The Silver Bullet Club (Started)

Daniel Nitram

Where do we go from here

It had been two weeks since the events at the church and ten days since Chris's funeral, but still the images haunted me. I knew it wasn't healthy to dwell on these things especially seeing as I knew Chris wouldn't want me to. The rest of the club were just as messed up as me if not physically then mentally, especially Andrea who had sustained a broken arm from the man named Angel. Not to mention that Chris's sacrifice was made in vain as Angel had still escaped with Em. As of late I had begun to walk down an old path in the forest near my home with Johnathan, Chris and I used to roam around here talking and making jokes. At first I had hoped that with my knowledge of Chris's old haunts and Johnathan's power we might could find Chris's ghost but eventually I had decided that it was futile.

With my money I had made sure everyone had proper medical treatment, and with some well placed bribes had gotten the minimal amount of questions asked about the events at the church. Following Chris's wishes I had made sure the children were taken care of I had actually told his parents that when babysitting was needed I would always be available. Since the events at the church a meeting hadn't occurred not officially. We all were spending time together and avoiding being alone as best we could. I had recently started distancing myself from Akiza since the funeral loosing Chris made me more cautious about who it was safe to tell what I was.

As I walked through the old forest again my mind went back to that night, when I had smacked some sense in to him before the church and all that transpired. Suddenly I had an image of Chris that night smiling at me dying on the floor. Suddenly it hit me, what the hell were we all doing, Chris had sacrificed himself in order to save Em's life and we were all to busy moping to save her from those that had captured her. Well enough was enough. I grabbed my cell phone out of my jacket pocket and called Andrea, "we're having a meeting at my house call everyone we need to save Em." I hung up before she could respond.

I walked back to my house thinking up a plan to save Em as I was walking to my house I bumped into someone. I looked up to find Akiza in front of my door waiting for me, "oh hi I'm actually glad you're here we needed to talk." She was a normal human like Chris, but some part of me said it was better she knew, "Akiza the truth about how I healed is," I paused worried about how she'd respond. "I'm a reanimated corpse with some sort of healing spell cast over me." She looked shocked to say the least and I stood there waiting for her response.

Akiza

I dropped onto the sofa in the living room were finally finished moving in. Everything had been unpacked and put in the proper place, though only after the carpenter had come to lay down the new carpet and after the maintenance guy had come to turn on the water and the pipes, which took an entire week. Then it took another week for us to get everything in order. Since it was the middle of the week, there was no point in going to school. I wasn't registered anyway, and neither was Axel. Neither Mom nor Axel were home at the moment. They'd gone out to run a few errands, so I was here by my lonesome. I'd just finished putting my room and the music room together.

My mind wandered over to Daniel, who hadn't I hadn't really seen much of since our date. Something was wrong. When I saw him the next day, there was so much pain in his eyes. Such a feeling of loss and guilt and mourning, it knocked the breath right out of me. It took everything I had not drop on the spot because of the overwhelming emotion running through him. He'd also started to pull away from. Whenever he spotted me, he go in the opposite direction. Daniel was on my mind more often than not, though I hate to admit it. Our date had gone so well, or so I'd thought. Thinking back, I couldn't remember a time when he hadn't been smiling or laughing. And then there was when I kissed him. I hadn't picked up on any feelings that would suggest he hadn't liked it. So what exactly was going on with him? I planned to find out.

After hopping in the shower and dawning on a pair of shorts, a black tank top that said What You Wish You Could Get With, my shades, and shoes before heading over to his house.



I knocked as I came to a stop on his door step. The only thing I could do now was wait. Nothing happened. I knocked once more, but after doing so, someone bumps into me from behind. Instead of turning around and putting whoever it was in a choke hold like instinct dictated, the feeling of surprise flutters through and halts my reaction, and I turned to see Daniel. Surprise in deed "Oh ,hi. I'm actually glad you're here. We need to talk."

His emotions stirred and now worry set in. Hm. What's this about?

"Akiza, the truth about how I healed is," he pauses for a moment, though i'm not whether or not it was for me, or for him. "I'm a reanimated corpse with some sort of healing spell cast over me."

Wow. That certainly wasn't what I was expecting to be the first thing out of his mouth. That was quite the surprise. For a moment I just stood there, watching him fidget as he waited for me to answer. His anxiousness made me smile. "Well ," I put a hand on my hip. "that wasn't exactly what I was expecting, but Ok."

He blinked for a moment, his shock becoming the dominant emotion. "I just didn't expect you to be...."

"What? You thought I wouldn't be able to handle it or something?" I raised an eyebrow.

"I just wasn't expecting it to go so smoothly." he ran a hand through his oddly colored hair with a sigh.

Sensing his relief made me smile. "I've always been the kind of person who accepts people as they are, so you don't have to worry."

"So is this why you've been avoiding me?" I ask.

"No," he rubbed the back of his neck. "I lost a friend that night after I left your house, and I've just been feeling down lately."

That explains all of the grief. I stepped forward to wrap my arms around you. "I'm sorry you had to go through that."

He stood there for a moment, to stunned to do anything, then slowly wrapped his arms around me and bury his face in my neck. We stood together like that for what seemed like forever. Forlorn. Downhearted. sad. Sorrow. I kiss him on the cheek and step back slightly, putting a hand on his cheek. "Don't worry. Eventually the pain will fade."

His hand wrapped around mine he pressed his cheek against my palm. I could already feel pain begin to ebb. "Maybe."

"At least that explains everything I've been feeling for the past two weeks." I laughed.

A frown of confusion formed on his face and he looked at me. "What are you talking about?"

"I've been picking up on someone's strong emotions for the past two weeks, and as it turns out, I've been picking up on your feeling over your friend's passing." I say.

"But why would you be picking up on my feelings?" he frowns again.

With my other hand, I push my shades up the bridge of my nose. "I'm an Empath, Daniel. And for some reason i'm more attuned to your emotions than anyone else."

"Hm...." he sighs. "is there anything else I should know about?"

I kiss him on his cheek and smile as I pull my hand away from his. "About my powers? Yes."

"I sense a 'but' coming." he sighed once more.

"But," I say. "your friends are here."

Andrea - Stone Manor -

Two weeks since Chris' death, two weeks since my arm got broken, how did this happen? I failed in my duty to protect those in the club, Chris' death sent a shock though the club, we no longer were some teenagers with powers, we were hunted after for our powers, powers to create, powers to destroy. Em, I hope nothing has happened to her since she was captured, I could only imagine the tests or mistreatment she has suffered. My only escape from my frustrations has been Sam, we stuck together, it had been two weeks since we officially started dating. Our days together have been filled with kisses, hugs, sleep overs, we had taken care to stay away from talks about boys or other possible relationship partners. It took her awhile to return to her original form, not Samantha Greendale, but Samantha Heikkinen, I honestly told her, the original is the best, for no one else can match the sheer natural beauty she had. I let Sam learn a lot about me, telling her I had always been secretly gay, but I did have a few relationships with guys in the past, even fewer longer lasting relationships with a woman or two.

So where was I now? the Greendale Home every day after school, I had helped take down all the pictures of the Greendale family, since seeing all the pictures just staring at us as we had our make out sessions that ended in giggles and playful pushes. The first few days after the events, all I could do was cry my eyes out, I had failed and now I didn't feel like the leader I should be. But what I should be feeling now, was anger and the frustration of my failures. When the call came in for a meeting, I knew Daniel wanted us to stop wallowing in our sorrows in the aftermath of losing Chris and Em, and the best part of it all I had something new to demonstrate for the club. Something I had accidently done to Sam, and now she was willing to let me use her to demonstrate what my mind reading has become thanks to my anger and frustration.

So there we were, everyone was at Stone Manor I was sitting at a desk, a cast on my arm thanks to Daniel's deep pockets, Sam sat on a couch close to the desk, they both made there way towards Stone Manor when I got the call, I took out my IPhone and sent a text out to the group.

To: T.S.B.C

Meeting, Stone Manor, assemble when possible.

