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Part 1 of Bleeding Worlds , Part 1 of The Fog of Worlds Saga
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2020-07-29
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2024-02-22
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22/?
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Unlife is Strange

Summary:

Those who die in darkness, find new life in the darkness; this is the first thing Rachel Amber learned upon awakening, as something less human, or more depending on who you ask. She gained a new mother in something ancient and terrible and now must heed her call, but something from her old life is calling her back, and she finds herself in need of new friends to help her.

On the flip side, reports of supernatural happenings in Beaver Creek lead to an attack on the small community, leaving Daniel Diaz and Chris Eriksen stranded and hunted in the wilderness; and nothing is going to stop Sean Diaz from ensuring his brother's safety. Both Sean and Rachel find themselves part of the same centuries old conspiracy, that boils down to a game played by a malevolent goddess, the war with her son, and the many pawns within.

Now part of the "Fog of Worlds Saga".

Notes:

This story is one of two crossover projects of mine. The other is a crossover between "Carmilla: The Series" and "Pitch Perfect"; that story is called "Love's Sacrifices". Despite them being sister fics, do not expect them to tie in to one another. This story at least will have a tumblr blog on the side when more chapters come up. I have already written posts on my tumblr blog where I talk about my plans and revisions for this fic, as well as lore and character plans.

This is something I've been planning for a year and a half now, and had to due numerous revisions due to how ambitious this project alone is. I plan to write a few different "routes" for this story to go. Certain chapters that are applicable to certain routes will be listed as such.

To keep it simple; Route A follows the Sacrifice Arcadia Bay & Parting Ways of "Life is Strange" and "Life is Strange 2"; Route B follows the Sacrifice Chloe and Redemption endings. I'm considering a Route C, which is the same as Route A, only Kate ended up committing suicide and is subsequently turned into a vampire as well, but that may complicate things.

There's also going to be flashback chapters, so things may be a little out of order.

Along with "Love's Sacrifices" this is a passion fic of mine, and may keep me from just writing smut stories over and over and over again. Although, there may be smut in this story, but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.

Chapter 1: Introductions

Notes:

Disclaimer: I own neither the Life is Strange series, Vampyr, nor any other work featured or referenced within this story; they are the property of their respective owners. I only own this fic, and original characters/elements within.

This story is one of two crossover projects of mine. The other is a crossover between "Carmilla: The Series" and "Pitch Perfect"; that story is called "Love's Sacrifices". Despite them being sister fics, do not expect them to tie in to one another. This story at least will have a tumblr blog on the side when more chapters come up. I have already written posts on my tumblr blog where I talk about my plans and revisions for this fic, as well as lore and character plans.

This is something I've been planning for a year and a half now, and had to due numerous revisions due to how ambitious this project alone is. I plan to write a few different "routes" for this story to go. Certain chapters that are applicable to certain routes will be listed as such.

To keep it simple; Route A follows the Sacrifice Arcadia Bay & Parting Ways of "Life is Strange" and "Life is Strange 2"; Route B follows the Sacrifice Chloe and Redemption endings. I *was* considering a Route C, which is the same as Route A, only Kate ended up committing suicide and is subsequently turned into a vampire as well, but that may complicate things.

There's also going to be flashback chapters, so things may be a little out of order.

Along with "Love's Sacrifices" this is a passion fic of mine, and may keep me from just writing smut stories over and over and over again. Although, there may be smut in this story, but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.

Chapter Text

October, 13th 2013

A girl awakens in a dark room, but not the same one she was taken too. She is greeted by an older female voice in her head.

“Where…where am I ?”

“Hush now child, your dream is over."

“Where’s the light ? Where’s Nathan ? Where’s Mark-?"

“Light? That’s what people always say they see. And yet you wake in darkness? Do you know why that is child?”

“Who are you ? Answer my questions!"

“My my, quite demanding are you ? I will forgive your ignorance, for now. Your brain has been decaying for some time, as has the rest of your body, and it took more time trying to repair the damage. There’s still work to be done, but I’d say you’re almost as right as rain. The simple answer is, you were asleep and mommy woke you up. Now be a good little girl for mommy, and take your medicine.”

“Momm-? I don’t even know who you are or what’s happening ?”

“You are in a hospital dearie, and in the wrong wing by the looks of it…I can see you’re confused, and a little hungry…down the hall you will find a nurse on the graveyard shift. She is tending to some fool who thought guns were toys and played with them with other children. She should help you with that.”

“But what. Is. Happening ?”

“All will be revealed in due time my dear, but for now go to the nice nurse, and get your medicine…"

With that, the disoriented girl gets off the morgue bed, and walks out towards the door, looks up and down the hall, to see nothing. Even with the dim lights on, a darkness still covers the room. She figures it has more to do with a haze in her own vision than the actual lighting. The girl talks again, but it's pretty clear she can only talk in her head.

“What are you ? The devil ? God ?"

“Some may call me that, but the answer is not so easy. It will do you good not to question me.”

The girl feels a pull down the hall as she follows it, and in the back of her head, a chanting sound. As she staggers her way down a couple halls, she hears the chanting becoming louder and louder. She makes her way to a door, entering a room to see a woman tending to a man lying in a bed; or more accurately, the dark shapes of two people, with a red spot glowing in their respective chests - their beating hearts. The girl stands there awkwardly, as the nurse turns, see’s her, and panics. She hears the nurses muffled panicking voice as the girl advances towards them.

“Ahhh! Wha- what is-? You’re dead! You’re dea- No! Please! Don’t! Somebody! Help!”

The nurse begins whimpering and cowering in the corner as the girl backs her into. The girl looks back and forth between the nurse and the patient. The chanting overpowers any other sound in the room; save for the female voice which whispers in the girls ear.

“Feed, child."

And with that the girl gives into her instincts.

----

She doesn't know how long it's been since she's come too. She remembers the blood all over the floor, and all over her. Her only instinct was the run through the cover of darkness.

She has reached the outskirts of the town she once lived in. She feels she cannot come back, she knows she is long dead to them. The only way she knows for sure she isn’t dreaming is the voice talking to her from the back of her head, and that red figure that occasionally appears or disappears past the corner of her eye.

She isn’t about the rule out the possibility that she’s gone crazy. Perhaps with luck this will turn out to be end result of a bad, bad drug trip. That and being dragged to a junkyard while she was barely conscious. And yet this voice and figure is showing her something, and has told her to seek out a house far beyond the towns borders. The more she walks, the more she feels like someone is guiding her, less like the presence is following her, but she is following it.

For the life of her, she cannot tell where she is now or where she is going. It's raining, foggy and heavily forest. It's pitch black, and she's pretty sure she's in AM hours. Of course she couldn't tell, because her watch was broken from being buried for seven months. She muses to herself that all she needs is the sound of drums and a tall man in a dark suit following her around, and this scenery would be picture perfect. What little she can see is a faint light a dozen yards away, seems someone set up a camp.

As she walks closer, she counts twelve tents, each one has a lamp on within.

“It’s funny…you must have gone your whole life, thinking of how…strange life is, haven’ t you ?”

“I didn’t expect this. I don’t even know what this is!”

“Yes, you do. This is but another example of the worlds oddities. In time, you will learn to be grateful for this new chance at life. There are things you will need to learn and do in order to show this gratitude."

“You mean what you made me do ?"

“You did nothing that you couldn’t have already. All I give is the means for you to do so and get away with it. Such is my price. And what is a mother to do than show her children the way.”

“My mother? No. I have had two mothers, and last I checked none of them was…whatever you are. You didn’t give me your name.”

“Come child, do you believe something as ancient, vast and terrible as me, could have one singular name ? If I had a birth name, I wouldn’t remember it. So many people give me different names and titles; The Morrigan, Le Fey, Blood Queen. What you call me matters little. What I am is the god on the other side of the coin. As you have died in darkness, it’s only fitting your new life is in darkness as well. Such is the lives of my children.”

As the girl walks closer to the pitch tents she see's figures standing around the tents staring at her. They seem pretty unfazed by her presence and look as if they were expecting her. She first reasons that perhaps there are homeless people in the woods, which would be the most logical explanation, but that wouldn't explain everything else.

“Why me, though ? What did I do to-?"

“Are you asking if you are special ? No child, just lucky. I can always make another daughter, but I chose you. Walk by my guiding hand, and I will lead you too your truest desires."

“You don’t even know me-”

“Oh hush now, do you even know who you are ? You must have lived different lives in one, wore a different mask at the same ball. You are just as much an enigma as I. But the truth of the matter is you suffered in life, died in the darkness. Alone. Betrayed…Unloved. No one knows the real you, but I can show you the way."

The people at the tents walk up to her. As she gets a better look at them, she sees they are all wearing masks; medical masks, Halloween masks, anything that can cover or obscure their faces. The girl is too tired and confused to really be fazed by this.

“I…I can hardly remember anything. All I remember is that studio, a-and they were arguing. Mark and Nathan were-"

Were, exactly. What they did to you…what the world did to you can only be restored by the vastest, bloodiest retribution."

“…That’s not who I am…”

“Than who are you ?"

"My name...My name is Rachel Amber."

One of the masked men walk up to Rachel. She can make out a set of headlights turn on, and a blindfold be placed onto her head. She once again here's that ancient, voice in the back of her head.

"And who is Rachel Amber, but another lost girl ?"

----

November 2nd, 2013

A disoriented Rachel is led up a driveway, blindfolded. At her side are two masked figures making conversation with her. She knows she was Rachel Amber, but now she is simply dead to the world. And yet, she’s walking, talking, and breathing, and has been so for weeks. Albeit with difficulty. During these weeks, she finds herself escorted by strangers across the country, who won’t let her see their faces, rarely feed her, and constantly sedate her
.
“So, you’re the new girl ? I must admit, you don’t look very impressive, but we must take what we can get here.”

“I didn’t ask for this. I’m still not 100% sure on what this is.” Rachel says, under her breath.

“Well then, it’s a good thing we found you when you dead. You’ve been in that hole for, what ? Seven months now? If people suddenly saw you walking around, things would get very concerning.”

“I didn’t mean to hurt them.” Rachel says, mainly to herself.

“No one really does, but we have to start somewhere. Who knows, maybe you’ll be able to make something of yourself.”

They stop and hear a door open. Rachel feels herself being ushered in. She can tell that the lights are being turned on as her blindfold is removed. To her curiosity, she is in a high end house, if she had to guess in the hills of Los Angeles. The place is spacious and looks as if someone already lives here.

Rachel looks around and notices she is in a heavy trench coat and a hat to obscure her features. Noticing a mirror on a wall beside her, Rachel sees she still very much fresh from the grave, and only now is her body really starting to recover. She doesn't look months dead as she did when she first awoke. Her skin is a pale grey, her eyes pale, and there’s dark blemishes and wrinkles here and there on her face. She looks at her hand, and see’s it’s wrinkled, her fingernails yellow. Looking back into the mirror, her hair is matted and wet. She’s quite literally a phantom of her former self.

It’s only then that Rachel notices her escorts; they simply resemble random street thugs; one is wearing a red balaclava; the other a face mask you’d find in a hospital.

Another voice speaks up; this one is male and has an Irish or English infliction in his voice; “I’m sure it’s quite a sight, isn’t it ? Can’t have you going around looking like that can’t we ? Although, I’m sure we have a couple of "dens” to spare on the other side of the tracks. But, I have seen those pictures; a pretty princess like you deserves a castle doesn’t she ?"

Rachel follows the voice to a living room. It’s not a standard living room to say the least, unless you’re accustomed to high end houses; Seventy inch flat screen TV; Three piece black leather couch. A fur rug, made from a white tiger.

There is a large window/slide in door, showing a massive pool. The exterior is surrounded by high fences and hedges.

The source of the male voice is a young man; anywhere from nineteen to twenty five years old. To simply put, he is dashing and the looks he’s giving off shows he knows it. A short, dirty blonde buzz-cut, five pack abs and a friendly looking face. His skin-tone was almost indiscernible; his skin was dark and pale enough that he could pass for a really light skinned African American or Hispanic, or at least mixed race. The man looks as if he just gotten out of the pool and has entered the house as he’s drying himself off with a towel. Clad in blue swim shorts, he puts on a black and white Hawaiian shirt and doesn’t bother buttoning it up.

"At the very least, the neighbors won’t be prying, so you should make a decent recovery soon enough. Your confusion is understandable. To keep things simple; you’re human life is over, has been for a while. Now begins a new era in your existence as you shed away your mortality in favor of-”

Rachel waves dismissively at him “I get it. I’m a vampire.” As she speaks. As it turns out, her whispery voice is mostly do to her larynx still repairing itself.

The man gives a friendly smile “Now what gave that away ?” The man dismissively at the two thugs. They bow their heads and walk out without saying a word, leaving Rachel alone with the man. “Too keep things…less formal, yes, you and I are a pair of undead leaches. And not just any kind, but hand picked by the good queen herself. Of course, you may refer to her as mother.”

Rachel shakes her head in disbelief “This is a whole lot to take in at once.”

“Then we’ll go an inch at a time, how’s that ?” He says, which gets a small, if unnerved laugh from Rachel “I’m just here to introduce you to the world you stepped into. If she picked you, you may have a great responsibility on your shoulders. All we wish is that you understand your place in this world.”

“We ? Who is we ?” Rachel asks, showing no actual fear of the man, even if she is uneasy.

The young man walks up to her, wearing a towel around his neck. “Mother’s other children. Her blood flows through all of our veins, and we all answer when she calls. We know she is the true queen of this world, with human tales that downplay her power; and so, we are the true heirs of this world, bastards or no. Perhaps you have read books of history, myth or legends of us. If only you knew who else carried the curse of undeath, or which vampires actually existed within history.”

Rachel laughs sarcastically to herself “Let me guess, one of them is Count Dracu-”

The man hastily covers her mouth, looking left and right in fear. He gives a harsh whisper in her ear “Don’t. Invoke. His name!” He calms down and releases his grip on Rachel “Regardless of what you believe, just know our reach is far and wide. Others seek you too Miss…”

“Amber. Rachel Amber.” Rachel nods.

“Rachel Amber. Know this, we have a hand in quite a few organizations, many of whom are not aware of our presence. For years, we have been watching Arcadia Bay with great interest. We heard her whispers and it was only this October did she finally call.”

“About Arcadia Bay-” Rachel starts before the man raises his hand to silence her.

The sound of his phone goes of -as it turns out his ringtone is “Sunday Bloody Sunday” by U2-, he briefly answers "They found our boys ? How much did they find out ?…Okay, wait for me at the beach, we’ll figure this out.” before turning back to Rachel. “I’m sure you have many questions. I will visit you tomorrow night, and will be available to answer them. In the meantime, I have a previous engagement to attend too. Until then, I suggest you catch up on your beauty sleep. You sure could use it.” The man hands her a set of keys as he walks past her towards the door “Your bedroom is downstairs. I hope you find it to your needs and liking. If not, we can talk about accommodations tomorrow. Until then little miss blue bird, enjoy your stay.”

Rachel looks around her, alone in what appears to be her new house. She walks over to the window and stares out at the night sky over Los Angeles. This is her new life, apparently.

----

January 27th, 2020

Rachel, now resembling a more lively version of herself is resting, naked and floating is relative peace in an isolation chamber. She feels something is in the room with her. Not just the room, but may very well be in the chamber as well. She hears a woman’s voice whispering to her. That voice. The one she hasn’t heard in years.

Rise and shine sleeping beauty.” It says to her.

Rachel awakes, as her chamber opens. As she climbs out, she reaches for a dark purple, silky bathrobe. She looks to the window and see the sun has disappeared over the horizon. The bedroom is filled with pictures and memorabilia she has collected over the years. On her nightstand sits an iphone on a iphone radio charger dock.

“What does my queen ask of me ?” Rachel replies. She walks up to her radio dock, and prepares to turn on her playlist.

Rachel has spent the past six years is what could loosely be described as “captivity” being thoroughly educated on her place in existence, and what her new purpose will be. She’s been told not to seek them out (“We will be the ones to call onto you.”) Rachel has been waiting for this Queen to call upon her again for sometime. Another rule that was placed upon her was to not seek out anyone she knew in life. That’s not to say she wasn’t one who’d take advantage of the little freedom she had.

“The time has come. A new dawn is upon us, and now I call upon my daughters to usher in this world.”

Rachael nods as she walks to her iphone dock, picking a song to start her evening routine with. Usually her picks are Wonderwall by Oasis; Moments Before the Storm by Poets of the Fall; Working 9 to 5 by Dolly Parton; Allstar by Smash Mouth; Galway Girl by Ed Sheeran; Lithium by Evansecence. It really depends on what mood she’s in. Rachel picks her song, takes a towel off a hanger on her door as she dries off her hair. Any other day, she'd lose herself to the music; lip-syncing, or just singing aloud, whilst dancing to the beat as she dressed up, but now she had to listen.

“And, is there a problem ?” Rachel asks, dropping her nightgown to the floor, picking out an outfit to wear for the night. Many of them range from classy; slutty; gothic to plain and wholesome. Rachel begins dressing up in her pick of outfit.

“As a matter of fact there is.”

The power cuts, as does the song, and a red shape forms behind her. A chill air fills the room and Rachel freezes in mortification.

“You’ve been seeing someone, haven’t you ? Someone you knew in your old life.”

Chapter 2: The Mother's Children

Notes:

This chapter will serves as our introduction to Reid, Ashbury, and McCullum and should give you an idea of what is to come in their present day arcs.

Really this is kind of an exposition piece, with a little more of what became of Reid and co, following the event of "Vampyr", such as Reid's initial search for a permanent cure for the Blood of Hate, what's become of The Ascalon Club and Guard on Piwen. This also serves as an introduction this fic's primary antagonistic faction "The Mother's Children"

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Febuary, 1922, Blackwood Pines,  Alberta

The nights never seem to have ended for Dr. Jonathan Reid.

In part, this has to do with the lengthy snow storms, and his only source of light as a gaslamp and fireplace. In an isolated, heavily forested, mountain area, Reid waits at an abandoned trading post, having long since worn out its usefulness. This was where he was to do his field research, and were he has made a temporary living quarters.

Silently, he contemplates his circumstances.

It has been some time since he started experiments anew, seeking the replication to the Tears of Angels as William Marshall put it. For as long as the Blood Queen slumbers, for as long as the Blood of Hate exists, his work can never be done.

And he knows the queen is merely sleeping, waiting, for her hatred lays dormant in the veins of his lover. Lady Elizabeth Ashbury has long since been freed from the effects of her tainted blood, but the disease is still dormant within her. As long as she lives, a new disaster lives within her.

Traveling with Reid for years, the two seldom stayed in one place longer than a few weeks.

Isolating the disease was easier said than done, and to Reid's shame it was all he could do to in lieu of the Tears of Angels. The makings of this cure have been lost to time, and William Marshall regrettably taking those secrets to the grave.

So in the meantime, his blood letting experiments are what he has to rely on, and took a rather unorthodox turn; that being he needed to find live test subjects.

Reid recalls the hearing;

-----

1920, the Ascalon Club, London, England

Reid was called to a hearing, with those who in attendance aware of what's happening in London's underground.

It occurred in the remains of the Ascalon headquarters; its survivors were gathered there along with high ranking members of the vampire community, and that of the Guard. To say things were intense was an understatement; the hunters refused to part with their weapons, and the vampires had to lay bare their own defenses.

They only had the word of McCullum that no fighting would occur.

"...I must say, had our good Ser McCullum not vouched for this, we would have suspected a trap." 

"Yee have little faith. It's the fact your good leader agreed to these terms that we believe this to be a trap on your end!" An older vampire, Lord Everett, spoke out.

"Gentlemen!" Elizabeth Ashbury's voice spoke out over the other two "That is quite enough. We both are here for the same thing."

"Same thing? You realize what a truce entails ?" A younger hunter, a French student by the name of Jean Margot asks.

"The same thing we want is a permanent solution. The good Doctor and I have traveled half way across the world and back in search for a cure of the disease that nearly brought London to it's knees, and we yield little to no results." Ashbury answers "It was in our travels, Dr. Reid has uncovered something rather disturbing that we felt we ought to spread word of. It has been years since I have taken part in this community's affairs, but know I wouldn't call upon the Ascalon Club and The Guard unless times are dire."

"Dire ? The plague that has ravaged England has passed like the night, the disaster averted; the Red Queen you speak of vanquished. Her Skals and emissarys are still being hunted by our guard. What dire circumstances do you speak of, madam ?" Margot speaks again.

"I have it in good authority, that the disaster is far from over. In the past couple of years, Dr. Reid and I traveled through Europe and the America's. The farther we travel the more we see her lingering presence. We asked a connection of ours within your Guard, to look into these instances within England alone, and we found these." Ashbury holds in her hand a series of photographs.

"A connection within the Guard ?" another hunter asks, "You mean to say we have a spy, a traitor among us-"

Before he can finish his sentence, one Ser Geoffrey McCullum raises his hand to silence him "Let her speak."

Ashbury places the photographs onto a table at the center of the room. Reid also has his own set of photographs, which he hands out to the vampires and hunters. These are, for lack of a better word, crime scene photos.

These are located in rural areas, country sides mostly: each of them display the aftermath of what appears to be a long forgotten pagan sacrificial ritual, each one marked with a symbol; a rose with pronounced thrones, drawn in blood upon each victims forehead, surrounding trees.

Most of the victims range from children to teenagers, drained and mutilated in a perverse matter best left undescribed.

It is this horrid that causes the newly made vampires and hunters turn away in horror.

"I am sure the elders among us are familiar with this mark, and this work ?" Reid asks, looking over the spectators.

"This is the work of the Mother's Children," Geoffrey McCullum nods "The Guard believed them to have died out in 1666 in the wake of the Great Hunt."

Everett speaks up "Not only were they hunted to extinction, but many parties took to burying any evidence of their existence we could find, save for the documents your Guard held. The atrocities they committed in the name of their old goddess is a horrid past we were to keep buried. It is only in recent centuries did word of even one of their members spread, having those records slipped through our fingers; this cannibal from Scotland, I believe."

"Vampire cultists," Ser Margot spat "It appears to me that you and your ilk are trying to confess to something. What weighs on your guilty conscience, leaches ?"

"Afraid not," McCullum shakes his head "The Mothers Children mainly consisted of humans. Very few were actual vampires, and one of their practices was turning their followers as a rare reward."

McCullum takes a stand beside Reid and Ashbury to address his men.

"I led an investigation into these instances when word reached me. There are thirteen different cases across England alone, and hours ago I have received word of seven occurring in Wales. These are by and large the work of man, and while there is some vampire activity, whoever they are has eluded us. We have reason to believe, there is more than one vampire, and for one reason or another, they have an in depth knowledge of the work of the Mother's Children."

"And why, pray tell, would this concern the Ascalon Club ?" A younger vampire, Earl Gordon asks.

"Because they are responsible for nearly three past disasters, and if what I have been told is to be believed, have brought Europe to it's knees in Arthur's time." Ashbury answers, and Jonathan speaks up after her.

"Also, I have had to put down five disasters before they started. Three in the America's and two in Europe. There is only one vampire that can create disasters that I know of; I'm sure you're familiar with the one called The Morrigan, and what she brought about two years ago ?" Jonathan explains.

"Is there anything that can be done ?" Another hunter asks.

"The only thing that can be done." Margot answers before he addresses Jonathan "You say you and the good Lady Ashbury have been seeking a cure for this spreading disease, that you have found a patient zero so to speak? The source of the disease."

"What is is you're getting at ?" Jonathan asks suspiciously.

"It seems the permanent solution is at your doorstep, Reid. It's simply a matter of removing said problem. Kill the disease at it's source. Without it's roots the disease can't spread, can't it, doctor ? And perhaps you can use their blood too make a vacci-"

Jonathan raises his hand to dismiss Margot "You haven't the slightest recollection of how this disease or vaccines work, do you ? Besides my research concluding that the Blood of Hate isn't a virus as we know it, if we take to butchering people to make cure's, we may as well go back to using actual leeches."

He speaks truthfully, but not the full truth that their hostess is patient zero. Or it least, one of said patients.

"I know disease, Dr. Reid." Margot explains "I was lucky enough to survive where a wasting sickness claimed my father and brother. Do not play me for a fool."

"And even if we are to take your solution, good sir, there are still numerous vampires already infected by the blood. An estimated dozen at the very least." Jonathan further explains.

"And what is it you propose, vampire ?" Margot sneers.

"What he proposes, is that we are to put our resources together in fighting this disaster before it grows beyond our control." Ashbury says before addressing the others "As I have said, I wouldn't have called both parties here unless it was urgent, and I would say that that the narrow aversion of five different disasters is urgency enough."

"What are we to do ?" Everett asks "I am not sure if you're aware, but Ascalon Club hasn't been on the same standing it was following Redgrave's exile. The scandal Myrdinn exposed upon us was a nearly crippling blow."

"Which is why I have an added proposal." Ashbury starts "As the only living daughter of William Marshall, I have been named an heir in his final will, in the event no son of him lives still. With Redgrave not only a false progeny, and has since been driven away; and as Marshall's heir, his current lands, wealth and authority have been granted to me-"

"Are you proposing yourself, to bring Ascalon back to it's old glory ?" Everett asks skeptically.

"No, I am proposing that we can bring your club into a new era, and together we can maintain the stability of Great Britain, and if it comes to it, the world. In Dr. Reid's research, we have found the United Kingdoms are far from the only place the Morrigan's emissary's have reached."

"Which is why we must put our organizations together, and draw in what we can," Reid states "With enough influence, we can find the disasters were they take root. We can put a stop to them before they can start, and even now their threat has grown beyond my ability or anyone's to control alone."

"And what of us ?" Margot asks "Who here among the guard, can vouch for them ?"

"I can," McCullum speaks up "You've all seen the evidence, some of you here have also looked into the murders - the sacrifice of children, to bring about calamity, is not something we can ignore. I wouldn't propose such an alliance myself on a good day, no matter how temporary. For the time being, it is clear there is something greater at hand then vampires fighting man."

Margot scoffs "And I take it we are to ignore your ilk who prey upon the innocent ?"

"They've agreed to our terms," McCullum says "We expect any vampire who throws in their lot with Ashbury to follow suit."

"Our ? You mean yours," Margot scoffs "I threw in my lot with the Guard to protect my people from your kind. And by the looks of things, it seems not even your kind would prefer this alliance you propose."

"As much as I hate to agree with one of the Guard, he does have a point." Everett starts "For someone with such wide eyed ideals, those same ideals blind you. We cannot simply uproot centuries of tradition for the sake of some social experiment of yours. Society's standards may change, but Ascalon cannot."

"I'm sure there are slave owners who said the same." Gordon notes, clearly not agreeing with the elder vampire.

"This isn't about a social movement, this is about doing what is right; saving as much lives as possible. About preventing disaster, the same kind many of you here have witnessed. Something greater, more terrible is at our doorstep." Reid starts "We can simply try to fight the disasters as they come, but what will that accomplish ? It will be more of the same, and so far . What we are offering, is a permanent solution."

"For a man of science, you seem ignorant to the truth; there is only one real permanent solution." Margot remarks.

"I say we put it to a vote," speaks Gordan, as all eyes in the room are now on him "Clearly there must be some visionaries among us, and surely we must keep some air of a civil discussion. Who among us will accept this proposal, and who among us will reject it ?"

-----

As one can imagine, an attempt to unite two warring groups, for even temporary or pragmatic reasons, would only leave both groups further divided.

Quite a few of the Ascalon club threw in their lot for Ashbury, recognizing her as an heir and daughter of Sir William Marshall. Her detractors were few and held steadfast to their traditions. Likewise, the Guard had some who reluctantly threw their vote at McCullum's word; one wonders if they would vouch for him all the same if they knew Jonathan turned him.

Turning McCullum had it's benefits in the long run, providing Jonathan and Ashbury a friend ("pragmatic acquaintance" McCullum vehemently insists) on the inside.

Having developed an understanding, Reid and Ashbury developed a hidden partnership with McCullum, which was a vital source of information, and in turn McCullum learned more of vampire history and was able to reach out to the less fanatical of hunters.

While he was able to turn the less fanatical hunters to Reid and Ashbury's cause, the same could not be said for those who were in the guard for so long. As it was, that meeting did not end in violence, and was left with disgruntled disagreements.

Both Ascalon and the Guard did what could be done in tracking potential disasters and the work of The Mother's Children, but not together - save for those who defected to Asbury and McCullum's faction's.

True to McCullum's claims, these cultists mostly consisted of humans and committed blood sacrifices to appease their queen, in what was mistaken for "Satanic Sexual Homicides" for lack of a better word. But the search for the vampire who was guiding them, yields no results.

Over the past two years, three more disasters were averted, but the work of the Mother's Children was contentiously sighted; reported not just in the United Kingdoms, but Spain, Venice, Rome, India, China, and Israel. For the past seven months, there were no reported sacrificial murders. On top of that, the Ascalon club dissolved due to a collapse in influence.

The new club, founded by Ashbury, was relocated in the America's for Ashbury's protection after four attempts on her life, believed to be by members of the former club. For the Guard, many who threw their lot in with McCullum's faction were found slain; none were the work of vampires, or the Mother's Children. After holding down the fort for two years, McCullum also disappeared; thought dead by the public, but Reid and Ashbury knew better.

For now, Reid's work in searching a cure continues.

Unlike, Swansea, who was kept "an permanent guest" in Ashbury's living quarters, Reid finds himself doing field research. Swansea was kept alive for the purposes of seeking a permanent cure for the Blood of Hate - a "penance" that was forced upon him months after he turned.

However, the Tears of Angels, as its called, was not something that could be found so easily.

Marshall's own search for the cure is among many instances of a burned and buried past, and even so it was only a partial cure. Which is why Reid has taken to preforming experiments, and how he ended up working in the forests of Blackwood Pines.

-----

Balckwood Pines, February, 1922

For the most part, Reid's operations were to take a sample of the infected blood from the vampires captured over the years, and Ashbury's cured blood; as well as test subjects to observe the affects of both, but there is complications, even with the fact that her blood is technically not cured, and so it would put patients at risk.

Only a fool would risk spreading the Blood of Hate to the sake of scientific progress (a sentiment usually said within Swansea's earshot), which is why Reid had an aversion to preforming such experiments on humans (nor animals at Ashbury's insistence).

Which is why McCullum's word eventually reached him, he learned of a third option.

McCullum told Reid that during his travels he ended up in Blackwood Pines; a forested area that had no human residents since 1914, despite once having a small farming community in it's county.

By McCullum's own account of his ventures there, something else has taken hold of these forests, a curse worse than that of the vampire which were now the reason the pines had no human inhabitants; a fearsome spirit that is a manifestation of the selfishness and savagery that lays dormant in all people.

This provided Reid something else to test his subjects on, as he set up a makeshift lab and living quarters in what was once a trading post for the past couple of weeks.

This being in spite of warning by Elder Maxwell Dibikad at the local reservation. He was also a former member of "Pâhkwêkan"; an organization of vampire hunters from Cree and Ojibwe tribes that started when the settlers brought the vampire curse to the region. Due to their ties and history with the Guard, especially in their origins, they were erroneously considered, a "Branch" of the Gaurd.

As of an bungled attempt to "cleanse" the Blackwood Pines region, the Pâhkwêkan have generally considered the place "No Man's Land".

Hence why Dibikad was partially indignant over Reid's plans.

"I would think a man of your intelligence would know not to trifle with thing such as this; I spent the last seven years telling my family and community to avoid that place like the plague." Dibikad would say.

"I appreciate your concern, Good Elder, but you must understand that my line of work requires trifling with things. I apologize if I overstep, but for better or worse, facing such spirits has become my life." Jonathan would insist "I am only here because my research requires me not to bring harm to to man or animal. Not for these experiments."

"How noble," Dibikad says with an air of sarcasm "But if you must take your work to that mountain, know this; the only difference between the men you hope to spare and the spirit of lonley places, is a pretty slim one. It is a darkness that can emerge from within should should a man give into it; it is no coincidence they awoke when your settlers first colonized. From what you tell me Dr. Reid, it is a struggle you yourself are very familiar with. Which is why I am utterly baffled that you would willingly seek them out."

"It is as you say; it is a struggle I am very familiar with." Jonathan nods "From where I stand this is more of the same demons.

"If you insist on fighting this battle Dr. Reid, there is little more I can do for you...but know this; those who spend there lives seeking evil, especially to fight it, that same evil will follow you; till the end of your life or the end of this world. Whichever comes first."

Reid is pulled from his train of thought to see McCullum himself enter his living quarters, having been a travel companion of his for these ventures, and something of a lab assistant.

"Any news ?" Reid asks.

"I've had to put one down in a farming house." McCullum answers, taking a seat at Reid's table, not sounding particularly proud of what he did.

"Need I remind you that we are only to kill as a last resor-" Reid starts before McCullum stops him.

"It was a child, Reid." McCullum sighs before taking out a flask and swigging it down "Or it had to have turned from one. I would say death was a preferable option to what's been inflicted on the others."

They are interrupted by a shriek from under the floorboards.

"Looks like it finally woke up."

Reid and McCullum head down towards the trading posts basement to observe their latest subject.

In the past weeks alone, Reid and McCullum's work involved tracking these creatures in the woods and the former homes of the people who once lived here. This would usually lead to a fight, and sometimes lead to them being put down.

Five times they were lucky enough to trap one, and keep it subdued. It was simply a matter of preforming the blood letting experiments on both the cursed and cured blood.

Needless to say the results varied.

The first two subjects had no noticeable physical change upon being exposed to the Blood of Hate. The blood proven addictive to the subject. No noticeable change occurred when the cured blood was administrated with the same dosage. They were put down after three days of no results.

The third one was given a large dose of the blood. As if it were possible for it to become something more monstrous, it surely has. It immediately broke free from it's restraints and escaped the "lab". After a night of chasing it down, and following a trail of mutilated animal carcasses (that notably, it didn't bother eating), it was soon cornered and killed as it was making it's way towards a small town.

Fourth one was given the infected blood, and immediately dosed with Ashbury's blood at a larger dose. This subject began to physically transform, before it collapsed. It spent hours, vomiting and choking on it's own blood, before it stilled. It's body quickly desiccated and decayed into nothing.

The fifth and final one was bound before them. This one was administrated the same small doses of infected and cured blood over the course of a few days. There was no visible results but the subject was otherwise docile and would often sleep.

Reid and McCullum observed the creature sit and crawl around it's bindings. It didn't make any noise and would simply glance at the two vampires.

"I find them more disturbing when they're silent." Reid notes, McCullum nods in agreement. Reid is busy writing up the results in his sketch book.

"What say you, good doctor ?" McCullum crouches down at eye level at the subject.

"Only one way to find out." Reid responds, taking a large needle from their makeshift operating table. "We'll send a sample to Swanea's laboratory, administrate it to those already infected. If these are the results we're loo-" Reid is interrupted by a loud knocking on the door.

"By the stars!" A voice from outside shouts "Do you not know what's out here ?"

Upon hearing the voice, Reid and McCullum glanced at each other, and quickly made their way up the stares.

When they open the door, they find a man near frozen to the bone, and dressed in a thick long coat and hat that obscured his face.

"Thank the heavens above!" The man says, nearly collapsing into the two "You have little idea of what horrors I have witnessed out there!"

"I'm sure we have some idea," Reid snarks as he ushers the man in.

The man walks up to the still roaring fireplace to warm up "I'm afraid I can't stay too long, there are others that need help on the mounatin!" Now that the man could speak coherently, he had an accent to him, indicating an British or Irish nationality.

He had shoulder length dirty blond hair and a five o'lock shadow to match. He was a rather good looking young man, estimated to be in his early to mid twenties, but his race was indiscernible, a dark pale for lack of a better word. He could almost pass a light skinned black man, or hispanic, or even a mixed race.

"What brings you out here ? What business could you possibly ha-" McCullum starts.

"My church- my church congregation," the man starts "You wouldn't understand."

"We can try," Reid starts, sounding concerned.

Reid and McCullum have the man sit down and listen to his story.

"There's not much to tell really. My name is Morgan, there's nothing really special to say of me. A couple of weeks ago, our church had their usual gathering. We are a small, closely nit community you see. We look out for each other, and outsiders. So you can imagine our shock and curiosity, when a woman shown up at our church."

"This shocked you ?"

Morgan shakes his head "Not so much the presence of a woman, but rather she was naked, swimming in the churches frozen pond. She didn't even mind the cold."

McCullum and Reid glance at each other "That...does sound rather shocking and curious when you put it that way."

"At the time," Morgan continues "We didn't make as big a deal of it. We are not a superstitious lot after all. This ain't the dark ages. We took her in, fed her, clothed her, warmed her up, and she spoke before our congregation. She was otherwise okay, but cold and hollow inside. It was like something died within her, and never awoke."

Reid and McCullum knew what was coming; this woman was a vampire, and for one reason or another is responsible for something that happened to a church congregation.

"She spoke of her son, and how she'd lost him. The law and some of our clergy men offered aid and to find her son. They asked her where she last saw him. They didn't expect to find him alive, but the woman insists she was at a camp upon the mountains." Morgan shook his head "She would claim that she could hear god calling, and to be honest, we didn't think much of it. By the time the search part began, the snowstorm engulfed the area. We left him to his fate."

Morgan pulls out a flask from his coat and drinks it down quickly, but not quickly enough that the two vampires didn't notice the scent of blood. Morgan continues "Our children were more sympathetic, and many of them snuck out in the dead of night, and ventured into these woods."

"You mean to tell me there are children lost here ?" Reid gets up from his seat, ready and willing to do something, so long as there were civilians in danger of his operations.

"Do you know were they are ?" McCullum adds.

"Aye, I do. With their own children lost, and the woman missing, mothers and fathers alike followed suit. It was easy to find them. We just had to follow the tracks, and we could tell by a slightly larger set of bare feet, that she took them." Morgan continues "We followed them up the peak, and we found the camp. And we found...them."

"The children ?" Reid asks hesitantly.

"The creatures...vampires. The red skins here call them winnibagos, something or other, but I guess they refer to the same thing really. They made camp here, and preformed all manner of atrocities to-" Morgan starts before he pauses "...no, there was three bloodsuckers as far as I could tell. The rest seemed normal, but the things they did with our women, our children...anyone they didn't kill immediately, was bound in a cave. Poked and prodded like were patients at an operating table."

Reid stops him before he continues "You escaped ?"

"Earlier tonight," Morgan nods "They brought forth a fourteen year old girl, and- an-"

"You mean to say they are still alive ?" McCullum asks.

"Seven of us. I was a coward, my chains broke and rather than help the others, I alone fled. When they cornered me, I jumped from a cliff."

McCullum and Reid exchange a look, and both understood the same thing; a hunters duty calls, and the duty of a champion of Myrddin calls. They were a little suspicious of the scent of blood coming from Morgan's flask, so of course he would need an eye kept on.

But what if he's saying is true, the Mother's Children have reached Blackwood Pines, and are holding innocent captives. On top of that, Morgan comes off as a little unemotional, but this could be chalked up to shell shock or trauma. But at times, it was as if he prepared the words he'd use.

"Take us there." McCcullum says "You know the way, correct ? We can help you and your people."

"Are you sure you two are up for it ?" Morgan asks "Have you not heard a word I said of va-"

Reid puts his hands on Morgan's shoulders "I can assure you, we have the experience, and the resources to dealing with such things. But we need you to lead us there!"

"Yes," Morgan nods "Yes, very well. I'll have you gather your things, and we'll be on our way."

Gather their things they did. Their weapons in hand, Reid had the basement door locked, to make sure their docile test subject didn't cause any trouble. It wasn't like it was going anywhere, but better safe than sorry.

Weapons and equipment in hand, Reid and McCullum give a final glance to one another, as Morgan led them towards the mountains in the dead of night. Silently, the two vampires agreed that if he tries anything with them, they will try something with him.

-----

Unbeknownst to either of them, a raven watches them on before flying down towards the trading posts window. It pecks at the windows for several minutes before it breaks through.

The raven flies towards Reid's bedroom, and uses it's beak to open a drawer. It takes a vial in it's beck, which just so happens to contained the cursed Blood of Hate. Vial in beak, it takes flight again and lands at the basement door. Setting aside the vial, it pecks around the bottom of the door, rousing the attention of the subject beneath the floor.

Finding a particularly soft spot at the door, it starts to peck again, spending minutes on end digging and and eventually clawing it's way through the small space it made on the door. Once again taking the vial, the bird wiggles through the hole it made, it flies around the makeshift laboratory.

When it perches on the operating table, it glances at the captive subject for a moment before it hops onto the ground, places the vial on the floor and rolls it to the subject.

The seemingly docile creature reaches for the viral, and looks at the addictive substance within. While it was placated by the douses of the cured blood, a vaccine it was not, and now it was left to it's basic instincts.

Breaking the vial in it's hand, it begins rapidly licking up the cursed blood. The raven looks on, waiting for something to change in the creature.

-----

October, 17th, 2013, Oregon.

Jonathan Reid once again awakens in the dark. It's been like this for years now, and still he is working on the means of escape; he and three others. He has been a prisoner here for sometime, and still knows not where he is. In those years, he's never heard word of Lady Ashbury, McCullum, Swansea or any else in his circle.

He knows he's in a camp of sorts. A camp that closed in the 1950's due to an incident involving two counselors and missing campers. There were plans to re-outfit as a prison camp in the 70's that didn't fall through. Not that it kept his the "American Guard" as they call themselves from making use of it.

No longer content with simply hunting and killing vampires, or other supernaturals, or even protecting people; the now Americanized, modernized faction of the old Guard of Priwen has taken to secretly policing vampires, and supernatural sympathizers. At least those who have use for them.

As it so happens, Reid had his uses, and for the past six years, has been rather stubborn to their interrogations. Day in, day out, his jailers would starve him, beat him, isolate him for weeks on end; anything to get him to spill some secrets of his. Particularly the chemical weapons he was involved with during the second World War.

But no matter what, he never budged or broke. He tried talking sense into them, but that did little good. In fact, he was planning something from underneath them. For months, he was working on plans for another inmate, Claude, who claims to know a friend of his from the outside, and secretly they would work on a plan to escape. Claude was human, and spent most of his time in a gym yard, claims he got in for the murder of six guards...although he claimed that was a set up to get him in here.

While Jonathan never revived word from the outside, his confidant received messages all the time from those on the outside. There are plans to move Reid upstate if this camp is unable to extract info out of him, were he would be forced to work with the higher ups, so far the plan was to hold on for the next three days, which means putting up with more "interrogations" until the time of transfer.

It's been two days since he got the message, but this last day, Reid was given something that may put a damper in his old plan, and now had to come up with something else and quick. He's not exactly in fighting form, he's severally blood starved, among other things, and this was the worst possible news he could have received at the worst possible time, and something that puts his current objective in a tailspin.

"They have Mary, Doctor Reid."

Notes:

Next should be the Sean Diaz chapters. This may take longer, since I am also writing "Love's Sacrifices" alongside this story.
Another reason why Sean's introduction should take longer, is because it is were I will start implementing "Route A" and "Route B" chapters.

Chapters exclusive to "Route A" follow "Sacrifice Aracdia Bay/Parting Ways" the ending of LiS and LiS 2. Likewise, "Route B" are exclusive to the "Sacrifice Chloe/Redemption" ending.

Chapter 3: Catching Up (Flashback)

Summary:

Disclaimer: I do not own the Life Is Strange series, Until Dawn, Vampyr, Tell Me Why, and other gaming properties referenced within this work.

I am not good at writing fight scenes, so I ended up skimming through the train escape I had planned for Reid. In any case, this chapter is gonna give an idea of what Reid has been doing over the century. And what Asbury set up.

Trigger and content warning: This chapter contains attempted sexual assault.

I originally wanted to write Sean's introduction for "Route A" (Parting Ways/Sacrifice Arcadia Bay) for this chapter, but I have yet to finish working "Route B" (Sacrifice Chloe/Redemption), and I am planning to put them back to back.

I will also note that while I may add references or easter eggs to other video games, they are not part of the crossover roster like "Until Dawn" is, since at least "Until Dawn's" lore is plot relevant this story. The rest are at most cameos.

Finally, I am refraining from using chapter notes until I can figure out how to fix the end notes.

Chapter Text

October, 23rd, 2013

To say the last week were a massive headache was an understatement.

The train escape didn't exactly go off without a hitch; on account of seventy dead Guardsmen who were put down in the escape attempt, and the ensuing fight left the former Dr. Jonathan Reid bedridden. At the very least the bodies found were not killed at the hands of a vampire. It was the day before the transfer when his confidant Claude was the first to break out of the prison camp and disappear. The Guard didn't think he was worth the resources to chase down, after all he was only one man.

When Reid was put on the train, he was placed in a secluded room in a box car and couldn't tell where he was or were he was going when he felt the train collide with something which he soon found out was another train.

Reid found himself submerged in a river, just barely managing to break free from his box car and swim his way to a river bank. Surrounding him was what could be only described as raining fire; he looked up to see two locomotives reduced to burning wrecks as they've collided into each other on a bridge above.

That and a rising sun.

What followed was a gunfight Reid himself didn't take part in, but one were he witnessed Claude take part in; he's been told of how a decade or so ago, Claude was involved with gang wars in the Mob, Yakuza and Cartels, and clearly Claude was showing off his prowess from those days.

Reid quickly passed out from exhaustion, and by the time he woke up he was in a bed. It was the most comfortable he's been in years, and really he could rest for days, but he couldn't relax or actually sleep. He knew as much this was a guest room; there was no pictures on the walls, nor windows and everything was either painted white or blue; and the interior was a nostalgic design from his childhood in the Victorian Era. He didn't know how much time passed before someone checked on him.

She was a sight for sore eyes, and one that he hasn't seen since 2008; the sight of Elizabeth Ashbury in a three piece business suit isn't one he's used to, but it's a welcome sight. He would later find out she was the watching over him for the past week.

Elizabeth didn't say anything, as nether she or Jonathan could find the words; instead Elizabeth approached his bedside, rolled up one of her sleeves and had Jonathan bite down into her wrist and feed to get back his lost strength.

By the time Jonathan was finished, he very nearly drained her into unconsciousness, before he realized she was fading "Sorry, it's been a while." Elizabeth smiles

"It's quite alright, it's been a while for me too."

The two share a soft laugh before Jonathan addresses the issue at hand "I take it you were the one who arranged-"

"Yes," Elizabeth answers "I spent years and millions worth of resources in finding were you were held. Most of that time was spent establishing connections; our mutual friend Claude was pretty resourceful when it came to finding a way for you to escape."

"And a reckless one," Jonathan starts again "Does he know not how much attention that train crash will-?"

"They'll never suspect you; the men killed were done so either in the crash or by gunfire. We placed a burnt body to act as your decoy, and our contact himself has disappeared, now that he's been paid for his services. They won't even believe it was the work of a single gunman"

Jonathan couldn't help but give a bemused chuckle "When have you become so ruthless ?"

Elizabeth sits onto the bed and presses her forehead to Jonathan's "You were there, remember ? Besides, if you knew what this so called Nationalized Guard have been up too...you'd know that ruthlessness' is a necessity." Elizabeth gives Jonathan a kiss on the forehead before she stands up to take her leave "We will speak more when you get your barings."

"I've been collecting my thoughts long enough." Jonathan sighs "As of now, all I need is a proper meal, and a real shower."

Elizabeth smirks and takes Reid by the hand "Come then...I shall see to your needs, good doctor."

For over the next three and a half hours, and after a quick tour, Jonathan would find this residence is a large chalet style mansion, on a heavily guarded lakeshore property. He wasn't exactly familiar with this area though. Jonathan was now dressed in what clothes were available for him at the time; a pair of slacks, a wife beater, loafers, and a black hoody.

----

The shower was revigorating and the meal was filling. For the first time in a few years he felt as healthy as a horse and clear in the head. The two spent the past few hours making up for what lost time they could, and catching up on personal matters. Now, it was time to talk business. Ashbury had him sit on a couch in her study, and it was looking out the window did he take in the view.

"Where are we ?" Was the first thing he asks.

"Delos Crossing, or at least the county." Elizabeth answers "Quite possibly the safest place for us. Neither the guard has jurisdiction here, nor can my detractors reach me without drawing attention. I figured you could use a place outside the hustle and bustle of the city. We never really go into town anyways, except when we need supplies. We keep out of their hair, they keep out of ours."

"Ours ?"

"You didn't think I live out here on my own, did you ? That I never bring in guests ?"

As if on cue, another door opens in this room, as a handful men and women, young and old, all dressed in attire fitting of an upper class businessmen or politicians - jarringly making Jonathan's current getup stand out. They took their respective seats within the study, all facing a desk Elizabeth set up.

Out of them, Reid recognized as the former Earl, Glen Gordan, whom he hasn't seen in what had to be fifteen years. Jonathan recognized him as one of the first of the Escalon club to throw in his lot with Elizabeth's faction as it started to grow. Upon this recognition, Gordan was the first to speak "Ah yes, the good Doctor is once again among his peers."

Jonathan got up from his couch to shake the former Earl's hand "Good evening, Gordan. I how many years has it been ?"

"Long enough to believe that Anthony Marcos Gordan is long deceased, and no suspicions when his long lost cousin Goodwin steps in to resurrect the family business. I take it you lack familiarity with Ashbury's newest associates ?"

There was Kara Stanley, the seemingly college aged daughter of a big wig yuppie, who has been underestimated her whole life by the men of her family for her ambitions, and thought to have died in a drug overdose back in 2004. Now she secretly runs Miami's underground as a proxy to Elizabeth Ashbury, and her younger brother Paul as her own puppet.

Thomas Callon and his brother Lucas, illegitimate sons of a high ranking member of the Vatican, who upon their transformation in 1997 following a bungled attempt on their families, have gained a hidden influence within the Vatican City. They use this influence to track down and investigate any and all instances of the Mother's Children.

A husband and wife couple, Julius and Damora Duncan, who since the 60's have their hands in the politics of New York, Washington and Texas. While they generally don't influence the politicians, they have the power to gather and give out what information they can to Elizabeth.

"Is this all the turnout for tonight ?" Elizabeth asks.

"This is all we could find. You understand that New Ascalon cannot simply uproot all it's members for a single-" Ms. Stanley starts.

"Of course," Elizabeth sighs "I take they too are preparing for the worse."

"If what the Callon brothers say is true, it is better to be safe than sorry. Besides, the Guard has grown considerably and if this many vampires came together in one country, in one spot at once, we'd be drawing too much attention." Gordan explains, before turning to Reid "You're going to want to hear this Reid, it was good that Ms. Ashbury was able to spring you when she did."

"And what news is this ?" Jonathan asks.

"As you may recall, I have previously ordered the Escalon to keep an eye out for sightings of Myrddin Wilt. For the longest time, he has not appeared to any other vampire as far as we can recall." Asbury starts.

"I take that has changed." Jonathan nods "And I take it there is another disaster that has eluded us as well."

"Disasters," Ashbury corrects him "There has been numerous sightings of a being matching Myrddin's description, albeit within dreams, and a few accounts of people dreaming of a male and female voice speaking to them."

"So...what your saying is that we are taking dreams as sightings ?" Jonathan remarks skeptically.

"When we are investigating beings that do not exist within our physical realm, it's best to try out methods used by supposed ghost hunters. Especially when there is a consistent pattern of sightings." Ashbury took out a series of documents handing them out to each other the vampires in the room, detailing the sightings and what connects them.

At first is started off small; young children, barley old enough to speak, in hospitals within the Oregon area. They would claim to see a red figure within their dreams or waking moments, sometimes it was masculine, other times it was feminine. Some thought they were images of the devil, and a few even drew what they've seen; crude as they were they matched the image of Myrddin, and his mother.

After this rash of sightings, the second rash was brought about by young women, many of them have been admitted to a hospital as well, even going forward to the police.

These women claim to have been kidnapped from parties, and bars across the area, otherwise matching similar sightings to that the children in hospitals had. Unlike the children, the feminine figure was more prominent than the male figure. Much like the children's sightings, they were otherwise dismissed as dreams and no charges were brought forward due to no signs of sexual assault.

"Do you see the Pattern, Dr. Reid ?" Gordan asks.

"Of course," Jonathan nods "But dream chasing and ghost hunting, this is hardly my area of expertise."

"You are the champion of Myrddin, and as far as we can tell, no other lives. Your research, before your capture, was to seek out and find a way to end the disasters before they start. This is when you come into this." One of the Callon brothers, Lucas says before snapping a finger to Thomas.

In the midst of this discussion, Thomas has been setting up a projector, and screen on the far end of the study, explaining as he turns on the projector.

"Dr. Reid, is it true that in all these decades, you never found a significant cure for the Blood of Hate ?"

Jonathan hesitates a moment before he answers "That is correct."

He pretends not to notice the look Elizabeth is giving him.

"The papers Lady Ashbury provided us, you wrote during the second great war, you claim to be on the verge of a breakthrough." Thomas Callon addresses him again.

"The ultimate result wasn't..." Jonathan notices Elizabeth is looking at him again "It wasn't satisfactory..." He was at least being partially honest with that one.

"Understandable. From what we have read up on, you were looking in the wrong places." At the point the slideshow begins. The first slide depicts a photograph taken in 1945, showing a child of the age of seven in a hospital bed - he is strapped to the bed, wearing only a gown. He appears alive, but looks as if he should be dead.

"We knew you and your defunct connections in the guard, have been relentlessly tracking instances of disasters and infections across Europe. This poor lad was a patient of yours for years."

Jonathan looks away aghast "You do not need to remind me."

"Of course, but what you may need reminded of is the name he kept saying." Lucas replies.

"Mor Fay, Mor Fay, Mor Fay." Thomas recites "You were far from the only person who had your eyes on that village. Neighbors of Vatican City have the cities attention."

"Yes, the archbishops have been watching my progress, but as far as I let them knew, that village was dying of a wasting disease."

"Do you really believe us ignorant, Dr. Reid ? We knew secrets you didn't even consider." The next few slides depict what could easily be mistaken for prisoners and victims of war camps, all gathered in a quarantined village.

"While you were looking for a solution by medicine, we were searching for a convict."

Jonathan nods "Yes, the disaster of that village, Dolores Valisari. As I recall she was only fourteen." He then shakes his head as terrible memories came flooding back "She died the day I reached that village. By then the situation was out of control, the most I could do was continue my research!"

"On the contrary, the outbreak was very much being controlled."

The next photograph depicts a drawing; it was of a knight, in dark armor, standing in a field of bodies, and resting his chin on the Handel of a long sword. Behind him, three other knights rode on horseback, and above him was a flock of crows.

Or simply put, H.J Ford's 1902 illustration "Ser Mordred".

"What you did not know, the Mother's Children never stopped in the 20's. And as our church revered the son of our Lord, they have only their goddesses favorite son as their mediator with her."

At this point, the Callon brothers had the floor "For the uninitiated among us, The Mother's Children is a so-called religious order, dabbling in the dark worship of whom they call The Morrigan." Lucas introduces.

"Or as we have come to know her, The Red Queen, Blood Queen. They call her different things, but many of them are variations of mother. Despite their affiliation with vampires and connection to Disasters, very few members are vampires themselves. They appear, disappear over the centuries, but a constant with them is their claims of leadership by one Mordred of Fay. Many claim, he still walks and lives into this very day, but until recently, we believed them to be murky claims. An urban legend, within an urban legend. The only thing we know for sure are the stories saying that Mordred was the reason they brought Europe to its knees in Arthur's time." Thomas explains, nodding towards Ashbury to speak her piece once more.

Finally, Ashbury spoke up "I have been collaborating with the Callon's in recent years. Over the past five years we have discovered The Mother's Children had connections within arms, sex and drug trafficking rings. Over the past seven months, we have arrested and interrogated a few key members, each one claiming they were working under the direction of Mordred himself. At the time we didn't seriously consider that Mordred still lived, but we had two witnesses who were ready and willing to testify to have met Mordred himself in the past two years. By the time we reached one of them, he was found bisected and burnt. The second remains in our custody. This is were the alleged sightings of Myrddin Wilt come in."

The next few slides show different locations across Oregon, and mug shots of people arrested in these areas; pimps, drug dealers, high level escorts, low level prostitutes. Transcripts of interrogations by Ashbury's agents, or Ashbury herself. A few of them mentioned being called by a woman's frequently in their dreams to a certain area. They wouldn't consider them any more than dreams had they not been consistently similar.

"Are these members of The Mother's Children ?" Jonathan asks.

"Not as far as they know. A few of them we could confirm, but the rest look unfamiliar with them. They did speak of a woman's voice speaking to them, like she was calling them, luring them. But as far as they knew, they were only dreams. What they did not know, was that each arrest followed a line towards this township." Ashbury flips to another slide.

It was a shot of Arcadia Bay, taken days prior from the viewpoint of an airplane.

"And on top of that, we have had a few...incidents in that town that have seem to confirmed our suspicions. We have word from our second witness we have on the inside that confirms, that The Blood Queen has picked her newest champion, and a newborn vampire was taken from Arcadia Bay, just days ago. We do not know where too."

Jonathan double takes at the news "Do we at least know who she is ?"

"Our witness doesn't seem to know, but she has claimed to have met Mordred himself, several times; says he's currently been hiding out in the slums and ghettos of the East Los Angeles, under a civilian identity, and until we know for sure, our contact is to stay here in our protection." Ashbury explains.

"She's here ?" He asks, as yet another vampire enters the room, with Jonathan's back turned to her.

"As a matter of fact, she is, my dear brother." The voice of Mary Reid speaks out.

----

Los Angeles, February 14, 2014

Rachel Amber awoke in her bed, as usual from another nightmare.

Or daymare as it were.

She wasn't quite used to sleeping alone. In fact she wasn't used to living alone. She thought that staying in LA would be different for her. That it would present more opportunities for her, but this wasn't exactly a life.

Come to think of it, this wasn't exactly life either; more like "Unlife" Rachel snickered to herself. She wondered if internal monologue was always this annoying.

Rachel looks to her clock - 7:47 PM. The sounds about right.

Throwing on whatever clothes were available, made her way to the kitchen, and brewed herself some coffee. Mixed in of course with her monthly shipment from those keeping an eye on her.

Rachel rolled her eyes and groaned "That same. Goddamn. Joke!" The thought of it annoys her.

Usually it was some goofball, delivering her boxes of bloodbags every month, and every time, he'd make a quirky joke about "That time of the month." Really, she felt a strong urge to just rip off the delivery man's head an indulge himself on his his blood. But as far as Rachel could tell, she wasn't that heartless.

Rachel was a social beast by nature, and despite what you'd think, being a vampire in a new city didn't exactly revitalize her.

To be honest she felt as if a part of her was still dead. She knew that she was told not to try to revisit her old life, but she was curious about what happened with those she left behind. By the time she looked up what happened in her absence, she suddenly became turned off from pursuing the matter further. After that, she got a few weeks or so by herself, to mourn in silence and loneliness. This was one miserable way to spend Christmas, to say the very least.

By now she barley leaves the house, and when she does, it's by the new name given to her; Vivian "Viv" Manning. As "Viv", Rachel found it hard to meet new people.

She tried going to a few parties in the hills, but she didn't exactly click with the people there. In the past few months, she slept with an ex gangster, whose name was also Frank; after a later party, Rachel slept with this aspiring actress named Tracy over the course of a weekend.

Rachel didn't expect anything too special or serious to come from these encounters, and of course nothing ever did; she truthfully explained to the former that she felt awkward about being with someone with the same name as an ex she still had lingering feelings for; and the latter wasn't looking for a relationship at the time.

Setting her drink aside, Rachel took to her usual evening activity; she undressed herself and made her way to her outdoor poolside.

One benefit of having such high fences was her assurance that there's no peeping toms in this neighborhood, which allows her to feel more comfortable skinny dipping in her pool, and "moon-bathing" as she dubs it on her deckchair.

Recently, Rachel has taken to deck-side reading; ever since she learned the truth about certain mythological and/historical figures who may or may not have been vampires. One thing she learned was not to make light of Dracula, and supposedly there are information in Stoker's book left out on the "Accursed One".

Currently, Rachel was reading Red Dead, a Western, semi-auto-biographical novel about two outlaws, and the fall of the gang they rode with, written by the son of one of the outlaws. As far as she can tell, there's no vampires involved, but she's not too far along.

After forty minutes of swimming and reading, Rachel's train of thought was caught off guard when she heard the sound of buzzing overhead; it was a police helicopter, and it flew over the neighborhood, including her house. If the surrounding sound of police sirens were any indication, there was a police chase occurring in her neighborhood, again.

Normally, Rachel wasn't that self conscious about her nudity, but when the copter's light flashed over her, even if it was for a second, she'd get pretty annoyed about it.

Rachel simply huddled her legs towards her chest in a fetal position, hastily covering herself up as the copter passed over her house. Rachel rolled her eyes, flipping a bird at the bird as she got up and made her way back inside. The chase going on outside pretty much killed the quiet time mood she had for the evening, nothing was on and the night was still young.

"Well, you're a vampire now Rachel," she reminded herself "What's a bloodsucker like you to do if you're not terrorizing the local populace ?"

Going to her room to dress for the occasion, Rachel put on a pair of pole dancer heels, black tight leather pants (sausage casing she heard it called), and a pale grey urban safari tank top. As usual, she'd go commando. She put her hair into the style of cheerleader ponytail, and completed her look with uncharacteristically girlish glasses.

Rachel took a moment to admire the view.

It was around January her body fully repaired itself. She'd call it a Christmas miracle, but it was on the 29th. By then she was fully ready to present herself in public, albeit at the restraints her new "family" (as they call themselves) put on her, even though she hasn't really heard from them since that night. She hasn't even heard the voice that has followed her the night she awoke.

Every so often she'd have to change her dress, demeanor and hairstyle, sometimes even her accent, especially when she was going somewhere new. It was the first time Rachel felt freedom in a while, even if she was technically a dog on leash.

"Fair maiden and virtuous knights of LA beware; the lioness, is on the hunt." Rachel mused herself.

----

At two hours, Rachel has visited two restaurants, a bar, mingled her way into a party of college students and even a strip club. So many warm bodies, so much to suck and eat from...and Rachel hasn't had that much luck in that department.

Rachel never really had it in to kill people, and as far as she can tell that was a necessity. Try as she might, she was never pushed to her limits. For the longest time, she had to rely on deliveries to feed her fill.

"This is what weaning's like" Rachel thinks to herself, making her way onto a street corner, leaving the latest party behind. She groaned in frustration when she realized she didn't bring her phone. She was also short of change at the moment.

Once again, her train of thoughts were interrupted by car rolling up. Rachel wasn't stupid, she knew what to expect, but even if it's a little out of practice, she knew how to act otherwise.

The car is a white Ferrari, and if the driver was any indication, this was another resident of the Hills. He didn't look too old, maybe twenty seven at the youngest, was white and had a short black goatee. He was dressed in a way that said he was a punk...but a rich punk.

He was probably part of some rappers entourage.

Rachel knew to hug herself, tried her best to look naïve, scared, and cold. She tried hard not to convey a cartoonish puppy dog look.

"Howdy, you look lost." The man says.

"Hi, yes I...I don't have a lift and my friends kind of left me behind. I don't have any money, and my phone died on me." Rachel said, being sure to add a small break in her voice, but at the same time keeping an air of confusion. She didn't want to look like she was about to cry...she's been told that can turn off guys like that.

"I see...it looks like you need a lift...maybe some money ?"

Rachel sniffs a little and smirks "I...I am out of change, yes."

"Tell you what, I'm feeling a little generous." The man says and opens the passenger door for her.

"My...my folks always told me not to accept rides from strangers." Rachel says, putting her hands behind her back modestly, puffing her breasts a little, making sure they swing a bit as she sways from side to side. "Alrighty then; name's Carter."

"Amelia," Rachel answers back.

"See, now we aren't strangers!"

Rachel blushes a little as she nods and steps in.

As soon as the car turned off, the song Ass Like That by Eminem was blaring over the speakers. Rachel meekly asks "Is- Is it okay if I switch the station ?"

"Be my guest," Carter shrugs.

Rachel turns the seek button until she finds something a little to her liking; by chance, it was Britney Spears' I'm Not A Girl, Not Yet A Woman, which she pretended to sing along with before Carter asks "So, where you need dropped off at ?"

"O-oh, uh." Rachel starts "I was staying in Skid Row. The girls from my campus were talking about going to this party. I had so much work to do, but they, y'know, talked me into it. 'Come on Amelia, what's the point of keeping that outfit in your closet if you're not going to show it off ?" Rachel adds, using a faux valley girl voice on the last bit.

"Really ? I could have sworn I've seen you over at the club." Carter remarks.

"That ? Yeah, we met some guys, at- at the frat party. They, wanted to get some extra fun, and got my friends to go along with them. It's easier to get into these clubs if you have girls in your group, you know ?" Rachel explains.

"I see. It's just, you really seemed to be enjoying yourself."

"What can I say ?" Rachel smiles "I'm a people person. And the dancers were really nice to me. Anyways, the boys got riled up, and asked the girls to come with them to their apartments. I said no, so they left me behind." Rachel shakes a little, making sure to add a break in her voice "It's good to know there are decent guys like you in the city." She adds, pointing to a ring on Carter's finger.

"Oh, that ? Uh, me and the Mrs. have been going through some shit, but I'm trying to make it work." Carter says "She's in the Hollywood Hills. Me ? I got a place in Temecula. She's fighting for custody of the kids, and looks like she might get them. I just don't want to lose either of them, you know ?"

"Aw, that's sweet. What got you in trouble ?"

"Okay," Carter hesitates "I may have gone to a few strip clubs and kind of gotten careless. I won't bore you with the details, but she didn't take to kindly too one of the house guests. But I see someone like you ? I tell you this, I got a kid sister living with my folks. She's about your age, and if I saw her left alone on the streets like this ? Let me tell ya, there are some real sickos out there."

"Ain't that the truth ?" Rachel thinks to herself, eyeing him carefully, but not letting him see it.

"You said you were short of cash ?" Carter asks "I got plenty to spare."

"Oh, no." Rachel modestly shakes her head "I just need a lift back to my house."

"Well, it's like I said...I'm feeling generous." This is when Carter's car pulls over into an alley. Rachel hasn't been in the area, but she wagered this was in Harbor City.

"Why are we stopping here ?" She asks, externally pretending to be nervous. Internally, she had a smug pride as a lion would have catching a gazelle.

"Look, you may not need money, but you need a lift. Now I am feeling generous tonight, but generosity comes at a price." Carter says, leaning his seat back.

"Of course it does," Rachel internally roles her eyes. The facial expression she makes is one of scared confusion "B-but I never..." Rachel lies.

"Relax. Everyone has a first. All you need to do, is use your mouth." Carter explains with a calm smile.

"B-but you said you and your wife-"

"The Ms. doesn't need to know." Carter says "Or, you can walk back to your house ? But all things considered, you don't seem to know the neighborhood, and you said your phone is dead. No money. Very, very little options."

"Well, at least I don't have to feel guilty about this." Rachel thinks to herself. It takes all her will not smirk as she keeps a sacred expression on her face, and snakingly nods her head.

"I'll...I'll do it."

In the back of Rachel's head, she can hear something chanting; that same noise she heard in the hospital, when she first gave into her hunger.

Carter smiles and leans back, already undoing his pants.

Once he pulled it out, Rachel had to make it appear this is her first time seeing one up close. She widened her innocent looking eyes with curiosity, her lips shakes a little as she looks up at the expectant man. Rachel pretends to be nervous, as she got down off her seat onto the car floor. She made it a point to shake nervously and even sniffle a few times as she made shaky breaths, and began to lean forward.

She was interrupted as she heard his phone go off. Carter is quick to answer.

"Oh, hey mom...No you just woke me up. Is this important ? It's almost midnight...no I didn't get Nancy's pictures." Carter grabbed hold of Rachel's head and ushered her forward.

Rachel slowly licked her lips and let out a final shaky breath and a slow nod, open her mouth and leans forward, flicking her tongue a little. Carter continues talking to his mother, mentioning something about his niece and a school play she was in today...what he didn't notice was the vampire girl bared her fangs.

Carter let go of the phone, and screams as a loud, wet and sickening crunch could be heard over the phone.

Rachel took him into her throat, and began to drink. She could have sworn she felt a few tendons rip. If she gritted her teeth any harder she may just rip it off. It could have been ten or twenty seconds of Carter screaming bloody murder, before Rachel spat out his flaccid member, admiring the mark of shame she inflicted on him.

Carter was now crying and muttering incoherently, as Rachel looked up with a literal bloody smirk. Her eyes became a dark yellow as she looked up at him, showing her fangs and the remnants of blood on her teeth "Was I good enough on my first try, you happy little pervert ?"

Carter screams and wails as Rachel casually gets out of his car and hastily makes her way out of the alley.

----

Some time later, Rachel was at a dock, having just finished upchucking as she tries to process what she has just done.

This was the first time where she willingly fed on a living person - one who tried to sexually assault her, but still. Never mind that she drank from...there of all places, Rachel's mind was clear enough to think about what she has just done.

If he dies from the blood loss, then she is a murderer; if she did, she could easily kill again, and she'd risk losing what made her a moral person in her own mind; if she did something to infect him, then she just created another vampire; on the other hand, if he doesn't turn, what the hell is he going to tell people, if he tells them at all ?

Rachel looked down her body, and noticed the bloody mess she made down the front of her body.

She can't exactly walk home looking like...this ? The Rachel looked down into the water...it wasn't exactly the most rational thing to do, but Rachel wasn't exactly in the right mindset.

Taking a deep breath, Rachel dove into the water below her.

She swam.

She swam for what had to be hours in the deep blue darkness.

One perk of being the undead gave negated her need to breath, and swimming this way brought about an nostalgic feeling of how she'd play pretend to be Ariel when she was a kid. Now that she was actually in the sea, and actually didn't need to breath, there was more authenticity here than in her girlhood fantasies.

By the time she returned to the surface, the bloody has washed from her clothes, and she saw the sky turn a dark purple.

She was reaching he daylight hours, and had to return home quick. She stared towards the shore, and saw she has reached Santa Monica Pier.

It was simply a matter of reaching the shore, hoping that no late night beachgoers would notice an absolutely soaked girl clamoring onto the sand and making her way to the parking lot. Anyone catches her, she can easily spin a story of how she fell off a boat. Hopefully she can find a less pervy resident to hitch a ride from, but at the moment, she's going to have to rely on her own two feet to reach shelter.

As she passed a post, something caught her attention - among the many promotional posters, wanted or missing posters, and adds, one in particular stood out; "Lover's in R'lyeh: A Romantic Epic" was to be shown at a local stage theatre. Tickets don't look too expensive, and the next showing was in four days. What in peculiar caught Rachel's attention was a name on the bill.

Stephanie Gingrich was cast as a co-star. Rachel smiled to herself at the thought; she'll need a change of clothes and style of course, keep herself scarce and careful, but at least there was someone from her past here.

She has been warned not to see anyone she knew as a human, after all Rachel Amber has been dead for months. But still the temptation of seeing a familiar face, after so long, all she has to do is remain unseen.

Rachel has a common enough face, all it takes is a change of clothes and style, and she can blend in like a chameleon. And it's not like her "family" will notice as long as Rachel isn't seen. Hell, she hasn't seen or heard anything from these "Mother's Children" since November now.

As of now, Rachel's plans for the weekend has changed.

-----

February 21st, 2014

Over the next several days, Amelia the naïve sorority girl disappeared, and Vivian Manning, the aspiring Hollywood model remerged. All it takes for Rachel is a change of clothes, makeup and hairstyle.

In this case, it was an emphasis on black and purple makeup to give herself a gothic appearance; dressing in safari platform sandals and a black tie dress, Rachel made herself presentable for the night. Buying the tickets for the next show, Rachel did a little looking into about what this play would be about.

Lover's in R'lyeh: A Romantic Epic is as the title indicates, an epic romance, based on the Cthulhu Mythos.

It was also a musical compared to Wicked, and had a sordid history to go with it; supposedly the current play is based off of a revised draft and an unproduced play dating back to 1937.

There's an Urban Legend that one of the original play-writes went insane in the process of writing and committed suicide before he could finish; a mysterious H. King, who is credited as the original co-writer but no one could find them. It wasn't until last year was the original draft found, rewritten and finished in its current form. The choice to make it a musical, and the songs written were new additions to the play.

The night of the showing, Rachel made her way into the theatre at the seats she was designated; front row. In the back of her mind Rachel knew she shouldn't be trying to get attention, but she wasn't thinking with her head, but rather a nostalgic filter and a need to see someone or something familiar.

To be honest Rachel doesn't know why she is suddenly fixated on Steph; she was mostly friends with her through Chloe, and it has been about two years since she's seen Steph. Aside from a few personal encounters or hangouts with Steph, she never considered anything serious or spectacular to come from it. She isn't even planning or expecting a reunion or anything.

Once again, Rachel chalks it up to a desire to see a familiar face.

"Lover's in R'lyeh" was a four hour show, and told to the tale of Ancient R'lyeh before it sank into the depths of the Pacific. The story revolves around a lowly servant and the daughter of a human high priest falling in love as the forces of Cthulhu descend upon humanity.

None of the classic Lovecraftian figures appear, but the presence of the Great Old Ones and Elder God's is empathized and felt throughout; the only exception being the main villain, all but spelled out to be Nyarlathotep, who serves as the Pope of sorts for the religion started within R'lyeh.

It's pretty clear that the plot, at least this version of it, was influenced by The Little Mermaid and Titanic, especially in regards to it's love story. The songs were able to give Rachel goosebumps; from it's love theme "Stars Fall, Seas Rise"; to it's villain song "The Friendliest Stranger".

Overall, the play had an anti-nihilistic message to it about finding hope and meaning in a world without it.

As it turns out Steph has a supporting role. Steph was playing a slave woman named Aminnon Rhade; she served as a comic relief best friend and "wing woman" of sorts to the lead female. She was wearing a mask across her eyes and wore a costume that left little to the imagination, she even got her own song about uplifting ones spirit ("In Strange Eons"), which involved her dancing with the lead and their backup dancers in a particularly erotic matter.

As Rachel became engrossed in the performance, she noticed someone sitting beside and eyeing her. The song was loud enough so that Rachel could only hear her voice and that of the woman sitting next to her.

"You liking what you see ?" A woman asks. She looked older than Rachel by a few years, had shortcut red hair, and a bright green form fitting dress, and a French accent.

"Hmm ?" Rachel asks.

"The play I mean ?"

"Oh, yes." Rachel nods with a whisper.

"That and...I couldn't help but notice the way you're looking at my petite amie." The woman says.

"I mean," Rachel shrugs keeping her voice down "She is making herself pretty noticeable."

"Emphasis on pretty." The woman says. She looks to the stage and gives a small wave to Steph. Steph in the meantime, stuck to her performance, but as she did a spin, she gave a wink only Rachel and the woman noticed as they aligned with her eyesight. "Cathy Mortimer," the woman gives her hand for Rachel to shake.

"Vivian Manning," Rachel shakes the woman's hand "I don't come out here often, but I heard good things about this play."

"Do you often see plays like this ?" Cathy asks.

"Nothing new, usually. I make exception to Wicked, Disney goes Broadway, and the classics." Rachel answers truthfully.

"I see, and I take it you know someone here ? That's why tonight is an exception ?"

"What is this ? Twenty questions ?" Rachel asks.

"Just trying to make conversation. Stephanie, she's a doll, no ? Real people person." Cathy explains "While you ? You look familiar."

"I get that a lot. I have a common enough face."

"Of that, I can see." Cathy nods as the song ends.

The two went back to watching the play.

-----

A half our after the show ends, Rachel was finishing off in the bathroom. She's not exactly a public crier, but she did find herself having to wipe her eyes at the bittersweet ending.

She read enough Lovecraft's Mythos to not expect an optimistic outcome, especially when forgone conclusion dictates the sinking of R'lyeh, but the sweet part of the bittersweet ending threw her off. (Or maybe she was overwhelmed by seeing a familiar face ?)

Rachel has just finished wiping her eyes, and tried to reapply her makeup. When she got a good look at herself with the black and purple mascara running down her cheeks and eyes did Rachel think back to the first time she saw her reflection when she awoke.

Sure, she was ostensibly a flesh and blood human being, but looking into her reflection, was a reminder that she - Rachel Amber - was dead. A walking corpse. When she looked into the mirror then, she saw a literal phantom of her former self. When she looks now, she sees a mask she has to wear. And even then, whenever Rachel sleeps, she more often than not goes back in that room.

That bright flashing light, that blinds her as it it were darkness; the two muffled voices arguing; the feeling of hands handling her, moving her into a certain position, stripping a piece of clothes off of her; the sting of needles into her skin at random intervals, poking and prodding her at times; and the feeling of something pouring into her veins.

She knew it had to be drugs in retrospect, but she felt as if it was trading something new into her as it took her life. And when the darkness finally took her, she finally heard a clear voice "Now daughter, you are mine."

Rachel felt someone tap her shoulder, and she turns around to see it was Cathy.

"Stunning performance, wasn't it ?" Cathy asks with a smile "I only hope that you were not so captivated, that you'd leave anything behind." She casually takes a phone out of her purse - it was Rachel's phone.

"Oh, uh" Rachel starts before taking her phone "Thanks. Yeah, it- it was spellbinding." She says with a nod.

"I'm sure the cast would appreciate the compliment. As a matter of fact, one of them is with me right now." As Cathy says this, another woman enters.

"Cathy, I'm sure if we report it to the Lost and Fou-" the new woman stops.

Stephanie "Steph" Gingrich was nigh unrecognizable from when Rachel last saw her. Steph was out of costume, now dressed in a dark trench coat, her hair grew out a little, and the sight of her without her hat was nearly alien. Ironically, Steph wore more makeup than Rachel did.

If it wasn't enough to render Rachel a deer in the headlights, Steph herself found herself frozen too. Rachel wasn't sure how much time passed before on of them spoke, and Rachel was the one who made the initiative.

"Good evening," Rachel extended her hand to shake "My name is Vivian Manning. I have heard so much about the show and wanted to congratulate you on your performance. Miss Gingrich, or is it Mrs ?"

"It's Miss still," Steph nods with an awkward smile.

"Not for long hopefully," Cathy remarks.

"My friends call me Steph."

"Mine call me Viv," Rachel answers back

"Or at least they would if I made more of them."

"Ah, well maybe we can help with that." Cathy says, before Steph talks for her.

"I've got other shows coming up, and looking to get more roles. I always appreciate support from our audience." Steph explains as she looks up and down Rachel's body, as if she's unsure of what she is seeing "Hopefully, you can make it to my other shows. If- if you're interested, of course."

"I'll...see what's on my to-do list." Rachel gives a sincere smile "I have always been a fan of live performances, and have been looking for more of a pastime lately."

"Ah, well, I'll be keeping my eye out for you then." Steph says as she and Cathy take their leave. Before they exit Steph turns her head around to say
"See you around, Viv."

When Rachel was sure she was alone, she lets out a deep breath she's been holding in for the entire conversation, looking back into the mirror.

"See you around, Steph."

Chapter 4: Parted Ways (Route A)

Summary:

This chapter marks the first of my "Route A" chapters.

While the bulk of the story remains the same, Route A chapters are specific to a timeline where "Sacrifice Arcadia Bay/Parting Ways" is considered canon.

Route B which is still being worked on, but will be exclusive a timeline where "Sacrifice Chloe/Redemption" are considered canon.

2022 edit: Had to revisit this chapter to set dates and make a more clear timeline of events.

I still haven't figured out how to fix the end notes

Chapter Text

March, 20th, 2020

To say the past few years have been a cluster fuck, would be an understatement.

Had things gone perfectly, Sean would be with his brother Daniel; arguing about with Daniel over hogging the bathroom or some noise like that; or teasing Daniel over his crush on Lyla; and they'd both tease Sean over his crush on Jenn.

In a perfect world, his dad would still be alive.

In a perfect world Sean wouldn't have gotten to where he is now.

Settling down in Puerto Lobos wasn't easy for the first few weeks, but a few odd jobs here and there, and he got a comfortable enough condo.

At the moment, Sean was attending a wedding reception, along with and his two housemates. Sean himself sat at a corner, as it was only his housemates doing the work, and he was sort of a tag-along. The reception was being held at a country club; he didn't know too much of the details other than it was a Jack and Rose deal; he was poor boy, she was a rich girl, can I make it any more obvious ? The three were dressed for the occasion, but it felt a little out of place for them; to put it bluntly, Sean was not a tux guy, nor was Cassidy one for extravagant dresses.

Lucy "Cassidy" Jones was on a stage for at a country club, having made a living for herself preforming live shows, and was currently doing acoustic covers of any genre. This gig was no different, aside from having two other guitarists on stage to for backup.

Finn MacNemra, in the meantime, did part time jobs at a slaughterhouse, but nowadays mostly works bars at the club - Sean was just a plus one. Sean himself didn't go out very often, but since both Finn and Cassidy were hired by the bride's parents, he figured the least he could do was keep a low profile, sitting at a table out of sight and out of mind.

Or he tried.

"Hey, aren't you the comic writer ?" One of the guests ask him. It was the bride's brother and he was a little older than Daniel.

"Uh, si, si. That's me alright." Sean answered with a smile.

"I don't expect you to notice me, but I follow you on Twitter."

"As it that so ?" Sean chuckles "I don't really go on there anymore. Thing's got to political."

"I see. Hey, about the comic, how much of it was true ?"

Kind of a bold question, but he's just a kid, he didn't judge "Well, for one thing me and my brother aren't wolves...as far as I know." Sean adds jokingly "But maybe I'll find out during a full moon."

"Okay, but the animal characters...they're based on real people, right?" The kid asks.

"I'm not comfortable answering that." Sean says bluntly and honestly. Silently he was thankful the kid didn't ask of the "real" hunter was struck by lighting. He's got more than a few people questioning if it was supposed to symbolize God punishing the cop.

An older, well dressed man Sean recognized as the bride's father, walks up to the table, addressing the boy as he takes him by the shoulder.

"Ernesto, I told you to stop bugging the guests." The man says.

"Sorry papa, I just recognized him from the internet." The kid replies.

"Because that's a reassuring comment." The father replies sarcastically, before addressing Sean "Lo siento por ese hombre. This little monster's always getting into trouble."

"Oh, I understand," Sean nods "I have a little monstruo of my own."

"I never seen you around here. You friends with Alex?" The man asked curiously. Alex being the name of the groom.

"Uh, no. My girlfriends the wedding singer, and our housemate is on bar duty tonight." Sean gestures to Cassidy while she's in the midst of preforming an acoustic cover of Don't Stop Believing along with two backup singers. Cassidy see's Sean from the stage and winks.

There's a part of that Sean would also introduce Finn as his boyfriend, but he doesn't think this crowd would be all to accepting of a bisexual polymerous relationship, so he mostly just introduced Cassidy as his girlfriend and Finn as their roommate.

To be fair that's how it started. A while after settling in, Cassidy and Finn both caught up with him to help him find his feet. Cassidy was the one who stayed at first, while Finn sort of went back and forth. Things just sort of happened.

"Ah, you came to show your support too," the man asks "Tell me, does she take requests ?"

"Not without pay, I don't think." Sean shrugs.

"Wanted to request something to dance with my daughter with. I'm thinking that Whitney Huston Bodyguard song."

"You know that's a break-up song, right ?" Sean asks.

"As if I'm not parting ways with the most important girl in my life." The bride's father answers as he walks off.

Just as it was time for the bride to dance with her father, Sean figured he'd stretch his legs himself. He smirked a little as Cassidy prepares her next cover with "Fun fact, this was originally by Dolly Parton."

Sean took his leave out the door. Heading towards the clubs terrace, Sean leans over the railing on the balcony.

The club has a helluva view though, you could see the whole county. In the far distance you could see the city towards the east, and the wall a farther distance to the north. Puerto Lobos could be seen just a twelve minute drive away.

It would be so appropriate to light a cig and take it all in, but Sean wasn't that much of a smoker, especially with Cassidy establishing a no smoking rule in the condo until she was "sure of something". Still, the space and silence were enough for Sean to clear his head think things over for the past few years.

For some time he has been following the news and has had a regular correspondence with Daniel (who, yeah, he was mad with at first, but in time understood why he did what he did). So long as Daniel was safe, than he was satisfied. Sean also has had a few correspondence with his grandparents, his mother; friends; and for the sake of transparency, Agent Flores.

Sean was told the situation; while there was no forensic evidence linking the Diaz brothers to Officer Matthew's death, the criminal activity the brothers got into since then could get Sean fifteen years in prison at least; admittedly, they were probably trying to find something to pin on him. Daniel would get leniency due to his age but the powers that he's been showing off would get an eye kept on him by the government until further notice.

Agent Flores was put in charge at monitoring Daniel for the time being. Daniel, says he overheard a mention that it wasn't just the FBI looking at him, but something called "The Foundation".

Sean was sure he misheard something about anomalies, but the subject was quickly changed.

According to the news he's been following, Daniel has revealed a lot in his testimony when he was put through the legal system; going into details of Lisbeth Fischer's compound there has been no concrete evidence of illegal activity, aside from an under the books attempt at adopting Daniel, but she was all but exposed as a fraud. Along with Jacob, Daniel was essential in the FBI looking into the questionable activity of Lisbeth herself, her church and her staff.

Unfortunately, like many good sheep of the kind, the lot of her followers stayed at Lisbeth's side. There is noise that the FBI are investigating her further, and while there's no warrant for her arrest, time will tell. Sean's been following that case because of how personal it was to Daniel and Jacob, and he learned that a few witnesses and even FBI agents, ended up missing over the last week and that Fischer has taken to isolating her community. Nothing significantly happened yet and as far as he knows FBI investigation is still ongoing, so it's only a matter of time.

At this point, Daniel's ties to Officer Matthew's death was all but forgotten. Now, the government was more interested in what he's been through, over what he did.
Merrill was already doing time and he doesn't have the possibility of parole for twenty seven years, so Daniel's testimony didn't do much in that department.

Daniel also spoke about Hank Stamper's assault kidnapping of Sean, which got the Stamper's investigated; a local family admitted to seeing Hank with an unconscious Sean, and saw Daniel flee the scene as they passed by. They didn't say anything at the time as they knew Hank and took his word when he explained himself, which led to the Flores questioning the Stampers. When questioned with this information, Doris Stamper folded pretty quickly and ended up confessing to what her husband did.

Ultimately Hank wasn't going to see jailtime, aside from wearing an ankle bracelet of his own, and two years parole; but between court costs, bail, a settlement the Stamper's were required to pay and the fact their business often ended up being harassed and even vandalized by the "#JusticeForDiaz" crowd, it was hardly a smack on the wrist.

As for Sean himself, it took time to re-adjust. When the dust settled, Sean reestablished a fracture of his old life with a social media presence. Turned out he had quite a following, and while the law wasn't exactly on his side, the general public seemed split, and some of the media was on his side.

You've got the more conservative side who say that Sean needs to answer for what happened between October and July if true justice is to be seen; the extreme conservative minority accusing him of being a cop killer who got away due to "Left Wing Political Agendas", death threats towards him and his brother, racist tweets, etc. The more liberal side of things seem to make it more about his race than anything else, claiming they were a victim of conspiracy.

It wasn't enough to get Sean to return to the states, considering a fugitives legal status isn't decided by popular demand. He'd be put on trial, at the very least for everything that happened between Matthews death, and the confrontation at the Border. Even if he was innocent in Matthew's death, he did work for a drug dealer, and was an accomplice in arson.

Still, Sean was able to make a moderate success of himself. He produced a web comic about two wolf brothers - an obvious commentary on he and Daniel's journey. No real names were mentioned but a few obvious stand-ins were obvious. Especially for those who were there.

Sean was able to monetize his E-Fame, produce a graphic novel adaptation of the comic, and got a small cult following. He rarely made public statements on social media, other than memorials for his father, and has received an offer to "air things out" with the Matthews family over a podcast. He hasn't responded to the last one yet.

His friend Lyla was also running a podcast on social justice, and has been one of his many liaisons to his old life and through social media.

His others include, the Heckerman siblings, Jacob and Sarah Lee, who have settled in Beaver Creek, and for a while spent time in the Reynolds house. From what Sean heard, Sarah, Daniel and Chris are as thick as thieves.

So far Jacob has been fitting in with Beaver Creek, and has become a friend of the family. He tells Sean that Claire has been helping him come to terms with his faith, while Finn was helping him come to terms with his sexuality whenever Finn went back and forth between Beaver Creek and Puerto Lobos, keeping an eye on Daniel and Sean, and Cassidy.

Ever since their time at Merrill's camp, Sean and Cassidy became a tight nit. Being Sean's first serious girlfriend and the woman he lost his virginity to would do that. In the weeks that passed since Sean settled in, Sean would also spend a hefty amount of time with Finn when Cassidy became sick one week.

They planned on taking a trip to Sistema Dos Ojos when Cassidy was acting up, so when Finn accompanied Sean, something more than friendship grew between them. When they returned home and explained themselves, and understanding Cassidy was the one who suggested their current "family unit".

From there, their trios bond was stronger.

Not as strong an effect as Sean's concerns for Daniel, but a strong effect none the less. The two were some of the of the few people in his life that can really get to him. Cassidy and Finn were two of Sean's top pack members in his book (literally or no).

Sean looked back in his journey the past year and a half. He's come to think of the family he gained over this journey. He's come to think of this as a pack.

No, he did not have what is called a "alpha male" complex. Contrary to popular myth, wolf packs are not formed with a Strong vs Weak mentality. They are formed by a mating pair, and their families. Sometimes he hears how they take unrelated members into their families; that's kind of how he see's the Diaz pack, being the friends and family he made over the years.

"Pretty view, huh ?" Sean hears Finn ask, as the latter walks up and wraps his arms around him from behind. Must have been break time.

"Think I should take a picture ?"

"You see one picture of a pretty sunset, you see them all." Finn shrugs "Going to be heading back to Beaver Creek for the weekend; was wondering if you knew what Daniel wanted. You know, for a gift ?"

"I don't know, I haven't been able to reach his phone either today or yesterday." Sean answers, taking out his phone to see the signal. Four bars.

Finn looks over Sean's shoulder and shrugs "Maybe there's a blackout there. Maybe he's found himself a girl."

Sean scoffs/laughs at this.

"If Daniel found himself a girlfriend I would never hear the end of it."

"When my older brother got one, I think he forgot anyone else existed. Once me and my other brothers joined them on a date to this theatre, we were left behind when they left." Finn remarks.

"Dios Mio," Sean gasps.

"Well, it wasn't that dramatic, but boy did we hold that over his-" Finn starts before Sean stops him, and points out to what he's seen.

Sean and Finn look up over the horizon to see smoke coming from Puerto Lobos and the sound of police sirens blaring in the far distance. By the sound of it, at least one building is in flames, and 911 respondents are trying to keep control of the situation.

"Oh my God," Finn mutters "Think anyone's alright ?"

"Hopefully, it's probably just a house fire." Sean shakes his head "It should be under control - I hope it is, I mean."

Sean and Finn take a final look at the smoke rising in the distance, before turning back to rejoin the party.

Had they stayed a few minutes, they would have seen the carnage spread further; how SWAT helicopters and even state officers would turn up to try to stop whatever is happening, in a vain effort. Maybe they would have heard the sounds of hundreds of people screaming in terror, agony and despair, echoing across the landscape as they were being picked off as the sun disappeared.

What they could they not know was that there was something(s) that passed through Pueto Lobos, and is making its way to the club, onto the scent of blood.

-----

Later that same evening.

After Cassidy returned from her (third) bathroom break, she sat at her seat with Sean at the clubs bar.

"You sure you don't need something to drink ?" Finn asks her.

"Nothing alcoholic," Cassidy shakes her head.

"It must have been something she ate." Sean thought.

"Three weeks ago I saw you down a quarter of a keg in a funnel game. What's got you all designated driver tonight ?"

"I just thought I'd take it easy for a while."

Sean paid little heed to their conversation having made another attempt to call Daniel.

"Still no word from Daniel,." Sean says checking his phone.

"After seven calls ? I'm sure he's fine," Finn slides a drink to Sean, turning back to Cassidy "What was that thing you wanted to talk about ?"

"It can wait," Cassidy shakes her head, turning back to Sean "And between you and me, my money's on that he found a little lady friend."

"We've been over that," Sean sighs "Whenever something new happens with Daniel, he is always the first to tell me...I tried calling Claire and Stephen too; nothing."

"Worst case scenario's their phones aren't working." Cassidy starts.

"That's not the worse case scenario; I can think of a few more, but you probably don't want to hear them." Finn says.

-----

Outside the clubs gates, a car hastily pulls over. Two security guards approach the vehicle to see three disheveled men and a woman emerge, clearly in a panic.

Their clothes were covered in blood and soot, as they hastily make their way towards the gate. This put the guards on alert as one tries to calm the situation.

"Fácil fácil tigre. Donde esta el fuego ?" ("Easy easy, tiger. Where's the fire ?") A guard asks.

"Por favor, señor, ha habido un accidente por el camino. ¡Solo necesitamos usar el teléfono!" ("Please sir, there's been an accident down the road. We just need to use the phone!") A skinny man, who looked as if he had just finished crying, exclaims.

"Me temo que no podemos dejarte entrar aquí. Hay una boda en curso, y no podemos dejarte entrar aquí pareciendo-" ("I'm afraid we can't let you in here. There's a wedding going on, and we can't just let you in here looking like-")

"Oh, por el amor de Dios! Encontramos un chico! Maldita sea,Creo que se esta muriendo!" ("Oh for the love of God! We found a kid on the road! Dammit, I think he's dying!") The woman, still in hysterics exclaimed at the guards.

"Podemos dejar que uno de ustedes use el teléfono, pero no podemos permitir que interrumpas el-" ("We can let one of you in to use the phone, but we can't have you disrupting the-") One guard starts before a more cautious one interrupts.

"Where was this accident ?"

"Just off the highway, right on the coast-shore road. Come on man, you can see the smoke from here." One of the other passengers points at the large amounts of smoke rising from Puerto Lobos. Which one of the guards was quick to point out.

"There's something going on there. We don't know what but it looks like pandemonium. There's police blockades and everything! Goddamn, they might just send in the army while they're at it!"

One of the guards nods to his partner "Alright, we'll let you in to use the phone. I'll check on this kid you're talking about and see how bad he's hurt."

With that, the disheveled man follows the guard to his post, while the other guard walks up to the car. Unbeknownst to them, they were being watched from the shadows.

"They came out of nowhere!" The woman cried "I think they are following us! What kind of monster does this to a little boy ?"

The guard nods understandingly "I he still breathing ? Is he still conscious ?" While he tried to keep a calm, professional air about him, he was ill prepared for such a situation, let alone for what was about to happen.

At the post, the disheveled man was mumbling incoherently under his breath as he made his way towards the phone.

"You got a name, amigo ?"

"Sal. Sal Alonso." He mutters as he dials in the number. He waits several seconds before hanging up "It's nothing."

"The line's busy ?"

"No," Sal shakes his head "The line is dead."

Back at the car, the other guard peered into the backseat; kid had to be three to four years old, and that is what made it all the more spine tingling. And yet his hair was matted and dripping with the crimson liquid that drenched his clothes, and soaked his skin.

The woman was still in hysterics, being consoled by the two other men, while the guard climbs into the back seat. Cautiously, he reached towards the kids neck and felt for his pulse.

1...2...3...4...nothing...1...2...3...4...5 Nothing, but the smallest breath.

If the kid conscious, he wasn't showing it. One thing was for sure, the guard wasn't feeling any pulse, but he could hear the child breathing.

His train of thought was interrupted by the sound of his partner screaming.

"Ahrck!" A garbled scream could be heard, as the other guard was thrown out of his post, bleeding heavily from the neck.

Above him, Sal emerges from the post, with a manic grin. In his teeth, he was carrying something - something that was fleshy.

The wounded guard takes his gun and points it at Sal, who simply reaches down and grabs hold of the arm before the trigger could be pulled, and rips it off by the elbow.

The maimed man couldn't scream, as his larynx was torn out, as Sal and the previously hysterical woman converged on him.

The other guard, who was frozen at the sight finally snapped, took hold of his own gun and pointed. Had he not let his guard down, the child in the back seat wouldn't have woken up, and gone for his jugular.

These creatures work fast but brutally, reducing the two guards to mincemeat without so much as a whimper. The otherwise quiet attack was echoed by the sound of a few vehicles pulling up; a black limo and four matching black pickup trucks, each filled with people.

You could almost heard the limo's radio blaring as it pulled to a stop; "Go Hard or Go Home" by Roy Jones Jr. From the front seat, the drivers open the back to let out a man appearing to be twenty five years of age. The man wears a dark red leather jacket, incrusted with diamonds and gold chains along the torso and sleeves, with a cig in hand. He surveys the area as the other trucks pull to a halt and their occupants clamber out, with the scent of blood in the air.

The man flicks his cigarette, as he walks to the trunk of the limo, opening it to reveal a dark metallic mask, which he puts on. Next he pulls from his trunk, a five foot long longsword.

He turns his head to address one of his newly arrived cronies. All of them wearing red and black gang colors and flags, many looked pale, corpse-like even. Like something out of a zombie movie.

"Is this it ? ¿Es este el lugar?" The man in the mask asks.

"Si, that's what their neighbors said."

"Not particularly loyal neighbors weren't they ?" The man in the mask replies "As usual ladies and gents; take prisoners, accept no surrender. When we find our target, leave him to me, least you wish for a blood eagle!" The man shouts, addressing the rest of his cronies, as they make their way towards the club.

The man in the mask looks down as he passes one of the guards, who has been reduced to a blood mess by the kid from the earlier group.

"Niño, did you do that by yourself ?"

The kid looks up, nervously at first, but nods with a proud smile.

The man turns to face the group from earlier "¿Ves eso, Alonso? Your brother wasn't bad for his first rodeo!" He adds with a friendly pat on the kid's head, before moving onwards.

----

Inside the club's reception Hall, the party was dying down. Many of the guests have left save for the bride, groom and several friends and family members.

Sean, Finn and Cassidy in the meantime, were still talking among themselves. This time about Finn's upcoming trip to Bear Creek, and what Daniel could be up to.

"Alright, Sean how about this? If I see that Daniel has a girlfriend, and has been dodging you because of her, you owe me 500 dollars. If not, than I owe you the same amount." Finn remarks.

"You're going have a pretty lousy financial experience then." Sean jokes "700 says he's still holding out on Lyla. He held onto that since kindergarten."

"Alright, I'll bite." Cassidy smirks with a roll in her eye "900 says you both are wasting your time and he just broke his phone or something."

"For real though, I could use the money." Finn adds "Thinking of getting him a gift. There's a game he's been waiting for that keeps getting delayed, and I know this guy who can pirate physical copies for a pri-"

Their conversation is cut off by the sound of screaming, as the doors from the entrance break open and a man is tossed as he slides across the floor. Both of the mans legs are cut off.

Stepping over him is a man in a mask, carrying a longsword over his shoulder as it it were a baseball bat. He began to speak over the mortified screaming and occasional weeping of the witnesses.

"Buenas noches, ladies and germs." The Masked man says "I know, weddings are very special occasions, but we have gone through so much trouble trying to get here. It would appear-" His speech is interrupted by the sound of the legless man, cursing up at him. The masked man's calm demeanor slips with the next sentence. "Leave my mother out of this!"

With a swing of his sword, the masked man slices the head off his shoulders and the entire room erupts into screams.

Finn took hold of Sean and Cassidy's wrists and pulled them over the bar and shushes them.

"There is an emergency exit just at the back. Just follow me and keep quiet." Finn whispers.

"We can't just leave them there!" Sean whispers harshly.

"What can we do, Sean ?" Finn looks over to see several people entering the hall as well, each covered in blood. It was almost as if they were going for a zombie like look, and Finn had a growing feeling they just want to play pretend.

"Sean, Finn's right," Cassidy whispers "There's nothing we can do..."

Finn sneakily crawls towards the back door, shushing the other two as the follow with him. The Man in the Mask continues his speech as his cronies advance on the wedding guests, and gather them into the center of the room.

"Now we are looking for a very special person, and by special, I do not mean disabled." The Masked Man remarks to the guests "Originally we were going to make this a less bloody mess, and you fine people, have it within your power to make it less, and less bloody. As some of you may know or not know, you have a wanted fugitive in your presence. We checked his home first, but a little birdy told us, he is one of the guests here."

Sean's eyes widen as he overhears this "Oh no...goddammit..." he whispers.

"I am not snitching for no one!" One of the Groom's friends shouts out.

"Then your loyalty is your end." The Man in the Mask remarks as he walks up to the mouthy guest, and drives the sword down into his head. Once again, the guests scream for their fallen.

In the midst of it all, the Man turned around, as if he heard the cry of a child behind him. He looks towards the front door, and yet see's nothing but the space between him and the wall. And judging by the non reaction from the other vamps, it would appear no one else has heard it. "Curious," he thinks to himself. His attention was caught by another shrill cry, just in front of him.

One woman became so hysterical that the Man in the Mask had to run her through, quickly getting annoyed by her outburst. "Oh, enough theatrics! If it were up to me, none of this would have been happening, but I am only here as a deal. You co-operate, you see the sunrise tomorrow. It's that simple."

"Please," the Bride weeps "Just don't kill us."

"I am not one who kills a woman on her wedding day. And frankly, these tasks are beneath me." The Man places the sword underneath her chin and raise her gaze to meet his "My friends though ? Have no such moral restraints, so I suggest you play ball; you may just save a lot of peoples lives."

The Man was interrupted when he hears the door close. He turns he attention to the bar, to see the back door.

"Looks like I have my answer." The Masked Man says to himself, before turning to one of his comrades "If you do not hear from me in an hour, do what you will with these good people...just don't kill the bride, it's her special day after all."

The Man bounds towards the door, as Sean, Finn and Cassidy make their way down the hall in a fast pace. Despite Finn locking the door behind him, the Masked Man barges through with a shove of his body. He spots them just in time to see Cassidy disappear around the corner from down a long hallway.

The Man maintains his pace, dragging his sword across the floor.

-----

By the time they reach their jeep, it was a matter of Finn opening opening the doors, and the three hastily getting in. By the time they turn on their headlights, they see the Masked Man emerging from the back door, staring them down.

At Sean and Cassidy's insistent urging, Finn started the car and tried to pull out of the club's back driveway and towards the front. Unfortunately, there was the matter of over a dozen "people" watching them with white gleaming eyes.

They were all unafraid, unmoving, as Finn was pulled to a sudden halt. A few of them grinned, shown their teeth - their very sharp teeth.

"Floor it!" Cassidy exclaims in a panic as these people made their ways toward the jeep.

Finn didn't need to be told twice. He put the pedal to the metal as the jeep barrels through the crowd. Many of them fell to the way side. Another rolled off the front, a few held on to the roof, side doors and bumper of the jeep.

Finn drove down the road, his two partners screaming at him to shake them off.

"I'm trying too!" Finn exclaims, zig-zagging around the road, as three of these creatures already fell off.

As they reach a forested area on the highway, Finn pulled the jeep into a halting stop as the one who was crawling on the roof was flung several feet in front of them. It looked like a man, and he was bouncing and twisting before he rolled to a stop.

"D-do, you think he's dead ?" Sean started to ask as they watched the body for a few seconds.

"Don't jinx it-" Finn starts before Cassidy screams.

Look in the rearview window, they see several sets of white eyes making their way through the darkness. And the man in front of them started to get back up, grotesquely pulling and popping several joints back in place.

Finn floors the jeep again "I told you not to jinx it!"

The jeep barrels over the man in front of them as it made it's way back to town.

While Finn tried to keep himself focused on the road, Sean and Cassidy were hysterically going over just what the hell these things were. What they were saying wasn't exactly coherent due to their panic, but they all but reached the conclusion these were zombies.

By the time Puerto Lobos was on the horizon, they saw the town in smoke, flames and multiple people, all disheveled, bruised, broken, being escorted out by state officers and ambulances.

A police car, not too off in front of them flashes it's headlights as an male officer walks into the middle of the road waving the jeep down.

While Sean tried to keep calm with Cass and Finn, internally all three of them were screaming.

In Sean's case, it's because the police were the ones giving him and his brother grief for so long.

For...obvious reasons, Sean was nervous and uneasy around the cops. He still wasn't sure he could trust them after everything that happened; he thought he could avoid putting all the bad eggs in the same basket. He thought maybe the police in Mexico would be different but word spreads, especially if one has the same infamous as Sean. It would seem that Sean's rep as a possible "cop killer" has spread here and was just as divisive.

Even after subsequent investigations, Sean still got the occasional "We'll be keeping an eye on you." from the local police as he started settling in. Boys in blue look after their own after all. From then, Sean made a point to avoid the police when he could.

In this case, the police officer in question appeared to be among those trying to help protect the civilians from...whatever is happening here.

The officer taps the window, which Finn rolls down.

"Hey, what's going on ?" Finn nervously asks "There's been-I don't know something happened at the country club up the road."

"Yeah, something happened here too," The officer nods "This area's been closed off until we get things under control. We're trying to get everyone out of here, somewhere safe."

Then the officer notices the blood on the front of the jeep.

"What is that from ?"

"That- that was-" Sean starts before he is interrupted.

"Whatever those things are, they're been chasing us down. One of them fell in front of us." Cassidy explains with a shaky nod "You've seen them too, haven't you ?"

The officer nods "Okay then, are any of you okay ?"

"Just a little shaken." Sean answers truthfully.

"Alright, we're gonna get some paramedics here to look you three over, just to be sure." The officer explains "There's something spreading out over the area, and- and we need to make sure none of you are bitten. Just need to you step out for a minute."

Reluctantly, the three of them stepped out, as the officer waved over an ambulance and two paramedics stepped out.

Sean, Finn and Cassidy reluctantly did as asked. Told to put their hands on the side of the jeep for a frisking, they were told to take off their jackets, unbitten their shirts, roll up, and even take off their pants.

In Cassidy's case, it was was to lift her dress.

As the paramedics explained "Just a precaution; we're only making sure you aren't hiding any bite marks on us."

They were padded up and down their arms, legs and torsos.

Sean could admit he's been in more embarrassing and humiliating situations, but he didn't think of the precautions. If the worst case scenario was happening, and this was a zombie apocalypse of sorts, this had to be done and gotten over with.

That's when they felt something small and sharp press into their necks.

-----

Sean was not expecting to see what he saw when he came too. He thought that he would be in an ambulance, or hospital. Even a jail cell.

The back seat of the limo was about the ninety seventh thing he thought he'd end up in.

His vision was still blurry, but as far as he could tell it was still night out. There appeared to be a light shining above him, always changing from red, green, blue and purple. In the ringing of his ear could tell him that the limo's speakers were blaring Tech9's "Caribou Lou".

Sean was sluggish and could barley move, but he managed to turn his head beside him. Finn and Cassidy were beside him on their seat, still undressed as they were as they were being frisked.

Between them, Cassidy and Finn were not as out of it as Sean was, but they were still unmoving. Most likely out of mortification than whatever drug they were given. Maybe Sean was given a bigger dose, but when he turned his head, he saw just what spooked them.

Sitting on the far end seat, was a man, given the way he was dressed, he was most certainly the Masked Man at the Country Club. Of course he wasn't wearing a mask, but his face was obscured by the shade, and Sean's own blurry vision.

At the man's side, sat two naked women, groping and playing with each other, absolutely doped out of their minds, and barely paying the man sitting between them any attention other than to climb over and around him. On the floor between the seats, was another set of nude woman scissoring each other. If Sean's vision was clear he would have noticed that it looked like neither of them wanted to be here.

The man spoke, and for all of Sean's hearing fading in and out, he could hear the man's voice as being pretty coherent.

"Well, looks like Sleeping Beauty's awake. Welcome back to the Land of the living Mr. Diaz, and the Land of the Free." The man lights a cigarette, offering a pack to his "guests", who don't respond. "More for me then."

"Where- where are we ?" Sean asked, under his breath in a groggy voice, but this was no issue for the man.

"Cameron County, Texas, Mr. Diaz." The Man answers "We have a place set up here for you three for the time being, so please get comfortable." He gestures to the women scissoring on the floor before him, both looking on the verge of tears "Enjoy the entertainment."

Finn doubles over onto the floor in a coughing fit, and Cassidy sits down to wrap her arms around his shoulders.

Sean felt something on his lip, and when he touched it, he saw he was bleeding from the nose.

The Man continues speaking after taking another deep huff of his cig, blowing out a deep cloud of smoke as he addresses Sean once again.

"You've been enjoying this little vacation of yours for a while now Mr. Diaz, and unfortunately, I had to get off my tuchus, roll my way down to Mexico. And you know why ?"

Sean doesn't answer. He completely out of breath just by trying to sit up. The most he could do was shake his head.

"Favor for a friend." The man shrugs "My family, has made a lot of friends the past few years, and have taken to making deals with them." He casually flicks his cigarette onto the floor and stomps it out. "In your case, Mr. Diaz, you and your brother have made some new friends of mine angry with your actions the last few years. Dirty secrets unaired, reputations ruined, put everyone through over a year of drama, all over a couple of dead bodies. Well, myself and Mother's other children have been making deals with certain organizations, one of which has a special interest in getting your brother back into their loving hands, and you to pay for your sins against them."

"Daniel," Sean found his voice and found his protective big brother instinct kick in "I swear to God if you-"

"Relax, our boys in Beaver Creek haven't found anything of him...yet." The Man leans forward, the light showing just a bit more of his face as he glances down at Finn and Cassidy "As for your friends, I've been asking around and it appears your boy-toy has a bounty in Montana for skipping bails. As for your little girlfriend, her family have been missing her dearly; willing to pay just as dearly too. And frankly, I've been planning on getting a new car, so I could use an extra couple thousand in my pocket."

The man gets up and steps over the two women on the floor as he leers down at Sean "I'll tell you what, you got a nice little compound to yourself, keep you nice and safe and cozy, and we'll be sure to send you an update on Daniel, for every-" Just as he was saying this, they were all caught off guard as something slams into the front of the limo, causing everyone in the back to fall onto the floor.

Another slam, and they felt the limo spin and roll down a ravine, and into a shallow riverbank.

Sean's vision went blank.

When he came too again, he saw he was being hoisted from the river by both Finn and Cassidy. He saw the two women on the floor climbing up the river bank.
He kept fading in and out, but as he faded back in, he would see blue flashing lights and a pair of dark cars.

Sean felt himself become weak in the knees, as he fell into the dirt beneath him.

-----

March 25th, 2020

It was finally daylight hours when Sean awoke again, although it was raining. The bright lights of the hospital room almost annoyed him, but he was used to it from the last time he was in the hospital like this.

Hopefully things will turn out a little better for him this time around, but he doubted it. He was back in the states after all. And as he felt his head spinning from disorientation, he saw he had company in the room.

It was a young woman, about his age give or take a few years. She wasn't dressed like one would expect; nothing to indicate she was a cop, FBI agent, but rather like she was an Agents of Shield cosplayer; she looked to be Asian American which could bring to mind Melinda May, but really she brought someone else to Sean's mind.

"L-Lyla ?"

"Afraid not, sorry to disappoint." The woman answers. With Sean's vision clear, he was sure this wasn't Lyla.

"Sorry, I thought you were someone I knew." Sean apologizes.

"It's cool." The woman says taking a seat beside his bed "You've been saying her name and the names of other people."

Sean looks over at his wrist. The last time he was in this situation, he had to wear a cuff to the bed until they were sure he was stable. To his curiosity, there was no cuff.

"I'm not arrested, am I ?"

"Should you be ?" The woman asks.

"Are you not a cop ?" Sean asks "I'm still a fugitive in these parts."

"Ah, must have escaped my notice when I was looking into your story. But you answer your question, no I'm not a cop. I'm not with the government either, so you can relax. I do want to ask and talk to you about what you've seen, but I don't want to freak you out until we're sure you are in stable condition." The woman answers "Your friends are alright by the way. You've been out for five days, but  otherwise everything checks out. Your boyfriend and girlfriend are being treated in the next wing."

Sean's eyes widen "boyfriend and girlfriend" ? At least he knows they're okay, but he wanted to keep the exact nature of their relationship on the downlow. The woman notices Sean's shocked and concerned expression before she clarifies.

"Hey, you do you, kid. I'm not here to judge. Love is love, man." The woman fakes a cough "In any case, they filled me in, and I think you may be more comfortable if we go with first names." The woman reaches her hand out to shake Sean's "Name's Emily."

Sean takes Emily's hand to shake it "Sean, although I guess you already knew that. Can I ask where we are ?"

"Denison, Texas. My people had this wing closed off, so you and your friends should be in safe hands. As far as everything's concerned, you are key witnesses to what happened in Puerto Lobos, and Cameron County, but I figure you could use a familiar face to help break things down for you." Emily turns her head to the door, and as if on cue, Finn opens it, dressed in a hospital gown.

"Hey there, wolf boy," Finn awkwardly smiles, carrying two bags of chips in one hand, and bottles of soda in his other arm as he walks up to the bag "I take it I missed you waking up, but I figured you could use a bite."

"Thanks, haven't eaten in days." Sean says, taking a bag and immediately digging in.

"I'll give you two some privacy," Emily says before correcting herself "Although this room is being monitored so the offer is a moot point." Emily says, getting up from her seat and heading out the door.

Finn smiles as he takes her seat "So you good enough to walk man ?"

"I think my bad eye is acting up, but other than that I'm feeling alright." Sean shrugs.

"We'll get a doc or nurse to look at that," Finn nods, but his smile flattens "But Sean, these people, I don't think they're any law enforcement I've heard about. They kept this wing cut off from the rest of the hospital and are asking and telling us things...like that Emily girl laid a lot on me and Cass when we woke up."

"What did she say ?"

Finn sighs, opens his soda and take a drink before saying "I don't know how else to say it, so I'm just gonna lay it all out for you," Finn inhales deeply before exhaling "Vampires exist, man."

This momentarily threw Sean off "W-what ?"

"Those things back in Mexico ? They were vampires." Finn said, raising one hand and another to emphasize his point.

Sean was at a loss for words, not that he didn't try to say something; he knew that something supernatural exists in this world, but never seriously considered their existence; back in the day he's heard many an urban legends of Skinwalkers, demonic possession; there were times he and Daniel used to jokingly look out for Bigfoot during their travels. He remembers the year before his dad died, at a Halloween party, he and the other played a game Ouija Board that supposedly contacted the Slenderman, and no one can could prove that was a prank.

Hell, Daniel's powers alone show Sean that there is something in this world beyond the mundane.

In short, Sean was thinking he probably shouldn't be too surprised.

Finn continues "Anyways, we were taken here by this group that have been hunting them, and they wanted to look us over; make sure none of us were bitten or anything, and they wanted to ask us questions when we come too. Luckily, everything checked out, and Cassidy hasn't had any complication-"

Finn stops himself before he finishes. Sean eyes him suspiciously.

"Finn, what were you saying about Cass ?" Sean asks.

"It's - not really my place to say. She wants to tell you herself." Finn says.

"Tell me what ?" Sean says, climbing out of bed, but finds himself unbalanced and sitting on the edge.

They are interrupted by the sound of a door knocking. Emily opens the door.

"Alright, I figure this is my cue to give you the rundown, but your girlfriend has been asking to see when you're up. You feeling up for it, kid ?" Emily asks.

Sean nods "How is she ? What's happening too her ?"

"She's fine, she just wants to see you. You need help standing or walking, or do you think you can manage ?"

Sean could manage to stand but it took him a bit to get used to using his legs.

----

Sean and Finn walked down a mostly empty hall, mostly occupied by men and women, that like Emily, wouldn't be out of place in Agents of Shield with how they dressed. Cassidy's room was five doors down.

When Sean has Cassidy's door opened, she's sitting on her bed in a hospital gown of her own, casually reading a book. She turns to Sean, and a smile quickly forms on her face.

"There's my wolfman," Cassidy beams as she gets up from the bed to give Sean a great big bear hug "I've been worried about you." She says with a kiss on the cheek.

"I've been worried about you too, honey." Sean says, kissing her on the temple.

"So...vampires, huh ?" Cassidy says with an small smile.

"Yeah, I almost hoped it'd be zombies." Sean says with an chuckle of his own "All that video game training, wasted."

"Chris Redfield would be disappointed." Finn adds jokingly, shaking his head while patting Sean on the shoulder, with Cassidy reaching her hand up to touch Finn's. Sean added his own hand in the equation as they held each others hands.

"So..." Sean finally speaks before "Finn's been saying you want to tell me something ? Are you okay ? Like you haven't been...bitten or anything, have you ?"

Cassidy shakes her head with an awkward smile "No, nothing like that...but, you know how I have been sick for a while now ?"

"Yeah ?" Sean says, but the infliction in his voice made it sound like he was asking a question "Is- is it bad, Cass ?"

Cassidy glances to the side nervously, complete with a bite on her lower lip, not exactly able to find the words. Luckily actions speak louder than words.

Cassidy takes Sean's hand out of Finn's and off his shoulder, and begins to guide it down downwards...and placing it on her stomach.

For one of many instances in his life, Sean felt his world stop. A billion things have been going though his head at once. He thought he hit a speedbump at the discovery that he was back in the states, that vampires existed, and now Cassidy was telling him this!

Cassidy guided her hand upwards, placing it on Sean's cheek; a sad smile forms on her face as she presses her forehead to Sean's.

"Three weeks Sean," Cassidy said "remember when I was acting up, and you and Finn took that trip ? Well, I guess we know why I was sick that weekend."

"H-how did this happen ?" Sean finally found his voice.

"You were there, remember ?" Cassidy smiles "I missed my monthly visitor last week, and I had my suspicions, but I didn't know until the docs here told me."

"So, uh..." Finn starts "What- what do you think Sean ?"

Sean took a deep gulp before snakingly asking "Do...are you planning on keeping it ?"

Cassidy looks down, before saying with a shaky voice of her own "I- I don't know yet. I just wanted you to know, because I think you should have a say, Sean. I found out myself, and I still don't know what to make of this...but I just want to know, that whatever happens, you will be there, for me."

Sean looks down and after a moment of thinking, presses his hand back on Cassidy's stomach.

"I'm not leaving your side, Cass. Not after this, and not after what we just been through." Sean says, taking Cassidy into a hug "We're going to figure this out together." Sean looks over his shoulder at Finn "All of us."

Finn smiles with a pat on Sean's back "I've always got your back, Sean, and you Cass. I never ditched the two of you and I don't intend to start now, but..."

"But what ?" Cassidy asks.

"What about Uncle Daniel ?" Finn asks "We still haven't heard from him, and if that masked guy says is any indication, we aren't the only ones looking for him..."

"Not that I want to interrupt this bittersweet family moment, but there's something we've been meaning to talk to you about." The trio turn around to see Emily leaning at the doorway, having blown and popped a bubble from gum she was chewing.

----

Shortly afterwards, Sean, Finn and Cassidy where sat down for questioning by Emily and two other "guards" as they called themselves.

"So here's the rundown," Emily explains "The official story - the one we are going to have the police and feds believe - is that you three are key witnesses to our ongoing investigation of sex crime syndicate; this is the half the truth." Emily starts.

Another speaks up "The people we are looking for, are in fact part of a crime family, involved in the three big bad trafficking ops; sex, drugs and weapons. We were trying to make an arrest that night we found you, but the man we were looking for got away in the confusion. So for now, you're in protective custody. Any questions ?" The other one, a young man named Michael asks.

Sean raises his hand this time "Does anyone on your team have anything on Beaver Creek ?"

"Not our team specifically," Emily says "But we have some friends of ours looking into it."

"What exactly happened there anyways ?" Cassidy asks "It's just that's where his brother lives."

"There's...been an incident. Like I said, our friends are looking into it." Michael says.

"What do you know so far ?" Sean asks.

"You seen what happened in Puerto Lobos, right?" Emily says.

"Oh no," Sean says dreading the answer.

"There is a Daniel Diaz on the missing persons list. An Agent Flores is looking into his disappearance, but she's been also asking to speak to you once you're checked out." Emily says.

Sean immediately gets from the bed and hastily walks to the bag of clothes, but Michael puts a hand on his shoulder.

"Whoa whoa, easy tiger!" Michael says "I can understand what you're going through, but you just can't run off like that."

"My brother is missing and could be dead, you do not want to make this situation worse!" Sean says angrily.

"And neither do you, which is why you are not going to run away again." Michael says taking Sean by both his shoulders and forcibly sitting him back down onto the bed.
A combination of fear, anxiety and washed over Sean at once, but ultimately the former two outweighed the latter, and he slumped down onto the bed with a shaky sigh.

"I just can't leave him," Sean shakes his head "I can't loose him again."

"I can understand that, but Sean, we already took risks making sure you can be trusted. You run away now, and another manhunt will start for you." Michael says "Look kid, I get it. Bout five years back, when I thought my girlfriend was killed, there was nothing I wouldn't have done to make sure she was safe or alive. I've been were you are, and I would have done anything to have the choice we're about to give you."

"What's that ?" Sean ask.

This time Emily speaks up "After some friends and I learned the hard way that monsters exist, these people started following us. Turn out where there's monsters, there are hunters. We were put into protective custody after another incident, and to make a long, long story short, a few of us ended up being monster hunters ourselves."

It takes a moment for this to sink in to Sean before he asks "So, what, we sign some papers and then we become hunters too ?"

"Not all of you," Emily shakes her head "Firstly, you don't have the same training or experience as us. Second, we can't recruit her considering her present condition, so she'd be under protective custody as well." she adds jabbing a thumb at Cassidy.

"Think of it like this," Michael starts "We worked our way into being Marines, while you guys are still at Cub Scout level. The rundown is you can go to places we are investigating, even help out, but going into the line of fire is inadvisable."

Sean shakes his head "Don't you think the police are going to be a problem for us ?"

"Not too much," Emily states "They know of the cover story, that you three are key witnesses to a sex crime, and going over your file, there is reasonable doubt that you killed that cop way back when. They'll priotitize you as a witness over everything else. You should be fine, even if it is thin ice."

As she was saying this Mike took out three contracts, placing them in Sean and Finn's hand.

"This is the only way ?" Sean asks.

"The only legally flexible way." Michael nods.

"If that's what it takes to find our wolf cub." Finn nods, before signing his way through the contract he's been given.

Looking over, Sean sighs with a nod of his own.

"If that's what it takes."

And with that, Sean signs.

----

Seattle Washington, University District, March 28th, 2020

And that is how, Sean, Finn and Cassidy found themselves in Seattle.

Now members of the American Guard, as they call themselves, they were granted two safe houses; one in Seattle itself, the other in Pierce County.

It was probably not a good idea to settle into the city first. As they made their way up the driveway, they noticed a few neighbors eyeing them suspiciously. It wasn't the same house Sean, Daniel and their dad lived in, but it was around the same neighborhood.

Needless to say, it was a long couple of days to get back on their feet. Ostensibly, Sean was a free man, but he knew what he really was; a dog on a leash. He made phone calls to Agent Flores, once again for transparency.

He learned that the cover story was accepted, and that he and his "housemates" were witnesses to a sex ring. Flores expressed concern as Daniel being a witness to other illegal activity is what's believed to have triggered the Beaver Creek incident.

Sean's first order of business to find out what he could about what happened in Beaver Creek, but truth be told, he was tired after everything that's happened the past four days. The work would begin tomorrow. In the meantime, Sean called Lyla to fill her in on what's happening, but only told her half the truth. He figured she wasn't ready for the truth about vampires or how he and Finn joined an organization of hunters.

That night, it was Finn's turn to cook, and Sean usually found himself glued to Cassidy's side, especially in light of recent news. He joined her in the shower while Finn was prepping supper. Nothing sexual happened there, but Sean found himself singing with Cassidy, as they usually did in the shower ("Take me home, country roads, to the place, I belong")

And covered Sean's first night home.

----

Elsewhere, in Madison Park, Seattle

Late in the evening, a two year old makes his way up a hallway to his mothers bedroom, carrying with him, a stuffed white rabbit named Alice.

As he started knocking, his mother expectedly opens.

"Another nightmare, Bill ?" the woman asks patiently.

The child, Bill, nods.

"Alright you little stinker," the woman smiles warmly picking her son up "Mama Bear's got you,"

Bill cutely buries his head in her shoulder, mumbling "It was that same man."

This made his mother freeze a little, as she carried him into her bed.

"Is that so ?" she asks, tucking him in his usual spot, where he would sleep between his two moms "And what was he doing this time ?"

"Fighting someone," Bill mutters "He still had that sword, but he was fighting another man with a sword." He pretends to clang his fingers together in a matter similar to a sword fight.

"Ah, I see." His mother says, climbing into bed and cuddling up to him "Who was winning ?"

"They both stabbed each other." Bill answers.

"Did he look at you again ?"

"They both saw me, but kept fighting." Bill says.

"Did they try to hurt you ?"

"No," he shakes his head.

"Well the important thing is, you are okay." His mother says, nuzzling her nose to his "And when you wake up tomorrow, you'll be okay too."

"Promise ?"

"Of course. I'm a mom of my word." She says before kissing him on his forehead.

With that, Mama Bear's little cub nuzzled his way to sleep. But true to the moniker of Mama Bear, his mother was still roused from her sons troubles.

Looking over at the clock, it read 9:02 PM.

Max's nightshift should be up by now.

Chloe steps out to go to the bathroom, making sure not to wake Bill up, and she takes her phone off the charger.

Calling Max's number she was quickly answered.

"Hey, Chlo, what's up ?"

"The sky, the stars, the sun, the roof and the moon." Chloe answers "I didn't call on a bad time, did I ?"

"I'm just driving. You have me on speaker." Max says.

"Bill's been having a bad dream again, just letting you know in advance." Chloe says.

"Oh no," Max sighs "How bad was it ?"

"Not as bad as that Red Wedding one he had the other night," Chloe says, looking into the mirror "Says that same man is in it though."

"He hasn't been out that much, does he know who it is this time ?" Max asks.

"If he does, he doesn't say." Chloe shakes her head "I don't understand; he rested like an angel at his aunts," she pauses before she asks cautiously "You don't think we're haunted, do you ?"

"Chloe, not this again; that painting was a gift from my mom. It's not staring at you." Max says with a sigh.

"I swear I saw it blink!" Chloe says "Anyways, what I'm saying is we're going to have to talk to Bill about this tomorrow his dreams tomorrow; it can't be good for the kid to have this many nightmares in a row. Especially about...what he's been talking about."

"Think we should see Dr. Collins again ?" Max asks.

"If all else fails I guess," Chloe shrugs "See you when you get home."

"See you then." Max says as the call ends.

In the mean time, Bill Caufield Price was back in dreamland.

Yet again, he was watching decades worth of stories being told; he saw King Arthur claim Excalibur, the knights are his round table, the drama of Arthur, Lancelot and Guinevere. The addition of vampires, and werewolves, was not part of any stories of Arthur he'd learn of in school, and yet they were ever present in his dreams

And finally, he was once again seeing Mordred's conception, birth, how he grew into his usurpation and duel with Arthur. All the while, the voice of the Blood Queen sang/chanted ("Loyalty, loyalty, loyalty, only to me").

At least this time, when Bill woke up, he was snuggled between Chloe and Max; the latter's arms wrapped around him, holding him to her chest. Chloe's smile could be heard as she greeted Bill's awakening.

"See ? I told you you'd be alright."

Chapter 5: Into the Fire (Route B)

Summary:

Much like the previous chapter, this chapter marks the introductions for Sean and Max in this story. Unlike the previous chapter, this is set in a "Route" where "Sacrifice Chloe" and the "Redemption" ending of LiS 2 are considered canon, and will be the first of the Route B chapters.

That being said, there is specific information I include in this chapter that will still be considered canon to the "Route A", such as details of Mark Jefferson's past, activates with Nathan, his time in prison, as well as something that happens within the prison he's sent too. Another aspect that's still considered Canon to Route A is the details of the investigation against the Diaz brothers, only this time Sean was landed in jail. There's also a Canon Divergence which discounts the epilogue of the "Redemption" ending.

2022 edit: Had to revisit this chapter to write out a more clear timeline, and set dates.

Chapter Text

March, 27th, 2020

"Alright Diaz, your up. Knock em dead."

"Or don't, you be in for more time."

That was about the two things the guard said to Sean as they led him down a long hallway and towards a pair of doors.

Sean could say everyone was disappointed in this scenario.

Even he was mildly disappointed by his time inside. While prison was no picnic, he could count his blessings he wasn't being raped and beaten on the daily...such attacks were more of a monthly thing, and even then they didn't go beyond threats.

At least when he finds himself crying himself to sleep, he isn't the only one.

On the upside this was the latest of three meetings he was to attend so as to get time off his sentence.

Over the trial, Sean learned more about the investigation of Officer Matthews death, and just what he was being pinned for. There was even some media coverage, he saw or overheard.

It was quite bizarre just how there was a feeling of want in the air; it was as if they needed Sean to kill Officer Matthews to fit the narrative they built up. If that wasn't the case they were just punishing a second hand victim of police brutality, and by golly, that would just look terrible. But alas, the investigation found nothing to officially tie Sean or Daniel as being Matthews killers.

Forensics, it does wonders.

So what did detractors get ? A wave of disappointment that flowed in the air when Sean and Daniel were shown to be not guilty in Matthews death.

Goodbye simplistic Cop Killer narrative. Hello a more complicated investigation on the brothers and what happened that day.

It's the everything else Sean was being pinned for. Repeatedly running away from law enforcement, assault on Brett Foster, the fire at Fischer's church (in which Sean was made to be an accomplice) and that showdown at the border. Of course, the statements Sean made to the border patrol and Agent Flores where used to against him.

Anything to get Sean inside.

Due to all the holes in the narrative, and lack of actual witnesses, Officer Matthews death was a inconclusive investigation. As a result Sean gets fifteen years for the comparatively minimal charges.

To Sean's curiosity, Brett Foster was also briefly considered a suspect, due to character witnesses being brought in for both the Diaz brothers and Brett, especially as the primary witness to the incident and by all accounts an instigator.

This was the result of a "He Said, He Said" narrative and character witnesses.

Sean knew Brett wasn't a killer and never made such claims, but he did note how defensive the same media coverage was for Brett when they were quick to condemn him. Brett was characterized by witnesses as more of a trouble maker than Sean.

Sure, he was a Cub Scout as a kid, but a little digging shown he was kicked out for killing a squirrel. The short version is a known racist, abelist student, with a sordid social life, who was caught twice peeping in the girls locker room, wasn't exactly the victim he was initially paraded around to be.

A look into his home life and the discovery of fireworks in his closet, and the only reason Brett wasn't seriously considered a suspect was the lack of gunpowder or residue found on the scene. You could almost hear certain media outlets collectively sigh in relief.

And so Sean was back to being the scapegoat. A convenient perp who needed to be made an example of...

----

To quote this country song Cassidy sang to him, Sean's been here for two long years, and he finally made the Warden his friend. Unlike the convict in the song, he didn't have to take care of any dogs.

Sean got Warden Ashton's attention when Sean was assigned to clean his office. Under watch of course. It was a three hour job, but two of those were spent having talks.

Ashton was a man with two kids and an ex wife. They're still friends, but Ashton put his focus in the job, and aimed to rehabilitate young convicts, such as Sean.

"I notice you've been carrying that book of yours, care to tell me what it's about ?" The Warden brings up while offering Sean a cigarette.

"It's just drawings." Sean answers as he finishes polishing off the officer chairs legs.

"Of what ?"

"Nothing important." Sean says dismissively.

"Must be important for you to carry this around all the time." Ashton crushes the cigarette under his shoe.

Sean sighs, wagering he's probably going to get frisked about it. He recalls being checked for drugs three times since he got in here, and having his cell searched. If the Warden wanted to see stuff, he would. Rolling his eyes, Sean nods "Sure, give it a look. Free country and all that."

While Sean was busy cleaning through the windows, Ashton spoke again; "You know, you've got an eye for details and story telling, anyone ever tell you that kid ?"

"I was ahead of my class in art and English," Sean nods "Look, I know what you're gonna say - It's a wasted talent kid! You could of been a great artist but instead-" Sean starts before he is interrupted.

"First off, I don't sound that much like Colonel Sanders," Ashton says handing the journal back "Secondly, you do have genuine talent, and contrary to what others might tell you, you still got a shot." Ashton takes his seat and leans back "Anyone tell you about our arts program ?"

"I...no, I never really talk that much to others."

"It's what we use to help rehabilitate. Should be right up your alley. Your put your work out there, you can make a better name for yourself."

Sean scoffs a little and sets aside the rag he's been using "Not from in here though, right ?"

"No, from in here." Ashton says "Do you know how many books have been written in prison ? You've got Oscar Wilde, Nelson Mandela, Adolf- okay, he might not be the best example. Point is, you learn to utilize your talents more, you can make use of your time while doing time."

"You really think so ?" Sean asks.

"I know it. Hell, one inmate here was a teacher...of course we don't let him around the other inmates, but that's a whole other story all together." Ashton shrugs "Tell you what, I get you into that program, you play ball, and I might put in a good word for you in the next hearing."

This caught Sean off guard "Ex-excuse me ?"

"Come now Sean, even a guy like me knows a decent kid with a talent like yours shouldn't be in a cage for something there was no evidence of what he did or didn't do. Truth be told, if it were up to me, half the young people in here would be out quicker."

----
Sean sat down for this fourth hearing since he's been locked up, but this was a new place, and new people addressing him. Those he never met since the day before.

"Now Mr. Diaz, we have been told about the progress you've been making. Congrats on getting that book out there by the way."

"Thanks," Sean says, knowing not to talk too much or too friendly with someone new in office.

"Care to elaborate how you've been treated in there ? We just wish to know if this was a safe environment for you."

----

In the time he's been in here, he hasn't really made any real friends.

There's been friendly faces, and not so friendly faces.

Sean knew to avoid the bald guys with tattoos. To be honest he felt more at home with the colored youths in here; no doubt also thrown in on trumped up charges.

Sean's friends would visit him almost every month. Each week, Sean would get a letter form Daniel, or be allowed to call him. Sometimes it would be Lyla, sometimes it would be Karen, Finn, Cassidy, Jacob.

Sean only made the request that they not bring Daniel here too much during visits. Sean didn't want him to see him like this. When Daniel first heard the news, there was a weeks long period he didn't write.

Sean was able to catch up with what's happening in Beaver Creek; Sean has been allowed to read up on the news outside and between that and the regular correspondences with his people, which gave him a good picture of what was happening.

Agent Flores was put in charge at monitoring Daniel for the time being. Daniel, says he overheard a mention that it wasn't just the FBI looking at him, but something called "The Foundation". Sean was sure he misread something about anomalies, but the subject was quickly changed.

From what he's gathered, Daniel has revealed a lot in his testimony when he was put through the legal system; going into details of Lisbeth Fischer's compound there has been no concrete evidence of illegal activity, aside from an under the books attempt at adopting Daniel, but she was all but exposed as a fraud. Along with Jacob, Daniel was essential in the FBI looking into the questionable activity of Lisbeth herself, her church and her staff.

Unfortunately, like many good sheep of the kind, the lot of her followers stayed at Lisbeth's side. There is noise that the FBI are investigating her further, and while there's no warrant for her arrest, time will tell.

Sean's been following that case because of how personal it was to Daniel and Jacob, and he learned that a few witnesses and even FBI agents, ended up missing over the last week and that Fischer has taken to isolating her community. Nothing significantly happened yet and as far as he knows FBI investigation is still ongoing, so it's only a matter of time.

At this point, Daniel's ties to Officer Matthew's death was all but forgotten. Now, the government was more interested in what he's been through, over what he did.

Daniel also spoke about Hank Stamper's assault and kidnapping of Sean, which got the Stamper's investigated; a local family by admitted to seeing Hank dragging an unconscious Sean when they pulled in at the station, and saw Daniel flee the scene.

They didn't say anything at the time as they knew Hank and took his word when he explained himself, which led to the Flores questioning the Stampers. When questioned with this information, Doris Stamper folded pretty quickly and ended up confessing to what her husband did.

Ultimately, Hank wasn't going to see jailtime, aside from wearing an ankle bracelet of his own, and two years parole; when news got out, there's been instances where the Stamper's receiving harassment over the incident; on top of that lawsuit the Reynolds family put them through, it was hardly a smack on the wrist.

In the meantime, Sean has been able to write and get a book published; it was a young adult graphic novel, about a pair of wolf brothers going across the country when their father was killed by a hunter, who was struck by lightning. The comic gained a large cult following, although some may criticize it for how on the nose it's political issues and unsubtle it's themes of racism, homo/biphobia and religious fraud are.

Some may say the older wolf's unfortunate encounter with a pair of sheepdogs didn't contribute much to the story and felt like it was only there for shock value.

Other than that, Sean was able to make a sizable fortune within prison, despite not having any access to the money himself. And on top of that, Sean has received hundreds of fan letters over the past seven months.

As for Sean's people on the outside, his friend Lyla was also running a podcast on social justice, and has been one of his many liaisons to his old life and through social media.

His other liaisons include, the Heckerman siblings, Jacob and Sarah Lee, who have settled in Beaver Creek, and for a while spent time in the Reynolds house. From what Sean heard, Sarah Lee, Daniel and Chris are as thick as thieves. So far Jacob has been fitting in with Beaver Creek, and has become a friend of the family, and got a job at a grocery store. He tells Sean that Claire has been helping him come to terms with his faith, while Finn was helping him come to terms with his sexuality whenever Finn went.

Ever since their time at Merrill's camp, Sean, Finn and Cassidy became a tight nit. Being Sean's first and current serious girlfriend and the woman he lost his virginity to would do that, Cassidy was a frequent letter sender, as well as pictures of what she and Finn have been up to. Some of the pictures sent were for Sean's eyes only.

A lot of the letters came from both Cass and Finn, and considering how they tend to blur, quite a few of Sean's friends on the inside teased him about having two prizes at once.

Not helping is that when one said so in Finn's earshot, Finn parted ways from that visit with an open mouth kiss to Sean, that got a few hoops and hollers from surrounding inmates. And a few unwanted looks and comments.

After a while, it became something a running joke among staff and inmates of whether Sean's "girlfriend" or "boyfriend" would be the one to pay him a visit over the last four months.

A couple weeks back, it was Cassidy, and which ended up being an extended conjugal visit visit. A "congratulations" by the prison staff for Sean getting his graphic novel published.

-----

Back in this new office, these new people continue their lines of questions.

"Ah, it's good to see you're making a name for yourself out there, and have something to look forward to when you get out."

"Like I said, thanks." Sean nods awkwardly.

"And we've been told you were making outstanding progress, but I still have concerns; surely there was bad times on the inside, where they not. You've never been assaulted ? Harassed ? Was there any inmates that you didn't get along with ?"

Sean sighs "Now that you mentioned it, is...he alright ?"

----

As stated, you can get along just fine in prison when you know who to avoid.

Sean hasn't made that many friends in the past two years, and kept to himself mostly. He's gotten a better reputation in the pen when he was writing his comic, and got it published.

Suddenly some of the same thugs who were sending him taunts and death threats when he first got here, where now giving him congratulations and pats on the back.

One thing Sean learned while in here was how you were treated in prison depends on the severity of the crime you were accused off. And the kind of person you were on the outside.

For example, if you are a genuine cop killer, you get beaten almost on the reg by the guards over the smallest slip, when they aren't giving you the stink eye. The guards are more likely to look away if/when you are beaten and/or raped by the other inmates, and more than likely to beat the ever loving snot out of you just to try to frisk you.

About four months into his sentence, and they got new meat in the form of Murray Thompson; a drug dealer who executed a rookie beat cop in cold blood, for taking too long to bribe, in accordance to a deal he made with dirty cops in the neighborhood. Needless to say the deal was broken and Thompson was sent up the creek in a matter of weeks. Months later, Sean was taken out of his cell, and made to watch while armed guards beat Thompson to pulp over what turned out to be sneaking an orange in his cell.

He remembered this one guard, Vinny, made Sean face him and told Sean "Count yourself real lucky kid, this could have been you." Thompson ended up getting permanent brain damage from the beat down, and Sean didn't speak to anyone for weeks after that.

More of the "friendly faces" Sean met where from African American and Hispanic ones, as some of the ones who were involved with street crime where easy protection against the few skin heads who also turned up here. A few of the skinheads where murdered by other inmates over the past two years, so Sean having to deal with racist white prisoners became low on the totem poll.

Then you've got passive white prisoners, who prefer not getting involved in any potential race war, and when they do, they get signaled out by either side for taking "the wrong side".

It did not distract that some of the "gangs" formed in prison are largely made from genuine thugs, drug dealers, pimps. It was more of the same inside than outside.

A lot of colored youth who end up here were mostly just kids who got in over their head, and yet they turn to these gangs as a form of protection against White Supremacist prisoners, who would get really excited when a person of color under 18 was taken in. Sean was no different.

Sean remembers this one black kid, Eddie Stone; the year before, Eddie got in for stealing a car and that ended in an accident resulting in the death of an elderly woman, in front of her grandkids no less! One of whom ended up hospitalized.

Even with how horrible it was, it was one of many instances where Sean had to hear a heartbreaking story about a kid who got his life ruined over being stupid, especially with how scared and remorseful Eddie seemed the few times he met him.

About six weeks into his sentence, and six weeks of being physically assaulted, Eddie was put on suicide watch and solitary confinement for an attempt he made.

Another thing of note was the stories of rapists and pedophiles who end up in prison, they were true. Prisoners had an understandable, if arbitrary, code of honor and morals.

A while back, this guy Carter Reece was brought in here for the rape and murder of two young sisters - eleven and fourteen years of age respectively. It got a swift call for justice in todays political climate - middle aged white guy committing something so deplorable to two black girls.

The hammer came down and he got no possibly of parole for twenty five years.

A few nights off suicide watch, Reece and Sean had a second hand encounter. The other inmates took Sean from his cell, along with the other youth in here, and they were made to watch as the older boys took their turns with Reece.

This little mob was led by an older man named Willis (a cool guy, once you get past the fact he's a pimp doing time for beating one of his girls half to death) Willis had Reece beaten until he couldn't move, before having someone give Reece a penectomy with a broken piece of glass.

Even the White Supremacists turned a blind eye to that.

Sean was one of many prisoners interrogated over the instance, asking where he was that night. Sean didn't say anything but he was let go; it was around the time Sean made a book deal, and they didn't want to throw him off track as he was making progress.

And speaking of art class, it was around here that Sean met that one prisoner, who really stood out to him...

----

"You look like you need more shades."

"Hmm ?" Sean asked looking up from his table, to see the prisoner in question. Looks to be around his age, but about a few years older.

"I said you could use more shades; that red is gonna look too pink for blood. You could use something darker; make it look more real." He says, taking several dark shades of red from his own notebook, placing them down on the table. The guy, as if he's been friends with Sean for years, takes a seat at the side of their table.

It was part of their art program.

Under watch of four guards, two inmates where given a room to work on pieces of art they were making.

In Sean's case, he was finishing up and illustrating his drawings, and even writing out some notes. It is the initial draft of the comic, and he was able to make outside connections for those interested in his work.

Sean and the other inmate where working on their respective pieces. The other guys drawings where of a high school like setting.

The next few minutes was filled with an awkward silence that the other inmate decided to break.

"So Mac ? What are you in for ?"

Sean looks over awkwardly before stating "A whole lot of bullshit."

"That can mean two things, y'know; either you did a whole lot of bullshit, or you're here on a lot of bullshit charges. Which is it ?"

Sean takes a moment to think before he answers "I did a lot of things that got me in here, but I didn't do what they wanted me for."

"Something like that comes with a story. C'mon, just a couple of us guys, and guards, in here. Silence get's boring in here." The other boy turns his head over the shoulder and waves politely at the unamused guards.

Sighing, Sean, albeit reluctantly, goes over the story. Or a Wikipedia summary of his story - he of course omitted the part about Daniel having powers though, but the other guy caught on pretty quick.

"Wait, I know this story; you're Sean Diaz, aren't you ?"

Sean reluctantly nods before asking "You know me ?"

"Your case caught a lot of attention, as did mine."

Sean sets the drawings aside to get a good look at the other inmate "I take it you got a story too ?"

"It's...it's nothing much. I just shot a girl." The older boy puts his own drawings aside before looking into Sean's face "And a few other things".

"Well...don't leave me hanging."

The older boy started his story, of how he was considered the undisputed "king" of his school, and his dad practically bought out the town when they moved in. The older boy stops to chuckle as he realizes something "I'm sorry. It's just, my dad's named Sean too."

Sean shrugs "You have one, don't rub it in."

"Sorry, sorry. Just something I thought was funny." the older boy shrugs "Name's Nathan by the way. Nathan Prescott." Nathan extends his hand to shake Sean's, but Sean sort of crossed his arms and shrank away.

"I know who you are. I heard you were in here, but I didn't think I'd actually meet you." Sean says, eyeing him suspiciously "I met that girl's dad back in the day...I sometimes hear from him too. He didn't exactly say good things about you..."

"I get it man, I do. But it's like I've been saying, I didn't want her to die. I didn't want anyone to die." Nathan sighs.

"I'm listening."

To make Nathan's summary of his trial short...there was no way to make it short.

His shooting and slaying of Chloe Price was chalked up to manslaughter. If his dad were to pull his dirty tricks, he wouldn't be in jail at all. Unfortunately, for the Prescott Family, it wasn't just the local police, those in his pocket, who were interested in the investigation.

Nathan had this mentor, Jefferson, who got arrested following Nathan's own arrest. Jefferson's own photography exploits have been going on for a while, albeit not as far as he could have gone without the Dark Room.

From towns neighboring the Arcadia Bay County, over the course of 2011 to 2013 there were seven reported kidnappings, not too different to the abductions that happened in Arcadia Bay, such as Beaver Creek. Out of them five where under the suspicion of being sexual assault cases, and the two others were bodies found in a lake.

When that is when the State Troopers got involved, and a look into the Dark Room's photo albums confirmed their suspicions.

"You killed them." Sean says stoically, "You and your teacher."

"Like I said, I didn't want them to die." Nathan vehemently insists "Mark, he- had this way of getting into my head. When screw ups like that happened, he put the blame on me-"

"But it was your fault. You could have at least tried to stop him-"

"What could I do ?!" Nathan snaps getting up from he's seat before he notices the guards eyeing him "Sorry."

Nathan breaths out before taking his seat.

"Look, I don't expect you to understand or forgive me or anything, but I heard your story. Least you can do is hear me out."

Sean sighs and briefly looks away "I guess. You kind of took me out of my writing at the moment."

As Nathan went on, he explained how Jefferson was smart and a little experienced.

It wasn't just Arcadia Bay he was operating in, and it wasn't just his students who were victimized. An operation such as the Dark Room would have drawn too much attention if it only amounted to victims from the same town and the same school.

So once in a blue moon, Jefferson would have Nathan scout out in neighboring towns and other school parties. Out of the seven victims reported from out of town, twenty five unreported victims were uncovered with the Dark Room.

Usually, Jefferson would have Nathan pick up girls from the wrong side of the tracks, those whom no one would notice or care about if reported.

Chloe Price, the girl Nathan ended up shooting, was once such attempted victim, but Nathan gave her too small of a dose. Nathan ended up dropping her off, and that's what lead to the confrontation in the bathroom.

Over the summer of 2013, these people from out of town reached out to Nathan and Jefferson, and suddenly Nathan had the chance to hire high level escorts to take part in their operations. Nathan didn't know who, how, or why, but Jefferson wasn't as pleased with the results, so that was cut from their plans.

"Wait you mean to tell me, other people knew ?" Sean interrupts.

"Someone had too," Nathan insists "Mark gave me an earful about getting Escort agencies involved. Would bring too much unwanted attention he says, how they are too easy. All that noise." Nathan sighs again. "Anyways it was around that time the Feds got involved."

Had it stayed within the confines of Arcadia Bay, this whole Dark Room mess would have been swept under the rug; Jefferson would be thrown under the bus and Nathan would be a free man.

A little looking into in Jefferson's background, it was discovered he was a person of interest (but not a suspect) of a cold case back in 2008; four bodies found buried in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey, each having been tortured and/or drugged to death. One of them was a girlfriend of Jefferson, who he himself reported missing.

In 2010, two bodies found in similar condition within the Pacific Northwest; at the time there was no direct ties to Jefferson, other than one was the sister of a girl he was tutoring.

When the Feds swooped in, they began digging around in not just Jefferson's business, but that of the Prescott's. And when the Prescott family tried to buy out the Feds, that only made them more interested in discovering the extent of Sean Prescott's involvement.

This was unfortunately, how Nathan Prescott discovered he had an infant half brother he wasn't supposed to know about, and now could never meet.

It turns out one of the Prescotts dirty businesses was with a girl from out of town, old enough to be one of Kristen Prescott's friends (in fact, may of well have been); she received a monthly check for her silence.

When word of the Dark Room got out, so did her word, and unfortunately that towns police force wasn't on the Prescott pay roll.

And just like that, any attempt by Sean Prescott to control the narrative or investigation went down the shitter. When Prescott Sr. was sent up the river for those charges, Nathan was left vulnerable.

It wasn't that bad actually; the first few weeks helped Nathan clear his head. He got a court mandated psychiatrist, was heavily medicated, and was out of his two abusers influences. He even fired the lawyer his family hired for him at his therapists advise.

One of the first things Nathan was told was he should own up to what he did and not let his dad or Jefferson control him. Sure his family tried to get him out of trouble, even give him certain privilege's.

The most they could do is arrange multiple parole hearings from 2016 onward. It was almost a constant that they would want to know how Nathan progressed, and of course Nathan would do what he could to avoid that.

It was only in here Nathan could be free of other people influencing him. And even then the Prescott name saved him from some shit; Nathan couldn't keep out of how when ever an inmate would threaten him or give him grief, how they'd get beaten by the guards, but whenever Nathan acts out he'd at most be put in his cell for a day. A cell that had a TV in it no less.

In one such instance, Nathan stabbed a man for making unflattering comments towards him, just before a parole hearing. Just like that Nathan had another two months till the next hearing.

"This Jefferson guy," Sean asks "You ever find out what happened to him ?"

"Last I heard he's either here or somewhere else up state." Nathan shakes his head "Been told he got what other guys like him get."

In other words, Jefferson's prison wasn't identified, but due to his own little bit of fame and influence, he ended up isolated from other inmates for his protection; according to some, he got his own cell bock to himself, including a library and his own shower room.

The kind of pampered imprisonment Nathan was almost subjected too. There's some suspicion that Jefferson is being held in the same prison, due to there being a cellblock that's off limits to the other inmates.

"See, the reason Mark wouldn't be out and about has less to do with what we did, but more that if he was he'd go out the way of Scar." Nathan explains.

"Who ?" Sean asks.

"You know, from The Lion King ?"

"Ah, it's been a while." Sean nods "Was thinking about checking out the remake if I get out-"

"Don't." Nathan says firmly "Trust me, you aren't missing anything. Just watch the first one."

This got a genuine laugh from the two prisoners.

"What about you, Diaz ? You got a hearing coming up ?" Nathan asks.

"Not for another six months." Sean shakes his head "But you know, progress and good behavior, all that noise. We'll see what happens I guess."

Sean and Nathan met like this again, and again.

The reason Nathan spent a lot of time in the art program, was mainly due to nostalgia. The two were not exactly friends, nor could they really say they liked each other. But they did appreciate having someone to talk too, and considering their differing backgrounds, it brought about no end of Shawshank Redemption jokes between them.

Over time, Sean even let Nathan read some of his drafts; Nathan was also the first person who got that Sean's wolf brother story was supposed to be his own story.

"You ever try writing ?" Sean would ask.

"I tried, but after a while I kept getting writers block." Nathan said going over Sean's draft "I wasn't exactly the most creative guy in the academy." As Nathan continues going through the draft, he keeps making notes "You know, I never thought there'd be that much politics in the animal kingdom."

"How so ?"

"Like," Nathan starts "I get what your going for, but I keep expecting to see Elephants and Donkeys to start showing up, if you know what I mean."

"Ah," Sean says "Well I just write what I know."

"That sheepdog scene though," Nathan noticeably shudders and cringes "Does that really have to be here ? It feels like the story could do without it."

Sean himself quivers a bit as he thinks back to it "Yeah, it- it wasn't a picnic for me either." He decides to change the subject "How you liking it so far ?"

"Well, the parts with the racoon are cute," Nathan nods "Also that romance with the hounds; which one does the wolf end up with ? Just curious is all."

"I don't know." Sean answers, as he starts looking over his own drawings "Sometime I wonder if I should take the story in different directions; see what the wolf could have done different, y'know ?"

By the time the comic was published, Nathan was one of the first to congratulate Sean, giving him a wine bottle that the prison would let Nathan get away with owning.

----

"Well, it looks like you made at least one friend, Sean." The new speaker says "Shame what happened to him though."

"Is he alright though ? What really happened to him, I have to know." Sean asks.

"Mr. Diaz, Nathan Prescott bled out in the medical ward after recovered him. We're still prepping an autopsy given the state he was in before death."

----

March 24th, 2020

About four days ago, it was time for another visit. A conjugal one, of course. After a month when his book was released, Sean has been granted a number of them, that they happen almost weekly. Extended visits too.

There was limitations of course, as this was a temporary thing that would only last a few months. Nathan of course claimed to have used what pull he had to grant Sean these visitations.

This time it was Finn and Cassidy showing up and they were granted an overnight stay. Two weeks ago, Sean got a visit with Cassidy, whom he ended up having sex with twice. The week after that, it was Finn which was more of the same; Cassidy was sick during Finn's visit, so it was a pleasant surprise when they both turned up.

They both arrived during lunch hour; Sean and Nathan once again sat together, going over sketches they made.

"So...um, what's with all the devil pics ?" Sean says as he looks through Nathan's sketch book "You, never really talk about them."

"Oh, that ?" Nathan says, awkwardly scratching the back of his neck "Just something I've been dreaming about."

Sean was of course talking about a red humanoid figure that has been showing up in Nathan's drawings. Notably, this thing had horns, and fits the visual image one gets when they want to draw a cartoony red devil.

Before Nathan could elaborate further, a guard by the name of Wilson came up to their table "Hey, Diaz ? They're here."

Sean nods and gets up, bidding Nathan adieu as he and Wilson walk off.

Had Nathan explained himself, it would have been known that he's been catching glimpses of what he called "The Red Mist Man" outside of his nightmares. At first he was sure he was seeing things, but he continued to do so even when he got prescribed a double dose of medication. Triple even.

After a while, Nathan knew what it meant. This "Red Mist Man" was something sent from Hell to take him there. Nathan felt it in the air, running up his spine and chilling him to the bones, leering over his shoulder. He didn't know what to do or say, but he could almost hear it speak.

Death was coming for him, and no doubt Hell sent something to pick him up.

If Nathan were to guess, this must be God's way of getting back at him for Kate Marsh...and at the time, Nathan had to admit to himself he deserved it.

----

"Alright, you three know the drill. Anything happens, you ring this alarm." Wilson says, jabbing a thumb at a fire alarm on the conjugal rooms wall, then stepping out to let the visit commence.

Once they where alone, Sean turns to Finn and Cass, and pulls them into a group hug.

"I was starting to think you weren't gonna make it." He says.

"Yee, have little of faith my friend." Finn answers "You didn't think we weren't gonna squeeze room in for our second favorite wolf ?"

"So...any good news ?" Cassidy asks, laying down on the rooms bed.

Sean sighs and shakes his head "I won't know until the next hearing. They want to see how my progress is going before they re-evaluate my charges."

"Isn't that what they said the last time ?" Finn asks, taking a seat beside Cassidy.

"And the time before that." Sean nods taking his seat between them.

"But your book," Cassidy starts "That should show them that you're doing good."

"Besides that, looking into your case, what they got you for should be cut down to five years." Finn brings up.

"I haven't even been hear for two." Sean says "Besides, I don't think the parole board would take to kindly to what my book was saying."

"You're friends with that Prescott guy, right ?" Finn says, causing Cassidy to tense up a little "You keep going on about how his family's got a lot of pull; maybe he could put in a good word for you ?"

"I don't know Finn," Cassidy answers "I don't think a serial torturer and killer is the best character witness for Sean here."

In their last few visits, both Cassidy and Finn met briefly Nathan a couple times, and knew him by rep. Cassidy wasn't exactly comfortable to cross paths with him, especially with what he's in for; Finn, while a little more comfortable, kept his eyes on Nathan based off what he heard of him.

Sean talked about some of the time and even art they did together, which gave them an easier view on Nathan, even if the two didn't have the highest opinion of him. In Sean's case, it was more of a lack of people to actually talk to, especially over mutual interests.

"Anyways, enough about me. How's you're week been ?" Sean asks.

"Ah, parents keep trying to follow me." Cassidy answers "I mean, I'm twenty one; my own woman. I got the cops involved and everything, but my dad is putting out a reward for my safe return." She does quote motions on the last two words
.
"Shit." Sean says "Are things that bad ?"

"They could be worse." Cassidy answers "I got my lawyer involved and we're putting out a restraining order on my family. Didn't stop mom from trying to call me..."

"Me and Cass have been staying together," Finn adds "Y'know, for her safety."

"We're planning a stay in Beaver Creek," Cassidy explains "Until everything blows over."

"Speaking of, have you heard from Daniel ?" Sean asks.

Both Finn and Cassidy shake their heads "Not a peep I'm afraid."

"I've been trying to call or write to him all week." Sean explains "I haven't heard a thing. I call Stephen, Claire, Chris. Nothing. I even reached out to Karen, but she hasn't heard anything either."

"I tried calling him yesterday," Finn starts "Dead signal."

They heard a loud growling sound, as Cassidy clutched her stomach "Speaking of calls, natures calling."

Cassidy hastily gets off the bed and rushes towards the bathroom. The fan was turned on to cover up the sound of regurgitation. Both Finn and Sean glance at the door as they could vaguely hear Cassidy over the whoosh of the fan.

"Aaaanyways," Finn says taking Sean by the shoulder "I wouldn't worry too much if I was you. Maybe there's a blackout there. Maybe he's found himself a little misses."

Sean scoffs/laughs at this.

"If Daniel found himself a girlfriend I would never hear the end of it."

"When my older brother got one, I think he forgot anyone else existed. Once me and my other brothers joined them on a date to this theatre, we were left behind when they left." Finn remarks.

"Christ man," Sean laughs.

"Yeah, we gave him an earful about it when we got home." Finn laughs.

"Okay, but even if that was the case," Sean starts "I still find it concerning the signals dead."

If Sean knew what was to come that night, he would have greater concerns over the new inmate that shown up six days before.

-----

As of late, there have been talks of a newcomer.

Over the past two days, word got around that the new meat was a high profile guy. The kind of guy you don't want in regular prisons;  it's speculated he'd be put in solitary with what he's in for, but according to guards who were in the mood for sharing smokes with Willis, the new guy is only here for temporary "protective custody".

The paperwork is still being worked but the case was open and shut in a matter of days. Sean only saw this guy once when he first came in. The guy was taken in trussed up like he was Hannibal Freaking Lecter; he looked over his shoulder at Sean when he passed his cell, and winked.

Word spreads fast when you get the kind of guards willing to share smokes with you. No one quite knew how much of what is said of this guy is true, or just bravado. After all the details are still being worked out..

Story goes that the new guy - "Giles Isaev" they're calling him - was some rich, European, pretty boy who came to the states to live out the American Dream, Scarface style. These were his own words, when Isaev was busted on a raid in the south regions of Oregon, three days prior.

Upon being questioned by the FBI, he just started confessing to all manner of crimes; pimping men, women and children out; pushing drugs that junkies have killed (and supposedly cannibalized) each other over; fighting rings where man and animal alike risk getting their bones and bodies broken on the daily.

Matter of fact, the thing he got sprung over was the kidnapping and torture of a couple that stole from him. By the time he was caught, Isaev was wiping blood off a longsword he had used to cut out the couple's eyes and tongue.

How the FBI knew of this activity isn't clear, as the local agency had no ongoing investigation for this man in particular; while stories of such a trafficking ring had caught their attention, they knew nothing of the man named Giles Isaev. Hell, they're still trying to find the agents who initially arrested Isaev.

So far it's just dead ends.

The only thing they knew for sure was of the couple Isaev tortured, and that poor thug he was put in a holding cell who got his throat eaten out.

At the same time, Isaev has been going on about these "people" and organizations that are after him for less than legal purposes; Isaev himself would claim he had critical information that could bring these organizations down and expose so many people; all he asked for was the law to play ball, was that he be sent to this specific prison and to be allowed visit a specific inmate.

It's been days now, and the boys in jumpsuits are yet to hear a thing. Supposedly there are plans to do something to Isaev, considering he's planning on snitching, and with the shit he's accused of. 

Unbeknownst to Sean, there's been an accident in the block he's in.

-----

Later that night, Nathan was treating himself to a shower. As usual, he'd do so alone.

One perk of being a "pampered" prisoner was lone showers. He heard all about what happens if you drop the soap, and what happens if you try to be smart in picking it up.

In Nathan's case, he uses liquid soap in a bottle and loofa (better safe than sorry). He didn't have his own shower, but he had a schedule for when the rest of the showers were free.

He felt the lights flicker a little, but decided not to pay it any mind. What did catch his attention was the red flashing light. And considering his recent nightmares, the red light mixed with the missed, gave him some pretty triggering thoughts.

Then the sound of an alarm started blaring. Instinctively he turned off his faucet and went to his towel to dry off.

Worst case scenario, there was a fight, in which case all he'd have to do is lay low and wait things out till it blows over. He was usually in his cell when it happens, which was more often than not, heavily guarded.

That is when he heard the door slam open. About thirteen prisoners walked in and quickly surrounded him; about five of them were armed, with blunt or sharp instruments.

"There you are Prescott." One of them, he recognized as Willis grinned at him "We've been looking for you for a while now..."

"Yeah," a younger inmate says "Six years actually." This guy was brandishing a make shift shank out of a toothbrush.

Nathan backed towards the wall, he recognized some of them as the boys who gave Carter Reece the Lorena Bobbitt treatment.

"H-hey boys, I don't want any trouble now..." Nathan says nervously.

One of them gets in his face "Yeah ? And I bet that Chloe girl didn't want in trouble neither."

"Or those other ones ?" Willis smirks crossing his arm.

"You beat one of your girls into the hospital, twice!" Nathan shouts pointing a finger at Willis "Don't act like you-"

"Don't go around saying your the moral authority here." Willis says, having taking out a switch blade and pointing it at Nathan's nose "We're all in this together, boy."

Nathan felt his heart racing, and his eyes starting to water.

"And what about those other girls ? Hmm? You see them every time you close your eyes whitey ? Say theirs names!"

"You do this..." Nathan snakingly breathes out "You can kiss your parole goodbye."

"I ain't never getting out. Mack here's not gonna see his kids, and I've been in for ten years already." An older thug says "You're money can't help you here Prescott."

Two of them took hold of Nathan's arms and suddenly, all of them began to line up, ready for their turns.

Nathan began to shake, and even weep silently, knowing there was no way out for him here.

First thug takes Nathan by the chin and forces him to face him "Pucker up butter cup."

And with that, Nathan felt a fist collide into his nose, and as he collapsed, he felt himself being kicked in the stomach and groin.

"Please!" Nathan cried out, spitting out blood, as more of it ran down his nose "I didn't want any of them to die!"

"Yeah, they didn't want to die either, Prescott." A thug answers.

"Now say their mother fucking names!"

"Margery-...Carol," Nathan starts to weep "A-Allyson...Lynn.." before being kicked in the stomach as he tries to get back up.

"Hey! We didn't say stop!" Willis says brandishing his knife.

Snakingly Nathan continues "Chloe- Chloe...R-Rachel" Nathan starts, almost burying his head in his hands "I-I'm so sorry..."

"Keep going. Sorry's not gonna get you anywhere."

Nathan continues, often having to be punched, kicked or even jabbed to do so.

As he went on, Nathan saw out of the corner of his eye as what he called "The Red Mist Man", made his way towards him. It was silently standing over the group as they took their turns with him. And just as Nathan felt himself on his last breaths, it leered down onto him, and bit.

When Nathan succumbed to the darkness, he heard it's voice.

"Awake, my progeny..."

-----

About an hour or so earlier, at the far end of the isolated block, Isaev was able to get the attention of the one other prisoner in the cell. Of course it was a matter of whistling and calling out his name.

They were in separate cells, on the same hall.

"Mark ? Marky ? Maaaark." Isaev would call from his cell, much to the annoyance of his "neighbor".

"What ?"

"Well, that was rather rude. I just wanted to say hi. How else would you great an old friend ?" Isaev would ask.

"Do I know you ?"

"We had unfinished business back in the day you and I," Isaev says "Of course, you hurt another friend of mine, for which I seek compensation for."

Mark laughs to himself upon hearing this.

"Let me guess, you have a daughter or sister, in my photo albums." Mark ask "Not that ? Okay, how about a girlfrie-"

"Does the name Vivian Manning mean anything to you ?"

Mark gives no response.

"Come on, I know you know her. She was a favorite of yours I hear."

Mark shakes his head "Sorry, I never really played favorites."

"Sure you do. Strawberry blonde hair ? One of your students ? Was about nineteen years old ? You fucked her once or twice ? Not ringing any bells ?" Giles Isaev shouts out "Come on I know you know this one. How about this ? She used that name as a pseudonym when you went on that museum date."

This cause Mark to freeze in his cell. He can't possibly mean what he thinks he means...

"Did you get that gift of your this morning ? That little box of yours, Jeff ?" Isaev asks in a sing song tone.

Mark Jefferson thought back to yesterday morning. Someone sent him a gift; a phone.

He's been getting death threats over the years, and he's even gotten mail from fans of his (some sent him nudes, or pictures trying to replicate his work - amateurs didn't have the guts to really get their hands dirty though).

But the phone was something new; he couldn't open it, as there was a password already instilled.

"Y-yeah," Jefferson says trying to put up a confident front "It's locked, genius."

"Turn it on, and type the following; 05..."

"05," Jefferson types, muttering under his breath, but Isaev could apparently hear him.

"23...13."

Jefferson types the remainder of the password.

"Go to the photos."

Jefferson does so, and couldn't believe what he was seeing.

Furthermore he couldn't believe the dates these pictures were supposedly taken. 2017, 2018, 2019. All of them of the same girl in different activities; brunch, trips to the boardwalk, a few yacht parties, rave scenes, even a few post coital selfies.

"How about this ? Does the name Rachel mean anything to you ?"

"What kind of sick joke is this ?" Jefferson shouts out "I know for a fact this one is dead!"

"Correction; was dead." Isaev answers "Luckily for you, friends of ours want you alive. And the way I see it, I can either be a messenger boy, or a delivery boy."

Jefferson's train of thought was interrupted by the sound of something heavy and metal clanging on the ground. Although he couldn't see it, he could tell the cell door fell off it's hinges and onto the floor beneath them.

To Jefferson's further disbelief, Isaev made his way to the front of his cell, and without even trying, pulled the hinges off its metal door.

"Now, Mark. We can do this the easy way or we can do this the hard way. The choice is yours."

----

The first alarm blared within the next few minutes. Several guards entered the isolated block to find Jefferson's cell door open.

Jefferson himself was spitting out blood and teeth, doubled over. He was coughing and groaning as Isaev kept kicking him on the ground.

Over the next few minutes, one set of guards had to secure Isaev who backed down without any further fight. Jefferson was being hauled off to the medical ward.

Another set of guards were taking Isaev to what was called "The Hole" - a special spot they'd take first time prisoners who were caught acting out of line.

A few days in a dark space, fit for a janitors closet was usually enough to scare the good behavior into them. They even put Isaev's "Hannibal" mask back on due to the biting motions he made at a few guards.

Isaev wasn't going to see a minute of it though.

Midway though their trek Isaev, broke his cuffs grabbed hold of one of the guards, and broke his neck, and in the confusion, made quick work of the other four. He picked the gun and keys and hastily made his way to each cell.

Very dangerous people too, the kind you do not want running around in a system that oppressed their building anger; gangsters, bikers, skinheads.

The few who didn't immediately start causing trouble, made their way for the cells that had "undesirable prisoners".

Within minutes, mattresses and toilet paper was already set ablaze. Many inmates tried to audaciously attack Isaev, either to restrain or just kill him. Those who didn't get shot, were bitten.

Over a dozen guards already found themselves being beat by the prisoners; some shot, maimed, or just have their limbs broken. Some guards have already taken to shooting the prisoners, but the gunfire would barley phase Isaev.

All the while, the less aggressive and more rehabilitated of the inmates simply coward in their cells, and the few who didn't ran for a place to hide. Especially as the seemingly dead inmates began to get back up, and as if acting on an animal instinct, started biting and drinking from people.

----

In the meantime, that same evening Sean, Cassidy and Finn, were still in conjugal, talking over plans for their next trip to Beaver Creek (excluding Sean of course) , and what Daniel could be up to.

"Alright, Sean how about this? If I see that Daniel has a girlfriend, and has been dodging you because of her, you owe me 500 dollars. If not, than I owe you the same amount." Finn remarks.

"You're going have a pretty lousy financial experience then." Sean jokes "700 says he's still holding out on Lyla. He held onto that since kindergarten."

"Alright, I'll bite." Cassidy smirks with a roll in her eye "900 says you both are wasting your time and he just broke his phone or something."

"For real though, I could use the money." Finn adds "Thinking of getting him a gift. There's a game he's been waiting for that keeps getting delayed, and I know this guy who can pirate physical copies for a pri-"

They were interrupted by the sound of the prisons alarm, as well as the rioting. Someone outside was making their way to their room when the door opens.

"You three alright?" Wilson emerges through the door.

"What's going on ?"

"The prison's compromised." Wilson asks.

"Meaning ?" Cassidy asks nervously.

"Meaning for the time being you three are going to have to stay put." Wilson says looking out the door for any signs of trouble.

From outside the hall, they can hear an inmate loudly remark "Peek-A-Boo- I see you!"

Several prisoners aggressively made their way down the hall, and Wilson saw one of them had a gun. Wilson pulled out his piece, and shot once, sending them scattering.

The bullet hits the gunman in the throat, causing him to stagger. Wilson shot a few more times, but wasn't a particularly good shot this time around, but he may have just been firing warning shots.

Wilson quickly closed the door, and barricaded it with a dresser. He motions Sean and the other two to get down on the ground. In any other situations, Sean would be having a number of uncomfortable flashback, but any attempt to mentally get out this situation fails, as the sound of over a dozen inmates banging on the door outside.

Oh, the obscenities they were screaming; the real nasty stuff was the remarks they've been making towards Cass and Finn, and a few racist pot shots toward Sean himself.

And that to was drowned out by the sound of gunfire. Only five shots rang out, but the sound of...something else making mince meat of the prisoners outside. Everyone in the room was taken aback by the blood flowing under the door.

"It's safe to open up now..." A tired voice calls out.

"We aren't opening until we know it's clear." Wilson says pointing his gun towards the door.

"Come on man, I need medical aid." The voice says again "I'm bleeding out fast. For god's sake, I got a youth from block C with me..."

Sighing, Wilson reluctantly gets up and moves the shelf. As he opens the door, another shot rings out. Wilson collapses onto the floor as another prisoner barges his way in, clutching his bleeding neck.

It was Giles Isaev.

"Sorry for the racket kids, but I've been hoping to meet you for a while now." Isaev says pointing the gun and gesturing them to sit on the bed.

With their hands up, Sean, Finn and Cassidy did as told.

"There we go, there we go, always good to play ball." Isaev says, taking a chair and using it to barricade the door. When Isaev takes his own seat he smiles towards Sean "Sean Diaz, right ? Love your book, but I find the political themes in it were too on the nose."

Sean opened his mouth to say something but couldn't find the words, Isaev does the talking for him.

"You don't mind if I smoke do you ?" Isaev takes a cigarette out of his pocket, lights it and takes a deep huff, blowing out a deep cloud of smoke as he once again addresses Sean "You've been enjoying this little vacation of yours for a while now Mr. Diaz, and unfortunately, I had to get off my tuchus, and put myself in the pen. And you know why ?"

Sean doesn't answer. He's completely at a loss for words at what is happening. The most he could do was shake his head.

"Favor for a friend." Isaev shrugs "My family, has made a lot of friends the past few years, and have taken to making deals with them." He casually flicks his cigarette onto the floor and stomps it out. "In your case, Mr. Diaz, you and your brother have made some new friends of mine angry with your actions the last few years. Dirty secrets unaired, reputations ruined, put everyone through over a year of drama, all over a couple of dead bodies. Well, myself and Mother's other children have been making deals with certain organizations, one of which has a special interest in getting your brother back into their loving hands, and you to pay for your sins against them."

"Daniel," Sean found his voice and found his protective big brother instinct kick in "I swear to God if you-"

"Relax, our boys in Beaver Creek haven't found anything of him...yet." Isaev leans forward, as he glances back at Finn and Cassidy "As for your friends, I've been asking around and it appears your boy-toy has a bounty in Montana for skipping bails. As for your little girlfriend, her family have been missing her dearly; willing to pay just as dearly too. And frankly, I've been planning on getting a new car, so I could use an extra couple thousand in my pocket."

"This...was all to get to us ?" Cassidy asks nervously.

"You're half right missy." Isaev uses the business end of the gun to scratch his nose "Another friend asked me a favor to get someone else in here, but he's been taken care of." He points his gun back at them "You three on the other hand, are to be special guests of-"

Before he could finish, Finn was the first to get up and rush Isaev, taking him by surprise. Finn takes hold of Isaev's arm, holding the gun, and does what he can to aim it too the roof.

On instinct, Sean also gets up and lunges at Isaev, pinning him down in the confusion. It wasn't a proper fight, but of a struggle to subdue him, and the only reason they were holding out so far was because they got the drop on him.

Sean takes a hold of Isaev's shirt and pulls it up over the gunman's eyes. At the same time, Finn jabbed a thumb into the wound on Isaev's bleeding neck, causing the latter to scream.

But even then, Isaev quickly got his footing, and with a few motions tossed the two young men aside. Both Sean and Finn slam into the walls, both winded and dazed by the impact. Groaning, they look up to see Isaev try to adjust himself.

"Alrighty then." Isaev coughs out "Faye kings want to dance." He aims the gun forward towards them and pulls the trigger...

Click.

Isaev tries again.

Click, Click.

"Goddammit." He says tossing the gun aside "Very well, fisticuffs it is."

Before he could do anything though, he heard something. Like a child screaming out in terror. Isaev turned around at the direction of the noise to see nothing but the wall behind him.

"Curious," he thinks to himself.

Before he could do anything else, he felt something large, metal and plastic strike the back of his head with enough force to cause a concussion.

It was Cassidy, previously taking ahold of the chair while the other two fought Isaev.

"Are you two alright ?" She asks as Sean and Finn snakingly help each other to their feet.

"What do we do now ?" Finn asks.

"We go find help." Cassidy says.

"No!" Sean quickly shakes his head "If we run from this, if we survive, we could- we could...I might get more time on my sentence."

"If we stay here," Finn gestures to the bodies "They might think we did this."

"Sean, if they trust you, you can try to explain yourself when we-" Cassidy starts, before instinctively jumping back at the feeling on Isaev's hand on her ankle.

In response, Sean and Finn take hold of either end of the dresser, and flip it downwards on top of Isaev. You could almost hear a loud crunch and the slightest whimper from Isaev.

"Looks like we don't have any choice, do we Sean ?" Finn asks as he catches his breath.

With a shaky nod, Sean accepts.

It was simply a matter of finding a place to hide. They debated taking weapons with them in case they encounter either guards or prisoners next.

----

It had been hours since the riot began and twelve guards were left trying and failing to control the situation. It was like something out of a zombie movie, as what appeared to be walking corpses attacked guards and other prisoners alike.

Sean, along with Finn and Cassidy, made their way through three different blocks, trying to find the right hiding spot. The three of them never spoke aloud, so as to keep a low profile.

The cafeteria was taken over by prisoners, holding thirteen guards hostage; The showers were loud with the sound of a gang beating and stabbing an unknown individual to death (later learned to be Nathan Prescott); medical wing was closed off completely (and even then there was commotion going on in there), so that was a no go; the isolated cell was now, ironically overrun.

Ironically the safest place in prison, was outside the prison.

The yard was empty, no a creature was stirring, but even then it was better safe than sorry. The three made their way to the bleachers, and by the time they could relax, the sky was changing color. It was somewhere in the 5:00 to 6:00 AM range.

They just had to hold out for a few more hours before daylight. It was here were Finn breaks the silence.

"What the hell were those things ?"

"They can't be what we think they are, right ?" Cassidy asks.

Zombies was about the only thing they had in mind.

They three sat under the bleacher's holding each other as they waited over the sounds of the riot; both too tired to continue running and too scared to sleep.

They didn't know how much time passed in the darkness, but as daylight started to break overhead, as did the buzz of helicopter wings.

Of course, they'd take to calling in a SWAT Team, Sean thought to himself. Is about the only way to get things under control.

Six helicopters appeared in the sky making their way towards the prison, and one in particular landed in the yard.

Cassidy took Sean by the shoulders to try to shake him awake "This is it Sean! Now's our chance."

"We go slowly, keep our hands up, and they won't shoot." Finn nods.

As they did so, several men in White and dark red SWAT outfits advanced toward them, cautiously. It was odd colors for sure for standard SWAT Gear, but this wasn't the time to question it. Even more oddly, they wore the embalm of a cross, and crossbow on their shoulder pads.

"Freeze! Identify yourselves!" One officer calls out.

"Finn McNamara."

"Lucy Rose Jones."

"Sean Diaz."

"Are any of you injured ?" The officer asks.

"Have any of you been bitten ?" Another asks.

"...No." The three of them say at once after exchanging a glance.

"We're going to have to pad you down, make sure you aren't infected."

"What ?" Sean asks.

"Spread your arms and your legs. Standard procedure. C'mon."

The three of them awkwardly do as they're told as three officers, frisk them, even going as far as to reach under their clothes.

Sean has been at the receiving end of these before, when the prison wanted to check him for drugs. This was something he was experienced with, but he had a feeling this was the first feel down Finn and Cassidy got from the boys in blue.

"Okay, take these three into evac. Rest of you try to get this situation under control." One officer orders the rest of the unit, before going on his radio "We got three civies here, taking them to evac, we may need to get some backup."

The three of them where motioned off, albeit at gunpoint to the copter, which took off with all but three officers staying behind.

Somewhere in the flight, Sean passed out.

----

March 27th, 2020

It was finally daylight hours when Sean awoke again, although it was raining. The bright lights of the hospital room almost annoyed him, but he was used to it from the last time he was in the hospital like this.

Hopefully things will turn out a little better for him this time around, but he doubted it. He was back in the states after all. And as he felt his head spinning from disorientation, he saw he had company in the room.

It was a young woman, about his age give or take a few years. She wasn't dressed like one would expect; nothing to indicate she was a cop, FBI agent. She was dressed in a black leather jacket, and matching pants and boots. She also had short blonde hair.

"There he is. Welcome to the land of the living, Mr. Diaz." The woman says. Her voice was warm and her smile was friendly.

Sean looks over at his wrist. The last time he was in this situation, he had to wear a cuff to the bed until they were sure he was stable. To his curiosity, there was no cuff.

"I'm not arrested, am I ?"

"Should you be ?" The woman asks.

"Are you not a cop ?" Sean asks "I'm still a prisoner, am I not ?"

"Not at the moment; now you're a person of interest, and a patient. And no, I'm not a cop. I'm not with the government either, so you can relax. I do want to ask you a few questions about what you've seen, but we want to make sure you are in stable condition." The woman answers "Your boyfriend and girlfriend are alright by the way. You've been out for three days, but they're being treated in the next wing."

Sean's eyes widen "boyfriend and girlfriend" ? At least he knows they're okay, but he wanted to keep the exact nature of their relationship on the downlow. The woman notices Sean's shocked and concerned expression before she clarifies.

"Hey, look I'm not here to judge, sometimes my girlfriend and I have a third partner too." The woman fakes a cough "Anyways, they filled me in, and I think you may be more comfortable if we go with first names." The woman reaches her hand out to shake Sean's "Name's Samantha. My friends call me Sam."

Sean takes Sam's hand to shake it "Sean, but you knew that. Can I ask where we are ?"

"Seaside, Oregon. My people had this wing closed off, so you and your friends are in good hands. The official story is you three are key witnesses to what happened Boon County Penitentiary, but I figure you could use a friend to help break the ice." Sam turns her head to the door, and as if on cue, Finn awkwardly opens it, dressed in a hospital gown.

"Hey there, wolf boy," Finn smiles, carrying two bags of chips in one hand, and bottles of soda in his other arm as he walks up to the bag "I take it I missed you waking up, but I figured you could use a bite."

"Thanks, haven't eaten in days." Sean says, taking a bag and immediately digging in.

"I'll give you two some privacy," Sam says before correcting herself "I mean, this room is being monitored, but you get the point." Sam says, getting up from her seat and heading out the door.

Finn smiles as he takes her seat "So you good enough to walk man ?"

"I think my bad eye is acting up, but other than that I'm feeling alright." Sean shrugs.

"We'll get a doc or nurse to look at that," Finn nods, but his smile flattens "But Sean, these people, I don't think they're any law enforcement I've heard about. They kept this wing cut off from the rest of the hospital and are asking and telling us things...like that Sam girl laid a lot on me and Cass when we woke up."

"What did she say ?"

Finn sighs, opens his soda and take a drink before saying "I don't know how else to say it, so I'm just gonna lay it all out for you," Finn inhales deeply before exhaling "Vampires exist, man."

This momentarily threw Sean off "W-what ?"

"Those things in the prison? They were vampires." Finn said, raising one hand and another to emphasize his point.

Sean was at a loss for words, not that he didn't try to say something; he knew that something supernatural exists in this world, but never seriously considered their existence; back in the day he's heard many an urban legends of Skinwalkers, demonic possession; there were times he and Daniel used to jokingly look out for Bigfoot during their travels. He remembers the year before his dad died, at a Halloween party, he and the other played a game Ouija Board that supposedly contacted the Slenderman, and no one can could prove that was a prank.

Hell, Daniel's powers alone show Sean that there is something in this world beyond the mundane.

In short, Sean was thinking he probably shouldn't be too surprised.

Finn continues "Anyways, we were taken here by this group that have been hunting them, and they wanted to look us over; make sure none of us were bitten or anything, and they wanted to ask us questions when we come too. Luckily, everything checked out, and Cassidy hasn't had any complication-"

Finn stops himself before he finishes. Sean eyes him suspiciously.

"Finn, what were you saying about Cass ?" Sean asks.

"It's - not really my place to say. She wants to tell you herself." Finn says.

"Tell me what ?" Sean says, climbing out of bed, but finds himself unbalanced and sitting on the edge.

They are interrupted by the sound of a door knocking. Sam opens the door.

"Alright, I figured this is my cue to bring you into our hearing, but your girlfriend has been asking to see when you're up. What say you, kid ?" Sam asks.

Sean nods "How is she ? What's happening too her ?"

"She's in stable condition all things considered, she just wants to see you. You need help standing up or do you think you can manage ?"

Sean could manage to stand but it took him a bit to get used to using his legs.

----

Sean and Finn walked down a mostly empty hall, mostly occupied by men and women, that like Sam, wouldn't be out of place in Agents of Shield with how they dressed. Cassidy's room was seven doors down.

When Sean has Cassidy's door opened, she's sitting on her bed in a hospital gown of her own, casually reading a book. She turns to Sean, and a smile quickly forms on her face.

"There's my wolfman," Cassidy beams as she gets up from the bed to give Sean a great big bear hug "I've been worried about you." She says with a kiss on the cheek.

"I've been worried about you too, honey." Sean says, kissing her on the temple.

"So...vampires, huh ?" Cassidy says with a smile.

"Yeah, I almost hoped it'd be zombies." Sean says with an chuckle of his own "All that video game training, wasted."

"Chris Redfield would be disappointed." Finn adds jokingly, shaking his head while patting Sean on the shoulder, with Cassidy reaching her hand up to touch Finn's. Sean added his own hand in the equation as they held each others hands.

"So..." Sean finally speaks before "Finn's been saying you want to tell me something ? Are you okay ? Like you haven't been...bitten or anything, have you ?"

Cassidy shakes her head with an awkward smile "No, nothing like that...but, you know how I have been sick for a while now ?"

"Yeah ?" Sean says, but the infliction in his voice made it sound like he was asking a question "Is- is it bad, Cass ?"

Cassidy glances to the side nervously, complete with a bite on her lower lip, not exactly able to find the words. Luckily actions speak louder than words.

Cassidy takes Sean's hand out of Finn's and off his shoulder, and begins to guide it down downwards...and placing it on her stomach.

For one of many instances in his life, Sean felt his world stop. A billion things have been going though his head at once. He thought he hit a speedbump at the discovery that he was back in the states, that vampires existed, and now Cassidy was telling him this!

Cassidy guided her hand upwards, placing it on Sean's cheek; a sad smile forms on her face as she presses her forehead to Sean's.

"Two weeks Sean," Cassidy said "Remember when I was acting up last week ? Well, I guess we know why I was sick then."

"H-how did this happen ?" Sean finally found his voice.

"You were there, remember ?" Cassidy smiles "I missed my monthly visitor last week, and I had my suspicions, but I didn't know until the docs here told me."

"So, uh..." Finn starts "What- what do you think Sean ?"

Sean took a deep gulp before snakingly asking "Do...are you planning on keeping it ?

Cassidy looks down, before saying with a shaky voice of her own "I- I don't know yet. I just wanted you to know, because I think you should have a say, Sean. I found out myself, and I still don't know what to make of this...but I just want to know, that whatever happens, you will be there, for me."

Sean looks down and after a moment of thinking, presses his hand back on Cassidy's stomach.

"I'm not leaving your side, Cass. Not after this, and not after what we just been through." Sean says, taking Cassidy into a hug "We're going to figure this out together." Sean looks over his shoulder at Finn "All of us."

Finn smiles with a pat on Sean's back "I've always got your back, Sean, and you Cass. I never ditched the two of you and I don't intend to start now, but..."
"But what ?" Cassidy asks.

"What about Uncle Daniel ?" Finn asks "We still haven't heard from him, and if that masked guy says is any indication, we aren't the only ones looking for him..."

They were interrupted by Sam, leaning on the door way with an cough.

"Look, I hate to interrupt this little moment of yours, but there's something the bosses and I have been meaning to talk to you about."

----

"And that's how we got you here," says the woman in the office.

This girl Samantha seemed to flip a switch in between this hearing and the encounters with her at the hospital.

Accompanying her at this meeting was four other people, whose names he didn't get fort he most part, but where dressed in a way that imply some sort of authority.

Despite this, Sam was the one doing most of the talking. Her, and another "supporting agent" - this redheaded woman named Faden - but no one really knows who she works for or with. All they know for sure is she represents another organization, and one of many looking into these events; if the way she and Sam kept giving looks at eachother was an indication, Sean was willing to bet the two had a fling or two in the past. But that was none of his business.

This wasn't the parole meeting Sean thought he'd be having, but Sam gave a rundown; the short of it is that this organization, and others have a special interest in what is happening, and Sean's involvement...if he plays ball, the higher ups of these groups will see to it that Sean is a free man - with certain limitations of course. They were under heavy guard of course, which includes the police, and they had to take character witnesses from Sean's time in prison. A lot of them made notes about Sean and his progress.

Given the circumstances, Finn and Cassidy sat at his side for the hearing, for support.

They have spent the past two hours going over Sean's time in the pen, and answering questions about Sean and his progress. He learned that a few other witnesses have been taken from the prison and now under the protection, or recruitment of what is called "The Guard".

Among the dead, was Nathan Prescott. Sean was told he was tortured by a dozen inmates for three hours before dying of his injuries. Only reason they didn't mutilate him was because they didn't want him to live through it, so there was really no point.

"So here's what we can do," Sam starts "The official story - the one we are going to have the police and feds believe - is that you three are key witnesses to our ongoing investigation of sex crime syndicate; this is the half the truth."

"The people we are looking for, are in fact part of a crime family, involved in the three big bad trafficking ops; sex, drugs and weapons. The man you met that night ? Giles Isaev ? Doesn't exist. At least not as you know him" Faden explains "There was a Giles Isaev, but he died in Russia back in 1978, from a wolf attack at the age of six; afterwards he was cremated. No other records of another Giles Isaev existed until four months ago."

"That guy though," Finn asks "Is he dead now ? We left him in our room, and he was pretty fucked up."

"Your room was searched. We found blood but no other body than that of the guard you spoke of. We couldn't find anything of him really. No pictures, composite sketch, nothing. It's like hunting a ghost. And trust me, even that is a picnic in comparison."

Sean raises his hand this time "Does anyone on your team have anything on Beaver Creek ?"

"My team ? We're on the Beaver Creek investigation and cleanup crew, yes." Sam says "But we're still looking into what happened until we get a clear picture."

"What exactly happened there anyways ?" Cassidy asks "It's just that's where his brother lives."

"Oh, my god..." Sam says, briefly covering her mouth "Look, like I said we're still looking things over but- between this and Puerto Lobos-" she starts before she is interrupted.

"Wait what ?" Sean says.

"There was...an attack of Peurto Lobos a week ago." Sam starts to explain "From what we got, it was also a vampire attack. Our Mexican division is looking into it; death toll is at a hundred and nine, along with eighty five missing persons."

"What about Beaver Creek ?"

"There is a Daniel Diaz on the missing persons list. An Agent Flores is looking into his disappearance, but she's been also asking to speak to you once you're checked out." Sam explains.

Sean immediately gets from his chair in an almost explosive manner, but Faden puts a hand on his shoulder.

"Sean, please! Control yourself," Faden says as calmly as she can muster "I can understand what you're going through, but it's important that you sit through this."

"My brother is missing and could be dead, you do not want to make this situation worse!" Sean says angrily.

"And neither do you, which is why you are not going to run away again." Faden says taking Sean by both his shoulders and forcibly sitting him back down onto the chair.

A sudden wave of melancholy, dread, and anxiety washed over Sean at once, but ultimately the former two outweighed the latter, and he slumped down into his seat with a shaky sigh.

"I just can't leave him," Sean shakes his head "I can't loose him again."

"I can understand that, but Sean, we already took risks making sure you can be trusted. You run away now, and another manhunt will start for you." Faden explains "Look kid, I get it. I was about half your age, and my brother went missing, there was nothing I wouldn't have to get him back; I am lucky now to be in a position where I am still trying to save him. If I had been were you are, and I would have done anything to have the choice our friends in the Guard are about to give you."

"What's that ?" Sean ask.

Now it was Sam's turn to speak up "After some friends and I learned the hard way that monsters exist, these people started following us. Turn out where there's monsters, there are hunters; different organizations in fact." She gestures to Faden "She found one while me and my friends found the others. We were put into protective custody for a while, and to make a long, long story short, a few of us ended up being monster hunters ourselves."

It takes a moment for this to sink in to Sean before he asks "So, what, we sign some papers and then we become hunters too ?"

"No. Not all of you," Sam shakes her head "First, you don't have the same training or experience as us. Although, we can't recruit her given her condition, so she'd be under protective custody as well." she gestures to Cassidy.

"Think of it like this," Faden starts "Samantha here, and her friends worked their way into being Marines, while you two would be like boy scouts. Not even cadets...yet. The short of it is you can go to places our organizations are investigating, even help out, but I would advise against going in on the battlefield with your new partners."

"Hell, I know a certain someone who got Director rank on their first day." Sam nods, giving Faden a side glance.

Sean shakes his head "Don't you think the police are going to be a problem for us ?"

"I mean, they shouldn't be," Sam says "We got the cover story, that you three are priority witnesses to members of a sex syndicate, and going over your file, there is reasonable doubt that you killed that cop. You being a witness takes precedence over everything else. You'll be fine, as long as you don't poke the bear."

As she was saying this, another agent took out three contracts, placing them in Sean and Finn's hand.

"This is the only way ?" Sean asks.

"Pretty much; you can be a free man, with duties and limitations of course, but it's better than being a prisoner, isn't it ?" Faden nods.

"If that's what it takes to find our wolf cub." Finn nods, before signing his way through the contract he's been given.

Looking over, Sean sighs with a nod of his own.
"If that's what it takes."

And with that, Sean signs.

----

Seattle Washington, University District, March 28th, 2020

And that is how, Sean, Finn and Cassidy found themselves in Seattle.

Now members of the American Guard, as they call themselves, they were granted two safe houses; one in Seattle itself, the other in Pierce County.

It was probably not a good idea to settle into the city first. As they made their way up the driveway, they noticed a few neighbors eyeing them suspiciously. It wasn't the same house Sean, Daniel and their dad lived in, but it was around the same neighborhood.

Needless to say, it was a long couple of days to get back on their feet. Ostensibly, Sean was a free man, but he knew what he really was; a dog on a leesch. He made phone calls to Agent Flores, once again for transparency.

He learned that the cover story was accepted, and that he and his "housemates" were witnesses to a sex ring. Flores expressed concern as Daniel being a witness to other illegal activity is what's believed to have triggered the Beaver Creek incident.

Sean's first order of business to find out what he could about what happened in Beaver Creek, but truth be told, he was tired after everything that's happened the past four days. The work would begin tomorrow. In the meantime, Sean called Lyla to fill her in on what's happening, but only told her half the truth. He figured she wasn't ready for the truth about vampires or how he and Finn joined an organization of hunters.

That night, it was Finn's turn to cook, and Sean usually found himself glued to Cassidy's side, especially in light of recent news. He joined her in the shower while Finn was prepping supper. Nothing sexual happened there, but Sean found himself singing with Cassidy, as they usually did in the shower ("Take me home, country roads, to the place, I belong")

And covered Sean's first night home.

----

Elsewhere, in Madison Park, Seattle.

Late in the evening, a two year old makes his way up a hallway to his mothers bedroom, carrying with him, a stuffed white rabbit named Alice.

As he started knocking, his mother expectedly opens.

"Another nightmare, Bill ?" the woman asks patiently.

The child, Bill, nods.

The woman sighs and picks him up "Okay, come on. No monsters will get you here..."

As the woman sets her child on the bed she asks
"What was it this time ?"

"That man from my dreams...the knight, he was killing people again." Bill mumbles.

"Ah, well that's not good. Most knights are supposed to be good."

"Only black knights, but this one was wearing gold." Bill babbles a bit.

"I see," the woman, Max, nods with a yawn.

"He wasn't this time...he was in a jail, and it was today times."

"Shhhh," Max says, putting a finger to Bill's lips "We'll talk about it tomorrow. You don't want to give mommy nightmares, do you ?"
Bill shakes his head, as Max lies down. Instinctively the toddler nuzzles into her chest.

Somewhere in the night, Max heard her phone buzzing off. She looked over at Bill, who was still asleep. Careful not to disturb him, she climbs out of bed and steps into the hallway. As she made her way to the living room to find the caller was Kate.

"Kate ?" Max asks as she takes her seat on the couch "It's 4AM, what's the matter ?"

"Did you get the news ?" Kate asks.

"At Beaver Creek ? That's all that was being talked abou-"

"Not that," Kate answers "Look, Kristin Prescott just called Vic and I. It's Nathan."

"What about him ?" Max says. She hasn't heard from Nathan nor Jefferson in over three years, since that was the last Victoria paid Nathan a visit. After what happened to Chloe, Max ended up getting close with both Kate and Victoria; it started with group therapy sessions, and "healing trips". As some may say, one thing lead to another.

And that's how Bill got his two favorite aunts (next to Dana).

As Kate started to explain what Kristin told her, she caught on to something "Oh shit, did I call at a bad time ?"

"Hmm ? No. No." Max shakes her head "Bill was having another nightmare. He's sleeping in my bed again."

"Aw, poor sweetie." Kate says "He slept like an angel at me and Vic's too...do you need us to stop by ? We can talk things over tomorrow."

"Thank Kate, I appreciate it. Oh, how is Victoria holding up by the way ?"

Max could almost see Kate shrug on her end "She's in the shower. She's taking what happened pretty hard. I guess I was just looking for someone to talk to is all."

"Ah, well it sounds to me your wife is in need of a shoulder to cry on herself." Max nods "Like you said we can talk this over tomorrow. I think Bill could use a visit from his favorite Aunts."

"Oh, so Dana will be there too ?" Kate chips up. Both she and Max laugh at this before Max gets ready to hang up.

"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow Katie." Max says "I'm needed in Dreamland."

Max hangs up and places her phone on the coffee table and turns the TV on, hoping to drift off to sleep. But it was that same News Story.

It was covering this incident that occurred in Beaver Creek; about a hundred or so are dead, dozens missing - body's found in different stages in multination or even drained of blood.

The same occurred about a day afterwards in this town in Mexico, and in Boon County Penitentiary; the last one was the incident that Kate was talking about on the phone, specifically the news that Nathan Prescott is among the dead...and Mark Jefferson is currently "unaccounted for".

There was a fourth such incident. It happened six years ago, in Arcadia Bay.

Max was taken a months long break from the school after what has happened, as did many students. The arrest of Nathan Prescott, Mark Jefferson, and later Sean Prescott struck a mighty blow to both Arcadia Bay and Blackwell Academy. With the Prescott's buying out over half the town, including the school and police department, the Prescott's assets where frozen along with the school and polices funding.

This combined with students being pulled out from school and the FBI's (sometimes she thinks they called themselves the FBC) investigation on the police department, and the town was standing on it's last legs. Even family owned business such as Blue Whales Diner gradually fell apart due to the toll Chloe's loss took on Joyce, as did Joyce and David's marriage.

Effectively, Arcadia Bay was being drained to death; as if by a vampire with its victim.

In Max's eyes, Arcadia Bay died with Chloe Price.

Max spent the first few months back in Seattle, but after recurring nightmares and few instances of self harm, her parents to her to a clinic that was treating possible victims of the Dark Room and those who were traumatized by what happened in Blackwell. It was here she regrouped with Kate and Victoria, who have spent their time healing over their issues with one another, and in time Max was taken into the fold.

After another few months in the clinic, they made a trip to Seattle, were they started to settle in before returning to Arcadia Bay...under really bad circumstances.

It was frankly eerie how much it matched reports of Beaver Creek.

It was May of 2014. All in the span of a single night, Arcadia Bays power was cut, an a hundred or so people were found butchered in their homes, beds and the streets. Among the survivors where the few Blackwell students who stayed behind and held out in Blackwell's dormitories.

They described the attack as being like a zombie apocalypse. Others described it as an organized attack.

And that curious bit about zombies ? The local cemetery had only one unearthed grave - that of Chloe Price. Chloe's body wasn't found after the fact.

The case was investigated by a number of different groups, that didn't appear to be any agency Max ever heard off. Many of them were taking recruits from survivors such as Warren, but Max heard nothing of the investigation.

Over the years, Max has reached out to both Joyce and David. Sgekept up regularly with them for some time. It was two years ago that Joyce dropped a bit of a bombshell on her.

Sometime before Chloe died, she was writing a series of letters, mostly to whatever friends or family she had in the area in case she were to "disappear". They dated back to when Rachel disappeared. Some of them were confession letters, borderline suicide notes, and posthumous wishes.

Among them was the revelation that months before Rachel disappeared, Chloe took some pretty drastic measures in raising money, which included donating her ovum's to a clinic at a neighboring town (the money they got ending up being spent on other out of town trips). According to Chloe's wishes, what happens to her eggs would be up to Joyce, and Joyce had them on hold.

It was a chance to keep a piece of Chloe alive for Joyce, and a chance to give Chloe a legacy. It was also a chance for Max to do the same. In 2017, Max finally approached Joyce with the offer to be a surrogate.

And that is how Bill Caulfield Price ended up in the picture.

While she had help and support from her friends and family, Max didn't exactly have it in her to pursue her dream of being a professional photographer. She did a few jobs to keep her and Bill afloat; taking family photos at the local mall, and she did a few jobs for the agency Victoria was working for.

Her bi yearly salary was 20,000 dollars, so she managed to get by alright.

Somewhere in the night, in between listening to News stories of potential terror attacks, and walking down memory lane, Max drifted off into dreamland.

----

In the meantime, Bill Caufield Price was back in dreamland.

Yet again, he was watching King Arthur claim Excalibur, the knights of his round table, the affair of Lancelot and Guinevere. The addition of vampires, and werewolves, was not part of any stories of Arthur he'd learn of in school, and yet they were ever present in his dreams.

And finally, he was once again seeing Mordred's conception, birth. He see's Mordred growing up, seeing him as a playful child running through the forest. It was many instances, Bill thought Mordred could see see him too, but he was different as a boy then when he was a man. Honestly, Bill was half tempted to run in the woods with the four year old Mordred. But a presence was there that filled Bill with fear.

She wasn't his real mother, in fact she carved him from his mother Morgause's tummy when she was left to die.

When Bill see's her, he sees this ethereal being of crimson and scarlet; instinctively he just calls her The Red Lady, but over time he may call her The Blood Queen. She raised Mordred alone for the most part, and would often sing or chant that annoying catchy lullaby to him. In the same way, she filled Bill with fear, she was filling Mordred with arrogance, and above all else, hatred for his father. And unlike Mordred, Bill knew for sure that she saw him too, as she spoke to him, knew his name; he just never could remember what she was saying.

As his dream continues, he once again sees Mordred as he grows into the knight of legend. Although most legends may exclude the bit about Mordred being vampiric. Bill sees Mordred, yet again rallying his own band of knights, his rallying cry echoing in his ears.

"Let us cleanse this farce with fire! Strike the fool who leads the liar! Let it all come crumbling down! Like the firebird from the ashes, we will rise to lead the masses! The strongest will emerge to wear the crown!"

When daylight finally came and Bill woke up just as he seen the visage of Mordred in the present day. Upon waking up Bill saw his mothers bed was empty. He guessed where she'd be next as he hopped off the bed and made his way down the hall.

When he found Max sleeping on the couch, he reached out to her head and gave her an impatient shake of her head, rousing Max awake.

"Mmm.. Chlo- what ?" Max mumbles as she wakes up to see Bill look at her "Oh, there you are you little monkey." She smiles teasingly as she sits herself up and lifts Bill onto her lap "Sorry, mummy had to take a call. Aunt Kate and Vicky are coming over, how does that sound ?"

"I've been having those dreams again," Bill says "About that knight man..."

"What was he doing this time ?" Max asks.

"Same thing as before. He was in jail in today times," Bill starts "But before I woke up, he was killing people in there before he got out."

Chapter 6: Mordred (Flashback)

Summary:

Alright, here is chapter six.

Sorry if some of you where waiting. I would have had this up a week or so ago, but I ended up losing the files for it. Twice. As a result I spent the better part of my time rewriting what I lost and saving them to different files, and spent my day editing the chapter as it is now.

I wanted to introduce Daniel's arc this chapter, but his bits are still being written. Between this, an Until Dawn tie in story I am writing, and "Love's Sacrifices" I am going to be busy. That said, in this chapter we get our proper introduction to Mary Reid's arc, and one of this stories secondary antagonists in this take on Mordred.

Now to clarify something, that I probably shouldn't; only chapters dubbed Route A or B can refer to a specific ending these chapters refer too. If not listed as such, they can follow either "Bay" or "Bae", and are written neutrally in a way that could refer to either. I wrote a list of characters who survive the storm (Kate, Dana, etc) for "Route A", and will be featured in both routes.

In neutral chapters, "Survivors" can either refer to Dark Room/Jefferson's survivors, or survivors of the storm, and "The Incident" refers to either the storm or Chloe's death.

Chapter Text

1920, Location Unknown

Mary Reid didn't know when she has been this happy.

Two long years of misery, two long years of what she thinks is a dream of Heaven.

And it's one she never wished to wake up from, for she held the one she never thought she'd hold again.

Connor, her Connor. The child taken from her too soon in life and whose passing was just the start of his toddling years. Just as he was  starting to form words.

Now that Mary was here with him, nothing else she left behind  mattered; not London, not her murders; not even Jonathan, or whatever resentment she may have held for him.

All these things left behind. Now it was only her and Connor. Mary wasn't exactly sure where the was. If she took a look around her, she may recognize this as a place of nostalgia. A summer home she and Jonathan spent much of their childhood and adolescence. Where she hoped she could take Connor one day.

This was all in the back of her mind. What was in the front of her mind was feelings of bliss, happiness, and love. It practically numbed her. The pain of the past, was all but forgotten. Like a bad dream.

Here, Mary would walk hand and hand with Connor, up a peaceful and serine road or stream. They'd make sand castles on the bed of a lake, and in some instances even run through the fields, or tending a garden.

Just about everything, she wished she could have done before Connor fell ill.

In the times Mary could speak, she'd say something along the lines of  "Oh Connor, no pinchies. Mummy knows this isn't a dream." or "A flower necklace, for Mummy ?"

When night took hold of this land, they would just sit under the stars, and Mary would tell stories of the constellations ("You see that ? Ursa Minor, the baby bear. And that one is Ursa Major! The Mama Bear!")

It's been like this day in and day out. It could have been anywhere from two years to two hundred years.

And then they day came when mother and son lay together in the middle of the field. The mind numbing sensation of bliss started to over take Mary she nearly felt herself pulled into a deep sleep.

Then she felt it - the disappearance in her arms.

Mary opens her eyes, to see Connor is out of her grasp, nowhere to be seen.

"Connor ?" Mary asks perking her head around "Connor ?"

She turns her head to see Connor standing at the edge the forest. At the back of her mind, she would have noted an increase of crows and ravens. Either flocking in the trees or calling out to her.

She could almost hear them say "CAW-NER, CAW-NER, CAW-NER!"

Had Mary paid any more attention, she would have seen the usually clear blue sky and golden sun has turned a dark red, blanketing the area as if it where sunset. The green, lush forested area also started to redden, and their leaves started to fall. As if by the fall and winter months started to roll in.

"Connor, don't scare me like that." Mary says already feeling a sense of dread fill her heart, as she tried to call her son to her "You don't run off from mummy-"

As she says this, Connor points off into the trees and says something inaudible.

When Mary makes her way to him, Connor darts off, quickly disappearing into the brush.

"Connor!" She screams as she bolts after her.

The next few minutes was a brush of red, mixed with the feeling as heart pounding fear. She would always see Connor just ahead of her. By the time she reached him, he would always run.

The air was sound with the calls of ravens - "CAW-NER, CAW-NER, CAW-NER!" and interspersed throughout their calls was the mirthful laughter.

The laughter was getting louder and louder, overpowering the sound of the birds. All the way until she reached the river bed.

It was there Mary sees it. Connor was standing at the edge of the bank. And on the other bank, flew a flock of ravens, fluttering around this figure.

The ravens dispersed as the figure move through (on ?) the water towards Connor.

Connor looked back and forth between the figure and Mary. As he looked to his mother, he mutters out "Mama ?"

Mary, for her part was stunned. Silent and still like statue.  Paralyzed in a mixture of fear and awe as the shape revealed itself.

It was a woman. Beautiful wasn't quite the word to describe her. She was ethereal. She had long red hair and a matching red and black dress and robes, both of which flowed as if they were one with the wind around her. Aside from the obvious red and black in her colors, her skin was pale, the whiteness stuck out as it seemed to glow.

As she made her way closer to Connor, she looked between the Mary and her son, and her full, red lips curved into a cocky and knowing smirk. Her eyes appeared white, seeming to lack any pupil or iris, but made up for them with the shades of red painted around her eyes.

Mary could see the woman's dress was almost transparent, showing the woman's imposing, but curvey form beneath/through her clothing. She was like the illustration pagan queen, drawn from an erotica novel. The air she carried about herself was one of attraction and dread. Like something out of an erotic nightmare.

As this ethereal woman reached Connor, she smiles down at the boy, who looked back at Mary with a look of genuine fear as she crouches down go the boy.

When Mary saw this stranger pick her child up, her instincts kicked her paralysis to the curve. She found her resolve and strength, and sprang forward.

"Stay away from him!" Mary shouts, ready and willing to rip this woman apart like a lioness, for laying so much as one hand on he son.

When she was within reaching (and choking) distance, the red woman glares at Mary which alone cause her to stop, despite herself.

Then the woman looks to Connor and began to sway left and right as Connor began to whimper. When she spoke, the woman's voice implied a Celtic origin.

"Ring around the rosie," She sings.

"Let him go!" Mary shouts, finding her voice but faltering when she tried to find her will to fight.

"A pocket full of posie," The red woman sing, kissing an increasingly uncomfortable Connor repeatedly on the cheek.

"Give me my son!" Mary all but lunges on the woman.

"Ashes, ashes," The woman says turning towards Mary, forming a wide smile "They all. Fall. Down." She holds the boy in the air and tosses him up several feet.
Mary found her will to run again, and just manages to catch a crying Connor, trying to shush him as the woman backs away with a clapping giggle.

Mary turns to the woman and red with a vicious glare "What the Hell are you ?"

"Exactly," The woman says with another giggle "Who I am, is a name long forgotten. Olympus has fallen. Asgard has fallen. Buried by the church, I stand as the last of the gods of old. Perhaps you heard my name in fables as you grew. To many, I am the last daughter of the Morrigan. My business...is with your family."

Mary says nothing, still a little in disbelief as this woman continues. Connor was burying his face in the crock of her neck.

"I...don't take many things personally, Miss Reid," The woman says as she begins circling Mary "I have lost a few great battles in my time - to warriors who thought they slain me; Beowulf, Arthur, Marshall. Not even Cù Chulainn could get the best of me. But your brother- he knows I will awake, and already he is on the path that can assure my destruction. My true death, so to speak. Already he's learned too much, and there is little I can do to stop him. I figured, you could be more persuasive."

At this point Mary finally found her voice.

"No, I can't." Mary shakes her head "I am dead to that world. Buried. As is whatever grief I have with my brother. I will be of no use to you and whatever fight you have with Jonathan."

The woman sighs sullenly "I was thinking you'd say that. You're trying to make this harder than you should be. But rest assure, I can make it the easiest decision you'll ever make."

"You have nothing to offer me," Mary says, looking at Connor "I have everything I could want here. There is nothing more I can ask for."

"I can give you something better. For you and for him." The woman answers her "Do you not know what the power of the Morrigan grants me ? I hold dominion over those who die under me. Be it by my hand, my words and will. Say, a plague. Just as you. Just as your son."

Just as the woman says this, Connor began to shake in Mary's arms, crying and coughing.

"Connor ? Connor are you-?" Mary starts as Connor breaks into a loud coughing fit.

The woman's smile became more and more mirthful as Mary does what she can to try to soothe the boy.

"Stay with me, Connor." Mary says reassuringly, but unable to believe it herself "Mummy's here, mummy's got you. It's all going to-"

Mary tries her best when a red smear of blood starts to form under Connor's nose.

"Connor ? Conno-" Mary is yet again when Connor began to cry louder and louder, blood splattering from his mouth with every cough.

As he did this, the child's skin started to blacken and crack at Mary's touch.

"Mama!" Connor wept again.

"Connor! No, don't!" Mary says as she starts to whimper "Please! Don't leave me again..."

Just as she says this, Connor fell through her arms and fingers and into a black heap of dust.

"No..." Mary whimpers, barley audible in her voice, tears already running down her face as she collapses into the dirt beneath her.

The woman in red's smirk doesn't falter as she walks up to Mary and crouches down to her eye level.

"Poor, poor little Mary...surely you must see my reasoning now-" The red woman says brushing a lock of Mary's hair, before the latter lunges, tackling the woman into the river bed.

Mary holds her head down, choking her out with one hand and smothering her face with the other "YOU MONSTER! YOU TOOK MY SON FROM M-!"

With little effort but a lot of force, the woman shoves and Mary lands a dozen feet away in a heap as the woman casually gets up. Indigently huffing, she advances towards Mary, staring daggers.

"That is quite enough from you. I must say from one mother to another, one mustn't resort to theatrics. Truth be told, it's quite fucking embarrassing."

The woman looks down at and begins circling Mary as she wept on the ground.

"Why ?" Mary sobbed "Why me ?"

The woman in red continued circling Mary, casually  drawing a mark in the sand with her foot "I have been bested a number of times Miss Reid, and I have been disappointed a number of times by my Disasters. But you're brother, and Miss Harriet Jones ? Have been one to many. And now he is well on his way to discovering the means of my ultimate destruction. I cannot awake to prevent him myself, and I feel I am to make an example of my sons latest example. And what better example than the first sin of his unlife ?"

Mary looked up in utter disbelief at what has happened and what she was hearing.

The woman crouches down, once again at eye level with Mary, her smirk once again forming.

"When you rose, you were a walking reminder of his original sin. A murderous disaster in the making. I wish I could have remedied that. Perhaps than, your brother wouldn't have killed you; how many of us wouldn't sacrifice a loved one for the world, or the world for a loved one ? It is a story told time and again, and it's always been one of my favorites. Would you not do the same, Mary Reid ?"

Mary finally found her voice, however broken it sounded "You want me to kill my brother."

"No," The woman in red cooed, wiping a tear from Mary's eye and licking it off her finger "I want him broken; him and any other mothers son Myrddin sends to best me. Just as broken as you are; as you were when you first awakened."

"...my son.." Mary says in a timid voice.

"I have taken him. I can give him back. I can give him back in a stronger, more powerful form. Give you two the life you could only wish for." The woman explains in a tender voice, brushing hair out from Mary's eye "Would he not be worth the world, Miss Reid ?"

Mary was still and silent for a moment before the woman spoke again.

"I can always leave you here to think about-"

"What must I do ?" Mary asks "What must I do, just tell me..." she says in a broken tone of voice.

The woman's plump lips curved upwards in a self-satisfied smile, as she reached upwards to the top of her dress. Mary was taken aback as the woman's clasps and buckles opened. Once she had the bindings undone, the woman shoved the robe down her arms, revealing a pair of round, full breasts. Bringing own hand up, the woman clawed one of her finger nails into the nipple drawing out the smallest bit of blood.

"Drink." The woman whispers, taking a cradling hold of Mary's head "From me."

Mary's eyes widened, and her mouth fell open in a gasp, but she felt the woman clutch her dark hair. Her eyes darted back and forth between the woman's pale eyed and her breasts, like she couldn't believe she was actually doing this.

She thought "playing" with other women in her living days, but her fantasies from way back when where in a more romantic or ideal context. Not this nightmare.

The woman then she used her grip on Mary's head to urge her forward...

----

As she did before, when she awoke in the grave, Mary dug her way out with her fingers and teeth, through the dirt and the snow.

When she emerged from the grave her vision was dilated. She was disoriented, and confused, but she knew she wasn't alone.

In fact she was surrounded by dozens of dark shapes; many looked human but there was a certain boldness and non chalance about them. Even with the sight of a woman pulling herself from the grave. It was as if they were expecting Mary.

One of them in particular stood before Mary, walking up to her with an open embrace.

"Dìlseachd, dìlseachd, dìlseachd, a-mhàin dhi," she heard them, chant, through muffled voices.

As the apparent leader of this crowd took hold of her, she felt something like a needle digging into her neck.

"Dìlseachd, dìlseachd, dìlseachd, a-mhàin dhi. Dìlseachd, dìlseachd, dìlseachd, a-mhàin dhi."

Mary felt herself collapse into this figures arms, and the arms of many others, pulling and handling her like a rag doll as she fell into an exhausted heap.

As she drifted off, she heard the woman in red's voice speak out above them.

"A-mhàin mi..."

When Mary's eyes open she found herself in darkness.

At first it took a while for her eyes to adjust, but she soon realized she was in a bedroom.

It had a plain, if familiar look to it; no noticeable designs painted in the wall, just a set of mirrors, and a queen sized bed at the rooms corner. She climbed from the bed with a yawn and stretch. She turns to see a window, and when her eyes fully adjusted, she saw she was in a three story bedroom, and wherever she was, it was a cold winter night, with nary a star in sight.

Mary walks to the window, noting a plain white dress she wore, and how her dark hair was now down. As she looked out into the night sky, she began to collect her thoughts.
As it call came back to her, Mary felt a shiver up her back, turning around as she heard a gasp.

Mary looks over her shoulder to see her door was open, and a girl standing in the doorway. She was clearly a handmaiden, had a short blonde haircut, and couldn't be older than fourteen to fifteen years of age. She was carrying a basket of clothes, which she dropped and spilled on the floor beneath her.

"Istenem!" The young maid says with a covered mouth "Sajnálom, I must inform the Mistress."

"Wait!" Mary says, stopping the girl before she could leave. When Mary walks closer, she notices healed marks on the younger girls wrists, and neck. Furthermore, the girl was very much thin and pale, as if feed upon for days, if not weeks.

"I'm sorry," The girl mumbles as she starts picking up the spilled clothes.

"Here, let me." Mary days, picking up a long and elegant blue dress "I take it this is my new evening wear ?"

"Igen," The girl nods "You were not supposed to be awake."

Mary nods a little, taking the dress and laying it neatly on her bed.

"Do you have a name ?" Mary asks, turning back to the girl.

"Kara," The handmaiden answers timidly "I was tasked by Mistress Elise to be your chambermaid."

"How long was I here ?"

"Six weeks," Kara answers "I was in charge of tidying your room, feeding you as you slept...bathing you." She sounded especially ashamed of the last bit.

Mary pauses and brushes that part off before asking "Can you tell me where I am ?"

"Vár Bíbor Mezők...Hungary." Kara says "I-I really must go. I am to tell the Mistress when you awake. If I keep her waiting, I sleep in the Vaságy. Again."

As Kara says this she grabs hold of her  wrist in a defensive manner. This didn't escape Mary's notice and felt a pull on her maternal feeling that still lingered in the back of her mind.

"Go then," Mary nods "Do not disappoint your Mistress."

Kara gives another nod, before timidly leaving the room.

Mary turns back to her bed, looking over the dress. If she was to meet this woman, she was to make herself look presentable.

----

Later in the night, after Mary got out of her nightgown and into the blue dress, she made her way down the halls.

She was led by Kara, and when Mary took in her surroundings, she wasn't too impressed.

Growing up with a background such as hers, Mary was a little accustomed to visiting manors - be it attending parties or family gatherings, summer homes, even the odd visit to a castle. She felt that if you seen one castle, you have seen them all.

Two things of not stood out; the portrait that seems to appear in every hall; they all depicted a rose, always with an exaggeratedly large thorns.

The second thing she noticed was all the servants. Little if any of them was any older than their adolescence. All wore white, form fitting clothes befitting of younger children. Pale and fragile, much like Kara, they too bore the marks on their wrists and necks.

They all averted their gaze when she tried to look at them.

Kara approached a door, and cautiously knocks.

"Belép," another woman's voice answers.

Kara nods and opens the door; the room was a particularly large library, little to no different that the ones Mary spent her early blooming years in. Mary notices how nervous Kara is staring at the fireplace before them.

There sat a woman in one of two chairs reading a nondescript book, and them staring at them expectantly.

She was about her mid thirties in appearance, and while as pale as her servants, her skin had a more lively hue to it. Her hair was an auburn brown, and shoulder length. She wore a black and white dress as elegant as the one Mary wore, but highlighted by the silver and jewels she wore on her person and in the dress itself, and a necklace of roses.

Her eyes where as bright as they where blue, giving her a surprisingly lively appearance, and her lips curved into a knowing and expectant smile.

"Mistress Bathory," Kara does a curtsey bow to the woman "Your guest has been prepped and dressed as you have requested."

Mary turns her head back and forth between the servant girl and her Mistress, visibly caught off guard by the mention of that name.

"You are dismissed, Kara. Go now, least I call upon you again for personal expectation." The woman replies with a hungry looking smirk.

Mary notices the way Kara shifts and looks away under her Mistresses gaze, clutching her arm in a defensive manner. Kara hastily bows her head and leaves the room.

"So the kis galamb has awakened," The Mistress addresses Mary "Please, take your seat." She gestures to the chair opposite of her.

Mary wordlessly nods and makes her way to the Mistress.

"Mistress Bathory ?" Mary asks "Would you prefer if I refer to you by title or name ?"

The Mistress smiles and takes Mary's hand once she's close enough, kissing it as if she were a man trying to charm her.

"My name ? The Bathory name has haunted me for generations. No doubt you know the tales and rumors that slander my great, great, great, etcetera grandmother." The Mistress speaks as Mary takes her seat "I have tried to marry out of the name, but a suitor hears the name Elsie Bathory, they tend to flee. It's not a lonely existence of course; as you can see I have quite a collection of company from the war orphans. I give them a home, and meaningful labor, and ask very little in return than their blood, swear and tears."

"Hmm," Mary starts "And I take it that's the official story ?"

The Mistress giggles in a mirthful manner "A clever little dove, are you ? I'm sure you have other stories ? Well, out with them then."

"Why am I here ?"

"You are here," The Mistress starts "Because my higher ups, my own lords, wish for your protection and education."

"But I am quite educated in quite a few matters," Mary says unsure of where this was going "What more do I need to learn ?"

"Your place," Mistress Elsie answers. She gets up from her seat and circles Mary's chair, affectionately(?) brushing her hand across Mary's neck.

Mary freezes at her touch, mortified and confused about what was happening. She didn't move out of fear of this woman's ire.

"There is to be a feast within a fortnight. I am to host, and you, Miss Reid, are the guest of honor.

As she says this, Elsie's hand brushes down the side of Mary's side, increasingly making the younger woman uncomfortable.

She now stood close to Mary, staring down from in front of her as Mary looked up, feeling like a confused child. All the Mistress would have to do is sit and she'd be on Mary's lap.

"Tell me Miss Mary," The Mistress asks softly "Have you've... been with anyone recently ?"

"I don't understand-"

"With a man and/or woman, is what I mean." The Mistress clarifies.

Mary felt herself flush and look away "N-not in - I don't know how long I have been carnal with a man. W-women I have considered-" She stops herself when she realizes what she is saying "Why is that important ?"

The Mistress takes Mary by the chin and makes her face her.

"Consider it part of your education." The Mistress leans down, and presses her knee softly between Mary's legs, causing the younger woman to gasp/moan and tense beneath her "As it is with my servants."

The Mistress backs away, this sudden action causing Mary to gasp again as she was just getting used to the sensation.

"For future reference, when your Mistress asks of you something of you, you will give it to her. Least you invoke my displeasure  Understand ?"

Mary gives a shaky nod at Mistress Elsie's voice.

"Good." Elsie answers looking around "This Library, as with my servants, are at your disposal."

As she says this, she takes Mary by the wrist and stands her up.

"For each night that passes until the banquet, I will educate you here on our history one night, with your physical education on the next. My servants, will feed you, bath you, dress you, anything you deem fit. Kara will be your personal handmaiden, but if she is to displease you, feel free to ask for a new one. What say you Miss Reid ?"

Mary took a moment to take this all in before asking with a quiet voice "I don't have a choice, do I ?"

She knew she was in trouble with Mistress Elsie gave another mirthful giggle. She felt the mistress run her hand down her back, taking a pause on the spot were Mary's rump meets her thigh. This causes Mary to shake out more words.

"I have one other question." Mary says shaking as the older woman released her grip. "Can you tell me exactly what's happening to me ?"

"You were picked as I was," The Mistress answers "To carry our mothers spirit and spread her will on others such as us. I too, was once in your position. Marked by the Blood Queen."

Bathory looks up, paying close attention to the portrait of a knight hanging over her fire place.

"We are part of a...club. Although naysayers will call us a cult. The Mother's Children." Elsie starts "They found me when I first married, and gave me a place to make a name for myself. In return, I was to create what you may know as disasters. I was...sterilized, so to speak by my enemies. But what I lack in power I more than make up for in influence."

Elsie turns back to Mary.

"It was them who found you. The last Disaster has, well, ended in disaster." The Mistress says with a shrug "And so we move to correct their mistakes. From what I've been told, your brother has learned to much already. To much of us, and to much of the Blood Queen. And that is why we called upon you Mary Reid. And why I will teach you in our ways. Any more questions ?"

Mary once again takes a moment to take in all this information "I take it we are to start to night."

"Tonight ? No, you take the night and what time you have to relax Miss Reid. Enjoy my manor or my servants, whichever you prefer. Many don't get a second chance at life...you should count yourself lucky you got a third one."

She once again takes hold of Mary's hand and leads her towards the doorways.

"Of course, it's never too early to share our history..."

----

That is how is started with Mary Reid.

Not a disaster or champion herself, Mary carried with her the spirit of the Red Queen; and wherever she goes and leaves her mark, the Red Queen makes her home.

Under the teachings and watch of "Elsie Bathory", Mary learned of whom to seek - it was the usual targets; hurt angered girls or young women, with the offer to "become whole". Most of the time these women were victims of abuse, neglect, traumas of any kind. Mary was picked because she understood what they needed, and would give it to them.

They where the kind of women The Mother's Children prey upon the most.

To some, Mary was an essential key to the Mother's Children, the one who goes where "Mother" calls. And wherever that was, Jonathan and/or what allies he made fought against them. Disaster slain, rinse and repeat.

To others, Mary was a glorified cult prostitute - even though she didn't always use sex as a method on these girls. In fact, more often than not, she just had to play the role of a motherly figure for the girls who needed one.

Mary would travel throughout England, the Celts, Slavic countries and Denmark. She turned eighteen women in four years; and each and everytime, Jonathan would put them down when research turned fruitless. It went on for years, putting no end of chaos on Jonathan Reid's shoulders.

Over the years, she traveled throughout Africa, Asia, North and South America, where more of the same took place.

Every so often, Mary would encounter Jonathan over the decades. Some of them where more desirable than others. Wherever the Woman in Red calls Mary too.
Over time, Mary learned more and more of the origins of the Mother's Children, the hidden role they had in myths and legends. It would seem they had a hand in every culture, whether recorded or not.

Hence why they reach or try to reach into every country they can.

Mary was told of Mordred, the infamous knight of legend and myth; the bastard son, nephew and usurper of Arthur. To the Mother's Children, he was far, far more than that. The risen messiah, true leader of this religion of theirs; made as much for he risen within the generation of his "death"; and the mediator, for his direct connection to the Blood Queen.

He was said to lurk among his followers as a snake in the grass; devil in plain sight.

Chances are one has crossed Mordred's path whether they know it or not. They wouldn't see him ruling from the shadows, dressed in extravagance, as dark lords or the type are classically said to do. In fact, the alias he takes once he approached someone may surprise them. No one knows they met him until he wants them to know.

Or in Elsie Bathory's own words; "When I met him, he was working for my family as a stable boy named Mattheo."

In Mary's case, when she finally (properly) met Mordred, it was in this club in Toronto, Canada in 1973. He was a lounge singer, going by "Gordan Wilson". He'd would preform covers of course; Don't Pull Your Love and The Night The Lights Went Out in Georgia were favorites of his.

This was also how Mary found out she unwittingly met Mordred in 1920.

And four more times since then.

For quite a while since she met Mordred, Mary found herself alone, separated from the rest of The Mother's Children. On one hand she found herself with more and more freedom over time, but every now and then she would hear the Blood Queen's call.

And on multiple nights, Mary would awaken crying from dreams of Connor, always within the Red Queen's grasp.

She knew she wouldn't be free for quite some time.

The time came when she heard the Call of the Red Queen again.

It was the year 1997, and it took her to a quiet, rather unassuming town in Oregon.

Mary spent no more than four days and nights in that town before she left, but as usual, she left the mark of the Red Queen there. And so the Queen's spirit lurked in the town unseen and undetected as she has before; watching and listening to the people of Arcadia Bay.

They had no way of knowing she was there, even as she stood beside them
.
At most, people would dream of her voice, or a raven. Many felt a something pull them to this town, and general area, from these dreams. Especially from the rotten and corrupt, though few ever reach Arcadia Bay itself.

One day, in the summer of 2000, she would watch unseen as two girls played a game of pirates in the sandbox. She became rather fixated on the one who was especially close to her father.

"Ah, there you are: a happy, innocent little tyke, aren't you ? I've been looking for you. I've been looking for you."

That little girl was the first of many girls in the county who had the Red Queen's attention, but this girl was her favorite life to play with.

As for Mary Reid; she never again heard the Queen's call until April of 2013. 

She was in Portland then, and would awake from a cold sweat, in her studio apartment.

With a haste in her step and as naked as the day she was first born, Mary reached for her bedside phone and dialed in an important number. It takes four rings before someone answers.

"Speaking ?"

"Lizzie ? Lizzie, it's me." Mary breathes out.

"Mary ? Mary, where are you ?" The voice of Elizabeth Ashbury asks.

"Portland, I've held a gala here in March, I thought you got my invites." Mary says with a sigh "It's not about that Lizzie...I need to see Jonathan. Is he with you ?"

"We're still looking for him..."

"Okay," Mary nods "I'm gonna seek you out. I think something is happening or is going to happen."

----

May 24th, 2014, Los Angeles

Rachel Amber - or Vivian Manning as she goes by - waits one night at a car in a parking lot.

She has just finished her latest trip to one of Steph's shows. She's made a near weekly habit of attending them over the past few months.

Coincidentally, or not son coincidentally, Cathy would always find where Rachel is sitting. Rachel low key thought Cathy was flirting with her, and made efforts to change her appearance slightly for whenever Steph would meet her face to face. And of course, Cathy would insist on meeting Rachel with Steph when the show was over.

"Do you always have meet and greets with fans, or is it just me ?" Rachel would ask.

"Only when they're cute." Cathy winks.

"Ah, so it is just me." Rachel would say coyly.

Rachel has seen Steph perform in as Lucy in Jekyll & Hyde; an extra in Hunchback of Notre Dame, based in part on the Disney movie; and as Fiona in Shrek the Musical - unlike Hunchback, Shrek mostly kept away from using songs from the movie, which Rachel wasn't too big on. Honestly if the show opened with a live rendition of Allstar that would have made her goddamn night.

Rachel was hoping Steph wouldn't recognize her but that was getting hard with how extensively Steph would look at her everytime they met.

What Rachel would do usually is color and cut her hair; currently she is wearing her hair short and in a comb over fashion; dyed black with bright red highlights.

So far it seemed to do the trick, just keep up the valley girl voice for as long as she can, and hope to got Steph doesn't connect the dots.

But Steph isn't stupid, Rachel would think to herself; in fact Rachel felt she herself was stupid for thinking Steph would fall for it.

That being said, so far it is working.

Every so often, Cathy would make a point to corner "Viv" after every show, and try to force a conversations with her and "Viv" would have to excuse herself when Steph looks at her too long.

One night, "Viv" had a dog in the vet, whose results she's waiting for; one night she had visitors from out of town coming the next day, and she had to prep her house. Another night, she has a photoshoot early in the morning.

Tonight, she's run out of excuses. Rachel waits at the side of a car, pacing back and forth. She considered bailing on this meeting all together, when Cathy came walking at a fast past towards her.

"You came!" Cathy says enthusiastically.

"I...said I would." Rachel remarks, noticing Steph trailing behind at a slower pace.

"Cath, babe, she's going to say no, just leave her alone." Steph starts to say  as she catches up, but Cathy ignores her.

"Steph and I, have been wanting to speak with you for some time," Cathy says pulling an awkward looking Steph to her side "We really appreciate you coming out here to show your support, and we've been meaning to show you our...gratitude for some time."

This causes Rachel's eyes to bulge and dart her eyes back to back between the two women.

"I...uh...appreciate the offer ladies." Rachel says with a flustered laugh "But, uh, I'm more of a dinner and a movie girl. Then we see where the night takes us."

This makes Steph blush and look away, and Cathy let's out a small chuckle.

"No, no, bien sûr que non," Cathy waves dismissively "We are having reservations for four in two days, and the other two flaked out on us," The French woman playfully bumps, Steph on the elbow. "This one, she never knew how to behave with others. Made me a break a glass last week."

"Mmm, is that so ?" Rachel says, keeping her eyes on Steph, specifically how uneasy she looks at Cathy "Well, I'll see what I have available this week."

"Perfect!"

----

Given the line of profession Rachel acquired over the past few months, she has also gained both lady and gentlemen callers. For this date Rachel picked out this girl she met a while back, Tracey.

Tracey was a local girl from Beverly Hills, an aspiring young actress and singer Rachel (as Vivian) met at a few parties and exchanged numbers with.

They were not going after anything serious - nor did they expect any, given they are currently on different paths (Tracey taking a two year college course, and Rachel being a vampire who has to keep a low profile least she invoke the wrath of more powerful and dangerous vampires.) - but they follow each others social media and she was the most "available".

Be it for booty calls, or just simple girl trips - matter of fact in the past couple of weeks, they made a trip to see Demi Lovato in Mexico City, and Miley Cyrus in Los Vegas. Rachel had to take some drastic measures to make sure she wouldn't be exposed to the sun (most notably an all day shower sex session); on one hand, she knew the sun was supposed to harm her, but her own exposure have her little more than hives.

In short, Tracey was the closest "Vivian" had to a real girlfriend at the moment, and of course she was available for the double date.

At Patina Restaurant, the four women were dressed in the most suitably extravagant dresses they could get their hands on.

The actual attendance was rather quiet and anti climactic. Despite being arm candy, Tracey was the one who did the most talking between the four, along with Cathy.

It was background noise for Rachel, as she kept looking as Steph stared at her, and would excuse herself to the bathroom every few minutes when Rachel would notice he staring.

Cathy would frequently make playfully snide jokes about Steph being on the rag this week.

On the flip side, Rachel was able to learn what happened to Steph after she left Arcadia Bay.

Steph - after leaving Blackwell for reasons she'd rather not bring up - found an arts school in the Seattle Area, before moving to California to study stage theatre. Unfortunately after her parents divorce, her dads been seeing a woman with rather…"conservative" beliefs.

Once Steph turned 18, she was significantly, and financially cut off from her family, with enough money for food or rent; not both. It was as the insistence of the new woman in her fathers life.

Luckily, Cathy would sweep after observing Steph's depression over her situation, and observing her while at theatre classes. Cathy was able to give Steph a home and money to get by; she also gave her connects she had in the stage industry.

It was a few acting gigs, and while she couldn't get any writing gigs for now, it was a start at at least. Everyone had to start somewhere after all.
Currently, they are staying at a Hilton Suite in Beverly Hills. Steph usually didn't go out without Cathy.

"So Miss Manning ?" Cathy starts "Do you have a story ?"

Rachel nods, and starts out with the same story he told Tracey or her other suitors as "Vivian Manning". It was a pretty generic, aspiring model story; rich girl with big dreams and daddy issues. She would even bring up the casting couch as a edgy realness take on her story.

It was less of a cover story Rachel invented and was partially a confession on her part. Either way, the "Casting Couch" bit caught Steph's attention. Tracey was unfazed, as this was something "Viv" told her about, and she previously decided it was best that Viv should work on her own pace.

"Oh my god," Steph says under her breath "You mean to say you where-"

"No," Rachel shakes her head defensively "No, not in my mind at least. It wasn't sexual or anything. I've posed nude plenty before, but that one time," she shudders a little "I think it had more to do with the guy who did it that screwed with me."

She thinks back to the Dark Room as the name slips from her lips before she could stop herself.

"Mark Jefferson."

There is a pregnant pause between the four.

"I take it you've heard of him ?" Rachel asks.

"He was all over the news so, yeah." Tracey speaks up "I hear he's a real monster. The kind of guy my dad and uncle would take back and-"

"Where are you from, exactly ?" Steph asks cautiously, looking a Rachel.

"W-why does that matter ?" Rachel asks back.

"It's just, the year before I left Oregon behind, the school I went to hired him out to teach. Was part of a bi-yearly tour he was on," Steph asks "I met him once, didn't really strike me as the monster type."

"They never do." Tracey adds.

Rachel looked at Steph, the way she changed. The way she looked back at her. It was familiar, all too familiar. And the subject of Jefferson, sent something going up her back like a snake.

"I''m- I'm sorry," Rachel mutters "I have to go. Mother Natures suddenly calling."

Rachel gets up and hastily makes her way to the bathroom.

She spends the next eight minutes hunched over the sink staring into the mirror.

She wasn't crying, but she sure as hell felt like it.

Steph has been having that effect on her lately. Rachel only ever sought her out was for that familiarity that nostalgia she had for Arcadia Bay. But with that brought reminders of the past she didn't welcome in comparison.

It brought her back to Jefferson, it brought her back to Nathan, and it brought her back to the fact that she should be dead. And yet here she was, a blood sucking corpse, walking and talking when she shouldn't.

Having to pretend to be a girl who didn't exist in order to move around, least she invoke the wrath of much more powerful, blood sucking corpses. Even the name "Vivian Manning" was a reminder of Jefferson (specifically an art gallery they attended once).

Her train of thought was interrupted when Steph enters the room with a calm but reassuring smile.

"I'm just checking in. Are you alright ?" Steph asks, taking her place bedsides Rachel.

"Just needed to be alone with my thoughts," Rachel says truthfully "A lot has happened for me in just a short time, I didn't want to make a fool of myself."

"You didn't. These things usually mean you've been strong for too long." Steph puts a hand on Rachel's shoulder "It also means you might need one to share the load. I guess your friend Tracey is helping you with that ?"

"She has her own problems and doesn't need to be dragged down to much. We're more like friends with benefits than anything else; we aren't really that close." Rachel shakes her head, her eyes water a little "It doesn't matter. It's my fault for bringing it up at all."

"No. It's really not." Steph nods "Look...I know I haven't been where you are, but I have seen the dark side too. By the looks of it, you needed to get a lot off of your chest."

Rachel hears herself sniff a little as she turns "What are you saying ?"

"What I'm saying is," Steph starts, taking Rachel by the chin and making her face her "I think you need an old friend to talk to."

Steph says this with the confidence and comfort of someone who knew "Viv" for years. Which she technically did, but, Steph wasn't supposed to know that.

"But I don't know that many people here," Rachel says, looking away with a chuckle.

"Well," Steph says, cautiously putting her hand on Rachel's "You can start with me, Rachel."

This causes Rachel's head to perk up and turn towards Steph, whose comforting smile was replaced with a knowing one.

"S- Steph, I don't know who you-" Rachel starts to stutter before Steph places a hand on her cheek.

"You've always been a terrible liar, Rachel Amber." Steph says with a soft tone "You'd always dart your eyes whenever you are caught in one, and you scratch your ear when you get flustered."

Just as Steph says this, Rachel glances aside to the mirror to see she is doing just that.

Signing in relief and defeat, Rachel turns back to Steph.

"How did you guess ?"

Now it was Steph's turn to look in the mirror.

"Actress, Rachel, and a theatre student in case you forgot. Had my suspicions for a while now. I heard about what happened in Arcadia Bay. Really got to me, y'know ?" Steph says with a sigh "Been following the news and everything."

Steph shrugs before looking at Rachel.

"I've been hearing you are dead. You were Arcadia Bay's favorite victim. Things got out about you and your dad tried to make it a publicity circus about his lost daughter." Steph explains, and Rachel buries her forehead into her hands with a groan.

"Of course," Rachel sighs, shaking her head in her hands , before looking back at her "But how did you guess, Steph ?"

Steph now has a sad smile as she looks to Rachel "I know it's kind of stupid of me to say this, but...For a while now I don't think I got over my crush on you."

Rachel couldn't help but smirk and snicker at this.

"Shut up, it's true!" Steph blushes a little before her mood dowers "I was really upset when I heard the news. Cathy teased me about it of course- and I just kept following the stories. One of them was about how your body disappeared from the morgue."

Steph sniffs a bit before she continues.

"So that night you came to my show, Cathy insisted on having me see you. She must have recognized you from pictures on the news, but when I saw you, I didn't want to believe it; I was almost relieved when you said you where Viv Manning. And Cathy kept showing me and teasing me, and I didn't know what to think." Steph shakes her head "Then you told that story. The daddy issues, the dreams of being a model...that monster Jefferson. I just knew."

Rachel has to choke back a sob before lunging forward and pulling Steph into a hug.

"I am so sorry," Rachel says "I am sorry I put you and everyone else through that; you, Frank, Chlo-"

"Rachel, I am not the one who needs apologizing too, and you are not the one who should be apologizing." Steph says before breaking the hug "But Rachel, I need to know the truth about what happened in Arcadia Bay; people just don't come back from the dead like that, and you certainly didn't feel like a ghost just now."

Rachel opens her mouth to start talking when the door swings open, and a women who had an unfortunate accident involving spilled drinks entered, grumbling herself at having to clean off.

"We'll talk about it later, I think we kept our dates waiting long enough." Rachel answers.

When they got back to the table, neither Rachel nor Steph said much. They just kept giving knowing looks to eachother.

By the dates end, Rachel and Steph where in considerably better spirits.

-----

May 27th, 2014

Rachel made her appointment for Steph three days later.

Cathy was out, had a nieces birthday to attend in San Francisco. Steph was playing sick. Steph wasn't allowed to have guests over when Cathy wasn't around, but what Cathy didn't know wouldn't hurt her.

Rachel finally arrives shortly after the sun went down; the excuse she used was "I had a photoshoot in the morning and this afternoon."

When Rachel enters in the Beverly Hills suite, she let out a deep "Whoo" at how spacious the place was.

"Yeah, I get that a lot." Steph replies to her.

Rachel is given the expected guest routine; take a seat, have a drink, make herself at home.

Rachel takes her seat on the living room couch and when Steph goes to get her laptop, she makes a note of all the pictures on the wall.
They where all of Cathy. Specifically about her accomplishments; family photos, graduation photos, pics she's taken with celebrities; practically an entire vacation album.

The only ones of Steph where of her in her more sexualized stage outfits; a couple of her sunbathing on a breach, including some pics of an irritate Steph, having her top stolen by Cathy while on the beach. Steph herself didn't look too pleased when she saw Rachel looking at these pics.

Rachel saw her discomfort before saying "I know it's not for everyone, but there's nothing wrong with the human body. You don't have to be embarrassed."

"I know." Steph nods setting up the laptop "Its just sometimes I want to feel like less than a trophy. I don't want to be someone else's bragging rights, you know ?"

Rachel's understanding nod cues Steph that she doesn't have to explain the bit where Cathy tossed her top and towel into the water at that beach, and made Steph retrieve it herself.

And if Rachel averting her eyes on the laptops wallpaper was any indication, she didn't need to know why the pic was of an indigent Steph getting a shower curtain pulled open on her.

Luckily, Steph gets chrome up, and gets to the news articles.

"Okay, these sites are the one that about cover everything that happened after you disappeared. Total media circus, I'm surprised you don't know about it already." Steph explains "I was emptying out the dishwasher, so I'm just gonna finish up while you catch up." She says as she excuses herself.

"Okie, dookie."

With that, Rachel was alone to read for the next hour or so.

First few articles cover what happened with/too Jefferson and the Prescott's. Jefferson immediately got the FBI (and mentions of the FBC. A typo maybe ?) involved with his arrest, and the multiple cases such as his throughout Oregon and several other states. Supposedly the Prescott's were prepping to throw Jefferson under the bus as if he was the only one involved.

With the Prescott's scrambling to fix up the mess, a few of Sean Prescott's own skeletons in his closet slipped up. Particularly an incident involving a girl young enough to be friends with Kristin Prescott.

And when Prescott Senior couldn't make these skeletons disappear, he too disappeared. Some think he entered himself into witness protection, and left his remaining family to deal with the fallout. With his many assets frozen, and Prescott lost total control of the situation.

So much corruption and decay underneath Arcadia Bay's shiny surface was unearthed, that what happened was almost a relief.

Almost.

The next articles covered...that incident. Rachel didn't need to be reminded about it.

Skip.

Next dozen or so articles cover the victims and what survivors. Some she knew, others she didn't. Some of these survivors where made out to be harrowing heroes, as well as would be victims; they spoke of this girl, Kate Marsh, and this other would be victim in Max Caulfield, who was listed as a "critical witness" to Jefferson and Prescott's activity.

Even Victoria Chase was on that list of survivors.

Rachel was familiar enough with Max from how Chloe would often bring her up. Seemed like a cool enough girl from what she heard or seen of her so far. After what she heard Max has been through and was almost put through, she really wanted to meet her and tell her everything is okay.

Despite this, the media put less attention on Max and more so on the likes of Kate Marsh or Victoria Chase.

They where the favorite survivors.

Not to diminish whatever they went through, but the way the media covering them went about advertising them over talking about the others, rubbed Rachel the wrong way. It seems at times the media cared more about Kate and Victoria's respective backgrounds, such as religion or class. It felt like these "heroes" where being exploited for being victims.

It got so bad that Victoria's family had to step in to take her out of the spotlight.

Kate Marsh was followed from her hospital, to her home to her church. Kate eventually stepped out of the spotlight herself after having a panic attack over having to speak of her experience at a few churches by her mother and aunt.

As luck would have it, survivors and others traumatized over what happened where being at a private clinic in Seattle; this is where Marsh, and Chase were both treated.  Rachel almost felt like she was reading some Hollywood romance when news came out that Marsh and Victoria also came out (pardon the pun).

Suddenly, Kate wasn't the perfect victim her churches wanted to exploit. It really made Rachel's day!

Or night as it where...

The next article or two was about Nathan Prescott. These made Rachel uneasy.

After what happened, and Sean Prescott let Nathan to take his fall after the fact; responses where mixed. As was Rachel's own feelings on the matter.

Depending on the outlet that covered Nathan Prescott, he was either a privileged, Joffrey-esque prince who got exactly what he deserved - in fact he deserves worse than what he got. To others, he was a poor, poor victim of mental illness who needed help; that he was the biggest, and ultimately the only real, victim in all this.

As Rachel read over this, she was as much a mixed bag as her feelings for Nathan. She remembered his problems, both affecting him and affecting others. But she also remembered him as her friend; someone she bonded with over the past few years, even grew to care about.

Same as Chloe, same as Frank.

Nathan was someone she could talk to, and Rachel liked to think she was someone he could talk to as well. A constant was their daddy issues, problems from home.

That's not to say, Rachel didn't talk to Chloe about her issues and visa versa. But the thing is, Chloe's issues and her own where apples and oranges in comparison. With Nathan, things just sort of clicked.

But now, Rachel wonders how much of it was real on Nathan's end. Now with Victoria Chase on Jefferson and Nathan's list; and Victoria was Nathan's best friend!
Rachel shook her head before going to the articles she was going avoiding up until now.

