"People once believed that when a someone dies, a crow carries their spirit to the land of the dead. But sometimes, something so bad happens, that the spirit cannot rest. And sometimes, just sometimes, the crow can bring that spirit back, to put the wrong things right."

It's another world.
It's another time.
And ANOTHER, has been CHOSEN.


						 BELIEVE
					       IN THE POWER
					        OF ANOTHER

His name is...WAS.....Calion Draven. That was before he died. Before he became a Crow. Now he is known as Darkside. He is a Cano-Sapien, wrongfully murdered. His spirit cannot rest. He was once a Road Rover in training. Now he seeks to put the wrong things right. This..is his story.........


						THE CROW:
					          World of Rovers

The Rovers were facing their newest threat. General Parvo, Gustav Havoc, Zachary Storm, and Matt Slyness had joined forces. They unleashed their Fores on the populace of New York. The Rovers, the Strayers, and Indy Team quickly assembled all available resources and recruits to face this new threat. Among them was a Rough Collie by name of Calion. They all rushed to the city.

Hunter- "Okay! Everyone get into position and attack!"

The Rovers quickly took on every single member of the renegade armies. Calion faced off with five Cano-Mutants.

Calion-  "I'm curious. Any'a you guys heard the expression 'Fair Fight'?"

The Cano-Mutants growl at him.

Calion- "That's okay, neither have I."

Calion strafes them with a laser from his hands which knocks them all unconscious. 

Calion- "I love my job."

Meanwhile, the Strayers were dealing with Matt's mutants.

Herod- "So we meet again, Bear. I've waited a long time to kill you."

Bear- "Well, looks like that's gonna be a long wait then, fleabag!"

The Strayers and the Wolf-Mutants collide.

The batlle raged for hours. Finally, the Rovers, Staryers, and Indy team emerged victorious. Calion was lost deep in the city in the course of the fight. He emerged from the battered ruins of the city, and was soon confronted by two villains who had also been lost in the shuffle.

Parvo: "Well, well, well. It seems one of the Rovers didn't quite remember to leave after they'd won."

Herod: "Seems so. What a pity...what a pity." 

The two laugh maniacaly.

Calion- "If either of you had a brain, you'd be dangerous, you know that?"

Herod: You have a sharp tongue, insolent one, but my CLAWS, are SHARPER!"

Herod and Parvo attack Calion. After a few moments, they have subdued the young Cano-Sapien and bound him to the support beam of a nearly destroyed building.

Parvo- "You were GOOD, youngster, but not good enough to fight US."

They leave, and the building's foundations are destroyed, and the building collapses on top of Calion, almost killing him. The other Rovers had returned, looking for him. Upon hearing the destruction of the building, they immediately headed in that direction, and found him. He was in a bad way. They took him to RRMC. He died that very night.

LATER THAT WEEK.....

A funeral was held for the young sapien. The Rovers attended En Masse. After a few speeches, one given by the Master in which Calion was posthumously awarded Road Rover status, the coffin was lowered into the grave, which was placed in Calion's home town of New York City. A beautiful headstone was placed at the head of it which read:

					CALION DRAVEN
					 A collie who never
				           surrendered, and gave
				       his life to protect the innocent
				    from evil. Here this brave Road Rover
				   will stand ever vigilant, to watch out for
			                     Those who call out for justice.



					2 YEARS LATER............
It was a night as pitch black as the depths of space. Lightning and rain came spewing forth from the blackness, and a jet black crow alighted on the tombstone. The ground began to heave and split from below, as though someone...or someTHING, were pushing up the very ground from which Calion's grave was composed. The lid of a coffin pushed it's way ut of the ground, and a large form emerged, only to fall in a fetal position on the wet earth. After a moment, the creature rises as the crow gently lands on a nearby fence. The strange being beins to move forward, with the crow flying just slighty ahead and to the side of him, calling out it's base toned cries. The crow leads him to a nearby building which is some six stories tall. He enters from the roof, and enters an old apartment.

Creature- "I.....I REMEMBER this place.....my grandmother brought me here long ago. Told me the story of her owner....."

A voice that was not a voice replied.

"Yes. And now it is your nest, just as it was his."

The being moved into the light. It was Calion. He was no zombie, no mass of bones, or some freakish thing like that. He looked as strong and healthy as he did when he was first Transdogmafied.

Calion- "Who....who said that?"

"I did."

He looked around, trying to find the source of the voice.

"Over here, kibble for brains. The big black thing with the beak."