Simple text, people would understand, Daniel and a girl walk in, I didn't recongize her from before.

"Who's your friend Daniel?" I asked in almost a whisper.

"This is Akiza, she's my girlfriend," he said.

"Ah, so this is Akiza, Daniel has mentioned you a few times, I am Andrea, this here is Sam," I said waving to the both us.

Sam waved but the girl stepped forward as if looking around the room taking it in, I only continued to talk.

"Me, Sam, Daniel, and a few others are a study-"

"She knows Andrea, about me at least," Daniel said.

"She does?" I asked.

"Yes, I'm sorry, but she's my girlfriend, she deserves to know who I am," he said.

"I see, take a seat then, wait for others to arrive, then we'll clear up who we are," I said.

Just like that, we had a second member without powers, Chris' death left a hole in the group, an unwelcomed hole, I was eager to demonstrate what I could, what I learned to do for the others. I knew now, I had the power to take on that beast that the Club fought at the church, and this time, when we do fight, things will be different. And that is a promise.

Spoiler

Sorry I haven't posted in a while. I'm back now ^^

Samantha Heikkinen - Two couples, at the Stone Manor

I had been useless at the church. When that man grabbed my head I panicked. Jonathan had told me that he was going to crush my head, and that I would die, so I panicked. I used my powers in the only way I could think of and turned into him. It worked. He freaked out and let me go. I survived without any injuries, but the others were not so lucky. Both Em and Chris were gone now, and I doubted that Em was still alive. 'Cause I had just joined the club I didn't know them as well as the others, but I still felt that horrible hole in my chest. Something was missing, and I knew it was them. The others still thought that Em was alive, but why would they spare her? Andrea had yelled at me for thinking such things, but I couldn't help it. Either she was dead or they were doing horrible things to her. At least she wouldn't feel any pain if she was dead.

Me and Andrea were sitting in a room at the Stone Manor. Same room we had met in before. Daniel had called Andrea earlier and we had hurried to get here, just to realize that the others weren't here yet. Not even Daniel.

I glanced over at Andrea as she texted the others, telling them to come to the meeting. We were officially a couple now. A couple. Just thinking it gave me a warm feeling. I know I shouldn't be so happy, not with everything that had happened, but I really loved Andrea. I hadn't told her yet though, 'cause this wasn't the right time. But then again, I probably didn't need to tell her. I let her read my mind as she wanted so she should have found out by now.

I was pulled from my thoughts as the door opened and Daniel and a girl I didn't recognize stepped inside. "Who's your friend Daniel?" Andrea asked quietly.

"This is Akiza, she's my girlfriend," he said. I blinked. When had that happened? The girl seemes just as surprised as I was, but she didn't argue with him.

"Ah, so this is Akiza, Daniel has mentioned you a few times, I am Andrea, this here is Sam." I waved and smiled. "Me, Sam, Daniel, and a few others are a study-"

"She knows Andrea, about me at least," Daniel said. I tensed slightly, but forced myself to relax again. I had been jumpy before but since the event in the church every possible danger seemed like a death threat.

"She does?"

"Yes, I'm sorry, but she's my girlfriend, she deserves to know who I am." Well, that was true, but still. How did he know he could trust her?

"I see, take a seat then, wait for others to arrive, then we'll clear up who we are." Yes, clear up who we are and then Andrea could show the others what she could do. I had agreed to let her show her mind controlling ability on me but I wasn't sure how I felt about it. I wasn't too fond of being controlled, but since it was Andrea it would be fine.


Jonathan Summers - Nightmares, at Jonathan's house and the Stone Manor

Blood. There was blood everywhere. Blood, crosses, demons and spirits. The others were there too. They were dead. Dead or about to be. Screams of agony cut through my head like a knife. The pain, it was indescribable. My head was going to implode, or explode, I wasn't sure which. All I knew was that it hurt and I didn't want to be here. I didn't want to see this. I didn't want to see my friends die over and over, in new ways every time. I tried to scream, but my mouth wouldn't open. It was impossible to move. Why? Why couldn't I move? The answer that came to me wasn't pleasant. 'It's because you're dead, John. Just like me.'

I gasped for breath and sat up with a jolt. Chris' accusing voice still ringed in my ears, and my headache was worse than ever. I looked around wildly, realizing that I was laying in my bed and that Yenna was sitting on a chair next to me. She was asleep. What had happened? I had been out searching for Chris together with Daniel, then I had come home and then.. Then everything was black.

The sudden sound of my phone startled me. It was laying on my nightstand, so I picked it up. 17 unread texts. How was that even possible? I didn't usually get many texts, and now I had 17? I checked them, on by one. They were all from the club members. 'Where are you?' and 'Why weren't you in school today?' were the most common ones. The last one was from Andrea. We were supposed to gather at Daniel's house. When I looked at the date I got a chock. I had been asleep for over a week? That was impossible.

I started to get up when I felt a hand on my shoulder. The vision of Yenna's peaceful death flashed by again as she wrapped her arms around me. "You're finally awake. How are you feeling, son?"

"Headache," I said quietly. "But other than that I'm fine." I didn't usually lie to Yenna, but I didn't want her to worry. I felt weak and exhausted, my head was killing me, merely holding my phone up was challenging. Of I told her that she wouldn't let me go. "Andrea texted me. I have to go to Daniel's place."

"No, you do not." Her harsh tone surprised me. "You have a fever and I haven't been able to get you to drink or eat anything. You're staying home tonight. I know you want to help you friends, but you're no use if you faint as soon as you get there."

"I have to go," I said shortly. I knew she was just trying to take care of me, but I was going to drag myself to that meeting even if I fainted on the way there.

She seemed to realize that there was no use in trying to convince me, and let out a loud sigh. "Fine, but you're not leaving until you've eaten and taken a bath. Oh, and some aspirin too."

I nodded and she went to fetch some food from the kitchen. Half an hour later I was ready to leave. I had realized that I wouldn't be able to walk the whole way to Daniel's house, so I asked Yenna to drive me there. Before she let me out of the car I had to promise that I would call immediately if I got any worse.

I made my way up to the room - trying my best to ignore the spirits that immediately charged at me - where I knew the others would be waiting, and in one of the hallways I saw a mirror. I stopped to stare at myself. I had dark bags under my eyes, my skin was sickly pale, I had lost weight and my eyes was watery. No wonder Yenna was worried. I looked like a walking corpse, and not a healthy one like Daniel.

"Hey guys," I said with a weak smile as I entered the room. All the others were already there. "Sorry I'm late."

"Don't take this the wrong way, but you look like crap."

"Thanks, Daniel," I said with as much sarcasm as I could muster. "Apparently I've been out for a week. Yenna was just about to call the hospital." I sank down in an armchair, letting out a sigh of relief as I did. "I think I was in a trance or something. The things I saw it was just.." My voice trailed of as I realized there was a new person in the room.

"Don't worry about me, I know," she said quickly. "I'm Akiza."

"Oh," was all I managed to say. There was a spirit standing in front of her, begging for my attention. I shook my head to regain my focus. Unfortunately the world didn't stop shaking just because my head did. I rubbed my temples, hoping that it would stop. "I'm.." I looked up at her. The spirit had moved out of the way. "I'm Jonathan."

"What were you saying before?" Andrea asked. She sounded worried.

"I was in a trance. I guess I saw the future, it was all very confusing. I can't say anything specific, other than that it's going to be bloody, and we're all going to die. Unless we do something about it, that is." I looked around. "Did I interrupt something?"

Spoiler

Oh, and I just realized something. The picture in Samantha's profile is the picture of Samantha Greendale. This is how Samantha really looks (though she only shows herself like this to Andrea):

Akiza

As the first of Daniel's friends arrive we head inside. The one named Andrea saddles next to Daniel and asks, "Who's your friend Daniel?"

I guess she thought she was quiet enough to where she could hear me, but she wasn't.

"This is Akiza, she's my girlfriend," Daniel repiled.

I almost tripped over my feet in shock. With Andrea's surprise ringing through loud and clear, i'm surprised she didn't either. I look at Daniel for a moment, but he's looking at Andrea. As we stop, I look around, taking in everything I see, but keep my ears tuned on the conversation.