The ones covering her.

After Victoria and Kate where no longer the ideal victims, and with no one left to exploit, that left only Rachel Amber. And her story went well beyond the Dark Room.

After the fact, Sean Prescott's skeletons in the closest where not to only ones. Now the media was all to eager to get their hands on whatever Rachel's secrets came out, all too eager to make "Arcadia Bay's Favorite Daughter/Student" into the favorite victim.

Or at least the version of Rachel Amber they wanted.

See, the narrative was told by a number of character witnesses. At least those who could speak out. But it controlled primarily by James Amber.

The story they told of Rachel Amber was of this pure, perfect teenage girl. The ideal daughter, the ideal student from the ideal background and family. The perfect narrative foil to both Nathan supporters and detractors. All but crowned the "Princess of Arcadia Bay", taking to a dark place in her life at the behest of "Undesirable Influences".

To them, the "Tragedy of Rachel Amber" had more to do with her going off the "right path" than her actual disappearance, or even her death. After all, if she stayed with more desirable peers, wouldn't have died in the first place!

Who cares if her now troubled relationship with her father pushed her away from her family ? So what if James Amber's past relationships with Sera Gearhardt, and the fact he was paying for her silence came to light ? Why does it matter if Rachel was one of many young women groomed by Mark Jefferson ?

If you where to believe the narrative spun by certain news outlets and a few character witnesses (such as one Eliot Hampden), Chloe Price and Frank Bowers where more to blame for Rachel's death than either Nathan Prescott or Mark Jefferson.

And that's what really started to get to Rachel. You hear from the right news outlet, read the right comment sections ? You get a whole lot of bullshit painting Chloe as if she were the villain of Rachel's story.

The moralizing of Chloe and any noticeable slip up was outstanding.

Especially from character witness statements; you hear a story of Chloe taking a muffin or two from a bake sale her mother catered at, you'd think people were talking about Albert Fish.

Or that time Chloe once snapped at Victoria Chase over a catty comment on the anniversary of her father's death ? Who cares if they both apologized and talked things over ? Did she not know Victoria was being groomed by Mark Jefferson ? Clearly, Chloe needed to be a little more sensitive.

Within the same sections, what Nathan did was a trivial matter at best. The response to a character witness describing Nathan spiking a drink at a party and talking the witness into silence; "Well what did you expect him to do ? Do you not know how serious mental illness is ? He needs help, not punishment!"

And that's not getting to the Jefferson apologists.

When someone with fame or influence becomes a subject of controversy such as this, thru have as much passionate supporters as they do detractors.

Jefferson was a B List celebrity in the photography world, and was arrested for forty seven (and counting) cases of abduction, assault and murder across several states and several years. So simply put, Rachel was surprised at how much people where willing to defend him.

Then again, even Ted Bundy had charmed numerous women through his trial and even his imprisonment.

Rachel decided she was about done reading when she got to the part describing the death threats the "Blackwell Survivors" have been receiving for speaking out against him.

Rachel shuts the laptop with an indignant huff, closes her eyes and shakes her head. When she opens her eyes, she sees Steph sitting beside her, looking at her expectantly.

"I didn't want to interrupt you." Steph says.

"I didn't know the full story," Rachel shakes her head "This was a lot to take in."

"Yeah well, it wasn't a picnic for me to look through." Steph shrugs, which catches Rachel of guard.

"Oh my God, Steph; I'm so sorry-" Rachel starts, and instinctively tries to hug her, before Steph waves her hand dismissively.

"Don't worry about it." Steph says "I told you that you don't need to apologize to me. But Rachel, I need to know how you are...you know, not dead ? After reading all that about you, I think I am at least owed an explanation."

Rachel takes a moment and a deep breath, collecting her thoughts.

"Well Steph, old buddy, old pal, old chum of mine ? I don't know what to say. Fact of the matter is I was dead for months, and have been awakened by a cabal of vampires, worshiping a dark goddess of death and war. I rarely ever hear from them but they watch me like a hawk; and I think they want to use me for something. Oh, and I am a bloodsucking leech myself and have to wean on blood bags least I terrorize the good people of Los Angeles as the half human ghoul I am! I got a working air conditioner though, so that about checks everything else."

That was what went through Rachel's head. What went out of her mouth was.

"Look Steph, my death ? Part of a cover up. After what happened with Jefferson and Nathan, I was left for dead. These people found me and tried to keep me safe." Rachel says, partially telling the truth "Think of it like...an informal witness protection deal. I was supposed to wait until everything blows over...and you should know the rest."

Rachel gestures to the laptop to empathize her point.

"Yeah, I know." Steph nods "I wanted to reach out to people, y'know ? Drew, Mickey ? But you can guess how much luck I had in that department. I wanted to go to the service, but Cathy gets the first and only say in trips."

Rachel nods, and because it felt like the right thing to do, pulls Steph into a hug, catching the girl off guard. Steph nearly flinched away from the hug, before she returned it.

"I am so sorry- So sorry, that I don't think I can apologize enough-" Rachel starts to apologize before Steph cuts her off.

"And I'm sorry you where put through that monster," Steph replies "But Rachel, I have to know- have you tried reaching out to anyone else ? I think I shouldn't be the only one-

"No!" Rachel says defensively, breaking the hug before collecting herself "No, I already took a risk seeking you out. And even then I think that was luck more than anything else."

"But Rachel, what about your pare-" Steph starts before Rachel interrupts her.

"I will deal with that when the time comes," Rachel starts before settling on her excuse "Look Steph, a case like mine - a highly public case like this; people are going go be asking questions when or if I just come out of no where. And after everything that happened in Arcadia Bay, especially with Prescott senior on the loose, it's probably for the best that I stay Vivian Manning for the time being. Just wait until the trials over at least...it just doesn't feel safe you know."

Steph takes a moment to take this all in and nods "Okay...Rachel, I know it's not much coming from me, but as a friend, I promise I will do everything within my power to keep you safe...if you let me."

Rachel gives a beaming smile and nods "Thanks Steph, and it actually does mean a lot. But remember; in public, I am Vivian."

Steph smiles drawing a cross across her heart and holding her wrist out; she has only one pinky finger out. Rachel looks and holds out her own pinky, wrapping it around Steph's and locking them together.

The two girls laugh at the gesture but unlocked their fingers from eachother; a pack more binding and sacred than a handshake.

After a moment, Steph breaks the silence.

"So, what do we do now ?"

Rachel sighs and leans back on the couch "I don't know. I feel like I can't just leave after letting all that out, or taking all that in...and it wouldn't feel right leaving you here by yourself."

Steph hesitates before she comes up with a suggestion.

"I've been wanting to see that new Spider-Man movie. Cathy doesn't want me watching stuff like that; says superhero stuff is beneath me. And I'm usually not supposed to leave our suite alone...so I guess I could use a plus one."

Rachel takes a few seconds to think about it before nodding "Spider-Man, huh ? Well looks like my schedules clear for the night."

"Perfect," Steph says getting up from the couch "We go now we can be forty minutes till the next show."

"Well then," Rachel says getting up after her "Time stands still for no woman."

"Just let me get my coat and wallet." Steph says heading to her room at a brisk pace.

When the two girls left for the movies, unbeknownst to either of them, a many cam from behind the living room TV was recording everything.

-----

June 22rd, 2014, California

Rachel woke up feeling a tad annoyed, and on the edge.

Any other day, she would make some excuse to hang out with Steph or any number of gal pals, but lately Steph had to check in the hospital. Few days ago, she had an accident with the oven; the stove slammed on her hand and now she was bed ridden over it.

Left in Cathy's care of course.

If that's not enough, Rachel got messages the past couple days from her handlers. It was rare when they reached out to her, usually just to remind her of her place.
Recently she has received a new message; "You've enjoyed your seven month vacation long enough. Boss man wants to see you."

Rachel read up on to know about the boss man; Mordred of Fey, Bastard of Arthur. Apparently the stories told of either King or Usurper did neither justice. In short, Rachel was not just meeting an apparent celebrity within the vampire community...but a villain from a story book she read when she went through that mythology phase as a kid.

How much of it even counted as mythology at this point was up for debate.

In the past few notes she read on this cults history, she learned not only King Arthur and his Knights had their hands in the vampire cookies jar; she learned of Cù Chulainn, the "First Champion of Myrddin" (or as he was known then, "Lugh"); Beowulf was the second champion, and Grendel was a damphir - the first damphir in fact.

One thing that confused her was how the sunlight was supposed to burn and even kill vampires. Not something Hollywood made up, but recorded instances in their history; that's how Cù Chulainn and Mebd, finally died. The most the sun did to her so far was make her sluggish and develop a skin rash. She'd have to look into that.

Rachel was told that a limo will pick her up the coming nights. His one request to her was to make herself look presentable; or just to doll herself up as usual.

The night the limo came for her, Rachel washed the colour out of her hair, presenting it in a wavy style; she dolled herself with makeup to give herself a goth aesthetic; black cocktail dress, white (fake) fur coat and thigh high leather boots.

She would be driven out of the city, and Rachel would otherwise think of those gangster movies where they drive out to the desert, put two in the back of the head bury you in an unmarked grave.

Would that even work on her at that point ?

Luckily, Rachel was occupied with small-talk with her driver; she was probably the last person to talk to about having to deal with cheating and divorce drama in the family, as well as how family is good support system...but it seemed cathartic for him.

----

The ride pulled to a stop at a high rise in Malibu, where she was greeted by four security guards. One of which opened her door, while the other paid off the driver.

"Vivian Manning ?" A guard asks.

"How'd you guess ?" Rachel asks as she steps out of the back door.

"It's on the top of the guest list. We're here to escort you."

As the limo drives off, said guard points up the building; coming from the windows on the first four floors, and the loud and muffled music within, Rachel quickly realized this was a party.

"Boss man's penthouse is the top three floors. He's waiting for you upstairs." The guard explains "You will call him Miles Winters when you see him. Understand, Miss Manning ?"

That was all the cue Rachel needs to know that they know.

"Yes," Rachel nods "Of course."

The four led her into the building, through the main lobby, towards and into the elevator.

Up they went and Rachel felt time still.

She didn't know what to make of this really. She was meeting Mordred - that Mordred - and knew little of what to expect.

All she knew was she was picked for a purpose. What that purpose is must be something dramatic if the cults history was any indication.

She has heard how they take "wronged women" and turned them into monsters. And if the narrative she was told is true, she was picked to be a killer.

Thing is despite everything, Rachel never seriously considered herself a killer; or at least not a murderer.  She could see herself getting into a fight, maybe taking a life in her own defense and that of someone else.

These fangs of hers were made for chomping, but she is not one who would chomp on the life of the innocent and drain said life from their bodies.

When they reached the third floor up, Rachel was immediately hit by flashes of red, green, blue and purple.

Rachel flinched a the immediate flashes. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust to a sight.

You see one pent house, you see them all really. Same goes for rave clubs and strip clubs. Whatever Mordred was like in this day and age, he sure knew the party/playboy atmosphere for sunny California. She just didn't expect he would go all out on the image.

A guard takes Rachel by the shoulder and says "His eyes are on you, you know."

"What ?" She asks back.

"Mr. Winter." He says "He's waiting for you upstairs."

"You're not gonna escort me ?"

"Sorry Princess, someone's gotta stop the drinks from being spiked." The Guard points to a door on the far side of the floor "Just follow the stairs. Top floor."

"Thanks," Rachel nods as she made her way through the crowd.

It felt and looked typical rave or strip party in La-La Land – loud music, booze, drugs and lap dances, people going to other rooms to take these "dances" further. The speakers shook through the house with the beat of Eminem and Nate Dogg's Shake That Ass For Me. The party was in full swing, and if some of the looks Rachel got as she made were any indication, some knew she wasn't human anymore.

Step by step, Rachel refused any drinks offered to her by the men in here. Women too. She had to keep a clear head. Rachel nodded at some of the guests who wave at her as she combed the crowd.

One song ends, and the other starts with Beautiful Dangerous by Slash ft. Fergie.

Despite refusing any drinks, Rachel found herself getting engrossed in the atmosphere.

Normally, Rachel was like a force of nature at these things. Any strip club she visited, she would get a lap dance with no less than three strippers before leaving. House parties, she'll drink you under the table just to show off her lung capacity. At a rave, any encounter was a dance off, even if it's with someone working the bars.

As of now, something was off for her. Other than a preppy smile and sharp swing of her hips, shaw-shaying with each step.

Making her way to the stair well, the second floor up from this party was a bit of a whiplash. The music was faded, just barley a muffled beat. The hallway was dark other than the lights in each room.

In these rooms, it looked they where shooting porn. Six bedrooms and a bathroom, and not a single closed door. Rachel took in the sights as she passed each door, and it brought this feeling of adrenaline running through her head. Rachel would give a nod, a thumbs up, or a polite "No thank you" when someone asked if she'd like to join.

She passed a room with two guys copulating with one girl at the same time; said girl looked more into it than the guys. Next room she passed had two girls performing oral sex on five different hunks, one seeming to be new to this and needing tips from her partner.

Room number three had two guys taking turns on eachother, while a third was waiting for his turn. The room after that had an orgy of eight women an a sign beside it reading "No Toys or Boys Allowed".

Room number four had two women having sex while a group of men and women cheer them on, making suggestions of what to do to eachother. Room number five had a hyper sexualized version of the "Spin the Bottle" between a group of college aged male and female players; the bottle landed with a young man about to preform oral sex on another.

Next was the bathroom...she doesn't want to THINK about what was happening in there. Some people just have their limits.

The last room was of a threesome between three woman, one in her early twenties an the other two in their late thirties, by all appearances.

As she walked past the last doorway in the hall, she shuddered a little. That feeling she had in the hall, that "musical energy" (for lack of better words), simply faded. It was like waking up from a summer day, and into a winter one. It was like she walked through a fresh crime scene, and brought with her a feeling of rot in her stomach.

If that was the high, this was the hangover.

It brought back memories of when she watched Requiem For a Dream when she was a kid; you'd think that she'd be scared out of drugs and open sex after that.

And yet here she is.

----

The last floor was another standard penthouse. Not alive or buzzing like the party three floors down. Most she could say of it was there was more windows than walls.

There was one light on, a blue one at that, and that was outside the building itself and on a balcony. There was a single figure, sitting at a table on said balcony, looking over it's shoulder and waving her over.

Rachel took a deep breath "Here goes nothing, dollface."

Rachel made her way to the balcony, noting the glass door was open, and stared down the man looking over the city, paying her nothing but a nod.

The man looked to be twenty nine years of age; he was pale for certain, and the light seemed to make his skin shine. He had a well built frame, broad at the shoulders and narrow at the hip. The way he had his feet up on the table shown he was about as tall as Frank or Mark. He was certainly attractive, could pass for a male model. His face certainly looked liked he was on a magazine cover.

In this light, his hair color was indistinguishable, but Rachel guessed he was a dirty blonde or a light brunette. It was a short hair cut, with a cowlick on the top. He wore a set of shades and appeared to have a 5'O Clock shadow growing in. He had this calm and collected smile, and wore a set of leather boots, dark jeans, and a dark red leather bomber jacket.

As he finishes up a bottle of whiskey, he regards Rachel and gestures her to take a seat in a chair opposite of him. As Rachel did so, he spoke; he had a light accent, she couldn't tell if it was British or Scottish.

"Helluva view, isn't it ?"

"I guess," Rachel nods "Are you him ?"

"I am a him, yes." He answers her "Despite some...recent depictions."

"But are you...Mordred ?" Rachel ask cautiously.

He turns to her with a raised eyebrow and takes off his glasses; his green eyes seemed to glow a sharp contrast with the blue light "Bold of you to be throwing my name around like that...Rachel Amber."

"I mean", Rachel shrugs "If no one else is here, I suppose we could go by real names tonight."

"Fair enough," Mordred chuckles, taking the base of his bottle, tossing it up in the air and catching it "I see you've been playing my game, Miss Amber."

"What game ?" Rachel asks.

"Chameleon," Mordred answers "Always being someone else to someone else. Been following your story and all, eventually taking time to keep a personal eye on you."

"You were watching me," Rachel says "How much did you see ?"

"Well, let me tell you this," Mordred starts "You met me twice when we dropped you into LA; but you may not recognize me, but we also crossed paths in recent weeks. And as of late, thanks to that little trip to Mexico City, Heart Attack and Let It Go was stuck in my head for weeks."

Rachel didn't know how to react to this, so she says the first thing that comes to mind.

"Sorry about that," Rachel says meekly "Were you in Arcadia Bay as well ?"

"Not since '97. I haven't even set foot in Oregon in about a year. As for that game of Chameleon," Mordred replies "You've been playing that game for so long, and yet only recently, have you been playing it right."

"And you want to teach me."

"Let us say, lead by example." Mordred replies "When the time comes, it is I who shows Mother's newest champions what to do when the time comes."
When the time comes. Rachel was afraid that it was going to come to this.

"You see," Rachel says "I don't think your mother picked correctly when she picked me...I don't have what it takes."

"Care to explain ?"

"I've been doing some looking into your religion. I keep seeing all this apocalypse stuff here and there and-" Rachel was at a loss for words as she scrambled to find them "That's not me. Not who I really am."

"Isn't it really ?" Mordred asks with a cheeky grin "You think we're just going to wipe out the world ?"

"What would you call it ?"

"Clearing out the filth." Mordred says as he gets up from he seat and walks to the edge of the balcony, empty bottle in hand "You see the filth of this world, the empires and governments as you know it. How many times has a country gone to war over a mineral ? How a King let his reign end with a failed marriage ?"

Mordred tosses the bottle of the balcony before turning back to Rachel.

"How many injustices does the world have to suffer before bringing an end to it all ?"

"By killing people ? Look," Rachel says getting up from her seat "I read Animal Farm in Freshman year, I know where this kind of revolution leads too."

"What would you prefer ? That those who harm you and the system that protects them go unchallenged ?" Mordred asks, taking a phone out of his pocket and looking up a news article "I would think you of all people would wish for true justice."

He hands Rachel his phone, showing yet another article about James Amber and what his family lost and demonizing the people who tried to help her. As usual, Jefferson, Prescott - the actual people who killed her - was something more trivial when it came to what happened to Rachel.

"We can help with that, y'know." Mordred remarks "We can pull a few strings bring Mark Jefferson to you...Prescott Jr ? That's a little complicated. Senior ? Missing and unaccounted for. I've seen enough of you to know you don't fancy yourself a killer, but even you may feel the desire for revenge."

Rachel looks away from the article, which Mordred notes.

"Your eyes speak a lot for you, Miss Amber. But I need to hear your words." Mordred says as he flips through the names "What about him ?"

Rachel looks back to see a picture of James with a fourteen year old her.

Rachel just closed her eyes and dwelled in thought as Mordred continues to speak.

"For what it's worth, I am not trying to start a war...if I could help it. These days, we aim to be a little more insidious. We can…bring him to you. We know of how he wronged you."

Wronged her ?

It was James keeping secrets that pushed her away; it was his own lies that being parroted for the media narrative. The Amber's were seen as an inversion of the Prescott's (at least those that don't bend over backwards to defend Nathan), so of course the perfect missing rich girl, would contrast the poor, troubled mentally ill rich boy.

Once again Mordred speaks; "He hurt you. Not like Jefferson did, but still, he tried to...hurt your birth mother."

Rachel looks up at Mordred as he says this.

"Like, I have been there before...my father tried to kill both my birth and adopted mother. I've walked a mile in your shoes so I can simply say-" Mordred stops, glancing up at the sky briefly to think of what to say "That's rough buddy."

"Your mother...the Queen." Rachel says in a half effort to distract from the subject.

"The Blood Queen raised me, brought me up where I would have died. Had it not been for her, I would not be the man I am today." He says plainly "My birth mother...slain by the son of the man who raped her own mother. I have known for sometime, that she died so that I would live in her place."

As Mordred says this, he looks like he's walking deep in his own thought's and memories, which allow Rachel to explore her own.

She thinks back to the picture, specifically the trip they were on. She was twelve and her family wanted to take a trip across Canada. Or at least a couple of provinces; Rachel particularly remembers when they visited the Anne Of Green Gables house on Prince Edward Island, and Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Nova Scotia.

The latter trip is where the picture was taken; specifically, they were to join in a Titanic tour, and they took a picture at the grave of James' great grandfather - a man who was on the fateful voyage, and the only one in his family who didn't make it.

Throughout that trip, a younger Rachel would make unfunny jokes about her stepmothers name being Rose. Rose laughed, but Rachel knew she was just being a mom.

Honestly, Rachel thought back to how much of a daddy's girl she was. He was the one who encouraged her dreams of being a model as a kid, being an actress or photographer. But that changed years ago for Rachel. She probably wouldn't be as resentful if her father was more honest to her; she isn't exactly an honest person herself.

It's the lengths he went to - what he tried to do to Sera - That is what pushed Rachel away. All Chloe did was tell her the truth. And it was James levels of dishonesty that made Rachel question everything in retrospect; just how much of it was real. The fact that James made her own death more about him and what he wanted Rachel to be all but solidified this to her.

Maybe this was his way of getting back at those who stole his perfect daughter ? That's all her death was to him.

Rachel has no such thoughts on Rose though. Whenever she thought back to or read up on Rose, she seemed passive in comparison to her father. Rose, despite not being her blood mother, felt more real to her than James after the fact. Rose was the one who taught her how to ride a bike, drive a car, tie her shoes. She was there for every sick day and nightmare when he was little; every scrapped knee and flu shot.

It was these moments Rose brought up on the rare occasion she spoke out about Rachel. It honestly tore Rachel a little more than it did with her father.
Rachel hears a fake cough and turns her attention to an expectant looking Mordred.

"One word, and one call is all it takes, Miss Amber." He says calmly.

Rachel didn't notice until now how watery her eyes were. She wipes them quickly before handing back the phone.

"I'm sorry, but...No." Rachel shakes her head "No, I can't put my step mom through that. Not after all that."

"Suit yourself," Mordred nods "But if you prefer we can talk business."

"Business ?"

"For when fun time is over!" Mordred answers with a bit of enthusiasm "You didn't think my family took you into the fold without out of the goodness of our hearts did you. We can show you your place in this family, and how you can help us make the world a better one. Be as a pawn or player."

"That doesn't sound like you're giving me a choice."

"Think of life like," Mordred stops to think of the right word "A video game. Are you a gamer, Miss Amber ?"

Rachel crosses her arms "I am more impartial to visual novels, but go on."

"You've got the players and the player characters." Mordred raises his left hand to empathize his point "Some people, they are pawns in the game of life. They can only move from one goalposts to the other with the guiding hand of a higher power. That is how the pawn wins the game."

Mordred raises his right hand to further empathize.

"Then you've got the player, the one who pushes their hero or protagonist on to the end of the game; some cases make the hard choices for them."

Mordred gestures to the penthouse inside.

"I do so for my businesses. And playboy Miles Winter ? He likes to take his work home as you can see."

Mordred gestures Rachel to follow him inside and she does so.

The lights flicker on when they reach a coffee table in his living room, Mordred has Rachel take a seat. Rachel does so, sitting on the couch while Mordred goes through a nearby shelf.

"When you say you take work home with you-" Rachel starts.

"Not me. Not Mordred." He interrupts her "To them I am Miles Winter; playboy on the streets, player on the sheets." he says as he hands Rachel letters to read "I have four strip clubs in this state alone and all kinds of connections in the porn industry."

"Really ? I would not have guessed." Rachel replies with a blunt sardonic tone, thinking about the "activities" going on downstairs.

"Sex sells, Rachel Amber." He replies "So long as it's under studio contracts and no one sleeps around in my clubs, I am as good as gold. Keeps the money in Mr. Winter's pocket."

Mordred passes her papers with a red mark across their tops.

"Gerald Wilfred," Rachel says, reading the name on them.

"Reported drug boss, but the law hasn't found anything of him. No concrete addresses, no pictures, no witnesses willing go talk. Nothing. And a player of Chameleon, much the same way Rachel Amber and Vivian Manning are."

"He's you." Rachel nods, quickly picking up on what he's saying.

"You catch on fast kid."

"I mean, you all but told me yourself." Rachel says with a snark and a shrug.

"Yet there is still a lot to learn." Mordred says with a smirk "I rarely make public appearances, you know; a lot of the time, I rarely meet my employees face to face. And when I do, I try to make sure they don't know it's me. Email here, phone call there. So long as two people who know my face don't meet, I'm in the clear. It was easier twenty or so years ago, before social media picked up..."

"And your businesses ? They overlap, do they ?" Rachel inquires before she connects the dots.

"My ladies and my gentlemen, work more than for money. In fact they are willing to give their hard earned money for products grown on Gerald Wilfred's farms." He answers her.

"You mean to say you're-" Rachel starts before she's interrupted.

"An salesman and employer who provides jobs, products and services for those who need it and have no other opportunities." Mordred says in an insistent tone, before he calms down "Look, whatever you may think of me, everyone from the lowest dealer to the highest escort have a place in the empire to come. They are the bricks, we are the builders. I must ask, of one who is as...active as you, what is your opinion on the sex industry ?"

Rachel sighs, and takes a moment to think before she answers "First and foremost, I believe what a person does with their bodies is up to them. Be it a sex worker or exotic dancer. As long as it's their choice, what am I to say ?"

"Exactly," Mordred says with another smile "Although there are instances where we need to guide their choices. For without us, they are lost." He looks over Rachel's face, sensing her uncertainty as she looks away "If it made things easier, why not I treat you tomorrow ? I'll give you a tour of our barn, our "pen" in Desert Shores. Give you a chance to look at the dark side and think things over. Perhaps you'll find something that tickles your fancy ?"

"What, do I have a choice ?" Rachel asks.

"Not really no." Mordred answers "Tell you what, I'll let you sleep on it." He points down a hallway "My guest room is the second door on the right. Me ? I got business elsewhere tonight."

"Well," Rachel pauses "Looks like I got more to gain than to lose do I ?" She adds with a cheeky smile like she couldn't believe this was happening.

To be fair, if you met an Arthurian Knight - who offered you a place to sleep for the night - running a pornography studio - ran an orgy under his residence - offered to show you where he works - and spent the next evening showing off a 2004 Honda Ridgeline like it was a prize horse...you'd have a hard time believing your situation too, wouldn't you ?

-----

Rachel was in a considerably better mood, but uneasy.

Mordred shed his "Miles Winter" persona, in favor of "Gerald Wilfred"; a different, more "country" style of shades, a set of blue jeans, work-boots, and a dark grey hoodie that made him look bulkier than he actually was.

It brought Rachel's thoughts back to Frank - honestly them hitting the row like this brought back this time she and Frank went on a camping trip together.

----

It was June 2012; Chloe left Arcadia Bay to attend her grandmas birthday. It was on the Price side of the family, and supposed go be a family affair, which is why Rachel couldn't come with, as Chloe says; by all accounts Joyce and David were an awkward presence to say the least.

Rachel and Frank ended up taking a trip of their own, to this park out of the county. It was a camping and hicking trip, and on their trip Rachel hoped she would see something big and wild.

Be careful what you wish for, as some would say.

Frank was out picking up firewood, and Rachel went about taking nature photos, when she spotted two bear cubs play wrestling in a clearing.

It was such a sight that Rachel couldn't resist taking a pic. She wasn't satisficed with the first two, and cautiously made her way toward the clearing.

She then heard a bellow behind her.

Rachel turns to see Mama Bear twenty yards away, with Rachel standing between the mother and her cubs.

Rachel remembers the "Ahfffuck!" that slipped out of her mouth.

She tires circling put of the bears way, but it made two bluff charges at the direction she stepped.

The second one made Rachel trip onto the forest floor, and unfortunately her camera ended up nearing the mother.

"At least it's not raining," Rachel thought in a gallows humor sort of way. This was at the back of her mind; what was in the front of her mind, and out of her mouth wasn't coherent enough to put into words but roughly translated to "FRANK! BEAR!! HELP!!!"

The mother bear reared up onto her hind legs and let out a roar that made all but one raven fly from the trees.

Rachel's mind was scrambling. She tried to remember what James taught her in her girl scout days about what to do in a bear attack. But that wasn't what kept her attention; her attention was squarely on the bear going down on all fours and making her way towards her.

Rachel tries to crawl backwards and turned her head to see the cubs scrambling their way up a tree.

That is when she hear the gunshot, echoing around the area.

The mother bear turns around, and Rachel sees Frank shouting and shooting his handgun into the sky above her.

Rachel looked back to see the cubs, and shouts to Frank while the bear has her attention on the man, and his yapping little dog.

"Frank! Don't! The cubs!" She shouts to him again.

Frank looks up to see the little ones in the tree, and starts backing away, using one had to hold Pompidou by the collar.

"Get back to the RV," Frank shouts to Rachel "Now!"

Rachel scrambles again to find her feet, panicking as Mama Bear had her eyes off her. She is quick to pick up the camera, but time seemed to slow when she passed the bear herself.

Once Rachel reached Frank, the mother bear was still standing her ground, and makes another bluff charge, while the two ran back to the RV. Frank stayed behind a few more seconds before catching up to Rachel, still holding Pompidou's collar.

By the time they reached the RV, it seemed Mama wasn't chasing them, but better safe than sorry.

Once they where in, they pull the RV out of their makeshift campsite - Frank was loudly lecturing Rachel, asking what she was thinking, while trying to calm Pompidou down.

Rachel ? She was calming herself with a hastily made joint, still on the edge of tears.

"Rachel? Rachel!" Frank says to get her attention "What the Hell where you thinking ?! You've could have been-" Frank stops himself to banish the thought.

"I'm okay! Okay ?" Rachel snaps back, as Pompidou climbed back onto her lap.

"No! It's not okay!" Frank says "Even if no one heard my shots, sooner or later someone's going to find the casings! My gun's registered in my name, Rachel! Shooting in a park ? People are going to go looking for me, track me down in Arcadia Bay, ask what the hell I'm doing out there."

"Just say you where with your girl and she was attacked by a bear. You don't have to say who..." Rachel says, hugging Pompidou close to her body.

"I'm sorry," Frank breathes out "Its just- if I lost you back there ? That would be on me."

"No, it wouldn't." Rachel says.

"I can read the headlines already. A local drug pusher takes the rich daughter of the district attorney out to the woods, probably to do who knows what to her, and gets her eaten by a bear!" Frank says "Oh, and said drug dealer worked for Damon Merrick, you know the guy who stabbed you ?"

Rachel begins taking calm and deep breaths, letting her eyes water "I'm sorry, okay ?"

Frank sighs "No. No, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have taken you."

"But Frank," Rachel starts "I was the one who wanted to go, remember ?"

Frank laughs pretty humorlessly "I shouldn't make plans with you while blacked out. What can I say, Rachel ? You can be a bad influence on me."

"I have that effect on people." Rachel shrugs, before leaning in to kiss Frank on the temple. She then holds her hand up to offer her joint.

"I'm driving." Frank refuses.

"See ? Not such a bad influence now, am I ?" Rachel teases, ruffling Frank's head like he was a little brother and she was the big sister.

"Just give me and hour or so to cool off, okay ?" Frank sighs with a humorless smirk.

Rachel nods and heads to the RV's bed to rest and relax. Pompidou following after her.

That night, she and Frank set up their camp a little closer to home.

They parked sea side and spent the evening looking at the stars, talking about the constellations.

The Big and Little Dipper where easy enough to find; and Rachel mused out loud, how those constellations were once known as bears. Specifically, the Big Bear (Mama, Rachel used to call it) or Little Bear (Cub, Rachel used to call it).

----

Rachel was pulled from memory lane when Mordred - or "Wilfred" as she'll be referring to him - pulled his truck to a halt.

"Where are we ?" Rachel asks, causing Wilfred to turn his head, eyeing her in genuine shock.

"Wait,  you were asleep? While I was telling you of my history ?" Wilfred asks mystified "I thought you were in stunned silence when I got to my time in the Napoleonic Wars!" He says with an exasperated sigh "Now that was what I call a nostalgia trip."

Rachel looks out the window to see she's somewhere in the country side. Ventura County, she later learns. And they certainly where not alone.

There was at least thirty two parked vehicles.

The building was once either a sawmill or slaughter house, but has since turned into something else entirely. There was lights on the building and a dozen or so people walking in out or around - from within Living Colour's Cult of Personality can be heard blaring on speakers.

"Okay, whatever you do, stay away from the cages." Wilfred explains.

Rachel nods as she and Wilfred step out of the Honda and make their way though the clubs.

The interior was nothing spectacular. If you've seen Fight Club, or played the first two Def Jam games, you'd know what to expect.

There was cages where men, women and even the odd dog was thrown in, betters passing money over to Wilfred's employees, even deadpools writing on a massive chalkboard. Some comedian even drew the Deadpool character on the board as well.

In the first fight alone, Rachel witnessed one woman beat another's face in with a hammer, before both where forcefully pulled from the cages. They where taken into a room dubbed "med ward".

The subsequent fights got worse from there.

Wilfred places a hand on Rachel's shoulder and leads her unseen towards a metal stairway. The stairs here locked by a caged and chain, and guarded by a bouncer who regards Wilfred with a nod before letting them through.

Wilfred leads Rachel to a booth reading "Employees and VIP's Only: Get Lost or Get Buried".

Wilfred has Rachel take a seat in the booth to watch the fights from a higher view.

"What is this place ?" Rachel asks.

"A fight club; haven't you noticed ?" Wilfred replies, handing Rachel a drink.

"I can see that," Rachel rolls her eyes "But what's it called ?"

"I wanted to call it Herot," Wilfred answers "I would if these people could appreciate the significance. To them, it's just The Stag House. Either way it puts money in my pocket." He gets up from his seat as says this, "Speaking of, I'll be collecting tonight's earnings. You enjoy the show."

With that, Wilfred steps out of the booth.

Rachel, however, couldn't enjoy the show. Not for a lack of trying. She's the kind who doesn't mind watching violence in movies, TV or games.

This ? Was all to real for her.

In the past hour and a half she has seen four men, three women and four dogs thrown into the ring.

The crowds where jeering and cheering as the opponents brutally beat, bite or choke eachother. Mercy certainly wasn't in their vocabulary. Some spectators went as far as to pull a person or dog who got to close to the "ring", and maim the fighters. Others would throw in blunt or sharp instruments into the cage. No doubt trying to even the odds on their bets.

At the back of Rachel's mind she had this feeling niggling in the back of her head. That nagging voice telling her how she likes the bloodshed more than she should; that there is a sense of power in breaking ones body and spirit, and perhaps she should give it a try herself.

Rachel doesn't like when these thoughts linger in her head. It's almost always convinces her they are right.

It really makes Rachel think of Frank...specifically the kind of past Frank would talk about to her. How Damon had a club of his own for these kind of things.

Pompidou was almost one such victim of the ring, had it not been for Frank being a very persuasive friend. Rachel remembers a conversation she had with Frank when they drove home from a movie date.

----

It was back in August of 2012.

They pulled a stop for a "smoke break" just out of town to look at the sunset. The two sat on the hood of Rachel's truck.

Or Chloe's truck that Rachel borrowed off of her.

Rachel didn't find the sunset particularly spectacular. You see one, you see them all really.

Maybe it was the buzz she was feeling that made her feel more relaxed. Their talk took a turn when Danzig's "Thirteen" suddenly came on the radio, and Frank recognized it as Damon's favorite song.

"You know, I didn't think he was that bad of a guy at first," Frank says, and Rachel suddenly realizes that they where talking about Damon and how Frank got his hands on Pompidou in the first place.

"Really ?" Rachel remarks "He struck me as a bit of a cartoony bad guy."

"I'm not trying to make him seem like anything he wasn't." Frank answers "I just used to think there was more to him than what was actually there, you know ?"
Frank sighs before continuing "He gave me, Pompidou you know. Wanted him to be one of his dogs. Bigger ones kept eating all his food, and Pompidou wasn't growing, so Damon wanted him put down. Gave him to me to do the job."

"That doesn't sound like he was being generous." Rachel shrugs.

"I thought so too. I wanted to give him to a home myself, but no shelter would take him. He was malnourished and the shelters were full, so the little scamp got settled with me." Frank says with another inhale of his joint "I was going to hide him from Damon, but when he shown up at my trailer and saw a six week old pup sleeping running out the RV, he says to me - "Jeez, Frank looks like he's grown on you. Tell you what, you take him off my hands. Consider it this months payment!" - Next few days, it's all gifts from Damon; toys, dog food, you name it."

"I see," Rachel says "When was this again ?"

"About a week before the fire." Frank answers "I know what you're thinking; one week, he's like my best friend, the next, I'm beating his head in while he's trying to stab me. Makes you think, just how much of my friend was real."

"I know the feeling." Rachel starts "I feel the same about my dad."

Frank freezes when he hears that "Rachel, look- about your mom."

"You saved her life Frank. And you saved Chloe too-"

"Rach, I know what you're saying." Frank starts "It just doesn't work that way."

"But we have the mone-"

"No, you have the money." Frank says "I can't always have you buying off Chloe's debts. Eventually you're going to go broke."

"But it's Chloe's money too!" Rachel pipes up, before speaking more timidly "We went out of town for Chloe's birthday a few weeks back. I won't bore you the details, but we were able to raise 3200$ together." Rachel explains. One of the boring details was getting Chloe to her ovum's to an out of town clinic.

"And you two hold out on me because...?" Frank asks suspiciously.

"You know...for when we go for go for good." Rachel says, somewhat timidly but also knowing it would be a difficult subject for Frank to change to the matter at hand.

"And you can get Chloe's half ?"

"I can talk to her," Rachel says, leaving out the bit that she got Chloe to blow four hundred of her own share in their subsequent party adventures "What does 1200$ cover ?"

"May, June, and July." Frank says "That gives her another month to pay off. I was lenient for a while given her parents anniversary and dad's birthday. I can only go soft for so long."

"Just let me talk to her," Rachel says "I can be very persuasive...but let's not think about that now."

And so started Rachel's habit of taking Chloe's share of the little nest egg they started to pacify Frank.

It was dirty business, and in retrospect being a dirty friend, but as Rachel's grandfather once said "Miners gotta get their hands dirty, till they strike gold."

----

"How'd you enjoy the show ?" Wilfred's voice asks as he steps back into the booth.

Rachel nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt his hand on the back of her neck.

"I-I-" Rachel started to stutter as she looked up at Wilfred. Wilfred notices as Rachel wiped her eyes.

"Was still in dreamland, were you ?" Wilfred asks counting tonight's earnings of 4550$.

"More like memory lane." Rachel answers truthfully.

"What got you nostalgic ?" Wilfred asks looking around "Anything in particular ?"

Rachel looks away, before taking out her phone "I was just thinking about what I left back home."

Wilfred sighs with a nod before taking his seat across from Rachel.

"You miss your friend do you ?" Wilfred puts a hand on her shoulder "We've both been looking into your story for a while know. No doubt it's bringing back something that shouldn't be there."

Rachel actually feels her eyes water at how calm and understanding he's sounding.

"They're talking about her, you know ? And right about now, there's nothing I wouldn't give to reach out and-" Rachel starts before Wilfred interrupts her.

"And reveal to the world that you are not actually dead ? That would shoot the narrative of Arcadia Bay's Lost Princess in the foot. Wouldn't that be a kick to the crotch ?" He says with a snicker "A temptation to strong for a girl who thought she was stronger. There too are times where I wish I could go back to a more simple time. Before I got to where I am, but as far as I can tell, time travel isn't a gift my mother could give."

"I just want them to stop." Rachel says with a sad sigh "They might as well just parade my corpse around; they tell stories about a version of me that didn't exist. And when the people who actually cared tried to speak-"

Wilfred interrupts her again "You're talking about your father's favorite scapegoats."

Rachel nods weakly.

"I see; they can't blame the lonely rich boy. He's a victim of mental illness and therefore has no agency. The teacher ? Well, let's just say I have seen the Bundy trials. But the girl on the wrong side of the tracks ? Easiest target in the world."

As Wilfred says this, he pauses to let Rachel soak this information in.

"Moralists, Rachel." Wilfred says "It really doesn't matter. Holding one to a standard they don't hold another, patting themselves on the back and say - Thank you, God, that I am not like other people; extortioners, unjust, adulterers or even like this Tax Collector."

Wilfred takes Rachel by the chin, directing her to look out the booth "See those people in this crowd ?"

Rachel nods.

"I can guarantee you those exact people, are the kind of people you'd see in this crowd. The reason they moralize, Miss Amber is to distract themselves."

Wilfred explains, all but back to being Mordred at this point.

"That it is in fact, to hurt each other is base human nature. They fight amongst each other. Kill, rape attack to their hearts content. That is why I run these businesses Miss Amber, to show people what they really are. We bring down the system that breeds it, using it's own weaknesses. And yet they still look for an adulteress to cast stones at. I can guarantee you, hand wringers and pearl clutchers, you'd be hard pressed to find one not hiding a horrid porn history, or worse..."

Wilfred shudders on this bit.

"Sonic fans."

Despite herself, Rachel found herself laughing “What's wrong with them ?”

"If you don't know now, I'll spare your innocence." He says with a snarky smile, before deflating "But trust me, I'll give you a list of names to avoid looking up. There's Alice in the Rabbit Hole, and then there is Dante in the Inferno."

"I'll keep that in mind." Rachel laughs again before looking back at the crowd.

She sees three people walking out of a room with the sign "Med Ward". It wasn't an interesting sight in on itself, but it was the fact these where the same people who where left bloody and broken to the point of near death. When they where dragged into that room by Wilfred's employees, Rachel figured they where putting them out of their misery.

And yet when they come out from the room they are healthy as a horse, and off to collect a set of bills she later learned was "insurance" as Wilfred called it.

"Hey, so...what's up with that ?" Rachel asks.

"Oh that ?" Wilfred remarks "I told you we'd be going to one of my farms. Now that I collected tonight's pay, I guess sooner is better than later."

Wilfred takes out a few more wads and hands them to Rachel.

"How good at you at counting and dividing ?" He asks.

Rachel fakes a humorous snort and rolls her eyes "Please, that's what I was taught in pre school."

"Then you can multi task. Follow me." Wilfred leads Rachel out the booth and down the stairs.

As they make their way to Wilfred's Honda, Rachel finally asks "What am I supposed to be counting ?"

"Employees keep the place otherwise clean and otherwise safe; they get twenty five present in total and we split it from there. We pay them monthly to build up their earnings. Fighters get forty percent of their own winnings; an additional fifteen if they need insurance. They take a dive after betting against themselves ? They get a trip to the hospital, out of their own pockets." Wilfred explains "They get their pay every two weeks."

Settling into the Honda, Wilfred turns on the ignition before looking to Rachel as she takes her seat.

"But you want to see where the real magic happens."

-----

Hours later, somewhere in the AM hours, the Honda pulls into a farmland on the outskirts of Desert Shores.

The place was a ranch of sorts, a fairly large spot of land covering forty acres.

Place was what one would expect, with a large barn, one large house, and six trailers in the fields.

What stood out to Rachel was the presence of armed guards and a metal gate and fence surrounding the territory.

One such guard looks cautiously as Wilfred pulls his truck to the gate.

What the guard says genuinely confuses Rachel; "Don't Come Around Tonight..." he says expectantly.

Calm and collected, Wilfred answers him "Oh It's Bound To Take Your Life; There's A Bad Moon On The Rise."

Wilfred takes off his shades and looks to the Guard with a smile.  Rachel notices how the bright green in Wilfred's eyes seem to flicker.

"Hey there, Benson. How's your sister ?" Wilfred says.

"Jessie, she's uh..." The guard, Benson starts to stutter.

"Out of the hospital ? Got that broken leg of hers paid off ?" Wilfred says with a boyish, toothy smile.

Benson stares, mouth agape and almost paralyzed in appearance. Wilfred chuckles before he speaks again.

"Look man, if you needed a raise, you just had to ask. Don't need you sneaking your hands in the cookie jar."
Wilfred starts his truck up, and prepares to drive through the now open gate.

"Good evening, Benson." Wilfred says, waving as he passes.

"Does he know what we are ?" Rachel asks, looking over her shoulder as the gate clothes.

"My employees ? Quite a few of them know WHAT I am, but few know my true name." Wilfred explains as they pull into a drive way.

Rachel and Wilfred step out to see a pair of Rottweiler's, Siberian Husky's and a Pit Bull, going about their business or lying about. Guard dogs no doubt, but they look away from Wilfred's very gaze. On the farmhouse porch sits six men, sharing smokes and drinks, stopping to regard their boss as he walks up to them.

"This way, madam." Wilfred says as he leads Rachel to the porch.

"Hey boss," a particularly large man with a beard asks "Whose the new meat ?"

"There's a right way to ask a question Joe," Wilfred replies "And I think you would do yourself a solid to be less euphemistic regarding my new business partners."
"Of course," The big guy, Joe says, averting his gaze from Wilfred.

Wilfred turns back to Rachel "This is it; where the magic happens, my own little Wonka Factory. Why don't you introduce yourself ?"

Rachel takes a few seconds to think of a new name "Scarlet Rivers."

The six men greet her with variations of "Hello Scarlet" or "Hey Miss Rivers." As Wilfred leads Rachel by the hand into the farmhouse.

"Factory's in the basement. Showers are upstairs, because you're going to need them for what you're about to see.

As he leads her down the hall, Rachel quickly notices and gets annoyed by the tune he's humming.

"Come with me and you'll be," Wilfred starts to sing in a whimsical tone of voice "In a world of pure imagination..."

"Don't." Rachel says with a stern annoyance.

"You're no fun." Wilfred remarks.

When they reach the steps and door to the basement, Wilfred cracks open the door and a foul odor fills the air. A smell of fresh blood and decay.
It took Rachel back to when she first awoke as this.

Heading down the steps and to the large concrete room beneath them, Rachel gets a stronger whiff of decay that stars in the pit of her stomach and starts to boil in her chest.

"Buckets in the corner." Wilfred suggests "But I'd advise against contaminating the factory."

As cliché as it sounded the sight was like something from a shock value horror film. Like if Breaking Bad was made by Eli Roth.

Strapped to eight tables, was eight...people for the lack of a better word.

Pale, emaciated, almost decaying people stripped, spread out, while three different people in white jackets were working throughout the makeshift laboratory.

Their white jackets where smeared in a black and red liquid, as the "doctors" poked and prodded these victims in ways that are best left undescribed.

It brought to mind what little she felt Nathan and Jefferson do to her when she first left this world.

It was almost enough to make her vomit on the spot, but instead she ran up the stairs and to the nearest bathroom.

It was there she ignored to unkempt state of said room, as she regurgitates a mess into the commode.

She saw she didn't close the door as Wilfred - Mordred as he was now - stares her down.

"I warned you, it's retched work." He says, leaning to the side of the wall, lighting a cigarette "But someone's gotta do it."

"Wh- what the hell was that ? What were you doing to those people ?" Rachel asks, looking up and wiping her mouth off.

"People ? You may have heard about those high schoolers who disappeared in Indiana ?" Wilfred asks.

Rachel doesn't know how to respond, but just shakes her head "No."

"You know, those like minded to Nathan Prescott...Mark Jefferson ? Tried to emulate their style on three freshmen, if you catch my meaning." Mordred answers "Got a smack on their wrists, and when it caught the attention of one of our associates. We did the rest."

Mordred crouches down to Rachel and offers her a cigarette.

Rachel was still at a loss for words.

"I mean if you want to sympathize with potential rapists...it's not like they're exactly human anymore." Mordred explains, he sets Rachel up, and leads her to the houses dining room while she's still too mortified to speak of her own accord.

"It's here we create Black Water. Officially, it's a liquid narcotic. Unofficially, it's vampire venom mixed with the blood of the user. Knights of the Round used to use it all the time." Mordred says as he takes his seat at the amusingly circular shaped dining room table "It's how the myth of the Holy Grail started; guess you can say it's a family recipe of ours!" He finishes with a light chuckle.

Once again, Rachel is barley responsive, other than just staring at Mordred with wide eyes.

"It's not for everyone," Mordred shrugs "And there is set backs; being dangerously addictive and if overused, a rather frightening case of the munchies." He explains, leaving out the bit that said "munchies" entails cannibalism "But it can heal internal injuries, internal bleeding, broken bones; it's how we medicate our fighters at the Stag House."

"You...take their venom ?" Rachel says finally able to speak coherent words.

"That's what I just said. The Guard used to use it all the time." Mordred explains "Then there's our distribution of damphir blood."

"A-and what does that do ?" Rachel asks timidly.

"It's the reason you don't burn up in daylight like the others do..." Mordred gets up "Damphirs, as well as born vampire children, in general are a rarity, but despite what some may tell you, it's not impossible to create one...it just takes lots of work to do it."

Once again, Rachel says nothing.

Mordred continues; "Born vampires...damphirs. There's really not that much difference; with vampires by birth, they are effectively normal until puberty. If they succumb to the beast within at any point in life, they become like you and no different than what you'd expect from a vampire. If they resist the beast, they live, grow old and die as humans. Albeit, with a longer than normal life span."

"And damphirs ?" Rachel asks, once again finding her voice.

"They stop aging at a certain adult stage in their life. Not as strong as vampires, in fact most of them aren't expected to life into adulthood." Mordred says "At least they can withstand the sun."

"So..." Rachel starts, trying to connect the dots "You mean to say you take the blood...of children ?"

Mordred scoffs at this "Oh, no! We get our damphir blood from a very close source I like to call; Yours Truly!" He says, gesturing to himself.

Mordred gets up from his seat and circles behind Rachel, putting his hands on her shoulders. Rachel doesn't know how to react, and just sits there, still hazed from her stunned silence.

"I will not deny what I am, Rachel Amber." Mordred says "I have fought in nine wars before the twentieth century. I have been involved in some of the great atrocities you read of in history. If my role in any of these where brought up in those history books, I would either be seen a monster or hero, depending on the conversation. I have played the chameleon game for so long, that much like you, I find myself unsure of who I really am. But like you I now have the guidance to show me the way; all this to bring down a system we both know is rotten. I would like to say I am not going to force you into this life, but the truth is...I have no more of a choice than you do; you're in our debt, bound to us by blood and we have to find you some place in the world to come. The first thing you learned when we got to you was your new place in this. I will give you time to think of your role in this, but for now ? I recommend you shower."

As Mordred says this, he hoists Rachel up to her feet, and with a simple nudge, pushes her towards the stairs.

After that, Rachel takes one step after another up the stairs, and down the hall, already undressing as she makes her way to the shower room.

----

June 25th, 2014


The next morning, Rachel was on the road again, still wearing the same clothes as the past two days.

When Rachel returns home, she was told she was given three days to think over her decision.

Over the car ride, she was lectured by Mordred.

"You may find our organization disagreeable, Miss Amber, but I can assure you, we have nothing but your best interests at heart." Mordred would say.

"There are other organizations that you will find very disagreeable. And they have nothing but your destruction in mind."

She was told of the Ascalon club - or as they go by "New Ascalon" - and their leader and founder, Lady Ashbury, or "Blackwood" as Mordred calls her.

"I know what you may think of me, but do you believe that I would be lesser company than a woman who slaughtered an actual orphanage of children ?" Mordred would ask her "The club she leads, only seek to continue the old system. And don't get me started on her champion..."

"Champion ?" Rachel would ask.

"Jonathan Reid," Mordred says with a notable grimace in his voice "The last known champion of Myrddin Wilt. In the past ninety six years, he has been a stake in our hearts. He killed many women my mother tried to save, and turned others against our cause."

"Can you tell me why that's a bad thing ?" Rachel asks, finding a little bit of her courage "Sounds to be about the same as your little club."

"Fair enough," Mordred shrugs "But it's best you forget morality when it comes to war; in recent years, Lady Blackwood and her club has taken to ruthless extremes against our cause; she had the lot of us killed, talked others into betrayal, even invaded the minds of our loyalists. In 2008, Reid came the closest to killing me than anyone else since my father. My sources inside the Guard tells me he disappeared from their custody months ago. We also found out they too have access to damphir blood, which usually doesn't bode well if you look at their family history in recent decades."

Rachel pause "Say I don't believe you. That you aren't a reliable narrator ? What makes you think they won't talk me into their cause ?"

"In World War II, Reid killed one of my mothers champions when she tried to save her ailing brother's life." Mordred says, being intentionally vague about the details "She was fourteen." He adds "What makes you so sure he won't do the same to you without a seconds hesitation ? Whatever you think of us, Rachel, we are trying to help people and fix the world. Is that not a dream you wish you could be part of ? Rather than be a part of Blackwood's club ? You may not trust our word, but our word is all you have."

As he finishes the lecture, Mordred turns in to drive through the Hollywood Hills, making his way to Rachel's address.

"Tell you what; I'll give you three days to think things over...or else I'll have to take to drastic measures." Mordred says, pulling in on Rachel home in the Hills "I really don't want to see something happen to another one of my mothers girls, and I'm sure you've seen the many ways you can better benefit for aligning with us."

Rachel hasn't been in the sun in nearly a year. Not with it causing her to blister.

She's been told it really depends on how much damphir blood you get in your system. Her usual spiked dosage was a bottle caps worth; just slowed her down in daylight hours. A pint will give you a day (which was currently in her system to "cool her down"), and two liters will give you a week if you drink it all at once.

When Rachel steps out of the jeep, and Mordred drives off signs friendly wave, she looks up to see the sun.

The more she look up at it, the more she realized she missed the natural light and warmth it gave her.

This compared to the "warmth" Mordred tried to give with his friendly attitude, ironically made Rachel shudder up her spine.

Rachel steps into her home and let's the last nights events and Mordred's lecture to her flurry through her head.

Rachel walks towards her bedroom and slops down onto her bed in an exhausted heap. After a few moments, she drifted off to sleep. ore of a force of habit she picked up over the past of few months, and a genuine tiredness from the night.

----

By the time Rachel woke up the sky was a red orange color.

She was jolted awake by a missed phone call from Steph.

Rachel was ghosting her calls all of last night and the night before, and was out of excuse's now that she was home.

Picking her phone up and dialing a return number, she mumbles a bit when she asks "Hey, Steph sorry to keep you waiting; was on a bit of a bender..."

"Hey Viv," Steph's voice answers. In the few phone calls they shared, Steph would call Rachel "Viv" as a sign that Cathy was with her.

"Is that about your show ?" Rachel asks "I didn't think you'd still be doing shows with your hand in the cast ?"

"It's not that," Steph says in an uncharacteristically timid and somber voice "I can't stay on the phone too long. Cath and I are going to be out of town..."

"Okay..." Rachel starts unsure of herself "And you want me to check the m-"

"No, nothing like that." Rachel could practically hear Steph shake her head insistently "Cathy and I are going to be gone for a while. She just wanted me to let you know..."

This made Rachel tense. Given what she seen/heard/learned of Cathy, she had some suspicions, but couldn't exactly connect the dots. But if her suspicions are confirmed....

Rachel practically felt her fangs start to bare as she grit her teeth at the thought.

"Where you going to go ?" Rachel asks.

"Cathy didn't say."

"How long will you be out of town ?" Rachel asks again.

"That's for Cathy to decide." Steph says in a practically monotone voice.

"Do you want me to come over ?" Rachel asks "You know, to lend a hand ?"

"No!" Steph says insistently "No, Viv. Just leave me and Cathy to it. I'll be fine. Don't worry. Please, don't worry."

"This is giving me the opposite effect, you know." Rachel says in her head before speaking out loud "Okay then...I'll see you around, Steph."

"Please Viv," Steph says "Don't worry yourself. I'll be fine...Cathy and I have to work some stuff out." She ends the call with a "Goodbye, Viv."

When the call hangs up, Rachel gets back up from her bed and paces around the house. She didn't notice she was huffing and puffing at first, and didn't know how long she was going at it until she eventually looked out the window on her balcony, and saw the sky was a dark blue.

Rachel didn't know what she was thinking or why, but she was probably letting her feelings get the better of her when she went to pick up her phone.
She was given Mordred's number - listed as "Miles Winter" and calls.

"Speaking," His voice answers.

"It's me..." Rachel sighs.

"I know who it is, I have caller ID you know." He replies "I take it you have made your decision ?"

"I still have three days, do I ?" Rachel asks.

"Indeed you do, but I doubt this is a social call. Let me advise you that it is in your best interests not to stab me in the back, if you expect me to scratch yours."

"I need a favor, we can talk what I owe you when the time comes." Rachel says "It's...it's for a friend."

"I see." He answers.

"Can you look into someone for me ? It's just I'm looking for dirty laundry; addresses, workplaces, associates. Closet skeletons. Things like that."

"I'll see what I can find." He answers "Does this person have a name ?"

"Cathy Mortimer."

----

January 30th, 2015, Los Angeles

Another day, another chipper jog for Rachel Amber, clad in a red sports bra and skin tight blue shorts.

Still dead to the world, she found two places in the new one to come.

When Mordred reached out to her, it took some talking, negotiations and deals, but they worked something out.

To some, she was Vivian Manning, an aspiring if struggling model for Hollywood but had a few friends in the industry. Some offered her jobs on TV or movies, and to keep up her façade, she turned them down. She was practically a party animal of La La Land, and with her weekly doses of damphir blood, she was free to make her marks day and night. Movie premieres, back stage passes, she was living (part) of her girlhood dreams. And all she needed was to cut or color her hair, and going in front of cameras was a none issue.

The most she could accept was being part of a music video that entailed her to wear a mask.

To others, she was Scarlet Rivers. A girl from the wrong side of the tracks, who was never seen any where near Los Angeles. Unlike Vivian, she never appeared in front of a camera, which made hair and makeup jobs a non issue. This is despite what part of her role she runs in Miles Winter's and Gerald Wilfred's respective businesses.

The official story with Wilfred was that he's in hiding. Some say, in the Florida Everglades, after very disagreeable people came to close to finding his address. Winter ? Missing and presumed dead when from a plane crash in the Pacific North West. This kept "Scarlet" in charge of finances for Wilfred's earnings from his Stag House; as part of their deal, she gets forty five percent of Wilfred's pay.

As with Miles disappearance, Scarlet was left as one of his de facto bosses in his porn studios and strip clubs, getting twenty five percent of the other bosses cuts. Most of that job entails Scarlet taking in the new girls - the recruiter if you will; sometimes she let's them join, sometimes she has to talk them out of their choices when she isn't too sure of them, etc.

And other times, Rachel had to make a few "rivals" disappear.

As of late, she is still yet to hear anything from Mordred, or even his mothers voice.

Hell, with enough money, Rachel was able to buy out their house in both her and her girlfriend's name.

Returning home from her afternoon jog, Rachel enters her home to hear her girlfriend/housemate laughing and chatting with someone unseen.

"Steph ?" Rachel asks.

"Oh ? In here, honey." Steph's voice answers in warm tone to of voice.

Rachel smiles as she kicked off her running shoes. Normally she'd take that workout bra and shorts off in the privacy of her own home, and ask Steph if she'd like to join her in the pool or shower.

As of yet in their relationship, Rachel and Steph were still yet to have sex; a personal boundary Steph set up until she was sure she was "ready" after Cathy was out of the picture. Still, cuddling on the bed and sofa or even the pool side, was a favorite pass time of theirs. And at the very least they where comfortable enough with eachothers bodies.

And sometimes a shower buddy was welcome.

But a of now, any of that was on hold.

"Why didn't you send me a heads up ?" Rachel asks as she makes her way to the living room, still in her sweat soaked clothes.

Steph was sitting in the couch, and sitting across from her at the coffee table was another woman.

She appeared to be in her late twenties to early thirties; dressed in a white Hills Tank Top, black skinny jeans that shown off her figure and red high heels. She had bright red hair, and it was done in what would later be called "The Karen Cut".

At her side was a small black pug with a collar reading "Julius".

This woman and Steph where sipping tea while a movie was playing in the TV for background noise.

"Oh sorry Viv," Steph answers, remembering to call Rachel by her "public name" with guests over "Had a little mishap with the neighbors dog As you can see, one thing lead to another."

"Sorry about that," The woman replies with a British accent "Julius here gets rather excited when we go for walks. He's new to this and still getting used to things."

"Little bugger ran right up to me I while I was washing our cars." Steph adds "Must have liked my music."

It was a Brittney Spears album she was playing. Clearly, this dog is one of culture.

The woman sets her pug aside and step up her her chair to shake Rachel by the hand.

"Eliza Ashbury," She says shaking Rachel's hand "At your service."

"Vivian Manning," Rachel replies "But I guess you already knew that."

"Your other half and I have been getting acquainted. My own significant other and I have bought a house up the road. We've been scoping the neighborhoods." Ashbury explains "We were hoping to meet our neighbors under different circumstances, but Julius had other ideas."

As she says this, the pug immediately scampers up to Steph, crawling on the couch, where upon the human girl is quick to play a game off tummy rubs.

"I see," Rachel says "Out of curiosity, are you in the business as well or do you plan to be ?"

"Not in cinema or the like, although I own a publishing company." Ashbury explains "Speaking of; Miss Gingrich and I have been talking about your writing projects...those vampire books of yours."

"The Lost Chronicles," Rachel and Steph answer at the same time.

In between their lives at home or in the city, Rachel and Steph have been working on a pet project of there's. In the first few weeks they where together, Rachel told Steph all kinds of stories to get her through recovery - basically revisions of classic myths and legends, with the added addition of vampires and werewolves, and other such monsters were none were present.

Steph, still a theatre student at heart, appealed to Rachel's inner literary student and talked her into writing a manuscript from these stories. Under the pseudonym of Vivian Manning of course.

"What about it ?" Rachel asks.

"Miss Asbury here says she's very interested in checking out what we written." Steph explains.

"I must admit, I found the concept curious." Ashbury explains "Years back we had a similar novelization in mind; a combination of history, mythology in folklore in a revised narrative. We scrapped the story at the time, but I'd be lying if what Miss Gingrich told me didn't revive my former interest."

As Ashbury says this, she excuses herself to look around the room, showing a particular interest in their bookshelf.

"Ah, I see you are an owner of Red Dead." Ashbury notes taking the book off the shelf and flipping through the pages "I myself own a first addition copy. Autographed by the author no less." She adds, not mentioning she was the original publisher and her copy came with a "thank you" letter for getting the author out of a bad place.

"About The Lost Chronicles..." Rachel says "We are still quite a ways away from finishing them; and to be honest we were not looking to get them published at first."

"That's quite alright. I don't need to see it now." Asbury starts "That being said, I would like to discus it further with you on a later occasion." She says, putting Red Dead back on it's shelf.

"My other half and I are holding a house warming party for some friends we have in the Hills, once we are settled in. Your own rep as a party animal not withstanding, I would like for you to come." Ashbury says, crouching down, while Julius scampers towards his owner.

"We'll see." Steph says.

"You know," Rachel adds "If we have a clear schedule."

Ashbury stands up and smirks, pug in one of her arms. She looks to a set of notes they have on a desk and makes her way towards it. Taking hold of a pen, she writes down a number and hands the note to Rachel.

"Till then, I look forward to making more of your acquittance." Ashbury states "Business or otherwise."

With that, Asbury and her pet made their way out the front door.

After a moment, Rachel turns to Steph.

"So honey, you up for some pool time ?"

Chapter 7: A Slice of Life

Summary:

New chapters up, and as usual this took a long time for me to write, especially with the material I decided to save for other chapters.

This was originally going to be Daniel's introduction chapter, but I took that section out due to length issues. Daniel and Beaver Creek's section will be up as it's own chapter in a couple of days. There's quite a bit I written down that didn't make it into this chapter.

In the meantime, I am picking up were the first chapter left off, and will be a Chasemarsh slice of life chapter, covering what Kate and Victoria were up to over the years.

This is a neutral chapter, but as I said previously, Kate and Victoria are among the list of survivors for my Route A chapters. Speaking of, we get more of Bill Caulfield Price this chapter, and nameless references to his mother can either refer to Max or a surviving Chloe.

Content warning for vampire related violence. Smut scene has been moved to a different story.

Edit: Had to make a few small edits to fix continuity issues with later chapters.

Chapter Text

January 27, 2020, Los Angeles

Rachel Amber awakes as she often does when she's alone; resting, naked and floating is relative peace in an isolation chamber. She feels something is in the room with her. Not just the room, but may very well be in the chamber as well. She hears a woman’s voice whispering to her. That voice. The one she hasn’t heard in years.

“Rise and shine sleeping beauty.” It says to her.

Rachel awakes, as her chamber opens. As she climbs out, she reaches for a dark purple, silky bathrobe. She looks to the window and sees the sun has disappeared over the horizon. The bedroom is filled with pictures and memorabilia she has collected over the years. On her nightstand sits an iphone on an iphone radio charger dock.

“What does my queen ask of me ?” Rachel replies. She walks up to her radio dock, and prepares to turn on her playlist.

“The time has come. A new dawn is upon us, and now I call upon my daughters to usher in this world.”

Rachael nods as she walks to her iphone dock, picking a song to start her evening routine with. Usually her picks are Wonderwall by Oasis; Moments Before the Storm by Poets of the Fall; Working 9 to 5 by Dolly Parton; Allstar by Smash Mouth; Galway Girl by Ed Sheeran; Lithium by Evansecence. It really depends on what mood she’s in. Rachel picks her song, takes a towel off a hanger on her door as she dries off her hair. Any other day, she'd lose herself to the music; lip-syncing, or just singing aloud, whilst dancing to the beat as she dressed up, but now she had to listen.

“And, is there a problem ?” Rachel asks, dropping her nightgown to the floor, picking out an outfit to wear for the night. Many of them range from classy; slutty; gothic to plain and wholesome. Rachel begins dressing up in her pick of outfit.

“As a matter of fact there is.”

The power cuts, as does the song, and a red shape forms behind her. A chill air fills the room and Rachel freezes in mortification.

“You’ve been seeing someone, haven’t you ? Someone you knew in your old life.”

"I...I don't know-" Rachel starts, but before she can finish, a red hot sensation runs up her spine and through her limbs.

"Do you think I'm stupid, baby girl ?" The Queen spoke. The figure disappeared in the haze, but the voice remained. All Rachel could see was red. "Tell me, what have you been up to in my absence ?"

Rachel grits her teeth, tries to form the words but they won't come out.

Rachel feels a pressure on her throat, a hand. Forcing her eyes open, Rachel sees the figure seen as a herald of the Red Queen holding her to the wall.

"I don't take many things personally girl, nor do I take them lightly." The figure said "Who else knows, that you are here ?"

"A...a few people." Rachel gasped out.

"A few people." The Voice says "People who know you. People who could take you from my grasp. But your folly, girl, is no one escapes me. No one!"

Rachel felt the room spinning, as her body was tossed out the slide-in-window at her room's side.

Rachel rolls out onto her deck, and at the side of her pool. Before she can settle in on what's around her, she feels one of those bloody hands take hold at the back of her neck. It pushes her head into the water holding her down.

"I've seen you. I watched you." The Queen's voice echoes in her head "I see your heart and who it beats for. I will not lose another one so close; I saw the way your heart beats for your other mother - the imposter. I see the way it breaks with guilt for the one you call Chloe. I seek how it fills with rage for the one you call Mark. I see how it beats for Stephanie, as if she could fill the spot so many left empty. How is that working out for you, my dear ?"

Somehow, Rachel finds the strength to force her head out of the water, staring up at the red shadow glaring down at her. The image is obscured, but as usual, Rachel could see the image of a fey like woman behind all the blood.

Rachel gasps out her breaths, as if she still needed to breath.

"I...have had enough...of you goddamn control freaks!" Rachel spits at the figure. Remembering how the Red Queen's avatars were said to have been physically harmed, Rachel is quick to kick fiercely at this thing's "ankle".

The Queen's Shadow barely staggers , Rachel manages to stand up. Her dormant predatory instincts bore her fangs as she went for the Shadow's "eyes".

It must have done something as it screamed and staggered back when Rachel forcefully pulled away, pulling something out of the Queen's "face".

The figure collapses into a puddle of blood, but Rachel's memory of tales of the Queen knew this was basically the equivalent of being knocked over. Rachel made a dash to her broken slide-in door. She looked over her shoulder to see the Avatar's form growing back.

Rachel spat as the taste of blood that was the Queen formed in her mouth. Rachel made her way to her bedside and took something out from her night stand drawer.

It was a small bottle. No bigger than a pop can, filled with a clear but blue liquid. Hastily opening her bottle she remembered what she was told over the years.

"For emergencies only. This is not a be all end all solution, Miss Amber. Just medicine that can keep it at bay."

Well, looks like Rachel has an emergency on her hands.

Opening the bottle, Rachel backed away from the advancing figure. Rachel splashed a little of the liquid at the Queen's avatar.

The mass of Blood sizzled, as the Queen's figure flinched back.

"Mallacht Dé ort!" The Queen's voice curses out.

Rachel continues backing up towards her bedroom door, making a run for it as she answers "A chonách san ort!"

Rachel made her way up the stairs, to her house's main floor. She saw the blood flowing up the floor, practically flooding the lower halls.

Rachel poured some of the bottle down onto the blood, causing it to bubble and drain down the stairs. Rachel made her way out her house's front door, to her car, taking the keys from her kitchen counter on the way out.

Rachel had time to open her door to see blood exploding out her house's front door.

What the neighbors will think of this, Rachel sardonically thought to herself at the mess spilling out onto her driveway and onto the sidewalk.

The semi humanoid shape of the Queen's avatar, once again takes form. In a desperate fit, Rachel pours out half the bottle onto the Blood around her, but it does nothing to stop the Queen's advancement.

Further desperate, Rachel tosses the bottle into the Red Queen's shadow itself. Rachel flinched away at the ungodly roar that came from the Queen, but the sound of car alarms alerted Rachel that it woke the block up.

Collecting her wits, Rachel opened her car door, stepped in and pulled out the driveway. Taking her phone and putting it on speaker, Rachel picks Steph's number first.

Steph was visiting a niece of hers in Portland for her birthday. For reasons one could understand, Rachel never met the kid herself, nor was she allowed to join Steph this trip.

Steph answers the phone immediately. From the chipper tone in her voice, and the sounds of cartoons on in the background - that Rachel recognized as The Loud House - Steph was probably watching some show with her niece. Or alone (Steph has been trying to get Rachel into the show too).

"Hey Rae," Steph says "What's up ?"

"Steph, baby. I need you to extend your vacation for a while."

"Babe, what's wrong ?" Steph says.

"Something happened at the house. I gotta lay low for a while. Delete my number and stay close to your family!" Rachel says trying to focus on the road.


"Is the...worse case scenario happening ?" Steph asks with a nervous twinge in her voice.

"I-I don't know." Rachel stutters out "I'm gonna reach out to some people. Just don't go and talk to any strangers that ask about me. I'll reach out to you if I can-"

"You mean, when you can." Steph says.

Rachel hesitates before she says "I just gotta lay low. I don't want you to worry."

"You telling me not to worry, is making me worry." Steph answers back.

"I'm sorry, babe." Rachel breathes out "I'll explain everything as soon as I can."

As soon as Steph hangs up, Rachel makes another call for someone else; someone she's been seeing and talking to for the past few years as she adjusted into the life of a vampire.

They pick up.

"Miss Amber. I take it this isn't a casual call; what's the problem ?"

"Doc, it's happening." Rachel starts.

"What's happening ?"

"Think!" Rachel says.

It takes him a few seconds to realize "Oh, Goddammit. Does anyone else know ?"

"Just my girlfriend. She's out of the city. Where are you ?"

"Still stationed in Beaver Creek."

"Okay, I'll meet you there-" Rachel says, but is interrupted before she can use the phone.

"No! That is ill advised." The doctor says "I have contacts in LA, that'll look over your house. I'll send some to pick you up. I can get you to our Malibu safe house but-"

"Alright, just tell me where to meet them." Rachel nods.

----

In under an hour, Rachel was out of the city, thinking of a place to stop. Much was going through her mind at once; all that stuff Rachel has been hearing about, it looks to be just around the corner. She heard the stories, knows all the dreams of the Red Queen and the secret history of vampires.

Hell, she put a lot of them on page and the stage.

She knew she didn't kill the actual Red Queen back there; and she knew that when the Queen is this far into awakening, she can guarantee that some sort of disaster was around the corner. In the years she spent in LA, Rachel hasn't felt the Queen's presence so strongly since 2016, and the years between then and now, she'd only have "glimpses" of her, dreams of her, or the sound of her voice here and there.

But nothing as strong as this malevolent goddess sending an avatar of hers to pay Rachel a visit. Let alone trying to kill her.

And with the people she's been in contact with for the past five years, she felt a little pulled; like two hands were tugging her back and forth. She knew a day like this would be coming; the time would come for her to pick sides. And now that it was here she wasn't ready.

As per her contacts request, Rachel pulls into a gas station off the outskirts of Malibu.

It was near midnight, and despite the fact it doesn't tend to snow in LA, Rachel felt a shiver. She entered the station twice; once two pick up snacks, and a bathroom break an hour later. She was told to wait for a white SUV, to flash it's headlights four times at her.

She turned on the radio, some station that played 80's and 90's music, mostly for background noise, waiting for that SUV to show up.

By 2:AM, such a vehicle pulled up, and Rachel was muttering the lyrics of Eddie Money's Two Tickets to Paradise, but it didn't blink it's lights when three nondescript men and one other woman stepped out. Aside from glancing at Rachel as they walked past her, they made no attempt to indicate any interest.

Rachel watches them as they step into the gas station, one of the men talking to the cashier as the other three look around at the snacks. By the looks of it, they were just college kids going about a trip of there's. Probably some kind of bender.

At first nothing spectacular happens...until the station cashier turns around and the young man talking to him climbs up over his desk and bites down into the older man's throat.

"Oh, fuck me." Rachel mouths, as she puts her keys in the car's ignition.

Now there are two instincts going through Rachel's head at once; fight or flight. Her instinct to survive told her to flee, not get involved; do what she'd do if she was still the teenager she was in Arcadia Bay. The other, reminded Rachel she was a vampire, and since these were clearly vampires themselves, obviously, Rachel could do something about them.

The four "college students" were surrounding the cashier, biting and draining the body like it was nobody's business. In under a minute, there was more blood on the floor than there was a man.

Rachel steps out of her car, her teeth flaring, the nagging voice at the back of her head telling her not to fall for this "heroic vampire crap".

Walking to the glass door, Rachel grits her teeth as she opens this, ready to say or do something "Buffy esque" as one would put it. But the words were lost two her when the four other vampires turned around to glare at her.

"There she is. We've been looking for you." The girl says, standing up to face Rachel.

"I take it, you know who I am ?" Rachel asks.

"It didn't take long to figure out." One of the boys says "After all that pretty picture of yours was all over our families bulletin board."

"So, the Reid family didn't send you ?" Rachel nods, cracking her knuckles and rolling up her sleeves.

"We're just a little ahead of the curve. After all, that's what the lot of Mother's followers are. Just ahead of everyone else, in just about every-" The girl says licking the blood from her teeth.

"You know, you can try not to talk like some cartoon bad guy." Rachel deadpans, rolling her eyes "I'm a theatre student, what's your excuse ?"

"Look, Rachel." One of the boys says, trying to sound reserved and reasonable, despite the majority of his front torso was covered in dark red liquid "Mordred, we can put a good word in for him, but you can either do this the easy way or the hard way. The choice is yours."

Rachel circles the group, weighing in her odds. Four against one in a small space, all things considered.

"Well," Rachel says with a sigh "When you put it that way."

Without any warning, Rachel lunges at the smallest seeming boy in the group. Pulling him into a chokehold, she figures using his body as a shield and possibly a weapon, could give her some edge. As the young man struggles in her grasp, the other three vampires make their way to charge her down. Two of them stood close enough to each other, that when Rachel tossed the smaller one toward them, the three collapsed.

Next was the one closest to her; the girl, who immediately tackles Rachel and bites down into the shoulder. "A stun bite," Rachel thinks to herself "They want me alive. Can't say the feeling's mutual."

Rachel reaches her arm around the woman's head, managing to stick a thumb right into the woman's left eye. Vampire fighting is messy work, but this is small potatoes to the stuff Rachel has been seeing over the years. She jabs her thumb in, reaching all the way to the hilt, and the vampire woman releases Rachel's shoulder to scream and shudder from the invasive feeling.

Rachel takes advantage of this to flip the vampire onto her back, and smash her head into the floor below.

One of the other vampires wraps their arms around Rachel, who on instinct slams her head backwards into his nose. As he staggers back, and curses, Rachel grabs hold of the vampire by his shirt collar, and spins him into the glass door, shattering it on impact.

Rachel looks down to the vampire woman still rolling on the floor, clutching her hands over her bleeding sockets. Knowing she has little time to act, Rachel stomps her foot down onto her neck, with enough force that a loud snap is heard.

"Sasha!" One of the boys screams, getting up to charge Rachel down.

In the short amount of time Rachel had, she glanced at a wet floor sign in the corner of the station. Behind it was a mop and bucket, that Rachel makes a dash towards.

Barely dodging the male vampires, Rachel takes hold of the mop, pleased to find it is one of those metal ones, and in one swift motion, breaks the handle in half over her knee.

One of the boys doesn't relent in charging, and Rachel lifts one half of the broken mop handle up defensively. The vampire lets out a silent gasp and the sharp end digs into his stomach.

He collapses to his knees, as Rachel lifts the other half above her head, and drives it down through his. The vampire lets out a deep groan from his throat and collapses into a heap.

Rachel stares at the other two vampires, as she pulls one end of the handle out from the fallen vampires stomach. While the still standing vampire looks taken aback, Rachel makes her move, instantly rushing and driving the sharp handle through the vampire's heart, backing him towards the wall.

That vampire lets out a death rattle, as Rachel turns her attention towards the last one of the bunch, still staggering in broken glass.

She takes quick advantage of his disorientation to dash towards the mop bucket, and hurl it at the dazed vampire. As he collapses again, Rachel lunges/climbs onto him, looking around for a big enough shard of glass in the mess she made.

Finding one, Rachel places the glass into his throat and slashes it deep and open, cutting all the way to the bone.

Taking a moment she catches her breath, Rachel looks around at her fallen foes, as two thoughts came to mind; a victorious, almost proud "Holy shit, look what I did!" and a cautious, pragmatic, mortified "Holy shit, look what I did!"

Rachel walks in a disoriented fashion out the gas station's front door, and towards her vehicle. Many thoughts where going through her head at once; besides the fact the vampire cult that's been watching her are now out to get her, aside from the fact she barely escaped an avatar of the Red Queen; the fact the apocalyptic event they've been hyping up to her for years is apparently underway; Rachel just killed four lackies - self defense, yes and they did kill the gas stations owner, but still.

People are going to find out about this, and it's not like she can just erase security footage; such things are not in her expertise.

She was nearly at the verge of throwing up due to how much was happening, in such a short amount of time. She only snapped out of it when she heard her phone going off.

Seeing it was an unknown number, she sent the thing to voicemail.

She hasn't heard this voice in five years, but knew it instantly. It was Mordred, no doubt going by a new name.

"Good evening, I'm sure you aren't very confused as to what transpired tonight. You knew this was coming, that Mother would call upon you. I'm sure you are also aware that what you did was set her back a few steps at best. You can try to run Miss Manning...but you cannot run from destiny forever. Despite what you may think, we only have your best interests in mind; and despite what you deny, you have what it takes to be a building block in the world to come."

Rachel says nothing, knowing he couldn't hear over a voicemail anyways. She only lets out a shaky breath as she looks at the bloody carnage she left behind.

Mordred's voice continues.

"Today, tomorrow, I know you will come to us again. What happened back then ? We can put it in the past. But day by day, your options will wear thin. It will not be a matter of if my mother calls upon you - or if we will find you - but when. The people in your old life, we are watching them particularly closely. I give the word, and we will come for them as well. But let it be known I can be merciful. And let it be known, there is still a favor I owe of you. There is one you wish dead; for what you did  for us, as Scarlet Rivers, I will take his life from your hands. It is that you owe me. You need not to answer us back, we will seek you first."

The message ends, and Rachel notices a few lights in the distance. Four vehicles were pulling in, and there was little Rachel could to to try to fight or flee. So she just waits as they pull in. These were all black cars, of the same model, and their passengers dressed like something you'd expect a secret service bodyguard would.

The passengers of one car look over, the van - specifically, in the back, while the other two sets of passengers examine the utter crime scene that was the gas station itself . From the fourth car, a bodyguard steps from the front seat before moving to the back seat. When the back door opens, out steps a woman in a dark business suit, with a short cut style to go with her black hair.

Rachel scarcely recognizes the woman as she makes her way towards her.

"Miss Amber ?..." The woman - Mary as Rachel starts to recall - asks.

Rachel swallows before letting out a shaky nod.

"I figured you'd recognize me." Mary nods, making her way towards Rachel, placing a cautious hand on her shoulder "We've been monitoring your escort. It seems there are a few bugs that slipped past my brother's eye."

Rachel says nothing as she notices the bodyguard taking the vampire's bodies from the station.

"You did this, didn't you ?" Mary says, shaking her head "After years of Lizzie trying to pacify you."

"It worked." Rachel manages to say as her thoughts become more coherent "That vial. I used it up when the Queen-"

"You saw her ?" Mary asks, taking Rachel by the cheek and making her face her "You saw the Red Queen ?"

Rachel shakes her head "No her - what do they call them ?"

"Avatars."

"Right." Rachel nods "But I know she will still come for me. They all will come for me." She finishes looking off into the distance..

"Then by the looks of it, you need somewhere to hide." Mary says "Luckily, I know a place."

Mary places one hand on Rachel's lower back, and gestures her to follow.

Rachel hesitantly steps forward, following Mary's lead.

----

February 5th, 2020


Rachel wakes up, noticing a bright light flashing through the curtains of a window.

Getting up with a groan and stretch, Rachel hops off of what appears to be her bed.  She finds she is barefoot, and the floor was cold as concrete. It most certainly was. What little light there was showed Rachel was in a white t-shirt and grey pajama bottoms.

Rachel pulls the blinds out from the window, flinching from the sudden sunlight. Taking a moment to let her eyes adjust, she sees she is in a tall building; five stories high by the looks of things. It was a snowy area, and forested one too.

There was another building a short distance away, separated only by a spacious parking lot, but she could see a sign in the center of it all. From this, Rachel was able to collect her thoughts.

This was the Beaver Creek Regional Hospitals. Nicknamed "The Twins" by some locals for consisting of two buildings. One a standard hospital, the other a children's hospital. It was founded and funded by the Reid family, and Ashbury's people. Sometimes Dr. Reid would work at these hospitals as cover when he was in the area. It was all clicking back together.

The night Rachel fled Los Angeles, she was taken from state to state by one Mary Reid, who took her here. 

There were some arguments between Mary and the rest of the family about what to do with Rachel, but it was agreed she'd be under watch a safe distance between her and LA. Also they could check her blood on a more consistent rate. 

Rachel turns around to see Mary, in one of her bi weekly checkups.

"So I see you're still here." Mary addresses Rachel.

"Not like there is much anywhere to go." Rachel says plainly. Really, she could move around the hospital as she pleases, it's just she'd be under watch here "So much happened so fast, I keep thinking that it's all a dream."

Probably the sleeping pills, Rachel thinks to herself. Rachel's been requesting stronger doses lately to try to silence the Queen's voice. So far it seems to be working.

"Do you have any updates on Steph ?"

"I haven't been following her personally, dear." Mary says "But we're still keeping an eye on her. If anything drastic happens, we will step in."

Rachel nods "Thank you, Mary. Have you heard from your brother ?"

"Last I heard he was revisiting Delos Crossing." Mary explains "Keeping an eye out for Myrddin's newest champion."

Rachel gives a heavy sigh when she thinks back to the name supposedly spoken by Myrddin (at least if Ashbury and Reid's statements are to go by).

"Why him though ?" Rachel shakes her head.

"I don't get it myself." Mary says, walking up behind Rachel, turning the younger woman to face her "But I do know there were worse candidates for this heroic vampire crap out there. You wrote books of them yourself."

"The truth is out there. Someone's got a tell it." Rachel says dramatically, before looking down at how close Mary was holding her. 

Mary notices too and steps away "Sorry. Old habits; not only do they die hard, but they keep coming back from the dead."

Rachel blushes thinking back to the night she met Mary "If you say so. To be honest, I'm not sure I get them though. I get Ashbury has a dark past, but this whole thing hits a little close to home."

"I don't want to sound like I am defending the boy, but he was remorseful over what happened, with you especially." Mary explains.

"Didn't stop him the first time." Rachel looks away with a glare.

"Look, I'm not saying you gotta welcome the guy with open arms or anything," Mary starts, putting a finger under Rachel's chin, making the younger woman face her. "Lord knows there's a lot that still puts me at odds with my brother, enough to almost put us at each others throats...but we are on the same side for now, and that's what matters."

"For now." Rachel nods in agreement.

There is a brief pause in the room, when the two women realize just how deeply they're looking each other in the eye, and how close they were still standing. It was bringing back memories of their previous encounter.

They both step back, but Mary decides to break the ice, just to get it out of the way.

"Is...there anything else I can do for you, Miss Amber ?" Mary says, placing her hands behind her back innocently.

Rachel thinks about it for a moment, smiles and shakes her head wistfully, "I think I'm a little out of it to be giving consent on anything. Plus, I put that whole thing behind me. I want to do good by Steph is all."

Mary rolls her eyes and smiles back "If you say so, Rachel. But I don't think that time it was the three of us together counts as cheating."

"Well, when Steph is here we can talk about it." Rachel says, before placing a hand on Mary's shoulder "But for what it's worth, there's quite a few things in my mortal life I regret. What happened with you and me wasn't really one of them."

Mary chuckles humorously "I find that hard to believe."

"If you didn't mark me that night, I would still be dead."

"If I didn't mark you that night, you wouldn't be a target in your undeath." Mary tries to correct her.

Rachel doesn't break that innocent look she had on her face "Some things are worth it I guess."

Mary crosses her arms and smirks "You're impossible, you know that ? I'm gonna get one of the doctors here, see if we can get you checked up. How's that sound ?"

Rachel shrugs "Why not ? It's not like I have much to do here."

Mary smirks before taking her leave out the door, being sure to saunter her hips a little in case Rachel was watching.

Rachel wistfully shakes her head, going back to and looking out the window, just admiring the view.

That's when Rachel started to hear the Queen's voice.

"Do you think you can hide here forever, my dear. Destiny calls you, it will always call you, and has a way of finding those it seeks. You can run as you wish, but you can never escape the truth; the reason you were born anew. If we don't come to you, you will surely come to us. What say you girl ?"

"I say..." Rachel pauses to think of the right words "Bite me. Pardon the pun."

Rachel steps away from the window and towards the door. It was about time Rachel had her checkup.

Besides, it's not like anyone would find her here under Reid's watch...

That was, at least until March, when Beaver Creek would be sieged one night, and Rachel would leave the hospital with a fire axe.

-----

Broadmoor, Seattle, March 15th, 2020

A bedroom door opens, as a silent watcher a cute, innocent looking figure.

Her intruder creeps to the side of the bed, careful not to disturb her. It climbs onto the bed, silently peering down on the blonde girl beneath it.

It looks peaceful, deep in thought. Deep in the world we go too to escape this one. Almost makes one want to join her.

Still careful not to disturb, it lies down on the covers, resting its head on the pillow opposite of her.

And then...Victoria Chase's phone goes off to Knocks You Down by Keri Wilson and Kayne West.

It was their song. The first one they danced too.

Barely phased by this, Kate mumbles as she roused from sleep.

"Mmm, what time is it ?"

Victoria quickly checks her phone to find it was just Taylor calling the wrong number.

In any case, Kate answers her own question to check the timer on the stand beside her; 11:32 PM.

"Sorry, I didn't want to disturb you." Victoria says before disregarding what turned out to be the wrong number.

"I was just checking in on Bill." Victoria explains, in reference to her favorite nephew.

"He's asleep ?" Kate asks.

"I don't think an earthquake would wake him up at this point." Victoria nods "Looks like this place is a nightmare free zone after all."

"I think Max's place is haunted." Kate says "I swear I saw that picture blink at me."

Victoria stifles back a laugh as she climbs under the sheets with Kate.

"Well, I say we join the kid in the wonderful world of sleep. What do you say ?"

"Already there." Kate says, nuzzling up to Victoria.

For Victoria she needed some noise to help her drift off. Her experiences made it so she at least needs a fan. Reaching up over Kate to their stand, Victoria turns on their clock/radio - careful to have the volume turned down to a reasonable buzz.

To Victoria's amusement, the radio was playing Baba O'Riley (Teenage Wasteland) by The Who.

----

Yup, that's Victoria and Kate. You're probably wondering how these two got into their situation.

It all started in 2013, with what was popularly called "The Sinking of Arcadia Bay" brought about by events that left a few people dead, many arrested or missing; it ultimately ended with Arcadia Bay becoming a ghost town with all it's businesses effectively sinking, including the police department and Blackwell Academy.

With it, came the exposure of numerous dirty secrets and corruption; especially that one one Mark Jefferson. Arcadia Bay was pretty much a ghost town these days.

For many, especially students directly or indirectly involved with Mark Jefferson or Nathan Prescott, there was so much to take it. The fact that not only Kate was victimized by these two, but when the name Victoria Chase ended up on the list...well, you can say both girls, in the face of everything that's happened, just sort of broke down.

In the initial weeks that followed, Victoria rarely interacted with Kate out of shame. And Kate rarely stepped out from a different kind of shame - Kate even ghosted Max Caulfield a few times after the fact.

In early 2014, a trauma counsellor by the name of Thomas Wilson was able to reach out to several students involved. He was a man who ran a clinic/lodge off the outskirts of Seattle, and according to some was doing it for publicity. Didn't stop Kate from joining the other several students who agreed to stay at the clinic. And after a pretty ugly breakdown Victoria she had on Christmas and her parents got her a car, she too joined them.

Victoria for her part was bottling up so much regarding her own trauma that it resulted in a boiling point. When the clinic was recommended to Victoria, the Chase family agreed to get her the help she needed.

Not a week into her stay did the good doctor realize the issue; Victoria needed to confront her guilt, and arranged to have Victoria and Kate sit down to vent to each other. Kate, for her part, claims to already forgive Victoria after her initial apology. Victoria, for her part, refused to accept her forgiveness so easily.

And excerpt from one of their arguments goes as such.

"It can't be that easy Kate! It just can't!" Victoria would say.

"It can be." Kate answers "What kind of person would I be if I let-"

"You were- you were-" Victoria couldn't finish her sentence.

"Victoria...you didn't know." Kate says.

"I should have," Victoria shouts, her eyes watering "I was Nathan's friend and he-"

Kate steps up from her seat to hug Victoria, causing the latter to flinch away.

"You. Didn't. Know." Kate says.

"But...that video! Kate, I am the reason you wanted to-" Victoria starts, on the verge of weeping "Why don't you hate me ?"

"No. You weren't the reason." Kate says plainly.

She hugs Victoria again before looking her in the eye, wiping a tear from one of said eyes.

"I...didn't have that many people supporting me." Kate says "You ? You were a bi- I mean, bully. But you were not the ones who hurt me the most."

"I don't understand."

Kate sighs before talking again "My church. They haven't made me feel loved in such a long time. When I was a kid, the place was a safe haven. Jesus was my safe haven. I thought I could trust them - turn to them to help me. When word got out about what happened, they said I had to have done something wrong; there was something wrong with me."

Kate stares blankly recalling a childhood memory in which a young rape victim had to apologize to her rapists family in her church for "leading him to sinful desires" and getting him put in jail. Kate could only wonder what her church would do now that word of the Dark Room got out.

Already there are News Outlets taking the "Prescott Narrative" that puts more blame on girls like Rachel Amber or Chloe Price over either Nathan or Jefferson. Some such people were in Kate church groups or on their Facebook page.

"Victoria, what you did...well it did hurt me." Kate says "But nowhere near as much as the stuff my mother and aunt have said to me; what my pastor said to me - this family who is used to babysit-"

"But that video." Victoria says plainly "They wouldn't even know what happened if it were not for-"

"If it wasn't you, it'd be someone else. Taylor, Juliet." Kate shrugs "It's High School, you kind of learn to expect these things. But even if there was no video, word would have gotten to my church either way."

Victoria didn't know what else to say, so she pretty much relegated herself to silence.

Kate continues "If I could forgive them, I should forgive you. Like I said, you didn't hurt me nearly as much as they did."

This one caught Victoria by surprise "You forgave them ?"

Kate shrugs "I have to. They told me themselves."

----

Throughout 2014, both in and out of their stay at the clinic, Kate and Victoria met like this time and again.

Sure, other traumatized students bonded over their healing sessions as well, but with Kate and Victoria, something between them sort of clicked, and quite a few of their friends noticed, and were under the impression they were a couple, well before they actually became one.

Their situation was one that quite a few people wanted to exploit. Sure, about a dozen or so people confirmed to have been targeted or victimized by Jefferson...but they were one of *those* people. You know, the drop outs, teen mothers, girls from the wrong side of the tracks.

But someone with a background in class (Victoria) and/or religion (Kate), that was the ideal victim at it's finest.

If you follow outlets covering the story of Blackwell's Survivors, Kate and Victoria was an emotional story of a former victim and bully, who were scarred by the same monster in one way or another. A story of forgiveness and healing, bonding over a mutual trauma.

Which to be fair, they did consider their friendship this; the issue is, they didn't need it sensationalized.

Victoria's family had the right idea in trying to keep her out of the spotlight. No interviews, statements or acceptance of donations, unless expressly accepted by Mr. and Mrs. Chase themselves.

Kate's family and church was another story; At the vehement insistence of her aunt and her church group, Kate was made to speak about her trauma before an expectant congregation. Kate was to speak of how her faith never wavered, how she knew God was at her side and was grateful that her people stood by her side.

Victoria ended up attending quite a few of these - mostly for Kate's benefit, as she considered herself an agnostic in recent years. And really seeing Kate go from temple to temple, speaking to congregation after congregation, having to tell a practically scripted account of her experiences in October ? It all made Victoria's stomach turn.

These same people - the ministers, the youth group, members of her family - who condemned Kate like she was the problem, were now being spoon fed a narrative where they were pretty much the solution. The lot of the time Victoria was in her own world, whatever they preachers spoke of.

The only real exception was this one church in Beaver Creek.

It had a sermon hosted by a youth preacher, an Israeli one at that, who went by Mikael; little was known of him other than he went to speak at youth groups in different Churches and temples. He was an up and coming fellow, reaching out to youth struggling with their faith, and giving lectures to congregations.

Despite this, he is never noted to appear on camera, and no one was able to uncover anything of his past. He was interested in Kate's story, that he appeared as a special guest the same day as Kate.

Looking back, Victoria thinks that it was the sermon or lecture's subject that stood out to him the most.

"Can anyone here see Satan in the flesh ?" He would say, as Kate walks back to her seat and takes her place beside Victoria.

He went on to describe the attributes of the devil to the crowd, in a way that caught both Kate and Victoria's attention. To be fair, he seemed to direct attention to Kate, as he used Arcadia Bay as an example.

This minister talked about how Satan is a corrupter, a deceiver, and above all else, a murderer. Satan would put up a pure and charming front, an "upstanding citizen" as it were, when he is simply there to destroy and corrupt the world he walks upon. That he would take people into a dark place, as if he would feed upon their misery.

This was pretty basic, and at a few points brought a man like Jefferson up. If Jefferson was an example of "Satan in the flesh", he wasn't one they saw coming, but made so sense in retrospect.

"But, Satan is more than just a deceiver, or destroyer." The young minister says "He is an Accuser. In fact one of the many translations to Satan's name is literally Accuser. Named as such, because he is the one who points at you and your sins and shouts the loudest."

As a quietness came over the congregation, this man Mikael smiles.

"But don't take it personally, it's all projection on his part."

The lecture went on to describe Satan as being, essentially, moralizing personified. He and those like him will hold every sin, every slight, every mistake over your head, no matter how much you apologize, try to heal or try to make right.

"Satan is that thing that points at one little slip up and tells you that you have no hope; that you can never heal, and you don't deserve to fix yourself; that you are the human garbage that fills the Earth, and have no right existing. The most you can do for the people around you is to lie down and die."

He pauses before he continues.

"But it is in fact, projection on his part. He simply wants everyone to be as miserable and hateful as he is. Perhaps, trying to distract himself from his own toxicity ? He's the kind of guy who looks in the mirror all the time and lashes out at others because he doesn't like the reflection."

This was the part that hit Victoria the most...despite what Kate tells her, on some level she knew why spread that video around. Why she was so eager to get on Kate's case for that party. She wanted to have an edge over the seeming pure and perfect Christian girl. And all at the expense of putting her through Hell.

"By god," Victoria would think to herself "I really am the devil."

Victoria hangs her head in a way that catches Kate's eye. Kate reaches Victoria's hand and holds it in her own, when the young man continues. It was almost as if he was reading her mind.

"It is in fact, bovine scatology. You try to fix yourself, you're already on the path of healing. That voice trying to break you down ? It lies to you, and it lies to itself." He says "I'm going to list some examples of Satan in the flesh, from the good book of course, and perhaps we can recognize him in this day and age."

Minister Mikael went on to describe the events and vitriol surrounding Arcadia Bay - specifically how teenage girls who were victimized, tend to get more attacks and backlash, than seemingly even the actual murderers.

He recites the woman caught in adultery, not so subtly drawing parallels to Kate's plight, and that of the other girls and women who have been attacked in Arcadia Bay. He brought up the parable of the "Pharisee and the Tax Collector", and the "Unmerciful Servant", and "The Prodigal Son", using the antagonists in these stories as more direct examples of "Satan in the Flesh''.

"And so," he asks "If we cannot see Satan among us, how so can we see God or his messengers ?"

Here is what Victoria herself took from this sermon; The only difference, between these kinds of people, and the actual devil, is the way they spelled their name.

For most of the congregation, the message seemed to fly over their heads. Kate and Victoria could already hear the other churchgoers taking the wrong lesson from the "cast the first stone" story, and already saying to themselves "Thank God, I'm not like that person."

This was one of the last times Minister Mikael spoke in church. He kind of disappeared from the world after more traditional preachers denounced him as a false teacher when he made some less than traditional viewpoints. The fact that there was no consistent description of his physical appearance, and any image of him on camera blurs, he was pretty much a non entity.

Regardless, his message is what left an impression on both Kate and Victoria.

They talked about it on skype the night they returned to their respective homes.

"Do you think I can for-" Victoria starts to ask "That I should forgive Nathan ?"

"I..." Kate starts "I don't know myself."

"I mean it's different for you, after what happened, but with Nate." Victoria sighs "It hurts me a little more. He was my friend and-"

"Don't you think maybe he was using you ?" Kate asks, sounding uncharacteristically bitter "Like Jefferson was ?"

"Nathan felt more real to me. I knew him well before Jefferson. Maybe Jefferson was using him too." Victoria shrugs.

Kate sighs "I knew my church group before I went to Blackwell. I was in youth groups, I was even babysat by the deacons daughter. For the longest time they felt like a second family to me. Then after the Dark Room." Kate snaps her fingers to empathize her point "They turn on me like I was a child predator. My dad, sisters and grandma were about the only one who supported me, and the rest want the credit."

"And you forgave them." Victoria says.

"I had too. I don't know what they'd do if I didn't-" Kate starts before Victoria interrupts her.

"You, somehow, forgave me." Victoria points out.

"Hey, at least you're trying." Kate says "That more than can be said with Nathan."

Kate stops herself when she notices Victoria wiping her eyes.

"Tori, baby I'm so sorry." Kate says before covering her mouth. Then Kate realizes she just called Victoria "baby".

Victoria chuckles a bit at how flustered Kate got, which was enough to pull her from the edge of tears.

"What I meant to say is, maybe there's a difference between helping someone who's trying to do right by you, and just blindly overlooking go of your abusers treatment." Kate shrugs.

"And your church ?" Victoria asks "What else did they do for you ?"

Kate pauses again and shakes her head.

"I don't know."

-----

In the weeks that followed, Kate has been showing herself less and less at church, and more at her friends different apartments. Sometimes she'd stay with Max and her roommates. Other times she'd go with Victoria to the movies or something.

Victoria never pegged Kate as a horror fan at first, but when Kate brought up she was into Ray Bradbury, it sort of clicked together.

When they watched Beast From 20, 000 Fathoms, Kate went on a behind the scenes lecture about its history and significance in the Kaiju genre despite being a one shot. She also brought up how it was based in part on Bradbury's The Foghorn, and how being a partial inspiration to Godzilla was to Bradbury's chagrin.

Bit by bit, Victoria found that Kate took up being a light drinker to cope with what's happening. She gets pretty talkative and more confident when buzzed.

As it turns out, Kate has been receiving "worried messages" from her church group and some of her more conservative family members. Very little were of empathy of what she has gone through; more were about worries she was falling off the good and pure path they worked so hard to keep her on.

Many have taken to comparing her to one Chloe Price, whose name was thrown around after Arcadia Bay's "sinking".

Especially from the "Prescott/Amber '' narrative certain outlets pushed. Arcadia Bay was sensationalized enough; with people like the Prescott family or James Amber putting their children in the spotlight, with Nathan and Rachel unable to speak for themselves.

If you go by what the Prescott's say, it was about Nathan being a troubled, poor little rich boy, who really didn't deserve what he got, and despite all the bad he did, was a good guy at heart; if you go by the narrative pushed by the Amber family, it was about the precious, perfect daughter they lost to "undesirable elements" that lead to her death.

Then you got Chloe, whose name was thrown around as if she were the root of all of Arcadia Bay's misery and corruption.

It was mostly thanks to the character witness statements by one Eliot Hampden, among others digging into her behavior, dating as far back as when she was a kid (notably an instance on a camping trip the summer after her dad died, in which she broke down during a song, and "ruined the other campers fun").

Compare this to the stuff that Nathan, Jefferson, even Victoria herself did to Kate. Alas, Victoria being a former bully, and one who was more responsible for nearly pushing Kate to the edge, was considered a small issue by the same people concerning themselves over that one time Chloe vandalized a bathroom.

In this case, Kate was seen as the "Anti Chloe'', and vice versa for reasons that boiled down to "perfect victim mentality"; Kate was cute, innocent and pure, coming from a good background and was outspoken in her (now deteriorating) faith. Chloe was a delinquent from a broken home, who had a heap of anger issues on account of her troubled relationship with her family, and untreated BPD.

Kate, who was still close to Max, got to know Chloe a little better. She even tried to speak out using her platform; saying that Chloe is an example of how children from unstable homes, and poor backgrounds should be given a chance to heal like Kate herself has; how people should reach out to them, provide a support system and help find a way to overcome their traumas.

This public statement fell on deaf ears, and boiled down to people using it as a way of bragging of Kate's virtue. Very few even entertained the notion of helping girls like Chloe or even girls that could end up like Chloe, unless it meant conforming them to their standards.

By September 2014, Kate was among the girls attending another party. This one to celebrate Max's birthday in some dance club in Seattle. Kate was just looking for a little escapism from what her so-called church friends were putting her through.

When Kate started drinking, she spent the better part of the party venting about her issues to Max and their friends...up until a friend of Max's gave Kate a little something to take her edge off.

It was a small amount, not enough to cause any serious damage, but enough to give her a light buzz and clear her head. To be fair, Kate was warned that she could only take it if she was absolutely sure this is what she needed.

And by God, did it give Kate a clear head. And as each day went by Kate took in more of the Mary Jane plants. Other than that one time where all she could see was Martians, there weren't any significant mishaps.

And with each and every moment of "clarity", Kate came to a realization; her faith was really shaken at this point. She thought she regained it when Max first reached out and helped her, but it slowly started to slip away when her church tried to make it about them.

Come 2015, Kate really let her church group have it over a Facebook post. It boiled down to a speech about how if any of them actually genuinely cared about her, they wouldn't have put her through hell, and how the lot of them wanted to exploit her trauma and pat themselves on the back for "helping" her.

Kate in the meantime ? Relied more and more on Max, Victoria, and all the other girls left behind from Arcadia Bay. But for one reason or another, she was drawn to Victoria.

Eventually, the very people who tried to focus on Kate as an exploitable victim, became turned off by her. In time, Kate started dressing more boyishly, became a regular user of pot, developed a love for rock music and the party scene, and would lash out in anger at her former church. And above all else, sought to explore her sexual or romantic preference.

She even got a pink stripe dyed into her hair to go with a new look.

In short, just about the only difference from Kate Marsh and Chloe Price at this point, was their names. That and Kate had a better support system than Chloe did back in the day.

Each and every time, people from Kate's old group would try to reach out to her, with "Thoughts and prayers" of course. Kate rejected their support all the time, to the point that the only ones still willing to support her are her father, sisters and grandmother.

The straw that broke the camel's back was on March 24, 2015; there was a party where Kate officially came out, with her new relationship with Victoria. They were at this club, and when Keri Hilson's Knocks You Down came on and spurred the two in a dance.

And at the end of it all, the two kissed.

Kate didn't care if people took videos or pictures this time around; she wanted everyone to see this.

Her church group practically imploded at this. Aside from their usual jargon, it was interesting to note that now Victoria was romantically involved with Kate - after about two years of healing between them - then and only then, did Victoria being a former bully actually matter to them.

"To hell with them!" Kate would say "All I got was the devil from them; I found God with you."

----

In 2017, quite a few things changed in their lives.

First they moved in together at a penthouse set up in Broadmoor.

Between Victoria's parents landing her a comfortable job as a photography studio, and a hobby as an art historian, and Kate getting a massive inheritance from her deceased grandmother, the two were living a fairly stable life.

The second thing was someone finally got Victoria to talk about what happened in Arcadia Bay.

It started when a writer got into contact with Victoria on her computer. This writer was someone who had an interest in telling the story about what happened in Arcadia Bay, from the perspective of those who never spoke yet. Specifically it was to be an unbiased, unfiltered version of events, free from both James Amber and the Prescott families influence.

Victoria was willing to speak on her own, but what sealed the deal for her was the email heading she received.

"How's the Tempests tea ?"

When Victoria read this message, she asked who this was; the sender was introduced as Vivian Manning, writer of some vampire books. They weren't exactly Victoria's genre; she was more of a Stephen King girl.

"Look," Manning's next email says "I'll just go out and say it. I'm a friend of Steph Gringrich...actually let me correct that, we are girlfriends. She told me she reached out to you and others after what happened in Arcadia Bay. That's how I got your email."

"Steph ?" Victoria writes "I haven't heard from her in months. Didn't tell me she was dating a writer."

"I like to keep myself private." Manning's reply starts "Few people know it, but Vivian Manning is a pseudonym. For the sake of privacy, I am not comfortable giving out my real name. Just know, I was in the Dark Room too. And Blackwell."

"I see.." Victoria writes "Look, I don't know why you contacted me if you value your privacy so much."

"Because the truth of what happened needs to get out; unfiltered. Unbiased. I've been looking into what happened with Nathan, and Rachel. You and I both know what they were like, do we ?"

Victoria shakes her head "Do we ? Look, I knew Nathan Prescott; he was one of my best friends. He didn't deserve to be hurt by his dad, or used by Jefferson, but what he did...I don't know if I can think of him the same way again."

"But you were there, and last I checked, the Prescott family didn't use you as a character witness." Manning writes "Look, Victoria, I have been where you are. Nathan was a friend of mine too - although I don't think we are as close as you two. Anyone willing speaking on his behalf so far, all came from or worked for the Prescott family, not those who were close to him."

"So...you want to write a biography ?" Victoria writes "About Nathan ?"

"About Nathan, about Rachel Amber, Chloe Price; more so about them - I want to cover what actually happened then, in the days leading up to Jefferson's arrest and the downfall of Arcadia Bay." Manning's message reads "Even if I have to make a documentary.  I am doing an expose, for the Prescott's, Amber's - Arcadia Bay was something people really want to know about, and I reached out to four of your friends; talk to Taylor and Juliet, and they'll confirm what I'm saying. I just want to get your perspective."

Victoria takes a moment to think before she types "Can you send me a picture ? Who are you, really ?"

She is sent a link picture; it's of two women holding each other for a selfie on a forested area, probably a hiking trail, overlooking a mountain range. The city could be seen from a distance.

One woman she scarcely recognized as Stephanie "Steph" Gringrich (the wonders a change of clothes will do). The next one is of a woman with short cut, black hair. She was wearing a hat and a set of shades that slightly obscured her face, but there was something about her features that felt familiar to Victoria.

She couldn't put her finger on it though.

"You're not gonna ask me for nudes, are you ?" Manning's next reply asks.

"No, of course not." Victoria writes "I'll check in on my friends. If they say you haven't contacted them, the answer is no."

Shortly after, Victoria gets into contact with Juliet and Taylor; sure enough they have also been in contact with Vivian Manning, and have agreed to be interviewed for their perspective on certain events and people.

The narrative has been controlled by two parties, both of whom never really let those directly involved speak out.

It wasn't just them either; just about everyone who was available to speak was called to be interviewed. Some did so individually, others (the aforementioned Taylor and Juliet) did so via a skype call.

It was a face cam session, but the only one who didn't appear on camera was Vivian Manning. She said her cam was acting up, but she could be heard loud and clear.

There was something about the way Manning talked that struck something in Victoria; she had a familiar enough voice, but an accent about her that sounded like she was trying to disguise her voice - something along the lines of a southern belle or a valley girl voice. And the way she spoke with such familiarity and confidence was a little off putting.

Victoria knew this was supposed to be a Blackwell girl, but you'd think Victoria would be able to pick up who she is; this Manning girl was acting like she was a friend of theirs for years. Taylor and Juliet didn't seem to notice or care throughout their interviews, so Victoria decided not to press the matter.

"I just don't see why this is that important." Taylor says over the call "Pretty sure Arcadia Bay is a closed issue at the point. A lot of us tried putting it behind us."

"Yeah," Victoria says "There was like, a shooting back in October; dead cop and and a manhunt ? Arcadia Bay is old news."

"It's a matter of making sure the truth is out there; unfiltered." Manning says "I got word from friends in LA that James Amber has given a studio the rights to make a docudrama about his daughter's life and death; gonna be on Netflix or something. They are already looking for a director."

"And ?" Juliet asks.

"I have a vested interest in making sure the true story gets out. Arcadia Bay isn't a closed issue if people keep trying to revisit the damn place."

It was good enough of an answer as any, and Manning did get her interviews by day's end.

Days after the fact, Victoria got to thinking about who this Manning girl is.

She narrowed her options down and had a feeling Manning could be Samantha Myers.

Samantha was close to Nathan, and left the fall before everything went to shit. She was among those that people sought out after Jefferson and the Prescott's came to light, with rumors she could be a Dark Room victim. Problem was no one saw or heard from her until December of 2013.

And Victoria remembered Samantha as being the shy and sheltered type; most of her interactions with Myers was from when they both hung out with Nathan. She was hardly the person who would have this intimate knowledge of the Vortex Club.

So while Samantha was her initial option, there was too much ruled out.

Victoria looked back at the picture Manning sent her. The one with her and Steph.

Victoria just couldn't put her finger on it. If this person was Myers, she was pretty good at disguising herself. Even so, there was something about Vivian Manning's facial features that kept nagging at Victoria's head. She'd look at the picture for hours each day. One night, in a dreamy haze that no amount of caffeine could snap her out of, and epiphany hit Victoria like a speeding pickup.

"It can't be..."

Rachel's face was the kind you get used to seeing, be it in the flesh, photographs or memorial pictures. Sure, Vivian had different hair and was hiding her eyes...but Victoria started to recognize the face; that nose, her cheekbones, the mouth. That voice in the skype chat. Everything.

"No, it's not her. It just can't be." Victoria thought to herself.

"Couldn't it, Tori ?" She thought back to herself "Why else would she be so invested in getting the truth about Rachel out ? Who's to say that Rachel couldn't be in witness protection or something ?"

But...Rachel's body was found after the fact. It was dead and buried for months before it was found. It was one of the biggest documented findings after the Dark Room was covered. DNA residue was all over the place and some jackass tried to leak crime scene photos from when her body was found.

And then, a not a day later, that body disappeared from the morgue.

But even if Rachel was in some kind of witness protection program, and that body was a decoy or something...that makes less sense seeing as you'd think that would mean the government would have been onto Jefferson as soon as she disappeared, right ?

It didn't add up.

What was she supposed to believe ? That Rachel Amber just came back from the dead, got caught up in some secret vampire society, which is why her pen name could be found writing vampire books ? Are you seriously gonna tell Victoria that this Rachel somehow knows some kind of hidden truth of vampires and mythic figures, and is revealing this hidden truth through her books ?

Who comes up with this stuff ?

It was simultaneously the most logical and unbelievable at the same time.

Still...how the hell did Vivian Manning know about the Tea incident ? Only other people who knew of that prank were Rachel herself, and Kari- Chloe Price, and she knew for sure that Vivian is not Chloe.

So about a week into her search, Victoria contacted Vivian; she was unsure of how to go about it. She started by asking questions about Vivian.

"How did you know us ? In Blackwell, I mean." Victoria would start.

"You and me ? We didn't get along that well." Vivian answers.

"Do you have any idea of how little that narrows it down ?" Victoria asks.

"Sorry, but I can't say too much. Part of my deal. I took a risk reaching out to you." Vivian's next message says "For what it's worth, Victoria, I think if I did meet you face to face, I think we'd get along a lot better than we did then."

"You think so ?"

"I mean, do you consider yourself the same person as you were in Blackwell ? Is anyone the same person after four years ?" Vivian says "I've followed your story, among others. It fascinates me really, to see those left behind and how experience changes them. How much do you consider yourself changed ?"

There was something about Manning's line of questions that inspired Victoria to air out everything; specifically what happened between her and Kate over the years. How much their relationship changed.

Vivian brought up that she never met Kate during her time in Blackwell, but heard of her by reputation considering how her name was tossed around.

So Victoria took her time describing Kate. Of how Kate went from this pure innocent church girl to a rock loving, pot taking, tomboyish and carefree girlfriend; whose kind and loving heart was among the only things left intact, in spite of everything.

Victoria finishes her story with a sigh and a "You had to have been there."

"I wish I was."

They went back and forth like this for weeks, months, a few years.

Late in 2017, Vivian Manning released the expose she was intending to write. It was a bio of sorts of Rachel Amber from those who knew her, and were willing to speak.

It covered the widespread faults and corruption within Arcadia Bay; from the Prescott's financing the Dark Room to their sham "charities". It covered the unanswered details of James Amber's first wife, and that deal he made with Damon Merrick.

It also covered Rachel's early life and the circumstances leading to her abduction and death. It talked of why people loved her, of why she wasn't the perfect angel so many made her out to be.

It even devoted a large chunk of time covering the exact relationship between Rachel and Chloe Price. It would take up quite a bit of the story. Despite it also covering Rachel's affairs,  the way Vivian described the relationship, seemed to imply Rachel saw something in Chloe others didn't at the time.

Not soulmates, but a kinship.

To quote page 347, paragraph four; "Perhaps what drew Rachel to Chloe Price in the first place was two people seeking a kindred spirit; a living crutch to rest a weary head. They didn't want to face their problems, but escape them. Some would say Rachel was able to fill a hole in Chloe's heart, even if she wasn't the right shape. Perhaps Rachel was trying the same, but her heart kept seeking more than just Chloe to fill her empty spots. One wonders, what confrontation or apology they would say, should they cross paths again ? In this life or the next."

Needless to say, the book gained a small following, and with the unearthed skeletons, a bit of a stir. With the Prescott and Amber family trying to discredit the story, and it lining up with the testimony of others who were involved in Rachel's life, it only served to re-open previously shut cases.

Even so, with those still looking into Arcadia Bay's conspiracies, most of the world moved on from Arcadia Bay; other than James Amber dropping off the map and Rachel no longer being the poster girl for Arcadia Bays lost children; the Netflix documentary was a bust. And finally, many become more concerned with the ongoing investigation regarding a slain cop, a slain father, and two brothers who ran away from the scene.

Still, Victoria found herself drawn time and again into a correspondence with Vivian Manning. They went back and forth so much that if Victoria didn't know Manning as a friend back in Blackwell, she sure did now.

They would talk about their lives, their relationships, and the past. Even if Victoria didn't know who Manning was, despite her suspicions, she didn't mind not knowing if she was Rachel or not. Vivian spoke with a sort of confidence and assurance that convinced Victoria that she had to be someone she knew.

By that point it mattered little who exactly Vivian Manning really was; if she was somehow Rachel Amber, back from the dead, it really didn't concern Victoria anymore.

----

In late 2017, Victoria ended up sharing a bit of news to Vivian about another change in her friends lives...when Max Caulfield, became pregnant.

"Did I read correctly ?" Manning messages.

"Unlikely. I had to do a spell check." Victoria replies.

"Okay then, so whose the father ?"

"Not important. Some donor probably." Victoria writes "It's Chloe's eggs she's using though."

It takes a while for Manning to replies with a message "Well, you and Kate best keep an eye on Max then. Looks like she could use all the help she can get."

"That's the plan. Kate's plan at least." Victoria writes.

"And if it's not too much to ask...can you keep me updated ?" Vivian replies.

And so, Victoria kept Vivian Manning updated on the pregnancy.

Come March 5, 2018, when Max brought William "Bill" Caulfield Price into the world, and consented to Victoria sharing the pictures.

Vivian had only this to say.

"I wish I could meet him."

When Bill Caulfield Price entered the world, the dynamic between the girls changed. And as cliché as it would sound, it really did feel like it was for the better.

Blackwell's survivors as it would, did share a sort of bond as they healed over what happened, mostly alternating between friends and lovers, but this was the first time they felt like a family.

Out of all of them, Aunt Kate and Aunt Victoria was the closest to the new baby (besides Aunt Dana, of course). Throughout Max's pregnancy, Kate and Dana both spent the lot of their time with Max and her people, helping in any way they can.

Often to a very competitive degree. Really, really, really competitive! It was genuinely scary at times.

Victoria, she wasn't as close to helping Max, feeling that such a thing was a little intrusive - and pregnancy in general was not something Victoria was used too. Whatever help Victoria provided was rather minimal.

That all changed when Victoria was first introduced to Bill. The moment she took the chance to hold the baby, what was left of her frozen heart melted with the heat of a volcano. A feeling best described as uncontrollable fear and affection, wrapped into a ball to small to contain it, winding tighter and tighter.

And of course, there was the times Victoria was alone or thought she was alone with the baby. Nothing but raspberries, baby talk and cuddles from Aunty Vic, as much as she vehemently denies it when caught.

It was then just about everyone involved in Bill and his life agreed that he was probably worth sacrificing the lives of a city full of people for.

The world even.

Out of the babysitters, Victoria and Kate were the most available outside of any grandparents that happened to be in the area.

----

Such was the case in March 14, 2020.

Bill's mother(s) was planning a trip to visit Great Grandma Price, all the way in San Francisco. Due to reasons she's not comfortable talking about here, Bill won't be joining.

On the 14th, Bill was dropped off, with his mother giving the rundown with Kate, while Bill toddled his way to the living room already. Victoria already had his eyes on him, putting on The Loud House for the tyke.

"Okay, he will tell you that I let him have peanut butter crackers before bed. Don't believe him; we think it might be giving him nightmares."

"How bad were they ?" Kate asks.

"He has this dream that was basically the Red Wedding. Say's it's the same guy in every dream. He was putting it all in his drawing book; I don't know where the kid gets it, but it's kinda fucked up if you ask me."

"Aw, poor sweetie." Kate pouts, taking one of Bill's bags, taking his drawing book out of one of them, flipping through the pages.

He uses a black crayon usually, giving his drawings a monochrome look; other than that, his drawing skills were nothing special - he is two years old after all.

"You haven't been letting him watch Merlin, haven't you ?"

"No ? Why ?" Kate asks.

"For a two year old, he sure seems to know about King Arthur stuff. One night, he woke up screaming Mordred. And I'm wondering how the hell he knows that name." she explains, taking something from her own bag.

It was a CD case.

"Play this for him. It has the softest Disney songs I could find. It used to get him right to sleep. If he has a nightmare, you just rock him to sleep, play these songs for him. If all else fails, he sleeps in your bed."

Kate nods "That won't be a problem. My house is a nightmare free zone. Yours is probably haunted - I think I saw that one picture blink."

"You too ?"

Before she took her leave, Bill ran out the living room to hug his mother, practically jumping to wrap his little arms around her neck.

"Bye mama. I love you." He says, although being two, his voice has a bit of a babble to it, still barley managing to form words.

His mother smiles, hugs him back, and gives him the biggest wettest kiss on the cheek.

"I love you too my little cub. You're my whole goshdarn world." She says, careful to mind her potty mouth around him. "I'll see you in five days. That's five sleeps, okay ?"

"And I call you every night." Bill tries to say.

"I promise. Not a day will go by when you can't hear my voice."

----

The first night came and went without a nightmare.

Still, looking at Bill's book of drawings got the two aunts curious. Especially the stories Bill told about his drawings.

Victoria, the BBC Merlin buff of the two, had some familiarity with the King Arthur myths, but this was new.

For one thing, Arthur was a vampire; his sword drew power from the blood of it's slain; Arthur would feed blood to his court; Arthur butchering a city for reasons unknown; the presence of these two ghost looking...things, watching and following these knights. According to Bill, these things were called Merlin and Morgana (although he had trouble pronouncing the names).

Something like this, wouldn't be out of place in those Lost Chronicles books Vivian Manning wrote. She recalls one email, talking about how there were plans to adapt the King Arthur story into The Lost Chronicles; it's just the story wasn't "complete" yet.

And as it happens, Manning was reported missing back in January.

...but that had to be a coincidence.

Eventually, Kate sat Bill down in the living room for "drawing time."

"Hey there, cutie." Kate says, taking a seat at the coffee table "What are you working on ?"

"Drawings." Bill says plainly.

Victoria takes her place, at the corner of the room, careful not to disturb her nephew from his activity.

"I see..." Kate says "Do you use, other colors in your drawings ?"

Bill looks at Kate and shakes his.

"You know Bill, I used to draw in black in white all the time when I was a kid." Kate starts "When I don't know what colors to use, I use these." Kate walks to a cabinet at the rooms end, opening one drawer to take out a small stack.

"Whas that ?" Bill asks, looking at the stack curiously.

"Colored gels." Kate says, placing the colors down across the table in a reverse rainbow order "Sometimes when we take a picture, we find black and white can get a little boring; I find color brings life."

Bill picks up the red gel, holding it up the light and looking through the red item and giggling. Bill picks up the blue and looks through it as well.

"Everything changes color!" Bill gasps with a genuine astonishment, getting a laugh from both his aunts.

Victoria makes her way to the coffee table taking a seat, wanting to chime in.

"We use these sometimes when we want to colorize our photos, and give them a trippy look." Victoria says "We put red on a black and white picture, it becomes red. Same with yellow, green, and this ?" Victoria takes the red and blue gel, placing them together, letting Bill look through the purple result.

"Wow!" Bill says enthusiastically, looking and walking around the room through the purple color.

"Some people try to color old movies." Kate adds "The results are quite literally mixed."

In time, Auntie Kate was showing Bill how to apply the colors to his drawings, taking out colored markers to fill out what Bill picks.

The current drawing was a little out there, but not as disturbing as Bill's "retelling" of King Arthur's tale.

This drawing was of two women, a pair dressed in these dark, fantastical costumes, resembling crows to some extent. It looked as if one was proposing to another, and that they were on a stage.

----

It went on like this for four days.

Each night Bill wouldn't have a nightmare. Each day they would go on some sort of mid day outing - or would if it weren't for lockdowns. They'd retire to the living room, put on a movie or cartoon, and Bill would draw.

As usual, Bill would say they are of his dreams. First few drawings were decent, in-spite of how out of place it would be for Bill.

First one was of the same two girls; one they were watching a tree burn; the same girls sitting at a dinner table, one smashing a bowl through said table; the same girls riding a train.

And then Victoria was handed one drawing with Bill saying "It's you."

One look at the picture and Victoria knew what it was; that drugged tea prank Victoria tried to pull on Rachel...

But there was no way Bill, could know about it. Right ?

Victoria would watch as Bill drew in most of his drawings, when both she and Kate saw he drew something in particular - in a lot of these drawings of (who had to be) Chloe and Rachel, Bill would put in a little black bird in the background. When Bill was coloring them in, he would draw red around the bird, in the shape of a woman.

"Bill, sweetie, who is that ?" Victoria would try to ask.

"Morgana." Bill says plainly, as if his aunty just asked what color is the sky.

Victoria nods, trying to keep a calm composure as she notes that with each drawing, this Morgana seems to be getting closer and closer to the girls.

The last two days, and last eight drawings, gave both aunts a pause.

Victoria privately concluded that these women Bill draws where supposed to be Rachel Amber and Chloe Price. But besides the fact there would be little to nothing about these events Bill would have been told about, there were things he shouldn't even know about.

One such drawing, as a depiction of Rachel, Jefferson, Nathan, in the Dark Room, with the black bird looking directly over her - as well as "Morgana".
When asked how Bill knows of these people or events, he'd always reply that he simply dreamt of them.

The next and final day, Kate decided to go for something new; letting Bill listen to music while making him a lunch of peanut butter and crackers. If there was one thing Kate loved to talk about more than movie trivia and history, it was song trivia and meanings. Today, she was showing off her 70's collection

"This one is called You're the One That I Want." Kate says, putting a dish on the table before Bill "It's from a play called Grease."

Victoria took her seat beside Bill, playfully lip synching the lyrics "...And my heart is set on you/you better shape up/you better understand/to my heart I must be true..."

Once Victoria took her seat, she playfully twirls a finger through Bill's short hair. Bill shakes a little, annoyed causing Victoria to stop.

"Sorry sweetie. I just really like this soundtrack."

"Is it the grease you put in chicken ?" Bill asks, already taking a bite out of one of his crackers.

Kate takes her seat, having settled for a simple sandwich "Nah, it's this play - there was this good girl named Sandy, and bad boy named Danny."

Victoria pipes in "His last name also happens to be Zuko, but that's neither here nor there."

"They keep going back and forth in their relationship, and if viewed in modern lenses, it would seem problematic...but this was the 70's depicting the 50's, so, what are you gonna do ?" Kate shrugs.

Bill just looks on, clearly not quite getting what his aunt was talking about.

"Their car also flies in the end." Kate adds.

Aside from You're the One That I Want playing in the background, everything was quiet for a minute. The song comes to an end, another one starts to play.

Kate and Victoria don't say anything, but find themselves amused at how much Bill was getting into the beat.

Bill was kicking his little feet in the air, "dancing" and humming to the beat, as if it were a familiar lullaby. It very well possible he could have.

Kate and Victoria glance to each other and shrug; it's not out of the realm of possibility he's heard this one. It's a certified classic. And their suspicions were confirmed when Bill started to (try) singing along with the lyrics.

"Come on baby/And she had no fear/And she ran to him, then they started to fly/They looked backward and said goodbye/She had become like they are/She had taken his hand/She had become like they are..." 

Bill stops when he notices the way his aunts looking at him. As it so happens, he can be a messy eater, and had peanut butter, and cracker crumbs all over his mouth, cheeks and chin.

"What ?"

"Firstly, table manners." Victoria says, taking a napkin, reaching over to wipe Bill's face. 

"Secondly," Kate says "Bill, do you know what that song is about ?"

Bill shrugs "Not being scared of the weeper ?"

Kate chuckles, before quickly going into "Educational Aunt" mode.

"It's a love song. It's about how true love, transcends even death. Conquers it even. The last verse of the song is about-"

She stops, noticing how Bill is looking confused at her. It occurs to her that a two year old would not understand the original meaning, and context of Don't Fear the Reaper. With how it is gratuitously used in horror contexts, most grown ass adults clearly don't understand themselves.

You could put Don't Fear the Reaper in it's proper context, and the ideas behind it would go over most listeners heads.

"It's just a love song." Kate says plainly.

The rest of the day went on as normal, although Bill kind of verged onto being annoying as he kept humming and singing Blue Oyster Cult's classic.

----

Once again, he had no nightmares, but the next morning (the day his mother was to come pick him up) Victoria saw Bill sitting on his bed, in his footie pajamas, once again drawing a picture in his little book. 

Wondering if she was going to regret asking, Victoria walks into his room and takes a seat "What are you drawing now ?"

Bill looks up, holding up a drawing.

He was getting more used to working with colors; in the drawing, six girls stood side by side, holding hands - Victoria quickly recognized two of them as attempts to draw her and Kate - there was of course his mother, but the one thing that stood out was that same girl he drew during his stay; the one who had to be Rachel Amber.

Only this time she was drawn with two sharp teeth coming out her mouth, like how a little kid would draw a vampire. The floor beneath them was red, and the lines surrounded the girls were a light blue; it looked as if the blue was raining around the girls...or that the girls were glowing blue ? Victoria couldn't tell.

It was oddly, wholesome, vampire teeth being about the only unsettling thing about the picture, so Victoria smiled and said "Looks pretty. Where'd this one come from ?"

"I don't know" Bill says, with a shrug.

Victoria stops him before he starts "You haven't been dreaming about those knights again have you ?"

Bill shakes his head "Just the girl." he says pointing to the one with the fangs in his picture "I like her dreams more than the Mordred ones."

"And uh...how do you know that knights name ?"

One again Bill shrugs "They say his name in my dreams. There's Arthur, Lancelot, Percival, Galahad-"

Victoria stops him "Okay, you're going to make an English teacher very impressed one day."

"But auntie, I already know English." Bill says, in an annoyed babyish voice.

"Well, you're learning." Victoria adds with a poke on his nose "Now your mom's coming to pick you up today. She should be here after lunch, so we gotta get you up and ready before than."

Bill nods and hops off the bed to his one of his bags, picking out his clothes for the day. Behind him, Victoria was looking through his note book, looking at his drawings...they were a little more unsettling.

-----

The afternoon of that day came, along with them was Bill's mother(s).

The little tyke rans to his mother, being scooped up into a great big bear hug, talking at a fast pace about how much fun he had at his aunts while his mother nods trying to keep pace with how fast he was talking.

"I missed you too, sweetie." his mother says "I kept waking up and thinking you'd be there."

She remembers something.

"How have you've been sleeping by the way ?"

"No bad dreams." Bill says "I had better ones about-" he stops as he tries to remember what they were about "I don't know. I drew pictures though."

"Can I see them ?"

Bill's eyes widen as he remembers, "I left my book in my room!" he says, taking off like he were The Flash.

With his mom alone with his aunts, Victoria was the one who broke the ice.

"Out of curiosity, how much does Bill know about Blackwell...or Arcadia Bay for that matter ?" Victoria asks.

His mother shakes her head "I don't know, we don't really talk about it. I'm not sure he's ready to know."

"Okay, how much does he know about Rachel Amber ?" Victoria asks again.

"...I can't say I even mentioned her name to him. Why ?"

"He's been drawing his dreams, as usual." Victoria says, taking out her phone, and going to the photos app "You might want to see this."

Victoria hands the phone over, and Bill's mother flips through the photos Victoria taken from Bill's drawings.

One was of Rachel in the dark room; Rachel's body being found, with a crying Chloe over it, while Max holds her; pictures of a funeral; Arcadia Bay being wiped out by a storm.

Pictures of Rachel waking up in a crudely drawn morgue (hereafter drawn with fangs), walking through the woods; living in the city; in a hospital; on a road with three unidentified kids while a town arounds them burn. 

And finally, and most spine tingly, the woman in red that Bill calls "Morgana", holding Rachel like a puppet while a city burns around them. One of the crudely drawn towers suggests this is Seattle.

Bill's mother looks a little unsettled when she sees these, but tries to downplay it when she finds the words "I'll...talk to him about it later."

Bill returns with his notebook, ready to go, and like that the drawings were seemingly forgotten "I got everything now."

"That's great honey. Tell you what, it's been a long day, how bout we pick up some McD's on the way home ?"

"Okay!" Bill nods excitedly.

His mother looks to the other two women with a playful smile "I'd stay longer but we're burning daylight."

"Wanna skype tonight ?" Kate asks.

"Nah, you've had this little guy on your hands for five days now. You two need all the time you can get to unwind; you know, watch a movie...take a long hot bath...see where the night takes you."

Victoria nods with a smirk "Well, if you say so. Gonna missing having this one around though." She says, running a finger through Bill's hair and kissing him on the cheek.

Bill flinches away, his face red in boyish embarrassment. Kate giggles, before leaning in to give Bill a bigger, wetter, mushier kiss on the other cheek, to his further embarrassment.

"I'll get him out of your hair now. You two enjoy the rest of your evening." Bill's mother says, hoisting him up with one arm, and their bags in the other hand.

"Bye, Aunt Kate! Bye, Aunt Vicky!" Bill waves as his mother carries him to her van "I love you!"

"We love you too!" They both say in unison, waving as the van pulls out the drive way, and watches as it disappears down the street.

The two pause and look at each other as they step back into the house.

"So...what now ?" Victoria asks.

"I saw we take up her advice...just enjoy the rest of our evening." Kate says with a smirk.

-----

Kate and Victoria were laying on one of the large sofas in the living room late in the afternoon. They were cuddled up on the couch waiting for the snow flurries to pass. The winds been blowing increasingly that day and wasn't going to stop until about midnight.

That wasn't to say, they weren't content with lazing about on the couch.  They decided to spend their time watching movies together; although really it was nothing background noise.

When the familiar tune of Dies Irae from The Shining plays on their TV speakers. Stephen King movies tend to put Kate in bit of a mood.

They seen this movie and it's sequel several times since Doctor Sleep came out on DVD. At this point it was one of those movies they turn on when their home becomes too quiet. They would spend their time talking about general things, but having their nephew out of the house and being coped up for so long...well there was little to talk about.

Victoria herself was a more focused and casual girl. She was fine with re-watching the movie and sleeping the day away.

Kate, well, she wanted to do other things.

"I'll be back in a few, honey," Kate says, kissing Victoria on the temple "Popcorn awaits..."

Kate gets up from her couch with a mischievous grin she tries to hide from Victoria as she made her way out of the room. She was practically giggling as she started undressing.

Around the time Jack Torrance drove his family to the Overlook Hotel, talking about the Donner Party, Kate came back to the living room with a big bowl of popcorn in hand. Victoria's attention was caught off guard as she felt her mouth dry at the sight.

"What's the matter Tori ? Is it what I'm wearing ?" A scantily clad Kate Marsh asks, wearing nothing but a set of her bra, panties and a set of socks "Or ack thereof ?" she finishes, walking forward with a bit of a sharp swing in her hips.

If Victoria was wearing a monocle, it would have dropped. This was far from the first time Kate pulled something like this on her, and as usual, Victoria reacted like Kate just grew three other heads.

Kate giggles as she places the bowl in Victoria's arms, and flopped herself down in her lap. ”You're cute when your jaw slacks..” Kate says cutely, taking a piece of popcorn, and placing it into Victoria's dropped mouth.

Kate pressed her lips on Victoria's and felt said piece go down.

----

Later in the movie, the two were lying their sides, face to face, as they laid a blanket on the floor beneath them, arms gingerly going up and down , and Kate's leg was resting atop Victoria's. Their mouths where still on each other, either kissing on their mouths, foreheads, necks, cheeks, and breasts.

The Shining was still playing throughout.

"I love you, Kate."

Kate smiled and stroked her cheek.

"A-And I love you, Victoria."

Their movements weren't urgent, but nice and slow as they crept toward their fourth to fifth climax of their session. Their hips rolled against each other at a gingerly pace.

"I'm yours, for life. You know that, right?" Kate whispered, rubbing her hand along Victoria's cheek  "And I want you to leave your mark on me" She put her arms around Victoria and moved so she was on her back, and Victoria was (in a rare instance in their relationship) was on top.

"Most people- AH- use a wedding..." Victoria gasps out.

"We could. Oth-others use a family."

"I mean," Kate bites her lip "After having Bill around, I've been wondering about bringing a kid into our lives myself..." As Kate says this, her voice starts to take a mutedly high pitch "Ahhhh Tori!" she whispers out.

"I don't know." Victoria says "I don't know if we are ready yet. Foots acting up, you know ?"

"What are you saying ?"

"Give it a few years. Just so we are sure." Victoria says.

Victoria leans down to kiss Kate again.

"For what it's worth." Victoria says with a content sigh "A wedding would be nice."

"You think so ?"

They laid together in comfortable silence, wrapping each other around in the blanket, not caring that it was a little damp.

"I mean, yeah." Victoria nods "I do want to marry you, Kate. But-"

Victoria was interrupt when Kate wrapped her arms around her body "You only need to ask you know."

"...I'm not sure if I'm ready too." Victoria adds. 

Kate releases Victoria, looking down at here with a concerned expression. Victoria notices and corrects herself.

"When I'm ready, I want our proposal to be something special; public. Not like this." Victoria explains "I want it to extravagant, for the world to see; let them know you are mine, and I am yours."

Kate smiles and wipes her eyes. Victoria reaches up to brush Kate's cheek, wiping another tear with her thumb.

"I just want to know when it'll be safe to do it, what with everything that's been happening lately, I want to know if we'll be wearing masks going down the isle, y'know ?" Victoria finishes.

"Well, in that case," Kate says getting up from the floor, groaning at the strain of her muscles "I'll practice my I do's for now. In the meantime, I gotta take a phone break."

Kate walks up to her coffee table, intentionally putting on a little show as she bent over and picked it up her phone....

She let's out a shrill gasp at the news alert she got her phone.

"What's wrong ?"

"Turn on the TV."

Victoria gets up and does as told, flipping the TV settings to the news channel.  

The immediate heading read as such "Beaver Creek attack - sixty four confirmed dead. Missing Persons increasing."

A new anchorwoman appears on camera, in what appears to be a distressing situation, standing at a sign reading "Welcome to Beaver Creek" as several police cars surround the area. At least one police chopper is in the background, as the woman gives her statement.

"...In this developing story, we have received word that state troopers are to aid in an evacuation of civilians. By all accounts, no one is quite sure of who is an attacker or who is the victim. We are still not allowed past these parameters, but we have word that this attack apparently stopped at a local hospital in which-"

The anchorwoman flinches away as another cruiser drives past her.

"Witnesses say these, pillagers, as some called them, were attacking in the manner of predatory animals. There are currently seventeen wounded being treated for bite wounds and-" The newswoman pauses, pressing into her ear piece "We have just gotten word that one of the missing persons is one Daniel Diaz. Diaz, eleven years old, is a key witness and person of interest in multiple ongoing investigations, including the slaying of police officer Kindred Matthews, and civilian Esteban Diaz. A case that is still the source of conspiracy and controversy to this-"

Victoria mutes the TV and shakes her head "What was that one nightmare we were told about ?"

"Which one ?" Kate asks.

"You know," Victoria starts "It was in one of Bill's notebooks; vampires attacking this one town."

"Tori, those were a little kid's dreams." Kate says, placing a hand on Victoria's shoulder.

"Little kids shouldn't be having those dreams." Victoria sighs, "Besides that, do you remember those pictures Bill drew ? That girl in them ?"

"The girl you say is Rachel." Kate nods. 

"Do you remember when I was corresponding with Vivian Manning ? And how a few months ago, she went missing ?"

"Yes." Kate notes again.

"This is going to sound crazy but I think it has to do with what happened in Arcadia Bay."

"You mean ?" Kate starts, covering her mouth.

"The FBC people ?" Victoria nods "When they telling people to be quiet about what happened ? And how they found all those bodies, drained of their blood."

Victoria looks at the TV to see the news woman being told to turn her camera off, while a firing squad was appearing around a blockade set at the town's entrance. Whatever was in there, wasn't getting out. Apparently the current death toll is now at a hundred, at least.

Victoria speaks again.

"Kate, I think I know what's going on. This may, take some explaining."

Chapter 8: Beaver Creek

Summary:

Here's chapter eight. Originally I was gonna post it as part of the previous chapter, but I decided not to due to length issues.

Regardless, here we finally have this stories introduction to Daniel and his arc. I spent a bit of time trying to decide what a slightly older Daniel would be up too. Most I could think of is some of what I used to do at that age; just sit around and watch old teen based movies. In retrospect, I don't think I'm good at writing kid protagonists.

Next chapters will take a while to do though; what I written down so far, it's either going to be a villain based chapter - of which I got a few segments I already written for; or an Ambergrich chapter to wrap up Rachel's "LA flashback arc" - I'm getting a bit of Arc Fatigue writing that subplot, and want to focus more on the present day stuff. And of course work in more "Until Dawn" tie ins down the road.

In the meantime I am also going to be putting more time into "Love's Sacrifices", as I am about half way through writing it's next chapter.

Chapter Text

Beaver Creek, March 19th, 2020

"Daniel ? Daniel ?"

A door knocks as Daniel Diaz finishes packing his third bag, placing it in a corner with the other two.

"Speaking," Daniel says, just getting off his bed.

Daniel unlocks his bedroom door to find his grandmother Claire.

"I was just checking in." Claire says "Was making sure you had everything you needed."

"And more." Daniel nods with a smile, eyeing one of the bags he really hopes Claire doesn't check out.

"I heard you talking  on that pad of yours last night." Claire says "Have you been keeping up with your brother ?"

Daniel shakes his head "Uh, no, it was Finn and Cass. They've been talking about when they come visit."

Claire stifles her lip upon hearing it; Daniel didn't really hold it against his grandmother - she wasn't homophobic as far as he could tell (when Jacob settled into Beaver Creek, she tried to help him reconcile his faith with his sexuality), but given her upbringing, Daniel figured she might not be comfortable with Sean's polyamorous relationship. Or at least, if she was against it, she sure wasn't vocal about it.

"Ah, and what are they planning to do ?" Claire asks.

Daniel shrugs "The usual. She uh, might have a surprise for us."

"Don't you mean they ?"

"What ?"

"You said, she might have a surprise." Claire says "I thought both were coming.
"
"Oh, yeah. Uh..." Daniel thinks "Uh, Finn thinks he can get me a copy of-"

"Doesn't sound like that much a surprise if he just told you." Claire squints her eyes suspiciously.

"It was a flub." Daniel insists "It ain't that deep."

Claire sighs before nodding "Okay, if you say so...What about Sean ?"

Daniel shakes his head "Wasn't available."

It's been about four days since they last spoke, having more to do with a sleepover he's been planning with Chris. On the other hand, Sean was probably busy too; in spite of his circumstances, Sean was able to write and publish a graphic novel that gained a small following; and it didn't take too long for people to figure out it was about the brothers' experiences.

And even besides that, Daniel knew he couldn't contact Sean all the time.
Claire nods and places her hand on Daniel's shoulder.

"And you and Chris are absolutely sure you'll be okay ?"

"For the seventh time, yes." Daniel says "You don't have to treat me like a baby, I'm twelve."

"I'm the grandma." Claire says with a bit of a teasing tone in her voice. "I decide when you stop being a baby." she adds jokingly.

Daniel rolls his eyes and shrugs.

"Whatever. Anyways, they'll be here next week. They might be getting their own room, so we don't have to worry about space or nothing."

Claire nods a final time, before taking her leave "Well, I'll be out of your hair soon. Just reminding you that Deputy Nick's down the road if you're in any trouble."

"There won't be any trouble. Promise." Daniel says with a wave.

"Don't make promises you can't keep." Claire crosses her arms.

"I won't," Daniel says "Now that one is a promise."

Claire takes her leave, and Daniel sits back onto his bed, watching the sky and letting his thoughts drift back to that discussion he had with Finn and Cass. Aside from Finn offering to pick up a pirated game for him, Finn also asked if another present of his came through.

"Yeah, why ?" Daniel would answer.

"Just want to be sure you know how to use them." Finn says "I think they stopped using these back when you were a baby."

These long since discarded devices of old, were in fact VHS tapes and a VCR. The first tape was a copy of The Lion King, and came with instructions for Daniel to use in case he got confused. The other tapes were currently in a bag Daniel was going to bring with him to Chris'.

----

"You sure you couldn't get me them on DVD ?" Daniel asks.

"What kind of self respecting hipster would I be if I didn't make a hobby out of circulating tapes ? Besides, they are easier to take care of than DVD's." Finn explains "Give it a few more years, and VHS will be of more value."

"Whatever you say." Daniel shrugs.

"Now careful with those ones. These movies got me through my adolescence." Finn jokes.

"I'll keep that in mind."

Finn looks over off camera, the sound of a door closing implies that someone has stepped into the room "And that's my cue for a bathroom break." Finn says, getting up from his seat and moving off camera, while a disheveled Cassidy takes his place.

Cassidy, simply put, looks like she just got off a roller coaster, and cleaned up like she lost her lunch.

"Sorry to keep you waiting kid," Cassidy says with a sigh "Stomachs' been bothering me all morning."

"Geeze, that's rough. Is it bad or- ?" Daniel starts.

Cassidy shakes her head "Nah, it's probably something I ate," she dismissively waves her hand "McDonalds hasn't been agreeing with me lately, but that's all Finn's been picking up."

"Lucky you." Daniel rolls his eyes "I'm lucky to get a Tim's in me with how much I go out."

"It's just, I've been acting up for a few days now. I might get checked, but-" Cassidy starts, before shaking her head "Anyways, enough about me. What have you been up to ?"

Daniel shrugs "More of the same. My grandparents are keeping me out of school for a week or so - just until things blow over with what's going around. I'm going to be spending the night with Chris in the meantime. Boy's night in."

"Hmm," Cassidy smirks "By that you mean-"

"Junk Food and video games ? Yes." Daniel nods, before realizing something "That thing though...you don't think you got-"

Cassidy interrupts "It's not like that. It's just my body's a little off schedule."

"Like what, you're monthly visitor didn't stop by ?" Daniel asks, offhandedly, before he notices a look on Cassidy's face "Cass ?"

Cassidy bite her lips and her cheeks turn a dark pink as she says "I mean..." her eyes darted back and forth "Couple of weeks ago, it was just me and Sean-"

Daniel's mouth drops, but before he can say anything, Cassidy reassures him.

"B-but it's not confirmed yet!" Cassidy insists "Could be nothing I mean-"

"Does Sean know ?"

"No, and I don't want you talking to anyone about it, until I know." Cassidy says firmly.

Daniel doesn't know what to say or think for a few seconds, before he readjusts, and zips a line across his lips.

Right on time, as Finn could be heard stepping back in the room "Cass, you gotta remind me to stop picking up McD's. I don't think they make the best lunch breaks."

"What cued you in ?" Cassidy says, deadpan.

The rest of the discussion went as otherwise normal. Mostly it was Finn talking about a friend of his who can pirate movies and video games. Mainly about getting an X Box copy of a Playstation title, or making a VHS copy of Frozen.

In spite of this, there was an underlying current within Daniel about what he and Cassidy are suspecting. From what he understands, if Cassidy's suspicions are confirmed, Sean should be calling him with the good or bad news.

It's been about two days, and Daniel still hasn't got anything to confirm he's going to be an uncle in nine months.

----

Daniel's life after the border wasn't the most comfortable one. Aside from going in and out of courts throughout 2017, and 2018, he didn't have the best time adjusting after everything.

Settling in with his grandparents, and the former two slowly repairing their relationship with his mother ? That was all well and good. The hard part comes with trying to go about civilian life.

When Daniel first started going back to school, or on outings with his friends or family he'd often get these suspicious looks; police, parents, teachers you name it. It didn't take long for people to to find out he was one of the elusive Diaz brothers, running across the country - the ones suspected for the murder of a police officer.

While he didn't get as much flack over Officer Matthews' as Sean did, being a kid and all, it didn't get any easier until their story was unearthed, bit by bit by the courts and investigations. Then, the media spread their story.

Once Sean was officially cleared of Matthew's death, thanks to a little thing called forensics, and their misadventures came to light, Daniel was seen more and more as a victim and witness each day; in the end, it was the other stuff that separated the brothers.

In spite of this, Daniel was considered an essential witness by the FBI after everything was uncovered.

Pretty much, the one thing Daniel didn't have to testify for was Jonathan Merrill's trial. Aside from the lab explosion (which was ultimately blamed on a gas leak) there wasn't much Daniel could talk about that couldn't be provided by Finn, Cassidy or Jacob.

One other thing he did have to testify for was when the FBI looked into mentions of Hank Stamper's assault and kidnapping of Sean. The case ended with Hank having to wear an ankle bracelet, and the Stamper's having to make a settlement to keep  Stephen and Claire from pursuing the matter further.

The case against Lisbeth Fischer was another story. When the Fed's starting looking into her activities, Daniel spoke up of his time there, as well as Jacob speaking of some abuse he's been suffering from a therapy camp, Fischer was in an uncomfortable spotlight.

The investigations didn't start until 2019, when Daniel was starting to settle back in after the whole courts thing. Daniel has told his friends about his fears of Lisbeth coming after him, which was about the one thing that kept Daniel from completely adjusting at this point.

In spring of 2019, a bright blue jeep was seen parked off the local school yard, and would always drive off, whenever Daniel's grandparents or Charles Eriksen showed up to pick up Daniel and Chris. This happened for an entire school week, and concerned teachers made calls to parents and police to look into it. Nothing was made of it until about a week later.

That weekend, Jacob took Daniel, Chris and Sarah Lee out for ice cream on the weekend, and that same car was in the parking lot.

----

Daniel and Chris were sitting alone at a picnic table outside the parlor, while Jacob and Sarah were getting their cones. They were talking about this book series Chris has gotten into, "The Lost Chronicles". It was pretty much a revisionist story telling of different mythic or historic figures, revised as vampires.

"I don't get it." Daniel says, taking a lick from his cookies and cream "They were saying this Grendel guy was a vampire right ? So how does he go to that hall when he's uninvited ?"

"No," Chris groans, "He's a dhampir, pay attention to the lore!"

"I don't don't know what that is." Daniel remarks "Also, how is it that Beowulf got to grow up if you said he was turned as a boy."

"Turning," Chris says, "He started turning when he was a kid, but wasn't a full vampire until he was an adult. I can't hold your hand through this-  you just gotta read the books yourself!"

As they spoke, the jeep pulled up in the parking lot, and two people stepped out. Dressed in plain suburban clothes, they were a white man and a black woman in their early thirties. When they saw that the two boys were alone, they made their way to their table. The woman was holding a red leash.

"-and that was how he was able to fight the dragon, unarmed." Chris finishes, before he and Daniel are interrupted by the couple.

"Excuse me," the woman greets "We were walking our dog and he got loose; we were wondering if you have seen him." lifting her leash up to prove her point.

"Uh, what kind of dog is he ?" Daniel asks.

"He's a small dog," the man says "We were taking him for a walk when he got off his chain."

"We saw a husky pass by about ten minutes ago." Chris shrugs "But you want a small dog."

The woman looks like she's pretty upset "It's just, I couldn't live with myself if something happened to my baby. Do you think you can keep an eye out for us ?"

"What's his name ?" Chris asks, not the least bit cautious of the strangers, and more concerned that they could have a missing dog on their hands. Even Daniel started to get swept up, thinking back to Mushroom.

One would think that experience taught him to be weary of strangers, and to some extent it has, but Daniel was otherwise surrounded by people he could trust. They couldn't cause too much trouble, but even then a dog's life could be on the line.

"His name is Daredevil, but he answers to Darrie." The man says "And he's a husky. If you step out with us to our jeep we can show you his pictures."
Daniel and Chris look to each other, before nodding and getting out from their seats. It wasn't until they were at the door did common sense come back to Daniel.

"Wait," he says, getting Chris to stop "You said you were walking him, right ?"

"We did ?" The woman asks.

"That's why you have the leash." Daniel adds.

The man chuckles "Nothing gets past you, Holmes. Hopefully you can keep that eagle eye of yours out for Daredevil."

"Do you usually take your jeep for a walk too ?" Daniel asks.

The man chuckles again "If she's been good, but-"

"Daniel! Chris!" They are interrupted by Jacob, who was looking at the couple and pointing them out "Step away from them! Right now!"
This caused a bit of a scene as the other patrons looked at the couple and the two kids.

Chris tries to run from them, but the woman takes a hold of the back of his shirt collar and pulls him to her rather forcefully. The man in the couple tries to calm the situation, claiming they are the boys guardians and were out on a day on the town. These fell to deaf ears, as the Hackerman's, along with Chris and Daniel were regulars at the parlor, and they were both seen entering with the Hackerman's.

The man grabs hold of Daniel's arm when a few of the patrons start to stand up. A few outside even tried to block the door.

As Daniel tries to pull away, three things happen in the confusion. One, the ground shook a little - Beaver Creek has been getting used to these small tremors lately, nothing new -  Two, the one jeep in the lot's engine burst into smoke, and it's two front tires collapsed. Three,  the man who was taking Daniel into a choke hold had his shoulder dislocated - the official report said Daniel managed to break the arm while struggling in a fit of panic induced strength.

As her partner collapsed onto his knees in a screaming fit, and she saw her jeep collapse, the woman released Chris and was easily cornered to a wall.
Police were on the scene in minutes, looking over said scene and taking statements.

----

The short of it was, Jacob recognized these two - Gus and Lily - as employees of Lisbeth Fischer, who did work for her outside their community; specifically, they where the ones who took him to a conversion therapy camp, and occasionally spent time in her church. Looking into the couple's jeep, police found two guns, fish paralyzer, sleeping bags, and pictures of the boys' school...and  the Reynolds house. They were otherwise packed for a long, long trip.

Despite the interrogations after their arrest, the couple refused to confess to anything or even alluded to Fischer's involvement.

And once again, Daniel was made a person of interest.

As the investigations against Fischer began, the police and FBI both took measures to ensure Daniel's protection.

Agent Flores made a point to check in on Daniel twice every week, as opposed to their previous monthly arrangement.

A police officer or two would always be on duty, watching both the Reynolds house and the Eriksen's house; it would mostly be Charles' friend Nick.
Daniel, pretty much was more "under watch" than usual. It used to be he couldn't leave the town without a police escort watching over him; nowadays, it was whenever he left the house; and even when he stayed in the house, there were two cruisers parked down the opposite sides of the road, and would always pull up whenever someone stops their vehicle around the Reynolds' residence.

The few times Daniel was allowed to leave Beaver Creek, he would be followed and watched by a police escort of sorts, which was fine all things considered. Other times, Daniel's trips to Seattle were an emotional chore to get through. He spent a few weeks in the city with both his mother, and grandparents, packing the last of his things, and catching up to what he missed in school, saying goodbyes to friends from his old school friends.

And of course, going through the trials of both his father's death and that of Officer Matthews.

While Sean was found innocent of Matthews' death, which was declared inconclusive, it did not stop a borderline smear campaign against him for the other stuff. It was mostly pushed by the "character witness" narrative provided by Brett Foster, but considering the character witnesses against Brett himself, that house of cards quickly fell; Brett's own history briefly had him considered a suspect in Matthew's death, especially when fireworks and firecrackers were found in his bedroom - the only reason he wasn't seriously considered was due to the lack of gunpowder residue on the scene, but Brett displaying an utter lack of remorse over what happened didn't do him any favors.

So, in the end, Sean would be blamed for fleeing from police, and the FBI, that incident at the gas station, working for a drug dealer and that fight at the border. Sean's minority status, may or may not have influenced people's view on these crimes. On the upside, none of this stopped Sean from writing a graphic novel and getting himself a sizable fanbase.

Nowadays, Daniel only ever returned to Seattle for special occasions, mainly his birthdays and memorial visits to his father Esteban. The 2018 trials ended with Esteban's "proper" funeral, where family and friends were allowed to pay their last respects.

As for the past seven months, little to nothing turned up in the investigations on Fischer. Now about one officer stays on duty, looking out for the Diaz and Reynolds houses. The most that happened is several federal agents and state troopers disappeared within Nevada that were supposed to be looking into Fischer's compound. From such, that is where the government is putting most of their attention.

The point is, no such activity occurred within the Beaver Creek area, and anything from Oregon was considered minimal.

As of the past week, both Charles Eriksen and the Reynolds' couple had more immediate things to worry about. About a month or so back, Charles got a call from an insurance agency from out of town - apparently the agency has been holding back on Emily's life insurance, and he needed to look into how the Eriksen's could pursue the case.

Normally, Chris would be put under the Reynolds' watch for these out of town trips; but as it so happened, the Reynolds' had to make a visit to this hospital outside of town; a friend of theirs got into a car accident. Said friend was otherwise fine, but given her age, Claire tends to worry. In such cases, Daniel would be spending the night at the Eriksen's.

The short of it was this would be the first time Daniel and Chris would be having a sleepover, unsupervised (not counting Officer Miller, who was just down the road). This was something their respective guardians were a little cautious about, but considering the boys were almost twelve, and there was a cop on watch, they reluctantly accepted this. On the plus side, the house that Jacob and Sarah Lee were staying at was a quarter mile away, so if there's any trouble, it's not like they couldn't have someone to check in.

Hence the presents Daniel got from Finn; VHS tapes for when he hits the big PG 13. They were off about a year, but Finn went on to say that he and his brothers used to watch these movies when he was a kid ("And looks how good we turned out!" he'd say). Technically, Daniel was only supposed to open them when he turned thirteen, but he considered this a special occasion.

The initial collection also included The Girl Next Door and the Van Wilder duology, but Cassidy told Finn to keep those on hold; that being said, Daniel was told there was virtually nothing in those movies Daniel would see that he hasn't whilst camping in Humboldt County.

----

After Daniel waves off his grandparents, he steps into the Eriksen's household to see Charles listing this for Chris in the house's main hall.

"...so to repeat, the generator is out back."

"I know." Chris nods.

"And if anyone calls, and it's an unknown number-" Charles starts before Chris interrupts him.

"Just let it go to voicemail." Chris nods.

"Right," Charles nods, regarding Daniel as he stands at the doorway. Charles snaps his fingers at Daniel, pointing to his shoes. Daniel quickly nods, and takes his shoes off, taking them to the shoe rack.

"I want you to be sure to call my phone every three hours to check in. Or I'll call you."  Charles says.

"What if I'm asleep ?" Chris asks.

"I saw your snack stash. That won't be an issue." Charles says with a smirk "Now, you kid's don't have too much fun now you hear. I don't want to worry over you more than I have to." Charles says, putting a coat on and picking up one of his bags "I should be back by 4:00 tomorrow, so y'know, don't wait up."

Charles opens the front door and starts to step out, when Chris says "Bye dad. Love you."

Charles briefly stops before turning around with a "You too, kid. See you tomorrow."

Now that the two boys had the house to themselves, the two looked at each other with  boyishly excited smirks.

"So..." Daniel starts.

"You got them ?"

Daniel playfully looks back and forth like a skeevy drug dealer, placing down one of his backpacks, opening it with a "Present and accounted for."

Daniel takes the bag into the kitchen and lays out the tapes on the table.

What they had on their hands was The Hot Chick; She's the Man; Mean Girls; and The New Guy; and on the non-comedy side of things, Titanic.

"What about you ?." Daniel shakes his head "You got your goods ?"

Chris jabs a thumb towards the stairs in the hall before saying "Yeah, my dad found the stash though, but I guess he's cool with it."

The stash of course consists of two large soda bottles, four bags of chips, and a grocery bag of chocolate bars. They may get sick, their teeth may rot to the point they're value will drop in Tooth Fairy money, and they'd be lucky if they get a single penny for it.

But it'll be worth it.

After they took half an hour to settle in, and fix up a TV with a built in VCR in Chris' room.

As the evening rolled by, and the two boys were celebrating their first night solo, something was stirring outside of Beaver Creek.

Two pickups were spotted late in the afternoon, parked off road and in this forested area. Police were called to check for the suspicious activity. That is when the police radio started calling for backup.

When the backup arrived, they found two empty trucks, drivers drained of blood, and the first responders torn to pieces in a way too gruesome to be attributed to any animal recorded in the area.

On top of all that, multiple blood-soaked footprints made their way into the trees.

----

In a house, a quarter mile away from the Eriksen's and Reynold's respective houses, just at the edge of Beaver Creek, an eleven year old Sarah Lee Hackerman lied on her bed, flipping through her phone.

It has been about three years since she saw her parents, and several months since she heard from them. When she was nine, and she first ran away with Jacob, she didn't quite understand the truth of her situation. It took a few years for her to really accept it.

A few years ago, she would have been dead, and her parents probably would have let her die if it meant appeasing Lisbeth Fischer's demands for her life. When Daniel's trial was starting, Sarah Lee and her brother were both asked questions regarding Daniel. That's how she found out about what Lisbeth was doing.

First few months passed with Sarah Lee getting into phone calls with  her parents, monitored by Jacob of course, and as Jacob's concerned convictions showed...the Hackerman parents were still effectively loyal to Lisbeth. They kept trying to guilt them into coming back, saying that Jesus would be disappointed in them for running away.

These really upset Sarah Lee back then, especially as they became more vitriolic over time.

Jacob and Sarah Lee settled down in Beaver Creek for the dust to settle, and by the time of 2019, Jacob was eligible for being made Sarah Lee's guardian.
She remembers a discussion they had when they first settled in.

----

"Is it true what they're saying, Jacob ? All of it ?"

Jacob would hesitate to answer, but "Yes, Sarah...but mom and dad, they can't be trusted right now."

"And the Reverend Mother ? What was she doing ?"

"Remember when we were taught stranger danger ? How there is good touch, and bad touch ? Remember when I was sent to stay at that camp ?"

Sarah Lee nods.

"Well, they did some of the bad touch there so to speak." Jacob says, almost too embarrassed and upset at recalling the memories "They uh, wanted me to like girls in a way I couldn't. And they...give you bad medicine there. Remember when I told you there's good pills and bad pills ?"

Once again Sarah Lee nods "The kind that makes you sicker ?"

"Yeah, they...didn't want my brain and body to work." Jacob nods.

"What about me ?" Sarah Lee asks "Did...Fischer want me to die ? What about mom and dad ?"

Jacob shakes his head "No! Mom and dad were lied to. They just choose to believe the lies."

----

Afterwards,  Jacob has taken up work to support their new living conditions, currently working at a pharmacy. As of late, he's been working double shift for a better paygrade, leaving Sarah Lee at home alone more and more.

This evening was no exception, but on the plus side, Sarah Lee had leftovers to live on when her brother worked evenings.

School was also a decent benefit. She made fast friends, but was especially close to Daniel and Chris. At the time she settled in, she hasn't really gotten a proper education since she was seven. As with most kids, she didn't consider herself as having long term plans for the future, but did have immediate interests and passions.

In Sarah Lee's case, she took a quick fancy to books and TV; her favorite show to watch was Avatar the Last Airbender and Legend of Korra. It even gave her a bit of motive to help her brother make money.

In 2019, she started a YouTube channel, in which she would do reactions to ATLA or LOK episodes - to go with these reactions, she would use a couple of costumes she put together and make these quick skits in which she'd play Azula and Ty Lee, who she would sometimes use as part of her reactions.
She was able to raise a decent amount of money from what she was able to monetize, and had a subscriber count in the 400's.

Currently, Sarah is laying on her bed, watching her latest video; it was her reaction to The Beach episode of ATLA, in which she had her Tyzula sketch be about Azula being a comically overprotective girlfriend regarding the boys surrounding Ty Lee. She hasn't been making these videos as often lately, on account of underlying fears.

She's not a dumb kid, she follows the news. After that mishap at the ice cream parlor a year back, she knew that Daniel's fears of Lisbeth coming for him were not unfounded. And if she was coming for Daniel, who is to say she isn't coming for her and Jacob as well ?

What had her particularly on edge was the reports that several state troopers and federal investigators started disappearing in the area. As it so happens, there are reports of animals and people being found dead, or drained of blood in the rural regions of Nevada. One particularly angry farmer, had his entire livestock butchered days ago, resulting in a pretty vitriolic meltdown when the news spoke to him; going on a xenophobic rant about a "Chupacabra" in the area while his buddy looks embarrassed in the background. The rant became an overnight meme.

You'd think something like that would be irrelevant to the issue at hand, but for the past three days, both Sarah Lee and Jacob had received what they thought were spam messages on their phones. They were from someone calling themselves "Mr. Bean", sending them article after article of these "Chupacabra" incidents. Each one came with a picture of a different area between Nevada and Oregon.

Jacob told Sarah Lee not to worry about it, but if she was really scared, he'll see who to contact about it. In the meantime, all they had to do was block the number of this "Mr. Bean". Chances are he's just some prick trying to get a scare out of her.

...that was until this morning, when the moniker of "Mr. Bean" put a link in one of her ATLA videos, along with the words "Portland".

That scared Sarah Lee enough that she asked Jacob to call the police or someone, to do something about it.

She's been waiting all day to hear from Jacob, and just as she started thinking back to it, her phone went off to his number.

Immediately answering, Sarah Lee holds the phone up to her face "Jacob ?"

"Sarah, I need you to listen to me." Jacob says plainly, sounding a little on edge "Keep all the doors locked and don't let anyone in."

"Jacob, what's happening ?" Sarah Lee asks, getting up from her bed.

"Look, I need you to listen to me. Don't answer to anyone that isn't me. I'll be home as soon as I can." Jacob says firmly, but with a nervous edge in his indicating not all is well at the local pharmacy.

"You're not answering my question, Jacob!" Sarah Lee says, in a rare instance of her life where she'd raise her voice (at least outside of her Azula routine).

"I-I don't know." Jacob replies "I'll be home as fast as I can. We-I gotta get to Daniel and Chris, but you need to stay where you are."

Sarah Lee nods "Okay. Just hurry!"

Sarah locks every door of their small house. Peering out the front window, she got a decent view of Beaver Creek, from the hillside. Going with the fact the sun all but disappeared behind the trees, it did not bode well at all...

In the distance, where the twin hospitals are supposed to be located, she could see smoke all over the area, completely obscuring where she would usually see the hospitals. In the town itself, several buildings were already smoking, and the distant sound of police sirens could be heard. Several police cruisers made their way into the town, and the sound of gunfire in the distance had Sarah Lee clutch her mouth.

Out of instinct, she runs to the bathroom. It was a small enough space, and had its own lock. And absolutely no windows.

Even still, it wasn't enough to quill the panic. In the back of her mind at least, she could still hear the sound of police sirens and gunfire in the town itself.
Actually, she couldn't tell if it was in her mind, or real life, but they still rang.

After what felt like ten minutes, she looked at the time on her phone to see it was a measly two. She didn't normally curse, but the "Fuck" that slipped out of her mouth just felt right.

Soon enough she heard it; banging on the front door.

Despite what Jacob told her, Sarah Lee dashed out of the bathroom towards the door to see someone out the door's window.

He was a guy in his mid twenties, blonde hair, neatly dressed, if disheveled. He was a thin, tanned, sweaty mess of a guy and he looked like he just ran out from Hell.

"P-please!" The guy says as if he were out of breath "They're all over the place! I need in ! I-"

Sarah Lee backs from the door shaking her head "I- I can't, I have to wait for my brother!"

"Please!" The guy says, pounding the door so hard, Sarah Lee was scared it would fall off its hinges "Goddammit, I think I was bitten!!"

Sarah Lee would back off further, but she was frozen like a deer in headlights.

"These dead things! I don't know what they were, but- they were eating people!! I have to come in, it's not safe out there!!!" The guy screams.
It's around here, Sarah Lee noticed the bloodstains on his clothes...his hands...and his unusually sharp teeth.

It took a few seconds before the guy noticed the way she was looking at him. A big toothy grin formed on his face.

"Well...looks like we're going to have to do this the fun way." The man backs away from the door, out of view of the glass. Sarah Lee heard a car door open and close, before an engine started, and she just knew.

She ran back, towards the stairs, and was about half way up, when she heard a loud crash; when she looked around, she saw the entire area surrounding her door was a wreck. The small deck up the doorway was smashed to bits, parts of the roof, and the surrounding walls collapsed, and there stood a reddish orange Prius, with a smoking engine and busted windshield stood in its place.

The guy staggers out,  looking as if he took the bulk of the damage from the crash. Sarah Lee was at a loss for words as he started pulling his joints and muscles back into place.

Her dread would have kept her in place, but the feeling of panic overwhelmed her. On instinct, she dashed up the stair way, hoping to a God she wasn't sure was listening towards her bedroom.

At the back of her mind, she knew this wasn't enough to hold this monster at bay. Throwing caution to the wind, Sarah Lee runs towards her bedroom window, opening in as she hears the sound of footsteps trailing behind her at the pace of Michael Myers.

It was snowy out, and dark, but fuck it. If she was fast enough, she would know where to go for safety. If she was fast enough, she could make it there in time, and outrun this...thing.

Besides, she wasn't in the right mindset to ponder whether or not it is better to be eaten alive or freeze to death.

She made this run before, albeit in better circumstances. On a good day, it would take her about seventeen minutes.

And so, Sarah Lee climbed out the window onto a snowy roof, slid her way down a storm pipe, and made her way into the woods.

She turned around, unsure of where Jacob was in all this, but she saw the man that was initially chasing her, waving at her through the window. Probably thinking it won't be worth the chase.

----

At the Eriksen House, Daniel and Chris were four movies in by the time the sun disappeared from Beaver Creek.

They started early in the afternoon, with Mean Girls, and She's the Man. They were interrupted once after they finished the latter; Officer Miller stepped in from watch duty, and informed them that something was going on in town.

"What is it ?" Daniel would ask.

"We don't know yet, but it seems like the situation is escalating. Now I'm just outside in case anything happens." Miller says "Just keep the doors locked, and stay inside somewhere safe."

"We're just watching movies in my room." Chris says.

"Okay," Miller nods "You two stay there until further notice."

The two boys nod, before returning to Chris' bedroom.

When they watched the next two movies, there was an uneasy undercurrent in the air. Sure, some of the jokes in The Hot Chick and The New Guy made them laugh, and the stories kept them otherwise attentive...but there was that cold and creepy feeling running down their backs.

Like something bad was about to happen.

They didn't hear the knocks again until part way throughTitanic. Daniel went to answer to see Officer Miller with a shivering, Sarah Lee Hackerman standing beside him.

"What happened here ?" Daniel asks with a nervous edge in his voice.

Sarah Lee wasn't in her winter clothes, nor any proper footwear; looked like she would have died had she been out there a few minutes longer.

"She was out here alone." Miller says "Says someone has been following her."

"Okay ?..." Daniel says, not really knowing what to do or say "What do you need us to do ?"

"Just get her warmed up; try to call the ambulance." Miller says, sounding like he's trying to put on a brave front "Look, she says whoever's following her is still out there. I'm gonna check the perimeter, maybe get some back up. You three stay in, keep the doors locked, and don't answer for anyone that isn't in uniform."

Daniel snakingly nods as Miller takes his leave. He then turns his attention to Sarah Lee "Are you okay ?"

"I don't know." Sarah Lee barely manages to whisper "I'm...too cold to think."

"Alright." Daniel nods, a little more calmly "I'll...I don't know, mix you some cocoa, get you into something warm."

Sarah Lee nods and lets Daniel lead her up the stairs. As the two went up, Daniel looked over his shoulder; despite the dark sky, he could swear he saw smoke in the distance, and the orange glow of a massive blaze.

Where the rest of Beaver Creek was supposed to be.

Daniel was about to ask where Jacob was, but there was something in the pit of his stomach telling him, it's best not to ask.

As they reach Chris' bedroom, they interrupt the movie much to the blondes confusion and concern.
"Sarah ? What's-"

"She needs warm clothes." Daniel says firmly " She also needs - anything to warm up."

"Right," Chris nods, "Bathroom's to the right." he points out to the hallway "I'll see what I can find."

Sarah Lee nods and makes her way to the bathroom.

Chris stops the movie, and he and Daniel look through his closet and drawers to find the heaviest indoor clothes they can find.
During which, Chris asks "What's going on ? Is Jacob with her ?"

"I don't know," Daniel shakes his head "I was too scared to ask...but I think something's going on downtown."

"What makes-" before Chris can finish his question, he heard the sound of gunfire in the woods nearby.

One shot.

Followed by two.

A third shot.

And then nothing.

"Fuck." Chris breathes out. He's usually not one to curse, but still, it felt right.

"I think what's happening in town is coming here." Daniel says.

Chris started to fidget nervously, his skin paled at the revelation.

"I wish you hadn't told me that..."

"I think I have to do something." Daniel says, as he realizes it "Something I haven't really done in a long, long time."

"You don't mean ?"

"You feel like a hero today, Captain Spirit ?" Daniel asks, trying to sound confident. Keyword being "trying".

"We haven't played that in two years." Chris says.

"I ain't playing this time."

As Daniel says this, he reaches a hand out, and out from under Chris' bed, a baseball bat flies out, with Daniel catching the handle in his hand.

"Okay," Chris whistles "Before we do any of that...I gotta call my dad. Let him know wh-"

The sound of gunfire makes them jump, this time sounding farther away.

"You do that." Daniel nods "I've been holding this in for too long."

Daniel takes his leave from the bedroom, as Chris goes to make his call.

He stands at the front door, watching as two police cruisers drive past the house. He's seen them enough to know these are state vehicles. Daniel just needed to know what they were up against. He had a feeling this wasn't just a bank robbery or a really bad case of jaywalking.

All he knew was Sarah Lee saying that whoever chased her from her house, might still be after her. In 2018, Daniel hoisted a bully into a basketball hoop when he called her bible girl. Whoever was trying to hurt her, would be in for some shit, that was for sure.

About twenty minutes later, Chris and a newly dressed Sarah Lee descended down the stairs.
"Did you see anything ?" Chris asks.

"Just a few cars." Daniel says "No gunshots yet but..."

As he says this he sees something or someone moving through the trees, just out of reach from the lights.

He looks back at the other two and says "Okay, I'm gonna step out real quick, alright ? If I say run, you run. But you stick with me. Whatever happens, you stick with me."

The other two nod shakily, neither as used to harrowing situations as the young Diaz boy.

Daniel opens the front door and calls out "Officer Miller ?...Miller is that you ?"

Something lands in the snow, just at the light of the porchlights; Miller, either dead or unconscious, but pooling in a crimson liquid that Daniel was sure wasn't Kool Aid.

He then saw them, the white eyes - there had to be anywhere from twelve to twenty sets of them, making their way towards the house. It looked like something from a zombie movie - but these people didn't look quiet like what you expect a zombie to be like-  some were pale sure, but not quite convincing as a walking corpse.

When they made themselves more visible, Daniel saw they weren't in the right clothes for winter.

Out of them all, a man about fifty years of age stepped forward. He was dressed in biker attire, and haggard in appearance. He has a small beard forming, and messy reddish grey hair. He regarded the boy with a grin - from which Daniel could clearly see fang like teeth.

When he spoke, he had a European accent, probably something from Scotland or Ireland.

"Daniel Diaz." The older man says, as he continues to make his way to the porch  "We have come through a lot of trouble to find you. You made a new friend of my family, very upset."

"Who ?" Daniel says trying to sound braver than he was. He has to be brave, he's been in pretty shitty situations before, and now he may have to use his powers to win a fight - probably to kill - he just wasn't sure he was prepared for this.

"You know who. As for me, well you can call me Mr. Bean; an unfortunate name, especially given that comedy show,  but you can't help what you were born with." The man says with a shrug "Come with us, and all those we killed and taken tonight won't be in vain. We can do this the easy way or the hard way; but I can assure you, it's easier for you to walk on unbroken legs."

A few other of these "people" step up beside Bean, Daniel could hear Sarah Lee gasp over his shoulder.

Daniel looks over his shoulder and asks "Which one of these is the guy that chased you ?"

With a timid hand, Sarah Lee points at the blonde, somewhat well dressed man, who spots her from behind Daniel.

"Good to know." Daniel breaths out, before reaching a hand out.

That was about the only warning they had before the sound of a tree uprooting caught their attention. The crowd widens their eyes, and turn around to see a large tree barreling towards them. The rest scatter out of the way, but the blonde stalker lets out a bloody gasp as two branches go through his chest and neck, and a third goes through his stomach.

"What sort of-" Bean starts to say, backing away.

"We weren't told he had the force!" Another can be heard shouting.

Daniel raises his hand into the air, and the tree goes up in a pendulum motion, about thirty feet into the air, before Daniel waves his hand down; the tree swings downwards, knocking about a dozen of these figures back in a single swing.

Bean manages to drop into the snow, just barely managing to dodge the tree, as he starts to crawl back.

"Swarm them!" Bean calls out.

Daniel looks down at Bean, and with another wave of his hand, Bean is caught up into the air, colliding through the windshield of Miller's cruiser.

Dozens more of these "people", emerge from the trees. Daniel lost count, but there had to be forty of them, on the Erisken and Reynolds property alone. Any other day, Daniel would have thought this was a zombie movie come to life, but these things ? They were smart, talkative, coordinated
.
Six alone runs up onto the Eriksen yard, and Daniel makes another gesture; one that sends Miller's cruiser barreling into them like a bowling ball with pins. The impact causes Bean's body to drop to the ground, twisted and broken at several bones and joints...to the kid's astonishment and horror, Bean started to get back up, breaking and twisting his joints back in a manner looking like it hurt worse than the impact.

Bean stood upright, flashing another manic grin, spitting out a couple of large, doglike teeth.

Daniel wished he could say he could do this all night, but even after all this time, he could only ever focus his power on one object at a time. If he could keep count, he'd probably say there were hundreds of these things advancing on him at once.

They were cornered; not like they could run to the Reynolds house, as the lot of them were on that property.

That is when Daniel felt Chris grab hold of his shirt collar.

"Out the back!" Chris shouts.

Daniel was in flight or fight mode at this point, and the instinct of flight took precedence. With Chris leading, and Sarah Lee between the two boys, the three kids made a mad dash to the Eriksen's back door, and out the back yard.

Sure enough they could hear them running towards and around the house, but the three stood a head a decent distance.

With nowhere else to run, they made a dash towards the fence, and into the forest line; with Daniel breaking down the fence as they ran to the trees.

----

From there it was a labyrinth of trees.

The three children would run wherever there was a clearing; left and right, left and right.

They were deeper into the woods than they usually ever went without adult supervision, the darkness and the snow obscuring thier view in a way that their spring or summer hikes never did.

And of course, they were still being chased.

Vampires. They came to that conclusion very quickly.

About fifty to eighty of them were chasing them through the trees, and each time one got close enough, or cornered them, it was a matter of Daniel flinging them back.

In more extreme cases, Daniel would uproot a tree and barrel the vampires out of the way.

They had to have been running for about an hour, and it was twenty minutes since they saw any sign of the vampires, when the three kids happened across the highway. They figured they were somewhere east, given they could see the smoke from the twin hospitals a short distance away, and the smoke from the rest of Beaver Creek an even greater distance.

As the three took a moment to process this, Daniel was haggardly catching his breath, Sarah Lee was letting out sobs that she has been holding in for a while; Chris was trying to hug and comfort the girl, but was on the edge of a breakdown himself.

Daniel thinks to himself; these two haven't really been through the same things he and Sean went through back in the day; no facing off with wild animals, dealing with people out to kill or arrest them. Being isolated in the wilderness with little to no protection, nothing.

So this is what it's like, Daniel would think to himself; it looks like now it was his turn to be Sean.

"Okay," Daniel says, catching his breath "It's gonna be okay, we just gotta come up with a plan."

"How ?" Chris says, his voice breaking a little "What can we do ? Town's on fire, vampires are all over the place; we don't know whe-"

They are interrupted when they see something flashing down the road.

It was headlights and siren lights. It was coming from the direction of the twin hospitals.

As it got closer, they could see it was an ambulance.

The three walk to the middle of the road to wave it down, shouting at the driver. But as it drew closer, they noticed blood on the cracked windshield; someone or something was on the roof of the ambulance, holding on for life.

It had to have been another vampire.

Unfortunately, the ambulance pulled to a fast stop, flinging the attacked off the roof, rolling several feet in front of the vehicle.

The three of them watch, as the ambulances' back door burst open, as someone - most likely another vampire - is thrown out the back.

Someone else hopped out after the vampire - a teenage girl or young woman by the likes of it - she was in winter clothing that made her look a little on the bulky side, but a second look would show she was pretty thin all things considered. She looked familiar enough, maybe someone from a wanted poster or news article.

She had a fire-axe in hand as she made her way down to her opponent.

One glance, one could have mistaken her for Chris' mother Emily, but there was something off about her in the second glance; their hair was different shade of blonde for one thing, and she clearly looked younger than Emily. It was almost like Emily Eriksen had a younger sister.

All this train of thought occurs when the woman brings the blade  of the axe down into her attacker's head. It was luckily dark enough that no one could really see the gore from it.

The girl holds the axe blade up, glancing at the bloody mess she made, and unconsciously licks her lips.

That's when she saw them; Daniel, Chris and Sarah Lee, looking at her with terrified expressions, while her eyes widened in a mortified expression of her own.

"Oh shit..." She says.

Then she sees the other vampire get up from behind the kids.

"Oh shit!" She exclaims.

In a flash, she dashes past the kids towards the vampire, tackling it into a wrestling grasp, biting down into the neck, deep and hard enough to loud out a loud crunch. She releases the vampire which drops to the ground in a limp, wiping blood off her mouth with her sleeve. She then turns back towards the three kids.

"You know, rule of three dictates I should say it a third time, but I don't like cursing in front of youngsters."

Daniel steps forward, raising an arm defensibly, while using the other arm to keep Chris and Sarah Lee back.

"You're one of them, aren't you ?" He asks.

The girl nods "Kinda."

"Yes or no ?"

"I'm one of them, but not one of..." She starts, pointing at the dead vampires on the ground "Them."

She tries to take a step towards them, but Daniel steps forward, still holding a hand out in a protective manner.

"Stay back! I'm warning you!" Daniel shouts.

The girl chuckles, speaking in a way that suggests she is not taking the threat serious "What, kid ? Let me guess, you're a Jedi knight or somethi- OH, FUCK!!" The girl was lifted into the air, and tossed onto the front hood of the ambulance, with a groan.

She slipped off as the hood looked caved in, and stood up on staggering legs, popping a few joints back into place in her legs, back and arm.

"I'll take that as a yes." she breathes out through gritted teeth "I'm really glad people don't have powers where I am from."

Daniel steps forward and the girl holds her own arms out in a defensive manner.

"Wait! I'm a friendly!" she loudly insists, dropping to her knees. Thinking quickly, she looks over Daniel to see Sarah Lee shaking "Your friend, she's cold isn't she ?"

Sarah Lee nods "I had a shower before we got out here. Everything happened so fast."

The girl nods, unzipping her jacket, revealing a plain T shirt beneath, tossing it in the space between them.

"It's a few sizes big...but it should do."

The three look between each other hesitantly, before Chris steps forward and picks the jacket up, taking it to Sarah Lee. As he does so, Chris looks over at the girl "You...look familiar, I think I saw you somewhere."

"I spent a few weeks at the twins," the girl says, looking over her shoulder at the smoke "It's kind of a mess back there. I wouldn't recommend going."

Taking a step forward on her knees she speaks again.

"Rachel. My name is Rachel."

The other three exchange a quick glance before addressing Rachel.

"Daniel."

"Chris."

"Sarah."

"See ? Now we're not strangers." Rachel says with a smile.

"You said you were at the twins ?" Daniel asks.

Rachel nods.

"My grandparents were supposed to be there. Visiting a friend, who got to this car accident." Daniel explains.

Rachel looks down, biting her lip before looking back up "I'm sorry, I wouldn't know if they were there. But I did see some old folks checking out with a friend - I think I heard mention of a car wreck. Probably right before the shit hit the fan. Pardon my potty mouth."

"I'll take what I can get." Daniel nods.

As they were talking, Chris looked over his shoulder and saw the headlights shining on a sign - Winston Road. The route was familiar enough that an idea popped into his head.

"Daniel, where did your grandparents say your friend lived ?"

"The cabin road ?" Daniel says.

"The what ?" Rachel asks.

"Keystone Road it's called." Chris corrects Daniel "It's basically a cabin and lodge community. One of their buildings is a retirement home."

Daniel nods as a realization comes over him "My grandparents have been spending more and more time there seeing their friend. If she's out of the hospital, they're probably looking out for her there."

The three kids look at each other, quickly agreeing to the plan, and turning to take their leave before Rachel interrupts them.

"Uh, I hate to burst your bubble, but you do realize that there's a slim chance they are actually there, right ? If they aren't, what's plan B ?"

Chris pauses to think "My dad has a cabin we go to in the summer. It's more of a guest house. The real owner is a neighbor of ours, I sometimes cut his grass during the summer."

"If you say so." Rachel says with a shrug "But how are you planning to get there ?"

"We can walk. I did something like this a few years ago." Daniel says confidently.

"How far away is it ?"

This stops them, and Chris takes a moment to answer "When my dad drives, it's an hour and a half from here."

"That's by vehicle. What about on foot ?" Rachel says.

The other three look at eachother, not saying anything.

"I thought so. Luckily, I have a solution." Rachel says, jabbing a thumb over her shoulder at the ambulance.

"You expect us to just trust you ?" Sarah Lee asks.

"I mean it's not like you have that much options." Rachel shrugs "You're cold, lacking proper clothing. I saved you back there, and brought with me a means of transportation. Now what kind of friendly neighborhood vampire would I be if I let you youngsters loose into the woods ?"

They glance at each other hesitantly before Rachel points to the axe she left on the ground.

"You can take it, and if anything happens on the way, you can use it however you see fit."

Chris nods, before going to retrieve the axe.

By the time they got into the ambulance, Rachel curse out as the engine won't start.

"Oh, goddammit!"

"What's wrong ?" Sarah Lee asks.

"Engine's busted." Rachel sighs, before narrowing her eyes at Daniel, "It's like something heavy was just dropped - smashed even - onto the engine. Now it's busted."

"What now ?" Chris asks.

"Back to plan A, I guess." Rachel says "It'll be risky, but I think we can make it."

"You think or you know ?" Daniel asks.

"Taking the wild animals, and possibilities of loose vampires still in these woods, it's probably a safe bet you stick with me." Rachel says before gesturing to Daniel "But at least with Anakin Skywalker here, we know we are in further safe hands."

"I never liked the prequels," Daniel shrugs "I thought I was more of a Ben Solo."

Rachel raises an eyebrow with a Seriously, him ? expression, before shrugging with "Whatever floats your boat, kid. I was always an Azula stan myself."

The four were soon enough walking their way down the road, Sarah Lee carrying a hot water bottle from the ambulance, Chris carrying the axe, Rachel carrying a fairly large bottle of an unknown liquid she keeps on her person. Daniel had on his person, a bag of rations, also from the ambulance - mostly just granola bars and boost, which they'd have to use sparingly. But he kept his eyes on Rachel.

"So uh, Rachel was it ?"

"Yeah. What's up ?" she asks.

"What exactly got you out here ?"

"Hmm ?" Rachel regards Daniel.

"It's just, I normally wouldn't think someone stealing an ambulance after spending weeks at the hospital would, be seen as normal. Especially for a vampire after a big vampire attack like this." Daniel explains.

Rachel laughs.

"It's kind of a long story. You got a minute ?"

"I think the three of us got all night." Daniel nods.

Chapter 9: Lost and Found (Flashback)

Summary:

Content warning: Contains a brief glimpse of Rachel and Jefferson's "relationship". You'd understand if I skim some of it.

I also have some news pertaining to the upcoming "True Colors". While the next few chapters are already planned and half written, once they are done, I may be putting this story on hold, at least until "True Colors" is released.

The reason for this is obvious; the presence of Steph in both. Before TC was announced, I actually intended Ambergrich to be one of the main ships for “Unlife”. Since Steph is gonna be in TC, and I intend to avoid canon divergence is possible, there's quite a bit I gotta rework.

I already have an In-Universe explanation for Steph's anomalous presence here, in case of any major contradictions in the upcoming game, but I still want to wait until it's out before I can put it into action so I can know what I'm working with. My one hint is it has to do with an SCP crossover I plan to write in the future.

In the meantime, I may put more work into "Love's Sacrifices".

Chapter Text

March 7th, 2013

Rachel is roused from sleep and it takes her a minute to adjust her vision to see where she is.

Once her mind is clear, she sees she's in Mark's car; the radio on some 80's station and to her dismay, it was only four in the afternoon.

"Where are we ?" Rachel says with a yawn and stretch.

"Interstate 405." Jefferson says calmly "Stopped at McDonalds if you are hungry." Jefferson jabs a thumb over his shoulder to see two bags he placed behind his seat.

"You know what that's full of, right ?" Rachel says, although she still reaches for the bag.

"You know that documentary was bullshit, right ?" Jefferson says back.

Rachel notices a Sprite in the cup holders, takes it and drinks it down to un-parch her throat. She smacks her mouth a little to get that morning breath sensation out.

----

It's been three weeks since Rachel and Jefferson have been seeing each other like this.

It started of course, when Rachel left her phone behind in class. Jefferson found her phone and handed it back to her the next day, but told Rachel she wanted to talk about the pictures she's been taking.

When they spoke after class, Rachel thought she was gonna get an earful of the more...not safe for school images she saved of herself, and was prepared to give Mark an earful about it to save some sort of face, and how he shouldn't have gone through her phone. She was shut up when Jefferson reminded her she should have installed a password, and that in his day, girls were hurt way more for less.

Rachel would put up an act of mortified embarrassment she's been preparing - she had no real issue with her body being put out there, but if it kept up the appearance of her being the Perfect Queen Bee of Blackwell Academy, she's been preparing for the waterworks (using memories of her late grandma helps).

To Rachel's surprise, Jefferson was nothing short of casual and understanding, expressing no judgment on his part and even gave her tips on maintaining the image of faux innocence. It was so casual and easy going, that it threw Rachel off whatever sympathy string she was gonna try to pull.

From there things escalated, or de-escalated, into a simple conversation of Rachel exploring her more secret interests, and Mark opening up a little about his own past; and example of this was Mark having a girlfriend in college, who was obsessed with cryptids, and had a hobby of analyzing photos of them - it's something they bonded over.

Mark even got some of Rachel's sympathy with a story of how he lost his girlfriend in the Pine Barrens years back looking for The Jersey Devil.

In Rachel's case, she felt like Mark could read her like a book, the same way she reads other people. With the way Mark could see through her, Rachel felt like she could be more open to Mark in ways she couldn't be with other people. Even Chloe.

They met after class like this for days on end, before going on an unofficial movie date. They ended up seeing Warm Bodies.

It was out of town of course, but even then they tried to keep on the down low; they entered the theatres separately, paid separately, and didn't draw attention to themselves when they took their seats. The only thing that could possibly raise suspicion was the two sharing popcorn.

Their movie date ended with them leaving together, when the worst thing that could have happened, almost happened. As it turns out James and Rose Amber were seeing Killing Lincoln at the same theatre, and they spotted Rachel with Mark in the parking lot.

Rachel wasn't on speaking terms with her father, but shared a few words with her stepmom. Mark was able to spin a quick story that they happened to see each other at the same movie, and that Rachel's date walked out on her; he was just being a good teacher looking out for his students.

Something told Rachel her parents didn't buy that story, but otherwise accepted it. James, for his part, only seemed cautiously concerned towards Rachel, and advised her to be more careful with "this one".

These little "student teacher hangouts" went on for a few weeks, escalating to the point that Rachel spent  the night at Mark's condo, sleeping on his couch.

As of last week, something happened that made Rachel ditch class; that something being Sera Gearhardt being admitted to a hospital for the third time.

After three days, Mark found Rachel, lying on his bed, drunk, stoned, and Eeyore levels of depressed. Mark didn't really know what to make of it, but Rachel mentions having her friends out of town (this Chloe girl, was seeing her grandma out of town for example) and how Sera wouldn't want her to see her "like that".

Mark didn't know who Chloe was, who Sera was, or why they had Rachel in a bind, but he thought he'd throw her a little "merciful favor"...

Just for the night of course.

Two days after that, Mark reached out to a despondent Rachel, asking if she'd be interested in a trip to Portland; there was an art gallery, and he was gonna be hosting some of his more recent pictures there.

And with nothing better to do or get her thoughts off of recent events, Rachel agreed to come with.

----

The sun had set to a pinkish blue sky as Mark pulled into the parking lot. Ironically, Rachel was as far from sleep as one can be.

Mark booked them a suite at a Quality Inn; two bed rooms of course, in case Rachel wanted her space, or that she needed Mark to "get her mind off of things" during their three day stay.

Once they settled in, Rachel sat on her bed, reading a brochure for the gallery; it was something fruity sounding - "Dark Eccentricities: For When the Artist's Eye Sees in the Dark '', or something like that. To Rachel's understanding, it was for artists to showcase some of their darker work, and an appreciation for artists who wanted to push their talent to the limit.

Rachel personally didn't see the point in it; if she wanted to see someone's edgy art, she could always go on DeviantArt. But it got her out of town, which is something Rachel could use. And it at least gave her something to do.

Speaking of something to do, Rachel looked over at the TV; The Patriot was on, and it didn't really spark her interest, but that was about the only thing on at the time. Bored out of her mind, Rachel opened the door to Jefferson's room to see he's already asleep. Careful not to wake him, Rachel slips out of the room, and to her suitcase.

She takes out a bathing suit from her suitcase, and a towel from her room's closet. She leaves behind a note saying "Out to the pool, have the key, but I'm locking the door to be safe. xoxo."

By the time Rachel reached the pool area, she saw there were two families with little kids making use of the shallow end of the pool. Rachel regarded them with a smile as she made her way to the far, deep end, settling her towel down on a chair, diving in headfirst.

Rachel kept to herself at the far end of the pool, watching as the kids splashed around and frolicked at the safer side.

It could have been about ten or fifteen minutes, when Rachel notices a four year old girl at the pool's edge; while her apparent family was watching the other kids, the girl had her hands and upper body on the pool's edge, with her feet under the surface.

The little tyke crawled alongside the pool's wall, towards the deeper end, a sight that Rachel found cute; it reminded her of someone playing Spiderman. Of course, the back of her mind had an increasing sense of concern. Her parents should be looking after her right.

Rachel swam a little closer to the kid. Not too close, but a safe distance.

"Do your parents know you're here ?" Rachel asks, trying to sound friendly, but the echo it caused caught the parents attention.

"I'm trying to swim like a big girl!" The little girl says, pretty oblivious to what she's doing.

One of the parents, a woman in her late twenties turns her attention and shrieks out "Darla!"

The girl, apparently named Darla, turned her attention to her mother and shouted back "Mommy, look! I can swim deep too!"
With that, the girl lets go of the pool wall...and goes under the surface like a rock.

"Oh fudge bucket!" Rachel gasps, but the sound was a whisper compared to the mothers screaming.

It became silent and muffled, as the four year old was now four feet deep, trying to kick her way to the surface.

Rachel dove in after Darla, grabbed the little girl's waist and swam her up to the surface, with the girl's mother standing over them at the pool's edge.
Darla let out a loud gasp for air as Rachel lifted her to her mother's hands.

"See, mommy! I can swim!" Darla says enthusiastically, but coughs between words, apparently oblivious to the peril she was just in.

"Darla Katherine Green!" The mother scolds as she holds the child close and Rachel backs away "Don't you ever sneak away like that on me again!" She turns her attention to Rachel as the girls apparent father walks rushed to his wife in concern "Thank you so much; I don't want to think about what I would have done if you-"

Rachel waves her off with a friendly smile "Think nothing of it. You probably would have dived in after her had I not been here. If anything, I saved you the trouble."

As the parents said their quick "thanks", a woman entered the pool area, clad in a black bathrobe, matching her short cut black hair, contrasting her pale skin. She watches on, not letting herself be noticed as the families exit the pool area.

One it was just her and Rachel in the room, the woman makes her way to the hot tub and climbs in.

The two don't really pay each other much mind until Rachel notices her entering a sauna. Rachel pulls her hand out the water to notice her fingers are getting wrinkly.

Deciding she's had enough of the cool, wet water, Rachel makes her way out of the pool and into the sauna. Her towel did little to keep her from shaking in the cool air, and goosebumps spread across her body.

A few minutes, maybe an hour in a hot, steaming room should fix that.

When Rachel entered the sauna room, she felt a wave of heat wash over her face, and it wasn't from the temperature. She takes with her a bag of clothes, with her phone in it.

The dark haired woman from earlier was leaning back on the top bench, looking almost as if she were asleep...and wasn't wearing her top.

Rachel let out a shrill gasp at the sight, causing the woman to perk up and glance at her. As Rachel averts her eyes, the woman quickly covers her breasts, the dark haired woman sheepishly apologizes, speaking with a British accent.

"Terribly sorry, I thought I was alone."

"No, I'm sorry." Rachel says, still looking away, but giving a quick glance as the older woman puts her top back on "I get it, sometimes a girl needs space to...breath."

"I can step out if you-"

"Nah, it's fine." Rachel reassures her, taking a seat at the far end of the sauna "You could have locked the door you know. It's what I'd do."

The two sat on opposite sides of the bench, but the awkwardness was so thick a knife would break trying to cut it. The woman speaks again.

"So, are you on vacation ?"

Rachel glances at her and replies "I think my business is my own."

"Fair enough. It's just, you're what ? Seventeen, eighteen ? Most runaways can't afford to stay in a place such as this; and seeing as you're apparently well off enough, and it's a Thursday, I doubt you'd be here on a school night."

Rachel gives a shrug and a smirk "You don't know me. For all you know, I could be playing hooky. Wouldn't be the first time."

"Is that so ? You do it often ?"

"Depends." Rachel says "About two years ago, a friend and I skipped town for a Taylor Swift concert. Personally I wanted to see Within Temptation, but that was a little beyond my allowance."

"Ah, I see you're a woman of culture as well," The woman grins "And I assume you're here to see...?" She doesn't finish the sentence, hoping that Rachel would do so for her.

"This art gallery. Here to support a friend of mine. Actually, he's more of a-" Rachel starts before she's interrupted.

"Boy toy ?"

"No, but he's a pretty cool guy. He's more of a mentor really, helping me with my own artistic vision." Rachel clarifies.

"Ah, so you're a protégé ?"

"Pretty much, it's a little under the table though." Rachel says.

"What's his name ?"

"Mark. Mark Jefferson."

"Ah yes, I know who he is." The woman slides across the bench towards Rachel, holding out her hand "Mary Reid; gallery hostess."

"Vivian Manning." Rachel answers, using a pen name she bought her pass under. Can't have people knowing that Jefferson is taking one of his students out on a little vacation, right ? "So you're the host ?"

Mary nods, leaning back as she takes a deep inhale. It may be the heat getting to her, but Rachel finds herself oddly fixated on the way Mary's chest heaves, before directing her attention to Mary's confident expression as she turns her attention to Rachel.

"That's what I said," Mary says placing both of her hands on the back of her head, as she continues to lean "I got people coming in for the gala; I'd invite them to my condo downtown, but my sister-in-law is a real neat freak and homebody, so I'm renting a room out for her. While I was waiting, I thought 'What the Hell ?' "

"I see," Rachel says, letting a small pause beat before Mary continues.

"So you're a photography artist yourself ?" Mary remarks "What kind of pictures do you take ?"

"I'm not good at taking photos myself. There's always something off with them, or something always throws me off. Last year I tried to take one of a bear cub in the woods, and it's mother turned up- that's a different story. But the short of it is I like to model."

"You model for Jefferson ? So I can expect to see your pics in my gallery ?"

"Not yet." Rachel shakes her head "Mark says I'm not ready. He wants to wait until I graduate. I had a friend take my pictures though."

"And I take it, you have them on your person; might I see them ?" Mary asks, noticing the sudden hesitance in Rachel's eyes "You don't have to show me though. Call it a critic's curiosity. Unless you're a youth still-"

"No, I turned nineteen last July." Rachel clarifies "It's just...a few people have seen me model. Besides, I'm more of a dinner and movie gal." Rachel adds, only half way joking.

"I can assure you, unless pushed, I am nothing short of professional." Mary says "But if you do not wish to, I won't push you."

"No- no, I'll show you," Rachel says, getting up towards her bag "I'm not ashamed of my body, if that's what you're insinuating, it's just I took them for one person." Rachel pauses to think for a few seconds before she says "But I could always use a professional opinion. When I become professional myself I mean."

Rachel takes her phone out of her bag and turns it on for Mary.

"No password." Mary remarks as Rachel taps the photos app.

"I can never think of one clever enough." Rachel shrugs, apparently non-chalant about sharing her more intimate photographs to an allegedly professional artist and gala hostess. Then again, Rachel saw Mary's boobs just minutes ago, so maybe this would put the universe in balance or some shit.

"And you say your name is Vivian, but your phone says Rachel." Mary remarks.

"It's a pen name." Rachel answers.

Rachel flipped through the first photo; it was of her laying on her stomach, taken from a side angle, while she faced the camera, wearing a Bigfoot Football Jersey and nothing else, her legs kicked up along her back, with the profile of her hips and tuckus was plainly visible. Rachel had a facial expression on her face that indicated she couldn't believe she just did that.

After a few seconds, Rachel flipped to the next photo; she was standing apparently nude before a brightly lit window, with a curtain wrapped around her. It was a white curtain, and transparent enough you could just see the silhouette of Rachel's figure.

The next was of Rachel in a bathtub; overflowing with suds; she has a towel wrapped around her head, green tea getup and a cucumber slice on one eye; Rachel was taking another slice off her other eye, and had a facial expression of indignance, playing the role of someone caught with their pants down.

Next had Rachel completely in the nude, save for a pair of reading glasses and a hair bun, sitting on a chair in a dimly lit room; one of her legs was crossed over the other, covering her vagina, while her breasts were covered by the book she was holding in front of her chest. It was a copy of The Silmarillion. She had an expression of poised dignity on her face, as she gave the camera the smallest of glances.

"Remarkable. What studio do you take ?"

"I've rented out an apartment recently. Have a friend take some of these." Rachel explains as she rubs the back of her neck "Gotta make do with what I got."

"Ah, you're quite the resourceful one." Mary says, "I have a photography studio of my own, you know. Got three condos in this city alone; one of them is where I host the gala. If I see you tomorrow, perhaps you may wish to visit ?"

"Sure," Rachel smirks.

On instinct, Rachel flips to a fifth photo, the only where she is full frontal. She was lying on a couch, wearing only a necklace with a blue - probably fake - diamond in the shape of a heart. If you've seen Titanic, you should know the exact pose Rachel is making.

Mary glances at Rachel, a little taken aback at how unabashed the girl is being to her, while Rachel looks a little proud of her body.

"I take it your friend is a Jack type ?"

Rachel pauses to think, a mirthful smile growing on her face "In a manner of speaking, yes. In a few ways actually. It's weird how we got to know each other in three days."

"Is he a photography student too ?"

Rachel shakes her head "She. And nah, she's not a student anymore. But she talked about this friend of hers who was into that kind of stuff, and told me so much about her. When I started taking these classes, my friend, Chloe, wanted to know what all the excitement was about."

Rachel flips to one; a post shower selfie with herself covering her breasts in front of a mirror; Chloe photo bombed that picture and kissed Rachel on the cheek.

"Personally, I think I work better as a model, but Chloe doesn't think that much of her own skills."

"It may not mean much of anything, but I think she's wrong. I mean, you say she takes these pictures and she's not a student any more ? I think with the right influence, she can really make something of herself." Mary explains "I always keep my eye out for up and coming artists that need a direction in life; as well as models too, if you're interested."

"I'll think about it." Rachel shrugs when she hears her phone go off.

It was a message from Mark; "I'm ordering tonight's dinner, want to know what you're up for."

"Ah, looks like I gotta take this one." Rachel says "I'll see you tomorrow, I guess. We can talk more about it then."

"Look forward to it." Mary says with a cheeky smile.

Rachel takes her bag and a bathrobe giving Mark a reply text as she exits the sauna "I wanna see what's available, I'll be up in a minute."

Once she's alone, Mary leans back on the sauna bench, letting her towel drop. She's so relaxed at this point that she was near sleep. She places both hands behind her head, almost prepared to drift off to dreamland.

For whatever reasons, her mind kept focusing on that one picture of Rachel and Chloe. Not particularly about it's content, no. Rather she was thinking of how familiar that Chloe girl looked to her. Like a face she was oh so used to seeing decades ago, disappeared since then and now has reappeared.

No matter what, Mary just couldn't get Chloe's face out of her head. She looked almost like...it couldn't be, could it ? A lot of girls looked like that. But Chloe just resembles someone she just had to know, she just couldn't put her finger on it to save her life.

"That one," the Queen's voice whispers in Mary's head "She's the one that I'll have."

"No," Mary breathes out "I'm not on your leash anymore."

"For now, but your son always will be."

----

March 8th, 2013

The gala was hosted in Mary's condo.

Specifically, it was the one she cleared out to be a studio, fittingly enough, it was a studio type apartment. Absolutely spacious place.

There were about sixty people in attendance, although Rachel probably lost count. She was just taken aback at the turn up.

It was about the biggest high class gathering cliché you could think of. Pretty nondescript. Rachel attended a few such parties in her day, and was accustomed enough that she could play wallflower just like that.

Everyone was dressed elegantly and high class, you'd think they were attending a wedding. Everyone was in the same kind of black or white suits or dresses; with the occasional blue or grey; the hostess, Mary, wore a red dress that made her stand out a little more, while Rachel's was a light blue.

Mark was setting up his exhibit, and quickly made himself at home with the other artists and attendances.

Rachel for her part just wandered around, putting all the noise in the background, from Mary's greetings speech (which Mary herself seemed phoned out of), to the music Mary played to set the scene.

As the title Dark Eccentricities implies, the art pieces, from photographs, paintings and even statues, were clearly made with edge in mind.

You've got this Navajo artist by the name of Clay Nez, who made a statue of animal bones. His exhibit was supposedly a homage to the creatures that gave him nightmares as a kid, and he used said nightmares as an inspiration for his work.

The statues he presented were of animal skeletons built in a bipedal fashion, including cats, coyotes, owls. All dressed in human clothes and painted with these marks. Or at least they looked like skeletons; they were pretty convincing.

"Are these real bones ?" Rachel would ask Nez, as she looked over his four models.

"Of course not." Nez chuckles "All prosthetics, but had you fooled didn't I ?"

"I'll say." Rachel remarks, looking down at the cat one "These give you nightmares ? Goddamn, what kind of stories did you grow up with ?"

"Oh, honestly, it's been a while I forgot the stories myself. Really all I remember is the nightmares they gave me."

"I see," Rachel says before regarding Nez "You have a good evening, and keep up the good work."

"Same to you."

Next picture that caught her attention was clay model rooms - specifically, photographs of clay models depicting events and prisoners of the holocaust. The artist, Heshel Mintz did it as a tribute to his grandmother, the only survivor of her family when they were sent to Auschwitz.

Next exhibit was photographs of crime scenes, or accidents - staged obviously, as they were all the same model, set in different eras in history. The model's name was Vanessa Quinn, who was trying to put her work out there by taking more edgy stuff.

Rachel didn't really talk to her, as Quinn was talking to Mark about the possibility of modeling for him.

Rachel instead moved onto paintings by Ashley Martin, who Mark recommended as a former student of his.

Martin's paintings were of children in different places that would otherwise be safe and wholesome; the bedroom; the school yard and jungle gym surrounded by other kids; the classroom; a birthday party, surrounded by their families.

The constant was, there was one child, covered in blood or ash staring blankly at the viewer, while others in the pictures were oblivious to the child's apparent plight. It would be a different child for every picture, but they would always be wearing ripped or tattered clothes.

Rachel was so engrossed by these pictures, that she nearly jumped out from her skin when she felt a hand on her shoulder, and was a little relieved when she saw it was Mary.

"Scared you, didn't I ?"

"Startled." Rachel says with a mild huff.

"I'm just glad you turned up is all." Mary says.

"I said I would." Rachel shrugs.

They're attention was caught by Ashley Martin, as she looked on at Jefferson, who was still setting up his own exhibit. Martin notices her exhibit is being looked at and steps forward to make introductions.

"Not the prettiest thing in the world I know, but at least it's real." Martin greets Rachel, Mary and four other observers who made their way to her exhibit.

"Of that I can see," Mary notes "I am also sensing an underlying theme here."

"Of course, you do." Martin nods, before addressing her audience "As you can see from these pictures, I was trying to make a statement. I'm sure a lot of us here have pretty...mixed backgrounds and upbringings. A lot of us look at things at surface level, and don't really try to look past it. Or even want to."

Rachel overheard one of the guests as a question "So, you mean to say it's a loss of innocence sort of deal, am I correct ?"

"It can be seen as that, yes." Martin nods "But what I was going for was the mask of innocence. The kind of fronts you put up to cover what scars you. A lot of us here like a pretty picture. We never want to know what's behind it. It's a front that a lot of us are familiar with I'm sure."

Before Rachel could really ponder what Martin was talking about, she felt a familiar presence make it's way behind her. She breathes in deeply and exhales - no way, was she gonna get jump scared twice in a row - when she feel's Mark Jefferson standing behind her and addressing Martin.

"You've always had that way of looking at things, Ashley." He says with the friendly greeting tone of one who knew this artist for years. Martin, for her part, froze like a deer in headlights "Always seeing the best in some people, and the worst in others."

Martin crosses her arms, and grins despite herself "That's just the way I am, Mr. Jefferson."

While Mark and Martin introduce themselves to the onlookers, telling them of their brief history as teacher and student, Mary nudges Rachel on the shoulder and gestures to her to follow.

Rachel slinks back from the crowd following Mary's lead to the drinks.

"Life can be a bitch, can't it ?" Mary breaths out "You gotta put on an act, keep up appearances for the family you were born in."

"I take it you're brother hasn't come ?" Rachel asks.

"Truth be told, I haven't heard from him in two years." Mary nods "My sister-in-law is another story, but she's a no show herself. Can't say I blame them, these kinds of gatherings can be draining when you've been doing them for as long as I have."

"I hear that. I remember when I was a kid, this club my dad was in would host these parties on special occasions. While the other kids get to play Haunted House on Halloween, or have snowball wars on what was usually the golf course, I had to play daddy's girl, sit by his side, smile and look modest." Rachel explains "I didn't mind at first, but after three years, a party becomes just another chore."

At the table, Mary nods downing one of the drinks "There's a dance club just down the block, y'know. Almost every night I'd be putting my body to work, but then you got to go to actual work. Every now and then, it feels like you're going through the motions. To be honest this was more for my family's benefit, but since they're not here, I'm wondering what's the point of setting this up ?"

"To show off other people's work ?"

"Maybe," Mary shrugs "To be honest, I'm normally one who mixes business with my pleasure. Family is a whole other deal."

"How are things though ? Between you and your brother I mean." Rachel asks.

"It's a long and complicated story, but the short of it is that things are on and off. It hasn't really been the same since my nie-" Mary stops herself before she can say anymore "As I said, it's a long and complicated story. Not one I'd tell newcomers."

Mary takes a glass and hands it to Rachel, which Rachel drinks down after hesitating for a second.

"So anyways, I said last night, that I was thinking of showing you my studio. Still up for it ?"

Rachel nods, looking back at Mark, who was still talking and socializing amongst the other guests. He can wait for now.

"Sure, let's go for it." Rachel says.

Mary smiles and takes Rachel by the hand, leading her through the apartment and to a stairway.

They walk down a narrow hallway, reaching a door, Mary opens it to reveal a spacious room; at the far end was a double king sized bed; on one corner an massive aqua tank with a background resembling the seafloor, filled with exotic fish ("Those poor fishes must get so confused." Rachel thinks to herself) - at the other was a closet no doubt filled with supplies, with a few standard sets out on display.

Mary speaks again "My business works in tandem with my sister in laws. She's sort of a big wig, you know ? Runs all these different fronts ? Perhaps you heard of the Ashbury market ?"

Rachel shakes her head, as she walks around the studio, taking in the sights "Can't say that I have; you interact with enough high profiles, you lose track of more names than you learn."

"I see; well, she has a hand in the fashion industry - I have another friend in the adult entertainment industry, so I thought I'd utilize both."

This catches Rachel's attention "You shoot porn ?"

Mary shrugs "I worked with a few professionals, but you won't find me in any videos or movies if that's what you're asking, gutter mind." Mary says, walking past Rachel and flicking her on the nose, as she made her way to a desk at the side of her bed.

"I am more interested in modelling; mostly involved in putting people's images out there. As of last summer, I made a killing in marketing swimwear for Ashbury Market." Mary pulls open a drawer, and takes out a photo album "Even took a few shots of myself."

Mary walks up to, and hands Rachel the photo album. The younger woman flips through it, seeing pictures of male and female models - some in swimwear at a beach or pool side; some in winter clothes and winter settings; you name it. Rachel even recognized a few faces and names from her not so safe for work search history.

Mary interrupts Rachel's viewings to speak further "I considered starting a mentorship program myself. Thinking of branching out to LA - that's where I hear the getting's are good. How far are you from graduation ?"

"A couple of months."

"And your friend ?"

"Chloe ?" Rachel answers "She's not in school at the moment, so she's not graduating in the foreseeable future."

"Grand," Mary smiles "I do recommend reaching out to her. If she took those pictures you showed me, she might have something in her that needs utilizing."

"Maybe, but Chloe isn't exactly for everyone." Rachel shrugs "Besides, I'm thinking of extending my mentorship with Mar- Mr. Jefferson. He's been talking about these projects he has in mind for me. Once I graduate, of course."

Speaking of, Rachel heard her phone go off.

"Looks like his exhibits are ready." Rachel sighs after checking her phone.

"Ah, so it's back to business then. Mary sighs, taking the album and setting it aside.

----

Mark's exhibit was, admittedly, a bit of a bore.

Rachel came to support him yes, but listening to him prattle on that same speech she's heard him prepare all day and all of last night.
There were seven of his photos on display.

One was of two models; a while woman dressed in black, and a black woman dressed in white. They lay upon a white floor and the picture was taken from a bird's eye view - they were curved together, lying in a circular motion; they're facial expressions looked uncomfortable, like they wanted to move but couldn't. Their position didn't look any more comfortable - it was like a human ying yang symbol.

There were three other pictures of these girls from different angles.

The next two were of an estimated eight months pregnant woman. Her face could barley be seen behind her matted hair, but she was stripped down to a bra and clutching her stomach protectively. She was a dirty blonde, estimated to be about college aged. Rachel has heard of pregnant models before, but from what Mark has told her, models that worked for him knew there was some kind of risk to it.

It didn't make sense to Rachel why someone would take a risk like that when they appear to be so close to their due date. Rachel shook the thought off - it's her body after all. But in one picture close enough to her face, Rachel could have sworn the woman was glaring.

The next two models Mark showed off in his presentation were more of the same, until Mark got to the part of his speech he didn't rehearse.

"...A lot of you may not know this, but I'm not exactly open about my family life. And to be fair, there's not much to talk about. Born in Arcadia Bay, high class background. Dad was out of the picture by the time I was seven, but my mom always encouraged my hobbies."

This got a few laughs from the guests, and Mark pauses before he continues.

"Yeah, yeah yeah. To be honest, I didn't consider myself as close to my mom when I was growing up than I did as a kid. I think it was when I went to college things sort of drifted between us. Between my early career and my girlfriend Lexxie, I was pretty distracted. I think it was 95 my mother tried reconnecting with me. And it is when I got her to take part in one of my early shoots, I felt like it was all the conclusion of all the work she has done for me."

With that, Mark presented two previously hidden photographs of an older woman - she looked to have been in her mid sixties at the time these were taken. She was thin, disheveled, sickly even. She didn't exactly have the brightest of smiles, as she was on her sickbed.

"And here we have her, Lydia Jefferson." Mark presents proudly "In many ways, she is the woman who made me who I am today, helped me find my craft so to speak, encouraged me in my early passions. Honestly, there are times where I look back and wonder what she'd think of the man her baby boy has become. I don't normally dwell on these things, but it's always a wonder to look back at your roots, and see how far you have gone. I think the lot of us have that voice in the back of our heads, you know pushing you to your goals, while also pulling you back to where you came from. I guess that's what brought me back to the Bay."

As Mark went on about his mother, how she battled lung cancer for years, and passed when he was mastering his craft, Rachel's mind was elsewhere.

Seeing this older woman, in such a state, all but directly being exploited - by her son no less! - gave Rachel a shiver, and she'd think back to her recent visits to the hospital.

How Sera was lying there, her eyes glassed over, her voice barely a whisper ("Get out Rachel..I don't want you to see me-" before being interrupted by a barrage of coughs, before then telling a nurse to "Get her out!").

Rachel made her way to the bathroom. She's not a crier, especially in public places, but she feels something coming.

Minutes later, Rachel is breathing heavily, trying to hold back her sobs, as she washes her face at the bathroom sink. She's shaking, trying to hold herself together.

"I had to be there, mom. I had too." Rachel says, her voice near inaudible as she continues breathing heavily.

She hears someone opening the door. Rachel does her best to compose herself when she sees Ashley Martin, purse in hand, step in and see her.

"Oh sorry, I-"

"No, it's okay." Rachel exhales "Just was having a moment."

"I get it," Martin says "Jefferson's work can...it can really invoke some things."

As she says this, Martin takes out a pair of cigarettes from her purse, and offers one to Rachel.

Rachel hesitates before accepting the offer. She doesn't normally smoke (Tabaco, that is) but right now she could use something to take the edge off.
After inhaling deeply, Rachel breaths out smoke as Martin takes hers in a more slow and even pace.

"I understand you were a student of his." Rachel says, trying to make conversation.

"About three years ago, yes." Martin nods, smiling cynically to herself, like she was thinking on a bitter memory she was holding back "You can say I learned a lot of what I know now, or how I see the world, thanks to him."

"Ah, so he helped you get where you are now ?" Rachel says.

"I had a few people get me where I am now, but I was going through a dark period in my life when Jefferson was teaching me. Really helped me open my eyes." Martin notes before dropping her cigarette and crushing it below her heel "How do you know him ?"

"He's mentoring me...I'm going through a rough patch myself." Rachel answers, dropping her own cigarette and likewise crushing it.

"Has he, you know, taken your pictures or anything ?" Martin asks after hesitating.

This caught Rachel off guard, but she answered truthfully "No. He says he wants to wait before we get to that.

"Look, take my advice, be careful of that one." Ashley says plainly "If he's helping you for something, it usually means that he wants something out of you. Trust me, it tests your limits."

Rachel sighs "Trust me, that's something I'm used to seeing in most people."

"If you say so..."

As Martin left the bathroom, Rachel waited a few seconds to make sure she was alone. Taking her purse off her shoulder, she opens it to pull out a balled up, unused napkin, opening it to reveal two green pills.

"One pill, makes you larger/And one pill makes you small," Rachel sang quietly to herself "And the ones that mother gives you/ don't do anything at all."

Rachel takes the pills and swallows them down. Quick and painless - she made the mistake of biting down on one of these pills before.

"Go ask Alice, when she's ten feet tall."

When Rachel rejoins the gala, her mind is elsewhere. She's good at hiding it, but she is currently in a blissed out fog of a mind.

Mark was droning on with some stories of his past, all but admitting to taking advantage of his mothers ailing health and the sympathy it generated for him to kickstart his career. Rachel, despite standing in the same room, several feet from Jefferson, was a million miles away for the rest of the party.

She came slowly back down to Earth when Mark told her it was time for them to leave.

As they did so, Rachel could have sworn she spotted Mary giving her a knowing smile from the crowd, and a friendly wave to go with it.

----

June 24th, 2014, Hollywood Hills

After her tour with Mordred, or as his current pseudonyms call him, "Miles Winter" or "Gerald Wilfred", Rachel has returned home to ponder the options he laid out for her.

Rachel walks towards her bedroom and slops down onto her bed in an exhausted heap. After a few moments, she drifted off to sleep. More of a force of habit she picked up over the past few months, and a genuine tiredness from the night.

By the time Rachel woke up the sky was a red orange color.

She was jolted awake by a missed phone call from Steph.

Rachel was ghosting her calls all of last night and the night before, and was out of excuses now that she was home.

Picking her phone up and dialing a return number, she mumbles a bit when she asks "Hey, Steph sorry to keep you waiting; was on a bit of a bender..."

"Hey Viv," Steph's voice answers. In the few phone calls they shared, Steph would call Rachel "Viv" as a sign that Cathy was with her.

"Is that about your show ?" Rachel asks "I didn't think you'd still be doing shows with your hand in the cast ?"

"It's not that," Steph says in an uncharacteristically timid and somber voice "I can't stay on the phone too long. Cath and I are going to be out of town..."

"Okay..." Rachel starts unsure of herself "And you want me to check the m-"

"No, nothing like that." Rachel could practically hear Steph shake her head insistently "Cathy and I are going to be gone for a while. She just wanted me to let you know..."

This made Rachel tense. Given what she saw/heard/learned of Cathy, she had some suspicions, but couldn't exactly connect the dots. But if her suspicions are confirmed...

Rachel practically felt her fangs start to bare as she grit her teeth at the thought.

"Where you going to go ?" Rachel asks.

"Cathy didn't say."

"How long will you be out of town ?" Rachel asks again.

"That's for Cathy to decide." Steph says in a practically monotone voice.

"Do you want me to come over ?" Rachel asks "You know, to lend a hand ?"

"No!" Steph says insistently "No, Viv. Just leave me and Cathy to it. I'll be fine. Don't worry. Please, don't worry."

"This is giving me the opposite effect, you know." Rachel says in her head before speaking out loud "Okay then...I'll see you around, Steph."

"Please Viv," Steph says "Don't worry yourself. I'll be fine...Cathy and I have to work some stuff out." She ends the call with a "Goodbye, Viv."

When the call hangs up, Rachel gets back up from her bed and paces around the house. She didn't notice she was huffing and puffing at first, and didn't know how long she was going at it until she eventually looked out the window on her balcony, and saw the sky was a dark blue.

Rachel didn't know what she was thinking or why, but she was probably letting her feelings get the better of her when she went to pick up her phone.
She was given Mordred's number - listed as "Miles Winter" and called.

"Speaking," His voice answers.

"It's me..." Rachel sighs.

"I know who it is, I have a caller ID you know." He replies "I take it you have made your decision ?"

"I still have three days, do I ?" Rachel asks.

"Indeed you do, but I doubt this is a social call. Let me advise you that it is in your best interests not to stab me in the back, if you expect me to scratch yours."

"I need a favor, we can talk about what I owe you when the time comes." Rachel says "It's...it's for a friend."

"I see." He answers.

"Can you look into someone for me ? It's just I'm looking for dirty laundry; addresses, workplaces, associates. Closet skeletons. Things like that."

"I'll see what I can find." He answers "Does this person have a name ?"

"Cathy Mortimer."

"Hmm, I may have heard that name once or twice." Mordred's voice replies "You know, I have been working with and observing multiple young girls in recent years, it's hard to keep track of them all."

"Just run that name by some of your contacts, can you do that ?" Rachel asks.

"I can, but why ?" Mordred asks "I consider myself a good boss and all that - it has been about twenty eight years since I killed one of my boys, which I consider a personal record - but of course, I am going to be owed a little more for doing this one."

"I'll do whatever you need of me." Rachel sighs "I have a friend who may be in trouble. I just want to make sure she's okay is all.

"Well, when you put it like that. I'll see what I can scrounge up. As a bonus, I will give you a week to think of your final decision, as opposed to three days. How's that sound ?" Mordred answers "Till then, don't call me, I'll call you."

----

In the days that passed, Mordred - Miles Winters - did eventually call back, and sent Rachel what he could find on Cathy Mortimer.

Daughter of a rich family from Louisiana, second generation of French parents who immigrated to America, Cathy was the kind of person in public you could look up to; an overachiever in school, college, the ideal daughter and ideal student from such a family, and now that she was a grown as woman, made a habit of traveling the world and country, and share her experiences with any at all social media.

Pretty much the same way one could describe Rachel based on what is known of her publicly, which is why Rachel wanted to know more than just the surface level.

As far as skeletons in the closet go, Cathy was/is a pretty toxic person, who despite an extravagant lifestyle, likes to swing in the lower crust.

You got an incident when Cathy nearly OD'd on coke during her high school graduation, which was kept under wraps. You got a charge for animal neglect, in which a dog of hers was malnourished, that was kept under the radar.

And finally, an ex girlfriend of hers, Natalie Skinner reporting domestic abuse, and sexual assault against.

The charges were dropped, in part of Natalie's own delinquent history and drug habit that made her claims in-admissible, but Cathy used her social media platform to send a harassment mob onto Natalie. Last anyone heard of Natalie was that she checked herself is a psyche ward, and is currently on suicide watch.

"Well, that sounds problematic." Rachel bluntly put as she went over the information. Understatement of the decade, right ?

In public, Cathy had a mass social media platform, and the kind of girl that would flaunt her privileged background, like she was an influencer or something, especially after graduating college. A summation of her content goes as such "You common folk go see movies for entertainment ? Bah! I see stage shows every other week."

But wait, there's more!

Turns out Cathy had a few more under crust connections she kept under wraps, such as gangsters and drug dealers she used to sleep with, three of which were under suspicion or investigation of sex trafficking charges. For his part, Mordred (or Wilfred in this case) found this out because one of them, a young pimp named Monty, happened to be in debt to him, and ended up spilling his secrets when the name "Cathy Mortimer" dropped.

At the time, no word on Steph herself, but a little birdie said that Cathy was using a farm house in Pinyon Pines, that Monty, three of his boys, and two of his girls are laying low in. Bitch uses it as a vacation house, and as it happens, couldn't resist taking a sunset selfie from the house's balcony for her followers.

All it took for Rachel to get there was a car ride that a certain former Arthurian Knight was willing to offer.

----

Pinyon Pines, California, June 28, 2014

The ride was long and quiet.

Save for the radio playing early 2000's music, as well as Mordred (or Wilfred) occasionally humming and singing softly under his breath.

Rachel, for her part, had her mind a thousand miles away already, looking as the California sky turned dark, and she kept the window rolled down.

Until recently, Rachel didn't consider Steph that close of a friend - she wasn't completely indifferent to Steph back in the day, but back then mostly knew her through Chloe. At best the two hung out two or three times, but didn't make anything of it.

Sure, Rachel knew Steph had a crush on her, but c'mon; it's Rachel Amber.

As of late, Steph meant something to Rachel; a tether to her past; a reminder of a person Rachel used to be. Perhaps the kind of person Rachel could have been, had fate (and questionable life choices) not separated her from Chloe.

And as of right now, Rachel's current thoughts and feeling can be summed up by a song that was playing part way through the drive; 'I'd do anythi-i-i-ing/Just to hold you in my arms/To try to make you laugh/Cuz somehow I can't put you in the past'

It was 10:15 in the PM's when they pulled off the highway down a forested dirt road.

"Are you nervous ?" Wilfred asks.

"Not really ? I thought you had a plan for attack or something." Rachel answers, finally taking her attention off the starry sky.

"This is the plan of attack, Miss Amber." Wilfred clarifies "In case you have forgotten, we are creatures of the night, and there is little damage they could do to us, in the way of mundane weapons. And in case you don't recall, I'm yet to see you in action. Besides, I can't just lead an army or crew to another siege. After Arcadia Bay, my enemies already are looking into my followers' involvement."

"That was back in October, right ? And it's not like you'd be drawing attention to yourself with a few thugs."

"My connections have connections. They will be looking into what I did to their friend, and word will reach careful enough ears. As for Arcadia Bay.." Wilfred continues before he drifts off into thought.

"What is it ?"

"Mother's other children paid the region a second visit, back in May. Not sure if you followed the news, but a new investigation has started. Point is, one of my associates was caught, now everything that happened in October and May has us under a microscope. That is why I sought you out, Rachel Amber. I need someone to hold down the fort, while I once again disappear from the area." Wilfred explains, as they come across a barbed gate, and surrounding fence.

As they approach the gates, Wilfred turns off the headlights, and the engine. "Consider this your practice run, Rachel Amber. You're barely a hunter, but people will still wish to see you harm. Especially since many now seek you out."

"B-but I'm not a killer." Rachel stammers out.

"What did you come out here to do then ? Try to reason with the ruthless criminals ? Just let the police do their jobs, when more than likely they will give them the slip ? You've had your new teeth for a while now, Rachel, learn to use them."

Rachel says nothing, but sighs, shaking her head and before muttering to herself.

"What have I gotten myself into ?"

"If it makes you feel any better. This crew is supposed to be child traffickers." Wilfred says, catching Rachel's attention "In fact, they recently caught some attention when a sex cult they work with had a compound raided. Seven underaged girls were found pregnant, and six died in the process of-"

He stops when he sees Rachel's expression of slack jawed horror. Rachel then closes her mouth and nods, a more reserved expression on her face.

"Fuck it." Rachel says "Let's ice these fuckers."

----

It was simply a matter of going around the fence on foot, to find an opening. Especially since it was barbed wire.  It took about seventeen minutes till they founded a less hazardous, wooden fence. The only issue was that it was built eight feet high.

On their way, they could hear at least three men arguing, and the sound of dogs barking. Six in total.

"Alright, what do you wager we do ?" Mordred whispers when they reach a clear spot.

"I don't know," Rachel shakes her head "You can give me a boost, and I can pull you up."

"Sure," Wilfred shrugs, "If you want to go the easy way, but we can easily get spotted that way."

"Well, what do you propose ?"

Wilfred walks across the clearing, knocking on each board of the fence, before noticing one more soft and loose.

"There we go."

And without any other warning, Wilfred blisters his way through that board, stepping through the opening, with Rachel following behind him. From where they stood, the farm house could be seen fifteen acres across a field. Plenty of space and time to catch intruders.

Matter of fact, the dogs could be heard acting up. And they sound aggressive and angry.

And by the further sounds of it, they were rushing their direction.

"Oh fuck." Rachel breaths out.

Wilfred inhales deeply, before noting "I count eight dogs. German Shepard. Two Pitbull's; two Rottweilers; St Bernard; and a Siberian Husky. Eat once a day, and are on a raw meat diet."

"How can you-?"

"All male, non fixed. Keeps their aggression up." Wilfred interrupts matter of factly "You'd be surprised at what information you can pull from a guy when you're cutting through his digits. Now take off your shirt."

"What!" Rachel blurts out

"Draw off your scent. You go east." Wilfred points across the field "I go towards them. Just trust me on this."

Sighing reluctantly, Rachel turns around, and lifts her shirt over her head, revealing a black bra. Rachel covers her chest, and tosses her shirt to Wilfred, who quickly wraps the sleeves around his neck like a makeshift ascot.

Wilfred gestures Rachel to run, as he walks towards the sound of the advancing dogs, with the casualness of a morning stroll.

As Rachel ran, she saw three flashlights following close behind the sound of the dogs. Keeping herself unseen and unheard, she slowly makes her way to the barn house, and watches the commotion unfold.

Once three of the dogs - the Pitbull's and one of the Rottweilers, surround Wilfred, they stop and only bark at the man before them. The others keep their distance. It's like they know what he is, and know that attacking would mean their deaths.

As their owners made their way to Wilfred, Rachel could see they did not look like stereotypical gangsters; in fact they looked closer to stereotypical frat boys.

Then again, Mark Jefferson didn't look like what you expect a serial killer to look like.

"Well, well, well; what'd you find Gordo ?" One of the thugs said, patting the Pitbull on the head.

"Good evening, gentlemen." Wilfred greets "Name's Timothy Webster. Uh, I didn't know where to go with this, but my car broke down down the ways and-"

"Did you think to call somebody ?"

"No service out here. But a friend of mine lives in the area, and I was told I stop by his place if I needed a lift. Does the name Monty Winston mean anything to you chaps."

"Monty ? The fuck do you know about Monty ? Where's he at ?"

"I saw him just this morning. In fact he's back at my place and he sent me to pick something up for him." Wilfred says "If I may-" he says, gesturing towards the farm house.

"No you may not." One of the thugs gets close to Wilfred, putting a gun under his chin "It's best you start talking, and not tell us any bullshit."

Wilfred smiles "If that's how it's gotta be."

----

Rachel did what she could to stay out of vision. The house itself had motion detecting lights around the property, but she was quick to dodge any beams she crossed. From where she stood, she could see a window upstairs.

There was Cathy Mortimer, presumably in a bathroom, brushing her teeth with a towel wrapped around her waist, paying no mind to what was outside said window.

Rachel felt her fangs bearing, and tried to think of a strategy. As far as she knew, vampires cannot be enter a residence without the owners permission, but according to what she read up on, that only applies if the rightful owner was in the residence. Renters, squatters and burglars would be free game.

And from what Rachel was told, these people have been renting this house from some playboy in the hills.

What does Rachel do ?

If she broke in through the ground floor, she could easily be caught. She could kill the other two gangsters in the house, but if she's still not 100% she can.
Maybe Cathy though.

Whatever train of thought Rachel had was interrupted by the sound of a gunshot and the sound of dogs barking. Rachel slinks back into the darkness, as Cathy checks the noise outside the window.

Rachel could hear the sound of the two people on the ground floor; two young women by the sound of it, rush to the front door.

Whatever was happening, this was her chance.

As fast as she could move, still staying out of sight, Rachel dashed around the house to the back porch.

Thanks to heightened vampire hearing, Rachel could hear the two women arguing from the other side of the house. One of the guys made it back to the house and can be hear shouting.

"You two stay inside!"

"Bobby, what's happening ?" One of the woman says back.

"I don't know, trespassers got the gun, and he killed Gordo!"

"Where's Mick ?" Another woman asks.

"He's in the field."

"And you just left him ?"

As Rachel overheard the commotion, she tried to listen for any signs of Steph. Only thing she could hear was one of the girls - Tina apparently, tries to run into the field, calling out this Mick's name, while this Bobby fellow tries to hold her back.

But behind all that, Rachel could heard Cathy quietly, but angrily telling someone to stay quiet.

Rachel felt her fangs grit; Steph was here alright. And she doesn't know what she's been through, but whatever it is, Rachel may finally know the taste of warm blood fresh from the throat before the night is over!

Dashing her way up the stairs, Rachel listened into each room; she heard a door open, and close only to see Cathy stepping out wearing a white bath robe.

"Eeep!" Cathy let out.

"Mortimer," Rachel growls out, with eyes looking like a mother lion caught something threatening her cub.

'Vivia-"

"You can cut the crap." Rachel says, advancing on Cathy, grabbing her by the front of her robe, and pushing her to the wall. It was the first time Rachel realized she was strong enough to lift someone above her head.

"Where is she ?" Rachel growls out.

Cathy breaths become a lot calmer as she glances to the side "Took you long enough."

Rachel glances around to see one of the girls - a young Asian dressed in goth getup - holding a taser.

And with a sting on her neck, Rachel saw everything turn to black spots.

----

When Rachel came too minutes later, it took her several seconds to blink the dark spots out of her vision before she could tell where she was.

It looked to be the houses dining room, Rachel herself was on the floor, and both wrists cuffed to a tables leg. Standing around her was three women, including Cathy (now wearing a black tank top, and form fitting jeans), and two of the men Wilfred went to confront in the field.

"...She's awake." One of the girls says.

"Yeah, not for long." One of the guys, and older Asian man says. He looked enough like his female counterpart, that Rachel had wagered them to be twins.

"What are we gonna do with her ?" One of you younger guys, a black man named Bobby says.

"I just said, she's not gonna be awake for long."

"We should go," The Asian woman says "Neighbors had to have heard the gunfire. If not them, someone's gonna-"

"Ain't nobody gonna call no one."

"Yes they are," Rachel finally manages to say despite her disorientation and dry mouth "You just used a double negative."

"Oh, we got ourselves a smart one do we ?" The man Rachel corrected says, standing over her with a menacing expression.

Cathy steps in between them, crouching down at Rachel's eye level.

"You got a problem, don't you ? Sticking your nose in other peoples business ? Looking around for people who don't want to be found- it's a bad habit of yours that's gonna get you into trouble." Cathy explains.

Rachel opens her mouth to say something, but all that comes out is a cough. She feels her stomach tighten inside her, the scent of blood was in the air, and her mouth was still dry.

"Your think you can help her, do you ? Truth is, I'm the only one Steph can rely on. She just needs discipline here and there." Cathy continues "Clearly, you haven't gotten enough discipline in your little life."

"What the fuck did you do to her ?" Rachel manages to say, her voice sounded more like a parched growl than she intended. That said, her throat was parched and she was genuinely angry.

And she hasn't had her fill in about seventeen hours.

Cathy gets up and smirks.

"She's grounded to her room." Cathy answers plainly "My friends here, know have plenty of experience in breaking some discipline of little, disobedient brats like her. If anything, we're spoiling her compared to the nasty shit they do to their usual girls."

Rachel had different one liners in her head to respond, but her head was a haze of negative emotions, that all Rachel could muster was a death glare.

"Of course, the toys I like to play with, end up getting broken, more often than not."

"Oh my god," Rachel groans out "You have to put on such a cartoony supervillain act ? I half expect you to twirl some mustache, singing Be Prepared."

"What can I say, Viv ?" Cathy shrugs "Hanging around you thespian types, you can be a bad influence on me."

As Cathy keeps talking, Rachel looks up at her, hearing the slow confident beat of her heart. In fact, Rachel's vision was becoming a dark haze at this point; she could see their hearts and blood streams, pumping within their bodies.

And with that, Rachel unconsciously licks her lips. Something that doesn't get past Cathy's notice.

"Holy shit," Cathy smirk and chuckles, crouching back down to Rachel's level "I've been told you're a thirsty type, but goddamn, hold yourself together!"

Contrary to the words coming from Cathy's mouth, the woman takes Rachel; by the hair an twirls it around her finger. All the while eyeing Rachel back and forth between her eyes and bra.

Cathy looks over her shoulder to see her "friends" looking away uncomfortably.

"Oh grow up, it's not like you don't watch this stuff all the time!" Cathy scoffs.

"Don't mean we enjoy it." The Asian girl says.

Cathy licks her lips and looks back to Rachel "Tell you what; I might let you off the hook, if you learn to play ball. First step is making me...a very, very happy woman."

Rachel looks to Cathy, with wide eyes and noticeably pale complexion. Almost as if she couldn't believe what she was saying, Rachel answers "What do you need me to do ?"

Cathy playfully puts her finger on her lower lip and pretends to think it over "I can get you on our bed, bring out Steph to see how well we get along now. How's that sound ?"

"Like a plan." Rachel says, monotone, looking at Cathy with an intense expression "Come her for a sec."

Cathy leans forward and was only slightly surprised when Rachel captures her mouth in a kiss.

...she was a lot more surprised when she felt Rachel's fangs bear, cutting into her gums, lips and tongue.

Cathy tries to pull back with a muffled scream, but Rachel's mouth has an iron grip. Even those supposedly hardened criminals look taken aback at the sight of blood leaking between the two girls mouths.

When Cathy finally manages to break free from Rachel's grasp, it isn't pretty or clean. No one else could tell what happened, but a screaming/sobbing Cathy had to be taken by the two girls, covering her mouth in a futile effort to stop the bleeding.

Rachel spits out what might have been Cathy's lower lip or Cathy's tongue, and began licking the bloody mess she made off her mouth. She sighs contently, almost sounding like a hiss, before she shows off a big toothy smile, her eyes darken and she even begins to giggle silently at the frightened reactions of these thugs.

"What the- what the fuck is she ?"

"Oh fuck me, she's one of them!"

Rachel for her part could only hear the muffled versions of their screams, and with little effort, pulls her wrists apart. The cuffs snap, and with it the table collapses.

What follows is a flash of screams and panic.

One girl takes a butchers knife from the counter and lunges at Rachel; Rachel takes her wrist, snaps it and lets the knife drop into her hand. Whereupon, she sticks the knife into her attackers stomach.

Two of the guys take Rachel by the arms and try to wrestle her back, and in her blind fury, Rachel smashes both of them together.

While they are dazed, Rachel jumps onto the bigger ones necks, and bites down so hard that the guy's jugulars were torn apart. If the man wasn't dead when he hit the floor, he will be in under a minute.

Rachel turns her attention to the younger man, who starts to back away in a panic. Rachel lunges to him, taking him to the ground, with enough force the man's neck broke on impact.

Rachel looks to see the last remaining male and female of this group, the two Asians, both taking out a set of hand guns. Before a shot could be fired, Rachel dashes at the woman's arm, and redirects her aim to her male counterpart, right as she pulls the trigger.

"Chol!" The girl, who the police report would later identify as Kimi screams as the bullet she fires grazes her twin bother's neck and he collapses to the floor.

While she's distracted, Rachel bites down into Kimi's neck and begins drinking. It's only once she's had her fill does Rachel stop and notice what she's doing.

Rachel drops Kimi to the ground. Everything is a high pitched ringing in the back of her head as she stares a thousand yards a head of her.

She tries to make sense of what she is feeling; you'd think she'd feel immediate remorse, mortification, shock; if you wanted to see her in a darker light, you could argue she was supposed to feel catharsis or satisfaction.

And yet she felt...numb.

Rachel nearly jumps out of her skin to feel a hand on her shoulder.

She turns around to see Mordred, standing there with a knowing and satisfied smile.

"I knew you had it in you." Mordred says with a proud tone of voice.

"I- I-" Rachel said, finally finding her voice but still collecting her thoughts.

"Everyone doesn't know what to make of their first kill, you're nothing special." Mordred says in a calm and understanding sounding tone of voice.

Wordlessly, Rachel tries to compose herself as she staggers towards the kitchen sink, and undignifiedly began to vomit out a red mess.

Mordred looks away with an awkward expression on his face.

"Just let it all out." he says, only turning around forty second later to see Rachel was still throwing up.

After a minute or two, Rachel stops, spitting out the last of the blood, coughing a little as her eyes start to water.

"She's still here you know." Mordred says, pointing up at the roof "They have her locked up."

"And at no point, did you think about stepping in ?" Rachel asks.

"As I said; I wanted to see what you were capable of. And I gotta say, I'm impressed. Most of Mother's newborn girls attack two at a time for the first several months. You got the hang of thinks pretty quickly." Mordred once again gestures to a hallway where the stairs are plainly visible "Go. For once, I can proudly say, your Princess isn't in another castle."

Rachel nods. She takes a minute to wash off her face, and torso, noticing a black hoodie hanging off the back of one of the chairs. She puts it on and zips it up.

"What about the mess ?" Rachel say.

"I have plenty of experience sweeping these things under the rug." Mordred says.

"And the bodies ?"

"I just said, don't worry about it."

They are interrupted by the sound of sniffling. They turn around to see Cathy, still holding her bleeding mouth, pale and wide eyes as she's huddled in the corner.

"What about her ?"

"Like I said, I'll take care of it." Mordred says, gesturing Rachel to go into the hallway, as he made his way towards Cathy.

Rachel hesitantly walked into the hallway and towards the stairs.

She couldn't tell exactly what happened to Cathy, but the sound of her more panicked sobbing, a loud splatter and snap, before total silence, told Rachel all she needed to know.

Rachel silently entered the second floor, listening for all the rooms, hearing the faintest sound of breathing (or sobbing).

She follows the noise to a bedroom, presumably once belonging to Cathy and heard Steph trying to breath steadily behind a closet door.

Hesitantly, Rachel knocks and says "Steph ? Steph, it's me."

When Steph, stopped, Rachel opens the door to see Steph huddled in the corner of a spacious closet. Steph looked up with wet, bloodshot eyes. Steph was normally cute, gorgeous even, but this Steph was a sight. She looked like she hasn't seen the sunlight in days, and barely eaten within those days. Notably, her nose appeared to have been bleeding.

"Steph ?"

"This isn't a dream, isn't it ?" Steph asks.

Rachel crouches down to Steph's eye level, taking Steph by the hand and placing it on Rachel's heart "Does it feel real ?"

It was a little dramatic of her too do, but it felt right.

"You're here." Steph breaths out, reaching forward and wrapping her one good arm around Rachel's neck.

Rachel was holding her close, expecting Steph to cry, but all the girl did was breath heavily. The two held on like a great weight was lifted off their shoulders neither particularly minding that one smelled of blooded and the other clearly hasn't bathed in days.

They didn't leave the room until the sun was up. By then, there was no signs of Mordred himself, nor his and Rachel's killings.

----

When the girls made their way to the nearest hospital to get Steph looked over, a police report was called in, reporting a viscous animal attack and seven bodies found slaughtered at the remains of a campfire just off the farm houses property.

Steph insisted to police, Rachel and the doctors looking over her that she wasn't raped. And the medical report confirmed that while Steph was severally malnourished and sleep deprived, she appeared to have no sexual trauma. As Rachel would later learn, this was a tactic these traffickers would use on previous noted victims; isolating and starving them to compliance, keeping them awake through drugs to amplify any stress they have.

The conclusion was that Cathy was subjecting Steph to this in an attempt to keep her in line.

Cathy's affiliation with these traffickers wasn't known until she was identified by dental records among the bodies found off the property; by the reports, the bodies were in a state that quote "Was like their bodies were fought over by a mountain lion and a pack of coyotes."

These traffickers had a bit of a history to them as well; apparently they were involved in the disappearance of a twelve year old and two fourteen year old girls, whose were later discovered as victims of Mark Jefferson ("Small world," Rachel thought cynically).

When the farm house was looked over, apparently these traffickers had a religious motivation for some of their work, calling themselves the Children of the Scarlet King, behind their families backs; getting their name out of worshiping the aforementioned entity.

Of course, no one the worship or possible existence of the Scarlet King seriously, right ?

But in either case, any conflict or guilt Rachel had over killing these pricks evaporated. Same with whatever grief Steph may have had for Cathy.

As far as Cathy's affiliation goes, she knew of their practices at least, and frequently bought drugs from the group.

Rachel rarely if ever left Steph's bedside for her stay at the hospital. It was uneventful, and Steph barely talked.  She'd mostly sleep, start to have a nightmare, and wake up to see Rachel patiently looking over her, reassuring her each time before she'd go back to sleep.

When it came to Cathy, Steph really didn't want to talk about it. In fact, the most talking she did do was over the phone. Steph took the time to try to reach out to her parents. Or at least her dad, and by the sound of it, Mrs. Conservative was still in the picture.

For her part, Rachel mostly spoke to Steph in her sleep; she'd tell her the same vampire versions of ancient myths she learned of over the past several months. From the tales of King Arthur to Beowulf, the apparent true story of Dracula, and of course, Carmilla.

Even if Steph couldn't hear any of it, the stories seemed ot put her at easy. Maybe it was Rachel's presence and voice that kept the nightmares at bay.

Four days into their stay, Steph's father and stepmom made a stop at the hospital. Since Mr. Gringrich at least knew who Rachel was, Rachel herself took this as her cue to stay out of sight or mind. Can't have too many people who recognize her see her out and about.

