t tell her that bit."

"It’s too dangerous," Matthew said.

"For whom? If we do nothing I’m dead, if we find her and she says no I’m just as dead. BUT if she agrees to our arrangement I’m alive and she’ll be contained. It’ll be fine as long as we are careful," Kat explained.

"That’s what they said at Cherynobel," Matthew said.

"I know it’s a long shot and she’s probably shark bait by now but we have to try. For me, Matthew, please," Kat pleaded.

Matthew sighed and said, "OK, any chance is better than none. How the hell do we find her?"

"Go to the Guild of course," Kat said.

"Kat. You have lost it big time sister. How in hell will the Guild help us find Liz? Does the phrase NO WAY ring any bells," Cathline said angrily.

"Does the phrase ‘RIP’ ring any bells, because in six to nine months it fucking well will. We pay the Guild to find Elizabeth, if anyone can find her they can. Cathline I’m desperate and desperate times call for extreme measures," Kat spat.

"OK have it your way. But when we end up laying on the floor with our throats slit I’ll kick your ass," Cathline spat back.

"It’s a moot point anyway. We don’t know where the Guild are?"

"I do. I’ll go to Hassan’s Palace in Libya and ask him myself," Kat said.

Matthew shrugged, "This plan gets more like lunacy all the time. But hey, in for a penny."

The six weeks it took to organize the trip went past with agonising slowness. Each day Kat seemed to take a turn for the worst. Matthew and Cathline looked on in awe at Kat’s inner strength as she tried to fight off the bouts of nausea and weakness that had started to wrack her body.

For her part Kat kept her spirits up, unwilling to give an inch to the cancer that was invading and corrupting every cell of her body. Externally she was the same wise, witty and supportive person she’d always been. But in the moments when she was alone she allowed herself to succumb to fear. One night she’d got up for one of her vomit attacks and Matthew had followed her. He waited in the dim twilight of the corridor until the sounds of Kat being violently sick had abated and when she had gone away to clean herself up he went inside.

He’d seen Kat be sick before but nothing had prepared him for this. Kat had missed the bowl the first time and there was a trail of thick red blood leading all way up to the bowl. He looked down in dread and winced as he saw the bowl full of blood and greenish bile. Matthew turned and jumped as he saw Kat’s impassive figure standing behind him.

Kat was breathing softly, her fur wet with blood and sweat. She went to turn away but then faced Matthew once more, "So now you know," she said softly.

Tears welled up inside Matthew. How could it have come to this? How could his love be torn away from him so cruelly? Matthew said none of this, choosing instead to feign ignorance, "How, How long?" he managed to say.

"Two weeks," was all Kat could say, before the emotion took her and she walked away.

Matthew stood there stunned. In a way he’d always assumed that the Doctors were wrong. That somehow Kat would survive and they wouldn’t need to go on that seemingly suicidal mission to Libya. He realised that he had been denying himself, the same way that he’d denied what Elizabeth had done to him. He turned back to the blood now drying on the floor and saw it for what it was, the beginning of the end. Grief overpowered him and he sank to the floor and sobbed until he could cry no more.

In the bedroom Kat could hear and sense Matthew’s despair but was unable to respond. Her body felt like lead and all her strength was gone. With all her heart she wanted to reach out to him and comfort him but she was unable to move. She needed the rest. She’d vomit again in a few hours.

Matthew said no more about the night’s goings on to Kat. It only distressed him and would make Kat even worse. Cathline helped Matthew keep vigil as each day Kat got slowly worse. Then just before they were due to fly out Kat made a recovery. She could walk, talk and she was the Kat of old. Matthew and Cathline’s hopes soared. Maybe the miracle that they’d hoped and prayed for, for so long had happened. Dr Rankin however soon shattered their hopes when he explained that, often before the end the patient makes nearly a full recovery and then suddenly declines. Matthew recalled Dr Rankin’s explanation. "It’s as though the body makes once last ditch chance at life before slipping away. Like the man grasping at a twig as he’s falling from the cliff only to have it fall away some moments later."

Dr Rankin could give no firm date, Kat might last a week or a month but the end would come quickly and suddenly, it was as inevitable as the sun setting. Kat reminded them that they still had the mission to Libya and in that hope still remained. This thought and Kat’s improved state carried them thru the long journey to Libya.

Soon Kat, Matthew and Cathline were driving across the desert towards Hassan’s Palace. Before they got to within 30 miles however they were stopped by around fifty hooded figures. Each figure carried an AK-47 and strapped around their waists were small, slender knives.

Kat jumped off their jeep and spoke to one of the men in Arabic. The man spoke to his comrades and then said, "Wait here."

Two of the men leapt onto one of their jeeps and drove off.

"Well?" Matthew demanded.

"They’re going to ask Hassan if I can speak with him. If I can’t speak with him I’ve asked them to find out where Elizabeth is," Kat said.

Cathline warned, "This had better work."

"It will. Mind you I don’t like the way they’re covering us with their guns," Kat said.

"We just wait I guess," Matthew said.

"It’s all we can do," Kat replied.

Two hours later the men returned and spoke to Kat at length. Kat was gesticulating and her voice was showing anger. Eventually one of the men whipped out his knife and held it to Kat’s throat. Kat backed off and much to Matthew’s relief walked away.

"What the fuck was that all about?" Matthew demanded.

"The ‘hell bitch’ is inside Hassan’s palace. They picked her up a few months ago. God knows what for? Anyway they say I can go and talk to Hassan but only me, not you. I either go alone or not at all. That knife business is just their way of emphasising the point," Kat explained.

"Do you trust them?" Cathline asked.

"Them no, Hassan yes. Besides times running out. I’ve got to go," Kat said softly.

"OK then, go but be careful." Matthew said and hugged Kat hard.

"Ciao," Kat said and hugged Cathline.

"Be careful," Cathline ordered.

"I will, it’s me remember. Don’t worry it’ll all work out, trust me," Kat said and joined the men. She climbed into the jeep and was driven off.

Matthew and Cathline started to pitch their tents under the watchful eyes of the hooded figures.

"I’ve a bad feeling about this," Matthew said.

"I know," replied Cathline ominously.

Kat was escorted back the palace where she had spent those months as Hassan’s personal maid. The trees had grown a little and the fountain was a little more elaborate however the place was virtually unchanged. When she had last visited this place Dr Elizabeth Bexley was her mortal enemy, now in a cruel twist she was her last best hope of survival.

Kat was taken into a large room with a marbled floor, ornate tapestries hung from the wall and a large mahogany table straddled the room. At the other end sat Hassan, as proud and impassive as ever. With one hand he was gently stroking the neck of a Bengal tiger. By his side sitting in a tank full of water was Dr Elizabeth Anne Bexley, her tail moving slightly in the water.

"You have changed a great deal since we last met, my jewel. Please sit," Hassan said.

"We all have," Kat said, staring at Elizabeth’s emotionless face.

"My agents tell me you have a request to make of me," Hassan said.

"I never was one to beat around the bush so I’ll get straight to the point. I have cancer, a terminal one. The doctors estimate that I have around six months to live. I have come to plead with yourself and Dr Bexley for my life," Kat started.

"So the mighty Kat comes on her knees to her creator. Why should I? Give me a good reason to do so. You robbed me of my only love, of my humanity, so now oh mighty Kat why I should grant you your life?" Dr Bexley sneered.

"Because you still love him, Matthew that is. You couldn’t bring yourself to kill him or me. You had the chance several times. I realise you hate me, but in the name of your love for him don’t put him thru this," Kat started.

"Why do think I have the power or the will to cure you?" Elizabeth asked.

Making a mental note that Elizabeth didn’t deny her love for Matthew, Kat pressed on "Because you still have the DNA system, otherwise you wouldn’t be here. Besides, you made what I am today. This feline body, tail everything came from your imagination," Kat stressed.

"You must admit I had quite an imagination. Me a mermaid and you a cat thing. Still you could have been a slug. I wonder how Matthew would have felt being married to a mollusc?" Elizabeth taunted.

"It wouldn’t matter. Love knows no boundaries. If you have learned any lessons from all this it should have been that," Kat said sternly, not giving Elizabeth an inch.

"I have learned many lessons, that being one of them. Now about your proposal—I will discuss it with Hassan here. After all it’s his equipment."

