The Reactor

As Thomas stepped off the plane, his head still in Chicago he followed the signs in English and Ukrainian that lead to passport control. Thomas' thoughts went back to the day he found out he had been accepted and the deal Thomas had made with Abby to spy for her, she tried using his loyalty to the Dynasty to win him over but gave up when he laughed at her attempt. She told Thomas about how his father had saved her life during the war and that Andrew was a great man who she respected and even loved. She would never put him in any danger all he had to do was observe and report if that doesn't motivate him, she told him that she was the only one who could get him out of the Dynasty. Walking along the route trying to get his head around the fact that he had been accepted to GUTM was hard enough, but now he understood the gravity of the situation. As he entered the passport control, he saw a sign that said Ukrainian nationals another that read European Federation and finally other nationalities. Heading to his line he saw a lovely woman about 5'2" with long blond hair, in a dark blue military uniform painting something on the heads of the men and women in his line as well as the E.F. line before continuing on to passport control itself. She seemed to be explaining something, as Thomas got closer he tried to understand what she was saying but had no clue. Finally, it was his turn as she waved him up to her.

She said, "Ya zbyrayusya postavyty hovorinnya movamy pidopichnoho na vas." She brought the brush to his forehead, Thomas reacted on instinct and pulled away from her. She frowned at his fear of her and turned to the man waiting in line behind her saying something to him.

He turned to Thomas and said in thick accent sounding stereotypically German like something from a bad movie, "You English?"

"No, from the Dynasty."

The man's eyes went wide; it was well known that the Workwoman's Dynasty had a horrible record of abuse and mistreatment of men in all the world. He explained to the woman, and she asked a few more people when a woman with the same mark walked up to him clearly annoyed.

She said in perfect English and apparently a member of the Dynasty, which was easy to spot with her sense of entitlement and overwhelming arrogance, "Listen, retard she is going to put a ward on you so you can understand her and anybody else here." She didn't wait for a reply before walking away.

Thomas just nodded and bent over so she could reach his forehead when she finished she placed a finger on the paint and said something.

She said, "Vy povynni buty v zmozi zrozumity mene zaraz." (You should be able to understand me now.)

Thomas looked at her and shook his head that he didn't understand her at all.

She frowned again and did just like she had before and said, "Vy povynni buty v zmozi zrozumity mene zaraz."

Again Thomas said he didn't understand, the little blond with the most beautiful blue eyes crinkled her nose and called for an older brunet but no less beautiful woman who did like the younger one had with the same results. The older brunet made gestures and began casting as Thomas's eyes nearly jumped out of his head hearing the chanting of magic and fighting the urge to run. Once she was done Thomas was in tears, his fears having gotten the better of him, memories of oh so many corrections ran through his mind as he prepared for the abuse that was sure to come, she was frowning and told the young blond something as she nodded and left. Thomas was about to shit himself, he hadn't been in Ukraine for no more than an hour and he was already in trouble, his mind raced with the thought of what Abby would do to him for failing her. About 15 minutes later a woman about the same height as the young blond came out. She stood out like a sore thumb with her green hair and dark brown skin and vibrant blue eyes, the most telling feature was her pointed ears, Thomas knew she was Fae and while she had curves that put the other two to shame the fact that she could do magic as well had him on edge. She looked him up and down several times before saying something to the two women and pointed to a side room a little further ahead the two women led Thomas in that direction his mind preparing him for what must be a correction room like was in his high school.

Once in the room the young blond pointed to the seat as he sat so did the two of them Thomas couldn't believe his eyes if this was a correction room then they must have something genuinely horrible planned for him. He remembered the stories he was told about the Fae destroying the minds of men and even eating the brains of many a man, not 1 minute later in walked the Fae woman who put her finger on the paint closed her eyes and cast the spell.

She said more annoyed than curious, annoyed that fear rolled off him like waves washing upon the shore and curious because he looked like someone she knew but couldn't place it, "Passport, and who put that protection on you?"