Keeping a hoodie on, and hood over her head, Rachel made her way to a café area to see another unfortunately familiar face; Mordred of course, in his Miles Winters' getup, as he waved Rachel over to his seat.

"Looks like you and your friend are out of the woods," He says as Rachel takes a seat across from him.

"For now." Rachel adds and nods, taking her hood off.

"Yeah, I'd say your luck is about starting to run out." Miles says "I really don't want to see your talent and new life wasted, you know ? Really come to like you over the time I spent with you."

"So what do you need me to do ?" Rachel asks.

"What you came here to do ?" Miles answers, but inflections rise to sound like he's asking something "Have you forgotten your end of the bargain ?"

"I haven't," Rachel shakes her head "But out of curiosity, what do I get if I say no ?"

"As I said before, you accept our terms, you will have a great hand in tearing the old corrupt world asunder, and building anew. Fix what is broken." Miles shrugs "Refuse, and not only do you die, but those who know who you are, which is mercifully a short list."

"Steph ?"

"I say the word, and the official story was she commits suicide by overdose, and your body will ashes cast off into the sea." Miles says plainly.

Rachel pauses and breaths in before nodding yet again "Fine, I'll do what you need of me."

"That's a good sport. All I need you to do, is hold down the fort for Miles Winters and Gerald Wilfred. You know both games and how to play them, and if you don't I have friends in both industries that can show you the way. If anything you need to be an overseer. I'll send you the emails if you need to go over anything else."

"What, that's it ?" Rachel asks.

"What's it ?"

"I feel there's something you're keeping from me." Rachel says.

Miles hesitates before he answers in a low whispered hush "Some friends of mine ? They don't recall Steph's involvement in this-"

"What's that got to do with-?"

"My contact in the FBC ? We tried keeping tabs on Steph; see if she was too much of a threat to your stay, but for the life of me, there are it's like the records of her being in the city keep appearing and disappearing." Miles explains "One letter says she's a stage actress one day, the next day it disappears and reappears. One note says she is living her in LA with Cathy Mortimer, another note mentions her in connection to an Alex Chen, living out in this place called Haven Springs, but it just get's weirder from there. None of these notes exist at the same time."

"Okay ? How does it get-" Rachel asks.

"Those notes say she was living there in 2019. Five years from now. Not a peep about LA." Miles says.

"How does that work ?" Rachel asks, a little in disbelief, but considering she is a vampire talking to a legendary former knight, she supposes she can suspend her disbelief a little.

"I can't for the life of me wrap my head around it. Perhaps there are things even beyond my Mother. That Monty guy tried running his mouth to me about his Scarlet King, before I stapled his tongue to the roof of his mouth, so maybe he's onto something there." Miles once again shrugs "All I'm saying is, keep a close and careful watch of this one; my foot falls asleep every time something is up, and the more I look into Steph Gingrich, the more I miss the sensation in my feet."

With that, Miles Winters, Gerald Wilfred, Mordred the bastard son of Arthur, get's up from his seat and takes his leave with "You look after yourself Miss Manning; I'll see you around."

Once he's gone, Rachel sits alone at her table, head on her forehead trying to collect her thoughts.

She quickly tried to calm and rationalize to herself that even if Steph wasn't supposed to be here, technically neither was she. And it doesn't matter; what does matter is that Steph is here now.

In time, Rachel was lurking around the hallway near Steph's room, not letting herself be seen or noticed.

But honestly she was very tempted to reveal herself with the way Steph's step mom was going about. Give her a pain in the neck she'll never, ever forget.

The short of it was, according to Steph's stepmother, Steph brought this on herself with the life style she was living, and that there was no such thing as a healthy lesbian relationship, and blah blah blah. On the side of Steph's father, we either didn't have it in him to stand up for his daughter, or gradually became too used to his wife to give a shit at this point.

Luckily, Steph was the one being angry for both of them.

Angry Steph was Scary Steph. There aren't any words that can give it a good description - imagine if you will a young woman who has been traumatized or victimized, and people acting like they are the problem, to the point that more people are willing to side with an abuser than the victim, especially when the victim lashes out.

And in the mist of their arguments, Steph said something that got her stepmother having to be dragged out by security, cursing up a storm, while a mortified Mr. Gingrich follows behind.

Honestly, Rachel was scared to re-enter the room with Steph in this stage. It had to be the first time Rachel saw Steph cry.

And despite Rachel's initial hesitance and fear, when Steph saw her, Rachel confidently stepped forward and wrapped her arms around the sobbing young woman.

It seemed like Rachel would be getting used to this, and honestly, she could. They both could use it right about now.

...especially when, unaware to either of them, the being discussed earlier stands at the foot of the bed, seeing into their world, from his own. Maybe Mordred is right, and there are things beyond even his so-called Mother.

----

In the weeks that followed, Steph Gingrich was out of hospital and was now a resident of Rachel's guest room.

She spent the first week or so, completely bed ridden. No way she could go back to the Hilton, too many memories there, and the place was rented out under Cathy's name. And in a phone call Rachel overheard, Steph made it clear, in no uncertain terms that as long as her dad's girlfriend is still living with the family, she doesn't want to be in the same house with them.

Steph either took what happened to Cathy relatively well, or was just really, really good at hiding her angst. She mostly sat around, watched TV, with Rachel tending to her needs as Steph's wrist get's better. More often than not, Rachel would just pick up groceries or take out. Rachel even tried her hand at cooking for Steph; she was no Joyce Price, but seven out of ten of her pancakes made it out unsinged. That's gotta be a personal record, right ?

In the time they spent together, both Rachel and Steph came to the conclusion they were now girlfriends on week three; Steph was starting to get a little more outgoing, and the two where cuddling on the couch for a Lord of the Rings marathon.

The Two Towers at least marked the first time they kissed.

It was of course during Aragon and Arwen's kissing scene, when Rachel noticed how intently Steph was watching the scene, laying her head on Rachel's chest.

Rachel honestly couldn't believe what she was saying when she said "Steph ?"

"Sup ?" she asks.

"Can I- ?" Rachel starts before hesitating "Can I do something for you, if that's okay ?"

"You can say it." Steph says stiffing back a little laugh.

"I just don't want to take advantage of anything."

"Then let me," Steph says, before turning her head up, and taking Rachel's mouth into hers.

Rachel must have counted twelve Mississippi's before the kiss broke. She was staring off into space, causing Steph to giggle.

"I think you were more nervous about it than me." Steph says, cupping Rachel on the cheek.

Steph kisses Rachel again, twice on the cheeks, and a third time on the mouth.

Getting her brain functioning again, Rachel grins down. The way Steph's eyes widen, Rachel might have been worried that her fangs shown, but that immediately went out the window when Rachel kisses Steph again, laying her down on the couch.

"I'll show you nervous." Rachel breaths out, rubbing her nose to Steph's.

The two kissed like this for minutes on end, letting their hands do the talking as they roam up and down eachother's clothed bodies. In the middle of it, Rachel climbed up on top of Steph; she began to slowly, gently, move back and forth, pressing herself between Steph's panted legs.

Steph bit her lip at the realization of what Rachel was doing, and Rachel felt a mischievous smirk form on her lips. It certainly felt a little awkward, especially with clothes getting in the way, but Rachel seemed to know what she was doing. They still managed to get that tingly feely running down south either way, before Rachel stops.

While Steph had no way of knowing this, Rachel could hear Steph's heart racing. Steph must be really good at covering up her sense of panic, cuz Rachel could practically see Steph's heart was about to bounce out of her chest.

"W-wait!" Rachel says before pulling away and climbing off of Steph.

"What's wrong ? Is it something I did ?"

"No - no. It's not that," Rachel shakes her head "I'm sorry - I didn't want to take advantage or anything-"

"But Rachel-" Steph starts.

"I just don't think either of us are ready...if that make sense." Rachel tries to clarify, hoping Steph could understand, but the way Steph's heart slows tells Rachel she does.

The two take their seats, facing away from each other for a minute before Steph says "Is it okay, if we still...hold each other ?"

"If you want." Rachel nods, and the two resume their previous cuddling position.

They are mostly silent for the bulk of their watch. It wasn't until they were on Return of the King, and Eowyn kills the Witch King before Steph kisses Rachel rather passively.

Rachel let's Steph get her tongue in, letting it move around her mouth, before Steph felt something graze her tongue and pull back.

"Ow!" Steph says in a muffled voice, covering her mouth.

Rachel began to frantically apologize and reach for her shoulders "Sorry! I am so sorry! I got a little two excited and-"

"It's cool," Steph says, sticking her tongue out a little to look at it, noticing the smallest amount of blood "Eh oh; 'hat 'osen't look gd" (translation: "Uh oh, that doesn't look good.") Steph puts her tongue back in and says "Lemme get a drink."

Steph got up from the couch, and made her way to the kitchen to get something to wash her blood down, maybe sooth her tongue.

As soon as Rachel realized what Steph was about to see, this being the first time in her stay the girl opened her fridge, she lets out a "No wait-" before Steph yelps and jumps back.

In the fridges open door, beside the usual food and drink, was four, full, blood bags.

Steph looks at Rachel with a mortified expression on her face; Steph herself says nothing, but her eyes say "Well ? Out with it!"

"It's- it's fake blood." Rachel stammers out lying through her teeth "I'm holding it for a project. Special effects you know. ?"

Steph raises her hand to silence her, reaches into the fridge to take out a picture of water, takes it too a cupboard to pour herself a glass before drinking it down.

"Look, you do you Rae, but a little warning would be cool, you know ?" Steph says as she puts the picture back, shuts the fridge and makes her way back to the couch.

Other than that, the two girls day were uneventful.

----

As Mordred previously promised, Rachel was reached out to by associates of Miles Winter and Gerald Wilfred.

More specifically, Vivian Manning was reached out to pick up Miles' load, and Scarlet Rivers was called upon to take Wilfred's load.

As Vivian Manning, Rachel's work was pretty mundane. At least as far as being mundane you can get for someone on LA's upper crust.

Manning had connections in the modeling industry, and porn industry. In turn that gave her smaller connections to a few actors and singers; at work, Rachel would mostly just interview and sign contracts with a few up and coming models and actresses; sometimes she'd oversee a few porn segments get shot. In turn, she'd attend a few parties and find herself making small connections to more mainstream stars.

For example, a week into Manning's gig, she met Victoria Justice at a party and even got her autograph, even wished her luck and how that stupid meme surrounding her would die out eventually.  By late August, Rachel (as Manning) got to shake hands with seven A list and B list singers and actors/actresses; got their autographs, pictures taken, etc.

As Scarlet Rivers, Rachel's hands gotten a little more dirty.

At most, she'd have to attend the fight clubs Mordred was running and collect the winnings; one good thing to say about that was it gave her plenty of accounting experience. In more grittier times, Rachel would have to play loan shark, usually accompanied by two or three thugs, as she finds herself better at acting tough and intimidating than she actually is.

There was of course, a few drug deals, and drug production she had to oversee. The less she said about them the better.
It wasn't until late August, Steph started asking the difficult questions.

Rachel returned home the evening of August 27, ready to gush to Steph about a chance encounter she had with Elizabeth Gilles, when she saw Steph sitting at their dinner room table, looking over the books Rachel had in her bedroom.

"So, I take it you were shooting a vampire based porno or something ?" Steph asks, putting aside a text regarding Dracula.

Rachel sighs and takes her seat across the table from Steph.

"Honey, I can explain."

"Can you do so without stuttering ?" Steph asks.

"I-" Rachel starts, glancing to the side and scratching her ear.

"Or that ?" Steph adds.

Rachel sighs deeply, again, getting up from her seat and walking around the table to Steph and putting her hands on her shoulders.

"I have been wanting to tell you the truth for a long, long time, Steph. It's been weighing me down for a while now, but I don't know how to say the words without sounding crazy or freaking you out." Rachel says, making Steph look her in the eye.

"Last I checked, it only takes four," Steph says, holding out one hand and counting four fingers with the other "You. Are. A. Vampire."

There's a pregnant pause as Rachel drops her jaw, barely hiding the fact her fangs are out.

"You knew." Rachel finally musters out.

Steph snakingly nods, but maintains eye contact "I had my suspicions for a while."

Once again, Steph begins counting her fingers.

"That vampire paraphernalia in your closet, the texts you're keeping at your bedside-" Steph starts listing.

"You went through that ?"

"I ran out of books to read, okay ?" Steph snarks "Plus what happened to Cathy and those traffickers, the very night you found me was too convenient to be some mountain lion or coyote attack. Plus, you know, I had a feeling, smelled the blood off your breath. Then last night, I saw you drinking from those bags. It all sort of clicked."

Rachel once again stands silent with a slack jawed expression.

"And don't forget, I keep getting poked by these things." Steph said, reaching out to touch one of Rachel's fangs.

Rachel steps back before she finally says "And- and you're not freaking out ?"

"I'm a little on edge," Steph nods and shrugs "But after Cathy, this feels more like a cake walk. I try to keep an open mind about these things, you know ?" Steph stands up, taking Rachel by the shoulders and says "But Rachel, if we are going to make this work, I need you to be a little more honest with me."

"What do you-?"

"Just lay everything out. I want to make sure you aren't a man-eater or something."

And with that Rachel conceded.

The two spent the evening with Rachel going over everything; from the truth about her death, her awakening in the morgue; the cabal that brought her here, and their worship of a dark goddess.

While she didn't bring up the bit of Rachel being a "Maiden for the Vampire Apocalypse", she did elude to the existence of the Red Queen, her and her followers apparent activity in Arcadia Bay, and the apparent debt she owed these people.

Rachel also left out the part about Mordred, and how all this dates back to King Freaking Arthur Pendragon.

That might have been a little much for Steph to take in all at once.

But when all is said in done, Steph seemed to take it in stride, only being taken aback regarding Arcadia Bay.

"So...the vampires were behind-" Steph tries to say before Rachel corrects her.

"I don't know. Not directly at least." Rachel shakes her head "As far as everything's concerned, Mark Jefferson and Sean Prescott are monsters on their own. At most, from my understanding, the vamps where just exploiting them. Look, this shit runs deep, okay ?"

Steph nods "So were does that leave us ?"

"Us ?"

"You don't think I'm gonna let a little thing like my girlfriend being a vampire get in the way of what we got going. Besides, if my stepmom's still in the picture, maybe the whole vampire cabal thing is an easier option." Steph starts before quickly adding "You know, so long as you're not feasting on the innocent."

Rachel nods and smirks "You don't have to worry about that. Most my blood comes in bags. And I have a strict no kids policy, that really should just be common sense." Rachel says, thinking back to how last week, one of the female thugs in her fight club was a woman who confessed to beating her kids - it was one of the few instances Rachel herself got into a fight, and a grizzly reminder that she may have a Mama Bear streak.

"So, we are still in this together right ?" Rachel says holding out a hand.

"I mean, yeah." Steph smiles and rolls her eyes, taking Rachel's hand into her own "What's the worse that can happen ?"

----

January 30th, 2015

Returning home from her afternoon jog, Rachel, clad in a red sport bra and shorts, enters her home to hear her girlfriend/housemate laughing and chatting with someone unseen.

"Steph ?" Rachel asks.

"Oh ? In here, honey." Steph's voice answers in warm tone to of voice.

Rachel smiles as she kicked off her running shoes. Normally she'd take that workout bra and shorts off in the privacy of her own home, and ask Steph if she'd like to join her in the pool or shower.

As of yet in their relationship, Rachel and Steph were still yet to have sex; a personal boundary they set up until they were sure Steph was "ready" after Cathy was out of the picture. Still, cuddling on the bed and sofa or even the pool side, was a favorite pass time of theirs. And at the very least they where comfortable enough with each others bodies.

And sometimes a shower buddy was welcome.

But as of now, any of that was on hold.

"Why didn't you send me a heads up ?" Rachel asks as she makes her way to the living room, still in her sweat soaked clothes.

Steph was sitting in the couch, and sitting across from her at the coffee table was another woman.

She appeared to be in her late twenties to early thirties; dressed in a white Hills Tank Top, black skinny jeans that shown off her figure and red high heels. She had bright red hair, and it was done in what would later be called "The Karen Cut".

At her side was a small black pug with a collar reading "Julius".

This woman and Steph where sipping tea while a movie was playing in the TV for background noise.

"Oh sorry Viv," Steph answers, remembering to call Rachel by her "public name" with guests over "Had a little mishap with the neighbors dog. As you can see, one thing lead to another."

"Sorry about that," The woman replies with a British accent "Julius here gets rather excited when we go for walks. He's new to this and still getting used to things."

"Little bugger ran right up to me I while I was washing our cars." Steph adds "Must have liked my music."

It was a Brittney Spears album she was playing. Clearly, this dog is one of culture.

The woman sets her pug aside and step up her her chair to shake Rachel by the hand.

"Eliza Ashbury," She says shaking Rachel's hand "At your service."

"Vivian Manning," Rachel replies "But I guess you already knew that."

"Your other half and I have been getting acquainted. My own significant other and I have bought a house up the road. We've been scoping the neighborhoods." Ashbury explains "We were hoping to meet our neighbors under different circumstances, but Julius had other ideas."

As she says this, the pug immediately scampers up to Steph, crawling on the couch, where upon the human girl is quick to play a game off tummy rubs.

"I see," Rachel says "Out of curiosity, are you in the business as well or do you plan to be ?"

"Not in cinema or the like, although I own a publishing company." Ashbury explains "Speaking of; Miss Gingrich and I have been talking about your writing projects...those vampire books of yours."

"The Lost Chronicles," Rachel and Steph answer at the same time.

In between their lives at home or in the city, Rachel and Steph have been working on a pet project of there's. Based off the stories Rachel told Steph to get her through recovery - basically revisions of classic myths and legends, with the added addition of vampires and werewolves, and other such monsters were none were present.

Steph, still a theatre student at heart, appealed to Rachel's inner literary student and talked her into writing a manuscript from these stories. Under the pseudonym of Vivian Manning of course.

"What about it ?" Rachel asks.

"Miss Asbury here says she's very interested in checking out what we written." Steph explains.

"I must admit, I found the concept curious." Ashbury explains "Years back we had a similar novelization in mind; a combination of history, mythology in folklore in a revised narrative. We scrapped the story at the time, but I'd be lying if what Miss Gingrich told me didn't revive my former interest."

As Ashbury says this, she excuses herself to look around the room, showing a particular interest in their bookshelf.

"Ah, I see you are an owner of Red Dead." Ashbury notes taking the book off the shelf and flipping through the pages "I myself own a first addition copy. Autographed by the author, no less." She adds, not mentioning she was the original publisher and her copy came with a "thank you" letter for getting the author out of a bad place.

"About The Lost Chronicles..." Rachel says "We are still quite a ways away from finishing them; and to be honest we were not looking to get them published at first."

"That's quite alright. I don't need to see it now." Asbury starts "That being said, I would like to discus it further with you on a later occasion." She says, putting Red Dead back on it's shelf.

"My other half and I are holding a house warming party for some friends we have in the Hills, once we are settled in. Your own rep as a party animal not withstanding, I would like for you to come." Ashbury says, crouching down, while Julius scampers towards his owner.

"We'll see." Steph says.

"You know," Rachel adds "If we have a clear schedule."

Ashbury stands up and smirks, pug in one of her arms. She looks to a set of notes they have on a desk and makes her way towards it. Taking hold of a pen, she writes down a number and hands the note to Rachel.

"Till then, I look forward to making more of your acquittance." Ashbury states "Business or otherwise."

With that, Asbury and her pet made their way out the front door.

After a moment, Rachel turns to Steph.

"So honey, you up for some pool time ?"

"No can do, just ate like twenty minutes ago. But you go right ahead."

"Well, then. I hope I present a good enough view for you." Rachel says, taking off her top like it was nothing.

Steph takes the item, smirks and rolls her eyes as Rachel makes her way to the patio and their pool, putting on a little show for Steph as she shimmies out of her bottoms.

----

February 2nd, 2015, Los Angeles, 10:15 PM

Days later, the two got their invite to Eliza Ashbury's residence.

The two didn't know whether or not to go in anything too formal, so Rachel settled for stylish cocktail dressed that almost looked tie died in purple and blue, a set of black high heels and sapphire earrings; Steph went for a more tomboyish look; a little blue over shirt with a white T beneath it, and rolled up sleeves, plus form fitting pants, and white sandals.

By the looks of the penthouse, Ashbury and her significant other didn't go too hard in appearing formal; it looked like one of those parties Rachel visited where the host was some pop artist. Rachel even spotted a few names she worked with the past year as Vivian Manning.

"Nervous ?" Rachel asks Steph as they made their way to the front door "You're not as used to these as I am."

"I'm still sorry about freaking over last time is all." Steph confesses, following closely behind Rachel.

"It was Mark Hamill, I was freaking out too... you know, internally." Rachel says as the two made their way in.

The party was more so on the outside than in. While the Penthouse was pretty spacious, the most that was happening inside was a couple a dozen men and women in their twenties to mid thirties socializing, while another couple dozen where outside - there was a barbeque going on and a pool party by the looks of it.

In the penthouses living room, there was a 219 inch TV, with a small crowd of people were gathered watching movies (it was 1931's Dracula, the one with Bela Lugosi) and standing near at the TV's side was a woman in dark hair , wearing a darker version of the attire Eliza Ashbury wore in her visit, giving a lecture about the history of the film, and it's differences with the Spanish version.

When Rachel and Steph made their way past the living room, Rachel noticed said woman. She felt like someone Rachel has seen before, but she couldn't put her finger on it, at first.

Wait, it couldn't be her ? No, was certainly her. Now Rachel knew why the Ashbury name sounded so familiar.

And when Mary Reid noticed Rachel, she gave the young woman a friendly wave and a knowing smile, continuing on with her lecture. Rachel meanwhile, felt a shiver run up her spin.

One look was all it took for Rachel to think back to that trip to the gala...and the trip to the club the night after. And that trip to Mary's-

"Wanna check out the patio ?" Steph asks.

Rachel nods absent mindedly, just barely able to register Steph's voice and what she was saying.

"Y-yeah, let's go." Rachel says, letting Steph take her by the hand and lead her out to the patio door.

As she did so, Rachel looked back at Mary, still giving her that friendly smile.

The patio/pool area was where the partying was really happening; there was more people in the pool than out of it.

On the deck side of things a few people where gathered around the grill, taking their own dishes for hamburgers and hot dogs. The barbeque was far from either girl's mind, as they kept a look out for their two hosts.

Music was playing, eighties track by the sounds of it; Def Leppard's Hysteria.

At the far end of the pool, there was a diving board. It was there, they spotted Eliza Ashbury, clad in a navy blue, two piece swimsuit. She made her way up the board, regarded one of the party goers with a nod, before bouncing backwards off the boards tip.

She does a flip mid air as she lands at the pool's center, just dodging a younger man carrying a young woman on his shoulders. Said man, throws the girl off his shoulders in a panic as Ashbury lands.

Despite this, there is good spirted laughter between them when both women resurface. Ashbury spots Rachel and Steph in the crowd with a nod, before swimming a round the poor for a lap.

Steph turns to Rachel and says "You mind if I get us a bite ?"

"What ? Rachel asks.

"Patties. We skipped dinner tonight." Steph clarifies, the music loud enough that any conversation could barely be heard.

"Not too hungry, but you go ahead."

"Kinda wish we brought swimwear." Steph notes before she takes her leave.

"Bras and panties work too." Rachel calls after Steph, before making her way to the pools edge.

Rachel crouches down as Ashbury passes her. Ashbury stops, turns around to glance at Rachel, wiping some wet hair off her forehead.

"I see you made it." Ashbury greets with a grin "I assume this is too your liking, Miss Manning ?"

"Oh, yes." Rachel nods "Glad to see you're settling in so far. Saw a few Marvel faces here on my way in."

"You have my other half for that. Johnny been a fan of their material for a long, long time. It's one of those quirks about him that make him a little more endearing when he's off work." Asbury explains, before looking over Rachel's shoulder "Speak of the devil."

Rachel turns around to see a man approaching them; he looked to be in his early thirties; short black hair and a short black beard. He was wearing black jeans, and dark blue Hawaiian shirt. He was carrying a towel over his shoulder.

He had this affable demeanor, but his eyes read that he was a little out of his comfort zone.

"You're quick at making friends, Lizzie." The man, Johnny apparently, greets and crouches down to hand Ashbury a drink.

"It's my fault really." Rachel shrugs "I have that effect on people."

She raises a hand to shake his.

"Vivian Manning," Rachel introduces herself.

"John Reid." Dr. Reid greets, although clearly off duty "Yes, Eliza was talking about a book of yours."

"More of a manuscript really." Rachel shrugs "I understand you two run a publishing company."

"Among other things, but it's all in my wife's name." Reid gestures to Ashbury, who has since climbed out of the pool, sitting on the edge alongside Rachel.

"Such as modeling. Really, that's more of my sister-in-laws department. No doubt you seen her on the way in ?" Ashbury asks, drying off her hair with the towel Reid hands her.

Rachel has a subconscious shiver run up her spine thinking back to those nights in Portland. But she breathes in and out to shake it off "No doubt."

"You seemed to be getting a bit of a rep here, Miss Manning." Ashbury says "Making a small name for yourself. My agency ? We like taking small names and making them big."

"We also understand you've been making rounds in the modeling industry and the..." Red looks uncomfortable as he says the next bit "Entertainment industry."

"Sex sells." Rachel shrugs.

"Indeed, that's what they say." Reid nods, looking away, quickly deciding to change the subject "But about your manuscript; we understand you intend to write a vampire novel."

"Novels." Rachel corrects "I have many stories to tell."

"What about ?" Reid inquires.

"The idea is that they are tales of mythic figures, revamped of course in a context that includes vampires, werewolves, etcetera etcetera." Rachel explains "You know ? Mulan, Cú Chulainn, King Arthur ?"

With that, Reid and Ashbury glance at eachother.

"Interesting." Reid says, before addressing his wife "That was pretty close to the plot of a novel you were planning to write way back when."

"I know, that's why I wanted to here more about her manuscript." Ashbury nods "I had the concept back in 98 before I scrapped it. Which is why I wanted to hear more about your version, if you please ?" Ashbury asks.

Rachel chuckles before saying "Sitting pool side ? That's where you want to talk about a book deal ?"

Ashbury grins of her own and chuckles "Of course. I do have my office ready, and can afford to disappear for a time. What say you, Miss Manning ?"

"I'm game if you are." Rachel nods.

----

Ten minutes later, Rachel was making her way through the Reid/Ashbury house.

Notably, she was avoiding where she suspected Mary to be, as she could feel the older woman's gaze on the back of her neck. It was like an itch she scratched long ago suddenly coming back with a vengeance. Rachel honestly couldn't tell if this was fear getting to her and an old attraction awakening in her.

Mercifully, Mary has talking her brother, with Rachel overhearing an "Are you sure it's her ?" from John Reid, but Rachel dashed her way pass them before Mary could notice her. Ashbury, meanwhile, excused herself from the pool party to dry off and get into something more decent.

Rachel was told Ashbury's office was on the second floor, third door on the left, which gave a spectacular view of the city.
But you see one city skyline, you see them all, don't you ?

Now what Rachel noticed the pictures these people had on their walls; some of them believably recent of Mary and/or John Reid, sometimes with or without Ashbury in different locations; notably one of Mary's brother shaking hands with none other than Stan Lee. There was something in Mr. Reid's eyes that said he was a little more star struck than he'd care to show.

The deeper she went in the halls, there was also pictures of them in eras where Rachel couldn't be sure of, but she'd speculate them to be taken in the early 90's, the 80's and the later 70's, all in different locations, be it family outings or vacation spots; even pictures of people who shouldn't even be alive at the points in time the three where supposed to be alive.

That was about the one thing that convinced Rachel these weren't taken with a sort of artistic style in mind. Not unless there was as much young Johnny Cash impersonators than Elvis Presley ones.

Speaking of, there was also one taken of Ashbury and Mary with Elvis Presley in a picture dated 1969.

When Rachel found the office door itself, there was nothing spectacular about the interior, aside from an assortment of old movie posters, three book shelves, and a shelf containing VHS tapes. There was of course Ashbury's desk and on it was a framed photograph.

Having seen what she seen so far, Rachel cautiously stepped towards the desk, picking up the picture and turning it over. It was a black and white photograph, and if the style of clothes was any indication, early to mid 30's.

In it, sat a smiling Ashbury on a rocking chair; and on Ashbury's lap, a girl about eight or nine years old. The girl was wearing a small white dress, Shirley Temple-like in design, and even a bow. She also had dark hair in a short cut style. At the bottom of the photo was an engraved message; "Diana Reid; A Miracle from Above."

What struck Rachel was the familiarity of Diana's face. She could have sworn she seen a face like that before. Perhaps in an old photograph, but the only one that comes to mind was when she and Chloe would look at the latter's girlhood photos.

But a passing resemblance is nothing, right ? After all, different people can have passing similarities in appearance all the time, without even meaning anything. Even here, there was a few tweaks in this Diana girls face that keep her from being a total dead ringer for-

Rachel is interrupted when she hears a knocking on the door behind her.

Rachel gently, but quickly places the photograph back where she found it, turns around to see Eliza Ashbury, now in the same getup she was in when she paid her and Steph a visit. Ashbury had a mildly annoyed, but calm expression on her face.

"Enjoying the sights, Miss Manning ?" Ashbury asks as she enter the room.

"Sorry, I was a little curious." Rachel says, taking a seat in a chair across Ashbury's desk "You've got a lot of old pictures hanging up now. Must have put a lot of work in staging them, right ?"

Ashbury pauses, before snorting back a laugh "Of course, of course."

Ashbury takes a seat at her desk, looking at the photograph with a sad smile on her face, before turning it to show Rachel once again.

"Old family picture. Striking resemblance, isn't it ? Or do I flatter myself ?"

"I swear, you could be twins." Rachel shrugs with a nervous smile.

"Now you wish to speak of the vampire story you and your partner are writing, yes ?" Ashbury asks, leaning back in her chair.

"If you wish, I guess." Rachel nods "Like I said, it's nothing much other than revisions of old folktales and mythic figures, outfitted with the inclusion of vampiric mythology."

"Can you give me an example ?"

"Are you familiar with Cú Chulainn ?" Rachel asks with a raised eyebrow.

"Celtic Mythology. Studied it for a near decade among other myths." Ashbury smiles, and waves off the question like it was something preposterous.

"Okay, well, the revisions of course, is that the titular warrior, and that among other things, his ríastrad can be attributed to him being one of the first vampires." Rachel explains.

"I see, and how did he become the first vampire ?"

"A recurring element in my book is that vampires, especially the original ones, were born from primordial spirits - I took a few liberties with the myths of Lugh to present the deity as such an example. It would be more accurate to say, Cú Chulainn was one of the first human vampires." Rachel explains further.

Ashbury leans in, her smile becoming more and more knowing "I see. Tell me more."

"Well, his story remains pretty close to the legend as it's known, with a few deviations."

"You didn't include the part of him and Aífe having a son when he was-?" Ashbury asking, sounding a little concerned regarding that part of the story, and Rachel quickly picks up on her concerns.

"Oh, what ? Eh n-no, no!" Rachel shakes her head a little squicked out "I tried to keep it otherwise true to the legend, but I ended up skimming over that part."

"Understandable." Ashbury nods in agreement.

"There's also the element of his war with Meb, who in my manuscript is also depicted as a vampire, serving under a different entity." Rachel says "Now unlike the original, he manages to take her with him into death - in fact the bit about Cú Chulainn bursting into a bright light-"

"Was him and Meb bursting dying by sunlight, which is how that aspect of the vampire myth was born." Ashbury answer.

This caught Rachel by surprise, and it took a second for her to find her voice "Yes, how did you-"

Rachel hears the door close behind her, to see John Reid standing there with a calm but cautious expression on her face.

"Someone has been reading up on their history." He says, taking his place at Ashbury's side.

"Yes, there's much she knows already." Ashbury nods before addressing Rachel "We got Mary's confirmation of your identity. Are you prepared to tell us all you know and understand of your situation, Rachel Amber ?"

Rachel could have felt her heart stop and her blood freeze at their question. Rachel clutched her chest to see if her heart was still beating. Even the two older vampires looked a little concerned as they glance at each other, before Rachel finally manages to breath out three simple words.

"Oh, fuck me..."

Chapter 10: Dawn and Dusk (Flashback)

Summary:

Hiatus is up!!

So cards on the table, my reason for putting this story on hiatus was because the announcement of "True Colors" caught me off guard. I originally wrote Steph as Rachel's love interest for this story, but her being in "True Colors" had me changing a lot from my original plans. Coming up with an explanation for Steph wasn't the hard part, waiting to see what will change. In forthcoming chapters, "Control" and "Until Dawn" tie-ins will be more frequent. Juries out on if "True Colors" will become part of the crossover, so who knows if we'll be seeing Alex, Gabe, etc.

Picking up right where chapter nine left off, this chapter was gonna be longer than it currently is, but I had to split it due to length issues. As such not much happens here in the action department. It's mostly focused on Rachel meeting Reid and Ashbury, as well as flashbacks leading up to the time Rachel was marked by the Red Queen.

Content warning: This chapter contains death, drug abuse, depictions of Jefferson's grooming Rachel, as well as Rachel's affair with another older character; low key, one of the reasons it took me a while to write this was because of having to write this relationship without skimming.

Chapter Text

February 2nd, 2015

Rachel was making her way through the Reid/Ashbury house.

Notably, she was avoiding where she suspected Mary to be, as she could feel the older woman's gaze on the back of her neck. It was like an itch she scratched long ago suddenly coming back with a vengeance. Rachel honestly couldn't tell if this was fear getting to her and an old attraction awakening in her.

Mercifully, Mary is talking with her brother, with Rachel overhearing an "Are you sure it's her ?" from John Reid, but Rachel dashed her way past them before Mary could notice her. Ashbury, meanwhile, excused herself from the pool party to dry off and get into something more decent.

Rachel was told Ashbury's office was on the second floor, third door on the left, which gave a spectacular view of the city.
But you see one city skyline, you see them all, don't you ?

Now, Rachel noticed the pictures these people had on their walls; some of them believably recent of Mary and/or John Reid, sometimes with or without Ashbury in different locations; notably one of Mary's brother shaking hands with none other than Stan Lee. There was something in Mr. Reid's eyes that said he was a little more star struck than he'd care to show.

The deeper she went in the halls, there was also pictures of them in eras where Rachel couldn't be sure of, but she'd speculate them to be taken in the early 90's, the 80's and the later 70's, all in different locations, be it family outings or vacation spots; even pictures of people who shouldn't even be alive at the points in time the three were supposed to be alive.

That was about the one thing that convinced Rachel these weren't taken with a sort of artistic style in mind. Not unless there were as many young Johnny Cash impersonators as Elvis Presley ones.

Speaking of, there was also one taken of Ashbury and Mary with Elvis Presley in a picture dated 1969.

When Rachel found the office door itself, there was nothing spectacular about the interior, aside from an assortment of old movie posters, three bookshelves, and a shelf containing VHS tapes. There was of course Ashbury's desk and on it was a framed photograph.

Having seen what she saw so far, Rachel cautiously stepped towards the desk, picking up the picture and turning it over. It was a black and white photograph, and if the style of clothes was any indication, early to mid 30's.

In it, sat a smiling Ashbury on a rocking chair; and on Ashbury's lap, a girl about eight or nine years old. The girl was wearing a small white dress, Shirley Temple-like in design, and even a bow. She also had dark hair in a short cut style. At the bottom of the photo was an engraved message; "Diana Reid; A Miracle from Above."

What struck Rachel was the familiarity of Diana's face. She could have sworn she had seen a face like that before. Perhaps in an old photograph, but the only one that comes to mind was when she and Chloe would look at the latter's girlhood photos.

But a passing resemblance is nothing, right ? After all, different people can have passing similarities in appearance all the time, without even meaning anything. Even here, there was a few tweaks in this Diana girls face that keep her from being a total dead ringer for-

Rachel is interrupted when she hears a knocking on the door behind her.

Rachel gently, but quickly places the photograph back where she found it, turns around to see Eliza Ashbury, now in the same getup she was in when she paid her and Steph a visit. Ashbury had a mildly annoyed, but calm expression on her face.

"Enjoying the sights, Miss Manning ?" Ashbury asks as she enters the room.

"Sorry, I was a little curious." Rachel says, taking a seat in a chair across Ashbury's desk "You've got a lot of old pictures hanging up now. Must have put a lot of work into staging them, right ?"

Ashbury pauses, before snorting back a laugh "Of course, of course."

Ashbury takes a seat at her desk, looking at the photograph with a sad smile on her face, before turning it to show Rachel once again.

"Old family picture. Striking resemblance, isn't it ? Or do I flatter myself ?"

"I swear, you could be twins." Rachel shrugs with a nervous smile.

"Now you wish to speak of the vampire story you and your partner are writing, yes ?" Ashbury asks, leaning back in her chair.

"If you wish, I guess." Rachel nods "Like I said, it's nothing much other than revisions of old folktales and mythic figures, outfitted with the inclusion of vampiric mythology."

"Can you give me an example ?"

"Are you familiar with Cú Chulainn ?" Rachel asks with a raised eyebrow.

"Celtic Mythology. Studied it for a near decade among other myths." Ashbury smiles, and waves off the question like it was something preposterous.

"Okay, well, the revisions of course, is that the titular warrior. Among other things, his ríastrad can be attributed to him being one of the first vampires." Rachel explains.

"I see, and how did he become the first vampire ?"

"A recurring element in my book is that vampires, especially the original ones, were born from primordial spirits - I took a few liberties with the myths of Lugh to present the deity as such an example. It would be more accurate to say, Cú Chulainn was one of the first human vampires." Rachel explains further.

Ashbury leans in, her smile becoming more and more knowing "I see. Tell me more."

"Well, his story remains pretty close to the legend as it's known, with a few deviations."

"You didn't include the part of him and Aífe having a son when he was-?" Ashbury asks, sounding a little concerned regarding that part of the story, and Rachel quickly picks up on her concerns.

"Oh, what ? Eh n-no, no!" Rachel shakes her head, a little squicked out "I tried to keep it otherwise true to the legend, but I ended up skimming over that part."

"Understandable." Ashbury nods in agreement.

"There's also the element of his war with Meb, who in my manuscript is also depicted as a vampire, serving under a different entity." Rachel says "Now unlike the original, he manages to take her with him into death - in fact the bit about Cú Chulainn bursting into a bright light-"

"Was he and Meb bursting dying by sunlight, which is how that aspect of the vampire myth was born." Ashbury answered, finishing Rachel's sentence.

This caught Rachel by surprise, and it took a second for her to find her voice "Yes, how did you-"

Rachel hears the door close behind her, to see John Reid standing there with a calm but cautious expression on his face.

"Someone has been reading up on their history." He says, taking his place at Ashbury's side.

"Yes, there's much she knows already." Ashbury nods before addressing Rachel "We got Mary's confirmation of your identity. Are you prepared to tell us all you know and understand of your situation, Rachel Amber ?"

Rachel could have felt her heart stop and her blood freeze at their question. Rachel clutched her chest to see if her heart was still beating. Even the two older vampires looked a little concerned as they glanced at each other, before Rachel finally managed to breath out three simple words.

"Oh, fuck me..."

"That's not an answer we usually accept, you know. We think it's best you come with-" Reid starts, reaching down to touch Rachel's shoulder.

Before he can finish his sentence, Rachel grabs Jonathan by the wrist, giving him a "staring daggers" look that he is all too familiar with.

Prepared for something like this, Jonathan reaches into his chest pocket, revealing a needle filled with a purple liquid. As he pulls this out, and readies it, Rachel lunges up at him, a fury scarcely seen in Rachel's entire unlife...

----

Boone Country, February 27th, 2013

Visits to Sera Gearhardt's was few and far between in Rachel's case.

After Chloe brought her and Rachel together, Rachel thought she'd be a lot closer to her mother than what they ended up being. But even so, Rachel makes due with what she can.

This can be thanks to the fallout of Rachel learning the truth behind Sera's kidnapping. At first, Rachel stayed with Chloe's over the first three weeks, playing peacemaker between Chloe and David in that time (there are times she thinks that without her interference, the Price-Madsen house would be reduced to a disaster area). And thanks to a few jobs with/for Frank, as well as a payment Rachel calls "Apology Money" gets from her father, Rachel was able to rent out a comfortable apartment just out of town whenever she couldn't use her dorm.

Sera, thanks to Damon Merrick, has been on and off the wagon four times in the past few years, despite attending rehab for four months after initially meeting Rachel.

And two close call OD's.

Between, as well as Rachel's colorful social life, Rachel visiting her mother was something that happened, like, every few weeks. Despite their strained relationship, Rachel thinks she's seen more from James than Sera in the past year alone.

But this was one such instance that Rachel had more free time on her hands. She ended things with Frank some time ago (or as she put it "I don't think we can go as far as I want too.") and Chloe was having a family visit of her own; Once or twice a year, Chloe would take these trips to California, where her grandmother Beth Price was residing.

There were instances where Chloe would go on and on about these visits with each time their due date came close. By all accounts these visits were the highlight of Chloe's year (the sole exception is when David joined Chloe and Joyce on one of these trips; Joyce and Beth already had a strained relationship following William's death, and let's just say David didn't make a good first impression on Beth).

In any case, this gave Rachel plenty of time to catch up with her mother.

The relationship between Rachel and Sera was a mixed bag - their worse days were closer to David and Chloe's better days.

After the first year, Rachel invited Sera to join her and Chloe at the Price Madsen house for Christmas dinner; Sera and Joyce got along well and good, and while David had this cautious air about him, but was otherwise in check for the occasion.

----

The more and more time Rachel and Sera visited, the more and more they didn't click in the way Rachel hoped they would.

An example of this is when Rachel was involved with another play in October, 2012; it was the musical version of Carrie, in which Rachel played the part of Sue Snell. Notably, it was one of the few instances where all three of Rachel's parents showed up to show their support, as well as Chloe. That all said, Rachel's singing voice left some to be desired - she wasn't used to doing musicals, but she was able to add lib some lesbian subtext between Carrie and Sue, and believably pass it off as part of the script.

Mid way through the play, Sera took her leave. After the play was over, Rachel only took the time to talk to Rose after the play was over.

The following discussion went as such.

"I gotta say," Rose Amber says approaching Rachel as the latter exited the change room with Chloe "You knocked it out of the park."

Rachel rolls her eyes, before addressing Rose "You can say it; my singing sucks."

"Hey, what you lack in singing you make up for in ad libs." Chloe says, kissing Rachel on the cheek, "You two take your time, I'll start the truck. See you round, Rose."

With that, Chloe takes her leave Rachel and her stepmother alone to talk. As she walks through the exit door, Chloe passes James, waiting at the doorway; the two exchange glares as they pass each other.

"You know," Rose starts "I always did like the book better than the movie, but I gotta say, the stage has this way of bringing things to life-"

"You can stop buttering me up, you know." Rachel says bluntly.

"Rachel-"

"It's not you I'm mad at." Rachel has to clarify.

"Look, I can understand why you're upset, and while I can't support your father in what he did, he had his reasons for doing what he did."

"Are you kidding me ?" Rachel asks, unbelieving at what she was hearing "Are you kidding me ? Trying to keep up a squeaky clean image is an understandable reason for you ?"

"He was worried about you, what Sera could put you through." Rose tries to say, causing Rachel to scoff.

"What about what he put me through ? Or Sera for that matter ?" Rachel says.

"Like I said, I can't support it, but your father does care about you, Rachel. He just doesn't show it correctly." Rose clarifies.

"Nothing says 'I want to help my daughter' more than getting her mother back on the wagon." Rachel crosses her arms and rolls her eyes. It's then Rachel notices a sad and discomforted look in Rose's eyes, and softens her own expression considerably. She gives Rose a little hug and says "Hey, it's like I said, it's not you I'm mad it. I'm just a little uncomfortable around him."

"And yet you're comfortable with Bowers ?" Rose asks, causing Rachel to pause "We saw you with him a couple months ago."

"Wha-" Rachel starts to ask before Rose clarifies.

"At the movies ?"

"I mean, Avengers was a big release. A lot of people were there." Rachel tries to explain, glancing to the side and scratching her ear.

"Which is why you and him bought popcorn together ?" Rose says, taking a stern quality in her voice, and crosses her arms.

"He's a friend." Rachel says "Besides we haven't exactly hung out in a while."

Rose sighs and nods "Look, your father and I might not be seeing eye to eye lately, but we both worry about you, you know. Personally, I don't mind too much about the company you keep."

"You mean the wrong side of the tracks ?"

"I mean the wrong side of the law." Rose says "Your father told me how your...mother went into a very dark place with the company she kept. Neither of us want to see you go down that same route."

"Like I said,'' Rachel sighs "Frank and I haven't really seen eachother in a while. You don't have to worry."

"Can't help it. No matter what happens between you, your father, Sera, you're still my little girl."

Rachel winces when she hears this "Why'd you have to say it like that ?"

"Because it's the truth. Whatever you think of your father, just know that I'm at least being honest when I say I want the best for you...even if it pushes you away."

Rachel gives a sad nod to Rose, wrapping her arms around her step mom's waist.

"I'm sorry, I'm just not ready to accept him."

Rose gives a nod of her own and wraps her arms around Rachel's shoulder, pulling her stepdaughter in like she didn't want to let her go. But after a minute she did.

"So, uh," Rose says wiping an eye "How have things been with Sera ?"

Rachel shrugs "Can't complain. Found out from her I was a third Ojibwe; she was born in Ontario. In fact, we we're thinking of taking a trip there over the holidays. It's were she got her support system after." Rachel hesitates "You know, what James got her back on."

To change an uncomfortable subject, Rachel brings up something else.

"You know, Chloe's going to be seeing her grandma this weekend; I was planning on taking her with me and Sera on a museum trip. Figured we could use the extra company."

"Oh, does she normally come with you on these kinds of trips ?"

"I've been trying to get her back into art. Found out she was into painting as part of her recovery; thought I could help reignite her passion."

Rose sighs, recalling Sera leaving mid way through the play, she didn't want to let Rachel get her hopes up. At the same time, she felt she had to respect her boundaries "I appreciate the offer, but don't you think it would be a little weird to have me and your other mom on the same trip ?"

"I mean, I thought you could get to know eachother. I at the very least don't want to cut you out is all." Rachel shrugs.

"Hmm, maybe some other day. I've got work to do over the weekend."

"If you say so," Rachel sighs "See you around, mo- I mean."

Rose smiles and hugs Rachel back.

"I'll see you around too, honey."

After the play was done, and Chloe dropped her off, Rachel went to Sera's apartment to find out how she liked the play.

Sera was half asleep on the bathroom floor, having thrown up today's buzz until her breathing went back to normal.

Rachel said nothing, just rolling her eyes, and helping Sera onto the bed. She places a couple of Tylenol on the nightstand, before pulling the covers.

"'Night, mom." Rachel says, retiring to the living room.

She was too agitated to sleep, so she took a little something to take the edge off.

----

Boone Country, February 27th, 2013

Rachel and her Sera's relationship has its highs and lows for months like this.

On a good day, they'd take girl trips out of town; a couple of trips to a Museum, a trip to the movies. They wanted to go on a nature hike when the weather permitted.

It gave Rachel the time to learn more and more about Sera Gearhardt; how she was born in Sudbury, Ontario to a mixed family - Bohemian and Ojibwe - Sera lost her parents at the age of seven and was raised by her grandparents on a reservation area till they moved to the states when she was twelve.

Due to Sera's own problems, she became a drifter after James left her and has been on and off her reservation Rachel's whole life. She had a painting and drawing habit in high school (which was something she and James apparently bonded over) but has fallen out of her passion.

On their bad days, Sera would catch Rachel smoking grass and drinking, would go into "Mom Mode", and things would escalate to shouting matches that would have made David and Chloe tell them to dial it back. This in turn, would cause both mother and daughter to go on separate benders to try to forget what they said to eachother.

All it did was trade one mucky feeling for another.

The week before, things got especially ugly. Of course, Rachel couldn't remember what was said or what the argument was about, but she'd hope she can make things up with Sera with a trip to a ski resort she saved up for. She at the very least remembers offering this trip before things got ugly.

Pulling into the parking lot, Rachel makes her way to Sera's front door; she notices the living room window, the TV was on, so at the very least someone was home. Sera doesn't usually go out that often, nor does she have people over.

Rachel knocks on the door, but when no one comes for about thirty seconds she rings the doorbell. After another minute, she bites the bullet and just opens the door.

"Mom ?...Mom ?" Rachel asks as she helps herself in.

She follows the sound of the TV to the living room. The lights were on, and by the looks of the couch, Sera was sleeping there the night before but wasn't there now.

Rachel checked the living room; no sign that Sera even ate breakfast that morning.

Next stop was upstairs. The bedroom door was adjacent; still no Sera.

The hallway lights were off, but what wasn't was the bathroom light, shining under its closed door.

Rachel knocks on the door "Mom...? Mom, are you decent ?"

Six seconds of silence.

Rachel knocks again, louder and harder "Mom ? It's me, it's Rachel."

Four more seconds.

"I'm gonna open the door, okay ?"

Rachel covers her eyes with one hand, and opens the door with the other.

She expects an indignant "Rachel, what the hell ? Can't you see I'm bathing?" But when she doesn't hear that, Rachel peeks past her hand to see her mother.

Sera was lying over the side bathtub,  it wasn't filled all the way, just four inches deep.

In too much shock to be phased by her mothers nudity, as far as Rachel can tell, Sera was still breathing and conscious, but she didn't look too lucid. Rachel also saw three unused heroin needles on the sink, and two beside the tub itself.

It didn't take much to put two and two together. It must have been some strong stuff to make Sera just lucid enough to keep her head over the tub's side. Rachel could see Sera's eyes where wetter as she looked up at her daughter.

"Go away." Sera says weakly.

"Mom, you don't look so good."

"I'm fine."

"You're not, you need to-" Rachel starts.

"I just need to take it in smaller-"

"You need to cut loose, mom. Come on." Rachel says, getting up to Sera, and hoisting her mother to her feet with her own two arms.

"Come on, let's get you some clothes and something to eat, okay ?" Rachel says.

They barely made it two steps before Sera turns towards the toilet and begins to regurgitate.

Rachel looks away, unsettled by the sight. Ironically, it was something more unsettling that caught Rachel's attention; blood was coming from her mothers nose, and a little from her mouth.

"Oh shit!" Rachel exclaims.

-----

Rachel called the ambulance, had to dress her mother herself, before the paramedics arrived in seven minutes.

Sera was carried out on a stretcher, and despite her weak protests and wishes for Rachel to not see her like this, Rachel joined her in the ambulance.

Rachel stayed with her mother for the next day and a half.

Anyone could see what came next, happening a mile away.

When the time finally came, finally came, Rachel was numb with shock, before other unpleasant emotions started to overtake her.

A rational girl would have taken this incident as a lesson, off the dangers of substance abuse, and the effect it could have on you. Rachel was often a girl of emotion rather than logic, and all she could think of was how to escape that sickening, icky feeling forming in her chest and the pit of her stomach.

Chloe wasn't there to turn too, and Rachel wasn't seeing Frank at the time. That just left Brandy and Mary Jane to keep her company, to numb that sick, depressive, intrusive sensation that was overtaking her body.

All these substances did was take her out of the right state of mind, and into the condo of Mark Jefferson days later.

-----

February 3rd, 2015, Los Angeles

Rachel's eyes pop open with a gasp. An image out of Pulp Fiction.

It takes a few seconds for the black spots to clear from her vision, but once it does, she sees where she is. It's in an office, but a different one than the one she was just sitting in. Looks more like a therapist's office, in a plain white room, a desk on the far side, and a couch of sorts in the center.

As soon as Rachel takes the new air in her lungs, she begins coughing when she notices something; a needle in her forearm.

"Wh-ere, where am I ?" Rachel manages to ask.

That's when Rachel noticed two other people in the room with her; Eliza Ashbury was sitting  at her side, holding her hand with a concerned expression; John Reid has apparently taken a few steps back, and is looking over Rachel cautiously, having apparently administered the needle.

"You're in our other office." Ashbury says, rubbing Rachel on her back. When Rachel turns her head to the side, she sees the clock on the room's wall reads 2:34 AM.

Rachel smacks her mouth, trying to get that "Morning taste" out of her mouth. She winces as she feels Reid step forward and gently pull the needle out. Rachel notices a glass of red liquid, probably blood or juice on a desk. Rachel makes a gesture to the glass, and Ahbury nods, getting up to get Rachel her drink.

"The hell happened ?" Rachel says, placing two fingers on her forehead, trying to collect her thoughts.

"You blacked out, worked yourself into a panic attack. We had to give you something to relax." Reid explains, as Ashbury hands Rachel her drink, which the younger vampire simply downs.

"How bad was it ?" Rachel asks.

"Well, you flipped my office desk and nearly broke my arms when I tried to calm you." Ashbury shrugs "You must have been terrified."

It takes Rachel a second to think back to her revelation of who she was talking to. The name Ashbury should have rang some bells.

Rachel was told over her "education" into vampire history that the name was associated with Lady Blackwood, a vampire mistress having taken over this so-called Ascalon Society; how her lover was a slayer of sorts, responsible for hunting down The Mother's Children, and exterminating the Queen's chosen.

Really, a horror novel could be written by the stuff done in WWII by these two and their vampire society.

When Rachel realized who she was talking to, she'd freeze at first before her flight or flight response kicked in. It was otherwise a blur, but the end result was that Rachel had to be physically restrained by Reid, and administrated several shots over the past few hours to calm her down.

Reading Reid's notes on Rachel's condition, and you'd find that so great was Rachel's panic and physical reaction, if she were still human, she'd have a fatal cardiac arrest.

"What happens now ?" Rachel asks, knowing now who she speaks too and what to expect.

"We had to give you a medical examination." Reid explains, "Make sure you're not infected."

Rachel scoffs humorlessly "I already am infected; vampire, in case you haven't figured it out yet. I already know what I am, what you are and I have some idea of who you are."

"Is that so; how much do you know ?" Ashbury asks.

"I think by the stories I'm writing, I know enough about your history. I also know you two have something to do with this Lady Blackwood I heard so much about from my-" Rachel trails off, thinking about Mordred, and what exactly his relationship to her was.

Ashbury looked away, as if she was ashamed at the mention of "Lady Blackwood". Reid had a more understanding if cautious air about him.

"I suppose proper introductions are in order." Ashbury nods.

"First things first, where is my-" Rachel starts before Reid interrupts.

"She's busy." Reid replies, "We have her occupied, but she has been worrying about you. She has also made it clear to us she knows what you are. How much does she know ?"

Rachel hesitates before she says "Enough. She knows I'm a vampire; she knows about the cabal  of vampires and humans that worship this death goddess; she has some idea that the books we are writing are of the true stories behind mythic figures and events. She doesn't know that I am a maiden of the vampire apocalypse, or of the other cabal that's out to kill me."

"That's a rather presumptuous accusation." Reid starts.

"I was told enough about your people to know what to expect. Can you give me a reason not to ?" Rachel crosses her arms, and raises an eyebrow with a challenging expression on her face.

"We'll hear you out when you hear us, how about that ?" Reid says, having taken the chair from his desk and moving it closer to the couch.

Rachel says nothing, but gives an expression that says "Well, don't leave me hanging."

"First things first," Ashbury clears her throat "Many of the things you hear from our club are true; yes, we have been in conflict with the Mother's Children for longer than most people here have been alive. And yes, we have killed people as a result of this fighting. You have to kill a few rats to deal with an infestation."

"Or get your hands dirty to dig for gold." Rachel thinks to herself.

"But think for a moment." Ashbury continues "What kind of people are the Mother's Children ? You're surely familiar enough with their operations to know these aren't innocent or upstanding people we are up against."

On Reid's desk, there lies a nondescript envelope. Seemingly not worthy of attention, but when Ashbury gets up to retrieve it, she hands it to Rachel.

Rachel opens the envelope when Ashbury gestures to her to do so, and pulls from it four photographs; they were of Rachel - in her Scarlet Rivers getup, obscuring her face with sunglasses or a black fedora, taken where Mordred once held his fight club.

There were pictures of Rachel taking money from the winnings, overseeing fights from her booth, and a more clear image of Rachel having apparently gotten into a scrap herself, standing over the barely conscious body of one of her female fighters, holding her fist up and looking up to the roof with a proud expression.

"And surely you know this barely scratches the surface ?" Ashbury asks.

"I never went that far down the rabbit hole." Rachel answers, setting the pictures aside.

"Yes, well, there's Alice in the rabbit hole and there's Dante in the Inferno." Reid answers back.

"We aren't gonna kill you if that's what you're scared of." Ashbury says, apparently sensing an unease in Rachel "We just need to know what you know."

"How do you know I can trust you ?" Rachel asks.

"We're trying to improve our methods.' Reid says, reaching forward and placing a hand on Rachel's shoulder to try to reassure her "I am not proud of what I had to do over the past ninety years to stop this threat, but if you met Mordred, what did he sell you on ? Did he give you some flowery speech about tearing the old, corrupt world asunder and rebuilding a better society on it's ashes ? Is that how he spun his vampire apocalypse promotion to you ? You are far from the first girl he told this story to; he even tried to sell it to us before your parents were infants."

"That's...not what he sold me on." Rachel confesses "He told me I had a choice between hearing him out or hearing you ? And that if I choose wrong, bad things could happen to me or those I care about. And he didn't sell your people as the better option."

"And you took him at his word ?" Reid asks.

"Does his word have value ?" Rachel asks "One of the things he told me of was how a Doctor Reid - who I am assuming is you - killed a fourteen year old girl that his family was protecting. But if what you're telling me is true, and if you are in fact, that Doctor Reid, I shouldn't take his word for it ? So if there's more to the story, I'm all ears."

After a moment of collecting his thoughts Reid answers.

"Dolores Valisari. An Italian girl from a low class family. Lived in a rural community; fate dealt her a bad hand which got her the Blood Queen's attention. Mordred, then going as Vito Teti, stepped in to mentor her. By then a familiar disease spread through the region as the result of Valisari trying to cure her dying nine year old brother. By the time we reached the community, Valisari was already dead. Her community ? Decayed to the Blood of Hate."

"The Blood of Hate ?" Rachel asks.

"You don't know ?" Reid asks "Where the blood goddess goes, disease follows in one form or another. It's called the Blood of Hate. If you haven't guessed by now, it's a disease and corruption that permeates anything with flesh and spirit. It twists, distorts and rots those it infects. Dying to the disease is the best case scenario. Other cases, you become something worse."

"Worse ? Rachel asks, having become noticeably more pale and mortified as she soaks all this in.

"I'm sure if you read Algonquins describe the wendigo, or seen zombie apocalypse movies or shows, you'll have a good idea how her corruption works. When the Queen picks a champion, that champion carries that disease in her blood and spreads it as her proxy. And that, Miss Amber, is why we had to take a blood test on you, and sought you out in the first place."

"I'm...I'm.." Rachel gasps, she covers her mouth with one hand, and her stomach with the other.

"Before you ask, I have good news and bad news."

If Rachel was in a better mood, she'd say something jokingly like "Give it to me straight, Doc." But her horrified slack-jawed expression gave Reid all the incentive he needed.

"The disease in your own blood is a dormant strain; you yourself shouldn't mutate or anything, but I wouldn't turn anyone if I were you. You haven't been turning anyone, have you ?"

Rachel shakes her head "The bad news ?"

"There is a cure, but we don't have it. At least not a permanent one." Reid explains.

Rachel notices Ashbury looks away with an ashamed expression on her face, before Reid continues.

"What he means is," Ashbury continues for him "We found something, but the price to pay for it is far too high. We may speak of the matter further, but as it stands, you and your partner are free to go."

Rachel stifles as she stands up "Wh-where is Steph ?"

"She's in our other room. We had to keep her occupied." Reid explains "We had to sneak her a sedative and keep her under Mary's watch.

"Mary ?" Rachel says "S-so she's with you guys ? And she's a-"

"Yes." Reid answers bluntly "And it is our understanding you two had..." He noticeably hesitates before he finds the right words "An encounter the year before. It's how we were able to track you down."

Rachel blushes lightly before looking away "I'll have to see her again, won't I ?"

"You may, and you may have to see us again." Ashbury answer "Admittedly, this wasn't the best of circumstances to have gotten your attention-"

"You came on a little strong, but I'll give you points for efficiency." Rachel snarks dryly.

"-How does a trip to the coffee shop sound ?" Ashbury asks with a friendly smile.

"Do you take yours red ?" Rachel snarks again, this time wincing at the joke she cracks "Sorry, puns are not my specialty.

"Well, consider yourself pardoned in the meantime." Reid answers, with a tone that Rachel isn't sure he's cracking a joke.

Rachel gets off the couch, stretching out her sore arm "So uh, about Steph ?"

----

Rachel was escorted down the hall to their living room; again, the TV and room was big and spacious enough it could almost qualify as a small theatre. On one end of a black leather couch, Steph was lying with her shoes off, a little dazed and almost asleep.

The gathering has long since died down.

Cuddled at her side was Mary, who laid the younger woman across her lap as she looked on at the movie.

Mary perked her head up and gave a knowing smile as Rachel entered the room with her two hosts.

"I'd say as I live and breathe, but that would be a little on the nose." Mary greets, gently slipping out from under Steph, who was barely stirred awake by the motion.

Rachel freezes a little at Mary's voice, but quickly reserves herself in Jonathan and Elizabeth's presence.

"Ms. Reid." Rachel says "I see not much of you have changed since our last encounter."

"You don't have to be formal on my account. Your friend Steph and I were talking about you in your absence, and our past relationships."

"Mary-" Jonathan starts in a warning tone, before he's interrupted by his sister.

"Oh come now, Johnny. We all know what happened!"

"We don't need reminding is what I'm saying." Reid says under his breath.

"About Ms. Gingrich," Ashbury starts "Does she also know-"

With that, Steph started to recoil off the couch as if awakening from a deep sleep. In a tired voice she manages "Yes, and she'd prefer you not talk about her like she isn't here."

Steph climbs off the couch and gets to her feet, wobbling a little as she stands. Rachel walks to her and helps her stand, supporting her with an arm around her back.

"Easy there." Rachel says "You okay, babe ?"

"I'm fine, a little woozy." Steph nods with a nod "Was waiting a while. I'm assuming these people are also -?"

"Yes," Rachel nods "I'll explain it all on the way home."

Steph turns her attention to Jonathan and Ashbury "You two didn't slip me anything to turn me, did you ?"

"Do we look like the Lost Boys to you ?"

Steph shrugs at the answer, before wrapping an arm around Rachel's shoulders, letting her girlfriend lead her to the door.

"Miss Amber ?" Ashbury says, stopping the girls.

Rachel and Steph stop and look at the elder vampire.

"I'm still interested in seeing that book of yours. I figure you could use an expert consultant."

----

On the ride home, Rachel and Steph were mostly silent. By the time they pulled into their driveway, Rachel finally spoke.

"About Mary-"

"Rachel, I know." Steph says bluntly "You didn't keep that much from me, you didn't keep Jefferson from me, you didn't keep Frank from me. I shouldn't be too surprised; if anything I'm more surprised that it's a small world."

"Reid's a common surname," Rachel answers "How was I supposed to know they were from the same family ?"

"Was she someone special, like an ex or something ?"

"Nah." Rachel shakes her head "She was a one night stand of mine, before all this went down. There wasn't much to it."

"So seeing her didn't awaken anything inside you ?"

"What's that supposed to mean ?" Rachel asks, placing two fingers on her temple as comfortable and uncomfortable thoughts and memories flow through her head.

Steph's expectant look is all the answer Rachel needs.

"No, it's not like that." Rachel shakes her head "Mary's like- like Frank to me, you know ? Not even that, we only knew eachother a few nights."

"And based on what she told me, those few nights may have saved your life." Steph says.

"Or turned me into a ghoul." Rachel answers "And if- I might have-"

Rachel stutters to find the words. It was one thing to tell your girlfriend you are a vampire. It's a whole other matter to tell her that you are carrying a dormant, corruptive disease in your blood - and that you most likely got it from one of your "exes" whose house you just left; and one that could mean the (literal) bloody end of the world.

Life is weird. Unlife is weirder.

"Well, she's the reason you're still kicking and for that I am grateful." Steph says, kissing Rachel on the forehead.

Rachel nods and steps out of the car, Steph following suit.

"I'm gonna sleep on the couch tonight." Rachel says, monotone.

"Is there something wrong ?"

"I have too much on my mind." Rachel shakes her head.

Steph nods in understanding "Well, if we're going to be seeing them again, I want to be there. I don't like having secrets kept from me, you know."

Rachel winces at that.

Why'd she have to say that ?

"Alright, so...I might be sick." Rachel says after a hesitant sigh.

"Sick how ?"

"I can't explain, I'm not a doctor." Rachel shakes her head "Reid can explain it better than I can. We'll be seeing them again soon, they can explain then."

"But how bad is it ?" Steph asks.

"It's probably best we don't sleep in the same bed."

"I see," Steph says.

"I don't want to think or talk about it right now, honey." Rachel yawns "I think it's time we hit the sack."

The two step out of their car and towards their front door, ready to put the day behind them.

Rachel slept on the couch that night, and for most of the day, her mind going back to what she was told some time ago. How Steph wasn't her Steph, or the "real" Steph; How she was supposed to be somewhere else, with someone else.

This name, Alex Chen.

Was that name supposed to mean someone to her or Steph ? Was she taking Steph away from another's life ?

Really, Rachel could have sworn she'd wake up one day with Steph seemingly out of her life, with whatever memory of her feeling like a dream. And the next moment, Steph would be back in her house, with apparently nothing changed.

This FBC she was told about, if she could reach out to them, she could find out more of Steph's presence in her life. And considering all that's happening, Rachel would have preferred if Steph disappeared from this life entirely. It would be best if Steph didn't have to go through this too, but for whatever reason, the world wanted her here.

----

February 5th, 2015, Los Angeles

As promised, Rachel and Steph arrived at the Venue restaurant, to meet with Reid and Ashbury. So long as they had a private room to discuss certain matters.

When they were at their seats, Steph was the one doing most of the eating, keeping quiet but looking on. The vampires had more pressing matters to discuss, barely touching their dishes.

"If I may be so bold, to break the ice." Reid says as he takes his seat, looking uncomfortable in his more "Hollywood" getup "I'm sure you have a hundred questions."

"I wouldn't say so." Rachel shakes her head "A lot of my questions have been answered the past year; I know as much about what vampires were doing in history; I know of all these gods and myths being true but part of a long forgotten past; I know that Dracula exists, and most vampires don't like talking about him."

Ashbury smirks, taking a drink before she says "Well, when we met him, he was charming."

Steph jabs a thumb at Rachel "I mean, she's the one who knows all this; I'm just picking things up as I go."

"Are you sure you want to be here for this ?" Reid asks, turning his attention to Steph "You've stepped into dangerous territory by courting a vampire."

Steph nods, but raises both hands defensively "In my defense, Rachel tries to keep me in the dark for the worst of it."

"Which can be even more dangerous." Reid says "By not knowing the worst that can come, you will never be prepared for when the worse does come."

Rachel clicks her teeth before saying, leaning back in her chair "So give it to me straight, doc. What can you tell me about my disease ?"

"As I already told you, your strain is dormant. The worst that can happen is if you spread it to others." Reid says. Steph opens her mouth before Reid interrupts her "And no, it can't be sexually transmitted, but I wouldn't recommend love bites."

Rachel winces when she hears this, before she says "But what is it ? How does it work ?"

"The Blood of Hate is the very essence of the Red Queen, and her spirit. I'm sure you too have read up all about her in your so-called vampire history lessons." Reid says, with a bit of snark in his last sentence.

"So I'm carrying a malignant blood goddess inside my veins." Rachel nods, "That's comforting. And you told me she's corruptive ?"

"During a previous expedition to Blackwood Pines, I ran experiments, testing the Blood of Hate with the spirit of the beings that haunt it. It would seem the two spirits are very agreeable with each other." Reid explains "Much like these beings, in it's potent stage, it corrupts and distorts the carrier, both physically and spiritually, until no humanity remains within them."

"The Queen turned you for a purpose, Rachel Amber." Ashbury adds in "And that purpose is to spread the disease; to warp others into such monsters. That is what the Queen wishes of you, and what Mordred wishes of you."

Rachel sighs when she hears this; while there was the lingering fear and dread of carrying the apocalypse in her veins, there was the annoyance in the back of her mind telling her she shouldn't have let herself get swept up with Mordred, especially after Jefferson. Hell, unlike Jefferson, Rachel could see the red flags coming from the Knight.

When Steph hears this, her eyes widen like saucers, glancing back and forth between Reid and Rachel "This is an end of the world thing, isn't it ?"

Rachel crosses her arms "Okay, any other lies Mordred told me ? I mean, he's been pretty upfront about using my role in the vampire apocalypse. He said a lot about you, y'know."

"Yes, he tells his girls stories about us all the time. Dolores Valisari was his favorite story to tell; a teenage girl carrying a potent strain, trying to save her ailing brother, and in the process, doomed her township and county ? It's easy for Mordred to spin this as a story of Escalon slaughtering an innocent girl and wiping out her community. For me, it was like putting down a rabid dog; you don't like it, you wish you couldn't, and you wish you could cure it. Unfortunately, the cure I had on my person wasn't...it wasn't potent." Reid explains.

"So there is a cure, you say ?" Rachel raises an eyebrow.

"Yes and no." Reid says. Reaching into his coat pocket, he pulls out a veil with a clear blue liquid "Tears of Angels."

He places it on the table and pushes it to Rachel, who takes it cautiously.

"This will do nothing for your current condition." Reid says "At best it will quill your disease until it is barely a threat to yourself and those around you."

"Is there a story to go with this ?" Rachel asks, putting the veil in her purse.

"This is an imperfect strain, and all I could find in the past ninety seven years." Jonathan nods "I do know there was a perfect strain, but it is beyond human reach." Reid sighs, taking a drink before he says "Perhaps one day, I will tell you of that expedition."

He turns his attention to Steph.

"As for you, is there anything else you know ?"

Steph pauses before she says "I was told a lot, but I'm still trying to take all this in."

Steph puts a finger on her temple and sighs again before she says.

"So what I'm getting at is, this vampire goddess you're talking about wants to use my girlfriend to start some sort of zombie/vampire style outbreak; that my girlfriend has a disease that can turn people into twisted monsters ? And if my Vampire History - as you put it - is correct, I take it this Mordred guy you're talking about isn't just some guy giving himself an edgy nickname ? And he's been trying to groom my girlfriend for this purpose ?"

Reid and Ashbury glance at eachother, before the latter says "That's the simplistic version of it, yes."

Steph chuckles bemusedly before she says "Is there anything else I need to know about ?"

Reid and Ashbury exchange another glance.

From there, Ashbury and Reid spilled to the younger couple on the "Need to Know" stuff. They kept them in the dark on how their family, loved ones and allies were personally affected.

Rachel and Steph learned of the old Ascalon Club; how it's former Lord Redgrave was exiled after being exposed for fraud. Of how a new Ascalon was found by Ashbury, recognized as the de-facto heir to William Marshall. Which has led to a reactionary split.

They learned of the vampire hunters of course; the Guard of Priwen, or the Order as they were called in their more secretive days. Supposedly founded by the Knight Lancelot after the days of Arthur. In the first few decades of the 20th century, they too became splintered by reactionaries in the face of progress. The leader of the split was Jean Margot, who went on to lead the Guard as an underground organization.

In the present day, the Guard masquerades as a private militia, but operates through underworld and criminal organizations. Now-a-days, they have taken to recruiting criminals so as to add to their numbers, and better work in plain sight.

In recent years, the Guard have become working allies with another organization, locally known as The Federal Bureau of Control. It was otherwise a neutral party, only keeping their eyes on whoever would be the biggest threat. Even so, Ascalon, the Guard, even the Mother's Children, all had eyes and ears in the FBC - someone to provide information when needed.

"So what now ?" Rachel says, taking all this in.

"Now, it entirely depends on your next course of action, Miss Amber." Jonathan says "Had you proven to be a threat to us, we would have taken measures in our own hands, but so far you've proven to be benign; you've yet to do anything Escalon hasn't already. There may be some use for you to Escalon."
Before continuing, he glances at Steph.

"Are you sure you want to be here for this ?"

Steph shrugs "I'm already down the rabbit hole. Might as well see how far it goes."

"Hell deep, Miss Gingrich." Reid says, turning his attention back to Rachel "It comes to our understanding you are involved in fight clubs and the..." He hesitates to say the word "Adult industry, which Mordred has used as fronts. We can use that."

Reid takes a phone out of his jacket pocket, opens the photos app, and slides it to Rachel. On screen there is a crowded picture taken from the fight club; it particularly focuses a Caucasian, top heavy but bottom narrow man, with brown hair, dressed in a green jacket and black jeans.

"Look familiar ?" Ashbury asks.

"I may have seen him around." Rachel nods, but is unsure where.

"Is this supposed to be Mordred ?" Steph asks, as Rachel zooms in on the photo.

"He is a proxy to Mordred. He's in charge of keeping an eye on you while the man himself is out of state." Ashbury says "He goes by the pseudonym, Leo Smith."

"There's not much to hide with him." Reid explains further "Son of a rich family, as too much of a mad dog to be kept on a leash; was arrested in 2007 for sexual assault and exploitation of two minors, arson and battery. Despite his arrest, he had enough underworld connections that Mordred decided he'd be used as a patsy, and helped get him a lighter sentence. In return, Mordred told the same story as he did with you, but was a little more honest with his intentions."

Rachel and Steph look down at the picture, handing it back to Reid, before the former says "I see, and you're planning on making this Leo disappear."

"We were planning to do it ourselves, like we did with Prescott." Ashbury says.

This gets Rachel and Steph to look up.

"Wait," Steph says, putting two fingers on her temple "You mean to say, you made Sean Prescott-"

"That is beside the point." Ashbury smiles coyly "Our point is, Smith has been dodging us for some time. We believe that since he's watching you, we believe you can get close to him."

"And blind Mordred's view of me," Rachel nods, drumming her fingertips along the table as she thinks it over "Won't he send someone else though ?"

"Pretty bold to assume you're the only one Mordred had his eyes on. With what happened in Arcadia Bay, Jefferson and Prescott's work created an assembly line of girls to make into the Queen's champion. If it wasn't you, they'd take Kate Marsh for example, or Victoria Chase, even Chl-" Asbury stops herself when she sees the way Rachel and Steph are looking at her "My point is, the minute Mordred was done roping you into this, he would seek out another one of Arcadia Bays victims or survivors. He has his eyes on them already. All you are to him, is another sacrifice to his mother. He loses you, he can pick another girl's name out of the hat."

"You do this for us, Rachel, and you will give us a window of opportunity." Reid explains "It is rare we have one who is infected such as yourself; someone we know we can work with."

"What, and make me your Guinea pig ?" Rachel crosses her arms.

"Not the word I'd use." Reid sighs "That implies dehumanization. No, what I want is to perfect what I have uncovered. In the past century, I have only found three healthy - for lack of a better word - patients infected with this disease. One had a strain that was so dormant, it left me with too little to work with. The other had too potent a strain; nothing I could do was of any value."

"Um," Steph interrupts, "I don't mean to be a bother, but this is starting to be a little much to take in at once." She quietly gets up from her seat and jabs a thumb over her shoulder "Just gonna step out for a few."

As Steph's about to take her leave, Ashbury gets up after her "If I may join you ? There is something about you that makes me curious..."
Steph freezes like a deer in the headlights before she says "S-sure, if you say so."

Steph takes her leave to the ladies room, Ashbury follows closely behind her.

As they leave, Ashbury can be heard starting a new conversation "So, it is my understanding you were an Arcadia Bay denizen as well..."

When it was just Jonathan and Rachel, she finally asks "Is there anything else you want to go over, like things you don't want Steph to know ?

"It is curious how much we look into you, and find two very different things about Miss Gringrich. I am wondering what else you know ?"

"Not much more than you I guess. I keep hearing about X Y and Z when I look into it myself. Even Mordred took a look and not even he can say for certain why she's here." Rachel shrugs "Anything else you want to talk about while yours Mrs and my better half are on smoke breaks ?"

"What's there to talk about ?" Reid asks.

"Mary ?"

Reid gets a defensive look on his face "What about Mary ?"

Rachel looks at Reid's expression before she continues "Look, we don't have to talk about what happened between your sister and I years ago. I get it played a part in me getting marked by the Queen."

"But..?"

Rachel hesitates a little before she says "I knew her for like three days, but she told me quite a bit about her family and history. Now obviously, she kept a bit about herself in the dark. She told me you had this on and off kind of relationship, that she has been a black sheep of sorts over the decades."

Reid leans down with a furrowed brow "Aside from what my sister...usually does with the girls she marks, what exactly happened between you two ?"

Rachel hesitates before she starts.

"Mary, may have saved my life or made my death worse. Either way, I wouldn't be walking, talking or blood sucking without her." Rachel leans in herself, "She knew I was here, and came with you. Obviously there's more to Mary than I saw then..."

----

Portland Oregon, March 9th, 2013, Quality Inn Suite

When Rachel awoke that morning, her head was spinning. The light was killing her eyes, and the cold air gave her skin a startle.

As Rachel's eyes adjust and her head stops ringing, it takes a minute for things to click together. She was naked, was in a two person bed, with her partner out of bed; her legs were sore and her sex felt sensitive. She saw a used condom, hanging out a bin at the side of the room, and Rachel found herself feeling bad for the housekeeper having to cleanup.

Rachel could see the bathroom light was on and faintly heard the shower running.

As Rachel got up, she went to her case to pick out some clothes. She figures she'll hit the shower after Mark, and wash away the sex smell. She decides to check her phone, and sees she's got three unread messages.

Two of them were from Chloe as expected.

The first one was Chloe was updating on her trip to Grandma Beth's; she thinks the trip is gonna be cut short, as Joyce and Beth has a pretty bad disagreement.

The second one was Chloe asking Rachel if she could stay at her apartment in case the trip is cutshort.

Rachel turns on her phone, and calls back.

"Rachel ?" Chloe's voice asks.

"Chloe, it's me." Rachel answers, holding her phone between her shoulder and head as she pulls her pants on "Am I calling too late ?"

"Not yet," Rachel could imagine Chloe shaking her head "I've been trying to cool off. My grandma's feeling a little better. Nothing too bad has happened yet."

"How bad was it ?"

"Mom brought up stepdouche, said the same things to grandma as she said to me." Chloe sighs sullenly "Anyways, I don't wanna talk about it. How's things on your end ?"

"I've been better." Rachel says, putting her phone on speaking as she puts her bra back on and pulls her shirt over her head "But I've had worse. Just need to clear my head is all."

"Look," Chloe says "I don't want you to feel like you owe me or anything, but I'm gonna send a few thousand your way when I get the chance."

Rachel grits her teeth. That's the money she was gonna pay Frank back with, and Chloe's share of what they were saving for "Chloe, you don't have to-"

"C'mon, you're spending how much on this little trip of yours, I just don't want you to have to spend more when you come back." Chloe says.

Sera. Chloe was talking about Sera.

Had Rachel accepted her father's "apology checks", she probably wouldn't have had to rely on Chloe's charity. Still better than the lot of the "charity" going on in Arcadia Bay; the lot of them are scams, but people like to pat themselves on the back for saying they are giving to a good cause; on the back of their minds they had to know they were just lining Prescott's pockets.

At least Chloe's being upfront here. Sera doesn't have that many people left, and her father's "charity checks" disappeared after her passing. In all likelyhood, James probably thinks Rachel will come back to him on her own now that Sera is out of the picture. Wouldn't spend a dime on his exes funeral, just wanting to sweep it all under the rug.

"Sure, Chloe." Rachel sighs sadly "Tell you what, I'll be back from clearing my head in a day or two. We can talk more then."

"O-okay." Chloe stutters slightly "See you then."

Rachel has redressed, and turns to see the bathroom door open. Out steps Jefferson, wearing a dark pair of pajama bottoms and a white towel around his shoulders. He had his glasses on his forehead and takes them off to wipe the fog off.

"Ah, you're up." Mark says "What did I miss ?"

"Halley's Comet." Rachel replies deadpan "It bounced between the sun and moon like a pinball, you should have seen it."

"Oh, again." Mark says with a sarcastic quip "At least you got your sense of humor back. You were a real killjoy last night."

Rachel feels herself tense when he says that, but says nothing and lets him continue.

"Like, I like acid as much as the next guy, but there's a thing called self control."

"What happened last night ?" Rachel mutters, heading to the minifridge.

"Oh, you know." Mark says, opening his bag to get some decent clothes out "You were drowsy at the exhibit, I was talking about my mother, you started crying, and I had to get us out before the situation got any more awkward."

"Sorry," Rachel sighs, taking out a bottle of apple juice from the minifridge "Don't know what came over me."

"Yeah, for future reference." Mark starts "Not everything's about you, you know. If you got mommy issues, try keeping them to yourself."

Rachel chuckles after taking her drink "That's rich, given your presentation."

Mark shakes his hand, snapping his fingers and holding his hand out, indicating to Rachel he wants a drink too. Rachel hands him her bottle.

When Mark takes his drink, he says "Look, I know where you're coming from, but I don't let my mom getting cancer hold me back or anything. In fact I made the most of it; that's what my final exhibit was about."

"Whatever." Rachel sighs.

"Look, I get it. Losing a parent sucks and all, but you know, it's like losing a pet; you might get sad at first, but then you just get over it." Mark shrugs.

"Just get over it ?"

"If we let every loss bother us. Not a lot of people are gonna wanna be around you if you do. So you lose a parent, big whoop, right ? Life is for the living." Mark says, getting up and putting a hand on Rachel's shoulder.

Rachel looks away from Mark; it was kind of hard to look him in the eye with what happened between them the night before, and what they were talking about now.

Rachel steps aside from Mark and makes her way to the bathroom "Gonna hit the shower; got a smell to kill." she says dryly.

----

About an hour or so later, a freshly dressed Mark and Rachel made a trip to a café.

Jefferson was in his usual getup, but Rachel wore a black jacket, buttoned all the way up, with a set of leather pants and high heels; she wore a white beret and a set of shades, no doubt trying to obscure her age.

They didn't make todays breakfast anything spectacular, just a dish of pancakes, drinks of coffee and a blueberry muffin on the side.

While Mark was running his mouth about his early career, this past girlfriend of his and this student of his who reminded him of Rachel (who may or may not be the aforementioned girlfriend).

Rachel, for her part ? Her mind was a galaxy away.

One side of her brain finds herself staring out the window, thinking about Mary's offer.

"Just one more year in Blackwell," Rachel would think. One more year to be out of she'd be out of Arcadia Bay, and have a new connection in the industry. That's the hard way of course, and Rachel, being more of a woman of emotion and impulse, kept wondering what the easy way was. If she had it her way, she'd be out of Arcadia Bay by October.

The other side of her brain was thinking about Sera and what Mark told her.

If she went by what Mark just told her, losing someone is like getting stung by a bee; it hurts at first but that feelings not gonna be around forever.

If you let a single bee sting bother you, you're just holding yourself back. Rachel thinks of the time she spent at the Price-Madsen house; she heard of how Joyce and David met, of how quick Joyce seemed to get over her Bee Sting seeing as there were scarcely pictures of William in the house (it was a pretty ugly scene when she and Chloe found them in a box in the basement).

Was the same expected of Chloe ? And is the same expected of Rachel herself ?

Mark, seems to notice Rachel isn't paying attention to him, and leans forward "So when I gave her a second dose, she ended up bleeding from her nose and choked to death on her own vomit. It wasn't a pretty picture, but at least I'd know she wouldn't blab. Buried her on the spot; not like anyones gonna be snooping there."

"Hmm, hmm." Rachel nods, apparently thinking Mark was talking about the weather or something.

"Dammit, Rachel!" Mark all but shouts.

"What ?" Rachel turns to Mark, incredulously raising an eyebrow.

"There you go! Stuck in your own little world." Mark sounds like he's holding himself back from snapping, before sighing heavily "It's my fault I guess; I probably shouldn't have dragged you along for this."

"N-no," Rachel shakes her head "I want to be here, it's just-"

"You're just stuck in the past ?" Mark nods, trying to sound calm, but admittedly it put Rachel on the edge.

Rachel couldn't put her finger on it; she slept with Mark twice, albeit she was out of it at the time; what is it about Mark that has her so nervous ?

"I don't know how else to put it Rach," Mark sighs "You want out of the woods; you wanna spread your legs and fly, but I think there's something holding you back."

Rachel says nothing, just stares as Mark continues.

"Or someone. It's your mom, isn't it ?" He says, still trying to sound calm, and understanding "Look, I can't tell you how to feel, but I also can't hold your hand throughout all of this. So, tell you what ? Why don't you, I don't know, talk about her, tell me what makes her so special ?"

Rachel stares at Mark as if she were at a loss for words, but still, she finds out what to say.

"She's my mom; she's the reason I'm here." Rachel says weakly.

Then Rachel finds herself spilling her guts; about how her parents marriage fell apart due to Sera's drug habit; how her father tried to keep Rachel away from Sera well after the latter's recovery; and while leaving out certain details, how her father got Sera back on the stuff, and causing her to fall off the wagon...which eventually killed her, right as she and Rachel were trying to rebuild something between.

All the while, Mark stares with a calm and understanding expression on his face before he says "Oh. So that's it ? That's your big loss ?"

Mark lets out a chuckle, and Rachel finds herself taken aback by this.

"I'm sorry," Mark chuckles again "I was expecting something a little bigger than that. By the sounds of it, it wasn't even that big of a loss."

Rachel finds herself getting a little angry, but not enough to make a scene. She tries to keep calm but lets out a shaky breath and a quiet "Fuck you."

"I'm sorry, but from what you're telling me; this woman Sera, just had you and left. She was a stoner, the kind of person who would have held you back in life. A junkie. Who went out the way all go, no less. And from what you also tell me, she wasn't in your life that long. So I really have to ask; is she really someone worth crying over ?"

Rachel finds herself slack jawed at not only what Mark was saying, but his tone. The kind that says 'I'm an understanding and empathetic individual, so I'm gonna juxtapose it with words of extreme apathy and disdain.'

"How could you say that ?" Rachel asks, at the edge of snapping herself.

"Easy. I open my mouth."

Huffing indignantly, Rachel gets up from her table, making her way to the diner door.

Mark sighs and gets up to follow her.

"Rachel, come on." He says calmly "Don't be so hysterical."

Once outside, Rachel doesn't make her way to Mark's car, but rather towards the sidewalk.

Mark hurriedly walks after Rachel, taking her by the wrist.

"Rachel, listen, I know your upset but you'll see-"

"FUCK OFF!!!" Rachel shrieks, causing Mark to stop and look around. A few passerby's shoot them a glance, but continue on their way; a few still glare daggers at Mark,

Not liking the way he's being looked at, Mark does his best to keep a calm and collected tone and expression.

"Okay, clearly I upset you. That ones on me. I really shouldn't have brought you out here, had I known you get so emotional. I'm sorry, Rachel, really I am."

Rachel says nothing as Mark turns to take his leave.

"When you're ready to come back, I'll be at the suite. You take all the time you need, but don't daddle. I'll be heading back tomorrow."

With that, Mark heads back to the parking lot, gets in his car, pulls out and drives off. He gives Rachel a wave as he passes her to the Suites...which where about five blocks from here.

In the back of her mind, Rachel knew she should have tried to stop him, chase him down and apologize. Though at the front of her mind, Rachel knew that's what he wanted. To be the big man who puts the little girl in her place. Well, fuck that, and fuck him.

Hands in her pockets, and no where in particular to go, Rachel finds herself going up the streets of Portland. With a grimace on her face, and near frozen tears in her eyes, Rachel has been walking to make up for the fact she is undressed for the weather.

She could barely check her phone; the temperature killed the battery pretty quickly. She could have been walking for an hour or ten minutes, and she wouldn't have noticed. All she could pay attention too was that icky feeling in her stomach; that one that tells her she needs a fill of something, be it sex, drugs or drinks; whatever it takes to get her escapism fixed. Not a feeling you should have this early in the morning.

The cold didn't help at all.

Honestly, if Rachel were asked to sell her body to get her fix, she's 50/50 on saying yes. That's how bad things are getting.

And as if the world were saying "Be careful what you wish for." Rachel hears something pull up. When she turns around, she sees a bright red Bravado Buffalo pulling up to the sidewalk, right beside Rachel. As the cold girl pulls to a stop, she turns around to see the passenger window roll down.

"You know, far be it from me to judge ones fashion sense." A familiar British woman's voice says. It takes a second for Rachel's eyes to adjust to see that it is Mary Reid "But it doubt it's fitting for this weather."

Rachel says nothing but stares, a little confused and worried about how Mary, of all people, where to find her here. Maybe Portland's a smaller city than Rachel thought. Or maybe she's being followed.

Weighing her options, she figured it might beat freezing to death. Cautiously, Rachel leans down at the window; Mary is in a considerably more mundane outfit than the night before; a dark blue zeagoo eagoo, red turtle neck underneath. And while Rachel wishes she could reserve herself, she found her eyes wandering down Mary's legs, she could help but ogle a little at those form fitting beige slacks.

Despite herself, Rachel finds her voice "You're following me aren't you ?"

Mary shrugs "Can't a girl get her coffee without seeing a date go south ? Can't a girl be a little concerned to see a student out on the cold, cold streets."

Rachel winces a little, and finds herself shiver a little, though she can't tell if its from the cold or the way Mary playfully flutters her eyes.

"Fuck it." Rachel sighs "Beats freezing my ass off."

Rachel opens the passenger door, closing it as she takes her seat. She shudders in relief at how toasty the heater feels.

"All better ?" Mary asks, starting to drive.

Rachel takes a minute to check herself in the mirror; her face is still red and her eyes are glassy from the cold, but she's looked worse.

"Almost," Rachel nods "Just take us where we need to go."

"And that would be ?"

"Somewhere quiet. Isolated." Rachel sighs, looking out the window at the buildings passing.

"If it works for you."

Rachel felt herself relax more and more as Mary drives off, letting the sounds and song on the radio, and the warmth of the heaters, all get to her.

Mary was driving for however long, before they eventually reached their designation; an otherwise empty and isolated, a spacious parking lot. They had reached Hoyt Arboretum, and by the looked of it, had about a dozen or so spots to themselves.

"I figured this is as good a spot as any. Mary says stopping the car.

"This ? This'll do." Rachel takes a second to reserve herself and nod, before turning to Mary "Now, how you want it ?"

Mary's calm smile doesn't falter, but her eyes look non plussed "I beg your pardon ?"

"I can make it real quick." Rachel says taking off her jacket, shaking her hair as she takes her hat off "That's about all I can do."

Rachel holds her hand out a wiggles her fingers.

"I can get you off this way." Rachel says, before making a V shape with her index and middle finger "Or this if you prefer." before wiggling her tongue in the space between them "My record is a minute and a half, you know."

Mary just stares with a flat smile on her face, and it takes Rachel a few seconds to read her eyes and realize.

"I appreciate the offer, but I wouldn't go as far just yet." Mary says with an amused giggle.

"Oh fuck! Oh Shit! I'm sorry!" An absolutely mortified Rachel blushes and covers her face.

To be fair, Mary just chuckles and pats Rachel on the back "No, I get it; powerful business woman, picking up a young lady off the streets in the blistering cold, taking her somewhere isolated. A horror story as old as time. One I'm sure you're familiar with, given the company you keep."

Rachel looks at Mary with a questioning expression, and Mary stares back with a coy one.

"Oh come now!" Mary smirks "You don't really think I wasn't gonna do a background check ? Especially when Mark Jefferson shows up with one of his students ?"

"I swear, he told me he could take me places." Was the first thing Rachel thought to say. She wasn't lying, but at the same time, it sounded like she was trying to make an excuse for herself, but Mary raises a hand.

"I can't judge; you're nineteen, new to the real world. I was nineteen too, you know five years ago."  Mary waves dismissively "You're not the first to have a relationship like this; I wooed a Professor myself back in the day - well, a Professor's assistant - point is I've been where you are before."

Rachel sighs and looks out the window "This is the part where you tell me, it's not my fault, right ? That I'm just a naïve schoolgirl, in over her head, getting herself into something that can and will hurt her down the road ?"

Mary shrugs "That power is in your hands, Rachel Amber; though had you been a few years younger, I'd get people involved like that." she empathizes her point by snapping her fingers "But seeing as you're looking to get in the business anyways, I figure I can show you the ropes myself. But first...how often have you been to Portland ?"

Rachel looks back at Mary and shakes her head.

"Like three times, but not since I was a kid. My family and I didn't do a lot of sight seeing."

"Well, I'm glad I brought you here then." Mary says "This place get's so lonely in the winter, and I do enjoy having someone to talk to."

----

February 5th, 2015, Venue Restaurant, Los Angeles

Rachel slowly stops her story with a shake of her head.

"Not much to say actually. We spent the day together, the evening, and we ended up having-" Rachel stops herself at the annoyed glance Reid is giving her "She ended up marking me."

Reid nods with an understanding expression "And I take it you aren't looking forward to a reunion. I'm sorry if it makes you uncomfortable."

"Same to you, but there's more I want to know." Rachel says "You said you had your eyes on Arcadia Bay. As does Mordred."

"That is true."

"How much do you know ?"

Reid shrugs "I don't understand-"

"How long have you known what was happening ?" Rachel says, her voice taking a surprisingly stern quality.

Reid keeps a calm and understanding expression and nods.

"We didn't find out until after the fact; Jefferson, Prescott, the Dark Room. By the time we turned up, Mark Jefferson was already arrested and the Agencies needed a little push when it came to the Prescott's; of course, taking care of Prescott senior helps things." Reid says, a knowing smirk briefly flashes on his face, before going right back to a more stern one "But I promise you we didn't know the full truth until word got out. By the time we stepped in, we were seeking something else."

"Care to explain ? I don't like being led on by vague details."

Before Reid can answer, their attention was caught by, noticing both Steph and Ashbury coming back from the ladies room.

"-And I try to let her down gently, you know ? Musicals aren't for everyone." Steph says, having apparently had an extensive conversation with Ashbury. Looks like the two made fast friends.

"You haven't been talking about us behind our backs, have you ?" Rachel teases.

"We talked about you, we talked about Blackwell, we even talked D&D." Steph says chipperly, taking her seat beside Rachel.

Asbury nods with an "unfortunately" expression on her face, which indicates she was told of how much of a noob Rachel was at the game (in which Rachel underwent the tabletop equivalent of gamer rage).

"So what did we miss ?" Steph asks, as Ashbury takes her own seat.

"Dr. Reid was about to talk about Arcadia Bay; what they found looking into it."

Both Ashbury and Reid noticeably hesitate before the former says "There wasn't much to look into; we found out about the Dark Room, how Mordred's followers were in the area, and how the Queen picked out her newest champion." Ashbury gestures to Rachel to empathize her point "Every now and then we look into the other girls involved in the case."

"Kate Marsh, Victoria Chase, all of them." Reid adds.

"Do they know-?" Steph starts to ask.

"No," Reid shakes his head and waves dismissively "As far as we know, the survivors aren't aware of the supernatural in any form. In any case we have bigger fish to fry..."

"Well, don't keep us guessing. You said yourself, it's best we're kept out of the dark." Rachel crosses her arms.

"How much do you know of Myrddin Wilt ?"

Rachel thinks about it for a few seconds and nods.

She read up extensively on him for "vampire history"; the Red Queen's biological "son", and her main adversary. The reasons vary depending on what mythology you follow, but he is said to fight for the betterment of humanity, and how this whole business of vampire champions is a proxy war between mother and son.

He was the source of stories if many beings in European folklore and myth; Merlin, Lugh, and of course Myrddin Wilt, as he now goes by. As Rachel learned more the Celtic mythology, Lugh was the name she usually considered. Point is, if she was turned to be the Queen's champion, would that mean Myrddin had to have picked a new champion as well, right ?

"What about him ?"

"After spending a near century under our radar, sightings of him have been occurring in the Arcadia Bay area, around the same time as Jefferson's operations." Ahbury explains. "It's our belief that he was seeking a new champion."

Both Rachel and Steph glance at eachother "That's...good right ?"

Reid shrugs "Depends on who he turns; I can tell you from experience that with every champion turned, the tide turns as well. In the right hands and the right choices, the power Myrddin grants can be used for good, or can create a monster of the same league as Mordred."

"Tell us, when was the last you heard from the Blood Mother ?" Ashbury asks, placing a worried hand on Rachel's.

Rachel hesitates as she thinks back "I- I think it was a year ago. Why's that important ?"

"The last I saw Wilt was December of 2013. And he already named his champion." Reid explains, taking a photograph out of his coat pocket "And it's imperative we find him before Mordred or his acolytes do."

Reid places the photo on the table between them; Nathan Prescott.

"Look familiar ?"

----

Cornish Commons Dormitories, Seattle , March 24, 2015

Kate Marsh was wiping the suds out her eyes.

It probably wasn't the smartest idea of showering before joining her friends out clubbing, but she needed to freshen up. Besides if this night was gonna go where she thinks it's going, she wanted to be clean before she got dirty.

It has been a few months now since Kate started shedding her sweet, innocent church girl image. After a year or so of her church exploiting her trauma and patting themselves on the back for "helping" her as if they were not the ones putting her through hell in the first place.

It started back in January when Kate really let her church group have it over a Facebook post. It boiled down to a speech about how if any of them actually genuinely cared about her, they wouldn't have put her through this, and how all they ever cared about was exploiting her trauma and patting themselves on the back for their "Good Samaritan" act.

In the meantime, Kate has been spending more time with Max, Victoria, and all the other girls left behind from Arcadia Bay. But for one reason or another, she was drawn to Victoria. If you were to say two years ago that not only would Kate and Victoria would become close friends, but close enough that rumors of them being a couple were to be commonplace...well, then you might be a clairvoyant (use your power wisely if that's the case).

Eventually, the very people who tried to focus on Kate as an exploitable victim, became turned off by her. As of this year, Kate started dressing more boyishly, became a regular user of pot, developed a love for rock music and the party scene. She even got a pink stripe dyed into her hair to go with a new look.

In these months, people from Kate's old group would try to reach out to her, with "Thoughts and prayers"; Kate rejected their "support" all the time, to the point that the only ones still willing to support her are her father, sisters and grandmother.

Above all else, Kate wanted to explore her sexual or romantic preference. And she had her eye on one person in particular.

It started in the therapy groups; Kate and Victoria had their one on one sessions, slowly growing something of a friendship. And the more Kate became close with Victoria, the more Kate pushed away from her toxic church environment.

The irony of the two finding healing  and forgiveness outside their church was lost on no one. Kate thinks her realization of her feelings happened around the time she and Tori had a monster movie marathon; cuddling up on  a couch, subconsciously stroking each others hair would do that.

And being her current roommate didn't help.

Tonight, Kate decided to try her luck. Come out in a very public way, and test the waters to see if Victoria would accept her or reject her. They were joining their friends for a trip to the club scene, and Kate wanted to freshen up for the night.

Deciding she was sufficiently clean after fifteen minutes, Kate turned off and stepped out of the shower. She looked at the towel rack, and saw none there. She looked at the towel closet, and saw none there.

With a frustrated huff, Kate closes the closet, only to just then remember that Tori was doing laundry earlier. An hour ago Victoria said she was gonna pick out some groceries before their trip, so Kate had the room to herself as far as she knew.

Without a hint of modesty, Kate snuck out the bathroom and to Victoria's bedroom and sure enough there were four folded towels among the fresh and folded clothes.

Already annoyed she was dripping water everywhere, Kate took her towel and got to drying herself off with gusto. In a minute she buried her head into the towel, drying off her matted wet hair to the best of her ability, when she heard something drop.

Taking the towel off, Kate turned to see a wide eyed and slack jawed Victoria Chase, having dropped her purse at the side of her bedroom door.

Having grown pale, save for her pink cheeks, Kate herself was mortified beyond words and had to say the one thing that could get her out of this mess.

"....You should have hung these up." Kate says sheepishly.

Victoria looks away with an embarrassed smile "Yeah, um, sorry...I was-"

"Distracted." Kate asks, wrapping the towel around her body.

She's guessing from the look in Victoria's eyes, that her being naked in her bedroom wasn't what set her off, but the abruptness of her situation. She spots the way Tori's eyes linger a little, before Victoria finds her voice.

"You're not...planning to go out in that are you ?" Victoria tries to joke, gesturing to the towel wrapped Kate "I mean, I can appreciate you trying a new look, but I'm a one step at a time girl."

"Nah, I'll be lying if I said I didn't consider going goth though." Kate winked as she picked her own clothes out from the bed. Really, anything that says "Tomboyish Party Girl" will do "Next time, it'll do you good to put my clothes on my bed. Or towels on the rack."

"I'll keep that in mind." Victoria tries to look away as Kate drops her towel.

When Victoria turns around for her, Kate starts redressing herself. Kate smiles a little when she thinks she senses Victoria turn to sneak a peek. She's wondering if she should try her luck now, but she doesn't want to rush it. If she's gonna sneak a kiss, it'll be when all eyes are on her.

Besides, kissing her like this could lead to other things, and Kate doesn't want to jump into it on her first time.

Before Kate herself could make the decision, they heard their doorbell buzzing. And before Kate gets a word out, Victoria's already making her way to their door.

As Kate finishes dressing back up, Victoria opens to see one of her neighbors.

"Heyo," a friendly looking twenty something year old acquaintance of theirs says.

It was Asa Boorman, another student at Cormish, who lives in an apartment just down the block, but for one reason or another kept getting Kate and Tori's mail.
As the envelopes in his hand indicate, this was the case yet again.

"You know," Victoria says, taking the envelopes "At this rate, I'm starting to think these mix-ups are on purpose."

"I wouldn't worry too much." Asa says "More likely a bug in the system."

Victoria rolls her eyes. It's not that Asa was annoying - in fact they normally got along whenever they cross paths - but he lays it on a little thick with the socially awkward nerd thing. He was always wearing a set of glasses or baggy clothes (in this case a grey hoodie) that makes him seem to be on the slim side.

He first met them months back in group therapy, and was open about his traumatic upbringing and dysfunctional family life; he product of incestuous rape (his mother raped her half-brother) and how his father tried to kill him later in life. Despite this, Asa seemed like an otherwise well adjusted guy.

When Blackwell's students began attending this therapy group, Asa has since become decently acquainted with them, especially Kate and Victoria.

"I'm sorry, am I interrupting anything ?" He asks.

Victoria shakes her head "No sorry, Kate and I-"

"Date night." He says with a smirk "I knew it was a matter of time."

Victoria chuckles, shaking her head as a small pink tint appears on her face. Taylor and Juliet said the same thing earlier.

"No, it's not that." Victoria says "It's more like girls' night in general."

Victoria looks over her shoulder. Kate wasn't out of the bedroom yet, so she figured she could afford a few minutes of small talk.

"What about you ? What's on tonight's agenda ?"

"Oh, nothing much." Asa waves dismissively "I mean, I am working on a project, but it'll take a while before it's ready. Figured I crash in for the night. Just wanted to make sure you got these first."

Asa looks over Victoria's shoulder to see Kate in her "clubbin" getup step out.

"Well, good luck with that." Kate says, already putting on her coat.

"And you, Marshmallow, have the best of luck on girl's night." He says with a friendly wink, before turning and taking his leave.

As Victoria closes the door behind her, she turns to see Kate crossing her arms "What ?"

"You're not going out like that, right ?" Kate says, gesturing to Victoria's clothes; the kind she wears as a college student, not a party girl bringing her A-Game.

"Let me freshen up." Victoria smiles "You start the car, call the girls, tell them I'll be a few."

Victoria tosses Kate the keys, but as she passes by, Kate grabs her by the shoulder "And Tori ?"

Victoria looks at Kate, who leans in and whispers with a teasing smirk.

"You can dress in my room." Kate says with a wink "That'll make us even."

-----

Closing his apartment door behind him, Asa took off his glasses and set his heavy grey hoodie aside on the back of one of his chairs. It was time for Mordred to shed his disguise.

Beneath his hoodie, he wore a black tank top which showed his more muscular form as opposed to the more timid appearance his haggy old hoodie gave him. He undressed on his way to his bedroom, tossing todays disguise in the washer as he passed by.

Making his way to his bedroom, the near-millennia old damphir knight got into a more comfortable set of long johns as he flopped down onto his bed. He briefly gets back up to take his laptop out from under the bed. In minutes he's going through his files.

Out of reported dark room victims, Mordred was nearly beside himself that he and Mother's other children could get to four; he had Rachel Amber; he had Kate Marsh and Victoria Chase on his literal doorstep. He had a dozen other names he could identify as survivors, but last he checked, they weren't in Seattle.

He knew his Mother wasn't satisfied, and it bothered him a little, but he had to make do with what they got. Rachel was the first one to be marked, and the one closest to the object of the Blood Queen's desires. You'd think that would be enough, but you're better safe than sorry when it comes to satiating such a goddess.

As far back in the eighth century, Mordred promised his mother the world. It was after all, what he owed to her when she curved him from the womb of Morgause, when Arthur ran her heart through and cast her into the sea. She was the one who ensured he would grow beyond the whelp and become the knight and King who'd bring Europe to his knees. It was something she reminded him constantly.

What Mordred has his eyes on now, was two girls in particular. It was a picture taken years ago, before the Red Queen started pulling her strings in Arcadia Bay.

Max Caulfield and Chloe Price.

He first met Max back in January, at the time he was donning his "Asa" persona. In fact, Max was the first one he approached. He tried being nice, friendly, not pushy. As far as she knew, he was "Traumatized Teenager/Young Adult No. 24601". Though the results left much to be desired.

That's not to say Max was mean or a bitch to him, but she kept herself at an arm's length from him at the best of times. She must have said ten things to him over his stay in Seattle, keeping company only with her friends, girlfriend and her parents. Instead he got closer with Kate and Victoria.

He'd have take them as acceptable back ups himself, except A. the bite of a damphir would do fuck all; B. there were to many eyes on those two, especially Kate; and C...He kinda sorta wanted to see where their relationship would go.

And yet, it was Max his mother wanted. Her and Chloe Price.

Well, that's what Mama, that's what Mama get's. A King, Knight and Son is as good as his word, and if Mordred couldn't keep his promises to those who followed him against Arthur, he will not let his mother down. She would be the god of this world and more; and considering what his connections in the FBC revealed to him of other worlds, he might just be held to that.

Be it warring with the Scarlet King and the other old gods; Be it conquering that world of anthro amphibians, and the Boiling Isles of one of many demon realms, Mordred has a lot to plan for.

But that'll have to wait, for now his focus is on Max and her friends. He was planning on this for months now, and even then it could take years to see it through. But what's a handful of years to a creature such as himself ?

Mordred turns his head when he hears something; his phone going off to the tune of Don't Stop Believing.

Quickly answering it, he says "Speak."

"Don't know if they're listening, so I'll make it snappy." His contact Leo says "The lab, it's ready. The boys are ready."

"Excellent." Mordred says "You don't fuck it up. Again."

"I need to know what I'm working with." Leo answers "I need to make sure our subjects don't expire."

"I'll worry about subjects later. What we need is the source." Mordred says, moving from one file to the other, revealing a picture of Rachel Amber.

"There's one small problemo, bossman." Leo says, using words and tone he normally wouldn't have had he been speaking to his face "It seems that Amber girl's making friends."

Mordred grits his teeth, thinking he's referring to Steph. By all accounts, Steph still shouldn't be here. His sources in the FBC say she should be back in her true life; if this was a tulpa effect, it should have worn out by the end of the last year, and Rachel would have forgotten their relationship as if it were a dream.

"Don't worry about her girl," Mordred shakes his head "She won't be a problem."

"It's not the girl I'm worried about...It would seem Reid and Ashbury have turned up too."

Mordred furrows his brow and grips his phone "And Mary ?"

"We don't know yet. You want us to ice her if we find out ?"

Again, Mordred shakes his head "Take them both if you can. Rachel and Mary."

Mordred gets up from his bed, looking out over the Seattle skyline of a late winter's night.

"Do what you can to collect what we're owed. Y'know, anything short of killing them." Mordred finishes before hanging up.

Chapter 11: Rising Sun Blues

Summary:

Chapter Eleven is here.

Originally I wanted to *finally* wrap up Rachel's LA arc, but it's still taking me a while to write down. However, I have gotten around to digging up prewritten chapters that needed finishing touches, and decided to post it here now that they were ready. The story's in Anachronic Order anyways.

Today we're *finally* picking up were Reid and McCullum were left off in chapter two, and how Jonathan first reunited with Mary. We're also gonna be seeing Vampire!Nathan after teasing him in previous chapters, and starting his arc here.

Chapter Text

February , 1922, Blackwood Pines

Earlier in the night, Jonathan Reid and his partner in investigations, Geoffrey McCullum, were both visited by a stranger, Morgan.

Any other instance, the two would question why a lone man would travel alone in a forest infested with an unholy spirit. One so unholy and twisted that many fear speaking of it. When they started their experiments, they didn't quite know what they had on their hands.

Still hearing the stranger's story of cult activity in the mountains, missing children, and parents lured up as captives, put the two on duty.

The stranger Morgan was leading them up to a trial, both heavily armed and prepped for the worse.

The night was white with the wind and blowing of snow. At most they could see only trees, and even then only the ones within a dozen yards away. Despite this, Morgan seemed to know where they were going.

"We just have to find the trail; it isn't too far from here!" Morgan calls out over the wind.

"You said that twice!" McCullum shouts back, also over the wind.

"Eight minutes ago!" Jonathan adds.

"The trail is marked with red painted posts! It's how hunting parties used to find their way around the mountain!" Morgan would answer.

Seemed like a good enough answer. McCullum and Jonathan have seen these posts before, but didn't know their purpose.

Once they found the polls leading through a clearing. Morgan nods as he leads them forward.

It took thirty eight minutes, till they made their way up the trail, and up the treacherous mountain. It was then they saw what appeared to be a cave or mineshaft; it was near impossible to tell. But that wasn't all that caught their attention.

Animal carcasses; three elk, a couple of horses, and a bear, hanging upside down from surrounding trees. These were not the usual suspects; they never used intimidation tactics. Whenever they fight one or two, they tend to skip the power displays and go right to getting their hands on you.

"This is where they made their nest." Morgan says "And where they keep their prisoners."

"Are they armed ?" McCullum asks.

"To the teeth ? No," Morgan starts "They prefer to use their teeth. A few of them I've seen carry large hammers and blades, but it's mostly the living dead that do their dirty work."

"So you are saying it's not just vampires we are up against." Jonathan says.

"Monsters either way." McCullum finishes.

Jonathan and McCullum unseath their respective bladed weapons. A fight was inevitable, this was just the first time in a while they became combatants within such an environment.

A lot of their recent fights were on an open field, heavily forested areas. This many combatants in a closed space was something they were out of practice with.

With what little light their lamps gave them, the three ventured into casm.

The wind seemed to stop once they were about forty feet in. Despite the ridged looking exterior, the deeper they went the cave became oddly warm.

It could have been anywhere from five minutes to a near hour, but the three knew they were close because the smell hit.

It wasn't one of decay, or bloodshed, but...of cooking. Meat, stew, like a massive camp was having a feast. There was even the smallest orange light just within their eyesight.

“I take it we should probably follow the smell.” Jonathan says, speaking the obvious.

"The nose knows." Morgan nods, causing the two men to glance at him "I've always wanted to use that one for some time."

This was jarringly mirthful of a man supposedly traumatized by his people - including children - held captive by vampires, who supposedly tortured them. In the past two years, Jonathan and McCullum noted how some trauma victims react differently than others; some even use jokes to cope.

Still, considering how stoic he was earlier, it might be worth keeping an eye on.

When they reached a pocket of the cave, it was quite the sight.

A sixty by forty cavern, lit with torches, and campfires; makeshift beds, even cabin-like structures. An estimated thirty seven people were gathered, groups of four to six, speaking around the fires, cooking animals on small fires, singing songs, hymns even of the one called "Mother".

As for the children Morgan described...they made up and an additional twenty two people were also gathered. Many went about playing with each other, or sitting around with their parents.

"What's this ?" Jonathan asks aloud, in disbelief at the sight.

"That," Morgan states matter of factly, "Would be our former captives."

"Former ?" The champion and the guardsmen ask at the same time.

"Former. Yes. As in not anymore." Morgan says, once again, pretty matter of factly.

As Jonathan and McCullen drew their blades, cautiously as some of these folk surrounded them. They didn't know what exactly to make of this situation. Especially with children surrounding them.

"It appears we have further explaining to do." Morgan says.

----

Venturing deeper into the cave, neither Reid nor McCullum knew exactly what to do.

In any other circumstance, they would in fact be fighting their way out of these caves, and leave no survivors of the vampires. Thing is, these were not vampires, and the children they were expecting to save, walked around them as if to protect the adults.

"I'm sure you are confused. I can assure you we will explain everything momentarily." Morgan says as they made their way to a particularly warm cavern where a makeshift dining hall was formed.

No doubt the tables, chairs, plates and dining utensils were taken back from their homes or villages, but there was much more to explain.

Such as how they were able to get and cook their meals, but it seems hunting was as good an explanation as anything.

Several people already took their seats, and Morgan gestured to Jonathan and McCullum to do the same.

As uncomfortable and confusing as their situation was, the duo had little other option but to comply.

"I'm sure you have a lot of questions, and the simple answer is I have been giving you half truths; my people here are not captives. We haven't in two months. And this isn't a rescue. No one here has been slaughtered or sacrificed." Morgan explains "At least not of their own volition."

"Then tell us, what is happening ?" McCullum asks, quickly growing impatient.

"Some of what I tell is true. It is here where our people were lured; at first we would stay for a few days, for we heard her voice calling to us in these depths." Morgan answers.

"We were called because her voice calls to us." A young woman, presumably in her mid teens answers.

"The Blood Mother." All the children answer at once.

"It is her power that keeps us safe." A young man says.

"The abominations that haunt these woods; wouldn't touch this mountain, the blood is too strong for them." Another woman says.

"They came to our village, fed upon us by the dozen. The Mother's herald leads the children to the safest of these caves. We had no other option but to go with her. We were able to return for supplies, but we are only safe here." Morgan says.

"Who is she ?" Jonathan asks, quickly realizing that the newest disaster is here. If this was some sort of lure or trap against him.

He was ready for anything.

"She is here, Dr. Reid." Morgan says "And she has been waiting to see you for a long, long time."

He gestures to a dark cavern neighboring this one.

From it emerges a woman is a red dress, that would be elegant had it not been worn out with age, and exposure. Her skin pale from the cold, in a way that stood out in comparison to the other vampires. Her hair, black and worn high, if haggard by the environment. Her eyes looked red, possibly from blood shot or constant crying.

She stares at Jonathan with a sad looking smile, and speaks in a timidly warm voice.

"Hello, dear brother." Mary Reid says with a bit of a shake.

"Mary ?" Jonathan managed to gasp out.

Time seemed to stop for Jonathan; he has seen Mary in numerous stages in her life.

 From a happy and playful little girl; a mischievous and carefree teenager; a happiness that faded as she was reared in as a proper young lady.

A loving, if timid, wife of a well meaning, if distant, husband. A mother who felt a sense of completion on the birth of her child, and tragically lost something she can never get back when her child passed.

The lost and hopeful sister who he killed...the vengeful killer who returned from the grave, who he hoped he granted peace a final time.

But this Mary - never mind that once again she has returned from the grave - looked broken. Like an overused toy.

Despite her smile, she lacked any of the passionate anger, the violence, even the mask of that young woman she was in life. With all that stripped away, now there was only pain.

As Mary takes her seat at the head of the table, Morgan notices Jonathan's aghast expression, while McCullum looks at his partner with an apparently genuine concern.

"See a ghost, Dr. Reid ?" Morgan asks.

"Wh- How- what ?" Jonathan tries to say, but can't muster the words.

"The polite thing to say when you're meeting someone is Hello." Morgan answers, he starts circling the table "I'm sure so much is going through your mind at once, Reid. The simple answer is when our mother calls, even those from beyond the grave can hear."

"She found me, Jonathan." Mary says, her voice just over a whisper "She offered me the one thing I wanted most in the world."

Jonathan is in disbelief; it can't be revenge - he recalls how he made his peace with Mary before putting her out of her misery.

Growing up, Mary would jokingly bring up dreams of becoming a queen, but he never took these jokes seriously enough for Mary to throw in her lot with the likes of the Mother's Children.

"Mary...what did they do to you ?" Jonathan asks getting up from his seat to make his way to Mary.

"Nothing you haven't already." Morgan answers for Mary "But perhaps there is more you can offer."

"She called me here Jonathan," Mary says, her brother crouching down to look her in her eyes as she averts them.

"The Red Queen." Jonathan nodded, before looking to McCullum, who himself was unsure whether he should be fighting these people.

"Mary here is a bit of a bind, good doctor." Morgan says "She cries out for freedom, our mother calls her here. Our connections told us you seek a cure for the Blood of Hate, and my people here are genuinely curious of your progress."

"A source..." McCullum thinks out loud.

They have a traitor among them. No doubt within his remnants of the Guard or worse, under Elizabeth Ashbury's hospitality.

"Swansea," McCullum thinks to himself. He knew that Reid and Ashbury made a grave error in letting him live, even as a captive.

As Morgan speaks, Mary's nose, and her ears start to bleed a little. This doesn't go past Jonathan's notice, nor those of the guests.

There's a mirthful laugh that washes over the "captive" villagers.

"Looks like Mary here has something she wants to let out." Morgan says, leaning over Mary's stomach, giving a light pat "What say you Mary? Care to share with the Doctor what ails you ?"

Without warning, Mary opens her mouth and beyond her control begins releasing an excessive amount of blood onto the table, down her dress and ono the ground beneath her.

These people continue to laugh at Mary's expense, as she falls before her brother onto the floor.

She coughs and vomits a thick, dark red liquid onto the cavern floor. Despite his natural instinct telling him to back away, Jonathan's instincts at a doctor and brother overcame them both, and he scoops Mary up into his arms, as his sister clung and shook against him.

McCullum on his part was about ready to bring a fight to the lot of these laughing, mocking fools. He was even considering forfeiting his personal code of keeping children out of his fights (unless he can help it).

"She said your name - among others - as she sleeps, you know." Morgan says taking Mary's place in her seat, leaning back with his feet on the table "She dreams of a cure for this condition, and despite what we tell her, we figured we best show her the futility of it all."

Morgan takes an apple he had on his person, and whirls casually as he peels it with a knife.

"We ?" Jonathan says, looking up scornfully at Morgan "Who are we ? Who are you ?"

Morgan smiles before biting into the apple, sucking out the juice like a starving vampire would drain a rat and tosses it aside.

"No one important." Morgan says, lying through his teeth "Just a simple farm boy at the right place, at the right time."

Jonathan knew not to believe him, but these thoughts were in the back of his mind.

What was in the front of his mind was these truths; These are The Mother's Children, some of them at least; they have Mary and had her for sometime; and most importantly, that Mary lives once more and he would not fail her again.

"So good doctor, tell us about the progress of this cure of yours." Morgan says "It's our understanding that you've been testing them on undesirables within this region."

McCullum has gotten up from his seat, making his way through and past these people to take a spot at Jonathan's side.

"You can't possibly know of that." McCullum says.

Morgan shrugs "I don't know; a little birdie has been telling me a lot; one thing in particular is how as far as your old guard is concerned...you should be dead, McCullum."

Unseen by anyone else (save Morgan), a large black bird, a raven, is perched on a rock on the cavern's corners, watching them through pale eyes.

And unbeknownst to anyone else, this bird was followed to the cave. By the very creature Jonathan has been experimenting on hours ago.

"Tell us - scratch that - Tell Mary at least; how have your attempts at fighting the Blood of Hate through medicine progressed?"

Mary weakly looks up to Jonathan "J-Johnny, what have you found ?"

Jonathan is at a loss of words, but struggles to find them anyways.

"We are on the verge Mary, but-" Jonathan is interrupted by a panicked Morgan.

"WHAT ?" Morgan says, getting up from his seat after nearly falling from it.

"My research; we are on the verge of a breakthrough." Jonathan says, looking back and forth between Mary and Morgan.

"But...?" Morgan starts expectantly.

"The first two results were unsatisfactory." Jonathan says bluntly "It's called trial and error. The error is that so far-"

Jonathan was interrupted by a long and drawn out screeching sound coming from outside the cave.

Jonathan and McCullum knew what to expect; Morgan looked taken aback. Mary was nearly roused from her stupor; several children within this group screamed and scrambled to their parents.

One mother in the group tries to reassure her four year old daughter with a whisper "Fear not little one, the Blood Mother protects us; these creatures cannot harm or reach us here."

As she says this, a pale eyed raven stares Morgan down from it's perch.

Morgan sighs deeply to himself; if it comes to that, he will fight this beast, like the Knight and soldier he was in his centuries existence. He never faced one of these before, and if the stories told to him by the natives he knew for centuries were any indication...he wasn't planning too.

But should it not come to that, these people are on their own.

Jonathan and McCullum on the other hand, had enough experience the past couple of weeks. McCullum unsheathed his sword and revolver, while Jonathan debated unsheathing his machete or keeping Mary held close; he was able to compromise by unholstering his pistol.

The creature emerged from the cavern; standing at seven and a half feet, emaciated and icy pale, nearly resembling a skeleton, it was showing symptoms of infection of the Blood of Hate.

Red liquid emerged from it's tear ducts, nose and mouth; dark red blotches appeared on it's thick skin, holding together it's self inflicted bite wounds, as the creature was driven to such a bloodlust, it would bite it's wounds in an attempt to feed from them.

The people, save for Morgan, dropped to their knees and began to pray/chant in unison. Jonathan and McCullum, were readying themselves for a fight.

"Mother of Blood; Hear our cry as we hear yours; protect us as we have before-"

The bird once again makes eye contact with Morgan, who looks away and whispers "Nevermore."

The infected beast circles the cavern, leering and sniffing down at the children. They were afraid, as children were, but still they chanted and prayed for the Red Woman they've been dreaming of to save them, and their mommies and daddies.

And then...the creature reaches down, picking a six year old boy up by the neck and lifts him towards its mouth.

Following it's loud and sickening crunch, it tosses the limp boy aside; as Morgan slinks away, McCullum makes his way to fight the beast, the captives scramble and scream as in a matter of minutes, the creature bares down on the crowd, ripping and biting down, callously stomping on whoever it can reach.

McCullum barrels his way through the panicking crowd, at this point not caring about the crossfire; the lot of these people are dead already.

He aims his revolver, one shot, two shots, and the beast staggers back. A third shot hits it in the eye, and it begins to lick the blood seeping from the wound.

With the monster distracted and McCullum close enough, he raises his sword and brings it down onto the red blotches; his last battle with the beast infected this way, showed him that these blotches are considered the soft tissue of it's usually hardened skin.

They just needed to be hacked away a little.

As the thing was cornered, it lunges down, forcing McCullum to the ground as it bit down onto his shoulder. McCullum screams out in pain, as he reaches his hand up and sticks his thumb into the bleeding eye wound.

It's teeth were practically weld together in McCullum's shoulder, reaching into his bones, when a shot rings out, hitting the infected one on a red blotch in it's shoulder blade.

This gives a knee jerk reaction, as it raises up with a screech.

McCullum takes this chance to use his good arm to take his sword and ram it through the creature's mouth.

The creature collapses in a twitching heap and Jonathan takes it by the arms and drags it towards the fire pit; better safe than sorry.

Jonathan looks around to survey the situation when their fallen adversary burns away.

The "captives" have either fled or among those slaughtered; Morgan has disappeared in the confusion, quite possibly among the slaughtered. Johnathan placed Mary on a table for her safety, where she lies barely conscious.

He turns his attention to McCullum, barely staggering to his knees.

Jonathan walks up to his comrade and hoists him up.

"Are you alright ?" The Doctor asks.

"I suffered worse from stronger." McCullum groans "What happened to it ?"

"It must have been the one we had used," Reid says, remembering what happened last time one of these unholy things was exposed to the Blood of Hate.

Be it a biological reaction or spiritual, these experiments did little more than warp them into further abominations.

"This is our fault," McCullum says, looking over the bodies, nineteen in total, all half eaten in under two minutes.

"You couldn't-" Jonathan starts.

"I was told we couldn't hunt here. That the Spirit of Lonely Places is such for a reason." McCullum starts "These creatures were not to be sought. Dikibad warned us incessantly. Their people abandoned this mountain for a reason."

"We needed acceptable subjects." Jonathan says.

"All we have to show for this is dead children, Reid." McCullum gestures to the bodies surrounding the cave floor "We were-"

"Deceived," Jonathan says "There was no way we could save those who didn't want to. They may be civilians, but they were not innocent here."

"Tell that to the little ones, hoping for their so-called goddess to save them." McCullum answers back.

This put Jonathan in a spot; he was here to save people, true. He was made a Champion to protect people, he became a Doctor for the expressed purpose of helping them. And yet the war with the Red Queen, led him to having to fight and kill the Disasters as they rose.

A doctor and a vampire. A healer by nature and a killer by one.

Every now and then, he remembers this truth, and the contradiction he was.

Jonathan turns his head as he hears Mary coughing. There he was, about to start another existential reflection on his existence. And there she was, a patient in need.

Well, he was a Doctor before he was a vampire; and a brother before he was a Doctor.

Jonathan walks up to Mary, and picks her up in a manner he is once used to. He carried her as an infant, he carried her to her second grave, and now he is carrying her for the sake of restoring her.

"What are we doing with her ?" McCullum asks.

"We came here to save people. It would seem she is the only one we can save." Jonathan says looking down as his sister drifts in and out of consciousness.

----

Three nights later, a forest fire spread throughout Blackwood Pines; Jonathan and McCullum sought to find Dikibad, or anyone with the know who could help "cleanse" the land - seven from their contacts. Their requests were refused, all receiving the same tired reply - "That Mountain is unpleasable. The Spirit of Lonely Places has made it it's home, and thus it is best to leave it a lonely place."

So with no other alternatives, when Jonathan and McCullum collected their belongings and research, they set the pines ablaze with what flammable and explosive items they already gathered.

The fire would last two hours, before snow storms overwhelmed them, and while no human casualties could be found, malformed, human-like remains were discovered.

In the back of their minds, they knew they would return.

Mary stayed by both men's side in the following days, silent and barely responsive. At times her sickness would act up, especially whenever Jonathan would try to talk to her.

During their travel, Reid took what time he had to write up his research papers; the conclusions were unsatisfactory.

Over the next eight days, by both boat, trains and automobiles, the trio made their way from Blackwood Pines, all the way to Macomb County, in Michigan.

It was there, a hundred and twenty acres of land waiting, guarded by gates, high fended, and a dense wooded area.

In its center, a forty acre field housed a three story high, Spanish Renaissance mansion.

The local residence of Elizabeth Ashbury.

----

Ashbury Estate, Sault, Michigan

It took them a day to settle in.

Mary wasn't coherent enough for a proper introduction to Ashbury, and was excused to the guest room.

McCullum was winded from the travel, and took the few days he had to get off his feet and relax, taking to another guest room.

Being a trained and seasoned hunter, still getting used to his vampirism, McCullum wasn't one who would take a break, but considering how his life and world changed, he can take whatever he gets.

Jonathan did what he usually does in such times; go to the medical "wing" of the mansion.

Ostensibly it was to finish up on his findings and progress, but really it's a coping tactic Jonathan does keep himself busy.

Of course, in this case, it helps to have someone to talk to, in this case, Elizabeth.

"...And you think it's the same as mine ?" Elizabeth asks, regarding Mary and her new apparent sickness.

"I have yet to investigate her condition myself." Jonathan says, finishing the last note on his desk, turning around in his seat upon finishing "But if our...subjects' various reactions are any example, testing her now would be too risky."

"And what of the subjects ? Tell me you're at least close to isolating the Tears of Angels."

"I am, but," Jonathan emphasizes knowing she's going to be dreading this answer "Whatever their effects are, prove temporary at best and erratic at worst. I can't risk creating something abominable from these tests, and if my latest observations are any indication, these Tears of Angels, are not medicine as I've known it, nor any modern science. When I seriously start to consider bringing in a witch doctor, I can assure you, these Tears are near beyond me. My final conclusion is that at most I would have to seek out the source."

Elizabeth nods and takes a seat in a chair opposite to Jonathan, rolling up her sleeve expectancy.

"Alright then, take what you must." Elizabeth says, before noticing the dejected look on his face.

"You're not the source, Elizabeth." Jonathan says.

"Come again ?"

"You're not the source; if anything you are the carrier. Whatever I can collect from your cured blood, would at best be a weaker strain." Jonathan gets up, shaking his head "That is the closest I can come to comprehending this cure; it is not something that medical science can recognize, and whatever your father was hiding, isn't in your possession."

"You are proposing another expedition." Elizabeth says.

"If that's what it takes." Jonathan nods.

"And Mary ? What of her ?" Elizabeth asks.

"We let her rest for now. Let her get her bearings." Jonathan sighs, averting his gaze.

"Jonathan-"

"My lady, she is sick." Jonathan insists "She's been on her feet for some time now, and we all must collect ourselves before we can do anything more."

"I see," Elizabeth says before getting up from her seat, before stopping at the door "And Jonathan, if I may ask of a personal matter ?"

Jonathan turns his head at Elizabeth "What is it ?"

"I have taken to collecting film reels recently. Even had a few theatres built here and there. The newest in my collection is..." Elizabeth says, a shade of pink appearing on her face "I have seen a number of couples attending the picture shows together and I figured we could see what it's like ?" As she says this, the infliction of her voice curves as if she's asking a question.

Jonathan feels a smile form before he asks "What is the film in question ?"

"Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror," Elizabeth answers "F. W. Murnau consulted me on the making, and gave me a copy as a gift. His way of making up for the lack of credit."

Jonathan sighs wistfully, "I suppose I did all I can for the day."

Later in the night, Jonathan, Elizabeth and McCullum gathered in Elizabeth's personal theatre to watch the picture show.

By all accounts it's ostensibly based upon Dracula (or "The Accursed One" to some vampires), although Elizabeth own commentary implied there is a partial basis in the tales of the Bird of Death and circumstances behind the Black Plague, as documented by both Ascalon and the Guard.

It pays to have an expert lend a helping hand in writing your stories.

Partway through the showing, Jonathan turned his head to see Mary watching from the corner of the room; she had a smile on her face, unlike the more quiet and reserved expression she had for days.

Mary made no attempt to enter the room, nor did Jonathan verbally address her. All others were too engrossed in the film.

----

The next evening, Mary was in considerably better spirits.

She was more proactive, talkative, and almost giddy even.

McCullum previously left the manor to talk matters over with his contacts in the Sault area.

Elizabeth was awakened to the scent of pancakes and eggs over a hot stove.

Asbury previously gave her help the night off, and on nights like these it was her butler Augustus who tended to whatever needs were left over.

Clad in her nightgown, her hair a-sight, and her eyes dark, Elizabeth Asbury made her way down the hall to the kitchen, and was greeted by the sight of Mary Reid.

Mary's hair done up - albeit clearly in a hurry- wearing a frumpy, less dignified gown than she'd wear in better times and humming a tune to herself; a little folk tune that plays in her head since she first arrived in America's; "The Rising Sun Blues", although it would later be known as "House of the Rising Sun" as it became mainstream in later decades.

"Ahem." Elizabeth addresses.

Mary turns around, placing a stack of pancakes on a plate she carried on one hand.

"Ah...you." Mary says, trying to keep up her normally suave demeanor, but considering what her body and mind has been going through for weeks now, that was easier said than done.

"What are you doing...in my kitchen ?" Elizabeth asks, a little unsure of herself.

"Cooking." Mary says bluntly "It is a rare practice for women of our standing. But to me it's an art one must appreciate...and stress relief for some."

Mary says this without bringing up how sometimes she'd cook for the girls she lured in for the Mother's Children. Part of her own motherly routine.

"I see," Elizabeth nods, "And have you spoken to anyone else ? Your brother ?"

Mary stops and straightens out "Not quite. Don't know much to say."

Mary starts scooping up the eggs, placing them on one plate, and pancakes on another.

"That being said, I have heard quite a bit of you, Lady Ashbury." Mary says, jabbing her egg lifter at Elizabeth "Didn't think my brother had it in him to steal another's heart. Not since Olivia."

Elizabeth couldn't help but snort back a laugh as she took a seat on the table.

"He's been telling me you've been sick," Elizabeth says "That you have-"

"We are all sick my dear." Mary says, placing a plate in front of Elizabeth before settling in front of a plate of her own "Vampirism, lycanthropy. I have been told of and witnessed many diseases, both that afflict the body...and the soul."

As Mary says this, she slices a pancake in half, and gulps it down with a single bite and a few chews.

"And of course, the good doctor that he is, he's working to treat our condition." Mary says "But there are some things that simply can't cure what ails us."

"He's proposing another expedition."

"For what ?" Mary asks "Another attempt to tamper with something he doesn't understand ? He and his knightly goon barely manage to survive - not defeat -  a wendigo encounter. What's next ? You're gonna seek out the aid of Baron Samedi ?" Mary adds, shuddering a bit thinking back to a visit she made to Louisiana months back.

The Loa still gives her the shakes.

"Jonathan says you've been a captive of the Mother's Children." Elizabeth says.

"A captive ?" Mary asks, unsure of herself, not exactly the word she'd use "Of course."

Elizabeth thought carefully of what to say next, barely even touching her dish.

"Care to talk about your time or-?"

"Not particularly." Mary says "And it doesn't matter now. I'm right where I want to be."

"A kitchen ?"

"Better than a basement." Mary shrugs as she looks over Elizabeth's shoulder to see Jonathan standing at the doorway "Speak of the devil."

She silently gestures to Jonathan to take a seat and he does so.

"So, bubby," Mary says, "We've yet to properly talk."

"You didn't seem to be in any condition to do so, Mary." Jonathan says.

"The wonders a goodnight sleep does to you." Mary says.

"You're still sick Mary," Jonathan starts "I was looking at your blood samples, and-"

Mary leans back in her seat to feign sleep before "waking up."

"Hm, what ?" Mary sarcastically asks "Oh, I'm sorry Doctor Reid, but there are certain subjects best talked about on the hospital bed. Last I checked, this was a dining room."

Jonathan and Elizabeth exchange a glance before Jonathan nods with a sigh.

"Very well sister." Jonathan says "What conversation would you be most comfortable with ?"

Mary smiles.

The next hour or so was spent going over Elizabeth's history, before Mary started bringing up her and Jonathan's childhood.

There were stories of how Jonathan had a boyhood fear of horses; how Mary's best friend growing up was their collie Roscoe. She talked about how Jonathan was usually never one for romance growing up, so it was a genuine wonder that he managed to win Elizabeth's heart.

Mary then mentions how one of Jonathan's few romantic interests was a woman named Olivia; they met while he was a medical student, and Jonathan was a close friend to her, but never had it in him to confess his feelings before she was married off.

Elizabeth, who paid close attention to that story, had her mood change when she heard that part, and patted Jonathan on the back as he put his face into his palm.

"If it's any consolation, I think you'd make a great husband." Elizabeth says to her flushed lover.

"Is that something you want to hold him too ?" Mary adds.

"And what of you, Mary ?" Elizabeth asks "Have you had your special someone ?"

Mary opens her mouth, but closes it, putting her attention back on the dish in front of her.

"It's complicated." Mary said plainly "Not something you can take lightly."

Jonathan is also silent, but he gave an understanding nod to Mary.

Connor and Dylan were a pretty touchy subject for Mary.

Dylan wasn't a bad husband by any stretch of the imagination, but decent was about the right word to use. The son of a military family, Dylan was destined to see battle before his life would end. And sure enough, with the coming of the great war, he met his destiny when he and six other soldiers were caught in a landmine explosion.

Mary wasn't particularly close with Dylan, having been "taught" to be a right and proper lady and wife shortly before their marriage. Mary was a rather distant wife, if a devoted mother; while Dylan was a well meaning, if just as distant husband, who never had the time to be a father. Even living under the same roof, they lived in different worlds.

The only real evidence of possible intimacy between them was Connor.

Dylan met his fate around the time Connor started to crawl, and thus Mary relied on the charity of her family, and that of  Dylan's to keep herself afloat.

Connor quickly became a light in Mary's world, the short time he was in it. Jonathan had a number of regrets regarding Mary - but only ever meeting his nephew six times and being unable to save him from the flu...that was a regret that stung Jonathan in such a way, he would do what he could to banish the thought.

Because one thought begets another; it was the Spanish Flu that took his nephew; the Spanish Flu was the work of the Red Queen. Eargo, the Red Queen took his nephew, and spat out his sister.

These thoughts just made Jonathan's duty for Myrddin feel a little more personal than it should.

This train of thought was interrupted by the sound of Mary's voice.

"I think we are out of things to talk about, brother. Shall we ?"

"I guess now's as best a time as any."

----

A while later, Jonathan, Mary and Elizabeth were gathered in the medical wing. Mary sat on a bed in a more accommodating gown, while Jonathan and Ashbury were in their standard attire.

Jonathan starts "Mary, we know what you are carrying. Lady Ashbury-"

"Call her Elizabeth. I would think we should all be on a first name basis by now, Johnny." Mary interrupts.

"...Elizabeth has that tainted blood too. She has long since been cured, but for the time being, I have yet to isolate the cure in her own system." Jonathan starts.

"That's what he's been doing in Blackwood Pines." Elizabeth adds "Running experiments on...the-"

"You know you're marked for life by surviving them ? Best not draw their attention." Mary says "We got out of those woods alive. Let's not tempt fate."

"Anyways, if you are done interrupting." Jonathan starts again "I don't expect you to understand the jargon, but our...test subjects, had an adverse reaction; an allergic reaction if you will, to both the infected blood and the cured blood. We don't know if it is the blood itself that causes the reaction or if it's forcing two different spirits into the same vessel."

"Okay." Mary says, unclear if she understood what he was saying herself.

"As of now the expedition to Blackwood has been halted indefinitely. My current theory is that the reaction could also be the result of Elizabeth not being the ultimate source of the infection; as such her cured blood needed to be tested on a stronger strain."

"And I guess I am the one who has it ?" Mary asked.

Jonathan nods with a rather grimm expression on his face.

"Mary," Elizabeth says with a softer tone "Do you care to talk about what happened when you were with them ?"

Mary pauses and takes a moment to think.

"Not yet." Mary says "I'm not sure if I am safe."

"I can assure you, my grounds and all who dwell within them are quite-" Elizabeth starts.

"Protection from you." Mary says.

Jonathan was a little taken aback when Mary said this.

"Mary, I-"

"During my time with the Mother's Children, I was told that you have been putting down girls such as I." Mary explains before asking "Is this true Jonathan ?"

Jonathan takes a moment before nodding with an ashamed look on his face "Yes, but Mary you have to understand. They were disasters; they were mutated beyond cure and would only spread the disease further. It's not something I am proud to do bu-"

"I know." Mary interrupts her brother, yet again "I was the one who turned them."

There was a pregnant pause in the room between Jonathan and Ashbury, as the two lovers stare at eachother and back at Mary.

------

Unspecified Date: Either February 2nd, 2014 (Route A), or April 2nd, 2020 (Route B)

Nathan Prescott has been in this dark void for how many days now ? Years even. Nathan couldn't even tell left from right here.

"So, this is Hell," Nathan would think sullenly "No fire, demons or torment ? I've been sold a fake bill of goods."

Nathan felt a bit of gallows humor on the forefront of his mind; on the back of his mind, he felt the fear, guilt and shame that brought him here.

He had nothing other to do but walk forward through all this darkness. He couldn't tell you how long he was doing so; it was like walking through a fog, one that seeped into his very head. His memories were clouded and obscured, to the extent he couldn't know for sure if he.

He couldn't tell you if he shot Chloe Price in the bathroom that day, or if a week went by that included Kate Marsh trying to kill herself, and Warren beating the crap out of him...followed shortly by Jefferson drugging him to death.

Either way, Prescott felt he belonged here. He could only hope that if/when Jefferson joins him, he can have a bit of revenge. That's all he would settle for at this point.

Where Nathan couldn't see, he could at least here...and smell.

It was the scent of blood, and the voice of something. He didn't know the language, but he had the feeling in his gut that whatever was speaking to him, urging him forward, it was something ancient and powerful.

"Open your eyes. You are among the dead that don't rest." He heard, finally able to understand what he was hearing.

His eyes could have been welded shut, and he truly struggled to open them, before he felt something; like invisible hands prying his eyes open.

When he did he was terrified beyond words; he tried to scream but nothing came out.

It was there he saw what could have been taken as an image of the devil; human in shape, about eight feet tall, not counting the antlers (he wasn't sure if they were a part of this thing's head or some kind of head-dress). But it was a being of pure red, and if the sensation he felt at this thing's touch was any indication, it was in fact made of blood.

Emitting from this being was a red glow, so bright and fierce that it overpowered the darkness around him.

"Be not afraid." It said in a male sounding voice.

"What are you ?"

"I go by many names. You may know one of them."

Nathan chokes back a sob, utterly confused and mortified as his head tries to work out what memories were real in light of this being.

"The devil." Nathan whispers, barely audible, but this being could hear him.

"I am not of the Light, I am of the Blood." The being answers back "I was born on this earth the same as you, bound to it by remorse, pain and love, same as most people."

Nathan says nothing, because he could say nothing, he could barely think coherently.

All that there was was his voice.

"If you seek answers from a long since forgotten past," It said "Know that I was once called Lugh."

Nathan finds his voice "Can't say, I know that one."

"You will."

And suddenly, a splitting headache overcame Nathan Prescott.

Other thoughts, other visions passed through his head.

First he saw the exploits of one William Marshall. Nathan can't say he's a medieval history buff, so he wasn't too familiar with Marshall's exploits, but the bit of him being a vampiric hero wasn't in any history book he ever read. He catches glimpses of past conversations between him and this being, going by "Michael". Before that, he saw Marshall's early life, and how his father once threw him under the bus at the age of six.

Nathan felt a bit of empathy for the lad, easily placing himself in the boy's shoes; then he saw how William rose into prominence as a knight despite having little chance at greatness; the exact polar opposite of Nathan. It was in fact his feats that attracted this being "Michael" to him later in life.

The next vision fazes to the time of Arthur. He was familiar enough with the stories of King Arthur; he watched movies like Quest for Camelot and Sword in the Stone growing up, and he remembers how Victoria used to talk to him about BBC's Merlin. Nathan himself never got into the show, but he had at least some idea of what to go off of based on Victoria's descriptions.

But if you were to ask Nathan what version of King Arthur and his Knights were true, a "Vampire AU" would be the last thing Nathan would have guessed. As it so happens, this being apparently went by Merlin these days. The death of Arthur led to a fracture in the surviving knights, as Lancleot and Percivil had two different ideas of how to keep Arthur's legacy alive.

Nathan's vision saw further than that though; centuries before Arthur, Lancelot, Gunivere and Morgause. This being that once went by "Michael" or "Merlin" existed in  Scandinavia. This being was known then as an "Agent of God", or "Of the Gods" (this was around the time Norse mythology started giving way to Chrsitianity after all). This being also picked another champion, a boy by the name of Beowulf, who was slowly turned into a vampire over the years into his adult life.

Nathan was a tad more familiar with the story of Beowulf (he was bored in a library when he was fourteen and was going through a Tolkien phase), so he was a little surprised how otherwise accurate the tale was to the actual story, elements of vampirism aside.

Nathan saw the life of Sétanta, the first vampire to be born with the affliction; son and champion of the one called Lugh, the lad took the name Cú Chulainn, and became one of Ireland's greatest mythological heroes in his short life of seventeen years. Everything from his service as a guard dog to his...questionable conception of his son ("What the fuck, Aífe ?!" Nathan would internally exclaim).

And finally, memories of Lugh himself, which Nathan could guess this being was once...these memories, much like his own, were a fog. The most he can see is something else, darker, ancient, more powerful than that of the being speaking to him.

He sees what has to be Lugh, in one form or another facing down what could only be described as an abomination.

It was simply put, a giant and it wasn't like his actual size could be measured.

Imagine the classic devil figure, like something from Dante's Inferno, but in lieu of typical goat-like horns, it had a set of antlers forming a crown-like structure on it's head, and massive tentacles or tendril-like appendages emerging from its body. The most striking thing was it's many, many eyes, showing up in places eyes wouldn't be; wherever they look, fire and death seems to spread, as the world turns red around it.

And before this monstrosity stood the figure known as Lugh, facing him in an image unironically comparable to Gandalf facing the Balrog.

The Being of Blood once again spoke in Nathan's head.

"Among many names, he is _ _ _ _ _ _ _." The actual name was blocked out, as if his mind didn't want him to know "King of the Darkness Below.  They also say he is dead, and not just resting. With luck, you, and your world, shall never face him."

The fog rolled in once again, obscuring Nathan's vision.

As Nathan's eyes started to adjust, all there was was the cold, the sound of his heart beating.

The being's voice was still in his head giving a few more whispers; "My other children seek you out Nathan Prescott. Keep walking, and he will find you first."

That should have given Nathan unease, but there was a tingling sense of comfort as he looked around at his surroundings.

He was on a road.

This heavily forested road, probably somewhere in the countryside.

It was winter; Jack Frost wasn't nipping at his nose, he was eating him alive. Nathan looked up and down his body, the taste of blood in his mouth, and ragged clothes dressed his body.

But as the voice in the back of his head keeps telling him, he keeps walking. Keeps trying to collect his thoughts. Something was seeking him out, and whatever it was, couldn't find him fast enough.

As Nathan tries to think, he struggles to rationalize this situation. His earliest memory was of October, and something happened that day, he just can't put his finger on it. Now he was in the middle of nowhere, alone, stiff as a board.

He's pretty sure he's supposed to be dead; that was the one thing his gut told him.

He certainly felt like a corpse at least.

Nathan holds his arms around his body, in a futile effort to keep himself warm. He is pretty sure his fingers would fall off, if his toes haven't already.

Observing his surroundings, Nathan see's he's on a highway at least, going on an uphill road. Where there is a highway, there are cars, but out here there wasn't so much as a headlight.

Nathan's pretty sure at this point he's more likely to be mauled by a bear before anyone drives past him.

Nathan could have been walking from ten minutes to two hours before he saw a stop sign, and another indicating to him there was another road around the corner. A dirt road of course, right in the countryside.

Bit by bit, Nathan felt his resolve crumble before he collapsed at the stop sign.

At this point, was there any point at all ?

As far as Nathan knew he's supposed to be dead, and if he wasn't he deserved it at least. Looking up at the night sky, he could only think to himself about those he may or may not have hurt in this fog of memories.

Rachel, Kate, even Chloe. He remembers how he and Mark were planning to hurt Victoria too. Nathan may not have wanted to hurt them, but he was weak. And from such, he deserved no sympathy, Nathan thinks to himself.

Whatever befalls him next, he most certainly deserves it.

And even if Nathan's eyes start to water, he cannot bring himself to cry. There'd be no point to it, after all.

He sits there waiting for death to take him again, but he doesn't expect to see what comes next; a set of headlights growing up behind him.

Nathan turns his head around to face the lights; it occurs to him now how pale and glassy his face looks.

The headlights stop a few yards away, pulling to the side of the road.

It is a dark red car, a 2010 lambo.

The driver's door opens, and out steps a man, making his visage clear; a man in his late twenties to early or mid thirties, short cut black hair and a full, but not too big beard. He wore a black puffer jacket, dark blue jeans, and a set of winter boots.

"You lost ?" The man asks.

"Nope." Nathan sighs, his voice parched as all hell, as he realizes he hasn't spoken out loud in ages "I'm right where I need to be."

"You know, as a Doctor, I cannot condone, or allow myself to let you walk out and about in this weather, and those clothes."

Nathan's only response is a series of coughs, as the man rolls his eyes and walks up to him. Nathan is taken by the shoulder and led to the lambo.

As Nathan was helped in, the sudden rush of air from the heater caught Nathan off guard. Ironically, it actually got a shiver out of Nathan.

The man gets back into the driver's seat and closes the doors.

"Got a name, lad ?" He asks.

"Nathan." The Prescott boy says in a gasping wheeze.

The man nods "Alright, Nathan. Do you know where we are ?"

"Oregon ?" Nathan asks.

"Washington." The man answers, starting the car and driving off down the road, as Nathan begins to relax "You're in critical condition, I can get you taken care off but you're going to have to trust me."

"Whatever," Nathan nods.

The man sighs and remains silent for the rest of the ride. Nathan finds himself drifting off to sleep to the sound of Gordan Lightfoot's Carefree Highway.

----

It was the first good night's sleep he had in a while, and it brought him back to the far off time of the summer of 2012.

Last week of school, and the Vortex Club was planning on hosting another hurrah to cap off the school year.

It was Rachel Amber who set up the party; there was a creek not too far from her family's summer house, complete with a waterfall and watering hole. The water was surprisingly warm that day, and about thirty two kids showed up. Seventeen of them actually attended Blackwell.

A few of the party goers were from the middle and elementary school, which was a divisive decision to many of the students; it would mean having to cut back on drugs, alcohol and the sexual exploits that made a Vortex Club party what it was.

Other than that it was a picture perfect summer party. Just a bunch of kids swimming, sunbathing, like they were at the beach. Several girls were playing with the younger kids on a party island. There was a game of volleyball going on in the water, and on the shoreline, someone was grilling burgers and hotdogs. At least one truck was affixed with stereos playing some alternative rock from the early to mid 2000's. Someone played "Two Princes" three times that day, and some jackass (Logan) got his teeth kicked in for trying for a fourth time.

That wasn't to say that there wasn't drugging, drinking and fornicating going on; you just had to be a safe enough distance from the crowd.

In Nathan's case, he found this treehouse a little ways down the road; a childhood tree fort Rachel made with her dad.

Nathan was pressing himself and his partner to the tree forts floor, the only thing he was wearing was a condom; his partner's bottom bathing suit was hanging off her ankle, as it wrapped around his lower waist,  and her top was hanging off of her breasts, pressed into her stomach.

Nathan's hands were busy with her breasts, and at no point did he and his partner make eye contact or kiss each other on the mouth.

It was something he and Samantha Myers have been planning and putting off for a week now, but now seemed like a good time as others; no, they weren't dating or romantically involved. This was just something they've been meaning to do to see if they felt anything for eachother. On Nathan's part, it was to see what all this noise about sex was really about, and Samantha ? Just wanted to see if she was attracted to boys; they talked to Samantha earlier and made a similar agreement for a later date.

"Be gentle," Samantha mutters out as her breasts start to feel a little sore.

"Sorry," Nathan mutters in her ear, moving his hands down his ribs. The feeling of it made Samantha giggle, which at least brought a smile to Nathan's face. Not out of some smug "I made her do that" thing, but more to do with the fact that it was genuinely cute of her.

Samantha moved her hands to her clit to try to jilt and hasten her own release. Samantha's eyes were closed, which Nathan took as a sign she was thinking of someone else.

A few more creaks and Nathan stopped with a muffled noise, releasing into the condom, just as he pulls out from Samantha and rolls onto her back. Samantha at least releases into her own hands with a shudder.

They took a moment to catch their breaths before Nathan asked.

"So was it...good for you ?"

Samantha pulls her bottoms up, handing Nathan his swimming trunks.

"I...imagined it better." Samantha nods, looking a little embarrassed.

"I see." Nathan nods.

"I-I mean it's not you." Samantha says "It's just-"

"No, I get it." Nathan says "I don't see what all the hype was about myself."

The silence was so thick, the knife would get broken trying to cut it.

They heard muffled speaking as someone else, or someone's else.

"Oh shit!" The two speak at the same time.

The fort's door opens up, and just as Nathan pulls his trunks up, and Samantha fixes up her top. They were not fast enough before who else but Rachel Amber and Chloe Price.

The following ten seconds were interspersed throughout with exchanges of ("What the Hell ?" "What are you doing here ?" "This is my old tree fort! Jeez, it's gonna smell for days!")

All the while Nathan and Samantha is looking away in embarrassment.

"Calm down! We didn't think this spot was taken!" Nathan says.

"I put a sign there years ago! Girls only!" an unusually irritated Rachel says.

"I thought it was expired..." Nathan says, only partially joking. She had to have written that sign when she was like six.

Either way, Nathan barely notices Rachel's eyes flicker up and down their bodies before she composes herself.

To make a long and awkward story short, Chloe and Rachel went to the tree fort to do much of the same as Nathan and Samantha. Nathan himself never got a good grasp on Rachel and Chloe's relationship - was it romantic, or Bridge to Terabithia levels of platonic?

Either way, the primal moment between Samantha and Nathan killed that mood.

That being said, the party was in need of a soda run (there were still minors here) that Rachel and Chloe decided to go on. Victoria ended up going on a soda run too, so it's not like anyone had Nathan's back.

The least Nathan could have done for them was lend them his car. And had to pay for them.

As such, Samantha left the party feeling embarrassed, but could be heard talking to Chloe about talking about this later.

Nathan in the meantime tries to integrate himself back into the party.

For his part, Nathan was skipping stones up the stream with a few other kids. Or trying to, but each time he was one upped by a sixth grader named Thomas.

The three girls returned with cases of pepsi, root beer, cream and orange soda. And of course, coke.

Later in the day, Nathan had a go of sunbathing on the roof of his car. He figured it didn't really fit the kind of guy he was, but he was bored, and it seemed that's what everyone else was doing.

"Hey there." Nathan hears a voice as he turns his head over to see Rachel looking up at him.

"Hey ?" Nathan answers, but the infliction in his voice made it seem like he was asking something.

Considering what happened hours ago, Nathan was just confused as to what was Rachel doing, although he quickly pieced things together.

About an hour ago, the younger kids left the party with some of the older ones. For the remaining members of the Vortex Club, a few went on a rum run.

Considering how Rachel was holding a cup of her own, had the slightest slur in her voice, and was looking a little more chipper than usual lately, Nathan was willing to bet she was a little buzzed.

Well, as long as they were here, he might as well get this out of the way.

"Look about the treehouse." Nathan says.

"Ah," Rachel says waving dismissively, before taking another drink "Don't worry about it. I'm sure more people did worse at this party. Y'know when the little ones left at least."

Nathan looks around before asking "Is, uh, Chloe still with you ?"

Rachel shakes her head "She's a designated driver. Taking some of the kids home. Me ? I've been waiting for the buzz all day; too long and too late to stop now." She takes another drink before asking "So, where's Tori ?"

"I think she's also on driver duty." Nathan shrugs "She and Juliet got in this jeep with four kids."

He notices Rachel downing her drink before tossing it aside.

"You're a lightweight." Nathan says.

"I'm not I just-" Rachel says before being interrupted by a hiccup.

"How many fingers am I holding up ?" Nathan says holding all five digits up.

"Four. Thumbs aren't fingers."

There is a brief pause before the two burst out laughing.

"So..." Rachel starts, "You and Samantha huh ? I thought you'd be more of Tori's type."

"Oh that." Nathan says "It's nothing like that; we're just trying to figure shit out."

"You two are experimenting already ?" Rachel asks "You know, I thought it would be you and Vic, but I figured she swung the other way."

"How'd you-?"

"I had a hunch." Rachel shrugs, before climbing onto the hood of the car. Hunch being a fancy way of how she, Chloe and Victoria once "retired" from an earlier party.

"For someone who says she really doesn't like us," Rachel continues, referring to herself and Chloe "She has a really pretty way of showing it."

"Tori's complicated like that." Nathan nods "If she were an anime girl, I can see her as a total tsundere."

Rachel lets out a little giggle before she says "I didn't take you for a weeb."

Nathan shakes his head with a grin "Not anymore, thank Christ. I mean, I watched Fullmetal Alchemist and Death Note recently; that whole Nina Tucker episode still did a number on me."

Rachel shakes her head and covers her ears "Ah, don't remind me! I can't look at little kids and their dogs the same way anymore after that!"

"Hayden tried getting into FMA a while back, I kept trying to talk him out of watching that episode," Nathan starts "Soon as he does, he's calling me and giving me shit for not warning him."

The two share a laugh, before Rachel composes herself.

"Didn't help my daddy issues, that's for sure." Rachel says before covering her mouth when she realizes what she just said.

"Daddy issues ?" Nathan asks.

"I- uh, don't want to talk about it." Rachel says "We aren't exactly on speaking terms, you know ?"

Nathan pauses and glances up at the sky, before glancing down at Rachel "That's rough buddy."

"You ever get that feeling though ?" Rachel looks up at the sky too "That one of your parents sees you like a pet, if anything ?"

"I'd be lucky if my dad saw me as a dog." Nathan sighs sullenly "We had this pit-bull when I was nine, Bartholomew." Nathan's mood starts to lighten up as he thinks of him "I used to call him Barking Bart. As weird as it sounds, I think my dad liked him too."

Rachel looks genuinely surprised when she hears this "What's this ? Sean Prescott had a heart at one point ?"

"Once upon a time." Nathan says his mood dours yet again. He sits up, hanging his feet off the roof of the car "Okay, so I was eleven right ? I was hanging out with some school friends at this park. I went on this swing set, and tried going up over the bar."

"That sounds rather foolish of you."

"You have no idea!" Nathan says "Anyways, when I'm finally over the bar, my grip slipped and my head landed on the bar, and I flopped over onto the ground. I had to stay in the hospital for a week and a half getting my head stitched up. Dear old pops doesn't visit me once. But Barking Bart gets bit by a snake ? Dad spares no expense trying to get him fixed up, not that it worked in the end, but still..."

"Jesus," Rachel says.

"But wait! There's more!" Nathan says with an air of gallows humor "When I was nine, my dad signed me up to play hockey, right ? I couldn't do shit on the field, and I can barely manage to skate. But dad kept pushing me and pushing me. Time came for the big game, and what do you know ? We lost. What was my reward ? My dad, quote unquote, forgets me at the skating rink, and waits like three hours before he decides to remember."

"Fuck, dude." Rachel breathes out, in utter disbelief at what Nathan just said.

"So...about your dad ?" Nathan asks.

"What about him ?" Rachel asks.

"I spilled my guts out for you, the least you could tell me what your dad did to get you so mad at him."

Rachel takes a deep breath and takes a moment to think this over "Only Chloe knows about this - and Frank; You cannot let anyone else know this. I don't know what my dad would do if this got out."

Nathan zips his lip and does a 'cross my heart and hope to die' motion.

"My dad tried to kill my mom." Rachel says plainly and flatly.

Nathan stared at Rachel like she grew a second head.

"What ?" Nathan says "I mean, I saw them three days back at Blue Wha-"

"Not my stepmom." Rachel says "Let me explain, it's kind of a long story."

Rachel went over all of it; James Amber's past with Sera; Sera's drug issues, an incident in which she nearly OD'd; how her mom Rose wasn't her biological mother, and that Sera has been trying to contact Rachel for years while being rehabilitated.

How Damon Merrick stabbed Rachel, and that James has been working on a scheme with him to get Sera out of the picture. How Frank beat Damon's  head in and along with Chloe, was an unreliable witness to what happened with Sera. It didn't take long for Rachel to find out what happened, and even if James didn't see jail time for his involvement, Rachel just had to spread the word and James Amber's world would be over.

Literally, the only reason Rachel doesn't at this point was more so for Rose's sake than anything else.

Nathan was left fairly speechless when he heard all that.

Rachel snaps his fingers in front of his face to get that blank look off it.

"So, uh, you got anything to say about that ?" Rachel asks.

Nathan shakes his head and shrugs.

"Can't say that I do." He says, lying through his teeth.

The two look around to see the party pretty much dying. It was down to eighteen people, the music was kind of shit (you can only listen to Two Prince so many times in  a row before you want to rip your own ears off), and at this point it was a bunch of kids standing around drinking and talking.

In short, Nathan felt a little worn out from the day, before deciding it's best to get a ride back to the dorm, and finish packing up before his forthcoming trip to his summer house.

"So..I'm gonna be heading back to my place, if you need a ride." Nathan says.

Rachel snorts back a laugh and reaches up to pat Nathan on the head.

"Nice try." Rachel says "I'm drunk but I'm not stupid." Rachel jabs her thumb down the road before saying "My cabin's up the way. I'll be fine."

Nathan nods before sliding off the roof of his car.

"Well, I'm heading back to Blackwell. Kristen's picking me up in two days, so.."

"Ah," Rachel says, sliding off the hood "Was gonna be showing movies at my cabin for those who stayed. I was thinking of the Blair Witch Project, but you have fun with the packing and what-not."

When Nathan departed back to Blackwell, he eventually checked his phone to see four unread messages from his sister, one from his mother and two from his dad.

Rolling his eyes and deciding to get his dad out of the way, Nathan called Sean Prescott first.

Prescott senior was uncharacteristically interested in how Nathan's day was going, and their discussion turned over to Rachel. Sean Prescott was especially interested in whatever dirt Nathan could unearth from the Amber girl.

And that was how Sean Prescott got something on James Amber, should the latter cause him trouble.

----

Nathan awakes from his dreams and memories in an uncomfortably comfortable room.

He takes a moment to collect his thoughts and take in his surroundings. He was in a bedroom for sure, and considering the generic white and blue color scheme, he had to guess he was in a guest room.

He looks to his side to see a night stand, affixed with books and a radio, which comes with a clock reading 10:45 PM.

Getting up from his bed, Nathan looks down his body to see he's wearing no socks, a set of red pajama pants and a white T-Shirt. He takes a few minutes to look around his room; the most notable piece of furniture besides a clothes drawer was a TV, TV Stand, VCR, and a shelf of VHS tapes.

There was a bathroom door at the left side of his room, and on the right, a large window showing a vast and snowy landscape, with the lights of a small town not too far off.

There was another door at the side of the bed, which he opened to find a hallway. Looking up and down said hallway, there was nothing in particular except this framed picture at the far end of the hall.

It was a photograph of a family; an old timey photo at that, probably taken in the late 20's to early 30's. The family looked to be one of high class.

There was a man, resembling the one who found Nathan on the road, right down to the beard; standing beside/behind the man was a woman, who like the man, had black hair, and a sharply coy smile on her face. Beside the both of them stood another woman with a shorter hair cut, and lighter shade as far as Nathan could tell; she had a more dignified look in her eyes, and the slightest hint of a wholesome smile.

Standing in front of the lighter haired woman, was a dark haired girl about seven to ten years old, with a short, rather boyish haircut. The only reason he figured this was a girl was that she was wearing a dress she looked a little uncomfortable in.

Nathan nearly felt himself jump out of his skin at the touch on the back of his neck.

He turns around to see that same woman in the picture; the light haired one - red head, now that he could see her in color. She appeared to be more modern in the flesh than she did in the photograph, especially in the clothes department.

"I see you're up." The red head says. Her accent indicates she's from England.

Nathan opens his mouth to speak but nothing comes.

"This might be a little much for you to take in all at once." She takes him by the shoulder and gestures to him to follow her.

With little else to do, Nathan does so.

----

She leads him down a hall, and to what appears to be a living room. A twenty seven by twenty seven living room at that; it wouldn't be out of place at a family lodge. Given the location, Nathan was willing to bet that's where he was.

The woman gestures to Nathan to take his seat, on a couch, as she stands before a lit fireplace.

"I'm sure you have a lot on your mind; where you are, what happened to you, what have you become ?" She says.

Nathan answers her, finally speaking for the first time in a while. "Well, yeah, but I know I'm a vampire. I kinda figured it out when that blood guy spoke to me...and when I saw that picture of yours."

The woman looks a little taken aback before she nods, heading towards a chair at the fireplace's side, turning it to face Nathan before taking a seat of her own.

"Well, we got out of the way," She shrugs before reaching out her hand to shake Nathan's "Elizabeth Ashbury."

"Nathan Prescott." He answers back.

"Oh I knew that." Ashbury says "We've had our eyes on Arcadia Bay when...that happened."

"We ?"

As if on cue, a man enters the room, the same one who picked Nathan up on that road. He now wore a set of jeans, a black turtleneck, and a set of slippers. He was holding in his hand a steaming mug, as if it were his morning coffee.

"So the boy's up I see," he says "Is he ready ?"

Nathan finds his voice again "Pardon me, but I don't exactly know what's going on."

The man takes a stand beside the fireplace as he looks Nathan over, with a cautious expression on his face.

"It'll take some time to explain." The man says "In the meantime, I find it is best we get to know each other; Dr. Jonathan Reid." He says, introducing himself "You don't need to introduce yourself, we know who you are."

"As I've been saying," Ashbury starts again "My people and I have been looking into Arcadia Bay for some time. We know just about everything involving you, Blackwell...Mark Jefferson."

Nathan looks down with an expression of shame that doesn't escape Ashbury's notice.

"If it is any consolation," she says, "I have done much worse; not everyone gets a second chance like this. For whatever reason, you have awoken as one of us. After what happened in Arcadia Bay, we need to know your side. What did you see ? What do you remember ?"

Nathan sighs, taking a moment to think before he says "Nothing much really, aside from the road. Everything before that was a bit of a blur."

"Please, take your time."

"I," Nathan starts, "I saw that thing...I thought I was dead and there was this...devil guy. I think he was made of blood."

Jonathan nods, sharing a knowing look with Ashbury.

"Anything else ?" Jonathan asks.

Nathan shakes his head.

"I'm sorry, but I don't remember anything past the bathroom; I was at the school, and I was arguing with this girl. I had a gun with me and..." Nathan sighs "It's like I am remembering two different weeks going by, if that makes sense."

"Hmm, I'll be just a moment." Ashbury says, getting up to excuse herself.

This left Jonathan and Nathan alone for a moment, during which Jonathan speaks.

"You saw him ?" Jonathan asks "You saw Myrddin Wilt ?"

"Is that his name ?" Nathan asks.

"That's what I call him at least." Jonathan says "He disappeared a long time ago, only reappearing here and there throughout the decades. Even after all this time, there is little we actually know of him or his past, but Ashbury has been following sightings of him in Arcadia Bay in recent years."

Nathan once again says nothing, before Jonathan eventually speaks again.

"I saw him again about a week ago; he told me how your body disappeared shortly after the authorities found it. He told me, how you wandered about, picking off animals in your haze. People took it as a bear on the hunt; except A, they should be hibernating this time of year; and B, the only bears found were two you fed upon before I found you. For whatever reason Myrdin Wylt picked you."

"For what ?" Nathan asked.

"Before I tell you, are you sure you can handle it ?" Jonathan asks back.

Before Nathan can answer, Ashbury walks back into the room with a laptop in her arms.

Opening the laptop and putting it in Nathan's lap, she says "Here, this should help fill in the blanks."

Turning on a tab and linking Nathan to several articles, time seemed to slow in Nathan's head as he read over them.

It turns out the media has been calling this incident the "Sinking of Arcadia Bay", as what happened that week and the following months all but dragged the town down to Davy Jones Locker. Business ? Gone to shit ? People left behind ? The only ones left moved after a year. School and Police department ? Down the drain. Only thing left untouched was the hospital.

First, Nathan looked up his name, and saw article after article going over what happened in Arcadia Bay, and how it effectively sank the Prescott family, be it their fortune, reputation and even the businesses they upheld.

The Dark Room was uncovered, quite a few people were arrested for their direct or indirect involvement in the weeks that followed. A while after the fact, Sean Prescott disappeared from his winter cabin, but not before a bungled attempt to salvage what he could. But there was so much they could do before the staties and feds became interested in what was happening; turns out not everyone has their price.

It pretty much went over everything, from the victims from Arcadia Bay, the coverage going back and forth between Nathan and Rachel; who controlled the narrative went back and forth between liberal and conservative outlets. Either one was pushed by two of Arcadia Bay's more influential families, especially with their own children tied to this case.

The liberal ones were more sympathetic to the actual victims, of which Rachel was included. From such, it was easy for them to buy into James Amber's narrative that Rachel was a good girl from a good home brought down and ultimately killed by undesirable elements. Rachel's associations with the likes of Chloe Price and Frank Bowers had more to do with her death than the actual people who killed her.

More conservative leaning outlets tried to paint this picture that out of all the victims of the Dark Room, Nathan was the biggest one of them all (at least for those uninterested in exploiting Kate Marsh or Rachel Amber as victims).

From such you could either believe you could believe one or two things: one, that Nathan Prescott was a pretty much a modern incarnation of Joffrey Baratheon, who used and abused everyone around him and a crime record that rivaled the likes of HH Holmes.

Or you could believe that he was this poor, poor rich boy with severe mental health issues who needed someone to care about him for once in his life. He really didn't deserve what happened to him, and really should have gotten help; what he really deserved was a second chance...third or fourth...

Bottom line is contrary to what those nasty, nasty keyboard warriors would have you believe, Nathan (and to a lesser extent Jefferson) were not the monsters people made them out to be, and we should see them for the kind of men they were "outside of their activities".

It was like the Dark Room was something trivial at best.

Other people defending Nathan, or at least buying into the "Prescott Narrative", seemed to either identify with Nathan, and find what happened to him hit a little close to home...or have some kind of chip on their shoulder in general. Especially when people like Chloe and Rachel seem to be the subject of their ire.

Honestly, the people who "sympathize" with Nathan, irked Nathan more.

Nathan sets the laptop aside to soak in all this information, gritting his teeth, and pressing his finger and thumb to his nose as he inhales.

"Nathan," Ashbury says, getting his attention back "There is more for you to see..."

----

Ashbury had Nathan taken to a jeep awaiting for them.

There was a short ride before they reached a cottage at the edge of a forested road. From what Nathan gathered, they were in Alaska, specifically on the outskirts of this town.

The town in question was called Delos Crossing, and Ashbury had bought multiple properties there for reasons pertaining to isolation. It was one of the safest places for her to stay. The kind of properties Nathan would need at the moment.

"This is sort of a guest house we bought; we lend them to college students most of the time, or vacationing families." Ashbury explains "But if my lodge doesn't meet your standards, or if you prefer privacy, we can have you stay at said lodge for the time being."

Nathan says nothing, just sort of mumbles in response.

"That's okay," Ashbury says "This is a lot to be taken in at once, but there is something we have there that you must see."

As they pull into the property line, Nathan notices at least for other vehicles parked along the road and driveway.

By the looks of it, it seemed the residents were using the seclusion to have a frat party or something.

"House warmers." Ashbury explains as she parks the jeep "Just a little something to make sure no one pries during our current guests stay..."

"Why does that sound like a euphemism ?" Nathan asks.

"Because it is one." Ashbury answers dryly "Perhaps you will learn the full story, but I try to do right by this world I really do. Cards on the table, Prescott, this is one of the reasons I chose to help you. In my youth, I was quite a bit like you. It was a part of me I thought I killed literally a lifetime ago. But during the second world war...something awoke in me I tried to bury. Perhaps it was never truly dead."

"Was this about your..." Nathan starts to ask before hesitating "Daughter ?"

As Asbury shuts off the jeep, she turns to Nathan and has a sudden look.

"I- I'm sorry," Nathan stutters out "I just saw that photograph and-"

"Like I said." Ashbury says dryly "In time, perhaps you will learn the full story. But now is not that time."

Ashbury steps out of the jeep, and Nathan follows suit, walking up the steps on the porch and two the doorway, she knocks.

Opening the door was a man with short blonde hair and dressed as if he was some rich yuppy on a vacation.

"We're here for the guests." Ashbury says.

"Of course," The man nods "Right this way my lady."

Nathan follows Ashbury through the hallways of this cottage. Passing what appears to be a living room, there were about a dozen people sitting around, being entertained - it looked like some sort of frat party, and all eyes were on an Asian American woman with dark hair, dressed like she belongs in Beverly Hills.

Of all things the jukebox was out, and the dark haired woman was playing a little show for the other party goers. The song in question was Fast Car by Tracy Chapman.

"So I remember when we were driving, driving in your car/ Speed so fast, I felt like I was drunk/ City lights lay out before us/And your arm felt nice wrapped 'round my shoulder/And I-I-I, had a feeling that I belonged-" The dark haired woman sang, before she noticed Ashbury and Nathan pass.

"Oh, don't stop on our account, Miss Sinclair." Ashbury said in good spirits "I am just here to show him the ropes."

"Are they also-" Nathan starts to ask before Ashbury interrupts him.

"Some are, most have yet to make it into our...GLO." Ashbury says "As I have been telling our newest addition here, we host to many sororities as well as fraternities, and look forward to his patronage."

"Alright," one of the men in the group says "Look forward to having you around. You got a name ?"

Nathan pauses, not wanting to talk. How could these people not recognize him ? His name has been thrown around, and his face was all over the news.

"I promise, you will get to know him in due time." Ashbury says "For now, he's in need of initiation."

As Ashbury ushers Nathan down the hall, down a flight of stairs presumably to a basement, Nathan asks.

"Do they, uh, know what-" Nathan starts to ask before Ashbury interrupts him.

"A few do." She says "Some are vampires themselves, some at least know of the supernatural...others are just college students looking for a place to stay. As far as those ones know, the basement is simply off limits.'

"You're hiding something." Nathan quickly guesses.

"Correct. Someone." Ashbury says as they make their way down the stairs "How much have I told you of my past ?"

"Pretty vague mentions about how you were like me or worse than me." Nathan shrugs "Why does that matter ?"

"I was known then as Lady Blackwood. I spent a lot of time trying to atone from a dark past, undo the horrors she committed." Ashbury explains making their way towards a door "A lot can change a person over a century. Decades even. In order to fight outer darkness, I find myself bit by bit embracing that same inner darkness I try to run from. Do you understand me, young Prescott ?"

"I think so."

"Well, some of that darkness...as you can guess, circulated Arcadia Bay for some time. My club and I have been investigating, and even trying to fight the monsters hiding within Arcadia Bay, and in the process, I found yet another instance to embrace Lady Blackwood." Ashbury starts "If you are prepared to join us, or willing to, would you embrace the monster inside you as well ?"

Nathan looks up at her, raising an eyebrow in confusion "I, don't understand-"

"How have you been feeling ? Since you awoke ?" Ashbury interrupts him.

"Cold," Nathan says, not really thinking of anything in particular.

"Hungry ? Irritable ? Like you could just rip apart some animal without even thinking or caring about it ?"

Nathan nods "I mean, I felt that way for a long time. Well, before I became this bloodsucker."

"You can use vampire." Ashbury says, before continuing "How about the people in your life ? What would you do, if your father was here ? Helpless, trapped in a corner, and you had this weapon; let's say, a knife or a gun ? Would you rid yourself of the toxic influences in your life ?"

"What are you saying ?"

Ashbury opens the door to reveal a small, white, hallway, with two doors across from each other.

"One is his bathroom, one is his bedroom," she says "We have this place monitored. When does he need to use one ? He has to slip a piece of paper under the door. Other than a few mishaps, our guards generally feed or help him when he needs it. Not that he's seen their faces. No one knows he's here, who doesn't work for us. No one else comes down here. The walls cancel out the noises."

Nathan's eyes widen as he starts to get an idea of who she's talking about.

As Ashbury opens the bedroom door, she reveals a small, eight by twelve bed room, with nothing but a small bed and dresser to decorate it.

Everything in the room was white. White floor, white walls and roof. White bed, etc.

To empathize with the whiteness, a bright light lit the room, and seemingly, never turned off. It was almost deafening. The thought of staying in this room for weeks, months, years; it would be enough to drive one to the point of madness.

Sitting in the center of the room, curled in a ball was a man; it took Nathan a bit to recognize him, but he was sure it was him. His body may have taken to feeding off his own weight, the hair on his head and face grew out some. His glasses were tossed aside and his eyes bloodshot from the constant brightness.

Sean Prescott looked up at his son like he had just walked through Hell, and now the demons were taking the form of one of his victims.

Nathan felt oh too familiar feelings creeping up his back. All that rage and anger that brought out the worst in him in life was still there, but there was something else. In the pit of his stomach, that rage mixed with a persistent hunger that he did his best to ignore. He could always eat later, but now that feeling was near impossible to ignore.

Nathan could hear something in the back of his head, like the sound of chanting in a language he never heard. At the front of his mind, Nathan could hear his father feebly call out to him.

"Nathan ?" Prescott Senior says "You're supposed to be d-dea-" He is interrupted by a loud cough. He spent so much time screaming in this room, he could barely speak without coughing at this point.

Nathan takes a step forward, all that rage clouding his mind, and even some of his vision as he makes his way to his father. His teeth bare and his eyes flare as he continues his advance.

"No!" His father says "Nathan I am your father- You wil- No! Please! Somebody! Anybody ?"

All Ashbury does is stare stoically...at first.

Fighting and suppressing your inner demons for as long as she has, sometimes it feels uncomfortably good to let one slip out.

It was enough for a small smile to form across her face.

----

It could have been minutes to a near hour, when Nathan's mind unfogged itself. Looking down, Nathan sees what he reduced his father too; this indescribable mess.

You'd think that the horror of it all would have come crashing down on Nathan once his disbelief gave way, but there was a guilty pleasure overwhelming his heart.

Truth be told, Nathan was just glad he wouldn't have to put up with the fat bastard anymore.

Nathan felt himself shudder as Ashbury placed a hand on his shoulder "It's over for him now. Now you have a new chance and opportunity to rebuild yourself."

"Where do I start ?"

----

March 21st, 2020, Madison Hill, Seattle

Two year old Bill Caulfield Price is awake when he should be asleep.

After spending his week with two of his favorite aunts (don't tell Auntie Dana), his nightmares cleared up considerably. No Mordred, no more "Lady in Red", nothing.

He still had dreams of course, but of different times, places and people. Of course he would dream about his mother(s), and this school they went to too. Bill himself didn't go to school of course, and knew not of what they talked about. To him it was just boring adult stuff.

He dreamt of whales washing up on the beach, he dreamt of two moons. Of forest fires and storms. Of a snow fall on an otherwise sunny day/month. And of course, her.

Bill never saw her before, no outside her dreams.

Bill knew not who she was. She certainly wasn't one of his aunties, and his mother never talked about her. But there was something about this girl who drew Bill towards her. He only had bad dreams about her one time; when she was taken to that dark place, and when his mother(s) found her in the dump; and when she woke up and started drinking blood.

It wasn't even that that scared Bill. It was the man with the glasses, who was in the dark room with her. After a while, that fear gave way into something else, especially since he saw him when he dreamt of his mother in the man's classroom. Hence his nickname, "Mr. Teacher".

Now, Bill is an innocent two year old of course, but there was something about "Mr. Teacher" that inspired something in him. That feeling that says "I want to break a glass bottle in this fucking prick's throat, and see if he chokes on it or bleeds out first."

But other than that, the girl with his mother was a presence Bill felt a magnified comfort towards. Something that pushed away the fear in a way only his mother(s) can.

One such dream had Bill in this girl's bedroom. She was alone, on the bed, trying to sleep and...crying ?

Curious, he walked up to her bed, wondering if she could hear or see him. Like that "Lady in Red" did previously. He knew when his mother was upset or was alone, he would always climb onto the bed, couch or chair and give her a "Bear Cub Hug".
 
And so he tried the same with her, putting one of his little hands on her shoulder.

When he did, Rachel would perk her head up, looking around her room as if someone were there in the room with her.

To Rachel ? It certainly felt like Chloe, but a smaller, more innocent Chloe. But she could see as clear as day (despite it being night) that no one was in the room with her. Chloe was visiting her grandma out of state. While Rachel had that feeling creeping up on her before, she knew it wasn't Chloe.

Even so, while Rachel knew nothing or no one was there, she sat up and hugged this imaginary presence to her chest and lied back down.

From Bill's perspective, this woman was giving him a hug and snuggling him in the same way his mother or aunts would. Even If he wasn't sure she could actually feel him, or see him, it felt like she knew he was there.

It was like he was a part of her...or at least a part of her was in him. A third mother, if you will.

When Rachel eventually woke up, she was alone in her bedroom. When Bill awoke, he was also alone in his bedroom.

---

After his visit to Aunt Kate and Aunt Victoria, Bill showed his mother these drawings he made of this girl, and this uncertain look dawned on his mothers face(s).

Of course, Bill was told little of Arcadia Bay; he was never told of Mark Jefferson, the Dark Room...or even Rachel Amber. (and Auntie Victoria sure as hell knows Bill doesn't know about the tea incident).
 
When Bill showed his mother(s) his drawings, they simply put them away, told Bill he was just dreaming, and they'll talk about the girl when they are ready.
Earlier that day, things went on as usual, until Bill felt something as he walked past his mothers room while his mother(s) were busy.
 
It was as if someone was waiting for him, calling him there.
 
A two year old with no such common sense, of course Bill snuck in making his way towards a book on Max's desk. Bill knew he wasn't supposed to go through her stuff, but curiosity and ignorance as to "why" got the better of him.

Climbing up on the chair to the desk, Bill opened the book.

It was a series of photographs of his family, before he was born (or artificially conceived even). They were of Max Caulfield, Chloe Price (back when her hair was blue); there were his aunties, his few uncles and his grandparents.
 
They were taken at the same town and school Bill would see as he slept; Arcadia Bay and Blackwell Academy (though he had no real way of knowing the names of these places.

After flipping through the album's pages, Bill saw her again; Rachel Amber. In a photobooth with Chloe Price.

So she is/was real!

Right before Bill could form much thought into it, he hears his mother coming down the hall.

"Bill ? Bill! Where are you hiding-?" His mother said, sounding a little worried he wasn't in the living room where he was supposed to be.
 
Her worries immediately quelled when she saw her bedroom door open, and went in to see Bill at her desk. He was standing on the chair, and one wrong move he could drop.

"Bill!" She says as she dashes across the room and scoops him up "What are you doing in here ?" She sounded one part worried, and one part incredulous.

"Looking at pictures." Bill says as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

To be fair, it was, but still.

"I see that...but why ?" His mother asks.

"I want to see who she is ?" Bill says pointing at the pictures of Rachel and Chloe.

As she sees them, her eyes widen, and the world all but goes quiet as she looks over the pictures. Time seemed to stop for a moment until Bill's voice snapped her out of it.

"It's her, Mama!" Bill says excitedly "That girl I've been dreaming of! She's real!"

"I...I can see that, sweetie." His mother says, unconsciously wiping her eyes.
 
If only her baby boy knew who and what she lost. She certainly didn't think she'd be talking about it so soon.

"What's her name ?" Bill asks "Is she another auntie ?"

His mother sniffles and shakes a little, working up the will to speak.

"R-Rachel, sweetie." She says, putting on a brave face for Bill "Her name is Rachel. She's...she's..."

The only reason she doesn't let herself collapse is because she's holding Bill at the moment. She spent quite a while putting on a brave face for her son, and she hasn't let herself crumble yet.

"W-we can talk about her after supper. Come on, din din's getting cold." She says, managing to chuckle despite her watery eyes.

----

And so, after an otherwise quiet supper, Bill's mother(s) sat him down and finally told him about Rachel Amber...or at least, what he needed to know.

Bill still didn't know about Mark Jefferson; the Dark Room; her affairs; her troubles; how she went missing...how Max and Chloe found her in the junkyard.

All Bill knew was that Rachel Amber was someone Chloe loved. Still does.

When Bill asks where Rachel is now, he gets no answer beyond "She's...she's an angel sweetie."

An angel. It made sense now.

Bill dreamt of Angels before.
 
In a past dream, Bill saw what he called "The Man In Red", who he thought was the devil at first.

When the man spoke to him, he recalled (but couldn't quite understand what he was saying); "Some have called us that; Devils, Angels. Gods even. The blood, it gives life. We are that life, child. Some call us a corruption of life."

All that other stuff went over the boy's head, but the main takeaway was, he was seeing angels (like Rachel)...and if he had to guess, the Woman in Red (or Morgana as he started calling her) had to be a devil.

----

When Bill was sent to bed that night, he asked his mother(s) if he could have one of those pictures of Rachel at his bedside. His request was granted, and his mother went to retrieve the picture from her photo album.

"Rachel," She'd sigh when she was alone with the picture "I don't know what he's going through...but you look out for him, will ya ?"

After a moment, she speaks again.

"Who am I kidding ? Of course you will."

And so, with Bill alone in his room, tried to wait for sleep to take him, under the watchful eye of a framed picture of Rachel Amber.

But as an hour passed, Bill couldn't sleep. His young and imaginative mind was going a mile a minute. He simply sat in his bed, looking at the photograph with awe and anticipation.

Rachel, the girl he dreamt of, was/is real.
 
That means his dreams were real, right ?

Rachel with his mama; Rachel at the school; Rachel with Aunt Victoria; Rachel at the Price-Madsen home.

Rachel in the Dark Room; Rachel with Mr. Teacher; Rachel in the Junkyard; Rachel waking up at the hospital and drinking people's blood.

Rachel in Los Angeles; Rachel in that town...that town he dreamt was attacked by vampires, something the news is reporting on as the story continues to unfold.

In a previous dream, Bill saw those vampires coming here. To Seattle. But it was okay, because Bill knew they would be following Rachel, and that she was an angel watching over him.

He couldn't wait to meet her.

Chapter 12: 9 Crimes (Flashback)

Summary:

Chapter twelve is up dear readers, it just took a few months to fix things up.

On one hand, this chapter was supposed to close Rachel's LA arc, and move on to the present day but I had to split the chapter due to length issues. On the upside, the next chapter should be up sooner than I expect, as it's gonna be more action orientated.

On the other hand, I'm finally including Alex Chen into the story, and will be tying "True Colors" in with the present day stuff, so this is also our first Chengrich chapter. Furthermore, this is also the chapter where we begin to explain Steph having a tulpa effect, and what it entails.

Also as stated before, "Until Dawn" tie ins are gonna be more frequent, as the UD cast show up as supporting characters throughout the story. I also reference a UD story I wanted to get to writing but never got around too here. I even put in a quick reference to "The Quarry", in case I wanna write a tie-in story with that.

Disclaimer: I own none of the properties nor characters featured in this fic, only the fic itself.

Chapter Text

March 9th, 2013, Portland Oregon

Mary was driving for however long, before they eventually reached their designation; an otherwise empty and isolated, a spacious parking lot. They had reached Hoyt Arboretum, and by the looked of it, had about a dozen or so spots to themselves.

"I figured this is as good a spot as any. Mary says, stopping the car.

"This ? This'll do." Rachel takes a second to reserve herself and nod, before turning to Mary "Now, how you want it ?"

Mary's calm smile doesn't falter, but her eyes look non plussed "I beg your pardon ?"

"I can make it real quick." Rachel says taking off her jacket, shaking her hair as she takes her hat off "That's about all I can do."
Rachel holds her hand out and wiggles her fingers.

"I can get you off this way." Rachel says, before making a V shape with her index and middle finger "Or this if you prefer." before wiggling her tongue in the space between them "My record is a minute and a half, you know."

Mary just stares with a flat smile on her face, and it takes Rachel a few seconds to read her eyes and realize.

"I appreciate the offer, but I wouldn't go as far just yet." Mary says with an amused giggle.

"Oh fuck! Oh Shit! I'm sorry!" An absolutely mortified Rachel blushes and covers her face.

To be fair, Mary just chuckles and pats Rachel on the back "No, I get it; powerful business woman, picking up a young lady off the streets in the blistering cold, taking her somewhere isolated. A horror story as old as time. One I'm sure you're familiar with, given the company you keep."

Rachel looks at Mary with a questioning expression, and Mary stares back with a coy one.

"Oh come now!" Mary smirks "You don't really think I wasn't gonna do a background check ? Especially when Mark Jefferson shows up with one of his students ?"

"I swear, he told me he could take me places." Was the first thing Rachel thought to say. She wasn't lying, but at the same time, it sounded like she was trying to make an excuse for herself, but Mary raises a hand.

"I can't judge; you're nineteen, new to the real world. I was nineteen too, you know five years ago."  Mary waves dismissively "You're not the first to have a relationship like this; I wooed a Professor myself back in the day - well, a Professor's assistant - point is I've been where you are before."

Rachel sighs and looks out the window "This is the part where you tell me, it's not my fault, right ? That I'm just a naïve schoolgirl, in over her head, getting herself into something that can and will hurt her down the road ?"

Mary shrugs "That power is in your hands, Rachel Amber; though had you been a few years younger, I'd get people involved like that." she empathizes her point by snapping her fingers "But seeing as you're looking to get in the business anyways, I figure I can show you the ropes myself. But first...how often have you been to Portland ?"

Rachel looks back at Mary and shakes her head.

"Like three times, but not since I was a kid. My family and I didn't do a lot of sightseeing."

"Well, I'm glad I brought you here then." Mary says "This place get's so lonely in the winter, and I do enjoy having someone to talk to."

----

Rachel couldn't tell the exact time she and Mary spent wandering and taking in the sights of Washington Park, but she estimates that AM turned to PM at some point. And despite the weather from earlier and how low and sick Rachel felt, there was something about Mary that made her feel a little warmer. It was like having another Chloe around.

They spent an hour or so going up and down the trails. There weren't that many people out, and the snow gave it a rather "winter wonderland" feeling. In the time Rachel spent with Mary they talked over general things; Rachel's rather erratic social life, compared to Mary's more isolated one in recent years.

Mary would often bring up her family, how her brother had this crippling fear of horses as a lad. How when they were in their adolescents Mary was a pretty pushy match maker when it came to Jonathan's love life. How once Johnathan had a friendly conversation with a gentleman at a pub, whom Mary recognized as a bloke who was ungentlemanly towards her two years prior; and how that poor bloke ended up getting hospitalized, treated by Jonathan, just so he can be hospitalized again as a result.

Rachel talked about how she took to being Arcadia Bay's "rebellious princess". How she joined these students on bikeathon at a local park, and nearly whipped out trying to one up the more athletic students.

"Well, that's rather reckless." Mary would remark.

"I was on grass that day." Rachel shrugs, miming smoking a joint to empathize her point "Besides, we rebel types more often than not have a devil may care attitude; surely you got some battle scars of your own."

"Of  course I do." Mary nods with a smirk "And please, I implore you not to refer to me as Shirley."

"So what about you ?" Rachel asks as they make their way to a bench "What's your rebel streak ?"

"Hmm ?"

"Your scars I mean. What marks have you made as a Rebellious Princess type ?"

Mary has a sad smile on her face as she and Rachel take their seat at the bench.

"Long story, I'm afraid. Fell into the wrong crowd, had a few benders, had to claw my way out of the ground with my own hands and teeth."

"No one else ? Didn't your brother help you or-"

"Johnny and I are complicated." Mary says with a serious tone "He was the...Lisa to my Bart, so to speak. Realy work focused, looking out for the future. That kind of guy."

"Earlier you said he was one of the good ones."

"He is, it's just sometimes I'm one of the bad ones." Mary says "And like many bad ones, you kind of have to go through Hell to get people to step in. Years ago, I had a husband. Our marriage wasn't meant to be."

Rachel hesitates before asking "Was he abusive ?"

"No." Mary shakes her head as she looks down at the ground "We - we just lived in two worlds, even under the same roof. He's not around anymore anyways. We had a son - emphasis on had."

Rachel's face pales upon hearing this, not knowing what else to do, she puts her hand on Mary's shoulder. Mary gives Rachel a sad smile, appreciating the gesture.

"I...I don't know what to say."

"I don't let the past hurt me, though dulling the pain helps tremendously." Mary says, unconsciously wiping her eye "After a pretty bad crash, my brother and I were pretty on and off."

"But they got better ?" Rachel asks.

"They got worse before they got better." Mary says with a heavy sigh "It's best to leave it at that."

Without really paying attention to what she's doing, Rachel gently rubs Mary's shoulder, before her hand makes a journey down Mary's back.

It's only when Rachel has her hand on Mary's lower back, does the older woman arch her back.

"Mmm, but enough about me." Mary groans, leaning away from Rachel's touch "It is my understanding you yourself were going through a loss."

Rachel recoils a bit as she's snapped back to reality.

"Oh, that..." Rachel says as she starts to stare off.

"I'm sorry, but I couldn't help but overhear your little talk with Jefferson." Mary chuckles "What, with that explosive performance outside the coffee shop."

Rachel sighs herself, looking down at her feet before she asks.

"Promise you won't judge me ?"

"I haven't been judgmental so far, have I ?"

Rachel takes a deep breath, before - like she did with Jefferson earlier that day - spilled her guts; about her biological mother's drug addiction, her parents divorce, and how her dad tried to get her hooked back on heroin, after her recovery. How Rachel spent the next few years trying to reconnect with her, before just weeks ago, Sera died of a drug overdose.

While Rachel was trying to keep herself, hoping Mary doesn't judge or dismiss her like Jefferson did. Mary just looks at her with an unreadable expression. Rachel winces in anticipation when Mary makes her move, but time seems to slow as Mary wraps one arm around Rachel's shoulder, and the other around her waist, before pulling her into a hug.

At this point, Rachel doesn't care if she makes a mess of herself, she just lets it out as she buries her face into the older woman's shoulder. All the while, Mary just brushed her hand through Rachel's strawberry blonde hair, and Rachel could almost swear she was being rocked.

Rachel had to have been held like this for a minute and a half before she lifted her face up from Mary. She notices a noticeable wet stain where her face just was.

"Sorry." Rachel wipes her face with her own sleeve, still sniffling a little, but her sobs had long since passed "I-I don't know what came over me."

"You have nothing to apologize for." Mary smiles and shrugs "I take it this is the first time you opened up like this."

Rachel nods, once again wiping her eyes.

"That's the fucked up part too; if Chloe was here, I probably would have let this out a whole lot earlier." Rachel says "She probably knows what I am going through better than anyone."

"And this Chloe, she's someone you're close to ?" Mary asks "Your special someone ?"

"Yes. No. Maybe. I don't know." Rachel sighs, once again looking at her feet "This happened years before Chloe and I even met, but her dad passed when she was a kid. Did a number on her really. Chloe spent a month or so with her grandma in California, but when she went back to Arcadia Bay, I don't think she could adjust to the sudden changes so easily."

Mary nods with an understanding expression. 

"But...?" Mary asks.

"I don't know, I guess I didn't want to bother her with my problems." Rachel shakes her head "I don't know what it is, but lately I don't think we've been as close as we used to be. For a while it felt like we were drifting apart you know; Chloe has her issues to work out, I have mine."

Rachel just looks out into the distance as she says this. There's something in the back of her mind telling her "Keep telling yourself that, Rachel; you know you're just adding to the hurt Chloe's going through."

Rachel shakes her head at these annoying thoughts. 

She has no doubt Chloe was feeling the same disconnect that Rachel was; that Rachel could just disappear from Arcadia Bay, and Chloe wouldn't notice she's gone, or care if she found out. 

Say Rachel left for California, what then ? Rachel has plans in mind for Los Angeles, Chloe doesn't have the same aim. In all likelihood, Chloe would just beeline to her grandma's condo, and make a new life for herself with her family.

As if she were reading Rachel's mind, Mary speaks.

"I know it's a cliché to say this but...I have been where you are. You and Chloe." Mary says, brushing her hand through Rachel's hair.

Rachel simply looks at Mary, who takes that as her cue to continue.

"I've known loss - I have seen how much such a drastic change in your life can drastically change you as a person." Mary wipes her eyes at the memory "Leaves a pretty big void you try to fill. Even when you dig your way out, you're always finding ways to fill that hole."

"How'd you get over it ?" Rachel asks.

"You don't. It just gets easier after a while; when you're sufficiently numb, it makes going down that road a lot easier." Again, Mary wipes her eye "I guess we're both just trying to fill that void. I take it, that's why you're here ?"

Rachel doesn't even nod, but the way she averts her gaze tells Mary all she needs to hear.

Mary takes Rachel by the chin and directs her gaze to her own.

"I'm not here to judge you, Rachel Amber." Mary says "I only wish to help however I can."

Again, Rachel says nothing, she only stares. At both Mary's grey eyes...and her red lips, curved into a friendly smile. An alluring smile.

Taking a deep breath, Rachel leans her face forward. She stops a few inches in, waiting for Mary to do something, or say something to get her to stop.

Mary does nothing or says nothing. She only parts her lips, licking them slightly.

Rachel commits, leaning in all the way, until her lips connect with Mary's. Her mouth was cold, which Rachel attributes to the cold weather. She felt Mary's tongue slip into her mouth, and returned in kind. Rachel opened one of her eyes, carefully looking to see they were not being watched.

She feels Mary's cold hand on her cheek, as the older woman puts more intensity into their kiss. Not one to be upstaged, Rachel places her hand on the back of Mary's neck, holding the woman close.

Rachel stops to take her breath, looking Mary in the eyes, as Mary returns in kind. Mary's expression was pretty unreadable, but it was those dilated pupils that told Rachel that Mary was more into this than she was letting on.

Confident in what she's doing, Rachel brushes a strand of hair behind Mary's ear. A friendly gesture that gets a small smile from Mary.

Giggling herself, Rachel leans in again, taking Mary's lips into her own, and placing her hand on the older woman's cheek. 
Her other hand gets lost in Mary's dark hair. It then travels to the back of Mary's neck. Onto her shoulder. Her upper chest. And finally-

Mary briefly groans into the kiss before parting. Mary looks down, and it's only then Rachel notices that she's touching the older woman's breast.

"S-sorry!" Rachel shrinks back, releasing her grip looking away in embarrassment "I-I don't know what came over me! I shouldn't have-"

Mary shakes her head and chuckles.

"I wouldn't worry about it; I too get pretty excited in the game of escapism."

Rachel buries her face in both hands, blushing furiously and hoping she doesn't start crying again.

She relaxes a little as she feels Mary's hand on her back.

"Tell you what," Mary starts "You could use a proper trip, something to take your mind off things. Why don't I take you-"

"To your place ?"

"Hmm, perhaps," Mary jokingly thinks for a second "We could use a little freshening up, but I was hoping to show you a little more around Portland, before your trip is up."

Rachel shudders a little, reminding herself she is a little underdressed for the snowy weather.

"I guess that can work." Rachel looks up and down Mary "And after that ?"

"Up to you, I suppose. This is your trip, after all." Mary shrugs with a playful smirk, before leaning in and whispering into her ear "But for future references ? Good things come to those who wait."

Rachel blushes a little, another shudder courses through her body, but she's guessing that's not from the cold.

"It's a date." Rachel says.

And with that, Mary takes Rachel by the hand and stands her up, wrapping an arm around her lower back, as she walks the younger woman out of the park. Feeling particularly bold, Rachel too wraps her hand around Mary's lower back, resting her hand somewhere a little down south, earning a scoff and a chuckle from the older woman.

"You're such a boy, you know that ?" Mary asks.

"I tend to think of myself as a nymphomaniac." Rachel wiggles her eyes, removing her hand.

"Is that so ?" Mary raises an eyebrow of her own "Well, I'm sure there's a lot more to learn about each other."

"Day's still young." Rachel shrugs "And the night has far from started."

-----

Los Angeles, May 19th, 2015

For the past few months, Rachel Amber's relationship with the Reid's was simply a mixed bag.

They met like six other times face to face over the past four months. One thing she learned was that the Reid's were certainly one for secrecy. They didn't want you to know about them, unless they wanted you to know about them.

Rachel would find it annoying but as far as she was concerned, they let her know enough.

She knows the actual truth of her disease. She knows there is ostensibly a cure. And she knows that in addition to two warring vampire clans, there were hunter organizations. Because of course there are. On the upside (or downside) both clans had people on the inside.

And seeing as Rachel is in the middle of all this, she feels she has more eyes on her than she did in death.

Every so often, Rachel would feel a fog in her mind; like something was missing in her memory that she couldn't put her finger on. Like there was someone home waiting for her. But when she'd tried to think back, there'd be something blank in her head.

This was one of those days.

The past few weeks, Rachel was on the down low. As Vivian Manning, she could be a little more public; a fiction author, who does photography for the porn industry ? She has just the right interaction with people. As Scarlet Rivers, Rachel would get her hands dirty. Really dirty.

As Scarlet Rivers, she'd just collect money from fight clubs, strip clubs, drug dealers in Mordred's employ. Then there came the days her bloodlust started to get the best of her.

Back in April, she was on duty at a strip club racket, when one dancer realized her drink was spiked. In the heat of the moment, Rachel got to the would-be rapist before the bouncer did; some old rich guy, here behind his wife's back. In the fit of rage, Rachel did something to the perp that made him suffer a heart attack, and the dancers were more scared of her.

At an earlier date, at the fight club, one of the female fighters bragged about beating her son. It was the first instance of Rachel herself going into the ring to put one of her fighters in their place. That place being a hospital bed.

Just the other day, while on a drug run, Rachel had to settle a dispute. It was between one of Mordred's drug mules, and a recovering addict mother who forgot to pay a debt two weeks prior. The dispute ended with the dealer's legs busted and Rachel laying down the law to the mother for going back off wagon when her kids need her the most.

That shit was a little close to home. Getting chewed out by Mordred's boys be damned.

It was also around the time that Rachel had to remind Mordred's (human) employees which of them was now a creature of the night.

These past few weeks were "Scarlet Rivers" weeks, so when Rachel got the chance to jump into "Vivian Manning's" shoes, she'd take it.

In this case, she was hired out by these two girls to do a "body positivity" shoot. Not normally what her studio does, but money is money, and a good cause is a good cause. In fact, Vivian was asked by name.

As she pulled into her parking space at the studio, her phone went off. She got another text message from one Jonathan "John" Reid.

"I'd keep an eye out if I were you."

Rachel sighs and shakes her head, going to make a call. When Reid picks up she says "You don't have to be vague you know. Plus anyone who traces your texts may get the wrong idea."

"My apologies." Reid says "Force of habit. You know what they say about old habits."

Rachel nods trying to be understanding. She picked up on Jonathan Reid's recent history; in the early 2000's, his interactions with computers, phones and the like were limited. He never used social media, and his secretive life meant that he was too used to being vague with his words. The few times he spoke on public forums and boards, he kept his sentences short and to the point.

Not helping is that Reid was held in a prisoners camp in 2008, only escaped in 2013, and spent much of the last year in hiding in isolation.

As John Reid, he kept a minimal presence in LA; a Doctor who worked with war veterans and children. His partner Elizabeth "Elisa" Ashbury was a little more public with her businesses. In fact, she recently bought out the studio Rachel currently works at. And runs the company to publish her books.

As far as anything was concerned, Vivian Manning was just an employee of Elisa Ashbury Reid.

"Look, can you tell me what to keep my eye out for ?"

"What else do you know about the Guard of Priwen ?" Reid asks.

"Vampire hunters. Descending from the Round Table. Now there's a civil war between them." Rachel answers "What of them ?"

"We got word that they have reached LA." Reid says "I'm already looking into it, seeing how much trouble they'll be causing."

"But ?"

"Just letting you know who to keep your eye on; they usually guise themselves as constables, gangsters, even prostitutes."

Rachel takes a deep breath, as she feels a headache creep up on her.

"You are suspicious of everyone." Rachel says to see if she got it right.

"Nah. Just anyone who stares. Hasn't steered me wrong before." Reid says.

"Have you considered taking a breather day ?" Rachel asks as she steps out of her jeep "World on your shoulders like this, you could use a little time to relax."

Reid says nothing for a few minutes. There was a long pause, and whatever Rachel said had the good doctor thinking. There's a lot about Reid's history she doesn't know. Maybe things he prefers not talking about. This was seemingly confirmed when Reid says.

"I'm sorry. The last time I let my guard down, I did so for too long. It was far too costly."

"I get it, I overspoke." Rachel says  "Tell you what, I'll keep my eyes out in the meantime, and we can talk this over more tonight or tomorrow."

"Keep your eye out will do for now." Reid says "You're on a need to know basis, and there's still much for us to uncover."

With that, Reid hangs up, letting Rachel step out of her car and towards the studio.

----

The studio was spic and spam. It hasn't been used in about a month. It was usually used for swimsuit models, family shoots, and once in a blue moon, pornographic shoots.

This one would be an instance of nude modelling.

Rachel was about the only one in the studio, but she figures she can handle this shoot solo.

Rachel would check on her camera, the lights making sure everything was up to snuff.

She was told by email that this would be the first time these models would be shot in the nude; she didn't want them feeling overwhelmed or uncomfortable, so maybe the less eyes ogling them the time.

Soon enough the two models arrived. Both of them are about nineteen to twenty years of age. One a blonde caucasian, by the name of Samantha Giddings, and a dark haired Asian by the name of Emily Davis.

By the way they dressed, you'd think they were new to this whole modelling thing; Emily was dressed in a white t-shirt, black skinny jeans and high heels. Sam was in a red turtleneck, dark blue slacks, and a simple pair of sneakers.

"I take it this is your first day." Rachel asks with a snarky smile, "Modeling, I mean."

"Actually, we did a Christmas Album two years before." Emily says trying to sound witty, but something told Rachel her heart wasn't in it "Though I'm guessing this is gonna be a lot less wholesome."

"Nothing unwholesome about the human body; unless the image is marred in any way." Rachel says, making her way to the two to shake their hands "Vivian Manning. Though you probably knew that by the emails."

"Samantha Giddings." Sam shakes Rachel's hand.

"And Emily Davis." Emily follows "Though you got that from the emails."

"Hope you don't mind...This." Sam says gesturing over their clothes "We figured if we were shooting out of these anyways we might as well go casual, y'know."

"I get it, I get it." Rachel nods "Sometimes I don't bother getting dressed when I have the house to myself. Are you nervous ?"

"I'm a little jumpy." Sam says.

"Me ? I'm cool." Emily says, though her left arm notably fidgets, prompting Sam to take her hand.

"That's what they all say," Rachel says with a snarky smile, before deciding to get to business "So, um, you wanna just get it over with or you need time to settle in."

"Oh, uh, sure." Sam chuckles, "That'd be great." 

Emily nods in agreement, and Rachel gestures to them on a couch.

"So, we often use this couch for some of our shoots, but if you prefer, we have a bedroom set up down the hall; though we sometimes do shoots at our pool, and shower rooms." Rachel explains as she takes a seat of her own side out the couch, while Emily and Sam huddle up together "Where would you prefer shooting ?"

"Uh," Emily looks around. "The bed sounds right..."

Rachel smirks as she looks at how flustered Emily is. Hoping she's not overstepping anything, she reaches forward to take Emily's hand into hers.

"I get it, first time in your birthday suit on camera." Rachel nods reassuringly "If you want we can always reschedule."

"No, no!" Emily shakes her head, waving her free hand to assure Rachel "This is therapy for me."

Rachel raises her eyebrow with a questioning expression.

"It's a body positivity thing." Sam clarifies for Emily "See, months back, our friends...we were-"

"Attacked by bears." Emily says, but she does so with an expression and tone that told Rachel that was what Emily was conditioned to say "And they, you know, left scars and all that."

"A friend of ours has a few scratches on her face." Sam makes a gesture around her own face "It's doing a number on her, so we-"

"Want to do nudes to help her with her self esteem ?" Rachel finishes, guessing what Sam was about to say, before trying to clarify "I mean, I heard weirder reasons for wanting to do this."

"I mean, it's something Em and I have been talking about for a while now." Sam puts a hand on Emily's.

"And this friend," Rachel starts, pointing back and forth between the two other women "Is she, like a third wheel or something ?"

"Or something." Emily nods.

Sam raises a hand in an "I digress" motion.

"Cards off the table ?" Sam starts "I kinda went around with other girls the past few months. I know, it's not healthy and all that, but-"

Rachel shakes her head with a chuckle. 

"No, it's cool. I won't judge." Rachel says "I've been there - I mean, not there like I was attacked by bears or anything, but I too went around."

Sam smiles sweetly, before looking back at Em.

"It's just Em isn't as confident about it as I was."

"The wend- the bear, kind of left a mark on me." Emily says, pulling down the shirt covering her shoulder to reveal a bite mark.

The skin was still a dark red, and had a notable hardness where the bite mark was, like it just barely managed to heal over.

However, Rachel notices the bite mark doesn't look like what you'd expect from a bear; it resembles something you'd get from a human bite mark...if a human's teeth were all needle-like.

Even so, Rachel winces, and covers her shoulder just imagining what that might be like. As a vampire, Rachel tends to use her teeth sparingly, so she can only imagine what a mouth full of fangs would do to a girl.

"It itches and tingles a little when it rains." Emily says.

Rachel nods, keeping an understanding and professional expression and demeanor about her. She then turns towards Sam.

"And you ?"

Sam bites her lower lip, before taking a deep breath.

Without saying a word, Sam gets up from the couch standing before the other two girls.

"Is it okay if I...?" Sam starts to ask, grabbing the hem of her turtleneck.

Rachel was a little taken off guard at how abrupt Sam was being, but considering she's trying to be professional, and she's no stranger to naked bodies, she simply nods.

In a few seconds (though with the way Rachel's heart stops beating, it felt like hours) Sam pulled her turtle neck up off her body. She clearly wasn't wearing an undershirt of any kind, and struck an impressive figure that made Rachel's mouth one dry, and her heart skipped a beat. 

Something in the back of Rachel's head told her not to ogle - she had someone waiting for her at home, but every time she tries to think about who's waiting...all that's there is a fog, a blank in her memory.

Regardless, Rachel's train of thought was interrupted when Sam pulled her red turtleneck over her head, putting a hand on her hip and puffing her chest out with pride and a shameless smile.

Both Sam and Emily look at Rachel with a coy smile, noticing the way her eyes roam up and down Sam's torso; besides Sam's obvious physical beauty, and a body that show she knows her way around the gym, there was a few things that drew Rachel's attention away from the blonde's chest.

A pale scratch mark across her stomach - a magenta bruise going down her side, and another scratch mark on her shoulder.

"The legs are something else." Sam says plainly.

"I'm sorry...a bear did that ?" Rachel asks.

Sam and Emily look at each other before Sam answers.

"Yeah pretty much."

"You know," Emily says leaning back on the couch trying to be casual. "In ancient Europe, it was considered taboo to even talk about bears for fear of summoning them."

Rachel shrugs hearing this, trying to keep eye contact with Emily and not the half naked woman standing before them.

"Okay, but what culture doesn't have a monster you're not supposed to talk about ?" Rachel asks "The Swede's thought wolves were taboo to the point of nearly hunting them to extinction."

"Bottom line," Sam interrupts, pausing a few times as she continues talking "We probably shouldn't have spoken about the...bears...after the first attack."

Emily nods in agreement, before Sam speaks again.

"Would you like to see the bottom half ?" Sam breathes out.

Rachel nods, and like that, Sam simply kicks off her sneakers.

"Here goes." Sam says, as she unbuckles her slacks. 

She makes a bit of a show of pulling them down, but this time, Rachel's focus is less on her shapely legs, and more on a noticeable scratch mark trailing down her left thigh, and a bite mark on her calf; not so different from the bite mark on Emily's shoulder.

"A...bear did that ?" Rachel asks hesitantly. With little regard to the etiquette, Rachel stands up and steps forward, before kneeling down to get a closer look "It..attacked you twice ?"

Sam smiles, but bites her lip in a way that implies she's holding something in. 

As for Rachel, she notices five pale marks going up her inner thigh. It doesn't look like something a bear could inflict. Mountain lion maybe, but she notices the slightest bruise on Sam's lower thigh - it was like a human-like hand took a hard enough grip to leave a bruise.

Rachel thought something fishy was afoot, but decided to not make Sam talk about it if she wasn't comfortable.

"Regardless, you are very beautiful, Samantha Giddings." Rachel says in a plain and professional manner "Scars and bruises are only skin deep after all."

Sam blushes a little, but nods, gesturing down to her body.

"Yeah, I'm pretty confident about all of this."

"You should be." Rachel smirks, before turning to Emily "And what of you ?"

"Me ?" Emily says "Oh, the bite on the shoulder is all there is, but I'm a little more self conscious than she is - I mean look at her."

Emily gestures to Sam to emphasize her point.

There's a pause before Rachel speaks again.

"So uh," Rachel fakes a cough "Seeing as everything is tits out already, I'd say now is as good a time as any to get to work; what do you say ?"

The other two girls smirk and nod, with Emily speaking up "Think you can point me to the dressing room ?"

"Yeah; third door on the right - second door the bedroom set, where we'll do our shooting."

"I'll see you there then." Sam says with a wink, before making her way down the hall, with a confident strut that makes it easier to ignore her scratches and bruises.

As Emily gets up, Rachel takes her by the wrist, noticing the way Emily's eyes follow Sam.

"So, this is gonna sound a little unprofessional of me, but are you two-?"

"Oh, that ?" Emily says "Sometimes. Our friend group can be a little weird in our relationships; I got a boyfriend Matt, who I'm on and off with."

"And this is one of your breaks ?"

"Second one." Emily nods "During, Sam and I have unusual coping mechanisms; but our friends group have an understanding."

Emily gives Rachel a friendly pat on the shoulder, letting her know that they got business to do.

"We can talk over the shoot. You can multitask, right ?"

  ----

The bedroom set just had a recent paint job, and redecorating.

Previously, it was done in the matter of a child's bedroom. The last customer for Vivian Manning was a mother and father who wanted to get pics done for a pair of toddlers; it was for this toy magazine.

For the past week, the room was being renovated to resemble that of that of a college students; the bright blue walls have been repainted as a more dark blue/gray shade; the smaller bed and close dresser replaced with that more befitting of a college student, and a toy box replaced with a desk, and three book stands; one for books, one for movies, and one for a TV.

At the far side of the room was a small table, used to place their drinks.

None of this was on Rachel's mind of course; she was too busy making sure the camera's up to snuff, and distracting herself from the naked blonde, laying on the bed like this was routine for her. This was doubly hard to do, with said blonde making small talk with her.

"...So, what brought you to LA ?" Sam would ask, as she sits up to stretch her back.

Rachel shrugs, looking away from the way Sam's chest heaves a little with her stretch "Same as everyone else I guess. City of opportunity."

"Yeah, but why are you here exactly ?" Sam asks, now sitting up "I mean, Em and I are here for college and stuff-"

"Oh, really ? What are you taking ?"

Sam shrugs "Oh you, know, phys ed, art. I thought I'd have a go at psychiatry, but in retrospect, I don't think it's for me."

"Hm," Rachel chuckles "Me ? I didn't go to college. Straight outta the Academy and right into the big city."

"Oh, that's cool. You know, there was a high schooler who got a book published." Sam sighs as she lays back down, and feeling a sudden itch, scratches herself...on her chest.

Rachel bites her lip and tries to look away; it was as if the girl was toying with her by toying with-

"It really has been a long time- FOCUS RACHEL!!!" She thinks to herself.

"Lucky girl." Rachel says "By the way, where are you two from ? Before LA, I mean."

"Well, I was born in Ontario, but we moved to Alberta when I was five. Met Em and the girls back in third grade, so I can't really speak for them."

"Canada, eh ?" Rachel smirks. That playfully annoyed eye roll Sam gives her lets her know her pun is appreciated "Y'know, years back my folks and I went there for a vacation; went to different states-"

"Provinces." Sam corrects her.

"Provinces, right." Rachel says with an embarrassed blush "Anyways, we spent a couple days in Ontario, a couple days in Quebec, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island."

"No kidding," Emily's voice says. Rachel turns around to see Emily Davis wearing nothing by a loose fitting black bathrobe. Rachel's guessing that Em is still working up the confidence to show her what she's got "Ever been to Anne of Green Gables ?"

"Small world isn't it ?"

"You know, when I went there, I was told the woods behind the house were haunted." Emily says as she looks over the room "Thought it was something made up for the cartoon, and didn't seriously think about it. But recently...I've been second guessing a lot."

"In any case, the vacay was the coldest two weeks of my life." Rachel says with a snarky smile and tone.

This causes Sam and Emily to scoff and groan.

"Canada's not even that cold!" Sam says "You Americans have thin skin, you know that ?"

"What time of the year was it ?" Emily crosses her arms, a playful hostility in her tone.

Rachel puts a finger on her chin.

"Mid October, I think."

"Pussy." Emily playfully scoffs.

"Oh, and I assume you're two are equipped for such conditions ?" Rachel playfully asks.

"Canadian, Miss Manning." Sam tsks "Coldest day in LA is our Summer."

"How are you two still alive ?" Rachel asks jokingly "What, were you bitten by a vampire or something ?"

"Or something." Emily nods nervously, before taking her place on the bed.

There is a pause in the air, before Rachel fakes a cough.

"So anyways, um. How do you wanna go about it ?" Rachel asks.

"Hmm ?" Emily and Sam look up at her at the same time.

"You wanna do things solo, or together ?" Rachel asks.

"Oh that ?" Emily says "We were thinking of taking turns going solo, and doing a few together."

"I see." Rachel says "And you want your faces out of frame ? It's just, I speak from experience when I say, you might not want these coming back to bite you-"

Sam dismissively waves her hand.

"No it's cool; these are for our friend...s." Sam says "There's nothing I got that they haven't seen of me this Spring Break."

Rachel raises an eyebrow.

"Like I said earlier," Emily sits up "Things can get pretty weird in our friend group."

"Oh ? Do tell."

"I'll go first sweetie." Sam kisses Emily on her cheek, before leaning back on the bed "It's kind of a long story."

"It's not that long. It's been going on for like four months." Emily says getting off the bed.

"Em never really dated outside her friend group; used to be her and Mike since Middle School." Sam gets in a pose mimicking that from Titanic "Of course, whenever there was a split, I'd sometimes fill the void."

"Then it was me and Matt," Emily steps out of frame behind Rachel, leaning in to take a picture "Shouldn't you be shooting ?"

"On it." Rachel says, taking one shot of Sam in that pose, before taking another one when Sam blinked "And it's not weird for you ?"

"Not really." Sam says, briefly breaking the pose to scratch her nose "The eight of us have this understanding."

"Sam and I have been on and off though High School." Emily says "Same as Mike and me, and as of February, Matt."

"We're still friends. Sometimes more." Sam nods, letting Rachel circle the bed to get a few more shots in these different angles "See, Jess and Emily go both ways."

"We think Mike and Matt do too, but that's neither here nor there." Emily adds. She too circles the bed, ogling the girl, but being careful to stay out of Rachel's camera frame.

Rachel nods in understanding, trying to keep a professional, sober demeanor.

"Okay, there's a shot I want to take, but I'll have to go on the bed to do it." Rachel says.

"Of course." Sam nods.

Rachel kicks off her shoes, climbing onto the bed. While she tries to stay sober, her heart pounds erratically as she all but climbs up on top of Sam, taking a birds eye view picture of Sam laying across the bed. Rachel had to climb between Sam's open legs, her sex unconsciously tingling as her bare foot briefly touches Sam's leg.

"Focus, Rachel." She thinks to herself. 

But how can she, all she can think about is how long it's been since she even touched herself.

What's worse, is everything she tries to think of something to distract her, all there is is that fog blanking things out.

"So, you're polyamorous ?" Rachel asks, trying to distract herself.

"Kinda, sorta." Sam says, sitting up as she gets into another pose; this one putting one arm under her chest, pushing them up, and another hand resting just above her groin "Two of our friends, Chris and Ashley, are the only ones who are, y'know, monogamous."

"I'm sort of between Mike and Matt," Emily says "And when I'm between them, I find myself between Sam and Jess."

"Jess and Em are bi you see-"

"And Matt and Mike." Emily interrupts.

Sam rolls her eyes "But I never really liked men like that, so I'm pretty much just platonic with them. But what can I say ?That night changed us."

Rachel takes a few pictures of Sam at different angles, before looking them over.

"A bear attack brought you together like that ?"

"Yes." Sam and Emily say at the same time, almost insistently "Bears."

Rachel chuckles and rolls her eyes.

"Remind me to invite you to dinner sometimes. My-" Rachel was about to say something to the effect of "My girlfriend would love to meet you" but before she can acknowledge the existence of this person, that annoying foggy feeling once again clouded her head "I'd love to see this unit of yours."

By this point, Rachel has had about twelve pictures of Sam from different angles, looking over the pictures she got on camera.

"I can have these ready by next week."

"Are you okay, Vivian ?" Sam asks.

"Hmm ?" Rachel asks.

"You're nose." Sam says, tapping the side of her own nose.

Rachel puts a hand under her nose and notices the smallest amount of blood coming from one of her nostrils. These have been happening a lot lately, particularly if she focuses too much on that annoying foggy hazing her mind; like her head was trying to keep her from something (or someone).

"Oh, sorry I-" Rachel tries to reach for a box of napkins kept one the nightstand beside the bed (you never know when you have a sudden emergency like this).

"No, let me." Sam says, reaching for a napkin and handing it to Rachel. 

While Rachel was wiping her face clean, she let Sam take a look at her camera.

"What do you know, you get my good side, even with my bad side."

"You don't have a bad side." Rachel shakes her head. The inflection in her voice is a lighter higher on account of holding her nostrils together "Scars are only skin deep, trust me I should know."

"You got scars ?" Emily asks.

"I mean, I cover them with make up and such, but...." Rachel says, satisfied the bleeding stopped "Some psycho pulled a knife on me about five years back."

Tossing aside her napkin, Rachel nonchalantly takes off her shirt, wearing nothing but a bra black beneath it, as she shows off her stabbing mark on upper left arm "See, it's a little faded but it didn't hit anything vital."

Emily steps closer to the bed to get a closer look.

"Jesus," Sam says under her breath, "Looks like it still hurts."

"Not really." Rachel shrugs "You only really notice this stuff when you every now and then. Yours will fade too."

Emily notices something around Rachel's scar; "What are those ?"

Rachel looks were Emily's looking; there were a few smaller scars punctured around the stab wound. Needles. Marks left by needles. Marks left by Mark.

"I...don't wanna talk about it." Rachel says plainly.

Both girls nod in understanding. There is a pause in the air as it begins to dawn on Rachel she's sitting half naked on a bed with a fully naked girl, and her on and off girlfriend, who's a drop of a bathrobe away from being in her birthday suit.

After talking about their swinging relationship no less.

"So," Rachel finally says before looking at Emily "How 'bout you ? You wanna...?"

"Oh." Emily says looking down her bathrobe "Uh, sure, just give us a few."

"Of course." Rachel nods "I could take a few to freshen up myself."

----

As Rachel said she would, it took her a few moments to freshen up in the set's adjacent bathroom; it wasn't too big, and to give it a more residential appearance, it came with a small walk in shower.

Rachel spent most of those moments looking in the mirror. She knows her nose stopped bleeding, but the way Emily noticed those little needle marks in Rachel's skin - something she herself scarcely acknowledges, brought back memory's she'd rather keep in the back of her head.

The Dark Room; the Bright Light; the muffled voices of Jefferson and Nathan arguing; the cold earth of the junkyard; and of course the Queen's voice waking her up; “Hush now child, your dream is over."

Rachel shudders trying to shake it off of her. She simply washes her face off in the sink, taking a deep breath.

"Get it together," Rachel says to herself "You can't slip back to that. You've got a role to play; Vivian Manning. You've got lights, you've got cameras; now action."

When Rachel makes her way back to the bedroom set, she's greeted with the sight of Sam wrapping an arm around Emily's shoulder; the two were apparently talking something over before they noticed Rachel.

"Aren't you missing something ?" Sam asks, pointing out the fact Rachel's still shirtless.

Rachel looks down and shrugs with a nonchalant nod.

"Oh. That. You're not the only one confident about their body, you know." Rachel says "Besides, when in Rome."

Rachel turns her attention to Emily.

"Nervous ?"

"Not really." Emily says with an obviously nervous chuckle, scratching the back of her neck "I mean go big or go home, right ? I just could use a little push is all."

Rachel nods with an understanding expression "Would it help if I took off a little extra too ?"

"Wh-what ?" Emily asks, a little flustered.

"You aren't the first model I shot like this to get nervous like this. I find it helps make them comfortable." Rachel says, trying to keep a professional tone and expression, but there was something about Sam and Emily that made it harder for Rachel to keep her resolve.

The more she tries to think away from them, the more she felt her sex itch.

"If...you're okay with it." Emily says with a bashful smile.

With that, Rachel briefly sets her camera down on the desk, reaches behind her back to undo the hooks of her bra, before slowly removing the item.

There is a pause in the air as Sam and Emily briefly look over Rachel.

"Okay, so," Rachel bites her lower lip "Try to keep your eyes on the camera."

With that, Sam climbed off the bed, kissing Emily on the cheek, while her girlfriend prepared herself.

"Okay," Emily takes a deep breath "Here goes..."

Emily stood up in front of the camera, opening her bathrobe, and pulling its lacy belt loose. With a shrug of her shoulders, the robe fell to the ground revealing Emily's form.

Emily tries her hardest to keep a calm and collected composure, even putting a hand on her hip in a confident pose. Despite this, Rachel could see the way Emily bit her lip and the way her eyes flicker away that she's more nervous than she's letting on.

Rachel decides to continue the conversation, hoping it will ease Emily further, she gives a waving gesture to get Emily to sit back on the bed and strike a first sitting pose. As this is happening, Sam steps out of the frame to give Emily her space.

"So, you say your friends group is kinda sorta a poly thing." Rachel says taking the first picture.

"Again, it's more like we swing between boyfriends and girlfriends." Emily says, sounding a little more confident "Except Chris and Ashley."

"Are your friends in the city ?"

"Out of state." Emily answers "But you know, we're still in contact."

"Chris and Ash are staying out in Bright Falls." Sam chimes in "Matt, Mike and Jess are staying at this boarding house in Delos Crossing."

Emily glances at Sam as if she said too much. Sam gives her a sheepish, apologetic look.

Rachel doesn't seem to notice anything's off. She knows Delos Crossing from Jonathan and Elizabeth's mentions of having a safe house there. She thinks nothing of it other than "Small world."

"Delos Crossing's in Alaska, isn't it ?" Rachel remarks, with a joking smirk, circling the bed to get Emily at different angles "Surely that'll test the resolve of you hot blooded Canucks."

"Doubt it." Sam confidently chuckles, crossing her arms "I'll have you know, on March break, I swam through the Niagara river."

 "But enough about us." Emily says, having three more pictures taken of her before she gets into another pose; this one being spread eagle in a lying position, her head supported by one hand; her other arm covering her breasts "Tell us about Vivian Manning."

"What's there to talk about ?" Rachel says taking a picture "Just a small town girl, living in a lonely world."

"Really ?" Emily says, raising an eyebrow "You got anyone waiting for you back at home ?"

There's that fog again, but Rachel shakes her head to keep it from giving her a nose bleed.

"Not really." Rachel says.

While her backstory for Vivian Manning isn't written down, she's usually vague enough that if she were to speak truthfully about her past, no one could pinpoint her true identity.

This was one of those times.

"I don't really talk to my parents anymore, and everyone I'm close to is in the past." Rachel says with a sigh "Besides, it's not like they'd want to see me if I reached out."

"That sounds...regretful." Sam remarks.

"I have a lot of things I regret." Rachel nods, taking a couple more pictures of Emily.

Emily moves into a new pose, laying on her stomach, her tuchus to the roof.

"Anyone in particular ?"

Rachel thinks back to her. The media circus around Arcadia Bay making her the scapegoat for poor little Nathan and his problems; James Amber's favorite scapegoat for the one who took his perfect daughter down the undesirable path. And yet the more Rachel thinks about her, the more she thinks about how badly she hurt her in the end.

"Chl- Clarice." Rachel says. Nice save. "You know the pixie dream girl cliché right ?"

Emily nods.

"It was a lot like that." Rachel says taking four pictures.

"What happened ?"

"Em, maybe she doesn't want to talk about it." Sam says.

"No, it's cool." Rachel sighs "It was my fault in the end. I-I left her behind and just kept letting her down."

There's a pause, which indicates to Rachel they want to hear more.

"Chl- Clarice and I were born on opposite sides of the tracks. Our dynamic could be summed up by the song Skater Boi."

"So it's a Jack and Rose thing ?" Emily asks, getting out of her pose to a standing sitting position. Sam too takes a seat, just off the bed's edge.

"Something like that." Rachel says, "She and I didn't really fit into the same circles; at least publicly. I was one of those preppy kinds of kids; the kind whose parents would want as a trophy, you know ? Model student, model daughter. Even I tend to think I was born to be a model." Rachel says.

"Where did you go ?"

Rachel pauses for a second, trying to recall that Academy in Boone County.

"Eagle Stone." Rachel answers upon recalling.

"Eagle Stone, eh ? Pardon my Canuck speak." Sam says "But when was this ?"

"2010." Rachel says, nonchalantly looking over her camera.

"And you were a photography student ?" Emily adds.

"Photography, art, theatre; if it sounds classy, you'll find me there." Rachel says looking up from her camera "Why ?"

"So you had him for a teacher ?" Emily asks.

Rachel pauses again. Was there something about Eagle Stone she overlooked in her research ? Perhaps, who was teaching a photography class at that school during 2010 ?

Emily hesitates before saying the name.

"Mark Jefferson ?"

Rachel says nothing, but the way her hands shake a little, her pupils shrink and her face pales, seems to answer the question for her.

"I don't suppose you wanna talk about it ?" Sam asks.

Rachel noticeably shudders.

Again, she thinks back to that night; the itchy sensation of dirt on her skin; the cold night air; being wrapped up in a cold wet blanket didn't help. She'd fade in and out of consciousness, but she remembers Jefferson shouting at Nathan.

"This is your mess, Mr. Prescott! Next time you could prepare to clean things up on your own, cuz I ain't gonna bail you out forever!"

Rachel shakes her head, both to answer Sam's question and to dismiss the memory.

"Not particularly, no."

"It's just, we've been following the case and all. We know a lot of Jefferson's victims were kept anonymous." Sam says.

"I wasn't one of them." Rachel says insistently. A little louder than she intended given the way both girls flinch back, though she also realizes her fangs have flashed them. Rachel hoped they didn't notice.

Once she calms herself, Rachel continues.

"But I know people who were."

"Was Clarice..?" Sam doesn't finish her question, but Rachel gets the point.

Rachel briefly thinks back to the report she read, about how Nathan drugged and apparently attempted to kidnap Chloe shortly before everything went down. So at least she's not completely lying.

"Clarice had quite a few people hurt her. Jefferson included." Rachel sighs, looking down, all but ignoring her two models "But everytime I look back on it, I often think that I hurt her the worse."

Rachel wipes her eyes, hoping she doesn't suddenly start crying. That would be embarrassing.

"I just keep trying to do better by others." Rachel says, "And trying, and trying, and trying."

Rachel sets her camera aside.

"If you don't mind ?" Rachel jabs a thumb at her drink tray on the desk. She makes her way to the tray, containing three glasses, a bottle of Pepsi and another of rum beside them.

Rachel pours herself a glass of the Pepsi before drinking it down, followed by a shot of rum. Caffeine helps the headache, and alcohol numbs the pain.

"Like I said, I try to keep it in the past." Rachel says, before looking at her camera, before looking at the camera "So how bout we focus on the now."

Sam and Emily nod.

"You girls wanna drink ?" Rachel says "I know I laid a lot on you two, figure you could use a little loosening up."

Sam gets up with a nod.

"I don't drink at the best of times, but I'll make an exception."

Sam takes it upon herself to pour a single shot of rum into a glass before drinking it down. She shudders, putting a hand on her forehead and grits her teeth.

"Fuck me!" Sam says with a seethe.

"Easy, Miss Giddings." Rachel says with a snarky smile "Let us try to keep this professional."

Sam chuckles at Rachel's remark, before waving Emily over.

"Come Em, sip up and loosen up."

"Aw, fuck it." Emily says, getting up from the bed "When in Rome, I guess."

Emily gets up from the bed, heads to the other two and takes a shot from her own.

"Ah, now it feels like the morning."

"It's 2:00 in the afternoon." Rachel corrects her.

"I sleep in late, what of it ?" Emily says with a playful glare.

"Well, I'd say we loosened up enough." Rachel claps her hands together "How about we finish this session ?"

"Why not ? Sam shrugs "Still got daylight to burn."

In about a minute, Sam and Emily get back onto the bed, while Rachel sets another film roll in her camera. And by the looks of it, the rum had a stronger effect on them than Rachel expected, considering how...bold they were being in this new pose and their displays to each other.

The two immediately got into a new pose; Emily sitting up, Sam sitting behind her; Sam would cross her legs around Emily's. At this point, Sam was...she was getting a little "handsy" with Emily.

Sam would lay her chin on one of Emily's right shoulder, while Emily leans her head back on Sam's left.

As if they forgot Rachel was there, they began peppering little kisses on each other's necks, inaudibly whispering something in each other's ears.

Rachel found herself blushing at this blatant display of affection; it was certainly distracting her from her angst from such moments ago, and it gave her a warm tingly feeling between her legs.

Even so, Rachel takes a few more pictures, even catching one when Sam and Emily kiss each other on the mouths.

It's only when Sam got a little "touchy", did Rachel muster an "Ahem."

Sam and Emily look at Rachel, who had a mildly amused embarrassed smirk on her face.

"I appreciate your enthusiasm. But this ain't a porno shoot." Rachel says, once again circling the bed to get a better angle "That costs an extra couple K."

"Sorry. Instinct was kicking in." Sam blushes, while Emily puts a hand over her eyes in embarrassment.

"No, it's cool." Rachel says taking a picture from the backside "You wanna give your partner a show, or just caught up in the moment. Happens to the best of us."

"Would you believe it's my first day ?" Emily asks in a sardonic tone.

"How about this ?" Rachel says circling back to the front "We can keep talking if it keeps your mind off things."

Both Sam and Emily nod, managing to shake off their momentarily flustered-ness.

"So you say your group is in different colleges ? After a bear attack ?" Rachel asks "How's that happen ?"

"Pretty long story." Sam says.

"We don't wanna bore you with the bureaucracy." Emily adds.

"Well, can you make a long story short ?"

"Matt, Mike and Jess were reached out too by these people in Delos Crossing; Sam and I were too, but we ended up coming here." Emily says, brushing some hair out of her eyes, given Rachel a knowing look.

"And Ash and Chris ended up going to Bright Falls; they're gonna be staying there over the summer, looking over its history."

"Oh that!" Rachel perks up "That's the place where all those people kept disappearing, right ?"

"Cauldron Lake." Sam nods "We like to think of them in the Honeymoon phase of the relationship."

"Same with Mike, Matt and Jess." Emily adds.

"Anyways," Sam continues "There's also the urban legends that surround the area. That's what got our interest."

"Can't say I heard any of that." Rachel says, putting her finger on her chin as she tries to think it over "I know this one author that disappeared there 'bout five years ago."

Rachel tries to think of his name. She shouldn't have forgotten it, he was one of her stepmom's favorite writers.

Rachel shakes her head. Probably doesn't matter at the moment.

"So you and your friends are into that kind of stuff ?"

"Urban legends, folklore and true crimes." Sam nods affirmatively, "Especially what happened back in February."

"February ?" Rachel thinks to herself, before speaking out loud "I'm sorry, where exactly in Canada are you from ?"

"Fiddler County, Alberta." Emily answers.

Fiddler County, Alberta.

Rachel tries to recall; she saw it on the news back in February; there was that incident on Mount Washington. And a second incident six days later in the township of Fiddler's River;  a "bear attack" that resulted in seventeen people being slaughtered.

It wasn't as big of a media circus as Arcadia Bay was - it was all but forgotten after two weeks - and by the looks of things, powers that be were keeping things under wraps. But word gets around when the name "ITHAQUA" ends up being carved on the signs for Blackwood Pines.

But more in than that Rachel starts to recall the names of the survivors; Samantha, Emily, Chris, Ashley, Matt, Jess and Mike. Survivors who had to leave the Country after the second incident, and currently unaccounted for.

But even more than that, she remembers something she picked up in the two years she was a vampire; if there's a mysterious incident dismissed as a "bear attack", especially at a time of year where they are hibernating ? Seven out of ten times, it's a euphemism for a supernatural creature they don't want the public knowing about.

Even so, Rachel doesn't try to let her familiarity be noticed.

"Quite the ruckus in that county months back," Rachel remarks, taking a few more pictures "Curious how it died down-"

"Yes." Sam nods, with a knowing smile "Especially compared to the cases still being looked into from years ago."

"I mean, we are into True Crimes and such, so maybe that's just us." Emily says with a similar knowing smile.

"That's how you knew about Jefferson, isn't it ? You've been following his case ?" Rachel asks, checking her camera, trying to keep herself from looking suspicious.

"Jefferson, and the rest of Arcadia Bay." Emily says nonchalantly "In fact the seven of us spent some time looking into that case as well."

"You don't say ?" Rachel says, looking away and scratching her ear.

"Yup." Sam said "I mean it wasn't personal at first, but we really got to know people."

"We kinda expanded our circle of friends to Arcadia Bay's residents." Emily adds "Especially some of Jefferson's former students."

Rachel pauses again, pretending to look over the pictures, having taken about ten of Em and Sam together.

"I mean, we kinda ended up in eachothers support group." Emily shrugs, not making a big deal out of it.

"Arcadia Bay." Sam says raising her left hand, before raising her right "Mount Washington. I don't know; sometimes it feels like the world is smaller than it is."

"Hmmm," Rachel remarks, trying to be inconspicuous "I'd say these pics are about ready."

Rachel puts the camera aside, trying her damndest at keeping a calm and professional demeanor.

"I can have these printed out, but it'll take a few days before they are good and ready."

"Can we see them ?" Sam asks.

"Why not ? It's your bodies." Rachel shrugs before walking up to them and handing them the pictures.

As Emily and Sam look through them, Sam nods with a collected grin.

"Well, I must say, you really know how to get our good sides, despite everything..." Sam looks down at her body "The bears left us."

"Think it'll be enough to encourage your friend ?"

"If nothing else, it'll give Jess some entertainment if she's missing us." Emily says with a whistle.

"Well," Rachel says, suddenly sitting between them "Scars are only skin deep after all."

As Rachel says this, she unconsciously rests a hand on Emily's shoulder, just a few inches off from the bite mark. Other hand touches Sam's shoulder, just avoiding the scratch mark.

Both girls freeze at Rachel's touch but quickly relax.

Sam returns the gesture, placing a hand on Rachel's shoulder, causing the strawberry blonde to shudder.

"Thank you, Vivian." She says, taking Rachel by the hand and politely kissing her wrist "Pleasure's all ours, right Em ?"

"You said it." Emily says, giving Rachel a look that non verbally says "So, you thinking about losing the pants too ?"

There was a pause in the air, none of the three girls saying anything. They just look at eachother; their bodies, their breasts, their eyes...and their lips. Silence was so thick, Excalibur could break itself trying to cut it.

All the while Rachel is getting that foggy sensation forming in her head, as if she's supposed to be remembering something (or someone). But all that took a back seat as Rachel looked back and forth between them.

As Sam starts to lean her face towards Rachel, Rachel feels Emily rest her hand on her stomach, moving upwards towards her breasts.

Hastily, Rachel stands back up "How 'bout some drinks ? Celebrate a shoot well done ?"

"Sure," Sam says, brushing her hair.

"If it's cool with you."

"Of course it's cool with me, I was the one who suggested it." Rachel says with a joking scoff as she makes her way to the tray.

"You know," Emily starts as Rachel starts pouring a glass. "You did say we could have a get-together at your place, right ?"

"Aye." Rachel nods.

"Well, we were thinking about having a get together ourselves, when you're available." Sam adds.

"I'll have to check my calendar. When is it ?" Rachel asks, looking over her shoulder.

"About a few weeks from now."

"I see," Rachel picks up the tray, before making her way back to the bed "What's the occasion."

"Just something we agreed to every few months or so." Emily says.

"We ?"

"Us, our group," Emily starts to say.

"And those Blackwell students." Sam adds.

Time all but stopped as Rachel once she heard this.

Seemingly oblivious to this, Sam continues.

"I'm sure they'd right up your alley; a few of them are into photography too you know, like this one girl Max-"

"And this other girl, Victoria." Emily nods "Oh, I'm sure you'd love her-"

By the time Rachel reached the bed, she was so caught off guard, that she trips.

And like that, all three girls yell as their drinks fall and spill onto the bed. Although, quite a bit of it gets on the girls themselves.

Sam and Emily exclaim at the same time.

"Oh my God!"

"I am so sorry!"

"No, it's cool, it's cool!" Rachel says, picking up the glasses, checking them, making sure it's not broken "It's my fault really, should have been looking where I was going."

"Eh," Sam shudders a little indignant over having the Pespi soaking into her "Well, that's one way to take us back to March break."

Emily gets off first, Sam following after as they take initiative in taking off the bed sheets.

"Girls, you don't have too-" Rachel starts to say.

"No it's our fault you tripped."

"It's fine, I'll just run them by the wash, and get the mattress cleaned out." Rachel says, putting both hands on Sam and Emily's shoulders "Few weeks back, a kid spilled a juice box on the bed during a shoot. If anything the bed might be cursed."

There is a pause before Rachel notices she's touching Sam and Emily again. Removing her hands, Rachel gestures out the door.

"If you want I can get you some towels." Rachel says quickly "They're in a shower room just down the hall-"

"Shower room ?" Emily asks, before looking at Sam, and then back to Rachel "I mean I don't think towels alone can wash this off."

"Yeah, I mean, if it's alright with you," Sam starts to ask "Can we use your-"

"Of course." Rachel says tapping her head a little "Why didn't I think of that ?"

With that, Sam and Emily started making their way to the door, before turning back to Rachel.

"You know," Sam says "It might take a while till we're done, and we don't wanna keep you waiting."

"So if you're cool with it, why not just..." Emily doesn't finish her sentence, but the way she flickers her eyes at both Rachel and the door seems to do it for her.

There's a final pause, but after another few seconds of Rachel looking over their bodies, and the two returning in kind, Rachel seemed to have made her decision.

And with that, Rachel began to unbuckle her pants...

----

The three didn't wait until they were in the shower until they were all over each other.

Rachel was all but passed back and forth between the two, kissing them quickly but passionately, as Rachel fumbled her way out of her pants, which she placed on the sink's counter.

For the next few minutes, Rachel was sandwhiched between these two girl, with the shower on it's full blast. Their hands and mouths all over her, and Rachel would return in kind. As their bodies rubbed against eachother, Rachel nary had a care that her fangs were out.

It's been way, way too long since she felt anything like this. Rachel did consider herself a sexual creature by nature, so she felt more at home here than she has in the realm of fight clubs or drug deals.

This. This was her element.

It's been such a long, long time. She needed this.

“God!” Sam's voice was high and shrill, as Rachel takes one of her tits into her mouth, her teeth teasing her “That feels so good, Rache- Vivian!”

That Freudian slip caught Rachel off guard, but what really had her attention was her phone going off.

Pulling off Sam's boob with a frustrated whine, Rachel steps away from the girls and out of the shower. She opens her phone which she put on the sink. It's an Apple "User" message.

The usual telemarketing spam. Not worth distracting her over.

Rachel turns back to the two girls and says, "Now, where were we-AH!"

Emily impatiently pulls Rachel back into their previous embrace, her hands working between Rachel's legs, while Sam leans in to lick Rachel's ear

"How long has it been ?" Sam says huskily.

Rachel gives a toothy grin "Too long."

"We'll have to fix that."

Sam stops kissing, and gets down on her knees. Once again, it was two girls working her at once.

"AH! Jesus hot sauce Christmas cake!" Rachel screams out, one hand holding Sam by the shoulder, the other in her blonde hair.

“Yeah, how's that feeling, beautiful ?” Emily whispers in Rachel's ear "You know, Sam and I have been thinking of expanding our friend group in a while. Especially after our time in Arcadia Bay."

Rachel could barely process Emily's voice; her mind was being fogged up by the shower steam; her senses were focused on the pleasure these two women were giving her.

“Mmm, d-don't stop! Oh my...ughh.” Rachel tries to say, before a strangled moan ripples out of her throat.

“That’s it, keep it up babe.” Emily says, kissing Rachel's cheek and licking a line down her neck and shoulder.

Rachel shudders. She can feel it coming already; an orgasm that was several months in the making...

And then the fog cleared when her phone went off again, snapping Rachel out of her bliss.

And with that, little blank spots in her memory started to fill...

The light suddenly faded from her eyes.

"W-wait!" Rachel says, just managing to push herself off of Emily, and push Sam off of her. The two girls look at her with confused and concerned expressions "I have to take this. Just gimme a minute..."

Rachel checks her phone again, and unlike before where it was an Apple "User" text...it was from Steph Gringrich.

And all at once, so many memories filled Rachel's head. Where there was once a blank space or a fog in her memory, there was Steph.

Steph cuddled on a couch with Rachel, watching a movie, as they'd do every Friday.

Steph and Rachel taking a trip to a record store; Steph would remark that if she didn't pursue a stage career, she could totally see herself being a DJ.

Steph and Rachel having their first Christmas as a couple; Rachel bought Steph a PS4 on account of Steph wanting to start a gaming channel; Steph bought Rachel a car.

Steph and Rachel taking a trip to Toronto (which was the second coldest week in Rachel's life, she doesn't care what anyone says). They were going to this expo, meeting the cast of a show Steph was trying to get her into.

And finally, Steph and Rachel planning a trip to Arcadia Bay county for the forthcoming memorial and anniversary of what happened there.

And with these memories, a sudden pang of guilt filled Rachel's chest.

Finally answering Steph, Rachel tries to play herself off as cool.

"H-hey sweetie!" Rachel says, sounding a little off than when she usually greets Steph.

Sam and Emily's eyes widen, and they look at eachother with guilty expressions.

"Hey Rach! Back from the gym!" Steph says "I'm not interrupting nothing am I ?"

"Uh," Rachel looks at the other two, who just stepped out of the shower, turning it off and toweling themselves off "Not really. No. We're just wrapping up the shoot."

"Oh, that's great!" Steph remarks, apparently not sensing something is off "Want me to come down ? I've been meaning to show you this treadmill I've been thinking about ordering, and-"

"Steph!" Rachel raises her voice a little, silencing her girlfriend.

She can't believe what just happened. What she just did.

Steph knows Rachel's dirtier secrets, true. She even knows about the affairs Rachel had behind Chloe's back.

But not many people get a second chance after something like that; and she promised - promised - Steph she wasn't gonna hurt her the way she hurt Chloe.

And thus, she's gonna have to tell her the truth.

But it won't be over the phone.

"Rachel, what's wrong ?" Steph asks "You sound upset."