"Ah, so this is Akiza, Daniel has mentioned you a few times, I am Andrea, this here is Sam," Andrea said, waving to her and Sam.

I smiled as she waved at me, but my eyes kept wandering. The slight shift of Andrea's mood cued me to look over at her. She was about to lie to me.

"Me, Sam, Daniel, and a few others are a study-" she began, but was interrupted.

"She knows Andrea, about me at least," Daniel said.

"She does?" Andrea asked, looking at me with her eyes wide.

"Yes, I'm sorry, but she's my girlfriend, she deserves to know who I am," he said.

"I see, take a seat then, wait for others to arrive, then we'll clear up who we are," she said.

Her mood shifted again. Determination. I looked at her for a moment, wondering what had her all riled up. Then I zeroed in on Sam. She didn't trust me.

Just then, another person walked in. He looked like hell. The dark circles under his eye told me everything I needed to know.

"Hey guys," he smiled weakly. "Sorry I'm late."

"Don't take this the wrong way, but you look like crap." Daniel laughed.

"Thanks, Daniel," he said with as much sarcasm as he could muster. "Apparently I've been out for a week. Yenna was just about to call the hospital."

He sank down in an armchair, letting out a sigh of relief. "I think I was in a trance or something. The things I saw it was just.." his voice trailed of as he realized I was there.

"Don't worry about me, I know," I say quickly. "I'm Akiza."

"Oh," was all he managed.

All of a sudden he shook his head. Agitation set in and he rubbed his temples. He looked up at me. "I'm... I'm Jonathan."

"What were you saying before?" Andrea asked, worry dominant on her feature and coming off of her in waves.

"I was in a trance. I guess I saw the future, it was all very confusing. I can't say anything specific, other than that it's going to be bloody, and we're all going to die. Unless we do something about it, that is." he looked around. "Did I interrupt something?"

It was quiet for a moment. No one spoke. I spoke up. "Well, it's obvious you guys have thing to talk about, so i'm going to wander around and look through your stuff."

I turned to take me leave, but Daniel grabbed my wrist. "Wait. I want you to stay."

I gently pulled away from his grip. The whirl of emotion coming off of him was disorienting. "This is your thing. Not mine."

"But-"

"Sam doubting your trust in me," I interrupt. "Andrea's unwelcome feelings give me the impression she doesn't want me here, and I can feel Jonathan's head ache and ragged emotion aren't helping anything."

He frowned and opened his mouth to speak, but I cut him off. "Just call if you need me."

I kissed him on the cheek and walked off down the hallway.

"Get back here, now," Andrea said her voice full of authority.

I stopped and turned to look at her with raised eye brows. "Excuse me?"

I guess she really didn't want me here, or something. If she wanted me to come back all she had to do was call me back.

"Your not that subtle with your words, I have given you no reason to feel unwelcome," Andrea said, her eyes meeting mine, though she couldn't really see them.

"I wasn't trying to be subtle." I shrugged, walking back into the room.

"Then explain how would you have known that I dislike the fact that your joining our group despite you not being like me, Daniel, or Sam?" Andrea inquired.

The suspicion and mistrust roiling off of her had me massaging the bridge of my nose under my shades.

"Who said anything about me joining your group?" I sighed. I just came here to talk with Daniel."

"You're going to have to, unfortunately, you know Daniel's secret, which means, you know the group's secret, I can't simply let you walk away from here, especially due to possible evidence that you, Akiza, are an empathtic, a person who can feel others emotions possibly even change those emotions though practice," Andrea said coldly.

"You found out my not-so-secret-secret!! Hallelujah!! " I threw my hands in the air. "And I didn't know about your club or your secret. I knew about Daniel's secret, so don't assume what you don't you don't know."

The ache in my head grew. Jonathan's head ache must be getting worse. I massaged more insistently on the bridge or my nose. My eyes darted around the room. I saw a light flicker and a lamp shake. Oh lord. Instead of standing, I walked over to the couch and sank into it with an agitated sigh.

"It's obvious, you don't realize the risks, we've had a member captured, another killed because of one single persons carelessness, because I failed to stop someone from taking and killing as he pleased. My broken arm is just a start, our dead friend is just the start, our captured friend is just the start. If were not careful from now on, much more is gonna happen, and that's if you don't start shutting up about what you can do. We're all at risk, and if we're not careful, we could loss it all," Andrea said as she stood up and came around the desk.

Her anger was really make it hard for me to concentrate on not let my power run amok.

I sighed again. "Ok, first of all, you need to pop a happy pill or something, because this isn't helping anything. Second of all, I wasn't being careless because I knew if something was up with Daniel, then his friends probably weren't normal either. Third, i've always been careful when it comes to what I can do, because I don't take it lightly like you seem to think. Fourth, don't think I don't know what you're feeling, because I've felt all of it for the last two weeks."

"Then realize how bad the situation is right now, we've lost so much, and I won't loss anymore," Andrea said.

"You guys, that's enough!" Daniel steps forward and looks at Andrea. "What the hell? You don't even know her and you're at her throat."

"She thinks this is all a joke, she doesn't see that her powers could others killed around her!" Andrea said.

"Who the hell do you think you are to assume something like that?" I snapped, my hands landing so hard on the table everyone jumped at the loud thud.. "You don't think I take what I can do seriously? You don't even know me! You have no right to pass judgement on me like that!"

"I said everybody CALM DOWN!" Daniel yelled.

We both fell silent.

Em-Basement-A few days later

It's been days. Each of them the same.
I wake.
The runes on the floor start to glow.
The burn me.
My head begins to pound.
And I wish for death.

Today was no different. And as the runes begin to glow, I colapse to the floor. I don't even bother screaming anymore. My throat's still raw from when I used to. Now I just lie motionless. But I lied about the first part. Today was different.

Today I was going to escape.

You see, Angel,-being the idiot he is- left a syringe of the stuff they knocked me out with a couple times (long story) within arm's reach of me. It was only half full. But I overheard Silas telling him one drop was enough to knock out an ox.

I glanced over at Angel, and figured his muscular build was pretty darn close. I just had to get close enough to stick it in him.

The runes stopped. I sighed, and waited a few minutes to recover. Then I got up.

Angel looked over at me skeptically.

I fluttered my lashes a little and glanced down before looking back up again. "Hey, I said, twirling my finger in my hair. (Gosh, I felt so stupid). "Can I tell you a secret?"

He looked over his shoulders as if he thought I was talking to someone else. Who knows, maybe he did. But he seemed to have figured it out because he looked back at me and shrugged.

I let out a flirtatious giggle,"Then come over here, silly."

Slowely, he got up and edged forward. I motioned him with my finger to come closer. I nearly burst out laughing. It was just like coaxing a dog!

When he got close enough I put my hand on his cheek, leaned forward and...
I jabbed the needle into his jugular. I even caught a look of suprise in his eyes as he colapsed.

The clock was ticking.

Quickly, I bent down, grabbed the keys out of his pocket and unshackled my leg.

I then moved onto the door. When I opened it I was met by a maze of boxes and storage containers.

I ran through aimlessly until I found another door, this one wasn't locked. But my heart was racing and my hands shook.

The door opened out onto a grassy feild surrounded by an extremely large chain-link fence that seperated it from the woods.

I stood in the dim light of the evening, I had absolutely no idea how I was going to scale it in time. I quickly examined my surroundings.

The fence was my only option.

I jumped on the fence and started climbing. Part way through I had to ditch my socks and shoes. It was much easier to climb barfoot.

Only when I reached the top did I stop and look behind me. The building they had held me in was an old warehouse of some sort.

Warehouse.

Fire.

Tian.

No. No time to think about that right now. I pushed these thoughts of my past away and began my descent.

Just then, I saw a light flick on in one of the windows.

I jumped down, darted off into the woods, and never looked back.