Thomas handed her his passport with a lost look and replied like every worthless man had been taught since childhood in the Dynasty, "What protection goddess, as far as I know, I have never had any such protection put on me."

She handed the passport to the young blond who read, "Thomas Andrew only son of Lila McClain..." she was cut off by the Fae woman who grabbed the passport from her hands when the Fae woman heard his name she knew who he reminded her of.

She looked at it and at him repeatedly and at the clipboard before smiling and saying, "You look like just like your father."

Thomas replied, "I wouldn't know goddess, he died... wait how do you know my father?"

She smiled stroked his face and said proudly her eyes filled with the strangest of looks in her eyes he had never seen anyone with such a look, "I was there when he helped us, and I am sorry for your loss he, died giving us time to escape."

The two human women just looked at them; the young blond asked, "Who is his father that a Fae knows him?"

She turned to the blond her eyes still filled with kindness as she said, "Natasha, he is the son of Andrew Garner and being from Vylkove you should know how happy any of us should be to meet him."

When Thomas heard the Blond woman speak, he couldn't help but think, 'that is a damn sexy accent' as he saw her smile, it dawned on him that he had just committed the greatest sin any man could commit, connecting with a woman and knew he was fucked.

She turned and with a big smile but didn't connect to his mind as she exclaimed, "I am glad you find my accent sexy. It is a pleasure to meet the son of the man who took care of me when my mother was killed by the MOF, it was your father who insisted the Fae take me with them while he stayed or at least that is what mother says." When she said, mother, she nodded in the direction of the Green haired Fae.

Terrified at being in a room with the Ukrainian version of Drority asked in a tiny voice his fear was palpable to all in the room, "Goddesses what do I do now, I am supposed to be meeting somebody outside, and I still haven't gotten my bags or in the country for that fact. You are not detaining me are you?"

The Fae woman frowned at the level of fear that rolled off of him in waves and said trying to sound motherly, "No, you are not being detained, it is our job to remove any compulsions or protections that have been put on, mostly on men but some woman have them as well. Knowing who you are, I am certain that I can find the people waiting for you and tell them what happened, or better yet Natasha will get through customs and help you with your bags."

Thomas wanting to be away from any woman who used magic said, "I swear goddesses nobody put a protection on me, my mother wouldn't do such a thing for a failure like myself, my sisters would rather practice on me than protect me.

That isn't necessary I can do it on my own, besides doesn't she have important things to do here, I don't want to get her in trouble."

Natasha turned to him with a kind smile that tends to disarm everybody but only made him more afraid if that was possible and said, "I am just practicing wards so seeing how well yours is working and understanding why it went wrong is helping, besides I have to go and report to the office now anyhow my shift is nearly up, and I must do paperwork, so I am going that way."

The Fae woman looked at the other two women and said, "I have to give some instructions to Natasha could you wait outside; this will just take a minute."

Once Thomas left the room she said, "He did have a protection on him, but he also has a modifying scrying spell on him. I left it on him and removed a potent protection, the two together is why neither of you could remove it. I could only weaken it, whoever put that on him is very powerful and if humans have someone that powerful then they have finally found someone who could be a threat to us.

Natasha note Thomas in the action log and keep an eye on him, I'll tell the council about what happened today."

Natasha led Thomas back out to passport control and led him to the window in front of the same Dynasty woman who had called him a retard, she still carried herself like she was above everybody and they should all bow to her. Thomas smiled at her wanting to rub it in because she had been an asshole and a stuck up bitch.

When Thomas walked up to the window past everybody in line, the little princess stepped forward and said sounding thoroughly annoyed, "What is this shit? First I have to tell him about the ward, and now he gets to jump the line, I don't think so where is his handler he should be with her after all, the law states all males must be accompanied by their owner or handler at the very least. Besides I, Princess Veronica Lake 1

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daughter of Council Bonnie Lake and future head of house Lake shouldn't even have to go through this, have you, people, no understanding of station."

