Pitch was on the phone, pacing back and forth in the living room as he talked with someone. “I know he's just the president-elect and he won't be officially sworn in till January, but I can't help but worry. I know he's far from the first Cryptid to hold office, but him being a Cryptid isn't my worry. It's his track record. You can't tell me he's had nothing to do with the crap that's been going on when he set up the infrastructure for the national Umbran powerplant network. The multiple different so-called isolated events of NexGen labs having incidents with hybrids and the increase in how many and what kinds also can't simply be written off.”
Kathryn wandered out into the living room, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes to see her husband on the phone as he continued talking. “I'm worried he'll make Cryptids public and somehow, despite being one himself, make things worse for Cryptids. The non-human citizens protection act isn't an official thing with the government. Understand that I'm talking not just as a Cryptid who's a citizen, but as a husband and possibly in the future, a father. I know there's nothing we can do about him getting signed in, the votes have been cast and he won by a significant enough margin that a recount is pointless. There still has to be something we can do to prevent him from putting Cryptids at an unnecessary risk for his own personal gain whatever that may be.”
Kathryn mouthed the words, talking and hardly a whisper as she moved into view. “Who are you talking to?” Pitch put his hand over the speaker to whisper back. “Director Hawkes. We're voicing our concerns to one another about various things. I'm trying to explain that like him I also have fears when it comes to the future. Like him I'm just someone who's trying to do what's best for myself and my family.” Pitch then returned to the phone. “I understand that sir, but we are a civilian organization, not a part of the nation's military. Even if we have government oversight there should be something we can do. Isn't there a law or something that prevents even the government from leaking trade secrets? Yeah, I know that if they declare it a matter of national security they can mostly ignore that.”
Pitch giving small verbal responses to whatever Hawkes was saying for a while before saying a whole sentence. “I will continue my work with Black Eagle, but I'll remind you that I'm a consultant and not a member. I don't take orders and I operate on my terms. I understand you don't much like that but you can at least admit that my results speak for themselves. If you start doubting me again, you can just interview the people in my squad. I'm sure every single person on it will give me a glowing review. I look forward to future cooperation, goodbye.”
Pitch then hung up the phone and gave Kathryn a big hug. “I had a dream last night, and near the end you showed up to tell me you were pregnant. Is it… is it true.” Kathryn nodded into the hug and showed him the pregnancy test that read “positive” in clear letters on the readout screen. “We finally did it. I mean with how often we go at it, it was only a matter of time. I still have some anxiety over it, but I'm also excited to enter this next phase with you.” Pitch hugged Kathryn a little tighter. “I'm so happy. I know things won't be easy, even compared to normal. We are going into completely instead territory after all. However, I can't help but also feel a sense of excitement mixed with the anxiety.”
The two kissed passionately before pulling out of the hug. Pitch then quickly whipped up a breakfast for Kathryn, making her a large loaded omelette. “Here, make sure you eat a lot. I imagine your appetite will only increase with time. You may also need to switch to drinking bottles of holy water instead of filtered tap.” Kathryn nodded as she started eating, talking between bites. “You definitely would make a great house husband if you wanted to. You take such good care of me.” Pitch chuckled. “It's my duty as husband, just as caring fore is your's as wife. Same as our existing relationship, just more serious and official.”
Kathryn nodded again as she continued to eat until her plate was clean and washed it all down with some milk. “I assume we both have work tonight. It'll just be Kasa home alone again.” Pitch hummed to himself. “We really need to figure things out with her. Her ability to take a more humanoid and even almost human form is temporary, but even in that she'll act like a pet sometimes. It's almost like having a child but she's a grown adult. She's only a bit younger than us. I know normal is just a word but the relationship we have from her is far from any semblance of that word.”
Kathryn shrugged. “What's there to talk about? She's a housemate who happens to be physically affectionate in a non-romantic and non-sexual way. It's entirely plutonic, even if that level of physical affection is abnormal for a plutonic relationship. She was lonely for a long time and touch starved. I honestly don't blame her. As long as she doesn't try anything with you while in heat, I'm fine. I actually find her presence rather soothing at times.” Pitch hummed with his hand on his chin. “I suppose like always we can continue to wing it.”
Kathryn let out a soft sigh. “Will playing by ear really work in the long term though? How long do you think we can keep this up?” Pitch shrugged. “Someone said no plan survives first contact but I highly doubt he intended for people to just improvise everything. It's not like we have no plans, just loose plans. We'll deal with what we can. If there's nothing we can do directly about Marrow or Hawkes then we'll have to either act indirectly or focus our efforts on something we can do like stopping Phobos. It's kinda strange to think that it's easier to deal with the threat of the closest thing this world might have to a god then it is to deal with the more down to earth “human” threats that are more domestic and close to home.”