Eli-After the night at the church, during the meeting and before Em escapes

Eli ran until his heart felt like it would burst, but the car still managed to get away from himl; its form was lost in the edges of the night. It was about 2:00 in the morning, and the darkness began to close in about him. Eli finally slowed to a stop and fell to his knees, then rolled over onto his back as he tried to force some air into his lungs.

“Em…” he started to cough, then finally keeled over and heaved up the contents of his stomach. His head was spinning, and he still felt that something wasn’t right. But what could it be? Eli struggled to his feet, every muscle groaning, and stumbled off through the woods. He soon began to realize just how cold it was, but he only felt it vaguely. Everything was in a haze, the heady mist of delirium all around him.

He focused on putting one foot in front of the other, but finally tripped over a root and fell heavily. There was a sharp pain in his leg, and he felt faint when he saw the gash in his shin. He must have hit a rock in his fall. Eli sat there for a moment, trying to decide what to do. Chris was dead, Em gone, and he was alone in the mountains, bleeding. The full weight of the situation dawned upon him, but he pushed thoughts of the worst aside and decided to keep pushing on. He wrapped his leg up and limped through the woods. It wasn’t long before a different sort of darkness began to cloud his vision. Eli barely registered as he splashed through a small stream. Somehow his body led him to a shallow cave under a boulder, and there he collapsed. The world swam around him, and then he was completely lost to it. Drifting in the black realm of unconsciousness.

The fever ran for days. Eli swam in and out of fitful sleep, barely managing enough strength to pull himself over to the water. He was burning one moment, and freezing the next, but mostly cold. His fingers had gone numb. At first he tried to futilely keep track of the days by stacking little pebbles against the wall of the cave, but he gave up after the fever took a turn for the worst. In the brief moments where he was thinking clearly, Eli decided that the fever had come from the infection in his shoulder wound, which had yet to heal completely. He regretted not accepting the offer for the stitches nearly three weeks ago. There was a constant burning along his spine, and Eli was miserable in the sweat of sickness.

Worst of all though, were the dreams. They plagued him whenever his body succumbed to sleep. Always he was being pulled deeper and deeper under the darkness. Silas was laughing somewhere in the void, and he could still smell Chris’ blood. And Em was sobbing. He tried to call to her but his voice stuck in his throat and wouldn’t obey his mind. But the darkness was deeper still, and soon he was in the world of his past.

His body had shrunk to it’s six-year-old form, and there before him was the demon. Fire pulsing in its black belly, its slitted eyes glaring down at him. His parents were yelling at him, trying to tell him something. Could they see it too? But then his mom was between him and the demon, and his father there too, pushing her behind him in a last protective effort. And the demon reared up, about to rain hell fire down on them. But the moment never came, for the whole room was bleached out from a flooding bright light. A terrible light, brighter than anything on earth. Eli looked down at his fingers and found his hand was translucent in the light that was radiating from them. He was the one causing the light… and in an instant it was all over. The light flashed out and the demon was gone. So were his parents. Lying there on the floor in pools of their own blood. Dead, wide eyes staring at the ceiling. And his mom’s hand clasped firmly in his dad’s… he screamed, then the running began. He had always been running, ever since that day. And he remembered very little about escaping the house, and the sirens all around him, searching for one small boy… he did not know how he came to the park, covered in his parent’s blood, or how the Rabbi found him there, hidden in the bushes. The Rabbi would smile, and hold out his hand….

His dreams would end there, with haunting, painful reminders of the training he had endured under the “Rabbi,” that and more… he would wake up when he felt the runes being seared into his skin, and found himself exhausted and panting.

But he found himself awake, on the sixth day, to warm sunlight streaming in. He could clearly hear the stream running over the rocks, and squirrels rummaging through the leaves on the ground. Leaves…. Eli crawled out from his hiding place and looked all about him. Fall had come in full beauty. The autumn sun turning the trees to gold and bronze and red. His eyes stung a little as he took it all in, it was almost too much. Eli washed his face off in the stream and crept back inside the cave to grab his shoes. He stopped. All along the rock , from floor to ceiling, had been turned black. Not from a fire though, he could clearly read the lines and lines of black runes, seared into the stone. Eli felt a shiver run down his spine, and he looked down at his left hand. He might have been mistaken, but he thought he saw the faint glow of the symbol that read “iniquity” there. He suddenly didn’t want to be there anymore, and crawled back outside as fast as he could. Eli paused for a moment, and tried to order his thoughts.

He knew what was wrong now… something was off about his powers. Somehow they had begun to act on their own, involuntarily and at the most inopportune times. It had all started when he had stumbled across the signature of demonic power and Em’s fear in the forest nearly a week ago. Eli stared at his hand again, then stood up and walked over to the rock. He placed his hand on it and closed his eyes. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. Eli tried again, concentrating this time, but still the same results. The runes did not appear, he had lost control of his powers. He stood there, not knowing what to do. He could almost envision a quiet smile on Silas’ face, he would be most interested in this new piece of information. Eli gritted his teeth, slamming his palm into the rock with sudden exasperation. There was a brilliant burst of light, and Eli was thrown back by the unexpected explosion. He blinked at the rock, which had been blown into hundred of smaller pieces, and shook his head. Something was definitely different. Eli got up and started to walk. After eight days he needed to move again, and his brain worked better as he walked. He was going to find Em, despite the hollow pit in his stomach and the post-fever shivers that still ran over his skin. He walked away from the smoldering remains of the rock, and wondered briefly what that would mean when it came time to face another demon. The new technique would still work on Silas though…. Eli’s returning rage caused him to move faster, and he didn’t notice the cuts that had mysteriously healed on his shin and shoulder.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The woods around him began to change, dotted more frequently now with pine than oak, and Eli eventually found himself at the edge of a meadow valley. He looked down and was surprised to see a warehouse there, in the middle of nowhere. Maybe he wasn’t as far away from town as he thought… But the late afternoon sun glinted off a metal fence running around the premises, and Eli found the tire tracks running in and out of the place very suspicious. He decided to wait until nightfall. There was a good chance that Em could be in there, and even if it wasn’t Silas and his gang caution was still deserved, especially here around the mountain hippies that hung out in unsavory places.

Night finally came, the dusk just turning the shadows to blue hues. Eli was about to move out when he stopped. A girl bolted out from the backdoor of the warehouse. She sprinted over to the fence and started climbing it. It took Eli a moment to realize the skinny form was Em, and when he did a jolt shot through his body. He stood up and started running towards her and the fence. A light flickered in one of the windows. Hurry, he whispered, hurry. Em dropped down on the other side and ran off into the forest, Eli altered his course and began to follow her. For some reason, a week of fever and no food didn’t seem to slow him much, and soon he was almost on top of her. Em glanced back wildly and screamed, running faster. She must have thought he was a snake church member or something.

“Em wait it’s…” Eli saw the branch sticking out of the ground but it was too late. Em tripped over it and he tripped over her, falling on top of her. Em rolled around and started pounding on his chest with her fists. He managed to catch them and he held them tightly. “Em, it’s me, Eli.” He said. Em did stop then, and she looked at him and her eyes widened.
“Eli… how…”

But they were interrupted by a shotgun blast coming from the valley. Whatever had happened the snake church had certainly upped their game. Eli decided to ignore Em’s strangely different eyes and the red welts on her skin as he pulled her to her feet and ran off into the woods.

Silas, after the battle at the Snake Church

Silas stood in the remnants of his church. There was a dead boy, smashed pews, and enough blood to go around. He rubbed his temples, the idiot, Angel. As simple a task as taking the half demon had been foiled by those kids. Then again, one boy was dead. Chris Lanyard was the name on the license. He wasn't a member of the congregation, which meant one thing, he was one of the intruders.

Chances were, Chris Lanyard had a family, and that family could lead him to the club. There was also that Em girl. The half demon abomination he had locked back at the warehouse. Angel was there too, and the odds were, soon enough he would make a mistake. But first Silas had to take care of a few things.



Detective Scott Rally awoke when he heard the knock on the door. A rush of cold wind blew in as he greeted the stranger. "Hello, it's three in the freaking morning. How can I help you?"

