The Sentencing (Alex)

Taking a seat on the cold, hard floor in 'the room' Alex glanced about. On one of the walls was a mural depicting unusual creatures painted in red and brown colors. It reminded her of some of the Indian art she had seen in caves. The wall to her left showed a forest. It's vibrant colors were so inviting that you wanted to touch it and become one with the picture. On the opposite wall there was a very foreboding mountain portrayed. It's dark colors and shadowing showing a very sinister place. Alex wondered if this was the Mountain of Pastanpresent.

It didn't take long for Salmurk to return to get her. She knew before even a word was spoken what the verdict would be. She walked over to where the stool had once been. Holding her head up high, she waited for the centaur to speak.

Tavalox didn't waste any time delivering the news. "The Council has heard you speak. Weighing all that you have said along with all that we know to be true, The Council finds you guilty of violating the treaty. We also find you guilty for the deplorable act of attempting to murder one of the forest's inhabitants. You will spend the remainder of the night under the watchful eye of Enew the Griffin. In the morning Glottack will escort you to the caves of the Mountain of Pastanpresent. Once there, the dark creatures will see to it that you are executed in a somewhat timely manner."

He had spoken so pleasantly that she found it hard to believe he just sentenced her to death. What bizarre creatures these centaurs are. One minute I'm their guest and the next their prisoner.

The Council Part 2 (Alex)

"I will ask again for your name and this time I hope you will answer honestly for I will not give you another chance," spoke Tavalox.

"I told you, my name is Alex Milds." Her voice spoke with more confidence then she actually possessed.

"Very well, Alex Milds. Next question please."

A brown and black rabbit spoke up next, "Where are you from?"

"Nowhere," came Alex's cool reply.

"My dear girl," Tavalox was starring down at her with a very annoyed look on his face, "if you insist on lying to us we will have no choice but to banish you to the mountain."

"I'm not lying!" she retorted hotly.

"Salmurk," Tavalox addressed the centaur to her left, "take this stubborn human to 'the room' for a moment. The Council needs to have a discussion."

Alex stood up and followed Salmurk to a small room at the back of the hut. Since there was no furniture about, she took a seat on the floor, bringing her knees up under her chin. As she sat there in silence she wished desperately that Serataom were here with her. Thinking of Serataom reminded Alex of the object she had clutched in her hand. She decided that now was as good a time as any to take a look at it.

The object looked like a small pebble that one might find by a stream. It was smooth on all sides and blue-green in color. She liked the feel of it in her hand, for some reason it calmed her and brought her comfort. As she looked closer at it she noticed that the blue and green colors were swirling around like clouds before a storm. Suddenly a picture formed, it was the forest with a tiny red dot flashing in its center. What is this thing?

Her thoughts were interrupted by Salmurk's rough voice, " they're ready for you to return."

Placing the pebble in her trouser pocket, she followed Salmurk back into the great meeting room. Again, she was brought to a state of panic upon seeing the variety of creatures gathered together.

"We have decided to forego the questioning and simply let you tell us about yourself and why you are here." Tavalox was looking directly into her eyes. She again had the feeling that he was reading her thoughts. "I will again advise you to speak honestly. You may begin with your name."

Alex positioned herself on the stool, taking a moment to collect her thoughts. "My name is Alex Milds. This Alexandra Fields you speak of died eight years ago alongside her family." She paused here expecting Tavalox to accuse her of lying again. When he said nothing she continued on, gaining strength with each word spoken. "My parents are Bitterness and Hatred. I come from nowhere and everywhere. Revenge is why I exist." She stopped, feeling no need to say more to complete strangers. Her eyes mirrored the coldness that had seeped its way into her heart eight years ago.

"Very well," Tavalox paced back and forth in front of her. His hooves making the clippity-clop sound so familiar to her. "Tell us, then, how you came to be in the Forest of Hereanafter."

Not sure herself how she ended up in the forest, Alex felt it safe to recount the past few days. "I was in Mexico running from the sheriff and his posse when a sandstorm blew up out of nowhere. I tried to make it to shelter but the storm over took me. When I woke up I was lying on some kind of black, hard ground. Huge buildings rose up to block the sky and these odd looking motor cars kept going by. Wanting to get away from these strange surroundings, I wandered about until I spotted forest. Unaware that I was trespassing, I took shelter in the trees." She added this last bit in the hopes that they might see she was ignorant of their ways and therefore innocent of breaking their rules. "The next morning I tried to catch a rabbit for breakfast, only to discover it could talk. He led me here and you know the rest."

She sat there on the stool listening to the whispered comments among the Council. She didn't expect them to believe her, after all she hardly believed it herself.

"Miss Alexandra,"

"Alex," she interjected.

"Whatever. Do you really expect us to accept this tale?"

"Not really."

"Good because not only have you trespassed and lied to us, now you tell us that you attempted to murder a rabbit." Tavalox looked rather disgusted with her. Like she was a cow patty stuck to his foot, or in his case hoof. "Salmurk, take her to 'the room', we must decide what to do with this thing."

The Council Part 1(Alex)

They had just finished eating their meal when Salmurk barged through the door. Alex wondered if the centaur ever entered a room in a good mood.

"It is time," he barked.

Alex looked to Serataom for an explination to this phrase. What she saw unsettled her. Instead of the cheery being she had come to know, she saw a sad, distraught creature with tears in her beautiful eyes.

"Come along, child, the Council awaits you."

The three of them left the kitchen together. Alex was relieved to have Serataom going with her. She had grown rather fond of her in their short time together.

Alex stepped out into the dark night. Not even the two moons' light penetrated the dense forest. Looking about her, Alex saw huts nestled in amongst the trees. Smoke rose from their chimney's spiraling upward towards the forest canopy. The huts were spread out enough to lend privacy but not too far apart to leave one vulnerable. Now and then Alex saw small faces peering out a window to watch 'the human' pass by. Other than the three of them, no other life form was about. When they reached a rather large hut on the far side of the village, they stopped. Alex noticed that the structure had several doors, each a different size.

"Here, dear, this will guide you in your quest." Serataom pushed something smooth and round into Alex's hand. Without another word she turned and headed back to her home.

Alex was seized with a moment of panic. She would have to face these strange creatures on her own. Reminding herself to breathe, she followed Salmurk into the building. A gasp escaped her lips as she took in the sight. Thousands of eyes looked down at her from their balcony seating around the room. Creatures of all shape and size were present, some she recognized, some were unimaginable. Clasping the object Serataom had given her tightly in her hand, she approached the spot indicated to her by Salmurk. Never had she felt so vulnerable and alone. She subconsciously moved her free hand to her holster, seeking the comfort of her pistol. Instead of finding the touch of cold steel, she felt the warmth of her leather holster. Looking down she discovered that her weapons were gone.

"You will have no need of those human things here," came a loud athoratative voice.

Alex looked slightly to her right and saw an old, brown colored centaur moving towards her. She wanted to look away but her eyes were held fast to his. She had the strangest feeling that he was reading her thoughts.

"Let us begin," he said, and with that came a commotion of voices. "Silence. Let us make things clear before we begin. This is the Council. I am Tavalox, chief of the centaurs, mediator of the Council. We will hear the human's defense and sentence iy to what we feel is just. I would advise you to speak honestly for we already know the truth." His piercing blue eyes rested upon Alex for a moment before continuing on. "To the Council, I will advise you to remember the treaty, no human is allowed in the forest without our invitation. This human was found violating that treaty. I will leave you with the code of justice : All humans are guilty unless by some slim chance we decide otherwise."

With this last statement the room errupted in laughter. Alex saw her fate sealed, but refused to give up hope just yet.

"Let us begin the questioning. Everybody will have a chance to address the intruder. We'll begin with the smallest."

A small gray mole was the first to speak. "What is your name?" he squeaked.

Alex stood there with her mouth hanging open, trying to regiester that a mole had just spoken to her. Would she ever get used to this world?

"Answer, please," spoke the old centaur.

Alex felt the eyes starring at her. A hush fell over the room as they awaited her first answer. "Alex Milds," came her weak reply.

"Don't you mean Alexandra Fields?" Asked Tavalox with an all-knowing look.

Alex felt as though her legs would give out at any moment. She hadn't heard that name in eight years. How could these creatures know it? She fought to regain control of her breathing. She felt as though she were drowning in quick sand. The weight of everything crushing her senses.

"Sit." came the quite demand from Salmurk who was standing behind her and to her left. From thin air a stool appeared.

Alex, ever so thankful to relieve her shaking legs took a seat on the stool. I've been through worse, I'll get through this. It's just like any other trial you've been to. Gathering her wit about her, she prepared for the next question.

Sneaking through the shadows (Moe)

He stood and pulled on his coat, wincing slightly as the wound in his shoulder reminded him that he was going to need to rest. Feeling a rumble in his stomach he remembered that is had been some time since his last meal.

"And you thought you were a mess this morning. " He thought to himself.

He gathered his things and peered through the hole in the wall where he had knocked the brick loose. This time of night there would not be many on the streets so his passage should go fairly smooth and unnoticed. However the few people he ran into would not be the type of person even he would not like to meet in a dark alley, which is how he would have to travel. After another quick glance through the hole he decided that he should not delay any longer and opened the door. The street was silent for the most part , other than the usual hum of city life that is always present, and the people that were milling about in the shadows wanted no attention either. He pulled his coat collar up high on his face and began to walk. Serendipity was not far away, only a couple of blocks but it took him the greater part of three hours to creep his way there. At last he was standing across the street looking at the entrance.

He stood at the alleyway entrance for a moment staring at the door. Remembering how just this morning he was smiling, thinking he should visit this place, watching the young woman walking out of the bar. Now all that was lost, he was here now not to enjoy the evening, but rather to hideout and plot his revenge. He looks down the street and decided that now was as good a time as any. He started across the street walking casually, ( or as casual as someone his size possibly could), and finally reached the entrance. He turned the handle and peered inside. It seemed like an odd place to him the ceilings were again uncomfortably low , but other than that it seemed like a safe enough place. He steeped in and closed the door, relaxing slightly as he did so.