"No, I'm fine." Rachel says insistently, before seething at her white lie "No. That's a lie."

Rachel wipes her eyes before continuing.

"I- I fucked up, Steph." Rachel says with a shaky sigh.

"Rachel, what did you do ?" Steph says with a nervous edge in her voice.

"It's not something I can tell you over the phone." Rachel says, yet again wiping her eyes "I'll be there shortly, okay ?"

"...Alright, Rachel." Steph says, sounding uncertain "It's not...bad bad, is it ?"

"I don't know." Rachel closes her eyes taking a deep breath "I'm sorry."

Rachel hangs up the phone, putting a hand on her forehead, seething and growling.

"Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!"

This was supposed to be different. She was supposed to change for Steph, be for her what she wasn't/isn't too Chloe.

God, how is Steph gonna take this ? And after Cathy, no less ?

Hell, how is she gonna explain this to Steph.

"Aw gee, I'm sorry, honey. It's just there are random periods in our relationship were you disappear from my life and memory; I just fucked two girls because I was in such a period."

Rachel turns around to see Sam and Emily step out of the shower.

"Is something wrong ?" Sam asks, before shaking her head "Actually I already know the answer."

"You didn't tell us you had someone else." Emily says, taking a towel off the rack, and handing another to Sam's.

"It's- it's complicated, okay ?" Rachel says, already hoisting her pants back up. She doesn't bother toweling off.

Without even noticing it, Rachel's eyes darken and her fangs became a little more visible as she glared at them. She doesn't realize this until Sam and Emily flinch back a little.

"I'm...sorry." Rachel says as she fastens her belt "I shouldn't have done this."

Sam and Emily glance at each other, wondering if they should say anything, but quickly decide it won't do any good.

Rachel makes her way back to the bedroom set, picking up her bra and shirt from where she dropped them, hastily putting them back on as she sped walked towards the door.

Once she was in the car, Rachel didn't immediately drive off. Instead she took a few moments to sulk over things, laying her face on the top of the steering wheel, and resting her forehead in both her hands.

How could she be so stupid ?

----

When Rachel got home, she was in her car for about eight minutes, before mustering up the courage to go inside.

When she finally enters her house, she sees Steph, sitting on their couch, her bare feet on the coffee table, as she reads a magazine; something about gym equipment. She had A Walk to Remember playing, for background noise when she looked up at Rachel.

"Is everything okay ? Steph asks as she pauses the movie. As soon as she does so, she sets the magazine aside, before getting up from the couch "Actually, that's a stupid question; you sounded pretty broken up on the phone."

Steph makes her way to Rachel, putting both hands on both Rachel's shoulders.

"So tell me, what is wrong ?"

Rachel tried her hardest to keep herself calm, collected and reserved. But there was something about that understanding tone of voice Steph had, that empathetic and hopeful look in her eyes, and the uncertain smile that made Rachel's walls break.

Rachel found herself hugging Steph close to her, really letting things out as she quietly cried, trying her darndest not to be heard.

Oblivious to how Rachel wronged her not an hour ago, Steph gives her a simple hug, brushing a hand through Rachel's hair, and rubbing her back gingerly with the other. 

"It's okay, baby. It's okay." Steph says reassuringly "You know you can tell me anything."

Anything. That's easier said than done.

"It's not okay." Rachel says weakly, barely audible "I can't. I can't..."

Rachel thinks back to the last time she cried like this. How she broke down and let herself be shown at her most vulnerable. 

For most of her and Steph's relationship, Rachel had to be the strong one. She was the one who saved Steph's life; she got her out of a toxic and abusive relationship; she was the one helping her through her strained relationship with her father, and thus, Rachel couldn't let herself be vulnerable around her.

The times Rachel ugly cried before that was in her first couple months in LA; when she was confined to this safe house, her body was still repairing itself from several months of decay, still processing the fact she was a vampire. Rachel would often have nightmares about the Dark Room, and her death, and waking from these nightmares was no comfort, especially with that ghoulish monster she'd see in the mirror. So for the first few months, it gave Rachel all the space she needed to be vulnerable, and cry her eyes out.

And before that...the day she spent with Mary.

In any case, this was the most "weakness" Rachel let herself show to another person in over two years.

"I can't." Rachel says quietly, "I don't deserve you...and you don't deserve me."

With that, Steph released her hug with an uncertain look on her face.

"Rachel, what happened ?"

"I..." Rachel sniffs, barely able to look Steph in the eye "I did something very wrong."

Steph's pupils eyes widen as she begins to think the worse.

"You killed someone, didn't you ?"

"Worse."

Steph looks puzzled, as Rachel takes a deep breath and wipes her eyes.

"So...I was doing a shoot today; a pair of girlfriends. Some body positivity thing, and we were shooting in the nude." Rachel says, as Steph just looks at her, trying to read Rachel's expression "And during the shoot, I took off my shirt to make them feel a little more at ease, and we got to talking and..."

Steph begins to realize what Rachel was trying to say, so when she trails off, she simply asks.

"Did you do...it ?"

Rachel doesn't say anything, but that guilty expression she has on her face as she looks away answers Steph's question for her.
"I see." Steph sighs and nods, before crossing her arms "And, uh, who are they ?"

"Samantha Giddings and Emily Davis." Rachel says.

"I see. I see." Steph nods again "And how far did you three take it ?"

Rachel rubs her arm with an apologetic look on her face.

"It wasn't too completion." Rachel says "We kissed, we touched, but..."

"Did you...lick each other...down there ?" Steph asks, flickering her eyes downward.

Rachel exhales before saying.

"Sam started, but I stopped her...when you called."

Steph inhales deeply, looking away from Rachel. For some reason it was scarier than it would be if Steph was openly angry and shouting.

"So, um...you have an excuse ?" Steph asks, wiping one of her eyes.

Rachel opens her mouth, she was about to tell Steph everything; about the fogs in her mind; how every so often, there were points where Steph would disappear from her life and current memory, and every time Steph would pop back up, it was like she was waking up from a dream or something.

Instead, Rachel closes her mouth.

"I see." Steph sighs again, crossing her arms "I thought things would be different."

"I know..." Rachel nods.

"I thought you would be different." Steph says, her eyes watering and her voice starting to break. She turns away from Rachel, trying not to let Rachel see. The last thing she needs to do is make things more complicated than they already are "I knew about your past flings...I was even willing to overlook what you did to Chloe, because I thought that you being a vampire would make things different."

Rachel sadly nods, putting both hands in her pants pockets.

"I know."

"I just don't understand." Steph says, this time sounding genuinely on the verge of crying "Not everyone gets a second chance like this-" 

Steph couldn't control the sob that slipped out of her mouth.

"I was used to this, you know." Steph says weakly "With Cathy, I mean. The past couple years, she'd come home late - sometimes in the morning. She'd always apologize, make excuses, about seeing another girl or another guy. For a while, I thought I was desensitized."

At this point, Steph couldn't stop weeping even if she tried. This was too much to take in all at once. It was like swallowing a big lump in your throat that just won't go down.

"I- I mean I know I'm not Chloe-" Steph says.

"What ?" Rachel asks, her voice breaking a little itself "What's Chloe got to do with this ?"

"Really ?" Steph says, wiping one of her eyes "You think we can keep dancing around this forever ?"

Steph turns around, her eyes red from the tears. She tries to look angry, but only manages to look more miserable and pitiable.

"I know you're trying to fill a void with me; I get it. You have a lot of regrets and need closure and all that." Steph sniffles and wipes her eyes "I miss her too, you know. I loved her; it might not be the same as how she loved you; I like to think that despite everything, you loved her too; more than me in fact."

"Steph I-"

"But this feels like you're just..." Steph groans and sighs in a fit of frustration "Doing me, like you did her."

"Steph, I'm trying-" Rachel says insistently.

"Do or do not, there is no try." Steph rubs her arm "Bottom line is, after Cathy, I think I need a little more than the same."

"I..." Rachel hesitates "I agree."

"I just can't keep this up, you know ?" Steph says "I have to put myself first sometimes, you know."

"I know." Rachel sighs and wipes her eyes "So what now ?"

"I don't know." Steph shakes her head, before taking a few deep breaths "I think we need some space."

Rachel nods sadly.

"I see. For how long ?"

"I don't know." Steph begins to pace "Days. Weeks. As long as we need..."

"Of course." Rachel says quietly, wiping one of her eyes.

"I should...I should go. It's your house-" Steph starts to walk off, but Rachel catches her by the arm.

"No!" Rachel says insistently, a little taken aback by how high her tone was, before speaking more gently "No. You can't afford to live alone on your salary - I can send you half my pay."

Steph cynically chuckles despite herself. It was almost enough to make her forget she was sobbing just minutes ago "Alimony ? Look at us; acting like an old divorced couple already."

Rachel tearfully chuckles herself.

"Counselling off the table then ?"

Steph calms considerably, but she still has that sad look in her eyes as she tries to muster a calm smile.

"I don't know." Steph says "I need to think."

Rachel scratches the back of her neck. She shouldn't push her luck.

"I can get an apartment downtown." Rachel says "You take what time you need, and if there's any changes, you have my number."

"Right, right." Steph says, again wiping her eyes "I'll call you if - if anything changes."

The two stare at each other for a quiet moment, briefly lean in, but stop just inches from each other.

They don't need to make things more complicated than it actually is.

With that, Rachel quietly makes her way out the door.

Even while in the car, Rachel didn't pull out of the driveway. While Steph was crying her eyes out in their bedroom, Rachel ugly cried at the steering wheel for several minutes before finally pulling off.

----

That evening, Elizabeth "Elisa" Ashbury would answer a knock on her penthouse door. She knew from the scent of blood in the air who it was.

"Miss Amber." She'd greet, looking up and down Rachel's features to see how upset she looks "It's come to my attention Jonathan reached out to you. But I assume this isn't a business visit ?"

"Yes. No. Maybe. I don't know." Rachel groans, pinching the bridge of her nose "Something happened today, and I have to leave home for the time being."

She ushers Rachel to follow her inside, leading Rachel to their dining room table.

"I see." Ashbury replies "And I assume you are looking for a place to rest ? Well, I'm sure I can find you-" 

"No, it's not that." Rachel shakes her head "I can rent a suite downtown for a while, but this is about Steph."

"Oh ?" Ashbury asks "And what troubles you regarding Miss Gingrich ?"

"I did something very bad today. Had to leave our place for the time being, and wanted to make sure she's okay."

Asbury looks over Rachel with an increasingly concerned expression.

"You didn't murder an innocent, did you ?"

"Worse." Rachel interrupts, "I cheated on my girlfriend."

"What ?" Ashbury says in a flat tone of voice.

"I know, it was stupid of me; I promised I'd treat her right; better than Chloe." Rachel says "But you know how she always seems to disappear and such ?"

Ashbury nods, partially in understanding, but a little in concern.

"Today was one of those days." Rachel explains "Was doing a shoot with these two girls, and things kind of got...unprofessional. Bottom line, I'm giving Steph some space for now."

"But ?"

"You're the head of the new Escalon ? You got eyes around the city right ?"

Ashbury crosses her arms "What are you inferring ?"

"Well, I won't be there to keep an eye on her; how do I know Mordred and his boys won't pull anything in my absence ?" Rachel asks.

"Are you asking me to use my position to keep an eye on your paramour ?"

"I wouldn't have done it if there wasn't anyone else I can trust- and I know it's reckless and entitled of me to ask such a favor, but she is a person of interest, right ? I mean, you and Reid are looking into her case, and she's already in too deep-"

Ashbury briefly puts a finger on Rachel's lips to shush her.

"You need not to ask; I can assure her protection with a couple of phone calls." Asbury says reassuringly "There is the matter of her disappearances to worry about."

"You can say they just need to keep an eye on my house. Make sure things aren't compromised." Rachel explains plainly.

"Perhaps." Ashbury shrugs "But I assume there's something else on your mind ?"

"Is Dr. Reid here ?"

"Jonathan got word of Mother's Children activity in Seattle about an hour ago. I don't think it would be wise to interrupt his investigation, especially when he is to keep a low profile." Ashbury explains.

"Okay, but you know things he knows right ?"

"I should." Asbury nods "We are partners in a number of ways, Miss Amber. At times, we are practically eachother's other half."

"This morning he told me about agents in the Guard, told me to look out for anything suspicious." Rachel explains "Today, my models seem to know more than they are letting on; they know about Arcadia Bay, and have been following the case and story. Hell, they know some of the students in Jefferson's class."

Ashbury's face takes a cautious expression.

"That is rather concerning."

"The plot thickens." Rachel says "They are two of the survivors of that Mount Washington case months back."

Asbury pauses to recall for a moment, before familiarity dawns on her face.

"Ah yes, Fiddler's County." Ashbury nods "But that is hardly the biggest cause for concern, is it, Miss Amber ?"

"When we were having-" Rachel hesitates "When we were...together, one of them called me Rachel. As far as I know, they're supposed to think I am Vivian Manning, but after all of that, I'm none to sure."

Asbury puts both her hands together, resting her chin as she thinks it over.

"I see. I see." Ashbury narrows her eyes as she tries to think about it "And do you know their names ? Stupid question, I know. But-"

"Samantha Giddings and Emily Davis." Rachel answers "I don't want them dead or anything, I just want to know how much they know, you know ?"

Yet again, Ashbury nods.

"Of course." Asbury says "And will that be all for the evening ?"

"I think so." Rachel says "I normally wouldn't have reached out like this, but the people I trust with something like this can only be counted in one hand."

"Say no more. Say no more." Ashbury says with a dismissive wave "I take it this means you've cut ties with Mordred and his ilk ?"
Rachel says nothing.

"Miss Amber..." Asbury says in an almost scolding tone.

"It's easier said than done." Rachel raises both hands defensively "I'm already on thin ice with the guy, and if I break it off completely, I won't be the only one he goes after."

Ashbury narrows her eyes, but calms herself with an inhale.

"Of course you realize, you can go so long with being neutral in this," Ashbury says with the slightest seethe "There will come a time when the Blood Queen stirs, and calls her children to spread her disease. When that time comes, you will have to choose if you will be part of that disease...or part of the cure."

Rachel swallows but tries to keep a confident face, leaning in to whisper.

"Well, it doesn't look like today is that day, isn't it ?" Rachel says "Besides, I haven't heard from the Queen since I was first brought back. As far as I know, she's still asleep so to speak."

"Perhaps." Ashbury shrugs "Or perhaps she is simply seeking other daughters; you were not the only girl victimized in Arcadia Bay, just the first. As I just said, there is something happening in Seattle that requires Jonathan's attention."

Rachel's eyes flicker a little upon hearing this. She heard that's where Jefferson's students are settled in; one of them, Dana, was running a vlog she sometimes checks in on. Rachel looks like she was about to get up from her seat, before Asbury speaks up.

"Your eyes say enough, Miss Amber. And I can assure you, there is cause for your concern; but the most helpful thing you can do in this, is keep your head down." Ashbury says, putting both her hands on Rachel as if to reassure her "Least Mordred take your head for himself."

That was enough to take the fight or flight out of Rachel, who simply settles back down in her seat as Ashbury gets up and circles the table, placing both hands on Rachel's shoulders.

"You did right by reaching out, Miss Amber." Ashbury says reassuringly "See, unlike Mordred, we have your best interests at heart."

Rachel says nothing, but mumbles a little in response.

"If it'll make you feel safer, I can get you to stay at one of our suites." Ashbury pats Rachel on the shoulder "We'll have eyes on Miss Gingrich. And if Seattle concerns you, you'll be on a need to know basis."

Rachel nods. Again, she says nothing.

"Will that be all ?"

Rachel nods again, this time saying "Yes. Thank you, Miss Ashbury."

"Whitewoods Suites." Ashbury says "Seven blocks east from here. I'll let them know you have a reservation."

Rachel nods a third time, getting up from her seat this time.

"Just let me know when you hear or learn anything." Rachel says as she makes her way to the door.

"Will do. And Rachel ?"

Rachel stops to turn around.

"Our publishing company is looking forward to your next manuscript."

----

That evening, Rachel tried as hard as she could to relax. But that was easier said than done given her state of mind.

Whitewood Suites was a chain Ashbury owned, and at the surface level, there wasn't much to differentiate it from the Quality Inn. There's two other such suites in Malibu and San Fran.

Below the surface, it is protected by a security firm (also owned by Ashbury) and was a place of protection for vampires under the New Ascalon. There's a little more to the story, but the short of it is, if a vampire was looking to hide from "The Old Guard", or The Mother's Children, this was the place to go.

Going through the lobby, Rachel could see a few guests, consisting of families on vacation, rich college students looking to spend their trust funds, and a few business types looking for a place to stay for whatever conference their companies need.

Though a few eyes Rachel spots lets her know who among them are among the undead; and the looks some give her tell Rachel they know what she knows.

When she was in bed, Rachel found herself unable to catch sleep if she tried. She'd take a shower earlier, trying to wash things away. Didn't do her no good. She tried, resting in the nude, keeping a window open for some cool air.

Again, it did her no good.

So by midnight, she simply laid under the covers of her bed, watching Adult Swim, still trying to get a bit of escapism. Rachel was part way through an episode of The Venture Bros when a knock came at her door.

Cautiously getting up, Rachel puts on a bathrobe and looks through the peep hole to see none other than Mary Reid, in the getup on a business woman (though by the looks of it, this isn't the attire she'd go for in the best of times).

It figures Mary would be here; in the months since Reid and Ashbury introduced themselves to Rachel, she never saw Mary at their home. She would learn that Mary was trying to be independent, and active in Ashbury's circle, but her brother was insistent on keeping her from falling into Mordred's clutches again. So it stands to reason, they'd set her up to stay here.

"Miss Amb-" Mary stops to correct herself "Miss Manning ?"

Rachel says nothing.

"I know you're in there. I spoke to Elizabeth earlier." Mary says in a pretty serious tone "I know you probably don't want to talk but-"

"Then why'd you come here ?" Rachel answers.

"I think you're dancing around the issue." Mary says.

There is another pause before Mary begins speaking again.

"Look, what happened between us; in Portland," Mary says "I get it, but-"

Rachel opens the door with a glare.

"Is that what this is about ?" Rachel asks angrily "A one night stand ?"

Mary raises her hands defensively.

"No Rachel, it's not tha-"

"What is it ?" Rachel says, crossing her arms "Let me guess, Ashbury told you what happened, and you thought you'd have another round ? What, with me being all vulnerable ?"

Mary, a little taken aback, shakes her head "No, Rachel. It's not that."

"Well, what is it then ?" Rachel asks, crossing her arms.

Mary hesitates before saying.

"Has your blood..." Mary starts to say before taking a breath "Have you heard her voice again ?"

Rachel narrows her eyes, before realizing. The Red Queen.

"Not since I first awoke." Rachel says, still trying to be cautious "Is this what it's about ? Your brother sent you to do a little checkup ?"

Mary defensively shakes her head, before raising both hands in a reassuring manner.

"Jonathan doesn't want this going out-"

"But ?"

"You'll recall, you're not the only one in Arcadia Bay who the Queen has in her sights. You aren't even the first girl she had in mind."

Rachel's expression softens.

"Victoria Chase, Maxine Caulfield, Kate Marsh," Mary says "The Mother's Children are in Seattle you know; Mordred had his eyes on the city for a while. And it so happens that quite a few Mark Jefferson's former students are in Cornish Commons."

Rachel pauses, thinking for a few seconds, before shaking her head.

"Well, it's not like you fucked them, so it's not like they're-" Rachel tries to close the door but Mary holds out her hand, stopping it from closing.

"But they are." Mary says "What you and I did has little to do with why the Queen marked you."

Rachel steps back with an apprehensive expression on her face. Mary inhales, but takes this as her cue to continue.

"In case you need reminding, you were taken because you died first; you were taken because you were the only one in Arcadia Bay who couldn't be saved. Whatever game the Queen and Wilt have been playing in Arcadia Bay, you were her consolation prize."

Rachel was at a loss for words, she steps back a little, placing two fingers on one of her temples as she looks to the side.

"But- but," Rachel tries to muster "You and I-"

"What you and I did was more of a coincidence than anything." Mary says honestly "I heard the Queen calling me to Portland; I heard her calling me to Arcadia Bay, but in the end, I never went."

As Mary says this, she leans down to Rachel, putting her hands on her shoulders.

"I may have been euphemistic, I may have been creative with my words." Mary says "But I was mostly being honest with you, Rachel. You and I ? T'was simply that."

Rachel pauses again, taking Mary's words in, before stepping out of her reach and shaking her head.

"I can't listen to this right now, okay ?" Rachel says, her voice taking a mild but angry tone "I did Steph wrong today, same as I did Chloe wrong. I did her wrong with Frank, I did her wrong with Mark. And I did her wrong with you."

Mary says nothing, just sort of looking sober, but sad underneath.

"I am going through a lot at the moment; if something comes up, your brother or Ashbury can tell me about it. But do know, I just need some space, rest, and time." Rachel says, trying to remain firm, even if all the thoughts rushing through her head at once made it difficult "So if you wish to do me a solid, Miss Reid, could you give me that ?"

Mary sighs before nodding.

"As you wish, Miss Amber. But it'd do you good to remember that hiding from the monsters at your door, will only prompt them to break it down." Mary turns to take her leave, closing the door behind her "Take my advice; you can hide, but it's better to prepare as I have. Have a good evening, Miss Amber."

With the door closed, Rachel sighs, making her way back to bed. She shrugs off her bathrobe, cuddling down into her bedsheets, as she tries to get into watching Adult Swim.

----

By midnight, she felt herself on the verge of sleep, the TV having since become background noise. However her thoughts were filled with Mary.

Rachel needed some kind of distraction - especially since memories of that day got her hand moving between her legs like some kind of subconscious reaction.

"Fucking nymphomaniac." Rachel would grit her teeth, taking herself by the wrist to stop from touching herself as she thought back to that night.

As stated, a little distraction would help keep her mind and heart at ease.

Like an answer from above, Rachel hears her phone go off on the nightstand. Tiredly checking it, she sees it's a message...from Steph.

"Good night."

Smiling a little, Rachel types a simple response.

"Good night."

Setting her phone aside, Rachel buries her face into her pillow, letting the rest and relaxation finally take over.

"Well, that helped...a little." Rachel would think as she finally was lulled into the realm of sleep...

Even if her head was still full of thoughts of Mary.

----

March 9th 2013, Portland Oregon

On Mary and Rachel's little day one the town, their first stop (besides a quick lunch at Mickey D's) was Mary's condo, the two feeling they needed a change of clothes.

Rachel got into a more casual winter outfit, nothing that would look too flashy or make her stand out; she once again wore a white beret and sunglasses to try to obscure her age. She'd change in the bathroom, and would go down the hall to spot Mary having left her bedroom door open, affixing a bra in front of the mirror as she redresses.

Mary would spot Rachel while looking at her reflection, and playfully scoff and roll her eyes.

"Such a boy, aren't you Miss Amber ?"

Rachel blushes a little at Mary's remark, before making her way to the front door. Mary would soon join Rachel, also dressed in a (slightly) less stylish winter outfit.

Their first stop was the Portland Art Museum, spending the better part of the afternoon going over their respective interests in art.

Rachel would bring up how her family went there when she was nine, which in turn became a conversation about this trip to Canada they went on when she was fourteen; how they went to the Anne of Green Gables house in Prince Edward Island, and the Titanic cemetery and museum in Halifax.

Titanic was a pretty big deal in her family, considering James' grandfather was the sole survivor of his family aboard the sinking. They used to watch the '96 movie all the time on the anniversary, and Rachel used to always crack a joke about her (step) mother's name being Rose.

Used to being the keyword.

As for Mary, she would go on about how art wasn't something she usually bonded with her brother over. It was more of her sister-in-law's speed. Her brother Johnny was more work and duty focused, though he had a few eccentricities that popped up; mainly his affinity for comics.

"At first, I never really got it myself." Mary shakes her head bringing it up "I suppose after all those years with his nose in medical books got to him ?"

"I'm guessing he was one of those kids who never really got to be a kid." Rachel would remark.

"Our father passed when I was twelve; did a number on me in much the same way it did your friend." Mary nods as she leads Rachel out the museum and to her car "My brother had to take responsibilities early on, what with the lot of our family being out of county. Whenever my brother wasn't school focused, he was responsibilities focused. He'd take his duties so seriously, there was little if any time for him to be himself, you know ?"

"Sounds like he could use these distractions."

"Oh, there was a period where he let himself be distracted." Mary says, thinking back to when it was her, Jonathan, Elizabeth...and Diana "But it didn't last forever." She adds with a sad sigh.

Sensing that it was a hot button issue, Rachel would raise her hand in an "I digress" motion "If you don't wanna talk about it-"

"Not particularly, thank you." Mary says, before linking arms with Rachel as they make their way to the car "Besides, this date is to lift you up, not put us both down."

"Alright then." Rachel nods, as she is the first to step into the car "Where to now ?"

"I've always been a dinner and a movie girl myself." Mary says "And I have it on good authority that popcorn on an empty stomach leads to a bad time."

"So, what did you have in mind ?"

"I was thinking a steakhouse." Mary says getting into the driver's seat "I have been wanting to go to Mortons. Ever been to such a restaurant, Miss Amber ?"

"Chloe and I had a trip to one last summer. Up in Boone County."

"Hmm," Mary remarks as she starts the car and pulls out "This Chloe girl and you sound like quite the item from what I'm hearing. If it doesn't make things weird, you should think about introducing us. I can give you my numbe-"

"Like I said," Rachel says insistently "Chloe and I haven't been that close in a while. Besides, the more I think about it, the more I think our lives are going in different directions."

"Yeah, keep telling yourself that." That annoying guilty voice in the back of Rachel's head says.

"Anyways," Rachel says "I think she's holding out for someone else; there's this girl, Max, she often talks about. Honestly, if that Max girl comes back to Arcadia Bay, I think Chloe would forget I exist just like that."

Rachel snaps her finger to emphasize her point.

Mary simply nods with an unreadable expression.

"But you do care for her." Mary says with an unreadable tone of voice.

"I mean...I care but- but...but..." Rachel says a little caught off guard by Mary's question, unable to finish her thought.

"Buts are for sitting, Miss Amber." Mary says, turning to face Rachel as they reach a red light.

There was something in Mary's eyes that made Rachel unable to look away, or resist answering Mary's question.

"It's just..." Rachel says, sounding a little unsure of herself "You ever feel like you've built this bridge, this connection with someone, and you always think that person is gonna be the most important thing in your life ?"

Mary nods.

"And as those years go by, you find yourself not going anywhere with that person ? You go one way, the other goes another ?" Rachel sighs "And it feels like the bridge is wearing thinner and thinner."

"And how does Chloe feel about this ?" Mary asks, driving as the street light turns green.

Rachel looks at Mary with an annoyed glare.

"I thought this date was about lifting me up."

Mary shrugs, not taking her eyes off the road.

"Maybe Chloe could use a little lifting up as well." Mary says "From what you told me, that's what got you to build your bridge in the first place."

Rachel shrugs with a sigh. She doesn't say anything.

"You know," Mary continues "I have a history with troubled girls such as Chloe. In fact, I've been in that pair of shoes myself; if you could reach out to her for me...I think she would benefit from my helping hand, the same as you. And I'm sure no matter how weak the bridge is getting, you care enough about Chloe to want what's best for her, yes ?"

Rachel thinks about it for a moment, before nodding.

"Can I have your number ?"

"When we get back to my place." Mary says "For now, I'd say we get a bite."

At Morton's, the two had a pretty simple dish of filet minion; Mary ordered hers rare, preferring to bite down into the pink meat, drinking down whatever leftover meat juice she could. Rachel had drinks of sprite and ice tea, while Mary just had a single cosmopolitan.

They continued talking about general things; really just more of what they talked about earlier, but given the atmosphere there were some subjects they simply pussyfooted around.

Really they were just killing time for a movie showing they wanted to catch.

The sun was starting to set when they stepped out of the restaurant, just enough time to make an evening showing of Beautiful Creatures. Neither having read the source material it was based on, the movie was a time filler of anything, just something to kill an hour and a half; it was something Victoria tried getting Rachel into.

With all that out of the way, there were but a couple more stops before the date was done.

"So...I assume today's events were to your liking." Mary says, leading Rachel back to her car with an arm wrapped around her waist.

Rachel nods "It was better than what Mark had in mind."

"Which is ?"

"Wanted to keep us on the down low; you're, what ? Five years older than me ?"

"Give or take." Mary says with a shrug.

"But Mark...Mark was in college when I was in diapers you know ?" Rachel admits "It would get us looks..."

"And there's that power imbalance." The back of Rachel's head would say again.

"Mmmm," Mary muses as they reach the car "Not much fun to be had coped up in a suite, I'd imagine."

"I can think of a few things." Rachel says, before curving her arm around Mary's lower back, reaching up a little to catch the older woman's mouth into a kiss.

Mary didn't resist Rachel, in fact she quickly got into it as well, letting Rachel lean her into the side of the car. It was only when Rachel started kissing her neck, and touching her breast that Mary pulled away.

"Mmm, patience dear." Mary says, but not without a final peck on Rachel's lips "It is a virtue of yours, is it not ?"

"Aww," Rachel fake groans with an air of mock petulance "I'm not feeling particularly virtuous tonight."

Rachel leans into Mary's ear to flirtatiously whisper.

"In fact, I haven't been very virtuous in a while." She says with a lick of her earlobe.

"Mm, I might have to test that." Mary says, "But there is one more spot I wish to take you, if you please."

"Name the place."

"I told you last night there's a night club I like to go to any other night." Mary says, brushing a strand of hair behind Rachel's ear "I'd like to cap off your trip with a little last hurray."

Rachel thinks for a moment before she nods.

"Why not ? Not like it's a school night."

----

Of course, a trip to a nightclub such as Candy was a change in getup. Less night on the town, more night on the wild side.

This required a second stop at Mary's condo and yet another change of clothes. Yet again, Rachel was fixing herself up for tonight in the bathroom; beneath a wool and leather grey jacket, she put on a purple tank top, complete with a simple pair of skinny jeans and sneakers. 

She spent a few minutes checking herself out in the mirror, when she heard her phone buzzing. She had her data off all day, and figures Mary's wifi is catching her up on what she missed today.

Six messages and three missed calls from Chloe. And seven from Mark.

"Fuck," Rachel would think. She and Chloe usually called three times a day during the latter's trip; and seeing as she missed her lunch and dinner call, she probably had Chloe worried out of her mind.

Chloe might even think she died or something.

Hastily dialing Chloe's number, Rachel is quick to answer before Chloe could get a word in.

"Hey, Chlo, wassup ?"

"Uh, the sky, the sun, the stars, the roof and the moon." Chloe's voice answers "But besides that, are you okay ? I haven't heard from you since this morning."

"Oh, I'm fine." Rachel says "Phone died. Cold as balls today."

"Ah, well, it's still pretty warm in Cali." Chloe says "Anyways I wanted to see how you've been holding up."

"Oh, the usual." Rachel sighs. 

Forget today, the whole week or so since Sera passed, Chloe and Rachel only ever seemed to speak over the phone. 

Mind you, this had more to do with Chloe's own trip, but Rachel had Chloe give her some space the first three days; she was almost sure she and Chloe would forget what eachother looked liked.

Which Rachel correctly guessed, Chloe was about to bring up.

"So um, I know you probably don't want me to interrupt anything, but I should be back in AB the day after tomorrow. I was thinking about swinging by and..." Chloe pauses before chuckling "It's kind of stupid now that I'd say it out loud."

"Chloe, when I first spent the night at your place, you used to swear up and down you'd see Bloody Mary watching you from outside your window."

Rachel knocks on the bathrooms wooden walls, realizing what name she just said in front of a mirror.

"Okay, maybe sappy's the right word, but," Chloe takes a deep breath before saying "So whenever I'd visit Grandma Beth, we had this sort of ritual for my dad."

Rachel pauses and nods, before Chloe says.

"You know I can't see you right ? You can at least tell me if you nodded."

"I did." 

"What we'd do was, there was a clubhouse he and my uncle used to have as kids, and it was just up a ways from her house; after he died and I first visited Grandma Beth, I would always do a repaint of a self portrait he did as a kid." Chloe's voice breaks a little, and she could be heard sniffling slightly before she composes herself "It used to fade over time, so I'd always spray another coat of paint."

"And ?"

"Well, I was thinking, we should do a portrait of her, make it a ritual for her as well." Chloe says "I know I might step on your twos, but...it usually helped me a little whenever I did it, and I always hated seeing you down in the dumps."

Rachel's eyes start to water beyond her own control. She wipes her eyes and tries to remain composed over the phone.

"Chloe, I need time to-"

"I'm not saying right away, just-" Chloe sighs "When you're ready."

"Right, right." Rachel sighs, leaning on the counter "I'll think about it."

"Okay then." Chloe says "It's just. I don't know - I look at you, and think of you; and I can't help but think of where I was when I lost my dad. When I lost Max. When everything changed."

Rachel felt her heart twinge a little hearing this. She says nothing as Chloe continues.

"You...you fucking saved my life." Chloe says "Now I know that sounds dramatic, and I know I had Steph, Mickey and Drew looking out for me. But you Rachel, you made me feel something I haven't had since Max left; you helped me fill a void and I keep thinking about how my life would be if you were not in it."

Chloe stops, the slightest sob letting Rachel know she was barely keeping her together.

"You're my fucking guardian angel, you know that ?" Chloe says "You brought back a side to me that I thought was dead. I just- I just want to return the favor you know."

That about did it. 

Rachel was wiping her eyes, breathing heavily, almost feeling her heart skip a few beats.

"Chloe, I-I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything." Chloe says "I just wanted you to know."

"I know." Rachel says with a whisper, wiping her eyes again. She coughs a little before she speaks a little more loudly and clearly "Look, Chloe, I- I got to go...somethings coming up, and I need a little more time to think."

There is a pause before Chloe speaks.

"Yeah. Yeah, sure." Chloe says "I love you."

"I know." Rachel says, trying her hardest to invoke Harrison Ford "I'll see you soon."

And with that, Rachel hangs up.

Rachel looks in the mirror, not liking the miserable looking girl looking back at her.

"Pull it together, Rachel." She says to herself "This trip is about you, and it's not like you won't try to get Chloe in on this, right ? You just need to get Mary's number."

Speaking of the devil, Rachel hears knocking on the bathroom door.

"Miss Amber, are you okay ? Are you having second thoughts ?"

"Nah, I'm good." Rachel says, before going too and opening the door.

Behind it stands Mary Reid, dressed in form fitting leather pants, a pair of high heeled boots, and a cherry red minidress. To accommodate the weather outside, Mary was putting on a black puffer jacket.

"I take it you received a distressing call ?" Mary asks.

"No. Just a friend checking up on me." Rachel says "Looks like I got something to look forward to when I get home."

Mary gives a pleased "Hmmm" noise, before saying "It's Chloe isn't it ?"

Rachel looks away and nods.

Mary takes Rachel by the chin and redirects her gaze.

"You know, my offer still stands. If what you told me of Chloe is accurate, me and my family help in much the same way we can help you. It's an opportunity I'm sure neither of you could pass up."

"You're being pretty vague about what these opportunities are." Rachel says, raising an eyebrow and crossing her arms "Makes me think you're gonna pull some hidden villain schtick down the road."

Mary simply giggles and boops Rachel on the nose.

"As I said, patience is a virtue, but if you must, we can talk it over at the club."

Before Rachel can respond, her phone goes off again.

Rachel checks to see it is Mark calling.

Rachel groans, as if Mark's very presence killed whatever conflicted feelings she was having. It was as if Mark, even trying to talk to her, simply reignited her need for escapism.

With a sullen sigh, Rachel shuts her phone off, and looks Mary in the eye, putting her hand on Mary's shoulder, before leaning in.

"So, you said you wanted to take my mind off things right ?"

Mary nods with a coy smile.

Rachel leans in and kisses Mary on the mouth.

"Well then. What are we waiting for ?"

----

Los Angeles, California, July 27th, 2015

It's been a quiet few months.

Quiet and frankly boring.

For the first time since she awoke from the grave, Rachel has been keeping her head down. 

She spent 65% of her time in her suite. She would try to focus on work - she'd visit the studios as Vivian Manning, and would go through the regular rounds of taking pictures - but to avoid what happened with Sam and Emily, she'd take pictures of families, and do a couple of wedding jobs.

On her free time, she would try to work on her manuscript, for Ashbury's publishing in case her first book is a success, but as any writer (fanfic or no) can tell ya, it's a little hard to kick the writers block when you have so much going on around you, you can scarcely go by without intrusive thoughts.

These thoughts of course being the news she got regarding Seattle; for the past couple months, she has yet to hear a peep from Jonathan Reid, or Ashbury.

As for Mary ? Rachel tries to avoid the Reid sister like the plague.

The last thing she needs is to make things with Steph more complicated.

And what else, she hasn't heard anything from Mordred or any of his followers. Not what he's doing in Seattle, not what he's waiting for. If anyone is keeping an eye on her. Nothing.

About five weeks into Rachel and Steph's break, the most contact Rachel and Steph had was a few passing texts every few days. Just generic greetings, and fleeting remarks.

After the first five weeks, they took to making phone calls. Again, it was still baby steps. One would call the other every couple days, checking in to see what they're up to, how their day was going. The usual.

Of course, the back of Rachel's mind felt they were pussyfooting the issue at hand.

A few days ago, there came a night where Rachel would just lay in bed, talking to her over their phones. And she would ask-
"Have you...seen or heard anything suspicious ?"

"What, you mean those cars parked down the street ?" Steph asks "Yeah, Ashbury filled me in on that. Thanks for your concerns."

"You can't be too careful, sweet- Steph." Rachel starts to say before correcting herself "Mordred, knows about you. For fuck sakes, he was in the hospital with you after what happened too-"

Rachel stops herself, almost sensing the way Steph's muscles tensed over the phone.

"My point is I'm..." Rachel sighs trying to find the words "I'm sorry. Okay ? I'm sorry for literally everything."

"Rachel..."

"If I hadn't shown up to your play, you wouldn't be in this mess."

"If you haven't shown up to my play, I'd still be Cathy's bitch or dead or..." Steph says before taking a breath "Look, Rachel. You saved my fucking life."

Rachel winces when she hears this. She'd look up as if someone up there was playing the deja vu button.

"I know it sounds dramatic, but after Arcadia Bay, I didn't have much of anyone." Steph says "I mean, I had Mickey, but he was like half a state away. All I really had was Cathy."

Rachel could hear Steph trying to keep herself composed.

"After Arcadia Bay, I'd sometimes see your name. You were all over the fucking news, so when I saw you in the theatre." Steph half says, half sobs, before trying to maintain her composure "It was like you were my goddamn guardian angel."

Damn water works. Rachel whips her eyes, and hopes that Steph can't hear her heavy breathing.

"You know, when-" Steph hesitates "When he took you, Chloe tried reaching out to me in Seattle. Paid her a visit you know; when you were gone, it was like a piece of her just shut down. It was like there was a part of her that brought some semblance of stability to her life. I didn't really, you know, get it get it until you came back to my life."

Rachel tries to cover her sob, putting her mouth and nose into the sleeve of her shirt, and lets out an exhale.

"That's why it hurt." Steph could be heard sniffling "But..."

"What is it ?"

"I don't know. Despite everything...I want to give us a chance." Steph says.

Rachel was at a loss for words, wiping her eyes as she tried to muster some.

"I- I don't think I-I d-deserve one, sweetie." Rachel stutters a little as she speaks "And you deserve so, so much better than me."

"Rachel, I don't have much of anything left keeping me tied to Arcadia Bay. I barely had Mickey, and I haven't exactly been able to reach out to the rest, with you having to stay underground, and Cathy watching my calls." Steph says "It's like...if I lose you, I lose everything else. I don't want to lose that."

Rachel pulls herself away from the phone, trying to not let Steph hear her stifling her weeping upon hearing this. She doesn't think she cares if Steph could hear her though.

"Rachel, I-" Steph hesitates before saying "There's something else I want to talk about."

"What- what is it ?" Rachel says with a sniff as she quickly composes herself.

"I keep having...look I don't know if dreams are the right word, but it's like." Steph starts to say, taking a moment to find the words "It's like I have two different lives."

Rachel's eyes widen and her head perks up.

"What ?"

"It's like...I don't know; whenever I'm asleep I think, it's like I'm not in LA; I keep having these memories popping up in my head, right ?" Steph can be heard saying "At first I thought they were dreams you know, but everything felt so real."

"Are- are you sure ?" Rachel asks, standing up off the bed.

"I don't know." Steph answers "It's like, I remember very vividly going into a theatre program; trying to get into college, and Cathy taking me in. But on the other hand, I keep swearing I tried being in this band, or being a radio DJ. Fuck, I remember running a LARP."

As Steph continues, she sounds especially uneasy with the next part.

"It's like I said, I thought they were dreams at first...and then I remember going to this baseball game in one of these small towns, and being hit in the eye with a baseball. I wake up the next morning - here - in LA - in our bed - and when I look in the mirror, I have a black eye."

There's another pause before Stephanie continues.

"Everytime I try to look into it, I get this - I don't know, a fog in my head, and everything gets all fuzzy. And when I think too much about it, my nose starts to bleed." Steph say "I don't know what's happening, but something is really, really wrong with me."

"What- what do you think you should do ?" Rachel asks "I can try to reach out to Ashbury and Reid - they have all kinds of connections to these people who dabble in weird shit like this."

"I don't know, I mean if nothing else, it's worth a shot."

"Tell you what ?" Rachel starts "Let's say, you and me catch up ? Face to face. I can catch you at Starbucks or something. We can talk things over, and see where this takes us."

"Yeah, sure thing." Steph says, trying to sound reassured "See you then, Alex."

What did she say ?

"What ?"

"I said, 'See you then, Rachel'." Steph says, sounding a little confused.

"You said Alex."

"Oh, did I ?" Steph asks "Sorry, slip of the tongue. Name's been on my mind lately."

"I see."

Suddenly, Steph scoffs and groans.

"Oh fuck. Look, Rachel, I gotta go. Nose is bleeding. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Right, I'll see you there." Rachel nods, before she and Steph hang up.

----

Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, July 28th, 2015

As she said she would, Rachel made her way to the Starbucks she said she'd meet Steph.

Initially she debated, stopping at a flower shop, pick up a bouquet of white roses, but she stopped herself when she realized how tacky it was. She didn't want to come off too strong, this was a lunch date for a girl you're trying to make up for nearly cheating on her. Baby steps is all you need.

A million other thoughts were going through her mind on the drive there; particularly how she was gonna explain things to Steph about her sometimes not being there, and leaving foggy blanks in her memory.

What would Steph make from it ? Would it come off as an excuse for Rachel nearly fucking Emily and Sam ? Would she freak out about how Rachel apparently knew she'd disappear and reappear from her life ?

Maybe she's overthinking it. Baby steps are all they need right now.

Speaking of Sam and Emily, a week back, Sam would try to reach out to Rachel, claiming she wanted to meet up and explain everything.

Somehow, she and Emily knew something was happening in Seattle. Rachel had mixed thoughts given what her previous encounter with those two led to...but if they knew what Reid and Ashbury knew, and may not have been telling her, it might be worth looking into.

At the same time, it felt like meeting them like this, in private ? While she and her girlfriend were on a break ? And given how suspicious it was that they knew about Arcadia Bay, as well as Jonathan and Ashbury's advice to keep an eye out and her head down, Rachel simply wrote a reply.

"Maybe later. Got some personal shit to work out."

Rachel pulls into the parking lot, stepping out with a purse over her shoulder, seeing Steph sitting at a table at the far end from her at one of the exterior tables.

Steph saw Rachel, giving her a friendly smile and wave, which Rachel returned in kind.

Rachel made her way across the parking lot, her heart racing so fast, she could hear it pounding. She could scarcely remember when she was this nervous; probably when she first saw Steph at her show, or when she first awoke in the morgue.

And with the millions of thoughts, feelings and memories rushing through Rachel's head at once....she didn't notice the black van pull up behind her half way through the parking lot.

In under two seconds, the slide-in door opens, two pairs of arms reach out, taking Rachel by the shoulders, pulling her in before she can yelp. In the process, Rachel's phone slips out of her purse, just dodging the tire as it sped off.

Besides Steph, a few spectators saw what happened. Those who were two busy going about their own business took a few seconds to catch on.

"Rachel ?" Steph says under her breath, getting out from her seat, hastily making her way to the parking lot before speaking a little louder "Rachel ?"

Ignoring the many voices of people going "What was that ?" "Did you see that ?" "Are they filming a movie here ?" "Did anyone get the license number ?" Among a few others already calling 911, Steph hastily made her way to the discarded phone.

She turns it on; there's a few cracks from the fall, but the phone was in working condition.

Steph looks back and forth between the phone and the van disappearing around the corner.

----

Inside the van itself, it takes about twelve seconds for Rachel's head to stop spinning, the interior was dark, but Rachel could feel a pair of gloves cutting into her wrists.

It takes a few seconds for her eyes to adjust until she sees a familiar face crouching down in front of her, and one she hasn't been wanting to see for a while.

The dirty blonde/light brunette, cowlick hair; the lanky but muscular build; the ashy pale skin; the striking green eyes; that affable smile. Morded, wearing his "Miles Winter" persona. With him were four other guys, two of them in the front seats, the other two holding Rachel in place.

"Miss me, Miss Manning ?" Mordred asks, his accented voice sounding as intimidating as he tries to be friendly and endearing "It's been what, over a year now ?"

Rachel groans in response, her head ringing as she's still a little dizzy.

"Of course," Mordred says "I don't think a year should be long enough to forget a promise, right ?"

"What do you want from me ?" Rachel manages to say, trying to put on a brave face.

"What I want. What I need." Mordred shrugs his head from side to side "Mother's Children all serve a purpose. I just want to make sure you're serving yours, and not being led astray by an undesirable element."

Mordred takes Rachel by the chin and directs her gaze to his.

"Before you ask, no, you're not gonna get raped." Mordred says in a voice that sounds like he's trying to be reassuring "I may be a monster, but I like to think I have some class."

"I can't imagine why anyone would think that." Rachel says, still trying to put on a brave face, and managing a deadpan tone.

"Well, I thought we'd get the ball rolling." Mordred shrugs "After all, you've done nothing to spread Mother's essence to others, and a little birdie told me Scarlet Rivers has been pretty negligent of her duties.

Mordred sighs as he leans back against the van's wall.

"No matter. I was thinking of putting my Wilfred operations to the sword; we've collected more from what we need from them, and it's getting too much unwanted attention." Mordred continues, before reaching forward putting a hand on Rachel's shoulder "Of course, we still have some use for you..."

Rachel, despite her situation, was more annoyed than anything, rolling her eyes with an irate groan.

"Oh, just spit it out already." Rachel says "I know you're talking vaguely to add an air of mysteriousness, but let me tell you, it only makes you look like a douche."

Mordred nods, taking a carton of cigarettes from his breast pocket and lighting a cig.

"You know, if you were not the fortieth person to call my prose like that, I'd respect that moxy." Mordred says before taking a huff and a puff "But since you're so upfront about it, I'll return the favor. Would you happen to know anyone in Seattle ? Maybe someone who attended Blackwell Academy. Mark Jefferson's class perhaps ?"

Rachel says nothing, but the realization hits her. Which Mordred can see in her eyes.

"I'll take that as a yes." Mordred chuckles "Think of this as taking a break from your little vacation. My Mother brought you back for a reason; as such you are her property, the same as I. With that, I'd say your brothers and sisters can do with you as they see fit. In this case, spreading her to the shores of Seattle."

Rachel opens her mouth, but whatever retort she had was silence as Mordred placed a finger on her mouth to shush her.

"As for Miss Gingrich, I can admire you having her put under guard, but I can assure you, that's hardly necessary." Mordred chuckles again "After all, we already have you, so it's not like we need any leverage. Besides that...it's not like she has a chance of stopping this."

----

In the moments that passed, the world blanked around Stephanie Gingrich.

A few cop cars were already pulled up, a couple officers, taking witness statements, getting a description of the vehicle, the license plate (I-HRT-HCABS), everything.

While Steph was sure the police would more than likely be chasing the van down, she also remembered what Rachel told her about Mordred - he wasn't someone who'd let a little thing like a police chase stand in his way. That is if Mordred didn't have police on his payroll.

She doesn't really know how deep this vampire conspiracy goes, but she learned enough from Rachel that if the time comes, you gotta fight fire with fire.

Now, of course, Steph's heart was racing, and her brain was trying to catch up, but you spend enough time on stage, you learn to develop a poker face.

Rachel's phone, as it usually was, without a password (Rachel never could think of anything witty) and she spent minutes scrolling through messages and emails while everyone was distracted. Looking for something, anything that can give her some answers.

In a couple minutes, she saw it. That email from Sam Giddings...

Steph's own annoyance over Sam contacting her girl aside, it's the message that has her attention; about Mordred, and what he's been up too in Seattle. Which curiously, matches up to questions Rachel has been asking Reid and Ashbury.

It didn't take long for Steph to put two and two together. Nor did it take long for Steph to know what to do next.

Using her own phone, she dials in Ashbury's number, which the Lady was quick to answer.

"Miss Gingrich ?" Ashbury's voice answers.

"Yeah, it's me." Steph answers immediately "Look, it's Rachel. I think- No, I know she's in trouble!"

"What kind of trouble ?" Ashbury says, sounding uneasy.

"Look, I've been on her phone. She's been sending you and your partner these messages."

"Seattle, yes." Ashbury affirms "We told her she's on a need to know basis, and we'd let her know the more we find out, but so far nothing's changed-"

"Yeah, about that ?" Steph interrupts "Things have changed; black van picked her up not five minutes ago."

"You sound remarkably calm."

"Trust me, I'm freaking out on the inside," Steph says pacing back and forth "But I at least have an idea of where they're going. One of the girls she nearly slept with sent her an email about Seattle and something Mordred has in mind there."

"I'm sorry. Are you saying they're taking her to Seattle ?" Ashbury asks.

"I don't know for sure." Steph says "But I'm sure it's nothing your little security forces can intercept ?"

"I'll try my best, but this is rather sudden." Ashbury says "I usually do these things when I'm prepared."

"Just tell them to look for a black van." Steph says "Should still be in or around the Beverly Hills area. Just keep an ear on scanners - I think they got the license plate - and see if you or your goons can intercept them."

"I...I'll do what I can." Ashbury says.

"Thank you." Steph sighs "Look, I'll see if I can reach your place; there's a few other things I want to talk about, but right now Rachel needs our help."

"Very well, Miss Gingrich." Ashbury says "I shall see you within the hour."

"I'm on my way right now."

With that, Steph hangs up and begins to speed walk towards her car in the parking lot.

Had she not been in such a rush, she probably wouldn't have noticed her laces were untied and not tripped over one of the exterior tables, a discarded cub spilling all over her shirt. Even so, she got up and continued. A large splash of cold coffee wasn't gonna be enough to slow Steph Gingrich down.

For now she had a girlfriend to rescue.

-----

North Kill, Upstate New York, March 19th, 2020

Stephanie Gingrich jolts awake, with a groan and a headache that would split the earth.

It quickly dawned on her that she was having another one of these "dreams" of hers, and as she looked around, she saw she was in the same room she was the night before. She smacks her mouth trying to get that mucky morning taste out of her mouth. To add insult to injury, it was close to midnight when she got up.

Now, usually Steph would just dismiss these dreams as just that, but with how frequent they've been lately.

They started out small; about four months after she and Alex left Haven Point. At first it felt like deja vu, but at the time, Steph chalked it up to her thinking about what if she went through with being a theatre student, instead of being a bit of a drifter after Arcadia Bay. 

As far as Steph could recall, she only went to college for two years, before deciding to explore her musical interests.

Steph gets out of bed on aching legs, and makes her way to her bags, taking a couple of Tylenol out, and making her away to the mini fridge. She sees the bathroom light is one, and hears the shower running.

As she takes her pills, she tries to recall everything.

She's known for a fact that after Blackwell, she tried for college. She's very sure she didn't go to California, instead settling for Seattle. She also remembers her ex girlfriend Liza, and being part of Drugstore Makeup. She knows she settled into Haven Springs, and worked as a radio DJ for about a year. She knows for a fact that she's with Alex; she remembers Gabe and his death, pretty vividly. She remembers their foosball games, their looking into Typhon; she remembers the LARP they held for Ethan. And of course, her and Alex's kiss at the Spring Festival.

...and she remembers Alex coming into the town meeting, and revealing everything about Jed and Typhon.

And finally, Steph remembers leaving Haven Point with Alex, the two going cross country, and taking baby steps as a two woman band. As of tonight, their year long road trip and "tour" has currently led them here to the county of North Kill, New York where they nearly hit a dog up by Hackett's Quarry, and in turn, got the Sheriff to send them to the Harbinger Hotel. 

All of these, Steph can bet you dollars to donuts, have in fact happened to her.

But at the same time...she has other memories; things that feel so real to her, she can't be sure it's a dream. Or rather, she has glimpses of these memories, but each and every time she tries to think about them, her nose starts to bleed. She thinks she remembers being on stage for musicals; she thinks she was in Jekyll & Hyde, or Shrek the Musical, and this play about the Cthulhu mythos. In almost every one of those glimpses, she swears she can see her in the audience.

Rachel Amber.

Now, Steph did have a crush on Rachel in Blackwell, it's true. But she has accepted that she was gone for years after word got out of her death. She didn't even consider herself that close to Rachel; they hung out like twice, but they mostly knew each other through Chloe.  Bottom line, Rachel shouldn't still have an effect on Steph that she'd be dreaming of her frequently. So of course, Steph would try to ignore her "dreams" as just being that.

That was, up until last September, when Steph had a few where she was living with this girl in LA. A girlfriend she thinks, and given the way her stomach coils at the mere thought of her, she's guessing she was abusive; when that girl slammed Steph's hand in an oven door, her guess was proven correct. But the thing was ? When Steph woke up from that, her hand was broken as it was in the dream. Steph and Alex were on a camping trip when it happened, at least twenty miles from the nearest oven.

After that, Steph didn't know what to make of them, but tried her best to ignore them when they came up.

As Steph was thinking this over, she quickly looked down her shirt to see it's soaking wet. Like someone poured cold coffee all over her.

"Oh for fuck-" Steph says, before taking off her shirt.

She can hear the shower still going in the bathroom, and figures "What the hell ?"

Steph got into the bathroom, hearing Alex humming and singing under the shower stream, no doubt practicing one of their covers.

"-men weren't meant to ride/with clouds between their knees/I'm only a man/in a silly red sheet-"

Steph knocks loud enough on the sinks cupboard, that Alex stops and pulls back the curtain slightly.

"Room for two ?" Steph asks.

"You had another nightmare, did you ?" Alex asks.

"How can you tell-" Steph says, realization she asked a stupid question from the way Alex glances at her "Right, right."

Alex smiles and playfully rolls her eyes "Come on in, water's still warm."

Steph sheds the last of her clothes and steps into the shower with her girlfriend, not bothering to close the curtain, as Alex wraps her arms around her waist.

"Was it a bad one ?" Alex asks "I mean, you're aura's all..."

"I won't lie - I'm a little shaken." Steph says, laying her chin down on Alex's shoulder as she feels the latter rubbing her lower back "But I don't think they're all nightmares."

"I mean, you seem pretty relaxed when you have them lately." Alex nods "Maybe you were remembering something ?"

"Or something." Steph sighs "It's just I can never get a good look at it; I think about it too much and my nose starts-"

"I know. I know." Alex says, kissing Steph across the cheek and neck "We don't have to talk about it."

"It's not that." Steph says, returning Alex's embrace "It's just-" She says before sighing "I just want to make sure this is real. Like, how do I know I won't want to get up from this ?"

Alex lovingly brushes a hand across Steph's cheek before kissing her on the mouth.

"It's real. I'm here." Alex says reassuringly, pressing her forehead to Steph's.

There's a pause before Alex speaks again.

"It's okay to cry, you know."

"I'm fine, just confused." Steph says insistently, before wrapping her arms around Alex's neck, brushing a hand through Alex's dark hair "But this...this is good."

The two held each other, just relaxing in each other's embrace. 

It felt good for Steph, it kept her at ease and gave her a clear mind. It was like when she'd have those "dreams" where Rachel was present.

And all at once, a fog began to clear in Steph's head, and all at once, Steph's little glimpses felt like more vivid memories.

Steph cuddled on a couch with Rachel, watching a movie, as they'd do every Friday. Steph and Rachel taking a trip to a record store; Steph remarking that if she didn't pursue a stage career, she could totally see herself being a DJ. Steph and Rachel having their first Christmas as a couple; Rachel bought Steph a PS4; Steph bought Rachel a car. Steph and Rachel taking a trip to Toronto (with Rachel complaining that it was the second coldest week in Rachel's life). They were going to this expo, meeting the cast of a show Steph was trying to get her into.

And finally, Steph and Rachel planning a trip to Arcadia Bay county for the forthcoming memorial and anniversary of what happened there.

"Steph ? Steph!" Alex's voice softly but instantly caught Steph's attention.

Steph looks around and sees red liquid running with the water down Alex's shoulder.

Steph put her fingertips on the lip under her nose, quickly realizing her nose was bleeding.

Again.

"Oh my-!" Steph exclaims as she steps out of the shower. With no napkins to find or use, she settled on using some toilet paper to cover up her nose "Jeez..."

"Was it bad ?" Alex asks, stepping out as well "Actually, no that was stupid. I felt it too."

Steph was feeling a little overwhelmed, so she didn't bother stopping the tears flow, quietly sobbing as she felt her head throb.

"It-it felt so real-" Steph grips her forehead with one of her hands, she tries to say, before uncontrollably letting out soft sobs.

Alex, having turned the shower off, simply walks up behind Steph, wrapping her arms around her, and buried her face into the back of her shoulder, whispering reassuringly in her ear.

"It's okay. It's okay. I'm here, you're here. Everything's fine."

"Is it ?" Steph asks "It was so easy to ignore them for a while, you know ? But at the rate they're happening, I don't know how I can keep living like this."

Alex gently takes Steph by the shoulders, and turns her around.

"Do you...do you want to go to someone ?"

"Like what ?" Steph says "You don't think I'm losing it, do you ?"

"I think somethings happening that you need to talk about." Alex answers "Empath or no, I'm not sure if I'm the one who can help you explain this. But I know you're not crazy; maybe you're going through something like I did."

"So...so how'd you find out you're an Empath ?" Steph sniffs as she tries to calm down.

"Just sort of came to me, you know ?" Alex shrugs "While I was growing up, I tried looking into mysticism to see if I could find any answers. Kind of put two and two together. Maybe we can find out what you've got the same way."

Steph sighs and nods.

"If...If you think it'll help."

Alex smiles sweetly, brushing a strand of hair behind Steph's ear.

"Come on, let's get some shut eye."

"Can we not ?" Steph asks "I'm...I'm scared I'll wake up again."

----

Minutes later, Steph and Alex were watching TV, cuddled up on their bed. They weren't really watching it, they just had it on for background noise.

Steph rested her head on Alex's shoulder, while Alex had one arm wrapped around Steph's waist, with her other hand gently stroking Alex's arm.

"Do you want to talk about them ?" Alex asks "If it'll help you feel better ?"

"What's to talk about ?" Steph shrugs "It was like I had this other life, you know ? I went to school in California, instead of Seattle, and went the route of being a stage actress. Had these other girlfriends that I know I didn't date."

"And ?" Alex says "I know there's other things bothering you; there's someone you're missing."

Steph says nothing.

"Rachel Amber." Alex says. She knows about Rachel; she didn't really follow the Arcadia Bay incident when it initially happened, but she learned about it second hand from Steph. After all, Steph was friends with two of the three girls who were the center of that case.

Steph nods, wiping her eyes before saying.

"That's the thing though; I know Rachel is dead. Like, I get it, her body disappeared from the morgue- and I heard a few conspiracy theories, but my mom knew one of the responding officers. They know it was her they found."

"But...?"

Steph thinks for a moment before chuckling.

"Okay, I know this is gonna sound a little out there, but in these dreams...Rachel and I ended up dating." Steph chuckles again "And like, I know I crushed on her back then, but I should be over it right ?"

Alex shrugs, but has an understanding smile.

"But the weird thing is...I think she was a vampire." Steph finishes.

Alex says nothing, but her expression indicates she doesn't know what to make of that.

"No seriously." Steph says "Rachel was dead, but she awoke as this vampire, and she'd keep seeing my shows. And there was this whole conspiracy about vampires, and these plans for an apocalypse or something...I think she was writing this book ?"

This garners a stifled laugh from Alex.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Alex says "But that sounds like something out of-"

"The Lost Chronicles, right." Steph says with a nod "And that's what I was thinking. You've been trying to get me into those books, and I thought they were giving me these dreams."

"But ?" 

"I mean, on one hand that's the logical conclusion, right ?" Steph asks "But remember when I woke up with a broken hand-"

"And you dreamt that you got your hand slammed by an oven door." Alex nods.

"Exactly!" Steph says "And this one, where I trip over a table, and spill coffee all over my shirt; I wake up and what do I find."

Steph gets out of Alex's embrace and walks to the hamper, lifting her discarded shirt out of it. Steph then hands it to Alex.

"Low and behold."

Alex takes the shift and quickly notices the stain.

"It's still wet." Alex remarks.

"Exactly." Steph fidgets a little, grabbing her arm "That's what's freaking me out."

Alex simply looks at the shirt for a moment, before Steph notices a look of realization on her face.

"What is it ?"

"Give me a second." Alex says, getting off the bed and making her way to their bags.

From it, she pulls out a book; "Beyond the Veil: Further Stories of The Lost Chronicles" by Vivian Manning.

Technically the fourth book of the series, Beyond the Veil was a collection of short stories, connected to The Lost Chronicles. Alex got into these books over the past four years, and thought she'd get Steph into them too. 

Steph was a little touchy about the series, especially with Vivian Manning writing an expose about Arcadia Bay and Rachel Amber's life; Steph remembers Vivian reaching out to her by email, but Steph refused the interview at the time. She especially found it peculiar how much Manning knew about Chloe and Rachel's lives without speaking to the families. There's no way she could get that information from interviewing classmates.

Even so, Steph gave The Lost Chronicles a read. She didn't think much of them, being vampire revisions of classic myths, and history. Beyond the Veil was a little more original, being short stories that had a supernatural horror edge to them, that she figured Vivian wanted to get out there.

"Okay," Alex says, sitting back on the bed, flipping through the book "You've been saying whenever you dream of this, it's like you're going into another life."

"That's what I said."

"And when you think about them, all you get is a fog." Alex continues "And when you think too hard or too much about it, your nose starts bleeding."

Steph says nothing, but looks at Alex quizzically. Again, Alex continues.

"In this book, there's a short story called Two Lives, One Heart." Alex says, showing Steph the pages "Give it a read and see if it reminds you of anything."

Seeing otherwise no harm in this, Steph did just that. The story was seventy five pages long, and told the story of two lovers in the city. One was a vampire, and the other was a seemingly normal man, who would disappear from her life and memory at different periods. 

Details, details, but the short of it was the vampire was a figurehead of a plot involving a vampire apocalypse, for which she must take a side...while her lover was a tulpa; a person who was being pulled between two different lives.

The symptoms were uncanny; the man would remember the other life as a dream, but would remember very little as a fog would overcome his mind. If he thought too much about it, his nose would start to bleed. If that wasn't uncanny enough, the tulpa's name was "Stephen", and was nicknamed "Steph".

As she reached the end of the short story, Steph dropped the book with a stutter.

"What the fuck is this ?" she asked, an increasingly nervous edge in her voice. She gulps before turning to Alex "You don't think...you don't think this stuff is real, do you ? I mean- I mean this is just a book. Fiction. Vampires, tulpas, they can't be any more real than time travel."

"Or empaths ?" Alex says.

Steph was at a loss for words, pressing two fingers on her temple, before touching her nose a little to see if it was bleeding.

"Okay, uh...what-what do we know about the author ?" Steph says "I mean, this Vivian Manning girl, she's- she's just a girl. Someone who's really into the supernatural, right ? Someone who'd write this stuff on AO3 had she not got a publisher."

Alex hesitates for a second before shaking her head.

"I mean...she's pretty reclusive." Alex says, putting a hand on Steph's shoulder "And I remember something my mom used to say; if there's too many coincidences, they ain't coincidences."

Steph winces a little, pressing her forefinger and thumb on the bridge of her nose.

Okay, so Vivian Manning writes vampire stories, and she wrote a short about a tulpa. A tulpa that happened to have the same symptoms Steph was having.

On the other hand, Vivian Manning also wrote a pretty knowledgeable expose about Rachel Amber and Arcadia Bay. So knowledgeable there was no way she could know things unless she was there. Things that go beyond the word of those she interviewed.

As the gears were winding in Steph's head, she remembered something. Manning reached out to her by email back in 2017...if she were to look at her emails, she should be able to contact her right ?

However, whatever idea Steph was having was caught off guard when she noticed Alex get off the bed.

"Hold the phone..." Alex says as she makes her way to the TV.

"Alex, what is it ?" Steph asks.

Alex turns the TV up, and Step notices a news report playing.

The immediate heading read as such; "Beaver Creek attack - sixty four confirmed dead. Missing Persons increasing."

A new anchorwoman appears on camera, in what appears to be a distressing situation, standing at a sign reading "Welcome to Beaver Creek" as several police cars surround the area. At least one police chopper is in the background, as the woman gives her statement.

"...In this developing story, we have received word that state troopers are to aid in an evacuation of civilians. By all accounts, no one is quite sure of who is an attacker or who is the victim. We are still not allowed past these parameters, but we have word that this attack apparently stopped at a local hospital in which-"

The anchorwoman flinches away as another cruiser drives past her.

"Witnesses say these, pillagers, as some called them, were attacking in the manner of predatory animals. There are currently seventeen wounded being treated for bite wounds and-" The newswoman pauses, pressing into her ear piece "We have just gotten word that one of the missing persons is one Daniel Diaz. Diaz, eleven years old, is a key witness and person of interest in multiple ongoing investigations, including the slaying of police officer Kindred Matthews, and civilian Esteban Diaz. A case that is still the source of conspiracy and controversy to this day, with theorists claiming-" 

The anchorwoman is interrupted by the sound of gunfire. Dozens of shots, as if from multiple assault rifles.

"Jesus, what was that ?!"

The anchor woman composes herself before she continues.

"Ten months prior, Beaver Creek was the subject of investigation with an attempted abduction of Diaz, but as of yet there is no-"

As she talks, a small group of officers are moving in the background, carrying a wounded officer. One of them glances at the anchorwoman and says "Ma'am, you need to leave!"

The anchor woman's attention shifted to the officers.

"Sir, I, and I'm sure my viewers would like to know-"

"Ma'am, this isn't safe; this area has been compromised- Jesus!" The officer exclaims as the wounded victim begins vomiting blood, showing a noticeable rip in their neck.

"Holy crap, can- can we show that on camera ?" The woman asks.

"You need to leave!" The irate officer says, "You need to-"

They're cut off by the sound of gunfire, sounding a little closer than it did earlier. The anchorwoman screams and the cameraman can be heard shouting.

The camera begins moving and shaking as the camera man starts to run. It stops for a second, zooming into the tree lines and catching the image of three people in the trees, watching from a short distance away; they looked otherwise normal, but their eyes were white and milky and blood on their mouths. The shot only lasts about two seconds, before the camera man books it, the news woman can be heard in the background.

"Oh shit, Gary!" The anchorwoman screams "Let's get out of here!-"

The camera stops as the caption "WE ARE EXPERIENCING TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES. PLEASE STAND BY." appears onscreen.

Steph and Alex stare in slack jawed horror at what they had seen.

"That...that has to be for a movie right ? A promotion or something ?" Steph asks hesitantly.

"Steph..."

"I mean, you saw those people in the last shot, right ?" Steph says "They are actors for a zombie movie or something."

"Steph..."

"I-I mean what are the fucking odds-?"

"Steph!" Alex raises her voice a little "You're starting to panic."

"I-I just-" Steph tries to say before sitting on the bed with a frustrated sigh "It's just this, on top of my dreams ? After what we just looked at ? It has to be a coincidence right ? It just has too!"

Alex says nothing, simply getting onto the bed, and giving Steph a reassuring hug.

"There's too many coincidences for it to be a coincidence, is there ?" Steph asks dejectedly.

Alex shrugs.

"Steph, I don't know what to say..."

"I think," Steph hesitates "I think there's something we can do."

Alex looks at Steph questionably. Finally, Steph says

"I'm thinking we ask Vivian Manning a few questions."

Chapter 13: Rachel & Steph: Pt.1 (Flashback)

Summary:

So I am finally finishing Rachel's flashback arc. However the current chapter was so long, that I had to split it into two parts. I have literally one more segment to finish up before part two is complete, and I plan to post it on my birthday in September, along with "Love's Sacrifices" next chapter.

Meaning I can finally get back to work on the "present day" chapters, and the Pricefield arc I had in mind. Though this is part one of the Ambergrich wrap up in favor of Chengrich, which I've been sitting on for over a year.

Edit: I've also had to do some trimming with this chapters cliffhanger. But it's been moved to the next chapter.

Chapter Text

Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, July 28th, 2015

As she said she would the day before, Rachel made her way to the Starbucks she said she'd meet Steph.

Initially she debated, stopping at a flower shop, pick up a bouquet of white roses, but she stopped herself when she realized how tacky it was. She didn't want to come off too strong, this was a lunch date for a girl you're trying to make up for nearly cheating on her. Baby steps is all you need.

A million other thoughts were going through her mind on the drive there; particularly how she was gonna explain things to Steph about her sometimes not being there, and leaving foggy blanks in her memory.

What would Steph make from it ? Would it come off as an excuse for Rachel nearly fucking Emily and Sam ? Would she freak out about how Rachel apparently knew she'd disappear and reappear from her life ?

Maybe she's overthinking it. Baby steps are all they need right now.

Speaking of Sam and Emily, a week back, Sam would try to reach out to Rachel, claiming she wanted to meet up and explain everything.

Somehow, she and Emily knew something was happening in Seattle. Rachel had mixed thoughts given what her previous encounter with those two led to...but if they knew what Reid and Ashbury knew, and may not have been telling her, it might be worth looking into.

At the same time, it felt like meeting them like this, in private ? While she and her girlfriend were on a break ? And given how suspicious it was that they knew about Arcadia Bay, as well as Jonathan and Ashbury's advice to keep an eye out and her head down, Rachel simply wrote a reply.

"Maybe later. Got some personal shit to work out."

Rachel pulls into the parking lot, stepping out with a purse over her shoulder, seeing Steph sitting at a table at the far end from her at one of the exterior tables.

Steph saw Rachel, giving her a friendly smile and wave, which Rachel returned in kind.

Rachel made her way across the parking lot, her heart racing so fast, she could hear it pounding. She could scarcely remember when she was this nervous; probably when she first saw Steph at her show, or when she first awoke in the morgue.

And with the millions of thoughts, feelings and memories rushing through Rachel's head at once....she didn't notice the black van pull up behind her half way through the parking lot.

In under two seconds, the slide-in door opens, two pairs of arms reach out, taking Rachel by the shoulders, pulling her in before she can yelp. In the process, Rachel's phone slips out of her purse, just dodging the tire as it sped off.

Besides Steph, a few spectators saw what happened. Those who were two busy going about their own business took a few seconds to catch on.

"Rachel ?" Steph says under her breath, getting out from her seat, hastily making her way to the parking lot before speaking a little louder "Rachel ?"

Ignoring the many voices of people going "What was that ?" "Did you see that ?" "Are they filming a movie here ?" "Did anyone get the license number ?" Among a few others already calling 911, Steph hastily made her way to the discarded phone.

She turns it on; there's a few cracks from the fall, but the phone was in working condition.

Steph looks back and forth between the phone and the van disappearing around the corner.

----

Inside the van itself, it takes about twelve seconds for Rachel's head to stop spinning, the interior was dark, but Rachel could feel a pair of cuffs cutting into her wrists.

It takes a few seconds for her eyes to adjust until she sees a familiar face crouching down in front of her, and one she hasn't been wanting to see for a while.

The dirty blonde/light brunette, cowlick hair; the lanky but muscular build; the ashy pale skin; the striking green eyes; that affable smile. Mordred, wearing his "Miles Winter" persona. With him were four other guys, two of them in the front seats, the other two holding Rachel in place.

"Miss me, Miss Manning ?" Mordred asks, his accented voice sounding as intimidating as he tries to be friendly and endearing "It's been what, over a year now ?"

Rachel groans in response, her head ringing as she's still a little dizzy.

"Of course," Mordred says "I don't think a year should be long enough to forget a promise, right ?"

"What do you want from me ?" Rachel manages to say, trying to put on a brave face.

"What I want. What I need." Mordred shrugs his head from side to side "Mother's Children all serve a purpose. I just want to make sure you're serving yours, and not being led astray by an undesirable element."

Mordred takes Rachel by the chin and directs her gaze to his.

"Before you ask, no, you're not gonna get raped." Mordred says in a voice that sounds like he's trying to be reassuring "I may be a monster, but I like to think I have some class."

"I can't imagine why anyone would think that." Rachel says, still trying to put on a brave face, and managing a deadpan tone.

"Well, I thought we'd get the ball rolling." Mordred shrugs "After all, you've done nothing to spread Mother's essence to others, and a little birdie told me Scarlet Rivers has been pretty negligent of her duties.

Mordred sighs as he leans back against the van's wall.

"No matter. I was thinking of putting my Wilfred operations to the sword; we've collected more from what we need from them, and it's getting too much unwanted attention." Mordred continues, before reaching forward putting a hand on Rachel's shoulder "Of course, we still have some use for you..."

Rachel, despite her situation, was more annoyed than anything, rolling her eyes with an irate groan.

"Oh, just spit it out already." Rachel says "I know you're talking vaguely to add an air of mysteriousness, but let me tell you, it only makes you look like a douche."

Mordred nots, taking a carton of cigarettes from his breast pocket and lighting a cig.

"You know, if you were not the fortieth person to call my prose like that, I'd respect that moxy." Mordred says before taking a huff and a puff "But since you're so upfront about it, I'll return the favor. Would you happen to know anyone in Seattle ? Maybe someone who attended Blackwell Academy. Mark Jefferson's class perhaps ?"

Rachel says nothing, but the realization hits her. Which Mordred can see in her eyes.

"I'll take that as a yes." Mordred chuckles "Think of this as taking a break from your little vacation. My Mother brought you back for a reason; as such you are her property, the same as I. With that, I'd say your brothers and sisters can do with you as they see fit. In this case, spreading her to the shores of Seattle."

Rachel opens her mouth, but whatever retort she had was silence as Mordred placed a finger on her mouth to shush her.

"As for Miss Gingrich, I can admire you having her put under guard, but I can assure you, that's hardly necessary." Mordred chuckles again "After all, we already have you, so it's not like we need any leverage. Besides that...it's not like she has a chance of stopping this."

----

In the moments that passed, the world blanked around Stephanie Gingrich.

A few cop cars were already pulled up, a couple officers, taking witness statements, getting a description of the vehicle, the license plate (I-HRT-HCABS), everything.

While Steph was sure the police would more than likely be chasing the van down, she also remembered what Rachel told her about Mordred - he wasn't someone who'd let a little thing like a police chase stand in his way. That is if Mordred didn't have police on his payroll.

She doesn't really know how deep this vampire conspiracy goes, but she learned enough from Rachel that if the time comes, you gotta fight fire with fire.

Now, of course, Steph's heart was racing, and her brain was trying to catch up, but you spend enough time on stage, you learn to develop a poker face.

Rachel's phone, as it usually was, without a password (Rachel never could think of anything witty) and she spent minutes scrolling through messages and emails while everyone was distracted. Looking for something, anything that can give her some answers.

In a couple minutes, she saw it. That email from Sam Giddings...

Steph's own annoyance over Sam contacting her girl aside, it's the message that has her attention; about Mordred, and what he's been up too in Seattle. Which curiously, matches up to questions Rachel has been asking Reid and Ashbury.

It didn't take long for Steph to put two and two together. Nor did it take long for Steph to know what to do next.

Using her own phone, she dials in Ashbury's number, which the Lady was quick to answer.

"Miss Gingrich ?" Ashbury's voice answers.

"Yeah, it's me." Steph answers immediately "Look, it's Rachel. I think- No, I know she's in trouble!"

"What kind of trouble ?" Ashbury says, sounding uneasy.

"Look, I've been on her phone. She's been sending you and your partner these messages."

"Seattle, yes." Ashbury affirms "We told her she's on a need to know basis, and we'd let her know the more we find out, but so far nothing's changed-"

"Yeah, about that ?" Steph interrupts "Things have changed; black van picked her up not five minutes ago."

"You sound remarkably calm."

"Trust me, I'm freaking out on the inside," Steph says pacing back and forth "But I at least have an idea of where they're going. One of the girls she nearly slept with sent her an email about Seattle and something Mordred has in mind there."

"I'm sorry. Are you saying they're taking her to Seattle ?" Ashbury asks.

"I don't know for sure." Steph says "But I'm sure it's nothing your little security forces can intercept ?"

"I'll try my best, but this is rather sudden." Ashbury says "I usually do these things when I'm prepared."

"Just tell them to look for a black van." Steph says "Should still be in or around the Beverly Hills area. Just keep an ear on scanners - I think they got the license plate - and see if you or your goons can intercept them."

"I...I'll do what I can." Ashbury says.

"Thank you." Steph sighs "Look, I'll see if I can reach your place; there's a few other things I want to talk about, but right now Rachel needs our help."

"Very well, Miss Gingrich." Ashbury says "I shall see you within the hour."

"I'm on my way right now."

With that, Steph hangs up and begins to speed walk towards her car in the parking lot.

Had she not been in such a rush, she probably wouldn't have noticed her laces were untied and not tripped over one of the exterior tables, a discarded cub spilling all over her shirt. Even so, she got up and continued. A large splash of cold coffee wasn't gonna be enough to slow Steph Gingrich down.

For now she had a girlfriend to rescue.

-----

Just as Steph said she would, she reached Asbury's penthouse up in the Hills over the next hour - stopping at her own place to quickly change her shirt.

Ashbury herself opened the door for her, but barely got a word in before Steph made her way inside.

"Any news ?" Steph asks, with a nervous edge in her voice.

"Miss Gingrich-"

"Have you people intercepted them ?"

"Miss Gingrich-"

"Are you at least on-?"

Impatiently, Ashbury places her hand on Steph's mouth.

"Miss Gingrich," Ashbury says insistently, her eyes flaring. This had an effect on Steph she later chalked up to a vampire's hypnosis "I appreciate your concern, but I'd advise you not let it get the best of you."

Steph steps out of her grasp and scoffs despite her heart beating at a slower pace.

"That's easy for you to say. Has Dr. Reid been kidnapped, tortured, possibly-?"

Ashbury places a finger on Steph's lips, before saying in a reassuring sounding voice.

"Quite a few times. This is not the first time we made such a rescue." Ashbury puts a reassuring hand on Steph's shoulder "Though as this is the first one where such a person of interest is directly involved, New Ascalon will have all its eyes on this particular mission. What our immediate concern now is for you."

"Me ?" Steph asks incredulously as Ashbury leads her down the halls to the penthouses living room "Not Rachel ? Not the girl who was kidnapped not an hour ago ?"

"I'm not sure if Rachel has let you in on her work as Scarlet Rivers ?" Ashbury asks.

"Not really. I know she has an ugly side, as she calls it, but she doesn't let me see it."

"Most of Mordred's immediate followers are human. I have nothing but confidence that Miss Amber could fight her way out if she could; it's little wonder why another, more experienced, vampire had to be involved." Ashbury says "And considering what's happening in Seattle, we can narrow the search."

"Okay, but what happens to Rachel before then ? What if she gets killed ? What if she's tortured or r- ra-?"

"It will not come to that." Ashbury says leading Steph into the living room, and having her take a seat on her couch "Everything we know of Mordred's MO is he's very particular when it comes to killing. Usually it's a permanent solution to his more temporary problems; but to kill someone his Queen has infected much of her power into ? No. It's too risky for him unless he has someone to replace her. Which gives us a window of time."

Steph simply looks in confusion and disbelief as Ashbury explains this, as the latter sits across from her on the couch.

"How can you know this ? And how would you know he won't-"

"We have been systematically warring with the Mother's Children for nearly a century. Our face to face encounters with Mordred were few and far between; but those we know who worked with him directly paint a pretty decent picture in how he operates. Torture's rarely his first resort, and while he may have worked with rapists, he was pretty hands off with their actual crimes. Considering his conception, and that of his father's, it's believed rape a sore subject to him."

Ashbury places a hand on Steph's as if to further re-assure her.

"Bottom line, if he is as directly involved with Miss Amber's disappearance as we believe he is, she is in no immediate danger."

Steph sighs and nods, before saying "But you know where she is going ?"

"I'm sure you're aware of what's happening in Seattle ?"

"I have some ideas." Steph says, handing Ashbury Rachel's phone "She's been giving you and Dr. Reid all these messages; I know some of the name's on here; Victoria Chase, Dana Ward. They were victims, students, or targets of Mark Jefferson. I know why this Red Queen of yours picked Rachel, so yeah I think I'm picking up what's going down."

Ashbury nods understandingly.

"Well, luckily for you, you're not the only one."

Ashbury looked over her shoulder, and stepping out from the hallway was three women; one is an Asian American looking to be about college age, the second is a blonde Caucasian. Both of them have guilty looks on their faces when they spot Steph, who narrows her eyes when she recognizes them immediately.

"Miss Gingrinch, may I present you with-"

"Samantha Giddings and Emily Davis." Steph seethes "Yeah, I looked into you-"

"I know it's not an excuse or anything." Sam raises both her hands defensively "But we didn't know-"

"Oh really ? Do you usually sleep with your photographers, or was there something special about Rachel ?"

Neither Sam nor Emily answer, when the third woman steps forward from the hallway. 

She looked a little older, about twenty seven years old. Unlike Sam and Emily who were dressed in more civilian wear, this woman was dressed more professionally, wearing a dark bluish grey suit like some sort of Government Agent, with short cut hair, and a simple set of glasses, giving her a more "hot librarian" look. She was First Nations - as Steph would later learn, from a mixed Cree and Ojibwe family.

"That's what I'm here for." The woman says, stepping forward towards the couch, reaching her hand out to shake "Vanessa Dibikad, at your service. I am these two's handler, and making sure they keep out of trouble. With...varying success."

Steph looks between the four women with visible confusion "Handler ?"

"Something you need to know about fighting a shadow war, Miss Gringrich," Ashbury starts "Is that you may need to make as many connections as possible."

"In my case," Dibikad says, taking a seat between Steph and Ashbury on the couch, "I am a joint agent for the Federal Bureau of Control and the last of the Pâhkwêkan club."

Steph shakes her head.

"I don't know what either of those are." Steph says incredulously.

"Ever hear of the SCP Foundation ?" Emily chimes in.

"Oh my god, they're not real too, are they ?" Steph asks as if she can't handle any more existential dread "I used to visit that site all the time back in the-"

Dibikad interrupts "In a manner of speaking; the FBC needed some front and a 4Chan based website seemed like as good a cover as any. If it makes you feel any better, 85% of that site is fabricated."

"That's comforting." Steph says blankly, before asking "And the other thing ? The Pa- the Pah-"

"The Pâhkwêkan. It means Night Owl." Dibikad answers "You won't hear a lot about them; I'm the last of them after all, but you're not here for a history lesson; you're here for your girlfriend; lucky for you, I had two eyes here and in Seattle that can help fill things in."

Dibikad jabs a thumb at Sam and Emily.

Steph looks back and forth between the four woman, visibly annoyed at the presence of the two women who fucked her girlfriend.

"What do they got to do with it ?"

"It's not that long a story," Sam says "We and our friends were attacked by-'' she hesitantly stops to look at Dibikad.

"You can say it, they're already following you." Dibikad rolls her eyes.

"Wendigo month back; in fact, my friend Mike and I killed a few of them to save our..." Sam sighs sadly "We saved most of our friends, but what we didn't know was they wouldn't stop."

"Vengeful spirits you see." Dibikad says "You kill one, you better make sure they stay dead lest they spend the rest of your life seeking you out."

"Anyways, our case got the FBC's attention, especially when not a week later they reached our town and..." Sam stops with a shake and wipe of her eye.

"They killed a lot of people. A lot of our people." Emily says, looking like she's just keeping it together "Didn't even eat them; it was just part of their revenge."

"That's when the FBC stepped in, used its associates and connections, to set up a-" Dibikad stopped to think about it for a moment "Think of it as an informal witness protection policy, as well as a recruitment thing. For all intents and purposes, Sam, Emily and their friends are agents - more like cub scouts - under our watch."

Steph looks back at Sam and Emily, incredulously.

"You two are agents ?"

"Cub Scouts." Dibikad says insistently "They go to places our organizations are investigating, even help out, but actually going in on the battlefield would be inadvisable."

"When we were first recruited," Sam says, as she and Emily take a seat at two chairs adjacent to the couch "We were asked to look into Arcadia Bay. It's one of the FBC's ongoing investigations."

"It wasn't much." Emily adds "We'd just approach those who were in Mark Jefferson's class, or anyone connected to the case, try to get into their circle, and report back to the FBC every now and then."

"Yes." Dikibad says with an annoyed glare "Of course, these two got a little unprofessional with our witnesses."

"Which is why," Ashbury adds "They were asked to look into the case of Vivian Manning and Scarlet Rivers."

"Rachel," Steph nods, putting two and two together.

Then after thinking about it for another moment, she once again glances at Sam and Emily.

"Wait, so mean to tell me you were sent to investigate a girl who went missing, was found dead, resurfaced two years later, and your first thought was to fuck her ? Knowing she's a vampire no less ?!"

Sam raises both hands defensively.

"Cards off the table. We fuck to cope." Sam says nonchalantly, both Ashbury and Dikibad wince and glare at how blunt Sam's being "And we were letting out a lot."

"So that makes it okay to-" Steph says.

"In our double-defense." Emily interrupts "You weren't in this life."

There is a pause. Steph's jaw drops, skin pales, and eyes widen.

It takes several seconds for her to form a response.

"What ?"

"At the time." Emily clarifies "Look, I'm sorry if I have to be blunt. But if you are going to be mad at us over something we didn't know, the least you could do is understand why ?"

Dibikad raises her hand to silence Emily.

"What she's saying, Steph," Dibikad says "You are part of the FBC's investigations too. Not as a witness, but as a subject."

Steph can feel her heart pounding and racing. She almost feels like she's gonna work herself up into a heart attack.

"Are you aware of the Tulpa effect ?" Ashbury asks.

Steph could only process enough to shake head a little.

"I don't know. I don't think so."

"Well, the idea of a Tulpa is that they are thought forms that are...well, given forms." Dibikad explains "The FBC has six known cases of them, manifesting as an individual who goes back and forth between two very different lives."

Steph groans, placing two fingers on both her temples.

"You mean to tell me...I'm not the real Steph...this isn't my real life ?"

"No." Ashbury says firmly, placing a hand on Steph's shoulders and making the younger woman face her "You are the real Steph Gingrich. It's just you're a version of you who lived a different life from another version. Think of it like...well, I don't know how to better describe it. I lack experience in this myself."

"These things usually last no more than a month, but based on our reports, you've been going back and forth between two lives for years." Dibikad says "Tell me, besides dating a vampire, what other phenomena have you experienced ? Any dreams or fuzzy memories ?"

Steph takes a moment to think before nodding.

"I keep having these blank spaces in my memory." Steph says, still trying to piece things together. 

Steph begins counting her fingers as she begins listing what she does and tries to remember.

"Sometimes I forget what year it is or who I'm talking to for a minute; I remember going to college here in LA, other times I remember going to Seattle. Sometimes I remember being in a band or a radio DJ, but I know that here I am a stage actress. And every time I try to think about it, my head gets all foggy."

"And your nose bleeds." Ashbury says.

"Yes, how did you-" Steph starts to ask before Ashbury nonchalantly hands her a box of tissues, as Steph's nose was in fact, starting to bleed.

"With all that said, while you having a tulpa effect may be alarming," Ashbury continues calmly "They present you with no real danger. They usually pass after a month, with no lasting side effects."

"But if your Tulpa effect lasts this long, as far as we can tell, someone or something wants you here." Dibikad adds "To be part of this life. Something within this world, or another."

"Another ?" Steph double takes.

"Yes, Steph." Dibikad says "Multiverse is the simplistic answer, but it's a little more complicated here. Point is, someone wants you to be part of this life."

Steph opens her mouth to argue or question further, before closing her mouth.

"Rachel, it has to be Rachel." Steph nods "I know she was looking for something to fill Chloe's void, keep her tethered to her past. She's the one connected to that goddess, so it has to be her who pulled me here."

"That's the theory the FBC is going with; but like the line between alternate lives or alternate worlds, it's pretty foggy." Dibikad nods.

"Back to the matter at hand." Ashbury clasp both hands "We already have it on good authority that Mordred won't seriously harm Miss Amber until he gets what he needs; if we have eyes on his targets he won't be able to make his move. From there, it's just a waiting game. That is where you come in."

Steph pauses with an unreadable expression, still taking all of this in "I am listening."

"Scouts Davis and Giddings already have friends in what we are calling the Jefferson circle." Dibikad explains "We figured their months long vacation is enough reprimandation. With Scouts Munroe, Taylor and Riley in Delos Crossing, as well as Scouts Brown and Hartley stationed in Cauldron lake, it would seem it once again falls to these two to keep an eye on Mordred's prize."

"Along with another familiar face of course." Steph nods, picking up what they're putting down, before crossing her arms "And I take it I'd be a scout too ?"

"How much fighting experience do you have ? Especially against the supernatural ?" Dibikad asks, before gesturing to Sam and Emily "These two, along with Scout Munroe, are just behind a seasoned Pâhkwêkan hunter in holding their own against a wendigo, and they're still in scout rank."

"That may change." Emily pipes in "We're thinking about getting into the FBC as well."

"Yeah, good luck getting out of intern status." Dibikad chuckles with a roll of her eyes.

"I'm in." Steph says seriously "Just tell me where we start."

-----

That night, in Seattle, Washington

Rachel came too in a bright white room, taking a few seconds for her eyes to adjust. She sees what appears to be an otherwise plain bedroom, slide in glass door. Outside was a balcony, overlooking rundown backyard, obscured by a ten foot fence and two large trees, obscuring the view. You'd have to be in the yard itself to see what's going on.

Rachel looks around to see her surroundings, there was nothing remarkable in the room aside from a TV stand, the TV stand, and what she thinks is a camera stand. She can't tell if the camera itself is on. It's night outside, and most notably, her wrists are shackled to a single post on this small bed. She was stripped down to a white tank top and a pair of Calvin Kline's.

"Welcome to Yesler, Seattle." A familiar voice says.

Rachel turns around to see Mordred, this time wearing a pair of reading glasses, and dressed as a college student. He was trying to give a meek appearance, looking smaller and weaker than he actually was. Even so, Mordred speaks to her in his natural Celtic/British sounding accent.

"It's my understanding you used to live in Lower Queen Anne when you were five. That protective dad of yours wouldn't let you anywhere near Yesler, would he ?"

Rachel says nothing, only glaring at her captor, who simply fakes a cough and makes his way to a desk on the room's end; he pulls out a chair and sits on it backwards, facing Rachel.

"I know this wouldn't be ideal, but my mother awoke you for a reason. I'm just making sure you pay her your dues." Mordred shrugs "You have to break a few eggs to make an omelet. Or in this case break a few girls."

On instinct, Rachel pulled, but felt something cutting into her wrists. Must have been something in the cuffs.

Mordred tsks and shakes his head.

"I wouldn't. You're making this harder than it has to be."

"I don't understand." Rachel says "I mean, I know you've been looking at Jefferson's other students, but I've been-"

"Silent for seven months now; the money you pulled from my operations is at an all time low." Mordred sighs "And after all these years... my mother still sleeps in your veins."

Mordred gets up from the chair and steps towards the bed, sitting on its end, lightly tapping Rachel's foot.

"Besides that. You had to have known this was coming. You know, when she awoke you from death, she had an expectation for you to uphold. An expectation I put on you." Mordred shakes his head with another sigh "No matter, the Blood of Hate flows through you and it is strong. So strong, it would be a waste to do something stupid too you like-"

Mordred reaches forward, giving a slashed throat gesture across Rachel's neck to mark his point.

"So we figure if we give what dwells within you a little wake up call, we must create a better environment to nurture it." Mordred says with a friendly smile "Bring out the monster you've been carrying! Scaring an old pervert into a heart attack ? Putting an abusive mother into the hospital ? It's not gonna do the trick."

Rachel tries to keep a calm composure, but all the warning Reid has given her led her to this.

"You already have found them, haven't you ?" Rachel says "Victoria Chase, Kate Marsh-"

"Cute couple actually. Kind of interested in seeing where they're going. Almost enough to make me not want to drag them into this." Mordred sighs wistfully "But what I want isn't important. Here, they know me as Asa Boorman; Cornish student by day, quiet neighbor by night. I often get their mail by mistake."

Suddenly there is a knock on the door; an older man, probably mid thirties steps in. A pale looking guy with grown out brown hair,  top heavy but bottom narrow man, dressed as a disheveled office worker. Looks like he hasn't slept in a week, and was carrying a medical bag.

"Ah, looks like the good Doctor is in." Mordred says with an amicable tone, getting off the bed to put a hand on the man's shoulder "Rachel Amber, may I present you to your landlord for the next...however long ? Dr. Leo Smith."

This Smith character gives Rachel a nod and tilt of an invisible hat.

"It'll be like I'm not here." He says.

"I know who you are." Rachel nods to the man "Reid's warned me about you. You're the one who keeps your eyes on me for this one."

Smith nods with a small smile "Well, our employer can't be in two places at once."

"They also told me you were an arsonist and rapist."

Smith chuckles modestly and shakes his head.

"Oh that ? Well the medication they gave me has my...primal desires at an all time low." Smith says briefly looking at his crotch "But what I lack in testosterone I make up for in chemistry."

"His connection was one thing. But for him to turn urine into a blood substitute ?" Mordred starts, before even he and Rachel wince with a squicked out expression right as he says that "Yeah, I know. Point is, the rich boy here has all the makings of a mad scientist. Someone we need for what we have in store."

"Call this a recreation experiment..." Smith says, taking his bag, laying out its contents over a desk "This Blood of Hate in your veins...it's restricted. No good spreading the disease that dwells within you. But by recreating the circumstances that put the Queen's blood into you, we can bring it back to its potent stage. It is a spiritual infection as much as it is a medical one, after all."

Smith starts prepping a needle

"And from what I've observed of you, you have become quite a tough shell to crack. I suppose you can say, you're in for a nostalgia trip Miss Amber."

"You'll be dead before I-" Rachel starts to say, before Mordred lightly smacks her on the side of her head.

"Come now, Miss Amber, I would think that a girl your age would learn that sometimes you have to take your medicine."

Mordred takes Rachel by the chin and forces him to look at her.

"Just think of it as a preparation for a Blackwell Academy reunion in the making!" Mordred says, playfully patting her on the cheek "In the meantime, I have some loose ends needing to be taken care of in LA. Till then little dove."

And just as Mordred says this, just as Rachel realizes he's distracted her...only then, does she feel the needle piercing her neck.

----

Portland Oregon, March 9th, 2013

The Candy Night Club was but a short walk from Mary's apartment.

During that short walk, Rachel and Mary would look up at the night sky, trying to decipher if what they were looking at was stars or airplanes.

....and yes, that led to them jovially singing that song on their little strut. A few passerby's stopped and stared for a moment.

Needless to say, Mary and Rachel were in the "mood" as soon as they entered the club (and proved to the bouncer they were not drunk).

Once inside and ready for the dance floor, Rhianna's "S&M" was blaring. The dance floor was crowded by dozens of dancers, live and thumbing with the beat; a few parties at the lounges, and several barflies getting wasted like they too had a bad day they were trying to shake.

"I take it this is too you're liking ?" Mary asks Rachel as they take in the scene.

"What ?" Rachel asks, not hearing Mary over the music.

"I said, is this too your liking ?"

"What ?"

"Can you even hear me ?"

"I mean, I can go for a few, but this is a little early." Rachel says, mistaking what Mary's saying for a request for an alcoholic beverage. She needs an adrenaline high, before she needs a buzz.

Rachel links her arm with Mary's.

"Shall we ?"

Mary chuckles and rolls her eyes, as she and Rachel make their way to the dance floor.

From there it was a collage of color, lights, movement and music. Rachel was going by muscle memory, for every time she showed the Vortex Club what she's got at their parties. As for Mary ? She was a force of nature, moving at such a speed and grace, that Rachel could hardly believe that Mary was human.

"Cause I may be bad/But I'm perfectly good at it/Sex in the air/I don't care, I love the smell of it/Sticks and stones may break my bones/But chains and whips excite me-"

All the while, Mary and Rachel did what they could to keep each other close; holding each other, kissing each other, grinding as they tried to keep up.

Every so often, some chud would try to get in on this, but a single look in Mary's eyes scared them off. And left them hoping their drink wasn't spiked.

Mary and Rachel's dancing streak went otherwise interrupted, but for Rachel, she found herself a little challenged. "S&M" turned to "Rude Boy", to "I Knew You Were Trouble"; from "Break Your Heart" to "Let's Play"; from "In My Head", "Sexy Bitch"; from "Party In The USA", to "Right Round" and finally "Turn Around'.

Needless to say, it took a long time for Rachel to keep up with Mary, something Mary herself seemed to notice, as she tapped Rachel on the shoulder.

"I think that's enough for now."

"You sure ?" Rachel says, catching her breath, all but leaning against Mary, her ears having become adjusted to the noise of the club "I could still-"

"You can't." Mary says "You're getting winded out and need to take a breather."

Rachel says nothing in response and does nothing to resist as Mary wraps an arm around her shoulder.

"Come, I'll get us a table." Mary says "Cool down, have some drinks."

"If you say so." Rachel says, letting herself be led to one of the tables.

When they were about to take their seat, Rachel felt her phone buzzing.

"Just gimme a few, I have to take this." Rachel says, raising a finger and pulling her phone out her pocket.

"Of course, my dear." Mary says, taking her seat "We have all night."

----

Rachel entered the ladies room, hoping she'd have whatever privacy it'd allow as she finally answered her phone. She takes her place at one of the walls, on which she leans against.

She should have checked the caller ID. She was thinking it was going to be Chloe, and hit answer immediately.
Turned out to be the last voice she wanted to hear.

"Hey, Chlo, what's up ?" Rachel asks.

"Who's Chloe ?" Mark's voice answers "Look, Rachel. About this morn-"

Rachel growls and hangs up her phone.

Before she could go back to the party scene, Rachel heard another buzz. She just rolled her eyes and went to voicemail.

"Look," Mark's voice says, sounding a little tired, annoyed and on edge, just barely keeping himself together "What I said this morning ? That was a bad headache talking. And I get it, the wound is still fresh. Not everyone's strong enough to drop something like that after a week."

After a week ? By Mark's own admission it took him a short while to get over his mothers passing, but did he really think it was that easy ?

"And it has you...it has you in the wrong headspace. I mean, for fuck sakes, you slept with me." Mark chuckles "But hey it wouldn't be the first time you did something stupid for someone who doesn't matter."

Rachel seethes a little and angrily answers her phone.

"Who the fuck are you to say-"

"Look, I don't know if there's a better way to put it, Rachel." Mark says, still trying to remain calm, but his irritation is apparent "Some people...aren't worth shedding tears over. And some people aren't worth getting stabbed over."

"...How did-?" Rachel starts to ask, before Mark interrupts her.

"Rachel." Mark says bluntly "You remember your the DA's daughter right ? I know you're not on daddy's speaking terms anymore, but someone like you getting stabbed in the junkyard ? It makes the papers, you know ?"

"What's that got to do with anything ?" Rachel asks.

"That girl that day, with you, Claire was it ?"

"Chloe."

"Whatever." Mark says "But if I were to guess, your troubles at home started when you associated with someone like her. I'm guessing she escalated an argument with her dealer or something ? And you stepped up to defend her-"

"That's not what happened-" Rachel tries to say, before Mark interrupts her again.

"I mean, good on you for sticking up for your friend, but just like some people aren't worth crying over, some people aren't worth dying over." Mark says "Look where did that Chloe got you ? In a hospital bed, nearly bleeding out. You had your whole life ahead of you, and it was nearly snuffed out by some maniac, because you weren't careful with who you associate with."

Rachel sighs and groans, putting two fingers on the bridge of her nose.

"Just get to your point, Mark!" Rachel raises her voice.

"My point is, you are an exceptional girl with an exceptional life and career." Mark answers, sounding oddly jovial despite his mood the past few moments "In fact, you remind me of myself when I was your age. In the right hands, you could be me!"

"Sounds promising." Rachel says with a sarcastic huff.

"Look, I get it." Mark says "Girl like you wants to walk on the wild side. But let me tell you this; you get into bed with the devil, it sounds like you're in for a good lay. And sure, the couple times he fucks you, it'll be great. But there will come a time when he puts his hand over your nose and mouth, until your lungs stop breathing, and your heart stops beating."

Rachel pauses, looking incredulously as she shakes her head in disbelief.

"Jesus Christ, what's gotten into you ?" Rachel asks, still trying to wrap her mind at what Jefferson was saying.

"I'm better at being a public speaker than a private one, okay ?" Mark says "But you let yourself get held back by girls like Chloe, or your mother, you'll find yourself falling off whatever path you're meant for, or worse, an early grave. I don't want to see that happen to my favorite student."

"Oh, so you're love bombing me..." Rachel chuckles and rolls her eyes. Having received much of these from James over the years, she's become numb to it at this point.

"No, but I'm telling you that I'll be heading back to Arcadia Bay tomorrow." Mark explains "With or without you. With you is preferable. I would hate to be the one to explain to James Amber what became of her daughter with the element she keeps."

Rachel says nothing for a minute, but Mark continues.

"Listen, I'm telling you this, because I care. And I'm worried. Like what if you disappeared; the city can be a scary place at night. Especially for girls like you. I don't want to be responsible if you suddenly went missing or something."

Again, Rachel says nothing.

"Look," Mark sighs, "I'm at the suite. I won't wait, but I will be leaving at 9:00 AM tomorrow. With you, or with bad news. Please make the right choice."

And with that, Mark hangs up.

Rachel leaned against the wall, spending a moment or too going over what Mark had said.

Of course, she's in safe hands, she's with Mary.

Also, getting involved with a bad element ? Rich coming from a guy who had no issue sleeping with an inebriated student.

"But Rachel, didn't you willingly sleep with him while drunk and high ? Did you not have a sex with Frank a few times while you two where high ? You practically walked into Mark's bedroom under the influ-" The annoying voice in the back of Rachel's head was saying as she found herself looking in the mirror.

"Shut up." Rachel says to her reflection under her breath. She needed to get a drink in her and let herself forget Mark and his mucky voice.

"What a solution, Rachel!" That annoying voice says "Totally not proving your conscience wrong. Go on then. Go fuck another older person who can take you places, you sure aren't being a stereotype. Totally not hurting Chloe more than you already-"

"Shut it." Rachel quietly says, pointing a finger at her reflection.

Then she turns around to see she's being watched by three other girls.

"Sorry." Rachel adds sheepishly "A little out of it right now."

And with that, Rachel hastily makes her way past the girls and out of the bathroom.

----

At their table, Mary simply ordered two beverages, as she waited for Rachel to finish her call.

She was drumming her fingers along the table, thousands of thoughts were going through her head at once. This little date of theirs was bringing back something uncomfortable to Mary, the whole reason she was pulled from the ground a second time.

The Blood Queen must spread, and it must be through her.

Mary had...and on an off relationship with the Mother's Children, and as it currently stands, she isn't associated with them. It was almost as rocky as her relationship with Jonathan and the rest of her family. With one, Mary finds a sense of stability; the other, a sense of escapism and catharsis from the pain of her second resurrection.

With Rachel ? Mary had very mixed feelings about the girl. At the surface level, it would seem like just another one of the girls the Red Queen would seek out; Mary would lure them, woo them, be just what she needed them to be, even if it meant just fucking their pain away...and in the process spreading The Queen's blood.

But with Rachel, Mary is trying to make it different. She made it no secret that she takes to sleeping around and has long since kicked the habit of giving her partners "The Queen's Bite". And it wasn't like Mary didn't empathize with Rachel; this was an ambitious girl, and a clever one; but not as clever as she would like to believe. She reminded Mary of a younger version of herself.

Rachel needed someone to guide her, and Mary is guessing that Rachel herself knows that; why else would she cling herself to someone like Jefferson. Although Mary acknowledges the hypocrisy that she too was planning on sleeping with the younger girl, she can at least try to rationalize it, right ?

Jefferson ? He could use and discard Rachel, toss her into the dump like she was a piece of trash. Mary ? She can get Rachel connected. She can take Rachel places. Both Rachel and her friend Chloe.

She and the Reid family can make them more than what they already are.

...But then again, that's what the Mother's Children would say too.

And speak of the devil, and she shall appear.

It was subtle at first; initially, Mary thought the lights in the club were simply going red for an effect...but then she notices the spilling of blood, cascading across the floor like a liquid carpet. 

If the club's patrons and workers noticed, they didn't make it apparent. As far as Mary could tell, she was the only one seeing this.
She opens her mouth to say something, perhaps to call attention to what she's seeing, but nothing comes out.

As Rhianna's Disturbia began playing, she saw the familiar red figure; standing tall, horned humanoid, and made from the same blood that cascades the room; it was standing in the middle of the crowd, which seemed oblivious to her presence. This confirmed to Mary, that she was the only one seeing all of this.

And from this Red Figure, the Queen's true appearance emerged as it made its way through the crowd and towards Mary, almost in tandem with the song.

It's a thief in the night to come and grab you/It can creep up inside you and consume you/A disease of the mind, it can control you/It's too close for comfort

She was just as she always appeared; an ethereal, angelic beauty; long flowing red hair, a shade as if it too was made from blood; a set red and black dress and robes, both of which flowed like the wind followed her wherever she went. Her skin, a pale whiteness that seemed to glow in contrast with the red colors The same plump red lips, curved in a perpetual smile; her eyes lacking in any pupil or iris.

As if she were another one of the patrons, the Queen takes a seat in front of Mary.

"Hmmm, the etiquette of celebration and ceremony, has drastically changed from when I last stirred. I don't think I'll ever get used to it." The Queen's apparition says, surveying the club scene "It matters not. In due time, this will fall away; like the old world before it, it'll fade with the next cultural shift or in the blood and ashes I leave in my-"

"Do you have a point to this little visit ?" Mary asks, quietly and irate.

"I do. My purpose is always to leave a mark on this world, wherever I visit." The Queen turns to face Mary "And what better canvas than Arcadia Bay ?"

Mary says nothing, which the Blood Queen takes as her cue to continue. 

"It would seem fate - or my son really - has a funny way of pulling things together." The Queen leans back in her seat "While I have my eyes on one...another falls into my lap."

She then leans over the table, putting her hands on Mary's.

"Or rather, your lap."

Mary closed her eyes and seethed.

"I...no longer...serve you." Mary says between three deep breaths "I am free. I am not part of your plans. Not part of my brother's war; I have washed my hands of this and-"

"Yes." The Red Queen says bluntly "You say all that as if Connor isn't a factor."

Mary pauses, twitching a little as she hears the name.

With a growing, malevolent smile, the Queen continues "Those who die under me, remain under my dominion. Your son is no different. They rest, they rot on my will...or they can awaken and feed, at my will. And at my will, you'll have Connor back. It'll be as if he never got sick."

Mary is at a loss for words, as the Queen leans in.

"I ? I can take who I wish from Arcadia Bay on my own." The Queen says, before shrugging "But I suppose you can lighten the load for me anyways."

"I-" Mary tries to protest, but the Queen raises a pale finger to shush her.

"Miss Reid, you're already going to lay with her. Your heart beats for her like it beats for the others you turned for me." The Queen leaned her head from one side to another "And what else where you but my holy concubine; spreading me as a whore spreads disease ?"

They turn their heads to see Rachel stepping out of the bathroom, apparently very upset from the phone call she had. And apparently, unable to see what Mary's seeing, as she makes her way to the table.

"You're choice." The Queen shrugs "It's not like your son hangs in the balance."

And with a blink of her eye, the Queen was gone. Along with the red light, along with the blood cascading the club.

After a few seconds of adjusting to the change, Mary looked up at Rachel as the latter was taking her seat.

"You seem upset, what's wrong ?" Rachel asks, looking none too pleased with herself as well.

"I was just thinking." Mary sighs.

Rachel nods with an understanding expression.

"Well, we've been listening to each other's problems all day." Rachel says, putting a hand on Mary's "Why stop now ?"

"I don't want to ruin our date." Mary says with a sad smile.

"It was Mark on the phone. My evening's already ruined." Rachel says bluntly.

"How so ?"

"Well, he's leaving tomorrow." Rachel says, putting her hands into a ball she puts under her chin "With or without me; is probably gonna make this trip a little more dramatic than it needs to me."

"And ?"

"He kept going on about my mom, and how I should just get over her." Rachel shakes her head "Talked about her, talked about Chloe. How I'd find myself in an early grave with the likes of them-"

"Sounds like a cunt." Mary says bluntly.

Rachel shrugs.

"He's not normally like this, you know ?" Rachel says "I think both of us are having a bad day, is all."

"That's how it starts." Mary remarks.

"But enough about me." Rachel says "What's eating you ?"

Mary inhales deeply. True, Rachel has been sharing her problems and that of Chloe Price for most of the day, and Mary has told her a bit of her life (while omitting certain details).

What's another half truth gonna hurt ?

Putting her hand on Rachel's, Mary starts.

"Have I told you about my son ?"

Rachel pauses for a moment and blinks a couple times.

"You mentioned him, but I'm guessing it was a sore subject." Rachel answers "Didn't want to press you on it."

"It was, and is." Mary says with the slightest sniff "It was a long time ago. Several years in fact."

"When you were nineteen ?" Rachel asks, raising an eyebrow, visibly confused.

"Give or take." Mary shrugs "I married pretty young as I told you, but it was not meant to be. It was really more of a 'business marriage' if you know what I mean."

Rachel says nothing, but has an intent look that urges Mary to continue.

"My husband, Dylan...he wasn't wasn't a bad husband; he was decent, but that was about it. We were rather distant throughout our marriage. We lived under the same roof, and yet, in different worlds." Mary explains "The only proof we ever had to our intimacy was our son, Connor."

Rachel looks on with an understanding expression, gently rubbing her hand across Mary's.

"Now, Dylan was a Military brat. It was a family tradition of his to go overseas, answering the call of duty." Mary explains "He was drafted around the time Connor started to crawl...and met his fate on a landmine. So, it was just me, Connor, and his family's funds."

A tear rolls down Mary's face, which Rachel is quick to reach forward and wipe away.

"Did your brother step in ? Did he try to help ?" Rachel asks, wincing as soon as she realizes she may have been insensitive.
Mary shakes her head.

"My brother was too work focused. A lot of his jobs are being a doctor overseas. In fact, he only saw Connor six times" Mary says with a sad smile "And for the next year and a half, it was me and Connor."

Mary's sad smile turns to a small frown.

"Then Connor got sick and..." Mary doesn't finish the sentence. In fact it looks like she could barely keep herself together.

Rachel gets up from her seat, walks around the table to sit on Mary's lap and pulls the older woman into a hug.

"It's okay to cry, you know." Rachel said.

"Not in public it isn't." Mary gives a teary chuckle "Plus, I know it's silly of me. Me ? A grown woman with her own business ? Just crying about something that happened years ago. Besides, it's part of why I started getting into trouble in the first place."

Rachel cups Mary's cheek, wiping another tear from the older woman's eye.

"You know - and I know this is gonna sound weird coming from me - but when Chloe and I first started being a thing, she'd sometimes get shit for bringing up her dad from time to time. I think her mom was trying to move on fast, and put things behind her, but Chloe never could." Rachel explains.

Mary says nothing. Her eyes are still watery, but a ghost of a smile is forming on her face.

"Today, I've had Mark saying the same thing about my mom." Rachel says with a sad smile of her own "How we should just move on when we lose someone we love. How we can't let them hold us back. Fuck that, right ?"

Mary chuckles again.

Rachel takes that as her cue to continue.

"It's okay not to let go. Last year, Chloe and I visited her dad's grave, and I remember this talk we had." Rachel says, thinking back to that day "Chloe asked me if there was something wrong with her, for holding onto her dad like this. And I remember telling her - What is grief, if not love persevering ?"

Mary forms a more genuine smile, wiping her eyes a little. She lets out a deep exhale.

"Where'd you hear that one ?" Mary says "Sounds like it's from a movie."

"I don't remember actually." Rachel shrugs "But it sounded like something Chloe needed to hear. And it sounds like something you need to hear."

"And you." Mary says "You're certainly smarter than Jefferson gives you credit for. So why does it matter what he says ?"

"Right ?" Rachel agrees "Besides, isn't this date about taking us out from being down and the dumps ?"

"I suppose so." Mary says, teasingly rubbing her nose to Rachel's "So...what next ?"

"I have a few ideas."

And for the next several minutes, Rachel and Mary went on to have a few drinks. Not enough to completely waste them, just enough to give them the buzz; just enough to dull the angst from earlier.

For another half hour, Rachel and Mary found themselves on the dance floor.

As with before, they held each other close, moving to the beats of "E.T",  "Love the Way You Lie", "Hips Don't Lie" "Africa'' (The Karl Wolf version), and "Viva La Vida".

Throughout their dancing, Rachel could swear she got the glimpse of something, or someone. The lights would flash red and it would be as if a third person was there, holding themselves - attaching themselves - to Mary and Rachel. But whenever Rachel would try to get a good look, this figure in red would disappear.

Even so, she couldn't shake the feeling that something, other than Mary was watching her, touching her...kissing the back of her neck whenever Rachel would kiss Mary on their mouth.

When Mary and Rachel had their latest kiss as Viva La Vida closed, both their brains were buzzed by the adrenaline.

The two shared a smile, both women pressed their foreheads together.

"So...what now ?" Mary asks.

"I was thinking we take this back to your place." Rachel rubs her nose to Mary's.

"I suppose we prolonged the inevitable too long now." Mary says, biting her lip, before locking her fingers with Rachel's.
And with that, Mary led Rachel by the hand to the club's exit.

Unseen to them (or anyone else in the club), a pale ethereal woman with blood red flowing hair, and a blood red dress, was following them

...But unknown to that woman, something else was following her. A male presence....

----

Seattle, July to August, 2015

The past few days was a lot for Steph Gingrich to adjust too in a short amount of time.

She knew she shouldn't expect them to find Rachel in a few days, but a week had her getting tedious. She tried pot to quell her nerves, but it only helped mildly. The constant presence of vampires and their "soothing" looks helped her better.

The cover story for Steph was she was a student, renting out a house (that was owned by Ashbury) with two roommates, Sam and Emily. In the neighborhood of Sammamish (Sam would insist that's not on her - Agent Dibikad just had that "Dad Joke" sort of sense of humor).

They had a neighbor and "landlord" in Jonathan Reid, who preferred this living area to Los Angeles ("Makes for more seclusion")

One thing that kept Steph busy was her "Vampire History Classes" as she calls it; particularly the story of King Arthur, as known by the vampires and with that, the story of Mordred. Now Steph never considered that much of an Arthurian buff, but she certainly not aware that Arthur would travel to the Americas.

This was something they talked over on the flight to Seattle.

"Well...we never really said or believed it was Arthur ?" Dibikad went over as she and Steph made conversation about Dibikad's past, and how she got involved with the FBC.

If they were gonna work together, they might as well get to know each other a little more. So the two made conversation while Sam and Emily where in the lavatory ("trauma bonding/coping").

"You see," Agent Dibikad says over the plane ride "The story goes there was a man who sailed from a far off land; he made a home on a lonely island on what would be called Canada. It's not that he did a lot of harm, but he mostly kept to himself. He left our people alone for centuries, and we left him alone. All we knew for sure was that he'd feed off the blood of animals, and he never seemed to age or die."

"Did they have a name for him ?" Steph asks.

"Eh, he had different nicknames for different people." Dibikad says "There wasn't much about him that stood out; Vikings settled on our lands back then too, you know. I guess they just figured he was one of them. Just a really, really reclusive Viking...then the 1600's came about and you've got the Spanish and the British going around claiming our lands left right and center."

"Ah, so he's a white savior then ?"

"Not strictly, no. See, among the colonists settling in, they tend to bring disease with them." Dibikad says "You know ? Disease we First Nations were not familiar with ?"

Steph winces a little when she hears that. Dibikad continues

"But, as you can imagine ? A disease that causes the dead to wake up and start feeding off the blood of the living, was something the Cree and Ojibwe were ill prepared for at best."

"And that's when he stepped in ?"'

"More or less." Dibikad shrugs "Turns out being a vampire himself, our friendly stranger had the know-how and experience in taking care of the problem. So...in return for our hospitality, he taught us of the European vampires. Their strengths, weaknesses, how to fight them. Everything. So, taking his knowledge of vampires and applying it to our own practice....The Pâhkwêkan was born."

Dibikad looks onward with a prideful expression. She looks nostalgic, like she was recalling a story from her girlhood.

"Pâhkwêkan." Dibikad says "The Night Owls. We wanted a name that invoked fear, into the creatures we feared."

"Like a First Nations Batman." Steph nods, "Sounds cool."

Dibikad chuckles with amusement as well, before she looks down with a more stoic expression.

"It sounded cooler than it actually was; for one thing, the Guard of Priwen started expanding into the new world, and we had a tentative alliance. We had the same goals. We may have had the same ties to Arthur. We just had different methods. It got to the point that we were erroneously considered a branch of the Guard. A branch! Can you believe it ?!" Dikibad says, sounding so annoyed, it reminded Steph of someone losing a video game level over and over.

"I'm guessing it got worse from there." Steph asks hesitantly.

"Oh, you don't know half of it." Dibikad nods, putting two fingers on her temple "When word of this Mordred fellow being in the New World reached both of us, the Guard and the Pâhkwêkan alike were on the warpath; in a single year, we killed thousands vampires across Alberta, Ontario, and the whole Great Lakes."

"Well...that sounds like a success to me-"

"It did to me too, but then my dad got to the next part." Dikibad sighs "When word got out that us Injuns have been killing that many vampires ? Vampires who were predominately white ? Who the world didn't know were vampires ? That brought us unwanted attention and just gave the colonists more reason to take more from us. Come 1897, the Pâhkwêkan was reduced to one family."

Steph looks in slack jawed horror, before shaking her in disbelief.

"I- I don't know what to say."

"You don't have anything to say. It's not even that which finished the Pâhkwêkan off." Dikibad prepares to continue, before Sam and Emily step out of the lavatory. Both with disheveled hair and clothes.

"Sorry, we kept you waiting." Sam says with a genuinely apologetic expression "Flights give Emily panic attacks."

"I told you that in confidence." Emily whispers to Sam in annoyance.

Despite her amusement at the two, Dikibad rolls her eyes to Steph.

"Anyways, if you have anyone to blame for the extinction of Pâhkwêkan, look to Jefferson Bragg."

Steph exhales through her nose and shakes her head "I'm starting to think the name Jefferson is cursed." 

----

During their time in their safehouse, Steph got to know Sam and Emily a little more, and how they got roped into this. 

The year before, Sam, Emily and their friends ended up pulling, in the words of a tearful Sam "a dumb, stupid, fucking prank" on their friend Hannah, which led to Hannah and their sister Beth.

Earlier that year, their friend Josh, Hannah and Beth's brother invited them back to his family's lodge, subjecting them to a horrifying revenge prank straight out of the slasher movies.

Unknown to any of them, Mount Washington was once, what the Cree locals called "Chepaiyikumik" ("Grave") - named as such for the spirit that dwelled within. Said spirits would be giving the "Blackwood Eight" as they were called trouble.

Pâhkwêkan considered it "No Man's Land". It would seem in the 1890's younger members of Pâhkwêkan figured the wendigo to be no different from the vampires. In doing so, they tried their luck, and by the end, it was reduced to a single family to carry on their legacy; the Dibikads. 

At the time, Agent Dibikad's great-great-grandfather, Maxwell Dibikad, ended up crippled by the one they call "The Makkapitew", the duty fell to his son Claude Dibikad, whose duty was passed down to his grandson, Jack. 

"He was Vanessa's great uncle," Emily explains "Her family mostly wanted nothing to do with Pâhkwêkan, for fear of the Makkapitew's wrath. Vanessa though ? She grew up hearing stories, let them decide her goal in life."

"As it turns out, her great uncle Jack was on the mountain too." Sam shakes her head "He was trying to help us, and we got him killed."

"If it eases your conscience," Dibikad would say when it was brought up, though with a bit of sullen sarcasm in her voice "Great Uncle Jack did say the ideal way to die was for the safety of a stranger. And I guess I can't have him die for nothing."

Of course, Sam, Emily and their friends survived the night, but Josh is still "on the run". In retrospect, they don't blame Josh for what he did, he had no idea what was in those woods. Sam would go on and on about Josh and what they put him through, and what he put them through, and how he's still missing, but Emily would silence Sam by putting a hand on her knee.

"Anyways," Emily says, considerably more calm than Sam "Turns out we weren't out of the woods yet..."

A little tidbit about the wendigo ? In some beliefs if you kill one, its spirit will fixate on you for the rest of your life. In the case of Sam, Emily and their friends ? You have seven survivors, who not only killed one (and not only has their friend Mike killed seven), but they attracted the spirit - The Makkapitew itself no less - of one who possessed two people they wronged.

All they did was make this spirit hold a grudge against them. A grudge that won't go away with any cleansing, healing or wiindigookaanzhimowin. It left the wendigo so insatiable, that simply killing them wouldn't satisfy its revenge.

About a week after the Mount Washington incident, the spirit began following their families and neighbors in Fiddler's County; the resulting rampage ended with seven people slaughtered but not eaten; and when Sam tried to reach out to "Josh" when he cornered her ? 

Sam would pull up her shirt to reveal the scratch mark across her stomach; that bruise going up her side. On days when Sam would wear shorts, or would let herself get caught getting out of the shower, she's show the bite mark on her calf, or the gnarly scratch on her thigh.

The Blackwood Seven would be reached out too by the FBC, who'd recruit them as scouts; they were assigned to look into the ongoing Arcadia Bay case, while Sam and Emily were sent to look into the supposed appearance of Rachel Amber. The rest is history. 

Once they settled in, Steph continued educating herself regarding the story of Arthur, and his ties to the vampire's history.

Steph knew about the misconception that Morgana Le Fay and Morgause were one and the same, but in the stories she learned, Morgana wasn't even human.

"The true story goes," Reid would explain while giving Steph the rundown, as he sat her down at their table and the two went through a scrapbook "Morgause, and she alone was Arthur's half sister. Vengeful by the rape of her mother, and the birth of a bastard brother, the Red Queen attached herself to her."

"And the Queen was Morgana le Fay ?" Steph would ask, going over the book.

"It's complicated" Reid answers "It's commonly believed that her origins date back to the goddess, The Morrigan. According to my sister, the Queen herself claims to be their daughter, and there are some who believe the Morrigan to be a title, shared by three sisters."

Reid flips to a page; a 15th century portrait of a noble woman - presumably Morgause - with a red, shrouded, feminine figure holding her wrists as if to direct her. They were surrounded by corpses...some of which were bowing to her.

"It was believed people of Arthur's time knew the Red Queen as Morgana - possibly to identify her with the Morrigan. It is also believed that in the years after the fact, as Arthur's story was changed and twisted, Morgana was made into another sister of Arthur's, as well as a sorcerous. The bottom line is that the Queen's work, through Morgause, is what inspired Morgana le Fay as it is known today."

Steph smirks and chuckles a little at his unintentional rhythm, with Jonathan himself smirking a bit at her amusement.

"So...does this mean the Red Queen was human...ish, at one point ?" Steph asks.

Reid shrugs and shakes his head.

"We have been looking into her history for nearly a century." Jonathan says "The same way, we searched for a permanent cure for the disease she spreads. We long believed that the cure lies with her origins."

There's a pause as Reid shakes his head with a regretful expression.

"We couldn't find anything beyond the Queen being the one who empowered Queen Medb of Connaught as her first champion." Reid says "We tried reaching out to higher powers."

"Like...her son ?"

"Myrddin Wylt." Jonathan sighs and shakes his head with a frustrated expression "His story goes back aways - in fact, we believe he was the source of the Celtic tales of Lugh, but his exact origins are just as enigmatic as his mothers."

They turn to another page; a picture dating back to the 12th century; a depiction of Lugfh shrouded in Red Light, in his battle with Fomorian tyrant Balor. Below it is an inscription; "Chuaigh Lugh suas".

"And he's...the good guy ?" Steph says.

"That's not the word I'd use for him." Jonathan says "But yes, he fancies himself a protector of humanity. And the fleeting encounters I've had with him show him to be benign."

Steph nods, still looking down at the picture.

"Well...he sure knows how to pick his champions."

"Miss Gingrich-" Reid tries to explain.

"It's just...out of anyone in Arcadia Bay and he picks Nathan fucking Prescott." Steph says, her dander slowly getting up.

"Steph, I appreciate-"

"I mean...back when I knew him, he didn't seem like that bad of a guy." Steph says "But after the story got out."

Steph sighs and groans, putting a hand on her forehead.

"It's like, he got her killed the first time around." Steph shakes her head "And for the good of the world, he has to kill her a second time around."

There is a pause, before Reid reaches forward and puts his hand on Steph's shoulder.

"It doesn't have to be this way." Jonathan says, in a voice that calms Steph considerably.

Steph looks up at Jonathan, blinking a few times as she takes his words in. Reid puts a hand on hers to reassure her.

"The Blood of Hate infects more than the body. And while it flows through Miss Amber, that's not the only thing that flows through her." Reid says.

As Steph looks at him intrigued, he gets up to pick up a set of files from his cupboard.

"When I first examined her, we found her strain was dormant." Reid explains as he lays the files on the table "Because of the nature of the disease, we believe there is something keeping it dormant. Something more than a natural, medical immunity."

"So what now ?" Steph says "Why does- why does this guy, Mordred need her ?"

"He intends too to spread it to the rest of Mark Jefferson's victims." Reid says "We've been over this. Perhaps he believes they will be more susceptible to his mothers influence. Or less resistant..."

Reid closes the files and puts his hand on Steph's shoulder.

"In any case, he can't make a move as long as we have our eyes on them." Reid says "That would be Cadets Davis and Giddings. It is my understanding that some of Blackwell's alumni are friends of yours as well. You can do your part by reconnecting with them. Besides..."

Reid and Steph look at another picture that was placed across the table. It was four photos of Mordred; two in his "Miles Winter" getup; two in his "Gerald Wilfred" persona.

"So long as we know his face, he can't step out of the shadows, nor make his move." Reid says.

----

So, as July turned into August, Steph made her move. She started out by friending Victoria Chase over social media, which the latter accepted. She wasn't sure if Victoria even recognized her, but it allowed Steph into the circle.

Maybe it had to do with Sam and Emily being mutual friends as well.

Steph spent the first six days making baby steps; she'd like or comment on some of Victoria's posts, even strike up small conversations with her over mundane things.

Victoria...certainly didn't feel like the same girl in Blackwell. Of course, given what went down in Arcadia Bay, and no doubt the couple years of therapy, you can expect nothing less but changes in a person.

Of course, she had her suspicions that Victoria was gay (or at least bi). Their limited encounters and interactions in Blackwell felt like low key flirting (in the tsundere way that Steph sometimes attributes to girls like Victoria).

Steph's suspicions were confirmed a year before, when Rachel recounted a fling she and Chloe had with Victoria, while Rachel first laid her cards on the table to her. Rachel didn't elaborate on the details then; she just said things needed to be vetted out.

Anyways, it would seem that Victoria came out in a big way; publicly kissing Kate Marsh at a nightclub back in March, and openly declaring her love for her on Twitter and Facebook.

Most of their friends were very supportive of Victoria...though there were some naysayers. Mainly boys who thought they had a shot with her (Logan) and a few of Kate's moots with her that came from Kate's church.

Now, Steph never met Kate herself, but she heard of how she was a sweet, innocent, type. The good Christian girl that conservative daddies wish they had for a daughter, and bound to be married off to some church boy (which would be a marriage of convenience). 

After Jefferson got to Kate, and Kate went through a dark point of considering suicide, her church by and large turned against her; it was only when Kate started to heal and her victimization became more public, did they consider cozying back up to Kate...if only so they could take the credit for "fixing" Kate, and having her speak of her recovery at churches.

So when Kate herself came out as gay as well...it sparked quite a reaction from her church group. And over the past few months, Kate has been pushing button after button; as her social media shows, Kate became more tomboyish, more of a rock fan (having a particular ear worm for Disturbed); started to color her hair with a blue streak and (le gasp!) Stated. Smoking. Pot.

By then Kate reinvented herself as another Chloe Price, and her church lost their exploitable victim.

Even so, Kate and Victoria always looked so...genuinely happy to be together. Like they brought out a side to each other they didn't want to let go of, and could only be brought out by the other. And this being despite the fact that Victoria was the one who is said to have caused Kate the most grief.

It made for quite the redemption/love story, and Steph couldn't look away from it.

After a few days of going back and forth, Steph managed to talk Kate and Victoria into meeting with her, Sam and Emily. They'd call it a triple date, despite Steph not having a partner...but that was the least of Steph's worries.

----

Westlake Center, Seattle, August 10th, 2015

They agreed they'd have their date at the Westlake Center mall. Since they couldn't decide on a restaurant, they figured they'd settle for a food court.

Yes, it did feel a little weird for Steph to be on a "triple" date without a partner - especially with one of the couples being two girls her girlfriend nearly cheated on her with. But it was also weird that she apparently had another life she fades in and out from.

It helped that Sam and Emily did seem genuinely sorry, and given that Steph technically didn't exist when they seduced Rachel, Steph...thinks(?) she can't hold it against them.

They picked a spot at the food court - a table with two chairs, but was facing a long bench with Victoria being the first to approach them. She looked virtually unchanged from back when Steph knew her from Blackwell, but she seemed a lot more friendly than when Steph last saw her.

"Samily, it's been too long!" Victoria playfully greets, walking up to and giving both Sam and Emily a hug before they were lead to the table.

"It's been four months. Not even that." Emily says deadpan.

"You're still trying to make that our name ?" Sam says, as she and the other two take their seats. Victoria on one of the chairs, Steph, Sam and Emily on the bench.

"Well I couldn't think of a clever combination of Davis and Giddings, so I had to make do with what I got." Victoria takes her seat before noticing Steph "Gingrich, is that you ?"

Steph, keeping up appearances, looking up and down her body before shrugging "Last I checked."

"You look different." Victoria says, gesturing to her head, "Do something with your hair ?"

Steph jokingly feels around her head before sarcastically saying "Oh darn, I must have left the hat on the jet."

To be polite, Steph reaches across the table to shake Victoria's hand "It's been, what ? Three years ? I tried reaching out after- after the incident but, you know ? Life happens."

"Nah, it's cool." Victoria says "Life happened to me too."

"I can see that." Steph says "Daughter of a preacher man, I hear."

"What can I say ? She's the only one who could ever reach me." Victoria says in a joking mode "The only girl who could ever teach me."

The four girls share a chuckle, before Victoria speaks again. 

"My better half will be a few," Victoria says "She picked up a smoking habit, and while I try to keep it under control, she doesn't like being wasteful."

For a few moments, Sam and Emily kept Victoria busy with small talk. It let Steph settle herself in the background. From what she picked up, Victoria at least knows Sam and Emily's story - or at least the "official story" that they and their friends were victims of a bear attack twice the same week.

They also briefly talked about the hateful messages both Victoria and Kate have been receiving since their coming out. It mostly came from members of Kate's church group, especially "nice guys" who thought they could make it into Kate's pants. Besides the usual vitriol that they used to throw at Kate after her assault, they would continue to try to gaslight her about Victoria's toxic past and influence on her.

Victoria and Kate put on brave faces, but the way Victoria talks about it, it's clear that it bothered her more than she let on.

This small talk was interrupted when a tomboyish young woman, with a green streak in her otherwise dirty blonde hair, snuck up behind Victoria's seat, wrapped her arms across the latter, causing her to yelp, before she plops a wet kiss on Victoria's cheek.
Sam, Emily and Steph had a little laugh at Victoria's expense.

When Steph first saw Kate, it was like looking at another Chloe. She knew Kate by her reputation as the sweet, innocent church girl, but she knew Kate would have changed that image tremendously.

So when this was the first thing Steph heard Kate say upon reaching the table, it threw her off.

"Kate, sweetie, what was taking you ?" Victoria would ask, as Kate plopped herself onto her lap.

“I was getting ready for the mosh pit, Shaka Bra.” Kate says, prompting an annoyed glare at Victoria.

"I think you're trying too hard." Victoria says bluntly.

"Sorry, this is still new and exciting to me." Kate says, taking a seat in the chair beside Victoria's.

Kate looks at Steph, reaching across the table to shake her hand.

"Pardon me. Almost left my manners in the car." Kate says "Name's Kate Marsh. Though you probably heard of me ?"

"Yeah, I've been following the story." Steph says "Pardon my French, but it sounds fucked up what they did too you."

"I try to put it behind me." Kate says "I mean, I was able to put a lot behind me."

Victoria looks down guiltily, but Kate puts a hand on hers.

"But you know, I consider forgiveness a virtue to live by." Kate says sweetly before frowning "Though people I grew up with treat virtues as conditional."

"Yeah, that's the church for you." Steph says "I stepped out of that long ago."

"Sorry to hear that."

"It's mostly my stepmom." Steph shrugs "She's the reason dad and I aren't on speaking terms."

"It's the same with my mom and aunt." Kate sighs, though her dander considerably rises with the next sentence "My dad supports me, but he has appearances to keep up. My- my fucking mom won't let me speak to my sisters-"

Kate just looks down, with an angry glare few have seen on them.

"Honestly, there are days where - if God or whatever's out there gave me the power..." Kate snaps her finger "Well, I consider it a miracle I didn't end up like Carrie White."

"Katie, you know that's not you." Victoria says to her girlfriend, rubbing her back gently.

"Is it ?" Kate turns her attention to Victoria, and looking back and forth between the other three girls "You know, I got an email from these folks I used to babysit for before I went to Blackwell. For the longest time I thought they were the sweetest, most genuine people around. Then they send me an email describing Hell, and what's going to happen to sinful, lustful, women such as I. Didn't even give a sarcastic 'I'll pray for you'. Sometimes, you really think you know a person."

Kate sighs.

"They didn't get their description from the Bible." Kate adds "They got it from Dante's Fucking Inferno."

As if it was sensing the anger and hate filling Kate's heart, a red figure briefly flickers, unseen to anyone in the food court. It disappears when Kate lets out another sigh.

"But enough about me and my problems." Kate says, looking at Steph with a softer expression "Tell me about yourself. Victoria says you two used to know each other ?"

"We didn't exactly belong in the same circles." Steph says "Victoria and I had a few classes together. We knew some of the same people."

"We may have worked on a few projects, but we didn't exactly hang out." Victoria adds.

"I mean, you did come to me a couple times to learn DND." Steph says with a teasing smile.

Kate giggles as Victoria has an absolutely mortified expression.

"We had those meetings in confidence." Victoria says through gritted teeth, her face blushing considerably.

After the girls share another laugh, Kate continues.

"So...I know what happened in Arcadia Bay couldn't have been easy for you. It hasn't been easy on any of us. And I don't want to pry or anything, but what exactly were you up to after...you know ?"

"And how'd you get roped in with these two ?" Victoria asks, gesturing to Sam and Emily.

Steph pauses to think for a moment; she remembers glimpses of the other life she is apparently a part of, and even as she thinks of what she's sure are "her" memories, it all feels like she's telling a lie; telling of a version of her life that she wasn't supposed to be living.

Sensing her hesitancy, Emily answers for Steph.

"Oh, uh, we've been applying for this school in LA." Emily starts "And while we were in the café, Sam and I were going over our March break pics. Anyways, this one-" Emily gestures to Steph "Was being a little snoop and was all 'You went to Blackwell too ?' And I was like 'What's it to ya ?' and Sam here was playing peacemaker. Anyways, it turns out she knew you and the other Blackwell girls by name."

"Small world." Sam remarks.

"One thing led to another, and we just spent the past few months getting to know each other." Emily says "Like we did with you, Kate, Max-"

"So we thought about setting up a little reunion." Sam finishes.

Kate and Victoria pause, their expressions unreadable. They glance at each other before accepting the story.

"Hmm," Victoria says "Guess it is a small world."

"Oh I tried out stage acting." Steph shrugs, recalling the shows she was in as she goes over the memories she had of this life "I got one or two big roles. I was Fiona in Shrek: The Musical, I was Lucy in Jekyll & Hyde, and Aminnon Rhade in Lover's in R'lyeh."

Steph shrugs, trying to play herself off as cool, and collected.

"Like I said, dad and I aren't on talking terms." Steph sighs "Not until stepcunt's out of the picture."

The other four were a little taken aback by her word, though Kate was the one who replied.

"Oh, she's that bad is she ?" Kate asks.

"I was...I was hospitalized last year. She told me that I deserve it for my 'sinful lifestyle'. And dad just fucking stood there."
Steph notices a pause. Sam and Emily also looked taken aback; to be fair, it's not like Steph shared that part of her story with them. 

So Steph continues.

"Shortly after I moved to LA, I didn't have that much support. Came across this rich girl, Cathy. She offered me a place to stay, offered to put me through college. We kind of became a thing." Steph says, her sigh sounding a little more like she was on the edge of crying than she ended.

Steph inhales to swallow whatever sob was creeping up on her.

"Cathy was one of those people who's different inside than she is outside. Close knit family, successful influencer, all that shit. I thought she was special, she thought I was a pet." Steph says with a glare. Her expression softens considerably when she thinks of Rachel "Then she came along. Vivian Manning."

Both Kate and Victoria glance at each other. Maybe Steph was being a little theatrical, but she was a theatre student.

"So, I had to see Vivian behind Cathy's back; not even cheating; I don't think it was at least. We just had this.." Steph continues "It turns out she was...she was one of his victims."

Kate and Victoria pale, knowing who she was talking about without having to say his name. It's become an unspoken taboo between them.

"She um," Sam chimes in "She went to Eagle Stone. Boon County."

Kate and Victoria exchange a glance. Mark Jefferson taught there back in 2010.

It truly was a small world, wasn't it ?

"Viv tried getting into photography, she's also trying to get a book published." Steph continues "Anyways, Cathy picked up on us hanging out, and being Cathy, she put me in the hospital. She was gonna move us somewhere else, but..."

Steph sighs.

"Look, I don't want to bore you, but Cathy's out of the picture. Long gone. For the longest time, it was me and Vivian...Although things have been changing lately."

Victoria and Kate lean in, engrossed in Steph's storytelling. They can tell by the lowkey melancholy tone in her voice that something wasn't right.

Steph, picking up what they're putting down, decides to tell them the (partial) truth. With a shot of lies, of course.

"In recent months, someone came back into Vivian's life. Someone involved in her past, Eagle Stone I think. Say's that Prescott wasn't his first protégé." Steph picks her purse up from under the table, and goes through it "Vivian found out he's going to Cornish Commons. Wanted to tie loose ends, she says. I haven't heard from her in a week."

Steph looks into her purse; from it, she pulls out a photograph of Mordred, in his "Miles Winters" getup.

"Look familiar ?" Steph asks, handing the picture to Victoria.

Neither Victoria nor Kate say anything for a moment, the bulge in their eyes answers for them.

"We...we think we've seen him around." Kate says "Asa Boorman."

Steph, Sam, and Emily glance at each other. The dhampir's got a new name, and like that, the search narrowed considerably.

Victoria hands the picture back to Steph.

"Look, we still see him here and there, but we haven't really heard from him in a while." Victoria says "As far as I know he's still renting out across the street from us, but he doesn't come out often."

Steph nods with an understanding expression.

"I'm sorry. I know this wasn't the Blackwell reunion date you've been hoping for." Steph says "I wish this could be a simple get together, catching up on old times. But Vivian needs my help. I have to get to her before something happens."

"No, no." A paled Victoria waves dismissively, as Kate has her hand over her mouth "I'd probably do the same if it was Katie on the line."

"And I'd burn Seattle if it was Tori." Kate nods in agreement, her voice muffled by her hand.

Again, Steph nods "Look, I appreciate you meeting us like this-"

"Yeah, it's cool." Victoria hesitantly nods, though the expression on her face was one going through a hundred thoughts at once "We'll let you know if we see or hear something. Do you- do you have pictures of Vivian ?"

Steph fakes a frustrated sigh before saying "I'd show you but my phone's almost dead. I'll send them to you when I can."

Steph gets up from the bench.

"Look, I can't thank you enough for meeting me like this. I really wish it was under better circumstances, but-"

"Wait," Kate says, getting up from her seat, and taking Steph by the shoulder "It's gonna be Tori's birthday in four days. I know you two weren't that close and all, but if you're looking for a proper Blackwell reunion, a lot of us girls are gonna be there. If everything works out, we'd appreciate it if you come too."

Steph looks back at Victoria who's busy talking to Sam and Emily in a whispered pitch. She can make out Victoria saying "Oh my god, he was in our dorm."

Steph, looking back at Kate, nods.

"I'll be there." Steph says "Hopefully with Vivian. In the meantime, you too look out for each other."

And with that, Steph takes her leave.

----

August 12th, 2015.

Captivity wasn't a picnic, simply put.

Rachel was in this bed room for what had to be at least a week, but everytime she was awake, her head would spin.

Her eyes and ears barely adjusted to the world outside her, she did pick up bits of conversations between Mordred and this "Dr." Smith.

"Any good news ?" Mordred's voice would ask "Actually scratch that; any news you have is neutral."

"You're correct. There's the bad news and the not so bad news" Smith's voice would answer "We haven't been able to figure out what's surprising her. But...We have been able to make adjustments to the blood we collected."

So that's what they've been doing, using Rachel's barely conscious body as a living blood bag, trying to find and isolate the Queen's disease.

"Yes and no." Smith answers "While we can't isolate your mothers essence from her blood, Miss Amber's still has her power so to speak. If we can transfer her blood, it would still turn your next target into a vampire. They would carry the Queen's virus, albeit in a dormant state."

"Can you isolate it ?" Mordred asks.

"No. Not yet." 

"I've seen you turn piss into a blood substitute, and you're telling me you can't awaken the spirit-?"

"Spirit, exactly." Smith says sternly "You're little cult keeps saying that this Blood of Hate is a spiritual one as much as it's a medical one. I'm a chemist, not a fucking witch doctor."

Mordred could be heard sighing "So what ?"

"The most we can do is recreate the Dark Room for Miss Amber." Smith says, "I have alternatives in mind should this fail. They may be a bit unorthodox, but..."

Their voices faded, as Rachel was once again pulled out of the realm of consciousness.

It takes a few days (she thinks) to figure out what Smith was doing to her. They'd drug her with various substances, to the point that if she was still human, she would overdose; they would find a way to recreate the Dark Room, and the mental/physical endurance Rachel went through.

It did bring back uncomfortable memories. 

Nathan laying her down in the Dark Room, taking pictures at different angles; she remembers being cognitive enough to try to call him out. 

She never did forget how irritated Nathan was at her that night. She never saw such a jarring jump from anger to apologizing. She never saw Nathan this angry before.

God in this state of mind, she can't even remember what she and Nathan were saying, it all came out muffled.

She remembers feeling so relieved when Jefferson came into the Dark Room, but that relief quickly gave way into something else.
It was here Rachel swears she sees something; a red shadow ? Surrounded by a red mist. If Rachel didn't know any better, she would have thought this was the devil.

It was clear neither Jefferson nor Nathan could see it, and as far as Rachel could tell, she didn't see it at the time.

And yet, while all other voices were muffled, it's voice...or his voice was clear. It didn't take Rachel long to guess this had to be "Myrddin Wilt" as the Reid/Ashbury's would call him. 

"You risk birthing a monster here boy. Soon, you will undo this mistake."

Nathan reacts like he can hear him, and for once, does Rachel actually hear Nathan's voice.

"What mistake ?"

"What mistake ? WHAT MISTAKE ?" Jefferson shouts "LOOK AT HER! I told you we'd be handling Rachel on MY time and on MY Terms. This is the former DA's daughter for Christ's sake. What fucking mistake ?!"

"You didn't hear that ?" Nathan asks.

"I didn't hear tha- I didn't hear what ?" Jefferson would shout in exasperation "For god's sake Prescott! Didn't I tell you how we were gonna handle this ? We had this carefully plan-"

"What the fuck do you want me to do ?" Nathan shouts raising his voice at Jefferson, but immediately flinches back when Jefferson towers over him.

"Not act like a fucking tard for once!" Jefferson begins to rant, before looking at Rachel "Oh and she's up! You really can't do anything right, can you Prescott ?"

Jefferson walks up to Rachel and crouches down to her level. His smile and words were affectionate, but the look in his eyes and the tone of his voice was devoid of anything resembling human emotion; empathy, compassion, even affection.

"Sorry sweetie," Jefferson says, clasping Rachel's hand "You weren't supposed to find out this way."

On instinct, Rachel flinches away from his touch. She couldn't tell if this was the Rachel in her room, or the Rachel in her head.
All she knows is when she flinches back, she is surrounded by fog.

And as it takes her a moment to adjust to her surroundings yet again, she sees a darkness surrounding the fog. And with her, the voice.

"You shouldn't be here, lost girl."

Rachel turns around, trying to make the source of the voice. In doing so, she finds her own.

"Well, it's not like I wanted to be here."

"Destiny, in my experience, is not something one actively seeks. Destiny, fate, they are forced upon us."

Rachel feels something touching her shoulder; she sees it, the man of red. The man of blood.

Rachel tries to put on a brave face, but the sight and presence of this being sends a perpetual shiver up her back, and her heart sinks into her stomach.

"You are him, aren't you ?"

"I trust you are familiar with my name ?"

"You mean names." Rachel says "I learned quite a bit of you, Wylt."

"That is what the Welsh called me." The figure in red nods; the more Rachel looks into his face, she sees more humanish features.

"You're also the one who choses champions against your mother." Rachel says.

"I am." He answers, circling Rachel "As my mother chose her champions."

"Right, but I didn't choose to be your mother's champion." Rachel replies, breathing heavily as she tries to remain calm "And I'll admit, I'm no angel, but I'm not this apocalypse maiden. So not only do you not need another champion, you didn't need to pick Nathan Prescott of all people!"

"I sense your distress." Myrddin says, reaching forward to touch Rachel's shoulder "But we all have a part to play. Both you, and Mr. Prescott."

"Nathan Prescott is the reason I turned into this ghoul in the first place ? And you pick him to put me back in the grave ?" Rachel asks, raising her voice a little as she lets out her anger and resentment.

"Nathan Prescott's fate was sealed either way; he hurt the victims of the Dark Room as much as Mark Jefferson." Myrddin explains in a calm and collected tone "Tis only right he repays his life's debts in death."

"That's a lot of debt he has to pay." Rachel says, crossing her arms.

She then looks around.

"What is this place exactly ?"

"The Fog of Worlds." Myrddin says as if this was the most obvious thing in the world "Which is why you don't belong here; you could be pulled into another time; another life; another dimension; or even another Earth all together."

Rachel sighs as she takes that information in.

"Okay, so there's a multiverse."

"And there are things about it that are even beyond my comprehension. Though one close to you passes through this fog quite often. And other things are starting to take notice." Myrddin says.

As if on cue, Rachel could feel these other presences. She couldn't quite tell what they are, but she could feel they had greater ill intent than what Myrddin harbors for her.

"Come, before we attract those in the Void. Those in the Darkness Below. They are beyond even my mother's power."

Still holding her shoulder, Myrddin guides Rachel out from the fog. She had no idea where she was taking her and why, but she felt more at ease, familiar with this presence.

"Know this, had it not been you, it would be someone else." Myrddin explains "My mother, with secrets even to me, would have picked another girl, had she not picked you. And even then, I would have picked Prescott."

Rachel grimaces when she hears this.

"To put down the ones he helped victimize." Rachel says cynically.

"Destiny and fate is not as black and white as you make it, Miss Amber. We can not control what power or fate is given to us, we can control with it." Myrddin says "He was chosen; but it's his choices with what he's given that will be the decider. Just as you have the power over what you've been given. Still, my mother stirs, and with her I stirred in Arcadia Bay...all the way up until you awoke."

Rachel takes a moment to take in his words, before she asks.

"And what about you ? Did you choose being what you are ? Or was that forced upon you ?"

Myrddin pauses. There seems to be a few seconds when Rachel can see what had to be a human face look with confusion and contemplation.

"I...don't recall. As far back as I remember I was fighting my mother. I'd awake, as she stirred." Myrddin says as if he was trying to remember something "The earliest memory of my existence was a cry of pain. Of blood spilling onto the Earth, crying out for revenge; for justice; for mercy. Crying for the pity of Heaven."

Myrddin pauses and looks to the sky.

"Ever since, I've been waiting for Heaven to cry back." He says before turning back to Rachel "Until then, our task isn't done. Until then, I have my part to play...as do you, Rachel Amber."

And like that, Rachel felt herself being pulled out of the fog, and back into that room. Like she was awakening from a dream.

----

"Oh good, you're up."

Rachel snaps awake, but finds herself unable to move. 

Seems whatever they put in her was working its magic.

Rachel just had enough strength to roll her head slightly and catch a glimpse of Mordred, in a more nerdish, civilian persona, but considering that he's speaking in his natural accent, she can guess he just got out of the public eye. He was crouching down in the same manner Jefferson was in her memory. 

The glasses he wore made it uncanny.

"Well, I got good news and bad news from Smith. A rarity, I know, but I'll take what I can get." Mordred says, patting Rachel on her shoulder "The bad news being, we couldn't isolate the disease from your blood. But the good news is we found alternative uses for the samples we collected."

"How long ?" Rachel wheezes out "How long was I out ?"

Mordred shrugs "You were in and out for about two weeks now. As far as we can tell you were only up three times."

Mordred turns Rachel over, looking into her dilated pupils.

"Looks like you still need a nap." He says before picking her up. He carries her in a bridal motion to the bed before laying her down, at which point, he sits on the bed's edge "So how was it ? You're trip down memory lane ?"

Rachel didn't want to satisfy him with an answer and felt the word slip out.

"Foggy." She breathes out.

"Foggy huh ?" Mordred says with nonchalant familiarity, giving Rachel a friendly tap on her knee "Yeah, we can't have you sinking too deep into that. You could find yourself slipping into another world or worse. And the Darkness Below ? Forget about it! You know, there's some who believe the things there spawned my mothe-"

"Oh my god, will you shut up about your mother ?!" Rachel groans as if she's coming down from the biggest hangover of her life "I get it, she's this goddess whose got these big things planned for me and the world. And yet she spent the past. Two. Years. Fucking! Sleeping!"

Rachel finds the strength to sit up slightly at the dhampir knight incognito glares at her stoically.

"I mean, why is it you think she's got you doing the dirty work ? If she is anything like the stories say she is, she wouldn't even need me." Rachel says, slowly finding her strength to speak "And all she's does is sleep-"

Mordred leans towards Rachel and covers her mouth with her hand.

"Anything else ?"

Rachel bites down into Mordred's hand, hard enough to draw blood. Mordred lets out a silent yowl of pain as he tries to shake her loose. Unknown to him...she was drinking a bit from his wound.

When Mordred finally broke free, he raised his hand to strike Rachel across the face...only for Rachel to catch his wrist, staring at him with a glare.

It's only then Mordred noticed his hand was bleeding. And that Rachel was licking up traces of his blood from his lips.

"Yeah," Rachel says "I caught up to someone on the other side."

Mordred tilts his head in confusion. Rachel immediately clarifies.

"Her other son."

Mordred grimaces and nods in recognition.

"You know," he says "He's another player in this game. Same as you, me, Reid and Ashbury ?"

"He said something to that effect." Rachel says "Something about destiny choosing us. But how we are in contro-"

Mordred raises her hand to silence her.

"And despite what my mother gave you, you waste around doing what ? Shooting porn, rubbing arms with the upper crust, and trying to get a book published about our history." Mordred says getting up from the bed.

Rachel raises a finger in correction "I also did family shoots."

"I get it." Mordred says, dramatically stepping towards the window to look out of it "I vacation myself quite a bit. I have been walking this Earth since the sixth century, Rachel Amber. Do you not believe I spent all this time working to further my mothers will and influence on Earth ?"

Mordred shakes his head, answering his own question.

"Oh, I had many friends in my life, loved ones aplenty. Settled down and married quite a few times; I have raised forty three daughters, and sixty seven sons over the centuries. I even got to meet fourteen of my grandchildren. All over 900 years." Mordred explains, and by the sound of his voice, he sounds genuinely nostalgic "And have I come to love the culture shifts, the music and the art of the 20th, and 21st century. Stimulates me on even my most driven days."

Mordred turns around to face Rachel.

"But at the end of the day, I have a purpose to serve. And when the chips are down, I will serve my mother's will." Mordred says looking down at his two hands "It's literally what I was born for."

Rachel sighs and rolls her eyes, just finding the strength to stand up off the bed.

"I know the true story. I did my history." Rachel says, as she starts to catch her breath "Morgause, the Queen's champion at the time. It was under her influence, she raped Arthur to create you."

Mordred winces and grits his teeth when he hears this.

Rachel continues.

"And as she neared her due date, Arthur stabs her in the stomach and tosses her off the cliff into the sea." Rachel says before holding up a finger "Now me personally ? As loose as my morals are, I don't see myself stabbing a pregnant woman in the stomach. But then again I wasn't raped by my half sister, so what do I know ? Anything could have been going through the Good King's head."

Mordred's eyes flare.

"Watch yourself."

"And I get it, the Queen pulled you from her womb, raised you as her own in a corporeal form." Rachel says as Mordred steps towards her "Raised you to be her weapon."

"It's my life's purpose just as yours."

"Yeah it's rough; and I have nothing but sympathy for an innocent child who got delt that hand. He certainly didn't deserve that. Not so much for the cult leader who spent centuries trying to kickstart a vampire apocalypse." Rachel shrugs, circling Mordred "But you said it yourself; you had a near millennia to make yourself into something else. You had people you loved, and people who loved you. That's how many centuries to reinvent yourself ?"

"Stop it!" Mordred growls.

"Nine hundred years, give or take." Rachel says, backing herself towards the window as Mordred's dander rises and rises "And don't give me that 'society is rotten, so we have to destroy and restart it' bullshit! You and I both know it's bullshit! By your own admission, there's a lot to love about-" 

"You know what ? You know what ?!" Mordred snarls, showing Rachel the most anger she has ever seen from him "Looks like you could use another nap!"

"Bring it, mama's boy!"

Mordred lunges at Rachel, who dodges, causing him to collapse into the window, which breaks upon impact.

Time seemed to slow for Rachel.

Now if Rachel was in the right state of mind, she would have known she'd have no chance in a one on one fight with a centuries stronger dhampir, who was a genuine knight. At best, she'd have a small boost from his blood, and had to act quick and smart.

Not to overpower him. Not to kill him. Just incapacitate him long enough to outrun him.

As Mordred tried to stagger up, Rachel made a mad dash to the TV in front of the bed, pulling the cord out of the wall. Using what vampire strength she had, she swung the TV like a mace as Mordred was pulling pieces of glass out of his arms and face.
 
Mordred didn't have time to dodge as the TV impacted his head with a BANG and shattered, knocking Mordred to the floor again. The wiring and electronics put about 40,000 volts through his body, further distracting him with his own agony. Mordred lets out a muffled roar of pain as he staggers back

Mordred tosses the TV off him, and by then it was clear he wasn't in the right mind frame. He would attack her with the ferocity of a grizzly bear whose cub was kicked, and would more than likely reduce Rachel to minced meat.

And unfortunately, Rachel was still on her adrenaline high when she lunged forward. He catches her by the throat and slams her onto the floor, and begins holding her down.

Rachel knew he couldn't choke her out; vampires have incredible lung capacity, and a broken neck would only render her unconscious.

Though being a quick thinker, before any of that could come, Rachel notices how close his thumb was to her mouth. Using what strength she had, she pretends to be grasping Mordred's wrist...when in actuality, she took hold of his thumb directing it into her mouth.

She bites down, hard. Hard enough to reach the bone. 

While all Mordred could do was let out a series of semi coherent curses, intermixed with animalistic screams. Rachel tried her best to rip and tear into his flesh, maybe even rip that digit off.

Nope. That thing was on there. 

But even so, it allows enough of Mordred blood to pour into her mouth.

When she was sufficiently rejuvenated, Rachel manages to flip Mordred onto his back, bear down, and bites down on one of his eyes.

"RAAAACHE-AAARRRRG!!!!" Mordred lets out a scream so loud that several of the neighbors dogs could be heard barking. This was gonna get some attention.

Rachel releases Mordred's eye and, a little too caught up in her bloodlust, bares her fangs and goes down, biting down onto the dhampir's jugular.

No human thought was going through Rachel's head; just the primal need to feed, and inflict pain on whatever was attacking her. The part of her that was still thinking was repeatedly slamming Mordred's head onto the floor below them, causing more blood to spill.

Thinking about Jefferson helps.

"Jesus Christ!" Rachel hears.

As she rears her head up, Rachel nearly tears the jugular out from Mordred.

There was standing a horrified and stunned "Dr." Leo Smith, no doubt wondering what the noise was about.

Rachel stares at the Doctor with a predatory glare, and snarls as blood drips down her mouth and chin. The look at her fangs alone was enough to put the fear of God in this man. And as he tried to run, Rachel lunged after him.

Rachel must have blacked out for a moment or two...but when she came too, what she saw was not pretty. In fact, it scared a sob out of her as she realized what she had just done.

The grizzly details of Smith's corpse are best left undescribed, but to quote Jeff Dunham, he was "Over there, over there, and up there."

Rachel could barely stand up without standing in what was spilling out of him, and she freaks out a little when she realizes she's holding one of the "good" doctor's snapped ribs.

Oh, Rachel's head was spinning. She knew that this came with being a vampire and all, she knew she had the strength and will to hospitalize someone (say a proud child abuser). But even at her angriest, Rachel never thought she had the capacity to do something like this ?

Was this her ? Was this Rachel Amber ? Or did the "sleeping" Blood Goddess have more of a hold on her than she thought ?

Rachel's train of thought was interrupted when she heard/felt Mordred groaning and standing up beside her.

Adrenaline, panic and instinct set in. Without even considering what Mordred was about to do, she turns around, still holding Smith's rib in his hand, and sticks it into Mordred's stomach. So deep in fact that it came out the back. Apparently taken aback, Mordred staggered to the wall, as Rachel kept pushing him, until the rib became embedded into the wall.

Still in a fighting spirit, Mordred reaches for Rachel's neck, and that's when Rachel sees it; the knife he had on a holder attached to his belt. 

Quickly musing at how convenient Mordred would be carrying such a weapon, she quickly snatches it from the holder. She then unsheathes the knife, stabbing it into his hand, which she forces to the wall. With his hand now stuck to the wall, Rachel steps back to see Mordred slumped over but still breathing.

She knew enough that he was down and not out, and that if she continued attacking it would be a waste of time and effort, especially since the rush of his blood was beginning to die down.

"This can only stop, if you stay the fuck away from me." Rachel says trying to sound tough, but the nervous edge in her voice made him chuckle.

"Atta girl," Mordred says with a bloody, fangy smile "I'd say this gives you an hour head start. Two tops."

Mordred chuckles again, this time spitting out more of his blood. 

"My advice, Miss Amber ? Make the most of it." Mordred sneers at her.

With nothing else to do or say, Rachel backs away, before darting out of the room.

----

Yesler, Seattle, August 12th, 2015.

After escaping her captors, Rachel had to have spent an hour or so, running and dodging her way through the streets of Seattle. She's pretty sure within twenty minutes she was out of Yesler.

It was night and the neighborhood was lively, so despite Rachel's best efforts to avoid being seen, quite a few people spotted her.

And when you spot a half naked, panicking girl covered in blood, running through the Seattle streets, at the speed of a track runner, people are gonna report it.

She had no doubt there was an APB for her, and if the police see the mess she left behind at the little safehouse Mordred and Smith set up, she'd be up shit creek without a paddle.

And unfortunately for her, Rachel found herself running out of breath.

She stopped to take a breather at a street sign saying Lewis Avenue SW. God she'd wish it would rain; it would at least wash off this mess.

She took the time to collect her thoughts...Now, Rachel has killed before. She killed Cathy's goons for what they were gonna do to Steph last year, and whatever guilt she had for killing them faded with that knowledge.

Besides, Smith was a two time rapist and arsonist, who had been trying to recreate her dark room experience for two weeks. Fuck him, right ?

Unfortunately, she just tried her luck with someone who, by all accounts was the last person you should try your luck with...and he's no doubt hunting her like a dog.

Sighing dejectedly, Rachel walks down the street trying to weigh her options. The street lights were on, so it couldn't be past midnight, but a lot of the house lights were off, so most of the residents had to be in bed.

There were still a few on, in which case, Rachel made the effort to avoid the street lights.

Unfortunately, she passed the wrong house and the wrong street light when her stomach started acting up.

Rachel put both hands on her knees and started to throw up. And considering what she was feeding on earlier, it made a noticeable red mess. Not only that, but it had her coughing up a bit. That's when Rachel noticed a house that had its living room light on and someone getting up from the couch.

She was caught like a deer in the headlights when the porchlight turned on.

There a middle aged Hispanic man with a mustache opened his front door. He was wearing a white T-shirt and a pair of red pajama bottoms, and he narrowed his eyes at Rachel, as if he was trying to make sense of what he was seeing.

"Dios mio!" He says "Ma'am, are you okay-?"

Rachel raises her hand defensively, "Just stay away from me!"

"I'm not gonna hurt you." The man says raising his hands reassuringly "I have two kids sleeping upstairs, don't wanna cause a scene, but if you need any help-"

"You don't have to worry about me, I'm fine!"

"I don't know what your definition of fine is, but being out in the middle of the night like that ? It's certainly not my definition." The man cautiously steps towards Rachel "Do you need me to call anyone ? Police, ambulance-"

"Look," Rachel says weakly, standing upright "I appreciate the offer, but I'd be doing you and your kids a favor by just walking away."

"I can't just walk away from this." The man says "It's not how I was-"

This conversation was put to a stop when two headlights appeared.

A dark blue Obey car pulls up, and out steps two familiar faces; Jonathan and Mary Reid. Both dressed in the getup of police detectives or government agents.

Jonathan looks between Rachel and the man, and apparently working out a cover story, raises his hand to the man to step away.

"Sir, I'm gonna have to ask you to step away from this woman."

The man raises his hands defensively, rolling her eyes.

"Look man, I don't know what to tell you, but my hands are clean." He says "But this girl ? Out wandering the streets like that ? She's not in a good way."

"We are aware of that, which is why it is in your best interests to step away."

Mary makes her way towards Rachel, who flinches a little when the older woman puts her hands on her shoulders and guides her to the car.

Rachel couldn't get in the back seat fast enough, especially when she saw an eight year old boy standing in the doorway, wiping sleep out his eyes.

"Dad ?"

The man looks back at his son and waves for him to go inside.

"Daniel, inside. It's past your bedtime."

"What's going on ?" The kid, Daniel asks with a yawn.

"Nothing, Papi's just having a little talk to these..." He trails off and realizes that these two haven't identified themselves.

"Detectives." Jonathan says to the father, before looking at the boy, trying to put on a more friendly demeanor "It's nothing to worry about, lad. We're just asking your father some questions."

"Back to bed, Daniel." The father says, "I'll be inside in a minute."

Daniel nods reluctantly before heading back inside.

"Can I at least know what the hell's going on ?" The man asks "First this girl walks up on my sidewalk throwing up blood, and these two detectives pull up not a minute later ? What gives ?"

"Nothing you should concern yourself over Mr...?"

"Diaz. Esteban Diaz."

"Mr. Diaz." Jonathan says before taking Mr. Diaz by the shoulder and looking him in the eye.

Rachel figured what was going on. She never tried hypnosis herself, but she also never figured it out.

"Now, you listen to me - this girl is a witness to a murder that occurred in Yesler."

"Dios Mio..."

"You saw her in a panicked state, and tried to step out to assist her. Correct ?"

"Yes." Esteban says, which was the truth, but the tone in his voice indicated that Reid was preparing a half truth for his memory.

"You saw no blood. None on the girl. None on the sidewalk. In fact, the stain will be gone tomorrow. At best, you were delirious over something you were watching on the tele this late." Reid says firmly "The case does not concern you, nor will you concern yourself further. You did the most you could in this situation, and therefore your civic duty."

Esteban nods.

"Your children, what are their names ?" Reid asks.

"I have two sons, Sean and Daniel."

"How old are they ?"

"Sixteen and eight."

"Then if they ask about what you've seen here tonight, you will tell them exactly as I told you. But you will leave out the murder, for their sakes. Such a thing shouldn't dwell on their youthful minds." Jonathan finishes.

Esteban nods again.

"You will return to your previous activities. You will not dwell on tonight's events longer than you need to. It will be at best a fleeting memory, but nothing you will concern yourself with." Reid says "Do we have an understanding, Mr. Diaz ?"

Esteban nods.

"Very good. Now you have a good night, and a better tomorrow. All the best, for you and your boys."

Esteban nods "Of course. You have a good night as well, Detective."

And with that, Esteban makes his way back to his house.

When Jonathan returns to the car, he sees Rachel slumped against the door, with watery eyes, looking like she was just barely keeping herself together.

"Did you say anything to her ?" Jonathan asks Mary, stepping into the driver's seat, with Mary herself in the passenger seat.

"Nothing." Mary whispers "I don't think there's anything I can say-"

"Can we just go please ?" Rachel asks, her voice breaking a little.

"Of course." Jonathan says "Let's get you looked over."

----

The drive took them to Kennedy Square, where a Whitewood Suite was established.

On the ride there, Rachel was allowed to wipe her face off with moist toilets they had on board, and was allowed to wear a spare trench coat as they made their way through the lobby.

When they reach their room, Jonathan simply says "You can...you can shower off. We got you an extra set of clothes in your suite. If you want I can give you a quick examination."

Mary reaches out to touch Rachel's shoulder reassuringly, but Rachel would flinch away.

"We'll talk when we're ready." Mary says.

"If I'm ready." Rachel says sullenly "And that's a big if."

Having not showered in about two weeks, Rachel made this one last a while. She almost made herself cry. Besides the lingering memories of the dark room, besides the horror of her situation...Rachel just couldn't believe she was that capable of that brutality.
 
It wasn't like last year. It wasn't like Cathy and her friends. Those were the expectant casualties of trying to hurt a vampire and her girlfriend, right ? So why does Rachel feel particularly sick about what she did to Mordred and Smith ?

Fuck it. Rachel let herself cry a little. She doesn't care. This was the first time in a while she really felt like a monster.

After her shower, Rachel stepped into her suite to redress in the clothes the Reid's provided for her; a simple white hoodie, sports bra and a pair of matching sweatpants.

She'd plop herself down on her bed and just wait for sleep to catch up to her.

 

Chapter 14: Rachel & Steph: Pt.2 (Flashback)

Summary:

Was gonna post this on my birthday in September, but IRL circumstances has me posting it early.

So here it is! Picking up were "Part 1" left off, we're finally wrapping up Rachel's flashback arc and moving on to other (present day) arcs; this also contains a send off to the Ambergrich arc I originally had in mind, but we're still getting Chengrich down the road. "True Colors" is the main reason I had to do a total rewrite of Steph's arc I previously planned; as a result we got "Tulpa Steph".

We're also getting a reveal of who the "donor" is for Max and Chloe's son, Bill. I know it's not a mystery I hyped up, but to leave it unanswered would be bothersome, right ? It also will explain the boys seer powers.

Chapter Text

March 10th, 2013, Portland Oregon.

It was past midnight, but Mary and Rachel all but sped walked from the Candy club to Mary's apartment.

Both were as far from ready for sleep as either could get. They had their hands and mouths all over each other. Luckily there weren't many people out, though the few that were stopped and stared for a moment.

After reaching Mary's apartment, Rachel didn't waste time kicking off her shoes and tossing aside her jacket.

"Impatient are you ?" Mary muses.

"I've been waiting for this all day." Rachel mumbles as she takes Mary's mouth into hers "I really want to end this trip in a bang...and I expect nothing less than one."

"If you wish." Mary says, making fake smacks of her lips "Of course, I'm a little parched. Would you be a dear and fix us some drinks ?"

As Mary asks this, she playfully twirls Rachel's hair, and rubs her nose to Rachel's.

"You're killing me!" Rachel scoffs.

"No dear, that costs extra." Mary says, playfully patting Rachel on the cheek as she sauntered down the hall "I await you in the bedroom. And I won't be going nowhere."

Rachel rolls her eyes as she makes her way to Mary's fridge.

"You just used a double negative. How am I supposed to trust that ?" Rachel calls after Mary.

She takes a large bottle of Pepsi from the fridge, and from the cupboard two glasses. She picks a bigger glass for herself; her way of punishing Mary for the teasing.

She did throw in a couple of ice cubes for her, deciding to show some mercy.

As Rachel makes her way to the bedroom, she nearly drops the glasses to see Mary, standing by the bedroom window with the lights on, in nothing but a red bra and panties, looking over the city. She let her long black hair loose, letting it flow.

"Ah, I'd thought you'd never come." Mary teases, as she closes her blinds.

"What, and be an ungracious guest ?" Rachel snarks back, as she approaches Mary, and hands her the smaller glass "Never."

The two link their arms to drink - meaning Rachel got the smaller glass anyways - before setting their glasses aside on the table.
Now was not the time to procrastinate.

Rachel and Mary stare for a moment, before Mary says.

"Well...?"

Rachel sighs "I'm not scared or nervous or anything. It's just..."

Mary gently touches Rachel's shoulder "You can walk out now, and we don't have to proceed any further if you don't-"

"No, I want this." Rachel says "It's just. This is-"

Rachel sighs like she's confessing to something she's guilty of ("Like hurting Chloe further ?" The back of her head voice says).

"This isn't my first time with someone...older." Rachel confesses "But it is the first time I did it sober."

Mary nods with an understanding expression.

"Would you prefer if...If I take initiative ?" Mary asks gently, bending down to reach Rachel's neck.
 
Rachel froze, at her touch. She closed her eyes, and felt her muscles tense.

"Y-Yes. I would like that."

Rachel relaxed when Mary's lips kissed her neck softly...

----

Whitewood Suites, Seattle, August 14th, 2015

Rachel awakes the next morning, she had this thick inexplicable chocolatey taste in her mouth she wanted to wash out.

When she makes her way to the minifridge, Rachel rummages through it to find a bottle of sprite.

She could hear the Reid's talking in the other room.

"Really Jonathan ? You couldn't wait until she was awakened ?" Mary would say in a loud, but not shouting voice.

"Any other day, I would have taken her to the hospital. Give her a proper checkup." Jonathan says defensively "But you of all people know he'd have eyes there."

Mary could be heard scoffing.'

"On top of that," Reid says "There's so much Elizabeth's cleanup crew can over in a single night - to take Miss Amber to a public institution would only-"

Rachel, still tired and still drinking the morning taste out of her mouth, makes her way to the other room, seeing Jonathan sitting at a table while an irate Mary circles him.

Rachel knocks loudly on the wall, getting both siblings' attention.

"She would also prefer if you didn't talk about her like she wasn't here." Rachel says, making her way to the table. 

She sits herself down in a chair opposite to Jonathan's, her red tired eyes darting back and forth between the Reid's.

"She would also like to know what I should have been awake for." Rachel asks.

"Johnny was-" Mary starts to say, before Rachel raises a finger to silence her.

"I would prefer to hear it from the Doc."

Jonathan exhales a little before turning to face Rachel.

"I was hoping to run another test for you. It's come to my attention that experiments were done to further awaken the Blood of Hate." Jonathan explains "I was considering taking a sample to test it for myself, when Mary caught me prepping a needle."

"Hmm," Rachel mumbles with a raised eyebrow "Cuz that's something you want to do to a girl who was not only overdosed to death, but was repeatedly overdosed for the past two weeks."

"You didn't particularly mind the night we met." Jonathan shrugs "We had to be sure you were stable, especially-"

Reid hesitates, before Rachel gives him the "Go On" gesture.

"Especially with what we found at Smith's hideout." Reid finishes.

Rachel winces and nods before taking another drink "I can see why you're worried."

"Now Elizabe- Lady Ashbury, she's already working on cleaning up for you. She can get the police to look the other way, and as far as most witnesses know, you were an extra for a found footage zombie movie." Reid explains "That mess you made on the sidewalk ? It's been washed away since we brought you in here."

"And you couldn't take me to a hospital ?"

"We only have two hospitals, I'm afraid." Reid answers "They're outside this town in Oregon. You say the word, and that can be our next stop."

Rachel thinks for a moment, before shaking her head.

"What about Steph ? Have you been keeping an eye on her ?" She asks.

"Miss Gingrich ?" Jonathan asks "Well, there's good news and not so good news."

"Out with it; being vague only annoys me."

"Miss Gingrich is alright as far as we can tell," Jonathan says, raising one hand, before raising the other "But we sort of recruited her."

"Sort of ? The fuck-?" Rachel stutters.

"As you may recall, The Guard of Priwen has splintered over the past century, with numerous factions being assimilated into the Federal Bureau of Control. Both of which, New Ascalon is connected." Jonathan explains.

"Their way of going international." Mary remarks.

"They have also taken to recruiting cadets, in exchange for protection." Jonathan further explains "Steph insisted on recruitment, hoping to be part of your rescue mission."

"She's here ? In Seattle ? As a fucking vampire hunter ?" Rachel asks in disbelief. She was picturing the image of Steph performing Buffy-like feats against Mordred and his underlings. Though the amusement gave way to worry and concern when she asks "And you guys let her-"

"To be accurate, she's more of a cub scout than an actual soldier." Jonathan nods "But yes, she insisted on joining if it meant protecting you."

Rachel felt her heart swell a little, her exhaustion still gets the better of her. She then remembers something else; something very crucial she shouldn't have overlooked.

"Mordred ? Where is-"

"He wasn't there when we reached his safe house; odds are he's licking his wounds as we speak, but he should be up and running before days end." Jonathan says, before he gives Rachel a reassuring smile "On the bright side, we were able to narrow down his identity, thanks to your paramour."

"Steph ?" Rachel asks, still in disbelief her girl was this involved in the investigation, and the one who found out Mordred.

"Turns out he was going as a Cornish Commons student, Asa Boorman." Jonathan explains, putting a hand on Rachel's shoulder "He was also a neighbor to one Victoria Chase, and her partner Kate Marsh."

Rachel just looks on taking this information in; Steph found out Mordred; Steph was trying to help her and got recruited into a Guard of Vampire hunters ("She's more of a cub scout." Rachel's mind corrects itself) to try to find her; also Victoria's out and proud ? Took her long enough.

Then something else came to mind. She, Rachel, was the one who faced Mordred; she was the one who overpowered him and stuck him to a wall, albeit briefly.

"But about Mordred ? How could I- I couldn't have done that on my own-" Rachel starts to stutter, before Jonathan stands up, puts his hands on her shoulders and says.

"Just tell us what you did."

Rachel rubs her temples thinking about their fight.

"I don't know. He just kept running his mouth with his usual platitudes and all, and," Rachel grimaces thinking about it "Fuck! I don't know what came over me, so I started calling out his bullshit, you know ? He got angry. I got angry...and I kept hitting him. And biting him and..."

Rachel pales.

"And drinking from him." Rachel shakes her head "By the time I came too...Smith was a pile of blood, guts and bones on the floor, and I stabbed Mordred into the wall with one of Smith's ribs."

Rachel shakes her head, before looking back and forth at the Reid siblings.

"That wasn't me, was it ? Like, I'm not capable of being...that, right ?"

The Reid's glance at each other, before Jonathan answers.

"Yes, and no." Jonathan says "The Queen's blood may be dormant inside you, but that doesn't mean it has no effect. Yes it amplifies aggression, but that anger, that hatred ? That comes from the carrier."

Rachel shakes a little, biting her lip as she nods, trying to accept this information.

"But I shouldn't have been able to overpower him."

"Don't overestimate a dhampir." Mary says "Mordred's exceptional for one, but they usually don't match the strength and durability of your average vampire. By your own admission, you drank his blood when you attacked him, correct ?"

Rachel sighs, looks down and nods "Fuck, I was hungry."

"Well, maybe that's what gave you the ultimate edge against him." Mary says, before jabbing a thumb at her brother "You're not special in that regard if it makes it any easier; Johnny here ? He came closer to killing Mordred than perhaps even you."

Jonathan glances at Mary, the slightest glare in his eye.

"Of course, everything went to shit, and he disappeared for years." Mary adds.

"Funny way of saying, was tortured for years in one of the Guard's camps." Jonathan says to his sister.

There's a pause in the room, as Jonathan and Mary stare at each other with unreadable expressions. When Rachel notices the slightest look of guilt in Mary's eye when the latter looks away. So, to break the silence Rachel speaks up.

"Jonath- Dr. Reid ?" Rachel says, putting her hand on Jonathan's "If it's alright with you, can Mary and I have a few minutes ? There's quite a bit we need to talk about. Personal stuff."

Jonathan glances between Mary and Rachel. His expression goes from annoyance to understanding.

"Very well," Jonathan nods "If it's okay with you, I'd say it's best I reach out to Miss Gingrich. Let her know you're okay."

Rachel stands up, putting a hand on Jonathan's shoulder "Actually, can you start the car or something ? Just...take me to her ? I'm only gonna be a few minutes."

Jonathan nods, with a professional composure "Of course, Miss Amber."

And with that, Jonathan exits the suite, leaving only Mary and Rachel.

Mary takes a step towards the table and takes a seat across from her.

"So, I assume you want to talk...about us ?" Mary asks inquisitively.

"Yeah." Rachel gives a weak nod "Past couple of weeks were nothing but bad memories, and I think it's gonna keep bugging me unless I let it out."

"You have regrets." Mary says with a nod.

"Yes, no, maybe." Rachel shrugs "I don't know. It's back in Arcadia Bay, I was one of those kinds of girls behind the scenes - I mean, you of all people know. You were the same kind of girl, right ?"

"I was." Mary leans her head to the left shoulder, and then the right "And am." She perks her head upright "It comes and goes like the wind blows."

"Right, that's sort of where I am." Rachel says.

To make her point, Rachel raises one hand.

"Cuz on one hand, I have this id. I like drinking, I like drugs, partying, and fucking. What you saw of me on our date ? That was me at my most primal. That's me acting on base instinct."

Rachel raises her other hand.

"On the other hand, whenever I'm not out of it...I like the other stuff. I can't help but care about other people, and it hurts me that I'm hurting them. And when it hurts too much, I try to numb it, and-"

"It's a cycle," Mary says, putting a reassuring hand on Rachel's "I spent the past century on and off that cycle. I was quite open with you that day. You saw quite a bit of the real me then too."

"How much of it was real ?"

"I was mostly telling you half truths, but they were truths nonetheless." Mary explains getting up from the table, and begins pacing around the room "Did you know I died twice ?"

"That's...new information."

"It's a long story." Mary says.

"And I'm sure you can crunch it down to a few minutes."

Mary nods.

For the next few minutes, Mary went on to explain the truth of her life before her death. Yes, her husband was killed overseas by a landmine, but that was in WWI; yes, her infant son Connor died from a sickness, but that was the Spanish flu. And when Mary sought out her brother in London, she was his first victim as a vampire.

So of course, Mary awoke, went on a killing spree of her own, before Jonathan put her down. When Jonathan eventually put the Red Queen back to sleep, the Queen found her and Connor behind the veil.

"The thing you need to know about the Blood Queen. She's more than a primordial vampire; she was worshiped as a death goddess for a reason. Those who die under her, their souls are her dominion. Even if it was a disease she was working through." Mary explains.

"Like the Spanish flu." Rachel adds, putting two and two together.

"Bingo." Mary says with a sad smile "So, when Connor and I found each other...she eventually found us in her dominion."

Mary wipes her eye, but continues nonetheless. 

"She knew of Jonathan's work, of how close he was getting to the key to her destruction; she wanted to make things personal with him."

Mary would explain how the Queen took Connor away from her, how she rose Mary from the grave a second time, and how the Mother's Children prepped her to be their "glorified cult prostitute". Mary would seek out girls that the Queen usually takes, and find some way to spread her disease, and leave the Queen's mark on them. A vampire outbreak would start, and Jonathan would have to clean up the mess. 

And it would be all thanks to the sister he already killed twice.

Naturally, Mary's mood dampers quite a bit as she tells this part, even letting a few tears fall. Despite her mixed feelings, a sympathetic Rachel gets up from her chair, and wraps her arms around Mary's neck.

A little taken aback by the gesture, Mary stops just short of sobbing to compose herself.

"This was...that's what our date was to you wasn't it ?" Rachel says with a calm tone of voice.

Mary shrugs "The Queen was already lurking in Arcadia Bay...she wanted me to speeden the process with you."

"And ?"

"I had my own feelings on the matter." Mary says, taking Rachel by the shoulder and looking her in the eyes "On one hand, I did see potential in you, and thought I could give you the best chances in your life."

Rachel looks at Mary with an unreadable expression. Mary continues to clarify.

"You talked of Chloe, and how she clearly meant a lot to you, and Chloe was the one the Queen wanted first. You were just the one she got too." Mary says "I was hoping to reach out to Elizabeth, get you both out when the time came; I even thought maybe..."

Mary trails off, prompting Rachel to give her an inquisitive look. Mary chuckles and shakes her head.

"I doubt it would last long, but..." Mary bites her lip "I wouldn't have been opposed to us being a thing. I know it sounds fucked up-"

"It is. A little." Rachel nods in agreement.

"But you'd be a university student and I'd be a teacher...it's not like you were opposed to such affairs when I found you."

Rachel pauses, and nods after thinking about it.

"By the time I could reach Arcadia Bay, it was far...far too late." Mary says "The only thing I could do was help track down the Queen's latest champion. About a year or so later, here we are."

Rachel sits back down. She facepalms as she takes a moment to think this through.

"So...whose side were you on when you found me ?"

"I wasn't on anyone's side until after the fact." Mary says taking her seat across from Rachel "I reunited with Jonathan in the 1920's, where I thought I was saved. For a while, it seemed like our lives were going back on track. Especially with Diana coming into the picture."

"Whose Diana ?"

Mary hesitates, before shaking her head.

"Another long and personal story." Mary says with a sad sigh "Just know, that when she was out of the picture, it went back to me being on my own. From then on, my relationship with my family has been on and off. I never considered myself a part of the Mother's Children, even when she'd follow me. She made her mark in Arcadia Bay when I made a visit there in the 90's, and until you came along, I hadn't heard her voice."

Rachel nods, again taking it in.

"So where does that leave us ?" Mary asks.

"I don't know." Rachel says, getting out of her seat, counting her fingers as she circles Mary "On one hand, I kind of resent you, for marking me like that; on the other hand, Jefferson was gonna mark me anyways. And while I ain't gonna use your sad past to excuse you or anything, it seems us both where screwed over by this Blood Goddess."

Rachel then puts both hands on Mary's shoulders.

"I mean, I'm no mother - I don't see myself being one...but if I had a son, in the hands of that monster," Rachel shudders at the thought "God only knows what I would have done for her."

Rachel releases Mary and takes a step back.

"Ultimately, I don't think I can forgive you so easily...but at the same time I can't hate you. I mean, you're trying to make things right, and the way I see it, you're just as much her victim as I am." Rachel crosses her arms and leans back against the wall "I don't know, I guess being given another chance at life is better than being in a junkyard."

Mary nods with a sad smile.

"So what does that make us ?" Mary asks.

"I wouldn't use lovers. Don't expect another night like we had in Portland. I want to do right by Steph. I already failed her like I did Chloe, and I don't want more of that." Rachel steps forward "But I think kinship is the word I'd use."

Mary gives a more genuine smile, reaching out to touch Rachel's shoulder.

"Kinship. I'll settle for that." Mary says "Come now, you've been waiting to see Miss Gingrich long enough."

----

Meanwhile, in the Whitewood's Parking lot, Jonathan readied the car, pulling up to the lobby, waiting for Rachel Mary to come down. 

A few people went out, seeing as the sun was just starting to rise. Jonathan took a swig of his "elixir" to lessen it's effects, as Mary had earlier.

Somewhere in that parking lot, a man with black jeans and a dark grey hoodie makes his way to Reid's car. While Reid was distracted, he takes out his phone and dials in a number.

It is Agent Vanessa Dibikad who answers.

"Mino gigizheb, Dr. Reid."

"And a good morning to you, Agent Dibikad. Look, I just got off with Elizabeth; tonight's events are being sufficiently covered up. How are things on your end."

"Oh, the usual," Dibikad sighs "It's like watching an episode of Veronica Mars with these kids."

Reid, who has paid little attention to television in the past decade, shrugs.

"I'd have to take your word for it."

"Ginrich, Giddings and Davis are going to be at Cornish for the day; it's the birthday of Victoria Chase, but their dorm is just down the street from where your fugitive is hiding out." Dibikad explains "Looks like Asa Boorman hasn't checked in; I'll get some of the crew down here, have a look around. Hopefully, our girls can keep the party goers distracted."

"So I take it, that's where we'll be taking Miss Amber ?"

"Oh sure," Dibikad says with a sarcastic chuckle "I'm sure it'd make a helluva birthday surprise for Miss Chase; seeing one of her classmates back from the dead. Oh, you know what ? Let's reveal our whole shadow war and history to Blackwell's alumni, I'm sure that won't turn their worlds upside down."

"Alright, alright ?" Jonathan sighs "Just let Miss Gingrich where we are; we'll meet back at their safe house."

"Will do, Doc." Dibikad says "And keep your eye out for any of this Mordred guy's goons. You yourself said they could be anywhere-"

Right as Dibikad says this, Jonathan notices the man in the grey hoodie standing by his window.

The man knocks a couple times on the window, and it takes but two seconds to recognize him.

"Mordred."

"What was that ?" Dibikad asks over the phone, before the realization hits her too "Oh speak of the devil."

"Good morning Doctor Reid." Mordred says with a mischievous grin "It's been what ? Seven years...a long time to hold a grudge."

And with little effort, Mordred punches his fist through the window, takes a big enough piece of glass in his hand and attempts to stab Jonathan in the neck. Jonathan grabs Mordred's wrist, holding it away from his face.

The few people who were out could see the commotion, but no one did anything but watch. A few take out their cameras and phones.

"Don't...make...this...harder...than...it...needs...to...be..Doc." Mordred says through gritted teeth, eventually overpowering Reid and sticking the knife into his neck.

For added measure, Mordred slams Jonathan's face into the dashboard, with enough force to break his neck, rendering the vampire unconscious.

"Reid ? Reid ? Jonathan ?" Dibikad's voice asks with an increasingly nervous edge. 

Mordred opens the car door, pushing Jonathan's body to the passenger seat, as he climbs into the driver's seat. Mordred picks up the phone and answers for Jonathan.

"I'm sorry, the good doctor can't come to the phone right now. But if you'd be a doll and deliver a message, that would do me a solid!" Mordred chuckles as he turns the car on, and begins to pull out of the parking lot.

As he does so, Mary and Rachel reach the lobby, and having seen the crowd's reactions to the commotion, they rush outside. They just manage to see Reid's car driving off, but manage to catch a glimpse of Mordred in the driver's seat.

----

Later that day, Kate and Victoria's Dormitory, Cornish Commons

This certainly wasn't a Vortex Party they'd hold in Blackwell.

There were few people she recognized, but the party was more of a simple get together. It's not like Victoria had anything big or extravagant planned out for her big 21.

Instead, it turns out Kate got into the habit of watching teen comedies from the early 2000's, so Victoria was content with having their party be a "marathon".

One person who didn't show up, was Max Caulfield, on account of being sick in bed that day. She said she'd face time with them when the party's over.

Even so, when Steph turned up, there was an undercurrent in the air. Both Kate and Victoria welcomed her like a friend, but there was still that worry in the back of their heads about her girlfriend or their neighbor Asa.

Steph would try to make small talk, but honestly, she wasn't that close to Juliet or Taylor to really make conversation, and she didn't feel like bothering them with her story of how "Vivian" saved her from a toxic girlfriend; nor how her Vivian has gone to confront this creep stalking Victoria and Kate.

She did have an easier time talking to Dana, while they two had a smoke break over a balcony.

"So...I heard you and Logan-?"

"Oh that ?" Dana shakes her head "Nah, we've been on and off but-"

"Oh, I didn't mean anything by it." Steph says defensively "I knew he had a thing for you. It's just I didn't think you were the type who'd give him a shot."

Dana sighs sullenly 

"I gave him a few shots. I should have taken the hint when he walked out after he got me-"

Dana stops herself.

"Got you what ?" Steph asks, wincing as she worried she pressed the wrong button.

"Nothing." Dana says "It's in the past and after...after everything that happened in October we tried again, but he didn't get any better."

"Was he abusive ?" Steph asks before quickly clarifying "I mean, back in LA, I had a pretty bad relationship. So I don't mean to to pry or anything-"

"No." Dana shakes her head "It's just he was more of the same. I think October shook him up some, and he started acting out more. Couldn't have any more of that."

Dana turns to Steph.

"So, Tori and Kate tell me you're a stage actress." Dana asks "Thought you'd be more into music."

"I mean, I worked on musicals, so I guess it's more or less the same." Steph says, dropping her cigarette and crushing it under her foot.

"I heard you were in that Cthulhu show."

"Lovers in R'lyeh." Steph nods "And not it wasn't about Cthulhu specifically, it was about an early civilization with the Old Ones and the Elder Gods living among them."

"I was told you had to, you know, show skin ?" Dana asks hesitantly "Weren't you nervous ?"

Steph thinks for a moment, before shaking her head "It's no more than what I show at the beach."

Their discussion was interrupted when Steph's phone started buzzing.

"I have to take this, hold on." Steph says, checking to see she had a text message.

It was from Ashbury.

"She's been found. She's safe. Meet us at your place."

Steph's eyes widened. "Uh, look, it was great catching up, but something's come up."

"Oh, sure I don't mind." Dana says tossing her own cigarette aside "It was great catching up with you, Steph. See you around."

Steph hastily made her way through the dorm, and as he reached the door, she crossed paths with Kate.

"Oh, Steph, glad I caught you." Kate says, before leaning in to whisper into Steph's ear "Tori doesn't know, but I've got to pick her up some ice cream cake; I could use someone to keep me in line."

"What ?"

"Well, it's just I got into the habit of getting distracted by picking up clothes or groceries, that I sometimes need Tori to watch my spending."

Steph looks around, as she thinks for a moment. She was dropped off by Dibikad, who went with Sam and Emily to look over "Asa Boorman's" apartment. So taking her closest ride into account, Steph nods.

"Sure, but do you mind if we make two trips ? Something came up."

"Oh sure thing," Kate says "So long as I don't talk you into three." she adds with a chuckle. 

----

As Kate and Steph drove past "Boorman's" apartment, both girls had a sudden shudder wash over them.

"So," Kate says, making small talk "Any word on Vivian ?"

"Yeah." Steph nods sadly, looking out the window "They found her in a bad way. She's in the hospital."

"I'm sorry." Kate says, patting Steph on the shoulder "I mean, you know I've been in Jefferson's dark room, and there are times lately I've been feeling confrontational myself."

"You didn't strike me as the confrontational type."

"Yeah, and two years ago, I wouldn't have struck you as the colorful, pot smoking tomboy type either. Yet here I am." Kate says "It's just...you remember Nathan Prescott, right ?"

"Yeah. I mean I didn't really hang out with him, but after the news came out, his name was all over the place."

"Yeah, well Nathan and Tori were pretty close. Like brother and sister close." Kate adds "When she found out what was going on ? Fuck me, it felt like her world went up in flames."

"She took Nathan that badly, huh ?"

"She knew Nate had problems, but she thought she could try to help him. But when she found out the truth, and that it was too late for him ? I don't know, she basically shut down." Kate shakes her head "It's like if it's too late for someone like Nathan, then how far could Victoria have sunk, you know ? She still wakes up crying sometimes."

"Jeez." Steph mutters.

"And Asa Boorman ? He was in our therapy group and our neighbor. After Nathan, Victoria had a hard time trusting new people, but Asa seemed to be winning her over. I mean, we had him in our dorm a few times before." Kate sighs "And you're sure your girl recognized him ?"

Steph nods, still going with her cover story "I swear; the minute she saw Asa's picture, she recognized the name, told me all about him. I didn't think she'd do anything this reckless; but she got me out of a dark place. It's only right that I return the favor."

"She sounds like quite a catch." Kate says with a smile, "You think maybe me and Tori could meet her ? You know, after she's out ?"

"Maybe." Steph sighs "It'd have to be on her terms though. Asa put her through a lot."

----

Meanwhile, at "Asa Boorman's" apartment.

Agent Dibikad was already hard at work, along with Sam and Emily.

The cover story that Dibikad gave the landlord and tenants was that she was an FBI agent, and Asa Boorman was wanted in connection to Mark Jefferson's activities in Eagle Stone, who recently came back on their radar.

The fact that Mordred never came home since his identity was outed, made it easier to get access.

Sam and Emily would make claims of being witnesses/possible victims of Boorman, who were drugged and woke up in his apartment. They were along to see if they could jog their memories and provide a clearer picture of what they went through.

Bottom line, they had all the access to Mordred's hideout they needed. They rummaged all over the place; his bedroom, which was otherwise empty, save for his laptop and an old timey TV, with a built-in VCR.

They'd look all over his living room, rummaging through his stuff. They found nothing of valuable information, aside from Mordred' noted eccentricity.

While Dibikad was quick to confiscate the laptop, hoping to have it eventually cracked open and deciphered, Emily found a box under his bed.

Inside, where blank VHS tapes.

"Now what do we have here ?" Emily asks.

"Those would be VHS tapes." Dibikad says, theatrically holding out her hand in front of her "Ancient devices of a bygone era, used for entertainment purposes."

Both Sam and Dibikad share a laugh at Emily's expense.

Emily rolls her eyes "Think there's anything useful on here ?"

"Unlikely." Dibikad "It's more than likely his porno collection or something."

Dibikad holds up the laptop.

"I think it's obvious he stores his key information onto this one; you two keep an eye on what we might have missed; I'll get this in an evidence locker."

With that Dibikad steps out of the room, leaving Sam and Emily to look over the tapes.

"Well, what do you say ?" Emily asks.

"I don't know, Em." Sam shakes her head "For all we know it could be snuff."

"Snuff's mostly simulated." Emily says, earning a look from Sam "I watched, 8MM, okay ? And if it's not, it's more evidence that will put him on the radar."

Sam shakes her head and rolls her eyes "Look, you do you Em. But I'm gonna check the other rooms, see if there's anything else to keep an eye on."

"I'll fast forward through them; if it's too much, I'll turn it off and let you know. If it's not, then there's nothing to worry about." Emily says, trying to reassure her girlfriend.

"If you say so."

As Sam exits the bedroom, Emily rummages through the tapes. On a few of them, there was a date written on the side in white marker.

Emily picked two of the recent ones; "July 31st, 2015" and "August 6th, 2015".

She places in the first tape, showing a side view of a barely conscious Rachel Amber lying on a bed.

Rachel's face was off camera, and Mordred was addressing the man identified as "Dr." Leo Smith.

"Ah, looks like the good Doctor is in." Mordred says, getting up to greet the man "Rachel Amber, may I present you to your landlord for the next...however long ? Dr. Leo Smith."

Smith regards Rachel with a nod and a tip of an invisible hat.

"It'll be like I'm not here." He says.

"I know who you are." Rachel can be heard saying "Reid's warned me about you. You're the one who keeps your eyes on me for this one."

"Well, our employer can't be in two places at once."

"They also told me you were an arsonist and rapist." Rachel can be heard saying.

"Oh that ? Well the medication they gave me has my...primal desires at an all time low." Smith says, before looking down between his legs "What I lack in testosterone I make up for in chemistry."

"His connection was one thing. But for him to turn urine into a blood substitute ?" Mordred starts.

Emily gags upon hearing that, as does Mordred and presumably Rachel.

"Yeah, I know. Point is, the rich boy here has all the makings of a mad scientist. Someone we need for what we have in store." Mordred finishes.

"Call this a recreation experiment..." Smith going through his bag and setting up his equipment "This Blood of Hate in your veins...it's restricted. No good spreading the disease that dwells within you. But by recreating the circumstances that put the Queen's blood into you, we can bring it back to its potent stage. It is a spiritual infection as much as it is a medical one, after all."

As Smith says this he is prepping a needle.

"And from what I've observed of you, you have become quite a tough shell to crack. I suppose you can say, you're in for a nostalgia trip Miss Amber."

"You'll be dead before I-" Rachel starts to say, before Mordred apparently smacks her.

"Come now, Miss Amber, I would think that a girl your age would learn that sometimes you have to take your medicine."

Mordred takes Rachel by the chin and forces him to look at her.

"Just think of it as a preparation for a Blackwell Academy reunion in the making!" Mordred says, playfully patting her on the cheek "In the meantime, I have some loose ends needing to be taken care of in LA. Till then little dove."

As Mordred is saying this, Smith leans over Rachel and injects a needle into her.

Emily stops and ejects the tape. That alone should be evidence enough. But there was still one more to look at.

Meanwhile, Sam has finished going through the living room, finding a previously unchecked closed. It locked shut, but a few good kicks manage to knock the lock off the door and cause the door to nearly fall on top of her.

"Whoops." Sam says sarcastically, before looking into the closet. 

There was a light switch to turn on, but when she did, it was like something out of a stalker story.

News Articles about Arcadia Bay, pictures of Kate Marsh, Victoria Chase, and other girls from Arcadia Bay both taken from their social media...and taken from a distance while they were out doing regular activities unaware that their neighbor - someone they might consider a friend - was watching them from a distance.

Sam takes a few steps back and takes heavy breaths.

"Come on, Giddings. You survived a fucking wendigo, twice." Sam tells herself before stepping into the closet, camera phone at the ready.

She takes a few crime scene photos and notices at the top of the shelf there is a box. On it was a label reading "Blood Samples".

Sam takes a picture of the box, before trying to climb her way up. She tries to be careful and not disturb the pictures.

Back in the bedroom, Emily has the second tape on, this time depicting "Dr." Smith as if he were being interviewed.

"Any good news ?" Mordred's voice would ask "Actually scratch that; any news you have is neutral."

"You're correct. There's the bad news and the not so bad news." Smith nods with a firm expression "We haven't been able to figure out what's suppressing her. But...We have been able to make adjustments to the blood we collected. While we can't isolate your mothers essence from her blood, Miss Amber's still has her power so to speak. If we can transfer her blood, it would still turn your next target into a vampire. They would carry the Queen's virus, albeit in a dormant state."

"Can you isolate it ?" Mordred asks.

"No. Not yet."

"I've seen you turn piss into a blood substitute, and you're telling me you can't awaken the spirit-?"

"Spirit, exactly." Smith says sternly, clasping his hands together "You're little cult keeps saying that this Blood of Hate is a spiritual one as much as it's a medical one. I'm a chemist, not a fucking witch doctor."

Mordred could be heard sighing "So what ?"

"The most we can do is recreate the Dark Room for Miss Amber." Smith says, "I have alternatives in mind should this fail. They may be a bit unorthodox, but..."

"Butts are for shitting, Smith! Out with it!"

"I've been tinkering with the Blood samples we collected so far." Smith says, a prideful smile forming on his lips "In fact, I have been able to convert them into...a semen substitute."

"A semen substitute ?" Emily mouths "What the hell are they planning ?"

"A semen substitute. What the hell are you planning ?" Mordred replies, as if echoing Emily.

"It worked on dogs in my past experiments, but without boring you with the details, we can take Miss Amber's altered blood and use it to fertilize an egg."

"And create a dhampir." Mordred catches onto what Smith is saying, but he sounds dejected with his next words "There's just one problem; most dhampirs don't survive past infancy; one out of six has a chance to make it to adulthood."

"Yes, but this child would also carry your mothers essence in their veins, the same thing that kept you alive. They would be Rachel Amber's child, but they'd be as connected to the Blood Queen as you are. For all intents and purposes, they would be another you." Smith explains.

There is a pause before Mordred can be heard saying.

"I see. Some of the girls we have our eyes on ?" Mordred muses "They're in sapphic relationships. On the off chance they seek a donor for a child-"

"We could have doctors in place, and see to it they'd use Miss Amber's samples to fertilize the ovums." Smith finishes.

"I like the way you think." Mordred chuckles "Very well. Bring me those samples, and I'll find a place safe to keep them. It'll be our plan B or C."

Emily stops the tape there.

Well, looks like they have all the evidence they need. And they know at least one of Mordred's backup plans.

Back in the closet, Sam manages to get her hands on the box. She carries it out and places it on a coffee table in the living room.

"Sam ?" Emily calls out "Sam, come take a look at this."

"I'll be there in a few-" Sam says, getting the lid off.

What she sees inside the box is not jars or veils of blood; instead there was a large lollipop, otherwise known as a "Big Sucker". A big sucker....and a time bomb trigged by a switch connected to the box's lid.

10...9...8...

"OH FUCK ME!" Sam exclaims, picking up the box and tossing it to the other end of the room, before darting her way back to the bedroom, as Emily was about to step out.

"Sam, what is-" Emily says, before Sam tackles Emily back into the bedroom, onto the floor.

KAH-BOOOOOOM

The explosion was small, all things considered. It is loud enough to be heard for blocks. It left the living room a burning wreck and knocked down a wall or two. 

----

The drive to the Dairy Queen wasn't that far, so it didn't take long for Kate and Steph to not only hear the explosion, but see the smoke coming from the apartment complex on their way back.

"Jesus Christ!" Kate mutters out, seeing the smoke "The hells happening ?"

"Isn't that his apartment ?" Steph asks.

As Kate and Steph's car passes, they see a crowd of people converging on the streets. Some of them were evacuated out of the apartment complex, others to witness the spectacle.

There were already ambulances, and firefighters on the scene; Kate's car had to be directed along with the other traffic and it took them two minutes until they reached Cornish.

By the time they reached the parking lot, much of Victoria's party was outside, among the spectators.

Victoria herself was the first to reach their car, stepping out to pull Kate into a hug.

"Katie!" Victoria says in relief "Oh thank, god you're alright!" She then starts repeatedly kissing a flustered Kate across the face.

"Tori- Tori, I'm fine." Kate says, blushing a little, but still a little mortified by the scene around her.

"We were at the DQ when it happened." Steph says, stepping out of the car and trying to reassure Victoria.

"DQ ? What were you doing in a-?" Victoria starts to ask before shaking her head "It doesn't matter. I'm just glad you're okay."

Kate and Victoria hug, while they both watch the scene from down the street.

"I think that's Asa's place." Steph says, before looking at the couple "You- you two just wait here - I have to check on something."

Steph dashed her way down the street, only briefly stopped at a police barrier by two officers.

"Ma'am you can't be here, this is an active-''

"It's okay, she's with me." Agent Dibikad can be heard speaking up, as she approaches the officer "She's a witness to our investigation. Just let her through."

The two officers glance at each other and reluctantly let Steph through.

"Was it a trap ?" Steph asks, as Dibikad leads her to an ambulance.

"How'd you guess ? The box had a sucker in it. A sucker!" Dibikad nods, before shaking her head "Real Joker wannabe this guy."

Dibikad seemed both amused and annoyed at this antic.

"Yeah, I was told he was the eccentric type." Steph says.

When they reach an ambulance, they see Sam and Emily sitting at the back door, being looked over by paramedics. Both looked a little bruised, disheveled, shaken and singed, but otherwise fine.

"Are you two okay ?" Dibikad asks.

"Eh, it's only the third or second explosion we got caught up in." Sam says with a smile, though she sounds pretty sore.

"We caught onto something though." Emily says before going into a coughing fit "Jesus, that guy was twisted..."

Emily gestures to Dibikad to come closer and she leans her ear in.

"We found out something he's planning, and Sam has evidence on her phone that he's been stalking those girls." Emily whispers "We might be able to put an APB on Asa, maybe get his face out there."

"And the tapes ?"

"I was able to sneak a few out. I think we got enough to bring the hammer down on this guy." Emily says.

"Hmm," Dibikad chuckles "I think the higher ups will be pleased to hear that. I wouldn't get your hopes up, but if you're looking for a promotion, you might have yourself a voucher. Until then, you two get your rest."

"A couple days is all we need." Sam groans "We'll be on our feet in no time."

"If you say so, but for now, take your handlers' advice and rest easy." Dibikad pats Sam's shoulder, causing her to wince "Sorry about that."

Dibikad then turns to Steph.

"As for you ? A little birdie tells me, you're in need of a lift."

----

Later that day, as Dibikad and Steph pulled into the driveway, they saw Ashbury's jeep parked in the driveway as well.

"Before we go in, I'd tread caution." Dibkad says as they get out of their cat "I called Jonathan Reid earlier, and his line got cut off- I tried reaching out to Ashbury earlier and she couldn't find him."

"You think he's in trouble ?" Steph asks.

"He's been in and out of scraps before, as far as I'm told." Dibikad says, leading Steph to the door "What I'm saying is we may have gone into another rescue mission. One where you aren't required if you catch my drift."

They knock on the door, and who answers but a grim but calm looking Elizabeth Ashbury.

"I've...I've heard about the explosion." Ashbury says "Are your cadets alright ?"

"They're as tough as they were back in February." Dibikad remarks "They just need to rest a few days."

Ashbury gives a weak smile, and turns to Steph.

"Miss Gingrich, I believe your paramour awaits in the living room."

Steph's eyes lit up a little, she almost wanted to hug Ashbury in gratitude, but refrained herself from doing so.

"I...I cannot thank you enough."

Ashbury puts a hand on Steph's shoulder, with a firm grip and a firm smile "Go to her."

Steph sped walked past Ashbury and towards the living room, doing her best not to run.

Her heart almost stops as soon as she does; Rachel Amber, sitting on the couch, looking down at her hands, looking soo lost in thought.

"Rachel ?"

Rachel perks her head up at Steph, her eyes light up and water a little, as she gets up to her feet.

"Steph ?" Rachel couldn't contain her beam.

The two said nothing else, but darted towards each other in a hug. Rachel being a vampire, was a little faster and stronger in her grip, but it took a moment or two before Steph felt sore from it.

"Rachel...Rachel..." Steph says "Need to breathe..."

"Oh, sorry sweetie." Rachel blushed in embarrassment, releasing her grip "I-I heard you came for me. I thought you'd-"

Steph raises her hand to silence Rachel.

"You really think I was gonna let an Arthurian vampire cult leader ruin my date, and experiment on my girlfriend ?"

"...girlfriend ?" Rachel asks "After...after I-?"

"I exposed Mordred's civilian identity and helped get him on the FBC's radar for you. I think we're well past the whole cheating thing." Steph says, taking Rachel by the shoulder and sitting her down on the couch with her.

Rachel has a sudden guilty look on her face.

"Steph...I cannot apologize enough." Rachel says, looking Steph in the eye and putting a firm hand on her shoulder "I have no idea if or how I can make it up to-"

Steph puts a finger to Rachel's shushing her.

"Rachel, I know." Steph says before taking a deep breath and exhaling "I have a tulpa. Or I am a tulpa."

Rachel looks at Steph in disbelief.

"You knew ?"

"Found out from the FBC." Steph says "The dreams I've been having ? Foggy memories, nose bleeds. It's me going back and forth between two different lives."

Rachel, still in disbelief says "You're taking that awfully well."

"I won't lie. It scared me at first." Steph shrugs "And maybe this isn't the life I was meant to live, but it doesn't make it any less real. I am the real Steph Gingrinch, just as you're the real Rachel Amber. I think that makes what we have real enough, right ?"

Rachel is momentarily speechless, but swallows a little, and puts a hand on Steph's "You know ? When those models and I...if you were still there I wouldn't."

"Sam and Emily ?" Steph asks with a chuckle "You might not have cheated, but knowing your vices, you might have asked for a foursome." 

Steph leans in to whisper in Rachel's ear.

"And getting to know them ? I wouldn't be opposed."

Rachel chuckles, absolutely flustered.

"Sam and Emily ? You know them ? You got to know them ?" Rachel asks in disbelief.

"To make a long story short ?" Steph says "They're cadets for the FBC. Cub Scouts actually. They've been on the Arcadia Bay Case since their own paranormal encounters, and have been looking into your appearances in LA."

Rachel pauses, thinking for a moment, taking the information in before saying.

"Wait, so mean to tell me those two were sent to investigate me ? A girl who went missing, was found dead, resurfaced two years later, and their first thought was to fuck me ? Knowing I was a vampire no less ?!"

"We can talk to them about it later." Steph says, again, shushing Rachel.

Rachel nods, remembering what happened earlier that day.

"Steph, we're not out of the woods yet." Rachel says "This morning-"

"This morning, my husb- Dr. Reid was captured." Ashbury says, stepping into the room, with Dibikad at her side. Ashbury seems remarkably calm given the circumstances, but Rachel could tell there was something boiling inside her.

Rachel knew Ashbury's reputation well enough. She knew of her fearsome past as Lady Blackwood, and while she never saw so much as a hint of her former self in her interactions with Ashbury. Even so, she heard rumors how she'd let Blackwood slip through the cracks here and there.

So when word gets out that Mordred himself has her partner/husband/lover in his grasp, well, Rachel can only wait in anticipation that Lady Blackwood would erupt.

"And as I said before." Rachel says getting up from the couch "I am here to help."

"Miss Amber-" Ashbury starts, having spent the better part of the last couple of hours arguing with Rachel about this.

"Lady Ashbury, with respect, I'm the reason Dr. Reid is in this mess; if he hadn't rescued me, Mordred wouldn't have caught up to him." Rachel says.

"Miss Amber, with respect, you flatter yourself." Ashbury says rather bluntly, "Jonathan was looking out for Mordred the minute he heard he was in the Seattle area. Months before he involved you. If anything, Mordred seeks retribution for what Jonathan did to him years prior."

Nervously Steph raises her hand.

"I'd hate to interject, but what happened back then ?" Steph nervously asks "I've been hearing so much about Mordred's history, and your history, but I don't know where things got personal."

Sternly, but calmly, Ashbury takes a deep breath and takes her seat in a chair across from the couch, while Dibikad takes her own seat at the other end of the couch.

"In 2008, there was a series of events related to numerous criminal organizations in New York and New Jersey. Particularly with the Mafia - especially the Russian Mafia, Chinese gangsters, and a pair of biker gangs. A crime wave that saw the deaths of thousands." Ashbury starts "To keep it short, in the aftermath of the violence, Mordred travelled to New York and New Jersey, under the name Paolo Radic. Although, Jonathan and I didn't know his true identity then."

"But the Blood Queen was still sleeping, wasn't she ?" Rachel says.

"Not that it stopped Mordred. Ostensibly, his goal was to ease tensions between families and cleanup the mess caused by the Russians, and this one family on it's last legs." Ashbury explains "In truth, he was looking for a new champion, signaling out two women."

Ashbury counts one finger and the other.

"One, the surviving daughter and sister of an Irish crime family; and the other a drug addicted biker girl." Ashbury says "Turns out associates of theirs were already onto him, but didn't know the full story until Jonathan stepped into the picture. It was through his guidance, and that of former guard Geoffrey McCullum, they were able to crush Mordred's operations. Not only that, Jonathan came the closest to killing Mordred than anyone since King Arthur himself."

"Unfortunately," Mary Reid says as she enters the room "The Guard were also stationed in New York. A trap was laid for Reid, and before they could find Mordred's alleged body, the Guard found Reid first. Kept him imprisoned in their camps for years."

Mary takes her spot beside Ashbury, giving Rachel and Steph a sad smile as her eyes flicker back and forth between them.

"In any case, we believe Mordred won't waste a chance for revenge against Jonathan, which is why we are already narrowing their location." Ashbury says "That bastard knight wants a fight ? I'll bring a war to his doorstep."

Rachel gets up from her seat.

"Correction. We will. Cuz what happens when/if you fail to catch him ? Who else fucked Mordred up - more recently, I might add ?" Rachel, jabbing her thumb at herself "I stabbed him with his doctors ribs ? He told me to my face, he'd come for me for that. I ain't taking no chances."

"How can I trust your word ?" Mary asks jokingly "You have just used a double negative."

Rachel rolls her eyes to Mary, and steps forward to take Ashbury by the hands.

"Lady Ashbury, please, I have to be there. I have to face him." Rachel says "I have killed and battered under Mordred and his mentorship."

"You killed, what ? Four, five people who were threatening and harming your significant other." Ashbury says "Mordred doesn't get credit for that."

"He gave me the ride, and distracted them, killed at least one of their dogs and helped dispose of them." Rachel crosses her arms "He also wanted to see what I was capable of."

Rachel sighs and takes Ashbury by the shoulders.

"Point is, Mordred and his followers ? They wanted to make me a weapon. They wanted to make me a monster." Rachel says pleadingly "If you're gonna bring war to his doorstep, bring the weapon; the monster he helped create."

Ashbury looks at Rachel, and sighs sadly.

"I'd continue to argue no, but something's telling me you'd follow us into battle anyways."

"If it fixes this mess we're in, I'd follow you into Hell."

Ashbury glances at Steph and Dibikad.

"Very well, but we have to establish some restrictions first..."

----

Bear Creek, Slaughterhouse/meat packing plant, August 16th, 2015

When Jonathan Reid first awoke,  he groaned as the light beams hit his eyes.

"Oh good, you're up..." Mordred's voice greets him. 

It takes Reid a moment or two for his eyes and head to adjust. He could see he was in a small cage; a pen actually, where the former slaughterhouse kept its pigs. Before him was Mordred, wearing leather jackets, a set of jeans and a pair of combat boots.

"Took you long enough." Mordred says, standing over Reid from the other side of the cage "But hey, we have all the world to catch up to the past seven years."

Mordred crouches down so that he's at eye level with Reid.

"Speaking off, how's Diana by the way ? Why I haven't heard from her since...'57 I think ? I really should check in on her."

Reid's eyes darken "Fuck you."

"Not the comeback I was expecting, but if that's the best you can do, that's the best you can do." Mordred shrugs.

Reid turns around, and a few dozen men throughout the slaughterhouse, each armed with a shotgun or assault rifle.

"Those guns," Reid says "They will do you no good."

"Oh, of that I am aware of...but in my experience, getting shot still burns and stings all the same." Mordred says circling the pen "Let me see; New York, December of 2008. I was seeking out two champions, and you helped their connections interfere."

Reid manages to stagger back up.

"I'd say we punched a big enough hole in your operations, that you had to go into hiding." Reid says.

"In Paolo Radic's operations." Mordred corrects "Miles Winters and Gerald Wilfred still had places to stay in the West Coast."

"Had." Jonathan corrects "And as of now, Asa Boorman no longer has a place to hide. That's three others, gone the way of Paolo Radic."

Mordred chuckles and leans his back to the cage.

"Of course, there were you and your friends burning me alive in a boiler room, filling me head to toe with bullets, and leaving me on an exploding boat ?" Mordred starts "Close but no cigar. Ultimately, I'd heed Mother when she called for me."

Mordred turns around to face Reid.

"Even if I'm inches from death. You came closer to putting me down for good, than my actual father. So you get a kudos." Mordred shrugs "Still, left me with a chip on my shoulder. One I'm hoping to pluck."

Mordred takes off his jacket revealing a black tank top beneath.

"In which case, for as long as it takes, you're fucked like your sister."

Mordred steps into the cage.

Several of the armed guardsmen look on, ready to enjoy a show.

Mordred pulls a knife out from a holder on his belt, and tosses it to Reid.

Jonathan picks up the knife, and on staggering legs, lunges forward. Mordred effortlessly dodges Reid, tripping him in the process.

As Jonathan tries to stagger back up, Mordred kicks him in the stomach, forcing him to collapse. Ford added measure, Mordred stomps Jonathan's back hard enough to snap a couple of ribs.

From then on, Mordred climbs on top of Jonathan and hits him in the face. Over. And over. And over again. After sixteen blows, it stopped hurting, but the impact left Jonathan with a broken nose, broken jaw, teeth, and swelling black eyes.

After a few minutes of this, Mordred gets up with an annoyed sigh.

"Not quite the round two I was hoping for." Mordred sighs, looking at the bruising formed on his knuckles.

Reid spits out some blood and loose teeth.

"They're gonna come for you, you know. The Guard, the Bureau, Ascalon-"

"Oh, I'm counting on it." Mordred says "Asa Boorman has to disappear anyways. Me ? I'm just passing the time until they get here."

----

So, day in and day out for the past nine days, it went on like this. 

Jonathan would be fed a pint of cup to pigs blood to keep him alive, and on a daily basis, Mordred would return to have another "round" with Jonathan.

Sometimes it was a knife fight, a fist fight. Sometimes Mordred would use a baseball bat, sledge hammer or his personal favorite the cattle prod.

These one sided "fights" would last hours, and all the while, Mordred would taunt Jonathan about those he couldn't save or those who disappeared.

"Whatever happened to your friend, McCullum ?" Mordred would ask teasingly "Never did see him since New York, don't tell me you weren't the only one taken."

Or the champions he sought after in New York.

"You know, we never could find that McReary girl, what happened to her ? Are you hiding her with that Russian guy ? Oh, it doesn't matter. There's always another Katie to keep an eye on." Mordred says "Or that girl Ashley ? Last I checked she and her boyfriend were killed by this meth dealer back in 2013. Or so I heard; I assume Ascalon tells a different story ?"

Or about the subject Jonathan prefers not bringing up.

"And what about Diana ? God, it must have been a lifetime since she learned the truth about her family. Do you ever stay awake at night, wondering what life she made for herself ?"

Jonathan took these beatings, these humiliations, for nine days on end. He knew that despite it all, Mordred wouldn't kill him; he's having too much fun being a torturer.

And besides that ? He knew that Ashbury would find him. And then, the real fight Mordred is hoping for will commence.

----

August 25th, 2015

True to form, it took nine days for Ashbury to narrow Mordred down.

Actually it took five. The extra four were to prepare for the assault.

Ashbury had her human confidant, and occasional hitman, Claude looking over the Seattle area. Claude, given his past in organized crime, knew what to look out for, and where to look. It was Mordred's operations in New York that put Claude on New Ascalon's radar; apparently "Paolo Radic" screwed Claude over in some way, and it cost the deaths of over two thousand of Morded's followers. So when Ashbury gave him a call, of course he was on board.

Claude was able to narrow down some activity in a slaughterhouse/meat packing plant in Bear Creek, just off Mount Rainier National Park. A meat packing plant that was bought by "Miles Winters", and has been under armed guards for the past few months; varying between forty or twenty depending on the day. 

The slaughterhouse was shut down months ago, due to environmental controversies; there was a river behind the factory, separated by a chain linked fence. The animals they'd slaughtered, had their remains tossed into the river, which began to wash up on Bear Creek's beaches or into the park's lakes and rivers. This is what allowed "Miles Winter" to buy it as such a cheap price, and pay local police into looking the other way

The next four days, was Ashbury preparing for the eventual assault; she had Claude provide the weapons, a series of assault riffle, pipe bombs, pistols and shot guns. Typically, a vampires strength, power and even their teeth was all that they need, but ranged weapons where necessary here.

There was also the matter of who would be accompanying them in the assault. Initially, Sam and Emily wanted to join, but were advised not to by Dibikad for the sake of their recovery. Dibikad herself wouldn't take part as well, since Claude had Ashbury informed they knew to look out for her.

To keep the risk of human lives (at least those not working for Mordred) at a minimum, Ashbury picked six vampire thugs in her employ ("Between the twenty and forty that Mordred has at his disposal ? Six is all we need.") As it stood, Claude should have been the only human allowed to join the fighting.

Ashbury and Mary were also set to take part in the assault, and in preparation were taking out of their usual wear in favor of leather jackets, and matching pants and boots; the standard "uniforms" of New Ascalon's soldiers. Rachel was also made to wear such uniforms.

Steph ? She insisted on coming with Rachel; ever since they were reunited, the two were nigh inseparable, and Steph didn't want to risk losing Rachel to Mordred again.

She'd argue with Ashbury about it, right to the last moment, on the night of their assault.

----

"Rachel-"

"Steph no." Rachel would say "I have to see this one through."

"But...but I can't lose you again."

"And if you go in there with us, I'll lose you."

Currently, Steph was in the driver's seat of Ashbury's car - a dark green second generation Buffalo - a safe distance from the slaughterhouse, and Rachel was talking to her through her window.

"But Rachel..."

"Butts are for sitting." Rachel says, putting a hand on Steph's "Look, I have to be there. It's what ? Twenty, thirty thugs against nine vampires. The odds are in her favor."

Steph gives a shaky nod, but looks so unsettled when she looks at the vampires preparing for the attack.

"Besides." Rachel says, cupping Steph's cheek "What's your fighting experience ? Even if you killed just one of them...how are you gonna handle it ? Me ? I killed six very bad people. I can live with that on my conscience. You ? Got distraught over having to kill a mouse."

Rachel leans in and kisses Steph on the mouth.

"I'll be fine, but..." Rachel hesitates.

"But what ?"

"If things start to go south, I want you to turn on the engine and drive. Keep driving and don't look back. Because things will get ugly." Rachel says "And I don't want to put you through that."

Rachel looks over at the crew - notably Claude preparing a sniper rifle. He regards them with a glance.

"We got Claude to keep an eye on both us, and you." Rachel says "The best you can do is keep your head down."

Steph nods again, her eyes watering a little.

"I love you." She says simply.

"I love you too." Rachel says putting a hand on Steph's shoulder "Which is why when the time comes, you're gonna drive off and don't look back. Promise me that ?"

Steph hesitates for a moment before she nods "Okay. Okay, I promise."

And with that, Rachel makes her way to the van, where the crew are picking out their weapons. Ashbury and the other six vampires settled for simple pistols, reasoning they wouldn't need to use them in favor of their simple power. Claude was looking for a safe monitoring distance. Mary picks an SMG as her weapon.

Rachel, with her time at shooting ranges, settles for a carbine rifle. She notices Ashbury putting a pipe bomb in her coat pocket, so Rachel does the same, in case she's in need of explosives too.

"So, are we all prepared, ladies and germs ?" Ashbury asks.

"Is the sky blue ?" Mary asks.

"Well, actually no. The sky is violet, it's just we see blue because of the light-" Rachel starts before noticing the rest of the crew are looking at her "What ? She asked."

With little else to prepare for, and the slaughter house in view, the crew slowly made their way down a dirt road to their destination. As they advanced closer, they saw at least four armed gunmen on the slaughterhouse's roof, armed to the teeth. And an electronically locked gate keeping the crew out.

"They've been expecting us." Rachel says.

"As we expected." Ashbury says "This will either result in Mordred facing us head on, or fleeing us yet again."

After reaching the gate, Ashbury gave the others a look; a look that silently told them to stay behind her.  

Taking a few steps further, Ashbury unzips her jacket, and pulls out the pipe bomb.

Before the two men could react, Ashbury rolls the pipe bomb across the concrete, and under the truck.

"I'd keep your heads down if I were-"

BLAAAAM!!!

The gate of the slaughter house collapses, leaving a massive of a massive hole that the pipe bomb had blown into it.  

And already, the small army  - about sixteen or so - of armed thugs were taking various positions; both to prevent anyone from getting in and their prisoner from getting out.

----

Right by the pig pen, Mordred was circling down a battered Jonathan, after yet another "round" of one sided fights/beatdowns. In this case, Mordred has just spent the past couple of hours beating Jonathan with a pipe. Both their ears catch the sound of the explosion.

"Looks like we got company." Mordred says. Having been on the receiving end of such raids at least two hundred times over the past centuries, he more or less knew what to expect: "Took them long enough."

Jonathan chuckles, his face a mess. Despite his blood loss, he staggers up to his knees "You know, these circumstances could have been avoided if you got your revenge and killed me as soon as you-"

"Yeah," Mordred nods in agreement "But what's the fun in that ?"

Mordred raises the pipe above his head and sticks it into Jonathan's lower abdomen, pinning the good doctor to the floor.

"I prefer denying the victor the spoils." Mordred says, making his way to the slaughterhouse's back door "See you round, Doc. In another seven, maybe even five years. See what I'll bring to the table. Maybe, that is."

And with that, Mordred stepped out of the cage, picking up a jug of gasoline he was preparing for this assault.

----

Outside, before the smoke even clears, Ashbury, Rachel and Mary rushed to cover behind a parked truck that surrounded the hole. The six other vampires were drawing fire from the guards on the roof, and those who barricaded themselves behind the vehicles closer to the door.  

Two of the shooters fall off the wall. They must have had Claude on sniper duty in the bushes.

Several shots were fired into the woods, no doubt Claude taking out whatever stragglers were left.

Rachel takes a deep breath "Here goes nothing, Dollface."

Rachel ducks out of her cover, carbine rifle in hand. Aiming for the gunmen at the door, she squeezes the trigger. She feels the rush, the shake of the rifle as she fires a dozen or so bullets that take out three of the gunmen.

She doesn't feel the usual mortification. The kind she usually feels when or after she takes a life. Maybe it's the adrenaline rushing through her; maybe she'll crash down after the massacre is over, but all she can focus on right now is the high she's getting.

Or maybe she's just desensitizing herself from killing people.

Ashbury jumps/slides across the hood of the car, darting her way across the parking lot. And along with four of her followers, she makes quick but gruesome work of the seven gunmen at the doorway.

"I think that's our cue," Mary says, patting Rachel on the shoulder. Rachel nods affirmatively.

Mary and Rachel made a mad dash across to the doorway,  Mary holding her SMG, firing at the boys on the roof. These shooters took cover before Mary had to reload. As soon as Mary ran out, Rachel took aim with her carbine.

Rachel probably underestimated her firepower, as the cover the gunmen took was nearly reduced to rubble. Some shells found their way through the cover and into the gunmen themselves.

Those who survived, returned fire. Most of the impact didn't hit anything vital (or at least anywhere that would incapacitate a vampire). It stung, but considering the rush both Rachel and Mary were under, it was more numbing than anything.

However, just as they entered the doorway, Mary felt a bullet graze through her trapezius, causing her to trip and fall over.

"Mary!" Rachel shouted as he unleashed the last of her round at the remaining gunmen (at least the ones Ashbury and her crew where not busy with).

Tossing her carbine aside, Rachel makes her way over to Mary, trying to sit her up and drag her to a place to cover.

"You okay ?" Rachel asks, cupping Mary's cheek.

"Oh, right as roses," Mary says with a strained breath "I've taken worse before...just give me a few."

"Are you sure-?"

"Rachel, please!" Mary says, putting a hand on Rachel's shoulder "Jonathan needs you a little more than I do."

Rachel looks back at Ashbury, who has a sober expression on her face all things considered. All the gunmen in the immediate vicinity were dead, and all but two of Ashbury's followers were shot to the point of incapacitation; she had spent a moment feeding them from her wrist.  

Nonetheless, Ashbury jerks her head for Rachel to follow.

"I'll be up in a moment or two, Miss Amber. Just need a breather, is all." Mary breathes out, before handing Rachel her loaded SMG "And Miss Amber ? Give them Hell, and send them there!"

Rachel nods, before turning to Ashbury.

"Well, what the hell are we waiting for ?" Rachel says before getting up to her feet, making her way to Ashbury.

Elsewhere in the slaughterhouse, a certain former Arthurian Knight has spilled out the last of his gasoline, and spilled a bottle or two of lighter fluid here and there to be on the safe side. It was the area where the meat was being stored. Mostly cows and pigs, which should be enough for kindling, right ?

Anyways, before the day is up, Bear Creek's woods is gonna be smelling of rotting bacon and beef.

Ripping a piece of cloth from his tank top, Mordred pulls out his lighter, and sets the cloth ablaze. He then tosses the burning item to the floor and watches and the fire lights up.

Back with the rescue party, they reached pig pens when they caught the scent of gasoline....and smoke.

"Of course," Ashbury sighs in annoyance "Of course he'd try to run."

Hearing Ashbury's voice, someone in the pig pens speaks up.

"Elizabeth!"

Elizabeth perks her head up.

"Jonathan!"

"Elizabeth, I'm-" Jonathan tries to say before he erupts into a coughing fit.

Even so, that signaled them to Jonathan's location, which Rachel and Ashbury were quick to make their way to.

Suddenly Rachel collapses, as a bullet rips through her stomach.  

"SNIPER!" One of the vampires exclaims "They have fucking snipers in here!"

The two other vampires dragged Rachel to cover, the smell of smoke increasing and the flames spreading to the area.

Rachel gingerly felt her stomach, coughing a little before throwing up as soon as she touched the wound.

"Oooh, I'm gonna be feeling that tomorrow." Rachel groans before pushing her SMG towards Ashbury.  

Ashbury, taking cover behind one of the cages, notices movement on the upper catwalk. Six snipers trying to avoid being caught.

Ashbury's eyes darken and time seems to slow for her as she aims and picks off each of the snipers in a hail of gunfire.

Satisfied with her progress, Ashbury turns her attention to a wounded Rachel, who looked like she was just keeping herself conscious.

"Rachel." Ashbury says.

"I'm fine." Rachel says, coughing up more blood "I just need a few-"

"You're not." Ashbury says, rolling up her sleeve "Open wide."

With no other option, Rachel bites down onto Ashbury's wrist, earning a small groan from the elder vampire. It takes about twenty seconds for Rachel to feel fully rejuvenated.

With a bloody smack, Rachel releases Ashbury's wrist.

"Alrighty then." Rachel sighs "Now, I suppose we have more important business to attend to."

"Took the words out of my mouth, now come on." Ashbury says, standing Rachel up, and leading her back to the pens.

It didn't take a minute before they found Jonathan, still impaled through his abdomen, trying to pull the pipe out. Blood was running down his mouth and nose.

"Johnny..." Ashbury speed walks to the pen, ripping its gate off its hinges with a simple show of her vampire strength. She crouches down to Jonathan, and despite the mess on his face, kisses him on the mouth.

The two looked down at the pipe going through Jonathan.

"Okay...okay, this is-" Ashbury starts to say.

"Gonna hurt." Jonathan nods.

"Yeah." Ashbury says with a small nod, "Grit your teeth."

Jonathan does so, and it takes a moment of effort, but Ashbury manages to pull the pipe from Jonathan, no doubt causing him more harm than the initial impalement.

With a strained groan, Jonathan collapses his head into Ashbury's shoulder, while the latter wraps her arms protectively around Jonathan.

"I got you. I got you." Ashbury whispers. With little prompting she leans her head to the side, allowing access to her neck and shoulder.

Instinctively knowing what to do, Jonathan sinks his teeth into his lover, as Rachel had earlier before. As if for dramatic effect, the flames started to reach the pen area, but it takes a moment for Jonathan to have enough strength to stand.

"Johnny ?" Mary's voice shouts. They turn to see the Reid sister making her way. When she sees the blood and damage on her face, she replies in an astonished voice "You look like shit."

"Thanks sister." Jonathan says with a weak smile. He lets Mary and Ashbury stand him up "He's getting- He's slipping through-"

"Where is he going ?" Rachel asks.

"Miss Amber, this can wait." Ashbury says "We can track down-"

"He's literally at our doorstep." Rachel says with a determined glare "I'm not letting him go after what he pulled."

"I-I appreciate that, but Rachel-" Jonathan before a small explosion could be heard "We need to prioritize-"

Rachel doesn't bother hearing him out, instead she runs towards the back of the slaughterhouse. Towards the flames.

Rachel ignores the calls and concerns of her allies. She instead spends a moment or two ducking and dodging the flames and debris, following the scent of the gasoline trail and the slightest hint of Jonathan's blood.

She doesn't care that she's getting signed. She doesn't care about the smoke inhalation. She doesn't care that her hair and clothes catch fire. She soon reaches the back doors of the slaughterhouse, where the scent ends.

It was locked but with a simple use of her vampiric strength, Rachel pushed her way through the day with a grunt.

Rachel staggers out the back door coughing and spitting out onto the ground before her, before she notices Mordred making his way across the parking lot towards a black chevy. Mordred notices Rachel, and gives her a friendly wave before opening the chevy door, but Rachel shakes her head.

Pulling the pipe bomb she got ahold of, Rachel tosses it with all her strength toward the chevy.

With a loud but small explosion, the chevy erupts into flames and flips over into the air. It crashes back down onto the concrete with another explosion.

----

In Ashbury's car, Steph could see the smoke and the fire overtaking the building. She can see nine people emerging which she assumes to be the crew. One of them is being dragged/carried by two others, she's assumed to be Jonathan, Ashbury and Mary.

But when she sees/hears the explosion, her nerves get the best of her. Steph looks around, looking to start the engine. As she does...she notices a pump action shotgun, laying across the back seat.

"Fuck it." Steph sighs, and with a determined look on her face, turns the engine on.

----

Rachel stares at the wreck for a moment, taking a few cautious steps toward it, as Mordred forces his way out from the door.

The dhampir was still aflame, but seemed barely fazed by the fire. He snaps his legs back into place before staggering back up. His arm is limp, but he pops his shoulder back into place as he makes his way towards Rachel.  

Mordred also seemed to have a broken neck, which he fixed with another pop of his joints.

The flames on his body quickly died out, allowing Rachel a better few of his face. His left eye was fucked up, his hair was singed black, and his nose and jaw were broken. With a painful crunch, Mordred, pops his jaw back into place, and does the same with his nose.

"You know ?" Mordred groans "The first time you fucked me up...I almost wanted of congratulate you. But this ? This was just rude and annoying."

Rachel says nothing, simply tossing off her jacket, and cracks her wrist.

"Really ?" Mordred coughs out "The last time you caught me by surprise, but I wouldn't push your luck..."

"You're bleeding ain't ya ?" Rachel licks her lips "I'm getting luckier by the second."

Mordred holds up his hand, noticing his wrist is twisted, which he also snaps back into place.

"I promise you." Mordred says "You don't want this fight - I have been nothing but helpful-"

Rachel lunges at Mordred, biting down onto his shoulder, getting a taste of his blood.

Mordred quickly pushes Rachel off, circling her and kicking her in the stomach.

"You don't want to play ball ? Fine." Mordred says, this time kicking Rachel on the head, and stomping her on the face. Rachel groans and spits out some blood "But one way or another, my mother gets what she wants. When she calls for you, and she will, you will answer her."

Mordred crouches down, grabbing Rachel by the neck, lifting her up and slamming her back onto the concrete. Rachel was seeing spots when she opened her eyes.

"Now me ? I'm a reasonable guy. Set you up with a cozy home, gave you two well paying jobs, and helped save your girlfriend's life." Mordred says, picking Rachel up by the hair "All you needed to do was make people sick. And when you couldn't we had to take drastic measures."

This time Mordred tosses Rachel to the Chevy's wreck. It was still burning a little, but the flames were just starting to die out. But it was still enough that Rachel barely avoids being set aflame.

Rachel staggers back up, seeing Mordred making his way towards her. Noticing the door of the chevy was hanging loose, Rachel rips it off its hinges, readying it like a shield.

The two charge each other, Rachel blocking a few kicks and blows from Mordred, and dishes out a few herself using the door, though he seemed barely bothered. With another strike, Rachel breaks the cracked window over Mordred's head, broken pieces of glass cutting into his face, much like their first fight.

As Mordred staggers back, Rachel slammed the car door into Mordred's stomach, and crotch, causing him to collapse. Before Rachel can get another hit in, Mordred slips under her, grabbing Rachel by the legs, and slams her into the concrete.

With a groan, Rachel rolls over in time to see Mordred once again stomp her on the face. She feels her nose and her jaw break, but slips out before he makes another strike. She bites Mordred on the calf of his leg, causing the dhampir to let out a barely human sounding shriek that echoes throughout the woods.

After a moment or two of kicking and shaking, Mordred gets Rachel off of her. With an annoyed glare, he pulls his knife out of his holder.

"You know, I normally use my old longsword for these executions. Brutal, but quick and effective." He spits blood on the ground beneath them "Unfortunately for you, this ain't an execution...it's a reminder."

Before Mordred can do anything else, he is caught off guard by the sound of an engine running and tries screeching. Mordred turns around to see a car - a second generation Dark Green Buffalo - round the corner of the slaughterhouse, speeding it's way towards him.

Before Mordred could react the car plowed into him, sticking him onto the hood. The driver pushed him into the chain link fence, which Mordred got tangled up too. The car pushes forward, crashing into the riverbank, holding Mordred in place as he was - quite literally - stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Rachel - having snapped her nose and jaw back into place - gets to her feet, makes her way to the damaged fence, stumbling her way down the ditch towards the car; stepping out is none other than Steph Gingrich, holding a pump action shotgun in her hands.
  
Steph is visibly shaken at what she just did, but tries to maintain a calm composure, as she circles Mordred, herself knee deep in the water.

Mordred takes a moment to adjust to what just happened to him, before he notices Steph staring down at him, and Rachel making her way to the river.

"So..." Mordred coughs up "You're the famous Steph Gingrich that Miss Amber's been going on about. Been hoping to meet you for some time-"

Steph says nothing, she just readies her shotgun and fires a blast off into Mordred's shoulder; the blast was enough to expose bone.

"Bugger me!" Mordred curses out.

"No." Steph shakes her head "I don't think I will."

Steph takes aim a second time, shooting Mordred where his chest meets his neck, causing him to cough up blood from his nose and mouth.

"Steph," Rachel says, putting a hand on her girlfriend's shoulder "You...you-"

"Couldn't let you risk your neck." Steph says, pulling Rachel in to kiss her on the mouth "I came here to help you. And that's what I'm doing."

Steph turns around and shoots Mordred in his other shoulder, again exposing the bone.

"Steph stop," Rachel says, "I think he's down."

Mordred, despite his predicament, found himself laughing deliriously.

"What do you think this proves ?" Mordred asks weakly "If anything, you are only feeding the Blood Goddess; one way or another, we are both serving my mother's purpose."

Mordred spits a bit, as blood is rapidly rushing from his mouth.

"You know ? I made a suggestion to you when we first met." Mordred says to Rachel "Mark Jefferson, he's in jail...but I know that won't be enough for you. Your heart still screams for vengeance against him. You say the word, I can bring Jefferson to you on a platter. Have your sins washed away. And we can go back to our previous arrangement-"

Rachel chuckles and rolls her eyes.

"Right. You think you could win me over with Mark's head ?"

"I could try." Mordred shrugs and rolls his eyes "I like to think keeping promises as one of my virtues."

Again, Rachel shakes her head. 
 
"Right, you kill Jefferson for me, and I'll go back to being your apocalypse maiden. Sounds like a deal." Rachel says in an obviously sarcastic voice.

Mordred, either oblivious or choosing to ignore her sarcasm, nods "You want me to hold you to that ?"

"You know," Rachel starts, stepping towards Mordred, staring him in the eye "I really don't get you. You were raised as a soldier, and yet, at many points of your life, you could and had settled down, found something other than your Blood Goddess to live for. And yet you always throw it away and come back for her. That's almost nine hundred years, and for what ? A so-called mother who doesn't love you ? Who at best sees you as a weapon ?"

"What, are you comparing me to fucking Zuko or something ?" Mordred asks, rolling his eyes.

"Don't flatter yourself. You were never even an Azula." Steph chimes in.

"What do you expect to get out of this ?" Mordred asks "As long as the Red Queen dwells within this world. As long as she stirs about...I will always answer her call. Even at the brink of death."

Mordred lets out an unsettling chuckle, coughing out some more.

"You can't stop the Queen, any more than you can stop the storm." Mordred with a bloody smile "And I am the rain, that comes with the storm."

Steph takes a few steps toward him, shotgun at the ready.

"So what you're saying is...I could, say, force this thing down your throat, fire it off, and all it would take is a call from mommy dearest to pull you from the dead ?" Steph asks, cocking her shotgun.

Mordred's eyes widened. It must have been the first time Rachel saw genuine fear and panic in his eyes.

"What are you saying ?"

"I'm saying open wide." Steph says.

And with that, Steph forces the business end of the riffle into Mordred's mouth, forcing him to lean forward to give better access; pushing further and further until she was sure it was in his throat, cutting off his air circulation.

Rachel, on her end, was rather taken aback by what Steph was doing. Mordred made a series of choking and gagging noises.

Steph was pretty sure the barrel was down his windpipe before she pulled the trigger.

BLAM!

Mordred goes still and quiet.

Steph blinks several times in mortified realization at what she just did. It takes a bit of effort, but she pulls the gun out and staggers back, before tripping into the river. Mordred simply slumps over onto the car's hood, either dead, or by his standards, unconscious. 

In the back of Rachel's mind, she knew that it would take a day or so for him to repair himself from that damage. But what was on the front of her mind was Steph, and how she was handling what she just did.

"Oh my god, oh my god, what have I done ?" Steph mumbles at the edge of tears. She tosses the gun onto the back of the bank "I- never fucking killed anyone before and- and-"

Rachel pulls Steph into a reassuring hug, letting Steph cry it out, petting her hair so as to reassure her.

"It's okay. It's okay." Rachel whispers "I'm here. You're here; We're safe."

Steph looks back at Mordred's body, now just leaning off the edge of the car. 

"Don't look." Rachel says, covering Steph's eyes, as she leads her to the river bank "It's all going to be okay. I won't let anything happen to you."

Once they were on the bank, Rachel and Steph looked up to see Ashbury and the Reid's looking down at them.

"He's bested." Jonathan says.

"For now." Mary says, looking at her brother "Just like New York, right brother ?"

Steph sniffles a little before looking at Rachel.

"I can see why you didn't want me in the fight." Steph sniffles "Fuck, I can't believe we just did that!"

"That was particularly reckless of you, Miss Amber. And Miss Gingrich." Ashbury says in an admonishing tone, stepping down to help the two girls out from the ditch "But I wouldn't lie and say I wouldn't have done the same as Lady Blackwood."

Suddenly they were interrupted by a noise; the current grew stronger. The car was pushed away by the current, and with it, Mordred's "dead" body was washed out of sight in a matter of seconds.

"Oh goddammit!" Rachel curses.

Steph says nothing, but covers her mouth. While both Jonathan and Mary look exasperated. 

"Fret not." Ashbury says calmly and professionally "Finding his body will be my force's top priority. And if not, it usually takes him years to resurface after something as public as this."

She then looks at Steph and Rachel.

"Our more immediate priority is what we are to do with you, and how we are to clean this mess up ?"

----

Too keep it short, over the next five days Mordred's "corpse" was nowhere to be found, but the search was ongoing well after the raid.

Ashbury used her own power and connections to divert the police attention away from the raid. As far as the media was concerned, the slaughterhouse was the scene of a biker gang raiding against a gang of meth dealers; a raid that resulted in the slaughterhouse being burned down.

There was still the matter of Mordred's observations of the former Blackwell students. True to form, neither Victoria nor Kate took the news pretty well, that an apparent former accomplice of Mark Jefferson's had been stalking them. Of course, there was still much to cover up.

Once again, acting as an "agent" they recognized from Arcadia Bay, Jonathan sat both Kate and Victoria down at their apartment, taking the opportunity to "compel" them so as to ease their minds.

"Know this," Reid says, holding their gaze "By the end of September, Asa Boorman will be a fleeting, if bleak memory. Neither he nor Mark Jefferson can harm either of you any longer; Jefferson is locked up in Boon County, and Boorman was killed in the explosion. He committed suicide when his activity was found out."

Both Kate and Victoria nod, under the influence of Reid's hypnosis.

"But what about Steph ? Is she okay ?" Kate asks.

"She said her girlfriend was going after Boorman, how do we know she didn't set off the explosio-?" Victoria starts before Reid interrupts her, maintaining his hypnosis.

"When Stephanie Gingrich stopped by, it was for a passing visit that was but a day. You two will remember her as a fleeting memory; an acquaintance who visited one summer for a few days, but isn't likely to visit again." Reid says "As for her significant other, you have not heard of the name of Vivian Manning, except maybe in passing mentions. The name won't mean much to you when this session is over. All you know is that Stephanie Gingrich had a significant other in the hospital, but the two have returned home safe and sound. They should be of no concern to you. Any questions ?"

Victoria meekly raises her hand.

"How do we just get past this ?" She says, almost breaking the hypnotic hold "I mean, a fucking Jefferson copy cat was tailing us. I- I don't know how I'm gonna sleep at night."

Reid, still maintaining his hypnosis says "The same way you slowly put Jefferson and Prescott behind you; together, as both significant others, and with your friends you made since Blackwell. It may be a long road, but nothing worth doing ever comes easy. But if you wish to take your mind off things, I suggest perhaps you two take a vacation ? Were you planning one by any chance ?"

Kate and Victoria, still under the effects, look at each other before Kate says.

"We were planning on renting out a cottage in Bright Falls." Kate says "We kept procrastinating, and it is almost our second year at Cornish."

"Then you will inform your university that you will be taking a weeks long break for your mental and emotional health." Reid says "Perhaps a month; in time, the nightmares will be put behind you. In time, you two will heal your wounds together, despite what others throw your way. And in time, this fiasco will barely be a blip on your radar."

Eventually satisfied that he "eased their minds", Reid left Kate and Victoria to their own devices. True to his hypnosis, the two took their vacation to Bright Falls, spending their time working on each other. Around Kate's birthday in September, the nightmares stopped, and their vacation ended when they returned to Oregon in October for the memorial.

As per their hypnosis, neither Kate nor Victoria even thought of the name Vivian Manning, until her books started selling; especially when "Vivian" reached out to Victoria in 2017, claiming to be a pen name for a former Blackwell student, writing a biography of Rachel Amber.

Still, there was a lingering memory of Victoria's; in the aftermath of Asa Boorman's apartment exploding, Victoria would hear the name "FBC" or "Federal Bureau of Control"...the same people who investigated the happenings in Arcadia Bay.

