Chapter 8: Fun in the Sun

OR

Fun With Mirrors

   It began to occur to David that digging out was going to take quite some time. This didn't exactly fit in with his plan of getting out as quickly as possible. After all, he needed to check on the rest of the compound. This came out of guilt, as David felt that the whole mess was really his fault. The sorcerer had been trying to kill him, after all, and so it stood to reason that if he hadn't been there in the first place none of this would have happened. He began wishing that the staircase wasn't blocked, and decided to go take a look at it himself.

   It turned out that the door to the staircase was not blocked at all. Rather, it had an electronic lock that demanded a code. With no power, the lock simply remained locked. David swore at the stubborn technology and began looking for a way to override the lock. As he looked at the lock in frustration, he quite suddenly realized that he could just blast the door off using magic. Backing up against the far corner, David raised his hand and flung a bolt of energy at the door. The door blasted inward, slamming on the far wall of the stairwell. Chuckling happily to himself, David headed back down to the digging team.

   "Hey guys, I got the stairwell open." David declared happily.

   Ruth breathed a sigh of thanks. Digging a way out would have taken ages. "Good job. " She turned her attention to the diggers. "All right everyone, let's take the stairs out. Sounds a lot better than digging to me."

   The diggers murmured their approval. The group set off for the stairs once more, David in the lead, his glowing body lighting the way. The staircase had quite obviously not been used in some time. Dust covered each step, and cobwebs were evident in the corners. David tried not to sneeze as he made his way down to the lower levels of the compound. According to one of the tenants (who happened to be one of the people who had first scouted the place out), the third sub-level contained a direct route to the garage. As the group reached the third sub-level, David realized that he would have to blast another door off. Power seemed to be out in the entire side of the compound, and so the door would still be locked.

   As David prepared to blast the door off, Ruth sighed. Stopping David, she stepped over and pushed the door open. "It locks from the inside, remember?"

   David grinned sheepishly. "Sorry. Just wanted another excuse to blow something up. It's loads of fun."

   "Uh huh. I'll bet it is." Ruth stepped into the hallway. "Um... could you give us a bit of light David? It's pretty dark down here. Looks like the batteries in the emergency lighting ran out."

   David nodded. "No problem." After thinking about the matter for a moment, the answer once again instinctively came to him. Flicking his wrist upward in a peculiar manner, David caused an orb of light to appear that illuminated the entire hall. "How's that?"

   "Good enough for me." Ruth replied, moving to inspect the map of the floor that was helpfully posted just outside the door. "It looks like we go that way." She indicated, pointing down the hall. "There should be a sign saying 'Garage Access' or something like that."

   David once again led the party down the hallway, the orb's light casting his shadow back on the rest of the group. David was becoming quite pleased with himself, mostly because he could do these tricks without even thinking about it. Hadn't Doc once said something about how long sorcerers train? Here David had never in his life studied magic, and yet it seemed like second nature to him. At any rate, this explained just how his shoulder had healed. In fact, the whole thing made perfect sense to him. Whoever had infected him hadn't had the normal lycanthropy virus. Whatever had been changed, it allowed the user to gain sorcerous powers. More still, it seemed to make this an instinct when the user was a wolf. It was the only explanation that made any sense to David.

   The light illuminated a sign next to a door. Clearing away the dust, David peered at the sign. "Hmm... Garage access tunnel. This must be it." He tried the door. "Nuts. It's jammed."

   Ruth walked up to the door. "Sure you're not going the wrong way?"

   "Of course. I've been sitting here trying to wiggle it. It's not budging. Think I should just blow it off the hinges?" David hadn't been able to blow something up in almost ten minutes. He had always been a bit of a pyromaniac (even his parents had said that), but now that he could cause explosions and such at will, it was almost too much fun.

   Ruth sighed. "Not yet. I think if you keep trying it for a bit you'll get it open soon enough."

   David kept jiggling the door, and finally got it to move a little towards him. Straining, he pulled at the stubborn handle, the door slowly scraping open. Pleased with himself (though disappointed that no explosions were involved), David moved his orb inside the doorway, illuminating the tunnel ahead. There was a definite upward slope, though it looked as if it would take a while to reach the garage.

   "Well, there we are. The way out. Let's get moving so we can let the others know we're okay." David motioned for the group to move out and they began the hike upward.

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

   Growls emanated from a seemingly abandoned apartment building. There was a semi-human cry of pain, followed by the distinctive hollow gong of a frying pan. Jo had Manifested, and Aaron and Lydia had their hands full trying to keep her contained. As much as Lydia wanted to just use a tranquilizer and knock Jo out, Aaron had insisted that it was much better if the person became aware while they were awake. It had been five minutes since Jo transformed, and Aaron was getting tired. Jo, on the other hand, seemed to have a frenzied energy to her--a product of her belief that she was in serious danger. At the moment, Jo was staggering backwards in the kitchen, the frying pan having caught her across the snout.

   Aaron rubbed his wounded shoulder that Jo had so thoughtfully bitten. Lydia still held her frying pan at the ready, prepared to strike again if necessary. Aaron was beginning to think that perhaps using the tranquilizer dart wasn't such a bad idea, but he decided to try and give a few more minutes to be sure that Jo wouldn't gain awareness any time soon. This proved to be a bad move on his part, as Jo suddenly recovered, knocked Lydia out of the way, and began throttling Aaron, her hands firmly wrapped around his neck. Aaron struck back as hard as he could, but his re-injured shoulder prevented him from delivering a strong enough blow to loosen Jo's grip. Stars began to dance in front of Aaron's eyes as he fought for air, Lydia picking herself off the ground to dash in again with the frying pan.

   As Aaron began to pass into unconsciousness, the grip suddenly loosened by itself. Jo staggered back, horrified at what she had been doing. Rubbing his throat, Aaron nodded pleasantly.

   "Oh, I see you've become aware. Good timing. Could have happened earlier, but considering everything... not bad timing at all."

   Jo moved to help Aaron, noting the bite on his shoulder, and tasting his blood in her mouth. "Oh, I'm so terribly sorry! I couldn't--what did I do to you?"

   "Well, we managed to keep you contained in here. The only problem was, you didn't like that idea so much and so we had to fight to keep you in here. You should probably check that bloody nose of yours. Lydia got you with the frying pan so you'd stop biting my shoulder."

   Jo became aware of the pain her nose was in, and moved to get some ice out of the freezer. The freezer had been left by the previous owners, and for some reason, still worked. Aaron had explained that the power plants never re-routed power from the city after it was attacked. Some areas still had power, and they had been fortunate enough to be in one of them. None of this really mattered to Jo at the moment, only the fact that there seemed to be no ice.

