Damien Vallens smiled when he heard the gun shots ring out, but he continued to shuffle his deck of large cards and lay them out in the pattern of cross. They were tarot cards and it was his superstition in the method of divining that had given the assassin his nickname. Vallens or Tarot, as he was also known, was most interested in the card that 'crossed him' and it was this one that he took and placed in his breast pocket; it was the card that he would place on this assassin's corpse when he was done with him.

Tarot had the upmost confidence in his success. He could detect a heart beat at a fifty paces, and the hitman would know as soon as anyone came near him. Strict orders had been given to his guards not to enter his floor, else they would be killed, since Vallens planned to use his powerful guns to simply shoot through the walls as soon as he pin-pointed his opponent. It would be quick, then not only would have the mob money but his most generous payment as well.



"F&$%!" Exclaimed Scavenger looking about with rounded eyes, growing even wider when he spied Grey's leg wound, "Shit, shit, shit, man! You've been shot!"

Scavenger raised his hands to his head, trying to figure out what to do about Grey's injury, but when he saw that the man was moving with little hinderance calmed down.

"So where the hell is this guy?" Asked Scav followed by, "Do you think the other guards heard your shots?"

After Tim had showered and dressed in a clean pair of jeans, socks and a Dallas Cowboys Football Jersey with the number 12 on the front, he pulled on his boots checking to be sure his killing knife was neatly tucked inside. Putting on the twin holstered shoulrder holster, and his leather jacket on. Tim walked over to his back back, reached inside and removed eight loaded 14 round magazines for his two Smith & Wesson M&P 40 caliber semi automatic pistons and slipped them into the pockets of his jacket. Standing and walking to the night stand. Tim picked up the two semi-automatics, checked that they were loaded and a round in each chamber, he slipped them into the holsters, grabbed the loaded sawed off 12 guage pump shot gun with a sling bandelaro full of 24 - 12 gauge shells, slung it over his shoulder and walked out the door. "Right behind ya thar Anya .......... I got yur six." Tim said calmly as he pulled the pistols from their holsters.

Sasha had no time to react as Sigma's fist connected with her jaw. Her head snapped back as pain exploded and she found herself falling backwards. She looked up at the masked man, her eyes filled with anger. She noticed that the look on Sigma's face was one of shock as he looked to his fist then to her. She didn't know what his problem was with what had just happened, but she was going to take advantage of it.

Rising to her feet, she wiped away the little bit of blood that was seeping from the corner of her mouth.

"Now, that wasn't very nice, mister. Not nice at all."

Her eyes turned blacker than ever as she called on other 6 and 8 legged creatures....spiders and ants mainly, having them swarm at him. None of the spiders were poisonous, but like the ants, their bites would sting and be somewhat painful. She had to get around this loon somehow. What she needed was just around the corner, she could feel it but he was becoming immpossible to move and every time she attempted to go around, regardless of the insects, he blocked her.

Sigma's high pain tolerance was being put to the test, not to mention his quick fists. The girl had skills and the way she had taken a solid jab to the chin had earned some respect but hardly discouraged him. The reinforcements to the insect army, however, were becoming annoying and distracting, making him slip up. Twice he missed a block, allowing a punch to catch him in the jaw and a kick to strike him in the abdomen. It was the latter that stung, as he wasn't yet fully healed from his gun shot wounds and the pain ripped through his body as he recoiled.

He was hardly in a fit state to be scrapping with anyone, let alone another meta but he had to keep her from getting through and close to Morgan. There was no telling what could happen and it was best to just keep her at bay, but that was starting to prove difficult.

"So what the hell are you anyway?" Growled Sigma after he spat a spider out his mouth, "You can call all the f*$%&g bugs you want, I'm still not goin' to let near, Morgan."

Sigma began to realize just how empty his promise was as his eyes began to blur. He had sustained more insect bites than he ever had before, and even his regenerative constitution was beginning to suffer the effects. The ground began to shift under his feet, the effects of the toxins no doubt, and soon he felt one of his knees strike the ground. Struggling to rise, he failed to defend himself from another kick to his chest, causing one of his yet unhealed gunshot wounds to flare up and paralyze him with pain.