As for Sam Giddings and Emily Davis ? They too had to leave.

In September, Sam and Emily would be joining their friends (sans Chris and Ashley) to Delos Crossing.

Ostensibly, it was due to how close they were to a confrontation with Mordred, in actuality it had to do with happenings in Fiddler's River that expanded into Delos Crossing, Alaska. Neither Rachel or Steph got many of the details, other than it entailed "The Cult of Ithaqua".

They did hear Dibikad mention Ithaqua, described as as "Great Old One" who made the Chepaiyikumik Mountain (later known as Mount Washington) it's home; according to an arrested cultist, he is bound here from another Earth; Ithaqua it/himself was nicknamed "The Makkapitew" by the Cree villages that once lived there.

That's about all Dibikad let Steph or Rachel know "For their own safety".

The bottom line is that Sam and Emily were needed in Delos Crossing. Neither Sam, Emily, nor their friends, would get back to investigating The Mother's Children, until Mordred would later make his return in 2020. Until then, they apparently have this Ithaqua being and his followers on their hands.

As for Rachel and Steph ? They needed a place to lay low a couple of years, for the heat to die down.

----

In the days after his "death", on the shores of a lake, Mordred stirs awake, upon hearing the voice of his "mother".

It was that same lullaby she sang to him as an infant, that echoes to him to this day, and has all but become her mantra.

A pair of pale eyes open, as Mordred's body lurches up and retches out blood onto the sandy shore he washed up upon. It takes him a moment, but he eventually spits out the shells that Steph fired down his throat.

Still sore from his injuries, Mordred stagger to his feet, covering his eyes from the beaming sun, Mordred looks down at his reflection. He takes his ruined shirt off to examine his bullet wounds; the shoulder, chest and throat have healed but not quite faded, and when he tries to walk, there's still a stagger in his step.

That Stephanie girl has sure done a number on him, as did Rachel. Still not as close to killing him as Reid, but even so, the time came for him to keep his head down.

With an aching hunger in his stomach, Mordred spotted a bull moose several yards away. 

Mordred knew from experience and observation that no one in their right mind would approach these things or provoke them, but desperate times called for desperate measures.

Crouching down and digging a rock through the mud, Mordred uses all his strength to toss the rock to the beast. The moose jolts when it hits his hindquarters, before turning to face him.

The moose did the usual intimidation tactics; throwing its head back like a horse, laying its ears back and showing the white of its eyes. Even so Mordred approaches, and so the moose charges.

In minutes, the moose was reduced to a mess of fur, bone, blood and muscle, as the former Knight dug into it like he was in a pie eating contest. It was only when Mordred was sufficiently recharged did he notice something over the lake.

It was a helicopter, making its advancements. Mordred could only assume this was someone seeking him out, either to arrest or rescue him, and time would only tell.

With a bloody hand, Mordred waves at the copter, which makes its way towards the lakeshore.

Once it lands, a well dressed Austrian woman, with shoulder length, auburn brown hair, escorted by four similarly dressed bodyguards steps out. Mordred grins in familiarity as the woman regards him.

"Well, you've looked like you've seen better days." Mordred's ally, known only as Eliza Bathory says, looking over his bloodied and dehydrated form.

"True. But it's also true I have seen worse." Mordred staggers towards her.

"Your...the Queen called upon me." She says "She says your time hasn't come, and there is still much to do."

"I know. I heard her too."

Stepping out of the helicopter, one of the bodyguards walks up to Mordred and hands him a jacket.

"I take it there's a change of plans ?" Bathory asks.

"We may have to go for a plan B or C, but on the upside," Mordred says as he puts on the jacket "The Queen is still strong in Miss Amber."

With that, Mordred makes his way to the helicopter, climbing in along with Bathory and her entourage.

"So what now ? A swift revenge ?" Bathory asks as the copter takes off.

Mordred shakes his head.

"Too soon. They'll be expecting immediate retaliation, and to act now would continue to draw attention." Mordred says, initially looking out the window, and to his host "I am to lay low. Your property will do me well, until such a time Mother calls upon us. Until then, we will work by proxy. Keep things subtle."

"Do you have anything in mind ?"

"I have medical doctors looking after Blackwell's survivors, and our dearly departed has found creative alterations to Rachel Amber's blood. We have the samples hidden and at the ready." Mordred explains.

"Do tell."

"Well, let's just say we are preparing for the possibility of one of those girls trying to start a family, and keeping an eye out for whoever is seeking a donor. We have an alternative donation in mind for that."

"Hmm," Bathroy mumbles, before deciding to move onto a new subject "Speaking of breeding, Alexander and I have been working on the spreading of Skals. Within two years, we will have a million at our disposal. All we need is the word."

"I'd say we keep them on hold until the time is right." Mordred dismissively waves "After all, we don't want to do too much too soon."

And with that, Mordred went into hiding. It won't be until 2020, that Rachel Amber would hear from him, or see him, again.

----

October, Ontario Canada 2015

In the past couple of months, it was decided that Ascalon would set Rachel and Steph up with a temporary living space in Ontario, Canada. Just until everything blows over.

They were able to find a place nice and quiet to give them their space. This little lakeside cabin in the rural township of Tehkummah. 

Of course, the two didn't immediately settle in. Steph started having nightmares as a result of the slaughterhouse raid, and of Cathy, as well as "dreams" of her "other life". Despite signing up to be part of the FBC, the higher ups ultimately decided she wasn't cut out of the job and allowed her to resign with compensation. 

Steph soon got over these nightmares, though she had to spend much of September renting out an apartment in Toronto, visiting a mental health clinic every few weeks. And while she's officially resigned, the FBC said they'd be keeping an eye on her out of principle; after all, she has an ongoing Tulpa Effect pulling her back and forth between two different lives, and who knows how long it will take till they get to the bottom of it ?

While Steph was in Toronto, Rachel spent her time renovating the cabin, bringing in a few mementos from LA to spruce up the place. It might clash a little with the quaint countryside cabin they were going for, but Rachel was still a city girl at heart.

Once Rachel was settled in the cabin, she would get back to working on her Lost Chronicles manuscript; the first one being a vampiric retelling of the Cú Chulainn legend, marketed for teens and young adults. By October, she got the good news that The Lost Chronicles book deal was finalized and would be announced this November.

Rachel would spend a lot of her off time on the road, visiting different cities and townships in Ontario, visiting museums and attending parties, where being a former party girl, she would continue testing the limits of her drinking and drug substances with her vampiric body. Of course, she would always keep a note on her that someone is waiting for her back at home, in the event Steph would disappear from her life/memory over the next few months.

Of course in October, there was one bender she went on in the Sault. It was in celebration of her book deal that she blacked out. She stayed in a hospital for about a week, as the doctors were baffled at how she could survive that amount of intake, and would only release her when they were satisfied she was stable enough. At the time, Rachel was going under the pseudonym "Kelly Raines" so no one could connect her to Vivian Manning.

Although when Rachel was blacked out, she remembered being surrounded by darkness and fog, just as she was when she encountered Myrddin Wylt.

Only this time, Rachel recalls seeing herself in a hospital as well. Only this was a different hospital. It was a rural area. Forested even. The calendar on the wall said it was March of 2020.

And that hospital was under siege by vampires. 

Vampires that were slaughtering staff and patients; vampires that recognized her, and were coming for her. Actually, they weren't just vampires; she thinks they were Skals. She remembers hearing about skals, but to her knowledge never encountering one, never mind a hundred or so that were attacking the hospital.

Rachel herself was trying to outrun them, but had a fire-axe at her side, and was butchering her attackers like they where mooks in some horror game. 

Rachel woke up by the time she hijacked an ambulance, when about four skals were about to climb aboard after her.

When Rachel awoke, she didn't say a thing of her "dream" to the staff, who made a note of a massive nosebleed she had at the time.

----

October 20th, 2015

On the the day of Rachel's release, Steph would pay Rachel a visit at the hospital. It was the first time in a while that they were in the same room, with most of their interactions being by email, phone and skype.

"Four kegs a night ? Really ?" Steph says, crossing her arms with an annoyed glare on her face, standing beside the hospital bed, whilst Rachel was getting changed to her regular clothes.

"My record is seven." Rachel says with a modest shrug.

Steph rolls her eyes and sits on the bed's edge.

"A little birdie told me you got some news." Steph says, "Spill it."

"Let's just say, expect the first release next May." Rachel says, before there's a sudden sting in her head. Rachel winces and puts her hand in on her forehead.

"What's wrong ?" Steph asks, touching Rachel's shoulder.

"Just some regretful memories." Rachel winces, touching her forehead, thinking back to that night she spent with Mary.

She wonders to herself how much of what Mary said months ago was true ? Was their fling just a coincidence ? If she didn't get into Mary's car that day, would she still be rotting in a junkyard somewhere ? Or would the Red Queen have taken her anyway ?

Fuck, it's almost like being the old promiscuous Rachel saved her life. It's no wonder she still can't let go of the "old" Rachel. She can at least pat herself on the back for not being a cheater, right ?

"But don't let my intrusive thoughts bother you." Rachel says, reassuring Steph "We can talk more about it in the car."

----

After Rachel checked out, it was a four hour drive from the city to their cabin. That's a lot of time for talking, and a lot of time out of prying eyes and ears.

"So, have you talked to them ?" Steph asks at the steering wheel, as they exited the city.

"Who specifically ?"

"Oh, you know, Ashbury, Jonathan...Mary ?"

"Steph-"

"Look, I'm not jealous or anything." Steph says defensively "I'm at peace with your past and all that. But you did go on a bender and we did spend a week working with your ex."

"We had a one night stand." Rachel deadpans "I'd hardly call Mary an ex."

"My point is," Steph says with a sigh "I'm just worried that things will be more of the same. I keep having those...well, I started calling them Glimpses."

"Anything specific ?"

"I remember going to a friend's funeral. It wasn't in Arcadia Bay - it was this other small town, a few years down the line." Steph starts, sounding pretty grim, but with the next sentence, her mood lightens "I remember playing foosball with the other girl. Alice, I think. And there was this other point where she got me to flirt with this woman I think was an agent- and she fucking blushes!"

Both Rachel and Steph laugh, but Steph tries to keep calm as they are on a busy highway.

"That sounds like the real Steph to me." Rachel says, wiping a tear from her eyes.

Steph still smiles, though it quickly turns to a frown.

"I also remember being in this bar." Steph says, her mood considerably grim "I remember seeing that girl, and she looked like she'd been through Hell. Her clothes were dirty and ragged; her body was bruised and covered in soot; bleeding from the head. She even had a limp."

Steph shakes her head, not noticing her nose was starting to bleed, which Rachel takes notice.

"Steph..."

"I think she was accusing him of something and this younger guy-"

"Steph!" Rachel says, picking out a napkin from the glove compartment.

Steph notices the blood running down her lip.

"Oh, fuck me!" Steph mutters, pulling to the side of the road as Rachel hands her her napkins.

"You need me to drive ?" Rachel asks.

"Sure, that'd be great."

When they switched seats, with Rachel at the steering wheel, they continued talking.

"The Glimpses." Steph says "They're starting to become clearer to me, so much that I think I'm starting to compare myself in one life to another."

"And ?"

"I don't think that version of me would be cut out for the FBC. I think vampires alone would crash her world down." Steph says, holding her nose closed with the napkin "Especially what I did to that Knight guy."

"Throating him with a shotgun was kind of narly." Rachel nods.

"But I don't see the other me doing that." Steph says "And what's fucked up is both of them are the real me, right ?"

"I guess." Rachel says leaning her head from side to side to make her point "But you know, everyone has one side of them and another. Both of which are considered real ? Not everything's black and white."

"You're talking about putting on a front and what people do behind closed doors. I'm talking about if DJ Steph would have done what I did. Not exactly the same." Steph says, trying to find a place to put the napkin when she's sure her nose stopped bleeding.

"Well, you don't know vampires are a thing in your other life." Rachel shrugs "I think in the right circumstances, if your other girl's life was at stake ? Maybe the other you would make a vampire literally eat lead in that case."

Steph nods, slightly agreeing "Maybe. If it comes to that I mean."

"But enough worrying about other lives." Rachel says, wrapping her arm around Steph's shoulder "Let's try to enjoy this one."

"While we can." Steph doesn't say out loud, but nods in quiet agreement.

----

That night, Tehkummah, Ontario

It was a four hour ride before they reached their cabin, and by then the sun had already disappeared. They only stopped for gas, and for some fast food. 

Throughout the ride, Steph and Rachel would try to keep each other distracted from the lingering existentialism of being on a vampire cults shitlist, and the fact that one of them keeps blinking back and forth between two different lives.

But if months apart from each other, weeks surrounded by other people and four hours cooped up in a car together did anything for the couple...it was stirring up some feelings in Steph that she felt the growing need to satiate. 

Rachel, being as observant as she is, caught onto the looks Steph was giving her. And she wouldn't be lying if this was stirring some less than wholesome feelings in her too.

As they pull into the driveway, and step out of the car, Rachel exhales and stretches.

"Here we are, the great outdoors!"

"Yeah great isn't it." Steph says, making her way to the cabin's doorway "Though I would think it'd be greater indoors."

"Oh, come on now!" Rachel says in a joking manner, as she follows Steph "You're not thinking about taking in the sights and smells of Mother Nature and Lake-"

"That can wait for tomorrow." Steph says, turning to Rachel, grabbing her by the wrist and pulling her to the cabin with her "I think it's time we get to bed."

"If you say so." Rachel says with a friendly giggle.

Once inside, Steph closed the door behind her, and was quick to kiss her. Their tongues have a brief wrestling match, before Rachel backs Steph towards the door.

Rachel smiles coyly, as she steps back and looks around.

"So...you up to eat ? Wanna watch a movie ?" Rachel chuckles as she walks down the hallway, leaving an annoyed Steph behind.

"Rachel." Steph mutters with gritted teeth, groaning as she follows Rachel to the kitchen.

"I mean, we've been on the road all day. We really could use a bite."

"We stopped at KFC!" Steph says, sounding more aggravated than she intended.

"I mean real food, sweetie." Rachel said in a sing-song voice, crossed her arms and cocked her head, fluttering her eyes at Steph.

"Rachel." Steph groaned. She was looking forward to this for a while now. And looked like if she doesn't get it, she's going to make such a scene.

Rachel shrugs "I mean, if there's anything else you'd rather be doing." She wraps her arms around Steph's body, innocently rolling her eyes.

Without another word, Steph takes the vampire and backs her towards the kitchen wall, and pulls her into a fierce and deep kiss.  Rachel was a little taken aback back by Steph, but quickly calmed as Steph placed one of her hands on Rachel's waist, sneaking it's way into  Rachel's shirt, tickling up her stomach.

Rachel gasped into the kiss, and moaned sensually as she wrapped her  own arms around Steph's back.

Rachel looked Steph in the eyes with a smile "Looks like I shouldn't keep you waiting."

Steph smirked "I've been wanting to do this for a while now. And I don't like being teased."

"Just say the word."

"Bedroom." Steph says bluntly, "Now."

In under a minute, their bedroom door burst open, as Steph hastily undressed herself, not once breaking contact with Rachel's mouth, and Rachel kicked the door shut behind her.

Once she was in her bra and panties, Steph stepped back, reached behind her back to unclip her bra. Using her arms, she covers, keeping the cups over her breasts as the bonds break.

Rachel stood there taken aback, her heart racing. She has seen Steph in the nude before, but not like this. 

Steph was usually self conscious about her body, even when she and Rachel showered together or undressed in each other's presence. But the way Steph looks so...giddy right there ? It's like a little pixie, lying there waiting in bed for her.

"Well aren't you coming ? Or do I have to make you ?" Steph says, biting her lower lip and raising an eyebrow.

Snapping out of it, Rachel hurriedly stripped down to her bra and  panties and walked around the bed.

-----

Mary's apartment, Portland Oregon, March 10th, 2013

"Would you prefer if...If I take initiative ?" Mary asks gently, bending down to reach Rachel's neck. 

Rachel froze, at her touch. She closed her eyes, and felt her muscles tense. 

"Y-Yes. I would like that."

Rachel relaxed when Mary's lips kissed her neck softly.

Rachel couldn't stop the moan if she tried when Mary pushed her lower jaw onto Rachel's neck, her teeth just brushing the younger woman's skin, nibbling her.

Rachel was whimpering and shivering as she tried to find the words "You have me under a spell, do you?"

"Do I strike you as a witch? Like I need magic to make my own charms work ?" Mary kissing both of Rachel's cheeks "Have a little faith in me. I can forgive one offense, but you're coming dangerously close to breaking my heart."   

With that, Rachel kisses Mary back. A quick peck on the mouth.

With a sudden serious look on her face, Mary took Rachel by the chin and made the younger woman face her "I'm not going to force you to do anything. You want to stop, you only need to say so..."

After a few seconds, Mary brought her mouth even closer to Rachel's, expertly ghosting her lips. Rachel closed her eyes for a moment,  and with a slightly trembling nod Rachel put her hands on Mary's shoulders. 

Rachel took a deep breath, and closed the space between their lips. Mary started to kiss her back.

Mary cups Rachel's cheek, and deepening the kiss, Rachel responds accordingly. Mary sneaks the tip of her tongue along Rachel's lower lip, and leans her body against the younger woman.

When Mary broke away, she watched with a coy smile as Rachel caught her breath. Giving her time to catch her breath, Mary stroked her cheek to Rachel's.

After another moment, Mary slowly took a step back. Rachel shivered, wanting nothing more than to Mary's body against hers.

Mary bites her lower lip, Rachel pushes Mary towards the bed and steps back to Mary in an attempt to kiss her again, before the older woman takes another step back. 

Mary let out a mirthful laugh at Rachel's comic frowned. Mary, in turn, gave Rachel a lustful look, and stared at her lips predatorily.

This time, Mary backed her way towards the bed, giving Rachel the "come hither" gesture with her finger.

Rachel lets out a frustrated growl as Mary sits at the bedside. Mary giggled a little, holding her hand out for Rachel to take it.

Rachel froze for a moment, watching as Mary looked up and down her body. Rachel suddenly felt very flushed and she realized she was doing the same to Mary. 

Rachel let out a deep exhale as she took Mary's hand, and the two sat down on the bed together.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Miss Amber ?" Mary questioned. "Because once we start, I promise you, we will not stop."

Rachel was both terrified and enchanted at the prospect of what Mary was going to do. She looked at Mary, and nodded firmly.

Mary smiles with a mischievous gleam in her eyes. She moved her right hand, and grabbed the hooks of her bra, her eyes gesturing for Rachel to pull down her panties.

Rachel takes initiative, hooking her fingers into Mary's pantie lines, and pulls them down as Mary tosses aside her bra, leaving her completely naked.

Rachel felt her mouth go dry as all her heat and moisture in her body to a certain part of her body, below her belly button.  

Now it was Rachel's turn.

Rachel was quick to tug on her own shirt the moment she landed; tossing it aside as if it was a blight on her life. 

She almost died of embarrassment when Mary laughed at the color of her bra; black, with purple pook-a-dot hearts.

"Shaddaup!" Rachel comically glares, putting a deadpan tone in her voice, as she pulls down her pants, leaving in nothing but a pair of socks and a pair of black panties.

Mary composed herself, and immediately pulled Rachel into her arms, directly kissing Rachel’s neck, and nipping lightly on her skin. 

Mary’s lips never left her neck and Rachel ended up sighing as she felt Mary unhook her bra.

Now that Rachel was completely topless, Mary pulled herself up into a better sitting position at the headboard and patted the space between her legs. 

Rachel nods and climbs in place right between Mary’s legs.  

Mary pulls her into her lap, and Rachel was all too aware of the wet feeling from Mary pushing her hips into Rachel’s back.

Back braced against the headboard, Mary wraps her arms around Rachel from behind and lies her down.

----

Rachel and Steph's Cabin, October 20, 2015

Steph let out a small giggle when she looked at Rachel's mouth "You're not gonna have those out when your mouth's on me, right ?"

Rachel gasped when she noticed her fangs were out. If the multi color lights weren't on, we'd see she'd be "Tomato Face" levels of blushing.

"Sorry! It- it happens when I'm excited. None of my other hookups notice it, but it's been a while.." The way Rachel says it, it's almost like she was back to being a virginal teenager.

Steph snorks back a laugh before she smiles before she grins.

"Glad I have that effect on you then." She puts out her hand and guides Rachel until she's on top of her. The two kiss and when they part, Steph brushes a hand through Rachel's hair "I think it's just been a while for both of us..."

Just as Rachel started to kiss her again, Steph flipped Rachel onto her back and climbed on top of her. As Steph straddled Rachel, she released her bra, revealing her breasts to the vampire's gaze.

"I want to hear you say it, Rachel." Steph says plainly. She looks so stoic, serious, like the little pixie turned to Athena herself.

Rachel looks up at Steph, not believing she was seeing her this way, or that she hasn't before.

"I love you." Rachel breaths out.

Steph smiles and leans down "Feelings mutual."

----

Mary's apartment, March 2013

After their mutual climax, Mary rolls off and lays down beside Rachel and nibbled on her ear.

"What just happened?" Rachel thought trying to compose herself by placing her hand on her forehead.    

"We. Had. Sex." Mary answers between kisses on Rachel's cheek and neck.

"I-" Shaking, Rachel made to dislodge herself from Mary's grip...only to find herself grasped, firmly.

"Where are you going ?" Mary asked.

"Mark. I-"

"You were thinking about Jefferson while you were with me ?" Mary asks, this time raising a cocky eyebrow.

"No, God no." Rachel says shaking her head and her breath "Didn't tell him where I'm at. He's going to kill-"
Mary interrupts Rachel with a kiss. 

"Fuck him, my dear."

"What ?" Rachel asks, a little taken aback.

"He left you behind on the street, you keep ghosting him, go back to Arcadia Bay on your own, you control the narrative." Mary starts "You can say; he offered to take you out of town, just the two of you. And that would be the truth."

"I'm listening." Rachel says.

"You can say you thought it was just a teacher student thing. That you were nineteen and thought you could make your own decisions. You may not have been thinking clearly with the recent loss in your life, and things took an ugly turn when Mark became very disagreeable." Mary continues.

Rachel let the thoughts soak in as Mary went on. Had she left out some details, kept things open and ambiguous, she could easily get Mark thrown under the bus. 

On the other hand...

"The second night into your stay, you found a more agreeable, understanding adult who gave you a place to stay for the night, and listened to your problems. And gave you a ride home." Mary continues.

"Would that also be true ?" Rachel asks.

"It can be."

Rachel thought about this for a moment; Jefferson was cold today, and a bit of dick lately, but...she didn't think he was that bad of a guy. Worst thing she could do is get him fired and ruin his reputation.

Or her own, considering the track record of what happens when famous people are exposed as abusers. And Jefferson did have a lot of the school on his side already.

On one hand, Rachel didn't think she'd have it in her to ruin someone's life, or reputation...unless they did something to really deserve it. In any case, you can call Rachel a Sni-l-Itch.

Rachel shakes her head "No, sorry. I can't put Mark through that."

"I see," Mary nodded, before moving onto another subject, "You still plan on going to Los Angeles ?"

“Still the plan. Why ?" Rachel asks.

"Mmm, thinking of checking the place out myself." Mary says "You know ? Host an art gallery in every state. I have a few places I'll be beforehand, but if you are in need of a mentor...?" Mary adds "Someone who isn't Jefferson."

"What's the catch ?" Rachel asks.

Mary shrugs, “I can be more than a handful.”

With a smirk, Rachel softly takes a hold of one of Mary's breasts, shamelessly squeezing and playing with it “Of that I am aware of.”

Mary rolls her eyes with a smirk of her own "Still have sex on the brain. You're such a boy, you know that ?" She playfully scoffs.

"Nymphomaniac," Rachel replies deadpan, lightly slapping Mary's tit "Remember ?"

Mary doesn't bother holding back her giggles.

"Then I am to assume I work you up to such a degree, that I can't hold a proper conversation ? Do I really have such an effect on you, Miss Amber ?"

Rachel got up and pushed Mary back into bed, crawled over her in a feline manner, and laid her own body across the older woman's “Here’s a hint.”

Rachel then kisses Mary, completely letting her body do all the talking for her.

They kept at it for a while, cuddling and caressing each other's skin, kissing like there was no tomorrow until exhaustion eventually started to take Rachel. It took about an hour.

Mary was just content to just lay there feeling Rachel's skin pressed against her own, as the younger woman began to breathe lightly against Mary's chest. And before long, that soft drone against Mary started soothing the vampire, as she too drifted into sleep.

And as Mary flutters her eyes closed, she sees the familiar figure of the red woman smiling down at her.

-----

October 20th, 2015

After their climax, Steph rests her head on Rachel's shoulder.

Eventually Rachel's tremors died down, save for the occasional aftershock.  Steph looked up at Rachel, letting out another giggle as the vampire panted heavily. Steph crawled up her sweaty body, leaving little kisses until her lips met up with Rachel.

Steph pulled to the side, cuddling up with Rachel, as the latter finally caught her breath.

"...I-I love you." Rachel panted out, turning to kiss Steph on the temple.

"I love you, too." Steph smiled, kissing Rachel back.

The two just lay there, taking each other in.

After a moment, Steph breaks the silence.

"What ?"

"You're not scared ?" Rachel asks.

"Should I be ?"

"I mean considering we're in hiding-" Rachel starts before Steph silences her with a kiss "And that this isn't your real life-"

Steph shuts Rachel up with another kiss.

"Doesn't matter." Steph says, putting a hand on Rachel's cheek "It's still the real me."

"But it feels like I'm...taking you from someone else." Rachel confesses with a sad smile "I promised I'd do better for Chloe's sake. How can I, if I'm taking you from the life you were meant to have ?"

Steph puts a finger on Rachel's lips, shushing her.

"Whatever my other life is, it's not going anywhere." Steph says, taking Rachel's hand and puts it on her cheek "And I'm still here."

"See, that's what I'm really afraid of." Rachel says, sitting up "I try to think back to the blank spaces. To when you're not in my life; I remember being Vivian Manning, and I remember being Scarlet Rivers."

Rachel raises her left hand and her right to make her point.

"And when I'm Rivers, I do very ugly things; I've beaten people, I extorted; I'd drink from living bodies; I fucking killed people."

Rachel shakes a little as she says the last part.

"It's those memories, where you're not there...it's when I feel like I'm playing into her hands." Rachel says, referring to the Blood Queen "And being with you, I can be Vivian Manning. Like the person I want to be. I'm just scared, okay ? That I'll wake up, find you're not there, and I'll go back to being the worse version of myself."

Steph leans up, kissing Rachel on the mouth, before laying her back down onto the bed, and climbing on top of her.

"Then I guess it's a good thing I keep coming back to you." Steph says, nuzzling her nose into Rachel.

"But this isn't your real life ?" Rachel says "Doesn't that bother you ?"

"This life ? My other life ?" Steph shrugs her head to her left shoulder and then her right "The more I go back and forth between them, the clearer my memories get you know ?"

Steph rolls over so she and Rachel are no on their sides, her hand stroking Rachel's hair running down her back.

"I think, even in my other life...I'll be able to find you." Steph says, kissing Rachel on the forehead.

"But then I'd be taking you from-"

"It won't be like that." Steph says "I don't think it will at least. But I know I keep coming back to you. Maybe you're not the one for me, I'm not the one for you, but the world pulls me to you for a reason."

Rachel gives a sad smile, managing to say "Nice speech, did you rehearse that ?"

"It's been on my mind." Steph shrugs with an innocent smile "Now, how about we worry about tomorrow...tomorrow ? Let's make the most of what we have now."

Steph puts leg between Rachel's, lift's one of Rachel's legs over her hip, and pulls Rachel to her. Their bodies pressed against each other, with both their sexes and breasts rubbing together. Both girls let out a quiet but relaxed groan at the sensation.

Steph established a slow rhythm, rubbing their bodies together. Rachel relaxed with her motions before she started moving her hips against Steph's, meeting her as they rolled their junk together.

Rachel buried her face into the crock of Steph's neck, silently moaning, wrapping her arms around Steph's neck.

As they scissor at a gingerly pace, Steph could be heard whispering, mumbling, and humming into Rachel's ear.  

It took Rachel a moment to recognize the tune, which got a chuckle out of her when she recognized some of Steph's words.  

"She can't let go and she can't relax/And just before/She hangs her head to cry/I sing to her a lullaby/Everything's gonna be alright/Rockabye/Rockabye/Everything's gonna be alright/Rockabye/Rockabye/Rockabye..." Steph sings gently, between groans of her own pleasure.

In a few moments, the two reach a quiet climax as Steph finishes the song. 

It was nothing mind blowing, nothing spectacular, just the orgasm they need to push them to the edge of sleep. Still high off their last orgasm, and on the verge of sleep, the two hold each other close, pressing their foreheads together.

"I love you." They say at the same time.

Rachel holds Steph's body to her, whispering in her ear "Please be here when I wake up."

Steph says nothing, just smiles and strokes her cheek.

As soon as Rachel drifted off, still holding Steph close to her, she was filled with that feeling again. She couldn't put her finger on it, but it was like Rachel felt herself being pulled to wherever Steph would disappear too.

The spot was cold, dark and foggy as usual. She could swear she felt Steph beside her still, going up with her, and yet being pulled elsewhere.

They were pulled farther and farther apart, when Rachel felt herself beginning to crash. When that familiar cloud filled her.

As Rachel slowly came down to Earth, she felt her head being filled with things; all these names and information on these names. She just knew what these names meant. Some she was familiar with, others, not so much; Azathoth, Yaldabaoth, Yog Sothoth, Mekhane, Nyarlathotep, Inanna, Hastur, Y'golonac, Anantashesha, Nodens, Cthulhu, Ithaqua. And a lot of other names that end with "Oth".

With each name came knowledge. Just enough to fill Rachel's mind, but not enough to break it. When she saw the name "Khahrahk", it made her feel like she was back in the Dark Room. Made her mind scream.

Then came the inevitable crash-down.

----

Rachel blinked once. Twice. Four times before she took in her surroundings.

She was still in the cabin, and turned to see no Steph. Instead she felt a wash of deja vu as she reluctantly got out of bed.

She felt like she was going through a usual morning routine, but there was something off that she couldn't put her finger on.

Her first instinct was to shower, brush her teeth (fangs) and get dressed. Still unable to shake that buzzing feeling in her head, Rachel kept trying to think over where she is now and how she got there.

It's only when Rachel walks down a hallway, does something get her attention; framed photos on the wall...two women and a child, a three year old boy in fact.

It took a minute for it to register, but she recognized the woman holding the child to be...Chloe Price ?

Chloe holds her tot up with a goofy, laughing smile. The toddler looks like he's laughing too, taking hold of Chloe's hair, and trying to eat it. Despite her confusion, Rachel found herself giggling a little at how cute it looked.

The other woman in the picture, Rachel, had a hard time recognizing. 

She thinks she saw the face here in there through photographs before. It then clicked on Rachel that this was the famous Max Caulfield. She too was holding the boy, probably taking him from Chloe's arms, a flustered laugh when the boy tried eating Chloe's hair.

There was a second picture, right beside this one. It had to have been taken when the baby was just born. He was swaddled in a maternity bed and wore a bright blue boggin cap, matching Chloe's dyed blue hair.

At the bottom of the picture frame, was written engraved: "William Caulfield Price - March 5th, 2018. Welcome to the World and Enjoy Your Stay!"

As Rachel walks further and further down the hall, towards a flight of stairs As she passes the rooms, she sees a child's bedroom, with it's door ajar; by the looks of the décor, the kid liked the color blue and red.

It didn't look remarkable enough to look into herself, but the neatly made bed indicates it hasn't been slept in. But what Rachel really found peculiar was this room was an empty space when it was her and Steph. The rooms were not even painted then.

As Rachel descends the stairs, she spots another framed picture out of three descending the wall.

The first was a picture of the baby boy, a few months of age, in a carrier. He was wearing a white blanket and a blue hat, looking half asleep as he held a stuffed beanie baby style blue whale ("DWAAAWWW!!!" Rachel internally gushes at the sight) against his chest.

The second was of the boy in a nursery; he looked to be that age where he was standing and walking. He wore only a diaper and blue sweatshirt, and had little tufts of Chloe's dark blonde hair in his head. Surrounded by toys, he had in his hands a book, The Cat in the Hat

He looks towards the camera with a "What are you looking at ?" expression.

"Yeah mom, don't you know knowledge is power ?" Rachel imagines the boy asking.

The third and last photo, at the bottom of the stairs gave Rachel the mother of all pauses. This third picture was recent. The boy was, what ? Two, three years old ?

Anyways, at face value there was nothing of note in the picture. Just the little lad laying on his mother's chest, while the latter was laying on the couch. He had his head on his mothers chest staring out at the camera, while the mother in question held him close.

Only the motherly figure in the picture wasn't Chloe. It wasn't Max either.

...it was Rachel.

"What is this ?" Rachel silently asks herself. 

Rachel leans in for a closer look. She just doesn't know what to make of this. Not a lot is making sense to her. And the more she tried to think about it, the more her headaches increased.

Rachel would then feel something vibrating in her pocket. Taking it out she unlocks it to see her phone's wallpaper.

It's another picture of Rachel with the toddler; she was sitting on a rocking chair on the deck outside, snuggling him to her chest. It looked to be late fall or early spring giving their clothes. This time Rachel got a better look at the boy's eyes.

"Why does he have my eyes ?"

It was then she saw the date in her phone, and the accompanying message.

It was May 2nd, 2021. She was apparently meeting someone that day. 

Someone named "Beca".

Right as Rachel began to wrap her head around things, her mind began to fog yet again. Rachel couldn't tell what she responded with, or what she was saying/hearing.

The best she could describe it was there were two Rachel's in the moment.

There was the "Outer" Rachel who was in the room at the present time, apparently living with Chloe, Max and their child, and was now going to be seeing this Beca girl for one reason or another. 

Then there was the in "Inner" Rachel, the one who was in the first persons, seeing through the "Outer's" eyes, but for some reason or another, couldn't control, hear or truly interact with the world around her.

The "inner" Rachel watches as the "outer" one goes through a routine. She goes on a short walk up and down a familiar dirt road, in a familiar wooded area. She recognizes it as the lakeshore road.

When goes back to her cabin, Rachel watches some TV. She goes over texts and emails, but a lot of it is blurred out from the "inner" Rachel's sight. What little she saw indicated she was in a regular correspondence with Chloe, Max, Victoria - and several others from Arcadia Bay. And these...Diaz brothers ?   

Another unfamiliar name was this Beca girl. She was someone she was talking to for a few weeks now.

Was this another girl Rachel was cheating with ? That idea made the inner Rachel's stomach coil.

Late in the day, a black car pulls into her driveway. Out steps an unfamiliar brunette woman dressed in "city girl" attire, this mix of "punk" and "professional". She kind of looked like Jessica girl from Twilight.   
 
She's guessing this is Beca.

"Outer" Rachel greets Beca at the door and ushers her inside. "Inner" Rachel can't tell what they are saying, it is all being clouded by muffles, but this Beca looked nervous and upset. "Outer" Rachel leads Beca to a couch, offers her a drink.

They spend the next hour or so talking, going over notes. What does "Outer" know that "Inner" doesn't ?

"What mustn't dwell too much on what their destiny holds. It may not come to pass..." The voice of Myrddin says.

"Inner" Rachel at least figures this to be a possibility of where her life leads. Is that why everything is muffled, and all the words are blurry ?

Whatever this Beca is talking about has her upset. Worried. Like a mother distressed. "Inner" Rachel can't make it out, but "Outer" Rachel seems to know exactly what she's talking about.

Beca looks like she's about to cry, when "Outer" Rachel places a reassuring hand on Beca's, apparently saying something to quell her worries.

"Outer" Rachel stands up and walks to a bookshelf, taking one book. As the book is opened, it appears to be notes that Rachel has written in relation to this Hastur.

Whatever it is about Hastur that has Beca so worked up, "Outer Rachel" shows her the notes in question, and lets Beca take pictures through her phone.

It was around this time, the "Inner Rachel" finally heard what they were talking about.

"What's that name ?" Beca asks.

"What name ?" The Outer Rachel asks, looking at Beca's picture.

"Kh-Kar-" Beca tries to say before Outer Rachel hastily closes the book.

"I-I-I wouldn't." Outer Rachel quickly says "I've been scratching that one out for a reason."

As the "Outer Rachel" and Beca continued their conversation, The Inner Rachel felt something pull her away; whatever these two were talking about began to disappear into a muffled haze. It was as if Rachel was again, waking from a dream.

"You have seen too much of the this life, and with a glimpse of a possible future, you put that very future at risk." 

----

Beaver Creek, The Twins, March 19th, 2020

Rachel jolted awake.

The past five years seemed to blur through her head, only to come crashing down all at once. She blinks several times as she gets up from the Hospital Bed.

"No again." She says to herself, feeling her muscles ache as she stretches her arms and legs.

She's been in that Fog of Worlds again, Rachel realizes. And it did a little more than take her down Memory Lane. She feels like she stepped into a whole other world, before being pulled back into her, and now has the mother of all headaches as a result.

Rachel shuffles her way to the night stand beside her bed, taking a bottle of Tylenol from its cupboard. Making her way to her room's mini fridge, Rachel takes out a drink and downs two Tylenol as she lets the blurred memories form.

She remembers hiding out in LA; she remembers Steph, and that bitch Cathy; she remembers working as a photographer by the name of Vivian Manning; she remembers being a gang enforcers as Scarlet Rivers; she remember Steph's tulpa business, and with that is mind, isn't even sure if their relationship was part of their real life.

Rachel remembers being held captive in Seattle. She remembers fighting Mordred twice,  and having to go into hiding in Canada for about a year. Rachel led a modestly successful career as the writer for The Lost Chronicles.

Rachel remembers in 2017 she wrote an autobiographical expose about herself, and reached out to Victoria Chase under her pen name. They had a regular correspondence for years, and while she's sure Victoria never caught onto her true identity.

Even so it felt like the only other tie Rachel kept with her former life, especially with Steph blinking in and out of her life and memory. She can only wonder if Steph is still part of her life; if not, she hopes she doesn't try anything stupid like try looking into her "dreams".

And finally, she remembers getting word of Max Caulfield becoming pregnant, using Chloe Price's egg and a donor. Rachel saw a few pictures of the baby, Bill, almost made her want to meet the kid.

But as of now, that was the last thing on Rachel's mind. As usual when Rachel would wake up from that fog, she'd do so with a nosebleed;  and as her head cleared, she noticed she needed to change her shirt.

Luckily, having a whole wing to herself, that includes a bathroom and shower.

As Rachel would run through the shower, the show would go over what else happened to her the past month or so. It was quiet for the past three years, before she heard the Red Queen beginning to stirr, and Mordred finally found her.  

And now Rachel was here, in Beaver Creek. There were two adjacent hospitals that the Ashbury and Reid clan funded and built together; one for adults, the other for children just outside of Beaver Creek.  

The seclusion made Jonathan Reid feel more at ease than the city,  and given the private floors, gave Reid a place to work comfortably, and a place for Rachel to hide for the past few weeks.

Rachel herself had to be isolated, and as of late, Jonathan Reid was making a trip to Scotland, looking into something of a previous expedition. Which only ruffled Rachel's feathers more so.  

For years now, Rachel never heard from or seen the Red Queen, but for the past few weeks, she would feel her lurking about, sending so much shivers up Rachel's spine she was almost used to it.

And while all Rachel could do was wait in isolation, she had an unsettling feeling that everything the Mother's Children had been blowing smoke over was about to boil over. She could almost feel the Queen start to bubble to the surface.

----

When Rachel is out of the shower and in a fresh pair of clothes, she looks out her room's window, to see that the sun has begun to set; the sky turning a dark red.
But what quickly catches Rachel's attention is smoke on the horizon...coming from the town.

Of course, Rachel has a very bad feeling about this, and that feeling gets increasingly worse as she notices shapes and figures moving in the darkness. In the woods surrounding the hospital.

Moments later, alarms start to blare in the hospital, and her increasingly unsettling feeling is getting the best of her.

She can already hear them. Staff and patients screaming bloody murder.

"They're here for you, you know." The Queen's voice echoes in Rachel's head "Among others, this is but a preview for the age to come. The age of blood-"

"Care to cut it ?" Rachel interrupts, trying to put on a brave and defiant face "I've been hearing your son blowing smoke about you for years now; I don't need to hear it again from the horse's mouth."

Rachel hears banging on the door. Snarling. It was the skals. Four of them at least.

"Choose your next words carefully, girl." The Queen's voice snarls "My children will answer my call; the whole reason I pulled you from the ground was for this purpose."

A mixture of fear, anxiety, annoyance and aggravation filled Rachel at once as she backed away from the door.

"Willingly or no, you will lead this world into the new age, with the other daughters I pick. I don't mind breaking you down to do so; I can rebuild you just the same..."

Rachel chuckles in disbelief.

"Your highness, with respect, you've been sleeping for seven years; there's a lot you missed out on." Rachel says, backing her way towards the window.

"You cannot escape your destiny girl; it's in your very blood." The Queen could be heard giggling "A disaster laying dormant, waiting to emerge. And I tire of waiting."

The door begins breaking off its hinges. Rachel looks out the window to see she is 

Rachel silently "blah blahs" to the Queen's words as she reaches the window, but the Queen continues. Rachel was still three stories up, but could make due with this. 

"As I said, your folly is that no one escapes me. No. One."

"Fine," Rachel says "Your children want a weapon ? I'll give them one."

Right as the door breaks down, four skals enter the room; mutated, disfigured vampires, with this ones in particular being in a vicious and feral state.

They turn to Rachel and let out shrieks, making their way towards her, no doubt to do what their mother wishes them to (short of killing her).

Rachel punches a hole into the window, managing to take hold of a large enough piece of glass.

Her eyes darken, and the scent of blood is starting to overwhelm her.

----

From there it was a blur; she'd fade in and black out as she made her way through the hospital. 

She killed the attacking skals in her room just fine, and would make her way out of her isolated area. 

Soon the glass broke and Rachel would have to use her teeth and brute force to make her way down the floors. Luckily, she soon got her hands on a fire axe in the fray. 

Her mind was frantic. No real thoughts; just to slash and bite down on any skal that tried to attack her. The hospital's lights started to flicker on and off. And somewhere in the chaos, a fire started.

Whatever staff or patients Rachel came across, she couldn't save. Many of them where already dead, being feasted upon, while others ran in terror at the sight of her. And in the back of Rachel's mind, she hopes that none of the people she saw were slaughtered by her own hands.

----

By the time Rachel's head cleared, she was left exhausted, laying upon the pavement of a parking lot. All that while the Queen's voice echoes and laughs within her head.

As Rachel gets up, she sees her axe is embedded in the head on a large male skal with its shirt off. It took some effort, but Rachel pulls the axes from the skal's head, breathing heavily as she looks around. 

She can see smoke in Beaver Creek, so she's guessing that's off the list of options to go. As she looks around her immediate surroundings, she sees a corpse of a woman, probably/hopefully another skal laying a few feet beside the other, also with an axe mark in her head. She was wearing a winter coat, for which Rachel would have to make due.

"Sorry miss." Rachel says, crouching down to take the coat off the woman "I guess I'll be needing this more than you."

Putting the coat on, Rachel sees an ambulance, and beside it, two paramedics with their throats ripped out. With a reluctant sigh, Rachel makes her way towards them. Rarely is a vampire's work ever clean.

Luckily for Rachel, the keys were already in the ignition, it was simply a matter of turning the vehicle on. Both hospitals were unsalvageable, and the town likely isn't any better. With ambulances in the lot, and few other vehicles, she's willing to bet she's the person who isn't dead already fled the scene a while ago.

She just needs to find a place to find out, reach out to the Reid's or Ashbury, or something. And with that, Rachel places the axe on the floor beside her, and pulls out of the parking lot and onto the road.

She knows she can't fight this on her own.

"You can't fight this at all." The Queen says "Day by day, the harvest grows ripe; day by day, I prepare-"

With an annoyed growl, Rachel turns on the sirens to drown out the Queen's voice.

"That will do you no good girl. Neither will fleeing the destiny I choose for you."

Rachel puts the pedal to the metal and drives her way down a long, deserted, forested road, just outside of Beaver Creek.

"You keep underestimating me." Rachel says "I always had quite a rebellious streak in life."

"And yet, you still slaughtered dozens of skals to ensure your own survival. Your bloodlust grows strong as I do; for all you fight, for all you resist, one way or another, you will be but another puppet in my hands."

Rachel presses the gas pedal down harder, trying her best to ignore the Queen's taunting remarks.

"And where you go, I follow; and where I go, my children follow."

And like that, from the trees surrounding the road, two skals jump onto the ambulance, catching Rachel off guard. One onto the front, the other onto the back.

The skal on the front cracks the windshield upon impact, leaving a small blood stain. Rachel screams, and on natural reflex, continues to speed. This causes the skal to nearly be pulled over/off the roof, as it holds on for dear (un)life. 

On the other hand, the skal on the back manages to get the back door open, snarling at Rachel as it tries to sneak its way in through the back, finding itself holding onto the door.

All Rachel could do was speed, darting left and right onto the road, her vision obscured by the skal scratching at the windshield. It went on like this for a moment...before Rachel saw those kids in the middle of the road, and on instinct hit the breaks.

The skal on the roof flies off, rolling several feet before the ambulance, just missing the kids on the road.

With little time and quick thinking, she turns her attention to the skal as it stumbles about in the back. Rachel takes the axe in one hand, and the skal's neck in the other, before she pushes the door open and tosses the skal onto the road before her.

Going through the motions, Rachel jumps from the van, raises the axe up, and bringing it down into her attacker's head.

"Atta girl," The Queen's voice says "Surely, you realize the futility of resisting the storm to come."

Rachel holds the axe blade up, glancing at the bloody mess she made.

"That's right, daughter. The Blood of Hate flows strong within you. Do not resist, indulge as you have in-"

Rachel was unconsciously licking her lips when she saw them. The kids; one was a Hispanic looking boy of the age of twelve, with two Caucasian - a blonde boy and a brunette girl of the same age. 

They were not dressed for the weather, let alone this environment, so Rachel can guess they were forced to escape from their homes just now. More importantly, they looked terrified at what they just saw.

"Oh shit..." She says, her eyes widened in mortification at what she just did.

Then she sees the other skal get up from behind the kids.

"Oh shit!" She exclaims.

In a flash, she dashes past the kids towards the skal, tackling it into a wrestling grasp, biting down into the neck, deep and hard enough to loud out a loud crunch. She releases the vampire which drops to the ground in a limp, wiping blood off her mouth with her sleeve. She then turns back towards the three kids.

"You know, rule of three dictates I should say it a third time, but I don't like cursing in front of youngsters."

One of the boys, the Hispanic steps forward, raising an arm defensibly, while using the other arm to keep his friends back.

"You're one of them, aren't you ?" He asks.

Rachel nods "Kinda."

"Yes or no ?"

"I'm one of them, but not one of..." She starts, pointing at the dead skals on the ground "Them."

Rachel tries to take a step towards them, but the boy steps forward, still holding a hand out in a protective manner.

"Stay back! I'm warning you!" he shouts.

Rachel chuckles, clearly not taking this bravado seriously.

"What, kid ? Let me guess, you're a Jedi knight or somethi- OH, FUCK!!" 

Rachel was lifted into the air, and tossed onto the front hood of the ambulance, with a groan. Rachel slipped off as the hood looked caved in, and stood up on staggering legs, popping a few joints back into place in her legs, back and arm.

"I'll take that as a yes." Rachel breathes out through gritted teeth "I'm really glad people don't have powers where I am from."

The dark haired boy steps forward and Rachel holds her own arms out in a defensive manner.

"Wait! I'm a friendly!" she loudly insists, dropping to her knees. Thinking quickly, she looks over at the girl in the group, seeing that she's shaking "Your friend, she's cold isn't she ?"

The girl nods "I had a shower before we got out here. Everything happened so fast."

Rachel nods, unzipping her jacket, revealing a plain T shirt beneath, tossing it in the space between them.

"It's a few sizes big...but it should do."

The three look between each other hesitantly, before the blonde boy steps forward and picks the jacket up, taking it to the. As he does so, the blonde looks over at Rachel "You...look familiar, I think I saw you somewhere."

"I spent a few weeks at the twins," Rachel says, looking over her shoulder at the smoke "It's kind of a mess back there. I wouldn't recommend going."

Taking a step forward on her knees she speaks again.

"Rachel." She introduces herself "My name is Rachel."

The kids exchange a quick glance before addressing Rachel.

"Daniel." The dark haired boy introduces himself.

"Chris." Says the blonde boy.

And then the girl "Sarah."

"See ? Now we're not strangers." Rachel says with a smile.

"You said you were at the twins ?" Daniel asks.

Rachel nods.

"My grandparents were supposed to be there. Visiting a friend, who got into this car accident." Daniel explains.

Rachel looks down, biting her lip before looking back up. 

"I'm sorry, I wouldn't know if they were there." She quickly remembers; earlier that day, she saw an elderly couple in the parking lot, leading a third elderly person to a car by wheelchair "But I did see some old folks checking out with a friend - I think I heard mention of a car wreck. Probably right before the shit hit the fan. Pardon my potty mouth."

"I'll take what I can get." Daniel nods.

As they were talking, Chris looked over his shoulder and saw the headlights shining on a sign - Winston Road. 

"Daniel, where did your grandparents say your friend lived ?"

"The cabin road ?" Daniel says.

"The what ?" Rachel asks.

"Keystone Road it's called." Chris corrects Daniel "It's basically a cabin and lodge community. One of their buildings is a retirement home."

Daniel nods as a realization comes over him "My grandparents have been spending more and more time there seeing their friend. If she's out of the hospital, they're probably looking out for her there."

The three kids look at each other, quickly agreeing to the plan, and turning to take their leave before Rachel interrupts them.

"Uh, I hate to burst your bubble, but you do realize that there's a slim chance they are actually there right ? If they aren't, what's plan B ?"

Chris pauses to think "My dad has a cabin we go to in the summer. It's more of a guest house. The real owner is a neighbor of ours, I sometimes cut his grass during the summer."

"If you say so." Rachel says with a shrug "But how are you planning to get there ?"

"We can walk. I did something like this a few years ago." Daniel says confidently.

"How far away is it ?"

This stops them, and Chris takes a moment to answer "When my dad drives, it's an hour and a half from here."

"That's by vehicle. What about on foot ?" Rachel says.

The other three look at eachother, not saying anything.

"I thought so. Luckily, I have a solution." Rachel says, jabbing a thumb over her shoulder at the ambulance.

"You expect us to just trust you ?" Sarah Lee asks.

"I mean it's not like you have that much options." Rachel shrugs "You're cold, lacking proper clothing. I saved you back there, and brought with me a means of transportation. Now what kind of friendly neighborhood vampire would I be if I let you youngsters loose into the woods ?"

They glance at each other hesitantly before Rachel points to the axe she left on the ground.

"You can take it, and if anything happens on the way, you can use it however you see fit."

Chris nods, before going to retrieve the axe.

By the time they got into the ambulance, Rachel cursed out as the engine wouldn't start.

"Oh, goddammit!"

"What's wrong ?" Sarah Lee asks.

"Engine's busted." Rachel sighs, before narrowing her eyes at Daniel, "It's like something heavy was just dropped - smashed even - onto the engine. Now it's busted."

"What now ?" Chris asks.

"Back to plan A, I guess." Rachel says "It'll be risky, but I think we can make it."

"You think or you know ?" Daniel asks.

"Taking the wild animals, and possibilities of loose vampires still in these woods, it's probably a safe bet you stick with me." Rachel says before gesturing to Daniel "But at least with Anakin Skywalker here, we know we are in further safe hands."

"I never liked the prequels," Daniel shrugs "I thought I was more of a Ben Solo."

Rachel raises an eyebrow, thinking to herself "Seriously, him ?" before shrugging.

"Whatever floats your boat, kid. I was always an Azula stan myself." Rachel says.

The four were soon enough walking their way down the road, Sarah Lee carrying a hot water bottle from the ambulance, Chris carrying the axe, Rachel carrying a fairly large bottle of an unknown liquid she keeps on her person. Daniel had on his person, a bag of rations, also from the ambulance - mostly just granola bars and boost, which they'd have to use sparingly. But he kept his eyes on Rachel.

"So uh, Rachel was it ?"

"Yeah. What's up ?" she asks.

"What exactly got you out here ?"

"Hmm ?" Rachel regards Daniel.

"It's just, I normally wouldn't think someone stealing an ambulance after spending weeks at the hospital would be seen as normal. Especially for a vampire after a big vampire attack like this." Daniel explains.

Rachel laughs.

"It's kind of a long story. You got a minute ?"

"I think the three of us got all night." Daniel nods.

"Good, cuz it's like seven years worth of story." Rachel say, putting a friendly arm around Daniel's shoulder "I'll try to keep it short."

Chapter 15: Monsters at the Door

Summary:

Back from hiatus, but I had a hectic move lately, and a busy few months.

On the upside, this being a "Present Day" chapter, and will heavily focus on the Diaz Brothers.

We will be finally catching up to what Sean's been up too since he's been released from Seattle; as well as what Daniel, Sarah Lee and Chris have been up to after Rachel found them.

Some of the segments here were written over two years ago, and I've been waiting to post on them just as long.

This chapter is a little more lengthy than I wanted it too be, but I didn't want to make another "split" chapter. At least it shouldn't be a two hour read.

Plus, I really want to get to covering FBC's investigation of Arcadia Bay for both "Route A" and "Route B". Which is also something I've been sitting on for two years. So that's something to look forward too.

Chapter Text

Vár Bíbor Mezők (Castle Crimson Fields), Hungary, January 25th, 2020

"Awake."

Mordred's eyes pop open and flutter as the sound of his "Mother's" voice. While no one else was physically in the room, he knew she was there. She was both in his ear, and his veins.

With a strained groan, Mordred lurches off the bed, yawning and stretching. He clutches at his neck.

He has suffered worse injuries that took longer to heal over time, but deep throating a shotgun still left him with a raw and burning sensation at the back of his throat when he wakes up. After nearly five years, he's still getting used to it.

"Yes, mother." Mordred nods.

"I can feel it, can you ?" The Queen's voice asks "The time has come for another awakening."

"Of course." Mordred says, taking in his surroundings.

Crimson Fields was an isolated county, and considerably spacious. Only about a few hundred people live here, and if you wanted, you could go months without one of your neighbors. Hence why Mordred's left hand, Lady Bathory chose this as her hiding spot, and why Mordred settled here until the time comes.

Over the decades, the Castle has seen its share of renovations, but it kept the same aura befitting of the dwelling of vampiric masters.

Mordred was given his own bedroom, and living space within the castle, and mostly kept to himself. During his time there, he would build up his strength after his loss in Seattle, and for the most part left the whole "Running the Mother's Children" business to his left and right hands.

"You are needed again, where my champions dwell."

Mordred nods, getting to his dresser and picking himself out some clothes.

"Miss Amber has proven quite resistant the last I checked."

"I can be persuasive." The Queen says in his head "Even so. there are others."

"And you wish me to seek them out ?"

"I didn't wake you for nothing child." The Queen could be heard saying "The Blood of Hate flows through the world; it needs a few other hands to guide it."

"Give me their names." Mordred says as he finishes getting dressed.

"Their names are written in a Dark Room."

"Jefferson." Mordred nods, looking out the window to see a snowy horizon "He's not needed. I made a promise to-"

"Your promises mean nothing..." The Queen states "The Circle of Treachery awaits you for a reason."

"Yes, yes, and we are to bring that Hell to earth." Mordred says unphased "Just tell me who else you seek, and I'll reach out where I can."

-----

Not an hour later, in the castle's library, Mordred stands before a portrait of his dating back to 1928, hanging above a light fireplace. He went by "Anthony Shepard" then.

"Belép." Mordred says stoically.

From behind the door behind him, Eliza Bathory steps in.

"You called upon me, Uram ?"

"Please." Mordred says modestly "I am no longer a lord or knight. Such formalities are a thing of the past."

"Of course." Bathory nods, approaching Mordred from behind "You requested my presence."

"What is the word on our operations in the States ?" He asks "Any word on Alexander ?"

"Ah yes." Bathory nods "We've had a setback in the Skals."

Mordred looks at Bathory questionably.

"You told me I could expect millions of them in two years...that was nearly five years ago!" Mordred says, a little incredulous "What sort of setbacks do you speak of ?"

"Alexander could only create enough for the nine hundred thousand range." Bathory shrugs "It's a small setback, but the Queen's well in running dry."

"It will not for long." Mordred says, taking a look into the fireplace "You know, my mother left her mark all over the United States, that her spirit's reach is far. While we had our eyes on Arcadia Bay, we may have overlooked others."

"How so ?"

"In 1987, my mother took a girl named Darla Hackerman. Real Carrie White type; abusive parents, religious and sheltered upbringing. You name it." Mordred explains.

"She sounds promising."

"She was." Mordred says "When she prayed for freedom and salvation, she didn't know another god was listening."

"But..?"

"My mother hoped she would be her champion at the time. But shortly after she turned, the guilt got to Hackerman before I did. She took her own life upon killing all of her family, with exception of her younger brother. In turn, she let the Blood of Hate soak into the sands of Nevada."

As Mordred explains this, he turns around to face Bathory.

"In the past twenty one years, we had our eyes on Arcadia Bay. While we're still seeking out victims of the Dark Room, it would seem the Blood of Hate calls out for vengeance, elsewhere. And so, like Arcadia Bay, my mother called upon the dark and twisted, to further cultivate her power." Mordred explains "As such, it would seem the time has come for us to come out of hiding. Our first order of business is to send word to Alexander."

Bathory grins upon hearing this.

"So much for no immediate retaliation."

Mordred returns a smirk of his own.

"I say we gave them five years of breathing room." Mordred says "Besides, we all knew this was coming. Better to come sooner than later, am I right ?"

Bathory looks like she couldn't resist a chuckle at his choice of words, before Mordred puts a finger on her lips.

"Not a word." He says, before poking her three times on the nose "Not. A. Word."

Despite her momentary amusement, Bathory quickly composes herself.

"So...where is it the Queen calls us ?"

-----

April 4th, 2020, Seattle, University District

In his safe house, Sean Diaz awoke at 5:00 in the morning, naked and in a cold sweat.

He wouldn't exactly call what he had nightmares. He was too used to those kinds of dreams to be really bothered by them.

It was more like memories. Sometimes he'd think it was memories of a life he never lived, or what choices he could have made differently. Especially in regards to his and Daniel's infamous trek across the country.

It was like his life beforehand was some kind of multiple choice video game, and in addition to remembering a past he *has* experienced, he was seeing what  could have been.

And when he woke up, he usually wasn't sure what his actual life was before it took a few minutes for his mind to collect itself. It takes about a minute for his head to clear.

Once it does, Sean yet again reneged where he is and why.

It has been about a week or so now since he settled back into Seattle with Finn and Cass.

Of course they were fairly far off from where Sean used to live and he's yet to make real contact with anyone from his old life.

As for the reason why Sean had to settle for this safe house, along with Finn and Cass; because monsters exist, Daniel was on the run in a world full of them, and if Sean wanted to ensure his brother's safety, he had to play ball with these organizations.

Sean was pulled from memory lane and turned to see a sleeping Cass cuddled up next to him.

Cass stirred and slowly woke to mumble out "Had another one, have you ?"

Sean sighs and nods "Yeah. Don't worry. Just collecting myself."

Sean leans down and kisses Cass on the temple. The early hints of a 5:AM sunrise were already upon them. No vampires for now at least.

"You don't want to talk about it ?" Cassidy asks, sitting up and rubbing sleep from her eye.

"What's too talk about ?" Sean asks "It's all the same."

"But the older ones didn't involve vampires." Cassidy says.

"Zombies were more my speed." Sean says, in a semi sarcastic, semi playful tone "Easier to kill I hear."

Cassidy wraps an arm around Sean's shoulder and leans him down on the bed.

"C'mon, we don't have to sleep, but it looks like you could use the company." Cassidy says, mumbling slightly as she nuzzles into Sean's neck.

"And do what ?" Sean asks, patting Cassidy on the stomach, jokingly adding "I don't think we should be trying for another so soon."

The two share a chuckle, as Sean notices the radio clock on the nightstand.

"It's almost daylight. How 'bout you sleep in this morning ? It's my turn to make breakfast anyways."

Cassidy makes a "hmm" noise as she starts to go back to sleep.

Careful not to further disturb her, Sean slipped out of bed, and quickly pulled his boxers and pajama bottoms on. He subconsciously shudders - still not used to the weather.

To be fair, someone always forgets to put the heat on.

Sean threw on a tank top and made his way down the hall, he saw the light from the TV on in their living room.

A small amount of smoke and the light scent of pot was in the air as Sean walked in.

Finn was on the couch, having apparently disposed of a joint. He was watching this Harold and Kumar movie.

In the past week or so, Finn doesn't smoke unless he is going through something. And here Finn was, looking like he wished he was in another world.

"They've kept you up too ?" Sean asks "The news, I mean ?"

"Couldn't sleep a wink the past few days." Finn answers "How do you do it man ?"

"Personally ? I got used to it." Sean answers.

"Look, it's not that I'm scared." Finn starts "It's that there's so much happening at once. We're supposed to be out there doing something, and we're here doing nothing."

"We're still waiting for the word from our connections." Sean shrugs, trying to reassure both Finn and himself "They're supposed to have news."

"Hopefully they'll have more to talk about than usual." Finn says "We signed up to be-"

"Scouts." Sean says "No offense, but neither of us are really in shape to do what you have in mind."

Sean looks at the clock on the wall, and takes a seat beside Finn, the two young men cuddling on the couch for the rest of the movie.

Cass was supposed to sleep in, and she wasn't a breakfast in bed girl. Breakfast can wait.

The two male lovers don't usually throughout, aside from the occasional chuckle when a scene that normally got them to burst out into laughter.

By the time the movie was over Sean got up from the couch with a  stretch, and made his way to the kitchen.

"My turn to make breakfast. What are you up for ?" Sean asks "Eggs and bacon or pancakes ?"

-----

Cassidy didn't come down to the dining room until 8:00 that morning. Finn and Sean barley dug in as they waited for her. By the looks of it, she just got out of the shower and was only wearing a bathrobe.

"Great choice." Cass said, as she saw today's breakfast, and took her seat.

She wasn't that far into the pregnancy, but even then, Sean could swear he could already see the smallest hint of a baby bump. Maybe the excitement of things was getting to him. It hasn't even been four weeks, she says.

But by the looks of things, Cass was planning to keep the kid, but neither of them put a lot of thought into parenting and how things will work out between them.

But having the looming threat of the vampire apocalypse, you'd understand if there were other things on their mind.

"So, what's the plan for the day ?" Cass asks.

"Never put thought into it." Finn says. "I talked with Matt last night. He says they might be onto something. Other than that, there's not much to do around here, as usual."

"We gotta do a store run," Cassidy suggests.

"I'll do that." Finn says, "Been looking for something to do all week."

"You're always looking for something to do." Cassidy says, already half way through her dish.

"Fair enough." Finn says "Quarantine is a bitch."

-----

So far into their stay, the trio spent a lot of their time indoors, for a multitude of reasons.

Officially it has to do with Quarantine regulations, but also because the organizations they're signed up with have yet to call them for their "services".

But most of all, Sean still wasn't quite used to things, and still adjusting to all that's been happening.

He was ostensibly a free man, but after everything he went through, moving on wasn't an easy task. He could walk down the street, visit a few stores, and so far, he never had any serious trouble.

Sure, he got a few cautious looks, and others avoided his gaze, keeping whatever words they shared with him short and quick. On the upside, not a lot of people recognized him, and going around in a medical mask helped him blend in a crowd.

The other day, Sean walked past a coffee shop- he could have sworn he spotted Lyla sitting at a table, but made no effort to stop in and say hi so as to not draw attention to himself. He called Lyla that evening to confirm it was her, and apologize for not saying "Hi."

They've been planning a dinner together. In fact they were to have their proper reunion in a few days, hence the need to pick up groceries.

Sean also tried reaching out to his mother.

Last he heard she was in Beaver Creek, it's just whenever they talked, Daniel would come up and both would get upset.

Unfortunately, Karen has yet to hear anything about them, but is staying with her parents and has apparently been contacting Agent Flores.

Sean was thinking of sharing with her that Cass was pregnant, but between that and the existence of monsters, ghouls and things that go bump in the night, Sean didn't know which one to bring up first.

Neither of them was something that you'd casually bring up on the phone, you know ?

In the meantime, Sean's only other guests were those within the Guard or the Bearu.

The history was complicated.

Story goes there was a merger of sorts between the Guard and this agency called the FBC - Sean and co didn't get the details, they have a booklet though.

Apparently this whole alliance thing dates back to the time of King Freaking Arthur and there has been centuries of internal conflict with two prominent Knights of the Round Table.

One went on to form The Guard of Priwen - the other would be part of what would eventually be called The Federal Bureau of Control, among other titles over the centuries (at one point, they were one of many groups that went by "The Order".

Notably, Guard had taken to recruiting former soldiers and cops to their vampire hunting cause, as well as criminals to serve as grunt workers. That at least explains why they were so lenient on getting Sean involved.

The criminals these hunters take are those who are either on death row, or committed small enough crimes that most people wouldn't really notice nor care if they got out of jail. That said, the more influence a recruited criminal would have, the more likely they'd be put in a comfortable seat, and more resources to utilize their skills.

Makes one shudder what would happen if they took a serial killer, or a criminal with powerful connections into their ranks, doesn't it ?

In the case of our trio, they were in what could be called Witness Protection, but still had to work with these people if they wanted to earn their keep. So far they haven't gotten anything to look into, but they do have a few friends among these people.

If you were given a nickel for every time a polyamorous group of young adults who ended up being recruited into this organization after having their lives further uprooted by the existence of the supernatural, you would have two nickels.

Which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice, right ?

That's probably why Sean, Finn and Cass got along so well with their new co-workers/neighbors.

Their names were Michael Munroe, Emily Davis, Matthew Taylor, and Jessica Riley. Sean and co, had their introductions to them and their friends (the "Blackwood Eight" as they were called) around the time they signed in with the Guard.

Only they worked for the FBC people.

Sean didn't get the full story - apparently they and their group of friends barely managed to survive a night against what their papers called "The Unmentionables" (or as told in private, the wendigo).

Apparently speaking their names is enough to get their attention. But it's already been written across the media, and the internet. So it's pretty much a moot point by now, but what are you gonna do ?

In the case of the Blackwell Eight, they were told that because they survived (and even killed) these beings, the vengeful spirit of one called the Makkapitew will always follow them, wherever they are.

Matter of fact, there have been reports by the Bureau of the Makkapitew in the Seattle area about four weeks ago, and the search is still ongoing.

Even when Sean and his group were not supposed to know what the Makkapitew is, or the fact his new friends were constantly stalked by the wendigo, it made for helluva discussion over dinner.

The more Sean and his people worked and spoke with Mike, Emily and their people, the more both groups got a sense of semi-normalcy in their lives. Just the other day, they were planning a get together for a weekly Star Wars marathon; first the prequels, then the spinoffs, OT, and finally The Sequels.

They weren't even that far. Sean, Finn and Cass could see their condo from their kitchen. Even when they weren't over for dinner, they'd often see each other from their windows and chat over the phone.

Yup, they were those kinds of neighbors.

-----

The day passed, and the sunset came as it normally did. And with it Lyla Park.

As she pulled into the driveway, Sean was waiting by the doorway.

She didn't dress up in anything fancy. It's not like they were going somewhere grand and extravagant, just a black late winter/early spring coat, black pants and a medical mask.

Sean recognized Lyla immediately as her jeep pulled into their driveway. Sure her hair grew out, and the mask obscured her features, but Sean made her out on the spot.

"Sean ?" She says stepping out of the car.

"That's me," Sean waves her over.

Lyla practically ran down the driveway, nearly slipping on ice in the process. Even so, she giggled as she made her way up the front step and gave Sean a hug that was a long time coming.

When they part, Lyla pulls down her mask, and she and Sean take a moment to share a smile of friends who were departed for years.

This wasn't the first time they saw each other since Esteban's death. Over the past two years, Lyla paid Sean six visits and wrote/called him as much as Daniel.

In fact, in the past two years, Lyla took it upon herself to step in for Daniel as part of his support system.  Following graduation, Lyla paid the Reynold's family a visit every month or so.

Usually spending a few days in Beaver Creek before focusing on college. And of course, how Daniel would be allowed to visit Seattle on special occasions, Lyla was almost always there waiting for him.

So when the two thought of Daniel, it was clear they couldn't dance around the issue forever.

"Sean, I- I heard about-"

"I know." Sean says sadly, "It's all over the news."

"The minute I heard, I just had to do something." Lyla says "I-I wanted to drive down to Beaver Creek and-"

"But everything's blocked off." Sean nods "They're still finding bodies and..."

Sean shakes a little, trying to get the worst case scenario out of his head.

"B-but I don't want to think about it." Sean says, gesturing to Lyla to follow him inside "Come on, you must be freezing."

"It's not even that cold!" Lyla crosses her arms with a snarky smirk.

As Sean leads Lyla in, he hollers out "She's here!"

"I can hear that." Cassidy could be heard.

This wasn't the first time Cassidy or Finn had met Lyla.

There were times where their visits to Sean or Daniel overlapped. Though unfortunately, their first meetings were after the border fiasco, during courts when Lyla showed up as a show of support along with Cass and Finn.

Cassidy makes her way out, dressed in a black t-shirt, and a pair of slacks. She doesn't even give Lyla a chance to take off her coat before she wraps her arms around Lyla in a sudden bear hug.

"There's the famous Miss Park!" Cassidy says with a beam "It's been how long ?"

"Three, four months I think." Lyla says returning the hug "Though not much has changed in my life since then."

"Oh, but there's gonna be changes for us." Cassidy says with a friendly smile.

Lyla looks back and forth between Sean and Cassidy with a confused expression. But when she notices the bashful look on Sean's face, and the way Cassidy placed a hand on her stomach, Lyla put two and two together.

"No way!" Lyla says in disbelief.

Sean nods with a look on his face that was a mix of pride and embarrassment.

"No! Way!" Lyla exclaims, her voice could be heard from the kitchen as Finn calls out.

"Oh man!" Finn could be heard groaning "Don't tell me she found out."

Sean chuckles "Looks like it!"

"Godammit!" Finn, though his voice sounds more cheeky than annoyed "I wanted to break the news with a bun in the oven joke."

"Lemme guess, you were cooking it up all day ?" Lyla says.

"Aw come on!" Finn says with a "That's a lot more clever than anything I could come up with!"

As the four share a laugh, Lyla finally takes off and hangs up her coat, before pulling Cassidy into such a bear hug, lifting the purple haired girl off the ground.

"Ooooh congratulations!!- I mean, are you- Are you thinking of keeping it ?" Lyla asks, letting Cassidy down.

"Well, this is still new to us." Cassidy says with another tap on her stomach "But we're thinking things through."

Lyla turns her attention to Sean.

"And you ?" She starts, lightly clapping Sean on the cheek "What would Karen say ? Or your grandparents ?"

Sean bashfully rubs the back of his neck.

"They'd probably smack me harder than you did." Sean says "But they don't know...yet."

Lyla looks at Sean, silently asking him something with a concerned expression.

"Daniel doesn't know either." Sean sighs, the mood going back to somber "Didn't want to drop this all on their laps with what's going on."

There was a silent pause, before they heard knocking on the wall. The three turn to see Finn waiting expectantly.

"Don't want to be a mood killer, but y'know." Finn says "Time for din dins."

Unknown to the dinner party hosts and guests, a dark blue Audi A6 was parked down the street. For the past day and the day before, its driver was contemplating introducing himself.

When someone would walk up and ask the driver what they wanted, a look in the eye and a few words would ward them off.

----

For the next half hour, the dinner scene was pretty quiet. There was the obvious elephant in the room,  they were trying to dodge bringing up the existence of vampires to Lyla.

So they tried talking a little more about what Lyla's been up to lately.

After graduation, Lyla spent a year on "free time". To the chagrin of her mother, it was spent going back and forth between Seattle and Beaver Creek.

Mrs. Park wasn't a bad person, but she didn't/doesn't appreciate her daughter being dragged into the mess caused by Esteban Diaz's death. The initial months since Sean and Daniel ran off didn't do Lyla's mental health any good, even when Sean contacted her.

In between, Lyla was one of the most vocal supporters of the Diaz brothers, both online or during the trial. In turn got death threats and doxxing attempts by those supporting the "cop killer" narrative.

Someone even threw a brick through the front window of the Park's house, with pictures attached of Lyla in her school's hallways. It was narrowed down to a friend of Brett Foster, who ended up getting arrested, but that just piled more drama on the Park's doorstep.

In short, you can understand where Mrs. Park is coming from.

Still, Lyla persisted in her support with the Diaz's for years. And after spending that time arguing about it with her mother ? Lyla and Mrs. Park's relationship was in limbo.

At the dinner table, Lyla has been talking about finally graduating from Cornish this year; having spent two years doing film studies, and was planning on taking another year off for a cross country trip.

Of course, Lyla's plans were shot in the foot when the pandemic started, and most notably the attacks. With Daniel as a missing person of interest, Mrs. Park caught onto Lyla's plans to look into it before Lyla herself did.

This resulted in a pretty explosive argument, and as of the past couple of weeks, Lyla has been staying at a friend's apartment, but plans on being out of Seattle by the end of the week.

"And I'm guessing that's your plan too, right ?" Lyla asks, after explaining her current situation.

The other three exchange a glance, before Sean speaks up.

Knowing what they know, even Sean finds himself agreeing more with Mrs. Park.

"Um...you know you don't have too, right ?" Sean says "Daniel...Daniel's my responsibility. He was always my responsibility."

"He was." Lyla nods, taking a drink "But you can't always be there for him. Someone had to step in."

"Jacob, Cass, myself." Finn chimes in "Daniel has people looking out for him-"

"No offense, Finn." Lyla glances at him "But you didn't grow up with him. I have known him since he started to walk. In fact when he was two, he always sat on my lap. I then promised that anyone who slights him is gonna answer to me."

Lyla notices the way Sean is looking at her.

"Sorry. It's just...it feels like he's-"

"I get it." Sean says, reassuringly raising a hand "But Lyla you can't just dive in head first into this. You don't know how danger-"

"Dangerous ?" Lyla raises an eyebrow "That's exactly why I'm throwing myself into this. I couldn't help you two back then, but I am now."

Again, Sean and Cassidy exchange a glance before Cass chimes in.

"Are you aware of just why they let Sean come back here ?"

Lyla doesn't answer, but looks to Sean for his turn to speak.

"We were...attacked." Sean says "These people - this- this guy, told me he was looking for Daniel, and he was after the both of us."

Lyla takes this in for a few seconds, before asking.

"Do you...do you know his name ?"

"Giles Isaev." Finn answers "They said his name was Giles Isaev. Nasty guy from what we hear."

Lyla takes a drink before asking.

"How nasty ?"

"Drugs, weapons, sex trafficking." Finn counts his fingers "Apparently he's collecting bounties. There's still a bounty on my head in Montana, and Cassidy's parents are still looking for her in Texas."

Cassidy rubs her arm uncomfortably at that.

Lyla darts her eyes back and forth between the three, a little pale as she hesitantly asks.

"And- and how do you know he has-"

"Because he told us." Sean says plainly, grimacing a little, a mixture of anxiety and aggression briefly courses through him, as he recalls Isaev and his words "He told us he had people in Beaver Creek. He came for us around the time of the attack. The people looking at him think there's a connection-"

"But we know there is one." Finn adds.

"As far as the people in charge are concerned, we are key witnesses who are already neck deep in this mess." Sean says, tapping his fingers against the table, an unconscious shudder rushes through his body "It's...it's best you don't get involved."

Lyla takes a few more seconds to take this all in, and takes a breath.

"Well it's a little late for that-"

"Lyla-" Sean tries to say, getting up from his seat.

"Sean, I just told you, I can't just stand by and let-"

Wherever this argument was going, was lost when the sound of the door knocking thundered through the house.

There's a quick pause, before Finn gets up.

"I'll get this. It's probably Matt." Finn says, making his way out the dining room.

"Whose Matt ?" Lyla asks.

"Just one of the neighbors. It's probably nothing." Cassidy says, trying to be reassuring. But that dodgy look in her eyes raised Lyla's suspicions a little.

----

At the front door, Finn opens it to find a man, dressed in a dark blue winter trench coat.

He was a pale man, probably from the cold. He couldn't be any older than his late twenties, but there was something in his sticking blue eyes that gave Finn this "tired old man" vibe. Though he had a slight smirk on his lips, making it hard to read him.

He had short cut platinum blonde hair, and 5'O-Clock shadow of a beard growing in. He was a head taller than Finn, and looked rather bulky, but Finn couldn't tell if that was the man's coat making him bigger than he actually is.

When the man finally spoke, there was an Irish/Scottish cadence in his voice, though he had a remarkably soft spoken tone.

"Good evening sir." The man greets "Gabriel Wallace, Federal Bureau of- Well, you probably know this by now."

"What- what seems to be the problem ?" Finn stutters a bit, unsure if he can trust this man.

"May I come in ?" Wallace asks "I just wish to ask you and your partners a few questions."

"Well you already asked one-" Finn tries to say, lightening things with a joke, before this man puts a hand on his shoulder. Though there was something familiar about Wallace's face he couldn't put his finger on.

"It would be in your best interests to let me in." He says.

A look in his eyes was all it took for Finn's resolve and suspicions to waver completely. As if it were done against his actual will.

"Sure." Finn says, his pupils slightly shrink as he says this "Come on in."

As Wallace follows Finn into the house, he continues to speak.

"It appears that my arrival is untimely." Wallace says as he looks around the place, he takes off his jacket, revealing a blue sweater and red vest, putting his jacket on a hanger. He wasn't nearly as bulky as his jacket made him out to be, but he still looked decently muscular "I saw you had a guest."

"Uh, we were expecting someone but-" Finn starts, before Wallace interrupts.

"Mr. Mathew Taylor, yes." Wallace says "I had him and his partners dismissed for the evening. We don't want it to seem like you're having a get together."

As Wallace finishes his sentence, he rounds the corner to the dining room, spotting Sean, Cassidy and Lyla looking concerned and unsettled as he looks them over.

"I take it, you heard me coming in." Wallace says, reaching into his vest pocket to pull out a wallet, with its badge in place "Gabriel Wallace, Federal- well, y'know."

"Uh, right." Sean hesitates, before getting up from his seat holding his hand out "Sean Diaz, but you probably alread-"

"Of course. And I take it this is Lucy Rose Jones." Wallace says, shaking Sean's hand before glancing at Cassidy, and then to Lyla "But you, I am not familiar with."

"Lyla Park." Lyla says "I'm a friend."

Wallace regards Lyla with a "Hmmm". Opting not to make them more uncomfortable by taking a seat, he leans against the wall, gesturing to Finn to re-take his seat.

"I come bearing news." Wallace says, before glancing at Lyla "I was hesitant to come this evening, as-"

"Anything you can say to them, you can say in front of me." Lyla says to Wallace.

"Miss, I appreciate that, but you're aware that this is an ongoing investigation with-"

Layla raises both hands defensively before saying "Look, I'm just a friend trying to help."

"And we at the FBC appreciate a helping hand, but there are matters that-"

"You're trying to find a telekinetic kid on the run. I'm trying to find a friend of mine." Lyla says.

There is a pause, during which Wallace looks at Sean with a grimace, before looking back at Lyla.

"I know to you he's an asset, a subject to be looked after." Lyla starts, her confidence a little shaken under the man's gaze "But he's my friend. I couldn't be there for him before, but I have too now."

Wallace's expression was unreadable.

"How much does she know ?"

"Just about Daniel's powers." Sean says.

"He showed them off to me during a visit." Lyla says a little more timidly "That's how I knew..."

"So she knows enough." Wallace says with a slight smirk, making his way towards Lyla "Let's try to keep it that way."

Stepping forward, Wallace takes hold of Lyla's shoulder. Before Lyla or anyone could make any protest, Wallace holds his gaze to hers.

"You are on a need to know basis Miss Park, so it's best for you to heed my advice. If you are wise, it would do you good not to follow them further. You're stepping into a world of monsters."

The look in Wallace's eyes and the sound of his voice took its hold on Lyla, as she sank back into her chair, and looked away.

Wallace wasn't sure he had a enough of a grip; those with a strong enough heart or mind can resist this hypnosis, to a degree, but he's hoping Lyla isn't one of those people.

"Now you enjoy your meal. We have matters to discuss, and we'd prefer you not worry yourself."

Turning his attention to Sean and the other two. Wallace gestures to the living room before speaking.

"Gentlemen and lady." Wallace says expectantly "If you please ?

----

As Wallace leads Sean, Finn and Cassidy to the living room, he has the three sit on a couch.

"What else does she know ?"

"Just about Daniel's powers." Sean says insistently "Look, he had a crush on her, and he thought he could show off-"

Sean stops when Wallace raises a hand in a "Silence!" gesture.

"Beyond that ?" Wallace says "It's clear to me your brother's disappearance was a subject of your conversation. And I'm guessing you also brought up why you're here."

As Wallace says this, he takes a chair adjacent to the couch, a lazboy seat, and with little effort, pulls it before the couch, before taking a seat.

"So, I suggest you tell me what you told her."

As the three exchange a glance, Sean throws his hands up in defeat.

"We told her about Giles Isaev. And we told her the official story." Sean says "That he's this crime boss who wants me and my brother."

Hesitantly, Cassidy raises a hand to speak.

"Um...Lyla's still down the hall from us; are you sure she can't-"

"She'll only hear what she needs to hear. Of that I can be sure." Wallace says, clasping his hands together "So...while we're on the subject, what do you know about Giles Isaev, for real ?"

Again, the three exchange a glance, this time with Cassidy speaking.

"We're guessing he's a vampire."

"And that Giles Isaev isn't his real name ?" Finn adds.

"You're correct about one of them." Wallace says, grimacing a little. Sean could swear he saw a slight shake in Wallace before the latter continues "The word you are looking for, is dhampir. The product of a union between a vampire and mortal. It's rare they survive into adulthood, let alone for centuries as our mutual acquaintance has."

"I take it he's important, to vampires I mean ?" Sean asks.

"But of course." Wallace replies, wistfully looking on, like he was seeing something from a thousand yards away. "He's not only the center of our investigation, but he has been hunted for the past 900 years, but vampire and vampire hunter alike. He's made an enemy of all who knew him, and those who remained his friends, similarly made more foes."

There is a pause, as if Wallace was too deep in thought or memory, before Cassidy bluntly asks.

"What, is he Dracula or something ?"

There's a slight twitch in Wallace's eye before he glances at Cassidy.

"Or something. The good Count is a different beast altogether." He says with a slight chuckle.

Clasping his hands together, Wallace reserves himself with a calm and collected smile, before asking.

"Exactly how much have you read up on our...history ?" Wallace says after thinking of the right word.

"Well, we know you people go back to King Arthur." Finn answers, "That alone is a lot to take in at once."

"But it's been over a week, surely it's time for you to take your baby steps." Wallace asks.

"We found out vampires exist and are chasing down my brother; we joined what I'm guessing is the basis of the SCP Foundation, all in the span of a couple of days." Sean says, his dander raising slightly "I think we can take whatever you can throw at us."

"We at the FBC, have reason to believe that the man who is looking for you is Mordred."

Sean, Cass and Finn's reactions vary. Cassidy looks a little perplexed, like she doesn't quite know who he's talking about; Finn has a look of familiarity, like he at least knows the name. Sean was more unreadable, ranging from disbelief to taking in and accepting the information.

As if he were reading their minds, Wallace speaks once again.

"I take it you're unfamiliar ?"

"Not really." Cassidy shakes her head.

"I think I know who he is." Finn says, sounding uncertain.

"I might have read about him in a book when I was a kid, but that was about it." Sean finishes.

Wallace looks over the three with a look of skepticism and disbelief, before calmly shrugging.

"Regardless Mr. Diaz," Wallace continues with a heavy sigh "You and your brother are too of many he has his eyes on. And for one reason or another, he paid you a personal visit, while he sent his followers to scout out Beaver Creek before having them make their move. We do not believe it to be a coincidence."

Sean takes a deep breath as he takes this all in.

"Okay, but why us ?"

"Why not ?" Wallace asks "Your brother's abilities  have been documented in the FBC since the trials. Our mutual enemy had his own eyes and ears in our agency that we're still seeking out. Had he gotten word of a free bird with such power...well, we all know it wouldn't be the first time someone would want to exploit them."

Sean grimaces, knowing that Wallace was referring to Lisbeth Fischer.

Then realization hits him.

"This guy ? Isaev- Mordred, whatever-" Sean says getting up from his seat "He told me that Daniel and I made his new friends angry! He was looking for us, for them!"

"I see. Anyone come to mind ?" Wallace asks, clasping his fingers together.

Sean raises a finger, taking a moment to think it through.

"There's no way that gas station guy could have that kind of pull." Sean starts "And Merrill's locked up in Valley State."

"But there was someone else." Finn chimes in, getting everyone's attention "When Cass and I visited Dan and Jacob, they told us all about-"

"Fischer." Wallace says, nodding with familiarity "It's my understanding that she has been investigated after an audacious move against your brother last year. Still that is quite a way from saying she had anything to do with these attacks."

"So we're back to square one." Cassidy sighs, putting a hand on her temple.

They were interrupted, when they heard knocking on the wall. They turn their attention to see Lyla, looking nonplussed.

"Um, I hate to interrupt, but I haven't been shown the ladies room." She says, trying to avert her gaze from the agent.

"It's...it's just up the stairs, third door on the right." Finn points to the stairway, in the living room's adjacent hall.

"Gamsahaeyo." Lyla says quietly, quickly making her way across the living room, not making eye contact with Wallace as she passes him, and darting up the stairs.

"You think she heard us ?" Sean asks.

"Just what she needs to, of that I am sure." Wallace says confidently "Now for tonight's news. One of our field agents, Matthew Taylor, told us that there's been a turn up that should interest you."

"Daniel ?" Sean says, his eyes lighting up, quickly getting his hopes up. Cassidy takes hold of Sean's hand, silently telling him not to get too excited.

"Afraid not." Wallace says with a sigh "But a witness to what happened in Beaver Creek has turned up. A friend of yours."

"Jacob." Sean, Finn and Cassidy speak at the same time.

"He is in a hospital in North Bend. He was found days ago, among other survivors. We had to give him a checkup to make sure he wasn't...you know." Wallace says euphemistically "Aside from his injuries, we think he'll pull through with some time off his feet."

"What about his sister ?"

Wallace hesitates for a few seconds, before answering.

"Same as your brother I suppose." Wallace says grimly "I understand she was also a witness and victim against Fischer."

The three pale upon hearing this, the same realization dawning on them at once.

"And unfortunately, another friend of theirs is on the missing persons list." Wallace finishes.

"Chris Eriksen." Sean says, sighing with determination.

"I can only imagine the protective surge you feel, Mr. Diaz." Wallace says as if he's reading Sean's mind "But I wouldn't go dashing after this dragon like some Knight of the Round. Most we can do is take you to Hackerman when he wakes up and is in stable enough condition. Field Agent Taylor and his partners are expected to question him when the time comes. Perhaps your presence will make things easier."

Yet again, it was a look in Wallace's eye and the sound in his voice that seemed to shatter Sean's resolve, as the older boy reluctantly sat back down on the couch, clutching his head.

"Chin up, boyo." Wallace says, trying to sound reassuring "This is far from bad news. And any news is better than none."

Wallace looks up to hear the sound of footsteps upstairs. Lyla no doubt.

With a resigned sigh, Wallace gets up from his seat.

"Well, it seems I've been enough of a nuisance to your little dinner party. Best I get out of your hair."

With little effort, Wallace pulls the la-z-boy chair back into its place and makes his way towards the door.

Instinctively, Sean gets up from his seat.

"I'll see you out." Sean says.

"If you insist." Wallace replies "It's your safehouse after all."

And with that, Sean leads the agent out of the living room, with Finn and Cass talking about themselves.

As Sean lead Wallace down the hall, he asks in a low enough voice "Why didn't Matt just tell us himself ? Or send an email or something ?"

"As I said, I had Taylor relieved for the night. Plus, do you really want this kind of news to be sent to you in a text ?" Wallace asks, as they make their way to the doorway "Besides you had me curious."

"How so ?"

Wallace shrugs, taking his jacket off the rack and putting it on.

"I've followed your story since your brother disappeared. Beforehand, I followed another case; that of Arcadia Bay." Wallace explains, doing up his jacket "I do find it remarkable that, however minor, your cases overlap here and there."

"I might have known some people from Arcadia Bay, but that was after what happened there. I didn't follow the story." Sean says, trying to keep himself reserved "It's a coincidence, y'know ?"

Wallace chuckles with a bemused smirk.

"Let me tell you something, Mr. Diaz. When there are this many coincidences, there are no coincidences." Wallace says, opening the door before turning around "You know, many people involved in that case are also in this city. And that my lad, is a pretty big coincidence in my book. I'd call it providence."

And with that, Wallace steps out the door, closing it behind him.

Sean sighs, gripping his head, collecting his thoughts for a moment.

Baby steps ? This felt to him like he was diving off the deep end without swimming trunks. He had to weigh things.

So Jacob was found. He was hospitalized, but they found him. They could get some answers, but odds are, Jacob knows less than they do. Not only that, but Chris and Sarah Lee were missing alongside Daniel. That bears more bad news than good.

Unless some savior just happened to swoop in and pick those kids up. Daniel ? He had experience on the run - on top of telekinetic powers - but Chris and Sarah Lee didn't have that experience, nor powers.

If you think bad news is better than no news ? Well, this news had Sean's head spinning, and didn't do his worries or anxiety any favors.

With an angry sigh, Sean makes his way back to the living room.

Once there, he sees Finn and Cassidy with dodgy expressions on their faces...

And Lyla sitting in the lazboy with her arms crossed, and an expectant, if bewildered look on her face, as she glances up towards Sean.

"So...vampires, huh ?"

"How much did you hear ?" Sean asks hesitantly, scratching the back of his neck.

"Only what I needed too." Lyla says with a shrug.

----

March 16th, 2020, Haven Point, Nevada.

It was late in the evening, when Lisbeth Fischer had her near nightly moping session in her office.

She isn't one who lets anger get the absolute best of her, at the absolute best of times. But these were the worst of times.

Two and a half years and four months has this been going on. Since that snake in the garden stole what was hers by divine right, nothing but trouble has befallen this little community and her flock. It was the curse of what happens when an angel is stolen by a sinner.

Or at least that's the story she spun to her followers.

After her church got fire, and Daniel was taken from her, a few of her followers left in disillusionment, and took their money with them. Needless to say, it really ate into her finances. The rest who stayed were good, obedient sheep. A good forty or so people.

She sent some connections from out of Haven Point to seek the brothers out.

So long as she has the younger Diaz with her, she can start the operation anew. When she heard about the incident at the border, she thought it would be easier to get her hands on Daniel again, that was until he started speaking in court.

Word got to the Government about what happened with the Diaz brothers, and now numerous agencies were suddenly interested in just how she was running the church, and its community.

For the past few weeks, Fischer has spent the better part of her time smoking like a chimney and drinking her way through her cabinet, and dosing on her medicine to get herself a high that could allow her to temporarily escape reality.

Lisbeth knew how to play the game, she just didn't know how to win it. The wrong person talks about the wrong thing, and it's all over.

Eight months ago, it got so bad that she closed off her community's gates, and wouldn't permit anyone to leave save for supply runs, which would be carried out by members of her church; two months ago she had cut their bi weekly supply run down to a month. She told her followers to stay within the gates, of how the great persecution of tribulation is upon them; of how the government is coming to kill them.

She had supply runs to prioritize buying guns and ammunition over food and other conveniences, with food rations cut short, the lot of which she hoards in her own home. Made going to the bathroom a nightmare for others due to the lack of toilet paper, among other things; as well as instances of PMS without tampons; they had to make due with what they got.

Anyone complain ? Then shame on them for their greed!

So far the feds have looked into the therapy camp she sent Jacob Hackerman too; the investigation shut it down and got those involved arrested for prostitution, sexual assault and exploitation of minors, the use of illegal substances, as well as covering up three suicides.

So long as they don't conclude that Lisbeth knew what was happening in those camps, she should be in the clear, but she was not out of the woods yet. She had Nicolas report every day about possible federal officers just off the communities borders; she knew enough from history that the Government could not afford another Waco incident on their hands.

Lisbeth, as of late, took to taking the children in her community and keeping them in her house, or her rebuilt (if still decrepit) church building for "their" protection. If the inevitable happens and the government starts their raid, she can easily spring the aftermath as part of a persecution story she's writing up.

If the Law is not on her side, the greater Evangelical community would see her as a martyr. She would hope at least.

So long as she herself doesn't leave these buildings, it's not a matter of if the Fed's trying to make an arrest, but when. Nicolas hasn't reported on anyone watching the community in four days, but really that just made her feel more uneasy for some reasons.

Lisbeth is roused from her thoughts with a knock on her office door.

"Enter." Lisbeth says, preparing to do her "Motherly Lisbeth '' act if it was one of the rugrats downstairs. They were supposed to be asleep. She turns her head to see Nicolas, looking troubled as he opens the door. Expectantly she asks "Any news ?"

"Someone managed to get in," Nicolas says.

"You let him in ?"

"No, he- he forced his way in. Says he's been wanting to see you."

"But does he have a warrant ?" Lisbeth asks.

"No, I don't think he's with anyone, but- look he says he wants to see you. He says if you don't, he's going to make things difficult for us." Nicolas explains.

"No warrant, no affiliation or name; he breaks in and threatens us," Lisbeth sighs and presses her forefinger and thumb on the bridge of her nose "I'm very disappointed in you Nicolas, shooting should have been your first instinct."

"Forgive me, but it was," Nicolas nods "But- look it's best you see for yourself...besides we can't have folk waking up here. Didn't want to start a panic."

Lisbeth rolls her eyes and sighs "Very well, but when I give the order, you make it quiet."

-----

When she and Nicolas made their way to Haven Point's gate, they saw the intruder leaning to the wall, chewing on a toothpick as he regarded them -  to their astonishment, the gate was pulled from its hinges and appears to have been tossed some distance away.

What was even more astonishing was the shape of a man - he was sickly in frame, and haggard in demeanor; he looked to be in his late fifties, had pale white skin, and greyish red hair. He had a small shadow of a beard growing and was dressed in dark jeans, boots and black bomber jacket. He addresses them with a deep accent indicating he hails for the Celts.

"I take it you are the community's den mother I have heard so much about ?" He speaks out "I know what you are thinking and I'm going to cut to the chase; no, I am not with the Government, I do however speak for a group that has your best interests at heart."

Lisbeth crosses her arms as she regards the stranger "I doubt any group you're a part of could be of our communities benefit. State your business."

"Dirty business, luv" The man smirks "I have been made aware of people and information that could sink you and your community down to Hell."

He gestures to the two to follow him, pulling a key set out of his pocket, as he makes his way towards a car he has parked outside the gate.

Cautiously, they follow him, but not before Lisbeth discreetly signals Nicolas to pull out his gun, keeping it out of the man's sight.

"Your little group has gotten unwanted attention from multiple parties. My own included," The man explained as they made their way to the car "You should count yourselves lucky, our work is more thorough and efficient than that of the pigs."

The man takes them to the back of the car and opens it to see several suitcases; some open and full of folders, others closed but smelling of rot and fresh blood.

Nicolas had a bad feeling about this, but the odor was the least of Lisbeth's worries. She was honestly intrigued to see what these people may have on her. The man reaches for the folders handing them to her and Nicolas.

They read over the information on Lisbeth that would have let the Feds bring the hammer down on her.

"Quite a rap sheet for such a little church girl, isn't it lass ?" The man gives a toothy smirk.

2008: Three church leaders passed from poisoning during a Christmas Dinner celebration in New England shortly after expressing progressive ideas. Lisbeth was an acquaintance of theirs and was noted to have a rivalry with them. Was briefly considered a suspect, and a drug addict she worked with was arrested over it.

2003: Protecting a ring of pedophiles within her group in Manhattan, intimidating witnesses and victims alike. This overlaps with the impersonation of an FBI agent.

2001: The allowance of drug dealers to operate within a soup kitchen her group was running, and keeping a portion of their profits.

1995: An arrest warrant for Lisbeth Fischer for suspicion of running weapons for a Right Wing militia group in New Jersey.

1992: Reports in California of an illicit affair by a then teenaged Lisbeth, and a choir boy four years younger than she was at the time. From this, an arrest warrant for the exploitation of a minor.

"There is blood that spilled in Haven Point, Reverend Mother. And that blood cries out for vengeance." Alexander says "We only come to collect what's owed."

"How did you come across these ?" Lisbeth says realizing the damage that could be done with this information.

"We work fast, and some of these groups you associate with are our associates as well...one should be very careful of the company one keeps." The man explains.

"Glad you agree," Lisbeth nods to Nicolas, who caught the man off guard with a strike from his gun.

And another, and another, followed by seven more strikes into the man, who makes little sound from the impact of it all. Lisbeth has to pull Nicolas off when he starts kicking the man's body beneath him.

"Jesus Christ, Nick!" Lisbeth says "We don't want this to look like a murder, do we ?"

"Well, what do we do then ?" Nicolas asks.

"Look at him," Lisbeth gestures and smirks, "You drop him off in the desert, and if he gets found, he's just another lost meth head."

She picks up each of the folders.

"In the meantime, I have sins to burn away."

Before they could make any move, they heard a loud gasping and coughing noise.

"You know, that was rather fucking rude of you." The man says as he gets up to his knees, coughing up some blood in a dramatic fashion "In a profession where I lived through countless attempts on my life, what made you think you had the lucky shot ?"

They watch in horror as the bludgeoned and bruised face of the man starts to heal and pulls itself back together. They were stunned still and silent as the man casually wipes blood off of the wound on his head, and licks it off his fingers; it was enough to make Nicolas stomach churn and Lisbeth to start backing away.

"Are you feeling lucky for round two ?" The man asks and without warning, lunges at Nicholas.

With the speed and fury of a wild cat, the red haired man twisted Nicholas' wrist at a 180 angle, and before the younger thug could scream, the stranger stomped down onto one of Nicholas' knee caps, eliciting a loud sickening crunch.

Lisbeth was prepared to run, but was frozen like a deer in the headlights at the strength the man had, lifting Nicolas up over his shoulder and slamming him down onto the front of his car, shattering the windshield.

The man climbs up on top of the broken car, pulls Nicolas up by the legs and lifts him into the air.

"How about a third round, mate ?"

He lifted the younger man, as high as it was physically possible, when he started opening his mouth, revealing his sharp canines; they were like something a wild cat or a wolf would have.

"I'speth! 'eese!" Nicolas cries/mumbles, some of his own teeth have fallen out.

In response, Lisbeth turns around and begins hastily walking back before she hears Nicolas drop onto the ground with an "Ompf!"

"And where do you think you can run too, missy ?" The quite obviously a vampire asks, licking the blood from his teeth, kicking a groaning Nicolas as he hastily advances towards the preacher woman "In case you haven't noticed, there's not much ways you can get out of this..."

As if on cue, dozens upon dozens of figures emerged from the darkness, many of them with white, almost blank eyes. All of them grinning, scowling, licking their similarly shaped teeth.

"Are you a King James reader, mam ?" The eldest man asks as Lisbeth is pulled to a stop "Just curious. I mean it's okay if you are although I may personally be inclined to feel resentment. After all, he sentenced me and my clan to death. And yet, here I stand, offering you and yours the mercy myself and mine was denied."

Lisbeth shakes her head in disbelief as these "people" already begin making their way past her and into the community. She knew this situation was beyond her control at this point.

"What are you ?"

"You know what we are. Who I am is a different story; my birth name is Alexander, although you might know me by my more famous name." He answers.

Lisbeth laughs, still in disbelief at her situation, as the gallows humor swings in "Let me guess, you're a friend of Nessie or something ?"

"That sounded a lot more clever in your head, didn't it ?" Alexander scoffs "Let's just say, having my clan be named a cannibal one as opposed to vampires, is surely a funny way of censoring my history. As for our business, we seek a sanctuary and the last we heard, the church was to grant it to us sinners. As it so happens, me and my own family were among the most legendary sinners in Scotland. My new family ? We find it would be in your best interests to accept us as guests."

Lizbeth looks back and forth between Alexander, and his followers entering her compound.

"Looks like I don't have much of a choice, do I ?" She asked, uneasy of herself.

Alexander smirks "Oh, you have two choices; allow us refuge in your haven. In return, my clan will give you protection. We ask little in return. Refuse and your ass is grass, lass."

Lisbeth peers over her shoulder and feels a smug air about her as the smallest hints of daylight were starting to break; she didn't realize how far into the AM's they were, but was pleasantly surprised to find daybreak was upon them.

"Looks like your time is up either way." Lisbeth says, gesturing over Alexander's shoulder.

Alexander looks over his shoulder, and then back to Lisbeth "You didn't think we would find a way around that, didn't you ? Besides, even if anything were to happen to me; if I don't call my boss within the next 24 hours, he releases his copies of what we gathered on you, and the fate of the agents watching you at a safe distance."

Lisbeth says nothing, just stands there with a slightly slacked jaw, as Alexander turns around, makes his way to his car, stepping over a still groaning Nicolas.

"Sorry buddy, no hard feelings ?" Alexander asks in a chipper tone at Nicholas.

When Alexander reaches his car, and opens his truck, that bloody rotting smell fills the air once again. When Alexander pulls up, he has in his hand a large duffle bag.

It was black, and while color was obscured, it appears there would be something leaking from it.

"Brace yourselves," Alexander says, making sure Lisbeth is watching. Notably, he is standing directly over Nicholas as he unzips the bag and dumps the contents onto the ground beneath him.

Five severed heads, in different stages of mutilation and decay. Two of them had their skin flayed off, leaving them only recognizable; not even dental records could recognize them with the way their mouths were smashed in.

"Three state troopers and two FBI agents." Alexander explains "They had their pretty little eyes on this place for months. We figured we'd do you the courtesy of taking them off your back. That being said, it was no easy task. It was a matter of tracking down their families so they won't be asking questions. But it's only a matter of time before their superiors start looking into things."

As if he were a grade schooler with a soccer ball, Alexander playfully kicks one of the heads, rolling it through the sand and to Lisbeth's feet. Lisbeth was at a loss for words and nearly tripped over her feet as Alexander quickly advanced to her.

"Furthermore, if anything were to happen to me or my clan, in addition to the information we collected on you, my contact will show their superiors, where we are keeping their bodies and those of their families. Your fingerprints, even your name will be all but written all over those bodies. A total of fourteen bodies connected to this case; what happens to you then ?"

As he says this, the sun begins cracking over the horizon. Alexander turns his head and as he said, nothing happens.

"When I was a lad," he says "I was told communion was a way of connecting one with our god, and our messiah...of course then, I never would have thought it would be taken so literally."

Alexander turns towards Nicolas and walks up to him.

"On the other hand, I had to change both God and Messiah to get to this, but I can assure you it's worth it. Allow me to demonstrate, Madam Fisher."

Alexander unzips his jacket, and pulls from one of it's inner pockets, a flask; it was one of two flasks, one reading "Black Water", the other "The Bastard's Wine".

Taking out the former, Alexander crouches down towards Nicolas, and runs a finger under the clergyman's bleeding mouth.

Opening the Black Water Flask, Alexander dips his bloody finger into it.

"Drink. It will cure what ails you, boy." Alexander says, forcing Nicolas to look up right, notably popping something in the process. He takes Nicolas' bloody nose and leans his head backwards "C'mon. It's like taking your medicine as a lad. Open wide and say Ahhhh."

Alexander pours the resulting liquid into Nicolas' slacked jawed mouth, listening as the injured man mumbles and whimpers. Some or it gets into his nose too.

What followed as a sight that Lisbeth should have looked away from, and yet she couldn't.

She watches as Nicolas' broken limbs and joints pop back into place rather painful manner. His busted nose painfully snapped back into place, and whatever torn bits of skin pulled themselves back together, in a manner that not only made Nicolas whimper, and even made Lisbeth shiver.

"Need a hand my boy ?" Alexander asks, forcibly pulling Nicolas to his feet.

Nicolas could barely keep his balance with how flustered he is, as he looks up to the sky.

"Ah, you see her too. Good, then the rest of your community will follow." Alexander sneers as a panic stricken look appears on Nicholas' face.

Nicolas let's out a mild cry as he collapses onto his backside and tries to back away, like a feeble little child. As he does so, Alexander turns to Lisbeth with a look of genuine malice.

"Care for a taste yourself ?"

Time seemed to stop as this inhuman brute lunged for Lisbeth. The cult leader was in such a state of shock that the world seemed to stop. She could barely let out a scream before Alexander forced his drink into her gaping mouth.

The drink was cold, but coppery and yet had a sizzling aftertaste. She had to guess this was blood, but there was something else to it.

As Lisbeth pushes Alexander away, she instinctively smacks her lips at the taste, before she notices her vision starting to haze.

She's had LSD before, and peyote. It was something she used before in a few attempts to get others to have the same "spiritual visions" as she has.

This wasn't a trip though. This was stepping into a whole other dimension.

The sun appeared to turn red, and as it started to break though the darkness, it was as if the sky was bleeding.

And from that wound, she emerged.

The woman in a flowing red dress, and equally flowing red hair. She was like something that didn't belong to this world. The woman in red was what you'd picture when trying to describe an angel, but the words to do her justice just don't exist.

She takes one step towards them, and another and another, blood dripping from her hair and dress and cascading the ground around her. It seemed to spread and spread across the ground until the white desert sand was red.

Lisbeth looks into the woman's pale eyes. She always knew you could "read" someone through their eyes, and despite the otherworldly nature, this rang true for this specimen.

In her pale eyes, Lisbeth saw everything; prosperity, power, and servitude for anyone who bends the knee to this Red Queen; as well as destruction, eternal darkness and death, for anyone who does not fall in line.

It was everything Lisbeth hoped to see when she meets God in Heaven.

In such elation, the preacher woman fell to her knees. She holds nothing back when the tears start to flow; in fact she laughs. Rather maniacally at that.

The Red Queen's lips curve upwards into a smug, satisfied smile.

-----

After Haven Point's initial confusion of the forty something people waiting in the town square - and Lisbeth came down from her high - Lisbeth would gather her followers into their community center and church.

After having their "guests" show off displays of their power (read: have Alexander rip a St. Bernard apart with his bare hands - drink it's blood - ravenously devours everything but it's bones, fur and skin- in under two minutes.) Lisbeth took the time to introduce her new "guests".

No, she didn't call them "vampires", but instead dubbed them the "Blessed Ones".

Spun them some bullshit about how, like Daniel before him, these were angels in human guise; how they would protect them from those who will persecute them; how that they will usher in the new age; how she saw the true face of God and the world she promises.

The sheep accepted this and asked what they were to do to serve them.

The answer to that was up to a meeting between Lisbeth and Alexander, in the former's office.

"You certainly have my people in a spur." She says as Alexander takes a seat in front of her desk.

"I always had that effect on people." Alexander shrugs "But let's move past the flatteries and platitudes; you want something from me and my people, do you ? That was what your whole spiel introducing us was for, wasn't it ?"

"I have...a few things in mind." Lisbeth says...

The casual way she lays down what she wants from these vampires, has Alexander lean back in his seat and cross his arms.

"You realize that we don't usually do things like that this day in age. My boss, my earthly boss, usually prefers to keep things on the down low." Alexander says.

"Your earthly boss ?" Lisbeth snorts and rolls her eyes "You fear I bring down the wrath of Dracula or something ?"

The mention of that name caused Alexander to flinch and shudder a little "Mother forgive her. She knows not who she makes light of." After reserving himself, he says "But to answer your question, it's usually under very specific circumstances we do something like that."

"Even so, have you done things like this before ?" Lisbeth asks.

"We have, but there is a time and place to do it; we usually wait until these towns and regions are already dead, and then we sweep through. Do you know how rare these instances are ? I think my people did this three times in the past seventy years alone."

"I saw the world burn just by looking at that goddess of yours." Lisbeth says "I think the world can do without a few messily small towns being wiped off the map with what's to come. Sodom and Gomorrah were cities that got wiped out and no one so much as blinked."

"Ah, so you're one of those preachers; looking for an example to be made ?" Alexander asks.

"Hell yeah I do!" Lisbeth said pounding her fist on the table with such ferocity that it nearly made Alexander fall from his seat "It's what I'm owed! I want Daniel to know he shouldn't cross the one person he should rely on, and I want his brother to know what happens when you take something that doesn't belong to you!"

Lisbeth reserves herself with a shaky sigh, gesturing to a map on a wall on the side of her office; it is a map covering the South and Northern regions of the United States, and a few states from Mexico's northern regions. Different spots are marked with red tacks, especially Sonora, and Boon County Oregon.

"My sources have pinpointed the older brother's location. As for the younger brother, he is in Beaver Creek, under watching and protective eyes. Feds made it impossible for one of my people to even rent a hotel in the county." She explains

"You realize I myself do not have the authority to order such a thing; there are certain matters I must run by Mordred beforehand." Alexander explains.

"Mordred ?"

"The boss man ? The one who sent me to scout out your little community ? The one who can have all this crashing down with a phone call ?" Alexander says.

"What does he need ?" Lisbeth asks.

"A phone call," Alexander says "And a few minutes."

Alexander gets up from his seat, and paces back and forth between the office while Lisbeth looks on.

Alexander has his phone out and Mordred on speed dial. In a matter of seconds, he's speaking to Mordred himself.

"Yes ?...It's me; Sawney." Alexander starts "She, uh... has demands." Alexander pauses as Mordred apparently asks what she wants "She wants two boys; Sean and Daniel Diaz...No, that's not all. She wants you to make it a blood bath."

Alexander turns away from his phone to address Lisbeth.

"He prefers to keep things quiet. Brings less attention."

He turns back to his phone.

"She tells me that if we are burning the world, what's a few towns to a-" Alexander pauses as Mordred apparently says something to him, and turns back away from the phone. "He wants to talk to you."

Alexander walks up to Lisbeth and hands her his phone.

"Hello ?" Lisbeth asks, a little unsure of herself.

"You are asking a lot for so little." A more youthful, but also accented voice - that of Mordred - says "Are you prepared to give something of equal value ?"

"What is it you want from us ?" Lisbeth asks.

"In return for a place for my people to hide, you ask us to kill...at least hundreds of people in a matter of days, to get our hands on two. That is a pretty tall order. There is something else we have to get from this." Mordred says.

"My people always open their doors to weary travelers; we are prepared to sacrifice everything and anything for the sake of hospitality." Lisbeth says "Tell me Mr...Boss Man." She adds, sounding too cocky for her own good, "What kind of business do you run ?"

"The most legal thing I can say is we have a hand in multiple branches within the porn industry." Mordred says flatly "Is that something you people are willing to put up with ?"

Lisbeth shrugs and smirks "They'll do what their Reverend Mother asks of them. They know better not too. I'm sure in addition to providing your people with homes and blood, my people could spare a few bodies to serve whatever needs they must. We've got quite a few young men and women who are unsure of their futures; perhaps you could offer them one."

There is a pause, and when Mordred finally speaks up, he replies "There's no way your morals are that shot."

"You've read my record, haven't you ?" Lisbeth says.

"Aye."

"There's your answer." Lisbeth says smirk.

Mordred pauses again before he answers "Give me a few hours and you'll have your answer."

----

By nightfall, Lisbeth has made living arrangements for their guests.

Two or three vampir- "Blessed ones" in each house. They are given round the clock access to every room in their house of stay.

Lisbeth's followers were mandated, "By The Lord", to allow the "Blessed Ones" to feed from them. However they were not to feed to such an extent that bodies started to pile.

Oh, and the "Blessed Ones" were permitted to do with their hosts as they see fit - short of blatantly murdering them. If the younger members of their community lost their "purity" to one of the Blessed

Ones, then they too were blessed by their God.

As the sun set, Lisbeth sat at her desk, looking out the window and over the hills. That is when Alexander approaches her again.

"He wants to talk to you."

Alexander hands Lisbeth the phone, from which she was greeted by the voice of Mordred.

"I am already reaching out to my connections in Sonora, and Washington, finding what I can of Sean Diaz. Seems to be Mr. Popular to a lot of people, especially in Puerto Lobos. And luckily for you I am planning a trip to Boon County Penitentiary anyways; keeping a promise I made to a friend in that case. And luckily for your, we have someone else in Beaver Creek we've been looking for." Mordred says.

Lisbeth smirks "Dare I call it, providence ?"

"If things go right, you should have both brothers in my hands before you can finish Amazing Grace." Mordred replies.

"Anything else ?"

"As it so happens, I got a helluva lot of Skals on my hands in need of clearing out. I find it would fit the bloodbath you want." Mordred ads.

"I don't know what they are." Lisbeth says.

"You will." Morded and Alexander speak at the same time.

"Well then, I'll be sure to keep you in my prayers." Lisbeth says sweetly "And my God bless you."

"And may my Mother give you your just reward." Mordred says in a sardonic voice "Till we meet in the flesh."

"Until then." Lisbeth smiles before hanging up the phone.

She turns her attention to Alexander, who takes the phone back and says "I hope you find this arrangement worth it-"

They are both caught off guard by the sound of screaming in one of the neighboring houses.

It would seem the Blessed One's are already taking advantage of the hospitality.

-----

March 24th, 2020, Boon County Penitentiary

It took a couple of days, but Mordred made yet another name for himself, and an identity to go with it. He had five years of rest, relaxation and recovery. Thespian that Mordred is, he couldn't be just another nobody.

So of course, he made a big enough impression to get himself arrested. Specifically, he was taken to Boon County for temporary "protective custody".

The paperwork is still being worked but the case was open and shut in a matter of days. He even had them take him trussed up like he was Hannibal Freaking Lecter; just to give the other prisoners a show.

No one quite knew how much of what was said of him was true, or just bravado. As of his arrest, the details are still being worked out.

In the past month, Mordred has been going around as "Giles Isaev"; a rich, European, pretty boy who came to the states to live out the American Dream, Scarface style.

These were his own words, when he was busted on a raid in the south regions of Oregon, three days prior.

Upon being questioned by the FBI, he just started confessing to all manner of crimes; pimping men, women and children out; pushing drugs that junkies have killed (and supposedly cannibalized) each other over; fighting rings where man and animal alike risk getting their bones and bodies broken on the daily.

Matter of fact, the thing he got sprung over was the kidnapping and torture of a couple that stole from him. By the time he was caught, Mordred was wiping blood off a longsword he had used to cut out the couple's eyes and tongue.

How the FBI knew of this activity isn't clear, as the local agency had no ongoing investigation for this man in particular; while stories of such a trafficking ring had caught their attention, they knew nothing of the man named "Giles Isaev". Hell, they're still trying to find the agents who initially arrested Isaev.

So far it's just dead ends.

The only thing they knew for sure was of the couple he tortured, and that poor thug he was put in a holding cell who got his throat eaten out.

Though one of his claims was that he was involved in a killing spree that occurred in Puerto Lobos, in Sonora, Mexico days before his arrest. The attack left eighty seven dead. These claims were seen as dubious, considering the local police are still trying to make sense of that attack.

At the same time, he has been going on about these "people" and organizations that are after him for less than legal purposes; he would claim he had critical information that could bring these organizations down and expose so many people.

All he asked for was the law to play ball; that he be sent to this specific prison and to be allowed to visit a specific inmate.

It's been days now, and the boys in jumpsuits are yet to hear a thing. Supposedly there are plans to do something to Isaev, considering he's planning on snitching, and with the shit he's accused of.

"Isaev" was able to get the attention of the one other prisoner in the cell. Of course it was a matter of whistling and calling out his name.

----

They were in separate cells, in the same hall.

"Mark ? Marky ? Maaaark." Morded would call from his cell, much to the annoyance of his "neighbor".

"What ?"

"Well, that was rather rude. I just wanted to say hi. How else would you greet an old friend ?" Mordred would ask.

"Do I know you ?"

"We had unfinished business back in the day you and I," Mordred says "Of course, you hurt another friend of mine, for which I seek compensation for."

Mark laughs to himself upon hearing this.

"Let me guess, you have a daughter or sister, in my photo albums." Mark asks "Not that ? Okay, how about a girlfrie-"

"Does the name Vivian Manning mean anything to you ?"

Mark gives no response.

"Come on, I know you know her. She was a favorite of yours I hear."

Mark shakes his head "Sorry, I never really played favorites."

"Sure you do. Strawberry blonde hair ? One of your students ? Was about nineteen years old ? You fucked her once or twice ? Not ringing any bells ?" Mordred shouts out "Come on, I know you know this one. How about this ? She used that name as a pseudonym when you went on that museum date."

This caused Mark to freeze in his cell. He can't possibly mean what he thinks he means...

"Did you get that gift of yours this morning ? That little box of yours, Jeff ?" Mordred asks in a sing-song tone.

Mark Jefferson thought back to yesterday morning. Someone sent him a gift; a phone.

He's been getting death threats over the years, and he's even gotten mail from fans of his (some sent him nudes, or pictures trying to replicate his work - amateurs didn't have the guts to really get their hands dirty though).

But the phone was something new; he couldn't open it, as there was a password already installed.

"Y-yeah," Jefferson says trying to put up a confident front "It's locked, genius."

"Turn it on, and type the following; 05..."

"05," Jefferson types, muttering under his breath, but Isaev could apparently hear him.

"23...13."

Jefferson types the remainder of the password.

"Go to the photos."

Jefferson does so, and couldn't believe what he was seeing. Furthermore he couldn't believe the dates these pictures were supposedly taken. 2017, 2018, 2019.

All of them of the same girl in different activities; brunch, trips to the boardwalk, a few yacht parties, rave scenes, even a few post coital selfies.

"How about this ? Does the name Rachel mean anything to you ?"

"What kind of sick joke is this ?" Jefferson shouts out "I know for a fact this one is dead!"

"Correction; was dead." Mordred answers "Luckily for you, friends of ours want you alive. And the way I see it, I can either be a messenger boy, or a delivery boy."

Jefferson's train of thought was interrupted by the sound of something heavy and metal clanging on the ground. Although he couldn't see it, he could tell the cell door fell off it's hinges and onto the floor beneath them.

To Jefferson's further disbelief, Isaev made his way to the front of his cell, and without even trying, pulled the hinges off its metal door.

"Now, Mark. We can do this the easy way or we can do this the hard way. The choice is yours."

----

The first alarm blared within the next few minutes. Several guards entered the isolated block to find Jefferson's cell door open.

Jefferson himself was spitting out blood and teeth, doubled over. He was coughing and groaning as "Isaev' kept kicking him on the ground.

Over the next few minutes, one set of guards had to secure "Isaev", who backed down without any further fight. Jefferson was being hauled off to the medical ward.

Another set of guards were taking Isaev to what was called "The Hole" - a special spot they'd take first time prisoners who were caught acting out of line.

A few days in a dark space, fit for a janitor's closet was usually enough to scare the good behavior into them. They even put Isaev's "Hannibal" mask back on due to the biting motions he made at a few guards.

"Isaev" wasn't going to see a minute of it though.

Midway though their trek Isaev, broke his cuffs, grabbed hold of one of the guards, and broke his neck, and in the confusion, made quick work of the other four. He picked the gun and keys and hastily made his way to each cell.

Very dangerous people too, the kind you do not want running around in a system that oppressed their building anger; gangsters, bikers, skinheads.

The few who didn't immediately start causing trouble, made their way for the cells that had "undesirable prisoners".

Within minutes, mattresses and toilet paper was already set ablaze. Many inmates tried to audaciously attack Isaev, either to restrain or just kill him. Those who didn't get shot, were bitten.

Over a dozen guards already found themselves being beaten by the prisoners; some shot, maimed, or just had their limbs broken. Some guards have already taken to shooting the prisoners, but the gunfire would barely phase Isaev.

All the while, the less aggressive and more rehabilitated of the inmates simply coward in their cells, and the few who didn't ran for a place to hide.

Especially as the seemingly dead inmates began to get back up, and as if acting on an animal instinct, started biting and drinking from people.

-----

In the prisons hospital wing, Jefferson was placed onto a bed. Fading in and out of consciousness, he could hear the doctors and nurses going over his injuries.

In these fleeting moments of being lucid, Jefferson could hear their words.

"-three broken ribs-"

"-internal bleeding in his adbom-"

"Heart rate's at-"

All the while Jefferson's could get the overwhelming scent of blood in his nose, and the taste in his mouth.

He could feel his head pulsing and his heart slowing, but all he could see was darkness. The hospital lights beaming down at him only give him the faintest vision.

And in that vision, someone was standing in the corner of the room.

It was Red. It was humanoid. And it had horns.

If Jefferson could keep himself lucid, he would have thought this was the devil. A fear would have overtaken him, and his immediate thoughts would have been that his time has come to pay his eternal dues.

And yet, as this entity approached Jefferson, its presence was calming and collected. Especially as it spoke.

"You have served my mother's purpose. Spilled the blood in Arcadia Bay that it cries for vengeance, even today." It says, looming over Jefferson unseen, unheard, and unnoticed by the doctors and nurses.

Jefferson could feel his heart rapidly gain momentum. In the back of his mind, he figures he's receiving CPR or an AED.

"You carry such a darkness within you, that the Darkness Below calls your name. Many in your life and the next wish you death...but for now, the Darkness Below us could do without what dwells in your heart. To be added to an ever growing legion of monsters, is a mercy I cannot grant."

The entity holds up his own wrist, biting down into it, before holding it over Jefferson's mouth.

"And if death in the Hell that awaits you be your reward ? Life in the Hell you made here, will be your punishment."

Suddenly Jefferson's mouth was filled with that metallic taste, and the light around him grew brighter and brighter.

He lunged up into the hospital bed with a coughing gasp.

Time seemed to stop for him, and he was almost deaf to the world around him as he saw guards trying to hold the wings doors closed. He saw the doctor and two nurses trying to speak and reassure him.

And yet he could hear nothing but the ringing in his ear, and the pounding of his heart. As he looks around the room, the wing has six other patients, with eight guards trying to barricade the door.

"Do you hear me, Mark ?" The doctor, this middle aged black man finally rings clear to him "The prison is on lockdown. It is in your best interests to stay in the-"

The sound of glass breaking gets their attention. Jefferson and the others turn to see what appears to be eight hands breaking the window of the wings doors, as whatever was on the other side was trying to break in.

On the surface level, Jefferson would assume a prison riot is occurring. But the noises made it clear to him that whatever was behind those doors, wasn't human.

In a few seconds, Jefferson got his answers when the door broke down, and four of those - he wouldn't call them people, but he wasn't comfortable calling them zombies - enter.

Before Jefferson could count to five, these creatures bite down on the guards; necks, shoulders, anywhere with exposed flesh to sink their teeth into.

On instinct, Jefferson tried lurching upwards. It's sore,  but it doesn't hurt as much as he thought it would.

Did he not hear that he had three broken ribs ?

Maybe they were talking about another patient ?

Even so Jefferson manages to sit up, but in the pandemonium, no one is paying attention.

These creatures make quick work of the guards, and are already advancing on the staff and patients.

In what was four seconds in real time, it felt as if time stopped for Jefferson as he looked around the room.

There was another door at the back of the room.

In the back of his mind, he should know that the door would be useless; it would lead him to another hall if anything. Where more of these creatures are no doubt waiting.

Best case scenario, he runs out, reaches the lobby or courts or something. And what ? Gets shot to death by guard thinking he's a rioting prisoner ? Or one of these creatures ?

But Jefferson wasn't thinking with his head. He was on an adrenaline filled, "fight flight" high.

As Jefferson turns back around, he takes the panicking doctor by the back of his neck and shoves him forward towards the advancing creatures.

The Doctor collapses onto the ground, barely having time to scream as two creatures take him by the arm and pull them until they snap, and a third rips into his torso.

Mortified and paralyzed, two assistants didn't notice as Jefferson slipped off the bed, and shoved it forward, knocking them into the waiting hands and teeth of four other attackers.

Jefferson had his back turned the whole time, but what was happening around him didn't sound pretty.

To his bewilderment, he could stand straight, but wobbles a little in his step. He darts his way towards the door.

He tries to open it, but of course it's locked.

Jefferson turns around to see these creatures snarling and staring at him, licking their teeth. Around them was corpses; guards, patients staff. But now these things had their eyes on the only other living soul in this room.

Just as it was beginning to register to Jefferson what kind of scenario he was in, a wolf whistle echoed through the room.

The creatures stop their advance.

Standing at the door that was torn down not a moment ago, was Giles Isaev, stepping in with a bleeding neck. No doubt he was shot there. But Isaev seemed no worse for where, as he made his way into the hospital room. He regards Jefferson with a friendly smile, as these ravenous monsters back away from him like scared dogs.

"Oh good, you're up." Isaev says with friendly sarcasm. Isaev makes his way to a bedside table, and picks up some bandages from a patient who just both his jugulars ripped open. Looking back and forth between the patient and Jefferson, he chuckles "I'd say he needs them more than me, but it looks like he won't be needing nothing now."

Normally, Jefferson would find this remark a little amusing. He wasn't one for blood or gore or the like; too excessively edgy for his taste. But on better days, the morbid does tickle his funny bone.

This was not a better day.

It probably won't stop the bleeding, but compared to most injuries he's received, it'll do for now.

"Now, I wasn't done beating your ass yet." Isaev says, wrapping the bandages, this was remarkably tame. At the very least, it will hold him together. "But we shall remedy that."

Jefferson held his hands up defensively.

"Who are you ?" Jefferson asks, finally finding his voice, but not his confidence "What the fuck are you ?"

"You know, I get asked that a lot. It's kind of a long story, but the short of it is ? I like to think of myself as death made flesh." Isaev chuckles "Your name's been on my list for a while now. Curtesy of Rachel Amber."

"No." Jefferson says quietly, shaking his head "No, no, no, no, no. I saw her body; Prescott and I fucking buried her ourselves!"

"Yes." Isaev says cheerfully, fastening the bandages "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes; and mother woke her up! Now Rachel has a bit of a bloodlust that I wish to help satiate."

"What is this ?" Jefferson says, both mortified and irritated, "This isn't right!"

"On the contrary, Mark. This is exactly the way things should be." Isaev chuckles, stretching one of arms, feeling a pop in his shoulder "There's a blood debt between Miss Amber and us, but there is also one between you and her. You can consider me a debt collector."

Noticing the way Jefferson is barely keeping himself standing, Isaev rolls his eyes and shakes his head.

"Okay, tell you what ? This round I'll give you a fighting change. You drop me, you get..." Isaev licks his lips as he tries to think "Fifty second head start before hungry friends here can chase you down."

With that Isaev looks back at the table, picking up a liston knife as soon as it catches his eyes. Looking back at Jefferson, Isaev puts it on the floor and gently kicks it towards him.

Finally snapping out of his paralysis, Jefferson timidly lifts the knife up. He holds it out defensively, but his posture and expression doesn't inspire any confidence.

Even so, Isaev just smiles and clasps his hands together.

"Now me personally, I don't want you dead. I think Miss Amber prefers the cow to the beef; so the worst they'll do is break your limbs till only your head and torso works. How's that sound ?"

Jefferson simply takes a deep breath and stands straight, gritting his teeth.

Taking that as his cue, Isaev makes his move.

Jefferson barely blinks when he feels his body being shoved through the door, which collapses behind him.

"Ah look! I unlocked the door for you!" Isaev laughs, kicking Jefferson while he's down. Once in the stomach, and again in the groin.

Jefferson doubles over and groans.

"Come one, come on, come on Mark!" Isaev says, kicking Jefferson on the side of his head as he tries to stand up "You killed what, forty seven people ? You telling me you don't know how to use a-"

In defensive instinct, and annoyance at his attacker's voice, Jefferson stabs Isaev's foot while he's running his mouth. This causes his attacker to yelp out in surprise and pain.

While Isaev is still stumbling, Jefferson stabs him in the lower shin, causing Isaev to yowl out at the sting.

As Jefferson manages to get up his feet, Isaev takes him by the neck and slams him into the wall.

"There we go! That's more like it-"

"Do you ever shut up ?" Jefferson says, stabbing Isaev in his thigh while he was distracted.

Isaev releases his grip, doubling over in pain. He quickly tries to find his bearings before Jefferson stabs him again; twice in his back and a third time in his shoulder.

Jefferson is guessing he's on an adrenaline rush, as he had it in him to grab Isaev by the neck and reverse their positions, slamming him into the wall. Another stab in his lower abdomen, and Jefferson slices a gash across Isaev's stomach, and down above his groin.

As Isaev slips down onto his knees, Mark stabs him a final time; this time in the jugular, where Isaev was previously shot. With a rattling gasp, Isaev slips off the wall and down to the floor.

Jefferson takes a few seconds to breathe. The adrenaline dying down, his heart rate coming back to normal, and his head starting to clear. It's only then did he notice the way these creatures were looking at him, and slowly advancing.

Laughing under his breath, Isaev whispers out.

"Fifty...forty nine...forty eight..."

"What was that ?" Jefferson asks, taking aback by how Isaev didn't even seem bothered by his injuries.

"I would suggest you start running, Mr. Jefferson." Isaev says, spitting out some blood "Forty seven...Forty six..."

Jefferson looked back at these ghoulish freaks, waiting for their apparent master to make their move. So Jefferson makes his first.

He darts down the hall, quickly finding a stairway, half way through. He can hear Isaev say "Thirty eight..." before Jefferson makes up his mind.

Jefferson darts up the stair way, seven steps before rounding a corner to another flight. Rinse and repeat.

----

It went on for a couple of stories, but by the time Jefferson could hear those things running down the hall below him, he decided to try his luck with the hall on the same flight he was on.

Kicking his shoes off to avoid making noise, he notices this hall seemed empty. Barren. No signs of the creatures, none of the staff, no hiding inmates. Nothing.

But Jefferson doesn't have time to think. He continues running, and notices another corner leading him to another hall. He makes it there as he hears these ghouls making their way up the stairs.

Jefferson's not a praying man, but he's hoping to some higher power they'll overlook the hall and keep going up the stairs.

In the third hall, Jefferson spots a laundry room, which he quickly hides in.

His mind still on escaping, he takes a moment to catch his breath, when he notices a dumbwaiter, used for hampers. He's been out of his cell a few times to know these dumbwaiters lead to the basement.

And because of their size, they usually have four guards in the room in case

It was a pretty big gamble, but Jefferson decides "Fuck it" when he hears the creatures making their way through the hallways.

Opening the dumbwaiter, it was a cramped four by three space, but beggars can't be choosers.

It took another moment for Jefferson to pull his way down, till he reached the ground floor. Jefferson reached the basement and climbed out with a relaxed sigh.

The place was dark except for the emergency lights, and red flashing light that indicated a lock-down.

As Jefferson quietly made his way through, he couldn't see nor hear any signs of life, but he still treated cautiously. He rounded two corners and two other halls before he finally found the furnace.

Jefferson had to do work once or twice following his sentencing. Exploitive labor of prisoners, but they picked things up when he had to do maintenance.

Jefferson heard talk about how the furnace led just outside the prison.

Supposedly, there was a "soft spot" on the furnace wall, around the top. In case of a fire emergency or something, this wall could be broken down. It would to the (usually) heavily guarded pick-up spot, where dump trucks would pick up the prisons trash.

Jefferson wasn't sure to believe this rumor, but he's been taking gambles so far. Why stop now ?

Quickly finding a bench, Jefferson moves it to the back wall. Knife at the ready, he's really hoping he's not wasting his time.

It takes several minutes of stabbing between the bricks, silently cursing to himself, before he feels it. Six bricks were loose, and for the first time all night, Jefferson let out a genuine laugh as he pulled them out of place.

That's when Jefferson hears it. The creatures have found their way into the basement, and by the sound of things, there were dozens of them!

Still, the whole Jefferson made was enough for a thin man like himself to squirm his way through. That is, if he can climb up.

It takes a few jumps, but stabbing the knife into the ground, Jefferson barely manages to wiggle his head through, followed by his shoulders. It was tight, it was uncomfortable. It took about thirty seconds of panic and adrenaline, before Jefferson managed to squirm his way out.

Right on time too. It would seem the ghouls have found this spot as well.

Covered in dirt and gravel, Jefferson rolled over, ignoring the monsters that were a few feet from reach up to him. He lets out a noise that sounds like sigh and a laugh. He takes a moment to catch his breath, before looking back at the hole.

With a mocking, toothy smile, Jefferson sarcastically waves at his attackers, before looking up at the sky. It was purple, early signs of morning. Despite it being March, the cold didn't bother him that much. In fact there were very few patches of snow outside.

This spot wasn't too far off from the woods either. So Jefferson's chances of outrunning these freaks increased

Seeing his winter breath for the first time in six years, Jefferson laughs, and manages to get back on his feet, trying to put as much distance between himself and this hellhole as possible.

....of course, he didn't get far before he noticed the helicopters.

And they noticed him.

-----

The copters picked Jefferson up not a mile into his run. Jefferson made no attempts to resist or run. Both because he was exhausted, and because he knew he'd be shot.

When he was cuffed and taken aboard, the exhaustion got the better of him and he collapsed into sleep.

He didn't expect to awake in a hospital outside of prison. Jefferson spent the next couple days being looked over. And apparently sedated, seeing as he'd often slip back into unconsciousness every now and then.

Not that sleep did him any good.

Everytime he closed his eyes, Mark would see her.

Rachel Amber. Her beautiful hazel eyes, her innocent/not-so innocent smirk. Her long strawberry blonde hair; just how young and vibrant she was.

The people Mark could say he genuinely cared about were virtually non-existent in his adult life. But Rachel ? Besides her obvious physical beauty, Rachel had this magnetism to her that drew his attention in ways few can.

When they talked or bonded after class, Jefferson almost considered letting himself care about others again.
Almost.

Then her junkie mom OD's, and Mark finds Rachel inebriated in his house. He was almost willing to bet that she was just another faux punk slut who acted deeper than they were.

Still, he played the part and acted emotionally supportive. He gave her the mercy lay she needed, and over the next few days, Rachel was back up to speed.

He remembers taking her to Portland; sure she was still down in the dumps about mommy dearest and what's her face but he gave her the space to clear her head.

When they returned to Arcadia Bay, Jefferson even considered getting her in on his and Nathan's projects. Why, they could even throw Prescott under the bus, starting anew in LA.

You know, until Rachel's "magic" wore out.

Then Prescott got to her before he could sink her in. Then Jefferson had to toss her in the trash, so to speak.

And yet, there she was in those pictures. LA by the looks of it. Still lively, still beautiful and majestic...and yet those things came to him at her behest.

In his more lucid moments, Jefferson would remember just what kind of creature puts on an alluring mask like Rachel's.

A soul, sucking, succubus. One he sees every time he closes his eyes.

A mixture of fear and desire floods Jefferson's mind. He remembers her in his class, in her desk with her innocent smile and not so innocent eyes. He remembers Rachel in his bedroom, underneath him.

Seeing her inebriated and depressed state may have helped him "rise" to the occasion, so to speak. It probably helped that he'd imagine putting his hand on her mouth and nose, cutting off her air supply. Watching the light drain from his eyes and the color drain from her face.

She had that same look in the junkyard.

And yet, it would seem she's come for him for unpaid dues.

After two days in the hospital, Doctors concluded that Jefferson wasn't infected.

With what ? They didn't tell him, but he could guess.

He thought they'd take him back to another jail, but after he awoke from being sedated again, he found himself in a cabin, just outside Marion Forks.

And judging by the bracelet on his ankle, he wasn't allowed out.

On the nightstand beside his bed, Jefferson notices an envelope addressed to him.

Wiping sleep out of his eyes, Jefferson sits up, grabs the envelope and opens to read a letter.

"Addressed to Mark Jefferson.

It has come to our attention that you were a witness and survivor of the Boon County Penitentiary riots. As far as the world knows, you are missing and presumed dead. But as far as we are concerned, you are connected to three persons of interest. One of whom, we hear, assaulted you not once but twice during the riots.

While we found you to be in stable condition, we have designated this safehouse for you to recuperate and come to terms with what you experienced. A delivery system will deliver you food and other necessities during your stay. Any attempts to leave will result in your death; whereupon your body will be found in a river bank. Consider this protective custody for the time being.

In due time, a representative will question you on what you know, and fill you in on what you need to know. From there, we will decide what to do with you and your evaluations.

With regards, the Guard of Priwen, with association of the Federal Bureau of Control."

Well...this is new.

-----

Marion Forks, April 4th, 2020

It was a quiet nine days for Jefferson.

At that time, he wasn't allowed to leave the house, or watch the news. In the days that passed, someone would stop in to make deliveries. The most important of which was a history book. One that revealed the existence of vampires.

Now, when Jefferson learned of the existence of vampires, he didn't believe what he was hearing at first. But after weighing his options and considering what he witnessed and knew so far, it made the most sense.

Vampires fucking exist. And apparently, they are not alone; monsters of all names and sizes, some whose names people feared speaking.

Every couple days, Jefferson would get this visitor. A representative of the FBC and their merger with this "Guard". Some "GI Joe" looking soldier boy with a prosthetic leg. Goes by "Agent Eric King".

King would make these visits short. They were routine checkups, making sure Jefferson would play ball, and things were up to snuff. They usually didn't last for more than twenty minutes.

While King had this cordial and professional air about him, he made little effort to hide his contempt for Jefferson. Naturally, Jefferson would chalk it up to King just knowing him by reputation, but he decided to test the waters in trying to make conversation with the man.

It was when King first gave him the rundown over "lunch", after Eric let it slip he had a home in Washington.

"Eric King, huh ?" Jefferson would say, as if it sounded familiar "You know, I had a Jill King when I taught at Bright Falls. Is she a niece of yo-"

"Unlikely. My sister doesn't have children." King would say, going over his notes, trying to keep himself reserved.

"I see." Jefferson said, with a cordial nod "I'm just getting the impression you'd rather be somewhere else."

"You're good at reading people." King says, looking up from his notes "Can you tell what I'm thinking now ?"

"I better stop running my mouth before you smack it ?" Jefferson asks "Look, I get it, I'm not exactly a people person these days."

King looks up to Jefferson with a glare, standing up a little.

"Let me make one thing clear; with everything we picked up on you, you can count yourself lucky we rescued you at all." King says, just barely keeping his cool "But your connections to these persons of interest make you one as well. You play ball, we get out of your hair, and put you out of ours."

"Noted." Jefferson nods with a faux modest grin.

Even so, with every visit King made to Jefferson, the latter would still try to make conversation with him, and was able to chip bits and pieces out of him.

How'd King find out about vampires ? He and his squad came upon a nest of them in Iraq. When they survived, Eric and one other later conscripted to the "American Guard".

Was that where King lost his leg ? No, that is in a car accident with his ex wife.

Ex wife, huh ? What was her name ? Rachel.

Rachel ? You don't say.

It's only when King realized he said too much of his own past that he stopped talking about it.

Still, in King's subsequent visits, Jefferson would openly talk about the persons of interest ("For the investigation of course.") particularly, Rachel Amber.

And of course, Jefferson would always refer to Rachel by her first time, and make allusions to their affair when talking to King.

It seemed to get under his skin, but King was remarkably patient.

Come the fourth of April, King made another checkup, this time accompanied by four other agency men. One of whom was quickly introduced as King's superior; Director Pierre Margot.

For someone with such a rank, he couldn't be any older than his mid twenties, like he just got out of the Academy. But he had the general appearance of a Government director, and had his dark hair being shaved down to a buzzcut. He was pale, lanky and had these dark and smokey eyes.

For someone leading an American Division of this guard, one of the badges Margot wore included the French flag, and even with his American accent, a French cadence or word would slip out every now and then. Usually when he cursed.

"I take it you don't know who I am." Margot says as he sits Jefferson down at the dining room table.

"Not really; your grunt filled me in." Jefferson jabs a thumb at King, who simply gives him an annoyed glare.

"Yes, but we know all about you, Mr. Jefferson." Margot clicks his teeth as he takes a seat at the head of the table "You're the connard who unfortunately survived what happened in Boon County. Luckily for you, you're tied to three persons of interest."

"Yeah, Prescott and Rachel." Mark nods, trying to maintain a confident front, while passing a teasing glance at Eric "I know Rachel was turned into one of them, but what does Nathan have to do with this ?"

"Think, Jefferson." Margot leans in a little "Nathan Prescott's body, like that of Rachel Amber's disappeared from the morgue the same night it turned up. Don't tell me you didn't consider what that means..."

Jefferson takes a few seconds to think, but pales slightly as the realization hits him.

"Shit!" Jefferson quietly cursed.

"Merde indeed, Mr. Jefferson." Margot says with the slightest smirk "We have very good reason to believe this is part of an ongoing cycle. A cycle you, wittingly or no, participated in."

Jefferson doesn't say anything, but gives Margot a look as if to say "Out with it."

"Prepare to have your horizons broadened Mr. Jefferson." Margot says "For beyond the monsters that walk on this Earth, there is darkness. And in that darkness, there are greater monsters."

And with that, Margot told Jefferson what he needed to know.

He told them the "myths" of the Red Queen, the primordial vampiric goddess. Of how she'd awaken periodically to spread her hatred, disease and fury to the world. Punishing mankind for a slight unknown.

Opposing her, is her own biological son, who went by many names over thousands of years; Lugh, Merlin ("Yes, that one." Margot would add before Jefferson could voice his disbelief); some thought him to be the Archangel Michael, but most in the present day identify him as Myddin Wylt.

And when the Queen spreads her disease, monsters are born as people die. To challenge his mothers bloodlust, Wylt would turn a champion into a vampire to face the monsters she'd brood.

While neither walked the Earth in their true corporeal forms since the time of Arthur, their spirits slept and stirred every now and then. Even through their proxies and avatars, mother and son continue their fight into the present day.

"But what has this got to do with me ?" Mark would ask as he took this information in "I never even heard of these-"

"But you still served, the Blood Queen's will. The champions she'd pick are wronged women, desiring vengeance." Margot says, raising a hand to silence him, before sitting back down to reserve himself "Every report from the FBC's paranormal investigations indicates the Queen's spirit lurked in Arcadia Bay for years before...well, you know. And that Wylt lurked in Oregon, waiting to make her next move."

With that, Margot points to Jefferson.

"And you, Mr. Jefferson, spilled blood in Arcadia Bay's soil. It cried out for vengeance, and like a terrible storm, the Queen claimed her prize."

"Rachel Amber." Jefferson says under his breath.

Part of him still didn't want to believe, but considering everything he's learned and accepted over the past nine days, it wasn't too much to swallow.

"As for Prescott, when his body disappeared, two morticians were found with their throats bitten out." Margot adds "We can only assume for one reason or another, he was picked by Wylt."

Jefferson pinches the bridge of his nose and sighs angrily.

"But- but why him though ?" Jefferson asks, looking back at Margot "Prescott, he's got more than a few screws looses himself. He'd more than likely kill more people than this Queen of yours if kept unchecked."

"Correct me if I'm wrong," Margot starts again "Aren't you the one with a confirmed connection to thirty two murders ?"

Jefferson says nothing, but looks away with an unreadable expression.

"Thought so." Margot says, before snapping his fingers at one of his men.

From their jacket, the man pulls out a booklet from one of the inner pockets and hands it to Margot.

Margot flips through the pages before finding one in particular. He places it on the table and pushes it towards Jefferson, tapping his finger on the illustration.

"Look familiar, art teacher ?" Margot asks.

Jefferson looks over the drawing. It was the Ser Modred illustration by H.J Ford.

Jefferson says nothing, but narrows his eyes.

"Perhaps this will refresh your memory." Margot says as he flips through two other pages.

One was a black and white photograph of a young man, a lounge singer on stage at a dinner party in Paris. It had to have been taken in the 30's. The singer's resemblance to Giles Isaev was rather uncanny, you could mistake him for his grandfather.

"This one is of Mickey McEntire, a small-time lounge singer who toured across Europe in the late 30's." Margot points to the older photograph

The other was a photograph taken in 2000's; this one closer resembled Isaev, but with shorter cut hair and a more grown in beard; he was dressed in a black hoodie and grey baggy jeans as he overlooked the railing of a ship at this harbor.

"This one is Paolo Radic, son and heir of both an Italian and Russian mob family who appeared in New York in late 2008. Ostensibly to ease tensions following this mob war that year. Really, he was seeking a new champion."

Margot once again taps the illustration of Mordred.

"He went by thousands upon thousands of pseudonyms the past nine hundred years. But history, myth and folklore know him as Mordred, Prince of Orkney, and the bastard son and usurper of King Arthur." Margot explains "But you knew him as Giles Isaev."

Jefferson's expression was still unreadable, but he looks back and forth between the illustration and Margot.

"You're...you're bullshitting me, aren't you ?" Mark says, before chuckling unsettlingly "This...this is some kind of joke, isn't it ?"

"Do I look like the kind of connard who'd connerie about something like that ?" Margot asks incredulously.

"You look like a kid who got into power way too soon." Jefferson narrows his eyes.

Margot chuckles and leans back in his seat.

"Yeah, well, this kid has the power to make it look like you were shot after a manhunt." Margot says, leaning across the table to tap the side of Jefferson's head " Expand. Your. Putain de. Horizons."

With a frustrated sigh, Jefferson sits back into his seat.

"So...this Mordred guy comes to me; some rando in Arcadia Bay, and decides he'd beat the shit out of me himself." Jefferson summarizes, making sure he got things right "Why ? Doesn't he have anything better to do with his time ?"

"You forget, you helped create two of the monsters in the Blood Queen's war. Mordred knew of you as far back as far back as you made the Dark Room."

Jefferson just glares with an incredulous look on his face.

"If there's more that I need to know, just lay it all out."

"Come now, Jefferson. What comes with primordial, eldritch gods ?" Margot asks "Cults. The Mother's Children, these people are called. And let me tell you, they have quite the mama's boy leading them. In Arthur's time, Mordred nearly brought all of Europe to its knees, but you won't hear it in most retellings."

With that, Margot gets up and out from his seat and circles the table.

"To this day, he steps in every now and then, giving the Queen's newest champion what they need. In this case, Rachel Amber." Margot says "You baisée and bury her. You really think you wouldn't be on her liste de merde ?"

Jefferson silently nods, realizing he's right.

"And those creatures ?" Jefferson says, nudging his head towards King "This one tells me vampires come in different forms."

"What you encountered are the Skals. We believe them to be what inspired ghouls of Arabic myth." Margot says "Skals are creations of the Red Queen and her disease. Spread by her champion. Morded himself cannot create them on his own; the bite of a dhampir does jack et merde. So unless there are other champions at his disposal..."

Margot doesn't finish the sentence, but lets Jefferson put two and two together. Margot grins as the realization sweeps across Jefferson's face.

"Well," Jefferson sighs, "I always guessed Rachel would be spreading disease, sooner or later."

Margot nods, tapping Jefferson on his shoulder.

"Well, we're in the business of cleaning up diseases." Margot says, before once again circling the table "It seems the permanent solution is at our doorstep, Jefferson. It's simply a matter of removing said problem. Kill the disease at its source. Without its roots the disease can't spread, can't it."

"I wouldn't know. I'm not a doctor." Jefferson shrugs.

"But other things, Jefferson, which means we may have a few more uses for you." Margot chuckles.

"What are you saying ?"

"Mark, in case you haven't figured out how we operate. We take in more than just soldiers." Margot explains, re-taking his seat "The Guard has former convicts in their ranks. They help us blend in. Drug dealers, gangbangers, mobsters-"

"Serial killers." Jefferson adds sardonically.

"Once in a blue moon." Margot shrugs "So long as they're willing to take a life, we could make them anything from spies, to scouts, to field agents."

Jefferson chuckles in disbelief.

Surely, they can't be offering him what he thinks they are.

"Uh, in case you haven't noticed." Jefferson says, circling his hand around his face "This was all over the news after Arcadia Bay. You have me under house arrest for a reason."

Margot shrugs "Ah, a shave and a haircut; maybe a dye job; even change of clothes or colored contacts. We can get you to blend in. As far as the public knows, you were killed in the riots. We can even give you reconstructive surgery here or there, if it tickles your fancy."

"But why me ?" Jefferson asks, still skeptical "I'm not exactly a hand-to-hand guy."

"It's your mess Jefferson." Margot says "The way I see it, we're generously offering you to clean it."

Margot snaps his finger at King, who approaches the table with files in hand, handing them to Margot.

"We have heard from a reliable source that Mordred tried to make a move in Seattle five years ago." Margot opens the files "Wanted to get their hands on some more of your students."

Margot lays out the pictures on the table for Jefferson to see; Victoria Chase, Kate Marsh, Max Caulfield, and just about every girl in Jefferson's class...and his list.

Again, Jefferson chuckles in disbelief.

"You're kidding me, right ?" Jefferson says "You really think they wouldn't recognize me if I just walked up to them ?"

"Which is why you're not gonna walk up to them." Margot says "It's our understanding that other past students of yours have settled into Washington and Oregon. We even identified a few in Beaver Creek. Not so coincidentally, Mordred's followers made their presence there as well."

Jefferson takes a moment to think and take this all in.

"What do you want from me ?"

"Oh, nothing much." Margot shrugs "Just help identify suspects from your subjects. We have an increasing list of living spaces of some of your past subjects. As it so happens, we can place Rachel Amber, and/or Mordred in these living spaces."

Jefferson smirks in with this confused amusment. The absurdity of the situation was starting to dawn on him. He doesn't chuckle this time, instead he breaks out in an uncontrollable giggling fit.

"You...want me...a convicted serial killer...for your glorified witch hunt ?" Jefferson says between laughs, wiping his eyes.

Again, Margot shrugs.

"Sometimes doing the right thing means making the hard choices." Margot clicks his teeth "Apple polishers eat that connerie up all the time."

Jefferson looks around the room; the bodyguards are pretty stone faced, but King looks both contemptuous and uncomfortable.

Smirking and scratching the back of his neck, Jefferson asks.

"And...what do I get out of this ?"

"Agree to our terms, and you won't be a John Doe by tomorrow night."

Jefferson gives a flat smile at this "Well, I guess my hands are tied then."

"Glad you see things from our perspective." Margot pats Jefferson on the shoulder.

"I just want one other thing." Jefferson says.

"And that is ?"

"If and when you bring them in." Jefferson says, gesturing to the pictures of his students "You bring them to me."

Margot exchanges a glance with his men, before looking back at an expectant Jefferson.

"I only want to clean up the mess I helped make." Jefferson says with a calm and collected smile "Right my wrongs."

With a reluctant sigh, Margot nods "Very well, but you will be under our watch."

Margot leans down towards Jefferson and whispers to him.

"In the years since our FBC merger, undesirables in the Guard have become more prominent. Many of them forget whose side they're supposed to be on. Undesirables who nearly did my great grandfather in and shaken the guard to its foundation." Margot explains "Personally I blame the FBC's new leadership. They were pretty liberal in deciding the next director. Now she's overstepping things."

"Ah, one of those problems." Jefferson says with a friendly tone and expression.

Margot puts a hand on Jefferson's shoulder, his grip unexpectedly strong "I hope you won't be a problem, Mr. Jefferson. We could use people we can trust."

Again, Jefferson smiles, and moves Margot's hand off of his shoulder.

"I'm sure you'll find I'm very trustworthy, when we get to know each other."

"I'm sure you are." Margot smirks back, before getting back up "By tomorrow, we'll have a place set up for you in Bear River. Prime location. It's isolated enough, and is an hour from Seattle, two from Arcadia Bay county, and three from Beaver Creek. We'll fill you in from there, and you can work quietly."

"Oh." Jefferson says with a modest smile "Quiet is all I need."

----

That night, in Madison Park, Seattle

In the bedroom of Bill Caulfield Price, the two year old jolts awake, just barely keeping a scream from escaping this throat. His little heart beating and pounding like it would burst from his chest.

Bill doesn't scream from his nightmares anymore. He's had them too much to scream anymore.

But this one really got to him; a monster was coming. Not for him, but for his mama and aunts. The monster would hurt them, like he did before. But this time, the monster wants to be sure he got them.

He saw him in the classrooms; he saw him in the dark room. He saw the monster with mama Max, and who his mothers called Rachel.

Weeks ago, Bill would call him "Mr. Teacher", and only had an unconscious hatred for the man. But when Bill saw the Dark Room and more of what he did in there, fear filled him. Especially now that he knew the monster was out of his cage.

A fear beyond that of the boogeyman. The kind of fear religious kids would have of Satan and Hell. It scared him worse than the dreams of vampires.

And that paralyzing fear probably had more to do with why Bill didn't scream.

He wanted to go to his mothers bedroom, but he didn't want to be a bother this late into the night.

Over the past few days, Auntie Kate and Victoria would pay a visit. Despite the best efforts of Bill's mother(s), he picked up on them talking.

They would talk about Bill's nightmares. They would talk about what was one the news; something bad happened in this one town, and a lot of people died. And from what Bill saw in his dreams, he knows they're talking about vampires.

He also catches mention of Arcadia Bay, and this FBC. Being a two year old, Bill didn't quite know what they were talking about, nor could he put the pieces together.

A couple of days after the trip to his aunts, Bill's mother(s) sat him down and tell him they were gonna make a doctors appointment.

"But I'm not sick." Bill would say.

"Not that kind of Doctor." Bill's mother would explain "This one you talk to about your dreams. We can find a way to make them go away. How's that sound ?"

Still not quiet understanding, Bill would not in acceptance. A few days ago, they made their first trip to this Doctor, where Bill simply talked about what he dreamt of, without quite understanding those dreams. After which, the doctor would talk to his mother(s), and suggest another visit

However, after Bill found the picture of Rachel, which now sat on his nightstand. The nightmares stopped, but replaced by sad dreams of Rachel. He hopes she's okay.

But as of tonight, the nightmare came back, telling him the monster was coming for everyone he cares about. And there is nothing Bill could do to stop him.

Bill turns over on his bed, looking at Rachel's picture. Hi mother told him was like a Guardian Angel. And if there's one person Bill trusts, it's his mother.

Taking the picture of Rachel, Bill holds it close to him like a teddy bear. Without saying a word, Bill is all but praying to this angel that she gets here before the monster does.

Bill isn't a violent kid, but in this case, he hopes Rachel rips the monster's head off when it comes to that.

He just hopes Rachel could hear this prayer, wherever she was.

-----

Willamette National Forest, March 20th to 26th, 2020

It's been five days since the attack on Beaver Creek. Five days since Rachel was discovered there by the Red Queen's followers; and five days since she met Daniel, Chris and Sarah Lee. Together, they made a plan to reach the Eriksen's vacation house, and recuperate there.

It was an hour and a half drive from Beaver Creek. However, going on foot was easier said than done.

During the initial walk, no vampires gave them any trouble. Rachel went over her story for the past seven years, though kept out certain details (these were twelve year old's she was talking too).

Of course, Chris was taken aback that she was the author of his favorite vampire books; and how apparently they were based on true stories...but whatever feelings of being star struck took a back seat, to the dread the past several hours gave him. There wasn't the a time and place for one to geek out.

By the time they were up to speed, the sun was starting to creek over the horizon. Rachel wasn't sure how much dhampir blood she had in her system to withstand the sun, but she decided it wasn't an immediate bother.

Still, the kids were exhausted, and it was not like they could make the trip on foot. Chris estimated that on foot, it would take two or three days. And given their clothing and Sarah Lee showing the early signs of a cold, they were in no condition to travel.

Luckily, Daniel recognized the spot they reached from years ago. Rachel was told about how Daniel and Sean went on the run, and on route to Beaver Creek, they squatted in an old house. If he remembers correctly, it's still abandoned.

It took another hour or so of walking before they reached that same house. Sure enough, it was just as Sean and Daniel left it, back in 2017.

When asked if Rachel needed to be invited, being a vampire and all, Rachel would clarify that it doesn't count for abandoned property; for vampires, squatting was a free for all. Of course, this also meant that Rachel had to scope out the place. Make sure no skals claim it as their hiding spot.

"Wherever you go, I go. And wherever I go, so too do my children." Rachel would hear the Blood Queen's voice, but chose to ignore it.

Once Rachel was sure the coast was clear, she took it upon herself to light the cabin's fire, and let the kids settle in.

However, Daniel took a little longer to get in. Said he had to catch up with someone.

When Rachel would peek outside, she would spot Daniel standing by a makeshift grave; the kind you'd make for a pet. She put two and two together.

"Hey, Mushroom." Daniel would say, rubbing his arm "It's been a while. Sorry I couldn't visit, but hey, we have a lot to catch up on..."

Rachel decided not to eavesdrop.

From there, it was a matter of keeping Sarah Lee warm. Finding a laundry room in the cabin's basement, they would turn on the cabin's generator; drying blankets and bed sheets they found in the closet.

As they settled in, Rachel was told that McKenzie Bridge wasn't too far off. When Sean and Daniel used to hide out here, Sean would often go there for supplies.

When Sean made those trips, it usually took about two hours, and left Daniel by himself, but these days Daniel was sure he could handle himself if it came to that.

"I mean when those...things showed up at Chris' house I nearly took them all out myself." Daniel says confidently "Besides, you say these aren't the type who can handle daylight right ? So if you get back before sundown, we're in the clear."

With Rachel's first trip to the McKenzie bridge, she prioritized picking up warm clothes, non disposable food, and cold medicine she could snatch and grab.

When she reached there, it would seem some of the vampires reached that town as well, but didn't do nearly as much damage as they did Beaver Creek. It was easy to cover up her thefts as the work of looters or stragglers.

Someone catches her ? "Hypnotic Vampire Eyes" was her solution.

-----

While she was out, the kids found a radio in one of the bedrooms. So Rachel had to make another quick trip the next day to steal some batteries.

As they sat around the table, the news wasn't pretty.

"With the death toll currently at 150, many of these attackers are still unaccounted for. State and federal officers have taken to closing off the area. Not allowing anyone in or out. Many survivors are being taken to an undisclosed quarantine zone. While unsourced, there are concerns that a viral-"

"They locked down the town ?" Chris would ask.

"Seems like it." Rachel nods.

"But they'll be looking for us, right ?" Sarah Lee asks.

"They will, but they won't be the only ones." Rachel says grimly.

She knows she has to choose her words carefully when talking to these kids.

"These vampires, the skals. They all haven't been found yet. They are efficient survivors, hunters and killers depending on the environment. So long as they have a place to hide and ambush, like an abandoned building-"

"Or the woods." Chris says in realization, his voice shaky.

Rachel picks on that Chris was on the verge of something.

"Hey," Rachel says, putting a hand on the blonde boy's shoulder "It ain't gonna come to that. Even if they are out there, they're gonna be coming for me."

Having told these kids about the Red Queen - as much as she had to censor herself - she figured she'd be open about what her connection to her entails.

"She speaks to me sometimes." Rachel says, tapping the side of her head "In her. She says wherever I go, they follow."

"So you'd draw them here ?" Chris says, his voice on the verge of panic. Sarah Lee looks at Rachel questioningly, in agreement with Chris.

"No...because I'm on night watch duty." Rachel says, with a protective glance at the three "While you're in here, I'll be out there. I'm the one they want, and the one they'll come for."

Rachel darts her eyes to the axe, which Chris brought with them and put in the doorway.

"If they come to me, I'll deal with them." Rachel says "It won't be pretty, but-"

"But they're not after you." Sarah Lee says, interrupting Rachel "When they showed up, they were looking for Daniel."

Rachel looks at Daniel, silently asking him something.

"I don't- I don't know if it's about my powers." Daniel says "But they said I made a friend of theirs mad."

Daniel sighs grimly, looking back and forth between Rachel and Sarah Lee.

"And I think I know who it is."

"Would you mind letting me know ?" Rachel asks.

"I didn't tell you everything me and my brother went through." Daniel says "But since you told us your story..."

And so Daniel went over the police shooting of his and Sean's father; how they went on the road; got attacked at a gas station; spent time in Beaver Creek, and having to work for a drug dealer. But one turn of events stood out.

"You said these vampires are in a cult, right ?" Daniel asks.

Rachel nods.

"Well, after that accident at Merrill's, Sarah's brother Jacob took us to their community in Nevada." Daniel explains, noting that Sarah Lee was looking a little uncomfortable "They were a cult too."

"They almost let me die." Sarah Lee says under her breath.

"After the border." Daniel continues "We thought we escaped them for good, but last year their reverend mother sent two of her goons after me."

Daniel jabs a thumb at Sarah Lee.

"Her brother recognized them immediately." Daniel says "Now there's an investigation on the cult."

"I think they're after me and my brother too." Sarah Lee says "I kept getting messages from someone saying they were coming from me. At first they started in Nevada, but they worked their way here."

Sarah Lee rubs her arm uncomfortably, hesitating before she says.

"The last one was just before they attacked." She finishes.

Rachel inhales and takes this all in.

"I see." Rachel says "Did you get a name ?"

"He said his name is Mr. Bean." Sarah Lee says "I don't know if it's an internet name or if it means something-"

Sarah Lee stops when she notices Rachel's face has a look of familiarity. With the three kids looking at her expectantly, Rachel sighs and concedes.

Of course she's gonna leave the grisly details out.

"Are you familiar with the Sawney Bean ?"

Their silence and unfamiliar expressions answered for them.

"Old story from Scotland and Britain." Rachel answers "Story goes this man named Alexander didn't want to live an honest, hardworking life, and settled down with this madwoman, with whom they had numerous children and grandchildren. As you can probably guess, they were monsters."

"How so ?" Chris hesitates to ask, as he could probably guess the answer.

"You know The Hills Have Eyes or Texas Chainsaw Massacre ?" Rachel asks, earning a nod from Chris and Daniel, though Sarah Lee looked unfamiliar "Supposedly, they were partially based off of Sawney Bean and his family. Now, most Historians would tell you that Sawney Bean and his clan were myths. At best, they were exaggerations."

"But that's not the case ?" Daniel says.

"Well, according to my vampire history, not only were they true, with only small embellishments, but they were not cannibals. They were vampires; who could only create skals." Rachel says, pausing to let them take this information in "Many were supposedly put to death, but some are said to survive, and become part of the Red Queen's followers. Alexander's mistress was the Queen's champion at the time."

Daniel pinches the bridge of his nose as he takes this in.

"So what you're saying is that vampire who was after us, was this Sawney Bean guy ?" Daniel asks, his tone was a mixture of disbelief and acceptance.

"If not, one of his descendants." Rachel says, before looking at the three children with a protective determination "But they will not get to you. You know why ?"

The kids don't answer, which Rachel takes as her cue to speak.

"Cuz I'll get to them first."

The other three share an uncertain glance before Chris asks "What if the search parties find us ?"

Rachel shrugs with a confident smile.

"Then we drop the plan. But it's the only one we got."

-----

Out of the next few days, Daniel and Sarah Lee did the most talking to Rachel. Particularly about Daniel's time on the run; or Sarah and how she and Jacob adjust to life after Haven Point.

On lighter conversations, Daniel would talk about his past in Seattle, his brother Sean. Sarah Lee would talk about attempts at starting a reaction channel, or her Azula cosplay skits.

Chris often avoided Rachel when he could help it, but would be caught staring at her.

Rachel didn't feel like talking about it to Chris directly, but Daniel told her about how Chris' mother was killed in an accident; and when Daniel saw pictures of Emily Eriksen, she looked like she could be an older sister to Rachel.

Rachel could understand where the boy was coming from, and while she suspected there was more to it, she decided not to disturb his comfort zone, would give him his space.

Unknown to them, Chris has seen Rachel's picture before. Multiple times in fact. Just somewhere else.

Over these days, the four had to work on a plan to get to the vacation house. It was decided they'd have to get a vehicle somehow. And while Rachel could easily steal a car, she felt there were a few ways that could backfire.

Three days into their stay, Rachel made another supply run to last them another few days.

Every day into their stay, they would listen to the radio for more news. Rachel's prediction was correct; police, feds, or even volunteers were among those who'd go missing. And those that have been found, were freshly dead.

Over the past week, the body count reached 208.

When bodies were being identified, Chris or Sarah Lee would turn off the radio, hoping they wouldn't hear "Charles Eriksen" or "Jacob Hackerman" among the bodies.

It was starting to rain those days, leaving the roads icy and slippery, but otherwise clear. Snow was disappearing bit by bit. They had climate change to thank or blame for that.

By night, things were different.

The kids had their own rooms to sleep in (if they could sleep at all). For their protection, they had to lock the doors from the inside.

Rachel, true to her word, would be out of the woods, going around the block like some night patrolman. Every so often, Rachel would sense skals on the move, and have to put them down.

Over the next few days, Rachel would have killed fourteen skals with her axe, and hide their bodies in these bushes far off from the property. Every now and then, she'd feel a presence behind her.

Rachel would turn around, expecting to see the Red Queen staring her down. Even when Rachel couldn't see something, or hear the Queen's voice, she could just imagine her smirking and laughing in amusement.

When she'd come back the next morning, she would try to clean up and hope the kids didn't hear the fighting/killing or smell the blood from her.

On the fifth night, Rachel went a little farther east. About half an hour from the property, Rachel spotted an RV and what remained of a campsite. At first glance it would seem like there was an animal attack, but Rachel knew better. The skals were here.

In fact, they were still there. When Rachel investigated the RV, she saw six of them squatting within. Rachel would introduce them to her axe, and would relight the bonfire to try to burn away the bodies.

As Rachel looked over the RV, she couldn't find the keys, but she did find two other bodies. They were a couple out on some RV trip in late winter. They were probably out here the night of the attack. Or even search and rescue volunteers.

Rather than burn them, Rachel placed their bodies in sleeping bags, setting them just outside the campsite. Finding the couple's respective wallets, she put their ID cards in their hands. That way, if/when they're found, they could at least be identified.

That's when Rachel got another idea; she'd try to use the couples phones, call the police or emergency. But the skals them before she did, and dashed the phones to pieces.

So, Rachel was back to looking over the RV. She knew enough to hotwire, but she wasn't sure if their gas tank was full. She knew they had extra gas jugs; she used one of them to light the corpses. But the other one was nearly empty.

After weighing her options, Rachel decided the RV was the best course.

-----

As dawn broke on March 26th, Rachel made her way back to the cabin with the news and the plan. She sat the kids down for breakfast to go over it.

"If I can get it working, we should be at your vacation house this afternoon." Rachel says in conclusion.

"Why didn't you just bring it to us now ?" Daniel asks.

"I still have to clear the camp site." Rachel says "It's not a pretty scene, trust me."

"I don't know..." Sarah Lee chimes in "It feels like we're grave robbing."

Rachel sighs, getting up from the table.

"Look, I get it. You're scared and this is new to most of you. But surviving something like this isn't easy. Sometimes I have to get my hands dirty, or bloody. Or both. But we have to do what we have to do."

With Chris and Sarah Lee still looking uncertain, the latter speaks up.

"It just feels so wrong." She says.

"I know." Rachel says, scratching the back of her neck "A lot of this is wrong. You shouldn't be in this situation and it's my fault, but I'm just tryi-"

"No." Daniel says, interrupting Rachel but looking away from her "They're after me too. That's not your fault, Rachel. In fact, I don't think we would have lasted this long without you."

Rachel nods at this with an accepting smile.

"Are there any objections ?" Rachel asks.

With no answer from the kids, Rachel takes that as her answer.

"Good to know." Rachel says "I'll see if I can get it started around lunch. In the meantime, we best gather our things."

-----

They spent the next couple of hours gathering their clothes, food and supplies.

Sarah Lee, having just gotten over her cold, was still a little winded. So once packing was finished, she decided to take a breather in her bedroom.

With nothing else to do, Rachel left the property, ready to get to work on the vehicle.

When they were sure Rachel was gone, Chris would take Daniel aside to the living room and talk to him.

"So...I don't know if my vacation house will open, we might have to go to my neighbors."

"So ? Is that a problem ?" Daniel asks "You don't think he'll be home ?"

"Oh no, he stays all year round. But..." Chris hesitates "I'm not sure if Rachel would stay with us."

"Why ? She's trying to help." Daniel answers.

"I know. I know." Chris says "But if they're still following her, she might put them in danger, you know ?"

"Chris, they're after me too." Daniel says "I think as long as I'm around, they'll be put in d-"

They heard a creaking in the back of the house.

Figuring it was Sarah Lee stepping out of bed, or the house settling in, before they resume their conversation.

"Look, Daniel. There's something about Rachel I need to tell you." Chris says.

"What's there to talk about ? She told us pretty much everything."

"Yeah, but Dan-"

"AHHHH!!!"

Sarah Lee's scream ripped through the house.

Whatever Chris was about to tell Daniel was lost forever, as the two boys rushed to her room.

-----

After a half hour of hot wiring and making sure the gas was full, Rachel pays a final nod to the couple in the sleeping bags, as she gets the engine started.

"I'm sorry it had to come to this. We'll put it to good use, I promise." Rachel would say, as she puts the gears into drive.

She reached the cabin in four minutes, but what she saw made her put the RV in a screeching halt. One of the windows was broken, and she could see footprints on the roof where there was still snow.

Turning the RV off, Rachel got out and made a mad dash to the door, kicking it open/down.

"Daniel ?" Rachel looks around as she enters the cabin "Chris ?"

Rachel heard an unsettled whine; Sarah Lee's voice, and made a dash towards her bedroom.

Inside, Chris and Daniel stood confrontationally, facing an attacker; one they recognized as the "Mr. Bean" from the night of the attack. Same haggard and aged appearance, same biker attire, and same messy reddish grey hair.

Bean sat upon the bed of Sarah Lee, with the girl sitting on his lap, held in an unwilling embrace. Sarah Lee didn't bother hiding her fear or the forming tears. Bean made no effort to hide his fangs as he grinned at the two boys.

"Come now, I think you're upsetting her." Bean says.

At this point, Rachel steps into the bedroom between Chris and Daniel.

"And there she is! We've been looking everywhere for you! Well, you and the Jedi kid." Bean nudges his head towards Daniel "Is this the part where you threaten me to let her go ? Cuz let me tell ya, these two have been at it for ten minutes now, and it has done them no good."

"Then I supposed we could just get to killing you." Rachel says, clenching her fists and gritting her teeth.

"You could try." Bean tilts his head from side to side "But you don't want to risk this one's life. Why, I don't know. Dead weight, this one is."

As he says this, he pets Sarah Lee's hair, causing Sarah Lee to flinch away.

"I can see why her people wanted her dead." Bean says "I should probably just kill her here and now, and do the world a favor."

As Bean says this, he clutches Sarah Lee's neck; fingers around her jugular, ready to pinch. He does this long enough to see Daniel grit his teeth and Chris nearly lunge.

"But what's the fun in that ?" Bean says "Clearly, she's important to you, so I ask you this Diaz; would you be a dear and come with us ? Our friends have plans for you..."

Bean bounces Sarah a little on his knee.

"For her sake, if anything ?"

Daniel shakes a little, and Rachel notices. Deciding to step up, Rachel takes a step forward.

"Take another step forward, and I'll make a mess of the bed and the floor." Bean growls, standing up from the bed, Sarah Lee still in her grasp.

Daniel looks at Rachel pleadingly, before Rachel sighs in defeat and takes two steps back.

"Now see ? You see how much better the easy way is ?" Bean says cheerfully "Much better than crawling back on broken legs!"

"Put her down. Don't kill her. Let her walk forward." Daniel says quietly "And I'll do what you say."

Bean looks at Daniel skeptically.

"You hurt her ? I'll make you beg for death. You'll be the one going to Haven Point on broken legs." Daniel continues, with a tone of warning in his voice.

"I have no doubt you will." Bean says, before looking at Rachel "And I have no doubt you'd try your luck. Though that many of my soldiers dying in such a closed area ? In the span of a week ? You might as well shoot off a flare!"

"Think about it..." Daniel warns "You saw what I did to your boys. You know what happens if you hurt her..."

Bean pauses for a moment, and releases Sarah Lee, who immediately runs to Chris and Rachel, both of whom give her a reassuring hug.

"Yes, yes, you were smart enough to do the right thing. But I'm here for two!" Bean rolls his eyes, before pointing at Rachel "Our Queen wants her weapon."

"And she'll get it." Rachel says, nudging her head at Chris and Sarah Lee to get out of the room.

As Chris and Sarah Lee make a run for it, Daniel turns back to Bean.

"You know ? I'm also smarter than to make a deal with the devil."

And with a flick of his wrist, Daniel sends Bean colliding into the wall behind him, just missing the window. With the grip Daniel is holding, Bean growls as he's unable to move his arms and legs.

Rachel makes her move, lunging onto the restrained attacker, and biting down on his shoulder, causing Bean to scream out in pain. To silence him, Rachel grabs his neck in an iron grip, with enough force to nearly crush his larynx.

With her other hand, Rachel smacks Bean back and forth across the face, managing to knock out a few teeth, and break his nose.

As Rachel steps away, Daniel lifts Bean to the roof, before slamming him back down to the floor. Up and down, back and forth, Daniel tossed Bean around the room, denting the walls, floor and roof.

The impact even breaks the window into several pieces.

After thirty seconds of this Daniel slams Bean onto the floor, getting a little dizzy from over exerting himself.

Snarling furiously, Bean looks up at Daniel with bloody gritted teeth.

"You fucking tweak!" Bean snarls "Hard way it is!"

Bean lunges at Daniel, tackling him to the ground and pulling his arm up. Daniel cries out in pain as he feels his shoulder pop.

While Bean is distracted, Rachel jumps onto his back; in her hand was a broken but sizable piece of glass. Stabbing into Bean's eye, Rachel slashes across them, causing him to stumble backwards.

As he does so, Rachel relentlessly cuts and stabs Bean, gradually but quickly backing him towards the window.

Picking up another sizable big enough of glass, Rachel stabs one into Bean's neck. When he opens his mouth to scream, Rachel uses the other one to stab him in the cheek.

As Bean is still distracted, Rachel grabs hold of his nose and chin; forcing his mouth closed onto the glass, it breaks into Bean's mouth. With another punch to the throat, Rachel's pretty sure she made Bean swallow those pieces.

Bean continues to stagger back, before Rachel kicks him in the stomach, towards the window. Bean immediately falls out, and when he hits the ground, Rachel jumps out after him.

As Bean rolls over onto his back, Rachel stomps him once on the head, and again on the neck. A loud snap/crunch is heard, as Bean's head goes limp.

Rachel takes a few breaths, getting her bearings, when she hears Daniel groaning.

Climbing back in through the window, Rachel makes her way to Daniel, who is clutching his shoulder, his eyes welling up.

"Daniel ?" Rachel says, crouching down to look at him "Is it bad ? Let me see it."

As Rachel reaches for his arm, Daniel flinches away.

"I'm fine." Daniel lies through gritted teeth.

"You're not. You need to go to a hospital. Fast." Rachel says.

"No!" Daniel says, looking up at Rachel with pleading eyes "If they're still after me...I don't want to put anyone else in danger."

"Can I at least look ?" Rachel asks.

Daniel cringes a little, and nods.

Gently, Rachel pulls Daniel's shirt down over his shoulder. There's a red bruise on it, and it's certainly limp.

Rachel weighed her options. She's not a doctor, but she's pretty sure a makeshift sling wouldn't do this injury any good. She was told of a technique that could help, but it always looks like it hurts.

She certainly doesn't want to do this to a young boy, but with her options weighing thin, Rachel sighs.

"Daniel ? This is gonna hurt."

Daniel looks at Rachel, realizing what she's talking about. Taking a deep breath, he nods.

"Just make it quick."

Hesitantly, Rachel reaches forward, takes Daniel by the arm with one hand, and his shoulder with the other.

As Chris and Sarah Lee await in the living room with worry, Daniel's cry in pain causes them to run back to the room.

There, they see Daniel rubbing his shoulder, tears running down his face while Rachel gives him a reassuring hug.

"What happened ?" Chris asks, as he and Sarah Lee crouch down to Daniel.

"That guy broke my arm..." Daniel winces "Rachel snapped it back together."

"I still say we see a doctor, when we can." Rachel says insistently "And I'm not arguing about that."

Daniel flinches a little as Chris helps him up.

"Where'd he go ?" Sarah Lee asks.

"He's out cold." Rachel says.

"We better get out of her before he gets up." Chris suggests.

"I have a better idea." Rachel says.

-----

Half an hour later, Bean would try to open his damaged and bleeding eyes only to be greeted with a stinging pain in his hands, wrist and shoulders.

Before Bean would regain consciousness, Rachel had Chris and Sarah Lee wait in the RV. She and Daniel took Bean out back to this tree just off the property.

There was a pile of discarded boards out back, many still had nails in them, and took out the larger ones, keeping them in a bundle beside her. As Daniel uses his good harm to hold Bean in place, Rachel got a hammer and was about to go to work.

"You sure you want to see-?" Rachel starts to ask.

"I've seen worse. Do it." Daniel says, pretty stoically.

By the time Bean came too, two nails held his hands and three held his wrists to around the base of a tree. Two others were in his shoulders. As he began to register what was going on, Bean felt another nail being hammered into his kneecap.

"Christ A-Fucking-Live!!" Bean cries out.

"Shush." Rachel says, readying another nail for his other knee "I'm trying to concentrate."

Rachel swings her hammer down again, trying to ignore Bean's painful howl.

"You vindictive fucks!!" Bean snarls, looking around to find whoever's listening "Do you know who I am ?"

"Doesn't matter." Rachel says "What matters is what you are now."

For added measure, Rachel swings the hammer twice into both his knees.

"You seem like a scary guy. That's good. I need a scarecrow." Rachel says, glaring up at her crucified victim "If dead skals aren't gonna cut it, then you're gonna be my message board."

Despite his pain, Bean laughs deliriously.

"You really think this'll stop anything ?" Bean asks, spitting out blood "You already have a target on your back, all you did is fire off a bigger flare!"

Bean sniffs the air, catching Daniel's scent.

"And you Diaz ? When the boss makes a promise, he keeps it." Bean sneers "So long as the Reverend Mother wants you, my boss will do what he can to take you, and your useless brother."

"What did you say about my brother ?" Daniel asks, his resolve faltering.

Bean chuckles.

"My boss thought your brother made an easy target; decided to pay him a personal visit, he did." Bean grins "And he killed hundreds just to send a message."

"What ?"

"A message that Fischer insisted on. Me ? I'm just here for the opportunity." Bean says, before he continues laughing deliriously.

Annoyed, Rachel taps her hammer into Bean's shoulders, causing him to wince.

"Well now, you'll be the message." Rachel says "When Mordred comes looking for you, you can tell him I'm up for round three."

"And I'm sure he's looking forward to it." Bean tries to grin, despite the obvious pain he was in. He turns his head to Daniel's direction "As for you ? You have her protecting you for now, Diaz. But who's watching out for your brother ?"

Daniel shakes a little, a mixture of fear and anger courses through him, before he finds his resolve.

"Then your boss won't have it easier than you." Daniel replies in a plain and simple tone.

"And what about you, Miss Amber ?" Bean turns his head to Rachel "The Queen follows you wherever you go, but you're not the only one she's tied to. She has on eye on you, and another on you son-"

Bean shuts up, realizing he said too much, but it gets Rachel's notice.

Did he say "son" ?

No. It can't be. If Rachel had a son, she would be the first to know, right ?

But to make sure she heard right, Rachel steps forward.

"What did you say ?" Rachel steps forward narrowing her eyes, holding underneath his chin "What did you say ?"

Bean simply keeps his lips sealed with a smug little smirk.

Rolling her eyes in aggravation, Rachel takes the last of the nails, and presses the sharp end into Bean's neck.

"Fine. Be that way."

With that, Rachel strikes the hammer.

-----

Moments later, Rachel and Daniel made their way to the RV, before Rachel had to make a quick change of clothes.

They hope Chris and Sarah Lee didn't hear the noise Bean made, but the expressions on their faces indicated they did, and would rather not talk about it.

As Rachel and Daniel make it to the RV, Rachel settles in the driver's seat and turns the engine on.

No one wanted to break the silence, no one spoke. They just wanted to get out of here. Though they had the radio on to pick up on the news.

And so with that, Rachel pulls out of where the driveway would have been, driving down the forested dirt road.

By the time they reach the highway, Rachel looks towards Chris for his vacation house's directions.

"So...where do we go from here ?"

Chapter 16: After the Storm (Route A)

Summary:

Okay, long, LONG, time coming, but I've been sitting on this one for over a year, but we're finally getting a full Pricefield chapter, after spending sixteen chapters mostly in the background.

We are also gonna be following up a segment I wrote in chapter 3 (all the way back from 2020). I've been meaning to do this one last year, but I had other arcs to wrap up - Rachel’s LA storyline.

Now this is a Route A chapter ("Sacrifice Arcadia Bay"), and will cover the immediate aftermath of the Bae ending - at least this fics version of that ending, and the FBC's investigation.

It was gonna be longer and would focus on Max and Chloe's years together before the present day, but I didn't want to bloat the chapter.

So what I'm saying is I'm pretty excited to get this one out there.

Chapter Text

Seattle, April 4th, 2020

It took some doing, but Max and Chloe were able to get an appointment with Dr. Anthony Collins, a child and family therapist that Max and Chloe have been seeing since 2017, when Max was pregnant with Bill.

An associate of Dr. Thomas Wilson, would help counsel many of Blackwell's students after what happened in Arcadia Bay, Collins was responsible for counseling numerous of Arcadia Bay's children, helping them with the trauma following the storm.

Collins came recommended by Max and Chloe were considering starting a family, helping them through their unresolved grief for those they lost, but also Chloe's anxieties about parenthood, and Max's insecurities about taking such a drastic step.

After Bill Price Caulfield was born, Max and Chloe would pay the Doctor a visit twice a year to discuss their progress.

In said off, Dr. Collins himself, a portly fifty five year old black man with a receding hairline and a short cut afro, was finishing an email, when the buzzer rings. He wore a red and blue sweater vest, dark grey slacks and dark loafers.

"Dr. Collins, your 2:30 is here." His secretary's voice echoes through a speaker on his desk.

Dr. Collins presses the speaker to answer "Thanks Maggie, just send them in."

When the door unlocked, in steps Max Caulfield, and Chloe Price, the latter carrying their two year old, who was still playing with a half amused Chloe's hair. Over Max's shoulder, was a purse.

"Mrs-" Collins starts to greet before Max interrupts.

"It's still Miss...unfortunately." Max gives a meek smile "We're waiting until I'm done school."

"Besides, I think we're on a first name basis, by now." Chole says, playfully tugging her hair out of her son's little hands.

"Of course, Chloe." Collins nods, before stepping forward to address the toddler "Hello there, Bill, I don't think you remember me."

Bill squints his eyes, tilting his head skeptically at the Doctor before saying.

"Neil Grass Titan ?" The toddler asks innocently.

This earns a laugh from the boy's mothers' and a chuckle from the doctor. Bill just looked around like he didn't get it.

"Bill, this is Doctor Collins," Chloe introduces "We've seen him before Halloween, remember ?"

Bill pauses before shaking his head.

"Oh, that's quite alright." Collins chuckles "You can't expect a little one to remember that far back; their brains are still growing after all. Please have a seat."

Collins' gestures to them to take seats at two chairs before his desk. As they do so, Collins closes the door behind them.

"Look, we're sorry to bother you so late into your day-" Max starts as she takes her seat.

"Oh, that's quite alright." Collins gives a dismissive wave, as he goes back to his desk and takes his seat "No one to blame but my schedules."

And with that, Collins leans back in his seat, clasping his fingers together.

"Now, it's my understanding, Bill has been having troubling nightmares." Collins' starts "And that he's even made some drawings of them."

Max nods, taking the purse off her shoulder, opening it to take out about a dozen pieces of paper that Victoria and Kate gave her about a week or so before.

Bill recognized them immediately.

"My drawings!" Bill aggressively tries reaching for them, but is still being held by Chloe, who pulls her son closer to her chest.

"Bill-" Chloe says, trying to calm her son, holding him close, but the boy kept squirming.

"No! No! My drawings!" Bill screams, still kicking and wiggling around in a mildly frustrated Chloe's arms.

"Hey! Hey!!" Chloe says, raising her voice a little, and forcibly sitting Billy on her lap.

Making her son face her, Chloe leans in a little. Looking at Bill's eyes, Chloe takes a breath to cool herself.

"Now Bill," Chloe starts "Dr. Collins just wants to see your drawings."

"That's right," Max chimes in "It might help with your bad dreams."

Looking upset and embarrassed Bill hangs his head and closes his eyes. As Chloe tries reassuringly kissing him on the head, Dr. Collins decides to speak.

"Your mama called me the other day, Bill." Collins says with a smile "Told me your aunts got you to draw what you dream. But if you're not ready to talk about them, I'd like to see them."

Bill looks up, back and forth between his mothers. Both have encouraging smiles.

"Go on." Max mouths "It's okay."

With a nod, Bill lets out a mumbling "Kaaay."

-----

The following session went on for forty minutes.

While Bill's drawings - the work of a two year old - were not anything spectacular art wise ("They'd pass for a kindergartener!" Max would jokingly defend her son) they were vivid images that with the right context, Collins could piece together.

To make Bill more at ease, Collins would play along with Bill's assumptions that they were dreams.

One was of Mommy Chloe and Auntie Victoria - the latter who was drugged before a play that Chloe and "Miss Rachel" would be a part of.

The next drawing was of two women dressed crows on a stage; one looked like she was proposing to another. As Chloe would soon clarify, it was a play she and Rachel were in.

In both these pictures, a woman dressed in red was in the background; surrounding her was a red silhouette, resembling a crudely drawn bird. "Morgana" as Bill would introduce her.

Nothing was inherently off with those two, but the next few gave Collins a pause.

One was of Rachel in the dark room; Rachel's body being found, with a crying Chloe over it, while Max holds her; pictures of a funeral; Arcadia Bay being wiped out by a storm.

Pictures of Rachel waking up in a crudely drawn morgue (hereafter drawn with fangs), walking through the woods; living in the city; in a hospital; on a road with three unidentified kids while a town arounds them burns.

So as not to unsettle or upset Bill, Collins would play it cool, though he gave Max and Chloe an unreadable look.

Collins would sit Bill down, and while making small talk, would ask what stories he's been told; what he hears his mommies talking about.

Neither Max nor Chloe liked the feeling, almost like they were lowkey being accused; but they sat aside, grin and bear it. So long as Bill gives the answers needed.

All the while, Bill seemed genuinely ignorant, but would give Collins an answer when he'd ask "How do you know who Rachel is ?"
Bill would point to his mothers "I saw her!"

This time, Chloe chimes in to answer.

"We caught Bill in our room, looking through old photo albums." Chloe says.

"He saw pictures of Rachel and..." Max shrugs, "We told him about her."

"I see." Collins says.

"Mama says she's an angel!" Bill says happily.

"Is that so ?" Collins says, humoring the boy "Well, I guess you're a lucky one Bill. Having an angel looking out for-"

"I see them when I sleep!" Bill says enthusiastically "And she's coming here!"

Collins grins, unsure of how to respond to that.

"Well, kiddo-" Collins tries to start. Again, he was humoring the boy, and again he was interrupted.

"It's devils too!" Bill says "Like Morgana!"

With that Bill taps his finger on the drawings that featured "Morgana".

"She's coming too! She's been following my mommies too and aunties." Bill says "But Rachel will help us! Aunt Katie says angels scare devils off!"

"Aunt Katie." Collins grins hesitantly "Is that so ?"

"Aunt Katie talked about angels at Christmas."

"I see." Collins says with a calm and collected smile.

There is a pause for a moment, as Collins thinks things over.

"Well Bill, I'm really glad we were able to talk today." Collins says in a reassuring tone "But now I'd like to talk to your parents. Is that okay ?"

Billy shrugs "I guess so."

Chloe looks at Max, who nods in affirmation. It would be her turn first.

"C'mon kiddo." Chloe picks Bill up "We can guess the songs on the radio, and pizza for dinner. How's that sound ?"

"Pizza Hut ?" Bill asks as Chloe carries him towards the door.

"Have a little faith Bill," Chloe says with playful sarcasm and faux offence, as she steps out of the office "Am I not master of our kitchen ?"

-----

Eight minutes later, Max would reach the car with Chloe and Bill. And with Max's turn over, it was now Chloe's.

Chloe would return to the office, while Max took her spot watching Bill. As she sat in her chair before Collins' desk, she would be asked all the same questions as Max was.

"Your past substance problem ? It's not-?" Collins would stop.

"No. No." Chloe says defensively, as she shakes her head "I must have smoked it once or twice after Max became pregnant, but I stopped with the grass all together, doc! I mean I sometimes have to take prescription pills to sleep, but it's not the-"

"I wasn't accusing you of anything, Chloe." Collins would raise both hands defensively.

"Not accusing me." Chloe says under her breath, before speaking out loud, getting up from her chair "No, I get it. Ex-stoner mom. Has a bad and sad past. You probably think I still drink with-"

"I'm just trying to narrow things down." Collins would say gently "Young children, especially at Bill's age, have no way of conjuring these things in their imaginations.."

Chloe sighs, hanging her head, before sitting back in her seat.

"I get it." Chloe says quietly "I just...I'm trying to be..."

Chloe pauses to think.

"...not who I was in Arcadia Bay." Chloe settles with "It's like I told you and Wilson; parts of me died with my dad; died with Rachel. So when I- when we lost almost everything in Arcadia Bay - a big piece of all of us died."

Chloe sighs again, covering her face with her hands, shaking her head.

"I'm just trying to put all of that behind me." Chloe mutters before looking back up, with watery eyes "But it's like something has nailed my feet to the floor; keeping me from moving forward."

Sitting back up, Chloe takes another breath.

"I don't want to go back to that dark place, doc." Chloe sighs, before wiping her eyes "But it's like everything is rooting against me."

Collins nods, with an understanding expression.

"Sounds to me you're in the shoes of Atlas; this great weight on both your shoulders and Max's." Collins clasps his hands together "But it's such a weight neither can carry at once. Let alone separately."

"Oh, you have no idea, doc." Chloe says with a shaky smile.

Of course, neither Max nor Chloe told Collins about Max's former powers; nor the full extent of their experiences towards Arcadia Bay's destruction. Max had to pass off her memories of the Dark Room as a recurring nightmare (which it was, but still).

"Do you think it's possible, consciously or no, you could have let Bill learn a little more about your past in Arcadia Bay ?" Collins asks "The pot pills your taking, while not as strong, can still influence you. How often do you let Bill sleep in you and Max's bed ?"

Chloe shrugs.

"All the time, especially since his nightmares started."

"And did you take those pills during those nights ?" Collins asks.

Chloe nods, knowing better than to lie.

"They help with migraines. For me they come with drastic changes in the weather."

"And do you think it's possible you could have whispered something to a sleeping Bill, while you're also deep asleep ?"

Chloe pauses to think for a moment. Scratching the back of her beck, she nods again.

"It's possible, but I don't think-"

Again, Collins interrupts, raising a reassuring hand towards her.

"Again, you did nothing wrong out of malice, Chloe. Whatever you may have muttered in your sleep, ultimately comes from the subconscious." Collins says "This is a simple mistake, but one with a simple solution."

"I'm all ears." Chloe says.

"Well, besides scheduling further sessions in the immediate future." Collins starts "As I did with Max, I would suggest weaning your son from sleeping in your bed."

"But what if he has-?"

"Nightmares are ultimately just that, Miss Price." Collins answers "Especially in young children, whatever harm they cause is minimal, more often than not. By fostering an environment of courage, we can encourage Bill in facing them head on."

Chloe rolls her eyes, unsure if she can buy this.

"He's two." Chloe says "He's a two year old having dreams none should have. Of course, he's gonna go to his parents. What kind of mothers would we be to ignore him ?"

"I'm not saying quit cold turkey," Collins clarifies "Just eaaase him into it. It'll take time and practice, but as you chisel away the walls ? Whatever nightmares he has, he will wake up momentarily, and go back to sleep almost immediately."

"I...I guess..." Chloe mumbles, once again rubbing the back of her neck "I'm still not sure though."

"And regarding your prescriptions," Collins adds "If your migraines are that much of a problem, might I recommend Aleve ?"

"I tried that. Aleve was never as effective." Chloe says, sitting back up "But, but I can give it another shot."

Chloe looks to the clock, as does Collins, both deciding her time is up.

"I...I guess I shouldn't keep them waiting." Chloe says, getting up from her seat "I'll see you around, doc."

"I check when my schedule is clear." Collins says, getting up from his seat, taking Chloe's hand to shake "But in the meantime, I suggest reaching out to Miss Marsh."

"W-why ?" Chloe asks, narrowing her eyes.

"You say she and Miss Chase kept an eye on him for about a week ? And that it was Marsh who told him about angels, as well as devils ?"

Chloe shakes her head with a dismissive chuckle.

"You're- you're not saying."

"I'm not accusing Miss Marsh of anything." Collins says, once again raising both his hands reassuringly "No more than you, Miss Price. I'm just suggesting we narrow down any and all possible factors."

Chloe tilts her head with a skeptical expression, but allows Collins to continue.

"Heaven and Hell are concepts no two year old should be thinking about, to the point angels and devils are his first answer to these kinds of dreams."

Chloe nods in agreement, not feeling argumentative.

"Max and I'll run it by her." Chloe says, before making her way to the doorway "Until then, doc."

"Oh, and Miss Price." Collins says before Chloe makes her exit "Have a good evening."

"Oh, I'll try."

-----

Moments later, Chloe reaches her and Max's car. Max was in the driver's seat, and Bill was in the booster seat in the back.

As Chloe gets into the passenger, the radio was on and Max and Bill were singing along to the music playing.

"Taaaake on me!" Max sings.

"Take on me!" Bill sings back, albeit off key, kicking his feet excitedly.

"Take me on!"

"Take on me!"

"I-I-I-I'll Beeeee Gooooone-" Chloe joins the song as she fastens in a seat belt.

"In a day or twoooooo!" Max and Chloe sing at the same time.

"Take on me!" Billy keeps nodding his head, still off key.

As they pull out of the parking lot, both Max and Chloe put on a brave face for their son. However, they would exchange glances, silently telling them both the same thing.

This was no coincidence. The fact this was happening in the wake of what happened in Beaver Creek ? It brought back memories.

Sure, you could say that Bill might have picked up some of the story, with it being all over the news, but a little kid isn't gonna observe that. Especially a two year old, who wouldn't be paying attention.

Hell, neither Max nor Chloe knew what 9/11 was until 2007, and both sheltered Bill a lot harder than their parents sheltered them as children. Bottom line, there was no reasonable way for all this to match up like it did.

And if there's one thing Max and Chloe could be sure of, it was there are things that exist outside of mundane explanations; things they couldn't tell Dr. Collins, or anyone who wanted to take them seriously. And most certainly, even if they "slept talked" to Bill in their bed, there's no way in hell his dreams would be that vivid
.
All this did was bring them back. Back to Arcadia Bay, and the investigation by the FBC.

And so, while the song on the radio switched from Aha's "Take On Me" to Luba's "How Many (Rivers to Cross)", with both mothers singing along with their son...their ride was not just heading home.

It was heading down memory lane.

-----

Arcadia County, October 12th, 2013

The Bay Regional Hospital seemed to be as good a place as any to stop and stay first.

A seven minute drive out of town, and it was easy to see how far the storm reached. The place was untouched, save for two or three up rooted trees, a few downed power lines on the way here and there. Other than that, the hospital spick and span.

Of course throughout the day, ambulances were going in and out of town. Even a few police cars.

As for Max and Chloe ? These two stayed in their truck, watching from the parking lot, to who managed to make it out.

Chloe was silent as a rock, her facial expressions ranging from "Thousand Yard Stare" and utter melancholy. Max was more visually on edge, counting every person who was being taken in from Arcadia Bay.

By 9:00 AM, Max and Chloe had seen fourteen survivors being taken in. They recognized six of them.

"Are...you sure you're okay ?" Max asks timidly, as Chloe lays her head on the steering wheel. She was almost worried that Chloe fell asleep on her.

It startled Max a little when Chloe looked up with red, watering eyes and a pale expression.

"I- I need my-" Chloe starts but couldn't finish.

Chloe reaches to the side, opening the glove compartment, taking out a small bottle full of green little pills.

This place was a no smoking zone after all.

Max looks on as Chloe takes two pills, leans back in her seat and waits for the effect to kick in.

Chloe herself looks away as an especially bloodied body is taken out on an ambulance stretcher, and rushed to the emergency room.

The pills can't kick in fast enough.'

Anything to silence that feeling again; that annoying tingling feeling in the back of Chloe's head, nagging her like a voice. It was a bizarrely motherly tone of voice, telling her to take her medicine.

For some reason, Chloe imagined the voicing having an Irish cadence. And this time, it was especially scathing and spiteful.

"It's your fault, you know. Had you done them all a favor, and died, none of this had to happen. Why did all these good people
have to die ? Because you exist. People like you don't belong in this world. What happened to Rachel should have happened to you. Now, what oh what can you do, to make up for this ? You know, if you take all those pills at once, maybe that'll put you out of everyone's misery for good. Of course, I'd recommend razor blades. Sincerely yours-"

"Chloe ?" Max asks, placing a hand on Chloe's shoulder, her voice cutting that "annoying-feeling-voice" silent.

"I'm good." Chloe lies, "Just don't have my head in the right place is all."

"Chlo-"
"I'm not feeling too good, right now. I-"

"Do you need to be alone ?" Max asks.

Chloe shakes her head "I- I don't know. I think I need some air."

With that, the two step out of the truck, and make their way to the hospital doorway.

Within the foyer, it was pandemonium.

As Max and Chloe would later learn, the current death count was at 75, and the survivor count is at 42. They were still finding bodies and survivors at that point and time.

It was a Friday, with most kids and students at school at the time.  Most of the survivors found so far were Blackwell students. The younger children had their schools out of town, so the bigger concern was finding their parents or where these children would stay.

It was basic survival and common sense; when hurricanes hit city areas, a common survival tactic was to take shelter in higher ground, and to stay clear of windows. In the case of Blackwell Academy, a few dozen students took to waiting out the storm in the upper halls of the school or dorms.

Many were being treated for minor injuries or fatigue. Among the students Max (and a quiet Chloe) met up with, who were already included: Dana, Juliet, Taylor, Daniel, Logan, Justin, Zachary.

Despite word of Kate Marsh's parents coming to pick her up. Kate - being the little angel she is - refused leave so as she can help the traumatized and wounded. Her parents were there to support her, and to see the Marsh parents using their faith as a means to encourage helping people was a breath of fresh air.

Kate was the one Max and Chloe spent the most of the day with, although Chloe was mostly silent. At times it looked like her mind was a thousand miles away.

----

Just before noon, Max, Chloe and Kate settled into her room for a snack break. Chloe would sit by the window, looking over the area towards the town, seeing emergency vehicles moving in and out of the town.

That is when Max and Kate got to the Dark Room, Nathan, and Jefferson, which lead too...

"Did you get to the police ? Before the storm, I mean." Kate would ask, as she, Max and Chloe settled back into her room.

"Yeah," Max manages to say after hesitating for a second "Chloe and I reached David, and he got a few friends-"

"You think they made it ?" Chloe asks, sounding rather somber "David and the others I mean..."

"Chlo, that bunker is out of town. Probably beyond the storm, at least." Max says, walking up to Chloe and taking a hand in hers.

"But what about the restaurant ?" Chloe asks "What do you think happened-?"

And as if the cosmos themselves were answering, Chloe, Max and Kate notice something from the corner of their eyes. A body being carted passed the room.

And judging from the way Max, Chloe and Kate look in disbelief, it didn't look like they'd like the answer.

Warren Graham has seen better days.


-----

October 11, 2013, Blue Whales Diner

Joyce Price paced back and forth in the Diner's kitchen.

Among six others, was Warren Graham, and Frank Bowers, the latter of whom was huddled in his corner with Pompidou.

Warran sat far away from the windows. For an hour now trying and failing to call any friends from school.

Joyce overheard a few of Warren's failed phone calls.

The Graham boy was trying to put on a brave face.

"Justin, Justin, pick up-" Warren mutters. Just as the phone forwards the message, he receives a text.

Can't talk

Taking shelter.

At least Warren could be sure some of the students were alive, but by the looks of things he can't ask where Max was.

That's what the calls were about; five attempts to call Max, three attempts to call others who knew where Max was.

Joyce could sense his distress and overheard his mutters and frustration. It was the perfect contrast to the more calm and collected Frank.

As Warren sat back down in frustration, he sighs and buried his forehead in both hands.

"You know," Frank chimes in, having kept his annoyance at Warren in check but reaching his limit "Your friends would be prioritizing survival at this point. I think you calling them all the time would be a distraction. At best."

"Thanks for your concern, it means a lot." Warren sighs sullenly.

"Don't need to thank me, that's just common sense."

"He's right, you know." Joyce chimes in as she walks past Warren.

She can see people out in the streets, obscured by wind and rain. They look lost, disoriented, and frankly, like they'd catch their death out there.

There was still room in the diner, and for all Joyce knew either of them could be Max and Chloe.

One of them was a woman in a black raincoat; she was directing two or three others to go another way. When the rain and wind cleared enough, Joyce could see they were neither Max or Chloe, but a woman in her mid to late thirties.

Still, they were civilians in the eye of the storm. Something was telling Joyce she had to let them in.

Without any hesitation, Joyce opened the diner's front door.

She'd try to yell, and hope they could hear her. She'd wave and hope they could see her through the rain.

The woman turns to see Joyce and advances towards her. She was followed by three others, whose faces are obscured by dark raincoats.

Joyce lets them in, giving the kind of greeting she'd give to anyone she'd shelter in the storm "Are you okay ? Are you hurt ? Do you need any-?"

"Some space would do." The woman says.

It's here Joyce gets a good look at the woman and her features.

She was about her mid thirties in appearance, pale as the cold but lively hue to it. Her hair was an auburn brown, and shoulder length. Her eyes were as bright as they were blue, giving her a lively appearance, despite her cold exterior.

The same could not be said for her two companions. There wasn't that much in polite words to sum them up, but if Joyce had to find the words, she'd pass them off as a couple of crack or meth heads.

Still, Joyce wasn't a "judge by appearance" type, so she kept it to herself. As they were led to the tables safest from the windows, she finally speaks.

"We don't have much in space here, but I surely ain't gonna let someone catch their death if I can help it." Joyce answers.
"Of that, you have nothing to fear, Miss...?"

"Mrs. Price-Madsen." Joyce shakes the woman's hand "My friends, and my daughter on a bad day, call me Joyce."

"Ilisa," The woman shakes back "Ilisa Bathor- Bethany." She corrects herself, before jabbing her thumb as her friends "Markus and Paul. They've been helping me with somethi-"

Ilia's speech is interrupted by a menacing growl from Pompidou, who is shushed and reprimanded by Frank.

"Sorry. He's not normally like this around strangers." Frank says "Must be the weather."

"Or something in the air." One of the apparent crackheads says "Does the mutt have a name ?"

Frank eyes them suspiciously. This isn't the time or place to get confrontational, but he trusts Pompidou's judgment.

These had to be a couple of junkies, right ? Meth takes a toll on one's body, so it's not like they can be that much of a threat to him and the other six people here. Frank got word that even that Graham kid put Prescott Junior in his place (and he wished he could have seen that).

Then again, there was that one meth dealer who Frank had to work with last summer. Some California crazy on vacation that Frank would rather not talk or think about...

"Pompidou." Frank says "He's kind of infamous around here. And by that I mean, it's common knowledge that you should keep your cool around him."

"Yeah, sure. We're cool." The one of two new guys says.

As Bethany surveys the diner, she notices Warren typing something on his phone. Her curiosity getting the better of her, she walks to the boy's seat.

"You a student ?"

Warren looks up from his phone "I am. Why ?"

Bethany unzips a chest pocket on her raincoat "We're looking for someone."

"Your got a kid here ?"

"Something like that, how did you-"

"Had a hunch." Warren shrugs "They go here ?"

"I would think so." Bethany nods "My girl, she...we were to find her at the Academy. Things clearly took a turn.."

Warren sighs "Look, last I checked, the students Blackwell are hunkering down at Blackwell. I'd be there too if it wasn't for the storm. I don't want to get your hopes up, but chances are whoever you are looking for is waiting out the storm there too."

Bethany smiled and nodded, "You're quite the optimist, aren't you ?"

"Not particularly, I just try to make the best of a bad situation." Warren shrugs "Care to give her name ? Maybe I know her, I can call her in for you."

"That won't be necessary." Bethany shakes her head "She isn't a student herself, but I'm sure you saw her name on wanted posters."

This caught Joyce's attention, just as she turned her back on Bethany. Even Frank turned his head. It was like Bethany was told just the right thing to get their attention.

"What was that ?"

"Oh, silly me." Bethany giggles "My girl, she's been missing for some time. She was last seen in this area - it was months ago."

Bethany places her phone on the table - she opens a photo app to reveal a group of girls in a huddled space at a party.

Frank makes his way to the table, and it's there he and Joyce recognize Chloe and Rachel in the picture, with four other girls.

Upon seeing this, a silence fell over the group. And Bethany notices the look of recognition in their faces.

"I take it you know them ?" Bethany asks innocently.

"Can- can you tell us her name ?" Warren asks.

Unseen to them, Bethany's partners make their way to the bathroom, not liking the way Pompidou was looking at them. And like the protective guard dog he is, Pompidou snarls and circles the café, unnoticed by his master.

"Why, her name is Rachel ? Are you familiar ?"

The stern looks in Frank and Joyce's eyes told Bethany all she needed to know.

"Ah! So you are familiar! Well, that makes things-"

"Who are you, really ?" Joyce asks, a stern, protective quality in her voice "I've met that girl's parents. I know you aren't one of-"
Bethany nods.

"Yes, I thought you would Mrs. Price-Madsen. Which do you prefer by the way ?" Bethany flutters her eyes "Or would you prefer we talk to your daughter about this ?"

"Chloe ?" Joyce says, standing up right, her dander raising a little "What does she have to do with this ?"

"Everything!" Bethany exclaimed excitedly, in a voice that wasn't quite human. It turned every other head - save for in the room - save for Markus and Paul - towards her in bewilderment "In fact she was the other girl we're looking for. We figured we tell her she's wasting her time seeking Miss Amber. Girl will be out of her grave any day now!"

Frank looks up, unsure of what he just heard.

"What ?" Frank's eyes widen and his face pales upon hearing this "What did you say about-"

Frank was about to get up and into Bethany's face, but a look into her icy blue eyes holds him in place, and kills his resolve.

"It would do you good to sit. Down." Bethany smirks.

Against his actual will, Frank does so on a nearby seat.

"As I was saying," Bethany glances at Joyce "What did Chloe tell you ?"

Again, Joyce's resolve evaporates with the look in Bethany's eyes. Against her actual will, she answers.

"I don't know...I know she has been worried about her friend, but...we haven't really been able to talk the way we normally would lately. It's been that way for several months."

Joyce blinks several times, shaking her head. Why did she just say that ?

"I'm not here to be a therapist, Joyce." Bethany clicks her teeth "I'm here to take what we are owed. In blood of course."

This time it was Frank's turn to raise his dander. The others didn't know what to make of it, and the way Bethany's friends where looking at them unsettled them moreso.

"Let me guess, she held out on you-"

Before Frank could finish his sentence, Bethany raised a finger to silence him.

"We aren't here to get answers from some ephebophilic dropout." Bethany says, rolling her eyes, before glancing back at Joyce "By the way, have you heard what this ones been up to with Miss Amber ? Makes you wonder what Chloe had to do to pay off her own debts."

Bethany chuckles in amusement, as Joyce looks back and forth between her and Frank. Clearly a hurricane of emotions were going through Joyce's head, leaving her more flustered and terrified than she was angry.

Frank meanwhile, looks at Joyce in denial, raising both hands defensively.

"Joyce, no! It's not like that- I'd never do that to-"

"Chloe. Rachel's another story, isn't she Frank ?" Bethany says with an amused smirk.

As with the rest of the "captive audience", Warren gradually begins to freak out. Out them, Warren begins backing his way to the back of the restaurant.

As he does so, two of the "junkies" give Warren a toothy smile as they look towards him. It was around here, Warren noticed that their teeth were rather sharp.

"What the sh-" Warren starts, before one of them raises a finger to his lips, in a shushing motion.

"Did your daughter tell you what she and Maxine were up to ?" Bethany says, getting up from the table and beginning to circle it, listening to the silent voice of the Blood Queen fill her in "Playing Junior detectives, that's what. They went farther than even the police department...do you want to know what they found ?"

Joyce was jolted out of her momentary shock, shaking her head in disbelief.

"I-I..."

"Why, they found Rachel Amber, of course!" Bethany says, noticing the way Frank looks up "Mind you, she's not in a good way; what, with being underground for six months, skin all hard and flaky; wrapped up in multiple shirts-"

"Shut up." Frank says under his breath, shaking his head in disbelief "Shut the fuck up! You don't know-"

"Ssshhhh." Bethany shushes Frank with a toothy smile "Grown ups are talking."

As this was happening, mortified onlookers murmured, wondering what the Hell was happening here. Warren felt himself being backed into the door by Bethany's followers.

Before anyone could do anything drastic, Pompidou makes the first move, taking a bite at one of the "junkies" legs.

"Ah, Christ alive!" The "junkie" exclaims, kicking the dog with such force, it nearly slides into the wall with a whimper.

"Pomp!" Frank exclaims, nearly getting up from his table, but is forced down when Bethany takes a butter knife off from the side of the table and stabs it into his hand.

"Afck!" Frank shouts and curses, biting down on his lip. Bethany pushes down harder, snapping Frank's wrist, and putting him in a state of shock.

Pleased with herself, Bethany turns towards Joyce with a coy grin.

"The fact is, Mrs. Price, that we didn't come here seeking anyone. We already know where they are." Bethany giggles "No. We're here to send a message."

As everyone is distracted, Warren makes a dash to the door, to the amusement of the attackers. It's not like it's any safer out there, nor was there anywhere for him to go. Besides, he's not important.

They can chase him down for a snack, but in the meantime, there were six other lucky victims to have their fill with. On top of that it looked like that mutt was getting up for another "round".

Joyce attempts to get out from the seat, reaching for the knife still in Frank's hand.

With an amused chuckle and a shake of her head, Bethany takes Joyce by the throat and pushes her down onto the table. Already, the diner was filled with screams.

"Now, now. Don't you want to hear the message ?"

Joyce says nothing, but makes a strangled groaning noise as she futilely tries to pry Bethany's hands off her throat.

Bethany's smile just grew, not even bothering to hide her fangs, getting ready to bear down onto the waitress.

"That's what they all say..."

-----

Bay Regional Hospital, October 12, 2013

By noon that day, Max stayed at the waiting room, with a mortified, quiet Chloe at her side.

Initially, Max planned on seeing if the new patient was stable enough, though she was easily talked out of it by one of the doctors.

Warren was alive and conscious, that's for sure, but unfortunately he was groaning, moaning, as if he spent hours crying to the point, but had run out of tears.

The last Max heard from Warren, he was sedated in preparation for surgery, and it would be another few hours - at least - before he was stable enough.

So Max, Chloe, and Kate found themselves in a waiting room. It was not like they were waiting for much of anything - except for others to turn up but Kate busied herself by helping look after the injured as they waited their turns.

"How are you holding up ?" Chloe asks, noticing the way Max is biting her fingernails.

"I've been better. You ?"

"I've been better." Chloe answers back, wiping her eyes "He'll be okay you know."

"How would you know ?" Max narrows her eyes to Chloe, who shrugs with a meek expression.

"That's what you're supposed to say, right ?" Chloe asks.

"Excuse me ?" A nurse's voice asks, a brunette in her early thirties catching their attention "Do you have an appointment ?"

"Um, no ?" Chloe says hesitantly "We're just..."

"We're waiting for someone."

"It's just we're looking to make space." The nurse says, gesturing to a woman with a broken leg, being supported by her fourteen year old son "For essential patients."

"Oh my god." Chloe mouths, wincing away from the two, looking beside herself in guilt.

"Of course." Max nods, getting up from her seat with Chloe following suit.

-----

And with that, Max and Chloe would find themselves waiting outside the hospital door. In the next few hours, more and more survivors were being hauled in.

Again, many of them were students and staff of Blackwell Academy, having taken refuge in the school and dorms. Those who were just in shock and anything shot of a broken arms or legs, were put on lower priorities.

"It doesn't add up." Max says, as she and Chloe wait at a bench.

"What doesn't ?"

"Where they found Warren." Max says "Last night...when I- when I stopped at your mothers, Warren was at the Blue Whales."

Chloe fidgets a little at the mention of Joyce. She considered heading back into town - or what was left of it - and seeking Joyce out. But police were still holding up blockades and sweeping the area.

"They found Warren down the street from Blue Whales." Max says.

"Maybe he didn't make it in this timeline ?" Chloe shrugs, still trying to distract herself from the mucky, sinking feeling "They're...they're probably still looking for her."

Max thinks back to what she overheard the doctors and the police escorting Warren say - he was found in a dumpster, virtually unaffected by the storm itself. But the worst of his injuries were not consistent with that of the storm victims.

When they saw him, both of Warren's legs were broken, his knees hit with a blunt object, with a third bruise on his lower shin. His nose was broken and his eyes were swollen, consistent with a victim of battery and assault.

There was a nasty, nasty choke bruise on Warren's neck, and multiple cuts up and down his arms. These cuts were too precise to be caused by a freak accident.

It made both Max and Chloe wince just thinking about it. And most disturbingly, it was what Warren was muttering.

"They're coming...they're coming...they're coming..." and when Warren would make eye contact with Chloe, he would say "They're coming for you." He would take a broken finger in Chloe's direction.

Just as Max and Chloe could wrap their minds around seeing Warren in this state, and what he was saying, three other police cruisers pulled into the parking lot, with two ambulances, and a car owned by David Madsen.

The world seemed to freeze as the ambulances pulled out. Stepping out from them were four paramedics, and Victoria Chase.

Victoria's hair was wet and matted, her eyes red, and skin pale. She was dressed in nothing but a pair of grey pajama bottoms and a white t-shirt with a towel wrapped around her shoulders. She looked out of it, and like she was crashing down from a bad, bad high.

As she passed Max and Chloe, Victoria would briefly make eye contact with them, and wince as she looked away. Before either Max or Chloe could say or do anything, David caught the latter's attention, and Victoria was brought in as one of many patients to be looked over.

"David ?" Chloe calls out, stepping forward as David was talking to two officers.

As David looks over, a look of relief is on his face as he steps towards them. He excuses the two officers, who make their way towards the second ambulance.

"Chloe ?" David says, wrapping his arms around Chloe before she could get a word in "Thank Christ, you're alright!"

Chloe hesitates. She doesn't return the hug, but she doesn't refuse it, unsure of what to make of the situation.

"David..." Max steps forward beside Chloe "What...what happened ?"

With a cautiously optimistic look, David releases Chloe and reassuringly puts his hands on Max's shoulders.

"We got him. He was right where you said he'd be." David's expression becomes more somber "He got his hands on one of your friends."

"Victoria isn't-" Max starts before stopping herself "Is she okay ?"

"I don't think okay's the word I'd use." David says "But we were able to rescue her before-"

"Where is he ?" Chloe says, her familiar anger and venom rising in her voice despite her despondency the past several hours.

David doesn't say anything, but he, Max and Chloe sees four officers and two paramedics, hauling one Mark Jefferson from the second ambulance; battered in such a way that you'd only recognize him from his eyes and goatee.

As Max and Chloe would later learn, the police station and the adjacent clinic were too storm damaged for his transfer there.

Especially with the look of utter contempt they exchanged as Jefferson passed them.

As Max and Chloe would later learn, Jefferson was found in the dark room, having partially stripped Victoria Chase, who was kept in a barely conscious stupor.

When caught, Jefferson made a run for it, only to get overpowered by the responding officers. Jefferson tried to put up a fight, even managing to get a few good hits on one of the officers, and the rest sort of went ham trying to subdue him.

David and the others prioritized resuscitating Victoria, who crashed down to sobriety an hour after being recovered. It took David and the officers all their willpower not to try to kill Jefferson on the spot seeing Victoria in this state, but they pulled through.

Of course, that is not what was on the minds of Blackwell's students when they say Jefferson and Victoria in this state. While they didn't know the full story yet, all they saw was that one of their teachers was found with the shit kicked out of him, being hauled into an emergency room in handcuffs.

That and Victoria Chase was found, being treated for a near overdose, and signs of physical assault. Needless to say, word will spread fast, and Jefferson was already being denounced as a monster among those who knew him.

Victoria just tried not to make eye contact with everyone in this state; even when she passed Kate, and time seemed to stop between them, Victoria would just avert her eyes from Kate's pitying gaze, hoping she wouldn't start crying.

Back with Max and Chloe, they brought up to David where Warren was found, asking if there was any word of Joyce or the Blue Whales.

As it turns out, David was gonna join the officers in looking for survivors, with Blue Whales naturally being David's first stop.

"I'm coming with." Chloe says, having shaken the woeful feeling that plagued her throughout the day thus far.

"Chloe-" David starts.

"David, I have to know!" Chloe says insistently, not really shouting but still raising her voice. Chloe quickly calms herself so as not to make a scene "I have to know if she's okay."

David sighs, furrowing his brow. Deciding there was no use arguing with Chloe, he reluctantly nods.

"Just stay behind us."

"If...if it's okay with you, I think I'll stay." Max says, rubbing her shoulder.

Chloe says nothing, but looks at Max with an unreadable expression.

"Of course." David says, patting Max on the shoulder "You've been through a lot."

"You don't know the half of it." Max thinks to herself.

Before Chloe could take her leave, Max quickly gives Chloe a hug, and a kiss on the cheek.

"Please, be careful." Max says, though Chloe has no visible reaction.

"I'll try." Chloe says, her voice barely above a whisper.

And with that, Chloe parts ways with David. She wasn't okay to drive, so they took his car, with a cruiser following behind. When their vehicles disappeared towards Arcadia Bay, Max had this space to herself.

Max would make her way to the wall by the door way, lean against it and let out a shaky sigh, letting everything from the past week just wash over her.

What else could she do ? As far as she knows, she no longer has her powers. In other words, she made her bed with this world. And now she has to sleep in it.

Chloe was safe, but Max could tell she wasn't holding up well. Especially when she'd avoid talking to others.

"She feels guilty." Max thinks to herself "She thinks this is all on her. But it's not..."

As Max looks around, another two ambulances pull out of the parking lot, and towards the smoky sky over Arcadia Bay.
"It's on me." Max continues thinking to herself "I did this-"

"Max ?" Kate's voice catches her off guard. Max turns around to see Kate, looking at her with a deeply concerned expression "Something's wrong."

"No..." Max shakes her head, lying through her teeth as she wipes her eyes "I'm fine."

"You're not. I wasn't asking." Kate says, sounding a little stern as she crosses her arms "They...brought in Jefferson."

"I know."

"And Victoria." Kate adds, leaning against the wall besides Max.

Max says nothing, but nods as she meekly looks away.

"So...Jefferson, huh ?" Kate says, shaking her head in disbelief "You really think you know a guy, right ?"

Max nods, quietly wiping one of her eyes.

"Kate...can we talk ?" Max asks.

"That's what we're doing."

"I mean...are you up for a tea date ?"

"I don't think they have tea in the café." Kate says with a sad, meek smile "But we can make do."

With a sad smile of her own, Max steps away from the wall, with Kate following after. Putting an arm around Kate's shoulder, Max tries and fails to maintain a smile.

"We have a lot to go over..."

-----

In the ruins of Arcadia Bay, a unit of sixty or so officers, ambulances, firetrucks and civilian volunteers were seeking out what other survivors there were.

The first part is easy; here and there, stragglers and survivors would be seen wandering about, disoriented and in shock. Others had to be fished out of the remains of demolished buildings and overturned vehicles. At which point they'd be collected by the paramedics.

The unlucky ones, with nowhere else to put them, were laid out on the sidewalk, tarps and blankets covering them, waiting to be picked up for a no doubt overworked morgue.

Needless to say, the sight didn't do Choe's anxiety any favors, as she'd wince and look away. This does not escape David's notice.

"If you want you can lea-"

"No!" Chloe says insistently, wiping her eyes "I need to be here. I have to do something, I just can't sit around-"

"Chloe, you are not responsible for this. None of this is on you." David says, putting a hand on Chloe's shoulder as they pull to a stop.

Chloe doesn't flinch away from David's touch like she normally does, so David takes this as a sign that he's on thin ice.

"Acts of God are just that; you could be a troublemaker, but I don't see you doing anything that would irk the almighty to do this. Especially compared to what that teacher's been doing." David says, gesturing to the havoc and ruins around them "Now it's easy to play the blame game, but the fact is the world is...off like that, you know ?"

Choe doesn't argue, but just looks away and nods.

As David starts his car again, they round a few other corners to find Blue Whales, or what's left of it. There, six officers, three firefighters, and four paramedics are surveying the area.

When David parks, and he and Chloe step out, Chloe notices movement around the alley's. It was Pompidou, wandering the area with a limp in his front paw.

It would seem he is making a conscious effort to avoid the responders, but would circle a spot of debris inside the diner, letting out a series of whimpers and growls as if to warn people off. Or calling for help. Who knows ? None of them speak dog.

As Chloe would learn, Pompidou was first found circling the dumpster that Warren was found in, apparently keeping an eye on him.

The dog wasn't taken to safety of course, as animals were not on the search and rescue priority. So when Warren was picked up, Pompidou would make his way back to the diner's remains, and wouldn't leave that particular spot.

"Is it bad ?" David asks as he approaches one of the officers, though in the back of his mind he knew the answer.

"It could be better." The cop responds "We recovered three survivors, but we're still clearing debris."

As they are being led through Blue Whales' remains, they see that a wall of debris is blocking off the bathroom and the kitchen. Besides the tables and chairs, the diner's left wall and parts of the roof caved inwards, creating the makeshift wall of trash that stood before them.

Three of the officers, as well as the firefighters, were trying to clear the debris, having taking to the use of fire axes to break down what could, tossing aside fallen boards, pieces of brick, and broken chunks of drywall.

David makes his way towards the pile of wreckage, Chloe following behind.

"Joyce ?" David calls out leaning towards the wreckage "Joyce can you hear me ?"

"Mom ? It's Chloe! Are you okay ?" Chloe calls, echoing David.

"It won't do you any good." One of the officers glances at them "They would have heard us by now, but if the dog is circling them, then..."

David and Chloe pale, the worst already filling their heads.

"Chloe, you best step out...you don't need to see this."

"No David," Chloe says quietly, but putting on a brave front "I-I saw Rachel, I saw my dad...I can-"

"Which is why this won't do you any good." David says, trying to be soft, but his stern cadence was getting the better of him "Go."

Chloe fidgets a little, but huffs. There was no point in arguing. With a mild pout she makes her way out the diners door, and towards the sidewalk.

Leaning back against David's car, Chloe looks over the area. On this street alone, four bodies were lined up.

"It's not on you..." Chloe tries telling herself "It's not on you..."

"Oh but it is." That voice in the back of Chloe's head whispers to her "You ever notice just how everything goes wrong with you ? How the world seems to want you to die ? It seems to me, Chloe Price, that whatever higher power is out there, has taken a special interest in your life. And the shit storm it has become..."

"Excuse me ?"

Chloe turns her attention to a couple of paramedics, a black man and a blonde woman.

"Can I help you ?" She asks.

"We hope so..." The black paramedic says "We have a live one around the corner, but we could use another set of arms."

Chloe pauses. She wasn't exactly in the right state of mind, but she did come here as a volunteer. And considering her recent thoughts and feelings, she kind of owes it to lend a hand, right ?

"Sure." Chloe nods "Sure, just what do I have to do ?"

----

And with that, Chloe was led down the street from Blue Whales, and around the corner.

It was there, Chloe saw an overturned SUV, laying on its side. Its windows and windshield broken to pieces, and beneath its side, a redhead woman covered in mud and soot, her hair wet and matted.

At her side is a third paramedic, a dark haired young man, talking and trying to reassure her.

"We found her moments ago. Thought she was dead, but we heard her groaning." The blonde paramedic explains, as they make their way to the vehicle.

The redhead was breathing heavily, trying to speak but all that came out was pained, whining noises.

"Who is this ?" The dark haired paramedic asks, noticing Chloe's approach.

"Just a volunteer, we couldn't reach anyone else." The blonde explains.

Chloe meekly rubs her arm. This situation was pretty uncomfortable, but there was no way she could say no.

"Are you still with us...?" The black man asks, nudging Chloe's shoulder.

"Yeah ?" Chloe says with a high pitched voice, though her cadence made it sound like she was asking a question.

"We're going to need you at the end there." The paramedic gestures to the far end of the SUV "We would have asked anyone else, but you're the only one we can find."

"I'm...I'm not that strong-"

"It's no pressure, it's a four person job. Greg here will do most of your share." The black paramedic gestures to the other male.

Chloe looks down at the women, still whimpering and wheezing, with this panicked look in her eyes. That look was all it took to break Chloe's resolve or misgivings.

"Okay...okay." Chloe breathes out.

The four take their sides at either end of the SUV. On their side, the dark haired paramedic - apparently named Greg - is lifting from the bottom, while Chloe is holding from the middle.

It takes some effort. About twenty seconds of heaving, pushing and straining, but the SUV tips with a loud crash that shakes the bejeebbers out of Chloe.

Chloe's legs and lower back were sore as all hell, and she takes a moment to get her bearings, as the other two paramedics pull the women out from off the street.

When Chloe turns to take a look, she nearly retches at the site of a bone sticking out of the redhead's right shin, while her left leg was severed.

"Oh, Jesus Christ!" The blonde paramedic blurts out.

"Red...red...red..." The injured woman begins to mutter, starting off into space.

"What was that ?" The black paramedic says, trying to reassure the woman, while gesturing to his partner to get to their ambulance down the road for supplies.

"Hey, kid." Greg says, catching Chloe's attention.

"Uh..it's Chloe." She says, just snapping out of own state of shock.

"Chloe, you did good, but you don't have to be here." The paramedic said "You did your part, we can take it from here."

"Right," Chloe says meekly, looking away.

She turns around and begins making her way down the corner, and back to Blue Whales.

"Okay, that's something you can take away from this." Chloe thinks to herself, trying to stay optimistic. Not that it really helped her "I saved a life. And I can save more...that's what I'm here for, right ?" 

As made her way down the sidewalk, something in the back of her head spoke.

Turn.

Around.

Now.

As she turned her head, she heard the injured woman begin coughing.

As Chloe looks on, she sees the woman convulsing, and shaking. Despite Gregory and his partners attempts to calm her down. As the woman's shrill whining increases, and increases, she begins to spit up as a coughing fit erupted.

"They're coming!" The injured woman screams between coughs "They're coming! They're coming! They're here! They're coming! They're here! They're-"

Chloe couldn't peel her eyes away in horror, the woman retching up a dark red liquid from her nose and mouth. The paramedics are taken aback, stepping away as a bit of the blood splatters onto them. The more she coughs the more comes out.

A minute of this passes, and she has lost so much of what had to have been blood, there was no way she could still be alive.

And yet, it kept going and going, for another moment until there was nothing left to come up. She can't see the people around her, or hear them. All she sees is that figure in red, looming over her, unseen to the others, like a reaper waiting to take her claim.

With a shaky, staggering gasp, the woman breathes her last and drops into the expanding puddle of blood.

Unable to believe what she had just seen, Chloe covers her mouth, just barely stopping herself from throwing up in her hand. Closing her watery eyes, Chloe shakes her head, and hastily makes her way back to the Blue Whales.

As she did so, unseen to her. The bodies that laid in the streets, began to bleed in the same way as the injured woman. As were the other injured people, being salvaged and picked up from Arcadia Bay's remains...

----

In Blue Whales, David, with officers and paramedics on the scene, have successfully brought down the wall of debris; this spot was blocking off the restroom, with its door collapsing.

The only thing standing was the walls, as a chunk of the roof fell in during the storm.

As soon as the door collapsed, they were accosted by a rich coppery scent of blood. It made them wince, flinch, gag and retch at how strong it was.

Against the wall at the back of the bathroom, a body lays. As with the injured and dead in the street, dark red blood pours from every orifice, but especially around the arms and throat.

The body was nearly unrecognizable, but it took about five seconds before David and two of the officers realize who it was.

"Bowers ?" One officer asks.

"You know him ?"

"He's my stepdaughters'-" David starts, keeping himself reserved "He's Chloe's dealer..."

So this was what the dog was leading them too...or protecting.

"I take it you didn't like him that much ?" Another officer asks.

"There's a lot of Chloe's company I don't take kindly to." David answers, narrowing his eyes towards Frank's body.

As David and four others stepped forward to get a better look, it was clear to them that these were not the injuries you'd get from a building collapsing.

Broken legs, and a broken neck, sure, but then they notice Frank's arms had multiple lacerations going up and down his arms. His hand had a butter knife sticking through it. Both of his jugulars were torn out, out as well. That and Frank's eyes were gouged; his sockets now but bloody craters; his jaw was ripped open and his tongue torn out.

It looked as if Frank was attacked by an animal; according to the coroner who would later work on Frank, most of these tears were included bite wounds. The teeth were mostly human, the exceptions were the canines, which wouldn't be out of place for dog or bear.

The wounds would be consistent with Warren and others recovered from Blue Whales, who was found to have the same bite marks..

"What the hell does this ?" David mutters under his breath, echoing the thoughts of the other responders.

Their attention was roused with the sound of debris collapsing. The spot covering the diner's kitchen. Once it did, a woman's groan and sob could be heard.

"Joyce ?" David perks his head up. Whatever unease he felt at seeing Frank's body was pushed aside for his wife's safety.

Despite David's haste, two paramedics open the door first, with one of the officers following behind.

What they saw stopped their pace, and nearly their hearts.

"Good God almighty..." A paramedic mummers in horror and disbelief.

The blood not only covers the floor, but the walls, stove and oven, as well as the utensils. Some of it was even dripping off the roof.

Across the room were the pieces of the six other unlucky customers, who came here looking for shelter. Now their blood mixed all over the room like a red soup, and their parts scattered about like morbid Halloween decorations.

"What is it ?" One of the firefighters asks, about to step in, before the officers hold a hand out, warning him off.

"I wouldn't..." The officer starts to say, before he chokes back retches.

"Good God almighty." The paramedic repeats, shaking his head.

"Joyce!" David says, making his way to the kitchen "Is she oka-?"

"David don't!" The officer tries to warn David.

Their attempts were for naught, as David shoves them out of the way, stepping into the kitchen.

"I have to-!" David starts to argue, but what he sees as he does, makes the words stop in his throat.

The worst of it was, that Joyce - or what was left of her  - laying in the center of the floor, was still awake and conscious. Her mouth was moving but no words or noise was coming out.

She lasted just long enough to see David and the first responders...and that woman in red who had been standing above her over the night, saying and showing awful things about Chloe.

And with that, with a shaky breath, Joyce finally expired.

-----

Hearing the commotion, and still shaken by what she witnessed moments before, Chloe hurries her way back to Blue Whales.

As she drew near, the strong scent of blood quickly reached her. Besides covering her mouth and nose, Chloe didn't let it bother her, though she was distracted by that sinking feeling weighing down her stomach like a boulder.

Somehow she knew something wasn't right. She knew she wasn't gonna like what she'd see or hear, but even that didn't prepare her.

Chloe saw the responders cluttering around the doors, she could hear their whispering and muttering. And as she entered the diner's remains, she saw David being consoled by one of the officers and one of the paramedics.

She didn't like the looks on their faces. Chloe only saw that look on David's face twice. But she never saw him with tears in his eyes. It was enough to bring Chloe's world to a stop.

With red watery eyes, David looks to Chloe, who manages to speak.

"Where...where is she ?" Chloe says, her voice breaking a little. As if she didn't already know.

"Chloe-" David breathes out, trying and failing to keep a strong and cool head.

"Where's my mom ?" Chloe asks, tears forming.

They didn't need to say anything, their expressions said enough. All she had to door was peek at the doorway, see the blood spilling out. And that was all Chloe needed to see.

All Chloe could do now was shake her head and drop to her knees. Tears were clouding her vision, and did away with any sense of dignity she tried to maintain.

----

In the Bay Regional Hospital, after two hours of treatment, Victoria Chase was now in stable condition.'

About a half hour ago, it was decided she was in good enough condition to sleep it off.

For the past half hour, the doctor and nurses had just argued with one Mrs. Marsh, who wanted to give an earful to one of her daughter's bullies, while Mr. Marsh was trying to talk her out of it, reminding his wife how she made their daughter feel.

It took some talking, but Mrs. Marsh begrudgingly left. But even with that, Victoria had a hard time sleeping.

Everytime she closes her eyes, she sees the dark room. She sees the flashes of light. She hears Jefferson's voice - how faint and muffled it was - and feels his touch. She hears the officers and Jefferson fighting.

The only reason she wasn't freaking out was how she was still a little doped come the sunrise, and the administered naloxone was still working its magic.

This put Victoria Chase in a stupor. Internally, she was chewing herself out for being so blind and stupid.

This is what happened to Kate Marsh, and now it happened to her. There must be a God, who else could have this divine punishment ?

As Victoria tried to let rest wash over her, she could smell something...blood. She used to have nosebleeds when she was twelve and thirteen, so she is familiar with the scent.

But this was stronger, it was enough to rouse her a little from her stoper. When she fluttered her sleepy eyes open, she could make out a figure standing at the foot of the bed. It was wearing a red dress and shroud.

She was a pale woman, Victoria could tell from seeing her hands, and glimpsing the face behind the shroud. Victoria could just make out a pair of blood red lips looking down at her with a satisfied smirk.

"Who...who are...?" Victoria tries to mutter, but is silenced when the woman places a finger to her lips.

"Shhhh...When you die, it will on my terms. Be it today, or years ahead" A voice with a Celtic cadence asks "It's okay. No one, truly escapes."

The woman presses a hand on Victoria's mouth. Victoria tenses as the woman's hand makes it's down her neck, her breasts, down her stomach and stopping short of her vagina.

Victoria shutters at the uncomfortable touch, but when she opens her eyes, the woman is gone. But the scent remained, and all Victoria could do was cough. Her coughing grew louder and louder, as blood trinkled down her nose.

----

In the hall, outside of Victoria's room, Max and Kate were making their way to Warren's to check in on them. Over lunch, Max told Kate a vague version of her previous week.

She didn't bring up time travel, not expecting Kate to buy it, especially now that she lacked her powers. And Kate, while open minded, didn't exactly buy what Max was selling.

"It's just...dreams ?" Kate asks, still wrapping her head around it "I mean, I'm not gonna accuse you or anything, but it almost sounds like you're seeing prophecies."

"I have been feeling like Cassandra a lot, yeah." Max nods in agreement.

"But if you knew this was coming-"

"I didn't know what to make of it. Let alone if I could stop it." Max says defensively "I just thought they were just that. But then I see how everything plays out like these dreams, and I felt like I had to step in!"

"Was that how you...?" Kate says before hesitating "You knew ?"

"I didn't know everything." Max shakes her head "Chloe and I had to piece things together, but I did see you..."

Max takes a deep breath, before saying it.

"I saw you jump. And I thought, what could I do to stop it all..." Max shakes her head "But when I see the storm..."

"There's nothing you could do to stop it." Kate finishes for Max.

They come to a stop, just outside of the room Victoria was placed in, with Kate now standing before Max.

"Max, I can't say for sure if I know or understand what this is. I'm not even sure what I believe in anymore. But...maybe-" Kate starts to say, before something catches her eyes.

Kate looks over Max's shoulder, seeing something out of place standing at Victoria's door. Max turns to see what Kate is looking at.

The woman in red was looking at them, her face visible through the shroud, but her expression unreadable.

Max and Kate exchange a glance, silently asking each other "You can see her too, right ?"

The woman quietly strides towards Max and Kate. She stands a head taller than either of them, and as she stares them down. She regards Kate with a slight smirk, and Max with an annoyed glare.

"Can we...help you ?" Max asks hesitantly.

As Max speaks, a doctor passes by. He looked to be in a hurry, tending to another waiting patient. Max's question stops him, and he looks around.

"Are you...talking to me ?" He asks.

"No I-" Max starts to ask, but as she and Kate look again, the woman is no longer standing there.

"We didn't say anything." Kate says quickly, trying to save face.

The doctor rolls his eyes with an annoyed glare "Whatever, I don't have time for this."

As the doctor made his way down the hall, something else caught Max and Kate's attention; Victoria coughing, and bloody barefoot footprints where the woman once stood.

"Victoria!" Max and Kate exclaim at the same time, quickly making their way to the door and opening it.

There on the floor beside her bed, Victoria Chase was coughing and spitting out blood onto the floor. She looks up at Max and Kate with red, teary eyes, before averting her gaze.

Victoria begins to retch, a dark crimson puddle onto the floor beneath her.

"Jesus fucking Christ!" Kate blurts out without even realizing it.

Then...Kate's nose begins to bleed as well.

Throughout the hospital, a female figure in a red shroud makes her way through the halls and rooms. With each one she passes through, the dead, and the more severally injured, begin to similarly bleed and convulse.

From their eyes, mouths, and nose. Wherever there was something to come out from, it did.

It was not a pretty scene.

All the while, staff, other patients or volunteers could only watch on in horror and disbelief.

Unseen to them, the Blood Queen passes through, unseen to those untouched by the Dark Room; leaving her mark on her claim, and taking what she decides she's due.

They were all her property now. And in the end, sooner or later, no one escapes her.

No one.

----

Back in Victoria's room, Victoria comes too with a shaky gasp.

"What happened ?" Victoria asks, barely audible. She looks around to see a doctor and two nurses at the door, and that she was sitting in a puddle of blood.

....and Kate Marsh was holding her.

Kate Marsh. Was holding her. Like she was protecting or comforting her or something.

Victoria doesn't resist, too beside herself to really care.

Max stood at the corner of the room, pale and mortified, hand covered her mouth as tears stung her eyes. But when Victoria looks at Kate, she notices bloody marks coming down from her tear ducts and nose. As it was with Victoria.

"Kate you're-" Victoria doesn't finish her sentence. The doctor and one of the nurses step forward to help the two girls, while the other nurse talks to Max, trying to reassure her or see if she's alright.

But all that was background noise, as the same collective thought crossed Max, Kate and Victoria's minds.

"What the hell, was that ?"

-----

Delos Crossing, Alaska, October 23rd, 2013

In the days that followed his rescue from the Guard's camp, Dr. Jonathan Reid had been relocated to Elizabeth Ashbury's safehouse. A cabin/mansion within Delos Crossing's county.

After his reunion with Ashbury, in both the shower and the bedroom, Ashbury had Reid quickly prepared for a meeting in her study.

It was there, Reid was formally introduced to his on-again-off-again lover's branch of Ascalon.

The party members included, Glen Gordan, whom was  one of the first of the old Ascalon to throw in his lot with Elizabeth's faction as it started to grow; Kara Stanley, the seemingly college aged daughter of a big wig yuppie, who has taken to running Miami's underground as a proxy to Elizabeth Ashbury.

There was also the Callon brothers, Thomas and Lucas, illegitimate sons of a high ranking member of the Vatican, who had gained a hidden influence within the Vatican City, which they use to track down and investigate any and all instances of the Mother's Children.

And finally Julius and Damora Duncan, who since the 60's have their hands in the politics of New York, Washington and Texas. While they generally don't influence the politicians, they have the power to gather and give out what information they can to Elizabeth.

"Is this all the turnout for tonight ?" Elizabeth asks.

"This is all we could find. You understand that New Ascalon cannot simply uproot all it's members for a single-" Ms. Stanley starts.

"Of course," Elizabeth sighs "I take they too are preparing for the worse."

"If what the Callon brothers say is true, it is better to be safe than sorry. Besides, the Guard has grown considerably and if this many vampires came together in one country, in one spot at once, we'd be drawing too much attention." Gordan explains, before turning to Reid "You're going to want to hear this Reid, it was good that Ms. Ashbury was able to spring you when she did."

"And what news is this ?" Jonathan asks.

"As you may recall, I have previously ordered the Escalon to keep an eye out for sightings of Myrddin Wilt. For the longest time, he has not appeared to any other vampire as far as we can recall." Asbury starts.

"I take that has changed." Jonathan nods "And I take it there is another disaster that has eluded us as well."

"Disasters," Ashbury corrects him "There has been numerous sightings of a being matching Myrddin's description, albeit within dreams, and a few accounts of people dreaming of a male and female voice speaking to them."

"So...what you're saying is that we are taking dreams as sightings ?" Jonathan remarks skeptically.

"When we are investigating beings that do not exist within our physical realm, it's best to try out methods used by supposed ghost hunters. Especially when there is a consistent pattern of sightings."

Ashbury took out a series of documents handing them out to each other the vampires in the room, detailing the sightings and what connects them.

At first it started off small; young children, barely old enough to speak, in hospitals within the Oregon area. They would claim to see a red figure within their dreams or waking moments, sometimes it was masculine, other times it was feminine.

Some thought they were images of the devil, and a few even drew what they've seen; crude as they were they matched the image of Myrddin, and his mother.

After this rash of sightings, the second rash was brought about by young women, many of them have been admitted to a hospital as well, even going forward to the police.

These women claim to have been kidnapped from parties, and bars across the area, otherwise matching similar sightings to that the children in hospitals had.

Unlike the children, the feminine figure was more prominent than the male figure. Much like the children's sightings, they were otherwise dismissed as dreams and no charges were brought forward due to no signs of sexual assault.

"Do you see the Pattern, Dr. Reid ?" Gordan asks.

"Of course," Jonathan nods "But dream chasing and ghost hunting, this is hardly my area of expertise."

"You are the champion of Myrddin, and as far as we can tell, no other lives. Your research, before your capture, was to seek out and find a way to end the disasters before they start. This is when you come into this." One of the Callon brothers, Lucas says before snapping a finger to Thomas.

In the midst of this discussion, Thomas has been setting up a projector, and screen on the far end of the study, explaining as he turns on the projector.

"Dr. Reid, is it true that in all these decades, you never found a significant cure for the Blood of Hate ?"

Jonathan hesitates a moment before he answers "That is correct."

He pretends not to notice the look Elizabeth is giving him.

"The papers Lady Ashbury provided us, you wrote during the second great war, you claim to be on the verge of a breakthrough." Thomas Callon addresses him again.

"The ultimate result wasn't..." Jonathan notices Elizabeth is looking at him again "It wasn't satisfactory..."

He was at least being partially honest with that one.

"Understandable. From what we have read up on, you were looking in the wrong places." At the point the slideshow begins.

The first slide depicts a photograph taken in 1945, showing a child of the age of seven in a hospital bed - he is strapped to the bed, wearing only a gown. He appears alive, but looks as if he should be dead.

"We knew you and your defunct connections in the guard, have been relentlessly tracking instances of disasters and infections across Europe. This poor lad was a patient of yours for years."

Jonathan looks away aghast "You do not need to remind me."

"Of course, but what you may need reminded of is the name he kept saying." Lucas replies.

"Mor Fay, Mor Fay, Mor Fay." Thomas recites "You were far from the only person who had your eyes on that village. Neighbors of Vatican City have the cities attention."

"Yes, the archbishops have been watching my progress, but as far as I let them knew, that village was dying of a wasting disease."

"Do you really believe us ignorant, Dr. Reid ? We knew secrets you didn't even consider." The next few slides depict what could easily be mistaken for prisoners and victims of war camps, all gathered in a quarantined village.

"While you were looking for a solution by medicine, we were searching for a convict."

Jonathan nods "Yes, the disaster of that village, Dolores Valisari. As I recall she was only fourteen." He then shakes his head as terrible memories came flooding back "She died the day I reached that village. By then the situation was out of control, the most I could do was continue my research!"

"On the contrary, the outbreak was very much being controlled."

The next photograph depicts a drawing; it was of a knight, in dark armor, standing in a field of bodies, and resting his chin on the handle of a longsword. Behind him, three other knights rode on horseback, and above him was a flock of crows.

Or simply put, H.J Ford's 1902 illustration "Ser Mordred".

"What you did not know, the Mother's Children never stopped in the 20's. And as our church revered the son of our Lord, they have only their goddesses favorite son as their mediator with her."

At this point, the Callon brothers had the floor "For the uninitiated among us, The Mother's Children is a so-called religious order, dabbling in the dark worship of whom they call The Morrigan." Lucas introduces.

As the brothers had the floor, they would explain to the newcomers the history of the Mother's Children. They would speak of Mordred and his role as their de-facto leader to the uninitiated. Of what was covered up by history, how Mordred would bring Europe to its knees with his vampiric scourge.

As they went over their slides, Ashbury took the floor, speaking of her recent collaborations with the Callons'; how over the past five years, they uncovered this cult's connections within arms, sex and drug trafficking rings.

Over seven months alone, they saw the arrest and interrogations of a few key members, claiming to have worked under Mordred himself. Two witnesses were ready and willing to testify their encounters with Mordred himself in recent years. By the time they reached one witness, he was found bisected and burnt.

The second remains in Escalon's custody. Which is where the sightings of Myrddin Wilt came in.

They went over sightings in different locations across Oregon; many who claim to see him being pimps, drug dealers, junkies and sex workers. They went over transcripts of interrogations by Ashbury's agents, or Ashbury herself.

A few of them mentioned being called by a woman frequently in their dreams to a certain area. They wouldn't consider them any more than dreams had they not been consistently similar.

"Are these members of The Mother's Children ?" Jonathan asks.

"Not as far as they know. A few of them we could confirm, but the rest look unfamiliar with them. They did speak of a woman's voice speaking to them, like she was calling them - luring them. But as far as they knew, they were only dreams. What they did not know was that each arrest followed a line towards this township." Ashbury flips to another slide.

It was a shot of Arcadia Bay, taken days prior from the viewpoint of an airplane.