Kathryn let out a short laugh. “Yeah, it do be like that. Phobos may be the bigger threat, but it's also a more simple one. Whereas the “human” threats are far more complicated and nuanced.” Pitch smiled and nodded. “Anyway, I should probably get ready for work. We've started having cases in broad daylight.” Kathryn tilted her head slightly. “Have things really escalated that much? There hasn't been a daytime case outside of the odd Sasquatch sighting and The Triangle events in almost two hundred years.” Pitch nodded. “And I heard via water cooler talk that whatever they did to stop Triangle events in the eighties might not last much longer. There's been readings from both Triangles indicating that they've started to become soft spots again. This may be an omen of Phobos being able to enter our world with its true form soon. I'd give it five years at most.”
Kathryn looked at the table. “I was really wishing for more time to raise our kid together. I guess we'll have to hope that after the smoke clears we can live happily ever after. Well as close to it as this crazy life will afford. No major threats looming, just the small stuff.” Pitch sighed sadly. “One can hope, but honestly… even the power of Hope has limitations. Anyway, I'm off to prove with actions that I'm more than worth keeping around.”
Kathryn got up and gave Pitch one last kiss on the cheek as he finished getting ready. “Good luck out their honey.” Pitch smiled at her and gave her a cheek kiss back. “You too.” Before leaving out the door and driving to the Black Eagle headquarters building. Once inside everyone was looking at him as he walked through and he suddenly felt nervous. He then overheard Ishwada's voice from his office. “I can assure you we've had eyes on him the entire time. He hasn't left New Arkham let alone Wisconsin in months. Whatever your men saw, if it was an Umbran, wasn't Pitch. Director Hawkes effectively has him under twenty four hour surveillance.”
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Pitch slowly entered the room to see Ishwada talking on the phone with both Anderson and Hammer sitting on the other side of the desk. He quietly grabbed a chair and sat down as Ishwada continued to talk on the phone. “I've put my life in Pitch's hands, on multiple occasions, and he has gone above and beyond for the sake of others multiple times even at personal risk. The only reason he kept his true nature secret from most of my people until recently was because he was worried about people wanting to shoot first and ask questions later like you do. Now don't call me with baseless accusations again. In fact, I don't want to hear from any other commanders unless it's a request for aid from my division. Good day sir.”
Ishwada then hung up the phone with a loud thud. “Well that was an ordeal. I assume you overheard some of that.” He said, while looking at Pitch. Pitch simply nodded. “Yeah. It's fine. I have a rock solid alibi so even if there is another Umbran still out there I'm in the clear. If we do confirm it is an Umbran however, I'd like to be on the case. I don't care about regional jurisdiction, or if it's on a need to know basis. If an Umbran is involved, I need to know. Not just because of my relation to them as a hybrid member of the species, but because I know what'll happen if someone else gets to it first.”
Ishwada nodded in agreement. “Besides, you're actually a better option for capturing or killing an Umbran than using Ritters, spotlights, flashbangs, and or holy water. Hell, might even be more effective than all of them combined. Although I do have some concerns as to the side effects of you eating another Umbran. The memory bleed and power increase could become problematic with repeated exposure.” Pitch nodded. “Well my resistance and even immunity to some of the weapons used on normal Umbrans makes me a great option on the field either way. Collateral damage and friendly fire aren't as big of a concern for me if I happen to be in the area of effect.”
Ishwada put his hand on his chin. “We went nearly two decades without any sightings of an Umbran besides you or Abe. Maybe longer but we weren't actively trying to track them before my daughter died.” Pitch nodded. “Right, you never saw evidence of more than one being active at a time because Abe was locked up when I showed up. If a second one existed in the United States then you likely would have detected it before now. It is plausible that there's another survivor, but it's extremely unlikely. However, the best way to be sure is if I were to get close enough to sense it. I could feel Abe from anywhere in the area of the city when he was alive. Even when he wasn't in lock up creating the original signal.”
Ishwada nodded. “I remember. Umbrans went nearly extinct because they started eating one another. There definitely wasn't another in the country from what we can tell but it's possible there was another somewhere else in the world. Different nations are not all willing to share what information they have on Cryptids. If China or Russia encountered an Umbran we'd never know.” Pitch hummed. “Right. Anyway, on to business. Cryptid cases, what do we have?”