Breathing a sigh of relief Kat was escorted out.

"Why are you going to help her?" Hassan asked.

"Who says I am," Elizabeth replied sharply.

"We should keep her here, make her stay with the rest of the animals. I think she make a perfect mate for Sheba here," Hassan stated.

"That would be logical. However I have a much better idea," Elizabeth replied.

o - o - o -

It had been over a week since Kat was escorted inside Hassan’s Palace. The guards surrounding the campsite refused to let them anywhere near the palace so they just sat there waiting. Matthew sat on a deckchair, reading. Cathline was in their tent asleep when the guard came over and said in broken English "She comes now."

Matthew got up with a start, dived into the tent and nudged Cathline awake. "Quick, Kat’s coming," Matthew said.

By the time they had emerged from the tent the jeep with Kat in had stopped just outside the campsite. One of the guards indicated for Kat to get out of the jeep. This she did.

All but one of the guards leapt into the waiting jeep; the last one walked slowly up to Kat and in motion to quick to follow had drawn his slender knife and slit Kat’s throat. The man leapt into the jeep, lit up a cigarette and the jeep drove off.

In slow motion Kat put her hands to her throat, stared down at the blood seeping from the wound and fell forwards. Matthew screamed and ran to catch her. Kat’s breathing became labored as her body tried to get air. Matthew just held her sobbing "No, No, No," and crying. Cathline was soon by Kat’s side, holding her hand, trying to comfort her dying friend.

Matthew could only stare into Kat’s pained face. She was taking short gasps of air now. Each moment her life was ebbing away. Ignoring the blood now seeping onto his hands he tried to fix the wound, do anything to save her. It was too late, the loss of blood and oxygen was too great. Kat’s breathing become more stilted until finally it stopped. Matthew and Cathline tried frantically to resuscitate her but Kat was gone.

o - o - o -

The helicopter carrying Kat’s coffin made a low pass over their house. The glittering ocean below gleamed red as the sun began to set. The sky was fiery red but streaked with clouds.

Matthew sat by Kat’s coffin, gently touching the lid as though he could bring her back by love alone. The shock that she was in there, silent, cold and alone ate at him. His tears had dried leaving his eyes red and puffed. There’s only so much a person can cry. Cathline sat next to him, her arm on his. Waiting for them, dressed in black and holding hands were Kat’s parents. The other guests stood around them solemn and unmoving. Matthew’s eyes picked out the heavily pregnant form of Robert Abbey, holding his hand was her husband Steve. Monica Abbey was there as well, standing apart from her ex-husband. A few choice others, Kat’s friends from before the Fury were there as were a few celebrity friends. The pallbearers stood ready as the helicopter began its descent.

The helicopter landed gently and the pall bearers unlatched the coffin from it’s fastenings. Matthew and Cathline got out of the other side and walked slowly up to Kat’s parents.

"Thanks for coming," Matthew said, trying not to cry.

They just nodded gently. By this time the pallbearers had positioned the coffin on their shoulders. They walked slowly to the front of the congregation and placed Kat’s coffin onto a stand at the end. Matthew, Cathline and Kat’s parents took up their places in the vacant seats at the front.

The Minister now said, "A few of Jane’s friends would now like to say a few words."

Cathline gently stood up to the microphone, her voice wavering with emotion. She took a deep breath and started to speak.

"How shall I describe Jane Stephens? The world knew her only as ‘Kat’. I knew her as a friend, companion in time of trouble, and a sister I never had before. Jane’s character can be summed up into three words," Cathline paused, regaining her composure and then she continued.

"Those three words were, compassion, wisdom, and courage. Qualities that are so rare these days she had in abundance. I’ll give you an example of each that will help us to remember her by."

"I first met Jane in Libya when we were both prisoners of the Guild. I’d been remarkably stupid and had been punished by having my left eye burnt away and raped for four months. Jane took pity on me and selected me to be her companion. The first thing she did for me was to make me feel human again. She gave me my dignity back. So Jane I raise a glass to your compassion," Cathline reached down behind the plinth and picked up a glass of red wine and she took a sip. Putting the glass down again she continued speaking to her captivated audience.

"The next story I shall tell is after I found out that Dr Bexley had set up my husband, John to be killed. I was all for going out to get her, kill her, do the same back again. With her unique mix of compassion and wisdom Jane allowed me to see that if I followed that path then I too would be destroyed. Once again Jane had saved my life. Remembering this, Jane I raise a glass to your wisdom. "Tearfully shaking, Cathline reached down and took another sip of wine. The gentle sobbing of the guests could be heard, mingling with the soft sea breeze. Cathline regained her composure and started again.

"My final story, many of you will be familiar with. Dr Bexley had escaped and injured both Robert Abbey and myself. Matthew was incapacitated, a victim of Dr Bexley’s evil. If allowed to escape then she would never be found and a great evil would be unleashed upon the world. Even though she was scared to death of Dr Bexley, Jane managed to summon enough courage to face her, alone. The result of that final confrontation was a loss of her humanity for good, but she prevailed and Dr Bexley was exiled to the ocean forever. Jane Stephens’s final battle down at the jetty brought out all three qualities, but most of all courage. Jane we thank you for your courage," Cathline took a final gulp of wine and said, her voice shaking now.

"Matthew I know what it is to lose someone dear. I know the pain, the loneliness it brings. Remember that we are all here for each other. As Jane once said.

‘They say a flap of a butterfly’s wing in China can divert hurricanes from their path on the other side of the world. The same is true of lives. The slightest co-incidence can be the turning point for thousands.’

This moment is a turning point, a moment of transition if you like. We must face the future with the same qualities as Jane did that is Compassion, wisdom and courage. So goodbye my friend. Rest well and we’ll miss you. Goodbye," Cathline quickly turned away and slowly walked back to her seat.

The minister stood up and said "I believe Jane’s Father wishes to say something."

An elderly man stood up, walking with a cane, the weight of grief on his shoulders bowing him over. He stood up to the microphone and began.

"Thank you Cathline for your moving tribute. It summed up everything about our daughter. This is the second time I’ve had to say goodbye to her and it’s no easier this time around. Matthew, don’t blame yourself for any of this, we don’t. What happened is not your fault, none of it is. You have known what many of us will never know. That unshakeable love, a love that goes beyond physical form, beyond circumstances, and a love like this knows no boundaries. Matthew I’d like to echo what Cathline said. We will get thru this, together just like Jane would want us to," Kat’s Father stopped talking and slowly got down from the steps and went back to his seat.

The minister stood up again and asked the pallbearers to proceed to take Kat’s coffin to her tomb. They lifted it up and walked slowly towards a small building made of white marble. The sun glistened off it and the Greek style columns cast shadows over the door.

The minister then went to the microphone and said "One of Kat’s friends, Celine Dion has offered to sing for us. Matthew’s given his consent for her to do so. So if you’d like to come up please Celine, we’d much appreciate it."

The music started to play and Celine started to sing

‘Every night in my dreams

I see you, I feel you

That is how I know you go on

Far across the distance

And spaces between us

You have come to show you go on’

The pallbearers continued their slow journey towards the tomb. Matthew hid his head in his hands. He couldn’t watch. The music continued to play.

‘Near, far, wherever you are

I believe that the heart does go on

Once more, you open the door

And you’re here in my heart

And my heart will go on and on

Love can touch us one time

And last for a lifetime

And never let go till we’re gone

Love was when I loved you

One true time I hold to

In my life we’ll always go on’

Cathline walked over to Matthew and held his hands. The two friends embraced, sharing in grief.

‘Near, far, wherever you are

I believe that the heart does go on

Once more, you open the door

And you’re here in my heart

And my heart will go on and on’

The pallbearers reached the tomb and placed Kat’s coffin inside a large, white marble casket.

‘You’re here, there’s nothing I fear

And I know that my heart will go on

We’ll stay forever this way

You are safe in my heart

And my heart will go on and on’

As the haunting sounds of the song faded away Matthew and Cathline still hand in hand went inside and placed red roses on the Coffin. In turn the guests did the same until the whole tomb was awash with flowers.

With a final blessing the minister asked the pallbearers to place the lid of the casket back on. The guests filed out, back to Matthew’s house to end this sad, sad day.

o - o - o -

Five Months Later...