Sigma fell back, toppling to the ground, no longer able to maintain his balance. Squeezing his eyes shut, he could only turn his face into the ground to protect it from the relentless insects as the girl made her way past him.

Tim aimed his two pistols at the dark eyed woman and said "I reckon ya best call yur critters off thar ma,am. Lessen ya what ta go a meet the spider goddess right quick like. Then I reckon ya best be backin off and start explaining yur self." Tim's eyes were as cold as two icebergs as he stared at the woman. "Anya see what ya kin do fur Sig thar. I got tha spidur woman covered."

Sasha called off the spiders and ants when Tim pointed the pistols at her. She could feel whatever it was pulling at her and it was right around the corner. Then, she looked back at Tim again and recognition showed in her black eyes.

"YOU!! WHO ARE YOU?!! HOW DO I KNOW YOU?! I'VE NEVER MET YOU YET I KNOW YOU!! WHO IS THE LAVENDER EYED BITCH?!! WHY DO I HAVE HER MEMORIES?!"

Sasha wanted answers and then it dawned on her that maybe, just maybe, they were intentionally keeping the girl from her. Whatever was happening between them...maybe it would kill the girl and they didn't want that. Well, she was tired of living with memories constantly popping into her head and driving her to her knees. If getting together killed the girl, then who was she to stop it. She didn't know her and she had a feeling that if this lavender eyed girl was gone then the painful memories would stop.

"Let me pass, mister. What I need is just around that corner and if you don't let me pass then I will bring a swarm of insects down on you that you have never seen the likes of before. Now...get out of my way!"



Morgan heard Tim's voice then heard the woman's voice threatening him. Standing, she began to walk again, towards the corner. Mikaela grabbed her, only to be shoved away. She grabbed her again, this time Morgan turned on her, her eyes turning their dark lavender.

"Don't try to stop me, Mikaela. I am going...I have to."

Mikaela nodded her head and followed closely behind. Morgan rounded the corner and stopped. She saw Tim's back and then she saw the woman.....or she saw Cassie..an older version of Cassie.

"Cassie?....Cassie!! You're dead!! You died in my arms!! How can you be here? Tim, you can't shoot her. She looks like Cassie would look like had she lived."

As she began to walk towards the woman, she could feel something pulling the strength from her and she stumbled. Sasha smiled...finally, this was going to end....the lavender eyed girl was here and she was feeling stronger already. She saw Morgan stumble and knew that the burst of energy was coming from her. She mentally shrugged her shoulders at the thought that Morgan could die in order for her to live. So be it.

"I don't know who this Cassie is, but you....you have been tormenting me for the past few days and I'm tired of it. Let's see what happens when we get to know each other."

When Tim took a step to block Morgan, Morgan stopped, her gaze trained on Sasha. Sasha glared at Tim then an idea popped into her head....she knew what Morgan felt for this man and she could use it to her advantage.

"Come on, Morgan. Your weak...I keep getting slammed with your memories which brings pain. I already feel better with you being close. What have you got to lose, Morgan. This man doesn't feel for you what you feel for him...I know this because I have your memories and know what you feel."

She then turned her attention to Tim, grinning at him.

"You gonna shoot me in front of the girl who thinks the sun rises and sets on you? You don't even want her...do you. She's too soft hearted for the likes of you....too kind. She would sacrifice herself for you and from what I remember, that's exactly what she tried to do. She has strong feelings for you and what have you done for her?! I know what you didn't do for her. You weren't there for her...were you?"

As Sasha kept going on Tim, Morgan walked around Tim, giving him a wide berth, making it hard for him to grab her and keep his pistols trained on Sasha at the same time. Her lavender eyes were dark as she focused on Sasha, feeling her strength being drained from her.

"Stop it!! STOP IT!! TIM HAD MORE IMPORTANT THINGS TO DO THAN BE THERE FOR ME!! YOU LEAVE HIM BE!! YOU'RE RIGHT, THOUGH. I HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE!!"