   Deciding that she'd have to live with a sore nose for the moment, Jo suddenly realized that she still had Aaron's blood in her mouth. This disgusted her, and she headed to the bathroom to wash her mouth out. Spitting into the bathroom sink, Jo cupped her hands under the faucet and splashed some water on her face to attempt to regain some sense of control over herself. Jo was in a bit of shock, having gained awareness of her actions just as Aaron was about to pass out. The look on his face as consciousness faded from him had been a bit unnerving. To say nothing of the fact that she had bitten him. That was just too strange to think about at the moment.

   Jo gazed into the mirror hanging over the sink. For the first time, she saw herself in wolf from. Unnerved at first, Jo leaned closer, inspecting her ears, nose, and teeth. Prodding her nose gently, Jo decided that there was nothing broken, though it did look a bit swollen. She would definitely have to find ice somehow. As she turned to leave the bathroom and search for ice, Jo suddenly caught sight of something.

   A tail. She had a tail. Curious, Jo attempted to get a better look. Reaching back, she felt that yes, there was indeed a tail attached to her. Jo was mildly amused by this, and even more so when her mild amusement caused her tail to begin wagging. A giggle escaped her lips, and her tail began to wag harder. This only caused more merriment. Eventually, Jo was laughing out loud in the bathroom, the sound carrying all the way to the kitchen where Aaron and Lydia were cleaning up the mess made trying to contain Jo.

   Lydia looked puzzled at the sound. "What's wrong with her?"

   Aaron chuckled knowingly. "It's the tail. She's looking at her tail. Everyone does."

   Lydia nodded in understanding. "Oh, I see. Is it really that amusing?"

   Aaron bobbed his head. "Oh yes, it really is. Just absolutely fascinating."   A massive mansion sat on the top of a hill overlooking the countryside in northern Italy. The castle was owned by a wealthy businessman, who also happened to be a rogue sorcerer. This wasn't really known to anyone, save the man himself, whose name was Yates. Yates wasn't really an Italian sounding name, but then again Yates wasn't Italian. He just happened to like the Italian countryside. It provided so much privacy for his experimentation with majikal properties. The sorcerer's guild thought that it was too risky to push the powers of sorcery into inanimate objects, but Yates didn't listen to them. To create objects that could cast spells with no problem would mean that Yates wouldn't have to get tired should he go to war.

   As the phone rang loudly in the calm of his office, Yates grumbled slightly and picked up the phone. "Hello?"

   The voice on the other line was oddly familiar. "Is this Yates?"

   "Uh huh, this is he. What do you want?"

   "I have something of importance to you, and to all who oppose the guild." The voice said. "There's something big happening, and I aim to find out. Are you in with me or not?"

   Yates considered for a moment. "Maybe. What's so important that you'd call me to tell me?"

   The voice managed to sound a little frightened. "There's a plan that can destroy every last one of us. If we don't do something, we'll all die."

   "Very well, if you think it's that important, I'll be in. Where do we meet?" Yates intended to try and call some backup for himself. He didn't trust whoever it was on the other line--mostly because thought that it might have been Overseer. Well, he'd show the fool! Some of his friends would no doubt want to accompany him.

   The voice responded. "Minneapolis--at that really nice old hotel. What was it called again? Where we met last time. I'll let you know when I can set up a meeting. I'll be in touch."

   "I'll be there." Yates responded, and hung up the phone. Well. This was a new and unexpected development. He would do a bit of checking before going to any meeting. It would do no good to walk into a trap after all. Though if there was indeed something afoot, it would bear looking into. Yates didn't trust the sorcerer's guild, like all others who stood against it he was a hunted man. Fortunately, the spells he had around his mansion had kept him undetected so far. Eventually, he'd be discovered, and then he'd have to flee again. Being on the run was so tiresome.

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

Overseer leaned back in his chair. Yates would spread the news for him now. By the time he got back from his vacation, all those in hiding would know of a plot. What the ploy would be, well, that was something that none would know but him. For now, he had other things to plan. Such as where to go for his vacation. It was a toss-up between skiing in Colorado or simply spending some time in Cancun. While the idea of a relaxing mountain ski trip appealed to him, the idea of lounging on the beach was tempting too.

It was obvious that Overseer needed a second opinion to help him decide. He picked up the phone again. He would find a travel agency. They could tell him which was better at this time of year. Setting the receiver down suddenly, Overseer stood and exited his office. He'd go and visit the agency himself. He wanted a bit of fresh air anyhow. The walk would do him good. Plus, walking always helped him develop his diabolical schemes.

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

   A sudden shower of debris and dirt rained down upon Doc. Springing out of the ruined doorway, he called for those attempting to dig through to the hallway to stand back. A miniature avalanche brought more of the hall ceiling crashing down. Doc sighed heavily. This was the third time that something like this had happened. It looked like it would be a while before those trapped (or so he thought) would be rescued. The digging team wearily dusted themselves off and began digging once more.

   Doc rejoined them, desperate to get to Ruth and David. He had thought of Ruth as a granddaughter, and David was becoming like a grandson to him as well. The thought that the two of them could be hurt and without help disturbed him greatly. There was also the matter of the twenty or so residents who had still been in the hall at the time of the attack. It had been about four hours since the attack by this time, and Doc was beginning to think that if anyone was wounded seriously, he wouldn't be able to reach them in time. He hoped that this would not be the case, as the two most likely to be injured were David and Ruth. From the reports, the sorcerer was after David in the first place, and Ruth was in a wheelchair, so her mobility was somewhat lessened.

   Doc was distracted from his thoughts by another explosion. Something that looked suspiciously like a door went whizzing across the garage and slammed into the far wall. As the dust cleared, Doc saw a peculiar looking wolf standing with its hand upraised. Ruth stood behind it, and the twenty odd residents as well. There was no sign of David, though Doc suspected that the strange looking wolf had something to do with it. Doc peered closer. Was it him, or was that wolf glowing?

   "Well, glad to see you're safe Ruth. And on your feet too--which I'll admit is a bit odd. I assume your companion there has something to do with all of this?" Doc somehow managed to convey an air of calm, though inside his mind was whirling at this turn of events. After all, it wasn't every day someone confined to a wheelchair suddenly got up and walked about looking completely healthy. It also wasn't every day that some glowing werewolf caused a locked door to rocket across a garage either.

   The glowing werewolf spoke in a familiar voice. "Well, I did indeed. I also had something to do with getting all of us out of here in one piece. Though I'll admit, I didn't know about this tunnel. One of the residents told me about that." A grin split the wolf's features. "Good to see you Doc. Glad you managed to escape unharmed, at least."