Matthew stood by Kat’s tomb, staring out to sea. He had just been inside to place some more fresh flowers. The gardener had been and cleared yesterday’s away, and the interior always smelt of flowers. Kat had loved flowers.

Tearfully he walked to the bench where he and Kat had often just sat there and watched the world go by. This particular part of the island had always seemed the most tranquil. It was perfect for Kat’s last resting place.

Matthew heard the unmistakable sound of a helicopter. Whoever it was could wait, he needed this time to himself. A few minutes later he heard footsteps behind him. He whirled round to see the beautiful form of Rachel Martin standing over him.

"Hi Cathline," Matthew said softly.

"Hello Mat. How are you?"

"It still hurts, Cath. No matter how long I sit here and reflect on the future and what’s gone before, it still hurts," Matthew sniffed.

Cathline sat down beside Matthew and turned to face him, "I know.

You’ve not called for ages. I was worried. I had to come."

"You needn’t have. I’ll be fine, I’m just having a down day that’s all."

Cathline sought to lighten the mood a little. Matthew was getting too introspective. Damn, she missed Kat too! "You been bingeing again? You look as though you’ve gained a little weight. I told you what’d happen if you kept eating."

Matthew let out a sigh. He thought about making a quip about a woman and her weight but simply said, "Why should I bother. The only person I ever loved is in there," Matthew pointed to Kat’s tomb.

Cathline nodded, "Matthew we’ve had this discussion a million times before. You must move on! Life still goes on. I had to come to terms with losing a loved one too."

Anger flicked across Matthew’s face, "I may have not loved him like you loved Kat but I got over it yada, yada, yada. Save it I’ve heard it,"

Cathline stood up and went to walk away. Matthew had hurt her with that last comment and part of her wanted to leave right now.

"Cath, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean .."

Cathline turned to face Matthew once more, "So’k I know you didn’t. But please snap out of it. Now I’m famished. How about I fix you some food. A nice salad will do."

"I’d rather have some Haagan Daas. It makes me feel better. But it’s getting near dinner anyhow," Matthew stood up and walked towards Cathline.

Cathline grabbed Matthew’s hand, "Come on old friend. Time to go.

I’ll even race you on one of those jetski things if you want."

"It wouldn’t be the same, but thanks anyway. Now about that dinner."

While Cathline started to prepare dinner Matthew walked outside once more. Even though Cathline was here he still felt intolerably lonely. There was no fun in anything anymore. He looked down at the jetty and saw two jetski’s tethered together. They no longer looked in pristine condition and Matthew hadn’t touched them in nearly six months. The one on the right, the one with the yellow and black tiger stripes. That had been Kat’s and in spite of his protests it always seemed to power it’s owner to victory.

Flashes of happier times, of kissing after a hard fought race came to his mind, and a tear started to form. He brushed it away before setting out to the house once more.

"Dinner’s ready," Matthew heard Cathline’s voice filter through the house, and he slowly walked towards the sound.

Dinner was a subdued affair. Matthew and Cathline were lost in their own thoughts. Eventually Cathline came around to the reason why she’d decided to visit, "Come back with me Matthew, Being here alone is eating you alive. You’re pining away in a mess of self pity and remorse. You can’t change the past but you can the future."

"Cath, you’re speaking in clichés and platitudes again," Matthew complained.

"It’s all I have left. I gave up trying to reason with you a long time ago. You make out as if it’s the end of the world. Worse still, the more you mope around the more Elizabeth has won."

Cathline thought Matthew was about to explode again but he didn’t. He just said, "That’s because she has. What we won was a respite but she won in the end, didn’t she? Her aim was to ruin my life and split Kat and me up. I think she’s done a pretty good job so far."

Cathline’s concern grew, Matthew had been down before but he’d never seemed defeated before, "I don’t see it that way at all. She’s only ruined your life if you let her. That was the one weakness in her plan! Kat understood that."

Matthew thought for a moment, stifling the angry words that entered his mind, "I’m not Kat. Did you ever think I might want to be alone, to ponder my existence and the cards fate has dealt me."

"But you’re not. You just sit there on that bench wishing things were different and spending a fortune on fresh flowers. That’s not what Kat would’ve wanted, she’d have wanted you to move on."

"I’m not ready to move on. I may never be ready. I feel as though my soul has been destroyed and my will broken. What Liz did to me is as nothing as to the pain I now feel. When Kat was alive I felt as though I could stand it. Now everything seems meaningless. I brought a gun y’know. I keep it in the entertainment room. Thought I’d want to end it sometime, but in spite of how I feel sometimes I just can’t face using it."

"You still have me. We may not have started out right but I’m here for you. I miss her too y’know. Come back with me to New York, if not for you for me."

Matthew sat back on his chair and thought for a moment. This was the first time in a long while that Cathline had admitted she needed him. It made him feel a little better. To be wanted, no needed again lifted his spirits. Matthew just said, "I’ll go."

o - o - o -

Matthew walked alone along the outskirts of Central Park. The October sun reflected unimaginable colors in the red, gold and yellow leaves of the trees. A park warden sweeping up the leaves caught his eye and he stopped to watch.

A sudden movement caught his eyes and he spotted a young couple, holding hands and kicking the leaves at each other in mock conflict. Matthew turned away, feeling the cold biting wind for the first time. A song from long ago sprung to mind and he couldn’t help but hear it in his mind.

‘The summer sun is fading as the year grows old

And darker days are drawing near

The winter winds will be much colder

Now you’re not here.

I watch the birds fly south across the autumn sky

And one by one they disappear

I wish that I was flying with them

Now you’re not here.

Like the sun through the trees you came to love me

Like a leaf on a breeze you blew away

Through autumn’s golden gown we used to kick our way

You always loved this time of year

Those fallen leaves lie undisturbed now

‘Now you’re not here

‘Now you’re not here

‘Now you’re not here

Like the sun through the trees you came to love me

Like a leaf on a breeze you blew away

A gentle rain falls softly on my weary eyes

As if to hide a lonely tear

My life will be Forever Autumn

‘cause you’re not here

‘cause you’re not here

‘cause you’re not here’

The cold wind caused his eyes to sting as it bit against his tears and he rushed back to Cathline. He couldn’t take much more of this, nobody could. This couldn’t, he decided go on forever. The pain must subside sometime.

o - o - o -

Seven Months Later...

Matthew stood by Kat’s tomb, staring out to sea. He had just been inside to place some more fresh flowers. The gardener had been and cleared yesterdays away and by now the interior would smell of flowers forever.

Tearfully he walked to the bench where he and Kat had often just sat and watched the world go by. This particular part of the island had always seemed the most tranquil and Matthew spent much of his time here.

Matthew heard the unmistakable sound of a helicopter. Whoever it was could wait, he needed this time to himself. A few minutes later he heard footsteps behind him. He whirled round to see the beautiful form of Rachel Martin standing over him.

"Hi Cathline," Matthew said softly.

"Hello Mat. How are you?"

"As well as can be expected. This was our favorite spot you know," Matthew said.

"Yeah Mine too."

Matthew looked quizzically at Rachel Martin. "You never told me this was too. I thought the maze was."

"You never gave me the chance to tell you lots of things. Hey I need a chat come walk with me," Rachel said, beckoning Matthew with her hand.

"You’re very business like for a change," Matthew said. What had got into Cathline, she’s not usually this cold he thought.

They walked to the house in silence, Matthew in front and Rachel Martin behind.

"We’ll go into my office," Matthew said.

"I’d rather sit down in the entertainment room, It’s much less stuffy than the office."

"Whatever."

Matthew sat down on the sofa, crossed his slender legs and asked, "So Cathline, what brings you all this way. I though you were on a shoot somewhere?"

"Mind if I put some music on. Ah yes this’ll do one of my favorites " Rachel said as she placed the CD into the player. A heavy rock beat started to play.

‘You may not recall the moment that you asked me

But your invitation was clear.

You’ll pretend you’ve never met me, but it’s far too late now

I’m here.

 

Cause I’m the one who knows what scares you

I’m the one who loves you best

I’m the thirteenth at the table

I’m the Uninvited Guest.’

 

"Cathline, that’s not funny. In fact that’s sick. Look, what’s got into you?" Matthew started.

"Did I ever claim to be Cathline?" Rachel Martin replied.

Matthew sat up in shock his eyes wide, too stunned to do anything "ELIZABETH!"