Morgan turned to look at Tim, her lavender eyes boring into his chilled gaze. She put everything she felt for him in that one look.

"No matter what happens, Tim, I'm sorry I was such a burden to you. She's right. I have nothing to lose whether I survive or not. If I do survive whatever this is, I won't be a bother to you anymore. If I don't suvive, well, then I guess I definately won't be a bother to you, huh?"

Turning back to Sasha, Morgan nodded her head to the black eyed woman.

"Let's end this...one way or another."

As Morgan began the walk towards Sasha, Mikaela screamed for them to stop her.



"THEY'RE TWO HALVES OF THE SAME WHOLE!! ONLY ONE CAN SURVIVE IF THEY COME TOGETHER!! STOP HER!! STOP MORGAN!! SASHA ISN'T REAL!! SHE HAS NO AURA!!"

Mikaela didn't know how she knew this, but she could feel it just like she could feel that Sasha wasn't truly real. But, it wouldn't be Sasha that didn't survive. Morgan wasn't strong enough yet to win this fight, but she was willing to go ahead with it to be done with it. She wished Wraith were here, but she understood his need for somewhat of a normal life. She had one until these people came into town, now, she didn't know anymore.

Tim holsterd his weapons and looked at Morgan. "Well ifin' aftar all this time that is what ya believe. Then that is how it is." Tim then turned and returned to the safe house, gathered his back pack and walked out onto the streets of Chicago. Stopping at a phone booth, he looked up an address for a Harley Davidson dealership. Then caught a ride on the "El" getting off on the street that the dealership was located on. He walked in a bought a black Harley Davidson Sportster, with leather saddlebags and a black half helmet. Left the dealership and headed southwest down I-55 towards St. Louis.

Mikaela stood there and watched as Tim took off. Was he an idiot? Did he not understand what Morgan was going through? Or how he had helped put the girl there? Shaking her head, she muttered something about men then grabbed Morgan with one hand while she pulled out her cell with the other and called Allie.

"Allie, Tim just left!! Yes, I know, but he's being an idiot!! He's not thinking about her or what she's thinking!! No, I need you to get here and get Morgan back to base while I locate Tim and set him straight! Yea, bring the charger!!"

Now there was nothing standing between Sasha and Morgan except Mikaela and she wasn't real sure what she could do. Before she knew what was happening, Sasha became alert, turning her head as if she were listening to something.

"This is you're lucky day, Morgan. Friends of mine are in trouble and they come before you do."

Turning, Sasha ran back towards the general store, one of the yellow jackets having alerted to the store being ransacked.

Allie showed up in the charger which between her and Mikaela they got everyone, including Sigma and Ayana piled in and back to base where Snap came out to help Ayana with Sigma. Allie, Morgan, and Mikaela stayed in the charger and headed out to find Tim. Allie dialed a number on her phone, hoping that it was Tim's number while Mikaela used her abilities to try and locate him.

"Hey, Tim...what the hell are you doing, leaving Morgan alone like that?!! Did you want her dead?! Look, I don't know what happened, but dammit...."

Mikaela grabbed the phone from Allie and talked to him.

"Tim, I heard what Morgan said and I also heard what that bitch said to her as well. Or did you not hear that part? Dammit, Tim!! I warned you from the beginning what would happen. If you didn't want her then to let her go. But she needs to know that."

Mikaela was pissed and that didn't happen very often with the small woman. She could feel Morgan's pain as if it were her own and she knew that Tim leaving the way he did hurt the girl more than he would ever know. But, what had he truly done to show Morgan any different.

"Give me the phone, Mikey."

Mikey looked at Morgan, then handed her the phone.

"Tim, it's Morgan. I'm sorry that you getting hit like this from these two. All I have to ask you is what do you expect me to believe where you are concerned? Because I sure as hell don't know. I'm leaving and heading back to the reservation, if you decide that we have something, then that's where I'll be. No more pressure...no more burden....and one less person for you to watch out for. You have Aunt Jackie's number, just call it."