The man was holding a cane, it started to writhe in the dark.

"Oh God, what is that?" Scott backed into his home. It was newly built, he and his wife had only lived there for a month. She was expecting. He couldn't die, not tonight. The revolver was in the gun safe, he had to get to the gun safe. He saw a silver cross around the stranger's neck, his eyes were almost paralyzing.

"If this is about the church, you don't have to worry. Someone paid me off, and I have no intention to tell." Silas crept closer, now Scott could see he was not holding a cane. It was a snake, dark brown, with black, nearly luminescent eyes. Something about that frail old man set him on edge.

He'd have to make it to the bedroom to get to the safe. His wife was in there, she'd be in danger. The old man clicked his tongue, "Corrupted. This entire town is corrupted. Who else knows about the night at the church? Wait, no, an even more important question. Who told you about the skirmish at the church?"

"We were told there was a disturbance, someone said it sounded like a stampede. Later on, a kid came to me and dropped a suitcase on my porch. He told me not to talk about what happened at the church. And I won't, I promise I won't." Scott was at the bedroom door. Almost to the safe.

"Did you recognize this kid?" Silas asked, Ophiuchus weaved between his fingers.

"Yeah, I think so. He's one of the rich kids who live off towards the historical district."

"There's one more thing I need to know."

"I'll tell you anything. Just don't hurt my wife."

"If someone paid you off, why are you talking to me? Can't you keep a secret?"

Scott didn't have time to scream before the snake sunk its fangs into his throat. The last thing he saw was the oddly serene smile, the ghostly glint in the old man's eyes. "That's what this town needs. Purifying."

Silas made a few calls, Scott and his wive's bodies were dumped in the mines.

Silas at the warehouse, after Em's escape.

The church was burned to the ground. Chris Lanyard's body was scorched, a beam had fell on his belly and split him open. That was the official story. Now Silas needed to finish exorcising Em. The demon half of her was awakening, and if he let it, it would eventually overpower her. He didn't have long, judging by the effects the runes had on her the first night.

The door into her cell was unlocked. The room was empty, aside from an unconscious Angel. Silas clenched his fists. He rose up, no longer the hunched old man he seemed to be. Silas reared back and hit Angel in the thigh with his cane. "Wake up!" Spit flew as he shouted at the teen.

"Wake up! I wish you were never born. You're worthless. You can't even keep a frail, sickly little girl in a locked room for one hour? Wake up now!" His cane thumped against Angel's limp body,

Silas reached into his coat and pulled out a sawed off. He aimed for Angel's head, tempted to end the boy's life. Instead he aimed into the air and fire. The blast echoed in the chamber.Angel stirred, he tried to roll over and cover himself against the beating. "Go to the hibernaculum, and don't come out until I send for you."

"No, please don't... father, the harlot seduded me..."

"Seduced you. She seduced you. You are a dirty sinner, and a fornicator. Seven days. Seven days in the hibernaculum, then I'll let you out." Silas grabbed Angel by the wrist and dragged him out of the cell and towards the snake pit. They writhed and hissed, so loud it was all that Angel could hear. He tried to pull away, but his arms went limp, the drugs were still effecting him.

Silas gave the drowsy Angel a good hard shove towards the pit, and a few thwacks on the back of the head. Angel screamed as he was swallowed into the hibernaculum.

"Now think about what you have done."

It was dark, cold, he curled up as the serpents brushed against him. He felt them in his clothes, around his neck. Hisses and rattles drowned out all other sounds. It was tight, and it stunk like phosphorous. The weight of the snakes pushed on his chest, they slid over his nose, and he could barely breath.

Angel couldn't hear himself whimper.

Silas called a meeting to order in the town square.

Silas, the town square.

"Welcome, children. A few days ago, Satanists burned our church. I won't forget the screams I heard. The screams of a member of our very own congregation. Chris Lanyard. He was a wonderful child, full of mirth. His life was unduly short." Silas spoke over the crowd that had gathered. A few passersby had even gathered in the small garden at the center of the square to here this false eulogy.

"A few of you saw the teenagers who came last night. The ones who burned down the place that Chris called home, whenever his own mother and father were not there for him." The lies were so smooth. "I ask that you speak to the police. Let them know what happened that night, even though they choose to remain silent. Let your voices resonate like the trumpets around Jericho, break down the walls this town has built."

There were murmurs of "amen", "Louder, children! No one will listen if you don't speak. Spread the word about the outsiders who entered our church and set it ablaze. Do not let their transgressions go unpunished."

Soon enough, members of the church were talking. Soon enough, Silas had a name. Just one name, but that would hopefully be enough. A member recognized a boy in the church, he was popular for his music. He'd play around town every now and then. Daniel Nitram.

"God bless you all."

Daniel Nitram- Stone Manor

I exhaled and ran my fingers through my hair slowly, "First off Akiza I somewhat agree with Andrea and I think you should be in the club as well." Akiza didn't seem particularly happy at me for agree with Andre. Time to do damage control, "but what Akiza says is true you had no right throwing about accusations like that." I let out a sigh the adrenaline was pumping from me yelling, and suddenly I noticed something as I opened my eyes and looked at everyone. Their vulnerable points, injuries, and such were highlighted suddenly my senses seemed hypersensitive. Every detail seemed highlighted a slight bead of sweat on Akiza's forehead, the bags under John's eyes, and each strand of fabric in their clothes. Slowly my new hyper senses began to fade and the world returned to normal. I rubbed my forehead and looked about at everyone, "look yelling and arguing will do us no good to helping us find Em and taking down the Snake Church."

Andrea swallowed hard, "then what do you propose we do?"

"Look we were to weak to stand a chance against that beast that," I snapped trying to recall the beasts name.

Johnathan helped fill in the blank there, "you mean Angel?"

"Yes, he killed our friend, threw me aside like a rag doll, hurt the rest of us in one way or another, and kidnapped our friend. Now I don't know what exactly we can do to get stronger but we need to if we want to stand a chance." I let out a sigh and pulled Akiza close. " But, we all need to calm down sit back and relax for a second. We need to make plans no more diving in head first and no more running from them." I thought about how Angel had escaped us, "or letting them run." I wrapped my arm around Akiza's shoulder squeeze and sat down exhausted mentally.

Spoiler

Not quite as major as I thought it would be, but at least Rydia will get to interact a bit. And I came up with some major background story for Samantha ^^ Let me know what you think of Cole/Tahvo.

Spoiler

Name: Cole Barlow (originally Tahvo Heikkinen)

Age: 28 (but looks like 20)

Disorder: He has the ability to take other people's powers. To do this he needs to have his hands at their temples and he needs to be able to focus. The process takes about 10 minutes and leaves the other person completely without powers. It takes time for him to learn how to fully control his new powers.
So far he has acquired following powers:
Immortality. He stopped aging when he was 20.
The ability to open any lock. It doesn't matter if it's a door, a password to a computer or a person's mind. No matter what it is he can open it.
Super speed and agility. He doesn't run faster than sound or anything fancy like that, but he is quicker than a cheetah and a better climber than a mountain goat.. Or a monkey.
Heightened senses. All his senses are heightened, especially sight and smell.

In the club?: No, he's a paranormal inspector.

Looks:

Personality: Tahvo is a friendly but secluded type of person. He always uses an alias and never tells anyone who he really is or where he comes from. Having to constantly lie to people has made him an excellent liar and actor. He doesn't trust easily, but he doesn't let it show as he has quite high social skills (that he doesn't always use). He's outspoken and always let's people know what he thinks. If he doesn't like you he makes that very clear, and acts like a proper ****.

Tahvo is extremely greedy, but does a great job hiding it. He wants money and power, but most of all powers. He's constantly looking for people with powers that he can take, that's why he joined the paranormal investigators. He's not very good at obeying orders though, and tends to act like he wants to if he thinks it's smarter. He's quite intelligent, by the way. He always thinks before acting and is fond of planning something and then watching how it plays out. He likes staying safely in the background, out of harms way but still close enough to move the pieces (he tends to see everything as if it was a game of chess).