   Doc's expression was one of astonishment. Regaining control of himself, he chuckled a bit to himself. "Well, you must be David then. The new look suits you, especially the glowing bit. I'd love to know how you pull it off."

   David laughed. "Doc, it's a long explanation. Let's just say that someone seems to have re-written the lycanthropy virus. I appear to be the product of it. I appear to be a sorcerer too." To prove the point, he changed the now useless door into two rabbits. "Nifty, huh?"

   Doc was intrigued. "Well, this does certainly explain what a sorcerer was doing hunting you. Or at least, I assume that you were the target. As soon as you dashed off, he just vanished."

   Ruth interrupted. "Oh, he followed us all right. Appeared right in front of David and I in the hallway." The memory of what should have been her death returned and for a moment, she felt the pain of the fireball again. After a moment, she regained her composure and continued. "After he shot something at me, David suddenly switched to that form and drove him off somehow. Then he healed me and we started looking for others."

   Doc looked confused. "Healed you, you say? What exactly was wrong with you? Well--aside from the leg of course."

   Again the pained look returned to Ruth's face. She didn't really want to talk about the whole experience. Reliving it, even just to tell the story to Doc, was unpleasant at best. "Well--The sorcerer... he hit me at close range with a fireball like the one that totaled the van over there. I didn't exactly have long to live after that. I had just lost consciousness when David revived me somehow."

   "This is the part that I'm finding a bit hard to believe." Doc said. "David, to drive off a sorcerer you would need to know how to wield your power. You're totally inexperienced in matters of majik, aren't you? Or is there something you never told us?"

   David shook his head. "Nope, I've never used majik before. I just sort of... know what to do. It's instinctive to me for some reason. I think it may have something to do with the form I'm in, though I don't know why it would."

   "Hmm..." Doc pondered this for a few moments. "Well, I have no idea why it would be the case either. I think we should probably run a few tests on you when we have the time. Right now, we must prepare to move. It's not safe here any longer. We're pulling out here to set up shop at our alternate location. We picked it out a few weeks ago, I had a feeling that something like this might happen. Well--not exactly like this, but the Hunters have been getting uncomfortably close lately. Good thing we plan ahead."

   Ruth was a bit surprised. "We're leaving? What about Aaron? What if he comes back? Won't he need to know where we've gone?"

   Doc looked a bit sad. "Look, it's been over a month. We think he would have contacted us by now if he were able to. We're going to leave a few hints, but we can't risk someone else following a trail to the new headquarters."

   "So you're just giving up on him? Is that it?" Ruth couldn't believe it. Logically, Doc was right. Aaron would have made contact by now. Not unless he couldn't, or he was distracted. Ruth couldn't think of anything that could really distract Aaron from reporting in. The only problem was, Ruth's heart and mind didn't see eye to eye on the issue. Deep down, she still clung to the belief that Aaron was alive somewhere. Abandoning the base meant that they were in a sense abandoning Aaron.

   "Look, he'll find us if he's still alive. Don't worry, he's a smart lad. He'll know how to find us." Doc was trying to calm her fears, though personally, he had indeed given up hope. Eventually, Ruth would have to let go, but if she could not for the moment, then he would have to try to calm her down a bit.

   Ruth nodded acceptance, though she was still convinced Aaron was being abandoned. There was nothing that she could do at the moment. Somehow, she'd leave her own clues for him to find. That way, she could be sure. "Fine. How soon until we leave?"

   Doc shrugged. "With any luck, we'll move out for the new HQ in a few days. We'll set up a way to get everyone's belongings out of the damaged areas and go from there. They're all ready moving the medical equipment out."

   Ruth nodded and headed to her room. She would need to begin packing her things. That, and she needed time to think of something that would let Aaron know where they had gone.

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

>   Aaron was at the moment, laying on his cot in the apartment and thinking. He was facing a dilemma. He had to get in contact with Doc and the others--after all, Jo needed to be properly trained and oriented to her new abilities. The only problem was that if he were to take Jo to headquarters, it would mean leaving Lydia behind. There were some things that the council of lycanthropes were adamant about. No human had ever been allowed into any hideout of the lycanthropes, and Aaron was quite sure that he'd not be able to bend the rules for Lydia. Unless Jo was willing to abandon her friend (and Aaron knew she wasn't), he could not bring Jo to headquarters with him.

   Oddly enough, this thought troubled him. In the time he had spent in captivity, Aaron had for some reason begun to consider Jo and Lydia as friends. Perhaps it was the fact that he hadn't been harmed by them, or the fact that he had wound up saving both of their lives at one time or another. He didn't want to leave them to fend for themselves, feeling an odd obligation to protect the two of them. After all, it was his blood that had gone and infected Jo in the first place. Even though it was her own fault that she had been studying him in the first place, Aaron still believed that he owed her as much help as he could.

   Jo, for her part, was having a fun enough time walking about in her wolf form. It was new and interesting to her. Granted, she still hadn't quite grasped the full extent of what being a lycanthrope meant, but that would come to her eventually. For now, she enjoyed standing in front of mirrors and making faces. That was in fact what she was doing while Aaron thought of what he was going to do. Making faces in front of a mirror. It amused her to see a wolf making such human expressions. It also helped her to get more used to the idea of being a lycanthrope, so she did it quite often.

   Lydia felt a bit left out of all the proceedings. After all, she was the only human left in the group. It was also a bit disconcerting to keep seeing Jo wandering about in wolf form. After all, Lydia had carried a hatred of lycanthropes for so long, it was odd to see her best friend as one. Then again, she had to remind herself that Aaron was a good sort of person, and that it was entirely possible that most lycanthropes were. The world as Lydia had known it now seemed to be changing. Lydia didn't like her views changing so much, she had been comfortable the way things were. Though as she thought more and more, she realized that she wouldn't want to return to her old views now if she could. Like most people, she would rather know the truth than keep living in a world of her own misconceptions.

   Aaron rolled over irritably. He hated these sorts of decisions. Mainly because he always seemed to choose wrong. This time, however, it seemed as if both choices would cause a problem one way or the other. If he left to return to headquarters, then it would mean Jo and Lydia would be abandoned to fend for themselves--and though they certainly could do so, Aaron was sure that the Hunters would eventually wonder where their assassin had gotten to. That would mean that the two former Hunters would be attacked again, and Aaron wanted to be able to help. The thought of them being harmed wasn't a pleasant one, especially when he had gone through the trouble of saving them all ready. On the other hand, if he stayed where he was, then he'd be leaving his whole life behind. Most likely, he'd already been declared dead. It had been more than a month, after all. That made up his mind for him. He would stay with Lydia and Jo, and work on getting in touch with headquarters whenever he could. That seemed a good compromise to him.