Her voice sounded tired and she handed the phone back to Mikaela. Allie was stunned speechless at what Morgan had told Tim. The girl had stood up for herself and was taking control of her life. It was about time, but what about this doppleganger wench? What would happen with that? Morgan had dark circles under her eyes and looked tired. Maybe getting away from the bug lady would be the right thing to do.

"I guess we're taking her to the reservation, Tim. Please, just remember that she feels for you....deeply, but she truly doesn't know where you stand with her, can you blame her? I can feel the confusion within her as I can feel it within you. Ask youself, though. Do you really want this? Was the bug lady right when she said that Morgan was too soft-hearted for you? Maybe that's what you need...a soft heart to go with your hard one."

With that, Mikey hung up and looked back over her shoulder at Morgan who was sitting in the back seat, curled up into a ball, her heart breaking. Mikey felt as if she couldn't breathe from the weight of Morgan's heartache. She dialed the base and told Snap what was going on and that she would keep in touch and for her to call Wraith and let him know. She then hung up and asked Morgan where they were going.

"The Rosebud Reservation in North Dakota."

Sigma groaned. As the toxins of the thousand or so insects coursed through his blood stream the world wildly spun about him. Out the corner of his eye he could see the back of the black eyed girl staring down Cowboy, all he had to do stand up and waylay her, but that was far easier thought than done.

In but a few more minutes the effect of the poisons would fade, but Sigma needed to act now! Forcing himself to rise, his body shuddering from the stress he rose only to fall backward as he blacked out.



Sigma fell into a pair of powerful arms flexing beneath a tight blue costume. Wraith easily scooped up the large man, cradling him in his arms like a child. Looking at the thing conjured from the mental energy of Morgan's and Frank Shepard's mental battle he called out to her.

"That's far enough!" Wraith commanded.

The stolid super-hero stood in the morning sun, a rare sight since the passing of the Riggs Act. No costumed vigilante dared appear in the bright of the day for all to see, but Wraith had little choice. The others had to know what they were dealing with and he had to protect his identity, he only hoped that he would have enough time before someone spotted him and contacted R.A.I.D. They wouldn't be far away considering the destruction around them that he and Apex Fusion had caused so he would have to work fast.

"Morgan! She is not your cousin!" Shouted Wraith, "She is the product of your mental battle with your father. She is the product of hate and anger. Look into her eyes, Morgan. Look hard and you will see the truth!"

Wraith knew he was in there. Lurking just below the surface of physical semblance adopted by the entity lurked Frank Shepard. If Morgan looked hard enough she would see it and know that she had to stay away from the creature.

It was already too late to kill what he had been loosely referring to as a 'doppleganger'. Just being within visual range of each other a bond had been formed.

"Tim!" Called Wraith, "Don't shoot her! If you harm this aberration it may also hurt Morgan. We have to get them into the base and quickly before any civilians see us."

His words were wasted as the gun fighter had already left and was making his way back to the safe-house.

Wraith stood his ground. Winds swirled around him, easily deflecting the efforts of any insects flying or crawling that drew too close to him. He knew the display of his powers would prove to the girl that no matter how many insects she called the 'wind-mutant' would just blow them away or contain them in a vortex of air.

"All that you know. All that you are is from, Morgan and her father." Explained Wraith to the girl. "I am sorry to have tell you this, but you are nothing but a collection of thoughts somehow made flesh. You have been brought into reality by a psychic struggle if you can understand that."

Wraith slowly approached the girl, his hands held out in a peaceful manner. "Just back away from Morgan. Come with us and we will try and work this out. I'm a doctor, and if you give some time I may be able to find a way to separate the two of you."

The scientist in Wraith was actually curious to see what would actually happen if this entity and Morgan combined. He had a theory that since she was originally from Morgan's own psyche that she would just become absorbed into some sort of internal struggle, but then he had never seen anything like this before. Anything could happen, including the reincarnation of Frank Shepard and the destruction of Morgan. Their main priority was to protect Morgan and to do that they had to first and foremost keep them apart. He didn't know whether or not he would be able to appeal to the creature, but he had to try. If they could resolve this peacefully it would be easier to protect Morgan and draw little attention to themselves in the process.