Calion looked at the large crow which had guided him to this place.

Calion- "Crows don't talk."

"Then you need glasses fido. Either that or you need to fetch a new brain. There's nobody else here, now is there?"

Calion- "I hear you talking, but I don't see your beak flapping."

"That's because I'm NOT speaking. I'm THINKING."

Calion- "Get outta town!"

"I'm serious, Rex."

Calion- "The name's CALION."

"I know it is, Butch."

Calion- "I oughtta SLUG you!"

"Ohhh, you one NASTY S.O.B. when you wann be, ain'tcha? Well, as your guide, I think it's time for your first lesson!"

With blinding speed, the crow flew at Calion and slashed open his face, then dodged as he lunged for him. Calion was about to turn around and beat the crow to death, when he saw the wound begin to heal up before his very eyes. In seconds, it was as though he had never been touched.

Calion- "What the H***?!"

"Surprise, Spot! You're INVINCIBLE! And I'M the source of your power. Still want to pound the S*** out of me?"

Calion smiled. If what the bird said was true, he could not be killed. And yet...was he not ALREADY dead? He had no real rememberance of himself until the name Calion escaped his muzzle. Suddenly, he was somewhere else, in his mind's eye, he saw others like him. He saw himself, talking amongst them, dressed in the same armor. He saw himself sharing jokes with a graceful collie. Swimming without care beside two German Shepards and a Doberman pincher. Working out with a massive siberian husky. Then his mind focused on two beings. Both retrievers. He saw one, who his strangely warped memeory told him was Hunter, showing him, of all things, how to stalk a tennis ball! Then he saw another, and for a moment, almost mistook it for Hunter. But then he realized it was female. Very similar to Hunter, but about a foot shorter. He immediately recognized her, and her name was foremost in his mind at that moment. She was the first dog he'd ever cared for, but she had affections for another. Still, they had become fast friends, and had shared good times in the short time he was among them. He grabbed his head and fell to the ground, writhing. He didn't want these memories, any of them, for they brought waves of searing pain. Particularly those memories of...

Calion- (Whisper) "Huntress."

"Ohh yeah, I forgot to tell you. You'll be getting flashes of memory now and again, and they can be triggered by anything. A touch, a taste, a smell, etc. And some will be pleasant, but a LOT will be painful. Looks like THAT one was a real stoner."

Calion- "Don't you EVER just shut the f*** up?!"

"Not usually. Some ignore me, and others find it impossible to resist the urge to speak to me. But I can hear your thoughts, and don't need you to speak to know what's on your mind."

Calion- "Then read this...."

"Well! PARDON MY BEAK!!"

Calion- "I'd sooner break it off."

Calion was ready for another of the bird's smart alec comments, but instead recieced another flash. This one caused by a distinct scent of face paint. He remembered the Road Rover Halloween party. He and the others appeared in his mind's eye, all dressed up in some way or another. Hunter was all decked out as Bart Simpson. Blitz had decided to show up as the Terminator (Bet you never saw it coming.) , Exile came as the Mummy, and Colleen showed up as Catwoman. Calion had decided to use a costume he'd created by hand. Huntress appeared as Mortica Addams, and was stunningly beautiful. Calion came out running as the entrance music of the Ultimate Warrior began to play. He had created a Warrior outfit, and  done the face paint job himself. It was a very good likeness. Hunter and the others all enjoyed the entrance. Then...it was gone. But Calion now felt drawn to the face paint. He reached for it, and went to work on himself. He painted dark cirles around his eyes, then on each one, he painted a line,  from slightly above his eye, to slightly below it. He then painted his mouth, and then created lines extending out and upward from it. All of it was in black. He looked at himself through the mirror, which Eric had shattered years ago.

Calion- "I like it."

"You should. You are a warrior now, Calion. And a warrior must be ready for combat."

Calion doesn't even need to have an explanation. He immediatly goes to the closet and grabs several clothing items which belong to the first Draven to be reborn. He knows these belonged to Eric somehow. But the why of this knowledge does not concern him. 

Calion- " (In thought) Nice. Now all I need is a trenchcoat to complete the ensomble."

A few moments later, the crow was flying over the rooftops with Calion close behind. The bird spotted a Cano-Mutant by the name of Tin Tin. It was one of the five he had fought earlier! Calion saw a large pile of soft trash he could land on, and so allowed himself to fall off the building. He landed hard, but amazingly began laughing.

"You run like a warrior.  You are the unleashed arrow.  Tonight we shall drink the blood of your enemies."