History: Tahvo was born to two people who also had abilities. His father was immortal and had lived for hundreds of years. He was obsessed with having a child with the same abilities as himself who could keep him company for all eternity. Tahvo's father already had a bunch of kids who had all been abandoned as soon as the father realized that they were still aging after they turned 25.

At first they thought Tahvo didn't have any abilities at all, so the father abandoned them and left to get some more kids. When he was 19 Tahvo accidentally took his mothers ability (the ability to open any lock) and when he realized what potential he had he lured his father (the father that he by now hated more than anything) there and took his immortality as well. After that he tried to track down his half siblings, hoping to get the opportunity to take their powers. Most people he met just refused to cooperate, but some wanted nothing but to get rid of their powers, so Tahvo took them.

When he couldn't find any more half siblings willing to give him their powers he joined the paranormal investigators, hoping that his job would lead him to people who did not want their abilities. He's been working with them for about five years.. And yeah, he's Samantha's half brother.

Cole Barlow/Tahvo Heikkinen - During the meeting, arriving at the paranormal investigators' office
I cursed as I nearly avoided driving of the road. My phone was ringing from underneath my seat, even though it shouldn't.. Be ringing, that is. Not that it should be laying under the seat either. No one had my new number yet, and I had registered it under a new name. I hadn't even told the boss yet. When I finally did reach my phone I had almost been down in the ditch three times. I couldn't recognize the number on the display.

"How did you get this number?" I hissed as I once again focused on the road.

"Unpleasant as always." I knew that voice all too well, though it had aged.

"What the hell do you want?"

"Your sister has gone missing."

"Only one of them? I'm surprised you've managed to keep them all locked up for so long," I snickered. "Besides, you seem to be able to track me down, so why not her?"

"It's the shapeshifter."

I thought for a second before shrugging. "I've never met her, and even if I had I wouldn't tell you bastards where to find her. Call me again and I'll kill you." I hung up, rolled the window down and tossed the phone out in the darkness outside. I'd have to change my number again. Why couldn't he just leave me alone? After all these year I was still caught in his web. Well, in 50 years he'd be under ground but I would still be 20. I just needed to be patient.. Or maybe I could kill him? I laughed loudly. No, I was a lot of things, but not a killer.

When I parked in front of the new office the clock was just after 2 am. I was both tired and grumpy. The boss had told me that I could crash here, but I doubted that his daughter would agree. I pounded the front door for a good ten minutes before she finally opened.

I held my hand out. "Cole Barlow. Your father sent me here from DC." Without waiting for her response I grabbed her hand, shook it and then more or less forced my way inside. "Your father told me I could crash here."

"But.."

"And I'm going to, 'cause I'm tired. Do you have a couch or something?" I turned towards her and smiled sweetly. "And I want some tea."


Jonathan Summers - During the meeting at Stone Manor
"Look we were too weak to stand a chance against that beast that.."

"You mean Angel?" I said and rubbed my temples. All the shouting and arguing was making my headache even worse.

"Yes, he killed our friend, threw me aside like a rag doll, hurt the rest of us in one way or another, and kidnapped our friend. Now I don't know what exactly we can do to get stronger but we need to if we want to stand a chance. But, we all need to calm down sit back and relax for a second. We need to make plans no more diving in head first and no more running from them, or letting them run."

"Are you done arguing?" I said weakly. "'Cause this is getting us nowhere. Has anyone even noticed that Eli is missing?" All I got was a murmur of 'no's. "Andrea, you wanted to show us something, right? Go ahead and lets make some plans or something later." My head was pounding, and it somehow seemed to affect Akiza. Maybe she could feel my pain and exhaustion?

Sam cleared her throat and stood. "Yeah. A few days ago we noticed that Andrea's power has kind of.. Evolved. Umm.. You go ahead and show them," she told Andrea. Sam seemed unsure about this, like she hadn't quite decided if she wanted to go through with it or not.


Samantha Heikinnen - During the meeting at Stone Manor
I took a deep breath before turning to Andrea and looking her in the eyes. I was ready. "What exactly are you going to do?" Jonathan asked. Poor guy, he looked just barely conscious.

"I'm going to control Samantha. I'm.." She looked around searching for something. Her eyes eventually stopped on one of the pillows on the couch. "I'm gonna make her pick up that pillow."

"How exactly does that prove anything?" Akiza wondered, and I couldn't help but frown.

"And Sam's going to try to resist," Andrea continued as if she hadn't heard the question. "Ready?"

I nodded, and moments later I felt Andrea's hand on my shoulder and her mind slipp into mine and I could feel my body moving even though I didn't want it to. I tried holding myself back, which worked quite well until Andrea's thoughts in my own head made me lose focus.

"Sorry about this, Sam. I know you don't like it." I smiled slightly and felt how I moved forward, my movements were all weird and twitchy, like a puppet being controlled by a lousy puppeteer.

"You'll owe me one." I imagined a scene that made Andrea blush. Well, I more felt than saw her blush, but it was still cute.

"You're distracting me," she thought, but before I knew it I was holding the pillow and Andrea let go, unfortunately I wasn't quite prepared for it so I fell flat on my ass.

"Aow!"

Andrea helped me up and smiled sheepishly. "Sorry." She turned back to the others. "So, apparently our powers can evolve. If we practice, then maybe we could all get stronger."

"Strong enough to fight Silas and Angel?" Daniel asked.

"Exactly," I said with a confident nod. I had no clue if my powers actually could develop, but it would be awesome if they did.

"So the plan right now is to practice?" Jonathan said with a sigh. I knew that he hated his powers, but maybe he at least could learn how to turn them on and of? "It's as good a plan as any," he mumbled.

"Next club activity: Project boot camp," I said with a wry smile. "And after that we can avenge Chris and take back our lives." Not that I had much of a life to begin with, really, but I had been about to begin something new here when that creepy snake dude suddenly showed up.

Dakota | Paranormal Investigator's Office | 2am

It had been a long day for Dakota who was now safely tucked up in her bed and dreaming of an oasis where a very attractive man was offering to fan her while she sipped coconut daiquiris by the water.

The store was almost unrecognisable. She'd had a plumber and an electrician out so the water now ran clear and there was full power in the kitchen. The downstairs of the shop was almost ready for the re-opening: the boxes had been unpacked, the walls painted and there were only a few finishing touches left to make.

So Dakota was having happy dreams until she was rudely awoken by a lound rapping on the door. Gone were her oasis and her handsome man and Dakota sat up groggily in her bed. Who could that-

The rapping came again. Dakota tumbled out and pulled on her dressing gown as she slowly made her way to the door.

A young, sandy haired man stuck his hand out. "Cole Barlow. Your father sent me here from DC." Without waiting for her response, he grabbed her hand, shook it and forced his way inside. "Your father told me I could crash here."

Go figure. "But.." Dakota attempted to decline as she gathered her thoughts.

"And I'm going to, 'cause I'm tired. Do you have a couch or something? And I want some tea." She wasn't fooled by the 'sweet' smile he offered her, but her father sent enough strays her way that she knew it wasn't worth the grief she'd get from him for turning them out.

Dakota waved in the general direction of the kitchen. "Help yourself," she told him in a slightly dry tone. "Stay out of the bedroom." With that she walked back through the small living room-come kitchen (complete with small couch) and into the bedroom. She firmly closed the door behind her, then after a second thought, grabbed a blanket and threw it in his general direction.

___________________________

The next morning, Cole's spirits didn't seem much diminished.

"Morning! I think we got off on the wrong foot yesterday, Dakota." He was holding a half eaten bagel in one hand - her bagel - and a photograph in the other. The photograph where on the back was inscribed: 'For my darling daughter Dakota, with love.'

Dakota pulled it from him and buried it back in the open box.

"You were looking through my things?" Did the guy not sleep?

Akiza- Stone manor meeting

After everything had calmed down, I got a sense of someone had something to share.