Ishwada pulled out a number of files. “We've gotten several reports from all over, some of these are technically not entirely our area. The Great Lakes are often disputed whenever they're involved. Lake Superior boat disappearances are up twenty percent, like Michigan cases are up by six percent. Missing persons cases continue to climb, Sasquatch sightings are on the rise, and we've even got UFO reports. Those are usually nothing but every so often you find a Cryptid. I've yet to see an actual alien.”
Pitch put his hand to his chin and hummed. “You know I had been meaning to ask about that. UFOs are definitely something Black Eagle would respond to. I mean you guys already act in secret and create cover stories, so why not also deal with potential alien sightings. But if you say we've yet to confirm the existence then I guess that really means we don't know. A bit of a bummer, but I do suppose things are complicated as us without space people getting in the mix. Anyway, I was asking if you had a case for me.”
Ishwada sighed and flipped through the folders. “Honestly, if not for the sheer quantity, I probably wouldn't even need your help. I don't have any big cases, just a crap tonne of small ones. It's been hectic. Let's see… There's a possible Whispering Despair case. We've got at least three different things attacking livestock. I'm getting reports on an increase of nightmares. I'm even called about monsters under beds and in closets. Something I'm sure is normal but there must have been some sort of change for parents to start calling the cops and stuff. I think it's safe to say The Boogieman has increased in activity.”
Pitch nodded. “Since we know Boogieman is just the avatar of Phobos, that means the Vail has weakened and it's preparing for a full scale invasion. When I was over there I could feel it. Despite how well fed it has always been, Fear hungers for more. There's a definitive desire to spread out from the world of fear into ours. It learned we were here back when Finkton found his way over and it's been trying to reach us since. Before that, I don't think Phobos was fully aware of the creation and actions of the avatars it has. In fact, until recently I don't think Phobos was aware of much of anything. It didn't think, even now it acts mostly on instinct. However, I think it's starting to wake up. Fear is opening its eyes, for the first time ever Phobos can see. Like a toddler forming its first solid memory, Phobos is becoming self aware.”
This statement sent shivers up everyone's spine. The idea that the incarnation of fear could obtain a sense of self was scary for a number of reasons. After all, what could an effectual god of fear possibly want, besides increasing its domain? In the end, Fear could only possibly want one thing. More. If Fear itself could think and speak, its desires would likely still remain the same as its instincts. A hunger, an almost gluttonous and greedy desire for more. The only thing that's changed is instead of simply reacting based on instinct it's not making decisions based on a potentially tactical level. Planning, problem solving, the ability to recognize and find the salutation to a puzzle, as well as to think ahead.
Pitch sighed. “We could place anchors at every weak point that's forming around the world, it would buy us some time. However, that's all it would do. Based on the fact that we're sending anomalies at The Triangle for the first time in decades indicates there's a limit to how much the anchors can do. It's kinda silly to spend all our energy preparing and worrying about Phobos when we have other things to worry about too. The closer we get to the day Phobos makes a move, the more active Cryptids become. I think they sense it, coming closer. That's what's drawing them in. They're being drawn into natural weak points such as New Arkham and The Bermuda Triangle because that's where his power is felt the strongest.”
Ishwada placed a map of the U.S on the table with different colors ranging from green to red on it. “We already made a map of the increase in activity to find the weak points. Red is the highest number of cases. These are where we'll deploy the strongest of our responses. Thanks to you and Kathryn we have access to the Hope frequency, and are working on artificially replicating it for use as a weapon. By using modified spotlights and lasers, the plan is to shoot this fucker down the moment all of him is here. I've already submitted this plan to Director Hawkes over a private channel with the request he not tell Tomorrow Corp what the new weapons are for other than generally saying Cryptids. Thomas and his kid haven't done anything to interfere yet, but we can't be too safe.”
Pitch chuckled. “It must feel strange, treating the president-elect like a potential enemy. You are completely right though, we can't be too cautious at this point. In fact, outside of the people in this room, Kathryn, and Kasa; everything about Phobos and Marrow should be on a need to know basis. We don't know what areas are bugged or who might be working for the enemy even if unintentionally. The only reason I know this room is safe is because I'm using my Electromagnetic Field to scramble any bugs. Yes, that's something I can do. I used to unintentionally scramble antenna and satellite signals as a human.”
Ishwada nodded. “I figured you were doing something like that since you're talking so openly right now. Anyway, I'll be sending you and a small team on the Whispering Despair case since you're somewhat resistant to their effects. Make sure everyone has their helmets on tight.” Pitch nodded and went to roll out with his teammates to deal with the case on hand while others put everything in place for the fight against Phobos.