"Hello Matthew," Elizabeth said.

Matthew shot over to where Elizabeth was standing, hands outstretched, ready to throttle his nemesis. Elizabeth neatly side stepped and in some movement faster than the eye could see had Matthew around the throat.

"Listen Stupid, I didn’t come here to kill you, torture you or anything else. I just came to talk," Elizabeth hissed. She then threw Matthew back on the sofa and sat down on the armchair next to him.

"I ought to shoot you where you stand you bastard. I’ve got a magnum in easy reach. Now tell me why I shouldn’t use it right now?" Matthew spat.

"You won’t do that. There are a few burning questions that you want answered first. That is, firstly how come I’ve got legs rather than fins? Secondly, how did I escape from the Guild? And lastly what the hell do I want? These questions and what I have to talk to you about vastly outweigh the short-term pleasure you’ll get from blowing my head off."

Matthew paused for a few moments. Elizabeth began to look worried.

"Well?" She demanded.

"I’m thinking about it," Matthew said menacingly. Matthew waited a few more seconds before saying "Hey you got me. Tell me what you want, then I’ll shoot you."

"After hearing what I have to say I don’t think you’ll be shooting me at all. Look I just want you to listen and me to talk. No ‘fail-safe turnabout’s’ or any shit like that. Here I’ll put another CD on," Elizabeth stood up, rummaged around for a bit and then placed another CD in the player. The unmistakable tones of ‘One’ by U2 started to play.

‘Is it getting better... Or do you feel the same. Will it make it easier on you... Now you got someone to blame.’

Elizabeth sat down again, shuffled on her seat and started to explain. "I’ll start at the beginning and give you the simple version. I knew that the Guild would not be able to resist the temptation to copy the DNA system and use it for their own purposes. At the time I didn’t care what those purposes were, just that I didn’t want anyone else to have the technology. To that end I installed corruption routines into the drug production system. These would ensure that any drug produced by a copy of the machine would be useless at best and dangerous at worst. Of course I knew how to switch these failsafes off and so enable me to use the machine here."

"The Guild did, indeed take copies of my designs and soon found out that they were useless."

Matthew interrupted "So they went looking for you?"

"In a way. In my mermaid form I wanted to create havoc on the high seas. To pay back in kind what man is doing to the oceans. I still have that goal by the way but not by creating terror and death. I contacted the Guild by use of a phone I’d found in a wreck. Initially they ignored my calls but a year later Hassan found my cave and picked me up.They offered me a deal. In return for making me human again I would restore their copy of the machine to full working order."

"You didn’t. Are you mad?" Matthew exclaimed.

"I was and I did. They also wanted one other thing done in return for my humanity."

"Which was?"

"They’d seen my designs for a changeling organ. They wanted me to perfect it."

"Oh my God. You didn’t."

"Initially I refused, but they withheld fresh sea water for me to swim in and started to put fresh water in. Do you know what happened when my mermaid body was exposed to fresh water?"

"No?"

"My scales started to peel off and it felt as though I was swimming in acid. Matthew I had to obey, I had no choice."

"So you did it and created the greatest menace since the atomic bomb."

Matthew said, the anger growing in his voice.

Elizabeth’s head bowed and she nodded "Yes I did it, my greatest triumph turned into my greatest tragedy. Matthew that’s the reason why I’m here. The Guild has to be stopped. Hassan has designs for the Guild to rule as it did nearly a thousand years ago. My DNA system and the changeling organ is the way they mean to do it. Hassan needs a triumph to save his skin after his near failure with us."

"What good are you? The authorities can invoke the Fury Directive.

The Guild won’t stand a chance."

"Not if the Guild get there first. As for what good am I? Watch".

Matthew looked on amazed, as the flesh on Elizabeth’s face seemed to melt. Her long hair drew back was replaced by shorter black hair. Her face reshaped and her eyes turned green, to form an almost feline look.

"My God!"

"That’s right. I’ve given myself a changeling organ. Actually an improved one but we won’t tell the Guild that. I can get anywhere and be anybody. We need that advantage if we are to stop the Guild," Elizabeth said in Kat’s old voice.

"Holy shit," Matthew said.

Elizabeth’s face melted again and within moments resembled that of Rachel Martin.

"In a normal changeling body I’d have to wait at least an hour to switch forms. Mine can do it at will."

"So you could be anybody and I’d not know it."

"You better believe, it sister. We have one more advantage."

"And that is?" Matthew asked.

"The Guild only have one organ. I grew it inside one of their agents called ‘Salah’. I’ve made sure that it’ll only work three times in any given year. Before I escaped I made sure Salah had used it all up."

"So the Guild have no changeling organs?"

"Not yet. It should take them six months to produce some more. That gives us the time we need to stop them."

o - o - o -

Across the other side of the world, Anne Holden sat at her desk, typing up a draft report for her boss, Senator Jameson. She’d just finished when Senator Jameson walked over, smiled and said "Hi Anne, how’s the report going?"

"Just fine Walter. I’ll be done soon."

"Excellent. More importantly, isn’t tonight you see your new boyfriend?"

"Yep. It feels so right this time, I just know he’s the right man for me.

Since my divorce it’s been so hard to be alone."

"Look it’s nearly five. When you’ve done how about going home early to get ready. Besides I promised President Andrews I’d whip his ass at Golf this evening."

Anne smiled a pin ball smile at her boss, "You play a lot of golf with the president don’t you?"

Senator Jameson nodded, "Yeah we’ve been playing each other on and off ever since we graduated from West Point in the sixties. Come on, why don’t you go home and enjoy your evening. The rest of the report will wait."

Anne smiled "Thanks very much senator, but I’ll stay and finish it."

Anne hurried and soon the report was finished. She rushed home to get ready for her visitor.

Anne’s doorbell chimed at eight sharp and looking thru the spyhole she saw her boyfriend, Steve holding an open bottle of Champagne. Flinging open the door she gave him a big hug.

"Hey steady on," he said.

"Want me to get some glasses for that?" Anne asked.

"Sure," Steve replied.

Anne went into the kitchen and returned a few minutes later with some clean wineglasses. Steve poured the champagne into each glass and handed one to Anne.

"Bottoms up," Anne said and drank hers down.

"Cheers," Steve said and held back from drinking any.

"I don’t..." Anne started to say and then collapsed to the floor.

Steve put his glass down and picked up Anne’s body. Quickly stripping it of all the clothes he went into the bathroom and placed it in the bath. Quickly he switched on the water and waited.

A few minutes later Anne’s flesh began to look soft and almost like putty. A few minutes after that her body looked as though it was deflating as blood and fluid began to run out of her mouth, pussy and ass. Steve increased the water flow as more of Anne’s body dissolved. Happy that it was progressing well he went back into the kitchen.

Taking off his own clothes he concentrated hard and looked down as flesh began to flow and melt. He saw his legs grow more slender and his hips widen. He felt his hair grow longer and momentarily he went blind as his face changed. Looking down he saw that his nipples were swollen and started to see breasts begin to form. There was a sensation in his groin as his penis began to shrink back in and a moment it was replaced by the soft fleshy folds of a pussy.

Steve, now resembling Anne in every detail, put Anne’s clothes back on and put his old clothes into a nearby bag. Walking back into the bathroom he took the time to wash the liquid remains of the real Anne down the plug and wipe down thoroughly with some disinfectant. After this was complete he went back into the lounge to watch some TV. He had a busy day tomorrow.

o - o - o -

Elizabeth continued. "There is another reason you see, the reason why I went with the Guild and helped them rebuild their DNA system was because I had the same cancer that was killing Kat. When I was in my cave I recognised the symptoms right away. Unless I found suitable equipment I would be dead in nine months."

The song continued over the conversation

"Well it’s too late...Tonight...

To drag the past out...Into the light.

We’re one... But we’re not the same.

We get to carry each other...Carry each other.

One "

"I take it you didn’t tell the Guild this?"

"Naturally. In my spare time I searched every chromosome of my genetic makeup, did thousands of blood tests. I’ve never looked at myself in more detail than I did then, and I found something terrible, something that has driven me here."

"Which is?" Matthew said curiously.