He would not have relaxed so easily if he would have looked back the to the alleyway he had just left. At the lone figure standing there. He was dressed all in black with the hood of his cloak pulled over his head. His ebon face hidden in the shadows and a pair of piercing red eyes peering out from underneath. The figure smiled and spun back down the alley flipping his doublehetrodyne transducer open.

"Ergos 1 to base. Need confirmation on subject."

"Base to Ergos 1 go ahead"

"Base I have a possible match on subject. Subject was approx 9 feet tall, brownish green skin, purple eyes, short black hair, extremely large build, wearing duty uniform. "

"Roger, that sounds like our boy. Discover if he still has the device on him, if so retrieve it and terminate with extreme prejudice. Make it look like and accident this time Ergos 1"

"Confirmed, Ergos 1 , out"

The stranger smiled, this was the part of the job he liked.

Alley Game (Highpoint)

Effortlessly guiding the hover cycle toward Red Lantern Alley, Highpoint entered the ‘mouth’ of the alley just as the new moon crested the night sky. He welcomed his descent down the ‘throat’ of the alley into the near stygian darkness of the ‘gut’. Most of the buildings were only eight to ten stories in height but they seemed to extend upwards leaning evilly until they touched, blocking out any light except that the residents cast into the alley like the other refuse. Slowly he braked the cycle and allowed it to lazily drift down toward the broken, filthy tarmac. ‘I’ll try here’ he thought to himself dismounting his 23 century steed. ‘Any father and I’ll be near the alley’s ass and I’m just not into being an ass man tonight’ he thought grinning to himself. Thumbing a switch on his left gauntlet the hover cycle shimmered slightly and was replaced by rough, abused trash can—similar to any of the others in this particular side alley.

Highpoint continued his journey on foot constantly scanning the areas around him for any information his artificial senses could gather. Slowly walking deeper he meticulously recorded everything possible knowing that it would all be scanned later on.

‘What’s that?’ he thought flipping the mental switch activating the artificial part of his brain/drive.

‘Two men. Both injured. One mortally.’ The metallic voice replied echoing in Highpoint’s head.

‘Magnify’ Jumping into view were two men locked in the final refrains of one of the many ‘death dances’ performed in this part of town.

‘Silhouette’ to Highpoint his body appeared to be surrounded by the same shimmering effect he’d used on his hover cycle, however to anyone else the man was no longer there.

After checking to insure he could momentarily let his guard down, the one man flipped the other over with his foot and crouched down on one knee.

‘Amplify’ Highpoint now was aware of the last conversation being held with the seriously wounded man.

“What’s your name?”

“Mickey…I didn’t know anyone could move so fast, wasn’t expecting it.

“Yeah, well I wasn’t expecting you either. Why’d you try it? You could have waited till I was gone and then emptied their pockets and left here alive and richer.”

“My girl and the others, I wanted them all to see I was something besides a sneak thief and pickpocket. Killing the great Quint would have made me somebody. Minnie will never know what happened now—she’ll think I screwed up while trying to swipe a wallet or somethen.”

Rising back to his feet the guy holstered his weapons and trudged up the alley, stumbling and weaving as he attempted to journey from ’gut’ to ‘mouth’ and exit Red Lantern Alley like vomit from a drunk wino.

‘Run Quint, I want everything’ Highpoint thought as he waited a moment for Quint to pass and then resumed his journey, deeper into Red Lantern Alley’s ‘gut’.

He stopped briefly at the body, attesting to the fact that the young lad was dead, he was already being nibbled on by some the hungrier vermin in the Alley. Not ten yards past Highpoint came across three other bodies all male all most definitely expired. Two had ‘all seeing eye’ tattoos on their forehead and the third had apparently had information someone wanted—he had been shot in both knee caps, his shin, the elbow, the wrist and sported the same forehead tattoo as the other two. Scanning the Alley, Highpoint decided to check out the nearest joint to the recent slugfest. His visual sensors immediately registered Adrian’s.

‘Resume normal parameters. Maintain Quint search.’ Highpoint thought as he pushed aside the nasty green color door swinging on its one hinge and entered the bar.

Highpoint walked up to a wispy haired, medium built gent leaning over top a lidless cigar box with a smoldering stogie between his fat lips, obviously the proprietor as he was standing on the ‘serving’ side of what passed for the bar.

“Yeah?”

Slapping the bar in front of him with his hand, the man-machine glanced over his shoulder at the room proper and said “I need some info.” He immediately registered all the signs given by the bar keep indicating that this was not the first such request of the evening.

“Never mind, you just answered my question”

“Waitaminute, I never said a word.” the cigar smoker replied defensively.

“Didn’t need to. Ciao.” He threw over his shoulder as he exited, the door still moving from his previous passage through it.

‘Query complete’ the voice said as Highpoint mounted his hover cycle and activating the probability grid.

“Picture” he responded vocally, the anti-inertia drive humming to life allowing the cycle to lazily drift upward.

‘None on record’

“Damn well figures. Last know whereabouts?” Highpoint questioned mentally.

‘Simultaneous sightings reported in Naples, London, the ‘City’, Israel and Newport News.’

“Nature of ‘City’ sighting?”

‘Signatory for receipt of parcel via harbor master.’

“When?”

‘Three days ago.’

“What did he sign?”

‘Quint Yuhasz.’

“Check the local directory.”

‘Yuhasz not listed.’

“Yeah that would be way too easy. Get Umbra.” Highpoint finished as he fed the necessary data into the cycle to ‘auopilot’ it back to the penthouse he used as Joaquin Cavanaugh.

* * * * *

Reverently he opened the case. Reaching inside he caressed each piece as he extracted it from its foam compartment and attached it to its appropriate place. Delicately he wiped down the entire rifle with an oilrag before dropping the rag and jerking it up and seating it on his shoulder. Peering through the scope he thumbed the infrared filter into place, exhaled slowly to empty his lungs, stopped when his lungs were empty and stroked the trigger.

Delicately laying the rifle down on the table Highpoint suddenly thrust his hand into the cavity between the cushions of the couch and slowly pulled out Umbra by what would have been the hair of his head, had he any.

“Why don’t you guys have any better info on Gunslinger?” he asked throwing his guest down on the couch, as he stood and walked over to the large windows looking out onto the ‘City’.

“We had him until the meeting and then didn’t need to know his whereabouts. What about the…”

“Yes, yes I’ve already talked to her and she was of no help. She apparently loves him and wouldn’t give anything away. Sometimes emotions can be such a bitch…hmmmm…maybe I’ll include them in my next upgrade.”

“So you have not located Gunslinger?”

“Not yet, but it doesn’t really matter it’s not him I need.”

Meatflap (Quint, Phae, Casey)

Phae was, as usual, behind the bar, helping Casey stock some items when the portal opened for the untold time admitting yet another lost soul to the succor that was Serendipity. Both knew something was wrong a heart before Quint entered. Phae’s more feral nature spasmed at the near overwhelming smell of blood and Casey felt the anguish being radiated due to physical harm.

Quint valiantly tried to maintain what composure he could muster, but with each step his resolved fail a little more until his final was a feeble grasping of the edge of the bar. His ass, to his credit, did hit the stool unfortunately the rest of his body failed to catch up and he mumbled ‘Do angels really exist’ as he finally succumbed to his recent injuries and fell backward into Casey’s waiting arms.

Easily hefting the rather robust man into her pixieish arms, Casey carried Quint upstairs and tenderly deposited him in his room, on his bed, Phae having gone before checking for any ‘counter intrusion’ presents Quint might have left unlocked Quint’s door.

Carefully, the two undressed Quint making sure to take inventory of everything removed, where it had been and where it was subsequently placed. Not seeing anything anteriorly they rolled him over and found the full extent of his injuries. Quint had managed to sustain a nasty gash to his upper right trapezius that was several inches deep, six to eight inches in length and left his muscle flapping like a sail in the sea breeze.

“Shit” Casey mumbled immediately flipping the meat back into place and placing both of her hands over the wound. Softly moving her lips, beseeching her maker, she began to channel part of her essence through Quint’s body. The effect was a supreme super charge of his healing mechanisms and the eliciting from Quint of sounds reflecting the fact that his body was well on it’s way to doing months worth of work in just a few minutes.

Phae decide to attempt a clean up of the room, no small amount of gore having been spread throughout the room by the undressing and manhandling of Quint. Having collected rags and clean solution he started a once over of the room. At one point Casey glanced over at Phae and saw him run his hand through a particularly thick puddle and lick his hand.

“Phae” she yelled.

“I am what I am, besides if I ever need to track Quint this will make it easier for me” he replied finishing his lycan sampling.

“That’s just gross.” she uttered shaking her head and refocusing her attention on helping Quint mend his wounds.

“Kinda sweet actually” Phae said grinning as he resumed his janitorial work.

The two finished their chosen tasks at about the same time.

“What now?’ Phae asked setting his tools on a nearby bureau and stepping up to Quint’s bed.

“He will live, but he really needs some serious down time to recharge his batteries. I jump started the process but when I finish I take the ‘Essence” with me, he needs rest.”

“Cool. Head on down and watch over stuff there I’ll watch him for a bit.”

“Ok yell when it’s my turn” she replied gathering up everything in the room not Quints and exiting, closing the door behind her.

Looking down at the unconscious man Phae muttered, “Damn brother can’t you stay outta trouble”

To fill the time Phae gathered up the arsenal of weaponry he and Casey had removed from Quint’s person and began the lengthy task of tearing down, cleaning and reassembling the many firearms.