"And on top of that, we have had a few...incidents in that town that have seemed to confirm our suspicions. We have word from our second witness we have on the inside that confirms that The Blood Queen has picked her newest champion, and a newborn vampire was taken from Arcadia Bay, just days ago. We do not know where either."

Jonathan double takes at the news "Do we at least know who she is ?"

"Our witness doesn't seem to know, but she has claimed to have met Mordred himself, several times; says he's currently been hiding out in the slums and ghettos of the East Los Angeles, under a civilian identity, and until we know for sure, our contact is to stay here in our protection." Ashbury explains.

"She's here ?" He asks, as yet another vampire enters the room, with Jonathan's back turned to her.

"As a matter of fact, she is my dear brother." The voice of Mary Reid speaks out.

Reid turns around, seeing his sister dressed in dark, formal business attire. She had a small smile on her face, but her eyes conveyed that she was tired.

"Mary..." Reid says under his breath, stepping towards his sister "You're...here."

"Don't sound so disappointed. I've been seeking you for years now, that I almost thought you were avoiding me." Mary remarks, circling her brother, before making her way before the assembled Escalon club. She has both hands behind her back and a modest smile on her face.

"For the uninitiated." Ashbury says, addressing her club "Miss Mary Reid, is-"

"Lizzie ?" Mary says, turning towards Ashbury "Mary can speak for herself."

With a heavy sigh, and a nod, Ashbury steps aside for Mary to have the floor.

"Your ears do not deceive you." Mary introduces herself "I am in relation to the good Doctor. However distant we've been in recent years."

"You're his-" Damora Ducan starts.

"Sister...which is why the lot you seek sought me out first." Mary explains, "Wanted to salt my brother's wounds."

Reid looks away from Mary as she says this.

"The results were as mixed as our recent relations." Mary continues, circling the room "But I can confirm that the one history and myth known as Mordred of Fey, does still walk among us."

As Mary explains this, she unzipped the breast pocket on her jacket, pulling from it a photograph, which she shows to each member as she steps towards them.

"Sure, his names change about every few months; sure he keeps public appearances at a minimum, often disappearing into crowds when he can. But each and every one of us crossed paths with him, whether we know it or not. I myself met him four times before he truly revealed himself to me. It was 1970 for me. He was a lounge singer in Toronto at the time."

Mary steps toward Jonathan.

"You too met him a handful of times. It was your encounters with him that got you imprisoned." Mary says, handing the picture to Jonathan "Look familiar ?"

Jonathan narrows his eyes at the photo; it was of a young man, standing over a balcony in Queens, New York, apparently hosting a party.

"Paolo Radic-" Jonathan says under his breath.

"-is what he was going by at the time."

"...He's dead." Jonathan says, again, under his breath.

"Is what you thought at the time." Mary continues, before taking the picture back "But a child of the Red Queen only lives as long as she needs them."

Once again, Mary addresses the club.

"For those who weren't there, in 2008 there was a mishap in the city's underworld; mobsters, bikers, gangsters, you name it." Mary explains "The official story was that Paolo Radic was sent to clean up the mess in New York's criminal element."

"Truthfully," Ashbury chimes in "He had his eye on two women who were caught up in this mess, but otherwise unconnected. He was looking to make new champions, and build an empire of his own. And we'd step in to burn it down."

"For the longest time, we thought him dead." Mary says "Then he started sending me calls and letters the past seven months. I reached out to Ashbury to confirm our suspicions."

"And what, may we ask, is your relation to Mordred ?" Lucas Challon asks, stepping forward "For you to reach out to him."

Mary tries to maintain her smile, but has a meek and regretful look in her eyes.

"I...was in charge of finding young women and girls for his followers." Mary bites her lip "I'd leave the Queen's mark on them. And my dear brother would put them down."

"You mean you worked under Mordred ?" Thomas Callon says, narrowing his eyes.

"Worked." Mary deadpans "Past tense."

There is a pause in the room, as the members of Ascalon glance around at each other. This time, it was Gordon who spoke up.

"And we are to trust you ?" Gordan steps forward "Forgive me for being blunt, but it is rather convenient that you, the sister of our good Doctor, were both risen to attack him, and just happen to come before us as we uncover this- this conspiracy-"

"Sounds awfully convenient." Kara Stanley chimes in, nodding in agreement.

"You're throwing in quite a bit of trust with this one." Julius Duncan adds "How can we know-?"

"Because I vouch for her." A new voice, a soft spoken one with a heavy Celtic cadence, answers.

The club members turn to the back corner of the room, spotting a man, dressed in a dark blue trench coat and dark red slacks standing in the back, leaning against the wall. He had a slight smirk on his face, and a cigarette in his hands.

This newcomer was pale, and looked like he couldn't be older than his late twenties. But he had striking blue eyes that gave the impression of an old and withered soul. He had short cut platinum blonde hair, and 5'O-Clock shadow of a beard growing in.

"What ? Is it the smoke ?" He greets, dropping the cigarette to the ground, and crushing it beneath one of his dark leather boots. He looked over at the vampires before speaking again "Or was it something I said ?"

Faking a cough, Ashbury steps forward, introducing this newcomer.

"I was readying us for an introduction." Ashbury sighs "But, if I must, may I introduce-"

"Gabriel Wallace, Federal Bureau of Control." The newcomer introduces himself, stepping to the room's center.

"The...what ?" Kara Stanley speaks out.

"Exactly." Wallace answers, taking an empty seat, looking over this room of vampires.

Those unfamiliar with him got a chill just from his presence. They could sense he was one of them, but there was something else to it they couldn't put their finger on.

And so, Ashbury took it upon herself to speak.

"Agent Gabriel Wallace, he is one of New Ascalon's ties to the FBC-"

"We don't know what that is!" Kara interrupts.

"That's okay. We know all about you." Wallace answers, "But as far as you're concerned, we are just another Government agency, looking into the paper trails your club left behind. Someone has to keep an eye on you. And it's best that it falls to me."

"The Bureau..." Jonathan finally speaks up, narrowing his eyes at Wallace "You're with the people who put me in that camp."

"Nooo," Wallace looks to Jonathan "You have the Guard to thank for that. All we at the FBC did was assimilate them; our Board has to hold it's cards to it's chest, and those cards include both your organizations."

Wallace gets up from his seat, stepping towards Jonathan.

"And correct me if I am wrong...but wasn't it your club that started building bridges with the Guard ?" Wallace asks "How did that turn out ?"

Jonathan grimaces a little, but looks away.

Now having the floor, Wallace turns around to address his audience.

"It would seem, we have a lot to talk about."

-----

After another half hour, this meeting is adjourned; all parties left knowing who or what to look out for.

There was skepticism within Ascalon's followers, regarding Mary's presence, and that of Agent Wallace, but as they went over what to look out for in their respective corners of the country, the meeting closed without incident.

At the time, Ashbury and the Reid's privately agreed to keep the name's of Arcadia Bay's person of interest - the girls the Blood Queen may have an eye on - until such a time the situation was deemed controllable.

Many of Ascalon's newcomers had an immediate solution; find the Queen's newest champion and kill her on the spot.

Ashbury and Reid both thought this was an impractical solution; it was the go-to solution of Reid's for decades, and it solved nothing in the long run. The course of action to go with was to find and control the situation, before any of the Queen's followers could.

Shortly after the meeting, Ashbury would accompany Gordan and the Callon's to Juneau International Airport to see them off. Mary stayed behind, and was currently taking a shower.

Jonathan, meanwhile, would find Agent Wallace going about the residence, looking over pictures and windows and such. Notably, Wallace would look at a photograph of young adult Diana Reid, riding on a horse taken in 1949.

"How peculiar." Wallace would remark, noticing how much Diana resembled another person of interest.

When Reid approaches Wallace, the agent was standing before the living room's fireplace, facing a window overlooking the quaint Alaskan town from a distance.

Wallace would address Reid before the other way around.

"It's my understanding you are another one of his champions."

"To my knowledge." Reid says stepping behind the agent "Wilt called on no one else the past near century."

"And yet, our investigations indicate he has his eye on someone new." Wallace would say, before turning to Reid "Same as Morgana."

"You call their Queen by that name ?"

"That's the name I grew to know her as." Wallace shrugs "As you know your maker as Myrddin Wilt, I and others would call him Merlin."

Wallace chuckles as he thinks of something.

"Hardly the wizened Gandalf image culture has made him out to be..."

Reid let out a quiet "Hmph" in response.

"I'm sensing your apprehension, Dr. Reid." Wallace steps towards the younger vampire "I can assure you, neither I nor the FBC were involved with your initial capture."

"Tis not that, Agent." Reid crosses his arms "What concerns me is how your Bureau knows of the Mother's Childre-"

"Because Ashbury isn't the only one with a finger in the FBC's pie, so to speak." Wallace says before circling Jonathan "Mordred- Radic - whatever you wish to know him as, has his own backdoor agents. This is but another interagency chess match. Not so different than that mess you and the good Lady Ashbury started Ascalon and the Old Guard."

Reid pauses, before nodding in acceptance.

"If I am correct, you know of the young women that they have their eyes on." Reid starts "Care to share ?"

"I was hoping Ashbury would be here for this...but of course." Wallace says, before directing Reid to take their seat on the living room couch.

Once they're seated, Wallace would unzip his trench coat, and pull from an inner pocket, an iPad. Wallace notices that Reid is looking at it inquisitively.

"I take it you never seen one of-?"

"Not this make." Reid shakes his head.

"You've missed a lot in five years, Dr. Reid." Wallace says, turning the pad on and opening the photos app.

And with that, Wallace would slide through a series of photographs, collected from the girls marked by the Dark Room. And any girls connected to them - anyone the Red Queen could have touched.

"Katherine "Kate" Marsh. The media's favorite, that one. A kicked puppy they like to present, rather than help." Wallace says before flipping to the next images "...Dana Ward. Juliet Watson. Alyssa Anderson. Courtney Wagne- These are all smaller cogs. But there is one noteworthy name; one whose remains were found on the 11th, and disappeared on the night of the 12th and 13th."

Wallace flips through the images showing one of-

"Rachel Amber." Mary's voice speaks out.

Reid and Wallace look over the couch to see Mary; having apparently gotten out of a shower, she was now in a dark grey t-shirt, black pajama bottoms and barefoot. Her hair was still a little wet and was worn down.

Mary makes her way to the couch, taking a seat at the far end away from her brother and the Agent.

"That one ?" Mary says, reaching across the couch to point out Rachel's picture "She's the one we keep our eyes out for."

"How... How would you know this ?" Reid asks.

"Besides her body disappearing from a morgue ? She was likely marked twice." Mary explains, counting her fingers "I spilled the Queen's blood in Arcadia Bay in '97...and earlier this year, I met Miss Amber face to face."

Mary pauses, thinking back to those few nights in Portland. She smacks her lips, with an unreadable expression, staring off into space, before looking back at Jonathan.

"The Queen...she approached me the moment I laid my eyes on Rachel. She wanted her." Mary sighs "And regardless of my wishes, she'd get her."

Jonathan looks at Mary, skeptically. This time, it's Wallace who speaks up.

"This is something your brother needs to know. Tell him what you told me, Miss Reid. What you told Ashbury."

Mary nods, getting up from the couch.

"She was in his clutches; Mark Jefferson." Mary says, disdain filling her voice as she says his name.

"Jefferson has been a person of interest since the little circus in Arcadia Bay." Wallace explains, a similar disdain filling him as he speaks of Mark Jefferson "He's a predatory thing passing itself off as a human. Wittingly or no, he was feeding the Blood of Hate, spreading pain to the young women of Arcadia Bay, while stealing their innocence. Only now has his sins in the dark been revealed to the light..."

There is another pause, before Reid's eyes darken, and a scowl washing over his face.

"And where is he ?" Jonathan asks in a determined voice.

"Unfortunately," Wallace says with an venomous edge in his own voice "The boys in blue found him first. They're holding him at Sutter Creek until his trial is over. But for a big fish in a small pond, there is still some fishing to do. The paranormal is far from the only thing we at the FBC are looking into. Arcadia Bay is gonna be a goddamn circus."

Wallace gets up from the couch, stepping and standing before the Reid siblings.

"It is my understanding, you and you had a hand on the Tears of Angels for some time. A cure to the Blood of Hate. And yet, Morgana is still a problem." Wallace says "A disease lies in Arcadia Bay, good Doctor, however dormant. It wouldn't be good practice to withhold the cure."

With a mild exasperation, Reid gets up from the couch. Wallace is unfazed as Reid steps forward confrontationally.

"I've been over this; the true Tears of Angels have been beyond my reach." Reid says, before reserving himself "What we have is an imperfect strain; unable to cure the Queen's champions. Whatever we have, will do this Rachel Amber little if any good."

Calmly, Wallace puts a hand on Reid's shoulder. With a simple look in the eye, Reid finds himself as calm as Wallace, as if against his actual will.

"I understand your reluctance to elaborate." Wallace says "No one better knows the price to be paid for the Tears of Angels. But it would seem Arcadia Bay doesn't need that price to be paid. You cannot erase the death and pain. You can only lessen it. And if you ask me, that's all they need for now."

With a deep exhale, Reid nods.

"Our strain, it can help infected humans. But once a patient turns completely ? I've only seen it work twice." Reid explains "In theory, the current strain can be used for the sick, but unchanged."

With an understanding nod, Wallace nods.

"Well then, Dr. Reid." Wallace starts "It seems Arcadia Bay needs a Doctor as much as a champion..."

-----

Arcadia Bay, November 2nd, 2013

On the shores of the beach, as the sun would set from the sky, the night was lit with candles.

At this vigil, fifty three of Arcadia Bay's ninety seven survivors would light a candle for the other hundred and twelve of those lost to the storm. Fitting for a funeral, everyone was dressed in black; their clothes were on the warmer side to accommodate the near winter temperature that night.

The rest were still in hospital or quarantine, though a few just opted to hunker down in what was left of their homes; others opted to stay in hotels out of town, but still in the county. And with the humanitarian efforts, these motels would become impromptu soup kitchens.

Days prior, the hospital was closed off entirely; no visitors went in, and none of the more severely sick or injured went out. Many of them - such as Warren Graham -  were transferred elsewhere.

The people running the operation identified themselves as the Federal Bureau of Control, who stepped in days after the storm.

Who they were, no one knew. But the consensus was they were a branch of the FBI, both looking into Jefferson and Prescott's cases. The more conspiratorial of the survivors thought they were into some X Files shit.

The survivors were not the only ones in attendance. Many out of the upper class out of town would throw in their support; paying for the funerals of those who passed, or funding the sick and injured.

Some were in attendance of this very vigil, such as the Amber family, as well as Caroline and Kristine Prescott, mother and sister to Nathan. The latter two got nothing but dirty looks, and whispers behind their backs. Some didn't bother whispering. All the while, Sean Prescott was nowhere in attendance.

Before the vigil, a small stage was set, where Mayor Cochran, Sheriff Wilby, and local protestant pastor Nigel Francis, and Catholic minister Gabriel West, seated just at the back of the stage, on the far right. Also seated beside them was Governor Kitzhaber, showing support for the locals.

Currently holding the center stage, was Sharon Lee, a Blackwell alumni who would run a Symphonic soft rock band. At this moment, Sharon was leading the attendees in a choir of one of her covers, as a tribute for the fallen.

Not everyone was singing, though. Neither Max, Chloe, nor Kate would have picked this song, but when it comes to building up morale, it's the thought that counts, right ?

"When I hear that trumpet sound/I'm gonna rise right out of the ground/Ain't no grave can hold my body down..."

Off the beach, a great tent was providing for a little feast to be held for the mourners.

Max Caulfield didn't find it so festive, but she wasn't one to talk. Instead she would keep herself quiet and reserved, sitting in the third row from the front.

At her side was Chloe and Kate. If Chloe's initial despondency the day at the hospital wasn't enough, she was just cold and quiet in the days after Joyce's "body" was uncovered. Unlike Max who tried keeping herself busy and talkative with others, Chloe would rarely speak, and barely emote.

Jury was out if Chloe was even aware of her surroundings, she just basically shut down, and seemed to operate on autopilot. Not even the news of Rachel's body disappearing from the morgue - with a dead patient and nurse found in her place - did much to faze her.

Chloe must have said sixty words since Joyce was found.  And most of that was when her grandma, Beth Price, would call, who in the weeks following the storm, insisted on paying her granddaughter a visit after what happened to Joyce.

The problem with that being that the region was closed off by order of the FBC, who all but ran the county at this point.

For the past couple weeks now, Max and Chloe would stay at Max's dorm. Blackwell Academy was virtually untouched, and was used as a designated, temporary shelter for many of the displaced.

Of course, since a great number of these survivors were students of Blackwell, it made little difference for them. Many of the healthier ones busied their times providing aid and care for those who needed it more than them.

Even Chloe displayed a more charitable side to her. Albeit, she was on autopilot a lot of the time. She'd barely eat, often giving out what food she had to others; and would make runs to pick up supplies and rations from out of town. She and Max would also spend four days sleeping on the floor after Max would rent out her dorm room to Alyssa, Taylor and Courtney.

For the past few days, many of Blackwell's female students would be picked up by these people, taken out of town and returned the next day. Max never met them face to face, but she heard from those who had - Kate, Victoria, Taylor, Juliet, etc - claiming that it was just a checkup.

And Max, being Max, couldn't help but feel suspicious.

Only it wasn't in Bay Regional Hospital. No, it was an hour and a half's worth of driving, they reached a spot outside of Beaver Creek. The place was known as "The Twins" by locals, which was a standard hospital and a children's hospital built adjacent to each other.

It was founded back in 1999, but for the time being was where this FBC was taking "critical" patients from Bay Regional.

These people, the FBC, were very particular about who they'd take for a "checkup" and while no one openly spoke about it, everyone knew it had something to do with the blood spilling that occurred on the 12th, the women in red people saw in Bay Regional.

The commonality being that the patients taken were mostly female students in Blackwell.

With that said, the news about Jefferson, the corruption within Arcadia Bay, the death of Rachel Amber, and exposure of the Prescott's, the apparition seen in Bay Regional. If any word of it reached outside the patients, it would be dismissed as fatigue.

Soon enough the choir song was reaching its closing chorus.

"Well meet me/Mother and Father/Meet me down the river road/And Mama, you know that I'll be there/When I check in my load/Ain't no grave/Can hold my body down..."

As the last of the chorus sang, a sudden chill could be felt across the backs of the attendees; or at least those who were previously called for a "checkup".

Be it Victoria, Juliet, and Courtney, who stood in the back row, making themselves unnoticed. They felt the chill first, and looked up to see someone making their way through the rows, quietly apologizing to any passerby he may disturb.

When Victoria see's who it is, she averts her eyes to the front, no longer singing with the rest, but breathing heavily. Courtney takes her hand to reassure her.

When this newcomer reaches them, Kate is the first to notice him without seeing him. Kate was initially with her parents and sisters in the front row, but stepped aside when Max and Chloe arrived.

Kate felt the newcomer's approach; a familiar, uneasy chill running up her back. She looks over her shoulder to see the agent, calling himself Wallace, sneakily approaching the three.

Wordlessly, Wallace flickers his eyes to Kate, and towards her family, quietly telling her to step aside. Kate does as told, quietly making her way to her family, as Max and Chloe look up at the newcomer.

"Maxine Caulfield ?" Wallace quietly asks, before glancing at Chloe "And Miss Chloe Price, I presume ?"

"That..that would be us." Chloe answer.

"Yes." Max nods meekly.

"I understand this to be an inconvenient time, but I must request-" Wallace starts before being interrupted.

"Excuse me ?" The voice of David Madsen asks, getting Wallace's attention, "Can't you see that my step-" David stops himself "Miss Caulfield and Chloe are paying respects like the rest of us. I would think you'd know better than to cause a disturbance."

"I understand, Mr. Madsen." Wallace says, having briefly met David a few times the past few days, asking the man, among other witnesses the standard questions "But time stands still for no man, nor woman. Especially with this case."

As the song closes, Sharon Lee would address the attendees.

"Thank you. Thank you all for your participation." Sharon stops to take a breath and wipe her eyes "I um...I had plenty to say and share for those we all lost. But we are here to share in that loss...so if anyone here has words they'd like to share..."

As Sharon goes on, Chloe takes a deep, shaky breath, before looking up at David and Wallace.

"David...It's cool, it's- it's just a checkup." Chloe starts, sounding quiet and meek, as she did when spoke the past couple weeks. She looks towards Wallace and says "But if it's the same to you, I have a something to sa-"

Chloe doesn't finish the sentence, before Wallace gives a permissive nod.

With that, Chloe quietly makes her way to the front row. She looks pale, nervous, shaky, but an encouraging look from Max tells her to go through with it.

A few others stepped forward, but seeing as Chloe was almost at the stage, they elected to wait their turn. Once Chloe stood at the center of the stage, she hesitates before speaking into the microphone.

"H-hello." Chloe says, flinching a little at how her voice sounds over the mic, "A lot of you may know me; Joyce's kid. Trouble maker. Rachel's buddy..."

As Chloe says this, James Amber's head would perk up and his eyes would narrow a little. He'd quickly relax as Rose holds his hand.

"-Or as others call me 'Oh God, it's her!'" Chloe says "dramatically" wiggling her fingers.

There were a few chuckles at Chloe's sarcasm, but it didn't do much to lighten anyone's mood, even her own.

"But tonight...tonight I'm here for the same reasons as all of you." Chloe says, wiping an eye "We...we all lost people the past couple weeks. A lot of us lost people before that."

Chloe hesitates again, looking back at Max, who maintains a sad but encouraging look.

"When I lost my dad, I didn't think I'd feel as low again...and after Rachel, I felt it again..." Chloe takes a breath before continuing "Then I lost everyone else - same as you - and I just can't believe how wrong I am. And I'm guessing you feel much of the same."

As they look on, Max glances up at David, looking utterly sober, but wiping his eyes.

"What I'm getting is, this is low. So much, it feels like Hell. And it never feels like you can climb back out. You feel like there's no one there to lend you a hand. And I know that because that's how I still feel." Chloe shakes her head "And I thought a lot about it the past couple weeks. Actually, that's all I could think of, and I'm pretty sure I'm not alone. What I'm getting at is, you're not alone either. I had someone to hold my hand the whole way, and the way I see it, you do too."

There were a few nods in agreement in the crowd, and a few others holding hands.

"I uh, I don't know what I can say about moving forward." Chloe continues "Truth be told, I don't know what I can do myself. I don't know how much my own life is worth, but every now and then, I'd think if I could trade my life for theirs - I don't know - I'd do it in a heartbeat, But  I can't. I'm here. We're here. And the way I see it, most of what we can do is...keep living, for those we lost. Because they're not with us to live for themselves..."

Chloe pauses again, as if to kick herself for her poor choice of words. Inaudibly, she mutters "Fuck" to herself, though the mic picked it up a little, earning a few more chuckles.

Reserving herself Chloe continues.

"All this to say, no one here has lost *everything*. If you look beside you, there's going to be someone going through the same as you. If you have no hand to hold...then you can be that hand for another." There's another small pause before Chloe finishes "Thank you for listening..."

And with that, Chloe hands the mic back to Sharon, about a dozen attendees clapping. As Chloe departs the stage, making her way back towards Max, Wallace and David, and looks up towards Wallace.

"So, we have a checkup, you say ?"

----

Beaver Creek Regional Hospitals

The ride was an hour and a half, and quiet save for the radio in Chloe's truck.

Chloe would insist on taking her truck, and Wallace, with four other agents driving ahead and behind them as an escort. It was a "precaution" Wallace would say.
In an hour and a half, they would reach the dual hospitals.

Officially named "Beaver Creek Regional Hospitals", though the locals nicknamed the place the twins.

Both Max and Chloe knew Warren was among the patients taken there; supposedly the top three floors of the standard hospital were closed off for Arcadia Bay's patients.

As Max and Chloe pulled into this parking lot, they would look up at the building to see the lights on the first four floors.

"Warren's up there." Max would remark, as she and Chloe step out of their truck, and make their way to the foyer.

"Yeah." Chloe says quietly "Don't think we'll be allowed to see him."

"That hasn't stopped you before."

"Yeah well, when you're a rebel, sometimes you have to draw a line." Chloe nods, putting her hands in her pants pockets "Recovering patients is where I draw mine."

----

Within the hospital itself, Max and Chloe were escorted by two expectant secretaries to an elevator, as Agent Wallace and four other agents followed behind.

When they reached the second floor from the top, a thick coppery scent assaulted their noses, but the staff and agents were unfazed.

The halls looked green, from both the light blue wallpaper, and the tiles on the floor, shined on by murkey, yellow lights.

"We set your rooms up as 622." Wallace would say, as he walked up beside the two "We have TV set up, y'know, in case it takes a while."

Max nods, before speaking.

"A friend of ours is still here. Is he okay or...?" Max starts to ask before trailing off.

"Mr. Graham." Wallace clicks his teeth as he recalls "He's stable, but still requires space..."

"Though I'm guessing visitors are off the table ?" Chloe asks.

"We only allowed his family to stop in, and even then, it was monitored." Wallace answers "Though he's been talking about you...the both of you."

Max and Chloe stop their walk, both pale as they hear this.

"Wh...what about ?"

"He's just concerned, though you can save your questions for our own." Wallace says, leading the two to their designated room "Until then, try to relax. Keep your heads clear. You'll be out before noon tomorrow."

----

For the next several minutes, Max sat upon the hospital bed, while Chloe sat in the adjacent chair, though there was a second bed across the room. Both had their phones out looking over the news.

With Max, she was messaging Kate; apparently after Max and Chloe left the vigil, Caroline Prescott attempted to say a few words. It didn't go down so well, as she and Kristine were booed and hound for what Nathan was up to.

Max had mixed feelings. Sure Nathan was a pretty rotten person, but in her mind he wasn't a total monster like Jefferson. Maybe it was the stress of the storm talking, but Max felt he was sincere during his apology when he called her.

Ultimately, Max didn't think Nathan deserved to be murdered; maybe lose his fortune, find himself in a clinic or prison; hopefully he'd get some help there.

But as for his mother and sister, Max felt that the Prescott's were getting the short end of the stick.

Sean Prescott disappeared not a week after his son's body was found, and as far as Max could guess, left his wife and daughter to play for public sympathy, and be the grieving mother and sister.

All this did was make Caroline and Kristine proxy targets for the public's ire.

Already numerous skeletons of Prescott Sr's closet were falling out, in connection to the Dark Room and other enterprises; bribes; working hazards for his employees; covering up Nathan's attacks. You name it.

The names of every cop on his payroll have been leaked, and over half of the Arcadia Bay's surviving police force went into hiding as well; each one would turn up arrested.

And what gave these FBC people such a reputation in Arcadia Bay was, for all of Prescott's attempts to buy them out, they would get pushed back ten fold.

The day the FBC arrived, Agent Wallace stayed at a cottage outside of town, with two other housemates. One of them being a woman named Ashbury. That evening, they would call the state officers to get some "trash" off his lawn; two agents on Prescott's payroll went to have "a talk" with them. When the troopers arrived, they found these agents bludgeoned and half dead.

The cottage was shot to shit, and Ashbury was brewing tea; she even offered the officers some.

A few phone calls later, and suddenly Prescott's closet opened like flood gates.

"Do you think they'll get him after this ?" Chloe would ask, looking back up at Max.

"They have to, right ?" Max shrugs, getting off the bed, stretching her arms "Everything that Prescott did is out in the open."

"It's been out in the open for two years, Max." Chloe says cynically "I think it's a little soon to be getting our hopes up."

"Okay, but these people are pushing back. And there's no way they can sweep the Dark Room under the rug."

"But they can put most of that on Jefferson." Chloe looks at Max with a raised eyebrow "Max if this system was fair, Prescott would have been arrested months ago."

"I wouldn't be too cynical, Miss Price." A British woman's voice speaks, getting Max and Chloe's attention.

Entering the room, was a woman in a dark suit, who they quickly recognize as this "Ashbury" woman that's shown up in Arcadia Bay along with the FBC.

"If Prescott thought he could get away, he wouldn't have run." Ashbury continues.

"I'm...pretty sure that's not how escapes work." Chloe snarks with a shrug.

Out of the two Max steps forward to shake Ashbury's hand.

"Max Caulfield."

"Elizabeth Ashbury." The redhead answers back, shaking Max's hand "I represent the Federal- We'll you've seen the name."

This time Chloe gets up from her seat, likewise taking Ashbury's hand to shake.

"Chloe Price, but I'm guessing you already knew that."

Ashbury says nothing, but maintains a professional but friendly smile. Still, Ashbury squints her eyes at Chloe, noticing a passing resemblance to a face she hasn't seen in decades; and yet keeps framed photos of her around her homes.

"Remarkable." Ashbury thinks to herself "But...probably a coincidence."

After a pause, Ashbury directs Chloe back to her seat, with Max now standing aside Chloe. With that, Ashbury speaks out loud.

"Now, aside from your examination, we were hoping to ask the two of you questions." Ashbury says, closing the door and stepping towards and leaning on the back wall "And while your peers didn't have much to offer, it has come to our attention that you were in the eye of the storm so to speak."

Neither Max or Chloe know how to respond to that, especially that quip, though both look at eachother with uneasy expressions. So Ashbury takes this as her cue to continue.

"What I mean, of course, is you are both tied to...noteworthy casualties." Ashbury clarifies, to which Chloe looks down grimly, and Max takes her hand "And had a few encounters with Nathan Prescott. According to David Madsen, you two were the ones who uncovered Jefferson's operation."

"She helped." Max and Chloe at the same time, both jabbing a thumb at the other.

"I see." Ashbury nods, before glancing at Max "Tis my understanding that you were the one who talked Miss Kate Marsh out of doing something she'd regret."

Max meekly looks away, while Chloe puts her hand on Max's shoulder.

"I just told her what she needed to hear." Max says.

"There is nothing to be embarrassed about, Miss Caulfield. In the eyes of Arcadia Bay, you're a hero. It's okay to lax your humility."

Max doesn't speak, but she thinks to herself "Hero ? I'm the reason Arcadia Bay was nearly wiped off the map!"

"We're just trying to fix things you know ?" Max says out loud "But, you know ? We can't save everybody."

"We're only human, Miss Caulfield." Ashbury says "Trying to be more, you fail. My advice would be to look at who you did save. And look with pride."

Once again, Max and Chloe glance at each other.

Reaching into her suit jacket, Ashbury takes out a tape recorder from her breast pocket. Clicking the record button, Ashbury steps towards the two, looking them in the eyes and lulling them to speak.

"Now," Ashbury says "I'd say we get our questions out of the way..."

-----

For the next twenty minutes, Max and Chloe would be asked questions. And with the looks Ashbury has been giving them, nigh on impossible to reject or dodge them.

They went on about how Max saved Chloe from being shot by Nathan Prescott.

How Max saved Kate, and got to the roof of the dorm in under a minute ("Time just...froze I guess." Max would say).

They'd talk about their search for Rachel...and how they'd find her in the junkyard.

They'd talk about how they uncovered the Dark Room. Their encounters with Nathan (and how Warren saved them in one encounter.

And despite the hold Ashbury's eyes had on them, Max would still try to dodge any mention of her powers. There's no way this woman would believe Max.

"You're saying you dreamt of these things to come ?" Ashbury tilts her head skeptically.

"No...not dreaming." Max shakes her head, feeling her head start to ache as Ashbury's pupils expand and shrink "But it's like I saw them before. Like I was there before they happened."

"Yeah." Chloe chimes in "It's like...it's like deja vu."

"I see," Ashbury says. She still looks skeptical, but nods "Regardless, you're clearly someone with gifts Caulfield. Things beyond photography. With how much you were involved and Miss Price were involved, you may very well be in the center of this storm."

There is another pause, once again, Chloe and Max exchange a glance, before Chloe hesitantly raises a hand.

"Sooo, I don't want to be rude. But we're here for a checkup." Chloe says "What are we being checked for ?"

Ashbury gives an cautious smile.

"Tis best you know after you are treated." Ashbury says, innocently putting both hands behind her back "Many patients do not do so well hearing of the disease."

"And being vague helps ?" Chloe crosses her arms and raises an eyebrow.

"Well, if we told you the truth as is." A British, male voice chimes in  "You wouldn't believe us."

Now standing at the open doorway was Jonathan Reid, dressed in dark blue slacks, a pair of loafers and a bright blue, button down shirt. His sleeves were rolled up, giving him what Max and Chloe's peers would call "The DILF look".

Chloe felt herself a little overwhelmed by this man's presence, especially when he looked over her with familiarity. Like his on again off again lover, Reid couldn't help but notice Chloe's resemblance to one whom he had never seen in decades.

"Dr. John Reid. Chief physician." Reid says, stepping into the room with a professional air "I understand you both have been through a lot the past few weeks." Reid says "And if what I overheard is true-"

"Wait, you've been eavesdropping ?" Max asks, narrowing her eyes at the doctor.

"Interviews are being monitored." Reid says calmly "For posterity."

"Is there something being kept from us ?" Chloe asks.

"Yes." Reid and Ashbury say at the same time, in a pretty blunt tone.

"And until we have everything under control, we intend to keep it that way." Reid says.

"Just what kind of doctor are you ?" Max asks, as Chloe nods in agreement "I can't think of any ethical reason to withhold this kind of info from your patients."

Still keeping a professional air, Reid shrugs.

"I started out as a surgeon, but I expanded my fields over the years." Reid explains stepping forward "In recent years, I've taken up work as a detective. Side work really."

Max and Chloe exchange another glance, one of concern.

"You're with them, aren't you ?" Max says.

"I work with them." Reid answers "And for reasons I'm sure you won't believe, we had our eye on Arcadia Bay for a while now..."

Chloe raises a finger, getting up from her seat.

"You mean to tell us, you were aware of what was happening in Arcadia Bay ?" Chloe starts, looking at Reid and Ashbury accusatorially "And you didn't step in ?"

"Yes and no." Ashbury steps forward, holding out both hands defensively "We were aware of happenings in the area, we just never learned how deep it goes."

"Nor were we aware of the Dark Room." Reid asks "We have you to thank for uncovering it."

"But you must know, there were greater things than the Dark Room that roused our suspicions." Ashbury says "Surely you don't think we're just here for Jefferson and Prescott ?"

"You're not saying..." Max starts.

"The bleeding out that occurred after that storm ? That figure your peers reported seeing ?" Reid starts "Surely you didn't think there was a mundane explanation for that ?"

"So, what you mean to say is," Chloe paces a bit while, two fingers on one of her temples as she thinks it over, before looking back at Reid and Ashbury "You guys are like The X Files ?"

"We're more adjacent to the Bureau, but I supposed you could call us that."

Biting her lower lip, Chloe pauses, but keeps a finger pointed up.

"Can you at least give us the name of what we're being checked up for ?" Chloe asks "If we know what's going on, can we at least know what's trying to kill us ?"

With an understanding expression, Reid takes a breath and nods.

"Our associates in the Bureau dubbed it Bàs Dearg."

Max perks her head up with familiarity.

"Red Death."

"You know this ?"

"My grandparents are Irish and one of my grandmothers is Scottish." Max answers "You pick these things up."

"Red Death ?" Chloe says, shaking her head in disbelief "That's an Edgar Allen Poe story, isn't it ?"

"This affliction was named after the story," Ashbury answers "But we find it rings true."

Chloe looks aside before nodding, accepting the answer.

"And you say you have the cure ?"

"A treatment, one that only works in it's more benign and early stages." Reid says "Luckily, when our people administered it to your peers, it checked out."

Chloe pauses, thinking this over for a moment.

"Okay, so...give us the shots, Doc." Chloe says, holding out her arm.

"It's not that easy." Reid shakes his head "There are steps we need to take, such as sedation-"

"Sedation ?" Max and Chloe ask at the same time.

"The effects of our antidote proved erratic in the past." Reid explains, putting a reassuring hand on both their shoulders "Though we found putting a patient under yields more favorable results."

Once again, Chloe bites her lip, before nodding.

"If...if you think it'll help us."

"We're sure of it." Reid says, before nodding towards the door. In steps in two nurses, a man and a woman, with a tray of assorted needles.

Max and Chloe look at eachother. A look of mutual acceptance on there faces.

"Well," Chloe starts, she and Max looking at Reid.

"If that's what we're here for." Max finishes.

Max and Chloe take hold of eachother's hands before making their way to the beds.

Taking this as her cue, Ashbury exits the room, turning off and carrying out the recorder.

"How long will this take ?" Max asks, looking cautious as Reid is preparing the needles.

"Oh, you won't even notice." Reid gives a reassuring smile "By the time you open your eyes, it'll be daylight."

Nodding in acceptance, Max and Chloe still hold eachother's hands from between their beds.

Taking one of the needles, Reid his assistants prepare the two for their treatments.

Unseen to them, a woman in a red shroud looks from the corner, and amused grin and a hateful glare across her face.

They can do what they wish. Fill them with as much "medicine" as they like; Arcadia Bay and it's people will always be her property. And if not today, the Red Queen always claims who and what is hers.

Until then, she doesn't mind another rest.

Chapter 17: A Daughter's Funeral (Route B)

Summary:

Chapter Seventeen is up. Given the "Route B" classification, this one is set in a "Sacrifice Chloe" timeline.

This chapter was gonna be a lot longer, but I am splitting it for length issues. So instead this chapter is gonna be a two parter.

I was finally going to introduce Vampire!Chloe here, and cover what would have happened instead of the storm, but it was getting long.

So instead, this chapter is gonna cover the immediate aftermath of Chloe's funeral, and her subsequent transformation into another one of the Red Queen's daughters. The next chapter will cover what happens when Chloe awakes.

Anyways, angst pain and horror aside, I hope you enjoy the read more than I enjoyed the write!

Chapter Text

Seattle, April 4th, 2020

It took some doing, but Max was able to make an appointment with Dr. Anthony Collins, a child and family therapist that Max has been seeing since 2017, when Max was pregnant with Bill.

An associate of Dr. Thomas Wilson, would help counsel many of Blackwell's students after what happened in Arcadia Bay, Collins was responsible for counseling numerous of Arcadia Bay's children, helping them with the trauma following the storm.

Collins came recommended by Max when she considered having a baby, helping her through unresolved grief for those she lost, and her insecurities about taking such a drastic step.

After Bill Price Caulfield was born, Max would pay the Doctor a visit twice a year to discuss their progress.

In said office, Dr. Collins, a portly fifty five year old black man with a receding hairline and a short cut afro, was finishing an email, when the buzzer rings. He wore a red and blue sweater vest, dark grey slacks and dark loafers.

"Dr. Collins, your 2:30 is here." His secretary's voice echoes through a speaker on his desk.

Dr. Collins presses the speaker to answer "Thanks Maggie, just send them in."

When the door unlocked, in steps Max Caulfield, carrying their two year old, who gently rested his head on his mother's shoulder, and weakly tried playing with what was hanging over her other shoulder.

That being was a purse.

"Miss Caulfie-" Collins starts to greet before Max interrupts.

"Please doc, I think we're on a first name basis, by now." Max says stepping and reaching forward to shake Collins' hand.

"Of course, Max." Collins nods, before stepping forward to address the toddler "Hello there, Bill, I don't think you remember me."

Bill squints his eyes, tilting his head skeptically at the Doctor before saying.

"Neil Grass Titan ?" The toddler asks innocently.

This earns an amused chuckle from both Max and the doctor. Bill just looked around like he didn't get it.

"Bill, this is Doctor Collins," Max introduces "We've seen him before Halloween, remember ?"

Bill pauses before shaking his head.

"Oh, that's quite alright." Collins chuckles "You can't expect a little one to remember that far back; their brains are still growing after all. Please have a seat."

Collins' gestures to Max to take seats at one of two chairs before his desk. As she does so, Collins closes the door behind her.

"Look, I'm sorry to bother you so late into your day-" Max starts as she takes her seat, and sits Billy on her lap.

"Oh, that's quite alright." Collins gives a dismissive wave, as he goes back to his desk and takes his seat "No one to blame but my schedules."

And with that, Collins leans back in his seat, clasping his fingers together.

"Now, it's my understanding, Bill has been having troubling nightmares." Collins' starts "And that he's even made some drawings of them."

Max nods, taking the purse off her shoulder, opening it to take out about a dozen pieces of paper that Victoria and Kate gave her about a week or so before.

Bill recognized them immediately.

"My drawings!" Bill aggressively tries reaching for them, but is still being held by Max, who tries to pull her son closer to her chest.

"Bill-" Max says, trying to calm her son, but he kept squirming.

"No! No! My drawings!" Bill screams, still kicking and wiggling around in a frustrated Max's arms.

"Hey! Hey!! Stop it now!!" Max says, raising her voice a little, and forcibly sitting Billy on her lap.

Making her son face her, Max leans in a little.

Looking at Bill's eyes, Max takes a breath to cool herself.

"Look Bill, mommy didn't need to snap, okay ?" Max starts "Dr. Collins just wants to see your drawings. We think it might help with your bad dreams."

Looking upset and embarrassed Bill hangs his head and closes his eyes. As Max tries reassuringly kissing him on the head, Dr. Collins decides to speak.

"Your mama called me the other day, Bill." Collins says with a smile "Told me your aunts got you to draw what you dream. But if you're not ready to talk about them, I'd like to see them."

Bill looks up at Max, who gives him an encouraging smile.

"Go on." Max mouths "It's okay."

With a nod, Bill lets out a mumbling "Kaaay."

-----

The following session went on for about twenty minutes.

While Bill's drawings - the work of a two year old - were not anything spectacular art wise ("They'd pass for a kindergartener!" Max would jokingly defend her son) they were vivid images that with the right context, Collins could piece together.

To make Bill more at ease, Collins would play along with Bill's assumptions that they were dreams.

One was of Chloe - Bill's other mommy, who Max told him lived around them, even when he can't see or hear her; and Auntie Victoria - the latter who was drugged before a play that Chloe and "Miss Rachel" would be a part of.

The next drawing was of two women dressed crows on a stage; one looked like she was proposing to another. As Chloe would soon clarify, it was a play she and Rachel were in.

In both these pictures, a woman dressed in red was in the background; surrounding her was a red silhouette, resembling a crudely drawn bird. "Morgana" as Bill would introduce her.

Nothing was inherently off with those two, but the next few gave Collins a pause.

One was of Rachel in the dark room; Rachel's body being found, with a crying Chloe over it, while Max holds her; pictures of a funeral; Arcadia Bay being wiped out by a storm.

Pictures of Rachel waking up in a crudely drawn morgue (hereafter drawn with fangs), walking through the woods; living in the city; in a hospital; on a road with three unidentified kids while a town arounds them burns.

So as not to unsettle or upset Bill, Collins would play it cool, though he gave Max an unreadable look.

Collins would sit Bill down, and while making small talk, would ask what stories he's been told.

Max didn't like the feeling, almost like she was lowkey being accused. But she sat aside, grinned and bore it. So long as Bill gives the answers needed.

All the while, Bill seemed genuinely ignorant, but would give Collins an answer when he'd ask "How do you know who Rachel is ?"
Bill would point to his mothers "I saw her!"

This time, Max chimes in to answer.

"I uh, I caught Bill in my  room." Max answers "Looking at a photo album of Chloe."

Max wipes her eyes and takes a shaky breath, but keeps herself reserved.

"He saw pictures of Rachel and..." Max shrugs, "I told him about her."

"I see." Collins says.

"Mama says she's an angel!" Bill says happily "Like Mama Chloe!"

"Is that so ?" Collins says, humoring the boy "Well, I guess you're a lucky one, Bill. Not many have two angels looking out for-"

"I see them when I sleep!" Bill says enthusiastically "And they're coming here!"

Collins grins, unsure of how to respond to that.

"Well, kiddo-" Collins tries to start. Again, he was humoring the boy, and again he was interrupted.

"It's devils too!" Bill says "Like Morgana!"

With that Bill taps his finger on the drawings that featured "Morgana", depicted as a crudely drawn woman, drawn entirely in red.

"She's coming too! She's been following my mommy, and aunties too!" Bill says "But Rachel will help us! Aunt Katie says angels scare devils off!"

"Aunt Katie." Collins grins hesitantly "Is that so ?"

"Aunt Katie talked about angels at Christmas."

"I see." Collins says with a calm and collected smile.

There is a pause for a moment, as Collins thinks things over.

As he does so, Max's phone goes off. Max turns on to see a text from her mother.

"Outside, waiting. I hope I am not interrupting." Vanessa's text reads.

"Sorry." Max says sheepishly to the doctor, who gently raises a hand in an assuring manner.

Max answers the message with "Kay. Gonna try to wrap things up. Won't keep you waiting."

"That was my parents." Max says "We wanted to take Bill around after this session."

"Well, there's still matters I'd like to talk about." Collins leans back in his chair with an understanding nod "Preferably with your son off your hands."

"You won't even know I left."

Collins gives an affirming nod before looking at Bill.

"Well Bill, I'm really glad we were able to talk today." Collins says in a reassuring tone "But now I'd like to talk to your parents. Is that okay ?"

Billy shrugs "I guess so."

"C'mon Bill." Max picks her son up "Nana and papa are outside; thinking about grabbing a bite tonight. Maybe we catch a movie ?"

"Pizza Hut ?" Bill asks as Max carries him towards the door.

"We had that last week." Max sardonically chuckles "You really gotta expand your horizons kid."

-----

Six minutes later, Max would return from the parking lot, having sat Bill down with Vanessa and Ryan, who wanted to wait until Max was done.

As Max returns to the office, she quickly sits in her chair before Collins' desk. At which point, Collins asks his first question.

"Your past substance problem ? It's not-?" Collins would stop.

"No. I haven't touched that stuff in over six years. " Max says calmly and shakes her head "I mean, I still take prescriptions to sleep. But you know, pot pills don't hit you like the grass does."

"I wasn't accusing you of anything, Max. I'm just trying to narrow things down." Collins says calmly, gently holding a hand up "Young children, especially at Bill's age, have no way of conjuring these things in their imaginations.."

Max wipes her eyes, sighs and nods.

"No, I get it." Max says quietly "I just..."

Max pauses to think.

"I just don't want to be who I was after the shooting." Max decides "I mean, Chloe was a pretty big part of my childhood; we were practically married as kids!"

Max chuckles a bit, before wiping her eye.

"It's like you said, doc." Max mutters with a quiet sniffle, with watery eyes "I lost her as soon as I saw her, and to see she was surrounded with all that darkness-"

Max fidgets a bit as she takes another breath.

"I thought I could have helped her, if I had the chance." Max sighs, before wiping her eyes "But it's like everything is rooting against me."

Collins nods, with an understanding expression.

"Sounds to me you're in the shoes of Atlas; this great weight on your shoulders." Collins clasps his hands together "But it's such a weight you can't carry at once. Especially by yourself."

"You can say that again." Max nods with a shaky smile.

Of course, Max never told Collins about her former powers; nor the full extent of them; of the week she spent with Chloe before the storm came; before Chloe begged Max to let her die; before Max erased that week from history.

Whenever Max alluded to that week, she would have to pass her memories off as recurring nightmares and dreams she had, of what could have been. Which it was, especially the Dark Room, but still.

"Do you think it's possible, consciously or not, you could have let Bill learn a little more about your past in Arcadia Bay ?" Collins asks "The pot pills you take, while not as strong, can still influence you. How often do you let Bill sleep in your bed ?"

Max shrugs.

"All the time, especially after he started having those dreams."

"And you would take those pills on those nights ?" Collins asks.

Max hesitates, before nodding, knowing better than to lie.

"It's to help with migraines." Max says "They especially happen when the weather changes drastically."

"And do you think it's possible you could have whispered something to a sleeping Bill, while you're also deep asleep ?"

Max scratches the back of her beck, thinking about it for a moment, before she nods.

"I guess, but I don't think those pills could make me-"

Again, Collins interrupts, raising a reassuring hand towards her.

"Again, you did nothing wrong out of malice, Maxine. Whatever you may have spoken of in your sleep, it all comes from the subconscious." Collins says, tapping his temple "This is a simple mistake, but one with a simple solution."

"Which is ?" Max asks, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, besides scheduling further sessions in the immediate future." Collins starts "As I did with Max, I would suggest weaning your son from sleeping in your bed."

"But what if he has-?"

"Bad dreams, at the end of the day, are simply that." Collins answers "Especially in young children, whatever harm they cause is usually minimal. By fostering an environment of courage, we can encourage Bill in facing them head on."

Max bites her lower lip, unsure if she can buy this.

"He's just two." Max says "These are the kind of dreams a two year old shouldn't have. Where else is he gonna go if-?"

"I'm not saying quit cold turkey," Collins clarifies "Just eaaase him into it. It may take practice, and patience, but in that time - Bit by bit - when he has these dreams, he will wake up momentarily, and go back to sleep almost immediately."

"I mean, if you think it'll help." Max mutters, once again rubbing the back of her neck "I'm just not a 100%, y'know ?"

"And regarding your prescriptions," Collins adds "If your migraines are that much of a problem, might I recommend Aleve ?"

"I tried that. Never works for me." Max says, shaking her head, before pausing "But clonazepam did. I guess I could always get another prescription."

Max looks to the clock, as does Collins, both deciding her time is up.

"I...I guess I shouldn't keep them waiting." Max says, getting up from her seat "Till next time, doc."

"I check when my schedule is clear." Collins says, getting up from his seat, taking Max's hand to shake "But in the meantime, I suggest reaching out to Miss Marsh."

"I guess. Why ?" Max asks, narrowing her eyes.

"You say she and Miss Chase kept an eye on him for about a week ? And that it was Marsh who told him about angels, as well as devils ?"

Maxy shakes her head with an uneasy chuckle.

"You can't be saying-"

"I'm not accusing Miss Marsh of anything." Collins says, once again raising both his hands reassuringly "No more than you, Miss Caulfield. I'm just suggesting we narrow down any and all possible factors."

Max narrows her eyes with a skeptical expression, as Collins continues.

"Heaven and Hell are concepts no two year old should be thinking about, to the point angels and devils are his first answer to these kinds of dreams."

Max nods in agreement.

"I'll run it by her." Max says, before making her way to the doorway "Til next time, doc."

"Oh, and Max ?" Collins says before Chloe makes her exit "Have a good evening."

"Oh, I'll try."

-----

Moments later, Max reaches the parking lot. Parked beside her car was Vanessa and Ryan's SUV, with Bill in the back seat.

As Max walks up to them, she see's Ryan in the driver's seat while Vanessa was in the passenger seat. She could vaguely hear the music playing.

"Our lives are made/In these small hours/These little wonders/These twists and turns of fate/Time falls away-"

Ryan see's Max and rolls down his window, turning the radio down.

Vanessa was apparently talking to Bill, but the toddler was distracting himself looking through a copy of Where The Wild Things Are, and treating himself to an Aero bar Papa Ryan gave him.

"That didn't take long." Ryan comments to his daughter.

"We didn't have much to talk about, I guess." Max shrugs.

"And what did you talk about ?" Vanessa asks, turning her attention to Max.

Max shrugs.

"The usual I guess." Max rubs her arm.

Vanessa and Ryan glance at eachother, having known for years now what "The Usual" meant.

Distracting herself, Max leans in to look at Bill in the backseat.

"Were you good for Nana and Papa ?" Max asks playfully.

Bill looks up at her, his mouth covered in melted chocolate.

"Papa gave me chocolate!" Bill says excitedly, dropping his book in the process, which Vanessa picks up.

"I'll take that as a yes." Max chuckles.

Max looks back at her parents, with a more mild smile.

"So I'm...I'm gonna be following behind, okay ?" Max says "Just need to take a moment to make a call."
"You don't want us to wait up ?"

"Yeah, I mean," Max jabs a thumb down the road "I mean there's a gas station just down the way. I'll only be like two minutes."

Vanessa and Ryan glance at eachother before looking back at their daughter.

"If you say so, kid." Ryan answers.

"Just don't take too long."

"I'll be right behind you before you even get there." Max says reassuringly, before looking back at Bill "Now, you be good for nana and papa, kay baby ? I'll know if you aren't."

Bill makes a non committal groan, still more focused on the chocolate bar and the book than whatever the grown ups are talking about.

Max just chuckles and rolls her eyes, stepping away from the SUV and towards her car

As they pull out of the parking lot, Max would sigh to herself, before stepping into the car.

This was no coincidence. The fact this was happening in the wake of what happened in Beaver Creek ? It brought back memories.

Sure, you could say that Bill might have picked up some of the story, with it being all over the news, but a little kid isn't gonna observe that. Especially a two year old, who wouldn't be paying attention.

Hell, Max didn't know what 9/11 was until 2007, and she sheltered Bill a lot harder than Vanessa and Ryan sheltered herself.

Bottom line, there was no reasonable way for all this to match up like it did.

And if there's one thing Max could be sure of, it was there are things that exist outside of mundane explanations; things she couldn't tell Dr. Collins, or anyone who wanted to take them seriously.

And most certainly, even if she "slept talked" to Bill in her bed, there's no way in hell his dreams would be that vivid.

All this did was bring her back. Back to Arcadia Bay, and the investigation by the FBC.

And so, Max takes out her phone and dials Kate's number, and Kate answers after the first couple rings.

"Oh, hey Max!" Kate says, sounding caught off guard "I was gonna call but I didn't want to interru-"

"No, no. I'm great, it's just..." Max sighs "Was there anything you or Tori might have told Bill during his stay ? Anything that could have given him nightmares ?"

"...No ?" Kate says, sounding unsure "Nothing like that, but...?"

"But ?"

"You remember after the shooting ?" Kate asks "With the FBC People ?"

Oh.

That.

Max nervously fidgets, thinking back to their visit.

"What about them ?" Max asks.

"Well what's happening in Beaver Creek brought things back from Arcadia Bay." Kate says "Well, someone has been reaching out to us."

There's a pause.

"They'll reach out to you too." Kate adds "Thought you should know."

Max takes a deep breath.

"Thanks, Kate." Max sighs "I'll call you back."

And with that, Max hangs up and starts her car.

For the rest of the afternoon, and into evening, Max would put on a brave face for her parents and son.

While she was present with them on their trip to the mall, Pizza Hut, and a trip to the movies, internally, Max was going on a trip down memory lane.

----

Arcadia Bay Cemetery, October 12th, 2013

A sad smile was on Max's face, and her eyes on the blue butterfly.

"...Lord..." A minister says "We know not, your reasoning. We know no way in a den of sin and wickedness, you would choose her."

Max was quiet, she'd look at the casket. The final resting place of Chloe Price.

Given the state Chloe was in, Max didn't initially know why this was a closed casket funeral. Though given how Joyce couldn't stand to look upon her daughter like that, she'd quickly got it.

"Perhaps," The minister continues "Perhaps she was an example of one you wished to save. In your infinite mercy, perhaps you had your reasons. But we know you are merciful, and for what transgressions she committed in this life; and perhaps, whatever road lays for our departed Miss Price, will be better than the road she traveled before."

Max looks away from the casket, the sad smile remains on her face as she watches the butterfly take off and disappear towards the trees. Unseen to Max, or any of the funeral goers, that butterfly would be bitten and devoured by a raven hidden within the brush.

A raven with pale eyes.

Max's line of sight looked towards the edge of the cemetery, where she see's Frank Bowers pacing about. She couldn't see his expression from there, but he could be seen shaking his head.

Of course he was. Max knew Frank wasn't a good person, but he still had qualities that told her he was as human as Victoria, and David.

And while Max didn't think much of his "relationship" with Rachel, she did understand he cared for her (as wrong as it was). No doubt the loss of his "lioness" and his "favorite customer" was taking a toll on him.

Frank stops, noticing Max was watching him from dozens of yards away, and Max adverts her gaze.

"You don't know him." Max quietly tells herself "What happened to you the past week, didn't happen to them."

When Max looks up, she notices Joyce burying her head in David's shoulder, as the minister goes about the sermon. David had an expression of despondency and failure.

Max thought of speaking to them again. But nothing she could say hadn't already been said the past week. Instead, Max opted to give them their space.

She looks around, and she notices Victoria having a guilty expression on her face.

Max of course didn't understand Victoria's presence at the time. As far as she knew, she didn't know Chloe that much before this week.

Part of Max thought Victoria was keeping up appearances, though another part of her thought she was genuine. She remembers their talk at the Vortex Club party, and again in the Dark Room.

And while it didn't happen to Victoria, it still happened to Max. That is why Max knows that Victoria may be a bitch, but she isn't a monster.

Victoria notices that Max is looking at her and looks away sheepishly.

As the sermon continues, Victoria steps away from the others, unnoticed by anyone but Max. All the while, Victoria doesn't make eye contact.

And after a pause, Max follows after her.

A cold breeze washes over the graveyard, and in the distance, a woman in red steps between the tombstones.

Max would only get the briefest glimpse of her, but when she blinked, she thought her eyes were playing tricks on her. She probably saw a cardinal bird or something.

Among the mourners, Kate perks up her head, spotting a red shape just out the corner of her eyes. She feels a shiver run up her back, and shudders.

Kate turns around and sees nothing. She shrugs thinking it was just a sun beam or something, with the sky starting to turn a light red and the sun begins to set.

There is a mild scent of blood in the air, but it wasn't strong enough for anyone to notice.

The only ones who pay any mind are Max, who had her fair share of nosebleeds the past week that never happened. And Kate, who quickly shrugged it off as a mild allergy.

And so the wind whispers, as if singing a tune unheard to the human ear.

Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral. Too-ra-loo-ra-li. Hush now, little baby. Hush now, don't you cry...

-----

On the far end of the cemetery, in the back fences beyond the tombstones, Victoria Chase paces to herself. A cigarette is in her fingers, and her forehead pressed against her knuckles.

Her eyes were watery, but she didn't sob. She lets out a series deep breaths and tries to reserve herself, as she shakes her head and quietly apologizes to someone she isn't sure is listening.

"Victoria." Max's voice catches her attention.

Victoria raises her head, quickly wiping her eyes and nose as she tries to save face. She see's Max taking a step towards her, but stops as they make eye contact.

There is a pause between them, before Victoria mutters out.

"So...are you gonna take a picture of something ?" Victoria says. Her tone and expression conveys that she was supposed to be saying something catty or sarcastic. The break and her voice, and the look in her eyes, betrays her intent.

"No, I-"

"Big Bad Victoria Chase!" Victoria sarcastically wiggles her fingers "Finally being put in her place!"

"Victoria, it's not like that."

Victoria shakes her head, and flicks the cigarette, crushing it under her shoe.

"What is it then ?" Victoria glares, but the look on Max's face makes her look away "Sorry."

"No, I get it." Max steps forward, gesturing to the carton of cigarettes in Victoria's pocket.

Raising an eyebrow, Victoria fishes a cig out and lights it for Max, who takes it and takes a spot beside Victoria at the gate.

"So..." Max starts "How did you know her ?"

"Hmm," Victoria looks at her, before remembering "Oh, Kari- I mean Chloe."

Max gives a ghost of a smirk "Nicknames, eh ? You must have known her pretty well."

"We had like two classes years back." Victoria says "But we weren't close close."

"Just trying to figure things out." Max sighs "Trying to catch up on what I miss. But there's some things she kept Joyce in the dark about."

Victoria nods.

"I get it. I mean there's lots we keep from our folks, right ?"

"Right." Max answers "But I'm guessing you wouldn't be here if you didn't know her that well."

Victoria gives a sad smile before looking around.

"It was mostly through Rachel."

"I see." Max replies.

Victoria exhales through her nose.

"Look. I know I talk big. Especially about Rachel, but-" Victoria hesitates "Things were a little more complicated than that."

"Complicated how ?" Max narrows her eyes.

Victoria gives Max a look, before sheepishly looking away.

Max's eyes widened in realization.

"Oh."

"Yeah." Victoria has an embarrassed blush on her face, and keeps looking away.

"Do you..." Max starts to say, before shaking her head "So...you'd pick on Chloe or something ?"

"Or something." Victoria shrugs "But it wasn't always like that, you know ?"

"What was it like then ?" Max would ask.

-----

Across the cemetery, Kate would quietly excuse herself from the mourners. At first, she would think her sinuses were acting up, and would step away to see if her nose was bleeding.

It wasn't, but the thick scent of blood proved so overwhelming that she started to cough. Finding a tree to hide behind, Kate continued to cough until she was sure she was about to vomit.

Nothing came up, but she could feel someone standing behind her; she could feel a cold hand brush her hair, and a woman's voice letting out a pleased giggle.

Kate turns around, and sees nothing besides what had to be a red sun beam flashing her eyes. After she flinches away, Kate looks back and sees nothing that wasn't there before...

Except Max and Victoria standing by a fence at the far end of the cemetery. Talking and smoking.

Kate furrows her brow, unsure of what to make of this.

When she looks back at the mourners, David, Joyce and a few others have departed, tossing flowers into the spot that the casket has now lowered in. It would seem things are clearing up.

Looking back towards Max and Victoria in the distance, Kate makes her way towards them.

-----

"Do you..." Max starts to say, before shaking her head "So...you'd pick on Chloe or something ?"

"Or something." Victoria shrugs "But it wasn't always like that, you know ?"

"What was it like then ?" Max would ask.

Victoria looks sheepish, reluctant to answer. But when she opens her mouth, someone else speaks.

"Ahem." Kate's voice would interrupt.

They would turn to see Kate, stepping towards them with an expectant, but uncertain expression. Victoria looks away with an embarrassed and guilty expression.

"I...I think everything's wrapping up now." Kate says "So...um-"

"It's cool." Max says "Just needed a break."

There is another pause, in which Victoria and Kate glance at eachother and look away.

Apparently whatever apology that occurred in the timeline Max left behind, didn't occur here. And with Chloe's death, and Nate and Jefferson's arrest, the matter of Kate's video and Victoria spreading it, was put in the back seat.

Breaking the silence, Max speaks again.

"I'm just gonna take another minute, if you don't mind."

"Sure." Victoria says, stepping away from the fence "Free country and all."

Kate takes a couple steps back, before turning around. She and Victoria make their way towards the other funeral goers, looking ahead so as to not look at eachother, and Kate seven paces ahead from Victoria.

Victoria gives a quick glance towards Max, who looks lost in her own thoughts, before continuing her advance to the cemetery gates.

And so, Max was left alone with her thoughts. Memories of a week that never happened.

-----

Max was the last of the funeral goers to leave.

Aside from those meant to bury the casket, they gave Max the courtesy of a final good bye.

Dropping the last petal of her flowers, Max would toss the stem into the whole.

"I'll..." Max hesitates "I'll see you around, Chlo."

She looks to William's grave, adjacent to Chloe's.

"Take care of her, William." Max says with a shaky breath "She really missed you."

-----

Blackwell Academy, October 7th, 2013

"Don't ever tell me what to do! I'm so sick of people trying to control me!"

"You are going to get in hella more trouble for this than drugs!"

"Nobody would ever even miss your punk ass, would they ?"

"Get that gun away from me, psycho!"

Chloe didn't hear the gunfire itself. But her ears rang, and all she could feel was a hot sting bursting through her chest, followed by numbness spread from the wound to the rest of her body.

All Chloe could do was gasp, as her left lung filled with blood, and her world began to spin. She could glimpse as Nathan's eyes widened in disbelief, muttering "Oh no!" as she collapses against the wall, and slides down to the floor.

As Chloe laid down, the world around her began to darken, the sound around her began to muffle.

She could scarcely feel Nathan shaking her; she couldn't hear Nathan apologizing, tearing up. She didn't hear David enter the room, shouting in disbelief and paternal fury.

Chloe didn't notice that David pulled Nathan off of her, and took his place in shaking her, begging her to stay awake, and tearfully apologizing himself.

She had no way of knowing it, but the bullet cut itself into her pulmonary artery, and embedded itself into her back ribs.

It wasn't a quick death. It wasn't a pretty one, but it was numbing, and made it easy to slip from this coil. David stopped his attempts to wake her only when blood poured from his nose.

And when a tearful Nathan tried to apologize, David would turn to him in a fury. David had to be physically restrained by an interfering Samuel and Wells.

Chloe didn't see it.

She only saw the woman in the red shroud, looking down at her with a satisfied, red smile.

And with that, Chloe's world went dark.

-----

You know how when you dream, how you got where you were ? Or why are you there ? All that matters is that you were there.

From Chloe's perspective, she might as well have been walking down this path forever.

She doesn't know when she started, or how long she'll be.

The scene was that of a long, forested ride. The trees around her were painted red like late autumn, and the chill of winter surrounds her. Despite it being cold enough to fog her breath, she sweats and clutches her clothes tight around her body.

She hears nothing, the dirt beneath her feet, with each step she takes. Her memory is blank, unsure of who or what she is.

Somewhere in her walk, she hears it. The calling of crows.

She looks up, and sees nothing, but the dark clouds painting the sky grey.

"Hello ?" Chloe weakly calls out "Hello ?"

As she looks around, she thinks she sees a passing glimpse, of something red stepping between the trees, and disappearing behind them. Unsure if she can ignore this, she steps off the trail.

"Who's there ?"

Chloe sees nothing, but the crows in the trees, and rats scurrying about in the red fallen leaves. The forest was wet, as with rain and dew, but the scent was coppery and offensive to Chloe's sense of smell.

But for as long as she's been here, that's all Chloe knew. Her mind was as clouded and murky as the woods around her.

But the deeper she ventures into this forest, the more her mind begins to flicker, recalling bits of what she has forgotten here.

The more she squints her eyes, the more she can glimpse a figure in red, just outside her line of sight.

This figure was dancing and darting between the trees, the sound of a woman's whimsical giggle could be heard in the air, as if lulling Chloe into an uncomfortable sense of security.

With every step Chloe takes, the cold air warms. She'd step away and trip a bit every time she felt a rat dodge past her, and her ears were flooded with the call of crows and ravens.

The more Chloe advanced, she could hear humming, singing and the faintest sound of music. There is a blue light ahead, which gives her a sense of familiarity.

And that familiarly, the primal flight or fight response was slowly filling Chloe, the more she glimpses the figure in red. Like it was something from a nightmare she had long since forgotten, and would prefer not to remember.

In moments, there came a point where Chloe would stumble into a clearing. When she looks around, she sees she is no longer in these woods, but a street corner.

When she looks up, she sees the source of the blue; it was a restaurant. A diner. With a blue whale sign on it's roof, and a post advertising the place.

The more Chloe looks around, it dawns on her that she was here her whole life. This part of something she left behind, it clicks to her. The familiarity washed over her, as her mind began piecing her memory back together.

But what wasn't familiar was the writing on the whale; smeared in blood, where the words-

Et In Arcadia Ego.

Chloe, having minimal knowledge of the Latin language, was unfamiliar with the saying, but something in the back of her mind told her this was pretty close to a red flag.

Instinct was telling Chloe to turn around, and walk away. But as she began to turn, she could faintly hear music coming from inside the building.

And that music had words, words she hasn't heard in the longest time. Yet it came to her as if she heard the song just this morning.

"Burning the midnight oil agai-i-i-in/Sitting out here listening to the wi-i-i-i-ind/I just called to tell you that I miss you my old friend/Burning the midnight oil again-"

This had Chloe's attention, and curiosity overpowered any sense of caution, or any urge to flee. But there was something else to it. Something outside of any human instinct. It was as if a hook had caught a fish, and reeling it in.

Familiarity overcame Chloe, and hesitantly she steps towards the diner's door.

As she looks around, the place is barren, and abandoned. It could have been gathering dust for a near century as far as Chloe knew, but it felt like something was waiting for her.

Like she was always meant to come here.

She takes a moment to look around. Actual memories began to form in her head.

Back when she was a child. Before life removed all the innocence.

"-And I remember how betrayed you felt when I said I had to go/But now I know that both of us/Landed where we're supposed to be-"

Chloe remembers being five years old. How she and Max played pirates in the jungle gym; how Max would stand up for Chloe when they were seven, and Max's friends would tease her for being into "boy stuff".

Chloe remembers when she was four, and her dad first took her to Seattle for a Fourth of July parade, and again at six years old when they went to a Christmas parade.

She remembers when she and Max were six, and they tried a game of Bloody Mary after some big kids told them about her, and  how Chloe used to have nightmares after that night, when she and Max thought they actually saw her.

She remembers when she was eight, and how her team won this baseball game, despite Chloe breaking her arm wiping out on second base, and her dad would take them out for ice cream.

"Hey kid."

Chloe perks up when she hears his voice, her breath caught in her throat. She clutches her chest, keeping her heart steady.
It can't be him.

"It's been a while." The voice of William Price speaks again.

Chloe's eyes begin to water, and she closes them as they start to sting.

Hesitantly she turns around, unsure if she was gonna keep herself cool, or collapse into a sobbing, blubbering mess. Like she was back to being a new born baby.

But when she looks, nothing is there, except the restroom doors that Chloe has seen so, so many times in her life. One door is ajar, like someone was waiting for her.

Taking a deep breath, Chloe steps forward. She hesitates still, but manages to utter a word.

"Dad ?"

As soon as Chloe touches the door, it swings open as if on its own.

Standing there is the Queen, like an apparition of a long forgotten nightmare of Chloe's childhood.

She wears only the crimson liquid smeared upon her body, that drips from her hair. A cloud of crows and ravens dart out from around her, and rats by the thousands scurry by her and Chloe's feet. Her red lips were curved up in a giddy smile, like a little girl who got the doll she always wanted.

Chloe couldn't scream. She had no time to gasp, as the Queen took her into her unwilling embrace, pressing Chloe's body against her own. Chloe's breath was caught in her throat, scarcely aware of her shirt being ripped from her body.

When Chloe felt the Queen's teeth bearing into her acromioclavicular joint, stars explode in her mind, and a shaky gasp erupts. She was panting, as if resisting a scream bubbling in her lungs. The Queen dug deeper, until her teeth touched the collar bone. Daggers were sent up Chloe's spine, and the girl finally screams.

The Queen pulls Chloe in, pouring her venom into her, as she slams the door shut behind them.

-----

Blue Whales Diner, October 12th, 2013

The sun was setting in Arcadia Bay, painting the blue sky red, and the white clouds a dark grey.

They had a reception at Blue Whales, but after an hour, Joyce would depart back to the Price Madsen home, with David in tow.

By nightfall, Max has spent the past hour with Victoria at a table at the corner. Victoria would chat her ear off about her history with Chloe and Rachel.

One time, Victoria recalls, the two were caught up in this stage play for The Tempest, and how Rachel would improvise this whole proposal scene with Chloe.

"-I wish I was there to see it." Victoria says, wrapping up the scene "Taylor filmed it, but I was told you just had to have been there."

"I guess I should have." Max says, with a sad smile "So, did she upload it or-?"

Max stops herself, and bites her lip. She and Victoria glance at Kate, who was having a conversation of her own with Warren and Brooke.

Kate briefly looks back at them, and Victoria looks away with a guilty expression. And Kate does as well, looking to distract herself with her own discussion.

"You can say it, you know." Victoria says.

"Say what ?" Max asks.

Victoria rolls her eyes, giving Max an annoyed glare.

"C'mon, you know it, I know it." Victoria tilts her head from side to side "I've been preparing for it all week."

Max says nothing, but gives Victoria a soft, sympathetic look.

"Wow Victoria, bitch doesn't even begin to cover what you are!" Victoria says to herself, mimicking the jeers she imagined. She sounds like she is trying not to raise her voice to draw her tension, but her subtle animated expressions and movements got her a few looks "Not even a cunt, they're at least good for something!"

"Vic-"

"Oh, or better yet- better yet ? It should have been you, Victoria." Victoria says under her breath, looking out the adjacent window, her eyes getting wetter with each word "Nate and Jefferson should have taken you - drugged you, and better yet, kill-"

Max puts a hand on Victoria's, shutting her up. Max thinks back to the week that never happened. When she saw that Jefferson has taken Victoria to the Dark Room, and has in fact, done what Victoria described.

With a determined, but unsettled expression, Max looks Victoria in the eye and says.

"You don't deserve that." Max says sincerely "No one deserves what Jefferson has done to them. Not Kate, not Rachel, not you."

Victoria makes a rather gross sound as she inhales, and looks at her in disbelief.

"You can't mean that."

"I've learned what a real monster is, Victoria." Max says, "You're not one of them."

Victoria shakes a little, and wipes her eyes.

"Doesn't feel that way." Victoria shakes her head, before getting up from her seat "Today's not about me anyways."

Victoria glances at a memoriam photo of Chloe with a candle lit before it.

"Sorry." Victoria says to Max, under her breath "I'll get out of your hair."

Victoria gets up from her seat, and makes her way to the door.

As she passes the photograph of Chloe, she glances at the picture and mutters "I wish it were me."

Unseen to her, or anyone else in the diner, a woman in red stares at Victoria and grins in agreement.

Victoria makes her way past them, Kate is still talking to Warren and Brooke. They were talking about the reception she is getting from her church, her family and the student body, since Jefferson and Nate's arrest.

"I mean, sure they're nice to me now, but where was this support after I was-?" Kate says, her conversation cut short as she looks at Victoria.

Brooke and Warren look to Victoria's direction as well.

"Hmmph," Brooke remarks with a smirk "Looks like someone didn't like their humble pie."

Warren glances at Brooke, slightly annoyed.

"Dude..." He says.

"What ? Vic's had it coming for a while now." Brooke raises both hands defensively "Right Kate ?"

Kate doesn't respond, her eyes are still on Victoria as she makes her way to the parking lot. Victoria stops by a lamp post outside, leaning against it as she buries her face in her forearm.

Inside, Max steps towards the table Kate, Warren and Brooke are at, and Warren flags her down with a wave.

"Hey Max," He says "Are things-?"

"They're fine, Warren." Max sighs "It's just the day getting to us, is all."

"She seemed out of it." Brooke nods in agreement "Didn't think she'd be close to someone like Chloe."

"They knew each other through Rachel." As Max says Rachel's name, Warren and Brooke solemnly raise their coffee cups "We're just talking things over."

"Do you know what's bothering her ?" Kate asks, looking up at Max.

The look in Kate's eyes tells Max she was alluding to something specific, to which Max gives a slight nod.

"I think everything is just crashing down on her." Max says "Happens to me too."

Quietly, Kate looks at Victoria, noticing her crying by the street light. She was feeling mixed.

Considering her teasing Kate about the video, and Victoria being a bully, one would think that Kate would feel fulfilled, satisfied, and smug.

But she didn't. All there was, was this empty sinking feeling, boiling inside her. And that void was being filled, more and more with those mucky feelings she had following that party.

Not helping was Nathan's arrest, his murder of Chloe, and revelations of what Nathan and Jefferson were actually up too. It did a number on Blackwell. Kate guesses that Victoria wasn't so different in that regard.

"I'm just gonna make sure she's okay." Max says "I don't want anyone else getting hurt-"

"Well, do you need us to-?" Brooke starts to ask, before Max gives a dismissive wave.

"I got this." Max says "I'll be a minute."

-----

As soon as Max stepped outside, she could hear Victoria's blubbering. Sounded gross and ugly, which gave Max the feeling that she was holding this in all week.

Bracing herself, Max steps towards Victoria.

"Listen, Victoria, I-"

"Go away Max!" Victoria says, her voice wavering despite her attempt at a serious tone "I don't want to hear it!"

"Hear what ?" Max furrows her brow and crosses her lips.

"That I'm not a bad person!" Victoria finally shouts, looking back at Max with a glare that made her "ugly crying" a not more obvious "Cuz I know that's not true!"

"Victoria, if that wasn't true, then why do you feel this way ?" Max says, stepping foward.

"Cuz I am shit! Okay ?" Victoria exclaims, dramatically stepping towards Max, who stands her ground "I am SHIT! I hurt people! I hurt people all the time, and I'm a bitch to everyone around me! Look what happened to Kate! And I kicked her while she was down!"

Max says nothing, but stays sober as Victoria paces back and forth.

"I've been nothing but- but a bitch! To you, to Kate, cuz that's all who I am!" Victoria says, wiping her face and raising her voice "Look what happened to Rachel and Chloe; They didn't deserve what happened to them! I do! So why am I here, huh ?! Wh-why do I deserve to be here ?! They should be here being an annoying pain, and I should be buried in some dump somewhere! It's not fair that the worst shit happens to those who don't deserve it, but nothing happens to people like me when we do!"

There is a pause, before Victoria looks around with an embarrassed expression. She might have very well woken up the whole block with that outburst.

Max stays sober.

"Let it all out."

"I think I just did..." Victoria breathes out with a sniffle.

Max takes a deep breath, before speaking her peace.

"At least you have a chance." Max sighs "That's a lot more than Chloe and Rachel have."

"A chance ?" Victoria chuckled cynically "For what ?"

"You can make things right." Max shrugs, before stepping forward "Look, I get that you were a total bitch...but this high school, and you're a drop in a bucket. Not even a bucket; an ocean."

As Max says this, she puts her hand on Victoria's shoulders.

"But that doesn't have to be who you are now." Max continues "High school isn't forever. Eight years from now, we're not gonna be who we were."

Victoria wipes her eyes, with a sad chuckle "You're getting philosophical on me, Caulfield ?"

Max gives a sad smirk of her own, and rolls her eyes.

"It's not philosophy, it's fucking life. But if there's one thing high school taught me is teenagers in general are toxic shits." Max spreads her arms to emphasize herself "Hell, I was a bully at fourteen too. You don't think I have regrets ?"

Victoria tilts her head, and raises an eyebrow, in disbelief that Max could bully anyone.

Then again, she hasn't seen Max at fourteen years old. So what does she know ?

"Look," Max says, rubbing the back of her neck "If there was anything I could do to give Chloe and Rachel their chances; if I could start things over, and save Chloe, if I had the chance - Believe me when I say, I'd do it."

Max pauses, sighing with a deep lump of guilt of her own.

"But you've got that now," Max says "The chance Chloe and Rachel don't have anymore. So I suggest you take it..."

Victoria pauses, thinking for a moment.

"Make things better..." Victoria muses "And where do I star-?"

"An apology would help." Kate's voice caught them by surprise.

Victoria looks over Max's shoulder, and Max turns around to see Kate with a somber expression. Kate has both hands in the pockets of her jacket.

"It...it would be a step in the right direction." Kate says, stepping forward.

There was another pause, and what had to be a moment felt like forever. Max would step away with a cautious expression. Kate would look at Victoria with an expectant, patient expression.

Victoria would look at Kate, try to avert her gaze. She'd blink repeatedly as more tears formed in her eyes, and she would try to form the words.

"Kate, I-" Victoria would say, sounding a little raspy as a sob breaks out.

Kate blinks. She's sober, but she feels her eyes watering.

"I'm...I'm sorry..." Victoria would muster, a sob breaks through her lips, as she couldn't stop the tears if she tries "I didn't- I didn't kn-"

Victoria shudders out a shaky breath, before she just lets herself cry.

When Victoria spoke, her voice was barely a whisper. She'd close her eyes and shake her head when she spoke.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry..." Victoria would rasp, holding her hands over her eyes, and stagger a bit.

There's another pause, before Kate wiped her eyes, and put a hand on Victoria's shoulder. This in turn, got Victoria to look up at her, with red wet eyes.

Slowly, carefully, Kate would reach forward, brushing Victoria's tears with her thumb.

Growing a little more bold, Kate pushes herself further, brushing her hand gently across Victoria's cheeks.

And as much as Victoria was in disbelief, Max was similarly astonished. Part of her was expecting Kate to lash out a little, which left her taken aback by how forgiving Kate was being.

And since Max wasn't there when Victoria apologized in that other week, seeing it was a whole other experience.

It's only when Kate gave Victoria an accepting smile, did Victoria step away.

"No." Victoria shakes her head "It's not that easy. You can't just- you can't just forgive me."

"Victoria-" Kate starts, before Victoria interrupts her.

"Say that you hate me." Victoria says, barely keeping her composure "Say it! Tell me that you hate me!"

"I don't." Kate says, stepping forward "I don't hate you at all."

Not believing or accepting this, Victoria steps away further, shaking her head.

With that Victoria turns around and begins to walk away at a much faster pace.

When Kate tries to step after her, Max puts a hand on her shoulder.

"Just give her time." Max whispers to her.

"We can't just let her go."

"She just needs space." Max says "I don't think we should pressure or anything-"

"And I don't want her to hurt herself." Kate speaks up "We lost enough already."

Max pauses, shuddering a little as she nods in agreement.

Sensing Max's distress, Kate puts a hand on Max's shoulders, and makes her face her.

No words were spoken, but Kate wrapped her arms in Max's neck, and pulled her in. Max returns the hug and buries her face in Kate's shoulder.

"I heard what you said back there," Kate says "About chances and wanting to start again."

"Oh, that." Max nods quietly into Kate's shoulder.

"You really loved her, did you ?" Kate says "Chloe, I mean."

"I did." Max replies "She was like my other half when we were kids."

Kate and Max part a little, with Kate rubbing Max's back.

"You know, I saw her last week." Kate says "We had a tea date."

In a better mood, Max would playfully gasp in faux offense. Her Kate, having a tea date with another behind her back ? How scandalous!

But she wasn't in a better mood.

"She was in a dark place," Kate says "I think I got her in a good mood, but she was going back to that place."

"Yeah." Max nods, rubbing the back of her neck.

She thinks back to what she saw in the week that didn't happen, and when she was told by Joyce and David in the week that did.

"I've been told everything did a number on her. Her dad, Mr. Madsen- her stepdad's attitude. Rachel." Max lists everything off "Not a lot went right for her, and from what I hear, the things that did never last forever."

Max wipes a tear, as everything floods her mind, but having been crying for it the past week, she became a lot more sober.

"And when I finally see her again...it was too late." Max's voice breaks a little as she shakes her head "Maybe if I stepped up...I could have saved her. I could have gotten her out of that spot."

Kate nods, with an understanding expression. She pulls Max into another hug, swaying her a little.

"Or...Nathan could have..." Kate hesitates to say it "It could have been you."

"It could have." Max nods in agreement "And Chloe would still be here."

Kate looks at Max, with a furrowed brow, cupping Max's face in her hands.

"Don't say that." Kate says with a serious tone and expression "If what you said is true, she'd just lose another good thing, and put more darkness in her life."

Max steps out of Kate's touch, and looks aside.

She remembers how Chloe begged her to go back and put a stop to the storm. To let Chloe trade her life for Arcadia Bay.

These people are here now, because Chloe wanted them to live in her place. There is no way Chloe would want Max to die for her. All it would do is bring her more pain.

Day in, day out, Max would think back to that week. Each day, she would ask if she got these powers back, would she go through everything, just for the chance to save Chloe ?

One part of her brain told her "No". The other part would say "Yes". And each day they would argue.

"Maybe." Max sighs in agreement, looking back at Kate "But we'll never know, will we ?"

-----

For the remainder of her evening, Max would join Kate, Brooke and Warren.

They would talk more about Chloe; about Max's memories of her as children; of Warren and Kate's brief encounters with her, and Brooke would recount how she wasn't close to Chloe, but almost always saw her with Rachel.

Admittedly, there wasn't that much else to talk about. When the sky was dark and the street lights turned on, the four decided to call it a night.

They would return to Blackwell, well after student curfew.

Kate was restless, and thought she would hit the shower. There she would hear Victoria in one of the shower stalls, having cried herself into an utter stupor.

Despite Kate's attempts to get Victoria to talk to her, she conceded defeat, and Victoria wouldn't leave until Kate was in her own stall.

In her dorm room, Max would flop down onto her bed and try to sleep. Her parents would be coming from Seattle in a couple days, and they were talking about taking a break from school, so Max figured she'd have a day of packing to do.

That is when she's not paying the Price-Madsen household. Day by day however, it would seem that the Price-Madsen family was breaking down more and more.

Sleep wouldn't finally reach Max until about 2:00 AM. After more quiet crying.

After midnight passed in Arcadia Bay, in the hospital's morgue, the body of Rachel Amber would open her eyes. She would awaken to the Queen's voice, and disappear into the night, leaving two fresh bodies behind.

-----

Delos Crossing, Alaska, October 23rd, 2013

In the days that followed his rescue from the Guard's camp, Dr. Jonathan Reid had been relocated to Elizabeth Ashbury's safehouse. A cabin/mansion within Delos Crossing's county.

After his reunion with Ashbury, in both the shower and the bedroom, Ashbury had Reid quickly prepare for a meeting in her study.

It was there, Reid was formally introduced to his on-again-off-again lover's branch of Ascalon.

The party members included, Glen Gordan, whom was  one of the first of the old Ascalon to throw in his lot with Elizabeth's faction as it started to grow; Kara Stanley, the seemingly college aged daughter of a big wig yuppie, who has taken to running Miami's underground as a proxy to Elizabeth Ashbury.

There was also the Callon brothers, Thomas and Lucas, illegitimate sons of a high ranking member of the Vatican, who had gained a hidden influence within the Vatican City, which they use to track down and investigate any and all instances of the Mother's Children.

And finally Julius and Damora Duncan, who since the 60's have their hands in the politics of New York, Washington and Texas. While they generally don't influence the politicians, they have the power to gather and give out what information they can to Elizabeth.

"Is this all the turnout for tonight ?" Elizabeth asks.

"This is all we could find. You understand that New Ascalon cannot simply uproot all it's members for a single-" Ms. Stanley starts.

"Of course," Elizabeth sighs "I take they too are preparing for the worse."

"If what the Callon brothers say is true, it is better to be safe than sorry. Besides, the Guard has grown considerably and if this many vampires came together in one country, in one spot at once, we'd be drawing too much attention." Gordan explains, before turning to Reid "You're going to want to hear this Reid, it was good that Ms. Ashbury was able to spring you when she did."

"And what news is this ?" Jonathan asks.

"As you may recall, I have previously ordered the Escalon to keep an eye out for sightings of Myrddin Wilt. For the longest time, he has not appeared to any other vampire as far as we can recall." Asbury starts.

"I take that has changed." Jonathan nods "And I take it there is another disaster that has eluded us as well."

"Disasters," Ashbury corrects him "There has been numerous sightings of a being matching Myrddin's description, albeit within dreams, and a few accounts of people dreaming of a male and female voice speaking to them."

"So...what you're saying is that we are taking dreams as sightings ?" Jonathan remarks skeptically.

"When we are investigating beings that do not exist within our physical realm, it's best to try out methods used by supposed ghost hunters. Especially when there is a consistent pattern of sightings."

Ashbury took out a series of documents handing them out to each other the vampires in the room, detailing the sightings and what connects them.

At first it started off small; young children, barely old enough to speak, in hospitals within the Oregon area. They would claim to see a red figure within their dreams or waking moments, sometimes it was masculine, other times it was feminine.

Some thought they were images of the devil, and a few even drew what they've seen; crude as they were they matched the image of Myrddin, and his mother.

After this rash of sightings, the second rash was brought about by young women, many of them have been admitted to a hospital as well, even going forward to the police.

These women claim to have been kidnapped from parties, and bars across the area, otherwise matching similar sightings to that the children in hospitals had.

Unlike the children, the feminine figure was more prominent than the male figure. Much like the children's sightings, they were otherwise dismissed as dreams and no charges were brought forward due to no signs of sexual assault.

"Do you see the Pattern, Dr. Reid ?" Gordan asks.

"Of course," Jonathan nods "But dream chasing and ghost hunting, this is hardly my area of expertise."

"You are the champion of Myrddin, and as far as we can tell, no other lives. Your research, before your capture, was to seek out and find a way to end the disasters before they start. This is when you come into this." One of the Callon brothers, Lucas says before snapping a finger to Thomas.

In the midst of this discussion, Thomas has been setting up a projector, and screen on the far end of the study, explaining as he turns on the projector.

"Dr. Reid, is it true that in all these decades, you never found a significant cure for the Blood of Hate ?"

Jonathan hesitates a moment before he answers "That is correct."

He pretends not to notice the look Elizabeth is giving him.

"The papers Lady Ashbury provided us, you wrote during the second great war, you claim to be on the verge of a breakthrough."

Thomas Callon addresses him again.

"The ultimate result wasn't..." Jonathan notices Elizabeth is looking at him again "It wasn't satisfactory..."

He was at least being partially honest with that one.

"Understandable. From what we have read up on, you were looking in the wrong places." At this point the slideshow begins.

The first slide depicts a photograph taken in 1945, showing a child of the age of seven in a hospital bed - he is strapped to the bed, wearing only a gown. He appears alive, but looks as if he should be dead.

"We knew you and your defunct connections in the guard, have been relentlessly tracking instances of disasters and infections across Europe. This poor lad was a patient of yours for years."

Jonathan looks away aghast "You do not need to remind me."

"Of course, but what you may need reminded of is the name he kept saying." Lucas replies.

"Mor Fay, Mor Fay, Mor Fay." Thomas recites "You were far from the only person who had your eyes on that village. Neighbors of Vatican City have the cities attention."

"Yes, the archbishops have been watching my progress, but as far as I let them knew, that village was dying of a wasting disease."

"Do you really believe us ignorant, Dr. Reid ? We knew secrets you didn't even consider." The next few slides depict what could easily be mistaken for prisoners and victims of war camps, all gathered in a quarantined village.

"While you were looking for a solution by medicine, we were searching for a convict."

Jonathan nods "Yes, the disaster of that village, Dolores Valisari. As I recall she was only fourteen." He then shakes his head as terrible memories came flooding back "She died the day I reached that village. By then the situation was out of control, the most I could do was continue my research!"

"On the contrary, the outbreak was very much being controlled."

The next photograph depicts a drawing; it was of a knight, in dark armor, standing in a field of bodies, and resting his chin on the handle of a longsword. Behind him, three other knights rode on horseback, and above him was a flock of crows.

H.J Ford's 1902 illustration - "Ser Mordred".

"What you did not know, the Mother's Children never stopped in the 20's. And as our church revered the son of our Lord, they have only their goddesses favorite son as their mediator with her."

At this point, the Callon brothers had the floor "For the uninitiated among us, The Mother's Children is a so-called religious order, dabbling in the dark worship of whom they call The Morrigan." Lucas introduces.

As the brothers had the floor, they would explain to the newcomers the history of the Mother's Children.

They would speak of Mordred and his role as their de-facto leader to the uninitiated. Of what was covered up by history, how Mordred would bring Europe to its knees with his vampiric scourge.

As they went over their slides, Ashbury took the floor, speaking of her recent collaborations with the Callons'; how over the past five years, they uncovered this cult's connections within arms, sex and drug trafficking rings.

Over seven months alone, they saw the arrest and interrogations of a few key members, claiming to have worked under Mordred himself. Two witnesses were ready and willing to testify their encounters with Mordred himself in recent years. By the time they reached one witness, he was found bisected and burnt.

The second remains in Escalon's custody. Which is where the sightings of Myrddin Wilt came in.

They went over sightings in different locations across Oregon; many who claim to see him being pimps, drug dealers, junkies and sex workers. They went over transcripts of interrogations by Ashbury's agents, or Ashbury herself.

A few of them mentioned being called by a woman frequently in their dreams to a certain area. They wouldn't consider them any more than dreams had they not been consistently similar.

"Are these members of The Mother's Children ?" Jonathan asks.

"Not as far as they know. A few of them we could confirm, but the rest look unfamiliar with them. They did speak of a woman's voice speaking to them, like she was calling them - luring them. But as far as they knew, they were only dreams. What they did not know was that each arrest followed a line towards this township." Ashbury flips to another slide.

It was a shot of Arcadia Bay, taken days prior from the viewpoint of an airplane.

"And on top of that, we have had a few...incidents in that town that have seemed to confirm our suspicions. We have word from our second witness we have on the inside that confirms that The Blood Queen has picked her newest champion, and a newborn vampire was taken from Arcadia Bay,  just days ago. We do not know where either."

Jonathan double takes at the news "Do we at least know who she is ?"

"Our witness doesn't seem to know, but she has claimed to have met Mordred himself, several times; says he's currently been hiding out in the slums and ghettos of the East Los Angeles, under a civilian identity, and until we know for sure, our contact is to stay here in our protection." Ashbury explains.

"She's here ?" He asks, as yet another vampire enters the room, with Jonathan's back turned to her.

"As a matter of fact, she is my dear brother." The voice of Mary Reid speaks out.

Reid turns around, seeing his sister dressed in dark, formal business attire. She had a small smile on her face, but her eyes conveyed that she was tired.

"Mary..." Reid says under his breath, stepping towards his sister "You're...here."

"Don't sound so disappointed. I've been seeking you for years now, that I almost thought you were avoiding me." Mary remarks, circling her brother, before making her way before the assembled Escalon club. She has both hands behind her back and a modest smile on her face.

"For the uninitiated." Ashbury says, addressing her club "Miss Mary Reid, is-"

"Lizzie ?" Mary says, turning towards Ashbury "Mary can speak for herself."

With a heavy sigh, and a nod, Ashbury steps aside for Mary to have the floor.

And with that, Mary went over her unfavorable history with the Queen, and her "children". Of how she apparently didn't take kindly to Jonathan's "meddling" and wanted to salt his wounds.

She told of how over a near century, she was responsible for many of the "Disasters" her dear brother had to put down. She left out the details of how she would lure in the girls, and if had to get her hands dirty, seduce them.

She certainly didn't tell them about how the Queen holds her long dead son in her hands, beyond this coil. Every so often, the Queen would let Mary see her son in her nightmares.

Mary did bring up how she met Mordred. How he goes by a different alias in different times and regions. Of how most have crossed Mordred's path whether they know it or not. No one knows they met him until he wants them to know they met him.

For example, Mary was properly introduced to Mordred, when he was working as a lounge singer in Canada, during the early 70's. It turns out Mary unwittingly met him several times beforehand.

With that, Mary steps toward Jonathan.

"You too met him a handful of times. It was your encounters with him that got you imprisoned." Mary says, handing the picture to Jonathan "Look familiar ?"

Jonathan narrows his eyes at the photo; it was of a young man, standing over a balcony in Queens, New York, apparently hosting a party.

"Paolo Radic-" Jonathan says under his breath.

"-is what he was going by at the time."

"...He's dead." Jonathan says, again, under his breath.

"Is what you thought at the time." Mary continues, before taking the picture back "But a child of the Red Queen only lives as long as she needs them."

Once again, Mary addresses the club.

She told of how in 2008 there was a struggle among New York and New Jersey's criminal underworld. Mobsters, Yakuza, bikers, gangbangers, you name it. Mordred, as Paolo Radic, ostensibly showed up to "clean things up" when the dust settled.

In truth, he was there seeking two women to be his mother's champions. Both were caught up in this mess by their brothers, or their lovers, but they were otherwise unconnected. As a bonus, "Paolo Radic", would build an empire of his own.

That was until Reid, and Ashbury stepped in, putting a stop to Mordred's plans in the guise of another mob war. Ever since, it was believed Mordred was killed when Jonathan, and his allies at the time, filled him with bullets and left him behind on a burning, sinking ship.

That was until, Mordred reached out to Mary in recent months.

There is a pause in the room, as the members of Escalon glance around at each other. This time, it was Gordon who spoke up.

"And we are to trust you ?" Gordan steps forward "Forgive me for being blunt, but it is *rather* convenient that you, the sister of our good Doctor, were both risen to attack him, and just happen to come before us as we uncover this- this conspiracy-"

"Sounds awfully convenient." Kara Stanley chimes in, nodding in agreement.

"You're throwing in quite a bit of trust with this one." Julius Duncan adds "How can we know-?"

"Because I vouch for her." A new voice, a soft spoken one with a heavy Celtic cadence, answers.

The club members turn to the back corner of the room, spotting a man, dressed in a dark blue trench coat and dark red slacks standing in the back, leaning against the wall. He had a slight smirk on his face, and a cigarette in his hands.

This newcomer was pale, and looked like he couldn't be older than his late twenties. But he had striking blue eyes that gave the impression of an old and withered soul. He had short cut platinum blonde hair, and 5'O-Clock shadow of a beard growing in.

"What ? Is it the smoke ?" He greets, dropping the cigarette to the ground, and crushing it beneath one of his dark leather boots. He looked over at the vampires before speaking again "Or was it something I said ?"

Faking a cough, Ashbury steps forward, introducing this newcomer.

"I was readying us for an introduction." Ashbury sighs "But, if I must, may I introduce-"

"Gabriel Wallace, Federal Bureau of Control." The newcomer introduces himself, stepping to the room's center.

"The...what ?" Kara Stanley speaks out.

"Exactly." Wallace answers, taking an empty seat, looking over this room of vampires.

Those unfamiliar with him got a chill just from his presence. They could sense he was one of them, but there was something else to it they couldn't put their finger on.

And so, Ashbury took it upon herself to speak.

"Agent Gabriel Wallace, he is one of New Ascalon's ties to the FBC-"

"We don't know what that is!" Kara interrupts.

"That's okay. We know all about you." Wallace answers, "But as far as you're concerned, we are just another Government agency, looking into the paper trails your club left behind. Someone has to keep an eye on you. And it's best that it falls to me."

"The Bureau..." Jonathan finally speaks up, narrowing his eyes at Wallace "You're with the people who put me in that camp."

"Nooo," Wallace looks to Jonathan "You have the Guard to thank for that. All we at the FBC did was assimilate them; our Board has to hold it's cards to it's chest, and those cards include both your organizations."

Wallace gets up from his seat, stepping towards Jonathan.

"And correct me if I am wrong...but wasn't it your club that started building bridges with the Guard ?" Wallace asks "How did that turn out ?"

Jonathan grimaces a little, but looks away.

Now having the floor, Wallace turns around to address his audience.

"It would seem, we have a lot to talk about."

-----

After another half hour, this meeting is adjourned; all parties left knowing who or what to look out for.

There was skepticism within New Ascalon's followers, regarding Mary's presence, and that of Agent Wallace, but as they went over what to look out for in their respective corners of the country, the meeting closed without incident.

At the time, Ashbury and the Reid's privately agreed to keep the name's of Arcadia Bay's person of interest - the girls the Blood Queen may have an eye on - until such a time the situation was deemed controllable.

Many of Ascalon's newcomers had an immediate solution; find the Queen's newest champion and kill her on the spot.

Ashbury and Reid both thought this was an impractical solution; it was the go-to solution of Reid's for decades, and it solved nothing in the long run. The course of action to go with was to find and control the situation, before any of the Queen's followers could.

Shortly after the meeting, Ashbury would accompany Gordan and the Callon's to Juneau International Airport to see them off. Mary stayed behind, and was currently taking a shower.

Jonathan, meanwhile, would find Agent Wallace going about the residence, looking over pictures and windows and such. Notably, Wallace would look at a photograph of young adult Diana Reid, riding on a horse taken in 1949.

"How peculiar." Wallace would remark, noticing how much Diana resembled another person of interest.

The one who was shot in Blackwell.

When Reid approaches Wallace, the agent was standing before the living room's fireplace, facing a window overlooking the quaint Alaskan town from a distance.

Wallace would address Reid before the other way around.

"It's my understanding you are another one of his champions."

"To my knowledge." Reid says stepping behind the agent "Wilt called on no one else the past near century."

"And yet, our investigations indicate he has his eye on someone new." Wallace would say, before turning to Reid "Same as Morgana."

"You call their Queen by that name ?"

"That's the name I grew to know her as." Wallace shrugs "As you know your maker as Myrddin Wilt, I and others would call him Merlin."

Wallace chuckles as he thinks of something.

"Hardly the wizened Gandalf image culture has made him out to be..."

Reid let out a quiet "*Hmph*" in response.

"I'm sensing your apprehension, Dr. Reid." Wallace steps towards the younger vampire "I can assure you, neither I nor the FBC were involved with your initial capture."

"Tis not that, Agent." Reid crosses his arms "What concerns me is how your Bureau knows of the Mother's Childre-"

"Because Ashbury isn't the only one with a finger in the FBC's pie, so to speak." Wallace says before circling Jonathan "Mordred- Radic - whatever you wish to know him as, has his own backdoor agents. This is but another interagency chess match. Not so different than that mess you and the good Lady Ashbury started Ascalon and the Old Guard."

Reid pauses, before nodding in acceptance.

"If I am correct, you know of the young women that they have their eyes on." Reid starts "Care to share ?"

"I was hoping Ashbury would be here for this...but of course." Wallace says, before directing Reid to take their seat on the living room couch.

Once they're seated, Wallace would unzip his trench coat, and pull from an inner pocket, an iPad. Wallace notices that Reid is looking at it inquisitively.

"I take it you never seen one of-?"

"Not this make." Reid shakes his head.

"You've missed a lot in five years, Dr. Reid." Wallace says, turning the pad on and opening the photos app.

And with that, Wallace would slide through a series of photographs, collected from the girls marked by the Dark Room. And any girls connected to them - anyone the Red Queen could have touched.

"Katherine "Kate" Marsh. The media's favorite, that one. A kicked puppy they like to present, rather than help." Wallace says before flipping to the next images "...Dana Ward. Juliet Watson. Alyssa Anderson. Courtney Wagne- These are all smaller cogs. But we have a few other noteworthy names. Here is one whose remains were found on the 8th, and disappeared on the night of the 12th and 13th."

Wallace flips through the images showing one of-

"Rachel Amber." Mary's voice speaks out.

Reid and Wallace look over the couch to see Mary; having apparently gotten out of a shower, she was now in a dark grey t-shirt, black pajama bottoms and barefoot. Her hair was still a little wet and was worn down.

Mary makes her way to the couch, taking a seat at the far end away from her brother and the Agent.

"That one ?" Mary says, reaching across the couch to point out Rachel's picture "She's the one we keep our eyes out for."

"How... How would you know this ?" Reid asks.

"Besides her body disappearing from a morgue ? She was likely marked twice." Mary explains, counting her fingers "I spilled the Queen's blood in Arcadia Bay in '97...and earlier this year, I met Miss Amber face to face."

Mary pauses, thinking back to those few nights in Portland. She smacks her lips, with an unreadable expression, staring off into space, before looking back at Jonathan.

"The Queen...she approached me the moment I laid my eyes on Rachel. She wanted her." Mary sighs "And regardless of my wishes, she'd get her."

Jonathan looks at Mary, skeptically. This time, it's Wallace who speaks up.

"This is something your brother needs to know. Tell him what you told me, Miss Reid. What you told Ashbury."

Mary nods, getting up from the couch.

"She was in his clutches; Mark Jefferson." Mary says, disdain filling her voice as she says his name.

"Jefferson has been a person of interest since the little circus in Arcadia Bay." Wallace explains, a similar disdain filling him as he speaks of Mark Jefferson "He's a predatory thing passing itself off as a human. Wittingly or no, he was feeding the Blood of Hate, spreading pain to the young women of Arcadia Bay, while stealing their innocence. Only now has his sins in the dark been revealed to the light..."

There is another pause, before Reid's eyes darken, and a scowl washing over his face.

"And where is he ?" Jonathan asks in a determined voice.

"Unfortunately," Wallace says with an venomous edge in his own voice "The boys in blue found him first. They're holding him at Sutter Creek until his trial is over. But for a big fish in a small pond, there is still some fishing to do. The paranormal is far from the only thing we at the FBC are looking into. Arcadia Bay is gonna be a goddamn circus."

Setting his tablet on the coffee table before them, Wallace gets up from the couch, stepping and standing before the Reid siblings.

"It is my understanding, you and your people had a hand on the Tears of Angels for some time. A cure to the Blood of Hate. And yet, Morgana is still a problem." Wallace says "A disease lies in Arcadia Bay, good Doctor, however dormant. It wouldn't be good practice to withhold the cure."

With a mild exasperation, Reid gets up from the couch. Wallace is unfazed as Reid steps forward confrontationally.

"I've been over this; the true Tears of Angels have been beyond my reach." Reid says, before reserving himself "What we have is an imperfect strain; unable to cure the Queen's champions. Whatever we have, will do this Rachel Amber little, if any good."

Calmly, Wallace puts a hand on Reid's shoulder. With a simple look in the eye, Reid finds himself as calm as Wallace, as if against his actual will.

"I understand your reluctance to elaborate." Wallace says "No one better knows the price to be paid for the Tears of Angels. But it would seem Arcadia Bay doesn't need that price to be paid. You cannot erase the death and pain. You can only lessen it. And if you ask me, that's all they need for now."

With a deep exhale, Reid nods.

"Our strain, it can help infected humans. But once a patient turns completely ? I've only seen it work twice." Reid explains "In theory, the current strain can be used for the sick, but unchanged."

With an understanding nod, Wallace nods.

"Well then, Dr. Reid. It seems Arcadia Bay needs a Doctor as much as a champion." Wallace says, before taking a breath to bring up another matter "But there is one other issue."

"Well, speak."

"It seems we have another disaster in the making." Wallace clasps his hands together "The only other fatality in Jefferson's work in Arcadia Bay."

Wallace picks his iPad up from the table, shifting to another picture.

It was an obituary photo, of Chloe Price, taken the year before in one of her better moods. She was sitting on a couch in her home, with a laughing smile on her face. She was hugging a pillow sized, plush Pikachu doll.

Reid's eyes widen with familiarity.

Reid mutters quietly to himself, looking back and forth between the picture of Chloe, and a decades old photograph of a fourteen year old Diana.

Needless to say, the picture of Chloe alone was raising alarms to Reid that he thought buried years ago. The aside from their hair color, their resemblance was enough that one could mistake them for-

As if he was reading his mind, Wallace speaks up.

"Uncanny isn't it ?" Wallace starts, circling Jonathan "How many ties she has to this case, I mean. Her ties to Miss Amber, and her ties too-"

Reid stops Wallace mid sentence with a look.

"What else do you know of her ?"

"We're still looking into things," Wallace replies calmly, taking hold of the iPad and taking a seat on the couch "But in our experiences; too many coincidences, mean there are no coincidences."

Wallace places the iPad onto the coffee table, and with a reserved demeanor, clasps his hands together.

"With this in mind, while we have one eye on one champion," He says "It'll do us better to have another eye on the other."

-----

In the darkness, Chloe Price shivers. She tries to open her eyes and hope this nightmare will be over.

That she'll wake up in her bedroom, with her mom in the kitchen, giving her shit for being out late again. For the stepdouche to get on her case about the smell of her clothes.

And that it'll be another day of futility searching for Rachel. For the cops to dismiss her when she tries to bring up a lead.

This didn't happen. Chloe's eyes were welded shut, and she was still in that cold, dark, wet place. But she knows she's not alone.

That thing is with her, filling her ears with words, her mind with thoughts, and her veins with something more than blood.

Chloe feels the Queen's touch; her teeth nibbling  on her ear, filling her with a sickness and a rage that boils in her, waiting to pour out into the world.

Her eyes wouldn't open. They won't until she hears something above her.

"Your dream is over, daughter." The voice says "It's time to wake up. Wake up for mommy..."

Chapter 18: A Daughter's Wake Up Call (Route B)

Summary:

And here we are; our formal introduction to "Vampire Chloe" which is an arc I have been waiting to get too.

Cards off the table, a few years back I had a very different idea of what "Vampire Chloe" will be in "Route B", but that changed over time. Originally I aimed for her to be this Catra/Azula type character, but you'll see how that changed.

In the meantime, this marks the last of our flashback chapters in the meantime as we focus back on the present day storyline. Future "Route A/B" chapters will be few and far between.

This is also the second half of the previous chapter, which I had to split due to length issues. If it feels a little rushed, it's because I'm not good at writing rampage sequences like we'll have in this chapter.

Chapter Text

Arcadia Bay, Cemetery, May 7th, 2014

The sun had finished setting when Frank Bower's RV pulled to a stop just outside the cemetery's gates.

He has Pompidou stay in the RV with the window down a crack. Last time he let his dog into the cemetery, Pompidou would leave unintended disrespects on a few of the graves.

As Frank steps towards the entrance, he looks around. No one in sight but that Graham kid on his bike down the road from him.

Warren's been making these exercises a daily and nightly thing since Spring came about. It used to be that he'd walk in the winter months, so by now, Warren was just part of the scenery.

Frank doesn't come here often during the day. People see his RV, and he gets all kinds of silent jeers, and icy glares.

In the weeks that followed Chloe's death and Rachel's body being found, Arcadia Bay was a goddamn circus.

With each confession, word got out.

About the Dark Room, about Prescott senior operations. Word is Nathan even slugged a lawyer who tried to brush things off. He'd accept nothing short of a guilty verdict and time on the inside. His sentencing was back in April.

State officers, FBI Agents, numerous missing persons cases from out of town being uncovered. There was the FBI stepping in, as well as this other agency; the FBC. It was all the same to Frank.

The first couple weeks alone, Prescott's scrambling to fix up the mess, a few of Sean Prescott's own skeletons in his closet slipped up. Word has it that a teenager from out of town was being blackmailed and was raising a Prescott kid.

After which, Sean Prescott himself went on the run. But it wasn't for long.

Back in November, a cabin supposedly rented by Prescott was raided; seven bodyguards were found battered and drained with blood; and the stain of blood belonging to Sean Prescott, had him declared missing and presumed dead.

This left Caroline and Kristine Prescott to deal with the fallout.

If only things stopped there. More skeletons were unearthed. Both on the Prescott side of things, and the Amber's. Which includes Rachel's relationship with Frank.

With this, there was nowhere Frank could go where he didn't get dirty looks.

Frank almost did time for his time with Rachel. Though given that she was eighteen when they hooked up, all they could pin on him was the drugs. However, his lawyer was able to get him two years probation.

He no longer sells his usual merchandise. Besides probation, the students of Blackwell were looking to get their fixes out of town. Nowadays, Frank got his income stocking shelves from this general store outside of Arcadia Bay.

This did not mean Frank got off easy. Everywhere he goes, people let him know one way or another, that they know what he did with Rachel. And the people he used to talk to all the time, now wouldn't give him the time of day.

Frank accepted that as his punishment, and the past seven months as his personal purgatory.

This all to say, there was a reason why Frank visits the cemetery at night. They had Rachel's burial in late November. Her body was never found, so she was given an empty tomb in the Amber family plot.

As Frank makes his way towards the plot, the sun was but a disappearing red light in a dark sky. Unseen to him, a black jeep is pulling at the corner down the road.

Both hands in his pockets, Frank looks around before finally talking to a girl who is not even there.

"Hey, Rach..." Frank sighs "I take it you and Chloe are doing better than the rest of us."

Frank mentally kicks himself for such a clunky line, and he shakes his head.

"I don't know if you got the news," He asks "Prescott Junior, got sentenced last week...they still haven't found his dad, but y'know."

-----

Just down the road, Warren was pulling up to the corner on his bike, when a sudden movement caused him to pull to a stop.

Or try to pull to a stop.

What happened was, he turned to swerve, and the bike wiped out beneath him. He ended up rolling over into the ditch with a groan, when he heard a vehicle come to a stop.

"A shit," Warren groans, as he gets up on staggering knees.

He pulls his bike up and sees his chain is broken. Muttering and cursing with frustration, Warren pulls the bike up from the ditch and flips the bird as this black jeep pulls to a stop a dozen yards from him, just near the cemetery's gate.

"Yeah, thanks a lot assholes!" Warren shouts "Really appreciate it!"

The jeeps bumper lights flare red, as they back towards him.

More annoyed than intimidated, Warren just glares as the jeep quickly backs it's way towards him.

From the passenger side, the front window rolls down, revealing...well, there were no polite words to sum them up. Best Warren could guess, he'd pass them off as a couple of crack or meth heads.

They were sickly looking, pale, with milky looking eyes. Warren couldn't tell if it was just his own eyes adjusting to the growing darkness.

Now normally, Warren is not a "judge by appearance" type.  But you have to admit, such a sight at this time of day (or night, as it were) is a frightening one. Especially when you're forty feet from a cemetery.

"I'm sorry. We didn't see you." The passenger speaks.

"You should be more careful." The driver nods in agreement "You could seriously get hurt."

Warren doesn't speak, just keeps an annoyed glare to cover up the uneasiness shivering its way up his back.

The two smile at him "Well, clearly you're not hurt too bad, otherwise you won't be standing here."

"My chains busted!" Warren raises his voice.

"Well, that's rough buddy. But y'know you're not the only one with problems-"

"Zeke, please." A woman's voice with a mild Austrian accent speaks.

The windows on the back side of the jeep roll down.

Sitting there is a woman who looks to be in her mid thirties, pale but has lively hue in her skin. Her hair was an auburn brown, and shoulder length. Her eyes were as bright as they were blue, giving her a lively appearance, despite her cold exterior.

Despite how chilling her appearance is, she musters a smile to Warren.

"Oh you poor thing." She says in a condescending, cooing voice "Is there anything we can do for you ?"

Warren, a little taken aback, shakes his head.

"No, no. It's fine..." Warren lies through his teeth "I can walk from here."

"Oh, but I insist." The woman says, with a pouty/mock sympathetic look "You don't know what could be out there, especially at night."

In the RV, just outside the cemetery's entrance, Pompidou rears his head up, having rested on Frank's bed. He does what dogs are known to do, picking up when something is up, and begins to bark.

Chuckling despite himself, Warren shakes his head.

"No offense, but you're not from around here." Warren says, trying to keep a calm and reserved demeanor "I go out around here all the time. There's pretty much nothing here the investigation didn't turn up."

As Warren is talking, the woman just gives him a look, like he's a meal or something, and her smile widens and widens. Her two lackies give each other knowing looks.

"Well, if you know so much about this place, can you help us find who we're looking for ?" She says, biting her lip as she looks over Warren.

"I guess it depends on who you're looking for."

"Why just a little lady named Price," She tilts her head "Sound familiar ?"

Warren hesitates, narrowing his eyes. Truth was, he spent some time at the former Price-Madsen home, but most of that was just keeping an eye on the place while Joyce was out of town.

The week before, after Nathan's sentencing, Joyce was advised to take a trip out of town, to try to get her mind off things. She spent the past week in Bright Falls.

"If you mean Joyce, she's out of town." Warren says "Won't be back till next week, if that's what you're wondering."

The woman just smiles down at him, and impish little smirk as she tilts her head.

"Oh, well that's a shame." She clicks her teeth, before her eyes flicker over Warren "But since you helped me, perhaps we can return the favor."

Sighing with frustration and annoyance Warren shakes his head.

"I'm sorry, but no." Warren says "I appreciate it bu-"

"Oh, but I wasn't asking." The woman says, before nodding towards the passenger.

The passenger steps out of the jeep, and Warren's fight or flight response kicks in. As soon as Warren tries to turn around, a cold, crushing hand grabs his wrist and twists it.

As Warren opens his mouth to yell, his world spins, and he's further dizzy by the impact, as he's swung into the jeep's side.

Warren collapses to the ground, coughing and groaning. He could do nothing as he feels himself being pulled down, as his assailant pins him down.

Warren winces, and struggles. He can feel teeth on the back of his neck.

"Ah, ah, ah!" The woman scolds, opening her door and stepping out.

Warren looks up to see the woman is wearing a black trench coat. That and her teeth are fangs, as she smiles down at him.

"Well," She says, licking her lips "It certainly looks like you need help now..."

She then crouches down towards him.

In the RV, Pompidou would scratch from the inside of the door, barking loudly. From the darkness, multiple eyes are watching, making their way to a town about to sleep.

-----

At Rachel's grave site, Frank crouched in silence for a few moments.

He spent that time trying to think of something else to say, but realizing he can't say anything that he hasn't said before.

Sighing deeply, he soon finds the words.

"I'd...I'd say I'll see you around, Rach," Frank starts, before shaking his head "But we know that's bullshit. You're one of the few things that went right with my life, but I wasn't that same for you."

With a groan, Frank stands up straight.

"Maybe I could have gotten you out of here." Frank says with another sigh "I could have gotten you away from those creeps. You'd leave me behind, but you'd be alive."

Frank wipes one of his eyes, inhales deeply and he fights back a sniffle. He briefly glances back at his RV to the sound of Pompidou barking.

"Guess that's the way it's got to be." Frank continues "You know ? I was thinking lately that me and Pomp should just le-"

The faint sound of a body slamming against a vehicle got Frank to stop. He looks over his shoulder, seeing faint movement by some headlights down the way.

From this distance, he could squint his eyes and notice the sight of someone being pinned into the dirt. Someone was standing over the poor bastard...and was looking in his direction.

In the headlights, Frank could just make out the sight of a woman with auburn brown hair, wearing a black raincoat, giving him a wave.

With the sound of Pompidou barking, Frank realizes what's going on.

Instinct told him to run, and that's what he did, quickly making his way down the cemetery to the entrance. He didn't know what was going on, but it wasn't good.

Frank didn't have a gun as part of his probation, and he doubted his knife would do him any good. But it would at least give him the illusion of protection.

The best Frank could guess, as long as he was in his RV, he would have some kind of advantage. Had he slowed his pace a little, he would have noticed the other shapes in the growing darkness.

It would have done him little good at the speed three times his own.

By the time he reaches the entrance, Frank chokes back a yelp, as something takes the back of his shirt, lifting him up and onto the windshield of his RV.

Frank half screams, half groans, as broken pieces of glass cut into his back. He slides down and collapses onto the dirt beneath him, spitting out blood upon impact.

His vision was a little hazy, and his hearing was fading, but he could hear Pompidou still barking and whimpering from within the RV. He could make out the sound of several others approaching him, and someone crouching over him.

He feels something sharp sticking into his neck. He's been around needles and such enough to know that he was about to go out...

-----

When Frank came too he shook his head, shaking dirt and dust out of his hair. He clouds a bit as he regains composure.

It takes a moment for him to realize his hands and feet are bound by twelve nylon cables - six for his wrists, six for his ankles. He was lying on his stomach on a black tarp, on the cemetery's ground, and his shirt was torn off.

Six feet to his side was Warren Graham, similarly bound and shirtless, and duct tape wrapped clear around his mouth and the back of his head. He quickly showed he was conscious as he looked up towards the sound of Pompidou barking, still in the RV a distance away.

They both look at the side to see they were teen feet adjacent to the grave of Chloe Price. Three men in masks were digging their way down with shovels, having reached five feet in the time Warren and Frank were unconscious.

"Jesus Christ!" Frank groans out, getting annoyed glares from his captors "The hell is this-"

"Oh, you're awake too." A Hungarian woman's voice sighs, sounding annoyed and bored "Don't tell me you're chatty too ?"

Frank feels a foot press onto his back, rolling him over so he's facing the night sky.

Standing over them is the Auburn haired woman. And she grins down at him with a fang filled mouth.

"Hey...you're that pedophile drug dealer, aren't you ?" She says with a cheeky giggle, crouching down, tilting her head at him "The one diddling that Amber girl, right ?"

She chuckles.

"Gotta say, I admire your taste-"

"Go to hell!" Frank curses, and he began to struggle and try to roll around.

"What do they always say ? It gets them nowhere." The woman rolls her eyes, before jabbing a thumb over at Warren "This boy had such a mouth, I thought he was a sailor."

She began to count her fingers.

"For the past hour, it was "Sick fuck", this. "Devil bitch" that. And that's the clean stuff!"

She proceeds to make the "Blah Blah" motion with her hands.

"Yakkity, yakkity," She continues "Yak, yak, yak."

Warren makes a muffled shouting noise, as he similarly begins to struggle against his bindings. The woman stands up straight, looking over Warren like he was a meal.

"You know," she says, looking back at Frank "I was thinking about ripping his tongue out, but I wanted to get some use out of it still."

Frank looks up at her with slack jawed discussion, to which she rolls her eyes. Her own expression was a mixture of  amusement and annoyance.

"Oh, don't be like that!" She scoffs "Don't tell me you had your tongue in a piece of cherry pie. Your encounters with Rachel Amber paint a pretty picture-"

"Don't you say her name!" Frank shouts up at her "Don't you say her fucking name!"

The woman lets out a "pfft", noise and rolls her eyes again.

"Oh, so you are chatty." She shakes her head "Damn shame really."

She whistles towards someone neither Frank nor Warren could see. Another presence steps towards Frank and rolls him onto his back. Frank closes his eyes as some dirt gets in them, and he could barely gasp as duck tape suddenly blankets his mouth.

"There, we go." The woman smiles wickedly crouching back down to pinch Frank "Now you be a good boy for once and your life, and enjoy the show..."

Both Frank and Warren continue to struggle anew, their screams, curses and shouts still muffled by the duck tape. Their minds scramble to put together what's happening before them.

Sure, as kids, they heard some stories and hearsay about things like "devil worshipers" and such stealing bodies to do some unsavory things for parts. But such things were bullshit, right ?

At best, it's some redditor or creepypasta author trying to be edgy or something. Or fear mongering parents. Or kids around a campfire. But no one believes that shit, right ? This was 2013. They were well past the age of Satanic Panic.

And despite their disbelief, they couldn't deny what was happening around them.

The woman ignores her two captives, looking towards the burial sight of Chloe Price. In the darkness around her, roughly forty pale eyes are watching, waiting for the frenzy. Not all of them were vampires (at least, not fully), but they were tainted enough by their mother that they followed her all the same.

More of their mother's children, awaiting the awakening of their newest sibling.

The woman, known to history and Urban Legends as "Bathory", wouldn't normally turn up something as insignificant as Arcadia Bay.

Being the main financier behind the "Children's" activities, Mordred usually has her keep an eye on larger aspects. And more often than not, Mordred himself would step in to oversee a newcomer.

But he was setting up shop in California, and considering the attention Arcadia Bay was getting in the wake of Jefferson and Prescott's arrest, especially when he found out who else had their eyes on Arcadia Bay, he decided to keep his distance.

But no one would notice her. While their enemies may have heard of Bathory having a hand in their operations, she was reclusive enough that prying eyes wouldn't recognize her. She'd walk past them, and they wouldn't look twice.

Plus, having heard of what's happening in Arcadia Bay, especially Mark Jefferson's art projects, Bathory just knew she had to be part of this. To take his remaining survivors and victims, and make them the Queen daughters, as they were always meant to be.

As a breeze rushes through the graveyard, a familiar warmth rushes through Bathory and her acolytes.

"Pay dirt!" One of them shouts, as the diggers in the greave break open the coffin beneath them.

-----

"Awake daughter." The Queen's voice says in Chloe's ears.

With a shuddering, airy gasp, Chloe's lungs begin to pump, as does her decayed heart. It takes effort, but she manages to open her eyes; her vision is clouded by darkness, only making out the vague shapes standing over her.

She feels herself being pulled up by the wrists, as those she cannot make out help her stand up. Her world was still spinning, and her senses were still coming to her.

In a few seconds in real time, but what felt like forever, thoughts began to fill her head.

Where am I ? This isn't the bathroom.

What is happening ? Why is this happening ?

Her sense of hearing came back to her, as she could hear the muffled sounds of screaming and different voices speaking and whispering.

"Give her some space!" A woman's voice commands "Let her take in the sights..."

"Welcome back, my dear." The Queen's voice could be heard as if they were Chloe's own thoughts. To others, it sounded like the faint whistle of wind "The world has missed you."

What Chloe was experiencing, and what Frank and Warren were witnessing, was like a waking nightmare.

Here stands Chloe Price, dead for nearly eight months. And it shows.

Her skin was ashen pale, and leathering; she wore the dark green svaya dress that her mother buried her in, white stocking and black heels. The color of her hair has since turned into a more pale greyish tone, almost matching her decayed skin. Her eyes were milky and glassy.

As her jaw opens and shuts, trying to get used to working again, cat-like fangs could be seen. She tries to take a step, as if her body was trying to remember how it works. Her muscles spasm and ache as she moves, and her stomach lurches, causing her to collapse into the dirt beneath her.

She vomits, and a clear liquid mixed with red begins to bleed out from every orifice. Her mouth, her nose, you name it, and it burned her. It burned her as the venom of the Queen evacuated the remnants of embalming chemicals that had previously burned into her body.

After a moment of this, she stops and collapses into the puddle, taking another moment for her lungs to fill with air. She was breathing as if she couldn't for over half a year (which to be fair was the case).

Chloe looks forward to the sound of the muffled screams of Frank and Warren. Her vision begins to clear, and she recognizes Frank almost immediately.

"F...Fraaaank..." Chloe breathes out in a raspy voice, her vocal cords still damaged by months of decay.

Frank's eyes widened in horror and disbelief. He shook his head in denial, and closed his eyes, as if hoping to wake up from this nightmare.

Both curiosity and recognition were in Chloe's eyes as she inched her way closer to him. And the scent of blood was in her nose, as well as the taste in her mouth.

It was then Chloe started to feel stomach pains. She hasn't eaten in nearly eight months after all.

And as she looks over Frank, who had his eyes closed and was sobbing uncontrollably, more of Chloe's memories could be pieced together; especially the stuff the Queen has been showing her...the stuff with Frank and Rachel.

The confusion and recognition in Chloe's eyes, gave way to anger, resentment and hatred. It was also getting increasingly hard to ignore that hungry feeling rushing over her.

Choe's vision darkens, and all she can see is Frank's heart glowing red within that darkness. And all she can hear now is the sound of chanting.

Watching with cheeky amusement, Bathory looks at the snarling Chloe, and shrugs off her raincoat. She steps towards and looks down at Warren, who watches in silent disbelief and horror as Chloe bares her fangs down onto Frank.

"Glad you accepted our help, kid ?" Bathory says as she gets down on her knees to Warren, ignoring Frank's muffled screaming.

As their screams filled the night, a light wind blew. Dozens of observers could hear her, the Queen whispering her will to them.

"Feed." The Queen whispers "Two other daughters await. None escapes me..."

And with that, the Mother's Children advanced to Arcadia Bay...

-----

Max's dorm room, Blackwell Academy

Max awoke with a stretch and a groan. She looks at her alarm to see it's 10:37. She was laying across the head of her bed in an odd fetal position, to see her laptop, and a word doc she didn't even start writing on.

Of course, she was still in her day clothes, having spent the afternoon trying to write this doc, but nothing ever came for her.

It takes a second for Max to see what shook her wake to see her phone blaring and buzzing as it was charging on her desk. Wiping sleep from her eyes, Max gets up to her desk to see it was Kate calling her.

"Yeah ?" Max manages to mumble.

"Is this a bad time ?" Kate asks, before scoffing and correcting herself "Stupid question; of course it's a bad time-"

"No, it's cool." Max says "What's wrong ?"

"Tire's busted." Kate answers "We're just out of AB."

Max's eyes widened a little.

"You're nor hurt are you ?"

"No, we had to pull off the road." Kate explains "We saw this...kid I think, running across the road."

Max's eyes narrow in concern.

"A kid ?"

"We think." Kate says again "We had to swerve and our tire burst on the lane. Could have been a deer or a dog."

"On my way." Max mumbles "Just have to wake myself up."

Kate sighs in relief.

"Thank you!" Kate could be heard beaming "Taylor just called us a tow truck, but we needed to-"

"Say no more-" Max yawns "I'll see you shortly."

As soon as Max hangs up, she heads to her closet for a warmer hoodie, and her mini fridge for a coke.

It was well past curfew, but in light of recent and ongoing events - that being the Dark Room's exposure - curfew was laxed a little, on account of the low morale of Arcadia Bay, especially at Blackwell.

Following Jefferson and Nathan's arrest, floodgates would open in the ensuing media circus, and it left many skeletons falling out of many closets. When this one agency - the "FBC" they call themselves stepped in - it took Arcadia Bay a little aback by how much power these people had over the investigation.

And what gave these FBC people such a reputation in Arcadia Bay was, for all of Prescott's attempts to buy them out, they would get pushed back ten fold.

The day the FBC arrived, one Agent Gabriel Wallace stayed at a cottage outside of town, with two others. One of them being known as "Elise Ashbury".

That evening, they would call the state officers to get some "trash" off his lawn; two local officers on Prescott's payroll went to have "a talk" with them. When the troopers arrived, Prescott's officers were found bludgeoned and half dead. The cottage was shot to shit, and Ashbury was brewing tea, even offering the first responders some.

A few phone calls later, and suddenly Prescott's closet opened like flood gates; the cops, teachers and business owners that Prescott had bought. It made the investigation impossible for Prescott to control.

With it, came the exposure of numerous dirty secrets were got all sorts of attention. Bribes; working hazards; covering up Nathan's attacks. You name it. And especially their funding of Mark Jefferson.

With the Prescott's funding pulled and their dirty laundry out there, Arcadia Bay was a dying from a bleeding economy. Most family owned businesses, were on the verge of collapse due to the loss of Prescott's investments. The Blue Whales was also the verge of closing down, with Chloe's loss taking on toll Joyce, as well as her and David's marriage.

Most locals were getting jobs from out of town. With the names of every cop on Sean Prescott's payroll have been released, over half Arcadia Bay's police force went into hiding. Those who were tracked down were either killed or arrested. Sean Prescott himself disappeared a week into the investigation, leaving Caroline and Kristine as proxy targets for the public's ire.

As far as anyone could guess, Sean Prescott decided if his empire was going down, so too will Arcadia Bay.

Arcadia Bay was being drained, as if by a vampire with its victim. In Max's eyes, it was dying with Chloe Price.

-----

As Max steps into Chloe's tr- her truck, she peeks up to notice storm clouds brewing. She shakes her head; while nothing has called for rotten weather that night, she's sure it has nothing to do with the storm that's averted.

As she left the dorm, she had a quick "Hi/Bye" with Alyssa, who warned her about the weather when Max mentioned where she's going.

Closing the truck's door, Max sends Kate a text.

"Stay in the van, okay ? I think it is gonna rain."

Max pulls out of the parking lot, now at the wheel of the truck Joyce gifted to her over the holidays. Chloe would want her to have it, Joyce would say, and having it around brought back too many memories.

Max, having dealt with six months of painful memories, gladly shouldered that burden. For quite a few students directly or indirectly involved with Jefferson or Prescott, there was so much to take.

Within the school itself, things were especially hectic when it was revealed not only Kate was victimized by these two, but Victoria on their list. This broke Victoria down further.

Max herself would take a break spending a few months back in Seattle. But after recurring nightmares and a few instances where she would hurt herself in her sleep, her parents had her set up an appointment with.

A trauma counsellor by the name of Thomas Wilson was reaching out to many traumatized students, running a clinic/lodge off the outskirts of Seattle.

According to some was doing it for publicity. Even so, Max would check in with Wilson, and would regroup with Kate and Victoria, who have spent their time healing over their issues with one another, and in time Max was taken into the fold.

Prior to this, Kate rarely stepped out from a different kind of shame, even ghosting Max a few times after the fact. At her father's insistence, Kate too would check into the clinic.

Victoria was bottling up a lot after everything came to let, and it eventually reached a boiling point. After a pretty ugly breakdown Victoria had on Christmas, her family insisted she get help as well.

A week into their day, it was realized Victoria needed to confront her guilt, and arranged to have Victoria and Kate sit down to vent to each other. Kate, for her part, claims to already forgive Victoria after her initial apology. Victoria, for her part, refused to accept her forgiveness so easily.

But more and more one on one sessions, the closer Kate and Victoria got. If you saw them now, you would hardly believe that Victoria was a bitch to Kate not eight months ago. The irony of the two finding healing and forgiveness with each other was lost on no one.

That night, Kate would join Victoria and her circle of friends for a movie night. Over the past few months, Courtney would get into Marvel, and tried to get her friends into it too.

They went that night to catch the premiere to this new Spider-Man movie, though the nearest theatre was in Beaver Creek. And like anyone paying attention the past few months, one could mistake Kate and Victoria as a couple on a date.

On her drive, Max pulls down a forest road - Weston Road, a trail connecting Arcadia Bay to the highway to Beaver Creek by half an hour. She would call Kate again, asking where they were, and picking up that they were twenty minutes away.

She pays no mind that it starts to rain. Nor shapes lurking in the trees...

-----

On the outskirts of Arcadia Bay, several lights lose their power. Storm clouds filling the air, with the clash of thunder and the strike of lighting made an obvious culprit.

No one paid any mind to the figures in the darkness; many residents were still asleep, trying to get back to sleep. A few were checking their fuse boxes.

Wind would pick up, and build, and lighting would quickly light the night sky. Thunder booms loudly, as if to wake the dead. The wanderers of the darkness made their way into seven houses as soon as the storm started.

So thick was the rain, and loud was the storm, that no one would hear as homeowners would be caught by surprise, with blood thirsty intruders in their house.

Unseen to anyone with the naked eye, a woman in red dances, laughing and singing, as her "children" fed.

Already what was left in Arcadia Bay's police force was being called in about these intruders, but they will fare little better.

Outside of Arcadia Bay, in a little cottage, two vampires would be roused from rest. The familiar scent of the Queen's blood was in the air, and a new disaster has awakened.

-----

Earlier that night, in a cottage outside Arcadia Bay, just a ways down from the lighthouse, a man and a woman stir awake.

In the months that followed the death of Chloe Price, and the exposure of the Dark Room, the FBC and New Escalon have quite literally made a home in the region.

Specifically, their "eyes and ears", Jonathan Reid and Elisabeth Ashbury.

Initially working alongside Agent Gabriel Wallace in his investigations, Ashbury and Reid were known to the public as detectives of sorts for the Bureau. Their arrival was followed by Prescott's disappearance.

In the past few months they had to keep their presence in the county to a minimal. If too many Wallace's people occupy the region to too long, it would raise suspicions.

To the public, "John Reid" was a medical doctor as well as an investigator for this government body. He wasn't one for public appearances, but the few times he did, he would use a cover story regarding a disease discovered within the Dark Room, and would perform checkups on girls confirmed to have been taken there.

And by ripple effect, the responding officers and subsequent investigators. Kate Marsh met him on one such checkup, but Reid didn't leave that much of an impression on her.

These checkups would occur at Beaver Creek, where Reid would set up his office. As Kate was looked over, Reid "persuaded" that she'd have little recollection of their encounters, and the fact that Kate was put under during these visits helped.

Asbury on the other hand was a lot more sociable. In the months following Chloe's funeral, she would often pay Blue Whales Diner a visit, expressing condolences to Joyce and working her way into being a casual acquaintance.

Despite no apparent relevance to the investigation, Ashbury would often make conversation with Joyce regarding Chloe. To better relate to Joyce, Ashbury would talk about a daughter named Diana, who has since distanced herself from the family.

Regrets, and failure to reconcile was a usual subject.

So casual was her presence that back in January - on William Price's birthday - Ashbury would join Joyce at laying flowers at William and Chloe's graves as an act of support.

The rest of William's family stepped in for the occasion, and his mother, Beth Price, wasn't too happy with Joyce and how things turned out. Hence why David didn't show.

Ashbury particularly remembers meeting Beth's live-in nurse. Ashbury was sure she knows from somewhere. Said nurse similarly recognized Ashbury, and made an effort not to interact with her.

With all that said, this was not why Reid and Ashbury set up a living space in the area. They knew what was coming. They the Mother's Children would claim Chloe's body.

And the night they finally came, Reid and Ashbury awoke to the scent of blood in the air. The Queen's blood; she was here. She was here for Chloe.

And they were both ready for her.

-----

"Well, where are they then ?" Reid asks, at the driver's wheel of their black tailgater, turning off the highway and into port streets of the township.

"Our closest reinforcements are in Portland." Ashbury answers, hanging her phone, gritting her teeth "They're coming, but by the time they get here-"

"So it falls to us then." Reid nods, with a determined expression on his face.

There is a pause as they two come to this realization. Small price to pay to keep the locals from raising concerns, but they knew what they signed up for with Agent Wallace.

Ashbury especially had an intense expression. Over the past century, she was pulled into action a lot more than she'd prefer. And each time it risked awakening the monster she was as Lady Blackwood.

She insists to herself she doesn't like it, that she is just getting her hands dirty for a cleaner world. She tells herself this every time,

"Our priorities are the girls." Ashbury reminds Jonathan "If they're names are on Jefferson's list, they are on her list."

"You're priorities." Reid corrects "But they're not the ones she's after."

This was a minor disagreement between the two. While Ashbury aided in the investigation, and made an effort to get to know the people of Arcadia Bay; Reid was a lot more work focused, spending more time in Beaver Creek.

His concern was perfecting the Tears of Angels, a project he put behind him years before. In order for it to work, they would need a subject tangibly afflicted with the Queen's blood.

And as far as he was aware, the only other candidate was Chloe Price. Though if Ashbury had to guess, going off what she told him about Chloe's surviving family, Jonathan might have less professional reasons to prioritize Chloe.

In a moment, Reid and Ashbury pulled to a stop onto the street before the long closed Blue Whales diner, where they would survey the scene. Over the sound of thunder and heavy rain, and that of police sirens coming, both Reid and Ashbury could make out the muffled screams and gunfire, and smell the blood in the air.

And over that wind, the Queen's laughter could faintly be heard.

In the hills region, not too far off from the cemetery, the scent of smoke and burning flesh assaulted their noses from a distance.

"They're here." Reid remarks, stepping out of the driver's side door.

"And she's awake." Ashbury nods, stepping out from the passenger door.

Their ears picked up something else. Something carried past them as if through the wind; the blood curdling laughter of four people and the sound of two police cars.

Their sounds indicate they are heading to, or are at Blackwell Academy.

Reid and Ashbury glance at each other in realization. They both thought the same, but only Reid said-

"You go where you're needed."

-----

Cedar Avenue

Through this storm, a lone girl walks.

The rain doesn't bother Chloe. She's too beside herself to care.

When she looked down and saw what she did to Frank, a terrified Chloe would try to flee in horror, scarcely able to comprehend what was happening around her. She sort of turned herself out, ignoring this woman ordering her to stay put, shoving away a few nobodies who tried to physically restrain her.

The walking remains of Chloe Price would her down the road towards the Price-Madsen, as if retracing her steps. She tries her best to ignore the Queen ringing in her head.

"You cannot escape this." Says the Queen "No one escapes. I am eternal. I am the end. I am what you were born for, and what you die for."

Chloe shakes her head, making her way down the driveway. She was looking for some place of familiarity.

"Go away." Chloe mutters, her voice barely audible "I am not yours. I am not-"

"You are what you were always meant to be, girl." The Queen says "It is my will you live now, and for my will you will-"

"F-fuck off!" Chloe rasps.

She could feel the Queen's rage boiling inside her.

Chloe collapses, blood splatters out from her mouth as she coughs. It runs down her nose, and her tear ducts.

"I AM your LIFE!" The voice snarls "I am the shadow that loomed were you walk! I am the nightmare that kept you awake as a child!! I am your loss, you pain! I am the director of your existence!!"

Chloe collapses to her hands and knees, and begins to regurgitate more of that red liquid.

"I am the storm that will engulf this land! That will engulf your life!!"

Chloe begins to wheeze, as if some unseen force took her by the throat, forcing her to face forward.

"This is my claim." The Queen snarls in Chloe's ear "Those who live here, die here, and suffer here do so at my desire. Your existence is being MY daughter! Your-"

Chloe snarls, looking up into the night sky. With a grimace, Chloe screams despite how weak her voice is.

"You...are...NOTHING!" Chloe screams at the thing that has been tormenting her "You...are...nothing to me..."

She stumbles a bit, spasms racketing her body as more blood pours from her eyes and nose.

"You're just words..." Chloe shakes her head "You are...nothing to me..."

As Chloe says this, tears form in her milky eyes. As they roll down her face, she feels her muscles relax at once. It was as if this thing haunting her suddenly lost its hold.

And while she couldn't quite notice it in this light - nor would she care too - one could scarcely see a hint of light blue in her tears.

"What was that ?" The Queen voice whispers, as if taken off guard.

Chloe continues to ignore her, as more and more of these blue tears shed.

In under a minute, the Queen's words and curses just became more noise. It would fade with the screams and chaos surrounding her.

"I'm not here...I'm not here..." Chloe mutters to herself, her tears mixing with the rainwater that was covering her body  "I'm gonna wake up and you'll be gone. I will wake up an I'll-"

She continues to stagger, before she looks up. Not ten feet in front of her was the Price Madsen House; no light the whole block, save a street light or too.

Her milky eyes light up, and she makes her way towards the door.

-----

The Price Madsen Household

It takes some effort, but Chloe manages to force the door open. She's been out late enough to know how to tamper with her door lock, and it came to her like muscle memory.

She looks around as she closes the door behind her. Her eyes adjust to the dark, and she looks around for a light switch.

When Chloe turns on her hallway light, she takes one look at her pale, leathery hand before gasping. She can just make out the sight of her greying, now light blue hair out of the corner of her eye.

It was enough to let her know she probably shouldn't be looking in a mirror. She turns off the light, more tears flow as the reality of what she is hits her.

Chloe collapses to her knees in her soaked dress, and lets out a sorrowful, wheezing sound, the best her damaged vocal cords would allow.

Bit by bit, her mind begins to clear. About the last thing she remembers was Nathan in the bathroom at Blackwell. She is pretty sure she was shot, and everything began to fade out.

After that, Chloe recalls nothing but darkness, and a sick, sinking feeling. She doesn't think she was fully lucid until she looked down at Frank's body...

But there was no way she was capable of doing something like that, Chloe would think.

She talks big, she talks tough, but she's not a monster, right ?

"I'm not." Chloe meekly tells herself "I'm not...I'm not a monster."

With any sense of dignity she had, thrown to the wind, Chloe buries her head into her knees, resting into a fetal-like position.

"I'm not a monster. I'm not a monster." Chloe weeps as her situation begins to settle on her "I'm not a monster. I'm alive. I'm alive..."

-----

After having her cry, Chloe opens her bedroom door. She had realized neither Joyce nor David was here.

Her room wasn't untouched, with everything being a lot more clean than she left it. But none of her stuff was moved, though five empty boxes stacked by her closet tells Chloe that won't last.

Chloe looks over her neatly made bed, spotting a chair set up at it's side, with a red and white quilt on it's back. It was a quilt Chloe and William made back when she was eight.

The best Chloe can guess is that Joyce set this up and spent how many days now sitting beside her bed. As her eyes well up again, Chloe takes hold of the quilt, before taking a seat at the foot of her bed.

Outside, she was vaguely aware of the sounds of sirens and gunfire. But here in her room, all Chloe could do was close her eyes and hope to wake up...

It's only when she heard people outside her house, shouting and the sound of gunfire, did Chloe lurch up and look out her window, hoping not to be seen in her dark room.

If they didn't see her, it was clear to Chloe that they were there for her.

-----

The Highway off Weston Road

Outside the outskirts of Arcadia Bay, Max has the radio on in what was once Chloe's truck. The radio was on and playing Seether at a low volume.

"'Cause I'm broken/When I'm open/And I don't feel like/I am strong enough/'Cause I'm broken/When I'm lonesome/And I don't feel right/When you're gone away-"

The rainfall wasn't that thick, but the flashes of lightning made her wince a little. It brought back memories.

"No," Max thinks to herself trying to be rational, and still puts what happened in October behind her "It's not that storm. It's just a surprise but mundane storm that'll pass by tomorrow."

That storm is over, Max keeps telling herself. It never happened, and never will.

Whatever death god out there demanding Chloe's sacrifice, had taken it's prize, Max would cynically rationalize. It wouldn't strike Arcadia Bay again. Unless it was that petty.

Just down the way, Max could see the headlights of Courtney's van, with the tow truck present, and having connected with the van.

Taylor had a purse over her shoulder, and  an umbrella that she, Kate and Victoria were under. Courtney herself was talking to the tow truck driver, a thin black man in his late twenties.

It would seem he wasn't gonna go until he was sure they had a lift.

Max swerves to the left of the road, giving the horn a honk, and turns on the lights in the truck. She waves them over.

Courtney excuses herself from the driver, while Taylor, Victoria and Kate hurriedly make their way to the truck, and Max rolls down the windows.

"How bad is it ?" Max asks over the rainfall.

"Ah, Monty there says it's gonna be over night given the hour." Kate says, gesturing to the driver, who gives them a friendly wave.

"He's offered us a lift though." Courtney adds, making her way to the truck "It's just we needed another ride. Y'know, space and all."

A flash of lightning occurs, and if they were paying attention, they would have noticed two pale, shirtless figures darting across the road, not ten yards behind the tuck.

"Look," Courtney says, "I called a motel in Beaver Creek. Taylor and I are gonna stay the night."

Max notices Kate and Victoria exchange a knowing, teasing glance, at which Taylor gives an embarrassed smile and a glare that silently says "Shut up!"

While Max wasn't as close to them as she now is to Victoria, she did pick up that Courtney and Taylor had a thing going on at least since November.

Max looks back at Kate and Victoria "And you ?"

"That's what we called you for." Kate adds "Tori and I, got no room or wheels of our own."

"Well, if that's what I'm here for." Max says, before looking at Taylor and Courtney "Are you sure you two are alright ?"

As Max says this, she jerks her head towards the tow truck driver, Monty, who waits patiently by his door, giving them a nod.

"Hey," Taylor says, raising an eyebrow "I'm always packing."

As she says this, Taylor whips out a small bottle of bear spray from her purse, which she quickly puts back.

"If you say so." Max remarks, before glancing back at Kate and Victoria with a snarky smile "So you coming or not ?"

Victoria narrows her eyes, unsure if Max was making a joke, but it quickly fades as Kate darts her way around the truck, entering from the passenger side.

"Guess we are." Victoria rolls her eyes, before turning back to Taylor and Courtney "You two be careful now."

Nonchalantly, Victoria gives Courtney a quick peck on the cheek, to which Kate and Max glance at each other, and Taylor gives a comic jealous glare.

From what Max could guess, Victoria had a fling with Courtney the year before, before deciding they were better as friends. While they didn't exactly carry a torch, there was still a spark.

"Call me as soon as you get to your room."

"Tori," Courtney says with a smirk and an eye roll "It's just out of town for the night."

"Yeah, well a lot can happen in a night." Victoria says, a look of mild but genuinely worry on her face.

Tilting her head with a softer smile, Courtney pats Victoria on the cheek.

"I'll call as soon as we get there."

Taylor leans in, putting an arm around Courtney's shoulders with a snarky smile "I'll be sure you'll hear me."

Despite the snark at her expense, Victoria stifles back a laugh, gives an accepting nod, and makes her own round to the passenger side, climbing in after/beside Kate.

Victoria's hair was utterly soaked from the rain, giving an unusually matty look.

Max gives an affirming nod to Courtney and Taylor, who give a little wave before making their way back to the tow truck, and stepping into the passenger side door.

Max didn't shift gears until she saw the tow truck driving off with Courtney's van.

As they begin to drive, it is silent for a moment, but as they turn onto Weston Road, Max tries to make conversation with her passengers.

"So how was the movie ?" Max asks, though she may have been a little quieter than she thinks.

She looks to Kate and Victoria; Victoria was looking out the window, and Kate was looking at Victoria herself. Kate also had a bit of a dreamy expression on her face, before Victoria noticed.

"What ?"

"Your hair." Kate remarks.

"What about it ?" Victoria asks, patting her hand through her hair.

"It's a mess." Kate says, grinning "Looks like a bit of a mop handle."

Victoria looks up to the mirror, and sees the mess for herself.

"Oh, goddammit." Victoria clicks her tongue, running a hand through her hair.

Kate giggles, and Max rolls her eyes with a flat smirk on her face.

"No, no." Kate says, trying to reassure Victoria "It's cute that way."

Victoria looks away with an embarrassed blush, and Max shakes her head, pretending not to be amused by their display.

"There is no way they could be this oblivious." Max would think to themselves.

As they reach a stop side, Max could vaguely make something out running alongside them. However, it was obscured by the rainfall and the darkness outside.

Maybe it's a deer or a dog or something, considering how fast it's going.

When they pull to a stop, lightning flashes again, briefly illuminating the darkness of the night sky. She's pretty sure she saw a kid darting behind a tree.

"Did you see that ?" Max asks, as she turns a corner by the stop sign, turning on the shorter road to town.

"What was it ?" Victoria asks.

"It think...I think there's a kid out here." Max answers.

"A kid ?"

"I think so," Max says, still driving, but looking out the driver's seat window "I only saw it for a second-"

"JESUS FUCKING CHRIST!" Kate suddenly exclaims, without even knowing it, looking out the front window.

Caught off guard, Max just manages to pull the truck to a stop, with the headlights shining on the road in front of them.

The road, and a fallen tree laying across it, with four people standing in the rain.

"Oh my god..." Victoria mutters.

These people were pale, all but two wearing dark hoodies; the other two were shirtless. They looked unfazed by the high beams flashing on them not eight feet away. And even with the high beams, the rain obscured their features, save for a dark haired man who steps a few feet closer.

He and the others were thin, his eyes were milky and his appearance ragged and haggard. Like someone who had a severe substance problem that was taking a toll on their bodies.

The girls in the truck were willing to bet the same applies to the others.

Max exchanges a horrified and uneasy look with Kate and Victoria. Especially as the man takes a few steps forward, and gestures to them to roll the windows down.

As Victoria turns to her window, she lets out a loud shriek. She practically jumps out of her seat, as do Kate and Max, as they look out the window to see what she sees.

There was standing a pale kid, no older than eleven, with pale eyes and a bloody smile. He wore a black hoodie which covers his auburn hair.

Just through the window, a little muffled over the sound of rainfall, the kid's voice could be heard.

"Hey...you look a little lost."

-----

Blackwell Academy

For this venture, Reid and Ashbury would split for the township and Blackwell Academy, respectively.

Given their public front as being investigative agents under a government agency, both of them passed themselves off as simply responding to the emergency at hand. As far as Arcadia Bay's people would be concerned, these two "agents" were simply backup lending a hand to the police force.

Ashbury was the one to reach Blackwell.

When she arrives, two squad cars with four officers armed with shotguns were standing off against five "intruders", just off from the Blackwell's Dorms.

One of the officers sees Ashbury, and tries to wave her off.

"Ma'am, this is a-"

"Elise Ashbury, FBC." She takes out her badge that the FBC gave her "We are responding to-"

"We'll take whatever backup we can get!" Another officer interrupts, a little on edge of this situation "Just don't get in our way!"

Reluctantly, the first officer jerks his head for Ashbury to stay behind them.

Ashbury was filled in on the situation, earlier these five people showed up on the campus, and were caught trying to break into the girls dorm. Not fifteen minutes after Max left that night.

David Madsen had long since dropped being a security guard for Blackwell, but when his replacement responded to the intruders, they would gang up on the man and tear him open with their hands and teeth.

When they caught Samuel watching the commotion from the side lines, one rushed up to him like a bad dog, and crushed the janitor's throat between their teeth. All of this is full of multiple horrified students, watching from their dorms.

The police were on the scene in under three minutes, while three intruders made a show of dancing around in the bloody puddle they made from their two victims.

Two of them would pick up these bodies and make a show of puppeteering them, holding them up like shields. The other two intruders made multiple attempts to charge the officers, or charge at the dorms, and were filled with multiple bullets from their pistols and shotguns.

Despite the damage being done to them by these blasts, they would still stumble about, verbally mocking and challenging the officers, despite their bodies being riddled from head to toe.

"Come on now, you can do better than that!"

"You know ? The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, and expecting a different outcome; but we admire your spunk!"

For the past five minutes or so, they've been at it.

It didn't take long for Ashbury to silently realize what was going on.

Not all of the Mother's Children are vampires of course, Only about 45% were actually turned. Though this did not stop many of them from taking up the ways of Alexander "Sawney" Bean with the hopes of being eventually turned as a reward.

Others would drink what they could from the Queen's Blood, hoping to hasten this reward.

Waste of time, in Ashbury's opinion. These people were monsters already.

Still, it was obvious in Ashbury's mind that two of these attackers were "rewarded".

"Okay," Ashbury says quietly under her breath, formulating a quick plan "I'll draw their attention."

"You what ?" Three of the officers turn to Ashbury with irritated, confused and uncertain expressions.

"Ma'am, you can't-" The fourth officer says, glaring towards Ashbury.

But Ashbury's eyes looked over them, and it was the mere look that swayed their wills against their actual wills.

"You will open fire on those three." Ashbury says "You will not waste another shot on those two. Your bullets will be useless."

Forced to nod to each other, the officers resume their position taking aim at the other three intruders.

Ashbury steps out from behind the police cars, and onto the Academy's grounds, holding both hands up with a desperate and pleading expression on her face.

"Please!" Ashbury makes a bit of a performance imploring these creatures, taking several steps towards them "You don't have to do this! Those students are innocent!"

The intruders exchange glances, muttering and chuckling with amusement. One of the bullet riddled vampires makes the first move, charging forward with a menacing glees.

As her attacker draws closer, Ashbury's pleasing and desperate expression quickly warps into a subtle "Gotcha" grin. The vampire tackles Ashbury to the ground, biting into her shoulder. As soon as her attacker tasted Ashbury's blood, it realized it done and fucked up.

Under Ashbury's "swaying words", they officers open fire further damaging the bodies. But it puts the other three intruders down, which is what matters to Ashbury.

Ashbury's attacker rears back, coughing up blood in disgust at Ashbury's taste. As the creature does so, Ashbury rears up, biting down onto the vampire's jugular and pulling it out.

Ashbury rolls out from under her attacker, taking another bite from the vampire's other jugular, reaching under her coat to her concealed pistol. She closes in on her attacker, forcing the business end of her pistol into the vampire mouth.

With a pull of the trigger, the vampire's brains spatter out from the back of the head, and across the ground behind him.

When Ashbury looks back up, she sees the other vampire making a hasty rush towards the girls' dorm in the confusion. Gritting her teeth in determination, Ashbury scrambles to her feet in pursuit.

-----

Slamming the dorm's door behind her, Ashbury fires two shots from her pistol, both hitting the vampire's ankle. She can just make out the sound of at least five girls screaming in terror coming from the rooms, but her focusing is on the last intruder.

The vampire was quite determined, crawling about the floor at such a speed that Asbury staggered to keep up.

As Ashbury chases the vampire further, she spots the attacker entering the dorm's shower room. Quickly getting her bearings, Ashbury charges and tackles the intruder onto the bathroom floor.

In her protective, but mad stage, Ashbury pistol whips the vampire with seven strikes.

"Wait!" The vampire's hands raise defensively "Have mercy!"

"You'll get as much mercy as you've given..." Ashbury growls, momentarily halting her strikes.

The pleading expression on the vampire's face turns to a sarcastic smile.

"Why do you fight our mother's storm ? It's as inevitable as death." The vampire chokes out "This ground belongs to her, where her dance will-"

Ashbury rolls her eyes at this rambling. She places her barrel of her pistol into the vampire's mouth and pulls the trigger.

With an exhausted sigh, Ashbury gets up off the floor and stretches her back.

As she gets her bearings, she heads to a sink to wash the blood splatter from her hands, and face. When she looks in the mirror she shakes her head.

"You're not Blackwood." She tells herself with a glare "You well not let become what you once were."

She takes a towel from the rack, and applies it to her bitten shoulder. It should take moments to heal, but for now, these students didn't need to see her injury.

Ashbury briefly glances at the vampire's body, before glancing at a pantry at the far end of the room. When she looks into it, she finds several spare towels and three extra bathrobes.

Taking one of the bathrobes, Ashbury covers the vampire's body like a makeshift blanket.

Stepping out of the bathroom, and into the hallway, Ashbury can hear the sounds of some of the girls crying in their rooms.

"It's okay," Ashbury says, trying to sound reassuring "The situation is under control."

There is a pause, and Ashbury turns to hear a door open just a bit.

Juliet Watson hesitantly peeks her head out the small crack to see Ashbury, who gives her a friendly, but unsettled smile.

"Are you sure ?" A watery eyed Juliet meekly asks.

Ashbury reaches forward as if to reassure Juliet, who flinches back.

With an understanding sigh, Ashbury makes her way to the dorm's front door. She waves over to the officers, ushering them forward.

"All clear!" Ashbury calls out with a heavy exhale "We're all clear!"

-----

In moments, the students found in the girls dorm were directed to the boys dorm. Two other officers arrived on the scene, and headed into the school itself to find any at all surviving staff.

The atmosphere was palpable. These were mostly young adults with a few teenagers, and yet what they have witnessed and heard reduced them to a time when they were young, and the monster under the bed was making its presence known.

Ashbury was present, and would try to keep the panic to a minimum. It would take a look in her eyes and a few "reassuring words".

The boys in the dorm amounted to Daniel DaCosta, Logan Robertson, Zachary Higgins, Trevor Marks, Evan Harris, and Justin Williams.

The girls in the dorm were counted as such; Juliet Watson, Brooke Scott, Dana Ward, Stella Hill, and Alyssa Anderson. They were gathered into a single bedroom for safety purposes.

The unaccounted for were Max Caulfield, Victoria Chase, Kate Marsh, Courtney Wagner, and Taylor Christensen.

In the bedroom,  Juliet was pacing before a bed that Alyssa and Stella sat upon, while Dana silently crouched to herself in a corner, burying her head in her knees. Brooke sat in a chair by a desk, also in a crouching position, her eyes watering.

Ashbury stood by the door, assessing the situation.

"-she could be dead!" Juliet holds herself, at the verge of crying "They could have-"

"Juliet, please!" Dana says, looking up from her corner of the room, her eyes red and puffy "This isn't helping!"

"Nothing can help, Dana!" Juliet exclaims, clutching her hair "They could- they could-"

Juliet covers her mouth in nose, choking back a sob.

"Last thing I told Victoria was-" Juliet says, at the verge of breaking down, before Ashbury steps forward.

"Where are they now ?" Ashbury says, placing a hand on Juliet's shoulder and looking her firm in the eye.

Juliet doesn't know what it was, but a wave of unwilling relaxation washed over her despite everything.

"They...they went to see a movie in Beaver Creek." Juliet says.

"I saw Max heading out." Alyssa adds "Told me she was picking them up..."

Ashbury looks over to Alyssa.

"What does she drive ?"

"This brown and beige pickup." Brooke adds.

Ashbury nods with familiarity.

While she was getting acquainted with the people of Arcadia Bay, she actually passed paths with Max once or twice. Most she knew of Max was what Joyce Price told her, including how she had given Chloe's truck to Max as a gift.

A few times now, Ashbury has seen that truck around town, with Max at the wheel, even though she didn't take the chance to acquaint herself with Miss Caulfield.

"Very well," Ashbury says with a nod "They would be on Weston road, would they not ?"

Juliet shares a glance with Alyssa and Stella, before nodding to Ashbury.

Weston road was a backroad just outside of Arcadia Bay, and a short drive from the campus. It was also the shortest trail to the highway, heading straight to Beaver Creek.

It was the most logical place for Ashbury to look.

"Very well," Ashbury nods "Then that's where I'll be heading."

"Wait!" Juliet steps after Ashbury taking her by the wrist, stopping the older woman "You just can't go out there! It's-"

Ashbury turns around, yet again putting a hand on Juliet's shoulder. When she spoke, Ashbury's words overpower Juliet's will.

"If you knew how many times I've had to do this, you will find your concerns are unfounded."

Against her actual will, Juliet nods, before taking a step back and sitting on the bed.

"Officers Franklin and Gilmore will be just outside keeping an eye on things." Ashbury says, looking over the girls around the room, her eyes and voice having a relaxing effect on them "For now, it seems I am needed elsewhere."

As Ashbury makes her leave, another police car would reach the campus. Yet more late arrival backups.

Ashbury would quickly introduce herself to the officers as an agent for the FBC, and with another "look" and a few "words", she would commandeer their vehicle, and one of their shotguns.

-----

Arcadia Bay Cemetery

On Reid's end, he would reach further into the township, and would integrate himself with the responding officers.

Of the forty three attackers in Arcadia Bay, Jonathan Reid would conclude that only six were actual vampires. The rest were the mortal followers of the Mother's Children.

Simply shooting them was enough to do the trick. He would of course put these vampires down with his teeth, and could worry about "clearing" any witness's thoughts later.

These attacks were random, but consistent. They would break into someone's home, and drain the occupants of their blood. Some with teeth, some with simple knives, broken glass, anything sharp that can be used as a weapon.

Shooting them in the head was still effective if your aim is to incapacitate. 

Reid was no stranger to war, massacres, or innocents being slaughtered in battle. For the most part, he was hardened to it. Though seeing the children tests his resolve.

As midnight drew close, it became clear just where these people were coming from, as they would leave a trail of mayhem leading to the local cemetery.

There, Reid and seven other responding officers happened upon the sight of Frank Bowers' RV. His dog, Pompidou was still clawing at one of the windows, his barking and whining could be heard over the rain.

When released, Pompidou would scamper into the cemetery, leading them to Chloe Price's burial spot. Or at least, where Chloe was supposed to be buried. It was quite the sight. The grave itself was dug up, and her casket broke open. As Reid expected, her body was gone.

But adjacent to the grave was a real sight for tired eyes. There was a tarp, and there laid, a shirtless Frank Bowers, his wrists and ankles bound by nylon cables.

Frank's jugulars were bitten out, his wrists and mouth ripped open, and his tongue torn out. Frank's eyes were glassy, panic stricken and wide. One could ascertain, this man died screaming.

Beside Frank, lies Warren Graham.

At first it was hard to say if Warren was alive or not, until he groaned as an officer looked over him. Like Frank, Warren was shirtless, and his pants were torn to a pile of rags tossed aside.

Warren only wore his underwear, which was left utterly messy and ruined. Either by the weather or whatever he went through.

"He's alive!" The officer called out, and Reid and the other responding officers went to look over Warren. Pompidou circles the scene, sniffing at Frank's body.

Warren would close his eyes from them, but when Reid forced his eyes open to check his pupils, he saw Warren's eyes red and puffy, like he was crying heavily for hours before he burned out.

While his hands and feet were near purple from lack of circulation, Warren's legs were broken at his knees. His nose was broken and his eyes were swollen, leaving no doubt of his battery.

Across his chest, and downwards towards his groin, there were several hickey-like bite marks. Bathory's way of making sure Warren will only dream of her for the foreseeable future.

"Kid..." Reid tries to get Warren's attention "Kid, can you hear me ?"

Warren could only rapidly breath and began to stutter as he tried to form words.

"Where...where is she ?" Warren would finally muster, closing his eyes in embarrassment and humiliation as he was being looked over.

"Chloe Price ?" Reid asks, as he and another officer begin to cut through Warren's bindings "Are you speaking of Chloe Price ?"

Warren winces and shakes his head.

"Auburn hair..." Warren mutters "She tried to take Chloe...and..."

Warren looks away. It seemed as if Warren was trying to cry, but was left too exhausted.

As Reid turns back to the direction of Arcadia Bay, he puts two and two together.

In minutes, they had another ambulance on the way, which would arrive shortly after. In the time before they arrived, Reid would look over Warren.

As it examined him, it was clear to Reid that Warren had been bitten by a vampire. He made sure to inform the paramedics that this one is to be taken to the hospital in Beaver Creek. A look in their eyes, was all it took for these paramedics to comply.

Having done all his work here, Reid opted to head back into town. It was clear to him, he was needed elsewhere.

-----

Cedar Avenue

It took Reid about half an hour to narrow his search.

Almost all the attackers slain, and all available officers were going from house to house; checking in on the residents, making sure survivors stay in doors. Now, this was normally at the houses near the outside of town, but there were a few reports further into Arcadia Bay.

One such report mentioned a black jeep pulling up to the Price Madsen house. One of the neighbors spotted three strangers with flashlights, and hearing the commotion going on downtown, would attempt to confront them.

Things...escalated.

When a passing squad car happened upon the scene, the end result was these intruders getting shot. There was only one survivor of this shooting, an auburn haired woman in a black raincoat, who disappeared into the night with four other "looters".

In a short time, Cedar Avenue had two responding cruisers, and six officers going from door to door, checking in on the residents. Though their apparent priority was the injured neighbor, who tried confronting these looters with a nine iron, only to get beaten with it.

And when Reid arrived, he once again intermingled with them, still passing himself off as a government agent, who was lending a hand. Upon his arrival, Reid hears a few mentions of movement in the Price Madsen house, despite no one was supposed to be home.

Before anyone else could, Reid took it upon himself to look into the matter.

-----

The Price Madsen Household

As Reid enters the house, a familiar scent hits his nose, as he breathes it in. She was here, and the Queen's blood was within her.

But there was something else to it. Something Jonathan only picked up on in previous studies over Elisabeth's blood.

Reid could hear her breathing. It was this shuddering noise that sounded like a cross between an exhale and a sob. Reid is cautious in his steps. But he speaks under his breath.

"I know you are here." Reid says under his breath "It's better I find you, before they do."

In another part of the house, Chloe's new stronger sense of hearing was slowly starting to kick in. Despite the fact he was whispering, she heard Reid's words as if they were whispering in her ear.

"You will have nothing to fear from me." Reid continues, making his way down the hall, towards the spot he can sense Chloe "I am only here to help you, Miss Price."

As Reid advances further, he makes a note of some of the pictures he passes on the wall. At the back of the hall, there was a picture of a four year old Chloe, in a pink one piece bathing suit in a kiddie pool, laughing with excitement.

Despite his attempts to keep himself calm and reserved, it brought a small smirk to his face. It brought him back to a time where the Reid Ashbury houses had a little one of their own.

And Chloe's image was near spot on to how Reid remembers-

His train of thought is interrupted when he hears movement from behind a door. He could feel the air behind it, indicating this was a stairway to a basement.

Cautiously, Reid reaches for the handle, and gives it a tentative turn to see if it was open. Opening the door, Reid see's as wooden stairway leading downwards.

-----

The layout of the basement was nothing to write home about. Just grey carpets, a pool table, a few desks or two, and other doors. One appears to be a closet.

The only source of light was a flashlight, with a silhouette crouching before it. One the floor beside the beam of light, was an open box, and scattered pictures in a pile.

They were all pictures of William Price, Joyce and Chloe in a more innocent time. But that's not what had Reid's attention. He quickly made out the shape of the Chloe Price, crouching over the pictures and holding them up, and putting them in a pile.

She was this grey sad thing from months in the ground. It stood in contrast to the green dress, and white stockings, which had since become ruined in rain, blood and dirt.

Her dark pair of dance shoes heels were kicked away about an hour ago. Here was Chloe Price, fresh from an eight month grave, looking over a series of photographs from a past her mother tried putting behind her.

A few blood drops have spilled onto these photos, coming from Chloe's tear ducts. When Chloe looked up, bloody tears stained her face, but Reid kept himself calm and collected.

Chloe looks over him, and see's the gun. There's an air of familiarity in her eyes, like something the Queen showed her; how they will come for her.

"Are..." Chloe manages to say, her vocal cords still a ways from repairing themselves "Are you...here to...kill me ?"

Reid takes a more sympathetic expression, stepping towards the girl before him, holding out a reassuring hand.

"No." Reid says "I'm here to help."

"If you...want to help..." Chloe manages to speak in her broken voice "You will kill me..."

Chloe wipes her eyes, staining her hand.

Taking a breath, Reid crouches down a few feet before her.

"I...I'm a monster..." Chloe croak out with a half sob "I- I killed-"

"You're not a monster." Reid says plainly, but emphatically "A monster would ask to be this. Revel in what was done."

Cautiously, Reid inches a few more feet towards her.

"You are just sick, Miss Price." Reid continues "But I'm a doctor. I've dealt with cases such as yours before."

Chloe slowly cranes her neck towards Reid, an expression of disbelief and skepticism on her face.

"I...was dead...wasn't I ?" Chloe mutters, again wiping her eyes.

Reid nods, maintaining a sympathetic but sober expression. Chloe blinks back more of her "tears", and looks back at one of the photos.

This was of an eight year old Chloe holding a fish she caught on a camping trip; a two foot bass. William Price proudly crouched behind her, with a hand on her shoulder.

"I thought I...would see him." Chloe says under her breath "But all that was there...was her."

As Chloe says "her", she noticeably shivers, and a slight growl erupts in her voice. A growl filled in pain, anger and malice.

"Well," Reid says, calm and collected "The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step."

Reid opens an inner pocket in his jacket. As Chloe eyes him curiously, as Reid pulls a syringe filled with a clear liquid, wrapped in a plastic bag.

"Luckily, you won't travel alone." Reid says, opening the bag, and taking the syringe.

"What- what are you-?" Chloe tries to say, when she feels the needle pierce her jugular.

Chloe lets out a weak whine. She felt her heart slow, and a rapid dizziness filled her head.

"All will be revealed when you open your eyes, Miss Price." Reid says, as Chloe's breathing slowed and she found herself falling into a death-like sleep "In the meantime, you will rest."

Reid gently rests Chloe on her side, as her vision and hearing begins to fade. With a shush, Reid steps away from Chloe to give her space.

Reid takes a moment to collect his bearings. What's done is done, and the matter was getting her out of her.

For now, he had to fabricate a story of a body he found.

-----

Back on Weston Road

"Hey...you look a little lost."

Neither Max, nor Kate or Victoria knew how to respond.

There was clearly something wrong with the kid outside their window, but not the kind of "wrong" where you open the door and see if he's okay.

Not helping is when the kid smiles. Besides the blood in his gums, what stood out was the kid's teeth. They were not the teeth a person would have. Maybe a vampire, but these girls are pretty sure they don't exist.

"It's rude to stare..." A woman's voice says, catching them by surprise.

There was a woman standing just beside Max's window, wearing a drenched black trenchcoat, and whose auburn hair was breached in the rain. If one looked at her in a better light, they would see blood was also drenching her hair.

This woman, known by those who knew her as Bathory, gestures to Max to roll down the window, but Max doesn't respond.

"Come now," Bathory says "We've come all this way to find you girls. The least you can do is to roll your window down."

She grins, showing the same teeth as the child.

"Drive..." Kate says under her breath, before noticing Max isn't responding "Max, drive!"

Both Max and Victoria were in a state of horrified and shocked paralysis. The image around the truck was like something from a zombie movie.

Quickly going frustrated and afraid, especially when one of these "people" made a kiss face towards her, Kate grabs hold of the gear stick, forcibly pulling it into reverse.

Kate then reaches her across to the gas pedal, and begins to rapidly back the truck away from these people. This sudden movement caused the two at their windows to trip onto the wet road.

It also snapped Max and Victoria out of their terrified paralysis, and only when Kate pulled them back a few dozen feet did they look at her.

As Kate pulls to stop, she looks towards Max, overwhelming fear and frustration in her eyes.

"Fucking! Drive!" Kate says, anger in her voice and panic in her eyes.

Max takes the gear shift, and notices the auburn haired woman was standing not even feet in front of them. She couldn't/shouldn't have been able to move that fast. And the other three were following behind her.

Max shifts gears and does a U Turn.

Despite how horrific the situation they were in, there was an air of comedy in the way the mud and water splattered off the road, and all over the auburn haired woman, much to her indignity.

But that wasn't on their minds. Instead, Max was focused on the road. Or at least a little.

As she drove, she could faintly hear Kate and Victoria's words, but it was all background noise.

"Jesus Christ!"

"What the fuck was that ? What the FUCK  was that ?!"

"Did you- did you see their teeth ?!"

"Those weren't teeth! That was- that was not normal!"

Every few seconds, a bolt of lightning would illuminate the highway. If one looked at the rearview mirror, one would see their pursuers were still on them.

But that's not what Max saw. What she saw in those flashes of light, looked like a woman in a red dress or shroud, stepping and disappearing between the trees.

Max wasn't sure if she was actually seeing this, or if her eyes were playing tricks. She was pretty sure the rain that obscured her line of sight was starting to turn red.

"We have to get to Beaver Creek!" Kate says "We gotta see if we can- Max!"

This get's Max's attention.

"What ?!"

"Your nose..." Kate says, as both she and Victoria look at her with a mixture of caution and concern.

Max feels just under her nose, and realizes she is bleeding.

But when Max looks back at the road before her, she gasps.

Standing before the truck, was that figure in red.

To avoid hitting this person, Max swerves to the right, mud quickly obscured the windshield. She could hear Kate and Victoria scream, as the truck swerved off the road.

-----

As Max began to process what just happened, her vision and hearing began to fade. She could just make out Kate and Victoria looking over her, trying to shake her awake.

They're voices were muffled, but she assumes they were saying something to the effect of "Max ? Max, are you okay ? Max, please wake up!"

Max's vision fades again, but when she opens her eyes she sees she is being dragged out of the truck by Kate and Victoria; each taking one of her arms over their shoulders.

They were making their way out of this ditch or riverbank that the truck drove into.

The rain smelled awful around them. It was that familiar scent of blood, but if Max could think cognitively, she'd guess it was from her nose bleeding.

As they try to climb back onto the road, Kate suddenly drops Max's arm as she looks up with an expression of pure terror.

Victoria nearly trips when she looks up as well, and Max weakly lifts her head to see what they can see.

Standing at the top of the ditch was Bathory, her hair now caked in mud, water, and possibly blood. And she was grinning.

At Bathory's side was the kid, being held close to her like she was this protective mother holding her child. Behind them were the other stalkers, pale and wet, and blood thirsty.

Kate takes Max by the waist, as she and Victoria stand protectively around her. Max was sure her eyes were playing tricks, but she could swear she could make out the red shroud standing over and above them, like some looming devil. Max is unsure if Kate and Victoria can see her two, but it didn't seem to matter.

And behind that figure, a red and blue light could faintly be seen flashing in the background. But that's not what they were looking at.

"I always win, girl." Another woman's voice in Max's head speaks, with a Celtic cadence "No one escapes me in the end. I will always have my prize."

As Bathory begins to step forward, the sound of gunfire could be heard over the rain. One of these attackers, a thin man with short black hair, has their head explode out the back, causing Victoria and Kate to trip, and fall back into this bank or ditch. 

Bathory looks around, her eyes widened in familiarity, as she pushes the kid aside and slides down the bank.

The other two attackers charged at this unseen presence, but besides three other gunshots, the ensuing struggle could not be heard. Bathory steps over Max, Kate and Victoria, briefly glaring down at them, before disappearing into the trees. Whatever prize Bathory could collect for the Queen here, was not worth this fight.

As Bathory disappears into the surrounding trees, the kid gets up off the ground and charges at their unseen attacker as well.

Neither Max, nor Kate or Victoria cared to look up. Instead Max found her vision fading again, and all she could focus on was Kate and Victoria trying to keep her awake.

A moment passes, when someone else is standing over them. Making her way down the embankment, was one Elisabeth Ashbury, soaked from the rain.

As everything begins to fade around Max, Ashbury would step towards Victoria and Kate, who would back away from her. When Ashbury looks down at her, Max could see some blood on her mouth.

Before Max could make anything of it...everything went dark.

-----

When Max came too, her vision was cloudy and her mouth was full.

Realizing she was submerged in water, she lurches up in a coughing fit.

The coughing escalates until Max throws up some water. It went on for a moment, spitting and coughing out before Max pushed herself to her feet, taking another moment to collect her bearings.

Max adjusts her eyes, she sees she is a pool of some sorts, wearing a white dress, albeit drenched to the point it did little for her modesty. She looks around and sees five inches of water all across the floor or ground she sat upon.

Beneath the water, it felt as if there was a marble stone floor she sat upon. And around her was the fog. The darkness. There was no roof that she could see, for it went as far and as high as the sky itself.

The water was ice cold, so much so that if Max was in her regular body, she likely would have died from it. And yet the air was warm, like an annoyingly hot summer day.

This clash in temperature only gave Max this "pins and needles" sensation; like if your foot falls asleep, but that tingling sensation washed all over your body.

Max wipes off her eyes, and staggers around. Her hair is wet and matted, and she wipes it from her eyes as she looks around.

"Step forward." A male voice with a Celtic cadence says to Max.

She looks around looking for the voice in question. It was as if these words were her own thoughts.

"Turn around and step forward."

Max doesn't know why, but she closes her eyes as she does just that.

"Who are you ?" Max says.

"I'm known by many names-"

"The devil ?" Max guesses, unsure if she said it out loud. But the voice spoke as soon as the thought crossed her mind.

"I am not born of the light, but of the blood." The voice answers, sounding Matter of Fact, but reassuring "I am of this earth, and was bound to it by pain and love, in the same way humanity is."

Max takes a breath and hesitantly opens her eyes. A distance away, there was red light in that darkness. And something in that light was calling her further.

In that light vague human-like shape, waves her over, pulling her in like an invisible fishing reel.

"If you seek an answers from a forgotten past," The voice speaks "Know that your ancestors call me Lugh."

As Max draws closer, standing several feet away, she can make out this shape of a thin but muscular male looking humanoid. His face was obscured in the fog and darkness.

And while Max couldn't be sure, she was almost certain he was made from blood, if not covered in it.

"Jesus Christ," Max mouths to himself.

"I fear not, girl," It said, with no apparent hint of snark or sarcasm "I believe he was after my time, and we did not walk on the same road."

Max doesn't know how to respond to that...but after a second she chuckles a bit, a subtle, toothy grin on her face.

"My child, what amuses you ?" He tilts his head.

"I don't- I don't know-" Max finally says after initially shaking her head, her mirthful mood shifting back to her uneasy one "I don't know what's happening."

"You will." This thing, calling itself Lugh says.

Around them, Max can hear these vague, muffled voices. Like something outside of this realm was speaking.

"Come." He says "You are needed elsewhere."

He reaches forward, and ushers Max to follow his lead. And while Max's legs felt like rubber, she pushed along.

"What are you ?" Max manages to ask, being the only logical thing she can ask.

"My first memory is a cry of pain. Blood soiling the earth, and crying out for vengeance, justice and compassion." He says "Much like blood spilled in that dark room."

Despite the warmth of the air, a sudden chill petrifies Max.

"The room you and the other half of your heart found."

"That- But Chloe and I-" Max says, recalling the week that never happened.

As soon as she began to formulate her objections, or rationalize how a being such as him could even know about that week, this thing speaks.

"Do you believe that Nodens wouldn't give me a window ?" He asks "Do you not think there are things beyond your eyes that have seen more than you ?"

As they advance further, Max feels the fog grow stronger and stronger. And a drowsiness begins to set in.

"Know this, champion of Nodens." The man of blood continues "You were granted a gift by something like a god to your ancestors. You were a piece on the Board, and for a time the challenge was bested."

Gift ? Who's Nodens ? What challenge was bested ?

"But now a new challenge begins." He continues "Where I awoke where my mother stirred, now I stirr when she awakes. For this, you will be called back the Board, when the time comes."

"What- what does that mean ?" Max asks, her head still trying to wrap around what's happening.

As it does, the fog grows thicker and thicker. It clouds Max's sight, and her hearing, before everything begins to fade to white.

The last thing she could hear this being saying was the following.

"You will know when you are ready."

-----

"The Twins" hospitals, Beaver Creek, May 8th, 2014

When Max opens her mouth, she gasps and begins coughing. She is now tearing light blue pajama bottoms and a white T-Shirt.

As quickly comes back down to Earth, she sees she is being helped by two people in blue uniforms. Nurses or doctors assistants.

Still coughing, Max looks around, she see's she's in a hospital room,  being gently lowered back onto the bed. One nurse is a young Asian woman, and the other a lank brunette man.

"Easy, easy." The man says "You may still be in shock-"

Max stops coughing, but takes heavy but quick breaths.

"Doctor Reid, she's-"

"Yes, yes, I can see." A male voice says, as Max's dizziness stops.

As Max's breathing slows, she sees the other people in her room. There are three nurses in total, the third being a large blonde white, and the doctor approaching Max herself with a medical penlight.

At the far side of the room, Max sees her parents, Ryan and Vanessa. Her mother was in a chair beside her bed, holding her hand. Her dad was standing behind Vanessa's chair, but crouched closer to Max, and rested a hand on her shoulder.

At the other side of the room, there was a window letting Max know it was daylight hours. Late in the morning to mid day, if she had to estimate.

"Sweetie ? Sweetie, are you okay ?" Vanessa asks, wiping her eyes a little.

"No..." Max groans, still a little groggy "What the hell happened ?"

"Excuse me-" The doctor says, ushering the two parents to give him some space. They step away, but Vanessa hold's Max's hand.

There stood John Reid, dressed in dark blue slacks, a pair of loafers and a bright blue, button down shirt. His sleeves were rolled up, giving him what Max's peers would call "The DILF look".

"Now I need you too-" Reid starts to say, and Max carefully keeps one of her eyes open, wincing as he checks her pupils with the penlight.

"Jesus Christ, doc!" Max seethes a little at how the light stings her eyes.

"Uh, not quite, Miss." Reid says with a snarky chuckle, checking Max's eye "It's the beard, isn't it ?"

He checks the other eye, and Max has to grin and bear it.

"Dr. John Reid. Chief physician." Reid says, with more a professional air "Say ah."

Max opens her mouth with an "Ah" as Reid checks her mouth, checking for any sores, signs of internal breathing, or her back teeth being sharpened. Satisfied, Reid nods before stepping back to check his notes.

"You were in an accident." Reid says, writing a new note "Though that's not what put you in here."

"Sweetie," Vanessa asks, getting Max's attention "Do you...remember anything from last night ?"

Max thinks for a moment, but shakes her head.

"I don't know..." Max says quietly, thinking back to being on Weston Road and that being in that dark, foggy place.

"You don't remember what you've seen ?" Ryan asks, hesitantly "What you-?"

Reid fakes a cough glancing at the Caulfield's. Earlier in the day, he warned them that when she awakes, she will be still coming down from her treatments, and to drop everything on her so suddenly could result in a "negative reaction".

"What we mean is," Vanessa continues "How's-"

"This is fine...I think ?" Max says, tapping the side of her head "It's splitting though."

"Do you need space ?" Ryan asks cautiously.

While he and his wife talked over Max's initial treatment, Dr. Reid explained to them that the side effects of her medicine is an increased irritability, and it may take a bit for her to cool down.

Max groans, and pinches the bridge of her nose. With a sigh, she nods.

Vanessa looks hesitant, and looks back at her husband, who ushers her to stand up. When she looks at Dr. Reid, who nods at her that it's the best course.

Hesitantly, Vanessa gets up from her chair and kisses Max on her forehead.

"Okay sweetie." Vanessa sighs "Well just be outside."

Max nods with a meek expression, as her parents quietly step outside. Reid looks to the nurses and nods for them to take their leave as well.

As the door is kept ajar, Reid fakes a cough and steps towards her, notes in hand. Max sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose, as she can, her brain throbbing in her skull.

"Now, Miss Caulfield, you'll be a little more irritable as the effects wear-"

"Haven't I seen you before ?" Max asks, unintentionally raising her voice, sounding more angry than she intended.

Max's eyes widen, before a meek expression and demeanor washes over her.

"Sorry, doc, I just-"

"It's part of the effects." Reid calmly says, raising a hand to reassure her "You'll be a lot more of a people person in five minutes."

Reid takes another look at his notes, standing at the foot of the bed, before speaking again.

"But if you must know, yes, I was stationed at your home town for months-"

Max snaps her finger in recognition, interrupting Reid.

"The FBC. Right, right." Max says, before noticing Reid's unreadable expression "Sorry, I didn-"

Reid chuckles a little under his breath.

"I started out as a surgeon, but I expanded my fields over the years." Reid clicks his teeth, setting his notes aside on a table adjacent to the bed "In recent years, I've taken up work with the detectives at the Bureau."

"You're with them, aren't you ?" Max says in realization.

"I work with them." Reid answers "And for reasons I'm sure you won't believe, we had our eye on Arcadia Bay."

"Yeah, I think I have seen you around." Max recalls, sitting back up from the bed, as her headache dies down "Didn't my friend Kate see you ?"

"She did." Reid says "Having the same checkup as you."

"Checkup ?" Max asks, raising an internal alarm.

"You wouldn't know, but there were greater things than the Dark Room brought us to Arcadia Bay." Ashbury says "Prescott ? Jefferson ? They were more of the first stop."

As Max's headaches faded out completely, she began to piece her memory together from the night before.

"Those people on the road...they weren't connected were they ?

"I wish I could say there was a mundane explanation for it." Reid says "I wish I could say it was a coincidence. But from what I've seen, the truth blurs away the mundane."

"So, you're saying," Max pauses a bit while, two fingers on one of her temples as she thinks it over, before looking back at Reid "Your people are basically The X Files ?"

"We're more adjacent to the Bureau, but I supposed you could call us that."

"Kate said you were checking her up-" Max starts, keeping a finger pointed up "You thought she had this virus-"

"There was something found in Jefferson's studio." Reid answers "We had to look over everything and everyone that could have come into contact with it. As of tonight, that includes you."

Max closes her eyes, inhales deeply, making sure her heart beat is steady. She then exhales and opens her eyes.

"Give it to me straight, doc. Is it bad ?"

With an understanding expression, Reid hesitates before speaking.

"Our associates in the Bureau dubbed it Bàs Dearg."

Max perks her head up with familiarity. Her paternal grandparents are Irish and her maternal grandmother is Scottish. The languages are something she picked up growing up.

"I take it, you're familiar ?" Reid asks, cautiously stepping towards Max.

Max is breathing heavily, clutching her heart, panic in her eyes.

"Red Death." Max nods rapidly "It's raising alarms."

Reid sighs through his nose, having given the Caulfield's the same new, and reassures them of their concerns. He can hear them get up, ready to assure their daughter.

"Wee have a treatment. One that only works in its more benign and early stages." Reid says "Luckily for you, when we people administered it to your peers, it checked out. As have your treatments."

Reid picks up his notepad again and begins to list it off. He doesn't even turn when Ryan and Vanessa step back into the room.

"Maxine, kiddo ?" Ryan starts, as Vanessa steps back towards her seat "I know it sounds concerning but-"

"So far you're in the clear." Reid finishes "It'll take a couple days of treatments, but if all goes right, you'll have nothing to be concerned for..."

Max half chuckles/half scoffs.

"Northing to be concerned for ?!" Max glares up at Reid "Red Death is nothing to be concerned about ?!"

"I didn't come up with the name. But seeing as eight hours have passed ? Yes." Reid says bluntly.

Max takes a moment for her breathing to slow.

"I'm sorry I-"

Yet again, Reid raises a reassuring hand, and has a more understanding expression on his face.

"You have said nothing more to offend me, than Miss Marsh saying worse." Reid chuckles with amusement.

Max's eyes widen, and concern washes over her face.

"Kate, is she-?"

"Kate is downstairs, honey." Vanessa says with a soft smile, taking hold of Max's hand.

"As is Miss Chase." Reid adds "They're both in stable condition, but they're being looked over the same as you."

Max takes another moment to catch her breath, giving her mom's hand a soft squeeze. Sighing with acceptance, Max holds out her arm.

"Okay then...give me the shot."

"It's not that easy." Reid shakes his head "There are steps we need to take, such as sedation-"

Reid looks to the door, waving at the Asian nurse to step in.

"The effects of the antidote have proven erratic in the past." Reid explains, as Vanessa gives Max's hand a reassuring squeeze "Though we found putting a patient under yields more favorable results."

Max hesitates, nervously biting her lip. She takes another breath, looking acceptingly at the nurse, who was already prepping a needle.

"If you say it'll help." Max says, before a more cautious look appears on her face "How long will this take ?"

"Normally, administration takes three hours."

Max closes her eyes, and squeezes her mothers hand a little tighter. She knows she shouldn't be afraid, that needles no longer hurt as much...but goddamn childhood needles didn't leave a primal fear.

Unseen to them, a woman in a red shroud looks from the corner, and amused grin and a hateful glare across her face.

They can do what they wish. Fill her with as much "medicine" as they like; Arcadia Bay and it's people were always her property. And if not today, the Red Queen always claims who and what is hers.

Until then, she doesn't mind another rest.

-----

Over the next couple days, Max would learn just went down that night. Her parents being there to help her as she awoke helped her tremendously.

Max got word of the attacks; the official story was that the FBC detected a disease in the Dark Room — and that the “people” that struck that night, were those infected by the disease.

Counting the slain intruders, the final body count of that spree was at 125.

Max was beside herself in horror and disbelief, when she learned the news. She was supposed to have stopped the storm; that is what Chloe died for. One life for a few hundred. And it did nothing to stop the spilling of innocent blood.

This time it was an intentional act, ostensibly by human hands. There's just no way this could be an act of God, Max thought.

"Did…did I sacrifice her for nothing ?" Max would quietly ask herself.

As Reid told Max earlier, both Kate and Victoria were also taken to Beaver Creek. Albeit in separate floors and rooms, with this being the second time Kate was treated and looked over by Reid.

It turns out Max, Kate and Victoria were rescued by FBC “Detective” Elise Ashbury that storm, and were taken straight here almost immediately. As soon as the dust settled, their families were notified immediately.

Now despite this rescue — and Max being the key witness to Chloe's murder — it occurs to Max that she had never properly met this woman despite seeing her around town here and there.

The only FBC representative she spoke to during throughout investigation was Agent Wallace. Most of the time Max crossed paths with this Ashbury, it was a passing moment.

To add to the irony, Ashbury wasn’t present at this hospital, so Max still could actually meet her or thank her.

"Ah,” Max would decide “I’ll write her a Thank You letter."

The FBC did their second sweeping of Arcadia Bay, effectively turning the town into a quarantine zone. Almost all survivors were being looked over at the Bay Regional Hospital.

Though a couple of dozen were taken here when the Region Hospital became full.

What Max heard about the cemetery nearly stopped her heart. In the graveyard, Chloe's tomb was dug up and her body stolen.

By the grave was the body of Frank Bowers; and beside him was Warren Graham, alive but scarred severely by whatever he was put through. Warren was still being looked over.

But it was the news of Chloe that stuck with Max. Not only was she stolen from her tomb, but her body was uncovered in her former house; and apparently in such a way that cremation was required.

No one saw her body after it was removed from the premises, and is believed to have either already burned, or been ready too.

Max’s following breakdown made it so she had to stay in the clinic until August that year. The idea that Chloe – her Chloe – was now gonna be ashes in a jar on her mothers shelf…it did number on Max.

That evening, when she was yet again sedated, when visiting hours were over, and Max was alone with her thoughts, she had this to say;

"Chloe...I failed you."

-----

Unknown Location, May 9th, 2014

Chloe opens her eyes slowly.

She blinks three times, her eyes adjusting to the darkness.

"Holy shit," Chloe thinks to herself pinching the bridge of her nose "That was some nightmare..."

Whatever, the worst of it is over. It's supposed to be Tuesday right ? Welp, there was still that thing with Prescott she's gotta deal with-

As Chloe was forming her thoughts, she finally took in her surroundings. This was not in her room.

In fact she's pretty sure it wasn't her house.

The room was a small build, a blackwood floor, a white roof, with the four walls painted black and white. On one side, there were two shelves, one with an assortment of books, and the other DVD's. On the other side, there was a plain white wardrobe.

At the far end of the room, there was a TV stand on which sat a small TV with a built-in VCR set, and a DVD player beside it. Beneath the stand were drawers.

As Chloe tries to sit up, her muscles are still sore, like she hasn't moved in days. When Chloe looks around, she feels she is wearing a simple T-shirt and a set of pajama pants.

Beside her bed was a nightstand with a radio, and a shot glass filled with a red liquid, with an overpowering metallic scent. On the other side of her bed was another stand with a lamp.

Chloe fumbles a bit, before finally turning her lamp on. The light momentarily blinds her, and she lets out a quiet, wheezing "Ahh!"

She blinks a few more times until her eyes adjust again, and she notices her hand.

"No..." Chloe realizes "No, it...it can't be. It can't be!"

Her skin, while not leathery and clammy as it was in her "nightmare", but it still had that complexion of pale grey.

"No, no, no, no..." Chloe mutters as she looks between her hands.

This isn't happening. This isn't happening! That was a nightmare, she was sure of it!

Chloe reaches up to slap herself, but out of the corner of her eye she sees it; her hair, while not as greasy or matted as it was in the nightmare, still had that light grey color.

"Ahhh!!" Chloe tries to scream, but all that comes out is a dry rasp that sounded more like loud and dramatic gasp. She clutches her neck, and as soon as panic begins to set it, she finally notices what looks like a small remote with a single red button on her nightstand.

Beside it was a sticky note; "Press me when awake."

Seeing there was nothing else she could do, Chloe pressed the button, and a loud but muffled buzzing could be heard outside the door.

As Chloe tries composing herself, placing her hand on her forehead, she could faintly hear footsteps making their way up a flight of stairs. She doesn't look up until she hears the door open.

Standing there is a woman in her mid to late thirties, wearing a black suit. She had short cut, dark red hair, and pale green eyes. Anyone who knew her would recognize her as Elisabeth Ashbury.

But Chloe didn't know her. For all she knew, she was some organ harvester that kidnapped her.

And so, Chloe crawls back a little, her facial expression still one of terror and worry. Without saying a word, Ashbury just looks reserved and collected, though a twinge of sympathy in her eyes.

"Who are you ?" Chloe asks, her voice still barely above a whisper, her vocal cords still repairing themselves "Where am I ? Where am I ?!"

With a sympathetic sigh, Ashbury makes her way to the bed, taking a seat at its foot, but Chloe still holds a hand out defensively.

"Don't, just-!" Chloe tries to shout, but couldn't raise her voice "Where is my-?"

Ashbury reaches forward, and despite Chloe's attempts to flinch and swat her away, Ashbury makes contact with Chloe's shoulder. When they're eyes make contact, Chloe felt her resolve waver a little, under Ashbury's mesmerizing gaze and voice.

"You have been through a lot." Ashbury says bluntly, but empathetically "So much so, it's best you don't take it all in at once."

In a better mood, Chloe would make a snarky reply to Ashbury's choice of words. But she pushed such thoughts in the back of her mind.

Bit by pit, Chloe's panic subsides with each word from Ashbury.

"You are not a monster. Just sick. And we're here to help." Ashbury replies softly.

"We ?"

Ashbury pauses to think it over, before speaking.

"My name is Elisabeth Ashbury." She says.

Of course it is, the back of Chloe's head would snark. She doesn't say it out loud.

"I represent two organizations that have your best interests at heart." Ashbury continues "I speak today, for the Federal Bureau of Control."

Chloe tilts her head, raising a skeptical eyebrow.

"If you haven't heard of us, it's understandable."

"What is it ?" Chloe asks.

Ashbury exhales through her nose to think of the right answer. She doesn't want to drop everything on Chloe at once.

"The Bureau itself is a clandestine agency, with a special interest in the paranatural."

"The what ?"

"Supernatural, paranormal." Ashbury tilts her head from side to side "In recent years, they've been making expansions. Expansions that encompass our organization."

Feeling Chloe's breathing and heart beat slow to a decent pace, Ashbury lets go of her shoulder, and steps up and away from the bed.

"In recent months, Arcadia Bay has proven to be a special interest."

As Ashbury says this, she circles the bed, to the nightstand with the shot glass on it. Picking the glass up, she offers it to Chloe, who looks at it uncertainly.

The scent makes Chloe gag a little.

"Think of it like Buckley's." Ashbury shrugs "It's godawful, but it works."

Chloe couldn't tell if Ashbury was making some kind of "Mom Joke" or something, but her remark brings a ghost of a smile to Chloe's face.

And that brought a small smile to Ashbury.

Taking the glass, Chloe takes a deep breath, before pinching the bridge of her nose and taking the shot. She nearly coughs and sputters at the taste, but grins and bears it, until she's sure the liquid's in her stomach.

Ashbury gently rubs Chloe's back, as the latter coughs after her drink, and smacks her lips a little.

After Chloe takes a moment, she looks back at Ashbury before finally asking.

"So what am I then ? A zombie ?"

"Not quite." Ashbury shrugs, brushing a gentle hand through Chloe's hair "How's this answer your question ?"

Ashbury grits her teeth, and Chloe wasn't sure if her eyes were playing tricks on her, but what looked like blunt human teeth one second, now looked like fangs.

Chloe gasps at the sight, covering her mouth, when she feels it. She opens her mouth, and feels around her teeth with a tentative finger. They too were fangs.

Shaking her head in terrified disbelief, gets off from the bed, and paces before it.

"Oh my god...oh my god...oh my god, oh my god!" Chloe mutters, tears welling up in her eyes "This isn't happening! This isn't happening!"

Sighing, Ashbury gets up from the bed, stepping towards Chloe. She puts both hands on Chloe's shoulders, stopping her pace, and once again making eye contact.

Ashbury says nothing, but the look she gives Chloe is enough to slow her panic. However, it does nothing to nullify the horror that fills Chloe, as tears form in her eyes, and she begins to shake.

"It was all real, wasn't it ?" Chloe asks, her voice breaking.

She thinks back to the basement; the cemetery; what she did to Frank; what Nathan did to her. And she can still hear the Queen's voice.

Yet again, Ashbury says nothing, but the look on her face was enough to answer Chloe.

And the look on Chloe's face was enough for Ashbury to pull the younger woman into a gentle hug. Chloe doesn't resist, too far gone to care about embracing herself, burying her face into Ashbury's upper chest.

Ashbury just holds her, like she would hold Diana decades ago. She breathes heavily, hoping to keep her feelings from overwhelming her.

-----

Moments later, a despondent and barely responsive Chloe would descend a flight of stairs at Ashbury's side.

It was clear they were in a cottage, and looking out the windows, Chloe could see they were in a forested area. Distantly, a township could be seen, which gave Chloe the impression that they were on a hillside.

The cottage itself was nothing to write home about. Looked small and cozy, like a weekend family get away.

Chloe was directed into what appeared to be a living room.

At the patio, a large window gives a clear view of the forest, and the distant town. Chloe was made to sit on a dark red couch, before a circular glass table. Ashbury took a seat at a chair opposite of her.

"I'm sure you have a lot of questions-"

"Why am I here ?" Chloe says immediately, her expression and demeanor unchanged.

"You're here for protection." Ashbury says calmly, and truthfully "We had a more formal hospital set up, but..."

Ashbury hesitates, sighing through her nose. When she looks at Chloe's eyes, seeing the color return to them, Ashbury finally speaks.

"We can't have you seeing anyone from your old life, or them seeing you."

Chloe doesn't ask why, but her look does all the talking for her.

"As far as the world knows, you've been..." Ashbury again hesitates.

Thinking of the right word to say, Ashbury taps a spot on her lower chest, indicating for Chloe to look. Taking the hint, Chloe tentatively touches her own lower chest, the same spot as Ashbury's. 

There, Chloe feels a hard, but sore spot underneath her fingers. Curious, Chloe rolls her shirt up, just enough to see the surgical scar where the morgue workers removed the bullet.

Chloe's eyes well up again thinking back to the bathroom, and a raspy sob escapes her lips. With a sympathetic frown, Ashbury gets up, and reaches towards Chloe, who raises a hand to stop her.

"How long...how long was I gone ?"

"Eight months." Another voice says, getting Chloe's attention.

Stepping into the room was a man appearing to be in his late 20's. He had a thin but muscular build, was wearing a dark blue suit, with a dark red undershirt seen beneath.

He had short cut, platinum blonde hair, and the smallest bristle of a beard, and piercing blue eyes. He had under his right arm, a nondescript book, and two envelopes.

"Welcome back to the human realm, Miss Price." He says, with an enthusiastic smile, taking a seat in another chair, opposite to Ashbury.

He holds his free hand out, as if expecting Chloe to shake it. Chloe looks unsure, and the man takes the hint and lowers his hand.

"If I may introduce myself," The man says, placing the envelopes and book onto the table in a short stack "Gabriel Wallace; Federal Bureau of Control."

"Wallace here, is one of our liaisons in the Bureau. Under him, we have full access to Arcadia Bay's investigation." Ashbury explains, which peaks Chloe's curiosity.

"Arcadia Bay ?" Chloe tilts her head, and narrows her eyes skeptically, looking back and forth between the two "What's happening in Arcadia Bay ?"

"It's a long story." Wallace shakes his head, picking up and opening one of the envelopes "And ongoing."

He takes out a series of documents and papers, and hands them to Chloe.

"But here's the story so far..."

As Chloe looked over them, she let every bit of information in bit by bit.

She was shot and killed by Nathan Prescott.

Besides her stepdouche being a witness, and the one who subdued Prescott...Max Caulfield was also a witness.

"What ?" Chloe thinks to herself "Max was there ? And she did nothing to-?"

Chloe shakes her head, banishing the thought.

"No. Obviously she didn't recognize me," Chloe quietly tries to rationalize "And if she did, there was nothing she could have done to stop Nathan."

Whatever, Chloe decides. Just another thing of shit going wrong in Chloe's life. It's only fair whatever god has a special interest in her life to pull something like that.

A little hardened, Chloe reads on. Though she doesn't like what she reads next. She learns of Nathan's arrest. The Dark Room, Sean Prescott's disappearance...and what happened to Rachel.

Chloe damn near broke on the stop. Refusing another attempt to console her, Chloe kept reading. In the back of her mind, she had to have known what happened to Rachel, even if she didn't want to believe it.

All this news did was rip the band aid off.

As Chloe takes a moment to yet again catch her breath, and puts the papers back on the desk, her demeanor shifted back to one of despondency.

Reading the room, Ashbury fakes a cough, getting Chloe's attention.

"If you wish to stop now," Ashbury starts "We can take this by baby steps."

"Sure." Chloe says quietly with a nod.

"Well then, we'll settle for the immediate worries." Wallace sighs, getting from his seat, beginning to circle his way to the couch "For the foreseeable future, I will be your monitor."

Chloe looks up with a skeptical expression. Did she just swap one stepdouche for another ?

"You will have your space." Wallace continues, as if he's reading Chloe's mind "You will need it for your recovery."

"Recovery ?"

"You've been in the ground breaking down for eight months." Wallace says "It'll take time for your body to build itself up. Until then we can't just have you going about like-"

Wallace gestures to Chloe, who looks down at her hands to see his point.

"In that time, you hopefully heal in more ways than one." Ashbury adds "We can begin your treatments in a few days.

"For the time being, it'll do you good to make yourself at home." Wallace explains, stepping towards the living room window, gesturing towards the town "Gravesfield, Connecticut."

Chloe double takes, getting up from the couch.

"Connecticut ?"

"We need to distance you from your old life." Wallace puts both hands behind his lower back "If word gets out to those who know Chloe Price, that you still walk this earth; all you will bring is unwanted attention."

Wallace makes his way towards Chloe.

"There are monsters out there, Miss Price. Monsters whose hands we snatched you from." Wallace continues, emphatically placing a hand on Chloe's shoulder "It be in your best interests to keep you out of those hands."

Chloe takes another breath, taking this in.

She's dead to them. She's dead to the world. Her mom ? Max ? As far as they know, she's a corpse in the ground.

And if she did come back to them, what then ? Joyce and David are probably glad she's gone. The problem child is out of their hair, and they don't need her coming back to rain on their parade.

And Max ? She probably forgot all about Chloe. Even if she found out it was her getting shot, Max will just put her behind her.

To Max, it'll be as if Chloe never existed. And she'd be better off for it.

Wiping a tear from her eye, Chloe nods in acceptance.

-----

After midnight, Wallace and Ashbury steps outside the lodge towards their respective vehicles. Two sets of black jeeps. They had spent the past three hours giving Chloe the rundown.

Quiet the whole thing, Chloe only spoke again, asking if she can go back to bed, and they allowed her tonight's rest. As they made their exit, Wallace was the first to speak.

"I saw how you were looking at her."

"What of it ?" Ashbury asks, halfway down the steps.

"Don't assume me daft, milady." Wallace says, making his way to his jeep "Investigation is my current occupation. Do you not think I wouldn't pick this up ?"

"I ask again, what of it ?" Ashbury says nonchalantly, finishing her way down the steps.

"I saw what you see when you look at Chloe, when you look at Diana." Wallace continues, his words stopping Ashbury in her tracks.

Ashbury pauses, before slowly turning to look at Wallace.

"You were at the cemetery this winter," Wallace steps towards her "Supporting the grieving mother ?"

"Aye." Ashbury answers.

"And confirming suspicions."

"I did."

Wallace exhales through his nose, hands on his hips as he briefly glances down.

"Reid's trying to keep his distance for a reason." Wallace looks back at Ashbury.

"Not the reason you believe."

"My reason is still correct." Wallace raises a finger "If you let your...personal attachments blind you, you won't see the worst to come."

Ashbury looks up to the cabin, and closes her eyes. They're watery when she looks back at Wallace.

"I had to be there." Ashbury says with a sigh "I had too!"

Wallace has a more empathetic look, but shakes his head after a pause.

"You'll only put targets on their backs."

"I know." Ashbury nods.

"Same reason we can't have her running back to them." Wallace says, gesturing to the cabin, but indicating Chloe.

"I know." Ashbury nods again.

"And if Chloe herself makes the connection-"

"I know!" Ashbury raises her voice a little, her eyes darken as they glare.

Ashbury takes a second to realize she almost lost her temper, and Wallace does flinch back a little at seeing her eyes. Quickly calming down, Ashbury shakes her head.

"But I had to be sure..."

Sighing sympathetically, Wallace accepts this.

"Her protection is my priority." Wallace says, making towards his jeep "They won't think to search here. Here, Miss Price will be nothing besides who she makes herself to be. Something Mordred won't even consider."

"Yes. Of course." Ashbury nods in acceptance "And you and your agency will keep an eye on her."

"Knights honor- no; King's Honor." Wallace clasps his hands together "And you will keep an eye on her ties, lest he use those ties against her."

"I will." Ashbury answers, wiping one of her eyes.

With another sigh, Wallace says.

"We can discuss possible future visits, but we must establish limitations." Wallace opens his jeep's door, and steps in "Until next time."

"As to you." Ashbury replies, stepping in and turning on her own jeep.

When she and Wallace pull to different roads, Ashbury would pull to the side to think things over.

She would take her time thinking; about what she heard of Chloe over the past eight months; and how her suspicions were confirmed when the Price's paid a visit to William and Chloe.

The day she saw Diana again.

-----

The Caulfield Residence, Seattle, April 4th, 2020

The sun had set over the city.

After she and her son had a busy day with nana and papa, and the visit to Dr. Collin, Max Caufield decided to hit the hay. Vanessa and Ryan would offer to take Bill off of Max's hands for the night, but the kid had fallen asleep on the ride home, and Max didn't want to wake him.

After bidding her parents a good night, Max would get Bill in his PJ's, and tucked him in his bed. Luckily this only barely woke him up. When Max was satisfied he was asleep, she took a shower to wash away the stress of the day.

Despite the activities she and her family did today, Max's mind was always on what happened in May of 2014. She keeps thinking back to that thing she saw; the being in red that called himself "Lugh".

His words kept echoing in her head.

"Where I awoke where my mother stirred, now I stirr when she awakes. For this, you will be called back the Board, when the time comes."

After her stay in Beaver Creek, Max tried to put it behind her. She tried to focus on just finishing Blackwell and be done with it all. She graduated without ceremony in 2014, being given her diploma late in August, and would attend  Cornish Commons until late 2016.

Throughout 2015, Max would try to write off her dream of Lugh as just that. Though it was uncanny how it followed the storm and the massacre of Arcadia Bay.

There was no set consensus among the survivors of that night. To the media, the massacre was an unfortunate and vague attack by rioters or looters.

But there was an unspoken agreement between Blackwell's former students that it was something like a zombie outbreak. And if it wasn't unspoken, the FBC will do something about it.

Despite her best efforts, putting Arcadia Bay behind her was easier said than done. As Max learned over the years, one meets their destiny on the road they take to avoid it.

During her shower, Max only faintly heard the sound of her door opening and closing, and couldn't make out the sound of footsteps quietly and carefully making their way up her staircase, adjacent to her house's front door.

After Max finishes, and redresses herself in a simple grey, oversized T-Shirt, and a set of dark pajama pants, she steps out into the hallway, and feels a sudden chill.

Curious and suspicious, Max follows the draft towards her stairway. Looking down the stairs, the only thing out of place was a set of black leather boots adjacent to the shoe rack, and the slightly wet print of bare feet making their way up her steps.

Max's alarms raise immediately. She turns down the hall to see Bill's bedroom door open slightly, and she knows instantly.

Quickly but quietly making her way to her son's room, Max's breath catches in her throat. Standing in front of Bill's "big boy" bed, looking down at the sleeping and oblivious two year old...was a vampire.

It has been nearly seven years since she awoke from her grave. Her body had long since rebuilt itself from her initial ghoulish appearance, to the more lively image standing before Max.

Her skin was a still little pale, though that had more to do with going long periods without sunlight. She is dressed head to toe in black; her jeans, her shirt, her raid jacket. She had cast off her boots at the rack. And while her hair had also restored itself, she decided she liked the color enough that she now dyes her hair a silver grey.

The vampire turns to her, gives her a small smile, and mouths "Hey Max."

Max was nearly frozen in her stance and expression. She blinks a few times and shakes her head, snapping herself out of her trance.

"Look," Chloe sighs, turning from the bed and speaking under her breath "I shouldn't be here but-"

Max simply puts a finger over her lips in a hush motion.

"Right." Chloe mouths, looking back at Bill.

Max steps in behind Chloe, wrapping her arms around her waist, and putting a chin on her shoulder. It was cold, the touch like it often is with these surprise visits.

The early April air probably didn't help. It doesn't matter to Max. She loves the cold. She embraces it.

What matters to Max at this very moment, was her and her vampire looking over their son.

"Look at him." Max remarks.

"He was just starting to walk the last time I was here." Chloe sighs.

The two stayed like this, for a moment or two, quiet so as not to wake the boy.

-----

Chloe quietly closes the door to Max's bedroom, with Max stepping in before her.

"Look," Chloe sighs, turning to face Max "I know I'm usually not supposed to be here, but it doesn't matte-"

Chloe is interrupted as Max takes her into a bear hug, and kisses her on the mouth. Chloe is a little taken aback, but doesn't resist the kiss, before returning it.

A little caught up in the moment, Max sneaks her tongue into Chloe's mouth, teasing her fangs with it.

Max backs Chloe towards the bed, before the latter breaks the kiss.

"Max..." Chloe finally musters out "This is important...I wouldn't be here if it wasn't."

Max stops the kiss, looking at Chloe with a concerned expression.

"Something's wrong ? Isn't it ?" Max asks.

Chloe gave her a look that answered for her.

A look that told Max that Chloe wasn't going to share another amusing encounter between her, the Bureau, and the illusive "Owl Woman of Gravesfield".

"So you know too ?" Max asks, as she and Chloe take a seat at the foot of the bed.

"I'm in with the FBC," Chloe shrugs "You really think Director Faden wouldn't fill me in ? Why do you think they let me come here ?"

Max sighs, guessing Chloe was gonna confirm her suspicions.

"It's about Beaver Creek, isn't it ?"

"That too." Chloe nods, brushing a strand of hair off of Max's forehead.

"Well," Max puts a hand on Chloe's knee "Don't keep me in suspense."

Exhaling through her nose, Chloe gets up from the bed, standing before Max. She puts a hand on the back of her neck, as she thinks it over for a moment.

"This," Chloe finally says, holding up a finger "This is going to take some explaining..."

Chapter 19: Search and Rescue

Summary:

So this is going to be another split chapter due to length. This may even be a three parter.

On the up side, this and the next few chapters are gonna be bringing the casts together; Sean and his friends, Max and Chloe, Alex and Steph, etc. So there's going to be some catching up. We also get other characters I've been wanting to introduce for a while.

This chapter was also going to be more action orientated with at least two vampire fights...but because of the split, that's being saved for part two and possibly part three. Luckily, action is easy for me to write, so it's not like we'll have to wait too long.

As it stands, this part is going to be a breather chapter for the characters to catch up with eachother.

Chapter Text

Willamette National Forest, March 26th, 2020

"Sweet Jesus..." One officer says in disbelief.

"Don't be so dramatic," Another officer "It's all we've been seeing these days.

It's been five days since the attack on Beaver Creek. After the initial attack, bodies were still being found as far as ten miles in the surrounding area.

The skals, vampires, or "Those things" as the locals are calling them, were still seen every few days in the forests.

It was late in the afternoon, and near evening, when a team of fifteen search and rescue officers, and their four German shepherds came across the camp that was found days ago by Rachel Amber.

Where Rachel would butcher several skals, and give them an impromptu cremation on the remains of the campfire.

"Fuck me, what does that ?" Another officer circles the pile.

"Someone who's making our job a lot easier." Another replies.

"More bodies mean more paperwork." Another remarks, shaking their head "More things to look into."

One of the other officers crouches down before the bodies, observing their teeth.

"That's...just normal right ?" He asks "I mean, it's like-"

"Something from a vampire movie ?"

"Yeah, how'd-"

"You're not the first one to throw that word around." Says another officer, this one a woman "Day in day out my daughter keeps asking me if the vampires are coming to get her. And at the quarantine, they've been very defensive of that word."

At the campsite, there was once an RV, which was rewired this morning, and it didn't take a rocket scientist to guess where it was heading too, with the very visible tire tracks in the mud and snow.

Though even if they chased it now, it had been hours since it reached the highway. But that wasn't what was on their minds.

Their immediate attention was on the couple of bodies that, unlike those of the skals, were not hacked up with an ax, nor laid onto this makeshift pyre. They were dead for four days, with their wrists and throats bitten out, and were "buried" in their sleeping bags, with their ID's placed in their hands.

"See ? More vampire stuff."

"It's just more of the same." One of the officers shakes their head in disbelief.

As forensics would guess, who or whatever killed these things, and made off with this couple's RV, probably wasn't what killed them.

Still the dogs were acting up. Two of them tried to pull away down the trail made by the RV tracks, which told them there was more to find.

-----

Of the fifteen officers and investigators, six followed the tracks, led by two dogs, while the rest stayed at the campsite to call their findings in, and secure the area.

A short ways up from the campsite, there was laid a thick and heavy line of bushes and dead trees; it was there fourteen other calls that Rachel killed over the past few days were kept.

They made a note of it, but they couldn't call it in just yet, as the dogs kept acting up, pulling them further and further down the trail.

What took Rachel Amber a four minute drive was a twenty minute hick for the search and rescue party, but they found the property where Rachel hid the past week alongside Daniel Diaz, Chris Eriksen, and Sarah Lee Hackerman.

A few of the windows were busted, and the tire tracks continued in the snow and mud, making their way down the driveway. The stolen RV had departed hours ago, just before noon.'

But what drew these officer's attention was the intruder that made an attack on the cabin this morning. Who Rachel and Daniel overpowered and subdued, before leaving him as a grisly "scarecrow".

"Sweet monkey Jesus!" An officer mouths in horror "Who the fuck does that ?"

Bound to the tree was Alexander "Sawney" Bean.

One of more feared names within the Mother's Children and the primary sire of the skals they'd create. But these officers did not know his name, or the role he played in the attack a near week ago. All they saw was one unlucky bastard, who they hoped for his sake, would be dead.

Two nails held his hands and three held his wrists to around the base of a tree. Two others were on his shoulders, two more in kneecaps. And final one in his throat, where this was a noticeable gash where Rachel shanked him in their earlier fight.

His mouth was bleeding from broken glass pieces, also from the earlier fight. He was limp, unmoving and his eyes rolled back into his head. Another noticeable injury was the boot print from Rachel stomping his head in.

"...What...what do we-?" One of the officers starts to ask, before they hear a gasping, wheezing noise.

Already the dogs surround Bean, viciously snarling, jumping and barking at the impromptu crucifixion. As one of the officers steps forward, to both reign one of the dogs in, and get a closer observation...Bean's eye opens and looks at him.

"Oh fuck me, he's alive!" The officer stumbled back, slips and falls, at the milky, bloodshot eye staring him down.

There was a brief, loud panic as the officers scrambled around the tree, some already reaching for their guns.

As they mutter among themselves, trying to guess what they can make of the situation, the vampire speaks.

"Have...you...seen...her ?"

-----

On the Highway off Weston Road

Earlier in the day, Rachel, and her three younger travel buddies found themselves driving down a forested road in the RV that Rachel acquired. It rained heavily here this morning, but was now starting to clear up, with little patches of snow on the ground, and plenty of mist in the air.

Considering their encounter with Alexander "Sawney" Bean not two hours earlier, rarely a word was spoken between them; the only other noise besides Chris Eriksen's given directions, was the radio station, playing 80's and 90's hits.

That and a few regular updates on the unfolding situation.

There were no roadblocks, no other drivers really paid the RV any heed, so the best they could guess, they were out of the Beaver Creek region. So long as they weren't being followed.

In the back in the RV, Sarah Lee Hackerman would sit with Daniel Diaz. She broke down crying twice, while Daniel had to reassure her, while Sarah Lee kept asking Daniel if his arm was okay. Chris would sit in the front seat, making sure not to look directly at Rachel while giving directions.

Following Chris' directions, Rachel started to vaguely recognize they were on the highway just off Weston Road. As "Photograph" by Def Leppard played on the radio, Rachel turns down the volume to make conversation.

"Wait a minute, wait a minute." Rachel says in realization "This- this isn't too far from Arcadia Bay."

"You know the place ?"

Rachel nods with a nostalgic smile "My family had a vacation house around her years back."

"You don't say."

"You know, back in the day, I hosted this party by the creek." Rachel sighs wistfully, a little caught up in nostalgia "Had a watering hole, waterfall, everything. Anyways, after the party, my friend Chloe and this girl Victori-"

Realizing what she was about to say, Rachel stops speaking with a flustered and embarrassed expression. She looks at Chris, and then at Daniel and Sarah Lee who looked at her with blank expressions.

"Probably shouldn't tell you about that." Rachel says with a chuckle "Still, small world isn't it ?"

"You can say that again." Chris says, looking away from Rachel.

Looking ahead, they saw the split on the road, and the signs, telling them they were now reaching Keystone Road.

"You want to make a right." Chris says, to which Rachel nods in affirmation.

"I can see that. I can read." Rachel says in a joking manner, with a friendly smirk, but her expression flattens when she notices Chris looks uneasy "What's wrong ?"

"A lot." Chris says, still looking away.

"Lucky for you, my ears are free."

Chris hesitates, before looking at Rachel.

"You said you stayed down this road ?"

"I did." Rachel nods again "Vacation cabin, you know ? Haven't really been there in eight years."

"Don't you think...you might recognize anybody ?" Chris says "Or they'd recognize you ?"

Rachel looks to Chris with a confident expression.

"I can keep my head down." Rachel insists "A little thing about Cottage Country ? There's more trees than people. I never really saw many neighbors 'round here."

Chris looks forward and bites his lip.

"It's just...my neighbor-"

"What about him ?"

Before Chris could answer, Rachel feels her shoulder being tapped on. When she looks, there stands Sarah Lee.

"Can- can you pull over ?" Sarah Lee hesitantly asks "I have to...go ?"

Rachel caught on to what she meant, jabbing a thumb to the bathroom door.

"We got a lavatory."

"Yeah but..." Sarah Lee doesn't finish the sentence, but Rachel catches on.

She can't blame the kid. People died in this RV, and not two days before, Rachel opened the neck of a Skal using her teeth in that very same lavatory.

Sighing, Rachel pulls to the right, noticing a bushy area down from the ditch, several yards ahead. Pulling to a stop, a dozen feet across, Rachel steps up, opens the door, and lets Sarah Lee out.

Sniffing the air, Rachel gives an "all clear" nod, gesturing to Sarah Lee to get to work.

"I'll be right here." Rachel reassures "You see, hear or feel anything, you scream."

Sarah Lee nods, making her way down the ditch; nearly slips a little; regains her footing as Rachel tries to step toward her, and climb up the embankment.

As Sarah Lee crawls in behind the bush, Rachel hears a fake cough. She looks up seeing Daniel now sitting in the passenger seat, looking at her while Chris steps towards the back.

"So..."

"So what ?"

"That guy back there," Daniel says, referring to Bean "Said you had a son ?"

Rachel shakes her head, narrowing her eyes.

"Uh no..." Rachel chuckles a little "I think I would be the first to know if I have a kid."

Daniel shrugs.

"I mean-"

"Never had so much as a pregnancy scare," Rachel crosses her arms "All the guys I was with used-"

Yet again, Rachel stops herself with an embarrassed expression.

"Not something I should be telling you." Rachel shakes her head with a chuckle.

Daniel shrugs with a joking smirk.

"I mean, it's probably nothing I hadn't seen or heard at Merrill's camp."

Rachel snorts back a laugh, rolling her eyes.

"Sure kid." Rachel says before shaking her head again "Anyways, got no son as far as I know."

"It's just," Daniel looks away rubbing the back of his neck "My brother and his girlfriend are..."

Daniel trails off, not finishing the sentence, but from his expression, Rachel quickly picks up what he's putting down.

"Oh," Rachel realizes "Well, uh...congratulations ?"

"Thanks." Daniel says with an uncertain tone "Found out like the day before the attack. So...I'm a little antsy about it."

Rachel sighs, rubbing the back of her neck with uncertainty of her own.

"I don't- I don't know what to say."

"You don't gotta say nothing." Daniel says, as Sarah Lee emerges from behind the bush, re-fastening her pants, and makes her way to the ditch "It's just...if they're after me...and my brother...what if-?"

Rachel turns her attention to Sarah Lee, who once again nearly trips as she makes her way down the ditch.

"Hold on." Rachel says, stepping into the embankment towards Sarah Lee. Whatever Daniel was about to say took a back seat, as Rachel helped Sarah Lee up the ditch.

Daniel steps down to lend a hand too.

As they step back into the RV, they see Chris sitting at a table, staring off into space and dribbling his finger in a nervous fidget.

"Chris ?" Rachel asks.

"Hmm ?" Chris jolts up, looking at Rachel.

"Could use my navigator."

-----

After fifteen more minutes of driving and following Chris' directions, Rachel could swear she recognized this road they turned onto from about eight years back...

Rachel shakes her head.

This wasn't her family's old vacation place, but it was certainly the road to it. They were a little ways down from the watering hole, It's just a coincidence, Rachel silently assures herself. A coincidence and a small world.

Chris tells Rachel to stop "Here it is."

Where they were parked, was a several year driveway, and a property surrounded by a log fence. At the center of the property, was a cottage house about two stories tall. Looked cozy enough for a small family. The cottage had a black roof and dark blue exterior.

Considering the bits of snow and slush on the driveway, and the lack of any tire tracks, it can be safely assumed that Charles Eriksen didn't stop and here if he tried to reach Beaver Creek.

While obscured by a tree line, Rachel could make out another, larger lodge on an adjacent property with Chris looking at it was an uneasy expression.

"I'll go." Chris says, stepping towards the door.

"Don't you mean we ?" Rachel raises an eyebrow.

"Relax, it's my dad's property-" Chris says "I mean it's technically my neighbors but-"

"Want me to talk to them ?"

"No!" Chris says, a little louder than he intended, before calming down "No. They're probably not home. Besides, we hide another key under the grill. You just need to keep your head down."

Rachel looks skeptical, but reluctantly nods.

"Fine, but I'm staying right here."

She opens the door for them, and Chris steps out with Daniel and Sarah Lee following after.

Taking a deep breath, Rachel reclines a little in the driver's seat, turning the radio up. It was another update of the Beaver Creek attack.

"- what is remarkable is that what was found is some of these individuals we uncovered were not from the area." A male voice speaks over the radio "We have confirmation that one of the persons they've found to be Janet Harris; a fifteen year old who disappeared from North Kill, New York back in 2012. Thought to be a victim of-"

Rachel widens her eyes, and turns up the radio to listen in more.

-----

Having made their way up the driveway, Chris rounds the cottage to the deck out back, with Daniel and Sarah Lee following after. There, as Chris said it would, was a propane grill wrapped up in tarp.

As Chris and Daniel lifted the tarp out of the way, and opened the grill, there was a small plate that should have the cottage's keys on it.

"Oh shit." Chris mutters, before noticing Sarah Lee give him a look, silently telling him to watch his profanity "Sorry."

Unseen to them, someone was making their way towards them, stopping by the wooden fence, just off the property.

"What now ?" Sarah Lee asks.

"We might have to break in." Daniel starts to say.

"I wouldn't. It'd be a pretty dumb move." The voice of an adult male voice speaks.

They turn and look around in surprise, but Chris calms down recognizing his neighbor leaning onto the fence. In his right hand, he dangles the key taken from the grill.

Chris guesses that his father just gave their neighbors the spare key, after losing it twice last year.

His neighbor was a white man with dark hair in his mid to late forties, growing in a small dark beard. He wore a set of rubber boots, dark jeans, a blue turtleneck, and a light brown wool winter coat.

And seeing as Chris recognized him, both Daniel and Sarah Lee relaxed too.

"Fuck..." Chris mouths, before stepping towards the fence, raising his hand with a little wave "H-hey Mr-"

"Chris ? Chris Eriksen ?" His neighbor asks.

"Yeah..."

"I uh...hear you were-" His neighbor starts to say, before sighing "I heard what happened. Are you okay ?"

"Um...not really." Chris looks to Daniel and then Sarah Lee "We just got out of that mess and-"

Chris sighs, realizing bit by bit how Rachel keeping her head down is becoming less likely.

"We're alive, that's what matters." Chris says, before gesturing to Daniel "You remember Daniel ?"

"I believe so." The man nods, looking his eyes at Daniel; they crossed paths a few times during visits to Beaver Creek, but were never really introduced. He then notices Sarah Lee as a more sympathetic expression washes over him.

"And this is our friend, Sarah Lee." Chris says "I think I mentioned her to you."

"What happened to you ?" The neighbor says to Chris "Is Charles wi- Is your father with you ?"

"No," Chris says, his voice breaking a little, and his eyes water "I don't...I don't know where he is."

"Jesus." His neighbor shakes his head in disbelief "How did you get here ?"

Sighing in defeat, Chris reluctantly answers.

"We...we rode in with a friend."

"A friend ?" The man narrows his eyes suspiciously.

"Yeah." Chris nods, knowing where this was going.

His neighbor was one of those paranoid parent types. He lost a daughter years back, before moving back here, and as a result could be a little protective of Chris whenever he and Charles stayed at the cottage.

Crossing his arms, and leaning in a little, the neighbor asks.

"Should I talk to this friend ?"

"I don't think there's much I can do to stop you ?" Chris shrugs.

"Good answer." The man says, before he makes his way down the fence.

With nothing else to do or object with, Chris sighs and follows behind. Yet again with Daniel and Sarah Lee following behind.

-----

Back in the RV, Rachel was still listening to the latest update.

With the destruction of the "Twin" hospitals, two designated quarantine zones were set up in regional hospitals outside the county. But a recent discovery caused a significant increase in victims, left both hospitals packed.

The day before, a property just off of Willamette was uncovered; an abandoned slaughterhouse, where about a hundred or so missing people were found. Only a few dozen were added to the death toll, as most were found alive, albeit in a state the broadcast couldn't mention.

What was remarkable, however, was most of these people were not missing persons in the recent attack.

But a few were recognized as having disappeared from around the country over the years. As with many other survivors of the Beaver Creek attack, these people were being taken to a quarantine zone.

Rachel had a pretty good idea of what was going on, even if the news broadcasters didn't. However Rachel's train of thought was interrupted with the sound of knocking on the door.

"Excuse me ? Excuse me ?" An older male's voice asks.

Rachel looks towards the door.

Why does the voice sound familiar ?

No, it can't be. He would have moved far away from here; there's too many memories here.

"Whoever you are, I made your plate." The man's voice said "You drive off, I'll have some friends on you before you leave the county."

Sighing in defeat, Rachel grits her teeth to prepare herself. She looks in the mirror to see her fangs showing, which she quickly retracts.

"I just want to talk." The man says "You helped my neighbor's son, but I need to know-"

Rachel shakes a little as she gets up from her seat to face the music.

She steps towards the door and opens it.

Her world almost stops completely. As does the neighbor, who was holding his phone to his head, and drops it from his hand as he sees her. Behind him were Daniel, Chris and Sarah Lee.

Beard aside, Rachel recognized the man immediately, and he recognized her. She looked at him like a ghost he tried to put behind him.

Between the two, Rachel was the first to speak, as James Amber was left speechless.

"Hi Dad."

-----

Quarantine Zone Hospital, March 30th, 2020

It was dark out, when a young blonde woman, with small faded scars on her face, woke up with a jolt. She was in a chair standing before a, and using a black FBC raid jacket as an impromptu blanket. She had a small, faded scar on her face and neck.

"What the-? Where ?" Jessica Riley mumbles as she takes in the surroundings.

Jessica mentally kicks herself when she turns and sees her partner - a young black man with short-cut dark hair, wearing an FBC bomber jacket as part of his uniform - standing by the hospital door, tapping his foot on the wall.

He has his arms crossed, but an accepting expression on her face.

"I fell asleep on the job again, didn't I ?"

"I wouldn't worry, Jess. They said keep an eye on this place, not four." Matt says, jokingly covering his left eye with his hand, like an eyepatch.

Jessica smirks in amusement, before sitting back up stretching her back.

"Sorry, I-"

"I did suggest you take this night off." Matt tilts his head.

"You did."

"And I said you shouldn't be on the field for this one."

"You did." Jessica puts her jacket back on "Thought it'd be an easy day."

"And was it ?"

"Easys boring." Jessica rubs her arm.

The day before, Jessica was among a small group of officers responding to an alert; two kids - seven and two respectively - stranding in a snowbank, and their parents taken by "those things", right as the sun was setting.

Of the four officers Jessica tracked the kids with, only Jessica survived with minimal injury, as it would seem the skals had lured them into a trap. She would end up having to lead the kids herself to a designated safe zone.

All on foot. And all with a pistol with only twelve shots left.

What Jessica lacked in any kind of combat prowess, she made up for through determination, and quick possibly dumb luck. But she was a hero of the evening, and higher ups insisted she take the next night off.

But Jessica was especially work focused these days, and wouldn't settle for anything less than keeping an eye on things. Like their friends, Jessica and Matt were conscripted into the FBC as scouts over the years.

Matt back in 2017, having been promoted to Field operative over the next year. Jessica would join in 2019, but was still considered a "Scout". Still, last nights rescue might make coffee talk of the week.

As for Matt, when he and the others got word of the Mother's Children, the Board themselves called upon Sam and Emily specifically for the assignment; the latter two having played a crucial role in a Seattle investigation back in 2015.

Mike would accompany Emily to look into reports in Texas; Sam in Boon County, being accompanied by Director Faden herself (You didn't hear it from Matt or Jessica, but there's been talk around the office about them and Dr. Pope...)

When word about Beaver Creek got to them, Matt immediately volunteered for the investigation. And Jessica, not wanting to be alone in Seattle, volunteers for "Scout" work.

Ostensibly, they worked with the local and state police, and indirectly worked under Dr. John Reid. In the past few days, Reid would often aid search and rescue efforts and rarely made public appearances outside of them.

Both Matt and Jessica knew Dr. Reid by reputation, someone who worked on and off with the FBC the past eight years. There's been talk around the office about what he really is, and the only other ones to work indirectly with Reid would be Sam and Emily - and even that was through liaisons.

Recovered citizens were either put in the "security" zones -- a series of hotels and apartments out of town -- until they could reliably be checked out. The infected or the severely injured would be looked over in one of two hospital stations set up in rural spots like Bear Creek or Boone County.

When Jessica had her own misadventure the night before, while Matt found himself working directly with Dr. Reid. Shortly after Reid's arrival old ranch and slaughterhouse was uncovered just off of Willamette by twenty miles.

Matt was one of the first responders, but by the time he arrived, Reid and the local police had finished killing off over forty skals that were hiding there.

However, Matt did take part in the rescue and recovery of some of the captives, and spent the past few days overseeing the recovery efforts. And now that it was the night shift, he decided he was gonna check in on Jessica and see how she was holding up.

"So..." Jessica tries to shift the conversation elsewhere "Any noise from-?" She doesn't finish her question, but gestures to the door.

"Notta." Matt shakes his head, as they both look to the door "Nothing more than his heart monitor and his groaning."

"Should we wake him up ?"

Matt looks at Jessica with an incredulous expression.

"Right. That was stupid." Jessica rubs the back of her neck.

"Tell you what," Matt taps Jessica on the shoulder "You take a break, clear your head. I'll keep an eye on things here..."

"You sure ? He'll probably-"

"He's too out of it to do anything." Matt says with a confident smile "Relax, I got this."

"If you say so," Jessica meekly rubs her arm, before making her way down the hall.

Once Jessica was out of sight or ear shot, a voice from the hospital room speaks.

"I think we're alone now," A haggard, older male voice in a taunting sing songy voice, which prompts Matt to reach for his gun "There doesn't seem to be anyone around..."

Matt exhales through his nose, calming down. Whoever is in there is hopped up in such a way that it would cause a hippo to overdose. On top of the injuries he still suffered, and the restraints put on his bed, there is nothing the patient could believably do to him.

"I think we're alone now," The patient continues to sing "The beating of our hearts is the only sound..."

Rolling his eyes, Matt maintains a sober expression, opening the door as he steps into the room.

"And it's best you keep it that way." Matt says, completely deadpan, looking over the vampire restrained in the hospital bed.

Staring up at him, was the unlucky bastard found crucified in Willamette National Park, surrounded by dozens of other slaughtered skals.

And while neither Matt nor Jessica knew of his true identity as Alexander "Sawney" Bean, considering what they learned the past five years, it wouldn't matter to them.

As far as Matt was currently concerned, he was just another one of those creatures. But this one was taken alive, and kept isolated.

"I heard your friend outside." Alexander says "She sounds pretty. Her breathing's pretty."

Matt narrows his eyes, but exhales deeply through his nose, trying to remain stoic. Alexander grins in amusement, seeing the urge to beat him down in Matt's eyes.

"I bet she looks delicious." Alexander says "Tell me, my boy; have you ever tasted her skin ?"

As Alexander lets out an unsettling laugh, amused at Matt's eye twitching a little.

"I will take that as a yesss." The vampire hisses "She sounds cute when she mumbles. Does she sound that way, when groaning or sobbing ?"

Calmly, Matt glances at a syringe at a tray beside the bed, just out of Alexander's restrained reach. The syringe was full of blue liquid, and both Matt and Jessica were told to administer at any sign of aggression.

As calm and unflappable Matt was on the surface, he wondered if it was a good thing Mike and Emily weren't here. They wouldn't be as professional with this asshole...but Matt would be lying if he didn't think killing him wouldn't be doing him a favor.

Alexander rasps out as Matt sticks the needle into his neck. Matt presses down the syringe half way through; Alexander winces and wheezes, his nose rapidly bleeding, as are his gums and fangs.

"You're no fun." Alexander snarls, drowsiness rapidly washing over him.

"Really ? She tells me differently." Matt shakes his head, before he gave a snarky "Now you be a good boy and I'll go get the doctor; might even give you a candy."

"Y'know ?" Alexander says as he starts to drift off "I'm in the mood for chocolate right about now."

With the vampire drifting into unconsciousness, trying and failing to resist the flutter in his eyes.

"Yeah," Matt deadpans "I bet you are..."

He looks to the doorway, and weighing his options, decides someone outta keep an eye on this raasclaat. Though he could still send in an update.

Taking his phone out of his jacket pocket, Matt dials a number.

-----

Outside of Willamette, a slaughter house that had been closed down for about a decade, was now being swarmed by police officers, state troopers, and paramedics.

The past couple days, the recovery efforts were still ongoing; two hundred missing persons were uncovered, alive dead and in between. But only seventy eight of them were missing residents of Beaver Creek. Many of them were identified as people who disappeared as far back as 2007.

To the first responders on the scene, you would think you had stepped into some sort of grindhouse slasher. The people who were brought here were not just mere captives; Many were brutalized, dehumanized, abused, tortured - anything you wouldn't do to a human being was inflicted on by these people. 

Captives young and old were kept in pens where animals were regularly stored, forced to wallow in their filth as the animals have before.

If they were to sleep, it would be on a mattress filled with pieces of broken glass. If you were to eat, it would be stale bread, and pieces of raw meat (some of which are from other victims). If you were to drink, it was cups of water frozen to ice, or warm blood.

Anyone strong enough to fight back to try to run away, would spend the night hanging from their wrists on meat-hooks. A coin would decide if their wrists were simply bound on the hook, or stuck on it. Any defiance would be met with a cattle prod or a sickle.

The lucky ones were eventually killed. The unlucky were kept in a drugged stupor to better adjust to living like literal lambs to the slaughter.

The police were called here when one captive managed to escape to a farmhouse three miles down the road; a seven year old girl, who was half dead from blood loss and exposure.

She's currently being treated in Boon County, and would claim that her family were made to hurt each other, and the "monsters" hurt them and the others.

Outside the slaughterhouse, an med center was set up with a series of tents. During the rescue efforts, many of the recovered victims were injured and sick in such a way, they had to be treated immediately. And so, the slaughterhouse became another quarantine zone as well as a crime scene.

In one of these tents, Dr. Reid was overseeing an autopsy; one of the rescued victims, an eighty year old woman who went missing four years ago, would try to kill one of the paramedics, and needed to be put down.

Having wiped his utensils clean, Reid addresses four other paramedics who he has just demonstrated the latest autopsy too; in the tent were cameras broadcasting this demonstration to other med centers.

"So to recap." Reid says, trying to remain sober "As it was with the other subjects, this forth cadaver's muscles have undergone chemical changes in her myofibrils, with their glycogen depleted. And as with the others, hers set well before she expired."

He looks around the room, observing one medic, a slightly overweight young man with brown hair, shaking his head and covering his mouth.

Reid recognized him as a new Doctor who worked under the twins, and a surgeon who worked with injured children the past year. And if that hadn't hardened him, Reid can't imagine what's going through the rest of the newbies.

Reid couldn't blame them. You can only remain stoic for so long before it begins to slowly break you down. Reid knew what they were up against, and the autopsy of the woman and four other deceased was more to educate the newcomers.

This place was a "Skal Factory" as people in New Ascalon called it. Reid hadn't seen it one since New York, and figured it'll be a harder time covering this one up.

It was one thing to simply turn someone into a skal, but with what Reid has picked up over the years, he learned the Mother's Children would usually torture and dehumanize them in order to become even more of the monsters that they were already becoming.

And to better incubate the blood of hate.

Not too different from the Dark Room in Arcadia Bay; but this was done on a wider range, and with bloodier and dirtier hands. It is little wonder, Reid guesses, that the Red Queen would attach herself to Arcadia Bay.

"T-the blood." Reid continues, holding up a collected sample in a container for the observers and the cameras to see. The thing was, the blood was almost as clear as water "It is clear to see, this is irregular."

Reid places the container down next to four others.

"This is a sign," Reid says, managing to compose himself "Of what we call Serosanguinous Drainage; when the wounds heal, but the inflammation is still high. The body is trying trying to heal; trying to accommodate to the damage, in spite of it being in the fourth stage of-"

Reid feels his phone vibrate in his chest pocket, and becomes briefly flustered.

"My apologies." Reid takes his phone out and prepares to turn it off.

As he does so, he sees it is the number of Agent Taylor. No doubt giving an update on the "cadaver" picked up outside Willamette.

"Tell you what," Reid addresses the medics "We take a moment to breathe; I doubt even the strongest of us here can withstand-"

The medics exit the tent before Reid could finish his sentence.

"Class dismissed." Reid finishes with a flat tone. To be fair, the fourth subject was more of the same as the last three cadavers. The medics and the cameras picked up plenty.

With that, Reid answers his phone.

"He's awake." Matt Taylor's voice answers at the other end "Well, sort of awake-"

"Has he-?"

"No, but I did have to sedate him." Matt replies.

"At what stage has he healed ?"

"I didn't really see." Matt says. He pauses, apparently looking over Alexander "No signs of blood, but his injuries are still...red ? I don't think he's in any shape to cause-"

"On a scale to one," Reid says, looking back at the cadaver on the table before him "How much is my presence required ?"

"Seven ?" Matt says, sounding uncertain "I didn't know who else to reach for this and-"

Reid nods, before interrupting Matt.

"Very well," Reid says "I will oversee-"

And like that, Reid loses the signal. Again.

This far out, you were lucky if you got two bars.

Sighing with frustration, Reid moves to turn off the cameras and prepares to exit the tent. But as he steps towards the exit, someone else steps in. Someone he takes a second to recognize.

He was wearing a heavy black winter coat, along with the rest of his uniform, and had his hood up over his head.

"You've come late." Reid remarks, as Sir Geoffrey McCullum glances stoically at the cadaver.

"Better than never, as mother used to say." McCullum replies.

"Some would prefer earlier."

"Funny," McCullum stepped towards the operating table. He shakes his head at the woman's expression; he could tell from her eyes her death was painful "But I can't let anyone know I'm here. Not anyone who'd recognize me."

"So why come ?"

"Because you need to be aware of the snakes in your grass, Reid." McCullum turns to face the Doctor, putting his hands behind his back "I'm sure you're aware of Margot's loyalists in the Guard, and their...increasing influence on American soil."

"I am very aware." Reid crosses his arms "I've been an esteemed guest of their camps for the better part of four years."

"And I, six." McCullum shakes his head pacing around the tent "For this, we had to keep our heads down. But now that we seek them out, Margot will complicate things."

"Both of our people are under the hand of the FBC." Reid remarks, as if to reassure himself "He can't act without re-"

"He knows this." McCullum stops his pace, turning back to Reid with a slight glare "I have reached out to Director Faden with our concerns."

"And ?"

With a sigh of defeat and annoyance, McCullum looks to the side.

He got word of Faden putting New Ascalon and the Guard on this op. She probably thinks this is a step in the right direction. But as Reid and McCullum learned a century ago, putting two such factions against a common enemy could risk drawing more battlelines.

"She's new. She's new and not caught up on our history. With Trench, he could put his foot down, and knew what card to play." McCullum states, looking back at Reid "Faden is too quick to put her cards on the table, and trusts the vets too much. She won't act until she knows for sure of Margot's affairs."

"His prison camps-"

"Burned and raided four years ago; all other prisoners dead. I was there." McCullum states, counting his fingers "All Margot had to say was another one of us operated behind his back, and he'll leave us nothing to make our case."

"And ?"

McCullum, grimaces and takes a deep breath.

"He is making his move now." McCullum says "As of tomorrow, the quarantine areas will fall under Margot's hands. Which includes-"

"The patients..." Reid realizes.

McCullum gives a small nod, a nonverbal way of saying "Yup, we're up shites creek, my friend."

"I thought it was better to hear it from me, rather than Margot's..." McCullum tries to think of the right word "Theatrics."

"He won't do anything drastic." Reid scratches his chin, thinking things over and trying to rationalize to himself "It'll sully his case with the FBC and-"

"Unless he can find a scapegoat." McCullum states "Unless he has more eyes on his side."

Reid takes a second to realize.

"The Bureau has two of their agents in Beaver Creek for this case." Reid says "I can vouch for them."

"Can you ? Have you worked with them ?"

"Gabriel Wallace vouched for them."

McCullum blinks, in shock and familiarity. He's a little taken aback, and takes a second for it to register. He raises a finger as he remembers him.

"Is that what he goes by these days ?"

"As far back as I knew him." Reid explains "After Arcadia Bay-"

"Then you know the rumors surrounding him."

"I know as much as you do about him." Reid says "I have heard the whispers of him. Which further validates his case."

Reid snaps his fingers, recalling the news he received moments before being interrupted.

"In fact, I have just received word from these agents." Reid continues "Another body was found outside Willamette has been recovered this morning, and is just now waking up."

"You don't say."

"And if what witnesses tell us is any indication," Reid continues "He was the one who brought this on our community. If he's in stable condition, we can get answers out of him. Preferably before Margot."

"Answers ?" McCullum crosses his arms "What else can we know ? He is a follower of Mordred. Your previous case told us-"

"He may know where she fled too," Reid says, referring to Rachel Amber "She was the only one who could have inflicted that much damage on that many skals. We had Miss Amber in our protective watch; if she's on the loose-"

"The search and rescue becomes a manhunt." McCullum realizes.

"And the Queen will find a way to spread." Reid shakes his head "And all Margot will see is another disaster to crush."

Reid steps towards McCullum, putting a hand on his shoulder, leading the man out of the tent.

"We can't question him from here, now can we ?."

-----

Back at the Quarantine Zone Hospital

Jessica was making her way back from the café. She is humming a tune to herself ("Burn It Down" by Daughter).

Her post was a floor up, and could have been taken by elevator, but she was one who prefers to take the long way and kill time.

Jessica stops at a corner, standing/leaning her back against the wall as she feels her phone vibrating again. She got off the phone with Mike just moments ago, and thought it was him at first, as she took it out of her coat pocket.

She reads a missed message from Matt, sent moments ago.

"He's up."

Jessica's eyes widen, and she begins to type a response, when Matt sends another message.

"Or was up. He's sedated."

"Are you sure ?" Jessica types back.

"Had to be sure." Matt replies "He's still pretty fucked up."

As Jessica prepares to type a response, she senses movement in the hall behind the corner, she peaks to see nothing, but a slightly opened door, that sure was sure was closed moments ago.

Narrowing her eyes suspiciously, Jessica sends another text.

"You are keeping an eye on him."

"He's lying two feet away from me. He's mumbling a song. Really creepy too." Matt sends another text "Either he's out, or REALLY good at Playing Possum."

There's a pause before Matt sends another.

"I outta give him a double dose, but Reid wants to take a look at him. He's on his way."

Jessica's eyes flicker from the door to her phone. Seeing the door quietly closed when she had her eyes away, she cautiously steps around the corner.

"A'ight." Jessica types quickly "I'll keep an eye out here."

Putting her phone back in her coat pocket, and quietly reaching for her pistol, Jessica bites her lower lip as she cautiously makes her way towards the door; a janitor's closet.

Taking a breath, Jessica stands back, holding her gun forward. Despite the shake in her hand, Jessica stands erect, trying to maintain a comfortable stance.

"Open up." She says, not sounding as confident as she intended "Or I can shoot first. It's up to you."

Jessica pauses and listens. The very faint sound of a young man's shaking breath, and a half whimper/half sob could be heard.

Sighing, Jessica bites her lip and steps back.

"I'm putting my gun away and I'm gonna step back five paces." Jessica says, trying to sound reassuring "You're going to open the door. If you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear."

Putting her gun away, Jessica raises her hands and steps back, counting each pace.

"One...two...three...four-"

The door opens a crack, and slowly opens some more as the person steps out.

Jessica recognizes him as a young man, who was one of many recovered victims found at the slaughterhouse. She recognized him in particular as Matt helped resuscitate him two days before, and kept an eye on him with Jessica.

Anyone who knew this man, would recognize him as Jacob Hackerman, but for now, he was another unidentified vic. The beard that growing in the past week probably didn't help.

From what Matt told Jessica, he was found in a meat locker with six other bodies.

According to his checkup, he was tortured for at least four days, like the other recovered victims; having been been force feed pigs blood mixed with that of other victims; and had his finger and toenails cut off.

His body was discovered to have ingested enough benzos to OD a moose. It could only be the will of a hateful deity that Jacob is still breathing.