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

   Working at travel agencies was a boring job, the clerk behind the desk had decided. Things were much too slow, and it wasn't like many people had the money to go on vacation. That, and there was always a funny smell in the agency. The clerk wasn't sure if it was from the potted plants on the displays for the mountains or the decomposing flowers that needed to be thrown out from the tropics display. Whatever the cause, it annoyed the clerk greatly, and made her wish that she could just take a vacation herself. Unfortunately, her employers didn't give out more than three days vacation at a time.

   At any rate, she had decided to subtly strike back by sleeping through her shift. This was a good scheme, as she was getting paid to fantasize about being somewhere else. At the moment, she was dreaming about getting massage, but then it seemed that the masseuse became a dark cloaked form instead of the muscular youth she preferred. Starting awake, the clerk realized that she had of all things, a customer. It was the dark cloaked form from her dream, which was less of a shock than one would think. After all, the clerk had seen her fair share of weirdoes, so some nut in a cloak was nothing new.

   "Can I help you?" The clerk inquired in her best cheery voice. If there was one thing the clerk was proud of, it was her ability to sound so cheery yet still convey the impression that she despised the customer. It had taken her years to perfect, and now she could make most customers enter a depressive state merely by talking to her.

   This effect, it can be said, did not occur when she spoke to Overseer. In fact, it actually brought a warm feeling to his heart. "I'm looking for a place to go on vacation. I'm torn between going to the tropics and skiing. What do you suggest at this time of year?"

   It was a bit odd hearing this query, as Overseer used the sepulchral voice he usually reserved for making threats. After all, if this young lady wanted to see who could depress whom, he was more than willing to compete. Like the clerk, Overseer had spent quite a few years perfecting a voice that would cause despair. The clerk, however, seemed unfazed.

   "Well, the tropics are always nice, but the mountains are in pretty good shape right now, and that's always a golden opportunity. It's one of those yearly things, you see." The clerk, sensing competition, was upping the ante, using condescension as an extra kick. This had never failed her before.

   "Oh, snow is a yearly thing? I wasn't aware. Is that really true?" Condescension met sarcasm. The two clashed. Overseer's delivery was impeccable, managing to keep the look of utter surprise on his face at the fact.

   The clerk was a bit rocked back in her chair by the verbal blow. Recovering quickly, she returned the sarcasm. "Oh no, I was just pulling your leg. Snow only happens once every five years. That makes the ski trip all the better."

   Overseer was mildly impressed with the comment, but it still failed to have any sort of effect. Still, it had been quite amusing. "Well, it seems that my choice is obvious then, doesn't it? I'll go to the tropics."

   "Excellent choice. After all, it's always good to pass up the opportunity for good skiing. At least, that's what I'm told." One last effort from the clerk to win the battle of words. Overseer remained unaffected, and at last the clerk admitted defeat. "I'll make your reservations right away."

   "Very nice. Oh, and I must ask. I'm in need of evil henchmen. We're a bit behind on our Affirmative Action quotas, and I was wondering if you'd like to be a henchm--henchperson." Overseer had been impressed enough by the display of sarcasm to think that the clerk would make a nice addition to his organization.

   "Well, I'd have to tell my boss... and there's the problem of me signing a contract to work here for a few more years..." The clerk really did want to try out working for an evil organization. Her friend had recently started working for the Mob, and couldn't stop gushing about how great the benefits were. Unfortunately, the clerk had been stupid enough to sign that bloody contract.

   "No problem." Overseer rumbled. "You agreed to work at this location, correct?"

   "No, it was at one across the country." The clerk's expression was one of amazement at such a stupid question. She finished making Overseer's reservations. "Now, is there anything else you need?

   "No, I think I'm finished here. So are you, actually. I'd suggest following me outside." Overseer was going to take care of this contract problem in his own fashion.

   Shrugging to herself, clerk followed evil sorcerer out of the building. Overseer turned, made a few motions with his hands, and concentrated for a moment. The travel agency suddenly flew apart as a massive ball of flame catapulted itself out of Overseer's body and into the building. Overseer was pretty pleased by the explosion. That had been one of his better fireballs. He made a mental note to get a camera or something so he could take photos the next time around. Dusting his hands off, he turned to the clerk, who was a bit shocked by what had just happened. After all, it wasn't every day one's workplace was blown to bits by a fireball. Amazingly enough however, she had fully recovered in a few minutes. After all, now she wouldn't have to worry about those decomposing flowers anymore.

   "Not a bad trick." She commented. "Is that how you take care of most of your employees former places of work?"

   "Oh good heavens no! There'd be no pizza places left!" Overseer hired cheap labor, and he wasn't afraid to admit it. This young woman's attitude would surely warrant a supervisory position. That was what those idiots needed--someone who could drive them to despair when Overseer couldn't do it himself. The clerk was the perfect fit. Not as good with sarcasm and the like as himself, but her false cheer was better than his.

   The clerk considered this for a moment. "Well, that makes me feel special. Shall we watch it burn some more, or were you going to actually show me where I'm working any time soon?"

   "Of course! Where are my manners?" Overseer grabbed the clerk's arm and dematerialized the both of them. He'd let her run things while he was on vacation.

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

   David awoke with a start. He had just had a rather unpleasant dream reliving Ruth's near death. Except in the dream, he hadn't been able to do anything about it, he had just watched her die while the sorcerer laughed. Then it had been his turn to die, and that had woken him up. It troubled David, who had hoped to put the incident behind him, or at the very least be able to remember that he had indeed saved Ruth and that the sorcerer had been driven off. Sadly, his subconscious wasn't willing to put those parts of the day in, and so he had been left with nothing but nightmares for the past several hours. Every time he fell asleep, the memories returned, and he was once again woken up in a sweat. It was the night after the attacks, and so far he was having no luck banishing these episodes.

   Luckily, he had been kept from thinking about it during the day too much with all the preparations for moving to a new headquarters. The amount of equipment to move was staggering, and all the help possible was required. Fortunately, everyone was able to help, as the attacks had only wounded a few--and those few had not been wounded seriously. It looked as if the move would be completed in a few more days. The medical equipment had been moved first, and so testing of David's new form was postponed until the move. This was something that pleased David, because he was a bit edgy about being tested, due to the fact that he was almost certain it would involve needles in some manner. Still, it was in his best interest that he find out what was happening to him.