"The blood tests revealed a chemical imbalance, specifically Kraepelin’s disorder. Known to most people as schizophrenia. In slender moments of sanity I had suspected, such but events always served to trigger it off again before I could prove it. You know, for a while I was happy to settle down as Rachel Martin, maybe even turn you back when I had the chance. Then my parents died in that terrible accident. It was too much and it drove me to another level of insanity. My period in exile away from humanity drove me inwards and my sanity started to return."

"Sitting in my tank in the Guild’s lab the result’s were pure scientific data. I couldn’t ignore it, couldn’t blame someone else. I was mentally ill. I prescribed myself some neuroleptics, specifically Stelazine. After a few weeks the magnitude of what I had done became clear."

They paused and listened the words of the song, now playing for the second time

"Have you come here for forgiveness?

Have you come to raise the dead?

Have you come here to play Jesus...To the lepers in your head?

Did I ask too much?

More than a lot?

You gave me nothing.

Now it’s all I got.

We’re one...But we’re not the same.

We hurt each other...Then we do it again."

"Very good Liz, you always could choose an apt song. Your ‘illness’ killed people, ruined lives. You come here expecting some absolution from me," Matthew shouted.

"No and neither do I deserve any. I will answer for what I have done when this is over. The images of that Guild attack on those poor policemen, your nightmare struggle against being turned into me, and the slow motion agony of John being gunned down haunt my dreams and disturb my waking moments. I can imagine Vickie and James, trapped in the lab, sacrificing themselves to save you. Holding each other close until the fire and blast took them. Matthew I truly am sorry," Elizabeth was crying softly.

"Liz, we’ve all seen your schemes before. As sorry as you seem to be you can’t restore Kat to me, can’t turn me back into a man, undo all the harm you’ve done."

"If we gain access to the Guild’s DNA system I will turn you back if you wish. I can’t promise the rest but I can do that one thing."

"Why should I believe all this?" Matthew demanded.

"Two words," Elizabeth said.

"Which are?" Matthew demanded

Elizabeth’s face became serious and she paused for a few moments before saying, "Kat’s alive."

o - o - o -

Inspector David Jones rushed home. Still clutching the letter in his hand he couldn’t wait to tell his wife. He’d been trying to get into special branch for years and now he finally had his chance. Fatigue, after a long, hard shift was starting to take its toll. Still this promotion would make things better.

He pulled up into his driveway and was greeted at the door by his wife. Although still in her mid thirties she looked good for her age and he was envy of many a fellow policeman.

"Hi Jill, Guess what?" David said, getting out of the car.

"You got it!" Jill shrieked.

"Yep. As from next week I’m part of the Prime minister’s security detail. Beats traffic duty anyday," David smiled.

"Come on inside, I’ve got your favorite," Jill said seductively.

David smiled and went inside.

David moved closer to Jill and pulled her to his chest. He could feel her breasts pressing against his chest and he felt his cock start to swell. Jill returned the hug and soon they were in a passionate embrace. Suddenly David felt a prick in his neck and he pulled away.

"What the..," David started to say.

‘Jill’ looked at her hand as the needle sharp talon retracted back inside her hand. David was lying on the floor shuddering and convulsing with pain. Carefully Jill lifted his body, put it over her shoulder and carried David’s still quivering body up to the bathroom.

o - o - o -

"That’s sick even for you. Now get out," Matthew shouted.

"She thought you might react like this, She gave me this note to give to you," Elizabeth said, holding out a battered piece of paper.

Matthew snatched it away, glaring at Elizabeth. He glanced down and started to read.

"Hello lover,

If you are reading this it means that the hell bitch has managed to escape alive, good. I’m sorry I’m not here in person but even getting Liz out was risky. Don’t worry I’ll be fine. Listen to her plan to stop the Guild and follow it to the letter, even if it seems as though everything’s gone straight to hell. This woman is scary, we need her, and she’s our only hope.

Maybe, when all this is over and done with I’ll let you win.

I said MAYBE.

All my love

Kat.

XXX"

Tears were in Matthew’s eyes "How? Why?" he sobbed.

"Easy, I saved her. Hassan wanted her killed for finding out about the Guild and the DNA system. I managed to persuade him otherwise."

"Then who..," Matthew started.

"Just listen and you’ll understand. You remember I said I had the same cancer as Kat. I needed her blood and tissue samples to cure me. I also needed them to try and find a way around the fixer version two, which imprisoned us. For me it was highly advantageous to keep Kat alive. I persuaded Hassan on the basis that I needed a guinea pig on which to test my changeling organ. A subject whose genetic makeup I knew."

"You bitch!"

"Look I didn’t experiment on her. I needed her as she was so that I could be cured. The Kat you saw killed on the desert was a facsimile, a fake I created from some large dog or something. The real Kat is back at Hassan’s palace."

Matthew was stunned at this explanation but something didn’t quite fit. "Why didn’t you take her with you? She would never have put me thru all this. Besides she’s dead by now, the cancer.." Matthew started to cry again.

A look of anger shot over Elizabeth’s face, "You still think I’m a monster! I cured her as well as myself. On the other matter you’re right. She wasn’t happy but it was the only way. She needed to pretend to be me while I escaped."

"Yeah, well why didn’t you stay there and Kat escape?" Matthew demanded.

"Hmm, well that’s my fault. I knew you wouldn’t come and rescue me. You’d rather I rotted in hell before you lifted a finger. But you would move heaven and earth to rescue her. Shall we say I persuaded her to stay."

"You fucking bitch. You claim to have changed and then you do something like this. I have my answers and I suggest you leave before I shoot you," Matthew shouted.

"You kill me and Kat dies too. Hell maybe we all die. Matthew I really am your only hope of seeing Kat alive again. I don’t like it anymore than you do. I’d rather she was here backing me up as well but it really wasn’t possible."

"So now we’re friends again. I can sleep easy in my bed, knowing that you’re on the island," Matthew said cynically.

"Actually no. I thought we’d share," Elizabeth said.

"You can’t be serious," Matthew shouted.

"Hey, Joke OK," Elizabeth said, holding up her hands in mock surrender.

"That’s it. Look, you can sleep here, I’ll take the yacht somewhere you can’t find. With the yacht gone and no way off you’re stranded until I decide what to do with you," Matthew snapped.

"Matthew I’m hurt. I save your wife’s life, twice I might add, come back here as soon as I can to tell you, and you still scorn me. It’s just as well I’m better now or I’d really get upset," Elizabeth said.

"Tough! It’s my decision. Just think yourself lucky I didn’t shoot you," Matthew said.

Elizabeth held her hands up, then clutched them to her chest and said "Matthew, I’m starting to think you’re making this personal. Look I may have started the vendetta against you, but now I’m ending it I the only way I can. When this is over I will restore you to your old self, and Kat as well. If you want to carry on this vendetta then fine, just don’t expect me to retaliate."

Matthew glared at Elizabeth, pushed past her and stormed off. Untying the yacht from the Jetty Matthew knew what he wanted to do. He decided that he would set off in a random direction and sail for a couple of hours. He’d then sleep on the yacht and call Cathline. She’d know what to do.

As the yacht slipped it’s moorings and sailed off into the twilight, hope surged thru Matthew. IF Elizabeth was telling the truth then Kat was alive. To see her again would make the risks worthwhile.

After five changes in direction Matthew set the boat to auto-cruise and was soon fast asleep.

o - o - o -

Back at the mansion Elizabeth was upset. She knew that Matthew wouldn’t be pleased to see her but her mission to stop the Guild was important. Maybe he didn’t realise just how dangerous a changeling body could be. She slipped off her clothes and stuffed them into a bag. She walked over to the phone and made a call. Hearing no response she put the phone back down and walked back to where the bag of clothes lay. Collecting the bag she walked, naked outside into the cool night air. Closing her eyes she concentrated hard and felt herself become lighter.

Her back arched as an additional set of ‘arms’ emerged from her back. These ‘arms’ then grew to almost ten feet in length. Skin formed between these arms and her back and she felt pimples start to grow on the skin that had just formed. Concentrating harder she imagined a set of white feathers emerging from the skin and a rustling sound alerted her to the fact that they were indeed forming. A few minutes later a winged Rachel Martin shook her new additions and tried an experimental flap. With ease she lifted off the ground and flew about a hundred meters before settling on the ground. Her confidence growing, she picked up her bag of clothes, ran to the cliff, jumped off and soared into the night.