"Are you done arguing?" Jonathan said weakly. "'Cause this is getting us nowhere. Has anyone even noticed that Eli is missing?" All I got was a murmur of 'no's. "Andrea, you wanted to show us something, right? Go ahead and lets make some plans or something later."

Poor guy. His exhaustion was really taking it's toll on him, and his pain was like icing on a cake of misery. I took a deep breath, trying to pull in the range in this damned power.

Sam cleared her throat and stood. "Yeah. A few days ago we noticed that Andrea's power has kind of.. Evolved. Umm.. You go ahead and show them," she told Andrea. Sam seemed unsure about this, like she hadn't quite decided if she wanted to go through with it or not.

"What exactly are you going to do?" Jonathan asked.

He looked like he wanted to pass out.

"I'm going to control Samantha. I'm.." She looked around searching for something. Her eyes eventually stopped on one of the pillows on the couch. "I'm gonna make her pick up that pillow."

"How exactly does that prove anything?" I asked aloud.

"And Sam's going to try to resist," Andrea continued as if she hadn't heard the question. "Ready?"

I could faintly feel their two minds melding together, and massaged my temple even more. Sam began to move, walking to the pillow and picking it up. Then Andrea just fell on her ass. "Aow!"

I almost laughed.

Andrea helped Sam up and smiled sheepishly. "Sorry." She turned back to the others. "So, apparently our powers can evolve. If we practice, then maybe we could all get stronger."

"Strong enough to fight Silas and Angel?" Daniel asked.

"Exactly," Sam said with a confident nod.

"So the plan right now is to practice?" Jonathan said with a sigh. "It's as good a plan as any," he mumbled.

"Next club activity: Project boot camp," she said with a wry smile. "And after that we can avenge Chris and take back our lives."

I feel Daniel nudge me, and look over at him in question. He pulls me to my feet and turns to look at everyone. "We'll be back in a few."

He took me by the hand and lead down a long hall way and into a vacant room. I didn't want to stand, so I took a seat in a comfy looking arm chair.

"So," I sigh, letting my head fall back against the chair. "What's this about?"

He closed the door be hind him and sat down on the table in front of me.


"Well," Daniel looks up at the ceiling looking and runs his fingers through his hair. "Something weird happened when you and Andrea started to argue and I thought you would be the best person to talk to."

"About what?" I look at him.

"Well when ya'll were fighting, I just started to get really stressed out and nervous." Daniel sighed,"and suddenly I was doubly aware of everything. I don't know what set it off but I thought with other peoples behavior contributing to it maybe you'd understand and could help me figure it out."

I nodded. "I know what you're talking about, and it's my fault."

"What do you mean?" he frowned.

"With the way my ability works, I don't just feel emotions. I feel pain too." I say. "When I feel too much of one or the other at the same time, My ability becomes hyperactive. Instead of just me feeling what one person or more say a group of people feel, it's magnified and projected onto everyone else as well."

"But it was different my five senses were hyper extended to a ridiculous extent." Daniel said

"Well then maybe some how you're evolving what you're capable of doing." I simply say.

"Maybe..." his voice trailed off.

"We can talk about this more tonight at my place. My mom and brother won't be back until late tomorrow evening, so we'll have the house to ourselves" I tell him.

"Um," he fidgets nervously. "I'm not so sure that's a good idea.."


"It'll give us a chance to talk and get to know each other better" I nudged him.

"O....k..." he said uncomfortably.

I smiled. "Good. I' have to go, but i'll see you tonight."

I stood up and headed for the door with Daniel right behind me. After reaching the door, I turned back to Daniel, who bumped into me. I raised up on my tip toes and gave him a quick kiss before closing the door. As I made it back to where everyone else was, I said, "See you guys later. Gotta get home."

"Bye!" Sam piped up.

"Bye." Jonathan mumbled, still massaging his temples.

I veered towards him and grabbed his hand. He looked up at me in question as I leaned down and kissed his left temple. I pulled back and waited as his frown grew deeper, and then turned into a look of surprise. I let go of his hand and smiled at him.

"Feel better." I looked over at Andrea, but didn't smile. "See ya later."

I took my leave.

Daniel Nitram
My past flows randomly back.

I watched as Akiza left and turned to the rest of the group, "so...I guess we have our plan so this meeting is adjourned." Everyone agreed and slowly began to leave with Samantha taking them home. I watched as they left and walked back inside the house always felt so massive and empty when they left. I strolled around for a bit looking at some of the art collection some rare originals and reprints. I grabbed a remote from a table in the hall and pressed a few buttons, The Marriage of Figaro by Mozart began to fill the house a personal favorite opera of mine. I grabbed an apple from the kitchen munching as I walked I stopped in front of a portrait I didn't remember but was familiar to me somehow. Unexpectedly it began to hit me, my surroundings began to flow in front of me and change the last thought I remembered having was not again and I was gone.

Centuries ago.
I began to wake up in an unfamiliar place, I'd had flashbacks to early points in my life before but it was seamless I had never woken up in one before. I began to hear voices and my eyes began to adjust to the change in light slowly. "...He's perfect darling so common looking but somewhat handsome." A woman's voice.

It was a man's voice that spoke this time"Yes my dear perfect for our purposes."

"He will obey our every command without question?" the woman again, who were they talking about?

"Yes he's perfect no one shall be able to fell him and his skill's shall be unrivaled." I began to be able to see more clearly I saw the man for the first time. He seemed to take notice of me, "ah our young guest is awake." He strolled over to me and put a finger under my chin tilting my head up, "how do you feel my boy?"

I was unsure of who my host were what they wanted with me or what they had done to me but no point in making them angry. "I feel quite well thank you for asking. But, I don't quite recall how I arrived here or even sir who you are."

"Why my boy you may think of me as your father and the woman here," she walked over as well. "As your mother." Father? Mother? I recognized neither of these people. As I tried to call back memories of my parents my memories were nothing but a blur.

The woman looked at my face she seemed concerned about me like she cared about me. "You are our perfect child your father and I made sure of it the runes on your neck make sure of that much." I rubbed my neck I could feel scars and heat what was this. She took my hand in hers and pulled me up. "But, you are more than our child you shall be our Klinge im Dunkeln." A knife in the dark why.

From that first night my new parents told me little but I obeyed their orders without question. Those that would question my parents would taste my steel. They taught me several languages, proper etiquette for high society, how to keep a weapon hidden, and most importantly how to use it. My parents would use me as an assassin and if the pay was well enough we would accept assassination request. This was my life and I was skilled none could escape me my parents told me I had been made with senses a thousand times better than any other human, and that none could kill or destroy me except they.

One night several months after I first awoke my mother came in to the room they had given me with a piece of paper with the name of a family three names. I looked at the names and they seemed to almost strike a chord. "Are they my target mother? Have they caused you some pain and now must answer to my blade." She nodded handed me a sword, a map to their home, and told me to leave through the window. Their home was in a nearby village and I made quick time to arrive there. I didn't hesitate to kick down the door sword in hand and walk in it was a nice house for villagers I imagined the man of the house must be quite successful. I walked over the threshold and a young woman perhaps a year older than I myself or maybe the same age came running down the stairs. She was lovely but my mother had given me orders.

"Daniel you're alive?!" that voice so familiar filled with happiness and love. Who was this woman?

I struck it was a mortally wounding blow and her eyes filled with shock and betrayal, "I'm sorry madam that you have confused me for your Daniel but I fear I am not he." Tears flowed down the woman's cheeks but why.

"How have you forgotten my love?" her hand stroked my cheek gently and slowly memories began flowing back I noticed a portrait of a young man and woman. The young man's face seemed ecstatic as did the young woman who looked up at him lovingly. The young woman began to fade fast in my arms and die as the memories flowed back. I had been the music minister at the local church her father had seen us wed as he was the preacher. We were young when we had wed but she had barred me one child. I was clever strong and well respected by the people of the town. The girl had died in my arms, my wife and I had killed her.