   Ruth was also finding it hard to sleep. Her own memories of dying were unfortunately fresh in her mind, and so she relived the moment every time she tried to get some sleep. Her only comfort was that she also could remember the feeling of David healing her. That feeling had been as wonderful as the feeling of dying had been terrible. Her subconscious being the inconvenience it was however, preferred to recall the feeling of dying. Ruth's thoughts were also fixed on the problem of moving--leaving Aaron behind. Deep down, she knew that there wasn't really any hope, and yet she couldn't bring herself to let him go. After all he had done for her and even for David, she couldn't fathom a friend like him gone.

   With a sigh, Ruth got out of bed and started packing. She'd get her rest eventually, but it was definitely not coming any time soon. An hour later, she irritably abandoned the activity. Thoughts of the attack and of Aaron's disappearance and (presumably) his death kept running through her mind. She needed to talk to someone, but who could possibly be up at this hour? As she finished the thought, a quiet knock came at her door. Wondering, Ruth opened the door to find David standing in the hallway, looking a bit sheepish.

   "Didn't want to wake you, but I can't sleep. I figured you might not be able to either, and I needed someone to talk to." What had possessed him to walk out of his room and down the hallway David never really was able to figure out. The desire to share his thoughts with someone else, but not anyone. Someone who understood him, and knew how his mind worked. Ruth was his closest friend, and really the only person that David felt comfortable talking to.

   Ruth smiled, glad to see that she was not alone in her sleeplessness. The fact that the other insomniac happened to be her closest friend was a definite bonus. "Good guess. I've been up the past few hours myself. Almost went to see if you were up, but I guess you obviously are, aren't you?"

   David gave a small grunt of amusement. "Indeed. I'm glad you're up. I keep thinking about the attack, and you're the only one who was there for the whole thing."

   Ruth nodded. "Yeah, that's what keeps bothering me too. It seems so strange, doesn't it? To have all of this happening, and with no idea of what the reason is or what will happen next... I just can't be at ease, not knowing if there'll be another attack, or when the attack will come if there is one. I've already lost Aaron--I don't want to lose another friend."

   David nodded slowly. "I know. There doesn't seem to be any reason for a sorcerer to want me dead, unless this virus I carry is his project gone awry. But I'm never the one hurt, it's always those around me. My parents were killed by that assassin droid that you blasted when we first met. Now, twice I've come close to losing you.   I won't let that happen. I don't know where the next attack will come from, only that it will come. He's not done with me yet, whoever he is." A strange light came into his eyes. "But whatever happens, I won't allow any more harm to come to you."

   Ruth nodded slowly. "You may be right..." her voice cracked, and all of a sudden Ruth found herself asking all of the questions that ran through her head, worry etched into her features. "But what happens next time David? Won't he come back stronger? Better prepared to face you? How are you going to keep fighting him off every time we're discovered?"

   Ruth's last question opened up a whole new set of questions that hadn't had time to form in David's mind. How had those spies known his movements? Who was feeding information to the sorcerer? Right now, however, David left those questions unasked. His friend was worried--frightened of the unknown. Though David was worried himself, that wasn't important at the moment. What was important was easing his Ruth's mind.

   He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Ruth, listen to me. I do not know what twist of Fate has set these events in motion. I'm not sure how it will turn out. But I promise you this: I will not be kept running by this sorcerer. I will prepare myself as best as I can, and the next time we meet, I won't let him escape. Nor will I ever allow another attempt on my life threaten yours. No matter what, I'm going to make sure you're as safe as possible. I won't let anyone else be harmed by this." More words sprang to his lips, but David did not say them. Now was not the time, and it certainly would not help in comforting Ruth. Probably would just make things worse.

   Ruth looked up, seeing the determination in David's eyes. Somehow, she felt that he would do exactly as he said. For whatever reason, this brought some measure of relief to her, until another question intruded upon her mind. "What if you cannot defeat him? What if he--" She couldn't finish the thought, the words sticking in her throat.

   "That's not going to happen. I've got too many things to stick around here for." David grinned wryly. "A premature exit isn't me." False bravado, an attempt to once more calm his friend.

   In a way, it worked. Ruth saw right through it, of course, but then realized that he was doing his best to try to dispel her fears and calm her down. To be honest, Ruth had expected that David would merely voice his own worries. Yet he was comforting her instead, even though Ruth could see the worry that he hid in his expression. This knowledge made Ruth wonder at just how good of a friend he had become to her. She really hadn't thought of it extensively, avoiding the subject in her own head. Now she saw that all David was trying to do was be there for her, and it struck her that maybe, just maybe, he'd do his best to keep things that way.

   A new confidence, one that everything would turn out all right in the end, flooded through her. She had been close to death twice now, and twice David had saved her. Right then, she made up her mind to do her best to keep David safe as he had sworn to do for her. Looking at her friend, she smiled. "Thanks David. Guess I'm just a bit shaky after all the excitement today."

   David smiled too, glad that Ruth's mind at least was at ease. Now perhaps he could get some rest himself, for he found that putting Ruth's fears to rest had helped put his own worries to rest as well. "It was no problem Ruth. Now, perhaps we should both get some rest. There's lots to be done tomorrow, after all."

   Ruth nodded, wanting to say something more but not knowing how to say it. Instead, a she uttered a quiet "Goodnight" and David left. The two returned to their beds, unspoken words still running through their thoughts. David fell asleep immediately, as did Ruth, and the two slept soundly until the next morning.

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

   Aaron awoke feeling a bit stiff. He was also feeling a bit bored, as life in the apartment had slowed down to a regular routine of things. There wasn't much to do other than continue to salvage what they could of the medical equipment. Heading down to the second floor where the blood analyzer had landed, Aaron cast an eye over the twisted jumble of machinery. Perhaps he would be able to at least save the generator. That seemed to have survived the fall well enough. Shrugging his shoulders, Aaron gave a slight grunt as he struggled to shift the generator to get a better look at it. The readout screen was cracked, and the wires that had been attached to it were ruined, as were the outputs. Deciding that it was indeed possible to fix (and at the very least that it would keep him busy for a few weeks), Aaron left it to return up to the apartment.

   Jo was there to greet him, Lydia still asleep. Aaron smiled in greeting, noting that for once Jo wasn't running about as a wolf. "Morning Jo. I've just been to look at the generator."

   "Oh yes? Any chance of doing anything to fix it? We could always use the power--especially if the government realizes that burned out cities no longer require power." It was this worry that had made Jo suggest they take a look at the damaged equipment in the first place. Not only that, but Lydia and she had paid quite a lot for the equipment, and they weren't keen on allowing it to just go to waste.