It took her an hour of circling and flying to spot Matthew’s yacht. He’d foolishly left the running lights on and so stood out a mile against the black, calm ocean. After another two hours of following the yacht she saw a bedroom light go out. She waited a further half-hour before landing on the helipad.

Concentrating hard, she felt her wings retract in her back and within moments she stood, once more Rachel Martin. Slipping on her clothes she crept down into the engine room to get some welcome rest.

o - o - o -

Matthew awoke and smelled bacon and eggs. It took a further few seconds to realise that he wasn’t dreaming and as he got into his Bikini, put his long auburn hair into a ponytail, he saw the sun starting to rise over the ocean.

Walking to the bridge he rubbed his eyes and prepared to set course back to the island. He dreaded another confrontation with Elizabeth and considered turning her in. However if he did that then he might never see Kat again. Once more she had him right where she wanted him. He walked down the ladder and into the galley.

"Hello Matthew. I’ve done your eggs just as you like them," Elizabeth said.

Matthew jumped backwards in shock, "How the Fuck did you get here?" Matthew shouted.

"I’ll show you later, come now you’re eggs are getting cold," Elizabeth said, handing Matthew a steaming plate of eggs, bacon and hash browns.

Matthew sniffed it, walked over to the side of the boat and tipped the lot over the side. "There, Fuck knows what you slipped in them," he said.

Elizabeth sighed and sat down. "OK I’ll tell you how I got here. Then you can make your own breakfast."

Matthew stood firm and demanded "Well.."

"I didn’t think you were taking the Guild threat seriously. A changeling body can do much more than create copies of people. I’m now a walking biological weapon. Anything that exists in nature I can become, as long as my brain and mass change isn’t that great. Even then I’ve no idea how radical the changes can be or how much mass I can lose or gain. I found you by imagining myself to be as light as a bird, with wings to match. You’d left the running lights on, on the boat and so I could spot you miles away. I waited until you slept, landed, and then spent the night in the engine room. I got up early to make you breakfast," Elizabeth explained.

"So you can be anything?" Matthew said.

"Yep. Pass me that net over there please," Elizabeth said.

Matthew walked over to the fishing equipment locker and pulled out large, green net. He gave it to Elizabeth and she jumped into the water. Matthew noted that Elizabeth’s legs were starting to fuse together as she sank beneath the waves.

Matthew peered over the side for a few minutes until Elizabeth, with several fish in the net emerged from the water. Matthew looked beneath the water and saw Elizabeth’s legs reform as her mermaid tail was quickly absorbed back into her body. After climbing back up the steps Elizabeth tipped the fish out and left them flapping on the deck and said "Watch carefully."

Elizabeth held out her hand and Matthew could see her concentrate hard. A long spike grew out from between her middle and index finger. It solidified until it resembled a talon. Elizabeth quickly jabbed it into one of the fish and withdrew it. The fish ceased its flapping and lay still.

"This talon contains a powerful neuro-toxin, specifically from the Taipan snake. It can kill with a single stab. I created it and the toxin by pure force of will. That’s not all, observe."

Matthew backed away, still in shock over the lethal killing machine Elizabeth had become.

Elizabeth’s talon changed shape slightly and she stabbed another fish. The flesh on the fish began to change and melt and Matthew looked on in amazement as legs sprung from the fish’s body. Fur began to grow and within moments a tabby cat stood where the fish once was. Confused the newly formed cat ‘mewed’ and somehow made it’s way to the side of the boat where it leapt into the water and sank beneath the waves.

"This talon now contains a transformation poison. That fish could now have been anything. One last demonstration," Elizabeth said to a stunned Matthew.

Elizabeth stared at her hand for a moment and looked on as her fingers fused together. The skin on her hand hardened until it resembled white bone. Her hand elongated so that it looked like a long, white dagger. The muscles on her arm began more pronounced and gave a powerful look to her arm.

With a slice, faster than Matthew’s eye could detect Elizabeth had sliced the dead fish in two. Spearing one part of the fish in the point of her ‘dagger’ and showing it to Matthew, Elizabeth said "Breakfast?"

Matthew backed even further away. What had Elizabeth done? If she was strong before this she must be nearly invincible now. Elizabeth’s hand and arm reshaped into its Rachel Martin form and she walked towards him and said "Look Matthew. Ask yourself if I’d wanted you dead or a cat then you’d be it by now wouldn’t you? Now ask yourself what the Guild could do with changeling bodies such as this. I told you before that I’m a biological weapon, more potent and more powerful than anything man’s ever developed. If I, a mere doctor can think of many ways of using this body for evil then what can trained assassins do? Matthew we have to stop the Guild."

"Why? They’ve been content to just be mercenaries for hundreds of years. Why the change and what’s the threat?" Matthew asked.

"I guess you could call it my fault. Hassan faced great shame and almost certain death because of my failsafes in the DNA system. They calculated they’d need a team of fifty top scientists for ten years to put it right. The Fury Directive stopped all legal human genetic research. No doubt many governments still have black programs but it’s all been scaled down. Fifty of the world’s top bio-engineers going missing would look really suspicious. If he could show his fellow Guild members that he was back in control it could just save his neck."

"Ok, that’s answered the reason why they want to expand but not what they’re planning," Matthew said.

"I don’t know what they’re planning. That’s one of the reasons Kat stayed behind. What I do know is with a changeling body just one Guild agent could cause serious damage, poison water supplies, infiltrate military installations or anything else that took their fancy. You saw what I can do and I’m just an amateur in comparison," Elizabeth said, sitting down on a nearby bench.

Matthew turned away for the moment to think. Gathering his thoughts he asked "Why us? You said it would take too much time for the Fury Directive to be implemented but if the threat was big enough..."

Elizabeth explained, "That’s just the point. The Guild isn’t a foreign country about to invade. They’ve got their claws into every area of life. I saw reports from Guild agents in our justice system, in the police and even a high ranking general belongs to the Guild. Killing Hassan or whatever wouldn’t work either. Another would just take his place. As far as I can tell, or rather could tell, the Guild is made up of multiple branches. There are three main focal points; we’ll call them ‘roots’. The main one is located safe and sound in Libya and deals with all the other ‘chapters’. Its secondary function is to control Guild operations in Europe and Africa. The second is located somewhere in the US and it controls Guild operations in the Americas and finally the third is located in Australia. That one supervises operations in Asia and Australasia. Each one of these ‘root’s has branches all over the continents they control. You take out a root in one place and one of the other roots takes over until a branch can replace it. It’s like that hydra you have tattooed on your body. You remove a head and it just grows back somewhere else."

"How’d you find out so much and how do we remove all the ‘roots’?"

"I’m glad that it’s we now. I told you before I can become anyone. During my capture I learned a great deal about the Guild and how they work. We remove the whole by taking out all the roots before they can take over the dead root’s functions. However we do it in such a way that the other branches don’t realise the roots been compromised and so buy us sometime to expose the branches."

"Hmm, I get it we take them all at once but in such a way as nobody notices," Matthew said, seeing at last where Elizabeth was going.

"Exactly. Once the branches have been exposed the Guild cannot survive. The authorities would be in like a shot. I’m surprised you haven’t asked me why two thirds of the roots are in democracies?"

"OK why?"

"Easy. In a dictatorship it’s hard to travel to other places, Communications are monitored and people have to be bribed to keep quiet. Added to this is the complication of boosting the regime’s ego and dealing with any secret police makes it not worthwhile. Beside democracies are much more tolerant of people than dictatorships. What was it Winston Churchill wrote just after the war? That’s it. ‘Triumph and Tragedy. How the great democracies of the west triumphed over evil and so could return to the folly that had so nearly cost them their lives.’"

Matthew sighed. He hated being Elizabeth’s stooge. "So what about Libya?"

"Easy. The Guild needs a fallback position. Libya is one of the most closed countries in the world. Presumably Hassan has the Libyan government in his pockets—actually Hassan could BE the Libyan government. No other country could or would invade Libya to stop the Guild. It’d provoke world war three and be political suicide."

"So now what?"

"Breakfast then we sail to my cave. I’ve got some important equipment there that we’ll need," Elizabeth said.

"I’m not hungry. Look just because I’ve heard all your explanation doesn’t mean I trust you. If it’s all the same to you I’ll make my own breakfast."

"You were going to anyway. Throwing away good bacon and eggs like that. Since you still don’t trust me I’ll eat mine on the bow, you go to the stern."