Thomas was about to say something when Natasha got in her face and said, her voice thick with intent, "Are you interfering in national matters of Ukraine?" She went to say no but was cut off when Natasha continued, "This is our business, and as for his handler this nation has a no binding policy if he had been bound, we would remove it. He is free here and if you don't like we will gladly send you back, either you accept how we do things, or you can get out. If you have anything else to say I will gladly have you detained and you can say whatever you want while we process your deportation right here am, I understood? As for your station, we have no titles here, so you are nothing to us."

Both Thomas and this mysterious woman looked at Natasha in shock; it was almost as if Natasha was hoping Veronica would test her. Thomas never liked being bullied even though it was part of his daily life and couldn't believe that he wanted to speak up for a woman who would most likely join in doing the same to him, but it just rubbed him wrong.

He said against his better judgment, "Goddess, you can clearly see that she is sorry." He looked over at her as if to say (help me out here) and continued, "I'm sure she, like me, is not used to the way things are done here, can't you just give her a warning."

Thomas's heart sunk as his compatriot became angry as she said her voice filled with loathing and disdain only proving him right, "I don't need your help or your pity, and I was doing just fine until you came along if anything this is all your fault. I was just minding my own business, waiting patiently showing these barbarians what class and breeding look like, when they for some stupid reason they seem to think that some worthless man should go before me or any woman for that matter and now they want to threaten me, because of you."

Thomas threw his hands up in disgust knowing nothing he could say would fix this and said exasperated, "Fuck it, goddess I tried to help you, but you are just too fucking thick headed to listen. I offered an olive branch, and you burned it, I hope you enjoy a Ukrainian prison or whatever they do to you, goddess." With that he took his passport and left leaving his countrywoman high and dry, he felt no guilt as walked away thinking of the saying stupid is as stupid does certainly fits here.

*************

In arrivals are three very interested Fae waiting somewhat impatiently the three couldn't have stood out more. One was tall with a face that would have put Helen of Troy to shame, her 6 foot plus frame was cascaded with flowing blond locks and deep blue eyes that seemed to hypnotize those who looked into them. Being as tall as she was made her curvy figure even more unbelievable giving her that typical Californian blond look that many porn stars would kill for, next to her stood a pair of imposing figures. The first was easily 6 foot and had blond almost white hair and a build that would put most fitness models to shame with her womanly curves and her light blue eyes that looked hard. The other looking like her twin at the same 6 foot but with blond hair that had black highlights in it and gray eyes that darted around excitedly.

They were talking amongst themselves in a language that was not local and didn't work with the language ward on people's foreheads. The suicide blond asked in a mix of excitement and impatience, "Are you sure he is coming today Lily?"

The sexpot smiled as being called Lily and replied, "That was the information I got from the university, I will find out if he is here."

She closed her eyes and reached out with her mind for the man they were looking for. Upon finding him she did a scan of his mind and found that he had a modified scrying spell on him, but what was interesting about it was that it gave off an aura of chaos she wondered if the person who cast it knew what they were playing with. She continued looking for his ideal woman once she found it the two buff looking ladies watched as her hair changed from blond to a bright red as she opened her eyes they saw that her deep blues were now a deep green still seeming to draw anyone who looked into them in.

She turned to the blond woman and said, "Veen he is coming now, for some reason Natasha is with him." She saw the concerned look on the other blond and said, "Do not worry Tasuilia, your half-brother or should I say former half-brother is not concerned. Natasha is delighted to be with him, something happened because she knows who he is."

The stern looking blond asked concern thick in her voice, "Lily are you sure we did the right thing? I mean you did that to him without asking him, I told you then, and I am telling you now leave him be, do not remove or weaken the seal I would rather 'She' be angry with me than for him to find out about our meddling in his very being."

Lily turned and replied sounding annoyed but with a hint of anger, "Veendumusia, what we did for him, no strike, that we did this for their own good."

Veen knew that Lily calling her by her full name was a clear sign she was not happy, but still, she corrected her saying, "No, what we did, we did for you and 'Her.' We should never forget that, I know I won't, and if we continue down this road, I hope he forgives us for doing it."