I began to recognize the cries of an infant coming from upstairs I ran up quickly to see the infant child that I now knew was mine. I looked down at the child in the cradle and suddenly my neck began to burn. I pleaded with my body not to betray me as I took the child in my hands could feel his fragility. A scream of revulsion and horror escaped my lips as I ended the child's life with my own hands. I took the body of the child in my arms and laid it next to the body of my wife. I took the portrait down from the wall removed it from it's frame and rolled it up for my own keeping. I exited the house leaving a fire roaring that would consume the bodies and the home.

I ran to return to the home I lived in with my "parents". No not my parents the people that had turned me into a weapon. They would answer for what they had made me do. I swung in through my room window landing hard. I laid the sword I had killed with next to my bed. I yelled, "What have you made me do?!" No part of the house would not have heard my question. I sniffed the air and listened closely it took me mere moments to find them. I kicked down the door and pounced upon the man I had called father pinning him to the ground with ease. I turned on the one I had called mother a knee on the back of "father" pinning him to the ground.

Fear was in her eyes. "We needed to rid you of your past to make you completely ours," I could see her throat move as she swallowed hard. "So what better way then to have you eliminate the problem with ease."

"With ease? With ease?!" I raised an arm and the terror returned to her eyes. I slammed my arm down hard on daddy dearests neck killing him instantly. "That was with ease. But ending your life, and hopefully lifting this curse, will be with pleasure." I moved lightening quick and pinned her to the wall holding her up by her neck. Blood flew from her mouth splashing my face.

She looked up at me, "Fool boy our lives are inconsequential to that runes existence." She spat in my face one last time and yelled words in a language I couldn't understand. Suddenly my surroundings changed I stood in a forest clean from the blood, but with an unfortunate truth burned in my soul, I could never find death.

Akiza's front porch after the flashback.

I looked at my surroundings confused as to how I had arrived here. I normally returned from a flashback where I had fallen in to it. This was different, I looked at the door and Akiza opened it before I had time to knock. I knew I had to look like a wreck and Akiza seemed to slightly know based off my emotions what I had just been forced to experience a second time. She wrapped her arms around me, I wrapped my arms around her, and I began to weep.

Akara- At home

Closing the door behind me, I walked into the living room and plop down on a couch before pulling off my shades and blinking. Mom and Axel were gone, leaving me here at the house alone. They wouldn't be back until late tomorrow evening. The house was all mine, but what was I to do? I sat up and looked around. What to do, what to do...

I laid back down on the couch. After helping Jonathan with his headache, mine was coming back. I sat back up and pulled folded my legs under. Meditating would get rid of my headache. I rest my hands on my knees as I close my eyes, slowing my breathing. In with the good, out with the bad. In, and out. My mind cleared, letting my senses expand. I could hear the wind blowing outside, the way it grazed over the grass and made it sway as if it were dancing to a joyful tune. The headache I had slowly began to fade as I fell deeper into a state of unconsciousness, when I feel feet padding into my lap, two paws softly touch my feet, and then one disappears only to bat at my face.

I open my eyes to see an adorable little kitten's tail swishing back and forth as it looks into me eyes. Awwwwww. It pawed it my face again before pulling back and sitting in the space of my lap, the cat's eyes never leaving mine as it did.

My hand drifted behind one of her ears to scratch at it. She made this cute little sound and leaned her head in. Awwwwwww!

"Now how did you get in?" I sigh and look up.

I left the door partly open. Smart. I stand and go to close the door, when an onslaught of emotions assaulted me out of now where. It made my heart ache, and I was finding hard to catch my breath. My thoughts were whirling around in my head like a category five hurricane.

"Daniel." his name fell from my lips of their own accord and I staggered to the opened door to find him standing there, looking even paler than usual, and his eyes haunted by old memories.

A look I know too well myself. He looked so lost. So forlorn. I looked into his sorrowful eyes and wrapped my arms around him. He wrapped his arms around me, burying his face in my neck, and began to weep. I ran my hand through his hair. "Shhhh."

His arms tightened around me as I kiss the top of his head. "Shhhh."

I stroke his hair, gently letting the feeling of calm wash over him. His tears slow as I continue to slide my fingers through his hair and whisper, "Calm."

His grip on me loosens, his muscles relaxing, his body beginning to droop.

"It's ok," I whisper. "The pains will fade eventually. It may take time, but don't loose faith.

His body goes completely slack in my arms. He's not very heavy to me, so it's not much of a problem to carry him into the house, and this time, I make sure to close the door behind me.



Laying in my bed, I look down at him sleeping like a baby. I run my finger through his hair again. Daniel's emotions had finally calmed down from the turmoil they were boiling in enough for him to sleep peacefully. The phone on my night stand began to vibrate. I answered it without looking at the caller ID. "Hey mom. What's up?"

"Hey honey," her voice came through. "I was just calling to see how you were."

"I'm good," I answer softly careful not to wake. "Just lousing around. Is everything going good over there?"

"All going great," she said sarcastically. "Wanna talk to your brother?"

"Nope." I shook my head. "I do believe i'm good on that."

Axel yelled something in the background that I didn't catch. I smiled.

"Well, ok then." Mom laughed. "I'll call you tomorrow morning, ok?"

"Ok Mom," I smile. "Love you."

"Love you too." she blew me a kiss through the phone before hanging up.

I set my phone back on the night stand and turn to find Daniel awake. "Hey."

"Hey there, sleepy head." I touch his cheek. "How are you feeling?"

He touched the hand I had to his cheek and sighed. "Better, that's for sure."

I smiled. "That's good."

"So," he fiddled with a lock of my hair, letting his thumb slide over it before twirling it on his finger. "How did you do it?"

I blushed and cleared my throat. "I'm sorry. Your emotions were tearing you up inside, and I felt every moment of it. I just wanted to ease your pain. Forgive me?"

Spoiler

.. I actually had to google bagle to find out what it is -_-

Cole Barlow/Tahvo Heikkinen - The morning after the meeting, Dakota's place

"You were looking through my things?"

I shrugged. "Had nothing better to do. I woke up at six. Oh, I bought some groceries, by the way, 'cause the content in your fridge was just.. Sad." I waved the bagel in front of her and smiled as an annoyed frown crept onto her face. "Including more bagels." That seemed to ease her irritation a bit.

"Oh, thanks."

"No problem." I watched as she made some breakfast for herself. "So, what are we doing here? Seems like an awfully small town for such a 'big job', as the boss called it." Hopefully it would be big enough for me to get some new powers.


Samatha Heikkinen - The morning after the meeting, the Greendales' house

"Breakfast is ready!" I chimed as I more or less slammed open the door to the bedroom. Andrea grunted from underneath the covers. "Wakie wakie, I've made waffles."

"What are you even doing up this early? And how did you get up without me noticing it."

I sat the tray down on the bed and snagged a waffle immediately. "It's nine am, so it's not that early," I said with a shrug. "Oh, and I'm sneaky you know. Like a cat."

"Clumsy like a blind puppy, is more like it," she said with a smile and started eating.

"I've called the others, so they should be headed here now. Operation: Boot camp is ready to be launched."

"Why are you so cheery?"

The question caught me by surprise. I knew I should be sadder, with Chris and everything that had happened, but somehow I couldn't help but feel happy to find people I could be myself with. I was still angry that the snake guy was trying to destroy it though, of course I was. "Sorry," I mumbled.

"Don't be. It's a nice change." She looked as if she was about to say something more, but he doorbell rang.

"I'll get it. Hurry up and get dressed." I hurried downstairs and opened the door. It was Jonathan. He looked a bit better than yesterday. "Hey. You sure got here quickly," I said with a smile and let him in.

"Yeah.." He looked around absentmindedly before entering. "I couldn't sleep much."

"Nightmares?"

"More like visions. I'm getting tired of seeing my own death." He sighed and I was about to ask what he had seen, but he cut me of. "But never mind that. When are we starting?"

I shrugged. "Right now, I guess. Or maybe we should wait until the others get here. Do you want some waffles?"

He smiled, a small smile, but still a smile. "I'm not really hungry, but I guess I should eat something." So, while we waited for Andrea to come down and the others to arrive we ate some waffles. Or well, Jonathan ate, I mostly talked.