Matthew, his head still whirring from the revelations got up and walked to the galley. He opened the cooler and pulled out an unopened carton of milk and a sealed packet of cornflakes. Pouring them into a bowl and adding some sugar he walked to the stern and sat down. He soon smelt bacon, eggs and fried fish and his stomach rumbled. Ignoring the hunger pangs he started to eat his now warm and soggy cornflakes.

After breakfast Matthew turned the yacht around and headed back to the island. Elizabeth joined him on the bridge and said, "When do you want to call Cathline?"

"As soon as I can. I’ll use the satellite phone to try and get her."

"Good, we’ll need her as well. One other thing we need to set up passcodes."

"Yeah, like that did any good last time," Matthew sneered.

"The only reason it failed was because I’d already infiltrated the group. If you’d set them up right away I’d have been caught earlier. The idea was a good one and with potential changelings running around we need to ensure we’re not compromised. Look, mine’s ‘ Deianeria ‘—what do you want yours to be?"

"How about stooge, because that’s what I feel like," Matthew said grumpily.

Elizabeth smiled. "Ok stooge it is. Look set course, 130 degrees,10 knots for about 5 hours. We should get to my cave by then."

"OK," Matthew said and went to the bridge to lay in the new course.

Two hours later Matthew and Elizabeth sat on opposite sides of the bow. Matthew suddenly had a thought and went over to the fishing locker. He rummaged around for a while and then pulled out a large harpoon. Cradling it in his arms he sat back down again.

"What’s that for?" Elizabeth demanded.

"I still don’t trust you. Kat and I kept this here in case you ever showed up. Just call it insurance," Matthew said bitterly.

"It won’t do any good. Besides we’re partners now."

"Yeah right. The only reason why I’m going along with this is so I can get Kat back. Otherwise you’d be fish food."

Elizabeth stood up and looked over Matthew’s shoulders. She gave a friendly wave and hissed "I’m sorry Matthew I had no choice. They would have killed me. Remember I’m on your side, I love you."

"What the..," Matthew whirled around to see several small boats coming towards him. In each boat sat six men in black overalls, each man carried an AK-47.

"Quick, get away from them," Matthew shouted and went to run towards the bridge. The staccato should of automatic weapons aimed just above his head stopped him short and still holding the harpoon he put his hands in the air.

"You bitch!" Matthew shouted at Liz.

Elizabeth ignored the taunt and dropped the ladder over the side. The black clad figures climbed up one by one until they were covering all avenues of retreat. Matthew looked out to sea and saw the ocean near the yacht start to boil. A long mast emerged from the water and gradually he saw the conning tower of a small submarine appear. A few minutes later the deck was exposed and the water began to calm down. About three crewmembers of the sub climbed out on the deck and manned a vicious looking gun, mounted on the stern of the sub. The gun slowly turned until it was aimed directly at the yacht.

Matthew saw one of the men was distracted by the sub emerging from the water and span around, aiming the harpoon as he did so. He squeezed the trigger and felt the recoil and a hiss of air as the harpoon shot towards Elizabeth.

Elizabeth had no time to react and the harpoon hit her right in the chest. She looked at it in shock and smiled. "And so it begins," she said and fell backwards onto the deck.

Matthew shouted in triumph, he felt a shattering blow to his head and all went black.

Another boat was lowered from the sub and a tall figure with a dark moustache climbed up the ladder and stood over the fallen figure of Elizabeth.

"It’s all right. He is no longer conscious. You can get up now," Hassan said.

Groggily Elizabeth stood up and pulled the harpoon from her body. She concentrated for a moment and Hassan looked on, as the skin resealed it’s self. Within a matter of moments there was no sign of any injury.

"Fucking useful this body," Elizabeth said.

"Indeed. The ability to recover from most fatal injuries is most useful.

You must explain to me how it works sometime."

"Maybe later. Just let’s say my vital organs are in different places than normal. How long before he wakes?" Elizabeth asked.

"The sedative is being administered now. He will then by taken to our facility in Australia for the conditioning you requested."

"Excellent. I guess you want me to go after Cathline now?"

"Indeed I do. Tell me, did you tell him about Kat?" Hassan asked.

"Yes. I needed to raise his hopes so that the truth could be used to break him more easily. I hope you see now the wisdom in killing her."

"It made me a little sad, she was so noble but it’s removed a dangerous enemy. Besides Jane was no longer human so her fate was of no consequence," Hassan said.

"Excuse me for a moment—I need to change. I’ll contact you again once Cathline is secure. I must say it’s much more fun working for you than being your customer. I should have done this years ago," Elizabeth smiled.

"Thank you, you have given us the means to carry out our heart’s desire for nearly a thousand years. I will contact you again. Goodbye," Hassan said, and climbed back down the ladder to the waiting boat below.

Within a matter of moments the remaining Guild agents had disembarked and had sailed off to the waiting submarine. Elizabeth went inside and stripped off. She felt her body become smaller and her breasts and hips reformed. She looked down and saw a hydra start to appear on her bare body. Twin hydra heads patterns formed on her breasts and within a matter of moments she was an identical copy of Matthew. She walked over to the satellite phone and dialled Cathline’s number. She waited for a few moments and then said "Hi Cathline It’s Matthew. We need to talk, Elizabeth’s back."

o - o - o -

President Boris Petcukocov of the Russian federation slumped down in his black, leather armchair. The meeting with his cabinet had not gone well. The problem of the Russian Mafia would not go away. It was scaring off the western investment his country needed so badly. If things continued as they were then the new communists or even worse the extreme nationalists would almost certainly win at the next election.

He reached into his drawer for his bottle of imported vodka. The once mighty Soviet Union couldn’t even make decent vodka anymore. Picking up the empty bottle he threw it to once side. He pressed the intercom button and asked his new secretary, Tanya for a replacement from his stock.

Still, he had that summit with the American president next week. It was a fact that America would give more aid in exchange for taking the remainder of his nuclear arsenal off his hands. That should appease the nationalists for a while.

He was just about to buzz again when Tanya walked in with a new bottle. He reached out and took it. He felt a slight scratch as Tanya’s nail caught his hand. She apologised profusely but he just waved it off. Tanya took the empty bottle away and closed the door behind her.

Opening the bottle of vodka her poured himself a large shot. Strange why was his head starting to ache?

o - o - o -

Back in Britain a cute woman of around thirty-five was rinsing the last of her husband down the bath. After she had thoroughly cleaned the bath out with detergent she calmed her mind and waited for the changes to happen.

A few moments later the new inspector David Jones got dressed in his jeans and T-shirt. After sitting down and watching TV for a while he went to bed at nine. He had a busy day ahead of him tomorrow.

o - o - o -

The truck drew up to the gates at a military base just outside of Cairo. A burly looking guard who demanded to see the driver’s identification stopped it with a forceful halt gesture. The guard moved round to the driver, his body language relaxed but ready.

"What have you got in there?" the guard demanded.

"Spare parts for our communications equipment, it’s all on the sheet," the driver said in a grumpy tone.

"Can I take a look?" the guard asked.

"Sure, but don’t take all day about it. It’s all been authorized by the general and you’ll answer to him if this is late," the driver threatened.

The guard walked around to the back of the trunk and peered at a strange looking machine. The guard walked back to the cab and said, "This looks like no radar to me. Some of these parts are American," the guard said suspiciously.

"We buy from the Americans and we help them out in return. Can I go in or do I tell General Salah that his radar will not work because of a lowly guard."

"OK you can pass," and the guard waved him thru.

Breathing a sigh of relief the guard drove to warehouse where he’d been told to drop off the machine. He enlisted the help of some passing soldiers and soon the machine was installed in the warehouse. His truck now empty, the driver drove out of the compound and was soon out of Cairo.

o - o - o -

Hassan ordered the submarine to surface and his crew quickly set to work. The sound of air being pumped into the ballast tanks vibrated thru the hull as the sub slowly began to rise. A few moments later the sub’s antenna was above the water and slowly the sub began to level out.

Hassan asked the comms officer for the headset and the comms officer handed the headset to him.

"This is set for data burst?" Hassan asked.

"Yes Hassan. If anybody tries to listen in all they will get is a high-speed burst of encrypted sound that only lasts a fraction of a second. It’s one way only so we can’t be traced. Your contacts in the US navy are most useful," the comms officer said.

