What It Took To Stop A God (January 2012)

Evan lightly drew a fingertip down the middle of her exposed flesh from her neck down to where the low cut ‘V’ of her dress ended. He felt her shiver as if his touch tickled and his lips parted in a grin as he loved on her neck. Most of their couplings were fairly fast events. Lack of time and the need for sleep were the usual culprits for that though. Tonight he went about an almost, painfully slow seduction though he knew he didn’t need to seduce Serena. He just wanted her to feel special tonight though he did imagine some very naughty things with the strawberries and whipped cream.

Candles flickered around the room as they sat in the hot tub together. Serena had an arm around his neck as she lounged atop him. Her other hand held a glass of champagne, the pale amber liquid bubbled toward the surface as she pressed her lips to his and he felt her tongue seeking his out as he rubbed his fingers on her center under the undulation of the water. Her wet flesh almost glittered in the flickering light and her dark eyes seemed to grow more and more hot with desire for him as he drew this seduction out.

Evan never thought that he’d be one of those guys that fell in love in college, so young, and married that woman. He was thinking it now though as his heart swelled with love for her. One the bed Serena straddled him and shifted slowly as she pressed his hands hard onto her breasts. “God your beautiful,” He murmured and she smiled at the compliment and even honored him with a flush of her cheeks.

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“Evan?” Madison asked. “You alright? You looked as if you were a million miles away just then,” she said. Evan held a reflector as she held the electric screw driver. “Oh...uh, sorry, I was thinking of New Years Eve,” He said and his cheeks flushed as Madison twerked her eyebrows at him. “I guess you had a good time then,” she said with almost a giggle. Evan looked back toward Serena and saw that she was looking at him. She sighed as if she were remembering to and he smiled as he turned back to the task at hand as Madison fastened it in place. Evan removed his goggles.

“Ok, I think that’s it,” He said then backed up to look at it. “Fuckin amazing that students…’us’ built this,” Adam said as he put his arm around Madison who stood there with her arms crossed over her chest. She smiled excitedly at Adam and then leaned over and kissed him. “Maybe later we’ll celebrate,” she said and her cheeks didn’t color at all.

Ever since that night Serena couldn't stop thinking about it...about Evan. She knew that night that Evan was the man she wanted to marry and that thought was now what she thought about the most. Evan was perfect for her. She could talk to him about science and technology and they both had bright futures before them. Evan had been accepted by her parents and the rest of the team and they each also thought that he was a great fit for her. If something were to destroy their relationship now it would be devastating for her.

Back in the lab, Serena tried to concentrate on their experiment, but thoughts of New Year's Eve continued to haunt her memories. She felt Evan's eyes on her from across the room and she looked over and met his gaze and she could tell he was also thinking about that night. Suddenly, Evan announced that the build was complete and Serena smiled as she walked over to his side to look at it.

"It really is incredible."

Evan drew her away from the others who Oooed and Ahhhed at the containment room and the 3 lasers that were angled in toward one another. The reflectors would reflect the light down to massive, black disk that Serena had designed that would allow the light form them to permeate its surface sensors and then the readings they needed would begin to populate. To create the variance wave for their Thesis, they needed to do 120 complete tests. A couple months of work but a small price to pay for actually having their findings published. And at 20 years old no less.

“Did you find what happened to the program?” Evan said softly. He could see how much that troubled her but it was either scrap the entire thing and start over or go on. “Serena, it’s your call. This is your baby. Everyone is behind you 100 percent.,” Evan said and risked a touch of her cheek. The large power cables were bundled in a black, protective coating and went out from the containment glass then down into the floor. They needed so much power they had to tap directly to the power grid. Dr. Osborn had gotten them the permits for that and Evan himself had designed the interface. Serena could see the others. Reilly even jumped up and down he was so excited. They wanted to see this fire up today, that much was obvious. Evan saw the battle rage on in her head. Her own excitement warred with that deep sense of responsibility. He chuckled and drew her attention from that battle.

“So serious my love, its only time Serena,” he said. But she knew it was alot more than that. She knew Evan had wanted them to spend more time together. That would not happen if she had to redo the entire program. Harper and Madeline danced and mashed their hips together as the others laughed. They were all scientists but they were also just college students who reveled in their first, real success.

Serena allowed Evan to draw her away from the others. She knew what he was going to ask her about...the program. Her gut instinct was telling her that she needed to scrap the whole thing and redo it. But that would be weeks worth of work and they were already strapped for time. It would also mean more time away from Evan. A battle raged on in her head and as she saw the others so excited she hated to be the one to take this moment away from them. She hesitated for a few long moments before making a decision...a decision she hoped that was the right one.

"Let's fire it up."

Evan could not contain his excitement and he didn’t as he kissed her. “I love you,” He whispered in her ear. A promise that they would celebrate this moment together...alone. With his face all smiles he stepped up to the others. “Ok, ok, lets take it down a notch. Madison, get your hand out of Adam’s pants!” Evan said jokingly though she wasn’t doing that. She still jerked her hand back and Harper guffawed loudly at that.