Lily's eyes flicked something dark and very threatening that seemed to unnerve Veen as she spoke slowly and without her usual light heartedness the intent clear to all listening, "Remember that word WE, if I remember correctly you put the seals in place. You helped build the container. You got your reward standing next to you. For all these years we have waited for him to grow to be an adult and we will have him, as you know I cannot have them is it fair that I should have none while life goes on all around us? No, it is not I will have him, and that is final. Would you rather I do what my kind can do?"

Veen didn't care much for this and said, "First you used your twisted magic to make me fertile because you couldn't have his father and then used more on him to get me pregnant. You did that for you as well, Lilith. You are playing a game with people, and if they understood what you really were they would throw every spell they know at you to stop you, do you really want to live with them hunting you, sure you would cause chaos for the sake of chaos. What will we do when 'the others' come across?"

Lilith's eyes went a solid black as she leaned in to whisper, "You of all people know that what happened 18 years ago is like it was 18 minutes to us and you ask me to forget about the man who saved our lives. Not mine, not yours all of ours, so what I gave his son a gift and a chance to bring all our people together, is that not worth doing what we did. Or would you rather a return to war I know being a Valkyrie you are drawn to battle like I am to the souls of these people, and if I did not support 'Her,' She would have plunged this world into greater chaos than it was in at the time. 'The others' are all part of doing this now, they will be coming soon, and the humans need to be ready. He is going to be a bridge for both Fae and human."

This Veen did not know, she did know that the third member of the council had talked with Lilith before she had been railroaded into helping them.

Veen felt terrible and offered, "I remember what we went through just like you do, but for them, time moves so much slower we must let go of him, yes that is easy for me because of my daughter. Look at her maybe I should call her our daughter since she can use some of your offensive magic. Is my child truly Fae with that taint about her? Look at her hair for one she used to have a small black patch from the exposure after her coming of age it grows more and more black as more and more magic pours into her. Enough of this at the very least explain that to him and let the decision be his, but don't just do it or will 'She' be offended by that?"

Lilith's eyes went back to normal and her self-assured smirk returned as she said, "As for Tasuilia she is now truly a Fae child, before your kind lived away from the others in the mountains which kept you free of the magic that was used by the others, now Tasuilia has lived around the magic that the others use her whole life not to mention my own." She reached out with her powers and reread Thomas's mind as Veen watched her clothes change into something that looked more like a Catholic School uniform/Tilted Kilt uniform or even something that you might see in a Japanese anime. This look made her already sexy figure stand out more as she continued, "I agree, he will decide but that does not mean I cannot sway him and I will sway him without my offensive magic as you put it, not that I am worried. They are both our futures, he is theirs and (looking at Tasuilia) she is ours."

As Thomas and Natasha walked through the black double doors that marked the official entry into Ukraine, Thomas reread his information. According to his data, somebody would be waiting to take him to the dorm he was going to be living in, but it didn't describe the person or persons, let alone say where they would meet. Scanning the crowd looking for anybody with a sign that had his name or the university's name on it. He saw three women staring at him two of them tall blonds right around 6 foot and a redhead wearing what looked like a Catholic school girl uniform, he had to admit the girls at Mother McAuley never looking that good in their plaid skirts and white blouses as the fiery redhead did. Thomas's eyes tried to drink in the long legs that led to wide birthing hips before tapering to a tight midriff that was visible along with a pierced bellybutton, her blouse could barely contain the large chest, and from the visible nipples he could see that she was not wearing a bra.

He was about to drool at the hotness before him when he saw the smirk on her face, this brought back memories not soon forgotten. Lilith's grin disappeared as she felt the revulsion in Thomas well up, she pushed into his mind and saw the day he had been taken to the correction room in high school the girls had precisely the same smirks that she was wearing on the faces of girls wearing the same thing while tormenting him. Lilith cursed her luck and vowed to get even with the Dynasty for their systematic destruction of men, she knew the scars would hinder the development of all men, and the Dynasty's scars were the deepest, she also knew they needed every last person for the storm to come.