Calion again saw his quarry through the crow's skewed vision, and felt his Purpose gather itself around him. Fifteen feet away, a dead man awaited him--two dead men would meet tonight, and only one would walk away.  Tin Tin stiffened when he heard the maniacal laughter echoing eerily across the alley-way, but his tension increased when he saw the muscular figure approaching him through the rain.  He had no fear of the Cano-Sapien, not on his own turf and with his "friends" with him.  

Tin Tin- "What the f*** you all painted up for, crackhead, huh?" 

Tin Tin got no response from the eerie specter. 

Tin Tin- "Halloween ain't 'til maņana."  

Okay, the freako wanted to fight?  That was fine with Tin Tin--he wanted to kill somebody.  He threw away his cigarette and snatched out his knife.  

Tin Tin- "C'mon!" 

He challenged, eager for battle. That was his big mistake.
He shoved the flaming barrel into Calion's path, but Calion threw himself at Tin Tin in a rush of such sudden ferocity that it caught the other unawares, wary street-fighter though he was.  The mud of the filthy alleyway sprayed outward from their skidding bodies as they hit the ground, then Calion pinned the larger dog down, grabbing his flailing hands and holding the deadly knives away from him, his face twisted into unrecognizability by a snarl of animal fury.  Then Calion jerked the heavier dog to his feet and threw him almost casually across the alley, more easily than Tin Tin had thrown knives across the way.  He had never moved with such brutal savagery, and it filled him with fiery exultation--this violent killing rage of a grown dog who has lost everything that he loved. But he had to be violent to survive a battle like this. Tin Tin threw his fist at Calion's head, a terrible blow that should have shattered his skull, but all he did was shake it off and dive back at Tin Tin with a death's-head leer.  Again and again the big dog struck crippling blows that Calion shrugged off with little more than shouts of passing pain--even a vicious kick that landed between his legs did no more than double him over for a few seconds. He was only toying with Tin Tin--bouncing him against the alley wall with punishing backhand smacks that left him stunned but still fighting.  With one careless blow he knocked Tin Tin's knife out of his hand, sending it tumbling through the air to land amongst the hissing coals of the spilled fire.  He was almost enjoying himself.
He thrilled with bloodthirsty delight as he realized how incredibly strong he had become, and how nearly impervious to pain and injury he had become.  He remembered the cuts from the window healing in seconds on his palms, and knew he was experiencing more miracles and wonders.  

Calion- "Murderer!  Murderer!"  

He snarled after saying this as, with a fierce irresistible strength, he flung Tin Tin twenty feet across the alley where he slammed against the wall and lay stunned at its base.  Calion followed with a quick leap and immobilized him with pitiless hands, one fist drawn back for a killing blow.  But he didn't deliver it.  No ... that would be too quick, too easy--Tin Tin was going to have to die knowing why he died.

Tin-Tin-"I aint murdered nobody, man.  I don't f***in' know you, man.  What the f*** you want, man?" 

Tin Tin gasped, shaken as he'd never been shaken in his life--the guy was so damned strong, and nothing he did seemed to hurt him.

Calion- What's the matter, Tin Tin? Don't remember the dog that put you down during the big battle two years back on this same night?"

Images of the fight flashed through Calion's mind. And by the look of sudden recognition on Tin Tin's face, he knew that the Cano-Mutant who he was now. Tin Tin struck then, darting his head forward like the viper he was,stunning Calion to his knees.  Tin Tin's groping hands found a heavy iron pipe and he swung it heavily across the smaller dog, again and again, in spine-crushing, killing blows.Tin Tin danced triumphantly away, ready to finish off his macabre opponent.

Tin Tin- "Let me tell you about murder:  it's fun, it's easy. You gonna learn ALLL about it." 

Calion already knew more about murder than Tin Tin could ever imagine, and on this cold wet night,Calion was going to be his teacher. Arrogant in his ignorance, Tin Tin laughed, and with deadly ease snatched out two killing knives and carved the air flamboyantly; then, like a bullfighter confident of his victim, he turned his back, stalking away and shrugging off his long leather coat.  When he'd reached the distance he favored for throwing, he turned. 

Tin Tin- "I'd like you to meet two buddies of mine.  We never miss."  

But his confidence slipped a little when he saw his supposedly crippled opponent rise unsteadily to his feet and begin to come after him again.  He threw his first knife, a blurring flash straight to Calion's heart, but Calion stood easily before his adversary now, ducking with a swift, economical movement, and the blade passed harmlessly over his head.  