It took only a few minutes for everyone to get back to business. Reilly would be holding the light gauge while Madison positioned herself near the breaker box. Adam was recording everything with a video camera on a stand and Harper and Serena were on their computers. Serena would input the variances while Harper inputted the wave intensities. Evan would be watching to make certain everything was working. If something went wrong they’d be looking to him to tell Madison to kill the power. Everyone put on their goggles.

“Ok, count us down Serena,” Evan said. He looked at the large, square containment area that surrounded the lasers and the large, round, black disk. There was a turn style that was the only door in and out. As Serena began to count down though his adrenaline began to rise in his body. Adrenaline and a foreboding sense that something was very very wrong. ‘You’re just being cautious’ He told himself. The others repeated Serena, as she counted. 3...2...1 and she hit the ENTER key.

Serena's heart was racing as her adrenaline began to pump. Somewhere in the back of her mind she felt a sense that she shouldn't do this, but she told herself that she was just being cautious. The others were all in position and ready to go. Adam would be recording everything on a video camera so they could replay it later on. The excitement in the room was palpable. Serena knew she should be excited to, but she would celebrate after everything went right. She took a deep breath and looked over at Evan. He gave her a nod and she began to count down as her finger hovered over the Enter key.

"3...2...1..." she hit the Enter key and then held her breath as she watched and waited.

The lights in the room dimmed as the lasers fired. Continuous beams of white light simultaneously hit their reflectors and then shot at angles right into the large, black disk. “YEAH!” Reilly exclaimed as he pumped his fist in the air. The others cheered and whopped too. Even Evan smiled happily and with more than a little relieved that everything was...The white lasers suddenly began to draw more power and the white light began to darken.

The white lasers turned from white, to yellow, to orange. “What’s causing that?” Harper asked Serena. “The laser’s frequency is changing. Its wave is all over the place,’ she said as she rolled her stool over to Serena’s laptop. The lasers went from orange, to red and then began to turn violet. Once it turned violet Evan knew. They’d been duped….somehow. Nyx had used them and they had done her bidding without really knowing it. “Madison, do it!” Evan shouted as he approached the glass. Madison threw the cut off switch but nothing seemed to have happened. Nothing had happened and an eerie, violet light began to form inside the containment cube and a thick bar of violet light rose up into the ceiling.

“Oh my god!” Evan said as his worst nightmare was happening right before his eyes.

Serena continued to hold her breath as she watched the lasers as they fired and shot at various angles into the black disk. Thinking that they had actually done it, Serena breathed out and felt herself begin to relax and become excited. However, in the next moment the white lasers began to draw more power and the white light darkened. Then they turned from white to yellow to orange. Serena was horrified to see that the laser frequency was changing but then as she saw the color of the laser turn to violet her heart nearly stopped. It was the same violet color she had seen inside the dark mass with Nyx. She looked over at Evan and he seemed to be thinking the same thing she was. However, by the time Madison actually cut off the switch it was too late. Serena watched as the violet light began to form inside the containment cube and a thick bar of violet light shot up into the ceiling.

"Everyone get out!" she ordered. She was terrified that Nyx was going to hurt the members of her team. This was all her fault. She should have listened to her gut and just rewritten the program. None of this would be happening then. "How do we stop her Evan?"

Evan’s face was a mask of horror and worry as he tried to think. “I’m not leaving! Reilly said defiantly. Me either! Harper said and the others parroted the sentiment though none of them knew what Serena knew. Nor the danger. “What is it!? Adam asked as a thin, translucent leg stepped out from the growing mass of violet. Nyx was coming and Evan did not know what harm she could bring to their world. “The energy, its building too fast. By the time we reversed the polarity…” he began but Serena knew where Evan was going with that. That would take way too much time. And Nyx was coming like a baby eager to be birthed into the world. “I..I’ve got to stop it,” Evan said and then took a step toward the glass turn style.

Serena could see the look of horror and worry on Evan's face and she could see his mind racing but she knew, as he did, that they couldn't reverse the polarity. It would take too much time. She knew then that he was going to do something drastic. She grabbed his arm before he could step into the room. "Evan, no!"

Evan turned toward Serena and took hold of her shoulders. “You heard my mother, I can resist her power. And I think I know how I can stop this,” Evan said. He did but what he didn’t tell Serena was that he could stop it but his chances of survival were not good. He ‘hoped’ he could stop it. “She’ll kill or enslave everyone she sees Serena. You have to let me go!” Evan said as the cloud of violet began to pillow out toward the glass. He took hold of Serena’s hands and kissed her hard on her lips. “I love you!” he said as he kissed her. “When I tell you, cut the conduit with your powers,” Evan said but then felt hr grabbing him and kissing him. He listened to what she said and touched her face with his hand, one more time. He smiled, a loving smile and then stepped toward the turn style. Adam tried to stop him but Evan punched him in the jaw and sent him sprawling. Evan put his goggles on and spun the turn style around so he was now inside the containment glass. Then he began to draw upon his power…

Violet energy met violet energy as Evan’s and Nyx’s power met. Arcs of what looked like Violet electricity began to fly about the containment area. Serena could barely see Evan in that dark cloud that spun and roiled around the small, closed in space. And shadows from the room began to move and shift and Harper’s face went pale as her own shadow moved though she had not.