Hours later as he laid the final piece on the table, Phae surveyed the ordinance. Laying before him was a Derringer and clip extracted from Quint’s hat, two holstered p38’s, two 44’s pulled from a pair of ankle holsters, a sawed-off twelve gauge, a 9mm pistol, extra clips and cartridges, various blades—both stabbing and throwing--, a garrote and last a bone handled straight razor in a sheath made of…some kind of animal muscle, as far as Phae could tell. Slowly, carefully Phae scribbled a few words onto a scrap of paper and placed into into one of the 38 holster's knowing that Quint would find it the next time he tested the action on the holster spring. Salome has been beaten and is in intensive care. Shaking his head at a life that would require this kind of equipment, in addition to that Phae’s senses told him was stored in the old sea chest at the foot of the bed, he glanced at Quint one more time as he too exited the room, locking the door behind him.

Later the next day Casey was delicately testing the extent of the healing when he stirred.
Smiling radiantly, her beautiful eyes glowing the redish-orange of the sunset she said…

A History Lesson(Alex, Serataom)

"This is the Forest of Hereanafter. Beyond the forest lies the Mountain of Pastanpresent. All manner of creature inhabits these two places - unicorns, griffins, werewolves, elves, ogres, - everything both good and evil. We, the centaurs, are the Keepers. We try to keep things running smoothly and peacefully. But above all we enforce the Treaty and it's one standing rule - no humans allowed." Serataom paused to fix herself and Alex some tea. Coming back with the steaming cups, she continued her tale.

"We used to live in harmony with the humans when they first arrived. Despite the fact that they brought with them many diseases, we continued to teach them ways to survive in this new world. But their numbers grew and soon they wanted more land. Being peaceful in nature we convinced the others to give up some of the forest to the humans. It was never enough though, the greedy humans always wanted more. When they took, they destroyed, causing many creatures to dwindle in numbers, some even to the point of extinction.

Gathering one kind of each creature the Council was formed. All decisions come from the Council. Together, they decided to take a stand against the humans, to fight for what was ours. It was a bloody battle, both sides suffered a terrible loss. With no end in sight the human leaders and the Council agreed to meet. From this meeting the Treaty emerged.

The Treaty gave us free roam in the world but the forest and the mountain were to be ours, untouched by humans. We were left to govern ourselves, rule our own society however we pleased, completely separate from the human world. No human is allowed to step foot in the forest without the consent of the Council."

Alex took a sip of tea while thinking this bit of information over. "What happens to the humans that do come into the forest uninvited?" she asked the question but wasn't so sure that she wanted to hear the answer.

"The Council gathers together to hear the human give his reason for trespassing. Then with the information they have gathered, they decide whether to escort the human out of the forest into the human world or to release him into the caves of the mountain."

Alex breathed a sigh of relief, " that doesn't sound too bad. Either way I'm free."

"My dear child," laughed Serataom, " where did you come from? The caves are full of evil creatures. Creatures who take pleasure in torturing and killing others. Once one goes into the caves, there is no returning. Even I do not know what hides in the belly of the mountain."

"Surely, they'll let me go to the humans. I've done nothing but sleep in the forest. That rabbit is the one who dragged me all throughout it."

"No need to be all anxious, you'll be able to speak to the Council tonight. I suggest you relax a bit." With that Serataom finished her tea and resumed her cooking and humming as if this were every day conversation for her.

Alex was far from relaxed as she sat quietly at the table mulling things over. If I were home, I'd know how to handle things, but I know nothing of this world or the creatures in it. If I try to escape before the meetin' they'd certainly view me as a threat and send me to the caves. Besides I have no idea how to get out of this forest. I'll just have to tell them my story and hope for the best. The caves can't be any worse than the other sentences I've received - hanging, gallow, prison, firing squad - and I got out of all those just fine. I'm sure there's nothing to worry about. With her mind still running, she finished her tea.

The Game (Highpoint)

‘Damn it, that woman knew more.’ Highpoint thought, exiting the building and hopping onto his stashed hover cycle. A quick retinal scan and DNA sample and he was powering the bike at speeds in excess of 150 miles per hour through the streets of the ‘city’.

Navigating fifty feet above the street was easy enough to do, the occasional flagpole being the only impediment. He was able to let his mind/drive filter through the information he had amassed.

'The target is here, in the ‘city’. The hit has been assigned. My first attempt was someone either too scared or too loyal to really give me anything---I don’t know the where or when for the hit. I don’t know the target or the agent. I need to put together a role call of who is in the ‘city’ right now. So I guess I’ll wander over to the ‘Alley’ and see what’s cookin’.

Joaquin Cavanaugh could never be seen in Red Lantern Alley, however Highpoint knew that every city had its soft underbelly. In this case the ‘city’ had a pusy, maggot filled boil waiting to gut pop given the slightest provocation and he knew that when touched it would belch forth all the non-warm and fuzzy happenings in and around the ‘city’.

Ratcheting up the anti-inertia drive and with a practiced eye on the probability grid Highpoint motivated toward the only place in the ‘city’ where everything had its price.

The Game is Afoot (Highpoint)

Being the last of the group to exit the hotel, he expertly slid into the shadows.

‘Posing as one of that suits guard dogs was easier then I thought it would be’ Umbra thought to himself.

Not to hide rather he became the shadow and used it’s inky tendrils to slip from one to another and so in just a few heart beats was far enough away to avoid any type of detection.

Unmerging upward from the blackness on the alley floor he thumbed a throat mike and spoke, “Umbra-Control.”

“Control” was the response in his head.

“Target set. Gunslinger onboard.”

“Roger that, copy Gunslinger onboard.”

“Roger.”

“Phase two. Target: Highpoint”

“Roger that, copy target: Highpoint.”

“Roger.”

“Umbra out.”

“Control out”

Taking right at twenty seconds to signal completion of his current mission and acquire his next Umbra melted back into the shadows. Next stop penthouse, Minute Man Hotel Grande.


* * * * * *


Joaquin Cavanaugh was the man. Men world round wanted to be like him, women wanted to be with him. If he didn’t own it, it was either not worth owning or he had at one point but had subsequently grown tired of it. Entire nations beseeched him for support both moral and monetary. Men throughout history have been described as ‘having so-and-so’s ear’ Joaquin bypassed ears and owned officials mind, body and soul. Where his money came from was unknown and not questioned publicly, for very long. What was known was that he knew--anytime, anywhere regardless the question—he knew.

At the moment he was indulging his vainer impulses, entertaining a trio of women in his penthouse.

“Here you are ladies.” He said as Joaquin handed each of the ladies a glass containing their favorite beverages. He then addressed each one by one.

“Mary Anne Jenkins, Moroccan wine made from the freshest dates. You are an international super-model, nea uber-model. Little know is the fact that….you have been in an incestuous relationship with your father…and his three brothers for the last twelve years.”

Mary Anne blanched white and dropped her glass.

“Jennifer Primatti-Wythe, Irish ale. You my dear are married to the reigning King of the United English Republics, leader of the European Union. What if word ever leaked that your husband was a flaming pedophile, who has on occasion extinguished the children he’s been with in the throughs of passion…and that you have on occasion joined in.”

Jennifer dropped into a nearby chair maintaining her grasp on her glass but instead spilling it onto her person.

“Hataomi Ichiro, Japanese saki. United Nations President and ambassador to the ‘land of the rising son’. Your sexual proclivity has garnered but a passing mention in the press, however your true mission to infect every male ambassador of the United Nations with the HIV virus that you yourself carry has gotten no press.”

Hataomi slapped Joaquin, her hand striking his unyielding flesh.

“Very well my dear that will be twenty million, you other two ten million each. You will receive an e-mail detailing where to send the money to maintain my silence…for the time being. None of you are worthy of anymore of my attention. Leave.”

The three women all considered their options, both current and future. To a person all three accepted the current defeat and shuffled out into the hall wondering when the e-mail would be sent.

As soon as the door had touched it’s jam upon closing, Joaquin crouched and flipped a small metallic disk he had palmed from his pocket moments before, into the shadows at the far end of his front room. A human shaped figure detached itself from the shadows and fell to its knees in the open.

“My dear Umbra…what were you thinking.” Joaquin droned as he approached the figure and helped Umbra back to his feet, the disk affixed to what would pass for a forehead were the figure human.

“Watchman.”

“Yes, yes. They want something from me” he replied pouring himself a martini.

“Auxiliary.” Umbra replied trying to maintain his coherence despite the vibrations emanating from the disk.

“Very well” he said extending his hand and snapping his fingers.

Simultaneously Umbra placed a small IC into the outstretched hand of Joaquin and the small disk fell to the floor.

Joaquin eyed the chip momentarily then pressed it into place in the port in his upper palate. Momentarily his eyes rolled back into his head and then with a grin and a bluish LED glint in his eyes he said, “Umbra call me a taxi, I fell like a trip tonight.”

Awake(Alex, Serataom)

The smell of food filled Alex's nostrils causing her to finally wake. She had a terrible headache from sleeping so long. She glanced around her trying to get a barring on where she was.

The bed she was lying in was enormous. Her whole family could have slept on it comfortably and still have room for the three dogs and maybe her horse too. Everything about the room was on a giant scale - the windows, doorways, furniture. Alex suddenly felt very, very small and vulnerable. How big are these people? she wondered.

There was soft humming coming from another room causing Alex to think of her own mother. Wanting to see who was making such sweet music, she quietly climbed out of bed and went to the door of the bedroom. To her left Alex spotted the kitchen and the location of the music. Carefully she worked her way to the kitchen and peeked inside. She found a sweet looking older woman cooking and humming softly.

As if sensing that she was being watched, the woman stopped and turned to face Alex. "Oh, hello there. I'm so glad to see you're awake. I'll get you a cup of broth." It was the same soothing voice she had heard in her sleep.