Calion- "Try harder," 

He straightened up and walked forward. The second knife flashed, and Calion batted it aside with a quick, careless movement of one hand.  

Calion- "Try again," 

He laughed, still coming on. He caught the third knife in his hands, effortlessly stopping its deadly trajectory just inches away from his face.  Tin Tin gasped in stunned 
disbelief. Then baring his teeth in a devil's snarl, Calion threw the evil blade back towards its owner, pinning him against a stack of pallets like a fly in a specimen case.  And finally, as his "friends" were turned against him one by one, Tin Tin knew what it felt like to be afraid, and he didn't like it.

Calion- "Victims," 

Calion smiled grimly, snatching yet another knife from his 
enemy and holding it like a dagger over his head, 

Calion- "aren't we all?"  

His hand descended, and there was the crunch of steel into flesh.Two dead men met in an alley ... and only one walked away.

LATER THAT NIGHT.........

Gideon made a good living working for the underworld as a Motorcycle dealer. He was already rich enough to retire. He also ran a pawn shop and weapons market in the large building on the lot. His high powered Harley-Davidsons made big bucks even outside of the mob. Now he was inside, counting the day's haul.  Calion stood before the steel grating of Gideon's Pawnshop, staring through the dirty glass at the dirty little man counting his dirty money in the back of the dirty shop.  

Gideon- "Hey! Get lost, we're closed!"

The vicious little man bellowed inside the shop when Calion pounded loudly on the padlocked gate.

Gideon- "Go sleep it off somewhere else, dusthead ... unless you wanna get mutilated."

Then Calion wrenched open the gate as if the lock were made of paper, and through the smeared glass he could see Gideon pull out his gun and angrily advance to challenge the intruder, muttering as he came.

Gideon- "D***ed creatures of the night--they never learn."

Calion ignored Gideon's warnings and tapped three slow, sepulchral knocks on 
the glass of the door; then, even as the dangerous little man warily approached, bold with the gun he carried, Calion smashed the glass, shattering it in an explosion of sound, and stepped casually through.  Out of the night, the crow skimmed past, buffeting the startled little man off of his feet and sending the pistol skidding across the floor.

Calion- "... Suddenly I heard a tapping, 
As if someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door. You heard me rapping, right?" 

Calion quoted sardonically, casually brushing broken glass off of his 
shoulder.

Gideon- "You're trespassing, And you owe me a f***in' new door."

Calion- "I'm looking for something in a dog collar. Red with a gold tag....."

Calion was completely ignoring him and sounding for all the world like a genuine customer.  Then he lowered his head and spread his empty hands into a wide, cruciform 
stance, offering no threat.  But Gideon scarcely even heard him--his scrambling hands had found his pistol and he raised it, taking trembling aim.

Gideon- "You're looking for a coroner, s***-for-brains," 

At this he pulled the trigger.The bullet slammed into Calion full in the chest, right over his heart, and exited his back in an explosive mist of blood, the force of it driving him backwards, while a flash of white-hot agony lanced through him.  He had felt this before! But this time ... it was different.  He stood in shock, looking down at his chest while the bullet hole shrank and healed itself in seconds, leaving only a charred hole in his tunic and the fading memory of a fleeting pain. He lifted his head, a grin of wolfish glee pulling his black-painted lips apart--a thin drool of saliva dripping off his lower lip was the only sign that he'd been affected by the bullet--and he laughed again with a dark, mad joy at this new evidence of his invulnerability. In utter horror, Gideon stared at him, gasping like a dying fish.  He shrieked, scuttling like the cockroach he was for the safety of his back counter and the weapons hidden there.  But Calion caught him before he'd gone inches and threw him completely across the room ... to land behind that same counter.  Hearing Calion's feet behind him, Gideon fumbled for a weapon, but he wasn't quick enough.  Calion leapt onto the counter, then high into the air as Gideon came up swinging a bat across the empty space that Calion had occupied an instant before. Confusion blanked the little man's fat face as he searched for the intruder, then stark terror when Calion swung past him, his painted face upside down and on a level with his own, like a child playing games on the monkey bars ... except, this was no game.  