His tendons slashed multiple times - given their state, doctors guessed that Jacob was forced into a healing process, only for these tendons to be slashed again. A process that seemed to continue, as there is currently a limp and hobble in Jacob's step.

Seven of his teeth were forcibly extracted; but expecting his mouth showed new ones were already peaking in. His pupils were shrunken, and his eyes bloodshot, and swelling.

Right now, Jacob wore a hoodie, jeans and sneakers he apparently snatched from the laundry; with a backpack in his hand.

"I have...I have too..." Jacob tries to say, but what came out was a series of barely audible whispers.

He tries to step forward, but staggers and collapses to his knees.

"Hey...hey, hey." Jessica says, trying to be soft and reassuring as she steps down to pick him up.

"I have to find her..." Jacob says, barely audible but loud enough for Jessica's ears to pick up.

"Shhh, shhh," Jessica whispers, rubbing his back "It's okay buddy-"

"It's not!" Jacob wheezes, glaring up at her "M-my...my...sister is-"

"Okay, okay, okay." Jessica says "We're gonna help, it's just..."

Jessica can guess Jacob's explanation already. His sister was out there; and no doubt after his rescue, he was going to seek her out. He is probably planning a break out to do so, despite the fact he's far from in stable condition.

Jessica couldn't see him reaching the parking lot before he collapses to near death. Not in this state.

"Let's get you back to bed, okay ?" Jessica says, gently standing Jacob up.

Jacob tries to verbally and physically resist, but couldn't do anything but make a noncommittal groan, as Jessica leads him back to his room. As she does so, Jessica takes her phone out, and sends another text to Matt.

"Gonna stay down here for a while. Is that cool ?"

There's a pause before Matt replies "What's wrong ?"

"Just making sure he gets his rest is all." Jessica texts back "No harm. No foul."

-----

Outside the building, six black vans pull into a parking lot.

Back in the closed off room upstairs, Alexander "Sawney" Bean stirs about and mumbles. He's humming a tune to himself, and every so often, lyrics could be heard in his mumbling words.

"She's my cherry pie. Cool drink of water, such a sweet surprise." He mutters/sings "Tastes so good, makes a grown man cry. Sweet cherry pie..."

He jolts awake, his red eyes to see an annoyed, but professional and expectant Matt, standing against the wall. He had his arms crossed, and a glare on his face.

At Matt's side was Dr. Reid, and someone Bean was unfamiliar with.

"Oh dear, the nightmare is real..." Bean chuckles deliriously as he begins to wake up.

He tries to sit up, but feels the cuffs cutting into his wrists as he moves.

With an annoyed and pained hiss, Bean snarls "This just isn't my day, isn't it ?"

"You know who we are." Reid says plainly, stepping towards Bean with a stoic expression "And you know what we're looking for."

"Meaning in a life that has none ?" Bean teases "Tis a long, and soul breaking journey, let me tell you."

Unamused, the three others exchange a glance. Reid nods to Matt, who steps towards Bean, pulling a VTS-989 from his inner coat pocket. Bean's eyes widened with terror.

"Oh, this is gonna tickle-GAAAAAAAAGGGGHHHH!!!" The vampire screams out as Matt presses the business end of the VTS into his chest, and fires away.

Matt holds the taser in place, watching Bean shaking, jolt and cough, for six seconds, before releasing. Bean collapses into the bed, spitting up a little with another groan.

"Alright, alright! I'll bite, you motherless twats!" Bean coughs again "What is it you want ?"

"You're going to answer our questions." McCullum warns, nudging his head towards Matt, "I can assure you, whatever this lad has in mind, will be a tickle compared to-"

"What is it that I have that you don't already know ?" Bean rolls his eyes "You know who we work for; one of those we seek; and you know-"

"Wait," Reid interrupts, narrowing his eyes "Others you say?"

"Did you really think the Queen's newest champion was the only one we had her eyes on ?" Bean shakes his head "We didn't even know she was in the region until we smelled the air; when we heard the Queen mother in the wind."

Reid and McCullum exchange a glance.

"She...wasn't who you sought." Reid realizes.

"Who is it then ?" Matt chimes in.

"No one you need to worry yourselves over," Bean continues "Just a boy sought out by a friend of ours."

Bean chuckles cynically, closing his eyes as they get sore from the light.

"Doesn't matter." Bean tilts his head "The Amber girl has them; and where she goes, is a walking Beacon for the Queen; where she runs, the mothers looks. And where she looks, her son will follow."

Reid exhales through his nose, shaking his head. His dander rises as he takes it all in.

"All this bloodshed. All this inhumanity," Reid has a slight snarl in his voice, clenching his fist as he steps towards Bean, "That...fucked factory your kin set in the slaughterhouse...for one person ?!"

"My client wanted us to make an example." Bean shrugs "And I was looking for an opportunity."

"Who were you sent for ?" Reid leans in a little towards Bean.

Bean grins with cheeky amusement, and a look that silently says "Wouldn't you like to know ?"

"Who, in this world, is worth the mass slaughter of innocence ?"

With a humorless chuckle, Bean rolls his eyes.

"Spare the moralizing, good doctor!" Bean sighs heavily "I became a highwayman to avoid a boring life of labor. T'was the birth of my eating habits; you really think I wasn't going to sink any further ?"

There is a pause, with Reid narrowing his eyes at Bean, and Matt tilting his head with a concerned expression; there was a slight look of recognition on McCullum's face. With a knowing smile, and a nudge of the head towards McCullum, Bean rasps out-

"I take it, you know the stories ?"

"We don't even know your name." Matt says, sounding a little annoyed.

"Born Alexander. Of the Bean clan at your service..." Bean licks his teeth, and tips his head like a slight bow "Was named Sawney by history and stories."

There is another pause, at which Reid and McCullum exchange another glance. They have heard the whispers of Sawney Bean serving under Mordred's ranks, but few in Ascalon or the Guard seriously believed them.

McCullum certainly didn't. He remembers hearing stories of Sawney when he was a lad, and being reassured by his mother they were just that.

There were little reliable encounters with Bean recorded, but it was said that where these "Skal Factories", it was by Sawney's direction. So much so, they were nicknamed "Bean Factories" by the Guard when they were uncovered.

It was always in a cave, slaughterhouse, farmlands, sewers, abandoned hotels, you name it. Anything that the Mother's Children could take dozens or even hundreds, and that is where Mordred's skals are created.

"Oh, what's this ?" Bean teasingly remarks, as if he were reading their minds "The big bad leaches afraid of another boogeyman in this midst-"

"Agent Taylor," Reid raises his voice to Matt, but keeps his eyes on Bean "Step outside. Find Riley and-"

"Our orders come from Faden-"

"It's a safety measure." McCullum puts a hand on Matt's shoulder, interrupting him "It'll do you both good to step away from him."

The look in McCullum's eyes told Matt everything. And without a word, he hesitantly made his way to the door, closing it behind him as he stepped out.

"So, the rumors are true." Reid remarks quietly.

"Which ones ?" Bean sighs, laying his head to the pillow "But yes, there are small embellishments."

"It matters not." McCullum steps towards the bed, learning down as he tries to maintain a stoic and confident exterior "We have you now, leach."

All three vampires look up as they hear something. Cautiously, McCullum steps towards the window, looking out.

Outside were squads of black vans. And from them, dozens step out in swat like garb; each bearing the insignia of the Guard, with the American Flag over it.

Stepping out of a black jeep behind them, as a man with dark hair, wearing a bright blue trench coat; anyone who knew him would recognize him as Pierre Margot.

"Christ alive..." McCullum mutters under his breath.

With a knowing laugh, Bean shakes his head again.

"I take it you have received bad news ?"

-----

Down a few floors, Jessica at the side of a bed, gently rubbing Jacob's back as he tries to get him to sleep.

For about twenty or so minutes now, Jacob made as he laid in a fetal-like position, while the only noise he made was weak sobs and sad moans.

Jessica didn't speak. There was nothing she could say to ease him, but internally she kept asking herself "Jesus, kid. What the hell's happened too you ?"

In the back of her mind she can make a pretty good guess what it was like for him in that slaughterhouse. It brought back some memories of Mount Washington. She remembered when she first regained consciousness, in the dark and the cold.

How she felt the thing that was once Hannah Washington following her around. Sometimes, it would reach out and touch her hair. The worst part was when it spoke...with Hannah's voice.

Shuddering at the memory, Jessica was mercifully distracted with a knock on the door.

"Jess ?" Matt's voice asks.

"What is it ?"

"Can we come in ?"

Stupid question, the door opens anyways, and in steps six men in swat-like gear, with Matt standing outside with a dejected expression.

"We have company."

Stepping out from behind Matt, is Pierre Margot, director apparent to the American Guard of Priwen. Jessica gets up from her seat as he steps towards her.

"Miss Riley," Margot introduces himself, taking her hand in his and shaking it "It is not many days, you meet more than one hero. I'd almost say you earned more than a night off."

"I'm sorry, should I know- ?" Jessica starts to ask before being interrupted.

"Of course, of course! Where are my manners ?" Margot nods modestly "They call me Pierre Margot; descendant of Jean Margot, founder of our esteemed, local faction."

"Oh." Jessica says "I'm sorry, it's my first real week on the field."

"You're kidding." Margot looks back and forth between her and Matt, his demeanor becoming more professional "Our...mutual higher ups, called on me for this op. Until further notice, you are relieved."

Jessica looks to Matt, the two sharing an glance. Sensing their apprehension, Margot opens his jacket, pulling out an envelope, which he opens and hands to Jessica.

"We have the clearance from the Board itself." Margot says, "Effective immediately, all FBC field Operations in Oregon and Washington state, work through our Guard; though me." He taps himself on the chest "Any third party wish to get involved, they do so through me. And one of my first orders of business, is to grant you two some time off."

Margot looks back and forth between Jessica and Matt, the latter of whom steps past Margot.

"Which I'd say you two have more than earned."

Looking over the paper, Matt looks at Margot skeptically.

"This doesn't come into effect until April." Matt remarks.

"Yes...Yes." Margot nods "But Director Faden has given us the go-ahead for the evacuation. This will get things running smoothly come April."

"Evacuation ?" Jessica and Matt ask at the same time.

"We're setting up more hospitals in Portland, North Bend, and Seattle." Margot counts his fingers "Somewhere to keep the infected..."

With a reluctant expression, Jessica looks to Jacob. Sensing her apprehension, Margot continues.

"Come now, Miss Riley," He says "We only mean to make space; give the survivors a place to rest their heads, and better contain the infection."

"You're clearly not a physician, Margot." The voice of Jonathan Reid say, catching Margot and his men's attention, as well as Jessica and Matt "Taking a virus, especially such as these, out of its red zone, would risk spreading it further."

Standing there, was Dr. Jonathan Reid, an unamused glare on his face, and his arms crossed. One of Margot's men reaches for their gun, but Margot raises his hand to stop them.

"As it stands." Margot says with a slight seethe in his voice, annoyed at the Doctor's interruption "We sent word to Director Faden; there are other infections occurring in Nevada, California, and Washington. Oregon just got a storm where others got a drizzle."

With a condescending smile, Margot pats Reid's shoulder.

"I suggested we put out eggs in one basket, and Faden agreed." Margot tilts his head "She knows to trust the word of us vets. After all, we know what we're doing, longer than she has."

Reid narrows his eyes.

"And how much does she know of Jean Margot, and his actions towards the-?"

Margot grimaces at the mention of the name, and raises both hands defensively as he interrupts.

"It matters not what betrayals caused division with the Old Guard." Margot snarls. A stronger French cadence could be heard in Margot's voice, before he calms himself with an easygoing smile, trying to sound reassuring in his Americanized accent. "This is the age of progress and unity. I only wish to right the wrongs of the Old Guard and undo the mistakes that led to its downfall."

Margot looks at Matt and Jess, who look unsure as they glance between Margot and Reid.

"If you insist, I can set up another workplace to operate from." Margot continues "A place to keep an eye on you..."

As Margot speaks, Matt steps forward handing the paper to Reid. As Reid looks over it, he notices the same thing as Matt.

"This isn't until April." Reid mentions.

"Well, I'm sure you'll find the time to appeal to Director Faden," Margot smirks, patting Reid on the shoulder "But I doubt she care's who helps the poor folks of Beaver Creek, so long as they are, y'know helped."

Reid regards Margot with an annoyed grunt, before glancing at Jessica and Matt.

"And what say you, Agent Taylor ?"

Matt opens his mouth to answer.

"They're being given a breather." Margot interrupts, stepping between the two. He puts his arms around their shoulders, causing them to flinch away. Not that Margot cares "Faden got word of Miss Riley's heroics, and Taylor's help with recovery. She agrees they could use some time off."

He taps Jessica on the shoulder as he steps away, causing Jessica to flinch again.

"Especially for a scout class like her." Margot remarks.

Reid looks back at Matt and Jessica; despite how they present themselves, he can see the tiredness in their eyes.

"Finally, something we agree on." Reid remarks, before turning his attention to Margot "But if I have to bring matters up to-"

"Yes, yes." Margot rolls his eyes "Save your huffing and puffing, doc. A united house remains standing."

"Where are you taking them ?" Jessica finally chimes in. Despite the eyes on her, she looks towards a (hopefully) sleeping Jacob "You're not gonna-"

Margot snorts back a laugh and rolls his eyes.

"What ? That we're gonna put patients to sleep ? Don't be silly." Margot smirks, before his expression grimaces "Not unless they prove to be a threat."

"Riley, Taylor..." Reid speaks up, getting their attention "Why don't you call it a night ? You two need it as much as our patients."

Jessica was about to object, but Matt putting his hand on her shoulder stopped her.

The look Matt gave her did away with whatever resolve or argument was left.

"If you say so," Jessica rubs the back of her neck "You're the Doctor."

"Come on, let's get you on the road." Matt tells Jessica, putting his hand on her lower back, as he leads her out. Though the look he's giving Jessica tells her "You don't want to be here for Mexican Standoff."

As they exit the room, Jessica notices a gurney being pushed towards the room, by two paramedics, with four armed Guards surrounding them.

They were no doubt here to pick up Jacob, and when Matt and Jess exit the building, they see paramedic teams following after for the rest.

-----

Bean groans in frustration and annoyance, as his stretcher was placed in the back of an ambulance.

Standing outside the hospital, Reid quietly watches as the ambulances leave with a calm glare. Once they leave, he spots McCullum standing on the other side of the road, his face obscured by his hood.

No one who knew who McCullum was could see him here; and if Margot spotted the hunter turned vampire, it would "confirm" many of his suspicions.

In the ambulance itself, Bean was seven armed guards. Which includes Margot, who looks down at the centuries old vampire with an unamused glare. More restraints were put on Bean; eight straps holding his toros to the bed, while shaper cuffs were put on his wrists and ankles.

As part of handing this creature over to the guard, Reid has reluctantly given Margot everything they had on this vic; his identity as the infamous "Sawney''; his role in creating skals by the thousands for Mordred's cause; the "factory" he set up out of Beaver Creek.

And that he was looking for a seemingly unrelated target.

With the way Bean was trussed up, and considering the infamous cannibalism of the Bean clan, a few guards had "Hannibal" jokes in the back of their minds, but kept quiet for their bosses' questions.

"Ever been to North Bend, leach ?" Margot asks, sitting at the foot of the stretcher.

"Can't recall," Bean remarks flatly, with a roll in his eyes "Haven't stepped foot in your lovely country since '72. Though I can see you people had another go of the free love nonsense, have you ?"

As best he could, Bean holds a finger out and runs in a circular motion.

"The cycle continues..."

Margot only makes a blunt "Hmph" noise in response.

"Well, I hope you enjoyed the sight seeing." Margot jabs a thumb to Bean's barely healed eyes "But I can't imagine you like what you took in."

"Hear me, lad." Bean glares back at Margot "You have not approached me to talk about the weather; you wish to know what I told Reid."

"Au Contraire," Margot remarks "I want to know what you didn't tell him."

Margot steps off the stretcher, and takes a few steps towards Bean's head, crouching down at eye level, before he says the name.

"Daniel Diaz."

There is a pause, with Bean looking at Margot with a blank, but knowing expression.

"I know you cut your teeth as an illiterate ditch digger, but we in the Guard know when to do our homework." Margot clicks his teeth with a smirk "Only person of interest in this fichu backwoods. Like three different agencies had their eyes on the boy; no doubt, that includes the leeches your people put in them."

Margot, of course, leaves out the bit of Sean Diaz being conscripted as a "Scout" just days ago. Instead, he leans in a little closer to the vampire; so close that Bean could bite off his nose if he so chooses too.

And Bean probably would have had he not noticed something in Margot's teeth. Something that gave him a flicker of amusement.

"Why Diaz ?" Margot says with authority "What makes lost boys such as him matter to you bloodsuckers."

"Oh you know, you gotta keep the promises to make your friends," Bean rolls his eyes "The boss is looking to make friends. Can't imagine why, considering..."

Bean looks down his body, before dryly adding.

"-what the boy put me through." Bean looks back up at Margot with a knowing smile "But Diaz is not important. Personally I was more interest in his little birdie. But that's not what you wish to know.."

Gritting his teeth, Margot stands away from Bean, still looking down at him.

"Out with it, parasite."

"What if I told you that the Blood Queen's latest princess has found refuge; somewhere close to home ?" Bean asks, raising an eyebrow.

"You can speak words, or choke on your blood," Margot raises his voice slightly "If you wish to waste-"

"Rachel Amber!" Bean raises his voice, before coughing. He would have roared the name, had he still not been a little out of it "Hiding under the protection of the Good Doctor Reid..."

There is a pause, as Margot and his men exchange glances.

"Of course," Margot continues "You could be telling us what we want to hea-"

"Come now, did you really think that boy could do what has been done to me, alone ? " Bean sighs heavily "He may have slipped through my fingers, but he is already in her grasp."

Yet again, Margot and his men exchange stoic looks.

Margot snaps his fingers towards one of the paramedics, who hands him a needle filled with the same substance that Bean was constantly put to sleep with the past three days.

"A likely story," Margot prepares the needle, "We can hear more about it at North bend."

-----

March 26th, 2020, Thomas Street, Manhattan, New York

The sun has risen in the city, when a black uber pulls to its designated stop.

In the back seat, is Alex Chen and Steph Gingrich, the latter of whom is drumming her fingers around the bottom of the window.
They both see what the driver can't.

"33's the spot." The driver, a middle aged Asian man growing a short beard remarks "That'll be 85$."

"Uh, yeah just gimme just a second." Alex says, checking her wallet.

As Alex pays, Steph looks up at the massive building; as a featureless skyscraper with no visible windows. Being addressed as the 34th, the structure resembled the former AT&T Long Lines Building that stood beside it.

And it towered over its neighbors by a significant margin, both Steph and Alex could only wonder how the average citizen couldn't have noticed it. It was like it should have been part of the skyline, sticking out in the same vein as the Empire State and Chrysler buildings.

Still, as they finished paying their fare, and sent the driver on his way, Alex felt a shuddering sensation wash over her. While Steph can see the plain as it seemingly way, Alex as seeing something else...and hearing something else.

"This is the place ?"

"Yeah." Alex notes with certainty "This is the place."

Steph wasn't seeing what Alex was seeing; there was grey mist, coupled with the dark brown structure, and dark green lights, looking as if they were part of the building itself. There was the smell of sap, wood and felt the warmth of spring.

All of these were as visible to Alex as the rest of the city, where Steph saw just a plain, if massive, building.

w e l c o m e

Alex was no stranger to hearing other voices as if they were her thoughts. But she didn't really hear any voices. It was more like a feeling.

w e ' v e    b e e n   e x p e c t i n g    y o u

"You nervous ?" Alex asks as she and Steph make their way to the doorway.

"No." Steph shakes her head.

"You can't lie to me, Steph." Alex raises an eyebrow "You've got purple sparks all day."

"I'm sorry," Steph sighs "I just been thinking-"

"You're not sure you're gonna like what they tell you ?" Alex correctly guesses, reading Steph before she can speak.

"I'm never gonna get used to that." Steph rolls her eyes.

"You say that like it's a bad thing." Alex jokes, sensing and feeling the amusement Steph gets whenever Alex pulls that stunt.

As Alex puts her arm around Steph's shoulder, just stopping at the front door, Steph continues speaking.

"It's more than that," Steph starts "What scares me is, what if I like what I see ?"

Alex's face softens.

"What if you like it ?" Alex tilts her head "Why wouldn't-"

"Those glimpses I see..." Steph looks to Alex "I know or think that that wasn't my life; but when I see them, and feel them I-I..."

Alex gently takes Steph by the hand.

"I know." Alex says "There's gold around you when you talk about it."

But right now there was a purplish, blushing aura coming off of Steph, as she shakes a little and looks down.

"It always feels so real when I glimpse it." Steph sighs "I almost think this life is a dream, you know ?"

The periwinkle color increases, and there's a slight break in Steph's voice.

"What if I look too deep into it...and nothing else feels real anymore."

"It won't," Alex says firmly "You wanna know how I know ?"

The aura around Steph fades a little.

"Because I sometimes see things like that."

As Alex says this, she turns to Steph to face her.

"Dreams about my parents, about Gabe. Almost every night, I live the life we could have in Haven." Alex puts a hand on Steph's cheek "A life where Gabe was still here; where Ryan was with us; where Jed came clean years ago. I almost always think I'd rather have that life, and that when I awake I'll feel like I lost everything."

Alex brushes a strand of hair from Steph's forehead.

"Then I wake up. And I see you." Alex takes both of Steph's hands into her own "I know this is real, and I know this is the life we were meant to live."

As Steph looks away, she takes another deep breath and shaky breath.

"Those dreams are just that, Alex."

Steph shakes her head and looks down at her hand. The same hand she thought she dreamed was broken by this abusive girlfriend years ago; which she woke up to find broken as well.

"If you say so..."

With nothing else to say, Alex just gives Steph a sympathetic smile as the colors around her fade into something else. She wraps her hand around Steph's lower back, and leads her into the building.

Alex was never sure of what to make of grey auras. They were always hard to read.

-----

Entering the building, the look was nothing spectacular, at least to Steph. You see one government office, you see them all (and Steph recalls seeing four in her lifetime.) A place of black marble floors; pale grey walls, and dim white lights

Alex saw it differently. The "tree-like" scent was strong, and the lobby and halls had this rainy, mist-like look and feel to it.

The walls looked to her as if they were made from wood, and encased in bark. The roof appeared to have branched and leaves shrouding the place, like the halls and rooms has an ingrown forest.

While Alex was sure this was something only she could see, and just comes with her powers, she found herself touching up her arms and torso, as if feeling the rain, and moisture of the mist. Something that doesn't escape Steph's notice.

"Are you okay ?"

"Y-yeah." Alex says, "Just taking this in."

They look about the lobby, and with Steph at her side, Alex begins to see the lobby a lot more clearly. Though the more they walked towards the front desk, the more spacious the room itself looked.

If Steph noticed it, she didn't show it. But to Alex, seeing one's true colors was not something you could unsee.

There was no one at the front desk, besides a sticky note reading "Lunch Break". No one else was there, except a janitor moving a cart with mops and cleaning supplies, humming a tune to himself.

"Should we ?" Steph whispers to Alex hesitantly "Do we ask him where to-?"

"I don't know." Alex shrugs "He looks busy. Don't want to bother him, do we ?"

"Not a bother." Alex hears the voice of an elderly Finnish man in her head, "Minä olen, ei olla jäniksen selässä." As if he was replying to them, the janitor turns around, wiping his hands off with a cloth.

He had to be in his late 60's at the youngest, with scruffy dark grey hair, and a clean shaven face. He looked like he had a "creepy janitor" look to him, but both Steph and Alex knew to look past appearances.

As Alex looked towards the janitor, there were these flickers of grey and white lights coming off him. She doesn't know what to make of it.

"Um, hi ?" Steph asks hesitantly.

"Good day. Todella hyvä, että tulit." The Janitor says, nodding his head at Alex, and then at Steph twice "Kuin kaksi marjaa."

"Uh...I guess ?" Steph says, sharing an uncertain glance with Alex "Where looking for-"

"The meeting, yes. You're here for reinstatement, agentti. To find kaksipa päätä makkarassa." The Janitor points towards an elevator at the far side of the room "Ihmisten ilmoilla, you'll find on the fifth floor."

Alex and Step look towards the elevator, and Steph looks towards the front desk.

"Is there someone we can talk to-"

"Ahti sent you." The janitor taps himself on the chest "I'm not kuin maailman omistaja," he adds with a scoff "But they'll know."

Alex wasn't quite sure what she was reading off this man - Ahti apparently - she could see he was being truthful and helpful.

"Thank you." Alex nods to Ahit.

Steph gives the man a friendly but nervous smile "You have a good day."

"Not for you to decide." He chuckles as he turns around to get back to work "It will be around west corner. Don't get lost."

As Alex and Steph make their leave, they quietly wonder to themselves if it was a little odd the janitor knew why they're here.

"No. Not outo at all."

Ahti's voice could be heard as if he was just beside them, but they look, they see him further down the opposite hall. He only stops to turn around and wave, before he continues his work.

Heading towards the elevator down the hall, Alex could swear she heard this cracking, splintering sound in the walls. Like a house settling in all around her, or a log being split.

-----

When they reach and board the elevator, Alex and Steph quietly think over what happened the past six days. But a near week felt like over a year with how long they waited.

As Steph said she would, she tried contacting "Vivian Manning" when they returned to their place in Queens. From there it was a waiting game. And waiting was the hardest part.

For the first three days, they didn't get an answer.

During that time, Steph would find herself spacing out, only to "awake" to where she was in the present moment; almost always with her nose bleeding, and her mind fogged up and blotchy.

The only thing she'd recall, was staying in this other house in California and desperately trying to call "Rachel" who would never answer. And when she thinks too hard about it, the nosebleeds increase.

For Alex, it wasn't that different of a story.

From her perspective, it would seem there were increasing points the past few days, when Steph would seem to disappear out of her life and memory.

There were six instances the past few days, where Alex was under the impression that she was living alone, and had left Haven Springs behind following Gabe's death. Just about everything was intact, but it always felt or looked like someone else was missing.

In these instances, she remembers hooking up with Ryan, but everything fell apart after what happened with Jed. And it was ugly. And trying to look into it caused Alex to bleed too.

Only for Steph to pop back into her life and memory like she was always there.

It was on the third day did Steph and Alex get their reply to the email. Only it wasn't from this "Vivian Manning" person. Rather it was from this group called the Federal Bureau of Control, who claimed to be monitoring Vivian's email.

And they knew quite a lot about Steph, even claiming to have a file on her. In fact, they were expecting her.

At first, neither Steph nor Alex knew if they could trust these people. But upon reading the message, Alex felt a "pull" so to speak to seek it out. Like something was egging for them to respond.

c o m e    t o   u s

w e   h a v e   t h e   a n s w e r s

y o u   h a v e   t h e   p i e c e s

So when Alex gave Steph the "All Clear", they started a correspondent for the next few days with a doctor by the name of Pope. And when she heard of Steph's symptoms and read her file...it was quite the whiplash.

The way Pope kept going over Steph's symptoms and the theories connected to them, you'd think that Pope was a fangirl sharing emails with an actual superheroine.

Apparently, Steph (or "The other Steph" as they began to call her) was something of an interoffice urban legend. The files they had on Steph date as back as 2010...but they were all allegedly printed/published dates were listed as 2015/2019.

"Tulpa Instances" were something the FBC have been trying to wrap their heads around, especially when "The Fog" was uncovered; and Steph -- or the other one -- was the only known one to have directly worked with them in the past.

As Dr. Pope put it; "A lot of us joke around the offices about if you were actually real or something the higher ups made up. Like some sort of haze or prank. Newcomers are often compared to Agent Gingrich to motivate them. Some of our staff talk of you like some sort of ghost, pulled to a higher plane; some joke about you were overseas, handling Godzilla or something. And when we're late for a meeting, we'd joke about how Agent Gingrich keeps us at the water cooler."

Steph and Alex would share a look. In spite of how bizarre her situation was, Steph found herself smirking; it seems no matter what life, she made an impression.

So a day or so later, when Pope sent Steph a request to a reinstatement interview, Steph and Alex were comfortable enough to say "Yes."

After that, it was just a matter of getting directions, and knowing what to look for.

As the elevator comes to a stop, the door opens to reveal a blonde woman in her late twenties to early thirties, with short slicked back hair wearing a short sleeve, white button up shirt, a dark form fitting pants with matching shoes, holding a clipboard to her chest.

They knew immediately who it was.

Dr. Emily Pope, as if she knew they were just thinking about her, had this giddy, excited smile on her face upon seeing them. But Alex could tell from the subtle lavender around her that something was worrying her.

"Oh, you're here! You came!" Pope says, with a nervous laugh "You we're quite what I was expecting..."

"Last I checked." Steph looks up and down her body, with a snarky smile "Were you hoping for Black Widow ?"

Flustered, Pope shakes her head.

"No, no, I just..." Pope tries to say, but trails off "I'm sorry, where was I ?"

Pope holds out her hand to shake Steph's and then Alex.

"Dr. Emily Pope. We spoke on the emails."

"I kinda figured that the second we saw you." Steph smirks "You left what kind of impression."

With a blush and a sigh, Pope nods "Yeah, Jesse says I have that effect on people."

"Alex Chen." Alex introduces herself, shaking Pope's hand "We never really spoke but-"

"You're the one who sees colors off people, aren't you ?"

"It's a little more complicated than that, but yeah." Alex says rubbing the back of her neck "I'm guessing you have a file on me."

"I wish." Pope looks back at her clipboard "I mean, we have our share of psychics, but higher ups are still debating whether an empath is something we should be looking into."

She looks up from her board, and back to Alex.

"As far as we know, you're not a risk; you don't have as much..." Pope does a circular gesture with her hand before settling on the right word "Activity surrounding you."

"Oh," Alex looks flatly disappointed, rubbing the back of her neck "That's...good I guess."

Pope gets a flushed look on her face, and the words scramble out.

"Oh, no, no, no, that's not to saying you're-" Pope starts to say, but her thoughts spoke louder (Mostly consisting of "OH FUCK, OH SHIT, I OFFENDED HER! STUPID EMILY! STUPID, STUPID!!")

Grinning with amusement, Alex shakes her head. Steph just bits her lip, also in cheeky amusement at Pope's attempt to apologize.

"Nah, it's cool." Alex puts her hands on her hips with a proud smirk, "I guess it's comforting to know I'm not on your watchlist."

Taking a deep breath, Pope's blush fades.

"Um...yes, so," Pope jabs a thumb over her shoulder, looking back at Steph "The boardroom; we've been waiting to sit you down with your handlers."

"My handler ?" Steph narrows her eyes, and exchanges a confused glance.

"Vanessa Dibikad." Pope looks back at her clipboard "She was the one who oversaw you- I mean, the other Steph Gingrich for her only recorded field mission. We think a familiar face can help you come to terms with you...symptoms."

Steph tries to remember where she has heard the name "Dibikad" before. She begins to recall her "dreams"; she remembers being in LA, being on this rescue mission in Seattle...and she remembers forcing some poor bastard to deepthroat a shotgun while saving Rachel.

And when that thought crosses Steph's mind, a drop of blood falls from her nose. One that doesn't escape Pope's notice as Steph wipes it.

"Looks like we have lots to talk about." Pope says, looking down at the red spot that marked the floor.

-----

Seattle, University District, April 5th, 2020

In her bedroom, Lucy Rose "Cassidy" Jones rolled onto her back, taking a moment to remember where she was; her head was on Sean's chest, and the latter was looking down at her.

It was clear to her that Sean Diaz was looking down at her for a while. Glancing towards the window, she sees the sun was starting to peak out.

"Buenos días, bella durmiente." Sean greets with a teasing, but tired smile.

"Took the words right out of my mouth." Cassidy smirks, leaning upwards taking Sean into a kiss "You've been thinking again, have you ?"

"Yeah." Sean says with another kiss, before Cassidy buries her face into Sean's neck and shoulder "So much is happening, I can't take my mind off things."

"I hear you." Cass remarks, nuzzling into Sean.

Sean wraps her arms around her back, and she tenses and shudders.

"Fuck me, that's cold." Cassidy mutters, before lifting her head to nuzzle her nose to Sean's "Of course, we don't need any more happy accidents, do we ?"

"Yeah, another worry to the table, that's just what we need." Sean says, brushing a hand through Cassidy's purple hair, as Cassidy sits herself up in the same position she used to get Sean to sleep last night.

"Good call." Cassidy giggles as she climbs off of Sean, and the bed.

She picks up a pair of panties off the foot of the bed, and her t-shirt she previously tossed to the dresser, and quickly slides them on.

While Sean picks his pajama pants off from his end of the bed, Cassidy tosses him a black t-shirt from the dresser, from which she pulls out another pair of pants.

"But distractions aside," Cassidy pulls her own pants back on, before sitting back at the foot of their bed, looking towards Sean "What else is eating you ?"

"Just thinking about what Wallace told us ?" Sean pulls his pants up as he speaks "These people...those vampires, were after us. They killed over six hundred people just to get to me and Daniel."

"That's not on you, you know ? Cassidy yawns, trying to sound helpful, as she climbs in towards Sean, pulling him into a reassuring hug "Sean, those people who want to hurt you ? That's all on them; they're just looking for a target."

"Yeah, well they're after us for a reason."

"And that reason is Fischer's a perra." Cassidy says firmly, looking Sean in the eye "Una perra que se cree la Virgen Maria."

Sean couldn't help but chuckle at Cassidy's choice of words.

"La boca sobre ti!" Sean remarks.

"Tu lo sabrias." Cassidy winks.

There's a pause, before Cassidy takes Sean by the wrist, and steps off the bed with him.

"Come on." She says "My turn to make breakfast."

"You sure ?" Sean yawns, rubbing the back of his work "I could still-"

"You and Finn been plenty busy worrying." Cassidy pats Sean on the back "C'mon, it's the least I can do."

-----

Making their way downstairs, the first thing they see when entering the living room is Finn, sleeping on one end of the couch.
After four days of not sleeping a wink, last night more than made up for that.

On the other end, Lyla Park was also sound asleep.

As if she sensed them, Lyla jolts awake; still in her clothes from the night before.

"Danie-" Lyla looks around with a slight mumble "Where ? Where am-?"

She looks to see Sean and Cassidy looking at her, and Finn also shaking awake.

"Were we asleep ?" Finn asks, hastily standing up.

Lyla sees her phone charging on the TV stand, gets up on wobbly legs to check on it. There messages or missed calls.

"Oh goddammit." Lyla shakes her head.

Sean and Cassidy exchange a glance.

To say Lyla Park didn't really take the news of vampires existing - and coming after her friends as well - was an understatement.
It took quite a bit of talking to keep Lyla from leaving the house and going to siege Beaver Creek by herself.

And not how much they argued with her, Sean, Finn and Cassidy just came to accept that Lyla was in on this, for better or worse.

After filling her in on what they did know, they eventually settled for waiting for the phone for any other word from Daniel. Besides another phone call from Karen, there was nothing to write home about.

It was 1:00 AM when Sean and Cassidy finally retired to bed, and Lyla and Finn held down the fort watching the news, and their phones for any and all developments.

Before sleep took them that is.

"Nothing, huh ?" Finn looks at his own phone, shaking his head "No word from Matt, no word from-"

"What about the news ?" Sean rubs his eyes, as he and Cass take a seat on the couch, besides Finn.

"Last update said a total of 600 people were found in that slaughterhouse." Finn answers, with a yawn "Quarantine set up shop in North Bend."

"North Bend ?" Sean looks between Finn and Cassidy, as they come to the same realization "That's what..."

"That's where Jacob was taken..." Cassidy finishes, shaking her head with a dreadful expression, before looking around at the others "With all those infected people-"

"It's not like that" Finn stands up from the bed, rubbing the back of his neck "They'd probably put them in separate wings or something."

"Jacob," Lyla paces a bit, as she think it over "He's got that sister."

"Sarah Lee," Cassidy nods, picking up what Lyla's putting down "And she's close with Daniel too."

Sean shakes his head, getting up from the couch with a sigh.

"We're- we're jumping the gun," Sean shakes his head, trying to reassure himself  "Wallace also told us he's pulling through, he's fine!"

"Fine's not the word I'd use." Finn shakes his head "Sean, Wallace told us he wasn't infected, but tortures hardly better."

"Good, good." Lyla nods rubbing the back of her neck "Then two of us go to Jacob, and another tw-"

"What ?" Sean makes a "time-out" gesture to Lyla "What do you mean two of us ?"

"If you think I'm gonna stand by and let you go in fighting vampires alone-" Lyla starts before Sean shakes his head at her.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Sean starts, "We're not vampire hunters; we're just trying to help them."

"Yes. Right." Lyla raises one hand "Help the hunters." She raises the other hand "To fight vampires."

"To investigate-'' Sean almost shouts, before pinching the bridge of his nose "You don't know-"

"I don't know what ?"

Sighing with frustration, Sean steps towards Lyla, putting both hands on her shoulders.

"Look, the deal is specific." Sean says "I have to play ball with these people; if I do something stupid, we lose everything."

As Sean says this, he gives another glance to Cassidy.

"And I already have too much to lose."

Lyla's face was hard to read; this combination of frustration and understanding, and with a deep exhale, became a mix of reluctance and acceptance.

"So what now ?"

"We could give Matt or his people a call." Cassidy stands up from the couch, getting Lyla and Sean's attention "See what else they found out."

Sean, Lyla and Finn each exchange blank expressions, before looking back at Cassidy.

"You just thought of that ?" Finn asks.

"I thought one of you would have first!" Cassidy raises both hands defensively.

-----

At a condo's bedroom, a little ways down the block, Matt Taylor sits up in his bed - or rather the bed he'd sometimes share with Jessica, Emily or Mike.

As of the past few nights, Jessica was his partner in bed, but when Matt is jolted awake, he sees no one beside him. But he looks to see the light on in his bathroom, and the shower running.

With a mild smirk, Matt gets off the bed, and debates to himself if he wants to join Jessica, or make breakfast...when his phone goes off on the night stand beside him.

He recognizes the number as Finn's.

"Yeah ?" Matt answers his phone, putting it aside.

"Uh, hey Matt, it's me." Finn's voice answers.

"I can see that- or hear that." Matt replies with a yawn "What's this about ?"

"Uh yeah, we just wanted to talk about the news you got ?"

"News ? What news ?"

"About Jacob ?"

Matt pauses before he realizes, kicking the last of his drowsiness aside.

"Oh right, him." Matt sits up, picking a pair of boxers off the foot of the bed, along with a pair of long johns, pulling both up his legs "Last night's update said he was in stable condition; but he still needs to sleep it off."

Matt picks up his phone, and opens the notes, which he reads over.

"Rrrright," Matt reads "Says he's talking...made an attempt to get out of bed, and had to be sedated for the day; is likely to be still hopped up when we question him."

As Matt is talking, he can hear the shower turn off. Still speaking on speaker, Matt makes his way to the dresser, picking out a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt. He also begins picking out clothes for Jessica.

"Actually," Matt continues as he redresses "Jess and I are supposed to check in on him today."

"Think we could talk with him ?" Sean's voice chimes in on the other end.

"Hey Sean." Matt greets, zipping up his pants, and pulling his shirt on as he continues talking "That's for the boss to say."

"Wallace, right ?"

"Uh...yeah." Matt nods, as Jessica steps out from the bathroom, wearing only a towel around her waist, and another around her head "But Margot tells us it's his operation, so there's that."

Matt gestures to a neatly folded pile of clothes on her corner of the bed, and Jessica nods her head in a "much obliged" manner. As Jessica begins dressing, Matt checks his emails and notices a new notification from two hour ago.

"Speak of the devil."

"What is is ?"

Matt opens his email, sent by Wallace.

Jessica pulls on her pants, and zips it up, before putting her bra on. As she does so steps behind Matt and looking over his shoulder.

"Wallace just sent me a memo." Matt says, reading it over "He's got two other witnesses he wanted you to speak with."

Matt and Jessica narrow their eyes when they see the names of the witnesses.

"Small fucking world, isn't it ?"

"What is it ?"

"Just a couple friends of ours from a previous case." Jessica says.

"Hi Jess." Finn and Cassidy could be heard on the other end.

"By friends you mean...?" Sean asks.

"You've read the Arcadia Bay case file right ?" Matt questions.

"Wallace said something about it." Sean answers "Said people from that case are in this city."

"Is that so ?"

"He talked about how our cases overlap."

"Did he give you one of those 'There Are No Coincidences' speeches too ?" Jessica asks, putting her shirt on.

"...how did you-?" Sean starts to ask.

"Lucky guess."

"They're setting up a meeting for 2:00," Matt reads "Are you in or-"

"Yes." Sean, Finn and Cassidy could be heard saying at once, at such a raised voice, it caused Jessica and Matt to jump and flinch a little.

"I'll let him know." Matt replies, hitting reply to Wallace's email "In fact, I'm messaging him right now."

"Thanks." Sean says with a sigh "Well see you then."

-----

Back in the safe house, Sean hands up the phone and hands it back to Finn. He looks over at Finn, Lyla, and Cassidy, and says "So...there may be a new lead."

"Great, and what about the actual search ?" Lyla asks, looking at Finn and Cassidy "Let's say these two speak to Jacob tomorrow; while Sean and I can try to reach-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Sean raises his voice a little, shaking his head, and holding his hand up to silence her "Lyla, they'll have their eyes on me if I leave town. That's part of the deal."

"Okay, then." Lyla looks to the side, rubbing her arm "So you and Cass can talk to Jacob, while Finn and I-"

"Nah," Finn shakes his head, stepping towards Lyla "I'm not what you'd call field op material."

"Well I can't take Cass, not in her condition." Lyla gestures to Cassidy, who has an "excuse me" look on her face.

"I'm only like a month in." Cassidy says with an annoyed glare, putting her hand in her stomach.

"Still, not someone we can put on the field." Lyla says with an apologetic and embarrassed expression.

"Yeah, and you're not going in the field either." Sean says, his dander rising a little "Dios mio, we're not vampire slayers! We're just helping with the investigation is all.."

"We're in this together, aren't we ?" Lyla crosses her arms "If they have any leads-"

"But- but Lyla, they don't know that you know." Sean tries to argue, stuttering a bit "And if they find out, that could very well throw me under."

Finn nods in agreement, stepping towards Lyla and putting his hand on her shoulder.

"If you get pulled into this," Finn says "That could shoot this deal in the foot. And Sean goes back to being on the Wanted List."

Lyla sighs heavily through her nose, knowing she can't argue there.

"So, what ?" She steps towards Sean "I'm just supposed to wait at the sidelines like some bystander ? Sean, you know I can't just do nothing; knowing what's out there, do you really you think I'm gonna-"

Sean takes Lyla by both her shoulders, stopping her and making her look him in the face.

"Lyla, please!" Sean raises his voice emphatically "I have too much to lose already; you get into this mess, you'll get lost too."

Lyla's face softens a little, before nodding.

"Right, right." Lyla steps away, and puts her hands together "So what now ?"

"We eat, get dressed, and then we," Sean gestures to himself, Cassidy and Finn "Talk to the witnesses. And you try to keep your head down."

"But what if-?" Lyla tries to ask, before Sean interrupts.

"You see or hear anything, you come directly to us." Sean insists "No one else can know, that you know."

"Fine." Lyla nods and sighs "But...what can I do ?"

"Just keep an ear and eye out." Sean yet again takes Lyla by the shoulders, but a little more gently "And don't do try to be a hero."

Lyla crosses her arms, biting her lower lip as she once again looks to the side.

"Lyla ?"

"Alright," She exhales, "I won't do anything stupid...for you."

Lyla then raises a finger.

"But if I hear Daniel or the others are in any real danger ?" Lyla warns with a slight glare "They come first."

Sean nods of reluctant acceptance of his own.

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that."

-----

The Oldest House Boardroom, March 26th, 2020

The boardroom itself was empty save for a woman in her early thirties waiting in a chair at the head of the table.

She was a First Nations woman, Oji-Cree, with short dark hair, dressed in a dark greyish blue business suit, with a set of glasses that completed her "cute librarian" look.

Her name was Vanessa Dibikad, longtime field agent of the FBC. Currently, she was going over her phone, reading updates on unfolding vampire outbreaks the past week.

As Pope, Alex and Steph enter the boardroom, Dibikad looks up with a professional smile.

"My, my." She adjusts her glasses "Looks like I lost a bet."

"Miss Gingrich, Miss Chen," Pope prepares to introduce them "May I-" before Steph interrupts.

"You can call me Steph."

"And Alex." Alex chimes in.

"Ah, I see formalities aren't your forté." Dibikad says with a snarky smile. She gets up from her seat, making her way towards the two to shake their hands "But they are for me, so if you call me Dibikad over Vanessa, that would be great."

Dibikad notices the way Steph narrows her eyes at her, trying to pick up from where she remembers her. Throughout their trek down the halls, Steph would see several other staff, agents or doctors looking at her as they passed her.

As did Alex with the "bonus" of hearing their thoughts as they passed her.

"Holy shit, is that her ?"

"Isn't she supposed to be overseas ?"

"Hey, she looks cuter than she does in the pictures." A younger female agent could be seen checking Steph out "Aw goddammit, she's taken."

"Please don't bleed. Please don't bleed. Please don't bleed."

Both Alex and Steph were snapped out of their trains of thought, when Dibikad speaks up.

"Well, by god, you are real." Dibikad says "You know, for a while, I thought the Board was trying to haze me."

She gestures to them to take their seats at the table.

"But of course, when I tried investigating-"

"Your nose bleeds ?" Steph and Alex ask at the same time, as they take their seats at the table.

"Lucky guess, huh ?" Dibikad chuckles "Must be a mind reader or something."

There's another pause, as Steph keeps looking at Dibikad, now she's seen her before, but unable to put her finger on it. She feels Alex nudge her elbow, when she once again notices blood running down her nose.

"Oh, Jesus." Steph mumbles, as Dr. Pope places a box of napkins onto the table, and slides it towards them.

"So..." Dibikad says as Dr. Pope takes a seat in a chair beside her "What is it you want to know ?"

"I dunno." Steph gestures to the napkin she holds up to her nose "Just what the hell this is about ?"

"We believe it's a byproduct." Pope says "Of the Fog."

"The Fog ?"

"Ah, that's what Ahti called it, and it stuck." Dibkad explains with a dismissive wave "Higher ups have been looking into it for years, and we still don't have a grasp on it."

"But our working theory," Pope chimes in "Is that it's a bridge...between lives, time, worlds; that's the best we can describe it."

"What, like a multiverse ?" Alex asks.

Both Dibikad and Pope look hesitant, before Dibikad looks back, tilting her head from side to side.

"Ahh, it's a pretty simplistic way of putting it." Dibikad says.

"It's too erratic for us to give it a specific label." Pope adds "Sometimes it is a different time. Sometimes a world much like our own...and then months back, our people in California found a world of anthropomorphic amphibians."

Alex and Steph glance at Dibikad, as if to silently as "For real ?" to which Dibikad nods.

"It's our current guess that Tulpa instances have ties to this fog." Pope explains

"You see, the idea of a Tulpa is that they are thought forms that are...well, given forms." Dibikad explains "We have six cases; of people who go back and forth between two different lives."

"So what does that mean ?" Steph asks, pinching the bridge of her nose "That...your Steph - the one working with you people - it's not the real me ?"

"Not the words I'd use." Pope says, holding up a finger "There's the you you..." and raises the other "And there's the you who lived a different life than what you lived."

With that, Pope places her clipboard onto the table and gently slides it towards Alex and Steph. When they looked, six names were listed, with "S. Gingrich" being third below.

"Most of the time, they don't last more than a month." Dibikad counts her fingers, before Pope hands her another file "But after a while, we learn of a few instances that lasted for years. Two of them went on for decades."

"That's comforting." Steph scratches the back of her neck.

Alex pats her on the back.

"So is there any way to treat it ?" Alex asks, biting her lip "They've been doing a number on her...on both of us."

Yet again, Pope and Dibikad exchange a glance. This time, Alex notices a bright purple around them.

"It's something bad, isn't it ?"

"Not bad, just..." Dibikad shrugs "We're still getting a hang of it."

"We have a procedure." Pope explains, before defensively holding her hand forward "It's experimental, and not something we do willy nilly. We have to get a checkup before trying."

"This one," Dibikad jabs a thumb at Pope "And Director Faden has been trying to explore the Fog, find out what's hiding there."

"With some success." Pope winces.

"Success ?" Alex and Steph ask at the same time.

"In that, Jesse and I made contact." Pope says "But each trial proves risky."

Pope shakes her head.

"So we can't just...experiment on you just like that-"

Steph opens her mouth, whether to agree or protest, she is interrupted by Pope holding her hand out defensively.

"-not without prep work, or checkups." Pope clarifies "But it'd take days at the shortest."

"In the meantime," Dibikad chimes in, looking back and forth between Steph and the file she was reading "We are very curious about this other life of yours."

"That makes four of us." Steph says dryly.

"We want to see what you know of it." Dibikad adds "What you can recall. Maybe we can help put the pieces together."

Steph hesitates, before looking at Alex, who gives her a more encouraging look.

"So I- meaning me me," Steph starts, putting a hand on her chest to emphasize herself "Distinctly remember moving to Seattle. I remember trying to start a band, ending up in Haven Point; being a DJ..."

"Mmm hmmm ? Okay." Pope nods, having placed and turned on a recorder, which she pushes towards Steph and Alex.

"I remember..." Steph pauses, a blue dim washing over her "I remember losing my friend, Gabe. And what Alex and I did to expose Typhon."

"That was you ?" Dibikad raises an eyebrow, and an amused chuckle "You know, my brother used to work for them, and they've been holding out on his insurance. Guess we got you to thank for those pricks paying up!"

Alex smiles and gives a modest nod.

"But what do you recall of that other life ?" Pope asks, trying to stay on topic.

"Where do I begin ?" Steph sighs again.

She tells them about living in LA. About becoming a stage actress, and having a beautiful, but utterly awful girlfriend. She talks about getting romantically involved with a vampire; specifically the vampiric resurrection of her crush from Blackwell - Rachel Amber.

Upon hearing that name, Pope and Dibikad's eyes widen, and pale a little. As they take a look at the file, Dibikad looks back up "You don't say ?"

"Yeah, I know it sounds nuts." Steph said, wiping her eyes, not even noticing the blood forming under her nose "She was...she was murdered years ago. And when they found her body, it disappeared from the morgue."

As Steph goes on, Dibikad's expression becomes one of familiarity. And Alex could hear Dibikad's internal realization. And the more Steph talked, the more clear these glimpses were.

"And I remember..." Steph says as Alex hands her a napkin "Being part of this...rescue mission...and going to Seattle...and-"

It's here, Steph finally realizes where she remembers Dibikad from.

"And you were my handler."

Dibikad says nothing. She just swallows a lump in her throat, scratching the back of her head.

Pope looks hesitant at first, before standing up from her table and speaking up.

"Miss Gingri- Steph." She says, making her way around the table towards them "Are you ready to learn what we have on you ?"

Steph shares another look at Alex before nodding "What do you got ?"

And over the few minutes, Steph and Alex's suspicions were confirmed. Even if Steph knew the truth about Rachel in the back of her mind, this confirmation did...a number on her.

Alex would read the file with Steph, the comments and remarks of Dr. Pope and Agent Dibikad were but echoes in their heads. It was all there; the Case File of Steph Gingrich.

It also talked about "Steph's" stage career in LA.

It talked about "Steph's" troubled relationship with Cathy Mortimer, who was found slaughtered in 2014.

It talked about "Steph" being a key witness and later a recruit for the FBC and something called the New Ascalaon. Her actual "career" consisted of scout work for a rescue mission in Seattle. But what made this "scout" infamous was her supposed killing of Mordred of Fey.

While Mordred's survival was confirmed just months ago, the consensus among the FBC the past five years, was that this Steph Gingrich may very well have killed the guy.

And finally "Steph's" relation to "Vivian Manning" - or Rachel Amber, now that they were being honest.

And while Steph was quiet on the outside, her face unreadable, everything Alex picked up was quite the opposite.

A practical light show was engulfing Steph; streaks and flashes of blue, purple, and gold shined around her, like different colors and emotions fought for supremacy over her body. Alex was a little scared to speak or touch her.

Steph didn't seem to notice or care about the blood flow rushing down her nose.

"Miss...Miss Gingrich ?" Pope says, sounding increasingly  concerned. She reaches forward to Steph, but Alex holds her hand out, keeping Pope at bay.

"Steph ?" Alex asks, hesitating to reach out and touch her shoulder "Steph are you-?"

The more Steph read, the more a look of familiarity dawns on her face. She's starting...starting to remember. And it's starting to make her eyes swell and water down her cheeks.

"Steph ? Steph ?!" Alex raises her voice, as this time, Dibikad gets up and rushes around the table.

It wasn't tears going down Steph's face. Tears aren't red.

When Alex touches her, Steph looks at her with wide, bloodshot eyes. And Alex could hear Steph's thoughts.

"...That girl...where do I know her from ?"

And then there was the unfamiliar voice Alex picked up. That of an older woman, with a noticeable Celtic cadence too it

"You cannot save her. I won't let you."

"Steph!"

And suddenly the colors spread. They spread in the same way they did when Steph and Alex kissed at the spring festival. This wave of this yellowish, purplish, bluish color spreads across and beyond the room, and an overwhelming flash of red blinds Alex.

"GAAAAHHHHHH!!!" Steph screams out. It sounded more like a wail of fear and heartbreak, more than physical pain, and crimson pours from her nose. And with a choking coughing fit, Steph falls from her seat and onto the floor beneath her.

"Steph!" Alex cries, getting down and crouching to the floor over Steph "Please! Please, Steph, no!!"

She tries to hold Steph up, as the latter continues to cough and shake in her arms. Tearfully, Alex looks up at a horrified Dr. Pope and Agent Dibikad, the latter covering her mouth.

"Get someone! Get a medic or something!" Alex raises her voice.

"On it!" Pope says, quickly making her way to the door "I'm on it!"

As Pope leaves the room, Dibikad crouches down to help Steph sit up. Steph has stopped coughing and spasming, and her breathing slows down to normal, and Alex could still feel the slight spasm in her.

"Steph ?" Alex brushes a strand of her hair, as Steph's eyes slowly open "Steph, are you with me ?"

Quietly, Steph looks up at Alex. Her expression was unreadable.

"I got you Step," Alex says with a tearful smile "You...you know me...because I know you..."

Steph doesn't say anything, but her expression slowly shifts to one of familiarity.

With a shaking hand, Steph reaches up and touches Alex's cheek.

"Alex..." She says weakly "What...what happened too me ?"

And that's all it took to make Alex break down. Neither paid any mind to the security guards and med team entering the boardroom with Dr. Pope, while Dibikad steps away from them.

And finally, Steph spoke, her voice barely over a whisper.

"I...have to...find her."

-----

Meanwhile, back on Keystone Road

"Hi, dad."

Rachel steps out of the RV, a little taken off guard, as the man standing before her - James Amber - shakes his head in disbelief.

"Yeah," Rachel says, "It's me."

Daniel and Sarah Lee look on as the pieces clicked together in their minds. Chris has a more knowing and reluctant expression on his face. James steps back, his mind still trying to process what is unfolding before his eyes.

Unknown to anyone but Rachel, this familiar scent of blood was still in the air. But even that was pushed to the back of Rachel's mind

Rachel had more mixed and uncertain thoughts rolling in her head. If you asked Rachel what she'd thought of her father in the three years leading up to her death, and the year after she awakened, she would have told you she hated her father.

Having her biological mother abducted, and trying to posthumously parade your daughter around like some kind of martyr will do that. But actually seeing the man, while there is certainly anger and resentment, it took such a back seat that "Hate" was a little too strong.

"You're...you're-" James starts to say.

He looks back and forth towards Rachel, and towards a guilty looking Chris.

"I know- I know it's a lot to take in." Rachel says, as emotions uncomfortable begin to summersault inside her stomach "But...I can..."

In the background, just out the corner of Rachel's eye, a figure in red was stepping between the trees. No one else seems to notice but Rachel, and even then Rachel's focus was on the more personal matter before her.

With a slight breeze, a voice could be picked up like a faint whisper. So faint, that Rachel herself doesn't real register.

Kill him, daughter. Kill the father who has wronged you.

Kill the man who slighted you

Indulge yourself. Take his life, and become what you were reborn to be...

"I can explai-" Rachel starts to say, stepping forward

"Rachel," Sarah Lee starts to say, as she, Daniel and Chris start to notice something happening to her.

"Where- where have you-?" James starts to ask, before he notices what the children do.

"I can explain." Rachel says, starting to sound and feel sleepy. Her nose began to bleed "It's a long, long story..."

"Rachel," Daniel raises his voice, getting her attention "Your nose..."

Daniel does a wiping gesture around his nose for it to click on her.

Rachel wipes under her nose, noticing traces of blood on her fingers.

"Oh no."

Rachel looks up, noticing the woman in the red shroud, standing just behind the children. She clasps her forehead, her vision fading as she tries to take a step.

When she tries to form words, Rachel's knees buckle and she doubles over into the snow. She can just make out the muffled voices of her father and her companions, as they ask if she's okay and to shake her awake.

-----

"Awake, daughter"

When Rachel finally flutters her eyes open, she smacks her mouth to get the morning taste out of her mouth.

But when she looks around, she see's she's not only in an unfamiliar bedroom, but it was late in the afternoon. Probably just before dusk given the sunlight.

Rachel sits up with a stretch and a groan, she see's a pair of folded bright blue women's Carolyn pajamas at the foot of the bed, and as her mind comes to earth, she guesses that James put her here to rest.

She could vaguely make out the sound of his voice talking to the kids downstairs. Getting up off the bed, she makes out a clothes hamper under the window, and a desk on the far end of the room. Looked like a guest room.

Going through the motions, Rachel begins to undress, stripping down to her T-shirt and underwear. She tosses her removed clothes into the hamper, and pulls the pajama pants up and the top over her t-shirt, but doesn't button it up, wearing it like a overshirt.

Rubbing her eyes, she steps towards the desk, noting two things; there was a folder filled with papers. Drawn on it in pen was the simple message of "For When You Wake Up".

Given the pen lying a few inches to the left of the folder, she's guessing James just signed it.

Further to the left, Departure by Alan Wake sat upon the desk. It was posthumously published and the last manuscript written by the man before his disappearance.

It was also a Christmas gift, she remembers fondly, that she bought for Rose the Christmas of 2012. Remarking the book with a "Hmm", Rachel places her hands upon it...it doesn't look wet, but when she touches it, it feels like it was pulled from a lake.

It was like the room darkened, and in the back of Rachel's mind, she hears loud typing. Of a computer or desktop, she doesn't know, but it was as if an imaginary narration reading a passage in her subconscious.

In many ways and in many forms, their paths cross, as if fate built them a different road. On the surface, you would think some force out there was pulling them along each other, as if by the hand of fate. And below that ocean were greater monsters, looking to breach that surface; some slipping through.

She doesn't know if she believes in fate, having spent five to eight years fighting what she was told was her fate. And yet these paths remain, and these paths cross far too many ways for it to be a coincidence.

In the back of her mind, she doubts if there is even such a thing as coincidence anymore.

With a jolt, Rachel releases the book, her mind no longer in that dark place. When she looks again, Departure isn't there; not on her desk, not on her mind. As if it was never there in the first place.

She puts a hand upon her forehead, and smells blood forming in her nose. Shaking her head, she notices a box of napkins on a dresser. Lucky me, she thinks, taking three napkins and putting them below her nose.

Rachel get's her bearings, and hearing her dad's voice from downstairs, she decides it's time to face the music.

-----

Heading down the stairs, Rachel hears the voice of her father talking to Chris, Daniel and Sarah Lee. She guesses he's been interrogating them for almost as long as she was out.

"And you're absolutely sure you couldn't find them ?"

"No." Daniel could be heard insisting "We were nowhere near a phone until-"

"But you say she went for supplies. You sure there was no way she couldn't have contacted anyone ?"

"Why don't you ask her ?" Daniel says.

Rachel rounds the corner of the hall, into the living room. There James Amber was standing between the couch the three kids sat on, and the TV stand. Sarah Lee was sipping down a mug of hot chocolate, sitting at one end of the couch, Daniel and Chris on the other, their mugs on the stand beside the couch.

James was crouching a little, talking in a gentle but impatient voice; Rachel experienced enough of her dad's lecturing to know this was his way of giving them a sense of security.

"Yeah, why don't you ask her ?" Rachel knocks on the entrance wall as she steps in, getting their attention.

"Rachel..." James starts to say.

Rachel waves a hand to silence him "I think these kids earned a break, don't you ?"

James looks back and forth between Rachel, and the kids, before nodding.

"Okay, but not in front of them." James says. He steps towards the TV stand, takes a remote and turns it on, handing it to Chris, patting the boy on the shoulder.

James looks to Rachel, gesturing to her to follow him. Sighing through her nose, Rachel follows her father, who leads her down the hall.

Rachel looks over the walls, seeing four familiar pictures hanging on the wall. Seeing Rose in them, Rachel asks "Is she still around ?"

"Not in three years. Your mother-" James starts, before correcting himself "Rose, she didn't take things well."

"What happened ?"

"You know what happened."

Rachel winces upon hearing this.

-----

Entering the kitchen/dining room, James gestures to his daughter to take a seat at the table. Rachel does so, taking a seat at one end while her father makes his way to the stove.

"Sorry to hear that." Rachel says blankly.

"Well, a lot was falling apart before that." James takes another mug from the cupboard, starting to brew some hot chocolate.

Rachel bites her lower lips, and decides to address the elephant in the room.

"You're taking this whole...me being here pretty-"

"Poker face, Rachel. Poker face." James steps towards the table and hands Rachel the mug "I take it you didn't look over the folder ?"

"Should I have ?"

"What's it matter ?" James shrugs "You're gonna confirm my suspicions anyways."

Rachel takes a drink, but raises an eyebrow, her own suspicions raised.

"Come now, Vivian." James says, sounding a little annoyed as he takes a seat at the other end of the table "I'm not stupid you know. When that expose came out, I knew there was only one person that could have known all of that."

Oh, Rachel recalls. The exposé she wrote as "Vivian Manning".

"Could have been someone else-"

James doesn't say anything, but the look he gives Rachel interrupts her for him.

"Okay, so it was me!" Rachel raises her voice and rolls her eyes "Had to get the truth out there."

"Yeah well, I wasn't the only one who got their laundry aired out." James said "Private investigators are a thing, you know."

Rachel takes another drink maintaining her poker face.

"Is that it ?" Rachel says with a dry chuckle "It was that easy ?"

James counts one finger as he starts.

"Let's see, your body disappears the night you were found."

He counts another finger.

"Jefferson and Prescott's operations get out in the open."

He counts a third finger.

"And Vivian Manning was your pen name on your Watpad."

Rachel looks away and scratches her ear.

"So that's how you found out ?"

James sighs and lightly dribbles his fingers along the table.

"Not really..." James hesitates "Didn't want to believe it at first. When I heard they found your body, your moth- Rose and I were in denial."

"When they found me ?" Rachel tilts her head "You mean, you didn't try looking ?"

"We didn't know you were missing!" James unintentionally raises his voice, glaring at his daughter. The look she gives him, James manages to breath in before calming down "Look, after that whole mess with Merrick, you were a bit of a wild card. You really think I wouldn't find out about your trips out of town ?"

Rachel says nothing, but looks at him soberly.

"At first we thought you just ran off for another month or something." James explains, trying to maintain his poker face "It's what we told Miss Price when she reached out to us."

Rachel glares again, but James remains unshaken.

"We told her what we know; you'd go out of town like this all the time. Weeks, a month or two even, and you'd be back like you never left." James said "I told her that because that's what we believed."

Rachel bites her lip, thinking for a moment before speaking again.

"And yet, when you found out what Jefferson did," Rachel wipes her eyes with a dry chuckle "You were all too happy to make me the Missing White Girl of the Year."

"W-" James starts, but before he could get a word out, Rachel raises a finger to silence her.

"Ah, ah, ah, ah!" Rachel says, tapping herself on the chest "My turn."

James exhales with frustration, but reluctantly lets Rachel continue.

"Tell me, when my movie was gonna come out, who'd you have in mind to play me ?" Rachel tilts her head again "Me, I would have picked Danielle Rose Russell."

James says nothing, and Rachel rolls her eyes.

"Couldn't have you lying about me pop. Had to let people know the truth." She says "Not a good look."

"I was trying to save your repu-"

"You're not talking to a mirror." Rachel snarks back at him.

James inhales deeply, before composing himself.

"Regardless, when that book of yours came out, it left quite a trail." James explains "Rose didn't want me chasing ghosts, but when I did some digging, and got your pictures-"

James doesn't finish his sentence, just shakes his head.

"My guess it was a witness protection thing." James says "Jefferson said you were dead, and with Prescott's dirty laundry getting out, I thought you were relocated."

"Something like that." Rachel replies "How much did they tell you ? The kids I mean ?"

"One thing at a time, Rachel." James crosses his arms "But your mother, she didn't take it well."

Rachel says nothing, her words stopped in her throat. Her stomach sank, her heart tightened and she swallowed a pretty big lump in her throat as James continued.

"She left years ago." James says "For New York, last I heard."

Putting his hands together, James starts a new line of question.

"But what I'm concerned with now is why you're here."

Rachel pauses, trying to recompose her own poker face.

"I was helping them." Rachel says "Daniel, Chris, Sarah - I picked them up on the side of the road."

James raises his hand a little to silence her.

"A likely story. Same one they told me." James says "But a pretty big coincidence."

"Yeah, I see a lot of them." Rachel says under her breath before speaking out loud "But how'd you know Chris' family ? What's the story there ?"

"Not much to tell." James shrugs "Old memories made me sell the old place, but I needed familiarity, so when Mrs. Ashton move-"

Rachel gives her father a look, silently telling him to get on with it.

"I met the Eriksen's few years back." James says "I owned the cabin they rent, and have been helping Chris' father with a case regarding his wife."

James leans in a little, a more interrogating look in his eyes.

"So when that boy tells me, he's been hiding in the woods with my dead daughter ?" James starts "That of course, raises concerns."

"What did he tell you ?"

"That you picked them up; saved them from a group of looters. That you hid them in a cabin." James counts his fingers "But I'm guessing you were looking for someone else."

Rachel raises her eyebrow, picking up what he was putting down.

"I promise you, had I known you'd be here, I wouldn't have-"

"And where would you have taken them ?" James says "Or where should you have taken them ? You know there was quarantine zones out of Beaver Creek, right ?"

"We were on the run."

"From what ?"

"Look, they didn't know who to trust, okay ?" Rachel stands up from the table, raising her voice "Beaver Creek's gone to shit, and Chris tell me about his dad's' cabin-"

"And they didn't tell you about me ?"

"Chris has been pretty dodgy with me, okay ?" Rachel raises her voice, her frustration getting the better of her. So much so, she doesn't notice her eyes darken or her fangs briefly show, until James flinches away.

Covering her mouth, Rachel backs away a little from the table, hoping her father didn't see. Her eyes water a little as she turns away, hoping that her father didn't notice them.

A moment passes, as Rachel tries to calm down, during which James lets out a calm sigh of his own, standing up from his seat, walking towards her.

"Look-" James says, putting a hand on Rachel's shoulder, at which Rachel flinches away. Still, he continues speaking "Clearly you four have gone through a lot the past week. I cannot imagine what you've gone through in general, but-"

James exhales, putting his hands together.

"And it's not fair for me to drop everything on your lap like that at once. There's still a lot going through my head as well," James continues "I think you and I need time to process everything. How's that sound ?"

Rachel says nothing, doesn't even directly look at her father, but nods.

"We will talk about this, but we don't have to tonight." James says "I will also have to make some calls, but-"

"Alright. Fine." Rachel finally says "I think we could all use a night off."

-----

Stepping back into the living room, Rachel sits herself on a chair just beside the couch. Chris's end of the couch was the closest to her, an arm's reach away.

Chris, Daniel and Sarah Lee were ostensibly watching this episode of The Loud House on the TV. But the way they're looking aside or away from the screen, tells Rachel they're trying to distract themselves.

"So," Rachel breaks the silence, getting their attention "Small world isn't it ?"

Immediately, Chris speaks.

"I swear I didn't know-"

Rachel gives Chris a skeptical look.

"Okay, I put it together after a while," Chris says defensively "But what was I supposed to say ?"

"I dunno," Rachel shrugs, "Anything ?"

"Look, it doesn't matter." Daniel, speaks up looking back and forth between Chris and Rachel "We got a place to keep our heads down; they usually don't last long, so let's make the most of it."

Rachel gives Daniel a sympathetic smile. Between the three, Daniel had the most experience with this kind of thing, and let it show. But that is not a thought process a twelve year old should have. It's not something a twelve year old should experience, and now he's thrust into the same role as his brother.

(Rachel would consider herself the "responsible adult", but responsible is not something Rachel sees herself as).

"Look," Rachel says, reaching towards the couch and putting a reassuring hand on Chris' shoulder "I'm not mad mad. It's just there's things I should have known going in. I would have known where to stop."

"And where's that ?"

"Not here." Rachel says, causing Sarah Lee and Daniel to share a glance, one that doesn't escape her notice "Look, my da-"

Rachel sighs with frustration, and shakes his head, not wanting to lay anymore on these kids laps.

"Things are complicated between him and me." Rachel finishes "He fu-"

Rachel notices the look Sarah Lee is giving her, telling her to watch her language.

"Screwed up." Rachel corrects herself "And it caused a series of other screw ups leading to-" Rachel pulls up her upper lip, briefly showing her fangs "This."

"What did he do ?" Sarah Lee asks.

"That's not for you to worry about." Rachel replies, looking back towards the TV.

"Well said," James's voice catches their attention, as he steps into the room "Wasn't interrupting anything, was I ?"

"Not for you to worry about." Rachel echoes herself, looking away from her father, hoping he didn't see her flash teeth like that.

"I see."

James gestures to the remote on the armrest. Rachel hands it to James, who turns off the TV and stands before them with his arms crossed. Throughout, James would keep looking at Rachel suspiciously.

"Now of course, you three have been through a lot the past week, and don't need me putting more on you." James starts, looking over the others "You can rest easy tonight, but tomorrow, we will be reaching out."

"Yes sir." Chris nods obediently, while Daniel and Sarah Lee look a little apprehensive.

"Now, Chris ?" James steps towards the boy, crouching down, to eye level with him "I have tried reaching your father when I got the news; no calls went through and-"

Chris looks away, with a sharp and shaky intact breath. Seeing he's upset, Rachel reaches towards the couch and takes Chris' hand in her own. With an accepting nod, James continues.

"But if there's anyone else I can reach for you, I need to know."

"There's my brother, Jacob." Sarah Lee says, before an unsettling look of realization washes over her face "But he was in town when they...when they..."

Sarah Lee doesn't finish the sentence. She just sort of spaces out, as Daniel puts a protective and reassuring arm around her.

"There's my grandparents. But they were in town too." Daniel looks back at James, putting on a brave face "There's also my mom, but she's out of state. I wouldn't know where to find her."

"I see," James nods, weighing those options "No doubt she'll be looking for you."

James stands back up, putting his hands together.

"Are you sure there isn't anyone else ?"

"There's my friend Lyla." Daniel says, before realizing "But she doesn't need to be pulled into this."

"Of course." James nods again, thinking of the right word "But is there anyone with...authority we can rely on ?"

Daniel thinks for a few seconds, before raising his finger in realization.

"Flores. Agent Maria Flores." Daniel says "She checks in every now and then. Especially with the investigations."

"I see." James remarks "An agent ?"

"Yeah," Daniel nods "FBI. She's still keeping an eye on things, especially with the other cases."

"Excellent." James says with a calm smile "She's probably leading the search then. Can you remember her number ?"

"No." Daniel shakes his head "She's the one who calls me."

James looks back at Rachel, who was giving him this unreadable look.

"Well, we can worry about that tomorrow."

Rachel fakes a groan as she gets up from her seat.

"Well, until then, why don't you take it easy." She says looking at the kids.

"And where are you going ?" James narrows his eyes as he steps towards her.

"Getting the RV impounded."

James has a skeptical glare on his face, prompting Rachel to roll her eyes.

"It's stolen okay ?" Rachel crosses her arms "Can't stay in your driveway, can we ? I gotta stash it somewhere and call it in."

James looks back and forth between Rachel, and the kids before saying.

"No. We will." James puts a hand on Rachel's shoulder, causing her to flinch "You must really think I'm an idiot if I'm gonna let you out of my sight."

Rachel narrows her eyes, before taking a deep breath.

"Fine. You can call it in; it'll sound believable coming from you." Rachel says.

She looks towards the kids with a softer, reassuring smile. They trust her, but she's not sure if she can trust them with her father.

"I'm just gonna be a few, okay ?" Rachel says "Not letting you three out my sight either."

Daniel rolls his eyes in a "Don't patronize me" way, while Sarah Lee gives an appreciative smile. Chris was still looking away.

Rachel smirks with amusement at Daniel's reaction, but looks away when her father walks past her. With a friendly wave, Rachel takes her leave. She had an RV to dispose of.

For the rest of the evening, Rachel mostly tuned her father out.

And unseen to them, the Queen was following after.

-----

Broadmoor, Seattle, April 5th, 2020

2:00 in the afternoon, in a dark grey Honda sedan, Sean, Cass and Finn pulled up to a stop at a driveway, based on the address Matt sent them, for Gabriel Wallace's penthouse.

The property was closed off by a small wall and a gate. A nondescript three story building, resembling a condo or a mansion. And of course, cameras on every corner.

Parked off the driveway, was a white Lexus jeep. Parked further up the driveway was Wallace himself waiting at the front door and waving them in.

Wallace was dressed the same as the night before, sans the blue trench coat, in favor of a red and white sweater vest. He has a remote-like device in his hands, with which he presses a button to open the gates.

As they do, Finn parks just behind the jeep, putting their sedan to a stop before they step out.

As the three make their way through the gates and up the driveway, Wallace walks down to greet them.

"I knew you'd want to see what they had to say."

"So long as they can help us." Sean crosses his arms.

"You said they're from Arcadia Bay ?" Cassidy chimes in.

"But of course," Wallace grins "We've worked on and off with them, and other survivors, since that case. They've proven reliable in the past."

"We ?" Cassidy raises an eyebrow.

"I was the one in charge of the FBC's investigations on Arcadia County." Wallace says, as he begins circling the trio "And the aftershock of what we uncovered had bleed into your case."

"So I've heard." Finn nods, as Cassidy nods in agreement

"It follows us a lot." Sean remarks "All goes back to that place; we never even been there."

Wallace nods, gesturing to the three to follow him inside.

"When a poet writes two manuscripts on the same page, he only needs to step back, to see how the words blend together." Wallace leads them through the front door, holding up a finger up a finger as if he was quoting someone "Thomas Zane."

The other three exchange a glance.

"Who ?"

"Never mind." Wallace says, letting them in and closing the door behind him, gesturing to a shoe rack "Shoes off. Indoor slippers are on the rack."

The three do as they are told, before Wallace leads them down the hall,

-----

The living has a real cottage feel to it.

There were two hunting trophies on two different corners of the room; a stuffed grizzly bear standing upright; and a polar bear, also standing upright.

Between these two, was a flat screen seventy by forty inch, flatscreen TV built into the wall on the far end of the room, opposite the side with the furniture. On the last wall, was a fireplace, with two other stuffed hunting trophies on either end; a cape buffalo, and a bison.

The room had two different couches on the left and back corner, set together as if they converged in an L shape. Sitting at the far end of the couch, sat two young blonde women, who would be immediately recognized as Kate Marsh and Victoria Chase.

They were in the middle of their own conversation, before they noticed Wallace and the newcomers stepping in. At their side was a purse or bag of some sort.

"Lady, and gentlemen." Wallace says to the other three, gesturing to them to wake a seat "May I introduce you to Miss Katherine Marsh and Victoria Chase ?"

"We could have introduced ourselves, but okay." Kate says, stepping up from the couch and towards the other three.
Out of them, she takes Sean's hand first to shake.

"Name's Kate." She says, before jabbing her thumb at Victoria who gets up after her "This here's my fiancé, Victoria." Victoria's face blushes a little, but she maintains a professional look as she shakes their hands.

"Sean Diaz," Sean introduces himself "These are my-"

"Partners." Finn adds.

"Partners, Finn and Cassidy."

"And you know something about Beaver Creek ?" Cassidy asks.

"We think we have some idea." Victoria shakes her head "But maybe we could help eachother piece things together.

This time, Wallace speaks up, as he takes a seat in a rocking chair a little ways from the couch.

"Following the initial attacks, Miss Chase and Miss Marsh reached out to me with concerns." Wallace clasps his hands together, after gesturing to his guests to take their seats "Following the Arcadia Bay case, they had growing concerns which Beaver Creek seemed to confirm."

Kate and Victoria retake their seats, while Sean, Finn and Cassidy took their own spot on the other couch.

Skeptical, Sean looks towards Wallace.

"How much do they know ?"

"We know enough." Victoria narrows her eyes "We had...close calls with years back."

"And a pretty big close call in 2015." Wallace adds "Regrettably, I was unable to interfere."

"Point is," Kate says "We have a suspicion of what's going on as far back as we got the news. And when Wallace told us about your brother-"

"We thought we could help." Victoria says, putting the bag on her lap and opening it. She pulls out four pictures, which she gets up to hand to Sean.

"Our nephew," Kate continues "He's been drawing these before it happened."

"Says he got them from dreams."

Upon hearing this, Sean, Finn and Cassidy perk right up.

"That's not good." Finn remarks.

"Right ?" Kate raises her eyebrow, finding brief amusement despite the situation. 

As Sean, Finn and Cassidy looked over these pictures. They were certainly the draws a two year would do, if they attempted to draw from memory.

They could guess, as crude as the drawings were that they are the images of two girls; one had them sitting on a train, those same girls dressed as birds in what appears to be a play of sorts.

"The blue haired one is his mother, Chloe Price." Victoria explains.

"And the other ?" Finn asks.

"Rachel Amber."

"Is she other mother ?" Cassidy tries to guess. She and Sean glance at each other. The name was certainly familiar.

"Nah," Victoria shakes her head, "She passed five years before Bill was even conceived. We didn't even think Bill even knew of her, let alone her story."

Over the four initial drawings, the first was of Rachel in this dark room; Rachel's body being found in the junkyard, with a crying Chloe over it, while another girl holds her; a drawing of a funeral; and the drawing of a storm.

Still uncertain and apprehensive, Sean looks up at the two blondes.

"Okay ?" He starts "What's this got to do with Daniel ?"

"Here's the rest." Kate says handing them other drawings "Drawn just before the attacks."

Pictures of Rachel waking up in a crudely drawn morgue - hereafter drawn with fangs - walking through the woods; living in the city; in a hospital...

And Rachel on a road with three kids while a town arounds them burns.

But when Sean, Finn and Cassidy looked over the last drawing - however crude - they could tell by the colors who these children were. It sent an unsettled shiver up their backs.

"Chris, Sarah Lee." Finn taps his finger on the brunette girl and the blonde boy.

"And Daniel." Sean realizes.

"All three were among the missing persons."

Sean looks up at an apologetic looking Kate and Victoria "What does your nephew know ?"

"We don't even know if he knows." Kate raises two hands, defensively "We try to keep him in the dark about this stuff."

"Yeah, this vampire noise isn't something we share with a two year old." Victoria adds.

"If it eases your worries, Mr. Diaz," Wallace says, "This is only the first meeting we'll be having of this; if you wish to speak with the boy's mother, that can be arranged for a later date."

"Well, then why isn't she here ?" Finn asks.

"Something came up at home." Kate shrugs "But she had his drawings sent back to us; she'd thought you'd appreciate it."

Sean glances at Finn, then at Cassidy, before sighing.

"No, I do, it's just..." Sean shakes his head "I guess I was just hoping for more."

"We, it looks like we have a lead." Cassidy puts a hand on Sean's shoulder, attempting at a reassuring smile.

"They're kid's drawings." Sean says, raising a skeptical eyebrow at Cassidy.

"Coming from said kids dream," Finn adds, raising a finger "Which happen to correlate what's happening."

"You don't really buy into that ?" Sean looks at Finn, skeptical.

"After everything ? I'd buy a singing dragon." Finn puts a hand on Sean's other shoulder, before looking at Wallace "Are those actually a thing or... ?"

Wallace shrugs "Details, details."

"Point is..." Kate chimes in "We have reason to think that we are looking for the same thing."

"And maybe we can help each other find it." Victoria adds, wrapping her arm around Kate's neck and shoulders.

Looking back at them, Sean sighs again and nods his head.

"If you think it can help."

"Obviously we can't do all of it here. Not in one go." Wallace steps up from his seat "But, it'll help if you tell Mr. Diaz and his partners, what else you know."

"What else is there ?" Kate asks.

"Why don't you tell them about Rachel Amber ?" Wallace suggests, looking around at his guests "She's the girl in the drawings, and was pretty important to the Arcadia Bay case."

"Well, I never knew her." Kate shrugs "She disappeared before I came to Blackwell."

"But I did." Victoria clarifies.

"You don't have to tell us everything." Sean says "Just what matters here."

Kate and Victoria quickly glance at each other, before Victoria starts.

"How much do you know about Mark Jefferson ?"

Sean nods, as does Finn, while Cassidy looks away and rubs her arm.

"Uh, a bit of it." Sean says. He thinks back to 2014 and 2015, with all these memorials and tribute all over social media. While he didn't really follow the case, it was pretty much everywhere he looked.

As he thought it over, he realized where he knew her name from.

"Right, well. If you know the story, you'll know he and Na-" Victoria stops herself, looking a little glum and shaken "They took her."

"I think I heard about that." Finn nods, leaving out the part how his father called Rachel "Missing Rich Girl of the Week" after the news came out. And as his dad predicted, it became yesterdays news.

"Well, what they won't tell you is, the night after her body was found, and Jefferson got arrested-" Kate starts.

"Rachel's body disappeared from the morgue." Victoria finishes.

Sean, Finn and Cassidy take another look at the drawing, crudely depicting Rachel doing just that. The first one where she was drawn with fangs.

"There's more to it." Victoria continues, getting their attention "A few years later, this writer reached out to me; Vivian Manning. Sound familiar ?"

"I...think I heard it somewhere." Cassidy answers.

"Well, she was writing a biography; covering what happened Rachel, Jefferson..." Victoria pauses, looking away with a sad expression as she rubs her arm "And Nathan."

"And she knew things." Kate pats Victoria on the back, "Things, she could only have known if she was there."

"Like ?"

"She knew about this prank Chloe and Rachel pulled on me." Victoria says "And as far as I know, only Chloe and Rachel knew it."

"And a year after that." Kate rummages through the bag again, picking out a book "She started writing these."

She reaches across the couch, handing Sean the copy.

"The Lost Chronicles ?"

"They're vampire books." Kate says "And we're starting to think that's not a coincidence."

"And why's that ?" Finn asks.

"Because there are too many of them." Sean answers.

Sean then notices another drawing that was handed over; it depicted Rachel, with fangs in the middle of a burning city. Towering over her, was a woman in red, holding out her arms, with connect to Rachel like strings - like some crudely drawn puppet.

Looking back at Kate and Victoria, Sean takes another deep breath.

"If there's more you can tell me," Sean starts "About Rachel, I'm all ears..."

-----

The Oldest House, Medical Center, March 26th, 2020

In a hospital room, a disheveled Steph puts on her hoodie and a new change of clothes, as she gets off the bed. A doctor - a portly black woman with short cut hair -  finishes writing her report.

At Steph's side, was a supportive Alex.

After what happened in the boardroom, Alex and Steph had spent the evening at a medical facility. Luckily, the med team couldn't find anything "drastic" affecting Steph, nor did it appear she was seriously harmed.

Although, there was an abnormality in her blood that the staff found concerning. Better safe than sorry, Steph would need to be examined over the next day or so. Besides being a little out of it, and barely responsive or emotive, Steph looked to be in decent shape.

"Aaand that about covers it." The doctor, whose named tag reads "R. Campbell" signs the forums "We'll look over your samples tonight, but honestly I'm expecting more of the same."

"I won't hold my breath." Steph remarks dryly.

"Well, as you're a doctor, I'd advise against doing that in general." Campbell says with a snarky smile, before patting Steph on the shoulder "You just rest easy now, okay ?"

"We can't thank you enough." Alex says with a weak smile.

As Campbell takes her leave, she passes Agent Dibikad and Dr. Pope waiting at the door.

"This may go against the good doctor's orders." Dibkad starts "But if there's anything else-"

"Anything else ?" Alex has a more icy glare in her eyes as she looks at them, but sees the regret in them that makes her calm down "I don't want her getting hurt lik eth-"

"That was a dick move on our part." Dibikad defensively put her hand on her chest "I'll own up to that-"

Sighing through her nose, Alex pauses to relax herself.

"It was an accident. You didn't know that would happen." Alex says, softening herself "I guess it's on all of us ?"

"I wouldn't say that," Pope shakes her head "You came to us for help, and we intend to make good on that."

Steph groans, putting her fingers on her temples, shaking her head.

"What...what do you have in mind ?"

"The experiment, Jess-" Pope starts before correcting herself "Faden and I have been running; whenever we make contact in the Fog, blanks we had get filled."

"Also," Dibikad chimes in "We think it can help us as much as it can help you."

"Help you ?" Steph says weakly, wiping her sore eyes.

"With our investigation." Dibikad explains, stepping into the room, and standing against a wall beside the door "You don't think it's a coincidence that you reached out to us after the Beaver Creek attack."

"The girl you know," Pope says, putting her hands together "Rachel Amber ? She's on the run you see."

Steph's face softens.

"She's missing ?"

"And Jess," Pope sighs, as Alex could see a milde periwinkle cover off of her "She's giving one of our collaborative partners, Pierre Margot-"

"Mikoskâtisiw tuguy." Dibikad mutters under her breath, shaking her head.

"-effective jurisdiction over Oregon and Washington ops." Pope finishes.

Alex and Steph share an uneasy glance.

"Is that bad or...?" Steph starts to ask (at which Dibikad nods in the background as Pope speaks).

"Well, I never met the guy myself. Different partnerships tell us different things." Pope says, the periwinkle shining brighter and brighter "But Jess thinks we need all hands on this case."

As Alex focuses on Dr. Pope, she could hear the parts she wasn't saying out loud; "This is the first big outbreak Jesse had to handle. We do need all hands on deck but...Is Jesse thinking this through ? Is she in over her head ?"

"This Bureau's been assimilating other such organizations for decades; monster hunters, or organizations run by monsters." Dibkad scratches her nose "The Board can be total control freaks like that; but hey, it gives us partners."

"And with that," Pope continues "We could use those who can help us reach her."

Steph thinks for a moment, before shaking her head "But...I-"

"You helped us before." Dibikad steps towards Steph, putting both hands on her shoulders "I may have gaps in my memory from Seattle's case, but you were one who fills them."

Steph flinches away from Dibikad's touch, silently telling the older woman to give her her space.

"And if anyone can reach Miss Amber," Pope adds "It'd be you...or at least, a version of you."

Reluctant Alex looks to Steph, but finds her to be unreadable here.

"You want me to go back into that Fog ?" Steph begins to realize "I could-"

"No, we're gonna dip you into it. In and out." Pope waves her hand back and forth to emphasize her point "If my theory is correct, we could help you get a handle on this tulpa effect of yours..."

"But ?" Alex and Steph raise their eyebrows at the same time.

"It'll take some prep time," Pope explaining, looking a little uneasy as she counts her fingers "And given the nature of this tulpa, we can't know for sure if it worked, even if it does."

"But, it may also help get those nosebleeds under control." Dibikad puts her hands together "With enough work, we may be able to lift this thing entirely."

Steph pauses, looking down at her hands, and thinks for a moment. She looks back at Alex, who had this scared but encouraging look on her face.

When Steph looks back at the other two, before asking-

"What do I have to do ?"

-----

North Bend Quarantine Zone: April 5th, 2020

Jacob Hackerman stirs awake to blindingly bright light, and blinks several times trying to get the black spots out of his eyes.

It was painful, but he managed to sit up in the bed to see he was in a different hospital room than the one he was put under, and had been changed into a hospital gown while he was out. But with his head spinning, that was the furthest thing on his mind.

"What...what is-?" He tries to say, despite the slur in his speech.

"Easy, easy." A woman's voice could barely be heard over the throb in Jacob's head.

Looking to the side, Jacob sees Jessica Riley, dressed in the same uniform she was when he last saw her. She got up from her seat, stepping towards him with a reassuring gesture.

"You...who are you-"

"Name's Jessica. Jessica Riley." She says "We saw eachother the other night."

Jacob groans, putting his hand on his forehead as Jessica ushers him to lay back down.

"Just-" Jacob raises his voice in irritation, before taking another breath "My sister...I need to find her."

"I know, buddy, I know." Jessica says with an uncertain expression, but tries to sound reassuring "We're on it. But right now, we need to ask some questions."

Despite his soreness and disorientation, Jacob looks towards Jessica with an annoyed glare.

"Questions ?" He manages to rasp out, but still mumbles as he speaks with how sore mouth is "Did you fucking see what happened to me-?"

"No, no, you're not a suspect or anything!" Jessica hastily says, shaking her head "But  we want to know more about what you've been through."

Jacob's expression flattens, and he looks down at his bandaged hands, and his eyes begin to water.

"I...I can't..." Jacobs says with a haggard breath.

With a more sympathetic look, Jessica puts a hand on Jacob's back.

"If it makes it easier, we got friends of yours waiting to speak to you." Jessica puts a more reassuring smile on her face "We think bringing you together will make things easier."

"Friends ?" Jacob covers his mouth with how sore it was, practically speaking through his hand "What friends ?"

"Sean Diaz, to start-" Jessica starts, before being interrupted.

"Sean ?" Jacob lurches back up, his expression shifting to one of worry, as realization dawns on him "What happened with Daniel ? Is he-? Did those things-?"

Jessica looks away, hesitating for a few seconds, before tentatively saying "We...have a lead..."

"What lead ?" Jacob rasps out, sitting back up and taking hold of Jessica's shoulders "What lead ?!"

Again, Jessica looks hesitant, before sighing.

"We narrowed it down to Arcadia County." Jessica says "Our people have been setting up posts all over."

Jessica wipes a tear from Jacob's eye, before patting him on the shoulder.

"If we haven't found them yet, it'll be a day or so." Jessica gives him a sad smile.

"Is he here ?" Jacob mumbles "Is Sean-?"

"Not yet." Jessica shakes her head "They wanna give you another day to rest easy; clear your head."

Jacob sumps over with a muffled groan. He lays back into the pillow and turns over.

"Do you...need your space ?" Jessica asks hesitantly.

"I don't know."

With a sympathetic sigh, Jessica gets up from the bed, and makes her way to the door.

Jessica turns off the room's light and closes the door behind her, before taking her phone out of her pants pocket. She was previously told to contact Margot as soon as Jacob was lucid enough.

Dialing the number, the phone rings four times, before an exhausted sounding Margot answers on the other end. Jessica hastily walks down the hall towards the girls bathroom, ensuring she was a good distance from Jacob's ear shot.

"This best be important," Margot says with a raised voice "We have word-"

"He's up." Jessica says "Jaco- I mean, Hackerman is ready to talk. We're just giving him another night too-"

"Did you tell him what happened to his sister ?"

There's a pause as Jessica enters the ladies room. She hesitates before saying-

"No. No, I didn't." Jessica scratches the back of her neck "Just like you said."

"Good. Let's keep it that way."

Jessica looks away from the phone, and around the bathroom, with a guilty expression on her face. It appears no one else was there but her.

As if he was sensing this, Margot continues.

"We don't want to upset him further, do we ?" He replies "It'll make him...less cooperative."

"He's already been asking-" Jessica starts before Margot interrupts.

"Then keep telling him the half truths." Margot says "It'll give him something to look towards."

Jessica pinches the bridge of her nose, before nodding.

"If you say so." Jessica sighs.

"We'll bring in Diaz for questioning tomorrow." Margot explains "Put our eggs in one basket."

"What about Amber ?" Jessica asks.

"I'll worry about Amber." Margot insists.

Jessica winces as she hears that, as she can practically hear a snarl in his voice. It happened once or twice, but when Jessica or her partners spoke to Margot, they noticed his teeth were...a little off for a regular person.

And with the looks he gives, and euphemisms he makes, Jessica and Matt quietly agreed not to press Marot on it...yet. For now, they'll settle for a correspondence with Wallace.

"But we can worry about that tomorrow." Margot says "Tonight, let's just keep things quiet."

Yet again, Jessica can say nothing but "If you say so." with a shake of her head.

"Until then, Miss Riley."

And with that, Margot hangs up.

-----

On another wing, on another floor, Matt Taylor quietly closes a door behind him, shaking his head with a dejected expression. He nearly jumps out of his skin, when he feels someone touch his shoulder, but when he turns, he sees no one there by a flinching Jessica.

"Sorry," Jessica quietly says, before Matt tries to relax with a sigh.

"Jesus, Jess." Matt brushes off his jacket, as if to save face "Where you're trying to give me a heart attack ?"

"Nah," Jessica raises her eyebrow, and crosses her arm "Staff's overworked as is."

The two a subdued chuckle, before they look back at the room.

"Are they...?" Jessica tries to ask, but trails off as Matt shakes his head.

"I don't think okay's the right word." Matt sighs, and crosses his arms "But y'know, they're breathing, their heart monitors are working. Nothing to get a nurse over."

Matt scratches the back of his sick, with an uncomfortable expression. Jessica looks at the door with a solemn expression.

"Do you really think she did that ?" Jessica asks "Rachel Amber, I mean."

"I don't know." Matt answers, also looking at the door "I mean, what do we really know about her ?"

"Well, Sam and Emily said-"

"Yeah, that's what they said." Matt uses air quotes "Others say differently."

Jessica tilts her head at Matt. As she said, most of their knowledge of Rachel Amber was second hand. They know of her disappearance, and accounts by those who know her through friends from the Arcadia Bay case.

But only Sam and Emily had an actual..."encounter" with Rachel years ago; wherein Sam and Emily made a photo album for her, in a locked diary titled "For Jessica's Eyes Only." All this to say, how much they actually know about Rachel was limited.

Especially what she could be capable of. Especially with the bodies she left behind.

When Margot took over the investigation, he insisted that whatever Rachel was in life, she is a champion of this "Red Queen" and to be treated as such. In all likelihood, she was the source of this outbreak, as other "champions" were in the past.

On the other hand, Dr. Reid sent Jess, Matt, and their partners messages telling them to be wary of Margot, and that everything Margot says to be a half truth. So it's not like they entirely trust the guy themselves.

Looking back at the door, Jessica just asks out loud ""What about Margot ? You think you trust him ?"

"I think they're leaving a lot out for us, Jess." Matt glances back at Jessica "And there's only one way to get to the bottom of this."

As both looked back at the door, both silently pondered this situation with the information they did have.

First, Margot and his team claimed to have narrowed down Rachel Amber just days ago. Second, despite their search, they only found a burned and wrecked cabin, with Rachel herself nowhere in sight.

Of course, they only have Margot's word to go off of, who according to Dr. Reid, isn't the most reliable team leader. However, Margot picked up two other survivors from this encounter; something he intends to keep on the down low.

Beyond that closed door, two children laid as unconscious as they were when found on Keystone Road. They were being treated for smoke inhalation, minor burns, and blood loss.

They were identified as Chris Eriksen and Sarah Lee Hackerman.

Chapter 20: Call of the Morrigan: Part One

Summary:

Hey, so this one is going to be another split chapter. I've been meaning to do this back in December, but this writing big chapters like this takes time. This chapter and the next few are meant to bring the protagonists together, and keep the modern day plot rolling.

Before the split, this chapter would be more action orientated, including a battle sequence against Mordred's followers, and another with the Guard. The next part is still half way done, and SHOULD be up in February. As a result of the split, this part is more of a slow burn building up to both battles, and a reunion between protagonists.

I'm also planning to focus more on "Love's Sacrifices" and "Mission to Silas" in the meantime, especially since the latter is almost complete.

Chapter Text

The Oldest House, Manhattan, March 28th 2020

"Are you ready ?" Alex Chen asks, taking her girlfriend's hand into her own, sitting side by side in an otherwise empty waiting room.

While Alex was dressed in her outfit of jeans and a denim jacket, Steph wore a black bathrobe, having prepared herself in a bathroom the past few minutes, and emerged shrouded in purple.

"No," Steph shakes her head, looks at Alex "But I almost never am."

"Are you sure you want to go through with this ?"

"Are you ?" Steph asks "You know they want to help, but-"

"And you want to help too." Alex finishes for Steph with a nod.

There is a brief pause, before the two share an uneasy but earnest laugh.

"I'll never get-" Steph sighs, before Alex interrupts.

"Used to that ?" Alex says with a cheeky grin.

"Cut it out!" Steph laughs.

In this moment of levity, Steph takes Alex's hand, lifting it and kissing her wrist.

"I love you." They say at the same time, tone and frequency.

"You're going to be okay, babe." Alex brushes her hand through Steph's hair.

Steph says nothing, just gives a sad smile.

They had agreed to do this test together, and it required some "reading" for Alex for them to be sure. These people, the FBC, seemed to want to help. But there was something below the surface they were keeping from Steph and Alex.

But there was also something below the surface with Steph herself. Something that keeps clawing up. Might as well face it head on, right ?

After a couple of days of prep work and interviews, Steph and Alex had a grasp on how these Tulpa things work; taking you back and forth between two different lives like waking from a dream, but it can't alter your memory completely.

Like in dreams, there will always be these blank spots in your memory. Pieces that don't fit, that you don't really notice at first. And when you notice them, the people in your lives will notice too.

The past couple days, Alex was questioned about the "blank spots" in her own memory. She was interviewed by Dr. Pope, two other agents, and the Director herself. Alex was not expecting a cute awkward redhead, just three years older than her to be in that position.

And "reading" Jesse Faden was something else. Alex always thought blue auras meant sadness, but when she saw that fractal presence around Faden...it was like a being on its own, speaking to Alex.

I   a m    h e r e    t o o    h e l p

Sure enough, this presence that surrounded Faden got her to better recall the "blank spot" from a few days ago.

Alex remembers walking in Central Park. It was mid day to early afternoon, and she doesn't recall what initially brought her here. But the colors drew her attention.

Everywhere Alex looked in the park, there was a purple aura; fear. But not of the people or animals she passed. It was in the trees, snow, grass, water and even the concrete. It was as if the world around her was terrified of something in that park.

And that same fear was making Alex look out for something.

There were times Alex notices these "mixes" in colors. Usually, people feel one overwhelming emotion, and their colors change.

Other times, people have such overwhelming mixed emotions, their aura's mixed colors.

Green was sadness mixed with joy. Purple alone was fear, which Alex concluded to be somewhere between sadness and anger; not quite one, but not quite the other. Periwinkle occurs when someone's fear is perfectly blended with sadness. In that purple park, one shade stood out; Magenta, which seemed to pull Alex towards Bow Bridge.

Standing there was what Alex dubbed "The Magenta Man" waved her over.

On the surface, he was just a young man, who simply spoke to Alex in a quick and casual conversation. He asked a few questions, thanked her for her and left

Under the surface, the magenta aura around him swelled to such a degree, you'd almost think he was on fire. This hurricane of anger, fear, sadness; it was like there was no positive emotion that could be felt by this man-

Alex's train of thought is interrupted, when the waiting room door opens. Dr. Emily Pope steps in, looking a little antsy and uneasy, but trying to keep her voice professional.

"The...testing chamber's ready when you are."

"I was born ready." Steph says, groaning as she gets up from her seat, with Alex following after.

"And you're positive that everything checks out ?" Pope asks, holding up a cautious hand "We could double check-"

"I triple checked. Three times over." Steph crosses her arms, sounding a little impatient before she sighs "Sorry, I just-"

"Want to get this over with." Alex finishes her sentence, with it being like seventeenth time Alex did this during their stay with these people. Pope and Steph exchange a glance, before the former fakes a cough.

"Right, so..." Pope doesn't finish her sentence, just jabs her thumb over her shoulder for them to follow her.

-----

And so the stage was set, so to speak. For this test, Dr. Pope led Alex and Steph down this hall into another room.

Where others saw a simple hallway, Alex saw bark on the walls, wooden floors, and leaves and branches in the roof above. Her nose begins picking up the scent of maple and sap.

And while Dr. Pope was going a mile a minute on what they're in for, Alex would pick up the sound of whispers as they got closer and closer to the testing chamber.

"Alright," Pope says as they reach the doorway "Guess it's now or never..."

Pope stops at the door, biting her lip as she looks hesitant at Steph and Alex.

"But if you want to call it off, I don't blame you. It could get hairy." Pope starts to put on a weak mask of confidence. The flicker in her eyes and the infliction in her voice betrays this confidence.

"Hey. Harry's my granddad's name." Steph says, putting hand on her hip, and a confident smirk on her face. After a pause, she adds "Well actually, it was Wilson, but his middle name was Harol-"

"But we don't know for sure what could happen with you," Pope looks back and forth between the two "Jesse and I, we did the past tests ourselves, but never bought a civie into this."

Alex's face softens towards Pope. As she and Steph picked up the past couple days, it was Director Faden and Dr. Pope who usually did these contact experiments. They practically did everything together, with their affair being an open secret.

But bringing a newbie into these experiments ? A civilian ? It was risky even by Dr. Pope's standards.

Steph has her armed crosses, and shares a look with Alex, before the latter pats Pope on the shoulder.

"Then we're in good hands." Alex smiles reassuringly "Best hands we can get."

Pope has a small smile, before looking back at the door.

"Here goes..." Pope prepares herself before opening the door.

The testing chamber was wide and spacious. It brought to mind a pool room you'd see at a hotel, though there were obvious standouts. The floors were typical for the Oldest House's initial layout; black marble floors and white walls.

At the four corners of the room, four tables were set with an assortment of even candles for each table. Twenty eight in total. Above these tables, Steph and Alex notice four loudspeakers, set six feet before each table.

At the far end of the room, was a mirror, which Alex picks up to be a one way window, catching the voices behind it. The pool itself was unremarkable, no larger than the kind of pool one would have in their backyard.

Standing before them was Director Jesse Faden herself, and three other doctor's speaking to her. She was dressed in the same kind of dark bathrobe as Steph.

By the looks of it, Faden was being given a quick checkup before the experiment. Beside them was a tray of two glasses, one what looks like orange juice with a slight reddish tint.

Being the only other person besides Pope to do these tests, Faden volunteered to hold Steph's hand for this one. Spotting Steph, Alex and Pope as they enter the chamber, Faden gives them a friendly but uneasy smile.

Excusing the doctors, Jesse makes her way towards the group, rubbing her up and down her arms as she does so. It's here Steph and Alex really registered the temperature. Especially when Steph just now takes it in that she's barefoot.

The rooms heaters were on at full blast, heating the room up by 245 degrees, and the water in the pool was kept at 45 below, which Steph could feel through the marble.

As Pope previously explained, while prepping them up "It's to dull the senses. In order to access this other plane, you need to loosen your senses to this one. Sight, sound, touch, your body needs to be dulled down."

In the present, Faden was the one to speak up.

"So," She says with a slight shiver "This is it, huh ?"

"Looks like it," Steph nods in agreement, as she too shivers "Anything else we should know ?"

There is a pause as Faden and Pope share a look, and Alex could pick up the silent "Should we tell them ?"

"What is it ?" Alex narrows her eyes and crosses her arms.

Faden hesitates for a second, and Alex notices the blue swirl around her and the silent voice speaking from and to her.

A r e   t h e y   n o t   a f r a i d   ?

Faden takes a breath and says it.

"This may go a little deeper than just looking into your other life." She looks to Alex and then to Steph "You'll become part of the investigation and...it's just not what you'll see, but-"

"What we could lose." Alex finishes, realization washing over her.

Steph, taken aback, steps out of Faden's touch.

"And I'd be putting my neck on the line..." Steph crosses her arms.

There's another pause between the four women, as Steph takes a moment to think this over. Alex tries to guess at what's going through head, only to notice more and more blank spots, trying to claw to the surface.

As if they were overwhelming her, Steph clutches her head, fidgeting a little. Her nose starts to bleed as Alex reaches forward. Stepping away, Steph runs a hand through her hair and inhales deeply.

"Where do we start ?"

As they are talking, Pope heads towards the tray, and ushers it back to them, presenting the glasses of juice.

Narrowing her eyes, Steph picks up one of the glasses and sniffs at it, looking back and forth between Pope and Faden "What's in this ?"

Pope gives Steph a "Do we have to go over this again ?" look, but the words that come out are "It's the benzos concoction we told you about."

Steph nods as she's reminded, still sharing an uncertain look with Alex. It was a cocktail of benadryl, clonazepam and marijuana. Something to both heighten Steph's mind while her senses are dulled, putting her at the edge of sleep.

Recalling Pope's breakdown of the experiment; "It shouldn't put you under, but we found that drowsiness and relaxation makes the mind susceptible to seeing into...that other place."

As if she senses Steph's apprehension, Faden takes her own glass and chugs half of it down with a sigh.

"It's nothing you haven't taken before." Faden gestures to Steph, with a reassuring expression "It's not enough to overdose you, or put to sleep. Just a light, mellow high."

Steph looks at the glass hesitantly, before taking a deep breath and drinking half of it down. She punches her nose and takes a breath as she smacks her lips.

After a pause, she tries to take a step with a slight stagger. Alex comes up behind Steph, holding her in place with a quiet "I got you, I got you."

Steph shivers, and Alex sees this gold and purplish aura forming around her. She grits her teeth, and puts a hand on her forehead, already feeling it kick it.

If this was a light dose, she ain't drinking the whole thing. Not with the punch this is packing. Steph could already feel her head tingling, and she tries to focus on Alex's touch, rubbing gingerly up and down her arms.

As Steph's high begins kicking in, Faden makes her way to the candles at each corner of the room. On the first table, there was a needle, which Faden uses to pick her finger.

This does not escape Alex's notice, as she notices the blue, flickering circles around Faden act up. As Faden drips her blood into the wax, that same "aura" circles the candles.

I    g o t    t h i s    p a r t

As Faden handles each table, Pope steps towards the mirror/window and addresses their unseen observers.

"Lights!" Pope says, raising a finger with an unusual authority in her voice.

The pale electric lights within the room turn off, leaving only the orange flames of candles as a source of illumination.

"Aaand speakers." Pope raises her other finger.  With that the speakers turn on; the sounds they make is this static and white noise, mixed with air blowing. Neither Steph nor Alex knew what to make of this, but it certainly sounded and felt creepy.

"And the frequency..." Pope raises a third finger.

The noise changed in pitch and tone, apparently trying to settle on a frequency. All it did was accelerate Alex and Steph's already uneasy feelings.

"There we go." Pope says as the frequency settles.

As Faden approaches them, she wipes her bleeding finger off on her robe. She looks towards Steph and Alex with an expression, trying to be encouraging.

"I can...get us started." Faden says, reaching for the belt of her robe.  With a tug, it feels off of her, revealing she's in a dark, one-piece bathing suit. She folds her bathrobe onto one of her arms, and hands it to Pope, giving her a kiss.

Steph takes a moment to prepare herself, feeling the buzz kicking in and Alex begins picking things up from the speakers. Not words, not like she could hear them. But a feeling, an emotion putting words in her head.

They recall being told how this experiment works. How hidden in this white noise, was an incantation; tuned into the right frequency, it invokes things in the other plane.

Faden steps into the pool first, with a sharp intake of breath and a seethe as she adjusts to the cold.

"You okay ?" Steph asks.

There's still a noticeable shiver in Faden's voice as she says "Ju-just peachy! Holy shit...I'm n-never getting used to this..."

They would know this incantation worked when the candles-

The candles go out. Before anyone could even react to the darkness, they immediately lit up again; the orange flames replaced by white. It was both intimidating and beautiful at the same time.

Alex and Steph's attention were drawn to Faden. Alex sees the blue spectrals - Polaris, as she's come to understand it - expanding and growing around Faden, as she wades to the center of the pool, and adjusts to the clashing temperatures.

Through hooded eyes, Faden looks towards Steph, tentatively holding out a hand, and Polaris increases.

T a k e    h e r   h a n d

"Miss Gingrich..." Jesse says, a little hesitant "Are you...ready ?"

Steph takes a deep breath. Whether it was the cocktail or the white noise, she felt her resolve waver. She looks towards Alex, and mouths "I got this." while giving her a small smile.

Steph pulls the belt of her own robe, and reveals a one-piece bathing suit, matching Faden's. She hands it to Alex and shudders at the clashing heat and cold.

As Steph makes her way towards the pool, Pope puts a hand on Alex's shoulder before she could follow or speak after her.

"For this to work," Pope whispers "We can't distract her; they need something to focus on."

Alex opens her mouth to argue, and despite the antsy feeling running up her back, the words don't come out.

I    g o t    h e r

I t    w i l l    b e    o k a y

Alex wasn't happy or sure of it, but she obeyed. Whatever this thing Polaris was, she thinks she trusts it.

"Ah!" Steph yelps as she steps into the pool. An uneasy chuckle escapes her lips as she wades in further, trying to rush her way through the cold "Fuck me, fuck me, fuck me, that's cold!"

"Easy now," Faden says with a wry grin "We're keeping this professional."

"Screw you!" Steph half laughs, half seethes, shuddering with each step.

"You're not really good at this whole professional thing, are you ?" Faden chuckles.

Faden steps towards Step as she begins to slip. Steph lands into Faden, who holds her up and wraps her arms around her lower back.

Steph shudders more at Faden's hold, and Alex begins to step forward "Steph, honey, are you okay-?"

Pope takes Alex by the and does a hush motion with her lips.

"Just peachy." Steph winces, lying through her teeth.

Still, the haze and high Steph is feeling rises and rises.

Steph gets this familiar foggy, drowsy, tired sensation, Somewhere between sleep and awareness. Faden just holds her close, and lets Steps rest her head on her shoulder.

As this is happening, Alex can see Polaris continue to grow and expand. It was as if it was now forming around Steph.

"Now, Miss Gingrich-" Faden starts.

"Call me Steph. Cool people call me Steph." She interrupts.

"Steph," Faden continues, now rubbing her hands gingerly around Steph's back "Is there anything you can recall ? Any glimpses, or blank spots ?"

Steph winces, feeling her head start to clear. She sees herself on the stage. She sees herself as an actress. She sees herself living in LA.

"Glimpses," Steph says "I see the glimpses..."

She can see herself in Seattle, having this date with Victoria Chase and this other girl. She sees herself being given a rundown on the FBC...she's pretty sure this wasn't her life.

F o c u s    o n    m e

H o l d    h e r   h a n d

Steph reaches down, taking one of Faden's hands off her back, and into her own.

Steph see's being caught in a gun fight at this slaughterhouse. She wasn't involved in the fighting, but she remembers driving a car into this prick, forcing him into a river, and stepping out with a shotgun...

And then proceeding to force the guy to deep throat the shotgun before firing down.

M o r d r e d

Upon "hearing" this name, Alex thinks back to Central Park, as with a sudden shudder.

"I remember...I remember...." Steph starts to mutter, and thinks tears are forming in her eyes. Only tears aren't red.

The blank spots were fading, and the glimpses were glowing. She remembers...her.

"Rachel," Steph says, her nose starting to bleed "Rachel..."

Suddenly....Steph begins to cough. Faden steps away out of reflex, but keeps a hand on Steph's shoulder, her eyes widening as she sees the blood rushing down her mouth.

Pope puts a hand on her mouth in disbelief; she and Jesse bleed like this with these experiments before, but it was a new reaction.

"Step ?" Alex says, noticing the purple haze now filtering around her girlfriend "Steph ?!"

Alex doesn't heed Pope's warnings or attempts to stop her (not that Pope would) as she rushes towards the pool. Pope follows after in a haste.

Steph continues bleeding more and more; and coughing more and more. Her tanned face becomes smeared in red as Faden tries walking her towards the pool's exit.

Steph remembers seeing Rachel at this theatre, where the former was acting on stage. She remembers living with Rachel; loving her, being hurt by her, saving her. She remembers what she told her the first and only time they had sex.

"I think, even in my other life...I'll be able to find you."

"But then I'd be taking you from-"

"It won't be like that. I don't think it will at least. But I know I keep coming back to you. Maybe you're not the one for me, I'm not the one for you, but the world pulls me to you for a reason."

Steph is nearly oblivious to the world around her, as Faden ushers her to the pool's edge, and Alex and Pope help pull her out. Polaris continues to grow and expand around her, before Steph slips into unconsciousness.

W a k e    u p    R a c h e l

T h e y    a r e    c o m i n g    f o r    y o u

-----

James Amber's Cabin, Keystone Road, Oregon

When Rachel lurches up, she has apparently been coughing for some time. Apparently not loud enough for anyone to check on her, but that concern was far from her mind.

What was on her mind was something warm and sticking running down her eyes, eyes and nose.

At her nightstand was an alarm clock, reading 12:55 AM. She turns on the light on the stand and sees the red mess she made on her pillow and blankets.

She was more annoyed than grossed out. Her head was flooded with this smokey, foggy and dizzy sensation. When she tries to stand up, she staggers off the bed and collapses.

It takes some effort, but Rachel manages to push herself up off the ground, and pull herself back onto the bed. She took a moment composing herself, placing a hand on her forehead to try and process everything.

As she came back down to Earth, more and more thoughts filled Rachel's head. Pieces that weren't there; things she didn't notice were missing. Where there were blank spots, there were now memories.

Steph. Steph was in her life, Rachel recalls before silently correcting herself.

No, not Steph. Not the real Steph, Rachel reminds herself. The tulpa; the living dream conjured up by some force to give Steph a life she was never meant to leave.

A life Rachel wasn't meant to be part of.

"Finally, that girl invokes sense in you, daughter."

"Oh for fucks sake." Rachel mutters under her breath, pinching the bridge of her nose.

Rachel doesn't look up, or even open her eyes. She doesn't expect to see the Queen's visage standing over her, certainly felt like she was standing at the foot of her bed and circling her.

"Oh it's all the same noise." The Queen's voice picks up in Rachel's head "A rebellious daughter, not answering her mother's call save for empty uses of 'fuck' as obscenity and defia-"

"Eat. My. Muff."

There's a pause before the Queen speaks again.

"...Well that one's new." Rachel could imagine the Queen composing herself "Even so, you know what is coming. You are here for a reason daughter; the battlefield is set, and soldiers on both sides are answering the call of the-"

Rachel lurches back up, staring daggers as she looks around the room for something she knows isn't physically there "Is there a point to this ? If not, I'd prefer to get back to my nightmares."

"The point is that on the chess board, neither a black piece or white piece gets to run or hide. The hand of their fate will always guide them. Soon, you will make your move, as is your purpose-"

Rachel chuckles and shakes her head. It's easier for her to ignore the blood stains on her face, hair, clothes and sheets.

"I'm pretty sure I left you my message in Willamette." Rachel thinks back to what she and Daniel gave the Sawney Bean days before.

"I saw." The Queen answers, with a slight chuckle "As did the hounds of war; and already, they are on your trial. What will you do when they are on your doorstep ?"

The Queen's voice is quieter, as if she was sitting on the bed next to Rachel and whispering to her.

"You and the little ones." She adds "The ones you sought to protect, and yet you drag them onto your battlefield."

Rachel grimaces a little and gets up off the bed.

"I don't need to listen to this." As she says this, Rachel finally pays attention to the blood soaked sheets she's sitting in, and the pajamas she's wearing. There was also an empty hamper beside the bed.

Already, Rachel is shedding her pajamas and taking the sheets off her pillow and bed. As she does so, she tries to ignore the voice of the unseen presence following her. She picks up a dark blue night robe, and fastens it around her body.

"You and yours dipped your toes into the fog, girl. There, monsters lurk. You really think things such as I wouldn't notice ?"

"Yeah ?" Rachel opens the closet, picking out a new comforter and a new set of bed sheets from this top shelf "I'll fight them too. No skin off my back."

She picks up a slight and humorless chuckle from the Queen.

"I expect nothing less." The Queen answers "Nothing changes from the Harvest. Even the side you claim to fight for is of little importance. What matters is that you are another soldier doing their duty."

"Love is the death of duty." Rachel deadpans, going through her dresser and picking out a fresh pair of pajama bottoms and shirt "I live by the former."

"Love is the death of nothing." She can hear the Queen scoff "It's nothing. Nothing can't destroy anything."

Rachel focuses on making her bed, and preparing to re-dress.

She takes a moment of silence to mean she was left alone with her thoughts; be it the rapidly rushing memories of Steph ("The tulpa," Rachel tries to remind herself) and what occurred over the past couple of days.

It was quiet at James Amber's cabin, the past couple of days. But it was far from calm or pleasant.

Rachel didn't make the same effort to reconnect with her father as he tried with her. Most of the time Rachel spent with her father was on the night of their arrival. Rachel had to find a spot to dispose of the RV, and her dad had to be the one to call it in.

Afterward, Rachel spent most of her time in her bedroom; only stepping out to eat, use the bathroom or just watch TV with the kids. And overhear their phone calls. Rachel must have said six things to her father the past couple days, saving most of her talking with the kids.

The second night of their stay, Rachel caught James on the phone trying to reach Rose.

No doubt he had some sort of "Reunite and rekindle their family" bullshit, but Rachel wasn't gonna let her father salvage something he threw away. He's not getting off that easy. She doesn't remember the exact words but thinks it was the "Bloody Murder" look in her eyes that got him to put the phone down.

Speaking of blood, Rachel runs a finger through her hair, looking at the dried blood spots. With a sigh, Rachel decides hitting the shower will do.

She picks up the bundle of fresh pajamas with one arm, and uses her other hand to lift the hamper by the handle. She's snuck in and out of rooms enough not to make noise on her way to the laundry room.

As she did so, she thought back to the other hard part of their stay.

The first day in, James tried to contact Chris' father Charles, by phone and messenger. He never answered.

It wasn't until that evening they were able to narrow Charles to a quarantine area; where exactly, they never found out. Apparently, he tried to reach home the night after the initial attack.

Charles wasn't very cooperative with police and these government folk setting up parameters on the outskirts of town, especially when the slaughterhouse was discovered and his son missing. Charles ended up losing his cool, and after taking a swing at one of the agents, was now in holding until further notice.

Chris was upset to learn this, but to reassure him, James made sure that they'd let Charles know that his son was alright...even if they couldn't let Chris speak to him at the time.

Next they tried helping Sarah Lee find her brother. When James and Rachel looked into Jacob Hackerman, they learned about how he was one of the survivors recovered in the slaughterhouse. To avoid upsetting Sarah Lee, they just told her Jacob was in the hospital.

The second day was spent trying to reach Daniel's family. They first tried to find out what happened to the Reynolds.

It turns out Stephen and Claire Reynolds were alright (all things considered), but were put in a quarantine motel outside of Beaver Creek for safe keeping. While they had no signs or symptoms of infection, the fact that they were in the Twin Hospitals just before the attack was concerning.

At the very least, they could let them know Daniel was okay, though Daniel got upset when they tried talking on the phone. When they tried reaching Karen Reynolds, there was a slightly different story.

Karen was in Arizona during the initial attack, and like Charles was on the road trying to get to Beaver Creek with a friend of hers named David. In fact, they reached the Beaver Creek area four days ago, but by then the slaughterhouse was uncovered.

When Karen and her connection to Daniel came to light, she was taken by these government folk to Washington state for questioning. Her friend David was still in Beaver Creek as a volunteer search and rescue, and could stop by in a few days but he had his hands full helping with the slaughterhouse.

And while James tried to reach out to Agent Flores for Daniel, even getting her on the phone with him, her hands were currently tied in red tape. The case was in the FBC's hands and was now being overseen by a newcomer Pierre Margot; a man who was pretty insistent on keeping Flores in the dark.

Flores could try to reach them, but with how Margot is running things, it would have to be through him. With that, all they had to do was wait.

But in the meantime, Rachel's focus was keeping her head down, until she can find someone to reach outside her dad...and at the moment, hitting the shower.

-----

Back at the Oldest House testing chamber.

Steph Gingrich tries to open her eyes, managing to blink once, twice and three times.

The voices around her were faded, and Steph feels delirious as she tries to sit up.

"Stephanie ? Steph, can you hear me ?"

"I think...argh!" Steph groans, as the lights in the testing chamber are back on, searing her eyes.

Black spots cloud her vision, and her head was fogged up with blank spots that were trying to fill. Her head spins for a moment, before Steph finally registers where she is and who she's talking to.

It was the FBC who reached out to her, wanting to find Rachel, and talk about the "glimpses" Steph has been having. Despite Steph only being involved in one mission, they thought she was someone who could reach Rachel, following her disappearance and the attack on Beaver Creek.

For this, Steph was asked to take part in a "contact" experiment (explaining why she and Director Faden were in swimsuits) with her "tulpa". But where it seemed some of these blank spots were filled, others took their place.

Steph manages to sit up, and look around as her eyes get used to the light. She is still wet and cold from the pool, in spite of the sauna-like air of the chamber.

She recognizes Dr. Emily Pope and Director Jesse Faden from their correspondence and interviews. But as Steph looks around her, she realizes she had her head in the lap of some...chick.

This cute young Asian woman, dressed in a pair of jeans and a matching jacket. She had short cut black hair, and a pair of round glasses that scream "Cute and Nerdy!"

Steph had a feeling that if this girl went to Blackwell, they would have been friends. But for now, Steph could swear she saw her only in a recurring dream. She feels like she should know her, when Steph tries to recall, there was just a gap in her memory.

"I'm...sorry." Steph nervously smiles, sitting up and away from the equally flustered young woman, she wants to say "Alice", but that's not what comes out of her mouth "Do I...know you from somewhere ?"

Alex Chen opens her mouth to answer, but as she thinks about it...she doesn't really know.

Alex feels like she should know this woman, but as she tries to dig deeper, there's only that blank, foggy feeling clouding her head. Still, something has Alex's attention.

"Your eyes."

Steph chuckles in response. Okay, this girl's cute, but she's coming on a little strong.

"Steph ?" Director Faden touches her shoulder, handing her a towel "Your eyes."

Realizing something, Steph feels around her face; fresh blood was running down from her eyes. While she's sure the bleeding stopped, she still got jumpy from it.

"Oh fuck me!" Steph quickly gets to her feet, desperately scrubbing the towel around her face and head.

Steph steps away from Alex, who gets up and still tries to retrace her steps. As Faden tends to Steph, still trying to talk her back down to Earth, Pope does the same with Alex.

Where were they ? Alex asks herself, why was she here ?

"Miss Chen, are-?" Pope tries to ask, looking over Alex with concern.

"I don't know!" Alex unintentionally raises her voice, before cooling down "I'm...I'm sorry, I don't know."

"Okay, it's okay." Pope says, trying to assure her.

Pope and Faden exchange a look, silently agreeing these two need a bit of time, space and a quick medical exam before further questions.

Alex rubs her temples, trying to put the pieces together. Alex remembers coming to Manhattan days ago, leaving Haven behind last year.

Before that, she remembers losing Gabe. She remembers trying to help Charlotte and Ethan. She remembers being close with Ryan...and how that went to shit when Jed tried to kill her, and the truth came out.

But something else was missing. Something that felt like it belonged, that kept Alex somewhat tethered to Haven; and yet was gone like it was never there in the first place.

More clearly, she recalls taking a walk in Central Park, and remembers talking to "The Magenta Man", as the world around them seemed to glow with fear.

Alex remembers Dr. Pope reaching out to her. And she remembers how Pope, Faden and two other agents question her about this encounter. The more she tries to think about it, her focus is drawn to Gingrich, who finishes wiping herself down.

"Mrs. Chen ?" Pope's voice get's Alex's attention, the blonde looking over her with great concern "Are you...?"

"I'm fine." Alex winces, putting a hand on her forehead "I think."

Both Pope and Alex knew the latter way lying through her teeth, especially when they noticed the red trinkle coming from Alex's nose.

"Ah, Jesus fucking-" Alex starts, pinching her nose.

"It's okay." Pope says, gently rubbing Alex's lower back "This'll take some adjusting, but with further tests..."

Pope looks back at Steph and Jesse. The former had her hand on her forehead, trying to process everything. As Faden has a hand on Gingrich's back, Gingrich looks back at Alex. The same thought crosses both their minds at once; "That girl...I've seen her before."

"But," Pope looks back to Alex "That can wait till tomorrow. Or the day after. However long you two need."

Alex makes a non committal mumbling sound, but isn't really paying attention. Instead, she rubs both temples, trying to recall what's missing.

"C'mon," Pope gently takes Alex by the shoulder "Let's get you looked over, see what else you remember. Then we call it a night."

Alex doesn't argue, as Pope begins leading her towards the door. Alex once again looks back at Gingrich, who Faden was also still talking to.

As Alex was led out, she and Steph locked eyes; the familiarity was there, but they just couldn't put their finger on it.

-----

Rachel's shower did little to relax her, but she's sure she didn't wake anyone up. When she finished and re-dressed, Rachel was nowhere near tired as she hoped.

"Guess it's gonna be one of those nights." Rachel sighs to herself.

As she makes her way down the stairs, Rachel quietly passes her father's room. It was dark, but the door was ajar and she picked up the sound of James' deep breathing.

It makes her think of when she was a little kid, and sometimes slept in her parents room. She always thought her dad sounds like a bear when he sleeps. In all likelihood, even if she stomped down the stairs, he wouldn't hear her.

Once down the stairs, Rachel's first stop was the living room. On the fold-in couch, converted to a bed, Chris Eriksen slept. Sarah Lee was in the guest room upstairs. Daniel was supposed to be sleeping in the same bed as Chris, but Rachel sees his spot is empty.

It didn't take a rocket scientist to find out where Daniel was. Down the hall outside the living room, the light to the downstairs bathroom was on, and the fan could be heard.

Quietly, Rachel darts past the bathroom door, and into the dining room/kitchen, closing the door behind her and turning on a light. The electric heater was turned on, and Rachel shudders at the sudden change in temperature.

After spending a minute rummaging through the cupboards, Rachel gets her hands on a package of Oreo cookies, picking four out, and stacking them on a table.

Opening the fridge and making herself a glass of milk, Rachel turns when she hears the door opening, and sees a tired Daniel Diaz wearing a blue-shirt and black pajama pants.

"Good morning." Rachel says with a subdued, but snarky smile.

"Morning ?" Daniel yawns and wipes his eyes "It's the middle of the night."

"It's..." Rachel looks towards the clock on the wall, and a microwave on a counter, and checks the time "1:30. AM. Morning hours."

Rolling his eyes, Daniel heads towards the table, reaching for the package of cookies, fishing out two as he takes a seat.

"So what's got you up ?" Daniel asks, as Rachel closes the fridge.

"Well, there's the whole being a vampire thing. You ?"

"Couldn't sleep." Daniel shakes his head, as Rachel takes a seat opposite to him "Didn't want to wake anyone."

Rachel nods in understanding, and takes one chocolate part off of two Oreo cookies. She eats them down and stacks the creamy parts together, making a "sandwich" of them. She immediately dunks her creation into the glass of milk.

Daniel just eats his cookies normally.

"So, what's eating you, kid ?" Rachel takes her cookies out of the glass and bites down. She swallows, noticing the unamused expression on Daniel's face, before raising her hand to concede "Okay. Bad joke."

"Couldn't sleep." Daniel takes another bite, "Couldn't stop thinking."

Tilting her head, Rachel nods.

"Same."

"It's just there's so much happening at once." Daniel sighs, still trying to put on a brave face "On top of everything; the case against Fischer, the vampires....becoming an uncle."

Rachel tries to remain sober, but feels her chest tug as Daniel's expression sinks.

"I thought it would be all over. I thought things could be normal." Daniel says with a sniff, looking towards the window "I don't think there is a normal anymore."

Rachel's face softens. She knows the tone and expression on Daniel's face; the kind that says "I'm keeping my cool! I'm keeping my cool! I'm- I'm not a softie. I'm not!"

She's seen it in little kids all the time. And she's especially seen in it teenagers pretending to be more hardened and tougher than they actually are. Of course, she means Chloe Price.

In Rachel's experience, bottling up like that isn't healthy. And in cases like this, it's easy to crack the surface.

"Daniel," Rachel says softly, despite him looking further away. She reaches forward, gently taking Daniel's hand into her own "It's okay."

Daniel looks back at her, and at their hands. His eyes were welling up, and he looked away again, hoping Rachel didn't notice.

This time, Daniel makes an airy noise; this mix between a gasp and a quiet sob. Rachel only releases Daniel's hand to get up from her seat, and circles the table, taking Daniel into her arms, crouching down to his level.

"Shhhh...shhh, shh, shhh." Rachel hushes the boy, taking him into a gentle hug "Come here."

Daniel shudders a bit from her touch, as she was still cold from her shower.

After a pause, Daniel returns the hug, burying his face into her neck and shoulder, wrapping his arms around her upper back.

"Hey, hey," Rachel speaks in a hushed voice "I got you..."

She thinks back to the times she did this with Chloe. Be it on her birthday, her dad's birthday, or just the holidays. She couldn't help but make comparisons.

Unlike Chloe, Daniel is quiet when he cries. He's not openly or loudly sobbing, but is making these heavy but quick breathing noises, mixed with subdued whimpers.

Rachel just gingerly rubs her hand up and down Daniel's back. After a moment, Daniel speaks again in this sad, quiet voice, muffled into Rachel's shoulder.

"I just want it to stop."

"Same Daniel, same." Rachel pats Daniel on the back.

After a moment, Rachel begins to brush a hand through his hair. As she does so, Daniel suddenly flinches away, and looks at her with this unreadable expression. Something tells Rachel she overstepped things.

"Sorry, I-"

"No, no...it's cool." Daniel wipes his eyes, "Fischer used to do the same when I stayed with her. Getting me to lower my guard."

Rachel's expression softens a little more. She didn't get the whole story with Fischer, but with what Daniel and Sarah Lee told her, she knows enough.

"This is on me." Daniel shakes his head, wiping his eyes again with another sniff "And now I'm dragging them into this..."

Rachel tilts her head. She doesn't say anything, but the look she's giving Daniel asks for her.

"Chris, Sarah Lee..." Daniel blinks away a few more tears "They're in this because of me..."

"No." Rachel shakes her head, speaking in a firm voice as she takes Daniel by both his shoulders "I'm the one they want. They wanted me to be their weapon, I ran from them; they'd come for me either way."

"That Sawney guy says Fischer sent them." Daniel gets out from his seat, and steps away from Rachel, with a slight shake in his breath "They're looking for me, because I escaped her."

"That's not on you."

"None of it...none of this wouldn't have happened if Sean and I not run in the first place." Daniel shakes his head, wiping his eyes again as they look away "If- if my dad wasn't..."

"That's not true, Daniel." Rachel crouches down to his eye level "You did nothing-"

"No." Daniel blinks away a few more tears and despite his best efforts he lets out another sob "If I wasn't outside that day...my dad wouldn't have been shot."

"No, no, no, no." Rachel says gently, again wrapping her arms around Daniel, trying to shush him "Don't be thinking like that. Not even for a minute."

Over the past few days, Rachel picked up more on the Diaz brothers and their story. If you were to ask her, their father's death was more on their neighbor being a dick, but it wasn't her place to say. Especially at this time.

But that's not what Daniel needs or wants to hear. Instead she pulls him in close, one arm around his neck, the other around his lower back.

After a moment, Rachel pulls away, just enough to wipe Daniel's tears, and his weeping gradually stops.

"Daniel, I know everyone says it, but I do know what it's like, looking for someone or something to blame." Rachel says, putting a hand on Daniel's cheek.

Daniel says nothing but he gives Rachel a skeptical look. She takes this as her cue to continue.

"With my friend, Chloe, she had a lot of baggage." Rachel explains "A lot of anger she tried to bottle in. Never wanted to vent to me, you know ?"

"What did she do ?"

"Nothing really, just kept holding it around me. We kind of used eachother to avoid our problems." Rachel shrugs "It was like she was looking for something to blame, and when she couldn't find one, she blamed herself. But it doesn't make it anyone's fault."

Rachel feels her eyes swell a little, but she tries to remain sober. She couldn't afford losing her own cool if she was going to help this kid.

"It's human, feeling that way." Rachel wipes her own eye "But sometimes there is no one to blame. I don't know if fate is a thing; that something is pulling our strings. But when there's no one else to blame, then it's certainly not your fault."

As Rachel does this, she considers brushing Daniel's hair again, but stops herself. She only puts her hand on Daniel's cheek.

"You got no one else to blame, but her." Rachel says, referring to Fischer "If she's the one who sent them, if she's the one after you, then what happened in Beaver Creek is on her."

Rachel leans in a little, pressing her forehead to Daniel's.

"And me."

"You ?"

"I am a walking target, If anything, I dragged you into this." Rachel says, standing up and away from Daniel.

Daniel pauses, but a wry, sad smile forms on his face.

"Then I guess this is our mess."

Rachel chuckles, putting her hand on Daniel's shoulder.

"Tell me about it." Rachel says, rolling her eyes, "Though I have a whole lot of messes to blame for my situation."

As she says this she looks to the far side of the room, just beside a calendar. Curious, Daniel looks in the same direction.

On the wall hangs a framed photograph of James on a hiking trip up this hill, with a twelve year old Rachel beside him. Behind them was Odell Lake.

Picking up what Rachel was putting down, Daniel looks back to her "So...what happened ?"

"Hmm ?" Rachel looks back towards Daniel.

"With your dad." Daniel asks, looking and sounding a little hesitant "You said things went south with you two ?"

Rachel hesitates, and opens her mouth to tell him it's not really a story for someone his age.

But then she remembers what he told her over their time together. And after hearing about Merrill's camp, it seems there's very little Rachel could share with the boy that would phase him.

"It's not that long of a story." Rachel says, putting a hand on Daniel's back and leading him to the table "But the aftermath is...ongoing."

As they retake their seats, Daniel takes another bite of his second Oreo, as Rachel composes herself.

Rachel pauses, and takes a deep breath as she reminisces.

"It was...fuck, about ten years ago." Rachel starts, crossing her arms "Now, I feel old."

Daniel stifles back a snicker, and Rachel smiles at his amusement, before she continues.

"It was when I first..." Rachel's expression flattens as she hesitates "It's when I met Chloe, and we skipped school."

Daniel gasps and covers his mouth in faux offense, prompting Rachel to smirk briefly.

"Scandalous, I know." Rachel says, leaning back in her chair and putting her forearm on the table "Nearly got me in trouble with my dad, the school..."

Rachel's eyes look down, and aside.

"Except, I had something on my dad too." Rachel clicks her teeth, before looking back at Daniel "He was with someone...who wasn't his wife."

"Oh." Daniel says, though there was a little more sincerity in his expression and voice "He cheated ?"

Rachel shakes her head, and waves a dismissive hand.

"No, no, no." Rachel says "She was my...my bio mom. Her name was Sera."

Daniel says nothing, but has a look on his face, telling her to go on.

"Before my dad met my stepmom, his first wife had...issues." Rachel sighs "She was an addict. I'd f understand keeping her away when I was a baby, but-"

Rachel pinches the bridge of her nose and shakes her head. Taking another heavy breath, Rachel looks back at Daniel.

"She was trying to reach me." Rachel says "Spent a year sober, trying to get her life together and...and my dad didn't want that."

"Maybe he was looking out for you ?"

"Maybe." Rachel tilts her head from one side and the other, with a flat expression "Or maybe he didn't want people to know his ex was an addict. Especially the mother of his perfect daughter."

Rachel fidgets a bit, and Daniel notices the apprehension in her eyes.

"You don't have to-" Daniel starts to say, but Rachel briefly raises a hand to silence him.

"Nah, it's better for me to get it out there." Rachel says, putting her hands together "My dad was a family man, but image was also important. But I didn't think he'd sink that low."

Daniel's eyes widen with realization, but Rachel continues.

"In my hometown, there was this asshole, Damon. Small-time gang leader, but a big fish in a small pond." Rachel explains "I've got the scar left behind from one encounter, but his claim to fame was drugs."

Rachel looks to the side, and grimaces a little as she remembers, drumming her fingers on the table as she grits her teeth.

"While I was in the hospital, my dad had a deal with the man who put me there," Rachel says with a slight seethe "I don't know if he wanted my mother dead or off the wagon, but ultimately, he got what he wanted."

Exhaling deeply through her nose, Rachel looks back to Daniel trying to soften her glare when he notices his hand on his mouth.

"My mom was back on smack for three years before she..." Rachel shakes her head "She's-she's not around anymore. I found her in the bathtub."

"Rachel, I..." Daniel looks towards the roof, figuring Mr. Amber was still asleep upstairs "So he-"

"I don't think he'd hurt you three." Rachel tries to reassure him, putting her hand on his "I think he thinks he's doing the right thing. He's not a monster but..."

Rachel tries to think of the right words, making this seething and sighing noise before she says-

"He fucked everything up, okay ?" Rachel says "He didn't want people to know about his imperfect family, and my mother had to pay the price for it. And I...I..."

Rachel hesitates and looks away, before she swallows both her pride, and the saliva in her mouth. She finds herself looking back down at his hands.

"I didn't have the best way of coping." Rachel says quietly, not looking directly at Daniel. Again she tilts her head side to side "Drugs and parties here, drinking and sex there. But all I did was hurt people."

Again, Rachel feels her eyes swelling, and finds herself wiping them. She looks back to Daniel and says-

"Chloe tried to help me. Tried to save my mom." Rachel sniffles a little and wipes her eyes "And all I ever did was hurt her."

With that, Rachel abruptly gets up from her chair, and stands in the corner, trying in vain to hide her vulnerability.

Like Daniel, Rachel doesn't cry loudly, but doesn't try to stop the tears running down her face. She must have been weeping to herself for ten to twenty seconds, not seeming to notice until she felt a hand touching her lower back.

She turns to see Daniel. He looks like he wants to say something, but knows there's nothing he can say. Instead, he just wraps his arms around her waist and pulls her into their third hug that night.

Rachel momentarily pauses, before she returns the gesture and wraps her arms around his neck and shoulders. She closes her eyes, and takes a moment to cool down and catch her breath.

After this pause, Daniel speaks.

"Your dad," Daniel starts, looking up to Rachel "Do you trust him ?"

Rachel quickly shakes her head, and wipes her eyes.

"No." Rachel says, composing herself "It's complicated for me, but there's no crossing burned bridge like that."

"But ?"

"But Chris trusts him, and I don't think my dad will hurt you, but...he's hurt me already." Rachel stutters a bit, before sighing in frustration "Look if it were up to me, we wouldn't have gone here in the first place."

"Where would we go ?"

Rachel shrugs, looking upwards as she thinks of an answer.

"Arcadia Bay - or what's become at least." Rachel guesses "It'd be maybe an hour, forty minutes from here on foot."

She looks back at Daniel and pats him on the shoulder.

"But for now, this is the best we got."

Stepping out of Daniel's arms, Rachel crouches down to eye level, putting both hands on his shoulders.

"Sarah and Chris cannot know." Rachel says, emphatically looking Daniel in the eyes "It's the safest these two have been the past week, and I want them to feel that way."

Daniel looks aside, but nods before he looks back at Rachel.  Given what he's been through with Sean, Daniel has seen his fair share of "Good Samaritans" who weren't as trustworthy or helpful as they sell themselves. And if what Rachel tells him is true James Amber may be the latest in a long line of people trying to "help".

"What if he-?" Daniel starts to ask, but Rachel raises a finger to silence him.

"If - and I mean if - it comes to that, I'll handle it." Rachel narrows her eyes.

Taking another pause to compose herself, Rachel stands back up, deciding to change the subject.

"Come on," Rachel puts her hand on Daniel's back "You shouldn't be up this late."

"I shouldn't but I am." Daniel snarks in agreement.

"Tell you what; I can stay down here and you can sleep in my bed, if it makes you comfortable."  Rachel leads Daniel out of the dining room, "You can leave the worrying to me."

-----

Meanwhile, at Thomas Street, Manhattan

(Or earlier, since New York's time is three hours ahead of Oregon)

Alex Chen sits on a bench just outside the Oldest House, waiting for her ride. She checks her phone to see it's 1:43 AM. Anyone who knew of the Oldest House would see it, and anyone who didn't would just see the regular Manhattan skyline.

But when Alex looks, all she can see is the tree.

Having been given a quick checkup and released after questioning, she spent several minutes drumming her fingers on her knee. She kept trying to retrace her steps; filling in the blanks. And those thoughts kept going back to Agent Gingrich.

Alex is not stupid. She can pick up on what Gingrich was feeling and thinking when she looked at her. The way she looked at Alex, Steph looked like she knew her from dream.

But the emotion was real, enough that they couldn't be explained from *just* dreams.

She keeps going back to time in Haven, and the time since she left; to her recent her trip to Central Park. She ends up thinking of what she told Pope and Faden, about her encounter with "The Magenta Man"

Alex saw him on Bow Bridge, pacing back and forth, waiting for something or someone.

The guy himself was handsome but plain. Like a pretty boy model she's see on a magazine, but not really look twice at.

He had ashy pale skin, brownish blonde hair shaved to a buzz, and wore dark red, wool trench coat. His green eyes that held her attention, stopping her as soon as he made quick conversation with Alex.

He didn't threaten her or anything; the impression he gave was that he was just a guy waiting meet his ex-spouse to pick up his kid. Alex recalls what he talked to her about; ask if she's seen a woman, and showed her a picture.

Alex truthfully said no, and the man simply thanked her and left without another word. On the surface, the encounter was nothing remarkable, but Alex could only see past the surface with him. He introduced himself as "Stan Mitchell", which Alex immediately knew was a lie.

And the past hour, what triggered her memories of this encounter, was the few passing mentions of a name she picked up on from "hearing" the presence surrounding Faden.

M o r d r e d

Alex's thoughts pick up on the picture he showed her. The one she assumed was his ex-wife. Sure the outfit, and scenery was different, but she was spot on for Agent Gingrich now that she thinks about it.

And with that picture, those blank spots in her memory kept nagging her, like-

"Hey." The voice of a young woman brings her back down to Earth. Alex turns around to see Gingrich making her way down the front steps towards the sidewalk.

Despite the dark hoodie and jeans Gingrich was wearing, seeing her emerge from what Alex sees as this towering raining tree, it brought to mind the image of a forest spirit or nymph emerging from the forest.

For a second there, Alex felt like she wasn't part of this earth before she got her bearings. She only comes back down at the sound of Gingrich's voice.

"It's Alice, right ?"

"Uh, Alex." The latter corrects "Alex Chen."

Alex gets up from the bench to shake the approaching woman's hand.

"Right, right." Gingrich chuckles a little as she releases Alex's hand.

As she does so, Alex notices a periwinkle color coming off of Gingrich, with flickers of green.

"Where do I know her from ?" She can hear Gingrich wondering to herself "I know I've seen her face. I heard that name before..."

"I got a little...I'm sorry, I- I think I know you from somewhere and-"

"Deja Vu ?" Alex asks with a slightly chipper smile "I get that a lot...The seeing things I mean."

"Yeah, well," Gingrich gestures towards the Oldest House "That's what it's here for."

Alex looks back to the Oldest House, still seeing the tree-like visage in its place. She looks back at Gingrich, who was still looking over her with curiosity.

"Look, I didn't mean to bother you, Mrs- I mean, Agent-"

Before Alex can finish her sentence, Gingrich raises a hand to silence her with a deadpan smile on her face.

"Okay, first ?" Gingrich begins counting her fingers "None of that formal crap; cool people call me Steph, and you seem pretty cool to me."

Alex chuckles slightly, looking away with a flushed expression.

"Secondly," Steph counts her other finger "Since we're out of office, and I've seen your file..."

Alex looks at Steph, tilting her head as the latter hesitates.

"I can't believe I'm gonna say this-" Alex could hear Steph's inner voice, as if her eye roll, and biting her lower lip didn't do the talking for her).

"I was wondering what you could tell me about Haven ?" Steph says, looking aside and rubbing one her arms "My file says I-"

Steph puts both hands on her hips, shakes her head and blows a raspberry as she turns around.

"Forget it,"  Steph shakes her head "It sound stupid now that I-"

"No," Alex says, stepping forward and gently taking Steph's hand, stopping her.

Steph looks at their hands, and back at Alex. An uneasy grin forms between the two, as Alex releases her wrist.

"If...if you think I can help you," Alex says, rubbing the back of her own neck "Then I want to help you."

"Are you sure ?" Steph turns back to Alex and crosses her arms "It comes with a lot of baggage."

"Oh," Alex crosses her arms, as if mimicking Steph, with a more confident smile "I've become quite accustomed to carrying others' baggage."

As she says this, headlights pull up and a taxi van pulls up on them. Alex's ride.

"I'm just gonna-" Alex raises her finger, quickly making her way to the passenger window, which rolls down as she looks in "I'm just gonna be a minute."

The driver, this thin redheaded young man nods "Still getting paid for this." Alex hears his inner voice snark.

Alex quickly steps back towards Steph "So um, I got a place in the Lower East Side."

"Me, I'm hooked up in Queens." Steph adds, before taking her phone out of her pocket "But if you want to pick things up."

Catching onto what Steph is saying, Alex takes out her phone and lets Steph see her number. As Steph dials it in, she couldn't help but notice the picture Alex had as a desktop picture.

It was a sketch of Alex as a DND bard, in a potions shop, one her knees before a witch.

Two things didn't escape Steph's notice; one was that the witch looked almost exactly like a DND character Steph herself sketched the year before. The other was that the bard character looked like she was proposing to the witch.

It reminded Steph of a campaign she tried to get Rachel into (she never could master DND), and a bard character she tried to design for Rachel (she never did draw in the face though).

Still, it was pretty late for them to dwell on it. Alex looks back towards the cab, and back at Steph as she begins to make her leave.

"So, I can check in tomorrow ?"'

"Or tonight." Steph nods "You know, when there's less going through my head and all."

"It's a date." Alex chuckles as she makes her leave. As she is about to enter the cab's back seat she looks at Steph, both having the same sly smile on their faces.

"That was a little strong, wasn't it ?" Alex asks, opening the door.

"A little." Steph nods, with a wave "But y'know, I'll see you when I see you."

No other words were exchanged between them that night. The same thought went through both of their heads: about just hitting the hay and finally crashing in for the night.

And while Alex and Steph settled in their respective apartments, all that was on both their minds was that nagging feeling that one should know the other.

-----

Back on Keystone Road

It was about 2:30 AM, when Rachel, now wearing one of her dads jackets, with her own pair of pants and boots, looks up into the night sky, and wonders to herself if what she's seeing is a shooting star or an airplane.

It didn't matter, ultimately she was distracting herself. Having decided to do the worrying for Daniel tonight, Rachel sat herself on a rocking chair on her dad's front porch.

Given that she spent the better part of the past week or so on night patrol duties, the cold night air barely phases her, as does the sound and scents of animals in the air.

Of course, having also spent the past two nights sleeping in an actual bed, she's really learning to appreciate the small things in life. But now wasn't the time to be selfish.

She stares up at the crescent moon, a little thankful she can discount having werewolves on her hands tonight. On the other hand, she's also become quite adept at picking up small noises or movements in the tree line.

So far, Rachel's nightly visitors consisted of three bats, two chipmunks, a buck and two does which disappeared from the property when she laid eyes on them, and an owl which she had a staring contest for six minutes with, before it also flew the coop.

Rachel picks up the sound of a mountain lion's scream, which she estimates to be about two miles out. In response, there was the sound of neighbors' dogs barking; of coyotes and/or foxes (she never could pick up the difference) yipping and barking in the night.

The only thing that made Rachel so much as stand up was a Prius driving down the road in front of the property, but it appeared to be nothing more than a late night driver. Most likely one of the neighbors, who didn't seem to pay her any notice.

Rachel has been warned about whistling at night, but considering she had been one of the things that go bump in the night for the past seven years, she begins blowing a tune through her lips. Partially out of boredom, partially if she thinks something is out there to worry about, it would draw them in as an easy kill.

She was half way through "In the Air Tonight", before deciding nothing was out there worth looking out for. So, Rachel gets up from her seat, noticing how damp her pants were from the chair, and decides she could use another shower before hitting the hay.

As she makes her way back towards the front door, she hears it. It wasn't a verbal voice, not really; it was more like she was hearing her own thoughts, putting lyrics to the tune she was humming.

But Rachel knew who and what it was immediately.

"Well I remember. I remember don't worry. How could I ever forget ? It's the first time, the last time we ever met..."

Rachel turns around, half expecting to see the vision of the Red Queen, or one of her blood puppets standing behind her. But nothing was there that wasn't there when she last looked into the trees.

"I don't understand daughter," The Queen whispers "Am I not what you were seeking ?"

Rachel ignores the shudder at the Queen's voice, narrowing her eyes as she looks around, and turns back to the front door.

"I'd prefer to see your face." Rachel says "Give me something to aim at."

"Ah, that's what I want to hear." The Queen says with a slight snicker "One way or another, you answer the call of the Morrigan."

Rachel pauses, as she grips the door handle, but doesn't say anything, before the Queen continues.

"Tell me daughter, can you feel it ? Coming in the air tonight ?" Rachel feels a slight gust behind her, as if something that wasn't there was circling around her "The scent of blood, the beating of war drums, the-"

"Does this have a point, or are you just here to ramble ?" Rachel turns around, to nothing in particular and snaps "Do you just love the sound of your own voice ?"

"You strive to be anything other than a weapon, and yet that's what I pull you from the ground to be." The Queen continues "One meets fate on the path to take to avoid her."

Rachel rolls her eyes and begins to open the handle.

"Tell me daughter, do you really believe that you wouldn't answer my call ? That you wouldn't stay here if you didn't think there was a chance ?"

Rachel's body is still, as if the blood in her veins turned to ice, keeping her in place.

"You bring the innocent to the home of the man who put poison in your mothers blood; which in turn, poisoned yours. Just another part of the chessboard, daughter."

"I'm just trying to help them-" Rachel starts to say.

"Every soldier needs a cause to answer the Morrigan's call. As if spreading disease and spilling the blood isn't the cause in on itself."

"Well, I'm answering no one's call." Rachel snarks, releasing the handle and stepping away from the door.

She could practically hear the Queen's smirk in a dark sullen giggle, as Rachel took her place back in the rocking chair.

"You don't linger as I have without learning patience daughter; you're not the only one who hears the call of the Morrigan. As we speak, soldiers answer." The Queen says "They'll answer. They'll come, And through them, you too will answer."

"Yeah ?" Rachel shrugs with a yawn, "I'll be waiting."

And with that, the Queen was silent, which Rachel takes as a sign she's gonna have a quiet remainder of the night. Not even the animals were stirring.

Somewhere in the darkness, before the sun reached Keystone Road, the silence and cold was getting to Rachel. Her eyes were getting heavy, and she began to blink as she looked for any movement in the trees.

Soon, she just closed her eyes.

-----

In what Rachel assumes to be her dream, her head was spinning. There was a foggy disorientation and the scent of blood in her nose. She only now registers that she is laying on a couch.

It takes a moment, but Rachel registers the sun has set outside. She sits up and gets her bearings, and sees that this was a familiar cottage.

It was the one she had in Ontario, where she and Steph stayed after their mishaps in Seattle. And the place woke up from the night Beaver Creek was attacked.

As Rachel get's to her feet, and looks around, she tries to press her hand to her forehead, opening her mouth to say "Oh Jesus..." Instead her hand moves of its own accord, scratching her lower back.

This was curious; it was as if Rachel was looking through a body that wasn't her. Or at least, not her in the present moment ?

It was just like that "dream" she woke up from about a week back. There was the "Inner" Rachel - the Rachel who was her; and the "Outer" Rachel, whose eyes she was looking through, but her body had no real control over.

When she looks, she sees she's not wearing the same clothes she was when she was with the kids. She was now wearing a light blue, leaning blouse, dark grey chinos and was barefoot. The outer Rachel wipes sleep from her eyes, and gets up off the couch, towards a mini fridge located at the living room's side.

Opening the fridge, the inner Rachel is not surprised by the small blood bags within, but what surprises her is when she closes the door, and notices a photograph placed on it.

It was a photo taken from a birthday party apparently. It was of a toddler, a boy, the same boy she saw in photographs of the "last" dream.

The boy was wearing an orange t-shirt, blue pants, and a birthday cap with a bright blue 3 on it. He is sitting with his mother on a couch. His mother held him in her lap, with a dish of two cupcakes before them.

The boy's mother was Rachel.

While the outer Rachel stroked her hand across the photo with familiarity, the Inner Rachel struggled to wrap her mind around this. No, Rachel shakes her head. It can't be real. She knows she didn't have a son. She would be the first to know.

Still, the boy had Chloe's dirty blonde hair, and Rachel's seen those Hazel eyes enough in the mirror to know the boy has her eyes. Outer Rachel feels her eyes water a bit; and despite her unfamiliarity, Inner Rachel feels something twist and ache in her stomach.

So Rachel looks away, her Outer Body making her way to a counter in the cottage's dining room, with a blood bag in one hand  and a can of Nestea in the other. She takes a mug from the counter and mixes herself a concoction of Neste and human blood, before making her way back to the couch.

On the coffee table before the couch, Out Rachel has several open files and documents spread before her. Inner Rachel cannot read for shit. Whatever was written on these papers, were blurred out as if by fog.

The only thing she recognized was a FBC emblem on several of these papers, and a photograph resembling a mug shot. This girl was someone Rachel was sure she didn't know, but was familiar.

It was the girl she saw in her previous "dream" of this cabin. The one who looked like Anna Kendrick.

Outer Rachel's apparent train of thought is interrupted when her phone goes off, the ringtone playing "I Hope You Dance" by Lee Ann Womack.

"I hope you never lose your sense of wonder/You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger/May you never take one single breath for granted/God forbid love ever leave you empty handed-"

When Outer Rachel picks up and answers her phone, Inner Rachel's eyes bulge at the date the phone shows; April 9th, 2021.

"Jesus, how long was I out ?" The Inner Rachel snarks.

Outer Rachel opens her phone, tuning on her Facetime.

There she is greeted by Chloe Price, sitting on a couch of her own, an image that made Inner Rachel's heart and world stop.

Chloe's hair was no longer colored, fading to her natural strawberry blonde, and was also wearing a dark raid jacket for the FBC.

When this Chloe speaks, her words are muffled and obscured, as are the words of Outer Rachel. And from the Inner Rachel's perspective, she may as well be watching them talking from a third person perspective.

A moment of this passes, but Inner Rachel was too distracted to note the change in time; too taken aback by Chloe's sudden and new appearance. But she was thrown off further by another sudden appearance.

Toddling onto the facetime screen, and climbing onto Chloe's lap, was the same toddler from the pictures; the one with Chloe's natural hair, and Rachel's hazel eyes.

While Outer Rachel was reacting and talking to the boy in enthusiasm, her words were still muffled to the Inner Rachel's ears. And despite Inner Rachel's uncertainty and unfamiliarity, she feels the Outer Rachel's eyes water and her heart sink.

"No," Inner Rachel thinks to herself "I can't have a son. Especially not with Chloe."

And yet, the Outer Rachel apparently speaks to this boy, you'd think she was always part of his life, as he was to her. Just what the hell was this, Rachel thinks to herself.

A N O T H E R   L I F E   O N E   Y O U   C A N ' T   K E E P

O N E   Y O U   W I L L   F O R E F E I T

It's only after another moment passes, does the boy excuse himself from Chloe's knee, apparently having said goodnight to Rachel, does Inner Rachel finally hear what they're saying.

"...Be careful babe." Chloe says with a shaky sigh "I can't lose you again."

"You're stronger than that Chloe." The Outer Rachel replies in a confident "All I do is hold you back; it's her you can't lose."

Chloe winces, wipes her eyes and nods.

"I just can't lose anyone else-"

"You won't." Outer Rachel says firmly "I won't let that happen. We won't let it happen."

Chloe sighs again, rubbing the back of her neck.

"I'll..." Chloe hesitates "I gotta tuck Bill in. So..."

Chloe kisses her hand and blows it to Outer Rachel who pretends to catch it and hold it to her heart.

"I'll see you later."

Outer Rachel catches the kiss with a quick "G'night." before her face time ends.

With that, Outer Rachel finishes her drink as she goes over the still blurry (from Inner Rachel's perspective) pictures and docs, which she sets aside before picking up her phone and sending another text.

This time, Inner Rachel see's what Outer Rachel is writing. She doesn't recognize the number Outer Rachel is texting too, but that meant nothing, since the name was dropped in this message.

"Hello Beca Mitchell. You'd be doing yourself a favor by answering this call." Beca Mitchell. Rachel couldn't recall the name, but whoever she was, she is important enough for this Rachel to try to reach out to.

With that, the Outer Rachel sends another text. There is a pause, when Outer Rachel's phone goes off, which she promptly answers.

"Beca Mitchell ?" She says expectantly.

"Who is this ?" The girl, apparently named Beca, asks with annoyance.

Inner Rachel watches on as the two have a quick conversation. What else they were saying, Rachel didn't know. As with most of the audio, everything she was supposed to hear was muffled.

It wasn't until this phone call ended, did she hear actual words again "Up to you. If you want we can keep it to emails. I don't want to keep you, so how about I reach out tomorrow ? We can talk more then."

"I guess that works too." Beca replies "See ya...maybe ?"

And then Beca hangs up.

As Outer Rachel sets her phone aside, a familiar scent and presence rouses both her and the Inner Rachel. The strong scent of blood - the blood of the Queen.

-----

Rachel suddenly feels a sharp pain in her chest, which she clutches. It was this painful, burning, searing sensation, that spreads throughout her body. She feels it again, causing her to double over.

As she collapses to her knees, Rachel looks up and around her. This cabin, whatever the place this "Outer Rachel" was staring at began to fade and blur.

Before Rachel can process what's happening around her, Rachel clutches her stomach feeling two other sharp pains in her legs. When she looks up, her vision was still hazy; but she can faintly see she was in...her dad's cabin again ?

It was day light, and the smell of smoke and blood overpowered her senses. She stumbles about what she thinks in her dad's dining room, and looks down and around her.

At her side, Chris Eriksen lies against the wall. She can't tell if he was conscious, but she thinks she can make out Daniel trying to shake him awake.

It was then Rachel feels something warm on her fingers. She looks at her hand, seeing a bite mark on her wrist, and looks down as she notices another presence with her.

Laying beside, barely if at all conscious Rachel was Sarah Lee Hackerman.

Her mouth and chin was smeared with blood, as was her shirt and chest. The girl was breathing, but not in a healthy way; like she was trying to keep herself awake or alive, and gasping like a fish on a hook.

"Rachel behind you!" Daniel's voice calls out, and Rachel looks up to see Daniel holding his arm out, about to use his powers. But as soon as Rachel turns around, she see's the barrel of a gun.

With a white flash, and a loud BANG Rachel feels something hot and fast graze her head, and a sudden wave of force; like the room was shook by an explosion.

As everything went dark, it took a bit of effort for Rachel to open her eyes...

-----

Quarantine Hospital, North Bend Washington, April 6th 2020

"Jacob ?...Jacob ?"

"Hey buddy, are you up ?"

The voices of Matt Taylor and Jessica Riley spit through Jacob Hackerman's head like a headache. He rubs his eyes, and sits up from the hospital bed.

"I've been up for a while." Jacob mumbles, looking to see Matt standing by the doorway with crossed arms, and Jessica was in a chair by Jacob's bed side "Are they here ?"

"They're being checked in," Matt says, uncrossing his arms and looking away "We just want to make sure you're ready."

"I've been ready since I got the news." Jacob lurches to the side, attempting to get up and off the bed, but Matt steps forward, putting both hands on Jacob's shoulders to hold him in place.

"I wouldn't." Matt says "You're still coming down from painkillers."

Jacob prepares to argue, but shakes his head with a sigh.

"What time is it ?"

"Six." Matt answers, holding two hands and six fingers up "PM."

"Then why raise five ?" Jacob asks in a flat but snarky tone "Thumbs aren't fingers."

"Oh, so he's cracking jokes now." Jessica chuckles, before shifting to a softer demeanor "But you are ready to talk ? Y'know, about-?"

"Yes." Jacob answers with a heavy sigh "It's all I could think about lately..."

"Just don't let yourself get overwhelmed." Matt pats Jacob on the shoulder reassuringly "Doctor's say you're in the clear but-"

"It's the stuff in here that sticks." Jessica taps a finger at the side of her head.

"Yeah. Yeah." Jacob wipes his eyes, and feels an unconscious shudder rush through him "I just want to get this over with."

"You and us both, buddy." Jessica gets up from her chair, "You and us both."

-----

In the hospital's lobby, Sean Diaz, Finn McNamara and Lucy Rose "Cassidy" Jones were dropped off, approached by a young man, wearing the guard's sigil on his uniform jacket sleeve, and carrying a clipboard.

The lobby wasn't packed, but a dozen or so people in uniforms and a few armed guards didn't really inspire any confidence. There were more of them overlooking the place, then there were staff or patients.

Which could be expected of a quarantined hospital, but it still reminded the three of what they had on their hands.

The older man was making conversation with a younger one, who Sean and co recognize at Mike Munroe, who nods towards them with familiarity.

"Good evening, Diaz." The older man says with a professional tone and demeanor, reading over the clipboard, nodding to Sean and then Finn and Cassidy "McNamara, Jones."

The man puts his hands behind his lower back.

"Eric King." He introduces himself "Speaking on behalf of Pierre Margot."

"Okay ?"

"His boss just wants to talk with Sean." Mike jabs a thumb at King "Red tape and all that."

"Just show us the way-" Cassidy starts to say, before King holds his hand out to keep her in place.

"Margot wishes to speak only to Diaz."

"Anything he can say to me, he can say in front of them." Sean gestures to Finn and Cassidy, the latter looking annoyed and the former nodding in agreement.

"Jones and McNamara aren't the ones Margot is concerned about." King says sternly "Margot just wants to make sure you understand the deal.

"I do," Sean says, defensively "I just-"

"Then you can say it to his face," King gestures to Sean to follow him.

Sean looks apprehensive, before tgiving Finn and Cassidy a glance, and sighing in acceptance/defeat.

"Sure thing then." Sean puts his hands together, as Mike gestures to Finn and Cassidy to follow him.

"Come on," Mike says, leading them away "Hackerman will want to see a familiar face."

"Good luck." Finn pats Sean on the back as he and Cassidy pass Sean by.

"Don't jinx it."

-----

The walk from the lobby to the wing down stairs was a quiet one, and while it only took like four minutes, it felt like an hour because of it. King put up this professional front around Sean, that made him hard to read.

It was a feeling Sean familiarized himself with the past two years; people watching him, whispering about him; questioning his guilt or innocence. It was something you'd think Sean would get used too by now, but this trek proved him wrong.

Especially since Sean noticed a few staff and patients looking and whispering, and a masked guard or two shaking their heads at Sean as he passed them.

As if he were reading Sean's mind, King speaks.

"If it makes you feel better, they're like that with other scouts." He says, leading Sean to an elevator "It's not you."

"Yeah, I'm sure that's it." Sean replies, completely deadpan.

As they go three floors down from the lobby, Sean quickly gets a feel of the layout of this hospital.

Upper wings were for the stable patients, while the "uncertain patients" - those who were critically injured and may be infected, were locked in the lower floors, right below the ground level.

Why they'd keep the infected and non infected in the same place, Sean doesn't know. But the question is far from Sean's mind as they pass several rooms.

Each step further and further beneath the school felt colder and colder. A real "someone just walked over your grave" feeling. In a moment, he was led to a door at the end of this hallway, which King steps forward and opens.

It wasn't to a hospital room itself, but another looking into one through a one way window. Facing the window was Pierre Margot, surrounded by two guards dressed in SWAT-Like outfits, and carrying two AK-47's.

"Diaz has-" King starts to address Margot.

"I can hear that, Mr. King." Margot says, without turning around "You may take your leave."

King nods his head towards Margot, before doing just that, closing the door behind him after ushering Sean inside. There is a pause before Margot speaks again, still not turning around.

"Sean Eduardo Diaz." Margot addresses him "I've heard a great deal about you, mon ami."

"I'm sure you did." Sean stands up straight, trying to look and sound confident.

"I mean, your name was all over the news a couple years back." Margot turns around, with a confident smile that tries way too hard to be friendly "Mind you, I never followed your case, but there is one other who has mutual attention."

"Okay," Sean narrows his eyes and starts to ask "But you wanted to talk to me, so..."

"There is one other witness, Mr. Diaz, that knows of your brother's whereabouts." Margot gestures towards the window, ushering Sean to step forward.

Lying in the hospital bed was an unconscious man wearing a pair of pajama bottoms, as his naked torso was held down by steel restraints, and his wrists held to the bed posts.

He looked to be somewhere in his fifties and had pale flaky skin, and reddish grey hair cut down to a buzzcut. Where there was facial hair days before, his face was now clean shaven.

"Or should I say, a perpetrator." Margot adds.

Sean only looks momentarily fazed, but having seen his fair share of the dead and injured, it was easy for him to keep a stone face "Who is he ?"

"Like any good leach, he's gone by many names over the centuries." Margot raises a finger "But he was born Alexander of the Bean clan; but the stories recorded call him Sawney."

Sean looks towards the vampire, and back to Margot, narrowing his eyes with unfamiliarity. Noticing this, Margot steps towards the window.

"Come now; Sawney Bean ?" Margot puts a hand on the window "A ghoul before he even turned, he and his family had a dreadful reputation, earning them all the death sentence by King James ?"

"What did he do ?"

"A little thievery, and murder here. Rape, cannibalism and incest there." Margot tilts his head back and forth "King James thought it severe enough to have the men of the Bean clan burned, castrated and dismembered."

Sean looks apprehensive upon hearing this. If these charges were true, he was pretty sure he couldn't see Bean or his family as people; but he can also scarcely consider the dismemberment and castration of a family to humane.

"Of course, the part the story leaves out was how a treacherous knight in James' court saw to it that Bean and a few of his children could slip through the good king's fingers." Margot shakes his head "Now he serves the Mother's Children in the creation of their leach armies."

Margot against taps on the glass.

"It was Bean and his later...experiments, that besieged Beaver Creek." Margot says, looking back and forth between Sean and Bean "At the behest of Mordred and the request of someone who really wanted to get their hands on you and your brother. Came within a hair of taking him too."

Sean perks right up upon hearing this.

"You mean...he's seen Daniel ?"

"As far as we're aware, he's the last one to see your brother alive." Margot looks towards Sean with a stoic expression "Thought you'd like to question him too when he's ready."

Sean clenches his fists looking at the vampire.

"If he-" Sean starts to say, before Margot interrupts.

"Yes, yes, I've heard this bravado before." Margot shakes his head, putting his hands on Sean's shoulders, forcing him to face him "My question is, what do you intend to do when the time comes ?"

"What are you talking about ?"

"I just want to make sure we understand your deal, Mr. Diaz." Margot pats Sean on his left shoulder "That you understand this doesn't end with your brother."

Sean looks to the side before sighing.

"I'm a scout for the guard until this case is-" Sean starts to say, before again being interrupted.

"Cases." Margot says insistently "This outbreak has opened a powder keg, and I expect you to see your end bargain to the end."

Looking back at Bean, Sean shakes his head.

"I'm...I'm not really a hands on guy." Sean says, stepping away from Margot "I just- I don't think I have it in me to be a vampire slayer, you know ?"

Margot nods, with an understanding smile.

"I see, I see." Margot puts both his hands together "But given how drastic these cases are, that very well could change. I've seen many honorable men turn into monsters on the field. Our vets call it, the Call of the Morrigan."

"I...wouldn't...bet on it..." A horse, raspy voice with a Scottish cadence speaks up. Both Sean, Margot, and the armed guards look towards the window. Bean was awake, his head turning towards the "mirror" with a knowing and amused smile on his face.

While the mirror/window was designed in such a way, those behind it shouldn't have been able to see him. the way Bean's milky eyes fixate on Sean's direction, you'd think they were in the same room.

"Sean...Diaz." Bean makes an airy noise sounding like a cross between a cough and chuckle "You and the younger one...caused a bit of a mess, now haven't you ? It seems my fortunes have changed, but I would say yours haven't noticeably improved."

Bean moves slightly in spite of his restraints, seeming to not care that as he does so, his skin breaks and he begins to bleed. You'd almost think that was his intention.

Sean attempts to step to the side, feeling a chill at Bean's gaze. But when Sean moves, Bean's eyes follow.

"I have a feeling...I have the answers you're looking for..." Bean says with a weak voice licking his teeth "Why don't you come here, so I can tell you."

As if he was sensing where they were, Bean's eyes flicker toward Margot and his guards.

"It's for your ears only, Mr. Diaz." Bean says.

"There's nothing he can share with you that we can't tell you." Margot says to Sean, as if to spite Bean "We found him in Willamette; and when we questioned him, he admitted that it was your brother who helped subdue him."

Sean's eyes light up a little. Okay, that's the good news; this monster saw Daniel, but was unable to catch him. But as he realizes this, it also dawns this is a good news/bad news situation.

"He also confirmed our other suspicions." Margot adds "That he's in the hands of Rachel Amber."

"Ah, you're no fun..." Bean scoffs.

Sean thinks for a moment. He recalls how Victoria described Rachel the day before; shady as all hell, hard to read but nothing to indicate she's a monster.

"Is that good or bad ?"

"All we have to go on with Miss Amber is," Margot begins counting fingers "She is the latest champion of their plague; that she left behind a hospital full of slaughtered skals; and was the one who put our esteemed guest in his current condition."

Bean grimaces and shakes his head. He pulls on his cuffs, and they continue to cut into his wrists.

"Does that sound like someone you want looking out for your brother ?"

Sean hesitates before answers.

"Maybe she was protecting him ?"

"Protecting ?" Margot chuckles "Taking a boy like that in the wilderness, in such a situation ? Doesn't strike me as someone with the boy's best interests in mind."

Sean grimaces, preparing to argue, but one look at the guard's guns made him hesitate again. He then recalls something else.

"Daniel, he can-"

"We are very aware of your brother's abilities." Margot says "Director Faden gave us everything they have on him; it's just a matter if he's a flight risk."

"Daniel's smart." Sean shakes his head and argues "He uses his powers to help himself and others." A slight grin could be seen on Sean's face, feeling a little proud as he says "He's a superhero in the making."

"And in my own comic reading experience, a hero can easily be turned into a monster. And a monster with your brother's powers, is something we could do without." Margot shrugs, before crossing his arms "The Queen's blood is a corruption, Mr. Diaz. And if your hermano is with a carrier of the Queen's disease, we have to take the worst case scenario as the first case."

"Oh, yes." Bean chuckles from behind the glass "If only you were there, chico. If only you saw the hungry look in the lassie's eyes. Between you and me, I had feeling she was-"

Sean grits his teeth and clenches his fists, but before he can do anything, Margot interjects.

"Pardon me," Margot mouths, before pulling a small remote-like device from his coat pocket. He presses down on the center button, and the cuffs tighten into Bean's wrists, cutting him deeper.

Bean doesn't stop the tears from flowing. In fact he's laughing, even as his wrists become slick with blood. Sean can only wince at the sight, taking hold of his own wrist.

"We may have to take this elsewhere, Mr. Diaz." Margot takes Sean by the shoulder, gesturing him towards the door "Somewhere without prying ears." Margot holds his hand out, silently motioning the guards to stay in their post, as he leads Sean out of the room.

As the door closes behind them, the guards look towards Bean who is no longer moving, but staring up at the roof. He was muttering something under his breath.

He pulls his wrist again, and yet again, the blades of the cuffs cut him.  This time Bean grinned, for he felt his wrist move through the cuffs with the slickness.

-----

"What do you intend to do, when you find him ?" Margot asks, leading Sean up the hall he was led down moments ago "You really didn't think your services with us ends there, did you ?"

"I mean, what else can I do ? I already told you I'm not exactly what you'd call a-" Sean answers back, making an "air quote" gesture with both fingers "Seasoned vampire killer."

"Oh, I'm sure we'll find you something to do by then." Margot says with an amused grin, before becoming more sober "But of course, there is the worst case scenario we need to take into account."

"I don't-" Sean tries to argue, before being interrupted again.

"I know it's not what you want to hear, but it is a possibility we need to consider." Margot answers, before trying to give Sean a reassuring pat on his back "How much do you know about the Guard's history, Mr. Diaz ?"

"Plenty." Sean answered "It's all I've been reading about the past week now."

"Then you will know of Jean Margot ?"

"The name's come up." Sean nods "I'm guessing he's your grandpa ? Something like that ?"

"He was my great grandfather." Margot answers "The last of the Old Guard. The few in his time that had a lick of sense."

As he speaks, Margot comes to a slow stop, as does Sean. When he looked at Sean, there was a sudden change in Margot's eyes and voice, indicating he was carrying something heavy. Almost like a confession.

"But that changed when the old guard became a little too open. The foolish thought the Red Queen and her brood was something that could turn vampire and hunters towards a common foe." Margot shakes his head "I...I've been told how my great grandfather stood true to the cause. A leach was a fucking leach!"

"What did he do ?"

"Fought back against the shifting tides!" Margot raises his voice, which gets Sean to step back a little. There was a more noticeable French cadence in his voice "He fought to ensure the Guard of Priwen had a new foundation in this country, and the leeches wouldn't sink their fangs and poison into its roots! Didn't cost him much, just his reputation, life and humanity!"

As Margot says this, he snarls and grits his teeth. Sean, despite being taken aback, narrows his eyes in suspicion, as he notices that Margot's eyes have darkened and his teeth were...a little sharp.

As if he notices this, Margot hastily closes his mouth.

"What...what exactly happened ?" Sean asks, trying to look confident and sober "You said he lost his humanity; how'd that happen ?"

Noticing Sean's apprehension, Margot takes in a deep breath and composes himself. It was almost robotic and unsettling how his eyes lit up, looking at the younger man like some kicked puppy.

"You have to understand where he was coming from." Margot explains, as he begins leading Sean towards an elevator "When Jean was a boy, he had a life of prestige and wealth. But it could not save his family from tuberculosis. He was foolish enough to trust a vampire to save his brother."

"They killed him ?" Sean asks as they reach the elevator.

"Worse." Margot pushes the down button "Perhaps it would be better for the consumption to rot his brother away. Would have spared them both."

Sean's eyes widen, and Margot notices his further apprehension, as the elevator door opens.

"Alexandre Margot was dead already, Mr. Diaz. There wasn't much of him left in that thing Jean put down." Margot leads Sean into the elevator.

The way he says it, the way he looks so deep in thought, Sean would almost think that Margot was deep in memory. Not that he'd say outright.

Margot presses the button for the fifth floor, before looking back at Sean.

"Jean Margot has stepped in your shoes, Mr. Diaz."

"Well, I don't plan to walk in his."

"That's entirely up for fate to decide." Margot cracks his neck "My concern is, if it comes to that, will you be willing to make the same choice as my great grandfather ?"

Sean grimaces a little, and looks away from Margot, and exhales through his nose.

"I guess we'll find out when we get there, will we ?"

"Perhaps, but it seems to me you have a lot more to lose if you don't play ball." Margot clicks his tongue "I've been made aware of you and Miss Jones'...coming delivery."

Sean slowly looks towards Margot, a slight glare in his eyes, silently asking where he's getting at.

"You're planning to keep it, are you ?" Margot asks, raising an expectant eyebrow.

"We've talked about it." Sean answers "But we have a lot more on our plate."

"You say that, but a baby is the cherry on top in all this, you know ?" Margot clicks his tongue again, looking away from Sean "This deal we have could decide if you could regain some of your former life, or lose it all."

Yet again, Margot pats Sean on the shoulder.

"I would hate for you to be responsible, for a child losing his father."

Sean's eyes widen and his pupils shrink. A white sensation of rage boils inside his stomach, and his fists clench, as blood rosues up to his head and to his wrists.

He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath.

"My apologies." Margot says, with a sympathetic sigh "I only wish to say, I don't want you falling off the wrong path like this. Systems fucked up like that, and not everyone gets a second chance like this. What I'm saying is, don't blow this. Despite our best efforts, parasites find a way to poison the well."

The elevator stops and the door opens. Sean and Margot step out, passing an older woman in a wheelchair, plus two orderlies, as they continue their conversation.

"The American Guard you see, even we aren't immune to assimilation." Margot continues, leading Sean down another hall, which was a little more busy, but everyone else seemed wrapped up in their own concerns, they paid them no mind "But our work under the FBC was fair and beneficial; at least with the initial deal."

"What went wrong ?"

"Progress went sideways." Margot shakes his head "They took any and all paranatural related organizations into their fold. Including Ascalon. Are you familiar ?"

Sean thinks for a moment, thinking about what he's been reading up on the past week.

"The vampire club ?" Sean recalls "Is that good or bad ?"

"Leeches, young man, leeches." Margot clicks his teeth "That they've infiltrated such an organization so closely, already has me raising alarms."

As they talk, they round a corner to another hall.

"Our new director, I believe she thinks she's doing what's right." Margot sighs and shakes his head "But she doesn't see anything suspicious of letting them work so closely with a problem they caused."

"But Ascalaon's supposed to be a different club, right ?" Sean points out "Like, I've read been fighting this cult for a century."

"Yeah ? And the news used to say you were a cop killer." Margot scoffs "I'd think you have learned to question the official story."

"The official story is out there. Got it published myself." Sean remarks, shaking his head toward Margot, brushing the latter's hand off his shoulder "I'm sure these Ascalon people got a side to this to share."

"Indeed they do, but are you really prepared to gamble your trust to those who put you and your brother in this mess ?" Margot narrows his eyes "My great grandfather put his trust in one of them, and had to put his brother out of his misery for it."

"Maybe we know better than he did." Sean crosses his arms, unfazed as Margot's eyes widened "It's been what, a century ? Sounds like we had a lot to learn from then."

Margot's face was unreadable for a pause, before he chuckles.

"Well clearly, you still have a lot to learn, yourself."

-----

It took a bit of effort, but Rachel Amber managed to open her eyes. She doesn't notice much of anything at first, due to the swelling pain and spinning in her head.

Rachel was about to say something, likely to curse at the headache, but all that comes out is this pained "EAAARNNNNNGGG!!!" noise and she clutches her head. As she does so, her fingers just register the touch of fabric around her scap.

As she sits up, she notices she is in this dark and obscured room. This wasn't the chair she fell asleep in, but it certainly wasn't one of the bedrooms in her dad's cabin. And she certainly wasn't in the same set of clothes she was at the cabin.

It takes a moment for her eyes to adjust to the darkness, and she realizes she's in a...dorm room ? A pretty familiar one at that.

However, where she was is the farthest from her mind. The swelling and throbbing pain in her head gets the better of her, and she notices a nightstand beside the bed she was in.

On it, there was an unopened can of coke and a bottle of tylenol. She takes and opens the can. As she investigates the pill bottle, she sees eight pills in it, and pours four into her hand, downing them down with a glug of the coke.

Being a vampire made OD's less of a concern; plus how much her head was splitting, she didn't care.

Finally, Rachel notices a heavy scent of blood in her nose, and taste in her mouth; the kind she doesn't get unless she's been feeding excessively. Her drink washes it down a little.

Rachel takes a moment to get her bearings, getting up off the bed with a slight wobble in her step. She collapses against the wall, and uses it to guide her step.

She looks back to the bed, seeing a bluish grey throw blanket used in lieu of sheets, and a dark blue comforter she's been sleeping under. There was only one large pillow with no case to go with it.

At the far end, before the bed, was a window with its curtains in the way. She notices a light switch on the wall she's leaning on, and turns it on.

It's then she really lets her familiarity with the place sink in. It took her a few seconds, and the room was mostly emptied out, and hasn't been lived in for some years now. But she's been in this room a few times before, and she and Chloe slept in this room once or twice in early 2013.

It was the former dorm room of Victoria Chase.

To confirm her suspicions, Rachel walks/waddles towards the window and pulls the curtains open. She then flinches away at the light. The sun was going down in Arcadia Bay, or at least what became of it over the years.

The sky was such a perfect shade of golden orange, that Rachel reflectively reached for a camera that wasn't there.

Blackwell Academy looks like it has seen better days.

The grass across the campus was overgrown as far as she could see, with bits of litter all over the place. She heard how Blackwell was closed down years ago, and it shows. If she had to guess, the campus became a party spot over the years.

As she looks on, Rachel notices a dry, rashy, blistering sensation on her skin, and quickly closes the blinds as she remembers something.

The dhampir blood. Or at least that medical synthetized stuff they've been pumping her with at the Twins; the stuff that circumvented the sun's harmful effects on vampires. Rachel must have burned out her dosage.

Well, however she got here, Rachel was up shit creek without a paddle. She clutches her head as the realization settles in and finally notices the fabric wrapped around her head.

"What the hell ?" Rachel croaks out through her throat.

Turning around and no longer needing the wall to support herself, Rachel walks/waddles towards the doorway and staggers into a familiar hall.

Rachel looks around, but nostalgia was far from her mind. She swallows her saliva and calls out.

"Daniel ?"

She doesn't get an answer as she makes her way to the dorm's bath and shower room.

"Sarah Lee ? Chris ?"

She almost calls out for her dad, but something told her that if he was the one who took her, he wouldn't have brought her here.

As her head stops spinning, Rachel looks down her body and notices what she is wearing, besides whatever was wrapped around her head. She was barefoot, and wearing a dark grey pair of long johns, and black t-shirt, which has two holes in it that she can see, and barely noticeable bloodstains.

And as she looks down, she finally feels five numbing spots across her leg and torso. They didn't hurt, but brought to mind that feeling you get where your body starts to come down from being sore.

Rachel makes her way to the girls bathroom. As she turns on the light, her attention is drawn to the sinks.

There was a small bundle of towels in one of the sinks. They were white, but Rachel notices these brownish red stains on them. Dried blood.

As she takes a closer look, Rachel glances into the mirror, finally noticing what's wrapped around her head; it was another ripped towel, tied tightly around her scalp like a makeshift bandanna. Like the towel in the sink, it had noticeable dried blood marks on it.

At the far corner of the room, Rachel notices her other clothes in a bundle. Her jeans and her grey flannel shirt she's been wearing at at her dad's cabin. They too were stained with dried blood, and a lot more damaged than her t-shirt.

Turning her attention to the sink, Rachel picks up the damp towel. She estimates it was used here the past few days. The still wet and red droplets around the sink's bowl and rim support that. She sets the towel on the side of the sink, and opens it.

There, she finds a blood stained screwdriver, a pair of tweezers...and six fired bullets. 30-06 Springfield shells to be specific.

"Jesus Christ, what's happened to me ?" Rachel asks, as if her mind still wasn't piecing it together.

To be fair, her brain still felt like it was recovering from something, with her last solid memory being falling asleep on her dad's deck. As she tries filling in the gaps, Rachel feels that numbing but relieved sensation across her body.

Curious, Rachel steps back from the mirror. She lifts her t-shirt, noticing that her bra has a smaller blood stain. There was a mark on the very left of her abdomen, like a healed wound just about to fade, and another on her ribs, barely missing her heart.

Feeling a similar tingle on her lower back, Rachel turns her back to the mirror, and looks over her shoulder. There was another faded mark to the left, just beside her spine and above her hindquarters.

"Oh," Rachel simply remarks, putting two and two together.

She was shot. At least six times it seems.

And whoever brought her here, fished the bullets out with a screwdriver and tweezers. Her guess is they had to make due with what they could find. This explains the wet towel and Rachel's change of clothes, but there was still much her disoriented mind was putting together.

Feeling that tingle on her legs, Rachel pulls off her long johns, seeing blood stains on her underwear. On her left leg, she has two faded wounds; one on her lower calf, and another on her upper thigh.

Turning back to face the mirror, Rachel notices the tingle in her chest and her head. To confirm her suspicions, Rachel feels around her "bandana" and carefully unwrapped the torn towel from her head.

There was no blood of course, save for the dried stuff on the towel. Nor was there any open wound, just a grazed mark on the very side of her forehead, just above her right eye.

One thing Rachel was taught about vampires over the years is that headshots were effective, but not guaranteed to kill them. They were mostly used to incapacitate.

Unless you decapitate them or completely destroy the brain, shooting a vampire in the head will do little more than render them unconscious for the brain to repair itself. Usually it takes about a week.

Rachel never tried this herself, but she wager the same happened to her. With this, she concludes this was at least early April.

Rachel inhales and exhales deep through her nose, taking this all in. At the far end of the sink, was a half empty dish soap and mostly empty bottle of baby shampoo stood on the floor, with a loofah hanging off the valve. Rachel can only conclude she was a mess after her shooting, and "surgery". Whoever brought her here had to make due with what they could find.

As her senses pick up, Rachel notices something else on her wrist; it was another faded wound, but this one resembles a bite mark -- a vampire bite mark -- which left a dark bruise.

-----

After looking over herself and getting her bearings, Rachel went about picking through her old clothes and the new ones her rescuer(?)/captor(?) could find for her.

Initially just wearing what she had, she went about the dorm looking for any other spare clothes. The place was mostly empty, having been abandoned years ago, little else behind besides a few beds and dressers.

For pants, Rachel found a pair of dark green leggings in what was once Dana Ward's room; and for a top, a green hoodie that once belonged to Brooke Scott.

Well, it's not like they're using them, right ?

She could only find a pair of moth-eaten socks, and settled for remaining barefoot.

Her next move was going outside. By then, the sun had disappeared completely from the sky, leaving only a darkening red glow, which showed the first stars and the full moon.

As she looked and wandered about, she could see Blackwell Academy and its campus dorms were well and truly left behind. No doubt due to the aftermath of Arcadia Bay's downfall.

By 2017, Arcadia Bay was all but a ghost town, with the only remaining residents living in or around the outskirts and greater county. And even then, Rachel isn't sure that the current residents were the same ones from eight years ago.

Though as Rachel looks and wanders about the ruined campus grounds, a lot didn't add up. Maybe it was her brain still repairing itself from being shot.

For one thing, why was the water working ?

Wouldn't the electricity be cut off from this school for years ?

Even if there were squatters or party goers romping about, she'd doubt they'd have such luxuries at their disposal. So someone or something had to be taking care of this place to some extent, right ?

As Rachel questions herself, her ears pick up on something. It was the unmistakable music of Creed, playing on this radio, coming from the boys dorm.

Maybe her ears were better at picking up quiet noises, but it sounded to her the volume was low on purpose, so as not to draw attention.

Yeah, well it's not like they can pull the wool over her eyes.

-----

Rachel wasn't surprised when the dorm's front door was unlocked. She was unphased from looking over the halls she's seen a number of times, seeing it was just as emptied and abandoned as the girls' dorm.

But what had her attention was the Creed music coming from one of the rooms, under the name of Drew North, who she knew for a fact wasn't using the room at the moment.

She opens the door, the blinds are closed darkening the room, but her eyes adjust pretty quickly.

She sees the room was empty save for a bed mattress, a few bags of chips, and a half empty box of crackers; they were sitting on a chair in, with a plate on it, that Rachel can only assume was used in place of a table.

But what had Rachel's attention was the mattress; on it, laid a pillow and someone using a sleeping bag in lieu of a blanket or sheets. At Rachel's immediate left was a small radio boombox, the source of the music playing.

Rachel thinks the make is 2008 or something, but doesn't dwell on it as she turns it off.

"Up high/I feel like I'm/Alive for the very first time" The song plays "Set up high/I'm strong enough/To take these drea-"

Rachel clicks turns the radio off and quietly makes her way towards the mattress, carefully crawling onto it. Not far from it, was a small portable electric heater.

Whoever was in the sleeping back was a kid that was clear. She didn't even need to shake him away, as she saw his dark hair and knew immediately.

"Daniel ?"

There's a slight stir in the sleeping bag, as Daniel rolls over on the mattress with a slight groan.

It's here Rachel notices just beside the mattress lays a calendar; it was dated back to 2012, but considering the X's drawn on the dates and the black marker beside Daniel's mattress, she guesses that he was still making due.

Still, it confirmed to her that they were in April, and counting the X's told her it was the sixth.

Her attention turns back to Daniel, who was sitting back up. He was wiping his eyes, and looked like he hadn't had a good night's rest in a while, and she had rudely interrupted him.

"Rachel ? Daniel says in a tired voice, but an weak smile. Poor kid pretty burnt out "You're- you're up-"

As Daniel wipes his eyes, Rachel immediately notices something else. Daniel was wearing a grey T-shirt, leaving his arms bare; on his arms there were seven marks upon his skin, like cuts that were starting to heal.

But what really held Rachel's focus was the four noticeable bite marks; they were bruised, and didn't appear to puncture the skin, but they were the unmistakable bite marks of a vampire.

Covering her mouth in realization, Rachel gently takes hold of Daniel's arm and examines these cuts.

She realizes where that bloody taste in her mouth was coming from.

Rachel looks at Daniel, who had this tired, sad and sorry look on his face. Rachel doesn't speak out loud, but the look in her eyes did the talking for her; "What did you do ?"

"I was trying to help you." Daniel answers out loud, with a slight mumble "You had to be fed."

Rachel's eyes water and close as she takes this in.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know what else to-" Daniel tries to say, but Rachel shakes her head and looks away.

"No. No, I-" Rachel wipes her eyes, and looks to the side, noticing a crumpled up piece of paper just beside the mattress. She picks it up as Daniel continues to speak.

"You were...you were shot..." Daniel says with a slight hitch in his breath "I wanted to help."

Unfolding the paper, Rachel sees it is a list of names and phone numbers. Or it was, except all but one were scratched out. She can see just enough of the names to see who they were addressed to.

"Mr. Eriksen. Grandma and Grandpa. Mom. Lyla" - no doubt Daniel was trying to or considered reaching them, but stopped for some reason.

Daniel looks at Rachel reading the list, picking up what she's catching up on.

"I...wanted to try to reach them." Daniel say plainly, sounding more sad than tired at this point "But I couldn't bring them here. Not like Chris and Sarah-"

Daniel doesn't finish the sentence. Instead he makes this half choke half sob noise, as he looks away, clutching his hair. Upon hearing their names, Rachel perks her head up and looks at Daniel.

The boy was still clutching his head and gritting his teeth, and his body began to shake and tremble.

The chair and the radio begin to shake in tandem with Daniel's shuddering, and Rachel feels a tremble in the floor. She only snaps out of her pause when she can hear the window beginning to crack.

"Daniel ? Daniel!" Rachel raises her voice, crawling towards Daniel and putting her hands on her arms.

Daniel stills shakes a moment before opening his eyes, letting out a final shaky breath. Rachel's face softens a little, but she tries to keep a firm expression and tone.

"Chris and Sarah Lee," She says, gently patting Daniel's shoulder as she sits before him "What- what happened to them ?"

"They...they came and they-" Daniel tries to speak calmly, but his voice begins to break "They...Sarah Lee was-"

While he doesn't finish the sentence, he says enough for this grave feeling of dread to wash over Rachel, and a silent "No..please Daniel, no..." to slip through her lips.

"You were...you were fighting and killing and..." Daniel shudders again, his tearful expression giving way to one of seething rage "And I...I-"

Daniel grits his teeth, and clenches his fists. He begins to shake, and temple yet again.

He doesn't seem to notice at first until he hears the lightbulbs at the roof of this room burst, and the window takes another crack. He doesn't seem to snap out of it until he hears a gasp and wheezes; he looks up to see Rachel clutching her neck.

Widening his eyes, Daniel releases the clenched fist, covering his mouth as Rachel begins wheezing and coughing. With another gasping wheeze, Rachel looks back at Daniel before gasping out.

"I'm okay...I'm okay..."

"I...I didn't mean to-" Daniel starts tearing up, but his words stop in his throat as Rachel wraps her arms around him and pulls him close.

There is a silent pause, before Daniel returns the hug and lets the tears slide down. Rachel says nothing, just lets Daniel bury his face into her shoulder as he rubs up and down his back.

Part of Rachel wanted to ask more; find out what occurred before they got here, and how Daniel rescued her...

But that can wait until later, for when Daniel is ready. As if Rachel couldn't piece it together as her mind gradually fills in the gaps. Plus, besides the matter of how and why they got here, there was also the question of "Where do they go from here ?"

But for now, Rachel just held the boy and rubbed his back, a tear or two rolled down her own face.

Suddenly, the question on Rachel's mind wasn't "What did I do ?" but "What have I done ?"

-----

Meanwhile, at Washington Park, Arboretum, Seattle

The sun disappears from the Seattle skyline, and turns from a bright red to a darker, purplish color.

Wearing a light, beige spring coat, Chloe Price tucks her colored hair beneath a dark blue bom beanie hat. She puts her hands in her coat pockets, and she can see her breath. When she looks up, she sees a few stars in the darkening and cloudy sky.

Calm, if cold and unreadable, Chloe takes big strides in her step, trying to speed walk as the early April night air chills her. Behind closed lips, her teeth chatter, and she tries to hum a tune to herself as she goes down a cold and dark road.

She looks around, not seeing anything that looked out of place, nor does she hear the sound of anything other than her footsteps, and the sound of her humming.

Still, it didn't do Chloe's nerves any favors, especially with what she knows is out there. And with that, it's what Chloe doesn't see that creeps her out the most.

The further she goes down the road, she begins putting lyrics to the tune she's humming.

"Wash the angels from your head/Won't need them anymore," Chloe sings to herself "Hide your heart under the bed/And lock your secret drawer-"

"Love is the demon," A familiar, male voice whispers and sings in her ear, causing Chloe to freeze, and jump as she turns around and clutches her chest "And you're the one he's coming for..."

Composing herself and looking around, Chloe's face shifts from panic to annoyance.

"Oh, you sonofa-" Chloe takes a breath "You never get tired of that."

"What can I say ?" The whispering voice of Gabriel Wallace continues "Your singing's infectious. Have you considered giving the stage another shot ?"

"I'm not good in front of an audience." Chloe answers, following the direction of the voice, still cold, but a little more calm.

From an outsider looking in, it would seem as if Chloe is talking to herself. Luckily, there was no one else around here as far as she can see.

"You were not followed ?"

"Oh, of that I'm pretty sure." Chloe chuckles, spotting a pond a short walking distance away, and a figure standing before it. Someone she was trying to reach for weeks.

As they speak, Chloe see's her destination; the pond where at its edge stands Gabriel Wallace himself. Despite the temperature, dressed in a considerably lighter trench coat, compared to what Chloe wears. Something that doesn't escape her notice.

"Aren't you a little underdressed ?" Chloe asks, speaking out loud as she makes her way towards Wallace.

"Bah!" Wallace scoffs as he turns to face her "It's not even cold! Spend three hundred years in the Ontario Wilderness, and then we'll talk."

Chloe rolls her eyes with a snarky smile.

"So...you wanted to tell me something, what was it ?"

"Is Maxine not joining us tonight ?"

"Nah," Chloe rubs the back of her neck and shakes her head "Max didn't want to leave Bill with anyone for the night; past few days - weeks even - got her antsy. We couldn't meet at your house ?"

"I figured this wouldn't be something to share with prying eyes and ears; nor something I can just drop on you over the phone or emails." Wallace walks towards Chloe, and places a hand on her shoulder "However, Miss Chase and Miss Marsh were able to connect the dots already, and I thought it'd be better if you heard the full truth from me."

Chloe narrows her eyes suspiciously. It's been years, admittedly, since she learned of the existence of the supernatural; and the fact the man she was speaking to was a vampire doesn't even phase her at this point.

And with everything she has learned, she guessed there were still things being kept from her and Max. But with their past encounters with these people, Chloe thought and hoped it was put to bed in 2015. That there was nothing else to know.

For the longest time, nearly five years now, Arcadia Bay was a closed case. And a closed chapter on Chloe and Max's lives.

Still if there's one thing Chloe didn't like, it was being kept in the dark. Especially, after reaching out to Wallace for two weeks before getting an answer.

"Full truth ?" Chloe crosses her arms, and raises an eyebrow "What else have your people been hiding ?"

"Much. Much that'll come to the surface anyways." Wallace puts his hands behind his back, and circles Chloe "Which is why I thought it best you'd hear from us first, before things boil over."

"Us ?"

"Hey Chloe." A familiar, young woman's voice catches Chloe's attention.

Walking up from behind Chloe, was a blonde woman about her age; she was dressed in a black leather jacket, a red scarf, a black lingerie shirt, a red plaid skirt, black tights, and matching boots. And to top it off, an impish smile.

It took a moment for Chloe to recognize her, a face she hasn't seen for a couple years now; Samantha Giddings.

"Sam ?" Chloe sighs, putting a hand on her chest, composing herself before stepping towards her "Jesus Christ, girl; wear a bell!"

Sam and Chloe share a chuckle and a hug, before Sam pats Chloe on the back.

"I'd- I'd ask how Billy is but-" Sam looks away from Chloe with a guilty smile "I got the news."

"It's cool." Chloe says with a weak smile "You haven't really seen him since he started worming around."

"And now he's talking." Sam crosses her arms "God, we missed a lot."

Wallace fakes a cough, before stepping up to both women, who turn their attention to him.

"As much as I'd allow you two to catch up," Wallace circles both women "I'm afraid now, we don't have that luxury."

As he says this, Chloe notices that Sam is looking away with a guilty expression on her face, which raises both concern and suspicion.

"What is it ?" Chloe asks, looking back and forth between Sam and Wallace, sounding a little agitated "Come on don't keep me in suspense."

"Perhaps this'll quell your worries," Wallace opens his trench coat and from his inner pockets, pulls an envelope, which he opens "And open the door to new ones."

Sam looks away from Chloe as the latter is handed the envelope.

As Chloe looks through it, she pulls out a couple of photographs...her fogged breath catches in her throat as she sees what they are, and she covers her mouth with a gasp, dropping them to the wet ground.

Chloe shakes her head, and staggers back, still covering her mouth and her eyes water a little as she takes it in.

She slowly looks towards Sam, who was still looking away with a guilty look, and back at Wallace; he looks slightly sympathetic, but still composed and professional.

"That's..." Chloe tries to take a breath "That's not-"

"Come now, Miss Price." Wallace says nonchalantly, picking the dropped photographs off the ground, and waving them a little to air them out "Surely you had have known."

The picture was a mugshot-type photo taken of Rachel Amber looking like she's just been in a fight; with the date set on "Augusts 21st, 2015". There were three other pictures, all of Rachel going about day to day activities, like she was being watched. All the dates read from late 2014, to early 2015

Chloe looks away, a hand on her forehead. Her other hand clutches her chest, as she felt like her heart was gonna keep swelling until it bursts.

"Those...those have to be doctored. Right...right ?" Chloe keeps shaking her head "This can't be real... These are all--these are all-"

"Chloe, her body disappeared the night it shown up in the morgue." Wallace steps towards Chloe, taking her by the shoulders - causing her to jolt a little, trying to escape his touch - and makes Chloe face him "Surely, you didn't think that was a coincidence ?"

"They...they took her away." Chloe mumbles quietly, stepping away from Wallace.

"They did. They just had to wake her up first." Wallace looks at Sam, silently telling her to say her part.

"About five years ago." Sam says with a hesitant tone and expression "When they dropped us into your case, Emily and I were asked to look into something else."

There's a pause as Chloe wipes her eyes.

"Well then, what did you find ?"

"Who we found." Sam answers, trying to keep a professional composure, but she rubs the back of her neck; the way her eyes flicker away only makes her look more apologetic.

"You...you knew." Chloe realizes. Her face was this soft expression mixed with a slight glare in her eyes "You knew for five years and-"

"And we kept it under wraps, so as not to open a greater wound." Wallace speaks up, getting their attention, "Again you knew we had secrets; you had to have had suspicions for it."

"Want to break the rest of her or should I ?" Sam looks a little impatient at Wallace, and crosses her arms.

"What else are you hiding ?"

"Much. But if you must know..." Wallace hesitates, breathing through his nose before he says "She...was here."

Chloe blinks a few times, unsure if she heard that right.

"Here ?" Chloe steps towards Wallace, pointing at the ground "In Seattle ?"

Wallace nods.

"When ?" Chloe didn't mean to raise her voice, "When was she here ?"

"She was forcibly taken here in the summer of 2015. Part of a a case of Ascalon was looking into, with collaboration of Miss Giddings. On the doorstep of your people."

"And she didn't reach out ?" Chloe glares back and forth between Wallace and Sam.

"Would you have wanted her to ?" Wallace raises an eyebrow and crosses his arms, and yet again begins to circle Chloe "Knowing what you and Maxine learned that year ? Would you have preferred if she dropped into your world again ? Have this new life of yours come crashing down ?"

Chloe steps away from Wallace, shaking her head, trying and failing not to look or sound distressed.

"Then...why now ?" Chloe says with a shake, more so from her distress than the cold night air.

"Think Chloe." Sam taps the side of her temple "Beaver Creek ? My friends are working on that case. Just like when we looked into yours."

Chloe bites her tongue, and rubs a hand up and down her arm to soothe herself. For two weeks now, the attack on Beaver Creek was all over the news; hundreds dead, hundreds missing; and people being found when they were missing for years now.

She wasn't stupid. After learning what she did years ago, she and her circle knew almost immediately; Vampires. And as much as they tried putting it in the back of their minds, they knew what was coming.

And with that realization, came another.

"Was she...?" Chloe hesitates, lookin back and forth between "Did Rachel have anything to do with it ?"

Wallace stops and gives a single nod, letting Chloe take it in.

"Ascalon had her under a protective watch at a local hospital." Wallace holds out a reassuring hand "The night they attacked, she disappeared."

"She's missing ?"

"On the contrary," Wallace begins circling her again, "We have a good lead on where she is, but-"

As Wallace stops, Chloe narrows her eyes to him.

"But...?"

"This case was taken from our hands." Wallace grimly "It's now in the hands of someone who doesn't have her best interests at heart. Nor anyone else marked by Jefferson. Which is why you had to hear it from me first..."

Chloe doesn't say anything, but the skeptical look she gives Wallace speaks for her.

"This is the first crisis our new director had on her plate, that has slipped out of her hands." Wallace clasps his hands together "I mean no disrespect for Miss Faden, but I did try to warn her about putting all her cards on the table."

Behind Chloe's back, Sam nods in agreement.

"At her disposal, she has the New Ascalon." Wallace holds out one of his hands, and then the other "And the American Guard of Priwen."

"Th- those assholes ?" Chloe stutters a little bit, shaking her head in incredulous disbelief.

"Things are getting ugly. Fast." Wallace shrugs "If the Director thinks they're an effective solution."

"They're gonna make things worse!" Chloe raises her voice, putting her hand on her forehead "What the hell is she thinking-?"

"That we could use all the help we can get." Sam interrupts, stepping forward when Chloe looks at her "Look, Jesse's not stupid, she's just new to this."

"And as far as she's concerned, desperate times, desperate measures." Wallace puts both hands in his pockets "And it's not like Pierre Margot gave her any reason to doubt him...yet."

"HOW ?!" Chloe raises her voice, causing both Sam and Wallace to jolt a little "He had to have left a trail!"

"Doesn't matter how, what matters is he's the one narrowing down the search," Wallace says firmly, yet again clasping his hands "According to Margot's last update, he found her trail."

Chloe blinks a couple times, a slight shiver in her voice when asks "He what ?"

"You had to be the first to know," Wallace says, putting a hand on Chloe's shoulder "Before they question your friends-"

"Where is she ?"

"She slipped through their fingers," Wallace tries to reassure her, but the way his expression flatters doesn't help "Not all the details are there, but she left behind two children to be hospitalized."

Chloe double takes upon hearing this. She doesn't even say "What ?" As soon as she opens her mouth, Wallace answers for her.

"They identified as two children who disappeared after the initial attack." Wallace explains, taking a phone out from his jacket, turning it one and handing it to Chloe.

They were pictures of Chris Eriksen and Sarah Lee Hackerman, taken from a hospital room earlier that day. Both were unconscious in the hospital bed, and certainly looked like they saw better days.

"She couldn't have done this." Chloe narrows her eyes, looking back at Wallace "Rachel wa- is many things, but she's not a monster!"

"Chloe-"

"She'd never hurt kids; she's a Mama Bear!" Chloe shakes her head in disbelief "Eight years back, she took up a job watching preschoolers; she got into the teacher's face for making one of them cry, and ended up making the teacher cry!"

"I understand you're upset, and while my people in Ascalon may vouch for Miss Amber. But Director Faden only has Margot's word and findings to go on." Wallace takes his phone back, before counting three fingers "As it stands, Rachel Amber disappeared from Beaver Creek the night of the attack; she was found with two children who also disappeared that night, and now they are being tested."

"Tested ?"

"Think Chloe," Wallace taps a finger along his temple "Margot's report says they were found unconscious and bleeding under Miss Amber's care. If she's a carrier-"

"But she wouldn't hurt kids-"

"That's not Margot's concern." Wallace says with a slight seethe "Above all else, his concern is finding a monster to slay and call himself a hero over. So far, nothing challenges that narrative."

Yet again, Wallace begins counting his fingers.

"And when he finishes with Rachel Amber and this plague still isn't dealt with, he's going to move on to the next girl marked by the Red Death. And the next. And the next. And the next after that." Wallace stops counting, putting his hands together "Anyone who was on Mark Jefferson's list, ends up on his."

Chloe steps away, taking a deep breath and wiping her eyes. She stares out, across the pond, and takes a moment to take it all in.

For the past couple weeks now, with the word on what's happening in Beaver Creek, and with everything her son has been dreaming about, she is kicking herself for not putting it together soon.

The pieces were all there, she just didn't connect them. Or maybe she didn't want to connect them Not if it meant digging up something she put behind her five years ago. And now it was dropped at her doorstep, like something lost in the mail that found its way to her after moving on.

Chloe looks down at the pond, and through it, looks into the sky, seeing more stars appear, in spite of the dark clouds. And with it, she the full moon reflecting on its surface.

For the past couple weeks, she'd look up at that night sky and knowing what was out there, wonder what was looking at that same sky. It was one thing not knowing, but another to know just who else was out there.

Rachel Amber was walking this Earth again; looking at the same sky, breathing the same air. And if she wasn't coming here, something certainly was. And with that, Chloe realizes her son was being brought into this.

Chloe exhales deeply, and another shudder rushes through her body. This one she knew was from fear, rather than the cold.

"What kind of world does this ?" She says to herself with a shaky sigh.

Wiping her eyes again, Chloe turns her head over her shoulder, at Sam and Wallace. Sam had a concerned but guilty expression on her face, while Wallace remained sober and professional.

"What else is there ?" Chloe asks, turning around completely "What else should I know ?"

"Are you prepared to bring the others into this ?"

"The way I see it," Chloe shrugs and crosses her arms, after wiping her eye a final time "They already have."

-----

North Bend Quarantine Hospital

In Jacob Hackerman's room, Jacob himself was talking things over with Matt and Jessica, who gave him another quick check up. He still had nightmare's and was still trying to distract himself from his concerns for his sister.

The door knocks, and opens immediately to Mike Munroe stepping in with Cassidy and Finn following behind.

"We come bearing gifts," Mike says with an uneasy, but reassuring grin on his face.

"Guess Christmas has come late." Finn remarks, steeping past Mike and towards the hospital bed.

Despite how sore he was, Jacob sets up, and staggers as he stands off the bed, collapsing a little as Finn gives him a hug.

"Easy, easy." Finn says, patting Jacob on the back, as he and Jessica help sit him back onto the bed.

"Jacob," Cassidy addresses him, giving him a gentler hug as she steps towards the bed "How...how are-"

"Godawful." Jacob groans, looking away from them, and down at his hands. His fingernails have grown back "It's a little less, but you being here makes it a little better."

Jessica gets off her end of the hospital bed, allowing Finn and Cassidy to take her spot.

"Sean ?" Jacob asks.

"He's talking to the boss. Shouldn't be long." Finn clicks his tongue looking out the window.

"They came after you, didn't they ?" Jacob looks back and forth between Finn and Cassidy, at which they silently nod "How did you...what-?"

"It's a bit of a long story." Finn sighs "You got the time ?"

"If we got the space." Jacob says, giving Mike, Matt and Jessica a glance.

Taking the hint, they share a nod and make their way to the door.

"We'll be just outside." Matt says, closing the door behind them as the three step out, leaving Finn, Cassidy and Jacob ostensibly alone.

"Now," Cassidy puts her hands together "Where do we start ?"

And for the next several minutes, Cassidy and Finn went over the vampire attacks they experienced with Sean; how they ducked and dodged the worst of it, and narrowly escaped an encounter with their apparent leader.

Of how they woke up in a hospital much like Jacob, and thanks to a deal Sean made, were now conscripted as scouts for this "American Guard" as they call themselves, and by proxy this FBC they only discovered in recent weeks.

They play ball until this mess is cleaned, they can not only help find Daniel (and Sarah and Chris, seeing as they're on the list) but can get Sean his freedom.

Of course, they left out the part where the vampire's leader is Mordred from the King Arthur stories; as well as leaving out Cassidy's current condition, not needing to distract Jacob at the moment.

Soon the door knocks, and again it opens. Entering the room now was Pierre Margot with Sean following behind. Mike, Matt and Jessica were still waiting outside.

"Sean-" Jacob tries to get up again, but doubles over with a pained groan, with Jacob and Cassidy helping him sit up.

"Hey there," Sean says with a weak but tired smile, hurriedly steps towards the bed as Jacob manages to stand up, just leaning against the bed with Finn supportively holding his shoulders.

Sean gives Jacob a quick hug before gently ushering to sit back onto the bed.

"Jesus, Sean." Jacob groans, gesturing toward Finn and Cassidy "They told me-"

"I know." Sean takes a seat at a chair beside the bed, as Cassidy gets off from her end of the bed, now standing beside Sean "I heard about...you know."

"And I heard about Daniel..." Jacob shudders a little, his eyes watering "Jesus, Sean. What do they want with us ?"

"I think you know." Margot answers, taking his own spot at the back of the room, watching with his arms crossed "Surely you can piece it together."

Jacob takes hold of his forehead, feeling his aches reach his head, and his eyes water heavily.

Memories of what he's been through play through his head, and after spending the past week in and out of sleep or a doped up stupor, it hurt worse when they were finally clear.

A half groan, half sob noise escapes Jacob's lips as Finn wraps his arm around his shoulder, and Sean reaches forward to take his hand.

"Oh for crying out- pull yourself together, young man!" Margot does a tysk, tysk motion with an annoyed glare "In my experience, those who walk through hell and escape come out harder, not softer."

With an annoyed glare of their own, Finn and Cassidy glance at Margot.

"You know, you'll catch more flies with honey." Cassidy says with a glare, before looking back at Jacob "Are you sure you're ready to talk about-?"

Jacob makes a gross snorting sound as he inhales, before exhaling through his mouth and wiping his eyes.

"Ye-yeah I think." Jacob pinches the bridge of his nose, which he notices is bleeding. Sean hands him a napkin off a night stand beside the bed, and Jacob begins wiping his red nostrils "I just...why us ? Out of anyone-"

"The why is easy." Margot looks out the window, clicking his tongue "Someone like Daniel Diaz is extraordinary in his...gifts. In the right or wrong hands, he can be an asset or a weapon. Anyone else caught up in this is unfortunate collateral casualties. If these people are seeking him out, fishing out a motive isn't tough."

As Sean, Finn and Cassidy give Margot another glare, he doesn't seem bothered. But Jacob lifts his head, seething a little at the mention of "Fishing." He holds up a finger as he begins to recall.

"Fishing...fish...Fischer." Jacob realizes, getting all eyes back on him "They said...he said it was Fischer..."

"Fischer ?" Margot tilts his head, stepping towards the bed.

"Lisbeth Fischer." Sean answers, looking towards Margot "We suspected her, but she's a..."

"Una perra que se cree la Virgen Maria." Cassidy remarks flatly, at which Finn and Jacob nod in agreement.

Margot snorts at this, with an amused grin on his face.

"La bouche sur toi, Mademoiselle Jones," Margot says with a chuckle, before returning to his professional demeanor "Is she a person of interest ?"

Finn, Sean and Cassidy shoot Margot these confused glares.

"Did you not speak with Wallace ?" Finn asks.

Margot practically chokes on his spit upon hearing this name.

"Wallace ?" Margot asks "What do you know of Wallace ?"

"He spoke to us the other night." Sean says "The day before too. Isn't he your superior in this ?"

Margot's face was blank, and he shakes his head, trying to look dismissive.

"That's a laugh and a half." Margot says "But about Fischer..."

"Daniel was working on a case against her." Jacob answers in a sore voice, holding a bloody napkin to his nose looking at Margot with wet, tired and annoyed eyes "It's one of the cases that followed us the past couple years. How did you not know about it ?"

"Hmm," Margot puts hands behind his back, "It appears things were left out in my report. I shall remedy that. Until then..."

Margot steps towards the door, opening it. He gestures to Jessica to come in as he steps out, but holds his hand when Mike and Matt try to enter.

"Why don't you sit this one in, Miss Riley ? It occurs to me that Hackerman was much more receptive to you." Margot says, looking at Mike and Matt "And we don't want to overwhelm our witness, do we ?"

"Is everything okay or...?" Mike starts to ask, at which Jacob gives him an unamused look "Okay, wrong choice of words."

"We think we're onto something." Sean says.

Jessica looks back and forth between the other four, and her partners with a reassuring smile.

"It's cool, just pretend I'm not here." Jessica says, taking a seat at the back of the room.

With that, Margot closes the door behind him, and pulls out his phone. When alone with them, Jessica motions for Jacob to talk, mouthing "Go on."

-----

Earlier, on the third floor past ground level, a thirteen year old blonde boy coughs as he wakes up from his hospital bed. He tries to sit up and wipe his eyes, taking in his surroundings.

"Jesus," Chris Eriksen says with another cough "What...what is-?" He starts to ask himself as he realizes he is no longer in Mr. Amber's living room.

In the other bed beside him, lies Sarah Lee, unconscious and hooked up with a feeding tube. Chris puts his hand on his forehead as he tries to think things through. They were both in matching white t-shirts and pajama pants.

Outside, Chris can hear two people walk past his room, and can hear their voices as they pass by. He thinks he recognizes one of their voices, an older man with a slight French cadence in his voice.

"But that changed when the old guard became a little too open. The foolish thought the Red Queen and her brood was something that could turn vampires and hunters towards a common foe...I've been told how my great grandfather stood true to the cause. A leach was a fucking leach!"

"What did he do ?"

Now there was a voice Chris, thinks he recognizes. It's been a while, but Chris is pretty sure he recognizes Sean's voice.

It's then he remembers what happened when he was up...

"Fought back against the shifting tides!" The older voice practically shouts, with a more obvious French accent as they pass his door "He fought to ensure the Guard of Priwen had a new foundation in this country, and the leeches wouldn't wouldn't sink their fangs and poison into its roots! Didn't cost him much, just his reputation, life and humanity!"

"What...what exactly happened ?" The voice Chris recognizes as Sean asks "You said he lost his humanity; how'd that happen ?"

The voices fade a little as they move up the hallway, but they were faint enough for Chris to just pick up the sound of their voices.

Chris notices Sarah Lee stirring in the other bed, before he speaks up.

"Sarah ?" He says, " Sarah Lee ?"

Sarah Lee whimpers and groans as she forces her eyes open.

"Chris ?" She winces as she tries to stretch, feeling a slight pop in her shoulder "Ow!"

Sarah Lee also wipes her eyes, adjusting to the dimly lit room. She was gonna ask where they were, but her eyes answered for her. She tries to sit up, and groans again.

"What's wrong ?"

"I can't feel my leg." Sarah Lee takes hold of her right knee, noticing that it's asleep "It's tingly."

She smacks her lips, registering the bitter unfamiliar taste of blood on her tongue. Just beside her, unseen to their eyes, a woman in a red shroud was grinning

Chris manages to pull out his feeding tube, and gets off of the bed. He looks to the side and sees a wheelchair.

"What are you doing ?" She asks as Chris heads towards the wheelchair.

"Gonna get us some answers." Chris says "Can you sit up ?"

Sarah Lee tries, but groans louds as she feels her stomach turn.

"Sarah ?"

"I think I took a cannon blast to the gut." Sarah Lee winces and shaking her head "You ?"

"Head's sore." Chris stops, putting his hand on his forehead again "But I think I can manage..."

With a slight hobble in his step, Chris makes his ways towards the room's door, opening it slightly. As he does so, Sarah Lee notices a remote-like device at her bedside.

She's been in the hospital enough to recognize this as a nurse buzzer.

Not poking his head out, Chris leans in looking through the crack. He looks left, and there doesn't appear to be anyone else down the hall...save for two armed guards in swat attire, stepping out from an elevator.

Chris instantly slips back inside and hopes they don't notice the door closing.

"What is it ?" Sarah Lee asks.

Quickly but quietly, Chris scampers back to his hospital bed, shushing Sarah Lee to keep her voice down.

"There's guys with guns outside." Chris whispers, as he gets back onto the bed.

"What ?"

"Swat people," Chris whispers "Same folk who-"

"Chris..." Sarah Lee interrupts "What if they're here to help us ?"

Chris' expression flattens and he raises an eyebrow.

"Sarah, they're the reason we're here!" Chris unintentionally raises his voice.

"If they wanted us dead, they would have killed us." Sarah Lee answers, sounding and looking a little unsure of herself, like she herself couldn't believe she just said that.

"So what you say we do ?"

"They left us a buzzer." Sarah Lee holds up a buzzer "They probably want to talk to us."

"What makes you say that ?"

They turn towards the door to the sound of it knocking. At the closed door, shadows could be seen in the light on the floor, indicating there were at least two people standing outside.

Before either could say anything, the doorknob turns, and the door opens. In steps four people in those swat outfits.

"Lucky guess ?" Sarah Lee shrugs.

-----

Back in his room, Jacob was recounting his experience to Sean, Finn and Cassidy, as they listened by his side, with Jessica quietly watching from a seat at the back of the room.

"It was Fischer." Jacob answers, looking between the others. His eye twitches and he shudders again as he begins to remember "That freak, he-he told me about her..."

"Who did ?" Sean yet again takes Jacob by the hand, as does Finn "Please, Jacob, if it can help us."

"Bean..." Jacob groans out "That's what they called him. He's been looking for us for a while..."

With all attention on him, Jacob takes another breath, tossing his bloody napkin aside and wiping his eyes with his forearm. He still tries to put on a brave face.

"Three days before the attack, Sarah and I...kept getting these messages." Jacob shakes his head, ashamed at himself for dismissing them "There were news reports a chupacabra or something in Nevada."

Jacob thinks with gallows amusement of that viral video from weeks before.

That one of that hick farmer having a xenophobic meltdown on a news broadcast over his entire livestock being slaughtered, while his buddy looks on in embarrassment.

Then Jacob's face sours.

"And each day, this Bean guy would send us other messages." He says, almost monotone as he was deep in thought "Telling us what state he's in, as he got closer and closer."

Again, Jacob wipes his eyes, and his breathing gets heavier and heavier, as Finn gently takes hold of both Jacob's shoulders. Blinking the tears away, and with a shaky sigh, Jacob shakes his head.

"Anyways, I was working the evening shift at the pharmacy..." Jacob shudders again "When- when he came..."

And so Jacob told of what happened that evening, right when the pharmacy was about to close up, with four other employees on shift. The police cars pulled up, and calls came in warning to keep the place locked down.

He couldn't tell if it was the fastest five to ten minutes of Jacob's life, or the slowest. He was supposed to be heading home for Sarah. The cops were adamant about keeping the place locked down, but sent a car to the Hackerman's address.

While still Jacob tried to barge his way out of the pharmacy...his resolve stop when he saw it. Outside the pharmacy old woman crawling about the sidewalk coughing up blood, before collapsing dead after two other officers tried and failed to resuscitate her.

Following her was a younger woman, being carried by this older redhead guy in biker attire who had blood coming from her eyes and nose, looking for someone to help her.

This older man was claiming he picked this woman up on the road, and was going on and on about these feral people in the woods, and how they were attacking people outside of town; biting them, and causing people to bleed like this. It was like something from a zombie movie.

It's only when Jacob noticed the smoke rising around the neighborhood, did Jacob call Sarah Lee and warn her of what was going down. Right as he hung up, the woman brought into the pharmacy began to vomit that same red mess before she expired.

The older red-headed man shook his head and spoke to Jacob ("I guess she wasn't strong enough, was she, Hackerman ?") This man seemed to know who Jacob was, despite Jacob being sure his name was never mentioned to him.

This older man, who Jacob now knew as "Mr. Bean", asked Jacob if he's watching his sister, when outside the older woman suddenly lurched up and bit out the throat of the officer trying to help her.

In the chaos, Bean butchered two officers in the pharmacy, and turned his fury onto the other employees. It was like a chimpanzee attack or something, not something you'd expect a human could be capable of.

Jacob couldn't remember if they were slaughtered or merely incapacitated, but after what he's been through, he's not betting on their survival. What Jacob could remember trying to slip out through the back, his panic stricken head spinning.

By the time he finally reached his car, he felt someone grab his shirt with one hand, and the back of his head with the other.  The next thing Jacob remember was his face slamming into the window and the shards of glass ripping into his face.

"When I woke up..." Jacob shakes his head, not bothering to fight the tears running down his face "I was...I was in that place."

"The slaughterhouse." Jessica says quietly, looking towards Sean, Finn and Cassidy "Your reports will tell you they made it into a factory."

"Ha!" Jacob laughs cyncially and sarcastically "Fucked up factory if you ask me."

"They were making captives into monsters." Jessica shakes her head with a grime tone and expression "It's said torturing and dehumanizing them long enough does the trick."

"Who the fuck does that ?" Cassidy asks, shaking her head.

"Bean does." Jacob grits his teeth "For a week now, I was his plaything."

What happened to Jacob before his rescue, was all there in the reports. His toenails and fingernails being ripped off; the force feeding of human and pigs blood; pumped full of so much benzos that he should have been dead.

His tendons regularly slashed open, and he'd be forced to ingest more of that blood, whereupon his wounds would heal, and Bean would keep playing with him. And for each time Jacob's heart stopped, Bean would rip out a tooth.

And just the memory sends Jacob doubling over, burying his face in his hands into barely audible sobs. With a pause, Sean, Finn and Cassidy share another glance.

Hesitantly, Sean reaches forward, taking Jacob by the shoulder. Jacob takes a few breaths before continuing in that broken voice of his.

"It was the things he said that got to me...the things he said he was gonna do to Sarah Lee..." Jacob says with another gross sounding sniff "And the things Fischer would do with Daniel."

Sean's face goes from soft to hardened and grim.

"That's how you found out ?"

Jacob nods.

"It's all he'd talk about..." Jacob tries to sober himself "He'd ramble about getting an old church to see this new god; how Haven Point hadn't forgotten about us; how..."

Jacob shakes his head, not finishing the sentence. The more he thinks about what Bean told him, the more he thinks back to hearing and seeing the other victims. Toddlers shouldn't be able to scream like that.

"I just kept hoping it was a nightmare." Jacob says, looking at Finn, then Cassidy and then Sean "I'm still hoping this is a nightmare."

Again, Sean hesitates, before he pats Jacob's shoulder.

"Hey, look man...they got him."

Jacob looks up, his face red and his pupils shrunken.

"They what ?"

"Bean," Sean jabs a thumb towards the door "Margot showed him to me in-"

"W-wait, he's here ?" Jacob's eyes widen and he begins breathing heavily.

"They- they have him sedated and restrai-" Sean tries to explain, before Jacob shakes his head.

"No, no, no no!" Jacob flinches away from Sean, his voice raising "Wh-why would they keep him here ? With us ? Where he could-"

The door opens and in steps Margot, with Mike and Matt standing behind him.

"What's all this then ?"

"It's nothing-" Jessica tries to say, standing up from her seat "We just told him-"

"You've upset the witness, haven't you ?" Margot narrows his eyes to Sean.

"I didn't mean to, I just-!"

"He's here, isn't he ?!" Jacob raises his voice, glaring daggers at Margot "You didn't put him down ? Do you have any idea what kind of..."

Rolling his eyes, Margot glances at Mike, who gives a reluctant nod and opens a small med case at the far end of the table. From it, he pulls a syringe with a clear purple liquid.

"No, no! You can't put me to sleep!" Jacob tries to get up off the bed, but staggers over, and is caught by Cassidy "You're just putting me back in that slaughterhouse!"

"Mr. Taylor, if you please ?" Margot says to an eye rolling Matt.

Matt steps forward, ushering Sean and Finn to step aside, and take Jacob by both shoulders. Despite his struggles, Jacob has no real resistance as Matt forces him to lay back onto the bed.

"Come on buddy, you don't need to make this hard..."

"You can't- you can't-!" Jacob tries to argue, before Margot covers his mouth.

"What the hell are you-?" Finn tries to argue, before Mike presses the needle into Jacob's forearm, squeezing the syringe half way.

"You have to...you have too..." Jacob starts to slur as if he was drunk. Drowsiness begins to rapidly wash over him.

Flutily, Jacob looks and reaches towards Sean, who watches on in stunned silence.

"You...have...to...kill him..."

And with that, Jacob's eyes begin to flutter, as the effects kick in. He groans as he slips into unconsciousness.

"What the hell did you do ?" Sean asks.

"You made him panic, and we had to control the situation." Margot turns towards Sean with a grim, but professional expression "But I trust he told you enough ?"

Sean doesn't answer, but he shares another grim look with Finn and Cassidy. Even with their silence, Margot can pick up on their answer.

"I see," Margot says, looking over the six other people in this now overcrowded room "Well then, since he's...recovering."

Margot glances at the now sleeping, but twitching and muttering Jacob.

"It would seem now's a good a time as any," Margot gestures towards the door "For us to have another word."

-----

In the lower wings, in Bean's sealed off room, the vampire in question had spent hours jolting and convulsing in slow and subtle movements against his restraints; though in the past several minutes, he became a lot less subtle or slow.

Bit by bit, the skin on Bean's wrists, ankle, stomach and chest begins to break, and red slickness pours down his body, lubricating his bonds.

He's been keeping at it four hours now, being slow about it with a feigned sense of dormancy. It was only when he heard and saw Sean Diaz, did his efforts increase. Moments before, he peaked a cautious eye to the window, and could faintly hear the guards' voices.

"They're up." One says.

"They're up ?" The other replies "Shit, and we're really keeping them down here with this asshole ? And the other skals ?"

"Just keep an eye on him."

"Jesus, he's been having a seizure of some kind- should we bring in Margot ?"

Something else had their attention. And so, Bean spoke a quiet voice, a mantra he has been mouthing the past few hours.

"Cluinn mi, cluinn mi, cluinn mi," ("Hear me, hear me, hear me,") He whispers "Màthair Banrigh..." ("Queen Mother...")

Bean calls despite his quiet voice; he calls upon the mother goddess, ome revealed to him by Agnes Douglas - the Queen's champion in his day, and the one Bean would consider his compatible mate.

"Banrigh na m' fhuil, cluinn mi, cluinn mi." ("Queen of my blood, hear me, hear me")

It stings, hurts like all hell when Bean feels his body rip and wiggle about in his steel restrains, tearing into his skin and making his bound slick. And the more he spills, the more Bean can hear the voice of the Queen she spent the past five or so centuries living and killing for.

"Tha thu a 'gairm orm, leanabh nan uamhan,"("You call upon me, child of the caves,") He can hear her speak in his ears "Dè tha agad ri thabhann ?" ("What do you have to offer ?")

"Tha mi a 'tairgsinn foghar, màthair fala," ("I offer harvest, blood mother,") He says "I offer harvest."

"Harvest..." The Queen could be practically heard shuddering "Yesssss."

Bean can feel more of his blood - more of his mother goddess - spilling out onto his restraints. Bit by bit, he can feel his wrist slipping the cuffs. It tears into his flesh, which means he knows it's working.

"Other children sleep with you in the darkness of these halls..." The Queen says as she spills more and more onto the bed - more of an operating table - as Been became more and more slick within his restraints "Awake them..."

"Jesus Christ, what the hell is he doing ?" A guard asks in a sudden panic.

While Bean cannot see them, he can tell they are watching him; and he struggles and squirms and slips out through his restraints, climbing his ways up through the bars that held his ankles, wrists and torso down.

It looks and feels unpleasant as all hell, and to Bean, he imagines it resembling a morbid "birth" of sorts as he pushes his way out of his restraints, lubricated by his own crimson essence. Bits of skin were torn from his shins and forearms as he pulls his legs and hands out through his cuffs.

In the process, his left hand was all but flayed completely. It was the same with his torso; two heavy marks cut their ways through his chest as he pushes himself further. A third one is marked on his lower stomach, stopping short of his groin.

It's only when he was able to pull his legs from his toros restraints, did Bean have an easier time slipping out. As he does so, he flops sloppily into his own mess.

As he lays there, he can already hear the guards rushing in, and so he feigns submission and injury as he hears the doors open and the footsteps rush in.

But that's not what he's listening too...

"Awake, my children," he hears the Queen "Awake and feed..."

Already, Bean can hear the sound of similar restrained skals ripping free from their own restraints.

He watches in silent amusement as the guards aim their rifles at him, when the sounds of shouting and screaming from the other rooms causing them to look away

As the slaughter begin, he notices one of the guard's ankles in grabbing/biting distance, did the vampire strike.

Chapter 21: Call of the Morrigan: Part Two

Summary:

Chapter title should say it all.

Originally I was going to wrap the "Call of the Morrigan" sequence up here, but yet again, things were getting lengthy and yet again there's still other sequence to write down here.

I'm also not good at writing battle sequences or sieges, and these chapters cover TWO of them; on TOP of going back and forth between flashbacks. On the upside, part three is half way finished; there's like four or five other segments for me to write down.

Hopefully it will be up in a few weeks.

Chapter Text

Keystone Road, James Amber's Cabin, March 29th, 2020

Rachel shudders when she awakes, jolting a little as she feels someone nudge her shoulder. She registers she is still on the rocking chair on the deck of her dad's cabin, and begins to cool down.

But she quickly gets a tired and annoyed look at the man before her.

"It's just you..." Rachel winces a little as the early sunlight strikes her eyes.

James Amber has an impatient, annoyed but concerned glare of his own, but takes a breath to relax himself.

"Daniel was in your room."

"Yeah ?" Rachel wipes her eyes, and stretches as she sits up "I let him use my bed. He couldn't sleep."

"I see," James looks around, before looking back at Rachel. He gently reaches towards her neck, and she flinches and gently smacks his hand away "Rachel, it was six below last night."

"It wasn't that cold."

"You could have caught your death."

"A week ago, I might have bought that." Rachel gets up from her seat, and stretches her back, wobbling a little in her step "But six days of night watch duty, really changes your perspective."

James shakes his head in annoyance and frustration.

"Rachel, this-" James sighs as Rachel looks away "This attitude-"

"Attitude ?" Rachel glares back "Fuck dad, I just got out of the hospital; had to keep an eye on those three for a week, while being having to hold off blood suckers. I think a little attitude is warranted-"

James opens his mouth to argue, but Rachel raises her hand to silence him.

"-on top of bunking with the man, who killed my mother."

"Oh for crying out," James pinches the bridge of his nose and shakes his head "Rachel, don't make this more dramatic-"

"You did plenty!" Rachel raises her voice, circling a finger around her head "This attitude ? Yeah, I get it from my parents; it's the last thing they gave me!"

"Sera was already killing herself with the life she lived," James tries to sound rational but defensive. He steps forward, gently taking Rachel by the arm "There was nothing that could be-"

James doesn't finish his sentence. He doesn't even register the impact on his mouth and nose as his world spins, and the wind gets knocked out of his lungs as he hits the ground off the deck.

With a pained groan, James begins to sit up. Standing over him, Rachel takes two striding steps off the deck, her eyes glaring daggers, clenching her fists and teeth.

"Nothing that could be done ?" Rachel's pupils shrink, crouching down over her disbelieving father "Oh, you made sure lots was done, didn't you ?"

It takes James a bit of stuttering before he can find the words

"If she needed help, she could have and would have reached out-"

"She was sober for over a year," Rachel takes her father by the shirt collar and lifts him up "Then you and Merrick got to her!"

James looks up, with an horrified and disbelieving expression. Like he is just now noticing how sharp Rachel's teeth are, and how dark her eyes were getting.

"I found her overdosing in a bathtub." Rachel says with a seethe "She didn't want me looking at her."

She releases her fathers shirt collar and drops him onto the snowy grass with another groan. Though he doesn't say anything, his eyes do the talking for her.

"You wanna know what's gotten into me, pop ?" Rachel asks, holding out her arms "Same poison you put in my mother. Not looking it in the face isn't gonna make that go away."

James eyes water a little, and he swallows in an attempt to maintain his poker face, before looking away. Rachel rolls her eyes and shakes her head.

"Doesn't matter." Rachel sighs with frustration "We'll be out of your hair come high noon."

Of course, Rachel was referring to Daniel, Chris' and Sarah's ride. How a friend of Daniel's mother is the only one available to pick them up. He should be here before noon.

But right now, Rachel's train of thought was drawn to a third voice, speaking from the doorway.

"Rachel ?"

Standing there, was Chris and Daniel, tired but aware as they see James laying on the front lawn.

"Are you okay ?" A worried looking Chris steps forward.

Rachel looks back and forth between them and her father, trying to find the right excuse to settle on. Before anything can come from her lips, James speaks for her.

"I just slipped." James gestures to the bits of slush like snow remaining on his deck "I should have salted this place down."

Chris is unsure if he believes James, having heard his father make that same excuse when he slipped down the stairs in the morning, still a little drunk.

Still, Chris carefully but quickly heads down the steps from the porch to give James a hand to help him stand up.

"How'd you sleep ?" Rachel asks Daniel, trying to change the subject, rubbing her arm sheepishly.

"I was lucky I could sleep at all." Daniel answers in a snarky tone "So more of the same."

"Why don't you-" James says, standing back up and patting Chris on the shoulder "Why don't you two get dressed ? I just gotta take a few..."

Chris and Daniel exchange a glance, and Daniel looks at a guilty looking Rachel, but says nothing as James makes his way up the steps, wiping snow off his jacket.

The two boys follow James in, and Rachel quietly brushes herself off before following after.

------

As it was for the past few days, the morning at James Amber's cabin was quiet and slow, especially during breakfast.

For the first two days, James didn't really have breakfast prepared, but would usually just pick up some muffins from a Tim Hortons down the highway, and would put most of his work into getting these kids lunch and dinner.

This morning was a little different. James went up the stairs after his "accident" and didn't come down even after Sarah Lee finally woke up. Rachel's guess was that he had a lot to think about with how she exploded at him outside.

This left Rachel on breakfast duty, and while it has been a while since she worked the kitchen, she'd say her current stack of pancakes was a little better than her last batch. With a side of strawberries and whipped cream, Rachel thinks she did an okay job.

The kids sat side by side at the table, with Daniel between Chris and Sarah Lee. For additional dishes, there was toast, a try of butter, and straw/raspberry jam on the corner besides Sarah Lee.

When they were barely digging into their dishes, the awkward silence didn't last a minute before Sarah Lee spoke up.
"So where do we go from here ?"

"Hmm," Rachel takes her seat, having saved her dish for last.

"When they pick us up." Sarah Lee pokes and prods her pancakes with a fork "What happens then ?"

"She's right," Daniel chimes in "Fischer's people...they're still coming after us."

Rachel shakes her head as she begins to dig in, speaking before she takes her first bite.

"We got a government agency and a club of vampires behind us." Rachel answers "We only need to get the word out, before that this Fischer woman gets the Waco treatment."

"A vampire club ?" Chris asks, raising an eyebrow.

"New Ascalon." Rachel explains "They helped me in Seattle and LA, and had a station in Beaver Creek. All I need to do is reach out and-"

Rachel drops her fork as a realization hits her.

"What ?"

"Reach out," Rachel says, "I haven't been able to do that."

Rachel gets up from the table and makes her way into the hall.

"Where are you going ?" Daniel asks.

"I've given them radio silence for over a week." Rachel answers, not looking back at them "It's not a good look."

"And they're the good ones, right ?" Sarah Lee asks "Vampires I mean."

Rachel stops, turns around, and shrugs with her answer.

"As good as it gets, being one of us." Rachel tilts her head from side to side "I'm yet to meet a good vampire who didn't their hands red."

Sarah Lee and Chris exchange a glance, while Daniel looks away. With no further argument, Rachel quickly disappears down the hall.

And with that, Daniel sighs heavily and leans back in his seat. Feeling something was up, Sarah Lee puts a hand on Daniel's arm.

"Hey, don't be like that." She says "We're almost out."

Daniel looks at Sarah Lee, and shakes his head "Almost ? Sarah, they're still gonna follow us."

"Well, it's like Rachel says," Chris chimes in, trying to sound optimistic, but his unsure tone and expression betrays that "She's got people on her side. They can help."

"I know but...we wouldn't be here if-" Daniel starts to say, before groaning with frustration. He pinches the bride of his nose, before looking back and forth between the two "You don't blame me, do you ?"

Both Chris and Sarah Lee look at Daniel like he grew a second head.

"You ?" Chris asks "For what ?"

Daniel looks both guilty and aggravated at Chris' question.

"They're after me." Daniel once again looks back and forth between his friends "They came into town- they killed all those people, because of-"

"No." Sarah Lee raised her voice a little, with a stoic expression rarely seen on her, taking both boys aback "That Bean guy was after me too. Fischer was the one that sent them - after the both of us. That's on her."

Daniel looks away again, nodding as he continues to prod his pancakes with a fork.

"I know, I know, I just..." Daniel sighs again "I just needed to hear that."

From both sides Sarah Lee and Chris put an arm around Daniel's shoulders, giving him a one sided hug. Daniel has a small smile on his face, but an embarrassed blush washes over him.

"Okay, okay," Daniel wiggles a bit to step out of their touch.

As he does so, Sarah Lee staggers back on her seat a little and slips without a yep. She falls to the floor with a quiet thud, and her arm swings on the corner, knocking the jar of jam off the table with her.

She groans as it hits her chest; it doesn't break, but the contest splatter all over her shirt.

"Sarah!"

"Shit, are you okay ?"

Sarah Lee winces, but a weak smile forms on her face, with a sore giggle; "Profanity dude."

-----

A little ways down from Keystone road, four black jeeps are on the move. In the third jeep behind, a friend of Karen Reynolds' by the name of David grits his teeth, in annoyance and unease from behind a wheel.

Above them, two helicopters fly over the tree line, the kind you'd expect from SWAT teams or extraction missions.

He's seen police raids and combat prep before, and in his opinion, this show of force was a little excessive. Hell, even one of these jeeps felt a little much for David's comfort.

Maybe it was his stepdaughter's lingering influence talking, but their presence felt a little more grave to David than safe.

It was a few days ago, when  David got word of the attack on Beaver Creek, and how Daniel Diaz was missing.

Karen was on the road immediately, with David tagging along. When they reached Beaver Creek, it was already being swarmed by these FBC People and a team calling themselves the American Guard.

First day in, David and Karen met up with Charles Eriksen. When Karen and her connection to Daniel was uncovered, these people took her for questioning.

Where and why, he didn't know, but he hasn't heard from her since yesterday, briefly speaking on the phone about the news he got.

The guy in charge, Pierre Margot, was running this town like he was a field commander in a warzone or bootcamp; making little distinction between civilians and his men. If you had nowhere else to go, these people would cart you off and not say where.

Especially if they suspected "infection" (or if you were "out of line)".

A couple of days ago, he witnessed Charles Eriksen freaking out when they looked through the slaughterhouse, especially learning that a friend of his son's was found there. Charles ended up taking a swing at one of the agents, and was now in holding.

Having encountered and spoken with the FBC years before, David had a feeling they were in for some secrets; and if there's one thing David could do without in these investigations, it was higher ups keeping secrets.

Not that they were closely kept secrets.

When David volunteered for search and rescue, it brought to mind what he saw in Arcadia Bay, when these FBC folks showed up. Especially seeing the slaughterhouse they found. He kept hearing the word "vampire".

The day before, the higher up's had told David that they had a location on Daniel. And with Karen still being held, David was given the "Okay" or act as her proxy.

Now, this was supposed to be a simple in and out pick-up.

These kids supposedly had somewhere safe to crash after this whole mess, and didn't need anything excessive. Especially the four armed men, each in the garbs of the American Guard.

One was sitting in the passenger seat beside David, brandishing and examining a magnum. The man in question shares an annoyed glare with David when he sees how he's being looked at.

"What ?"

"This is supposed to be an extraction." David says, trying to focus on the road "They're in a cabin in cottage country; not Bin Laden's compound."

"And ?"

"We don't need-" David starts to argue, before calming himself with a breath "We don't need the guns. They're just kids, who've been through a lot. Diaz especially."

"These kids," One of the gunmen in the back seat says, "Were reported as being on the run with a possible Patient Zero."

David grits his teeth. Again with these half truths, and vague answers.

"Plus one of them got that Carrie White thing." Another speaks, while his partners nod in agreement.

David exhales through his nose, trying to think of some way to get these people to see reason.

"Then maybe we shouldn't give him a reason to use it then ?" David says suggestively, raising an annoyed eyebrow at the other three.

"Maybe he shouldn't give us a reason to use these." His passenger smirks and raises his gun as if to pose.

David groans in frustration and shakes his head.

"How in God's name did you get out of the Academy ?" David puts two fingers on his temple.

"Margot paid our bail, that's how."

David double takes upon hearing this.

What the hell has David gotten himself into ? And just what kind of show was this Margot running ?

"Just...just let me do the talking, okay ?" David asks "Just humor me on that ?"

The other gunmen didn't give a response. And he doubted those in the three other jeeps would play ball either.

Looking outside the window again, David notices the helicopters descending. With all the hallmarks of some kind of raid building up.

-----

Prescott Dorms, Blackwell Academy, April 6th, 2020

Rachel opens her eyes, her repaired brain retracing her steps, and putting the missing pieces together.

Having spent the past few minutes holding a crying Daniel on the floor of the abandoned dorm, Rachel hesitates to ask what happened with Chris and Sarah Lee.

The kid was too burned out to reveal more than he already did, and the patches in Rachel's memory were slowly starting to fill. But there was one other question that was on her mind.

"Daniel, how did we get here ?" She gently releases the boy.

"I had to carry you..." Daniel said, wiping his eyes "I tried, I mean. Everything was spinning and-"

Rachel puts a hand on his cheek, and wipes another tear with her thumb. A little more embarrassed than comforted, Daniel shrinks away from her.

"I thought you were dead, but you kept making these noises and..." Daniel says "But first I had too..."

Again, Daniel feels his teeth and fists clenching, but this time, he closes his eyes and takes a few breaths as Rachel waits patiently.

Exhaling deeply, Daniel shakes his head.

"I...did what I had to and..." Daniel pauses and shakes, though his face becomes more hardened than somber "I had to leave them behind. Chris and Sarah Lee, they're-"

"Shhh," Rachel inches her way to Daniel, yet again giving a hug "Don't be thinking like that-"

Daniel breaks free from the hug, shaking his head as he steps up and away from the mattress.

"You mentioned this place; Arcadia Bay." Daniel looks around "Said it was forty minutes on foot so..."

"You brought me here." Rachel says, also getting up from the mattress, lightly tapping her head where a faded mark was "And I'm guessing you had patch me up too."

Daniel looks away with a grim expression, giving a non verbal answer.

"And fed me." Rachel gently takes Daniel's hand and looks over the marks on his arm.

Daniel flinches away, and rubs the back of his neck.

"I didn't know what else to do." Daniel shakes his head, hesitantly looking Rachel in the eye "I wanted to get help, but the towns empty and the outskirts have-"

Daniel grits his teeth, and a subconscious shudder shakes through his body.

"I keep seeing those helicopters, landing outside of town." Daniel says, looking out the window, with Rachel stepping behind him.

He points out to this light source some distance away from the Academy.

"You see that ?"

Rachel nods.

"I think they have something set up on the far end." Daniel explains "Every day a copter lands; and every day, these jeeps and trucks drive by."

"Anyone else ?" Rachel puts a hand on Daniel's shoulder, turning him to face her.

Again, Daniel shakes his head.

"This place is a ghost town," Daniel answers, "Couldn't find anyone else."

"They're a grocery store on the outskirts," Rachel recalls "You sure no one's driven through-"

"Yeah, on the outskirts." Daniel answers "A couple nights here, I had to break-in; didn't take anything they wouldn't notice."

"And ?"

Daniel hesitates, scratching the back of his head before he answers.

"I had to break into some of the old houses." Daniel answers "Pick up what I could find."

Daniel jabs a thumb behind him.

"There was a generator near the shed." Daniel says "Took me the whole night to get it working."

Rachel nods, and crosses her arms.

"You've adjusted to this whole, hiding off the grid thing pretty quick."

"Yeah, well." Daniel shrugs "Back in the day, me and Sean had to make due with what we could find. I guess it's all muscle memory for me."

Rachel tilts her head with a sympathetic smile, patting Daniel on the shoulder.

"Well, looks like you earned yourself a night off."

"Night off ?"

"Well, if I'm still catching up," Rachel taps the side of her head "I could use a walk; and you could use a night off."

"No, no, no." Daniel shakes his head, but wipes his eyes "I just told you what's out there, and-"

"And I can keep my head down." Rachel shrugs, "Just stretching my legs, and you..."

Rachel reaches forward, wiping a thumb over Daniel's eye.

"You could use a break."

Daniel opens his mouth to argue further.

"I'm not going far," Rachel raises a defensive hand "Just around the block. Memory lane and all that."

It's then Rachel takes notice of the paper beside the mattress. The one with the names and phone numbers. She reaches down and picks it up.

"So have you-?" Rachel starts to ask, but Daniel's shaking his head.

"No. Even if I could reach my family, your dad said they were being watched."

Rachel reads off the names, and numbers, memorizing them.

"And Lyla ?" She asks.

Rachel remembers Daniel talking a little about her, and she sounded like both someone he trusts to look out for him, and not involved in all this. But as if he was reading her mind-

"No." Daniel's face looks a little more grim expression "If we get her ki-"

Daniel stops himself to banish the thought.