When Wraith had stopped Sasha, that was when Allie had shown up and they had climbed into the charger, leaving Wraith to deal with the black eyed woman. Sasha stared at the meta, feeling the wind blowing around him, keeping any insects she called at bay. She decided to stop, for now.

"So, you're trying to tell me that I am a figment of that little girl's mind....as well as her father's? Are you crazy?"

Sasha laughed at him, unwilling to believe what he was telling her.

"I am hate and anger?! You're good, I'll give you that, besides, your little girl has left the building. But, I bet I know where she's heading and I'll bet that you don't. Hmmmm....you didn't want Tim to shoot me. You said that by shooting me it might hurt Morgan. Isn't that interesting. So, if I hurt myself or get hurt, then Morgan will feel it?"

Sasha smiled....and that smile said it all. She had just found an out and she would use it to her fullest advantage. Already she felt the drain of Morgan leaving the area on herself and knew that she had to follow. Henry and Emma would just have to fend for themselves where the gang was concerned. It was time for her to move on.

"From the looks of things, Morgan doesn't have the gun-man for protection anymore. Poor thing. Looks like she run him off with her soft heart and good nature. Maybe he needs someone more like me....someone hard and cold like he is. She's too warm and fuzzy."

Sasha laughed at this before she began to back up, planning on heading back to the small store to take the elderly couple's car. They weren't going to be needing it.

"I am not a product of some wimpy bitch's imagination. I am real and I now know that in order to stay alive I need her. Like I said, I know where she's going....do you? Too bad she screwed it up with Tim. Now she has very little protection."

With that, Sasha turned and as she ran in the direction of the little store, she called on every flying insect she could and had them swarm Wraith to try and keep him busy while she escaped. She knew about the reservation and she knew where it was and she knew she had to get there.

Wraith had said that she was a product of a battle between Morgan and her father, that she was the product of hate and anger. When he'd said that, something seemed to wake inside of her....like someone else was living inside of her and she could hear his voice and it was a he.

~Go after her, Sasha. Track her down...kill her before she gets you killed. She is the demon, not you. I'll help you find her.....I know where it is she goes.~

The last thing Wraith would see would be Frank's eyes in Sasha's face as she disappeared.

Ayana had been wracking her brain through the entire ordeal. She could have mentally destroyed Sasha if she had wanted, but she was connected to Morgan and she couldn't be sure how it would affect her. Seizure had felt them long before Mikala even said anything. It was like two minds connected by a long, silvery cord that had been stretched. As they came together, the cord seemed to be retracting into both of them, as though pulling them together. Even when she tried to reach Sasha's mind, she couldn't help but feel as though Morgan was there as well.

All she could do was watch helplessly, standing within the protective winds conjured by Wraith, poised to fight if she needed. There wasn't much more she could have said to either of the girls, telepathically or verbally, that hadn't been said already. Both seemed to have made up their minds. When Tim and Morgan left, Seizure simply stood, watching them go, the drama between those two the least of her concerns. Sasha had access to Morgan's mind and Seizure had access to Sasha's. She'd have to some how keep tabs on that girl, preferably without initiating a fight. As Sasha took off, Seizure reached out with her mind as far as she could, taking a few silent, hurried steps forward. Her connection severed as Sasha turned a corner but she managed to get something. Turning back to Wraith, her eyes flicked momentarily toward Sigma before she turned back to the masked man before her.

"A reservation," Seizure reported, "Morgan's headed to a Native American reservation in North Dakota."

Sasha made it back to the little store just in time to hear the crashing and yelling coming from inside. She heard Emma scream as a shot rang out. Well, they were on their own now as she was. She'd helped them before because they had fed her and gave her what she needed. Now, what she needed was heading for North Dakota. Shrugging her shoulders, she headed around back and slipped inside. Seeing the stairs that led to the couple's apartment, she quietly slipped inside then headed upstairs. It didn't take much to break in the flimsy door, slip inside, grab the keys to their old buick along with the wad of cash the old lady kept hidden in the kitchen and slip back out the back. She got a glimpse of one of the gang members kicking the old man and stopped, wanting to help but the voice inside of her head had other ideas.