Calion- "Mr. Gideon.  You're not paying attention," 

The upside down face smiled, as Calion ripped the bat from his hands and slammed it viciously against his head.  But the slimy little shopkeeper wasn't stopped that easily. Calion swung down and dropped to crouch on the counter before him like an attacking panther, and Gideon swung his arm to backhand Calion's face with a blow that would have broken his nose ... if it had connected.  But Calion caught his wrist and stopped it cold, as effortlessly as he would have caught a thrown ball.  Then he smashed the glass countertop in front of Gideon, reached through to snatch up one of the knives on display, and drove it through Gideon's hand, pinning him to the counter as he'd pinned Tin Tin to the stack of pallets.  Gideon screamed in horrified disbelief.

Calion- "I repeat, a red dog collar with a golden tag, yes?"

Calion reminded him implacably, muffling his yells of pain with a pitiless hand.  

Calion- "It was pawned here a year ago by a customer of yours named Tin Tin."  

Suddenly he leaped off of the counter, leaving Gideon trapped by the knife through his hand.  

Calion- "He confided in me before he ran out of breath," 

At this, Calion snarled, swinging around to stare back at Gideon with an expression of such savagery that the shopkeeper recoiled in stark terror.


The Road Rovers had been in the neighborhood, and were with the police. Huntress looked at Tin Tin as his body was carted out. She curled a lip in horror and disgust at the knives which had been  stabbed in every major organ in his body except the brain. He had also lost a great deal of blood. Then she noticed something, and pointed it out to a nearby officer by name of Albrecht.

Huntress- "What is that?"

Almost casually, knowing what he would see, Albrecht turned, letting his 
eyes travel across the outline of a giant bird which spanned over twenty 
feet.  

Albrecht- "Looks like some kind of calling card. We found that there when we found the Cano. Gotta say though that so far as I can tell, it looks, at least to ME anyways, like a CROW."

Calion raged through the pawnshop.  His mood had changed from bitter scorn to something much deadlier. he shouted, his tone more threat than question.

Calion- "Warmer?"

Gideon- "What're you doing?!" 

Gideon still could not believe this was happening. He was still pinned to the table, and now, some freak was ripping up his business!

Calion- "Don't you know this game?" 

Calion's voice wa harsh as he continued to leave a trail of destruction in his wake.

Gideon- "What game you talking about?" 

Gideon was gaping at the knife sticking through his hand. He finally realized he had to tell him where to find what he was looking for.

Gideon- "Okay, you want that collar? It's in the big ring box. It's on the shelf right under your knees.

Behind another counter, Calion found the metal box, and suddenly he went very still.  With an easy grace he crossed his legs and sank bonelessly to the floor, opening the box with trembling hands.  The gold tag stared at him, still attached to the collar. He knew that collar well, for it had been HIS. Again memory's acid fingers scorched his mind, and he saw the day he first gained that collar. He had just completed the second to last test required before becoming a Road Rover. He remembered Huntress, his fellow cadet giving him a high five and then a quick, friendly hug. Then, as quick as it had come, the memory was gone, just out of his reach again. Calion smashed through a door, knocking over several metal barrels. Gideon had finally managed to pry the knife out of his hand, and was in the process of wraping a dirty towel around it. He then went about searching for a weapon to use against this crazy freak. Calion came out with the ring box, and a very dagerous shotgun. The collar now adorned his neck. From behind him was the smell of gasoline.

Calion- "You have one chance to live."

Gideon- "Look man, take anything you want."

Calion- (Sarcastic) "Thank you."

Gideon- "Take anything!"

Gideon watched in horror as Calion poured gasoline all over his counter. He then threw the container aside and stared at Gideon with eyes so cold they cold have frozen the blood in a man's veins.

Calion- "Now you're going to tell me where I can find the rest of Tin Tin's little party pals."

Gideon- "They all hang out at the Kennel. All of K-Dog's little patato heads. Funboy--he lives there upstairs...alright?"

Calion- "Funboy.....a whole jolly club, with jolly little pirate nicknames!"

As he delievered this venomous sentence, he smashed the remaining glass in the counter. Gideon fliched with each crash.

Calion- "DON'T MOVE!"

The command froze the little bald man where he was. Calion began to flick ring after ring at him.

Calion- "Each one of these, is a life. A life you helped destroy...."

Gideon dropped to his knees and put his hands on the counter's remains, desperate for his life.

Gideon- "Look man, I'm begging you. Don't kill me."

Calion- "I'm not going to kill you. Your job, will be to tell the rest of them that death is coming for them...Tonight!"

He loaded the remaining rings into the barrel of the gun.

Calion- "Tell them Calion Draven send his regards."

Gideon- "You walk outta here, they're gonna erase your sorry ***! You're nothing but street grease! You hear me? Street Grease!"