Nyx’s leg and now her arm and hand were free of the portal. She pointed at Serena and a bar of violet energy shot out toward her. It shattered the glass on that side of the containment cube and it struck Serena in the chest. She felt Nyx’s consciousness along side her own. “Kill him!” She told her. And to Serena’s horror she felt herself lift her hand to do just that. Evan was her enemy and she needed to kill him. As she began to prepare an orb Madison’s eyes goggled at the red sphere that appeared in her hand. As Serena drew more of her power into it though she began to remember…

Evan as he asked her out for the first time. Evan as he kissed her at her door after their date. Evan who helped pick up her papers in the hall after someone had collided with her. Evan who made love to her with more passion, more love than anyone she had ever met. Evan was not her enemy, he was her greatest ally. Her partner, her lover, her man! Evan’s flesh had turned pale and black veins began to cover his exposed flesh as he pulled more and more on his power. His eyes had turned solid black as he began to shake.

“You can’t stop it, Evan!” Nyx said. “There is no way you can stop me without killing yourself as well,” she said in her deep, slurred words. Evan looked back at Serena who held a red orb of energy in her hand. Tears came to his eyes as he looked at her. “I...know…” He said and then he unleashed the full force of his power. Nyx was thrown back but he knew it wouldn’t be for long.

“NOW SERENA!” Evan shouted. She needed to destroy the conduit and cut off the power to the system. However she also knew that the feedback from it could hurt Evan, even kill him. She hesitated. “DO IT, DO IT, DO IT!” Evan demanded as he fell onto one knee do to the strain of holding Nyx back.

Before she let Evan go, Serena whispered words of love into his ear. She told him how much she loved him and how glad she was that he had come into her life. He had changed her life for the better and she owed her happiness to him. She then watched him go and felt utterly and completely helpless. The only thing he needed her to do was to destroy the conduit when he told her. She would have to do it with her powers.

Serena watched as Nyx continued to emerge from the portal. Suddenly, she raised an arm and shot a violet beam of energy at the glass she and the others were standing behind. The glass shattered and Serena was hit and thrown back onto the ground. To her horror she suddenly felt Nyx's consciousness along side her own in her mind. She could hear Nyx telling her to kill Evan and the urge to do so was overwhelmingly strong. She got up onto her feet and formed an energy orb in her hand. However, as her eyes feel upon him happy, warm memories flooded into the forefront of her mind. She loved him and she did not want to hurt him...no, she WOULDN'T hurt him. She fought back against Nyx and watched Evan struggle with her as well. She felt hot tears come to her eyes as he shouted at her to destroy the conduit. She knew that it would likely kill him as well, but she had no other choice. With tears streaming down her cheeks, she threw the energy orb at the conduit. It hit it with a great amount of force and destroyed it in an instant...

The resulting explosion was minimal but the energy that surged bloomed in a large, white orb of  energized air. The glass walls of the containment room exploded outward and everyone nearby was forced to throw themselves at the floor or be hit with  shards of glass. After the light winked out the emergency lights in the lab snapped on and bathed the area in a softer glow.

Evan was there by the disk huddled into a fetal position. There was no sign of the violet cloud or Nyx and the lasers and their platforms were black pieces of charred metal. They had shut the portal and protected their world. As she turned Evan over she noticed that he was badly burned. Half of his cheek was black and his left eye with it. His once beautiful face was a ruin of charred flesh as well as his neck and most of the left side of his body. He grabbed onto her arm with his right hand and his right eye focused upon her. She felt him struggle as he tried to breathe and he gripped her arm almost painfully as the pain of his injuries hit him. He was unable to speak though she knew he was trying.

“I’ll get some help!” Adam said and he took off in a dead run toward the office. Harper gasped and clasped her hands to her face. Reilly came onto his knees beside Serena but he didn’t interfere with her as she held Evan in her arms. Madison wept as she saw Evan but stayed back out of the way, feeling helpless. Serena saw that Evan was fighting it. Fighting for every moment he had to stay with her. And then she felt his strong grip loosen and fall away. His head leaned back as his last breath escaped his lungs. His deep blue eye began to glaze over as it stared blankly toward the ceiling.

Serena immediately rushed over to Evan's side once she knew the portal was closed and Nyx was gone. She was terrified to turn Evan over but she knew she needed to. As she did her eyes widened by what they beheld. Evan was still alive, but the left side of his face and most of his body was badly burned. The smell of his charred flesh filled her nose. He looked up at her with his right eye and she could see he was struggling to take in a breath. His grip on her tightened as he tried to speak. She didn't know what to say or do. She was in shock and she didn't want to leave his side. She could see him struggling...fighting. Tears filled her eyes and then she felt his grip loosen on her and his hand fell away. His breathing stopped and his one good eye glazed over as it stared up towards the ceiling.

Serena wasn't aware that she began screaming. Pure panic like she had never felt before filled her body and she became hysterical. She doubled over Evan's lifeless body and sobbed uncontrollably. Then, as Reilly tried to help her away she fainted into his arms and lost consciousness.