~Don't stop now. Morgan's gettin' away and in order for you and I to live she has to die!~

Sasha turned and thought no more of the elderly couple who had helped her as she stole their buick and took off, heading west for North Dakota.



Allie and Mikaela didn't have a real good head start ahead of Sasha, but they didn't know she was following either, so they weren't real concerned. While Morgan slept in the back, Allie and Mikaela talked quietly.

"I don't know, Allie. It's like Tim has kept Morgan in limbo emotionally. I don't believe he did it intentionally, but he's an idiot to blame her for not knowing where she stands. She needed him....desperately after what her father did and he couldn't let someone else clean up and deal with RAID...it just had to be him. What is she supposed to think when he's not there when she needed him the way she did? Men....they tend to be lunkheads."

Allie was nodding her head the whole time, agreeing with Mikaela.

"I know, Mikey. You don't have to be empathic to feel the confusion rolling off of Morgan where Tim is concerned. It's sad really. They seemed to be good for each other. She seemed somewhat of an innocent when I first saw her, but she's losing that quality and quickly. He could have benefitted from the way she looked at the world. I wonder how they first met."


"He almost hit me with his car...that's how we first met. Then he saved me from being attacked by some thugs. I'd been on my own until then. He was there when I first saw my father. He took care of me but he wasn't ready for anything more. At least that's what I kept getting. He had feelings for me, he admitted that, but he just wasn't ready and I'm tired of waiting and feeling like a burden."

Allie and Mikaela had started when Morgan had started talking, thinking she'd been asleep. Mikey shook her head when Morgan got done talking, thinking about what she'd said. Would Tim have listened to her if she'd said these words to him? Or would he have walked away from her, the way he did. Morgan needed him, more than ever and he had left. She could feel what that was doing to Morgan and if Tim was sitting next to her, she would give him a good smack upside his head. And, she wasn't the violent type.

"Just sleep, Morgan. Allie and I will take turns driving until we reach North Dakota. We'll stop for gas, pit stops and food, but we'll make it there by this time tomorrow. Don't worry about anything."

Grey started down the hall without even looking back at Scavenger. At his question, however, his jaw clenched and he grit his teeth, forcing back his own annoyance along with a fresh barrage of swear words, both voluntary and otherwise.

"No, dumbass," he hissed, "I think the rest of the guards are deaf f$*&ing retards kinda like you. Now shut the f%@$ up for a minute." With gun raised, his sharp eyes darted around the hallways, watching for every slither of movement. As Scavenger fell silent, Grey's ears were pricked listening to every tiny scuttling of even the cockroaches they tunneled through the building's walls. Slowly he moved down the hallway, his feet not making a sound as he moved cautiously along the wall and turned a corner. Suddenly he paused, going still, seemingly staring into nothingness, clearly listening.

He'd found it. The distant rustle of air, the faint pattering of a heartbeat: Those distinct signs of life. Taking another inhumanly silent step forward, his eyes raised toward the door that appeared at the end of the long hallway. Without looking back, Grey took one hand off of his gun and pointed meaningfully at the expensive-looking office doors.

Tarot, the man that Grey knew as Damien Vallens maliciously grinned. The walls were invisible to him, and he knew precisely where Grey Pyre and his side kick Scavenger were. As the vibrations of his two guests made their way through the air they revealed a world unlike any other and one that Vallens was perfectly in tune to.

The smooth cocking action of Tarot's specialized rail-guns were virtually noiseless as he unloaded his first round through a wall. The bullets moved at twice the rate of a regular bullet, ripping through the wall to Grey's left. The shot burst through the gyp-rock and across the hallway just as the sound of the gunshot caught up to the blast.