   Aaron nodded. "Yeah, I think I can get it working again. It's going to take a while, but at least that means I'll have something to do, doesn't it?"

   Jo grinned. So, he was as bored as the rest of them. "Lucky you. All I do is sit around. Even playing in front of mirrors is getting old."

   Aaron laughed. "Yeah, once the novelty wears off you don't bother with it as much. But you could always help me out. I'll need someone to talk to while I work, otherwise it'll get done way to quickly."

   "Oh no, I'd just ask too many questions and annoy you." Jo spoke the truth, she was after all an inquisitive sort.

   "Oh no, I wouldn't mind at all." Aaron said quickly. "I'm always willing to explain about electronics. As long as I know what the answer is at any rate." It was true, Aaron had always enjoyed talking about his work. The only problem was, most people found things like programming and the finer points of wire-splicing terribly boring. Still, it seemed that he had found a receptive audience (if only until he actually started talking, he thought) in Jo, and it would help him to concentrate on what he was doing if he could talk to someone about it.

   "What do we do first?" Jo inquired.

   "First we wake up Lydia. We'll need some help finding the parts I'm going to need, and it would be best if the three of us went looking together."

   Of course, this turned out to be unnecessary, as Lydia was now already awake and walking about. Coming out of her room, she waved at the two and asked, "So... what's the agenda for the day? Not the usual I hope, I'm getting bored out of my skull."

   "Oh no, not today. Aaron's been looking about the generator and he says he thinks he can fix it. We're going to go out and look for parts. We were hoping you'd come with us too." Jo responded, grinning at Lydia's statement.

   "Ooh, getting out of the apartment! Sounds just wonderful to me." Lydia quickly replied. "What parts are we looking for?"

   Aaron shrugged. "I haven't found out yet, though we'll definitely need some new cable and new ports too. It's quite broken, so it'll take a while to figure out everything. I thought we'd just take care of the larger more obvious items today." A thought struck him. "And I need to get another kilt. This one's starting to get a bit worn, and I could do with another."

   Both Lydia and Jo nodded, realizing that Aaron hadn't changed kilts since his capture. Fortunately, the previous owner of the apartment had shirts and other such things that Aaron could use, but he refused to wear anything but his kilt and claimed that the pants were too small. Getting another kilt sounded like a fantastic idea to them, as both figured that his current kilt was getting a bit dirty. "Good plan." They said in unison.

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

   Overseer sat grumpily in the airport, waiting for his flight. Even though he could have easily just materialized in the Bahamas, it wasn't safe. The distance was too great, and the greater the distance, the greater ripple that went through reality. To materialize in the Bahamas would be like waving a massive sign that proclaimed his presence in the area. So, to play it safe, he sat and waited. He had considered grabbing a magazine, but then realized that he hated magazines and would only wind up incinerating one if he were to purchase such an item.

   As it was, the only other reading material were trashy romance novels. It took one look for Overseer to decide that he did not feel like reading about "Glistening heaving bosoms." Instead of reading, Overseer sat and twiddled his thumbs, occasionally checking up on the Organization using his laptop. So far, it seemed to be running itself quite smoothly. Something bit him on the ankle, and Overseer looked down irritably.

   The X-ray machine was gnawing on his shoelace. Overseer regretted changing it into a ferret, but with his massive sword that he kept in his carry-on luggage (for sorcerers only fought with swords and majik), he was sure it would be confiscated. The security guards had been intelligent enough to merely wave him through after seeing the bulky machine running about and sniffing at people's pants. The other patrons had been a bit angered, for this meant that they would have to go to a different station and would probably be in line for an extra hour.

   Of course, the ripple caused by the transformation might attract a bit of attention, but as long as nothing else happened (such as the machine being restored to its former form instead of it gnawing on Overseer's leg) then he would be safe. Though the ferret's constant biting was wearing rather thin. Overseer settled for punting it across the room, where it landed on a young man's lap, spilling his coffee. Overseer chuckled a bit, and then returned to twiddling his thumbs and waiting for his flight.

   Blessedly, he only had to wait another two hours before boarding his flight. From there, it was but another three while they waited to taxi, and one while they sat in traffic. Overseer was delighted, as normally it could take days to get off the ground. He could only assume the death threats had done something to motivate the airline company. It was times like those that Overseer was always quite pleased with his decision to create a criminal organization. Things like death threats just never carried any weight to them unless there was a secret evil organization to back the threat up. Looking out, Overseer idly surveyed the ground below. Not that there was anything of great interest to him, but he had nothing better to do while the flight made its way south.

   There was one problem with the flight, and that was the man sitting to Overseer's right. This businessman (or at least Overseer assumed him to be a businessman. The suit he wore and stuffed briefcase resting on his lap seemed to give it away) had apparently never been taught about eating in moderation. This flaw in his childhood upbringing had caused him to be rather portly. In fact, Overseer considered portly to be a polite way of putting it. Rolls of flabby flesh oozed onto the sorcerer's lap, causing him to shudder involuntarily. What's worse was the man's obvious breathing problem, punctuated by loud snores as the flabby businessman attempted sleep. It looked to be a long flight. Overseer found himself hoping that something would happen, a hijacking, engine trouble, sudden depressurization. Mainly because Overseer was sure his portly seat-mate would make a delightful sucking sound as his rolls went through the window.

   Things fast became more uncomfortable for the sorcerer. His companion appeared to have fallen asleep, and was leaning on him. That meant that more bits of flab sagged their way into Overseer's lap, causing him to nearly wretch at the feeling. This would not do. It was utterly ridiculous, and he simply could not stand it anymore. If he only shifted things a little, then he would minimize the ripple effect.. The decision was taken out of his hands when a scruffy Arabian looking fellow stood, shouted something that nobody understood, and pulled a gun. This was sufficient to wake Overseer's companion, who shrank to the side, handily removing most of his flab from Overseer's lap. Overseer relaxed a bit more, happy that things were getting a little interesting.

   The man continued to shout loudly, and Overseer occasionally caught a few recognizable words like "Capitalist" and "Pigs". Communists? In this day and age? Overseer shrugged inwardly, and waited for the real fun to start. That fun would have been the hidden federal agents on the plane that were put in place to curb hijackings. At the moment, Overseer had already picked out the three agents on the plane, and was waiting for one of them to make a move. The one closest to the sorcerer seemed ready to do something, but the other two were showing no signs of having a plan at all. In fact, the other two were currently near the pants-wetting stage of fear.