Calion had stopped and grabbed a fairly new eletric guitar, which was jet black. He turned back to Gideon and smiled.

Calion- "Is that GASOLINE I smell?"

Gideon knew what this freak was planning as he walked out the door. Giedon quickly ran to the back, and hastily undid the lock to the back door and jumped out just as a gunshot was heard, and the store burst into flames. Calion turned around and headed towards a large jet black and chrome Harley Davidson. He was almost there when he heard a familiar voice.

Huntress- "Don't move! Hey! I said don't move."

Calion was stunned that she was here. But then, his sarcastic side immediately took the challenge.

Calion- (Sarcastic) "I always thought law enforcement agents said 'Freeze'."

Huntress was holding a gun aimed directly at his head.

Huntress- "Yeah, well I AM a law enforcement agent, and I say don't move. You move and you're DEAD snow white!"

Calion smiled playfully, mocking raised his hands and then laughed,

Calion- (Sarcastic) "And I say I'm dead......and I move."

Huntress- "Not one more step...I'm serious!"

Calion bowed in gentle mockery.

Calion- "Then shoot me, if you will...Huntress."

Huntress stood dumbfounded for a moment. So far as she knew, she had never met this bizarre individual, yet he spoke as if he knew her. Now that she got a chance to get a close look at him, she was freaked out. He was painted up like something out of a bad "B" movie. 

Huntress- "Okay you, on the curb. I'm calling for back-up. You're too weird for me."

Calion simply sat down there on the curb and looked at Huntress with a sad smile.

Calion- "You don't remember me, do you?"

Huntress- "Never seen you before in my life."

Calion- "What about Calion. Do you remember Calion Draven?"

Huntress- "Calion Draven's DEAD my friend."

The sound of a car pulling up attracted Huntress' attention for the briefest of moments. When she turned back to Calion, both he, and the massive Motorcycle were gone.

Huntress- "Great. Just great. Guy shows up looking like a mime from H***, and you loose him right out in the open. Well, at least he didn't do any of that 'walking against the wind' S***. I hate that."

SOME TIME LATER.........

Huntress was sitting at the old "Deceased operatives" desk in Road Rover Mission Control. Since her encounter with the macbre Cano-Sapien outside Gideon's she felt drawn here. She was intrigued as well. The psychopath had walked without fear into a gun that would have ripped him in half. He had even called her by name as though he knew her. And then there was the name. Draven. CALION Draven. A Road Rover recruit who died before becoming a fully fledged member. She remembered Draven as the cheerful and sarcastic sort. They had become fast friends. Why had this creature asked her if she remembered him? And then if she remembered Draven? Then, as she returned to RRMC, she seemed to think that there WAS something familiar about the mysterious creature she had encountered. Finally, she found what she was looking for. An old photo of Draven taken not long before his death. His entire file was there, including his death. She was disturbed from her reverie by a knock on the door.

Hunter- "You've been in here all day, sis. What's up?"

Huntress- "Just looking for something."

Hunter picks up the file foilder and reads the name.

Hunter- "Calion Draven? What are you doing with this file sis? Draven's been dead for two years."

Huntress isn't paying attention. She is drawing something on a picture of the young collie's face. It is an exact reproduction of Calion's face paint. That's when she realized why he seemed so familiar. But she knew that Draven was dead. And he had no brothers. Twin or otherwise. Could it be possible? Had Draven come back from the other side? If so, why? And why destroy Gideon's?

Hunter- "Sis, does this have anything to do with that weirdo you described in your report when you got back?"

Huntress- "I don't know Hunter. I really don't."

MEANWHILE........

The crow had led Calion to the Pit. It flew into the window of Funboy's room, and saw him and his girlfriend nuzzling. They were high and in a drug induced stupor. The Crow cawed loudly, and Funboy's girlfriend, a gorgeous young Rottweiler heard it clearly, which in itself was a feat, considering how high she was.

Rottweiler- "There's a big f***ing bird over there."

He was on a serious nod, all his reason seduced by the poisonous fumes of 
the drug in his veins, barely able to slew his head around to look at the 
crow gravely watching him.  

Funboy- "It's a squab!"

He was totally out of it. The Crow simply sat there. Staring at him. 

"What a crackhead."

Of course, since the Crow didn't want Funboy to hear him, he didn't.

Funboy- "C'mere, bird.  Hey, birdie, birdie.  Here birdie, here 
birdiebirdiebirdie ... "  

It was the funniest joke he'd heard all day. Then Calion stepped in through the window, the guitar he'd taken from Gideon's slung over his shoulder, and walked unnoticed into the room.  