A warning shot. A brief second of mercy that Tarot granted his colleague, as he was confident the second would not miss. Grey's speed was impressive, his dexterity extraordinary, but he had fought the like before. He adjusted, targeted and fired.

His gun malfunctioned which was a virtual impossibility. Almost simultaneous to the misfire, he shot off his other pistol. Malfunction! 'What the hell! Impossible!', thought Vallens, unless...

Tarot fired a shot from each gun. He was ambidextrous and could fire just as well with both hands. One purposely just missed Grey, and the other targeted Scavenger.

Stefan went down and did not move as a lightning bolt of a shot ripped through him and the other just nicked Grey's pant leg.

"Interesting." Whispered Tarot, from the far corner of the large spacious room which was void of all furniture save the table and chair in the middle. He suspected then that this assassin had some sort of defensive ability that would render his guns useless, which was partially correct. He would have to even the odds.

Just as Scavenger hit the ground another shot blasted through the wall. This one, struck Grey's handgun, sheering off the barrel and rendering it useless.

Vallens tucked his guns away and produced a shimmering double edged blade. This one, he would have to get up close and personal with. A rare turn of events for the marksman, but one that he was fully capable of dealing with as he was a skilled martial artist and well trained with a blade. His opponent was quick. There could be no errors on his part.



Stefan lay on the floor his eyes staring up blankly at the ceiling. Ever so slowly he reached to his forehead and touched it where the bullet from the rail-gun had just skinned his flesh. The would had been seared closed and looked like nothing more than a small scrape and though he had hardly felt a think, Scavenger had hit the ground as if he had been shot.

By all rights he should have been dead. If Vallen's bullet had not ricocheted off of a metal stud in the wall, it would have ripped through his chest. Still, he felt it wise to lay as still as possible considering their opponent could shoot through walls and so to the untrained eye he appeared to be dead.

Everything happened in a split second. Bullets whizzed through the doors and around Grey as he just barely managed to dodge them. In the middle of it, a stinging in his leg made him jump and Scavenger went down. Grey only watched as his friend dropped to the floor, staring emptily up the ceiling. Watching it happen, however, was the most notice Grey took. It was hardly unexpected. He'd tried to tell him he was in over his head and anyway, Grey had other things to worry about. In an act that was half-desperate, half-instinct, he turned in the direction of the gunfire, took his best guess, and destroyed the mechanisms.

At first, Grey thought his attempt at worked until another bullet came flying through the doors and hit his gun. He watched in horror as the gun flew from his hand and hit the floor, sliding several yards away down the hall. Jumping silently across the hall, Grey flattened himself against the opposite wall, his eyes ticking between the door and his gun. His gun was the source of his most deadly powers, but his opponent seemed to be able to detect him through the doors. If he ran and got his gun, he would only be giving Vallens more time to shoot at him and Grey had no idea how many guns the guy had, let alone if he could destroy them through the door. Drifting along the hall, Grey's gaze fell on Scavenger lying dead in the middle of the hall, his knife still in his hands.

The stirring was beginning grow within Grey and he paused in the momentary quiet to swallow hard and take a deep, quiet breath, pushing back the simmering sensations threatening to explode from within him. Finally, he looked back to Scav. The clock was ticking. He'd wasted precious seconds already.

He's not gonna need this anymore, thought Grey as he dashed over to him and snatched up the knife. Gripping the blade, Grey's head swam. He wasn't anywhere near as good with close-in weapons. He was an assassin. He preferred to keep his prey at bay, fighting from a distance. This was getting interesting . . . and damn if he couldn't use a coupla Vicodin and a cigarette right about now. Taking one more deep breath and forcing back the building pressure, Grey rushed forward with silent steps and burst through the door with one kick. Automatically, Grey dodged to the left and held out his blade, whipping around until his eyes landed on his target. He then paused, eyes trained coldly on the man behind the desk. He was holding an angry-looking blade himself and hardly looked surprise to see Grey. Still, he held out the blade, poised and ready, his weight centered beneath himself as he watched every tiny shift in the man's muscles, ready to react to anything.