While the woman dished up the broth she continued to talk. "Come, sit down over here," she gestured toward a large chair that sat in front of an even larger table. "You must be famished after sleeping through both breakfast and lunch. This should tide you over until supper."

Alex took a seat on the stool and proceeded to study the woman. She was maybe in her late 40's or early 50's and wore her hair in a bun. There was a sprinkle of gray around the temples but otherwise it was a beautiful brown color. Her skin almost had a golden hue to it and seemed to be glowing. It reminded Alex of how the dessert sand looked just before the sun went down. Her eyes were a stunning shade of green with gold flecks. She was truly vision to take in.

The woman stepped out from behind the counter where she had been working to bring the cup of broth to the table. Alex's mouth fell open. The woman's body was that of a horse. She felt the room spinning around her but willed herself not to faint again.

"Oh, dear, are you all right child?" the woman rushed to Alex's side, placing a delicate hand on her back to steady her. "Do you need to lie back down?"

Alex shook her head no. Slowly she brought her heart beat down to normal. "What are you?" she asked just above a whisper. She wasn't sure if the 'thing' had even heard her.

"You must have never seen a centaur before, no wonder you fainted earlier. My name's Serataom, I'm Salmurk's mate. You'll meet him later. Here, eat." she pushed the bowl of broth towards Alex. "You'll feel much better once you have something on your stomach."

Not knowing when her next meal might be and hearing her stomach growl with hunger, Alex decided to do as Serataom requested. Her body seemed to rejuvenate with each bite. Serataom seems friendly enough, maybe she can answer some of my questions.

But before Alex could even open her mouth to form a word, Salmurk stormed in. The room seemed to shrink with the presence of his large form. By the look on his face, he was not too pleased to see Alex sitting in his kitchen. "What's going on here?" stormed the rather intimidating figure.

Serataom didn't seemed to phased by this sudden outburst. "We're talking and eating a little broth. Would you care for some?" She walked over to the cupboard and pulled out a bowl but before she could put anything in it the angry centaur spoke again.

"I will not eat with such a beast as that,"He glared in Alex's direction.

She glanced about her looking for the 'beast' that he was talking about. After spotting nothing else, she realized that he was referring to her. Not wanting to cause any problems for Serataom, Alex stood up to excuse herself. "I really appreciate the bed and broth, Serataom, but I can see my being here isn't a good idea. I'll just be on my way now."

The large centaur let out a deep, cruel laugh. "You're not going anywhere, human."

Alex briefly thought of using her pistols but quickly decided against it. She had no quarrel with these creatures. She'd just have to try and talk her way out of this. "Listen, I don't know who you think I am but I'm just trying to find my way back home so I can finish some business. I really appreciate your hospitality but I really should get on out of here.If you could just tell me where I am, I'll be out of your hair."

To Alex's surprise Seratoam spoke next, "I'm afraid ,child, that it's not that easy. This forest belong to us and all the other creatures that call it home. You can't leave until you meet with the council, then you will know your fate."

Alex wasn't quite sure what to make of this information. I reckon I should just go along with things for right now. I certainly don't want to get on the bad side of these folk. Besides I've not done anything wrong so surely there wont be any problems. Maybe they can even help me answer some of my questions.
"Alright,"she spoke up at last, "I'll stay put for your council meetin' but then I'll have to be on my way."

"If the Council's wise, you'll never see the sun rise again," barked the angry centaur as he left the house.

"Don't pay any attention to Salmurk, he can't let the past go. Now finish your broth, dear, you'll need your strength for the Council."

Alex picked up her spoon but found that her hand was shaking too much to eat. Placing her spoon down upon the table she looked up to see that Serataom was watching her with her piercing green eyes.

"Ask me your questions, dear, and I'll answer what I can."

"Where am I?" Alex asked, fighting the tears that threatened to spill over.

"Hmmm, now that' s a big question. I guess I'll start at the beginning with the Humans coming..."

Love (Casey, Beth)

Once they had left the bar Casey wasn’t sure where she needed to go, but did know she would realize it when she found it. Walking hand in hand with Beth she could feel that this young lady would go on to do many great things. She also knew that she was at a very crucial point, emotionally, in her still young life.

As they continued down the street the haze slowly lifted and the sight of a pier greeted them. Not just any old pier this was the perfect pier. It jutted into the ocean a half to three quarters of a mile and looked as if it had just been finished the day before. There were people on the pier but not to the extent that it felt crowded. The sun shone brightly and warm. The ocean was lazily swelling, breaking on the pylons not in white caps but gently as if it did not wish to disturb anything it touched.

Walking to the end Casey and Beth found a quite, unoccupied bench to sit on. No sooner had they taken the bench, then a vendor selling ice cream cones stopped on his rounds and asked the two women if either would like a cone. They both indicated yes and exchanged the appropriate tender for said treats.

As they softly licked and caressed their cones, attempting to finish them before the sun worked its melting magic on them. Casey watched and knew what was basically going on inside Beth as her recent emotional turmoil ran its course. She was only too aware that the recent situation with mr. Wonderful had left Beth with raw emotions that were near a breaking point and that the love she was showing Beth could lead to things beyond that which Casey was tasked to handle.

“Beth?” Casey said turning toward Beth and pulling both her legs up onto the bench, folding them beneath her.

“Yes?” Beth replied, a sing-song lilt in her beautifully innocent voice.

“What are you feeling right now?”

“I’m not really sure. I’ve never felt like this before, so I’m not sure what to call it.”

“What you feel is love Beth. Not for me…from me.”

“Can I kiss you?”

“If you need to, yes.”

Beth slowly bent forward moistening her lips with her tongue as she drew near. She delicately touched Casey’s lips with her own, tasting the sweet remnants of the ice cream both had just finished. As her lips lingered she again felt the warmth that Casey radiated but realized that the warmth was not a sexual feeling. She knew from past experiences, few as they may be, that a sexual warmth was intertwined with a moistness that was not there. Maintaining the contact for a moment more she straightened, looking into Casey’s beautiful eyes.

“Did you feel it?” Casey asked fixing Beth’s eyes with her own eyes, the color of the setting sun, so as to better gauge the true meaning of Beth’s next words.

“Yes and no” Beth replied softly rubbing her lips with her hand.

“Do you think you are in love with me?”

“No.”

“Do you know what love will feel like when you do find it?”

“Yes, it will feel like…you.”

“The warmth that you feel Beth you will feel all the time when you have found ‘the one’. You will feel it when you are apart from them. You will radiate it when that person touches you and will feel it in them when they touch you. I am not the one for you, do you see that?”

“Yes I do, but I don’t want this feeling to leave.” She replied moving closer to Casey in fear that she would suddenly leave.

“It won’t leave it will always be right here, so you can revisit it and know what it’s like” Casey she taking Beth’s hand in her own and placing it atop her breast as she also laid hers atop Beth’s.

Taking a long cleansing breath Casey finally stated, “I need to get back to the Serendipity, would you like to walk with me?”

“I think I’ll just hang out here for a bit” Beth replied she too exhaling.

“Beth,” Casey said softly kissing Beth on the forehead…and then gently enough on the lips to almost seem as not at all, “For as long as you need to, remember that you are loved.”

With one last soul penetrating look into each others eyes the two parted ways knowing that they were destined to not be in each others company again, but content in the fact that they would not need to be in order to remember this moment in time.


* * * * * * *


Casey casually walked through the portal straight to the table where she had left the bar towel and picked it up, slinging it onto her shoulder. Looking around she quickly judged which tables needed her attention and which did not. At her next pass by the bar Phae caught her attention.

“She will be who and what she was meant to be, her journey will continue.” Casey answered the unspoken question Phae had.

“You did a good thing, Case.”

“It’s why I’m here”, she replied her eyes filling and overflowing slightly as Phae gently grasped her shoulder.

Absolutely uncertain Questions (Moe)

He stared at the piece of red iron he had just pulled from the fire, he forced himself to remember the image of Marcus lying dead in his arms, and using that pain plunged the hot brand into his the fresh bullet wound in his shoulder.

"AAAAAARRRRGGGGHHH!!!!!!"

His scream reverberated off the walls of the abandoned warehouse where had taken refuge. It had been a valiant effort that the city watch had put into their pursuit, but it is hard to catch some one running from you that has twice your stride and twice your speed also. After a few twists, and turns ( not to mention a rather high leap onto a low roof) the chase was ended. Moe's lip twinged into a snarl as he smelled the charred flesh.

"An Ogre?! Most of those puny little men have probably never even seen one, and even if they did they would probably soil themselves. If they knew who I really was then that thought alone would give them nightmares for the rest of their pathetic short lives. Who are they anyway? I could have crushed them, should have crushed them, still can crush........"

He felt his head explode again, driving him to one knee. Forcing back once again the primal thoughts in his head as he regained his footing and stood. The pain reminding him to think along more important lines.

"Now where to go?" He thought. " I can't go back to my place, they'll be all over it by now, and I sure can't stay here. I need somewhere where I can go and not be noticed."

He chuckled to himself as he looked at his reflection in a small puddle of water.

"That will be the easy part", he thought sarcastically, " I'll need a few 'toys' also, something I can give to the monsters who just destroyed my life, and then where will I find them? Oh yeah let's not forget Moe you have no idea who it was, if they are still around, and if they want YOU dead!"

He pounded his fist on the brick wall out of frustration knocking several bricks loose and sending one flying to the outside. He had to get moving, he knew that much, but where? Where could someone such as himself go? Even in a town like this surely there were no more that looked like him, he was pretty sure he was the only one of his kind in the world, and the word had to be out now. He could imagine his photo from his personnel file on the evening news. Everyone would be looking for him.

"Best to find some place where there are stranger people than me...If that's possible."