Calion- "Here Funboy."

The voice was cold. And the figure which stopped to brush it's head against the bare bulb in the center of the room was the WEIRDEST looking thing Funboy had ever seen in his life. The massive Irish Setter looked at him and his jaw nearly went through the floor. 

Funboy- "What the f***?"

Calion raised one hand and made a mock rush towards the bed. Funboy and his girlfriend, momentarily frightened, jumped back in startle.

Funboy- "Hey! Don't!"

Calion stopped right in front of them and laughed.
He casually turned and placed his guitar on a nearby coatrack as Funboy began fumbling for his gun.

Funboy- "'S time for you to get your bird and leave, freako."

Of course, bullets were no more of a threat to Calion now than a spitball,  and 
all he did was drag up a chair and straddle it, grinning at Funboy, his 
teeth flashing against his black-painted lips.  Then he lifted his right 
hand and placed it flat against the muzzle of the gun.

Calion- "Take your shot, Funboy.  You got me, dead bang."  

For a long moment the three of them were immobile--Calion waiting patiently, with a look of madness in his eyes, Funboy and his girl frozen in amazement--while the pulsing lights from the boombox reflected hypnotically off of the gleaming metal of the gun barrel. Shaken out of his stupor, Funboy gaped at him in astonishment, then giggled.  

Funboy- "You are seriously f***ed up. Did you look in a mirror? ... You 
need professional help." 

Funboy then pulled the trigger, causing the young female Rottweiler to jump in surprise. The first sharp pain wrung a cry from him as he staggered back and spun away, but it was gone in an instant, and he smirked to himself as he continued to cry out in pretended agony.  Behind him, Funboy leapt to his feet and bounced up and down on the bed, cheering like a triumphant teenager:  

Funboy- "Bingo!  Hah, he shoots!  He scores!"

But his glee faded when Calion turned, holding up his bloody hand, not crying out in pain but laughing and whooping in imitation of Funboy's own cheers.  With a demented playfulness he peered at them through the ragged hole, then howled in triumph when it closed and healed even as they watched. Funboy could only stare in horror and gasp in shock.

Funboy- "Je-sus Chr-ist!"  

But, like Gabriel with a mouse, Calion hadn't finished toying with his prey.

Calion- "Jesus Christ ... stop me if you've heard this one ..." 

For all the world, he seemed to be striking up a conversation, sounding like everyone who'd ever told a bad joke, dazzling them with his change of mood.  Lifting his arms and spreading them wide, he stood completely vulnerable before Funboy, not offering any resistance at all.

Calion- "...  Jesus Christ walks into a hotel ..."  

Funboy couldn't figure out what he was playing at, but he had one answer for anything that confused him and he used it again, shooting Calion in the shoulder, staggering him back a few paces.  But Calion only glanced at the wound as it vanished and dismissed it with a mocking..... 

Calion- "Ow." 

Then, with his hands clasped behind him and a deranged dancing/seesaw gait, he half walked, half skipped towards Funboy. 

Calion- " ... He hands the innkeeper three nails, and he asks ..."  

Another bullet slammed into him, in the stomach this time, doubling him over, driving him back a few feet.

Funboy- "Don't you ever f***in' die?!"

Funboy screamed hoarsely, panting with terror as he stood on the shaking bed, never realizing that Calion had already died at his hands ... two years earlier. Calion ignored him as he finished the bitterly ironic "joke" he was telling.


Calion- "...'Can you put me up for the night?'"  

It was several hours later and many miles away, across the city. In the home the top Ganglord of New York. K-Dog was NOT happy. He had been in a depression for some time. He no longer felt HUNGRY. No longer felt he had anything worthwhile to do. And the announcement from J-Hawk that Tin Tin had been murdered with his own weapons was worse news. Parvo had once been a major player in the New York Underworld. But K-Dog had ousted him and then become the top crimelord in New York. First Gideon's place went down, then Tin Tin is found with his own blades sticking out of all his organs in alphabetical order. And word on the street was that it was the result of the same individual. K-Dog had his doubts about the word on the Street this time. Tin Tin was the best knife hound in New York. Scratch that-in the WORLD. Who could have beaten him? Let alone with his OWN knives?!

Voice- "There are forces aligning against you."