   Overseer shook his head at the two in disappointment. Regardless of the two frightened agents, he remained confident that he'd at least get a good show before he would have to take matters into his own hands. For a second, the thought that perhaps things would work themselves out entered his mind, but then as he took another look at the three agents (the only bold one was making it painfully obvious to Overseer that he was going to try something, which meant that the hijacker would probably notice at any moment), the thought vanished. Oh well, it would be fun to play with the hijacker while it lasted.

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

   Wyndalf's unease was growing. Something was happening, and he couldn't figure out what. Agents had reported the use of majik in Minnesota, but nothing had come of it. What was worse, there were reports of rogue sorcerers communicating more than usual. Around the world, agents of the guild were reporting increased majikal activity, the intensity of the ripples indicating that it was mostly dematerializations. The problem was, as soon as they got a bead on where the dematerialization had occurred, the sorcerer responsible was gone. It almost seemed to many in the guild that those against it were becoming more organized. Wyndalf decided to talk to Kate more of Overseer. Wyndalf had an ugly feeling that the sorcerer was behind this somehow. Overseer may have not been the most powerful of the rogue sorcerers, but he was an expert at manipulation. He stood, exiting his chamber. He would speak to Modok, who had mentioned something a while ago about young Kate that seemed to be of importance.

   Kate sat in her room, growing steadily more restless. Though she was sure that she could defeat Overseer (especially in her wolf/sorceress form), she still knew that it was impossible to do such a thing alone. From what she knew of his organization (and that was quite a bit), she had determined that Overseer had troops trained to deal with sorcerers. These troops would most likely destroy her should she attempt to kill him alone. The problem was, Kate wasn't sure how to go about getting help for her task. After all, if she were to simply ask for help, she would have to tell her secret to Wyndalf. This was something she wanted to avoid if possible, mostly because she thought that the restrictions on majikal use were too harsh herself. Wyndalf, on the other hand, seemed to want to restrict usage even more. Kate also thought it stupid to cast talented sorcerers out of the order because they did work that some would consider risky. To Kate, risk seemed to be a part of sorcery, as if one could ever be certain how reality would react to being toyed with.

   Shrugging, she called her familiar. "What do you think I should do?"

   The wolf gave a human shrug. "That is not something I think I can answer for you. Your only choice seems to be asking Lord Wyndalf for help."

   Kate shook her head. "No, there's got to be some other way to accomplish this. Something that I can do to get help without having to tell Wyndalf about my hidden power."

   Again, her Familiar shrugged. It wasn't meant to deal with these sorts of issues, though Kate had given it a keen intellect. "Well, I suppose that if you just tell him what you know of Overseer's organization, then he'll want to attack anyhow. Then all you have to do is ask to go along."

   "Hmm... you know, that's a pretty good idea. I think that I should talk to him about the laboratory in Minnesota. That'll at least give me an excuse to do some investigation of my own while we're there."

   "Indeed. An excellent plan, mistress." The familiar nodded its approval. His mistress was quite clever. Then again, he had needed to help her along a bit, but still... a bright young woman. Of course, its opinion was a bit biased. She was his creator, after all.

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

   The electronics market was once again packed. Aaron sighed as he made his way through the crowds, disliking large groups of people intensely. Jo and Lydia walked behind Aaron, figuring that he knew where he was going. It had been decided that they would in fact stick together rather than split up. This idea had been proposed by Aaron when he saw the blank stares on Lydia and Jo's faces as he listed off components. They were currently on the lookout for a replacement readout screen, and luckily Aaron knew where to head for such an item.

   As the three passed through the market, a few passers-by recognized Aaron as the kilted werewolf from a few months ago. This fact ensured that they were not harassed by any muggers--and the crowd parted around them like the Red Sea. Aaron was happy with this effect, as it only made the trip easier. Even the vendor who sold the readout screens was surprisingly agreeable to Aaron's offered price and refrained from haggling. The next item on the list would be hard to find. The generator had been older than Aaron first thought, and he hadn't considered that some of the parts would no longer be manufactured. As a result, the part he needed was no longer produced, and Aaron would have to trust to luck to find a used one.

   Jo leaned over and whispered to Lydia. "I forgot what we're looking for."

   Lydia shrugged. "I'm not sure either. Hopefully Aaron remembers."

   "Of course Aaron remembers." Aaron spoke up. "I'm the one who told you what to look for after all."

   The wandering continued for another hour, Aaron stopping occasionally to inquire again and again about the component. The three were about to just give up when Aaron suddenly found what he was looking for. A simple chip, about the size of a quarter. Handing it to Jo, he paid the vendor and moved on, looking for more electrical wire. The wire was found in a matter of moments, and the three headed back to the van with their findings.

   "That didn't take too long." Aaron commented.

   "Nope. I guess we're just lucky that way." Jo said.

   Aaron shrugged. "Yeah, guess so. I didn't expect to find that chip at all. I mean, that generator of yours has been out of production for over three years. That's a long time, especially if you're talking about electronics."

   As the three neared the van, Lydia became aware of someone trailing them. Not wanting to risk a look behind her, she instead glanced in the meager reflection offered by a car's windshield that was parked in the market. The reflection showed a young-looking man wearing an overcoat. Lydia noticed that there was an unusual bulge under the coat at the waist, which was most likely a gun. Trying to hide her annoyance, Lydia caught up with Jo and Aaron and whispered "Looks like someone wants to mug us. Should we deal with it now or later?"

   Aaron pondered this for a moment. "Well, it's not wise to attract any more attention to ourselves I think. So we'll wait until we get somewhere a bit more secluded. That's what he's hoping for anyway."

   The group continued on its way, the thief following close behind. Obviously this youth had not heard of the kilted werewolf, or perhaps he was simply a bit better prepared. The thought that their pursuer could be a Hunter and not a common thief wound its way through Aaron's mind. He decided that perhaps he should ask Jo and Lydia about it.

   Quickening his pace, Aaron motioned for Jo and Lydia to catch up to him. "Do you think it could be a Hunter? News of who I am probably traveled quickly through the market."

   Jo considered this for a moment. "That sounds as if it could be very likely. It's standard procedure to send Hunters out to check on stories of werewolves. We've got computers monitoring the news networks and the tabloids for anything that could relate to lycanthropy--but Hunters usually work in groups of two, not alone. If our pursuer is a Hunter, then we need to be more cautious. It's likely there's another Hunter watching."

   Lydia nodded. "Aye, his partner is probably monitoring the area in their van. If he's a bit more bold, then he could be hiding in the crowd somewhere." The group passed another car, and Lydia took a closer look at their pursuer. "I think I know this guy. If memory serves me right, he's a bit reckless in his method. You can bet his partner is following us instead of monitoring the situation like he should."