One word came to his mind then, a name of a place where he passed by just this morning. A place where he himself would see the patrons come out and think to himself "Well that's different"

Serendipity.

Voices(Alex)

She was sitting at the long wooden table snapping peas while her mother hummed contentedly in the kitchen.

"Alexandra, would you please take your father his lunch? He's out in the fields today." Despite the hard life they lived, her mother was as beautiful as the wild flowers that covered the meadow. Her eyes always seemed to be smiling and there was always a song coming from her full red lips.

"Yes, mamma," came Alexandra's cheery reply as she took the basket from her mother's outstretched hand. She scurried outside welcoming the sun's warmth on her face.

She liked taking her father his lunch, it gave her a chance to be outside. Being all closed up inside the cabin made her nervous. Her mother was aware of this characteristic in her thirteen year old daughter, and therefore tried to give her plenty of opportunity to go outdoors.

As she neared the end of the trees that framed their household property from the fields, she came to a stop. To her surprise her father was not alone in the fields. He was standing in the mist of several men mounted on horses. Seeing that the situation looked rather serious, Alexandra took shelter in the trees, careful not to draw attention to herself. The angry words that were being spoken sliced through the air causing even the birds to cease their chatter.

She was just about to move a little closer to hear what was being said when the men drew their guns. Before she could shout a call of warning to her father, the men opened fire on the unarmed farmer.

"There, there, child. You're alright now," the soothing voice broke through her nightmare. Alex clung to it like a lifeline, pulling herself out of the horrid memories.

"Don't coddle her so," came an agitated voice, "she's a prisoner after all."

"Now, Salmurk, you know that's not true. The council hasn't decided anything yet and until they do she's our guest."

"Ach! How can you speak of such things. My house will never show hospitality to the likes of her kind." The sound of a horse pacing surrounded Alex. "We should have done away with her already. Instead she lies here on our bed like a long lost relative." The voice did nothing to hide how much it detested her. Alex began to run through a list of names of the people that wished her dead.

"Shh! She'll hear you. How can you group all humans together like that? Did you not see her face when she laid eyes on us? I thought her spirit would leave her right there. She's but a child, barely out from under her mother's care. What threat is she to us?"

"How quickly you forget what the humans have done to us. Do you not remember the fires? How they herded us together as if we were cattle? Many species have been wiped out because of the humans. I cannot forgive that easily."

"Why don't you go look for Glottack."The soothing voice was trying to change the topic, " He was gone again last night. Maybe talking to him will take your mind off of things. You can argue your case about the girl tonight at the council meeting." The sound of horses walking about filled the space surrounding Alex, and then. . .Silence.

Alex tried to stir herself awake but her mind and body rebelled. Too much had happened too fast, her senses were overloaded. She needed rest.

mr. Wonderful (Casey)

He had been walking the ‘city’ for quite awhile and had still not found the public place with the aire he needed to divest himself of his latest round of baggage. Walking hand in hand with ‘her’, mr. Wonderful turned the corner and spotted just down the street a bit a place called Serendipity.

‘Perfect. A bar is the perfect place to dump ‘her’, too public for her to get overly emotional’ mr. Wonderful thought as he squeezed her hand slightly to get her attention and headed of toward the Serendipity portal.


Phae looked up from the bar as a couple entered and scanned the interior quickly finding a table off by itself, not in the dark just kinda separated from the other tables. The gentleman politely helped the young lady with her chair and then filled one himself, opposite hers.

“Hey guys, what can I get you two to drink?” Casey asked slinging a bar towel over her shoulder.

“Virgin daiquiri” was ‘her’ response.

“A very dry martini, please.” Mr. Wonderful said.

“I’ll be right back” Casey said bouncing gaily back over to the bar.

‘Hmmm....she looks like she would be absolutely glorious in bed. Earth moving, chorus singing...everything’ mr. Wonderful thought to himself as his eyes focused on his female companion to simulate attention, but he allowed his mind to wander.

“Let me guess” suggested Phae. “A...virgin daiquiri for her and a ...martini for him.”

“Dry” was Casey’s only response.

Scooping up to the two vessels of drink Casey bounced, as was her way, back to the table occupied by ‘her’ and mr. Wonderful. Just as she arrived mr. Wonderful flipped a piece of paper onto the table, inhaled his martini, having grabbed it from off the tray and headed out the door throwing a “She’s got the bill” over his shoulder as he exited through the portal.

Casey quietly watched as the young lady descended from the joyously contented glow she had when she first entered the bar to the frame shaking sobs of one whose heart had just been ripped out and handed to them. Setting the tray to one side Casey sat down in the now unoccupied seat and sliding the piece of paper to the other side of the table, gently collected both of ‘her’ hands into her own, the slightest trace of ‘divine warmth’ seeping through.

Eventually Beth felt someone holding her hands and reigning in her very obvious emotions slightly she looked up and beheld Casey’s round pixie face across the table from her connected to those wonderful hands, Casey’s eyes as full and overflowing as 'her' own.

“I didn’t think you really wanted to be alone” Casey replied in response to the question she saw in ‘her’ eyes.

“Thank you” Beth said laying her check atop Casey’s warming hands, as would an affectionate cat, the warmth now spreading throughout Beth’s young body.

“He was mr. Wonderful” Beth said sitting up and reaching out to keep contact with Casey’s hands as she pulled them back toward her side of the table. The end result being that the two young women sat across the table from each other holding hands in the middle.

“He's not the only one. Your world is filled with mr. Wonderfuls.”

“He was my first” Beth hesitantly released on of Casey’s hands and pushed the note back toward Casey, as an indication to look at the letter.

Delicately releasing ‘her’ other hand Casey unfolded the letter and read it to herself.

Hey I need your help with something. I was lookin' in this little room that I normally keep locked up inside. In this room are all the things I feel, growing at various stages like flowers. Awhile back someone borrowed the key I lock the door with, I'm not even sure I knew where I had put the key to even check to make sure it was still there. After they had been inside, I found this one pot that had a baby "like" seedling in it. No one had been using that pot lately and I had honestly forgotten about it, but he found it and knew it was still in great shape. The person that borrowed the key had fed that little seedling with some of the most beautiful light I had seen in a very long time and then suddenly stopped.

Now here is my problem, where you can help. I can only hold so many pots in this room and I need to know what I should do with this newest one. I've come up with three possibilities--you tell me which one you think is best or another idea if you have one. Should I go ahead and pull that little "like" up now, throw it on the compost and reuse the pot or should I cover it up and protect it from harm hoping that that wonderful light will return to feed my baby "like" or perhaps I could just leave the pot exactly where she put it because she will be back with his light and feed the seedling until it has developed into a full grown "love".

Please let me know how to move forward with this project.

Looking up Casey could see the emotions of the letter still reflected in ‘her’ eyes.

Burn It

was scribbled in red down at the bottom of the page.

“He was not the one for you” Casey said sliding the letter back across the table, freeing her hands to once again hold those of ‘her’.

“But what if he was the only one for me.”

“No one has an ‘only one’ Beth. You grow to become an ‘only one’ with time spent together and love shared, its not pre-ordained. This will be one of the things that you will use to better shape your desire and appearance to you 'only one' ”.

Staring back into Casey’s eyes as she spoke Beth realized that they were sparkling or maybe even glowing on their own and it dawned on her that she had not spoken her name.

“Have we met?”

“Perhaps we have. Lets go find a better place to talk then this dank, old bar.”

“I’d like that “, Beth replied feeling the warmth spread to places that had never truly been warmed before.

Tossing the bar towel onto the table Casey tenderly squeezed Beth’s hand to show Beth had her attention and the two exited through a portal much differently then the one so recently entered by ‘her’.

“Damn I sure would like to go with ‘em” said the patron sitting at the bar. “That little elf girl sure looked hot.”

“Buddy, that little elf girl has more love in her then the rest of this world put together, she could show us all what true love should look like…and she could crush you with one finger and use you as your own suppository” Phae responded grinning slightly, the slightest hint of water in his eye’s.

Brothers Lost

Moe stood there in silence. Even after all the pain he had known, all the death and suffering he had seen, he was still paralyzed by the grizzly scene before him. Bodies lay strewn about like carelessly discarded toys, all over the ground, hanging from the street lamps, even one impaled on the flagpole. There was blood everywhere, it seemed as if there was entire river of it running down the street into the drain. And the smell, the smell of torn bodies, the fresh meat, the warm blood.

"NO!", Moe returned to his senses, pushing back that more primal part of himself. The part that he left behind long ago. It was then the reality sank in, the scene before him was no hellish nightmare. He dropped his gear bag and broke into a sprint. Passing those on the street who wew obvousouly dead and burst though the doors of the station house, tearing on door completely from its hinges in the process. He saw a severed arm clutching a pike and paused with dread filling his heart to look closer. An Celtic cross adorned the ring on the forefinger.

"Pagnelli, No, this cant be happening" The realization then hit him, these were no strangers that lay before him this time. The death was not nameless. It had a face, even more it had memories. Theses were the men he called family and now they lay dead before him. Anger welled upon inside of him looking at the bodies. They were not killed by any weapon he knew of. These men appeared to have been torn apart, even partially eaten it seemed to him. He had seen this before but it could not be. They would not have came this far, he was of little concenquence to them now, but if it was he knew his course would lead him back to.....

A sound caught his attention, barely louder than a feather landing on cotton, had this been yesterday the sound may have went completely unnoticed. But the anger that was welling up in him had forced him back into that more primal state and to his ear it sounded like thunder. He ran upstairs taking seven or eight steps at a stride. Rounded the corner at the top and burst through the door to Caps office. Breathing hard with adrenaline coursing through his veins he stood in the doorway, muscles tensed ready to strike down the monster who had done all this. He saw before him Cap, well at least his head, placed like some sick trophy on his command trumpet, and in the corner...

"Marcus!!!" He rushed over to his friend.