"I can't let them get to her." He says.

Rachel hands Daniel back the paper, having kept the numbers memorized. She takes a breath and crosses her arms; she sees the full moon just through the dark clouds.

None of the usual lights from the town were on, backing the claims this was a ghost town, anyone living here would be much further out.

Not that it'll bother Rachel. She'd had riskier nights out, even back in the town's hayday.

Turning back to Daniel, Rachel nods to him.

"Keep the lights off and the blinds closed," Rachel says, knowing the kind of spooky out there "You hear anything but this knock-"

Rachel lightly taps the drum beat from In The Air Tonight along the wall. She has a more reassuring, joking smile on her face.

"-Use the Force, padawan." She finishes.

Despite himself, Daniel smirks and nods.

"Be careful."

"Don't jinx it."

-----

Meanwhile, in North Bend Quarantine Hospital

Chris Eriksen and Sarah Lee Hackerman were back in their beds, sitting before a squad of four guards in uniform and carrying a set of rifles.

Only one showed their face, a blonde middle aged man who introduced himself as Eric King, but he did little to lighten their moods or earn their trust. The presence of the guns didn't help and only made Sarah Lee clench her stomach, and Chris clench his fists.

"And you're sure she didn't...harm you in any way ?" King asks, crouching down to eye level with these two. In his hand, he holds a clipboard, and rather than carrying any of the larger guns, he has a pistol holstered on his side "She didn't drink from, didn't feed you anything funny ?"

"Only what she brought back from town." Sarah Lee answers meekly, while Chris wasn't in the mood to answer their questions, aside from some snark as he was about to do here.

"I mean, she's not the one who put us here, was she ?"

"Look," King sighs, trying to sound patient "This girl, Miss Amber, you have no idea what she carries-"

"She told us enough." Sarah Lee says, trying to sound brave "And we know she didn't spread it."

King looks at the clipboard, narrowing his eyes at Sarah Lee.

"It says here you were bedridden for a near week when you were on the run." King says "Care to elaborate ?"

Sarah Lee rolls her eyes, finding a rare sense of snark.

"Gee, I don't know, cap." She sighs and shakes her head "Could it have something to do with hiding in the woods with no snowsuit ?"

"But she was the one who put you in that spot, was she not ?"

"She saved our fucking lives!" Chris gets up from his bed, raising his voice.

He slinks back when one of the guards brandishes their gun towards him, at which Eric raises his hand to warn the guard back.

"Look, we're just asking the standard questions." King raises his hand to Chris in a firm, but defensive manner. He tries to look reassuring but neither Chris nor Sarah Lee buy it, "This is just what our higher ups want to know."

"Well then, why can't they ask us themselves ?"

Before King could answer, they are caught off guard by the sound of shouting down the halls.

"What the hell was that ?" King asks, as he and one of the guards step out of the hall.

Three other guards rush down towards the room at the end of the hall, but King begins to follow them at a speed walking pace.

Inside their room, Chris attempts to get up and out of the bed, but one of the guards holds out a warning hand, brandishing their gun.

King was half way down the hall, when he heard more shouting in the other rooms; the sound of skals screeching and gunfire coming from Bean's room.

"Shit!" King grits his teeth, pulling his pistol from the holster.

At the end of the hall, three doors fall to the floor; two on the left and three on the right. From them, four different skals, wearing hospital gowns lunge upon two of the armed guards and begin pulling their limbs apart.

Another body lands just outside of Bean's room; a guard was left bleeding heavily and twitching slightly as he tries to crawl back, and another gunshot is heard, splattering their brains across the floor and wall.

Stepping out from his room was Alexander Bean himself, wearing only a pair of ripped pajama pants; his skin still torn across his forearms and shins, and hung as if it was just holding itself onto him.

But not all of the blood rushing down Bean's torso was his.

Right as King sees him, he raises his pistol at Bean, who fires two shots. Both hit King in his prosthetic leg, causing him to stagger with a groan. Almost as if that's what he was aiming for.

Behind him, King notices two other guards raising their guns at Bean, and yet again, Bean shoots first, hitting one in the throat and the other where the eye should be. One of them was still twitching and convulsing as they collapsed.

With pale eyes, Bean continues his advance, as seven skals emerge from four other rooms up and down the hall. Bean was beginning to chuckle menacingly as he steps over two bodies, which the skals begin feeding off of.

"You know, a lot of people try to run, or even kill me!" Bean begins to speak, licking up the blood from his lips "Could this be your lucky-?"

King raises his pistol, managing to get two shots off. One of which hits Bean in the stomach, and the other grazes his ear.

Instantly, Bean raises his rifle, and fires two shots of his own, both hitting King in the hand and forearm, causing him to drop the pistol, and clutch his bloody hand.

"Nope!" Bean says, biting his lower lip "I thought not!"

Bean is slow in his step, deliberate as he takes his time. King's breath raised and his heart was going at it like some sort of race horse. Besides the obvious injury, he was quickly realizing he wasn't in the right headspace to put up this kind of fight.

He just kept flashing back to Baghdad, and his first encounters with vampires. Though they were a different type than these skals, the effect remained the same. And the feeling was all too familiar; the kind of feeling he got waking up from nightmares, of when he cut his wife's rope.

However, King was able to keep himself lucid enough to keep crawling back, reaching the room Sarah Lee and Chris were kept in. So Margot knew what to prioritize.

Of the eighteen "suspected" infected kept in this wing, seven were confirmed skals, and King had a feeling that that number was going to rise exponentially.

In the back of his mind, King was cussing out Margot for putting all the suspected infected down here; putting all his eggs in one basket was only going to put more potential witnesses in danger.

It didn't matter. He'll slug his boss out later. Right now his focus should be on getting out of there alive, and lending these kids a hand.

As he nears the door, the three remaining guards step out of Chris and Sarah Lee's room. While one helps King to his feet, two aim their riffles and open fire at the skals.

From the hail of bullets, Bean flinches away, and if he were hit, he didn't show it. Three of the skals stagger back from the gunfire.

From their room, Sarah Lee and Chris could be heard screaming, as King is lifted towards their door.

"The elevator!" King raises his voice "Now!"

"Sir, you're hit." One guard tries to argue.

"I am aware of that! Just get them out of here!"

The guards gesture for Chris and Sarah Lee to follow them, and they wordlessly do so.

Back in the Hall, Bean picks up another gun - a pistol - from a body he passes, and ducks behind an open door from another hail of gunfire.

He picks out from the corner, just in time to see the three guards -- along with Chris, Sarah Lee and King -- being pushed into the elevator as it opens. Bean takes aim with his rifle and fires again.

Sarah Lee and Chris scream as they are forced to duck back from the gunfire. One guard's heads burst open, and another gets hit in the throat; the third isn't killed but takes two hits in the stomach.

The light in the elevator breaks from one of the bullets as the door closes, leaving only an injured King and guard, with two kids in the dark.

Bean just grins as the elevator begins to go up. He has the wing to himself, and prefers when his prey runs; he's in the mood for fast food.

While Sarah Lee was openly weeping, Chris was barely holding himself together, tears running down his face as he tried to catch his breath.

Just managing to stand, King manages to hit the button for the fifth floor, looking at Chris as he tries to hold and reassure a sobbing Sarah Lee.

"Hey...hey, listen to me kid..." King says "It's gonna be okay..."

"Okay ?" Chris raises his voice, irate "OKAY ?! Did you not see what's-?"

"They're here!" King says, trying to stay calm as he stands against the elevator's back wall, looking towards Sarah Lee and putting his hand on her shoulder "You're brother, and Sean Diaz. They're both upstairs."

"Sean ?" Chris gasps.

"Jacob's here ?" Sarah Lee wipes her eyes, her expression and mood were uncertain.

"My superior didn't want either of you to know..." King grits his teeth as the surviving guard checks his hand "Thought it would complicate things...but that's the least of our worries now."

-----

On the fifth floor, outside of Jacob's room, Sean, Finn and Cassidy stood beside the door, with Jessica, Matt and Mike standing at the opposite wall, with an air of unease and dread, as Margot stood before them.

Margot paced back and forth, giving each of them a glance, while four armed guards presented themselves on either side of the hall.

"So," Margot narrows his eyes at Sean "You've spoken to Gabriel Wallace."

"You're saying it like it's a bad thing." Sean crosses his arms "Isn't he your boss or something ?"

"Because of this assimilation, my only superior is Director Faden." Margot clicks his teeth with a slight seethe, glancing back at Mike, Matt and Jessica suspiciously. "But her judgement, I do not trust. Especially if the FBC saw fit to bring that man into this case."

Cassidy raises her hand slightly, getting Margot's attention.

"Just what is the problem with-"

"He's a goddamn vampire!" Margot says gritting teeth, closing his lips to prevent an extended look at how sharp his teeth is "That alone should raise concern."

There is a pause, as they look at Margot expectantly, silently asking him to go on. With a sigh through his nose, Margot stops his pace.

"I'm sure you three have heard the rumors ?" Margot asks, looking at Mike, Jessica and Matt "You've been in this for five years; I think you would have picked something up."

"We heard a few things." Mike shrugs.

"We hear a lot about you too." Matt crosses his arms.

With an unamused glare, Margot shakes his head.

"Gabriel Wallace - as he goes by these days - has been there since before the Bureau was founded; were he goes, rumor and mystery follows." Margot looks over his audiance "A century ago, my great grandfather identified him as a creature influencing the Old Guard. Word getting out would shake the Guard to it's very foundations."

"What did he do ?" Finn steps forward, not very impressed with what he's hearing "Besides being a vampire ?"

"When Europe established it's colonies here, the Pâhkwêkan a club was formed in the North; vampire hunters among the natives, who thought they were equal to the Guard. Their history tells of a vampire who settled here before the colonists and taught them how to kill it's kin when they came here."

"Sounds like he wanted to help them." Jessica crosses her arms and tilting her head "I mean, he also sounds like a white savior, but still."

"You'd say that, but when Pâhkwêkan started killing other colonists - some of which where not vampires - the Old Guard to step in and take drastic measures to avenge these unfortunate innocents."

As he says these, there is a glance from his observers, not quite buying what Margot is selling.

"And I'm sure the Old Guard didn't make the same mistakes." Cassidy asks with a skeptical glare.

Margot shrugs, and scoffs dismissively.

:"I mean, mistakes were made, but to err is human. But that's not matters." Margot tilts his head at Cassidy "We in the guard believe the vampire calling itself Wallace may be the same parasite that gave the Pâhkwêkan their tools. If this creature was trying to help these people, it wouldn't have put them in that warpath in the first place."

As he continues, Margot looks back towards Sean, Finn and Cassidy.

"Our consensus is this creature was was using the First Nations as bodies to throw on it's battlefield." Margot puts both his hands together "If Wallace is that same parasite, and if he's close with the Director ? It can only spell disaster for the Bureau as a whole, especially in this crisis."

This time, Margot looks too all six of them with a nod.

"If you were to see or hear from Wallace, I must warn-"

Their attention was caught by the sound of a fire alarm; as they looked around, they heard rapid footsteps just down the corner of the hall.

Time seemed to slow when they saw who was coming; there was one guard, stumbling a bit as two others helped them. A third guard was supporting Eric King, who had a slight hobble, and bleeding heavily from his arm.

But that's not what drew their attention; at their side, dressed in hospital garments was Chris Eriksen and Sarah Lee Hackerman. They looked as if they were running from Hell itself.

"Chris ? Sarah ?" Sean says, shoves Margot and guards out of the way as he passes by. Cassidy and Finn followed behind.

"Sean ?" Chris asks, hurriedly stepping away from the guards.  One guard tries to stop Chris but another holds them back.

Sarah Lee rushes behind Chris.

When they were close enough, Chris wraps his arms around Sean's waist, and Sean wraps his around Chris shoulder. Sarah Lee was caught in a hug by a crouching Cassidy, with Finn crouching beside her and wrapping an arm around Cassidy's shoulder, and putting his hand on Sarah Lee's.

Mike and Matt quickly made their way to the other guards, checking in on King as he was moved down the halls. Jessica gives Margot this dirty look, and Margot looks on with an unreadable expression.

"Sean," Chris steps away and wipes his eyes "What are-?"

"What are you doing here ?" Sean asks, trying to keep his cool "Jesus Christ, they said you've gone missing. What- what happened to you ?"

Both Chris and Sarah Lee stare daggers at Margot, which in turn got the three to look at him. Looking only slightly phased, Margot takes a deep breath through his nose, puts his arms behind his back and steps forward.

"Agent King," Margot says, keeping the air of militant professionalism "What exactly ha-"

"He fucking broke out-!" King raises his voice with a cough, glaring daggers at Margot and speaking in a tone that he rarely used "He broke them all out..."

Sean perks his head up, as does Matt and Jessica.

"You don't mean ?..."

"There's been a leak..." Mike realizes.

"We got word out." Another guard starts to say, "We're awaiting your orders."

Sarah Lee steps away from Cassidy and Finn.

"Where's my brother ?" She asks, wiping her eyes, pointing at King "He told us-"

Before she finishes, Sarah Lee notices the door Jessica and Margot were standing by.

"He's in there, isn't he ?" Sarah Lee tries to step past them, but Finn gently takes her by the hand.

"H-hold on." Finn says, trying to stop her.

"Let go of me!" She tries to argue.

"Hey, listen to me," Finn says, raising his voice a little and trying to sound reassuring "He's resting; he's been through a lot and-"

Before Finn can finish his sentence, Sarah Lee doubles over and groans, and clutches her stomach, getting Sean and Cassidy's attention.

"Sarah ?"

"You okay sweetie ?" Cassidy asks, gently nudging Finn out of the way to check on Sarah "Can I...?"

Sarah Lee continues to wince, and her eyes water.

Slowly and gently, Cassidy runs her finger tips on Sarah Lee, feeling around the lower right where Sarah Lee was clutching. When Cassidy feels it, she pulls her hand back with a gasp, her eyes widen.

Stitches. She felt stitches.

As if she was sensing what Cassidy was about to say, Sarah Lee says it.

"I don't know." Sarah Lee wipes her eyes with a shaky sigh "I was...I was"

Sarah Lee doesn't finish her sentence, but Cassidy had some idea. She shares a grim look with Sean and Finn, before they glare at Margot, who calmly hangs up his phone.

"You mean to say," Margot says "You've left your wing during a leak."

He looks towards King.

"And wounded too..."

"We were shot at!" King raises his voice.

"In a contaminated area," Margot replies, glancing at Chris and Sarah Lee "With possibly contaminated patients."

"Oh for fuc-" Chris starts to say, shaking his head "We're not infected! Your people shot at us!"

"What ?" Sean asks, glaring at Margot, and then Jessica, who looked ashamed and embarrassed "You went after them ?" He turns towards Mike and Matt, who both look similarly guilty, with Matt trying to hide it with professionalism "You knew where they were ?"

"We didn't!" Mike raises his voice "We didn't find out until three days ago."

"Margot was the one who brought them in." Jessica gestures to Margot "We were told to keep things quiet."

Margot simply closes his eyes, takes a deep breath, before addressing the other guards.

"Those three." Margot points at Sarah Lee, then at Chris and King "See if they're contaminated. Find them an empty room, and have them-"

"Do you know where Daniel is ?" Sean hastily steps towards Margot, clenching his fists "What else are you hiding ?"

The only reason why Sean didn't get into Margot's face, or start shaking and hitting him, was because Margot brushed his trench coat slightly, revealing a pistol holster.

Sean stops a few feet away, but neither break their composure.

"There is a time, and a place, Mr. Diaz." Margot holds out a warning hand "An evacuating hospital isn't one of them."

"Evacuation ?" Finn repeats.

"We can't have these people in here with a leak, now can we ?" Margot says, before stepping aside, before pointing out Mike, Matt and two other guards "You four; downstairs and keep it contained."

Mike and Matt share a glance.

As much as Margot's giving them reason not to trust him, the threat takes priority. Taking their pistols out of their holsters, Mike and Matt prepare to be led off by the other guards, but stay to hear Margot has to say.

"I've just called in an extraction." Margot holds out his phone. He looks towards Jessica who was crouching down at Sarah Lee and Chris, putting her hands on both their shoulders "And you, get those two to an empty room and have them looked over."

"They're not coming with us ?" Finn steps towards Margot "If we're evacuating-"

As they speak, two other guards lead King down the hall, as the latter glares at Margot.

"We are. They're leaving last," Margot jabs a thumb at Chris and Sarah "We can't have the sick mingling with the-"

"How do you know they're sick ?" Sean's eyes flare, an accusatory tone in his voice "What else are you hiding ? What did you-?"

"We found Miss Hackerman had ingested vampire blood." Margot doesn't shout, but he raises his voice authoritatively, staring Sean down.

There's a pause. Chris and Sarah Lee look at eachother, with Jessica still protectively holding their shoulders, as all eyes focus on them.

"Wh-what ?" Sarah Lee asks.

Margot steps aside from Sean and towards Sarah and Chris.

"Come now, little girl. How do you think you survived the way we found you ?" Margot puts both his hands behind his back "By our findings, you should have died the day we found you. But traces of the Carrier's blood were found in your veins."

Sarah Lee steps away from her.

"But I...I..." Sarah Lee covers her mouth.

"Still need looking over." Margot crouches down to Sarah Lee's, putting a hand on her shoulder "But we can't have you risk spreading it to anyone else. Not even your brother. You don't want him getting sick, do you ?."

Margot turns to face Chris.

"So you see why we have to keep you here, boy ?"

Chris opens his mouth to object, but is taken off guard by Sarah Lee stepping back, mouth covered and tears running down her face. As he looks back he notices the gun Margot has on his person, and the look in Margot's eyes.

"She...Rachel saved our lives-" Chris says under his breath.

"Saved you ?" Margot tilts his head "We found the devil's blood in your friend. And if we don't have the effects, we won't know if it could kill you; or worse, make you one of them!"

"No...no!" Sarah Lee audibly begins to hyperventilate, burying her face into her hands and shaking her head "I-I..."

"Miss Riley, will you see to it that these two are kept in a safe room. When we finish evacuation, we will come for them..."

With a reluctant expression, Jessica nods before approaching Chris and Sarah Lee, gently taking them by the back and leading them and following the two guards taking King.

As they pass, Sean takes Chris by the shoulder, momentarily stopping him.

"Daniel, is he-?"

"No." Chris shakes his head, a little beside himself "He disappeared with her. With Rachel."

Sean takes a deep breath, though his nose and nods.

"Okay...okay." Sean sighs "I'm just..."

Sean was about to say he's glad they're okay, but given the news, he didn't feel it was the right thing to say.

Looking away, Chris pats Sean on the back, letting himself be led away by Jessica, who was whispering something to Sarah Lee.

"I'm coming with." Cassidy says, following them behind, with Finn stepping behind her.

"Same." Finn says, but Margot stops him by speaking out.

"I wouldn't." Margot looks back and forth between Sean and Finn. "Anyone ready to use a gun can handle the ground floor. We could use ushers."

Stepping towards him, Margot flickers his eyes up and down Sean.

"You say you're not a man of action, Diaz." Margot clicks his teeth "But I'm sure we can find some use for you yet."

Sean's eyes flare at Margot, as if he mad dogging him. This was a man who hid something as vital as Chris and Sarah Lee's presence and safety from them. What else was he bullshitting him about ?

Seeing Sean's apprehension, Margot tilts his head, his own eyes flaring.

"I'm sure you remember what you have to lose here." Margot looks towards Cassidy "And regardless how you feel at the moment, you know I can't let one possible leech infect the bunch."

"We've known Sarah Lee for years." Sean tries to argue "If she-"

"If the worst case scenario is true, there won't be much left of the girl you knew." Margot pat Sean on the shoulder "But if I were you, I'd focus on who we can save."

Sean has another argument forming in his head, words in the back of his throat, but as soon as he opens his mouth, both he, Margot and everyone who could hear it flinch at the sound of explosions downstairs.

"While they can be saved." Margot adds, looking back at Sean.

Sean looks toward Cassidy, Jessica and the kids. Looking back past Margot, Sean sees Finn staring at him with "Come on, man, we can't fight, but we can help." look on his face.

Inhaling deeply, Sean looks Margot in the eyes.

"Where do you need me ?"

Margot says nothing, but jerks his head back towards the other guards, including Mike and Matt, with Finn now joining them. Sean is reluctant but accepting as he nods, stepping beside Margot. As he does so, Sean speaks again-

"About Chris and Sarah, we are going to try to help them."

"Well see, until then." Margot gestures to Sean to move along in a "After You" motion.

Margot didn't follow Sean when he joined the rest, instead he opened his phone to get an update on the four helicopters he's calling in. Instead, Sean joins Finn and the others in an opening elevator.

-----

As the elevator closes, Sean takes another deep breath, feeling the air getting warmer and heavier. Finn notices and takes hold of Sean's hand, and when Sean feels another hand on his back.

It was Mike who handed him another pistol from a second holster under his jacket.

"I-" Sean attempts to reject, but Mike interrupts.

"Better safe than sorry."

"I'm not really a-" Sean gulps "I'm just helping with the evacuation."

"That's what they all say." One of the masked guards chuckles "You know I went to the Afghan to be a mechanic. Didn't expect to see combat, but fate has other plans."

"And sometimes." A second guard chimes in "Spirit of war gets to you; some of our vets call it the Call of the Morrigan."

"The Morrigan ?" Finn asks.

"Celtic goddess of war and death." Mike answers, checking his gun "The older guys say she gets to you on the field."

"And you believe that ?" Sean asks.

"I dunno." Mike shakes his head "After what we've seen, I really can't discount anything these days."

"Relax." A third says "You just let us do the heavy lifting, and you sweat the small stuff."

"How many times have things gotten ugly ?" Finn looks around at the other gunmen.

"It depends." Matt shrugs "Ex cops, ex soldiers; street thugs looking to be something important." One of the other guards gives Matt an annoyed glare as he continues "What I'm saying is, things can get real hairy without even meaning to."

Sean closes his eyes and takes another deep breath to relax himself.

While what Matt is saying may have meant to sound reassuring, all this told Sean was that the American Guard of Priwen had quite a few itchy trigger fingers, and very likely joined for the opportunity to shoot something.

And he has a sickening feeling that this will give them all the reasons in the world.

-----

Meanwhile, at Blackwell Academy, Arcadia Bay

Maybe it was the darkness, and the early April atmosphere, but Rachel almost felt like she was walking out of Arcadia Bay and into this shadow world as she surveyed the area.

It was less like going down memory lane, and more like a nightmare reflection of the life she left behind. It spooks her a little, and she's the fucking vampire here!

If Rachel was going into her "Pretentious Author" mode, she'd describe it like; "The doors to Jefferson's Dark Room have been opened, and the darkness and pain kept within seeped out over the former town."

Or y'know, some "deep" bullshit like that.

She spent a half hour now, inside and out, exploring every building, room, and wandering the former schools' grounds. It didn't really scream "Nostalgia!" to Rachel.

Even with the former academy being abandoned, even with the gravity, nothing felt like it was in place. She knew that when Sean Prescott disappeared so too did the funds for the school, and it fell apart.

Despite attempts to repair the town after the fact, the wound dealt to Arcadia Bay was mortal.

Over the summer and fall of 2014, the dorms were used as a glorified storage space, and by January of 2015, Blackwell closed its doors for good.

What remained was a hotspot for urban explorers running true crime or "haunted mystery" podcasters; party goers looking for a private rave spot, keeping the spirit of Vortex alive. Or in Rachel and Daniel's case, straight up squatters.

While Rachel looked around the abandoned building, she found the electricity was cut off completely -- though there was another generator in the gymnasium.

Still, there was so much for Rachel to look over, and with the nostalgia trip going nowhere, she decided her "tour" was done.

Rachel wasn't going to go far - just up and down the town, where there shouldn't be anymore prying eyes. She knew the immediate township wasn't alive that night, but there was one place that she's been curious about.

As she stepped through the loose and rusted Academy gates, Rachel's eyes were drawn to the faded bitemark on her wrist. She traces a finger over the mark, and bites her lower lip.

More and more, that day at the cabin clicks back to her.

-----

James' Amber's cabin, Keystone Road, March 29th, 2020

In her dad's office , Rachel sits at his computer. He let the kids use it the past couple days, trying to contact their people.

With Rachel getting his password, she was able to log in to her/Vivian Manning's email account, seeing five unread messages. One was spam, sending her nudes of celebrities. Three were from Ashbury.

And the fifth was from Steph.

Closing her eyes, and taking a breath, Rachel has to remind herself "Priorities Rachel."

She hears a loud thump coming from the dining room, and leans her head towards the doorway, shouting down the hall "Are you alright ? You need me too-?"

"Just slipped..." Sarah Lee could be heard shouting back "Not hurt, just need cleaning up."

Rachel considers going back to the kitchen, but after a pause looks back at the emails.

She looked through Ashbury's emails; three from the past week. It was the standard stuff, asking Rachel for her location, updating her on the search and rescue and the slaughterhouse that was uncovered out of town.

And word of Myddrin Wylt's newest "champion" now walking the Earth, and how imperative it is that Ascalon finds him before the wrong people do. The same goes for the Queen's champion, in this case, Rachel.

Reading over the last email, from two days before, Rachel's eyes narrow. The key parts reading-

"Director Faden has taken the region out of our hands. Across Washington and Oregon, this case is now in the hands of the American Guard of Priwen. If somehow you get this message, or anything we sent for you, try to keep your head down.

Jonathan and I are regrouping at our base in Delos Crossing. With Myrddin's newest champion in our hands, we too must keep our heads low for the time being. With it being over a week since we last heard from you, I can only assume the worst if we still haven't found you."

Rachel doesn't finish the rest of the message, before she's typing her reply.

"You can ease your worries. I had to keep my head down, and couldn't really access my emails.

We found a place to crash - if you heard the news of the missing people, three of the missing kids are with me. Look up Daniel Diaz and his and you'll know what's on our hands. And especially look into Lisbeth Fischer.

I have it on good sources - or a ravingly evil source - that she was involved with the attack. If they found the "scarecrow" I left them, you'll probably hear about it. In which case, it would seem both cults got a little bigger.

Point is I'm in (considerably) good hands.

You said your people are in Alaska.

I don't know if I can reach there, but I should be reaching Seattle by sundown (or tomorrow). Maybe one of your suites. If you still have people there I can meet up with, that would take a load off both of us.

But I can try to keep my head down. But if you don't hear or see from me by tomorrow,"

Rachel pauses, to think of the right answer.

"I don't know. See if you can try to reach something with the FBC ?

I can try to handle things myself. But I'd leave behind too big of a mess to keep my head down.

Just try to keep an eye out at Whitewood Suites. If and when I can, I will reach you and yours.

Sincerely yours, Vivian Manning."

Rachel hears heavier footsteps behind her, and turns to see her father, a slight bruise forming on his nose, as he was in a new change of clothes.

"And what do you think you're doing ?"

"Reaching my contact." Rachel answers flatly "Witness protection, you know ? Need an extraction of my own."

"I see." James maintains his poker face, leaning at the doorway "And what was that I saw outside ?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."  Rachel remains stoic, looking at the screen, and sending her email.

"Do you really think I'm that stupid ?"

"No, but I think you're that stubborn."

"Those teeth, those eyes, that...sucker punch; you didn't think I didn't notice, did you ?" James asks, trying not to raise his voice "I heard what people said about Beaver Creek. Didn't want to believe it but..."

Rachel slowly turns towards her father, she too trying to maintain a poker face.

"You...didn't fake your death. Didn't you ?"

Rachel slowly blinks, wondering if he really figured it all out.

Of course he did. For better or worse, he is his daughter's father.

"Say it."

James takes a deep breath, taking this as a confession "If I say it, it'll make it more real."

"Like it isn't already ?" Rachel asks with a shrug.

James closes his eyes, shaking his head.

"I really hoped there'd be another explanation. But there isn't one, is there ?"

Rachel smirks a little, with a subdued chuckle.

"Vampire, dad." Rachel answers "Vampire."

James just looks grimly at Rachel, putting a hand on his forehead as he takes a step back. James doesn't say anything for a moment, a thousand thoughts filling his head at once.

"Just brings a whole new meaning to the monster I created, does it ?" James chuckles, with a gallows tone, that Rachel has only heard from him a few times her whole life.

"Yeah, well that monster will be out of your hair before noon." Rachel says, trying to check her latest email. This one from Steph.

"No, no, no, no." James takes the back of the chair and turns Rachel to face him "You can't just drop this one me, Rachel. Knowing what's out there- I have to know-"

"You know enough." Rachel stands up from her seat, and raises her voice, causing James to step with a flinch "If you knew what I've seen the past seven years with me, you'd never sleep again."

James scoffs, a slightly cynical chuckle in his voice "Like this isn't going to keep me up at night ?"

"You can always say it was a bad dream." Rachel shrugs.

James looks over her shoulder, quickly noting the handle of Rachel's email address.

"You know, even if you leave, I'm going to keep looking for you, right ?"

"You'll be literally chasing ghosts."

"Rose will know." James crosses his arms "You really think I won't reach out to her with this ?"

Rachel crosses her arms, mimicking her father with a sarcastic chuckle.

"HA! Like she'll believe-" Before Rachel can finish her sentence, she and James hear a light tapping on the walls in the hallway.

They both look to see a timid and uneasy Sarah Lee with red jam smeared across her shirt. Some of it is in her hair and on her neck, but the girl herself doesn't seem to notice.

"Um...I'm interrupting anything, am I ?"

"Jesus, what's happened to-" James starts to ask, but is lightly smacked on his arm by Rachel, silently reminding him to watch his mouth around the girl.

"Uh, I slipped at the table and the jam splattered ? Couldn't find extra shirts." Sarah Lee answers flatly "Was gonna ask Rachel if I can borrow one of hers ?"

"Oh, sure." Rachel fakes a smile "It's cool."

Giving Rachel an uneasy smile, Sarah Lee turns back down the hall, and heads towards the stairs. Once they were sure Sarah Lee was out of earshot, James steps towards Rachel and points down the hall.

"Do they-"

"Yes." Rachel says "They know."

"And I'm guessing that's how you helped them." James crosses his arms and leans against the wall.

Rachel just blinks and nods.

"I see." James fakes a cough "And clearly, there's a lot more you are keeping from me."

"You've guessed correctly." Rachel turns back to her computer "And it's going to stay that way."

"No, that's not how it works." James raises his voice, and yet again turning Rachel's chair to face her, the two share the same glare "Rachel, you owe Rose, you owe me-"

"I don't owe you shi-" Rachel starts to say, when they yet again hear a pounding.

This one louder and more forceful than Sarah Lee's tapping, and this one coming from the front door.

Their argument momentarily stopped, as the two looked towards the noise, and back at each other.

Well that was fast. They didn't think their pickup would be here that quick.

James looks back to Rachel, and raises a warning finger to her.

"We're not done here." James says before stepping out of the room, and hastily heading down the hall.

Rachel rolls her eyes, doing the "blah blah" motion with her hand, before turning back to the computer. She takes a deep breath to reserve herself and read Steph's email.

It was under the subject header: "Delete if You Don't Remember"

She recognizes it as Steph's email, and the once faded memories of their "relationship" fill Rachel's head like memories of a dream. A chapter in her life that Rachel thought she closed and put behind her.

That was the other life, Rachel tries to remind herself, not the life she was meant to live. Pieces of her that appear and disappear, but always leave a void in her memory that she always ends up filling.

Rachel shakes a little, and closes her nose, sensing it was starting to bleed.

The message wasn't long, in fact it was two sentences. But it said plenty for something with few words.

"Do you remember your inspiration for the Stefan tulpa in Two Lives, One Heart ?

If so, is it okay if we talk about it ?"

Rachel closes her eyes and takes another breath. It felt vague, intentionally so. The kind of email that she'd delete if it were from some other rando fan. But she knew that she knew this person, and loved her in another life.

And maybe a little in this one.

Rachel thinks back to what she told her when they first had sex; "I know I keep coming back to you. Maybe you're not the one for me, I'm not the one for you, but the world pulls me to you for a reason."

Rachel's eyes open, and she reaches for the keyboard, thinking and hesitating about what she wants to write...when a voice down the hall catches her attention.

"You boy's alright ?"

Rachel's head perks up.

It's been eight years since she heard that voice...but she's sure she remember-

"Where is she ?" Another male voice speaks, louder, angrier and more authoritative.

"Clem," The familiar voice argues in a warning tone "This is exactly what-"

"Out of the way!"

What immediately had her attention was the sound of two pairs of footsteps walking down the hall, and another heading up the stairs.

Quickly looking towards the computer, Rachel quickly types a simple reply to Steph's email; which like the initial post, said plenty for a few words.

"I do remember.

Can't talk now.

Don't reach for me. I'll reach for you."

Rachel hits send, before quickly exiting the browser, and closing the laptop.

-----

Moments before, the third of the four black jeeps comes to a stop in front of the cabin's driveway. Down and ahead of the road, the three other jeeps come to a stop, and the two helicopters land a short distance away from the cabin.

David was the first one to step out of the jeep, and was followed by three of the other guards.

"Just let me do the talking." David warns as they make their way up the driveway, "They see you're guns and they'll-"

Before he finishes his sentence, one of them shoves David aside with a scoff "You're not the one giving orders here, Madsen."

David can only glare, as the other guard steps up the porch steps and bangs on the door impatiently. After a pause, David follows him up the stairs, grabbing him by the back of his collar and pulls him forcefully away, before stepping ahead of him.

After another pause, James Amber opens the door.

James would be taken aback by the three men in SWAT garbs, with pistols at their sides and riffles on their back - and he was a little - but his attention was drawn to the familiar face standing at his doorway.

Both James and David freeze upon seeing each other; where James' eyes widen, David's narrow. Where James steps back, David clenches his fist.

"David Madsen," James says, trying to keep sober, looking tentatively over the other three "What- what are-?"

James fakes a cough, gulps and straightens himself as he makes another poker face.

"Small world, isn't it ?"

"It is." David nods.

"Look," James raises both hands, calmly but defensively "About Chloe-"

David's brow furrows further, and James quickly drops the subject.

"You're here for the kids, aren't you ?"

"Are they here ?" David asks, resentment in his eyes, but a professional tone in his voice.

"Daniel, Chris ? They are." James says "They're just-"

"Out of my way." The guard shoves James aside.

"Hey you can't-" James tries to argue, as the other three barge past him. He and David share an incredulous look, before following them into the cabin.

Neither James nor David reached the dining room before the guards did. They saw Chris at a counter, putting his dishes in the sink, and Daniel finishing the last of his pancakes, but both boys froze like deer in the headlights at the sight of men with guns.

Daniel was already reaching for his butter knife, and a few of the plates in the sink began to levitate slightly...when a familiar face stepped into the room, with James following behind.

"David ?"

"Daniel." David nods towards the boy, trying to be calm and reassuring considering the circumstances.

David was particularly close to Daniel, having only really seen him like three times since the Wall. But David was still close friends with Karen, so when Daniel heard a "David" was coming with her, he should have connected the dots.

"You boy's alright ?" David steps forward, clearly seeing how shaken and taken aback the boys were.

"Uh, yeah ?" Daniel and Chris share an unsure glance, as they look at the guns.

Catching on, David gently tries to nudge one of the gunmen away, but this only causes said gunmen to step forward.

"Where is she ?" The gunman raises his voice, as if he was a cop interrogating a suspect.

"Sarah Lee ?" Chris says, in a quiet, uneasy voice looking back towards Daniel, who looked as if he was going into fight or flight "She's upstairs."

"Clem, this is exactly what-" David tries to warn the gunman. But the guy, apparently named "Clem" shoves David into the counter as he makes his way towards the stairs.

"Out of the way!" Clem leads the other two gunmen towards the halls, while he himself heads up the stairs.

David staggers back from the push, and collapses against the counter, with James and Chris immediately rushing to help him out.

David slaps James' hand away once he's on his feet, before looking towards Daniel.

"David, what's going on ?" Daniel gets out from his table and towards the other three.

"That's what I've been meaning to ask you." David crouches a little towards Daniel "These people rolled into Beaver Creek by the time your mother and I got there. They know more than they're letting on, and I think you know-"

They were cut off by the sound of a gunshot, coming from down the halls.

-----

Upstairs, moments before, Sarah Lee Hackerman had finished picking out a new shirt from the dresser in Rachel's .

She's guessing that Mr. Amber didn't expect to entertain guests her age, since all the shirts available were around Rachel's size. But she quickly settles for a dark purple T-shirt with the words "God's Gift. The World's Curse" written across the chest.

After re-dressing, Rachel finally notices the remaining jam in her hair, and a little on her chin and neck. Rolling her eyes with a scoff, she heads out of the bedroom and into the bathroom to wash it off.

She stopped when she looked in the mirror, and for the first time in a while, really took in her reflection.

Sarah Lee's skin was pale, from both the cold weather, and lack of sunlight she's been getting the past couple of days. And having only a few good night sleeps the past week, formed these dark rings around her eyes.

Add the jam that was still in her hair, and little on her face, you'd think that Sarah Lee was cosplaying as a vampire or something.

Now you would think like this perfect victim, Sarah Lee would be horrified by vampires, repulsed by even looking at one. But instead...Sarah Lee felt this morbid amusement towards it that she couldn't put her finger on.

Maybe it was her time spent with Rachel, and feeling safer around her. Maybe it was Chris getting her into The Lost Chronicles the year before. Still Sarah Lee found herself more comfortable with the idea of vampires than she thought she should be.

With this amusement in mind, Sarah Lee rubs some of the jam off her neck, and out of her hair, tracing two lines around her mouth, and down her lower lips.

With a quiet laugh, Sarah Lee begins to make these menacing and "scary" poses in the mirror, gritting her teeth and wiggling her fingers.

Her amusement is cut short when she hears a muffled shout downstairs.

"Where is she ?"

This was followed by a sudden and loud slam, as if something large was shoved against the cupboards. A pair of footsteps was immediately heard rushing up the stairs, and Sarah Lee notices she left the bathroom door open.

Fear outweighed her curiosity, and she quickly shuts the door with a slight slam.

Whoever was rushing up the stairs clearly heard it, because seconds later, footsteps were heard rushing to the door, and forcing it open.

When Sarah Lee stepped back, standing there at the door, was a large man in SWAT-Like garb, brandishing a pistol in his hand. She holds both her hands up, and backs away defensively.

What the gunman was seeing was a twelve year old girl with pale skin, dark rings around her eyes, with red around her mouth. Or in his eyes "One of them".

"Please, I-" Sarah Lee starts to say, but the man simply raises his gun, finger on the trigger.

-----

As Rachel closes the laptop, she turns around. Standing there, was a man in SWAT-like garb, tentatively lifting a rifle without necessarily aiming towards her. On his shoulder, there was sigil that she was told, heralded the Guard of Priwen.

After a pause, Rachel speaks.

"I'm not being swatted, am I ?" Rachel says innocently, raising both her hands "Is there a problem ?"

"I don't know." The guard replies, trying a little hard to sound tough and cocky "Are we going to have one-"

They are both cut off by the sound of a gunshot going off upstairs, and something dropping in the hall above them.

"Sarah Lee," Rachel realizes with a gasp.

While the guard was still looking to the roof, Rachel glared daggers towards him.

In what was two seconds in real time, seemed slow with Rachel as her eyes darken and her fangs bare.

By the time the guard looks at her, she's already lunging at him. He manages to fire a shot off, but Rachel ignores the burning stinging sensation in her chest as she grabs his throat.

-----

Down the hall, Chris' eyes widen, while Daniel's space out. Before either David or James could respond, Daniel holds his hand out with a grim expression.

That look in Daniel's eyes was the only warning, as Chris and David pulled James out of the way.

"Daniel," David tries to warn, but reassure him, holding out a hand as he steps forward "This-"

With a "Whoosh and a "Crash", the dining room table lifts and smashes into the one other guard in the room.

Before Chris or James or David could register what's happening, Daniel is already on the move, quickly dashing into the hall.

There he sees the hallway, and the stairs Sarah Lee just dashed up. Down the hall from him, Rachel was standing over another guard. Her foot is on the man's neck, and his mask is torn off. His nose was broken and bleeding, and his arm was hanging limp.

Rachel didn't know what came over her, but she brought her foot down onto the man's face, with a kick. As she looks down on her, she see's Daniel with this unreadable expression.

Both look towards the stairs, and Rachel is already towards them.

In her haste up the stairs, Rachel doesn't pay attention to Chris and James emerging from the corner. If she did, she would have noticed David Madsen following after.

David's world seemed to stop; he only saw her face for a split second before she turned her back, but he's seen her missing person posters, her pictures in the news, or just seeing her around Blackwell or his and Joyce's former home.

"Was...was that-?" David starts to ask.

Chris and James look back to David, trying to think of some way to explain this to him, as David himself spaces out. All while Daniel was quickly following Rachel up the stairs.

As Rachel reaches the top, she looks towards the opened bathroom door, seeing the guard backing away from it...with smoke coming from his pistol.

Rachel's pupils shrink and her teeth grit; she is almost soundless as she rushes up behind the guard. The guard hears a few footsteps and thinks it's one of his comrades, and turns to address them.

"We got one of them-AH!"

Before he could lift his pistol, Rachel was already lunging at him; she wraps his arms around his lower waist, lifting him as she jumps and driving him into the floor.

The impact causes him to drop his gun. She takes his wrist and twists it for good measure.

Rachel looks up from him and this shrill "No!" slips out before she could stop it.

Laying against the bathtub, was Sarah Lee. She was bleeding from her lower abdomen, and breathing heavily with this glassy look in her fluttering eyes. It was hard to tell if she was conscious.

Glaring down towards the gunman, Rachel snarls; her fangs extend, and before she even knew she was doing it, she grabs the guy by the neck and slams his head into the floor.

It smacks once, twice, and he's quiet with the third. If she killed him or not, she didn't know or care. Instead she bares her fangs and rears her head back.

Rachel could do anymore, she notices Daniel rushing up from behind her.

Daniel stops in his tracks, looking at Rachel with a pale, shaken expression. Whether it was what he just saw, or if his mind was putting things together, Rachel wasn't sure.

"Don't look, Daniel." Rachel says, her eyes watering.

"Rachel ?" Daniel manages to speak.

"Please Daniel, don't-"

"They..." Daniel swallows, clenching his fist and gritting his teeth, as a few tears run down his face "They-!"

His and Rachel's attention is drawn to a slight cough and whimpering groan coming from the bathtub. Sarah Lee was stirring, trying to keep herself awake.

Rachel quickly crawls forward, scooping Sarah Lee into her arms. She doesn't bother wiping the blood off her mouth. Daniel just stays at the bathroom's doorway, covering his mouth with a look of horror.

"Sarah ? Sarah Lee, please..." Rachel starts.

"Rach..." Sarah Lee mumbles, barely audible, and barely lucid "Please..."

Rachel tries to put on a brave face for her, but her face was a wet mess; both from the gunman's blood and her own tears. And then...this hurricane of thoughts were swirling into her head.

Her thoughts...and a familiar voice.

"You can save her, you know. Or try at least."

Vampire blood, Rachel realizes.

Over the past eight years, Rachel recalls learning of the healing properties of vampire blood...but how risky it was to actually use it. Using it for a disease is especially ill advised because of how vampire's blood adapts to it.

It's one thing to try to use vampire blood to heal an injury, but if it's something lethal ? If the patient risks dying with that blood in their system ? It risks a transformation.

During her time corresponding with Reid and Ashbury, it is especially hazardous using the Queen's blood. It was the work of a Doctor trying to use it on his patients that caused the Queen to stir during the Spanish Flu.

Point is, Rachel could try to heal her...but what if Sarah Lee dies with the blood - the Red Queen - in her system ? It would mean...

"Decision, decisions."

"Please..." Sarah Lee wheezes, her eyes fluttering as she tries to stay lucid "I don't...I don't wanna..."

Rachel closes her watery eyes, and takes a deep breath to apologize to herself.

"I'm really going to do this...well, here goes."

Rachel lifts her hand to her mouth, and bites down. So hard that her teeth touch her carpal bones. She then lifts her bleeding wrist.

If Sarah Lee had any kind of resistance, she doesn't show it. She only moans slightly as she gets her first taste of blood, and it begins to numb her as she tries to stay lucid...

-----

North Bend Quarantine Hospital, April 6th, 2020

On the first floor below ground level, a young redheaded woman in a nurse's garment lays at the feet of Alexander Bean, as he carries an AK-47. She tried to play the hero and go for a gun, but wasn't as fast as Bean.

A fire was lit in the room she and four other patients were in. Bean finished them off before he decided to finish her.

She lies against the door, as smoke fills the rooms and floors; Bean was sure to open any and all gas valves he could find on the first three floors and leave behind a burning cigarette. With each trip up, another floor became engulfed in flames.

Throughout, Bean whistles a tune - Another One Bite's The Dust - as he fires two shots into his unlucky victim, one in the stomach and one in the chest.

He leers over her with a menacing, bloody smile,

"Hey, I'm gonna getcha too-"

With a stomp to the neck, he finishes her off.

"Another one bites the dust."

On the first floor up, Bean was able to find and awaken six other skals; and the floor above that one had four. It was simply a matter of overpowering and feeding off the staff and patients.

When Bean saw the guards, he would shoot before they could. Of the skals he awakened, three others displayed the cognitive and physical ability to use firearms, which made the gun fighting a lot easier for him.

Bean didn't like using guns at the best of times, but when he does use them, he usually aims for where it hurts. He's become a bit of a marksman over the past few centuries, learning where a shot could painfully incapacitate someone, or just kill them quick and easy.

As fire spreads throughout the room, Bean crouches down towards the young nurse, feeling around and opening her clothes in search of a phone. He hasn't had much luck in finding one in the other two floors, and one he could get his hands on was password protected.

"Pay dirt!" Bean says fishing a phone from her breast pocket, finding it wasn't password protected. Grinning from ear to ear, he looks down at the body "You're not planning on using this, are you ?"

Shaking his head with a laugh, Bean dials in a number, hoping that his boss hasn't changed it again over the past couple weeks. It rings three times, before it answers, with the unmistakable voice of Mordred's natural accent on the other end.

"Mario's Plumbing, Luigi speaking." The voice answers in a flat, dry and snarky tone.

"Boss, it's me-" Bean licks his lips, holding the phone with one hand and casually shooting at two fleeing patients with the other.

"Oh of course, my reliable skal maker." Mordred could practically be heard rolling his eyes on the other end "You know, I was promised a million skals five years ago; so you can imagine my disappointment when you deliver twenty thousand."

"Yeah, well, we shouldn't aim higher than we shoot." Bean says, making his way down the hall, stepping over bloodied bodies.

As he does so, he's facing an elevator down the hall, four men in SWAT garb step out, and Bean fires immediately, before ducking behind a corner. Two of the guards fall to the wall, as their brains splatter out.

"And that mess in Beaver Creek," Mordred could be hear clicking his tongue "You're not going soft on me, are you Bean ?"

As Mordred says this, two guards close in towards Bean's corner, right as the vampire in question quickly fires at two of their feet, causing them to stumble. He then quickly puts them down with two shots to the head.

"And how has catching Sean Diaz worked out for you ?" Bean asks, completely deadpan.

There is a pause, but Bean could faintly hear Mordred inhale and exhale deeply on the other end, before he asks.

"What is it you want, Sawney ?"

"Diaz is literally at my door." Bean spits on one of the bodies as he passes them, as two other armed skals catch up to him, "Though an extraction would help; where are your people in North Bend ?"

"Where do you need them ?"

"Turn on the news, I'm sure this'll be a developing story." Bean holds the phone with his shoulder, and puts in another clip "You want Diaz, or not ?"

"Well I'm not the one who wants him, but if you get someone out of this, perhaps you haven't wasted our time." Mordred says with another deep breath "But taking the boy alive is preferable for our new partners. I'll send word to the moles."

"I'll try not to hit him too hard." Bean says, hanging up and tossing the phone into the air. As it lands, Bean takes hold of the barrel of his riffle, and swings like a baseball bat into the phone, shattering it to shards and pieces.

As he cocks the rifle, he turns to his followers as the remaining skals step out of the burning rooms.

"Kill anything and everything you see with a pulse," Bean addresses them, cracking his neck "But if you see any boy who looks like they belong south of the border, you leave them to me..."

-----

At the main floor, the lobby and the immediate halls were swarmed by crowds of people; patients, visitors, staff, were being ushered out by the dozens by a small force of the Guard.

By Margot's orders, the healthier the quicker. The more injured and sickly were being taken to the roof, by another small force of the guard, with Margot having called in helicopter extractions.

The remaining guard units were overseeing the lockdown; keeping eyes on elevators, stairways, anyplace the "leak" could spill over on the upper floors.

For the past twenty minutes in the lobby, Sean had his hands full, having volunteered to aid in the ground level evacuation.

Finn previously helped a middle aged woman on crutches, but was called back by Mike and Matt when an elevator crashed shortly afterwards. Already, the sounds of skals and their inhuman shrieking and snarling could be heard trying to break though closed off stairwells and elevators.

"C'mon, c'mon, c'mon," Sean thinks frantically as he pushes the wheelchair of a six year old black girl.

Her name, Sean was told, was Charlotte, and she was the fourth evacuee he personally got involved with. The others being a middle aged man, another young woman and her eight year old son, and an elderly woman who was expecting her family to pay another visit tomorrow.

"Please, I have to go back!" Charlotte pleads "I have to find my mom! She just stepped out to get my book!"

"She's probably waiting for you outside." Sean insists, quickly but carefully directing the wheelchair outside the front doors towards the ambulance "You see her ?"

Outside the hospital, another sect of the guard was in charge of holding a line, holding a line to keep a crowd of bystanders, civilians and a few members of the press from getting any closer. Oh, and there was also a a news van or two.

Some of the guards aiming and brandishing their weapons likely didn't help; especially with the hustle, bustle and growing panic as the sound of gunshots and small explosions beneath the hospital shook the area.

As Sean pushes the wheelchair towards a waiting ambulance, the girl looks to the crowd and calls for her mom; she was being held back by the two guards and was arguing with them...when one aimed their guns at her.

The scene Sean froze a little, finding his thoughts pulling him back to Seattle in 2016; the day his father was shot, and his and Daniel's lives shook forever. Still, Sean tries to kick the feeling and remind himself to get his head in the game.

Two paramedics rush up to Sean, and help him usher the girl to the ambulance, as she still cried and called out for her mother. Sean pats Charlotte on the shoulder as she's lifted up.

"I'll speak to your mother, let her know you're okay..."

Whether the girl heard Sean or was even paying attention, didn't matter, as she continued to kick, struggle and scream as the ambulance's doors closed.

Sean looks back at the crowd, and notices Charlotte's mother was still struggling and pushing her way past the barrier.

"That's my baby! Let me see her" The girl's mother, a middle aged black woman, shouts in the faces of two guards "I have to see her! I have to-"

"Ma'am, you will stand back!" One guard steps forward, tall and erect as if to intimidate "This situation is under our control; any resistance will be met with-"

"Pete, we're on camera..." The other guard tries to warn his partner, as a small news crew did have their cameras set up, and were doing a shoot of this confrontation.

The guard, apparently named Pete, simply cocks his gun and raises the barrel into the air as if he's about to shoot.

"Are we on the air ?" He asks "Good, then let me just say, let the professionals-"

As he speaks, Charlotte's mother attempts to dive under the barrier and past the guard's, taking them by surprise.

"Charlotte, baby! Mama's coming-" She tries to say as she rushes towards the ambulance, but doesn't make it three steps before the guard, Pete, grabs her back the back of the shirt and yanks her down.

Pete's partner seemed to freeze in the moment. Out of fear, disbelief or embarrassment, the guy was stuck like a deer in the headlights.

Sean saw it all as he made his way towards, but all he could seen in the heat of the moment was Officer Matthews standing over his father all those years ago.

To say it was getting to him was an understatement; and it was getting to him in such a way, his body was acting before his head.

"Okay, that's it!" Pete shouts in frustration as the woman is forced to the ground, as she was screaming her denials, and onlookers gasped and shouted. The guard cocks his gun and aims it downward "Then one goes out to-"

"Hey, cut it out asshole!" Sean's voice caught the guard by surprise, and another gasp was heard over the crowd as the butt of the gun slammed into Pete’s face, causing him to fall onto his backside.

Standing over the fallen guard, before a small crowd of muttering and whispering onlookers, and recording camera, was Sean; holding the rifle's barrel, directing it upwards and away from the woman.

"Why you piece of-" Pete began to growl as he got back up, and Sean didn't know what was coming over him, but he struck Pete again in the head with the butt of his own gun.

"Stay down, cerdo! You're not helping!" Sean raises his voice, taking a better hold of the riffle and aiming. "Stay fuck down and leave her alone!"

Pete, indignant, looks at his partner, and the other guards who were similarly frozen, and/or being hassled by the other onlookers.

"Don't just stand there, shoot this asshole!" Pete shouts to his partner, who finds himself looking back and forth between the crowd, the camera, and Sean.

Sean only seemed to realize where he was and what was happening, when he too looked at the onlookers, and the cameras. As he kept his ears open, he hears the mention of his name among the whispers and mutters.

"Holy shit, is that Sean Diaz ?"

"Isn't that the kid who wasted a cop ?"

"Isn't he one of them ? He's wearing their jackets."

And once or twice, he hears.

"Shoot him!"

"Blow his fucking brains out!"

"Take him out, Diaz!"

And in the heat of the moment, Sean actually considered it. But as he looked and listened, he saw that he couldn't.

No doubt what he was doing was caught on camera. He expects it to be trending or broadcasted within the next hour.

And where there was news when Sean Diaz is involved, someone was gonna look for something to pin him down for. As if he didn't give them reason already.

But he wasn't going to give them the satisfaction.

"You're out of line, Pete." The other guard says coming back down to Earth "You don't need to escalate this..."

"Oh, don't tell me you're taking-" Pete could be heard groaning, before he too looks at the cameras, and shaking his head "Of-fucking-course."

As Sean catches his breath, he notices Charlotte's mother still half whimpering, half sobbing as she lays on the ground. She was looking up at Sean with frightened, and an uncertain expression.

Realizing how he looks, Sean lowers the gun, and holds out a reassuring hand.

"Your daughter is safe, Mrs...?"

"...Zimmerman. Beverly Zimmerman."

"Charlotte's mother ?" Sean asks, as if he didn't guess.

She nods.

"She's in the ambulance, Mrs. Zimmerman." Sean says gently, holding out his hand "We're about to pull out if you..."

"Yes...yes please." Beverly takes Sean's hand, and he pulls her up.

Not really caring or paying any mind to the onlookers, Sean leads the woman to the back of the ambulance, hurriedly but steadily. The paramedics were already opening the door for her.

"Looks like you got another passenger," Sean says, as one paramedic helps Beverly into the back of the ambulance, and into her waiting daughter's arms.

As Sean steps away, and the doors close, he turns back at the crowd, noticing a few of the onlookers still giving Pete some shit, while a couple reporters stand before their cameras and crew.

A few of the onlookers had their phones and cameras out, no doubt having recorded the whole incident going down. But Sean pays them little mind. His attention is drawn to the helicopters coming in, which he guesses were Margot's extraction copters.

And then...gunfire was heard as well as the sound of screaming. Turning his attention back to the crowd, Sean sees the onlookers and even four of the guards scramble as a hail of gunfire rains down.

When Sean looks up, he sees that someone has broken a window on the third floor, and was opening fire at the gathered crowd. Over the sound of gunfire and screaming, Sean could pick up one of the other guards shouting-

"One got upstairs!"

"Shit, call in-!" Another guard tries to give an order, when three more windows break across the third floor. While Sean couldn't make out a good view, there was someone or something moving behind the darkened glass, which he can only guess are skals.

It didn't take long before the windows shattered completely; a body was flung out and splattered onto the pavement; the swat garb on the body showed it was one of the guards.

Following this, two more bodies are tossed from another window, and another, and another. Seven in total, with three being patients.

As three of the guards on the ground level look up, Sean realizes he was more disturbed by how numb he was becoming to seeing this kind of violence, more than the violence itself. And it was in that moment of clarity, it hit him.

"They're upstairs." Sean quietly realizes, looking upwards "Cass and Jacob are upstairs too...and so is-"

Sean couldn't finish his thought as he felt someone grab his shoulder; it was another guard, joining two others as they rushed to the hospital's entrance.

"You're not gonna freeze on us, are you boy ?" This other guard asks "Or are you gonna earn the stripes we offered ?"

Sean looks at the guard, and down at the riffle. A weapon he never even held before today.

It was like his body was working on autopilot, and he didn't know what he was doing until after he did it, but Sean gives a nod, and feels himself being ushered along back into the hospital's entrance.

He didn't come back down to earth, until he entered the lobby, where a loud rushing crowd of staff and patients were being hastily rushed outside.

But that was not on Sean's mind. It was the sound of gunfire in the halls, and these inhuman shrieks that held Sean's attention.

Looking back at the rifle in his hand, and with a shuddering sigh, he looks to the hallways. He never expected or wanted to get caught up in actually fighting vampires, but for better or worse, it's what he signed up for.

-----

On the sixth floor, Cassidy has herself a handful. Originally, she wanted to stay and keep an eye on Chris and Sarah lee, who were supposed to be kept under armed watch. And given Sarah Lee's condition, no one else was getting into their room.

Cassidy didn't argue, but that was because she couldn't. She just had to take one look at their guns, and know that there was nothing she could say or do to get past that door.

And so, there was one thing she and Jessica could do to try to distract themselves. That being, lending a hand to the evacuation efforts.

Most patients were being handled on the ground floor. Sixty four in total on the first few floors. Cassidy, Jessica, and the remaining staff and guards were handling the remaining fourteen on the top three floors.

Though to say Cassidy succeeded in distracting herself would be a lie. Her thoughts always went downstairs; her boys, Finn and Sean were in the thick of it all, and were among the one thing holding the line from the monsters below.

Had Cassidy been in a more lyrical state of mind, she'd think of it as descending into Hell and keeping the demons locked up.

Every so often, she'd heard gunfire and a couple small explosions. They'd shake Cassidy as much as they did anyone listening.

It was Sean, one half of her heart and father of her child.  It was Finn, the other half, her confidant and companion for the better part of five years, who helped her trust people after leaving her family behind.

And both were down there with the vampires.

When Cassidy's mind wasn't on them, they were on Sarah Lee and Chris. Having gone through what they did, on top of Sarah having Rachel Amber's blood inside her.

While Hell was breaking out around them, these two kids were being given a check up off all things, and wouldn't be evacuated until the rest were out. She couldn't begin to imagine what was going through their heads, especially when she felt the stitches on Sarah Lee.

Cassidy thinks back to when she was eleven; her older brother was non-fatally shot in a hunting accident, in both his stomach and twice in the leg.

She remembers the stitches he got, especially since he'd make her look at them and touch them to freak her out. So when Cassidy says she knows a stitched bullet wound when she sees or touches on, you can take that shit to the bank.

And with Chris' insistence that Rachel was helping them, the lingering question on Cassidy's mind was "What the hell happened to these kids ?"

Just down the hall from them, lies a sedated Jacob Hackerman, a close and dear friend for the better part of three years; having not only been tortured, but was left unaware of what was going on around him.

Cassidy has been told ignorance is bliss; but in her experience, the anxiety of not knowing was a waking nightmare. Not knowing who was alive, or who was dead or injured, scares her something worse than if she did know.

And so, she tries to keep her head in the game.

Presently, Cassidy was ushering a middle aged blonde woman up a stairwell. The woman, who said her name was Pam, was seven months pregnant, but was being treated with a broken leg.

Helping Cassidy were two of the hospital staff, and one of the guards, lifting Pam's wheelchair up the stairs one at a time. Just ahead of them, were two elderly patients.

"He kept telling me," Pam says, rambling to herself "They wouldn't come here; they wouldn't follow us from-"

"And they won't." Cassidy says in an unemotive tone, more so trying to reassure herself than Pam "They're not coming for you."

"They're here for us all!" Pam raises her voice "They're gonna finish what they started! They-"

"They'll die trying." Cassidy raises her own voice, firm and a little more authoritative than she's used to. She didn't like that time coming out of her mouth.

Having heard the gunfire a few floors down, seeing neither skal nor gunman reach this floor, Cassidy hopes she's right.

She blanks out Pam's ramblings as they reach the doorway to the roof. There, Margot and the remaining staff and twelve of his gunmen were looking over fourteen evacuees and waiting for the last few.

Of course, Margot was making a show as the empathetic and brave hero, trying to comfort and reassure those they brought to the roof. If he was being sincere or performative, Cassidy wasn't sure nor did it matter at the moment.

Jessica was also among those on the roof, and she and Cassidy share an uncertain glance as they pass each other. It brought to Cassidy's mind the roof scene from Die Hard.

There was a slight wind on the roof, which drowned out Margot's ramblings and reassurances, along with the sound of helicopter wings. Above them, six copters circle the roof by about a hundred feet.

Given how they could only carry a few at a time, they had to take turns, lowering to the helipad. As one of them does so, Cassidy ushers Pam towards the helipad, muttering reassurances that she herself couldn't hear.

The copters doors open, and out from them step out eight armed personnel, dressed in FBC ranger garb.

The apparent leader was a middle aged redheaded white guy, who looked like he wouldn't be out of place in an action movie, wearing a black bomber jacket and a pair of sunglasses. He had his eyes on Cassidy as he approached.

Across the roof, Margot takes hold of Jessica's arm, causing her to flinch a little as he looks at her.

"I didn't call for reinforcements."

"Neither did I. I don't know what to tell you." Jessica crosses her arms, trying to speak over the noise.

"They're your people." Margot argues

"Our people." Jessica corrects, at which Margot glares at her "Come on, you're the one running up this op. Why don't you see what they want ?

Exhaling through his nose, Margot makes his way towards the helipad, with Jessica following behind. At the helipad, Cassidy tries speaking to the gunmen who stepped out.

"This one-" Cassidy gently pushes Pam's wheelchair towards them.

"Pam Stevenson." The latter answers.

"She's in critical condition; she was in a car accident when Beav-"

"Lucy Rose Jones ?" The apparent leader of the squad interrupts.

Cassidy's face takes a more questioning expression.

"That...that would be me."

"Gale Vega, FBC." The leader introduces himself "We're part of the extraction."

"Well you can start with Mrs. Stevenson-" Cassidy starts as Pam nods in agreement, but Vega holds his hand up.

"We're here for your extraction." Vega says bluntly, giving an emotionless glare at Pam before looking at Cassidy.

Cassidy narrows her eyes suspiciously.

"Well, there's like twenty other people here-"

She is yet again interrupted by Margot and Jessica stepping up from behind her.

"Pierre Margot, head of this operation. How might we be of service ?"

"At ease, Captain Margot." Vega reaches forward and shakes Margot's hand. He briefly grins, but closes his mouth, making sure they didn't see his teeth "Gale Vega, of the Desert Snakes."

Hearing the name, Margot widens his eyes and narrows them, keeping a professional expression despite his glare.

"I didn't request reinforcements." Margot says with a slight warning tone.

"We're not here on your request. By special order of Director Faden, we are to extract Miss Jones, a Mr. Diaz and a Mr. McNamara immediately."

"They're on evacuation duty." Margot puts both hands behind his back.

"And now, they are on the evacuation list." Vega cracks his neck slightly, before shrugging with a smirk "Director's orders are Director's orders."

"What about us ?" An irate Pam asks incredulously.

"Ma'am, you are in capable hands as is." Vega pats Pam's shoulder as he passes her by "You're just gonna have to be a little more patient."

"Oh, what a fucking rip!" Pam rolls her eyes.

"So you're not gonna help out ?" Jessica raises a eyebrow.

"That's what the other birds are for." Vega jabs a thumb to the sky "But we can make room."

With the rest of his men having stepped out, Vega nods towards his pilot, who gives a thumbs up. The copter lifts, with its wings drowning out Pam's complaints as Vega and his men make their way towards the door.

As they do so, Cassidy follows behind "I'm coming with."

"Negatory." Vega shakes his head at her "We're gonna do a sweep of the remaining floors. And if all is clear-"

"I have to be there!" Cassidy raises her voice, stepping out in front of Vega with an unusual pleading expression "Please, I can't handle not knowing..."

Vega's expression was hard to read, especially with his sunglasses in the way. After a pause, he inhales deeply, sucking the air through his teeth and nods.

"Lucky for you, I have a wife who worries too." Vega motions for four of his men to trail behind.

"You will follow my unit, but stay with them." Vega says to Cassidy, but motions to the four men he signaled out "You will not go further until you hear an all clear."

Cassidy nods with a somber expression, wiping her eyes as she accepts the terms. This was not the time or place for tears.

And as another helicopter descends, Vega leads a squad of three others towards the doorway, while the other four surround Cassidy. One hands Cassidy a pistol with the safety on.

"You know how to use one of these ?"

Cassidy looks grimly at the gun, and pauses as a few bad memories rush through her head.

"I never liked too," Cassidy says with a nod "But yes."

"If all goes right, you won't have too."

Jessica steps in with Vega's group.

"I'm going too," Jessica says firmly, brandishing her FBC card to Vega as she approaches him "If there's anyone we missed-"

"Perfect." Vega pats Jessica on the shoulder, before looking at Margot's squad "Seems these good people have more than enough looking out for them. I'm sure Margot can spare us an extra gun."

As Vega speaks and leads his team through the door, Margot watches on with a subdued and quiet glare. He tries to busy himself, ushering Pam's wheelchair towards the helipad, while another patient or two was being led behind.

As he often did, Margot had his suspicions, but couldn't afford to cause a scene. But the second he heard the name "Gale Vega", and the mention of Desert Snakes, his mind was running a mile a minute, trying to remember where he heard those names before.

It wasn't until Vega and his team were well into their search, and Cassidy followed after, did it click on Margot.

It was back in 2018, Margot recalls, that the Desert Snakes were looking into the Mother's Children activity in Dubai; some sort of narcotic was being sold around the city, made from the Queen's blood.

Details, details, but the last Margot heard from them was that their survivors - which included Gale Vega - were in critical condition when recovered.

How fortunate, Margot thought, that they not only made such a recovery, but turn up here with all that's happening. How fortunate indeed.

As another batch of evacuees were boarded onto another helicopter, Margot takes one of his men by the arm, and orders him firmly; "Send word out, there has been another leak."

-----

Making his way down the hall, to the far east side of the ground floor, Sean doesn't fire a single shot.

Partially because he was still beside himself, but mostly because seven other gunmen have already unloaded their rifles into three skals that emerged from an elevator in the back wings.

Smoke filled the halls. Both from the gunfire and the smoke that flowed from an opened elevator, with the fires raging on the floors downstairs.

Among twenty seven shooters in the halls, was Finn, Matt and Mike, the last of whom was among the six wounded surrounding the elevator.

"Finn, Jesus, what happened ?" Sean asks a stunned Finn, who backed against the wall, and staged a bit from the smoke inhalation.

"There was two explosions in the back..." Mike coughs out, as Matt and two others helped him to his feet; there was a bullet fired just below his left kidney "When we checked there was-"

"Six of them crawled out." Matt says, gesturing to the skal bodies on the floor "As you can see, they didn't get far."

Mike doubles over, prompting Finn and Matt both to stand him up.

"Still got a lucky shot."

"There's others..." Sean tries to warn, pointing upward "There's others upstairs."

"What ?"

"They're shooting from the third floor up!" Another guard who was previously outside answers "They're armed!"

With another glance at the skal bodies on the floor, and towards the direction down the hall, where another elevator is said to have exploded, it began to dawn on them.

"Was there any other shooting ?" Sean asks

"Not that we heard." Mike groans again.

"We sent six down there." Another guard speaks, before another, this one a woman chimes in.

"Alright, you, you," She speaks, pointing at Finn, Sean and three others "You, you and you; stay on me, and if I tell you to shoot, shoot."

She then turns to Matt, Mike and the rest "Get your wounded out of here to the lobby; if you hear anything coming up, you're our backup."

Matt steps up, while Mike gives him a nod, putting him in the hands of two other guards.

"I'm coming with." Matt says, picking up a rifle he previously put aside "I ain't arguing."

"You'll hear no argument from me. Anyone else ?" The initiative woman asks, cocking her gun.

There was none to be made in that hall. Only directions to follow.

-----

From there it was a bit of a blur from Sean's perspective.

To Sean it didn't feel like he was there in the moment; but rather an outside observer, witnessing what was before his very eyes. Like he was playing a first person shooter or at least watching a Let's Play.

Maybe it was hard for him to believe or accept that he was now part of the action.

This small squad they formed, first investigated the other elevator which exploded on the far west end. Besides the fire damage, no there were no signs of struggle.

Though a few of the guards stationed there were injured in the blast, none of them saw any skals emerge. But they could hear the gunfire up the adjacent stairwell. Their guess was the elevators were a distraction.

And from there, Sean found himself, practically on autopilot as they raced up the stairs; the second floor appeared clear, with only four skals on the scene. It seemed the staff and patients were out of there before they reached the floor.

Sean fired with the rest of the crew; shaking a little as he first pulled the trigger. He didn't know if he landed any killing shots, but the skals were little trouble.

Sean couldn't even tell if he flinched when they charged him, but he was certainly shaken when he felt the recoil of the rifle. He was almost worried that he'd drop it.

As it was when he was outside, the thing that disturbed the Sean the most, was that he wasn't disturbed. Everything he witnessed, everything he experienced since his father was shot, began to numb him to all this horrible violence around him.

His brief encounter with Mordred, and the first real taste of vampire horror weeks back, was just the chocolate toppings on the sundae.

It was the third floor when things got really ugly.

Sean expected carnage after witnessing what occurred outside, but he wasn't sure he was prepared for actually seeing it. Fires were already raging in almost every room, and the windows of each room were shattered.

Seven patients, twelve staff and fourteen guards were among the dead. A few from bullets, and most others from bites to the throat, disembowelment, and dismemberment.

There was something in the air; scent so strong that Sean, certainly the others could taste it. If Sean were on pot, he'd probably describe it as "Smelling like the color red." Smoke from the fire, and the coppery scent of blood.

And still, Sean felt he should have been more shaken from this than he currently was; but that numbness was giving way to something else.

However momentarily, Sean was only pulled back to earth by the sound of Finn coughing and retching at the sight, wiping his wet eyes.

Another guard pats Finn back, as Finn sobs and mumbles "I need a minute, I need a minute..."

But a minute Finn didn't have. Six other skals round the corners of the halls, and charged the squad down.

And they, Sean included, opened fire, and he remained unsure if he actually killed any of them. Finn only fires after composing himself.

It happened so fast, as the squad continued down the hall, three other skals appeared, with rifles in hand. They fired before any of the squad could fire back, forcing them to try to duck for cover.

Two guards were killed immediately in the flurry, including the young woman who was leading the squad.

The next few minutes, gunfire was exchanged. Sean thinks he feels a bullet or two graze him, and another guard stumbles, being hit in the stomach.

Didn't appear lethal though.

When the squad returned fire, the one thing that kept Sean on earth was the sound of Finn shouting and cursing, as he shot the skals bodies even after they fell. Sean never saw Finn get this angry before.

When the bodies were looked over, Bean didn't appear among them; the good news is of the fourteen skals reported to be released, that left one two more including Bean.

They had nowhere to go but up.

-----

Elsewhere, in what was once Arcadia Bay

Rachel's little walkabout brought her to yet another familiar place.

However, like the rest of the immediate township, the former Blue Whales Diner was yet another piece of Arcadia Bay, left behind after a failed attempt to rebuild.

The diner standing before her was not the same building that stood there in 2013.

The signs now read "Price Memorial; Blue Whales Diner".

Whether it was rebuilt or simply renovated, Rachel's mind couldn't piece it together. The exterior was painted with more striking blue colors; matching the shade of Chloe's hair.

The actual whale sign was new, designed to resemble an actual baleen whale, as opposed to the sperm whale design that Joyce had in place. Something Rachel remembers joking to Joyce about a few times; "Ma'am that is not a blue whale! That is false advertising!"

That memory at least brought some amusement to Rachel.

The windows were boarded up, and Rachel doesn't think that was part of the renovations. Investigating further, Rachel isn't surprised to feel the door is locked.

The light inside was off, but as Rachel's vision adjusts, she can just make out the interior. Again, the place was renovated beyond her recognition, like they were trying to put the old restaurant behind them.

Of course, this did no good, as the diner was shut down along with much of the township.

However, that wasn't on Rachel's gradually repairing mind; her attention was drawn to a wall over the counter. She squints her eyes as they adjust to the darkness, before deciding she needed a closer look.

Rachel tries to jiggle and push the door, putting that vampire strength to use. Though she quickly realizes she might break the door this way, and so opts to check around the back.

There she found a door with a chain busted, and from the mud and dirt on it, it had to have been a while since.

Even if it occurred to Rachel that at least one squatter used this place in the past...she's a vampire, so it's not that of a concern. You jump her, you get the teeth.

-----

Rachel entered through the back, and the diner's interior was nothing to write home about. Chairs were different, tables were different and everything that would have made the place lively was stripped away years ago.

But, that isn't what's on Rachel's mind. Instead, she makes a beeline to the counter, and gets a better look of the photo hanging over it.

"In Memoriam" it read, being a family photo of the Price family. William and Joyce were sitting on a bench at the park; both dressed like guests at a wedding, or something fancy like that.

There was a brilliant red sunset in the background, and with the way the sunbeams shine around the family, Rachel had a feeling that the photographer was in a pretentious mood.

Between them, was an eleven year old Chloe Prince, in one of the rare, rare, rare instances where she was wearing a dress; and one could tell from her eyes that she was not happy about it, in spite of her smile.

It brings an amused smirk to Rachel's face, as she recalls going through the Price's basement with Chloe and uncovering the latter's baby photos.

She remembers how embarrassed and annoyed Chloe got at the time...and how ugly things turned when it dawned on Chloe that her mom put all of William's pictures in a box somewhere.

"Wow," Rachel quietly realizes. It was the first time she felt truly nostalgic after returning to this place, and it makes her chest swell a little, as she goes down memory lane.

Rachel climbs onto the counter, taking the picture off the mantle, and climbs back down. Using her thumb, Rachel wipes some dust off the picture frame over Chloe's face.

A sad and guilty smile is on Rachel's face as she sits onto a stool before the counter and places the picture before her. She just looks at the image of the younger, more innocent Chloe Price and quietly muses to herself.

"Would you look at that ?" Rachel muses "We always come back here, do we ?"

As Rachel keeps looking, she thinks she notices something in the background of the picture.

At first she thought it was red sunbeam, but as she wiped some of the dust off, it was like one of those "Ghost Photos" where you can vaguely make out a ship in the camera light that wasn't there when the picture was taken.

Maybe it was because a vampire's eyes were better adjusted, but Rachel swears she sees something in the red sunbeam.

Standing several yards behind the Price Family, looked like a woman in a shroud. She looked like she was one with the rays of light.

Just as Rachel was getting a better look, she felt the floor creaking behind her, as if someone was suddenly standing there. She turns around, and sees nothing there but the doors and boarded windows that were there before.

But there was a scent of blood in the air that had Rachel already on the defensive. The kind that occurs when she feels the Queen's presence. Already she is gritting her teeth, and baring her fangs.

"You think I'm your enemy, daughter."

"I know you are." Rachel mouths, looking around for an entity that wasn't physically there, but felt as if she was circling them.

"I give you nothing but the tools to slay the monsters at your door." The Queen's voice speaks as if they were Rachel's thoughts "Fight for me or against me, you serve my will all the same. It's as I told you, all a soldier needs is a cause to answer the Call of the Morrigan."

As the Queen "speaks", Rachel's nose catches another whiff.

It was the smell of blood still, but something else. Something that didn't really register to Rachel when she first broke it. It was...gasoline ?

Rachel slowly turned to the direction of the smell; one scent was coming from the kitchen, and another from  the bathroom. She covers her mouth and nose as it grows thicker.

Okay sure, the place was a diner that ran often used gas heaters, but this place was closed down for about five years; and outside the context of a really, really crude joke, Rachel couldn't recall a reason for putting tanks in a bathroom.

Of course, she guesses, the Academy and other empty buildings were used as storage areas after the town went to shit. Usually the simple and mundane answers are the correct ones.

Curious, Rachel looks up over the counter, and into the former diner's kitchen.

She sees....a desk, a sleeping bag, a pillow.

On one side of the sleeping bag, there was an open box of Honey Nut Cheerios; an electric heater plugged in where an oven was removed years ago. There were also the remains of two apple cores in a garbage bin by the "foot" of the sleeping bag; by the looks of it, they couldn't be more than four days old.

On  the other side were dark stains, possibly explained by a half empty jug of cranberry juice beside the pillow, and an emptied ginger ale bottle, now filled with-

"Yuck!" Rachel flinches back in realization. She shudders in revulsion before her attention is drawn to the edge of the room...there was a gasoline inverter generator.

Of course, Rachel realizes. Despite being practically a ghost town left to it's fate, Rachel's guessing Arcadia Bay itself was considered off the grid.

And considering the number of squatters that likely hid out here, they had to have gotten some power here, especially if they stayed during the winter. Though, considering someone was hiding here the past few days, it doesn't hurt to be sure.

Cautiously, Rachel steps towards the generator, figuring the smell was coming from extra gas tanks stored in the bathroom, she takes hold of the generator's cord.

Rachel pulls once, and she hears a slight buzz. She pulls again, with a little more of that vampire strength, and this time the motor starts running.

The bright lights of the kitchen sear Rachel's eyes, and she flinches away, blinking several times until the black spots stop. She slowly turns back as her eyes adjust to the bright light....and see's blood splatter and red footprints on the floor.

Along with three bullet shells, just beside the pillow. She crouches down to investigate.

They were the same make as the bullets that were fired into her.

In the distance, Rachel could faintly make out the sound of a helicopter flying over. And with that, her repaired mind retraces more of its steps.

-----

Keystone Road, James Amber's Cabin. March 29th, 2020

Rachel lifts her hand to her mouth, and bites down. So hard that her teeth touch her carpal bones. She then lifts her bleeding wrist.

If Sarah Lee had any kind of resistance, she doesn't show it. She only moans slightly as she gets her first taste of blood, and it begins to numb her as she tries to stay lucid.

While this is happening, Daniel watches from the bathroom door, when another noise catches his attention; Chris was heading up the stairs, and James and David were arguing with two other men that have entered the house.

Chris looks at Daniel with this scared and questioning look, but Daniel holds out a hand to keep him in place. Both boy's look up to the sound of a helicopter flying overhead.

His fear and pre-emptive grief was pushed to the back of Daniel's mind as this hardened expression took hold. Quietly but quickly, Daniel advances towards the stairs.

On the floor below them, he could see four more of these SWAT-looking people have entered the house; David was trying to de-escalate things, and James was going on about his property, warrants and how they are shooting at children!

Daniel wasn't really paying attention to their words; he just held out his hand, and this wave of energy blasts down the stairs and onto the floor below. Everyone on this floor fell off their feet from the shock wave.

The boy was seeing red, and showed no care or concern for either David or James. His focus was solely on the intruders.

With another swing of his hand, the intruders slam into the wall beside them, and another tremor is felt as Daniel jumps from the last four steps and clutches both hands.

The four guards lift into the air with muffled expletives, as this invisible force begins wrapping around their necks and squeezing.

Between David and James, the former was the first to get his bearings, muttering a quiet "Oh no," when he sees this.

"Daniel!" David coughs, staggering to his feet "Daniel, stop!"

The boy isn't paying attention, he just grits his teeth and clenches his fist harder; the guards cry out in muffled pain as they are forcefully slammed up to the roof, and onto the floor.

"Daniel, this isn't gonna-" David starts, stepping up behind and putting a hand on the boy's back to get his attention.

Daniel turns around and as he does so, a kinetic force blasts through the front door and surrounding walls, knocking these gunmen across the front lawn.

"They shot her!" Daniel raises his voice "They shot Sarah Lee! And I'm gonna make them pay!"

"Daniel don't-!"

Daniel isn't paying attention. He angrily stomps towards the collapsed door onto the deck.

Before the cabin, two other dark jeeps were parked. Daniel counted at least eight other gunmen in a formation behind them, using them as cover.

As Daniel has both his hands in a faux surrender motion, these jeeps suddenly lift off the ground. They raise about twenty meters into the air, and a few of the gunmen take aim at the boy, but two others warn them down.

"Don't!" One warns their comrades "Margot wants them alive!"

Again, Daniel hears none of this, and wouldn't have cared if he did. He clenches his fists and the jeeps' engines suddenly ignite and burst.

The jeeps themselves lit light fireworks and as Daniel releases his clenched fists, they come toppling down onto the road below, sending the gunman scrambling. If anyone them got crushed, Daniel didn't care.

And with that, Daniel waves on hand and the other; two largest trees in the surrounding woods suddenly pull out from their roots and swing down towards.

Yet again, the gunmen scramble. And yet again, Daniel doesn't seem to notice or care if the impact hit any of them.

As Daniel holds his hand up, readying strike, he feels another hand touch his back.

"Daniel, stop-"

Daniel quickly turns around and pushes back, sending whoever interrupted him reeling back into the cabin, and slamming into the wall.

The fierce look in Daniel's eyes give way as they widen, and his pupils shrink.

Laying at the wall was Chris, leaning to the side and coughing. James was getting to his feet and hastily crawling over to him, while David was still trying to get back up.

"Oh no..." Daniel mouths, hurriedly rushing back into the cabin.

-----

In the bathroom upstairs, Rachel is licking her wound clean, while still trying to hold Sarah Lee back.

The girl doesn't open her eyes, but has been breathing heavily and muttering inaudibly for the past few minutes. She can hear the commotion downstairs, and questions if she should go down to check, or try to keep Sarah Lee alive.

Her conclusion is that Sarah Lee is slipping into unconsciousness, but the red around her mouth shows that the Queen's blood is in her system.

To investigate further, Rachel lifts Sarah Lee's shirt a little, wincing at the sight of the wound in her stomach. As Rachel feels around Sarah Lee's lower back. No exit wound.

Sarah Lee was no longer bleeding, which Rachel took as a sign the blood was healing the injury itself; but the bullet and any fragments was still inside her. It may not kill her today, but Sarah Lee isn't going to last for long.

A new resolve was filling her, and Rachel looked towards the body of the guard who shot the girl. A pistol laid a few feet from his hand.

Scooping the girl up with both arms, Rachel tries to pick the pistol up, but groans in frustration.

"Think Rachel, think!" She thinks to herself, trying to formulate a plan.

Looking back to the pistol, and hearing the commotion downstairs, Rachel gently lifts Sarah Lee and lays her in the empty bathtub. If she can keep her out of the worst of it, there still may be a shot to rescue her.

"Don't die on me, kid." Rachel runs a hand through the girl's hair "I'll be back in a few."

Rachel heads out the door, picking up the pistol, and with no holster, stuffing the barrel in the back of her pants.

Quickly and quietly, Rachel heads towards the stairs, she's brought to a stop.

From the top, Rachel sees the damage at the front door, and the walls surrounding it; She faintly hears the noise of  Daniel shaking an unconscious Chris, begging him to get up, while James was trying to usher him away.

What then drew her attention was David Madsen standing at the top steps, confirming his disbelief. When his eyes lock with Rachel's the world starts to slow, like one of them was staring at a ghost.

Or if you want to be technical, David was staring at a vampire, and a girl close to his stepdaughter and thought was dead for the past several years. But you get the idea.

Rachel chuckles cynically to herself and shakes her head as another realization hits her. Just another part of her former life coming back to her. What's next after this ?

"Rachel..." David goes down  a step "You're...you were supposed to be-"

"You're not supposed to be here, Mr. Madsen."

Rachel looks away from David and tries to step past him, when David steps towards her.

"No. No, no, no-" David shakes his head, trying to decide if this was real and not some stress disorder induced nightmare, or hallucination "This doesn't happen-"

"It didn't happen." Rachel looks towards David with an icy glare "You see nothing. You hear nothing."

David closes his eyes, and blinks three times. Rachel was still standing there with an annoyed look. If this is Rachel Amber, if this is Chloe's friend, and Arcadia Bay's favorite victim...he just had to know for sure.

"She was looking for you." David finds the words "Chloe, I mean."

Rachel's expression softens, and she takes a breath to compose herself.

"Maybe she shouldn't have."

"You were her world, you know. And when you disappeared, that brought it to an end."

Rachel, finding her resolve waver, shakes her head.

"There's a girl bathroom, David. A kid." Rachel says, gesturing up the stairway "One of your friends shot her. You want to help her, get out of my way."

"I-" David tries to argue, but stops himself when he sees Rachel's expression harden.

David wasn't sure what exactly this was. But someone was shot - most likely by Clem. And he's here to help these kids.

As she passes him, David tentatively grabs Rachel arm.

"People will know." David says sternly "When this get's out. It's all getting out."

"No. It won't." Rachel steps away from him

As Rachel descends the stair, she looks out the collapsed front door, and surrounding wall.

Outside, she counts seven guards are making a formation, and four others surrounding the steps. Rachel sees one of the, taking aim. She already knows she can't try to negotiate, so it's back to square one.

Acting quickly, Rachel pulls her pistol and fires along with the gunman. He misses, but she manages to shoot into his stomach. With a few strides, Rachel dashes to the door, as her would-be shooter collapses.

Rachel jumps onto the guard behind him, and shoves him into the other two that were ascending the porch steps. Forming on the lawn was the remaining seven. Rachel thinks she sees six others in the tree line.

Picking up the guard she had just tackled, Rachel holds him close as a human shield, firing her pistol at the three trying to pick him up. They scramble, but Rachel isn't sure if she hit any of them, let alone lethally.

Rachel leans into her shields ear and whispers "Got any kids ?"

"Fuck you!"

"Well for their sake," Rachel clicks her fangs "You better hope your friends don't shoot."

Holding her human shield against her body, Rachel has his teeth on his neck, and is puppeteering his arm to aim at the other guards. They all aim, but don't shoot.

On Rachel's end, she slowly backs her way down the deck, and towards a woodpile on the side of her dad's cabin. She saw an axe. And as the past week taught her, she works better with axe's.

"You fuckers shot a kid!" Rachel raises her voice "This will get out, you know!"

"Screw you..." Her meat shield struggles against her.

"Oh, you'd like that wouldn't you ?" Rachel snarks, lifting her head away from his neck.

Unfortunately, this gave him a shot to butt the back of his head into Rachel's nose. There's a slight crunch and Rachel's nose bleeds. As it does, Rachel could have sworn she heard the mirthful laughter of the Queen in the breeze.

But the unlucky bastard tried to turn his gun on Rachel - only to get shot twice in the stomach by her pistol. She was already six feet from the woodpile, and see's the other guards getting ready to shoot.

Rachel was just a little quicker, reaching the axe. As she grabs the handle, the blood runs down her nose and onto her lips.

Yet again, the Queen's sing-songy-laughter could be picked up in the air, and Rachel finds her teething beginning the sharpen, and her pupils shrink.

And as the guards men surrounded her, she was getting hungry.

What followed next was a red blur...

-----

North Bend Quarantine Hospital, April 6th, 2020

In a bathroom on the fifth floor, an AK-47 lays on the ground having been overheated. The butt of the gun is covered in blood, which spilled onto the floor as a nasty mess.

Standing before the mirror and sink was Bean, who was washing his hands and forearms. The sink is similarly stained from the mess that Bean washes off himself, though some of the blood was his own.

In the stalls behind him, lies two of the hospital staff, who thought they could try to hide when they heard the gunfire in the halls. It did them no good, as Bean has become quite adept at smelling fear.

Still, with how trigger happy Bean was, by the time he found them, all that came from his riffle were clicks. Didn't mean he couldn't improvise.

He takes a roll of paper towels and begins to wet them under the faucet, and begins wrapping them around his partially flayed arms and legs, and observes the marks he made on his torso. He holds his wrapped arms under the blow dryer when he catches something in the air.

There was new blood on this floor; not his own, not his victims. New blood. Vampire Blood. Bean looks towards the mirror, and a knowing grin forms on his face.

He always could count on Mordred to send in the cavalry. In the past few centuries, there has never been a King nor an army that could sink their teeth into Sawney, and he doesn't expect it to change anytime soon.

After a moment, the bathroom door is kicked open, and the scent of vampire blood is stronger, as two gunmen in FBC Ranger garb enter the room. Both of them aim their rifles at Bean, before lowering them.

"Well, well, the cavalry's here!" Bean turns towards them with a bloody grin, raising both hands in a surrender motion "I'd say I'm unarmed, but that doesn't guarantee your-"

Stepping through the door, between the two rangers, was Gale Vega, carrying a body on his back. It was the body of one of the Guard's gunmen, dressed head to toe in their SWAT outfit.

"Alexander....Bean, was it ?" Vega looks at Bean, and at the stalls with his victims "I see you've been busy."

"I've been off my feet for a while..." Bean finishes patching up his arms with a makeshift sling "Had to make up for lost time."

"Well, playtimes over, buddy." Vega casually drops the body onto the floor, and steps toward Bean to address him "Gale Vega, of the Desert Snakes."

Bean crosses his arms, rolls his eyes and chuckles.

"Word of advice, Tori Weathers ?" Bean clicks his teeth "I don't care to know the names of meat."

"Then the names Sean and Daniel Diaz, or Jacob and Sarah Lee Hackerman mean nothing to you ?" Vega tilts his head, as a third gunman enters the room, carrying a folder, handing it to Vega.

After a pause Bean shrugs.

"My assignments and playthings are not what I call meat." Bean crosses his crudely bandaged arms "Did he send you ?"

"Official word is, we were sent in to extract Diaz. Along the way we picked up the wounded gunman." Bean gestures to the Guard SWAT outfit laying on the floor "This about fit you ?"

Bean looks down at the outfit blankly, and clicks his teeth.

"It'll do..." Bean remarks, picking the outfit up over his shoulder, and begins to remove his ruined pajama bottoms "No one knows, more than I, that beggars aren't choosers."

As Bean begins to redress into the SWAT-like garb, Vega continues to run things down for him.

"The boss wants you out quick and easy. With the mess you made he can't afford the attention."

"Sounds like him," Bean steps into the suits opening and pulls it up "Always talking big, but quiets down when he gets an audience."

"You shouldn't have let yourself get caught," Vega smirks and shakes his head "Never could keep your bloodlust under wraps, could you ?"

"Waiting bores me. Who am I to deny the Morrigan's call ?" Bean finishes suiting himself up "If I get bored, I get antsy. Or hungry. Gotta find some way to relieve it."

As Bean fastens on the mask, he speaks in a slightly muffled voice.

"How's this ?"

"Our report says we found an injured guard," Vega looks Bean up and down with an unamused glare "Could try looking more the part ?"

Bean looks down his body; there were some bloodstains on the suit already, no doubt from the poor bastard they fished this off of.

And his torn skin this suit conceals was certainly adding to the mess. But as he turns towards the mirror, he thinks he could do a little more...

"What are you-?" Vega starts to ask, but it is interrupted when Bean slams his head, face-first, into the mirror.

Bean slams once, twice, and with a third time something crunches. As the mirror shatters, several pieces of its glass fall in and around the sink.

"Jesus Christ, man!" Vega exclaims, as he and his rangers look back and forth at each other incredulously.

"He had nothing to do with this!" Bean chuckles and shakes his head. He picks up a broken piece of mirror, and raises it towards his face "I answer the Morrigan's call!"

Vega and his rangers couldn't believe what they were seeing. Not one to be unfamiliar with blood shed, the self mutilation that was occurring before them was something they could scarcely wrap their heads around.

They wince, and Vega shields his left eye as Bean sticks the piece into his own, with a pained seethe, and a delirious laughter.

It was like Mordred warned them. Shedding blood is practically what the Sawney Bean lived for; it never mattered who. So much so, you can't put it past him to die for it.

With a pained groan, Bean pulls the mirror shard out from his left eye, and towards his right jugular. He continues to make this airy sound, like a cross between a groan and a laugh and he slashes once into his neck, and again into his trapezius.

He jolts, and shakes, not even fighting the tears forming in his eyes, as he continues to laugh deliriously. With a bloody smile hidden behind the SWAT mask, Bean staggers towards Vega and his crew.

"How's this look ?"

There is a pause, before Vega swallows his spit and nods, getting some of his nerves back.

"Like my wife caught you cheating on cards." Vega snarks with a blunt, but annoyed expression.

"Perfect!" Bean pretends to limp towards the squad "Now which one of you is gonna be my shoulder to lean on ?"

One of the rangers instantly jabs a thumb towards their partner, who glares at them. Instead, as if to spite them, Bean wraps his arm around the first ranger, and pretends to lean in against them.

"Now, as for the Hackerman's ?"

"We were sent to extract, Diaz." Vega says in a warning tone.

"Details, details, but our associates put a price on their names too." Bean explains.

They could hear footsteps, rushing up the halls towards them. It had to be one of the squads, and they had appearances to keep up.

"You just make it quick." Vega says with a sigh, before waving them off "I'll handle, Diaz."

"Can't promise anything..." Bean chuckles, before looking at the gunmen, and nodding his head for them to take him out of here.

-----

As Vega and his team enter the hallway, they see Cassidy, with her escort of four rangers, rounding the corner. She had this blank, bewildered and pale look on her face, no doubt adjusting to the carnage on the past few floors.

Playing their part, Vega's men lead the disguised and bloody Bean down the opposite end of the hall, towards the fifth floor. All the while, Bean makes these exaggerated gasping and wheezing noises as they pass Cassidy.

"Miss Jones," Vega says with a professional tone, giving a mild "At ease" motion to his men surrounding her "You catch up pretty quick, don't you ?"

Cassidy shrugs with an unreadable expression, which becomes more concerned and ominous as she looks back at the other two carrying Bean off opposite to her.

"We were given the all clear..." Cassidy rubs her arm "What- what happened here ?"

"We found one of Margot's men. He's a little fucked up though." Vega puts a reassuring hand on her shoulder "Just making a quick pick up, but Miss Riley's meeting up with the rest down a floor from us."

"So what is it ?" Cassidy steps away, trying to keep her cool, looking around the hall with wide eyes "Another all clear."

With a smirk and a chuckle, Vega pats Cassidy on the back.

"I think we're about ready to wrap things up tonight."

"I just want us out of here." Cassidy crosses her arms around her body, as if to hug herself, looking and sounding antsy.

Nodding towards the rangers, Vega gestures them and Cassidy to follow him.

"Well, we aren't get there by standing around, now are we ?"

-----

When they reached the floor below, Cassidy didn't know what to expect. Or rather, she had some idea, but couldn't settle on what exactly.

As they made their way to the fourth floor, Cass and her group heard the sound of gunfire and shouting. It stopped as soon as it started.

Vega led three of his team in first, not wanting to risk Cassidy going where there was an active gunfire. They were down there a couple of minutes before Vega gave Cassidy the all clear.

Time seemed to slow to Cassidy, as she looked over the halls they trekked. She helped evacuate this floor not an hour ago, and didn't expect to see much in bodies or carnage.

For the most part there wasn't, but the suspense of being down there almost made her heart stop.

As Vega led their unit down two halls, and rounded two corners, did Cassidy finally feel her heart start again. Just down the last hall, was Jessica and her team of four regrouping with another team of five.

Sean and Finn being two of those five; both huddled towards the door, with Sean rubbing a sore arm. As his side, Finn is crouching towards the door, bleeding from his left shin and is being looked over by both Matt and Jessica.

Finn was trying to focus on Matt and Jess, while Sean seemed to be staring out into space.

Across the floor from them a skal; riddled from chest to groin, and shoulders with dozens of rounds of their ammos, with a discarded riffle laying several feet before him.

He laid on the wall near the corner, and caused Cassidy to jump a little, not really noticing him until she passed him. The skal appeared to have once been a younger man with dirty blonde hair.

If Cassidy had to guess; one or both teams saw and fired upon this vampire immediately, but not before he got a few shots out of his own. But her attention was immediately drawn to Sean and Finn.

"Sean!" She calls out, stepping ahead from Vega's group, towards Jessica's "Finn!"

As she reached Sean, he was still looking out into nothing, and was trembling a little as he clutched his shoulder.

"Sean ?" Cassidy says more gently as she approaches him, being careful not to spook him as she tentatively reaches forward "Sean, baby ?"

Sean jolts a little as Cassidy touches his gold shoulder. There was something in his eyes, trying to put him a thousand miles away. Her guess was he was trying to disassociate from all this carnage.

"Cassidy ?" Sean says quietly, coming back down to earth, still shaking a little as he steps away from the wall.

"It's okay, Sean. We're gonna-" Cassidy starts to say, but is interrupted as Vega leads his team over.

"I take it, the other floors are cleared." Vega speaks, leading his team over, with Matt answering.

"We think there's one left." Matt remarks, he too was a little shaken from the gunfight, it being the first time in a while he's seen this much action "Looks like we did all we could."

"We found the last one up the stairs." Vega says, crossing his arms with a proud smile "I'd say with that, your work here is done."

"I'm sorry." Finn groans as Matt helps him back up "Who-?"

"Gale Vega, Desert Snakes." Vega reaches out and takes Finn's hand, shaking it.

Vega then turns towards Sean, trying to do the same with his hand.

As Vega takes Sean's hand, he can feel the slight shake spasming through the young man's body, and that glassy look in Sean's eyes. With a small, subtle grin taking Vega's face, the older man nods.

"I take it you've popped your gun cherry ?" Vega asks, before tilting his head "Shakes happens to the best of us; puts us in another world."

"I-" Sean takes a breath "I never really-"

"At ease, kid." Vega taps Sean on his sore shoulder, causing him to flinch "We're the extraction."

"Sean, Finn." Cassidy tries to say, getting both their attention, taking their hands into her own "They're getting us out of here."

Sean narrows his eyes towards Vega's mouth as he grins. He couldn't tell if it was fatigue or not, but he couldn't help but notice how sharp the man's teeth looked.

With this unease creeping up on him, Sean felt that numbing feeling kicking in. That feeling that told him to fight and survive. That feeling he got when he was pulling a trigger.

"'Bout time." Finn sighs, as Matt and Cassidy help him stand, his bleeding leg still shaking. Finn's voice, as well as the sad smile Cassidy gives him, brings Sean back down.

"By special request of Director Faden," Vega starts "You three were not meant to be caught up in this. We're here to remedy that."

"You're not remedying la merde!" The voice of Pierre Margot catches the attention of those present.

Standing at the end of the hall was Margot himself, with a team of masked and armed guards. Margot had a pistol in his hands, while the others carried rifles.

Before anyone else can react or question what Margot was doing, Vega rolls his eyes with annoyance.

"Come now, what's this ?"

"When I said I wasn't going to allow a leach to sink their poison into our foundations, I meant it." Margot says stoically, lifting the pistol towards Vega's head.

Vega and his men return in kind.

"Jesus Christ, what's-?" Finn starts to ask, as if he and his partners didn't already know that a standoff was about to occur.

Sean steps before Finn, Matt and Cassidy. He doesn't know what, if anything he can do to help them, but that dissociative look in his eye begins to form.

Sean looks towards Jessica, who nods and quietly takes Matt by the shoulders, inching him away from Vega's rangers. Sean does the same with Cassidy and Finn.

Shaking his head, Vega steps forward once.

"Fatigue is getting you, Captain. Might I suggest taking a leave ?" Vega shakes his head "How you gonna explain this to Faden-?"

"Faden doesn't know you're here. She never even heard your name before I brought it up on the phone." Margot remains stoic, and unmoved "I also just spoke with Dr. Rainier; treated you after Dubai, correct ?"

Vega's composure flattens a little.

"He told me," Margot continued his advance, noticing Sean and Jessica were both silently ushering their partners further down the hall, towards a corner behind them "You were supposed to be discharged."

"Like we haven't heard some interesting stories about you ?" Vega scoffs, looking back towards Sean and his group "Not sure what the Director sees in this prick; the guy is always looking for-"

Margot fires his pistol twice; the bullets puncture Vega in the shoulder and lower arm, causing him to stagger back a couple steps. Vega spins a little, and doubles over, causing his sunglasses to drop to the floor.

In what was four second in real time, felt like forever as Vega looked back up at the others.

His eyes were sunken and milky. And as he grit his teeth, his fangs were more plainly visible.

"Ah," Vega groans "This was supposed to be quick and easy."

Vega rears back up, aiming his own gun at Margot, with his rangers also taking aim. It happened so fast.

Sean's vision may not be as good in his left eye, but he swears he sees three shots hit Margot's chest and stomach; dropping Margot to the floor as quick as a blink.

And with that, gunfire from both sides echo the halls.

Somewhere in the pandemonium, Sean sees Jessica collapse against a wall, with Matt trying to shield her. He sees Finn drop to the floor, before Sean himself was on his back, and Cassidy laid on top of him.

For a moment or two, there was a ringing in Sean's ear...

Chapter 22: Call of the Morrigan: Part Three

Summary:

And here's part three.

I said it was gonna take a couple weeks and I delivered. However, because it took me months to write all three parts, I'm also taking a short break for this story and focus more on "Love's Sacrifices" and "Mission to Silas"; the latter of which has like three or four chapters left before it's wrapped up.

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the read; as usual, I'm not good at writing battle sequences. If I post in the near future, it may be a shorter character focused chapter. So I figure the Beaver Creek "arc" should get wrapped up here while we bring the other protagonists together.

Chapter Text

North Bend Quarantine Hospital, April 6th, 2020

As Vega and his team enter the hallway, they see Cassidy, with her escort of four rangers, rounding the corner. She had this blank, bewildered and pale look on her face, no doubt adjusting to the carnage on the past few floors.

Playing their part, Vega's men lead the disguised and bloody Bean down the opposite end of the hall, towards the fifth floor. All the while, Bean makes these exaggerated gasping and wheezing noises as they pass Cassidy.

"Miss Jones," Vega says with a professional tone, giving a mild "At ease" motion to his men surrounding her "You catch up pretty quick, don't you ?"

Cassidy shrugs with an unreadable expression, which becomes more concerned and ominous as she looks back at the other two carrying Bean off opposite to her.

"We were given the all clear..." Cassidy rubs her arm "What- what happened here ?"

"We found one of Margot's men. He's a little fucked up though." Vega puts a reassuring hand on her shoulder "Just making a quick pick up, but Miss Riley's meeting up with the rest down a floor from us."

"So what is it ?" Cassidy steps away, trying to keep her cool, looking around the hall with wide eyes "Another all clear."

With a smirk and a chuckle, Vega pats Cassidy on the back.

"I think we're about ready to wrap things up tonight."

"I just want us out of here." Cassidy crosses her arms around her body, as if to hug herself, looking and sounding antsy.

Nodding towards the rangers, Vega gestures them and Cassidy to follow him.

"Well, we aren't get there by standing around, now are we ?"

-----

When they reached the floor below, Cassidy didn't know what to expect. Or rather, she had some idea, but couldn't settle on what exactly.

As they made their way to the fourth floor, Cass and her group heard the sound of gunfire and shouting. It stopped as soon as it started.

Vega led three of his team in first, not wanting to risk Cassidy going where there was an active gunfire. They were down there a couple of minutes before Vega gave Cassidy the all clear.

Time seemed to slow to Cassidy, as she looked over the halls they trekked. She helped evacuate this floor not an hour ago, and didn't expect to see much in bodies or carnage.

For the most part there wasn't, but the suspense of being down there almost made her heart stop.

As Vega led their unit down two halls, and rounded two corners, did Cassidy finally feel her heart start again. Just down the last hall, was Jessica and her team of four regrouping with another team of five.

Sean and Finn being two of those five; both huddled towards the door, with Sean rubbing a sore arm. As his side, Finn is crouching towards the door, bleeding from his left shin and is being looked over by both Matt and Jessica.

Finn was trying to focus on Matt and Jess, while Sean seemed to be staring out into space.

Across the floor from them a skal; riddled from chest to groin, and shoulders with dozens of rounds of their ammos, with a discarded riffle laying several feet before him.

He laid on the wall near the corner, and caused Cassidy to jump a little, not really noticing him until she passed him. The skal appeared to have once been a younger man with dirty blonde hair.

If Cassidy had to guess; one or both teams saw and fired upon this vampire immediately, but not before he got a few shots out of his own. But her attention was immediately drawn to Sean and Finn.

"Sean!" She calls out, stepping ahead from Vega's group, towards Jessica's "Finn!"

As she reached Sean, he was still looking out into nothing, and was trembling a little as he clutched his shoulder.

"Sean ?" Cassidy says more gently as she approaches him, being careful not to spook him as she tentatively reaches forward "Sean, baby ?"

Sean jolts a little as Cassidy touches his gold shoulder. There was something in his eyes, trying to put him a thousand miles away. Her guess was he was trying to disassociate from all this carnage.

"Cassidy ?" Sean says quietly, coming back down to earth, still shaking a little as he steps away from the wall.

"It's okay, Sean. We're gonna-" Cassidy starts to say, but is interrupted as Vega leads his team over.

"I take it, the other floors are cleared." Vega speaks, leading his team over, with Matt answering.

"We think there's one left." Matt remarks, he too was a little shaken from the gunfight, it being the first time in a while he's seen this much action "Looks like we did all we could."

"We found the last one up the stairs." Vega says, crossing his arms with a proud smile "I'd say with that, your work here is done."

"I'm sorry." Finn groans as Matt helps him back up "Who-?"

"Gale Vega, Desert Snakes." Vega reaches out and takes Finn's hand, shaking it.

Vega then turns towards Sean, trying to do the same with his hand.

As Vega takes Sean's hand, he can feel the slight shake spasming through the young man's body, and that glassy look in Sean's eyes. With a small, subtle grin taking Vega's face, the older man nods.

"I take it you've popped your gun cherry ?" Vega asks, before tilting his head "Shakes happens to the best of us; puts us in another world."

"I-" Sean takes a breath "I never really-"

"At ease, kid." Vega taps Sean on his sore shoulder, causing him to flinch "We're the extraction."

"Sean, Finn." Cassidy tries to say, getting both their attention, taking their hands into her own "They're getting us out of here."

Sean narrows his eyes towards Vega's mouth as he grins. He couldn't tell if it was fatigue or not, but he couldn't help but notice how sharp the man's teeth looked.

With this unease creeping up on him, Sean felt that numbing feeling kicking in. That feeling that told him to fight and survive. That feeling he got when he was pulling a trigger.

"'Bout time." Finn sighs, as Matt and Cassidy help him stand, his bleeding leg still shaking. Finn's voice, as well as the sad smile Cassidy gives him, brings Sean back down.

"By special request of Director Faden," Vega starts "You three were not meant to be caught up in this. We're here to remedy that."

"You're not remedying la merde!" The voice of Pierre Margot catches the attention of those present.

Standing at the end of the hall was Margot himself, with a team of masked and armed guards. Margot had a pistol in his hands, while the others carried rifles.

Before anyone else can react or question what Margot was doing, Vega rolls his eyes with annoyance.

"Come now, what's this ?"

"When I said I wasn't going to allow a leach to sink their poison into our foundations, I meant it." Margot says stoically, lifting the pistol towards Vega's head.

Vega and his men return in kind.

"Jesus Christ, what's-?" Finn starts to ask, as if he and his partners didn't already know that a standoff was about to occur.

Sean steps before Finn, Matt and Cassidy. He doesn't know what, if anything he can do to help them, but that dissociative look in his eye begins to form.

Sean looks towards Jessica, who nods and quietly takes Matt by the shoulders, inching him away from Vega's rangers. Sean does the same with Cassidy and Finn.

Shaking his head, Vega steps forward once.

"Fatigue is getting you, Captain. Might I suggest taking a leave ?" Vega shakes his head "How you gonna explain this to Faden-?"

"Faden doesn't know you're here. She never even heard your name before I brought it up on the phone." Margot remains stoic, and unmoved "I also just spoke with Dr. Rainier; treated you after Dubai, correct ?"

Vega's composure flattens a little.

"He told me," Margot continued his advance, noticing Sean and Jessica were both silently ushering their partners further down the hall, towards a corner behind them "You were supposed to be discharged."

"Like we haven't heard some interesting stories about you ?" Vega scoffs, looking back towards Sean and his group "Not sure what the Director sees in this prick; the guy is always looking for-"

Margot fires his pistol twice; the bullets puncture Vega in the shoulder and lower arm, causing him to stagger back a couple steps. Vega spins a little, and doubles over, causing his sunglasses to drop to the floor.

In what was four second in real time, felt like forever as Vega looked back up at the others.

His eyes were sunken and milky. And as he grit his teeth, his fangs were more plainly visible.

"Ah," Vega groans "This was supposed to be quick and easy."

Vega rears back up, aiming his own gun at Margot, with his rangers also taking aim. It happened so fast.

Sean's vision may not be as good in his left eye, but he swears he sees three shots hit Margot's chest and stomach; dropping Margot to the floor as quick as a blink.

And with that, gunfire from both sides echo the halls.

Somewhere in the pandemonium, Sean sees Jessica collapse against a wall, with Matt trying to shield her. He sees Finn drop to the floor, before Sean himself was on his back, and Cassidy laid on top of him.

For a moment or two, there was a ringing in Sean's ear...

-----

Seattle, University District, April 6th, 2020

In her boarding house, earlier that evening, Lyla Park flops onto the couch after an exhausting day.

On her TV, an episode of Rick and Morty was playing, but it was just background noise. One of her housemates is on a date night, and the other is taking a trip out of the city, meaning she had the place to herself.

Lyla's kicking herself for picking a night class, but it is a cross than many-a-college student has to bear. It also gave her some more time off from her podcast.

But that wasn't what was weighing her down tonight. If what was happening with the Diaz's wasn't enough, the knowledge that freaking vampires exist did a bigger number on her.

At first Lyla wasn't sure what to make of the news. If she heard it from anyone else, she'd dismiss it as nonsense. When she overheard this Agent Wallace guy talking to Sean, Cass and Finn, she almost thought they were being scammed.

But she's been following the news of the Beaver Creek; both official reports from witnesses or survivors; and of course the oh so wonderful world of and not-at-all toxic hellhole that is Twitter.

The word "Vampire" kept getting dropped here or there, even if officially "Mum's the word." And that word increased when that slaughterhouse was uncovered in Willamette.

So despite what Sean made her promise, Lyla's thoughts kept going back to the fact that undead, blood sucking ghouls were out there. Not only were they out there, but they were on the attack.

And not only were they on the attack, her friends were getting caught up in this. That's not something Lyla can just ignore; as if the news didn't make Seattle's nightlife a little creepier for her, she can't just sleep on the matter.

So when she spent several minutes trying to rest on her couch, she decided to check her phone.

About an hour ago Sean sent a text telling her that they were going to this hospital set up in North Bend. He says "Hospital", but reports describe it as more like a military complex run by this organization called FBC.

Lyla picks up her phone and sends another message to Sean; "Any news ?"

Message fails to be sent. It takes four resends before it goes through, but there was silence for a moment. At no point is Sean typing a reply.

She tries messaging Cassidy's number: "Is everything alright over there ?"

The message is sent, and after a long pause, Cassidy begins to type: "We don't want to worry you."

Lyla replies: "That's the EXACT thing that worries me.

Come on, I don't like being left in the dark."

There is another pause before Cassidy replies with: "We're getting out of here. Fast. We have to leave."

"Where's Sean ?"

After a lengthy pause, Cassidy replies: "He and Finn are lending a hand with downstairs. I'm lending a hand upstairs."

Lyla types: "What's happening ?"

Cassidy answers: "We're just moving everyone out.

Don't worry."

Lyla is about to send another reply, before stopping and taking a deep breath.

Don't get worked up, she tells herself; this is the kind of thing that works up your meltdowns.

Don't be an idiot, another part of Lyla argues; not knowing what makes you worry; people saying "Don't Worry" only makes you worry.

"Oh will you both shut up," Lyla thinks to herself, pinching the bridge of her nose as gets up from the couch, "I can't think with all this...thinking!"

Lyla hates when that happens; when one part of her has some thoughts, and the other part has others thoughts. It's like her brain is arguing with herself, and she's a third party.

Doesn't make sense, you say ? Well welcome to the world of anxiety. Initially, she had an easier time keeping it in check. These days, her podcast helped desensitize her.

But in the next year and a half of defending the brothers from the constant barrage of slander, conspiracy and racism from especially conservative social media outlets...well, the death threats and doxing didn't do good for Lyla's mental health.

Lyla spent a month in the hospital in the summer of 2017. News of the Diaz brother's showdown at the border caused her to reach a boiling point.

So to quell the intrusive, nagging thought, Lyla heads to her fridge, takes out a can of Pepsi and heads to her bedroom; under her bed, was a lockbox for her medicine.

Lyla takes two pot pills and one clonazepam. As she waits for it to kick in, she decides to take a nice long bath to clear her head.

Before she does, she leaves her phone to charge on her nightstand. She's already in the other room, when she begins getting calls.

-----

Caulfield Residence, Madison Park, Seattle

Max Caulfield had been sitting by her bedroom window for over an hour. She only ever left her post when Bill needed to use the bathroom. At the time, she's wearing red pajama pants and a blue t-shirt.

She must have dozed off once or twice, and jolted awake when a car drove by. Chloe told her not to wait up, but if there's one thing Max has a fault for it's worrying.

And if there was one fault of Chloe's that followed her from Arcadia Bay, it was being driven.

Chloe sought out Agent Gabriel Wallace for two weeks, but if there's one thing Max and Chloe learned from previous run-ins with the FBC; "You don't look for Wallace. He looks for you."

And yet, if there was anyone who had answers for what's going on with their son, especially in light of the attacks, it would be the vampire who appeared and disappeared from their lives the past eight years.

As soon as she and Chloe saw the pictures Bill drew, and heard the news reports, they knew that Wallace would be showing up almost immediately.

The day before, Max spoke with Victoria on the phone. Wallace had sent for Victoria and Kate, and they spoke with someone new involved in this case. The next morning, Chloe and Max had received emails from Wallace asking they speak to him.

Max didn't want to leave Bill with anyone, so Chloe went on her own.

The third time Max dozed home that evening, she jolted awake to the sound of a quiet slam, and face paced footsteps rushing to the kitchen.

Max knew who it was immediately, and got up from her chair, wiping her tired eyes.

As she heads downstairs, she hears the medicine cabinet open and shut. When she enters the dining room, she see's Chloe still has her coat and hat on.

She still had the decency to take off her boots.

"What's wrong ?" Max asks, leaning on the dining room doorway.

"The usual." Chloe shakes her head, taking out a bottle of red THC-pills, and emptying two out in her hands. At her side is a can of ginger ale, which she downs both pills with, before looking a little apologetic at Max "I didn't wake Bill, did I ?"

"No." Max shakes her head and crosses her arms, taking a few steps towards Chloe "But I'm guessing it's...bad ?"

On the counter beside Chloe, was an envelope, with the FBC moniker on it. Max reaches towards it, but Chloe puts her hand over it.

"Don't..." Chloe says quietly or bluntly, picking up the envelope and putting it in her coat "Just...I just-"

"Is it bad ?" Max asks, as if she isn't already guessing the answer.

Chloe looks away, promoting Max to put both hands on her shoulder.

"Chloe..." Max says the look she's giving her brings down Chloe's defenses.

Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, Chloe wraps her arms around Max.

And seeing as Chloe was still in her winter coat, which had spent the past couple hours outside, it scent a chill through Max.

"Ahfuckme!" Max quietly blurts out from the shudder.

"Not tonight." Chloe chuckles, despite herself "Kind of going through something..."

The two share a chuckle and a soft kiss, before Chloe steps away.

"Can..can I take a few ?" Chloe gingerly rubs up and down Max's arm "There's...still a lot to take in."

"Of course." Max pats Chloe on the cheek "But you know you can tell me anything."

"Yeah, this'll take a while telling..." Chloe rubs the back of her neck.

-----

About fifteen minutes later, Max was laying on the couch in the living room. On the stand beside the couch, Max had her phone charging.

An episode of The Simpsons was playing, but she wasn't really paying attention. It was a rerun from one of the early 2000's episodes. It was the one with Weird Al, but even that was background noise.

What had Max's attention was the FBC envelope she held up and looked over. She didn't open it, thinking that whatever it was, Chloe would want to be the one who revealed it to her.

But whatever it was, it clearly had Chloe upset. So much so she was taking her time actually revealing it to her.

Soon enough, Chloe herself makes her way into the living room. She now wears a slightly oversized dark purple tank top, and a pair of black panties.

Her colored hair was a little wet from the shower, and her eyes were a little red and puffy.

"Bill's still asleep." Chloe says, as Max sits up and scoots over to make some room "Didn't want him awake for this."

Max hands Chloe the envelope.

"You didn't peak ?" Chloe narrows her eyes at the envelope.

"Thought you wanted to surprise me." Max shrugs.

Chloe smirks at Max, before her expression flattens. She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath.

"Chloe..." Max says, sounding a little impatient.

"I know, I know, I just-" Chloe groans, before looking at Max "I just need you to prepare yourself. Wallace says..."

Max slowly blinks at Chloe, but puts her hand on hers.

"The Bureau may need you again..." Chloe with a heavy sigh "All of us."

Max blinks a few times, taking this in.

"They want me...out of retirement ?"

"Then they said it," Chloe nods "It's more need than want."

Max shakes her head in disbelief. She had her dealings with the FBC before, but this was something she tried putting behind her years ago. Especially when she was pregnant with Bill.

This was supposed to be their new life. Her new life.

Arcadia Bay, Blackwell Academy...the Dark Room. It was a closed chapter in her life; one that the world moved on from.

"I-" Max stutters a little "I haven't been on the field in four years. I- I'm supposed to be focusing on University or when I can get another gig-"

"And I had my art commissions to worry about." Chloe adds sardonically, looking back at the envelope "But it seems *all* our worlds are crashing down..."

Max notices the glum looking forming on Chloe's face, and a tear forming at the envelope.

"This is really getting to you, isn't it ?"

"Yeah." Chloe mouths, before coughing and speaking a little more clearly "I thought it was all over. I thought we'd leave it all behind..."

Chloe opens the envelope, and takes a breath to prepare herself.

"And it came back to me like the living dead."

As Chloe slowly pulls the photos out, Max's eyes widen and her breath catches in her throat.

That...that wasn't who she thought it was, right ?

It couldn't be ?

Max saw the body herself in the junkyard.

Her name and face was all over the news after Jefferson's arrest.

"It's her...isn't it ?" Max says looking over the mugshot, and the date it was taken.

"Rachel." Chloe exhales heavily, tears running down her face, as if saying it out loud made it real.

As it did with Chloe about an hour ago, this hurricane of mixed thoughts and feelings swirled in Max's head. This mixture of disbelief and acceptance.

The famous Rachel Amber -- the one whose decayed husk Max herself laid eyes on, was now walking the Earth. And apparently has been at least since 2015.

No, longer than that, Max remembers. Rachel's body disappeared from the morgue the night it was taken there. For the longest time, word was that her family simply took her to get cremated in a private funeral.

But the fact that it was before Rachel's autopsy - and more vividly, that a nurse and patient were found in that same wing with their throats bitten out and drained of blood - left a lot of room for conspiracy theories.

And after Max and her circle of friends learned of the existence of the supernatural, one would think they would put two and two together.

"They said-they said, she was in Beaver Creek." Chloe sniffles and wipes her eyes, looking at Max "Night of the attack..."

"They don't think she-?" Max hesitates to ask, but an impatient Chloe interrupts.

"I don't know!" Chloe raises her voice, getting off the couch before speaking more quietly "I- I don't know..."

Chloe sighs sadly, before taking her seat back on the end of the couch, burying her face in her hands.

"It's just..." Chloe says in a sobby voice into her hands, as Max puts an arm around her shoulders "With everything-"

"I know." Max says softly, kissing Chloe on the forehead and rubbing her lower back.

Chloe has her face buried for a moment, taking a few deep breaths before composing herself, and weakly sitting back up.

"It was all in front of us." Chloe looks up to the roof; where Bill's bedroom is supposed to be "Bill's dreams, h-his drawings..."

Chloe looks back at Max.

"Of Rachel...in the Dark Room...in Beaver Creek..." Chloe continues.

Max closes her eyes, and thinks back to the latest drawing; Rachel in Seattle, with the city burning as this red woman holds her like a puppet.

"And she's coming here." Max adds.

As she says this, the same shudder rushes through both Max and Chloe. As if saying it opened some sort of door to their lives, and all the monsters locked out were slipping in.

After a pause, Max's phone goes off.

Chloe was sitting closest to it, and when she picked it up, she and Max saw it was a message from Victoria.

"Are you catching the news ?"

Max and Chloe share a glance, before Max takes her phone and sends a reply.

"Why ? What's happening ?"

After a pause, Victoria sends a link. It was a video on Twitter.

Max clicks the link, showing a broadcast of an unfolding coverage at this hospital of sorts at North Bend. Not an hour away from where they were. Not so different from what's occurring in Beaver Creek.

Chloe and Max wordlessly read over the thread; apparently this was a quarantine site set up from the FBC, containing survivors of the Beaver Creek attack...and things that attacked it. And now something got out...

At least sixty seven are reported dead.

"Jesus..." Max covers her mouth.

Chloe shakes her head "He had nothing to do with this..."

As she says this, Chloe remembers something.

"David," Chloe looks at Max "He- he called last week, right ?"

"He did." Max recalls, pinching the bridge of her nose "Said he was helping a friend with the search and rescue...didn't want us to-"

"Have you heard back ?" Chloe asks, gently but urgently taking Max by the shoulders.

"N-no," Max shakes her head "But- we shouldn't jump to-"

"Jumping to conclusions is what he would have done!" Chloe insists, taking Max's phone and going through her contacts.

She finds David's number and hits "Call".

Immediately, she gets a "Call Failed" message.

Groaning with frustration, Chloe tries calling again and again.

And with each attempt Chloe kept getting the same message.

"Fuck!" Chloe seethes through her teeth, tossing the phone onto the couch.

"Chloe, please!" Max gently gets up and takes Chloe's wrist "Don't get worked up..."

"Worked up ?!" Chloe's eyes water "That's easy for- ''

Max leans in and kisses Chloe, interrupting her and causing her to stagger back.

"Just breathe," Max whispers, rubbing her hands up and down Chloe's arms.

Despite herself, Chloe manages to close her eyes and take a few deep breaths.

"I can't...I can't just do nothing..." Chloe opens her eyes, facing Max.

"You won't do anything." Max says, putting a hand on Chloe's cheek "Not alone."

Max kisses Chloe again.

"And not tonight..." Max says, pressing her forehead to Chloe's "There's a lot going on through here..."

Max taps a finger on the side of Chloe's head.

"You need time to process this."

"Time ?" Chloe scoffs, gesturing to the side "Max, the attack is like an hour away-"

"By the time you get there, everything that could be done, would be done." Max says firmly, before picking up her phone and skimming through the thread "Look, look..."

Max skims to the latest update.

"See ? The evacuation finished about an hour ago." Max says "All that can be done, *is* done."

Chloe opens her mouth to argue, but closes it at the look Max is giving her.

"Come on," Max puts an arm around Chloe's shoulder, "We can worry about this together..."

Chloe has no argument, and silently nods as Max leads her out the living room and up the stairs.

Even in Max's very brief time with the Bureau, she was more of a Detective than a soldier.

-----

(Former) Blue Whales Diner, Arcadia Bay

In the former kitchen of what was once the family owned diner, Rachel observes what was once a squatter's sleeping area.

There was a sleeping bag, pillow; a half eaten box of cheerios; emptied jugs of cranberry juice and ginger-ale filled with piss. There was an electric heater, and  a generator, the latter of which Rachel turns on.

And when her eyes adjust to the blinding lights, and her ears adjust to the loud and rumbling noise, she sees blood splatter and red footprints on the floor.

Along with three bullet shells, just beside the pillow. She crouches down to investigate. They were the same make as the bullets that were fired into her days before.

In the distance, Rachel could faintly make out the sound of a helicopter flying over. But that wasn't on her mind.

Crouching down, Rachel sees the blood splatter was dry but still red. It couldn't have been here for more than a day. There was a noticeably large smear coming from the sleeping back, fading towards the door.

As she picks up one of the bullets, it clicked on Rachel that whoever was hiding here before her, was shot and dragged out. And looking at the bullet made, it narrowed down her guesses.

"The guard," Rachel realizes "They're here."

"Yes," The intrusive voice of the Queen tells her "Soldiers answering the Call of the Morrigan; war came to your doorstep, daughter. And now it follows you."

As Rachel comes to this realization, her ears pick up that the sound of the helicopter was getting closer and closer at a faster rate.

"Will you run, or will you fight ?"

She can't fight, Rachel realizes, she's not in the shape to do so. And even if she did, it would only draw more attention.

Quickly looking back to the generator, Rachel scrambles to turn it off, and as the lights go out. It was her only course of action, and she really hopes it didn't draw attention.

As the building itself is silenced, she hears the helicopter has passed over. But there was also the sound of trucks, cars or jeeps pulling to a stop on the street before the diner.

Fight or flight instincts flare in Rachel's head, and without even registering it, she chooses the latter. She runs from the kitchen, and towards the back door.

As she does so, she sees two or three dark jeeps outside the parking lot, and dark figures carrying flashlight mounted rifles.

There were at least four of them, but she doesn't count. She's just hoping they didn't see her shape moving in the darkness.

-----

When she goes into the back alleys, Rachel is already on the move. She was fast and quick, ducking behind neighboring buildings and avoiding the road.

She was making a beeline towards the actual bay itself, thinking that would be as good a place to hide as any, and somewhere she can keep her head down.

In her head, it should have been quick and easy; the docks were a short jog away from the diner. But she wasn't jogging, she was lurking between buildings, and trying to stay out of sight.

There were at least two helicopters over the town, both of which had spotlights, but seemed to have passed over the township.

So long as they weren't following Rachel, she was all good. It's the trucks and jeeps that concern her. Six others were converging on the area, as Rachel kept ducking behind the alley ways.

As she darts through empty streets, and takes her time through the alleys, Rachel thinks she could pick up some chatter if she kept her ears peeled.

As she crouches and sneaks her way behind an abandoned house, Rachel can faintly hear two gunmen speaking from the patio. The beams of their flashlights warn Rachel to find another way.

"And another gets out ? Jesus, they aren't paying us enough."

"They're not paying us at all, dumbass."

"Not in the way that counts."

"Another one got out ?" Rachel wonders "Out from where ?"

"You know I'm starting to think these freaks had the right idea with the slaughterhouse," A gunman remarks with a tysk "They made them there, they can-"

"Jesus Christ, Jim!" His partner can be heard scoffing "A lot of them were prisoners in all this!"

"Like we're not running a prison."

"A prison ?" Rachel mouths to herself. Just what the hell's happening ?

Right then and there, one of their radios goes off.

"Kennings, Henson!" A staticky, authoritative voice speaks out.

"Speaking!" One of them can be heard answering.

"We spotted something moving your way. Preparing to intercept."

Rachel begins to carefully, but quickly backs away. If they saw her-

"We got a runner in a white t-shirt and pajama bottoms; sounds like our perp." The radio speaker addresses.

Rachel looks down her body, as if she didn't already know she was in a green hoodie with dark leggings. Whoever they were looking for it wasn't her.

But this wasn't the place to ponder. The flashlight beams disappear down the street, before Rachel makes her move.

-----

Rachel makes a bee-line towards the bay, and could hear the vehicles making their way a few blocks down. Her guess was they thought they were closing in on her, while she gave them the slip.

When she finally reaches the beach, Rachel decides she's in the clear for now. She finds herself at one of three docks that once made the harbor.

Her eyes were better adjusted to the darkness, but besides the only source of light was...well, the lighthouse off the beach and up the hills.

Clearly, it still had some power, and the white swirl of its light gives Rachel quick illuminating views of the beach.

As with many things, the harbor wasn't what it used to be, having been out of business for some time.

You'd think at least the finishing industries would still be running here, but after everything went down, there wasn't much work prospects by the bay. Rachel's best guess was much like the residents were in the greater county, so to did the-

Rachel's train of thought was interrupted when she heard a gunshot.

Her eyes widen and pupils shrink. Her fangs flare as she turns, and reaches at her side for a weapon that's not there.

The second and third gunshot confirmed to her that the shooting was down a block or two, where the guard was converging. She sees the red and blue lights from their vehicles and the two helicopters hovering over the scene.

Rachel estimated that they were around the gas station, and they found something there that had their attention. Enough to apparently warrant gunfire.

The next noise Rachel picks up was the distant sound of sirens, and among the worries and thoughts filling her head, Rachel wonders if Daniel may have followed her out-

"No." Rachel shakes her head, trying to reassure herself "He's braver than he thinks, but he's also not stupid. Besides, he doesn't match the White T-shirt description."

But, Rachel reminds herself, she and Daniel aren't the only ones hiding out here.

There was at least one other squatter hiding out in the diner. Key word; "Was."

"And if these men were looking for other squatters, and putting them down" Rachel realizes "It'll only be a matter of time before-"

"Please!" A young woman's voice could be heard. It was faint, since it was coming from the gas station, but clearly whoever they were looking for was screaming and crying her eyes out to be heard from the harbor "Please! We're not one of them! We're not one of-"

The voice was cut off when another barrage of gunfire.

Rachel pales and gulps, shaking her head.

They were not alone here; not only were the American Guard of Priwen setting up shop in Arcadia Bay, but they were actively hunting escapees of some sort.

With a heavy, and tired sigh, Rachel shakes her head again.

There was so much to uncover, but nothing she can do here and now. The most she can do is come up with a game plan before investigating further.

And the more she tries to think this through, the more she recalls what happened at her dad's cabin.

-----

James Amber's Cabin, Keystone Road, March 29th, 2020

In exhaustion, Rachel collapses to her knees, with a heavy cough.

The echoing sound of a crash and explosion bringing her down to earth. She must have really been out of it, as her world spins as she comes back down to Earth. Her fangs and teeth ached, and her jaw was sore.

The scent of blood was overwhelmingly thick, as was the taste of it in her mouth. It had her spitting as she coughed. Her clothes were drenched, her face sticky and hair matted, from sweat and the blood - both her own and that of the American Guard.

The latter of which was now all over the front yard.

There must have been about twenty or thirty of them; bloodied, battered, laying all over the place. About two or three were still moving and groaning.

Some were beaten. Some were hacked and dismembered. A few were bleeding from the necks and shoulders. And several others looked as if they were shot.

For a moment, Rachel thinks this had to be the work of several vampires working together, but she comes to the realization-

"Holy, shit! that was all me..."

"Yes," She can hear the Queen chuckling in her head "This, this kind of harvest is what you were reborn for, daughter. All this and more..."

As Rachel catches her breath, she registers she is no longer holding the axe. In her hands was one of the rifles, the butt of which was smeared and busted, like it was used as a club.

The business end was smoking and hot to the touch. Rachel was never a good shot, but seeing the carnage around her, it ultimately didn't matter.

As Rachel begins to register her surroundings, she see's of the guard's laying in a ditch. Embedded in his stomach, was half of the axe handle, used as a makeshift spear.

And with that, Rachel begins to notice several sharp and sore spots on her body. She didn't need to look, but she realized she was shot several times in the fight.

And yet, she manages to stand on her feet. Or more accurately stagger on a bleeding and lip leg. She quietly curses under her breath as she looks up. There was smoke rising above her.

The far right side of her dad's front deck has caved in, as was a portion of the cabin itself; the corner of the roof, and the very right side of the wall. There were signs of fire damage but the crash did the worst of it.

The source of this collapse and the smoke laid about fifteen feet to the side of the cabin. One of the helicopters that was circling the area moments ago was now a burning wreck. Its wings severed embedded into the cabin's collapsing roof, and its tail having been blasted into the ditch.

In the helicopter's front window, the other half of the broken axe was found; its blade embedded into the window, and possibly the pilot's head. Rachel couldn't tell from the flames. But she surmised that the explosion snapped her out of the red haze that clouded her mind.

"I did-" Rachel coughs to herself, spitting up more red, and messily wiping her mouth off "I did...all this..."

There's a slight pop in her shoulder and back. Both of which stung a little, but were nothing compared to how sore Rachel was all over.

She looks at her hand, and sees her wrist and a few fingers are broken. She tries to clutch it, but notices her arm is hanging lip. She's too winded to really care.

Turning around, Rachel sees the second helicopter, just disappearing behind the tree line, and she makes out two other jeeps closing it. Reinforcements, Rachel realizes.

There won't be much of them left, but Rachel's in no shape to fight.

And with nowhere else to go, Rachel drags herself on one foot up the deck, wobbling in her step.

-----

On the first step on the deck, Rachel stomps down hard, snapping her broken leg back into place with a pained teeth. As she steps through the collapsed door, she slams her shoulder onto the wall, snapping her broken arm back into place.

Clutching her broken hand, Rachel seethes again as she does the same with her wrist and finger. A hiss-like sigh escapes her lips as she steps into the cabin, looking over the damage from the inside.

There were at least two guards laying in the hallway, either dead or unconscious. Laying a few feet away from the stairs, was another one of the rifles.

Rachel's attention was immediately drawn to the third body, laying at the staircase.

His left arm was broken, there was a cut on his cheek, and bleeding from the nose, but when Rachel looked over his face, David Madsen didn't appear to be breathing.

But another older male's coughing caught Rachel's attention. Stumbling out of the dining room into the hall, James Amber has a slight limp in his step, coughing heavily to reserve himself.

When James' eyes focus on Rachel, they widen. And as Rachel was about to ask what he was looking at, his eyes answered for her.

In James' eyes, what was standing before him wasn't his lost daughter coming back to him; it was the same flesh, body and face, but it was all the proof he needed to know he was looking at a monster from the grave.

It wasn't enough for James to hear of vampires in Beaver Creek, or that his daughter was one; having seen or heard the massacre in his front lawn sent his world crashing down. Along with parts of his roof.

And with that, the words finally left James' mouth.

"What are you ?"

Rachel shakes her head.

"Sarah Lee, is she-?" Rachel tries to step past her father, but he holds a warning hand out.

"Don't come any closer..."

"Are they fucking okay ?!" Rachel raises her voice, her fangs flare and her eyes darken. James steps back, but he remains firm in his look.

Rachel can hear Daniel at least from the kitchen, sounding on the verge of tears saying things along the lines of "Chris! Chris, please! Please wake up!"

"Let me see them." Rachel says firmly, while her dad just glares "I'm going to see them."

"They don't need a-" James fidgets a little, like he couldn't believe he was about to say it "A monster looking out for them!"

Rachel winces a little, but is still too shaken, sore and agitated to let the words cut her like this.

"You- you're the one who brought them into this-" James says before coughing "You...brought this here..."

"Move." Rachel says warningly.

"Get out." James says a little quietly, before coughing again. He stood up straight, and spoke with more authority, but it was clear from his eyes and voice he was barely keeping himself together "Get out now-!"

Anxious, impatient - and just not wanting to hear him out - Rachel takes hold of her father's shoulders, and with her vampiric strength shoves him out of the way and into the wall behind her.

James slides to the ground with this half groan, half sob sound in his voice. His world spins for a moment, before he looks back at the bodies and riffles laying on his hallway floor.

Tears form in James' eyes, and he shakes his head in sorrow and disbelief. He was hoping that this was a nightmare, he would wake up.

-----

As Rachel goes to the kitchen she sees Chris was sitting at the corner. There were dark goose eggs on his cranium from where he was flung back moments before.

Daniel was still trying to wake him, pulling the boy's eyelids open, and shaking and shouting at him. At that point, wasn't speaking coherently, other than a few desperate curse words that Rachel caught onto.

Beside them was Sarah Lee, laying up against the cupboards. As far as Rachel could guess, David and/or James brought the girl down here, before the down chopper nearly crashed into the cabin.

Quietly and quickly, Rachel steps beside Daniel and crouches down to Sarah Lee. Daniel shows no signs of being phased by Rachel's bloodied mess. But it looked as if the girl was semi-conscious, unlike Chris.

Sarah Lee's mouth and chin was smeared with blood, as was her shirt and chest. The girl was breathing, but not in a healthy way; like she was trying to keep herself awake or alive, and gasping like a fish on a hook.

Rachel puts her hand on Sarah Lee's neck feeling for a pulse. It went off every two seconds. It didn't look good, but wasn't completely grim. They just needed to get her and Chris out of here.

"Daniel," Rachel tries to get the latter's attention, but the boy doesn't look her way, even as she grabs his back  "There's more coming, if we don't-"

"Don't touch me!" Daniel flinches away, and wipes his eyes, putting his ear to Chris' chest, trying to listen for a heartbeat or his lungs.

"Daniel, listen to me!" Rachel raises her voice, and flares her fangs as she takes Daniel by both shoulders, and forces him to look at her "We have to-!"

Both Daniel and Rachel are interrupted when Chris starts coughing, and stirring awake. He struggles to open his eyes, and the boy winces as he feels for his head.

"Wh-...wh-?" Chris tries to speak, but all that comes out are half formed mumbling groans.

"Chris," Daniel exclaims, looking back and forth between him, and a similarly stirring Sarah Lee.

Rachel yet again looks at Sarah Lee, and puts her hand on the girl's cheek.

"Sarah ? Sarah, can you hear me ?" Rachel urgently starts speaking to the girl "Are you alright ?"

Stupid question, Rachel silently scolds herself. It was plain as day that this girl wasn't doing so well, but Rachel needed something to tell her that she would pull through.

Sarah Lee's eyes begin to flutter open, her breathing becomes more even, and with a pained groan she manages to say-

"Bl-blood..."

Unseen to Rachel, someone else was stepping into the dining room, which Daniel immediately notices.

"Rachel, behind you!" Daniel shouts.

Rachel looks up to see Daniel holding his arm out, about to use some of his power. As soon as Rachel turns around, she sees the barrel of a gun pointed at her head, and she freezes upon seeing who was holding it.

Not a guard, or their coming reinforcements, but her father; looking at her with these wide eyes.

There was no hate or anger in those, but fear and uncertainty. Like he couldn't believe he was actually going to do this.

Before she can say or do anything, she feels the force of Daniel's power shoving her and James aside. A shot rings out as James collapses, and a burning hot sting grazes into Rachel's temple.

And that was the last thing Rachel recalls, before waking up back in the dorm...

-----

North Bend Quarantine Hospital, April 6th, 2020

For a moment or two, there was a ringing in Sean's ear.

As the young man opens his eyes, the world spins and after a moment, he remembers that he's on the floor of a hospital hallway. Laying on top of him is Cassidy's; she's still breathing, her eyes are open, but her expression is blank.

Sean has enough in him to move his hand up and down her body; as he can tell, he hasn't been shot, though he may still be in shock. As he moves his hands down Cassidy's back to her hindquarters, and up her side, he thinks she hasn't been shot either.

They weakly turned towards the wall; Finn wasn't moving, as he laid beside them. They only knew he wasn't dead (yet) because his lips were still moving.

Jessica was slumped at the wall, bleeding from her upper leg, Matt was crouching over her, trying to shield her; he was bleeding from his shoulder and his hand.

At their side was a discarded rifle.

Looking ahead of them, Margot and his men lay dead on the floors and against their walls, along with all but two of Vega's team. Those left standing were Vega himself and two of his men, who were circling the still and silent Margot.

"What do we tell the boss ?" One of the rangers asks.

"The truth." Vega stands over Margot's body and brandishes his gun "The gung-ho paranoiac should have been on leave, was instead put in charge of this op. This gun fight was a powder keg waiting to burst."

As he says this, Vega lightly kicks Margot on the head. Vega shakes his head, regarding one of his rangers with a grin, his fangs more visible.

"Well, someone had to bet on the wrong horse." Vega's eyes were drawn over his ranger's shoulder' he notices Sean and Cassidy were awake "But that someone isn't us..."

Cassidy and Sean flinch and try to look away, but Vega was already advancing towards them.

"Don't bother; higher ups want a quick and easy extraction, and that's what they're getting." Vega lifts his pistol towards them "I really don't want to shoot a pregnant woman, so if you could make this easier..."

Both Sean and Cassidy look at eachother, and Cassidy hesitantly gets up from Sean, who follows suit. Their attention was drawn to Vega's fangs.

Unseen to either of them, Jessica's eyes open, and she weakly gestures to Matt towards the rifle. And behind Vega, Margot began to stir.
"It wasn't this Director that sent you, wasn't it ?" Cassidy asks, as she and Sean slowly stagger up to their feet.

"This ain't a Q&A little girl; my higher ups were there before the Director." Vega tilts his head, as his two rangers also raise their guns "Ain't no shame in taking the winning side. And it ain't too late for-"

Another shot rings out and one of the ranger's brains explodes out the back of their head. Matt was holding the rifle up, and quickly took aim at the second one, hitting them in the throat.

Vega staggers back and aims his pistol at Matt, when two other shots ring out. Vega is hit twice in the back and doubles over.

Turning around, Vega sees his shooter was Margot; holding his own pistol and sitting up right despite the three shots in his chest and stomach. Blood coming out from his nose and gums as he bares his teeth at Vega.

Through Margot's gritted teeth, his fangs were plain as day.

"Son of a bit-" A shot to the throat silences Vega, who coughs up blood, and staggers sideways into the wall, slumping over with a gasping wheeze.

"That was for bringing my mother into this." Margot spits, getting back to his feet, and firing three more shots into Vega's knees and foot.

Margot looks over the room. Only Sean, Cassidy and Matt were still standing, albeit shaken and in a state of disbelief. Everyone else was either dead, injured or exhausted.

Matt raises his gun towards Margot, narrowing his eyes and gritting his teeth.

"What are you ?" Matt says under his breath.

Margot looks down his own body, seeing the three shots in his torso, and realizes they could see his fangs.

"Not a hypocrite."

"What. Are. You ?" Matt says through gritted teeth, taking a staggering step towards Sean and Cassidy, preparing to cover them.

"Only what the leeches made me." Margot shakes his head "The unlife I was forced into."

With a heavy sigh, Margot places his pistol to the floor, and gently kicks it towards Sean and Cassidy. Tentatively, Sean reaches down, and takes hold of the pistol's handle, picking it up and taking aim at Margot.

"Believe me when I say, there is a reason for this." Margot gestures his hand around his face "And I will explain myself if allowed. But now isn't the time."

Sean shakes his head, and chuckles cynically.

"So far ? A lot of your skeletons are dropping out your closet."

"And more will come." Margot takes a confident step towards them, "But right now, I'm not what you need to worry about."

As he says this, Margot gestures towards Finn; the young man still had his eyes closed, and his lips were still moving.

"Finn, shit!" Sean quietly exclaims as he and Cassidy crouch down to him.

As Cassidy lifts Finn's head on her lap, Finn tries to open his eyes.

There was a glazed and sleepy looking in them. Looking him over, it is seen that in addition to Finn's leg being shot, he took another hit in the abdomen. Right on the liver.

"He's in shock." Margot says plainly, taking a step forward, and crouching down to the three "But he will bleed out unless..."

Sean and Cassidy look at Margot with skeptical apprehension.

"You have no reason in the world to trust me," Margot says, looking at them, and back at Matt "But my affliction isn't without benefits."

Margot lifts his wrist towards his mouth and bites down. Sean raises the pistol finger on the trigger, when Margot releases.

"If you feel like you must, pull the trigger, but if you wish to save this young man's life..." Margot says unphased.

Still apprehensive, and glaring daggers, Sean looks down at Finn and lowers the pistol. With that, Margot takes his bleeding wrist and directs it over Finn's mouth.

Finn's eyes briefly flicker open. A muffled mumbled comes from his mouth as Margot lowers his wrist into it. Vaguely, Cassidy thinks she heard "No!" slip past Finn's lips.

Still maintaining her glare, but gently rubbing Finn's shoulder, Cassidy speaks.

"This is what Rachel Amber did," she starts to ask "To Sarah Lee, I mean ?"

"Miss Hackerman was on the verge of death when we brought her in." Margot looks up at Cassidy, and then Sean "Her heart stopped twice during her stay; there is still a risk of transformation."

Margot releases Finn's mouth, and the latter begins coughing and groaning.

"Mr. McNamara's injuries aren't that lethal. His humanity will remain." Margot explains standing up "But Miss Hackerman was given the tainted blood; fate will decide if she remains the innocent child you claim her to be, or another monster that needs putting down."

Yet again, both Sean and Matt raise their guns to Margot, who is unbothered as he makes his way towards one of his men, checking him for vitals. Margot shakes his head, before moving on to the next.

"And what makes you different ?" Sean raises his voice, and gets up to his feet.

"What makes Blade different from the vermin he puts down ?" Margot examines another injured man, yet again deciding that death will have him. He looks back and forth between Sean and Matt as he says "I will explain everything when the time comes. But now is not that time..."

Margot looks towards Jessica; she is still conscious, and breathing, but regarding Margot with an icy glare. Matt apprehensively steps towards Margot, who calmly shakes his head at him.

"She's been grazed in the hip." Margot observes, crouching down to Jessica, ghosting his finger over said injury - causing Jessica to flinch and wince away from him "Shouldn't require my blood; but I'd have her treated."

Margot opens his jacket, and pulls from it a walkie talkie or phone-like device, when he hears something drop beside him. Standing over him was Matt, who dropped a pair of handcuffs to the floor beside him.

"What's this ?"

"You want us to trust you," Matt says plainly "This is how you start."

Margot says nothing, but his eyes pale a little, and his teeth grit with indignity.

"They'll know...we've been infiltrated." Jessica breaths out, with a sore and shaky groan "How will they know...you aren't...one of them ?"

Margot inhales deeply, and exhales "Do what you must. But this won't go where you think it will." before putting both hands behind his back.

Matt crouches down to cuff Margot, while Sean and Cassidy move Finn to a better sitting position onto the wall beside Jessica. Matt takes the walkie-talkie device from Margot, and presses in its button.

"This is Agent Taylor." Matt says into the device "Requesting Beta and Delta tea- Fuck formalities; we need and extraction up here, ASAP!"

"What's your status, Agent ?"

"At least three injured including me," Matt looks over the hall, as the injured and survivors get their bearings "Death toll ? Fuck if I know!"

Matt looks to Sean, gesturing him towards another pair of handcuffs, hanging off a ranger whose brains Matt blew out a moment ago. Matt then motions towards the still injured and wheezing Vega.

Sean quickly caught on to what Matt was saying, even if that dissociation feeling was starting to kick in. With a shaking hand, Sean takes the cuffs from the body and makes his way toward Vega.

The injured vampire looks up at Sean, chuckling with amusement at the young man standing over him.

"Bet you never thought you'd be on the other side of this, did ya, kid ?"

Sean says nothing, but puts his foot on Vega's shoulder and lightly kicks him onto his stomach. Too injured to fight back, Vega puts both hands on his back, and lets Sean cuff him.

"But..." Vega makes a sore noise "I think you're forgetting something upstairs."

Sean looks upward, and back at Cassidy; the two have the same realization in their eyes.

Jacob, Chris and Sarah Lee...and the last vampire on the loose.

More than that, it dawns on Sean that only leaves that monster who came for them.

Already Sean was on his feet, and making a dash towards the stairway. As he does so, he picks up a rifle from one of the fallen rangers. Behind Sean, Cassidy takes a couple steps, but is stopped by Matt's voice.

"Sean, wait! Back ups on the way!" Matt calls out after him "You're going to get yourself-"

"If I don't go, they will get killed!" Sean shouts back, not even looking back.

Cassidy fidgets a little, looking back and forth between Sean and Matt, and notices Vega's pistol where he dropped it. She couldn't just stand by and do nothing, and she wasn't sure if she had it in her to actually fight. What could she do ?

A young pregnant woman rushing up after her baby daddy to take on a vampire ? One who has only used a gun once and felt sick from doing so ? This way, way out of her element.

Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, Cassidy mouths to herself "Fuck it!"

"Cass, no!" Matt tries to warn her, but she's already picking up the pistol and is on the move after Sean.

But Cassidy wasn't listening, she just turned to Matt, who tried to follow despite his bleeding shoulder.

"When they get here," Cassidy doesn't stop her pace, but turns to face Matt and Jess "Send up after us; keep an eye on Finn!"

Matt opens his mouth to argue, but the words get lost in his throat as the purple haired young woman disappears down the same hall as her partner.

"Initiative in the face of peril." Margot remarks blankly, earning a glare from Jessica and Matt "Some of us vets, we like that in a soldier."

-----

In his room on the fifth floor, Jacob awoke with a jolt, a splitting headache, a nauseous stomach and a ringing in his ears.

As usual, he didn't dream when he slept. Each time he was sedated, it was nothing but darkness, silence and memories that left him spinning.

It hurt, it was nauseating, but goddamn was it better than being back in that slaughterhouse.

As his stomach does it's usual somersaults, Jacob sits back up and takes a moment for his ears and eyes to adjust. Though the red light flashing in his room, while all other lights were off, cued Jacob on what was going down.

It took a moment for his ears to stop ringing, until he heard the sound of the emergency bell sounding off faintly, along with the sound of running and shouting in the hallways.

It began to click on Jacob. He was here; "Mr. Alexander Bean". Not only in this quarantine, but he was one the loose.

Jacob puts his feet on the floor, and climbs out of bed. His increasing panic outweighs his rational thought, ignoring the wobble in his step and the spinning in his head. All he could do was look around.

Sean wasn't here, nor was Finn, nor Cassidy. A sliver of him reasons that they were the first ones out, and hopefully he'll be next. But that wasn't on the forefront of his mind.

Jacob doesn't even take four steps before he collapses. But as he looks towards the closed door, he hears the sound of rushing and approaching footsteps, as well as the shadows seen in the light under the door.

"H-hey..." Jacob tries to say, but what comes could be barely even a wheezing gasp.

He coughs louder, trying to get his bearings before they pass him by.

"HEY!" Jacob shouts, and it hurts his throat as he does "HELP!"

The footsteps stop, and the hearing fades in and out of Jacob, but he could just make out this voice saying "Hackerman ?...I'll check on him, you hold down the fort..."

The door opens, and despite his drowsy and sore eyes, Jacob looks up at his apparent rescuer...

And really wished he hadn't.

"Guess who, banana slammer ?" The vampire tilts his head at him.

He was clean shaven, and his hair was cut down to a buzzcut, but Jacob recognized the man immediately as he lifted his mask.

That smile, his teeth, his voice, Jacob just knew that he was once again in the presence of the Sawney Bean. He was holding something behind his back, which he places on a nearby counter, as he passes by. It was a folder.

"You..." Jacob's voice rasps, as he tries to slink away.

"Me..." Bean mimics Jacob's wheezing noise, before speaking more normally "Oh no, don't get up on my account."

Jacob freezes, crawling back doesn't even begin to register in his mind to crawl or flinch away as Bean leans down and lifts him by the arms.

"Aaaand up we go!" Bean chucks dragging and flopping Jacob down onto the bed "You know, you really shouldn't be out of bed like this; not in your condition. I mean for crying out loud, there's been a leak in this cesspit, and I just don't see that many survivors..."

Jacob says, nothing as he takes in the horrifying and familiar sight of Bean looming over him.

There is a silent pause, as Bean circles the bed, but the smile he was giving him said everything; during Jacob's time as Bean's plaything, he heard it all before.

Oh, how Jacob would hear of how much Fischer went on about a snake in the grass, who betrayed her community and helped steal her miracle child away.

Of how Bean spoke to Jacob and Sarah Lee's parents back at the compound, and how much they lamented that their son went astray and took their daughter with them.

And then there were all the times Bean spoke of Sarah Lee herself. He talked about how his parents talked of her, and seeing her pictures all over their house. All it did was give Bean a special fixation on her.

He would talk about how someone as cute and innocent as Sarah Lee, reminded him of his daughters around her age...and then, Bean would tell Jacob some rather disturbing stories about them. The less said about Bean as a dad, the better.

With a knowing smile, Bean heads back towards the counter and picks up the folder.

"Got something for you, you're gonna wanna see it."

Bean opens the folder, and tosses it onto the bed, landing on Jacob's chest.

"Look familiar ?" Bean coughs, feeling around his own shoulder as the bullet wound inflicted in the bathroom, and up his neck at the injury inflicted on his throat.

Jacob looks at the folder, and while scared out of his wits, his shaking hands work on autopilot as he opens the folder and three photographs slip out.

His world stopped as he looked over them; they were surgery pictures of Sarah Lee taken about a week before; she was put under, and while he couldn't look for more than a few seconds getting a bullet wound sewed up and cleaned by the doctors.

Wordlessly, Jacob shakes his head and shivers in disbelief, looking back at Bean who was grinning and nodding vigorously in tandem with Jacob's head shaking.

"No...no...It's not-"

"Yes...yes...it is!" Bean yet again mimics Jacob's patterns, before jabbing a thumb down over his shoulder and at the door "Just down that hall..."

Bean sits at the foot of his bed, watching Jacob slink back as his breathing increases. As he does soon, Bean takes hold off one of Jacob's toes.

"Was just on my way to pick her up!" Bean remarks, looking back and forth between Jacob's terrified eyes, and sore toes "But seeing as this place is going to be shot to shit, perhaps cleanses with fire...why not have a final game for the road!"

Jacob lurches away, in a feeble attempt to get out of the bed, but Bean pressed his free hand down on his stomach, holding him in place.

"I was thinking..." Bean squeezes and twists Jacob's big toe on his left foot, with a snap and a seething groan from Jacob "This little piggy went to market..."

He then snaps his middle toe, earning the same noise.

"This little piggy stayed in the pen..."

And then the next toe, with the same results.

"This little piggy ate the bacon he was offered," Bean breaks the next "And this little piggy had ham."

As Jacob continues making those groaning, weeping and whimpering noises, Bean simply gets a bored and annoyed look on his face as he takes Jacob's pinky toe with two fingers on one hand, while using the other hand to take Jacob by the ankle.

"And this little piggy went-" Bean makes a simple flick of the wrist, breaking both the last toe and the ankle.

Jacob lets out a wheezing, squealing cry that Bean doesn't even laugh at, having grown bored with the noises he made with Jacob during his captivity.

"Ah, it's just not the same." Bean rolls his eyes, shakes his head "Well, at least you were a good sport about it."

Bean gets up from the bed and turns around.

"Now if you excuse me, your sister is needed elsewhere..."

"You sick...you sick fuck!" Jacob attempts to sit up, but coughs lurches, and rolls off the bed with another thud and another groan. Despite this, he continues to glare and curse "I'm gonna...I'm gonna rip your fucking guts out! You twisted cunt!"

"Oh, my virgin ears." Bean deadpans as passes the counter. On there was an assortment of scalpels "I really hope you kept your potty mouth clean around Sarah Lee. Last thing she needs is a brother leading her down that rotten path."

Bean picks the scalpel up, and looks towards Jacob, and drops it to the floor.

"But if you're ever so inclined to prove you're not just all bluster." Bean gently kicks the scalpel towards Jacob "I'll be waiting..."

And with that, Bean closes the door behind him as he leaves.

-----

Caulfield Residence, Madison Park, Seattle

About half an hour earlier, Chloe sat cross legged on Max's bed, with her laptop before her.

Max herself sat at the foot of the bed, making a few phone calls, trying to reach some of their old contacts with the Bureau. Chloe told her that Sam Giddings was in the city and her friends were looking into the Beaver Creek case.

Chloe in the meantime, was going over the Twitter threads covering the North Bend attack. Like Max said, the evacuations were over and at the moment, Margot's folk - Chloe mentally spits at seeing Margot's name - were doing a sweep of the hospital.

As the news unfolded, the body count rose to eighty five.

A few names were released among those dead, evacuated or unaccounted for, but the name "David Madsen" wasn't one of them. Chloe considered contacting David through Facebook, but remembered he rarely uses it.

Eventually, Max took the phone call down the hall and into the guest room; noticing how anxious Chloe looked, Max decided she needed a little space.

One major development that caught Chloe's eye was a viral video from earlier that night.

One of Margot's guards had aimed their guns at one of the crowds, threatening to shoot the mother of one of the patients...only to be overpowered and held at gunpoint by a younger guard; one that people recognized as the infamous Sean Diaz.

Chloe shakes her head. She didn't follow the Diaz case as closely. Though she remembers how Max and Kate were vocal protest supporters during protests following Esteban Diaz's shooting.

For Chloe, hearing story after story of gun violence committed by police, the names started to blend together after a while. She wasn't active on social media, so Chloe wasn't as vocal or visible as a supporter, but she remembers attending a few protests.

All this to say, Chloe knows a storm is coming when she sees one.

Deciding she's dug deep enough for tonight, Chloe closes the laptop and looks out the window.

Getting up off the bed, Chloe looks up at the dark and cloudy sky, and sees the light of the full moon trying to break through.

"You're out there," Chloe says to herself, rubbing up and down her arm "Aren't you, Rachel ?"

She wonders to herself, if Rachel was also looking up at that same cloudy sky, and that same faint moonlight.

"You're out there, and you're coming here..." Chloe closes her eyes, wiping them when she feels them water "Coming back to me...just when I thought I left you behind for good."

Faintly, Chloe hears the door open, and Max enters the room behind her.

"Just got off the phone with Sam," Max says quietly, walking up behind Chloe "She thinks she can set up a meeting with the Direc-"

Chloe doesn't look behind her, but shakes a little.

"...Am I interrupting anything ?"

"No." Chloe shakes her head, before lightly tapping her head with her finger "This won't shut up though."

Max walks up behind Chloe, wrapping her arms around her waist, and resting her chin on Chloe's shoulder.

"It's about Rachel, isn't it ?" Max guesses.

"Was it that obvious ?"

"I can read you like a book."

Chloe chuckles a bit, despite her mood "You sure you're not an empath ?"

"Not sure if that's a real power." Max shrugs, kissing on Chloe's neck and shoulder.

With a sad smile, Chloe looks back out the window, and puts her fingers to the glass.

"They're saying that..." Chloe hesitates before speaking "They think she's involved with the attacks."

"Do you believe that ?"

Chloe shakes her head.

"I don't know." She sighs "Rachel was many things; I don't see her being a monster like that-"

"But ?"

"She had a lot of skeletons in her closet." Chloe looks at Max "And I have a bad feeling that they're all going to fall out."

"And you're not ready to face that." Max replies.

"I don't know if I can." Chloe sighs.

"Then you won't." Max says "We will."

And with that, Max's finger interlocks with Chloe's, and rests her chin on her shoulder.

They stared out into the night sky of Seattle, taking a good long look  of the world of monsters they were about to return too...

-----

Blackwell Academy, Prescott Dorm

The place was as dark and quiet as it has been for the past six days. Colder too. Daniel had the generator turned off to not attract attention.

As Rachel told him, Daniel kept the lights off, and the blinds closed, but as much as he tried to keep his head down, he would always peek out the window. Especially when he heard and saw the Guardsmen once again roaming over the area.

He was almost certain they were on to her, as they convened onto this one spot in the town ship. It was far enough away he could only see the lights of the helicopter's and hear only the faintest sound of gunfire.

Daniel could admit when he's scared, even when he puts on a brave face, but he was weighing his options for the past several minutes.

On one hand, he saw just what Rachel was capable of on Keystone Road. If it came to that, he was sure Rachel could fight her way out - as terribly grisly  as it was.

On the other hand, that same fight showed Daniel that Rachel was not invincible, And he's certain that she isn't in the right state to hold off such an attack.

And if he's proven right, and he's on his own...he may have to do something drastic like he did at the cabin. And the thought of that made his stomach spin.

He had to have been waiting for over an hour. It had to be 9:30 or 10:00-ish. Only thing out in the dark sky was clouds, and the light of the full moon trying to break through.

Throughout, Daniel was on the verge of sleep, but the anxiety of not knowing kept him awake. He must have nodded off a few times though, as he almost missed the shape darting across the Academy's yard.

Judging by the shape and its speed, Daniel's tired yet excitable mind guessed it was Rachel. He was proven correct with the tapping on the front door, as Rachel said, to the drum beat of "In the Air Tonight".

Like that, Daniel rushes towards the main door, and lets her in. Before he gets a word out, Rachel wraps her arms around Daniel's back, pulling him into a hug.

Rachel was cold and sweaty to the touch, but he was so relieved she seemed okay, it didn't matter. As Daniel steps away from Rachel, he asks "Did they see you ?"

"No," Rachel shakes her head and catches her breath. It was clear she could have outran a race horse on her way back "You...did they-?"

"No." Daniel shakes his head, taking Rachel by the hand, and leading them back to the room "They never look around here."

Rachel gives Daniel this skeptical look, at which he continues.

"They look over the area every night since we got here," Daniel explains, spinning his index finger in a circle "They never really look in the school."

"Why wouldn't they ?"

"They were only here a couple nights," Daniel clarifies, pointing in the direction of the Academy's main hall "First night here I had to hide us in this broken down RV in the backwoods."

"And they never came back here since then ?"

"I think they were just patrolling." Daniel rubs his eyes as he and Rachel go back into the room "Like they weren't  seriously looking for anything but..."

Daniel fidgets a little before he continues, and Rachel makes her way towards the window.

"I heard shooting." He sighs "And on two other nights."

Rachel nods, as she opens the blinds slightly and looks out.

"Yeah, we're not the only ones they're looking for." Rachel looks back at Daniel "I saw-or heard them shooting someone else."

"Someone else ?"

"I swung by the diner. Someone was hiding there too." Rachel looks back at Daniel "They were also shot."

Daniel clutches and shakes his head when he hears this "Mierda..."

"Mierda de hecho." Rachel nods in agreement.

"Who else do you think they're looking for ?"

Rachel shakes her head, and puts a finger on her sore temple to think things through.

"Those people," Rachel recalls, "They're setting up shop at these different hospitals and quarantines, right ?"

Daniel nods.

"The Bay Regional Hospital is just out of town." Rachel explains, leaning against the wall and crossing her arms "If they're running things here-"

"That hospital is one of those sites." Daniel realizes with Rachel.

"Bingo."

"And if they're looking for people," Daniel heads towards and looks out the window "That means there was a breakout."

"Or breakouts." Rachel says with an emphatic hiss "At least two."

Daniel nods, pinching the bridge of his nose as he takes a deep breath.

"So what now ?" Daniel says with an exhale.

"Now ? We kick in for the night." Rachel steps towards the mattress, and gently slips down onto it "I'm working on a plan for tomorrow."

"Plan ?" Daniel crosses his arm, stepping towards the bed "What plan ? How-?"

"I'm working on it," Rachel pinches the bridge of her nose, laying back on the mattress "Lighthouse's power was still up; so would the phone."

"Who'd you call ?" Daniel sits at the foot of the mattress.

"Gonna try reaching a friend." Rachel answers "Someone who can get us to Seattle."

"That..." Daniel snaps his fingers as he tries to recall "Vampire club, you mean ?"

"Nah." Rachel sits back up "Can't afford to bring the attention. Last thing we need is to escalate things..."

Daniel doesn't reply. He just gives a nod, before thinking for a moment.

"He knew you, didn't he ?"

"Hmm ?"

"Mr. Madsen- David." Daniel corrects himself "I think you two were talking at...at the cabin."

Rachel doubles takes, as she tackles this in.

"Y-yeah." Rachel stutters a bit, but nods "He was Chloe's stepdad."

Daniel blinks a few times, a flat and disbelieving expression on his face, before the flops back across the foot off the mattress. As he chuckles, it marked the first time he really raised his voice all night,

"Oh fuck me, of course!" Daniel half laughs, half groans, as he shakes his head.

Despite herself, it brought an amused smirk to Rachel. She would have snarked at Daniel for his choice of words, but she thought it would make it weird. So she lets Daniel laugh it out.

"You know, he visited a few times." Daniel sits back up and wipes his eyes "He mentioned his family once or twice but..."

Daniel's face flattens a little.

"...he didn't like talking about it."

Rachel gives a small smile, as she nods in agreement.

"Yeah. His relationship with Chloe had more downs than ups; I don't see him being step dad of the year any time soon." Rachel sighs "He was a control freak; she was a rebel. Both had their issues, with no counselling. Not what I'd call a recipe for a stable family."

Rachel shrugs at the thought before saying-

"But I don't think he'd hurt her like my dad did me." Rachel says with mild anger and resentment in her voice. As she says this, she brushes two fingers across the faded mark on her temple.

Like she could still feel the bullet.

There is a pause, before Daniel says "You don't want to talk about it, do you ?" as if he was reading her mind.

"Talk about what ?"

"It doesn't matter." Daniel looks away with a guilty expression "I...I-" He stutters as if he's about to confess to something, and it was that sympathetic look Rachel gave him that made him spit it out "I fucked up."

Rachel doesn't reply, but the slow blink she gives Daniel tells the boy to "Go on."

"You weren't the only one who killed those people." Daniel answers, referring to the guardsmen at the cabin "After you were shot I- I-"

"Hey, hey, hey." Rachel scoots towards Daniel, and puts an arm around his shoulder "These kinds of shakes, it gets to the best of us." Rachel gives Daniel a pat on the back "Being a vampire, it's...rare that you keep your hands clean."

"Yeah ? Well, I'm not a vampire."

"Vampire, human." Rachel tilts her head from side to side "It's not like you killed innocent-"

Daniel grimaces and scoots away from Rachel's touch. He now sits in a crouching position.

"Daniel," Rachel shakes her head and sighs "Whatever happened to Chris or Sarah Lee; it's not - nor will it ever be - on you-"

"I threw Chris into a wall!" Daniel doesn't shout, but still raises his voice as he glares at Rachel "He was trying to stop me-" Daniel's voice begins to break "And then I- I..."

"No, no, no, no," Rachel gently whispers in vain, as Daniel buries his face into his knees, and nearly doubles over as he cries quietly.

Rachel hesitates for a second, before inching towards Daniel, wrapping one arm around his waist, and another around his shoulders.

She can't say or do anything, besides just rubbing the boys back and letting him cry it out.

-----

James Amber's Cabin, Keystone Road, March 29th, 2020

"Rachel, behind you!" Daniel shouts.

He holds out his arm, as Rachel turns around. A wave flows out with his hand, as a shot first, grazing Rachel in the head.

Sarah Lee screams, or tries to scream, but what comes out is a wheezing noise. Chris coughs and doubles over out of shock, as James Amber slips off his feet and slams into the floor.

As she was shot, Rachel drops to the floor, she whirling and twitching before the children looking on in horror. She is making these pained grunting noises before she goes still. Looking over Rachel, a part of the bullet shell was embedded in her temple.

"Ra...Rachel ?" Daniel starts to ask, as Chris tries to stand up behind him.

"Is she...Is she-?" Chris starts to ask, staggering in his step as he tries to look over Rachel.

A sore groan catches their attention, as James tries to push himself off the ground. When James looks at Rachel's body, he looks as if he woke up from a nightmare.

In disbelief, James looks back at the gun, and at Rachel's body, slowly processing what he just did.

"What did you do ?" A furious Daniel steps towards him "What. Did. You. Do ?"

"I-I...." James looks away from Rachel, wincing and shaking his head "She was a-" James is interrupted when this half sob, half gasp slips past his lips.

Daniel shakes his head, puts his foot on the dropped rifle, and pushes it away with a kick.

"She was your daughter! You're fucking daughter!"

"She was one of them!" James says, sounding like he himself didn't believe what he was saying, but was trying to rationalize the irrational "Those things that attacked Beaver Creek- I- I wasn't trying to save you!"

"She saved us!" Chris raises his voice, looking hurt and angry between Rachel and James.

"She brought them here!" James argues, getting up on sore and shaking legs "She would have- She would have-"

Daniel waves his hand, and it sends James tripping off his feet.

As Sarah Lee tries crawling towards Rachel, rolling and looking her own, Daniel clenches his fists, and James begins gasping, holding his neck.

Chris looks back and forth between James and Daniel, and it clicks to him that Daniel was pulling a Darth Vader. And as angry and afraid as Chris was of Mr. Amber at the moment, he couldn't just stand there and let Daniel do anything drastic.

On Sarah Lee's end, she looks over Rachel, and notices the faintest breaths coming from her. Despite how weak, sore and drowsy she was, Sarah Lee gently pries one of Rachel's eyelids open.

Rachel eyes red and glass; her pupils shrinking and growing. Sarah Lee hesitates for a second, before lifting a finger over Rachel's eye The pupil follows Sarah Lee's finger, telling her that Rachel was "alive", even if she wasn't quite there.

Unseen to anyone else in this room, a woman in a red shroud circles the two.

"Daniel," Chris gently takes Daniel by the wrist, getting the other boy's attention "Daniel, please stop!"

Daniel's face softens, looking at Chris. He releases his grip, and James collapses to the floor, coughing, wheezing, with a few sobs heard.

Standing over Rachel and Sarah Lee, the woman in red crouches down, and brushes a strand of the girl's hair. Sarah Lee perks up, unsure if she heard or saw anything else...but she sure did feel something.

"You know what you must do, girl..."

Sarah Lee looks down at Rachel, focusing on the red sticky stuff running down her hair and mouth.

"Your fate, girl, is in my hands."

Sarah Lee winces and groans, the injury on her stomach felt like it was swelling. She begins to cough, and doubles over as the scent of blood was becoming overwhelming for her.

It was as if something in Rachel's blood was calling to her. Telling her to feed from it, to lick it up.

But as the girl tries sitting back up, she yet again collapses into unconsciousness.

-----

At the front of James' lawn, four jeeps pull up and twelve masked gunmen step out, and the second helicopter lands just off the road, dropping off six others.

As they advance toward the cabin, they take a moment to assess the damage; the right front corner of the cabin was beginning to collapse; two other jeeps were totaled and one helicopter was still a burning wreck.

All over the lawn, the bodies and body parts of over a dozen guardsmen laid about. And while the reinforcements mutter to themselves in disbelief, they collectively shared the same sentiment; Shoot to kill.

In the cabin itself, James Amber gets to his feet, hearing and seeing the commotion outside.  With a slight limp and stagger, James continues clutching his neck and coughing as he steps out of the collapsed door.

He looks at the dead/unconscious (?) men laying on the floor --including a still unmoving David Madsen - paying them only a passing glance.

Weakly James raises both his hands in a "surrender" motion, before dropping to his knees. However, the approaching guards don't lower their guns.

"Please!" James wheezes out another cough "Don't- don't shoot! It's...it's dead..."

"Hands behind your head!" An advancing agent calls out.

Back in the kitchen, Daniel and Chris were looking back and forth between the commotion outside; Chris looked as if he was in a nightmare, and the look in Daniel's eyes became more and more hardened into this cold glare.

"They're dead..."  Chris says with a weak voice "They're actually..."

"No..." Daniel says with a slight growl in his tone "Those - those cerdos are gonna PAY!"

As if he were laser focused, Daniel advances towards the doorway, with a staggering and stumbling Chris following behind. Whether the other boy was trying to stop Daniel, the latter didn't care.

On the deck, they saw James being cuffed by one guard, while two others held their guns to him. They don't notice Daniel until he's raising his hand.

With a wave of his hand, a wave of energy knocks these men off their feet and off the porch. Several other gunmen collapse across the lawn. A few others were already making a new formation.

Daniel turns his attention towards the burning wreck of the downed helicopter. He holds his hand out and grits his teeth, as the chopper begins to lift.

Unseen to him, one of the gunmen near the road takes hold of their pistol aim at Daniel. Chris is able to spot this and despite how sore he was, lunges forward.

"Get down!" Chris shouts, taking hold of the back of Daniel's shirt.

The shot fires, and Daniel yelps as Chris dives down and tackles him to the deck. With the impact, Daniel loses focus, almost dropping the chopper.

However, the burning wreck and question sweeps across the yard in the direction of Daniel's "wave". It barrels its way to the left, and takes with it nine disoriented gunmen. Like some sort of fiery bowling ball made from wrecked metal.

The impact of the wave also causes the deck to collapse beneath Daniel, Chris and James.

For a moment, everything was dark.

-----

The impact could be felt throughout the house, and caused the limp body of Rachel to open her eyes. Those eyes were glazed and empty, like they were looking at something that wasn't there.

She sits up and looks around with this tired but blank expression, like she wasn't part of this. Rachel didn't even seem to register the graze wound across the side of her head, or the piece of casing sticking out. Though, it may be because of that same wound.

Not even regarding the unconscious Sarah Lee or the girl's fettered breaths as she lays beside her, Rachel begins to get back up.

There is a slight wobble in her step, before she collapses at the dining room's doorway.

Unfazed, Rachel continues to crawl, and drag herself across the floor; a mumbling, repeated phrase escaping her lips.

"Beeel...Bheeell...B-Billlll...Bill..."

-----

Outside, in the broken heap that was once the front deck, Daniel's world spins as he tries to sit back up. There was smoke and dust obscuring his vision, but he thinks can hear James struggling to breath.

But what had Daniel's attention was who was laying just before him Chris Eriksen laid limp; flopped to the ground like a bone fish, and bleeding from the forehead and nose.

With the way Daniel's vision was spinning, he wasn't sure if the blonde boy was breathing or moving, and the worst was already filling his head.

"Was he...Is he dea-? No. No. He can't be-  he isn't!" One part of Daniel argues.

"You knocked him around like this twice, Daniel. He's not made of iron, you know ? You killed him! You did this!" Another part of Daniel argues back.

Tears begin forming in Daniel's eyes, and he barely registers the sound of the SWAT-like advancing and readying their weapons.

When he finally looks up, he guesses there's about nine left. He's not really counting though. Daniel sits up and finds himself gritting his teeth.

With a cold, and hateful glare, Daniel turns towards the rest of the unit.

As the last of the dust and smoke clears...two of the jeeps lift a dozen feet from the ground - in tandem with Danie's raising hands. As he waves his hand down, both jeep barrels towards the gunmen on the lawn.

"Incoming!" One of these guardsmen shouts, before five hit the ground.

Four of them weren't so lucky. One of the guards is swept under one jeep and is crushed. Three others are knocked twenty or so feet into the air, slamming into the ground with three splats.

"Jesus Christ!" Daniel hears one of the remaining five exclaim, before they take aim and fire. But with how shaky things were getting, they didn't have the best aim.

"He won't help you here," Daniel thinks to himself, dropping to the ground, as a few bullets miss him. Though one or two two was close enough to graze him.

Daniel slams both hands into the ground before him, and another wave causes the five remaining gun men to yet again stumble.

As Daniel sits back up, he raises both hands; with that, the shooters' guns lift from their hands and a dozen feet into the air. With a single clap of his hands together, the guns all scatter about the area, landing out of reach of the guardsmen.

Two of them try feeling around for their pistols. They look back to Daniel, who begins raising both hands again; a trickle of blood was running down his nose.

It's then a large shadow looms over the remaining guards, and they looked up to see the second helicopter now levitating twelve meters in the air above them.

"Oh shit! Oh fuck me!"

As Daniel motions his hands downwards, the helicopter comes crashing down onto the remaining gunmen.

Smoke and fire begins to form from the crash, and Daniel has just enough presence of mind to lift it twenty meters into the air. With a clench of Daniel's fist, the chopper explodes in the sky like a firework.

When Daniel releases his fist, the burning wreck now drops onto the road before the cabin with another crash and a smaller blast.

As he watches the smoke rise for a moment, it begins to sink in on Daniel what he just did.

Daniel wasn't really counting, but there had to be about thirty or so bodies across the front lawn, road and surrounding area. And Daniel wasn't sure just how he was supposed to feel about it, but this mucky feelings of anger, fear and despair won out.

These..."SWAT" officers or government folk that opened fire at them, they shot Sarah Lee. They got no sympathy or pity from him.

But it still shook him a little to see what he was capable of. While most of these bodies were Rachel's work, a lot of them just now fell to the boy's hand.

And they weren't the only ones.

Daniel turns back towards the collapsed deck. There laid Chris Eriksen; unconscious or dead, Daniel wasn't sure. But the worst case scenario was all Daniel could think of or consider.

Not six feet away from Chris laid the similarly still and silent James Amber.

Daniel looks towards the fallen doorway; he thinks back to glimpsing David's body in the hall. Probably knocked unconscious - or killed, Daniel reminds himself - by the explosion outside.

And Sarah Lee, shot and more likely expiring from her injuries in the dining room.

And the thought of that had Daniel dropping to his knees.

"FUCK!" Daniel shouts, pounding his fists again and again into the wet ground below him.

His eyes swell, and tears are running down his face.

"FUCK!! GOD-FUCKING DAMMIT!!!" Daniel curses, and raises his voice to a cadence he never had since he was a toddler. His words were incoherent with the heaving and the sobbing "WHY ? WHY-DOES-THIS -KEEP-HAP-PEN-ING?!!!"

Daniel keeps cursing, and wailing, and pounding his fists into the muddy earth beneath him; venting out his fear, grief and anger as his world came crashing down.

He keeps it up for a moment, before his wrist hurts and his knuckles blister. He quickly just curls up in a ball, burying his sobbing face into his knees, and doesn't look up - even when he hears something dropping in front of him.

Crawling out of the collapsed doorway, Rachel Amber slips where the deck once stood and falls into the mud below. She looks up wincing at the sunlight and as the smell of smoke, blood and muck overwhelm her senses.

So much so, Rachel quickly begins coughing and sneezing something ugly. Her ears pick up the miserable sobbing noises coming from Daniel's direction.

Though with the damage taken to her brain, Rachel wasn't in the right place. But her injured mind still tries to piece it together.

"Biiiiillll..." A rasping sound comes from Rachel's mouth, as she crawls towards Daniel. He doesn't look up, until he feels Rachel touching his foot.

Looking at her, Rachel's face covered in soot, and red and brown sticky stuff. Her fangs visible in her smile. She was near unrecognizable from the young woman who protected him for the past week, and she didn't seem to notice the bullet shell in her temple.

With another sobbing gasp, Daniel flinches away at the sight. The way Rachel was smiling at him seemed like she was trying to be reassuring, but that and the look in her eyes told Daniel she wasn't all there.

But in spite of how unsettled and horrified he felt...she didn't seem to want to hurt him. Though Daniel also felt like he wouldn't care if she did. He was just too beaten down and burnt out to run or fight.

Because of this, Daniel doesn't resist when Rachel reaches forward and touches his cheek.

"Itsss okay Bill," She says in a dreamy, mumble voice, like she was talking in her sleep "Mommy's got you..."

Mommy ? Nah, something's not right, Daniel shook his head. It was clear to him she was out of it, but he was too shaken to really be freaked out. And honestly, he felt like he could use the gesture, despite Rachel being this red and black mess.

"I-it'll be okaaaay, Biiill..." Rachel slurs in her speech, her wide eyes seemed as if they were looking past Daniel, and at a younger boy who wasn't there.

Daniel flinches a little as Rachel brushes a sticky hand through his hair. She wipes one of Daniel's eyes, smearing a red and brown stain under his eye, which he quickly wipes away.

"There we go..." Rachel tilts her head, her dazed smile widening and widening.

If Daniel had to guess what was going through Rachel's head, he'd have to assume she was having some sort of waking dream. One where she was talking to someone named "Bill", and that she was being a mom.

As Rachel begins to stand, her head leans to the side in this dizzy motion and the world around her spins.

Had Rachel been less of a bloody mess, it would have brought to mind someone who was severely inebriated. But given her appearance, it looked more like she was a zombie.

Rachel makes no move to attack Daniel, but moves past him. She takes a few wobbly, and uneven steps, before again collapsing into the mud. Unfazed, Rachel gets back up, shuddering as she does.

It was like her brain was trying to figure out how her body works.

"Come Billy," Rachel absent mindedly says, looking back at Daniel "They're waiting for us back at home."

As she says this, Rachel holds out her hand to Daniel, tilting her head as if she expects them to take it.

Daniel hesitates, looking back at the cabin and back at Chris. Tears are yet-again welling in Daniel's eyes. One part of him argues that he can't just leave them behind.

Another part was telling him in the bleak and blunt manner possible, there was nothing else he could do for them. Not for Chris. Not for Sarah Lee. Daniel just felt like a death magnet.

And so looking away from the cabin, Daniel closes his eyes, resisting another sob. Instead, he shakes his head and whispers to himself: "Fuck..."

"Hey, hey, hey! W-watch your po-potty mouth," Rachel mumbles, apparently hearing what he said "Weee're g-gonna have a loooong talk with Mama Chloe when w-we get there..."

Taking a deep breath, Daniel gets up and walks up to Rachel taking her hand.

Rachel's smile takes a more reassuring, if absent minded, expression. She gently rubs her thumb over Daniel's bruised knuckle.

"I-I-I-I've got you, Bill." Rachel mumbles "A-and I-I won't leave you behind..."

-----

Daniel didn't say a word on their walk.

He was just burned out and too lost in thought, and almost didn't care what happened to him. They were some distance away, before Daniel heard the faintest sound of sirens, but not once did he consider turning back.

With that said, he had an idea where Rachel was taking him. Even if Rachel was a little out of it, it seemed she (subconsciously) knew where she was going.

Daniel thinks back to what Rachel told him the night before; "Arcadia Bay - or what's become at least. It'd be maybe an hour, forty minutes from here on foot."

Though the way Rachel was walking, it seemed like it would take forever to get there. Besides the wobbles and staggers in her steps, Rachel would often trip on her own feet, and try sliding and crawling before regaining her footing.

All the while, Rachel would keep mumbling and muttering incoherently under her breath, but she would every so often address Daniel with the name "Bill".

When she did so, it seemed like Rachel thought she was encouraging a young son to follow her lead, holding out her hand, and only resuming their walk when Daniel would take it.

The only other time Rachel was somewhat coherent, was when she tried to sing. Her voice was a little off key, and the lyrics were muttering whispers, but Daniel was able to pick up some words.

"If I lose my way and forget what I need/Just remind me now of what you give to me," Rachel tries to sing "If you hold my hand and take me where you go/I'll show you the side that no one knows..."

During the walk, it began to rain, with the rainfall washing some of the muck off of Rachel, but it also caused the rest of the mud, soot and blood stains to wash into her clothes and hair.

Because Rachel kept stumbling and staggering, it had to have been three to four hours by the time she and Daniel reached a clearing on a hill. Daniel could just make out the sight of the township a short distance away.

Anyone familiar with this spot would recognize it as Culmination State Park. Not far off from where Rachel and Chloe Price first skipped school together about a decade before.

If they kept walking, they'd probably reach the former township of Arcadia Bay by the late afternoon to early evening...but that's where Rachel collapses again.

As Daniel would explain to Rachel when she awoke, the boy only knew the vampire wasn't dead because she kept mumbling and muttering; often repeating "Bill" or "Chloe".

And so, Daniel was reduced to having to put Rachel's arms around his shoulders, dragging/carrying the semi-conscious vampire down the rest of the way...

-----

Back at Keystone Road, James Amber's cabin was now a wreck.

Chris Eriksen weakly opens his eyes.

He tries to look around, but his neck and head hurts. It's raining and there are red lights flashing, and there were a few dozen people cluttering the area.

Chris didn't see them, both because of the rain, and because his eyes hurt.

The sound fades in and out, but he thinks he's being carried. He's certainly laying on something, and his guess was a stretcher.

This was confirmed to him when he opens his eyes see's Sarah Lee being put in an ambulance, one of which he's being carried to as well.

In this ambulance, Chris hears muffled muttering as his hearing fades in and out. He feels something being put over his mouth, before he once again goes under.

-----

North Bend Quarantine Hospital, April 6th, 2020

On the fifth floor, down a ways from Jacob's room, Chris Eriksen paces back and forth before one of two beds in the room.

There was a stand beside the bed, with a tray of surgical tools, including four types of scalpels. They were unused to either child during their checkup.

On one of these beds, Sarah Lee Hackerman sits in a fetal position; forehead buried in her knees as she tries to wake up from this nightmare.

No one looking at her could tell if she was crying or not, but she was clearly trying to escape into her own world. Stress and anxiety clouds both their minds, and manifest in different forms.

Over an hour ago, Cassidy and Jessica were keeping an eye on them during their checkup. They tried to speak to both children, reassure them, but when Margot in charge needed extra hands on deck, they too were forced to leave them be.

Even the nurse looking over them was pulled out.

Whatever they said to try to reassure them was forgotten almost instantly, as if it already hadn't fallen on deaf ears. Once the checkup was over, Chris and Sarah Lee were both left to their thoughts.

That the sounds of gunfire, explosions and people moving up and down the halls.

Neither of them got it. If this was an evacuation, shouldn't they be the first out ? Shouldn't they at least have someone watching over them ?

Chris tried to open the door when he heard people rushing up and down the halls, only to find it locked. He tried once, twice, four times the past hour. And each time it began to click on them both.

"They left us behind." Sarah Lee says, face buried in her knee.

"Don't say that..." Chris looks back at her, trying to reassure himself as well as her "Sean, Finn, Cass ? They won't let that happen."

"You heard what he said!" Sarah Lee finally looked up, her eyes were "Rachel, she...she fed me her blood!"

"She was trying to help you!" Chris tries to argue.

"We don't know what it could do to me!" Sarah Lee glares a little, sounding like she's on the verge of breaking down "And what she said about that Queen- what if ? What if I become-?"

"It won't happen." Chris raises his voice a little, still trying to reassure her.

"How do you know ?!"

"Because I won't let it!" Chris says emphatically, stepping towards the and sitting on it's foot. He takes a breath to calm down, putting his hands on both her shoulders "I won't let it."

The two look at each other for a pause; both on the verge of tears. As if the dam broke at once, both reach forward and pull each other into a hug.

"I'm sorry..." Sarah Lee says into Chris' shoulder.

"It's okay. I'm scared too."

They both release each other as Sarah Lee wipes her eyes.

"It's just...Rachel and Daniel, where did they go ?" She asks "Why did-"

"I don't know," Chris shakes his head, rubbing a hand through his hair "Everything went black after they..."

Chris pauses, putting a hand on his forehead. He closes his eyes, trying to recall what happened.

After a moment, it hits him; "After they shot you..."

Sarah Lee clutches her stomach, feeling the stitches d of her injury. It doesn't hurt, but it was numb, and could still hardly wrap her head around it.

"They shot me," Sarah Lee nods, her tone and face expressionless. Just speaking matter-of-fact-ly "And now they're leaving us here."

"No, no they-"

Chris is interrupted by the sound of banging on the door. Four loud knocks.

They two look back at the door, and back at each other.

That had to be one of those SWAT people, coming to pick them up. That was the logical answer, right ?

Why does it feel too good to be true ?

Tentatively, Chris begins to get off the bed, but stops as Sarah Lee takes hold of his wrist. There is a pause, as the door knocks again.

"Who is it ?" Chris asks out loud.

Again, there were no words, just four more knocks.

"Cassidy ? Finn ?" Chris asks hesitantly.

The only answer they get is two slow and deliberate knocks.

"We're not opening the door until you say who you are." Chris tries to sound brave.

After a pause the knocking continues. This time it was a lot more angry, fast and aggressive. Someone out there really wanted in.

Four, six, twelve, sixteen knocks. Neither kid was counting, but the pounding must have reached fifty by the time the door's hinges break, and the door itself slams onto the floor.

The outfit was new, but they recognized Bean immediately by his grin, as he stepped into the room; his pale eyes blankly flicking back and forth between the two.

"Guess who."

Neither Chris nor Sarah Lee speak; but the way their eyes widen, Sarah Lee's breath hitches, and she clutches her chest speaks for them.

With a knowing grin, Bean tilts his head.

"Glad to see, you haven't forgotten me."

With Sarah Lee stuck like a deer in the headlights, Chris was the only one looking around. He eyes the tray on the stand beside the bed.

Chris' attention was drawn to a size 20 scalpel. As was Bean's.

"Tysk, tysk, boy." Bean takes another step forward, waggling his finger like an angry teacher "Don't you know none of the king's horses and none of the king's men could put me in the ground. I doubt I'll be meeting my end here."

"Fuck off!" Chris says defensively, already getting off the bed, and clutching the scalpel.

"Profanity lad. In front of the lass, no less." Bean clicks his tongue, shaking his head in mock disappointment as he gesture to Sarah Lee "Clearly, your da didn't beat you hard enough. I may have to remedy that."

In response, Chris holds the scalpel, readying himself to strike, though there was hesitation in his eyes and breath.

"Am I really going to do this ?" Chris quietly asks himself.

Sensing Chris' hesitance under his bravado, Bean mockingly spreads his arms and tilts his head.

"Come on, kid." Bean takes another step forward "I've seen many would-be heroes take their shot; maybe this'll be my lucky day..."

There is another pause, as Chris narrows his eyes and grits his teeth, trying for a tough guy look.

Still grinning, Bean looks towards Sarah Lee...and Chris charges, letting out a battle cry as he holds the scalpel over his head, aiming for Bean's neck.

The boy's world spins when Bean reaches forward; there is a sharp but numbing pain in his wrist, as he feels the vampire's hand clutch it, and twist.

Chris finds himself brought down to his knees, and his vision was still blurring and disoriented. Before he could get his bearings, he feels another sharp pain in his thigh, as Bean brings the scalpel down onto one of his legs.

There was a high pitched scream in the room, which no doubt could be heard down the halls if anyone was left to listen.

Chris finally looks up at Sarah Lee, both with tear stricken eyes as Chris doubles over onto the floor. Pinning him down with his leg, Bean leans in towards the boy's ear, which he traces with the scalpel.

"Ironic isn't it ?" Bean looks back and forth between Chris and Sarah "Miss Amber put me here trying to save you; and yet she left you behind, practically a gift wrapped for me..."

Again, neither Chris nor Sarah Lee could speak, but Chris managed to mouth "Look away," to her as Bean tossed the scalpel into the air and caught it, readying himself for a striking pose.

As Bean raises the blade, Chris closes his eyes.

"And who am I, to deny my presents ?"

-----

Several minutes earlier, on the fourth floor, Matt has Finn sitting up against the wall beside the still injured Jessica.

Moments ago, Finn drops into unconsciousness, but they knew he was still alive thanks to his quick and heavy breathing. As Finn laid beside Jessica, he tried to speak and keep himself awake.

"Sean...Cass...I have to...I have-"

Finn lurches a little, and Jessica weakly puts a hand on his chest, keeping him from falling over.

"You go." Jessica looks up at Matt "I got this."

"Jess, you're hurt." Matt shakes his head, crouching down to her eye level "I'm certainly not leaving you with-"

Matt glares at Margot, who simply looks on whilst crouched to the floor, still in his hand cuffs.

"Him." Matt finishes.

"I can assure you," Margot argues "If I were any real threat to you, I would have broken my cuffs, and bludgeoned you down."

"You've done plenty." Matt stands up, walking towards Margot, crossing his arms as he stands over his ostensible superior "What did you call it ? Putting your eggs in one basket ?"

"Gonna correct you, I wasn't the one who called in the Desert Snakes." Margot looks to the other wall to see the still cuffed Vega looking to the floor with a grim expression.

Looking back at Matt and Jessica, Margot continues.

"And all I did was prove that vermin had infiltrated the Bureau." Margot remarks "I won't be the only one answering for this."

"Yeah," Matt crouches back down to Margot, circling a finger around the latter's mouth. "Pot, meet Kettle."

Glaring, Margot grits his teeth, not even bothering to hide his fangs.

"I was not turned by choice, not like that lout." Margot nudges his head towards the still glaring Vega "I am only what Ascalon forced me to be. I'm sure the good Doctor Reid would explain it better than I."

"I look forward to it." Matt snarks, "I'm sure we'll be unearthing a lot of your skeletons."

"And I can assure you." Margot nods, "Mordred is not one of them."

"Yeah, sure." Jessica strains her voice as she tries to sit up "That's what someone with that skeleton would say."

Margot turns his glare towards Jessica.

"Even if you believe me a traitor, you'd have to know this isn't a good look." Margot looks back and forth between Jessica and Matt "The Guard - the backup. you just called upon - answer to me. When they see you have cuffed their superior, what will they say ?"

"Like they wouldn't care if you're a vampire ?" Matt stands back  up and crosses his arms.

Margot clicks his tongue and shrugs.

"Come now, how many of them do you think are zealots ?" Margot asks "A lot of them were thugs with no aim in life until I gave them one. Their concerns are what comes from my mouth, not what's in it."

"Oh, I'm sure they'll hear your explanation."

"Well, maybe. I'm still thinking that out." Margot shrugs. "You'll hear it when you wake up."

In the time it would have taken for Matt or Jessica to blink, Margot pulls his wrists apart, breaking the cuffs.

Neither Jessica or Matt could do or say anything, before Margot lunges up, wrapping his arm around Matt's waist and driving him into the floor. The commotion was enough to snap Finn awake, but alas he was too tired, injured, and taken off guard by what was occurring before him.

Matt lets out a gasping groan before Margot forces his hand onto the younger man's mouth. With a thwack, Margot slams Matt's head onto the floor. Matt groans and sputters, and reaches for his gun, when Margot slams him down two more times.

Vega looks on with an uncertain expression, watching as Margot lowers his head to Matt's chest, detecting a beat. To be sure, Margot bites down on his own wrist, pouring his blood into Matt's mouth.

As they look on, Jessica notices a dropped pistol, just a couple feet from her foot. She uses her leg to try to reach it, before Margot sits up and looks at her and Finn.

Wordlessly, Margot gets up, not breaking eye contact with Jessica and Finn. Finn tries to sit up, reaching for the gun with his hand, before Margot puts his foot on the gun, and picks it up.

Margot backs towards Vega, the latter about to curse at him, before Margot fires two shots into his head. It causes Finn and Jessica to yelp.

Despite being more injured than her, Finn puts a protective arm in front of Jessica, and the two glares at Margot. Unbothered and stoic, Margot tosses the gun aside.

"I will answer for many things when this gets out." Margot crouches down to them "But if you believe this will be one of them-"

"If you do anything," Jessica warns "People will ask around..."

"And I'll have an answer for them, I'm sure." Margot says "Such as, what happened here."

Finn begins to wince and grimace. Both anger and disbelief, but also because he was noticing this bitter taste in his mouth. That being the taste of Margot's blood.

It made Margot's voice reverb and echo in Finn's head. It was if Margot's words were overpowering Finn's own thoughts.

This doesn't escape Margot's attention: "You boy, you seem...susceptible to reason. I mean, you blacked out after the shooting. You're not sure what to saw, what you heard..."

Finn clutches his head. Almost like a headache, Margot's words split through the young man's brain, pinning his resisting thoughts down, and holding them in place.

"Why as far as you'll know..." Margot shrugs "This is just a...a bad dream."

Margot presses a finger to Finn's lips as if to shush him.

"Maybe you're in shock. Maybe you're tripping on what the doctor's put in you while hospitalized. Same as Mr. Taylor."

Finn tries to shake his head, finding his willpower draining and the taste in his mouth becoming more and more bitter.

"But this must be very distressing for you, Mr. MacNamara." Margot looks Finn in his eye "Why don't you take a rest ? You've been through a lot..."

And with that, Finn rapidly drifts into unconsciousness. His thoughts before blacking out where 'Sean ? Cass ? Where are they ?"

As Finn goes quiet, Margot's attention is drawn to Jessica's quick and heavy breathing. He looks towards her eyes, seeing the fear, anger and hopelessness rolling into one.

"And what about you, petite fille ?" Margot puts a hand on Jessica's shoulder. She winces but is in too much shock to flinch away from his touch.

"They'll know..." Jessica looks away. It sounds more like she was trying to reassure herself, than warn Margot. But Margot sighs and shakes his head in response.

"Miss Jones, Mr. Diaz," Margot puts a hand on Jessica's cheek, and thumb on her shoulder, making her look at him "They too can see reason."

Her dread increasing Jessica feels her eyes water, but she doesn't let any tears drop.

"There are rumors surrounding me, Miss Riley." Margot warns "Lies and slander against me and the way I conduct this mission. I'll admit to...some mistakes. Nothing that'll shake our collaboration to it's foundations.."

Jessica blinks, trying and failing to keep the tears from running down.

"But this ? This will bring division to the case, and where there is division there is war. Whatever the Bureau may think of my methods, they need us. They will not survive this crisis without us." Margot uses his thumb to wipe Jessica's eyes "Now, there are two versions of this story you can tell."

Margot stands up and steps away from Jessica, holding up one hand.

"A. Vega attacked despite being in cuffs. He attacked, shot Taylor and McNamara in the heads-"

"No-" Jessica tries to say.

"And bit you. And thus, you needed to be put down." Margot adds before holding up his other hand "Or B. Vega overpowered them, but was shot in the head by you, before he could do anything drastic."

Margot aims the pistol to the roof, pulls the trigger and a click is heard.

"With these last two shots." Margot crouches down and places the gun in Jessica's hand "Or, I find you using the last down to take your life after being bitten."

Jessica keeps blinking, her breathing growing quicker. They both hear something down the halls; the reinforcements that Matt called earlier.

Looking back at Jessica with a stoic and flat expression, Margot yet again put a hand on her check.

"The men who are coming," Margot says "They'll push which story I tell them. From zealotry to paychecks, they know where their loyalties lie. But with Director Faden, I could use someone more reliable to back me up."

Jessica's face takes a more grim expression and stands up and away from her.

"So" Margot starts, tracing a finger in his bleeding wrist "Which version of events are we going to push ?"

-----

Sean was nearly out of breath when he reached the fifth floor. And yet, as if his legs were moving on their own, he pressed on.

He could hear the pounding down the halls, but couldn't make heads or tales of where it was coming from; from a corner going left or further down the hall to the right.

Going with his gut, he quickly heads down the right hall before, with the pounding on the door beating with the pounding in his chest.

He was really going to do this, Sean questions himself. He was really going to one on one with an actual vampire, without any backup; with little if any skill with a riffle; and the lives of two kids on the line.

But as the distant pounding continued, he knew the answer was Yes. He was.

Before he goes further, he takes a moment to check his gun's mag. There were only three bullets left; someone must have been really trigger happy, he guesses.

But it's all the shots he has, so he better make it count.

As Sean turns another corner, he recognizes this as the hall Jacob's room was on. But what drew his attention was the fact that Jacob's room was open...and Jacob himself was crawling on the ground.

No, not crawling. But worming; dragging and pushing himself on the ground like an infant trying to push themself to crawl. All while making this weak, pained whimpering noise.

"Jacob!" Sean rushes up to him "Shit, Jacob!"

Sean puts his gun aside and tries to pick Jacob up by the shoulders.

"No!" Jacob shouts, trying to shake his way out of Sean's hold as the latter gently drags Jacob towards the wall, and sits him against it "He's here! He's after-!"

"I know!" Sean says, crouching before Jacob, putting his hands on his shoulders "You, you hang in-"

They are interrupted by the sound of something hard and heavy slamming against the floor down from another corner.

"Go!" Jacob rasps out.

Sean nods, trying to put on a brace face, as he gets up and reaches for his rifle.

"Sean!" Another voice calls out.

Both Sean and Jacob turn to see Cassidy, similarly out of breath; in her hand is a pistol. Her eyes widen as she sees Jacob.

"Jacob, oh my go-!" She says, stepping and crouching down towards him.

"Keep an eye on him!" Sean says quickly "You see anyone else, beside me or them-"

"Go!" Cassidy says hurriedly, nodding as she puts a hand on Jacob's shoulder.

And with that, Sean's dash down the halls continue.

In a moment, he rounds a corner, just in time to hear a hitch pitched, pained scream coming from an open door. Chris and Sarah Lee's room.

Despite his exhaustion, he picked up his pace, nearly slipping as he reached the door.

There, he see's Bean - pinning Chris Eriksen down to the floor, before two beds; on one of which a tear soaked Sarah Lee watched on with pale, wide eyed horror.

Bean was crouching onto Chris, pinning him to the floor with his knee. There was blood coming from the boy's leg. In Bean's hands, the vampire raises a scalpel.

"And who am I, to deny my presents ?" The vampire speaks.

Yet again, it was as if Sean was a passenger in his own body; the world seemed to stop, as Sean took his rifle and aimed it.

Sean doesn't seem to notice that he's pulled the trigger until the first shot hits the vampire's forearm, and the second hits his hand. The scalpel drops to the floor, as does Bean.

A third shot fires, this one hitting Bean in his shoulder, as the vampire rolls off Chris with a sore groan.

It was only then, did Sean feel himself come back to earth.

"Chris!" Sean shouts, rushing into the room, dropping the rifle and taking Chris by the shoulders and rolling the boy to face him "Oh shit, Chris! Are you okay ?!"

Stupid question, Sean silently scolds himself; pained and fearful expression in Chris' eyes alone tells him that "Do I look alright ?"

Besides the blood rushing down the boy's leg, Sean notices a nasty bruise on Chris' wrist; it was squeezed until something popped, and twisted in a way that only shock explained why the kid was bawling his eyes out.

What Sean didn't notice was that Bean was starting to sit up. The vampire looked at his own hand. The tips of his pinky and ring finger were blown off, and there was a red hole between his ulna and radius.

This injury...shouldn't have happened. He carries the Queen's blood in him; it should have kept him strong, mighty.

And yet, something tells him, you've had a blast spilling that same blood, didn't you Alexander ?

He's not weak, Bean tries to tell himself. He's just out of practice. Sure maybe the fight with Rachel Amber, and Diaz's brother may have dented him, but he's still very much iron.

With a pained and annoyed seethe, Bean turns towards Sean slowly as he gets to his feet. He looks to his side, and see's a horrified Sarah Lee looking back at him with that same expression.

With a bloody smile, Bean puts a "shush" finger on his lips.

"SEAN, LOOK OUT!" Sarah Lee finally finds her voice.

Sean looks up to see Bean bearing down. The young man reaches for his rifle, but Bean reaches for his neck.

"No you don't!" Bean chuckles, lifting Sean and tossing him into the wall beside the door; the same spot where Bean dropped the scalpel.

Sean drops to the floor with a groan, as the vampire steps over Chris and kicks Sean in the stomach and ribs.

"If you're fighting dirty, then I'm fighting dirty..." Bean taps himself on the chest, as he circles Sean "Something's telling me you've never fought in the streets before, laddie."

With a determined, but sore expression, Sean grits his teeth and spits at Bean; there is blood in his spit as it hits his cheek.

"Hmm. Rude." Bean remarks flatly, as he wipes off his cheek and kicks Sean again in the stomach.

As Bean turns his attention to the fallen riffle,  Sean turns his attention to the scalpel.

"You know ?" Bean remarks, stepping towards and reaching down to the riffle "Miss Fischer says she wanted you and the other alive. Says I could do what I pleased with Hackerman..."

As he says this, Bean turns towards Sarah Lee, giving the girl a wink as she slinks back on the bed.

"But this one ?" Bean steps over Chris "Wasn't part of the deal."

Bean puts his foot on Chris, and rolls him over onto his back. His face was hard to read; this mixture of fear, shock and exhaustion. Bean loved that look in his victims; the one that tells him they know what he's going to do.

"Waste of a snack if you ask me-" Bean takes aim at Chris' head and pulls the trigger.

Click.

Bean blinks, and tries pulling again.

Click. Click.

"No way," Bean remarks, as he checks a magazine. It was empty.

Oh well, he decides. Shooting is never as fun.

Taking hold of the barrel, Bean prepares to swing the butt of the gun down like a club...only to yelp and seethe at the feels of sharp sting in his ankle.

Looking down, he see's Sean sticking the scalpel onto the back of his ankle. Right into the achilles tendon.

Jolting and shaking from the stab, Bean lifts his foot to kick/stomp Sean in the face. But as he does so, Sean lifts the scalpel lengthwise, cutting it's way up his thigh to the back of his knee.

With this mutedly high, warbling cry coming from his mouth, Bean collapses to the floor. Before he could get his bearing, Sean was already on top of the vampire, holding him but the neck.

Sean could scarcely believe he was doing it. Again, it was like he was slipping into this different plane of reality; like he wasn't the one doing what he was doing.

Sean brings the scalpel down onto Bean's neck and chest. Over, and over, and over again.

Seventeen times; thirty two times; fifty four; he's not counting. Sean almost forgets that a barely conscious Chris lies not two feet beside him. Or that Sarah Lee was watching from the bed, covering her mouth and eyes.

That wasn't what was on Sean's mind; he was staring down this monster, and to him it was like he was staring down every asshole who gave him and Daniel grief since his father's death.

And so, he wasn't disturbed as he thought he would be, as he stabs into Bean's already bleeding jugular, and rips it across the vampire's throat.

It was a gasping, rattling noise that came from the vampire's lips as he went still, that brought Sean back to Earth.

Realizing what he just did, Sean gets up to his knees and looks to his side. Between the beds, Sarah Lee was crouched to the floor, holding Chris to her as the boy seemed to regain consciousness.

"I-" Sean starts to say.

"-didn't think it'd be that easy." Bean mumbles. His voice was sore and haggard by the slash to his throat.

Sean looks down, as the vampire lurches back up grabbing the young man by the throat.

"Nope!" Bean tries to chuckle, his mouth and throat oozing out red "It wasn't!"

Sean barely even screams as he feels himself being flung back into the hallway, crashing into the opposite wall with a thud and a cough.

When he looked up, Bean was already bearing down on him, slamming him again into the wall, delivering a punch to the stomach and again to his neck.

Sean continues to cough and stagger, as Bean wraps both hands to his neck and lifts him off the ground.

"Fischer wanted you alive laddie..." Bean spits, his expression being a mixture of pure rage and sadistic amusement "Didn't say nothing about you walking!"

Sean begins to gasp and choke, unable to form words.

"That's what they all say." Bean scoffs, tossing Sean, who hits the floor and slides a dozen feet down the hall.

The scent of Bean's blood was thick and strong in his nose. But oddly enough it brought to mind...a woman's perfume.

Sean wasn't sure if he could actually hear words, but it certainly felt like something was talking to him. It felt female; "You fight for nothing. You fight for a world of ash. To believe man could slay the divine is the height of man's hubris. It will be punished accordingly."

As Bean continues his advance, he passes an emergency glass. Behind it was a fire axe.

With a gurgling chuckle, Bean breaks the glass and takes hold of the axe, dragging it with his good arm as he advances towards Sean.

Sean tries to back away, tries feeling and reaching around for something. Anything he can use to keep this fight going.

"Your goose is cooked boy." Bean shakes his head "You're brother did worse to me, and yet I stand."

When he was close enough, Bean raises the axes and brings it down as Sean scurries back. The blade hits the floor between Sean's spread legs, missing his crotch by five inches.

"One for the money..." Bean swings again, letting Sean roll out of the way "Two for the show..."

Sean staggers to his feet, but before he could get his bearings, Bean jabs forward; bludgeoning Sean's nose with the hard end of the axe blade, causing it to crunch and bleed.

"Three to get out of here," Bean kicks Sean in the stomach, forcing him back on the ground "And here you go!"

Bean raises the axes above his head, with a widened, red smile. As he prepares to swing it down, a gunshot rings out.

Something hot and sharp hits the vampire's middle and index finger, causing him to drop the axe.

As it barely misses Sean, the young man takes the distraction to raise his foot. The heel of his boot connects to Bean's balls with a loud crunch. Bean's eyes cross, and the vampire staggers backwards as he doubles over.

The vampire turns around in time to see Cassidy standing several yards away, pistol in her hand.

Cassidy looked more frightened than determined as she fired again. The bullet grazes Bean's ear, ripping some of it off.

She takes another shot, this one hitting Bean in his good shoulder. But he had the feeling that Cassidy wasn't a good shot, and he was right. Cassidy only ever held a gun like twice her whole life, and never liked using them.

But when Cassidy heard the commotion, and reached this hall to see Sean being stared down by this bloody creature, she had to act fast.

And so here she was, staring down an actual vampire; a creature she never thought she'd actually face, with a weapon she never thought she'd use. Didn't stop her from trying.

Cassidy takes aim and fires again. She was going for the head, but as he continued to stagger, she hit the side of his face, leaving a nasty mark on his cheek. It causes him to stumble and when she next shoots, it hits Bean just above the groin.

Cassidy lowers the pistol, seeing Sean getting back up and stepping towards the axe.

As Bean keeps his eyes on her, he continues to stagger and limp forwards.

"Don't get cocky, lass." Bean half chuckles, half coughs as he tries to stand up straight "If you really think I'll get mine here-"

"Vega is down." Cassidy says, trying to look and sound braver than she was, taking a little satisfaction as Bean's giddy expression flattens "It's over. They're onto you."

Bean grits his teeth, and his good ear picks up. Faintly, he can hear a dozen or so men were already on this floor.

A few were checking in on Jacob, and trying to get him out of here, much to the young man's resistance. Some were already rounding the corner to this hall. The rest the hall behind them.

Realization begins to hit Bean; he wasn't getting out of this. What was supposed to be a simple snatch and grab job in Beaver Creek led him here.

Despite the flurry of panic and fury boiling within him, Bean felt a glimmer of amusement.

This brought to mind this zombie musical he saw the year before, and found himself humming to this one song from it. If this is his time to go...he'll give them one hell of a show.

Despite the limp in his leg, Bean picks up the pace, rapidly advancing towards Cassidy. She lifts her pistol towards him in a panic. Cassidy manages to fire twice.

The first shot doesn't hit, the second misses his heart by a few inches. As he collapses into her, Bean manages to grab Cassidy's wrist, and squeeze.

The young woman's eyes water as she thinks she feels her wrist pop, and the pistol drops to the ground. A pain seethe escapes Cassidy's lips.

With his other hand, Bean takes hold of Cassidy's neck and bears his teeth.

Cassidy closes her eyes and winces...only to hear a splat noise as Bean yowls out, releasing her as he staggers back. As she opens her eyes, she sees Sean standing behind Bean.

Sean was breathing heavily, and there was a slight hobble in his stance. His eyes were narrowed and determined, teeth gritting as blood ran down his nose and lips. In his hands was the fire axe, which he brought down into Bean's lower back.

Sean swings again, this time hitting Bean in the back of his calf, causing him to drop to his knees. The vampire turns his head, staring daggers as he lets out this raspy hissing like snarl at Sean.

Cassidy steps back a foot, as does Sean as the young man swings again, now aiming for the head. The blade hits Bean's open mouth, cutting into his cheeks, dislodging some of his teeth and severing his tongue.

The impact causes Bean to slip back and hit the wall. As he does so, Sean and Cassidy share a quick look at eachother, before turning their attention back to Bean.

Cassidy acts first, taking hold of Bean's left wrist and holding it outwards. Before the vampire could react, Sean swings the axe down onto Bean's forearm.

The axe strikes once, causing Bean to wheeze, and again, severing the vampire's forearm in half. Sticking out from the stub, was a jagged piece of his radius.

Both Sean and Cassidy take a step back, as Sean raises the axe above his head and brings it down onto Bean's cranium. As Sean pulls the axe out, the vampire wordlessly drops to the floor.

For a moment, Bean is still and silent.

Cassidy and Sean share a look, and step towards each other, wrapping their arms around their shoulders and briefly share a kiss. At the back of the hall, the rest of the unit turns the corner, beginning to advance and survey the area.

"Are you alright ?" Sean asks, tears forming in eyes as he presses his forehead to hers.

"Are you silly ?" Cassidy wipes her own eyes, taking Sean's hand and putting it on her cheek "I thought I was going to-"

Cassidy's face flattens as she remembers something else.

"Chris, Sarah," She starts "Are they-?"

"I don't know," Sean realizes.

They both turn to see some of the guards entering Chris and Sarah Lee's room.

"Come on," Sean puts an arm around Cassidy's shoulder "Let's-"

Sean is interrupted by a sharp, numbing sting in his side, and a straining gasp escaped his lips.

Staggering back, Sean and Cassidy see Alexander Bean on his knees. He was using his stubbed arm and the bone sticking out of it to stick Sean in his side. The wound was just below Sean's ribcage, stabbing into his kidney.

Sean continues to stagger. Due to shock, he's not really feeling anything.

Bean just sits there and glares hatefully at them. And in the background, Sean and Cassidy could hear the guards rushing towards them, but neither were really paying attention.

Yet again, Sean picks up the smell of Bean's blood, and with it, begins to hear this soft humming in the back of his head. It sounded motherly, but in this creepy way.

Despite himself, Sean looks to the fire axe, and picks it up. The look in Bean's eyes was this blend of "Fuck you!" and "Get it over with already!"

As Cassidy steps back and looks away, Sean swings the axe into Bean's neck. Once, twice, three times. With the fourth swing, the vampire's head falls from his shoulders and rolls on the floor beneath them.

For a moment, everything was silent around Sean as he dropped the axe and continued to stagger backwards. Sean doesn't stop until he reaches the wall behind him.

Sean slides back down the wall as he watches Bean's decapitated flops to the ground. He begins to register Cassidy crouching down to him speaking to him in this panicked voice, eyes full of tears.

He couldn't make out what she was saying but could guess that she was trying to keep him awake. Cassidy even took to shaking and trying to call the other guards to hurry up. But Sean hears none of it as the sound begins to fade around him.

His vision begins to darken, and his nose was being overpowered with the scent of his blood, and that of Alexander's. Like they were mixing together in his wound. Like he's been marked or something.

Sean's eyes begin to flutter trying to keep himself awake. He can just register Cassidy looming over him as four of the guards surround him. She was nearly inaudible as tears were running down her face.

But that's not what had Sean's attention.

Looming above them, standing behind Cassidy was a woman in a red shroud.  It didn't appear that anyone else could see her.

And yet when she whispers, it was only her voice that Sean could hear.

"My, my...what a curious turn..."

-----

Prescott Dorm, Blackwell Academy

Aa Rachel sat with him, Daniel spent several minutes crying and venting over what happened at the cabin.

When it was out of his system, Rachel offered him some space. Daniel didn't respond, and Rachel told him she'll just be at the girls dorm if he needs her.

She went and took a shower, and after redressing, checked back on Daniel in the boys dorm. As she expected, he fell right back to sleep. She estimated that it was around 10:30-ish when she checked in.

As she said she was, Rachel was working out a plan to reach someone who could help, and she spent the past half hour or so weighing her options.

She could try reaching the Reid's or Ashbury...but besides being unable to recall their current number, even if she did reach them, Ascalon would draw attention to Arcadia Bay with the American Guard setting up shop.

If she were to reach someone, it wouldn't have to be someone the Guard or even the FBC were unfamiliar with. Someone who could pass and stop by, and wouldn't draw suspicion from the guard.

"Steph ?" Rachel considered.

But nah. Besides how wonky the Tulpa issue was, she was too involved already. Being a former Blackwell student and Arcadia Bay resident *alone would arouse nothing but attention. Besides, Rachel couldn't recall her number.

It would have to be someone unfamiliar...but also someone Daniel would trust.

Rachel puts two fingers on the faded mark, still feeling the sensation of hot metal cutting into her skull. What a parting gift from dear old dad.

Rachel shakes her head. Now wasn't the time or the place to dwell on that.

Careful not to make any noise, Rachel tiptoes around the mattress, and picks up the note Daniel wrote down. The note was a list of contacts and numbers that Daniel memorized, and Rachel quietly looked over the list.

From Daniel's grandparents, mother, to Chris Eriksen's father, Rachel recalls her dad tried reaching all of them; one way or another, they had the Guard's attention...all except one.

Hearing Daniel turnover and mumble something in his sleep, Rachel looks down at the boy, and back at the list.

Daniel said he didn't want her involved, especially after what happened with Chris and Sarah Lee...but Lyla Park was the only one who (as far as Rachel knew) wouldn't have these people looking down her back.

It helped that Daniel said she was still in Seattle. It was a gamble, and Daniel won't be happy with her...but it's the only shot she got.

Quietly regarding Daniel, Rachel silently leaves the room, with the list in hand, and hopes he doesn't wake up while she's out.

-----

The Lighthouse, Arcadia Bays Outskirts

For the second time that night, Rachel was out of breath.

Having gone the speed of a race horse, when Rachel was up the last few steps, she was coughing and spitting into the dirt below her.

"Note...to self..." Rachel coughs "Steal a fucking bike next time..."

Or don't, you'd have to drag up the hill.

"Not the time, brain." Rachel spits again, heading up the top steps, and leaning back against the lighthouse's door.

She knew for sure it'll be near midnight by the time she got back to the dorm, but hopefully Daniel will still be asleep by then.

As she gets her bearings, Rachel notices something a short distance away. There was smoke rising - like a lot of it, in a bonfire.

It's been literally years since she's been here, but she's pretty sure that the smoke was coming from where the junkyard was. She could tell from several headlights, and siren lights that there were multiple active vehicles on sight.

"The Guard," Rachel realizes "What were they doing out there ?"

It doesn't matter now, Rachel decides. That's for "Tomorrow Rachel" to worry about.

Getting her bearings, Rachel looks around the lighthouse. There didn't seem to be anyone keepers or the like on duty.

She smelled the air; there was no scent of blood in the area, telling her she was in the clear...but there was something else in the air she couldn't put her finger on; it was like burnt and overcooked meat. But it was faint enough that it didn't raise immediate concerns.

She can investigate when Daniel isn't in the way.

Rachel investigates the maintenance shed, and looks back at the spinning light of the lighthouse itself. With her strength, she forces the maintenance shed open and flickers the switch once or twice. There was light and power here.

Hopefully, Rachel thinks, no one saw the lights flickering.

Satisfied the power was one here, Rachel's attention was drawn towards a landline phone on a desk in the back. She picks it up, hearing the dial tone, before she takes the list of Daniel's contact out, reading over Lyla's number...

-----

Lyla Park's Boarding House, Seattle University District

By the time Lyla finished her bath, she wasn't as annoyed as she thought she'd be by the sound of her phone buzzing and blaring. But she figures that was the dope kicking in.

"Yes, yes, keep your shirt on." Lyla groans sullenly as she picks out some clothes from her dresser.

She turns her phone one to see she had four missed calls, three of them from her mother, Yu-jin, who was sending in another call.

Answering it, Lyla puts it on speaker "Yeah ?"

"I'm not interrupting anything, am I ?"

"No, no. Just got out of the tub." Lyla sits on her bed and puts her hand on her forehead, as she feelings her pills really kicking in "Just had to crash in for the evening."

"I see." Yu-jin answers, "You haven't called in for three days."

"Yeah, I was busy."

"Busy ?" Yu-Jin asks "With what-?"

Lyla opens her mouth, about to answer with something mundane as she puts a new t-shirt on and a pair of pajama dark bottoms. Before she can get a word out, Yu-jin interrupts.

"It's about Beaver Creek, isn't it ?"

"What if it was ?" Lyla sounds a little annoyed.

"Lyla, that-" An exasperated Yu-jin raises her voice, before trying to calm down "That doesn't have anything to do with you ?"

"Says who ?" Lyla sounds a little defensive "Daniel-"

"Sweetie, I know you want to help but..." Yu-jin sounds hesitant, but she and Lyla had these kind of arguments so often, that Lyla knew what she was about to say before she said it. In fact, Lyla mouths her mother as she says "This attachment to th-"

"There's that word again." Lyla sighs.

"It's not healthy, sweetie!" Yu-jin raises her voice again "That whole mess with the shooting-"

"Can we not ?" Lyla raises her own voice.

"You were a wreck! You kept yourself up fighting online, and after that mess at the border..." Yu-jin lets out a shrill sigh without finishing the sentence "Why do you want to go through that again ?"

"Is this why you called ?" Lyla picks up her phone and raises her voice; not shouting, but making her annoyance and frustration very apparent "Mom, I'm trying to put the worst of that behind me! I'm sorry if you keep dwelling on it, but I don't need anyone pulling me back!"

There is a pause between them, and Lyla couldn't believe she snapped like that.

This is why she only spoke to her mother like three or four times since the Beaver Creek attack. They often argued like this, but before the attack, they never got that ugly.

Lyla opens her mouth, preparing to apologize, before Yu-jin interrupts, a slight break in her voice.

"You uh...you saw them, didn't you ?" Yu-jin says with a slight sniff "Sean, I mean."

"I did." Lyla answers a little more quietly, rubbing the back of her neck as if her mother was in the room with her "Why, where you-?"

"Mrs. Murphy, she saw him at the grocery store a few days back." Yu-jin answers "They didn't speak, but I figured you'd be seeing him when you got the news."

"I did." Lyla answers plainly, "Stopped to have dinner, catch up. That was that-"

"But that wasn't all," Yu-jin guessed "Come on, you've seen the news; the other attacks ?"

Lyla nods, recognizing what she meant, "Oh. Yeah, that..."

Boon County Penitentiary, and Puerto Lobos. Two other attacks similar to Beaver Creek, occurring days after the fact. They didn't get as much airtime as Beaver Creek due to having a smaller death toll (though a lot more missing persons).

As for the attack on the Penitentiary, it too had a controversial name on their Missing Persons list; noted serial killer, Mark Jefferson. Which brought with it, a slew of conspiracy talk, rumors and hearsay that brought Lyla back to 2017.

But with the discovery of a slaughterhouse in Willamette, filled with missing persons from years before ? Beaver Creek was back in the spotlight.

But back to Lyla and her mother's discussion.

"What about them ?" Lyla turns her phone off speaker, and holds it to her ear.

"You don't find it odd that Sean and his partners survived those attacks ?" Yu-jin asks, "After his brother went missing ? I mean, that was their father's hometown! You don't think people aren't gonna connect the dots ?"

"Well what do you want me to do, mom ?" Lyla stands up off bed and circles the room, trying to keep herself busy and distracted "Not check in ? Not catch up, see if he's okay ?"

Again, Yu-jin could be heard sighing with frustration.

"Lyla, sweetie, I'm not saying not to visit but-" Yu-jin hesitates before saying "Lyla, I just need to know that you won't do anything stupid."

"What ?" Lyla exits her bedroom.

"You kept posting about search and rescue efforts, and after three days of not hearing from you," Yu-jin lets out a shaky sigh "I thought you'd-"

"Look," Lyla pinches the bridge of her nose and sighs, "I just wanted to see how he was holding up."

"Mmm hmm ?"

"Look mom, I just had a long evening." Lyla says, heading towards the living room "And with everything going on...I could just use some quiet time."

"I see." Yu-jin fakes a cough "And um, how- how is Sean ?"

"Giving everything that's going on ? I think they could be better." Lyla sighs, taking a seat in a recliner "They're seeing another friend today; someone rescued from Beaver Creek."

"Is that so ? And where are they holding him ?"

"Uhh," Lyla thinks for a pause, before recalling "North Bend, I think."

There is a pause, with several seconds of silence before Yu-jin stutters a bit with "Oh."

"Oh ?"

"Lyla..."

"Mom, what's wrong ?"

"Have- have you caught the news ?"

Lyla's eyes widen, and she's already going onto Safari and typing in "North Bend". As she does so, her mother continues talking.

"I don't want you to get upset, but-"

"Oh no," Lyla mouths, reading the first article on the news links, covering the unfolding incident.

"Do you want me to come over ?"

"N-no." Lyla insists, shaking her head with a shaky sigh "I-just- I don't need-"

"You're getting aggravated-"

"Yeah, no shit!"

"See this is what I'm talking about," Yu-jin tysks "You wrap yourself into their messes, you're getting yourself all worked up-"

Lyla hangs up.

Lyla clicks a video link, broadcasting the hospital in question; There was a small crowd of onlookers and three news crews forming, as patients and staff were being evacuated.

That's where they are, Lyla realizes. That's what Cass was telling her about...

The report she's reading, and the videos she's watching, they all describe a leak. The "infected" as the reports are calling them are on the loose, with gunfire being reported.

These militant folks in jeeps and helicopters are turning up and setting up a barrier around the hospital. All this did was bring a greater crowd of spectators and onlookers.

It brought to mind that movie, REC. In fact a few comments were making that exact comparison.

But all that was background noise for Lyla; all that repeated in her head was "Sean is there; Cass is there; Finn is there. They're going to get killed, Lyla. And there's nothing you can do."

Lyla's phone rings again; assuming it's her mother, she prepares to hang it up. The last thing she needs is to get worked up some more.

She sees it's an unknown number, the same one that tried calling earlier. Probably someone calling the wrong phone, she guesses.

Normally Lyla would just dismiss the number and move on, but given her mood, she felt like putting her foot down.

"Hello ?" Lyla holds the phone to her ear "I don't know who this is, but I think you have the wrong number."

"Then this isn't Lyla Park's number ?" A young woman's voice asks.

Lyla's previous irritation begins to give way to caution and confusion.

"Who's asking ?"

"My name is Rachel. I was there in Beaver Creek that night."

Lyla says nothing, which Rachel takes as her cue to continue.

"Look, you don't know me, but I know Daniel Diaz. In fact, I've been keeping an eye on hi-"

"Where is he ? What did you do ?" Lyla raises her voice "If you-"

"He's fine! I mean he's not as bad as it could be, but he still needs help." Rachel sounds unsure of herself on the other end "And you're the only one we could reach."

"Get him on the phone." Lyla says insistently, getting up from the couch "Now!"

"This is a landline and he's at our-" Rachel pauses, trying to settle on "Safehouse. We just needed to reach out."

Lyla raises an eyebrow, and bites her lower lip in suspicion.

"Why me ?" She asks "You couldn't reach his family, or-?"

"There's not a lot who we can reach." Rachel says "And fewer we can trust."

Rachel could be heard taking a deep and  heavy breath before she continued.

"Which about leaves you. You're not in this mess and Daniel vouches for you; you won't draw any attention coming here and-"

"Where- where are you ?"

"Arcadia Bay-or what it used to be." Rachel clarifies with a slight stutter "He says you're in Seattle still."

Lyla goes to her map app on her phone, typing in Arcadia County.

"That's like a four hour drive."

"I'm not saying come tonight or anything but..." Rachel pauses again, before sighing "Look, our options are thin, and I can't drag him deeper into this but there's not a lot of people we can reach."

"His brother's looking for him." Lyla blurts out "His brother, Sean he's with these..."

"These shady government people ?" Rachel says as if she's guessing what Lyla's about to say.

Lyla pauses and narrows her eyes with a "...Yeah ?"

Rachel sighs heavily, and mutters something Lyla couldn't pick up. Speaking a little more clearly, Rachel says "Then that just narrows the list further."

"No, no, no!" Lyla gets a little defensive "Sean, I can reach him; I can tell him-"

Lyla stops, recalling the news she just got.

Sure, she says she can reach Sean, but...if he really is in the thick of things in that hospital, there's a chance he could...he could...

Lyla shakes her head to banish the thought.

"What can I do ?"

"If and when you have the time," Rachel starts "There is a highway by Culmination State Park."

Lyla nods, opening her notes app while turning on her speaker phone. She begins writing the note down.

"Highway ?"

"Uh, 101. And then you make a turn on Weston road." Rachel says, as if she's reading the map  "If you see a sign for Keystone, you've gone too far. It should be three, maybe four hours from Seattle."

"Right, right." Lyla nods, finishing her note "Look, can you tell Daniel-"

"He doesn't know about this call." Rachel says "If you can't make it, I don't want to get his hopes up."

Lyla gives a shaking nod, before wiping her eye.

"Just make sure he's alright, okay ?"

"I'll do my best." Rachel says plainly "Just don't try to draw attention to yourself. Especially anyone who can follow you."

"Just call back tomorrow." Lyla sits back down onto the couch, again wiping her eyes "Keep me updated, and I'll keep you updated ?"

"With what ?"

"You haven't seen the news ?"

There's a pause before Rachel says "No ?"

Lyla hesitates - like saying it out loud will make it real. She hesitates a bit as before she speaks.

"Sean...Sean was attacked..."

"What ?"

Tears are forming in Lyla's eyes and there's slight break in her voice.

"I-I have to go."


-----

Beep...beep...beep...

Sean lurches up in a coughing fit.

The light hurt his eyes, and colorful spots blinded his vision. He knew he was in a hospital room, and he remembers fading in and out.

Sean knows someone is in the room, and can faintly hear a male voice in the room with him. He doesn't really know what he's saying at first, as he's still coming back down to Earth.

He thinks he remembers something else. Like he woke up once or twice during his stay here, but after he passed out in North Bend, everything else was a blur.

"Easy...easy..." A male voice speaks, and Sean's eyesight focuses on a male nurse standing before his hospital bed, putting his hands on Sean's shoulders. This white guy, who looked to be in his late 20's, and short cut brown hair "Don't try to strain your-"

"What...where am I ?" Sean manages to say, sitting back up against the head of the bed "What day is it ?"

"22nd of April." The guy says, stepping away from the bed "Name's Ken."

"Hey," Sean says weakly. He sees he's in a white t-shirt, and dark grey pajama bottoms, and puts a hand on his forehead "Where do you say we were ?"

"Uh, UW Medical Center." Ken answers "You were severely injured in North Bend."

Remembering where he was stabbed, Sean feels around his waist, and lifts his shirt a little. Nothing there but a faded mark.

"You're...recovery was remarkable. Or it would be if it didn't match up to some of our other patients."

"Other patients ?" Sean asks, before realization hits him "North Bend, what happened there ?"

"I understand this may be distress-"

"Jacob, Finn-" Sean tries to get up. He spent so much time off his feet, he trips almost immediately, before Ken catches him.

"Mr. Diaz, please!" Ken says insistently "I don't want to have to sedate you-"

"Where's Chris ?" Sean ignores Ken "Or Sarah Lee ?"

The room's door opens, and in steps a doctor; this fifty-something, Asian-American man, with a balding grey head and a white jacket. His name tag reads "Quinn".

"I see the patient of the day is up," Dr. Quinn walks up to Sean, gently taking by the shoulder, and helps Ken sit him down on the bed "Easy now, we don't want to escalate things."

Sean still struggles a little, but who enters the room next, stops him immediately. A woman in blue jeans and a denim jacket, short-cut blonde hair. Karen Reynolds had this soft, but uncertain smile on her face, looking her son over.

"...Hey, Sean.."

"Mom!" Sean says softly, with Ken and Quinn releasing him, giving the young man some space.

Sean gets up off the bed, wrapping his arms around his mother's neck in shoulder as the two share a hug. It's been a while since they seen each other, with Karen last paying a visit back in January.

But after everything Sean, Finn and Cass saw and went through with the existence of vampires being revealed to him, Sean almost felt like a little boy waking up from a nightmare. He felt his eyes water, but really hoped he wouldn't break down.

"I got you...I got you..." Karen pats Sean on his upper back.

"Cass, Finn..." Sean starts to ask.

"They're fine sweetie." Karen answers "They're just down-"

"Speak of the devil," Finn's voice could be heard in the hall, as he limps in with Cassidy following behind. Noticeably, Finn had a cast on his leg, and was on crutches "And he shall appear."

As Finn and Cassidy enter the room, Ken and the doctor quietly exit.

"Finn," Sean sighs in relief, stepping away from his mother and giving his boyfriend a hug "I'm-...I'm glad you're-"

"Same thing, sleeping beauty." Finn says with a sad smile.

"What, nothing for mama ?" Cassidy wipes her eyes, before spreading her arms open.

Sean gives her a look, before looking back and forth between his mother, and Cassidy.

"Does she know ?" Sean mouths to Cassidy, at which both she and Karen have this modest, but knowing smiles on their faces.

"I'm guessing this wasn't how you wanted me to find out, was it ?" Karen says, wiping her eyes.

"I-I-" Sean stutters a little, trying to explain himself, but Karen steps forward and pats him on the shoulder.

"We can talk about it later." Karen says, pulling Sean into another hug "I'm just glad my boy is here..."

My boy, she says, and the watery look in Karen's eyes remind Sean of something else.

"Daniel," He starts, looking back and forth between his mother and his partners "Did anyone hear anything, or...?"

Finn and Cassidy shake their ends with these sorry looking expressions.

"Not really." Finn says.

"David and I went to Beaver Creek, Sean." Karen speaks up, getting her sons attention "We were going to help with the search and rescue, but-"

Karen pulls down the sleeve of her jacket a little, revealing a metal bracelet, with a red and green blinking light. The kind someone on a registry or under house arrest would wear.

"What- what is this ?" Sean asks, gently taking Karen's wrist.

"They're keeping an eye on me." Karen says "Same as you..."

Karen gestures towards Sean's ankle. Picking up on what she's saying, Sean pulls his pant-leg up a little, revealing that same bracelet.

"What the...fuck ?!" Sean staggers back and covers his mouth.

Karren gently puts her hands on Sean's shoulders, but he steps back towards the bed "Now Sean, I know this looks bad but-?"

"What-what is this ?" Sean raises his voice a little, looking back and forth between Finn, Cassidy and Karen "Am I...did they arrest me ?"

"No, no!" Cassidy says, gently motioning for Sean to sit on the side of the hospital bed, and takes a seat beside him "They...they're just keeping an eye on us."

"If anything," Finn adds, leaning against the wall beside the door "They're calling you a hero."

Sean blinks a couple of times in disbelief.

"...A hero ?"

"Well, some outlets are calling you that." Karen says, taking a seat beside Sean, opposite to Cassidy "Others used..."

"Reckless vigilante." Finn chimes in, shaking his head and tapping his foot "But that whole thing in North Bend; that was on the news."

"Including," Cassidy takes Sean by the hand "How you saved a woman from being shot."

"And how you took out..." Finn hesitates "How you fought with that ghoul."

Sean nods, letting the memory settle. He killed Alexander "Sawney" Bean. He hacked his head off with an axe. He remembers opening fire on the other vampires, but he didn't know if he actually killed any of them; but with Bean himself, there was no doubt about it.

It was the first time Sean actually took a life.

Sean doesn't know how he's supposed to feel about it. He didn't take satisfaction in putting him down, but it wasn't like he was remorseful or guilty about it either.

It was that same numbing, dissociation he had when he used the gun.

"I killed him." Sean says matter-of-fact-ly, at which Karen looks away, and Cassidy nods with a sympathetic look "I...I don't know how to feel."

"Glad you're alive ?" Finn asks, stepping/hopping away from the wall on his crutches "Glad that you saved people ?"

Sean nods, a flat non-committal smile on his face. He helped save people, but there was another question.

"Jacob, Chris, Sarah Lee," Sean looks back and forth between Finn and Cassidy "Are they okay ?"

"They- they made it." Finn nods.

Sean sighs heavily in relief, holding his hands in a ball, and laying his forehead on the knuckles. Karen pats Sean on the back.

"Where are they ?" Sean finally looks up.

"They checked out a week ago." Cassidy says, taking one of Sean's hands and kissing his wrist "Jacob and Sarah, they set up a place for them in Belltown."

"Chris ?"

"Charles has him." Karen explains "They discharged Chris four days ago. Those government folk set up a place for them on Capitol Hill."

Again, Sean sighs in relief, but there was another matter to bring up.

"What about these ?" Sean asks, tracing a line on his mother's wrist bracelet "Why are they tracking us ?"

Karen hesitates before speaking.

"This'll take some explaining-"

-----


Over the next hour or so, Sean was filled in on what occurred while he was "Out".

Firs thing he was told, was they had to give him several checkups. Given the way he healed, they had to be sure he wasn't infect with anything.

As far as Sean found out, Karen doesn't know the full extent of these vampire outbreaks, but she was apparently told about Sean's deal with these FBC people and this "American Guard". Sean plans to let her know everything when he's checked out.

However, she at least seemed to know (or at least be unfazed by) the existence of vampires. When she and David went to Beaver Creek, the word "vampire" kept dropping around here and there; and to Karen, people just saw what they saw.

As Finn said, the attack at North Bend put Sean Diaz back in the media's spotlight. Him taking down a trigger happy guard and saving a woman from being shot was caught on camera by multiple eyewitnesses.

With this, the Guard and FBC thought it was best to keep Sean out of the public eye for a while. On the upside, they were able to spin things to make Sean out to be this hero. Especially when word got out that he was the one who took Bean out.

Though not all media outlets or platforms were as generous towards Sean, painting him as this "Thuggish vigilante, who assaulted and endangered a distressed guard." and "Took the life of a "mentally disturbed" suspect, and broke protocol by not arresting him."

To the public, Alexander "Sawney" Bean was known as, Alexander Sweeny; and underboss who answered to Giles Isaev.

Many eye witnesses and survivors identified Alexander as the one who led the Beaver Creek attack, the "torture camp" found at the slaughterhouse -- however, the full extent of who and what he was is kept quiet.

As for the search for Daniel; they still haven't found him obviously, but they narrowed things down a little. The current estimation was around Arcadia County to the Yakama Reservation.

But before Sean could get his hopes up, they've been scouring the area for weeks. At most, they're sure Daniel is somewhere in Oregon or Washington State, but that's still a lot of ground to cover.

The last Karen saw him, David had a lead in Keystone County, but she hasn't heard from him for weeks.

But she does remember the Guard taking her from Beaver Creek, and putting her in a safehouse in Bear River; their reason being to "monitor" her. They only released her after the North Bend attack, setting her up in another safehouse in Madison Creek.

It wasn't long before Dr. Quinn stepped back in the room to give Sean a checkup, having his visitors step out. When they finished, only Cassidy came back in, telling Finn and Karen that there's something only she can share with Sean.

------

When they were alone, Sean brought up the first elephant in the room.

"So," Sean starts, as Cassidy sits at the foot of his bed "How's she taking the news ?"

Sean scoots beside/behind Cassidy, wrapping his arm around her waist, and putting her hand on her stomach. Cassidy puts her hand on his, and gives him an uncertain smile.

"Uh, she took it well, all things considered." Cassidy shrugs "She had some concerns...but we can talk things over later."

"What concerns ?"

"Well, with Finn in the picture," Cassidy laces her fingers with Sean's "She asked if I were sure it was..."

"Oh." Sean nods, picking up what she meant "But you do know for sure, right ?"

They were talking about Finn. Though the matter of him being the father was a moot concern; as far as their sex life goes, Finn was pretty serious about protection. And even if he wasn't, the last time he and Cassidy had sex was back in early January.

"Well, when I started explaining, she got it." Cassidy chuckles "Didn't need to know what's behind closed doors."

She and Sean share a laugh, before Cassidy's expression and tone becomes more serious.

"But she did ask if we were," Cassidy winces and hesitates "Sure we're ready."

Sean nods solemnly, lifting Cassidy's hand to his mouth, and kissing her knuckles.

"Well, it's still early."

"And we have other worries." Cassidy sighs, reaching down the brush Sean's side, right over the spot Bean stabbed him "You were in for weeks."

She gently lifts Sean's shirt a little, revealing the faded mark where he was stabbed.

"We weren't sure if you were-"

"Hey," Sean gently takes Cassidy by the Finn, and lifts her face to his "Listen, if I was infected, I don't think Margot would have let me g-"

As Sean says this, another realization hits him.

"Margot," Sean tenses a little, mentioning his name "What happened to him ?"

Cassidy hesitates again before speaking.

"He's out East," Cassidy jabs her thumb east ways, "I don't wanna say trial but his higher ups are having sit downs over that mess in North Bend."

"Well," Sean mimes drawing two fangs under his mouth "I'm guessing that all his skeletons are out of the closet ?"

Cassidy looks away with a somber expression.

"What is it ?"

Cassidy closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, before looking back at Sean.

"That skeleton's still in the closet."

"What ?" Sean asks, skeptically "B-but we saw Margot-"

"Finn doesn't remember anything before Vega started shooting." Cassidy explains "Says he blacked out after getting shot; Matt too-"

"But Matt wasn't shot." Sean points out.

"Jessica says that after we split, Vega broke out and knocked Matt out." Cassidy recalls getting up off the bed "She also told me..."

Cassidy trails off, thinking back to what she's been told.

"It doesn't matter." Cassidy sighs "Report says he helped save us, and it was true. But being a bloodsucker isn't what he's in for."

Sean sighs and shakes his head "Then we'll tell-"

Cassidy holds up a hand and interrupts.

"Sean, listen."

Sean get's up the bed, a little anxious but gentle as he touches her arm.

"I'm listening."

"While you and the boys were in here." Cassidy explained, looking hesitant and uneasy "Jess and I stayed together. She told me what Margot told her."

"Okay ?"

"Margot says the word, and your deal is off."

Sean blinks a few times, unsure of what he just heard.

"What ?" Sean says flatly, but loudly.

"He says it's our word against the rest." Cassidy explains, her voice breaking a little "That if we don't play ball well-"

Sean shakes a little, not believing what he's hearing.

"Fuck!" Sean turns around, pacing a little, before looking back at Cassidy "He- he can't do that, can he ?"

"I dunno." Cassidy rubs the back of her neck "Jess was the only other witness. And she tells me-"

Cassidy pinches the bridge of her nose, thinking about how scared but insistent and defensive Jessica was; talking about how she told her that Margot "saved" them, and helped save Finn's life.

How Margot's handling of North Bend was what he's in trouble for. And he insists that she and the other's don't remember what happened after the shooting, and that maybe Cassidy and Sean misremembered.

Most of all, Cassidy remembers how Margot turned up shortly after Sean fell unconscious. How Margot took Cassidy aside, gave her a drink and whispered to her.

"I am to understand you're expecting a special delivery, Miss Jones. I'm sure you wish the child's father to be part of his life; for that to happen, you have to make the right choice." Margot would tell her "If I were you, and I were to set my story straight, I'm sure you're testimony will do right by Mr. Diaz."

Those words stuck with her like an echo.

"They're just gonna ask us what we remember." Cassidy finally answers Sean, stepping away from him and sheepishly rubbing his arm, before asking "What else, do you remember ?"

Sean takes a deep breath. He doesn't remember much after killing Bean and blacking out. He can only recall waking up once or twice in this hospital room before dozing back off.

But there was one waking moment, where he felt things were a little off...

It was the middle of the night, well past visiting hours and the room was dark. But someone was there with him. Not a nurse or anything like that, but a visitor sitting beside the bed.

This visitor was wearing a heavy, grey hoodie, obscuring their features.

Sean remembers feeling a feminine hand grip his wrist, and at the time reasoned it was either Karen or Cassidy, even if he didn't see her face.

As he tries to recall, Sean asks "Anyone else pay a visit ?"

"Finn and I were here everyday." Cassidy answers, counting her fingers "You mom do when finally came. Chris and his dad stopped in; Sarah Lee never did."

Sean nods, guessing that with everything she and Jacob went through, they didn't need to see him like that.

"What about Lyla ?" He asks.

Cassidy nods, holding up a finger "Twice."

"Twice ?" Sean asks in disbelief "That doesn't sound like her."

"Says she had to go out of town. She kept checking in though." Cassidy rubs her arm.

"Now that sounds like her." Sean chuckles, taking a seat back on the bed "Did Lyla say anything ? About where she's going ?"

"That she was going to her family's lake house in Yakima." Cassidy takes a seat in one of the chairs beside the bed "Needed space to clear her head."

Before Cassidy can continue, a light knocking is on the door.

Before either Sean or Cassidy can answer, the door opens, and in steps Karen with Finn following in behind on his crutch.

"All good ?" Finn asks, leaning against the wall beside the door "Never mind, dumb question."

"Cass was just telling me..." Sean pauses to think "Something private."

Karen eyes Cassidy patting her stomach, before faking a cough and stepping towards Sean and patting his shoulder.

"Now Sean, sweetie..." Karen says with a small, uneasy smile "There's these people who've been wanting to ask you some questions."

Sean shares a glance with Finn and Cassidy, before Sean spots Dr. Quinn speaking in the hall, past the slightly open door.

"You mean the Bureau ?"

"Uh, yeah." Karen says, glancing at the door.

They certainly weren't any Bureau she's heard of until recently, but David seemed to know of these people. He told her about how they appeared in Arcadia Bay, how what happened there is matching up with the Beaver Creek attack.

"They're the kind of people really good at keeping secrets, and digging up yours." David would tell her "And the kind of people who can make others disappear."

And with that, and how their lackeys kept her in house arrest for over a week, Karen was skeptical and cautious about these people. While this "Detective" knew of David, and seemed more approachable and down to earth, that same concern lingered over her.

Karen was brought out of her train of thought when Sean pinches the bridge of his nose, and sighs heavily.

"Ugh, might as well face the music." Sean mutters, before looking back up at his mother "Sure, send them in."

-----

Moment's later, Sean was left alone in the room, sitting expectantly on his bed, while he hears his mother and partners exchange words with the Agent outside.

Sean was half expecting it to be Gabriel Wallace, or someone from Matt and Jessica's circle of friends. Though he was correct in that a young woman close to his age stepped in.

She had this mousy but cute demeanor, and shoulder length brunette hair. She wore a white blazer, and a dark grey short sleeved jacket, dark pants with a matching pair of dress shoes. She regarded Sean with this infectious smile that he returned, in spite of himself.

"You know, it took a lot for me not to let my inner Nick Fury out." She said, quietly closing the door behind her "Though I think I'm getting better at it."

"Better at what ?"

"Oh, that whole 'You've become part of a bigger universe.' speech, it gets old after a while. But-but I like to open with a joke at these kind of things." She explains, trying for a Samuel L. Jackson type voice.

It at least got a chuckle out of Sean.

"Max Caulfield." She introduces herself in her regular voice, stepping forward, taking and shaking Sean's hand.

"Sean Diaz," He answers "But I guess you already knew that."

Max nods with a small smirk on her face.

"I understand you're the everyday hero of North Bend."

Sean shrugs.

"I don't feel like it-"

"Ah, I had modesty issues too." Max dismissively waves, "Luckily, they want to try to keep you out of the spotlight. I'm the only interview you'll need worrying over."

Sean narrows his eyes, looking Max over. He's pretty sure that he's seen her from somewhere, but he can't put her finger on it.

"Have we met before ?" Sean finally asks, circling a finger around "I'm pretty good at remembering faces, but-"

"Oh, uh. Yeah, I know-" Max starts to say before correcting herself "I'm friends with David Madsen. I knew him from Arcadia Bay-"

Sean snaps his finger in recognition, nodding as he remembers.

"Oh, that!" Sean remarks, wagging his finger a little "You where on the news when-"

"Yeah." Max interrupts, rubbing her arm, and looking sheepishly to the side "Small world, isn't it ?"

Sean shrugs "Life is weird like that, isn't it ?"

"Indeed." Max nods with an amused smirk, before making a more professional demeanor and expression "You spoke to some friends of mine a while back. And the Director reached out to me so-"

"How long have you been with the Bureau ?" Sean asks "If you don't mind me asking."

"I worked on and off a few years back." Max crosses her arms "Thought I was out of the game for a while, but everything going on, they pulled me back in."

Max gets up and from her jacket pocket, takes out a tape recorder, which she puts on a night stand beside the bed.

"Now onto business."

Max looks and sounds more professional as she hits record. She then retakes her seat, and looks expectantly at Sean.

"It seems like we have lots to talk about."

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