"Indeed. I want to send now."

The comms officer pressed a button on his console and indicated that Hassan was on.

"Hassan here, We are on schedule and to plan. Pick me up at the agreed place and time," Hassan nodded towards the comms officer he then pressed the ‘send’ button.

A fraction of a second later the message was on its way.

o - o - o -

A day’s journey later and Hassan was back in Libya. He sat in his ornate office watching his plans unfold, just as he expected. These changeling organs were very useful indeed. He gently stroked the fur of his faithful pet Ben_gal tiger, contemplating the next stage.

His train of thought was interrupted by a knock at the door.

"Come in," he called.

A fat, ugly man in his late fifties walked in and said "Hello Hassan, you wanted to see me?"

"Yes Osman, please take a seat," Hassan beckoned towards an ornate leather chair.

Osman pointed at the tiger and said "Is Sheba OK now?"

"Yes, she fine. A little off her food but the vet has given her the OK."

Osman sat down and asked, "What is it you want to know?"

"Firstly, how is the production of the warheads proceeding?"

"Forty have already been produced, we need another thirty to obtain maximum coverage. Construction will be complete in two months."

"Excellent. What about the delivery system?"

"We have acquired several tankers of various types, milk, gasoline and sewage. As per your instructions we have purchased them in Egypt and planted evidence to ensure that the Egyptian government is behind the ‘incident’. Our changeling agents inside the Egyptian government are working very well."

"Very good. I see you will strike back at the country that once harboured our destroyer the Mamluk Sultan and accomplish our goal at the same time. It is excellent planning. Still, are we sure this will work? We will only get one shot at this," Osman commented.

"Our scientists assure us that the conversion of the tanker to a DNA Warhead container and delivery system will work as planned. Do you wish to go ahead with the test?"

Hassan nodded "Yes choose a small village near here and use it. I take it the Colonel has agreed to our test and to supervise the clean up operation."

"Yes he has, he is as interested to see our goal achieved as we are."

"OK set up the test for a day from now and just pick your target."

Osman smiled and went to get up.

"Hold on a moment my friend. I want you to go to America on Monday. Hopefully some property you had lost will be returned to you. A reward if you like for all your hard work."

"Thank you. Oh I meant to ask how is Dr Bexley working out? Does she suspect anything?"

"She’s working out very well indeed. Of course she’s under the illusion that she has the only fully functional changeling body and even she would balk if she knew what our plans are."

"What did you tell her?"

"I told them that we were going to regain what is ours and take down some corrupt governments, which in a way we are but not in the way she suspects."

"You are sure she is on our side? She always was on no side but her own."

"Yes she can be trusted, where else can she go?"

"I see. Which part of America do you want me in on Monday?"

"New York," Hassan replied.

"I will let you know when the test is ready. Do you wish to watch it?"

Osman asked.

"No thank you. I’ve other things to attend to. Send me the video recording of the aftermath."

Osman nodded, "Agreed. I will let you know how it progresses."

"Thank you Osman. Now if you will excuse me I have some reports from Australia to attend to," Hassan said and indicated for Osman to leave. Osman stood up and walked out of the room.

o - o - o -

"What do you mean Elizabeth’s back?" Cathline demanded.

"What I said. There I was sitting on the bench missing Kat like hell and Liz turns up, pretending to be you," Elizabeth said.

"Where’s she now? Are you OK?" Cathline asked, concern showing in her voice.

"It’s fine. Listen Liz has explained everything to me, her insanity, her remorse at what she’s done. I believe her. I want to give her a second chance. Liz’s gone off to her cave to pick a few things up, she’ll meet up with us in around three weeks," Elizabeth said.

"She didn’t get you with any fail-safe shit did she?"

"No. I believe her for one and only one reason,"

"What’s that?"

"Kat’s alive. Elizabeth saved her, Hassan wanted her killed but Liz saved her. I know I was as stunned as you are but Kat’s alive," Elizabeth said, crying softly on the phone.

"Kat’s Alive, that’s wonderful. Where is she?" Cathline’s heart leapt with joy.

"The Guild still have her, Liz’s got a plan to get her back and stop the Guild. When does your shoot in New York end?"

"Friday, I can’t cut it short. Matthew that’s wonderful news! Fuck I missed her."

"Me too, Listen, I’ll fly over for Sunday. We can talk more then,"

"Ritz hotel?"

"Done. See ya," Elizabeth said and put the phone down. This was going just as she wanted it to. Elizabeth relaxed. It was good to be back again.

o - o - o -

Cathline’s mind was in a whirl. Dr Elizabeth Bexley was back and wanting to make amends. Suspicious as ever, Cathline made a call to her agent, Marcel.

"Marcel, it’s Rachel"

"Bonjour Cathline, What can I do for you? Another shoot, Oui?"

"Non, I’ve received a death threat. This time I think it’s real. Could you arrange some protection for me while I’m in New York?"

"Certainly. Are you sure it’s genuine? Do you wish to cut your shoot short?"

"That won’t be necessary. Just call the NYPD for us and arrange it"

"Oui Ma’m’selle," Marcel said and hung up.

Good, with additional protection, that should make her less vulnerable than before. Cathline’s train of thought was interrupted by her photographer, James shouting, "Hey Rachel step on it. Make sure you’re wearing that Vivian Westwood for the next one."

Cathline sighed and went over to the wardrobe to change. It had been fun being the world’s only ultra-model, but on reflection the attraction was starting to fade. She had considered retiring but then what would she do? Cathline missed Kat deeply, and her counselling sessions with Matthew always tired her out. James shouted out once more and Cathline sprang to attention, "Ok, Ok coming."

o - o - o -

"See ya," Elizabeth said to Cathline and put the phone down. She got up and walked to the bridge and set course back to her island. She had a few days to kill and it would be so good to get her island back after all these years. It felt good to be back as herself again. It’d been too long since she looked in the mirror and saw her own face look back.

Elizabeth flopped down on the bench and slept. The effort of all the changing her body had done had nearly overwhelmed her system. Now she needed lots of rest and food. She looked down at the point on her chest where the harpoon had struck her. Of course there was no sign of any damage but that didn’t mean there was no ill effects. She’d only postulated her ability to recover from near fatal injury and she now knew that save for massive head trauma or major damage to the changeling organ itself she couldn’t easily be killed. That thought comforted her as she slowly relaxed. Before she drifted off to sleep she wondered how Matthew was doing.

o - o - o -

Matthew woozily opened his eyes and glanced away at the bright light shining in his face. As his eyes adjusted to the light he saw that he was in a hospital room. He felt a pain in his arm and saw that he was attached to some kind of drip, a cardiac monitor beeped merrily away to one side. He moved to get up but found that his legs and chest were restrained.

A tall figure in a white coat walked in and noticed that Matthew was awake. "Welcome back Dr Bexley, you had us so worried there for a while," the man said.

Matthew pushed his hair to one side and replied "Sorry, I’m not Dr Bexley. Where am I?"

The man looked concerned for a while and said "Hmm Dr Larson thought you might have temporary identity loss after such a traumatic event. Don’t you remember anything? You’re in your father’s hospital?"

"Elizabeth’s father’s dead and he sold off his hospital years ago. What traumatic event?"

"You were getting married to that nice Matthew Stephens. He was about to say ‘I do’ when you passed out and hit the back of your head on the altar step. Don’t worry, there’s no permanent damage, we just want to keep you here for a few days to make sure."

Matthew’s head spun, where was he really? This room seemed familiar somehow, that crack on the wall, the position of the taps. And why were they calling him Dr Bexley?

"I can see you’re confused. I’ll just adjust your dosage," the Dr said and walked over to the IV dispenser and made a few adjustments.

"Doc, I’m so hungry any chance of a sandwich?"

"I’m sorry No food or water until we know what’s wrong with you. The drip will give you every nutrient you need.

Matthew’s head felt clouded and he couldn’t think straight "I’ll just take a nap if you don’t mind," he said.

"Sorry, I can’t allow you to sleep just yet. It could be dangerous.

Besides I’ve got someone here to meet you."

"Who?"

"I’ll go get him," the doctor said and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.

A few moments later A tall man with blonde hair and brown eyes walked in. Matthew’s eyes widened as he saw his old self, rus