" Moe, you have, have to leave, leave now" He said as he began to cough violently, blood forming a grotesque red mist as he did so.

"They were asking about you, they know you are here"

"Marcus, where is everyone else?"

"All dead, or wishing they were, you have to go now, it, it is , it is not....."

Marcus' head rolled to the side he eyes glassed over and he let go of his last breath. Moe reached up and closed his eyes. He stood up walked out side. He heard the sirens coming round the corner, saw the officers draw their weapons , it was all so surreal now.

"PUT YOUR HANDS UP!" He heard one of the officers say.

"Wait! My work here, my name is..."

"PUT YOUR HANDS UP NOW!"

"No you don't understand" Moe said. "Inside they are all dead some one..."

He felt the bullet rip into his shoulder, spinning him around. He dropped to one knee.

"FACE DOWN ON THE GROUND NOW ...OGRE!"

That word, the generalization of a race of people that was not truly his own sparked a emotion within him. These people would not be reasoned with, looking at the scene they must believe that he had done this act, an ogre had killed humans. Even if he did comply he would be dead before night was over. He looked one last time at the station house he had called home, and with a feral growl, and bullets whizzing past him, ran away as he had so many times before.

Breakfast(Alex, Rufus)

Seeing that the girl was beginning to stir awake, Glottack thought it best to leave. Surely his herd would be wondering where he had been all night. He took one last look at the poor creature lying on the ground then turned to head towards home.

Alex awoke early in the morning feeling well rested. For a moment she thought she was back home and all of yesterday's happenings were nothing but a dream. But when she glanced over to look at her horse, she knew that it was no dream.

Feeling her stomach churn with hunger, Alex felt that her first task would be to acquire some food. A rabbit would be her best bet since she was already in the woods. She went about her work fixing a snare a little bit further into the wood. While she sat waiting for her breakfast, she studied the forest that was hidden from her in the dark. The trees and thickets looked like any other that she had seen. She was even able to make out a path going leading into the dense underbrush, plainly used by deer or other large game animals.

Snap! Without much of a wait , Alex had her rabbit. She approached the poor creature with knife in hand so she could end it's life while it was still tied up.

"Well, I never..."Came the agitated words. Alex nearly fell over backwards she was so startled. Looking around her to try to determine where the voice came from. She saw nothing.

"Now I know I'm gong crazy,"she laughed at herself. " Your hunger must be causing you to hear things." She again approached the rabbit and stopped dead in her tracks. There in front of her was the rabbit struggling against the trap and - talking! "impossible, rabbits don't talk."

At the sound of her voice the rabbit looked up. "You there, silly girl, untie me!"

Alex stood there with her mouth hanging open. Her brain wouldn't function to give her directions in this situation. " You can talk?" she blurted out once her mouth moved.

"Oh, you are a smart one," came the sarcastic reply. "Now, are you just going to stand there or are you going to help me."

Alex pocketed her knife. She couldn't eat something that was talking to her, it seemed to barbaric. While the rabbit babbled on about his predicament, Alex released him from the snare.

"Thank you," said the rabbit as he looked over himself to make sure all of him was out of the trap. "Rufus is the name. And you are?"

"Alex. Alex Milds." She extended a hand for him to shake and to her surprise he did.

Rufus looked at the girl more closely then. Hopping around her and looking this way and that. "Do they know you are here?" he asked.

"Who?"Alex began to eye the forest warily now, not sure of what the rabbit was talking about.

"That would be a 'no.' We best get you to the Keepers. They don't take to strangers in their forest, you know." Rufus began to hop off. Alex stood there looking after him. "Well, come along," came the harried order, "we mustn't keep them waiting. "

Alex tried to explain to the rabbit that she needed to collect her belongings but he wouldn't have it. "We must hurry or it will be the both of us for breakfast."

Not sure of who the Keepers were, she thought it best to heed Rufus's warning and hurry along. Hopefully, she would be able to find her way back to her things later on.

Alex tried her best to follow the rabbit through the thick forest. She was thankful for Rufus's constant chattering as it helped guide her when she would loose sight of him. Together they worked their way to the heart of the wood, a knot of anxiety forming in the pit of her stomach.

Breaking through into a clearing, she came face to face with the Keepers. With the previous day's turmoil and the lack of food, her body was unable to deal with the shock. She collapsed in a heap at the creatures hooves.

Sleepless Night(Alex)

Despite being in such peculiar surroundings, sleep came quickly to Alex. As usual though, it was not a peaceful slumber. Within a few hours of falling asleep the nightmare began. It always started out the same way, with Alex in the kitchen with her mother, helping to prepare the evening meal. All to quickly the dream changed from this happy memory to the nightmare- screaming, gun shots, smoke - to be played out over and over again until she forced herself to wake.

Alex sat there in the blackness of the wood trying to collect herself. Sweat trickling down her flushed face while her hair clung to her forehead and neck in damp auburn ringlets. She found her canteen inside one of the saddlebags and took a drink.

If only I could go back in time and stop this from happening to them. Things would have been so much better, so much happier. But now....
Look at me, I don't even know where I'm at. How can I finish serving my retribution when the man I seek is not here?
What am I going to do?

Behind the protective cover of the trees it watched the stranger cry silently in the night. The creature shifted its weight from one hoof to the other, careful to not make a sound. For some unknown reason it could not leave his vigilance of this human. She seemed so fragile yet had the appearance of being quite self-sufficient.

The creature reflected on this unwelcomed visitor to his woods.

Why is such a lovely creature so sad and alone in the woods? She should be sleeping in her house or one of the hotels, not out here on the cold hard earth. What has happened in her life to cause her such pain that not even sleep can bring respite? What is her story?

The creature again shifted his weight, aware that the sun would soon be coming up. He was saddened by the thought of leaving the girl alone but he did not wish to frighten her. It appeared to him that she had enough to be afraid of within her own mind.


After pushing the images of her nightmare away, Alex lay down to try and get a little more shut-eye. She knew that she would need to be well rested to face whatever the new day held instore for her.

Walking uninterested

As he stepped to into the street a smile come to his face despite the throbbing caused by the massive bruise on his forehead. He loved the smell of this place. Some would consider such a place forsaken, but to Moe it was home. He had been all over the world seen the finest cities and the worst hell holes but this place was most akin to his spirit. He stood up straight finally, his back audibly cracking as he did so. One day maybe he could find a new home, one where his massive 9 foot frame could stretch out his arms and still not hit the ceiling. However the constraints of "Normal" housing did not bother him anymore. He had finally found a place in the world where he was accepted. A place where women did not scream and children cower in fear at his approach. A place where he was not forced to hide in the shadows but was able to walk freely among common citizens in broad daylight. Even allowed to join society and work a normal job where he had found the closest thing to family he had ever known. If only he had come here first. So much would have been different. He may have never lost.....

His thoughts trailed away as he saw a woman walking down the street. It was not her appearance that caught his eye, although she was quite beautiful by human standards, but the way that she seemed so out of place. For a city such as this that was saying something. He watched as she headed out of sight, sighing to himself. He knew what is was like to be alone. He saw a cloud of steam rising in the distance and decided that he should get moving if he was to keep his job. He began to walk, each of his great strides covering twice that of a normal human. He was always alert, taking in the sounds and sights around him, it was just an old habit drilled in years of conditioning. It was in this that his attention was drawn to a small bar across the street. He had walked past serendipity at least a thousand times on his way to and from work but never had he went in.

"Sounds like a pretty good brawl in there. I will have to check that place out one day" He thought to himself.

As he rounded the corner he expected to see the station house at the ready. Men going about their duties with military discipline. The trucks shining in the light....

Nothing could have prepared him for the bloodbath that was before him......

Prince's Summitt, part last (Phae, Casey, Esteban)

She had barely made contact, when she was struck by a backhand that sent her careening into the darkened, unoccupied corner of the bar. This act added to the already tangible tension forced Phae to step in. A Phae that had not been seen by but a few people only one only one of which was still alive. Stepping forward to take up a position behind Pieter and in the midst of the ‘pack’ corridor was a seven-foot tall beast of pure sinew and barely contained animal instinct. As long as there has been recorded history and beyond to the very beginnings of the Homo sapiens species, the vampires and lycans had been mortal enemies. Phae’s sudden appearance surprised all but Casey who took the opportunity to avenge herself of the sudden blow she was dealt.

As the ‘pack’ stood, momentarily confused as to what to do next, one of the ‘pack’ corridor members found themselves holding the head of his recent neighbor and another holding the torso, between them in a thickening pool of blood were the legs of their betwixt neighbor. Slowly turning to look behind, as the pieces of their forrmer comrade glowed cherry red and melted into ash, they beheld the blazing image of a nine foot tall, angel of God holding twin swords of orange-yellow flame, crossed over her breasts, attired in armor that would have been the envy of the bravest medieval night.

In a voice melodious to the ear not unlike that of a chorus yet under laced with a tone impossible to not feel in your soul Casey said, “I believe I said it was time to go.”

Simultaneously the ‘entourage’ attacked Pieter, Phae loosed the beast within upon members of the ‘pack’ corridor and Casey beset the remaining “pack’ members with great fury and vengeance. Esteban sat back and watched, noticing unmoved by all this violence and the sole remaining uninvolved patron in Serendipity, a dwarfish gentleman strikingly similar to Esteban’s image of an early century miner.

Phae and Casey fought nearly back to back, juxtaposed. They represented diametrically opposed poles of the human existence spectrum. One a creature of divine power blessed with the task of protecting all subjects by their creator, the other a creature cursed with powers cast off from that creator yet forever condemned to walk among man. Regardless of station both took extreme relish in the opportunity to assail the ever shrinking ‘pack’ of vampires. Casey’s twin blades reduced the vampyres to ash, releasing their tortured souls, virtually on contact. While Phae’s was a much more visceral approached, he simply reduced them to component fluids with his taloned claws. Either way within mere minutes the duo, breathing heavily, had finished dispatching the entire ‘pack’.