K-Dog didn't even bother to look for the source of the voice. Sheshia, his sister, walked into the room. Sheshia was a unique character. The slim Young husky was beautiful by ANYONE'S standards, human or animal. She also was into the Supernatural. Many said she had studied the supernatural with the legendary Warwolf, who was well known for his connections to the uneartly. However, K-Dog highly doubted it.

K-Dog (Gravelly voice)- "As usual. But this time it isn't the cops or the Government of New York. This time it's someone new. Have you heard the stories yet about Tin Tin and Gideon's?"

Sheshia- "Yes. But there is something YOU have not heard."

K-Dog- "Oh? Like what?"

Sheshia- "When Tin Tin's body was found, a drawing of a bird was found on the wall of the building he was found next to. What is disturbing is the bird that was drawn."

K-Dog- "Oh? What bird was it?"

Sheshia- "A Crow."

Huntress paced the halls if Mission Control. She was now CERTAIN that Calion Draven was the Cano-Sapien who had destroyed Gideon's shop. But her mind told her that it was IMPOSSIBLE! Calion Draven was Two Years dead. She herself had attended the funeral. She had been in the emergency room while Colleen and every available medical expert the Rovers had tried valiantly to save his life. After nearly 30 hours, Calion had died. He was one of her closest friends. But now...now Calion- or something POSING as Calion, had shown up, and had taken out Tin Tin, and then Destroyed Gideon's. Blitz came up the hallway. 

Blitz- "Ach, Huntress, you're going to make your self crazy. Calion Draven is long Dead. This guy must be an imposter."

Huntress wanted to believe what Blitz said was true. But she found it hard to do so.

Huntress- "I wish I had your confidence, Blitzie. But if this guy is an imposter, then he's a d**ned good one. He had everything about Calion right except for the black clothing. The eyes, the sarcasm, even Calion's VOICE!!!"

Blitz had no answer. He had read the report himself. And even HE was wondering if it was really Calion. 

Calion meanwhile was riding towards California. He had souped up the chopper according to the Crow's design. Amazingly, a single tank of gas got him halfway across the nation. He stopped and quickly refueled, and then was on his way again. There was a large thunder storm pouring over most of the state at the time. Howevere, he knew exactly where to go. He soon arrived at the old trapdoor leading underground to Mission Control. He touched the transmitter on his collar, and the door opened in response. He and the crow entered. A short few minutes later and they were in the underground world of the Road Rovers. Calion felt the intoxicating rush of fond memories that he had made here. Especially with Huntress. Then he noticed something. Under a tree where Calion used to simply sit under and think, was marked by a strange glinting object. His curiousity aroused, he approached the old tree. There he saw a small plaque which read: In memory of Calion, a great freind. may his light shine forever.

"They never forgot you Calion. They never will."

Calion- "I know. It's hard to believe they would do this for me. On top of the comments they put on my tombstone."

"Enough sentimentality. We're here on a mission."

Indeed they were. Calion knew all the nooks and crannies of Mission Control. He knew how to get in and out without being seen. He made his way to the armory, and took what weaponry he needed and then left. However, as he left behind the motorcycle in the ancient warehouse which was to be his California base behind, He caught sight of Huntress again. She looked upset over something. His first impulse was to go to her and try to help her as he had in times past. But then he remembered that he was supposed to be dead. And seeing her again could endanger the mission. However, as he saw moving at super speed, not noticing the car that was approaching, he stopped thinking of the mission. With unearthly speed that would make even The Flash jealous, Calion sped to Huntress and pulled her out of harm's way just seconds before she would have been hit. 

Huntress- "Geez! Another second and I'd have been street pizza! Thanks!'

Calion had his back to her so she wouldn't notice who he was. he knew that the rain would shield his scent from her as well.

Calion- (Disguised voice)  "Think nothing of it. Any self respecting Cano-Sapien would have done the same."

Huntress walked out into the street again, but this time there was no traffic.

Huntress- "It's been raining almost endlessly for two years. I wish it'd stop raining just ONCE."

Calion- "It can't rain all the time."

Huntress stopped and her eyes nearly tripled in size. She whipped around in shock.

Huntress- "CALION?!"

But nobody was there. He had vanished once again. Huntress was less than thrilled, and more than a bit frightened.

Huntress- "Get with it, girl! Calion is DEAD!!!!! You saw it yourself!!!"

Twenty ,iles out of town, Calion brought the bike to a stop. he inwardly cursed himself for making a slip like that. He couldn't let ANYONE know he had returned from the Other side, not even the dog he considered his best friend. He had made the same slip in New York as well. He determind NOT to let it happen again.