   Jo looked thoughtful. "Hmm, that could work out to our advantage. If his partner isn't in the van, then they probably can't contact headquarters. Only the highest ranked Hunters get cell phone access. The rest of us have to use satellite uplinks from the van."

   Aaron nodded. "Good thing I brought you along with me. Always nice to have people along who know how Hunters work. Very fortunate, I should think."

   The two former Hunters nodded. "Just as fortunate as we were to have you around when I Manifested." Jo reminded him.

   "And when that assassin came for us." Lydia added.

   "Consider it a small amount of repayment." Jo said. Repaying Aaron was something that the two Hunters had been discussing for a while. Jo felt that their capturing of him had been unjust now, and Lydia was becoming of the same mind. It had been decided by the two of them that they would allow him to return to his home--wherever that was. Right now didn't seem to be the time to talk of such matters however, as Aaron was leading them to a secluded alleyway.

   I hope he knows what he's doing, Lydia silently thought to herself. Aaron put forth the look of a wholly unremarkable person, just one more customer to the marketplace. As soon as they rounded the corner however, Aaron's pace quickened a little more. Behind them, Lydia could hear the sound of their follower's footsteps quickening as well. Rounding another corner, they came to a dead end. Aaron turned and stood waiting silently. His manner had changed slightly, though he wore the expression of someone lost. The young man rounded the corner as well, and Aaron approached him with a look of relief.

   "Oh good, someone who looks like they know their way around here! My friends and I are a bit lost, you see. We're trying to find the west parking lot, but I'm terrible at directions and I'm afraid that apart from heading in this direction I don't know where to go." Aaron indicated the dead end. "Took the wrong alley, I suppose."

   The young man's voice was cold. "You will not have to worry about taking the correct route to the lot now wolf." The last word was delivered with a spit of contempt. "I've got you where I want you now, and your companions can not help you either." As he spoke, two shots echoed in the alley.

   Aaron whirled around to see Lydia on the ground, blood pooling from her midsection. Jo was nowhere to be seen. The Hunter reached into his coat, whipping out a pistol. The weapon aimed at Aaron's back, and as Aaron turned back to face him, the man fired. Surprisingly enough, the shot went wild, as the man looked at his chest in shock. A knife protruded from his heart, and his eyes rolled back into his skull as he collapsed. Aaron looked at the Hunter, then turned. Jo stood behind a pile of trash, tears streaming down her face, her arm still extended from the throw.

   Aaron moved quickly. The sniper was still above them, though Aaron could see him clearly now. Grabbing the fallen Hunter's pistol, Aaron aimed and fired three rounds. The first two went wild, but the third found its mark, and the sniper tottered for a moment before falling from the roof to the ground with a sickening thud. Aaron and Jo looked at each other for a moment, their thoughts suddenly coming to rest on the same subject. Both ran for Lydia's prone form.

   Rolling her over as gently as he could manage, Aaron cradled her head in his arm, his brow furrowed in concern. "How bad is it?" He asked, hoping that something could be done.

   Lydia coughed, her breathing becoming uneven. "It is bad enough." She couldn't feel her legs, the shot having struck her spine. The knowledge came to her suddenly. She would not survive this wound. She had lost too much blood already, and they were too far from medical attention.

   Jo shook her head, unwilling to believe. "Nonsense Lydia. You're going to be all right. We'll get you to a hospital, they'll take care of you. I'll bandage you up and we'll get you to a doctor, and everything will be just fine." She started to tear the sleeves off of her shirt, using them as makeshift bandages to bind the wound. "Aaron and I are going to take care of you. It'll be okay." Desperation tinged her voice.

   Lydia's shook her head, her hand stopping Jo's frantic efforts to bind the wound. "No Jo, this is it. I wouldn't last the journey to the hospital, and I wouldn't be able to say goodbye to you now."

   Tears flowed freely down Jo's face, dropping onto Lydia's form. "You cannot... please... don't leave." Her voice was cracking, the world closing in around her. This wasn't supposed to happen. Lydia was supposed to always be there for her, and Jo would always be there for Lydia. They weren't supposed to be separated now.

   "I must." Lydia coughed again. "It is not my choice to stay or go." Her hand reached up and grabbed Jo's. "You were--a fine friend. You helped me see how wrong I was. I regret now those I killed."

   Aaron spoke up, his own voice husky with sorrow. "I assure you, those killed would forgive you given the chance. It is not your fault, or anyone's fault really. You did not know what you do now." His face showed the sadness of one who realizes the inevitable. Aaron had seen death before, but he found it no easier to watch Lydia slowly and surely slip away.

   Lydia turned her attention to Aaron. "I wish to apologize for mistrusting you, and for holding you captive. You have been a great friend to me as well as Jo. I ask that you keep her safe now, as I did." She winced again, and then a fit of coughing seized her, each movement sending fresh waves of pain, and she grimaced. Blood appeared on her lips.

   Aaron gently wiped the blood away and nodded silently, tears of his own beginning to fall. After all his work, after rescuing her twice before, it had all come to nothing. He hadn't been able to protect her, not in the end. Not when it mattered. He found his voice once more. "I promise I will."

   Lydia seemed to relax. She made one final effort, squeezing Jo's hand as comfortingly as she could. "Do not stop searching for your answers Jo. You will find them eventually, even though it might take a long time." Here it became clear that she was fading, her voice sinking to a whisper. "You... may dispel the mistaken ideas of others as you did mine. Goodbye... Jo.... My dearest friend..."

   A shuddering sigh escaped Lydia. Her eyelids fluttered briefly, and she suddenly smiled as the pain faded and her consciousness left her body, to move on to the next adventure. The look of peacefulness on her face remained as her hand suddenly relaxed its grip on Jo's and dropped to the ground.

   Jo's face contorted in grief. "No!" Her cry echoed mockingly back at her, the walls of the alley unmoved by her sadness.

   Aaron grabbed Lydia's wrist, holding it for a long time. Finally, he looked at Jo, a deep sadness in his eyes. "She's..." He fell silent. Laying Lydia's head gently on the ground, he stood and tried to say something that would comfort Jo. All he could manage was "I.... I'm sorry." His head bowed, and the tears started to flow again.

   Jo's face was streaked with tears, her breath coming in sobs. She looked up on hearing Aaron's comment and saw him standing, bowed with grief. Rising to her feet, Jo moved toward him, seeking to comfort him as well. She tried to say something, but a fresh wave of sadness and loss washed over her as she caught sight of Lydia's body again, and the words stuck in her throat. The two collapsed into each other's arms, finding comfort in their mutual grief, while the world slowly moved on, oblivious to the loss that had occurred.

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