Esteban however had not been so lucky he was currently spiked down having not been able to evade his attackers. Silver stakes through each of his joints held him fast to the wooden floor and slowly drained him of his vitality by virtue of blood loss.

“Esteban” Phae growled slightly taking the edges off of his ‘birthright’ countenance.

Casually waving his hand the Prince showed he was not at the time willing to entertain Phae’s presence much less speak to him.

Stepping forward Phae drew the wrath of Esteban’s two bodyguards, Mr.s Brown and Blue, who immediately fell upon Phae their bloodlust slaked not in the least by their securing fo Pieter.

Phae plucked each from the aire mid-leap, seemingly growing in height to allow for better leverage. Grasping both by the throat and despite the clawing and slashing being inflicted held both out at arms length between Casey and himself. Casey dispatched the first piercing the vampyre through the heart and the eyebrows simultaneously with her swords and grazed the second on the foot. The effect of the later was that the creature started to burn, as would a cigarette, being reduced to ash slowly as the cherry ring ascended the struggling body. Just as the ‘cherry ring’ reached Mr. Browns shoulders Phae quickly severed the head from what remained of the trunk allowing it to burn itself out. As the ash settled he grasped the head with one hand and thrust the other into the head through the neck, wearing the head like a glove.

Slightly taken aback by the total disdain Phae was showing towards the life of the two bodyguards, Esteban continued watching in morbid fascination.

“Esteban’, Phae said “It is time for you to go”

“Indeed”

“Allow me to help” Phae offered walking over to his bar, his macabre glove still in place tiny rivulets of vampyre blood matting the hair on his arm and beginning to coagulate in the crook of his elbow. Reaching above the bar Phae proceed to carve something into the wood panel using the fangs of the former Mr. Brown as his stylus.

“Phae you are not allowed to prevent access” Esteban intoned realizing the nature of the glyph being carved.

Finishing with the drawing Phae then pulled the head off his hand tossing towards Casey’s feet, where she swiftly impaled it reducing it also to ash. Still clutched in his hand was a generous portion of vampyre gray matter, as describing its function not its true color. This he rubbed the engraving with until the friction had reduced the flesh into nothingness and the glyph could only be seen by eyes attuned to the ultra-violet end of the spectrum.

“Look again” Phae advised again reducing his feral trappings, to a being bearing the markings of human and lycan physiology.

Stepping forward Esteban now picked up on a diacritical mark that reversed the reading of the glyphs. Snapping his head toward Phae he growled.

“You and your kind may still enter at will, but now this glyph will prevent them from ever being able to leave beyond the first time. Once is an accident...twice is the last time” he replied grinning exposing his canines in the same manner Esteban had just.

Regaining his composure by adjusting his Armani suit, Esteban signaled to Ms Orange, who grabbing Pieter by the hair and crotch ripped him from of his moorings, followed Pieter out the door. However just as she reached the threshold Ms Orange took a step towards Casey, now back to her elfish dimensions, “I know of your heritage, angel. Does Phae know of your allegiance as well?” stepping through the portal into the city she flipped a coin to Casey.

Catching the coin and momentarily inspecting it Casey beheld an image of the archangel Michael on one side and on the other was imprinted the words HeYLeL BeN-ShaCHaR. Quickly palming the coin she thrust it into her pocket and turned to start helping Phae return the bar to its normal state.

Escape into the Night(Alex)

While surveying her surroundings, Alex noticed that the Serendipity was becoming increasingly more crowded. Feeling a little bit claustrophobic and needing room to think, she decided to take a rain check on that drink. Gathering up her saddle bags she made her way to the door, careful to avoid the large gathering over by the piano.

Once outside, Alex breathed in the cool night air and looked about the town she had mysteriously found herself in. A thousand questions ran through her head but she knew there would be no answers - at least not tonight.

She began walking down the street, trying to avoid the occasional motor car that came whizzing by, at least that's what she assumed they were. She had once seen a picture of something similar to them back home, it had been on display at the world fair. In the picture the motor cars were small and black with a crank to make the engine go, and there were pedals to make the motor car move and stop. Most curious invention. Alex didn't much care for the things because she liked her horses. There was no place that she needed to go that a horse couldn't get her there.

"And where are all the horses?" she asked aloud. She really needed to quit talking to herself before somebody thought her daft in the head, but some habits were too hard to break. Besides, sometimes you just wanted to hear a voice, even if it was your own.

She continued walking the streets taking a left or right turn at random. It didn't matter where she went for there was no place for her to go. The building were so tall and solid that they made her nervous just being close to them. She didn't see how she could get any sleep inside of one of those monsterous things. Spotting a crop of trees at the edge of town, Alex decided that was a good a spot as any to rest for the night. Far away from the creatures and strange people that inhabited this bizarre place.

Unaware of something lurking within the cover of the forest, she lay down on her bed of leaves and grass. It wasn't the first time she slept in the open outdoors and it probably wouldn't be her last. Pulling her trail coat tight around her for warmth, she looked up at the night sky expecting to see the familiar heavens. However, the constellations and stars she had learned to depend on were all gone, no north star to guide her home. Instead of the big yellow moon that had kept her company many a night, she gazed upon two reddish-orange ones.

Again she asked the question that most haunted her thoughts, "Where am I?" With that she closed her eyes, praying that the nightmare would end when she awoke.

The Princec's Summitt - part three (Phae, Casey, Esteban)

At that point the door behind Phae and Casey burst like a balloon admitting a pack of gentleman impeccably dressed in suits and ties.

“HERGOVIA!!!” a voice rang out drawing blood from those more human ears in the room

“My associate has arrived” Esteban said rising to his feet.

As the pack spread into a living corridor between the door and the proximity of the Hergovia ‘entourage’ a single figure traversed it’s length stopping at the open end of the three-table arrangement initially laid out by Mr. Brown.

“You have something of mine Esteban and I will have it back.”

“Pieter Mbecki, how fealtish of you to heed my summons.”

“Where is it?”

“In order to acquiesce to my wishes you must first be able to hear them. Please, may we speak civilly?” Esteban asked as he confidently took his seat.

“I refuse to recognize your claim to the Throne” Pieter said crossing his arms across his chest.

“Sit” Esteban replied in a manner that none, of his kin, could resist.

Pieter did so, slight questioning flashing through his eyes as he did something against his own will.

“What I have is by right mine. For a simple thing in return I will gift it to you and yours.”

“My sire is mine. That is the way.”

“Your sire was birthed out of treaty. The legitimacy is in question.”

“I question your legitimacy” Pieter barked standing up.

The ‘entourage” all became noticeably more agitated. “Pieter, please take your seat before something starts the you could not conceive of finishing.” Responded Esteban, a message hidden in subtle intonations of his voice for his ‘entourage’ to attack Pieter if he did not take his seat.

Meanwhile the ‘pack’ that accompanied Pieter was getting more agitated by the moment, apparently a reflection of Pieter Mbecki himself. The snarling and growling, fidgeting and need to rend was annoying Casey. Her knowledge of vampire ‘pack’ mentality told her she needed to intervene soon.

As one of the bar patrons was attempting to leave one of the ‘pack’ corridor members grabbed her and proceeded to drain her of her life’s blood and toss her to the floor like so much flotsam.

“I believe its time for you to leave.” Casey indicated stepping up to and grasping the offending ‘pack’ member by the elbow.

What the Storm Blew in (Alex)

She stood in the middle of the street. Her horse's saddlebags lay at her feet but the painted mare was nowhere to be seen. There was a cool breeze that whipped the bottoms of her chaps about her legs. Alex felt for her pistols, breathing a sigh of relief to feel their coolness at her fingertips. The last thing she wanted was to be in some strange place without her sidearms. It was bad enough that her horse was gone.
Where was she and how on earth did she get here? She closed her eyes, trying to relive the last of her memories.....

I was on Misty, running from that blasted sheriff and his deputies. We were crossing the dessert when a sand storm came out of nowhere. We tried to make it to the cliffs for shelter but the storm beat us. The sand circled all around us. It felt as though thousands of needles were hitting my exposed skin. There was a sense of floating, like I was one with the storm and then....

"Then what?" she said aloud as if voicing her question would give her the answer. But there was no answer, only silence. No matter how much she thought on it, Alex could not put the pieces together.

"I need a drink," she said to herself, and with that she hoisted her saddlebags up onto her shoulder. Taking in her strange surroundings she spotted a place at the end of the street that looked like it could satisfy her need.

The second her spurred boots crossed the threshold of the Serendipity, Alex knew for sure she wasn't in Mexico anymore. She wasn't even for sure if she was on Earth. All manner of creature filled the room. But strangely enough it all seemed comfortable to her, vaguely familiar.
Needing that drink now more than ever, Alex made her way over to a vacant table in the corner. Pulling the brim of her hat low over her eyes, she proceeded to take in her new surroundings.

" Now what have I gotten myself into,"she whispered.

Prince's Summitt, Part II (Phae, Casey, Esteban)

“Ahhh refreshments at last. Phae I should question the company I’ve been keeping were I you.” Hergovia offered glancing over Phae’s shoulder as he bent to set the drinks on the table and fixing his sight on Casey.

“I’ll be sure to ask when next I seek your approval, my Prince, ” the last two words uttered in a barely intelligible growl.

“You would do well to remember that” The Prince offered back, smiling.

Straightening, Phae again fought down the urges that had marked he and his kind for centuries. “ To what do we owe the visit?”

“I have set up a business meeting and knew that this would be a safe haven in which to hold the discussion”

“You presume much, Hergovia”

“Please my dear Phaedrus we both, you and I, have our own roles to fill.” He replied gently sipping his drink. “ I understand Shaera recently paid you a visit.”

“She was looking for you and decided it would be best to wait for you in hell.” Phae responded tensing slightly hoping to provoke the Prince.

“Phae I have lived to well to long to be provoked by words, you know that. Shaera indicated you wielded the Sceptrum Vispilio, during her visit” Esteban’s tongue wrapping around the Latin as if he were born to it, in turn making the words sound as if the had a life all there own.

“I do, at times, what I must. I bear my burdens equally with my victories.”

“Bah, that artifact is your legacy. The things you could do if only you would accept that.” The Prince spat.

“You may leave now” Mr. Brown said he and Mr. Blue pushing their chairs back slightly from the table.

At the sound of the chair legs sliding against the hardwood floor Casey vaulted the bar and in less then and eye blink was by Phae’s side, glowing softly.

“I don’t want there to be any difficulties…here.” Phae said fighting against an aspect of himself he did not like nor want to release.

“Why Phae is that concern I mark in your scent?”

“For my bar, not for you.” Phae said looking up and motion across the ‘entourage’, all now aware of Phae’s internal struggles, as was apparent in his facial features.

At Phae’s motioning Mr.s Brown and Blue stood fully upright, their hands flexing at their sides, Ms. Orange lighting atop the nearby piano, crouched.

The Prince's Summitt (Phae, Esteban)

As it had millions of time before Phae sensed the threshold open to allow yet another lost soul to cross the portal that was Serendipity, looking for something. This time though he soon realized these souls was forever lost. Before his eyes registered it, his other senses indicated a need for the ‘change’. Phae had recently forced down those same urges during his encounter with his betrothed Shaera.

Having opened the door four individuals purposefully strode through. The first to enter…Mr. Brown enforcer and bodyguard to…Esteban Hergovia, philanthropist and Prince of the city...Mr. Blue, weapons master and bodyguard, finally…Ms. Orange, revenant, Lieutenant and paramour to Esteban.

Finding one appropriate, Mr. Brown led the ‘entourage’ to a particular table over by the piano. As the others took up seats he moved two other tables into position such that the entourage sat at one end with a second table between they and the third, just enough seats for the four assembled and the four anticipated.

Breathing deeply Phae steeled himself, slung the bar towel he was holding over his shoulder and trekked around the bar toward what he knew would be a trying encounter.

“Hello Phaedrus.” Hergovia hissed through a flash of pearly white, inch long fangs.

“Esteban” Phae replied tilting his head down and to the side so slightly as to be almost imperceptible. “What can I get for you and your entourage this evening?”

“Phaedrus you know we have a long standing preference for drink.”

Narrowing his eyes slightly he again nodded.

“Don’t let him provoke you Phae’ he repeated to himself walking behind the bar to fill the ‘entourage’s’ order.

“Hey Phae I can’t seem to…” Casey said as she entered the front of the bar and stopped short her statement upon seeing the latest patrons to Serendipity. Simultaneously, upon spying Casey entering the room they all tensed noticeably and made motions toward hidden folds in their clothing.

Phae’s arm outstretched in front of Casey drew her attention and signaled that her ‘icing’ was not at the moment necessary.

When she looked up into his eyes for an explanation she beheld the bloody orbs that foretold of Phae’s struggles and he beheld the golden orbs of one holding back a divine power.

“We can’t control who comes in. They are here for a reason as are we all. When lost souls no longer have a place to rest you and I will no longer be needed.”

Silently, broodingly she crossed behind Phae toward the closed end of the bar and focused on straitening the glassware ever vigilant for any indication from Phae that it was time to ‘ice’.

Satisfied that Casey was ok Phae bent himself to the task of preparing the requested beverages. Reaching into the upright wine cooler he withdraw two units of RBC’s. Dividing that into four snifters he topped each with drams of puffer extract and pressed garlic. The ‘entourage’ felt ingestion of the later in small doses, gastric distress not withstanding, would eventually provide some buffering against the effects when wielded by others. Gathering the four drinks Phae strode to the table, encroaching into a world he had successfully maintained a distance from for far too short a period of time by his own estimation.

Rude Awakening (Moe)

He awoke slowly, eyes straining against the bright light that was pouring through the open window. Rising slowly out of the bed he glanced at the clock on the far wall. “12:15? That can’ t be right he thought. That would mean I have only been sleeping for twenty minutes.” As he was beginning to wonder how he could sleep for such a short time and feel rested like he’d slept for days, the phone began to ring. “Who could that be?” , he thought, “I’ve only been off shift for an hour!” He began moving towards the desk to answer when a sharp pain exploded from the base of his skull encompassing his entire body. His head began to swoon and lights began popping in front of his eyes. He felt himself falling but could do nothing. Then all went black.

He awoke to a salty taste in his mouth, and his head throbbing. Pushing himself off the floor he saw a small puddle of blood. He reached up to his mouth and then realized the salty taste was from his own blood. “Must have hit my jaw when I fell. Wait…I must have passed out…..I have never passed out.” He remembered the pain then. Reaching around to the back of his head he began to rub his neck when the phone began ringing again. Standing up he grabbed the phone off the desk and looked at the caller ID. STATION was flashing on the display. “What can they want? I have only been gone a couple of hours?” But as he glanced at the clock he saw it was now 15:27. “Well I must have really hit my head good” , he thought. “Hello” he said answering the phone.
“Moe where the hell are you? The Cap is furious, you are really in for it this time”
“ What are you talking about? I have only been off shift for a few hours, does he want me to pull a double?”
“Man your shift started almost five hours ago we had to hold Pagnelli over to cover for you. Get you butt down here ASAP before the old man catches wind of this. You are going to have a hard enough time dealing with Cap, you don’t want to get the Chief in on……”

He heard the bell in the back ground start to wail. “Man we got a run, it would be best if you were here when we get back.. bye” Moe stood there confused. “ I just got off. I couldn’t have hit my head that hard, could I?” He looked at his phone. “22 Missed calls? 15 new Voice Messages?”, he pulled up the calendar, “Wait a second…. I have lost a whole day!”

He rushed to the bathroom, grabbing his previous days uniform, or rather his three day old uniform , off the chair as he went. Looking at himself in the mirror he saw a huge bruise beginning to form on his left temple. Dried blood pooled in the corners of his mouth. “Well don’t you look great?” He frowned, “That is gong to leave a……wait a second… that looks fresh! .” He then realized that he had not been unconscious for the whole previous day, he had slept it away. This injury was far to recent to have been caused over 24 hours ago. But why had he not heard the phone ringing 22 times? Why had his alarms not woke him. There were questions he wanted answered, but for now he had to get to work.

The Fare - Epilogue (Shaera, Phae)

Casey was busing a nearby table when the door opened and a stunningly pale woman with a kerchief around her throat dressed in rags and outwear many times larger then necessary crossed the threshold and slowly, effortlessly traversed the floor heading for the section of the bar directly behind which Phae, his back turned, was policing various containers.

“Hello Phaedrus.”

“Hello Shaera” Phae replied having recognized the voice.

“Now Shadow Walker is that…”

“No.” Phae barked, spinning around to face her. “You have no right. Once is an accident…twice is the last time.” His upturned hand, fingers extended, held a hair’s breadth from the hollow of the beautiful woman’s throat.

“You always had such strong hands.” She purred showing her contempt for the message the hand was meant to send by gently stroking the palm.

Phae withdrew the hand, almost as if in the moment he had forgotten himself. Snapping his towel from off his shoulder he began to wipe down the bar.

“Conduct your business and leave.” Phae uttered in a throaty growl.

“My appointment will arrive shortly. Until then may we please catch up?”

Casey had been watching the entire exchange afraid to get to close to what seemed an almost elemental conflict. As she watched Phae grabbed onto the counter and glared at Shaera, his features flowing like cold mercury.

Glaring at her through partially bloody orbs Phae growled, “Then do it and be gone.”

Smiling at the perceived torment her mere presence was causing Phae, she casually tossed an “As you wish” over her shoulder, turned and walked to a corner booth recently occupied by another woman.

Phae tried desperately to maintain control. He knew it could be done he was just sorely out of practice. His normal stature was usually enough to assuage any attempts to illicit more then a cursory response from the man. Shaera and he had a history that begat violence and as such her mere presence was enough to evoke a form changing hatred.

“Phae are you ok?” Casey asked, keeping her divine attention on Shaera.

“I will be” he replied his voice softening to his normal baritone.

“Do you know that old crone over there?”

“Unfortunately, we’ve met before. Hand me that scepter over at the corner of the mirror please.”

Gingerly Casey rounded the bar, fisted the ornately jeweled piece of medieval finery and walked it over to Phae.

“Phae?”

“Yes Case.”

“If you know her, then you know she’s a…”

“I am intimately aware of that.” He interrupted. “ you need not worry she’s just on her way out.”

Hefting the phallic collection of metal and silica nodules Phae struck his open hand with a sound reminiscent of a clap of thunder. Upon drawing the attention of every organism in the room he fixed his stare on Sheara and slowly, deliberately pointed at the bar portal with the scepter.

Fear in her eyes, Sheara seemed to grab her female companion and hustle her out the now beaconing threshold her feet striking rapidly on the floor.

“Wow that was intense.” Casey said relieving Phae of the scepter and stowing it back on its display stand.

“I am sorry for that Casey. Please settle everyone for me, I’ll be in the back a sec.” Phae asked turning and walking through the double door bahind the bar to the back storeroom.

“No problem Phae.”

Slowly making the rounds Casey explained off what had just occurred as nothing more then a former lover’s spat, figuring all who had witnessed could identify. As the room gradually started buzzing again with the sounds of conversation Casey quietly stepped outside. Taking a slow deliberate draw of the city aire, she turned and stepped back through the Serenity threshold as the howls of urban nightlife echoed in the streets.